To be honest, in his previous life, Yintang had never been this intimate with his consort.
Well, at most, they might share a kiss at night... As for his face—who would dare kiss the Ninth Lord’s face? They must have a death wish!
He remembered clearly and vividly that when he was young, the Fifth Prince would at most pinch his elbow or pat his shaved head—nothing more than that.
As he grew older and started following the Eighth Brother, the Fifth Prince would sigh daily in frustration, lamenting his wasted potential. Later, when Yintang aged, grew plump, and lost the dashing handsomeness of his youth, the Fifth Prince couldn’t even stand the sight of his rough face.
Yintang still remembered that day—after toiling tirelessly for a day and night to earn money, he returned home exhausted and lightheaded, only to run into his Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince immediately launched into a scolding: "Look at you! Disheveled, unkempt—what kind of state is this? Our mother was a peerless beauty—how did she end up with a disappointing son like you? Honestly, you look worse than some old man picking his toes by the roadside!"
...
A bolt from the blue! A crushing blow!
That look of disdain, that tone of contempt—the Ninth Lord could never forget it. He was so furious he nearly spat blood.
Hah, who could have predicted today?
When Yinqi suddenly planted a kiss on his cheek, Yintang’s first thought was: Damn it, I’ve been kissed.
His second thought: Get away from me! Don’t forget how much you despise this ‘rough face’ of mine! Stop taking advantage of me!!
Yintang froze for several seconds, his mind blank, his eyes filled with despair. At the same time, he burned the name Fulu into his memory—with teeth-gritting intensity!
Too stunned to react, he gaped wordlessly; the nursemaid, assuming the Fifth Prince had accidentally hurt his younger brother, hastily helped Yinqi up before finally turning to greet Kangxi and Yunxiu outside the curtain.
Yunxiu had witnessed the entire scene. Rubbing her temples, she couldn’t fathom what Yinqi had been trying to do, even though he was her own son.
Luckily, Fulu’s quick intervention framed the act as brotherly affection, preventing a disaster right under the Emperor’s nose.
Consort Yi was both exasperated and amused. "Yinqi, what were you thinking?"
Yinqi felt he couldn’t tell the truth—admitting it would earn him a scolding from both his father and mother.
After a moment of thought, he sheepishly echoed Fulu’s words: "I was just being affectionate with my brother..."
Yunxiu wasn’t buying it.
At this point, Kangxi was in high spirits and quite pleased with Fulu. After only a brief flicker of doubt, he was easily swayed by his young nephew’s explanation.
Brothers getting along—what a heartwarming sight, he thought approvingly.
The Emperor stepped forward, but his contentment didn’t last long. Seeing Yintang’s tender cheek reddened from the kiss and his big eyes brimming with tears, his heart ached.
He frowned at his fifth son. "Affection is one thing, but you must be gentle! What if you hurt your brother?"
Every time he visited Yikun Palace, his "private moments" were ruined by Yintang—leaving Kangxi torn between doting on and resenting the little troublemaker. Recently, however, he’d found a solution: foisting the little demon onto Yuqing Palace. The peace and quiet had restored his spirits in no time.
Having quickly forgotten his past grievances, Kangxi picked up Yintang and soothed him. Meanwhile, the Fifth Prince hung his head and shuffled over to Fulu, whispering a quiet "Thank you."
Fulu adjusted his little melon-skin cap and smiled sweetly. "No need to thank me, cousin."
Though he didn’t understand why his cousin held such hostility toward him, Fulu considered himself an honest boy. Since he was now Yinqi’s study companion, his cousin’s business was his business—helping out was only natural!
Even if... arm-wrestling, neck-twisting, and preparing to throw punches weren’t exactly proper.
Yunxiu caught a snippet of their conversation and arched an eyebrow, her eyes glinting with amusement.
By the time Kangxi had calmed his utterly indignant ninth son, it was already lunchtime.
Seeing that the Emperor and Consort Yi had matters to discuss, Guargiya whisked away a reluctant Fulu. Noticing her son staring longingly at his aunt, she grew even more irritated.
Yinqi volunteered to rescue his cousin from an impending scolding, and the two strolled side by side into the small garden.
