Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Wen Shan asked as soon as she thought of it...

Wen Shan asked Yinsi as soon as she thought of it. Yinsi was always well-informed about this information.

Yinsi couldn't help but applaud Wen Shan when he heard it.

"Mother, I didn't expect you to be able to figure this out on your own."

Wen Shan: "..."

She would use her brain sometimes, okay.

"So what did Concubine Niohuru do?" Yinxiang didn't know about this either, and asked while directing the palace servants to move into the house.

Since Yinsi didn't tell him, it probably had nothing to do with their Xianfu Palace.

Wen Shan also frowned, thinking that Concubine Niohuru had been diligent recently and hadn't done anything wrong.

"It's not Concubine Niohuru, it's the Niohuru family that has done something wrong." Yinsi said, holding his chin.

Seeing Wen Shan had no interest in playing and had packed up her things, Yinzhen continued, "Alinga and his brother, Faka, have been at odds for a long time. A few days ago, they fabricated some scandalous accusations and it got really bad. Faka reported it to the Emperor, and Alinga was stripped of all his positions."

The Niohuru clan was a royal family member among the imperial family members. This matter shouldn't have gotten so ugly. Before it got out of hand, Kangxi privately advised Noble Consort Niohuru to persuade her two brothers to stop causing such a stir.

However, Noble Consort Niohuru ignored it.

"Faka is the younger brother of Consort Nianhulu and Empress Xiaogong, and Alinga is the son of a different mother," Yinsi explained. "But Ebilun chose Alinga to be the next leader of the Nianhulu clan. Naturally, Consort Nianhulu felt uneasy about this half-brother. Seeing Alinga committing suicide, she naturally ignored him." Ebilun

had died in the 13th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, leaving Alinga with no one to control him. Naturally, Consort Nianhulu would not let this opportunity slip when she finally had a chance to discipline him.

If Consort Nianhulu played dumb and refused to follow Kangxi's instructions, Kangxi would naturally exploit her.

Wen Shan didn't quite understand the underlying situation, having always assumed Alinga was Consort Nianhulu's full brother.

Speaking of Alinga, Yinxiang scratched his head and asked, "Didn't Alinga marry the Uya clan in this life?"

In his previous life, Alinga's wife was the younger sister of Consort De. By then, Consort De was highly favored, bearing several children in quick succession, and her family was favored by Emperor Kangxi, so Alinga married her.

But in this life, Consort De was less favored, Yinzhen was married to Wenshan, and her family wasn't particularly favored by Emperor Kangxi. The structure of the harem was vastly different. The Uya clan wasn't prominent to begin with, so Alinga didn't marry Consort De's sister. Instead, like his brother Faka, he married Empress Hesheli's sister. The two became not only brothers but also brothers-in-law. However, this close relationship failed to reconcile the two enemies, but instead deepened their rivalry.

Yinxiang sighed, "The Niohuru clan's marriages are truly complex. Alinga and Faka married Empress Xiaozhao's sisters, and Alinga's brother married Empress Xiaoyi's sister, a daughter of the Tonggiya clan."

If Concubine De's favor hadn't been less than in her previous life, wouldn't the Niohuru clan have married the sisters of all of Kangxi's empresses? "

Then wouldn't Concubine Niohuru, Concubine Tong, and Concubine Ping all be considered relatives?" Wen Shan laughed and cried.

Yinsi had Zhenzhu bring a plate of his favorite date paste cakes, and while eating, he said, "It's like this among the princes and nobles. Anyone who's related is a relative."

Wen Shan thought, that's true. Marriages between the major families, and with the imperial family, are a common practice. It's a good idea to keep the wealth within the family.

For example, Concubine Niuhuru's grandmother was Nurhaci's daughter. In terms of blood ties and ancestral achievements, the Niuhuru family is far more established than the Tong and Hesheli families.

This explains Concubine Niuhuru's domineering nature.

However, the Tong family is the maternal family of the current emperor, and with the capable Tong Guowei, they have managed the Tong family to great success, with followers throughout the court and the country, gradually earning the nickname "Tong Half the Dynasty." Furthermore, they have produced two consecutive empresses with close ties to the Aisin-Gioro family. Therefore, the young Tong Jia clan is no less arrogant than Concubine Niuhuru.

