Chapter Sixty-Four

The Grand Princess and the Crown Princess went out together, their riding outfits in contrasting shades of light and dark, showcasing their graceful and voluptuous figures, and headed straight for the racecourse.

Jialuo didn't really know much about horse racing, but the Grand Princess did. She picked out two mares that looked a bit docile, reddish-brown, which Jialuo thought were very beautiful and imposing.

"Come on, Your Highness, let's have a race." The First Princess Consort was very much looking forward to going horseback riding with the Crown Princess, full of confidence and eagerness.

Seeing how much the First Princess Consort was looking forward to going to the horse race with him, it seemed that if he refused, he would hurt her feelings.

"Sister-in-law, you don't know this, but my riding skills have always been just average. I'm no good at horse racing. I just want to ride a horse around outside for a couple of laps and then come back," Jialuo finally explained.

I have to explain, after all, they are sisters-in-law.

"It's alright, I'll take you. I used to be very capable." The First Princess Consort patted her chest confidently to assure her. However, after choosing one of the two horses, she picked her up and carried her onto the horse first.

The first time Jialuo was embraced from behind while riding a horse, she was instantly captivated by the exhilarating feeling of the horse galloping.

Haha, this feels so good!!

As Jialuo passed the First Prince and Yinreng, she did see them, but... the carriage was moving, and improper driving caused tears to flow from loved ones, just like riding a horse!

While the eldest prince and Yinreng were still locked in a standoff over "Second Prince, come race me on horseback!" and "I'm too busy to see my son!", a horse passed by them, and the two people on it caught their attention.

At this moment, he forgot all about horse racing, his father, and his son, and rode off after them with a whip.

"Fujin, Fujin, stop! The Prince is here!" The First Prince, Yinti, chased after him, shouting, "Fujin, you've picked up the wrong person! Haven't you realized it yet?"

Hearing the commotion, Yinreng, who was riding alongside him, pursed his lips and silently tilted his horse slightly towards the First Prince. Damn it, how embarrassing. How could the eldest prince be so shameful, even hugging the wrong person?

Yes, indeed, the Crown Princess was switched at birth and didn't even realize it. That position should have belonged to him.

Jialuo, who was being carried away, seemed to hear someone calling her, but she couldn't turn around right now. She could only ask the First Madam behind her, "Sister-in-law, is someone calling us?"

The First Lady just saw Yinti arguing with the Crown Prince again. That fool, doesn't he know what he's thinking?

laugh!

"Never mind him." The First Princess believed that racing horses with Yinqi would definitely not be a sweet romance, but rather him taking the lead and then mocking her for a whole year.

"Fujin!" Yinti's horsemanship was far superior to that of the First Fujin. Even though the First Fujin was leading the way, she was quickly blocked by Yinti's flattery.

The First Princess Consort quickly tightened the reins, afraid that she might accidentally bump into Yinti's horse. The horse's front hooves were raised high, making the Crown Prince, who was watching from the other side, full of worry. First Princess Consort... if you can't ride a horse, don't take someone else's Crown Princess around.

"Sister-in-law, be careful." Yinreng couldn't help but call out, his expression slightly furrowing. Luckily, she was alright, otherwise he really would have whipped the Crown Princess over with a horsewhip.

Of course, this is not a good solution either, as it might hurt the Crown Princess while rolling over.

"Yinti, why did you suddenly stop me? If it weren't for you, this wouldn't have happened." The First Consort loudly questioned Yinti, shifting the blame onto him.

However, it was indeed Yinti's fault. If it weren't for him, he and the Crown Princess would have had a very enjoyable horseback riding trip.

"Fujin, why are you riding horses with the Crown Princess?" Their behavior was so intimate. If the Crown Princess weren't a woman, Yinti would have rushed over and started a duel.

"What? You're allowed to ride horses with His Highness the Crown Prince, but I'm not allowed to come out and play with the Crown Princess?" The First Princess raised an eyebrow and asked in a sharp tone.

