Consort Rong's words carried a pointed meaning, sharp as a blade aimed straight at Consort Hui's heart.
What did she mean by "cannot be faked"?
Who didn't know about the great humiliation Consort Hui suffered over the Eighth Prince and Noble Consort Liang?
What a bold move from Lady Majia—speaking up now, deliberately emphasizing her words, and even dragging the Imperial Noble Consort into the comparison. This was a veiled mockery, implying that Consort Hui was nothing but a pretender, always putting on an act!
The phrase "a mother's love" was the last thing Consort Hui could bear to hear. Her steps faltered, and her expression darkened slightly.
After performing the customary greetings, she maintained her dignified demeanor, though her smile was strained. "Consort Rong speaks wisely. The Imperial Noble Consort tending to the Fourth Prince without rest is indeed the epitome of a mother's devotion. However, given that Her Highness is still unconscious, this is hardly the time for praise… The priority now is to assess the Fourth Prince's condition."
Her words dripped with thinly veiled sarcasm, leaving Consort Rong momentarily speechless. Just as Consort Rong narrowed her eyes to retort, the Grand Empress Dowager, calmly fingering her prayer beads, cut in sharply, "Silence! This is no place for your bickering."
Consort Hui detected the suppressed anger in the Grand Empress Dowager's tone and quickly curtsied, regret flashing through her mind.
It was no wonder she had lost her composure—those words about "a mother's love" had struck a nerve. Forcing a smile, she murmured, "Forgive this lowly one's impropriety, Your Majesty."
The Noble Consort glanced at her, lips curling faintly before she lowered her gaze once more.
Ignoring Consort Hui, the Grand Empress Dowager moved to the bedside and reached out to touch Yinzhen's forehead, her voice thick with pity. "You're awake now, that's what matters. Su Ma, have the imperial physicians wait outside. If the prince's fever returns, summon them at once to prepare medicine…"
Then, turning to the dazed child on the bed, she softened her tone. "Yinzhen, tell your great-grandmother if anything hurts. Your imperial father and grandmother are here too—don't be afraid, hm?"
Yinzhen parted his lips slightly, his gaze unfocused, his dark eyes unmoving for a long moment.
Finally, his vision cleared, and he turned his head weakly to look around. In a small, strained voice, he managed a response before asking, "Where’s Mother?"
The faint quiver in his voice made the Grand Empress Dowager sigh. She stroked his head, her heart aching further.
The Empress Dowager, watching, felt a pang of discomfort and reassured him, "Your mother is resting in the side chamber. Once she hears the joyous news of your awakening, she’ll be here soon!"
Yinzhen wiped his face, sniffled, and finally nodded.
Consort Rong observed coldly, her heart tightening. The Fourth Prince was so attached to the Imperial Noble Consort—to such an extent?
The noble ladies exchanged silent glances before turning their attention to the doorway. Before long, the Imperial Noble Consort arrived in haste, her attire disheveled, her eyes red and swollen with tears.
Kangxi followed close behind, lips pressed into a thin line, his deep eyes unreadable as he slowly twisted the jade ring on his thumb. Though his expression had softened, he seemed lost in thought.
Liang Jiugong, who had been holding his breath for the Imperial Noble Consort, now understood—His Majesty did not mind her breach of decorum today.
A chill ran down his spine. Was the Imperial Noble Consort using the Fourth Prince to stage a comeback?
When Yunxiu entered the courtyard, the bedchamber was eerily quiet, save for the Imperial Noble Consort’s low, hoarse murmurs. "Does your head still hurt? Let Mother check if you're feeling better…"
Her care was meticulous, her reassurances endless.
Yinzhen’s dark eyes fixed on the Imperial Noble Consort, welling with tears as if he had suffered some great injustice. After a long pause, he shook his head.
The Imperial Noble Consort’s heart ached at the sight, and tears spilled down her cheeks as she leaned over to tuck him in. No one noticed the slight, stiff flinch from the Fourth Prince.
Seeing it was not her place to speak, Yunxiu offered Kangxi a light curtsy before quietly exiting the chamber with the Noble Consort.
