Chapter 104 (2/2): Chaos in the Palace, Victory on the Frontier

As Fang He put it, “The child is foolish. If not spanked now, what good is waiting until I return to reprimand him?”  

In his heart, he could not make Fang He empress—not because she wasn’t worthy but because he feared she wouldn’t accompany him to the end.  

Now, in his mind, Fang He’s status equaled Hesheri and the Niuhulu clan—no, even higher.  

Kangxi cared for Hesheri, but his feelings were more of respect and gratitude.

He had no choice back then and was just lucky Hesheri was a virtuous wife.  

As for the Niuhulu clan, he had even less choice.

Despite his resentment of Oboi, to appease the Eight Banners and ensure court stability, making her empress was the best option.  

Fang He, however, was his heart’s desire and knew him better than anyone, like another half of his own body.  

Naturally, he looked at Liang Jiugong and said, “I have long said, your noble lady is the smartest woman in the palace and in all of the Qing. She won’t be wrong. Even if others think she is, the fault lies with them. Remember my words; no matter what she does, you should weigh it carefully in your heart.”  

Liang Jiugong was dumbfounded, ‘Ha!’  

He understood, truly understood.  

He used to think the emperor was biased, but now he realized—it wasn’t bias; it was favoritism beyond measure!  

***

Ten days later, inside Yuqing Palace, Yinreng couldn’t help but ask his eunuch Xu Bao for the hundred thirty-third time,  “Have the letters from Northern Mongolia arrived yet?”  

Xu Bao shrank his neck, “P-Probably the war situation is tense, and the emperor is worried about the battle…”  

Yinreng slammed the table angrily, “What tension? The front-line reports come in daily. Gualdan’s forces are in full retreat, just fleeing for their lives.”  

If the war went smoothly, the army would return to the capital within two months.

His father would be back by October at the latest.  

What was there to worry about?  

Trouble never comes singly.

Xu Bao looked at the furious Crown Prince but could only grit his teeth and answer,  “Sir, eunuch Gu from Yanxi Palace called early, saying Your Highness’s tenth reflection paper…”  

“Get out!” Yinreng angrily swept all the brushes, ink, and paper off the desk.  

Xu Bao ran out, barely escaping on all fours.  

But at the door, he still poked his head back and whispered, “Eunuch Gu said that if you don’t submit the tenth, all nine previous ones will be sent to the Inner Cabinet…”  

“Ahhh!” Yinreng’s face contorted with rage as he charged toward Xu Bao.  

Xu Bao quickly shut the door, trembling at the pounding from inside.  

Several eunuchs glanced over, and Xu Bao glared back.  

‘What are you all staring at? Haven’t you seen your master throw a tantrum before? Besides, what’s so interesting? This isn’t the first time!’  

The eunuchs quickly returned to their duties.

This scene was all too familiar.  

Since the Crown Prince wrote the first reflection under Lord Wang Yan’s guidance and sent it to Yanxi Palace, this happened regularly.  

They couldn’t understand how their master, now the most honored man in the palace besides the Empress Dowager, could be completely under a single noble consort’s control.  

Yinreng sat inside, clutching his head, tears flying in frustration.  

He regretted being fooled by Fang He in the Imperial Garden.  

Had he thought carefully, he would have known the so-called evidence Fang He presented was questionable and wouldn’t have dared to leak it.  

He was the emperor’s heir since infancy.

Unless the emperor was determined to depose him, no one could sully the Crown Prince’s name.  

This was imperial power.

Even if Noble Consort Zhaoyuan caused a scandal, she would never dare oppose it.  

Yet on that day in the Imperial Garden, after Noble Consort Wenxi spoke, Concubine Jing from the Tong family stirred the pot.  

The outer court noble ladies were humiliated in the palace.

Fundamentally, someone had struck at the heir and Noble Consort Zhaoyuan.

The noble consort had to protect herself and the heir’s safety, which forced her hand.  

But regardless, most outer court noble ladies were descendants of meritorious families and should not have suffered without cause.  

If a satisfactory explanation couldn’t be given to each family, this matter would have to be thoroughly investigated and publicly announced to ensure court stability.  

