Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

After publicly slaughtering a chicken, the monkeys in the Yuqing Palace quickly became exceptionally well-behaved.

Cheng Wanyun ate her dinner in the main hall in complete silence, as still as a chicken. Throughout the meal, the Crown Prince glanced at her several times, seemingly concerned that she might be scared. Cheng Wanyun subtly winked at him, and immediately, the Crown Prince turned his head away.

All that was left was his slightly reddened ear facing her.

The dishes at the Crown Princess’s table were pure Fujian cuisine, likely due to her long stay in Fuzhou and her mother being from Fujian. From the accents of the two mamas and four palace maids around her, including her own, one could hear traces of the “you’re so annoying” tone typical of the region. Yet, despite this, they all had exceptionally serious and earnest temperaments, which created a charming contrast.

Cheng Wanyun found it fascinating just to listen to them talk. For example, one of the dishes served at the banquet was a classic Fujian dish: “Bamboo Shoots and Perch Fish,” which was incredibly fresh. Since no one at the table had eaten it before, Mama Li introduced it as she served the dish: “Ah, this is called Bamboo Shoots and Perch Fish, it’s made with sliced pork belly, Yulan mushrooms, and fragrant mushrooms, steamed to perfection. The flavor is very good, please try it, all of you.”

Cheng Wanyun desperately pinched her thigh under the table. She squeezed so hard that her hand shook, just managing to suppress the urge to laugh.

The Crown Prince, helpless, glanced at her again, cleared his throat, and used his chopsticks to serve a portion of food for the Crown Princess, while subtly blocking Cheng Wanyun, who was still struggling to stifle her laughter.

But then, another dish of pan-fried red sturgeon arrived, and as Cheng Wanyun stared at her bowl, trying not to burst out laughing, Mama Li’s voice sounded again in her ear: “Ah, this is…”

Cheng Wanyun began pinching her thigh again.

She truly had no intention of mocking their accent. It was all because of a skit from a Spring Festival Gala one year where they said, “The capital of Fujian is Huzhou.” Cheng Wanyun had laughed so hard, replaying it repeatedly and even pounding the floor. From that point on, she could never look at the adorable Fujian accent the same way again.

Thankfully, the Crown Princess spoke standard Mandarin, though with a slight “ah” and “oh” intonation, which they themselves seemed unaware of. Mama Li, nearing forty, was said to have a hard time shaking off her regional accent. The fact that she could speak in a way that everyone could understand was already quite an effort on her part.

This meal was truly difficult to get through. The food was delicious, but if only Mama Li hadn’t provided all those introductions. When Cheng Wanyun returned and had her clothes changed by Bitao, her thigh was so bruised that Bitao nearly shouted, “Your Ladyship! Your leg—”

Don’t ask. The answer is that I pinched myself.

Afterward, Cheng Wanyun was rubbing her leg and soaking her feet when she heard some voices outside. Soon, Qingxing walked in with a puzzled expression: “Miss, the Crown Prince sent a little eunuch with a bottle of ointment for reducing swelling and bruising…”

Cheng Wanyun took the small porcelain bottle and gently ran her fingers over its smooth, delicate surface. Her soft gaze fell on the bottle as she said, “Say thank you to the Crown Prince.”

Since the Crown Princess entered the palace, the Crown Prince had only visited the inner chamber to sit, look at the children, and talk to her.

She knew he probably wouldn’t come, since the Crown Princess had only just entered the palace. If he visited her too often, others would gossip about it.

But the Crown Prince still did so. Sometimes he would come and do nothing but close the door and hold her. His hands, with their distinct joints, would gently stroke her back, as if silently comforting her. It’s okay, he hadn’t forgotten her.

Cheng Wanyun quietly leaned into his embrace and closed her eyes.

They stayed like this in silence for a while, as if they could draw strength from each other. The Crown Prince kissed her forehead, then her nose and lips.

