Yonghe Palace exuded an air of serene tranquility.
"Mother, when will my little brother come out?" Yinzuo's eyes sparkled with innocence as he clung to Consort De, pouting. "I don’t want Fourth Brother anymore—I want a little brother to play with me."
Though Consort De had been confined to her quarters for a month due to "improper conduct," the Sixth Prince still resided in Yonghe Palace, and Emperor Kangxi did not restrict the mother and son from spending time together.
Over the past half-month, perhaps sensing that he had unwittingly caused his mother’s punishment, Yinzuo had grown even more attached to Consort De after his initial tears. Their bond deepened, and Consort De almost felt as though they were all each other had in the world.
After the Emperor’s birthday celebrations, she had taken decisive action, ordering a thorough investigation of Yonghe Palace—particularly targeting the scheming servants around Yinzuo.
Nothing significant turned up, except for Lady Liu, Yinzuo’s wet nurse, whose family outside the palace had some dubious dealings. Consort De uncovered this without hesitation. She had no patience for excuses and immediately confined Lady Liu to a side chamber, intending to hand her over to the disciplinary office once her own confinement ended.
"Better to kill the wrong person than let the guilty escape," Consort De said sweetly, her smile serene as she gazed at Lady Liu’s terrified, despairing face. "If you want to blame anyone, blame yourself for crossing me. When you plead for justice in the afterlife, go find Mrs. Tongjia."
Since being framed by the Imperial Noble Consort and placed under house arrest, Consort De had changed. Her appearance remained delicate and graceful, her demeanor as gentle as ever, but her gaze had grown colder. The occasional glance she cast at her maids sent shivers down their spines.
Yonghe Palace had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by Yinzuo’s laughter when he was present.
Now, hearing her son’s childish words, Consort De stroked his head and replied tenderly, "Of course, my dear. We’ll have your little brother play with you."
After lulling Yinzuo to sleep in the afternoon, Consort De lingered by his bedside for a long while before finally closing her eyes and leaning on Nanny Wu to return to her chambers.
"What’s the situation in Chengqian Palace these days?" she asked flatly, her smile vanishing.
Nanny Wu hesitated before answering softly, "After Lady Tong Guowei’s visit, the Imperial Noble Consort immediately called for a meal. According to a cleaning eunuch, her complexion has been improving day by day. Beyond that, we couldn’t gather much else."
After a pause, she added cautiously, "Also… the Imperial Noble Consort initially refused to let Fourth Prince visit, but for some reason, she suddenly changed her mind…"
Consort De let out a cold laugh and spat out four words: "Birds of a feather."
Nanny Wu paled in alarm. "Your Highness—!"
How could she say such a thing?
The Imperial Noble Consort was one matter, but the Fourth Prince was her own flesh and blood—Yinzuo’s elder brother!
"Last year, my little princess had barely been born when the Imperial Noble Consort summoned Yinzhen to visit…" Consort De’s voice was deceptively calm, but a flicker of anguish crossed her face. "The very next day, my daughter was gone."
"Nanny, tell me—how could such a coincidence exist? If Yinzhen hadn’t come, my little girl wouldn’t have died so soon!" Her voice grew sharp with barely suppressed fury. "And now, because of him, this child nearly perished too!"
She had taken great care with this pregnancy, and the physician had always reported strong, steady signs. Yet despite that, the Imperial Noble Consort’s schemes had nearly cost her the child.
The bleeding had been stopped quickly, but the physician warned that once such a thing happened, it could easily happen again. A body weakened like this was hard to mend. Whether the little prince would be born healthy remained uncertain.
No guarantees…
The thought made Consort De nearly faint from rage. Every time she recalled it, her heart bled with hatred.
At the Emperor’s birthday banquet, hadn’t all the trouble stemmed from Yinzhen?
That son of hers was born under an unlucky star—born to bring her suffering!
"Yinzuo has been waiting so eagerly for his little brother. If something happens, how will I explain it to him? He’ll be heartbroken." Her voice was barely a whisper. "If they won’t let me live in peace, why should I let them have peace?"
If Mrs. Tongjia dreamed of becoming Empress, she would personally shatter that dream.
