Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

Yinreng realized that the eunuch was running toward Yonghe Palace, carrying Yinzhen on his back, in the blink of an eye, Yinreng was already inside the inner hall of Yonghe Palace.

The heavy rain continued, and it was already past the fourth watch, but the Yonghe Palace was still brightly lit.

Concubine De was trying to calm the crying Fourteenth Prince, who was throwing a tantrum, anxious and pacing in circles.

Since he was young, the Fourteenth Prince had always been a child who cried at night, with a bad temper. It was common for him to cry and make noise for no reason in the middle of the night. When his wet nurse couldn’t calm him, Concubine De would keep watch over him day and night. Perhaps it was the bond between mother and child, as the Fourteenth Prince would calm down a bit in his mother’s arms, but even that calmness had its limits.

The palace maids and nannies took turns with rattles, bamboo horns, and cloth tigers, trying to quiet him, but the Fourteenth Prince didn’t show any mercy, tossing aside each item they offered. His shrill cries pierced the air, and Concubine De was deeply distressed, fearing that his throat might be ruined from all the screaming.

Concubine De paced back and forth while holding the Fourteenth Prince, occasionally wiping his tears, gently coaxing him: “Fourteenth, be good, Mother is here.”

A sudden thunderclap startled the already exhausted Fourteenth Prince, and he began to wail even louder, his voice hoarse.

Concubine De quickly covered his ears, seeing that he was crying so intensely that he could barely catch his breath and was almost gagging. Her heart ached as if it were being pricked by needles. She was completely focused on him, soothing him while rocking him, walking back and forth from the corridor to the main hall. However, the Fourteenth Prince still refused to calm down.

As the thunderstorm subsided, Yinreng faintly heard a knocking sound coming from outside the Yonghe Palace gate.

Jingren Palace was adjacent to Yonghe Palace, and one could reach it by passing through a palace alley and two gates. Normally, at this hour, the gates of the palace alley would have been locked, but since the Empress’s mourning period had just passed its seventh day, the shamans were required to circle the palace with sacred banners all night for prayers and rituals. As a result, the palace gates had been left open these past few days, allowing free passage between Jingren Palace and Yonghe Palace throughout the night.

However, the eunuchs on night watch at the gates of Yonghe Palace were in a daze, and with the continuous rain and thunder, they failed to notice someone knocking at the door. Another eunuch, who was on duty with him, scratched his neck and sleepily asked, “What’s that noise?”

The other eunuch rubbed his arms, turned over, and went back to sleep, muttering, “Don’t mind it, what time is it? Who would be here?”

Yinreng watched as Yinzhen’s personal eunuch, Su Peisheng, kept shouting and knocking on the door. The lights inside Yonghe Palace were still bright, and faint voices could be heard, yet no one opened the door.

Finally, a hand stretched out from behind, pressing down on Su Peisheng’s hand that was knocking. “Let’s go back. We’re going back to Jingren Palace. From now on… never come here again.”

Su Peisheng wiped the rain off his face, hesitating. “Master, but you’re still burning…”

There was nothing left in Jingren Palace, not even enough attendants.

“I’m not going to die,” Yinzhen snapped, his dark eyes sharper in the stormy night. “Go! Back! You damn dog! Can’t I even order you around?”

Su Peisheng walked back with a long face, muttering resentfully as he went: “Concubine De clearly said you could come back anytime. She even prepared a room for you. How could she leave the door shut?”

Yinzhen closed his eyes, no longer wishing to speak.

The group walked like stray dogs, lost and lonely in the darkness.

As they walked farther, Yinzhen couldn’t help but glance back. Yinreng stood with him, both of them looking at the warm, glowing place in the distance, which seemed almost like a dream in the dense rain.

Jingren Palace was now left with only the shaman chanting by the reed huts, the sacred banners fluttering, the place as silent as a tomb.

But Yinzhen, as if he had returned home, let out a sigh of relief.

