Chapter 77: The Fifth Princess Consort

Chapter 77: The Fifth Princess Consort

An Qing and the others returned to the city with Kangxi. The plot of land she had rented from the old man was taken over by Kangxi's men, and the natural pesticide had already been applied. It would only take one or two days to confirm that the crops were unaffected before the local government could promote its use.

Everyone seemed satisfied with this trip, whether it was the Manchu nobles and officials led by Kangxi or the Han Chinese scholars led by Old Li. They had tacitly reached a consensus on certain matters.

After their carriages entered Jiangning Prefecture, Kangxi, in a gesture of consideration, dismissed everyone to rest at their respective residences. He then took the princes directly to the Cao residence.

The journey back was uneventful, and An Qing noticed that Kangxi seemed to be in a good mood all along. She couldn't help but think that Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shisihad narrowly escaped trouble and marveled at their luck.

But as soon as they arrived at the Cao residence, Kangxi's previously sunny demeanor suddenly darkened, turning stormy.

An Qing had never seen such a scene and was startled. "Goodness, he's playing face-changing tricks."

Indeed, the wrath of an emperor was not to be underestimated.

Fortunately, this anger wasn't directed at her, and she silently felt relieved.

However, she observed that Yinqi and the others didn't react much, clearly used to Kangxi's quick changes. But Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shisi, being younger, weren't so composed, cowering as if waiting for a storm to hit.

Especially Xiao Shisi, his face pale.

"Shisi, you wretched child, kneel down!" Kangxi suddenly barked.

Prince Shisi fell to his knees and immediately confessed, "Please forgive me, Father Emperor. I know I was wrong."

An Qing watched in amazement. She had thought Prince Shisi was stubborn and would resist admitting fault, but who knew he would do so promptly.

It seemed he was someone who responded to authority; in front of the absolute authority of Kangxi, he was obedient, sliding to his knees and confessing quickly.

Kangxi wouldn't let him off easily. Thinking about what happened outside the city, his anger flared up again. At the time, he had restrained himself due to the situation, but now it was fully unleashed.

"You've learned nothing from your studies! How dare you trample on the crops in the peasants' fields? You've been spoiled rotten by your mother!"

Kangxi was adept at discerning deeper issues. From the argument between Ninth Prince and Prince Shisi, he picked up several key points.

When faced with Xiao Jiu's warning, Xiao Shisi's first reaction was to threaten to tell his mother. At eleven years old, a boy should not rely on his mother when in conflict with his brothers. This display of weakness and bullying displeased Kangxi.

Xiao Jiu's words, "I'm not Fourth Brother; Empress Dowager De won't favor me," also hinted at something.

Kangxi glanced at Fourth Prince. Clearly, Empress Dowager De did not treat her sons equally. Moreover...

He recalled that she always praised Xiao Shisi in his presence but rarely mentioned Fourth Prince. He had assumed it was because Xiao Shisi was younger, but now it seemed there was more to it.

An Qing grew increasingly confused. She had thought Kangxi was upset about the fight damaging the royal reputation, but it seemed there was more to it.

And what was this about Xiao Shisi trampling crops?

After scolding Prince Shisi, Kangxi unexpectedly praised Ninth Prince, saying he had matured and understood the hardships of farmers and the value of food. He commended him for guiding his younger brother and called him a fine young man.

An Qing was surprised. She hadn't expected the reason for the fight to be this; she had thought it was just a disagreement.

Wow, Xiao Jiu, you little rascal, you've really grown!

Ninth Prince, suddenly praised by his father, felt immense joy. "Thank you, Father Emperor. It's my duty."

Then, he seemed to remember something and turned to look at An Qing. "Much of what I learned is thanks to Fifth Sister-in-law and Fifth Elder Brother."

An Qing smiled inwardly. Good, this kid still remembers to credit us. Not bad, not bad.

Kangxi was even more pleased upon hearing this.

He looked at Xiao Jiu and Fifth Elder Brother, thinking that Concubine Yi had done well by not showing favoritism, which allowed An Qing and Fifth Elder Brother to teach Xiao Jiu without hesitation.

But his dissatisfaction with Empress Dowager De increased. As the saying goes, a doting mother often spoils her son. Her indulgence of Xiao Shisi could lead to serious problems.

