Chapter 5: Princess Consort Wu (Part 5)

Chapter 5: Princess Consort Wu (Part 5)

An Qing was very much looking forward to seeing the historical figure known as the "Emperor for All Ages," Kangxi, with her own eyes.

When it comes to Emperor Kangxi of the Qing dynasty, historians see him as an outstanding statesman and military leader, a remarkable ancient emperor, and someone who has become well-known through various TV dramas and films due to the "Nine Princes' Struggle" incident.

However, in the eyes of agronomists, Kangxi had another lesser-known side—as an expert in cultivating high-yielding rice.

Kangxi is the only ancient emperor who personally cultivated high-yielding rice. It was his drought-resistant rice that doubled the rice yield per mu in Jiangnan and ended the history of not being able to grow rice north of the Great Wall.

In the field of agronomy, Kangxi is often referred to as "the Yuan Longping before Yuan Longping," highlighting his status and influence.

As an agricultural student, An Qing has always held Kangxi in high regard, and thus she has a good understanding of the history of his reign.

Putting aside other aspects, as an emperor, he spent ten years personally cultivating rice and then another twenty years promoting it nationwide. This level of perseverance and resilience is truly commendable.

At least it proves that Kangxi was a capable emperor who cared about his people.

An Qing and Yinqi were led by a young eunuch from the annex of the Palace of Heavenly Purity to the East Warm Pavilion. Upon entering the hall, following etiquette, she kept her head slightly bowed and knelt beside Yinqi to pay their respects.

"Rise." Kangxi's strong voice came from above.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After they thanked him and stood up, Kangxi asked Yinqi a few casual questions. An Qing finally had the chance to glimpse the face of the "Emperor for All Ages."

To put it simply, he exuded a commanding presence, but his appearance was rather ordinary.

Not that he looked ordinary, just not handsome.

Considering Kangxi's age—he is over forty—appearance is no longer important; what matters is his demeanor.

And as a cultured and martial emperor who has been in power for years, his demeanor is naturally impressive.

"Princess Consort of the Fifth Prince, how are you adapting to life in the Imperial City?" Kangxi suddenly turned to An Qing and asked with concern.

An Qing did not panic. She first performed a curtsey: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am doing well."

Kangxi nodded slightly and chatted with her casually, asking about her father and family.

An Qing answered politely and coherently, showing no signs of nervousness or confusion.

Not bad, she seems composed, Kangxi thought.

Over the years, Kangxi felt somewhat guilty towards his fifth son.

Back then, he placed the fifth prince under the care of the Empress Dowager because he felt she needed company. While the elderly lady ensured the child was well-fed and cared for, she neglected his education.

Out of respect for filial piety, he could not interfere too much.

Sigh! This resulted in the fifth prince appearing somewhat dull and mediocre compared to his brothers.

If An Qing knew what Kangxi was thinking, she would certainly have something to say.

Dull? Mediocre?

A prince raised in the palace, constantly navigating political intrigue, yet managing to remain uninvolved in the struggle for succession, must possess considerable character and ability.

The blame lies in the fact that Kangxi's sons were generally strong, a testament to Kangxi's upbringing.

He demanded that his princes be capable of governing, leading troops, and pursuing scholarship, requiring them to excel in politics, military affairs, and culture from a young age.

Yinqi, having fallen behind in his youth, was seen as mediocre by Kangxi.

However, this also created the premise for the struggle for succession among the nine princes.

Each one was strong, making it difficult for any one of them to dominate, all believing they had the ability to vie for the throne.

An Qing, coming back to her senses, saw Kangxi scrutinizing her with a serious expression. She was momentarily taken aback but then gave him an innocent smile.

Kangxi found this amusing. She truly seemed to be a girl without guile.

He had indeed done this on purpose. Most people would be filled with anxiety when faced with the emperor's scrutiny, but only a simple-minded person would not overthink it and even smile.

This was quite rare.

The more Kangxi thought about it, the more he believed this marriage was a good choice. The girl was likable, could handle herself, but was not overly shrewd, making her a perfect match for the fifth prince.

"Liang Jiugong, I remember there is still one jade ruyi from the Burmese tribute. Bring it here to reward the Fifth Prince's Princess Consort."

Liang Jiugong was momentarily stunned but quickly responded affirmatively.

