Chapter 069

Chapter 069

"At this critical moment, Consort Rong's visit to the Qianqing Palace is truly reckless."

The Niohuru family was about to send a message to Consort Rong, urging her to stay quietly in the Yonghe Palace and not to intercede on behalf of the deposed consort. However, they received news that Consort Rong had behaved improperly, spoken disrespectfully to the Emperor, and was now punished with indefinite house arrest in the Yonghe Palace.

If there had been a set time limit, it would have provided some certainty. But now, with no end in sight, the duration could only be long, not short.

Being confined for even a month or two is already quite harsh. Over time, with new beauties continually appearing in the harem, it's uncertain whether Consort Rong would be remembered or favored again. By then, it might be too late.

Sacrificing Consort Rong for a deposed consort is truly a grave mistake. Those incompetent individuals didn't even try to stop Consort Rong from going to the Qianqing Palace. But now that things have come to this, the Niohuru family cannot take any significant actions and can only hope this matter passes quickly.

Everyone believes that Consort Rong was punished with house arrest in the Yonghe Palace for interceding for the deposed consort. However, only those in the Qianqing Palace know the true nature of her actions.

Consort Rong even had the audacity to kick the door!

That kick left a dent in the door, leaving everyone in shock. No one had the courage to stop her at that moment.

Who would dare to kick the door in the Qianqing Palace? Only Consort Rong.

Especially Liang Jiugong, who considered the house arrest punishment too lenient. Others might think the Emperor was taking out his anger on Consort Rong, but Liang Jiugong was there and knew the truth.

In reality, Consort Rong was the one who angered the Emperor greatly.

Despite her gentle appearance and soft-spoken words, her words were like sharp knives, piercing deeply.

Her sarcastic and biting remarks could have cost her her life. Who would dare to speak like that?

The Emperor was so enraged that he smashed numerous items. Liang Jiugong still breaks into a sweat when he recalls that incident. In the end, Consort Rong was only confined to the Yonghe Palace.

In Liang Jiugong's view, this punishment was rather lenient, especially since she wasn't even demoted.

Moreover, Consort Rong rarely left the Yonghe Palace. Liang Jiugong even thought, somewhat irreverently, that she might be quite comfortable with the confinement.

But he wouldn't dare to voice that thought. The Emperor's temper has been unpredictable as of late. Initially, Liang Jiugong thought the Emperor would regain his composure the next day.

But that wasn't the case.

Instead, the situation became even more difficult.

One moment, the Emperor might be joking, and the next, he would become cold, not just with the maids in the Qianqing Palace.

The ministers are also under immense pressure.

They are the ones who feel most acutely how difficult the Emperor has been recently. The frequency of being scolded has increased significantly.

The ministers are baffled, completely unaware of why the Emperor has been so irritable lately.

The key point is, if you haven't made any mistakes, the Emperor won't vent his anger on you. But if there's even a slight error, he will immediately point it out and return the memorial.

Previously, when such minor issues arose, the Emperor would usually just offer a few words of advice, maintaining a relatively gentle demeanor.

But now, it's different.

This has made the ministers quite apprehensive when dealing with the Emperor.

Sometimes, before being summoned by the Emperor for discussions, the ministers would try to gauge the Emperor's mood by subtly inquiring with Liang Jiugong.

At such times, what could Liang Jiugong say? The Emperor's mood hasn't been good, but could he say that?

Even if they spoke, they could only force a dry smile and speak evasively, leaving it up to the listener to understand or not.

However, the ministers were all shrewd and instantly understood. Their steps into the imperial study were somewhat heavy, mostly timing their entry to coincide with other ministers, entering together.

At such times, the thought was probably, "If we're going down, we're going down together, and definitely not leading the charge."

When they came out, the ministers seemed to have aged several years, their shoulders somewhat slumped.

It wasn’t that no one had inquired with Liang Jiugong whether the Emperor was still upset about the Niohuru situation, to which Liang Jiugong could only vaguely reply that the Emperor was too busy with state affairs to be so.

