Chapter 30 Brothers

In the end, Yinzhen didn't even know how he left. He returned to his room in a daze. Looking at this familiar room, which suited his preferences in every way, Yinzhen felt even more bitter.

He hadn't slept all night and looked so haggard that even Yinxiang couldn't help but ask him what was wrong, but his fourth brother remained indifferent as if he hadn't noticed anything. As he was leaving, Yinzhen opened his mouth, but faced with his fourth brother's cold gaze, he couldn't say a word.

If his previous anger stemmed from learning that his fourth brother had altered the imperial genealogy, then at this moment, Yinzhen suddenly realized with profound clarity that once the genealogy was changed, they could never go back to the way things were. He didn't know if his mother would regret it, but he already did…

Regardless of the complex inner thoughts of a twelve-year-old boy, after seeing the two off, Yinzhen went to the Qianqing Palace to pay his respects.

"Your subject greets Your Majesty."

"Get up. How are you feeling?" Kangxi sat upright on the dragon throne, not raising his head, as if he didn't care at all.

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am fine."

"Well, that's good. Go back to the Ministry of Revenue when you have nothing else to do. I'm not raising you for nothing."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey your command."

"If there's nothing else, you may leave now. Go and see the Empress Dowager; she's very concerned about this matter."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I take my leave."

After Yinzhen left, Kangxi stopped reviewing memorials, staring out of the hall as if lost in thought, before resuming his work after a long while.

To others, it seemed that the Emperor's favor towards the Fourth Prince had faded. But only Liang Jiugong knew that yesterday the Emperor had named the Fourth Prince's legitimate son "Honghui." However, just before he left, the Emperor suddenly muttered, "Too much favor is not good," and rescinded the decree to name the child.

The imperial edict was still safely stored in the secret compartment. In Liang Jiugong's opinion, the Emperor truly cared about the Fourth Prince, which was why he considered him in every way. Therefore, in his eyes, Yinzhen's status among the princes had risen sharply, second only to the Crown Prince, and it was hard to say whether he was higher or lower than the First Prince, Yinzhi.

After visiting the Empress Dowager and receiving a large number of gifts from her, Yinzhen turned around and went to Yuqing Palace, the residence of Crown Prince Yinreng.

"Greetings, Your Highness..."

"Fourth brother, no need for formalities, please take a seat." Yinreng stood up and helped Yinzhen up, leading him inside, where a table of fine wine and food had already been prepared.

"My second brother is the crown prince; proper etiquette cannot be disregarded."

"You...you haven't changed a bit in your old-fashioned nature. Alright, come and sit down."

Hearing Yinzhen say this, Yinreng's smile became even more genuine. He patted Yinzhen on the shoulder and pulled him to sit down.

"Did you just see Father Emperor?" Yinreng asked seemingly casually.

"After paying his respects to the Emperor, he went to see the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager went to great lengths to give Yinzhen a lot of rewards."

Yinzhen answered truthfully, his expression as stern as ever, but his attitude extremely respectful. Yinreng, who already knew all along, was quite pleased. He was still his good fourth brother, unchanged even after the imperial genealogy was altered.

"Oh, the Empress Dowager is also worried about you. Look how thin you are. It breaks my heart to see you like this. I have prepared some tonics for you. Take them back with you when you leave and take good care of your health."

"Thank you, Second Brother." Yinzhen raised his cup and offered a toast to the Crown Prince.

Very pleased with Yinzhen's respectful yet intimate manner, the Crown Prince readily drank a cup of wine with him and said with a smile, "Why are you being so polite? We are the closest brothers after all. If anything happens in the future, you can't keep it from me. I will take care of it for you."

Yinreng patted Yinzhen's shoulder, showing a hint of heartache. Yinzhen also became much more somber and dejected, saying, "Thank you, Second Brother. In the end, it's just that I don't have much of a bond with my mother..."

"Sigh..." Thinking of Uya, who almost caused Yinzhen's death, the Crown Prince sighed sincerely for Yinzhen. "Let's not talk about it anymore. Your second brother will help you from now on. By the way, your confinement has been lifted. What are your plans after that?"

"Father Emperor wants me to return to the Ministry of Revenue."

Upon hearing Yinzhen's reply, the Crown Prince paused in his chopsticks, glanced at Yinzhen who showed no change in expression, but ultimately said nothing more and continued chatting with Yinzhen, though his tone became less intimate and more insincere.

"It's a good thing. It's a familiar place after all. It's good to go back."

