Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Wen Shan never could have imagined…

Wen Shan never could have imagined the consequences of this incident would be so explosive.

All the low-probability events just piled up and happened.

Wen Shan and Concubine Yi rushed back to the palace and went straight to Noble Concubine Niohuru's palace. Noble Concubine Niohuru looked worried. Several concubines had already arrived.

"You're finally back. I've been waiting for you two." Noble Concubine Niohuru saw Wen Shan and Concubine Yi enter and quickly had the palace maids show them to their seats. Concubine

Yi looked around. The expressions on everyone's faces were truly fascinating.

Concubine Ping saw that the person was still sitting there, but in fact, they had been gone for a while. Concubine Hui

couldn't suppress the smile, as if she had seen the Crown Prince about to be deposed.

Concubine Rong and Concubine De were just there to watch the fun, their expressions completely relaxed.

"What's going on? I heard the princess is pregnant?" Wen Shan asked as soon as she sat down. Noble

Concubine Niohuru sighed and nodded.

This was truly beyond words. It happened all at once.

"Your Highness, didn't you give the princess contraceptive soup that day?" Concubine Yi asked doubtfully.

How could such a gross oversight have occurred? She should have given the medicine that very day.

Wen Shan took over and said, "My sister Niohuru and I thought of this and sent the princess the soup, but she refused to drink it, so we didn't force her."

Concubine Niohuru nodded, "Who could have imagined she would actually be pregnant?"

Putting aside the shameful nature of this child's arrival, it was indeed Kangxi's first grandchild.

The eldest prince had just married, and there had been no further news from his wife or concubines.

"The princess's baby might be the emperor's eldest grandson. Ultimately, the royal family's heirs are paramount," Rong Fei said. "We can only take good care of it first and make sure nothing goes wrong."

De Fei remained silent until Noble Concubine Nianhulu called her by name: "De Fei, what do you think?"

De Fei smiled and said, "Sister Rong Fei is right. After all, it's a happy event. The emperor will undoubtedly be delighted when he learns of it."

Wen Shan wasn't sure whether Kangxi would be pleased, but she saw that Ping Fei was gradually regaining consciousness.

That's right!

With the emperor nearing forty and still without a grandchild, it's indeed a good thing for the crown prince to have a child first. It might even further solidify his position.

It would be even better if the princess was pregnant with a boy, but a little princess wouldn't be a problem either. The emperor would surely love his first grandchild, and who would care how the child came to be?

Then Hui Fei's smile shifted to Ping Fei.

The more Concubine Ping thought about it, the more she felt she had truly turned a bad situation into a good one. A few days ago, Soetu had sent word that the Crown Prince's absurd behavior was difficult to handle, especially since the eldest prince had witnessed it. A peaceful settlement was impossible. The only option now was to admit their fault and have the Crown Prince personally

apologize upon the Emperor's return. Soetu reasoned that this matter could be serious or minor. On the minor side, it was simply a case of two young people falling in love, their youthful fervor uncontrollably, and since he was unmarried, if the Emperor chose the princess as a concubine

, it would be a perfect match. Of course, there was really no room for maneuver, and arguing was pointless. Soetu, after careful consideration, decided to simply admit his mistake. At least he could appear to the Emperor as a truly repentant and responsible person.

He also told Concubine Ping to keep an eye on Princess Yundai and prevent her from causing any more trouble.

Unexpectedly, this indeed led to a "big problem."

Concubine Niohuru had no real alternative. The situation was irreconcilable, so she could only follow Rong Fei's instructions: provide the princess with good food and drink, and wait for the emperor's return.

"The emperor has already returned, and he'll likely arrive in the capital in another fortnight," Niohuru said. "Until the emperor returns, no one in the palace is allowed to discuss this matter. Everyone should keep a close eye on their own people. If any news leaks out, don't blame me for disregarding our long-standing sisterly bond."

The Crown Prince and the princess' affairs wouldn't sound good, and the palace was keeping it a secret. But Kangxi couldn't hide it. Soetu, having made up his mind, immediately informed Kangxi of the news, but he was very tactful, slipping it into his usual greetings, stating only that the Crown Prince and Princess Yundai were interested in each other.

