Chapter 17

Mid-August, a gentle drizzle brought a touch of coolness to the Forbidden City.

Tong Jiahe opened the window and saw dewdrops clinging to the pomegranate tree outside; the air carried a faint chill. The pomegranates on the tree were ripe; she had already had half picked yesterday by the kitchen staff, leaving the rest for their appearance.

Two baskets of pomegranates sat in the small kitchen. The young eunuchs eyed them greedily but dared not touch.

Chief Eunuch Zhang cast a stern glance over the half-grown boys under his charge, unusually serious in expression. "Not a single one of you is allowed to touch these. The Noble Consort in the main hall hasn’t decreed how to distribute them yet. If even one goes missing, your skins will be flayed."

These pomegranates would be ready to eat by mid-September, but the Noble Consort insisted on saving them for now. Chief Eunuch Zhang guessed that perhaps she intended to keep them for the Fourth Prince.

At the beginning of the month, news of the Fourth Prince’s return had already spread throughout the six palaces.

This time, with the Fourth Prince’s homecoming, the Noble Consort would surely cherish him like the apple of her eye, doting on him with utmost care.

Their small kitchen was not only to serve the Noble Consort but also to attend meticulously to the young master, the Fourth Prince.

In the palace, for a woman to endure, she needed offspring. Now that the Noble Consort had the prince by her side, everyone was motivated. If she could bear another son or a little princess in the future, the entire Chengqian Palace would have an even brighter future.

Inside the hall, Tong Jiahe was selecting garments to wear for her visit to Cining Palace. Today, by Emperor Kangxi’s decree, she was to go to Cining Palace to receive the Fourth Prince.

After two months of waiting, she had finally brought the Fourth Prince back. The Noble Consort’s wish was partially fulfilled, but the rest still required careful planning.

Months ago, Kangxi had hinted that the Fourth Prince would soon return. Cining Palace was only willing to release him now, likely because the Empress Dowager felt the Noble Consort had not yet fully atoned for neglecting the heir.

Once again, Tong Jiahe was going to receive instruction.

Though she had traveled the path to Cining Palace many times, she had never walked it so lightly as today.

—

Cining Palace.

Tong Jiahe greeted softly.

The Empress Dowager raised her eyes and saw the Noble Consort today dressed in a purple silk robe embroidered with floral patterns, her hair neatly pinned with golden hairpins—luxurious yet gentle in appearance.

“Rise, you used to favor fresh, bright colors, but now you can carry the deep purple with grace.”

Hearing the Empress Dowager’s words, Tong Jiahe was about to respond after sitting, but then prepared to stand again.

“Sit well and speak,” the Empress Dowager joked—rarely so—“lest others think I’m an old bone still bullying the young.”

Tong Jiahe smiled in return. “Your Majesty’s kindness is boundless. This is hardly bullying. The palace inside and out is full of praises for Your Majesty’s care.”

“Oh?” The Empress Dowager’s interest was piqued.

Elderly people always appreciate compliments, and she was no exception.

Tong Jiahe recounted some past praise from Consort Su Shu during their time together.

As expected, the Empress Dowager’s expression softened further.

The toys the Noble Consort had sent were so beloved that the Fourth Prince clung to them even in his sleep. Since childhood, he had loved dogs but was too young to keep one—such was the Noble Consort’s clever thoughtfulness, and thanks also to Su Shi’s skill.

The Empress Dowager sighed, “Your palace’s Su Shi is truly a good person to get along with—gentle and kind. Her rank should be promoted.”

Tong Jiahe counted on her fingers. Since the Empress Dowager said this, it was likely that by year’s end there would be a new edict.

Whether it would be only Su Shi who received a promotion or if the entire group would be elevated was still unknown.

The Empress Dowager sipped her tea, placed the cup steadily on the table, and began to explain: “The main positions in the palace are currently vacant. The Emperor and I intend to grant great promotions to the six palaces at the end of the year.”

—

Tong Jiahe was taken aback.

