Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

Yinreng, indeed, was not very happy about the punishment, as Cheng Wanyun had anticipated. However, the reason for his unhappiness was far different from what she had imagined.

He had known from the moment he agreed that there was no escaping the punishment, but he hadn’t expected it to cause such a huge uproar. Emperor Kangxi punished them by making them kneel before the ancestral tablets for a whole night, and then, they were ordered to copy books—’The Analects’ and the Four Books, with each person required to copy them twenty times. From the eldest to the tenth, if one person failed to complete their task, no one was allowed to leave. They were also instructed to write neatly and without any mistakes.

The eunuchs and servants were not allowed to enter, and the palace ladies were forbidden to visit. Bedding was laid out in the study, and only at the designated times in the morning and evening were people allowed to open a crack in the door to pass in bread and water.

The tenth brother hadn’t even fully learned his characters yet, and the seventh, eighth, and ninth brothers were too young, struggling to write. But Yinreng understood Emperor Kangxi’s intention. For the first three days, he and the third and fourth brothers finished copying the younger brothers’ portions before starting on their own.

The tenth brother kept thinking about his wet nurse, crying from morning to night. Yinreng was extremely annoyed and wanted to shout at him, but then he remembered the fierce, protective nature of Noble Consort Niohuru, and he swallowed his frustration.

Seeing the tenth brother like this reminded Yinreng of his own childhood. The wet nurse who had accompanied him to sleep every night and whom he relied on the most was not Mama Ling—it was a different nurse who had fallen ill and died suddenly. Yinreng had cried for over half a year before he finally started to recover.

So, he had Yinzhi take the tenth brother on his back and comfort him, while he folded a cloth mouse with a pillow cover for him to hold while he slept. This was the same thing that the Emperor Kangxi had done for him on the day the wet nurse had left, when he had cried non-stop.

Yine reluctantly accepted it, sniffling as he said, “Xi Wet Nurse could fold rabbits and tigers too.”

Yinreng hugged him silently and gently wiped away his tears.

Afterward, he took charge, and the older brothers took turns comforting the tenth brother, hoping he wouldn’t cry himself hoarse. They also took turns feeding him and dressing him.

On the first day, people from all the palaces were dispatched to inquire about the princes—how they were, what they were eating, how they were sleeping. Noble Consort Niohuru was undoubtedly the most worried, staying awake all night. It wasn’t until one of her wet nurses came back to report that the tenth brother was fine, and that the Crown Prince was leading the others in comforting him, that she finally felt relieved.

She pressed a handkerchief to her eye and sighed, “Thankfully, the Crown Prince is kind-hearted. We owe Yuqing Palace a favor.”

The next day, the eunuchs brought in bread that was different from the previous day’s. It looked the same on the outside, but each palace had swapped them with versions tailored to their children’s tastes.

Yinzhi instantly recognized the beef dumplings made by Concubine Hui, as he ate them in one bite and nearly burst into tears.

Yinzhong had cabbage and egg fillings. He didn’t say a word, just quietly ate, stuffing his mouth with the dumplings.

Yinzhen paused for a moment when he saw his food basket. It contained two kinds of dumplings: one filled with red bean paste, the usual type from Jingren Palace, and another filled with finely chopped braised meat, which he had once eaten during the New Year at Yonghe Palace, and had praised to Consort De for being delicious.

Since he could remember, he had been raised in Concubine Tong’s palace. Only during festivals did he go to Yonghe Palace to pay his respects. Consort De had never been overly affectionate with him, and to avoid suspicion, she had almost completely ignored him.

He knew his own background, and he often felt a sense of loss because of it, feeling guilty toward Concubine Tong for the same reason.

But today, he finally realized… that Yonghe Palace had been silently watching over him all along.

His mother… had been worried about him too.

Yinqi was the same. He received two types of dumplings that had been secretly sent from Ning Shou Palace and Yi Kun Palace. He ate them silently, and when he finished, he glanced at Yinzhi. The latter was laughing carelessly at Yine, whose eyes were red from holding back tears.

It didn’t take much to guess that it was likely from Lady Wei… She was of low rank and had little influence, so for her to be able to send such a meal was incredibly difficult.

