Chapter 99

A bunch of incompetent teammates finally managed to get my maternal uncle, Suo'etu, out of the court.

"Stop thinking what you want. Royal affairs are none of your business." No wonder my past life... no, that wasn't me, but another version of myself, lost so badly, surrounded by idiots.

When the Emperor ascended the throne at a young age, all the power was in the hands of the four regents. Later, Ao Bai rose to power, and the Emperor finally managed to consolidate his power.

Back when Ukuma was alive, she also lived a secluded life in the inner palace and never touched power again.

The Emperor is getting older and older, and he has begun to see himself, the Crown Prince, as a thorn in his side.

Now there's an imperial grandson?

Hmm... If Father Emperor really intends to imprison me in Xian'an Palace, my four sons cannot suffer the same fate as me.

Should we let them go with the eldest...? No, the three chubby kids are still too young. Hongyao is okay, but he hasn't learned to swim... sigh...

Let's send the three chubby kids to the fourth brother for a few days so they can get to know each other better.

Last time I took Jialuo to ride horses on the manor's large meadow, it wasn't enough. This hunting ground is quite suitable. I wonder if the Crown Princess likes hunting.

The three chubby boys who were brought over looked into their bright eyes and pleaded in a soft, childish voice, "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Uncle, take us horseback riding, we want to ride horses too."

"Fourth Uncle, I haven't seen you in so long. I miss you. You never come to visit us." Hongxuan knew how to play the emotional card, so he grabbed Yinzhen's hand and began to accuse him with great emotion.

“Fourth Uncle, let’s play together.” Hongtun also liked his fourth uncle quite a bit. For example, before going to bed at night, he wanted his fourth uncle to tell him a bedtime story, and his fourth uncle would actually read “The Great Learning” to them.

Being pestered by three chubby boys, Yinzhen looked at them speechlessly and said, "Riding a horse is not an option."

Also, why would I go to you to hang out? Are we even at the age where we can hang out together? And why would I take the initiative to reach out to you?

Even though he had many thoughts in his mind, he didn't show them. He was used to having a cold face, and he couldn't smile. At most, he looked at the children with a gentle expression and said, "Okay, Fourth Uncle... will take you... to a barbecue?"

After much thought, riding a horse and shooting arrows was impossible; the children weren't even as tall as the horses.

Next, he sent Su Peisheng to find Fifth Master and Eighth Master... and then called Thirteenth and Fourteenth Master over. The Crown Prince is really unkind; he went out to play by himself and left the children to him.

He had found out everything. After the Crown Prince entrusted the child to him last time, he went out to play with the Crown Princess. Luckily, he ran away quickly.

Worried that the three chubby babies might play with fire, he glanced at the servant beside the little fat boy and said, "Keep a close eye on the three little princes and don't let them play with fire."

Your servants: Prince Yong, you and the other gentlemen are all here, yet you still need your servants to keep an eye on you...

"Yes." All the thoughts in one's heart are hidden; what is shown on the face is utmost respect.

However, to Yinzhen's surprise, after the thirteenth and fourteenth princes rode over on horseback, the three chubby boys completely forgot about the barbecue.

They immediately rushed forward, shouting, "Horse, horse, horse..."

The three chubby men, their arms outstretched and billowing in the wind, startled Yinzhen, who quickly grabbed them and coldly reprimanded them, "What are you doing? Don't you value your lives?"

Didn't you see Thirteen and Fourteen riding over? What if they can't stop in time and their hooves trample on them?

"Fourth Brother, why are you scolding your nephews?" Fourteenth Brother immediately grabbed the reins and heard Fourth Brother scolding his three nephews. He snorted and immediately spoke up in dissatisfaction.

The fourth prince loves to lecture and is so fierce; he even dares to be fierce to the crown prince's son.

No wonder he's called the Black-Faced Fourth Brother.

"Thirteenth Uncle, Fourteenth Uncle." Three chubby men greeted the two men with strong voices. "Fourth Uncle, I want to go horseback riding with Thirteenth Uncle and Fourteenth Uncle."

Although Fourth Uncle is a good person, he doesn't take them horseback riding. The little kids are all fickle and fickle.

"Haha, you have good taste! You know that being with your fourteenth uncle is the most fun. Come on, your fourteenth uncle will take you horseback riding." The fourteenth prince, Yinzhen, patted his chest and was about to lead the three children onto the horse.

"Fourteenth Prince, how can you take care of three children all by yourself? This is ridiculous." Yinzhen immediately frowned, feeling that the Fourteenth Prince didn't know the meaning of tact or responsibility.

"I'll take one, thirteen will take one, and fourth brother, you can take one more, right?" Don't underestimate Yinzhen just because he's young. When it comes to horseback riding and archery, he's definitely better than most people, like the fourth brother, like the fourth brother, like the fourth brother!!!

This crucial point must be said three times.

At this moment, the fifth and eighth princes also came over. After listening to their words and looking at the three chubby little boys, Yinzhi, who did not yet have any children, was tempted.

"Okay, your Eighth Uncle will take you, alright?" Yinzhi bent down and smiled as he looked at the three little cuties. He liked them all, no matter who they were.

Upon seeing the eight brothers start grabbing, the fourteenth prince immediately hugged the nearest one, and the thirteenth prince also hugged one. Yinzhen, watching this scene, also hugged one of them in the blink of an eye.

Yinzhi: I suspect you are targeting me.

"Come on, Hongyang, your Uncle Fourteen will take you." It's always good to strike first. Fourteen knows that if he's a step behind, he'll really fall behind.

"Fourteenth Prince, you're not that steady. Don't take Hongyang with you." Yinzhen was genuinely worried that the carefree Fourteenth Prince might accidentally throw Hongyang off his horse, so he immediately rejected the Fourteenth Prince's suggestion.

He even tried to use his other hand to pull Hongyang back from Fourteen's arms, but his stern expression made Fourteen very resentful.

