Chapter Sixty

Yinreng was momentarily stunned. The burning passion in his heart was extinguished, leaving him feeling icy cold. He wanted to ask why.

But, the moment reason returned, he knew he couldn't ask aloud. He could only look at the Crown Princess and ask in a calm tone with a hint of sadness, "Crown Princess, what do you think?"

"Why did Your Highness do this so suddenly?" Jialuo wasn't unwilling, but the pain she felt when giving birth to Hongyao was something she couldn't quite forget.

"I just think Hongyao is very good. If he had another child like me or the Crown Princess, he would surely be lovely and intelligent." Yinreng was still concerned about what the Crown Princess had just said, and his tone became indifferent.

What does it mean to have no love left?

What's wrong with me? How could I possibly stop loving you like this? Could it be that you've fallen for someone else? Impossible, there's no man in the world more outstanding than me.

Besides, the Crown Princess has always been in Yuqing Palace and has hardly any opportunity to leave the palace. Every time she leaves the palace, I accompany her. With me, this precious gem, in front of her, how could she possibly be interested in anyone else?

When I was feeling down, this thought kept swirling in my mind. After trying to convince myself, I realized... well, the Crown Princess must be talking nonsense.

"Hongyao is very cute, he is indeed lovable." Jialuo did not deny this at first, and praised her own chubby son a couple of times. But who can guarantee that the next child will be so lovable?

"With my guidance, Hongyao will not go astray." If you are worried about this, wouldn't I guide them? How could we let our child go astray?

"The Crown Princess is beautiful, so our children certainly won't be too ugly." If the concern is about appearance, there's even less to worry about; none of the royal offspring are ugly.

Indeed, even if they were ugly, after so many generations of refinement, the vast majority of the emperor's harem consisted of beauties.

“Of course.” Jialuo nodded. All the concubines she saw in the harem were quite beautiful, and the princes each had their own unique style of handsomeness. For example, her Hongyao was definitely the cutest and most handsome boy.

"Your Highness, do you not think my appearance is above average?" Yinreng's cool voice rose slightly. He knew what the Crown Princess liked most about him.

Although he didn't understand what "ascetic" meant, he knew which expression he had that would most captivate the Crown Princess.

Her perfect profile and captivating, upturned voice definitely appeal to Jia Luo.

With just one glance, Jialuo's heart began to waver again.

[Does the Crown Prince think he can fool me with just his good looks?]

Yes, that's right, I could actually fall for it.

[If it were another adorable and sweet baby like Hongyao, I could accept it.]

[But childbirth is so painful! Yinreng doesn't know how to cherish his wife at all. If he were a poor commoner, he would never be able to find a wife!]

When Yinreng heard that Jialuo had been seduced by him, he felt a little smug, but he never thought about how unsuccessful it was for a man to try to seduce his wife with his beauty.

All he knew was, "See? I knew it all along. My wife is just saying one thing and meaning another. How could she not love me?"

However, the question of how painful childbirth was was something that Yinreng couldn't quite grasp. If he were standing in front of the delivery room and listening to the agonizing screams of the women inside, he could indeed feel how suffocating the pain was.

But men haven't personally experienced this kind of thing, so no matter how much they empathize, it's all fake. For example, right now, he almost forgot the pain the Crown Princess went through when she gave birth.

He saw more of the First Consort giving birth to one child after another, and that none of the concubines in the harem were unwilling to have children; they were all hoping for the Emperor's favor.

Yinreng ultimately did not mention the follow-up to this matter. He only held Jialuo in his arms while sleeping at night, pondering with distress how to make childbirth painless.

The Crown Princess is so delicate, she must have cried from the pain.

So, during the Lunar New Year, the imperial physician was summoned to Yuqing Palace again, where the two secretly discussed matters in the study.

At first, the Crown Prince was so mysterious, and he even dismissed all the servants. The imperial physician thought that he had some mysterious and unspeakable illness that he needed to treat himself.

Then, the Crown Prince asked a question that left the imperial physician completely bewildered: "Huh? How can childbirth be made less painful for the woman?"

“Your Highness, childbirth is a woman’s duty. Childbirth has always been a perilous ordeal, not to mention the pain. Not only me, but no one in the entire Imperial Medical Academy has ever studied this issue.”

As a royal physician, one serves the royal family, and most importantly, the emperor.

