Chapter 31: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 31: The Fifth Princess Consort

When these words came out, Concubine Yi was stunned for a moment. "You, child... you really can say anything."

Even among the Manchu and Han Eight Banners, she had always prided herself on her beauty, but she never dared to make such bold claims.

If Concubine Yi had been daring in her youth, since entering the palace, she had seen too many beauties of all kinds. Her pride born from her looks had gradually worn off over the years.

People often said she was the most favored in the harem, but even during those years when she was most favored, the Emperor was not idle. First there was Lady Wei, then Lady Zhangjia Shi—each one a top-tier beauty.

Not to mention, in recent years, the Emperor favored Han concubines more, like Lady Wang and Lady Chen in the palace now, and the Han officials' daughters residing in the side chambers of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Each one was beautiful and youthful, their freshness captivating to the eye.

However, Concubine Yi no longer cared about such things. In the past, she lacked support, but now she had both status and offspring, making the Emperor's favor less important.

But one thing the Emperor did well was that he didn't forget his old loves. He still cherished those who were once favored and bore him children.

Seeing An Qing's reaction, Concubine Yi couldn't help but find it amusing. Earlier, she noticed An Qing was captivated by Lady Wang, so she decided to tease her. She didn't expect An Qing to take it seriously; her reaction was quite entertaining.

She was already a grandmother, after all. Competing with young girls for beauty would be ridiculous. But it was heartwarming that this child thought to comfort her.

It was amusing, as Concubine Yi had long noticed that the fifth prince wasn't particularly concerned with appearance. She once privately complained to Lady Guo about his lack of discernment, but who would have thought he would end up with such a beautiful princess consort.

Sometimes Concubine Yi felt fortunate that she gave birth to a handsome fifth son; otherwise, she feared An Qing might have found him lacking.

To Concubine Yi's remarks, An Qing was unconvinced. What was wrong with saying it? Others had their own beauty, but Concubine Yi's beauty was unique.

For example, Lady Chen had the gentle beauty of a Jiangnan woman, every gesture like a painting come to life, captivatingly beautiful.

But Concubine Yi's striking beauty was irreplaceable.

Indeed, compared to Lady Wang, Concubine Yi lacked the youthful innocence of a young maiden, but she had a unique charm that Lady Wang could never match.

"Mother, beauty is a personal matter. Some prefer peonies, others prefer plum blossoms. What matters is our own confidence!" An Qing said earnestly.

Afterward, she put on an expression of 'I am the most beautiful, who can challenge us?'

Concubine Yi was amused by her expression but had to admit that it made sense upon reflection.

Many other concubines were surprised to see how close Concubine Yi and An Qing were.

Concubine Yi had always been flamboyant in the palace, and many concubines feared her, avoiding closeness. When the fifth prince married, they all thought the palace would gain another contentious mother-daughter pair.

But now, seeing them interact, it seemed they were closer than real mother and daughter.

As An Qing and Concubine Yi chatted, two concubines approached them.

"Greetings to Your Highness, Concubine Yi," they bowed respectfully.

Concubine Yi waved her hand lightly. "Rise."

Then, she introduced them to An Qing. They were Lady Wei, the mother of the eighth prince Yinzhi, and Noble Lady Ding, the mother of the twelfth prince Yintai.

An Qing quickly rose to greet them.

In later generations, these two were well-known among Kangxi's concubines. Lady Wei was known because of her son, the eighth prince Yinzhi, who was a contender in the succession struggle.

Noble Lady Ding was known not for her son Yintai but because she was the longest-living concubine in Qing history, living through the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, dying at the age of 97 in the twenty-first year of Qianlong.

Seeing them in person, An Qing couldn't help but muse. No wonder Lady Wei caught Kangxi's attention in the kitchen; her beauty was truly remarkable.

As for Noble Lady Ding, while her appearance was less impressive, knowing her historical fate made her seem blessed.

Despite learning their current ranks, An Qing was still surprised.

Lady Wei was a concubine without a title, ranking slightly below titled concubines. Noble Lady Ding was still just a noble lady, despite having sons nearing adulthood.

Kangxi was indeed stingy with titles in the harem, valuing lineage above all else.

Some entered the palace as concubines, while others spent decades reaching that rank.

Historically, though Kangxi favored Han concubines later in his reign, he was still stingy with titles. For example, Lady Wang, currently favored, waited over thirty years and bore three sons before being granted the rank of concubine late in Kangxi's reign.

After some pleasantries, under Concubine Yi's subtle prompting, the two revealed their purpose.

