Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

Early spring of the 31st year of Kangxi’s reign arrived in the blink of an eye.

The earth warmed, and the spring breeze seemed to have turned the treetops in the Forbidden City green overnight. Some nameless yellow flowers near the walls of the back rooms were the first to bloom, followed quickly by the soft, tender willow buds sprouting along the stone pathways outside the courtyard. The willow branches swayed gently in the breeze.

Cheng Wanyun strolled around the courtyard with her little daughter in her arms. Wang Cai the dog and Mi Mi the cat dashed ahead and behind, chasing each other playfully. They circled around her legs with unrestrained joy, causing her baby to giggle as she watched with wide, bright eyes.

Tickled by the mischievous animals, Cheng Wanyun laughed too. When she saw her daughter’s laughter, she couldn’t resist nuzzling her cheek against the baby’s. But in a sudden and precise move, her daughter grabbed her hairpin. Amid Qingxing and the others’ gasps of alarm, she looked at her daughter’s innocent, wide-eyed expression, then at her own now-disheveled hair, and burst into laughter herself, her mood light and cheerful.

Just as she was about to take her daughter back to tidy herself up, a voice called from behind her:
“Wanyun, wait!”

She turned around.

Tang Gege, dressed in a peach-red ‘qizhuang’, was crossing the stone path. Leaning on a maid for support, she hurried through the archway at the path’s end. Under the tender green willow branches, she waved at Wanyun excitedly.

The maid beside Tang Gege carried a small basket filled with needlework supplies. Wanyun immediately understood—Tang Gege intended to spend the whole day idling at her place. The scene was all too familiar… her gossip buddy Little Tang was back!

Once inside, it was time for the baby to nurse and nap. At this age, the little one mostly alternated between eating and sleeping. On fine days like today, Cheng Wanyun would take her out for a stroll to see the world beyond her room. Today, Mama Suo was on duty, and she promptly came over to carry the baby away. Cheng Wanyun then invited Tang Gege to sit on the kang.

Grabbing a handful of sunflower seeds, Cheng Wanyun pushed the small porcelain dish of seeds on the kang table closer to Tang Gege. She cracked a seed with her teeth, the “crack” sound echoing as she looked expectantly at Tang Gege, signaling her to begin.

Tang Gege cleared her throat and started with a bombshell piece of news: the date for the Grand Selection had been set for August!

Cheng Wanyun, however, showed little reaction. The Grand Selection? Was Yuqing Palace about to welcome new arrivals again?

Compared to when Wang and Tang Geges first entered the palace, Cheng Wanyun no longer felt uncertain about the Crown Prince’s favor or anxious over the possibility of losing it. Now, hearing news about the Grand Selection, she felt nothing but calm.

After all, Cheng Wanyun wasn’t naive; she could see the Crown Prince’s preference for her clearly.

Take the recent incident as an example—shortly after her postpartum confinement, she and the Crown Prince had an intense “battle” that lasted on and off from night until dawn. By the end of it, she had left three visible scratch marks on his back, courtesy of her fingernails.

Exhausted, Cheng Wanyun lay sprawled on the bed, too lazy to even move her fingers. But at least her entire body felt completely relaxed. After enduring a full year of abstinence during her pregnancy with her daughter, having a handsome and well-built man by her side whom she could only touch but not indulge in had truly been a torturous ordeal for her.

Prince Yinreng or not, when Cheng Wanyun craved satisfaction, she wasn’t one to hold back. In a bold move, she flipped over and pinned him down. While kissing him senseless, she pulled him into another round of their “battle.” Why should things always end once the man was satisfied? She deserved her fair share of enjoyment too! If equality couldn’t be achieved elsewhere, at least they could aim for some balance in ‘this’ department.

The Crown Prince had not expected her to be so… enthusiastic. His back stung painfully for two days, and every time he sweated, the scratches burned. Awkward and embarrassed, he found even applying ointment inconvenient since he couldn’t very well ask someone else to help him.

