The scene rewound to the moment after entering the hall. Tong Guowei stood to the side, having paid his respects to Emperor Kangxi seated on the throne, when he keenly sensed something amiss.
When the Emperor waved for him to rise, his expression was dark and stormy, clearly displeased. Only when his gaze shifted to the Crown Prince did a faint smile appear.
Had he already seen Ru Yue?
She had even been brought to the side hall of Qianqing Palace… but this reaction was all wrong!
Unease resurfaced in Tong Guowei’s heart. After a brief pause, he offered an apologetic smile and prepared to reprimand his "misbehaving" second daughter—only for the Crown Prince to cut him off with a heart-wrenching outburst!
The heir to the throne, weeping openly—Tong Guowei was stunned.
The Fourth Prince and Prince Rong had suffered under Consort Tong’s mistreatment… His vision darkened. These words were anything but subtle, tearing away the unspoken veil of decorum, practically pointing fingers and condemning the Tong family for failing to raise their daughter properly.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Tong Guowei’s heart sank. The Crown Prince held such a view of the Tong family!
He could see the calculation behind the Crown Prince’s tears, but the Emperor would not. Kangxi would only grow more tender-hearted, admiring the Crown Prince’s courage in standing up for his younger brothers…
"Please reconsider your decree, Imperial Father," coupled with choked sobs and reddened eyes—even if Kangxi had intended to take Ru Yue into the palace, he would now hesitate for the Crown Prince’s sake.
With the Crown Prince’s interference, any further words would only dig a deeper hole. Why had he stumbled into such a predicament?
Cold sweat drenched Tong Guowei as he dropped to his knees, kowtowing once more. "Your Majesty, this servant failed in his duty, raising such an unfilial daughter who wronged the Fourth Prince and Prince Rong! The Crown Prince’s words hold undeniable truth, and this servant accepts any punishment Your Majesty deems fit. But my daughter Ru Yue… she was raised sheltered and innocent, nothing like her elder sister—"
The Crown Prince watched him, his young face openly disdainful. Who was this act meant to fool?
No sooner had the elder daughter fallen than the younger was pushed forward, shamelessly thrust into the palace.
You may be the Emperor’s uncle, but I am his son!
Wiping his face, the Crown Prince considered whether to cry harder—just as Kangxi, seated high above, cast a cold glance at Tong Guowei and spoke in a low voice, "Enough."
Then, the Emperor looked at his son, torn between exasperation and affection. He had been rendered speechless—when had he ever said he would take the younger Tong girl into the palace?
Unable to scold the Crown Prince, he could only motion for Liang Jiugong to swiftly hand over a handkerchief to dry the young prince’s tears.
Seeing his uncle still kneeling, Kangxi rubbed his temples and sighed. "Innocent, you say? On what grounds?"
Tong Guowei had not expected this question.
He faltered, his mind racing, before carefully replying, "Ru Yue has a kind heart. Every winter, she organizes relief efforts, setting up porridge kitchens and aiding our clan’s charity work… Beyond that, she deeply reveres her late aunt, often begging this servant to recount the virtues of the Empress Dowager—"
Kangxi listened impassively—until the mention of his mother. His expression twisted, and he suddenly seized a teacup, hurling it violently at the floor!
The cup shattered with a deafening crash. Though the shards spared the Crown Prince, they struck Tong Guowei, leaving minor cuts on his face.
Tea dripped from his official robes as Tong Guowei trembled, his voice cutting off. "Y-Your Majesty?"
The Crown Prince jumped, wide-eyed, the handkerchief slipping from his fingers.
Then Kangxi’s furious roar shook the study: "Innocent?! Are you blind, Tong Guowei? With that face, she dares disturb my mother’s peace? Strolling through plum blossoms in winter, playing coy—do you take me for a fool?! And now you dare exploit the Empress Dowager’s name, again and again—do you truly believe I won’t punish the Tong family?!"
Tong Guowei looked up in disbelief, his face draining of color.
How could this be? Why would the Emperor say such things?
Where had he miscalculated?
Ru Yue resembled the Empress Dowager—shouldn’t the Emperor have been overjoyed?
He shut his eyes, trembling as he kowtowed. "Your Majesty took Ru Yue to the side hall—"
"I mistook my cousin for a spy and frightened her," Kangxi replied, eerily calm after his outburst. "Uncle, you’ve arrived just in time. She refuses to compose herself or drink the calming tonic, crying for her parents. You should go comfort her."