They had come specifically to thank An Qing for sending watermelons to the eighth and twelfth princes.

An Qing waved her hands, insisting it was nothing. "Your Highnesses, please don't mention it. Little Eight and Little Twelve are the Emperor's brothers; it was my duty. I'm glad they enjoyed it."

Lady Wei smiled warmly. "Yinzhi loved the watermelon. He usually doesn't eat much fruit, but that day he ate quite a bit. It was the first time I saw him do that."

"That's right. Yintai also brought me a watermelon, saying it was to honor me, but he ended up eating more than he gave." Noble Lady Ding laughed heartily.

Her laughter was cheerful, indicating she was a carefree person.

They genuinely appreciated An Qing, not because the melon was rare or delicious, but because she remembered their sons in the palace.

An Qing felt embarrassed by their sincere gratitude. She had only done it casually, not deserving such thanks.

Concubine Yi, noticing An Qing's discomfort, smoothly changed the subject. After a brief chat, Lady Wei and Noble Lady Ding left.

An Qing let out a breath.

Concubine Yi couldn't resist teasing her a little.

She realized that this girl, who was usually thick-skinned when joking around, was most uncomfortable when people thanked her sincerely.

But who is An Qing? In response to Concubine Yi's teasing, she immediately retaliated, "Mother, I think Consort Wei isn't as beautiful as you."

Seeing that she wouldn't let the topic drop, Concubine Yi laughed and pushed her lightly. An Qing, always ready to take advantage of any situation, promptly leaned into her.

As they playfully pushed each other, their closeness was evident.

Just then, Empress Dowager De entered and saw this scene.

Her expression stiffened momentarily before she subtly glanced at Princess Consort Si, her face seeming to darken slightly.

Princess Consort Si kept her head lowered, appearing very submissive throughout.

She sighed silently, envying how well Princess Consort Wu could get along with Concubine Yi. When she first married into the family, Princess Consort Si had also hoped to have a good relationship with Empress Dowager De, but things didn't work out as planned.

Due to the strained relationship between Empress Dowager De and their husband, Princess Consort Si wasn't favored either.

Sometimes, Princess Consort Si wondered why Concubine Yi could maintain a balanced relationship with Fifth Prince and Ninth Prince, while Empress Dowager De couldn't do the same with their husband and Fourteenth Prince.

Throughout history, sibling conflicts often stemmed from parental favoritism.

Princess Consort Si sometimes felt sorry for their husband, but Empress Dowager De, as a mother, couldn't treat everyone equally and always complained about their husband not being as close to Fourteenth Prince as he was to Thirteenth Prince.

But why didn't she consider how Thirteenth Prince treated their husband compared to Fourteenth Prince? When did Fourteenth Prince ever treat their husband like a real brother?

Empress Dowager De arrived shortly after, followed by Consort Hui and Imperial Concubine Rong.

With all four consorts present, everyone returned to their designated seats. An Qing also bowed to the three consorts and took her own seat.

The banquet was segregated by gender, but everyone was in the same hall, not far apart.

An Qing's seat was among the princes' consorts. When she arrived, the Crown Princess, Princess Consort Da, Princess Consort San, and Princess Consort Si were already seated.

Only five princes had married so far, including the Crown Prince, making An Qing the last to join them, completing the group.

This was the first time the sisters-in-law had met. Fortunately, the seating arrangement was clear, with the Crown Princess sitting at the head and the others arranged by seniority, ensuring An Qing wouldn't mistake anyone.

In recent days, An Qing had heard much about the others.

The Crown Princess was known for her virtue and frugality, highly regarded by Emperor Kangxi, who had recently appointed her to assist the four consorts in managing palace affairs.

Indeed, she wore the ceremonial robes of a Crown Princess but adorned herself only with a golden diadem, symbolizing her noble status, without any additional jewelry—a truly simple appearance.

Princess Consort Da, according to rumors, had been trying to bear a male heir for nearly a decade. After giving birth to four daughters, she finally had a son last year.

More strikingly, before her son's birth, Prince Da forbade any concubines from having children, showing his deep obsession with having a male heir.

An Qing, familiar with history, understood the root of Prince Da's obsession. As Emperor Kangxi's first legitimate son and eldest, he had always been overshadowed by the Crown Prince due to his non-royal birth. This thorn had likely been embedded in him since childhood, driving his insistence on preventing any concubines from bearing sons until his own male heir was born.

Of course, this son was Prince Da's bargaining chip against the Crown Prince, who had no male heir.

