Concubine of the Eastern Palace (Qing Dynasty Time Travel)

Cheng Gege repeatedly reminded him, and of course, he had to show respect. After all, this was his ancestor, and she was carrying another ancestor in her womb. He had been looking for an opportunity to get closer to her.

Although Wang Gege was also pregnant at the time, and it was the eldest son of the Crown Prince, but when it came to caring about this matter, Cheng Gege was absolutely the most dedicated. Which Gege could make the Crown Prince send someone a thousand miles away to deliver a message to her family? Not only did he send the message, but he also invited her family to the capital to meet. This was a great favor.

Cheng Wanyun was busy baking a cake, making longevity noodles, and preparing a KFC family bucket, which the Crown Prince loved to eat.

The Crown Prince’s official birthday was on the sixth day of the sixth lunar month, but this day was also the death anniversary of Empress Hesheri. The palace was holding rituals and ceremonies for the Empress’s memorial, so neither the Emperor nor the Crown Prince had the mood to celebrate his birthday.

Therefore, the Emperor took the day the Crown Prince turned five and recovered from smallpox as his birthday, but it was never celebrated grandly. Cheng Wanyun only learned this new information this year because the kitchen was preparing longevity noodles and steamed buns, and they had even opened the warehouse to retrieve yellow-bottomed, floral-patterned longevity bowls and plates. She, feeling bored during her pregnancy, asked, “Why all this fuss? Whose birthday is it?”

Then, Eunuch Zheng quietly sent someone to inform her.

Since his birth, the Crown Prince had never had a proper birthday celebration. He even voluntarily asked Emperor Kangxi to exempt him from these celebrations, claiming that it was a filial gesture to his mother, and the Emperor agreed.

But Cheng Wanyun thought to herself, “If I close the door and enjoy a nice meal, it shouldn’t be too much, right?”

She baked the cake in her own courtyard, as she needed to use the bread oven to bake the cake layers. Everything else was fine, but making the cream was quite a challenge. Jin and Sanbao both helped, almost breaking their arms in the process.

Qingxing helped with cutting the fruits, and the cake filling included cantaloupe and grapes.

Hongying kept an eye on the bread oven, where they were baking fries.

Bitao and she gathered many fresh flowers from the warm greenhouse in the southern garden. They were decorating the courtyard together. Two dining tables were joined to form a long table, covered with satin embroidered with dark patterns, and they arranged candlesticks and vases with freshly bloomed pink lotus flowers.

When Yinreng entered, he noticed that the palace lanterns in the rear courtyard weren’t lit. Only on the long table in the center were three candlesticks in the shape of the Chinese character “mountain,” their warm yellow light illuminating the bowls and plates arranged neatly on the table. In the middle was a huge, delicate three-layered item, with a small tiger on top, holding a small candle.

Cheng Wanyun greeted him with a bright smile and took his hand, saying, “Second Master, happy birthday!”

Because of her pregnancy, her face had rounded a bit over the past few months, making her look even more delicate and cute. As she held his hand, her face blushed slightly under the light, with the gentle breeze and the starry night as a backdrop, making it feel like a warm hand was gently comforting his heart.

“You’re pregnant, why are you still worrying about all of this?” As he walked over and saw the table full of his favorite dishes, he couldn’t help but feel a pang of pity and gently took her hand. “I’ve never been fond of celebrating these things, so don’t trouble yourself in the future.”

“No, I’ll be busy every year from now on,” Cheng Wanyun’s eyes sparkled in the candlelight. “Second Master, from now on, I’ll celebrate your birthday every year, and we’ll celebrate it properly, happily.”

Yinreng smiled.

Every year, every season, every morning and evening, his A Wan was still the same, never shy to speak her mind.

Cheng Wanyun actually felt quite sorry for him. Because of his mother’s influence, he couldn’t openly celebrate his birthday, though she understood that part of it was for the sake of appearances, while another part was because he genuinely didn’t want to celebrate it.

Having caused his mother’s death, who would dare to happily celebrate their own birthday? In a place like the palace, the pressure could break you.

His longing for his birth mother made him feel that birthdays were utterly meaningless.

But today was different. Cheng Wanyun still blushed as she softly and awkwardly sang the birthday song in his ear. It made Yinreng laugh so hard his stomach hurt. What kind of tune was this? It was too straightforward.

