De Fei Ran Wen

  After leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yin Zhen and Lin Qingyu went to the Cining Palace one after another.

  Still the same as before, Yin Zhen walked ahead, Lin Qingyu followed him at a distance of half a step. From the Palace of Heavenly Purity to the Palace of Compassion and Tranquility was not far away, passing by the Palace of Mental Cultivation and the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

  After walking through the long corridor, after passing the Longxing Gate, it was Cining Palace. After the eunuch's report, Yongzheng and his son entered Cining Palace.

  After the two finished their greetings, the Empress Dowager saw Lin Qingyu's pure and clear eyes, her small face was white and radiant like jade, with a plump and tender appearance. Compared to the average Manchu noblewoman, she was slightly shorter in stature, but her round and luminous complexion made her instantly likable. She smiled and pulled Lin Qingyu to sit beside her, asking warmly: "This is the new wife of the Fourth Prince, truly a fortunate and auspicious appearance!"

  Lin Qingyu sincerely wanted to wipe the sweat from her forehead, stood up and bowed respectfully, saying: "Thank you, Empress Dowager, for your praise."

  "Hurry up, hurry up! Why are you being so polite, kid? Sit down properly."

  "Yes!"

  Lin Qingyu stood up and then sat back down following the Empress's gesture.

  The Empress Dowager looked at Lin Qingyu with a blaming gaze, patted her hand, and said: "You are not only the wife of the fourth prince, but also the granddaughter-in-law of the Aixinjueluo family. Call me Grandmother!"

  "I dare not!"

  "What's there to be afraid of? When I say something, no one dares to blame you, just relax!"

  Lin Qingyu glanced at Yongzheng without leaving any trace, and when she saw Yongzheng nodding, she happily called out: "Huang Mama."

  "Oh, good kid!"

  The empress dowager sat in a higher position, watching all of this with a pleased expression on her face. Seeing her grandson and his wife getting along harmoniously made her feel extremely delighted!

  She did not want this child, whom she had taken a liking to at first sight, to follow in her own footsteps. As the legitimate wife who was neither liked nor respected by her husband, life was really tough! If it weren't for her aunt (so-called aunt, actually her mother-in-law, Empress Xiaozhuang) protecting her and having Hongli by her side, perhaps she would have become a pile of yellow earth long ago.

  A faint sadness flashed across her eyes, and then immediately returned to normal, so quickly that the people present did not notice. After chatting for a while, she smiled and asked her personal maid to bring up the red envelope.

  Yin Zan and Lin Qingyu led the way in thanking and bowing after receiving their rewards, then retreated.

  First went to the palace of Empress Xiaoyiren, the foster mother of Yongzheng, where a portrait of her had been enshrined since her death.

  Lin Qingyu has now entered the house, and naturally, Yunzheng will take her to burn incense and inform Empress Dowager about it. Nara Shizi had also gone through this ritual before.

  Yes, Yin Zhen always called Tong Jia Shi "E Niang" in his heart, his own E Niang. Unlike the title of Mother Empress which was everywhere, other princes also called her Tong Mu Fei.

  In his view, although Tong Jia's kindness to him was intentional, hoping that he would take care of some members of the Tong family in the future. However, she truly gave him a beautiful memory. Unlike... De Fei...

  At this point, Yongzheng's face, which had been calm as a mirror, also revealed a hint of sadness and distress. He thought back to when his mother passed away, and the words she said when she called him to her side.

  At that time, Tong Jia was newly crowned empress and lay in bed, clearly exhausted but still instructing her younger self.

  "Xiao Si (what Tong Jia's family calls you in private), Mother Empress will no longer be able to watch over you..."

  "Empress Dowager, don't say such things..." Xiao Yinzhuan hastily refuted.

  Tong Jia held her hand over Xiao Yun's mouth and said softly, "Xiao Si, listen to Mother Concubine finish speaking first." She stroked Xiao Yun's forehead before continuing, "Mother Concubine could have asked Brother-in-law to change your jade pendant, from then on you would truly be my son, Tong Jia Yue Ya. But Mother Concubine didn't do that, do you know why?"

  Yongzheng shook his head, looking somewhat downcast. From his lowered head, it was clear that this matter had dealt him a considerable blow. In his heart, he thought: Could it be that the Empress Dowager doesn't like me? His heart felt some distress.

  "You little fool, you're getting worked up again." Tong Jia Yu Ya stretched out her pale and thin hand, and tapped on Yongzheng's forehead, "The Empress Dowager is doing all this for our Fourth Brother."

  "Is that so?" Although Yongzheng didn't understand what the Empress Dowager meant, he did grasp the last sentence. He suddenly lifted his head and stared at Tong Jia Yu Ya with sparkling eyes.

  "Yes!" Tong Jia Yu Ya looked at her son in front of her, with bright and shining eyes, a warm and doting smile on her face. Yes, although she had initially adopted this child for herself, for the Tong family, but now she really did regard him as her own child.

