Chapter 104 Extra Chapter 5

As soon as Yinreng ascended the throne, the two large ships that were supposed to sail to the Western Ocean were rebuilt, made bigger, heavier, and thicker... and several more official ships were built.

Now that the sea ban has been lifted for the common people, surely the imperial ships can't be inferior to those of the common people?

Later, Yinreng entrusted the matter to the Ninth and Tenth Princes, who had both sailed to the Western Ocean twice and were experienced in this matter.

He was so busy that he eventually brought his eldest son, Hongyao, along to help review memorials. For example, he would give Hongyao a stamp that said "reviewed" and stamp it on.

Ugh, so annoying. The key is that these memorials of greeting might also contain a few random little incidents that I can't ignore.

Some minor officials on the frontier do this on purpose when submitting their reports. You may not notice, but I have already reported it, which gives me more room to maneuver later.

Yinreng knew their ulterior motives, but there was nothing he could do; that's just human nature. His Hongyao would be just as outstanding as he had been back then.

The only problem is... Father Emperor has been traveling around for four or five years now. He started from the Hebei area, then traveled to the Sichuan area, and finally drifted to the Guangdong and Guangxi regions, and then to the Jiangnan area, where he caused a bloodbath.

I received a message from my father, the Emperor, that he would be returning from the coastal area soon, and would be arriving at Tianjin Bay.

"Hongyao, your imperial grandfather will be back soon. He will be very happy to know how outstanding our Crown Prince is." Yinreng looked at the letter and then looked up at Crown Prince Hongyao, who was sitting on a low stool not far away.

Yes, that's right, Hongyao has now been made crown prince.

Hongyao listened to his father's words and sighed helplessly, "Father, since Grandfather is coming back soon, shouldn't we send someone to pick him up? I would be a good candidate."

He didn't really want to sit here and let his father review memorials. No wonder his father always wanted to leave the capital when he was the crown prince. It was so boring.

Although he knew that his father had a reason for asking him to do something, knowing it didn't stop him from hoping for a more expansive and exciting journey.

"No need, you can stay here. Oh, and there's this batch of memorials, you can handle them." Yinreng had been training his son for almost two years. Before, it was just memorials for paying respects, but later, except for some major political matters that needed to be discussed with court officials, he could entrust Hongyao with handling them.

It can only be said that as long as there is an unreliable parent, the child will become reliable.

When Hongyao first took over, he was extremely cautious, fearing that one of his decisions would lead to an unfortunate life for the people. He was very careful and even discussed it with Yinreng.

Seeing that his father hadn't shown any concern, Hongyao became worried. "Father, can't you pay a little more attention?" he thought.

With so many reforms underway, shouldn't you be more concerned?

Always thinking about the Empress Dowager, how old are you already, still clinging to the Empress Dowager...

Both Yinreng and Hongyao were waiting for Kangxi to return to the capital, as they had missed him dearly after so many years apart.

Can……

By this time, Kangxi had traveled extensively throughout the country, witnessing many scenes and sights he had never seen before. It must be said that doing good deeds can be addictive.

Many wealthy merchants, wicked gentry, and corrupt officials harm the people. Under the emperor's nose, the area is prosperous, but in places unseen by the emperor, many people are living in misery.

The result of widespread suffering would be like the end of the Ming Dynasty, and he certainly didn't want the Qing Dynasty to be driven out of the pass less than a century after entering the pass.

Therefore, the news that the imperial envoy sent by the court was a "righteous and upright official" who was ridding the people of evil has been circulating ever since.

The common people welcomed it, but corrupt officials and gentry loathed it and even sent people to assassinate it.

Even if he is the retired emperor, he still has people around him. There are even more people secretly protecting him. If one comes, kill him; if two come, kill them both.

If the mastermind behind this is found, this petty and narrow-minded retired emperor will go directly to that city, investigate, confiscate the property, and in severe cases, exterminate the entire clan.

As he left, people lined the streets to see him off; some cried, some knelt… In any case, the sense of satisfaction in Kangxi's heart was something he couldn't suppress.

After traveling all over the country, he arrived at Tianjin Bay and went to see the large ships that the Qing Dynasty was preparing to sail to the West.

Seeing that the ninth and tenth brothers were still busy, these large ships were clearly more magnificent and larger than the previous ones, taking nearly two years to complete.

