Chapter 070

Chapter 070

But Qinxin didn’t look back. The Niohuru family had already abandoned the deposed consort, Niohuru.

Niohuru shouted hoarsely after her, but the figure that never turned back gradually extinguished her hope. She collapsed to the ground, remaining silent for a long time, and the items that had been delivered were all scattered on the ground.

After the cold palace maids saw that Qinxin and the others had left, they all came over, eager to snatch up the good items. They had just seen that the people from Yonghe Palace had brought some fine things, especially new quilts and winter clothes, which they sorely needed. So they quickly came over and hastily took all the usable items.

They even wanted to take all the food, but in the end, they left a pack of pastries for the deposed consort. It wasn’t because they had a sudden pang of conscience, but because there were so many good things now. When the pack of pastries fell to the ground, it had scattered, and some of the pastries had already spilled onto the dirty floor.

Deciding there were better things to take, they left the pastries and only left the pack that had fallen on the ground for the deposed consort. Then they left in a group. Meanwhile, Niohuru sat motionless, coldly watching them scramble for the items. Things she once scorned had now become the objects of their greed.

Unfortunately, at that moment, she couldn’t compete with them and couldn’t protect her belongings.

After those troublesome maids left, the dilapidated side hall fell into silence once more.

The deposed consort sat there, looking at the pastries that had been left behind. The pastries were shaped like five-pointed stars. Her stomach was empty, and she was famished. Slowly, Niohuru moved over, gathering the scattered pastries from the ground and placing them back into the oiled paper.

Then she ate the cleaner ones. The pastries were dry, but Niohuru forced herself to swallow them. She looked down at the five-pointed star pastries on the oiled paper, originally thinking of hiding them to eat over a few days. But as she looked, her numb mind suddenly jolted awake.

Among the five-pointed star pastries, one was noticeably larger than the others. The oiled paper inside was red. She absentmindedly fiddled with it a few times, gradually realizing something, as if in disbelief—Consort Rong!

Could she also be from that world?!

Just like her?!

Niohuru's mind kept flashing back to all the past events.

Before Consort Rong entered the palace, she had inexplicably fallen into a deep sleep for three years, just like her, and then entered the imperial harem early. It was laughable that she had only tested her once and then stopped suspecting Consort Rong's identity!

She was also from that world!

These past few days, she had been wondering what she had overlooked. It turned out that Consort Rong was also from that world, just like her. It was laughable that she hadn’t noticed. Even when Kangxi spent more time with Consort Rong, she had thought of using her to quickly conceive a child!

If Consort Rong had known all along, then wasn’t she secretly plotting against her? Perhaps her sudden downfall and the numerous charges against her were all Consort Rong's doing?!

Niohuru suddenly let out a piercing scream!

"Why?!" Niohuru swept all the pastries to the ground and began stomping on them madly, crushing them into pieces. She raised her head and glared at the sky, pointing her finger upward, "Why? I'm not the only one! Since you brought me here, you shouldn’t have brought Consort Rong as well! I should be the only one!! Ah—"

Niohuru covered her head and began to scream, as if trying to vent all the resentment in her heart. But soon, the door of the side hall was kicked open by the cold palace maids who had just left. They looked annoyed, "What are you screaming for? Who are you trying to kill with all that noise?!"

"Looking for trouble again, huh?! Today was supposed to be a good day, and you're ruining it!" One of the maids, with a sharp and mean face, rolled up her sleeves and aggressively approached Niohuru.

Niohuru had been beaten by this troublesome maid several times in the past few days and had developed a reflexive fear. She had just been emotionally overwhelmed and lost her rationality. Now, seeing the maids surrounding her again, she immediately crouched down and covered her head.

In the remote cold palace, the occasional screams of a woman could be heard, but they only dissipated into the air, unable to reach far.

Yonghe Palace

Su Yi, feeling better, got up to bask in the warm winter sun. The winter sunlight, unlike the scorching heat of summer, was warm and gentle. Su Yi squinted her eyes as she lay there, the sunlight casting a glow on her, as if bathing her in a warm radiance. Her snow-white skin seemed to emit a faint halo.

When the little milk dragon sneaked in, this was the scene he saw. His eyes lit up, but soon dimmed again. He hid behind a large flowerpot, not daring to come out.

Qinxin and Yun Hua should be on their way back by now.

As if thinking of something, a faint smile appeared on Su Yi's face. She seemed to be enjoying the sunlight, but who could really tell?

Su Yi seemed to hear some movement, and the smile on her face deepened. "Who's there?" she said.

The little milk dragon ducked back behind the large flowerpot, pulling his head in. He thought he was well-hidden; Consort Rong probably hadn't spotted him. He just wanted to sneak a peek at Consort Rong.

