Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

When Cheng Wanyun and Side Concubine Liu stepped out, they were puzzled to still see Lady Wang’s graceful silhouette lingering nearby. Why was she still there? It gave Cheng Wanyun the odd sensation of a schoolgirl recalling how she and her friend had been cornered in the restroom by bullies during a prank. However, Lady Wang simply curtsied from a distance and handed a silk handkerchief to her maid.

The maid approached with a polite bow and explained, “My mistress picked up this handkerchief just now…”

Only then did Cheng Wanyun realize Lady Wang had been honest and returned the lost item. Embarrassed by her earlier imagination, she smiled and said, “That’s my handkerchief. Thank you, Lady Wang.” The maid handed it over, and Lady Wang gave Cheng Wanyun a brief glance from afar. Without saying much, she lowered her gaze, curtsied again, and gracefully departed.

But that fleeting glance was enough to leave a lasting impression—her beauty was dazzling, naturally captivating, and utterly stunning! Cheng Wanyun suddenly had a revelation: this must be the famed Lady Wang, rumored to be the top-ranked Imperial Concubine summoned to attend the emperor.

She was the one who had joined Emperor Kangxi for the royal hunt shortly after entering the palace and had already become pregnant so quickly! Cheng Wanyun mentally calculated—Lady Wang had only been in the palace for about four months. She likely conceived either during or immediately after the hunt, though the pregnancy might have been confirmed only upon their return to the palace.

The Kangxi harem was currently at a transitional stage. The senior concubines were aging, and the younger ones lacked Lady Wang’s exceptional beauty. Undoubtedly, she was poised to become one of the most influential figures in the imperial harem in the coming years.

As Cheng Wanyun pondered over these intriguing details, she and Side Concubine Liu returned to the side hall of Ning Shou Palace. They chatted for a while with Side Concubine Tian, who was affiliated with the Third Prince. To Cheng Wanyun’s surprise, the same Tian Side Concubine who had previously been aloof toward her during their trip to Rehe was now warm and cordial. Back then, Tian Side Concubine had only been willing to converse with the eldest consort and barely acknowledged Cheng Wanyun or Liu Side Concubine.

Times had indeed changed.

The room was also filled with the wives and consorts of imperial princes, including the duchesses of Duke Yu and Duke Kang. These were all elders, and even someone as casual as Cheng Wanyun knew she needed to pay her respects. As the day went on, she spent her time diligently accompanying her two children, collecting red envelopes from everyone they met.

By the end of the gathering, the cloth bag she had brought for holding fruits was instead filled with various gold ingots and charms. Some imperial relatives had even prepared elaborate gifts in advance, such as longevity locks and golden qilins, for the children. For the first time in two lifetimes, Cheng Wanyun finally experienced the joy of New Year’s blessings and festivities.

In her past life, she had always been the one bleeding money during New Year celebrations. Until her untimely death, she had neither married nor had children. Meanwhile, her peers and cousins were onto their second, even third children.

Back then, her homeland maintained a deep-rooted clan culture and a strong preference for sons, treating them as a prerequisite for achieving life’s ultimate fulfillment. As “Cheng Yun,” she had never even been allowed to enter the family’s ancestral hall, and her name was absent from the family register.

When her grandfather passed away, she mourned him in full funeral attire, contributing both money and effort. Yet, she wasn’t granted the right to keep vigil. In the ancestral tribute records, the names of sons, grandsons, nephews, grandnephews, and even distant male relatives were meticulously listed, but neither her name nor her aunts’ names appeared. All the women seemed to vanish, as if the family had been miraculously propagated by men alone!

At the funeral, her father held the portrait of the deceased, her two uncles carried the urn and ancestral tablet, her male cousin bore the incense and candles, and her younger male cousin carried the lantern and ceremonial banners. Meanwhile, her “spared” younger brother, as the eldest grandson of the family’s primary branch, wore a straw hat, had a sickle tucked into his belt, held an incense burner in his hands, and led the procession with three kneelings and nine prostrations to send their grandfather off, symbolizing the continuation and hope of the Cheng family’s main lineage.

This, despite her brother being a slacker who spent all day playing video games and had even failed to graduate high school.

As for her, she and her aunts could only follow at the very end of the procession. When it was time to send her grandfather to his final resting place, they were not even allowed to climb the hill. Instead, they were made to bow their heads by the roadside for the last time before being sent back to the house to cook.

