Chapter Thirty-Nine
"Father Emperor!! Father Emperor!!" The Third Prince, Yinzhi, cried out, his voice trembling with sobs and tears streaming down his face.
Father will definitely be alright.
Despite his refined and scholarly demeanor, the Third Prince was skilled in both literature and martial arts, and was quite adept at horseback riding, archery, and ballistics. Yinreng followed closely behind, unlike Yinzhi who shouted and yelled, his eyes red with panic.
Finally, they arrived at Kangxi's camp tent. The imperial physicians were already waiting inside, and some could only stand at the entrance because there was no room left.
Liang Jiugong looked worried. He was the person who, apart from Emperor Kangxi himself, least wanted anything to happen to the emperor.
The chief eunuch serving the emperor usually died with him, because he knew too many secrets he shouldn't have known, and also because the next emperor would have a more trusted and intimate eunuch by his side.
When Liang Jiugong saw His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince rushing over in a disheveled state, he was somewhat dazed. After regaining his senses, he quickly stepped forward and said, "This servant greets His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince."
"Father, where is Father?" The Third Prince had no time for pleasantries with Liang Jiugong. He was flustered and confused. As he asked this question, his eyes were already looking inside.
Before Liang Jiugong could answer or stop them, His Highness the Crown Prince and the Third Prince had already rushed inside.
When he saw his father, the Emperor, lying on the bed, looking pale and thin, the Third Prince, Yinzhi, could no longer hold back and burst into tears, rushing over to him, crying out, "Father!"
Yinreng followed, and when he arrived at Kangxi's bedside, tears welled up in his red eyes, and he choked back sobs, saying, "Father Emperor."
When she was holding back her tears, she could bite her lip to keep from crying, but once she started speaking, she couldn't hold back anymore.
Father Emperor, you've become so thin, your face is pale, and you look sickly and haggard. Yinreng is really worried. Father Emperor, is it... is it not going to make it?
When Kangxi was in a daze, he heard such a noisy crying and wailing around him, which made him very uncomfortable. Couldn't he be allowed to sleep for a while?
I groggily opened my eyes and saw two men who looked like beggars... Upon closer inspection, "Bao, Bao Cheng? Third Brother??"
His hair was like a bird's nest, his stubble was unkempt, his clothes were covered in dust and dirt, and his eyes were red-rimmed as if he had conjunctivitis.
How come she looks even more disheveled than the patient herself?
"Father, you're awake?" Upon hearing Kangxi's weak voice, Yinreng and Yinzhi's eyes lit up, and they hurriedly called out.
"Imperial Physician, Imperial Physician, Father Emperor has woken up!" Yinreng quickly summoned the imperial physician to come and see, as the entire tent was filled with the smell of medicine.
"No rush, no rush, Your Highness, come here." Kangxi already knew about his health condition; it was serious, and malaria was incurable.
Yinreng pushed aside Yinzhi, knelt down and grabbed Kangxi's hand, "Father, you will be alright, Father. Your son has already asked the imperial physician to prepare a large bag of medicine. The imperial physician is on his way."
She spoke up anxiously, fearing that her father, the Emperor, would disappear before her eyes.
As the crown prince, it was only natural for him to ascend the throne after the death of the previous emperor.
But he didn't want to.
He also wanted his father, the Emperor.
"Father, you will be alright. Your son... Your son can't live without you." He shook his head repeatedly, perhaps guessing what Kangxi was about to say, and interrupted him.
"Baocheng, you've grown up. The Qing Dynasty is now in your hands. I was only eight years old when I ascended the throne. You've studied for much longer than I have. I'm at ease entrusting the Qing Dynasty to you..."
The seriously ill Emperor Kangxi spoke weakly, saying that he did not want to die, but a person's will cannot be changed. It was not a question of whether he wanted to or not, but whether he would die.
Knowing his days were numbered, he spoke weakly, his words drawn out over a long period of time before finally coming out haltingly.
"Your subject no, Father Emperor, your subject cannot live without you." Yinreng gave Kangxi a demonstration of what it meant to say "I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear it," and clung to him, sobbing and choking out his words.
Emperor Kangxi sighed helplessly, feeling both gratified and angry. He was gratified that even at this point, Bao Cheng still only thought of his father, the Emperor.
With a stern face, he angrily reprimanded, "You are the Crown Prince. Get your senses! How can I entrust the Qing Dynasty to you if you act like this?"
After saying this, Kangxi was already panting heavily, looking just like someone on their deathbed. The imperial physician next to him quickly came over to take the emperor's pulse.
The Crown Prince and the Third Prince have been pushed aside by them, just as Yinreng had pushed aside Yinzhi earlier.
Kangxi looked really bad, vomiting and gagging. Yinreng and Yinzhi didn't show any disgust or leave. They stood there, looking at their father with red eyes.
After much fuss, the seriously ill Kangxi lay there, his face pale, his lips cracked and peeling. He looked so wretched that Yinreng and Yinzhi had never seen him like this before.
Liang Jiugong came over and invited the Crown Prince and the Third Prince to wash up and tidy themselves up first.