However, since giving birth to her son, Princess Consort Da's health had visibly declined, often bedridden due to exhaustion from continuous childbirth. Her heavily applied makeup barely concealed her fatigue.

An Qing was relieved that Yinqi didn't share this obsession; otherwise, she wouldn't have borne any children. Even if there were a throne to inherit, she wouldn't sacrifice her health for it. One pregnancy after another would be too much for anyone to endure. She wouldn't want to give birth and lose her life in the process.

Princess Consort San's extravagant appearance almost blinded An Qing with her numerous gold hairpins and jade combs. Such ostentatious attire was indeed high-profile, just as rumored.

Princess Consort Si appeared dignified and elegant, with a slightly round face and a fuller figure. She had given birth to a male heir for Fourth Prince earlier this year and hadn't fully recovered yet.

After bowing to each of them, An Qing sat down at her designated seat.

While she observed the others, they were also observing her. Given her growing reputation in the palace, she couldn't guess what they thought of her.

But she didn't care. It was merely a formal gathering, and after tonight, they might not see each other again for a long time. All she wanted was a peaceful evening.

Not everyone shared An Qing's mindset. No sooner had she sat down than Princess Consort San spoke up.

"Princess Consort Wu, how are you adapting to life in the palace?"

An Qing looked puzzled, sensing that Princess Consort San's sudden concern wasn't entirely benign. "Thank you, Third Sister-in-Law. I'm doing fine, quite adapted."

Princess Consort San nodded seriously. "That's good, very good."

Then she changed the subject. "Actually, although we haven't met, I've heard a lot about you, especially about those watermelons you grew. The whole Imperial City praised them, but unfortunately, I never got to taste one."

An Qing raised an eyebrow, guessing Princess Consort San's intentions.

"How could that be?" she feigned surprise. "Didn't Third Brother bring some watermelons back? Did he not share them with you?"

She made a face, implying that Third Brother shouldn't have done that.

Princess Consort San choked. "There were only two watermelons. Your Third Brother is filial and wanted to give one to Mother, so there wasn't enough to share."

Implying that An Qing and Yinqi were stingy for bringing too few.

An Qing responded, "Oh, but I heard that First Brother gave one to Consort Hui and even shared half with Princess Consort Da."

Clearly, it wasn't about quantity but willingness to share.

It was no secret that Princess Consort San and Third Prince had a strained relationship. Rumored to be obsessed with fair-skinned beauties, Third Prince had recently favored a concubine and brought the watermelon to her, causing a dispute with Princess Consort San. Everyone present knew about this incident.

The Third Princess Consort's face fell instantly, and she didn't bother with pleasantries anymore. She couldn't help but blame An Qing, "However, I heard that you sent watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort alone. What, do you look down on us other sisters-in-law?"

An Qing glanced at her but didn't answer why she hadn't sent anything to others. Instead, she countered, "I heard that the Third Sister-in-Law received some excellent tea recently and even invited the Crown Princess Consort to taste it. Why wasn't I invited?"

As always, everyone lived in the princes' residences, so any movement was hard to hide. Just as the Third Princess Consort knew about An Qing sending watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort, An Qing also knew about the Fourth Princess Consort sending peaches to her first.

The Third Princess Consort didn't expect An Qing to use this against her and felt flustered, "I, I thought the Fifth Sister-in-Law doesn't like tea."

An Qing shrugged, "What a coincidence, then. I thought the same about the Third Sister-in-Law not liking watermelons."

The Third Princess Consort was clearly angered by her words and was about to say something when the Crown Princess Consort sitting above silenced her with a glance.

An Qing didn't look up and thus missed their exchange, but the Elder Princess Consort, seated between them, saw everything.

The Elder Princess Consort lightly coughed, covering her mouth with a handkerchief to hide her sneer.

The Third Princess Consort truly is foolish. Judging from earlier, she was likely being used by the Crown Princess Consort without realizing it.

Over the years, the Elder Prince had been competing fiercely with the Crown Prince, so she had no deep relationship with the Crown Princess Consort. However, the Third Prince was close to the Crown Prince, making the Crown Princess Consort and the Third Princess Consort frequent companions.

But over the years, the Elder Princess Consort observed that the Third Princess Consort was no match for the Crown Princess Consort and often unknowingly became a pawn.

Today, it seemed the Third Princess Consort was challenging the Fifth Princess Consort, but in reality, it was the Crown Princess Consort who didn't want the Fifth Princess Consort to have an easy time.