In her hometown, every family valued having sons so highly that even during the strict enforcement of family planning policies, they would risk losing their jobs or paying hefty fines just to have a boy.

This mindset persisted even into her generation. Many women, like her, were pushed into early marriages by their families. Her act of resisting her father’s will and calling the police was considered shocking and rebellious at the time. And during the holidays, when faced with her enormous extended family, she had to distribute countless red envelopes. (And these weren’t the small Cantonese-style envelopes—each had to contain at least 300 yuan!)

To make matters worse, she had a friend from elementary school who, while being an amazing person, had gotten married three times. Every time she fell in love, she had a child with her new husband. This meant that Cheng Wanyun was constantly giving out red envelopes to her friend’s ever-growing brood, leaving her wallet perpetually drained.

This was why, after arriving in the Qing dynasty, Cheng Wanyun adapted quite easily to ancient customs. Knowing she was in the past gave her more tolerance for such traditions. After all, even six centuries later, modern society still held onto such practices. At least in the Qing dynasty, the concept of “Manchu noblewomen” allowed girls from banner families to enjoy certain privileges. They could go out shopping, ride horses, and attend social outings, all because they might one day be selected for the imperial court. In some ways, they were even more valued than in later eras. And having a father like Master Cheng was an enormous stroke of luck for her.

In the Cheng household, while Cheng Wanyun didn’t have to give out red envelopes, she did have to prepare various gifts. During every festival, she found herself frantically working on embroidery projects. Wu, the wealthy landlord, had eight sons, and her cousins—both male and female—were too numerous to count. Cheng Wanyun had often seen Madam Wu looking utterly stressed during the New Year, overwhelmed by the sheer number of relatives to greet and gift.

But now, her situation had flipped. She had become the winner! Who knew that attending palace banquets would bring such wonderful perks? Of course, the ultimate victor was the Eldest Princess Consort, who had brought four daughters to the palace. Cheng Wanyun noticed the keen-eyed Eldest Consort’s nanny carrying a large sandalwood box—clearly packed with gifts.

The Eldest Consort also noticed Cheng Wanyun and her group. After all, the eldest son of the Crown Prince’s concubine was the first grandson of the emperor. Although the boy had minor issues, his strengths far outweighed his flaws. He remained a singular figure and was now being led around by Cheng Wanyun to greet all the elders.

This child wasn’t even Cheng Wanyun’s biological son, yet she showed no jealousy in introducing him everywhere. Wasn’t this essentially building a strong foundation for the boy’s reputation? As the eldest, he was already favored; now, he was also making a positive impression on the elders. He was bound to be looked upon more favorably in the future.

And yet, it was rumored that Cheng Wanyun was already pregnant herself. Didn’t she fear that if she gave birth to a son, he would be overshadowed by this eldest grandson, leaving her own child with no chance to shine?

If it was the Eldest Princess Consort, she would have handed the son born to her concubine to the wet nurse, using the excuse that the child was weak and needed rest. He would have sat quietly in the side hall and never have a chance to appear in public!

Unfortunately… not only did she have no sons (daughters don’t count), but after so many years of effort, none of the other geges had given birth to sons either. The Eldest Princess Consort felt a wave of frustration when she thought about this. With a tinge of unwilling jealousy and envy, her gaze involuntarily followed the boy.

The child, though young, was well-behaved—he wasn’t afraid of people, didn’t make a fuss, and was clear and orderly when he spoke.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t envious. How wonderful it would be if she had a son like that! Her third princess was the same age as the Crown Prince’s eldest son! If he were a son… then today, in front of the Empress Dowager, wouldn’t the one to take the spotlight be her and the Eldest Prince? The absence of a son meant that more and more geges were serving the Eldest Prince, and she felt increasingly embarrassed in front of Concubine Hui and the eldest prince.

The Eldest Princess Consort’s face turned pale as she subconsciously tightened her grip on her young daughter’s hand, causing her daughter to cry out in pain, “Mother!”

Quickly releasing her hand, she squatted down to rub her child’s wrist. At that moment, the Crown Prince’s eldest son was reciting poetry to an old consort from a certain prince’s family. His voice was clear and it made the elderly lady laugh heartily, causing another pang in the Eldest Princess Consort’s heart.