Noble Consort Zhaoyuan asked Concubine Jing, “What do you think would satisfy all families?”  

Concubine Jing casually said, “The Crown Prince is acting as regent. Since he admitted fault, the Crown Prince’s preceptor should know how to handle the situation, guide the Crown Prince to write a reflection about the Imperial Garden incident, smooth things over so no one can complain.”  

Noble Consort Zhaoyuan thought this reasonable and sent Lord Wang Yan, the Crown Prince’s preceptor, to Yuqing Palace to supervise the Crown Prince, who had just been punished, hastily writing a reflection to send to Yanxi Palace, claiming it would explain matters to all families.  

Those outer court noble ladies caused trouble at home, and Noble Consort Zhaoyuan forced him to write ten reflections for insufficient content.  

If he refused, this one reflection and its context would be sent to the Inner Cabinet to accompany official memorials before the throne.  

Lord Wang Yan had to persuade the Crown Prince patiently to write well.  

After all, the Crown Prince had admitted fault and left paper evidence.

If this reached Kangxi, it would be more than just about reflections.  

Moreover, facing the officials’ outrage at Noble Consort Zhaoyuan’s boldness, even those wanting to impeach her, Yinreng had to begrudgingly speak up in her defense.  

He had admitted fault before so many people.

The palace women were the least of it; the trouble was the many outer court noble ladies who couldn’t be silenced.  

But even if it was a self-criticism memorial, who wrote ten copies?

Where would he find that many insights?  

Wiping his nose and with red eyes, Yinreng called Xu Bao to bring brush, ink, and paper, and looked at the spread-out sheets, tears streaming down.  

Why did he have to oppose Noble Consort Zhaoyuan?   

“The emperor will be back soon, right? Your noble consort has gone mad!” 

*** 

At the same time, Yin’e and Yin Tang lay crying on their beds in Yongshou Palace and Yikun Palace, pounding on the bed, longing for their father’s return.  

They had never missed their father so much.  

The Imperial Garden incident shocked the princes and princesses.  

Even though they knew there was friction between the palaces and Yanxi Palace, and that relations between the Crown Prince and his brothers were poor, no one had ever dared lay hands on the Crown Prince directly.  

Consort Hui being punished was one thing, but the Crown Prince?

He was the heir!  

This was probably the first time the Crown Prince had been punished with a beating by anyone other than the emperor.  

From Yinzhi to Yinzhen, none could hide their curiosity.

Taking the chance to visit their elder brother, they all went to Yuqing Palace to see the new face!  

Yinzhi, sharp-tongued, asked the Crown Prince, “How could the Crown Prince be beaten by a noble consort? You’re the Crown Prince. This is too humiliating for us men!”  

Yinreng almost spat blood.

Did he want to admit fault?  

If not for Noble Consort Wenxi inviting many outer court noble ladies into the palace and revealing the late Empress Dowager’s will, even if the Shadow Guards dared to act against him, he wouldn’t have to worry about his reputation or Hesheri’s safety.  

He only needed to hold firm and deny responsibility, silence everyone, close Cining Palace, and ask the Inner Cabinet to draft an imperial edict to crush Noble Consort Zhaoyuan.  

Yet now, with Yinzhi mocking him, Yinreng was furious beyond measure.

He immediately had all the princes arrested and confined outside Shang Shufang on the pretense of preventing truancy, each given twenty strokes.  

He couldn’t be the only one punished.  

Nor could he be the only one writing reflections.  

Noble Consort Wenxi, Concubine Yi, and even Concubine Jing, who supported Fang He, bore the brunt of his wrath.

Yin’e, Yin Tang, and Yinzhen were beaten especially hard.  

The beaten had been bedridden for over ten days.

Even lying down, they had to submit a reflection daily, or else no food.  

They wanted to complain, but their mothers were too frightened by Noble Consort Zhaoyuan’s threat and shut themselves in the palace, leaving nowhere to cry.  

They didn’t want to write, but since the Crown Prince was forced to, they had no choice.  

The most stubborn, Yin Tang, after starving for two meals, began crying and writing the next day.  

“Wuwu, Father come back soon, the Crown Prince has gone mad!!!”  

