Chapter 28: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 28: The Fifth Princess Consort

Concubine Yi did not expect Concubine De to suddenly intervene, but since the words had already been spoken, there was no way to take them back.

Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong had not initially planned to follow, but seeing Concubine De's unusual behavior, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and decided to go along as well.

Thus, the four concubines moved from Concubine De’s Yonghe Palace to Concubine Yi’s Yikun Palace.

Xizhu hurriedly instructed people to cut melons for their masters. The four concubines sat in the main hall, none speaking for a moment. Concubine Yi looked at Concubine De thoughtfully, clearly puzzled by her unusual actions today.

After all, she and Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong would often compete openly or covertly over various matters, but Concubine De never participated. Even when others tried to drag her into their schemes, she usually wouldn’t fall for it, making her the most thoughtful among them. So her actions today were indeed peculiar.

Could it be that she wanted to see her make a fool of herself? Concubine Yi suddenly thought, and this seemed to be the only possible reason. But she couldn’t recall doing anything recently to offend Concubine De.

Fortunately, she had emphasized filial piety earlier. If she had praised An Qing’s melons for being sweet, it might have backfired.

After all, everyone in the palace, including the four concubines, would naturally assume that the melons specially provided for the palace would be of the highest quality, something not easily grown by ordinary people.

Facing the scrutinizing gazes of the other three concubines, Concubine De sat there with her head lowered, not giving them any response.

She knew her actions were unusual, but in fact, she didn’t intend to do anything specific. It was just that a few days ago, when the Emperor visited her palace, he mentioned the auspicious peony incident in passing. He inadvertently mentioned the Fifth Princess Consort but quickly realized his slip and stopped.

This made Concubine De wonder if the Fifth Princess Consort was somehow connected to the auspicious peony.

Later, she learned that the Empress Dowager had given the sickly top-grade peony to the Fifth Princess Consort. Connecting these two pieces of information, she couldn’t help but speculate further, though she still had no idea what the truth was.

Sigh~ Over the years, trying to fathom the Emperor’s thoughts had become a habit. Whenever there was something unclear, she couldn’t help but dwell on it.

When she heard Concubine Yi mention that the Fifth Princess Consort had personally grown the watermelon, she had a bold conjecture, which led to the current situation.

But now, reflecting on it, she felt it was unnecessary. Even if her conjecture was true, the Emperor wanted to keep it secret, and she understood that she could not reveal anything.

Xizhu acted quickly, and before long, she brought in several plates of watermelon.

Seeing the watermelon, Concubine Yi’s uneasy heart immediately settled. She realized she had won this round.

An Qing truly was her lucky star. These watermelons were exceptional; one couldn’t find such quality anywhere else in the palace.

"Come, come, sisters, don’t be shy, eat up."

The sweet scent of the watermelon filled the air. After saying this, Concubine Yi couldn’t resist taking a piece herself, savoring it with evident enjoyment.

The other three concubines also snapped out of their shock and started eating.

In the sweltering summer heat, the crisp and sweet watermelon easily conquered their taste buds, especially since An Qing’s watermelons were considered the best of the best in this era.

The three concubines began to scheme silently. Concubine Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong thought about how to ask Concubine Yi for some to bring back for their beloved grandsons. Concubine De thought about how Xiao Shisi loved watermelon and would be delighted to see these.

Concubine Yi saw through their intentions and preempted them, saying, "If it weren’t for my sisters, I wouldn’t share these watermelons with anyone else. It’s not because they’re rare, but because they represent my child’s heartfelt intention. I treasure them dearly. To be honest, even Xiao Jiu wouldn’t get any if he asked."

After saying this, she wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, displaying a look of reluctant affection.

Seeing this, the three concubines couldn’t bring themselves to ask. They finished the watermelon on their plates and reluctantly took their leave.

Concubine Yi watched them leave, feeling elated.

They wanted to take her watermelons? No way. These were gifts from her daughter-in-law, who had grown them for her. If they wanted some, let their own daughters-in-law grow them for them.

Concubine Yi grew increasingly pleased, recalling the taste of the watermelon. She had thought An Qing was just flattering her when she said she would pick the sweetest ones, but she had delivered on her promise.