They exchanged breaths, urgently seeking that familiar sense of stability from each other’s body. Did the Crown Prince feel uneasy too? Cheng Wanyun’s skirt had been lifted to her waist. When the Crown Prince picked her up, she felt a moment of disorientation, as if in a whirl of chaos and brokenness.

He seemed to miss her.

But this longing was no longer as blatant or unrestrained as before. He had begun to bury his desire deeper, no longer speaking it aloud. Instead, it was evident in each lingering gaze, each brief moment of joy behind closed doors.

Yinreng gradually became clearer yet more immersed in his feelings. He held her, almost ready to collapse onto the floor, and made her turn around, her hands resting on the bookshelf. He pressed against her slender waist and leaned in.

Crash… The bookshelf swayed, and the picture books Cheng Wanyun usually looked at fell from the other side.

Yinreng propped himself up with one hand on the bookshelf. His whole body was hot with sweat, yet his gaze remained cold. It wasn’t until Cheng Wanyun, unable to bear it any longer, turned and kissed his jaw in a hurried manner, that he tenderly cupped her face, kissing her lightly, one gentle peck after another.

At this moment, he was actually surrounded by wolves.

The Emperor was watching him, and the entire court had their eyes on him. They were all waiting for him to make a mistake, eager to see whether he would show respect to the Crown Princess, whether he would show respect to the Shi family. Would the three years of suppressing his anger be vented on the Crown Princess?

Suoetu had said that Mingzhu’s faction had already drafted a memorial accusing him of favoring a concubine over his wife—they were just waiting for the right moment.

Very well. He refused to give them that chance.

He had managed things well over the past few years, far better than his previous situation and much better than the one hinted at in his dreams.

He was right. By not forming alliances with any court officials, the Emperor trusted him, even giving him opportunities to receive favors. He didn’t need to purposely support a faction of “Crown Prince’s party” members because, in the future, all the civil and military officials in the court would be his foundation. This was his natural advantage in the Eastern Palace. He was the legitimate heir— the future of the Qing dynasty!

He had figured it out, but his success made others with ambitions impatient.

The only way they could attack him was through women—was there no other way to strike at him? Yinreng sneered. But even in this regard, this tiny gap, he would fill it up and leave no opportunity for them.

The accusation of “favoring concubines and deposing the wife” couldn’t shake him, nor could it shake the Crown Princess. The only one who would suffer greatly from this would be A Wan. He couldn’t let her fall into that kind of public scandal.

However, Yinreng didn’t want her to endure the injustice of being neglected again, so every day he would use the excuse of visiting the eldest princess and second prince to go to the inner chamber.

Of course, A Wan had children now, so at least the servants of Yuqing Palace didn’t dare neglect her. But outside of Yuqing Palace? Yinreng didn’t want A Wan to be looked at with those mocking eyes.

He wanted to show the world that, even in times like this, his secondary concubine, his A Wan, was still someone he cared deeply about. He could give the Crown Princess the respect and honor she deserved, while still not forgetting the one he had once cherished.

Cheng Wanyun had rarely fought so thoroughly in a quarrel. The Eldest Princess and Prince Hongxi had gone to find Prince Hongxuan to play, so they were not in the inner chambers. Otherwise, the Crown Prince wouldn’t have been able to seize the opportunity.

After the quarrel, the Crown Prince held her in a sticky embrace for a long time, before putting on his clothes and preparing to return to the main hall to rest. These days, besides the Chunben Hall study, he wouldn’t sleep anywhere else but in the main hall.

Cheng Wanyun helped him put on his outer garments, tied his waist belt, and stood on tiptoe to adjust his collar. Yinreng bent down and kissed her. When the kiss made her eyes glisten, he reluctantly pulled away and whispered in her ear, “I’m leaving.”

He teased and ran! Cheng Wanyun glared at him.

Yinreng let out a muffled laugh, pinching her face, and meaningfully said, “To be fair, I haven’t wronged you in this matter. Why are you looking at me like that?”