The news of the princess's pregnancy nearly choked Soetu, now nearly sixty years old.

"How could she be pregnant?" Suo Etu looked at the Crown Prince with some irritation. "Didn't the Crown Prince have medicine delivered after that day?" The Crown Prince

was young and had just become an official. Furthermore, the incident happened suddenly that day, and he was caught by the eldest prince, so in his panic he couldn't remember anything.

"Auntie Ping said that Concubine Niohuru and Concubine Xuan sent someone to deliver it, but it was Yun Dai who refused to drink it." The

Crown Prince, without a second thought, put the blame on Princess Yun Dai.

"Stupid, stupid!" Suo Etu paced back and forth with his hands behind his back, slamming the table a few times. "Concubine Niohuru and Concubine Xuan each have a prince, so naturally they're waiting to see the Crown Prince make a fool of himself. How can we leave this matter to them?"

Concubine Ping had already explained the "Prince's first grandchild" theory to the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince found it quite reasonable, so he wasn't too anxious at this point.

"Uncle, please don't be so impatient." The Crown Prince stepped forward, helping Soetu to a seat. "What Concubine Ping says makes sense. Yundai is pregnant with our father's first grandchild. I think this child is a good choice!" "

Who knows, our predicament might just be resolved."

Soetu had discussed this matter with the Crown Prince long ago. They had fallen into a trap and could only accept their fate. There was no better way. The Crown Prince agreed, but he was deeply annoyed. He hadn't expected to fall for a woman.

The saying "lust is a sword above one's head" was true.

He had panicked when he heard the princess was pregnant, but after Concubine Ping had just come to him and relayed Concubine De's words, the Crown Prince saw some truth in it and felt that a good thing had been done.

Soetu's expression after hearing this was not as relaxed as the Crown Prince's.

"It's hard to say," Soetu pondered for a moment before saying, "Given the Emperor's temper... he can't tolerate any injustice."

"But we don't have a better solution now." The Crown Prince was also troubled. "Uncle, we can only leave it to fate."

What Soetu disliked most was the Crown Prince's tendency to simply muddle through any situation without any fighting spirit.

"The Emperor will arrive in Beijing in two weeks. To be safe, let's find a way to abort this child." Soetu pondered for a moment and decided that the child couldn't be kept.

Without the child, many things could be covered up, after all, the news was blocked. But if this child were born, it would be a lifelong stain on the Crown Prince's life. The Crown Prince hesitated, after all, this was his first child.

"I don't think it's necessary. After all, this is my flesh and blood. Why not wait until the Emperor returns and see what happens..."

Soetu felt helpless at the Crown Prince's reluctant expression. How could such a soft-hearted man achieve anything great in the future?

So, without further consultation with the Crown Prince, Soetu went directly to Concubine Ping and asked her to find a way to abort the child.

Concubine Ping was also confused when she received the letter.

It's true that many concubines in the harem had done things to harm the royal heir, but getting rid of the prince's child was too inexplicable.

"Father, have you lost your mind?" Ping Fei put the letter on the table and rubbed her forehead. "This is the prince's first child, the emperor's first grandchild, how can we get rid of it ourselves?"

Ping Fei's maidservant who came with her as a dowry and was also her confidant was named Yingliu. After hearing what she said, she also agreed: "Your Majesty is right. Didn't you see the face of Concubine Hui today? It was as dark as a nut. I heard that Concubine Hui returned to the Yanxi Palace and called the first and second wives over to reprimand them, blaming them for not being able to give birth to the emperor's grandson first."

Ping Fei sneered: "Sure enough, the eldest prince is an unlucky person. Although the prince has not married yet, he has surpassed him in terms of offspring."

"The royal family values ​​the expansion of offspring the most. How can they touch this child?"

"Your Majesty is right," Yingliu said, rubbing her shoulder. "The Emperor is getting older, and I imagine

he'll be eager to see his grandson soon." Despite this thought, Concubine Ping didn't dare to directly refuse Soetu's plan. After a moment's deliberation, she sent Yingliu to the Crown Prince to see what he thought.

