Chapter 80 History finally took a slight sway: After eight days of rest, Yu Lang found it incredibly difficult to get back into the palace, even his usual standing posture...

After taking eight days off, Yu Lang felt incredibly out of sorts when he returned to the palace. He even almost forgot where he usually stood.

It was only when the eunuch serving in the study saw his bewildered expression that Yu guard gave him a wink, preventing him from making a mistake in front of his master.

If Shen Wanqing knew about this, she would definitely laugh at him mercilessly and feel a pang of loss. This is exactly the post-Golden Week holiday syndrome. It's a pity that I will probably never have the chance to experience this feeling again in my life.

"You just got back and are already on the night shift. It's rare to see you so proactive. The sun will rise in the west tomorrow."

"Your Highness, please don't laugh at this servant. In the entire Yuqing Palace, there are only a few of us who get eight days off a week. If we don't distribute the night shifts when we get back, people will start gossiping behind our backs."

Yu Lang only entered the palace to start his shift in the afternoon. Eight days ago, when he left the palace, Fucha Deyin specifically instructed these few people who had long rest periods. From this time back until the next shift, the night shift would be assigned to them.

The fact that the gift was given to Yulang on the very first day shows that although Lord Fucha may look rough, he is actually very perceptive and can see through Yulang's little schemes and ambitions perfectly.

"Tell me, how have you been these past few days? Other people who leave the palace can't wait to send someone back the next day to ask how I am doing, but you disappeared as soon as you left the palace. I had to ask Gao Laixi to send someone to inquire about you."

The crown prince is the heir apparent, so it's not shameful for his subjects to flatter him. Just like civil and military officials submitting memorials to the emperor, the crown prince's subordinates and servants also have to find ways to send things to him every now and then.

Tribute sent to the capital from all over the country, novelties collected privately by officials and guards, rare furs, jade, mountain delicacies and medicinal herbs—as long as they can be sent to the Crown Prince and give him a chance to show his face, or if the eunuchs and servants of Yuqing Palace mention his name and official title when presenting the items, it's all worth it.

Only Yulang, who had been at Yuqing Palace for several months, had never brought anything. What a generous bodhisattva, yet he didn't give anything to the crown prince himself.

At first, Yinreng thought he was definitely planning something big, since such things didn't really mean anything to him. For him, it was just a little embellishment in his boring life, to see what other nonsense these people could come up with.

But Yu Lang wasn't holding back anything; he never intended to hold back at all.

It was already past the twelfth lunar month when Yinreng still hadn't received a single piece of paper from Yulang. The Crown Prince, who always thought he would never make things difficult for his officials and confidants, couldn't help but ask Yulang when there were fewer people around, "It's almost the New Year, are you really not going to send me anything?"

Yu Lang was taken aback by the question. Of course, he knew how his colleagues and the civil and military officials below were sending things to Yuqing Palace. He wasn't unaware that he should follow the crowd, but he was simply short of money.

Once they entered the estate and the sergeant's quarters in December, they would start sending him money one after another. Yu Lang had already set his sights on a pocket watch, and he was just waiting for the money to arrive so he could get it and send it to Yu Qing Palace. After all, the Crown Prince didn't have many good things, except for some Western trinkets, which were still quite novel to him.

Of the thousand taels Shen Wanqing had given him, only four hundred taels remained. Four hundred taels sounds like a lot, but it's easy to spend. Yu Lang carefully calculated and scrimped and saved, and only then did he finally manage to get through to the twelfth lunar month.

He took out his purse in front of the Crown Prince. Inside the purse was a ten-tael silver note and a few silver ingots, which made Yinreng's temples throb with pain.

Having been the crown prince for so many years, I've seen all sorts of people begging for official positions and wealth, but I've never seen anyone like Yu Lang who only has a dozen or so taels of silver on him.

At that time, only Yulang and the eunuch Delin, who served in the study, were in the Jide Hall. Delin looked at Yulang's purse and wanted to laugh but dared not. He held it in so hard that his shoulders shrugged and his face turned red.