It was already built, but it was under repair and had just started to be tested at sea when he arrived.

When Yinzhen and Yin'e saw their father, the Emperor, at Tianjin Bay, they were utterly shocked. "Father, what are you doing here?"

They were not unaware that the Emperor had toured the country and was known as the "Imperial Envoy" in many places. Other officials might not know this, but the royal family, from the Emperor to his sons (referring to Yinqi and others), did.

"Can't I come?" In the past four or five years, Kangxi had gotten used to referring to himself as "I," but his stern and dignified demeanor was still very powerful in front of his son.

"Of course not, Father Emperor, you've come at just the right time. These are our several large ships that are ready to depart. How about coming aboard for a tour?" Yin'e looked at Kangxi as if presenting a treasure.

Kangxi said calmly, "Just call me Father."

Don't reveal my identity.

He's now getting into the 'playing dumb to fool the enemy' tactic; maybe that's what you call an old rascal?

However, they overlooked the fact that when Yinzhen and Yin'e came to Tianjin Bay, many people already knew who the supervisor was. Whether they called him "Father Emperor" or "Father" wouldn't affect others knowing his identity.

After giving only one instruction, Kangxi put the matter aside and focused his attention on these large ships. To be honest, he had never built such a large ship before.

"Let's go." Kangxi ordered directly, walking in front, wanting to see what was so remarkable about this ship that cost over a million taels to build.

Yin'e and Yin'tang followed behind Kangxi, and behind them were many people who followed and protected them.

As the ship was being launched, the necessary items for the voyage were gradually loaded onto the vessel.

At this time, Yinzhen and Yin'e were unaware of Kangxi's thoughts. They were still trying to curry favor with Kangxi, explaining the differences between this ship and the one used on the last voyage to the Western Ocean, why they had made the modifications, and what their purpose was...

Kangxi nodded, "Not bad, it seems you've grown quite a bit."

Yin Tang: Father Emperor, I'm almost thirty, I'm not young anymore.

"Is everything ready?" Knowing that the Ninth and Tenth Princes had both sailed to the Western Ocean twice, almost on par with Zheng He of the previous dynasty, and returned safely both times, it was clear that they were very experienced.

"Of course, we can set off soon. Father, you should return to the capital. It's been so long, your second brother and nephews must miss you." Yinzhen persuaded Kangxi, having heard the story of the assassination attempt on the Imperial Envoy, the upright and just official, many times.

As a son, Yinzhen was naturally quite worried, but... worrying was useless. He couldn't possibly have someone follow his father, the Emperor. If his father knew, he would think that Yinzhen was trying to harm him.

But by the time he learned that his father had been assassinated, the people he had sent to help... had already fled to another place.

"What's there to worry about? I'm not alone out there." The ship was quite large, with a small staircase leading to the second floor. Standing on top and gazing at the distant sea, it certainly gave the man a strange sense of exhilaration.

Finally, after a few seconds of his expression flickering, he regained his composure.

Yintang and Yin'e did not notice their father's expression; they only knew that their father had affirmed them, whereas before they were the ones who were scolded for being uneducated and incompetent.

Feeling great!

Why won't Father Emperor leave now? He must want to see them off, sob sob... Father Emperor's fatherly love for them is so quiet yet so full of presence.

Father Emperor is indeed concerned about them.

After they were satisfied, the two happily continued their preparations and told their father, "We will be setting off in three days. Father, please wait for us to come back."

Kangxi smiled without saying a word. Yinzhen and Yin'e also thought that their father was reluctant to part with them, and were afraid that they would burst into tears if they spoke.

Kangxi: Did you guys get water in your brains while washing your hair last night? How could you come up with such disgusting things?

After Kangxi left, he looked at Liang Jiugong, who was by his side, in his room alone and said calmly, "Liang Jiugong, you should go back to the capital."

Liang Jiugong has been by his side for so many years, and has made great contributions and endured hardship. Letting him stay in Changchun Garden in the capital to retire is enough.

“Master, what are you saying? This servant will naturally follow you. Wherever you go, this servant will go.” Liang Jiugong had served Kangxi for many years and naturally understood the meaning behind Kangxi’s words.

They've been together through wind and rain... Bah, he's been with His Majesty all this time, how could he possibly leave?

"Master, are you thinking of going on a voyage to the West with...? This servant is not afraid, this servant wants to go too." How could Liang Jiugong be willing to leave?

