Imperial Physician Hu hurriedly entered the Fourth Prince's courtyard, where a palace attendant immediately led him into the inner chamber, announcing, "Your Highness, Imperial Physician Hu has arrived."
The Imperial Noble Consort was dressed in a thick, deep-green court robe, which made her already pale face appear almost translucent.
She turned slightly to gaze at Yinzhen, who lay on the bed, and waved her hand, her expression openly anxious. "No need for formalities! Examine the Fourth Prince at once—do not delay. His forehead is burning with fever..."
Imperial Physician Hu, advanced in years and weary from the rush, quickly complied. He wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief, his heart heavy with foreboding.
The palace maid from Chengqian Palace who had summoned him had been frantic, insisting that the Fourth Prince was not only suffering from a chill but also a severe fever. The urgency in her words had filled the old physician with dread.
Chills could range from mild to severe, but for a child of six or seven like the Fourth Prince, even a slight misstep could lead to unpredictable consequences.
To speak with irreverence—hadn’t the palace seen enough young princes perish in years past?
Seeing the Imperial Noble Consort so distraught, Imperial Physician Hu felt his heart sink further. Steeling himself, he approached the bed with trembling hands to take the prince’s pulse.
Nanny Xu, the Fourth Prince’s wet nurse, added, "Last night, the prince kicked off his blankets—something he’s never done before! The attendants only noticed after some time had passed, no more than half an hour... By morning, he had caught a chill, sneezing incessantly and growing increasingly lethargic..."
It was the dead of winter. Even a brief exposure to the cold was unbearable, let alone half an hour.
But if it was merely a common chill, there was little cause for alarm. Reassured by the explanation, Imperial Physician Hu let out a quiet sigh of relief.
After completing his examination, his worries dissipated entirely. Thankfully, it was nothing serious—nothing serious at all.
He clasped his hands and bowed. "Your Highness, set your mind at ease. The Fourth Prince only has a slight fever. This old servant will prepare a medicinal decoction, and the fever will break immediately. After a good sleep and some sweating, the chill will be gone by midday, with no lasting effects on the prince’s health."
At once, the tense atmosphere in the room lightened, dispelling the heavy air of anxiety that had lingered.
The Imperial Noble Consort exhaled deeply, a faint smile flickering across her face before vanishing just as quickly, as if she had remembered something.
"Cough—" A long-suppressed cough rose in her throat. Covering her mouth with a handkerchief, she said hoarsely, "Please hurry with the medicine, Imperial Physician Hu. Ensure Yinzhen recovers swiftly..."
"I dare not delay. I shall prepare the remedy at once," Imperial Physician Hu replied, startled by her use of the word "please." It seemed the rumors among his colleagues were true—the Imperial Noble Consort’s temperament had softened considerably.
During her pregnancy, her moods had been unpredictable, and Physician Liu had suffered greatly, much to the dread of the older physicians.
Recalling her condition after the difficult birth, Imperial Physician Hu’s expression darkened. As he stepped over the threshold, he lowered his voice. "Your Highness, would you like a remedy for your cough as well?"
"A remedy for my cough..." The Imperial Noble Consort gave him a long look before turning away, her voice indifferent. "What good would it do for this ruined body of mine? There’s no need. You may go."
As Imperial Physician Hu’s figure disappeared into the distance, Nanny Zhen tucked the sleeping Fourth Prince’s quilt around him, hesitating before speaking. "Your Highness..."
"I know what you wish to say, but I... cannot bear it." The Imperial Noble Consort sat silently for a long while before dismissing the servants. Then, with a bitter smile, she pressed her cold hand against Yinzhen’s forehead. "No matter what, Yinzhen will be recognized as my son... It’s only a matter of time."
He was all she had left—how could she bear to hurt him?
"This time, it was his own mischief—kicking off his blankets at night. You couldn’t have foreseen it, nor could I." She gazed tenderly at Yinzhen’s sleeping face. "Didn’t you hear Imperial Physician Hu? It’s just a slight chill. A good rest will cure him. That alone is a blessing. Besides, we don’t yet know if he’ll fully recover by tomorrow..."
Hearing the disapproval in her tone, Nanny Zhen fell silent.
The physician had clearly said the prince would recover by midday!
The words lingered on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed them.
Though the Fourth Prince’s illness was unfortunate, it was also a rare opportunity—one that could win the Emperor’s sympathy and fulfill the Imperial Noble Consort’s deepest wish. How could she let it pass so lightly?
