Kangxi promptly ordered Liang Jiugong, “Go to Yuqing Palace and Brother’s residence. Tomorrow, have the Crown Prince and Baoqing go on my behalf to An Prince’s mansion to offer condolences.”
“Tell the Ministry of Rites officials to hold a grand funeral for An Prince, draft a posthumous title, build a merit stele, and give road sacrifices. No negligence allowed! Also, send Fuquan with royal relatives to offer condolences. I want a grand funeral!”
Fang He: “……”
But that tone sounded more like digging up a grave and whipping a corpse!
Liang Jiugong was unsurprised by the Emperor’s orders.
The grander the funeral, the more resentful the relatives previously suppressed by An Prince would become.
Reckoning day would come.
He stole a glance at the ancestor resting on the Emperor’s lap.
“What about the Ninth Princess’s ‘Zhuazhou’ ceremony…”
Kangxi didn’t ask Fang He’s opinion and said bluntly, “Issue my decree: the Ninth Princess’s ‘Zhuazhou’ ceremony will be postponed to the ninth day of the fourth lunar month. The priority is the An Prince’s funeral.”
After Liang Jiugong left, Kangxi planned to explain to Fang He, but their voices overlapped.
“I find him unlucky.”
“I think he’s unlucky too.”
At the bedside, their eyes met and both couldn’t help but smile.
Especially Kangxi, whose joy surged like relentless waves in his heart.
He should have known long ago—they were the same kind of people.
Once on the right path, they understood each other better than anyone else.
Interrupted twice, and with Kangxi’s excitement no longer confined beneath the canopy, he only held the bedding close and leaned back.
“I originally wanted to raise your rank in the name of the Empress Dowager. It felt unstable—those remonstrating ministers from the previous reign couldn’t be silenced. The more they were scolded, the more fervent they became. It would inevitably cause you trouble.”
“Now it’s settled. No one can stop you—”
He lowered his head, his phoenix eyes shining like stars, lips curving wider.
“No, it’s no one who can stop me standing shoulder to shoulder with Guoguo.”
Fang He looped her arms around his neck, lifting her head to kiss him.
“Good. I’m waiting for you to take me onto the grand stage.”
Thinking of that scene, Kangxi’s heart stirred more wildly, making him want to turn over and relieve the overwhelming joy.
Fang He yawned, pushing him away and turning over.
“Stop fussing. Soon, Jiujiu will wake. Sleep, sleep—everything is in your dreams.”
***
On the second day of the fourth lunar month, news of An Prince’s death spread through the capital and was quickly dispatched across Great Qing.
Kangxi decreed the posthumous title He’an Prince for An Prince.
After the Crown Prince visited An Prince’s mansion to pay respects, Kangxi recounted Yue Le’s achievements and graciously bestowed the title of An Prince to his legitimate son Ma’Erhun, granting him the princely double stipend.
The Emperor’s favor for An Prince was still fresh in everyone’s minds, but by mid-April, the situation took a sharp turn.
Relatives from Shengjing and Huguang came to the capital to accuse the late He’an Prince.
From Shengjing came Adanu, the head of the Zashuhu Li clan and Fang He’s maternal family branch.
He accused He’an Prince of covering up for his son’s crimes, forcing the commander of the Plain Blue Banner, Zashuhu Walda, to take the blame.
In Adanu’s hands were letters delivered years ago with the remains of the Zashuhu clan’s late matriarch, Wulinzhu, to the old family residence in Shengjing.
Among them was one letter accusing Walda of corruption and bribery.
The exact crimes were unclear, but the demand for Walda’s confession was ominous.
Anyone who read the letter would find the implications obvious.
Most importantly, the letter bore Yue Le’s private seal.
From Huguang came Mingshang Guoluoluo’s cousin, who confessed that after the Emperor’s anti-gambling edict, it was not the Imperial Son-in-law Mingshang who cheated Sun Guobi and his family at gambling, but rather An Prince’s illegitimate son Seleng’e.
He even brought witnesses—descendants of the Sun family who had been silenced, and in their possession was the jade pendant Seleng’e first lost when he started cheating.
Even Fuquan brought witnesses from the Zongrenfu.
Beile Nuoni, who had been imprisoned in the Zongrenfu for years by Yue Le under the accusation of “unfilial conduct,” attacked Yue Le for personal vengeance, alleging that he had imprisoned both him and his birth mother in the Zongrenfu prison, causing his mother to die of melancholy.
