Chapter 52: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 52: The Fifth Princess Consort

Shortly after the date for the imperial tour to the frontier was set, the list of those accompanying the Emperor was also announced.

Among the princes accompanying the Emperor were the Crown Prince, Elder Brother Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Fifth Prince.

It was unclear what Kangxi had in mind, but he did not bring any of the younger princes. As for the imperial concubines, only Concubine Yi was included among the high-ranking ones, along with a few young favorites who had recently gained his favor.

Additionally, Empress Dowager and Lady Xianfu were naturally on the list as well.

Speaking of Lady Xianfu, An Qing really didn't know what to say. Since their unpleasant encounter at the entrance of Ningshou Palace during Mid-Autumn Festival, An Qing had been avoiding her to avoid trouble. However, one day, she suddenly heard that Lady Xianfu had been confined to her quarters by Kangxi again.

She wasn't even released during the New Year. Once, when An Qing went to Ningshou Palace, she saw a palace maid from Lady Xianfu's entourage come over, seemingly trying to ask Empress Dowager to intercede with Lao Kang, but Empress Dowager refused outright.

Her words were, "She'll just get herself confined again within days of being released. Why bother?"

Though harsh, Empress Dowager's words were true. It was unclear what Lady Xianfu's mind was made of; despite being in the palace for so long, she hadn't learned her lesson.

After the New Year, Lady Xianfu finally served out her confinement period, but Kangxi didn't take her to Changchun Garden, so An Qing had managed to avoid her for quite some time.

However, this time there was no choice. Kangxi had decreed that all Mongolian nobles must attend, including Lady Xianfu's father. It was natural for them to meet.

After all, one of the political goals of the Mulan Autumn Hunt was to further strengthen the Manchu-Mongolian alliance.

An Qing hoped that Lady Xianfu would have learned something from her long confinement and wouldn't cause trouble. She just wanted to enjoy a peaceful reunion with her family.

With Empress Dowager and Kangxi present, nothing major should happen.

Last year, before the Fourth Princess's marriage, she had already asked Kangxi for a favor, securing spots for Lady Guo and the Eighth Princess at this year's Mulan Autumn Hunt. Thus, they were naturally on the list.

However, shortly after returning from Changchun Garden, the Fourth Princess sent a report and letter from Northern Desert, stating that she had discovered she was pregnant and was experiencing severe morning sickness, making it impossible for her to attend the event. She apologized to Kangxi.

Kangxi, being reasonable, understood that health came first. Besides, even though the Fourth Princess couldn't come, her husband, Prince Dunbodolji, would still attend the alliance meeting.

Although the Fourth Princess wasn't coming, Kangxi didn't remove Lady Guo and the Eighth Princess from the list. However, they both requested to be excused.

Lady Guo's reason was simple: if her daughter wasn't going, why should she? Of course, she couldn't say it so bluntly, so she cited poor health as an excuse.

The Eighth Princess, on the other hand, said she needed to care for her mother, Zhangjia Shi.

Of course, they had their own considerations. The spots for the Mulan Autumn Hunt were always tight, and if they went this year, they might not be able to go next year. So they decided to wait until next year.

Once everything was settled, the palace finally returned to peace, and fewer people brought soup to the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

After the initial excitement, as the departure date approached, An Qing surprisingly became calm.

Given the long journey to the frontier, it was impractical to bring Snowball along. To compensate for the upcoming cat-free period, she started excessively petting Snowball, causing the cat to hide whenever she approached.

As Cui Liu put it, even a good-tempered cat like Snowball had become annoyed by her behavior. An Qing realized she needed to reflect on her actions.

While An Qing pondered whether to reflect on herself, Kangxi was discussing matters with his ministers in the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

Most of the ministers present were from the Ministry of Finance and the Agricultural Administration Department, indicating the nature of the discussion.

Kangxi seemed pleased, smiling as he handed the report he had just read to Liang Jiugong, gesturing for him to pass it to the ministers.

"Take a look. This is a recent report from Huang Mao."

Upon hearing Huang Mao's name, everyone understood the topic.

Last May, Kangxi had ordered the Second and Third Brothers of the Fifth Princess Consort, along with former Grand Secretary Huang Mao, to teach farming techniques in the Mongolian regions of Aohan, Naiman, and Balin.

Later, Kangxi decided not to waste the second half of the year and instructed them to start guiding cultivation in Horqin, Aohan, Naiman, and Karasun, planting wheat before last autumn.

This spring, they went to the Balin region, guiding the nomads in land reclamation and planting barley in April. Everyone present knew about this.