Meanwhile, Kangxi spoke softly to Yunxiu: "I promised to dine with the Empress Dowager today—Cining Palace is expecting me. I’ve already met Fulu, so I’ll return later to see you..."
Yunxiu couldn’t help but notice that the Emperor’s visits had grown more frequent lately, and his behavior had become increasingly unpredictable. Not only had he mastered sarcasm, but he’d also taken to eavesdropping. If this continued, even she might struggle to keep up.
Stealing her duties was one thing, but if he learned all the tricks of harem intrigue, who could hide anything from him in the future?
Imagining a future where the Emperor, sharp-eyed and discerning, saw through every scheme with flawless insight...
Yunxiu fell silent for a long moment, suddenly regretting the Buddhist scriptures she’d gifted him for his birthday.
Back then, influenced by a dream, she’d hastily put together a perfunctory gift—but now, it felt like a hidden danger. Who knew if the Emperor might one day revisit it on a whim?
When Kangxi arrived unexpectedly in broad daylight this morning, it caught Yunxiu completely off guard. Fortunately, Fulu, that clever child, acted quickly—otherwise, she would surely have faced consequences.
Though she secretly wished for Kangxi to leave, her face remained bright with a smile as she asked Ruizhu to fetch a heavy cloak. "It's cold outside. Wear this when you go out—better to be too warm than too cold. And Chief Eunuch Liang must take good care of you at all times... This humble consort bids Your Majesty farewell."
Kangxi felt a warmth in his heart and tapped her nose playfully. "Such a chatterbox! I understand."
As he turned to leave, he seemed to recall something and coughed lightly into his hand before turning back. "That little rascal Fulu—clever as he is, he’s far too smooth-tongued. Don’t let his sweet talk deceive you."
Yunxiu was momentarily stunned. She hadn’t expected the Emperor to still remember the incident about poaching servants.
When it came to sweet words, wasn’t he the real expert?
Though she had repeatedly warned herself and successfully guarded her heart, she couldn’t help but drift into a brief daze, a faint smile touching her lips.
Only when Ruizhu softly called out, "My lady," did Yunxiu snap back to reality, as if the momentary lapse had been nothing more than an illusion.
Calmly, she asked, "What is it?"
"You were right. Suo Etu has sent word..."
"I never imagined things would come to this," Suo Etu stroked his beard, his voice grave. "Yet this small gesture may be the hope for the revival of my Hesheri clan."
With the current reshuffling of the court, Mingzhu now held overwhelming power, while officials from the Hesheri faction had been scattered and crushed. Among them, Hang Ai’s position as Minister of Revenue was hanging by a thread and wouldn’t last much longer.
To make matters worse, stripped of his privilege to enter the inner palace and with no word from his servants Hu Ming and Hu Guang, Suo Etu could no longer request an audience with the Crown Prince at Yuqing Palace.
Under these circumstances, how could he protect the heir’s position, maintain closeness with the Crown Prince, or strategize for his family’s future?
In the hall, a handful of Suo Etu’s most trusted confidants were gathered. After exchanging glances, Suolun was the first to speak, clasping his hands respectfully. "Grand Secretary, is Consort Yi truly willing to assist us?"
Though Suo Etu was no longer the Grand Secretary, they still addressed him as such, following his lead without hesitation—a habit unchanged even within his household.
Suo Etu, who had been restless and gloomy for days, now wore a rare smile. "Indeed. She remembers Hang Ai’s kindness in saving Tuyue and has agreed to repay the favor."
"If that’s the case, then with Consort Yi mediating matters concerning His Highness the Crown Prince, as well as the movements of Consort Hui and the Eldest Prince, you will no longer be left in the dark, Grand Secretary!" Suolun sighed in relief, admiration coloring his tone. "Your foresight is unmatched. Even in such dire straits, you’ve found a way to turn the tide."
