Chapter 41: The Fifth Consort

Chapter 41: The Fifth Consort

Though Perilla did not know the reason behind An Qing's sudden illness, she understood her mistress well. An Qing was never one to act without purpose, and there must be a reason for her actions.

Thus, she did not dare delay and immediately carried out her orders.

In Ningshou Palace.

After hearing Perilla’s message, the Empress Dowager pondered for a moment before saying, "Very well, this old woman understands. Let your Consort rest well. There is no need for her to worry about me here; she should focus on recovering first."

Seeing the Empress Dowager's surprisingly calm reaction, Perilla felt uneasy. After all, her mistress was genuinely faking illness—would it be discovered?

But remembering An Qing's instructions, she remained composed and finished speaking, "Yes, Empress Dowager. This servant will convey your words to her."

After saying this, Perilla suddenly looked at Aunt Wu Lan, appearing hesitant to speak.

Aunt Wu Lan was taken aback and asked, "Is there something the Fifth Consort wants to tell this old servant?"

Perilla nodded, glancing instinctively at the Empress Dowager before saying, "Our Consort asked this servant to tell Aunt Wu Lan that if the Empress Dowager does not eat properly again, please send someone to inform her."

Upon hearing this, Aunt Wu Lan was initially stunned but then couldn't help laughing. "Very well, very well. Please tell the Fifth Consort that this old servant will remember."

She then glanced at the Empress Dowager with a teasing look.

The Empress Dowager showed a hint of helplessness before smiling as well.

Though Perilla could not understand the silent communication between the Empress Dowager and her attendant, seeing the Empress Dowager smile relieved her.

Especially when, upon her departure, the Empress Dowager had Aunt Wu Lan personally escort her out—a sign of respect. Of course, this respect was not for her but for her mistress.

The Empress Dowager was using this gesture to publicly acknowledge that the Fifth Consort's absence due to illness was approved by her, thus preventing any accusations of disrespect.

After escorting Perilla out of Ningshou Palace, Aunt Wu Lan hurried back, smiling broadly. "Isn’t it a coincidence? Just now, you instructed this old servant to have the Fifth Consort avoid the limelight, and it turns out you both thought the same thing."

Holding a string of jade prayer beads, the Empress Dowager's eyes showed a hint of amusement. "She has always been clever."

"However, even though the Fifth Consort cannot come, she still cares about you and specially sent her maid to pass along a message, worried that you might act like a child and not eat properly," Aunt Wu Lan said with a smile.

Whenever the Empress Dowager had a poor appetite in the past, the Fifth Consort would always try to create new dishes to send over. At first, they thought it was just a coincidence, but after several times, they realized it was intentional.

Indeed, sometimes even Aunt Wu Lan found it amazing how the Fifth Consort's efforts always suited the Empress Dowager's taste, making her eat more.

The Empress Dowager shook her head helplessly. As she aged, her appetite naturally decreased, and occasional loss of appetite was normal. But the Fifth Consort was observant and remembered these things, going to great lengths to cater to her tastes. It was truly commendable.

Initially, the Empress Dowager treated An Qing kindly because of Horqin and the Fifth Prince, but now it was purely because of An Qing herself.

This child was clear-minded and insightful, able to see the crux of matters at a glance. With her by the Fifth Prince's side, even if the Empress Dowager were to pass away someday, she could rest assured.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's listless appearance, Aunt Wu Lan felt a pang of pity and helplessness.

Sigh~ The recent troubles caused by the Crown Princess and the First Consort had truly worn out the Empress Dowager. Twice daily visits, and they came in batches. Who wouldn't be exhausted?

For the other princes, except for the Fifth Prince, the Empress Dowager treated everyone equally. If she were to meet them, she needed a reason to refuse.

"Why don't you pretend to be ill too?" Aunt Wu Lan suggested. "Like the Fifth Consort, we can't fight them, but we can avoid them."

The Empress Dowager glanced at her and laughed slightly. "What kind of idea is that? If I pretended to be ill, wouldn't they insist on serving me, making things worse?"

Now, she only had to deal with them occasionally, but if they stayed in Ningshou Palace all day, it would be truly troublesome.

Seeing that neither option worked, Aunt Wu Lan felt even more resentment towards the Crown Princess and others.

If they truly cared, they should follow the Fifth Consort's example, knowing the Empress Dowager prefers peace. Though she doesn't visit often, she genuinely cares, sending new dishes promptly. Unlike them, who only perform superficial duties, causing the Empress Dowager unnecessary stress.

"In my opinion, it's better to be direct and tell them not to come. You're always worrying so much, exhausting yourself."

