Chapter 092

Chapter 092

"The concubines in the harem have been arguing incessantly over this matter in front of the Grand Empress Dowager, disturbing her peace. I will handle this matter myself, so the Grand Empress Dowager need not worry," Kangxi said in a gentle tone, yet with a decisiveness that brooked no interference.

Seeing his reaction, the Grand Empress Dowager's eyes flickered slightly. In truth, she had not been as angry as she appeared; her outward display of anger was merely a test to see how the emperor would respond.

If the emperor showed any inclination to yield, to retreat in the face of her displayed anger, she could use this incident to achieve other objectives.

For instance, if the emperor took a step back, she, as the Grand Empress Dowager, would also take a step back. This time, she would not do anything to Consort Rong, as long as the emperor was willing to nod and allow a girl from the Khorchin tribe to enter the harem.

But the emperor's reaction was more composed than she had anticipated.

The emperor was now capable of standing on his own, no longer the child who relied on her, the Grand Empress Dowager, for everything. She was advanced in years, retired to the rear palace, and her control over the harem was not as it once was. Moreover, if she remained too rigid, it might inevitably lead to the emperor's annoyance.

Seeing this, the Grand Empress Dowager smoothly shifted her attitude and softened her tone, "I know you have your own ideas about how to handle things. Your grandmother is not unreasonable. If you truly like Consort Rong, you should not place her in her current predicament. Doing so will only harm her. You must also consider the other concubines."

Seeing that the emperor remained silent, seemingly deep in thought, she continued, "Consort Rong is physically unwell and cannot attend to her duties. You can visit her more often in your daily life, but you must not neglect the other concubines. It is only fair to distribute your favors equally. With your current lack of heirs, how can your grandmother not worry?"

She reached out and took Kangxi's hand, her expression earnest, "Your grandmother is thinking of you. As the emperor of the Qing dynasty, there are many things you cannot do as you please. Sometimes, your affection may be too much for the other party to bear, and the consequences could be dire. Your grandmother does not want this for you. Do you understand?"

Emperor Taizong, her husband, had favored Hailanzhu so much that he even established the rank of Imperial Noble Consort for her, showering her with honors and affection. Indeed, he was a decisive ruler, but even so, he could not protect Hailanzhu, who passed away early, leaving her, Lady Zhuang, as the final victor.

Fu Lin had favored Dong E Shi, and even the fourth prince she bore was dearly loved. But the fourth prince, with his short-lived fortune, died young, and Dong E Shi followed soon after. She had not had much time to rejoice.

It was as if she was being punished; her son also left her.

Now, with Xuanye, she had poured much of her heart into teaching him to be an emperor who would not be shackled by personal feelings, fearing that Xuanye might follow in the footsteps of Emperor Taizong and Fu Lin.

She feared that the Aisin Gioro family would produce another romantic.

Since the hard approach did not work, she would try a softer one. Women are most prone to overthinking. Even if there were no concubines in the harem that the emperor favored, with the next grand selection, new faces could gradually erode Consort Rong's exclusive favor.

Kangxi did not withdraw his hand, his expression unchanged, and he spoke in a gentle tone, "Grandmother, you worry too much. I have other considerations. Moreover, the heir has already been established, and my descendants are sufficient compared to my father's."

"Xuanye, this will not only chill your grandmother's heart, but the court officials, will they stand by and watch their emperor favor one person exclusively? The balance between the harem and the court is intertwined. Do you not understand this principle?"

How could the court officials be willing to see the emperor favor one person exclusively, turning their daughters into mere decorations in the palace?

The court officials sent their daughters into the palace precisely for the rise and fall of their families, to be closer to the center of power.

Now it was just the concubines causing a stir here, but what about later? When the court officials would stir up a storm over this matter, how would the emperor respond?!

If the emperor remained obstinate, then she, the Grand Empress Dowager, would have no choice. The Niohuru family did not have only one daughter; without Consort Rong, there could still be another Niohuru.

"Grandmother," Kangxi withdrew his hand and stood up, clasping his hands behind his back, "This empire is my empire. Those who dare to defy me will not be shown mercy, nor will I act on emotion. The court officials, if they wish to sit in their positions, must rely on their abilities and learning. If they hope to gain more through other shortcuts, they are being too greedy. My family affairs are not for the court officials to meddle in."

