Chapter 109 Father and Son Have a Heart-to-Heart Talk

The Eighth Prince was stripped of his title of Beile and demoted to a minor member of the imperial clan; the Fourteenth Prince was flogged twenty times and confined to his residence.

These two pieces of news spread throughout the capital in an instant, causing turmoil in the court and among the people, yet no one dared to speak out at this time. Those who had already submitted their recommendations were filled with regret, only then realizing that the Emperor had been fishing for their talents.

If the Eighth Prince has been dealt with, how far are we from dealing with them? It's alright if there are no supporters of the Eighth Prince, but those who submitted memorials recommending him can be said to be living in constant fear and unease.

The once-powerful Eighth Prince Party vanished instantly, with everyone avoiding each other for fear of getting involved in even the slightest trouble.

Meanwhile, Yinreng, who was imprisoned in Yuqing Palace, learned everything that had happened in Qianqing Palace from Yinzhen. Hearing about the fate of the Eighth Prince, hearing about his father's attempt to kill his son, and seeing Yinzhen's bandaged hands, Yinreng finally realized the truth.

With disheveled hair, he held a wine glass and laughed heartily until tears streamed down his face.

"Hahaha... Father Emperor... In the end, the eldest son beat me this time..." Yinreng laughed as he vented all the frustration, resentment and anger in his heart.

He finally understood the principle of "emperor before father," and he finally understood that all his struggles were merely those of a pawn in the game of imperial power. What use was it to fight against other pawns? His father, the emperor, was the one who could overturn the game.

He understood this principle, or perhaps he believed it too late, deceiving himself, and couldn't even compare to the eldest son. No wonder Yinzhi relinquished power so easily and readily.

He was infatuated; he was blinded by the identity of the Crown Prince and couldn't extricate himself from it...

The guards watching over Yuqing Palace didn't know what the deposed crown prince was laughing about. They only knew that the laughter had been going on for a long time, and it sounded worse than crying. The laughter was so complicated, with all sorts of thoughts mixed in, that it made people feel uncomfortable.

The guards gripped the hilts of their swords tightly, fearing that the deposed crown prince might go mad.

Good news: the deposed crown prince didn't laugh himself crazy; bad news: he laughed himself sick.

When the news reached the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Kangxi had just lain down to rest.

Yesterday, he vomited blood due to a sudden illness, and the imperial physician gave him a bad diagnosis. However, during the day, Kangxi still forced himself to attend court, only revealing a hint of weakness when he returned to his bedchamber. With Liang Jiugong's help, he went to bed early to rest.

Upon learning that the deposed crown prince was ill, Kangxi's heart trembled slightly. After hesitating for a moment, he still took his men and quietly arrived at Yuqing Palace.

Seeing how dilapidated Yuqing Palace had become in just one or two months, Kangxi felt quite uneasy.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

Yinzhen was standing guard at the door, bowing to Kangxi who was rushing over.

"Get up. How are your hands?" Kangxi asked casually, his gaze sweeping over Yinzhen's bandaged hands.

"It's nothing."

"Um."

After speaking, Kangxi stood still, silently exchanging glances with Yinzhen. Seeing Kangxi's hesitation and conflict, Yinzhen, unusually considerate, said, "Second Brother is still unconscious. Father, why don't you go in and take a look?"

Kangxi nodded, casually walked past Yinzhen, and told everyone else to wait outside while he strolled in alone.

In the dimly lit room, Yinreng lay unconscious on the bed, his face deathly pale and his body emaciated. Kangxi felt a sudden pang of sorrow at the sight. He sat down beside the bed, gazing at him in disbelief. How could he have lost so much weight and become like this?

"Baocheng..." At this moment, before the unconscious Yinreng, Kangxi shed his imperial majesty and became more like a father. After all, this was his beloved son whom he had cherished for so many years, the child to whom he had poured eighty percent of his emotions. How could Kangxi not be heartbroken?