"What exactly happened this time? Was it a momentary oversight on Concubine Niuhuru's part, or was it the young Tong Jia clan's doing?" Wen Shan asked curiously.

Yinsi smiled slightly: "All of them, right?"

"Noble Concubine Nianhulu made a mistake and didn't assign someone to be in charge of the Empress Dowager's dishes. She had to go through several chefs in the imperial kitchen, which gave Concubine Tong the opportunity to tamper with the dishes."

Wen Shan didn't care about the matter anymore. She prepared some breakfast for Yinxiang and took the three of them to Ningshou Palace to pay New Year's greetings to the Empress Dowager.

When they arrived at Ningshou Palace, it was completely silent and there was no New Year's atmosphere at all. The palace servants were very cautious and tiptoeing, not daring to make any noise for fear of angering the already angry Empress

Dowager. As soon as Wen Shan stepped into the courtyard of Ningshou Palace, Aunt Yu came out to greet her.

"Oh, Noble Concubine, you are finally here." Aunt Yu greeted Wen Shan and Yinzhen and then hurriedly invited them in.

"Is the Empress Dowager awake? How is she feeling now?" Wen Shan asked.

Aunt He Yu's face turned grim upon mentioning this. She ushered Wen Shan into the main hall and, after a short sit, she said, "The Empress Dowager lost her temper last night and reprimanded Noble Concubine Niuhulu. She also punished her by making her kneel in the Baohua Hall, and she hasn't been called back yet."

After all, Noble Concubine Niuhulu was the most important person in the harem, and it wasn't a good look for the Empress Dowager and Noble Concubine Niuhulu to be quarreling like this during the New Year.

Yinsi glanced into the inner chamber and, through the layers of curtains, vaguely saw two palace maids standing outside, holding something, motionless and incredibly quiet.

"Has the Empress Dowager not gotten up yet?"

Aunt Heyu nodded. "The Empress Dowager couldn't sleep all night last night. She complained of heart pains. The imperial physician came and said it was nothing serious, just her mood swings and her age meant she couldn't handle any more stress. She took some medicine and didn't sleep until dawn."

Kangxi had stayed at Wenshan's last night, so Aunt Heyu hadn't gone to Xianfu Palace to inform her.

Wenshan pursed her lips. Little Tonggiya had really gone too far this time. Not only had she attacked Concubine Niohuru, but she had also angered the Empress Dowager, an elderly woman.

"You know how devoted the Empress Dowager has been to Buddhist chanting for the past six months. She's especially particular about her food. It seems like her merits are about to be fulfilled. Alas." Aunt Heyu had served the Empress Dowager since she was a child, and seeing her so angry was heartbreaking.

Wen Shan thought for a moment and asked, "Does the Emperor know that the Empress Dowager is unwell? Has he come to see her?"

"It's New Year's Day, and the Emperor is very busy. The Empress Dowager has instructed

us not to disturb him unless it's something serious." Aunt He Yu pondered for a moment before saying, "Noble Concubine, it's no use waiting here. Why don't I go inform the Empress Dowager so you can try to persuade her? You're the only one she'll listen to right now."

"No need," Wen Shan said hurriedly. "Let the Empress Dowager rest for a while

." The Empress Dowager had finally fallen asleep, so why would she wake her now? As soon as she finished speaking, a palace maid started moving inside, carrying toiletries. Aunt He Yu glanced at her and said, "I think the Empress Dowager has woken up. You and the princes

should stay here for a while." The Empress Dowager emerged moments later, looking unwell. She sat down, her hand on her forehead, and Aunt He Yu quickly massaged her shoulders to loosen them up.

"I figured you'd bring the children here to pay New Year's greetings by now, and sure enough, you've arrived."

Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang came forward to pay their New Year's greetings to the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager, looking at her three grandchildren, whom she had known since childhood, managed a smile and beckoned them forward to receive their red envelopes.

"Good children, take yours,"

the children said, a few words of good fortune, which soothed the Empress Dowager's mood.

Seeing the Empress Dowager's mood ease a bit, Wen Shan asked, "Where's the Fifth Prince? Wasn't he here to stay up last night?"

Aunt He Yu replied, "The Empress Dowager was worried about the Fifth Prince, so she sent him to Concubine Yi's palace. I guess he'll come to pay New Year's greetings soon."

