Chapter 123 Expectations for a Personal Expedition

"don't want!"

"don't want!"

In unison, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince hurriedly spoke up to stop them.

The Fifth Prince was bewildered by their reactions. His chubby, round face was full of confusion, and he was stuck, unable to process what they were saying. He stared blankly at his two younger brothers without saying a word.

Yin'e and the Ninth Prince exchanged a glance and then whispered a few words between themselves before the Ninth Prince, the Fifth Prince's younger brother, stepped forward to explain: "Fifth Brother, Father has already decided on this matter. We should just listen to him and not do anything unnecessary."

There were some things they didn't say directly: the Empress Dowager's move to Ning Shou Palace was no longer a simple matter of the inner palace, but involved important political matters of appeasing the Mongolians beyond the Great Wall. It was not as simple as the Fifth Prince thought, that it was just his grandmother moving house.

In this matter, no decision made by Kangxi could be easily changed. If the Fifth Prince went to plead, he would only be asking for trouble; not only would he be rejected, but he might even be reprimanded and punished by Kangxi for disobedience.

But seeing the blank look on the Fifth Prince's face, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince knew that the Fifth Prince did not understand what they meant at all.

The Fifth Prince was raised by the Empress Dowager and has always been straightforward and honest. He doesn't mince words and doesn't understand the implied meaning or the hidden depths in other people's words unless you explain things to him clearly.

When dealing with the Fifth Prince, the veiled meaning in words simply won't work; he's a truly honest and straightforward person.

Yin'e and the Ninth Prince exchanged a silent glance for a second. After reaching a consensus, the Ninth Prince stood up and moved forward, leaning most of his body on the desk in front of him. He leaned close to the Fifth Prince, who was sitting in front of them, and whispered in his ear, "Fifth Brother, listen to me..."

After the Ninth Prince whispered a string of words in the Fifth Prince's ear, the Fifth Prince's round, chubby face finally showed a look of sudden realization.

Immediately afterwards, the Fifth Prince frowned, pursed his lips, and subconsciously opened his mouth as if to say something.

But soon, a hint of dejection flashed in the Fifth Prince's eyes, and he tightly shut his mouth, swallowing back some of his words. He lowered his head, and the mood around him suddenly became much more somber, with an unusual look of worry appearing on his chubby face.

The Ninth Prince had already laid everything out clearly with the Fifth Prince, practically breaking it down and feeding it to him. The Fifth Prince was straightforward, but he wasn't stupid. He naturally understood that the Empress Dowager's relocation of the palace involved many things. No matter what he did—whether he pleaded with Emperor Kangxi or threw a tantrum in the Qianqing Palace—it was all useless and couldn't shake Emperor Kangxi's decision at all.

The Fifth Prince not only had to abandon the idea of ​​pleading with Emperor Kangxi, but he also had to suppress his dissatisfaction and not show the slightest bit of discontent. This was the Imperial Study, which was right next to the Qianqing Palace. If he caused a scene here, not only would he be punished, but it would also likely implicate the Ninth Prince.

After all, it was the Ninth Prince who brought things up with the Fifth Prince. If it had reached the Emperor's ears, it's unclear how the Fifth Prince would have been punished, but the Ninth Prince would have been accused of gossiping and trying to guess his father's thoughts.

Tell the Fifth Prince clearly and frankly that the Ninth Prince took a risk, and the Fifth Prince, indebted to him, couldn't possibly harm his own younger brother. No matter how unhappy he was, he had to suppress it, at least not in public, lest others notice anything amiss.

Yin'e glanced at the Fifth Prince, who was pouting and looking rather sullen. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment before advising, "If Fifth Brother feels sorry for Grandmother, why not ask Father for permission to stay at Ning Shou Palace for a while and spend more time with Grandmother?"

Because of insufficient affection and relationship, those taboo words could only be said by the Ninth Prince and the Fifth Prince, who shared the same mother. Yin'e could not say them, but it was fine to offer words of comfort that were not taboo.

Yin'e had always been on good terms with the Fifth Prince, and couldn't bear to see him so listless, so giving him a suggestion didn't take much effort.

Although we cannot ask the Empress Dowager to move to the Ning Shou Palace on another day and then move there in the spring, having her beloved grandson, the Fifth Prince, to accompany her should make her much happier. Even if she is taken around by Kangxi in the dead of winter, she will still find some comfort in it.

The Fifth Prince was indeed tempted. He suddenly raised his head and asked with a mixture of anticipation and worry, "Will this work?"

The Empress Dowager had no children of her own, but she doted on and cared for the Fifth Prince, who had been raised by her since childhood. The two shared a very deep bond. To be honest, the Fifth Prince's feelings for the Empress Dowager were deeper than his feelings for Emperor Kangxi and Consort Yi combined; in his heart, his grandmother was the closest person to him.

Blinking, Yin'e smiled, his almond-shaped eyes crinkling: "That depends on you, Fifth Brother."

Yin'e didn't keep them in suspense and continued, "Later, Father Khan will come to the Imperial Study to check on our studies. Fifth Brother, you should do your best to impress Father Khan and then make your request. It shouldn't be a problem."

With his brows furrowed and beads of sweat beading on his forehead, the Fifth Prince's plump, round face was filled with indescribable difficulty. He shifted restlessly, and after a long while, he stammered in a low voice, "This...this...I really can't do this!"

The Ninth Prince, who had already sat back down, put the book he had just picked up back on the desk and rolled his eyes without any politeness: "If Fifth Brother wants to perform well, he'd better not appear in front of Father Khan. Otherwise, with his knowledge, he'll surely be scolded by Father Khan."