He suddenly looked at Fourth Prince. "Fourth, I hereby authorize you to discipline Shisi on my behalf. If he doesn't change, I give you permission..."

Kangxi suddenly looked at Ninth Prince and said, "I authorize you to whip him with willow branches!"

Ninth Prince: "..."

Why bring this up now? Doesn't he have any dignity?

*

After a busy morning, An Qing and Yinqi returned to their residence, had lunch, and went to rest.

An Qing slept soundly and woke up to find Yinqi gone.

She called Perilla in and learned that he had gotten up early because Kangxi had sent a message about some urgent matter.

An Qing didn't pay much attention; Kangxi, the workaholic, always had urgent matters. It was routine.

In the afternoon, with nothing else to do, she stayed in her room working on her teaching plan.

From Kangxi's earlier remarks, it seemed the agricultural school would be established after returning to the capital. Though An Qing didn't know the specifics, she preferred to be prepared. Since she decided to do it, she wanted to do it well.

After discussing the matter with Yinqi, An Qing had been pondering how to run the agricultural school. She had only been a student and had no experience as a teacher.

She considered emulating her mentor's teaching style but realized it wouldn't work. These people weren't here for research but for practical knowledge.

So, rather than teaching, it was more about imparting advanced agricultural knowledge.

With this approach in mind, she outlined what to teach and how. She began drafting a basic plan.

By the time Yinqi returned in the evening, An Qing had a rough outline ready. She showed it to him, and he highly praised it.

This boost of confidence was greatly appreciated.

"Do you think what Lord Zhang Ying said is true?"

Yinqi was momentarily taken aback. "What do you mean by 'really'?"

An Qing blinked and said, "It's about this morning when Minister Zhang Ying told Old Li that he wanted his second son to attend the Agricultural School too."

Thinking about teaching Zhang Tingyu made her feel inexplicably nervous, but at the same time, her damned vanity kicked in immediately.

It felt like she was about to bring glory to her teacher's name.

"You're talking about Hengchen?" Yinqi was stunned.

An Qing nodded vigorously. "Yes, him!"

Seeing her reaction, Yinqi subconsciously furrowed his brows. "It should be so. Minister Zhang always acts prudently. Since he mentioned it publicly, it must have been approved privately by His Majesty."

Although he wasn't entirely clear on his father's intentions, he could guess that it was proposed by Minister Zhang Ying. However, he didn't understand why his father would agree.

After all, Zhang Tingyu was different from the officials of the Agricultural Administration Department. Regardless of his own abilities—since he hadn't yet participated in the imperial examinations and his future was uncertain—it was clear that his father intended to promote Minister Zhang Ying to a higher position.

Therefore, his father shouldn't let him have much interaction with the princes. So why did he allow Zhang Tingyu to come to the Agricultural School?

However, Yinqi couldn't dwell on these thoughts right now. His focus was on another matter. "Why did you suddenly ask about Hengchen?"

Recalling An Qing's reaction when they last saw Zhang Tingyu, it seemed indeed different, but he couldn't pinpoint exactly how.

An Qing didn't pay much attention and waved her hand. "Nothing, I just admire him."

"Admire?" Yinqi paused.

His mind instantly jumped to something. An Qing liked good-looking people. To be honest, Zhang Tingyu was indeed handsome. People had joked that he had the appearance of a third-place laureate, which referred to his looks.

It was well-known that the third-place laureate not only needed academic excellence but also had to be exceptionally handsome.

Moreover, as far as he knew, Zhang Tingyu only had one wife, Lady Yao, and no concubines. Despite being over twenty-five years old and without any children, he still hadn't taken a concubine.

No wonder An Qing admired him.

An Qing had no idea about Yinqi's train of thought. She had merely said it casually and didn't really admire Zhang Tingyu. After all, she wasn't part of historical circles.

In essence, it was just her vanity acting up, which she was fully aware of.

Of course, she knew that this vanity was harmless; it just made her feel good for a while. In a few days, she'd probably forget all about it.

"Yes, didn't you say he was very capable? You praised his knowledge and character. I agreed, so I naturally admire him."

Yinqi: "..."

He hadn't expected it to be because of that. Well, he had overthought it.

"When your Agricultural School starts, I want to learn too," Yinqi said.

An Qing exclaimed, "Ah," a bit confused.

