Secrets of Yuqing Palace

Chapter 266 The Queen Mother's Thoughts

Hearing what his younger brothers and sisters said, Fengsheng turned his body away in embarrassment.

"I'm an adult now. I need to be a role model for my younger siblings. How can I still let my grandma hold me?"

"Ama, please put me down."

"I'm grown up now and can walk by myself. I don't need my father to carry me."

When Yinreng heard his son's true feelings, his heart softened.

He hugged Feng Sheng'e even tighter.

"Feng Sheng'e has been away for a while, and my father and mother both miss him a little."

"Let Amado hold me for a while!"

Without waiting for Feng Sheng'e to say anything, Yinreng lowered his head and spoke to the twins.

"Hongye, Fuerguochun, your brother has been away for several days, and your father hasn't been able to hug him."

"Now that my brother is home, Ama has to make up for what he owed me a few days ago."

"When we get home, after Ama puts your brother down, I'll hug you, okay?"

Yinreng lost his mother at a young age, and his father was the emperor. Although he loved him the most, he was busy with government affairs and had to visit the harem, so he didn't have much time to be with Yinreng.

In addition, the Qing Dynasty had a rule of hugging grandchildren but not sons, and as an emperor, he had to set an example. Therefore, Yinreng and Kangxi, father and son, rarely had close contact such as hugging and kissing.

Because of his childhood deprivations, Yinreng now particularly likes to be close to children.

The twins looked at each other mischievously, then sighed in unison: "Oh~Okay."

"But when we get home, Ama will hug us."

Wanyu smiled and patted their heads.

"When has your Ama not hugged you?"

"Didn't I hug you guys before I left this morning?"

"Okay, go home!"

Honghui was not the only prince who died during this vaccination.

Among the more than thirty royal princes, five died young.

Because princesses were not as strong as princes, more of them died young!

Among the more than forty royal princesses, more than ten died young.

Fortunately, thanks to Wanyu's arrangements, Feng Sheng'e and Ning Chuge both came out in good health.

However, in the backyard of Prince Yong, because his eldest son died young, the entire front and back yards were filled with silence and sadness.

Wanlin was worried that the lively Ning Chuge would be an eyesore to Lady Fu, so after receiving Ning Chuge, she kept her by her side and did not let her go anywhere.

Wanlin suspected that Honghui's untimely death was related to Wei Qian.

Before the vaccination, when Fu Jin learned that Wei Qian had been arranged to stay in Ziyun Hall, he showed off proudly in front of her when she paid her respects in the morning.

He felt that with Wei Qian around, Honghui's vaccination would be foolproof.

He even asked her hypocritically if he wanted her to say a few good words for her in front of her mother, Concubine Uya, and ask Concubine Uya to ask Cao Yijie to take better care of Ning Chuge when the time comes.

Wanlin sneered at the thought of the smug look on Fu Jin's face.

【What an idiot! 】

[I'm afraid he doesn't even know how his own son died! ]

[Heh! I wonder what the Fu Jin will be like when Concubine Wu Ya is exposed in the future?]

........

When the legitimate grandson of the emperor died young, not only Kangxi but even the Empress Dowager asked about it.

Among the royal princes who have married now, not many have given birth to legitimate sons, so each one is precious.

In addition, after Prince Yong's wife gave birth to her eldest son, there was no further news of pregnancy.

Even the fourth son, Yinzhen, is now 27 years old and has only three sons and two daughters.

Honghui died young, leaving only two sons and two daughters.

The youngest prince was only born in February this year, and I don’t know whether he can be raised well in the future.

So when Wanyu took Fengsheng'e and the twins to Ruijingxuan to pay her respects to the Empress Dowager, she heard the Empress Dowager sigh and mentioned a few words about Yinzhen's offspring.

After muttering a few words, the old lady thought that this year was the election year and there were still some girls waiting to be selected.

"Crown Princess, I see that Yinzhen has few sons. Now that you are free, please help me select a few strong and healthy women to be selected as concubines."

Wanyu was stunned and felt a little embarrassed.

"Madam Royal, this..."

"Although I am the Crown Princess, it is not appropriate for me to interfere in the affairs of Fourth Brother's backyard."

The Queen Mother smiled upon hearing this.

"What are you talking about? I just asked you to pick out a few good ones."

