Chapter 53

On the day Kangxi returned to the capital, the Crown Prince still led all the officials to welcome him.

Yinti and the other princes had become so accustomed to the deep affection between their father and the crown prince that they selectively chose to ignore it.

After the Emperor and the Crown Prince had finally finished their 'father-son affectionate' talk, Yinti and the others dispersed. Yinreng was summoned to the Qianqing Palace, where he was to give the Crown Prince a good talking-to.

As the crown prince, have you forgotten your responsibilities?

Are you still learning from the Emperor?

You're talking nonsense about studying!

The other princes seemed to have a good time during the autumn hunt. For example, Yinqi won first place and made a brave contribution to Mongolia, which earned him praise from his father.

And so he wanted to go back and show off to his wife, saying, "So what if he's the Crown Prince? When it comes to saving face, can he compare to me?"

The First Princess listened to the First Prince boasting about how capable he was, and remained silent for several seconds. In the end, she didn't say anything to discourage him, but instead nodded perfunctorily in agreement, "Indeed, I think so too."

However, the eldest prince, Yinti, couldn't detect the perfunctory tone in his wife's voice at all. His eyes lit up with shock, and he quickly sat down next to her. "Fujin, is that what you think too?"

This was the first time the princess had truly accepted herself, and she was overjoyed.

"Hmm, didn't the Crown Prince not go in the end?" The First Princess Consort raised an eyebrow. She heard that the Crown Prince had taken the Crown Princess and the little grandson out to play. Tsk, she was a little envious. Yinti would never think of taking her out to play.

"Hmph, isn't it because Father Emperor won't approve his going? He must think that Yinreng is no match for you, sir." Yinti believed himself to be excellent, and if the Crown Prince's task of overseeing the country were given to him, he was sure he could complete it as well.

But what if he were to take Yinreng to the hunting grounds for the autumn hunt? Ha, trying to win over those Mongolian warriors? Dream on!

The First Princess Consort didn't speak, she just smiled and looked at him.

This made the eldest prince even more excited, "Didn't the crown prince say he wanted to go with us? Why didn't you let him go? If you had stayed, you could definitely have overseen the country, and you might have done a better job than Yinreng."

Father Emperor just can't see his own excellence. He always thinks that Yinreng is the best crown prince. Bah!

The First Princess looked at him with a sullen expression, "Then you can't be so powerful and domineering at the autumn hunt in the hunting grounds anymore. Why don't you show those Mongolian tribesmen your might?"

"Yes, that's true." Yinti suddenly found himself in a dilemma. If he didn't go, those weaklings (referring to his younger brothers) wouldn't be able to win at all.

Seeing that Yinti was getting caught up in her words, the First Princess rolled her eyes speechlessly. With a brain like yours, you think you can oversee the country? You'll definitely be fooled.

"Your Highness hasn't seen our Third Princess much yet, has he? We're waiting for you to come back and name her." She changed the subject, not wanting to hear Yinti's foolish words anymore.

"Naming? No problem, let me think about it. I'll definitely give our Third Princess a nice name and try to make her stand out!" Yinti nodded as the topic was changed, and went to hug his Third Princess.

Under Yinreng's influence, Yinti also did not think that holding a child was a bad thing; on the contrary, he believed it was a symbol of his being a good man.

Unfortunately, Yinreng was also very fond of his little grandson. The last time I saw him holding his nephew, he looked quite good; otherwise, I would have definitely teased him.

"Alright, then we'll trouble our master." The First Princess nodded with a smile, occasionally mentioning the Third Princess and occasionally showing concern for the First Prince's valiant performance during the autumn hunt, creating a very friendly and harmonious atmosphere.

The Third Prince and his wife set off together, but they didn't seem to be spending much time together. The only thing that worried the Third Prince's wife was that she wasn't pregnant yet, even though it had been a while since their wedding.

The Fourth Prince was disappointed when Song Gege gave birth prematurely to a sickly baby girl. Although he was disappointed, he was still very concerned about his offspring.

Fourth Princess Consort Guarjia comforted her, saying it was all Song Gege's fault for not taking good care of herself while pregnant. The imperial physician said she was overthinking and might be missing her previous little princess.

The first princess is gone, so it's normal for Song Gege to miss her occasionally.

