LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 2 - The Crown Prince
Cheng Wanyun hurriedly knelt and bowed along with the others, her heart racing and filled with unease.
She was what people called a “rebirth”—in her past life, she had died from overwork. Reborn into this world, she found herself in a completely different era. She had already resigned herself to a life of ease, her fate determined from the moment she was swaddled in her cradle—she had resolved to be a “salted fish” who simply lay still.
In this life, she had grown up in the water-town-like Huizhou Prefecture, a place straight out of a dream. Her parents and siblings had good temperaments, and though her biological mother had passed away early, her stepmother was not bad. Her father was a minor official, neither rich nor powerful, but they lived comfortably. Her younger siblings always listened to her, and she had a peaceful, easy life. As for the imperial selection… she had never been in a hurry about it.
Firstly, the Qing Dynasty governed people and soldiers by banners, and without going through the selection, one could not privately marry. There were always ways to avoid one or two of the selection rounds, but not all of them. Secondly, she came from a ‘Han Army’ banner family. Her father had wasted most of his life and was still stuck in a seventh-grade official position. With such a father, there was no way to escape the selection based on favor or bribes, and she had no connections to pull strings. She was truly unable to avoid it. Moreover, since arriving in the Qing Dynasty, she had paid close attention and noticed that during the Kangxi period, lineage was especially important. With her family background, her chances of being selected were quite slim. Even her two beautiful cousins had been eliminated in the first round of selection.
It would be best if she didn’t get selected. But if, by any chance, she did get selected and became a small concubine, that wouldn’t be so bad either. In this era, one shouldn’t expect much in terms of love. A blind marriage would be better than nothing—perhaps being a small concubine to Kangxi. After all, many of Kangxi’s consorts lived long lives. If she played her cards right, she might even survive until the reign of Qianlong.
Before entering the palace, Cheng Wanyun was quite optimistic, and the entire Cheng family wasn’t too worried either.
They all thought she was going on a day trip to the Forbidden City, but who knew it would turn into a one-way journey…
And, to make matters worse, she had entered the Eastern Palace!
When she received the imperial decree, she was quite passive, but she didn’t want to start her first day with a mistake—after all, it was only the 28th year of Kangxi’s reign, and if the Crown Prince was deposed and imprisoned, she’d still have at least 20 more years to lie low.
However, it seemed her bad luck wasn’t over. Just as she spoke, the main person entered.
Cheng Wanyun sighed quietly as she knelt on the floor.
“Rise,” said the Crown Prince, Yinreng, as he strode in. He paused beside Side Concubine Li and said, “You are in your own house, there’s no need for formalities.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Your Highness,” Side Concubine Li replied, as Jin Mama helped her up. She quickly dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a handkerchief and instructed a little palace maid to bring the Crown Prince’s favorite tea, the ‘Junshan Yinzhen’, before sitting down in the chair at the left side of the couch.
Once the Crown Prince sat down on the couch, Cheng Wanyun stood up with Yang Gege. As she rose, she took a quick glance at the legendary Crown Prince.
He was speaking to Side Concubine Li, his head slightly turned.
“Lin Gege is ill and has gone out. Don’t forget to send some food to her so that she can rest comfortably.”
The Crown Prince was still a young man, around fifteen or sixteen years old. His voice was clear and bright, and he was exceptionally tall. His build was slim, but his large frame made him appear sturdy. Perhaps it was because as a royal prince, he had been trained in horseback riding and archery from a young age. His complexion wasn’t particularly fair, but his features were striking. His eyes were deep and slightly upturned at the corners, with lips that were neither thin nor thick, and the corners of his lips were slightly rounded, giving him a clear, refined, and dignified appearance.
Cheng Wanyun quickly lowered her head and focused on the tips of her shoes after stealing a glance.
Her toes ached; it was only after entering the palace that she started wearing high-heeled shoes, and she still wasn’t used to them.
“Naturally, we send something every month without fail,” Side Concubine Li sighed with a troubled expression, “But the eunuchs running errands always come back saying that Sister Lin’s condition hasn’t improved. I’m afraid it’s…”
The Crown Prince was silent for a moment before finally speaking, “This is everyone’s fate. But since she is from Yuqing Palace, we must do our duty. I’ll send someone to invite a few good doctors. As long as their medical skills are good, it doesn’t matter how much silver it costs—have them come and take a look. Also, find out if any of her family is still in the capital. At least have them meet her.”
Side concubine Li nodded repeatedly in agreement.
The Crown Prince then turned his gaze to the two Gege standing nearby, and said gently, “You both should sit down.”
The two of them thanked him and sat down gracefully.
He took the tea that Side Concubine Li personally served, skimmed off the foam, and took a small sip, all while observing the two Gege sitting in proper posture.