Delin was a steady and taciturn man. He was observant and hardworking, but never spoke of his work. He was chosen to serve in the Crown Prince's study when he was twelve years old. Almost eight years have passed in the blink of an eye, and he is still doing the same work. He doesn't show his face or make a fuss, and many people outside Yuqing Palace don't really know Delin.

Only those close to Yinreng knew that this Eunuch De was no less influential than He Yuzhu in the Crown Prince's eyes, and Gao Laixi couldn't even come close to him. There were many things that He Yuzhu might not even know, but Delin certainly did.

However, Delin saw everything but never said anything. Even when Suo'etu wanted to get along with him, he remained indifferent and said very little.

For this reason, Suo Zhongtang once thought of persuading Yinreng to replace him with a more clever eunuch to serve in the study. As a result, the Crown Prince did not summon Suo'etu for two months in a row, which made Suo Zhongtang anxious and frantic outside the palace. In the end, it was Kangxi who mediated the situation and resolved the matter.

After that, Delin continued to serve in the study as usual, and Suo'etu behaved himself for more than half a year without daring to cause trouble. Even Kangxi privately told Liang Jiugong that although his crown prince seemed to be good to the people around him, he could not be pushed too far. If he was really angered, he could throw anyone away.

Such a composed person couldn't hold back that day and burst out laughing. Yinreng laughed so hard that he kicked both of them and threw them, along with Yulang's belongings, out of the study.

When the matter was brought up again today, Yinreng didn't expect him to bring anything back from outside the palace. Gao Laixi had already inquired carefully about what he had been doing at home these past few days. There were more than just him as a captain of the guards in Yuqing Palace, but he was the busiest one these days.

He leaves early and returns late every day, and even in this freezing weather, he went out of the city to the estate. There are only about two hundred households under his command, and no one knows why he is so busy. Gao Laixi only knew that Yulang had taken his wife out of the city, but he didn't find out what they were doing. Yinreng also didn't know the specifics.

"Your Highness, I didn't come to the palace empty-handed this time. Please try this."

Yu Lang took off his purse and handed it to De Lin. In Yu Qing Palace, the eunuchs who served the Crown Prince had to taste the food for their masters. As a guard, Yu Lang was especially careful in such matters.

This coconut candy was delivered from the Shi family to Shen Wanqing, and then put into Yulang's purse to be brought into the palace as a snack. Yulang didn't think there would be any problems at any of the steps, but even if there were no problems, it wouldn't stop him from following the procedures properly.

Delin took the purse out and soon returned with all the coconut candies in a delicate little plate. He casually picked one up and ate it in front of the two of them. After waiting for a quarter of an hour and confirming that nothing had happened and the candy was clean, Yinreng picked out the largest-looking one from the plate, peeled it open, and ate it.

"This tastes interesting. It's not from the capital, is it?"

"Replying to Master, my eldest mistress said that this is a specialty from the southeast. The sugar is made from coconut, and the indescribable taste is the aroma of coconut."

While Crown Prince Yinreng was undoubtedly noble, he had actually tried far more novelties than Yulang throughout his life.

Since the food was ultimately intended for the Crown Prince, it was desirable for the Imperial Household Department and the Imperial Kitchen to produce outstanding dishes, but the prerequisite for outstanding dishes was that they could not be flawed. Therefore, the ingredients presented to Yinreng were all of the highest quality, but there were very few fresh and novel dishes.

Who knows what the Crown Prince likes and dislikes? Just serve the best according to the rations. Avoid the fresh ingredients if possible. What if the master likes it once and wants to have it again, but we don't have any left? In that case, a good thing will turn into a bad thing.

For a lackey, making merits and gaining recognition is secondary; the most important thing is to secure his own life and job.

"Fresh coconuts don't taste like this; this candy is better than coconut."

Yinreng had eaten coconuts before; they were all sent to the capital as tribute by officials from places like Qiongzhou. He had a deep impression of the fruit, which was so hard it could kill someone, yet brimming with juice. It wasn't particularly delicious, but it wasn't bad either; once you finished it, that was it. It was nothing like the small dish of coconut candy in front of him, so rich and fragrant that he couldn't help but take another piece.