Seeing him lower his head and suppress his laughter, his hand holding the chopsticks even trembling, Cheng Wanyun turned as red as a beet. What could she do? There were people in this world with such poor singing skills that even the birthday song sounded off-key.

So, she hurriedly urged the Crown Prince to blow out the candles.

“I learned this from the foreigners when I was at home,” Cheng Wanyun said seriously, demonstrating. “Before you blow out the candles, you must press your hands together and make a wish in your heart, telling the gods. Then, blow out the candles in one breath. Afterward, we can cut the cake and eat it. It will definitely come true!”

At this time, Cheng Wanyun was about three months pregnant. Although her belly wasn’t very obvious yet, her clothes fit her better today, so the small bump was noticeable.

Yinreng thought about how she was already carrying his child and still going through all this trouble for him, and he had no choice but to go along with it.

But what wish should he make?

As for his future… the gods had already revealed everything to him. Looking far ahead, it seemed like a dead end. Though he didn’t know what would happen in the coming days, he had a strong sense that there would be fewer good things and more hardships to come.

Yinreng clasped his hands together, his eyes lowered to hide his emotions.

So, he made a wish for today.

He prayed to the gods and Buddhas, asking for their protection so that A Wan’s pregnancy would go smoothly for the full ten months. He wished that no matter whether the child was a boy or a girl, both A Wan and the baby would be healthy and safe.

After making the wish, he blew out the candles, and Cheng Wanyun cheered loudly.

“All done!”

She then called out to Qingxing and Bitao, who were standing a little farther away, “Hurry, light the lamps, hurry! It’s time to cut the cake!”

Yinreng couldn’t help but smile, seeing her so much happier than he was. In the future, when they had children, their birthdays wouldn’t just be the two of them; there would be a child running around, adding more liveliness to the celebration.

He didn’t know what A Wan had done, but this cooled-down egg cake, wrapped in smooth cream, actually tasted quite good. The soft, sweet flavor was just the kind that his grandmother would like. She was old and her teeth weren’t as strong anymore.

The bottom layer of the cake was still intact, and they couldn’t possibly eat that much. Since it wasn’t too late yet, Yinreng instructed He Baozhong to personally deliver the egg cake to Ning Shou Palace before the palace gates were locked.

After washing up in the evening, Yinreng lay down on the bed with her and read a book. The book, ‘Travels of Xu Xiake’, was something Cheng Wanyun had been reading halfway through. The more she read, the more interesting it became. Now that she was pregnant, she felt she couldn’t read stories about talented scholars and beautiful women or tales about enduring hardship, lest they influence the child in her womb.

Reading something with broader ideas, she hoped that her child would have the opportunity to travel the world and see all the famous mountains and rivers.

At that moment, He Baozhong returned and knelt outside the door to report, “Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has not had a good appetite today and couldn’t eat much, but she enjoyed the egg cake. She said you were thoughtful.”

“Next time, I’ll have the recipe for this egg cake copied and sent to Ning Shou Palace,” Yinreng said, playing with her hand. In his mind, he was already planning how to help Cheng Wanyun gain recognition in front of the Empress Dowager. In the future, if there was a chance, it would be easier for him to petition for her to be made a side concubine.

For now, he could only have her bear the title of Gege.

“Of course, it’s fortunate that the egg cake suits the Empress Dowager’s taste,” Cheng Wanyun said, not minding at all. She clapped her hands and added, “I can also make Ba Ba cake. I’ll write down that recipe too.”

Yinreng then pulled her into his arms.

Cheng Wanyun rested her face against his increasingly firm chest. She could feel that his muscles seemed to be getting firmer, and his physique had improved even more since last year. Unable to resist, she slipped her hand inside his night clothes.

Oh, so hard, he has abs!

Yinreng stared at her wide-eyed. “??” Again? How could she never learn?!

Cheng Wanyun’s ears turned red, and she whispered, “Can I touch it?”

Though she was only a small concubine, wasn’t it reasonable to touch his abs? After all, they already had a child together. It wasn’t as if they were strangers. Couldn’t she touch him?

Yinreng quickly grabbed her wandering hand, his voice hoarse. “You… you need to control yourself!”

Cheng Wanyun let out an “Oh,” agreeing verbally, but her hand didn’t quite agree.

Later, Yinreng held her hand down to prevent her from moving too much, exchanged a kiss, and kissed her until she was breathless before finally pulling away.