"Sister-in-law, let's put the Crown Princess down first." Yinreng didn't care about the bickering between Yinti and the First Princess Consort; he only cared about the Crown Princess's current situation.

"Yes, put the Crown Princess down first." Yinti nodded there. As his wife, if anyone should be held, it should be him.

Upon hearing this, Yinreng glanced at him indifferently, and even if he changed the scene in front of him to the image of the First Princess Consort carrying Yinti on horseback, he would still feel disgusted.

Forget it, I'd better not get close to Yinti, otherwise he'll only use his low IQ to lower my own level and then use his rich experience to disgust me.

After the Grand Consort dismounted, he stepped forward and helped his Crown Princess up.

"Crown Princess, why didn't you tell me you were going out to play?" After helping Jia Luo down from her horse, Yinreng's low voice slowly reached Jia Luo's ears, his eyes filled with reproach as he looked at her.

You philandering cat.

"Your Highness, it seems like it's been a long time since we last met, hasn't it?" Jialuo's gentle voice rang out, while she inwardly rolled her eyes at Yinreng. Why, why, don't you have any self-awareness?

How can I tell you about this when I can't even see you?

After hearing Jialuo's words, Yinreng suddenly realized, "Oh right, the Crown Princess shouldn't have told me about this. It's my fault."

The intimacy between the two seemed incredibly cloying to the First Prince and his wife.

"Alright, alright, Your Highness, stop being so lovey-dovey in front of us. It's annoying!" Yinti was allergic to romance, especially to Yinreng. Seeing Yinreng's tenderness made him feel a chill run down his spine.

"You don't know anything." The First Princess Consort was quite envious of the young couple's affection. Look how gentle the Crown Prince is to the Crown Princess.

What if it were Yinqi?

The First Princess Consort pondered for a moment. If Yinti were to show concern and coax her gently like the Crown Prince... well, never mind, he'll just be as boisterous as he is now.

"Why wouldn't I understand? Come on, Madam, I'll take you horseback riding." The eldest prince retorted immediately, sticking out his neck after being rebuked by his wife.

Yinti would never admit to being afraid of his wife in front of Yinreng.

He's a real man.

"Alright." The First Princess Consort, who had just rebuked the First Prince, lowered her head with some guilt. In front of outsiders, she still had to give Yinti more face.

Otherwise, wouldn't her shrewish image spread everywhere?

At this moment, the First Princess Consort was unaware that long ago, her image as a shrew had already been spread throughout the capital by the First Prince, Yinqi.

"Hmph." Seeing his wife nod obediently, Yinti raised his chin and glared at Yinreng arrogantly, as if to tell Yinreng with his eyes, "See? My wife is so obedient."

I'm the real man.

At this moment, Yinti had forgotten that he had previously wanted to compete with Yinreng in the title of "the best man in the Qing Dynasty". He led his horse away from Yinreng, and he and his wife each took a horse and went to race.

Just as the First Princess Consort thought, Yinti had no idea what it meant to cherish women, and he never thought of going easy on her during the competition.

When he reached the lake on the other side, he turned his horse around, looked up and laughed as he looked at his wife who had lost to him.

When the First Princess saw Yinti like this, she understood what kind of person he was, so naturally she didn't mind.

On the other side, Yinreng and Jialuo were left standing by the horse. Yinreng asked her gently, "Would you like to ride together? However, there's only one horse here. Shall I take you?"

Upon hearing this, Jialuo looked up at the Crown Prince in front of her. Her usually cold demeanor softened, becoming so gentle that it seemed to penetrate one's heart. "Then, Your Highness, you mustn't ride too fast."

Jialuo, as sweet and charming as a young girl, clung to Yinreng. If she could, Jialuo would indeed like to try running away by herself.

However, she was still somewhat timid.

"Of course, after I take you for a ride, let Jialuo try it herself, okay?" Yinreng gently stroked Jialuo's hair, leading people to ride horses, either in front or behind.

If escaping on horseback, it's naturally more advantageous to be behind, as it's faster. But if there are two people...