"It's better to hand it over to the fifth prince." Between the eighth and fifth princes, Yinzhen trusted the fifth prince more, well... his physical strength was better.

"No, Fourth Brother, why don't you believe me?" Fourteenth Brother said, feeling wronged. He wanted to argue with him about this, but why couldn't he?

"Fifth Prince is more mature than you." Yinzhen still stopped Fourteenth Prince. It didn't matter if Fourteenth Prince fell, but it was a different story for Hongyang. Hongyang was so small, and his body was so small that he would be gone if he fell.

I was going to say he was physically weak, but the chubby little boy looked perfectly healthy.

However, if a baby falls off a horse or is accidentally stepped on by a horse's hoof, it can lead to the baby's death.

"Hongyang, be good, we won't ride horses, it's dangerous." When Yinzhen looked at the little baby in the Fourteenth Prince's arms, his tone became much gentler.

Fourteen thought that Fourth Brother was the kind of cold-faced, emotionless, and unapproachable villain. Who knew that he was so gentle? Why was he so fierce to her?

“Yes, Fourteenth Prince, you’re not steady enough.” Fifth Prince also came over. He was worried about the same thing as Fourth Prince. If Fourteenth Prince caused trouble for the Crown Prince’s child, it would be really bad.

While the fourth brother was reprimanding the fourteenth brother, the fifth brother had already snatched the child from his arms.

"Fifth Brother is right. After all, Fifth Brother and I have been to the battlefield together. Thirteen, give Hongtun to me." Eighth Brother stood in front of Thirteen, smiling warmly.

Thirteen hesitated; he also wanted to play with his little nephew.

"I can do it." It's just riding a horse with someone, but his archery skills are no worse than those of his twelfth and fourteenth brothers.

“I’m more composed,” Yinzhi said, offering a reason. He successfully took Hongtun, who resembled his father, from the thirteenth prince’s arms. He lowered his head and smiled elegantly, “Hongtun, do you still remember your eighth uncle?” “Yes, eighth uncle, we rode horses.” Hongtun nodded politely, but he still longed to play. He was annoyed that his fourth uncle wouldn’t let them ride horses.

Then she climbed onto Uncle Ba's shoulders, her chubby little hands clutching his clothes, and said in a childish, spoiled voice, "Uncle Ba, ride a horse."

After acting coquettishly, she blushed with embarrassment and buried her face in her eighth uncle's shoulder.

Yinzhi couldn't wait to take this adorable child home. "Alright, your Eighth Uncle will take you horseback riding."

As he spoke, he directly snatched the horse that Thirteen had brought, and slowly rode it while holding the cute little chubby boy in his arms.

When Hongyang and Hongxuan saw that their younger brother Hongtun had won over their eighth uncle with just a little bit of coquetry, they looked at their fifth and fourth uncles with bright eyes and launched the same coquettish attack.

Thirteen and Fourteen could only watch helplessly as their three older brothers snatched away their chubby little dog and their horse, galloping off with the adorable chubby dog...

Wronged!

The chubby little boy over there was having so much fun that he forgot who his father was. He just clung to his uncle, saying in his babyish voice, "Uncle is the best!" and "Uncle, do it again!"

The uncles, overwhelmed by the pampering, lost their senses and wandered around in circles.

At this time, Hongyao was by Kangxi's side. Although the Crown Prince stopped him from requesting the establishment of the Imperial Grandson, more and more people were whispering and secretly discussing it in private.

Whether it was during the autumn hunt or around the campfire at night, the position of the 'Crown Prince' was very obvious and secure.

Then I looked at the Prince Yong and the other princes, and sighed, they were no match for me.

Yinreng remained calm about his father keeping Hongyao by his side instead of him, as he had never seen his father compete with his son for the emperor's favor.

He had plenty of free time to frolic with his Crown Princess, but he didn't say a word about his son's bravery in shooting down a bear. Only his three chubby sons clung to his eldest son, constantly saying things like "Brother is awesome."

Then they stuck to their older brother's side, and no one wanted to get involved in the power struggle between the three brothers who were obsessed with one younger brother.

Yinreng was having a great time. With his father around, he didn't have to worry about government affairs. At most, his father would assign him tasks. But... when he was out having fun, he didn't need to worry about that at all.

Thus, Jialuo and Yinreng spent another half a month on their wonderful honeymoon.

After returning to Beijing, Yinreng no longer liked being cooped up in the Forbidden City. It was almost winter, and he needed to patrol many areas on his own.

"Father, the Qing Dynasty under your rule is thriving, and the lives of the people are getting better and better. But all of this is just a description in the memorials. As the Crown Prince, I do not have a real understanding of the lives of the people in the Qing Dynasty. I want to take a look at the Qing Dynasty for you. Also, there are now many corrupt officials. I will take this opportunity to clean them up for you!"

Yinreng said, "I can do it, let me go."

But how could Kangxi, who already understood Yinreng's true intentions, let him run away? "No, stay in the capital. There are still many government affairs that need your attention."

"Now that you know you are the crown prince, don't be lazy." Kangxi decided that Yinreng would be in charge of many things during this period.

As the heir to the Qing Dynasty, how could he even think of running away? How utterly useless!

"Come here and help me deal with this wave of memorials." Kangxi had some ideas in mind, and naturally he would not let Yinreng leave so easily. Moreover, if he wanted to take power from him, he should have the ability to protect the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Kangxi's favoritism towards Yinreng was evident to everyone in the family, from relatives to officials, for some time afterward... Was the Crown Prince beginning to be neglected and criticized? Why was the Emperor always scolding the Crown Prince?

"I told you, you can't judge things by appearances alone. Here and here, didn't you see clearly? What does the map show?"

"That's not how you investigate a case. Also, what are the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice for? Do you need to do it yourself?"

"You, as the crown prince, have no shame in competing with the people for profit?"

"Yinreng, you brat, look what you've done!"

The repeated reprimands seemed to stem from dissatisfaction with the handling of each memorial, yet the reprimands did not alter his red-inked writing.