The Empress Dowager shook her head meaningfully. "No rush. They won't last long. Why should I be the villain?"

The Empress Dowager understood the Emperor's nature—always balancing punishment and reward. The recent promotions of the princes were a way to diminish the Crown Prince's influence. Now, he is likely trying to bolster the Crown Prince's position, presenting an opportunity.

She must cooperate and provide the Emperor with leverage.

Wait and see; they will soon quiet down.

After leaving Ningshou Palace, Perilla went directly to Yikun Palace.

Upon hearing that An Qing was unwell, Concubine Yi became anxious. "How serious is it? Has a physician been called?"

Then, she summoned Xizhu. "That child is usually as strong as an ox. How could she suddenly fall ill? No, I must go see her myself."

Perilla quickly stopped Concubine Yi. "Your Highness, please don't worry. Our Consort is fine."

Concubine Yi paused, frowning. "What do you mean? First, she's ill, and now she's fine. Can you even deliver messages properly?"

"Please calm down, Your Highness. The Consort told me to say that she's actually fine. She just wants to avoid the limelight for a while, so you don't need to worry about her."

Perilla thought her mistress was indeed perceptive, predicting the reactions of both the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi accurately.

She had instructed Perilla to simply mention her illness to the Empress Dowager but to reveal a bit more to Concubine Yi. The details were all pre-arranged.

Concubine Yi was stunned. Avoid the limelight?

Avoid what limelight?

But she wasn't foolish and quickly connected it to the recent court visits.

"Our Consort said that competing with the Crown Princess is not a good idea. She's backing down, so please don't scold her for being weak," Perilla said.

Hearing this, Concubine Yi was both amused and exasperated. She really backed down with confidence.

However, An Qing's words did remind her of something: competing with the Crown Princess for attention!

Indeed, Concubine Yi had heard about the competition between Dafujin and the Crown Princess. Even because An Qing hadn't visited her in recent days, she was mocked by Concubine Hui yesterday.

She said that as soon as Prince Wu was granted his title, Dafujin had become arrogant, not even respecting her mother-in-law, and stopped coming to pay respects, while praising how filial Dafujin was.

Concubine Yi wouldn't be swayed by such provocations. Her relationship with An Qing was far beyond what ordinary mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationships could compare to.

But now she realized something. She had previously thought it was just sibling rivalry, nothing serious, and even the elders were willing to support them, as these were just matters within the imperial harem.

But if it was seen as competing with the Crown Princess, then it took on a completely different meaning.

After all, one should never compete with the Crown Prince or Crown Princess for attention.

"Go back and tell your Fojin to focus on her health. She doesn't need to worry about this palace."

Although Concubine Yi usually acted boldly in the harem, she knew where to draw the line. For example, when there were still Empresses, Imperial Noble Consorts, and Noble Consorts in the palace, she would never overstep her boundaries, even during the years of her greatest favor.

She understood clearly that Emperor Kangxi valued hierarchy and etiquette greatly.

Even if he favored her, he still believed that the Empress and Noble Consorts were superior, and she was inferior, and no one should overstep their bounds. This was the ancestral law.

This principle applied equally to her sons.

Concubine Yi always understood this. Unlike Concubine Hui, she never had such ambitions and didn't want her son to compete with the Crown Prince.

Prince Wu had the Empress Dowager protecting him. Even if only out of respect for the Empress Dowager, the Emperor would not neglect him. So why should she worry?

This was also why she had gone to great lengths to have Prince Wu raised by the Empress Dowager.

To make the act more convincing, An Qing really sent someone to the Imperial Medical Bureau to invite a physician. Whether they could diagnose anything wasn't important; she just claimed she might have caught a cold, faked a few coughs, and said she had a headache and felt weak. The physicians in the palace were all very astute and could adapt easily.

So, as expected, the physician diagnosed Fifth Fojin with a mild cold and prescribed some common remedies before leaving.

This was exactly An Qing's intention. She wanted to make a public show of it, specifically inviting the physician to the princes' residence, just for appearances. She didn't even bother telling the physician to keep quiet; ordinary people wouldn't ask, and those who would already knew the result.

Besides, this situation probably wouldn't last long.

That evening, Yinqi returned to the princes' residence, and Ma Xiang immediately reported An Qing's illness and the physician's visit.

But when Yinqi hurriedly came to the main courtyard, An Qing was happily eating fried chicken freshly cooked by Chunxiao.

Because of her supposed illness, the food from the imperial kitchen couldn't be too greasy. But sometimes, the more one can't have something, the more one craves it. After some mental struggle, An Qing decided that she shouldn't deprive herself, so she asked Chunxiao to cook some fried chicken.

