Fifth Prince was lost in thought—what did this have to do with his mother?
Second Elder Brother had skipped his studies this morning to go to Cining Palace, but why would he admire Mother Yi so much that he shed tears?
Yinqi’s soft, round bun-like face scrunched up in confusion, his little mind unable to make sense of it.
Seeing his bewildered expression, the Crown Prince’s mood instantly brightened, as if the sky had cleared after a storm. All his earlier anger, grievances, and the relief of narrowly escaping trouble were forgotten.
He beckoned Yinqi over, pinched his younger brother’s cheek, and asked with a smile, “What brings you to Yuqing Palace today?”
Yinqi snapped out of his daze and grinned sheepishly. “Second Elder Brother, you disappeared halfway through your studies. Third Elder Brother and Fourth Elder Brother were really curious but didn’t dare ask. Eldest Brother was sure you’d skipped class, and before long, the whole palace knew about it… I heard it from someone else.”
Too curious to resist, Yinqi had rushed over to investigate.
Then, fidgeting slightly, he clearly didn’t believe the Crown Prince’s “excuse” about crying. Standing on tiptoe, he whispered conspiratorially, “Second Elder Brother, I get it. Everyone has days when they don’t want to study. Hiding away to cry a little isn’t embarrassing at all! Did you go complain to the Empress Dowager about how much homework the tutors assigned?”
The Crown Prince: “…”
The Crown Prince’s face darkened, and his fingers itched—both because of Eldest Prince and this infuriating little brother in front of him.
So Eldest Brother had gone and spread it all over the palace, had he? And what nonsense was Yinqi thinking?
Complaining about too much homework!
If he’d actually done that, the shameful rumor would spread far and wide, branding him as the first Crown Prince in history to weep over excessive schoolwork—a legacy that would endure for generations… The Crown Prince hissed through his teeth, his expression indescribable.
Why hadn’t Yinqi inherited even a fraction of Mother Yi’s cleverness?
“No,” he ground out through clenched teeth, forcing a benevolent smile. “Fifth Brother, it seems you have too much free time. How about this—let Second Elder Brother teach you calligraphy, hmm?”
Yinqi wasn’t the type to pry. Seeing the Crown Prince’s swift denial, he nodded in sudden understanding and dropped the matter, beaming happily. “Thank you, Second Elder Brother! You’re the best.”
Previously, Yierha’s earnest lecture about striving for excellence had left an indelible mark on Fifth Prince’s young heart.
After the New Year, he would start attending the imperial study hall. To avoid shaming his mother or the Empress Dowager, he vowed to study hard, practice his calligraphy diligently, and, as Fourth Elder Sister had said, aim for the top.
Wait.
He scratched his head. What did “aim for the top” mean again?
Giving up on figuring it out, Yinqi felt a warm glow in his chest. Despite crying so much, Second Elder Brother still found time to teach him—what an incredible brother!
Deeply moved, Yinqi gripped the brush solemnly and made his first stroke.
“That first stroke is crooked. Do it again.”
“Oh, okay.”
“There’s no finesse in the brushwork. Again.”
“Yes! Second Elder Brother is right. I’ll fix it.”
…
“This character for ‘big’ looks timid and shrunken in your hand—unacceptable. A ‘big’ character should dominate the page, not cower in a corner. Understand?”
Yinqi’s head spun as if filled with swirling mosquito coils. He muttered to himself, “A ‘big’ character should fill the whole page… makes sense… I understand!”
This morning was truly unlike any other.
The long-sealed gates of Yonghe Palace swung open, and Noble Consort Wu, still under house arrest, was escorted by palanquin to Cining Palace. But that wasn’t all—the Emperor himself, right after morning court, also headed to the Empress Dowager’s residence!
Combined with recent palace rumors, the imperial consorts could no longer sit still.
They dispatched servants to gather information, stirring the once-calm waters into rippling waves. Those unaware speculated—could Noble Consort Wu really be regaining favor?
Yanxi Palace.
Consort Hui reclined on her daybed, massaging her temples with a grim expression. “What have you found out?”
“Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has ordered all Cining Palace servants to keep silent. Not a word has leaked,” Ying’er whispered, her usual pride nowhere to be seen. “Our people… couldn’t get anywhere.”
Times had changed. Since Consort Hui’s humiliating fall from grace and the loss of the Eighth Prince, Yanxi Palace had lost its former prominence, fading into quiet obscurity.
With the Emperor’s punishment fresh, Ying’er and the others tread carefully. This time, their inquiries were made with extreme caution, avoiding any commotion that might draw attention.
But caution came at the cost of efficiency. Gone were the days of their once-unparalleled intelligence network.