The grand scale of Yue Le’s funeral was matched by the uproar this matter caused in court.
Officials loyal to An Prince and the new An Prince loudly proclaimed their innocence, but faced with witness testimony, physical evidence, and proof of guilt, they could never produce a strong defense.
Kangxi ordered the Ministry of Justice to investigate thoroughly.
Upon confirming the evidence, he was furious in court and harshly demoted Yue Le’s title to that of a duke.
But considering Yue Le’s lifelong military service, Kangxi decreed his son could inherit the title to appease the Plain Blue Banner.
Ma’Erhun was a prince for only a dozen days before his rank was downgraded to that of Duke An.
***
Cui Wei, snacking on melon seeds inside Yanxi Palace, animatedly told Fang He.
“You didn’t see, but the Emperor reportedly shed tears in Jingshen Hall, personally lifting the heads of the Zashuhu clan leader and Guoluoluo Mingshang, patting his chest and vowing to give both families a proper answer!”
Fang He smiled quietly, watching Cui Wei shed a layer of restraint, livelier than in the imperial tea room, the corners of her lips curving more.
She picked up a handful of melon seeds and matched Cui Wei’s enthusiasm.
“Impressive. But you didn’t see it either, so how do you know?”
“Of course, I heard it from Ranxia! I was once a nanny in the imperial tea room. I have insider knowledge that others don’t. Ranxia will take over for the new Liu Gugu in a few years, so naturally, we keep each other informed.”
Having completely broken free from the shadow cast by her biological father, Cui Wei realized she wasn’t good at flaunting power.
Xinhua and Xinzi were better suited for that.
Her nature wasn’t as flamboyant, but that didn’t mean she was useless to her mistress.
She was best at gathering intelligence.
Now, as the head nanny serving the most favored Imperial Consort Zhao, she didn’t necessarily have to accompany her mistress on missions.
She only needed to manage Yanxi Palace and control information inside and outside the palace.
Even if the Imperial Household Department had a personnel reshuffle, the Fuchashi and Tianjia clans had many elders and new arrivals she was familiar with.
After sharing this with Fang He, She felt glad that Cui Wei had found her place and gave her a monthly budget of five hundred taels of silver to manage palace affairs and information gathering.
From now on, Cui Wei would accompany Gu Wenxing on missions and oversee palace matters.
Ranxia was responsible for serving tea.
Though she couldn’t enter the main hall, she could still overhear a lot from the side halls.
Cui Wei continued, “The Emperor summoned Minister Gao Shiqi of the Southern Study and Minister Mingzhu. He intends to draft an edict to overturn the verdicts against the Zashuhu commander and the Imperial Son-in-law.”
Fang He had a vague sense of Kangxi’s plan and exclaimed with interest, “How will they overturn it? Is the edict ready?”
“Not yet, but…” Cui Wei shook her head, about to continue when Wei Zhu burst in from outside, drenched in sweat and flushed with excitement.
“Master! Ministry of Rites Ministers Mingzhu and Wang Yan are coming to Yanxi Palace with the imperial edict!”
The combined Manchu and Han Ministry of Rites Ministers, the chief and deputy, coming to the harem with an edict could mean only one thing.
Cui Wei’s melon seeds spilled everywhere as she jumped higher than Wei Zhu.
“Master is being promoted to Noble Consort?”
“Heavens, quick! Xinhua, Xinzi, come dress the mistress!”
“Promotion!”
Cui Wei hurried to the door, repeatedly ordering, “Fule, take some girls and sweep the courtyard. Oh, and find the cushions.”
Fang He was curious, “Since when did Mingzhu become Minister of Rites?”
Wei Zhu smiled, “Just yesterday’s morning court. The Hesheri lord, the An Prince’s uncle, was demoted to a copyholder and reassigned to the Ministry of Works.”
Fang He thought: ‘Isn’t Tong Guowei the Minister of Works now? ‘
So that sly old fox Tong Guowei must still be quietly stirring trouble for Yue Le.
Not necessarily.
The Hesheri clan’s head is Suo’etu.
Now that Mingzhu was promoted and Hesheri’s rank demoted, the eldest prince’s face should be restored considerably…
Just as she was thinking this, Nalan Mingzhu and Minister Wang Yan, also the Crown Prince’s tutor, entered Yanxi Palace in succession.
Nalan Mingzhu took the lead, showing extra respect by greeting Fang He with a deep bow on one knee.
“Your servant greets the Imperial Consort. Congratulations, Imperial Consort.”
