Spring in the Hall of Paintings

In no time, Rongxuan entered the palace with the imperial decree and unexpectedly met with the old Lady outside the Dongnuan Hall. Rongxuan stepped forward and said, “Mother, are you here to ask for the emperor’s decree?” He was aware of the arrangement between his wife, Fucha, and the old Lady. Seeing the elderly lady, Rongxuan thought that Emperor Kangxi had likely summoned him for the matter of arranging a marriage. The elderly Lady was different from Rongxuan. Even though he had his strategies, as a man, he dealt with military strategies and outward tactics, but the old Lady had much more experience with the inner workings of the household. She was skilled in gathering information from the palace maids and eunuchs, and she tightly grasped Rongxuan’s arm, softly saying, “Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince are meeting with the emperor.”

Could this be about Yun Lan? Rongxuan didn’t want the old lady to worry, so he smiled brightly, “Mother, it will all be fine. Don’t overthink it. The emperor trusts me.”

“Lord Tong, Old Madam, the emperor has summoned you,” a eunuch came out of Dongnuan Hall, bowing and saying, “Please enter.” The palace eunuchs and maids were very perceptive; The Old Lady was an old acquaintance of the emperor, and Rongxuan was a favored official. It was their usual practice to flatter and favor the powerful, and even the emperor’s servants were no exception.

The eunuch announced their entry.

“I pay my respects to the emperor, long live the emperor!”
Rongxuan kowtowed, and The Old Lady Jue Luo bowed deeply. Their eyes naturally fell to the cool brick floor, and there was no response from Kangxi for a while, so they remained kneeling. Yinzhen, who was also present, stole a glance at Kangxi, who remained silent. The matters in the northwest had also left a great impact on Yinzhen. If it hadn’t been for Tong Rongxuan risking his life to save him, Yinzhen might not have been in his current position.

“Old Madam, please rise.” Kangxi’s voice didn’t carry any displeasure, but Rongxuan still felt a chill run down his back, and the inner clothing under his official robes became damp with cold sweat. He gritted his teeth and faced Kangxi’s piercing gaze. The imperial power was as heavy as Mount Tai. Rongxuan thought about his wrongs, ultimately attributing everything to the complicated relationship between the Fourth Prince and Yun Lan.

“Sit.” Kangxi’s tone was very kind toward Lady Jue Luo, but the more he acted this way, the more anxious Lady Jue Luo became. The emperor had presented her with an embroidered cushion, and she had no choice but to sit. “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness.”

Kangxi’s gaze lingered on the neatly dressed Lady Jue Luo. He sighed, “It’s been quite a long time since I last saw you.”

“Your Majesty has a good memory. It has been twenty years since I last saw the emperor’s face,” Lady Jue Luo replied respectfully. Kangxi leaned back in the dragon chair and slowly said, “Yes, twenty years. Time changes everything, but you still seem well. Rongxuan has done well, so I can rest assured.”

“It is Your Majesty’s grace. Rongxuan only has a bit of strength and loyalty to offer. If it weren’t for Your Majesty’s old feelings and support, how could he have had the opportunity to accomplish anything?”

Lady Jue Luo brought up loyalty and old favors, which Kangxi valued most. Seeing Rongxuan still kneeling, Lady Jue Luo felt uneasy. Kangxi furrowed his brows, his face darkening. “Loyalty? Rongxuan, have you ever deceived me?”

“Your servant would never commit such a crime,” Rongxuan shook his head. Kangxi smiled coldly, “Good, since you say that, let me ask you again. Whose idea was the teapot map?”

Rongxuan finally realized that the issue was with this matter. His mind raced quickly, and he raised his eyes, speaking sincerely, “It was my niece, Tong Jia Yun Lan’s idea.”

“You dare deceive me?” Kangxi’s anger flared. When someone he trusted dared to deceive him, even in matters that seemed trivial, Kangxi was furious. He threw the poem that Yun Lan had written in front of Rongxuan. “Take a good look at this. Is the handwriting on the map the same as the one on the teapot? The name ‘Tong Rongxuan’ is embroidered on it, and it is written in the rare Meihua Zuan style. I’ve seen Yun Lan’s embroidery work, and she couldn’t have done this. Yun Lan is your niece, yet she didn’t prepare for your own brother, Rongzhi, but did for you? How long do you think you can deceive me? Rongzhi doesn’t have the same privileges as you.”

