Was this still the same Emperor he knew—the iron-willed, unyielding father who brooked no defiance? Had some foul spirit possessed him?
Yintang stared as if he’d seen a ghost. Even with his vision blurred, he strained his neck, struggling to catch a glimpse of Kangxi.
The Ninth Prince had long forgotten his tears.
His mind screamed in chaos—everything was topsy-turvy.
This new life was so different from his past one that even the worldly-wise Ninth Prince was left utterly stunned.
They said an emperor’s word was unbreakable. Yet, to what extent had his father been bewitched by his mother’s beauty that he would cast aside imperial dignity, shamelessly retract his own decree, just to come to Yikun Palace to see her?
What was even stranger was how his mother’s sharp tongue and outright disrespect only made the emperor smile!
Heh. Today, he’d truly witnessed something unprecedented.
Yintang was filled with nothing but admiration—first for his father’s thick skin (which he grudgingly admitted surpassed his own), then for his mother’s brilliance, which flowed like an endless river, leaving him secretly delighted.
Serves you right, old man!
In the past life, you were so biased, turning a blind eye to me. What’s wrong with business? What’s wrong with chasing silver? Mother never scorned me, Fifth Brother never scorned me—only you looked down on it.
Now, you’re finally getting your comeuppance!
The little baby smacked his lips, quietly curling them into a smile as he loosely tugged at Yunxiu’s sleeve.
……
Yunxiu had no idea of the storm of thoughts raging in Yintang’s mind.
When the words “I’m sorry” reached her ears, she froze, her face paling before flushing again, her gaze snapping toward Kangxi in disbelief.
His eyes were clear, focused intently on her—no sign of bewitchment.
Her heart rippled with unreadable emotions. After a long pause, she closed her eyes briefly before reopening them, deciding to let go of his broken promise. Instead, she asked softly, though her tone remained icy, “Your Majesty isn’t angry?”
She had imagined a thousand consequences—falling out of favor, confinement, even demotion from consort to concubine—but never had she expected the emperor to… humble himself like this.
But why?
Yunxiu couldn’t make sense of it!
The emperor was cold by nature—how could he possibly harbor something like “love”?
Explaining Kangxi’s bizarre behavior with love felt absurd and embarrassing. Her dreams had warned her clearly—the emperor might dote on someone, but he would never love them.
…… She could only blame it on divine intervention.
Seeing that she was finally speaking to him civilly, Kangxi exhaled in quiet relief. Slowly turning his jade ring, he sifted through dozens of possible replies before settling on the most cautious one—
“Why would I be angry with you? Of course not.”
Liang Jiugong was both stunned and impressed.
Your Majesty, you say that so lightly. Just yesterday, you were in a rage—I nearly talked my lips dry trying to calm you!
Yunxiu was equally taken aback.
Suppressing her discomfort and the bitter irony gnawing at her, she pursed her lips and replied flatly, “If Your Majesty doesn’t find the birthing chamber inauspicious, then do as you please. Ninth Brother is hungry—I must tend to him.”
Perhaps because he’d been scolded into submission, Kangxi felt an odd sense of relief.
Yunxiu didn’t kick me out this time!
He stepped closer, hesitating as if to speak, when a voice announced from outside—the Fifth Prince requested an audience.
The sight of Yunxiu’s face lighting up with joy made Kangxi’s heart twinge with sourness…
In the end, I still can’t compare to Yinqi in her heart.
But if Yunxiu had dreamed during childbirth—if she’d seen the same visions as him, heard the same cruel words he’d spoken—
Then everything made sense.
Her sudden coldness, her rejection of his affection… Yinqi’s near-drowning had merely been the spark.
No other explanation fit.
Last night, when Yunxiu called herself jealous and cruel, when she said she was tired… upon reflection, Kangxi had recognized the disappointment and grief in her tone, solidifying his theory.
But he knew better than to rush.
Patience was key—he had to mend things with Yunxiu step by step.
There’s no hurrying this. We have time.