"Come on, Jialuo, try it first. How do you mount the horse?" Yinreng was right next to Jialuo, giving her pointers while teaching her... Pshaw, pshaw, teaching her while being affectionate. How can you use the word 'taking advantage' to describe things between husband and wife?

After Jialuo mounted her horse, the prince mounted his own, took the reins, and headed towards the oasis lake. They rode slowly, a gentle breeze blowing, bringing a refreshing coolness.

Just like Jialuo's mood at this moment, she was happy and carefree, full of joy and refreshment.

However, perhaps they were just a little slow, which others thought was inadequate. For example, when Yinti watched Yinreng walking slowly with the Crown Princess, he sneered from afar, "Look at the Crown Prince, how useless he is. He can't even run a horse as slowly as I can. How can he compare to me?"

As he spoke, his gaze seemed to drift towards the First Princess Consort, hoping to gain her approval, for he was the most powerful.

"Why are you running so fast? It's not like you're going to race horses. His Highness the Crown Prince is taking care of the Crown Princess. The night breeze is cool, and he's protecting her. Don't you understand?" The First Princess Consort thought that Yinti might not be able to see things this way. Why couldn't he understand?

After hearing what the First Princess Consort said, Yinti didn't say anything. Then he stared at her intently for several seconds, making her wonder if he had some other crazy idea. Just then, the First Prince mounted his horse, pulled the First Princess Consort up, and got on his horse, sitting on the back of the horse behind her.

"You can too, Your Highness." Don't think Yinti didn't hear the envy in his wife's tone. What was there to envy? Envy the Crown Princess?

Does that mean I didn't do as well as that scoundrel Yinreng? Impossible. What Yinreng can do, I can do too.

Then, the energy of galloping away was like venting all his anger; the galloping horses carried away gusts of night wind.

The First Lady behind him was forced to grab Yinti's clothes. The wind from their rapid run blew towards her, whipping her braids around.

Aa ...

The chaotic and rapid galloping of the racehorses caught the attention of both Yinreng and Jialuo, who couldn't help but glance at them a few more times. Jialuo sighed, "I didn't expect that my elder brother and sister-in-law would enjoy such thrilling games. I just can't handle it."

No wonder the First Princess Consort complained about running too slowly; it turns out she enjoys running so fast. I'm definitely a burden to her.

When the Crown Prince heard Jia Luo's words, he couldn't help but smile wryly. He probably thought that his elder brother had gone crazy again and lost his mind.

When I get back, my sister-in-law will definitely give me a good scolding.

He looked down at the woman in his arms. Luckily, his father had chosen a crown princess for him, unlike his sister-in-law, who was a tigress.

"Father, Father." From a distance on the other side came Xiao Hongyao's overjoyed little voice.

Yinreng and Jialuo turned their heads and saw their chubby son waving his hands and shouting happily. His excitement, as if he were about to jump up, made Jialuo a little worried that he might fall.

"Mother." As Kangxi led his horse over, Xiao Hongyao saw his mother in his father's arms and called out to Jialuo with great joy.

"Father Emperor."

"Father Emperor."

When Jialuo and Yinreng saw Kangxi approaching on horseback, they quickly dismounted to greet him.

"Hmm." Kangxi had just taken Hongyao on a long walk, and Hongyao's voice was so excited that it became hoarse. He had no choice but to call it a day and head back home.

"Grandpa, Hongyao, Hongyao wants to go down." Little Hongyao couldn't bear to see his mother there, so he patted his grandpa's thigh, wanting to hug his mother.

"Be careful." Seeing Hongyao's actions, Yinreng was frightened and quickly stepped forward to Kangxi, reaching out to lift Hongyao down.

If Xiao Hongyao shakes his head excitedly like he did just now, wouldn't that scare his old father to death?

Kangxi glanced at Yinreng standing below his horse, rolled his eyes in annoyance, but in the end, he did not insist on leaving with Hongyao.

To prevent Hongyao from continuing to complain, loosen your grip a bit and let Yinreng carry Hongyao over.