"I will not leave until I see Father Emperor wake up." Yinreng shook his head and refused. He wanted to stay here and watch Father Emperor wake up. The Fourth Prince's wife had said so, and he had also analyzed it. Father Emperor would definitely be alright.
However, looking at his father's current state, Yinreng began to wonder if he had guessed wrong.
With her lips pursed and her face filled with anticipation and hope, she sat down casually on the ground without any regard for appearances. Seeing this, Yin Zhi also sat down.
When Kangxi woke up again, it was already dark.
As soon as I woke up, I heard a 'coo coo coo' sound in my ear, which was so clear in the quiet tent.
Looking over, they saw his two sons, who looked like beggars, hanging their heads dejectedly. He snorted coldly, his voice very low, but it was enough to make Yinreng and Yinzhi look up sharply.
However, the movement of raising my head might have been a bit sudden, causing some dizziness.
"Foolish, Imperial Physician, look." Kangxi felt he was truly worried. If he were gone, could Baocheng really ensure the eternal stability of the Qing Dynasty?
However, my eyes also started to well up with tears.
Bao Cheng...
The third brother...
"Father, you're awake! How are you feeling? Imperial Physician, is Father's condition any better today?" Yinreng and Yinzhi excitedly went over to ask if Father was alright.
"Get out." Kangxi didn't want to say too much and simply told them to get out and wash up and have their meal. Really, for a prince of the Qing Dynasty to be so disheveled was a disgrace to the Qing imperial family.
As the chief eunuch of the imperial court, Liang Jiugong naturally had a good grasp of the emperor's thoughts. For example, at this moment, the emperor was weak and unable to speak for long, but he was concerned about the crown prince and the third prince.
She quickly stepped forward to explain to the two princes, "Your Highness, Third Prince, you've both worked hard. His Majesty is also worried about you. Please go and wash up and have a meal. How can you take care of His Majesty if you don't get some rest?"
Liang Jiugong's words made Yinreng and Yinzhi look down at their own dirty and disheveled appearance, and smell a foul odor.
They immediately looked at each other and said in unison, "You stinky Crown Prince (Third Prince)." They then vomited at each other. Feeling that they were always clean and refined, they quickly ran out, where hot water and hot food had already been prepared.
After bathing, changing clothes, and having a meal, he regained his refined, noble, and elegant demeanor as a prince.
In the following days, the two brothers, Yinreng and Yinzhi, stayed by Kangxi's side to care for him. No matter how dirty it was, they did not complain. Even Prince Yu sighed, "If Baotai could be this filial when I am dying in front of my sickbed, that would be great."
Kangxi's spirits improved considerably, but he was not cured and could only lie listlessly in bed.
The imperial physicians, who had been rushing to the scene, finally arrived. The arrival of more than a dozen physicians relieved the pressure on the other physicians, and together with the medicinal herbs, they continued to discuss treatment plans.
In the capital, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince made a great show of leaving the capital, perhaps because they were worried and forgot to keep the news under wraps. The news that the Emperor was dying had already spread among the high-ranking officials.
Those around the First Prince Yinqi were even more nervous and agitated than he was. The Emperor was on his deathbed, and the crucial point was... the Crown Prince had left the capital!
What does this mean? It means that the eldest prince, Yinqi, is the most powerful here.
Furthermore, the eldest prince is still in the Ministry of War. While he may not have absolute authority over the ministry, he is certainly more qualified than the fourth prince.
Although Consort Hui was confined to her quarters, once the news of the Emperor's impending death spread throughout the palace, no one dared to stop her from going out for a stroll whenever she wanted.
He immediately summoned Yinti, wanting to discuss this matter with him. If the emperor really passed away, Yinti also needed to consider his future.
No one would be surprised, just as Emperor Taizong Huang Taiji died after falling seriously ill during a campaign, and the late emperor died of smallpox in his twenties.
The Emperor is already over forty, which is about time. If she's not making preparations, then why did she keep pushing Yinqi to get closer to Mingzhu? Does she really think Mingzhu is a good person and suitable to be relatives?
Stop joking.
Yinti has been very worried about his father's condition lately. The person who has always been a pillar of support for him may soon be gone.
"Yinti, what exactly do you think?" Consort Hui frowned with worry, urging Yinti that if he didn't prepare now, the Crown Prince would soon return to ascend the throne.
Then they will truly be relegated to a subordinate position, with no chance of rising to a higher level.
Yinti was extremely annoyed. "Mother, Father's fate is still unknown... no, Father isn't even sure if something has really happened to him. This isn't appropriate for us to be like this."
Yinti was still hesitant and shook his head in rejection of his mother's idea. He was more worried about his father, the Emperor.
If his father hadn't summoned the Crown Prince, he would have rushed over there himself.
At this moment, Yinqi's first thought wasn't who would inherit the throne after his father's death, but rather a jolt in his heart. His father was gone, and in this life, the most important and beloved person in his heart... was still the Crown Prince...
With his lips pursed and his expression not good, Consort Hui assumed that Yinti was worried about the Emperor's condition. Indeed, if the Emperor hadn't died...
It was indeed a big problem, and Consort Hui was also feeling uneasy and taking a gamble.
