Having vented his long-suppressed anger and now facing his beloved consort, Kangxi, though still stern-faced, allowed a faint smile to appear, clearly pleased.
"Very well, very well. I’ll listen to you. I won’t be angry anymore," he said, gently leading Yunxiu into the inner chamber as his mood gradually settled. "Though this morning’s events were beyond belief, rage harms the body and goes against the principles of self-cultivation. It’s truly not worth it."
Liang Jiugong trailed behind them, trembling with fear, and upon hearing these words, he let out a sigh of relief, nearly moved to tears.
What kind of mess was this?
A group of women scheming against one another had thrown the imperial harem into constant turmoil. No sooner had the incident with Consort Hui passed than Noble Consort Wu stirred up trouble again—and not just any trouble, but a reckless attempt to frame the Crown Prince!
That child was the Emperor’s most cherished, his position as solid as Mount Tai. Yet Noble Consort Wu dared to poke this hornet’s nest, all for the sake of Prince Rongjun and her own unspeakable selfish desires, throwing caution to the wind.
Even without the Emperor’s intervention, the Grand Empress Dowager would swiftly strip her of her title!
Liang Jiugong shook his head. How had Consort De, once virtuous, become like this?
A treasonous thought suddenly crossed his mind: How could someone like her ever be granted the title of consort? Was the Emperor blind?
Of course, such words would rot in his stomach—he valued his life too much.
Setting aside the women’s squabbles, the court was no less turbulent. The grave crimes committed by Suo Etu left Liang Jiugong trembling with fear, worried that the Emperor’s fury might harm his health.
Over a single word—"zuo"—Suo Etu had reached into the inner palace, scheming to poison the Sixth Prince. Such audacity!
A mere courtier, who had long presumed to act as the Crown Prince’s elder, now treated Yuqing Palace like his own private garden, coming and going as he pleased!
Long before this, Suo Etu had tampered with the Imperial Noble Consort’s ceremonial procession. Though the Emperor had been furious, he had let it pass lightly, as the Imperial Noble Consort had behaved erratically during her pregnancy. At the time, His Majesty had only ordered an investigation of the inner palace and a restructuring of the Imperial Household Department, without punishing Suo Etu.
Now, if the Emperor were to revisit that old grievance and settle it alongside the plot against the prince… Liang Jiugong dared not dwell on it, silently praying that the Emperor’s wrath wouldn’t extend to them.
Serving in Qianqing Palace is truly a bitter lot.
No sooner had they left Cining Palace than a young eunuch whispered to him that rumors of the Crown Prince skipping his studies had spread—courtesy of the Eldest Prince.
Liang Jiugong felt he must have forgotten to check the almanac that morning. Today was clearly an ill-fated day for him, and not just in a minor way.
With trembling legs, he went in to report. Sure enough, an ink-dipped vermilion brush came flying at him, followed by the Emperor’s roar: "That worthless fool! Tell the Eldest Prince to get his sorry self here now!"
The chief eunuch, his face splattered with ink, retreated with the order, his heart heavy. A thought flashed through his mind: Only Consort Yi can calm him now.
Though he wished for it, when it actually happened, Liang Jiugong nearly wept—with joy.
Seeing the storm clouds on Kangxi’s face begin to clear, he silently thanked his ancestors, almost tempted to erect a longevity tablet for Yunxiu and worship her properly.
Consort Yi is truly a goddess!
……
Yunxiu’s tender, understanding gestures left Kangxi momentarily stunned, so much so that he nearly forgot the troubles of the court and the harem, his heart swelling with warmth.
Her voice was soft, her words soothing—a rare sight indeed. Kangxi vividly remembered how, around the time the Ninth Prince was born, her attitude toward him had been as harsh as an autumn gale, with no regard for propriety in her speech.
Compared to now—
The Emperor thought: Slow and steady wins the race! Yunxiu is growing fonder of me.
Seeing the warmth and concern in Yunxiu’s gaze, Kangxi felt deeply comforted. He slowly recounted the scene in Cining Palace’s main hall, then said coolly, "I do not deny Noble Consort Wu’s maternal love for Yinzuo, but to involve Baocheng—that is unforgivable."
Did he not grieve over Yinzuo’s poisoning? Yet Noble Consort Wu had shown no trust in him, demanding justice at every turn—as if his word as Emperor meant nothing!
Not to mention her hatred for the Crown Prince, which struck at his deepest fury. For that alone, she would be confined to her quarters to "recover from madness."
Yinzhen and Moyaqi could not have a mother known to be insane.
The Grand Empress Dowager had mentioned this, and though Kangxi was still seething, he had begun to consider the matter.