"Hongyao, you play with your father and mother first, and come to see Grandfather tomorrow." Tonight, Emperor Kangxi also wanted to keep some distance from this chubby baby, as it was not appropriate to summon the concubines while on the road.

But once they arrived at the campsite and set up camp, they naturally needed to find a woman to calm down. They slept with this chubby baby every day, and the position was so improper, always kicking his stomach or chest.

"Okay." Little Hongyao felt that he had been let out a peep by his grandfather, and happily raised his bright little face, clapping his little hands joyfully. Hongyao was happy.

Seeing Hongyao so happy, Kangxi's original intention to have Hongyao play with the Crown Prince was now tinged with bitterness.

You didn't even show any reluctance to part with me; all my love for you was for nothing.

"Grandfather is gone." Kangxi felt a pang of sadness, but he didn't show it, remaining gentle and loving.

"Grandpa, aren't you going to play together?" Seeing Grandpa leave, Xiao Hongyao blinked his eyes blankly and asked in his soft, childlike voice.

Kangxi was silent for half a second. No wonder Hongyao didn't feel the slightest bit reluctant. It turned out he thought he would play together.

He glanced at Yinreng, then at the Crown Princess beside him, and said, "No, Grandfather has other important matters to attend to. Hongyao, have fun."

"Okay, Grandfather, Hongyao will miss you, bye-bye." Hongyao nodded obediently, without crying and begging Grandfather to stay. Instead, he waved happily at Kangxi.

The words "Hongyao will miss you" turned the bittersweet feeling in Kangxi's heart into sweetness—a sweetness born of familial love. "Okay."

If the Crown Princess hadn't been there, he would have liked to just carry Hongyao away.

With a touch of reluctance, she left the place, leaving the space to the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, her parents. Before leaving, she instructed Yinreng, "Take good care of Hongyao, understand?"

"Father, you don't need to remind me. I will definitely take good care of Hongyao. Don't worry." Does Father still remember that this is my son? How could I not take good care of him?

Kangxi nodded with satisfaction after hearing Yinreng's response.

As soon as Kangxi left, Jialuo went over and hugged her Hongyao. But as soon as she picked him up, her expression changed. "Hongyao, what have you been eating at Father Emperor's place all this time?"

Why do I feel like I've suddenly gotten so much heavier?

Hearing his mother's question, Hongyao lowered his head, stretched out his fingers, and began counting what he had eaten recently.

Upon hearing Jialuo's words, Yinreng reached out and picked up Hongyao in his arms. He weighed the chubby little boy in his hands; he had indeed become quite plump. "Not bad, our Hongyao has gained a lot of weight again. Being chubby is so healthy and a sign of good fortune."

Yinreng wouldn't mind if a child was chubby; isn't that cute?

"Did you have fun playing with Grandpa Huang just now?" After Hongyao answered Jialuo, she asked him, and even touched his back to see if he was sweating.

Fortunately, at least the Emperor knows what propriety is.

"Happy." Hongyao was naturally happy. There was good food at Huangmafa's place, and he could also go out and have fun.

"Father, ride a horse, ride a horse." Hongyao was still enjoying the horse riding game. Perhaps this was the love rooted in the hearts of the Qing Dynasty's warriors, a deep love for horses.

"Mother, I want to ride a horse with you." Hongyao looked up at Jialuo, but unfortunately, his words were rejected.

Hongyao was struck dumb, "Why not? My mother and I have never ridden a horse together."

"You and your father have never ridden a horse together, so why don't you accompany your father?" Yinreng glanced at Xiao Hongyao indifferently, his expression full of coldness and arrogance.

Xiao Hongyao glanced at Jialuo, then at Yinreng, and finally, with a forced smile, he said to Yinreng, "Well, alright, Father, Hongyao, let's ride horses together."

Looking at that forced expression, I felt a lump in my throat and a tightness in my chest!

Having such a stinky son, all he does is annoy him.

"How about I go with Hongyao?" Jialu asked, completely oblivious to her own limitations. She figured that as long as someone was leading the horse, there shouldn't be any problem.