He was also flushed, and it felt like ants were crawling inside his chest. Later, he quietly got up while she was asleep and took a bath.

The next day, Yinreng woke up early at the crack of dawn. He saw Cheng Wanyun, still half-asleep, turn over and hug his waist. In her sleep, she even reached her hand inside, pressing her face against his side as she slept. Immediately, a warning bell went off in his mind, and he carefully pulled her hand away before jumping out of bed in a flustered manner.

It was fine on normal days, but when they were intimate, they weren’t exactly restrained. Sometimes, when Cheng Wanyun sat on his lap and kissed him like a playful puppy, he couldn’t bear it. But now that she was pregnant, they had grown accustomed to being this close, and it made him uncomfortable.

Yinreng decided to ask A Chu to find out where Cheng Wanyun’s mother was and have someone hurry her along. He even had someone wait at the post station, hoping for her to travel smoothly and arrive at the palace as soon as possible so that she could stay with Cheng Wanyun for a few days and distract her from focusing too much on him.

He didn’t want her to keep eyeing his body all the time.

Although this was what he thought, he couldn’t help but smile at the thought.

He Baozhong saw the Crown Prince resting his chin in his hand, deep in thought, and the more he thought, the deeper the smile in his eyes became.

He knew it! He knew it! The Crown Prince was like that fox spirit who absorbs yang energy! Every time his mood was unstable, he would go to Cheng Gege’s side, and after a good night’s rest, he’d wake up looking refreshed and in high spirits.

But He Baozhong also found it strange. Cheng Gege was pregnant, yet the Crown Prince’s affection for her hadn’t decreased at all. Before, when he had accompanied the Emperor on a trip out of the capital, it made sense that he wasn’t in the palace. But now that he was back, apart from occasionally visiting Li Side Concubine’s room to see the young prince, he hadn’t gone to Tang Gege’s room at all.

If it weren’t for Li Side Concubine, who had to take care of the little prince, leaving some of the smaller tasks to Tang Gege, He Baozhong might have even forgotten that there was such a person in Yuqing Palace! He couldn’t even tell if the Crown Prince had forgotten about her either.

It just went to show how powerful Cheng Gege was.

When she first entered Yuqing Palace, she was the first to serve in the bedchamber, and since then, no one had been able to match her. Now, even pregnant, she still held onto the Crown Prince. Tsk tsk.

Hadn’t he seen how Zheng, the eunuch from the kitchen, had been promoted? Even the rough-handling eunuchs from the back chambers were now being courted.

But the more it was like this, the more humble and low-key the people in the back chambers became. He Baozhong couldn’t help but admire Cheng Gege for managing her people so well. She kept them from being corrupted, yet they worked so loyally. She wasn’t as simple as others thought.

In fact, Cheng Wanyun’s management was quite simple—she practiced “grid management.”

Every task in her courtyard, from trimming flowers and feeding fish to overseeing the work of Qingxing and Bitao, was assigned to a person with clear responsibilities. Each person had a specific leader to report to, and things were divided into clear layers. Everything was assigned in an orderly manner, and the division of rights and responsibilities was also clear. She only needed to manage the big picture, while the smaller matters were taken care of by others.

Since she was pregnant, Cheng Wanyun had been more strict with Qingxing, Bitao, and Tianjin, Tianyin. As soon as things tightened at the top, it was impossible for them to slack off at the bottom. The people serving her were even more concerned about the baby than she was. Every time the kitchen delivered meals, there were always two identical portions. Tianjin would first take both portions and test them with a silver spoon before trying a few bites herself.

As for the miscarriage-preventing medicine, it was also given in two portions. Cheng Wanyun once saw Qingxing calmly drink one bowl first, ensuring there was no issue, before brewing another bowl. However, because the medicine was too bitter, Cheng Wanyun would always throw it up after drinking it, essentially never really taking it.

After all, if anything happened to her, everyone in the courtyard would be in trouble. Not to mention, those who served her weren’t without their own interests—there were people outside who tried to curry favor with them. Cheng Wanyun usually didn’t care much, and Qingxing and the others knew their place.

If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. If the higher-ups micromanage too much, it makes things difficult for the people below. Not only does it tire oneself out, but it also causes complaints from subordinates. This was a small piece of wisdom Cheng Wanyun had learned from her past life as a workaholic.

There’s interest, shared positions, and lives at stake, so there was no reason for them to betray her.