And indeed, after not having fried food for so long, it tasted incredibly good.

"Master, you're here. The fried chicken just came out of the pot. Would you like to join me?" An Qing invited him warmly, sharing the good fortune.

Yinqi frowned slightly, looking her up and down. She didn't look sick at all.

"Aren't you sick?" he asked.

How could she recover so quickly?!

An Qing "ah"ed and then realized he knew about her afternoon visit to the physician. She waved her hand and replied, "No, I was pretending."

Yinqi was taken aback. Pretending to be sick?

Why would she do that?

An Qing didn't keep him guessing. She gestured for him to sit down and explained the whole situation succinctly, including her conclusion.

After listening, Yinqi was stunned, finding it hard to believe. "So, you suspect this is a scheme set up by the Crown Prince and Crown Princess?"

An Qing nodded. "But it's just my suspicion. There's no evidence yet, so it's hard to say for sure."

Yinqi knew she wasn't one to jump to conclusions lightly. If she said this, there must be a reason.

An Qing gave him a thumbs-up. "You understand me well, Master."

Then she explained her reasoning. "Do you think a good reputation in the palace comes easily? Take me, for example. I used to visit Mother and Grandmother frequently, especially Mother, almost every day. That's considered extremely filial, right?"

Hearing this, Yinqi couldn't help but recall the misunderstanding caused by An Qing's frequent visits to Yikun Palace, and a hint of amusement appeared on his face.

An Qing saw the teasing in his eyes and felt a bit guilty.

Okay, she had ulterior motives back then, but...

"Don't worry about my real intentions. To others, wasn't I just showing filial piety to Mother?"

Yinqi nodded. That was true; others wouldn't know the details.

"So," An Qing shrugged, acting as if it were obvious. "Have you heard anything about it in the palace?"

Absolutely nothing!

Of course, An Qing didn't care about such superficial fame. It was the least important thing to her.

But somehow, the Crown Princess managed to gain a reputation for being virtuous and filial simply by visiting Ningshou Palace frequently, and people said the Crown Prince had chosen well.

What nonsense.

Whether it was the Crown Prince or any of the princes, their marriages were arranged by Emperor Kangxi. How dare the servants say anyone married wrong?

Clearly, someone was manipulating things behind the scenes, using the competitive nature among the inner court ladies and the importance of filial piety to lure them into a trap.

Most public opinions are premeditated. People need guidance to form such opinions.

As for their purpose, as she said before, why would anyone seek a good reputation without an ulterior motive?

The Crown Princess demands a good reputation because she is the wife of the Crown Prince, the future Empress of the country!

This virtuous reputation is a standard for her, representing the image of the imperial family.

Or rather, this is also Kangxi's requirement for the Crown Princess.

After An Qing entered the palace, she had always heard that the Crown Princess was renowned for her virtue. However, she had never heard of any other princes' consorts possessing such a reputation. Who could say that there wasn't Kangxi's tacit approval and encouragement behind it all?

But now, as soon as the princes were granted their titles, their consorts began to vie for these special meanings, even daring to compete with the Crown Princess. What does this mean in Kangxi's eyes? It should be clear enough.

Some boundaries are very distinct, like many things that the royal family can use but commoners cannot. If you use them, it's considered overstepping your bounds, punishable by death, and possibly even leading to the extermination of your entire clan.

Similarly, what the Crown Prince and the Emperor can use, other princes cannot touch. Touching them signifies disloyalty, even if they are sons of the Emperor.

This is the protection of the uniqueness of imperial power.

Although Kangxi has recently been intentionally warning the Crown Prince, he still has no intention of deposing him.

In his heart, the Crown Prince remains the rightful heir to the throne. No matter how good the other sons may be, they are still subjects to the Crown Prince. This will not change, and he will not allow anyone to challenge it.

This is why, despite the fierce competition between the Elder Brother Prince and the Crown Prince over the years, he never showed any signs of disloyalty towards the Crown Prince in front of Kangxi.

Yinqi understands these intricacies of the imperial family better than An Qing. She doesn't need to explain everything clearly; just a hint is enough for him to grasp the situation.

Therefore, this seemingly internal struggle among the palace women directly affects them. At worst, it could lead to a severe reprimand from the Emperor, or worse, consequences that are hard to predict.

Undoubtedly, this is the Crown Prince's counterattack against them.

Yinqi's mood darkened. In recent days, the newly titled princes have been enjoying great prestige both in the court and the harem. He was naturally pleased.

After all, who truly wants to remain a bare-headed prince forever?

But amidst his joy, he didn't let his guard down, always wary of the Crown Prince's moves. It wasn't out of malice but an understanding of the ruthlessness of power struggles.