Yine was also very happy. He had eaten the red bean milk dumplings that Xi Wet Nurse had made, and he really liked them! He bounced over to his second brother, surprised to find, “Second brother, yours is just like mine!”

Yinreng snapped out of his daze, smiled, and patted the tenth brother’s smooth round head. “Be sure to thank Consort Niohuru for me later.”

At this moment, everyone in the room suddenly realized that only the Crown Prince… did not have a mother to send him his favorite dumplings.

A young eunuch whispered into Liang Jiugong’s ear about the situation regarding the dumplings in the study. Liang Jiugong listened quietly, then waved his hand, dismissing the eunuch. After the eunuch left, he peeked into the brightly lit Yangxin Hall. Kangxi was still focused on reviewing memorials, and Liang Jiugong couldn’t help but sigh for the Crown Prince in his heart.

When the Emperor punishes his sons, he must be impartial. With so many princes involved and the consorts closely watching, even if the Emperor has a preference for the Crown Prince, it cannot be obvious. Besides, he was in a bad mood right now, so how could he pay attention to such small details? If all the princes were eating the same thing, that would be fine. But now it was clear that the Crown Prince…

In the Shuixiu Palace, Xi Pi had prepared everything to send over but ultimately decided against it. Looking at the still-warm dumplings, she sighed, “Let it go to waste.”

“Your Majesty…”

“My position is too awkward; it’s better not to make a fuss about it.” Xi Pi sat on the kang and softly said, “The Crown Prince won’t mind.”

She wasn’t the real younger sister of Empress Hesheri. She came from a small branch of the Hesheri family, and calling her “Aunt” was already being polite. Now, if she were to send something, wouldn’t that just irritate the Crown Prince and the Emperor?

Empress Hesheri was unique in the Emperor’s heart. What position did she hold to dare compare herself to Empress Hesheri, and what qualifications did she have to stand in as a mother? If she were to overstep, the consequences would be dire.

In the study, Yinzhong was the first to react. He smiled and suggested, “Why don’t we all share and eat together?” He then picked up his food basket and sat next to the Crown Prince. “Second Brother, I can’t eat any more, so you eat a few of mine.”

“Second Brother, try mine.”

“Second Brother, here’s mine!”

“Second Brother…”

Yinreng almost got buried under a mountain of dumplings, but he couldn’t help but laugh.

Kangxi had intentionally locked them together, perhaps hoping for them to “unite as brothers.” At first, when he thought of this as the Emperor’s way of testing their “brotherly respect and mutual care,” he couldn’t help but feel repulsed.

But after three full days and nights of being confined together, with so many brothers sleeping side by side, his body close to mine and mine close to his, the previous awkwardness and distance, along with the reverence they had for the so-called “half-ruler,” seemed to have been completely dispersed.

Once the writing was finished, even when Yine came out, he knew to tug at the wrinkled hem of the tenth brother’s clothes.

The various palaces had already sent people to fetch them. When Yinzhen stepped onto the sedan chair, his eyes swept over a familiar-looking palace maid standing under a tree not far away. He couldn’t immediately place her, but it wasn’t until they were almost in front of Jingren Palace that he finally realized.

It was one of the maidservants from Consort De’s side.

He concealed the slight discomfort in his heart, just as he always did when entering the main hall to greet Consort Tong Jia.

Consort Tong Jia, holding him close, examined him from left to right and immediately commented that he had lost weight. She urged him to go take a bath, while instructing the kitchen to bring in his special dish of spicy chicken.

Yinti timidly called out, “Mother,” from behind, and Consort Tong Jia gently held his hand and expressed a few words of concern before allowing Yinzhen to take him down to rest.

Yinti had originally been raised by Consort Hui. One day, in a fit of anger, Kangxi had ordered him to be brought to her palace, where he remained in Jingren Palace ever since. She had asked Kangxi the reason, but he had kept silent, so she could only give up.

Consort Tong Jia also didn’t know how Consort Hui had raised the child. He had grown up to be a quiet and obedient boy, but with a heart full of defenses. She had tried to care for him as best as she could, but still, she couldn’t get close to him.

Now… she didn’t have much time left and no energy to think about what this child might be feeling.

After the two children left, Consort Tong Jia finally let out the blood she had been holding back, spitting it into her handkerchief.

