At lunchtime, Qingyan and Yincai returned to the prince's residence. As soon as they entered, he picked her up and carried her into the study.

"Sulan, go prepare some ointment to help with bruising." Yin was very worried about Qingyan's knees; they had all suffered like this when they were young and learning manners.

He sat down beside her, placing her legs on his lap. Her underpants were rolled up to her knees, and two purplish-blue marks on them made Yin's face turn pale.

After bringing the ointment, he gently massaged her.

"Sisi, you should rub your knees too." Qingyan wanted to put her legs down, but Yin specially warmed the ointment before applying it to her knees, worried that her legs would get cold.

Qingyan watched as Yin took extra care, and his actions warmed her heart.

"I don't need to!" Yin didn't want Qingyan to do it; he preferred to leave these matters to his servants.

Qingyan pouted and squatted down to take off Yin's boots, but Yin dodged her.

"Su Peisheng, come in!" Yin made Qingyan pull down his trousers before letting the servant in.

Seeing that Yin's attitude was firm, Qingyan sat cross-legged to the side and watched as Su Peisheng rolled up Yin's trouser leg. The bruises on Yin's knees were indeed much better than hers. If she wasn't careful, they could leave some aftereffects.

She leaned against the kang table, tilting her head as she thought about what they would have for dinner and how to remove the chill from the gold brick.

"Sisi, shall we have hot pot?" Qingyan's mouth was getting a little hungry; she loved eating hot pot in the summer.

Yin frowned. After the little guy came back, he had finally managed to eat a light diet for a few days, but now he's starting to act up again!

"No way!" Yin retorted immediately.

"Your Highness, the Fifth Prince and his wife have arrived!" Su Lan saw Yinqi and his wife, Tara, at the door as soon as she went out, and was about to ask a servant to come in and announce their arrival.

The two men exchanged a glance. Yinqi and his wife, Tara, were usually very low-key, but today they were acting very unusually.

"Take him to the main hall!" Yin straightened his clothes, preparing to take Qingyan out.

"Wait!" Qingyan stopped her. "Aren't you going to change your clothes?"

"No need. Judging by the time, they shouldn't have returned to the Prince's residence yet." Yin didn't care; Yinqi was too sensitive, so he should try to protect him.

They walked out of the hall one after the other. Yinqi and his wife, Tara, were sitting in the lower right seat. Qingyan was a little confused. These two must not have come to the Three Treasures Hall without a reason.

"Fifth brother, what's wrong?" Yin asked.

Yinqi was once a nobody, and during the Yongzheng era, he accomplished nothing.

Tatara was in a bit of a dilemma, as Yinqi was only doing it for her own good this time.

The Tatara clan seemed to be embroiled in a corruption case in the Jiangnan officialdom. Fortunately, the Tatara father was practically invisible and held little status within the family.

"Fourth Brother, did you investigate the officials in Yangzhou?" Yinqi understood his position; his wife, Tara, was a capable and hardworking woman.

Yin nodded, recalling that among the officials who went to Yangzhou, there was one with the surname Tatara. Could it be...?

"Is it your sister-in-law's maternal family?" Qingyan recalled that someone from the direct line of the Tatara clan had been caught.

"Yes, Fourth Sister-in-law, my... Father has been detained by the family. He hopes I can plead with you, at least to let that person return to the mansion first!" Madam Tatara smiled coldly. Back then, their family was suppressed by the direct line. "Fourth Brother, Fourth Sister-in-law, please help me."

Yin frowned. He never used connections, and it was rare for Yinqi to come to him for favors.

"Why?!"

"Fourth Sister-in-law, my father and mother are being controlled by the family, and I don't want anything to happen to them!" Tatara said.

Qingyan realized that Tara was clinging to her as a lifeline, and without saying a word to Yin, her words left Qingyan speechless. Yin was highly likely to let go and help her to save face, and the censors would definitely be watching.

"Sister-in-law, we women shouldn't interfere in politics." Even if Qingyan was slow-witted, she could tell that the Fifth Prince's wife was using her, and she felt a little uncomfortable.

Yinqi sat awkwardly to the side. After much pleading from Tara, he decided to bring her along to beg for mercy.

"Fourth Sister-in-law, I don't want to get involved in politics, I just want Fourth Brother to step in and save my mother!" Tatara cried. Since childhood, the people in her family had never looked down on them.

Her heartbroken appearance made Qingyan feel somewhat uncomfortable.

Filial piety is an eternal bond. No matter what position one holds, one must step forward immediately when something happens to the family.

"Fourth Brother, let's go back first!" Seeing that Yin's tone had softened, Yinqi knew that this was probably Yin's bottom line, so he quickly pulled his wife away.

Qingyan watched their retreating figures and sighed heavily.

"Little darling, let's go have dinner first." Yinqi didn't take Tatara's pleas to heart. Tatara's direct descendants only knew the basics; even if punished, they wouldn't lose their lives. At most, they'd be imprisoned for a few days. Yinqi probably felt some remorse because of this incident and discovered the allure of power.

After dinner, Qingyan was pulled into the study by Yin. Su Peisheng brought a pot of warm tea and stood directly at the door.

"Sisi, why didn't you agree?" Qingyan asked suspiciously.

She also saw many of the official gazettes that Yin had in his possession.

"No need, Fifth Brother has a way to handle it." Yin understood that Yinqi needed an opportunity. The princes of the Aisin Gioro family were all ambitious and capable.

If he were to sit in that position, he would make every brother dedicate themselves to the Qing Dynasty to the utmost, even unto death.

He and the thirteenth prince worked tirelessly on their mission, but Yin and others sabotaged them behind the scenes.

"Hmm? Is the Tatara clan and the Fifth Prince on good terms?" Qingyan noticed the pink aura emanating from the two of them.

Yin sighed in frustration. Xiao Guai always seemed to focus on something rather strange.

"Little darling, the focus is on saving people, not on their relationship. How could a husband and wife not have a good relationship?" Yin patted her little head.

According to Qing Dynasty historical records, Yinqi's children were all born to his secondary consorts and concubines; there was no trace of the Fifth Prince's wife. It's likely that the Fifth Prince's father was used as a scapegoat by his family because of this incident, which made Yinqi despise him.

She imagined several mini-dramas in her mind, showing that not only royalty but also large families were scheming against each other.

No matter what mistakes the eldest son makes, the family will never abandon him.

etc!

Suddenly, the image of the Crown Prince flashed into Qingyan's mind. Among the corrupt officials in Jiangnan this time, there were clearly some of Suo'etu's men. Would any of the princes be pushed out to shield the Crown Prince from disaster?

"Fourth Brother, you..."

"No!" Yin interrupted Qingyan directly. In the palace, they had to be careful with their words. Yin understood Qingyan's concerns and agreed immediately.

He had once been cannon fodder, and even though his father had compensated him afterward, Yin kept it all bottled up inside, feeling uneasy all over.

"Starting tomorrow, I will claim to be ill!" Emperor Kangxi sent Imperial Physician Yuan to deliver the message, instructing Yinzhi to claim illness and not attend court.

Yin was secretly relieved that Consort Tong hadn't died young; otherwise, if Kangxi had given the credit to Lady Uya, his mood would have been even worse. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)