That encounter left Yinreng a bit traumatized. For several days, he only dared visit her during the day, pretending it was business as usual. He’d eat meals with her, play with their increasingly adorable and chubby daughter—who now resembled a little peanut—and leave as soon as the sun set and the palace lights flickered on, using various excuses to escape.

About a week later, when the scabs on his back had healed and no longer hurt, the Crown Prince finally returned to her room at night. But before anything happened, he solemnly set down some ground rules: “No overindulgence. Once or twice is enough!”

Cheng Wanyun was speechless. ‘What misunderstanding is this?’ She hadn’t been so aggressive every time! That night had been an exception—a slip caused by the sudden temptation of “meat” after a long period of fasting. Now that she could have “meat” whenever she wanted, why would she need to act like a frenzied seven-rounds-a-night type of person?

But the Crown Prince clearly believed this was her natural disposition. Unable to convince him otherwise, Cheng Wanyun gave up and leaned into the role.

“Ah, yes, yes, yes. Whatever you say! I’m exactly that kind of voracious woman!”

This proved one thing, though: if the Crown Prince could tolerate even ‘this’, it must be true love.

Which was why she wasn’t worried about the Grand Selection or new concubines entering the palace. Surely, no one in Yuqing Palace could push the Crown Prince to such extremes in the bedroom the way she could!

Wait a minute… weren’t Wanyan and Wanhe, her younger sisters, of age now? That meant they’d also be part of this year’s selection!

Cheng Wanyun’s heart sank. How could she have forgotten about this? She couldn’t let them enter the palace! If they could be disqualified, that would be ideal. Their father, Master Cheng, was unlikely to bother her about this matter, especially since he hadn’t even sent her a letter. She needed to come up with a plan to look out for her sisters.

Since the name lists had already been submitted, the only chance to intervene would be during the actual review process in the palace. She would need to act carefully and decisively.

Tang Gege noticed that Cheng Wanyun was lost in thought while cracking melon seeds and realized she hadn’t figured it out yet. She was immediately struck by her slowness and, growing anxious, lightly tapped the table and clarified, “Why don’t you understand? Our Crown Prince is old now and still hasn’t married! That means, this year, the Crown Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Fifth Prince will all have their marriages arranged!”

Cheng Wanyun suddenly understood, feeling a little embarrassed. She had truly forgotten such an important matter! It seemed that a year of pregnancy had made her a little slow. The situation felt strangely personal, as if the news affected her directly.

Tang Gege continued, saying that the palace had been buzzing about this for over ten days now, with everyone talking about it.

After all, the Crown Prince’s consort would be the most prestigious among the imperial wives, the only Princess Consort of the Qing dynasty since its founding!

Because Yuqing Palace was strictly managed by the Crown Prince, the news had already circulated and evolved with various developments. Tang Gege basically kept updating Cheng Wanyun like it was a soap opera, giving her an episode every day.

The situation had now reached the point of: “Who will be the Crown Princess?”

While the servants dared not openly gossip about their masters, they had no problem secretly placing bets. There were many popular candidates, with the leading one being the daughter of the Niu Hulu family, Ebilong’s granddaughter. Her aunt was Empress Xiaozhao, and there was also Concubine Niu Hulu in the palace. With such an illustrious background, she was seen as a worthy match for the Crown Prince!

Some also suggested that, given the ongoing rebellion of Galdan, the Crown Prince should marry the daughter of a Mongol noble, continuing the tradition of political marriages between the Manchu and Mongol peoples, just like Emperor Kangxi and the late Emperor had done to maintain stability in Mongolia.

There were even suggestions to strengthen ties with the Hesheri family by marriage.

In short, the matter of choosing a Crown Princess, which had been quietly explored for many years, was finally being openly discussed.

The various courts of Yuqing Palace had different reactions to the news.

In the Eastern Chamber, Side Concubine Li was sweating as she tried to coax the little prince into drinking medicine. But the one-year-old refused the bitter medicine, and since he could barely walk, he quickly crawled away. Side Concubine Li chased after him, but the little prince cried and struggled, kicking his legs and waving his hands, pushing her away.

“Smack!” The medicine bowl was accidentally knocked over.