He had Su Peisheng carry him into the side hall, change into a new set of clothes, and just wanted to drink some hot water.

The princes were too far away, and only a few people were left by his side. Aside from the road to Yonghe Palace, all other palace gates were locked. Yinzhen didn’t want to cause a stir over a small discomfort, nor did he want to make a big deal of it by calling for a physician.

Words could be deadly, and he didn’t want rumors to spread the next day, claiming that he fell ill due to fulfilling his filial duties to Empress Xiaoyi.

Earlier that morning, during the mourning rites, Concubine De had seen that Yinzhen had to be supported by a eunuch to stand up from his kneeling position. She then sent one of her personal maids to tell him that, since the princes were so far away, if he was tired, he should rest at Yonghe Palace. She had already prepared everything he might need.

Yinzhen was deeply grateful and agreed solemnly.

Therefore, he had intended to quietly go to Yonghe Palace, without drawing attention. Perhaps… he could even have a few more words with his mother.

Yinzhen had even thought of how to apologize to Concubine De. He wanted to explain to her that he never intended to curse his biological mother’s life, but merely wished to repay the kindness The Empress had shown him over the past eleven years. His life was still long, and he could continue to honor her and fulfill his filial duties by her side, and he would certainly do so.

But his bond with Empress Xiaoyi as her son ended there.

He lay with a pale face, drifting in and out of sleep. Soon, he developed a high fever. Su Peisheng, however, had fallen asleep beside the bed. In his dream, Yinreng grew so anxious that he kicked the foolish servant, of course, kicking nothing but air.

When Su Peisheng woke up at dawn, he found Yinzhen’s body burning with fever, as hot as a furnace. He immediately jumped up, shouting for help, rolling and scrambling to send the imperial doctor’s notice.

Suddenly, a thunderclap shook the room, but it didn’t come from the dream—it startled Yinreng awake.

The paper on the window rustled loudly, and the sky seemed to have a hole in it, with the heavy rain pouring down in an instant. Yinreng sat up in confusion, glancing at the self-winding clock on the chest of drawers by the flash of lightning. It was the fourth watch.

Beside him, Cheng Wanyun was still asleep, undisturbed by the loud thunder.

Yinreng got out of bed and opened the window. The strong wind and rain rushed in. The more he looked at the storm, the more uneasy he felt.

Outside, Bitao, who was on night watch, was still somewhat alert. Hearing the movement, she lit a lamp and entered, speaking softly, “Your Highness? It’s still not dawn. Would you like to rest a little longer, or…”

“Call He Baozhong,” Yinreng said, his face already darkened.

Bitao agreed and went out. He dressed himself, and by the time He Baozhong rushed in, he had already put on his boots. “Let’s go. Bring a large umbrella and follow me to Jingren Palace.”

“Huh?” He Baozhong rubbed his eyes and checked the self-winding clock several times.

“Huh what? Hurry up.”

Yinreng was still uneasy.

Could it be that what he dreamed about was exactly tonight? He thought back to Yinzhen’s pale face earlier that day. He had seemed off, dazed. If he had been exhausted and sick, followed by being drenched in a heavy downpour, wouldn’t that worsen his illness and drain his energy?

Before Empress Tong passed away, she was most concerned about him. Not only had she reminded Emperor Kangxi several times, but when Yinreng was present, she had also earnestly asked him to look after his younger brother. Now, Empress Tong hadn’t been laid to rest yet, and perhaps it was her spirit that couldn’t bear to see her child suffer, coming to him in a dream.

Yuqing Palace wasn’t far from Jingren Palace, but not very close either. Yinreng had specially arranged for the largest palanquin to be brought, and he also took a pot of hot brown sugar ginger tea with him. The palace alleys leading from here to Jingren Palace had all been locked, but he couldn’t worry about that now. He instructed He Baozhong to carry the crown prince’s command token in the heavy rain, knocking on each gate one by one to open them.

