Chapter 22: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 22: The Fifth Princess Consort

When Yinqi arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity under the cover of night, Kangxi had already retired for the evening. Fortunately, he had been busy and had not chosen any concubine's green card for the night.

Hearing the commotion outside, Kangxi lifted the bed curtains and called out, "Liang Jiugong, who is outside?"

Liang Jiugong had just finished speaking with the eunuch on duty at the door and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, it is the Fifth Prince requesting an audience. He says there is an urgent matter to report."

Kangxi’s brows furrowed slightly. What could be so urgent that it required coming in the middle of the night? Couldn’t it wait until tomorrow?

This Fifth Prince still can't keep his composure.

Despite his complaints, Kangxi got up, "Have him wait outside."

Yinqi held the potted peony without daring to put it down, waiting outside. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he saw Kangxi, dressed only in a robe, approaching.

"How did you come so late? What couldn't wait until..."

Before Kangxi could finish his reprimand, he noticed the object in Yinqi’s hands. He paused, then quickly walked over to Yinqi, his face filled with surprise. "Did you find this in the flower garden on the capital outskirts?"

He had always believed that the vast Great Qing would surely find another similar peony.

"However, this one looks exactly like the previous one," Kangxi remarked.

Look at those branches and stems, look at those golden-edged petals; it was almost identical to the one before it fell ill.

Yinqi glanced at his father and silently muttered, Of course it looks the same, because it is the same one.

"Father, this is the same one as before."

Kangxi exclaimed, "What?" He stared at Yinqi, confused. "The previous one?"

Isn’t the previous one in the Empress Dowager’s palace?

Yinqi nodded. "Yes, it is the one you sent to the Empress Dowager’s palace, but now it has been cured."

Kangxi was astonished. "Really?"

Yinqi nodded emphatically. "Indeed, Father. It is absolutely true."

Kangxi looked at Yinqi quietly, then took the potted peony and examined it closely by the candlelight. The brown spots on the stem and leaves were indeed gone.

Not satisfied, he asked Liang Jiugong to bring his Western reading glasses and several more palace lanterns. He scrutinized every leaf and petal meticulously.

After confirming that the peony was truly healthy, Kangxi was overjoyed. "Excellent, excellent! Truly, heaven blesses our Great Qing!"

He patted Yinqi’s shoulder. "I never expected such skill in the Empress Dowager’s palace. The entire palace’s gardeners were helpless, yet someone managed to save it. I must meet this person and reward them generously!"

Yinqi opened his mouth to explain, "Father, this peony was not saved by anyone in the Empress Dowager’s palace."

Kangxi was taken aback. "Then who was it?"

Yinqi recounted what An Qing had told him earlier, mentioning her fondness for gardening in her courtyard. This also served to introduce An Qing to Kangxi.

Rumors like before would likely cease after this.

Upon hearing that An Qing had saved the peony, Kangxi was stunned. "Yinqi, your princess consort really saved it?"

Could the Fifth Princess Consort solve a problem that even the palace’s gardeners couldn’t?

Yinqi nodded slightly. "I dare not deceive you, Father. I just learned about this. An Qing said she used to grow flowers and plants when she lived in Horqin. Whenever they fell ill or suffered from pests, she would research solutions herself, consulting books or experienced farmers and gardeners. Sometimes she succeeded, sometimes she didn’t. This time, saving the peony was sheer luck."

This was the explanation An Qing had given, which Yinqi repeated verbatim.

Kangxi nodded thoughtfully. Indeed, Deb raised his children well, both sons and daughters. No wonder the people of Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner cooperated so well with farming matters. His children personally tended to the fields, unafraid of hard work—something rare among noble families.

"Your princess consort is remarkable. For such a great achievement, I will reward her generously!" Kangxi declared.

Yinqi quickly thanked his father on An Qing’s behalf, offering polite compliments.

Kangxi enjoyed these words and paced back and forth in front of the peony, deep in thought.

After a while, he turned to Liang Jiugong and said, "It is three days until the summer solstice sacrifice. Have it announced that starting tomorrow, I will fast for three days. On the day of the summer solstice, I will personally visit Fangze to offer sacrifices for the prosperity and abundance of our Great Qing."

Liang Jiugong responded promptly, not daring to delay.

