Tuyue faced the most difficult dilemma of his life—to remain loyal to the emperor or to protect his sister.
With a faint ache in his teeth, he found himself torn. How could he possibly answer this question?
Should he tell His Majesty that he had misunderstood—that the Buddhist scriptures were not written by his sister’s own hand, that all the talk of her staying up late and laboring over them was a lie, and that at most, she had merely ordered a palace maid to mimic her handwriting in the most perfunctory manner possible?
If he spoke the truth… what if the emperor flew into a rage and withdrew his favor from his sister? Their father would surely skin him alive!
After weighing the consequences of deceiving the emperor versus telling the truth, Tuyue caved.
After much hesitation, he finally forced out the words with great difficulty, "Your Majesty, when the lady was still at home, my parents could not bear to tire their daughter. Such… such meticulous preparation of gifts has never happened before."
As he spoke, he wept inwardly. Deceiving the emperor—what a grave crime!
He had hardly ever lied in his life, and now, here he was, lying right before the throne. Tuyue, a pillar of the state who had engraved "loyalty to the sovereign and love for the country" into his very bones, quietly lowered his head, feeling the scorching guilt of his conscience.
Beyond that, Tuyue harbored an indescribable sense of unease.
The emperor’s treatment of his sister was beyond reproach—just listen to the pride in his voice as he boasted about her. But his sister’s attitude toward the emperor… was far too indifferent.
He was terrified. What if she slipped up and exposed the truth? Everything would be ruined.
But there was nothing he could do. As her elder brother, he had no choice but to cover for her.
While he was lost in these thoughts, his head sinking lower and lower, Kangxi nodded in satisfaction and burst into laughter. He patted Tuyue on the shoulder and sighed, "After discussing state affairs, we now speak of family matters. To be frank with you, among all the ladies in the palace, only Consort Yi has truly captured my heart. She has spoken of you as well, saying that the bond between you siblings is deep, and that after years apart, it has only grown stronger! That you could recognize her handwriting at a glance—those words were no exaggeration."
Tuyue felt as though the shoulder the emperor had patted was burning.
He barely managed to keep himself from kneeling, forcing out a dry laugh, utterly at a loss for words. "Your Majesty flatters me… Your Majesty flatters me…"
His tone was heartbreaking, tinged with a faint sob, yet Kangxi only felt more gratified.
Such a loyal subject—one who did not spout empty flattery, who did not grovel, whose every word was sincere. If all officials were like Tuyue, the court would achieve an unprecedented level of integrity.
Pleased, the emperor rewarded Tuyue with a yellow riding jacket. Wearing it, Tuyue stumbled out of the palace in a daze.
Guargiya, too, left the palace in a daze.
Fulu took their hands, looking left and right, but after the initial excitement faded, his little head sank into deep contemplation.
What was wrong with Father and Mother?
That night, under the dim glow of candlelight, Lord Guoluoluo sat motionless at his desk in his new residence for half an hour before finally picking up his brush, his expression unusually grave.
Guargiya tiptoed into the inner chamber, adjusted the wick to brighten the candlelight, and then held her breath as she asked, "My lord, has something serious happened?"
Tuyue sighed. "Nothing. Just a letter to the lady in the palace."
…
On this day, Ruizhu lifted the curtain with light steps, smiling as she announced, "My lady, Lord Tuyue has sent a letter."
Yunxiu eagerly took it and unfolded it, only to find several pages of rambling words that ultimately boiled down to one central message—
Little sister, couldn’t you treat the emperor a little better? He’s not having an easy time either.
The tone was exceedingly cautious, as if afraid of angering her. Yunxiu: "…"
While Yi Kun Palace basked in the joy of Tuyue’s family arriving in the capital, completely untouched by the turmoil stirred by Suo Etu’s dismissal, the other palaces were not so fortunate.
After receiving Kangxi’s verbal decree, the Imperial Household Department hastily sent someone to Chuxiu Palace to deliver a set of drab winter garments, turning Consort Ping into the laughingstock of the entire palace.
In their eyes, Consort Ping had lost her patron and was now despised by the emperor—she would never rise again. Thus, a steady stream of concubines came to "console" her, their words dripping with mockery and disdain. Even Concubine An and Concubine Xi joined in the spectacle. Consort Ping gritted her teeth as she saw them off, shedding tears of humiliation, yet there was nothing she could do.