Kangxi sat absentmindedly by the bedside, recalling the diagnosis he had learned beforehand that Yinreng's "depression was affecting his lifespan," and then thinking about his own current health condition. Kangxi fell silent, a rare occurrence for him. He gazed quietly at Yinreng's sleeping face, lost in thought.

"Father..." Yinreng snapped out of his daze and immediately saw Kangxi sitting beside him, his eyes glazed over.

"Baocheng..." Kangxi was momentarily surprised and excited, but after reaching out to help him up, he quickly composed himself.

From the moment Yinreng saw Kangxi, his gaze never left him, and naturally he didn't miss the fleeting change in Kangxi's expression. Overwhelmed with emotion, Yinreng couldn't help but call out again, "Father Emperor."

Kangxi lowered his eyes, unwilling to meet Yinreng's gaze, afraid that he would soften his heart. After a moment of silence, he said, "Since you are alright, stay in Yuqing Palace. I'm leaving."

"Father!"

As Kangxi rose to his feet, Yinreng lagged behind. Despite being weak and powerless, he still boldly grabbed Kangxi's robe.

Kangxi paused, brushed away Yinreng's hand, stood in front of the bed, looked at Yinreng's haggard face, and asked in a cold voice, "Is there anything else?"

Looking at Kangxi, Yinreng forced a faint smile, lowered his eyes, and said frankly, "These days I've been paying attention to Yuqing Palace, and I've thought a lot. I am indeed not a qualified crown prince."

Emperor Kangxi was shocked, never expecting Yinreng to say such a thing.

"In the past, I loved to compete with the eldest prince, then with the eighth prince, and then with the seventeenth prince. I fought for power and profit, showing no regard for the country, the people, or the subjects. Father Emperor is right. In the position of Crown Prince, I was arrogant, extravagant, licentious, and tyrannical, forming cliques and engaging in corrupt practices. I failed to fulfill my responsibilities as the heir apparent..."

Yinreng spoke in a detached tone, offering a self-deprecating rebuke without a trace of emotion. He used the same words that Kangxi had used to depose him, and berated Kangxi until Kangxi felt a pang of pity.

“Baocheng…”

“But Father Emperor,” Yinreng suddenly looked up and stared straight at Kangxi, saying, “When I first started competing with the eldest son, it was only for your favor. All my struggles were just to prove my place in your heart. The reason I worked so hard to protect my position as Crown Prince was because this position is the most precious thing you have given me.”

“Father, Songgotu told me that there are no fathers and sons in the imperial family. I never believed it before, but now I want to ask you. Baocheng wants to ask you, Father, is it really true that there are no fathers and sons in the imperial family?”

Kangxi turned his head away in embarrassment, not daring to meet Yinreng's bright eyes, his disgust for Suo'etu deepening. But more than anything, he was moved; it was truly the first time he had heard Baocheng speak such honest words.

He felt a rare sense of shame. How could he bring himself to tell Bao Cheng that he had placed imperial power and court affairs above Bao Cheng? Faced with Bao Cheng's deep love for his son, even Kangxi, who spoke of how much he doted on the crown prince, could not hide his guilty conscience.

“Baocheng…I will always be your father, but I am also the emperor,” Kangxi said with difficulty.

Yinreng lowered his eyes, looking slightly disappointed. "Baocheng understands. It is I who have disappointed Father Emperor."

Yinreng remained silent, and Kangxi, unsure of what else to say, turned away with some unease. "I have other matters to attend to. You should rest well."

Seeing that Kangxi had left with his men, Yinreng quietly closed his eyes and murmured, "Uncle, forgive Baocheng, help Baocheng one more time..."

The following day, Emperor Kangxi issued an edict ordering the deposed Crown Prince Yinreng to be moved to Xian'an Palace for confinement, and Prince Yong was no longer responsible for his care. The palace servants in Xian'an Palace were personally arranged by Liang Jiugong to take care of the deposed Crown Prince and his family.