Chapter 67: The Fifth Consort

Chapter 67: The Fifth Consort

After all the preparations for the southern tour were completed, Kangxi set off with his harem and key officials from the previous dynasty on the third day of the second month. They embarked at Datong Bridge and sailed south.

An Qing, along with the Fourth Consort and the Eighth Consort, boarded a two-story boat. The vessel was spacious, allowing them to sit at the bow during the day and enjoy the scenery and local customs along the riverbanks.

To her surprise, she did not experience seasickness in this life, despite having suffered severely from it in her previous one.

Before departure, An Qing had prepared herself for a long journey filled with seasickness, even gathering various snacks like ginger, mint candies, dried plums, and hawthorn slices to alleviate the nausea. She feared that she might be unable to eat anything due to constant vomiting.

However, since boarding the ship, she had remained perfectly fine, feeling energetic and enjoying her meals heartily. During lunch, she even had an extra bowl of rice.

It seemed that fate was truly kind to her this time, sparing her from both carriage sickness and seasickness, making future travels much easier.

Nonetheless, the anti-seasickness snacks she had prepared would not go to waste, as both the Fourth Consort and the Eighth Consort were suffering terribly from seasickness.

They had been lying in bed, unable to eat or drink, and were so weak from constant vomiting that even the imperial physicians' remedies had failed to help. They were still lying in their cabins.

"Perilla, is this amount enough?" Perilla asked, pointing to the snack packages on the table.

An Qing approached and nodded. "Yes, are there two sets?"

Perilla replied, "Yes, my lady. I divided them myself."

An Qing softly acknowledged. She planned to visit the Fourth Consort and the Eighth Consort soon, as they were on the same boat, and it would be inappropriate not to check on them given their condition.

"Maizhong, bring two bottles of the seasickness pills you made."

Maizhong quickly agreed and went to fetch them from a nearby chest.

For this trip, An Qing only brought Perilla and Maizhong to serve her personally, while Chunxiao and Cui Liu stayed behind in the palace. Ideally, she wanted to bring all four, as this was a rare opportunity to visit Jiangnan.

However, Kangxi had emphasized the need for a reduced entourage, so she reluctantly left Chunxiao and Cui Liu behind.

When deciding who should come and who should stay, An Qing initially suggested drawing lots, but the four immediately rejected the idea, insisting that such matters were too serious to be decided lightly.

In the end, they decided that Perilla and Maizong would accompany her on the tour. Their reasoning was that Perilla was meticulous and reliable, providing peace of mind, while Maizong's medical skills would be useful for the long journey.

An Qing could not refute their logic, though she still felt a bit disappointed about missing out on the opportunity.

When An Qing arrived at the Fourth Consort's cabin, she found her lying on the bed, pale and with a basin nearby, ready for another bout of vomiting.

"My lady, the Fifth Consort has come to see you," the Fourth Consort's personal palace maid announced upon An Qing's arrival.

Upon hearing An Qing's name, the Fourth Consort opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but lacked the strength and fell back onto the bed.

An Qing hurried to support her. "Fourth Sister-in-law, be careful!"

The Fourth Consort managed to sit up with An Qing's help and the assistance of the palace maid, who helped her lean against the bed.

She smiled weakly, a hint of apology in her eyes. "I'm sorry to have troubled you."

An Qing waved her hand, consoling her. "Sister, don't worry about it. Your health is more important."

The Fourth Consort nodded slightly.

"I heard the imperial physician prescribed some medicine. Has it helped?" An Qing asked.

The Fourth Consort shook her head weakly. "Not really. The physician said the medicine can only provide temporary relief; ultimately, it depends on one's own resilience."

An Qing nodded, understanding the situation.

Seasickness was indeed difficult to manage, and neither medication nor snacks could fully alleviate it. One had to endure it, especially since most of the journey would be spent on the boat.

Of course, there was always the possibility of getting used to the motion over time, adapting to life on the ship.

Seeing how severely the Fourth Consort was suffering, An Qing did not want to disturb her further. She instructed Perilla to give the snacks and pills to the Fourth Consort's palace maid.

"These are some snacks I prepared before leaving to help with seasickness, and there are also some seasickness pills. I'm not sure if they'll work, but please use them as needed."

The Fourth Consort looked surprised. "You've prepared so thoroughly?"

An Qing smiled. "I wasn't sure if I would get seasick, so I prepared everything just in case."

The Fourth Consort envied An Qing's good fortune. "You're so thoughtful. I didn't prepare anything and ended up like this."

An Qing did not linger, giving a few words of encouragement for the Fourth Consort to rest before leaving.

