As Fulu's voice faded, a brief silence fell over Yikun Palace.
All traces of melancholy or tearful joy vanished instantly, replaced by a roomful of barely suppressed laughter as every pair of eyes turned toward the plump, crimson-clad child.
The Emperor… blessed with good fortune?
Seeing the little boy stare unblinkingly at Yunxiu, everyone understood—this was his roundabout way of praising Consort Yi’s beauty!
"Fulu!" Guargiya called out, her face darkening.
What nonsense was this rascal spouting?
Since when could he address the Emperor as "uncle"?
And "good fortune"? What utter drivel!
Fulu had blurted out his thoughts without thinking and was now pinned under his mother’s withering glare. He clapped a hand over his mouth, glancing left and right before taking a tiny step back. Then, with pleading eyes, he looked at Yunxiu, his gaze screaming: Auntie, save me!
Yunxiu couldn’t help but laugh, her amusement bubbling over, while Noble Consort Le doubled over in mirth. What a little imp!
Before her sister could speak, Noble Consort Le wiped tears of laughter from her eyes and beckoned to Fulu. "Come here, darling. Let your auntie take a good look at you."
Seeing his lifeline, Fulu ignored his mother’s thunderous expression and scampered over eagerly.
Up close, his admiration only grew. Auntie Yi is as beautiful as a fairy—there’s not a single flaw!
And his other auntie, Noble Consort Le, was just as stunning. Swallowing his envy, Fulu chirped sweetly, "Hello, Auntie!"
Noble Consort Le pinched his chubby cheeks, instantly smitten. Covering her mouth, she giggled, "What a clever boy! You’re quite right—His Majesty is fortunate."
Fulu nodded vigorously, then shook his head.
"I wasn’t finished," he declared in a serious, childish lisp. "Auntie Le is gentle, beautiful, and kind. My cousin, the princess, is so lucky to have you as her mother!"
He emphasized his point with three enthusiastic "so’s" and an exaggerated hand gesture, leaving Yinqi gaping in astonishment.
The Fifth Prince had never seen a peer so effortlessly skilled in flattery!
Even the most lively and eloquent among the imperial children paled in comparison. To put it plainly, they carried the weight of their status—such shameless praise would’ve been unthinkable, lest they invite ridicule or even censure from the censors.
While Yinqi remained stunned, Noble Consort Le was already clutching Fulu to her chest, cooing over him as if he were her own.
Guargiya, meanwhile, looked as though she couldn’t bear to watch. She tugged her equally mortified daughter, Yartan, forward and bowed to Yunxiu. "Forgive this disgrace, Your Highness. That little troublemaker is a handful—his father can barely stand him most days..."
Yunxiu had no idea Fulu was such a character in his youth.
Who wouldn’t adore such a delightful child?
The thought that he was her own nephew, combined with lingering guilt from her dreams, softened her gaze until it brimmed with affection. Much like how Kangxi saw her through rose-tinted lenses, Consort Yi now viewed Fulu through the same tenfold filter.
She helped Guargiya up with a playful scold. "Nonsense! No one in Yikun Palace can match his silver tongue. Your husband doesn’t know how lucky he is. If Yinqi were half as sweet, I’d be overjoyed."
Yinqi, who had been eavesdropping, stiffened.
"Mother!" he protested indignantly, puffing out his cheeks.
Fulu turned at the sound and finally noticed the golden-clad round figure lurking in the corner.
Wait… is that Auntie Yi’s son, the Fifth Prince?
He frowned. Why didn’t he inherit her fairy-like looks?
Yunxiu took Yinqi’s hand and called Fulu over, her peach-blossom eyes crinkling warmly. "This is your cousin, Yinqi, the Fifth Prince. After the New Year, you’ll both attend the Imperial Study together. Oh, and you have another cousin—Yintang, the Ninth Prince. He’s not even a year old yet. Would you like to see him?"
Fulu’s eyes nearly popped out of his head.
"Okay!" he agreed obediently before grabbing Yinqi’s hand without hesitation. "Cousin, let’s go meet our baby cousin!"
Yinqi barely had time to react before being dragged off.
Wenyuan stifled a laugh and escorted them to the nursery, where the wet nurses waited. Yunxiu, utterly unbothered by the thought of Yintang enduring the boys’ antics, watched their retreating figures with a fond smile.
Relieved that her son was finally behaving, Guargiya exhaled wearily. She hesitated before relaying Tuyue’s request: "Fulu’s too much of a troublemaker. My husband’s worried—could he… not be the Fifth Prince’s study companion? He’s afraid—"
Before she could finish "he’ll corrupt Yinqi," Yunxiu waved her off reassuringly. "Sister-in-law, set your mind at ease. No one would dare slight anyone from Yikun Palace, least of all my own nephew. Even if Fulu stirs up chaos, I’ll shield him. Let him live freely—no need to stifle his nature."
Noble Consort Le nodded emphatically. "Exactly! We won’t let him suffer a single slight."
No, no—it’s not about Fulu suffering. It’s about him making others suffer!
Guargiya opened her mouth, then closed it. Their words sounded eerily familiar… Ah, yes. They echoed Fulu’s own bold declaration: "With Auntie Yi around, who’d dare mess with me?"
A dreadful premonition settled over Guargiya about Fulu’s future as a study companion.
Yunxiu, noticing her distress, swiftly changed the subject, drawing Yartan into conversation with Noble Consort Le. The girl, though shy at first, soon relaxed, revealing a poise and liveliness that mirrored her mother’s—yet with the same irrepressible spark as Fulu.