Weren't they talking about Zhang Tingyu? Why did it suddenly shift to this?

Yinqi, thinking she was unwilling, frowned. "Do you think I'm not as smart as Hengchen and don't want to teach me?"

An Qing: "???"

What was he talking about?

*

Days passed slowly. Due to Empress Dowager's recent bout of cold, she needed rest, so An Qing's travel group had to pause their plans.

However, Concubine Yi had been quite prominent recently. Emperor Kangxi had stayed in her quarters for several consecutive nights, making An Qing hesitant to visit her mother-in-law, fearing she might disturb her.

But An Qing wasn't idle. She spent most of her time perfecting her teaching plan and didn't pay much attention to external matters.

One day, a palace maid from Concubine Yi's quarters came to invite An Qing over.

An Qing thought there was something important, but upon arriving, she realized Concubine Yi just missed her and wanted to chat.

"What have you been busy with these past few days? Why haven't you come over?" Concubine Yi asked.

An Qing picked up a pastry from the table and started eating. "Mother, wasn't I just avoiding disturbing you?"

Concubine Yi was momentarily confused and asked, "What disturbance? You used to come here often."

An Qing chuckled and winked, hinting, "Didn't I hear that Mother has been enjoying the favor of the harem these days?"

Concubine Yi's eyes sparkled with amusement.

Everyone knew that during the southern tour, Emperor Kangxi had been attended by lower-ranking concubines, while she and Noble Consort De were mere decorations.

This wasn't unusual. In recent years, Emperor Kangxi preferred younger concubines, and the four high-ranking concubines had grown accustomed to it.

But who would have thought that Emperor Kangxi would suddenly change his behavior and stay at her quarters for several nights? Concubine Yi was delighted, not because of the favor but because she had surpassed Noble Consort De.

The day Xiao Jiu and Xiao Shisih fought, Concubine Yi learned that Emperor Kangxi had sent Xiao Shisih back with a message to Noble Consort De. Though the content was unknown, Noble Consort De had since closed her doors.

Then, Emperor Kangxi kept coming to her quarters, praising her for raising Prince Wu and Xiao Jiu well, saying she was an excellent mother, fair and unbiased, better than Noble Consort De.

How ironic. Over the years, Concubine Yi had always been outshone by Noble Consort De in every aspect except appearance. Emperor Kangxi often praised Noble Consort De's virtue and fairness, urging Concubine Yi to emulate her.

Now, the tables had turned. Who would have thought that Noble Consort De, known for her fairness, would show favoritism between her sons and be reprimanded by the Emperor?

Concubine Yi sighed and then remembered something. Turning to a palace maid, she said, "Go get the wooden box from the dressing table."

The maid quickly fetched a large wooden box and placed it before An Qing at Concubine Yi's gesture.

An Qing looked at the box, feeling a bit confused. "Mother, are you giving me a gift?"

Why would she suddenly give her a gift?

Concubine Yi waved her hand and replied, "It's not from me; it's from Xiao Jiu. It's a token of appreciation from him, but he was too embarrassed to give it himself, so he asked me to do it."

An Qing was taken aback for a moment, not quite understanding. "What kind of token of appreciation?"

After saying this, she immediately realized what it must be about—the day she had vouched for him in front of the Fourteenth Prince.

Indeed, Concubine Yi briefly recounted the incident and then sighed softly. "Thank goodness you helped Xiao Jiu clear things up. To be honest, even I, his mother, didn't believe him."

An Qing shook her head. "Mother, you didn't know about it. Don't blame yourself. Xiao Jiu himself didn't understand either."

Concubine Yi smiled and replied, "Don't worry, I'm not blaming myself. It's all in the past. No point dwelling on it."

Seeing that she was genuinely fine, An Qing felt relieved. Indeed, Concubine Yi had always been straightforward and wouldn't get bogged down by such matters.

However, when she opened the box Xiao Jiu had given her, she was completely stunned.

Wow! Xiao Jiu is really something, giving a golden Buddha as a token of appreciation. He has the flair of the future Eighth Prince's 'moneybag.'

Concubine Yi seemed equally surprised that the Ninth Prince had prepared such a gift. No wonder she had found it heavy earlier.

"This was a gift my father gave Xiao Jiu when we went to Shengjing. He adores it, so I never expected him to give it to you," Concubine Yi said.