It was indeed about Niohuru, but not the one in the disfavored palace, but the one in Yonghe Palace.

At this point, the name Consort Rong was almost a taboo in the Qianqing Palace, and few dared to bring it up.

Mentioning it would surely lead to trouble, as one day someone actually mentioned that Consort Rong had sent someone to the Qianqing Palace to deliver soup, intending to mention that the Third Prince had started walking and was calling out to the Emperor, hoping the Emperor would come to see.

At that moment, Liang Jiugong sensed trouble, but since it was a concubine sending items, whether the Emperor would consume them was uncertain. Still, he had to inform the Emperor to keep him in the loop.

As soon as he cautiously finished speaking, Kangxi paused slightly, his face expressionless, and only said, "She still sends people to deliver things, does she realize her mistake?" His tone was somewhat ambiguous.

This statement made Liang Jiugong pause, suspecting that the "she" the Emperor referred to was not the "she" he was referring to.

To avoid future embarrassment and his own downfall, Liang Jiugong forced a smile and repeated, "Your Majesty, this servant meant Consort Rong from Zhongcui Palace sent someone with items."

Not the one from Yonghe Palace, as Your Majesty knows whether the one from Yonghe Palace has ever sent anything.

Among all the broths, teas, and desserts sent by the concubines to the Qianqing Palace, none have come from Yonghe Palace.

Kangxi's gaze immediately swept over, his tone cold, "Do I not know, that you need to remind me? Wasn't it just recently that I asked Consort Rong to take good care of the Third Prince?" His words seemed somewhat evasive, and the latter part sounded like an added explanation.

He had not reacted wrongly earlier.

Liang Jiugong, though skeptical, replied, "Yes, yes, this servant misunderstood. It was unnecessary. Consort Rong sent word that the Third Prince is walking and calling for His Majesty, hoping for a visit."

Mentioning the Third Prince, Kangxi then remembered there was also a Fourth Prince, "Is the Fourth Prince currently under the care of Consort Tongjia?"

Previously, it was planned to entrust the Fourth Prince to Consort Tongjia, but due to Baocheng's smallpox and recent events, the matter was postponed.

"Yes, it is said the Imperial Noble Consort oversees the Fourth Prince's daily needs and has arranged wet nurses to care for him," Liang Jiugong reported.

He had to stay updated on palace affairs, ensuring he had the latest information in case the Emperor inquired.

"Hmm, tonight I will dine at the Jingren Palace."

"Yes, Your Majesty, and the items sent by Consort Rong from Zhongcui Palace..."

Liang Jiugong avoided the specific term this time, directly referring to Consort Rong from Zhongcui Palace.

The Emperor simply said, "Accept the items and deal with them," before returning to his memorials.

"Yes, this servant will see to it." Liang Jiugong responded and quietly stepped back.

He instructed a young eunuch to inform the Jingren Palace that the Emperor would be dining there later.

On the other hand, he had someone accept the items sent by Consort Rong from Zhongcui Palace and then handle them discreetly, without bringing them before the Emperor.

The young eunuch nodded, well-versed in such tasks.

Most of the soups and drinks sent by the concubines ended up being consumed by the servants. After all, sometimes it seemed like they were coordinating their deliveries, and on some days, they could receive five or six servings. If all of these were presented to the Emperor, wouldn't he be overwhelmed? So, it all ended up benefiting the servants.

Moreover, what was Consort Rong thinking? Did she see Consort Rong under house arrest and think this was a good opportunity to act? Now Consort Rong is trying to use the Third Prince to gain favor.

After all, isn't that what concubines with children in the palace often do? They say, "Come see the child," and then, while visiting, they end up staying the night.

Those without children resort to tactics like feigning illness or arranging chance encounters.

These tricks are well understood by those who have spent a long time in the palace.

But this is not a good time, and Consort Rong is truly not going to gain any favor.

Didn't you notice? Consort Rong used the Third Prince's name to invite the Emperor, but instead, the Emperor decided to go to Jingren Palace to see the Fourth Prince.