Yinqi was surprised as well. The jade ruyi was a tribute from Burma a few years ago, and there were only four pieces. One was given to the Empress Dowager, one to the Crown Prince, and one to the Elder Brother Prince for his battlefield achievements earlier this year.

He never expected the last piece to go to An Qing.

It seems the emperor is quite pleased with this daughter-in-law, Yinqi thought.

This is good. Being favored by the emperor means others in the palace will not dare to look down on her.

An Qing was unaware of these intricacies. She only knew that she had passed this test.

She silently breathed a sigh of relief.

Earlier, she had been careless in observing the emperor's face, but fortunately, she had managed to keep her composure.

Speaking of which, it was all thanks to her "innocent and sweet" appearance.

After leaving the Palace of Heavenly Purity, An Qing and Yinqi, the newlywed couple, couldn't head back yet; they still had to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi in the harem.

According to protocol, on the second day after a prince's marriage, he should bring his wife to pay respects to the Empress. However, Kangxi's throne had been vacant for years, and even the positions of Imperial Noble Consort and Noble Consort were currently unoccupied.

Therefore, An Qing only needed to go and pay her respects to her mother-in-law, Concubine Yi.

As for the other three of the Four Concubines, they did not have this privilege.

In the main hall of Yikun Palace.

Concubine Yi had dressed herself early and was waiting for her son and daughter-in-law to come and pay their respects with tea.

Lady Guo and the Fourth Princess were also present. Although Lady Guo was merely a Noble Lady and not worthy of receiving tea from an imperial prince's wife, she was Yinqi's aunt, so it was appropriate for her to be there to meet them.

For some reason, despite her son's wedding being the previous day, Concubine Yi did not seem particularly joyful but rather had a faint look of worry on her face.

"Your Highness, I've brewed you a cup of tea. Please have some to refresh yourself," said Xizhu, the senior palace maid by Concubine Yi's side, as she brought a cup of tea.

Concubine Yi gestured for her to place it on the table beside her.

Lady Guo also noticed that Concubine Yi had faint shadows under her eyes, which were somewhat concealed by makeup but still visible up close.

"Did you not sleep well last night?"

Concubine Yi sighed lightly and waved her hand dismissively.

She had tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep due to worry. Yesterday was the fifth prince's wedding day, and although she should have been happy as his mother, she could not find joy in it.

The Emperor had chosen a wife for the fifth prince from Horqin, and everyone knew how proud Horqin women could be. She could not say much about the late Grand Empress Dowager or the current Empress Dowager residing in Ningshou Palace, but the lady in Xianfu Palace had always looked down on others, never putting any of the palace ladies in her eyes.

Because the fifth prince was raised under the Empress Dowager and the lady in Xianfu Palace was close to her, Concubine Yi often encountered her and had to endure her disdain.

Although the lady was not favored, her noble birth and kinship with the Empress Dowager meant that Concubine Yi had to tolerate her over the years.

The Emperor always treated Mongolians with respect, and now having another Horqin-born daughter-in-law, Concubine Yi was unsure if this was good or bad.

Being a mother-in-law was one thing; if she disliked her, she could simply see her less. But if the fifth prince's wife turned out to be arrogant and unreasonable, what would become of him?

The fifth prince was her first child. When she gave birth to him, her rank was low, and she had no choice but to send him to be raised by the Empress Dowager. She felt guilty towards him for not raising him herself.

Lady Guo understood Concubine Yi's concerns but did not know how to console her.

The Fourth Princess, who spent most of her time with Concubine Yi and Lady Guo, also understood. After some thought, she spoke up, "Aunt, don't worry. I think the fifth sister-in-law is quite nice."

Though they hadn't met face-to-face yesterday, the Fourth Princess had talked with An Qing through the veil and sensed that she was different from the lady in Xianfu Palace.

Concubine Yi remembered sending the Fourth Princess to accompany An Qing and asked about her character.

The Fourth Princess scratched her head, unsure how to describe it.

After a moment's thought, she decided to recount everything from the beginning, including Xiao Jiu's mischief and her conversation with An Qing.

Concubine Yi listened thoughtfully, "She wasn't angry about Xiao Jiu's mischief?"

"No," the Fourth Princess shook her head. "I felt embarrassed and apologized on behalf of Xiao Jiu, but the fifth sister-in-law said that a bit of noise on a happy day was fine."

