Chapter 39: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 39: The Fifth Princess Consort

After Yinxiang left Zhangjia Shi's palace, he first sent the Eighth Princess back to Zhaoxiang Palace. Then, hesitating for a moment at the entrance of the princes' quarters, he finally decided to go to the Fourth Prince's residence.

"Did your fifth sister-in-law really say that?" A hint of surprise flashed across Yinzhen's face.

Yinxiang nodded slightly, "The Eighth Sister said it, so it should be correct."

He had heard what the Eighth Sister said in her mother's palace just now, but he couldn't judge its accuracy. However, to reassure his mother, he chose to agree with her, even though he still felt uneasy.

These days, not only his mother and the Eighth Sister were worried; he was also troubled by this matter, unable to eat or sleep well. But he didn't want to disturb his Fourth Brother, so he had been dealing with it alone. This time, however, he couldn't hold back any longer and decided to come to the princes' quarters to see if he could find his Fourth Brother, and unexpectedly, he was there.

Yinzhen looked thoughtful, completely absorbed in what Yinxiang had just said, without noticing his brother's expression.

In recent days, the issue of Dzungaria seeking a princess from Great Qing had caused quite a stir both in the imperial court and the harem. Yinzhen had been discussing this matter with his advisors, but they had yet to reach a conclusion.

He found An Qing's words quite reasonable. It was clear that Dzungaria's rebellious intentions had not died down, and now that Galdan was dead and Dzungaria had surrendered, there was no reason for Great Qing to send a princess.

However, she overlooked an important point: the past two years of warfare had greatly strained Great Qing's resources. As someone working in the Ministry of Finance, Yinzhen knew how tight the national treasury was. If another war broke out, they might not be able to bear it.

Given this situation, it was uncertain whether his father would approve Dzungaria's request for marriage, as it could provide a temporary respite and allow Great Qing some time to recover.

Still, it was understandable that his fifth sister-in-law, being a woman confined to the inner chambers, did not consider these factors.

"Fourth... Fourth Brother, is something wrong?" Seeing his Fourth Brother's reaction, Yinxiang's heart sank further.

Yinzhen looked up and noticed the anxious look on Yinxiang's face. He silently blamed himself for neglecting his brother's concerns these past few days.

Indeed, Thirteenth Brother had two sisters, and he must have been very worried.

"Thirteenth Brother, your fifth sister-in-law comes from Mongolia, and her perspective on this matter makes sense. Don't worry too much. I also believe the Eighth Sister will be fine," Yinzhen said.

However, the reason he believed the Eighth Princess would be safe was different from An Qing's. On the contrary, he thought their father might approve the marriage. But why did he think the Eighth Princess would be safe? Because there were still the Sixth and Seventh Princesses ahead of her. Even if their father decided to send a princess, the Eighth Princess would not be the most likely candidate.

This was why his mother had been so eager to arrange the marriage of his Fifth Sister recently. The order of princess marriages always followed the eldest to the youngest, and there was no reason to skip anyone unless there were special circumstances.

Yinxiang's eyes brightened, and his worries faded away.

His Fourth Brother never spoke without basis, so if he said it, there was nothing to worry about.

Time flew by, and the day of the Fourth Princess's wedding finally arrived.

At the end of November, the Fourth Princess, now titled "Princess Heshuo Kejing," married Dunbudorji of Khalkha. On this day, the princess's procession left the Forbidden City, heading towards the Mongolian grasslands.

An Qing's initial guess had been correct. Kangxi felt guilty about sending his first daughter to the Northern Desert, evident from the lavish dowry and grand wedding arrangements. In the end, he even sent the Seventh Prince and Tenth Prince to escort their Fourth Sister north.

This was unprecedented honor, even surpassing that given to his favorite daughter, the Second Princess Rongxian.

An Qing and the Eighth Princess stood on the wall of the Forbidden City, watching her departure. From a distance, they saw the corner of the carriage window carrying the Fourth Princess gently lifted, revealing someone looking back at the imperial city where she had lived for over a decade.