"No." Yinreng refused, mounted his horse himself, and rode around with Hongyao. His decisive and swift actions left Jialuo, who was left behind, somewhat dumbfounded.

When did Yinreng start acting so swiftly?

However, after walking around for a while, Yinreng quickly returned with his horse.

After returning, he dismounted, handed Hongyao to the servant beside him, and took the young prince back first. Then he let Jialuo mount the horse, and he could lead the horse and take Jialuo for a ride.

Jialuo: ...

Hong Yao:......

No, don't you need to worry about Hongyao?

“Hongyao will be scared if he’s alone.” Jialuo rejected Yinreng’s suggestion and turned her gaze to her own chubby son, thinking that Yinreng’s request was simply absurd.

"That's right, Father is bad, how could he leave Hongyao alone?" Hongyao was just happy because Yinreng had taken him for a run, and he thought his father was the best father in the world.

But who would have thought that they would still be able to do such naughty things now?

Hmph! How despicable!

They actually want to abandon Hongyao?

The Mongol tribes that arrived fastest were those in the southern Mongolian region, such as the Tümed and Khorchin tribes.

The Tumed prince arrived early with his tribe, including his children, and his most beloved Aladachige (meaning "golden flower" in Mongolian).

Aladachige was spoiled by the Tumed tribe's prince and was quite unhappy that her father had come so early. After arriving, he forbade her to run around. How could she possibly tolerate that?

She had always longed for the vast grasslands, and now she had finally found a chance to sneak away.

The maidservant beside her was very worried about the princess, "Princess, isn't this... a little inappropriate? What if the prince finds out...?"

“What’s wrong with that? I just came out to relax. Do you think Abu (my father) can punish me?” Ala Daqige waved her hand dismissively, saying not to worry, “I’m just taking a walk, how could I cause any trouble?”

The maidservants around him were still very worried. Yes, the prince won't punish you, but he will punish us servants.

Unfortunately, Ala Daqige wasn't the kind of person who cared about her maids. Even Abu sometimes wouldn't listen to her, let alone her maids. If they spoke unpleasantly, she would sometimes beat and scold them.

After walking around for a while, she got bored and asked her maid to bring her horse so she could run a couple more laps.

However, as they walked, they noticed a man leading a horse with a woman and a child sitting on it. Bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun, and with a gentle breeze blowing, the scene exuded tranquility and warmth.

As Aladachige watched this scene, her steps slowly came to a stop. Who was that person?

Just as he was about to ask the maid beside him, the maid had already been sent to fetch the horse. He tried to go over, but the person opposite him led the horse away.

That face was very different from the ruggedness of the strong men of the Tumed tribe; it had a delicate, sculpted quality, a completely different style that was enough to arouse Aladachige's curiosity.

Most importantly, with this stunning beauty right here, the people over there didn't show the slightest bit of amazement or interest, nor did they even glance in her direction or come over...

This made Aladachig somewhat uncomfortable, but it also made her even more competitive.

You know, back in the Tumed tribe, she was the most popular flower there.

At this moment, Yinreng was naturally unaware that someone was watching them, because various Mongol tribes were arriving one after another, and there were quite a few people.

For Yinreng, the act of leading horses for his Crown Princess and son would have been a humiliation in the past, given his status.

However, for Yinreng now, there is absolutely no psychological burden; in fact, he thinks it's a very good thing.

After walking around once, Jialuo nervously hugged her beloved son. After one round, she couldn't help but want to get down. Waaah, even if someone has the memory, it's no use if they haven't learned it before.

However, I absolutely cannot show that I don't know how. I am Hongyao's mother. If she is afraid, wouldn't Hongyao be even more afraid?

Yinreng grasped the key point: Hadn't learned it? Had memories of it? What does that mean?

"Your Highness is so nervous, didn't you learn this before?" Yinreng asked casually, while already catching Hongyao in his arms.

Jialuo rubbed her lower back in discomfort. She had been sitting for too long, and her thighs had rubbed against her skin, which hurt a lot. She didn't know if there was any redness or bruising. She would definitely ask Xiaoqing to bring some ointment to apply when she got back.