Wait—the Emperor never intended to take her as a consort?
The Crown Prince’s face burned with embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Tong Guowei could scarcely believe his ears.
He shuddered, struggling to breathe, forcing a ghastly smile. "A… spy?"
"I once said I would arrange a good match for my cousin during the selection," Kangxi continued after a pause, his tone light. "But since you refuse, I shall issue an edict naming Ru Yue the Lady of Jingyang, granting her residence at the imperial temple on Mount Wutai. She will depart in spring to pray for the Empress Dowager’s blessings."
Finally, Kangxi asked gently, "Given her resemblance to my mother, allowing her to remain would be a desecration. Prayers are her only path. Do you object, Uncle?"
Tong Guowei nearly collapsed.
Fighting dizziness, he opened his mouth to protest—but the Crown Prince, quick-witted, cut in, "Eunuch Liang! Assist Lord Tong! Joy is well and good, but he must take care—if he injures himself, who will see the Lady off?"
Liang Jiugong gaped. Ah, Your Highness, you truly are a little devil—this will be the death of Lord Tong!
Hesitating, he caught Kangxi’s subtle glance and sprang into action, summoning eunuchs to "escort" Tong Guowei out. "Come with me, my lord. The Lady awaits in the side hall…"
As the commotion faded, only the Emperor and Crown Prince remained.
Kangxi eyed his son. "Baocheng."
The Crown Prince hung his head. "Imperial Father, cutting off Lord Tong was wrong. He is your elder, but I couldn’t bear—"
Bear what?
The suffering Yinzhen and Yinzuo endured under Consort Tong had fueled his anger toward the Tong family and Tong Guowei.
Amusement flickered in Kangxi’s eyes, though his tone remained stern. "Youth makes you impulsive, but a ruler must act with reason, not emotion. This time, the Tong family overstepped, exploiting your late grandmother’s memory. I, too, am furious—but they still have their uses."
After a pause, he added softly, "I don’t blame you. I spoiled the Tong family, and they’ve forgotten their place."
A light reprimand would suffice—the imperial court could not afford to lose Tong Guowei after already losing Suo'etu.
The Crown Prince was deeply moved by these words. He raised his head as if enlightened and murmured softly, "Imperial Father..."
Kangxi nodded in satisfaction, but then his movements paused. A frown gradually creased his brow as he asked in an unreadable tone, "What? I haven’t even issued an edict yet. Are you so certain I intend to take the younger Tongjia girl into the palace?"
"..." The Crown Prince stiffened, his face flushing crimson once more. He wished he could flee the scene, stammering, "This son d-didn’t..."
Before he could finish, an announcement came—Sumalagu, sent by the Grand Empress Dowager, requested an audience.
Sumalagu had served the Grand Empress Dowager since childhood, witnessing three reigns and even teaching the current emperor Manchu and Mongolian. She was deeply respected by Kangxi. With a wave of his hand, he granted her entry, then rose with a smile. "Auntie, what instructions does the matriarch have for me?"
"Your Majesty, the matriarch sent this servant to see just what celestial beauty the second Tongjia girl has grown into," Sumalagu said with a curtsey, tactfully adding, "She also mentioned that the rear palace is rather... crowded at present."
In other words: There’s no room for your little cousin.
Kangxi: "..."
The Crown Prince turned his head away, biting his lower lip to suppress laughter.
After a long silence, the emperor replied with a darkened expression, "I am well aware the rear palace is crowded. So I sent her off to Mount Wutai with a single sword. It’s spacious there—plenty of room for many."
Sumalagu: "?"
Since the deputy chief eunuch of Qianqing Palace, Liu Qin, was imprisoned, another wave of purges had swept through. The emperor’s private quarters were now as impenetrable as an iron barrel, making it impossible for anyone to track his movements.
Thus, the appearance of the second Tongjia girl in the imperial gardens was purely coincidental. Yet her stance mirrored that of Consort Ping so precisely that Kangxi grew suspicious, ordering Liang Jiugong to conduct another sweep of the surroundings. From then on, not even a fly could slip into Qianqing Palace.
Once the edict demoting Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia to consort was issued, Noble Consort Niugulu became the undisputed highest-ranking consort in the rear palace. Yunxiu’s mood, needless to say, was buoyant. Though Consort Rong was confined to her quarters for half a month, she remained cheerful. Only Consort Hui grew increasingly uneasy.