Cheng Wanyun blushed and quickly pushed the shameless man out. After becoming a father, the once shy and innocent boy had really changed!

She was about to do some needlework to calm her mind when he left and then returned with a smile. “The Crown Princess is still busy managing family affairs. I’ll stay here for a while longer.”

Cheng Wanyun, having just fought a battle, was feeling lazy, so she had only ordered a bowl of tomato and shrimp noodles. The Crown Prince didn’t mind and had a bowl brought to him, finishing it in a few bites, then squishing himself next to her. “Move over.”

“You’re so hot,” Cheng Wanyun complained while shifting over.

“Did you expect me not to be hot after a trip?” Yinreng casually picked up one of her storybooks, read it for a while, then switched to another one. Muttering, he added, “I’ll find you some new books later.”

Cheng Wanyun agreed, “I’m tired of these.”

Yinreng made a note of it and decided to ask E Chu to handle it. He also thought to send E Chu to visit the Cheng family and bring back some news. Her two younger sisters seemed to have gotten married? Only the eldest brother studying for the imperial exam, and the second brother practicing martial arts, were left. Yinreng also planned to ask E Chu to assess Cheng Huai Jing’s temperament and potential. If he seemed suitable, he could be placed in the Imperial Guards.

It was just a simple matter, but Yinreng had been pondering for a long time, considering whether to involve the Crown Princess’s younger brothers as well. That way, he could pass on the message to the Emperor without bringing A Wan into it.

Although the Shi family had dwindled in numbers, Yinreng still wanted to make use of them, to try and support them. After all, they were his wife’s family, and no one would dare say anything about him helping the Shi family. With the connection to the Crown Princess, the Shi family, just like the Hesheri family, was one of the few families he could completely trust.

As he continued to think, Yinreng’s mind wandered.

The late spring moon was faint, and the summer insects had not yet started their chorus. The night was unusually calm, and the two of them quietly spent time together—one reading, the other thinking about the things to be arranged.

It felt so good. Cheng Wanyun rested her head on the Crown Prince’s shoulder.

The next day, Cheng Wanyun learned what the Crown Princess had been dealing with the previous day. The stewards and Tang Gege had been terrified by the “killing chicken” act, and they all came to hand over their account books.

Tang Gege, even after having dinner, immediately sent over all the tokens and account books she had on hand. The Crown Princess lazily took them, briefly flipping through the books and glancing at the tokens in the box, before tossing everything back and saying, “You should copy the account books, and list out who is currently holding the tokens, their types, and where they are being stored. Keep the original books with me, and you keep the copies. You’re still in charge of the daily affairs. If there’s something important, you can consult me. The account books should only be brought to me once a month for verification. As for the trivial matters of the back courtyard, I don’t need to manage them myself.”

Tang Gege was so taken aback by the Crown Princess’s generous attitude that she forgot to respond. It was only when Li Mama coughed lightly from the side that she snapped back to reality. Then, overwhelming joy took over, and she knelt to accept the order, almost speaking incoherently.

Most of the other servants felt the same way. Their anxious hearts were finally at ease. If the Crown Princess had come in and immediately started replacing people with her own, they wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it. Any complaints would have been swallowed down because, as the saying goes, “a new ruler brings in new officials.” It was their rightful power.

But now, they could still keep their jobs, with just the additional task of reporting back and verifying the accounts once a month. Everyone felt grateful to the Crown Princess. The unrest and anxiety caused by the new master’s arrival gradually subsided.

Tang Gege was in high spirits when she went to the inner chambers to play with the cats and dogs, and she even teased Hongxi and E Linzhu. She couldn’t help but sing the praises of the Crown Princess, describing her as magnanimous and generous. Cheng Wanyun, who was eating a bowl of lotus seed, coix seed, and mung bean soup, couldn’t hold back her laughter and almost dropped her spoon. “Well, well, so I’ve finally realized you’re good with words. Why don’t you go tell the Crown Princess yourself?”

