Before the announcement arrived, the Grand Empress Dowager had been feeling somewhat listless. Despite Yunxiu's repeated assurances that she would personally bring the Eleventh Prince to pay respects to her later, the old matriarch couldn't shake off her lingering fear.
Though she was immensely proud that Yinzi, at such a tender age, had managed to subdue an assassin with his bare hands, her heart still clenched with worry. Waves of unease surged within her as she gripped the armrests of her chair, sensing an undercurrent of unrest.
The palace was supposed to be the most heavily guarded place, yet even the Crown Prince's residence, the Palace of Established Happiness, had become as porous as a sieve. If even the Forbidden City was no longer safe, where could one find security?
This time, it was the Eleventh Prince—what about next time? Would the next plot target the Crown Prince or even the Emperor himself?
The previous night, upon returning to the Qianqing Palace, the Emperor had been furious. He personally oversaw the interrogation progress. Chunlin, though stubborn and possessing decent martial skills, couldn't withstand the relentless methods of the Punishment Office. In his dazed state, he revealed traces of Chunping, a maid responsible for sweeping in the Western Five Compounds.
Yet, even blind and barely conscious, Chunping seemed trained to resist. She refused to divulge the mastermind behind the plot, forcing the interrogators to shift their focus to the other captive.
Chunping had been the one assigned to receive the assassin. When the guards moved to capture her, she was already waiting at the rendezvous point, cautiously scanning her surroundings. By the time she realized something was amiss, it was too late to escape.
Soon, she joined Chunlin in custody.
The chief eunuch of the Punishment Office reported that both were unyielding. To extract the truth, they would need to break them down one by one, and he requested His Majesty's patience. After reviewing the confessions submitted overnight, Kangxi's expression darkened. He pondered whether informing the Grand Empress Dowager of this turmoil would risk shocking her frail constitution.
The Grand Empress Dowager doted on Yinzi—how could she bear such news?
Yet keeping it from his revered grandmother wasn't an option either. The Imperial Household Department needed urgent reorganization, and the entire palace required a thorough sweep.
Rubbing his temples, Kangxi's eyes darkened with resolve. This scheme not only endangered Yinzi but also targeted the Crown Prince on his wedding day.
Thoughts of the Crown Prince inevitably led to the next day's audience, where he and his new bride would pay their respects. The Emperor decided then to have Noble Consort Yi act as the "mediator." Even if the Grand Empress Dowager remained anxious, the sight of Yinreng and Jingchu would surely lift her spirits—after all, she had been eagerly awaiting this day.
His prediction proved correct. At the sound of the announcement, the two Empresses Dowager momentarily forgot their worries, their eyes lighting up with joy as they, along with the imperial consorts, turned their gazes toward the entrance.
There, the Crown Prince and his consort, Guargiya, walked side by side, their crimson wedding robes complementing each other perfectly. From afar, they looked like a pair of flawless jade figures. The newlyweds stood close, occasionally whispering—though it was mostly the Crown Prince speaking while Guargiya listened.
Gradually, Guargiya's cheeks flushed pink. Her flowerpot shoes nearly wobbled, prompting the Crown Prince to steady her before naturally taking her hand in his.
The scene elicited varied reactions from those in the hall.
The Grand Empress Dowager beamed, unable to contain her delight, while the Empress Dowager nodded approvingly, her face alight with contentment. Noble Consort Wen covered a smile with her sleeve and leaned toward Yunxiu, murmuring, "Ah, youth is wonderful. Even I find myself envious."
Yunxiu chuckled softly. "Save your sighs for when the Tenth Prince marries."
Noble Consort Wen shot her a mock glare. Was that a dig at her age?
Regardless of their private thoughts, every consort present wore a smile. Some looked on with warmth, others with indifference, and a few with curiosity—wondering what the couple could be whispering about. Later, they marveled at how well the Emperor's arranged marriage had turned out. Not only were the Crown Prince and his consort a perfect match in looks, but their affection for each other also rivaled that of the Eldest Prince and his consort.
Just look—even the usually composed Guargiya was blushing!
In reality...
The Crown Prince leaned in and murmured, "You suffered last night. If your body aches, don't push yourself. Why not let me carry you inside?"
Jingchu's face burned crimson at once.
It was as if some strange epiphany had struck him—overnight, the Crown Prince had transformed from clueless to alarmingly perceptive. He had become considerate, even sweet-talking, and with his striking features, his words were undeniably charming. Last night, in a daze, she had yielded to his whims.
