As soon as the Emperor finished speaking, the Crown Prince’s smiling expression stiffened.
Unable to meet Yunxiu’s gaze, he was instantly overwhelmed with the shame of being caught red-handed. But when he fully processed the words, he couldn’t help gritting his teeth—Yinqi had tattled on him!
Was it so hard to enjoy a good meal with Consort Yi?
And another thing—Cao Xi, Minister Cao, was bedridden with illness, yet the Emperor hadn’t even thought to show concern for his loyal subject.
"Imperial Father," the Crown Prince reluctantly glanced at the braised pork before forcing a composed expression, setting down his chopsticks and rising to bow. "This son noticed that Fifth Brother was playing wildly with Fourth Brother and the others, so I didn’t call them along. I never meant to trouble Imperial Father—this son is at fault."
Recalling Yinqi’s teary-eyed, abandoned-puppy look, Kangxi gave his son a sidelong glance and merely hummed in response, as if unconvinced by the explanation.
Seeing the Emperor return unexpectedly, Yunxiu felt a headache coming on. Before the throbbing could fully set in, she massaged her temples and spoke with a faintly mocking tone, "Your Majesty is occupied with endless state affairs, and the Cao family members keep fainting one after another. With no appetite to dine alone, I merely invited the Crown Prince to keep me company. Does Your Majesty intend to reprimand me as well?"
Reprimand?
As if he dared!
The Consort wasn’t just his ancestor—she was the Emperor’s too.
Liang Jiugong was awestruck. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the Crown Prince’s lips curling upward, radiating unmistakable delight. He blinked, thinking he must have imagined it.
But before he could rub his eyes for a better look, the smile vanished, replaced by the Crown Prince’s usual solemn demeanor. The chief eunuch could only mutter to himself—must have been his imagination.
Hearing the veiled threat in his beloved consort’s words, Kangxi fell silent for a moment before swiftly changing his tone. "How could I ever reprimand you?"
"Baocheng may as well stay for the meal," he added stiffly. "With such an extravagant spread, it would be a shame to let it go to waste."
The moment this excuse left his lips, not just Yunxiu but even the attending servants fell into stunned silence.
With Consort Yi’s intervention, the Crown Prince felt a surge of warmth, as if he’d just won a hard-fought battle.
But his triumph was short-lived. Soon, his left side was occupied by the Emperor, who was now competing with him for the dishes. Worse, His Majesty was breaking the rule of silence during meals, eagerly serving Yunxiu: "Green vegetables nourish the body—have more."
"And this dish—don’t eat too much. The imperial physicians warned it could trigger morning sickness. Though this child is well-behaved, unlike that little troublemaker Yintang, we still mustn’t be careless."
The Crown Prince’s hand trembled. His ears buzzed as he cycled through shock, resignation, and finally, numb acceptance.
He favored meat, as did Kangxi. But with Yunxiu pregnant and unable to stomach rich dishes, the kitchen had prepared generous portions—enough for one, but not two.
Outmatched and unable to fight back—filial piety shackled him—the Crown Prince conceded defeat to his revered Imperial Father’s chopsticks. With a forced smile and a heart full of grievances, he excused himself, his spirits thoroughly dampened.
Once outside the Western Garden, he patted his half-full stomach and asked He Zhuer, "Where’s Fifth Prince?"
He Zhuer gulped, his hair standing on end—what kind of address was "Fifth Prince"?
"This servant doesn’t know—ah, no, this servant does know! In another hour or two, Fifth Prince will pester Nanny Dong for a midnight snack."
"A midnight snack?" The Crown Prince scoffed mercilessly. "He’s already grown stout beyond recognition. If he lacks restraint, he’ll corrupt Fourth and Sixth Brothers too."
He paused, then declared righteously, "Perhaps I should help him by taking it off his hands."
Among the entourage accompanying the southern tour were several high-ranking officials, including Tuyue and Ma Qi—both favored by the Emperor—as well as key figures from Mingzhu’s faction, and not a few at that.
Suo Etu, freshly reinstated, hadn’t yet had time to promote his previously demoted allies or rebuild his faction to rival Mingzhu’s. Bound by imperial decree, he couldn’t leave the capital, leaving him to sigh helplessly from afar. His intelligence network was no match for that old fox’s.
All he could do was rely on court bulletins or the Emperor’s directives to piece together the situation.
Was the Crown Prince safe?
Without the support of the Hesheli clan, was he being bullied by the Eldest Prince?
The uncertainty gnawed at him. The thought of the Crown Prince being charmed by Mrs. Guoluoluo during the southern tour, with ample opportunity for closeness, made Suo Etu’s expression darken. "Frustration" didn’t even begin to cover it.
But no matter how desperate he was, he was powerless from such a distance.
This was also why Consort Hui, though anxious about Yinti joining the tour, wasn’t overly worried. With Mingzhu’s people watching over him and attendants at his side, Yinti would return unharmed.
Meanwhile, Yinti—the very son Consort Hui fretted over—seized a chance to "coincidentally" meet an official from Mingzhu’s faction, his face flickering with surprise.
"Cao Xi fell ill, the banquet was canceled, Consort Yi fainted and was later diagnosed with pregnancy, and now she’s refusing to receive noblewomen?" He lowered his voice. "What in the world happened?"
He’d only taken a short nap, and the world had turned upside down.
Cao Xi and Cao Yin were secondary. What truly irked Yinti was Consort Yi’s pregnancy—whether it’d be an eleventh brother or sixth sister, he didn’t know. How could she be pregnant again?
Yinreng already had too many advantages.