However, the Fourth Prince disagreed. He insisted on taking care of his own flesh and blood, and that the unborn child would be affected by the death of a little princess. This made the Fourth Prince feel even more distant from Song Gege.

The fact that both of the young princesses were thin and sickly suggests that Song Gege was not a good mother.

There was a growing anticipation for the child in Li Gege's womb, and all of this was observed by Guarjia.

"As for Consort Li, I've already instructed the storeroom to take care of her, including providing nutritional supplements. The baby needs to be well cared for in the womb, lest it end up like Consort Song's two little princesses." Guarjia's tone was full of concern, and the Fourth Prince nodded in satisfaction.

Regarding the question of whether the eldest son should be the legitimate heir, the Fourth Prince also had expectations, but... he didn't have an urgent hope, unlike the awkward situation between the eldest son and the Crown Prince.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Madam," the Fourth Prince said with concern. "I'll go and see Lady Li."

The Fourth Prince still hoped that Lady Li could give birth to a son, and since she seemed quite healthy and lively, she shouldn't be as sickly as the two little princesses born to Lady Song.

“Okay…” Guarjia nodded gently, displaying the poise and grace of a principal wife.

However, after Yinzhen left, Guarjia had a cold face. Sure enough, Li was a threat. Even if she wasn't pregnant, her face could still entice the Fourth Prince to come over.

Now that we have a child, so what if it's a princess? There's no rule against having a second child; the next one will be a prince.

A sinister look crept onto her face. "The fetus on Li's side needs to be taken very carefully. They are all the master's children, and this princess must take good care of them for him. Send some ginseng and the like over there..."

I've heard that eating too much can cause the fetus to grow too large, making it easier to have a difficult birth.

The two princesses bestowed upon the Fifth Prince were from families of considerable standing and were also beautiful, and the Fifth Prince, Yinqi, doted on them greatly.

The Seventh Prince had become accustomed to being ignored and didn't care who his father cared about.

The Eighth Prince walked back with the Ninth and Tenth Princes. The gentle and refined Eighth Prince smiled warmly, listening to the lively chatter of the Ninth and Tenth Princes, occasionally responding with a few words. The atmosphere was quite harmonious.

However, not long after they finished their meal, His Highness the Crown Prince's men came over and asked them to come over.

They all thought that His Highness the Crown Prince had summoned only them, and were full of doubts, even asking the little eunuch who came to deliver the message what he wanted to see them for.

How could a mere eunuch possibly know? He was only responsible for relaying messages and didn't even notice whether other princes had been invited. Upon hearing that it was an errand for His Highness the Crown Prince, he hurried off immediately, fearing that being late would delay His Highness's affairs and incur His Highness's displeasure.

First Prince Yinqi: Is the Crown Prince jealous of my trip with Father Emperor, and now he's coming to settle scores with me?

Third Prince Yinzhi: What do you want with me? Is there something I need to do?

Fourth Prince Yinzhen: No matter what it is, as his younger brother, I have to go. There must be something important going on.

Fifth Prince Yinqi and Seventh Prince Yinyou: ? ? ? I don't remember being familiar with the Crown Prince, so why did he summon me?

Eighth Prince Yinzhi: Is Your Highness dissatisfied because Ninth Brother gave him a share of the profits? Is that why you summoned me? That doesn't seem right...

Ninth Prince Yinzhen: Second Brother must have something good he wants to share with me! Let's make big money together!

The Tenth Prince, Yin'e: My little nephew misses me?

Twelfth Prince Yin Tao: I... am just invisible, right? But since His Highness the Crown Prince has chosen me to do his bidding, I must do it properly.

Because the Thirteenth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince were still young, His Highness the Crown Prince did not invite them to go with him, fearing that they might be frightened like he had been.

When the princes were about to set off, they realized that their brothers were also heading in the same direction. They asked in confusion, "Has His Highness the Crown Prince also invited you to come?"

"Yeah, Second Brother called us. Why are you all coming along?" Yin Tang grinned. Making money doesn't require so many people, does it?

Yinzhi frowned slightly, sensing that something was amiss. It couldn't possibly be just a simple invitation to dinner, could it?

Since I had just returned, I was still on holiday in the afternoon and didn't need to go on business or go to school.