Moyaqi was still young, barely past her first month, and wouldn’t recognize Noble Consort Wu. Altering the imperial records was feasible, and she could bond with her new mother in time. As for who would raise the Fifth Princess, the Emperor already had someone in mind.
Concubine Duan had entered the palace early, with seniority to her name. She had lost a daughter years ago and spent her days chanting sutras in a small prayer hall. Reserved by nature, she had never involved herself in the rumors about the Emperor’s favoritism, unlike those fools Concubine An, Concubine Jing, Consort Ping, and Concubine Xi. She had remained dutiful all these years—making her a suitable choice to raise Moyaqi.
But Yinzhen was different.
He was old enough to remember that Noble Consort Wu was his birth mother, and with the Imperial Noble Consort as his adoptive mother, any change would require him to be recorded under the Imperial Noble Consort’s name.
This matter would require further discussion with the Grand Empress Dowager.
With that, Kangxi rubbed his temples and coldly brought up Suo Etu: "I granted him great power and honor in court, and how did he repay me? Not only did he plot against the Sixth Prince, but he also planted spies in Yuqing Palace, whispering who knows what into Baocheng’s ear! I will not let this go unpunished…"
Yunxiu knew Suo Etu wouldn’t escape unscathed, but his downfall was far from certain.
The Emperor was, first and foremost, a ruler—only then a father to his sons. He understood the necessity of balance. Without Suo Etu to counter Mingzhu, the court would descend into chaos.
Just as in her dreams, when the power struggles eventually waned, the remaining debts would be settled slowly…
Yunxiu had listened quietly all this time, but now she smiled gently and said softly, "Though the morning was perilous, thank heavens the Crown Prince is unharmed. Your Majesty should take comfort in that. No matter how many schemes Suo Etu devises, the Crown Prince neither trusts him nor his agents. Even if Suo Etu tore the heavens apart, he’d have no way to succeed! Otherwise, why would Mingyun and Mingxin be relegated to the stables? To my eyes, the Crown Prince sees things clearly—what more could Your Majesty wish for?"
Indeed, what more could he wish for?
Her words struck a chord in Kangxi’s heart, as refreshing as biting into an ice-cold watermelon on the hottest summer day.
Before this, he hadn’t stopped the Hesheli Family from growing close to the Crown Prince, thinking that since the late Empress had passed early, Baocheng had grown up without a mother, and it was good for him to have his maternal family’s care.
He had vaguely known of Suo Etu’s overreach, but since the Crown Prince needed allies and seasoned ministers to safeguard his future, he had turned a blind eye.
Kangxi's heart had grown heavy. Initially, his political disagreements with Mingzhu had gradually escalated into factional strife... The dangers of such partisan conflicts needed no elaboration—no one dared forget how the previous dynasty had met its end!
Moreover, the Hesheli Family was the maternal clan of the Crown Prince, while the Nala Clan was tied to Yinti. If things continued this way, what kind of strife would erupt between the brothers once they grew up? Kangxi couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
Compounded by the irrational thoughts of an aging father, he occasionally found himself brooding—did Baocheng rely too much on his granduncle, growing closer to him than to his own imperial father?
Of course, such suspicions were baseless, given the Crown Prince’s youth. The emperor was merely nursing a petty jealousy.
Yet, unseen by all, hidden seeds of discord were quietly sown, buried deep, waiting to surface in the future as catalysts driving father and son further apart.
Now, however, those catalysts were gone—the very things that had unsettled the emperor had vanished!
Yunxiu’s words struck him like a revelation: if Baocheng truly trusted Suo Etu, why would he assign Suo’s trusted aides to menial tasks, keeping them far away—unable to gather information or serve closely?
According to Liang Jiugong’s report, it wasn’t just Mingyun and Mingxin—all the other servants had been treated the same.
The phrase "does not trust Suo Etu" played on loop in Kangxi’s mind, filling him with boundless joy.
None of his fears had come to pass. The old schemer’s spies had been rendered useless. Unbeknownst to him, the Crown Prince had grown wiser, more discerning, and had distanced himself from Suo Etu of his own accord…
Truly, this was the child he valued most. The Great Qing had a worthy successor—indeed, a worthy successor!
The emperor clasped Yunxiu’s hand tightly, sighing in relief, his earlier fury long forgotten.
His eyes shimmered with warmth and a long-rooted affection. Yunxiu always cut straight to the heart of the matter, her every word resonating deeply. In the entire palace, no one understood him better or spoke more candidly.
No wonder the emperor viewed Consort Yi through rose-tinted glasses.
After witnessing the Imperial Noble Consort’s "complete loss of composure," Consort Hui’s "shattered facade," and Noble Consort Wu’s "venomous heart," Kangxi had grown wary—even fearful—of these women, though he never voiced it aloud.