"Yinti..." Consort Hui frowned. If she won the gamble, she would stand at the pinnacle of power; if she lost, she might be welcomed into the cold palace.
"I want to see Father Emperor." In the end, Yinti did not agree to the ideas and suggestions of Consort Hui and Mingzhu. What he wanted was to prove to Father Emperor that he was no less than Yinreng.
He hasn't been in the court for very long now, and the so-called First Prince Party has gradually declined after Mingzhu was dismissed from his post. The key point is that it's not as large as it was during the later struggle for the throne.
Back then, even when Yinti wanted to back down, there were many people pushing him forward. But now, all Yinti wants to do is see his father, the Emperor.
If that man, who was once a pillar of strength, were to truly pass away, his gaze would become unfocused, as if he were back to the day he had just returned from outside the palace.
The image of him looking at me with gentle affection, reaching out to me, and calling me "Baoqing, come here" is still vivid in my mind.
"Yinti, what are you doing? You've left the capital without being summoned. If you get caught..." Consort Hui shouted after him, but she couldn't catch up with Yinti's pace.
Seriously, really!!
Yinti rode his horse and whipped it, heading towards Ulanbutong, still worried about his father, the Emperor.
Consort Yi was still taking care of the sickly Eleventh Prince. When she learned that the Emperor was dying, she fell silent for a while and then focused more on her three sons.
The fact that the Emperor summoned the Crown Prince specifically indicates that he had left behind a dying wish or an imperial edict for the Crown Prince to ascend the throne.
She never had any ambition to have her son ascend to that position, and even if she did, it had long since vanished due to the Emperor's favoritism towards the Crown Prince.
Consort De was furious. The Crown Prince led his men to raid her father's house and ordered the Uya family to attack Yuqing Palace. However, the Uya family sided with the Crown Prince, and Consort De only realized the problem belatedly.
I'm about to vomit blood. What a bunch of bastards!
They've already ransacked your homes, and you're still fawning over the prince like this? How shameless!
The rest of the Uya family: Uya Weiwu usually only knows how to bully them, the collateral branches, but when it comes to Haba, he strikes hard against them. Who likes that?
He climbed to the top because of Consort De's powerful position? He didn't get to enjoy any of the benefits himself. Who wouldn't be envious and jealous?
The young palace maid Wuya, who had just entered the palace, might have understood. Now that she had climbed to the position of Consort De, she had become accustomed to looking down on others from a high position. She only knew that the Wuya family could serve her, and that she had also brought a lot of benefits to her family.
Now that they're needed, they're ignoring them?
How could Consort De tolerate this? Apart from that vile woman from the Tongjia clan, no one could make her suffer such injustice and humiliation.
The Emperor is failing? Damn it, she's only fourteen years old. Unless the imperial relatives and ministers are out of their minds, they would allow their fourteenth son to ascend the throne.
As for that ungrateful fourth son, she already considers him to be Tongjia's son.
If he hadn't given Tongjia's sachet to her son Yinzhuo back then, how could his own Yinzhuo have died? Tongjia's vicious scheme was hidden inside the sachet.
No, the Uya family, who abandoned me, absolutely cannot be allowed to climb up the social ladder through the Crown Prince.
Knowing that she would at most become a concubine, she did not turn her axe against the powerful (Crown Prince Yinreng), but instead dragged down the Uya family, who should have been subservient to her.
Immediately afterwards... Consort De and the Uya family started fighting each other from afar.
Many people in the harem noticed these things, but no one paid any attention to them.
For example, Consort Rong was filled with worry when she learned that the third prince had been summoned by the emperor, and that he was with the crown prince.
Has something happened? Is there something the Crown Prince needs to take responsibility for?
Consort Rong dared not even dream that the Emperor would leave a will bequeathing the throne to her third son; wasn't that absurd? Who hadn't taken the Emperor's treatment of the Crown Prince seriously?
All I need to do is pray that my third child is safe and sound.
When the Emperor is deemed incapacitated, the most excited person would be the pool of water in Yuqing Palace. If the Emperor is incapacitated, the Crown Prince will rightfully ascend to the throne.
Especially the servants and nannies in the main courtyard. If the Crown Prince ascends the throne, their Crown Princess will become the Empress, and they will be the Empress's trusted servants.
However, before she could even get off the ground, Granny Jin and Granny Zhao struck her down with a stick, pinning her down at the main courtyard entrance to make an example of her to the other servants, giving her twenty heavy lashes in front of them.
As a result, everyone suddenly dared not publicize the matter and kept a low profile.
Granny Zhao and Granny Jin cleaned Yuqing Palace again and again. At this critical moment, if anyone spoke carelessly outside or if their careless words were spread outside, it would ruin the Crown Princess's life.
Although none of the princesses in the inner palace seem to be favored by the Crown Prince right now, it doesn't mean that His Highness will only have one Crown Princess. They have only been married for about a year now.
Therefore, we must never make any mistakes.
The other princesses in the backyard didn't learn the news for several days. They were initially shocked, but then became more expectant.
The princesses couldn't find any opportunities to please the Crown Princess, and they had nothing else to do. As for vying for the Crown Prince's favor, His Highness simply ignored them. When they were bored, they could only visit other princesses.