On New Year's Day, all the concubines were supposed to bring the princes and princesses to Ningshou Palace to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager. However, this year, the Empress Dowager didn't want to see so many people and create a scene, so she announced early in the morning that all the palaces wouldn't have to come together at the hour of the morning to pay their respects.

News in the palace spread quickly, and everyone knew the Empress Dowager was angry the previous night, so no one bothered to bother. They all waited for news to decide when it would be a good time to come.

"Grandmother, please calm down. I don't think Concubine Nianhulu meant it. She prepared all the dishes for you today. Perhaps something went wrong in your busy schedule. Now that you've punished her, calm down. Your health is more important," Wen Shan advised. The Empress

Dowager sighed, "It was just one step away, just one step away. How can I not be furious?"

Wen Shan understood perfectly. If it were her, she would have been furious too, not caring whether it was intentional or not. The

Empress Dowager calmed down and continued, "Forget it, she is the younger one after all. He Yu, go to Baohua Hall and tell Concubine Nianhulu to get up. She doesn't need to come and apologize. Let her return to the palace and rest."

Aunt He Yu breathed a sigh of relief and hurried out.

Yinsi smiled and said, "Grandmother, your sincerity is evident to all. This break of the rules was not intentional. Why not ask a master to come and ask? Maybe it's not serious."

The Empress Dowager thought about it and saw some truth in it, so she quickly sent for the master to come.

Wen Shan whispered to Yinsi, "Have you finished your arrangements?"

"Even monks working in the palace are very good at everything. What's the need for arrangements?"

As expected, the master arrived and gave a long lecture on Buddhist teachings that Wen Shan couldn't quite grasp. Finally, he performed a divination and concluded that the Buddha had no faults. He simply instructed the Empress Dowager to fast for another month and recite the sutra a hundred times for great enlightenment.

The Empress Dowager beamed with joy, chanting "Amitabha" several times before sending the master away.

"Isn't that reassuring?" Wen Shan smiled. The Empress Dowager

breathed a sigh of relief. "I can finally sleep peacefully now."

"Our Yinsi is quite clever. Grandmother will give you something more," the Empress Dowager said, looking at Yinsi and smiling.

Yinsi quickly declined, but the Empress Dowager nonetheless dug out a set of the Four Treasures of the Study from the storeroom and presented it to him.

"They all think I'm blind and insane because of my old age, but how could I possibly hide such a thing from anyone?" the Empress Dowager suddenly declared. "The Emperor has been taking in countless consorts these past few years, each one more sophisticated than the last. This palace is only going to get busier and bustling."

The Empress Dowager truly knew everything, having simply lost her temper.

Unable to find a response, Wen Shan recounted what Kangxi had told her yesterday about Yun Dai's marriage, hoping to distract her.

"The Emperor has certainly put some thought into it. Well, let's not dwell on it. It's almost lunchtime, and the ladies of state should be entering the palace to pay their respects. You should hurry back to Xianfu Palace and prepare." The Empress Dowager began to shoo them away, intent on chanting in the small Buddhist shrine.

Wen Shan reluctantly excused herself. On her way back, she remarked to Yinzhen and the others, "I don't know why the Empress Dowager has become so devoted to Buddhism these past few years. You've barely even been there to burn incense before."

It was only in the past two years that the Empress Dowager suddenly developed a strong faith in Buddhism.

"It seems that most people will eventually convert to Buddhism as they get older." Yinsi raised his eyebrows and said, "Didn't fourth brother also devote himself to Buddhism in the end?"

Yinzhen: "..."

Why did the topic come to him again?

Several people returned to Xianfu Palace. After lunch, Zhenzhu came in to report that Mrs. Fucha had come with Miss Fucha.

Yinzhen and his friends had to avoid suspicion. Even if the marriage had been granted, it would not be convenient for them to meet, so the three brothers went to the east wing hall. This

was Mrs. Fucha's first time to Xianfu Palace. Before coming, she carefully inquired about Wenshan's preferences and brought a bunch of gifts.

Miss Fucha, Yinzhen's future wife, was Mrs. Fucha's second daughter. She was also beautiful and had graceful manners. Wenshan thought that Yinzhen was really lucky. He was married off blindly but still married to such a beautiful wife. She seemed to have a gentle temperament and was obviously a daughter raised by a big family.