They had intended to take a rest, but... they couldn't refuse His Highness the Crown Prince's order.

"Tell me, what does the Crown Prince want with us? And why did he tell us to wait at the palace gate?"

"Are you going out of the palace to play? Or have you discovered something new and interesting?"

"I don't know, we'll find out when we get there. But since Second Brother is such a meticulous person, he must have something important for us to do."

"Maybe they're just jealous that we got to go on the autumn hunt with Father Emperor, and they're deliberately making things difficult for us?"

Clearly, the last sentence was spoken by Yinqi, and only he dared to say such things about the Crown Prince openly.

The princes initially thought the Crown Prince's invitation to leave the palace was for some food, drink, and fun, but...

Yinti looked up at the prison in front of him with a hint of surprise, then turned to the Crown Prince, his words filled with malicious suspicion, "You don't like any of us, and you want to send us all to prison??"

"Brother, anyone with a modicum of intelligence wouldn't think like that." Yinreng looked helplessly at Yinti in front of him, wondering where Yinti had gotten his conclusion from. It was outrageous, wasn't it?

"Second Brother Crown Prince, what are you doing here?" The Tenth Prince, Yin'e, also thought it couldn't be what the eldest brother had said, but... he still couldn't figure out what he wanted to do, so he asked directly.

He considered himself to have a good relationship with His Highness the Crown Prince, and of course, Ninth Brother had an even better relationship with the Crown Prince.

“Recently, my ninth brother discovered that the opium sold by Westerners in the Qing Dynasty was particularly popular and sold very well. He thought he could also make a fortune from it. However, while researching, we discovered a conspiracy, a conspiracy by Westerners against our Qing Dynasty.”

Yinreng has now learned to speak in a hesitant, ambiguous way, making the danger seem particularly serious. Immediately, all the other princes turned their attention to Yinreng.

"What conspiracy?"

"I knew those Westerners were all bad people."

"Their Western clocks and mirrors are particularly expensive, as are music boxes and other trinkets. I've also heard of 'Fushou Ointment,' which is said to be very popular in the Jiangnan region and sells for quite a high price."

"Isn't Fu Shou Gao a health supplement for longevity?" Some people who had heard the name but never seen it wondered, because they had heard their Haha Beads mention it once or twice, and that it was very popular and the kind that money couldn't buy.

"I have already had death row inmates test it. Come here and take a look with me. However, it's a bit frightening." Yinreng knew roughly when Kangxi would return to the capital, so he had just sent him the longevity ointment the day before yesterday. Now that it was the time when the ointment had just been administered, Yinti and the others could see it.

"good."

"I'll see what's so scary about it,"

“That’s right, Second Brother, don’t underestimate us. I am the Great Qing Baturu.”

Yinreng smiled without saying a word, but his eyes held a subtle, other unusual glint. The observant Yinsi noticed it and, though he suspected something, remained silent.

With so many princes present, he had no right to speak up.

As they entered, perhaps because it was their first time in a prison, the dark, damp, and cold environment made them frown uncomfortably. As they got closer, they heard hoarse roars, which sounded somewhat like the cries of wild beasts.

As soon as you step inside, you can see the light from the windows and the candlelight inside. Several disheveled prisoners are rolling around in agony, while others are kneeling in front of the bars, shouting ferociously, "Give me, give me the opium, let me inhale it, please!"

As he spoke, he painfully shook the fence violently, then slammed his head against it.

"Longevity ointment, here it is." Suddenly, Yinreng spoke up, and the death row inmates inside all looked over greedily like wild beasts, their bright eyes burning with a fervent desire to devour people.

The group quickly scrambled over, shouting, "Give it to me, give it to me, give it to me!!"

The dirty hand frantically reached out over the fence, trying to grab the balm in Yinreng's hand. When it realized that its arms were too short, it wished it could embed itself entirely in the fence.

"See? With this, you can make them do whatever you want. Just a month or two ago, they were burly men, as strong as your elder brother, but now they're skin and bones..." Yinreng explained to his brothers.

The crazy scene just now made Yinti and the others frown deeply. The phrase "skin and bones" was used very aptly. Also, don't use me as an example.

"Second Brother, will the longevity drug really cause such a thing?" Yin Tang grew up in the harem and had seen all sorts of schemes and plots, but he had never seen anything like this before.