Nanny Zhen sighed softly, torn between hoping the prince’s condition would linger and not wanting the child she had raised to suffer. Finally, she murmured, "This old servant shares your feelings, Your Highness."
Silence reclaimed the room until, after a while, a palace maid knocked gently on the door. "Your Highness, this servant has urgent news to report."
"Enter," the Imperial Noble Consort replied wearily.
"Consort Hui... Young Master Fulu and Young Master Kuien... possess extraordinary strength..." The maid recounted in detail the events that had unfolded at the martial training grounds earlier, pausing briefly before adding in a hushed tone, "...Chief Steward Liu has asked this servant to beg Your Highness’s forgiveness."
As she listened, the Imperial Noble Consort’s face turned ashen, disbelief twisting her features at this sudden turn of events.
“So this is Liu Qin’s own idea?” She coughed harshly, her anger bubbling into a bitter laugh. “Fool! What assurances did he give me? He wanted to humble Liang Jiugong and return to the Emperor’s side—I allowed it, considering his years of service. And this is the half-baked scheme he comes up with?”
Targeting the eldest prince to sow discord between Consort Hui and Consort Yi—that approach wasn’t wrong in itself.
Liang Jiugong had always favored the Yikun Palace faction, so Liu Qin’s desire to topple him wasn’t unreasonable either.
Had all gone well, Mrs. Guoluoluo’s influence would have waned, while the Nala clan’s reputation would have suffered. One would be seen as arrogant and overreaching, the other as bullying the weak—neither would emerge unscathed.
But instead, the plan had backfired spectacularly, only enhancing Fulu’s reputation and earning him the Emperor’s favor.
Fulu was to become the Fifth Prince’s study companion, and the Fifth Prince was close to the Crown Prince... Liu Qin had reported that upon hearing of Fulu’s feats, the Crown Prince had rushed to the training grounds, openly defending him.
At this thought, the Imperial Noble Consort’s eyes flashed with fury, her breathing growing ragged.
No sooner had they rid themselves of Suo Etu than this prodigiously strong Fulu appeared. The Empress Dowager had bestowed lavish rewards, and the Emperor had even invited the Tuyue family to dine, praising Fulu without restraint—clearly intending to groom him into an unbeatable general!
And if Fulu became a general, whose right-hand man would he be? The answer was obvious.
It was now clear to her that among the consorts, Consort Yi harbored goodwill toward the Crown Prince. If Fulu were successfully won over, with the Guoluoluo clan’s backing, Yinreng would be unstoppable. In time, where would that leave her Yinzhen?
Waving the maid away, the Imperial Noble Consort closed her eyes, her voice laced with venom. "Liu Qin..."
A worthless fool who ruined everything—she wished she could have the wretched dog flayed alive!
Seeing her mistress in such a state, Nanny Zhen felt deeply distressed.
She could no longer hold back and knelt straight to the ground, kowtowing before her eyes reddened with unshed tears. "Your Highness! Forgive this old servant for speaking out of turn, but truly... we cannot delay any longer! The Crown Prince has escaped the accusations from Mrs. Wuya and won His Majesty’s pity, rising even higher in favor. The Fifth Prince, backed by Consort Yi and shielded by the Empress Dowager, has been making quite a stir lately..."
Gritting her teeth, she pressed on, "Even Guo Luoluo’s Fulu has caught His Majesty’s eye. If... if the Fourth Prince’s favor cannot even surpass that of an outsider’s son, how can Your Highness remain indifferent?!"
"Audacious!" The Imperial Noble Consort abruptly rose to her feet, shock and fury flashing across her face. "Silence—"
Mid-sentence, she covered her mouth as a coughing fit overtook her. Then, as if remembering something, she quickly quieted, stiffly turning her gaze toward the bed.
Only when she confirmed Yinzhen’s steady breathing did she turn back, her energy seemingly drained as she slumped weakly by the couch.
Her expression wavered between tears and a bitter smile before she finally murmured, "You’re right, Nanny."
If Yinzhen couldn’t distinguish himself, if he failed to earn His Majesty’s affection and favor, how could he ever contend for the throne? Anyone could overshadow him.
"Your Highness, punish this old servant if you must. But what if His Majesty has no intention of altering the imperial records? What will you do then?" Nanny Zhen had now thrown caution to the wind. "Once the Fourth Prince is recognized as your son, no one would dare slight him based on status alone. Such a perfect opportunity to kill two birds with one stone is rare indeed... With this servant guarding him, the Fourth Prince will come to no harm. To avoid complications, I beg Your Highness to reconsider!"
