Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

The nest of rabbits was originally brought back wrapped in Cheng Huai Jing’s outer garment.

Because of this, he was able to come in and greet the Crown Prince and Cheng Wanyun with a bow. The young boy, like a sharp arrow, swiftly knelt and spoke clearly, “This servant greets His Highness the Crown Prince and the Side Concubine!”

Yinreng knew he had come in to see Cheng Wanyun, though he was unaware that they had spoken earlier by the roadside. He casually found an excuse to rise and leave, allowing the siblings to have some time to talk in private.

Once back in the palace, there would be more rules, more people, and more eyes watching. Even though Cheng Huai Jing worked in the palace daily, he still had his own duties, and opportunities to speak like this would be rare. Yinreng sat on the kang by the south window, watching A Wan continuously ask Qingxing to fetch things for her brother, have him come closer, and mend his hunting clothes. She then said she would measure his body and shoe size to make him clothes and shoes, worrying over him as if he were one of her own children.

“Big sister, the palace guard uniform I wear is really not suited for this much measuring,” Cheng Huai Jing said, as his older sister moved him around, measuring and adjusting. He raised his hands and arms, turned left and right, and stood at attention. After a round of measurements, he was so dizzy he could barely keep his balance.

“Ridiculous! You’ll eventually go home after your shifts, won’t you?” Cheng Wanyun replied, still thinking about making her younger brother look presentable. After all, many palace maids from good families, once released, would seek to marry guards. Huai Jing was not bad-looking, so what if someone took a liking to him?

While sitting in the room reading, Yinreng listened to Cheng Wanyun and Cheng Huai Jing chat for a good quarter of an hour. Realizing it was inappropriate for a man to linger too long in the back courtyard, Yinreng thought it was about time and came out to take Cheng Huai Jing away with a lofty excuse: “It’s getting late. Come with me to the Yanbo Zhishuang Zhai Hall to wait for the carriage.”

Cheng Huai Jing, grateful for the Crown Prince’s support and eager to bring honor to his sister, immediately straightened his chest and responded, “Yes, Your Highness!”

They walked out of the courtyard, one in front and one behind. Yinreng gave Cheng Huai Jing’s arms and hands a casual glance and couldn’t resist having He Baozhong hand him a handkerchief. “Wipe your hands.”

Cheng Huai Jing was confused. “Huh?” His hands were perfectly clean!

But since it was the Crown Prince’s order, he wiped his hands in a daze, wondering if it was because he’d touched the rabbit earlier. Perhaps the Crown Prince thought his hands weren’t clean enough. So, he carefully wiped between his fingers and under his nails.

He secretly noted: The Crown Prince is particular about cleanliness. Next time, if given the chance, he should bathe and burn incense before paying his respects!

What Cheng Huai Jing didn’t know was that Yinreng, feeling slightly jealous, was thinking: Hmph, you little rascal, still holding hands with A Wan!

Wipe your hands clean!

#

By evening, as the last rays of the setting sun began to fade, Cheng Wanyun started changing into her Side Concubine ceremonial robes.

The Crown Prince had already changed into his apricot yellow dragon robe and left. This time, he deliberately didn’t send Hua La to her, instead leaving He Baozhong with her and the children.

Cheng Wanyun couldn’t figure out why. After all, seeing He Baozhong’s intense gaze, fixed on Hua La as he followed the Crown Prince, she couldn’t help but feel he must be dying to cling to the Crown Prince’s leg, crying, begging him not to leave. “Master, please!”

The thought made her shudder, disgusted by her own imagination.

Soon, the children were all freshened up. E Linzhu, still wearing her equestrian outfit, had switched to a delicate goose-yellow color. With little riding boots, a small belt, and her chest puffed out, she didn’t know when she’d learned to look down at the servants with that cold, detached gaze the Crown Prince often used. Sitting confidently on her horse, she lightly held the reins, glancing down with an aloof air—beautiful and cool!

Hongxuan and Hongxi wore golden dragon-embroidered outer coats with no patches. Their inner garments were moon-white satin. Although they were the Emperor’s grandsons, they were still the Crown Prince’s children, so they couldn’t wear the gold satin lining like the Crown Prince unless granted by Emperor Kangxi.

