The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Mingxin was punished in the end. She smiled in front of everyone and then went to apologize to Qingwan herself. Qingwan only punished her by making her copy the Classic of Filial Piety ten times.

Mingxin had privately apologized to Qingwan. When Moyaqi found out, she also went to Qingwan and told her about it, only mentioning that she had also talked about it behind her back, without saying what she had said to Mingxin.

After copying the text in her own room, Moyaqi felt bored by herself, so she went to Mingxin's room to be with her.

The two of them even conscientiously put themselves under house arrest.

"Why did you go to apologize to the Fujin yourself? I was thinking of telling you after we got out to make sure you didn't let anything slip." Mingxin put down her pen after copying it again and asked Moya, who was facing her.

Moyaqi continued writing, saying, "Although I don't know, I kept pestering my sister to tell me that day, and we did talk about Auntie behind her back."

Mingxin paused briefly, then continued copying, saying, "But you had planned to go to the Prince's garden to escape the summer heat in the next day or two."

Every summer, the Fourth Prince's wife would take Moyaqi to the Yuanmingyuan Garden to escape the heat.

"It won't make a difference to a day or two, but it's Father who's here." She wanted to ask why Yinxiang had given them another concubine, but then she remembered that this was something they couldn't ask, so she swallowed the rest of her words.

"What's wrong with Father?" Mingxin asked when she didn't continue.

“I was thinking, apart from the morning greetings, I haven’t seen Father for many days. I wonder where he has gone?” Moyaqi changed the subject.

Although Qingwan punished the two by making them copy the Classic of Filial Piety, she did not set a time limit, so it took them almost five days to finally leave the courtyard.

Apart from Hongchang, who still goes to study, Mingxin and Moyaqi have stopped going to the palace. Now that they are at home, Mingxin only occasionally goes out with Moyaqi.

As for Mo Yaqi, she spends most of her time sometimes at Jingwan's place, sometimes at Zhaojia Mansion, and sometimes at Yongwang Mansion; she's quite a busy person.

Sure enough, after only a few days' delay, the Fourth Prince's wife sent someone to inquire if the Second Princess had gone out, so they could send someone to pick her up.

The Fourth Prince's wife only knew that she had made a mistake and been punished, but she didn't know why.

Qingwan knew that this was the Fourth Prince's wife pleading for Moyaqi indirectly, so when the two left the courtyard yesterday and came to pay their respects early this morning, Qingwan invited them to stay for a meal.

Just as Yinxiang was about to leave, he called out to him, "Take her with you." He pointed to Moyaqi.

"I."

Before Yinxiang could finish speaking, Qingwan interrupted him: "I know where you are going, that's why I asked you to take her with you. I've already had the carriage prepared."

Yinxiang nodded, and Moyaqi followed him out. Mingxin also bowed and took her leave.

Moyaqi rested her chin on her hand, leaning against the carriage window: "Father."

"Hmm?" Yinxiang waited by the carriage for a while, but Moyaqi didn't speak. He then asked gently, "What's wrong?"

Moyaqi snapped out of her reverie and said, "The concubine of the Prince's mansion has been given a princess, so I'm wondering if this time it will be a brother or a sister."

Do you prefer a younger brother or a younger sister?

The concubine referred to here is Lady Nian. Although she entered the household as a servant, she quickly gained a title. With the promotion of her elder brother, Nian Xiyao, and the fact that her younger brother, Nian Gengyao, was also a minister whom Emperor Kangxi liked very much, she was soon invited by Yinzhen to be made a concubine.

Yinzhen was very fond of Lady Nian, but this move may not have been without the intention of winning over Nian Gengyao. Although Nian Gengyao was already his subordinate and the two had become relatives, Nian Gengyao clearly did not have any intention of getting close to Yinzhen. Therefore, Yinzhen had no choice but to increase his bargaining power.

When Yinzhen requested the title, he said the same thing to his fourth wife. However, she didn't take it seriously. She said that all she said was because Yinzhen liked her, and the Nian family and Nian Gengyao were only minor factors.

Yinzhen had always loved Han women. Lady Nian was young, beautiful, and did not have the arrogance of a noble lady. She was also sensible and was currently at the height of her favor.

Yinzhen was almost the sole favorite of Lady Li, and he still favors Lady Nian now. Unless Kangxi grants a person of even higher status to enter the household, it is only a matter of time before Lady Nian requests a title.

Lady Nian was born in the thirty-fourth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, and she would have plenty of time to be favored in the future. The newborn princess was Lady Nian's first child, but not her only one.

As for the other concubine, Lady Li, she was a former favorite of Yinzhen when he was young. Although she and Lady Nian were both concubines, there was a certain order among the concubines.

Although Lady Nian's family background and the length of time she had been in the household were not as good as Lady Li's, she still had an advantage over Lady Li because her family background was much better.

Yinxiang laughed and said, "Why didn't you ask when Hongjiao and Mingzhao were born, but now you're concerned?"

Moyaqi remained perched on the windowsill, watching Yinxiang. Yinxiang could only say, "I like them both."

Yinxiang thought he had dealt with the situation, but for some reason, Moyaqi suddenly got angry: "That's right, Father already has Hongtun, and there will be younger brothers and sisters born to the concubines in the future. Whether Xiaoba is a younger brother or a younger sister, Father naturally doesn't care."

"You child," Yinxiang didn't know why Moyaqi was sulking, but he always acted as a loving father in front of his daughter and a strict father in front of his son.

Of the three women, Mo Yaqi was the most outstanding. Although he was angry and temporarily lost his filial piety, he felt no anger in his heart. Instead, he wanted to find some things to make her happy.

As soon as they entered the garden, Moyaqi headed straight for the main courtyard where the Fourth Prince's wife was, and Yinxiang only had time to have someone follow her.

When Moyaqi arrived in front of the Fourth Prince's wife, there was no longer any sign of anything amiss. She smiled and greeted the Fourth Prince's wife, and then spoke with the others.

When Yinxiang and Yinzhen finished their discussion and were about to return home, she saw them off according to custom, reminding Yinxiang to be careful on the road, as the sun was high and he should not ride a horse.

Yinzhen, standing to the side, said with a look of satisfaction, "My daughter is the most considerate."

Yinxiang nodded at Moyaqi from afar, his face full of smiles, and Moyaqi smiled back at him ingratiatingly.

When Yinxiang brought up the matter after they returned, Qingwan just smiled and said, "She's at that mischievous age right now, always doing whatever comes to mind."

However, this was all due to the grandfather's spoiling; not only the grandfather, but also the fourth brother and sister-in-law spoiled the child rotten.

Fortunately, although the others were used to her, they also taught her strictly. Qingwan rarely went out, but the Fourth Prince's wife took her to various banquets, preventing her from growing up into a spoiled brat.

Yinxiang just smiled and said, "She doesn't need to inherit the family business, so it's okay to spoil her. If she's a little arrogant, she won't be bullied in the future."

On the contrary, it was Hongtun, whom Moyaqi mentioned, whom Yinxiang treated better than any of his other children. Before, it was only Hongchang, who was older, so it didn't seem like much. But now that Hongjiao was born, Yinxiang's special treatment of Hongtun became apparent.

Hongtun was raised on Yinxiang's lap from a young age, but Hongjiao, like Hongchang, was never held by Yinxiang because of the saying that one should hold grandchildren but not sons.

"Hiss." Qingwan's leg twitched violently, and she leaned against Yinxiang for a while before she came to her senses.

The successive pregnancies made this pregnancy particularly difficult for her, and she began to think about the Wusu clan.