The Grand Empress Dowager was somewhat incredulous. Was the emperor referring to the court officials, or was he referring to her, the Grand Empress Dowager? If she dared to act against Consort Rong, would even she, the Grand Empress Dowager, not be spared?

The Grand Empress Dowager was greatly shaken. Had her earlier show of weakness been in vain?

"By the way, Consort Tongjia has been working hard managing the palace affairs. Previously, I entrusted the fourth prince to her care, without considering that she would have to manage the palace affairs while also taking care of the fourth prince. Caring for the fourth prince has been a bit too much for her."

Kangxi suddenly changed the subject, leading the conversation in this direction, which left the Grand Empress Dowager momentarily stunned.

The emperor would not bring this up without reason. The fourth prince had caught a cold and developed a fever yesterday, something she had already heard from Consort Tongjia. But for the emperor to mention it now, could it be because Consort Tongjia had summoned all the on-duty imperial physicians?

The on-duty physicians had all been called away by the consort, and Consort Rong had nearly lost her life due to the delay. Was the emperor going to vent his anger for Consort Rong?

Now, Consort Tongjia was the only one in status who could suppress Consort Rong. If she were to be humiliated, would not Consort Rong's arrogance grow even more? Although she did not particularly like Consort Tongjia, the Grand Empress Dowager now spoke up for her.

The Grand Empress Dowager merely said, "Consort Tongjia is young and lacks experience in raising imperial children, so it's inevitable that she might overreact in moments of tension." She was referring to the incident where Consort Tongjia forcibly detained the on-duty imperial physicians at the Jingren Palace.

"I understand, but I was thinking that since Your Majesty has no children around, and Baocheng visits often, Your Majesty is most affectionate towards him. However, Baocheng is burdened with heavy studies and cannot always be by Your Majesty's side. Otherwise, it would be good for him to spend more time chatting with Your Majesty."

Hearing this, the Grand Empress Dowager's expression changed slightly. She certainly did not think that the emperor's words implied he wanted to place Baocheng under the care of Qi Qige. Anyone could be considered, but Baocheng was absolutely out of the question.

After the passing of Hesheli, the emperor did not entrust Baocheng to any other concubines but instead took him under his own wing, aiming to keep him away from the influence of the imperial consorts.

That left other princes, such as the recently mentioned fourth prince.

If she hadn't considered this possibility before, it was impossible now. However, she was well aware that it was likely not to be brought up, and even if it were, the outcome would be the same as before.

The reasons were the same as before.

If a prince were raised by Qi Qige, that child would forever be excluded from the line of succession.

She had brought up the matter of having a Khorchin maiden enter the palace to serve the emperor more than once or twice, even playing the emotional card, but the emperor had consistently refused.

She merely wanted to leave a spark for Khorchin in her final days.

If a Khorchin maiden could enter the palace to serve the emperor and bear him a prince, and then entrust that child to Qi Qige's care, it would be a prince with Khorchin blood. Even if the relationship between the Qing dynasty and Khorchin was no longer as close, with this child, there would still be hope to maintain the ties between the Qing dynasty and Khorchin. This way, even after her passing, she could rest assured.

Otherwise, why would she have been so persistent about this matter, knowing full well how difficult it would be to get the emperor's approval.

Now, bringing it up again, the Grand Empress Dowager naturally continued the conversation, "Indeed, when Baocheng comes to keep me and Qi Qige company, Qi Qige always engages him in long conversations. Even after Baocheng leaves, Qi Qige often thinks of him and mentions him to me frequently. She, too, is very fond of children."

Then she added, "Consort Tongjia is young and lacks much experience in caring for the fourth prince. Now that the fourth prince is still ill, and she is burdened with palace affairs, perhaps it would be better to temporarily bring the fourth prince to the Cining Palace for care. After all, he is my great-grandson, and even if I don't have much energy to care for him, Qi Qige is here to help."

The Grand Empress Dowager knew that if she wanted the fourth prince to stay with Qi Qige, she would have to make concessions regarding Consort Rong. So be it. Now that the emperor was in high spirits, if she continued to oppose, it would be futile and only widen the rift between them. If she could allow Qi Qige to raise the fourth prince this time, she was willing to compromise.

"Your Majesty speaks wisely. I, too, think the same," Kangxi turned and smiled slightly, seemingly pleased to have reached an understanding with his grandmother on this matter.