Refusing to admit his jealousy toward Yinqi, Kangxi softened his voice. “...I must pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and Her Majesty at Cining Palace. After reviewing memorials, I’ll return to see you this evening.”
Without waiting for her response, he clasped his hands behind his back and hurried away.
Facing her round-cheeked Fifth Prince, Consort Yi’s demeanor transformed entirely.
Yinqi rushed in eagerly, his eyes reddening the moment he saw Yunxiu. “Mother!”
Propped against the bed, Yunxiu quickly scanned her son—his rosy cheeks, his sturdy frame—and felt her nose sting.
She smiled warmly, then pointed to the screen. “Be good, Yinqi. Mother is still recovering—I don’t want to bring you ill fortune. Go behind the screen and talk to me from there…”
Yinqi pouted, shaking his head so vehemently it blurred.
“I want to see Mother! And my little brother! I won’t go behind the screen.” His voice was clear as he carefully perched on the edge of the bed, gazing at Yunxiu with puppy-like eyes. “Mother…”
His grandmother had warned him—Mother was weak after childbirth. He mustn’t grab her hands or jostle her.
So he sat just out of reach, his chubby hands folded properly on his knees, looking so well-behaved that Yunxiu’s heart melted.
How could anyone resist such sweetness?
Her chest ached with tenderness. “Alright, my dear. Sit wherever you like!”
The Fifth Prince beamed. “Mother is the best.”
……
Hearing his Fifth Brother had arrived, the Ninth Prince perked up—but now, having forced himself to stay awake after feeding, Yintang was dumbfounded once more.
Hold on.
Was Fifth Brother this adorable as a child?
Since when did he know how to act cute?!
Just as Yintang’s mind tangled in confusion, Yunxiu beckoned Yinqi closer with a smile. “Come here. This is your little brother, Yintang…”
Yinqi’s excitement doubled. He wiggled his fingers, leaned over the swaddling clothes, and stared unblinkingly at Yintang.
Under that intense scrutiny, Yintang squirmed, suddenly self-conscious.
Fifth Brother, stop staring! It’s embarrassing.
Then came Yinqi’s astonished cry:
“Mother! He’s so ugly! How can he be this ugly? Yierha would cry if she saw him!”
His voice rang with innocent confusion before he added thoughtfully, “But Mother is the prettiest… and Father isn’t bad either.”
Finally, he poked Yintang’s soft belly solemnly. “Don’t worry, Ninth Brother. Even if you’re ugly, Fifth Brother will protect you! No one’s allowed to laugh at you.”
Yintang: “……”
The little figure in his heart was hopping mad with anger. The Ninth Prince kept muttering to himself:
Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Fifth Brother is still at that age where he understands nothing…
…After having his fill of teasing his younger brother, under Yunxiu’s smiling gaze, Yinqi suddenly seemed to remember something. His round, dumpling-like face fell as he mumbled, "A few days ago, I accidentally fell into the pond and made Mother worry."
He was quickly carried out by the palace attendants, and the imperial physician rushed over in a panic. Yinqi lay in bed, drifting in and out of consciousness. After breaking into a feverish sweat and waking up, he heard from the Empress Dowager that his mother had gone into labor at the very moment he fell into the water!
Guilt and worry overwhelmed little Yinqi’s heart. Before Yunxiu could even ask, he blurted out the entire incident in a rapid-fire explanation.
Yinqi and the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, lived and played together in the Cining Palace. Being close in age, how could they not get along?
Even if they hadn’t been familiar at first, with the Crown Prince acting as a bridge between them, the two brothers—one learning Mongolian phrases, the other picking up Han Chinese—quickly formed a friendship between little sprouts. Gradually, they grew closer, daring to share anything with each other.
The incident with the pond was truly an accident.
Yunxiu, the favored consort of the harem, enjoyed unparalleled imperial favor, and as a result, Yinqi also received more attention from Kangxi. Yinzhen couldn’t help but feel envious.
Neither of his two mothers could care for him, but Consort Yi was different… Even though Fifth Brother had been given to the Empress Dowager to raise, he still received so much affection from his birth mother.