Cheng Wanyun, completely unaware of the Eldest Princess Consort’s inner turmoil, did not think that the Crown Prince’s eldest son gaining favor and appearing in public would affect her in any way. After all, it all depended on where one stood.

She used to be a gege, and now she was a side concubine. But she would always be considered a “concubine” in the end. What did the conflict between the firstborn son and the legitimate son have to do with her? Those were matters the Crown Princess had to consider. She would just follow the Crown Prince’s lead, doing whatever he instructed. If Akedun had the favor of Kangxi and the Empress Dowager, it was a good thing for the entire Yuqing Palace, so of course, she would support him!

And so, Cheng Wanyun continued happily distributing red envelopes, receiving them in return, and passing the time quickly.

As the sun began to set and the banquet was about to start, Concubine Xi came to join her. The palace was decorated in a particularly festive manner, with red silk hanging from the trees, palace lanterns glowing brightly, and shoulder palanquins lined up in the palace corridors, moving like a dragon. It was the first time Cheng Wanyun had seen such a scene, and she was deeply impressed.

It seemed that traffic jams had existed since ancient times.

The sound of firecrackers outside the palace had already begun. E Linzhu and Akedun had fallen asleep in the Ning Shou Palace; children of their age all needed to nap in the afternoon. Now, they were both fast asleep in the arms of the wet nurse, still unconscious even as they were carried on the shoulder palanquins.

Since morning, the palace had been preparing for the grand feast in the Qianqing Palace. This year, the event was even more lavish than before. They had set up over a hundred tables, extending all the way from the palace to the open spaces outside.

At the appointed time, accompanied by the sound of drums and music, the consorts, princes, princesses, royal relatives, and their families began to take their seats.

Following Concubine Xi and the eunuch guiding her, Cheng Wanyun was surprised to find that her seat was inside the hall. Though it was near the palace doors, it was still very close to the front!

There were still dozens of tables outside the hall.

In front of her sat only the Eldest Princess Consort, already placed second among the royal family members. Behind her was Lady Tian, a side concubine, who had to settle for sitting behind Cheng Wanyun.

Except for the Emperor, who exclusively dined at the grand golden dragon feast table on the imperial hall’s treasure stairs, everyone else used high wooden tables, with two people per table, arranged according to family rank.

Fortunately, Cheng Wanyun had brought her children; otherwise, she would have had to sit at the same table as the Eldest Princess Consort… Cheng Wanyun was relieved.

Since the number of imperial grandchildren was still small, and most of them were quite young, Kangxi had specifically issued an edict not to let the grandchildren dine alone. Instead, they would sit with their own mothers.

Behind the Eldest Princess Consort, two more tables were set up for her four daughters to sit at. Behind them, there were numerous wet nurses, making the space quite crowded, and there was no room to place the charcoal basins next to the tables.

The Eldest Princess Consort had them replace the hand warmers, and the hall was already heated with fire dragons. There were many people now, and it wasn’t particularly cold, so she ordered the eunuchs to remove the charcoal basins. Although the basins had covers, if the charcoal burned a child, it would be dangerous.

Cheng Wanyun’s side was better off. The wet nurses were kneeling, holding the two children, sitting at a table behind them, which wasn’t too crowded. And for some reason, Cheng Wanyun felt that the space around her seat was a little more spacious, with thicker cushions. Even the charcoal basins here gave off a fragrant aroma of pomelo peel, which smelled very refreshing.

Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help but call over the eunuch in charge of adding charcoal to their tables, quietly asking, “Eunuch, what are these…” The eunuch smiled and whispered, “Side Concubine, don’t worry. These were specially ordered by Her Majesty Noble Concubine Niu Hulu.”

Cheng Wanyun was stunned: the Noble Consort Niu Hulu? She thought it was the Crown Prince’s arrangement, but it turned out to be from the Yongshou Palace. Of course, it made sense—Noble Concubine Niu Hulu was in charge of the inner palace, and she was personally overseeing this grand banquet, so it was only natural that she would ensure everyone received extra warmth in the deep winter months.

But then, Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help but wonder—why?

She decided to report this small matter to the Crown Prince later, but for now, she thanked the eunuch for the Noble Concubine’s kind gesture and left it unsaid.

E Linzhu and Akedun were still asleep, and Cheng Wanyun didn’t wake them up. After all, the banquet hadn’t officially begun yet, and the Emperor, Empress Dowager, and Crown Prince hadn’t arrived.