He had lived his entire life to serve the Emperor. If we let him go, wouldn't that negate the meaning of his life?

Liang Jiugong knelt down and wept. If he were abandoned, he would die for the emperor... Ugh, well, well, well...

Seeing the old man crying with a wrinkled face, Kangxi found it an eyesore. "Alright, alright."

Honestly, I don't understand his good intentions at all. What kind of life is it to follow him around everywhere? Wouldn't it be better to go back home and retire?

Upon hearing the Emperor's agreement, Liang Jiugong immediately burst into laughter through his tears, almost blowing a snot bubble from his nose, which disgusted Kangxi, who told him to hurry back and tidy himself up.

On the day of departure, Yinzhen and Yin'e stared dumbfounded at their father, the Emperor, who had boarded the ship with them. "No, Father, what are you doing? What are you doing on board?"

"Yes, Father, what are you doing? Go back quickly, don't cause trouble, it's too dangerous." Yin'e was also frightened. Father Emperor wanted to set off with them? Why?

However, while Yinzhen and Yin'e were trying to persuade him, the people sent by Kangxi had already instructed the helmsman to set sail.

Yintang and Yin'e were extremely nervous, but they dared not lay a hand on their father, the Emperor. Once the Emperor made up his mind to do something, he would never listen to advice.

Aa ...

Kangxi didn't care about all that. He was already tired of exploring the lands of the Qing Dynasty. Why were his ninth son and his entourage so enthusiastic about sailing to the Western Ocean, even though sea voyages were so dangerous?

As an emperor, he had experienced and felt everything. Yinreng was right; he couldn't spend his whole life confined to the dragon throne in the Forbidden City.

Standing at the bow of the ship, gazing at the ocean, one has to admit that Emperor Kangxi truly felt a sense of boundless pride, as if he were surveying all the lesser mountains below. Charge!

I feel young again, but those noisy ninth and tenth brothers are really annoying.

The oars parted the waves, creating white surges.

The news was quickly relayed back to the capital, leaving Yinreng completely stunned. What? Now Father Emperor wants to follow in the footsteps of the Ninth Prince and the others and go sailing at sea?

"Summon Prince Zhi and the others to the palace." Father Emperor, really! Doesn't he know how worried his sons in the capital are?

When Yinti and his brothers learned that the palace eunuchs had come so eagerly when they learned that the emperor had summoned them, they wondered if something important had happened that required their attention.

Upon entering the palace, they heard the Emperor exclaim: "Father Emperor has actually gone on a voyage to the Western Ocean with the Ninth and Tenth Princes!!"

"What? Father Emperor, how can you go with us? It's so dangerous!"

"Yes, Father always says that a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. Sailing on the sea is so dangerous. What if something happens?"

"Why didn't the Ninth and Tenth Princes send a message back to us sooner? And why did they take Father Emperor with them?"

The brothers were extremely nervous. How could such an important matter not be reported back? Also, how exactly did Father Emperor get bewitched by the Ninth and Tenth Princes?

"Now is not the time to hold people accountable. We should go and bring Father Emperor back. I believe Ninth and Tenth Princes will know this and slow down the ships," Fourth Prince immediately suggested.

It's pointless for you to criticize the Ninth and Tenth Princes at this time. They're not even here. The best thing to do is to hurry up and bring Father Emperor back.

“Yes, yes, Your Majesty, let me handle this. I have sailed to the Western Ocean and trained the navy. I can also escort the Western fleet.” Prince Zhi was the first to step forward. “It is urgent, Your Majesty. Please give the order directly.”

"Your Majesty, I can also go. I have fought many pirates and Japanese pirates before, and I will definitely not get seasick like my fourth and fifth brothers." The seventh brother directly eliminated the fourth and fifth brothers.

The fourth and fifth brothers, who had been criticized, were indeed speechless at this moment. "The eldest brother is quite suitable."

Seventh Brother, forget about it. You think you can just run away after dissing us?

“Indeed, it is urgent. Then Prince Zhi and Prince Chun shall go together. We must be quick and go at full speed.” Yinreng also felt that his father was really being ridiculous, but he could not ignore it. He sighed.

