Chapter 55

Yinreng listened to Suo'etu's expectant question and remained silent for several seconds, his gaze towards Suo'etu becoming somewhat subtle. "Uncle, I don't think so."

Soetu is indeed getting old; his mind is no longer sharp.

“What Father Emperor gives me is truly mine. Uncle, don’t forget, Father Emperor is the Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty. Moreover, I trust Father Emperor. Regardless of whether or not a Crown Prince is established, Father Emperor will always be my strongest support.”

Yinreng spoke in a calm voice, refuting Suo'etu's words and dissecting his inner monologue to Suo'etu.

Even in ordinary families, if the son wants to fight for the inheritance, the old man will think that the son is unfilial and that the son must be eager for him to die.

Let alone the Emperor?

Soetu's understanding of the Emperor... well, it's true that he doesn't know as well as he does himself. But Soetu is also the patriarch of the Hesheli clan. Now, some people are eager to push Soetu off the patriarchal position and take his place. What does Soetu think?

Seriously.

Soetu didn't know what the Crown Prince was thinking, but he just felt... how could His Highness trust the Emperor so much? You know, although the Emperor has made the Crown Prince... his brothers below will definitely not be satisfied.

Not to mention his younger brothers, even the eldest prince, Yinqi, was the first to object. He even tried to win over Mingzhu in court to oppose the crown prince.

(Yinti: I hereby declare that it was not I who tried to win over Mingzhu, but Mingzhu who took the initiative to come to me!!)

Moreover, how could the relationship between imperial power and the crown prince be so...

"Your Highness, you should be more careful. You should think more about yourself in everything you do." Soetu couldn't speak ill of Kangxi in front of Yinreng, so he could only hint to the Crown Prince that he needed to think about himself.

"Uncle, you may say such things here today, but I will not allow you to sow discord between me and my father, the Emperor." Yinreng's face immediately turned cold. Didn't Suo'etu know that many times, hidden clues are found in unexpected places?

Soetu shut his mouth. He had no choice, nor could he make the matter too obvious. "Yes."

The Crown Prince trusts the Emperor too much; how could the Emperor possibly have no fear of the Crown Prince at all?

On the other side, Consort Jueluo of Hesheli took Crown Princess Jialuo to visit how luxurious and beautiful their Hesheli residence was.

He even told Jialuo how precious these plants were. Jialuo was speechless. What's the point of showing off these things to the crown princess of a country?

As Consort Hesheli was showing Jialuo around the mansion, a petite figure approached. She was a little plump, and her appearance was not stunning, but rather pretty.

Upon seeing them, her face lit up with a bright and lovely smile. "Mother, Crown Princess, Ushina greets the Crown Princess. May the Crown Princess be blessed."

As the princess bowed, Consort Hesheli smiled and introduced her to Jialuo, "Your Highness, this is my daughter, Wuxina."

"Ushina has just reached the age for the imperial concubine selection. When she enters the palace, I hope that Your Highness will take good care of her." Consort Hesheli turned to the Crown Princess and said with a smile, but her tone had a hint of command.

However, if one wasn't paying attention, they wouldn't be able to discern Hesheli Fujin's meaning amidst this request.

"Consort Hesheli is joking. The selection of concubines is a serious matter and has nothing to do with me." Jialuo returned a similar smile, but politely declined. What business is it of mine?

The rule that Manchu bannermen girls aged 10 to 16 must participate in the imperial selection was established by the ancestors and was to be selected by the emperor, empress dowager, or concubines. What did it have to do with her, a 'daughter-in-law'?

Could I possibly choose the emperor's concubines and mistresses?

"Yes, yes, but Your Highness, you are in the palace after all. Lending a hand and giving a few instructions shouldn't be a big problem, right?" Consort Hesheli didn't believe that the Crown Princess hadn't understood her meaning, and she didn't know how the Emperor had chosen such a jealous Crown Princess.