And as for that sharp-tongued Consort Yi, who mocked her at every turn—didn’t she only dare to act so arrogantly because she had given birth to the Fifth Prince and was now carrying another, basking in the Emperor’s favor?
Right now, Yinqi was staying in Consort Yi’s palace, a fortress where no outsider could interfere. But the Empress Dowager’s Ningshou Palace was another matter.
Once Yinqi returned to the Empress Dowager’s care, if an "accident" were to befall him, would that haughty face of hers still be able to smirk?
Emperor Kangxi issued an edict: the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, would be raised by the Grand Empress Dowager in Cining Palace.
The Grand Empress Dowager was willing, but her advanced age meant her energy was limited. Between overseeing the imperial consort selection and personally instructing the Empress Dowager in palace affairs, she worried she might not be able to care for Yinzhen adequately.
Hadn’t the Fifth Prince already been sent to Consort Yi’s palace to be with his birth mother?
But the Fourth Prince was different—neither the Imperial Noble Consort nor Consort De was suitable.
After much deliberation, only Sumalagu remained as a viable caretaker.
Before the Grand Empress Dowager could finalize her decision, the Crown Prince stepped forward, volunteering to take Yinzhen to Yuqing Palace after his studies. The two would do their lessons together, and the Crown Prince would escort Yinzhen back to Cining Palace before bedtime, sparing the Grand Empress Dowager the trouble.
Not only the Grand Empress Dowager but even the usually indifferent Empress Dowager was deeply moved, praising the Crown Prince’s filial piety and his brotherly devotion…
The Empress Dowager showered him with praise in rapid Mongolian, making the Crown Prince blush. Yinzhen, though unable to understand, mimicked his elder brother’s bashful expression, drawing laughter from all present.
Princes studying in the imperial academy were required to master Manchu, Mongolian, and Chinese. The Crown Prince, having started his education early, was already familiar with Mongolian. Yinzhen’s tutor had only just begun teaching him Chinese, so Mongolian remained a mystery to him—his eyes filled with confusion.
"Yinzhen and Yinqi are complete opposites. If only they could balance each other out," the Grand Empress Dowager remarked lightly to the Empress Dowager.
The comment was casual, but the Crown Prince took it to heart.
…
That day, the imperial tutor granted the young princes an afternoon off. The Third Prince, Yin Zhi, swiftly packed his belongings and hurried off to Consort Rong’s palace.
The First Prince, Yinti, returned drenched in sweat, a longbow in hand. Spotting the Crown Prince in his apricot-yellow robes, exuding noble grace, Yinti’s eyes gleamed with mischief. "Your Highness, care for an archery contest?"
The Crown Prince’s expression darkened. "You may go ahead, Eldest Brother. I have matters to attend to."
With that, he motioned for Yinzhen to follow, and the two set off toward the western palaces.
Yinti narrowed his eyes and smirked. Once they were out of earshot, he turned to his attendant, Little Xi'er. "Find out where the Crown Prince is taking Fourth Brother."
Little Xi'er bowed hastily. "At once, Your Highness."
"Sister, I’ve imposed on you long enough—no need to see me out." In a side chamber of Consort Yi’s palace, Concubine Hesheli smiled gracefully as she took her leave of Noble Consort Le. "That screen would suit either your bedchamber or the front hall…"
Whatever Noble Consort Le said in response drew a soft laugh from Concubine Hesheli. The two exchanged bows before parting ways.
As the Crown Prince led Yinzhen down the palace path toward Consort Yi’s residence, they happened upon Concubine Hesheli on her way back.
Startled but masking her surprise and delight, Concubine Hesheli curtsied deeply. "Greetings to the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince!"
The Crown Prince nodded slightly and smiled at her, his attitude carrying no particular warmth: "Greetings, Concubine Hesheli."
Yinzhen followed with a similar greeting before quickly being led away by the Crown Prince.
Concubine Hesheli paused and looked back, unable to suppress the frustration rising within her. Then, a sudden realization struck her—was the Crown Prince heading to Yikun Palace to see Consort Yi? Or perhaps the Fifth Prince?
Suppressing the turmoil in her heart, she forced herself to think calmly.
Could this move by the Crown Prince be at the suggestion of his uncle?
...
Suo Etu had indeed spoken to the Crown Prince about Consort Yi and the Guoluoluo clan.