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught the emperor’s unconscious glance toward the door. The Imperial Noble Consort’s gaze flickered, a cold sneer hidden in her heart, though her doting expression only grew more tender. "Yinzhen, Mother won’t leave. I’ll stay right here with you. Don’t force yourself—rest now…"
Nanny Zhen, sensing the Grand Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager’s growing sympathy for the Fourth Prince, as well as Kangxi’s softening stance, felt a surge of relief, as if a weight had lifted. She retreated silently.
Outside, the Noble Consort swept a stern gaze over the gathered servants attending to the Fourth Prince and declared, "Your negligence is the reason the young master’s fever persisted! I will not tolerate laziness. If this happens again, you’ll answer to the Palace Discipline Office."
Her words sent the maids and wet nurses trembling to their knees, begging for mercy. Nanny Zhen watched from afar, tugging at her sleeves, her heart unsettled.
In the past, such authority belonged solely to her mistress. Since when did the Noble Consort overstep her bounds?
But for now, the Fourth Prince’s well-being was paramount. After all this effort, she could only pray her lady’s wishes would finally be fulfilled.
Cining Palace.
The Grand Empress Dowager, wrapped in blankets, accepted the hand warmer from Sumalagu and sighed. "I’ve heard some troubling rumors lately. You—"
……Having made up his mind, are you planning to register Little Fourth under the Imperial Noble Consort’s name?"
Kangxi sat facing her, cross-legged on the heated kang, picking up a piece of milk cake and taking a bite. Finding it a bit too rich, he reached for his teacup and downed the hot tea in one go, feeling warmth spread through his limbs.
"Imperial Grandmother, this grandson originally intended to discuss this matter later, but the delay has brought us to the new year," Kangxi said carefully. "…It would not be right to postpone it further."
Moyaqi had already been entrusted to Concubine Duan’s care, yet Yinzhen remained Mrs. Wuya’s child—this simply wouldn’t do.
The Empress Dowager gave a noncommittal hum, neither approving nor rejecting, only asking gravely, "The Imperial Noble Consort holds a status akin to a secondary empress. If she were to have a prince under her care, how would Baocheng fare? Have you considered that?"
When the Imperial Noble Consort was pregnant, she had fretted for many days, fearing that a son might inflate Mrs. Tongjia’s ambitions. The emperor had assured her that the crown prince’s position would remain unshaken, yet her concerns ran deeper.
Later, when the Imperial Noble Consort gave birth to a princess, the Empress Dowager couldn’t deny the relief she felt. But the little princess, unable to bear such fortune, passed away shortly after birth. While she mourned the loss, she couldn’t help but see it as fate’s design.
An Imperial Noble Consort without a son was far better for maintaining balance in the harem than one with an heir.
Now, Yinzhen was already at an age of understanding, barely a few years younger than Yinreng. If his lineage were altered in the imperial records, and he were incited to harbor ambitions, wouldn’t he pose an even greater threat than a biological son of the Imperial Noble Consort?
The Empress Dowager knew Yinzhen was a good child, and the princes were still young—the struggle for succession remained a distant, intangible thing. But she was already in her seventies; no matter how robust her health, she wouldn’t last more than a few years!
She could steel herself to discipline the row of princes, but the emperor could not.
Her grandson, Xuanye, had lost his father early and his birth mother soon after. All he wanted was to be a good father, showing remarkable leniency toward his sons.
His favoritism toward Yinreng went without saying, but wasn’t the same true for Yinti and the others?
He personally oversaw their studies, attended their archery practices… Even when Yinti behaved disgracefully and was punished with repeated kneeling earlier in the year, the emperor only showed mild disappointment, more exasperated than angry.
He cared deeply for each of his sons.
Having poured so much heart into them, if the princes grew up and began to vie for power, the Empress Dowager feared he wouldn’t have the heart to act against them.
By then, this old woman would long be gone—who would dare risk admonishing him?
Compassion could breed disaster, and at the center of the storm was Yinreng. Once the bond between father and son eroded beyond repair, it would be too late.
……
The possibility of princes turning against each other was still a distant future, but the Empress Dowager saw clearly that with Suo Etu no longer stirring trouble, Kangxi’s favor toward the crown prince had only grown stronger. By all appearances, the heir’s position was as solid as Mount Tai.
