Eyes growing on the plaque?
When had he ever been scolded in such an inventive manner before?
But the one berating him was none other than the supreme ruler of the realm—his revered Imperial Father, Kangxi. Yinti had no choice but to endure it. His lips parted slightly, his face flushing crimson with a mix of humiliation and fear.
Like a bucket of cold water poured over his head, the Eldest Prince finally snapped back to his senses. His impulsive anger slowly faded, the red in his cheeks giving way to pallor.
This was hardly the best time to plead for mercy. His Imperial Father had just issued an edict this morning, and in his haste after leaving his studies, Yinti had rushed over to beg leniency for his mother—only to add fuel to the fire. Perhaps he had even achieved the opposite effect...
Carefully, Yinti picked up the memorial that had been thrown to the ground and stammered, "Imperial Father—"
With that, he kowtowed deeply, his voice trembling as he spoke, "Your son… your son was merely overcome with concern and spoke out of turn. I beg Imperial Father to calm your anger. But regarding Eighth Brother, your son would never dare to lie! My mother… she truly isn’t that kind of person..."
His voice trailed off into silence.
"Calm my anger? You’ve already filled me with rage." Kangxi shot Yinti a sidelong glance, snorted coldly, and cut him off before continuing in a stern tone, "Kneel properly. Stay there for half an hour and reflect. You’re already thirteen—what kind of example are you setting, always so rash and impulsive?"
The emperor had merely tossed the memorial aside in passing. To say he was truly furious would be an exaggeration.
He simply wanted to crack open his eldest son’s skull and see what was going on inside. The edict had clearly stated that Consort Hui had "failed in her duties of upbringing." The words of a ruler were not to be taken lightly—did Baoding really expect him to revoke his decree and retract his command?
Though Kangxi had no intention of showing leniency, Yinti couldn’t even present a proper plea...
Frustrated by his son’s lack of tact, Kangxi shot another glance at the Eldest Prince, his heart heavy with concern. He sighed inwardly.
He had misjudged Nara. The boy still needed much more tempering.
......
A month prior, during the height of the "exclusive favor" controversy, Yunxiu had mockingly remarked that Concubine Xi’s "eyes grew on the plaque of Yikun Palace." Liang Jiugong had reported every word back to His Majesty.
Amused, Kangxi found the description vivid and fitting. He repeated it casually, then tucked it away in his memory.
Yunxiu had no idea that the emperor had "borrowed" her words and used them to scold the Eldest Prince into a cowering mess, leaving him with an enduring aversion to plaques. Nor did she know that, years later, when Yinti was establishing his own residence outside the palace, he would reject the proposals of the Ministry of Works, stripping away all elegantly named plaques like "Tao Ran Pavilion" and "Yanming Courtyard," leaving only bare red beams behind... turning his estate into a spectacle in the capital and earning him an even fiercer reprimand from his father!
At the moment, however, she was watching Yinqi and Yintang play with a smile on her face.
"Play" was a generous term—it was more like the Fifth Prince amusing himself with his younger brother. With his tiny limbs offering no resistance, the Ninth Prince could only protest in incoherent babbles, his round eyes fixed in a dead-fish stare at his elder sibling.
"Mother, Imperial Father said that after the New Year, I’ll be moving into the Princes’ Quarters to study at the Imperial School," Yinqi said cheerfully, kneading his brother’s chubby little hand with delight. "The Empress Dowager has arranged a spacious courtyard for me, right next to Third and Fourth Brothers, so I can visit them whenever I want..."
Fourth Princess Yierha, who was practicing calligraphy at a nearby table, blinked her large eyes and chimed in with a soft, childish voice, "Fifth Brother, all you think about is visiting others. Studying is the most important thing. If you fall behind, how embarrassing would that be? Not just for you, but for Mother Yi and Imperial Grandmother... oh, and Crown Prince Second Brother, who’s been teaching you Chinese for so long—his reputation is at stake too."
Though only a few months older than Yinqi, she already carried herself like an elder sister. With a sweet smile, she added, "I’ll be watching too. If you slack off, I won’t bring you any more treats!"