"Your Highness, don’t be agitated. From what this servant has gathered, the old madam and Cao Yin’s wife plotted to present beauties to His Majesty," the official said, finding the whole thing absurd. He sighed, recounting it as a joke. "Cao Xi was utterly foolish."
Yinti barely suppressed his shock.
"An eye for an eye—Consort Yi handled it brilliantly!" he blurted in admiration.
The official: "..."
Nearly led astray, the official quickly steered the conversation back, his eyes glinting with the shrewdness of Mingzhu’s faction. "Cao Xi’s illness is an opportunity. After this debacle at the textile office, will the Emperor’s favor remain as before? The Grand Secretary has long had plans for the Jiangnan region—"
Before he could finish, Yinti cut him off, alarmed. "The Cao and Li families are loyal to Imperial Father—even a three-year-old knows that! What could Uncle possibly scheme?"
"That beautiful concubine was a gift from Consort Yi, forced upon Cao Yin. Do you think the Cao and Li families wouldn’t resent it?" The official smiled, coaxing him patiently. "Naturally, they wouldn’t dare resent the Emperor or Consort Yi—but they also wouldn’t dare take sides. After all, everyone knows where the Crown Prince’s loyalties lie."
By all logic, the Cao family, basking in imperial favor, would naturally align with the Crown Prince to avoid suspicion. The Han valued legitimacy—the Emperor was their master, and the Crown Prince their future one. To disregard him would invite scorn.
The Cao family knew the Emperor’s intentions—these trusted officials were meant to serve the next ruler. With the Crown Prince’s position unshakable and Yinti’s rivalry little more than a minor nuisance under Mingzhu’s support, countless officials clamored to join Yuqing Palace’s ranks.
Who could resist?
The Emperor's will was their sacred decree. If not for the Cao family lacking an eligible candidate for three generations, Cao Xi would have sought imperial favor to have his grandson serve as the Crown Prince's study companion.
"Seeing how close the Crown Prince is with Consort Yi, and how the Consort holds a grudge against the Cao family, do you think His Highness would still favor them?" After carefully analyzing the situation for the eldest prince, the official stroked his beard and chuckled. "All men have their desires. Cao Xi fears this most of all. Who wouldn’t want their family to prosper endlessly?"
No one was a fool.
When the elderly matriarch and Lady Li went to plead for forgiveness, the Crown Prince’s attitude made the observant old woman’s heart sink to the depths. His subsequent repeated visits to the Western Garden—claiming to dine with "Consort Yi"—left the Cao family feeling chilled to the bone, their hearts full of gaping holes.
It was the same logic as a pillow whisper. If Consort Yi spared no effort in poisoning the Crown Prince’s mind, how could they possibly fare well?
The more the official spoke, the brighter Yinti’s eyes grew.
"Uncle, what do you suggest?"
"Grand Secretary Mingzhu mentioned that the daughter of a magistrate, who should have lived a respectable life, was forced into the lowest social status. The primary culprits were the old matriarch and Cao Yin’s wife. And the second? Who else but the Consort? It’s no wonder she resents them. That woman is beautiful and cunning. With just a little support from us, she could stir up endless trouble in the Cao household." The official’s tone was meaningful. "She has great uses."
"If you find an opportunity, don’t be too obvious—just show Cao Xi some face and plead for leniency on his behalf." His voice dropped lower. "The taxes from the Jiangnan region… even Grand Secretary Mingzhu covets them."
Who wouldn’t love mountains of silver? Even the wealthiest families couldn’t compare to the Caos and the Lis. Every imperial visit, every construction of a temporary palace—they spent lavishly, but they gained even more.
"Consort Yi is, after all, just a woman. She sees the Cao family as mere servants and has thoroughly offended them. What good does that bring? And the Crown Prince—young and impulsive, oh so impulsive." The official couldn’t suppress his smile. "Your Highness need only watch and wait."
The next day.
The Emperor had an early audience with provincial officials, so he rose at dawn, careful not to disturb Consort Yi, who was still deep in slumber.
The Western Garden held a status akin to an imperial retreat. Kangxi had exempted everyone from morning greetings, and no one dared disturb its peace. By mid-morning, Yunxiu sipped her prenatal medicine with preserved fruit, glanced at the weather outside, and took a sedan chair back to the main courtyard.
"Inform the Crown Prince that I wish to speak with him," she instructed, then added, "But don’t bring the Fifth Prince along. Let him play with his brothers."
Nanny Dong nearly choked. If the Fifth Prince heard this, how heartbroken he would be!
Half an hour later.
The Crown Prince held up a porcelain vase, examining it closely. "The patterns resemble Yuan dynasty blue-and-white," he murmured, his tone uncertain. "If not, it’s still a rare antique."
The great scholars who taught him were well-versed in literature, art, and antiquities. Having absorbed their knowledge, the Crown Prince, though young, had developed a discerning eye—though not yet fully refined.
Yunxiu nodded slightly and picked up a jade cup from the dining table. "What do you think of this?"
"The color is flawless. Even the imperial kilns couldn’t produce such quality."
"And this?"
"..." The Crown Prince stared for a long moment before sighing in amazement. "The Cao family is truly wealthy."
Had Consort Yi not pointed it out, he wouldn’t have noticed. These furnishings, seemingly unremarkable at first glance, differed greatly from the style of the capital. At most, they appeared refined—nothing extraordinary.
Who would have guessed that not a single one was ordinary?
"All because your imperial father indulged them," Yunxiu remarked lightly before smiling. "If you ever run short on silver in the future, don’t worry—all of this will be yours."
"..." The Crown Prince’s eyes widened in shock. "All... all mine?"
Not a single coin left for the Cao family?