For concubines in the imperial harem, it was already a great fortune to gain the emperor's favor and conceive a child. How could they dare to complain about the pain of giving birth to the emperor's offspring? On the contrary, they would feel smug, thinking that some people wanted to experience that pain but didn't even have the chance.

Besides, if the emperor found out about this, he might think that she was unwilling to produce heirs for the royal family.

Moreover, the imperial physicians never studied these matters concerning women's natural rights. Firstly, it was unnecessary and would only invite ridicule, and secondly, there was simply no subject for their research.

Other people's wives and concubines are pregnant and about to give birth, so it's impossible for them to let them study the situation. But when one's own wife and concubines are about to die during childbirth, who wouldn't hope that their child will be born safely and healthily?

Upon hearing the imperial physician's words, His Highness the Crown Prince frowned in distress. "Is there really no way at all? Why don't you do some research? If you could find a solution for such a serious problem, all the women in the world would erect a monument to your merit."

No, no, no, that won't happen. My colleagues will only laugh at me and speculate with even greater malice about what I did to those pregnant women.

"No, regular painkillers will do, don't we have those?" His Highness the Crown Prince didn't understand why research on women's pain during childbirth had to be conducted at certain times.

Painkillers, like the painkillers some people use for cuts on their hands, won't work either.

This reminded the imperial physician, who looked distressed. "Your Highness, there are pain relievers, but they are not suitable for women who have given birth."

“Mafeisan can relieve pain, but it also promotes blood circulation. If women who have just given birth use it, it can easily lead to severe bleeding.”

"Acupuncture relieves pain by stimulating and warming acupoints, thereby clearing the meridians and promoting blood circulation..." (Source: Sogou data)

How could the imperial physicians not know about painkillers? But they also need to consider which patients they are suitable for. His Highness the Crown Prince is really putting people in a difficult position.

His Highness the Crown Prince remained silent. Should he send the imperial physician to investigate? The physician refused, even arguing that it was immoral. The Crown Prince was so angry he wanted to hit him.

How is it indecent to ask you to research painkillers that don't improve blood circulation?

A stubborn, inflexible old man.

However, Yinreng also knew why: Physician Chen was so old and had a great reputation, and he didn't want him to become infamous before he got old.

Hmm... it's about protecting one's reputation.

If he's so picky, he might as well find some young imperial physicians who aren't very famous but are willing to work hard.

"Imperial Physician Chen, as a renowned expert in obstetrics and gynecology, how come you have no fighting spirit at all? Why don't you learn from Imperial Physician Qin? I heard he's been researching smallpox treatment lately, working day and night!" Yinreng was about to tell Imperial Physician Chen to get involved too.

Unfortunately, Physician Chen didn't take it to heart. How could they compare? Physician Qin's research on smallpox benefited the country and its people, earning him a place in history.

Furthermore, don't call me a master of obstetrics and gynecology. I'm only good at taking the pulse to determine whether it's a boy or a girl. With just this skill, I can enjoy endless glory in the harem.

Physician Chen did not intend to listen to His Highness the Crown Prince and stated that he was powerless to help in this matter.

What could the Crown Prince do? He could only send Physician Chen away. But before leaving, he still gave him a few instructions not to tell anyone about this. He didn't go to see off that useless old man, Physician Chen, and pondered who in the Imperial Hospital would be more suitable.

He refused to believe that no one, except himself, was worried about production issues.

Before leaving, Physician Chen reminded him, "Your Highness, compared to the pain of childbirth, people probably hope to give birth safely."

Yinreng frowned at this. Could it be that it's impossible to be both safe and pain-relieving at the same time?

However, I also know that this is a bit difficult. If it were that easy, why has no one succeeded in thousands of years?

After seeing off Physician Chen, they found another young Physician Ma. When Physician Ma heard the Crown Prince's instructions, he had a similar expression to Physician Chen, looking completely bewildered, as if to say: Your Highness, are you alright?

However, compared to the other senior members of the Imperial Medical Academy, he had no place to stand when he first entered the Imperial Medical Academy. Don't think that the Imperial Medical Academy is a place of equality and friendship. People like him would be given all the dirty and hard work, and even the blame would be placed on him.