They hurried and slowed as they made their way to Jingren Palace. Inside, aside from the lama chanting scriptures and the drowsy eunuchs guarding the vigil, there was no one else.

Since the seventh day of mourning, only Yinzhen had voluntarily stayed behind in Jingren Palace to guard the vigil. He had almost been living there, and no one could persuade him to leave. When Emperor Kangxi saw this, he sighed and said to let him be.

Could it be that the Fourth Prince had already gone to Yonghe Palace?

Yinreng had no choice but to lead his people down the palace alley toward Yonghe Palace. The rain beat down relentlessly on the palanquin, growing more intense by the minute. Outside the palanquin, the eunuchs could barely see the road a foot ahead, even with their lanterns.

But after a short while, He Baozhong suddenly shouted, “Your Highness, someone is coming from the opposite side!”

Yinreng quickly lifted the curtain of the palanquin and looked out. Upon recognizing the person, he couldn’t hide the shock in his heart. Coming through the rain was Su Peisheng, carrying Yinzhen and returning from the direction of Yonghe Palace, along with two other eunuchs holding umbrellas. The sight was exactly as he had seen in his dream!

Su Peisheng had not expected anyone to be there. When he stopped and looked, he was surprised to see the Crown Prince!

“Your Highness, long live the Crown Prince!” Su Peisheng was so startled that he immediately kneeled, nearly throwing his master into a puddle.

Yinzhen was still conscious and struggled to get up when he heard the sound.

“Why bother with formalities at a time like this? Get in!” Yinreng quickly got out of the palanquin, grabbed the drenched Yinzhen, and pulled him inside. The palanquin was spacious, with a warm hand stove, a teapot, and hot water and towels inside.

Yinreng had already prepared his own clothes. He instructed a little eunuch to help Yinzhen out of his wet clothes, wipe him down with steaming towels, and change him into dry clothes. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief.

The clothes were a little too big for Yinzhen, and he lowered his head, repeatedly rolling up the sleeves.

Seeing Yinzhen’s despondent appearance, Yinreng wanted to say something comforting but didn’t know how to begin.

He had originally hoped to intercept Yinzhen before he went to Yonghe Palace, so that he wouldn’t get soaked and worsen his illness, not to mention the stress he had already been under. But in the end, he was one step too late.

Yinreng opened the lid of the teapot, and immediately, the air was filled with a sweet yet spicy fragrance.

Seeing that the Fourth Prince was still shivering from the fever and the rain, Yinreng quickly poured a cup of tea. The dark red tea floated with crushed ginger. This was the ginger tea candy that A Wan had made. She crushed fresh ginger, red dates, and dried roses, mixing them into a syrup made from brown sugar, then pressed them into small square blocks. After they dried, they were stored in a jar. When it was time to make tea, one block was dissolved in boiling water—very convenient.

Yinreng had once seen her drinking it and tried a sip. He found it quite good—spicy and sweet, not greasy, good for dispelling moisture and warming the stomach, with a subtle floral fragrance. He had no hesitation in taking a jar for himself.

At the time, A Wan had looked at him with a hesitant expression. He asked what was wrong, but she hesitated and didn’t answer. However, she whispered to the palace maids behind her, “What’s the matter with the Crown Prince? This tea is meant for women…”

There was no such distinction between men and women when it came to drinking tea, and Yinreng didn’t mind at all.

He didn’t like sweet pastries, but sweet tea paired with savory snacks was just right. The strange thing was, every time he asked A Wan to make him this ginger tea candy to go with the snacks, she would stare at him with a very complex, hard-to-understand expression.

He guessed it was because of her petty nature again, reluctant to let him have any.

While thinking about this, he hurriedly handed the tea to Yinzhen: “Drink it while it’s hot, it will help drive away the cold.”

