Concubine Yi, who was straightforward by nature and held a status similar to Concubine Rong, immediately laughed and said, "Sister Rong, that's not very fair. What did you say earlier? Wasn't the Third Prince already asleep?"

The bright smile on Concubine Rong's face returned to its usual composed elegance, and her lively expression faded back into calm restraint. "The nanny said that the Third Prince has just woken up. I need to take care of the Crown Prince and the First Prince, so I can't receive my sisters today."

Concubine Rong's order to leave was so direct and impolite that Concubine Yi's expression turned somewhat unpleasant.

Lady Uya, on the other hand, immediately withdrew obediently, not even daring to properly look at the Crown Prince and the First Prince.

Concubine Yi shot her a look of irritation, like scolding someone for not standing up for herself, but could only twist her handkerchief and take her leave as well.

Yinreng curiously sized up Lady Uya and Concubine Yi.

Both had entered the palace as maidservants and become concubines, but their current circumstances were completely different.

Lady Uya had already attended the emperor several times, yet had no children and no promotion in rank, remaining at the lowest level of concubine.

Concubine Yi, on the other hand, had only entered the palace this year, immediately won favor, and after her first night with the emperor, she was elevated to Concubine rank. Within months, she was granted a title and ranked among the Seven Concubines, and her prestige was unmatched for a time.

Their personalities were actually quite similar, both bright, lively, and sharp-tongued, and both would later openly clash with Yongzheng. But in terms of looks, there was quite a gap.

People say that wearing the same outfit isn't the problem, but whoever looks worse is the one embarrassed. The same goes for overlapping "personas." Once Concubine Yi entered the palace, Lady Uya seemed to lose all hope of gaining favor.

But Yinreng knew that although Lady Uya wasn't as favored, she was healthy and capable of bearing and raising children. The next time the harem underwent a large-scale promotion, she would rise to consort rank alongside Lady Gorolo.

"Farewell, Your Highnesses, until we meet again!" Yinreng cupped his fists in salute.

Yinzhī was full of confusion. He felt something was off about that gesture, but since he didn't know what was correct, he copied it anyway. "Farewell, Your Highnesses, until we meet again!"

Lady Uya: "…"

Concubine Yi: "…"

Concubine Yi burst into laughter, swaying like a flower in the wind. "Alright, alright, Your Highness the Crown Prince, First Prince, until next time. Come visit Yikun Palace when you have time. I've got plenty of delicious food and fun things waiting for you."

Lady Uya also suppressed a smile. "Your Highnesses, until we meet again."

With that shared laughter, the awkward tension in the room instantly dissipated.

After they left, Concubine Rong finally couldn't hold back her laughter either.

Because she was caring for a child, she wore no jewelry on her hands, and even her nails were trimmed short.

She reached out and tapped Yinreng lightly. "Your Highness the Crown Prince is being mischievous again. I don't believe you don't know how to greet them properly."

Yinreng shook his head in mock seriousness. "Baocheng was told, when you see a lady of the Niohuru clan, you call her Empress Mother; for other titled consorts, you address them by rank. But what about those without rank? Who, without rank, would come before you and expect a greeting?"

Yinzhī widened his eyes. "Is that how it works?"

Concubine Rong said helplessly, "Hasn't the First Prince been taught?"

Yinzhī shook his head vigorously.

Concubine Rong explained, "Like the Crown Prince, you may address His Majesty's consorts by their rank, or call those of consort rank and above 'Consort Mother.' For example, Noble Consort Tong, you may call her Consort Mother Tong."

Technically, the Crown Prince could also use "Consort Mother," but since the emperor hadn't taught him that, Concubine Rong chose not to overstep.

Holding both boys' hands, Concubine Rong led them toward the rear hall, gently teaching them basic etiquette along the way and introducing the titled consorts of Kangxi's harem.

These were things Concubine Hui had never taught Yinzhī.

It wasn't that she didn't want to. She had only recently been promoted and allowed to raise him herself, and hadn't had the chance yet. Before that, the Ula-Nara clan relied on their connections in the palace to place people around Yinzhī and influence him indirectly.

Yinzhī sighed. "Concubine Rong knows so much. My mother doesn't teach me anything."

Concubine Rong smiled. "Concubine Hui has only just managed to raise you herself. Perhaps she isn't quite ready yet to burden you with these complicated matters."

Yinzhī pouted. "She nags about plenty of trivial things, just not these. Could it be that she doesn't know these things?"

Concubine Rong's smile stiffened. This child… what kind of nonsense is he saying?!

She suddenly felt a bit sorry for Concubine Hui.

On the other hand, Yinreng suppressed a laugh. Concubine Hui had really given birth to quite a troublesome son.

When she bore the First Prince, her rank had been low, and he wasn't raised by her. By the time she was finally allowed to care for him, he was sent off to live with the Chief Minister of the Imperial Household Department. When he returned, he lived separately and wasn't close to her.

Though the First Prince wasn't close to her, Concubine Hui still had to protect her only biological son. If she hadn't acted wisely later on, his fate would have been far worse.

So, big brother, you really should treat Concubine Hui better.

"Concubine Hui isn't stupid. She just doesn't know how to interact with you. She misses you very much," Yinreng said softly. "Having a birth mother is nice."

Concubine Rong's smile faded slightly. She squeezed Yinreng's hand but said nothing.

Yinzhī asked bluntly, "You don't have a mother?"

Concubine Rong: "…" This silly child is such a headache! Does he even know what he's saying?!

Yinreng shook his head. "My mother died giving birth to me. When I was little, people would whisper that I was the one who caused her death."

Only then did Yinzhī remember. Oh, right, the former empress was already gone.