Although I think His Highness the Crown Prince might be a bit out of his mind, being able to be on the Crown Prince's side is still better than spending decades idly in the Imperial Hospital accumulating seniority.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I will study diligently and will certainly not disappoint you." Why did Your Highness choose him over others? It must be because Your Highness has discovered his own strengths, and has seen his shining qualities.

"Well, I'll entrust this matter to you. Study it carefully, and you'll achieve great things. Countless people will erect monuments to your merits, and your name will be remembered for eternity." The Crown Prince painted a rosy picture, and the newly hired Imperial Physician Ma was filled with confidence for the future.

As if he could see his own triumphant appearance after success, Yinreng nodded inwardly. Very good. It seems that Physician Ma is a young man who can be fooled into working. He patted him on the shoulder and said a few gentle words, which made him more loyal.

During the Lunar New Year, how could Emperor Kangxi, a father who cared deeply about his son's health, not have noticed that His Highness the Crown Prince had summoned two imperial physicians?

They summoned Physician Chen directly and asked him what was wrong with the Crown Prince.

Regarding the fact that he was repeatedly told to keep the matter a secret by His Highness the Crown Prince, only to be summoned by the Emperor the next moment, Physician Chen said he was not surprised at all.

When asked by the Emperor, Physician Chen dared not conceal the truth. Kangxi listened to Physician Chen's report and fell silent, mainly because... he really hadn't expected that the Crown Prince would have such a hobby.

A woman giving birth?

First Baoqing asked about the secret to having a son, then Baocheng asked about matters related to childbirth. What happened to his sons?

It's really, really... worrying.

Although Emperor Kangxi said that every child he gave birth to would die, the key was that one had to be able to give birth to have this worry. Baoqing and Baocheng were the only sons they had.

The fourth daughter also gave birth to three princesses, while the third daughter, who has been married for so long, has no children.

I wonder what kind of baby the fifth and seventh princes' daughter will have this time. Sigh, as an old father, all I can do is worry about the child.

During the selection of imperial concubines, each consort would have her pulse checked to ensure she was healthy and fertile.

Therefore, even Emperor Kangxi was wondering if his sons were not very capable. In terms of giving birth to sons, Consort Rong gave birth to five princes in a row, Consort De was able to give birth to three sons, not to mention Consort Yi, the late Empress Hesheli, and Consort Hui, all of whom gave birth to sons.

Sigh, I don't have any secret formulas for having a baby, the key is that he's so vigorous~

But I also gave Bao Cheng a lot of yang-tonifying supplements. Oh...right, after Bao Cheng took those supplements I gave him, didn't he give birth to Hong Yao?

So, in the days that followed, Kangxi even had people secretly deliver nutritional supplements to each of the princes, the same kind that Bao Cheng had been taking.

First Prince Yinti: Is Father Emperor pressuring me to have another child? I won't listen. Father Emperor hasn't shared any secrets about having children with me. I want to have a legitimate son.

Crown Prince Yinreng: Is Father Emperor pressuring us to have a second child? But the imperial physicians haven't yet developed a prescription to make childbirth painless. Sigh.

Third Prince Yinzhi: Father Emperor is concerned about me. Consort, let's go to bed early.

The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, thought about the three little princesses in his backyard. Among all the princes in the royal family, only His Highness the Crown Prince had given birth to a child... the Crown Prince's only son in Yuqing Palace.

This was recognition and expectation of me, so he had people stay up all night to prepare me for the next day's activities. He spent the rest of the time in the backyard, determined to show the Emperor his abilities.

The Fifth Prince, Yinqi, and the Seventh Prince, Yinyou, were pondering what their father meant by this. Hadn't he just recently scolded them for disregarding the royal family's dignity and bringing shame upon the imperial family? Why was he now sending them this medicinal herb?

After thinking about it, I realized that this meant the Emperor had forgiven them. Otherwise, why would he have paid attention to them and even sent something specially?

Little did they know, every prince was entitled to these things; oh, only the princes after the Ninth Prince were excluded.

The Eighth Prince, Yinzhi, set aside the medicinal herbs bestowed by his father, the Emperor. He was both insecure and arrogant, and disdained to let those lowly concubines bear his children.

Now, all he wants is to get married as soon as possible and have a legitimate son. Surely, his legitimate son won't be as lowly as he is and not even liked by his father, the Emperor.

In Yinzhi's view, the reason why his father named his newborn second brother as the crown prince was because the crown prince came from the Hesheli clan. Otherwise, why wasn't the eldest brother named as the crown prince when he was the eldest son? Wasn't it because Consort Hui was a bondservant?