Cheng Wanyun’s Side Concubine ceremonial robes, like the Crown Princess’s, were in fragrant hues, with stone blue at the collar and cuffs. The difference was that the Crown Princess’s robes featured golden embroidery and sea dragon designs, with a dragon on the front and back, one dragon on each shoulder, four dragons on the front closure, two on the shoulders, one at the cuff, and two more where the sleeves met. The collar also had a hanging golden yellow tassel.

Her Side Concubine robe had half the number of dragons, with no golden tassel at the collar. The Crown Princess’s coronet was inlaid with five eastern pearls, while hers had a ruby instead.

At the door, Harinauhai was waiting outside again. He was dressed in the attire of a Mongolian prince’s heir, wearing a shoulder cape hat with a tassel on top. His clothes were a black and blue brocade Mongolian traditional robe, with a Mongolian knife hanging from his waist, along with various ornaments made of agate, gems, jade, and pearls.

The moment E Linzhu saw him, her eyes brightened, and she immediately complimented him, saying, “Harinauhai! You look really good today.”

She had already learned not to mispronounce his name anymore.

Harinauhai’s face turned beet red. He mumbled something in Mongolian, but Cheng Wanyun didn’t understand it. However, E Linzhu clearly did and giggled, saying, “But you really do look good, even though you’re a little dark. It doesn’t affect your looks at all. Mother also said you have beautiful eyebrows and eyes, and your nose is especially high, right, Mother?”

Cheng Wanyun, who had been privately commenting on someone’s appearance and was now caught by her daughter, awkwardly replied, “…Yes.”

She could only smile awkwardly and play the part of the elder.

Harinauhai’s face turned even redder. He couldn’t quite handle Cheng Wanyun’s straightforward and encouraging way of speaking. E Linzhu, too, had developed a fondness for complimenting others. Unfortunately, her vocabulary was limited, so no matter who she was talking to, she always used the same words: “You look good, you’re amazing, you’re so awesome!” Cheng Wanyun sometimes tried to correct her, but she couldn’t seem to manage it.

Not wanting E Linzhu to say anything else, Cheng Wanyun quickly called for Tianjin to bring over the palanquin. “We must hurry, or it will cause trouble for your father!”

Upon hearing this, E Linzhu obediently stopped talking. She was beginning to understand that their family was a little different from Uncle’s, Third Uncle’s, and Fourth Uncle’s families. Her father was the Crown Prince. While she didn’t fully understand what “Crown Prince” meant, she already knew how to act obediently and flatter Emperor Kangxi.

When Cheng Wanyun first realized this, she was quite shocked. E Linzhu, who seemed rough and careless, turned out to be more perceptive and careful than she thought—completely different from her own personality! E Linzhu was even smarter!

And she was so young! Only four years old! When Cheng Wanyun was four, she was still wetting the bed! But E Linzhu had already figured out how to flatter Emperor Kangxi. Was this some innate talent of children born into the royal family?

How did she discover this? It was when the Crown Prince took the children to Qianqing Palace to make their presence known. Emperor Kangxi was writing, and E Linzhu leaned over to take a look, immediately saying, “Your Majesty, you’re amazing! You write better than my father!”

Emperor Kangxi laughed heartily. “Your father’s writing was taught by me!”

E Linzhu giggled and hugged Emperor Kangxi’s leg, saying, “I want Your Majesty to teach me too!”

Later, when E Linzhu visited Qianqing Palace again, Emperor Kangxi really picked her up and placed her on his lap. He personally taught her to write, and she wrote the four characters “Qian Shi Ru Yi” (meaning “May all wishes come true”). The Crown Prince had the most skilled craftsmen from the Palace Workshops frame it and hang it in E Linzhu’s bedroom.

But later, the Crown Prince gave E Linzhu the calligraphy copybook that Emperor Kangxi had made for him when he was young, for E Linzhu to practice writing. However, she couldn’t even recognize the characters as being written by Kangxi. “A mother knows her daughter best,” Cheng Wanyun thought, realizing that E Linzhu had been flattering Emperor Kangxi at Qianqing palace.