The grandmother and grandson had reached a certain tacit agreement on this issue.

Shortly after Kangxi left the Cining Palace with Baocheng, the Grand Empress Dowager sat there, calming her emotions. The Empress Dowager came in and sat beside her. Seeing her expression, she couldn't help but worry, "Your Majesty, did the conversation with the emperor not go well?"

The emperor had always been filial to Her Majesty. If Her Majesty made her stance clear, the emperor would surely consider Her Majesty's feelings.

"The emperor has grown up and has his own ideas. I, as his grandmother, cannot control everything he does," she said, feeling increasingly unable to understand her grandson.

Today, it seemed like the emperor had conceded, but she felt that the emperor's intentions went beyond that.

She had mentioned Consort Rong multiple times, but the emperor had not brought her up once. If his feelings were deep, how could he remain so composed after hearing her words?

She remembered clearly how Fu Lin had argued with her over Dong E Shi. The emperor's current demeanor was truly perplexing.

"Where is Suma?" The Empress Dowager noticed that the tea by the Grand Empress Dowager's side was empty. At this time, Suma would have already replaced it with freshly brewed tea. Why was she not here now?

"I sent her to the Jingren Palace," the Grand Empress Dowager said, looking at the Empress Dowager. "Consort Tongjia is busy with palace affairs and cannot care for the fourth prince. I know you have always liked children, so I believe you can take good care of the fourth prince until he recovers."

Although the Grand Empress Dowager said she would care for the fourth prince until he recovered, she was actually telling the Empress Dowager that the fourth prince would be entrusted to her care, and that the period of caring for the fourth prince would be long.

The Empress Dowager was no fool and understood the Grand Empress Dowager's meaning at this moment. Although she usually led a quiet life of vegetarianism and Buddhist practices, she couldn't help but feel a bit excited now. "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will take good care of the fourth prince."

She had never had children of her own. Although she adored children, due to her status, she couldn't frequently summon the princes. At most, she could only keep Her Majesty company and chat to relieve boredom.

To say that her life wasn't lonely would be a lie, but she couldn't force the issue. Her Majesty had already gone to great lengths for this matter and had even clashed with the emperor, so she couldn't show her feelings too openly.

If a prince were to be raised by her, it would mean that the child's future path was already limited.

So she dared not ask for too much, but now the Empress Dowager's intention was that the Fourth Prince would be raised in her palace?

Even if it was just for a while, Qiqige could barely contain her excitement.

At this moment, she could hardly sit still, wanting to immediately order the maids to go back and prepare everything needed to take care of the Fourth Prince, but she had no experience in caring for children, so she suppressed her excitement,

"Empress Dowager, could you teach me what needs to be prepared? I have no experience and am afraid I might not take good care of the Fourth Prince."

Seeing her reaction, the Grand Empress Dowager's heart softened a bit. To maintain the relationship between the Qing dynasty and Khorchin, Qiqige married Fu Lin.

Now, even though she sits in the position of Empress Dowager, having endured hardships and finally enjoying some sweetness, some things are hard to make up for. Now, just this matter has made Qiqige so happy, so the Grand Empress Dowager temporarily set aside other concerns and discussed with Qiqige what needed to be prepared.

Unexpectedly, the first to arrive at the Cining Palace was the Third Prince.

Rongpin was waiting for news in the palace when her wet nurse hurriedly informed her that the Third Prince had just been taken away by people from the Qianqing Palace, saying that she was temporarily not suitable to care for the Third Prince, so he was sent to the Cining Palace for the Empress Dowager to look after.

Upon hearing this, Rongpin felt as if struck by lightning, completely caught off guard. How could this happen?!

She immediately pushed aside her wet nurse and chased after them without regard for her appearance. Now she only had the Third Prince left; if he was taken away, what hope did she have left?!

The Third Prince was her everything now! She only had the Third Prince left! How could the Emperor take the Third Prince away from her!

Rongpin desperately chased after them but could only watch helplessly as the servants carried the Third Prince away.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, they have already left, don't chase them."

The servants quickly stopped her, otherwise, if Rongpin continued to chase after them in such a state, who knows what treasonous words she might say.

Moreover, this was the Emperor's order. Even if Her Highness went now, it wouldn't change anything. Those servants were just following orders; without the Emperor's consent, how could they dare to do so.