At this moment, the serving eunuchs were lifting up red-lacquered trays, offering cold dishes and pastries according to rank. Today’s family banquet was a full Manchu and Han banquet—this wasn’t the “Manchu-Han banquet” as later generations would define it, but in the Qing dynasty, banquets were traditionally divided into Manchu and Han style. The family banquets at Qianqing Palace and Baohe Hall in previous years were usually full Manchu-style, but today, a significant number of Han-style dishes were added, so it was called a Manchu-Han banquet.

This reflected Kangxi’s intent to bridge the gap between the Manchu and Han people, which had already become apparent in his governance and even daily life.

While everyone was questioning the Crown Princess’s background, Cheng Wanyun had a feeling of “As expected.” Not just the Crown Princess, but nearly all the people serving the Crown Prince now were from the Han military banners and the Imperial Household Department; there wasn’t a single girl from a proper Manchu Eight Banners family, which was very telling.

Kangxi was trying to position the Crown Prince as a prominent figure who could attract the Han people and the scholars—because as Emperor, he had to represent the interests of the Manchu Eight Banners aristocracy. Otherwise, the Manchus wouldn’t accept it. The only way to appeal to the Han people was through the Crown Prince.

But Kangxi might not have been able to imagine that these two ethnic groups, with painful events like “Yangzhou” and “Jiading” between them, could never be forcefully reconciled under the feudal imperial system. Under Kangxi’s guidance, the Crown Prince gradually leaned toward the Han ministers, but this only caused him to be increasingly ostracized by the Manchu Eight Banners. At the same time, the Han people began to rally around this heir who represented the Han family’s orthodox succession, which deepened the divide between the Manchu and Han, eventually leading to two opposing factions.

This was the limitation of his position as emperor. His wishful thinking and subsequent paranoia ultimately led to the Manchu Eight Banners rallying around other princes, and a mix of many reasons caused the Crown Prince to become an outsider in the Manchu circles.

Cheng Wanyun gazed at the still-vacant position of Crown Prince, her thoughts drifting further. Rather than viewing the Crown Prince’s rise or fall as a decision solely made by Kangxi, it was clear that there was also a power struggle between two ethnic groups behind it.

Even though the Han people’s backbone had been bent, it had never been broken. They always wanted to support a Han-friendly emperor to improve the Han people’s lower status.

The Crown Prince truly had the hardest position of any heir in centuries.

Cheng Wanyun sighed. She felt that the Crown Princes of past dynasties never faced as complicated and difficult a situation as Yinreng.

It was the emperor’s unpredictable heart, ethnic conflict, factional infighting, and sibling rivalry all at once.

Thinking about this, she finally managed to refocus her attention on the grand banquet. She looked at the table filled with pastries and thought that the first dishes served were still in the full Manchu style. This was also a political signal—just like the banquet at Baohe Hall, where Manchu officials were seated ahead of others. After all, Kangxi still didn’t dare offend the Eight Banners too much and had to take their sentiments into account.

Manchu first, Han second.

This showed that Kangxi still adhered to traditional Manchu thinking. He wasn’t really trying to get closer to the Han; it was more about consolidating imperial power.

Therefore, when the banquet started, the first dishes served at each table were large mounds of various pastries. In front of Cheng Wanyun were two plates of square fried pies, two bowls of small pastries, four plates of large pastries, two plates of red and white fried sweets, four plates of dried fruit, and four plates of fresh fruit.

Cheng Wanyun looked at the pastries, which had already cooled down, unsure of what to say. It was said that any uneaten pastries from the banquet would be given as rewards to close ministers to take home, a practice called “scattering blessings.”

The ministers who received the rewards were expected to eat the pastries in gratitude and not pass them to others, just like with the sacrificial meats.

As Cheng Wanyun observed the pastries, she suddenly felt a gaze upon her. She looked up, sensing someone was watching her.

In the hall, the seating arrangement was divided into distinct areas. Apart from the Emperor’s central seat at the highest position, there were two columns of seats beneath it, on the left was the Empress Dowager, and on the right was the Crown Prince. These divisions separated the hall into two areas: the left side, led by the Empress Dowager and Noble Concubine Niu Hulu, was for the concubines, while the right side, led by the Crown Prince, was for the imperial princes, the close imperial relatives, and their families.