Exhausted, Side Concubine Li was helped by Chun Jian to sit on the cushioned seat, holding her forehead and remaining silent.

Seeing Side Concubine Li’s gloomy expression, the wet nurse hurried in to bow and tried to take the still crying little prince from her arms. As soon as the little prince saw the wet nurse, he immediately clung to her, burying his face in her shoulder, refusing to let go, while his short legs tightly gripped her waist. “Go! Go!” he cried, urging the wet nurse to leave quickly.

Side Concubine Li did not turn around to look. Hearing those words only made her feel more bitter and angry.

It was probably the most ironic thing—she had worked so hard to hold her son close, but he was not affectionate toward her. It hadn’t been noticeable when he was a baby, but now, as he started speaking a few words and could walk unsteadily, his feelings began to show.

If there were no toys or food to distract him, the little prince wouldn’t even want her to hold him. His first learned word was “Nanny,” and every night he insisted on the nanny sleeping beside him. If the nanny left midway through the night, it was as though he sensed it and would immediately wake up, crying and sitting up. No one could comfort him until the nanny returned, and only then would he calm down.

Side Concubine Li was extremely jealous and considered replacing the wet nurse, but the little prince couldn’t bear to be away from her. He would cry all day long, unable to breathe properly and vomiting from the distress, which even caused him to develop a cough that worsened with the wind.

Reluctantly, Side Concubine Li called the wet nurse back.

She also suspected that the servants around the little prince might be causing trouble, perhaps deliberately teaching him bad behavior. However, the wet nurse had been chosen by her personally, and the servants, maids, and eunuchs around the little prince were all people she trusted. She had personally selected them.

If she couldn’t trust these people, there would be no one left to rely on.

Could it be that the little prince was truly destined to be distant from her? The thought gradually surfaced in Side Concubine Li’s mind, but she quickly dismissed it. No, that couldn’t be true—they had a bond, after all!

When the news of the selection came to her, she simply thought, blankly, that the day had finally arrived.

If it weren’t for the little prince being with her, the Crown Prince would never enter her room, and any hope for affection from him was long gone. Fortunately, she had already anticipated this day and had long since stopped feeling distressed about it.

What truly frightened her now was that the Crown Prince had started showing his dissatisfaction with how she was raising the little prince. The little prince’s shoulder and elbow problems had required the imperial physician’s treatment every few days, but the results were minimal. It was a condition he had since birth. The Crown Prince had previously refrained from blaming her, but when the little prince accidentally hurt his throat from crying again and couldn’t stop coughing, the Crown Prince had grown increasingly angry.

When the Crown Prince heard that the little prince had not improved, he harshly scolded her several times: “If you hadn’t casually switched the people around him, would he have developed another cough? The child is so young—one can never be too careful! But you don’t manage the little prince properly! You should be ashamed to call yourself a mother!”

Side Concubine Li was drenched in cold sweat as she knelt down to apologize. The Crown Prince didn’t ask her to rise and coldly said, “If the little prince’s condition doesn’t improve, I’ll move him to Chunben Hall to be cared for by me personally! Stay on your knees here for an hour and reflect on your mistakes!”

The Crown Prince left, and the room immediately became so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard.

Jin Mama cautiously directed the little eunuch to pick up the broken pieces of the medicine bowl using a cloth, glancing worriedly at Side Concubine Li, who was kneeling silently on the floor tiles.

Side Concubine Li’s head was lowered, and Jin Mama couldn’t see her expression, but she noticed her arms trembling slightly.

Side Concubine Li’s hands were tightly clutching a shard of broken porcelain hidden in her wide sleeves. The sharp pain in her palms went unnoticed by her as she silently mouthed words under her breath, words that no one else could hear but that screamed hysterically in her mind: Why was the heavens doing this to her? Why give her hope only to take it away?

The Crown Prince’s attitude left Side Concubine Li deeply uneasy. As she knelt, she replayed everything in her mind, and her face gradually grew pale.