It seemed Liu Qin had succumbed to torture and confessed all his misdeeds. Beyond implicating the Tongjia clan, he must have exposed her as well!
And yet? The emperor showed no reaction—no reprimand, no punishment. But this very silence was like a slow knife carving into her, leaving Consort Hui restless and unable to find peace. She soon began to lose weight.
And now, today, the second Tongjia girl had been brought to Qianqing Palace by the emperor...
What did His Majesty intend? To take her as a consort?
Without Liu Qin, without any sources of information, Yanxi Palace was left completely in the dark.
Exhausted, Consort Hui pressed her fingers to her temples and thought, This cannot continue.
"Ying'er, go to Qianqing Palace and request an audience with His Majesty... Tell him this consort is overcome with remorse and wishes to beg for forgiveness."
Ying'er bowed and hurried off.
After nearly an hour, she returned breathless, her expression grim:
"Your Highness, the imperial procession has gone to Yikun Palace."
Yikun Palace.
Yunxiu had assumed the matter of the younger Tongjia girl would take considerable time to resolve and that the emperor wouldn’t visit today.
After returning from the imperial gardens, Consort Yi removed her cloak and slippers, took off her hairpins and makeup, and checked on Yintang in the warm chamber. Then she reclined comfortably on the daybed, sipping hot tea and nibbling on candied fruit.
The sweetness lingered on her tongue, and she couldn’t help but recall the emperor’s remark about "spies." The more she thought about it, the more amusing it became, until she finally burst into laughter.
How has His Majesty become like this?
He’s nothing like the man in my dreams.
Nanny Dong watched her mistress with resigned concern. After hesitating, she gently reminded, "Your Highness, the Imperial Longevity Festival approaches..."
Shouldn’t you put more thought into your gift this time? Surely not another Buddhist scripture?
Yunxiu raised a brow, popping another candied fruit into her mouth as she replied dismissively, "This consort has already made arrangements."
Her tone was blatantly perfunctory. Nanny Dong opened her mouth to protest but fell silent when the emperor, having dismissed the attendants, stepped soundlessly into the inner chamber.
Recalling Sumalagu’s "tactful" message from the Grand Empress Dowager, Kangxi’s already darkened expression grew stormier.
Slowly, he asked, "For my Longevity Festival, what precisely has my dear Yunxiu arranged?"
Yunxiu stiffened. Oh no. Did he hear everything?
Turning, she saw the emperor’s face shadowed with anger—genuine anger this time.
This is bad. What happened in Qianqing Palace?
This fury has been building, and now it’s directed at me!
After a moment’s thought, she rose from the daybed, leaned in to kiss his cheek, and said softly, "Arrangements are unnecessary. This consort only wished to surprise you."
Kangxi’s expression softened briefly before darkening again. "A surprise? Or is it that you haven’t thought of anything yet and are still preparing this so-called surprise?"
Yunxiu paused, her smile fading. "Why must Your Majesty speak so caustically? If something displeases you, must you take it out on me?"
Then she raised her voice. "Ruizhu! Fetch the casual robe I placed in the chest."
"This consort is clumsy with needlework, but for Your Majesty’s sake, I learned embroidery from the palace maids. I hoped to present you with a robe sewn by my own hands for the Longevity Festival." As she spoke, she hid her hands, lowering her eyes as they reddened slightly. "Half of it is already done, yet you doubt me like this!"
Kangxi was stunned. How could he maintain his stern expression?
Yunxiu had never been skilled at embroidery—he’d known that for years. Joy surged in his chest, and a smile quickly replaced his scowl. But faced with her reproach, panic set in.
She went to such lengths for me, and I questioned her sincerity...
"This is my fault," he murmured, coaxing her with every tender word he could muster, discarding all dignity until Yunxiu finally smiled again.
Meanwhile, Ruizhu had been frantically searching the inner chamber for last year’s half-finished robe, hastily perfuming it with incense.
Trembling, she presented it, gulping as she bowed. "Your Majesty..."
Her voice shook, but the emperor paid no heed.
With utmost care, he took the robe and unfolded it. The crude stitches spoke volumes of Yunxiu’s devotion—
Kangxi couldn’t suppress his grin. "No need for comparisons! Yunxiu’s work is undoubtedly the finest. Ahem. This embroidery... it pleases me greatly. Greatly."