The last promotion had been in Kangxi’s sixteenth year, when Empress Xiaozhao, from the Niohuru clan, was elevated from consort to Empress. Tong Jiahe herself was Noble Consort, while several other secondary consorts were promoted to concubines.

The rank of Noble Consort was somewhat lower, giving voice in palace affairs but actual power was wielded by the Empress Dowager and the Empress.

The next step up would be Imperial Noble Consort, who rightfully commanded the six palaces.

The Noble Consort’s expression shifted repeatedly. The Empress Dowager knew she understood and smiled warmly.

“There’s seldom a perfect solution in this world. After the promotions next year, you will have to care for the Fourth Prince and manage palace affairs. It will be truly arduous.”

“The Fourth Prince is young and can’t be left alone. You’ve only just recovered from your illness; your body must be carefully tended. I suppose you’re too busy now. It might be best to keep the Fourth Prince at Cining Palace for a while longer, until you have palace affairs in order, then bring him back.”

Tong Jiahe’s heart trembled. To be promoted to Imperial Noble Consort and command the six palaces was certain. Yet the only uncertainty was the Fourth Prince.

The Empress Dowager’s words meant she had to choose between the title of Imperial Noble Consort and raising the Fourth Prince.

If she sacrificed the prince for the rank, Kangxi would be utterly disappointed and would never allow the Noble Consort to bear children again.

The chasm between Imperial Noble Consort and Empress remained vast.

Without hesitation, Tong Jiahe firmly said, “I have only been in the palace a few years. To be Noble Consort is already a grace from Your Majesty and the Emperor. Palace affairs are difficult for me. I beg you to have mercy and assign this task to another.”

The hall fell silent for a moment.

The Empress Dowager’s face darkened, her previous kindness gone. She said sternly, “As Noble Consort, you should share the Emperor’s burdens. How can you shirk palace affairs?”

Tong Jiahe’s heart skipped a beat. Had she misunderstood the Empress Dowager’s words and overcomplicated things?

After a moment, the Empress Dowager’s gaze grew tinged with regret. “Very well. Your constitution is weak, so fearing that palace work would harm your health is understandable. I will speak with the Emperor on your behalf.”

Tong Jiahe: …

So it was she who had oversimplified matters.

The Empress Dowager had presented a choice, then swiftly removed her from the dilemma. By the time she faced Kangxi, she could still earn goodwill—the Empress Dowager sympathizing with the Noble Consort’s inexperience, capriciousness, and ignorance.

Experience always wins.

“Noble Consort, do you know why I brought the Fourth Prince here to Cining Palace?”

The question left Tong Jiahe at a loss. In her memory, this was indeed the Noble Consort’s fault.

The Noble Consort’s feelings for the Fourth Prince were complicated—both fond and reluctant. Fond because he was a prince; reluctant because he was not her biological son.

Her decision to bring him to her palace to nurture had selfish motives: it kept the Emperor visiting Chengqian Palace more often, and there were rumors that raising a child could bring good fortune in childbirth.

“The Fourth Prince is the Emperor’s bloodline, yet in the middle of the night, he couldn’t even get a sip of warm water. Even if you were distracted and disheartened then, no servant should neglect him so.”

The Empress Dowager’s tone grew sharper, no longer gentle. “Noble Consort, knowing you are not skilled in raising children, neither I nor the Emperor would have entrusted the Fourth Prince to you otherwise. He is, after all, your child to raise. How could you be so careless?”

The words struck hard, and Tong Jiahe immediately rose to apologize.

“Enough, your body is frail. Sit down,” the Empress Dowager gestured to her trusted attendant, Su Malagu, to pour another cup of tea.

Tong Jiahe, the Emperor’s cousin, had not been summoned to be chastised but gently reminded.

Su Malagu was the Empress Dowager’s most trusted aide, brought from the Khorchin grasslands as a dowry maid. Having served decades in the palace, even Kangxi regarded her as almost an elder.

Tong Jiahe accepted the tea politely. “Thank you, Madam.”

After finishing her tea, Tong Jiahe spoke seriously, “Your Majesty, there is something I have pondered long and believe I should not conceal from you.”

