The Qing Palace Never Meets Spring

"Khan Ama is very busy with official duties."

"Forget it, go ahead."

"Yes, thank you, Father Khan."

After Yi Huan left, Kangxi said, "Go and ask Yinxiang about this child, and dismiss him as well."

"Whoo."

Outside Princess Wenke's residence in the southern desert.

Yi'an looked at the message sent by Cangjin, her brows furrowed with deep sorrow: "Even the Crown Prince has news, but there is none for the Thirteenth Brother. It is only said that he has been imprisoned, but it does not say where he is imprisoned."

And my younger sister, that girl must be worried sick. I wish I could go back to the capital.

"Granny, do you think Father would agree if I submitted a petition through the Court of Colonial Affairs to return to the capital to visit my family? I've been married for two years now."

Yi'an said to the wet nurse beside her.

"The capital is probably in chaos right now, and you are the Thirteenth Prince's half-sister. If you don't have a reason, His Majesty probably won't allow you to visit your family."

"Even if it weren't for them, I would want to go back to Beijing. I've been here for so long and I still feel a bit out of place."

Although the imperial court built a princess's residence to help the princess get used to her new life, and the servants came from the capital, she had grown up in the capital and had many other things she was not used to.

“Never mind,” Yi’an said again, “Let the prince consort come back in the next few days. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a proper conversation.”

"Yes. The prince consort asked yesterday if the princess was feeling any better," the wet nurse replied.

"There's nothing I can do about it. After I married into the Monan region, I've been having trouble adjusting to the local environment and I fall ill from time to time."

By the way, I heard that a group of children have recently started playing here outside the manor?

"Yes, the roads outside our manor are more tidy than other places, so the children like to come and play. And because they are all children, the guards have told them several times, but the children haven't listened."

"It's alright, let them play. Let's go out and take a look," Yi An said.

“I guessed the princess would say that, so when the servants reported it, I told them the princess wouldn’t care.”

When Yi'an arrived at the gate of the princess's residence, there were several children playing. She raised her hand to stop the guards from talking and only looked at the children.

The wet nurse said, "The princess has always loved children. If she could have her own child, it would relieve her boredom and allow her to submit a memorial to return to the capital to prepare for childbirth. Who knows, she might be able to return to the capital to visit her."

"Although I am worried about my brother and sister and want to go back to Beijing, my child should be born out of anticipation, not out of planning. Let it be."

"It would be best if I could have my own children, but if I don't, then it's simply my destiny to be childless."

Mongolian princes did not want princesses from the Qing court to give birth to heirs, especially since Yi'an was the first princess to marry into the southern Mongolian steppe.

The children playing outside saw a beautiful woman dressed differently from them looking at them. After their commotion subsided, they scattered. Only one little girl stared blankly at Yi An without moving.

Yi An waved to her, and she walked blankly to Yi An's side, reaching out to touch Yi An's clothes.

Yi'an turned around and stopped the palace maid who was about to reprimand her, and said, "Go and get some snacks."

Yi'an spoke Chinese, which the little girl couldn't understand, but she still blushed because of her actions. However, she already had a rosy blush on her face from the sun, so only she knew that she had blushed.

But Yi'an could still tell that she was embarrassed by the hand she pulled back.

Yi'an simply pulled the child to sit on the steps and asked her in the local language, "What were you trying to do just now?"

“I want to touch your clothes, they’re so beautiful. Are you the one who came from a faraway place to marry into the family?” Mother said, “This big house is inhabited by a princess who came from the capital; she is the emperor’s daughter.”

The emperor couldn't bear to see his daughter marry so far away, so he built her a large house, which was different from ours.

Your clothes are different from ours; they're long and bulky, covering you completely. I don't like them, but they also have lots of patterns on them, which I like.

Yi'an couldn't stop smiling as she listened to the little girl's innocent words. She wanted to chime in, but the little girl's words were so rapid and dense that she couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"So what animals are embroidered on your clothes? I've never seen them before. I've only seen eagles and horses. I, Abu, said I'd teach me to ride a horse in a while."

And wolves, they're the worst! They've stolen all the sheep from my house.

Yi An grabbed her hand and placed it on her clothes. The little girl widened her eyes, touched it, and said, "It looks even better after you've touched it."

"This is called a phoenix, a mythical bird that represents good fortune."

"So this is what a phoenix is. This is the first time I've ever seen one."

The embroidery on Yi An's clothes features a phoenix spreading its wings, and although it doesn't take up much space, the embroidery is exquisite.

As the palace maid brought over the snacks, Yi'an took them and said to the little girl, "I'll treat you to something."