“I wouldn’t dare,” Tang Gege replied, remembering the bloodstains on the flagstones from yesterday. She awkwardly said, “But the Crown Princess really is someone who distinguishes rewards and punishments. She doesn’t hoard power like Side Concubine Li. She’s even willing to support someone like me.”

Cheng Wanyun nodded. “She combines leniency with strictness, offering both kindness and authority.”

The Crown Princess was truly a born leader. First, she used the big stick to make everyone realize their mistakes and steer them in the right direction. Then, she appropriately offered rewards and favors, which not only stabilized the situation but also won people’s hearts.

This wasn’t just felt in the back courtyard; the Crown Prince seemed to have fully acknowledged the Crown Princess’s ability to manage the household. Three months later, before the Mid-Autumn banquet, the Crown Prince ordered Hongxuan to be moved to the main hall for education. From then on, the Crown Princess would personally oversee his upbringing, no longer a situation where Tang Gege handled him for two days and the secondary concubine managed him for three days.

This is actually a sign of the Crown Prince’s loving care for his son. After all, Hongxuan has to study during the day, and while it’s said that he is being raised by the Crown Princess, most of his time is spent in Chunben Hall. This is merely to give him a formal title.

A child without a mother will always have a hard time—it’s never good for the child..

During this period, Cheng Wanyun persisted in going to the main hall every day to pay her respects. Sometimes she would bring the two children along, and she could often see Hongxuan.

Now, he goes back to the main hall for meals and to sleep, while his studies are still in Chunben Hall. When he sees Cheng Wanyun, he is happier than when he sees others. He calls her “Cheng E-niang (Mother)” and peeks around to play with E Linzhu, showing no awkwardness at all.

It is said that he didn’t cry or throw a tantrum when they moved, showing that children indeed have strong adaptability.

Cheng Wanyun noticed that he had grown taller and stronger than before, and smiled as she praised him for growing up. Hongxuan proudly said, “Cheng E-niang, I now go for morning runs with Li Mama and Aunt Lian every day. I wake up at the end of the Yin hour (around 5 a.m.)!”

“Wow, Hongxuan is really amazing! Waking up so early!” Cheng Wanyun said, though a bit worried he might not be getting enough sleep. But then she thought, since he usually goes to bed around the Xu hour (7 p.m.), waking up at 5 a.m. might not be too bad? Furthermore, when Hongxuan starts attending the study hall next year, he would have to get up at 4 a.m.

Cheng Wanyun, feeling a little concerned, gently touched Hongxuan’s smooth forehead. These days, she had also been waking up early to pay her respects at the palace. She was up every day at the Chen hour (around 7 a.m.), and would arrive for her morning greetings by the third quarter of the Chen hour (around 7:45 a.m.). The Crown Princess always made time to meet with them, but, contrary to what she had imagined from watching Qing Palace dramas, there was no scene of everyone sitting together, drinking tea, and arguing lightheartedly.

How should she put it… The Crown Princess was the type who only came to court when necessary and would leave immediately once there was nothing to discuss!

She didn’t like to engage in idle chatter, nor did she enjoy hearing it!

Cheng Wanyun’s first experience with paying her respects left a deep impression. It was the transition from spring to summer at the time—neither too cold nor too hot. The entire palace had removed their heavier outer garments and switched to lighter silks. This kind of weather was particularly perfect for sleeping in.

Qingxing and Bitao were like alarms that she had snoozed—they came in every five minutes to call her, and after three rounds, she finally sat up groggily, like a puppet, allowing them to wash her face, dress her, and put on her shoes. Only after drinking a warm bowl of walnut red date black rice soy milk did she fully wake up.

E Linzhu and Hongxi, the two children, were much quicker than her to get up. After being tidied up by the wet nurses, they had already finished their breakfast and were playing “Eagle Catching Chickens” outside with Tianjin while waiting for her.