The memorial was sent out directly, seemingly indicating tacit approval of Yinreng's handling of the matter.

This gave the officials even more to think about: Was the Emperor satisfied with His Highness the Crown Prince as the heir apparent, or not?

Soetu, who was not in the court, was the most worried, because the future of the Hesheli people depended on His Highness the Crown Prince. No matter which prince ascended the throne, no one would feel at ease with the Hesheli people.

As for Prince Hongyao... well, that's Hesheli's future, but if His Highness the Crown Prince cannot ascend the throne, the Emperor will absolutely not hand it over to his young grandson.

The emperor did not want to repeat the tragedy of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Yunwen. Among the many princes, he really did not think that whoever ascended the throne would treat Hesheli well.

That's damn good.

Anxious, they sent a messenger to the palace to inquire what had happened to His Highness the Crown Prince, whether he had offended the Emperor, and if there was anything they could do to help.

Yinreng simply felt that... his father was unhappy with his request to leave the capital. Honestly, his father was so petty. How long had it been? If he didn't want to approve it, he shouldn't have.

He's so busy right now that he can barely get to see the Crown Princess, let alone connect with her. He also has to soothe the worries of the Crown Princess and his sons.

Sigh, I'm so tired.

Exhausted and having struggled to finish today's tasks, Yinreng went straight to bed in the front courtyard, knowing he would have to get up early the next day to work for his father.

Furthermore, why does the Emperor not show any signs of fatigue when handling these matters on a daily basis? On the contrary, he is still able to run around everywhere and visit the concubines every night.

Could it be...?

Is his physique really not as strong as his father's? Impossible. His father is so old, and he is still so young. Why would his energy be inferior to his father's?

Remembering the tonics that his father had sent by the imperial physician, Yinreng thought about it and concluded that it must be for this reason, otherwise he could not be inferior to his father.

So, before going to sleep, he specifically instructed the servants around him, "Tomorrow, cook for me... those tonics that Father Emperor sent before."

"Don't let this get out." Yinreng didn't want others to know that he was secretly taking supplements, as it seemed a little...shameful.

"Yes, Your Highness."

However, Yinreng did not want others to know, but little did he know that some things cannot be hidden. For example, who would dare to truly conceal the fact that His Highness the Crown Prince's health seemed to be in poor condition?

For example, Emperor Kangxi found out very quickly.

Fearing that he would outlive his son, the emperor even summoned the imperial physician to check the prince's pulse... Well, it's best to summon the prince.

Yuqing Palace is different from his Qianqing Palace. At least his Qianqing Palace doesn't have so many gossipy people who dare to spread even the Crown Prince's words everywhere.

But Kangxi forgot that it was his order to send word about the Crown Prince.

When Yinreng saw several imperial physicians waiting for him in his father’s Qianqing Palace, he understood from their unspoken words that it was all because of those tonics… ugh, it was all his father’s fault.

Why would you think of him so much? When did he ever seem to be incapacitated?

After taking his pulse, the imperial physicians all diagnosed him with a variety of problems, including fatigue, weakness, and the need for tonics, all of which indicated that... Yinreng's health was only so-so.

Emperor Kangxi: No wonder Yinreng died less than two years after my death. Sigh, he needs to take better care of his health.

Yinreng: Father Emperor, don't you see how busy I've been lately? I'm sleeping later than a dog and waking up earlier than a rooster...

Emperor Kangxi said, "I won't listen, I won't listen. It must be that Bao Cheng's health is not good. Imperial Physician, quickly give Bao Cheng more tonics."

Fortunately, Bao Cheng already has four sons, all chosen by the Crown Princess; otherwise, I would really be worried…

Yes, Hongyao is also very good. He is not much worse than Baocheng back then. I will be much more at ease once Hongyao is trained.

Crown Princess, bestow a reward.

When Jialuo, who was helping three chubby babies with their early education in Yuqing Palace, received a reward from Emperor Kangxi, she was completely bewildered. Oh, I heard it was because of her meritorious management of the harem.

Um... although this excuse feels a bit strange, I'm still quite happy.

I'll accept any reward you send!

And so a winter passed. It was a cold winter, and without Yinreng as a warm heater to sleep with at night, my toes felt a little cold. So, I picked up the other three little heaters.

Her chubby little one is so sweet and cuddly, she immediately abandoned that stiff man. My darlings, Mommy loves you!

Because the Crown Prince was constantly being scolded by the Emperor, the officials below him were filled with anxiety, and the Eighth Prince's ambition grew even more rapidly.

What angered Lao Ba was that, apart from himself, it seemed that Lao Si and Lao Wu didn't have the same idea.

The Eighth Prince is ambitious, but he lacks the ability. The court officials are... oh, no, there are a few who have pledged allegiance to him.

After all, there are far too many people following His Highness the Crown Prince, and he is a legitimate heir to the throne. The Crown Prince doesn't care about their help at all.

Some officials even felt that these people were just there to add to the glory, so many officials thought that it would be better to choose someone else to promote themselves, as this would bring them the greatest benefits.

However, this small number of people was far from enough to give Yinzhi the qualifications to contend with the Crown Prince.

The concubines one takes in... people only send money continuously if they see benefits, such as... giving birth to a son or being favored. Otherwise, no wealthy merchant would be willing to be a sucker.

The Eighth Prince's Consort and the two Secondary Consorts are also indispensable figures, so... they must be quite busy. I heard that even the Crown Prince is taking tonics? Only the Crown Princess is drinking tonics? Tch!

useless.

However, the only thing that troubled Yinzhi was that he had always favored his wife, and even when she had concubines, he had given her contraceptives, so it was very likely that she would not be able to conceive.

But why... now that everyone's been treated equally, is it still not possible for any of them to get pregnant?

Yinzhi refused to think about whose fault it was, since many of the concubines who had been sent there had also received some favors...

Those wealthy merchants' daughters still had ulterior motives behind the marriage alliances, but as for the concubine princess from before? She had already been forgotten.