Concubine Yi nodded seriously.

She didn't get upset about Xiao Jiu's mischief and was courteous to the Fourth Princess, indicating she wasn't someone who held grudges.

Her character must be decent then.

Just as Concubine Yi began to feel relieved, a small eunuch rushed in, "Your Highness, Noble Consort Hui, Noble Consort De, and Imperial Concubine Rong have arrived."

Hearing this, Concubine Yi's expression changed abruptly. "Why are they here!"

They were here to mock her, of course.

It was no secret in the harem that the Four Concubines had a strained relationship. They were all in the same position and had sons, leading to years of open and covert competition.

Having known each other for so long, they were familiar with each other's temperaments.

Concubine Yi was fiery and had been favored for many years, but only the lady from Horqin in Xianfu Palace could make her feel inferior.

No one expected her to end up with another Horqin-born daughter-in-law, and they had laughed at her behind her back for it.

So, today's scene of the first meeting between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law in Yikun Palace was something they wouldn't miss.

"Sisters, why do you have time to visit today?" Concubine Yi greeted them with a forced smile.

Noble Consort Hui led the way, smiling as she took Concubine Yi's hand. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, she was secretly delighted.

"Today is your special day, sister. We must make time to share in your joy."

Noble Consort De and Imperial Concubine Rong followed closely behind, showering her with compliments, making it impossible to find fault.

Concubine Yi gritted her teeth but had no choice but to instruct her servants to serve tea and snacks to entertain them.

Before heading to Yikun Palace, An Qing and Yinqi first went to the Empress Dowager's Ningshou Palace to pay their respects.

Yinqi had been raised under the Empress Dowager since childhood, and their bond was strong.

*

The elderly lady was delighted to see them. Perhaps because they shared the same ancestry, the Empress Dowager treated An Qing warmly, giving her a set of red gold jewelry as a gift and chatting with her about life on the grasslands.

Both from the left wing of Horqin, though from different banners, they were indeed related ancestrally. An Qing was considered the Empress Dowager's niece-granddaughter and should address her as Aunt Empress Dowager.

But now that she has married into the royal family, she can only follow Yinqi in calling her "Imperial Grandmother."

After paying their respects to the Empress Dowager and having tea and some snacks with her, they left.

Ningshou Palace is in the Eastern Six Palaces, while Yikun Palace is in the Western Six Palaces, so it takes quite a bit of time to circle around.

As An Qing and Yinqi were hurrying over, a verbal battle had already taken place several times in Yikun Palace. Concubine Yi was fighting three against one, which was somewhat exhausting for her.

Just then, the Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince suddenly ran in from outside the hall.

"Mother, His Majesty bestowed a jade ruyi on Fifth Sister-in-Law," Yin Tang shouted.

Concubine Yi's eyes lit up, and she instantly perked up. "Is it the jade ruyi from Burma?"

A hint of confusion flashed across Yin Tang's face: "Mother, you must be confused. It couldn't be any other one."

This unlucky child, how does he talk! Concubine Yi couldn't help but secretly glare at him.

However, since she was in a good mood, she didn't bother to argue with this stinky kid.

The Emperor giving such a grand gift to the Fifth Princess Consort also gives face to the Fifth Prince.

Thinking about it, Concubine Yi straightened her back immediately.

She smiled lightly and said, "You child, it's not such a big deal. You don't need to run here specially to tell me. Didn't your eldest brother get one at the beginning of the year too?"

Concubine Hui was instantly envious. What did he mean by "didn't your eldest brother get one too"!

Her Baoqing earned that reward through his glorious achievements on the battlefield. How could the Fifth Princess Consort compare?

Concubine De picked up her teacup and took a sip without showing any emotion. She was always best at discerning Emperor Kangxi's thoughts, so she thought more deeply.

In this entire palace, if there was one daughter-in-law the Emperor was most satisfied with, it would naturally be the Crown Princess.

But when the Crown Princess first entered the palace two years ago, she didn't receive such a generous reward.

It seems her previous guess was correct; the Emperor really intends to promote the Fifth Princess Consort's family. However, the Emperor's efforts to win over Mongolian princes were mainly due to the wars in the northwest. Now that Galdan is dead and Dzungaria has surrendered, there should be no more wars for a while.

But where else would he promote them besides the battlefield?

Concubine De couldn't figure it out.

