Chapter 6: The Fifth Princess Consort 06

Chapter 6: The Fifth Princess Consort 06

An Qing had no idea that she had left such an impression on Emperor Kangxi and the three consorts. However, this suited her perfectly.

In the eyes of a group of clever people, being perceived as naive and innocent was not necessarily a bad thing.

As for giving a gift to the Tenth Prince, it turned out to be a lucky coincidence. Knowing the historical relationships between the Eighth, Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Princes, she had prepared in advance.

So, in addition to the crossbow, the box Perilla was holding contained some other gifts—three exquisite jade pendants.

The materials for making the crossbows were rare, and they only managed to get two. An Qing's initial plan was to give the Ninth Prince a crossbow and the others a jade pendant each, showing a clear distinction in closeness.

However, when An Qing noticed the Tenth Prince's envious gaze, she changed her mind and gave him the second crossbow hidden beneath the wooden box.

Leaving Yikun Palace, Yinqi could clearly sense his princess consort's good mood on their way back.

Of course, An Qing was in high spirits. As a lover of beauty, what could be more delightful than seeing a stunning beauty, especially one with her favorite type of radiant charm?

She couldn't help but marvel at Lao Kang's good fortune, but she also felt fortunate herself, knowing she would have many opportunities to see this beauty again since she was now her mother-in-law.

Walking side by side, Yinqi seemed to recall something and looked at her hesitantly.

An Qing turned her head to meet his gaze, puzzled, "My lord, is there something you want to ask me?"

Yinqi hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly, "Earlier in Mother's palace, why did you keep looking in her direction? Was there something wrong?"

An Qing was taken aback, surprised he had noticed.

Was she really that obvious? She thought she had been quite restrained.

Yinqi looked at her with a hint of exasperation. Standing right next to her, every move she made was visible to him; how could he not notice?

Especially when they were about to leave, her eyes were practically glued to his mother.

An Qing couldn't help but admire his sharpness. Being raised in the palace, his perceptiveness was indeed extraordinary.

She hesitated several times before finally deciding to be honest, "Mother is just too beautiful; I couldn't help myself!"

Oh, how did they manage to resist looking!

Yinqi: "..."

He stared at An Qing, completely taken aback by her answer.

But recalling her pure and clear gaze earlier, he was certain she wasn't flattering or trying to please; it was genuine admiration, devoid of any ulterior motives.

A pure appreciation without any other emotions mixed in.

Yinqi couldn't help but feel both amused and exasperated.

Perilla, standing nearby, couldn't help but facepalm upon hearing her mistress's words, feeling a cold sweat break out for her.

Her mistress was wonderful in every way except for her lifelong fascination with beauty, which showed no signs of improvement even after all these years.

Back in Concubine Yi's palace, seeing her mistress's almost obsessive gaze, Perilla had nearly rushed forward to stop her.

However, seeing Yinqi's reaction, Perilla felt slightly relieved.

In Yikun Palace, Concubine Yi was also pondering.

"Milady, is there something troubling you?" Xizhu asked, supporting Concubine Yi back into the room, noticing her thoughtful expression.

Concubine Yi frowned slightly, uncertain, "Did you notice that the Fifth Princess Consort kept looking at me before leaving? What do you think she meant by that?"

Xizhu had also noticed and, after a moment's thought, replied, "The Fifth Princess Consort is new here, so she might be curious. But I don't think she had any ill intentions."

Concubine Yi nodded lightly, agreeing.

Having navigated the palace for so long, she could tell.

Well, perhaps as Xizhu said, she was just young and curious.

Concubine Yi took a sip of tea offered by Xizhu, her thoughts wandering.

From what she saw, the Fifth Princess Consort seemed fine for now, but she had truly been wary of women from Horqin over the years. Thinking about her own behavior today, she felt somewhat dissatisfied.

Today's incident caught her off guard, but in the future, she must maintain the dignity of a mother-in-law and not let this Horqin daughter-in-law look down on her, Concubine Yi silently resolved.

In the eastern annex of Yikun Palace, Lady Guo's residence.

After leaving Concubine Yi, the Fourth Princess followed Lady Guo back to her quarters. They hadn't seen each other for a few days.

In the palace, princes and princesses moved to Zhaoxiang Palace once they reached a certain age. Older princes with servants moved to their own residences.

The Fourth Princess couldn't take her eyes off the hairpin An Qing had given her. It was such a novel design; could it be from Horqin?

Lady Guo looked at her daughter gently, "Moyali, do you like your Fifth Sister-in-Law?"

The Fourth Princess nodded, "Yes, I like her. She speaks interestingly and has no airs. It's comfortable being around her."

She added, "She's different from the ladies from Horqin who come to the palace."

Lady Guo nodded slightly, "Then visit your Fifth Sister-in-Law often. She came from Mongolia and isn't familiar with the palace, nor does she know many people here."

The Fourth Princess didn't think much of it and readily agreed, "Mother, Aunt, don't worry. I'll visit my Fifth Sister-in-Law often."

