Chapter 151: Dispute (Late Night)

After Emperor Kangxi issued a decree commanding all the princes to renovate the gardens, it seemed as if, to spur them on, he himself gathered a group of concubines and moved into Changchun Garden.

Although the other princes were not particularly pleased upon hearing this news, the Ninth Prince was in good spirits. His cheerfulness mainly stemmed from Yan Yan’s delight, who hummed little tunes every day, filling their lives with joy. Even the three little ones had begun to babble along, chiming in with a few notes.

At this stage, all three children were learning to speak, and the one with the greatest linguistic talent was Sweetheart. Though not even a year and a half old, she often uttered amusing phrases that brought hearty laughter to everyone. Moreover, Sweetheart was the one whom her father and mother called most clearly, naturally capturing all of the Ninth Prince’s attention.

It is often said in later times that a father’s love for his daughter knows no bounds. Observing the Ninth Prince’s affection for Sweetheart, Yan Yan could not help but think that he would surely become a doting father, indulging his daughter without limit.

However, at the moment, Yan Yan had no time to ponder the Ninth Prince’s fondness for Sweetheart. Her sole focus was to resolutely carry out Kangxi’s decree by persuading the Ninth Prince to move to the garden, so she could finally leave behind the stifling atmosphere of the Ninth Prince’s mansion.

In truth, Yan Yan felt she embodied the typical mindset of a powerless concubine from a later era—unable to compete with the primary wife, she sought peace in separation. She often gazed at the Ninth Prince, lost in thought, lamenting her unfortunate timing with a wistful regret that she wished they had met before marriage—or rather, before he took a wife.

Noticing Yan Yan’s dazed expression, the Ninth Prince waved his hand and said, “What are you thinking about? Didn’t you want to move to the garden? Hurry up and pack your things!” Yan Yan immediately snapped back to reality, shoved her dismal thoughts aside, and busily set about packing.

Because of Yan Yan’s eagerness, the Ninth Prince was likely the first among the brothers to begin tidying the garden. Even though Kangxi’s decree seemed somewhat whimsical, it did not trouble him. Nearly everything in the Cai Xia Garden had been arranged; all that remained was for Yan Yan to move in.

As Yan Yan enthusiastically packed, Cui’er suddenly entered and announced, “Young Master, the secondary consort and the Eighth Consort have arrived.” Yan Yan paused, glanced at the Ninth Prince, and her expression shifted oddly.

The Ninth Prince hummed quietly, “Go on and pack your things!” Yan Yan responded with a mischievous smile, snapped to attention, and saluted, “Yes, sir!” before dashing upstairs.

Hongzheng and Hongzhang, playing nearby, found Yan Yan’s behavior amusing. They ran up to the Ninth Prince, imitating her, raising their little arms and saying, “Yes, sir!” The Ninth Prince laughed heartily, scooped up Hongzheng, and tossed him playfully into the air.

Hongzhang immediately clutched at the Ninth Prince’s robe, his childish voice stammering, “Me, me, me!” The Ninth Prince smiled, put Hongzheng down, and lifted Hongzhang, making the boy giggle uncontrollably.

Just then, Lady Dong’e and the Eighth Consort entered, witnessing this tender scene of a loving father and sons. The Eighth Consort sneered, “Cousin really lives a comfortable life!” The Ninth Prince handed Hongzheng and Hongzhang over to their nanny and looked at the Eighth Consort with a leisurely smile. “What breeze brings you here, cousin?”

The Eighth Consort made herself at home, sitting down and smiling, “Cousin, your words wound me. When you were ill, I eagerly came to visit. If it weren’t for your secondary consort blocking me, I might have been by your side when you woke.”

The Ninth Prince gave a faint smile. “I appreciate your kindness, cousin.” Seeing that he skillfully dodged mentioning Yan Yan’s faults, the Eighth Consort’s scorn deepened. She bluntly asked, “Cousin, when do you plan to move to the garden as His Majesty ordered? I want to arrange to accompany you on the road with the Ninth Prince’s wife.”

The Ninth Prince smiled softly, speaking with a tone of gentle admonition, “Cousin, you still haven’t outgrown your playful ways. You do know that Mrs. Zhang is due to give birth in a few months—this is the Eighth Prince’s first heir. Surely this deserves your attention. And hasn’t Lady Mao also become pregnant? If I were you, I’d stay in the capital to care for them both. Lady Dong’e can’t leave the mansion either; you two would keep each other company.”

The Eighth Consort’s face flushed with anger and frustration. She glared at the Ninth Prince and said, “Cousin, not everyone is as mild-tempered as the Ninth Prince’s wife. It’s just a child born to a concubine; why should I bother?”

The Ninth Prince smiled again, his voice slow and deliberate, “Indeed, it’s just a matter of childbirth…” Though he spoke vaguely, his expression clearly mocked the Eighth Consort’s inability to bear children.

Furious, she rose and snapped, “Cousin, you—” Lady Dong’e quickly intervened, “Enough, enough. You’ve all grown up together. Why let this ruin your relationship? I just received some fine silk; Eighth Sister, come with me to have a look.”

With that, Lady Dong’e hastily bowed to the Ninth Prince and led the Eighth Consort out of Qimeng Garden. The moment outside, the Eighth Consort broke free from Lady Dong’e’s grasp and scowled, “Ninth Prince’s wife, what can I say? Look at cousin now—how do you expect to live in this mansion?”

Lady Dong’e sighed deeply, “I know Eighth Sister worries for me, but you see his current state—what more can I say? It’s best to maintain some dignity while we still get along.”

The Eighth Consort snapped back, “You refused to set boundaries before; now that cousin insists on protecting her, you’ve lost your advantage. When they move to the garden and live elsewhere, you’ll be left alone in the empty house.”

Lady Dong’e sighed again, fully aware that the Eighth Consort’s words were true. Yet changing the situation was no easy task. Confrontation would only bring more humiliation.

Seeing Lady Dong’e so distressed, the Eighth Consort softened her tone and counselled earnestly, “You can’t stay like this. After all, Consort Yi still supports you. When you visit the palace to pay respects, you should speak up for yourself. If you bottle up all your suffering, who will know?”

Touched by these words, Lady Dong’e began to weep and grasped the Eighth Consort’s hand. “You know well I have no favor with my mother. I truly have no way to speak up.”

The Eighth Consort wiped away the tears and chided gently, “You’re such a coward.” Then she straightened her face, eyes flashing steel, and said, “Enough. Don’t worry about this now. When you go to the palace, you must make your case to Consort Yi.”