According to tradition, a princess who marries into Mongolia usually returns home only once every ten years, making this farewell truly a long goodbye.

A wave of melancholy washed over An Qing. She had been in the Forbidden City for so long, deliberately avoiding thoughts of Horqin. Even when she did think of it, she consciously ignored her feelings. But at this moment, she admitted to herself that she missed home, her parents, and her brothers.

In her previous life, she had no family, and the orphanage where she grew up had been demolished after she went to college. Although a new one was built, it was no longer the same. After college, she never returned, only occasionally contacting the former director, but since the director had her own family, An Qing didn't want to intrude. Throughout her undergraduate and doctoral studies, her home was the dormitory.

But this life was different. She had everything she dreamed of in her previous life, yet fate had brought her to the Forbidden City, where she couldn't return home or see her family.

At this moment, her desire to go home reached its peak.

"Five Sister-in-Law, are you alright?" The Eighth Princess patted An Qing's arm, looking concerned.

An Qing was startled and came back to reality, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I just feel a bit sad about your Fourth Sister."

The Eighth Princess comforted her, "It's okay, Five Sister-in-Law. We'll see her next year during the Mulan Autumn Hunt."

An Qing smiled. Yes, they would see each other next year during the Mulan Autumn Hunt. Her parents would surely attend, and they could meet again.

Besides, Mulan was not far from Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner, so she might even get to visit.

However, An Qing was surprised by the Eighth Princess's reaction. She had expected the Eighth Princess to be more upset about the Fourth Princess's departure, but she seemed calmer than An Qing.

The Eighth Princess explained with a smile, "I'll marry into Mongolia in a few years, so I'll have plenty of time to see my Fourth Sister."

Moreover, she and her Fourth Sister had agreed that while she stayed in the Imperial City, she would spend more time with Empress Guo. So, she felt like she was fulfilling a promise, which made her less sad.

Thinking of this, the Eighth Princess glanced at An Qing. They had also agreed to take care of her parents in Mongolia.

Their Fifth Sister-in-Law was such a good person, and no one could dislike her.

Seeing the girl who used to be full of sorrow at the thought of marrying into Mongolia now speaking so calmly about her own marriage, An Qing genuinely felt happy for the Eighth Princess.

She had intentionally tried to console her, and it seemed to have worked.

Ultimately, they were all pawns in the Manchu-Mongol alliance, destined to accept their fate and strive to live better lives.

Not just them; everyone in this era was a mere ant under the emperor's power, but ants could still carve out their own little world.

What An Qing didn't know was that her kindness would bring a surprising reward to her and Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner in the future.

Of course, that was for later.

An Qing looked at her and said, "You need to practice more. When we go to Mongolia next year, we'll ride horses across the grasslands, and you can't lag behind."

Then, she turned to the palace maid beside the Eighth Princess, "Has your princess been practicing kicking shuttlecocks regularly?"

The palace maid, seizing the opportunity to report, excitedly replied, "Fifth Princess Consort, the mistress has not been kicking two hundred shuttlecocks daily as you instructed. She often kicks for a day and rests for three, and she always tries to bargain. Kicking a hundred is already good."

Hearing this, An Qing looked disapprovingly at the Eighth Princess. She had suggested kicking shuttlecocks to help her build strength, but it seemed she had been doing it half-heartedly.

Is this still the obedient Eighth Princess she knows?

"Little Eight, you're slacking off. That's not good."

The Eighth Princess didn't expect to be caught and her face turned red, but she quickly promised, "Sister-in-law, I'll definitely be good from now on and never slack off again."

An Qing had underestimated the impact of Fourth Princess's marriage on herself. After returning to her residence, she felt listless and often lost in thought. She didn't even notice Snowball rubbing against her leg, begging for attention.

"Master, Master..." Perilla called out several times, but An Qing didn't respond.

Perilla and Cui Liu exchanged glances, both knowing that their master was homesick.

