The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

After the two left, Fuling pulled Yingyu aside and said, "Sister, come sit at my place. The status of the Fujin is worlds apart from ours, so she doesn't like to talk to us. Also, the Twelfth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince live nearby with their families, so they have even less to say to us."

Moreover, it's easy for the Princess Consort to go out, but it's different for us. We can only stroll through the Imperial Garden when His Majesty leads the ladies of the harem to Changchun Garden to escape the summer heat. So, we'll have to keep talking and entertaining ourselves in the future.

So, little sister, why don't you come to my place for a while?

Yingyu lowered her head shyly and helplessly and said, "I shouldn't refuse your kindness, but I just entered the palace today. My status and family background are low, and the palace doesn't allow me to bring my servants into the palace. So things are still in disarray. I'll talk to you after I've settled in."

Fu Ling smiled and said, "You're right, I didn't think it through." She patted her belly and added, "Then take your time packing, little sister. I'm not feeling well, so I won't come to your room to join in the fun." With that, she turned and left.

Upon seeing this, Yu Ying said to the palace maid behind her, "Please lead the way, sister."

The palace maid said respectfully, "This servant was assigned by the Imperial Household Department to serve you, Your Highness. I dare not accept Your Highness calling me 'elder sister.' Please come with me, Your Highness."

Yingyu followed behind her, pondering what had just happened, first thinking about the seemingly magnanimous but actually controlling Fujin.

She watched the back of the palace maid who was leading the way. This was the same maid who had come to pick her up with the people from the Imperial Household Department today. It was also this maid who had told her not to bring anyone into the palace. After all, not just any of Kangxi's concubines could bring their servants into the palace. It would be very easy for her to use this to control a prince's concubine.

Therefore, her personal maids could only be chosen by the Fujin (principal wife) in the palace, and she had no choice in the selection. Moreover, everyone around her was chosen by the Fujin, and those she could choose were probably not easy to bribe.

There was also a concubine who was of unknown allegiance and had a child. She seemed enthusiastic, but she was always "giving pointers".

The two men talked for a long time, only revealing to Yinxiang that they were busy with official duties. Fortunately, she came at the right time. Both of them were pregnant, and only she could serve them closely. As long as she was pregnant, she would be more comfortable at home.

She closed her eyes, and her ambition to become a prince's concubine diminished considerably. How could she possibly fight for it?

There was nothing special about Shi Jia entering the palace, whether for Qingwan or Yinxiang.

When Yinxiang returned, the lanterns were already lit. As usual, he went to the main house first to talk to Qingwan.

Qingwan then brought up Shi Jia Shi as well: "The Shi Jia Shi you mentioned before has entered the palace today. Should Your Highness choose a time to go and see her?"

"You made that decision?"

"Your Majesty said last time that we should have brought them in, but I was busy vomiting at the time. Now I'm much better, so we have to bring them in quickly. If we don't go to the palace soon, I'm afraid Hui'e will have to go and bring them in for me."

Yinxiang said with a forced smile, "It's kind of her to worry about this. When I'm not around, please have someone keep an eye on the study."

"Don't worry, Your Highness," Qingwan said immediately, then looked at Yinxiang's face. It wasn't looking good; he seemed impatient after mentioning Consort Hui, which probably meant there had been some political disagreement between him and Yinzhi.

Yinxiang leaned back on the kang for a while before saying, "Did I not tell you how Shijia was assigned to me?"

"My lord only said that it was the Emperor's father who instructed him."

Yinxiang gave a rare cold laugh: "Although we didn't send the news of your pregnancy to the palace, there are people who care more about it than we do. Hui'e has carefully selected someone for me."

That girl named Songhua next to you, her father works for the Imperial Household Department. If it weren't for him, I'm afraid I would have been grateful and taken her back with me.

Shi Jia's father worked for me before, and I found him quite useful. He had previously mentioned wanting to give his daughter to me, but I didn't agree.

At that time, there were no other suitable candidates, so they put her forward.

So, while it was said that Khan Ama pointed it out, it was actually more of a request I made. However, at that time, he only said it was his daughter, not which daughter, so I didn't know which daughter would be sent.

Qingwan listened to Yinxiang's words in silence for a while before saying, "Don't worry, Your Highness."

She didn't know what she was relieved about, and she had no idea how Yinxiang interpreted that reassurance.

As for Yingyu, Qingwan is not her, so it's hard to know whether to pity her or be happy for her.

Fortunately, Yinxiang didn't ask any more questions. He just got up and said, "You rest, I'm going to the study."

Qingwan got up and saw him out before returning to rest.

After Yinxiang left, Zhang Rui followed behind him and asked, "Where is Your Highness going?"

"Go back to the study."

"Huh? Yes."

He knew about Shi Jia's visit to the palace and thought that Yinxiang would go there today, but he didn't expect him to go to the study. He quickly gestured to the back, and the others went to the study to prepare.

After entering the study, Yinxiang continued to deal with the unfinished matters at hand.

Soon after, a palace maid brought soup into the room. He assumed it was sent by Qingwan or Fuling and didn't pay any attention. He didn't even look up before letting her put it down and leaving. Therefore, he didn't see Zhang Rui's hesitant expression when he saw the palace maid.

After everyone left, Yinxiang read official documents for another half an hour before preparing to rest. He also drank a couple of sips of soup, then frowned and went to bed.

After Yinxiang fell asleep, Zhang Rui and Zhang Chun didn't rush to rest either. The two of them leaned against a secluded spot and chatted.

Zhang Rui said, "I thought that since it's a new person entering the family, I should at least go and see them. Why are we in the study again? This study is so cold and impersonal."

Zhang Chun rummaged through the peanuts in his hands: "If you don't want to serve me, there are plenty of others who want to serve me."

Zhang Rui snatched the peanuts from his hand and threw them into his mouth: "You're dreaming. But you could consider going to the Fujin's side. There aren't any useful eunuchs around the Fujin, they're all just errand boys."

Zhang Chun chuckled twice, about to say something, when he spotted someone heading towards the study. He nudged Zhang Rui with his hand: "Aren't you going to check?"

Zhang Rui hurriedly threw away the peanuts in his hand, took two steps forward, then turned back for a moment, counted on his fingers, and stopped.

Zhang Chun was greatly surprised: "What are you doing? Why aren't you moving? Be careful, or I'll skin you alive."

Zhang Rui crossed his arms and leaned back: "Wait a little longer, just fifteen minutes."

Yinxiang was awakened by the heat inside the room. When he woke up, there was a beautiful maidservant beside him. He had experienced this kind of thing many times before.

He's not indifferent to women; on the contrary, he's quite willing to take a look at attractive women, but that doesn't mean he'll try to sleep with just anyone.

Now, seeing the person kneeling and trembling before the bed, dressed not in the green of a palace maid, but specially made up, she looked even more pitiful in the dim candlelight, easily arousing a man's protective instincts.

First, he thought of Qingwan's advice yesterday not to sleep too soundly, otherwise he would miss out on having a beauty in his arms, and then he felt the changes in his body.

Yinxiang took a deep breath, feeling both amused and annoyed, and coldly shouted, "Zhang Rui, get in here."