He leaned against the flowerpot, listening for a while, and noticed that Consort Rong had stopped talking. After a moment, he couldn't help but peek out again to see if she was still sunbathing or had gone inside.

But as soon as he peeked out, he saw that Consort Rong had also crouched behind the flowerpot, copying him. Just as he stuck his head out, Su Yi made a funny face at him. The little milk dragon let out a startled "wah!" and fell back, landing hard on the ground.

Instead of helping him up, Su Yi just laughed. "Why are you hiding here?"

The little milk dragon had snuck out, dodging and hiding along the way, afraid that the maids would catch him and bring him back. Luckily, he had managed to avoid them and successfully slipped into Yonghe Palace.

His dad had said that Consort Rong was too busy to visit him, but he could go see her himself!

He had even finished his lessons before sneaking out today.

He had planned to just take a quick peek and then head back.

"Hmph, Consort Rong is so mean. Why didn't you come see Baocheng? Baocheng misses you, and you're laughing at him." Having fallen hard and not even getting a gentle hug, the little milk dragon felt a bit upset that she hadn't come to see him. Was it really like his dad said, that she found him annoying?

Now that she was laughing at him, he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Even though he had loudly denied it that day, the little milk dragon still felt a bit uneasy, wondering if he was being too clingy and if Consort Rong was just too polite to say she was annoyed.

As he spoke, the little milk dragon started to sniffle. He wanted to be a man like his dad said, but being a man meant not crying. It was too hard; he just couldn't keep it in.

He sniffled a couple of times before being wrapped in a familiar hug.

The little milk dragon instinctively snuggled into her arms, wrapping his arms around Su Yi's neck and resting his head on her shoulder. The tears that were about to fall suddenly didn't seem so important anymore.

But he decided he had to put on a bit of an act. He couldn't just forgive Consort Rong so quickly. He would wait for her to coax him first, and then he would talk to her. Yes!

Su Yi easily picked up the little milk dragon, who had gained some weight after being well-fed for a while. She held him with one arm and gently patted his back with the other, speaking softly, "Don't cry. You look so ugly when you cry."

The little milk bun turned into a wrinkled bun.

"Consort Rong!" The little milk dragon was clearly unhappy, pouting, but his arms remained tightly wrapped around Su Yi's neck.

Su Yi took a handkerchief and wiped his face. "You came to see me. That's so nice," she said with a gentle smile, her face glowing like the warm sun.

The little milk dragon, who had been feeling upset that Consort Rong hadn't come to see him, had been a little worried that she might be upset about him sneaking over. But now, hearing her say she was happy to see him, he was overjoyed.

His soft, white bun-like face couldn't help but break into a smile, revealing his tiny white teeth. "Really? Has Consort Rong been thinking about Baocheng? Baocheng thinks about Consort Rong every day! Yes, every day!"

He emphasized his words as he spoke.

Su Yi carried him over to the lounge chair where she had been sunbathing, intending to set him down so they could sit side by side.

But the little milk dragon buried his face in her shoulder, refusing to let go. Su Yi sat down with him in her lap, and the little milk dragon happily swung his legs. Remembering that Consort Rong hadn't answered him yet, he turned to her, insisting on a response.

"Consort Rong, you haven't answered Baocheng. Have you been thinking about Baocheng?"

Su Yi gestured to a maid to inform the Qianqing Palace that the little milk dragon was here and to have someone come over.

Hearing his question, Su Yi looked down at his bright, expectant eyes and kissed his forehead gently, her voice full of patience and affection. "Yes, I have. I've missed you so much. It's wonderful to see that Baocheng has been growing up healthy."

The little milk dragon was overjoyed at the kiss on his forehead. He almost wanted to jump up and down on the spot, his face flushed with happiness. Consort Rong had kissed him for the first time! Usually, she just patted his head. This made the little milk dragon ecstatic.

He loved Consort Rong so much!

Qianqing Palace

The little milk dragon thought he had successfully sneaked out and avoided the servants all the way, managing to sneak into Yonghe Palace undetected, thanks to his excellent hiding skills.

However, before the little milk dragon could sneak out of Qianqing Palace, a servant had already spotted him. Seeing that the Crown Prince was clearly hiding, the servant sent someone to inform Liang Jiugong about the situation while a few others trailed the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince was trying to dodge the servants, while they were trying to avoid being noticed by the Crown Prince.

Liang Jiugong quickly received the news and didn't know what to say. He immediately went to report the matter to His Majesty, asking if they should bring the Crown Prince back.

After hearing this, Kangxi fell silent for a moment. He didn't need to think hard to guess where Baocheng had sneaked off to and why.