The selection, Cheng Gege, the Ling family… The more Side Concubine Li thought about it, the more hopeless she felt. The resentment and pain that had been buried deep within her for years now surged to the surface. She realized that this was her only chance to survive—thankfully, her maternal family was strong, and her father held military power…

In her mind, she could still hear the Crown Prince’s reproach, and she couldn’t help but sneer: He called her ashamed to be a mother—then who was fit to be a mother? Cheng Gege? What of it? She might be favored now, but she hadn’t given birth to a Crown Prince yet—she had only had one Gege (princess)!

They said she was fortunate, but it seemed that her luck wasn’t all that abundant.

Side Concubine Li knelt there, her expression a mix of crying and smiling, which frightened Jin Mama greatly. She quietly waved her hand, signaling the eunuchs and maids to carefully close the door and leave. Only then did Mama Jin breathe a sigh of relief, as if escaping from the jaws of a tiger.

As Jin Mama left, she happened to bump into Tang Gege coming back from the long corridor leading to the back room. Seeing her, Tang Gege smiled and nodded, which made Jin Mama think to herself: Why is Tang Gege associating with Cheng Gege again? Didn’t they fall out because of that issue with Rehe?

Tang Gege returned to her room, exhausted, and sat down heavily on the heated bed. She waved her hand to fan herself and asked her maid to bring her cold tea. She carefully recalled everything she had discussed with Cheng Gege that day, making sure she hadn’t overlooked anything, and only then did she feel at ease.

She wanted to secure the managerial position for the new courtyard in the hall but didn’t want to directly ask for it on the first day. What reason did she has to ask the Crown Prince on her behalf? She first needed to make Cheng Gege feel that she was useful to her.

The selection was an opportunity.

By mentioning it to Cheng Gege, she was signaling her willingness to form an alliance, hoping Cheng Gege would appreciate her intentions.

Cheng Gege, being so favored by the Crown Prince, would undoubtedly become a thorn in the side of the future Crown Princess. Side Concubine Li’s position was ambiguous, and over the years, Tang Gege had observed that Cheng Gege and Side Concubine Li didn’t get along well. This left only her! This time, it wasn’t her delusion—Tang Gege was very clear-headed.

She had no favor, but Cheng Gege could help her gain more power. Cheng Gege was favored and had a little Princess of her own. If the two of them were tied together, the Crown Princess would find it more difficult to make a move. It was a win-win situation! Before the Crown Princess entered the picture, they could secure their own territories and make it as solid as an iron barrel.

Tang Gege had never considered relying on the future Crown Princess. First, she didn’t know the Crown Princess’s character. Second, the gap in their status was too wide. She would have to serve the Crown Princess carefully, doing all sorts of tasks, and the Crown Princess likely wouldn’t even look at someone like her—someone without favor, someone who hardly had any say in front of the Crown Prince.

As for throwing her lot in with Side Concubine Li, that was out of the question. Side Concubine Li was just like her—without favor. The only difference was that Side Concubine Li had the little prince! And from the Crown Prince’s words, it seemed the little prince wouldn’t stay with Side Concubine Li for long.

Tang Gege had good judgment. Side Concubine Li might look impressive on the outside, but her situation inside was already crumbling. The Crown Prince didn’t care for her, didn’t like her, and had a lot of complaints about her.

Tang Gege wasn’t foolish enough to tie herself to someone like that. Ever since she stopped putting all her hopes in the Crown Prince, her perspective had broadened, her mind was clearer, and she slept and ate better.

But such good days depended on her still having power. Once she lost her authority, her situation would be self-evident.

When the Crown Princess came in, Side Concubine Li would have to hand over all her managerial powers, and the miscellaneous tasks Tang Gege was in charge of would be no exception. However, if the Crown Prince assigned her specific duties, she could continue to hold on to them, just like how Ling Mama had previously managed matters at Chunben Hall. The Crown Princess would probably not dare oppose the Crown Prince once she entered.

Tang Gege knew that this was the only path she could take.

She held the tea bowl and looked at the magnolia tree outside the window, its branches full of white snow-like blossoms. She remembered how last year she had picked fallen magnolia flowers with Wang Gege to brew tea. Now, she was the only one left.