The reason was clear; the Crown Princess Consort was likely upset that the Fifth Princess Consort had been outshining her in the palace lately.

Indeed, the Elder Princess Consort's guess was correct, but there was one thing An Qing didn't know.

The Third Princess Consort genuinely didn't know about the Fourth Princess Consort sending peaches to her, or even about An Qing sending watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort until today.

She had been busy quarreling with the Third Prince recently and had no time to care about such matters. It was only before coming here that the Crown Princess Consort mentioned An Qing sending watermelons to the Fourth Princess Consort.

This led to her sudden confrontation with An Qing.

However, this incident didn't cause much of a stir. Soon, everyone's attention was drawn to the arrival of the Empress Dowager.

Everyone stood up to greet her, and only then did An Qing notice a lady dressed as a consort accompanying the Empress Dowager. The lady seemed very close to the Empress Dowager but treated the Four Consorts—Hui, Yi, De, and Rong—with less respect.

After a moment's thought, An Qing guessed the lady's identity. She must be Xianfu, Kangxi's consort from Horqin, known for making the women of Horqin notorious for their arrogance in the palace!

It was said that she had been under house arrest by Kangxi, but unexpectedly, she was released today.

But An Qing didn't pay much attention. She was Kangxi's consort and had little to do with her. Right now, she was more concerned about when the Mid-Autumn Feast would begin.

Ancient emperors had the tradition of "spring sacrifice to the sun, autumn sacrifice to the moon."

Therefore, in the royal architecture of every dynasty, there were sun and moon altars for the emperor's rituals. In the Qing dynasty, the emperor worshipped the moon deity at the Moon Altar.

When Kangxi returned from the Moon Altar with everyone, the Mid-Autumn Feast finally began.

Night fell, and lanterns lit up.

The first step of the Mid-Autumn Feast was Kangxi leading everyone in offering sacrifices to the moon in the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

After the rituals, Kangxi, as the leader, gave a speech. Then, everyone received the emperor's feast, wine, and mooncakes, and they all enjoyed the moon together.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, the feast finally reached An Qing's favorite part: the court dance performance.

As the music started and rows of women in flowing silk dresses appeared, An Qing felt like a mouse in a rice bin. Looking at their figures and faces, it was truly a feast for the eyes.

It was worth her anticipation all evening.

If An Qing was initially captivated by the dancers' postures, she was utterly amazed when they started dancing!

How beautiful! Such graceful movements could be described as "fluttering like startled geese, gentle as swimming dragons."

This was authentic classical dance, far different from the superficial performances in later times.

The dancers' movements unfolded gracefully, each gesture fluid and enchanting, a true visual delight.

She finally understood why ancient people loved watching dances so much. Who wouldn't be mesmerized?

In novels, protagonists often dazzled audiences with a single dance, but now she realized how absurd that was. No one could surpass these professionals!

An Qing's excitement was indescribable.

Back in Horqin, she had seen Mongolian dances, which emphasized the joy of singing and dancing around campfires. Though joyful, they couldn't compare to the elegance of court dances.

Ah, the ancestors' aesthetic was indeed high. This was her first time experiencing such refined beauty in two lifetimes.

Such performances were a supreme pleasure to watch. From now on, she decided to focus solely on enjoying the show tonight!

Yinqi was drinking with his brothers when he accidentally glanced at the Princess Consorts' table. Seeing An Qing, he was stunned and barely resisted the urge to hold his forehead.

All the ladies were either chatting quietly or sitting calmly, maintaining their dignified composure.

Only An Qing, with her hands supporting her chin, stared intently at the dancers, her eyes shining with fascination.

Her absorbed and entranced expression was truly... both amusing and exasperating!

Kangxi sat at the head, with the Empress Dowager beside him, followed by the Four Consorts, and then his sons.

After talking with the Empress Dowager, he turned to check on his sons and caught the Fifth Prince's astonished expression. Following his gaze...

Kangxi, being the center of attention, immediately drew everyone's eyes. They all turned to look in the same direction.

And thus, An Qing became the focus of the entire hall!

An Qing had no idea that she had become the focus of the banquet. She was thoroughly engrossed in the performance, whispering comments to herself. "The flexibility of the dancer in the center is truly professional. The one beside her did an impressive backbend."

In the end, it was the Fourth Princess Consort sitting next to her who couldn't help but call out softly, "Fifth Sister-in-Law."

However, An Qing, deeply immersed in the performance, didn't respond.

Everyone watching found this scene amusing. How absorbed must she be to not even hear someone calling her?

