Chapter 15: Time Travel to the Qing Dynasty (15)

The next morning.

The delicate young emperor woke up before dawn.

He carefully pulled his arm away from his waist, slowly withdrew his leg, lifted the quilt, and hurriedly got up. Then he wrapped the quilt back around the other person, slipped on his soft-soled sheepskin slippers, and only after stepping outside the canopy did he let out a long sigh of relief.

Both he and his cousin had their sleeping postures arranged by the nanny; usually, when sleeping alone, he lay perfectly straight. Even when sleeping next to the Empress, they each had their own quilts, and the bedding never got disturbed throughout the night. But when sharing a bed with his cousin, he would find himself crawling into her quilt while asleep, sometimes even embracing her.

If it were just the cousin crawling into his quilt, that would be one thing. The frightening part was waking up and finding himself not in his own quilt but in hers.

Was he really that wild in his sleep?

Xuan Ye sat on the edge of the bed, somewhat doubting himself.

Fortunately, there was no nanny watching over them now, or else the two of them would have surely slept poorly last night.

“Keep it down,” he whispered. “My cousin’s still asleep.”

He lifted the canopy and stepped out but turned back anxiously to draw the fine gauze curtains closer, unwilling to let anyone see inside. In truth, the bed was a few steps in from the gauze curtains, and there was an opaque cover over the bed, which the young emperor had neatly arranged upon rising, completely hiding the inside.

Liang Jiugong just gave a brisk greeting before quickly assisting the emperor to wash and dress, then helped him don a thick cloak.

Before leaving, the emperor even took the soft-soled sheepskin slippers he had just worn.

He had worn slippers before, but those mostly had wooden soles, which were hard and noisy when walking. The sheepskin slippers from Wen Yao’s side were different—the soles were soft. Though he was not one to seek comfort, who wouldn’t prefer comfortable shoes over uncomfortable ones?

Thus, Xuan Ye unreservedly brought the sheepskin slippers back to the Qianqing Palace to wear.

Once back in Qianqing Palace, he began his morning reading. Today was the "Imperial Court Hearing," a small court session held within Qianqing Palace, so his schedule was much more relaxed compared to the Grand or Regular Court sessions.

When the time was nearly right, Liang Jiugong came to assist him in donning his court crown and ceremonial beads.

Outside, the ministers were already waiting.

The atmosphere of today’s small court session was somewhat somber. Since the end of the previous year, the Plain Yellow Banner and the Plain White Banner had exchanged territories due to a land dispute, leaving 60,000 banner people migrating all winter. Many had lost their lands, suffering from hunger and cold, which crippled spring plowing. Vast tracts of land lay fallow, overgrown with weeds, as no one knew who the rightful owners were.

Did Ao Bai regret it?

He indeed had some regrets because the territorial dispute not only caused many casualties among the Plain White Banner but also affected the Plain Yellow Banner.

However, from a long-term perspective, although the Plain Yellow Banner’s people suffered for a generation, they laid a solid foundation for their descendants. Their land was not only larger and more fertile but also closer to the capital and the centers of power.

The sense of belonging was truly a strange thing.

If the banners were not divided into eight but only by Manchu, Mongol, and Han, each group would inevitably fight for their own ethnicity, but internal harmony would be maintained, and disputes would mostly be personal or, at worst, partisan as in the previous dynasty.

But precisely because of the division into eight banners, the banner identity took precedence. Manchu, Mongol, and Han identities became submerged, while banner disputes came to the surface. Advocating for the welfare of one’s banner people became the responsibility and mission of the banner leaders or the prominent figures within the banners.

This was true for Ao Bai, and also for Sukesaha.

Sony was also from the Plain Yellow Banner. Though he appeared neutral, his banner affiliation made his stance clear. He might be neutral but would never stand behind Sukesaha to support the Plain White Banner.

Sukesaha had been ill for a long time; upon returning to the court, his sickly appearance and emaciated frame were evident.

One could see how deeply the land dispute had impacted him.

The Plain White Banner not only lost several high-ranking ministers but also forfeited the vast and fertile land that Dorgon had once secured for them.

Ao Bai, however, wore a broad smile and was at the height of his influence in court, making the young emperor sitting on the dragon throne appear weak and powerless.

The main topic of today’s small court session was spring plowing.

Sukesaha and Ao Bai clashed sharply once again, ending the session in discord.

The entire small court session lasted two and a half hours. By the time it ended, the emperor was so hungry that his stomach felt as if his front and back were pressed together. Fortunately, breakfast was already prepared in Qianqing Palace. After changing clothes, he began to eat.

Still simmering with anger, he ate grimly, as if chewing on Ao Bai’s flesh and blood rather than breakfast.

While the previous dynasty was unstable, the harem was peaceful.

Mainly because the harem consisted only of the Empress and Wen Yao, it was hard not to be peaceful.

Half an hour after the emperor got up, Wen Yao woke as well. She had taken two pills given by Wu Ya the previous night: one to restore health, and another an enhanced muscle-relaxing pill that took effect immediately. Of course, her pulse would still appear "weak," and this "weakness" would persist her entire life.

Before taking the medicine, Wen Yao always felt she never got enough sleep, spending most of her time fatigued except when studying with the Jueluo family. She longed to seal herself in bed.

But today, after taking the medicine...

