Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Wen Shan watched Yinsi calmly...

Wen Shan felt both expected and unfamiliar watching Yinsi's composure.

Yinsi had always been sweet and sweet in her presence, a very lovable child. Although she had previously considered him precocious, he would also act coquettishly and playfully to cheer her up when they were together.

But now, Wen Shan had a fleeting vision of the masterful and cunning Eighth Wise Prince.

But upon closer inspection, wasn't this still the little son she had spent every day with, feeding, changing diapers, and raising with her own hands?

Though Yinsi appeared calm and composed, a thin layer of sweat formed on his palms and back.

Mother... would he scare her? Would she still accept him?

Unexpectedly, Wen Shan was stunned for a moment before slowly saying, "I understand."

"Okay, Mother, I got it. Hurry and get some quilts and go to sleep."

Wen Shan saw Yinsi sitting in his thin pajamas and quickly tucked him in. "Don't kick the quilt off. It's so cold, you'll catch a cold and that'll be troublesome."

Although the heater was on, it was still necessary to stay warm in this freezing weather.

Yinsi listened to Wen Shan's usual nagging instructions, blinking as she tucked him into the warm bed.

"Mother, don't you have anything to ask me?" Yinsi asked.

He had braced himself for interrogation, but Mother seemed unconcerned.

"Talk to you after you wake up." Wen Shan caressed his head and said softly, "If you don't take a nap in the afternoon, you'll be like a frost-bitten eggplant in the afternoon. Go to sleep now."

Since Yinsi was here and couldn't escape, it was best to let the child sleep first. It was a good time for her to sort out these things.

"Mother, in this situation... it's hard for me to sleep." Yinsi felt a little helpless. He was still apprehensive after dropping such a big news, so how could he just fall asleep with such a carefree mind?

Wen Shan, reflecting on the situation, helped Yinsi put on some clothes and helped him sit up.

"First of all, is your fourth brother okay?" Wen Shan thought for a moment and asked cautiously.

Yinzhen was also a very smart child. Besides, his two sons were both reborn, so the three of them were definitely from the same family.

Yinsi shook his head, "Fourth brother is fine."

Wen Shan breathed a sigh of relief, then leaned closer, mysteriously, "Then Mother will tell you a secret, only the two of us know."

"Mother is from the future, from... the future when the Qing Dynasty has already fallen."

Yinsi's eyes widened. What had Mother just said?!

What future?

What about the fall of the Qing Dynasty?

To spare Yinsi's young heart the shock, Da Wenshan even considered not telling him that in her time, not only had the Qing Dynasty vanished, but even the emperor had vanished.

Dynasties had been commonplace for millennia, and the Qing dynasty couldn't possibly have lasted forever. So Yinsi, with a mild sigh, accepted the Qing's demise with relative ease, not questioning the reason. After all, knowing such a thing would be disheartening. He simply wanted to live a comfortable life, leaving these headaches to his fourth brother.

He thought to himself, no wonder his mother had changed so much in this life, and the situation in the palace was completely different. Many of the questions that had troubled Yinsi now had answers.

It turned out that his mother, like him, wasn't originally from this world.

Yinsi felt strangely happy, as if a secret yet strong bond had been formed between him and his mother.

Yinsi paused for a moment before asking, "Mother, you also know about what happened between me and my fourth brother, right?"

"The Nine Dragons' Struggle for the Succession? It's very famous in later generations, the Eighth Wise Prince." Wenshan had fully recovered, now smiling and joking with Yinsi.

As expected, Yinsi blushed. "Mother, that's just nonsense from the court officials."

Yinsi had arrived here after his death in confinement in the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign, and knew nothing of what happened afterward. Now, knowing Wenshan was from the future, he pestered her about what had happened. After

learning from Wenshan that his fourth brother had died after only thirteen years on the throne, Yinsi remained silent for a long moment.

In his previous life, he would have celebrated with gongs and drums, but now he couldn't rejoice.

In reality, his fourth brother was a deeply compassionate man, deeply devoted to those he approved of, as evidenced by the way the Thirteenth Prince was treated by his father.

As for his enemies, like Yinsi, well... he was also completely devoted, but only in a physical sense. He

had a clear distinction between love and hate, and a strong personality that could not tolerate any injustice.