Even when Consort Yi dealt with palace maids and servants, she would either have them dragged away or sent to the Department of Cautious Punishment.

The Tenth Prince, Yin'e, glanced at his eldest brother, then at the several emaciated prisoners, who looked as if their life force had been drained away.

The next second, one of the death row inmates rolled on the ground in agony, convulsing and foaming at the mouth.

Kangxi also learned of this matter and frowned slightly, because Yinreng had not told him about it before. However, since the Crown Prince had gathered all the princes together, perhaps it was to strengthen the bond between the brothers?

As a father in his prime, he naturally hopes that his sons will have a good relationship.

As for the three children, the Thirteenth Prince, the Fourteenth Prince, and the Fifteenth Prince, I don't think the Crown Prince deliberately ignored them. Perhaps it's because they're not suitable to go out and play together?

Therefore, upon learning of it, he quickly put the matter out of his mind, as he had many political affairs to attend to.

Although most important memorials were sent to his camp during the autumn hunt in the hunting grounds, many more remained in the capital and needed to be dealt with by him.

Once everything was mostly settled, they asked Liang Jiugong, "Where did the Crown Prince take those few with him after leaving the palace?"

As the chief eunuch of the imperial court, Liang Jiugong naturally had many underlings and adopted sons. He needed to know some news about the imperial court and the inner palace so that he could answer the emperor's questions at any time.

If the boss is not satisfied, the secretary will have to be replaced.

If a secretary of Liang Jiugong's caliber were to be replaced, countless people would step on his head and keep him stuck in the mud forever, so he was always prepared for any eventuality.

"Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince, along with the First Prince and the others, went to... the prison." Liang Jiugong also found the Crown Prince's interest slightly strange.

Upon hearing this, Kangxi's expression became subtle. "Why did he take them to the prison? Does he think they've offended the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince is taking them to the prison to threaten them that if they don't obey, that will be their fate?"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, this servant heard that His Highness the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince were researching some kind of Western ecstasy, perhaps to show it to them... so they could get together?"

Liang Jiugong had always accompanied Kangxi on the autumn hunt at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, so he naturally didn't know what was happening in the capital. He also didn't have his own spies everywhere, such as in the prison.

"Oh." Upon hearing this, Kangxi recalled what Yinreng had told him before: why are almost all the goods from the West so expensive and easy to sell?

Couldn't they have done it in the Qing Dynasty?

Could it be that his Qing Dynasty is inferior to those Western barbarian lands? Impossible, absolutely impossible!!

"Wait... never mind, let them do whatever they want." Ignoring it might lead to a better outcome, like the Western clock that Lao Jiu researched, which is quite useful.

At this point, no one thinks that Lao Jiu is neglecting his duties. If others can't figure it out, but his Xiao Jiu can, what does that mean? It means that his Xiao Jiu also has a skill in some area.

When the princes came out of the prison, their expressions were rather unpleasant.

"I never imagined that this drug would be so terrifying." If all the soldiers of the Qing Dynasty were to ingest it, wouldn't the Qing army be doomed?

"Those Westerners are truly despicable. How dare they name this harmful stuff 'Longevity Ointment'? Aren't they afraid of bringing bad luck upon themselves?" Yin Zhi was also furious, clenching his fists. He remembered that his subordinates had wanted to present him with the Longevity Ointment as a tribute.

Fortunately, he didn't take it back then, otherwise, wouldn't that death row inmate's today be his own tomorrow?

If I were to lose such face in front of officials and Mongol tribes during court affairs or an autumn hunt, my father would probably rather imprison me.

“Those Westerners deserve to die.” The meticulous and strict Yinzhen frowned. “Who knows what other harmful things are happening in places we haven’t seen.”

"Damn it, how can such a harmful thing be sold at such a high price?" While shocked, Yin Tang also wondered if those rich people were out of their minds.

"Once you start using it, you'll be addicted and never be able to quit. It's expensive because they want to harm the upper echelons of our Great Qing. As long as they control the lifeline of the upper class, the Great Qing will be under their control."

Yinzhi's warm smile vanished. The meticulous man was thinking much more deeply. They were currently only in the coastal area of ​​Jiangsu and Zhejiang, but these seemingly expensive items, presented with the slogan of health and blessings, were being offered as gifts to the imperial relatives and officials in the capital...