Yunxiu’s fondness grew. "Sister-in-law, next time, bring Yierha to meet her cousins. That child’s wise beyond her years—only six but already so composed. I ought to learn your parenting secrets."
Guargiya blanched. "Oh, no, no, no!"
Absolutely not! If she raised another Fulu, the Emperor and Consort Yi would skin her!
——
When the topic turned to the recent memorial upheaval, Guargiya’s gratitude shone through. "Thanks to Your Highness’s intervention, my husband escaped that viper’s nest. I’ve brought some Shenyang delicacies—homemade by our chef—hoping you and Noble Consort Le might enjoy a taste of home."
Noble Consort Le clapped in delight. "How wonderful! Our kitchens have prepared pastries too—exquisite ones. We’ll send some home for the children."
The three women chatted amiably until, half an hour later, Ruizhu lifted the door curtain, signaling an urgent matter.
Guargiya was about to rise and excuse herself when Yunxiu stopped her with a smile, saying, "We’re all family here—no need for formalities. In the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, there’s nothing to avoid."
Tuyue was eight years older than Yunxiu. By the time she entered the palace for the imperial selection, her sister-in-law had already married into the family and treated her two sisters-in-law as her own younger sisters.
Hearing this, Guargiya felt both joy and an inexplicable wave of emotion. After all these years, the eldest young mistress’s temperament hadn’t changed much—no wonder her father-in-law and husband doted on her so.
Just then, Ruizhu cleared her throat and announced, "After His Majesty finished court, he went to the imperial garden to admire the plum blossoms and happened to encounter Consort Ping trying to win his favor—"
Guargiya’s expression turned grave.
Consort Ping, a noble lady of the Hesheli Family. Even though Suo Etu had fallen from power, she was still the younger sister of Empress Renxiao and the Crown Prince’s maternal aunt. For Ruizhu to bring this up, could it mean…?
"Consort Ping was draped in sheer gauze, and His Majesty scolded her, saying, ‘Have you frozen your brain?’" Ruizhu lowered her head, stifling a laugh. "He even ordered the Imperial Household Department to deliver winter clothes to her in a grand display—all in dull, ugly colors. Not even the palace maids, let alone the concubines, would wear them."
Noble Consort Le burst into laughter again, while Guargiya was left speechless.
Yunxiu chuckled in amusement. "His Majesty’s awareness is quite impressive."
After the laughter subsided, she found herself marveling for a while—how could such a scene appear in her dreams?
Consort Yi was still pondering what could have provoked Kangxi to become so infuriating, while Guargiya remained dazed, unable to snap out of it for quite some time.
With a soft clatter, something shattered.
This… this was the daily life of the illustrious and mighty His Majesty?!
Meanwhile, the illustrious and mighty His Majesty had been engaged in discussions with Guo’erluo Tuyue in the Qianqing Palace for quite some time.
The two conversed in a harmonious exchange of questions and answers, and as the dialogue progressed, Kangxi grew increasingly satisfied with the position he had arranged for Tuyue.
Mingzhu and Hang Ai hadn’t exaggerated—Tuyue was indeed a rare talent. What was even rarer was that despite his growing experience and broadening perspective, he still maintained a sincere heart, remaining loyal to His Majesty with genuine devotion. When discussing state affairs, he spoke with confidence and insight, offering incisive analyses that demonstrated profound understanding.
Feeling somewhat parched from speaking, the emperor paused to sip some hot tea before advising, "I’ve reviewed the memorials you submitted to the Ministry of Personnel. You’ve performed admirably in your post over the years. Now that you’re being transferred to the Ministry of War, you must dedicate yourself wholeheartedly and achieve tangible results. Do not betray my trust—nor Consort Yi’s earnest concern for you."
Upon hearing this, Tuyue was overwhelmed with gratitude. Tears welling in his eyes, he knelt down and declared, "This servant will spare no effort in serving Your Majesty!"
"Rise," Kangxi nodded approvingly.
Suddenly, his expression shifted. He motioned for Liang Jiugong and the other attendants to withdraw before casually standing and walking to the rear wall of the imperial study.
With a cordial tone, he called Tuyue by his courtesy name and smiled, pointing to a framed work displayed prominently on the wall. "Do these characters look familiar to you?"
Tuyue was instantly thrilled. Could this be a masterpiece by some renowned calligrapher?
Was it the "Clear Sky After Snowfall" or the "Elixir Inscription"? A treasure from Yan Zhenqing, or perhaps an authentic work by Emperor Huizong of Song?
His Majesty’s intention to test him was surely a sign of trust and closeness.
With countless speculations running through his mind, Tuyue took a deep breath and examined the piece carefully, word by word, with reverence—
Tuyue: "……"
The content was unmistakable—it was the Buddhist scriptures he had been made to copy as punishment since childhood. The handwriting was also unmistakable—wasn’t this the calligraphy of his own younger sister, Consort Yi?
Just as he was struck by realization, another wave of confusion hit him. No, no.
Tuyue knew Yunxiu’s handwriting better than anyone. At first glance, the script looked identical, but upon closer inspection, the strokes lacked the subtle hooks his sister unconsciously added when writing. The two styles were entirely distinct.
Something felt off. Was His Majesty testing his familiarity with Consort Yi? Or was this a game of spotting the differences?
Lost in thought, Tuyue was about to formulate a response when Kangxi, standing beside him with hands clasped behind his back, remarked with a faintly smug tone, "This was Consort Yi’s painstaking gift to me on my birthday this year—Buddhist scriptures she copied by hand, staying up night after night by candlelight."
Then, feigning nonchalance, he added, "Did Xiuxiu ever go to such lengths before she entered the palace?"
Tuyue: "…………"!