Hearing this, An Qing immediately responded, "Mother, why don't you return it to Xiao Jiu for me? Just tell him I received his gesture."

If Xiao Jiu liked it so much, she couldn't bear to take it away from him. The fact that he carried it with him showed how much he cherished it.

Concubine Yi chuckled but waved her hand. "No worries. That child isn't usually generous, but since he chose to give it to you, he must have thought it through. Just accept it."

She added, "Actually, Xiao Jiu is thanking you not just for that incident, but also because you helped him earn praise from the Emperor that day."

An Qing quickly explained, "Mother, that had nothing to do with me. Xiao Jiu did well on his own, which is why the Emperor praised him."

Concubine Yi shook her head. "I know that boy very well. If not for your guidance and that of the Fifth Prince, he wouldn't have spoken like that."

She then sighed again, recalling something. "You don't know, but Xiao Jiu has always known that the Emperor doesn't favor him. He's always trying to win his father's approval, which is why he was so happy this time."

An Qing was taken aback. Did the Emperor dislike Xiao Jiu?

Concubine Yi seemed to read her thoughts and laughed. "In this regard, you're quite similar to the Emperor."

An Qing exclaimed, "Me? How could I be similar to the Emperor?"

Concubine Yi smiled and replied, "The Emperor likes good-looking people."

This preference extended not only to concubines but also to his sons.

An Qing blinked. She knew this to be true; historically, the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong emperors were known for their preference for good looks, especially Kangxi. But...

"Xiao Jiu isn't bad-looking."

Concubine Yi sighed. "Xiao Jiu isn't bad-looking, but he's always been a bit chubby. When he was little, it was cute, but now it's not ideal. The Emperor once mentioned to me that Xiao Jiu should eat less and not be too fat."

But Xiao Jiu, no matter what he tried, couldn't lose weight. It was a constant source of frustration for her, but there was nothing she could do about it.

An Qing was dumbfounded. The Ninth Prince was a bit plump, but not unattractive.

So, did the Emperor prefer slender figures?

Hmm~ They were indeed different. She believed in diverse beauty standards.

With Concubine Yi's insistence, An Qing eventually accepted the golden Buddha from the Ninth Prince.

Indeed, it was quite heavy. On the way back, Perilla and Maidong had to take turns carrying it, or else one person couldn't handle it.

An Qing couldn't help but wonder what Xiao Jiu was thinking, bringing such a heavy item with him.

Fortunately, they were almost back to their courtyard, but as they passed by the Eighth Prince's quarters, they heard a commotion inside. It sounded like the Eighth Princess Consort and the Eighth Prince arguing.

Oh~ This was definitely juicy gossip.

But wait, the Eighth Prince and the Eighth Princess Consort had always been inseparable since their marriage. Their relationship seemed perfect, and the way the Eighth Prince looked at his consort didn't seem fake.

So why was there talk of a 'seductress' now? Could it be that the Eighth Prince met someone in Jiangnan?

But they couldn't linger, so An Qing hurriedly left. Back in their courtyard, she couldn't stop thinking about it. She knew curiosity killed the cat, but hearing half a story made her restless.

At that moment, she really missed Cui Liu.

Perilla sighed and said, "My lady, shall I go find out more?"

An Qing looked at her skeptically. "Can you handle it?"

She couldn't imagine Perilla seriously gathering gossip. More importantly, she didn't want Perilla to get caught and make things worse.

Perilla hesitated. "Perhaps Maidong could go?"

Maidong, hearing this, quickly waved her hands, looking terrified. "My lady, I can't do it."

She could treat patients, but she had no idea how to start gathering gossip.

An Qing watched them for a few seconds and sighed. Fine, she'd do it herself.

"It's been a while since I chatted with the Fourth Princess Consort. Let's go; she's probably free now."

Perilla and Maidong may not be good at gossip, but they know their mistress well. They exchanged a glance and immediately understood An Qing's intention.

The Fourth Prince lives next to the Eighth Prince, so with all the commotion in the Eighth Prince's courtyard just now, the Fourth Princess must have heard something.

At the very least, if they go over there now, they might still hear something.

But things did not go as hoped. When An Qing returned, the arguments in the Eighth Prince's courtyard had already ceased, leaving her to pin all her hopes on the Fourth Princess.