Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

The summer evening was the most pleasant time of day. The heat had gradually dissipated, and a soft evening breeze rustled through the trees, making one feel refreshed inside and out.

The sun had set behind the palace walls, and the young eunuchs were bustling about, lighting lanterns with long bamboo poles. Cheng Wanyun had the dinner table set under the grape arbor. Eunuch Zheng, after watching her once, had already mastered how to use the skewers to flip the octopus balls. With over 30 years of experience, the old master produced results far superior to hers.

Cheng Wanyun served a plate of octopus balls each to Yinreng and the young prince, instructing the prince’s wet nurse to cut them open and let them cool before feeding him.

The kitchen also brought out three bowls of zhajiang noodles, a plate of fried soybeans, and a roasted duck. Thin pancakes were served with the duck to be rolled up and dipped in sauce, creating a deliciously unique flavor.

During summer, Cheng Wanyun had little appetite for hot soups or meals. Yinreng knew she only prepared these dishes to avoid eating properly. However, he didn’t have much appetite himself today. So, when Wanyun eagerly handed him a duck wrap, he shot her a mock glare.

Beneath the table, he felt a light nudge against his foot. Recognizing whose mischief it was, Yinreng looked up, only to meet Wanyun’s playful, smiling gaze.

His face turned bright red, all the way to his neck.

What a menace! Wanyun had been teasing him more boldly ever since becoming pregnant. Yinreng sighed inwardly, realizing he’d have to dig out his copy of ‘Pure Thoughts Sutra’ again.

Yinreng, having already eaten a plate of octopus balls, was about three-quarters full. He only took a few bites of duck and half a bowl of noodles before turning his attention to watch E Linzhu eat.

Cheng Wanyun had instructed Mama Geng to bring out E Linzhu’s highchair, letting her sit and eat on her own. Tonight’s menu for the little one included minced meat porridge, boiled corn segments, beef ribs, stir-fried bean sprouts, lotus root and peanut rib soup, and half an apple.

The food was neatly arranged on a custom bunny-shaped plate, with the soup bowl securely fixed in a rounded groove on the highchair’s tray, preventing spills. Everything had been cooled to a safe, warm temperature, allowing E Linzhu to eat by herself without worry.

Yinreng observed his chubby, fair daughter sitting upright in her chair. Her hair was tied into little pigtails adorned with two silk butterflies. She wore a red silk dress embroidered with colorful butterflies and a bib stitched with the words “I love eating.” Her big, twinkling eyes looked around, smiling at everyone.

Yinreng firmly believed that even if his eldest brother’s four daughters were tied together, they couldn’t compare to the charm and beauty of his own little one.

E Linzhu was already adept at using her tiny spoon and fork to scoop up food. Watching her small fist carefully grip the spoon handle and eat with such effort brought an uncontrollable smile to Yinreng’s face.

Cheng Wanyun had custom-made wooden spoons and forks for E Linzhu, which were meticulously polished to be smooth and delicate. She even designed children’s training chopsticks and had the Imperial Workshop craft them, planning to let E Linzhu use them when she’s older next year.

Watching E Linzhu eat was quite amusing. Recently, Yinreng enjoyed observing his daughter during mealtime. She would decide the order in which to eat her food. He noticed she liked to save the meat for last—starting with the corn, then moving on to the porridge and soup. She’d scrunch up her little face while eating vegetables, leaving plenty of time to savor her braised beef ribs at the end.

Wanyun had her own unique methods for raising children. She insisted that E Linzhu finish her meals at the dining table. If she fussed or refused to eat, Wanyun would remove her from the highchair, have the table cleared, and strictly forbid Mama Geng from offering any snacks later.

If E Linzhu showed signs of being picky or avoided eating vegetables, Wanyun would say, “If you don’t finish your vegetables, there won’t be any meat next time.” When E Linzhu stubbornly refused to believe it, Wanyun followed through. No matter how much she cried, Wanyun held firm. Eventually, E Linzhu learned to eat her vegetables.

The first time Yinreng witnessed this approach, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for his crying daughter and tried to comfort her. But Wanyun sternly stopped him. “Children need to develop good habits from an early age. If you let her get away with it now, it will be impossible to correct her behavior when she grows older.”

Yinreng had to admit she had a point. He held back for a few days, and to his amazement, E Linzhu really became more obedient and accepting. Compared to other young princes and princesses who had to be coaxed and chased around by wet nurses just to eat a bite, E Linzhu—who ate independently—was clearly healthier and more energetic.