If no one discovers this, the Qing Dynasty will collapse within a few generations.

"Wait until I kill all those Westerners, damn it!" Yinti was furious. Even though he was fighting with the Crown Prince for so much, it was all within the scope of the Qing Dynasty.

"Indeed, Your Highness, we cannot let those Westerners off easily." No one had expected that the Westerners' schemes against the Qing Dynasty were so subtle and malicious.

“If someone has taken it, they will never think of destroying or banning it because they are addicted…” The Fifth Prince frowned. No wonder it was said to be a trap. People who didn’t know would think that everyone had taken it and that they couldn’t lose to others, so they would definitely fall for it for the sake of face.

Once someone falls for the trick, they will be unable to break free and will inevitably flow into the Qing Dynasty in an endless stream.

No matter how powerful an emperor is, he cannot save an empire that has already collapsed.

"This matter must be reported to Father Emperor." Yinzhen's face was serious, his expression grim. The destruction of the Qing Dynasty would benefit no one.

"Of course, but it's not enough to just show it to Father Emperor. We'll present it to all the officials at tomorrow's morning court session." Yinreng smiled gently and dignifiedly, but everyone could see the Crown Prince's hidden meaning.

Indeed, it would be a headache if the officials tried to obstruct it.

Who isn't afraid of death? The higher one's position and the greater one's power, the more afraid one is of being controlled by others.

The Ninth Prince and his entourage, who were unable to attend court, frowned. It was a real pity they couldn't witness that scene.

"Second Brother Crown Prince, when will we be able to go to court to perform official duties?" The Tenth Prince, Yin'e, felt that he had grown up and disdained to study in the Imperial Study with those little brats like the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes.

"Wait until you get married." Yinreng glanced at him and said that Thirteen and Fourteen were little kids, and you weren't much older.

The unmarried Wuqi... remained silent, only hoping for a smooth tomorrow. This kind of thing must be completely banned. Anyone who sells it is endangering the Qing Dynasty and trying to destroy it.

the next day.

During the morning court session, nothing major had happened recently, but there were quite a few minor matters. When it was almost time, Yinreng glanced at Yinti and then stood up. "Father, I have something to report. I have discovered that the Westerners are trying to harm and destroy the Qing Dynasty. Their intentions are extremely malicious."

"Your Majesty, I second that the opium sold by Westerners is actually more cruel than drugs that kill people."

"Your subject seconds this..."

The other ministers had not yet received the news. They only knew that His Highness the Crown Prince had taken several princes to the prison yesterday. After they left that afternoon, the ministers' spies went to find out what had happened.

Upon seeing the heavily guarded prison, they assumed someone had committed a serious crime and dared not approach, fearing that the Emperor (Crown Prince) would think they were accomplices.

Now... upon hearing this, huh? Westerners? Glucose? ???

Some Western missionaries, such as Ferdinand Verbiest, were also qualified to attend court. Upon hearing the Crown Prince's slander, they immediately knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty, we are innocent! We have never had such a malicious idea to destroy the Qing Dynasty!"

"Us? It seems that Lord Ferdinand Verbiest still remembers his own country and hasn't yet integrated himself into our Great Qing." The Third Prince, Yinzhi, shifted his anger onto Ferdinand Verbiest, speaking with a hint of sarcasm.

"Father, I have brought the person who has taken the drug and wish to show him to you and the other officials." Yinreng ignored Nan Huairen; whether it was true or not, they would know once they saw it.

Emperor Kangxi sat on the dragon throne above, and he never trusted or felt at ease with Westerners.

I'm rather curious about the way the prince and his sons worked together. What did the prince take them to do yesterday? He said he was researching aphrodisiacs. So that's what they came up with.

"Granted." With a swift approval from Emperor Kangxi, several death row inmates were brought up, bound and gagged.

Yin Zhi kindly reminded them, "My lords, don't be frightened in a moment. It would be best to step back a little."

Ministers: Are you kidding me? How could we possibly back down? Wouldn't that be telling the Emperor I'm a coward? How could I possibly be scared?

Several death row inmates were brought up after being washed, but their emaciated figures still made people wonder... Were they disaster victims?