Since the Crown Princess married into Yuqing Palace... no princess in Yuqing Palace has conceived a child. Before she married in, the Crown Prince had no interest in women, which could be described as the Crown Prince being indifferent to women.

But after the Crown Princess was born, she became pregnant with Prince Hongyao. But later... none of the princesses in the harem had any good news. Could it be that the Crown Princess was to blame?

"That's not right, Consort Hesheli. When Hesheli enters the palace for the imperial concubine selection, she shouldn't need anyone to help her, right?" She subtly concealed her meaning. Was Hesheli really so useless that she didn't even have anyone in the palace?

"Your Highness, it's been almost a year since you married into Yuqing Palace. Apart from Prince Hongyao, neither you nor the other princesses in the inner quarters have sent any good news. Everyone else is very concerned." Consort Hesheli's expression was somewhat cold. Was the Crown Princess planning to reject her?

"So?" Jialu blinked her beautiful eyes, seemingly understanding what Consort Hesheli meant. She remembered that Consort Hesheli had done the same thing at the palace banquet two years ago, before Hongyao was even born.

Glancing at the plump and pretty Princess Hesheli beside him, was this a plan to send Princess Hesheli to Yuqing Palace? The last one didn't work out, so they've switched to this one?

“Our Ushina is plump and blessed, she will surely be able to share the burdens of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess.” How could Consort Hesheli be willing to give up such a great temptation, send herself to Yuqing Palace, give birth to a little prince, and who knows, the next crown prince might also be born to one of their Hesheli women.

Take the Tong family for example. Didn't the Emperor treat the Tong family very well? They became concubines as soon as they entered the palace, and later rose to the positions of Imperial Noble Consort and Empress. Even the concubine's daughter who entered the palace later has now been made a Noble Consort.

However, the Tong family women were really useless. The first one gave birth to the eighth princess, who died young before the end of her month due to illness. And the second one... well...

Ushina is different. They specially selected a princess who looks blessed and fertile. Given the relationship between the Hesheli and the Crown Prince, His Highness the Crown Prince will certainly not neglect Ushina.

Whether someone is good-looking or not is secondary; being able to bear children is the most important thing! As long as you give birth to a little prince, what is there to be afraid of?

Why was the crown prince made crown prince before he was even a year old when the feudal lords were abolished? Wasn't it because their master (Songgotu) had been maneuvering behind the scenes for a long time? (In fact, there were many more factors that Consort Hesheli was unaware of).

They can establish an emperor the first time, and they can do it again for the second time.

"I have no say in matters concerning Yuqing Palace; everything is up to His Highness the Crown Prince." Jialuo declared, "I am merely a woman who puts her husband first; for matters requiring decision-making, do not consult me, but rather His Highness the Crown Prince."

It's insane! Even if you're old enough, you still have to go through a grand election. What does that mean? It means the emperor has to choose you first. It's either to enter the harem or to have the emperor bestow a marriage upon a member of the imperial family. How can you make your own decisions?

Even if it were possible, it would be done secretly and then a petition would be submitted to the Emperor to 'dismiss the plaque and arrange the marriage independently.' Who would do something like Consort Hesheli?

"Furthermore, Princess Consort, you must not forget that the selection of officials was personally made by Father Emperor. Whether they go or stay, or if there are any other arrangements, it should all be arranged by Father Emperor. I dare not make such a decision on my own." Jialuo replied calmly.

As soon as she said that, Consort Hesheli's face turned ugly.

"Crown Princess, is the Emperor aware of your jealousy? As the Crown Princess, it is your responsibility to manage the Crown Prince's household and ensure the continuation of his lineage. Not only do you fail to do so, you also obstruct others. Do you even know your mistake?"

Hesheli Fujin hated the Crown Princess to death. Twice, she was rejected by the Crown Princess.

At this moment, Consort Hesheli overlooked the fact that last time, not only did the Crown Princess refuse, but the Crown Prince also did not accept it.