Drinking too much contraceptive soup can harm your health.

But then there were the concubines and princesses...

While Yinzhi was stirring up trouble behind the scenes, he was also working hard to cultivate his own success. Without an heir, his father, the Emperor, would never hand over the throne to him.

As for the fourth prince, he went to Yuqing Palace to check on him, and Yinreng said that he was fine.

He also wrote a letter back to Suo'etu, instructing him that his father, the Emperor, was teaching Hesheli's next generation well, as the three young imperial grandsons were about to choose their own heirs.

Sure enough, as soon as they heard that the young prince wanted to choose the Haha Pearl, they immediately went to find the next generation of their own Hesheli family to find out who was more suitable.

Now, he doesn't even compare himself to Mingzhu anymore. Mingzhu is a defeated opponent, and he's not worthy of her.

He could not let the Fucha family outdo him. Ajiershan and the others had been spoiled by the Fujin, so the next generation of children had to be handed over to him, whether it was his eldest son... oh, his youngest son didn't have any children yet.

Then let the eldest brother's children come over. No, let him go and check each household. There are three little imperial grandsons, so they must occupy at least two seats.

Soetu was not stupid. He knew that His Highness the Crown Prince had no urgency whatsoever about his return to court, and he also roughly understood that the Emperor would not allow him to return to court.

He's not giving up. If he did, with just a few useless guys under him, it would be really hard to pull him up. Wouldn't Hesheli just sink into oblivion?

The fifth prince had no opinion about who would ascend to the throne, since his father would not choose him, much less the carefree ninth prince.

As long as I don't cause trouble, when the new emperor ascends the throne, in order to demonstrate his wisdom and magnanimity, my title might be promoted even further.

Thirteen and Fourteen... Thirteen has been worried about his two younger sisters recently. He knows that the Manchu-Mongol marriage alliance is a foregone conclusion, but there are exceptions. Didn't Consort De's fifth princess stay in the capital?

She even married into the Tong family, such a prestigious family, which shows that... Thirteen doesn't expect his younger sister to marry well, as long as she can stay in the capital, that's enough.

However, what he didn't expect was that before he could even begin to earn merit and plead with his father to keep his two younger sisters, his father issued an imperial decree to bestow a marriage upon him... a marriage to a distant land, Mongolia...

How could this be?

And before I could even make a move, Father Emperor sent my sister to marry a foreign prince to Mongolia?

Holding the imperial edict, the Thirteenth Prince's eyes were red. Wei Zhu, who came to deliver the edict, saw the Thirteenth Prince's expression and roughly knew what he was thinking. She reminded him, "Thirteenth Prince, the Emperor said that you are allowed to attend the wedding. You must pull yourself together. The two princesses still need your help as their brother..."

The worst fear is that the Thirteenth Prince might lose his temper and confront the Emperor at the Qianqing Palace. If the Emperor is in a bad mood, it would affect the servants who serve him.

Hearing Wei Zhu's words, the Thirteenth Prince bit his lower lip. At this moment, he didn't know who he could rely on; he could only rely on himself...

So, holding the imperial edict, he managed to squeeze out two sentences: "Yes, thank you for your grace."

The Thirteenth Prince knew that he no longer had a mother, and even if he did, she would not be as favored as Consort De was back then, and it would be impossible for him to persuade his father to keep both of his sisters in the capital.

He was still thinking that his sisters were too young to rush things, and that he would wait until he had rendered meritorious service before speaking to the Emperor.

But who knew that even after the imperial decree for marriage was issued, it didn't mean she would get married immediately. She still had to build a princess's residence, prepare this and that, and choose an auspicious day, giving the thirteenth princess a long time to prepare.

But looking at his two delicate younger sisters, Thirteen became worried again. What should he do? If they went to a Mongolian tribe, a place where they knew no one, how would his sisters survive?

After thinking it over, I still don't know who I can turn to.

After much deliberation, among the many concubines and sisters-in-law in the harem, Thirteenth Prince chose the Crown Princess as his advisor.

There was no way around it; with his elder brother not home, it was inevitable that he, as the younger brother-in-law, would attract some gossip if he went to his sister-in-law's house.

Choosing between the Crown Princess, Fifth Sister-in-law, and Eighth Sister-in-law, Fifth Sister-in-law has always been disliked by Fifth Brother, and Eighth Sister-in-law has always looked down on him, so there is only one candidate.

As for the concubines in the harem... As an imperial prince, why do I spend all my time running around the harem? Do I think my imperial father isn't satisfied with me enough?

Of course, when seeking out the Crown Princess, it wasn't done directly, but rather through the Crown Prince's second brother, who would then ask for her advice and help.

Yinreng was also aware of the long-standing practice of intermarriage between the Manchus and Mongols, and that many princesses from the Mongol tribes had married into the royal family or become wives or concubines.

For example, the concubine of the third prince and the wife of the tenth prince both came from Mongolian tribes.

Moreover, the wives of the Mongol tribes still held power, and as long as they were capable, like the Fourth Princess, they did a very good job.

“Alright.” Yinreng did not take on the matter directly, but first consulted the Crown Princess and, after obtaining her consent, let Thirteenth Prince speak to the Crown Princess himself.

Yuqing Palace, upon hearing that the Thirteenth Prince had arrived and had important matters to discuss with her, was filled with doubt. What could she possibly have to say to the Thirteenth Prince?

I haven't had much contact with it.

Then, upon arriving at the front courtyard, I learned... Oh, the Emperor has decreed a marriage? The two princesses are to marry into Mongolia? When? So why did you come to me?

“Teaching my two younger sisters? Of course, that’s no problem. But, Thirteenth Brother, what do you want Second Sister-in-law to teach them?” Jia Luo asked, somewhat puzzled after learning of Thirteenth Brother’s purpose.