Who knew what lurked beneath their demure exteriors?
Recalling how he had repeatedly favored the Wuya Clan, even bestowing upon her the title "Consort De," Kangxi: "…"
He hadn’t even been able to enjoy his midday meal properly!
Secretly, he resolved to visit Yi Kun Palace more often—both to cleanse his eyes and to spend time with Yunxiu. A perfect arrangement.
With this thought, he drew Yunxiu into his arms and murmured warmly, "You’re right. I have nothing to worry about. But the Crown Prince is still young and deeply sentimental. After Suo Etu’s grave misdeeds, he might weep in secret. Tomorrow, I must comfort him properly."
If Kangxi had once doted on the Crown Prince, after witnessing the boy’s wrongful accusation and his heart-wrenching tears, that doting had now turned into outright indulgence.
He wanted to shower Yuqing Palace with every treasure under heaven!
Yunxiu nodded gently, suppressing a smile. "Your Majesty is most considerate."
As the saying goes, sometimes the unlikeliest actions bear fruit. Not only had the Crown Prince escaped censure, but he had also erased Suo Etu’s influence and won the emperor’s deepest sympathy—an outcome even she hadn’t anticipated.
Kangxi was overjoyed, and Yunxiu was no less pleased. Smiling contentedly, she thought to herself—she was one step closer to becoming the Noble Imperial Consort Dowager.
...Had Kangxi known what she was thinking, he might have fainted from sheer indignation.
At this moment, the atmosphere was thick with emotion, the delicate fragrance of her hair lingering in the air. His phoenix eyes darkened as he leaned in to kiss her—only to be interrupted by hurried footsteps.
"Your Majesty, Your Grace, the Ninth Prince refuses to drink his milk! He keeps kicking and thrashing, and no matter how we coax him, he won’t settle…" Ruizhu lowered her voice. "The wet nurses say the prince misses his mother! Please, Your Grace, come quickly."
Kangxi: "..."
As Yunxiu flushed and rose to leave, the emperor’s temper flared.
That brat—how many times this month had this happened?
His expression darkened further, even more thunderous than when he had first arrived.
Liang Jiugong, who had been waiting outside the curtains with a beaming smile, had discreetly retreated earlier when the mood inside shifted. Such saccharine scenes were best avoided—far too cloying to witness.
Still grinning, he suddenly noticed Consort Yi heading toward the warm chamber, followed shortly by His Majesty, who radiated black fury.
"Your—"
Before Liang Jiugong could finish, Kangxi shot him a scorching glare, his anger intensifying.
That wretched servant—always grinning like a fool! What was so amusing?
"Lacking in decorum—two months’ salary docked!" With that icy decree, the emperor stormed off, hands clasped behind his back.
Liang Jiugong: "…………"
Kangxi was convinced that Yintang, that little rascal, had been born solely to oppose him. He was nothing like the obedient Crown Prince.
Even Yinqi, his elder brother at his most mischievous age, couldn’t compare to the Ninth Prince’s antics.
He couldn’t be scolded or punished—how infuriating!
Frustrated by his thwarted romantic attempt, the emperor grudgingly held Yunxiu as they drifted into sleep. The next morning, he set off early for the Crown Prince’s Yuqing Palace—out of concern, Kangxi had granted Yinreng a day’s leave, hoping the boy could rest and recover his spirits.
As for the Eldest Prince, who had grumbled about the Crown Prince skipping studies, Kangxi berated him harshly for "spreading false rumors," made him kneel for half an hour, and demanded, "Your brother’s absence was approved by me. Do you have any objections?"
Yinti shook his head so vigorously it blurred. Kangxi sighed in exasperation—what a vexing son.
But the most vexing of all was the Ninth Prince…
At least the Crown Prince was a comfort.
Weary yet full of tenderness, the emperor stepped into Yuqing Palace, his expression solemn.
What should he say if Baocheng met him with tearful eyes?
Before he even reached the study, a loud wail reached his ears—his face instantly changed.
Had Baocheng been grieving in private to such an extent?!
The wailing continued, Yinqi’s sobs echoing through the study: "Waaah! Second Brother! I don’t want to write anymore… The character for ‘great’ is too hard!"
Why did it need such bold strokes? Why did it have to fill the entire page?!
It’s been two days—can’t we practice a different character?
Then came the Crown Prince’s clear, firm voice, laced with a hint of ruthlessness: "Absolutely not! You cannot abandon your practice halfway. You will finish it, even if you cry through it!"
He coughed lightly, adopting a coaxing tone: "Filling the page is excellent for building arm strength. If the Emperor saw this, he would be immensely pleased!"