Lady Guo shook her head gently, a hint of helplessness in her eyes. Her naive girl didn't understand her true intention at all.

The princesses of the Great Qing rarely escape the fate of being sent to Mongolia for marriage. The Fourth Princess is no exception; last year, the Emperor decreed that she would be married off to Khalkha Mongolia for a political alliance.

In a few months, it will be time for the Fourth Princess to leave for her marriage. Khalkha Mongolia is thousands of miles away from the Imperial City. Despite her status as a princess, she will be in an unfamiliar land with no family nearby. How could she not worry?

Lady Guo advised the Fourth Princess to befriend the Fifth Princess Consort, having her own reasons.

She feared that if anything were to happen to the princess in Khalkha, news would reach the Imperial City too late. Horqin, on the other hand, is much closer to Khalkha Mongolia and could provide some support.

Lady Guo had a motherly concern, but seeing the carefree demeanor of the Fourth Princess, she sighed silently.

Well, given her nature, if she were to approach the Fifth Princess Consort with ulterior motives, it would only make things awkward and counterproductive.

*

Back at the residence, Yinqi went straight to the study in the front yard, while An Qing led Perilla to the back yard.

There was still a lot of work waiting for her in the courtyard. Her immediate task was to familiarize herself with the people in her household.

As a Princess Consort, An Qing was allowed to bring her personal maids into the palace to serve her. She brought four with her: Perilla, Cui Liu, Mai Dong, and Chunxiao.

These four were responsible for her daily life and each had their own strengths. They were all capable in their own ways.

Perilla was steady and thorough in her work, managing all matters around An Qing and overseeing her finances.

Cui Liu was lively and had excellent social skills, excelling at gathering information.

Chunxiao was skilled in cooking and had honed her abilities over the years, thanks to An Qing's training.

Mongolian cuisine was too monotonous for An Qing; occasional meals were fine, but long-term, she couldn't adapt. So, she had to get creative with her requests.

Fortunately, Chunxiao had a high aptitude for cooking and could usually figure out how to prepare dishes based on An Qing's descriptions.

Mai Dong was different from the others. While they had grown up with An Qing, Mai Dong came to her in her teens.

Mai Dong was Han Chinese. Her family had fled to the frontier due to conflicts with local officials. Later, when her elders fell ill and lacked funds for medicine, she sold herself into slavery. An Qing's mother bought her and placed her in An Qing's service.

Mai Dong's family had been doctors for generations, and she had learned much from them.

Initially, An Qing didn't want to bring Mai Dong with her, preferring to leave her with her mother for care. However, her mother insisted, saying that having a knowledgeable maid in the palace would provide peace of mind amidst the intrigue.

Returning to her room, An Qing's first task was to have her elaborate Princess Consort attire removed and replaced with more comfortable clothes, feeling much lighter afterwards.

"Princess, I've gathered information about everyone in our courtyard. It seems that these people were personally selected by His Highness from the Imperial Household Department."

Cui Liu had been busy since yesterday and now had a comprehensive understanding of the situation in the courtyard.

An Qing raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. Yinqi's selection?

Well, if he had vetted them, at least they could be trusted to some extent. As for how to use them, An Qing had gained experience over the years.

In summary, it boiled down to twelve words: know your people, use them wisely, reward and punish fairly.

An Qing instructed Perilla to gather everyone in the courtyard, except for the laborers. There were four palace maids and six eunuchs.

This ratio likely accounted for the presence of her personal maids.

Upon seeing An Qing, they all knelt in unison: "Your servants/servant greets the Princess Consort. May you live long and prosper."

An Qing sat at the head of the assembly and gestured for them to rise. "Rise and speak."

"Thank you, Princess Consort!"

They rose one by one.

Perilla handed An Qing a ledger detailing the basic information of the palace staff—names, length of service, previous assignments, etc.

While the ledger contained the information, An Qing needed to match names with faces.

Perilla pointed to the people below and said, "Come forward and introduce yourselves to the Princess Consort."

One by one, they introduced themselves:

"Princess Consort, this servant is Little Xizi. I entered the palace three years ago and worked in the kitchen."

"Princess Consort, this servant is Lai Fu. I also entered the palace three years ago and worked in the workshops."

"Princess Consort, this servant is Xi Que. I entered the palace through the selection process two years ago and worked in..."

After hearing their introductions, An Qing had a general idea of who they were.

Their tenure varied, and they had served in various departments, but their true character would need further evaluation.

Next came An Qing's address as the new leader. Without wasting words, she got straight to the point: regardless of their past, they must follow her rules now.

"As long as you serve diligently, I will not mistreat you. But if I find you disloyal, being sent back to the Imperial Household Department will be the least of your worries."

They all knelt and swore their loyalty.

Having established her authority, An Qing then showed kindness. She instructed Perilla to give each person six taels of silver for good luck before dismissing them.

"Perilla, keep this ledger and fill in the missing details using the method we used at the estate."

Perilla took the ledger and agreed.

"Keep an eye out for a capable eunuch to manage the courtyard," An Qing added.

In the palace, having a reliable eunuch to handle external affairs would be convenient.