It's no laughing matter; the name "Consort Rong" is best not mentioned in Qianqing Palace. Even mentioning Consort Rong's title can easily lead to misunderstandings and unintended consequences.

Now, she is also being ignored.

The people in Qianqing Palace intentionally avoid mentioning Consort Rong.

Of course, this "basically no one mentions" rule does not apply to the Crown Prince.

The servants around the Crown Prince have been carefully chosen, knowing what to say and what not to say, so the Crown Prince remains completely unaware of this matter.

But once, after the Emperor finished reviewing his homework, the Crown Prince asked, "Father, why hasn't Consort Rong come to see me?"

At that moment, the servants around him were startled and immediately dropped to their knees.

They had all been warned by Chief Steward Liang to keep their mouths shut and avoid gossip. If they were punished for breaking this rule, they would have to face the consequences themselves.

Therefore, they never mentioned Consort Rong's house arrest in front of the Crown Prince, fearing that if he found out, he might make a scene, and if it reached the Emperor, they would be blamed for speaking out of turn.

Now that the Crown Prince brought it up in front of the Emperor, the servants were extremely quiet, their hearts filled with tension, fearing that the Emperor might suddenly lose his temper.

But Kangxi, after hearing this, did not react with the expected fury. Instead, he patted the little milk dragon's head and said casually, "Consort Rong is too busy to see you, Baocheng. You're a big boy now; don't always cling to Consort Rong like a child. She might find you annoying but hasn't mentioned it."

These words made the little milk dragon pout, his beautiful eyes welling up with tears, feeling somewhat wronged. His voice also grew louder, as if speaking louder could demonstrate his strong stance.

"Why does Father say that? Baocheng knows that Consort Rong likes me very much; she wouldn't find me annoying!"

Seeing the little milk dragon's grievance, Kangxi merely said, "Is that so? Then why hasn't she come to visit you?"

Listening on the side, Liang Jiugong was filled with inner sarcasm: Why hasn't she come? Isn't it because Your Majesty placed her under house arrest? How could she possibly come?

This was really infuriating. The little milk dragon was almost about to cry from his father's words. "Because Consort Rong is busy, that's why she hasn't had time to come. If Consort Rong can't come, Baocheng will go see her..."

The little milk dragon was about to say that he could go see Consort Rong, as long as his father allowed it. He could take the servants with him.

But Kangxi interrupted him with a firm tone, "Enough, Baocheng. You've been sick for some time, and your studies have fallen behind. You should focus on catching up with your studies. You are the Crown Prince; you can't be so lax, always thinking about playing. Do you understand?"

At this moment, Kangxi was like a strict father. When it came to his child's studies, he was always strict. Even though he usually showed great affection for the Crown Prince, when it came to academic matters, no matter how much he doted on the Crown Prince, he would not lower his standards.

The little milk dragon, looking at his father's stern expression, dared not say anything more. He just lowered his head and whispered, "...I understand, Father."

In his heart, he was more confused. What was wrong with Father today? Why was he acting so strange?

"Go now. I still have some matters to attend to," Kangxi said, patting Baocheng's head and signaling the servants to take the Crown Prince away.

Jingren Palace

After the eunuch from the Qianqing Palace visited, Consort Tongjia was thrilled. She immediately instructed the small kitchen to prepare the evening meal with even more exquisite and delicious dishes. She was also busy picking out clothes to change into later and planning her makeup and attire, keeping her quite occupied.

Of course, she didn’t forget to instruct the wet nurse to make sure the Fourth Prince was well-fed and cleaned up before bringing him over later. Although the Fourth Prince was already being cared for by people arranged by Consort Tongjia, and Uya couldn’t intervene, the Fourth Prince was still considered her child.

However, since the Emperor had not yet formally announced the matter, it hadn’t been officially settled. Tonight, when the Emperor arrived, it would be the perfect opportunity to bring up the matter and officially confirm her custody of the Fourth Prince.

When the Fourth Prince was first born, he looked like a reddish, scrawny baby. But after some time, when Consort Tongjia went to see him again, she noticed that his skin was no longer reddish, and he had gained some weight. He also rarely cried or fussed. The wet nurse always said he was very easy to care for, clearly having a very good temperament.