"As long as Master is happy."

"Is this all? The Shi family is too stingy."

"We can't hide it from the Crown Prince. The sugar was given to my eldest mistress by the Shi family. After dividing it among the family and sending some to my father-in-law, there was only about half a basket left."

"Alright, we've had our candy and chatted enough, let's get down to business."

Yinreng didn't ask Yulang why he didn't bring him the remaining half basket, which was quite insensitive. He knew about the plum blossom banquet organized by the Shi family, but he didn't ask if Shi had sent any messages to the palace. Yulang knew from his behavior that the Crown Prince's thoughts had been figured out by his eldest mistress.

The Crown Prince didn't care about what kind of person or what kind of temperament Shi Shi was; what he cared about from beginning to end was the Shi family. So all the passing on of messages and striking up conversations was superfluous; a small purse of coconut candy was much simpler and clearer.

The real business was what Shi Wenbing had discussed in his study. Yu Lang represented the Hesheli family, which was separate from Suo'etu; the Shi family represented the future new maternal relatives; and Shen Hongshi represented the officials who were attached to the Shi family. These three simple people had gathered together the forces that Yinreng needed to win over most at the moment.

"What are your thoughts on this? Tell me."

"I have thought about it carefully when I got home and I think we should listen to General Shi on this matter."

Yu Lang pursed his lips. He knew what the Crown Prince was hesitating about; the relationship between Yuqing Palace and Qianqing Palace was too delicate.

The Crown Prince had finally settled down and didn't want to cause any more trouble. Right now, he just wanted to be an obedient Crown Prince and wait patiently for the Qing Palace to issue an imperial edict to appoint the Crown Princess. He didn't want to rush things again for something that seemed like a sure thing, lest he incur the Emperor's suspicion and be wronged.

"Your Majesty's desire for stability is understandable, but General Shi's words make sense. Leaving aside the fact that no one can predict birth, aging, sickness, and death, even if General Shi's health is still good for now, it would be wise to take advantage of his good health to properly arrange matters concerning the Shi family..."

"Whether it's hanging by a thread and hastily entrusting everyone and everything to the Crown Prince, there's a huge difference between the two."

Besides, the Crown Prince is, after all, the heir apparent. Although the current dynasty's atmosphere is not as prosperous as that of the Tang Dynasty, the Crown Prince's Chamberlain's Office and his subordinates could practically form a small court. However, Yinreng will still have to ascend the throne in the end.

To secure a position, one cannot always strive for perfection. Sometimes, one must fight for what is right and be proactive, without retreating or waiting idly. Those who achieve great things do not simply stretch out their hands and wait for a pie to be fed to them. If they were to be fed a pie, they would be unable to swallow it or hold onto it.

Just like Yu Lang, this servant, he should know when to protect himself and when to play dumb. He should know when to express his attitude, when to give advice to his master, or even when to help his master make a decision. He should not back down even half a step. Otherwise, Yu Lang would have no reason to exist in front of the Crown Prince.

“Your Majesty, the Emperor is the Emperor, but isn’t he also your father?”

The question of whether the ruler and subject or the father and son should take precedence is incredibly difficult to answer. Yinreng, being in the midst of the situation, naturally couldn't see it clearly. But if Yulang were to say that it was better to take the initiative and reach out than to remain in this predicament, feeling uncomfortable in either direction, then he should.

The Shi family was originally chosen by His Majesty himself; it couldn't have been orchestrated by the Crown Prince or Suo'etu's faction for their own selfish reasons.

Secondly, although His Majesty's attitude towards the Crown Prince has been inconsistent, from another perspective, even though His Majesty has been like this, the Crown Prince, as the son, still takes the initiative to ask his father for whatever he wants. Isn't this also a kind of deep father-son affection?

Parents are often not afraid of their children not wanting to get married, but rather of their children secretly making demands on their own. Especially for a wealthy father like the Emperor, it's not a big deal for his son to openly tell him he wants to get married soon.

"You figured all of this out yourself?"

"It's all my own thinking. My father passed away early. Sometimes I think, if my father were still here, I wouldn't have to worry about any chores or anything like that. I could just ask my father for whatever I need. Isn't it only natural for a son to ask his father for things?"