Yinreng was then taken by Liang Jiugong to the Qianqing Palace.

Kangxi, dressed in his bright yellow imperial robes, sat behind a large desk, reviewing memorials. When he saw Yinreng enter and bow, he did not stop his writing or call him up, continuing until he had finished reviewing a stack of memorials, before slowly speaking: “Do you know what your mistake was?”

“Yes, I know my mistake.” Yinreng, still kneeling on the ground with his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles, couldn’t help but wonder, how were the other brothers treated when they returned?

“As the heir apparent, you should set an example and should never indulge your brothers excessively…”

He couldn’t figure it out, but most likely, they didn’t kneel here to receive a scolding like him.

Kangxi continued to scold the Crown Prince, but when he saw him still kneeling motionless, he furrowed his brows: “Crown Prince?”

“I know my mistake,” Yinreng replied, kowtowing again.

Kangxi didn’t notice the odd tone in his voice. Looking at his figure, which seemed to have become a bit thinner, his heart softened. He swallowed the rest of his lengthy reprimand and finally said sternly, “I want you to study the teachings of the sages, hoping that in the future, you will act as they did. Persistence in learning is important; once you develop the habit of idleness, it becomes difficult to continue! You must understand that you are the future of the Qing dynasty. If you treat learning as a joke, how can I entrust the legacy of our ancestors to you?”

“Yes, I know my mistake.”

“Get up.” Kangxi ordered Liang Jiugong to help the Crown Prince up and patted his arm as encouragement. “It’s getting late; go and rest.”

“Thank you, Imperial Father.” Yinreng lowered his head and withdrew.

As soon as he stepped out of the Qianqing Palace gates, Yinreng almost tripped.

Having knelt all night before the ancestral tablets, both of his knees were still swollen, and after kneeling for such a long time again, his knees were now in sharp pain like being pricked by needles. But he forced himself to hold it in, not wanting Kangxi to notice, and only when he was out did he let his strength go.

He Baozhong was waiting at the steps, holding a lantern. Seeing him stagger as he walked, he was so frightened that he nearly crawled up to support him. Yinreng, pale and limping, finally managed to get into the palanquin.

The road back to the Yuqing Palace was long, passing through many other palaces. Yinreng asked He Baozhong to take a detour, not quite ready to return yet.

When they reached near the Yuqing Palace, they could already hear the laughter of the Ninth and Eleventh Brothers, along with Sixth Princess’s voice, and Concubine Yi’s light-hearted tone saying, “A few little monkeys, slow down, slow down!”

Yinreng raised his hand, and the palanquin stopped far away, in the shadow of a palace alley. He stood quietly, gazing at the well-lit palace ahead, filled with laughter. After a long while, he finally spoke: “Let’s go back.”

He Baozhong, standing quietly, did not dare to speak a word.

Yinreng returned to Yuqing Palace and ordered some late-night snacks. Shortly after, the kitchen sent up a bowl of beef soup, prepared in a rare style. The broth was made from pig bones, topped with chopped spring onions and pepper. Fresh yellow beef, sliced paper-thin, was lightly salted for a short while, then coated with flour, and briefly dipped in boiling water before being pulled out. The beef was tender and smooth, yet refreshing and free from any strong odor.

Yinreng ate the hot soup, feeling his heart, which had been as cold as ice, finally begin to warm up and beat again.

He didn’t need to ask to know who had ordered the late-night snack. Every time he frowned or felt unwell, the meals served that day would always have a distinct “Cheng Gege” flavor.

He Baozhong, standing nearby, bent over and smiled awkwardly. Yinreng scolded him, “You acted on your own!” but didn’t stop him.

At night, Yinreng slept alone in the study.

He couldn’t help but think, plans often fall short of fate, and it turned out to be true.

He had promised Yìnqi to take the younger brothers to see the buku, but in truth, he had been planning to pull Xu Yuanmeng out of the siege by Mingzhu’s faction. Most of the civil officials in the court were allied with Mingzhu. Xu Yuanmeng was talented, and once Mingzhu noticed him, Yinreng had recommended him for a post in the academy, but Xu had declined.