The old lady’s heart jumped to her throat, and she could no longer sit still. She collapsed onto the floor, her lips trembling, “Your Majesty… Your Majesty…”

Yinzhen’s hands, hidden in his sleeves, slowly clenched. Was the Meihua Zuan style? Rongxuan, calm and unhurried, lifted his head. A hint of grievance flickered in his eyes as he boldly said, “Your Majesty, it was Tong Jia Yun Lan’s idea.”

Crown Prince Yinreng couldn’t help but admire Rongxuan’s courage. How brave was he to lie so boldly in front of Kangxi? Kangxi, seeing Rongxuan’s demeanor, was both angered and amused. He nodded and said, “Well, so even now, you dare to deceive me?”

“Please allow me to explain, Your Majesty,” Rongxuan began. “My mother is very fond of her granddaughter, and the daughters of the Tong family have been raised under the old lady’s care. When I was stationed in Fujian as a deputy general, the remote area couldn’t compare to the capital’s prosperity. After returning to the capital, my daughter, Yun Wei, was greatly overshadowed by Yun Lan in terms of talent and experience. However, Yun Wei is a determined girl. She learned from Yun Lan’s strengths, and gradually, the bond between them grew stronger. Yun Lan taught Yun Wei many unusual things.”

As Rongxuan spoke, he realized it was impossible to conceal his daughter’s involvement any longer. He had to make Kangxi understand Yun Wei’s strengths so that she could have a good future, and he could survive the current crisis. With a sincere smile, Rongxuan continued, “I feel for Yun Wei, trying to catch up to Yun Lan, but that girl has a stubborn temperament just like mine. I can’t really say much. Since Yun Wei is determined, it would be wrong to let her follow the crowd. My daughter may not be as talented as Yun Lan, but she makes up for it with her attentiveness and filial piety. As for the teapot map, it was indeed Yun Lan’s idea, but in practice, it was Yun Wei who carried it out.”

Kangxi, who had studied hard in his youth, had not been the most favored by the late Emperor Shunzhi. The thing people feared most was comparisons and not knowing their place. In Rongxuan’s brief words, Kangxi, the Crown Prince, and Yinzhen all envisioned a determined young girl, diligently studying and learning from Yun Lan’s strengths, not willing to lose.

Lady Jue Luo’s heart was slightly reassured, and she was very satisfied with Rongxuan’s performance. He had not only relied on courage and luck to reach his current position but also had remarkable insight in dealing with matters and facing Emperor Kangxi.

“To be honest, Your Majesty,” Rongxuan continued, “my daily clothing and shoes are all taken care of by Yun Wei, and they are quite different from others.” A trace of pride appeared in Rongxuan’s eyes. “It’s because Yun Wei has a deep sense of filial piety and worries about me, which is why she applied Yun Lan’s ideas to these things. When Your Majesty inquired, I didn’t want to erase Yun Lan’s contributions. Without Yun Lan, Yun Wei wouldn’t have come up with these ideas. To not mention Yun Lan would truly be deceiving the emperor.”

Rongxuan kowtowed heavily. “Even if I had the courage of a thousand men, I would never deceive Your Majesty. Everything I have is a gift from the emperor, and I would rather die a thousand deaths than repay His Majesty’s kindness.”

Loyalty and filial piety were the two things Kangxi valued the most. Although Kangxi felt that Rongxuan had initially concealed Yun Wei’s involvement with some ulterior motives, he preferred that Rongxuan’s thoughts were guided by love and concern for his children. It showed that Rongxuan valued emotions and righteousness and was not someone who would use his children as tools for personal gain. Such a person was someone Kangxi could trust and rely on.

Kangxi’s face remained stern, but his eyes were filled with amusement. He coldly said, “Get up. I know you have raised a good daughter.”

Rongxuan’s clothes were drenched, and they clung uncomfortably to his body. Having passed this test, he got up with a hearty smile and said, “Thank you, Your Majesty. My daughter is just an ordinary girl.”

Kangxi laughed at Rongxuan’s response and pointed at him, saying, “Your daughter is far from ordinary. The Meihua Zuan style… I haven’t seen it in a long time. Filial piety and needlework are the foundations.”

“Yes, Your Majesty, you are right.”

Kangxi glanced at the old lady and asked, “What brings you to see me today?”