Mongolia could not grow rice but was suitable for crops such as barley, wheat, barley, millet, and quinoa. They were aware of this.

Judging by the timing, it was now the season for barley harvest, leading everyone to assume that Huang Mao's report detailed the progress and yield of the barley.

From Kangxi's reaction, it seemed the barley yield was good.

Why everyone ignored last year's winter wheat in Horqin, Aohan, Naiman, and Karasun was simple: the winter was exceptionally cold, causing severe frost damage to wheat in southern regions like Hebei and Shaanxi, leading to significant reductions or total crop failures.

In the north, the winter was even colder, so the winter wheat yield was expected to be poor.

Liang Jiugong first handed the report to Minister of Finance Ma Qi, who initially seemed confident, thinking it matched his expectations. But upon reading the latter part, he was stunned.

"Your Majesty, did Lord Huang make a mistake?" he asked in surprise.

The officials from the Agricultural Administration Department rushed over, taking the report from Ma Qi, and their reactions mirrored his.

Everyone was shocked. How could the winter wheat in Horqin, Aohan, Naiman, and Karasun not fail and even produce a decent yield?

They were experts on crop yields across Great Qing, and the numbers reported by Huang Mao, while not matching southern wheat yields, were comparable to northern bumper crops.

But bumper crops required ideal conditions, which last year clearly lacked!

How did they achieve this?!

Or perhaps, they thought Huang Mao had made a mistake, as it defied their understanding.

Seeing the ministers' expressions, Kangxi's smile grew wider.

Initially, he had the same reaction, thinking it was a mistake. But Huang Mao had sent a personal letter explaining that the wheat suffered minimal frost damage, largely due to the efforts of Deb's sons, Robzang Lash and Yideri.

Moreover, the princes of Horqin submitted reports confirming the yield figures.

Ma Qi anxiously said, "Your Majesty, should we send a letter to Lord Huang to confirm? If there is a way to mitigate frost damage, then this winter..."

Though he didn't finish his sentence, everyone understood what he meant. Last year's frost damage to the wheat had indeed caused them immense suffering.

Emperor Kangxi waved his hand and replied, "No rush. I have already issued an edict summoning them to the Mulan Hunting Grounds. We can hear their reports in person when they arrive."

The letter from Huang Mao mentioned it, but the details were too complex to explain briefly. Therefore, they requested that Robzang Lash and Yideri personally report to him during the Mulan Autumn Hunt. Emperor Kangxi naturally agreed.

Although the officials did not know these specifics, they understood that correspondence inevitably delayed matters. After all, written words could never convey as much as face-to-face communication.

However, the problem was that they couldn't accompany the Emperor to the Mulan Autumn Hunt. They would have to wait for him to return from the hunting grounds.

"This year, all of you should join us at the Mulan Autumn Hunt," Emperor Kangxi suddenly said.

Initially stunned, the officials soon realized that the Emperor must have a specific reason for inviting them, likely related to the wheat cultivation in Mongolia.

Regardless of the reason, it was always better to know sooner rather than later. Especially for the officials from the Agricultural Administration Department, who had been researching ways to prevent wheat frost damage for years without success, this news was tantalizing.

If An Qing were here, she would certainly empathize with them. This shared struggle was a bond among agricultural scholars.

Ma Qi looked at Emperor Kangxi, hesitating several times before swallowing his words.

He really wanted to suggest asking Concubine Wu, since Robzang Lash and Yideri were her second and third brothers, and she was skilled in farming techniques. After all, she had found the method to treat Qingfeng disease.

But then he thought that the Emperor must be aware of this and might have already asked her privately. Perhaps even Concubine Wu didn't know.

Indeed, everyone has their expertise. Concubine Wu seemed more adept at treating plant diseases, while wheat frost damage was a natural disaster she hadn't studied.

Still, Concubine Wu's family was truly talented. If only she weren't a woman, he would have tried to recruit her for the Ministry of Finance.

Emperor Kangxi didn't notice Ma Qi's hesitation, as he was preoccupied with another matter.

Once they reached the Mulan Hunting Grounds, how should he reward Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner and Deb?

After all, Deb had raised excellent children. First, An Qing discovered the cure for Qingfeng disease, and now his sons seemed to have found a way to mitigate wheat frost damage. These were significant achievements.

At the end of last month, the rice harvest was completed, and both the Viceroy of Liangjiang and the Viceroy of Fujian-Zhejiang reported no reduction in yield from the fields previously affected by Qingfeng disease. The rice fields near Yufu Mountain in western Beijing also showed no decline. This confirmed that An Qing's method worked, ensuring that the Great Qing would no longer fear Qingfeng disease.

