Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

The morning light was faint.

Cheng Wanyun slowly opened her eyes as Qingxing gently woke her. The first thing she felt was the soreness in her waist and knees, and a general discomfort in her body.

She buried herself like a hamster in the soft brocade pillow and lazily stayed in bed for a while. It wasn’t until the little palace maid brought in hot water, towels, and Qingyan, along with Qingxing urged her again, that she reluctantly got up.

The space beside her bed was already empty, and even the blanket had cooled. Seeing her stare at the bed in a daze, Qingxing explained, “The Crown Prince got up early at dawn to study in the library. You were still sleeping soundly, so he ordered us not to disturb you. He called He Baozhong in to serve him, and even dressed quietly by himself.”

Bitao also wore a proud expression. “The Crown Prince is really considerate of the Lady.”

Cheng Wanyun used a hot towel to wipe her face, dispelling the grogginess from just waking up. After hearing them, she couldn’t help but reflect on last night. They had been busy until nearly the middle of the night, and yet he was up and studying by 4 a.m. the next day, full of energy?

The people of the Qing Dynasty were terrifying!

Although the Crown Prince wasn’t particularly restrained last night, he was very considerate in this regard. He even carried her to wash up after she became so weak that she couldn’t move. As for the process… aside from a little pain in the beginning, she ended up unwittingly enjoying it.

However, while her mind was experienced, this body was having its first time. Even though her soul felt in harmony, she couldn’t erase the physical discomfort that was supposed to come with it.

Cheng Wanyun endured the lingering soreness and fatigue as she finished washing up. Bitao went out to take care of the meal orders, and not long after, she mysteriously came back and leaned in close to Cheng Wanyun’s ear. “Lady, yesterday I made the gatekeeper’s wife my godmother. When I went to arrange for the meals, we spoke for a while, and she told me that she saw Yang Gege go to the Li Side Concubine’s courtyard early this morning to pay her respects. She even brought a root of old ginseng, saying it was a family gift, just the right thing to help the Li Side Concubine with her health…”

Cheng Wanyun: “……”

Whose family’s gifts are old ginseng… That’s quite extravagant.

She was also somewhat surprised as she looked at Bitao. She hadn’t expected this plain, honest-looking girl to be so skilled at socializing.

After thinking for a moment, Cheng Wanyun asked, “Is there a custom in the palace for paying respects to the Li Side Concubine?”

Bitao and Qingxing weren’t originally from Yuqing Palace, and they had only been assigned here a few days ago. Both of them shook their heads in confusion.

At this moment, Tianjin arrived with the floral water used for combing hair. Hearing the question, she immediately bowed and hurried over to offer her greeting. “This servant often comes to Yuqing Palace to feed the birds, so I know. There is no custom, inside or outside the palace, for paying respects to the Side Concubine. However, since the Crown Prince is not yet married, Li Side Concubine manages the household. In the past, when Lin Gege hadn’t left, she would sometimes visit her to pay her respects, and I’ve seen it a few times while feeding the birds. Sometimes, Li Side Concubine would even ask Lin Gege to come over to chat or play cards.”

Right, Tianjin was the one who took care of the birds, and indeed, there were a few birdcages hanging under the eaves of the Li Side Concubine’s room.

Cheng Wanyun felt reassured. Paying respects was not a rigid rule, but since she had just entered the palace and was the first to be favored, it was better to keep a low profile. After all, Li Side Concubine still had control over the household. She ate half a steamed bun, drank a bowl of freshly made roasted rice milk tea, and dressed simply and modestly. She took along a small sachet she had embroidered during her idle time, wishing for safety and peace, and hurried to the Li Side Concubine’s courtyard.

Since Yang Gege had already arrived, she couldn’t afford to be late.

“Cheng Gege has arrived,” Yang Gege stood and greeted her. She deliberately glanced outside at the sky, pressing a handkerchief to her mouth, her expression a mixture of amusement and mockery. “You’re late today. I’ve already talked with Sister Li for quite a while.”

This was a veiled criticism of her arrogance due to being favored, implying that she had neglected Lady Li.

Cheng Wanyun looked up and, as expected, saw that Lady Li’s makeup seemed thicker than before, and her expression appeared indifferent.

Cheng Wanyun, however, was calm. She gently and politely curtsied to Lady Li, speaking in a soft voice, “Please give my regards to Sister Li. I’m truly ignorant, and the room you arranged for me is so comfortable that I ended up oversleeping. I hope you won’t take offense. This is a sachet I embroidered at home, filled with dried rose petals. It’s very soothing and relaxing, and I wish for your health and safety, Sister Li.”

Qingxing stepped forward to present the sachet. Mama Jin took it and passed it to Lady Li, who glanced at it. The embroidery was elegant, and a faint, gentle fragrance wafted from it, easing the slight ache in her forehead. However, she didn’t examine it closely. She simply waved her hand and asked Mama Jin to keep it, forcing a smile. “You are thoughtful. Please, sit down. Chun Jian, bring the tea.”

Cheng Wanyun knew very well that Side Concubine Li didn’t care much for the small sachet, but she wasn’t from a wealthy family like Yang Gege. As long as she had fulfilled her duties in terms of etiquette, she was content. With this in mind, she sat down at the lower position beside Yang Gege and turned to smile at her slightly, “Sister Yang is one year older than me, so I’ll take the liberty of calling you ‘Sister.'”

Yang Gege felt that the Cheng Gege in front of her was quite different from the reclusive, introverted young lady she had encountered in Zhongcui Palace. Her actions weren’t particularly formal, but there was nothing wrong with them, and she exuded a sense of ease. Today, Cheng Wanyun wore a water-colored flag dress embroidered with lotus flowers, her head adorned with a few silver orchid flowers—simple yet refreshing. It complemented her small face, which looked as tender as a lotus bud in the rain, about to bloom.