The concubines bestowed by Consort Hui were all women from the bondservant banners or even the Han army banners. In the Qing Dynasty, the bondservant banners held a higher status than the Han army banners.

After putting the medicinal herbs away, he returned to his study and wrote a letter to his future wife, Princess Guoluo. Of course, he wasn't the one who initiated the contact; Princess Guoluo had them delivered to the palace first.

December... isn't too late.

The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were not given special attention by Emperor Kangxi, and they were unaware of it. They had been forced to study in the Imperial Study every day before, and their father had been too indulgent during the recent military campaign.

After the New Year, Xiao Hongyao was all excited and wanted to go out and play with Jialuo. "It's cold, you're prone to getting sick, catching a cold, getting a headache, feeling unwell, and having to drink bitter medicine, Hongyao, be good."

Why does her child yearn for the outside world so much? He's really not well-behaved at all.

"Hongyao, no!" Upon hearing this, little Hongyao was so frightened that he quickly covered his head and shook his head. Hongyao doesn't want to play anymore.

However, children are always forgetful, and when Jialuo later used this to stop Hongyao, Hongyao no longer took it seriously.

At this point, Jialuo glared angrily at His Highness the Crown Prince, "Your Highness, you should educate your own child properly."

When Xiao Hongyao is lovable, Jialuo will hold her face and happily praise, "He truly is my son."

When little Hongyao started to misbehave, Jialuo would stuff the chubby boy into Yinreng's arms and say, "Your son should be educated by himself."

His Highness the Crown Prince smiled slightly, holding the heavy, chubby baby in his arms with a helpless expression. "Hongyao, I remember that last time Hongyao recited the Three Character Classic very well, but it's such a pity that he only memorized half of it."

First, she praised Hongyao, and when Hongyao happily showed a smug expression, her tone suddenly changed, and she patted Hongyao's little head with regret.

Sure enough, Hongyao, whose eyes had been pricked by his father's manipulative tone, opened them wide. "Hongyao, Hongyao can definitely memorize it all, he can memorize it all, it's just that last time, he was too hungry..."

Hongyao hurriedly explained, unwilling to see the disappointment on his father's face.

In desperation, he came up with a completely fake reason, exactly the same reason Sai Tai Sui gave when he couldn't defeat Sun Wukong.

However, Yinreng did not expose Hongyao's false excuse. Instead, he nodded in sudden realization, "Oh, so that's how it is? If we give Hongyao another chance, will he remember it?"

Xiao Hongyao panicked a little. In his opinion, his father was the smartest father in the world. No matter what the matter was, his father knew everything clearly.

So, so, does he know that Hongyao lied? No, Hongyao didn't lie. Hongyao, of course he was hungry. He tugged at Yinreng's clothes in a childish voice, "Father, Hongyao is hungry. He wants to eat cake."

"Alright, alright, let's eat cakes first. After we finish eating cakes, Hongyao can recite his lessons." Yinreng also felt that Hongyao was about the right age. He himself was about the same age when he started his education.

I don't expect Hongyao to study as hard as I do, but at least he should be able to understand things and not be like the Crown Princess, who can't even use idioms correctly when describing people.

His son, Yinreng, absolutely cannot do this.

Thus, after Jialuo handed Hongyao over to His Highness the Crown Prince, Hongyao began his early education.

When Emperor Kangxi learned that the Crown Prince had begun to educate Hongyao, he said to Yinreng, "Let me teach Hongyao."

Emperor Kangxi believed himself to be quite capable in educating his children; for example, each of his sons was accomplished in both literature and martial arts, possessing both talent and strategy…

“Father, Hongyao is only three years old and cannot handle the high-intensity study environment of the princes’ quarters.” Yinreng thought that his father intended to send Hongyao to the princes’ quarters, and he did not want his son to work so hard.

"What prince? I only intended to bring Hongyao to my side to teach him. Haven't you been taught very well by me?" Kangxi glared at Yinreng with wide eyes, annoyed. Really, he had no idea of ​​his father's hard work and good intentions.

"No need, Father Emperor. Hongyao is still so young. He should be studying in the Imperial Study when he turns six. Let me spend another two years cultivating my relationship with Hongyao." Yinreng did not mention the Crown Princess at this time. "Back then, when I was young, I also hoped to rely on Father Emperor more often, but Father Emperor was always very busy."