Consort Tongjia tried holding him, thinking she would hand him back to the wet nurse if he cried. But the Fourth Prince was very well-behaved in her arms, neither crying nor fussing. Apart from crying when he was first born, he hardly cried at all.

Over time, Consort Tongjia began to find the Fourth Prince quite adorable and even grew genuinely fond of him.

Uya, aside from paying her respects, kept to herself in the side hall and didn’t make a fuss about seeing the child. This also made Consort Tongjia feel at ease, believing Uya understood her position. Once she formally adopted the Fourth Prince, she would discuss with the Emperor about promoting Uya’s rank.

Promoting her to daying (a low-ranking concubine) would be enough—such a rank was already a great favor. If it weren’t for her raising Uya’s status, she would still be a palace maid!

---

In the Yonghe Palace, Su Yi took the news of her house arrest in stride and simply acknowledged it without much reaction.

Qinxin observed her reaction, thinking that Su Yi was putting up a front. After all, the concubines in the palace all relied on the Emperor’s favor to survive.

Previously, in the Qianqing Palace, she had seen that Su Yi seemed to have feelings for the Emperor, and the Emperor had always treated her with great kindness. Now, with such a sudden change, even if Su Yi was an easygoing person, she must be feeling upset deep down.

"Your Highness, don’t force yourself to endure. Your health is important. Perhaps in a few days, when the Emperor’s anger subsides, you’ll be released from house arrest," Qinxin comforted her.

Su Yi thought to herself that she really wasn’t forcing herself, but no one would believe her if she said so. So she simply didn’t deny it.

She nodded gently and said, "Yes, I understand, Qinxin. By the way, prepare some things—blankets, food, and the like. Although I’m under house arrest, not everyone in the Yonghe Palace is confined. You and Yun Hua take these things to the Cold Palace (a place for deposed consorts) and make sure everything is properly arranged."

She coughed twice, as if her throat was uncomfortable from speaking too much. Qinxin quickly brought her some water, and after Su Yi took a few sips, Qinxin couldn’t help but say, "Your Highness, you still want to send things to the deposed consort? This..."

At this point, the entire Yonghe Palace was already struggling to take care of itself, and the deposed consort wasn’t worth the effort.

"Although my sister has treated me this way, which saddens me, we were still sisters after all. This will be the last time," Su Yi said with a hint of melancholy, as if this was her last gesture of goodwill. Even though the other party had wronged her, she wouldn’t be truly heartless.

This reasoning made sense, as they were still sisters. How could she completely ignore her? This would be the last thing she did for her, a way to tie up loose ends. Given the current situation, sending some food and blankets wouldn’t hurt.

So they quickly prepared the items. Su Yi came to inspect the preparations and, upon seeing a particular pastry, personally wrapped it in red paper, with a layer of light yellow kraft paper on the outside to prevent staining and to keep it fresh. She checked the other items and added a few more, giving detailed instructions about what was needed.

She also prepared small amounts of silver, placing it in a pouch to be used for greasing the palms of the servants in the Cold Palace.

"You may go now."

Thus, Yun Hua and Qinxin, along with a few maids, set off for the Cold Palace. On the way, they encountered other palace servants who seemed puzzled. Consort Rong of Yonghe Palace was under house arrest, yet her maids dared to come out at this time?

Qinxin responded expressionlessly, "Consort Rong is indeed under house arrest and has not left, but the Yonghe Palace has not been sealed off, and there are no restrictions on movement within the palace."

Her meaning was clear: Did they expect the entire Yonghe Palace to be confined? That would mean no one could do any work, which was ridiculous.

Qinxin’s stern demeanor was quite imposing, especially at this moment, and she didn’t show any weakness, lest anyone think they could take advantage.

After Qinxin’s sharp retort, the journey went smoothly, and no one dared to cause trouble. Yun Hua whispered beside her, "Qinxin, you’re so impressive. I could never do that."

Yun Hua’s personality was somewhat soft, and she rarely spoke loudly or assertively.