The Fourth Consort finally relaxed, reaching for the basin and vomiting again. The palace maid hurried to help her, distressed by her condition.

Once the nausea subsided, the Fourth Consort lay back down, her face paler than before.

"My lady, why not try some of the snacks the Fifth Consort brought?" the palace maid suggested.

Since boarding the ship, the Fourth Consort had not eaten anything except water. This was unsustainable.

The Fourth Consort closed her eyes and nodded. "Find something sour, please. I need to settle my stomach."

The palace maid found a pack of dried plums and offered them to her. The Fourth Consort accepted, and the sweet and sour taste helped ease her discomfort.

It really worked.

So, she ate a few more sour plum slices, careful not to overindulge for fear of acid reflux. Finally, after chewing on a piece of ginger, the tumultuous feeling in her stomach gradually subsided, and she felt somewhat better before slowly drifting off to sleep.

The palace maid, seeing her mistress sleeping soundly, felt a surge of joy and carefully put away the package An Qing had given her.

It was still Fifth Consort who had the means. Her mistress had been lying in bed, dazed and restless, but now she was finally sleeping soundly. It must mean she wasn't feeling as bad anymore.

After leaving Fourth Consort's cabin, An Qing returned to her own, picked up the items for Eighth Consort, and stepped out again.

However, this time, she arrived at an inopportune moment. Eighth Consort had just fallen asleep, and she ran into Eighth Prince, who had just finished taking care of her.

Looking at the elegant and courteous Eighth Prince before her, An Qing couldn't help but marvel once again. Despite Lao Kang's appearance, he had managed to produce such handsome sons, which was quite remarkable.

It made sense, though. After all, the concubines in Kangxi's harem were all exceptional, improving the genes of their offspring.

History often described Kangxi as someone who valued beauty, evident from his favored concubines and close sons. He indeed preferred those who were good-looking.

For example, Eighth Prince had inherited his mother Wei's best features, and combined with his humble and polite demeanor, he exuded a gentle and refined air that set him apart from other princes.

"Sorry, Fifth Sister-in-Law, she just fell asleep, so it might not be convenient to invite you in," Eighth Prince said apologetically, glancing back at the cabin.

An Qing smiled and shook her head. "No worries, I understand. With seasickness being so uncomfortable, it's rare to get some solid sleep."

Eighth Prince bowed slightly. "Thank you for your understanding, Fifth Sister-in-Law."

An Qing responded, "No need for formalities, Eighth Brother. How is Eighth Sister-in-Law doing? Has the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician helped?"

A hint of concern flashed across Eighth Prince's face. "She has improved somewhat, but she's still very dizzy."

An Qing nodded lightly and handed over the items, repeating what she had told Fourth Consort earlier, explaining her intentions.

Eighth Prince thanked her profusely upon receiving the items.

An Qing waved her hand, indicating there was no need for gratitude. They exchanged a few more words before she returned to her cabin.

Back in her cabin, Perilla couldn't help but remark, "Those rumors about Eighth Prince in the palace are true. Talking to him really does feel like a breath of fresh air."

An Qing smiled without saying anything.

She knew exactly what the rumors were. Ever since entering the palace, she had learned that Eighth Prince was renowned for his virtue, both within the harem and in the court.

Since his ennoblement last year, Eighth Prince had gradually built a reputation in the court. It was said that he was diligent in his duties and had been praised multiple times by Kangxi. More impressively, everyone who had worked with him, whether civil officials or Manchu military aristocrats, spoke highly of him.

Undoubtedly, this laid the foundation for the powerful political group known as the 'Eighth Prince Party.'

Honestly, An Qing didn't have any negative impressions of Eighth Prince. In the struggle for succession, success and failure were common occurrences, and they didn't define one's character.

On the contrary, she admired him. Rising from humble beginnings to gain widespread support was no easy feat, and he had achieved it through humility and diligence, improving his mother Wei's status in the harem. Eighth Prince had done exceptionally well from a young age.

However, in the matter of the succession, many things were unpredictable. Sometimes, having too much support could be detrimental, especially for Kangxi, who was wary of such popularity later on.

Of course, none of this mattered to her. Neither she nor Yinqi intended to get involved in the succession struggle. There were too many variables and uncertainties, so everyone had to rely on their own abilities.

Having visited the two major patients on the ship, An Qing considered her task complete. During the day, Yinqi was mostly with Kangxi on the imperial barge, only returning at night. Now, she had plenty of free time.

Traveling on water wasn't as convenient as riding in a carriage to the frontier, so she couldn't easily visit other ships. Instead, she found her own way to entertain herself—sitting at the bow of the ship and enjoying the scenery.