The princess, who had no ambition, thought this kind of life was quite good. She had food and drink, and the Crown Princess did not deduct their allowances. It was much better than when she was at home, and much more comfortable than when she was a palace maid serving others.
Once a person has psychologically convinced themselves, they can comfortably live a carefree, laid-back life.
Some are still hoping that if the crown prince ascends the throne, at least their future lives will not be as stifling as they are now.
Ulanbutong.
Before the battle even began, the Qing emperor had already fallen here. How could they not be invigorated?
After verifying the information they found, they raided the camp that very night.
Although the Qing Dynasty's bannermen had been in the Central Plains for forty or fifty years, and many of their sons had become good-for-nothings, those whom Emperor Kangxi brought to lead his troops on his personal campaigns were all heroes, the kind who had been tested and proven.
It didn't cause much damage, but the team got into disarray.
Meanwhile, the imperial physicians were treating Kangxi with medicine, and his condition seemed to be improving, much to the delight of Yinreng and Yinzhi.
They sat by his side, especially Yinreng, who sat on the edge of the bed and told his father about things in the capital. "Father, I have asked Suo'etu to make mirrors and glass. The Crown Princess said that they can be used as windows, which will be bright and warm."
"When it's sold, Father Emperor, you'll get 50%, Soetu 10%, and your son and the Crown Princess 20% each."
Emperor Kangxi didn't care about this small business of broken mirrors and glass at all. Even if it was extremely profitable and expensive, how much could he actually sell?
It was also because the Crown Prince's performance showed that he was poor and incompetent that this was considered as the Emperor's "pocket money" for the Crown Prince. In contrast, the Fucha family was able to provide the Crown Princess with shops as dowry.
Moreover, at most, he could only help pry open the mouths of those Westerners.
Kangxi did not accept it, and Yinreng was not happy about it. He said, "You have worked hard. This is the first business that I have thought about and done by myself. I must be filial to my father as soon as possible."
Yinreng thought the Crown Princess was right. If such a profitable shop were to become a hit, what would happen if the Emperor became envious?
Kangxi was unaware of Yinreng's thoughts. Upon hearing Yinreng's words, he was deeply moved and felt a warmth in his heart. "Good, good, good."
We cannot let down the child's filial piety.
"By the way, Father Emperor, when the imperial physician took her pulse, he found that the Crown Princess's baby was seven or eight out of ten to be a boy. However, the Crown Princess was worried that she couldn't protect the child alone in the capital, so she deliberately spread the word that it was a princess."
Yinreng recounted the events from his previous letter to Kangxi, also trying to deliver good news so that his father could be in good spirits.
"This will help him recover from his illness soon." "This is your eldest grandson, Father Emperor. Father Emperor has always been looking forward to it, hasn't he? I believe your eldest grandson also wants to see his grandfather."
Kangxi nodded, seemingly also looking forward to the future, especially after the Crown Prince said that the Crown Princess was more than seven months pregnant and would be born in a little over two months.
His anticipation grew even stronger, with Yinreng and Yin accompanying him. Although he felt that as an emperor, his mental fortitude was so strong that he didn't need company.
Clearly, emotions can indeed affect a person's willpower, and he even inquired about information regarding the battlefield at one point.
Unfortunately, the imperial physicians strictly forbade their actions, saying that no matter how busy they were, nothing was more important than the Emperor's health.
After being reprimanded, Prince Yu and the others could only silently make their own decisions, and even Emperor Kangxi received a lecture...
Emperor Kangxi listened to the imperial physicians' advice and did not overwork himself, because he also felt that his condition was improving.
seem.
Hmm, that seems to be the case. So Kangxi remembered what he had said to Baocheng when he thought he was about to die. He pursed his lips, feeling somewhat embarrassed and annoyed, and sent the two of them to find Fuquan to study.
Having arrived on the battlefield, there was nothing else to do.
Four or five days later, Yinti arrived, but before he could feel deeply saddened, he was driven away by Kangxi and forced to accept the blessings of the three princes: Your Majesty, I came to fight a war, not to take care of children.
But there was nothing he could do; after all, the emperor was the emperor, and he was just a subject.
Because the Emperor's condition was still not better, Yinti and Yinreng did not quarrel, although Yinti really wanted to mock Yinreng's Crown Princess for also being pregnant with a golden flower.
However, the look in her eyes when she looked at Yinreng was mocking and condescending, as if she was mocking his words that had been used to ridicule her some time ago.
Instead of congratulating his elder brother on the birth of another daughter, Yinqi simply patted him on the shoulder and said, "Your sister-in-law will soon give birth to another daughter for you, Crown Prince. See how destined we are?"
"Perhaps this is the responsibility of being the eldest brother, destined to set an example for the younger brothers." Yinti's subtext was simple: Your next child will definitely be a princess, just like mine.
Yinreng rolled his eyes at Yinti, not wanting to talk to the boss for long; he really couldn't expect anything good to come out of a dog's mouth.
Of course, this was both an evaluation and a statement.
Seeing Yinreng's attitude, Yinti became even more smug and proud, while Yinreng was so embarrassed and angry that he couldn't say a word after being rebuked.