So she kept these thoughts to herself, unspoken.
As for altering Yinzhen’s lineage in the imperial records—perhaps she was overthinking it, but she still had to caution the emperor, if only as a reminder.
Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, Kangxi paused before replying softly, "What you say, Venerable Ancestor, is not lost on me."
"I have a foolproof plan to make Yinzhen Baocheng’s right hand, a virtuous prince in the future. As for the Imperial Noble Consort and the Tongjia family…" He smiled gently, closing his phoenix eyes with a sigh. "My cousin has fallen out with her family, and her health is failing. The imperial physicians say she likely won’t live past five years."
Five years…
The Empress Dowager stiffened. In five years, Yinzhen would barely be twelve!
"Yinzhen has suffered from his birth mother’s neglect since childhood, enduring hardships that forced him to mature too soon… He longs for a mother’s love, and I wish to make it up to him."
Seeing the Fourth Prince’s fever persist, Kangxi’s heart ached. While he was somewhat moved by the Imperial Noble Consort’s sleepless care for Yinzhen, it was only a sliver of emotion.
Mrs. Wuya was unfit to be a mother—how could he bear to leave Yinzhen trapped in that pit?
Since Yinzhen had grown attached to the Imperial Noble Consort, even if her affection was an act, under his watch, she would have no choice but to play the role of a loving mother to perfection!
That day, the Empress Dowager summoned the Imperial Noble Consort to Cining Palace. Soon after, rumors that the Fourth Prince would be registered under her name spread like wildfire, sweeping through the entire Forbidden City.
Two days and nights of tireless care had finally borne fruit. The Imperial Noble Consort, recovering from exhaustion, felt her cough had eased somewhat.
"Where is Yinzhen?" she asked softly, seated before her dressing table as she smoothed her hair. "This child has been scarce even for his daily greetings lately. Has he gone off to play somewhere?"
Nanny Zhen, combing her hair, chuckled. "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince told Nanny Xu that his cold had just abated, and with Your Highness’s delicate health, he didn’t wish to risk worsening your condition."
The Imperial Noble Consort froze, touched, but then Nanny Zhen continued, her voice softening, "Lately, the prince has been spending time with the Fifth Prince, the crown prince, and the Fifth Brother… They’ve been practicing calligraphy together in Yuqing Palace."
At this, the Imperial Noble Consort’s smile faded slightly, a trace of worry crossing her features. After a moment, she murmured, "This child is too naive to heed my words."
Nanny Zhen detected no displeasure in the Imperial Noble Consort’s tone and quickly added, "Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is still young. He doesn’t understand the gravity of Suo Etu’s crimes, nor the deceitfulness of human hearts. With your guidance, there will be plenty of time ahead."
The Imperial Noble Consort nodded, recalling how the Empress Dowager had finally relented on the matter of the imperial genealogy. Softened by the memory of her gentle admonishments, a smile returned to her face. "You’re right. There’s still a long road ahead!"
Little did she know that a few days prior, the moment the Fourth Prince stepped into Yuqing Palace, he dismissed Nanny Xu, who had accompanied him, and immediately burst into tears, his face streaked with snot and tears.
"Second Elder Brother!" he sobbed uncontrollably, reaching out with trembling hands. "Fifth Brother…"
The brush in the Crown Prince’s hand clattered to the floor as he frowned deeply. Beside him, Yinqi, who had been struggling through his calligraphy practice, jumped in shock.
Good heavens! Fourth Elder Brother was always so stern, like a little old man—when had he ever cried so loudly?
Before the Crown Prince could even ask, the Fifth Prince hastily set down his brush, tiptoed forward, and wrapped his arms around Yinzhen in a tight, enthusiastic hug.
"Fourth Elder Brother!" Yinqi clung to Yinzhen’s waist, patting his back with exaggerated bravado. "Whatever’s troubling you, just tell me! I’ll take care of it!"
"……" Yinzhen fell silent, his lips quivering as he struggled to catch his breath.
Finally, he sniffled and whimpered, "Fifth Brother… let go. You’re squeezing too hard—hic—I can’t breathe!"