Yin'e and the Ninth Prince simply disliked studying; if forced to study, they could keep up with the curriculum. The Fifth Prince, however, was different. He genuinely couldn't learn; he was the kind of exceptionally poor student who could drive any teacher crazy!

Gritting his teeth and gasping for breath, he thought, "I'll do my part to combat global warming." Yin'e shook his head, glancing helplessly at the Fifth Prince: If he couldn't please Kangxi with good grades, he'd have to find another way.

With a slight frown, Yin'e lowered his head and pondered for a while, but he was surprised and helpless to find that he could not find anything outstanding about the Fifth Prince that Kangxi valued or that could please him. It was not that the Fifth Prince was bad, but that the Fifth Prince was a little far from being excellent in Kangxi's eyes.

Having exhausted all other options, Yin'e had no choice but to give up: "How about this, it's your birthday in a few days, Fifth Brother, use that as an excuse to ask Father Khan for a favor."

Since there was no way to subtly win over Emperor Kangxi first and then ask for a reward, it was better to be direct and simply beg for his favor. Compared to his brothers, the Fifth Prince was indeed not as outstanding, but he was an honest boy, and telling the truth might be more appealing to the shrewd Emperor Kangxi.

The Fifth Prince's eyes lit up. He had been feeling down, but now he was happy, and his chubby, round face was full of an undisguised smile.

The Ninth Prince glanced suspiciously at the Fifth Prince, who was grinning from ear to ear, and subconsciously frowned: "Fifth Brother, what are you thinking about?"

He was frowning just a moment ago, how come he's all smiles now? Does he think he's some kind of weather in May, changing his expression in an instant? I really don't know where he learned this face-changing skill.

The Fifth Prince was straightforward, and the Ninth Prince did not doubt that the worry and anxiety he had just shown were feigned—if the Fifth Prince were truly so perceptive, he wouldn't have immediately revealed such an obvious smile.

The Ninth Prince was puzzled as to what the Fifth Prince had thought of that made him suddenly cheerful despite his worries. Given his feelings for the Empress Dowager, this shouldn't be the case. Moreover, out of the unspoken understanding between brothers, the Ninth Prince felt that the Fifth Prince's thoughts weren't good.

The Fifth Prince chuckled twice, seemingly realizing that his behavior was inappropriate. He scratched his head, suppressed the joyful smile on his face, and said shyly with a hint of embarrassment, "My tenth brother reminded me. I not only want to request permission to move back to be with my maternal grandmother, but I also want to ask for a few days' leave from the Imperial Study."

However, if they moved back to Cining Palace, the Fifth Prince would still have to study in the Imperial Study during the day. In fact, because Cining Palace is farther from the Imperial Study, the Fifth Prince would spend more time traveling back and forth every day, leaving him less time to rest, making it harder and more tiring for him.

However, if one could obtain leave from the Imperial Study, the situation would be entirely different.

Good heavens! Yin'e exclaimed. The Fifth Prince actually had such a plan. Who would have thought that someone with such thick eyebrows and big eyes would have so many ulterior motives?

The Ninth Prince stared at the Fifth Prince for a long time with an expression that seemed to say, "So this is what you're like, Fifth Brother." After a while, he stretched out his right hand and gave him a thumbs up: "Fifth Brother, you're really something, I'm impressed!"

The Ninth Prince's praise made the Fifth Prince even more embarrassed. He looked around guiltily and whispered, "It's all thanks to your reminder, Ninth Brother."

The Ninth Prince just told him that the matter of the Empress Dowager's relocation to the palace, though seemingly insignificant, is actually of great importance, and the chances of the Khan changing his mind are slim. This is certainly bad news, but everything has two sides. This matter has truly wronged the Empress Dowager, and perhaps the Khan will feel guilty and want to make amends?

Although I feel a little sorry for my maternal grandmother, the Fifth Prince is really suffering from the studies in the Imperial Study. If he could have a few days off to rest, that would be the best thing ever.

Yin'e clicked his tongue twice inwardly, thinking that the Fifth Prince was quite daring. His spirit of risking everything to dance in Kangxi's minefield—could this be the belief of a slacker? Being a fellow slacker, Yin'e felt he really needed to learn from him; this spirit was so much in line with his own.

However, stroking a tiger's whiskers is risky; if things go wrong, there will be no good consequences. Emperor Kangxi was much fiercer than a tiger.

The Empress Dowager's early relocation of the palace had an inexplicable connection with the Mongols. The Fifth Prince hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "Will Father Khan personally lead the expedition?"

Yin'e and the Ninth Prince exchanged a glance and shook their heads simultaneously: "How would we know?"

The personal expedition against the Mongols was a major event for the court, something these young princes, still studying in the Imperial Study, could never have known. Currently, the only princes qualified to attend court and participate in government affairs, besides the Crown Prince, were the First Prince; these younger princes had no chance of even getting involved.

However, although they didn't have much information, they still had some guesses in private. Yin'e slowly said, "Even if the emperor doesn't personally lead the expedition, Father Khan will still go beyond the Great Wall to hunt and inspect Mongolia."

Emperor Kangxi may not personally go to the battlefield, but once the Qing Dynasty goes to war with the Dzungars, pacifying the Mongols in the rear will become a top priority, and Kangxi will definitely not take it lightly.

With a sly smile and full of anticipation, the Ninth Prince darted around and whispered, "If Father leaves the capital, our lives will be much easier."