Wang Yan, caught off guard, thought: ‘Damn, when did Mingzhu become such a flatterer? ‘
He hesitated; after all, he was just the messenger of the edict and hadn’t announced it yet, so he merely bowed without kneeling.
“I pay respects to Imperial Consort Zhao and offer congratulations.”
Fang He smiled and told them to rise, but judging by the reactions of Yanxi Palace servants, it was clear who was more popular.
No wonder people say that if Mingzhu weren’t so greedy, Suo’etu couldn’t possibly compete with him.
In terms of social skills, Mingzhu surpassed the court ministers by far.
Mingzhu glanced at Wang Yan without expression.
Wang Yan had tutored the Crown Prince for years but never earned his favor, stuck in the Ministry of Rites, suppressed by Suo’etu.
His clueless expression was no surprise.
The Emperor was clearly intending to grant Imperial Consort Zhao a dignified rank, and Noble Consort status was inevitable.
Why not give them a heads-up?
But no one showed their feelings outwardly.
Fang He smiled as she knelt on the cushions with the Yanxi Palace attendants.
Mingzhu opened the imperial edict and read it with clear intonation.
All the flowery praises sounded like background noise to Fang He.
She only paid close attention to the final line—
“By imperial decree, in accordance with the late Empress Dowager’s instructions, the Zashuhu Li clan is specially granted the title of Noble Consort, with the posthumous name Zhaoyuan. So it is commanded!”
Everyone in Yanxi Palace was stunned for a moment… “Yuan?!”
This “Yuan” character was only used by Emperor Taizong when posthumously honoring Consort Chen Hailanzu, and even the Dong’e clan never received it.
It was a title reserved for the legitimate wife.
Fang He was somewhat surprised.
Since “Zhao” was good, she said not to change it.
Because there were now two Noble Consorts in the palace, the rules stated that when the Noble Consort positions were full, posthumous titles would be given.
Kangxi had previously asked if she wanted to change hers, but she didn’t expect this pleasant surprise without a word.
After Wang Yan finished reading the imperial honors, Fang He expressed thanks and gestured to Cui Wei to present tea and congratulatory money to the two ministers.
She asked Mingzhu, “Do you know if the Noble Consort in Yongshou Palace has received her title yet?”
Mingzhu’s eyes flickered and he replied, “As soon as we leave Yanxi Palace, we will go to Yongshou Palace to congratulate Noble Consort Wenxi.”
Cui Wei and Wei Zhu’s faces were bright with joy.
Coming to Yanxi Palace first meant their mistress had surpassed Noble Consort Wenxi—first place!
After Mingzhu and Wang Yan departed, Cui Wei immediately gathered everyone to kneel together, loudly calling out,
“Congratulations to the mistress! Congratulations, Noble Consort, wishing you great peace!”
Fang He was very pleased.
From now on, besides the Empress Dowager and Kang Shifu, she would no longer have to kneel to anyone else in the palace.
“Everyone up! Three months’ salary for all!” She waved her hand generously with rare liberality.
This time, she felt no sting in her generosity.
There was no way.
The harem’s consorts were about to send their gifts to Chengqian Palace soon.
Thinking of the wonderful things the consorts had mentioned in Shoukang Palace, Fang He laughed so hard she could barely see her eyebrows, and became even more generous, waving her hand again.
“Wei Zhu, take the silver to the kitchens and order two banquet tables…”
But before she could finish her generosity, Gu Wenxing, dressed in the official robes of the chief eunuch of the harem, entered.
“Your humble servant greets the Noble Consort. By the Emperor’s decree, all banquets in Yanxi Palace today are to be arranged solely by the Imperial Household Department kitchens under your instructions.”
Earlier, Fang He had sent Wei Zhu to inform Gu Wenxing.
Gu Wenxing had been training Qiao Cheng these days and seemed ready to fully take over, replacing Wei Zhu.
Facing this elder eunuch, who was half like a mentor, Fang He subconsciously straightened and politely responded with restraint.
“How could I trouble the kitchens with such small matters? What if it delayed the Emperor’s meal?”
Gu Wenxing was silent for a moment, then lowered his eyes and spoke evenly:
“The Emperor also ordered that the Empress Dowager miss the Ninth Princess. Please send the Ninth Princess to Shoukang Palace. The Emperor will dine at Yanxi Palace tonight. Please prepare accordingly, Noble Consort.”
Fang He’s serious tone made the situation suddenly feel less formal.
Judging by the tone, tonight’s dinner… might not be on the table?