"Show me what you've got to say?" When Yinti arrived, he found that his father's condition was improving. Sure enough, he still couldn't listen to his mother.
This also put his worries to rest. It's good that everything is alright; soon he'll be the energetic and vigorous Emperor again.
However, after Kangxi recovered, Yinti didn't even have time to hug his father and cry tears of joy before his father sent him back to the capital.
Of course, what gave Yinti some comfort was that he wasn't the only one being sent back to the capital; Yinreng and the third prince were also being sent back as well.
That means it wasn't me who angered Father Emperor.
Very well, he needs to clean up the mess in the capital as soon as possible. If Father Emperor finds out about what Mother and Mingzhu did, he'll definitely get sick from anger again.
The Emperor was ill for more than half a month, but nothing happened. When the Crown Prince and other princes returned to the capital, they saw that the Emperor was alright because he had smiles on his face.
The officials who had been up to no good were terrified, fearing that the emperor would find out about their previous actions, and they quickly tried to cover it up.
When Songgotu learned that the Emperor was dying and the Crown Prince had rushed there, he was filled with anticipation at home, thinking that everything would be alright and that he had successfully appeased the Crown Prince's anger.
Besides, isn't the mirror workshop I set up for His Highness the Crown Prince quite good?
He was looking forward to the Crown Prince's ascension to the throne, hoping that he, who had been dismissed and sidelined, would be able to return to the court.
As it turned out, His Highness the Crown Prince returned, bringing with him the news: The Emperor is alright!!!
Isn't this just a false alarm?
Because Suo'etu knew that the emperor might die and the crown prince was about to ascend the throne, he ignored the workshop he was in charge of and let the craftsmen polish mirrors as they pleased, telling them to make as many as they could.
Unlike before, when I would go to the workshop every day and practically live there.
Thinking he had returned to the court, he figured he wouldn't need to worry about such trivial matters. As a result, Suo'etu immediately packed his bags and rushed to the workshop to check on things.
Then he excitedly ran to Yuqing Palace to discuss matters concerning the mirror and glass with His Highness the Crown Prince.
Of course, these are secondary. The most important thing is to find out the current situation between the Crown Prince and the Emperor.
That's what he cares about most.
At the same time, I heard that the Crown Princess's child is just a princess. As the Crown Prince, he is now over twenty years old and has no children. How can he put the people who follow him at ease?
His princess might not be the best, but... there are other branches, right? The princess from the XX family is quite good; she's beautiful, virtuous, and gentle. His Highness the Crown Prince would definitely like her.
Upon arriving at Yuqing Palace, the Crown Prince immediately inquired about the progress of the glass project. He wanted it used as a window, and needed it cut and prepared for various other purposes…
Hearing the series of demands, Suo'etu was bewildered. What was going on?
"Your Highness, are you planning to install glass windows in Yuqing Palace?" Soetu asked in confusion.
"Of course not, the first thing to do is to equip Father Emperor with it." Yinreng raised his chin with a rather proud air. He was very filial, wasn't he?
Soetu: They even want glass windows installed in the Emperor's Qianqing Palace?!
"No rush, we have to wait for Father to return." Many things in the Qianqing Palace are confidential, such as the memorials placed in the main hall. He dared not touch the Qianqing Palace while Father was away.
Even if you've submitted a report, it's still not acceptable.
After discussing this, Suo'etu lowered his voice and asked with concern, "Your Highness, I heard that the Crown Princess is carrying a little princess?"
[Isn't Your Highness worried? If the eldest grandson is born first to the First Consort, is he really that important? Throughout history, very few legitimate sons have been able to ascend the throne.]
However, the Emperor's favoritism towards the Crown Prince is different; the Crown Prince will definitely ascend the throne, but we must be wary of the other princes.
The Crown Prince has no children; it would be wonderful if he had a son.
[The Crown Princess cannot bear children, and neither can the princesses in the inner palace. His princess is plump and beautiful; she will surely give birth to a son. If she were sent to Yuqing Palace, it would be a double blessing for the Crown Prince.]
Yinreng listened to Suo'etu's question and considered his inner thoughts. His eyes were cold, but his face was gentle and noble. "Uncle, whether male or female, they are all my offspring, of royal blood."
“Yes, yes, Your Highness is right. However, having a son would at least make things more secure,” Suo’etu reminded him, his tone quite veiled in implication.
"I have my own plans, Uncle, there's no need to say more." Yinreng didn't want to discuss this topic with Suo'etu, feeling that Suo'etu was just after him. What? Was he thinking of using his son for the next round of betting after he ascended the throne?
Yinreng knew this was inevitable, but... he was still inexplicably unhappy, which made him think of his father, the Emperor. Was his father thinking about the same thing as him?
Seeing that the Crown Prince had fallen silent with a sour expression, Soetu shut his mouth. Alas, it's a pity that the princess from the Hesheli family wasn't sent to Yuqing Palace.
What exactly happened to the Crown Prince?
Have they begun to despise the Hesheli clan?
"Uncle, I heard that you have been teaching the younger generation of Hesheli at home recently. How is it going?" Yinreng changed the subject, not wanting people to keep focusing on his backyard and thinking that relying on women was so useless. It would be more reliable to cultivate the younger generation of Hesheli.