As expected, Yang Gege’s family must have hired an old nanny to teach her; every detail from head to toe had been meticulously groomed, and she only sat at the edge.
As for Cheng Gege…
When the Crown Prince glanced at her, it seemed she had just realized her sitting posture was slightly different from Yang Gege’s. She hesitated for a moment, then subtly and carefully shifted her hips to the edge of the seat, as though trying not to draw attention. Only when she had positioned herself properly did she let out a quiet sigh of relief.
The Crown Prince, hiding his amusement behind a sip of tea, thought to himself: This Cheng Gege really doesn’t seem like someone who’s been taught in the palace.
His mood wasn’t particularly good today. He had just received new tutors: Official Zhang, Official Shao Zhang Geng Jie and the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Da Hata. All three were highly learned scholars, and the Crown Prince had heard of their reputations and read their writings. He had been excited to have such esteemed teachers.
However, when he arrived at the study early in the morning, he was immediately doused with cold water—his three new teachers, who were all elderly, were trembling as they knelt at the door to perform the formal rites of monarch and subject. Every time they spoke to him or asked him to recite something, they had to kneel first.
Official Zhang and Geng Jie were both over seventy, and by the end of the lesson, they were drenched in cold sweat and could barely stand.
No matter how the Crown Prince tried to persuade them, they wouldn’t listen.
After class, his eunuch attendant, He Baozhong, brought back news: Yesterday, he had accompanied the Empress Dowager and heard her laughing with the Emperor, complaining, “These tutors are too harsh nowadays. The Eldest Prince has to stay up all night copying books as punishment. When I asked, I found out it was only because he made a few mistakes in writing. In the end, they are still servants—how can they humiliate the master like this?”
Not a word was mentioned about the Crown Prince, but within half an hour, the imperial decree from the Qianqing Palace arrived.
On his way back to Yuqing Palace, he walked with a stern face, moving quickly as if he were the vanguard, his anger bubbling up inside him. The imperial court and the harem were intricately linked, and the struggle between the various palaces never ceased. Yet, not only had his mother failed to plan for him in every way, but he had also become a target that everyone seemed eager to strike.
He could only rely on his father, the Emperor, but sadly, even the Emperor was not solely his. It felt as if he were an egg rolled out of the nest, constantly surrounded by flies, and at any moment, if he let his guard down, he might be crushed by someone’s foot.
In just a few days, the rumors of his disrespect for his teachers and the turmoil he had caused would spread across the court—this was certain. Rumors were not just for the wise, but were used by the wise themselves.
It was an old trick, but it never failed.
The Crown Prince, angry and walking quickly, was followed closely by He Baozhong and a group of eunuchs, who were panting to keep up. Before entering the rear palace, He Baozhong managed to catch up and relay the message, “Your Highness, Lady Ling sent someone early this morning to inform us that the two Gege have already arrived.”
The Crown Prince paused, then remembered to change course and go to check on them.
Side concubine Li had just lost her child, and now she had to manage the arrival of the new Gege… Yinreng sighed. The people in Yuqing Palace, not only were they constantly being reprimanded by the Emperor, but they also suffered from the grievances imposed by the Empress Dowager, the Imperial Noble Consort, the Consort, and the four other imperial concubines. The palace maids and eunuchs were replaced in waves, and everyone lived in fear.
Therefore, he always thought that if he could protect someone, he would.
He hadn’t ordered an official announcement because he wanted to observe the character of the two Gege in private. But who would have thought that a single naïve remark from Cheng Gege would extinguish all his anger.
Her innocence, who knows how long it will last?
The Crown Prince didn’t stay in the rear hall for long, nor did he talk much with the two Gege. He only asked for their names, and then a eunuch from Qianqing Palace came rushing in to summon him. After confirming that the meeting place was the Southern Study, where the officials were already gathered, Side Concubine Li immediately instructed Lady Ling and Jin Mama to settle the two Gege, while she hurriedly helped the Crown Prince change into his court attire.
It was the middle of the day, and there was no time to prepare new snacks. While the Crown Prince changed, he hastily grabbed two pieces of jujube cake from the plate set out for the Gege, and as he lifted his head to fasten his collar, he caught a glimpse of Cheng Gege’s plate, which still had a piece with a bite taken out of it.
In such a situation, she was still eating.
The Crown Prince couldn’t help but laugh softly, the tension in his mind from the summons easing. He shook his head and left.
Meanwhile, Cheng Wanyun obediently followed Jin Mama into the backroom of the rear hall. Jin Mama said that this would be her place from now on.
The palace maids and eunuchs assigned specifically to serve her had been dispatched by the Imperial Household Department a few days earlier, and they were now waiting in the courtyard.