Of course, this also had to do with the current peaceful atmosphere in the rear courtyard of Yuqing Palace. No one was stirring up trouble, so there were no grounds for any conspiracy theories.

Side Concubine Li barely cared about her. To maintain appearances in front of the Crown Prince, she occasionally gave some gifts and inquired about her health, but she wasn’t nearly as attentive as she had been when Wang Gege was pregnant. But this distant, neutral attitude made Cheng Wanyun feel more at ease. She had suspected that Wang Gege’s difficult childbirth might have been caused by Side Concubine Li’s excessive supplementation, but without evidence, and with the person now gone, she had no way to bring it up.

She could only secretly remind herself to be cautious.

As for Tang Gege, she worked hard to please her. Cheng Wanyun guessed it was to earn favor with the Crown Prince and perhaps to take the opportunity of visiting her to see him more often and boost her presence. However, whenever she visited, she mostly helped Cheng Wanyun with embroidery, had a few casual chats, and never brought anything that might be considered inappropriate, so she didn’t cause any trouble.

Cheng Wanyun didn’t mind. She had nothing to do all day and welcomed her visits.

Especially since Tang Gege, due to her management of Side Concubine Li’s affairs and her dealings with the Imperial Household Department, knew many little gossip details from other palaces. For instance, not long ago, Fourth Brother had swapped his quarters at the Prince’s residence with Eldest Brother’s, and during the chaotic move, he stayed for a few days in the empty Jingren Palace instead of going to Yonghe Palace, which caused a lot of speculation about Concubine De in the palace.

Cheng Wanyun, while snacking on pine nuts, listened with bright eyes. Oh? Was Fourth Brother starting to have problems with his own mother? But why? Now that Empress Xiaoyi was no longer there to mediate, why didn’t he take the opportunity to build a better relationship with her? Besides, he had his younger brothers, and it was said that Fourteenth Brother was only two years old, with a round face and no troublemaking tendencies! He should be in the most adorable phase!

“I heard that yesterday the Imperial Household Department delivered a pair of plum vases to Yonghe Palace, and Concubine De was so angry she smashed a vase. That’s why they had the Imperial Household Department replace them with new ones,” Tang Gege said, holding a needle and thread as she spoke with great detail. “Also, the eunuchs with Fourth Brother and the ones helping with the move had a fight. The eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department were careless and damaged two of Fourth Brother’s trunks. They almost got into a physical altercation! In the end, the head eunuch from the Imperial Household Department had to come and apologize.”

Cheng Wanyun wasn’t quite clear. “Why did they suddenly change courtyards?”

When she asked this, Tang Gege became even more excited. She looked outside the window and then lowered her head to continue. “You may not know this since you rarely go out, but Fourth Brother’s old courtyard used to be the biggest and most beautiful in the Prince’s residence!”

Cheng Wanyun leaned in to listen more closely. “Oh?”

“That’s when Empress Xiaoyi was still around. She personally chose the courtyard for Fourth Brother! Empress Xiaoyi had two courtyards joined together for him, and there was even a small garden in his courtyard with a little pond for fish and flowers. They even had the flower windows specially made by craftsmen from Suzhou. The location and view were the best! Empress Xiaoyi managed the palace for over ten years, and she made sure her son had a decent place to live. Who would dare to criticize her? But now that she’s gone, Yonghe Palace doesn’t hold as much sway as Yanxi Palace, and people are starting to take notice!”

I see now.

Cheng Wanyun was so absorbed in listening that she didn’t even realize she had finished a whole plate of pine nuts until she reached for more and found the dish empty.

Qingxing, fearing that she might get a sore throat, quickly replaced the pine nuts with preserved fruits.

“Eldest Brother has been married for two or three years now, with a wife, a secondary consort, and many attendants, not to mention a few more young girls joining in the past two years. That whole family is cramped in Eldest Brother’s small courtyard in the Prince’s residence. It was becoming unbearable, so Concubine Hui mentioned it to the Emperor very tactfully, saying they really couldn’t fit anymore and suggested expanding Eldest Brother’s courtyard. But the courtyard next door is Fourth Brother’s, so there’s not much room for expansion. Later, Fourth Brother heard about this and voluntarily offered to give up his large courtyard for his brother. Now everyone outside is praising Fourth Brother for being so considerate and generous,” said Tang Gege, lowering her head to stitch a few more threads, then curling her lips in disdain. “But isn’t this just bullying? If it were me, I wouldn’t allow it.”