Her eyes became a little sore and swollen, but she didn’t want anyone to notice. She lowered her head to wipe them away.

#

About four or five days later, Yinreng began to notice Tang’s intentions.

After the incident that night, Yinzhen took the initiative to reduce the time spent in the back room. For example, after fighting for two days, he would rest for a day in the study. He was worried that he might develop a reputation for being lewd.

Who he favored, on what days, how many times he called for water, and how long the sessions lasted were all recorded by the eunuchs in the daily log. Sometimes, Kangxi would even review it. The fight incident was something he had had He Baozhong change the record for the following day, otherwise, the Emperor would have already issued an admonition about “not indulging in women.”

Yinreng adjusted his schedule for staying in the back room, and now he encountered Tang Gege more frequently during the day. After inquiring, he learned that she came almost every day, accompanying him to talk, sew, feed the cats, walk the dogs with A Wan, and sometimes even stayed for dinner. She also helped A Wan calm down the occasionally crying little Princess.

Though Tang Gege had liked to visit A Wan before, she had never been this diligent.

When he thought about the rumors surrounding the Crown Princess recently and Kangxi’s unusual emphasis on the upcoming selection, Yinreng squinted his eyes and thought: Tang Gege doesn’t seem as stubborn as before. This time, her reactions are quick and accurate.

She’s quite smart, not coming directly to him for help.

This is just right. If the two of them stick together, it will save him some trouble.

At the moment, he was still busy with another matter concerning Cheng Wanyun.

With March approaching, the Ministry of Revenue had completed the annual performance evaluations for provincial and county magistrates. With E Chu supporting Master Cheng, the honest man with achievements but no political scheming, he was naturally rated as “excellent.”

Upon hearing this news, Yinreng began to work through Suoetu to help with the arrangements.

There were many people in the Six Ministries affiliated with Suoetu. Securing an official position was merely a matter of money. There was no need to alarm the Minister of Revenue, let alone the Emperor.

But unfortunately, there was no vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue.

Cao Yin and Li Xu had been sent to Jiangning and Suzhou in February. These were two of the richest silk-producing regions in Jiangnan. After Chief Steward Ling recovered from his injuries, Kangxi had assigned him to the post of Suzhou Weaving Superintendent, allowing him to atone for his crimes in Suzhou.

Yinreng couldn’t help but recall the thick stack of “Ling family crimes” that E Chu had gathered for him. He remembered how furious he was when he saw it. In places where he couldn’t see, Chief Steward Ling had used his name to commit so many shocking deeds! The Imperial Household Department was utterly corrupt, embezzling over one hundred thousand taels. When Yinreng saw the crimes involving eunuchs, his eyes nearly popped out.

He knew that Chief Steward Ling could not be kept any longer.

Yinreng thought for a while and decided to report the truth to Kangxi. When he knelt in the Qianqing Palace to confess, he initially thought Kangxi would be very angry, but to his surprise, Kangxi calmly returned the memorial to him after reading it: “Have Chief Steward Ling make up the embezzled silver, remove him from the position of the Head of the Imperial Household Department, give him twenty lashes, and send him home to reflect.”

“Your Majesty…” Yinreng was somewhat surprised and confused.

“I have known about these matters for a long time. It is not easy for you to notice and report them promptly,” Kangxi said. In his eyes, he could have taken Chief Steward Ling’s life at any time. Such a person was not worth mourning, but making a big fuss would only harm the Crown Prince’s reputation and upset the balance of the court. Therefore, Kangxi decided to handle it lightly, patting Yinreng’s shoulder. “Through this incident, you will learn how to manage your subordinates. It will not be in vain that you endured this setback.”

Yinreng froze for a moment before kowtowing to express his gratitude.

After returning, he still wondered: If the Emperor had already known that Chief Steward Ling was a parasite, why hadn’t he dealt with him earlier? In the dream where he was deposed, it was still more than twenty years away. Had Kangxi really endured Chief Steward Ling’s arrogance all this time?

Why had Kangxi kept Chief Steward Ling around?

A thought flashed through Yinreng’s mind, causing him to break into a cold sweat.