None of the consorts except Consort Hui were punished.

After all, they weren’t foolish.

Those quick-witted and sharp-tongued among the consorts and noble ladies all got their share of beatings.

No one wanted extra lashes for nothing.  

They didn’t have to write reflections or starve, but they were more devout than anyone else, praying for hours every day, fervently hoping the Qing would win soon and the emperor would return quickly.  

Why?

Because Noble Consort Zhaoyuan held the late Empress Dowager’s secret weapon.

If her mood soured and she suddenly bestowed favors on some palace, who could stop her?  

They couldn’t stay cooped up in their palaces forever.  

When would this madness end?  

While the emperor was present, at least someone could restrain this madwoman.

Even in times of competition for favor, none missed Kangxi this much.  

“Achoo!” Kangxi, frowning as he read the letters on the imperial carriage, suddenly sneezed.  

Liang Jiugong entered with medicine, immediately blessing, “Buddha protect you, Your Majesty!”  

“Please take the medicine first. It will take another half month to reach Xifengkou. The weather is cold. You must take care of your dragon body and not get angry at those foolish people!”  

At first, the Qing army was unstoppable, pushing all the way to the Sala Mulun River, driving Gualdan like a dog without a home, seemingly on the verge of victory.  

But Fuquan made a foolish mistake.

Because of Gualdan’s request for peace, he stopped, ordered the army to camp in place, and proudly sent a letter to Bo Luohetun to ask Kangxi for instructions, subtly claiming credit.  

Kangxi—reading the letter—was nearly furious enough to lose his composure.  

If Gualdan truly wanted peace, he wouldn’t be fleeing north, intending to turn the tide with Luosha and Tibet’s troops.

Instead, he would camp and make a peace gesture.  

Sure enough, when Kangxi ordered Fuquan to pursue with full force, Fuquan chased northward, only to find Gualdan burning grass, robbing tribes, and obstructing Qing cavalry along the way.  

The tribes were devastated and couldn’t support provisions.

The Qing soldiers could not continue north.

Fuquan had no choice but to order a retreat.  

When Fuquan returned to Bo Luohetun, Kangxi learned that the order to camp in place was proposed by Prince Yinzhi, who had accompanied Fuquan on the campaign, primarily to claim credit.  

Fuquan, cautious and mindful that Yinzhi was the only son in battle and had a sizable share of merit, agreed to sell Yinzhi’s credit.  

Kangxi said Fuquan wasn’t exactly clever but not this eager for glory either.  

He was so angry he wished he could kill Yinzhi and even more furious that Fuquan had admitted this in front of many soldiers.  

Though his son was foolish, Fuquan wasn’t.  

Yet all of this made outsiders think the Aisin Gioro family was a bunch of fools.  

So furious, Kangxi didn’t even bother scolding.

With a dark face, he ordered a return to the capital, instructing Fuquan to remain behind to continue scouting Junghar’s movements.  

Throughout the journey, Kangxi was in a foul mood.

Shortly after leaving Bo Luohetun, he developed a toothache from anger that lingered for days.  

The imperial entourage was cautious; no one dared approach the emperor lightly.  

But the letters from the capital kept arriving, every two days, growing more urgent.  

The letters did not openly accuse Noble Consort Zhaoyuan of recklessness or arrogance.

Like the previous letters, they were full of longing and concern for Kangxi, praying for his early return.  

Yet from the tragic tone and the half-hearted excuses defending Fang He, Kangxi could sense their underlying resentment.  

At first, Kangxi thought Fang He had been too bold this time and planned to patch things up for her later.  

But the more he read, the angrier he grew.  

Who gave them the nerve to complain about the noble consort?

His little fox hadn’t done anything foolish—just disciplined a few unruly children.  

Guoguo’s actions were all to protect the heir and bring peace to the palace.  

And those people?

Just like Fuquan and Yinzhi—foolish themselves, yet bold enough to whine to him.  

The truly reckless ones were those bastards.  

Kangxi downed his medicine with a gulp, a cold murderous aura mixing with the medicine scent filling the imperial carriage.  

“What is there to argue with them about? I think the noble consort was too gentle!”  

Liang Jiugong: “…..”