"What am I supposed to do?! My Third Prince is still so young and weak, how can he be separated from his mother! I only have the Third Prince left!" As she said this, Rongpin had forgotten that she still had a princess who needed her care.

Rongpin collapsed weakly on the ground, having used up all her strength chasing after them. At this moment, she felt as if the sky was falling.

"Your Highness, Your Highness, the Emperor only said that the Third Prince would be temporarily cared for in the Cining Palace, not that he would definitely be taken away from you. Be careful with your words, Your Highness. Maybe it's just for a short while, and he will be returned soon. Besides, you still have the princess." The servants cautiously advised.

Now they could only say this, but this time, with the Third Prince taken away, it would probably be difficult for him to return.

As soon as the servants finished speaking, Rongpin slapped one of them hard, "Shut up!"

She vented all her anger on that slap, but tears couldn't help but stream down her face.

The servant who was slapped had her face instantly swollen, even scratched by the nail guard, burning with pain, fearing that the scar would remain.

For a woman, how important is the face? If it really leaves a scar, even after leaving the palace, she wouldn't be able to find a good family. At this moment, she was both shocked and panicked, and couldn't help but feel hatred towards Rongpin, but she could only lower her head and suppress the hatred without saying a word.

"I want to see the Emperor, I want to see the Emperor, help me up! Quickly!" Rongpin thought of something, as if grabbing a lifeline, "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have gotten involved in this matter, I will go and apologize to the Emperor, don't take the Third Prince away from me."

She didn't even bother to tidy up and rushed to the Qianqing Palace, walking so fast that she almost fell several times, but after arriving at the Qianqing Palace, she didn't see the Emperor. Liang Jiugong came out and told Rongpin to go back.

Rongpin was unwilling to just go back, so she knelt down directly, saying she would wait here, and unless the Emperor saw her, she wouldn't get up.

Seeing this, Liang Jiugong couldn't persuade her anymore, and just said, "Your Highness, why are you doing this?" If you had just stayed quietly in the rear palace raising the prince, not causing trouble, it would have been fine, but now, what's the use of coming here to cry?

Seeing that Rongpin still wouldn't get up, he just bowed and went back.

Rongpin had been inciting a lot in this matter, inciting other concubines to go to the Cining Palace to make trouble, while she herself hid behind the scenes to watch.

If Rongpin had just quietly raised the Third Prince, even without any favor, her life wouldn't be hard, but she had to incite trouble in this matter. Previously, the Emperor, remembering their past affection, didn't do anything to Rongpin, just placed her under house arrest, but this time, she still didn't stop.

It was her own doing.

At this moment, kneeling here, the Emperor probably wouldn't see her.

Coincidentally, as Rongpin knelt there, it began to rain. Rongpin remained kneeling, and the maids had no choice but to kneel with her.

Even though eunuchs promptly brought umbrellas, Rongpin stubbornly refused to leave, saying, "I don't believe the Emperor would be so heartless to me. Go away, don't hold an umbrella for me."

Even though it was already spring, the rain was still very cold.

Rongpin insisted on kneeling in the rain, even though she was soaked and shivering, she still refused to leave, looking very pitiful and disheveled.

The on-duty eunuch saw that Rongpin was kneeling in the rain and refused to leave, fearing she might faint, so he went in to report the situation.

The rain was unlikely to stop anytime soon, and Rongpin, after all, was a consort. At this point, they couldn't just watch her kneel there indifferently.

It might also cause trouble, so it was better to inform the higher-ups and see what they would do.

Liang Jiugong had no choice but to bravely report to the Emperor, "Your Majesty, it's raining outside, and Rongpin is still kneeling, refusing to let the maids hold an umbrella for her."

"If she faints, have her sent back," Kangxi said without looking up, his tone indifferent and cold.

Liang Jiugong understood that Rongpin's ploy had not worked this time, "Yes, Your Majesty."

He then ordered that Rongpin be ignored, letting her continue to kneel, and if she fainted, she would simply be sent back.

Meanwhile, Consort Tongjia in Jingren Palace was also experiencing heart-wrenching pain.

Suma Lagu personally came with people to take the sick Fourth Prince to the Grand Empress Dowager's palace for care, saying she was too busy with palace affairs to look after the sick Fourth Prince, so he would temporarily be cared for by the Grand Empress Dowager.