Now, she could even solve a nine-ring puzzle!

Yinreng fully appreciated the benefits of Wanyun’s parenting methods. For example, he observed Akedun sitting in his nurse’s arms during the meal. Upon noticing his much younger sister using a spoon by herself, Akedun insisted on trying as well. However, his clumsy attempts ended with soup and rice scattered all over the table and floor, making the difference between them starkly obvious.

Yinreng remarked, “In the future, I’ll have Akedun’s wet nurse bring him over here to play often. If you have time, please keep an eye on him. Even though he’s attended to by the servants, it’s still pitiful that he doesn’t have a mother to care for him…”

Yinreng himself was frequently away for extended periods, accompanying the Emperor. Though he claimed to personally raise the boy, this mostly meant inquiring about his daily routine and occasionally sharing a meal. For the most part, Akedun was surrounded by eunuchs, maids, and nurses, with Tang Gege occasionally helping to oversee the management of his courtyard.

Yinreng indeed felt guilty toward his eldest son and pitied him for being born without a mother…

Cheng Wanyun knew that the Crown Prince had been touched by the sight of his eldest son, which reopened an emotional wound. She had originally planned to decline, but when she saw Akedun clumsily scoop a few beans to feed E Linzhu, her heart softened.

“Look at what the Crown Prince is saying. Akedun is E Linzhu’s older brother. What’s the big deal with siblings playing together? I’m just a lowly gege with little experience, and I don’t dare take on the responsibility of looking after the eldest prince. Please don’t blame me, Your Highness,” Cheng Wanyun said as she stood up and bowed.

Although she was usually very close to the Crown Prince and sometimes even acted playfully without strict etiquette, there were times when it was important to clarify principles. She was concerned that if the Crown Princess came into the picture, she would be uncomfortable knowing that Cheng Wanyun had taken care of the Crown Prince’s eldest son.

“Get up, what are you doing with your condition?” Yinreng said, a little irritated. He shot Cheng Wanyun a glare and then directed his frustration at the nearby servants, “What are you all doing, standing around like statues? Help the gege up!”

He was annoyed that Cheng Wanyun was being distant with him. Could he not think of these things? He never planned for Cheng Wanyun to raise Akedun; he wasn’t that foolish.

But at the same time, Yinreng couldn’t stay angry because Cheng Wanyun’s actions were conscientious. He should feel reassured by this. If it were someone else, they would probably be all smiles and gratitude by now, but Cheng Wanyun knew her boundaries and behaved with understanding. The palace was full of people who only cared about climbing the ranks, but it lacked someone like Cheng Wanyun, who stayed true to her heart.

After this brief exchange, Yinreng remained silent, but he noticed Cheng Wanyun cautiously glancing at him several times. The more she did, the more he kept a stern face. ‘Who told her to be distant with him over such a matter? She deserved a little scare!’

After dinner, Cheng Wanyun hurriedly came to take his arm, and Yinreng couldn’t help but smile, unable to keep up the serious act any longer.

“I knew you were pretending!” Cheng Wanyun huffed, puffing out her cheeks in mock anger.

Yinreng snorted. “Who told you to say those things? You don’t trust me? How could I ever push you into a dangerous situation?”

Cheng Wanyun shook his arm and spoke softly, “My lord, I wasn’t being distant with you. But there were so many people around just now. I had to clarify everything, or else things might get misunderstood. Don’t you agree?”

Yinreng wasn’t really angry. He carefully helped Cheng Wanyun step over the threshold and smiled. “Alright, alright. You’re so clever.”

The two children hadn’t followed them in. They were playing on the slide with the wet nurse and eunuchs, and the sounds of Akedun and E Linzhu’s high-pitched laughter echoed through the window.

Not long later, E Linzhu’s clear voice rang out, calling, “Pigeon, pigeon! Wait!” Yinreng listened for a while, and then finally understood she was calling out to Akedun, telling him to wait.

Yinreng and Cheng Wanyun were sitting side by side in the room, talking. Qingxing had just finished serving tea and quickly withdrew, treading quietly.

Cheng Wanyun leisurely shared amusing stories about E Linzhu, like how she accidentally bit into the wooden piece she used for brewing tea, making a sour face like a little old lady. She also mentioned what she had been doing lately—she had set up a new creek tank for her turtles, planting sweet flag and water myrtle, arranging creek stones, and now the turtles could enjoy a peaceful life without the nuisance of the cats.

