In the original timeline, the crown prince, who was carefully raised and educated by Emperor Kangxi, would not have the mindset he has now.
At least at this point, before Kangxi exhibited the common flaws found in emperors, the crown prince wouldn't lose his composure and make short-sighted decisions because of these half-brothers.
But things are different now; everything has changed. He was raised by the late empress and grew up after experiencing many upheavals in the harem.
He spent too much of his life living amidst the power struggles of the imperial harem. He understood the methods of these concubines and unconsciously learned them as well, using their methods against them, thus deviating from the true way of an emperor.
However, it's too late to say all this now. Time cannot be reversed and the past cannot be retrieved. The Crown Prince can only go down this dark path.
With a cold expression, Yinreng sat in a chair, and standing in front of him was the confidant left to him by Hesheli Fangyi.
“Granny, Father Emperor already has many children. Consort Ping is too old to suffer the pain of childbirth.”
The person whom Yinreng called "Nanma" was Tanyun, the personal maid who had served Hesheli Fangyi.
Several years have passed, and Tanyun has gone from a palace maid to a nanny. She has been serving Yinreng ever since Hesheli Fangyi passed away. This was Hesheli Fangyi's wish and the idea of the Hesheli family.
Ultimately, the Crown Prince needs an informant who is aligned with the Hesheli clan.
“What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. Consort Ping has been in the palace for many years and has suffered countless hidden injuries. Now, at her advanced age, she is pregnant, which will have a great impact on her organs. If she is not careful, she could die. It is indeed not right.”
Tan Yun sighed inwardly, but outwardly echoed the Crown Prince's words.
There was nothing she could do; her master was determined to take action, and as a mere servant, how could she possibly object?
She could only follow her master's wishes. As for what fate awaited her, well, that was not something Tan Yun could think about. In Tan Yun's opinion, the fact that she was forced to stay in the palace after the death of the late empress meant that she was inseparable from the Hesheli clan and the Crown Prince's lineage. As long as the Crown Prince's position was stable, everything would be fine. But if something happened to the Crown Prince, then death would be the only thing waiting for her.
"Granny, I'll leave the matter of Consort Ping to you. My uncle is more concerned about the court's affairs, and as for me," Yinreng smiled bitterly, he wanted to share his father's burdens, but unfortunately his father wouldn't give him the chance, so he could only wait for the Crown Princess to enter the palace before slowly making plans, "You can go and get busy."
Yinreng spoke his last sentence weakly, as if he had seen through and accepted the situation.
Upon hearing this, Tan Yun wanted to say a few words of comfort, but in the end, she didn't say anything.
Forget it, what's the point of saying all this? It's just some dry, perfunctory talk. Hearing it too much will only have the opposite effect.
Shaking her head inwardly, Tan Yun replied with a "yes" and then turned to leave.
Dealing with Consort Ping, especially since she's already on guard, is not easy.
The door opened and closed again, leaving only Yinreng in the study.
Sitting blankly in the chair, Yinreng's expression was no longer under control; such a cold and murderous demeanor was something Yinreng had never shown in front of others.
"Father, Uncle, even the two of you don't truly care for me..."
As he murmured those unspoken words, Yinreng felt pained and confused. Why? He was the Crown Prince, the future heir apparent of the Qing Dynasty, the successor chosen by his father. Why was he in this situation? Had he not performed well enough?
No one could answer Yinreng's question, because the situation was caused by many people and by the positions of even more people. This is how the balance was achieved.
Throughout history, the path to becoming an emperor has always been the most difficult; only by overcoming it can one achieve their goal.
Yinreng's confusion was not unique to him; many people in the world have similar problems.
...
"It's lively, truly lively."
Clap her hands and sighed, "Consort Ping's pregnancy has really brought out all the monsters and demons in the harem."
You wouldn't believe it until you see it; the harem is in such a mess.
"Your Majesty, there are spies everywhere in Consort Ping's palace. I heard that a couple of days ago someone tried to tamper with the food, but unfortunately, it was discovered and the attempt failed."
Seeing that her master was in high spirits, Chunyu immediately told him about the situation in Consort Ping's palace.
It wasn't that Chunyu was deliberately inquiring; things were in complete chaos in Consort Ping's quarters, and there was practically nothing that could be kept secret. Whatever happened today, the entire harem would know by tomorrow.
Consort Ping had considered taking action, but she was at a loss as to where to begin.
Sigh, there are still too many outsiders. Consort Ping also has to spare some energy to protect the child in her womb. Tsk, Chunyu is not very optimistic about Consort Ping's ability to give birth smoothly.
Human strength has its limits. How long can Consort Ping hold on? Having an heir doesn't guarantee everything will be alright, especially since Consort Ping is carrying a prince.
"It's not just this small matter; Consort Ping still doesn't know how to choose the right time."
If she were Consort Ping, she couldn't conceive when the Crown Prince was weak, so she should have conceived when the Crown Prince was hesitant to act rashly. However, Consort Ping missed both opportunities and instead chose a time when the previous dynasty was in turmoil and the Crown Prince was about to marry his Crown Princess. It can be seen that the concept of luck is truly not meant for Consort Ping, whether it is Consort Ping in the original timeline or Consort Ping in the present.
Xiu Ning's words were both easy and difficult to understand. Chun Yu, as one of the maids who had served Xiu Ning the longest, happened to be one of those who could understand them.
With her head slightly bowed, she handed the teacup she was carrying to Xiuning. She smiled faintly and echoed Xiuning's words, "Consort Ping has sacrificed a great deal for this child."
Being able to conceive was already an unexpected joy; I had no mind to think about anything else.
It's not that Consort Ping didn't think things through, but the long period of time wore down her patience, making her no longer herself.
Now that she is pregnant, it is useless to talk about timing and disadvantages. All Consort Ping can do now is to do everything she can to protect the child in her womb and leave a glimmer of hope for the future.
"You're right, not everyone... Ha, never mind, there's no point in saying more, let them do as they please."
Xiu Ning smiled brightly and said no more.
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