This could be vaguely seen in the way his fourth brother behaved when he was still a child.

Yinsi, who had already been with Yinzhen for a year, had already quietly changed his attitude towards him under Yinzhen's daily care and companionship.

"I was wondering why you were so rude to your brother when you first arrived at Xianfu Palace. So you were holding a grudge," Wen Shan recalled Yinsi's various "evil deeds" towards Yinzhen upon his arrival. She still vividly remembered Yinzhen's daily anxiety, believing his younger brother disliked him, wanting to play with him but not being able to approach him. Yinsi

felt a little guilty recalling this, and now it seemed he had indeed taken some of his anger out on him.

"Do you still hold a grudge against your fourth brother?" Wen Shan asked, poking Yinsi.

"It's long gone." Yinsi shook his head, thought for a moment, and said, "Actually, Fourth Brother was a good emperor. Given the circumstances at the time, he was more suited to the helm of the Qing Dynasty than I was."

"So... do you still want to be emperor in this life?"

Yinsi looked at Wenshan with disbelief. "Of course not. Let Fourth Brother continue."

"My last life was exhausting enough. Now I want to be a leisurely prince, with Fourth Brother protecting me, just like he did with Old Thirteen." Yinsi secretly compared himself.

Wenshan reminded him, "Old Thirteen died of exhaustion even before your Fourth Brother did."

Yinsi: "..."

"Then let Old Thirteen continue to work in this life. I'll keep Mother company." Yinsi quickly changed his mind and began to flirt with Wenshan, his usual coquettish manner.

Mother and son finally discussed the matter, leaving only one final question: should they tell Yinzhen about it?

Wenshan's suggestion was merely a formality, as they quickly and tacitly agreed to wait until Yinzhen realized something was amiss.

After discussing this, Yinsi cautiously asked, "Mother, then I..."

"Of course you're still my son," Wenshan said, smiling as she held Yinsi close to her. "No matter who you are, in my heart, you're the son I raised with my arms around you. I'll always love you."

Yinsi was somewhat bewildered by Wenshan's blunt attack.

Wenshan observed his flustered expression and thought, "He's clearly still a child."

That afternoon, Yinzhen, who had come to accompany his mother and brother as usual, noticed something was different today.

His mother and brother would sometimes smile at each other for unknown reasons, and their eyes would look at him strangely. Yinzhen asked Wenshan seriously if she and her brother were hiding something from him.

"Yes, Mother and Yinsi have a little secret," Wenshan said with a smile.

Yinsi nodded at the side.

It was a secret that only he and his mother knew.

Yinzhen was a little frustrated: "Can't you tell me?"

Wenshan and Yinsi shook their heads together.

Yinzhen was angry, but not too sad. He could now understand that everyone had some secrets. He secretly thought that one day he would have secrets with his mother and his brother, and he would tell no one.

The prince came several times in the days before the New Year. The reasons he found were either to discuss homework with Yinzhen or to visit Yinsi. After trying all the reasonable excuses to get a free meal, the prince gave up on himself and would send someone to send a letter every now and then to ask if he could come to eat.

Even Kangxi was a little surprised that the prince would go to Xianfu Palace so diligently, but when he thought about Wenshan's cooking skills, he felt that it was not difficult to understand. It was just that Confucius said, "A gentleman should not seek to be full when eating, nor should he seek to be comfortable when living. He should be quick to act and cautious in speaking." As the

crown prince, the prince should not be too greedy for pleasure, so Kangxi stopped the prince from eating at Xianfu Palace before the New Year. Although Wenshan was not very happy about the prince's frequent visits, Kangxi's behavior also made Wenshan despise him.

Kangxi had never been seen eating less.

He was also diligent in eating.

Wenshan also privately asked Yinsi what Kangxi's attitude towards the prince was. Now it seems that he dotes on him, but in the end he abolished his position as crown prince twice in a row.

Wenshan was looking forward to hearing Yinsi's personal account of the nine princes' fight for the throne. Even if there are historical records in later generations, they must be incomplete or completely opposite to the actual situation at that time.