Finally, he said, "Have the servants follow him discreetly and bring Baocheng back before dinner."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Liang Jiugong then selected a few clever young eunuchs to follow the Crown Prince, instructing them to stay hidden and avoid being noticed by the Crown Prince. If anything happened to the Crown Prince, they were to rush out immediately to ensure his safety.

Staying hidden was no easy task. They had to constantly evade the Crown Prince's notice while also keeping an eye on him to prevent any accidents. At the same time, they had to signal to the servants along the way to keep quiet and act as if they saw nothing.

Finally, they arrived at Yonghe Palace, with only one young eunuch following inside to explain the situation to the Yonghe Palace servants. The others found a spot to rest, waiting to enter Yonghe Palace and retrieve the Crown Prince.

As soon as the Yonghe Palace servants came out, the young eunuchs from Qianqing Palace knew they were going to report to Qianqing Palace. They immediately went over to inform them, and the Yonghe Palace servants' expressions were a mix of emotions. The young eunuchs also felt mixed emotions.

"Would you like some water? You must be tired after such a long journey." They still had grass stains on their clothes, looking quite disheveled, and probably hadn't even had a sip of water.

"That would be great." The young eunuchs couldn't refuse, as they were indeed thirsty.

The Yonghe Palace servants said, "Please wait a moment, I'll go fetch some tea."

After the Yonghe Palace servants went inside, one of the young eunuchs sighed, "The folks at Yonghe Palace are actually pretty nice." They knew how to handle things.

Jingren Palace

As dinner time approached, Kangxi had not yet arrived. Consort Tongjia had already dressed up and was waiting outside. She hadn't seen the Emperor in a while and was truly full of anticipation.

As she waited, she couldn't help feeling anxious, wondering if the Emperor might suddenly have something come up and not come.

When the bright yellow figure appeared outside Jingren Palace, Consort Tongjia's face lit up with joy, and she greeted him with a smile.

"Your servant greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with peace and prosperity."

After being called to rise, Consort Tongjia restrained herself and followed a step behind Kangxi, starting a conversation with a few words of greeting and concern.

Kangxi responded with just a few words, but Consort Tongjia's smile remained unchanged.

Kangxi sat down in the main seat, and before dinner was served, he turned to Consort Tongjia beside him and asked, "Where is the Fourth Prince?"

Consort Tongjia had planned to bring up the issue of the Fourth Prince's upbringing during dinner, hoping to formalize it. However, the Emperor's immediate inquiry about the Fourth Prince made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Although she had developed some affection for the Fourth Prince after taking care of him these past few days, the Emperor's initiative in bringing him up made Consort Tongjia somewhat unwilling.

No matter how cute the Fourth Prince was now, his birth mother still made Consort Tongjia feel uneasy, and this feeling occasionally extended to the Fourth Prince as well.

However, Consort Tongjia concealed her reluctance and smiled, "The wet nurse is taking care of him. I will have someone bring the Fourth Prince over for Your Majesty to see. He has grown fair and clean, very adorable."

She signaled to the servants to quickly fetch the wet nurse while continuing to speak to the Emperor, "Watching the Fourth Prince grow day by day, it feels as if I have become a mother myself. In the future, if I have a child, they will have a companion in the Fourth Prince."

As she mentioned the possibility of having her own child in the future, her smile grew more expectant, and her eyes looked at Kangxi with anticipation, her face showing a hint of shyness.

Kangxi merely responded with a noncommittal "hmm," his indifferent reaction leaving Consort Tongjia somewhat disheartened. Nevertheless, she forced a smile to appear normal.

The two sat in silence, Consort Tongjia struggling to keep the conversation alive, while Kangxi occasionally replied, making it more like a question-and-answer session.

Fortunately, Nanny Wang arrived with the Fourth Prince. She hurried over, carrying the child, who, having just been fed, was slightly unsettled from the bumpy journey. However, the Fourth Prince didn't cry, only smacking his lips before settling quietly into her arms.

"This is the Fourth Prince, Your Majesty. Look, his eyes and nose resemble yours so much," Consort Tongjia remarked, eager to demonstrate her rapport with the child. She took the Fourth Prince from Nanny Wang's arms.

Though her movements were a bit awkward, the Fourth Prince was naturally calm and seldom cried, even when uncomfortable. Consort Tongjia had anticipated this, not wanting to embarrass herself before the Emperor. Seeing the child's well-behaved demeanor, she brought him closer to Kangxi.

However, she had no intention of handing the child over to Kangxi. While the Manchu tradition favored holding grandchildren over sons, the rules weren't strictly enforced, and it was still acceptable to hold one's own child. Yet, Consort Tongjia didn't want Kangxi to hold the Fourth Prince. After all, the child was born to a lowly servant and didn't deserve to be held by the Emperor.