Before she could finish, the Imperial Noble Consort softly uttered a single word: "Fine."
Nanny Zhen looked up in astonishment, only to see her trembling lips part as she lifted the thick brocade quilt covering Yinzhen. Her voice was barely a whisper, as if she had exhausted every ounce of her strength: "...Fetch a cloth and a basin of cold water."
After returning to the palace, Yunxiu immediately paid a visit to Noble Consort Niu Gulu’s residence.
About an hour later, she emerged from Yongshou Palace with a radiant smile, leaning on Nanny Dong’s arm. That evening, when the Emperor arrived, Yunxiu made no mention of the afternoon’s events, instead amusing Kangxi with amusing anecdotes about Fulu, delighting him greatly.
Once the laughter subsided, Kangxi embraced her tenderly and sighed. "Baoqing is becoming more and more unruly."
Yunxiu smiled and deftly changed the subject. From then on, the matter of Fulu and Kuien’s sparring match in the training grounds seemed to fade into the background.
As the New Year approached, the Noble Consort found herself buried under an ever-growing pile of palace affairs. Thus, with the phrase "the capable bear more burdens," Consort Yi had no choice but to reluctantly step in and assist.
Before Yunxiu could spare a moment to deal with Yanxi Palace, news of the Fourth Prince Yinzhen’s persistent fever spread like wildfire through the Forbidden City.
According to his wet nurse, the Fourth Prince had kicked off his blankets the previous night, catching a slight chill. After taking the imperial physician’s prescribed medicine, he had shown signs of recovery—only to catch another chill that very night. By the next morning, his cough had worsened, and his fever had spiked!
Now, it was the dawn of the third day.
When Ruizhu quietly delivered the update, Yunxiu set down her teacup, her peach-blossom eyes narrowing slightly. "How could this be?"
Hadn’t he been on the verge of recovery?
Ruizhu replied, "His Majesty went straight to the princes’ quarters after court. Both Empress Dowagers are present as well. They say the Imperial Noble Consort kept vigil by the Fourth Prince’s side for two full days and nights without rest, collapsing from exhaustion by his bed. The Grand Empress Dowager witnessed it firsthand and was deeply moved, ordering her moved to a side chamber to recuperate..."
Yunxiu gave a faint shake of her head. "Has the Noble Consort gone as well?"
"Not just her—Consort Hui and Consort Rong have also received word and are preparing to depart."
With the Imperial Noble Consort unconscious, it was only right for the ranking consorts overseeing the palace to be present.
"Prepare the palanquin!" Yunxiu commanded at once. "To the princes’ quarters."
In the Fourth Prince’s courtyard, the Imperial Noble Consort had managed only a fitful nap before jolting awake.
She struggled upright, coughing violently before clutching the bedsheets, her voice hoarse. "Where is Yinzhen? Has he improved?"
"Your Highness, the imperial physicians are with him. The Fourth Prince is already doing better..." Nanny Zhen hurriedly supported her, wiping her own eyes as she choked back a sob. "Please rest a while longer! You haven’t slept properly in days—how can your body endure this?"
Spotting the figure in imperial yellow robes from the corner of her eye, she faltered, hastily performing a curtsy. "Your Majesty has arrived! This servant greets Your Majesty."
Kangxi nodded silently. Watching the Imperial Noble Consort weakly attempt to rise and bow, he said sternly, "Dispense with formalities. What good does it do to torment yourself in this state?"
It was the first word of concern she had heard since her fall from grace—and from the Emperor himself, no less.
Covering her mouth, she wept silently. "Cousin... without a mother by his side, how can I rest easy?"
Kangxi studied her for a long moment, his brow furrowing slightly. Before he could speak, Liang Jiugong’s voice called softly from outside: "Your Majesty? The Fourth Prince has awakened and is asking for the Imperial Noble Consort..."
The Imperial Noble Consort froze, tears streaming even faster as she whispered, "I’ll go at once. I’ll go at once."
When the Fourth Prince opened his eyes, the Grand Empress Dowager, fingering her prayer beads, murmured, "Amitabha." Turning to the Empress Dowager beside her, she remarked, "She has a kind heart."
Who "she" referred to was clear to all.
The Noble Consort wore a perfectly measured smile, while Consort Rong, who had arrived earlier, clenched her handkerchief, her expression flickering briefly.
With pointed implication, she added, "The Grand Empress Dowager speaks wisely. The Imperial Noble Consort’s tireless care for the Fourth Prince reveals a mother’s love beyond doubt..."
Her double-edged words made Consort Hui, who had just arrived, turn pale with fury!