Previously, due to the lack of a second auspicious peony, Kangxi had lost interest and issued an edict early in the morning, appointing Ma Qi, the Minister of Finance, to perform the ritual at Fangze.

But now, he had changed his mind. In addition to informing Ma Qi and the Ministry of Rites, preparations for the Emperor’s fasting must be made immediately. The Emperor’s personal attendance at the sacrifice was a serious matter that could not be taken lightly.

Yinqi sighed inwardly. He had come at night precisely for this reason.

As a prince, he knew the significance of auspicious signs for the imperial family and understood why his father placed such importance on the peony.

If he had reported this in the morning, missing the three-day fasting period, his father might not have been able to attend the ceremony personally.

Sacrifices were always significant events, especially the annual grand sacrifice at Fangze, which required utmost attention to detail.

When Yinqi left the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Ma Xiang was waiting at the gate. Seeing him, Ma Xiang hurried forward.

"Sir, are we done?"

Yinqi nodded slightly. "Let’s go back."

Ma Xiang promptly arranged for a sedan chair. After a day of toil and fatigue, Yinqi was utterly spent and closed his eyes for repose as soon as he settled in.

At this time, it was already past the hour of Si, and all the palace gates had long been locked. The mistress and her servant hurried through the night towards the residence of the princes, having endured no small amount of trouble along the way.

Ma Xiang glanced at his master, who was resting with closed eyes on the sedan chair, still marveling inwardly.

Earlier, when his master suddenly announced they were going to the Palace of Heavenly Purity while in the courtyard of the Lady Fu, Ma Xiang was puzzled about what had happened. It wasn't until he saw his master carry out that potted peony from Lady Fu's room that he understood the reason.

These days, he had been by his master's side and knew how important the matter was to the Emperor. Although Ma Xiang still didn't know where Lady Fu had obtained the peony, one thing was certain: she had done a great deed.

Of course, their master might also benefit from the Emperor's favor because of this.

The sedan chair soon arrived at the residence of the princes. At this moment, An Qing's main courtyard was brightly lit.

She was sitting on a couch, wrapped in a robe, staring into the candlelight. When Yinqi left earlier, he hadn't said anything, taking only the potted peony, which made her lose the sleepiness she had managed to muster. She could only wait for him to return.

"Master, your lordship has returned," Perilla announced as she lifted the curtain and entered.

An Qing quickly got up to greet him. Seeing her, Yinqi immediately guessed that she must have gotten out of bed after he left.

"I'm sorry. I left in such a hurry without explaining properly, causing you worry," he said apologetically.

An Qing shook her head. "It's fine. Important matters come first."

Without rushing to ask questions, she waited for Yinqi to speak. If he could tell her, he would; if not, she wouldn't press further.

Yinqi understood her intentions and felt a warm sense of gratitude.

Though they had been married for only a short time, he could feel An Qing's trust in him. Whatever he did, she never questioned it or interfered. Being with her always felt easy.

Holding An Qing's hand, Yinqi led her inside, briefly recounting the entire situation, including the symbolic significance of the peony and the Emperor's emphasis on the matter.

"Therefore, the peony will be used as an offering for the summer solstice ritual and cannot be returned."

Although An Qing mentioned that saving the peony involved some luck, Yinqi knew she had put considerable effort into it. However, due to its special nature, it had to be given away.

The ritual was a significant event that couldn't be delayed, lest it cause future problems.

Upon hearing the explanation, An Qing was stunned.

From Yinqi's reaction earlier, she had guessed it wasn't something bad, but she hadn't expected the peony to have such a profound background.

Of course, she fully supported Yinqi's decision to submit the peony promptly. Such a hot potato was better off out of her hands.

"If you like peonies, these days I've visited many flower gardens in the capital outskirts. While none are as special as that one, there are still quite a few nice ones. Perhaps someday..."

An Qing waved her hand, interrupting him. "No need to bother. I don't particularly like peonies. That day at the Empress Dowager's palace, I just looked at it more because it was sick. She misunderstood and thought I liked it, so she gave it to me. It was all a misunderstanding."

Seeing that she seemed sincere, Yinqi nodded slightly and then brought up another matter.

"The Emperor said you've done a great deed and asked me what you want."

An Qing exclaimed, "Ah." Did Kangxi mean to reward her?