Yinzhen had never liked ginger tea, but this one smelled different from the usual kind. After hesitating for a moment, he took a sip. The sharp spiciness of the old ginger finally cleared his mind. He wrapped his hands around the cup, and the warmth gradually spread through his body, slowly dissipating the cold that had originally chilled him to the bone.

Yinzhen drank the ginger tea in one go, smacking his lips. The taste was much sweeter than usual. After the spicy ginger taste faded, his mouth was filled with a lingering sweetness and fragrance, which made it far more pleasant than the tea he remembered from before.

After finishing the cup, he began to sweat lightly, and his headache had eased considerably.

It was then that he realized, they should have already arrived at Jingren Palace, but the palanquin was still swaying and advancing through the rain.

“I had the imperial physician summoned with an edict, just told him that a gege in my household is pregnant and feeling unwell,” Yinreng added, handing him a copper hand stove shaped like a pumpkin. “You’re not allowed to refuse. You’ve got a fever. You’ll stay at Yuqing Palace with me first, and we’ll deal with the rest later.”

Yinzhen swallowed his words and didn’t argue.

They arrived at Chunben Hall, Yinzhen was lying in the Crown Prince’s study. He heard the Crown Prince personally settle the servants who were attending to him and ordered them to retrieve his clothes from the Prince’s residence as soon as daylight broke.

Before long, the imperial physician arrived, took his pulse, and prescribed medicine. Outside the room, a small red clay stove was set up, and Su Peisheng had changed into clean clothes. He was squatting by the stove, watching the fire boil the medicine. His eunuch robe looked just like the one worn by He Baozhong, the Crown Prince’s personal eunuch, large enough to fit two people. Su Peisheng couldn’t help but laugh.

Yinzhen, inhaling the smell of the medicine, snuggled into the soft, warm blanket. He stared at a bizarre wooden carving of a tiger on the windowsill for a while, slowly drifting into a peaceful sleep.

Between dreams and reality, he suddenly remembered: how did the Second Brother happen to be there?

It was so late… Why had the Second Brother come to find him?

After sleeping for about an hour, Su Peisheng woke him up to take his medicine. When Yinzhen finally woke up again, it was already noon! He was so shocked that he was reminded of the poem, “Startled, I sat up from my deathbed.”

As the intense beating in his chest hadn’t settled yet, another tall figure in bright yellow stepped through the door. Yinzhen felt even dizzier and hurriedly tried to get out of bed to bow: “Father Emperor.”

“Lie down properly.” Kangxi quickly stepped forward to stop him and felt his forehead. “Hmm, the fever’s down.”

“Father Emperor…” Yinzhen lowered his head, feeling at a loss. “It’s all because I’m useless…”

“You’re still young. It’s not easy to endure such long nights,” Kangxi patted his hand. “I know your filial piety toward your mother, and your mother knows it too. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have sent a dream to your Second Brother.”

Yinzhen was astonished, finally understanding why the Crown Prince had appeared near Yonghe Palace in the middle of the night.

“Your Second Brother dreamed of your mother. He felt uneasy and came to Jingren Palace to look for you in the middle of the night. When he didn’t find you, he became anxious and searched everywhere. Fortunately, he met up with you. Otherwise…” Kangxi paused, sighed, and patted his son’s shoulder. He didn’t continue, instead changing the subject. “Your health is more important. You shouldn’t be guarding the coffin these next few days. Your mother wouldn’t blame you for it.”

“Father Emperor… I…”

“Obey!” Kangxi’s tone was firm, leaving no room for disagreement. “Illness comes on suddenly and leaves slowly. Your Second Brother begged me, so you’ll stay in Yuqing Palace to recover. Once you’re fully better, you can move around. I’ve agreed! Fourth, you stay here and rest properly.”

Yinzhen had no choice but to nod.

Kangxi was respectful of matters concerning spirits and deities, he believed in them without question.