Emperor Kangxi knew the implications well.

He prided himself on fair rewards and punishments. Such significant contributions deserved substantial recognition. However, since An Qing was a woman, she couldn't receive official titles or promotions, limiting the personal rewards he could offer to material goods, which were not considered substantial.

Thus, there were two options: bestow the reward on Yinqi or on Deb.

To maintain balance among the princes, Yinqi couldn't be given special treatment. That left Horqin Left-wing Rear Banner and Deb.

Emperor Kangxi had already pondered this extensively, but the sudden issue with wheat frost damage made him reconsider the rewards.

After the officials left, Emperor Kangxi returned to the East Warm Pavilion, still mulling over the matter.

He felt like he had forgotten something but couldn't recall what it was, so he set the feeling aside for later.

*

Amidst the anticipation, the day of the imperial tour finally arrived.

It was a sunny morning, and Emperor Kangxi led a grand procession out of the Forbidden City towards the Mulan Hunting Grounds.

The Mulan Hunting Grounds were the largest royal hunting grounds of the Qing dynasty, located north of the Rehe Imperial Palace, with rolling hills, dense streams, and lush grasslands, making it an ideal hunting location.

Historically, Qing emperors enjoyed hunting because the Manchus were a nomadic people with formidable combat skills before entering the pass. The Eight Banners troops were particularly fierce and elite.

However, after the Qing entered the pass and the empire stabilized, wars became less frequent, leading to a decline in the fighting abilities of the Bannermen.

Therefore, Emperor Kangxi used hunting to train the Bannermen's archery and combat skills, establishing the Mulan Hunting Grounds in the 20th year of his reign.

The Mulan Autumn Hunt shared many similarities with warfare.

For example, the arrangements for the journey from the Imperial City, including receiving and responding to dispatches, positioning the vanguard and rear guard, supplying various materials, and assigning responsibilities once at the hunting grounds, closely resembled military operations and required close coordination among departments.

This is why Qing emperors favored hunting, and why princes and imperial descendants participated from a young age.

The goal was to strengthen their physical fitness, courage, archery skills, and teamwork.

Overall, the Mulan Autumn Hunt served as a model and competition for military training among the Eight Banners troops.

Thus, Yinqi and the other princes were assigned various duties in the camps, effectively honing their combat skills.

As for An Qing and the other ladies, they were placed in the middle of the procession, traveling slowly in carriages alongside the main force.

This "slowly" was relative to her journey from Horqin when she married into the family. Back then, the wedding procession was on a much smaller scale.

When An Qing traveled from Horqin, the journey took about ten days. This time, Yinqi estimated it would take around twenty days.

After all, if Emperor Kangxi needed to meet local officials or handle state affairs during the tour, the journey would be extended.

Moreover, considering the safety and dignity of the imperial entourage, the carriages couldn't travel too fast.

An Qing accepted this arrangement well. Traveling slowly allowed her to enjoy the scenery along the way, and accompanying the Emperor ensured comfort.

To solve the issues of food and lodging along the route, over 20 palaces were built, including the famous Rehe Imperial Palace—now known as the Summer Resort.

To prevent boredom during the journey, An Qing prepared thoroughly, bringing snacks like dried fruits, seeds, and beef jerky, and also brought playing cards for entertainment.

She planned to play cards with the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi. The third player would ideally be Mama Wu Lan, but she suffered from motion sickness, leaving one spot open.

As for Perilla and the others, playing cards with the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi would terrify them, so An Qing didn't burden them. Instead, she chose Concubine Xianfu.

Firstly, Concubine Xianfu's carriage was adjacent to hers, making it convenient. Secondly, among the accompanying ladies, she had the closest relationship with Concubine Xianfu. The other three ladies were not familiar to her.

Concubine Xianfu wasn't excluded; coincidentally, she also suffered from motion sickness, simplifying the situation.

The card games would take place in the Empress Dowager's spacious and comfortable carriage, as Emperor Kangxi always ensured her comfort.

At first, Princess Consort Four was hesitant to let loose, but An Qing believed that since she had invited the guests, she should ensure they didn't feel neglected. Thus, she actively livened up the atmosphere among the three of them. Eventually, Princess Consort Four also relaxed, and their mahjong group was established.

That day, they played mahjong for quite a while in the Empress Dowager's carriage. When they noticed her getting tired, the three of them tactfully left.

After stepping down from the Empress Dowager's carriage, An Qing began playfully pestering Concubine Yi, pretending to snatch her purse because she had lost all her money that day, having lost to all three opponents.