【I'm just a woman who only knows how to eat and drink, at most I play cards and mahjong, I can't even ride a horse or shoot an arrow, how could I possibly teach a princess?】

I've heard that Qing Dynasty princesses also held power, but based on my understanding of the princesses, they were all gentle and weak, only good at playing the zither and embroidery.

"I don't know how either. Shouldn't the Crown Prince and the others teach them? It's such a waste for them to become just a pretty face after a marriage alliance. Wouldn't it be better to teach them how to wield power?"

[Wouldn't that mean every emperor wouldn't have to arrange marriages with Mongolians? If a Qing princess could hold power, wouldn't it be possible to bring Mongolia into the Qing territory soon?]

[That's not right either. Modern Mongolia is also part of the Qing Dynasty's territory, just a subordinate one?]

Jialuo's thoughts were in turmoil, but a faint smile remained elegantly on her face, and only Yinreng could hear her inner thoughts.

He raised an eyebrow at her but didn't speak, letting Thirteen persuade the Crown Princess.

However, what the Crown Princess said did make a little sense. It would be better to let the Qing princess take power than to let the Mongol princes manage the tribes. After all, no matter what, the Qing princess would be biased towards the Qing.

Even a slight bias can lead to a great victory.

He glanced at the Crown Princess, and after Thirteen left, he went to find his father, the Emperor, and brought up the matter.

But what should the princesses learn? The Zizhi Tongjian? And needlework, music, chess, calligraphy, painting... forget about those. At least they should learn how to ride a horse and whip, right?

I heard from Thirteen that my two younger sisters are rather delicate and shy. How can that be? If they marry into Mongolian families, won't they be bullied to death?

Previously, Yinreng had not had much contact with the princesses in the harem, and he was also very busy with his own affairs, so he paid even less attention to this issue.

As for the Manchu-Mongol marriage alliance, that was naturally left to the Emperor to handle. If I were to interfere, the Emperor would be wary of whether I was trying to win over the Mongol forces.

Now that his thirteenth brother had come to him for help, Yinreng suddenly remembered, oh... there are still some corners of the Qing Dynasty, many things he had overlooked, and he had a long way to go.

"Don't worry, Thirteenth Brother, I'll help you if I can. However, I think the most important thing for the two princesses right now isn't learning to read and write or doing needlework. Perhaps they should learn to ride horses? Otherwise, it wouldn't be good if they had nothing in common to talk about after their wedding to the Mongolian prince..."

Jialuo thought for a moment before speaking slowly. She could do it and would try her best, but, "If your two younger sisters are not willing, don't blame your second sister-in-law for not helping you later."

Let me make this clear from the start, so that your sister's disobedience or unhappiness doesn't affect the brotherly bond between you and His Highness.

Yinreng glanced at Thirteen. If this matter were to affect their brotherhood... he still had more than a dozen brothers.

"Don't worry, Second Sister-in-law, Yihe and the others will definitely listen to you." In Thirteen's opinion, the Crown Princess was very successful, whether in dealing with the harem or Yuqing Palace, her methods were definitely not a problem.

If his second brother, the Crown Prince, loves her so much and has given birth to four legitimate sons, he could rest easy if his two younger sisters were just as outstanding.

Yinreng: That's because I have the ability to recognize heroes. How could others appreciate the goodness of the Crown Princess?

After receiving the Crown Princess's approval, Thirteen went to the West Third Palace to visit his two younger sisters.

Tell them that you have asked the Crown Princess for help and that you should listen to her.

Also, he could personally send his sister to Mongolia. He had to keep the servants and maids in check, suppress that kid from the Mongolian tribe, and treat his sister well.

Yihe looked at her caring brother and nodded obediently. She was indeed a bit delicate. Occasionally, when she spoke to Thirteen, she would turn her head to look at her wet nurse, as if she wanted to get the wet nurse's approval.

However, Thirteen didn't notice this; he simply reminded them to be obedient, that the Crown Princess was a very good and excellent person, and to learn from her.

In addition, he also had to keep an eye on those lackeys in the Imperial Household Department. If they dared to embezzle from him, an unfavored prince, they would certainly dare to embezzle from his sister's dowry.

If they dare, he will kneel before the Qianqing Palace, even if he dies kneeling, and demand that his father, the Emperor, investigate and deal with the matter.

Yinxiang came and went in a hurry.

Jialuo, who was asked to do so, took two gifts that afternoon to visit Thirteen's two younger sisters, the two princesses who were about to get married.

I was a little surprised when I saw the two... somewhat thin little girls. Were they royal princesses? Why did they look so timid?

Are you sure you can send them for a marriage alliance, or are you just sending vegetables?

Even though Jialuo wasn't entirely clear on the Qing Dynasty's regulations regarding marriage alliances with Mongolia, hadn't the Han and Song dynasties also practiced such alliances since ancient times? Sending a delicate and timid princess to a Mongolian tribe—what kind of place was that? At the very least, women with straightforward personalities were adept at riding horses, shooting arrows, and whipping... they were skilled in everything.

Perhaps many men may like delicate and timid women, but if the wife is weak and unable to handle things, she will definitely be overshadowed by others.

"First of all, starting tomorrow, you have to eat your fill at every meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner." Jia Luo suspected that she was so thin because she wasn't getting enough to eat, or that her food was being skimped on.

As Jialuo finished speaking, the two princesses looked up weakly in the direction of the wet nurse, as if seeking her opinion.

Jialuo noticed this and frowned slightly. "You are princesses. Does anyone dare to let you go hungry?"

How can a child develop if they don't get enough to eat? Like a tiny sprout, Jialuo truly feels that many aspects of her development need to be addressed.

"This old servant wouldn't dare." Upon hearing Jia Luo's words, the wet nurse beside her was so frightened that she immediately knelt down. "The princess is used to eating two meals a day, but she is not used to it. I hope the Crown Princess will forgive her and not blame the princess."

Instead of scolding the two princesses in front of them, Jialuo began their lessons, starting with... learning to ride horses.

Horse riding can build courage, like the two princesses did... It also expends energy, and the more you expend, the more you eat, gradually increasing your physique and weight, and making you healthier.

horse riding?