By the time Cheng Wanyun came out, they were nearly sweating from playing, and there was barely enough time left to go for their morning greetings. It was just like when she used to rush for her early classes or squeeze onto the subway for work—she instructed the bearers to run fast, just like she was rushing to punch in at work.

Upon arriving at the main hall, Tang Gege, Li Gege, and Fan Gege were already sitting in the front room, drinking tea. Yue Nu was serving them, and when she saw Cheng Wanyun enter, she immediately knelt and greeted her: “This servant pays respects to Side Concubine Cheng and the two young masters.”

Cheng Wanyun quickly responded in kind.

“The Crown Princess is still getting ready. Please wait, Side Concubine Cheng and the Two young masters.” Yue Nu ordered a palace maid to bring tea.

Cheng Wanyun sat at the place of honor, next to Tang Gege. As soon as she sat down, Hongxi was pulled into Tang Gege’s arms, so Cheng Wanyun also picked up E Linzhu and placed her on her lap. The two of them lowered their voices and began talking.

“When did you arrive?”

“At the first quarter of the Chen hour.”

Cheng Wanyun was silent, as that was when she had just gotten up.

“Side Concubine Li…”

“She wanted to come out too,” Tang Gege whispered, leaning closer to her ear and saying with a hint of schadenfreude, “But the Crown Princess sent someone to tell her that she was no longer part of the palace, and asked her to continue focusing on her Buddhist practices. She even found a difficult Buddhist scripture for her to study, insisting that she gain some insights every month and compile them into a booklet, which she must present to the Empress Dowager’s Buddhist hall by the end of the year.”

Cheng Wanyun nearly laughed out loud.

The Crown Princess is truly impressive—she makes sure that no one can find fault with her actions. Clearly, she finds Side Concubine Li troublesome, yet she worded it in such a way that Side Concubine Li wouldn’t be embarrassed. In fact, she even gave her a task to focus on. Would Side Concubine Li seriously study the scripture? She would, because the Crown Princess instructed her to present it to the Empress Dowager.

If the Empress Dowager asks about it and finds it well done, wouldn’t that offer some hope for Side Concubine Li?

A person like Side Concubine Li truly needs someone of the Crown Princess’s status and methods to keep her in check.

Meanwhile, Li Gege watched Tang Gege and Side Concubine Cheng chatting intimately, gripping her handkerchief tightly in her hand. She felt both envious and slightly jealous. She had tried to ingratiate herself with Side Concubine Cheng, spending time and effort drawing picture books for the eldest Princess, but the Crown Prince never even glanced her way.

It was thankless work, and over time, she had gradually stopped going to the back room. However, she found that life seemed harder without it. When she tried to get close again, there was no longer an opportunity. Side Concubine Cheng appeared to be someone who had no desires or needs, making it even harder to win her favor.

Li Gege thought to herself, when the Crown Princess entered the palace, she was originally from the Han Army’s Plain White Banner, and the Li family had old ties with the Shi family. Although she had never met the Crown Princess before, surely with these connections, she could at least secure some benefits, right? But it turned out that the Crown Princess’s temperament was far too rigid! Just yesterday, Li Gege had witnessed a brutal “killing the chicken to warn the monkey” display, which had terrified her so much that she had vomited twice when she returned. Now, all she felt for the Crown Princess was fear, and she couldn’t even muster the desire to flatter or ingratiate herself.

Li Gege felt deeply frustrated.

Fan Gege, however, was not intimidated by the Crown Princess’s scolding of Hong Deng yesterday. After all, she came from a background as a palace maid, and getting hit was nothing out of the ordinary for her. When she was a servant, it was strange if she ‘didn’t’ get a few strikes in a day! Not to mention, there were even instances of people being beaten to death on the spot.

Fan Gege had already made up her mind. She intended to serve the Crown Princess, the great Buddha, and she wouldn’t let her incense offerings to Consort Cheng be interrupted either. She had neither beauty nor a prestigious family background, so she didn’t care about her reputation anymore. What mattered was simply living well.