His words had been deliberate: "The Hesheli clan stands alone, with Mingzhu watching like a tiger from the outside. The Tongjia and Niu Gulu clans are no easy opponents either. Only the Guoluoluo clan behind Consort Yi is an ideal ally—their roots lie in the military, their patriarch is stationed far in Shengjing, and they have minimal involvement in court affairs..."
"Secondly, the Guoluoluo clan harbors no ambitions. The Fifth Prince was raised early by the Empress Dowager. Your Highness should prioritize befriending him."
Stroking his beard thoughtfully, Suo Etu added with a sigh, "Most importantly, Consort Yi holds unparalleled favor with His Majesty! Since the Emperor ascended the throne, I have never seen any consort compare to her."
The Crown Prince asked, "Not even my late mother?"
Suo Etu answered firmly, "Not even her."
He advised the Crown Prince that forming a bond with the Fifth Prince would earn Consort Yi’s goodwill and secure the support of the Guoluoluo clan, smoothing the path for the heir apparent and rendering the First Prince and Mingzhu insignificant.
The Crown Prince had always let such words from his uncle go in one ear and out the other. He listened but never truly intended to follow them.
Now, gazing up at the grand plaque reading "Yikun Palace," the Crown Prince exhaled softly.
His kindness toward his fifth brother was genuine—not because Consort Yi was favored, nor because the Fifth Prince posed no threat.
Little Yinqi never lied, greeted everyone with a smile, and brimmed with the energy of a young calf—a stark contrast to Yinzhen. Who wouldn’t adore such an obedient and endearing younger brother?
If everyone schemed like his uncle, where would sincerity remain in this world?
See, the Emperor was thoroughly pleased with his actions, showering him with rewards time and again.
Not long ago, the Crown Prince had impulsively decided to teach Yinqi Mandarin. The results were outstanding, filling him with the pride of a mentor. His fondness for Yinqi soared, and even his impression of Yunxiu improved.
As the Empress Dowager had wisely said—if the Fourth and Fifth Princes could learn from each other and balance one another, both would progress.
...
The moment the Crown Prince and Yinzhen arrived, their presence was promptly announced.
Yunxiu was feeding Yinqi a fruit puree to aid digestion, her smile gentle, her entire demeanor radiating warmth.
Upon hearing the announcement, she paused in surprise before quickly setting aside the silver bowl. "Invite the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince in at once."
Since moving to Yikun Palace, Yinqi had been staying in the warm chamber. Nanny Dong, mindful of Yunxiu’s pregnancy, had arranged separate sleeping quarters for the boy, ensuring they did not share a bed at night.
Consort Yi lamented not being able to sleep beside her son, so she spent every waking moment doting on him.
Gossip about the Noble Consort was forgotten, her attention to the unborn Ninth Prince waned, and even her regard for the Emperor... dwindled further.
A single sweet "Mother" from Yinqi could send Yunxiu’s heart soaring, as if floating on clouds.
Kangxi, however, was far from pleased. Just yesterday, he had insisted that after lunch today, they would stroll together in the imperial gardens.
Yinqi was nearly six years old—what was this clinginess to his mother?
Seeing no way to refuse, Yunxiu reluctantly agreed, inwardly cursing Kangxi countless times for his presumption. But then she consoled herself—at least she still had time with Yinqi before the Emperor arrived!
Now, it seemed, the gardens were entirely out of the question.
The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince soon entered the inner chamber. After exchanging greetings, Yunxiu took Yinqi’s chubby little hand and smiled. "Your Highness has come to see—"
Before she could finish, Kangxi’s affectionate voice drifted in, cutting her off. "Surely Yinqi isn’t here today? It’s time for just the two of us..."
Yunxiu’s heart sank. This was bad.
The Emperor treated Yikun Palace as his own, having long ordered the eunuchs outside not to announce his arrivals.
They likely hadn’t even had the chance to report, "The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince have come together!"
Kangxi strode in wearing a black robe embroidered with dragon patterns, his eyes bright like stars, with Liang Jiugong trailing closely behind.
The Emperor’s smile froze the moment he saw the Crown Prince.
His gaze swept across the room—not just Baocheng, but also Yinzhen and Yinqi, all gathered here.
Kangxi: "..."