But both Emperor Kangxi and the Crown Prince thought she was just speaking innocently.

Cheng Wanyun didn’t want to voice her suspicions about her daughter, nor did she intentionally restrict her from speaking like that. She knew that reading the room was an important aspect of emotional intelligence. In the palace, being the Crown Prince’s eldest daughter, having such a skill wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Moreover, E Linzhu hadn’t lost her childlike innocence—she still played around like a wild child.

When they arrived at the grand banquet, Cheng Wanyun found that her seat had been moved up! She was sitting opposite Emperor Kangxi and the Crown Prince, alongside the Empress Dowger, the third consort, the fourth consort, and other princesses and consorts.

The entire grand military grounds looked like a Roman Colosseum, with a circle of seats around the center. In the north-facing section, there was a raised platform, similar to the podium in a school’s sports field.

The “podium” was covered with yellow curtains, and in the center was a bright yellow throne, which was for Emperor Kangxi. To the lower left of it was a smaller chair covered in apricot-yellow satin—this was the Crown Prince’s seat. On the left side of the Crown Prince’s seat sat the Crown Princess, and to her right were three small stools, one for Hongxi, one for Hongxuan, and one for E Linzhu.

Cheng Wanyun’s seat was diagonally behind the Crown Princess, directly behind the three children.

She had been moved to the podium area near Emperor Kangxi!

Although most of her was obscured, and no one could really notice her, Cheng Wanyun still felt a little nervous.

This time, the seating arrangement had been made by the Crown Princess. She had placed Cheng Wanyun behind her, and due to protocol, as the semi-ruler, the Crown Prince’s family and children indeed had priority over other princes’ families. However, in the past, only the Four Imperial Concubines had made the seating arrangements, and no one had been willing to do so for the Crown Prince.

Thus, Cheng Wanyun had always sat far across from them, separated by the entire grand military grounds. Even with her best efforts, she could never clearly see the expressions of the people on the raised platform—it felt like two different worlds.

Now, she had entered this world—the pinnacle of imperial power.

To the left of Emperor Kangxi sat the Crown Prince and his family, and to the right were the other princes, led by the First Prince. Their children and consorts were not qualified to sit here, so only the First Prince and the Prince of Yuchen were present.

When the crowd shouted “Long live the Emperor,” the Crown Prince and Crown Princess were the first to kneel. Cheng Wanyun and the children also knelt gracefully, and at that moment, only Emperor Kangxi stood at the peak of imperial power.

At 42 years old, Emperor Kangxi was approaching the prime of his life. His face, lined with wrinkles, still held an incredibly dignified smile. Just standing there, he seemed like an insurmountable mountain, making it impossible for anyone to look up at him.

The wind howled as he silently observed the Eight Banners of the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han troops kneeling three times and kowtowing nine times. He then slowly withdrew his gaze and scanned his dozen or so sons before calmly saying, “Rise.”

The eunuchs, one after another, echoed loudly, “Rise.”

The grand banquet had officially begun.

As usual, Emperor Kangxi wanted the Crown Prince to join him in offering the first toast.

Yinreng stood up, clasped his hands in a gesture of respect, and looked at his brothers with a friendly expression. “Father, why not let all the brothers join in offering the toast? They are grown now and should take on the responsibilities of being princes, helping the Emperor with his burdens, supporting the Qing Dynasty, and working for the people’s well-being.”

Upon hearing this, even the First Prince widened his eyes in surprise. The other twelve brothers, visibly excited and with faces flushed, looked at the Crown Prince with immense gratitude in that moment!

They could hardly wait to go home and write essays titled “My Crown Prince Older Brother Is the Best!”

Emperor Kangxi, with a slight headache, glanced at the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince’s expression was open and earnest. Over the years, the Crown Prince had adopted the mindset of both a brother and a leader, showing genuine concern for his siblings, frequently offering guidance.

But this wasn’t what Kangxi wanted!

