The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

Before they knew it, it was New Year's Eve. Qingwan and Yinxiang were going to receive the banquet. The morning family banquet was for the emperor and the concubines in the harem, and there was no room for anyone else. The other princes and relatives had to wait for the evening banquet at 1-3 pm.

Qingwan sat behind Yinxiang, with the twelfth prince consort Jingyu and the fourteenth prince consort Ningyin sitting beside her in order of seniority.

Yinxiang had Qingwan ride with him all the way to his seat before leaving to sit in his own.

Jingyu was alright, but Ningyin kept laughing at her. She pretended to glare at her, but then she laughed too.

Jingyu was also more than a month pregnant, so the dishes on their table were similar, and the wine was changed to flower dew, which was a tribute from Jiangnan.

Right in front of her was the rose dew that Yi Huan liked. She had only tried other things before, but this was the first time she had tried rose dew. She first picked up the cup and smelled it. It had a light fragrance, which was not bad.

Before anyone knew it, Yinxiang turned around and asked, "Do you like it? If you do, I'll have someone get you some more."

Qingwan shook her head: "I wouldn't say I like him."

Ningyin laughed even more happily, while Yinxiang raised an eyebrow and patted Yinzhen, who was propping his neck up and talking to someone else.

Yinzhen turned his head: "What's wrong, Thirteenth Brother?"

Yinxiang raised his chin, gesturing for him to look at Ningyin: "Your wife wants to talk to you."

"Then why didn't she call me herself?" he said, looking at Ning Yin.

Ning Yin glared at him: "I told you not to talk so much, always in such bursts. Have you forgotten what Father said about Fourth Brother?"

Yinzhen clicked his tongue impatiently and muttered, "I know."

Ningyin's voice was not loud, and only Yinxiang and Qingwan heard her say what Yinzhen had said.

Qingwan didn't know what the sentence meant, but Yinxiang did. Yinzhen had been described by Kangxi in his early years as "frivolous and unpredictable."

Ning Yineng was able to say these words because Consort De had taught Yinzhen. Yinxiang let out a barely audible sneer before turning away.

Emperor Kangxi arrived quickly, but they didn't get a chance to speak throughout the entire banquet.

Just as the banquet was about to end, Emperor Kangxi suddenly called out to Qingwan: "Thirteenth wife." Instantly, all eyes in the hall were on her.

Before Qingwan could fully stand up, Kangxi said, "You're not feeling well, so sit down and let's have a family chat."

Qingwan slowly sat back down: "Thank you for your grace, Father Emperor."

Kangxi added, “When I make my southern tour in a few days, I will have to take the Thirteenth Prince with me. I heard from the Tenth Princess that you will give birth in March. It will be your first time giving birth, and the Thirteenth Prince will not be able to be by your side at that time.”

"Alright then, I'll summon your father to the palace to see you." Kangxi possessed an energy beyond his years; he could arrange many things as he wished, just like now.

Yinxiang rose to express his gratitude before Qingwan. Qingwan was very excited to hear that Li Jiashi could enter the palace, so she was a little slow to react.

Emperor Kangxi seemed quite happy today, and said, "Consort Min passed away early, and I was thinking of finding someone to take care of you during this time. How about letting..."

Before Emperor Kangxi could finish speaking, the Crown Princess stood up and said, "Father, why don't you let your daughter-in-law take care of your sister-in-law?"

The daughter-in-law and the thirteenth brother's wife both lived in the palace. She had also given birth to the third princess, and as the eldest sister-in-law, she should naturally take care of her younger brother's wife.

"Good, you are the eldest sister-in-law, I trust you with my affairs." Kangxi was very pleased with the Crown Princess's address as "elder sister-in-law," and afterwards rewarded her with some gifts.

However, Emperor Kangxi did not show favoritism and asked about Jingyu as well, saying that he had instructed Wanliuhashi to take care of her pregnancy.

After the banquet, Qingwan waited until only her own people remained before asking, "Did Your Highness do something to please Father again?"

Yinxiang laughed and said, "Why do you ask that? Could it be that Father Khan wants to take care of you?"

Qingwan resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She couldn't believe what she was saying: "I'm not outstanding myself, and my status is just average. If it weren't for you, Father, why would you ask about me?"

Yinxiang didn't refute her, but only said, "Do you remember which year your father took office as Minister of War?"

Marhan had indeed served as Minister of War for many years. After a brief recollection, Qingwan said, "My father was first promoted to Left Censor-in-Chief in the thirty-eighth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, then to Minister of War, and has served as a lecturer at the Imperial Academy and a minister of state affairs for seven or eight years now."

"Why don't you ever think about the fact that it's because of your father that your father thought of you?"

"My father is retiring? I haven't heard any news from home."

Marhan was already in his late seventies, almost eighty. Others, let alone holding office, might not even live to that age. No wonder Qingwan thought that way.

Yinxiang paused for a moment after hearing this before continuing, "Father intends for your father to take over as Minister of Personnel, and the imperial decree will be issued soon."

"Is it because of you, Master and the Crown Prince?" Qingwan asked hesitantly.

"I can't say for sure, but if your father is willing, this is indeed beneficial to us." Yinxiang smiled bitterly. The relationship between the Crown Prince and Kangxi was not as good as before, and it was hard to say whether this arrangement was because of the Crown Prince, although Marhan seemed to be a typical Crown Prince supporter.

Willing? Has Marhan's stance changed? Qingwan couldn't help but ponder.

After the two returned to the prince's residence, Yinxiang stared at her belly and suddenly said, "I'll find someone to take care of you."

Hearing Kangxi mention it today, he realized that Qingwan only brought two young maids with her when she entered the palace, without any older nannies. "You don't have an older, experienced person by your side either."

Qingwan explained, "My family didn't have many capable nannies to begin with. My married sisters took some with them. My father had prepared some for me, but the nannies weren't capable enough for the palace. Later, my father looked for some, but it wasn't easy to find someone who was both capable and loyal."

"Does that mean you have someone in mind, sir?"

“Yes,” Yinxiang nodded, “I would say she was an aunt.”

“Aunt? But the only way to enter the palace is as a servant.”

“This aunt is both my good friend and my cousin,” Yinxiang said slowly. “The two grew up together and have a very close relationship.”

They participated in the imperial concubine selection together. After this aunt was not selected, her family arranged for her to marry a bondservant, and she entered the palace to serve.

Later, I was assigned to be by your side and helped you through a difficult period. By chance, I also took care of you for a few years.

Now that her husband and children have passed away, she has no one to rely on. I was thinking of having her enter the palace to take care of you, so we can support her in her old age. Besides, she has served in the palace before, and we know her well, so she's much more reliable than someone we'd find recently.”

Yinxiang spoke in such detail that he had already made a decision. It sounded like he was asking Qingwan for her opinion, but he believed that Qingwan would understand what he meant.

Qingwan naturally understood Yinxiang's meaning, so she readily agreed. An experienced elder who had served in the palace would always be of use.

"When does Master plan to send Aunt to the palace?" Qingwan asked.

"I will make arrangements before leaving the palace so that I can leave with peace of mind."