"Meow~ Meow~ Meow~"

Perhaps because it was the first time being ignored by An Qing, Snowball grew restless and even jumped onto An Qing's lap.

An Qing was startled and looked down at Snowball on her lap, gradually coming back to her senses.

Perilla worriedly said, "Master, if you miss the Prince and Princess Consort, why don't you write them a letter?"

But An Qing shook her head.

She sent letters home every month, and she had just sent one a few days ago. If she wrote another one now, her parents would worry that something was wrong.

She took a deep breath and said, "It's fine. I'll find something else to distract myself."

With that, she picked up Snowball and rubbed it vigorously before handing it to Cui Liu, instructing her to play with the cat for a while using a toy.

Snowball had been in her courtyard for some time now and was growing rapidly. Compared to when it was just a newborn kitten, it had grown significantly and was very active, requiring daily playtime.

However, An Qing's current state clearly wasn't suitable for playing with it. Small animals are sensitive to human emotions, and Snowball seemed agitated in her arms, sensing her unease.

To distract herself, An Qing had a simple method: work. She entered her study, took out paper, and began drawing and writing with a charcoal pencil.

Yinqi arrived as she was working in the study.

After an afternoon of focused work, An Qing believed she had fully recovered from her listless state. However, Yinqi still saw through her.

After dinner, they each went about their own business in the room as usual.

Suddenly, Yinqi asked, "Are you feeling homesick?"

An Qing exclaimed, "Ah," and instinctively wanted to deny it, but seeing the concern in Yinqi's eyes, she nodded, "A little bit."

Yinqi silently sighed. He noticed that An Qing tended to hide her worries and always appeared cheerful when interacting with others.

Today, if he hadn't observed closely, he might have been fooled by her outward demeanor.

But what could he do? Yinqi felt helpless. They couldn't leave the capital without permission, and Mongolian nobles couldn't enter the capital unless summoned. Even knowing An Qing was homesick, he could only offer verbal comfort.

"I'm sorry," Yinqi's voice was hoarse, but then he realized something and laughed bitterly, "I seem to always say these two words to you."

Seeing him like this, An Qing felt exasperated, "Really, it's nothing. It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself for everything."

Her situation wasn't his doing, so there was no need for him to apologize.

However, An Qing wasn't foolish and noticed that Yinqi's mood was also off tonight. He seemed dejected and sad.

Let her guess what happened...

She heard that Kangxi did not summon any princes after today's morning court session, and Yinqi had spent the whole day at the Ministry of Works before returning home. These were things they mentioned during dinner.

Given this, there was only one possible reason: it had to do with Fourth Princess's marriage.

"Are you feeling down because you couldn't escort Fourth Sister to the Northern Desert?" An Qing asked.

Yinqi stared at her, surprised that she had noticed or confirmed her observation.

In her calm eyes, he saw that she truly understood.

Indeed, she was always perceptive and insightful, just not vocal about it.

Yinqi didn't deny it and nodded slightly.

He was indeed quite dejected today, or rather, sad. But his sadness wasn't about not being able to escort Moyaeri; it was about his father's attitude.

Sending a prince to escort the bride was a last-minute decision by his father. Logically, considering the closeness between brothers and Moyaeri, he and Xiao Jiu should have been the ones chosen.

Since Lady Guo, Moyaeri's aunt, held a low rank and couldn't raise her, Moyaeri was placed under the care of his mother, strengthening the bond between him and Xiao Jiu with Moyaeri.

Yet, his father chose Seventh Brother and Tenth Brother instead, revealing his intentions clearly.

His father was wary of them, especially him!

Raised under the Empress Dowager, Yinqi understood early on his connection to Mongolia, which deepened further with his marriage to An Qing. His father feared he might use Moyaeri's relationship to connect with the Mongolian nobles in the Northern Desert.

But he had no such intentions.

Over the years, he had tried to distance himself from other princes to avoid getting involved in their factions, yet it had come to this.

An Qing also sighed inwardly. The imperial family has always been like this.