At first, things were somewhat normal, but after a while, he started to go crazy. The scene was completely out of control, and the ministers were so frightened that they ran around in panic, completely forgetting their previous grand ambitions.

A box of opium can make them as obedient as dogs, and when they go mad, their convulsions are so severe that they can be knocked down with a single punch...

"Father, these condemned prisoners are all as strong as my elder brother, and are burly men who once killed several people with a single blow." Yinreng spoke slowly, looking at Kangxi with a heavy heart.

"If we don't stop it and ban it, Father Emperor, our Great Qing Dynasty will probably perish." Yinreng spoke of the serious consequences, but this idea was not unfounded.

What Yinreng could think of, Kangxi could naturally think of as well. How many years had opium been sold in the Qing Dynasty? How many people had it harmed? If this continued to spread, the Qing Dynasty might truly perish…

The ministers were also alarmed upon seeing it; the level of addiction was even more terrifying than that of Five Stone Powder.

The key point is, if you were to convulse and fall to the ground in such an unseemly manner and then have to kneel down and beg for mercy to be given aphrodisiacs... just thinking about it makes you want to die.

It must be banned! No amount of pleading or bribery will work!

Following the example set by the emperor, each of the princes took charge of a part of the matter and even had the opportunity to travel on official business. Yinreng was the first to respond, saying, "I am going to the Jiangnan region to take charge of this matter."

As a result, Emperor Kangxi rejected the idea. A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. As the crown prince, it was impossible to entrust him with such a far-off and dangerous mission.

Are there no capable ministers left?

Thus, the prince started the story but couldn't participate in the process, only knowing the ending, which significantly reduced the enjoyment.

After returning home, he told the Crown Princess about his troubles, saying, "Father just doesn't want me to go on long trips."

"Father is just worried about you." The child is growing up and always longs for life outside, but unfortunately, the elderly father left behind at home can't bear to part with her. She understands, she understands!

Yinreng: ...

"You don't understand at all." Yinreng patted the Crown Princess's head lightly, as if afraid of hurting her.

“Yes, I don’t understand, but I also know that Father doesn’t want you to go because he doesn’t want you to be in danger, just like Hongyao and I. We would worry if you went on a long journey.” Jialuo angrily pulled down the Crown Prince’s hand.

Don't pat my head, it'll make me stupid.

The bans on those highly profitable industries were accompanied by obstruction and assassination attempts by their protectors and wealthy businessmen.

Jialuo understood why this was the case, and comforted Yinreng, offering suggestions: "If the imperial envoy goes, we can provide support in terms of manpower and funds."

"It's all for the sake of our Great Qing Dynasty, for the safety of our people. We must be wary of those Westerners," Jialuo reminded them, though she was powerless to do so.

Only by discussing this with someone capable can we ensure that both the Emperor and the Crown Prince will take this matter seriously.

"Hmm." Yinreng appeared very calm and collected in front of Jialuo, as if these were not big problems for him.

As for that complaint I just made, it was simply because I couldn't hold it in.

But in the Crown Princess's heart, he was still that majestic Crown Prince, and she believed it to be true!

When Xiao Hongyao saw his father return, he excitedly rushed over, "Father, Father, Hongyao, let's go play!"

Little Hongyao pointed outside, clearly remembering the time he went out of the palace with Yinreng and wanted to go play with his father again.

"No, Father has other things to attend to." Yinreng will be very busy lately. He looked at Jialuo with a hint of guilt in his eyes. "Jialuo, I may be very busy lately. I'll have to leave Hongyao in your care."

Looking at Yinreng's words and attitude, Jialuo puffed out her cheeks slightly, "Are you only worried about Hongyao? Aren't you worried that I'll miss you?"

What an oblivious man! Is it really true what they say: the seven-year itch? He takes it for granted once he gets it?

Yinreng, who was suspected of not cherishing his wife, chuckled helplessly, "I'm worried, I miss you too."

He spoke in a very low voice, as if afraid of being overheard. After he finished speaking, he looked around to make sure no one was paying attention. Good.

Little Hongyao, clinging to Yinreng's leg, also pleaded in a childish voice, "Father, Hongyao misses Father, misses Father, let's play together."

The aggressive crackdown on opium addiction outside had little impact on the women in the imperial harem.

