Chapter 24 – Granny Tu

Granny Tu watched nervously from the side.

Seeing that some time had passed and Consort Wan still hadn’t told the Crown Prince to stop, she grew increasingly anxious. Especially when the soft, chubby little Crown Prince held up a lump of cheese with both hands for Consort Wan to inspect, only to be told it was unacceptable and asked to keep working on it—Granny Tu was completely furious.

She abruptly scooped the Crown Prince into her arms and, under everyone’s stunned gaze, shouted angrily, “Consort Wan, how could you treat the Crown Prince like this? Do you have no sense of propriety left? The Crown Prince is not someone who should be doing these trivial chores! You’re overstepping your bounds and ignoring palace rules. I will report this to His Majesty and have him uphold justice for the Crown Prince!”

The entire east wing fell silent at her words.

Wan Anran was utterly confused, not understanding how a group activity meant to increase fun had provoked such a severe rebuke.

Before she could recover, Wan Fu was the first to object. He angrily tossed the cheese back into the bowl and pointed at Granny Tu, scolding her: “I think the one who’s out of line here is you! Someone, drag this disrespectful servant—”

Before he could finish, Wan Anran coughed.

She signaled to Wan Fu, “Don’t go throwing cheese like that. Treat it gently, like you would a baby, alright?”

Wan Fu’s rising anger was instantly doused like a spark under a torrential downpour. It vanished as quickly as it came, leaving him half annoyed, half amused. He pouted and muttered, “I was standing up for you, Consort Wan. You’re so clueless sometimes!”

The palace attendants serving the Ninth Prince let out a sigh of relief.

Although both were sons of the Emperor, the pampered Crown Prince and the largely ignored Ninth Prince, tucked away in Xianfu Palace, were worlds apart. Moreover, Granny Tu, as the Crown Prince’s wet nurse, was once a palace maid to the late Empress of the Heshe clan and had been carefully selected by the Emperor himself.

If the Ninth Prince had someone drag Granny Tu out, wouldn’t that be like slapping the Emperor, the late Empress, and the Heshe clan in the face? The attendants had just been wondering what to do when Consort Wan cleverly diverted the tension, letting everyone breathe again.

Granny Tu lifted her chin high.

Seeing that no one was refuting her, she became even more convinced that her stance was righteous. She carefully placed the Crown Prince onto a nearby high-backed chair and gently persuaded him, “Your Highness, you are the legitimate son of His Majesty, the Crown Prince of the Great Qing. How can you demean yourself doing such things, and even take orders from a mere Consort?”

Wan Fu grew angry again.

Crown Prince Baocheng looked at Wan Fu, then at Granny Tu.

Granny Tu remained confident.

The Crown Prince had always been obedient and sensible. Surely, he would understand that she was doing this for his own good? She lowered her head, only to meet the Crown Prince’s gaze—and in that moment, much of her certainty vanished. “Your Highness?” she asked tentatively.

Crown Prince Baocheng pushed Granny Tu aside.

He leapt down from the high-backed chair and looked up, coldly staring at her. He said softly, “Isn’t the one who’s most out of line here… you, Granny Tu?”

A cold sweat broke out on Granny Tu’s back.

Her mouth went dry as she stared at the Crown Prince in fear and confusion. She stammered, “Your Highness! My prince! Young master, I—I only did it for your sake!”

Baocheng let out a cold laugh.

He cast her a disdainful glance and instructed the attendants behind him, “Didn’t Ninth Brother already say to drag her out? Why are you still standing there?”

Granny Tu’s face turned pale.

Dragged out in public? How could she, as the Crown Prince’s wet nurse, ever show her face again? In a panic, she fell to her knees and pleaded, “My lord! It was all my fault, please forgive me—”

Baocheng was already growing impatient.

He gave her a cool glance and uttered just three words: “Get out. Now.”

The palace attendants exchanged glances.

Seeing that the Crown Prince was losing patience, they no longer hesitated. In a few swift strides, they surged forward. Some covered her mouth, others held her arms, and without any ceremony, dragged Granny Tu straight out.

Wan Fu’s eyes sparkled.

It was the first time he’d witnessed such a scene. He bounced around Crown Prince Baocheng like a happy rabbit, chirping, “Crown Prince Brother, you’re amazing! So cool! So powerful! Absolutely awesome!”

Whenever he spoke, the servants would always second-guess him.

But just look—when Crown Prince Brother spoke, that nasty servant fell to her knees begging for mercy right away!

Crown Prince Baocheng’s cheeks flushed pink.

This was also his first time doing something like this. He clenched his fists and coughed lightly. “I… was only following Father’s example. Besides—”

Baocheng looked up at Wan Anran.

He said straightforwardly, “Consort Wan is a consort of the Inner Palace, a mistress of the court. Granny Tu is just a servant. If anyone is being disrespectful and overstepping, isn’t it her?”

Wan Anran paused for a moment.

She had originally thought the Crown Prince was only standing up for the Ninth Prince. She hadn’t expected he was also defending her. A smile crept across her face. Supporting her knees with both hands, she laughed and said, “This concubine thanks Your Highness.”

Wan Fu leaned in, “Just saying thanks isn’t enough.”

Wan Anran pressed down on his little head. “Alright, alright, I get it! I’ll make sure both young masters are well rewarded!”

Proper thanks would be given, of course.

But for now, she still had little radishes to put to work. Wan Anran waved her hand and ordered the Crown Prince and Ninth Prince to continue kneading the cheese. “Come on, let’s keep going! This cheese needs to be kneaded at least fifty or sixty more times. The more you knead it, the springier it gets, and the better it will taste!”