This child is... truly too considerate.

Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

*

Emperor Kangxi was discussing state affairs with his ministers, as usual, with the Crown Prince and all adult princes present to listen.

Every summer, the Yellow River floods caused widespread disasters along its banks, a perennial headache for the government.

After the conclusion of the Dzungaria campaign this year, Emperor Kangxi finally had time to address the Yellow River issue. He spent days in meetings with his ministers, determined to devise a practical plan for river management.

However, the Yellow River’s flooding had been a challenge for generations, and despite days of discussion, they still had no clear solution. Emperor Kangxi’s patience was wearing thin.

At this point, another difficult problem arose, and Emperor Kangxi’s brows furrowed deeply.

The ministers below remained silent, and the Crown Prince and princes were extra cautious, fearing they might provoke the irritable emperor and become the unfortunate victims.

Emperor Kangxi exhaled heavily, realizing he was being too impatient. If it were easy to solve, the problem wouldn’t have persisted for millennia.

He raised his hand, signaling a brief break.

Liang Jiugong promptly instructed the palace maids to serve tea and snacks to everyone, knowing that discussions could last for hours.

Emperor Kangxi, in a foul mood, had no appetite and merely sipped some tea without touching the pastries before him.

Liang Jiugong thought this wouldn’t do; the emperor needed sustenance. He needed to find a way.

After a moment’s reflection, his gaze fell on the Fifth Prince, and he had an idea. "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort sent some watermelons earlier, saying they were for you. Would you like to have some now?"

Emperor Kangxi recalled Concubine Yi mentioning An Qing growing melons and immediately understood the source of these watermelons. Given his irritable mood and the hot weather, having some watermelon would indeed be nice.

“Good, have them cut more,” Emperor Kangxi said as he looked around. “Let them taste it too.”

Liang Jiugong hastily agreed, bowed, and then went to make the arrangements.

The two did not avoid the others as they spoke, and the ministers all heard their conversation. While the ministers were somewhat curious about why the Fifth Princess Consort would send watermelons to Emperor Kangxi, they did not think much of it.

However, the princes are different. As sons of the Emperor, acts of filial piety are inherently competitive. Normally, if anyone obtains something good, they can't wait to present it before the Emperor as an offering.

Why would the Fifth Princess Consort suddenly send watermelons to His Majesty? Of course, they wouldn't think it had anything to do with An Qing; they would assume Yinqi was up to something.

Still, both the Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince couldn't help but feel a bit contemptuous. The Fifth Prince and his consort really were petty—what's so special about these watermelons that they need to present them to His Majesty?

How truly small-minded.

But with Emperor Kangxi present, they knew their limits and didn't dare act recklessly.

Soon, Liang Jiugong led several young eunuchs in, personally carrying a platter of watermelons toward Emperor Kangxi. One could see the restrained excitement on his face.

After placing the watermelon on the table, Emperor Kangxi glanced at it inadvertently and was momentarily stunned.

This...

He instinctively looked around and saw that everyone's fruit platters contained the same type of watermelon. A look of surprise flashed across his face.

The expressions of those seated below were no less astonished. Among the princes, several seemed to have suddenly realized why the Fifth Prince had gone out of his way to present these watermelons to His Majesty. This must be the reason.

"Is it just this one watermelon, or..." Emperor Kangxi turned to Liang Jiugong and asked.

Liang Jiugong immediately understood and replied, "Just now, I had two watermelons cut, and both were like this."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's gaze shifted to Yinqi. "Fifth Prince, did your consort really grow these watermelons?"

Yinqi, as if expecting this question from his father, stood calmly and bowed, replying, "Yes, Your Majesty."

His answer was confident and even carried a hint of pride.

From seedling to transplanting, pruning, fertilizing, and weeding, An Qing had done everything herself. These watermelons were indeed her handiwork, without any help.

Emperor Kangxi fell silent for a moment before suddenly laughing and inviting everyone to eat the watermelon.

He eagerly took a piece and put it in his mouth, his eyes widening in surprise.

This watermelon... sweet but not cloying, juicy yet not bland, with an incredibly smooth texture. It made him feel like he had never truly tasted a watermelon before.

