The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Inside the main room, Mingzhao simply sat on the footstool beside Qingwan, resting her head on Qingwan's lap.

"Oh dear, please don't argue with your father because of me."

“Your father and I didn’t quarrel,” Qingwan said, putting her arm around Mingzhao, who was leaning against her leg. “There are so many things to do in this mansion, big and small, and your father and I will always have different opinions.”

If Moyaqi were here, she would probably first marvel at how her parents, after so many years of marriage, spoke almost exactly the same things as the sisters.

Moyaqi didn't believe this, and Mingzhao naturally didn't either. She raised her head, her bright eyes looking at Qingwan, and said, "But my mother argued with Father because of me, and I'm actually quite happy about it." She was a little embarrassed when she said this, and then leaned back down.

Qingwan lowered her head and pressed her cheek against Mingzhao's: "I can't protect you." Then she raised her head and slowly stroked Mingzhao's face.

Mingzhao enjoyed being close to her mother like this, so after a while she shook her head: "It's not because of that."

She then asked, "What's Mongolia like? Is it a good place?"

"I don't know either," Qingwan said. She had been there briefly and her memories of the place were very vague. "It was probably an endless grassland."

Some people think it's good, others think it's bad; only after experiencing it yourself can you truly know whether it's good or bad.

“That’s true.” Mingzhao nodded in agreement.

He added, "When I was in the palace, I met my third sister who came to say goodbye to the Empress."

The third sister was very carefree and showed no reluctance. Afterwards, the Empress said that the third sister had been trapped in the palace for so many years, and perhaps she had been waiting for this day.

Later I asked my third sister, and she said that there was no one left in Beijing who she cared about, so she wanted to leave, anywhere was fine with her; perhaps Mongolia offered the freedom she had always longed for.

The third sister Mingzhao mentioned was Yinreng's legitimate daughter. The Crown Princess passed away in the 57th year of Kangxi's reign. Because the Crown Prince was deposed, the Ministry of Rites was unsure whether to request a eulogy for her. In the end, Kangxi took the initiative to issue an edict ordering the Hanlin Academy to write a eulogy for her.

After the Crown Prince was deposed, there were no more guards available, so Kangxi ordered Longkodo to lead more than 30 guards to wear mourning clothes for her. The mourning was even more elaborate than that for a prince's wife. When a prince's wife passed away, more than 20 guards would wear mourning clothes for her.

The Third Princess was also granted the title of Heshuo Princess in the 59th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. She was betrothed to Arabutan, a Mongolian prince of Tumed Darhan Beile. After their marriage, they lived in the capital. After the Yongzheng Emperor ascended the throne, he ordered the couple to return to their pastures.

"Freedom," Qingwan said with a smile. "If it's been so long, do you long for your third sister's kind of life?"

"I don't know," Mingzhao answered quickly, her blank tone making Qingwan laugh again.

"Just now, my second sister asked me if I would like to be a princess. I said that Aunt Kejing is very powerful. My second sister also said that I don't know what ambition is, but I have ambition."

After thinking about it, it didn't seem so bad. If I stayed in the capital, I could live under the protection of my father, father, and mother for the rest of my life.

If I were to go and pacify Mongolia, I could become a weapon for my father and father in Mongolia.

Qingwan shook her head and laughed. A princess had once told her, 'What they can do, I can do too.'

But later, she lay in bed and gradually fell silent.

But she still told Mingzhao, "Whatever you want, I won't stop you."

He added, "I don't know what you've been learning in the palace lately, you're so eloquent."

Mingzhao's eyes flickered, but he didn't speak, remaining resting on her knees.

Mingzhao is still young and easily influenced by outsiders. It's hard to say how much of what she's saying is based on what she's heard others talking about in the palace, but it's all up to Mingzhao's wishes.

Yunxiang stayed in the study until evening. When Zhang Rui went to check on Yunxiang, Yunxiang had just put down the comprehension document in his hand.

Zhang Rui was still puzzled. Who could tell that the two had quarreled? One was reading memorials in the study, while the other was arranging for the Fourth Princess to enter the palace.

"Your Highness, it's getting late, you should rest."

Yunxiang blinked, but his sore eyes didn't feel any better. He simply stopped picking up the unread documents and asked, "Has your wife turned off the lights?"

Zhang Rui knew, of course, that Yunxiang didn't want to ask about whether the lights should be turned off, so he said, "Not yet. This afternoon, the Fourth Princess and the Fujin were packing their things, and they packed several trunks to take into the palace."

The Princess Consort even joked with the Fourth Princess, saying that there were naturally better options in the palace, so why did the Fourth Princess act like she was moving house?

The fact that Zhang Rui heard this meant that someone had instructed him to do so. Whether it was Qingwan, Moyaqi, or Mingzhao, it could only mean that Mingzhao had already persuaded Qingwan.

Yunxiang began to fidget, wanting to know what Mingzhao had said.

A young eunuch followed Zhang Rui and secretly handed him a letter, then whispered something in his ear.

Zhang Rui's brow relaxed, and he presented the letter to Yunxiang: "Your Highness, it's from the Fourth Princess." He was worried that Yunxiang would ask him to find out what Mingzhao had said, but he really couldn't find out.

"Mingzhao gave it to me? I'm just in the manor, aren't I?" Yunxiang said, but still quickly finished reading it and sighed, "This girl."

He put down the letter and ordered, "Go back to your room."

Although no specific room was mentioned, the young eunuch carrying the lanterns at the front had already started heading towards the main room.

However, when Yunxiang arrived, the lights in the main house were already off. Yunxiang seemed to have thought of something, and led his people around the main house before entering.

Qingwan already knew when the door opened, and she also sensed that Yunxiang had been standing by the bed for a long time before getting into bed.

Yunxiang moved closer little by little, but seeing that Qingwan still didn't move or speak, he finally pulled her into his arms from behind. He felt a little wronged.

"Qingwan, why are you willing to listen to Zhaozhao but not to me?"

Qingwan blinked in the darkness without speaking, and Yunxiang waited patiently for her to speak.

“Because Zhaozhao said she was willing,” Yunxiang finally heard Qingwan say.

"Qingwan, why don't you think about how I can protect Zhaozhao now?"

In the darkness, Qingwan suddenly chuckled: "Yes, you are a prince now, things are different from before."