"Then I will choose one or two more to give to Yinzhen."

Wanyu smiled and said, "My grandson's wife misunderstood."

"After returning, my granddaughter-in-law will select a few who are easy to give birth to and raise. In a few days, someone will send the list to Mama."

The Empress Dowager patted Wanyu's little hand.

"You are the Crown Princess, and the Emperor is in charge of all the affairs of the six palaces. You don't have to be timid."

Wanyu smiled and nodded, "Granddaughter-in-law understands. Thank you, Royal Madam, for your guidance."

......

After returning to Taoyuan Bookstore, Wanyu really started to select the concubines to be selected.

Yinreng was originally handling official business at the Guande Office. When he heard Zhang Xi say that the Crown Princess had returned from the Empress Dowager's office and was looking at the list of selected concubines, he went to the main hall in front with some curiosity.

Wanyu, who was originally thinking about the list of concubines, felt a shadow in front of her.

She looked up and saw Yinreng coming in.

"Have you finished your official duties?"

Yinreng shook his head.

"I heard you were looking at the list of concubines, and I thought you might have encountered something, so I came to see you."

Wanyu had a flash of inspiration.

"I really want to ask you what you think about this."

Yinreng raised an eyebrow, "What is it that makes you so embarrassed?"

Wanyu placed the list of concubines on the table, and then talked about what the Empress Dowager had told her to do.

Yinreng said with a smile: "Just pick a few who look strong and suitable for childbearing."

"Anyway, the Royal Madam's main goal is to have a few easy-to-raise children, and give birth to more children for the Fourth Prince."

"Why are you so embarrassed?"

Wanyu sighed.

"I'm worried that the selection won't suit Fourth Brother's taste, and that it will affect Second Sister's status in Prince Yong's Mansion."

Yinreng flipped through the list of concubines with one hand and tapped rhythmically on the table with the other.

Thinking of the specialness of the fourth child.

He turned around and gave instructions to Zhang Xi who was waiting outside the door.

"Zhang Xi, send someone to the West Residence and tell him what the Empress Dowager meant. Let's see what the Fourth Master has to say."

Zhang Xi: "Yes, I'll go right away."

After Zhang Xi left, Wanyu and Yinreng chatted while waiting for the person who brought the message to come back.

Soon, Zhang Xi came back with a eunuch, who was Su Peisheng, who was beside Yinzhen.

He first greeted the two of them politely.

"Your servant pays respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Royal Highness the Crown Princess."

Yinreng: "Are you serving the Fourth Master?"

In the past, when Yinzhen went out, he was usually accompanied by Zhang Qilin, so he was not very familiar with Su Peisheng.

Wanyu had met Su Peisheng when she went to Nansanso before Yinzhen left the palace and built his own residence, and she had some impression of the famous Concubine Su.

Su Peisheng: "Yes, your servant Su Peisheng is the eunuch serving in the front courtyard of the prince."

Yinreng nodded.

"Ah."

"What did the Fourth Brother send you here to say?"

(Zhang Qilin was the eunuch who served Yongzheng the longest and was the most respected. Su Peisheng came to power after Yongzheng ascended the throne and Zhang Qilin became old.

Concubine Su's career path: On the 17th day of the first lunar month in the first year of the Yongzheng reign, she was appointed the head eunuch of the Maoqin Hall, holding the rank of seventh-rank Zhishoushi. On the 22nd day of the eighth lunar month in the fifth year of the Yongzheng reign, she was promoted to Deputy Chief Eunuch (Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Palace). Subsequently, on the 4th day of the fifth lunar month in the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, she was promoted to Chief Eunuch of the Palace (Chief Eunuch of the Jingshifang), and was awarded the rank of fourth-rank official, a position she held until the Yongzheng's death.

Zhang Qilin had been serving beside Yongzheng and had been the chief eunuch since Yongzheng ascended the throne. It was only after he retired that Su Peisheng had the opportunity to take the throne.

Qianlong disliked Su Peisheng and drove her out of the palace after he ascended the throne. Instead, he praised Zhang Qilin many times.

Original words: "Zhang Qilin was the one who had served the longest, and although he was old, he would still kneel and greet me and my brothers, never slacking off. If we offered him a seat, he would kowtow and sit on the ground. This was witnessed by all the eunuchs in the palace, and even now, when I think about it, I feel pity."