His expression hardened. "Who dares spread such nonsense? Drag them out and beat them to death!"

Yinreng: "…" I appreciate the support, but do you really have to talk about beating people to death at six years old? Who taught you that?

Forcing a brave smile, Yinreng said, "It's fine. I'm not sad. When I miss my mother, I come to Concubine Rong, or to you, big brother. Why don't you share your mother with me?"

Yinzhī hesitated. "I don't mind… but my mother's a bit slow, cries a lot, and says strange things. You probably wouldn't like her."

Yinreng: "…" What a troublesome child.

Concubine Rong: "…" Poor Concubine Hui.

She quickly changed the subject. "We're here. Look, the Third Prince is smiling at you."

Yinreng let go of her hand, stood on tiptoe, and peered into the cradle where Yinzhi was wriggling restlessly. His smile grew more genuine.

"So cute. So lively!" he praised sincerely.

In his previous life, when he had been deposed, only the Third and Thirteenth Princes spoke up for him.

Back then, he didn't appreciate Third Prince's support and suspected his motives, since the Third Prince had ambitions for the throne of his own.

Though that tyrannical Crown Prince didn't appreciate it, the small Yinreng of this life did. Judge by actions, not by the heart, and besides, who could ever really know another person's heart? All Yinreng knew was the simple fact that the Third Prince wanted to save the Crown Prince.

As for the Thirteenth Prince, who wouldn't be born for many years yet, even that former tyrannical version of him felt deep guilt toward his younger brother.

Kangxi was generally lenient with his sons, but he was uniquely harsh with the Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang.

Before the Crown Prince's first deposition, Yinxiang had been deeply favored by Kangxi.

But after that first deposition, Yinxiang was placed under house arrest. Once released, he had no chance of returning to court, only occasionally accompanying Kangxi on outings with the other princes.

The reason he fell out of favor was "disloyalty." That year, he was only twenty-two, in the prime of his life.

Disloyalty, disloyalty. As an imperial prince, Yinxiang could not possibly be disloyal to the Qing.

His "disloyalty" stemmed from his "loyalty" to the Crown Prince. Or rather, it stemmed from his feelings for his brother, his insistence on the truth, and his disappointment in Kangxi. When the young, hot-blooded Yinxiang was questioned by Kangxi, he insisted the Crown Prince had done nothing wrong and even spoke resentfully toward Kangxi.

Yinxiang and Kangxi were father and son, and equally stubborn.

Kangxi waited for Yinxiang to admit fault, and when Yinxiang refused, he simply watched coldly and waited.

Yinxiang insisted he was right. He was willing to wait it out until he became seriously ill and his vitality was exhausted. Only at thirty-seven, when Yongzheng ascended the throne, was he finally given real responsibility again. He died young, only at forty-four.

Such a stubborn, foolish child. Even Yongzheng, cold as he was toward his brothers, couldn't help but trust and value him.

Perhaps if any other brother had taken the throne, they too would have trusted and valued Yinxiang deeply.

Yinreng's eyes carried a touch of longing and sorrow that others might not have noticed. But the little baby was very sensitive to emotions, so he sensed it.

Just then, the Third Prince, who had been squirming with his eyes closed, suddenly opened them and leaned forward to sniff Yinreng's chubby little hand, like a curious, unweaned animal.

"Ya ya!" he babbled.

Yinreng smelled faintly of sweet milk, which delighted the baby. He waved his arms excitedly.

"Ya ya!" Yinreng imitated the Third Prince's cry.

"Ya ya ya!" the little third prince continued to call out.

"Ya ya ya!" Yinreng answered back.

The baby became so excited that he nearly bounced out of the cradle, splashing his limbs like a fish breaking the water's surface. He grabbed Yinreng's finger and shook it vigorously.

Yinreng laughed. "Ya ya ya."

Ah, my third brother is so cute!

Yinzhī scratched his head. "What are the two of you doing?"

"Talking," Yinreng replied.

"You can understand him?" Yinzhī asked in confusion.

"Not really, but I can sort of sense what he means. Try it. If you reach out and make some noises, he'll definitely be able to communicate with you, brother."

Yinzhī reached out. "Ya ya?"

The baby stared wide-eyed at Yinzhī, whose face was contorted with rage: "…."

Then, he bravely used his mouth, which had only one or two tiny teeth, to bite down hard on Yin's finger.

Yinzhī: "Ah?!!"

Concubine Rong was horrified while Yinreng laughed heartily.

——————

Back in Qianqing Palace, Kangxi spent a long time flipping through memorials but couldn't focus on a single word.

He had just sent his sons away, and he already missed them.

It wasn't until a young eunuch who had accompanied Yinreng and Yinzhī ran back that he put away his unsatisfied expression and regained his imperial majesty. "What foolish things have they done now?"

The eunuch vividly recounted everything that had happened.

When he described how the Crown Prince had saluted the concubines with "until we meet again," and even dragged the First Prince into it, Kangxi's expression twisted.

That chubby brat, asking for a beating! Is that what I taught him? ...Pfft, cough, cough.

When he heard about the "ya ya" conversation, and how the Third Prince happily responded to Yinreng but bit the First Prince, Kangxi couldn't help but react.

"Hahahahaha! My Baocheng, how is he so…" Kangxi thought for a long time but couldn't think of any words to describe his son.

At the same time, Concubine Hui also heard about what had happened at Zhongcui Palace.

She fell silent for a long time, then thought quietly: if only the Crown Prince were my child.

This time, it wasn't because of his status, nor any ambition to become Empress or Empress Dowager of the Qing.

She simply found her own son… deeply exasperating.