Yinsi reflected for a moment and said, "The Emperor truly loves the Crown Prince and protects him with all his heart, hoping he will inherit the throne. However, the Crown Prince is not someone to be trusted. If it weren't for the Emperor's favoritism, he wouldn't have been reinstated a second time."

Soon after reinstating the Crown Prince, Kangxi realized Yinreng wasn't a qualified heir, let alone emperor. Between paternal affection and the foundation of the Qing dynasty, Kangxi chose the Qing and once again deposed the Crown Prince.

Ever since Wenshan and Yinsi's showdown, they'd often chatted. Yinsi was curious about the court situation after his death, while Wenshan was curious about the true circumstances of the infamous Nine Dragons' Succession War.

"Third brother? Third brother has always supported the prince, but he didn't think too much about it. Later, he just edited books and wrote articles."

"The relationship between the fourteenth brother and the fourth brother is indeed ordinary. They don't usually interact."

"The emperor's father died suddenly. At that time, Longkodo passed on the emperor's oral order. There was no will at all. If it is said that there is something strange about the fourth brother's accession to the throne, it can be said, but it is too ridiculous to change the throne from the fourteenth son to the fourth son."

Finally, Yinsi also revealed a bombshell to Wenshan.

At the beginning of the fight for the throne, Yinzhen's chance of winning was not great and no one cared. At that time, the two well-known forces were the prince's party and the eighth master's party.

Unlike Wenshan's belief that Yinzhen was a prince's party in the early stage, Yinzhen was actually a member of the eighth master's party at first.

It's just that unlike the ninth and tenth brothers, he was just a marginal figure and was not deeply involved.

And according to Yinsi, it is very likely that Yinzhen at that time was probably just acting according to the situation. He had already had the intention of fighting for the throne, but he was just keeping a low profile and waiting for the opportunity.

After the abolition of the crown prince, Yinsi was implicated by the eldest prince and was disliked by Kangxi. Yinzhen completely changed his mind and left the Eighth Prince Party.

Yinsi also secretly complained to Wenshan about how excessive the fourth brother was at that time. After Yinzhen ascended the throne and began to settle accounts with Yinsi, Yinzhen ordered Yinsi to hand over all the imperial edicts written to him by Kangxi. Yinsi reported that some of them were no longer found, but Yinzhen did not believe it. He urged Yinsi over and over again, forcing him to swear to the sky that if he told a lie, the whole family would die. Unexpectedly, Yinzhen used this to attack him and said that he had evil intentions and deliberately cursed him.

Because Yinzhen and Yinsi are also a family.

Wenshan: "..."

Wenshan was shocked. She didn't expect there would be such a thing. No wonder Yinsi was so annoyed with Yinzhen at first.

Wenshan also roughly told Yinsi what happened after his death.

"It was expected that Hongli would inherit the throne. Fourth brother didn't have many sons, and he valued Hongli very much."

Yinsi ate the cheese sticks that Wen Shan made for him and said vaguely: "The Ten Perfect Old Man? You have such a big tone, but it's really not a short age for him to live to this age, and he even became the emperor emeritus. Wow."

Yinzhen went to the Imperial Garden to walk the dog. Wen Shan sent all the palace maids away and gossiped with Yinsi while making a Ruyi Knot.

Wen Shan said, "It's said that your Royal Father raised him for a few years as his chosen grandson, and he deliberately circumvented your Royal Father's sixty-one-year reign, which is why he abdicated."

"That's true, but not for many years." Yinsi's hand reached for the biscuits beside him. "Your Royal Father did take him into the palace for a while. I can't remember exactly how long, but it couldn't have been more than a few years."

Yinsi had a good opinion of Hongli, saying he was resourceful and calculating, so it made sense for Fourth Brother to choose him.

However, upon hearing that his nephew later rehabilitated him and restored his clan membership and imperial genealogy, he frowned instead of being pleased.

"Doesn't this kid's actions just confirm Fourth Brother's rumors of him forcing his brother to kill his brother?"

Such filial piety.

Wen Shan thought, "You don't know that Fourth Brother published an epic work titled "Records of the Great Righteous Awakening of Misunderstandings," which was intended to dispel rumors but ended up spreading his own rumors everywhere.

The mother and son were talking animatedly when the door suddenly opened, and Yinzhen ran in with Fuqi.