Princess Consort Four, seeing An Qing's appearance, thought she genuinely regretted losing the money and offered to return the winnings.

An Qing couldn't accept it; she had been joking with Concubine Yi all along. "No need, Sister Four. My mahjong skills may be poor, but my sportsmanship is good. I accept my losses!"

With a chuckle, she added, "Later, I'll go to Mother's carriage and get some nice things. I'm sure I can make up for today's losses."

Hearing this, Concubine Yi got angry and tried to chase her away, but An Qing, being as tenacious as ever, wouldn't budge.

The three soon arrived at Concubine Yi's carriage. After bidding farewell to Princess Consort Four, An Qing climbed aboard Concubine Yi's carriage, and soon laughter and scolding could be heard from inside.

Princess Consort Four looked enviously before turning back to her own carriage.

In recent days, she had witnessed the close relationship between An Qing and Concubine Yi up close, feeling both envy and admiration. But she knew that such a bond with Princess De was impossible.

However, An Qing had heard about the strained relationship between Princess Consort Four and Princess De. Through their interactions, she found Princess Consort Four to be a truly kind person, gentle and sincere.

How could one describe her better than dignified, steady, virtuous, and graceful?

As for Princess De, she didn't seem like someone who would constantly criticize her daughter-in-law. She was known for her kindness and generosity, so why did she dislike Princess Consort Four? An Qing was puzzled.

"Princess Consort Four was chosen by the late Empress Xiaoyiren for Prince Four. Princess De must still be upset," Concubine Yi explained calmly.

An Qing was taken aback. The late Empress Xiaoyiren was Prince Four's foster mother. So, Princess Consort Four was her choice.

She hadn't known this before, thinking that Emperor Kangxi had chosen all the princes' consorts.

Concubine Yi seemed to recall something and pouted. "Others might not have been able to do it, but Empress Xiaoyiren was the Emperor's cousin."

Hearing the tone, An Qing understood immediately. It seemed Empress Xiaoyiren was favored by Emperor Kangxi.

But despite her jealousy, Concubine Yi admitted, "Empress Xiaoyiren treated Prince Four well. The Ula Nara clan is a prominent Manchu family, and Princess Consort Four's father, Feiyanggu, holds a high position in the court. Before her death, Empress Xiaoyiren used her last bit of favor with the Emperor to arrange this marriage for Prince Four. I don't know why Princess De is still upset. As long as she treats her son well, isn't that enough?"

Empress Xiaoyiren raised Prince Four from childhood, loving him dearly, much like the Empress Dowager loves Prince Five.

Of course, Concubine Yi understood why Princess De felt uneasy. The situation with Empress Xiaoyiren, Prince Four, and Princess De was different from hers, Prince Five, and the Empress Dowager. One was a foster mother, the other a birth mother, competing for the role of 'mother' in Prince Four's heart. But she was Prince Five's birth mother, and the Empress Dowager was his grandmother, without any conflict.

"But what can be done now? Empress Xiaoyiren is gone. They should look forward. Many in the palace envied this marriage. Princess Consort Four is known for her dignity, steadiness, virtue, and grace in Imperial City," Concubine Yi said.

Who wouldn't be attracted to such a good match?

An Qing quietly asked, "Mother, were you ever attracted to it?"

Concubine Yi spoke without thinking, "Of course, Prince Four and Prince Five are close in age..."

Realizing her slip, she suddenly stopped talking.

An Qing pouted, looking hurt. "Mother, you really didn't want me as your daughter-in-law."

Concubine Yi felt guilty. "Well... I didn't know you then."

An Qing clutched her chest, feigning hurt. "So sad! I wasn't even considered a potential daughter-in-law."

Concubine Yi quickly affirmed, "No, you are!"

An Qing blinked, questioning, "I'm not dignified or steady."

Concubine Yi continued, "You don't need to be. I like your personality just as it is."

An Qing brought up old grievances. "But I'm not virtuous or graceful, sniff sniff. Poor Mother."

Concubine Yi was speechless.

She wished she could hit herself for speaking too quickly.

With a way to pass the time, the journey wasn't boring. However, after more than ten days on the road, they stopped playing mahjong. Although the Empress Dowager was still robust, her advanced age made long carriage rides tiring.

To let her rest, they no longer disturbed her. An Qing stayed in her own carriage, finding the ride increasingly exhausting.

Sometimes she wished she could ride a horse instead, but royal etiquette forbade it.

Finally, when An Qing was about to fall apart from the carriage ride, she saw the familiar blue sky and green grass, the vast expanse of the grasslands she had longed for.