Even the wives of the emperor's sons were forbidden from interfering in politics, so they were not very clear about what happened afterward. They only knew that the Qing Dynasty now forbade the sale of this drug called "Fu Shou Gao" (a type of medicated plaster), and that it was quite harmful.

The ministers who went to various places to ban opium were perhaps influenced by His Highness the Crown Prince. Wherever they went, they first found out those who had used it and used them as negative examples to educate the people.

Those who are qualified (have the means) to consume opium are mostly wealthy people, either rich merchants or landlords, and the common people can often see them acting arrogantly and domineeringly.

However, seeing them kneeling and begging for mercy, convulsing and crying because of some opium, sent a chill down my spine. It turned out that even the landlord couldn't withstand something, so they certainly couldn't either.

I was terrified.

Those so-called protectors, seeing there was profit to be made, thought they wouldn't be caught in their own hands, and assumed, "I'm not stupid, I certainly wouldn't use drugs, so what does it have to do with me?"... In the end, they were all investigated and their homes were confiscated!

This was originally what Yinreng most wanted to do. Back then, he was so poor that he couldn't afford to support a woman, so after confiscating the property of bondservants, he wanted to confiscate the property of corrupt officials. Unfortunately, his father, the Emperor, wouldn't allow it.

Now... Father Emperor still won't allow it!

All I know is that the homes of corrupt officials and wealthy merchants were confiscated... wave after wave of them were sent to the capital, and the additional personnel assigned to the imperial envoys became people to supervise whether they were lining their own pockets...

When the Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, heard about the forbidden opium, she was somewhat bewildered. Such a thing had never happened in her previous life. What was going on?

Guarjia relied most on his memories of his past life, and he used this as a means to take action in many things. Now...

Could it be that my interference has changed the course of events? Then, could it affect the Fourth Prince's ascension to the throne?

Impossible! The ascension of an emperor is predetermined by Heaven. The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, is definitely the emperor ordained by Heaven. How could he possibly fail?

Let her think about how this happened... Because the Ninth Prince invented Western clocks, he believed that Western goods were profitable, so he began to study opium.

The key question is, how did they discover that phytoestrogen is so harmful to the human body? Like Western clocks, once they were developed, they were manufactured and sold…

Unable to understand the intricacies of the situation, Fourth Prince Consort Guarjia could only suppress her thoughts and leave the external affairs to Yinzhen. She believed that Yinzhen, who had defeated so many princes in his previous life, was not a fool.

The more she interferes, the easier it is for her to be exposed.

He's still focused on the women in his harem. Children will come; there's no rush. Besides the Crown Prince's grandson, who else has a son? Just a little princess…

Lady Guarjia realized she had misunderstood something. If there were more princesses, which one would the Fourth Prince favor? He wouldn't, he would only be disappointed.

But the premise is that each princess must give birth to a princess, otherwise things will go wrong. "Shuanghua, bring me that ruby-encrusted box that Mother left for me before..."

As time passed, the princes became increasingly concerned about the ban on opium, frequently inquiring about it and even sending people to investigate, making the imperial envoys hesitant to deceive them.

Because of the actions of the imperial court, the common people's perception of the Qing Dynasty improved somewhat.

The Tenth Prince, Yin'e, would occasionally come over and pester Yinreng, saying, "Second Brother Crown Prince, Second Brother Crown Prince, let me also attend court and participate in government affairs."

He doesn't need to do errands with me, but he can at least listen to government affairs, right? I just stood there... Waaah, I never want to study again.

Yinreng refused, and instead asked him to go with Yintang to investigate what other harmful things the West might have. If they found anything, he was to put in a good word for them with their father, the Emperor.

Sure enough, one sentence caused his two younger brothers to travel for eighteen days.

Consort Wenxi, who had been bedridden for several years, passed away at Changshou Palace on the third day of the eleventh month. The tenth prince, Yin'e, wept bitterly, and Yin'tang stayed by his side.

Apart from that, not many people would grieve for the death of Consort Wenxi. For example, Consort Yi, whose fifth son was about to get married, suddenly passed away, which would delay the wedding. Isn't that annoying?

The key point is that the other princes only entered the court to handle affairs after their weddings. The fifth prince was already feared by the emperor because he was raised by the Empress Dowager, who was afraid that the Khorchin would use him to do something that would shake up the Qing Dynasty (the struggle for the throne).