Neither of them expected that this was what the Crown Princess wanted them to learn first.

The Crown Princess was deeply favored by the Crown Prince and stood out from the crowd. She managed the harem in an orderly manner and also oversaw Yuqing Palace. There was never any news of any mishaps.

It's clear that the Crown Princess is quite capable. They all thought that the Crown Princess was either teaching them how to win a man's favor or how to manage the household affairs...

But why is it this?

Why didn't Jialuo think of this? But with their current personalities, they can't learn anything, let alone manage the inner palace. They're so easily manipulated by servants that they're not very useful.

You have to toughen yourself up.

On the other side, Yinreng also went to the Qianqing Palace and discussed this issue with Kangxi. He said that the princesses of the Qing Dynasty should not be sent there as hostages or disposed of like garbage. Since the princesses of the Qing Dynasty were given the right to hold power, they should be given the ability to do so.

Otherwise, if they are feared by the Mongol tribes but lack the ability to achieve their goals, they will only end up miserable and dejected.

Kangxi listened to Yinreng's words but did not respond at the time. He simply nodded and then went on to discuss other state affairs. However, after Yinreng left, Kangxi thought for a moment and decided to go and see his Aisin Gioro princesses.

Emperor Kangxi was, in fact, a man who grew up in a feudal society and received a feudal education. Naturally, he also had strong patriarchal ideas.

For example... which of the concubines sitting in high positions, except for those from the Tong family, didn't have sons?

Of course, this does not include the daughters of officials who needed to be won over in the early stages of assuming power and suppressing the Three Feudatories; those were called selling themselves for the country!

In terms of educating princesses, the emperor generally does not interfere. In the past, the education was conducted by nannies appointed by the Empress Dowager. Now, the education curriculum is still the same as before. Once they are grown up, they are sent to marry foreign rulers.

The fifth princess, Rongxian, was raised under the Empress Dowager's care, so he gave face to the Empress Dowager, not to Consort De. Consort De was not that important to him.

However, upon arriving at the West Third Palace, seeing the slender figures of the princesses and their somewhat delicate and timid appearance, Kangxi couldn't help but recall what Yinreng had told him.

Is a princess like this, sent for a political marriage, merely a decorative vase on display?

Since they are qualified to hold power, why not give them the ability? Once their own princesses are in power, they will surely be close to the Qing Dynasty, rather than following Galdan's example and colluding with Tsarist Russia to cause trouble.

The courses that Jialuo had just set up, well... the courses that were to be implemented first, were taken over by Kangxi before they even started.

Jialuo did not want to compete with the Emperor for the right to educate the princesses. Instead, she asked Thirteen to investigate why so many princesses who were married off to Mongolian tribes died young, and whether there was any accident involved.

This is Thirteen's own sister, not my own. If you don't care about her, why should I care?

Jialuo felt that she had already done more than enough by giving him this advice.

Sigh, another task successfully completed. Today was another busy and fulfilling day...

After the New Year, I heard that the Emperor was quite furious about something recently. The wet nurse by the princess's side was manipulating the princess, causing discord between the princess and her husband, and even leading to the princess's early death without children.

The princess's palace he had built, which should have been a source of confidence for the princess, instead became a constraint on her.

He was angry that these lackeys dared to bully their master, and he was also angry that the princesses had no ability to control their servants.

If you can't even manage your servants, how can you possibly govern a Mongol tribe?

Utterly useless!

No matter how angry she was, they were still of royal blood. Kangxi raged and purged a group of princesses, including those who had already married out and those who hadn't died young... He recalled them to the capital to be with their sons-in-law.

Then send people to the various princesses' residences to purge those audacious lackeys. This world will belong to the Aisin Gioro clan.

Kangxi was somewhat suspicious. If these servants dared to bully the princess, would they dare to climb over the emperor and act arrogantly?

Emperor Kangxi was ruthless, but the teachers who educated the princesses were all outstanding. How could they dare not teach them? The royal family's sword was not rusty!

After a large-scale purge, the matter caused quite a stir, especially among the concubines who had princesses, who were all extremely worried.

Whoever gave birth to her daughter, she will care for and worry about her.

Jialuo was relieved and didn't interfere. The key was that her own child was going to the Prince's Academy for his enlightenment, and she was extremely reluctant to part with him.

Waaaaah...

With her son not around, who will she play with and have fun with? Yinreng is so busy right now; it's difficult for him to even come over to talk about their marital relationship, let alone take her out to play…

So, half a month later, the Crown Princess invited the Fifth Prince's wife, the Ninth Prince's wife, and the Tenth Prince's wife over to play mahjong together!

A little gambling is harmless, but excessive gambling is harmful. Jialuo and the other wives would just casually take a tael or two as a wager to get by.

However, since the Fifth Prince's wife had to take care of the children, she later brought along the Seventh Prince's wife as well. Since everyone was free from childcare, they could chat and play without so much worry.

Merchant ships returned as late April and early May approached.

Upon hearing this news, everyone in the palace became tense, mainly trying to find out... whether all the princes had returned safely.

It's not that I don't care about wealth and status, but the safety of my own children is the most important thing.

Knowing that all the princes had returned safely, they all breathed a sigh of relief. However, Kangxi was furious whenever he thought about how they had 'run away from home' to go to the Western Ocean.

He started getting angry again, and waited until the princes returned. Looking at his sons, who were also dark-skinned, this time including the eldest, third, seventh, and twelfth princes... he felt he couldn't bear to look at them.

This scene truly left Emperor Kangxi speechless, but... speechless as he was, he still had to scold him; he had to vent the anger he had been holding in for a year.

Kneeling in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace, listening to their father's reprimands, a sound they could never hear while sailing at sea, and something they longed for.

With his head bowed, listening to his father's 'teachings,' he was filled with emotion and nostalgia, which caused Kangxi, who had been cursing, to gradually stop speaking.