Was it so that one day he could use this knife…

Yinreng dared not think further.

Now, by severing his arm, he would lose control over the Imperial Household Department, and it would become easier for those with ulterior motives to spy on the Yuqing Palace. But for Kangxi, it was also a sign of weakness… Yinreng thought with some sadness that once the Eastern Palace lost its protection, perhaps the Emperor would trust him more?

This was why Chief Steward Ling hadn’t been killed and had been sent to Jiangnan. It was Kangxi’s way of giving him a “sweet date” after using the “stick.”

Yinreng felt as if a great insight had struck him, though he didn’t realize it, he was subconsciously learning and understanding the heart of an emperor—the ability to turn the situation in his favor with a flick of the hand. He was gradually growing and becoming more resilient, starting to develop the mindset that an emperor should have.

After coming to this realization, Yinreng made arrangements both internally and externally.

Internally, he instructed He Baozhong to keep an eye on the daily affairs of the Yuqing Palace, especially concerning Side Concubine Li. He had learned that Wang Gege had a difficult labor because of Side Concubine Li’s interference, and he had initially planned to investigate and reprimand Side Concubine Li. However, the matter was delayed due to his dreams. Now that Chief Steward Ling’s case was concluded, it was a good opportunity to clean up the dirty corners of the Yuqing Palace.

Externally, Yinreng wanted to cultivate more loyal and upright people. He couldn’t afford to let himself be easily manipulated after severing his connection, but he couldn’t make his intentions too obvious. Someone like Master Cheng might be a good choice.

However, he dismissed the idea of sending Master Cheng to work with Cao Yin. First, because Chief Steward Ling was already there, and second, Master Cheng might not be well-suited to that post.

Previously, Yinreng had thought Kangxi favored Li Xu and Cao Yin to help cover the shortfall from the Southern Tours. They were given lucrative positions, such as in salt and weaving industries. But after Chief Steward Ling’s interference, Yinreng realized there was more to it.

Li Xu and Cao Yin were not only appointed for these obvious reasons; their main purpose was to monitor everything in Jiangnan. They were doing the dirty work, much like the Jinyiwei or the Eastern and Western Censors in the Ming dynasty, gathering intelligence on various matters like floods, land harvests, and the activities of officials and scholars, reporting directly to the Emperor.

They were Kangxi’s eyes and ears in Jiangnan, his agents. Chief Steward Ling, being clever and adaptable, was well-suited for these tasks, using his cunning for them. But someone with the conscience of Master Cheng would not be suitable for this kind of work.

But in other places, his promotion would be too slow… Yinreng went through the list of officials in the Ministry of Revenue again. Mingzhu had once served as the Minister of the Ministry, and half of the officials there were his people, while the other half were from the Tong family and from Suoetu’s faction.

Suoetu then had someone send a message to Yinreng: “Then let’s remove Mingzhu from his post. It’s a perfect opportunity to place one of our own people there. Your Highness doesn’t need to worry; I’ll handle it.”

Yinreng thought for a moment. This was indeed something he couldn’t get directly involved in. So, one day after court, he had a eunuch stop Suoetu and casually reminded him: “The Emperor hates factional struggles. Don’t let anyone notice and counteract us.”

Suoetu gruffly responded, “Mingzhu is corrupt himself. Do you think his subordinates can keep their hands clean? Your Highness needn’t worry, I’ll make sure it’s done.”

He was right. In the 27th year of Kangxi’s reign, Mingzhu had been reported by Yu Chenglong for selling official posts in the six ministries. Kangxi had dispatched someone to investigate, and Suoetu immediately suggested to the censor Guo Xiu to take the opportunity to petition against Mingzhu for forming factions and embezzling funds.

This matter was backed by solid evidence, and it wasn’t a trap set by Suoetu to bring Mingzhu down. Kangxi was furious and promptly stripped Mingzhu of his titles, including the Grand Minister and Minister of Revenue. However, he kept him as a political advisor, and not long after, Mingzhu regained his position through his frequent behind-the-scenes contributions to Kangxi. Nonetheless, this move had brought him back to a position comparable to Suoetu, allowing Yinreng’s faction some breathing room.