The reactions of those below were equally genuine, evident by the rapidly diminishing watermelons in their platters.

Even Elder Brother Prince, who usually didn't enjoy fruits much, couldn't resist finishing his entire platter.

Emperor Kangxi even thought the taste surpassed that of the melons offered by the King of Hami. This was truly the king of all watermelons.

For a while, the Palace of Heavenly Purity was filled only with the faint sound of chewing and the sweet aroma of watermelon.

Everyone's expressions varied, but they all seemed to be savoring the taste.

Suddenly, a minister stepped forward and knelt before Emperor Kangxi.

"Your Majesty, my mother is elderly and has lost her appetite due to the heat. May I humbly request a few slices of that watermelon to take home for her?"

Seeing this, others exchanged glances and also stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, my father is over seventy and loves watermelons. I feel guilty enjoying such a delicacy without him. May I request a small slice?"

"Your Majesty..."

Requests for watermelons echoed throughout the hall.

Emperor Kangxi: "..."

So only you have elders to honor, and I don't!

He turned to Liang Jiugong and asked, "Does Empress Dowager have any?"

Liang Jiugong replied, "Your Majesty, the Fifth Princess Consort has already visited Empress Dowager."

Emperor Kangxi nodded in satisfaction. The Fifth Princess Consort was indeed filial.

However, when his gaze returned to the ministers below, he felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Most of those present were trusted officials, like Minister Ma Qi of the Ministry of Finance and Minister Zhang Ying of the Ministry of Rites. These dignified scholars, who usually maintained a serious demeanor, were now shamelessly asking for watermelons.

What's more, they were only asking for one or two pieces, not wanting to appear greedy.

Emperor Kangxi was always kind to his ministers and often bestowed gifts to foster a harmonious relationship. This was a common practice among emperors, and Kangxi was adept at it.

Whenever tributes arrived, like the melons from Hami or the lychees and pineapples from Fujian, he would distribute some to his officials as rewards and favors.

But these seasoned courtiers also knew how to gauge the emperor's intentions and occasionally ask for small favors to satisfy the emperor's desires.

The ministers who requested watermelons had seen through this, though they genuinely loved the fruit.

This time, however, Emperor Kangxi had his own thoughts. He loved these watermelons too much and, according to Liang Jiugong, the Fifth Princess Consort hadn't sent many. If he gave them all away, what would he have left?

He looked at Yinqi, and the Crown Prince and other princes followed his gaze, their intentions clear.

Yinqi remained silent, not responding to anyone's scrutiny, acting as if it had nothing to do with him.

Seeing his son's lack of cooperation, Emperor Kangxi cleared his throat and said, "Fifth Prince, how many watermelons does your consort have left?"

Yinqi sighed inwardly. He knew this would happen.

Last night, when An Qing discussed sending watermelons to His Majesty, he had guessed that some of her crop would be claimed. But he hadn't anticipated the ministers' requests.

"Your Majesty, there aren't many left. They were grown in the courtyard, and you know how small the place is." Yinqi explained.

Kangxi saw his son trying to evade the question and instantly laughed in exasperation. "Stop fooling Me. There must be some number, even if it's not many."

Yinqi, realizing he couldn't get away with it, immediately put on a troubled face. "It should be less than a hundred, but I really don’t know for sure. An Qing did all of this."

He knew exactly how many there were; they had counted them together just yesterday.

Kangxi pondered for a moment and then slapped his hand down. "Then I won’t ask for too many. A hundred will do."

Don't think he didn't see through this little trickster’s game. Saying it was less than a hundred, he would bet the real number was significantly higher.

"Of course, I won’t take your things without giving something in return. Go discuss with your Princess Consort what rewards you want, and come back to Me for them."

Kangxi thought he was being quite generous, so he believed Yinqi would have no reason to refuse.

Unexpectedly, Yinqi suddenly looked distressed. "Father Emperor, aren’t you putting me in a difficult position? If these were my own crops, I would bring them all to you without hesitation. But they’re not mine, so I can’t make that decision."

In other words, you can’t expect me to take what belongs to my wife.

He then began recounting how hard An Qing worked, from seedling cultivation to pruning vines under the scorching sun and digging drainage ditches in the rain. He detailed every hardship, making the ministers who had asked for melons feel ashamed. How could they take advantage of the efforts of a weak woman like the Fifth Princess Consort?