He was worried that his sons wouldn't come back.

But seeing them return, and having let go of those regrets and worries, my previous anger and resentment returned...

"Alright, go down, go see your mother." Kangxi waved his hand. It was good that the children were back safely. Let them... right, let them not run around. He pursed his lips and looked at their faces. "You look just like Kunlun slaves now. Take the pearl powder back with you, and come back after you've turned white."

You must not get too close to the Crown Prince. It's one thing to corrupt Yinti and the others, but don't let him corrupt Baocheng as well.

Looking at the ninth and tenth brothers... In fact, one had to look closely, otherwise, one could only distinguish who was who by listening to their voices.

"Ninth Brother, Tenth Brother, especially you two, you're as dark as charcoal. Go back now." He told Liang Jiugong to go find pearl powder. Oh... if there was no pearl powder, he'd just send pearls over. He'd heard that pearls were the best for whitening.

"Yes, Father Emperor, I take my leave." It's been a long time since I've been back, so I really should go visit my mother and pay my respects to my maternal grandmother.

When Yinreng learned that his younger brothers had returned, he planned to take his fourth and fifth brothers, as well as the rest of his brothers, to visit them. However, he ended up having his father take him around every day.

No, Father Emperor, I am also very busy and need to socialize. So please don't keep me on your mind all the time.

"Father, I have made an appointment with my elder brother and the others to go to the Prince Zhi's residence tomorrow to celebrate their safe return." Yinreng finally managed to suppress his temper and asked Kangxi for leave.

Emperor Kangxi, who wanted to keep his son occupied with state affairs, thought: This doesn't seem to work. Even if he's busy during the day, he'll always have some free time to come out at night.

"Hmm." Kangxi said calmly, as if his recent busyness was just a normal phenomenon, all because major events were happening in the country, and this was his way of teaching you.

Then, Kangxi saw that his beloved son was running out of the palace almost every day, either looking for the eldest son, the ninth son, or the tenth son.

Emperor Kangxi was terrified. Could Bao Cheng be...?

A few days later, the Yellow River breached its banks. An urgent message was sent from 800 li away. In the imperial court, His Highness the Crown Prince stepped forward immediately and said, "Your subject is willing to go to provide disaster relief."

As the crown prince, having enjoyed the privileges of a crown prince, he should also bear the obligations of a crown prince.

no……

Fortunately, Kangxi still had his senses and didn't blurt out these words. Instead, he looked at the fourth prince and said, "Prince Yong, I'm leaving this matter to you."

The fourth brother is a meticulous and straightforward person, so he trusts the disaster relief work to be handled by him.

Furthermore, since the fourth prince was a member of the crown prince's faction, Kangxi did not grant the crown prince's request to leave the capital.

But to others, does this mean the Emperor is... starting to dislike the Crown Prince?

Adding to the recent scolding, it seems they really... dislike the Crown Prince? Coincidentally, all the princes are here right now. I wonder if Prince Zhi and the others still have the desire to ascend the throne?

No, it definitely exists; anyone who says it doesn't is lying.

The officials didn't believe that all of the emperor's children were truly willing. For example, when they were fighting for the family fortune, they had to put in their best effort. What did it matter if the sons were legitimate or illegitimate? The capable should rise.

As a result, Kangxi noticed that recently all the officials had their own agendas, and the atmosphere was somewhat tense.

Upon inquiring, it was discovered that... it turned out that these officials had misinterpreted the emperor's intentions once again.

What a bunch of useless fools! What's wrong with the Crown Prince? Who do they want to choose? The eldest? The third? The fourth? Or the eighth?

Because of this worry, Kangxi recently had a desolate dream in which the Crown Prince was forced by the officials and himself to abandon his wife, children and elderly father and sail to the Western Ocean alone with his soldiers and guards.

Startled, Emperor Kangxi awoke and immediately asked Liang Jiugong, "Where is the Crown Prince?"

Liang Jiugong was completely bewildered. It was the middle of the night... "Your Majesty, His Highness the Crown Prince is naturally in Yuqing Palace."

"Oh." Kangxi realized that it was just a false alarm from a dream.

Whether he was frightened or not, he not only dreamed that Yinreng abandoned his old father on his voyage to the West, but also dreamed that Yinreng was imprisoned in Xian'an Palace.

He was once full of vigor (referring to the current crown prince), but now he can only sit in the dirty and desolate ruined palace, sitting on the threshold, looking up at the wild geese flying south, and he has become decadent and old.

The desolate Xian'an Palace, devoid of any lights, appears dim and damp. The camera slowly zooms out, revealing the desolate and sorrowful despair of the figures in the background.

A soft murmur: Father Emperor.

In his sleep, a tear unconsciously slid down the corner of Kangxi's eye, and for some reason, he suddenly felt a pain in his heart.

When he was startled awake again, Kangxi looked somewhat dazed. He knew that the dream had been influenced by the Guarjia clan.

He learned about the history of development, and the thought of Bao Cheng becoming the person he dreamed of filled him with a bittersweet feeling. His Bao Cheng was spirited, ambitious, and a man of outstanding talent...

I recalled Bao Cheng when he was a child. Back then, Bao Cheng was fair-skinned and tender like a dumpling, and he loved to stick close to me. Even when he slept at night, he had to sleep with his father.

Sitting alone on the threshold was Bao Cheng, a man of great wealth and honor. No one was serving him, and his face, worn and aged, was devoid of life.

How could he bear to do that!

How could he bear to part with it...?

Emperor Kangxi still dotes on his son Baocheng. He has cherished and pampered the child since he was a child, and he is heartbroken that the child has such a future.

His nightmare was not told, and no one knew what had happened; they only knew…

"Second Prince, why do I feel like Father is acting strange?" Yinti leaned closer to the Crown Prince. Ever since he had sailed and seen the sea, he had come to know what vastness truly meant.

Competing with the Crown Prince for the throne? No interest. He's a man destined to conquer the sea.

