In the capital city, Emperor Jianlong mourned the loss of his beloved son, and the white-haired man bid farewell to the black-haired man.
“Grandfather, take care of your health.” Wei Ang, the eldest son of the late crown prince, offered a nourishing decoction sent by the imperial doctor. Seated in front of the dragon couch, he personally fed the ailing Emperor.
Emperor Jianlong gazed at his beloved grandson, expressing his distress, “Why take care of me? Look in the mirror yourself—how thin you’ve become.”
Wei Ang lowered his eyes in bitterness, and two lines of tears rolled down his cheeks. At twenty-seven years old, he shared the crown prince’s features, exuding a gentle, handsome, and elegant demeanor. His tears further tugged at Emperor Jianlong’s heart.
In the first half of Emperor Jianlong’s life, he had waged wars to conquer vast lands. By the time he ascended the dragon throne, his sons were already grown. Apart from the crown prince residing in the capital, his other three sons guarded the frontiers. The family relationships between father and son were lacking. It was not until his eldest grandson, Wei Ang, was born and grew up under his care that Emperor Jianlong found solace for the paternal regret.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry. You have me, your grandfather,” Emperor Jianlong comforted, patting his grandson on the shoulder.
Wei Ang tilted his head, wiped his tears with his cuff, and continued to attend to Emperor Jianlong, serving him medicine.
As Emperor Jianlong’s health improved, he returned to court. However, the courtiers urged him to establish a new crown prince, considering his age and the uncertain future. Emperor Jianlong, though understanding the necessity, needed time for careful consideration. After the year ended, during the morning court on the sixteenth day of the first lunar month, he summoned five ministers to discuss the matter.
Some suggested King Yan as the new crown prince. Despite being the second prince and having made significant contributions in guarding the border, Emperor Jianlong hesitated. After pondering, he expressed, “The King of Yan is skilled in martial arts. He can defend the border and engage in warfare, but he is not suitable for overseeing the entire realm.”
The person who recommended King Yan fell silent. Even though King Yan had achieved great military feats, Emperor Jianlong deemed him unfit. Meanwhile, King Qin and King Dai, who had repeatedly violated the law, were considered even less suitable.
Therefore, Huang Ren, the first assistant, said, “The eldest grandson is benevolent, pure, and filial. He carries the legacy of a benevolent emperor. He can be the heir.”
Emperor Jianlong continued to ponder and then looked at the other elders. The elders carefully weighed their words and opinions, unanimously agreeing.
In Pingcheng, the Palace appeared to celebrate the New Year in a low-key manner, yet an air of happiness pervaded the atmosphere. Yin Hui maintained a pleasant smile, but beneath the surface, the tension in her heart gradually increased. She knew that her father-in-law, King Yan, was about to face the first heavy blow of the new year. When her father-in-law wasn’t happy, everyone in the Yan Palace needed to be cautious.
In order not to draw her father-in-law’s attention, Yin Hui refrained from leaving the palace since the Crown Prince’s passing, only maintaining correspondence with Uncle Zhou and her grandfather. When Wei Luo inquired about her reluctance to go out, Yin Hui said that she was too lazy to move in the cold.
Sure enough, at the end of the first lunar month, Emperor Jianlong issued a decree announcing to the world that Wei Ang, the eldest grandson, would be canonized as the crown prince. The imperial decree reached the palace of King Yan before the official court documents. Unaware of its content, King Yan called out his wife, concubines, children, and grandchildren, and the entire mansion eagerly welcomed the imperial decree.
The content of the decree, though discreetly veiled, displayed joy on everyone’s faces, causing the eunuch delivering the decree to slightly stiffen. At the beginning, Emperor Jianlong expressed the pain brought by the death of the crown prince and his longing for his other sons who were far away. He urged King Yan to take good care of his health to spare him the agony of losing another son. The decree then praised the pure filial piety of the Emperor’s eldest grandson, Wei Ang, deeming it fitting to designate him as the heir. Emperor Jianlong hoped that King Yan, proficient in both civil and military matters, would continue to safeguard the border for the royal family and contribute to the prosperity of the realm.
Upon hearing the first part of the imperial decree, King Yan wiped his tears with his sleeves. As the middle part unfolded, he lowered his head, feigning a sense of sorrow. Yin Hui remained kneeling in silence, observing the reactions of those around her. She glimpsed Princess Xu’s pale face and Ji Xianxian’s surprised expression.
Due to her rebirth, Yin Hui maintained a composed demeanor while preparing to face her father-in-law’s impending explosive and irritable behavior that could last for months. She had no intention of leaving the harem during this period.
After receiving the imperial decree, King Yan instructed the eunuch to rest in the guest room. Yin Hui and others followed King Yan. All eyes were on King Yan, and his gaze fell upon his eldest son, Wei Yang.
Wei Yang, feeling nervous, lowered his eyes and stood still, uncertain why his father was scrutinizing him and contemplating whether he should speak. Unbeknownst to Wei Yang, King Yan was actually looking beyond him at another person—his nephew, Wei Ang, whom he had met only a few times. If his memory served him right, Wei Ang was just two years older than his eldest son. A nephew who likely never left the capital, focused on his studies. How could he be elevated above his own son? King Yan’s anger intensified, and he directed his fury, conveyed through his eyes, at Wei Yang.
Unable to bear the pressure, Wei Yang was about to kneel when Princess Xu intervened, standing protectively in front of her son. With a tender gaze, she addressed King Yan, suggesting, “My lord, the court’s new heir is a cause for celebration. Shouldn’t we arrange a dinner party to mark the occasion?”
Despite lingering anger, King Yan’s rationality returned when prompted by Princess Xu’s words, preventing the flames of his fury from consuming him entirely.
The people sent to announce the imperial court’s decree were still within the palace. If news of the king’s fury were to spread at this moment, what would those emissaries think? What would his father think upon discovering such information?
In response, King Yan chuckled and turned to Princess Xu, saying, “It’s time to celebrate. You make the arrangements, and I’ll draft a reply letter to Father Emperor.”
Having spoken, King Yan departed first. Princess Xu cast a warning glance at the onlookers, offered a few tactful remarks, and dispersed the crowd.
Both Wei Yang and Wei Yan had work obligations, with Wei Luo remaining unaware while still on guard duty. Yin Hui and other junior female relatives took their children and proceeded to the harem independently.
Once inside the harem, Ji Xianxian finally couldn’t contain herself and whispered to Xu Qingwan, “Sister-in-law, what do you think about the emperor…”
“Shut up,” Xu Qingwan sternly interrupted, “The emperor is not someone you can casually discuss! Next time, I will report to Concubine Ming.”