Finally, An Qing arrived at Yikun Palace. But as soon as she walked into the main hall and saw the crowded room, she was stunned. What's going on? Why are there so many people?

Judging from the setup, those seated should be Emperor Kangxi's concubines.

However, when An Qing's gaze fell on the person in the highest seat, her eyes instantly brightened.

Wow~ Such a radiant beauty, she must be her beloved mother-in-law!

Ugh, Lao Kang is truly blessed!!

Yinqi was also surprised, but he quickly regained his composure and led An Qing in to pay respects to all the imperial consorts.

An Qing was also slightly surprised; she hadn't expected to meet all four consorts—Hui, Yi, De, and Rong—on her first day in the palace.

Concubines Hui, Yi, De, and Rong entered the palace around the same time and should be roughly the same age, but Concubine Yi looked much younger than the other three, appearing to be only in her early thirties. Yet, who would have thought that she was already a grandmother?

Indeed, beauty defies time.

Since An Qing entered, she was quietly observing everyone, and everyone in the room was also observing her.

Whether it was Concubines Hui, Yi, De, and Rong, or Lady Guo, the Fourth Princess, and the Ninth Prince beside them, their first reaction was that rumors were indeed unreliable!

What blackened complexion? There might not be anyone in the entire palace with skin as fair and delicate as the Fifth Princess Consort's.

As for her appearance, though she wasn't a breathtakingly beautiful woman, she was definitely attractive.

Especially her lively almond-shaped eyes, which seemed to speak, and her dimples when she smiled, making her look endearing and delightful.

The palace maids quickly brought in tea from the side room.

An Qing respectfully bowed to the highest seat, then took the teacup from the palace maid and handed it over with a smile: "Your daughter-in-law pays respects to Mother. Please have some tea."

Seeing her graceful and proper demeanor, Concubine Yi was even more pleased.

She smiled, took a sip from the teacup, and gestured for her personal palace maid to bring out the prepared gift, a phoenix hairpin adorned with peacock feathers and pearls.

Concubine Yi then walked to An Qing, took her hand, and led her toward Concubines Hui, De, and Rong.

"Since my sisters are here, Fifth Daughter-in-Law, please offer them tea as well."

An Qing obediently let Concubine Yi lead her, though inwardly she was puzzled. Were Concubines Hui, De, and Rong not overstepping their bounds by accepting her tea, given their lower rank?

Or perhaps the etiquette tutor sent from the palace taught her incorrectly?

"This won't do; it's not proper," Concubines Hui, De, and Rong hurriedly refused.

Concubine Yi could propose it, but they dared not accept it.

Without mentioning anything else, today they came here on their own initiative. If word got out that they were eagerly drinking the Fifth Princess Consort's tea, the Emperor, who values hierarchy, might suspect they had ulterior motives.

Concubine Yi slapped her forehead and feigned innocence: "My fault, my fault. I got so excited that I almost caused trouble for my sisters."

"But since my sisters are here, let the Fifth Daughter-in-Law pay her respects to you."

An Qing was a bit confused. Hadn't she already paid her respects upon entering? Why pay them again?

However, not understanding was fine; she just needed to follow along obediently.

An Qing bowed respectfully to Concubine Hui. "Greetings, Mother Hui."

As she rose, Concubine Yi looked at Concubine Hui with a smile. "Oh, how my eyes deceive me! I didn't notice the new bracelet on your wrist earlier. Could it be that you're planning to give it as a gift to the Fifth Princess Consort?"

Her words were as good as an outright request.

Concubine Hui was furious, never expecting Concubine Yi to ambush her like this.

Normally, giving a bracelet wouldn't matter, but the one on her wrist was made of the finest white jade, a rare and precious gemstone. It was a gift from her son Baoqing, who had specially sent someone to the south to procure it for her.

This was the first time she had worn it. Was she really going to let Concubine Yi's daughter-in-law have it?

The more Concubine Hui thought about it, the more unwilling she became. She considered finding an excuse to avoid giving it away, perhaps offering another bracelet later.

Even if An Qing were foolish, she now understood the situation: Concubine Yi was angling for a gift.

An Qing played along, feigning surprise and gratitude. "Thank you, Mother Hui, for your kindness."

Concubine Hui had no choice but to remove the jade bracelet and hand it to An Qing, gritting her teeth in frustration.