It was snowing outside, so Yinzhen came back early today.

"Mother, what are you talking about with your brother? Who is Hongli?"

"..."

Yinzhen and Yinsi never needed to be informed when they entered the palace, so Zhenzhu and the others did not stop him. Yinzhen stood in the corridor for a while to brush off the snow on his body, and happened to hear mother and brother talking inside.

But he didn't hear it clearly, only the name of Hongli.

"Nothing, a person in the storybook, mother is telling your brother a story." Wenshan said casually.

Fortunately, Yinzhen didn't delve into it, but moved a stool over and wanted to listen together with great interest.

Yinsi twisted his body and said that his brother couldn't listen.

Yinzhen:?

"Because mother has finished talking, if you listen again, you have to help mother."

Wenshan was watching Yinzhen being ordered by Yinsi to get snacks and fruits, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Yinsi looked at Wenshan with a smile and said, "Mother, my fourth brother has gone to get us food. You have to tell us a story later."

"..."

Good boy, he got her involved too.

On New Year's Eve, Wenshan got up early in the morning to steam red bean rice cakes and three-fresh buns, and then went to Yinzhen and Yinsi's room to wake up the two children and put on new clothes.

"These two clothes were made by mother and Concubine Wei for you." Wenshan nodded with satisfaction as she watched Yinzhen and Yinsi put on the clothes that fit them well and looked energetic.

Yinsi looked down at the complicated embroidery on them and ran up to them and said, "Mother, you have to be kind. Is this made by Wei mother?"

The embroidery and workmanship were obviously not something that mother could make.

In order to distinguish between the two mothers, Yinsi would call Concubine Wei Wei mother in front of Wenshan, and call Wenshan Xuan mother in front of Concubine Wei.

But when both mothers were around, Yinsi would often shout himself to death, making Wenshan and Wei Guiren laugh.

Wenshan: "..."

This brat is talking nonsense, she obviously sewed the buttons on too!

Yinzhen looked at Wenshan's face and hurriedly took his brother out to dress Fuqi in new clothes before his mother got angry.

"Yinsi, make your bed later, it's such a mess." Wenshan's light voice came from behind. Yinsi

wanted to cry but had no tears. If he had known, he would not have teased his mother.

Now he has to fight with the bedding on the bed again.

What can he do with his small body now?

Yinzhen pinched his little face: "I'll teach you how to ruin your mother's tricks."

Yinsi touched Fuqi's soft fur and hummed without saying a word.

Yinzhen suppressed a laugh. "Okay, I'll go clean up with you later."

After breakfast, Wen Shan rushed into the small kitchen to prepare the New Year's Eve dinner. This was their first New Year together, so of course, the preparations had to be grand. Meanwhile, she received orders from the Empress Dowager and Concubine Rong.

Both were being pestered by the Fifth and Third Princes. The Empress Dowager was fine, as Wen Shan had always delivered meals to the Cining Palace, but Concubine Rong, after much hesitation, finally gave in to the Third Prince's constant nagging and came to the Xianfu Palace himself.

They sat there for a long time, not daring to speak out. After all, asking the Imperial Concubine to cook for them on New Year's Eve was a bit much.

Wen Shan, still preoccupied with the fish in the pot, became anxious at Concubine Rong's hesitation and asked her directly what the matter was. Concubine Rong, resolute and resolute, told her about the Third Prince's tearful request for Wen Shan's cooking on New Year's Eve.

After that, Concubine Rong quickly ordered the maids behind her to bring up the gifts she had prepared.

"Your Highness, I know this visit may be abrupt, but I mean no disrespect. It's simply that Yinzhi has been pestering me all morning, and I've come here out of desperation."

Wen Shan, now raising two children herself, sympathized with Rong Fei's frustration at being pestered by her child; even a mother couldn't stand it.

Furthermore, Rong Fei had brought lavish gifts. Wen Shan glanced at the four or five palace maids, each carrying a mahogany tray.

"I understand a mother's heart," Wen Shan thought for a moment and said, "How about this? After the palace banquet, I'll send the food boxes to Zhongcui Palace, so my sister and the Third Prince can celebrate the New Year together."

Rong Fei was overjoyed and thanked her profusely, saying she would be grateful if Wen Shan didn't have to cook a dish or two to fool the Third Prince.