She dared not target the Crown Prince, so she could only blame all her dissatisfaction and resentment on Jialuo. How dare that bitch Fucha go against the Hesheli?

"Consort Hesheli, if you wish to speak to Father Emperor, you may go and see him yourself. I will not accompany you." Jialuo thought Consort Hesheli was truly ill, and quite seriously so.

Was her attitude bad just now? Jialuo thought she was quite polite, and besides, was it up to her to decide whether or not people could enter Yuqing Palace?

Who can control His Highness the Crown Prince? Only the Emperor can, OK?

Every time Jialuo saw Consort Hesheli, she found that they would end up arguing... oh, no, it wasn't really arguing, it was more like Consort Hesheli was giving her attitude.

Jialuo knew about the relationship between His Highness the Crown Prince and Hesheli. Despite having had many unpleasant encounters with Hesheli's wife, she still managed to let go of her resentment.

No, I have to show Consort Hesheli what the power of pillow talk really is! Damn it!

When Jialuo returned to the main hall, His Highness the Crown Prince and Suo'etu were talking about the glass workshop. They did not open any branches because the recipe had to be kept secret.

His Highness the Crown Prince saw Jia Luo walk back in a bad mood and asked with some confusion, "What's wrong, Your Highness? Who upset you?"

[Who else? Isn't it your great-aunt? I don't know how she has the nerve to give me attitude every time.]

"No, I just felt a little tired and wanted to come back and rest." In front of outsiders, Jialuo always paid attention to her image, appearing gentle, generous, and approachable.

I never want to see her again. If it weren't for the fact that she's one of Hesheli's people, I would have whispered in the Crown Prince's ear to keep these insane people away.

Yinreng held little Hongyao in his arms. The chubby little Hongyao seemed to know what was going on and didn't make a fuss. He sat quietly in his father's arms, munching on dried meat. When he saw his mother, he waved his chubby little hands, wanting to play with her.

"Mother, Mother." Having been held by his father for so long, and being bored sitting here saying things Hongyao couldn't understand, Hongyao wanted to play with his mother!

As Yinreng listened to Jialuo's thoughts, his eyes flickered slightly. Grandmother? Jueluo Clan? Did she give the Crown Princess a hard time?

I glanced at Suo'etu. Perhaps, as people get older, they become arrogant? And only know how to do useless things?

"Since you're tired, sit down and rest for a while. Hongyao, go keep your mother company." Yinreng responded to Jialuo's words and put little Hongyao down.

As soon as Xiao Hongyao was put down, his bright eyes were fixed on Jialuo. He ran over to her with his short legs, saying, "Mother, Mother, Father, don't play with Hongyao."

After running up to Jialuo, Hongyao whispered to his mother, unaware that his voice was quite loud. Not only Jialuo heard it, but the Crown Prince, Suo'etu, and even the servants around him could hear it clearly.

Soetu felt a little uncomfortable after what the young prince said. He had been so focused on talking to His Highness the Crown Prince that he had forgotten about the young prince.

Yinreng remained silent, but Jialuo chuckled and picked up her chubby little boy. "Mother, can you play with our Hongyao? Father is having a serious talk with Great-Uncle, so Hongyao can't disturb him."

She gently coaxed her chubby little boy in a low voice, explaining things to him regardless of whether he understood or not.

Little Hongyao nodded as if he understood, then nestled in his mother's arms. He had finished the jerky and was thirsty. "Mother, have some water."

The servants around Suo'etu hurriedly poured warm water for the young prince, but Suo'etu frowned, not quite satisfied. "Go and heat up the milk, then bring it up to Prince Hongyao."

Honestly, they have absolutely no sense of facial expressions.

"No need, drinking more hot water in winter is fine." Yinreng didn't know if the milk from Hesheli's residence had been deodorized; if not, then Hongyao wouldn't like it very much.

To avoid trouble, if it's served and then not drunk, Suo'etu might think that I have a problem with him.

As the crown prince, he also has to consider the feelings of his ministers, such as the now elderly Suo'etu.