Early in the morning, he learned that the Crown Prince had knocked on the palace gate in the middle of the night and urgently called for the imperial doctor. He thought something was wrong with the Crown Prince, so he immediately canceled the morning court and hurriedly went to Yuqing Palace.

Only then did he learn that it wasn’t the Crown Prince who was ill last night, but the Fourth Prince, who had fallen sick from exhaustion.

Yinreng couldn’t help but explain everything in detail. He wasn’t lying; he really had dreamed of his Fourth Brother and had gone to look for him. Therefore, his explanation was logical, and he even described the dream scene as if he had experienced it in person.

Kangxi had no choice but to believe him.

When Yinreng spoke of Yonghe Palace, he hesitated for a moment but eventually skipped over the part where Yinzhen had desperately knocked on the door in the rain. Instead, he said that he had found his brother near Jingren Palace, where he was shivering from the fever, and quickly brought him back.

Yinreng didn’t know that Kangxi already knew everything from his dream. When he returned, he didn’t mention anything about the situation at Yonghe Palace, and Yinzhen, still thinking of his biological mother, didn’t want anyone to know. Yinreng also made an effort to cover for him.

After all, Empress Xiaoyi had passed, and in the future, the Fourth Prince would have to return to the side of Concubine De. Yinreng didn’t want to create any more rifts between mother and son, although, as an elder brother, he certainly disapproved of Uya’s actions.

However, Kangxi didn’t miss the Crown Prince’s brief hesitation. He immediately ordered Liang Jiugong to investigate.

As expected, the events from last night mostly matched the Crown Prince’s account.

The servants in Yuqing Palace were all carefully selected by Kangxi, including He Baozhong, who was a disciple of Liang Jiugong. After bringing him in for questioning, He Baozhong quickly revealed everything. He said that the Crown Prince had woken up from his dream and rushed to Jingren Palace, where he had found the Fourth Prince in the western second palace alley of Yonghe Palace and brought him back.

“Yonghe Palace?” Kangxi furrowed his brows. This didn’t match what the Crown Prince had said.

The Crown Prince had mentioned finding the Fourth Prince near Jingren Palace, but He Baozhong said it was in the palace alley outside Yonghe Palace. Kangxi thought for a moment and then instructed Liang Jiugong to bring the night-shift eunuch from the western second palace alley of Yonghe Palace to question him again.

The eunuch, trembling, admitted that he had indeed seen Su Peisheng carrying the Fourth Prince back and forth through the western second palace alley last night.

It was around the third watch, and then again at the fourth watch, they had returned.

Kangxi understood what had happened.

It seemed that last night, Yinzhen had felt unwell and originally planned to go to Yonghe Palace to rest. However, for some unknown reason, after staying there for only half an hour, he hadn’t even changed his clothes and, braving the rain, was preparing to return to Jingren Palace.

Why did the Crown Prince lie? What was he trying to cover up for the Fourth Prince?

Kangxi was still deep in thought when Liang Jiugong came back and said, “Your Majesty, this servant found a night watchman who said he saw someone knocking on the gate of Yonghe Palace last night from a distance. But the rain was so heavy that he couldn’t see clearly. When he circled back after his rounds, he didn’t see anyone and thought he had imagined it.”

Kangxi was immediately enraged and stood up.

So, it was Concubine De who had prevented the Fourth Prince from entering. No wonder the Crown Prince had to cover for him!

Kangxi’s face darkened, his chest heaving with anger. He knew that Concubine De had many grievances against the Fourth Prince, especially after the death of the Sixth Prince. Her temper had changed considerably, but he hadn’t realized it had reached such an extent!

It was a stormy night, and the Fourth Prince was still burning with fever!

Just then, Liang Jiugong came in with an expression of sympathy, delivering a message: “Your Majesty, Concubine De requests an audience…”

“Tell her to get out!!”

Since entering the palace, Concubine De had always had a smooth path. She had never been reprimanded by Kangxi in such a harsh tone, and she was left stunned by his words.