Watching this, some shrewd individuals cast thoughtful glances toward Yuqing Palace, their eyes glinting.
If Consort Ping had lost her backing, wasn’t the Crown Prince in the same position?
While Chuxiu Palace was shrouded in gloom, Yanxi Palace saw a glimmer of hope. Consort Hui, having shaken off her earlier despondency, regained her dignified and smiling demeanor, as if the setbacks she had suffered no longer existed, and gradually reappeared in public.
But she had learned her lesson. No longer the picture of triumphant pride, she now carried herself with caution.
With Suo Etu’s downfall, Mingzhu now held overwhelming power, nearly dominating the court. Aside from the Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Yi, and Consort Rong, none of the other ladies dared to show the slightest disrespect toward Consort Hui, nor did they dare mock her over the Eighth Prince’s relocation.
Fortunately, Noble Consort Liang and the Eighth Prince resided in a side hall of Cining Palace under the protection of the Grand Empress Dowager, keeping them far beyond Consort Hui’s reach. Any thought of retaliation was pure fantasy.
Only then did some realize how far-sighted the Grand Empress Dowager had been…
Suo Etu’s downfall had repercussions that extended far beyond the court, its impact too vast and profound. But with the New Year approaching, no matter how much intrigue churned beneath the surface or how many schemes were brewing, they had no choice but to suppress their ambitions for now. Everything would have to wait until after the festivities.
—All because the Imperial Noble Consort had relayed an imperial decree from the emperor.
Kangxi’s exact words were as follows: "If anyone dares to stir up trouble and ruin my New Year’s peace, they will spend the New Year’s Eve with Noble Consort Wu—every last one of them."
The moment these words were spoken, everyone was stunned.
Never before had they felt so keenly that the emperor had changed.
The young ladies who had hoped to win his favor now fretted anxiously—if the emperor was no longer merciful, would they end up like Consort Ping?
Thanks to this decree, the palace enjoyed a rare period of tranquility, lasting all the way to the New Year’s Eve banquet of the twenty-third year of Kangxi’s reign, where the atmosphere remained harmonious.
By now, the Imperial Noble Consort’s illness was common knowledge.
Even with powder, her face could not conceal its pallor. The Grand Empress Dowager observed this and sighed softly. Considering how the Imperial Noble Consort had secluded herself in recent months, focusing solely on recuperating, her expression softened as she gave her a nod.
The Imperial Noble Consort covered her mouth to cough every few moments, but apart from that, her gaze rarely left the Fourth Prince at the princes’ banquet table, filled with tenderness and affection, as if Yinzhen was the only one in her heart.
The Empress Dowager noticed this. The Imperial Noble Consort noticed it. Yunxiu noticed it as well.
The Empress Dowager suddenly recalled the matter of the imperial genealogy—wasn’t Yinzhen still officially recorded under Mrs. Wuya’s name, with the Imperial Noble Consort merely being his adoptive mother?
She thought to herself that this situation was untenable. But since the Grand Empress Dowager had yet to speak on the matter, the Empress Dowager naturally would not interfere. After a moment’s contemplation, she set the thought aside and cheerfully turned her attention to Yinqi.
The Imperial Noble Consort’s expression remained indifferent as she quickly averted her gaze. Yunxiu sighed softly—it seemed the Imperial Noble Consort’s ambitions extended far beyond just the Fourth Prince. Her path to becoming an imperial dowager consort would be a long and arduous one.
After a moment’s reflection, she decided that these were merely minor setbacks and wouldn’t affect the bigger picture… The Young Crown Prince had already turned into a cunning little schemer, so she really didn’t need to worry too much.
Consort Yi soon turned her thoughts elsewhere, unaware that Kangxi’s gaze kept drifting toward her, sparking waves of jealousy that nearly flooded the Qianqing Palace.
At the New Year’s Eve family banquet, even the lower-ranking concubines who rarely had the chance to see the Emperor were present—those who admired His Majesty, those who longed for his favor—who among them wasn’t stealing glances at the Emperor?
Consort Hui’s chest heaved for a moment, while Concubine Xi’s eyes practically spat fire!