With Yinreng's emotional outburst, how could Kangxi resist his son's coquettishness? Especially since it was Bao Cheng's son, his gaze immediately softened.

As he recalled the past, a slight smile appeared on Kangxi's lips. His gaze wandered before settling on the threshold. "I still remember," he said, "Baocheng was sitting on that threshold, waiting for me to return..."

Bao Cheng was still young at that time, and the Empress Dowager was not comfortable with her care, so she stayed by his side to take care of him.

From a crying infant to a handsome young man, Kangxi's expression held a touch of emotion, "Now, he's grown up so much."

"Father, no matter how much I grow up, I will always be your son, still the same Bao Cheng who always wanted to stay by your side." Yinreng probably remembered what happened back then, his face slightly flushed, but he spoke sincere words.

And so, I spent lunch with my father before leaving.

When instructing Hongyao, Yinreng did not impose on his son as strictly as his father, the Emperor, demanding that he get up and study in a certain way. He said that as long as he could complete the tasks assigned by him, he could go play today.

Little Hongyao is living a very comfortable life.

The Three Character Classic that Ama assigned was way too easy, hahaha, Hongyao is such a brilliant and outstanding child.

My mother said that a genius is someone who is smarter than a smart person.

With a smug look on his face, little Hongyao strolled around the front courtyard of Yuqing Palace, imitating his father's walking posture, touching this and that. The servants around him were afraid that the little prince might accidentally break something belonging to the Crown Prince.

Fortunately, the little prince is not the kind of naughty child. Although he likes to jump around, he knows his limits.

The servants in the front courtyard were all loyal to His Highness the Crown Prince, and naturally even more so to the young prince. But seeing the young prince's behavior now, their loyalty was tempered with affection.

How can the little prince be so lovable?

Fortunately, it was she who had been assigned to take care of the little prince, not someone else. She followed behind the little prince, taking quick, small steps. "Prince Hongyao, don't walk so fast, it's cold outside..."

The princesses in the backyard of Yuqing Palace were not confined. Although the Crown Prince did not favor them, no servant under the Crown Princess's jurisdiction dared to deduct their allowances.

As long as the Crown Princess speaks of it, those stewards will surely be in trouble.

So everyone was quite relaxed. Winter was indeed cold, and it wasn't good to always stay cooped up in the courtyard. Occasionally they would come out... well, a few of them hadn't forgotten their thoughts of seducing His Highness the Crown Prince.

Having a son or daughter to rely on will make things easier in the future.

However, while out for a walk, he didn't run into His Highness the Crown Prince, but he did run into the young imperial grandson: Prince Hongyao.

"Greetings, Prince Hongyao." As soon as they saw Prince Hongyao, they quickly curtsied. There was no way around it; the status of a royal prince was far more noble than theirs.

Xiao Hongyao had never seen his father's concubines. Even at the family banquet during the New Year, when he was still a child, he would go to sleep early. Now that he was older, he would attend the New Year's Eve palace banquet, and by the time the palace banquet ended, the family banquet would also be over.

Jialuo and Yinreng also consciously controlled Xiao Hongyao to prevent him from running around, especially in the backyard of Yuqing Palace.

Jialuo was worried that those princesses were ruthless and jealous, and might kill her child. Who knew if there were such heartless people?

Yinreng, however, felt it was unnecessary. He was already doing this out of respect for his father, the Emperor, by using the money he earned from his business to support them.

If it weren't for the Emperor sending them, Yinreng would have kicked them out.

Xiao Hongyao looked at the princess in front of him with curiosity and asked in confusion, "Who are you?"

"Prince Hongyao, His Highness the Crown Prince is looking for you. We should go back now." The young servant serving beside him looked at the beautifully dressed Princess Li Jia in front of him, fearing that Princess Li Jia might have some intention to target Prince Hongyao. If something happened to Prince Hongyao in his hands, His Highness the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess would definitely not let him off the hook.

When Xiao Hongyao heard that it was his father looking for him, his eyes lit up. He didn't care about the unfamiliar woman in front of him, turned around, and happily ran towards the front yard.

The young servant followed behind Hongyao and also sent someone to inform the Crown Princess about the matter.