Yinreng, who felt he still needed to improve his ability to balance things, was still learning, learning from the inner thoughts of each minister. He learned many interpersonal skills from them.

Otherwise, how would he have appeased those bondservants whose homes had been confiscated? He won over some and suppressed others, although his methods were rather naive back then. Well… that's how Yinreng now sees his former self.

"Uncle, it's time for a meal. Hongyao will be hungry soon." Yinreng did not rush to take Hongyao away. Instead, he stayed behind, which was a kind of 'reward' for a subject.

In any case, Suo'etu felt that it was a particularly honorable thing for His Highness the Crown Prince to have lunch with the Crown Princess and the little prince at the Hesheli residence.

As for whether I can return to the court... I'll have to bring that up again later. I just angered His Highness the Crown Prince again. That foul mouth of his really doesn't know how to speak.

The Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Kangxi knew everything about what was happening at Hesheli's residence. His concern for the Crown Prince and his distrust of Suo'etu were the sources of his worries.

Knowing that Suo'etu had once again spoken ill of him to the Crown Prince, Kangxi slammed his fist on the table in anger. He knew that the Crown Prince and the eldest son had been arguing and fighting over this very reason.

Emperor Kangxi suspected that, besides Suo'etu, Mingzhu might have said the same thing to Baoqing. His intentions were utterly despicable!

However, after hearing the Crown Prince's answer, Kangxi's anger subsided somewhat, and he was filled with relief. "My Crown Prince should be like this!"

Soetu, who ruined the relationship between father and son, is truly unforgivable!

He couldn't possibly have someone behead Suo'etu over this matter. However, Suo'etu's hopes of returning to the court were now completely dashed by his actions.

Although Songgotu had made great efforts to bring down Oboi, he stood firmly on the opposite side when it came to abolishing the feudal system. Kangxi only let him off the hook because he was the head of the Hesheli clan and a meritorious official (in the past).

Unfortunately, he became increasingly annoying and useless, and every subsequent event disappointed Kangxi.

"Liang Jiugong, once the Crown Prince and the others return to the palace, send them some New Year's gifts." When Kangxi was in a good mood, he liked to bestow gifts upon people, and he would do so in waves.

Who told him to be so rich and powerful?

Of course, after saying that, she thought of her eldest son again and muttered to herself, "The eldest son's wife is several months pregnant. I should give her a share too, so that he won't say that I'm biased and favoring her."

Honestly, they're all his sons, he loves them both equally, when has he ever not cared about Baoqing?

Baoqing just loves sour things. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent and the future emperor. He has to be responsible for the Qing Dynasty, so he pays more attention to the Crown Prince.

How could a man, a Baturu of the Qing Dynasty, do such a womanly thing?

However, Kangxi was quite pleased, after all, the one vying for his father's favor was him. Kangxi, who believed he was being fair, thought that Yinti's little schemes were nonsense.

The eldest prince's residence.

The First Consort was resting in the Prince's quarters during her pregnancy. Having given birth several times in a row without much rest, the First Consort did indeed look somewhat pale, but because the imperial physician was watching over her, he felt there was nothing wrong.

As long as the little prince is born, everything will be worth it.

When the Emperor delivered the gifts, he said they were New Year's gifts...? The First Princess Consort thought she had misheard, but upon asking, she found out they were indeed gifts, gifts bestowed by her Imperial Father.

Well, there's nothing major. I just casually asked if every prince had one, and when I learned that only the Yuqing Palace and the First Prince had them, the First Princess felt even more pressure.

In the eyes of the First Princess Consort, the Emperor's gift was... a sign that he hoped she would give birth to a legitimate son for the First Prince in the new year.

This pressure of anticipation weighed heavily on the First Consort, who was also somewhat uneasy. It wasn't yet the month to determine the sex of the baby by pulse diagnosis, so she could only suppress all her anxieties.