Yinqi’s expression shifted from stunned to utterly deflated.
The sight of a little girl earnestly lecturing her younger brother about the importance of studies was undeniably amusing. Yunxiu bit back a laugh and nodded solemnly. "Your sister is right. My reputation rests in your hands. You must strive to match Second Brother’s diligence—that’s the proper path."
From his cradle, Yintang sensed an inexplicable aura of despair emanating from Yinqi.
"...So I’m not the only one being fooled?"
What was so great about studying anyway? Wouldn’t it be better to learn foreign languages... no, better yet, to live as a carefree wastrel?
At this thought, Yintang kicked his legs and let out a long, dramatic sigh—"Eeeh-yaaa!"
Well, Fifth Brother was an honest soul. Whatever Mother said, he believed without question. His brain simply couldn’t compare to Yintang’s own—no chance of him becoming a wastrel. Though the gullible were easily tricked, as a younger brother, shouldn’t he show some understanding?
A small sense of pride and superiority swelled in the Ninth Prince’s heart, and he suddenly felt magnanimous. He decided to let go of his grudge over Yinqi constantly putting his pants on backward.
Meanwhile, the "honest soul" in question puffed up his cheeks like a steamed bun—one side reading "I’m unhappy," the other "I don’t want to study"—and sullenly shifted his hands downward to knead his brother’s plump, milky-white feet.
The nursemaid nearby remained unperturbed, clearly accustomed to such scenes.
No one had ever raised an objection. Though young, the Fifth Prince was always gentle in his actions... and most importantly, whenever he was around, the Ninth Prince never cried!
Once Yunxiu had laughed her fill, she finally spoke in a soothing tone, "Don’t worry, studying isn’t that dull. You’ll have Fulu from Uncle Tuyue’s family as your companion, along with another study partner appointed by His Majesty. With peers in class, there’ll be plenty of fun to be had."
A mischievous smile tugged at her lips as she added, "I don’t know much about the other boy, but Fulu is like a little monkey. Your uncle writes to me constantly, complaining about how much paper he wastes... With him around, rest assured—the tutor’s punishments will never fall on you."
In her past life, this was the period when the feud between the Imperial Noble Consort and Consort De had reached its peak.
At the start of the year, the Fourth Prince had begun his studies, but his companion had yet to be decided. Consort De had pushed for her nephew to enter the palace, even petitioning the emperor directly—only for the Imperial Noble Consort to scheme her way into replacing him with a boy from a lesser branch of the Tong Family.
After that incident, and given that the Tong boy wasn’t even the Imperial Noble Consort’s own nephew, Kangxi had personally praised her for "treating all with impartiality, regardless of closeness or distance." After much deliberation, Yunxiu had ultimately abandoned the idea of bringing Fulu into the palace.
Fulu, raised in Shengjing, had always despised studying. His family had hired several tutors to no avail. Later, he joined the military and, during the campaign against the Dzungars, distinguished himself with youthful bravery, earning a modest but respectable rank—not high enough to lead, but far from the bottom.
Had he become Yinqi’s companion, appearing in the palace from a young age and leaving an impression on the emperor, his starting point would have been entirely different.
Because of this matter, she had harbored resentment in her dreams. Though it gradually faded, a knot remained in her heart. Now, Heaven had shown mercy, granting her a chance to erase those regrets—how could she not seize it firmly?
And one more thing—
Studying at the Imperial Study Hall was no ordinary affair. The tutors here were far from average, and the Emperor often came to examine their progress. When it came to reading and learning, even Fulu could no longer resist!
...
After listening carefully to Yunxiu’s words, the little Fifth Prince fell into deep thought.
Yinqi: "That... actually makes a lot of sense."
Yintang: "Don’t listen to Mother’s nonsense!!"
Just as he had begun to relax, the mention of "Fulu" made Yinqi’s eyes sparkle. He stopped playing with his younger brother’s toes and instead dashed forward, looking up at Yunxiu with hopeful eyes. "Mother, when will Uncle’s family arrive in the capital?"