  "Your Imperial Father and Empress Xiaoxian, Lady Heseri, were a young couple. Although it was a political marriage, the two had very good feelings after marriage. Lady Heseri... gentle, elegant, and talented, spent the days of Oboi's dictatorship with your Imperial Father, and managed the harem in an orderly manner, truly a 'virtuous wife'."

  "Your imperial father had deep feelings for her, they had two sons, unfortunately one of them died young, and she also passed away on the day she gave birth to Crown Prince Yongzheng due to a difficult labor. Your imperial father was extremely grieved, often missing her, and he paid great attention to his son, even raising him by his side since childhood. It's understandable that one would feel attached to something they've used for a long time, let alone a son raised for over ten years! The emotions are not comparable to ordinary people! Now, if your imperial father were to make me empress and you truly become my adopted son, as the legitimate son, it would threaten Yongzheng's position, and your imperial father would definitely suppress you. And you are the highest-ranking person after Yongzheng, once I'm gone, your situation will be extremely difficult."

  "Mother Empress..." Hearing such words that were meant for his own good, Yongzheng's tears flowed quietly downwards. There was no wailing or sobbing, just a quiet flow of tears that made one's heart ache even more.

  "Fourth younger brother, Empress Dowager doesn't care whether you have a liking for that position or not. However, there is one thing that Fourth younger brother must remember."

  "Your Majesty, please speak!"

  "Remember, you must not lay a hand on Yongzheng!" Tong Jia Yu Ya closed her eyes and said; "Xiao Si, after I'm gone, you'd better follow closely behind Yongzheng. One day, your Emperor Father will notice you."

  Lin Qingyu saw Yin Zhen fall into a reverie, silently standing behind him without speaking. The two of them finished burning incense in silence, then knocked their heads against the memorial tablet several times before quietly withdrawing.

  Lin Qingyu was standing on the high flower pot base, but she didn't feel tired at all. However, after walking through three palaces in a row, her forehead was covered with sweat beads.

  Yin Zan stopped and said in a rare gentle voice: "Xin Kuai Fu Jin, would you like to take a break?"

  "Thank you, sir. I'm fine now. My mother is still waiting for me." Lin Qingyu thanked Yongzheng with gratitude and then took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off her face.

  "Hmm, as long as I pay my respects to Mother and a few of the princesses, then go to the Crown Prince's palace to see all my brothers, I can head back home."

  Yongzheng finished speaking and led the way to the Yonghe Palace.

  Yonghe Palace is a two-courtyard temple, with its main gate facing south and named Yonghe Gate. The front courtyard's main hall is the Yonghe Palace itself, which has a facade of five bays, with three-bay-wide side wings, and a gable roof covered in yellow glazed tiles, with five animal-shaped ornaments on the ridge of the roof, and single-eave single-rafter five- purlin dougong brackets under the eaves, painted with dragon and phoenix designs and auspicious motifs.

  The two of them arrived at Yonghe Palace and were led by a palace maid towards the inner halls.

  A complex and profound light flashed across Yongzheng's eyes, Lin Qingyu followed behind him, lowering her head, feeling somewhat uncomfortable: his son came to visit with his new wife, but only let a nanny come to greet them, the mother-son relationship was actually so thin!

  She originally thought that De Fei, from a humble identity as an "official woman" responsible for serving tea and water, step by step rose to the position of mistress of Yonghe Palace, was not a simple person.

  But now it seems, nothing more than this!

  Inside the palace, there were many eyes and ears, yet she only sent one imperial nurse out. If this got out, people would definitely think that she was dissatisfied with the Emperor's arrangement of marriage!

  As one of Kangxi's four concubines, how could she have done such a muddled thing? Had she been stimulated by something?

  Lin Qingyu absolutely did not expect that her random guess would actually be true!

  De Fei heard that Yongzheng had come from Chengqian Palace before arriving at Yonghe Palace, and she immediately smashed the cup in her hand.

  Although in her heart, only her old fourteen was her son, and she never put Yongzheng in her eyes. However, even if she didn't put him in her eyes, he was also born from her own belly. If you want to pay your respects, you should come here first, but Yongzheng actually went to pay his respects to a dead person first, it's really hateful.

  Due to being stimulated, she momentarily lost her head and allowed a wet nurse to wait at the door, breaking the image of a kind mother that she had been maintaining externally.

  The empress, De Fei, was drinking tea in the main hall when she heard the eunuch announce the arrival of the Fourth Prince and his wife. A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she instructed the nurse beside her: "Let them come in!"

  After Lin Qingyu entered, she saw a woman in her forties wearing a light green cheongsam with embroidered orchids sitting on the windowsill kang, looking gentle and refined, as calm as a chrysanthemum.

  It was obvious that she was the mistress of this courtyard - De Fei. As one of the four consorts of Kangxi's harem, her body subtly exuded an air of elegance and nobility.

  Although it's not the first time she saw it, Lin Qingyu couldn't imagine that she would be the one to say "I appoint you as my successor, this is not what I had hoped for", such a ruthless and absolute words, really made her eyes wide with shock.