All the solemnity and majesty of the past have turned into mischief and naughtiness... no, it should be said that they acted recklessly and without dignity, without considering the consequences. "We must 'invite' Father Emperor back. The sea is vast and full of dangers. Father Emperor is old. We should let him enjoy his later years instead of running around everywhere."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Yinreng looked at his other brothers, "You've come at the right time. Regarding the cooperation with the Mongol tribes, Third Prince, Fifth Prince, Thirteenth Prince, you guys..."

As he spoke, he handed them the documents in his hand. The third, fifth, and thirteenth brothers all had an older or younger sister who had married into a Mongolian tribe. Although the fifth brother's sister was not his biological sister, she was also from the Guoluo tribe and now ruled over the northern desert region. She was respectfully called the "Sea Clam Princess," which was quite remarkable.

Although he did not yet have the power to control everything, Yinreng had to admit that he was indeed a talented person.

The Crown Princess was right. Since they were marrying into a Mongolian tribe, and the princess was well-educated and had the power to govern, they were naturally close to the Qing Dynasty. Why worry about the Mongolians rebelling?

The remaining three princes, the fourth, eighth, and twelfth, were naturally assigned other tasks. "I have worked so hard for the Qing Dynasty. As the good seedlings that Father Emperor has painstakingly nurtured, how can you be so lazy?"

Even the Fourteenth Prince was assigned to the Western Suburbs Camp. The southwest region was not stable, so he needed to deal with those lamas. Alternatively, he could go to the Yunnan-Guizhou area, where those Tusi (local chieftains) were also acting like kings and tyrants, which was not in line with his efforts to ensure that the people of the Qing Dynasty were well-fed and clothed.

Fifteen and sixteen, grow up quickly! Ah, if only Father Emperor could stay in the capital and give him sons, every brother is so talented.

So what if I only have four sons? There's always someone... Oh right, I'll arrange for my eldest son's son to live in the princes' quarters in the palace, raising him like my father, the Emperor... Tsk...

With so many talented people emerging in the Qing Dynasty, why worry about the collapse of the empire?

After sending his brothers away, he left the memorials for his son to handle, then patted his behind and went to Kunning Palace to chat with the Empress.

The Empress has recently taken a liking to playing music. There's no difficulty with that. When they returned from their last voyage to the West, they brought back some Western musical instruments, which he can play for the Empress.

Those women in the harem are such an eyesore. Knowing they can't get anything from me, they try to deceive the Empress.

The Empress was kind and simple-minded, and she was so easily deceived by the women in the harem. She not only rewarded them with gold, silver and jewelry, but also promoted them in rank!

When Crown Prince Hongyao saw his father, the Emperor, put down his vermilion brush with an imposing and domineering air and head outside, his handsome and domineering back view gave people a sense of composure and security.

Only he knew that his father had gone to see his mother. He had heard that Consort Tang in the harem had recently become very popular with his mother, and his father was angry.

Sigh. Perhaps their harem is different from that of emperors in other dynasties?

He lowered his head, carefully reading the memorial, then rolled his eyes in exasperation. These officials were good at nothing but flattery.

He had to deduce what the horses were trying to say from their words, and luckily he remembered a lot of political matters, so dealing with them together wasn't a big problem.

Meanwhile, in Tianjin Bay, Prince Zhi, along with his seventh son and a group of soldiers, boarded a large ship, raised the sails, and headed off into the distance.

Just as Yinreng had predicted, the Ninth and Tenth Princes, upon learning that their father had boarded the ship, would surely send word back to the capital, and the Emperor would definitely send people to pursue them.

This time, unlike a few years ago when we sneaked out, we set sail and rowed quickly. Instead, we took it slow, as if appreciating the vast beauty of the sea.

Emperor Kangxi never went to sea, and when he did travel by boat, it was in the kind of painted boats common in the Jiangnan region. He did not think that the current speed was slow.

However, more than half a month later, when several "express" ships caught up, Kangxi realized... they did it on purpose! They deliberately let their leader and his men catch up!

Sure enough, on the approaching ship, stood the eldest and seventh sons, shouting loudly, "Father Emperor! Father Emperor!!!"

As if afraid others wouldn't know the person on the ship was the emperor, Kangxi was so angry at his eldest son's foolish behavior that he almost lost his temper!

"Shut up!" he snapped angrily. "Get back here!"

"No!" He wasn't going back yet; he hadn't even "invited" his father back! So, everyone was thinking about how to build a bridge from this ship to his father's ship.

