The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Yinxiang followed the Crown Prince, while Yintang followed Yinsi, and Yinsi followed the Prince Zhi. Both were princes raised in the same batch under Consort Hui's care, which is why Yintang spoke ill of Yinxiang at this moment.

Qingwan looked up at Yinxiang sitting opposite her. Yinxiang calmly picked up his tea and made a tea-offering gesture to Yintang: "Thank you for thinking of me, Ninth Brother."

Yinzhen looked up, as if he wanted to say something, but Consort Yi interrupted him first.

Consort Yi initially didn't want to pay them any attention, but considering she had something to do today, she bypassed Yin Tang and said to Yin Xiang, "I can't go this time, and I don't know if your father will visit Princess Yi'an's residence next time. You two should go and take a good look, and then come back and tell me."

Consort Yi patted Yi Huan's hand and continued, "This child is delicate; I wonder if she can get used to living here."

Ninth Prince Consort Dong E comforted her, "Don't worry, Eighth Sister's princess residence in Mo Nan was built by the Emperor himself. Eighth Sister is also the first princess to marry into Mo Nan, which is of great significance. Would the Emperor allow anyone to wrong his daughter?"

Consort Yi smiled wryly, but said nothing.

She herself had no daughters, only two daughters born to other men, so she had no intention of deliberately vying for the Emperor's favor for the two princesses she raised.

She used to think that Rongxian was Kangxi's most beloved daughter, after all, she was the first biological daughter he raised, but Rongxian was engaged to someone from Mongolia before she was even ten years old.

Later, it was thought that Wen Xian was someone whom both Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager couldn't bear to part with, so they specially married her off to Emperor Kangxi's maternal family, the Tong family.

When Wen Xian went there, Kangxi's reply in the memorial made her doubt whether she had thought it wrong, and even Consort De cried several times because of it.

Emperor Kangxi treated princesses much worse than princes, which is why he wanted to do his best for Yi'an's marriage.

Yi'an leaned on Consort Yi's shoulder: "Don't worry, I've been taught by you for so many years."

Consort Yi stroked her face gently and said, "You were worried about the Tenth Princess before, so you moved out of Yikun Palace. In a few days, she will go with your father first. You can come back and stay with me for a few more days. I will discuss with the Noble Consort to reserve that place for the Tenth Princess. When she comes back, she can stay there if she is willing."

Yi'an stood up and bowed with gratitude: "Thank you for thinking of me, but it's too much trouble for you." She hadn't expected that Consort Yi would be so considerate of her, and even take care of Yi Huan.

Consort Yi bent down slightly to help her up: "Get up. You've called me 'E'nie' for so many years, and I've always treated you like my own daughter, so there's no need for so much formality. I've already had the side hall where you live cleaned up, and you can move back in a few days."

"Let's go back with the thirteenth prince and his wife first today. Your fifth brother and the others rarely come to the palace; I want to talk to them a bit more."

"Yes. Zichen takes his leave." The three then got up and left together.

After Consort Yi and the other two left, she said to Yin Tang and the others, "I am past the age of fighting for myself, which is why I can treat Yi An this way."

She is a princess, and she is different from you princes. She can't get in your way.

"Yin Tang, I don't care how you and the Thirteenth Prince fight, and I'll naturally stand by your side. But don't drag Princess Yi An, who's about to be married off, into this, understand?"

Yin Tang said, "Don't worry, I know that I've been very fortunate to have Eighth Sister by my side all these years."

Consort Yi nodded: "The Yi'an sisters are quite similar to Consort Min in personality, so they can only be obedient princesses and won't cause any trouble. You don't need to pay too much attention to them."

Yinzhen then agreed, "Don't worry, I know the Thirteenth Prince's temperament. He won't drag Eighth Sister and Tenth Sister into this, so naturally we won't do anything." This was the truth. The Mongol forces were no more useful to them in their struggle for the throne than the Manchu nobles, otherwise he wouldn't have needed to support others.

Only Yinzhen and his wife listened attentively to these words, while Yinqi and his wife, who were standing to the side, were only focused on sipping tea and eating snacks.

Consort Yi shook her head as she watched, but considering the plans of Yinzhi and the others, Yinzhi's detached attitude might not be a bad thing, especially since he had the Empress Dowager protecting him.

After leaving Yikun Palace, the three parted ways on the palace road. Yinxiang went to attend to his business and left with his men first, while Qingwan and Yi'an slowly strolled forward.

Yi'an looked in the direction Yinxiang had left and said helplessly, "Brother is really busy. I wonder what he's busy with all day long."

Hearing her tone, Qingwan smiled and said, "You're busy, that's good. It'll be quieter where we are."

Yi An laughed first, then said, "Putting yourself in his shoes, if I were you, I'm afraid I'd also be hoping he wouldn't come back."

Qingwan pulled Yi'an aside and said seriously, "You're not me."

He patted her hand again, and the two of them slowly talked as they headed back.

When Yi'an and Qingwan returned to the palace, they happened to meet Imperial Physician He, who came to take their pulses. The closer the wedding date got, the more frequently Imperial Physician He would come.

However, no one else would think there was a problem, since at this critical juncture, no one wanted the princess's health to deteriorate again.

Yi An first asked one of the other palace maids, "Where is the Tenth Princess?"

The palace maid waiting at the door said, "Your Highness, after you left, the Tenth Princess went to Changchun Palace to pay her respects to Consort Rong."

"Is that so? Then you all stay outside the door. Come and inform me when the Tenth Princess returns." He then looked at Physician He, who was waiting to the side, and said, "Come in with me."

"Yes." Physician He bowed and followed Yi An into the room.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Only when Physician He withdrew his hand from Yi'an's wrist did he say, "The princess is much better now. Once we arrive in Mongolia, this servant will adjust her treatment according to the situation there..."

Before Physician He could finish speaking, Yi An interrupted him: "He Lin, you were perfectly fine in the capital, why did you agree to go to Mongolia with my brother?"

He Lin lowered his head and packed his medicine box, saying, "The Thirteenth Master promised me that after my younger brother takes the imperial examination, he will promote him. Even if the boy fails the exam, as long as the Thirteenth Master remembers what I have done, my younger brother can still become a student of the Imperial Academy and bring honor to the family."

"Is that all?"

"Yes." He Lin's voice was too resolute. Yi An turned her head away wearily and stopped looking at him. "He Lin, I remember you told me that you came to the palace through family tradition. Compared to the imperial examination, you and your brother both preferred practicing medicine. Why is he going to take the imperial examination again?"

He Lin kept his head down: "Practicing medicine can never compare to..."

“Raise your head and look at me,” Yi An interrupted He Lin again.

He Lin didn't move, his head still bowed. Yi An didn't urge him, only looking at his official hat. After an unknown amount of time—perhaps just the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, perhaps longer—He Lin finally raised his head, looked directly into Yi An's eyes, and whispered:

"Princess, you're acting like a servant because of the kindness you showed me back then."

"No, He Lin, I only said one word for you that day. No matter how great the favor was, I repaid it all when you risked your life to help me."