She thought Yinqi understood this, especially after the incident with the Crown Prince, but now she realized that understanding is one thing, acceptance another.

Actually, Kangxi's intention wasn't hard to guess. The Qing court's approach towards Mongolian tribes has always been a balance of courting and restraining, constantly vigilant against the nobles and princes forming alliances.

After all, the iron cavalry of the Mongolian tribes represents real military power. If this were to be involved in the struggle for the throne, it would undoubtedly harm the foundation of the country, which is something he could never tolerate.

To some extent, An Qing understood Kangxi. He was a feudal emperor, inherently sensitive and suspicious. Taking precautions might just be his instinctive reaction, not necessarily a sign that he distrusts his son Yinqi.

"Would you be disappointed in the Emperor?" Yinqi asked, looking at An Qing.

After all, the precautions also included Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner, her father and brothers.

An Qing replied, "No, the Emperor has his reasons."

After saying this, she felt it sounded too official, like a cliché, so she added, "This is the truth. I'm not saying it because you're the Emperor's son."

This was indeed her true feeling.

Yinqi softly acknowledged, "I know, I don't doubt you."

An Qing smiled and asked, "Are you still upset?"

"A little," Yinqi nodded and said, "In this regard, I can't match you."

An Qing shook her head.

There's no question of matching or not. For me, Kangxi was always an emperor from the start. Or rather, I've never had any expectations of him.

Yinqi is different. He first had a father-son relationship with Kangxi, and only later did he have to see him as an emperor before acknowledging their familial bond.

But deep down, he still harbors expectations of Kangxi, the expectations of a son for his father.

Looking at Yinqi now, she felt he seemed about to shatter, so she couldn't bear it and silently reached out her hands, wanting to give him a hug to comfort him.

Yinqi, who was still lost in his sadness, was taken aback by her gesture and didn't quite understand what was happening.

Is she... asking me to carry her to bed?

His ears turned hot. Though they had already... An Qing had never been this proactive before. But isn't this a bit too sudden? Weren't we discussing serious matters just now?

Forget it, since she...

Seeing Yinqi's lack of response, An Qing frowned, stood up, and gave him a big bear hug.

"Come on, here's a hug. Don't be sad anymore."

Yinqi: "???"

So, she just wanted to comfort me!

An Qing, unaware of Yinqi's rich inner thoughts, held him for a while and then decided it was enough. She planned to shift his focus.

After all, dwelling in sadness only makes one sadder. The best way is to move on.

"That's enough. Let's not talk about these unhappy things anymore. Wait a moment, I need your help with something."

With that, An Qing withdrew her embrace and walked away, looking quite casual.

Yinqi stared at his empty arms, feeling both amused and exasperated.

Her method of comforting people is a bit too hasty. Just when he finally reacted, she pushed him away.

And that misunderstanding earlier...

But he had to admit, after this mix-up, he didn't feel as bad anymore.

A short while later, An Qing returned, holding a piece of paper.

"Here."

Yinqi subconsciously took it but looked puzzled when he saw what was on the paper. "What did you draw?"

An Qing waved her hand grandly and replied, "I call it a Wheat Pressing Machine."

This was what she accomplished this afternoon, from conception to design, drawing, and detailed annotations. It was incredibly thorough.

Of course, it couldn't compare to modern wheat pressing machines. This was simply a modified stone roller, but even so, it made her feel accomplished.

As for what the Wheat Pressing Machine does, it's quite simple—it's used for pressing wheat.

Pressing wheat is a crucial step in managing wheat during its tillering period. By rolling the machine over the wheat fields, it temporarily suppresses the growth of the above-ground parts of the wheat plants, controlling excessive growth.

"Why control the growth of wheat?" Yinqi asked, confused. "Isn't it better for crops to grow vigorously?"

Because of An Qing, he had gained some understanding of farming, especially recently, when he consulted officials from the Agricultural Administration Department about planting wheat. However, he hadn't heard anything about pressing the wheat.