The palace attendants stood at a distance, watching over the two princes as they "talked heart-to-heart" by the pond.
Yinzhen stared blankly at the water before whispering to Yinqi, "Your mother is so good."
Yinqi beamed. "Fourth Brother, you don’t have to tell me that!"
Then, the Fifth Prince added in a hushed voice, "Your mother is good too!"
Yinzhen pressed his lips together, shaking his head slightly before muttering, "I heard Consort Yi is about to give birth soon. If she has another little prince, you’ll have a younger brother. What if… she starts neglecting you, like…"
He wanted to say, "Like what happened to me? What would you do then?"
The child meant no harm—every word was sincere. But before he could finish, Yinqi grew angry, raising his voice slightly. "My mother would never do that!"
How could Fifth Brother be so sure?
Yinzhen, too, grew sullen and raised his voice. "You don’t understand—"
What followed was a childish squabble that escalated into a ridiculous shoving match.
Pouting, they pushed and shoved at each other until—unnoticed by either—Yinqi slipped on the moss-covered, treacherously smooth edge of the pond and fell into the water with a loud splash.
Yinzhen froze in shock!
Panicked, he shouted and nearly jumped in after his brother in desperation.
The palace attendants, watching from afar, were terrified out of their wits. They sprinted over, grabbing the Fourth Prince while others swiftly fished the Fifth Prince out of the water.
The pond was deep, and Yinqi was only five years old! The Empress Dowager urgently summoned the imperial physician, throwing the Ningshou Palace into chaos. Yinzhen stood to the side, dazed. No one blamed him, but his heart drowned in regret.
Choking back tears, he forced out, "I didn’t mean to…"
The Empress Dowager, sharp-eyed, knew the timing of Yinqi’s fall was too coincidental. How could she blame Yinzhen without cause? She quickly comforted him, ordering calming herbal soup before having him settled in a bedchamber.
By afternoon, Yinqi had recovered, and Yunxiu had given birth to the Ninth Prince… Yet Yinzhen waited and waited, expecting punishment that never came. His unease only grew.
Dazed, he returned to the Cining Palace, picking at his dinner without tasting it. The next day, just as he was struggling through the hours, word came that the Emperor had arrived—the Empress Dowager summoned the Fourth Prince to the main hall.
Pale-faced, Yinzhen stood before the Empress Dowager and Kangxi, tears immediately streaming down his face. "It’s all my fault! I shouldn’t have played by the pond with Fifth Brother, and I shouldn’t have said those things!"
Between sobs, he recounted the incident, his eyes and nose turning red before ending with a loud hiccup.
…His account matched the palace attendants’ reports perfectly.
Yinzhen’s pitiful weeping made Kangxi’s initially stern expression shift from exasperated to deeply complicated.
Yinzhen actually envied Yinqi for having a good mother!
The Empress Dowager was stunned, her face softening with pity. The Emperor sighed and beckoned. "Come here, Little Fourth. Your father knows this wasn’t your fault at all…"
Yinzhen wobbled toward Kangxi, and suddenly, a warm hand rested on his head.
His nose stung, and fresh tears fell. In a bold move, he looked up with watery eyes and asked, "Father… I miss my mother. Can I… can I go to the Chengqian Palace to see her? Please, Father, let me!"
Kangxi paused, silent for a few breaths before answering softly under Yinzhen’s hopeful gaze, "Your mother hasn’t recovered yet… Once she’s better, your father will allow it…"
The light in Yinzhen’s eyes dimmed, then flickered again as he nodded quietly.
"Word has come from the side hall, Your Highness. What should we do?" Wenyuan gently toweled Yunxiu’s damp hair as she spoke. "Noble Consort Le said you should be wary of Concubine Hesheli."
Yunxiu paused in her lullaby to the Ninth Prince. "Hesheli?"
"Indeed." Wenyuan frowned. "I heard she came to the Yikun Palace this morning and stayed in the side hall for a full hour. Counting previous visits, she’s been here many times now."