And could she actually make requests?

She tentatively asked, "Anything?"

Seeing her bright eyes, Yinqi hesitated. "Well, in principle, anything is possible, but..."

An Qing understood his hesitation.

Alright, it meant the Emperor could ask, but she shouldn't make any extravagant requests.

Tact was essential when dealing with imperial matters, and since An Qing lacked this skill, she decided to follow Yinqi's advice.

After three days of fasting, the day of the summer solstice finally arrived.

Yinqi left early in the morning. An Qing woke up briefly when he got up but was too sleepy and fell back asleep.

*

Emperor Kangxi personally went to the Altar of Earth, bringing along several older princes. They proceeded in a grand procession to the altar.

The Altar of Earth was a solemn and elegant imperial temple located east of Anding Gate in the northern suburbs of the Imperial City, corresponding to the Altar of Heaven according to the principle of "South Heaven, North Earth."

In Qing dynasty rituals, sacrifices to the Earth Deity were of the highest rank, and ancient emperors always treated them with utmost respect.

The purpose of the earth sacrifice was to pray for a bountiful harvest and prosperity under the emperor's rule.

The ceremony was similar to the sky sacrifice, involving elaborate rituals and abundant offerings. The Emperor himself needed to kneel over 70 times, taking more than two hours, making it a physically demanding task.

Given the significant physical strain, the Emperor could send someone else to perform the ritual on his behalf.

This year, if not for the auspicious peony, Kangxi might not have planned to perform the ritual himself.

When Kangxi and his entourage arrived at the Altar of Earth, the lengthy and complex ceremony began.

Though far away in the Forbidden City, many people were concerned about the ritual.

News of Kangxi's sudden decision to perform the ritual himself had spread throughout the palace, along with whispers about the auspicious peony.

Ancient people naturally revered auspicious signs, and the news spread quickly within the palace.

Cui Liu returned from her rounds, looking proud and honored.

Others might not know, but those close to An Qing were aware of the situation, even though they had been instructed not to share it. This didn't stop them from feeling proud themselves.

"Look at you, girl. What are you so proud about?" Chunxiao laughed.

Cui Liu placed her hands on her hips, looking self-assured. "That auspicious creature was saved by our mistress, so of course I'm proud."

An Qing helplessly shook her head. To her, these so-called auspicious signs were often fabricated or legendary, used to uphold the authority of the emperor.

This time was no different; she didn't take it seriously at all.

Life went on as usual—eating and drinking as before. But the increasingly hot weather gave her a headache.

Sigh, the Forbidden City is much hotter than Horqin, like a giant oven. I wonder when it will rain and cool down a bit.

As if her wish had been heard by some rain deity, in the afternoon, just after she woke up from her nap, the clear sky suddenly turned overcast, and soon heavy rain began to pour down.

At first, it was a light drizzle, but gradually the rain grew heavier, with large drops falling like broken strings of pearls.

The sudden downpour broke the oppressive heat of recent days, and many palace servants stopped their work to take shelter under the covered walkways.

An Qing stood at the front of the main hall, gazing at the Forbidden City in the storm. The red walls and tiled eaves were adorned with curtains of rain, creating a spectacular scene.

"How strange, how could the weather change so quickly? It was sunny just a moment ago."

"Indeed, this sudden rain must have caught many people off guard..."

A few little eunuchs nearby whispered, their voices carried through the rain.

An Qing smiled. There was nothing unusual about it; summer rains always came suddenly. As they say, summer weather is like a child's face, changing in an instant.

"This rain is good." She reached out to catch the raindrops falling from the eaves, murmuring to herself.

The capital outskirts hadn't seen rain for so long; this downpour would save the crops, making life easier for the farmers this year.

Just then, Cui Liu came out of the room and couldn't help asking, "Mistress, why do you look so happy?"

An Qing withdrew her hand and playfully sprinkled water towards Cui Liu, causing her to dodge left and right.

"I'm naturally happy because 'summer solstice rain is worth a thousand taels.'"

Cui Liu exclaimed, "What a thousand taels?"

An Qing couldn't help but laugh. She was quite money-minded, hearing only the part about "a thousand taels."

"The saying is 'summer solstice rain is worth a thousand taels,' a farming proverb for the summer solstice."