The eldest prince was rather smug and confident, always believing that his offspring could produce a legitimate son. He insisted on showing Yinreng the truth: your secret to having a son is utterly worthless.

The princes, including the fourth prince, already had wives, but the emperor didn't pay much attention to them. Even when it came to rewards, he only gave them to the eldest prince and the crown prince.

As a new bride, the princess was not yet happy and did not have much confidence in front of the royal family, so she did not dare to mention this matter to the prince.

Except for a few years of hardship and misery in her later years, the Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, had a smooth and successful life in her previous life, always holding a position above the other prince's wives.

Being ignored now is indeed a bit unpleasant. After being reborn and married into the Fourth Prince's household, it has always been part of her schemes.

However, in terms of status outside the palace, since the Fourth Prince was not highly regarded by the Emperor, others naturally did not treat her, the Fourth Prince's wife, with the same respect and awe as they did the Crown Princess, such as Consort De.

In her previous life, she never thought that Consort De's face was so ferocious and hateful. Ever since Empress Xiaoyi died, Consort De had been confined to her quarters and was harassed every time she went to Yonghe Palace.

When I went to Yonghe Palace before, I saw that the big gift I had given her had been taken away, and I felt a little regretful. I was thinking about how to give Consort De another big gift.

The Uya family and Consort De were no longer as close as before, the Ninth Princess was being raised by the Empress Dowager, and the Fourteenth Prince... in his previous life he had competed with the Fourth Prince for the throne.

If the Fourteenth Prince were gone, Consort De would surely be heartbroken, wouldn't she? The worst way to kill someone is to destroy their spirit; simply losing him... is not enough.

Perhaps it would be more satisfying for Consort De to watch helplessly as the Fourteenth Prince falls ill and suffers, unable to do anything about it?

However, this was difficult. Because the Emperor had lost over ten sons in the past, he valued each of his princes highly. If she acted on her own, she would definitely be discovered. And if she were discovered, regardless of whether the Fourteenth Prince was still alive, she, the Fourth Princess Consort, would be sentenced to death.

No, no, we still have to start with Consort De.

Consort De… what did she care about most besides the Fourteenth Prince? His favor? Her status? Her identity? Her appearance…?

Seemingly understanding something, a slight chill crept onto his smile. Didn't she like to make things difficult for him? Serving her... wouldn't that give him plenty of opportunities to take advantage of her?

On the Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, as is customary on the first and fifteenth of each month, the Fourth Prince's wife, Lady Guarjia, would get up early to pay her respects to her mother and the Empress Dowager.

Having gotten used to waking up early, she didn't find it strange. She had to help the Fourth Prince get dressed, wash up, and have his meal first, and then they would go out together and part ways at the fork in the road near the palace gate.

Upon arriving at Yonghe Palace, we waited in the cold wind for almost half an hour before being allowed in.

Looking at the Fourth Prince Consort below, Consort De's expression seemed gentle, but there was a hint of cold annoyance in her eyes. "Come here and do my hair and makeup."

Guarjia walked over. It was only natural for an obedient daughter-in-law to serve her mother-in-law. Guarjia did not resist at all. Instead, she gently and skillfully finished dressing her up.

However, occasionally some powder would accidentally fall from under her fingernails onto Consort De's hair.

Guarjia wasn't stupid; she naturally knew that powders were easily detected. In the cold winter, women's long hair didn't dry easily, so they didn't wash their hair frequently. When it was time to wash, they would naturally use soap, and who would notice such a tiny bit of easily soluble powder? They would just think it was dandruff...

She didn't expect it to work immediately; after all, it was time for Consort De's reign to come to an end...

It was precisely because of this "spiritual victory method" that Guarjia's mood improved considerably. Regarding Consort De's difficult behavior, she forced herself to comfort herself and wait and see what the future held for everyone!

The Fourth Prince was aware of Consort De's mistreatment of his wife, but he had no other recourse. As her son, he could not contradict his mother, so he could only offer her comfort when she returned.