Concubine Yi felt a surge of satisfaction. The Fifth Princess Consort was indeed clever.

Hmph! She knew exactly where Concubine Hui had gotten the bracelet. Regardless of its value, the fact that it came from Elder Brother Prince was enough to upset Concubine Hui.

Imperial Concubine Rong and Empress De exchanged glances, realizing they couldn't escape this either. They each removed a bracelet from their wrists and offered them to An Qing.

Lady Guo also took the opportunity to present her prepared gift.

An Qing was delighted with the gifts but didn't forget to reciprocate.

Among those present, the Fourth Princess, Ninth Prince, and Tenth Prince were all younger relatives. As their sister-in-law, she needed to make a gesture during their first meeting.

For the Fourth Princess, she had prepared a delicate gold hairpin adorned with red carnelian, a unique design not found in the Imperial City. The Fourth Princess loved it.

For Ninth Prince Yin Tang, she had a finely crafted crossbow, which An Qing had asked her second brother to specially make, incorporating some features from Mongolian bows. It was intricately carved with a lifelike image of a sea eagle.

"Wow!" Yin Tang exclaimed. "This crossbow is beautiful. Thank you, Fifth Sister-in-Law!"

At fifteen or sixteen years old, he was just entering his teens, a time when he would naturally be drawn to weapons like these. An Qing's gift hit the mark perfectly.

Tenth Prince Yin'e watched his ninth brother enviously from the corner. Though not as clever as his siblings, he wasn't oblivious.

In the palace, everyone was family, but there were still degrees of closeness. Like his ninth brother and fifth brother being full siblings, and the Fourth Princess being Concubine Yi's niece, Fifth Sister-in-Law would naturally prepare gifts for them.

His presence was unexpected; he shouldn't have come today. He had simply followed his ninth brother without much thought.

When Fifth Sister-in-Law began distributing gifts, Yin'e realized she might not have prepared anything for him and didn't want to put her in an awkward position, so he quietly retreated to the corner.

Everyone else in the room understood the situation. Tenth Prince's appearance was indeed unexpected, and no one could have anticipated it.

During the Fourth Prince's wedding, Thirteenth Prince, despite being close to his fourth brother, had stayed away.

But Tenth Prince's mother had passed away a few years ago, leaving no one to remind him.

Understanding aside, Concubine Hui, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong were curious to see how Fifth Princess Consort would handle this.

Yinqi felt guilty. He should have reminded An Qing about Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi, or at least prepared something himself.

Unexpectedly, An Qing turned to the box Perilla was holding and pulled out another crossbow identical to the one given to Ninth Prince, presenting it to Tenth Prince.

Everyone was taken aback.

Especially Yin'e, who looked at An Qing in surprise. "Fifth Sister-in-Law, do I get one too?"

An Qing smiled and placed the crossbow in his hands. "Little Brother, do you like it?"

Yin'e clutched the crossbow, thrilled. "Of course I like it! Thank you, Fifth Sister-in-Law."

He then turned to Yin Tang. "Ninth Brother, look! Mine has a horse, a galloping horse!"

Yin Tang leaned over, and the two brothers examined each other's crossbows, both clearly delighted.

Concubine Hui, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong left feeling defeated.

*

As they exited Yikun Palace, their thoughts aligned with Kangxi's.

The Fifth Princess Consort seemed straightforward but handled things well, leaving no room for criticism.

Despite being far away in Horqin, she was aware of the palace dynamics, knowing that Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shi were close friends and had prepared a gift for Tenth Prince. Her attention to detail was commendable.

It was possible her family had helped arrange everything, as Deb's family doted on their youngest daughter, making her innocence understandable.

But thinking back to An Qing's performance and the harmonious scene with Concubine Yi's family, Empress De couldn't help but wonder.

Could a proud Horqin woman truly be so humble and easy to get along with?

Over the years, Concubine Hui, Concubine Yi, Empress De, and Imperial Concubine Rong had lived under the shadow of Horqin women. When the Empress Dowager was alive, the entire harem was dominated by Horqin women.

Even the less favored Horqin concubines retained their pride.

Was Concubine Yi's daughter-in-law truly an exception? Empress De doubted it.

As the saying goes, "You can change your kingdom, but not your nature." Concubine Yi had always subtly criticized her poor relationship with her mother-in-law. Only time would tell how long their harmony would last.