Yinreng listened attentively, not feeling impatient. He didn’t think that trivial daily matters had nothing to do with him. In fact, he found himself enjoying such peaceful moments every day.

The warm light of the lamp, Cheng Wanyun sitting beside him working on her needlework, calmly telling him what she had done and what she planned to do—it felt as if time itself had paused, giving him a deep sense of peace.

She then spoke about her family. After both of her younger sisters had failed the selection, Madam Wu had already asked E Chu’s Wife to help look for good matches for them. But they were still in the process of casting a wide net. Madam Wu wanted to wait until Huai Zhang finished the provincial exam and the results were released before selecting a suitable husband.

Because of the large national exam this year, the provincial exam would be held on September 20, about a month from now. If Huai Zhang did well and passed the exam, the two younger sisters could also benefit from his success and marry into better families.

Yinreng smiled and said, “Perhaps Madam Cheng should wait a little longer. The younger sisters of successful candidates are everywhere in the capital, but your family has something to look forward to soon. The two Cheng girls may be able to marry into even higher-status families.”

Cheng Wanyun was shocked. What did the Crown Prince mean? Could it be that her foolish father was going to get a promotion?

She hadn’t expected it to involve her, so she carefully said, “Your Highness, my father sometimes acts foolishly. Would you like to… take another look?”

A rapid promotion is a great thing for someone talented; it allows them to fully showcase their abilities. But for Master Cheng, someone who wasn’t up to the task, getting promoted too quickly could lead to trouble, as he wouldn’t be able to hold onto his position.

“It’s not about him.” Yinreng realized she had misunderstood and smiled broadly. “Your father would at least need to spend two or three years working in the Ministry of Revenue before being considered for a promotion. I wasn’t talking about him.”

Cheng Wanyun pondered this, wondering what good news her family might have. Could it be that Huai Jing had become successful? But he seemed to still be practicing at the martial arts academy, planning to try his hand at the military exams in the future.

Seeing her deep in thought, Yinreng suddenly found her concentration amusing. He didn’t want to spoil her fun and just smiled, pointing to the sewing basket beside her. “Make a few more pairs of insoles in the next few days. Make them well, and I’ll have He Baozhong provide you with the shoe samples. It would be best if you could finish them in the next couple of days.”

Cheng Wanyun thought he was talking about making them for the Crown Prince, without suspecting anything. She nodded and agreed, “Your Highness, are you going out?”

Yinreng tried to suppress his laughter. “I will be going out soon, but not for this. Just make them, and don’t worry about anything else.”

The Korean envoys had brought more tribute again, and Kangxi was tired of meeting them. Every year they brought scraps of cloth and seaweed. One year, they even sent two “beauties,” but when they arrived, Kangxi was enraged. The two women had large faces, small eyes, and flat noses, and were very dark-skinned. He thought the Koreans were crazy to send such disrespectful gifts!

When the Imperial Household Department informed him, the Korean envoys cried, saying they had carefully selected the “beauties” with all their national resources. The women were more beautiful than any concubines in the Korean royal palace, and there was no disrespect intended!

Kangxi was in despair. He ordered the envoys to take the women back immediately and never send such disgraceful gifts again! From now on, just send more cloth and seaweed—at least that looked more acceptable. He pinched his nose to accept their offerings, and sometimes even had to reward them with porcelain and silk. It was a bad deal, and he was losing money. So, he sent Yinreng and the Third Prince to meet the envoys, check the tribute, and quickly send them away!

Yinreng figured that handling the matters at the Imperial Household Department would only take a day or two, so he didn’t think much of it. Instead, he focused more on choosing the auspicious day for Cheng Wanyun’s title bestowment.

The Imperial Astronomy Department provided three dates: the first day of the tenth month, the second day of the eleventh month, and the fifteenth day of the twelfth month.

Yinreng thought the first day of the tenth month was a bit rushed—Mid-Autumn Festival would soon be over, and they would be nearing October. It would be hard to make the side consort’s crown and robes look good if they were hurriedly produced. The fifteenth day of the twelfth month was almost near the New Year, and the Imperial Household Department would likely not be focused on this matter, so it wouldn’t be well done either.

That left only the second day of the eleventh month. Yinreng had He Baozhong bring the Wan Nian calendar, and after personally flipping through it, he felt it was perfect. It aligned well with Cheng Wanyun’s astrological signs, and it was marked as a day that was “suitable for all matters.”