First, because he was an official of the Crown Prince and didn’t want to betray his master; second, because Xu Yuanmeng disliked Míngzhu’s involvement in politics and didn’t want to get involved with him. Recently, there had been an increasing number of memorials criticizing Xu Yuanmeng for secretly altering the imperial diaries, which was probably retaliation for offending Míngzhu.

Yinreng truly admired Míngzhu’s. Although he had been away from the capital for over two months, he still had the power to manipulate court affairs. On paper, Suoetu held more official titles than Míngzhu, but in reality, Kangxi valued Mingzhu far more!

He had once discussed with Xu Yuanmeng that it would be better to be sent out to the provinces, suffer for a few years, and make a name for himself before returning, than to be completely ruined by Mingzhu’s faction. He had been thinking about how to make Xu Yuanmeng commit a small mistake, and unexpectedly, it had happened.

After these few days of punishment, he had never realized so clearly that he actually missed his mother very much, even though they had never met.

However, even such a longing, he did not dare to speak aloud.

Yinreng hadn’t slept all night. The next morning, he was summoned to the Qianqing Palace to meet the emperor. When he entered and bowed, the First, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Brothers were also there, standing to one side. He looked at them in confusion, but they just exchanged glances, their expressions somewhat strange.

Kangxi was sitting cross-legged on a cool couch, playing with a sandalwood prayer bead string, not looking angry.

Yinreng silently gave a kowtow and stood to one side.

Kangxi slowly spoke to them, “You all go back and let your mothers help you focus and settle your minds.”

“Yes,” the princes answered in unison, their faces tinged with a hint of blush, and they bowed as they took their leave.

Yinreng was still confused when he saw Kangxi put down the prayer beads and pick up a teacup to take a sip. “Concubine De accompanied me yesterday and asked for a favor,” Kangxi continued. “She said that the princes act out and misbehave like this because they are still children who haven’t grown up. Once they understand their responsibilities and become fathers themselves, they will naturally realize their duties and not be so careless. Therefore, she has arranged for two palace maids to serve the Fourth Prince. These maids have been with her for several years and are very well-behaved and clever… I thought Concubine De’s reasoning made sense, so I issued an imperial decree to the three consorts, Hui, Rong, and the two other noble consorts, to prepare someone for each of their sons.”

Concubine De’s rise from a humble palace maid to becoming a consort, raising several children safely, was no simple feat. She was very skilled at understanding the emperor’s heart and knew exactly what to do. With just a few words, she had framed the princes’ truancy as a simple issue of youthful mischief, likely giving Kangxi the perfect excuse he needed to be lenient.

Moreover… she still left a gap in her words.

The Crown Prince, who hasn’t married yet, is still a young man who hasn’t become a father. But the Eldest Prince is already married and has two daughters. Not long ago, Concubine Hui was ill, and the First Consort went to the Yanxi Palace every day to attend to her, with the fame of her filial piety spreading everywhere.

So, when the Eldest Prince misbehaves, is it because Consort Hui didn’t teach him well? Or perhaps the First Consort failed to persuade her husband? Or is it because the Eldest Prince’s nature is hard to change, and this is just his character?

Yinreng pondered this carefully and couldn’t help but admire how skillfully the trap was set—unnoticed and subtle. But it was impossible to prevent the people in the palace from analyzing everything.

He truly didn’t know how Concubine Hui offended Concubine De… or perhaps Concubine De finally wanted to get closer to the Fourth Prince?

But just then, Kangxi’s tone suddenly changed and became sharp.

“I’ve heard that the girls around you aren’t behaving well either, some are sick, others are foolish. Concubine Xi (Xi Pin) just came to pay her respects, and I asked her to find more suitable ones for you.” Kangxi shifted his position and pulled Yinreng over to sit beside him on the couch. “Baocheng, you should understand, women, like officials, must maintain balance, not just do things based on their own whims.”

“Yes, Your Majesty…” Yinreng looked at Kangxi, whose eyes revealed dissatisfaction and anger, and he felt a chill rise from his feet all the way to his head.

His heart raced.

“I’ve personally examined the people around you. Li, her father is the leader of the Han military banners, and she’s been helping you build connections with the Han banners. Yang, her father, I had planned to recall him to the capital and place him in charge of one of the six ministries. You do have capable people around you, but she is a fool, daring to spread news about the Eastern Palace! You’ve deliberately hidden this from me, but is it your compassion for women that has clouded your judgment?”