Moreover, the more you see, the more you realize how narrow-minded you were before.

"It's... disgusting..." Looking at Yinreng with that sickeningly sweet and affectionate gaze, Yinti felt goosebumps all over his body.

Yinreng: Eldest son, there's a reason why you always get beaten by Father.

Besides the eldest son, many others also noticed. Could it be... that the Emperor has gone mad? Has something gone wrong with his mind?

"I think, has Father Emperor been driven mad by us?" The third son also felt that Father Emperor had lost his mind, and a large part of the reason was due to them.

“Be nicer to Father Emperor, you wish to support him… cough cough, what if something really happens…” Yin’e nodded, but swallowed his words halfway through and choked. Wasn’t that cursing Father Emperor? If Father Emperor found out, he would definitely give him twenty lashes again.

Because of the discussion among the princes, the other princes also frowned. Could it be... that Father Emperor is really failing?

But looking at the Emperor's complexion, it was quite... rosy, quite good, quite healthy, not like he was about to pass away.

However, it's unclear whether he appears healthy or not; what if his health is actually failing?

In the days that followed, Kangxi noticed why they had suddenly become so filial.

They were all very obedient and filial, and no longer annoying. Kangxi immediately thought of the events before the eldest sons went to sea at the beginning of last year. Weren't they just like that?

She's very filial, obedient, and well-behaved, always showing concern and care for others.

Going out to sea again? Why? This time it's all of you... including Baocheng, Lao Si... no, are you all going to run away? What is it about that wretched place called the Western Barbarian Lands that attracts you?

The more obedient, filial, and sensible they were, the more worried Kangxi became.

The more worried Kangxi became, the uglier his expression grew. He had several dreams that night in which all his sons had run away, leaving him, an old man, all alone in the Forbidden City.

The more grim Kangxi's expression became, the more his sons felt that their father's time was drawing near.

Sometimes, when they looked at Emperor Kangxi, tears would well up in their eyes. They had never thought about being filial to their father, the Emperor.

In Kangxi's view, the occasional tears they shed when looking at him made him wonder if they truly wanted to leave. Were they saying goodbye to him?

Fearing he would think they left in January and were stopped, they deliberately set sail in July or August this time.

Thinking of this, Emperor Kangxi frowned and had nightmares for more than half a month.

Power is important, but... isn't a son important? Isn't the future of the Qing Dynasty important?

He could probably foresee what the future would hold if he handed the throne to Bao Cheng or the fourth prince. He chose the fourth prince because his later reign required a ruthless emperor to take the throne and fill the gaps he had left behind...

But the fourth prince, without proper imperial education, can he do better than Bao Cheng?

In Kangxi's heart, no son could compare to his Baocheng.

The emperor's expression turned grim, and the imperial relatives and officials began to speculate whether the emperor was about to die.

Thinking back to how the late emperor and Emperor Taizong also passed away at around the same age, it seems that the crown prince's position is more secure now.

But the imperial relatives were unwilling, and the crown prince refused to befriend, approach, or win them over. He wanted to find a better 'puppet' and restore the days when the banner chiefs of the Eight Banners held great power.

Beneath the turbulent undercurrents, the capital city possesses a calm before the storm.

How could Kangxi not know? Looking at the princes who yearned for the Western coasts, and the crown prince who wanted to set foot in every part of the Qing Dynasty…

After the Mid-Autumn Festival in August, a piece of news suddenly broke out in the court of Emperor Kangxi.

There seemed to be nothing of great importance to discuss at the morning court session, and everyone was hoping to leave early.

However, the emperor sat there, and no one presented any reports on state affairs, yet he did not call for the court to adjourn.

Everyone knew that the Emperor had something to announce.

As expected, after a moment of silence, Liang Jiugong, the chief eunuch attending to the emperor, stepped forward with the imperial edict and loudly read it aloud:

I have reigned for forty years, and the realm is at peace. The people live in tranquility, all nations submit, the government is efficient and efficient, and the relationship between ruler and subject is harmonious. My virtue is comparable to that of the ancient sages, and my achievements are beyond the reach of future generations. The Crown Prince, Aisin-Gioro Yinreng, is of noble character, much like myself; his will is unyielding, and no great temptation can sway his heart. I intend to abdicate the throne to the Crown Prince, Aisin-Gioro Yinreng. [Source: Baidu]

Upon the issuance of this imperial edict, all the imperial relatives, officials, princes, and others knelt down, especially Crown Prince Yinreng.

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!" Yinreng hadn't expected things to develop this way. His father abdicated? Impossible!

"Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider."

Officials and relatives all urged the emperor to reconsider. Was the emperor going to abdicate? Why hadn't there been any prior notice? They were all waiting for the emperor to pass away so they could put their preferred emperor on the throne.

Looking down at the various changes in their expressions, how could Kangxi not know what they were thinking?

"My ministers need not persuade me any further; my mind is made up!" Kangxi stood up with a cold face. "Court adjourned!"

After the court session ended, the person left behind was none other than the Minister of Rites.

"Lord Wang, please wait."

Wang Yan, the Minister of Rites, was in charge of court rites and sacrifices... But at this time, no princes were getting married, and there were no sacrifices to be performed.

The Emperor's abdication edict included a clause passing the throne to the Crown Prince... Could this be...?

Wang Yan, the Minister of Rites, was kept behind. When he was summoned in, he kept his head down and had some guesses in his mind.

"Wang Yan, prepare for the coronation ceremony. Crown Prince Yinreng will ascend the throne in one month. The auspicious date has been chosen." Kangxi instructed in a deep voice. He had pondered this decision for a long time, unsure if he could relinquish power.

but……

Besides power, he also wanted to protect his son, preserve the Qing Dynasty, and... see the sights he had never set foot in before.

His eyes were filled with determination. The reputation he and Bao Cheng would leave for posterity should be one of deep father-son affection, not one of father and son killing each other.

He, Aisin-Gioro Xuanye, was second to none among emperors in every respect!

(End of this chapter)