Chapter 17 – The Three-Day Bath

In the blink of an eye, it was already the day of the Third Prince’s three-day bath ceremony.

Changchun Palace had never been so lively.

Because after today, the Third Prince would be sent to Yonghe Palace, even though the ceremony was held in Changchun Palace, everything was arranged by Consort De. Consort An had no say in it, and even the biological mother, Lady Zhangjia, had even less.

The night before, Yuying had specifically instructed Qingtiao to wake her up early.

Sure enough, at dawn, Yuying was called awake. The moment she opened her eyes, she felt as if her resentment weighed heavier than a ghost’s.

Then came a long stretch of bustling preparation.

By the time Yuying had tidied herself up, she hadn’t even had breakfast yet, and rushed straight to find Lady Zhangjia.

When she arrived, she was dumbfounded.

The Third Prince had already been carried to the main hall. All she saw was Lady Zhangjia, whose eyes were slightly red.

“Did you come to see the little prince?” Lady Zhangjia asked softly.

Yuying was momentarily speechless, stammering, “I… I suppose I could also say I came to see you!”

“Pfft—” Seeing Yuying’s flustered expression, Lady Zhangjia suddenly laughed out loud. The sorrow clouding her heart seemed to ease a little, and she even turned to comfort Yuying. “It’s alright, Sister. He’s only being given to Consort De to raise. His jade plaque hasn’t been changed, has it? As long as it stays the same, the Third Prince will always be my child!”

“Even if the plaque were changed, he would still be your child. He will always be your son, whether or not they change the plaque. That’s just the truth!” A mother’s bond with her child—how could it be severed so easily?

Yuying remembered that historically, Yinxiang had been a very filial son.

“You’re right, Sister, so there’s really nothing to be too sad about, is there? It’s just… I can’t attend today’s ceremony. After you watch, could you come tell me all about it? I hope you won’t find it troublesome.”

Hearing this, Yuying patted her chest and assured her, “Don’t worry! I’ll watch very carefully and remember everything. I’ll tell you every single detail without missing a word!”

“Then I must thank you in advance.” Lady Zhangjia lay on the couch, her hands folded at her waist as she gave a respectful nod.

Yuying immediately jumped back. “No, no—didn’t we agree we’d call each other ‘you’ and ‘I’? Don’t do that!”

“Alright, I won’t tease you anymore, Sister. You’d better hurry to the ceremony so you don’t miss the time.”

Hearing this, Yuying said, “Then I’m off. Just as well—I can stop by Consort An’s place and snag some breakfast!”

When Yuying arrived at the main hall of Changchun Palace, she realized the scale of the ceremony was bigger than she’d imagined.

Even more consorts and concubines had come today than on the day of the birth.

On that day, only the principal ladies of each palace had come—the lowest rank was still a consort. But today, concubines of every rank had shown up in wave after wave.

This was especially tiring for Yuying, who had the lowest rank of all—she had to salute every single person she met.

By now, everything needed for the ritual was already arranged in the hall. The star of the day, the Third Prince, was in the arms of the woman standing in the seat of honor. The auspicious old midwife, specially invited from outside the palace, was already waiting beside her.

The Imperial Noble Consort and the other Noble Consort didn’t come—most likely to avoid stealing Consort De’s spotlight—but they had both sent gifts in their stead.

Yuying watched from a distance. She’d thought she’d at least be able to get a good look at the little prince, but soon she was practically shoved right out of the hall.

Everyone was watching Consort De, which gave Yuying the perfect excuse to satisfy her curiosity and openly stare as well.

Today, Consort De looked extremely pleased with herself—so different from the last time Yuying had seen her.

Last time, Yuying had thought she was a moderate and calm woman, whatever she did carried a gentle air. She didn’t speak much, yet her presence was powerful. No matter how many people she stood among, she always looked like a scene unto herself.

A woman like that wasn’t the most stunning in looks, but made others feel comfortable. Especially her eyes—so deep they seemed to look right into your heart. They made you want to sink into them.

Compared to the simple outfit she’d worn then, today’s deep purple palace gown made her look far more spirited. Paired with her smiling eyes, there was even a touch of allure.

All four principal consorts were present today.

Standing together, each beautiful in her own way, they were a feast for Yuying’s “country bumpkin” eyes.

Just then, two young eunuchs carried in steaming wormwood water and locust branches. Consort De handed the baby in her arms to the old midwife and stepped aside to let her take over. The three-day bath ceremony was officially underway.

Next came the part where gifts were added to the basin, which amazed Yuying.

The higher-ranking consorts dropped in gold ingots. Those of lower rank contributed silver ones. Yuying followed along and added a few herself.

When that was done, the old midwife stirred the basin symbolically, chanting auspicious words.

At last, the naked little prince was set in the water to bathe.

The Third Prince was very obedient. Even after being put in the water, he didn’t cry—so he was given a light slap to make him let out a wail. This was called the “crying basin,” followed by another long string of blessings.

When the bath was over, the ritual was complete.

One by one, the concubines and consorts took their leave. Consort De departed as well, taking the Third Prince and the wet nurse and maids sent by the Imperial Household Department, leading her entourage away without so much as a backward glance.

Changchun Palace fell quiet again.

Yuying watched the old midwife receive all her rewards and the contributions to the basin—so much money she wished she could have taken her place.

After freeloading lunch with Consort An, Yuying took her leave.

But she didn’t return to her west side hall. Instead, she slipped straight into Lady Zhangjia’s east hall, eager to share everything she had witnessed.

“Today was the Third Prince’s three-day bath?”

In the Outer Court, Kangxi looked up from his mountain of affairs and asked Liang Jiugong beside him.

“Replying to Your Majesty, yes. Consort De went to Changchun Palace early this morning. By now, it’s probably over.”

“Mm… Then send a reward—take that set of hair ornaments I acquired the other day and deliver them to Consort De. I’ll go visit Lady Zhangjia.”

The imperial procession set out toward Changchun Palace.

Before long, Consort An received word and waited by the palace gates.

From afar, Kangxi saw her and frowned slightly. He thought to himself that he ought to find an excuse to have Lady Wei relocated out of Changchun Palace.

He didn’t allow Consort An to follow. With Liang Jiugong, he proceeded alone to the rear courtyard.

Along the way, whenever they passed palace maids and eunuchs, he ordered silence.

So by the time Kangxi reached Lady Zhangjia’s bedchamber, no one inside had any idea he was coming.

He heard bright, lively voices coming from within. Motioning for Liang Jiugong to stand guard at the door, he quietly stepped inside.

The further in he walked, the clearer the voices became.

It seemed they were discussing the day’s ceremony.

He heard Lady Wei’s exclamations and her envy as she spoke about the old midwife’s rewards.

Kangxi rarely reflected on himself, but for a moment he wondered—Was life in his harem truly so hard? Was even that much reward worth longing for?

Watching her gesturing animatedly as she spoke, his eyes glimmered with amusement.

For once, he wasn’t in a hurry to announce himself. He decided to see just how long it would take before these women finally noticed he was there.