Previously, Mingzhu had held immense power, and Concubine Hui had become the highest-ranking of the Four Concubines, managing the inner court with the greatest authority. Yinreng had to endure the arrogance of this powerful figure in the palace, which was extremely frustrating.

With this strategy in place, Suoetu immediately took action, instructing his controlled censors, including Gao Qi, to submit a petition accusing the Minister of Revenue of embezzling 3,000 taels of government silver. Gao Qi, whose surname was Nala and was considered to be affiliated with the Eldest Prince, suddenly turned against his master, which infuriated Mingzhu.

The Ministry of Justice quickly investigated and confirmed the embezzlement of government funds, and Gao Qi was dismissed and punished by Kangxi.

By the time Mingzhu figured out who was behind this, it was already late September. He had sent people to secretly gather evidence on Suoetu’s faction, intending to retaliate. However, last year, Yinreng had tightly controlled the Hesheri family, even sending away his most trusted confidant, Chief Steward Ling, far from the capital, so Mingzhu couldn’t find any vulnerable points to strike. He had no choice but to intensify his attacks on Suoetu in court, leading to more quarrels that gave Kangxi a headache.

Who could have guessed that the rivalry between the two major factions began over the removal of a minor official in the Ministry of Revenue?

But that’s another story.

In mid-June, in the spring warmth of She County, Master Cheng completed his handover with the newly appointed county magistrate. With the imperial appointment papers in hand, he sold most of the land and businesses in She County, packed up a dozen carriages worth of luggage, and brought his entire family along with the Huizhou tortoise that had been raised by Cheng Wanyun since childhood. The people of She County gathered to see him off, and he boarded a ship bound for the capital, heading to the capital with his family.

In middle age, Master Cheng, still a man of emotion, leaned on the railing of the ship’s deck, gazing at the common people who gathered at the dock, unwilling to leave. Once again, he wept uncontrollably. Inside the cabin, Madam Wu sighed. He had already cried earlier that morning when the villagers, gathering at the county office to see them off, had moved him to tears. Now, his face was wrinkled from crying, and his beard was wet.

With a husband who cried so easily, she had no choice but to be strong for herself.

Meanwhile, the highly anticipated, once-every-three-years imperial selection was about to begin.

As early as the end of last year, the Ministry of Revenue had started compiling lists of young women aged thirteen and over from various banners, including the Manchu Eight Banners, the Mongolian Eight Banners, the Han Army Banners, and the miscellaneous banner people. They had worked hard until after the New Year, finally completing the registration and submitting the information to the Ministry of Revenue.

The Ministry had to then go through the lists of officers from the Eight Manchu Banners, the Eight Mongolian Banners, the Han Army Banner officers, and the miscellaneous banner people. They worked until March before submitting the final lists for the Emperor’s review.

According to the auspicious date calculated by the Imperial Observatory, Kangxi decided that the selection would take place from August 8 to August 20, to be presided over by Concubine Niu Hulu, with the four consorts jointly overseeing the selection process. The initial screening would take place at the cool and refreshing Yuhua Garden’s Yan Hui Pavilion.

Since only two banners would be reviewed each day, the selection would likely last for about half a month.

During these days, the palace was bustling with excitement. The young women from all over were competing to outshine each other, their stories filling the air. Even without Tang Gege, the “melon farmer” of the court, gossip spread everywhere. Even Bitao could join in the conversation, but Cheng Wanyun found the heat unbearable and didn’t leave the house at all.

In the rear room of Yuqing Palace, Cheng Wanyun had just woken up from her afternoon rest and went next door to check on Little Princess. She was sleeping in the cradle bed that Cheng Wanyun had personally arranged the previous year. The weather was hot, and Little Princess, now seven or eight months old, was in the plump stage. She had two small buns tied on top of her head and was only wearing a bellyband, sprawled out on the bamboo mat, with her chubby hands and feet looking so soft and irresistible that one couldn’t help but want to touch them.