The two little ones buried themselves back in their task.

Meanwhile, outside the doors, Granny Tu was completely disheartened. She felt as though every palace servant she passed was staring at her with either shock, disdain, or contempt. Her ears burned, and her feet felt like they were on fire.

Granny Tu didn’t dare blame the Crown Prince.

She directed all her fury at the Ninth Prince and Consort Wan instead. Storming off in haste, she resolved to lodge a severe complaint to His Majesty himself!

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In the Hall of Heavenly Purity, Emperor Kangxi summoned his ministers.

It was the second day of the new year. Although not as busy as yesterday’s full schedule of ancestral rites and ceremonies, it was still a day of family reunions for officials of all ranks. Those fortunate enough to accompany their mothers, wives, and children had not expected a sudden summons from the Emperor and were forced to rush back to the palace.

What was worse, the Emperor looked displeased.

The officials exchanged glances as they entered the hall, silently cursing their luck. Of course, the Emperor had called them over because of the issue with the Tea Bureau—upon inspection, it was found that over thirty sealed jars of tea were missing. While some were rare varieties, most were commonly used teas.

That’s true.

For example, if most of the black tea is missing, then situations like today would arise. Green tea stocks are usually sufficient, and even if some were missing from the imperial kitchen, it would be difficult to notice.

But this time, it was precisely because of Wan Changzai.

And it was exactly caught by the Emperor!

Moreover, Wan Changzai had chosen those teas specifically to entertain the Crown Prince!

This coincidence… is just too much of a coincidence, isn’t it?

The officials murmured quietly to themselves, and their eyes involuntarily flicked toward Suo’etuo.

Suo’etuo’s expression was not a pleasant one.

He indeed harbored some suspicion toward Wan Changzai, but unfortunately, the Hesheri clan had many strong male descendants, while daughters were few, and there were no legitimate daughters in the main branch.

If Wan Changzai had no malicious intent, maybe they could find a way to use her? Suo’etuo pondered this, then spoke with righteous severity: “Your Majesty, such corrupt and lawless individuals should be severely punished!”

All the officials present agreed that this was the right course of action.

Even Nalan Mingzhu, who usually liked to play opposing sides with Suo’etuo, said nothing, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Kangxi summoned everyone before him, not to dismiss them with a simple “agree,” but to immediately assign the task. He planned to thoroughly reorganize the imperial kitchen during the New Year, and at the same time, audit the stocks and accounts of the Grand Storage Department’s six warehouses and seven workshops — this was no small undertaking.

The officials smiled wryly.

It looked like their New Year holiday was officially canceled; they would have to work hard. Just as the officials were receiving their assignments and preparing to leave, a commotion came from outside, with the word “Crown Prince” clearly audible.

The officials exchanged glances.

As they stepped outside, they couldn’t help but glance around. Suo’etuo’s sharp eyes immediately fixed on Granny Tu, and his heart sank.

Could something have happened to the Crown Prince?

When Kangxi saw Granny Tu approaching, he had the same thought, his face instantly darkening as he urgently asked, “Baocheng! What happened to Baocheng?”

Granny Tu rushed forward and kowtowed repeatedly.

Her voice trembled with sobs: “Your Majesty, you must do justice for the Crown Prince!”

Kangxi’s vision darkened.

The Crown Prince was the only child left by himself and the Empress. If anything happened to Baocheng, how could he ever face Renxiao (the Empress Dowager) in the afterlife? He gasped for breath. Seeing the Emperor’s condition, Liang Jiugong quickly supported him and urged, “Granny Tu, what exactly happened to the Crown Prince?”

Kangxi’s gaze turned deeply toward Granny Tu.

If anyone dared harm Baocheng, he would have their entire clan annihilated!

Granny Tu wiped her tears and slightly raised her head: “I am useless, Your Majesty. It was actually Ninth Prince and Wan Changzai who bullied the Crown Prince!”

Kangxi’s anger, which had just flared, was instantly extinguished as if hit by hailstones, leaving no trace of sparks. His eyes went blank as he stared at Granny Tu: “…Huh?”

Ninth Prince? Wan Changzai?

Those two could bully the Crown Prince? Kangxi had so many question marks popping up on his forehead. He didn’t bother with the officials still lingering in the court, and hurriedly strode toward Xianfu Palace.

Kangxi wanted to see for himself.

How could Ninth Prince and Wan Changzai bully the Crown Prince to the extent that Baocheng had to send Granny Tu to complain? The group quickly arrived at Xianfu Palace and turned into the backyard. Kangxi could hear the sound of children giggling inside, and his previously furrowed brows eased somewhat.

He stopped behind a wall and peeked inside.

Jumping along the corridor were none other than the Crown Prince and Ninth Prince. There was no sign of any grievance. Kangxi’s brow furrowed tightly as his gaze sharply swept toward Granny Tu.

Kangxi turned back and looked closely.

On the bamboo corridor’s stove, the fire burned brightly, and above the stove was… a pot lid? Kangxi had never seen a pot lid used as a pot before. On top of the lid was fried chicken, covered with a milky white sauce. The strange method left Kangxi stunned.

The only thing he knew for sure was that Baocheng and Wan Mu (Wan Mu is the Ninth Prince’s personal name) were clearly eating happily and playing joyfully, with no sign of Granny Tu’s claim of bullying.

To actually falsely accuse the imperial princes and consorts in front of the Emperor?

Thinking that many court officials had witnessed this, Kangxi didn’t look back and sharply ordered, “For slandering the princes and consorts, someone! Drag her away and flog her twenty strokes! Throw her out of the palace and never allow her to serve again!”