Kangxi stared at Yinqi as if seeing a stranger. Was this still his usually reticent son?

But Kangxi wasn’t one to be easily fooled, especially when he noticed Yinqi saying he rarely visited the field yet knew all the details about growing melons. Clearly, Yinqi was trying to play him.

But old foxes are always wiser. He knew Yinqi was simply trying to bargain.

"Fine, fifty then."

Even though he was moved by the story, he realized taking too many melons from his daughter-in-law wouldn’t be right.

Yet, Yinqi remained stubborn, insisting that since he didn’t grow them himself, he couldn’t make the decision.

The Crown Prince and Elder Brother Prince looked at him with disdain, thinking Yinqi must be out of his mind. No matter how delicious the melons were, their Father Emperor had already asked for them, and he was still refusing!

And when did Yinqi become such a henpecked husband?!

Kangxi was furious. When had asking for something been so difficult? He glared at his son and said, "Go ask your Princess Consort!"

Yinqi reluctantly agreed. "Alright, I’ll go ask and report back to you, Father Emperor."

Suddenly, he added, "But there’s one thing I need to clarify first. The watermelons in that field ripen at different times."

Kangxi frowned. "So?"

Yinqi matter-of-factly replied, "So, even if An Qing agrees, we can’t deliver all the melons at once."

Kangxi was speechless.

Was he going to get them in batches now?

Getting something from him was harder than raising funds from the Ministry of Finance!

Kangxi hadn’t realized how troublesome Yinqi could be. Deciding to cut to the chase, he decided to visit An Qing’s melon patch himself.

The meeting had reached a stalemate anyway, so a walk might be refreshing.

He was genuinely curious about how the Fifth Princess Consort managed to grow those watermelons.

An Qing was leisurely eating watermelon in her courtyard when Ma Xiang ran in, sweating profusely.

Seeing him, she instinctively thought something had happened to Yinqi. Instead, he blurted out, "Princess Consort, His Majesty is coming here soon. Please prepare quickly."

An Qing was stunned. What?!

Kangxi was coming to her place?!

This, this...

While An Qing was still in disbelief, Perilla and the others quickly sprang into action. They couldn’t let their mistress appear unprepared before the Emperor.

They immediately pulled An Qing up from her chair and hustled her inside to get ready.

Everyone else in the courtyard also rushed to tidy up, sweeping and cleaning, turning the place into a flurry of activity.

An Qing finally got herself presentable just before Kangxi arrived. Standing in the courtyard, she was taken aback when she saw the group enter.

She had expected only Kangxi, but instead, a large entourage filled her small courtyard.

Glancing around, she recognized the men on Kangxi’s right as his sons, while the officials on his left wore formal attire. She noted that these officials held high ranks.

She felt bewildered. She had guessed that Kangxi’s visit might be related to her melon patch, given that she had just delivered melons to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Still, the grandeur of this visit was overwhelming.

As Kangxi approached, An Qing hurriedly bowed to greet him.

Once closer, she could see everyone clearly. The young man in yellow robes beside Kangxi was undoubtedly the Crown Prince. Next to him, the older man with a martial aura was likely Elder Brother Prince. The scholarly-looking third son was easy to identify, and the one with a slight limp was probably the seventh son.

Beside Yinqi stood a cold-faced, youthful figure—undoubtedly the future Emperor Yongzheng, the fourth son Yinzhen.

These men matched historical descriptions, and it was undeniable that Kangxi’s sons were all handsome.

Yinqi gave her a reassuring look, and An Qing nodded slightly in response.

Kangxi raised his hand, signaling her to rise. "Don’t be nervous. We’re here to see your melon patch. Lead us there."

An Qing readily agreed and led the way, hoping they would leave soon. Her small courtyard couldn’t handle so many important visitors, and she could see how tense Perilla and the others were.

Who would have thought that as they passed by the two small flower beds in the courtyard, Kangxi suddenly stopped and looked curiously at the tomato tree An Qing had planted. "Oh, your tomatoes are quite unique."

