While the group was enjoying themselves at Datangshan and Xiaotangshan, Malhun hurriedly found Yinsi.

"Lord Beile, something bad has happened!"

"What happened? Uncle, tell me slowly, there's no need to rush."

The smile on Yinsi's face remained unchanged, but it did not reach his eyes.

In the past few months, the number of people under his command has increased dramatically, and Malhun has gained a lot of benefits by relying on his status, which he has seen.

"Nineth Master followed the Crown Prince to Datang Mountain! Don't you know about this?"

"I know. The Datangshan Garden was originally built under the leadership of the Crown Prince. The management rights will be handed over to Ninth Brother in the future. Of course, Ninth Brother will ask for Second Brother's opinion."

Yinsi looked at Marhun's wrinkled old face and sneered in his heart.

He was probably going crazy trying to get benefits from Lao Jiu in the long run...

The anxiety on Marhun's face froze for a moment.

"How come you don't care at all? Jiu Ye and you are allies. He so blatantly followed the Crown Prince to Datang Mountain. What do the people below think?"

"Are you really not afraid... that the Ninth Master will defect to the Crown Prince?"

Malhun tried to make the consequences sound more serious so that Yinsi would take the matter seriously.

When Yinsi heard this, a hint of mockery flashed across his eyes.

The one who was really afraid that Lao Jiu would defect to the Crown Prince was Ma'erhun.

As for him…

Unfortunately, he is also a disciple of the Crown Prince...

Yinsi thought this in his heart, but pretended to realize the seriousness of the problem. His face immediately fell.

"If my uncle hadn't told me, I wouldn't have realized... This Old Nine, who initially promised me everything, turned around and stuck to the Crown Prince. What does he think of me?!"

"No, I have to find someone to call him back and ask him what he means!"

As he was about to go outside to look for someone, Malhun became anxious.

"Don't be anxious! Don't be anxious! Eighth Master... my Prince! This is not the way to do things!"

"Why are you stopping me? Do you think I should just stand by and watch?"

Yinsi stared at Marhun, his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"No...I'm not!"

Malhun sighed in his heart. The Eighth Prince was still too young. If he went to the Ninth Prince like this, the two of them might break up tomorrow!

"Lord Beile, that's not how it should be done. You also said that Jiu Ye only followed the Crown Prince to suffer in the garden. If you directly define this as him wanting to defect to the Crown Prince, then isn't that obviously pushing Jiu Ye to the Crown Prince's side..."

Yinsi was "successfully" persuaded by Marhun, and asked him with a little uncertainty on his face,

"Then what do you think I should do?"

Marhun frowned and pondered for a moment, then said,

"The Lunar New Year is coming soon, and Master Jiu will eventually return to the capital. You can't completely ignore this matter. When he returns, you can invite him to your residence more often to maintain a good relationship. I will also find a few acquaintances and do more business with Master Jiu. As long as he can see the benefits of an alliance with you, he will stop trying to get close to the Crown Prince..."

When he said "do more business", a hint of pain flashed across Malhun's face.

In the past six months, countless people wanted to use his connections to become Yinsi's subordinates, and he also made a lot of profits from those people, but he hadn't even had time to enjoy the money, and now he was afraid that he would have to give it away again.

It would be strange if he didn't feel pain.

Hearing this, a gleam of light flashed across Yinsi's eyes.

He originally wanted Malhun to turn a blind eye to the matter, but he didn't expect such an unexpected surprise.

Tsk…

This is a good thing, as it saves him from having to find ways to get money out of Malhun.

"Is this... possible?"

"Don't worry, it will definitely work! Don't go looking for Master Jiu for the next two days. Wait until he returns from Datangshan before we discuss everything!"

"Oh well…"

Watching Marhun's hurriedly leaving back, Yinsi's lips curled up slightly in a sarcastic arc.

A fool who only sees profit.

At the same time, Chen Tingjing was also in Yinzhen's mansion, asking Yinzhen whether it was possible to win over the ninth prince to their camp.

Yinzhen gave Chen Tingjing a negative answer.

If Chen Tingjing was a person who would do anything to achieve his goals, Yinzhen would not give such a firm answer.

Although Chen Tingjing had his own selfish motives, his merits outweighed his flaws. He was still an honest and upright person, so Yinzhen did not want to deceive him and make him make some unnecessary sacrifices.

When Chen Tingjing asked why, Yinzhen gave him a reason that he could not refute, that is, the Qingliu people have always valued reputation, while Yinzhen regards "profit first" as his guiding principle, and people with different ideas cannot work together.

Chen Tingjing thought about it and agreed, so he put the matter behind him.

After Chen Tingjing left, Yinzhen sat in the warm room and looked at the snowflakes falling outside, sneering at his own answer.

Yinzhen had been dealing with the Qingliu for some time, and he found that most of them were hypocrites who were seeking fame and reputation, and people like Chen Tingjing only accounted for a small part of them.

Because of the huge gap in status between the Manchus and the Han people, the Han people had no place to make a name for themselves, so they were forced to become compassionate "honest officials."

But when money and power are placed before their eyes, their eating habits are much uglier than those of the Manchu nobles.

If there really was a chance to pull Yinzhen out of Yinsi's camp, most of the Qingliu would probably agree wholeheartedly.

After all, the little bit of food that showed between Yin'er's fingernails was enough to fill their stomachs.

The Manchu nobles had lived a life of luxury since childhood and did not care much about petty gains.

What they value is the real power and the path to promotion that they actually hold.

It is human nature to pursue profit, and Yinzhen did not look down on those upright people because he knew very well that there were many people with real talents and knowledge among them, they just suffered from the lack of space to display their talents.

If the status of the Manchus and the Han were reversed, most of the Qingliu could truly become good officials serving the country and the people, but the Manchu nobles who had lived a life of luxury and a worry-free future would most likely become regulars in brothels, teahouses, and taverns...

As Yinzhen thought this, he tightened his grip on the teacup.

Everyone has a complex of "covering up for one's shortcomings", and he is no exception.

Occasionally, when facing Chen Tingjing and others, he would sigh and think that it would be great if Chen Tingjing and others were Manchus.

However, after he sighed, he would remember what his second brother once said: there is no honest official in the world who is of Manchu descent, and he would think his idea was ridiculous.

There is a saying that goes "Eat the emperor's food and worry about the emperor", but the Manchus were supported by the Han people throughout their lives from birth to death, and they could live a carefree life without sharing the emperor's worries.

Therefore, the Manchus did not have the qualifications to become honest officials.