As he spoke, he reminded Suo'etu, "Uncle, no matter how illustrious Hesheli is, if the next generation does not have a pillar to support it, it will not be able to support Hesheli."
How could Yinreng possibly dislike Hesheli? How could he not take care of the Empress Dowager's maternal clan?
“Uncle, don’t you want the Hesheli family to remain prominent forever? The younger generation needs to be nurtured, especially the spoiled brats, who also need to be kept in check,” Yinreng advised Suo’etu.
Soetu, who came to persuade the Crown Prince to take concubines and have more children, was instead persuaded and educated by the Crown Prince, who found his reasoning quite reasonable.
After him, neither his own son nor his elder brother's son were of any use.
If he had helped the crown prince ascend to that position (yes, that's right, Suo'etu felt it was his achievement, and he was capable of it), but then he grew old and none of his descendants were capable? It would be difficult for the crown prince to give him an important position.
The mere thought of this possibility made Suo'etu feel a sense of despair; Hesheli's future seemed hopeless.
Yinreng had a firm grasp on these little schemes. In order to keep Suo'etu in line, Yinreng had to appease him, "Uncle, I don't have many capable people around me. After all, Hesheli is my maternal clan. How could I not trust and give them important positions? But, the things I want to do are very complicated, and I need people who can truly help me."
“Besides you, Uncle, which other member of the Hesheli family is as capable as you? When I was setting up the workshop, you were the first person I thought of. But I can’t let you do other things. You’ve worked so hard and you look so haggard. I can’t bear to see you like this.”
The Crown Prince confided in Suo'etu, and after giving Suo'etu a shot of chicken blood, Suo'etu became much more energetic, as if he had become ten years younger.
Yes, that's right. Besides me, who else is so important? It's all those useless brats' fault, letting the Fucha family's kids climb all over him.
The thought of the Crown Prince ascending the throne and appointing only sons of the Fucha family to important positions made him furious.
The Tong family is the maternal clan of the emperor, and Tong Guogang and Tong Guowei of the Tong family are both capable and skilled. The new generation, Longkodo, is also quite good, so it is clear that the family can prosper for at least two generations.
What about myself?
I'm furious!
He stormed back, ran straight to the clan's middle school, grabbed a ruler, and declared, "If anyone isn't serious, I'll beat them to death today!"
The spoiled young masters of Hesheli, who usually spent their days idly wandering around and fighting crickets, were on the verge of tears: Mother, save me! Waaah! My uncle is so cruel! Why do I, at my age, have to sit here and study in the same classroom as six- or seven-year-old kids?
Soetu doesn't care if you feel ashamed or not. Whether you're twenty or thirty, you have to come here. We've split you into two classes. The older ones won't study the Four Books and Five Classics; they'll learn practical skills to become low-level officials and gain experience before they can be promoted. Anyway, we can't be this useless!!!
The Hesheli people had no idea why Suo'etu suddenly started whipping their donkeys like a madman, and complaining was useless.
Some people even dragged their fathers into the study, only to be beaten with wooden sticks when they got home. Some... well, even the grandmothers who usually doted on their mothers couldn't do anything to Soetu, who was the clan chief.
All I could do was silently endure it and say goodbye to my good brother, promising to play again when I had time.
After being dismissed from his post, Songgotu devoted himself to educating the children of Hesheli. Mingzhu, who had been fighting against Songgotu all this time, naturally saw this.
Ha, what kind of education can you, Suo'etu, produce? Your two sons are as good as useless.
Then... Mingzhu followed in Suo'etu's footsteps, and no matter what he did, Mingzhu was always better than Suo'etu.
When the other families saw what Suo'etu and Mingzhu were doing, they assumed that the emperor or the crown prince was making some big move, so they quickly followed suit.
However, the effect was not as good as when Suo'etu did it himself, since his mother was also there to oversee things and was quite biased towards spoiling her grandson.
However, the number of spoiled young men on the streets of the capital has decreased by more than half, and the social atmosphere has improved considerably.
After defeating Galdan, Kangxi returned to the capital. He couldn't capture him, but it was still a hard-won victory.
Upon returning to the capital, he was first greeted by the Crown Prince and all the officials, who then briefed him on the recent state of affairs.
After running around busily, Yinreng reported to his father that his glass windows were bright and warm. Winter was approaching, and while charcoal was good, it was prone to drying out.
Finally, seeing that his father was unmoved, he said, "Father, if you don't want it, I will only give it to the Empress Dowager and Yuqing Palace. If you want it again in the future, you will have to buy it from my workshop."
Kangxi threw a stack of memorials at him, saying, "Get out! You'll be ready for me by tomorrow!"
Why shouldn't he accept his son's filial piety?
At most, if it's not good, we'll smash it then.
With the Emperor's approval, Yinreng went to Cining Palace again. Seeing that the Emperor and Yuqing Palace were both putting on an act, the Empress Dowager also followed suit and became "trendy".
Because the Crown Princess was heavily pregnant and construction could not be carried out in Yuqing Palace, glass windows were installed in Qianqing Palace and Cining Palace first, which still caused quite a stir.
