To be honest, she had no deep-seated grudge against Consort Yi.
Consort Hui was a senior figure in the palace, the same age as the current emperor. Kangxi, in his early thirties, was in the prime of his life—a ruler full of vigor and ambition. But men and women were fundamentally different.
In just a few years, Yinti would marry, and by then, she would be a grandmother. Moreover, Consort Hui’s looks were, at best, merely delicate. Now, with faint lines already forming at the corners of her eyes, she could hardly be called beautiful.
Over the years, she had long grown indifferent to imperial favor and no longer cared whether she was summoned to the emperor’s bedchamber, devoting herself entirely to her children… Consort Yi, however, was the complete opposite.
Exquisitely beautiful and basking in the emperor’s favor, she truly stood unrivaled in the harem—no one could compare.
At first, it hadn’t been so bad, but as time passed, the emperor’s partiality toward Consort Yi grew increasingly pronounced. His favoritism became so excessive that even Consort Hui couldn’t help but feel a pang of alarm!
Though bitter about the intimacy between Consort Yi and the emperor, Consort Hui could still console herself—she was the highest-ranking consort. In terms of seniority, offspring, and political allies at court, she still held the upper hand over Consort Yi.
Mrs. Guoluoluo would always have to address her as "elder sister," and at banquets, her seat would always be placed behind Consort Hui’s. But then, without warning, how could the emperor suddenly elevate her to the rank of noble consort?
What virtue or merit did Consort Yi possess to deserve this?!
The shock was like a bolt from the blue—utterly overwhelming.
Noble Consort Niu Gulu had always overshadowed her due to her family’s influence, and though Consort Hui resented it, she had the Eldest Prince and Mingzhu’s support in court. Even if her greetings were perfunctory, Noble Consort Niu Gulu could only feign a smile and do nothing about it.
The Imperial Household Department had once treated her and the noble consort with equal flattery—though that was all in the distant past.
In the harem, it was always a battle of dominance—either the east wind prevailed over the west, or the west wind prevailed over the east. After the Eighth Prince’s death, Consort Hui suffered a major setback, and Noble Consort Niu Gulu seized the opportunity to suppress her repeatedly, both overtly and covertly. Consort Hui had no choice but to swallow her anger, grit her teeth, and bide her time for future schemes.
No matter how one spun it, the disparity in rank was undeniable, and being overpowered by status was a bitter pill to swallow. Having Noble Consort Niu Gulu looming over her was bad enough—but now?
From this day forward, she would have to kneel before Noble Consort Yi, greeting her with the words, "May the noble consort enjoy boundless blessings." The mere thought of it made Consort Hui feel as though her insides were burning, consumed by searing pain.
Had the emperor completely disregarded Yinti’s dignity and forgotten the bond they had shared all these years?!
With Yinqi and Yintang now the sons of a noble consort, along with the previously favored Yin'e, where did that leave her own eldest son?
For a moment, Consort Hui completely overlooked the matter of Noble Consort Liang’s promotion and paid no heed to the waves caused by the other imperial edicts. Her voice hoarse, she asked her attendant Ying'er, her face deathly pale, "With the edict issued, Yikun Palace must be bustling with activity, no?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, Concubine Cheng—no, Consort Cheng—immediately went to Yikun Palace, followed closely by Concubine Duan and Concubine Liang…" Ying'er whispered, not daring to breathe too loudly. "Concubine An and Concubine Jing also brought lavish gifts and went together, coincidentally meeting Consort Rong’s palanquin along the way. Only Concubine Xi and Consort Ping have yet to make a move."
Consort Hui’s eyes flashed with fury. Those two fence-sitters, Concubine An and Concubine Jing, acted swiftly indeed.
"You personally deliver the congratulatory gifts," she said through clenched teeth, suppressing her dizziness. "Tell them that by the emperor’s decree, I am still atoning for my faults and have chosen to remain in self-imposed seclusion, unable to offer my congratulations in person… I only hope… Noble Consort Yi will be understanding."
Yikun Palace.
A steady stream of consorts came and went, their congratulatory gifts piling up in the side hall. The air buzzed with waves of celebratory chatter, and only as night fell did the palace attendants finally find a moment of respite.
Nanny Dong and Ruizhu were beaming with joy, their smiles unwavering the entire day. Yunxiu’s cheeks ached from smiling, and she finally relaxed with a long exhale. "This spectacle is downright terrifying. I don’t know how you’ve managed to endure it."
Noble Consort Wen, who had arrived late, shot her a sidelong glance and drawled, "Complaining after getting the advantage? His Majesty ought to see the true face of our Noble Consort Yi—a lazybones through and through, utterly beyond redemption!"
Yunxiu chuckled lightly, playing along. "Indeed, I can’t compare to Noble Consort Wen in the slightest. You’re the diligent bee gathering nectar from every flower in the garden, while I simply sit back and reap the rewards."
Noble Consort Wen sighed and tapped her lightly. "I’ll never win an argument against you."