In the palace, tomatoes were usually grown in pots. Seeing them shaped like a small tree was something new, but it had to be admitted that this method was rather interesting, especially with the red fruits hanging from the branches, making it look particularly festive.

Everyone followed Kangxi's gaze and couldn't help but marvel, "These tomatoes are indeed ingeniously cultivated."

An Qing was clearly taken aback. Previously, she had dealt with a batch of ripe tomatoes, leaving many green ones behind, which had now all turned red. She hadn't paid much attention to them recently and didn't expect Kangxi to notice them suddenly.

But she didn't panic and replied with a smile, "Thank you, Father Emperor, for your praise. Actually, they looked even better before."

Seeing her composed demeanor, Kangxi was pleased and teased her, "So, is that why you couldn't resist becoming the first brave soul in Great Qing to eat a tomato?"

An Qing let out an "ah," seemingly not expecting Kangxi to bring up this embarrassing incident, and her face instantly turned red.

Kangxi couldn't help but burst into laughter, and everyone else joined in.

Yinqi hurried forward to smooth things over for An Qing, and the Crown Prince teased him, saying that the Fifth Prince knew how to protect his wife, which led to another round of laughter.

However, the previously tense atmosphere instantly lightened. Finally, An Qing led everyone with a smile to her small melon patch.

But when they stood at the edge of the field, the lively atmosphere suddenly came to a halt.

They stared in disbelief at the melon field, where rows of large watermelons lay side by side, making them dumbfounded.

Wasn't this too productive? With such a small plot of land, how could so many watermelons grow, each one so big?!

Moreover, everyone turned to look at Yinqi. Didn't he say there were less than a hundred? At first glance, there were clearly more than two hundred!

If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, would he have eaten them all alone? That was too unbrotherly.

But facing the accusing gazes, Yinqi remained calm, saying he had never been here often and didn't know the exact number.

Kangxi had already guessed that his son hadn't been entirely honest, but he hadn't expected the difference to be so significant.

He had visited the melon fields in Nanyuan and had a rough estimate of the yield. He had conservatively estimated that An Qing's plot could produce about 150 melons, and they wouldn't be very large. But seeing this, he wouldn't have believed it if he hadn't seen it himself.

"You've taken good care of them," Kangxi said, looking at An Qing.

An Qing smiled and replied, "Your daughter-in-law doesn't have much to do, so I spent a lot of time on them, which naturally resulted in a good harvest."

Kangxi shook his head with a smile. He wasn't someone who knew nothing about farming. He knew that growing crops wasn't just about effort; there was a lot of knowledge involved.

Growing watermelons this well showed some real skill.

"Earlier, the Fifth Prince said you could offer fifty watermelons to the Emperor. What do you think, Fifth Princess Consort?" Kangxi suddenly asked An Qing with a chuckle.

Yinqi understood his father's intentions and tried to speak, but Kangxi interrupted, "Fifth Prince, I'm not asking you, but your Princess Consort."

Yinqi had no choice but to remain silent.

An Qing was initially stunned but quickly understood Kangxi's intention. She couldn't help but silently complain that he just wanted her to give him more.

"Since my lord has spoken, I will certainly comply. Here are fifty watermelons for Father Emperor," she said with an innocent smile.

Seeing An Qing playing along, Kangxi laughed. This couple really did fit together perfectly.

He raised an eyebrow, neither speaking nor smiling, looking at her and then at the field of watermelons.

The meaning was clear: With so many watermelons, is offering only these few enough?

An Qing didn't panic and explained, "Father Emperor, you're being unfair. You see plenty of melons here, but at least half need to be saved for seeds. We can't eat such delicious watermelons just once, can we?"

Kangxi agreed, having considered the seed-saving aspect. He was pleased with An Qing's thoroughness.

With a wave of his hand, he said, "Alright, I'll take charge of it. Next year, I'll allocate a separate plot in Nanyuan for you to grow watermelons."

An Qing hadn't expected such a good deal and immediately bowed to express gratitude, "Thank you, Father Emperor. Next year, your daughter-in-law will offer more to you."

Kangxi nodded in satisfaction. That was more like it.

He glanced at Yinqi, comparing him to An Qing, and found her more competent.