Cheng Wanyun had always thought that at Eldest Brother’s age, he should have already established his own residence outside the palace. It turns out he hadn’t yet?

However, in the Qing Dynasty, once a prince established his residence outside the palace, he had to be granted a title, and very few princes went out without one. They also had to spend money building a house. With the frequent wars over the past few years, it was said that the treasury had little silver left.

Moreover, Emperor Kangxi kept the older princes from establishing their own residences and titles, likely for other considerations.

The Eldest Brother already had military achievements. If he were to establish his residence, he would be able to legitimately participate in state affairs and the military, along with having his own staff, advisors, and attendants. This was part of the tradition of the Manchu rulers, where fathers, sons, and brothers shared the responsibility of ruling the land.

But for the Crown Prince, this was definitely unfavorable.

At most, The Eldest Brother would only have to wait another year or two, as Tang Gege mentioned that the Imperial Household Department had already chosen a location for his residence. He could only endure this for a little while longer. Yet, on top of that, he had to bully his younger brother and take his courtyard. Cheng Wanyun hadn’t expected this.

“When The Eldest Brother returns with military victories, things will be different,” Tang Gege continued, raising her embroidery frame to examine the light. She was stitching a tiger-head hat for Cheng Wanyun’s unborn child. “Our Crown Prince has been working so hard and has lost weight, yet hasn’t gained anything good.”

Cheng Wanyun could understand this completely.

In the matter of regency, could anyone do better than the Emperor himself? Even if someone could, they couldn’t show it. At most, they would be praised for doing no wrong. It’s like if you were given half-completed projects by a superior. Even if you think the direction they were going in is a bit off, could you change it? Of course not. All you can do is work hard, make sure things don’t go wrong while they’re in your hands, and return them well.

Managing the country, preparing food supplies, and stabilizing the rear were all important but thankless tasks. After all, when Prince Gongning lost a battle in Ujumqin, he came back and explained that it was due to insufficient supplies, repeatedly implying that it was the slow transportation of supplies that delayed him, completely absolving himself. He even blamed the Crown Prince for the situation. Compared to Eldest Brother, who enjoyed the rewards from following Prince Yuchin, the Crown Prince had suffered greatly.

According to Tang Gege, Eldest Brother had been making quite a show of himself lately, frequently accompanying the Emperor, either to meals or to hunting expeditions, gaining a lot of attention.

“What about the Crown Prince?” Cheng Wanyun asked.

Tang Gege smiled proudly. “Of course, the Crown Prince is there too. When it comes to the Emperor’s favor, who could surpass our Crown Prince? It’s not something that a few petty words from anyone can change. I’ve noticed that the Imperial Household Department has been busy preparing for the Mulan Hunting Expedition. It’s likely that the Crown Prince will be accompanying the Emperor again.”

Cheng Wanyun nodded, imagining that perhaps when the Crown Prince returns from hunting, they might also get to enjoy some freshly roasted venison and spicy rabbit heads.

The Eldest Brother had been very ostentatious lately, and Yinreng was well aware of it.

Since the mourning period for Empress Xiaoyi had passed, the Fourth Brother had become much closer to him. When the Fourth Brother had quietly moved his courtyard earlier, Yinreng had even asked if he would like to stay in Yuqing Palace for a few days.

Yinzhen had thanked him repeatedly and declined, and Yinreng didn’t press him further. But then, to everyone’s surprise, the Fourth Brother had gone to Jingren Palace, almost as if deliberately expressing dissatisfaction with Yonghe Palace.

Yinreng knew why.

It was because Concubine Hui had made a move to expand the courtyard, clearly hoping that the Fourth Brother would volunteer to offer his own space. But two or three days passed without any action from the Fourth Brother, Yinreng did not try to persuade him. This kind of situation felt suffocating—having to bow down and support the Eldest Brother when he was already so haughty. Yinreng wouldn’t stoop so low.

However, a few days later, Concubine Hui brought gifts to Yonghe Palace to visit the Fourteenth Brother. Soon after, Concubine De invited the Fourth Brother over to Yonghe Palace for a meal. Not long after that, the Fourth Brother voluntarily went to visit the Elder Brother.

No one knew how Concubine De had persuaded him to change courtyards, but whatever she said had clearly worked.