Cui Liu finally understood and exclaimed, "There are so many farming proverbs for these seasons."

There were proverbs for Grain Buds, Grain Full, Start of Summer, Grain Rain, and Pure Brightness. She wondered who invented them.

An Qing smiled. Indeed, there were many.

The twenty-four solar terms are the result of ancient Chinese farmers' long-term observations and summaries of celestial phenomena, weather, and agricultural activities. They provide valuable guidance for farmers.

Solar term proverbs are sayings related to agriculture during each solar term, such as "spring begins with the sixth ninth day, and oxen plow everywhere," indicating that spring has arrived and it's time to start farming.

An Qing suddenly felt inspired and said to those around her, "Since today is the summer solstice, let's share some summer solstice farming proverbs. Those who can recite one will get a prize."

Everyone became excited at the mention of a prize but then looked at each other uncertainly.

They were familiar with the twenty-four solar terms but not with the proverbs.

Most of the ordinary palace maids came from families of bannermen, with no experience in farming. As for the eunuchs, most came from poor farming families but entered the palace at a young age, so they also lacked knowledge of these proverbs.

Realizing this, An Qing decided not to make things difficult for them. Just as she was about to find a way to divert the conversation, Little Xizi raised his hand.

"Replying to the Lady, this servant knows one."

An Qing responded with interest, signaling him to speak.

Everyone turned to look at him, focusing their attention on the little eunuch.

He scratched his head and said, "From Start of Summer to Grain Full, it's never too late to plant."

Then he added, "My grandfather used to say this when I was a child. I don't know if it's correct anymore."

It was correct, but...

"Do you go by Lai Fu? Where are you from?" An Qing asked.

Lai Fu was thrilled that the Lady remembered his name and nodded vigorously. "Replying to the Lady, this servant is Lai Fu, and my hometown is Shengjing."

An Qing nodded. That made sense; this proverb summarized the farming experience of northeastern farmers.

Due to geographical differences, the timing of seasonal changes varies. In the south, Start of Summer marks the beginning of summer and hot weather, but in the northeast, it signifies the start of spring.

So, this proverb applies only to northern regions.

But it was indeed a summer solstice farming proverb, so An Qing had Perilla give Lai Fu a five-tael silver ingot as a prize.

Everyone looked enviously at Lai Fu, but they had no choice since they didn't know any proverbs.

"Oh, I remember one too!" Cui Liu exclaimed suddenly.

Chunxiao, standing next to her, jumped in surprise. "If you know one, just say it. Why do you have to be so dramatic? You scared me half to death."

Ignoring Chunxiao's complaint, Cui Liu looked at An Qing with shining eyes. "I remember another summer solstice farming proverb. Does it count?"

An Qing responded with interest, "If you can recite it, it counts."

Cui Liu was delighted and proudly said, "Summer solstice full ponds mean full granaries, meaning if there is sufficient rainfall on the summer solstice, the crops will have a good harvest."

Having said that, she looked at An Qing with an expression seeking praise: "Master, was I right?"

An Qing smiled. This girl had a good memory; she couldn't even remember when she had mentioned it before.

"Very good," she said, patting Cui Liu's shoulder with a smile and teasing her, "So as a reward... let Mugwort cook you some mung bean porridge."

Cui Liu was initially happy to have something to eat, but when she heard it would be cooked by Mugwort instead of Chunxiao, her face immediately fell, and she wailed, "Master, this is not a reward at all! It's clearly a punishment!"

The mung bean porridge Chunxiao made was a delicacy—sweet and sticky, fragrant and soft, with the aroma of rice mingling with the fresh scent of mung beans, enhanced with osmanthus flowers for flavor. It was simply delicious.

But Mugwort was different. Her mung bean porridge was more like medicinal soup, always adding various bitter ingredients such as lotus seeds and honeysuckle. Moreover, Mugwort's cooking skills were mediocre, making the porridge barely edible, much like taking medicine.

An Qing, however, disagreed, almost arguing, "Who says this isn't a reward? The nourishing version of mung bean porridge is a good thing. With the summer solstice here, we should focus on dietary supplements. Ingredients like lotus seeds, honeysuckle, and mung beans are perfect for the summer, so we should eat more of them."

She then winked at Mugwort, "Isn't that right, Mugwort?"