"They’ll be here soon. They’ll definitely spend the New Year here, so Yinqi will get to see Fulu before long..."
Chengqian Palace.
"Ahem... This Consort had thought Consort Hui was one of the rare clever ones, but it turns out she’s just as foolish—schemed against without even realizing it." The Imperial Noble Consort slowly folded her handkerchief, letting out a mocking laugh before continuing softly, "One mustn’t be too arrogant. Did she truly believe that just because she bore the Eldest Prince and had Mingzhu as her shield, she could rest easy?"
Losing the Eighth Prince wasn’t just a blow to her pride—it also stripped her of a powerful ally for her son. This fall was a hard one, but the Imperial Noble Consort reveled in it, her heart brimming with satisfaction.
Though nothing was obvious yet, given Consort Hui and Mingzhu’s ambitions, the Eldest Prince was bound to clash fiercely with Suo Etu and the Crown Prince, fighting to the death for the throne. With one less brother on his side, the Eldest Prince would likely extend an olive branch to the others. And as things unfolded, Yinzhen’s path would only grow smoother.
Consort Hui’s arrogance had also been dealt a heavy blow—for the Imperial Noble Consort, this turn of events brought nothing but benefits. Thinking of this, she smiled in delight, her grin widening further as she recalled the arrangements made in Yonghe Palace.
"Are the sachets all in place?" she asked.
"Reporting to Your Highness, everything is ready. Over at the Princes’ Quarters, since the Fourth Prince visits often, the wet nurse of the Rongjun Prince discovered traces left by Matron Xu. After several twists and turns, the information finally reached Yonghe Palace..." Nanny Zhen whispered, "Once Noble Consort Wu caught wind of Lady Liu’s tracks, she went mad! At noon, she begged for an audience with the Emperor. You need only wait quietly for good news."
"Excellent." The Imperial Noble Consort smiled faintly, suppressing the thrill of impending vengeance. She lowered her head, gently touching her abdomen, her eyes sharp with malice yet her tone soft. "Anle, are you watching over your mother from above? Are you happy? Mother is avenging you. Not a single one connected to Mrs. Hesheli will escape..."
By the time Concubine An and Concubine Xi had finished copying the sutras and had their restrictions lifted, it was already the twelfth month.
Just as they were beginning to relax, news of Consort Hui’s punishment left them utterly stunned. Not long after the Eighth Prince and Noble Consort Liang had been moved out of Yanxi Palace, the Emperor had actually set foot in Yonghe Palace!
This was the first time in over a month that Kangxi had stepped into Yonghe Palace.
As the Emperor left with a dark expression, rumors and speculations spread like wildfire. Some said Noble Consort Wu, in her desperation, had angered the Emperor once again. Others claimed she had tried to regain his favor, only to be met with cold reprimands... The gossip was endless.
The next day dawned unusually bright.
Yuqing Palace. Before the hour of mao, while the sky was still dim, the Crown Prince had already dressed, washed, and finished a bowl of hot porridge with a few side dishes, preparing for his morning studies at the Imperial Study Hall.
Wrapped in a thick fur cloak, he stepped out of the palace gates—only to freeze in surprise. "Chief Steward Liang?"
Liang Jiugong stood waiting not far away, trailed by a crowd of attendants. Seeing the Crown Prince, he seemed to exhale in relief—or perhaps tension—before stepping forward with a bitter smile and bowing deeply. "This servant greets His Highness the Crown Prince."
After a moment of confusion, the Crown Prince realized something extraordinary must have happened. For Liang Jiugong to come personally at this early hour...
His expression shifted slightly. "Has the Emperor issued any orders?"
"This matter concerns the Rongjun Prince and has nothing to do with Your Highness," Liang Jiugong said, bowing. "This servant has been commanded to search the residences of the Yuqing Palace attendants, but we must first seek Your Highness’s permission. His Majesty has decreed that everything depends on Your Highness’s word. If you refuse, this servant will leave at once..."
The Crown Prince’s fingers curled slightly as he fell into thought, remaining silent for a long while.
Finally, his clear, youthful voice rang out calmly: "Search. I permit it."
