The Concubine of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty

Chapter 414: The beauty lies in: It is both honey and arsenic

The Empress Dowager's birthday went smoothly. From March onwards, there were almost no incidents, as if this was a festive month.

Everyone also presented their own birthday gifts. Concubine Zhang presented a Buddhist scripture that she had embroidered stitch by stitch, Concubine Li presented calligraphy, and Concubine Nianhulu presented a painting of royal horses on the grassland. The painting was lifelike, and the people in the painting looked heroic and galloping on their horses, looking proud and sharp.

It is said that Concubine Nianhulu invited the painter to go to the Korchin grassland to observe, and the masterpiece was created after being struck by spiritual energy.

The woman presented it to the Empress Dowager to relieve her homesickness. In her spare time, if she was interested, she could take it out and read it.

Kangxi used the excuse that the Empress Dowager was homesick for her children and that the old prince had passed away many years ago, so he allowed Princess Gulun Xingping to stay in the capital to accompany the Empress Dowager.

Princess Gulun Xingping could not find a reason to refuse. She would rather keep a Mongolian concubine of Khorchin origin in the palace to accompany the emperor, the grand empress dowager and the empress dowager.

But in the words of the Queen, no matter how filial others are, they can never be as caring as one's own children. Raising a child for a hundred years means worrying about him for ninety-nine. With Princess Gulun Xingping by her side, the Queen Mother would not be too depressed.

This is the grace of the royal family. Since the previous emperor issued a clear ban, no princesses or daughters of royal family in the Qing royal family have remarried. Princesses and other women are the same as ordinary women. They are also determined to follow their fate.

For example, the only surviving Princess Heshuo of the late emperor is the best example.

The marriage between Manchus and Mongols was a national policy. Since the time of Emperor Taizu Nurhaci, any princess or royal family member who married into a Mongolian family would be a Mongolian for the rest of her life, with no chance of turning back. Even if she remarried after her husband's death, she would usually just move from one place in Mongolia to another.

It is all wishful thinking and extravagant hope for the princess to return to the capital again!

It can be said that Princess Gulun Xingping's return to Beijing to live set such a precedent, but no one can say that Kangxi and the Queen did a bad job.

Princess Gulun Xingping married into a Mongolian family, had children, and managed the household affairs. Even after her husband passed away in the sixth year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, Princess Gulun Xingping still lived in Mongolia.

Now that the Empress Dowager is old, she summoned her eldest daughter, Princess Gulun Xingping, back to accompany her for a few years. When the news gets out, people all over the world will only say that the Emperor and the Empress are filial and considerate of their grandmother's feelings.

Not to mention, Kangxi also specially designated a princess's mansion in Beijing for Princess Gulun Xingping to live and retire in, and he would definitely not treat her unfairly in the slightest.

Could Princess Gulun Xingping refuse? Was there any reason to refuse? She had taken care of her husband, who had long since turned into a skeleton. The grass on his grave had grown three meters high. She had been guarding it for more than five years, almost six years. It couldn't be said that Princess Gulun Xingping was unhappy and had not set a good example for the Manchu-Mongolian marriage!
After raising her children, they have all grown up and her own son has inherited the throne. Princess Gulun Xingping has reached an age where she can enjoy a long and glorious life and the blessings of her children and grandchildren.

The only thing Princess Gulun Xingping feels guilty about is her old mother who gave birth to her and raised her. Now that her mother is old, is it unreasonable for her to let her live by her side to fulfill her filial duty?

Therefore, it was natural for Princess Gulun Xingping to stay in Beijing. Qinrou was stunned watching from below. It was hard for her to believe that Kangxi didn't do it on purpose.

I'm afraid that Kangxi had already thought of keeping Princess Gulun Xingping in Beijing! Accompanying the elderly Empress Dowager was the best excuse.

The Empress and Consort Niuhulu were also happy to see this happen. At least with Princess Gulun Xingping here, who would want to send Mongolian concubines to the palace to accompany the king on the grounds that the Empress Dowager was homesick for her relatives on the Khorchin grasslands? No one would be able to say it anymore!
Princess Gulun Xingping is the biological daughter of the Grand Empress Dowager and married into the Grand Empress Dowager's maternal family. She has been in charge of the household for many years and has lost her father-in-law. Now she has come back to accompany the Grand Empress Dowager. This is a great act of filial piety.

Princess Gulun Xingping alone could defeat the thousands of troops from Mongolia and Khorchin. With Princess Gulun Xingping always by their side, how could the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager miss others in the Khorchin grassland?

Besides, children are the weak points of their parents. No matter how old they are, in the eyes of their parents, their children are always the most important treasures. With Princess Gulun Xingping in the capital, if the Empress Dowager still has any thoughts, she should think carefully about this daughter.

The son pays for the father's debt! It was never a lie. The Empress Dowager had been strong all her life, but in the end, she had such a big weakness in the capital. Even if she was ruthless, she had to be soft-hearted.

As for the royal family affection? Oh! Did the Grand Empress Dowager dare to believe in this? The Grand Empress Dowager herself didn't have it. She raised Shunzhi's only surviving daughter, the granddaughter of her deceased son, like a jewel. When the Grand Empress Dowager used her, did she ever soften her tactics?
Now they are still left to fend for themselves! How can the Empress Dowager be happy or gamble that others will have something she herself does not have?

Kangxi's move was a brilliant one. The brilliant thing about it was that if the Empress Dowager could enjoy her old age in peace and Princess Gulun Xingping could happily sit at her mother's side, then this would be a great event with love between the two of us and a happy family!
It can be said that this is the emperor's respect for Mongolia and Khorchin, and this is a privilege enjoyed by Princess Gulun Xingping alone. It shows the noble status of Princess Gulun Xingping in the Qing Dynasty, Mongolia, and Khorchin.

On the other hand, if the Empress Dowager or Princess Gulun Xingping had other ideas... then it would depend on whether the suffering was enough.

The funny thing is, for the Empress Dowager and Princess Gulun Xingping, this is both honey and arsenic!

Those who understand it will feel mixed emotions, and it is hard to say that there is anything bad about it.

After the Empress Dowager's birthday, various parties gradually submitted memorials praising the Emperor for his filial piety and wisdom.

On the contrary, some ministers also raised objections, but they were ultimately untenable and unreasonable. The Empress Dowager had served three dynasties and lost her husband, daughter, and son in middle age. As a grandson, he felt sorry for his elderly grandmother who had supported and raised him. Even if it was against the rules, could it be that as an emperor, he was not allowed to do so?
It is hard to say whether Kangxi was not thinking of being filial to the Empress Dowager. As for who the Empress Dowager was thinking about, Kangxi could not say that he guessed it 70%, but he could say that he guessed it 100%.

When it comes to matters concerning Mongolia, such as welcoming the Khorchin Mongolian concubine into the palace, or giving birth to a prince with her, and then supporting this prince to succeed to the throne, Kangxi could not do it. He was the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the common leader of the Eight Banners of Manchu and Mongolia, and the head of the Manchu military flag.

This country also belongs to the Manchus!
Kangxi could only compensate from other places; Princess Gulun Xingping was a widow, her children were all adults, and it was time for her to enjoy her retirement. It was most appropriate to keep her in the capital and let her enjoy the favor of the Empress Dowager.

This is the emperor, and also the emperor’s nature!