Chapter 159 The New Cheng Yaojin

“Father, Baocheng is already 6 years old, he doesn’t need to be carried around anymore.”

Bao Cheng leaned on Kangxi's shoulder somewhat shyly.

Kangxi asked, feeling wronged, "Has Baocheng become disgusted with Father Emperor?"

"No, no," Bao Cheng shook his head quickly. "Bao Cheng loves Father Emperor the most, but I'm just worried that Father Emperor will get tired."

Upon hearing this, Kangxi couldn't help but grin. "Father isn't tired. No matter how old Baocheng is, Father can carry him. Don't worry, it's because Father loves Baocheng the most."

Bao Cheng pursed his lips shyly and earnestly promised, "When Bao Cheng grows up, Bao Cheng will also hug Father Emperor."

Warmed by his beloved son's innocent words, Emperor Kangxi smiled broadly and happily took his precious son back to the Qianqing Palace for a meal.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Consort Tongjia stood guard at the door, holding a child.

Emperor Kangxi frowned slightly. "No need for formalities. What brings the Imperial Concubine here?"

Tongjia's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the Emperor was unhappy. When he was angry, he would call her "Noble Consort" instead of "Cousin". She tried to put on a smile and explained softly, "Yinzhen can call me Father now. I was so happy that I brought him to pay his respects to Your Majesty."

Kangxi nodded, and was about to send them back when Bao Cheng suddenly spoke up: "Brother Yinzhen can talk now?"

“Yes,” Lady Tongjia said with a gentle smile, seizing the opportunity to ask, “Would the Crown Prince like to see his younger brother?”

Bao Cheng looked at Kangxi questioningly. How could Kangxi refuse his son? "Please come in, Consort."

"yes."

Lady Tongjia breathed a sigh of relief. Since the turmoil in the harem, the Emperor had not entered the inner palace for a long time. As the highest-ranking and most powerful concubine in the harem, Lady Tongjia had to make this trip, whether out of duty or genuine feeling, so she specially brought Yinzhen with her to pay her respects.

I never expected to witness the Emperor and the young Crown Prince spending time together.

It wasn't entirely unexpected, after all, she knew how much the Emperor valued the Crown Prince, but she had never come to realize it as deeply as she did today.

Her mere presence displeased the Emperor; her so-called cousin status was utterly insignificant compared to that of the Crown Prince.

In a moment of clarity, Tongjia realized her own position and let go of her obsessions. Instead of stubbornly comparing herself to the two deceased empresses, she lived a more enlightened life.

Therefore, she felt no jealousy about entering the Qianqing Palace thanks to the young crown prince; instead, she felt mostly fortunate. In any case, at least her position as the most favored woman in the harem was preserved.

Yinzhen was placed on a soft couch. He must have just woken up before being brought here, and he looked exceptionally energetic at the moment.

Her little arms and legs, shaped like lotus roots, were kicking restlessly. Her big, black, grape-like eyes darted around, and she was babbling incoherently. A bewildered smile graced her rosy face.

Bao Cheng was so engrossed in watching that he unconsciously leaned forward slightly and reached out his little hand to gently touch Yinzhen's chubby face. The touch was so soft that Bao Cheng couldn't help but smile.

How wonderful! This is Yinzhen, who worked himself to death at the imperial desk. The chosen working man... What a good younger brother!

Seeing Bao Cheng's absorbed expression, Kangxi felt a pang of sadness and couldn't help but ask, "Bao Cheng, do you like your younger brother that much?"

Bao Cheng raised his head and gave Kangxi a bright smile. This was the first time Bao Cheng had expressed his affection for someone other than Kangxi so openly: "Bao Cheng likes Yinzhen, my younger brother."

Whether he understood what he was saying or not, little Yinzhen reached out from his swaddling clothes, grabbed Baocheng's hand, held it tightly, and babbled happily.

Bao Cheng lowered his head in surprise, then carefully took Yinzhen's hand and raised it up for Kangxi to see: "Father, my brother Yinzhen also likes me."

Emperor Kangxi was practically drowning in vinegar! What was going on? He got rid of Yinzhi, Yinzhi, and Changquan, and now Yinzhen had appeared, and he was even so favored by Baocheng.

Overwhelmed by a sense of crisis, Emperor Kangxi now finds Yinzhen utterly displeasing; the toothless brat, however, knows how to fawn over people!

"Alright, Baocheng, come and have your meal. Yinzhen should go to sleep too."

Kangxi smiled and waved. Tongjia, who was standing to the side, couldn't say that Yinzhen had just woken up, so she could only go along with Kangxi's words: "Yes, Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince will not disturb you any longer. I will take Yinzhen back now."

"Thank you for your hard work, cousin." Kangxi cast an approving glance at her with satisfaction.

Tongjia clicked her tongue and thought, "Oh, so now he's calling her cousin?"

Ultimately, he didn't dare to confront Kangxi. In any case, this trip was enough. He smiled and bid farewell to Bao Cheng, then left with Yinzhen in his arms.

"Come on, Baocheng, let's eat. The food won't taste good if it gets cold..."

Emperor Kangxi was in a good mood, feeling pleased that he had eliminated one of his enemies, and happily served Bao Cheng some food.

However, he still underestimated Bao Cheng's affection for Juan Wang... no, for his younger brother.

From that day on, Kangxi discovered that after Cining Palace, Jingren Palace, where Tongjia clan resided, became Baocheng's second favorite place to visit.

Not only did they go when they had free time, but when they didn't have time, they would also send Xiao Wu and Xiao Liu to play with Yinzhen. Yinzhen had all the treatment that Changquan used to receive, and even more than Changquan.

Now, not only Kangxi, but also Yinzhi and the other two noticed the problem.

"Something's not right, something's really not right!"

Yinzhi and Changquan sat together quietly, a rare occurrence. Oh, and Yinzhi, who had been looking for his brother Baocheng but was inexplicably dragged along, sat in the corner.

"I... am looking for... my brother, the Crown Prince..."

Yin Zhi tried his best to explain his purpose for coming.

Yinzhi glanced at him, his voice laced with sarcasm: "Still looking for your Crown Prince brother? Your Crown Prince brother doesn't like you anymore, he has a new, better brother."

"You...you're lying!" Yin Zhi's eyes instantly reddened. "Crown Prince...you like me!"

“It’s no use crying. Your Crown Prince brother is going to Jingren Palace every day now, and he looks at Yinzhen like the apple of his eye.”

Yinzhi couldn't help but feel sullen as he spoke.

Changquan was full of doubt: "Is there anything different about Prince Yinzhen? Why does Brother Baocheng like him?"

"They all have two noses and one eye, what's the difference? They can't even speak!"

Yinzhi was so angry he was confused, and Changquan, who was jealous, didn't even realize there was a problem. However, Yinzhi, who was standing next to him, subconsciously touched his face, hesitating to speak.

Seeing that neither of them reacted much, they seemed lost in thought. So, the younger brother looks like a little monster, and that's why the crown prince likes him? Perhaps he'd like to see him too.

"I...I'm going to...go see..."the little monster brother.

Before Yin Zhi could finish speaking, Yin Zhi and Chang Quan looked at him in surprise. They hadn't expected that Yin Zhi, who was usually timid, would be so brave and try to storm Jingren Palace.

So how could they be afraid?

Yinzhi slammed his hand on the table. "Yinzhi is right. I want to see for myself what's so great about this little Yinzhen!"

Changquan nodded, "I'll go too!"

He wanted to see what this newcomer, Cheng Yaojin, was capable of. He couldn't even speak properly, yet he had already stolen Bao Cheng's attention!