The ship had only just left Imperial City, and the landscape hadn't changed much, but the atmosphere of cruising was soothing.

The ship sailed smoothly on the water, and gazing at the distant scenery brought a sense of tranquility.

Enjoying dried fruits and snacks while watching the sunset and evening sky was a rare and delightful experience.

Of course, it would be even better if Maidmaid weren't nagging her.

In the evening, after finishing his duties with Kangxi, Yinqi came over in a small boat.

As soon as he stepped onto the deck, he saw An Qing sitting at the bow, enjoying the breeze. His brows furrowed. "It's so windy. Why aren't you staying inside the cabin? What are you doing out here?"

It was February, the coldest time of the year. She was actually coming out to catch a cold. Was she trying to prove how strong she was?

An Qing hadn't expected Yinqi to return so soon and was taken aback. "The cabin is stuffy. I came out for some fresh air. I haven't been out long."

"Mistress, you're lying!" Maidmaid seized the opportunity to complain. "My lord, she's been out here for almost an hour. I tried to persuade her, but she wouldn't listen."

An Qing: "..."

Great, a traitor among her!

Who did this little girl belong to?

Yinqi's frown deepened upon hearing this. Without a word, he pulled her towards the cabin.

"It's not cold at all. Look, I'm wearing thick clothes, and Perilla even gave me a windproof veil," An Qing protested as she was dragged along.

Yinqi ignored her and instructed Maidmaid to prepare some concentrated ginger tea.

At the mention of ginger tea, An Qing's face twisted. "Why do I need to drink ginger tea when I'm perfectly fine?"

That stuff was so spicy; who would want to drink it willingly?

Yinqi, always direct, pointed out, "If you catch a cold today, I'll request His Majesty to take you back to the palace tomorrow when we dock at Big Willow."

"If you want to go back, go back yourself. I'm here to serve Empress Dowager, and technically, we're not on the same path," An Qing stubbornly retorted.

Yinqi's lips curved into a faint smile. "You said you're here to serve Empress Dowager. If you catch a cold, how can you serve her? It would be a perfect reason to return to the palace."

An Qing: "..."

Sure, a hero doesn't suffer a loss right in front of them; she'll drink it.

Isn't it just a bowl of ginger soup? How could that be more important than the southern tour? Besides, it's indeed necessary to prevent catching a cold. If she were to get sick, she wouldn't be able to enjoy the trip properly.

After settling the matter of drinking the ginger soup, An Qing suddenly realized something. He had mentioned earlier that the ship would dock when passing by Great Willow tomorrow. What was going on?

Yinqi explained, "Tomorrow, when we pass by Great Willow, we will stay there for two days. Emperor Father plans to lead the officials to inspect local agriculture. This is the first arrangement of our southern tour."

An Qing responded with an "Oh." So that was it.

She didn't know the specific itinerary of Kangxi's southern tour; she only knew roughly that they would sail south from Datong Bridge and pass through certain areas. She had assumed the ship would travel south without stopping. It turned out there were other arrangements along the way.

However, An Qing didn't take it too seriously, thinking it was indeed consistent with Kangxi's style.

Historically, although Kangxi had toured the south six times, unlike his grandson Qianlong, who mainly went for sightseeing, Kangxi always had a purpose: primarily to manage the Yellow River and examine the governance and welfare of the people.

Therefore, during the southern tours, Kangxi often paid attention to the living conditions of the people along the way, gaining a better understanding of their situation.

This is why, despite both Kangxi and Qianlong touring the south six times, Qianlong was criticized while Kangxi was praised in later generations.

"Are you feeling alright today? Did you experience seasickness?" Yinqi asked.

Seeing her prepare so many remedies for seasickness back in the palace, he thought An Qing might be prone to it. During the day, he sent someone to check on her several times, and each time they reported she was fine. Seeing her now, he finally felt relieved.

An Qing waved her hand and said proudly, "Don't worry. With my physical condition, I'm completely fine!"

After saying this, she even did a couple of spins on the deck, looking rather smug. Luckily, the Fourth and Eighth Princess Consorts, who were suffering from seasickness, weren't around to see it; otherwise, they would have given her a glare.

So what if she doesn't get seasick!

The next day, the imperial fleet docked at Great Willow as planned. According to the itinerary of the southern tour, Kangxi led everyone to stay at the Tianjin government office.

With so many people, most stayed on the ships since the local government office couldn't accommodate everyone. An Qing, as a companion to the Empress Dowager and Concubine Yi, was fortunate enough to be brought ashore to rest.