When Jialuo learned about this, she made a special trip over and found that there was nothing seriously wrong; it was just a random encounter. She breathed a sigh of relief.

In the days that followed, Jialuo accompanied Hongyao in his studies, much like a kindergarten mom accompanying her child to school. Yinreng, adopting a "teaching one is teaching one, teaching two is teaching two" attitude, did not stop Jialuo's actions.

Anyway, they still slept together in the front yard.

The other servants in the main courtyard silently murmured, "Your Highness, Crown Princess, have you forgotten your servants who are still waiting for you in the main courtyard?"

Time flies when you're having fun, and soon it was time for the Fifth Prince Yinqi to marry Princess Tara.

March 12th.

On the occasion of the Fifth Prince Yinqi's wedding, the Emperor granted several princes a holiday, while Hongyao, the only grandson of the Emperor, was borrowed to roll around on the bed and share in the joy.

This custom seems to suggest that if Hongyao had sex with someone once, she would be able to give birth to a baby as fair-skinned, tender, cute, and delicate as Hongyao.

And he's so sweet-talking. It has to be said that several princes are starting to doubt whether Hongyao is really the Crown Prince's son. How come he looks so different from the Crown Prince?

Thinking of the Crown Prince's arrogant and haughty demeanor since childhood, and how Father Emperor was intentionally establishing the dignity of the heir apparent in front of them.

He looks so much like the Crown Prince, but his personality must have come from the Crown Princess. Who wouldn't like such an adorable nephew?

Especially the eldest son, he loves to pinch Hongyao's little cheeks the most, as if that's how he can bully the crown prince. Hehehe, who told you to look so much like your father?

The chubby little glutinous rice ball, Hongyao, was dressed in a bright red jacket and a red hat. He looked more like a groom than Yinqi, the groom himself. He was as delicate and cute as a New Year's picture doll and greeted each uncle (elder brother) with a smile.

The First, Third, and Fourth Princesses were all present, and of course, the Crown Princess was also there.

"Ah, Hongyao is so cute, I really like him. Second sister-in-law, how can I give birth to such an adorable baby?" The Third Princess Consort still didn't forget to ask Jialuo, such as what she ate before getting pregnant and what she ate after getting pregnant.

"You and your third brother are both so good-looking, your child will surely be good-looking too." The Crown Princess smiled brightly when others praised her child, and returned the compliment in kind.

When the Third Prince was mentioned, Consort Dong'e blushed slightly.

"I don't know when I'll be able to get pregnant..." The Third Princess Consort was also a little anxious, mainly because her mother (Consort Rong) kept urging her, which made her feel pressured.

She doesn't seem like the primary consort. Even though the primary consort gave birth to four princesses, at least she was capable of having children.

"It should be soon, right? Don't worry, relax, the opportunity to have offspring will come soon." Jia Luo gently comforted Dong E Shi.

“When I have a son in the future, I will educate Hongyao just like the Crown Princess. Look, Hongyao speaks so sweetly. Really, how can he be so good at talking?” Dong Eshi saw Hongyao lingering among the princes. Cough cough, although this word is not quite appropriate, it is still clear that Hongyao is adapting very well.

[Ah, indeed, your eldest son will be arriving soon, but what a pity, it's your own fault for not giving the princesses in the inner quarters a chance to survive.]

[The sons of the princesses in the back courtyard all died, only your two princes survived. It would be strange if others didn't know something fishy was going on.]

[Sure enough, her eldest son died young, and she miscarried. Consort Dong'e truly lives up to her lineage as Empress Xiaoxian (Consort Dong'e of Emperor Shunzhi); she's ruthless indeed.]

Not far away, Yinreng listened to the thoughts of the Fourth Prince's wife, Guarjia, and glanced indifferently at the Third Prince's wife, Dong'e. Oh, see, Father Emperor, this is the fate of too many women.

How could they possibly live in harmony?

The eldest son of the third prince was murdered, but the reason was that his mother had killed all the princes of the princesses in the inner palace. She was truly ruthless.

However, despite these claims, why did the Guarjia clan say that Empress Xiaoxian was ruthless? Could it be that something secret happened behind the scenes that they were unaware of?

For example...did he also murder all the children in the Emperor's harem?

It was just a fleeting thought, and he didn't delve into it. No matter how ruthless Empress Xiaoxian was, it was none of his business.