It was like when Kangxi had raised Mingzhu to challenge Suoetu, not to have them respect each other or show affection. His sons had become deeply involved in the six ministries, and now the court officials were starting to form factions behind the scenes. Kangxi was fully aware of the risks involved, and he needed the Crown Prince to maintain balance among his brothers, ideally to keep them in check.

But no sooner would Kangxi extend a hand to one of the other brothers, the Crown Prince would immediately “perceive the Emperor’s intention” and join in, almost as if he were teaching them how to handle state affairs! Then, he would come back to Kangxi, praising his brothers for their capabilities, saying they could now manage on their own, so he could retire from his duties.

Kangxi: “…”

When the Crown Prince was younger, Kangxi had hoped he would become more humble, less proud, understanding the value of fraternity, filial piety, and familial love. But now that the Crown Prince had genuinely followed his teachings without fail, Kangxi had a new concern.

What if the Crown Prince was too kind and obedient?

Kangxi could only try to pull him back, but every time he did, the Crown Prince would turn around and call his brothers over to join in, giving them credit for their efforts! Kangxi felt weary. He wanted to reprimand the Crown Prince, but couldn’t find a reason to do so. Every time the Crown Prince looked at him with those sincere and innocent eyes, Kangxi, as an emperor, found himself at a loss for words… After all, the Crown Prince was not at fault. The tasks assigned to him had been completed well, and he treated his brothers with kindness. What could he possibly scold him for? Should he rebuke him for being too loyal and filial? He certainly couldn’t tell the Crown Prince the story of Liu Ying and Liu Ruyi again.

But the others were his sons too. Kangxi hesitated, then placed the history book of the Han Dynasty back on the shelf.

This time in Rehe, Kangxi had brought all his sons from the First to the Fourteenth Prince, not forgetting even the Seventh Prince, who had difficulty moving.

In addition to giving the older sons the chance to become familiar with the officials, leaders, and military duties of the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han Eight Banners, the younger ones were simply brought along to stretch their legs and get some exercise—he didn’t want them to read too much and become dull.

Let them all raise a toast together to represent the country? Not a chance!

He hadn’t forgotten that after Emperor Taiji’s death, because no heir had been established, the princes had fought fiercely for the throne. If it weren’t for Dorgon, the late emperor might never have had the opportunity to ascend to the throne! And when the late emperor ascended at the age of six, it was essentially like a puppet reign, with all the power held by Dorgon and Qi’erhālang…

Therefore, the Crown Prince’s authority among the princes could never be challenged!

Emperor Kangxi narrowed his eyes and scolded his other sons: “In the imperial family, father and sons must respect the distinction between ruler and subjects. The Crown Prince and I are one body, but you, as the Crown Prince’s brothers, are also his subjects! You must not overstep your bounds! Sit down!”

The princes immediately wiped away the eager expressions on their faces and hurriedly obeyed their father’s instructions.

Deep down, the princes couldn’t hide their disappointment, especially the younger ones like the Tenth, Twelfth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Princes. They were still young, still studying, and rarely had the opportunity to appear before the court officials and the officials of the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han Eight Banners. Finally, they had a chance… but upon looking over, they saw the Crown Prince, who, while their father was lowering his gaze and raising his cup, gave them a comforting wink—as if saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll find a good way for you to make an appearance later!”

At that moment, the Thirteenth Prince suddenly felt a sense of closeness to the Crown Prince.

Among the princes ranked after the Tenth, only the Twelfth and Thirteenth Princes had mothers who had lost favor and were of low rank, making them nearly invisible in the palace. They were at a disadvantage with so many older brothers ahead of them. Hadn’t the Eighth Prince also been raised by the First Prince? But the First Prince was stubborn and had a bad temper, and they didn’t have the same patience as the Eighth Prince, so they didn’t dare approach him.

But the Crown Prince was different…

The Twelfth and Thirteenth Princes had been disciplined by the Crown Prince in the Imperial Academy. The Crown Prince was very strict with the princes when it came to their studies.