Of course, the Fourth and Eighth Princess Consorts, who were severely seasick, were also allowed to go ashore to recover. It was said that as soon as they entered the government office, they fell asleep.

Kangxi always traveled frugally, and staying at government offices instead of palaces wasn't unusual. Everyone around him was used to it.

Although the local government office was somewhat humble, it had everything needed. An Qing found it quite comfortable and slept soundly that night.

Her peaceful sleep was in comparison to the previous night on the ship. Being on land was naturally better than being on a ship. Even if the ship sailed smoothly, it still rocked slightly, which could be amplified at night.

Thus, although An Qing didn't get seasick, she still woke up several times during the night on the ship.

It was a rare good night's sleep, and she overslept. When An Qing woke up in the backyard of the government office, Yinqi was already gone, having been taken by Kangxi to inspect agriculture in the suburbs early in the morning.

Kangxi was truly dedicated to his work. Impressive, impressive indeed.

But Yinqi was a bit unlucky. He had come out for a trip but was dragged into extra work. Tsk tsk. Fortunately, she was here for tourism and didn't have to be pulled into mandatory overtime.

After a simple meal, An Qing began to think about what to do during the day. Great Willow was a famous ancient town in Tianjin, and since she was here, she decided to explore it.

After all, the main purpose of traveling was to experience the local customs and culture.

First, An Qing went to the Empress Dowager to ask if she wanted to go out for a stroll. She expected the Empress Dowager to decline, but surprisingly, she agreed enthusiastically.

Then, she asked Concubine Yi, who also readily agreed. Excellent, it seemed everyone had a clear goal for this trip.

Having such like-minded travel companions, An Qing was very satisfied.

After a quick preparation, they set out with some guards and left the government office.

Meanwhile, Kangxi and the officials arrived at the outskirts of the city, where the nearby fields were planted with wheat.

After An Qing presented her wheat cultivation manual last year, Kangxi selected several places as experimental sites, including Great Willow in Tianjin.

The methods described in the manual were compiled by officials of the Agricultural Administration Department and distributed to the experimental sites, with strict orders for local officials to supervise the farmers and ensure they followed these methods for planting winter wheat.

After a harsh winter, it was proven that An Qing's methods were highly effective. The local government reported that the freeze damage to the wheat was reduced by ninety percent.

This was why Kangxi chose this place as the first stop of his southern tour to encourage agricultural development. Seeing is believing.

Since it was about encouraging agriculture, not only Kangxi and the officials were present, but also the local villagers were called over.

Surprisingly, many people from other regions had also come to see Kangxi inspect the fields, hoping to catch a glimpse of the emperor. However, they were kept far away by the soldiers.

Seeing this, Kangxi was pleased and ordered them to move closer, ideally to see the fields that had escaped freeze damage.

"Your Majesty, no, we cannot. We cannot verify the origins of these people, and your safety comes first," the governor of Tianjin protested.

However, a hint of unease flashed across his face. With so many people, what if someone managed to reach those fields?

As soon as the governor spoke, other local officials echoed his concerns.

Clearly, they had something to hide. After all, the field with the strange wheat wasn't far from here. They had tried to divert Kangxi's attention elsewhere to avoid exposing the issue.

But they hadn't anticipated so many people coming from other regions. If they let them in, it would be beyond their control.

Kangxi, however, dismissed their concerns, waving his hand. "No problem. There's plenty of space here. Just keep them at a distance."

The accompanying guards would ensure security around Kangxi. Normally, only officials accompanying him could approach him closely. Even the villagers summoned to meet the emperor had to kneel a few meters away.

Kangxi pointed to an open area nearby. "Let those people from other regions go there. They've come a long way, surely wanting to see the wheat that survived the freeze."

In fact, apart from the designated experimental sites, many other areas still suffered from freeze damage to wheat this year.

The reason Kangxi didn't implement An Qing's methods universally was twofold: first, to ensure safety by testing them for a year, and second, because new farming techniques faced skepticism among the farmers, who feared they might harm their crops.

The governor of Tianjin looked in the direction Kangxi pointed and paled.

Kangxi, known for his golden words, had spoken, and his commands were immediately carried out. Even before the local officials could react, the common folk had already been admitted.

The crowd of people knelt down and kowtowed in Kangxi's direction, expressing their gratitude.

Kangxi waved his hand, signaling them to rise.

With everything now in place, it was time to proceed with the promotion of agriculture. Just as Kangxi was about to personally take up the plow to demonstrate imperial farming, a sudden cry erupted from the nearby crowd.

"Ghost wheat!!"