Especially after hearing that this glass came from a peep show, how could a simple "wow" be enough to explain it?
For example, the Ninth Prince, Yin Tang, who loved gold and silver and Western learning, had his eyes light up when he heard that the Crown Prince had actually taken the initiative to study and solve Western magic. If the Crown Prince, as the heir apparent, could study Western things, why couldn't he?
He immediately took his good brother, the Tenth Prince Yin'e, and ran to find his mother, saying, "Mother, Mother, I want to study Western clocks."
Now that His Highness the Crown Prince has figured out the magic mirror, he will look for another direction.
Although the Eleventh Prince had recovered somewhat, he was still sickly. Consort Yi focused most of her attention on him. So, when she heard the Ninth Prince's words, she frowned and stopped him, saying, "Isn't going to school enough trouble for you all?"
Without financial support from his mother, Ninth Prince Yinzhen was dejected. A Western clock cost tens of thousands of taels of silver, and more exquisite and larger Western clocks could cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of taels of silver. How could he afford to buy one?
“Ninth Brother, don’t be discouraged. I have money, I support you.” Seeing his Ninth Brother so dejected, the Tenth Prince Yin’e immediately decided to take out all his money to help his Ninth Brother’s idea.
When Ninth Prince Yinzhen heard that his tenth brother was so loyal, he happily put his arm around his shoulder. Good brothers are different. "Tenth brother, you are so good."
In this palace, only his tenth brother could provide him with warmth.
So touching! Good brother, we'll go together, that's true loyalty.
Then, following Yin'e to the Tenth Prince's residence, he looked at the hundred taels of silver in Yin'e's box... totaling about a hundred taels, and fell silent.
The simple-minded Yin'e didn't know why Ninth Brother was silent at this moment. He thought that Ninth Brother was too moved to speak, so he hugged Ninth Brother and patted his back several times to comfort him.
"Ninth Brother, don't be too touched. This is what your younger brother should do." He even choked up a couple of times, feeling a little emotional. It's just that they were too mean to Ninth Brother. A hundred taels of silver could make Ninth Brother so moved. Waaah.
The Ninth Prince, who had been slapped twice, almost vomited blood. "You stupid Tenth Prince, don't you know how strong you are? Are you trying to kill me?"
Ninth Prince Yinzhen angrily shoved the Tenth Prince away. He, Aisin Gioro Yinzhen, was going to break off all ties with his brother Aisin Gioro Yin'e for a quarter of an hour today.
"What's wrong? Ninth Brother? Isn't it enough? How much do you have? How much do you need?" Yin'e wasn't really unable to read people's expressions; for example, Yin'tang's expression at this moment wasn't good.
I glanced at him and realized that Ninth Brother wasn't moved, but rather troubled.
"I just don't have enough..." Since Yinzhen loved gold and silver so much, he certainly wouldn't spend all his silver like the Tenth Prince.
But, but, if he spends all of it and ends up with absolutely no results, he will be heartbroken, heartbroken to the point of exploding.
Looking around, the myna bird I know well is definitely poorer than me. I'm not very familiar with the seventh brother. Maybe I should ask the fifth brother?
When Yinzhen wanted to research Western clocks and sought investment everywhere in the inner palace, others laughed it off, and some even mocked him.
For example, Consort De was relieved to know that the Emperor was alright, but at the same time, she was furious because she had clashed with the Uya family over this matter.
I couldn't help but curse under my breath, "Why the hell didn't you tell the outside world that you were okay?"
The satirical remarks, though seemingly made to sarcastic, pointed out that Consort Yi's three sons were all ruined: the fifth prince was being raised by the Empress Dowager, and the Emperor would certainly not choose a son raised by a woman from the Khorchin tribe to ascend the throne; the ninth prince was obsessed with gold and silver and was now thinking about researching Western clocks; and the eleventh prince was sickly and near death.
Of the four consorts, Consort Hui, Consort Yi, Consort Rong, and Consort Hui had long since fallen out of favor, so Consort Yi was always vying for the emperor's favor with her.
hehe……
Some people laughed it off, while others took it to heart. For example, Jialuo, the Crown Princess of Yuqing Palace, had her eyes light up when she learned that the Ninth Prince was going to invest everywhere to research Western clocks.
Emma, isn't this just researchers who lack investors?
Previously, the glass and mirrors needed His Highness the Crown Prince, so he also went through Suo'etu, outsourcing the work layer by layer, and even had to share the profits with Suo'etu.
If she directly works with the Ninth Prince, wouldn't it be enough for her and the Ninth Prince to share the profits?
Fifty-fifty split? Oh, if we need to pay 50% of the protection fee to the Emperor, what if the Emperor can't bear to compete with a mere woman for the people's benefits? Wouldn't it be a case that I and the Ninth Prince, Yin Tang, would each earn half of it?
However, Jialuo had informed Yinreng about this matter. She knew that the inner palace was connected to the court, and as a political novice, she should listen to the advice of smart people.
"It's alright. Ninth Prince just wants to study Western clocks. It has nothing to do with the court." Yinreng didn't intend to hand this matter over to Suo'etu. After all, Suo'etu was already troubled by a workshop, not to mention that he also had to teach Hesheli's children.