The young emperor rose at four every day, and she woke just an hour later but then couldn’t fall back asleep. Could it be that the original Wen Yao was actually a high-energy individual? She had appeared tired only because of poor health, but now that she was well, she was brimming with energy?

Wen Yao wasn’t sure but had a bad premonition.

Life in the deep palace was inherently dull. If she could pass the time by sleeping, that would be fine. But if she was indeed a high-energy person who only needed two hours of sleep to be energetic all day, just the thought of it was terrifying.

“Master, it’s time to get up. You still need to pay respects to the Empress,” Dong Rui whispered outside the canopy.

Right, she still had to pay respects.

Wen Yao immediately sat up straight, lifted the canopy, and pulled the bedbell.

Soon, the little palace maids carrying washing utensils filed in one after another. Dong Rui and Chun Ling assisted their mistress down from the bed, helped her wash up, and then styled her hair and applied makeup.

Now there were no longer the old elaborate floral headdresses or stacked hairstyles; most palace consorts wore braided buns adorned with simple and elegant flowers. Although Wen Yao was a concubine of lesser rank, she held the status of Furen, so her floral hairpins were magnificent and seasonal. Since it was spring, she wore golden hairpins with bits of kingfisher feather.

After finishing her hair and donning the splendid but modest hairpins, she changed into brand-new palace robes, slipped on flat shoes, and headed towards the Kunning Palace.

In Kunning Palace, the Empress Hesheri was also admiring herself in the mirror.

Half a year after entering the palace, she was the only one in the harem. Due to Mafasoni’s influence, she was familiar with the emperor but not close to him. She had thought the emperor was still too young to take more consorts and that the matter would be delayed for a few years. Yet, shortly after the new year, the first imperial edict was to welcome Lady Tong, the emperor’s cousin, into the palace.

The Empress had long heard of this Lady Tong.

Educated under the Empress Dowager, and the emperor’s legitimate cousin, if she were not born to a Han banner and from a newly risen family, she could well have claimed the Empress title herself.

What troubled the Empress most was that she had grown up with the emperor since childhood, sharing a unique bond.

Hence, from yesterday morning, she had been uneasy.

She had kept watch over Chengqian Palace all day, wanting to see how the emperor treated this new concubine.

But with Liang Jiugong shuttling back and forth repeatedly, the two deputy stewards of Qianqing Palace were nearly worn out from running errands to the Four Treasure Storehouses, the flower and plant chambers, and even the small kitchen.

Especially since Chengqian Palace had been under renovation for over half a year and was only completed before the New Year. Yet, after Lady Tong entered the palace, the emperor felt she had been neglected.

Chengqian Palace was lively all day yesterday.

The Empress had been anxious all day as well. Even Bu Mama’s reassurances couldn’t calm her.

So she woke early today, washed and dressed, carefully considering every detail from attire to makeup, striving to showcase the heritage of the Hesheri clan. Though the Hesheri family was not as illustrious as the Niuhuru or Guwalgi clans, it was still far superior to the Han banner’s Tong family.

Supported by Dong Rui, Wen Yao leisurely strolled through the Yongxiang Gate into the East Warm Pavilion to wait.

She had a sedan chair but, like all consorts, had to disembark at Yongxiang Gate and Zeng Rui Gate. Given Chengqian Palace was close to Kunning Palace, using a sedan chair would mean barely stepping inside before disembarking.

Wen Yao was too lazy to wait, so she simply walked.

“Pay respects to the concubine, the Empress is already prepared,” said Sanhu, a second-rank palace maid near the Empress, entering the East Warm Pavilion and bowing to Wen Yao.

Very well, since she was ready, it was time to pay respects.

Supporting Dong Rui’s hand, Wen Yao left the pavilion, ascended the steps, and entered Kunning Palace, taking a side entrance rather than the main one.

Long ago, during the previous emperor’s reign, to pray for Consort Dong’e and to spite the then-Empress, the main gate of Kunning Palace was sealed off. Half the palace was converted into a Shamanistic temple, where shamans sang divine songs every morning and evening.

Wen Yao entered through the main gate and was led to a chair on the left.

As soon as she sat down, palace maids served tea and snacks.

Wen Yao neither drank nor glanced around, only casting a sidelong glance at the room’s spaciousness. Compared to her own large courtyard with front and back halls, the front and rear halls of the main palace were spacious enough. Although the Empress could use the Jiaotai Hall in front, it was often locked, so the actual usable space was not large.

“The Empress has arrived—”

At the usher’s announcement, Wen Yao immediately stood, head bowed to show respect. The Empress, supported by palace maids, emerged from behind a side screen and slowly took her seat on the main chair at the head of the room.

“Concubine Tong, please perform the kowtow ceremony.”

Without any small talk, the formalities began.

Wen Yao approached the kneeling cushion and performed the full ritual of three kneels and nine kowtows before the Empress, following the traditional ceremony for a minor concubine paying respects.

“Rise,”

Since entering, Hesheri had been observing this Lady Tong carefully.

Though it was spring, she was still wearing a winter jacket, her figure slender and her face pale and sickly. As the Empress had heard, she was frail, which slightly eased her worries.

Lady Tong was two years older than the emperor, three years older than herself.

If Tian Kui Ruo had not yet arrived, Lady Tong would likely be the first to enter the emperor’s bed. If she became pregnant before the birth of the emperor’s son, given the emperor’s affection for her, how much favor would the Empress’s own son really receive?

Lady Tong’s weak health was actually a relief for the Empress.