Not only did he stay vigilant, but the other brothers were also on high alert. Everyone in the court was acting cautiously, afraid of leaving any room for mistakes at this crucial time.

However, who would have thought that the Crown Prince would take a different approach, using domestic matters to strike. This was something they couldn't easily defend against.

Fortunately, An Qing noticed it. Otherwise, they would have suffered silently. Yinqi looked at An Qing with gratitude.

An Qing noticed his gaze and immediately became proud. "What do you think? I'm pretty smart, right? Look, my sisters-in-law fell for it, but I didn't. Ha! I'm simply brilliant!"

To be honest, this was her first real encounter with palace intrigue since entering the palace. The incident with Liu Jiashi didn't count; it was more like a minor domestic squabble, with the worst outcome being damage to her reputation and a rift with Yinqi.

But this time was different. A misstep here could lead to suspicions of ambition from Lao Kang. Moreover, she had an additional layer of complexity due to her Horqin background. Her father commanded iron cavalry, which meant real military power.

The actions of the other consorts might implicate their husbands, but if she fell into the trap, it could affect not only Yinqi but also her father and brothers.

Thankfully, her quick thinking saved her. The sense of accomplishment she felt now was even greater than when the crops in the fields were bountiful.

However, amidst her self-congratulation, she was also aware of her limitations. This time, she had the advantage of knowing about the dangers of the Nine Princes' Struggle, which kept her cautious. But if it came to actual palace intrigue, she was still inexperienced.

So, she needed to remain vigilant and cautious.

Every time Yinqi saw An Qing's smug expression, he couldn't help but smile, even feeling the urge to pinch her cheek.

She seemed to effortlessly spread happiness. Even though he should have been depressed after learning about the Crown Prince's move, her mood lifted his spirits, making his lips curl upwards.

At that moment, he suddenly felt grateful to have her by his side, as if they could face everything together. Things he once dreaded now seemed less daunting.

"Luckily, I met you," he murmured.

An Qing blinked, puzzled. "What did you say? You spoke too softly; I didn't hear clearly."

Yinqi froze, surprised that he had spoken aloud. He wanted to say nothing, but when he met An Qing's gaze, he swallowed those words.

Unlike An Qing, he was not good at expressing affection, even if he felt it deeply. But every time she said such things, he felt happy for a long time. So...

After a while, Yinqi gathered his courage and said, "I said, it's good to have married you."

An Qing raised an eyebrow. "Oh, finally recognizing the value of having me as your consort?"

Though she lacked palace intrigue skills, her political acumen was excellent, especially in their complex and dangerous family. Having her as a partner was indeed beneficial.

Feeling quite pleased with herself, An Qing replied, "Right? I agree."

Yinqi: "..."

*

From that day on, An Qing began to stay indoors, feigning illness.

However, the palace was never short of clever people. While she had an advantage in seeing through some things, others could also notice. Especially in the palace, where people's minds were as intricate as sieves, someone like De Fei might discern the truth.

In Yonghe Palace.

After the Fourth Consort left, De Fei sat there lost in thought.

"Master, is something wrong?" asked a palace maid.

De Fei waved her hand. The more she thought about it, the more she felt something was off, but she couldn't pinpoint what exactly was amiss. Why did this sudden wave of greetings arise?

"You said the Fifth Consort is ill?"

The palace maid nodded. "Yes, Master. The Fifth Consort says she caught a cold."

De Fei frowned even deeper. Caught a cold?

Could it really be that coincidental!

"What's the reaction from Ningshou Palace and Yikun Palace?" De Fei asked.

The palace maid was taken aback for a moment before she realized what Empress Dowager De was referring to. "Everything is normal at Concubine Yi's place; there's no particular reaction. But it's said that yesterday, the Fifth Princess Consort sent a palace maid to Ningshou Palace. It's unclear what exactly happened, but many people saw Mama Wu Lan personally escorting that palace maid out of Ningshou Palace."

Hearing this, Empress Dowager De fell into deep thought, her fingers unconsciously tapping on her knee.

The palace maid stood silently by, knowing that this was her mistress's gesture when pondering something. At such times, she must not disturb her, or there would be consequences.

After a while, Empress Dowager De suddenly lifted her head, her eyes filled with panic.

Oh no!

"Quickly go and inform the Fourth Princess Consort not to come to pay respects in this palace anymore. Also, find an excuse for her not to go to Empress Dowager's Ningshou Palace."

Meanwhile, Yinqi had just left the Ministry of Works and was about to return to the palace when he happened to encounter Yinzhen standing at the gate of the Ministry of Finance, also preparing to return to the palace.