Yang, who was closely involved with Kang Haizhu from Yanxi Palace, had already made Yinreng suspect that Kang Haizhu had been probing the Eastern Palace. He had already arranged for Kang Haizhu to be secretly captured and sent to the Department of Judicial Punishments for severe interrogation. The young man was tough and refused to confess, insisting he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Ling Pu, in charge of the Imperial Household Department, and Cao Yin, the head of the Department of Judicial Punishments, were both loyal palace officials, so Yinreng felt confident enough to bring Kang Haizhu there for questioning.

After a series of interrogations, Kang Haizhu, occasionally delirious, had slipped and revealed a few things, but otherwise, he just begged for mercy, claiming he was innocent. They couldn’t extract anything else from him.

From the bits and pieces Kang Haizhu provided, Yinreng learned that Yang was unpopular, and Li and Mama Ling kept a tight control over her. He could only gather small details, and Yang had been clever enough not to reveal anything about her daily life.

In the end, Kang Haizhu couldn’t withstand the torture and took his own life by biting his tongue. Yinreng knew that Concubine Hui might have had a hand in this, but since Kang Haizhu didn’t implicate anyone else, there was no evidence to prove it, and he couldn’t do anything to Concubine Hui.

This time, he suffered a quiet loss. Although he didn’t like Yang Gege, he knew she was just being used. He planned to cover up the matter and spare her life, hoping to draw out the people behind it.

But now, the Emperor knew.

Yinreng understood that Kangxi didn’t want him to investigate further. It was like when the Eighth Prince had trouble with Consort Hui, and Kangxi chose the eldest son between them…

Yang’s life was likely in danger now.

Yinreng could only lower his head and say, “My son has caused trouble in the inner court. I apologize for troubling Your Majesty…”

“I have already sent people to handle it,” Kangxi said coldly. “You must not repeat the same mistake as last year! If you had listened to my advice and dealt with Lin earlier, your eldest son by Li would have been a month old by now.”

“Yes, yes, it’s my fault,” Yinreng could only take the blame, hoping Kangxi wouldn’t investigate anyone else. But then he heard Kangxi say, “As for Cheng…”

Yinreng’s breath caught for a moment.

“Her father is not incompetent. I have intentionally been patient with him. He is a scholar and a successful jinshi, and I still have some impression of his work. He is now a good official who understands the people. Such talent is something I am leaving for you to bestow favors on in the future.” Kangxi glanced at the Crown Prince, noticing his tense expression, and then spoke with subtle emphasis, “Cheng is obedient, but you must not pamper her too much. She comes from a lowly background, and your eldest son, my heir, cannot have such a mother.”

The sun was blazing outside Qianqing Palace. Yinreng stood beneath the heavy eaves of the front hall, the scorching sunlight blinding him, but he only felt his hands and feet turning cold.

He Baozhong came forward and noticed his back was already soaked through with sweat. He couldn’t help but exclaim, “Your Highness, you don’t look well. Are you feeling unwell from the heat? Should I…”

“Shut up.” Yinreng couldn’t hold back and gave him a slight push, rebuking him softly, “What nonsense are you speaking outside? I’m fine, just go back.”

Once back in Yuqing Palace, he didn’t immediately shut the door. He met with people and handled affairs as usual, staying busy for an entire hour before excusing himself to rest and sending everyone out.

He didn’t want anyone with malicious intent to spread rumors to Qianqing Palace, as he feared Kangxi might think he was displeased with his father.

As for the Yang Gege matter, he could perhaps blame her foolishness. But now, even A Wan had been dragged into this.

Sometimes, Yinreng had a strange thought: everything he had, all that was openly his in this world, had been given to him by his father, the Emperor. In truth, nothing truly belonged to him.

Including himself, life and death, power and punishment, all depended on his father’s words.

What was even stranger was that he felt A Wan truly belonged to him. She was like the wind in the mountains, like the bird in the deep forest—something he greatly envied. Yet, clearly, she was just a concubine who could be disposed of at will. No matter how precarious her position was, it seemed impossible to erase the vitality that radiated from her very being.