Mugwort looked at An Qing with admiration, "Master is right. During the summer solstice, we should focus on nourishing the heart. Bitter foods can help strengthen the heart and control the lungs."

"You remembered that well. But Mugwort also said that in summer, people's digestive systems are weaker, so you should eat less cold food and iced dishes. Why don't you follow those instructions?" Cui Liu pouted, unable to resist muttering, "Just yesterday, you secretly ate another bowl of iced dessert."

Upon hearing this, Mugwort immediately turned to look at An Qing, her gaze full of reproach, as if waiting for her to promise to eat less cold food in the future.

An Qing cleared her throat lightly, pretending not to see it, looking around nervously, unsure what she was doing.

"Um, I'm suddenly feeling hungry. Mugwort, go cook the porridge quickly. Cook plenty, so everyone in the courtyard can have a bowl."

In the end, Mugwort was pushed away by Chunxiao to cook the porridge.

After watching her leave, An Qing let out a deep sigh of relief.

She truly feared Mugwort's rigid personality. If it were Perilla or the others, An Qing could easily coax them, but with Mugwort, any promise had to be kept, or she would nag endlessly.

Although she knew Mugwort meant well, enduring the scorching summer without ice was akin to torture.

Those around her couldn't help but chuckle at An Qing's childish behavior, but they tried to contain their laughter except for Cui Liu, who laughed out loud.

"Hahaha, Master, you're too obvious... saying you're hungry when you just finished eating. What a poor excuse!"

An Qing glared at Cui Liu. She dared to laugh after betraying her earlier. Now Mugwort would watch her even more closely.

Thinking about it made her furious.

"Cui Liu, once the mung bean porridge is ready, you must drink two bowls. That's an order!"

Without giving Cui Liu any chance to protest, she turned and walked back into the house, leaving only a cold and unfeeling back.

Only when she heard Cui Liu's painful cries did An Qing feel a bit better.

Hmph!

Come on, let's hurt each other. Who's afraid?

Little Xizi and the others watched their Lady and the maidservant who had served her since childhood interact so closely, feeling a bit envious.

But apart from envy, there was no jealousy or resentment.

The incident with Man'er had reminded An Qing of an old saying: "People do not resent scarcity but rather inequality." In managing personnel, this was also true. Among those close to her, Perilla and the others were irreplaceable. If anyone felt resentful, it would cause problems.

Therefore, An Qing specifically asked Perilla to gather everyone in the courtyard and used the Man'er incident as an example. She stated that if anyone wanted to leave, she wouldn't stop them and would even help them with the arrangements in the Imperial Household Department, but only for that day. If they didn't speak up now and caused trouble later, the consequences would be worse than what happened to Man'er.

Everyone hurriedly assured her that they wouldn't dare. Man'er had been sent back to the Imperial Household Department for punishment and assigned to the laundry department to do hard labor.

The laundry department was where all the dirty work was done. Going there meant a ruined life.

Of course, in the palace, people like Man'er were rare. Everyone understood that relationships were built over time. There was no such thing as a master being kind without reason.

Compared to other places in the palace, Lady treated them very kindly, understanding the hardships of being servants. Besides regular wages, there were constant rewards and allowances. The "heat allowance" given recently was unheard of elsewhere in the palace.

Moreover, from Cui Liu and the others, it was clear that Lady valued loyalty. As long as they served faithfully, the bond between master and servant would grow stronger over time.

When the Fifth Prince moved out of the palace to establish his own household, they would have the opportunity to serve in the prince's residence, which was a promising future.

Thinking about this, everyone felt hopeful, and their days became brighter.

While there was joy and sorrow in An Qing's courtyard, the Palace of Heavenly Purity was filled with excitement due to the sudden heavy rain.

Just fifteen minutes ago, Kangxi had led a group of princes and ministers back from the capital outskirts, all drenched in rain. However, no one was unhappy about getting wet; everyone wore joyful expressions.

Kangxi was the happiest.

First, the national flower peony bloomed, a sign of auspiciousness, and then he witnessed the sudden downpour after performing the ritual sacrifice to the earth. These events were hard not to connect.

For months, the Imperial City and Zhili had suffered from drought, with not a drop of rain.

The sudden rain brought immense joy to everyone.