This year during Chinese New Year, Xiao Hongyao received many red envelopes, most of which contained gold or silver, and even two silver notes.

The silver notes weren't appealing enough, so after opening them, Xiao Hongyao put them aside.

With his one-and-a-half-year-old perspective, shiny gold is indeed the most attractive material.

Hehehe...

Little Hongyao touched the gold ingot as if he loved it so much that he held it up and said, "Mother, this is gold, Hongyao's."

"Oh my, our Hongyao has become so rich! He even has gold! Who gave him all this?" Jialuo coaxed Hongyao in an exaggerated tone from the side.

Little Hongyao giggled, swaying Little Jinzi from side to side as he held him, his little voice brimming with pride, "This was given to me by Uncle Jiu."

"Oh? It was given by Uncle Jiu. Did Hongyao thank Uncle Jiu?" Jialuo glanced at the other valuables, such as jade pendants and jadeite, but her son was not as appreciated as she thought.

"Yes." The baby nodded obediently, then pointed to other things, "This was given by my uncle, and this was given by my other uncle..."

Pointing to each item with his finger, he told his mother who had given them to him.

Upon hearing Xiao Hongyao's words, Jialuo looked over, a few thoughts swirling in her mind. "Our Hongyao remembers everything? That's amazing!"

"Yes, Hongyao, you're great!" He praised himself in a soft, childlike voice without any shame, displaying the same proud and arrogant demeanor as Yinreng, which Jialuo found very endearing.

My baby is so cute.

My son is a genius.

"A big chicken leg as a reward tonight." Jia Luo laughed heartily. Xiao Hongyao remembered the big chicken leg that required both of his hands to lift, fell silent, lowered his head, and continued to touch his gold.

Jialuo continued to smile, affectionately stroking her son's little head.

When Yinreng returned, Jialuo couldn't wait to excitedly tell him about it, "Baocheng, do you know? Our son is a genius!"

My kid has a photographic memory, that's amazing!

[So? Did you inherit my intelligence?]

Jialuo's smugness did not win over Yinreng. He stroked his silly but beautiful Crown Princess, thinking that if she really inherited the Crown Princess's intelligence, then he would be in trouble.

“Our Hongyao is very smart, he has a photographic memory, you know? He remembers the New Year's red envelopes that his elder brother and the others gave him perfectly.” Thinking that the Crown Prince did not know what a genius was, Jialuo explained it again.

Hearing Jialuo's words, Yinreng raised an eyebrow slightly, "Is it possible that it's simply because Hongyao likes shiny things?"

"No, that's not true! Our Hongyao isn't like that at all!" How could you describe our Hongyao as a greedy little fat kid? He's definitely intelligent and gifted!

"If you don't believe me, let's have a contest. Hongyao definitely has a photographic memory." For example, with the *Zi Jing* (a classic Chinese dictionary), Hongyao might not recognize the characters, but he could definitely recite it... or perhaps...

After saying that, Jialuo had second thoughts. What if... it was just her own 'beautifying filter'?

"Alright, let's have a competition and see if our Hongyao is truly as intelligent as the Crown Princess, or if he's just a little silly like her?" Yinreng smiled, pleased with the Crown Princess's performance... well, the Crown Princess always made him happy with her amusing antics.

Upon hearing the word "little fool" at the end, Jialuo's eyes widened in dissatisfaction, and she looked at Yinreng with round eyes. "Your Highness, you're talking nonsense. How am I a little fool? Haven't you discovered the clever and quick-witted heart beneath my beautiful appearance?"

The way someone was bragging was really funny.

Yinreng couldn't help but laugh out loud. Under the Crown Princess's angry glare, Yinreng could only surrender with "okay, okay, okay".

Finally, they decided to read the "Character Classic" to Xiao Hongyao to see how much he could remember.

Although Yinreng had previously said that he would have Jialuo and Hongyao study the "Kindergarten Classic of Characters" together, he only thought about it in his mind and never actually did it.