After much back and forth, another half month has passed, and the ship, sailing smoothly with the wind, has gone even further.

"Seventh Prince, Father Emperor absolutely refuses to go back with us. Do you think we can knock him out and take him back?" Prince Zhi never imagined he would dare to do such a thing. Even when he had this thought, he already felt that he was being extremely disrespectful.

He looked at the seventh brother and asked, "How about... you do it?"

"Big brother, don't make me do this. I wouldn't dare. As the eldest, you should set an example. This is for Father Emperor." The seventh brother didn't dare either. He had never been favored by Father Emperor. If he really did such a thing, he really didn't know what kind of beekeeping alley he would be in.

In any case, the eldest son has always been favored and valued by the Emperor. Among the brothers, apart from the second brother, the eldest son is the one who is most favored by the Emperor.

The eldest and the seventh brother kept arguing about who should do the job, from the first day to the seventh day.

Of course, during this time, the two of them also discussed with the ninth and tenth brothers whether to let the ninth and tenth brothers come.

Anyway, since the Ninth and Tenth Princes are going to sail to the Western Ocean and won't be back anytime soon, if we let the two of them fight, even if Father Emperor is angry, after more than a year, he definitely won't be angry anymore, right?

Yinzhen and Yin'e were indeed somewhat swayed by the persuasion. It was indeed too dangerous for their father to go with them.

However, just as the two of them were about to make their move, Liang Jiugong, who was by Kangxi's side, had already invited them over.

The brothers were a little dazed. What was going on? Had Father Emperor come to his senses?

“I already know your plans. You are really bold. In any case, I am determined to go. You can sail to the Western Ocean. I have been on the throne for forty years. Why can't I go and see the scenery of the outside world?”

Kangxi had a cold face. Although it was quite nice to see his foolish son acting stupid in front of him and pleasing him, it was still troublesome.

"The Qing Dynasty has been handed over to Bao Cheng. I want to see what it is about the Western Barbarian lands that attracts you so much that you are so eager to flee there?"

There's a window here, offering a view of the waves outside. With such an exciting journey, how could Kangxi possibly be willing to return like this?

The eldest, seventh, ninth, and tenth princes, seeing the resolute tone in Kangxi's sharp eyes, knew that their father was determined to go, and they remembered the ships still in the port...

This is terrible! It has piqued the Emperor's interest, and now there's nothing we can do to stop it.

"Father, it was really dangerous. We almost got swept away by the storm last time." I hope Father won't be so unreasonable and will be more sensible, okay?

“Yes, yes, Father Emperor, now is the perfect time to go back. By the way, aren’t my eldest brother and seventh brother going to kill pirates? Perfect, you can go with them and take charge…” The tenth prince nodded vigorously as he persuaded Kangxi.

However, as soon as these words were spoken, the eldest, seventh, and ninth brothers all looked at the tenth brother speechlessly. Is this how you give advice?

Sure enough, Kangxi found it even more boring after hearing what the tenth prince said. Did he think that if he set off with his fleet now, he wouldn't see any pirates? That he couldn't fight them?

"We're doing this to rid the people of a scourge, Liang Jiugong, bring the map." Kangxi couldn't leave now; he was still planning to discuss with his superiors how to fight and how to resupply...

The other brothers: ...

Kangxi spoke eloquently there, showing that even though he had never been to sea, he was an experienced emperor.

Seeing that his brothers seemed unable to persuade their father, the tenth prince went over to him and told him about the direction he had started from and the places he had passed through.

Kangxi listened and nodded, occasionally making adjustments to his plan.

"Father, we'll all listen to you." The tenth prince smiled憨憨地, indicating that with Father Emperor around, he certainly wouldn't have to worry about anything that might happen this time.

Another thought crossed my mind: at this moment, my composure and reliability would surely catch the Emperor's eye!

I love Sin Gioro Yin'e, and one day I will make Father Emperor look at me with new eyes!

What could the eldest and seventh brothers do? They fought monsters while escorting their father to the distant other side of the ocean. The main problem was... the emperor's guards were still protecting him, making it impossible for them to get close. Besides... they'd been on the move for so long, they were probably already adrift at sea...

Sailing on the turbulent sea, standing on the bow deck, gazing out at the ocean, the sea breeze blew towards them, making their clothes rustle.

However, the bugle call blowing towards the distance continues its journey.

(End of this chapter)