Father Emperor, look at the wife you chose! The Third Prince's wife is ruthless and a master at killing her own son.

The fourth prince's wife is a reborn woman with a twisted mind; only the crown princess is a good person!

Yinreng has recently summoned Physician Ma several times, but Physician Ma has been unable to diagnose the problem. This has greatly troubled Yinreng. Why is that?

Is it difficult?

Physician Ma: Yes, it is difficult. Your Highness, please wait patiently.

Yinreng, who wanted to have another child with the Crown Princess, could only silently endure it, his gaze fixed on the chubby baby rolling on the bed, as delicate and cute as a New Year's painting doll. His child was the cutest in the whole world, and that was certainly true.

Jialuo hadn't paid much attention to the girls in the imperial concubine selection before, so even though she knew that Princess Tara was the future Fifth Prince's wife, she wasn't curious. Anyway, she would see her in the future, right?

Upon seeing that he was married... oh no, he's now married, I should say he's the Fifth Prince's wife.

When Jialuo saw the Fifth Prince's wife, her eyes did not change. She was pretty and delicate, and would be considered quite good-looking in an ordinary family.

But in the palace, where beauties abound, it's hard to believe that the Fifth Prince got his concubine pregnant before she even entered the palace. It seems the Fifth Princess will have to manage her future very well.

Jialuo had no right to interfere in other people's affairs. After a fleeting thought, she went on to attend the banquet and drink as she pleased.

Jialuo didn't care how the men were having fun, but she could guess that the little flirtation between the First Prince Yinti and the Crown Prince must have lasted until they were both drunk.

She instructed Xiao Shunzi to take good care of His Highness the Crown Prince, while she took her own child back to Yuqing Palace.

The next day, the Fifth Prince and his wife first paid their respects to their father, the Empress Dowager, and Consort Yi before meeting with their brothers and sisters-in-law.

Jialuo also noticed the Fifth Princess's expression; it wasn't one of joy or sweetness, suggesting that she was living... just so-so?

When Consort Tatara was betrothed to the Fifth Prince, Emperor Kangxi had already assigned a tutor to instruct her, so there were absolutely no problems with her knowledge of palace rules and etiquette.

They greeted each person and presented them with gifts.

However, what happened next made Jialuo stop paying attention to other people's backyards. Her father planned to tour Mongolia, which also served as a way to intimidate the Mongols.

Of course, no one should be left out when it comes to bringing along. "Your Highness, didn't Father Emperor say last time that he would definitely take you with him on his next long trip? Look, our Hongyao is already three years old!"

At this age, going out for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and feeling the swaying motion is definitely no problem!

Yinreng was also filled with excitement and immediately ran to the Qianqing Palace to beg his father, "Father, I must go with you on this tour of Mongolia."

"What are you going there for? Stay in the capital and oversee the country." After hearing Yinreng's request, Kangxi subconsciously rejected it.

Honestly, don't they know that touring Mongolia is a dangerous thing? What if the Mongolian tribes rebelled and the Emperor and the Crown Prince both died in the rebellion? Wouldn't the Qing Dynasty be shaken for a long time?

He also took his eldest son to the fifth son, and... he would train his sons below him. Among the princes below him, Kangxi never thought of letting them succeed him.

"Father, you promised me last time that you would definitely let me go!" Yinreng didn't care. His father could live to be over sixty years old. How could there be a crown prince who had lived for more than forty years?

I'm going to have some fun even if I'm alone!!

To Yinreng, Kangxi's refusal was nothing but nonsense, and he even resorted to shamelessness, saying, "If Father Emperor does not allow me to accompany you, I will secretly follow behind Father Emperor."

Emperor Kangxi had no idea that he had raised Bao Cheng into such a scoundrel.

"What about Hongyao? Is Hongyao going too?" Kangxi stared wide-eyed at his son in shock. Could it be that Baocheng had become too close to the eldest son and lost his mind?

"Father, of course Hongyao should go with me. Hongyao is already three years old. As a Baturu of the Great Qing, how can he not learn to fly like an eagle?" Yinreng was naturally quite eloquent when it came to preaching.

It's simply that I felt it would be more unsafe for Hongyao to be alone in the capital with the Crown Princess.

Last time, Hongyao was just one year old, and we were told that he was prone to getting sick from the change in environment, so we didn't go on a long trip.