Yinqi seemed to remember something and suddenly asked, "Father Emperor, what about the reward you mentioned earlier?"

Would allocating a plot of land cancel out the reward?

Kangxi, used to dealing with his son, assured him, "Don't worry, everything is separate."

Then he looked at An Qing and said, "Think carefully about what reward you want and let the Fifth Prince convey it to me."

An Qing wasn't foolish and immediately understood that Yinqi was securing benefits for her. She bowed to express gratitude.

When discussing the melon distribution yesterday, Yinqi had mentioned that the melons were rare, and Kangxi might ask for another batch later. He would negotiate a reward for her, so she wouldn't work for free. At the time, An Qing hadn't taken it seriously.

After all, giving some to Kangxi wasn't a problem since she intended to rely on him anyway.

She hadn't expected such a pleasant surprise. Yinqi was indeed reliable.

While the reward shouldn't be excessive, anything reasonable should be acceptable.

"These watermelons are different from the ones we usually eat. Both the taste and quality are much better. Where did you get the seeds?" Kangxi asked.

An Qing had anticipated this question. "Father Emperor, it was a coincidence. A few years ago, I encountered a very sweet watermelon with flesh finer than usual. I saved the seeds and cultivated them for several years, leading to today's watermelons."

The truth was far more complex, involving a lot of hardship in cultivating the watermelons. However, she couldn't explain the agricultural knowledge involved. Therefore, she had prepared this explanation, which should gain Kangxi's trust. After all, his imperial rice started from discovering a special strain of rice.

As An Qing had predicted, Kangxi had no doubts about this explanation and highly praised her patience and diligence.

"Daughter-in-law is ashamed. To be honest, it was all inspired by His Majesty." An Qing replied.

Kangxi responded with an "Oh," and asked, "How so?"

An Qing spoke sincerely, "My father once told me the story of how His Majesty discovered and cultivated 'Imperial Rice.' At that time, daughter-in-law thought His Majesty was truly remarkable, a good emperor who cares for the people. Later, when I encountered those watermelons, I suddenly had an idea to emulate Your Majesty, which led to these watermelons today."

As the saying goes, flattery never fails. Having the chance to flatter Kangxi, one should not miss it.

Kangxi was indeed pleased with her words. He had always been proud of cultivating high-yield rice and believed himself to be a good emperor who puts the people first. After all, throughout history, no other emperor had achieved what he had.

Seeing that An Qing genuinely recognized his efforts and even emulated him in practice, Kangxi was genuinely delighted. He praised her extensively and even offered to let her visit his Fengze Garden to see the Imperial Rice in person someday.

In Kangxi's view, An Qing understood him in matters of agriculture. When she saw his achievements, her reaction would surely be different from others.

"To have the honor of visiting His Majesty's Fengze Garden would be a great privilege for daughter-in-law." An Qing was genuinely happy upon hearing this.

After all, it was Kangxi's Fengze Garden, essentially the agricultural research institute and experimental field of Great Qing, where the best seeds and most knowledgeable farmers of the empire resided. She had long wanted to visit it.

However, she suddenly changed the subject, "His Majesty, regarding the reward you mentioned earlier, may daughter-in-law boldly make a request?"

Kangxi, in a good mood, waved his hand, "Speak."

An Qing subconsciously rubbed her hands, somewhat excitedly, "His Majesty, could you grant daughter-in-law some seeds of your Imperial Rice?"

Note well, it's the seeds, not just the Imperial Rice.

The specially reserved batch of seeds is different from the Imperial Rice usually bestowed on others; there are many intricacies involved.

Actually, as an agricultural student, An Qing had long coveted Kangxi's Imperial Rice but had never had the opportunity to ask for it. When Kangxi mentioned rewards, she immediately thought of this.

She had been contemplating how to broach the subject, but now the opportunity presented itself.

Kangxi was visibly surprised, "You want to grow it yourself?"

"I do want to try," An Qing admitted without hiding it, scratching her head a bit bashfully, "I don't have any other hobbies, Your Majesty. I just love planting things and pondering over them."

Hearing this, Kangxi gave An Qing a deep look, a hint of incomprehensible admiration in his eyes.

"Very well, then I shall grant you a bag of Imperial Rice seeds!"