Qinxin replied indifferently, "There’s no need to say such things to me. Even if you say nice things, I won’t like you more." She wasn’t as easygoing as Su Yi.

Yun Hua lowered her head and didn’t respond further. The two of them walked in silence at the front, and those following behind didn’t dare to interject.

They arrived at the Cold Palace without a word. The Cold Palace servants were somewhat polite to visitors from other palaces, especially when they brought gifts, which clearly meant there was something to be gained. Thus, their attitude was quite enthusiastic.

The servants from other palaces lived much more comfortably than those in the Cold Palace. The fabrics they wore were far superior. The Cold Palace was truly no place for humans.

Qinxin no longer counted on Yun Hua and directly stepped forward to exchange pleasantries with the servants of the Cold Palace. She then took out the prepared pouches and handed them over. After saying a few words, she led the group to deliver the items to the deposed consort.

Upon seeing the dilapidation of the hall, Qinxin simply had the items placed down, knowing full well that these things would likely not last long.

As soon as Niohuru heard someone had arrived, she retreated to a corner, thinking it was those troublesome servants again. But to her surprise, it wasn't those scheming troublemakers. Instead, it seemed like...

Who would come to see her now that she had fallen so far?

"I am a servant from the Yonghe Palace, sent by Her Ladyship to bring you some things. This is all. From now on, you must fend for yourself. Her Ladyship will no longer involve herself in your affairs. Take care of yourself."

Qinxin only saw a shadow. Since the other party did not come out, she did not force her to. After placing the items, she stood there and delivered her message. The space was small, so her voice carried clearly.

Upon hearing it was from Yonghe Palace, Niohuru suddenly remembered she had a half-sister, Consort Rong!

As if struck by inspiration, her eyes lit up, and she immediately rushed over to Qinxin, asking excitedly,

"Where is Consort Rong? Why hasn't she come to see me? I am her own flesh and blood! Has she pleaded with the Emperor to release me from this wretched place? Tell Consort Rong to go to the Emperor, to let him see me! I have been wronged!"

Then, seeing the items brought, she knocked them to the ground, "What good are these things? I don't need them! I want to see the Emperor! Go back and tell Consort Rong to beg the Emperor on my behalf. Anywhere but here, I don't want to stay in this place!"

Qinxin frowned, looking at Niohuru without responding. The once dignified Imperial Noble Consort, now disheveled and dirty, with tangled hair and filthy clothes, was a far cry from her former graceful self.

The once lofty Imperial Noble Consort had fallen to such a state, truly pitiable.

Not receiving a clear answer from Qinxin, Niohuru's already fragile nerves gave way.

She grabbed Qinxin's arm, her expression verging on madness, "I took such good care of her before! Is Consort Rong just going to watch her own sister fall to this state? Does she want to sever ties?!"

Someone who doesn't care for her own sister, when the harem speaks of Consort Rong, they will say she is heartless, not even caring for her own sister!

Yun Hua, who had been silent, now hearing Niohuru speak in such a manner, as if trying to paint Her Ladyship in a bad light, couldn't hold back her anger,

"Forgive my bluntness, but your so-called care was truly harmful. Our Lady has already done her best for you. Don't be ungrateful. The things you sent in the past were all foul! You had ill intentions!"

How dare she speak like this,

Qinxin didn't say this, as the other party was once a lady of the Niohuru family, but she didn't stop Yun Hua from being rude.

"What needed to be said and done, we have done. Take care of yourself." After saying this, Qinxin no longer wished to linger. She pulled Niohuru's hand away and prepared to leave with her group.

Niohuru couldn't let them leave so easily. She couldn't leave the Cold Palace, and now that someone had finally come, she had to get a message out. How could they just leave?

She hurried after them, but since coming to the Cold Palace, she had often gone without food and sleep, her health declining rapidly.

Trying to catch up, she felt weak after just a few steps and could only shout hoarsely, "Go back and tell Consort Rong to come see me! I want to see her! Tell her to come see me!"

Then she collapsed weakly to the ground, utterly disheveled.