Yunxiu narrowed her peach-blossom eyes before murmuring again, "Concubine Hesheli…"
Yun Shu wouldn’t send a message without reason. There had to be a purpose behind this.
Noble Consort Le’s cheerful words echoed in her ears: "Sister, rest assured. If she’s trying to pry information from me, why shouldn’t I play along and string her along?"
—After all this maneuvering, had Hesheli finally shown her true colors?
Snapping back to the present, Yunxiu’s expression darkened. She sneered. "Who would’ve thought? Aside from Consort De, there’s another troublemaker lying in wait."
Everything connected now!
The phoenix carriage, the Imperial Household Department, Hesheli…
Thinking carefully, if one said Hesheli was behind the incident with the Imperial Noble Consort, it would make perfect sense.
Empress Renxiao’s old faction in the palace had likely been inherited by the younger Hesheli. And when it came to establishing a new empress, Suo Etu would be the first to oppose it—he’d resist a thousand times over!
After all, Suo Etu’s confidant had only recently stepped down as head of the Imperial Household Department. He still had the influence to tamper with the carriage and disrupt the Tong Family’s schemes.
Yunxiu grew more certain.
But was there any connection between Yinqi’s fall into the pond and Concubine Hesheli—or Suo Etu?
Yinqi posed no threat to the Crown Prince, so Suo Etu had no reason to act. But the younger Hesheli… she might.
Closing her eyes slowly, Yunxiu ordered, "At dinner, have Yun Shu invite Concubine Hesheli to the Yikun Palace."
With Noble Consort Le’s elder sister’s approval, she sent Qingzhu to Chuxiu Palace to summon someone. Before long, Concubine Hesheli arrived cheerfully.
Upon hearing Noble Consort Le’s words, Hesheli set down her chopsticks, her smile faltering for a moment before she quickly rose to her feet. "Consort Yi wishes to see me?"
Noble Consort Le nodded with a smile, blinking and whispering to her, "You must go quickly, sister. The Emperor is there as well!"
Concubine Hesheli was momentarily stunned, her heart sinking slightly before she composed herself. "...I shall go at once."
Entering the main hall, Nanny Dong greeted her with a beaming face. "Concubine Hesheli has arrived! This old servant pays her respects to you."
Concubine Hesheli curled her fingers slightly, maintaining a dignified smile as she prepared to speak, but Nanny Dong cut her off. "Come with me at once, my lady. Her Highness has been eagerly awaiting you..."
Inside the birthing chamber.
Yunxiu was no longer cold and distant, instead wearing a rare smile that made her exceptionally radiant.
Kangxi gazed at her in pleasant surprise as she spoke softly, "When this concubine was giving birth to Yintang, Concubine Hesheli showed great concern, and the gifts she sent were most thoughtful... She truly embodies the virtues of gentleness, kindness, and grace."
Kangxi froze for a moment before his expression darkened, anger surging in his heart.
Was Yunxiu trying to share his favor with another?
Before he could respond, Yunxiu continued with a bright smile, "The rank of concubine is rather beneath her. This concubine cannot bear to see Sister Hesheli languish in obscurity, so I wish to ask Your Majesty for a favor—to promote her to the rank of consort. Would that be acceptable?"
At that very moment, Concubine Hesheli stepped around the screen and, upon hearing these words, paled drastically!
Before Kangxi could reply, Yunxiu’s lips curved upward as she suddenly brought up Concubine Daijia from the side hall of Yonghe Palace. "...She gave birth to the Seventh Prince, a great contribution indeed. A consort’s rank would be fitting for her as well. They say good things come in pairs—this concubine hopes for double blessings. Why not promote both of them together..."
Concubine Hesheli swayed unsteadily, her lovely face drained of color, her entire body trembling uncontrollably.
"Your Majesty, Consort Yi... This concubine does not deserve such immense grace!"
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Hugs to all my dear readers! The next update will be tomorrow at 11 PM since we’ll be featured on the recommendation list~