The Fourteenth Prince had cried all night, his voice hoarse and still coughing in the morning. She had originally planned to ask for a pediatrician to check on him to see if he was alright. Usually, if she spoke sweetly about how clever and adorable the Fourteenth Prince was, it would stir Kangxi’s fatherly affection for him. But today, not only was she chased out, but shortly afterward, Liang Jiugong also came from Yonghe Palace with a decree.

Every word in the decree criticized her as an unfit mother.

Concubine De knew there must be a reason behind it. She ordered a thorough investigation and soon found out that such an incident had occurred last night!

She had been completely unaware!

No matter how angry she was with the Fourth Prince, she would never dare to lock a prince outside the door.

Besides, she still had the intention of getting closer to the Fourth Prince now. How could she do such a foolish thing?

It was all because of that cunning servant!

While Concubine De dealt with her servants with harsh methods and tried to explain and beg for forgiveness from Kangxi, the other palaces were watching from the sidelines, rejoicing in her misfortune.

Yinreng intentionally kept these matters from reaching Yuqing Palace, knowing the Fourth Prince was a thoughtful person. He didn’t want him to worry about such things while he was sick. Moreover, if he found out that Concubine De had been reprimanded by Kangxi, he would surely be upset and try to intercede on her behalf.

“Don’t let it anger Kangxi again.”

Yinzhen was forced to ignore everything outside the windows while in Yuqing Palace.

As for the Second Brother… hasn’t he had enough delicious food already?!

During these days of mourning, Yinzhen hadn’t really had a proper meal, and the combination of lack of sleep and overwork had caused him to fall ill.

While sick, the food was bland and tasteless, so he couldn’t eat much.

Moreover, it was customary in the palace for the sick to fast for a few meals to clear the stomach before starting proper treatment, and that was the usual practice of the imperial doctors.

Yinzhen had expected he would be stuck drinking thin porridge and rice soup all day.

However, to his surprise, the Crown Prince entered first, followed by a eunuch bringing food. One by one, plates were placed on the small kang table in front of him. These dishes looked somewhat familiar, yet something seemed different about them.

Because of the mourning period and his illness, most of the dishes were vegetarian, but they didn’t lack flavor at all.

For breakfast, there were golden, plump, crispy pumpkin cakes. They were fried in meat oil, giving them a crisp texture, and were coated with roasted white sesame seeds. When bitten into, the inside was soft, chewy, and not greasy at all. Paired with a bowl of hot sweet osmanthus rice balls, it was both sweet and soothing. It made his dry, sore throat feel much better.

For lunch, there was a special pot dish. Yinzhen’s elder brother had come specifically to share the meal with him and smiled, saying, “Fourth Brother, have you ever had porridge with a pot base? This is Cantonese cuisine. There’s a proper way to eat it, with the ‘Five Bowls of Porridge’ method!”

Yinzhen felt like he was seeing the world in a new light. Who knew that eating porridge could be so enjoyable and comfortable!

For dinner, there was a vegetarian version of “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.” The base was made from a broth of shiitake mushrooms and bean sprouts, with pieces of taro cut into small blocks and fried until crispy, then placed at the bottom of a deep clay pot. Next, sweet potato starch, carrots, tofu, winter melon, and other ingredients were added and simmered for an hour.

There wasn’t a single piece of meat, but the broth still tasted rich and savory.

Yinzhen had a few days of enjoying the food and drink without worry, and soon his complexion became rosy, and his ailments disappeared.

After court, Kangxi sat in a wicker chair, reading memorials. He happened to come across a memorial from the Tong family and couldn’t help but think of his Fourth Son’s pale face when he was ill. The imperial doctors’ prescriptions were usually balanced and calm, and they always said his pulse was good. He wondered how Yinzhen was faring now. He set the memorial aside and decided to go to Yuqing Palace.

Without notifying anyone at the door, he went in with only Liang Jiugong by his side, strolling in casually.

