After spending time together, Qian Shengyan finally understood that the biggest advantage of Qingxue being transferred from Yinzhen's side was that she had a wide network of connections, knew many people in the front courtyard, and knew a lot about what was happening outside.

If Qian Shengyan wants to ask anything, she can't go wrong by asking her.

As expected, Qingxue did know which princes were accompanying the emperor.

“The Crown Prince, Prince Cheng, the Tenth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, and a few other young princes…” Qian Shengyan pondered, resting her chin on her hand, “And those in charge of the palace…”

"Our Prince has been granted permission by the Emperor to work in the Southern Study. As for the affairs of the imperial clan, they are still being managed by Prince Lian and Ninth Prince." Qingxue was indeed very knowledgeable about the outside world, and she spoke with great pride.

During the Kangxi era, the Southern Study was a confidential organization directly under the emperor. Memorials from all directions had to be sent to the Southern Study first, and then approved by several officials before being issued or sent to the emperor. It was also an important organization for Kangxi to ensure the smooth flow of government orders.

Since Yinzhen was allowed to move around the Southern Study, he had the opportunity to participate in important official business, so it was no wonder that Qingxue spoke in this tone.

Qian Shengyan was silently counting: Prince Cheng was the Third Prince, and Prince Lian was the famous Eighth Prince in later generations.

Now that the eldest prince, Prince Zhi, is under house arrest, and the crown prince, who was deposed and reinstated, has clearly lost Kangxi's trust, he is kept by Kangxi's side at all times.

Prince Cheng's sister, Princess Rongxian, is still in Mongolia, and it is estimated that his trip there was also to see his sister.

Everything was the same as Qian Shengyan's memory, except for the Yuan Shou's birthday. It was because of this birthday that she didn't connect the little dumpling with Qianlong when she first transmigrated. Later, she was in a state of great shock and panic, and she also had to think about the matter between Geng Gege and the Fujin. Only today did she suddenly realize that this matter had come to her attention.

She originally wanted to ask Qingxue about the imperial genealogy, but then she thought that at Yuanshou's current age, he couldn't even be considered a person, and he didn't have a formal name. If it weren't for the fact that Yinzhen had few children, he wouldn't even have a proper order of birth, let alone be recorded in the imperial genealogy now, so she gave up on that idea.

After taking another bite of pastry, Qian Shengyan recalled a major event of the year—the "Nanshan Collection Case," one of the three major literary inquisitions of the early Qing Dynasty.

The incident stemmed from a book titled "Nanshan Collection" written by Dai Mingshi, a compiler at the Hanlin Academy. The book contained historical events from the time of the Gui King of the Southern Ming Dynasty and frequently used the reign titles of the third and fifth years of the Southern Ming Dynasty. This led to an impeachment by the censor Zhao Shenqiao, which subsequently implicated hundreds of people.

But... isn't this something that has nothing to do with Yinzhen? Besides, the impeachment happened in October, and it's only the beginning of August now...

Perhaps, Yinzhen discovered something amiss and, fearing he would be implicated, quickly fled?

...It's not impossible.

Yinzhen is now ordered to serve in the Southern Study, which is not much different from being ordered to oversee the country; the only difference is that it has not yet been made public.

That's why he was so relaxed a few days ago. Whenever he was summoned to the palace, his first reaction upon returning home was to run away, and he would never get involved in troublesome matters.

That's good. In any case, later generations have viewed this case more negatively than positively. However, since this case occurred not long after the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains, there are reasons why the matter was severely punished.

Living in history, Qian Shengyan was unwilling to try to stop a chariot in vain. She was just an ordinary person who only hoped that she and her baby could be safe and sound.

Qian Shengyan, an ordinary girl, had just eaten two pastries when Emperor Yongzheng hurriedly walked in, sat down next to her, bit off the pastry from her hand, and frowned after glancing at the table setting: "Didn't you say you hadn't had dinner when you arrived at the mansion? Is this all you're eating?"

"...to fill your stomach." Qian Shengyan simply fed Yinzhen another piece. Yinzhen opened his mouth and took a bite, his brows furrowed slightly, but he still ate the sweet pastry under Su Peisheng's terrified gaze.

Knowing his master's temperament well, Su Peisheng dared not delay. He quickly went to call for dinner and urged the serving eunuchs to taste it and set it out. He and Qingxue then served the two masters their meal.

After finishing his meal, Yinzhen realized something was amiss. In the event of a sudden departure from the manor and a night-long journey, no woman would remain so calm and composed, refusing to ask him a single question upon seeing him.

Besides, his original intention in coming here was to appease Qian Shengyan, but who knew she wouldn't make a fuss and would even eat her meal properly...

Yinzhen found it somewhat amusing. After clearing away the food, he picked up a cup of tea and slowly asked, "Aren't you curious?"

"What are you curious about?" Qian Shengyan looked at him, puzzled.

"..." It would be too blunt for him to say it himself, so Yinzhen asked, "Having suddenly moved to the garden, are you finding it easy to adjust?"

Qian Shengyan was even more puzzled: "I've only been here for half an hour, and I've been in the room the whole time. I don't feel uncomfortable at all."

"..." Yinzhen was speechless again. He glanced at the palace servants around him, and Su Peisheng immediately stepped forward to chase them all out, then stood guard at the door himself.

Qian Shengyan still didn't understand. Was she plotting something big with her? Although the struggle for the throne among the nine princes was at a critical juncture, she, a palace maid in the Summer Palace, shouldn't know these things, right?

Unexpectedly, the first thing Yinzhen said was, "I'm sorry to have wronged you."

Qian Shengyan: Excuse me? ???

“Yuanshou is still so young, yet you are all required to leave the capital overnight,” Yinzhen said cautiously. “However, Father Emperor is not here now, and palace affairs are numerous… I, I…”

“I understand that Your Highness does not wish to get involved in those things,” Qian Shengyan said, helping him finish the sentence as he stammered and could not utter a few words.

Not competing is competing, she understands. Historically, the Fourth Prince stood out from a group of brothers who were constantly fighting over him by adhering to this principle.

Especially now, facing the second deposition of the crown prince and the fierce competition among all parties, Yinzhen will definitely try to avoid it if possible.

Oh, I can't say "hide," that sounds bad. This is called... governing by doing nothing.

Qian Shengyan was thinking casually when she was suddenly grabbed by a pair of hot hands. She was startled and looked up to meet Yinzhen's bright and shining eyes.

“…Master?” Qian Shengyan was startled. She hadn’t said anything outrageous, had she?

Yinzhen sighed repeatedly.

Since Emperor Kangxi left Beijing and granted him the privilege of serving in the Southern Study, everyone has taken pride in it. Apart from a few advisors who believe it is not appropriate to make a fuss at this time, everyone else is looking forward to him showing off his skills and prowess, hoping he will do something that will dazzle everyone.

However, he could not.

He thought he would only discuss these thoughts with a few advisors at most, but Qian Shengyan hit the nail on the head. He really didn't want to get involved in politics and history, not because he didn't want to, but because he couldn't at the moment.

He was neither the emperor nor the crown prince. Although he was called a prince, he had an older brother who was also a prince. If he stood out too much, all the self-cultivation and detachment he had cultivated over the past few years would be in vain.

He held Qian Shengyan's hand, hesitating, unsure of what to say.

Fourth Master can scold people, and when he's giving instructions, he goes on and on without stopping, but when it comes to expressing his feelings...

"Take a break," he said after a long pause.