Lady Jue Luo licked her lips and whispered, “I was thinking about the matter of the marriage arrangement.” She couldn’t avoid the truth. Kangxi wasn’t foolish enough to be deceived by her. It was better to tell the truth. Lady Jue Luo gritted her teeth and said, “Yun Wei…”

“Alright, I understand your affection for your granddaughter,” Kangxi interrupted her, smiling as he asked, “Rongxuan, what do you think of my Eighth Prince?”

“Your Majesty’s son, born of noble lineage, is gentle and polite. All of Your Majesty’s sons are admirable,” Rongxuan said, catching a glimpse of Yinzhen and the Crown Prince. Kangxi noticed Rongxuan’s awkwardness, as commenting on the princes was a difficult matter for ministers, especially someone as straightforward as Rongxuan. So Kangxi didn’t push him further, laughing and saying, “When you saved me in the northwest, you saved the Fourth and Eighth Prince as well. Now, thinking about it, it seems to be fate. I will follow the will of Heaven. Tong Jia Yun Wei will become the Eighth Prince’s legitimate wife, and the wedding will take place on an auspicious day.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace,” Rongxuan said as he helped the old lady kneel and express his thanks. The elderly old forced a smile, realizing that her little granddaughter was about to marry a prince. Her emotions were mixed, as if a jar of mixed flavors had been spilled inside her heart—sour, sweet, bitter, and salty all at once. The old lady truly loved Yun Wei, but she also knew what Mama Yang had said—Yun Wei wasn’t someone from an ordinary family. In terms of selfishness, the elderly lady also hoped that Yun Wei could rise above others, and marrying a prince as a legitimate wife was the highest honor. But behind this honor, Yun Wei would have to make many sacrifices. Perhaps this was the path Yun Wei had to take. If she didn’t marry a prince, it would be a shame for all of Yun Wei’s talents.

The Crown Prince was momentarily stunned. Did all of this fuss end up with the Eighth Prince marrying Tong Jia Yun Wei? After being the Crown Prince for so many years, Yinreng quickly reacted and smiled, following Kangxi’s lead, “As the common people say, Lord Tong saved his son-in-law and nephew, and the Eighth Brother certainly can’t treat Tong Jia Yun Wei poorly, for he owes his life-saving grace.”

“Your Highness, rescuing His Majesty and the two princes was my duty. The Emperor is my master; how could it be called a life-saving grace? My daughter marrying the Eighth Prince is the greatest fortune, a blessing from His Majesty. She will uphold her duties as a wife and serve the Eighth Prince. Speaking of life-saving grace, would that not be embarrassing for me?” Rongxuan said firmly and with righteous words, showing his deep loyalty.

“Rongxuan, I believe in you, and I also believe in the upbringing of the most precious granddaughter of Lady Jue Luo,” Kangxi said, increasingly pleased with Rongxuan. “Rescuing your son-in-law is indeed a beautiful story, and as for your nephew-in-law…”

Kangxi slowly withdrew his smile and said, “Tong Jia is the side concubine of Fourth Prince, so she cannot be called a niece-in-law. This matter should not be mentioned again. I want to give Yinzhen’s legitimate wife the proper respect.”

“Understood, Your Majesty.”

Kangxi suddenly asked, “Li Dequan, have the palace maidens all left the Imperial Palace?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, most of the palace maidens should have already left according to the time, though there may still be a few who are the last to leave.”

Rongxuan naturally knew how beautiful his daughter was. While he wasn’t afraid of Kangxi changing his mind, he preferred to avoid stirring up trouble. Kangxi pondered for a moment and said, “Tong Jia Yun Wei, I would like to see her again.” He gestured to Li Dequan and ordered, “Go and have Tong Jia Yun Wei come to see me, and also have Tong Jia come along.”

Kangxi glanced at Yinzhen, curious to see what abilities Yun Lan had to capture the Fourth Prince’s heart, especially if he was willing to exchange a noble title for her. At this moment, Kangxi’s mindset had changed. He was dissatisfied with Yun Lan, who was willing to be a side concubine instead of a legitimate one. Kangxi thought that although Yun Wei was filial and tenacious, she couldn’t compare to Yun Lan’s cleverness and beauty.

“Imperial command, summon Tong Jia Yun Wei and Tong Jia Yun Lan to the Eastern Warm Pavilion to meet with His Majesty.”

Li Dequan’s words echoed throughout much of the palace, causing a stir. If it was Yun Lan who had spoken so well, why would His Majesty want to see the ordinary Yun Wei? Could it be that His Majesty’s thoughts had changed?