It was already deep summer, and the two large Bodhi trees in the courtyard of Chunben Hall had spread wide, their green shade offering a cool refuge. Kangxi couldn’t help but pat the trunk, feeling a sense of nostalgia. This was during the first year the Crown Prince had moved to Yuqing Palace. Kangxi had specifically had the trees transplanted. After losing so many children, he had chosen the Bodhi tree, which is associated with the Buddha, in the hope it would bless the Crown Prince with peace and good health.

He hadn’t paid much attention to the trees before, but today he realized how much they had grown.

Kangxi stopped in the courtyard, just in time to see through a window shaded by branches not far away.

The summer heat was unbearable, and the study’s window was wide open, allowing him to clearly see the back of the Crown Prince and his younger brother, standing at the desk practicing calligraphy.

Yinzhen bent over, listening attentively, while Yinreng was nodding and dipping his brush in ink, trying to copy his elder brother’s motions. He didn’t seem satisfied with his writing, and when Yinreng glanced over, he walked over, gently took his hand, and guided him while explaining softly.

“Baocheng’s calligraphy was taught by me, and he has great talent in this area. Now his writing has its own character. Teaching you, Fourth Brother, is more than enough,” Kangxi said proudly.

Liang Jiugong joined in, flattering him, “It’s all thanks to His Majesty’s teachings.”

“You slave, you speak as if your words are coated with sugar,” Kangxi smiled, watching for a moment before turning to Liang Jiugong. “Let’s go, we shouldn’t disturb their peace.”

Seeing them like this, Kangxi believed that the Fourth Son had likely recovered by now.

Kangxi was in a good mood and, upon returning, heavily criticized a pile of memorials. Even when he came across one from the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, which read, “Your Majesty, do you eat mangoes? These are native mangoes from Taiwan, offered to you by the emperor,” he didn’t get angry. Instead, he helplessly wrote three times: “Useless, do not send them again.”

When Kangxi was in a good mood, he liked to reward people. So, he opened the Imperial Treasury and picked out a bunch of things to give to the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince.

It was one thing to reward the Crown Prince—what day didn’t the emperor reward him? But the addition of the Fourth Prince… it made the whole palace gossip endlessly. In Yikun Palace, the Imperial Concubine Yi, who loved to stir up trouble, sat on her kang cracking sunflower seeds and said with a laugh, “The Fourth Prince gained favor from the emperor because of Empress Xiaoyi, while Uya got cast aside. Ha, this is hilarious.”

In Yanxi Palace, Consort Hui, although pleased and eating an extra bowl of rice, couldn’t help but feel sour inside. Why wasn’t the reward for her son, Baoqing?

In Changchun Palace, Consort Rong slowly turned a prayer bead in her hand, calling for Yinzhong to come over. Frowning, she asked, “Among the brothers, you’re the one who usually has a few words with the Crown Prince. How come now the Fourth Prince has taken the lead?”

Yinzhong was equally confused… He didn’t know either!

“Good boy, tomorrow take a package of astragalus to Yuqing Palace and say it’s to visit the Fourth Prince’s illness. Remember what your mother told you: always stay close to the Crown Prince, and in the future, you’ll be guaranteed a princely title,” Consort Rong said affectionately, patting Yinzhong on the head. “Go on, now, return to your studies.”

After the mourning period for Empress Xiaoyi passed, the others, aside from the formal mourning rituals, went about their business. Yinzhi usually resided at his designated residence but would visit Consort Hui’s palace for a few days each month. After the mourning, he never returned to Jingren Palace again.

After this incident, Yinzhen felt deeply disheartened and gradually grew closer to the Crown Prince while becoming more distant from the Eighth Prince, Yinti.

When the mourning period ended, Empress Xiaoyi’s casket was to be buried, but things in Yuqing Palace were busy with another matter.

Wang Gege was nearing her due date.