Wang Cai was lying under the cradle, and when he heard Cheng Wanyun’s footsteps, he simply wagged his tail without even lifting his head. He recognized everyone’s footsteps and voices in the rear room, so he didn’t react when Cheng Wanyun entered. However, when Tang Gege had come to visit Little Princess for the first time, Wang Cai had barked furiously, frightening her so much that she nearly fled in panic.

Wang Cai acted like a silent, stern guard, instinctively knowing that Little Princess was its master’s child. When the master was absent, it stayed close to her and guarded her, no matter what. No amount of bones or raw beef could lure it away from his post.

Cheng Wanyun bent down to pet Wang Cai’s head and noticed that Mi Mi was lying on Wang Cai’s back, fast asleep.

“You lazy thing,” Cheng Wanyun scolded lightly, also giving Mi Mi a pet.

The room where Little Princess slept was full of ice jars and fans, making it very cool. Wang Cai stayed there out of it’s instinct to protect the child, while Mi Mi was simply there to enjoy the cool air and the comfort of a “dog-skin” cat bed.

Yes, Wang Cai had such a good temper that the anticipated “cat-dog war” that Qingxing had once worried about never happened. Instead, Mi Mi spent its days taking advantage of Wang Cai’s good nature, much like how Wang Cai would patrol the rear room every morning to survey its territory. During this time, Mi Mi would jump onto Wang Cai’s back, making the dog carry it around all day long. It also boldly snatched Wang Cai’s raw meat and bones to eat.

While sleeping, Mi Mi also curled up on Wang Cai’s head, from a distance, it looked like the dog was wearing a yellow helmet.

Cheng Wanyun stayed by her daughter, along with the cat and dog. She kissed her daughter, petted the dog’s head, and then hugged Mi Mi to comb its fur, happily busy with these tasks. Mi Mi, seeing that the owner’s technique was quite good, immediately flipped over and let her rub its belly, purring and squinting its green eyes in pleasure.

At that moment, Qingxing entered and curtsied. “Gege, Lord E Chu sent a letter, saying that Lord Cheng, Madam Cheng, and the young masters and misses have safely arrived in the capital. The Crown Prince had previously instructed that, in Lord Cheng’s name, a two-courtyard house in Yan’er Alley be purchased. Lord Cheng and his party have already been settled in the house, so Gege can be at ease.”

Cheng Wanyun was startled. “The Crown Prince bought it?”

This… wasn’t that a bit too much?

Qingxing, however, didn’t think it was a problem. After all, it was just a small house. She smiled and said, “The Crown Prince cares for Gege and has thought of everything. The furniture has already been arranged in the house. Lord E Chu also mentioned that he had considered buying some servants for Lord Cheng, but was worried it might be too much. So, the Crown Prince asked Lord E Chu to leave two hundred taels of silver at the house, so that Madam Cheng can later choose suitable servants herself.”

“Wait… did… did my mother accept it?” Cheng Wanyun was completely stunned. She hoped Madam Wu resisted the temptation and didn’t accept the money. Otherwise, how could she face the Crown Prince in the future? Wasn’t this effectively living off the Crown Prince’s kindness?

Wait, hadn’t she been doing that all along?

“How would Gege know?” Qingxing continued. “Madam Cheng and Lord E Chu were being polite, pushing it back and forth from the hall to the door. But Lord E Chu jumped into the carriage and tried to leave, and unexpectedly, Madam Cheng lifted her skirts and ran after him. She threw a heavy bundle of silver into the carriage, hitting Lord E Chu on the head!”

Cheng Wanyun: “…” Her stepmother, Madam Wu, was the daughter of a wealthy landlord. She didn’t have bound feet and had grown up accompanying the old master of the Wu family to inspect the fields. Naturally, she was strong and quick, able to catch up easily.

As the three of them discussed sending medicine and soup to Lord E Chu, a young palace maid came running in. “Gege, Tang Gege is here.”

Before the words were even finished, Tang Gege hurriedly entered, drenched in sweat. Without taking a moment to catch her breath, she said, “Your Majesty… Your Majesty… has… arranged a marriage…”