An Qing tried to explain as simply as possible, "Right now, the wheat roots aren't stable. If the above-ground parts grow too quickly, the root system won't develop well. Without stable roots, how can the crop grow properly?"

This is a common misconception. People think faster-growing wheat is better, but in fact, overly vigorous growth before winter is detrimental.

Overgrown wheat stems are tender and store less nutrients, reducing their frost resistance. Many winter wheat crops suffer from frost damage in winter and are more prone to leaf death and tiller death in spring, sometimes even freezing the young spikes. Even if they survive winter, they are more likely to fall over in the middle and late stages, affecting yield.

Pressing wheat helps solve this problem. Rolling the wheat makes the soil more compact, enhancing water absorption by the roots, thus conserving moisture, preventing drought, and reducing lodging. It also promotes tillering and strengthens the stalks, effectively controlling excessive growth and promoting healthy growth.

Therefore, pressing wheat before winter serves two purposes: controlling growth and increasing frost resistance.

This conclusion was derived from repeated experiments by agricultural colleges in later times.

Hearing her explanation, Yinqi found it reasonable. "So, you want me to help you build this thing?"

An Qing nodded vigorously. "Can you?"

Mainly because this thing is too large, and it's impossible to make it in the palace, so she had to ask Yinqi for help.

Yinqi lightly responded with a soft "mm." There was nothing wrong with it. Looking at the blueprint, it didn't seem particularly difficult. He could find a few people from the Ministry of Works to get it done.

Worried that An Qing might need it urgently, Yinqi brought the blueprint drawn by An Qing to the Ministry of Works the next day and went straight to the Construction Office.

The people in the Construction Office, upon seeing that it was Fifth Prince's request, handled it promptly. In less than three days, they completed the project according to the blueprint.

However, the object turned out to be quite large. Yinqi had to use a cart to transport it back to the palace that day, attracting quite a bit of attention along the way, naturally causing a stir.

Everyone was puzzled, wondering why Fifth Prince would bring back a stone pillar.

At this moment, inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Kangxi had just finished meeting with officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Agricultural Administration Department to discuss the wheat situation across various regions.

Recently, important wheat-growing provinces such as Shandong, Henan, and Shaanxi had submitted reports stating that the rainfall over the past few months had been good, leading to promising growth of wheat in many areas. They expected a bountiful harvest next year.

Hearing this, Kangxi was in high spirits. Nothing could be more joyful than a good harvest.

After the officials left, Liang Jiugong entered with tea, serving him.

As he replaced the cold tea on Kangxi's table, he said, "Your Majesty, you asked about what Fifth Princess Consort planted on her land, didn't you? I had someone inquire about it earlier."

Kangxi was momentarily taken aback before remembering his casual question. He hadn't expected Liang Jiugong to actually follow up on it.

"Oh? What did she plant?"

In this freezing weather, surely she couldn't be planting fruits and vegetables again.

Liang Jiugong replied, "Fifth Princess Consort planted wheat on her land, Your Majesty."

Kangxi was somewhat surprised to hear that An Qing had planted wheat. "She actually planted wheat. It seems she wasn't just talking casually when she mentioned wanting to try growing my imperial rice."

However, he didn't give much thought to An Qing planting wheat. After all, growing watermelons was different; her success with watermelons was simply due to finding a sweet variety by chance.

But growing crops was another matter. Whether it was his Fengze Garden or the efforts of the Ministry of Finance and the Agricultural Administration Department, countless people worked on improving wheat cultivation every year. A young lady from the inner quarters couldn't compare.

Liang Jiugong smiled and said, "Indeed, I heard that the wheat on Fifth Princess Consort's land is growing quite well."

Kangxi waved his hand and laughed. "There's nothing unusual about that. With good rainfall this year, it's natural for the wheat to grow well. But surviving the winter is the real test."

Thinking about this, he recalled that the Ministry of Finance had mentioned several effective methods used this year to help wheat survive the winter, claiming they would definitely increase wheat yields.

Hopefully, the wheat yields across the regions would surprise him next year.