The princes and nobles occupied the front half of the right area, with their families seated further back. Therefore, Cheng Wanyun was actually quite far from the Crown Prince. Looking across, she could see the lower-ranking concubines of Kangxi—the Guiren, the Daiying, and others of even lower rank who weren’t qualified to attend such a grand palace banquet.

Despite the large number of people in that section, Cheng Wanyun immediately spotted the person who was secretly watching her—Wang Daiying.

There was no doubt about it—her beauty stood out like a crane among chickens, glowing like a firefly in the night. She was like that one person in a crowded group photo whose style just didn’t match the others, instantly noticeable.

Wang Daiying and Cheng Wanyun exchanged glances over a sea of intricate jeweled headpieces. Wang didn’t seem flustered, but instead, her eyes sparkled, as if there were a thousand words hidden behind her gaze.

Cheng Wanyun thought to herself, ‘…Who is this Wang Daiying? Why has she been staring at me? So strange.’

Before she could sort out her thoughts, the sound of music and the royal praises filled the air. Kangxi, with a smile, supported the Empress Dowager and walked ahead, followed closely by the Crown Prince, who had grown taller than Kangxi by half a head. With a noble smile, he stepped confidently behind them.

Seeing this, Cheng Wanyun quickly turned around and woke up the children. Everyone inside and outside the hall stood and knelt to welcome the three most esteemed people in the dynasty, shouting, “Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empress Dowager! Long live the Crown Prince!”

“Rise,” Kangxi gestured.

The grand banquet at Qianqing Palace officially began.

Of the three major banquets on New Year’s Eve, the ones held at the Baohe Hall and the Taihe hall were high-level ceremonial feasts organized by the Emperor to reward and honor foreign ministers and close courtiers. In contrast, the banquet at Qianqing Palace was a formal but relatively casual and lively family gathering.

Once all the Manchu-style dishes were served, a pigeon soup was placed on the Han-style table, simmered in a small clay pot, rich and fragrant. The pot was placed over charcoal, keeping the soup hot and steamy, unlike other dishes that had cooled and solidified into greasy layers. This pigeon soup was one of E Linzhu’s favorite dishes, and as usual, the little one insisted on having some. Children get hungry quickly, so Cheng Wanyun asked Mama Suo to test a bowl first, then carefully deboned the pigeon and shredded the meat into strips that E Linzhu could eat. The soup was served separately and placed next to her.

Cheng Wanyun had brought a small bowl and learning chopsticks for E Linzhu, and the little girl held her chopsticks properly, enjoying her meal with gusto. After a few bites of meat, she knew to sip the soup as well.

Seeing his sister eating pigeon, Akedun also wanted some. Cheng Wanyun repeated the process for him. The two children ate together at the same table, quickly and skillfully.

In stark contrast, the two-year-old daughters of the eldest prince could no longer sit still. No matter how their wet nurses tried to soothe them, they kept crying, “No! No!”

The eldest Consort had to personally pick up the children to calm them, but suddenly, the eldest daughter of the Crown Prince, in the middle of eating, loudly expressed her thoughts, “Mother, birdy is so good!”

The Crown Prince’s eldest son also copied his sister, shouting, “Mother Cheng, birdy is so good!”

The children’s loud voices didn’t quiet down and clearly rang out, accompanied by the cries of the baby in the eldest Consort’s arms.

Soon, the noise caught the attention of Kangxi.

From his elevated position, he could see everything in the hall and quickly noticed the commotion around the eldest Consort and Cheng Wanyun’s side.

First, he observed the eldest Consort flustered as she tried to calm the children, frowning slightly.

Then Kangxi saw the Crown Prince’s two children, their short and chubby hands holding specially made chopsticks as they obediently drank soup and ate meat.

It was normal for children to be noisy, but their well-behaved manner showed the good upbringing they had received from their mother. Kangxi couldn’t help but smile again.

He became more interested and said to the Crown Prince with a smile, “Baocheng, bring your two children over so I can see them!”

Yinreng, who had been quietly keeping an eye on Cheng Wanyun’s side, even had He Baozhong inquire with Hua La to check if everything was going smoothly and without incident. Only after receiving confirmation did he let out a sigh of relief.

Kangxi’s tone was gentle. Yinreng knew that this was a rare opportunity for the children to make an appearance, so he quickly agreed and got up to bring them over himself.