Being tossed about like a pancake was one thing, but how could he mention her soreness so openly? The distance between the Palace of Established Happiness and Cining Palace wasn't far—she could manage the walk after disembarking from the palanquin. But if he carried her into the hall, what would become of her dignity?
Her face flushed, Jingchu stumbled—half from anger. She replied in a hushed, diplomatic tone, "Your Highness, that would be improper."
The Crown Prince merely tightened his grip on her hand, smiling as he countered, "Propriety shouldn't outweigh your comfort."
After a pause, Jingchu abandoned diplomacy and whispered bluntly, "You may not care for dignity, but I do."
The Crown Prince: "..."
On the second day of their marriage, Jingchu received generous red envelopes from the two Empresses Dowager and gifts from the consorts. Even Yunxiu couldn't help but admire the girl. Despite the previous night's exhaustion, Jingchu carried herself with flawless grace, effortlessly lifting the Grand Empress Dowager's spirits with a few well-chosen words. Yunxiu's eyes gleamed with approval.
Noticing how the Crown Prince's gaze kept drifting toward his bride, Yunxiu felt somewhat reassured. But when she glanced sideways, she caught Jingchu's eyes shining brighter than before—fixed not on the Crown Prince, who stood before the Grand Empress Dowager, but on herself.
Or so she thought.
Yunxiu dismissed it as a trick of the light. Moments later, a voice announced, "The Emperor approaches!" Kangxi strode in, clad in imperial robes. After the assembled women paid their respects, he called the Crown Prince forward with a smile, beckoning the newlyweds to approach.
"You should address me as 'Imperial Father' now, just like Yinreng," he said, gesturing to the red envelope Liang Jiugong held on a tray. His gaze softened as he looked at Jingchu before offering solemn advice. "As a member of the imperial family, remain humble and diligent. Fulfill your duties as the primary consort and assist the Crown Prince in managing the Palace of Established Happiness..."
Jingchu accepted the envelope with a deep bow. "This daughter-in-law hears and obeys Imperial Father's teachings."
Kangxi nodded in satisfaction before ascending to his seat, the Crown Prince following. With the way now clear, Yunxiu inadvertently met Jingchu's gaze again—this time unmistakably directed at her.
Yunxiu: "..."
So it wasn't the Crown Prince she'd been stealing glances at—it really was her.
Were it not for Jingchu's reddening ears, her composure would have been impeccable. Yunxiu stifled a laugh. Poised as she was, her youth still peeked through.
Curiosity piqued, Yunxiu awaited Jingchu's solo visit to her palace the next morning. With a warm smile, she exchanged a few intimate words before teasing, "Why were you staring at me so much yesterday? Does Noble Consort Yi's face offend you, or did I sprout a flower on my cheek?"
Jingchu froze, as if caught off guard by the question.
She gave a light cough, lowered her gaze, and after much deliberation, finally uttered four words with bashful reluctance: "Noble Consort Yi is beautiful."
A faint blush colored her smiling face, leaving Yunxiu momentarily stunned.
Not long after, Jingchu retreated with flushed cheeks. Noble Consort Yi stared blankly at her retreating figure before murmuring after a long pause, "Didn’t Yinreng study the Sacred Edicts? With all his talents, he still can’t compare to a pretty face. What a waste of my praise that he surpassed his predecessors."
Lost in thought for a moment, she added, "There’s no such thing as too much jade cream. Go to Imperial Physician Min and buy five bottles. When you have time, have Zhang Youde pass them to He Zhuer—his master should use it morning and night."
Ruizhu: "..."
Ruizhu reluctantly replied, "Understood."
That same noon, in the imperial study.
The midday meals for the imperial princes and their study companions were all prepared by the imperial kitchen—elegant lunchboxes filled with lavish dishes, enough to sustain them through the upcoming riding and archery lessons.
Kangxi had forbidden the news of the assassination attempt from spreading, so the princes remained unaware of Yinzi’s ordeal. The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince, carrying their lunchboxes, slung their arms over each other’s shoulders and sat beside Yinzi. Before they could even lift the lids, they noticed their eleventh brother’s face twisted in misery, his lips trembling as if on the verge of tears.
Yintang was startled. "What’s wrong? Who bullied you?"
Yin'e growled, "Tell your tenth brother—I’ll beat them up!"
Yinzi: "..."
The Eleventh Prince slowly lowered his head and poked his chopsticks into the white rice—no, the red rice, which was smothered under a thick layer of chili powder.
This was his imperial father’s specially ordered "loving" midday meal.