It's not something a junior should do to cause such worry to my great-uncle.
Old Jiu usually likes to study these little gadgets. He doesn't have any experts around him in this field, so what if Old Jiu manages to figure it out himself?
His glass workshop and mirrors have been selling well lately, just as he predicted. It's a highly profitable industry, much more lucrative than restaurants, jewelry, and clothing.
“Let’s invest, take a 50% stake.” Yinreng nodded. Jialuo thought about the same thing. “I’ll leave this to you. I won’t interfere.”
She's already given half the profits from her glass workshop to her father, the Emperor. Surely he wouldn't interfere with a workshop run by a woman like the Crown Princess?
"Hmm? Okay." Although Jialuo didn't understand why His Highness the Crown Prince wouldn't invest, wouldn't she be happy to receive money? Of course Jialuo would be happy.
When the Ninth Prince, Yin Tang, heard from his subordinates that the Crown Princess of Yuqing Palace had invited him to come over, he was quite surprised.
Huh? When did I become acquainted with the Crown Princess?
However, since it was the Crown Princess who invited him, Yinzhen's doubts were put aside.
When he saw the Crown Princess, eight months pregnant, come to greet him, Yinzhen's eyebrows twitched twice, and he hissed—
"Your Highness, please sit down. Is there something you need from your brother?" Ninth Prince Yinzhen was afraid that if the Crown Princess came to greet him, she might trip and fall, causing a miscarriage, and then he would be blamed.
"Ninth Brother, no need to be so polite, just call me Second Sister-in-law." Jia Luo smiled and tried to get closer to him. She had heard that the Ninth Prince liked to play with Western gadgets.
"Okay, Second Sister-in-law." Yinzhen didn't argue with her about this and could move on to the next topic.
Yinzhen really couldn't figure out what the Crown Princess needed to talk to him about.
"Ninth Brother, I heard that you've recently been interested in studying Western clocks, is that right?" Jialuo didn't mince words and went straight to the point.
"Yes." Yin Tang nodded, not puzzled as to why others knew about this, nor did he ask anyone to keep it a secret, and he did not think it was something to be ashamed of.
"I heard that Ninth Brother hasn't found a partner yet. As soon as I heard about this, I felt that with Ninth Brother's talent, he shouldn't be treated like this."
Jialuo felt that while attracting talent did require a significant amount of funding, it didn't matter; with enough money invested, the return on investment would be even greater in the future.
"Second Sister-in-law, does this mean you're going to support me?" Upon hearing this, the Ninth Prince, who had been hitting walls everywhere, had his eyes light up. He stood up with delight, eager to say auspicious words to the important person.
“That’s right. I’m planning to work with you, Ninth Brother. I’ll provide the funding, and you’ll be in charge of researching Western clocks. Once we’ve developed them, we’ll open a shop and split the profits 50/50. What do you think?”
Jialuo felt that if her investment succeeded, she would make a fortune, and Ninth Prince Yintang also felt that he would make a fortune.
He looked at Jialuo as if she were a sucker... oh no, as if she were a god of wealth, saying, "Second sister-in-law, you've definitely made the right choice in choosing me."
He patted his chest and assured, "I've researched this before, but I didn't have enough funds. If you give me two or three more Western clocks, I'll definitely be able to figure it out. Western clocks are so expensive, I can recoup my investment quickly."
Even if he fails, the Ninth Prince Yin Tang, who is poor and reluctant to spend his own money, confidently pats his chest and makes a bold promise in front of the 'investors,' which is an exaggeration.
Yinzhen thought that the Crown Princess had a keen eye for talent, especially since she had tricked him out of three Western clocks. When she sent them to him, he was overjoyed.
He vowed that his second sister-in-law would be like his own sister in the future!
When Yinreng learned that the Ninth Prince had left in high spirits, he thought it was a good thing, getting something for nothing.
Three Western clocks?
It's okay, just consider it a birthday or New Year's gift for Lao Jiu.
But if we can figure it out, it will be incredibly profitable.
The story of Yinzhen swindling three Western clocks from the Crown Princess at Yuqing Palace as an investment has been widely circulated in the harem. Tsk, everyone thinks that the Crown Princess might have a little bit of a problem with her brain?
So stupid, just throwing away tens of thousands of taels of silver like that?
"Ninth Brother, even if you don't like the Crown Prince, you shouldn't be ripping off the Crown Princess like this, right?" Yin'e thought his Ninth Brother had really gone crazy for money, or rather, he was obsessed with researching Western clocks? Was he targeting Yuqing Palace?
"Nonsense! It was Second Sister-in-law who recognized my talent and knew I could definitely figure it out. You don't understand." Yin Tang was in a good mood and decided not to argue with Yin E.
"Really? Is the Crown Princess's eye alright?" Yin'e asked in shock, the words tumbling out.
"How can you talk like that? Second sister-in-law has such good eyesight, she picked out this talent of mine at a glance. Second sister-in-law said that after I figure it out, we'll split the profits fifty-fifty." Waaah, second sister-in-law is so good, not only did she give him money to do the research, but she's also willing to share the profits with him in the future.
(End of this chapter)
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