Though everyone seemed absorbed in the banquet, focused on the surrounding clinking of cups and conversation, they were actually all paying close attention to what was happening up front. The Qianqing Palace Hall was too vast, and many people only saw Kangxi speaking to the Crown Prince. After the Crown Prince respectfully responded, he got up, walked through the tables and clusters of people, and made his way to the farthest end of the banquet hall, where the royal princes’ consorts and side consorts were seated.

Everyone’s gaze followed the Crown Prince’s figure, their curiosity piqued. It wasn’t until the Crown Prince stopped in front of a beautiful woman wearing side concubine’s ceremonial clothing and said a few words that two children, one large and one small, both adorned in pink makeup and jade ornaments, came forward. It became clear to everyone—this was the Emperor wanting to meet his grandchildren!

But there were other children in the hall, not just those of the Crown Prince, and people’s eyes started to drift toward the Eldest Prince’s area.

The Eldest Prince, holding a wine cup, maintained a smile, but it was a smile that seemed pasted on, stiff and unnatural, like it had been glued to his face, freezing when the wind blew.

Yinreng, holding E Linzhu in one arm and holding Akedun by the hand with the other, noticed that E Linzhu was still holding tightly onto her little bowl with both hands, the bowl still filled with half a serving of pigeon meat she had just been fed!

Yinreng had tried to coax her into letting go for a long time, but not wanting to keep Kangxi waiting, he finally walked over holding her, feeling a bit embarrassed as he said to Kangxi and the Empress Dowager, “This child, I don’t know who she takes after, she only knows how to eat.”

Kangxi laughed heartily and pointed at Yinreng, saying, “It must be you, her father, who has spoiled my granddaughter! Come, E Linzhu, come to Grandpa Emperor, I have a pot of pigeon soup here just for you! How about you eat it all up?”

The moment E Linzhu heard “pigeon soup,” she leaned forward without hesitation. Kangxi took her in his arms and seated her on his lap. She handed her pigeon meat to him and commanded in a very authoritative manner, “Eat!”

Kangxi chuckled and said, “Grandpa Emperor won’t eat it, E Linzhu can eat it all by herself!” He then called Akedun over to sit next to him, lifting the child up beside him.

Yinreng’s eyes gleamed slightly, and with a cheeky grin, he said, “Well then, I’ll leave the two children with you, Father, and go off to drink with the Fourth Brother and the others!”

Kangxi laughed, shaking his head, and jokingly said to the Empress Dowager, “Mother, look at this! Look at this! This is what it’s like to be a father!”

The Empress Dowager set down her tea bowl and smiled, saying, “This is the Crown Prince’s good trait—he’s filial! Recently, he often brings the children to Ning Shou Palace to keep me company. If you ask me, the Crown Prince’s actions should be seen as a model. Even the imperial family should show such affection and care for one another.”

“You’re right, Empress Mother,” Kangxi said respectfully. He held the Empress Dowager in great esteem, and sometimes her words carried more weight than a hundred others. Kangxi nodded to the Crown Prince and surprisingly agreed, “Go ahead, I’ll take care of the children.”

After that, Cheng Wanyun watched with some concern as the two children stayed by Kangxi’s side until the banquet was over. Fortunately, they didn’t cause a scene and were eventually taken back by their wet nurses.

Was it too conspicuous…? Since the Eldest Prince’s consort was nearby, Cheng Wanyun couldn’t help but notice her stiff expression.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the palace arranged for fireworks and a grand opera, which would continue until midnight.

Because of the custom of staying up to see the new year, the grand opera would last until the stroke of midnight. The royal grandchildren were still too young, so Kangxi graciously allowed them to rest early and not stay up. Each was sent back to their respective rooms to rest.

Cheng Wanyun had the official wet nurse take the children back first, leaving only Bitao and Hua La with her.

As the third watch approached, the palace was already prepared for the fireworks display. Everyone waited as the clock’s slender hands slowly pointed to the moment when the old year would turn to the new—

In an instant, firecrackers rang out, signaling the end of the old year. The sky was illuminated with fireworks like falling stars, turning the night as bright as day.

Everyone rushed out of the palace to watch the fireworks. Kangxi smiled as he held the hand of Imperial Concubine Niu Hulu. The Empress Dowager was surrounded by Imperial Concubine Yi and the Fifth Prince on the other side, while the palace ladies squeezed together behind them.