Right now, Fan Gege wanted to strike up a conversation with Side Concubine Cheng, perhaps ask how she was, but unfortunately, there were two people sitting between her and Cheng Wanyun, and she dared not raise her voice. This made her feel rather impatient.

Cheng Wanyun didn’t pay attention to the movements of Li Gege or Fan Gege; she never cared much for them. After a few encounters, she found that she got along better with Tang Gege, so she deliberately kept her distance. There’s a saying: don’t force yourself into circles you can’t fit into, and don’t take people in out of a momentary softness, because they will eventually drift apart, often in an undignified manner.

Good friends are precious, and it’s not about quantity, especially when interests are involved. Her friendship with Tang Gege was hard to replicate. They were able to get along well now because Tang Gege was open-minded and never fixated on the Crown Prince’s affections, whether he favored someone or not. Previously, when Tang Gege had other motives, Cheng Wanyun wasn’t as close to her.

Last year, the Fourth and Fifth Princes also got married. Side Concubine Liu and Song Gege now had fewer opportunities to meet her. They both had children to care for and had to serve the newly arrived Fujin (Main Consort). Soon, they would open their own household and leave the palace. Cheng Wanyun would only be able to see them during the holidays, holding hands and exchanging pleasantries.

Childhood friends who were once very close might grow apart as they grew older. Having lived two lives, Cheng Wanyun had become more detached from this kind of thing and understood this truth well.

So, for Li Gege and Fan Gege, it was the wisest decision to ignore them, as that was the best way to protect herself.

After exchanging a few casual words, the door to the warm room opened, and they all quickly adjusted their clothes and hair, entering quietly.

Then, they saw the Crown Princess sitting gracefully at the top. Her hair was neatly styled in a high round bun, without the usual headgear or ornament, and she wore a plain, narrow-sleeved apricot-colored silk robe with plum blossom embroidery, exuding an elegant and dignified aura.

“Please sit. Serve the tea,” the Crown Princess ordered.

Everyone performed their greetings and sat in their respective seats.

Then they heard the Crown Princess, with a lazy tone, say, “You don’t have to come here every day. If there’s something you need me to decide on, then come. There’s no need to waste your time here every day. I also don’t have the patience to listen to unnecessary chatter. It’s truly boring.”

Consort Shi looked at the ladies below her, but her thoughts drifted far away, back to the distant land of Min, with its seven-tenths mountains and three-tenths farmland.

The weight of the Shi family’s burden rested on her shoulders, so how could she casually talk about missing home? Besides, it wasn’t so much homesickness as it was just a bit of restlessness. The Forbidden City was fine in many ways, but it felt like a giant birdcage…

As Cheng Wanyun and the others listened to her, they dared not respond. Cheng Wanyun, holding her teacup, felt a storm raging inside her. Wow, was she really being this direct?

To their surprise, the Crown Princess then said solemnly:

“But you all must remember, many matters and words in Yuqing Palace can only stay within Yuqing Palace. To the outside, we are one family, one banner, and comrades with each other’s backs. Don’t let me hear any of you playing both sides. If I find out someone is betraying us, your end will be worse than that eunuch’s from yesterday. I’ll leave it at that today—it may not sound nice, but it’s the truth. Some people like to call each other ‘sisters’ or ‘younger sisters’ but secretly do despicable things behind their backs. I absolutely detest this kind of behavior! So here, you can keep your thoughts to yourselves. I won’t pretend to be overly affectionate with you, but I’ll always be fair. You just need to follow this principle. So don’t disappoint me. Serve the Crown Prince properly, and don’t harbor any other thoughts.”

After speaking, the Crown Princess picked up her teacup and signaled for them to leave. “Alright, that’s enough. You can go back now.”

Cheng Wanyun left in a daze, and when she saw the expressions of the other three, they were all the same.