Hearing Yinreng's question, he subconsciously replied, "I learned it a long time ago, but I didn't put in much effort before and have long forgotten it. I also thought I would never have the chance to use it again. Who knew that we would be able to come out and play together again?"

It's not that I've studied it, it's that I've never even touched it.

However, the original owner of this body had never learned this technique before; her skills were terrible, she almost fell off her horse.

Later, because of this, Consort Fucha stopped her from learning it anymore, and thankfully, this prevented the secret from being exposed.

Upon hearing this, Yinreng's eyes widened slightly as he looked at Jialuo with a hint of disbelief. What had the Crown Princess just said? Not her, but her? Fucha...the Fujin? Was this a slip-up?

It seems like I can recognize and understand each individual word, but why is it so difficult to understand when they are put together?

"Why are you looking at me like that? Is it strange?" Jia Luo recalled her answer just now. Wasn't it a normal answer? The original owner really hadn't learned it.

Yinreng was still processing Jialuo's thoughts, so the person in front of him wasn't from the Fucha clan? Or rather, wasn't Princess Fucha?

Is she still my Crown Princess? Yes, the person in front of me is the same Princess Fucha that I knew from our first meeting.

What happened to the original Princess Fucha?

He recalled his father's investigation into Princess Fucha. His father had shown him the investigation materials about Princess Fucha once, but sometimes, Yinreng still felt that the results of the investigation were different from what he knew.

At that time, Yinreng felt that it was just information presented to others on the surface, just as his father, the Emperor, never let others know his preferences.

But now...

Yinreng recalled the words 'future' and 'modern' that he had occasionally heard from the Crown Princess, as well as many other words that he did not understand. His emotions surged. How could this be?

I remember the first time I met Princess Fucha, by the water. She should have fallen into the lake and was submerged, but she managed to struggle back up.

The astute Yinreng immediately guessed the most important point, but in the end, he didn't think any further. "No, I'm just curious. Our Jialuo is clearly a bright talent. It's really wrong of the Fucha family not to nurture you properly. They've lost out."

"Haha, Your Highness, you have such sweet words. There's no such thing as a loss. Girls aren't going to the battlefield. As long as it helps them get some exercise, that's enough."

Jialuo didn't care about her riding skills. She had no idea that her secret had been exposed... well, it should be said that her secret had been seen through, but Yinreng didn't want to reveal it.

"Yes, this is perfect for the Crown Princess." Yinreng held Hongyao in one arm and led the horse with the other. Jialuo walked beside him, and the family headed home as the sun set.

If it were someone else, they might not be as good as the Crown Princess.

Although saying this might be somewhat unfair to the Fucha family, he and Princess Fucha were originally strangers.

It was Wanyan Gege's fault that Fucha Gege was pushed into the water, and the Wanyan clan... has already been dealt with by the Wanyan family.

After returning, Jialuo first asked someone to prepare hot water. After playing for so long, she was covered in sweat and felt sticky.

While Yinreng was taking a bath, Jialuo was there removing her makeup, then bathing Hongyao, and finally it was her turn.

Then the meal was served. Perhaps because they were tired from playing and hungry, everyone had a good appetite, especially Hongyao, who even ate a small bowl of rice, which made Jialuo a little worried.

"Hongyao, when did you develop such a big appetite?" Jialuo worriedly reached out and touched Hongyao's little belly. Was he overeating? What would happen if he was?

"Mother, Hongyao has always been such a big eater." Hongyao held his small bowl, which was only slightly larger than his fist. Why couldn't he finish his food?

"Oh..." Jialuo only realized then that the bowls here were much smaller than those in Yuqing Palace.

Thankfully, I'm not bloated. I was worried about overeating, that would be bad.

“Hongyao is no longer a two-year-old child; he knows whether he has eaten too much or not,” Yinreng reminded him helplessly as he saw Jialuo showing concern for Hongyao.

Also, don't just focus on Hongyao, you should also care about me, okay?

