Chapter 79 – Returning to the Palace

Liang Jiugong turned and left the hall to convey Kangxi’s instructions to Yu Ying.

Yu Ying left Qing Tao waiting outside and carried the food basket into the hall by herself.

She looked around the hall, walked past the imperial desk, and set the food basket down in front of Kangxi.

Kangxi reached out to hold Yu Ying’s hand, his voice carrying a weariness he could not conceal no matter how he tried.

“Ah Ying, why have you come?”

Seeing him like this, Yu Ying instead tightened her grip around Kangxi’s hand and asked softly,

“Your Majesty, what has happened?”

Kangxi did not reply. He merely pulled Yu Ying to sit beside him and handed her the letter from the desk.

Yu Ying reached out to take it and lowered her head to read. As she read on, her brow furrowed.

It was a letter from Cining Palace.

The Grand Empress Dowager had fallen gravely ill, and the Imperial Noble Consort who was attending her had collapsed from exhaustion as well. The Empress Dowager had never managed palace affairs, and now among those capable of running things, only Consort De remained. Consort De also had to look after the young princes and princesses, as well as care for the sick Grand Empress Dowager and Imperial Noble Consort. She was utterly overwhelmed. At present, everyone in the palace was hoping His Majesty would return to take charge.

After reading it, Yu Ying put the letter back where it had been.

She did not speak. She simply sat with Kangxi in silence. At such a moment, any words would have sounded hollow.

In her mind, Yu Ying frantically tried to recall everything she knew about this Grand Empress Dowager’s life. Clearly, during the New Year’s banquet, she had still looked so spirited. How could she suddenly fall so gravely ill?

No matter how she tried, her thoughts remained in disarray. But before she could sort through them, Kangxi, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke again.

“Ah Ying, we have to return to the palace.”

His gaze was not on Yu Ying but on some vacant spot, though his hand gripped hers even more tightly.

Yu Ying’s train of thought was interrupted, so she did not continue to ponder. She wasn’t at all surprised by Kangxi’s decision. After all, this was not just anyone—it was the Grand Empress Dowager who had personally helped him ascend the throne. The bond between them was unlike any other.

“Your Majesty, when shall we set out?”

“Send word today. Tomorrow morning at first light, we will depart for the palace.”

Yu Ying had no objections. Seeing Kangxi’s expression return to its usual calm, she suggested,

“Then why not summon Eunuch Liang in? The various consorts have not yet been informed. You still need to issue the order to notify them.”

Liang Jiugong entered the hall again. Kangxi instructed him to send word to all the residences, announcing their departure for the Forbidden City the next day.

Liang Jiugong accepted the decree and ordered Wei Zhu to lead a group of eunuchs to the different consorts’ quarters to deliver the message, while he himself went to the Western Garden to inform the Crown Prince and the other princes.

Once Liang Jiugong had left, Yu Ying opened the food basket she had brought and took out the still-warm three delicacies bird’s nest soup, motioning for Kangxi to drink some.

Kangxi didn’t move, as though he simply had no appetite.

Yu Ying spoke helplessly,

“Your Majesty, at least drink a little. No matter how grieved you are, you can’t refuse to eat. Everyone in the palace is waiting for you to return and take charge. You mustn’t collapse before you even get there.”

Kangxi had no choice but to reach out, pick up the spoon, and begin taking it bit by bit into his mouth.

Seeing that he was at least eating, Yu Ying didn’t mind whether he tasted it or not. She just felt relieved.

By the time he finished the bowl, Kangxi didn’t even seem to realize it was empty—he was still repeating the motion of bringing the spoon to his mouth.

At that moment, his thoughts were already yearning to fly back to the Forbidden City, to Cining Palace.

Yu Ying stayed with Kangxi in the Jiujing Sanshi Hall for a while. When Liang Jiugong returned, she rose to take her leave, saying she would go back to Qingxi Study to pack their things.

As soon as she stepped out of the hall, Qing Tao hurried over anxiously.

“My lady, are you all right?”

Yu Ying took Qing Tao’s arm and began walking toward Qingxi Study.