“A few days ago, I sent someone to Cining Palace to deliver items to the Fourth Prince. The wet nurse reported that Consort De had come to visit the prince, but there was some displeasure.”

The Empress Dowager was momentarily unsure whether the Noble Consort was clever or foolish. Whether right or wrong was for the Emperor to judge. But since the Noble Consort brought it forward, she could not ignore it.

That day, the Empress Dowager had stayed with Tong Jiahe in the main hall because she felt unwell, so she did not allow Consort De to enter for greetings but instead went to see the Fourth Prince in the rear hall. The Noble Consort’s words suggested the matter was more complicated.

She nodded for Tong Jiahe to continue.

“Yinzhen wanted to play with his brother and reached out to touch the Sixth Prince’s face, but Consort De, protective of her child, immediately brushed Yinzhen’s hand away.”

Tong Jiahe’s tone grew flat, the smile on her lips fading. “A three-year-old child cannot withstand an adult’s strength; he was struck for no reason, cried sadly, and could not get close to the Sixth Prince.”

After speaking, Tong Jiahe lowered her eyes, appearing obedient and ready to let the Empress Dowager decide.

Knowing about the Fourth Prince being struck but not speaking was her dereliction of duty. Reporting it to the Emperor might lead to suspicions that the Empress Dowager was protecting Consort De.

Thus, entrusting the matter to the Empress Dowager was the wisest course.

Meanwhile, the Empress Dowager’s heart was heavy.

Consort De’s fierce maternal protectiveness was for the Sixth Prince, guarding against the rightful Fourth Prince. Although brothers by the same mother, her instinct revealed much.

Even if the Noble Consort could not yet bring the Fourth Prince home, he must never be left in Consort De’s care.

The Fourth Prince was precocious and keenly aware of others’ feelings toward him. The relationship between him and Consort De’s child could at best be civil from now on, nothing more.

The Noble Consort’s willingness to speak up was in defense of the Fourth Prince, even if mixed with some selfishness. Moreover, this incident had occurred at Cining Palace.

The Noble Consort had once failed to care properly for the Fourth Prince and had suffered for it. Now Consort De had beaten the Fourth Prince without cause and deserved reprimand. The Emperor had favored Consort De too much lately; this was a good opportunity to admonish her.

After a moment, the Empress Dowager said, “I will make this matter clear to the Emperor. You may return with the Fourth Prince.”

—

Back at Chengqian Palace, the Fourth Prince could hardly contain his joy.

He ran and jumped around the hall, finally tumbling into Tong Jiahe’s arms, acting spoiled. “Mother Tong, Yinzhen still wants to eat those fried little fish from before.”

Tong Jiahe wiped the sweat from his forehead, smiling. “The kitchen has already prepared them for you. Let the wet nurse take you to wash your hands first, then we’ll eat in a little while, alright?”

Yinzhen nodded repeatedly, wearing a satisfied smile.

He had finally returned to Chengqian Palace, back by Mother Tong’s side.

After the Fourth Prince left, Tong Jiahe suppressed her smile. He was only three years old, yet Consort De was already wary of him. What would things be like when he grew up?

Moreover, their paths were destined to diverge.

Tong Jiahe summoned He Wailu and instructed, “From now on, dismiss anyone from Yonghe Palace immediately. Do not allow a single one in.”

Emperor Kangxi’s harem was vast, but early on, high-ranking consorts were few and scattered. The gap between the Noble Consort and concubines was immense. Though Consort De was favored, she dared not offend lightly.

Reborn into this life, Tong Jiahe would not naïvely resign herself to a quiet existence in Chengqian Palace. This was not the choice of the original Noble Consort, nor was it the life she desired.

An innocent man suffers for having a precious jewel.

She was the Noble Consort, holding high rank and raising a prince. Even if she did not seek power, power would come to her.

This lifetime, she would ascend to lead Kunning Palace. Even if she could not enter Kunning, she would gradually transform Chengqian Palace into Kunning Palace.