But his Hongyao was perfectly healthy. Later, he even took him for several tours around the capital and then to a manor in the suburbs, where he was full of energy and vitality.

“Hongyao is only three years old.” Kangxi didn’t know what Yinreng was thinking. How could he take Hongyao, who was only three years old, out with him?

Being a grandfather is different from being a father. Back then, Emperor Kangxi, as a father, made his son roll up his clothes as much as possible.

Now that he has only one precious grandson, how can we not cherish him?

“Father, I was able to hunt deer with you when I was five years old. Hongyao is three now, and it’s time for him to start learning too.” Yinreng spoke of his past achievements with considerable pride.

Kangxi thought about it and agreed. Back then, he was worried that he would die as young as his father and grandfather, leaving the young crown prince alone who would not be able to control the Qing Dynasty. That's why he made his child learn so much.

The more outstanding the crown prince is, the easier it will be for him to ascend the throne in the future.

Now……

"Alright, alright, let's go together then." That's right, Hongyao is three years old and has only started learning the Three Character Classic as an introductory text. Baocheng is the only son, and they are reluctant to be harsh on him in his education.

But as the future heir to the Qing Dynasty, if he doesn't have some ability to rule the country, wouldn't he ruin the Qing Dynasty?

"Send Hongyao here during this time so I can educate him for a while. You, as his father, are simply incompetent." Kangxi was quite disdainful of Yinreng. How could a father not have the authority to educate his own son?

Yinreng thought that Hongyao had been clinging to Jialuo lately, and he couldn't even spend some time with Jialuo. He had to coax Jialuo a lot. It was just childbirth, and painkillers. He could handle it all!

So, after returning home, she immediately picked up Hongyao and said, "Hongyao, Grandpa Huang is incredibly powerful. You must learn from Grandpa Huang, okay?"

After saying that, he looked up at Kangxi and said, "Father, Hongyao is only three years old. Please keep an eye on him and don't let him work too hard. Children can't take too much stress."

胤礽的唠叨，并没有让康熙感受到他对弘曜的熊熊父爱，只觉得胤礽这家伙就是欠揍，连皇阿玛都不信任了？

"Do I need you to teach me?" Kangxi glared, his beard bristling. Yinreng had been losing his composure lately, daring to anger him! This son deserved a good beating before he would listen.

But the moment he held Hongyao in his arms, he couldn't suppress the loving smile on his face. "Hongyao, come here, let Grandpa Huang practice calligraphy with you. Has Hongyao ever practiced calligraphy before?"

"No, Grandpa." Little Hongyao shook his head. His father said that his wrist shouldn't be used too much yet and should rest more. But, "Hongyao has already learned the Three Character Classic, Grandpa. Do you want Hongyao to recite it for you?"

Although it was a question, little Hongyao proudly puffed out his little chest and began reciting "At the beginning of life, people are inherently good" in a childish voice.

Kangxi wanted to stop him, but it was too late, so he could only shut his mouth and listen silently. Finally, little Hongyao looked at him expectantly with his bright eyes and asked, "Grandpa, did Hongyao recite it very well?"

Having said that, she reached out and grabbed Kangxi's clothes. Her big, dark eyes sparkled with starlight, making it impossible to extinguish them.

However, Emperor Kangxi, who had never praised anyone for such a thing, genuinely thought that being able to recite the Three Character Classic was perfectly natural. Why would he need to praise him? If it were his son, he would have been scolded.

She's only just learned to walk, and she already wants to be praised? With such pride and complacency, how will she ever learn to do better in the future?

Looking at the adorable little prince, the words that were about to come out were swallowed back down.

Xiao Hongyao never received any praise from his maternal grandfather. His bright eyes dimmed slightly, and he lowered his head in disappointment.

The hand clutching Kangxi's clothes was somewhat hesitant and aggrieved, and the voice slowly came, "Isn't Hongyao great enough? Father and Mother both say Hongyao is wonderful..."

"Of course not, Hongyao is naturally very outstanding. Grandpa, Grandpa was just... shocked. He didn't know our Hongyao was so amazing..." This was the first time he had ever acted so against his conscience. What could he do? He had asked to be carried over for education, so he had to coax him.

I have no idea how Yinreng taught him. It's been so many months, and he's still learning the Three Character Classic. Indeed, entrusting it to oneself was the wisest choice.

(End of this chapter)