The Fourth Princess Consort, seeing this, called out a few more times.

An Qing, enjoying the show, suddenly heard someone calling her name. She instinctively responded with an "Ah" and then looked at the Fourth Princess Consort with confusion. "What is it, Fourth Sister?"

The Fourth Princess Consort could feel everyone's gaze without even looking up, feeling as if she were sitting on pins and needles. Why wasn't she the one being embarrassed, yet she was the one suffering?

"Fifth Sister-in-Law, look up," she whispered almost inaudibly.

An Qing was puzzled but obediently looked up. In the next moment, she met the gazes of several people!

Why... why were they all looking at her?!

An Qing was momentarily stunned before instinctively turning to Yinqi for an explanation. Yinqi helplessly glanced towards the center of the hall and then back at her.

At that moment, she somehow understood his abstract gesture!

Concubine Yi glared at her from across the crowd.

An Qing silently returned a pained expression. It wasn't like she was doing anything wrong; she was just watching a performance. Why were they all staring at her? The dance was far more interesting than she was.

Still, she knew herself well enough to realize that her usual behavior might have been a bit too enthusiastic. Compared to the other ladies present, who maintained their composure, she indeed seemed inexperienced.

Oh no, she was bringing shame to the imperial family.

An Qing immediately straightened her back and tried to adopt a dignified demeanor.

Though it might be too late to mend the situation, she couldn't just do nothing.

She also cautiously observed Emperor Kangxi's expression, but he was known for keeping his emotions hidden. However, she knew that Emperor Kangxi valued propriety above all.

If only she hadn't been so carefree. These days had been too smooth sailing, making her lose her basic sense of caution within the palace. This wouldn't do; she needed to learn from this experience.

An Qing silently repented while praying that her previous flattery and goodwill would serve her now.

As she felt uneasy, the reactions of those around her varied. Some worried about how to plead for An Qing if Emperor Kangxi reprimanded her, some looked down on her for her lack of decorum, and others hoped to see her publicly scolded.

Unexpectedly, when everyone was waiting for Emperor Kangxi's response, Empress Dowager spoke from her seat: "I also find this year's performance quite captivating. I was so engrossed that it seems the Imperial Music Bureau has put in great effort this year."

Her words caused a sudden pause in the room.

For a moment, everyone was bewildered. Wasn't the performance always like this every year?

But they weren't fools and quickly realized the Empress Dowager's intention—she was supporting An Qing.

By praising the performance and admitting she was equally captivated, she cleverly used the word "also." If anyone criticized An Qing later, they would indirectly criticize the Empress Dowager as well.

The crowd exchanged glances. Ah, the Empress Dowager was still as protective as ever.

This action stirred memories for many. When the Fifth Prince was mocked for his poor Chinese, she had summoned all the concubines to Ningshou Palace and sternly defended him, stating that no one dared speak ill of her children.

The princes still vividly remembered their mothers warning them not to mock the Fifth Prince.

Even now, the princes were accustomed to the Empress Dowager's blatant favoritism. Whenever the Fifth Prince faced any slight in the Imperial Academy, the Empress Dowager would summon Emperor Kangxi, and the culprit would face consequences.

With the Empress Dowager's support, Emperor Kangxi naturally had to give face.

He cleared his throat and said, "Mother, you are right."

Even if not for the Empress Dowager, Emperor Kangxi would still give An Qing a way out.

As everyone speculated about his reaction, Emperor Kangxi internally struggled.

But as An Qing had hoped, her previous flattery and goodwill played a crucial role. Initially, he thought her behavior was inappropriate, but he quickly found a reason for her actions.

"Fifth Princess Consort, you came from Horqin and must be bored here in the palace. It's good that you enjoy the performance. If you're ever bored, you can ask the Imperial Music Bureau to send performers."

To Emperor Kangxi, An Qing's excitement stemmed from her lack of exposure. Once she saw more performances, she would calm down. But he didn't realize how much his heart already favored her.

He then turned to Liang Jiugong and instructed, "Tell the Imperial Music Bureau to prepare more new performances."

Everyone was stunned.

Who in the palace wasn't confined here? No one else received such special treatment.

Especially Xianfu, who had just been released from confinement, looked at Emperor Kangxi in disbelief. She was also from Horqin but never received such treatment.

But since the Emperor had spoken, they dared not say anything.

An Qing was almost moved to tears. Had she escaped this ordeal?

Ahh~ This was the benefit of constantly seeking favor and flattering!