Consort Rong and Consort Hui also felt upset, but there was nothing they could do. When they went out, they had to put on a sad and tearful appearance.

For example, the Fourth Prince's wife, seeing that the mourning period for her parents was over and that Consort Wenxi had died, would certainly not get pregnant during the mourning period if the Fourth Prince was a person who followed the rules.

But before December arrived, good news came from the eldest prince: the first wife was pregnant again.

Upon hearing the news, Jialuo exclaimed: "Huh? ??? Didn't the First Consort just give birth not long ago? How come she's pregnant again so quickly?"

Fourth Prince Consort Guarjia: Tch, just another golden flower, giving birth to several children in a row, doesn't she even look at the state of her own body?

The eldest prince, Yinti, was blindly confident in himself. For example, he repeatedly believed that the fetus his primary wife was carrying was definitely a son.

Moreover, Yinti believed that the secret formula for having a child that Yinreng had told him last time was definitely a lie to fool him.

So, she immediately ran to Yinreng to boast about it, "Your Highness, my wife is pregnant, and this time it's definitely a son."

Yinti mainly felt that even God couldn't be so cruel to him, right? Giving birth to four little princesses in a row?! Was he even allowed to live?

Yinreng, listening to Yinti's inner thoughts, snorted coldly, "Do you think you're a man favored by the heavens? No, it is I."

"Really? It seems you're quite confident, elder brother. Did you follow my secret formula for conceiving a child?" Yinreng asked with a gentle smile.

When this matter was brought up, Yinqi's face darkened. "Don't think I don't know. You're just making up lies to fool me. Hmph, do you think I'd believe that?"

“Brother, when you came to ask me for advice, I already told you beforehand that it would be hard for people to believe, but you don’t believe me, what can I do?” Yinreng sighed.

"Pah, only a lunatic would believe you." Yinqi walked away smugly with his hands behind his back, leaving behind a harsh threat before he left, "Just wait and see, this time I'm sure it'll be a legitimate son."

"Since that's the case, let's make a bet, elder brother. If not, you'll listen to me, how about it?" Yinreng looked at Yinti with a half-smile, his calm and composed tone suggesting he was already confident of success. Yinti disliked this kind of attitude the most.

The tactic of provocation can succeed with a single act of provocation!

"No problem!" Yinti responded confidently. This time it's definitely a son. If it isn't... ptooey, it definitely is!

Abstinence for three years? Guaranteed to result in a son? Who would believe such nonsense?

When Jialuo learned that the First Princess Consort was pregnant, she specially sent a congratulatory gift and showed great concern for her, saying, "Sister-in-law, shouldn't you take some time to recuperate before you get better?"

Although Jialuo knew that not having a son was a painful thing for women in this era, she still had to take care of her health, right?

"I feel that my body is in good condition. I am very happy to have children for our master." The First Princess Consort seemed not to notice anything amiss. She reached out and touched her flat belly. Her mother refused to put pressure on the First Prince, so she put it on her instead.

The repeated attempts to pay her respects made things difficult for her, the First Lady... She herself also hoped to have a legitimate son to secure her future.

Jialuo was at a loss. If she tried to persuade them from this perspective, they would only think she was being sarcastic.

Besides, she wasn't a very eloquent person. In the end, all that could be left was a pile of precious medicinal herbs for her to take good care of herself.

Back at Yuqing Palace, Jialuo couldn't keep it a secret and told Yinreng about it, "I think my sister-in-law's health doesn't seem to be very good. Sigh, she's unwilling to take more time to recuperate."

"There's nothing I can do, my elder brother is anxious." Yinreng knew about his elder brother's worries, but the key issue was that his elder brother was not ambitious enough, so all the pressure fell on his sister-in-law.

You reap what you sow; if you plant a golden flower, will it bear fruit?

Seriously!

[Tsk, all men are the same. He's ruined this wife's life, but there'll just be another one.]

As she spoke, she looked at the man in front of her. If something happened to her, His Highness the Crown Prince would immediately marry another. She pouted, somewhat displeased.

The Crown Prince chuckled helplessly, stepped forward, and embraced Jia Luo, lifting her up and placing her on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist and said, "Having the Crown Princess is enough for me."

(End of this chapter)