"Second brother is right. Now that we have a child, I can no longer be willful. I must do my job well."

"Haha, being a father really makes a difference..."

...

After ending his feigned dealings with the Crown Prince and receiving a series of rewards, Yinzhen returned to his residence near dusk.

At this moment, a gentle and refined young man was sitting in the study, casually turning the pages of a book.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I haven't been here long. Fourth Brother, did you just return from the Crown Prince's place?"

Hearing the voice, the man who looked up was none other than the Eighth Prince, Yinzhi.

"Yes." Yinzhen walked into the inner room in a few steps and changed his clothes with Su Peisheng's help, while Yinsi strolled around outside without any hesitation.

"It seems Fourth Brother has acquired quite a few good things."

"Want some? Take whatever you like." Yinzhen's voice came out, sounding much more relaxed than when he was in the palace.

"Fourth Brother is so generous, then I won't stand on ceremony."

"Pick whatever you like." Soon, Yinzhen, having changed his clothes, came out, dismissed the servants in the study, leaving only him and Yinsi.

"I haven't had a chance to formally thank you yet. These are just some gifts, but they are a life-saving favor. You can take them all."

The two sat facing each other, with tea brewing on a delicate stove on the small table and several plates of exquisite snacks placed beside them.

While brewing tea with practiced ease, Yinzhen chatted with Yinsi.

"No need to thank me, it was just a small favor. Besides, I've received quite a few good things from Fourth Brother recently, and the storerooms in the manor are almost overflowing."

"At worst, I'll open another warehouse for you. You can never have too much of a thank you gift."

"Fourth Brother, you really are... I've benefited quite a bit from your information, there's no need for you to thank me again." Yinzhi smiled gently, but his words were straightforward.

"Those benefits are what you deserve, so just accept them," Yinzhen glanced at him. He didn't know who had spread the rumor that the Eighth Prince was courteous to scholars, but there were no truly good-tempered princes among them; it was just that others couldn't see through it.

"Now that things are over, you should tone it down a bit."

Yinzhen picked up his teacup and took a sip. His seemingly casual remark immediately faded, the smile on Yinsi's face disappearing considerably. "So? What plans does Father have for you?"

"Return to the Ministry of Revenue to take up a post."

"Tsk, Father Emperor is so good to you..." Only in front of Yinzhen did Yinsi dare to reveal a trace of his true emotions. Looking at the unmoved Yinzhen with a pang of sadness, he sighed, composed himself, and continued to press, "What did the Crown Prince say?"

"Feeling apprehensive."

“Our Crown Prince is really…” Yinzhi shook his head and didn’t say more. It’s no wonder that his elder brother always wanted to compete with him because of his lack of tolerance for others.

"You should visit my residence less often in the future."

“Fourth Brother…” Upon hearing this, Yinzhi looked up in surprise, a hint of hurt still in his eyes.

Yinzhen calmly poured him some more tea, pushed the teacup over, and said gently, "Eldest brother is impulsive and straightforward, and doesn't pay attention to details. He needs a shrewd and tactful Eighth Prince to assist him; Crown Prince is arrogant and disdainful of others, and needs a strict and disciplined Fourth Prince to follow him. This is a balance that Father has set up between the two factions, and we cannot refuse it."

“Balance…” Yinzhi smiled bitterly, picked up his teacup and gulped it down, as if venting his frustration by drinking alcohol, “So we are made to be pawns, unable to have our own thoughts.”

"Who isn't a player in this game?" Yinzhen sighed, looking earnestly at Yinsi, and said, "Eighth brother, it's not just for the sake of balance. After the imperial genealogy was altered, you shouldn't have gotten close to me in the first place; it would only have brought you endless trouble. Not only will Father be dissatisfied, but the Crown Prince, eldest brother, Suo'etu, Mingzhu... they will all be dissatisfied."

I can only be a lone wolf, a loyal follower of the Crown Prince, and perhaps even become his second whetstone in the future…

"Fourth Brother..." Yinzhi felt sorrow upon hearing this.

"Eighth brother, suppress whatever thoughts you have, and follow your eldest brother closely from now on. Stay away from me and be hostile towards me, just like ninth brother would be good..."

"Stop talking, Fourth Brother... I know, I... I will do it." Yinzhi interrupted him, unable to bear listening any longer.

"Take it slow, don't arouse suspicion in others."

"Alright." Seeing Yinzhen's calm and composed demeanor, Yinsi swallowed all his grievances and sadness. His fourth brother had considered so much for him; he couldn't let his fourth brother down...