If they waited any longer, they’d have to choose a date after the New Year. By then, Cheng Wanyun would be heavily pregnant, and the side consort’s ceremonial robes wouldn’t look as good on her. Plus, she would have to kneel to receive the edict, which would be exhausting for her.

Yinreng hadn’t forgotten that when E Linzhu was about to be born, it was just after the New Year. He often heard Cheng Wanyun lamenting how, because her belly was so large, her New Year’s clothes had been wasted. She didn’t look good in anything anymore.

The title of side concubine was hard-earned, and he wanted Cheng Wanyun to receive it in a grand and beautiful manner.

After thinking it over, Yinreng chose the second day of the eleventh month. Since Kangxi had previously mentioned that Liu Gege from the Fifth Prince’s household would also be granted a title, and the Fifth Prince listened to the Crown Prince, both families would settle on this date.

Afterward, Yinreng carefully read through the several drafts of the official titles written by the Hanlin Academy. He noticed areas that could be improved and personally revised them. When the drafts were returned to the Hanlin Academy, the officials were shocked to see them covered in red corrections. “Goodness… the Crown Prince has corrected every single word!”

Fortunately, the Qing Dynasty didn’t use punctuation, or else the Crown Prince might have even corrected those!

The Hanlin Academy scholars who had written the drafts were on the verge of tears. “Why didn’t we just let the Crown Prince write it himself? A small title document has been altered beyond recognition! How can we face the world again? Woe is us…”

Because of the Crown Prince’s sense of humor, Cheng Wanyun actually found out later than Master Cheng. After all, once the date was set, the Imperial Household Department and the Hanlin Academy had already started preparing early. Master Cheng, who had been going to the Ministry of Revenue every day, kept receiving congratulations from colleagues who were in the know. Even his superiors, who had once tricked him, were suddenly cordial, pulling him aside to chat as if they had suddenly become long-lost friends.

During these days, Master Cheng was preoccupied with his eldest son, Huai Zhang, who had entered the examination hall. His mind was elsewhere. When others congratulated him, he found himself thinking about whether his son’s goji berries in the thermos were enough. He should have packed more, he thought. He didn’t realize what was happening around him, even when being praised by others, until he heard the news of his eldest daughter’s promotion from a colleague.

He was somewhat dazed, and when it was time to leave the office, he felt as if he were walking on cotton as he made his way home. He happened to run into Madam Wu, who was beaming with joy and standing at the door to send E Chu’s Wife off in a carriage. She had clearly heard the news from E Chu’s Wife.

Madam Wu smiled and curtsied to Master Cheng. “Congratulations, Master! Our eldest daughter has finally made it!”

Master Cheng muttered, “Should I… should I send Old Ding to check the Cheng family’s ancestral grave in Huizhou?”

“Master? Master? What are you saying?” Madam Wu saw Master Cheng staring blankly and muttering to himself, unsure of what he was talking about. She couldn’t help but walk over and pat him on the shoulder.

Master Cheng, still in a daze, muttered, “Have Old Ding check if someone lit firecrackers at our ancestral grave…”

“I think you’ve been blasted by firecrackers!” Madam Wu couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She ignored him and turned to go into the house.

Cheng Wanyun started to realize that her promotion might be true when the Internal Affairs Bureau suddenly came to take her measurements for clothes. Why would they be making clothes at this time of year, outside of any festivals? They even measured her head circumference—was that for a hat? And two old maids came to explain all the rules and protocols to her.

It took her a moment to realize what was happening, and then she remembered the shoe samples that He Baozhong had brought her. She stared at them and counted the toes on the dragon design—one, two, three, four, five… five toes!

Well, this wasn’t for the Crown Prince!

It was her own fault for not paying attention before and not carefully examining the shoe samples. The Crown Prince’s shoe size was the same as Kangxi’s. How could she argue about that? Had there been any differences, she would have figured it out.

But still, Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help feeling pleased.

So quietly, without any fanfare, she was getting promoted!

Being a side Concubine was different from being a concubine! She wouldn’t have to worry about being treated like a plaything, like Yang Gege, who “passed away” from illness! Look at Side Concubine Li—she was still alive and well, even practicing Buddhist rituals! That’s the difference!

Cheng Wanyun truly felt grateful to the Crown Prince now.