Especially the Thirteenth Prince, who had been whipped several times due to the incident with Harinauhai. He loved to play and ride horses, and his studies had been in complete disarray. After being punished multiple times, he had no choice but to buckle down and study hard. Now, his tutor had even praised him several times! In his heart, the Crown Prince, who was twelve years older than him, was like a second father to him, strict and unapproachable. But today, he realized that the Crown Prince was much more gentle than he had imagined.

No wonder the Fourth Prince, who wasn’t easily swayed, respected the Crown Prince so much. The Thirteenth Prince felt a sense of admiration.

In the end, Yinreng stood beside Emperor Kangxi to offer a prayer for the country and the people, raising the first toast with the Manchu, Mongolian, and Han Eight Banners, as well as the civil and military officials. In that moment, everyone present was a subject, bowing at the feet of both the Crown Prince and the Emperor.

Every time this moment arrived, Emperor Kangxi felt full of vigor!

He was the second emperor since the Qing entered the capital, but his predecessor had passed away early, and he had grown up without a father. The only person he could rely on was himself. Step by step, he walked the path his late father had started but never completed, resolving conflicts, contradictions, and unresolved issues one by one. Now, in the thirty-fourth year of Kangxi’s reign, the integration of Manchu and Han had strengthened the Qing Dynasty, and he had not let his father down. His great achievements would be recorded in history.

Kangxi cleared his throat and spoke aloud to the gathered officials: “I have personally ruled for over thirty years, and the empire has prospered…”

Yinreng, however, didn’t share the same fervor. He glanced behind him, seeing A Wan kneeling respectfully on the mat with her head bowed. He could only see her delicate fingers half-hidden in her wide sleeves, her posture proper, but her fingertips were slightly moving, as though she were absently picking at the gold thread on the mat. But no one else could notice this except him.

He quickly shifted his gaze back, thinking to himself that she, as expected, wasn’t paying attention to what his father was saying.

If Cheng Wanyun had known what the Crown Prince was thinking, she would have told her that this is a basic skill every office worker must master during a meeting. Especially when the leader stands up to say, “I have three final points to make,” you must keep a solemn expression, firmly grip a pen, occasionally nod at the leader, sometimes pause and think, and occasionally lower your head to take quick notes, all while appearing to deeply absorb and understand every word of the leader’s sage advice.

In reality, the leader’s grand speech would flow into her right ear and out the left, leaving no trace behind.

Of course, she didn’t have to do that now; all she needed to do was kneel. There was no need for pretense or acting, and at least at the spiritual level, she felt more at ease.

Before, every time there was a meeting, her notebook would be filled with doodles, and she never dared lend it to anyone who asked.

When her legs went numb from kneeling, Kangxi had finally finished expressing his thoughts. Everyone cheered and clapped for his wonderful speech, and then they stood up. Cheng Wanyun sat back in her chair, thinking that she could finally watch the program!

The first event was the Manchu-Mongolian wrestling competition!

She restrained herself on the surface but couldn’t help stretching her neck to see if there was any sign of Cheng Huaijing in the training grounds.

Then she paused slightly. The Crown Prince quietly shifted to the side, creating a gap that allowed her to see the intense match below. He didn’t look back, nor did he speak, as if it was simply a coincidence that he had adjusted his posture.

But a warm feeling still rose in Cheng Wanyun’s heart.

Before that warmth could fade, she was drawn to the cheers coming from below.

Actually, her position didn’t give her a clear view, as it was a bit far. In the wrestling match, both sides were bare-chested, with red, blue, and yellow silk sashes tied around their waists. They wore loose white trousers and riding boots. The winner would have a multicolored silk collar placed around their neck, with more ribbons added for every victory in the match.

Cheng Wanyun quickly spotted Cheng Huai Jing among the crowd. Though his face had tanned from the sun, his bare upper body was still the palest compared to the others. It was a trait common to their Cheng family: a cold, white complexion!