Consort Hui knew this all too well. A flash of fury flickered in her eyes before she suppressed it.
The Emperor despised that woman from Yonghe Palace—she refused to believe Mrs. Wuya could regain favor! But Cining Palace’s actions were too unusual. Something major had happened, something she knew nothing about.
…
Not long ago, Consort Hui had suffered a devastating blow—a slap that shattered her complacency. Her heart turned to ice, chilled to the bone.
Imperial Noble Consort, Noble Consort Liang… Consort Hui’s chest heaved with rage and hatred. She had grown careless while overseeing the palace, underestimating Mrs. Niu Gulu, who had been in confinement. She’d let her guard down, allowing the woman to strike.
To be tripped up in such a way—Consort Hui hadn’t just been wounded; she’d been crippled.
Not only had Yinti lost a crucial ally, but her own authority had crumbled. Months of meticulous planning had been snatched away by the Imperial Noble Consort. Worst of all—the Emperor! How far had she fallen in his esteem?
And it had all dragged Yinti down with her. When she learned that Eldest Prince had been punished with kneeling for pleading on her behalf, Consort Hui’s face turned ashen.
No matter how much she hated them, those treacherous servants were already gone. Resentment was pointless—she could only swallow her fury and bide her time to repay Mrs. Niu Gulu and that wretch Mrs. Wei a hundredfold.
Before she could recover, another wave of bad news struck. Mingzhu finally managed to send word: their plan had failed. Suo Etu had directed Hang Ai to submit an identical memorial, competing with the Ministry of Personnel for Tuyue’s appointment. The Emperor used this to reprimand Mingzhu, ultimately assigning Tuyue to—the Ministry of War.
How? Their masterstroke had failed?
Remembering how she’d played the fool in front of Consort Yi, giving her the perfect show to laugh at, Consort Hui clutched her chest, her face burning. She nearly choked on her own breath!
Since giving birth to the Emperor’s first son, Consort Hui had never suffered such a defeat. But no matter how unwilling she was, she had no choice but to retreat and wait.
Those days had been her darkest. Once she regained her composure, rationality returned. Not daring to act boldly for Yinti’s sake anymore, she could only advise her son to stay away: “Wait until your imperial father’s anger cools before coming to speak with me.”
At the same time, she strictly ordered everyone in Yanxi Palace to keep a low profile and avoid drawing attention. This was the only way—once the Emperor gradually moved past the disappearance of Yin Si, she could still rise again...
Before long, the drawbacks of staying under the radar became apparent. Like a sharp-eyed person suddenly blindfolded, Consort Hui was completely in the dark about why Noble Consort Wu had been released from confinement, leaving her restless and anxious.
Otherwise, things were manageable, but one critical issue remained: Mrs. Wuya held a dangerous secret.
Had the Emperor discovered her collaboration with Noble Consort Wu in framing the Guoluoluo clan? If interrogated, would Noble Consort Wu betray her?
Torn between irritation and unease, Consort Hui truly understood what it meant to endure each day as if it were a year. Just then, Yan'er rushed in with urgent news: "Your Highness, the Eldest Prince somehow got wind of the Crown Prince skipping his studies... The rumor spread like wildfire, but it was quickly suppressed by the Imperial Noble Consort."
Consort Hui clutched the edge of her bed, her vision darkening as dizziness overwhelmed her.
She gritted her teeth. "Why must Yinti stir up trouble now?! Hasn’t he knelt in punishment long enough—?"
In Chengqian Palace, the Imperial Noble Consort was also enduring each day as if it were a year.
Yet her state of mind was entirely different from Consort Hui’s. A faint smile played on her lips as she idly twisted her handkerchief, gazing at the bare branches in the courtyard outside her window.
Anle, are you happy? Your mother has avenged you.
The Imperial Noble Consort remained motionless, occasionally coughing softly. After an indeterminate amount of time, hurried footsteps approached. She stood abruptly, ignoring her own frailty, her eyes burning with anticipation. "Well?"
Nanny Zhen hesitated, her expression conflicted, before finally speaking. "The Grand Empress Dowager has personally decreed that Noble Consort Wu is suffering from madness and shall not leave until cured... Her Majesty also declared that a madwoman is no longer fit to be a mother."
The Imperial Noble Consort’s eyes gleamed brighter with each word. By the end, she clenched her handkerchief tightly, her face alight with triumph.
No longer fit to be a mother!
Yinzhen, the imperial genealogy—her schemes were on the verge of becoming reality.
Barely suppressing her overwhelming joy, she took a deep breath and asked in a hoarse voice about the matter closest to her heart: "What of Suo Etu... and the Crown Prince?"