Yingliu quickly returned the favor.

"My Lord, the Crown Prince said it was Prime Minister Soetu's own idea, and he agrees with you: to keep the child."

Concubine Ping felt relieved and wrote back to Soetu, explaining that with Yuhua Pavilion under the strict watch of Concubine Niuhuru, there was no opportunity to take action, so she simply let it go.

Wenshan returned to Xianfu Palace, still a little incredulous; it was truly a coincidence.

That evening, when Yinzhen and Yinsi returned for dinner, Wenshan brought up the matter with amazement, saying that Princess Yundai had simply gotten her wish.

Yinsi smiled at this, slowly scooping a bowl of soup and saying, "Mother, sometimes we can't just rely on fate; we have to rely on human intervention."

Wenshan:

"You guys aren't sending men into Yuhua Pavilion, are you?"

Yinzhen and the other two: "..."

Mother's train of thought always makes people laugh and cry.

"What are you talking about, Mother?" Yinsi was also at a loss for words. "How could we possibly do such a thing?"

Wenshan scratched her head. Didn't they say it was man-made?

"We just sent a few bowls of fertility medicine to the princess," Yinxiang said. "She asked for it herself, and we were just following the flow, doing a small act of kindness."

Although Yuhua Pavilion was under strict security, it was still easy for Yinzhen and the others to insert people or send things there.

A while ago, the three brothers watched a play, and Yinsi stroked his chin and made this suggestion.

Why not fish in troubled waters and add fuel to the fire and ignite this matter completely.

Yinxiang was the first to agree. He had never witnessed such a lively event in his two lifetimes combined, and he had to add some fuel to the fire.

Yinzhen was initially concerned that things would get out of hand if they got out of hand, and that something unexpected would be difficult to control, but he was ultimately forced to grant Yinsi and Yinxiang's wish to see the excitement.

It was indeed fate that it actually happened.

Furthermore, Kangxi returned even earlier than expected, arriving in the capital in just ten days.

The Crown Prince personally led the civil and military officials and the princes out of the city to greet him, with impeccable ceremony and protocol. Kangxi's expression was cold and emotionless. Upon returning to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, he summoned the Crown Prince and the eldest prince for a private conversation.

Now the entire harem and the front court were watching the goings-on in the Palace of Heavenly Purity.

With Yinsi, the king of intelligence, Wenshan usually had first-hand knowledge of the gossip, and this time was no exception.

I immediately learned that Kangxi had spoken with the Crown Prince and the eldest prince for half an hour before sending them both off. When they emerged, the Crown Prince looked dejected, while the eldest prince was beaming.

While I don't know exactly what they talked about, I can probably guess from their expressions.

Yinsi said this was to be expected; the Emperor, who cared so much about his reputation, wouldn't be happy about the Crown Prince having such a romantic affair that resulted in a death. I imagine the Crown Prince was also harshly scolded.

But after that, Kangxi remained silent, neither summoning anyone nor issuing any decrees. He simply paid his respects to the Empress Dowager at dinner time, stayed there for about a quarter of an hour, and then left Ningshou Palace and headed straight for Xianfu Palace.

Kangxi hadn't even said hello, and Wenshan was a little taken aback. She hadn't expected Kangxi to visit Xianfu Palace on his first day back.

Yinzhen and the others were always good at reading people's expressions. Kangxi was clearly in a bad mood today and had little to say to them. After dinner, he tactfully excused himself and returned to the Ganxi Wusuo, taking Yinxiang with him.

It was still early, so Kangxi didn't retire immediately, nor did he read memorials or pick up a book as usual. Instead, he leaned back on the couch, twirling his thumb as he gazed out the window at Wenshan's newly tended flowerbed. It was blooming season, and the flowers were in full bloom, vibrant and beautiful.

"These flowers seem unique to Mongolia," Kangxi suddenly exclaimed after a long pause.