But though they seethed with jealousy, none dared to voice their resentment openly. Some, like Concubine An and Concubine Jing, were even too afraid to react.
This year had been truly bizarre—not a single scheme against Consort Yi had succeeded, and in the end, the plotters were always the ones who suffered. Being punished to copy Buddhist scriptures was the least of it; there were even whispers circulating in private:
On the day Consort De was demoted to Noble Consort Wu, Consort Yi had slapped her twice. Not only did the Emperor not punish her, but he even rewarded her with lavish gifts, asking if her hand hurt.
When Concubine Xi heard this, her eyes widened in disbelief, and her face burned as if she could still feel the sting of Nanny Dong’s slap. She collapsed onto her divan, muttering, “This is lawless, utterly lawless.”
Wasn’t the Emperor supposed to be a wise ruler? How could he be so biased?!
At that moment, Yunxiu was wholly focused on her meal, utterly indifferent to the venomous glares directed at her from around the banquet.
Stares, hatred, envy—these emotions were nothing new to her. Hadn’t she endured them countless times before?
Her reputation for arrogance was well-known, and lower-ranking concubines feared her too much to dare such looks. The only ones bold enough were her old “friends.”
As she ate, Yunxiu suppressed a laugh, finding it all rather amusing. After all this time, how had these women grown older without growing wiser?
Kangxi finally withdrew his gaze and set down his chopsticks, then suddenly called out in a gentle tone, “Concubine Xi.”
Not just Concubine Xi, even the Imperial Noble Consort was taken aback—when had the Emperor ever spoken to Concubine Xi in such a manner? Was the sky about to rain blood?
Concubine Xi snapped out of her daze, startled and uneasy, but then a flicker of hope rose in her heart.
“Your servant is here,” she replied with a smile, rising to her feet.
Kangxi asked kindly, “Do you have any other siblings?”
Concubine Xi was baffled but bowed respectfully and answered in a soft voice, “Your Majesty, this humble servant has a younger brother, though he is rather useless…”
Before she could finish, Kangxi raised a hand to stop her and asked slowly, “Then are his eyes in good health? Does he have a wandering gaze? Should I send someone to treat him? If he’s inherited your… condition, that would be unfortunate.”
Though the Emperor smiled, his eyes were icy. Concubine Xi froze on the spot, her joy draining away as her face turned deathly pale. She stammered, “Y-Your Majesty…”
Consort Ping also paled, perhaps recalling some unpleasant memory. A stifled laugh came from somewhere in the room before silence fell again.
The Crown Prince shot his father a surprised look, barely holding back his laughter while also feeling puzzled—why did Yinti also look so unsettled?
The Grand Empress Dowager rubbed her temples and cast a questioning glance at the Empress Dowager. Had the Emperor been in a bad mood lately? Hadn’t the court officials given him enough to scold that he now had to berate the concubines too?
She certainly hadn’t taught him such imperial conduct!
The Empress Dowager hesitated before nodding in agreement. She thought the Emperor’s reprimand was quite justified…
Only Yunxiu felt conflicted—why had the Emperor stolen her thunder?
Witnessing this scene, the Imperial Noble Consort nearly lost her composure.
She clenched her fingers tightly, her heart filled with unease. What she had thought was a sure thing now seemed uncertain.
What if the Emperor mocked her the way he had mocked Concubine Xi? How could she ever show her face again?!
Taking a deep breath, she reassured herself—no, that wouldn’t happen.
The banquet had begun in harmony but ended in an eerie atmosphere. As everyone rose to leave, the Imperial Noble Consort pinched herself and forced a smile as she curtsied to Kangxi.
“Ahem… It has been too long since I last saw Your Majesty. I would never dare disturb you unless it were urgent, but I have an important matter to report.”
Fearing he might respond with a cutting remark, she grew even paler, her body swaying slightly as if she might faint.
Kangxi glanced at her, his expression unreadable, before finally giving a faint hum. “Let us speak in the side hall.”
Relieved, the Imperial Noble Consort exhaled shakily and offered a weak smile. “Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty.”
Once in the side hall, she lowered her head and coughed softly before speaking in a bitter tone.
“Cousin… You see, my health is failing, and I can no longer bear children. The elders of the Tongjia clan… they wish to send my younger sister into the palace, to bear you a son or daughter…”