"Suo Etu’s crimes must still be verified, but the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor are furious. As for his fate, Your Highness need only wait!" Nanny Zhen paused, lowering her voice. "As for Yuqing Palace... there seems to have been a lapse in our plans. The Crown Prince remains unharmed—not only was he untouched, but he even gained the Emperor’s sympathy..."
The Imperial Noble Consort’s lips curled briefly before the smile vanished.
The abrupt shift from elation to despair twisted her expression into something almost unrecognizable. "They assured me this was foolproof—how could there have been a lapse? Those wretched maids dared deceive me?!"
Nanny Zhen bowed her head, murmuring for her mistress to calm down, then revealed the details about the stables and the poisoned sachet.
"With no news coming from Yuqing Palace, our people had no idea Mingyun and Mingxin had been demoted to the stables. That’s why... that’s why..." Her voice trailed off into silence.
The Imperial Noble Consort slowly sat down, remaining quiet for a long time.
Eventually, her furious expression faded into one of bitter resignation.
"Was this fate’s doing, or is Yinreng simply blessed?" she murmured. "Such a flawless plan—how could he have escaped it?"
Indeed, if the Crown Prince had been unaware, how could he have avoided the trap?
Why had Mingyun and Mingxin been sent to the stables at precisely the right time?!
This was the question that plagued Nanny Zhen as well.
"One missed strike, and we’ll never get another chance like this." The Imperial Noble Consort gave a hollow laugh and closed her eyes.
For revenge, she had exhausted all her connections, even using the last trump card left to her by Empress Xiaokangzhang.
From now on, plotting against the Crown Prince would be far more difficult—almost impossible...
Even if Suo Etu’s crimes were exposed, even if that vile Mrs. Wuya were condemned to eternal disgrace, the Imperial Noble Consort felt no joy.
If the Crown Prince remained standing, how could Yinzhen ever rise?
How could she, as his mother, reclaim the power of the Tongjia clan and, in time, be posthumously honored as Empress by the new Emperor?
A fit of coughing wracked her body. When it subsided, she muttered darkly, "The Crown Prince... Yinreng..."
With all the commotion between Yonghe Palace and Cining Palace, Yunxiu was naturally aware of the situation.
Unlike the other consorts scrambling to gather information, Yikun Palace remained eerily quiet.
There was no need for Consort Yi to exhaust herself seeking news—it would reach her effortlessly, for the Emperor arrived without fail every evening for dinner.
Kangxi rarely displayed emotions like anger or joy in public, usually maintaining an impassive demeanor. But today was different. Wrapped in a heavy cloak, Yunxiu waited at the palace gates and finally glimpsed the approaching imperial sedan. Studying his face from afar, she quickly pieced together the situation.
She pondered—how could she make the Emperor willingly act as her informant while he was in such a foul mood?
As the "informant" stepped down from the sedan and strode toward her, his expression softened slightly. "What brings you out to greet me today? Come inside—it’s too cold, and I don’t want you falling ill."
His surprise was understandable. Consort Yi had grown increasingly "spoiled by favor," and this was her first time welcoming him outside since winter began...
Yunxiu smiled, her tone a mix of playful reproach and complaint. "Lately, Your Majesty’s heart has been entirely devoted to Noble Consort Wu. If I didn’t come out to greet you, I’d soon be forgotten!"
Under normal circumstances, Kangxi would have been delighted. He would have thought, Xiuxiu is jealous again! and secretly grinned from ear to ear.
Such blatant possessiveness—this was truly unprecedented!
But now—
The Emperor’s emotions were tangled—pleasure, anger, and disgust all warring within him. Anger over the morning’s events, disgust toward Noble Consort Wu... and irritation at the first half of Yunxiu’s remark!
What did she mean, his heart was with Noble Consort Wu?
The mere thought—
Kangxi’s lips twitched, then his face darkened rapidly before he sighed deeply.
Taking Yunxiu’s hand, he said sternly, "Even if I were blind, I would never favor that wretched Mrs. Wuya! She’s lost her mind, accusing the Crown Prince of orchestrating everything—claiming he was behind Yinzuo’s poisoning..."
Yunxiu’s heart skipped a beat, but she quickly steadied herself. The word "accusation" told her all she needed to know.
Meanwhile, Kangxi, finally able to vent his pent-up fury, treated Yunxiu as his confidante and unleashed a torrent of grievances.
From "Mrs. Wuya is unfit to be a mother" to "the Crown Prince has suffered unjustly, and I ache for him," and even "Yinti spreading rumors about Yinreng skipping studies—still impulsive and in need of discipline," and so on.
Listening silently to his lengthy tirade, Yunxiu waited for him to pause before gently stroking his back. "Your Majesty, don’t let anger harm your health. There’s still time—speak to me slowly."