“Yes, Mother, Hongyao is already 18 years old.” He put down his chopsticks and held up one finger, insisting on showing his mother that he was already 18 years old.

She's not a two-year-old kid anymore.

After finishing his meal, Hongyao snuggled up to Jialuo again, saying, "Mother, Mother, Hongyao hasn't slept with Mother in a long time. Tonight, Hongyao wants to sleep with Mother and Father."

Having not shared a room with Jialuo for a long time, Yinreng's expression turned very serious upon hearing his son's words. "Hongyao, you are no longer a child. As a Baturu of the Great Qing, you must learn to be strong and independent, and you must learn to sleep alone, understand?"

Yinreng's words made Hongyao look at him with his bright, dark eyes, and then he angrily pointed at him, "Father is bad, he lied to Hongyao again. You are already an adult, so why do you still sleep with Mother?"

Upon hearing this, the entire yurt fell silent, especially the servants who dared not utter a sound.

Yinreng's ears turned slightly red, but there was no shame on his face. "That's different. Your mother is my wife, understand? If you're so capable, go sleep with your own wife."

After Yinreng finished speaking, Jialuo reached out and slapped him hard on the back. "What nonsense are you talking about? How old is Hongyao? How could you corrupt him like this?"

Hongyao held Jialuo tightly, saying, "Mother is also my consort."

Immediately, the maids serving them blushed and trembled with discomfort.

Jialuo pursed her lips and remained silent.

Yinreng took little Hongyao in his arms and argued with him about what the Fujin (principal wife) should be.

That night, when it was time to go to sleep, Hongyao was probably too excited after playing all day, and he fell asleep as soon as he lay down on the bed.

Seeing Hongyao like this, Yinreng gently and carefully carried Hongyao to his small room and bed.

Jialuo saw what Yinreng was doing, raised an eyebrow, but did not stop him.

"Jialuo, it's fortunate that you knew about the opium. If you hadn't, you really wouldn't have known what the consequences would have been." Holding Jialuo, Yinreng started with what Jialuo knew best.

That's impossible. If they came from the future, how could they not know who would sit on the throne? Moreover, the Crown Princess didn't react at all to the ministers like Suo'etu and Mingzhu, as if she didn't recognize them.

She thought that Yinreng took Hongyao away to do something intimate with her, but it turned out that he was talking about this? Jialuo thought for a moment and replied, "I think that if the chain of interests is too large and the country cannot control it, the country will collapse and be forced to suffer heavy casualties from the impact of Western countries."

"Of course! The Qing Dynasty closed itself off from the world, ultimately missing out on the First and Second Industrial Revolutions, falling completely behind the West. As a result, more than a century later, Western countries used cannons to force open its doors, and it became a semi-colonial, semi-feudal society."

Upon hearing the word 'colonialism,' Yinreng instinctively hugged Jialuo tighter. He didn't understand what the Industrial Revolution was, but he understood the phrase 'completely lagging behind the West.' That so-called Industrial Revolution must be... very powerful.

"Yes, I really didn't expect that. Jialuo, had you ever heard of Mingzhu before?" Yinreng still wanted to know why the Crown Princess didn't know who Mingzhu was. That shouldn't be the case, Mingzhu was considered one of the most capable and powerful ministers.

"Then, what about Yinzhen? Have you heard of him before?" As the next emperor, Yinzhen couldn't possibly be unaware of his name, could he?

"I've heard Father say that Your Highness is planning to... poach Mingzhu from us? Are you planning to have Fourth Brother do it?" Jialuo guessed.

[If we dig up the pearl, my eldest brother will be furious. But if we send my fourth brother, would it be unsuitable? He's straightforward and outspoken; what if they start a fight over a few words?]

Or is it simply a matter of sending the fourth brother to provoke the eldest brother? It's not impossible, after all, the fourth brother has offended His Highness.

[Are you planning to have the eldest brother beat up the fourth brother? And why does Your Highness ask such a question? What could I possibly have heard? I'm just a young girl in her boudoir, I know nothing.]

(End of this chapter)