“Qing Tao, we must hurry back to pack. Tomorrow morning, we’re going back to the palace.”

“Ah?” Qing Tao gasped. “But didn’t they say we would stay here until Mid-Autumn before returning? How come… and in such a rush?”

She, too, was reluctant to return to the stifling, rigid palace.

Yu Ying motioned for Qing Tao to come closer and whispered in her ear,

“The Grand Empress Dowager and the Imperial Noble Consort have fallen seriously ill. The palace needs His Majesty to return to take charge.”

“Ah…”

Qing Tao almost cried out in surprise but quickly covered her mouth. She looked around to be sure no one was watching, then let out a long breath.

“How could this happen?”

Yu Ying shook her head.

“So let’s hurry back.”

When they reached Qingxi Study and Lü Chen saw that they had been gone so long, she rushed forward to help support Yu Ying’s other arm.

“My lady, why did you only just get back?”

Yu Ying didn’t answer her question. She just quickly sat down to catch her breath.

The walk back had completely exhausted her.

Once she had evened her breathing, Yu Ying finally spoke.

“Lü Chen, quickly start packing. We’re going back to the palace at first light tomorrow.”

She dropped this bombshell without preamble.

Hearing this, Lü Chen immediately rose to her feet and began summoning several palace maids and eunuchs to get to work.

Even though they had stayed less than three months, Yu Ying’s belongings had more than doubled compared to when she first arrived—and that was nothing compared to the other consorts’ luggage.

With the Emperor’s command, the entire garden bustled into frantic motion.

This was destined to be a sleepless night.

Meanwhile, in Yonghe Palace—

After a long day, Consort De finally had a moment to sit down and catch her breath. Jinling stepped forward to help her remove her jeweled hair ornaments.

“How were the Seventh Princess and the Thirteenth Prince today?”

Consort De finally had the time to ask about the two young children.

“Replying to Your Ladyship, earlier today, thanks to the help of Concubine Zhangjia, the two little masters were well looked after. Right now, the wet nurses have coaxed them to sleep in the side chamber.”

Consort De glanced at Jinling, who looked visibly relieved. The sudden burden that had fallen entirely onto Consort De was so heavy that even this normally energetic senior maid was overwhelmed.

“You seem to be getting along with her quite well now.”

“Your Ladyship!” Jinling sounded flustered, her tone tinged with embarrassment.

Over these past few months, perhaps because Zhangjia had a temperament similar to Consort De’s, or perhaps because Zhangjia had never shown any ambition and always remained respectful, never bringing up the Thirteenth Prince unless Consort De asked, the two had managed to get along smoothly.

Because of this, Consort De finally felt at ease entrusting the children to her care as well, and Jinling gradually stopped complaining about His Majesty having assigned Zhangjia to Yonghe Palace.

By the time Consort De finished getting ready for bed, it was already a quarter past one in the morning.

“All right, Jinling, you go rest as well. Have someone else keep watch tonight. Tomorrow morning we’ll have to leave the palace to welcome His Majesty back—make sure no one is late.”

“Yes, Your Ladyship.”

…

The next day, dawn was just beginning to break.

Yu Ying was roused by the rustling of movement. She sat up and looked in the direction of the sound.

It was Kangxi.

“Did I wake you?”

He hadn’t returned all night, remaining in Jiujing Sanshi Hall. Only when it was nearly time to depart had he come back to Qingxi Study to change clothes and prepare to return to the palace.

Yu Ying, who had stayed up late with Lü Chen and Qing Tao packing, was still groggy.

“Is it time to go?”

“Sleep a little longer, Ah Ying.”

Yu Ying did indeed flop back down and fall asleep again. Kangxi couldn’t help but laugh softly. He said nothing more, only moved even more quietly.

When Yu Ying next woke up, she was already in the carriage.

Feeling the carriage moving slowly forward, she lifted the corner of the curtain and turned to look wistfully at the royal garden, growing smaller and smaller behind them.

Then she let the curtain fall again, leaned against the side, and closed her eyes to rest.

Well—there would be plenty of days to come back and stay here again.

It was only a pity she hadn’t seen the lotuses bloom.