Wen Shan was delighted by these diners who cherished her cooking. Before leaving, Concubine Rong specially packed some freshly baked rice cakes and buns for her to take back to appease the Third Prince. Rong Fei was so moved that she nearly burst into tears, thinking that the rumors were true. Concubine Xuan was a sincere and unpretentious person. She should get closer to her in the future.

The evening banquet at the palace was just as Wen Shan had expected. It was grand and attended by many guests. Because it was New Year's Eve, the smiles as everyone toasted felt more genuine.

Wen Shan thought that the words "New Year" were always a powerful tool for letting go of grudges.

Concubine Nianhulu and the Imperial Noble Concubine sat on Kangxi's left and right. The Imperial Noble Concubine was visibly in better health and had a rosy complexion. Concubine Nianhulu, now in power, was also radiant, as Kangxi always doted on her.

The Imperial Noble Consort had been keeping a low profile lately, never interfering in palace power and maintaining a more modest demeanor, studiously avoiding conflicts with Consort Niohuru.

The Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, both of whom were elderly, only stayed briefly at the palace banquet before returning to the Cining Palace. Wen Shan watched the two elders depart and sent Zhenzhu back to Xianfu Palace to deliver the dishes she had prepared.

The dishes prepared by the imperial kitchen tonight were quite good, Wen Shan's words, far exceeding their usual standards. The Eight Treasure Duck dish was particularly flavorful. Wen Shan busied herself feeding Yinzhen and Yinsi. From the table, Kangxi observed his concubines, all smiling and chatting and toasting. Only Wen Shan, after joining the crowd in a festive toast and a glass of wine, remained silent, absorbed in her food.

She was the only one of the two Imperial Consorts in the palace, holding such a high position, yet managing to be so invisible.

Kangxi shook his head. Seeing this, Concubine Yi, standing nearby, stood up, offered a few flattering words, and then toasted Kangxi. With this lead, the remaining concubines followed suit, especially those who saw Kangxi only a few times throughout the year, seizing the opportunity to make their presence felt.

By the time the evening of the 11th hour arrived, the palace banquet was almost over. Kangxi would go to the Cining Palace to observe the New Year's Eve with the Grand Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager, accompanied this year by the Imperial Noble Consort.

Naturally, Imperial Noble Consort Nianhulu wasn't particularly pleased. While she held the purview of the six harems, the Imperial Noble Consort held the same rank as the Vice Empress, and her position meant she held no influence.

Wen Shan paid no mind to this, summoning Concubine Wei, and they returned to Xianfu Palace together.

Wen Shan had already made the dumplings that afternoon, and now, for good luck, they all made a few more before adding them to the pot. The New Year's Eve dinner was so sumptuous that even Yinzhen and Yinsi, both accustomed to Wen Shan's cooking, praised it with gusto.

After the meal, they got some fruits and snacks. Wen Shan chatted with Concubine Wei, while Yinzhen and Yinsi played with Fuqi on the side.

"Mother, mother, Fuqi seems to be giving birth!"

Yinzhen suddenly ran over with an anxious look on his face.

Wen Shan was startled, and then she thought that Fuqi's due date was still half a month away, so she quickly asked someone to go to the dog breeding office to ask for help.

Fortunately, Fuqi's delivery went smoothly, and she gave birth to two puppies before the people from the dog breeding office arrived.

One is pure black, and the other has a small white patch on the neck.

It was midnight when they finished all this work. Wen Shan looked at the two little lives that had just been born and thought that it was indeed the beginning of the new year, and the new year would surely be smooth sailing.

On the first day of the new year, good news came from the harem.

Concubine Yi is pregnant.

Concubine De was already over six months pregnant at this time. She gave birth to a princess at the turn of spring and summer in the 21st year of Emperor Kangxi's reign. She should have been the seventh daughter of the emperor. However, the princess was born weak and despite careful care for two months, she died. Concubine De was heartbroken.

Emperor Kangxi stayed with her for a few days before she felt better. Soon after, Concubine Nianhulu and Concubine Huang also became pregnant. The sudden addition of three high-ranking pregnant concubines to the palace alleviated the sorrow brought by the princess's death.