The little girl swallowed hard: "It's too expensive. My family doesn't have the money to buy it, and we don't have anything to exchange it for."

"No need to change or buy anything. I'll treat you to this. Just try it as a thank you for keeping me company."

"Okay, I also feel much happier after you talked to me." Hearing Yi An say that, the little girl reluctantly picked up a piece and put it in her mouth to taste.

His eyes lit up: "Sweet!"

This reaction made everyone around laugh.

After the little girl finished eating, she asked Yi'an, "Are you feeling better now?"

How did you know I was in a bad mood?

"Because even though you're smiling when you talk, your brows are furrowed, just like my mother's. My mother worries every day that the sheep in our family will be carried away by wolves."

I'm worried about not being able to get money or other things, and I'm also worried that my brother won't be able to find a wife. Are you worried about these things too? But you have a big house.

“Because my brother made me,” Yi paused for a moment, then continued, “make my Abu angry. I also have a younger sister, and I’m worried that my Abu won’t dote on them anymore.”

"If your brother and sister make your Abu angry, will he not let your brother and sister eat their fill?"

"will not."

"Won't that make them too cold?"

"No."

"Will they be kicked out?"

"Probably not."

"Then why are you worried? They have enough to eat, they are warm enough to wear, and they don't have to be evicted and they have houses to live in."

"Being able to eat their fill and stay warm is already a blessing. If I were you, I wouldn't worry about them."

Yi An chuckled. She had been taught a lesson by a child this time. Indeed, although the child's clothes were relatively clean, they had quite a few patches.

For them, having enough to eat and wear is a big deal, isn't it?

"Would you like some more?" Yi'an asked her again.

The little girl licked her lips: "I don't want to eat it anymore. It's sweet, and sugar is a very expensive thing."

"It's alright, this is my treat."

Yi'an brought the snacks closer, but the little girl still refused to eat them.

But she didn't stop talking. Yi'an had never seen such a talkative girl before, whether in the palace or in Mo'nan. She kept chattering about this and that.

"Princess." Yi'an was listening intently to Cang Jin's voice when she saw him standing in front of her. She placed her hand in his and used it to get up.

From afar, Cang Jin noticed a little girl beside her: "Whose servant girl is this?"

As soon as the little girl saw him, she turned her head to look at Yi'an and ran away on her own, and he couldn't call her back.

Yi An said, "She must have been a herdsman's child who came to play in front of the door. I called her over to chat and keep her entertained. Now look what you've done, you've scared her away."

Cang Jin followed Yi An's gaze and said, "If the princess likes her, then we'll buy her."

Yi An shook her head: "No, it's better for children to stay with their parents. Let's go inside."

Inside the palace, in the princes' quarters.

"Madam, all the guards outside have been removed. A young eunuch ran out to try, and no one stopped him. So we can go out now."

When Chunshui said these words to Qingwan, she couldn't hide the joy on her face. However, after she finished speaking, the joy was not only on her face.

Qingwan also stood up and said, "Let's go, let's go out and take a look."

After Qingwan left, she didn't go anywhere else, but just stood on the palace road. After a while, Muxiang came to her senses and asked, "Is the Princess Consort waiting for someone?"

"Guess who will arrive first?"

"If you ask me to guess, unless it's the master returning, it can only be the princess." He had barely finished speaking when he saw a figure.

Qingwan smiled and said, "Indeed, it's something that can't be talked about."

Yi Huan saw from afar that her steps quickened: "Sister-in-law, are you waiting for me?"

"Besides the princess, no one is worth making our Lady of the House wait for."

"Good girl, you really know how to talk and make people like you." Yi Huan pointed at Mu Xiang.

Qingwan pulled Yihuan inside, saying, "It's been a long time since we've seen each other."

“That’s right,” Yi Huan sighed. “They say a day apart feels like three autumns, and it’s been quite a few autumns since we last saw each other.”

After the two sat down, Yi Huan said, "I brought some things for the young prince. I received your message today and went to ask the Khan for help."

I thought I was testing the Khan's compassion, but to my surprise, after only a few words, the Khan summoned me. I suppose even if I hadn't come, you would have been free in a day or two at most.

"Thank you for your hard work." Qingwan knew that she must have tried every possible method to plan for them during this time.

"What do you mean by hardship? At least I'm free and well-informed, unlike you who are trapped here and know nothing."

Let me tell you what's been happening these past few days.

Qingwan nodded: "You may all leave. I want to speak with the princess."

"Yes."

Yi Huan will slowly recount what happened during these days.