Xiao Hongyao has always lived a happy and carefree life and has never received any formal education in this area. Jialuo would never intentionally put any extra academic pressure on her son.

Yinreng did remember, but he thought it was unnecessary to do it so early. No matter how exaggerated it was, his son was only one and a half years old.

Now, after arguing over such a trivial matter, the two adults have started to accuse their son.

Jialuo mainly wanted to show off her genius-like chubby son, but she overlooked the fact that Yinreng might not actually disbelieve her, he was just teasing her.

At this moment, the chubby and adorable little girl was placed in the center of the blanket and sat there, with Jialuo and Yinreng looking very serious.

Little Hongyao opened his big, round eyes in confusion, "Father? Mother?"

As she spoke, she tried to struggle to get up and rush towards her mother, but as soon as she got up, Yinreng pressed her down. "Hongyao, today, your father and mother have something very important to tell you."

“Yes, you are the most important member of our family. This is something you have to do; no one else can do it.” Jia Luo nodded in agreement, her serious expression suggesting that she was talking about something very important.

This startled Xiao Hongyao, who sat there obediently and nodded.

“Your father will read to you, and then you will repeat what your father said. That will count as a success, Hongyao. Your mother has high hopes for you. You have to keep it up, you know?” Jialuo patted Hongyao’s little shoulder this time, betting her dignity on her Hongyao… Good luck.

In fact, Jialuo also felt that she had been too hasty. For example, someone like Lao Jiu, who loves money, might remember who gave him a valuable gold or silver red envelope?

She looked down at her adorable little baby. Her baby was so beautiful; wouldn't it be too much if he were also incredibly smart? It's alright, it's alright…

After comforting herself, Jialuo heard Yinreng begin to read the "Character Classic"—or rather, recite it from memory, without holding any books in his hands.

But for Yinreng, an enlightenment book like the "Character Classic" was as easy as drinking water. His clear and cool voice slowly came over, and Jialuo looked at her crown prince's handsome face, then cupped her face and became fascinated.

Ah, such a handsome young man, how lucky am I to have him?

Hehehe...

Yinreng glanced at Jialuo indifferently, but his voice stopped abruptly without any pause.

Why did it stop? I haven't had enough yet.

Yinreng remembered that the last time he read the Classic of Characters in bed, it made the Crown Princess blush and swear that she would never touch the Classic of Characters again in her life. What, has she changed her mind now?

He inwardly sneered at the Crown Princess who was infatuated with beauty, his expression becoming even more arrogant as he looked at his son, "Hongyao, do you remember what your father just recited? Recite it once more?"

"At the beginning of life, people are inherently good, and their natures are similar... […]" The soft, childlike voice rang out, yet it was so clear. Jialuo and Yinreng's eyes lit up as they listened. Indeed, their son was heaven...

The thought had barely formed when the little voice stopped, then shook her head somewhat aggrievedly, "Hongyao forgot the rest."

Hongyao is no longer good.

She lowered her head, looking somewhat aggrieved, as if blaming herself for not being as capable as her father.

At that moment, a warm hand was placed on his head, and his kind old father gently coaxed him, "Our Hongyao is already doing great that he can carry so much, even better than his father was back then."

Whether someone is a genius or not is not important; what matters is how they are taught and nurtured.

"Our Hongyao is so amazing! Even his mother can't recite it. My goodness, how can there be such a wonderful child? And this child is my son! He's incredible!"

Jialuo also realized that she shouldn't have done those experiments. Giving children such harsh education when they are young would only make them feel inferior.

As a new mother, she still had a lot to learn. So, without caring about her own image, Jialuo held her face and exaggeratedly praised Hongyao until he laughed heartily.

The tone of her praise made Yinreng look up at her with a strange sense of familiarity, as if Jialuo had once flattered him in the same way.

When... in bed.

His eyes were deep, but he eventually looked away. Now was not the time to argue with the Crown Princess. Jia Luo's exaggerated encouragement immediately restored Hong Yao's smug pride. Very good.