"I personally embroidered a headband for the Imperial Concubine. My workmanship is crude, but I hope you won't mind." Lady Fucha smiled, having the maid behind her bring the box up.

Zhenzhu stepped forward to take it and handed it to Wenshan. Wenshan opened it and saw the intricate stitching of the headband, embroidered with auspicious cloud patterns. The edges were delicately woven with gold and silver thread, and inlaid with two large sapphires. It was clearly meticulously crafted.

"You call it crude? Madam, you're too modest." After all, it was a gift from her daughter-in-law, Wenshan told Zhenzhu to take it down and carefully store it.

Wenshan looked at Miss Fucha and felt a strong liking for her. She beckoned her to sit beside her and said, "The Emperor told me yesterday that he would marry you in two years, once Yinzhen and you both turn sixteen. Seeing you today, I can't wait to marry you."

Yinzhen and Miss Fucha were coincidentally the same age, Yinzhen being a few months older.

Miss Fucha smiled shyly, her face flushed.

"Yinzhen is good in every way. He may be a little cold, but he's definitely not heartless. He's a tough guy with a soft heart, and he's honest and will definitely treat you well." Wen Shan patted her hand and continued, "When you marry into our family, you'll have to take care of Yinzhen's household affairs."

Miss Fucha nodded and whispered, "I've remembered everything the Imperial Concubine said."

Mrs. Fucha doted on her daughter. Seeing Wen Shan's fondness for her, she couldn't help but feel happy. He was even happier to hear that her daughter could stay at home for another two years. Marrying into the royal family naturally meant she wouldn't be as comfortable as being a girl at home. Although the Fucha family currently had no daughters marrying into the palace, Mrs. Fucha was from the Niuhuru clan. Although she wasn't from the same lineage as Empress Xiaogong and Imperial Concubine Niuhuru, she was still their cousin and had a close relationship.

Seeing how her two cousins fared in the palace, she understood. She had been somewhat reluctant when the marriage was first arranged, unwilling to accept it. But then, partly because the imperial decree was difficult to disobey, and partly because the Fourth Prince had truly stood out among the other princes over the past year, and Ma Qi always praised him, saying he was upright and would never mistreat their daughter. This reassured her.

Noble Concubine Xuan was also a kind person, so she naturally wouldn't bother her daughter-in-law.

The two chatted for a while, and Miss Fucha sat beside them, smiling politely, a well-behaved child.

Lady Fucha pondered for a moment, considering she was also from the Niohuru family, and asked about Noble Concubine Niohuru's recent situation.

On New Year's Eve, Noble Concubine Niohuru was punished by the Empress Dowager to kneel all night. The news spread not only within the palace but also to everyone with connections outside.

Wen Shan then learned that Lady Fucha also had the surname Niohuru, demonstrating the complex connections between these powerful families.

"It's just a small matter. Noble Concubine Nianhulu has returned to the palace to rest. If you miss her, you can go visit her later," Wen Shan said.

Mrs. Fucha thought about it and decided it would be inappropriate to not go to the palace. After sitting in Xianfu Palace for a while, she took Miss Fucha to Yongshou Palace for a short visit.

After Mrs. Fucha left, Yinzhen and the others came over.

"How is Mother? Do you still like Fucha?" Yinxiang ran over to Wen Shan and asked.

Wen Shan looked at him blinking curiously and found it a little funny: "Your fourth brother hasn't even asked, but you're already anxious."

Yinxiang hugged her arm and acted coquettishly, insisting that she talk.

"She's quite good, a nice girl. Yinzhen will naturally like her when he sees her."

Yinzhen, having recently been immune to Wenshan, Yinsi, and Yinxiang's teasing about his marriage, simply said with a deadpan expression, "As long as Mother likes her."

Although the New Year's Eve banquet incident was ultimately resolved abruptly, Concubine Nianhulu, fully aware that it was the young Tonggiya who orchestrated it, quickly launched a counterattack. The two bickered from the end of the year until early summer, with neither side able to determine the outcome, a situation characterized by a volatile balance of power.