On the fourth day of the ninth month, Kangxi first angrily denounced in an imperial edict, "He approaches the city every night and peeks into it through the cracks. I learned of this yesterday and originally wanted to stab him with a spear, but I couldn't bring myself to do it."

Later, he sent Yinzhi, Yinyou, and Yinxi to the temporary palace, while he left Yinzhen and Yinsi in the capital to handle affairs.

After the death of the Eighteenth Prince, Kangxi gathered together the princes, ministers and other officials who had accompanied him, led by Prince Jian Yarjiang. He then arrested the Crown Prince and made him kneel before him. Kangxi himself wept bitterly and recounted the Crown Prince's crimes over the years.

When he got to the heartbreaking part, he even slapped himself in the face in public and burst into tears.

Later, Kangxi appointed Yinzhi as the Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department to oversee important palace affairs, demonstrating Kangxi's high regard and trust in Yinzhi.

On September 16, Kangxi returned to Beijing. During the journey back, the Crown Prince was guarded by Yinzhi. After returning to Beijing, he was jointly guarded by Yinzhi and Yinzhen. The Crown Prince was imprisoned next to the Imperial Stables. On the 18th, Kangxi sent someone to report the matter of deposing the Crown Prince at the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Afterward, the Crown Prince was imprisoned in Xian'an Palace.

The eldest prince, who had long coveted the position of crown prince, whether out of madness or on purpose, pushed Yinzhi forward at this moment and even revealed that a fortune teller named Zhang Mingde had said that Yinzhi had the appearance of great nobility.

At this time, the struggle among Kangxi's sons was out in the open, especially Yinzhi, who did such a thing after Kangxi had just shown him trust and favor, which shocked and angered Kangxi.

The emperor intended to punish Yinzhi, but Yintang and Yinzhen intervened. Yintang even brought poison and invited Yinzhen to go with him to dissuade the emperor. Enraged, Kangxi drew his sword to kill Yinzhen, but Yinqi knelt down and stopped him. In the ensuing chaos, father, sons, and brothers were thrown into disarray. Yinzhi, who had just been appointed head of the Imperial Household Department, lost his position, and Yinzhen was later separated from his family and expelled from the palace.

Those close to the Crown Prince, such as Gerfen, son of Suoertu, were executed, and Fuldun, son of Maqi, was handed over by Kangxi to his father, who ordered him to be chained with nine iron chains and confined to his home.

As for Yinxiang, Kangxi said he would deal with him in another way, but it is unknown what that would be.

However, the eunuchs, guards, and servants who served Yinxiang were either dealt with or dismissed, leaving only a handful of people.

"I heard that my brother might be trapped in the courtyard of the Bee-Bee Alley," Yi Huan finally said. It is said that the Bee-Bee Alley was a hiding place for an emperor of the previous dynasty.

While listening to Yi Huan speak, Qing Wan was also thinking hard. After Yi Huan finished speaking, she said, "Has the princess heard any news about my father?"

“I’ve vaguely heard some things. It’s said that your father tried to speak up for your thirteenth brother, but after being reprimanded, he reported that he was ill.”

Qingwan nodded slightly.

Yi Huan continued, "I really don't know what Father Khan means by Thirteenth Brother. If the Crown Prince's crime is serious, Father Khan has seen him many times, but there's been no news of Thirteenth Brother."

Qingwan held Yihuan's hand, and she could feel Yihuan's anxiety: "It's alright, Princess, that's enough. I'll take care of the rest."

Yi Huan shook her head, her eyes red: "There's nothing I can do. If only I were a prince. At least I could speak up."

"At least the princess can see her father, the emperor."

Hearing Qingwan's slightly helpless words, Yihuan gradually calmed down: "I know my sister-in-law is going to see Father Khan next."

Others may choose not to go, but Qingwan cannot. Whether it is genuine or not, she must go. Even if Kangxi truly dislikes Yinxiang, it does not mean he can accept that Yinxiang has a wife who only seeks self-preservation, a wife whom he arranged to marry.

“I’m different from you all; I’m the only one who absolutely has to go,” Qingwan said.

“Sister-in-law, we are indeed different. I am Khan’s daughter, and also the daughter of the Mongols. I am a useful daughter. Even if I make Khan angry, my identity will not change.”

But you're different. You're just a daughter-in-law. If you anger your father, who can protect you? You also have children.

Although nothing has happened these days, what if your visit angers Father Khan?

"Don't worry," Qingwan comforted Yihuan. "If the Emperor wanted to take his anger out on me, he would have done so long ago. I was granted the title of Princess Consort by the Emperor, but I failed to advise the Thirteenth Prince, which angered the Emperor. This is already a crime in the eyes of outsiders."