Cheng Huai Jing faced off with a Mongolian wrestler of similar age, who was extremely sturdy, but Cheng Huai Jing wasn’t afraid. He used his shoulder to push against his opponent and tested his stance by positioning his feet between the Mongolian wrestler’s legs, preparing to use his feet to knock him down. In fact, he succeeded. After a brief standoff, he quickly pinned his opponent down, forcing him to the ground so he couldn’t struggle. Eventually, the drum beat resounded, and the winner was decided.

He was awarded the first multicolored silk collar, and he lifted his face toward the high platform where Cheng Wanyun sat. His eyes shone brightly. He glanced at her only once before stepping off the mat, sitting to the side to drink water and rest, waiting for his next turn.

Cheng Wanyun saw his gesture.

The boy’s distant yet determined gaze seemed to say, “Sister, I will become your pillar of support.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be here for you in the future.”

In the end, Cheng Huai Jing wrestled five opponents, but lost two matches. However, he was still the one who managed the most individual victories in the wrestling competition at the Xianpu Camp. The two brothers from the Shi family each defeated three and four opponents, but they couldn’t surpass him.

Kangxi, in the first year, had decisively defeated the Mongolian tribes in wrestling, laughing heartily and rewarding everyone generously. Next, the events turned to horse racing and archery, and E Linzhu was eager to compete.

“Emperor! Emperor!”

Kangxi smiled and said, “E Linzhu, go ahead.”

He also allowed the four daughters of the eldest prince to participate. Following last year’s example, more royal families brought their daughters this year to join the competition. It was no longer just E Linzhu competing like last year. For instance, the two granddaughters of the Eldest Prince had spent an entire year training with instructors and could shoot arrows while riding.

As for the boys, Hongxuan was no longer falling behind. After a year of hard work, his age had caught up, and he placed sixth, with the first place still going to Harinauhai. E Linzhu, on the other hand, had more competitors this time, but still managed to secure second place—a small improvement! The first place was still claimed by the Ulan Princess, who was known for her outstanding skills.

The Mongolian kids’ natural talent was something you couldn’t easily envy, especially those from the Zungar tribe, forged through the fires of war.

Kangxi was not disappointed, though. This was simply a game for the children, and besides, he was planning to get closer to Cewang Alabatan. He smiled and said to Cewang Alabatan, “You’ve taught two incredible Batulu!”

Cewang Alabatan quickly knelt and said he didn’t dare to claim such praise.

Kangxi personally helped him up and rewarded Harinauhai and Ulan with two golden bows made of red gold.

After returning to the capital, Kangxi frequently summoned Harinauhai and generously rewarded him.

This obvious gesture led Mingzhu, who was quick to pick up on any signs, to guess that Kangxi was preparing to lead a military campaign again! He quickly sent a message to Imperial Concubine Hui: “The emperor is about to embark on another campaign against Galdan, and the eldest prince must be involved. If the mission succeeds, a noble title will be within reach!”

While Mingzhu and Imperial Concubine Hui were intensively planning for the eldest prince to join the military campaign, Yinreng was waiting for the final results of the cowpox trials at the Imperial Hospital—after three years, the life-saving cowpox vaccine was finally ready to be introduced.

Yinreng had one personal concern: before embarking on his southern tour, he was determined to ensure that E Linzhu received the cowpox vaccination, ensuring her safety and health, so he could leave with peace of mind.

After the New Year, on the 20th day of the first month of Kangxi’s 35th year, the imperial seal had not yet been used, but Fourth Prince Yinzhen had already entered the Yuqing Palace with Thirteenth Prince Yinxiang. Earlier, the Crown Prince had wanted to ask him about the Ministry of Finance’s funds, but Yinzhen found it hard to speak.

Yinzhen understood the Crown Prince’s motive and found it absurd.

The Crown Prince was on a southern tour, and yet the Ministry of Finance couldn’t even provide enough silver and had to ask the Crown Prince to uncover this rotten and shameful situation! But this matter concerned the Emperor’s dignity, as well as the reputation of the court officials and the royal family. As Yinzhen thought about the Ministry of Finance’s decay and emptiness, his heart began to race. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and his face grew paler.

Taking advantage of the clear weather after the snow had stopped, he hurried over to find the Crown Prince, his steps growing faster.