Having finished meeting the people in the courtyard, An Qing was now ready to inspect her new residence. This courtyard in the Palace of Princes would likely be her home for several years.

Typically, once a grown prince receives his title, he is allowed to "establish his own household" and move out of the Forbidden City.

However, during Kangxi's reign, even after receiving their titles, his sons continued to live in the Palace of Princes for quite some time.

The reason was simple: establishing a new household required not only a palace but also furniture and decorations, all of which cost a significant amount of money. Therefore, an additional sum of 230,000 taels was granted when a prince moved out.

Due to ongoing wars and the resulting financial strain, neither the Imperial Household Department nor the national treasury were well-funded. With so many sons, the expense of establishing separate households was substantial.

Thus, Kangxi had no choice but to keep his adult sons and their families crammed into the Palace of Princes.

Look at Elder Brother Prince next door; he has a large family, yet he still resides within the Palace of Princes.

If An Qing's memory served her correctly, Kangxi's princes began moving out around the fortieth year of his reign.

Considering this, even if Yinqi could join the earliest group, they would still have to stay here for another four or five years. Thus, she needed to carefully consider how to arrange her courtyard.

As a Princess Consort, her main courtyard was naturally the largest in the back.

An Qing toured the courtyard with great enthusiasm. The main hall was used for receiving guests, while the eastern warm pavilion was her resting area, complete with a bedroom, bathhouse, and a spacious side room.

During her morning visit to the palace, Cui Liu, Maidmai, and Chunxiao had already arranged the place according to her preferences.

The western warm pavilion was temporarily designated as a study.

Standing in the inner courtyard, An Qing gazed at the red walls and green tiles, feeling a sense of awe. Who would have thought that one day she would reside within the Forbidden City?

Cui Liu suddenly approached her with a mysterious look. "Princess Consort, I found a place you will definitely like."

An Qing responded with an intrigued "Oh." "Stop teasing me, where is it?"

Cui Liu chuckled but didn't reveal anything.

She led An Qing through the courtyard, eventually circling around the main hall and passing through a small door beside the side rooms.

"Princess, look!" Cui Liu called out, pointing ahead.

Upon seeing the scene, An Qing's eyes lit up.

There was a small pond, but more importantly, there was a small patch of empty land beside it!

Unlike the usual stone-paved ground in the palace, this was fresh soil, measuring about a tenth of a mu.

In this palace where every inch of land was precious, such a space was rare indeed.

This spot was behind the main hall, somewhat secluded. For some reason, it remained unoccupied and unbuilt upon.

Perhaps it was due to timing or other reasons, but regardless, An Qing loved this place.

"Good job, Cui Liu! You truly understand me," An Qing said, giving her a thumbs-up. "Have you found out what this land is for?"

The soil looked freshly turned, suggesting it wasn't meant to be left idle.

Cui Liu replied, "I asked Little Xizi. He said it used to be a flower bed but has been unused for a long time. He turned the soil, planning to ask you if he could plant pomegranate and ginkgo trees here."

An Qing nodded slightly.

This spot was somewhat remote, but planting trees would make it less empty and easier to maintain.

Pomegranate trees symbolize fertility and blessings, while ginkgo trees represent health and longevity.

"Tell him not to worry about this land anymore. I have other plans for it," An Qing said.

Cui Liu happily agreed.

An Qing then turned to Maidmai. "Where did you put my watermelon seeds?"

Maidmai replied, "Princess Consort, I stored them safely in a box. Should I fetch them for you?"

An Qing nodded. "Yes, bring them to my room."

Those watermelon seeds were her treasures. As a watermelon enthusiast, the prospect of having unlimited access to watermelons this summer filled her with joy.

Why "unlimited access"? Well, watermelons existed in the Qing dynasty. They were introduced to Xinjiang in the early Tang dynasty and spread to the mainland during the Five Dynasties and Song periods.

By the Ming and Qing dynasties, cultivation techniques had improved, and watermelons were grown throughout the country.

However, the watermelons of this era were different from modern varieties, particularly in terms of taste.

Compared to the thin-skinned, juicy, and sweet watermelons of later times, Qing dynasty watermelons were thick-skinned and coarse-fleshed, often with too many white fibers and a bitter taste.

When An Qing first tasted a watermelon here, she understood why Cixi only ate the center—it was genuinely sweeter than the rest.

As a watermelon enthusiast, she couldn't settle for anything less than the best. So, An Qing dedicated herself to improving watermelon cultivation.

After years of failed attempts, she finally succeeded last year in growing watermelons with the right taste and sweetness!

Although she only harvested a dozen watermelons, she saved the seeds, eagerly awaiting this year's results.

Unexpectedly, she ended up in the palace and couldn't entrust the task to others. She had considered growing them in large pots but never expected such a pleasant surprise.

After walking around the empty plot, An Qing had a plan in mind.

However, this matter cannot be rushed for now. She has just arrived, and there are surely many eyes in the palace watching her. It’s best not to make too much of a commotion. Let’s wait for a while before taking any action.