Wouldn't that just elevate the Uya family's status?

Consort Tongjia had it all meticulously planned in her mind. Her own future children would be the most noble.

Kangxi gazed at the Fourth Prince before him, his expression calm, but inwardly, he was struck with astonishment. Something was off about the Fourth Prince. Though he had only raised Baocheng by his side, with most of the child-rearing left to Nanny Wang, he understood that a child's thoughts were simple and often unclear.

Yet, the Fourth Prince's thoughts seemed more like those of a mature adult. As Consort Tongjia praised the child for being so well-behaved and calm, rarely crying and only fussing when hungry before drifting back to sleep, Kangxi listened with keen interest.

When held, the child didn't cry or fuss, and he wasn't shy around strangers. Consort Tongjia smiled as she spoke, clearly pleased with how easy the Fourth Prince was to care for.

"Nanny Wang says the Fourth Prince is the most well-behaved child she's ever cared for," Consort Tongjia added, though she herself had never raised any other children and wasn't entirely sure how much crying was normal for a child.

Kangxi occasionally posed a few questions, a faint smile playing on his lips. "The Fourth Prince is indeed easy to care for. You've done well," he said, though his heart sank further.

This Fourth Prince—he had initially wondered if some wandering spirit had possessed the child's body. But listening to the child's thoughts, he realized the Fourth Prince was calling him "Imperial Father."

Despite his growing suspicions, Kangxi kept his composure. As dinner time approached, Consort Tongjia instructed Nanny Wang to take the Fourth Prince away, allowing the Emperor to dine first.

Dishes were served one by one, all prepared by Consort Tongjia's private kitchen. With the Emperor's visit, the chefs had gone all out to make the meal exquisite and delicious.

Just as they were about to start eating, someone requested an audience outside. Kangxi didn't immediately recognize who it was, but Consort Tongjia quickly figured it out.

It was that wretched Uya woman!

Of all times, why did she have to come now?

Nanny Wang went out to deal with Uya, telling her to return to her side chamber and not disturb the Emperor and the Imperial Noble Consort during their meal.

Uya, however, lowered her head and spoke softly, "Nanny Wang, I heard the Emperor has arrived. I thought it proper to come and pay my respects before returning to my chamber. With His Majesty visiting the Jingren Palace, I dare not pretend ignorance and stay hidden in my side chamber without greeting him."

Her words left Nanny Wang with little room to refuse. This little vixen—who didn't know she was trying to make an appearance before the Emperor, hoping to remind him of her existence?

Fine, it was just a greeting. If she were to make a scene, it might disturb the Emperor and make him think the Imperial Noble Consort couldn't tolerate Uya.

"Then, Uya Changzai, go in and pay your respects, but leave quickly afterward. Do not disturb His Majesty and the Imperial Noble Consort during their meal," Nanny Wang said, stepping aside with a forced smile.

Uya pretended not to notice Nanny Wang's sarcasm, straightened her clothes, and entered.

She was dressed simply, her looks not stunning but rather delicate. Having spent most of her time in her side chamber, she had avoided the sun and maintained a fair complexion. Her makeup was understated, but her lips were painted a bright red, accentuating her pale skin and creating a striking contrast that gave her a unique beauty.

Moreover, Uya had lived a life of privilege for many years, even serving as the Empress Dowager, so she lacked the timidity of a newly promoted concubine. She knew to remain modest, but her demeanor exuded a quiet elegance, a style she had perfected during her years of seclusion.

Now, she had refined it further, shedding her previous humble naivety. Though dressed simply, she managed to catch everyone's attention.

Consort Tongjia couldn't help but frown upon seeing Lady Uya, especially noticing that Lady Uya had clearly dressed up carefully before coming to pay her respects. What schemes she had up her sleeve, as if no one would notice. Usually, she would hide in the side hall and not come out except to pay respects. Consort Tongjia had thought Lady Uya was being sensible and considerate.

Who would have thought that tonight, when the Emperor finally visited, Lady Uya would also dress up and come out to charm him.

How dare you interfere, Lady Uya! Consort Tongjia smiled on the surface, but her eyes were cold, and she had already decided to teach Lady Uya a lesson in manners after the Emperor left!

Lady Uya saw the look in Consort Tongjia's eyes and knew that Consort Tongjia would reprimand her later. But even so, Lady Uya couldn't back down now. She hadn't seen the Emperor for a long time, and looking at the young emperor before her, her emotions were very complex.

Carrying an air of quiet grace, Lady Uya curtsied gracefully before Kangxi, glanced at him briefly, and then quickly lowered her gaze, her eyelashes fluttering slightly. "Your servant, Lady Uya, pays her respects to the Emperor. May the Emperor enjoy eternal prosperity and peace."