As she was thinking about how to repay him, news finally reached Yinzhi, who had been out of the palace for several days. He had heard about the Crown Prince leading the Emperor’s eldest grandson to the Qianqing Palace, where the Emperor himself personally escorted them out.

Since leaving the palace to set up his own residence, Yinzhi felt comfortable but disconnected from the world. He still had to submit a request to enter the palace, and if the Emperor didn’t wish to see him, he was turned away. He had no way of changing that. Plus, his mother hadn’t sent any messages in days, and he began to feel that leaving the palace so early might not have been a wise decision after all.

So when his trusted servant brought him the news, he immediately stood up, shocked!

How could the Emperor be so affectionate toward the Crown Prince? Holding the Crown Prince’s hand with one hand and the eldest grandson’s hand with the other…

The more Yinzhi thought about it, the more uneasy he became. Did this mean the “empty horse stipend” plan they had set up might backfire and hurt them?

Along with his surprise and anger, Yinzhi also felt a pang of jealousy.

That bastard, the second son! He was clearly taking advantage of the fact that Yinzhi didn’t have a son! If one of his four daughters had been a son, they would’ve overshadowed the Crown Prince’s son! It was infuriating!

Yinzhi had initially blamed his consort for not giving him a son, only daughters. But now, even when he replaced her with other concubines, all he got were more daughters. In the end, he had to go back to his first consort’s room and try harder. Sadly, after so much effort, the Crown Prince’s concubine was already pregnant, and his own eldest consort showed no signs of having a child.

Yinzhi grew angrier the more he thought about it, and he shouted at his trusted aide, “Bring me the request token! I want to go to the palace and see my mother!”

The aide, shrinking his neck, nervously relayed Concubine Hui’s instructions: “Your Majesty, the Concubine has asked that you take your family to the country estate for a few days and not enter the palace for now. It’s not peaceful at the moment…”

After hearing this, Yinzhi became calmer and pondered for a moment before replying, “I can’t just hide away like this and let my mother bear the burden in the palace. What kind of person would I be? Let’s go, bring the carriage to Nalan’s residence.”

The aide shrank back even more, “The Prime Minister says you’re not allowed to visit him. He wants you to stay at home and focus on reading; he’s already working on a plan.”

Yinzhi kicked over a table in anger and said furiously, “This is ridiculous! Why should I always be the one to hide? I don’t believe it—everything’s clearly written in black and white, and the Emperor still insists on covering for the Crown Prince! Chief Steward Ling is clearly just collecting wealth for him!”

The aide had no choice but to quickly recite what Mingzhu had told him to say when the young master was angry: “My lord, please don’t be upset. The Prime Minister also instructed us to keep a low profile during this time and avoid giving the Emperor any reason to find fault. But we can’t just sit back and do nothing. The Prime Minister also mentioned that the Empress still has the Eighth Prince in the palace… he suggested you push him forward…”

Yinzhi stopped his destructive behavior and took a deep breath, sitting back down on the Eight Immortals chair, his face cold. “The Eighth Prince? He’s just a half-grown boy, and with his mother being a slave, the Emperor never thinks much of him. What can he do?”

The aide smiled and bent down to whisper in Yinzhi’s ear, “…According to the Prime Minister, the Emperor values sibling relationships greatly. If you do this, the Emperor won’t pursue this matter any further.”

Mingzhu had never supported their plot against the Crown Prince. He had sent several letters to the Empress and Yinzhi, urging them not to act impulsively. But neither Yinzhi nor Concubine Hui had listened, whether it was to remain quiet or to be patient.

Yinzhi had been overjoyed at the opportunity and didn’t want to miss it, so he ignored the advice. Who would have known…? Yinzhi’s face darkened as he thought about how, after leaving the palace and establishing his residence, he still had no title. He had no idea what the future would hold if he didn’t fight for something now. The Emperor had withheld titles from him and the Third Prince, all for the sake of the Crown Prince. But in the end, they had only become stepping stones for the Crown Prince!

This time, however, he could see that he would lose out, so he had no choice but to agree for now.

Soon, Kangxi issued his decision on the “empty horse stipend” case. The petition had been “kept in the middle” for over half a month, and the final decision was so shocking that it left everyone stunned.

Along with this news, another major event related to the Crown Princess, Shi, broke. Shi Wenbing, due to his eldest daughter being named Crown Princess, had hurried from Fuzhou to the capital. However, when he arrived in the capital, all that awaited was the fluttering of mourning flags and a dark coffin.

He had passed away from illness during his journey to the capital.