This time, there were no problems for Xiao Hongyao, who was as cheerful as ever. However, for new parents, it's important not to have too high expectations for their child, as it not only affects their own disappointment but also their child's mindset.

They had to correct this, so for the next period of time, the two new parents indulged Xiao Hongyao in everything. Xiao Hongyao was living a very comfortable life, and his chin was almost becoming double-layered.

Until Kangxi was about to go on a military campaign, the Crown Prince stayed behind to oversee the country. He was so busy taking care of his children that Hongyao didn't mind. When spring came and the weather got better, Hongyao thought about going out to play.

"Mother, let's go out and play, let's go out and play." He tugged at Jialuo's skirt, wanting to go outside. His mother had said that she would take him out to play when the weather got warmer.

"Alright, alright, I'll go with you after I put my things down." Jialuo was still looking at the account book, but the chubby baby didn't want to wait any longer and insisted on dragging his mother out to play.

Jialuo quickly put down what she was holding and asked the people around her to tidy up first, she was such a chubby baby who could never sit still for a moment.

This was the first time Jialuo had brought Xiao Hongyao out of Yuqing Palace to play in this area of ​​the inner palace. Previously, when Emperor Kangxi went hunting in the hunting grounds in autumn, he would always go directly out of the palace.

Now, when Xiao Hongyao was led out, he was accompanied by a wet nurse, a group of eunuchs and maids, who were carrying clothes, towels, water bottles and other items, ready to help at any time.

"Mother, may you prosper!" Little Hongyao was out for the first time, and everything was new and exciting to him. He jumped around happily.

While Hongyao was happily jumping around, he met the Fourteenth Prince Yinzhen. Now just five or six years old, Yinzhen has always been his mother's most beloved darling. Whenever he encounters something unpleasant, he throws a tantrum, and his mother always gives in to his whims.

When the young tyrant Yinzhen saw Hongyao, he still remembered that the woman in front of him was the Crown Princess. This is Hongyao, humph, I don't know him.

He tried to leave after passing Hongyao, but Hongyao grabbed him and invited him softly with bright eyes, "Uncle Fourteen, let's play together."

"I'm not playing, I'm busy." The Fourteenth Prince wasn't familiar with him and didn't want to play together. Humph, his father had been praising Hongyao to him a lot lately, how could the Fourteenth Prince feel comfortable hearing that?

Although he didn't say it to himself specifically, Fourteen was still unhappy.

"Fourteenth Brother, where are we going?" Jialuo found the little brat's 'I'm too busy to talk to me' expression rather amusing. She didn't have any ill feelings towards any of the princes because she wasn't familiar with them.

Apart from the ninth and tenth brothers.

"Nothing much, just came out for a walk, just like you guys." Of course, the Fourteenth Prince wouldn't tell the Crown Princess that he was annoyed by his mother's nagging, so he shook off the servants around him and came here.

"If Fourteenth Brother doesn't have anything to do, would you like to play with Hongyao? Second Sister-in-law's Yuqing Palace has swings and seesaws." They just happened to find a able-bodied man, but unfortunately there weren't any younger children in the palace. Oh... there were, a few of the eldest prince's princesses.

However, the First Princess Consort was pregnant, so she couldn't disturb her. Out of courtesy, they would definitely have to entertain her, which she felt very embarrassed about.

Play?

Upon hearing this, the Fourteenth Prince's eyes lit up. However, after glancing at Xiao Hongyao, who was so much younger than him, he wondered how they could possibly get along.

In the end, he still happily followed along, while Hongyao, who had been clinging to the Fourteenth Prince saying he wanted to play with his Fourteenth Uncle, regretted it. Waaah, he finally got to go out and play, but his mother tricked him into coming home again...

When Yinreng returned from outside, he saw a chubby little boy swinging on a swing while holding his own chubby baby... He frowned and asked the Crown Princess, "What's he doing here?"

(End of this chapter)