Then Cheng Wanyun was filled with immense joy. Ah, does this mean that the leader is saying she doesn’t have to check in every day (for the morning greeting) and can sleep in every now and then?

But later, Cheng Wanyun realized she had been overthinking! The three Geges—Tang, Li, and Fan—still went every day, and they really managed to come up with new things to report to the Crown Princess!

It was fine for Tang, since she was already in charge of things, but Li and Fan were quite something, weren’t they?

Cheng Wanyun racked her brain, trying to think of something to report, and eventually, to fit in, she came up with a big issue—expanding the courtyard of the back hall. E Linzhu and Hongxi were getting older and still didn’t have their own rooms. This was a big matter that could be discussed for a long time. She would have to report it to the Crown Prince and Emperor Kangxi, and once they agreed, they could discuss the layout, construction, and renovation. Only then did Cheng Wanyun feel relieved.

Everyone else went for the morning greeting every day, but she didn’t. Didn’t that make her seem arrogant? The Crown Princess was different from the late Side Concubine Li; in fact, the Crown Princess was like the Crown Prince—her “master.” So Cheng Wanyun still had some sense of danger. If the Crown Prince had to respect the Crown Princess, was she really going to act high and mighty? Ah, that would be courting disaster!

The autumn wind was chilly. After another round of morning greetings, Cheng Wanyun had E Linzhu, Hongxi, and Hongxuan pay their respects and take their leave.

E Linzhu jumped off the chair, then turned back to help her younger brother off the chair. The two of them stood side by side, bowing to Hongxuan with a semblance of seriousness. “Big Brother, we’re leaving now.”

Hongxuan, like a little adult, returned the bow. “Sister, Second Brother, walk carefully.”

He then watched as Cheng Wanyun slowly led each child by the hand and disappeared outside the main palace gate.

He didn’t yet understand the concept of factions, but he vaguely sensed a subtle difference. It felt like he was starting to be separated from E Linzhu and Hongxi, no longer as close as before.

He lowered his head, sulking as he returned to his room. The wet nurse asked, “Why is the eldest prince upset?”

He didn’t say a word.

The wet nurse thought he was hungry and kindly said, “I’ll go check with the tea room to see if the snacks are ready, Your Highness.”

Hongxuan gently nodded, and the wet nurse went out.

But he wasn’t hungry at all.

Hongxuan actually understood very well that Cheng Mother wasn’t his biological mother. His real mother had passed away right after giving birth to him. The wet nurse had told him that his real mother was taken back to the heavens by the Eternal Life God, and that she would watch over him from above.

So, Hongxuan had gotten used to moving to the Crown Princess’s place. It seemed like he was always moving from one place to another. At first, it was Li Mother who raised him, then it was Tang Mother and Cheng Mother who took turns caring for him. Now, it was his legitimate mother.

Hongxuan had already started his education. He vaguely understood the difference between legitimate and concubine-born, though he wasn’t entirely clear on the concept yet. But he also understood that being born to a legitimate wife was more prestigious. For instance, his wet nurse was very pleased about him moving, because ever since Cheng Side Concubine had scolded her, she had a lingering grudge against her. So, every day she would say in his ear, “Big Brother, the Crown Princess is your legitimate mother. To be raised by her is a great blessing. In the future, you won’t be overshadowed by Second Brother.”

But why would he need to compete with Second Brother? Confused, he nodded. When the Crown Princess took him to choose his new room and asked how he wanted to arrange it, he was very happy. Yet, there was a little regret in his heart: there were no elephant slides or castles in the main palace. The Crown Princess’s hand was rough, and he could feel the thin calluses on it. It wasn’t as soft as Cheng Mother’s.

His legitimate mother treated him very well, and he knew he shouldn’t have such thoughts, but whenever he saw his younger siblings, he couldn’t help but miss the days spent in the back hall.

Taking advantage of the wet nurse being gone, Hongxuan lowered his head and turned away.

Tears fell from his eyes with a soft “plop,” splashing on the ground.