Burdened with state affairs, the emperor had sent word that he wouldn’t be joining them for dinner. Seizing the opportunity, Noble Consort Wen hurried to Yikun Palace with the Tenth Prince in tow to offer her congratulations. But after chatting for a while, she was met with the conflicted expression of Chief Eunuch Liang.
The emperor was "forced" to remain in Qianqing Palace for the night—but that wasn’t all. He had also tasked Liang Jiugong with relaying a message: "Xiu Xiu mustn’t be disappointed. Tomorrow, I shall personally celebrate the noble consort’s ascension…"
Upon hearing this peculiar decree, Noble Consort Wen’s expression was indescribable, while the chubby, tiger-hat-wearing baby in her arms, Yin'e, looked as though he’d seen a ghost.
After seeing Liang Jiugong off, Noble Consort Wen took a long moment to recover before murmuring, "You’ve had it rough. I’ve truly witnessed something extraordinary today…"
Inside the cradle, the Ninth Prince Yintang rolled his eyes so hard it nearly hurt, thinking bitterly, Hah, extraordinary indeed?
Every few days, there’d be another incident like this. His mother might not mind, but he was on the verge of losing his mind from the old man’s antics.
At this moment, he actually found himself missing the Crown Prince and the distant Yuqing Palace. He’d rather endure the Second Prince’s endless chatter or suffer the humiliation of misaligned open-seat pants than endure another tormenting imperial decree!
Seeing the Tenth Prince in swaddling clothes again, the Ninth Lord nearly wept with emotion, thinking, Ah, my dear brother, you’ve finally arrived. I can’t take it anymore—with you here, my heart will at least find some solace…
Truthfully, when the edict promoting his mother to noble consort had arrived at noon, Yintang had been so stunned he’d frozen for a long moment.
Now, the bitterness in his teeth had dulled the shock. He sighed deeply, flipped onto his stomach, and came face-to-face with Yin'e, who had eagerly lunged into the cradle.
Caught off guard, the Ninth Prince got a full view of the Tenth Prince’s soft cheeks, while the Tenth Prince likewise saw his elder brother’s conflicted expression.
For a long while, wide, sparkling eyes stared into narrow, squinting ones—first in surprise, then gradually turning solemn.
One thought excitedly, Good heavens, why does Tenth Prince’s expression mirror mine?
The other thought sourly, If the emperor wants to be nauseating, fine—but Ninth Brother, are big eyes something to flaunt? Just because Mother Yi’s a noble consort now, you’re getting all smug!
Wait—Good lord, could it be—
The two little princes stared at each other, their minds blank.
When they finally snapped out of it, they pressed their foreheads together and clumsily reached out, intending to clasp hands. But driven by infant instincts, they simultaneously opened their mouths, eyes gleaming as they eyed each other’s wiggling fingers—then chomped down with an enthusiastic chomp.
Yintang: "…"
Yin'e: "…"
The deafening cries interrupted Yunxiu and Noble Consort Wen's idle chatter. Rushing forward to look, they saw two chubby little children tangled together in a heap. Their limbs were entwined, as if they were either being affectionate or wrestling—neither willing to yield.
One wailed loudly, and the other wailed even louder, as if competing in a contest of who could be more dramatic. Their cries rose and fell in turn, echoing through Yuqing Palace.
Upon closer inspection, it was clear they were just hollering at the top of their lungs—neither had a single tear in their eyes.
Yunxiu knew Yintang’s nature all too well.
In his past life, this boy had been a little troublemaker, and now, in this life, he was even more outrageous. Aside from causing mischief at night, the Emperor indulged him in everything. As for Yinreng and Yinqi, they were no exception—each was the perfect older brother, ready to give him the moon if he asked for the stars.
"I’ve just been promoted to Noble Consort, brimming with joy and nowhere to vent it. Perhaps disciplining a child or two might help me cool down," Yunxiu said slowly, narrowing her eyes. "What do you think, Sister?"
Not just the Ninth Lord, even the Tenth Prince was startled out of his excited glee. His small eyes darted around nervously before he quickly retracted his limbs, shrinking like a quail.
With a timid look, he signaled, "Brother, when did Mother Yi become like this?"
Was she still the same doting Mother Yi who spoiled Ninth Older Brother?
Though he couldn’t speak, miraculously, Yintang actually understood him.
At the mention of this, the Ninth Lord felt a surge of sorrow.
"Your brother doesn’t know either," he blinked rapidly, then scrunched up his little face, baring his teeth in an exaggerated expression to help the Tenth Prince grasp his meaning. "If I had to guess, it’s definitely because the old man spoils her!"
"..." The disdain on his face was so vivid that Yin'e understood it perfectly.
The old man spoils her?
Recalling the idle chatter from his wet nurse about how the Ninth Prince was the Emperor’s favorite, Yin'e sucked in a breath. With Mother Yi shielding him, Ninth Older Brother was truly something else.
To be reborn and enjoy the same treatment as the Crown Prince—if it were him, he’d be laughing in his dreams.
And yet, here you are, complaining about it!!