While the words may be crude, the principle is sound. The next day, after attending court, Yinreng did not return to Yuqing Palace, but instead went directly with Kangxi to the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

"Say what it is quickly, there are so many people waiting outside."

With the New Year approaching, many matters needed to be decided before Emperor Kangxi put down his pen. Less important matters and unpleasant topics unsuitable for discussion before the New Year had already been filtered out, but even so, the ministers of the Six Ministries and the Council of State were still extremely busy. If it weren't for Crown Prince Yinreng blocking their way to enter the warm pavilion first, several ministers would have already sent eunuchs in to urge them to proceed.

After the court session, Yinreng followed him into the warm pavilion like a little tail. Kangxi turned around and glanced at him, knowing that he had something to say. He even guessed about 70-80% of what it was.

Unexpectedly, Bao Cheng made his own decision before Songgotu and Lingpu even went to Yuqing Palace. This change pleased Kangxi greatly; how could his crown prince, his heir apparent, be controlled by that old man Songgotu in every matter?

"The Shi family has returned to the capital. My son wants to try to get the imperial decree for the marriage before the New Year. I don't know if Father Emperor will agree."

"Oh? In such a hurry to settle down?"

Kangxi knew why Yinreng had come, but he hadn't expected him to be so frank and straightforward. In recent years, there had been too much discord around Baocheng, and the more he heard, the more secrets he naturally kept from him.

At first, Kangxi felt uncomfortable, but he would comfort himself by saying that it was normal for his son to have his own thoughts as he grew up, and that he, as the father, should not interfere too much.

But seeing that Yinreng always acted this way, instead of asking for his opinion first, he would call Suo'etu Lingpu and others to discuss and whisper among themselves before coming to him to stammer and conceal things. Even minor matters were made to cause Kangxi to overthink.

Although we still don't know why Yinreng suddenly had this change of heart, it's perfectly normal for the Crown Prince, who will be nineteen years old next year, to be anxious to get married and find a Crown Princess.

After all, Kangxi already had a string of children when Yinreng was his age. What year did he and Empress Heseri get married? Kangxi looked at his son and suddenly felt a little dazed. He thought he was only twelve years old when Empress Heseri entered the palace?

After returning from the Shi family, Shen Wanqing settled down at home to prepare for the New Year. The day after the Shi family banquet ended, it snowed quite heavily again. Shi Qionghua even sent someone with a gold-flecked note to tell Shen Wanqing that the plum blossoms in the mansion were blooming better than the day before, and their fragrance was even more intense and proud.

Shen Wanqing held the exquisite letter, so delicate that even the slightest crease on the edge had to be carefully smoothed out, and read it with delight. The plum blossoms that bloomed yesterday were truly beautiful, and the gift that Shi Qionghua had specially prepared for her when she returned was also very pleasing to her.

The cook from the Shi family made plum blossom cakes and plum blossom pastries from plum blossoms in the plum garden. They were so elegant that Shen Wanqing couldn't help but feel regretful that she couldn't take pictures and post them on her WeChat Moments. They were just too beautiful.

Having received plum blossom cakes and gold-flecked paper from Shi Qionghua, the Hesheli family naturally trusted and obeyed this eldest daughter-in-law who had climbed up to become the future Crown Princess even more. Even Tongjia, who had been content to live a peaceful retirement in the main courtyard, sent someone early in the morning to invite her over, saying that the Dong'e family from Jingzhou was sending people to deliver New Year's gifts today and wanted her to accompany them.

Let her go. Fuxuan is getting married next year, so it's not a big deal to make things look good now.

Unexpectedly, just as she finished dressing in the morning, a servant from the gatehouse came in to report that an imperial edict had been issued early that morning, bestowing upon Lady Shi the title of Crown Princess.

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Congratulations to Bao Cheng! You're finally getting married soon and embarking on a new path full of hope and uncertainty.

A red envelope will be given away in the comments section of this chapter! [Dog head with rose in hand][Dog head with rose in hand][Dog head with rose in hand]