Lady Wang dismissed the palace maids from Yongshou Palace and, under the cover of the crowd, hurried toward the royal prince and princesses’ group, hoping not to miss the opportunity. If she missed this chance, she would have to return under the watchful eyes of Imperial Concubine Niu Hulu, and she knew she wouldn’t have an opportunity to speak frankly.

“Side Concubine Cheng,” she gasped, wiping the sweat from her temple with a handkerchief. She finally called out to the slow-moving Cheng Wanyun, who was at the very end of the group, “Please, wait a moment…”

Cheng Wanyun turned around and saw her standing alone. She was surprised, saying, “Lady Wang? What is it… do you need something?”

The sound of the fireworks drowned out their conversation, and the sky exploded with a series of brilliant, falling stars, masking their voices in the loud booming.

“I’m truly being too abrupt, Side Concubine…” Wang Daping’s eyes were reflected in the brilliant lights of the fireworks, and her tone was gentle as she continued to explain, “I only wanted to ask you about Wanhe’s recent situation, nothing else… I entered the palace on the same day as she did, and we lived under the same roof while waiting for the selection. We spent every day together. Wanhe was a person of great courage and righteousness. Back then… I won’t go into details, but if it weren’t for her assistance, I’d have fallen victim to a plot and wouldn’t have been able to stand here so clearly and honestly before you now. Later, I heard that she had left the palace to return home, and I never even had the chance to thank her…”

Lady Wang extended her hand, which held a fine embroidered handkerchief. Cheng Wanyun was momentarily stunned, finally understanding why Lady Wang had been waiting and why they had exchanged glances so often at the banquet. It was because of this handkerchief—she recognized her identity from it.

Cheng Wanyun was well aware of the subtle battles and schemes between the talented women. After all, she had gone through the same thing herself. Seeing Lady Wang’s eyes filled with tears, Cheng Wanyun fell silent for a moment before responding, “She’s doing well. Recently, my mother came to visit me and mentioned Wanhe. She said that Wanhe takes care of her grandmother every day, helping her bathe, feeding her, and pushing her grandmother out for walks. She praised her for being filial and considerate! She’s a bit headstrong, but after her time in the palace, she has matured quite a lot. I’m sure this is all thanks to your support.”

After speaking, Cheng Wanyun gave a slight bow.

“That’s good to hear… Thank you, Side Concubine, for easing my mind…” Lady Wang lowered her head to wipe away her tears. “Though I am of lowly status and my words carry little weight, if the Side Concubine ever needs anything in the future, I will do my utmost to help… I won’t take up more of your time to enjoy the fireworks. I’ll take my leave now…”

As the palace maid came looking for her, Lady Wang said no more, giving Cheng Wanyun a deep bow. Cheng Wanyun, not daring to accept such a gesture, hurriedly stepped aside. Just as she turned, Lady Wang was suddenly bumped hard from the side!

“Ah—!”

Seeing Lady Wang lose her balance and almost fall on top of her, Cheng Wanyun instinctively stepped back. She didn’t want to appear cold-hearted, but they were both pregnant! Rushing to help might only make things worse, and they could both end up tumbling down the steps!

In this moment of crisis, Hua La and Bitao reacted quickly, rushing to her side to block the fall.

At that very moment, the Crown Prince was approaching through the crowd, wanting to join Cheng Wanyun and enjoy the fireworks together, greeting the new year with her. He had been joyful, but seeing the situation unfold, the warmth in his eyes immediately turned to alarm!

“A Wan!”

The scene in their corner descended into chaos.

Lady Wang screamed as she fell heavily onto Hua La, who staggered back and almost collapsed. Bitao was knocked into by the two of them, and her outstretched arm couldn’t stop the momentum. She began to lose her balance and, like a domino, staggered, unable to steady herself. In a panic, she grabbed Cheng Wanyun, trying to cushion her fall with her own body.

The Crown Prince’s panicked voice mixed with the surrounding shouts of surprise. Cheng Wanyun, pushed and shoved, stepped on the base of a flowerpot and twisted her ankle. As she leaned forward, about to fall, she cursed the damned flowerpot shoes in her mind!

Who on earth invented these shoes?! They must have had a grudge against pregnant women!

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Guiren: This title means “Noble Person” or “Honored Person” and was one of the lower-ranking titles given to women in the emperor’s harem.

Daiying: This term refers to a position in the harem rather than a formal title, usually meaning “one who is waiting to be chosen” or “waiting for promotion.”