If it had been anyone else, Consort Tongjia would never have let them take the Fourth Prince so easily, as it would have been a slap in the face. But it was Suma Lagu who came, an old servant of the Grand Empress Dowager, and her message was essentially the Grand Empress Dowager's will.

Consort Tongjia never expected that, despite staying out of the trouble at the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, she would still face this.

She had been waiting anxiously for good news from the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, but instead, Suma Lagu came to take the Fourth Prince.

Not only Consort Tongjia, but even Uya was confused. In the past, had this ever happened?

The Fourth Prince had always been raised by Consort Tongjia, so why was the Grand Empress Dowager involved now?

Consort Tongjia wasn't deeply attached to the Fourth Prince, so his being taken away was more of an unexpected disruption to her plans, and she was more upset that the Grand Empress Dowager didn't deal with Consort Rong but instead turned to take the Fourth Prince from her.

The Emperor had only recently formally entrusted the Fourth Prince to her care!

But after the Emperor visited the Grand Empress Dowager's palace, she immediately sent Suma Lagu to take the Fourth Prince. What was going on? Consort Tongjia instinctively looked at Nanny Wang.

Nanny Wang was also thinking about this, planning to discuss it with Consort Tongjia later.

But after Suma Lagu handed the Fourth Prince to another nanny, she didn't leave immediately. Instead, she ordered people to seize Nanny Wang.

Those people quickly stepped forward and restrained the stunned Nanny Wang. Consort Tongjia was also shocked by this sudden turn of events. After recovering, she angrily said, "What are you doing? Why are you seizing Nanny Wang?" She then commanded the servants to release Nanny Wang, "Release Nanny Wang immediately!"

Consort Tongjia's tone was firm but laced with hidden panic.

Earlier, when the Fourth Prince was taken, she was unhappy but not overly emotional. But now, with Nanny Wang being restrained, Consort Tongjia panicked. Nanny Wang had been her wet nurse, practically raising her from childhood and staying by her side for a long time. Now, Consort Tongjia couldn't help but feel anxious.

But the servants lowered their heads and did not release Nanny Wang.

Nanny Wang tried to steady herself and said, "I don't know what I've done wrong to be treated this way. Please clarify." She then looked at Consort Tongjia, signaling her not to panic.

Suma Lagu had seen many storms in her life, and she could clearly see what kind of person Nanny Wang was. Although having this nanny by Consort Tongjia's side could prevent many foolish acts, it also enabled Consort Tongjia to commit numerous foolish deeds.

For instance, the illness of the Fourth Prince.

Nanny Wang, being by Consort Tongjia's side, did not stop her and even personally intervened, leading to the Fourth Prince's illness. This time it was just a fever, but if something worse had happened, Nanny Wang's nine lives would not have been enough to atone. Such incidents, once they start, will surely repeat!

If the Grand Empress Dowager found out, how could she spare her? If it weren't for the need to preserve Consort Tongjia's dignity, she wouldn't have only dealt with Nanny Wang.

"The illness of the Fourth Prince, you old nanny, cannot escape blame. The Grand Empress Dowager has already investigated clearly and ordered me to detain you first, give you thirty lashes, and then take you away as a warning to others. Why aren't you all moving?"

Suma Lagu came prepared. The thirty lashes had already been arranged, and the executioners were instructed not to hold back.

Consort Tongjia's heart skipped a beat. She knew better than anyone why the Fourth Prince caught a cold and fever, but at that time, only she and Nanny Wang were present. How did the Grand Empress Dowager find out?

"Suma, there must be some misunderstanding here. It was clearly the wet nurse's negligence that caused the Fourth Prince to fall ill. The wet nurse has already confessed and taken the blame. How could this be related to Nanny Wang? There must be some misunderstanding," Consort Tongjia explained.

Suma Lagu remained unmoved, glanced at Nanny Wang, and said, "You cunning servant, the Imperial Noble Consort is still kept in the dark by you."

Then she turned and said, "The Imperial Noble Consort still doesn't know what this old nanny did to the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince was originally healthy but fell ill due to this wicked woman's actions. Now that the Imperial Noble Consort knows, does she still want to stop this? Is she going to indulge a cunning servant who dares to harm the royal heir?"