Though Suo Etu had initially risen to power under the shadow of his father Sony, he wouldn’t have reached the pinnacle of officialdom without genuine ability. Yet as he aged, he had developed certain quirks—such as now, basking in his subordinates’ flattery, his earlier gloom entirely dispelled as he laughed heartily. "Exactly, exactly! This is but a temporary setback. When the Three Feudatories rebelled and the empire teetered on collapse, didn’t I stand firmly by His Majesty’s side and endure?"
A chorus of agreement rose around him, though one man thought privately that the comparison was flawed.
True, the Grand Secretary had rendered great service back then—but wasn’t it also the Emperor who had stripped him of his position now?
With a silent sigh, he waited for the right moment before offering his counsel. "My lord, Consort Yi is highly favored, which means she stands at the center of attention. If she were to send messages out of the palace, it would be far too conspicuous..."
Especially if those messages were directed to the Hesheri clan, the Crown Prince’s maternal family?
Even if the Emperor didn’t grow suspicious, Consort Hui—now restored to favor—would surely seize upon any irregularity as leverage if she caught wind of it.
And beyond the inner court, there was still Mingzhu in the political arena...
Before he could finish, Suo Etu waved a hand dismissively. "Bizhu, do you think I haven’t considered that? Isn’t there still Consort Ping in Chuxiu Palace?"
At first, he had been deeply troubled. The situation now was nothing like before—establishing contact with Consort Yi wouldn’t be easy. The Emperor, wary of his resentment, kept a close watch on him, and with Mingzhu circling like a hawk, it had seemed an impossible deadlock.
But just two days prior, an old servant of the Guoluoluo family had discreetly come to inform him that Consort Ping was keeping an exceptionally low profile—making her the perfect intermediary. If Consort Ping were willing to assist, the two consorts could cooperate in secret, freeing Consort Yi from any concerns about exposure!
Suo Etu had been struck by sudden realization and overjoyed.
Slapping his forehead, he realized he had completely forgotten about this niece of his. Truthfully, his younger niece had been a disappointment—she had neither borne a prince nor a princess, nor had she managed to secure the Emperor’s attention more than a handful of times. Like a shadow, she had faded into the background, and he had long since stopped expecting her to bring glory to the family—as long as she didn’t drag them down, he was content to ignore her.
Unaware of the humiliating incident where Consort Ping had been rejected after attempting to gain favor, Suo Etu made his decision. "As Consort Yi suggested, my niece cares deeply for the family and knows where her loyalties lie. She may be entrusted with any task."
Though he said as much, he still remembered how Consort Ping had secretly plotted against the Fifth Prince. After the old servant respectfully withdrew, Suo Etu paced back and forth before narrowing his eyes and coldly instructing his trusted aide, "Zhu Chai, who serves Consort Ping, should be allowed to leave the palace to visit her family... Her parents are stewards in the estate. Inform them tomorrow—let her fall ill for a while."
"Yes, my lord."
The next day, in Yanxi Palace.
"Did Liu Qin truly say that?" Consort Hui was momentarily speechless, her face openly scornful before she covered her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed.
"Listen to this—Young Master Fulu is said to be a natural talent in martial arts. Not only has this reached the Qianqing Palace, but it has also caught the ear of the Crown Prince." Once her laughter faded, her expression darkened abruptly as she said slowly, "What does he think he is, daring to compare himself to my Yinti?!"
Ying'er knew her mistress was furious—all because of Liu Qin's report that the nephew of Consort Yi, the young master of the Guoluoluo family, had been shockingly insolent!
To casually address the Emperor as "Uncle" was one thing, but the boy had even boasted that if he were a few years older, he would surely surpass the Eldest Prince in valor and serve the Qing dynasty with his strength.
Such words went beyond being endearing—they were outright arrogance.
Consort Hui didn’t doubt Liu Qin’s account in the slightest. Closing her eyes, she let out a cold laugh. "Consort Yi is domineering, and her nephew is cut from the same cloth. At such a young age, he doesn’t know his own limits. If he isn’t taught a lesson, he’ll truly believe himself an honored guest of the Forbidden City! Once classes are dismissed, summon the Eldest Prince. I have words for him."
Five years old... No one would believe he wasn’t coached.
To dare provoke Yanxi Palace like this—did they think she was some clay statue of a bodhisattva with no temper?!!