He had just returned from Mongolia, so they looked familiar, but back there, the flowers had been ravaged and trampled under the iron hoof, unlike the delicate and gorgeous ones grown here.

Wen Shan brought a bowl of mung bean and lily soup and said with a smile, "Your Majesty has a good eye. These were brought back to me by Yinzhen and Yinsi during the Mulan hunting trip last year. I just started growing them and planted them outside this year."

It took her a lot of effort to keep these flowers alive. She didn't know if it was because they were not acclimatized to the local climate, but at first, no matter how hard she tried, they wouldn't survive. Fortunately, Yinzhen and Yinsi not only brought flowers but also seeds. After more than half a year of hard work, she finally got the hang of it and managed to grow these flowers.

Kangxi looked away, smiled, and pulled Wen Shan to sit beside him: "These three you have raised are all filial, and I am also touched by their kindness."

Wen Shan replied casually, "Naturally, Yinzhen and his friends are just as filial to Your Majesty."

She then wondered if Kangxi would ask her about the crown prince, and if so, how she would answer.

Kangxi was wearing royal blue formal attire today, a color he rarely wore. True to the saying, "clothes make the man," he looked several years younger. Wen Shan marveled at how he still looked so delicate after three or four months of fighting. It was obvious he hadn't endured much hardship.

He'd supposedly led the army in person, but he'd probably just been staying in the main camp.

Unaware, Kangxi was already complaining that his presence at the front was just a facade. He even asked why he'd returned without a single greeting.

Even the Empress Dowager, who had never been close to him, had repeatedly inquired about his injuries.

Wen Shan, on the other hand, acted nonchalant, as if he'd just returned from a three-month trip to Jiangnan.

Wen Shan was speechless: "Hasn't the Emperor returned safely?"

Kangxi chuckled, reaching out to pinch her cheek.

"Why is it so hard to hear you say something nice?"

Wen Shan rubbed her face, saying nothing.

What a bad habit it was to be so touchy-feely.

Kangxi felt better after teasing Wenshan for a bit, then brought up the matter of the Crown Prince that had been bothering him today.

"I met with the Crown Prince and the eldest prince today, and they told me about that ridiculous incident a while ago."

It was obvious that Yinsi and Yinxiang knew Kangxi all too well; as expected, Kangxi wasn't the least bit pleased about this matter; he was completely ashamed.

Wen Shan didn't know what to do, so she simply said, "Noble Concubine Nianhulu and I don't know what to do. We can only wait for the Emperor to return and make a decision."

Kangxi snorted, "I don't even bother to care about such a scandal."

Wen Shan knew Kangxi was speaking in anger; it was unlikely he would intervene when it came to his beloved Crown Prince.

Kangxi's current annoyance wasn't so much that the Crown Prince had lost control and had physical contact with the princess, but rather, after hearing the eldest prince and the Crown Prince recount the events of that day, he was certain that while the Crown Prince was a worthless person, Yun Dai also had ulterior motives, indeed, a deliberate seduction, just as Concubine Ping had sobbed.

And how could he not be furious that the Crown Prince and the eldest prince, his two oldest sons, had fallen into the trap of a young girl and couldn't escape?

Seeing Kangxi silent again, Wen Shan took the initiative to ask what should be done with Princess Yun Dai, after all, she was pregnant with the Crown Prince's child.

"You and Concubine Nianhulu have handled the situation very well. Just let her give birth to the child quietly." Kangxi said in a deep voice.

Does this mean that Yun Dai is not going to be given a status?

Wen Shan was a little surprised that Yun Dai, with her status as a concubine, could not get a concubine even though she had a child.

Even if the Crown Prince did such a foolish thing, Kangxi could only cover it up for him. On the way back to Beijing, he thought that if this matter was just a result of the Crown Prince and Yun Dai losing their temper and losing their sense of proportion, then it would be fine. He could appoint a concubine and marry her to Guaerjia in two years, but if Yun Dai had bad intentions, he would naturally not let her stay with the Crown Prince.