It was like how, when he returned, he could still have a bowl of the hot beef soup she liked. He could imagine how joyful and carefree she was living by his side.

He had to protect her, he murmured to himself in the dark of night, or even this little warmth would be gone.

Yinreng actually understood that his father’s feelings for him were driven by genuine love. Back then, to protect his position as the legitimate son, there had been many difficulties. But sometimes, he just wanted to poke his head out of this tightly bound cage and breathe freely.

Xi Pin had chosen the right people for him, and Lin Mama, taking advantage of the night, came in to report: “A Wang Gege and a Tang Gege, both from the Inner Court’s staff. Concubine Xi specifically instructed me to tell you that they come from clean backgrounds, so the Crown Prince need not worry.”

“Thank Aunt for me,” the Crown Prince said.

Lín Mama, noticing the Crown Prince only offered this brief response without any further instructions regarding Xi Pin, furrowed her brows slightly. She quickly asked, “The rear palace isn’t very spacious. Should the two Geges be moved to Cheng Gege’s place…”

“No need,” Yinreng directly interrupted Lin Mama. “Cheng Gege stays in her own quarters, and no one is to enter there in the future. As for where to place the two Geges, no need to report back to me. You and Concubine Li can discuss it.”

Lin Mama could sense the Crown Prince’s bad mood, so she curtsied and took her leave.

Why does it seem like the Crown Prince isn’t happy? Lin Mama wondered to herself. She had heard that the eldest prince had also recently received two new Geges and was happily shutting himself away to arrange a banquet.

But here, with the Crown Prince, it didn’t seem like he was accepting beauties. It was almost as if he had swallowed a fly.

However, later, the Crown Prince spent the next two weeks alternating between staying with the two Geges, which left Lin Mama a little confused.

On Side Concubine Li’s side, she finally learned through her own channels that Kang Haizhu had been dead for some time! In shock, she knocked over her tea, gasping for air before she could steady herself.

Don’t panic, Side Concubine Li gripped the handkerchief in her hand tightly. The Crown Prince didn’t deal with her, which probably means he still doesn’t know that she stirred the waters inside and didn’t realize Kang Haizhu was actually her person… If Kang Haizhu had revealed Liu’er’s involvement, she certainly wouldn’t be able to sit here so calmly!

Side Concubine Li took a few deep breaths and, pretending nothing had happened, called for Chun Jian to continue “reporting sickness” to Lín Mama. For the time being, she needed to lay low and be more obedient… She absolutely mustn’t let the Crown Prince suspect her!

#

In Shu Xiu Palace, one of Xi Pin’s head maidservants, while fanning her, asked, “Master, why did you help Side Concubine Li with selecting the Crown Prince’s new Geges?”

Wang and Tang Geges were officially selected by Hesheri. Since entering the palace, they had served only Xi Pin, without attending to any other masters. Their backgrounds were clean, but Tang Gege’s family came from the Han Army Banner, while Wang Gege, although from a Manchu bannerman family, was indirectly related to the Li family! Side Concubine Li’s father was a Han Army Banner Du Tong (General), wielding real power. With these two Gege in Yuqing Palace, it was like having one’s own flesh rotting in one’s own pot.

Xi Pin took off her hairpins and gently combed her black hair with a brush. The woman in the mirror was only in her thirties, but her expression seemed to already show signs of aging.

“This is the last time,” Xi Pin lowered her eyes and spoke softly, her voice barely audible. “From now on, if Side Concubine Li sends anything, just return it all.”

No one knew that Side Concubine Li’s father had once been a student of her father and had studied in her home for several years. Over ten years ago, on a day with apricot blossoms and light rain, she had sat in the high embroidery tower, listening to the boy next door recite his books aloud.

They had never met, but after Empress Hesheri passed away, she was sent into the palace the following year. She existed only to protect the Crown Prince, and the Emperor would never allow Hesheri to have another son… Thus, the figure reading by the window became an impossible and unforgettable fantasy in the lonely girl’s dreams.

No one knew these things except for her. At first, Side Concubine Li had merely sought protection based on her family’s old friendship with Hesheri.

The palace maid blew out the candles, and Xi Pin closed her eyes.

How nice… in her dreams, she could go back home again.