Wenshan had been enjoying the operas every day when Emperor Kangxi suddenly issued an edict ordering Yinzhen and Yinsi to embark on a long journey.

This year, for the Confucius Temple in Qufu, Emperor Kangxi unexpectedly nominated the Third Prince to attend, specifically sending Yinzhen and Yinsi to accompany him.

In previous years, the Crown Prince had attended the Confucius

Temple. This sudden change of personnel fueled widespread gossip within the harem and the court, with some even betting that Kangxi had grown tired of the Crown Prince and would eventually depose him.

However, Kangxi's subtle decision to have the Crown Prince's staunch supporter, the Third Prince, go in his stead left many perplexed. This

was especially true given that the Third Prince's companions were the Fourth and Eighth Princes, both of whom Kangxi had greatly favored over the past two years.

While Qufu wasn't far away, the round trip, including the Confucius worship ceremony, would take nearly half a month. Fortunately, Yinzhen and Yinsi were traveling together, which reassured Wenshan.

The Crown Prince was naturally unhappy about this. While the Confucius worship ceremony didn't carry the same symbolic weight as the ancestral temple, he had been the one to conduct it since he turned ten; it had become almost a standard practice. But this time, someone else was sent. Even with his long-standing friendship with the Third Prince, the Crown Prince felt uneasy.

He summoned Soetu to Yuqing Palace that night to discuss matters.

"Uncle, what do you think the Emperor's intentions are this time?"

The Crown Prince was a little anxious. He felt that he was increasingly unable to understand Kangxi. When he was young, father and son had been very close and could talk about almost anything, but in the past two years, he felt that the Emperor's attitude towards him had become increasingly cold.

Since the end of his house arrest, the Crown Prince had been behaving well. While not outstanding, he had not made any mistakes either. He even obeyed Kangxi quite a bit, so he could not understand Kangxi's intentions at this moment.

Soetu said: "This is the Emperor's imperial mindset. Your Highness, you must remain calm at this time."

"Look, this time, the Third Prince is in charge of the Confucius worship, while the recently favored Fourth and Eighth Princes are just accompanying them. Have you ever considered why the Emperor made such an arrangement?"

"If I could guess the Emperor's intentions, I wouldn't have sent Uncle here so late at night," the Crown Prince said with a wry smile.

Soetu sighed and shook his head, saying: "Prince, you have been restless recently and you don't understand many things. The emperor is trying to find out the nature of you and the fourth prince!"

At this point, Soetu had to admit that the prince's position was indeed not unshakable. The fourth prince was another candidate in the emperor's mind, but the prince had been in office for many years and had not done anything major. Talking about deposing him would shake the foundation of the country. In addition, the emperor had invested many years of effort in the prince and still had some hope, so he had not taken any action.

The prince scratched his head and thought for a while, "You mean the emperor wants to see who can sit still longer, me or my fourth brother?"

"That's right." Soetu said, "It's just a sacrifice to Confucius, not a big ceremony. If you lose your composure and do something unwise, it will disappoint the emperor."

"On the contrary, if the fourth prince relies on his favor and becomes arrogant, it will not be what the emperor wants."

The prince thought about it and still felt confused: "Then the emperor could just let the fourth brother go to sacrifice to Confucius, why did he let the third brother be in charge and drag the eighth brother along?"

"This is where the emperor is smart." Soetu sighed, "Letting the third brother be in charge makes it seem that the emperor is wavering between you and the fourth prince. It is much more tempting than letting the fourth prince go directly."

This is equivalent to telling Yinzhen directly that you are only one step away from overthrowing the prince.

"What's more, there is an Eighth Prince by his side. If someone really has some ulterior motives during this Confucius sacrifice, the three parties can still check and balance each other, shut up the outside world and hold the Fourth Prince hostage at home."

The prince couldn't help but sighed after hearing what you said, "Now I finally understand. Uncle, you are worthy of being the prime minister of this dynasty

. When it comes to guessing the emperor's thoughts, you are second to none." "So Your Highness, you must sit still and do what you should do at this time, and restrain the officials under you from gossiping about this matter."

The prince nodded hurriedly and wrote it down one by one.

Soetu pondered for a while and finally said, "There is one more thing. In the future, we can't just focus on the eldest prince. We should pay more attention to these two newly-minted Fourth Prince and Eighth Prince."