Kangxi drank a sip of the mung bean and lily soup brought by Wen Shan. He felt refreshed after taking a look. He looked up and saw Wen Shan was lost in thought. He didn't know what she was thinking about.

"What are you thinking about? Just say whatever you want to say."

Wen Shan shook her head. She didn't have anything to say and she had no say in the matter.

Kangxi thought about both Yun Dai and Wen Shan, both of whom were of Mongolian descent. He assumed she was feeling sorry for Yun Dai, so he said, "After she gives birth, I'll arrange a suitable marriage for her. As long as she keeps her mouth shut and doesn't cause any more trouble, I won't pursue the matter, considering her father, who died fighting for the Qing."

Wen Shan replied, "Your Majesty, this is very thoughtful

." Kangxi waved his hand, unable to say anything about thoughtfulness or inconsiderateness.

"Why has the Crown Prince become a different person these past few years? What's going on?" Kangxi asked, leaning back against the pillow and glancing at Wen Shan.

"..."

She didn't know how to respond. This topic was more appropriate to discuss with the Crown Prince's biological mother.

Fortunately, Kangxi didn't expect her to be able to provide a coherent answer; he was mostly talking to himself.

Even Wen Shan, as obtuse as she was, could sense Kangxi's dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince.

Having to constantly clean up his messes would be irritating for anyone.

Fortunately, the story of Princess Yundai had been tightly hushed ever since the eldest prince caught her in adultery. No news leaked outside. While the concubines within the palace knew a great deal, and much of it had been shared with their maternal relatives, no one dared to file a petition to

impeach the crown prince. The incident was quietly resolved, with everyone feigning ignorance. Soetu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, he had already hinted to the officials in the various departments. This was the emperor's family scandal; anyone who dared to raise it would be treading water. Seeing no further movement within the palace, and the emperor's usual attitude towards the crown prince, naturally, no one dared to raise the matter.

Upon learning of the news, Princess Yundai was clearly unable to accept the outcome. In her horror and anger, she lost the child, suffering a miscarriage at just over two months old.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief at the loss of the child.

Those who hoped she would give birth, those who didn't, all shared the same thought upon learning of the abortion: "That was all well and good; it saved a commotion."

Yinzhen and his companions were both somewhat predictable and somewhat surprised by this outcome.

"I now think there's some truth to the compilations made by later generations," Yinxiang said, stroking his chin. "I didn't expect the Emperor to be so partial to the Crown Prince."

It seemed that even if the Crown Prince was indeed having an affair with one of the Emperor's concubines, there was a reasonable chance that the Emperor could have covered it up.

Yinsi rolled his eyes. "Thirteenth brother, wasn't that the case in our last life? The Emperor's favoritism towards the Crown Prince was still questioned?"

If the Emperor hadn't been so partial, they wouldn't have had to work so carefully for so long, gradually chipping away at Kangxi's tolerance and protection for the Crown Prince.

"I don't think my eldest brother will just let it go," Yinzhen said after a moment's reflection.

It wasn't logical for the eldest prince to let the Crown Prince off so easily.

"Fourth brother, what you say makes sense," Yinsi said with a smile, "but I wonder what good ideas eldest brother can come up with."

"How about I help him?"

Yinzhen said helplessly, "You'd better keep quiet. Let's just stay out of this matter and leave it at that."

Yinsi actually thought so too, but now that he wasn't aiming for the throne, he felt a much lighter burden, and with this relief, he was always looking for something to do for fun.

But he hadn't expected the eldest prince's way of troublemaking the crown prince to be so simple and crude.

He simply had one of his censors submit a memorial impeaching the crown prince, exposing the whole matter.

When Yinzhen and the others heard about it, they fell silent.

This was too direct!

While direct, it was effective.

It immediately put Kangxi in an awkward position.

Furthermore, the impeaching censor went to great lengths to argue that the princess, as the orphan of a meritorious official, should be treated well and supported, and how could the crown prince commit such a rebellious act?

Suo Etu's face was almost as black as the bottom of a pot.

The eldest prince really doesn't follow the rules!

What's the point of revealing it so openly?