Yang Gege suppressed the urge to tear off the smile from Cheng Wanyun’s face, forcing a smile in response.

Although Side Concubine Li was not particularly happy, she didn’t make things difficult. It was the first day of Cheng Wanyun’s favor, and it was understandable if there were some discomforts. But life in the palace was long, and Side Concubine Li wasn’t someone who would lose her composure so easily.

Lady Li, as the Side Consort, played her role well. Knowing that Cheng Wanyun had grown up in the south, she took the time to ask a few questions, such as whether she was adjusting to the food, if everything in the room was to her liking, and if anything was lacking. She told her to speak up if anything was needed.

Cheng Wanyun naturally answered that everything was fine.

It was Yang Gege, however, who suddenly smiled and brought up, “Sister Li, could we ask the Cat and Dog House to bring over a cat or a dog? I used to have a few cats at home, but now that I don’t have my little pets with me, I feel quite lonely.”

Side concubine Li smiled as she looked at Lady Yang, but there was a subtle, inscrutable meaning in her smile.

Yang Gege must have heard somewhere that the Crown Prince had kept cats when he was young. However, what she didn’t know was that one of those cats had been accidentally killed by the Eldest Prince, which led the Crown Prince to never want to raise cats again. No one in Yuqing Palace dared to bring it up again.

Since Yang Gege had brought it up herself…

Side concubine Li sneered inwardly, but her expression remained warm and friendly. “This is no big deal. I also have a few thrushes myself. Just tell the little eunuchs to pass the message along.” She paused and then turned to Cheng Wanyun, testing her, “If Cheng Gege also wants to keep one, we can choose together.”

Cheng Wanyun scratched her head and softly said, “I’d like to keep a turtle.”

“?” Both Lady Li and Yang Gege seemed to have an unspoken question mark appear above their heads.

“There is a type of turtle on the mountains in Huizhou, with a high back and red shell. It’s bold and recognizes its owner, and it even eats fruit,” Cheng Wanyun said with a hint of nostalgia in her voice. “When I was young, my cousin caught one for me, and I kept it for eight or nine years. By the time I entered the capital, it had grown bigger than my cousin’s hand. It would stroll around leisurely, basking in the sun, and in my free time, I would go with my cousin, brother, and a few sisters to the mountain stream to catch river shrimp for it.”

Yang Gege widened her eyes in surprise when she heard about catching shrimp. “Your parents actually allowed you to play so wildly in the mountains?”

Cheng Wanyun was confused. “We always had nannies, maidservants, and house servants with us, and it was our own estate. Why wouldn’t they let us? Haven’t you ever gone shrimp fishing? What about catching fish? Or hunting birds and rabbits?”

Her stepmother, who hated that she wasn’t learning anything of value, never restricted her. On the contrary, she even persuaded her father, so Cheng Wanyun grew up very freely and happily before entering the palace.

Side concubine Li shook her head. “Our family may be under the banner of the Han troops, but we aren’t like the Manchu girls who learn archery and horsemanship from a young age. At home, we have to help our mother manage the household, learn needlework, study etiquette, and practice calligraphy and the piano. Our everyday life consists of accompanying our mother to offer incense, attending banquets of familiar families, and only during the festivals like the New Year or the Qiqiao Festival do we have the chance to go out and shop.”

Cheng Wanyun then realized how fortunate she was. She had grown up in a family of modest civil officials who had risen through the imperial examination system, far from the capital. Her father was strict but not overbearing, and she had been allowed to grow up as free and independent as the wind in the mountains.

Yang Gege, on the other hand, could speak all three languages—Han, Manchu, and Mongolian—and was proficient in everything, from the piano to chess, calligraphy, and painting. Side concubine Li not only had a natural talent for music but was also skilled in calculating accounts and managing the household. Thus, no one in Yuqing Palace dared to hide corruption or misconduct from her.

And then there was Cheng Wanyun—who only knew how to eat and cook.

It seemed that children in the capital had always been so competitive.

After hearing this, Yang Gege couldn’t help but pout, feeling even more uneasy. How had someone like Cheng Gege, who had grown up in the wild, with no education, caught the attention of the Crown Prince?

She just couldn’t understand it. Stroking the golden peony hairpin on her head, she snorted coldly. “No wonder people say Cheng Gege is so lucky. Her parents spoiled her so much at home, and now she’s favored by the Crown Prince. But little sister, listen to your older sister. You should still learn the proper rules for women, to avoid regretting it later when it’s too late.”

Cheng Wanyun nodded seriously, “What you said in the first half is true, Sister Yang. I do feel that I have very good fortune. As for the second half…” She waved her hand in front of her nose, “Oh, it seems someone just knocked over a vinegar jar, and now I’m overwhelmed by the sour smell. I didn’t quite catch what you were saying, Sister Yang!”

“You—” Yang Gege was left speechless with anger.

Side concubine Li couldn’t help but smile. Cheng Gege’s temperament was like a punch hitting cotton.

No matter how favored Cheng Gege was, Side Concubine Li didn’t feel threatened by her, but Yang Gege must not let Cheng Gege win the Crown Prince’s favor. Therefore, Side Concubine Li was happy to have Cheng Gege and Yang Gege compete against each other while she sat back and watched.

Moreover… Side concubine Li had other plans for Cheng Gege. If she could win the Crown Prince’s favor on her own, that would be even better, saving Side Concubine Li from having to put in extra effort.

“Alright, we are all sisters,” Side Concubine Li said gently, trying to smooth things over, though her bias was obvious. “Since Cheng Gege is so skilled in the kitchen, why don’t we three meet in the garden on the fifteenth of next month to enjoy the moon? Cheng Gege can personally cook a few of her best dishes for us to taste.”