Yinreng himself couldn’t quite figure it out. Fourth Brother was Concubine De’s biological son, so why was she doing such a favor for someone else? Moreover, Concubine Hui and Concubine De hadn’t been on good terms before, yet now they were acting so cordial. Was this for the Emperor’s benefit, or was there some other motive? Yinzhen was a man of few words and didn’t want to speak ill of his mother, but from his cold demeanor lately, it was obvious he was uncomfortable with the situation.

In the study, Yinreng glanced at Yinzhi, who was silently reading, and then frowned as he noticed Yinzhi hiding a fengshui chart behind his book. It was said that Yinzhi believed that the water in the Fourth Brother’s courtyard was not beneficial to him and planned to make major changes to the courtyard where Yinzhen had been living.

This was clearly an indication that Yinzhi didn’t intend to return the courtyard to Yinzhen once he moved out. He knew full well that the Fourth Brother was much younger than him and would have plenty of time to live in the Prince’s residence in the future.

That evening, Yinreng went to the Qianqing Palace as usual to pay his respects. He intended to leave after offering his greetings and confirming that there were no further instructions, but unexpectedly, Emperor Kangxi gestured for him to stay.

“Later, Baoqing will come to dine with us. He wants me to assess how his courtyard renovations are coming along, but I really don’t have the time for that. You should check on it for your eldest brother.”

Yinreng was surprised but didn’t show it on his face. He personally brought a bowl of tea to Kangxi and said, “Yes, Your Majesty.”

After serving the tea, Yinreng stood to the side, helping with the grinding. Kangxi continued to write, despite the heavy responsibilities of state and family. Every day, he still set aside time to practice calligraphy. He expected the same of the Crown Prince and other princes, as writing was a skill that needed daily practice to maintain.

As Yinreng watched Kangxi write, he couldn’t help but reflect on what the Emperor had just said. From his tone, it seemed that Kangxi wasn’t entirely happy with how the Eldest Brother was handling things. As Kangxi finished a piece of writing, Yinreng noticed that the tip of his jade brush had frayed. He smiled and said, “Father, this brush is old. Let me take it and sharpen the tip for you.”

Kangxi fondly held the brush and said, “This brush was made by your mother, Tong, for me.”

Yinreng was momentarily stunned and suddenly recalled the significance of the situation. Why had the Fourth Brother been so indifferent to Concubine De’s requests? The whole palace was talking about it, yet no one had heard of Kangxi expressing any dissatisfaction.

Because the courtyard that Fourth Brother had been given was arranged by Tong herself, a symbol of a mother’s love.

Compared to Concubine De, who was pressuring the Fourth Brother to respect the Eldest Brother in order to gain reputation, Tong had favored her son openly, even if it led to gossip. Kangxi seemed to appreciate this genuine affection more.

So, Eldest Brother’s hasty plans to fill the pond in his courtyard and knock down walls to expand it had likely upset Kangxi, who must have felt discomforted by the actions. Tong had only passed away a year ago, but it seemed that people were already forgetting her intentions.

“Tong Mother had such skilled hands,” Yinreng said, carefully cleaning the brush for Kangxi and reminiscing about Empress Xiaoyi. “Both I and Fourth Brother have one of her brushes. She made them from rabbit fur, with the brush handles carved from red Xiangfei bamboo—simple yet elegant, just like her character…”

Kangxi held the brush and sighed after listening for a while, “Yes…”

Soon after, Liang Jiugong led Yinzhi into the room.

Yinzhi, now familiar with the palace routine, entered casually. When he saw Yinreng there, he paused for a moment, then hurriedly bowed and greeted the Emperor, “Your Majesty, I pay my respects. And… Crown Prince, I pay my respects.”

“There’s no need for formalities, sit down. I’ve already had a meal prepared in the Western Warm Pavilion. You two brothers will dine with me later,” Kangxi said, ordering someone to bring a small stool for Yinzhi. “You mentioned earlier that you had someone create a feng shui map. Let me see.”

Yinzhi quickly took a feng shui map from his sleeve and handed it to Kangxi. “Father, take a look. I had a master examine the feng shui and, based on the number of people in our family, we redesigned the layout. You see, there used to be a pond here, but the Taoist priest said it wasn’t favorable for my descendants. As you know, I’ve had many daughters over the years…”

Kangxi examined the map but said nothing, lightly tapping his finger on the chart. He then pushed the map toward Yinreng and said, “Baocheng, you should take a look as well.”