Chapter Ninety-Eight
Yinreng and Jialuo went on the cruise ship the next day. As for the three chubby boys, they were given an early education in the Three Character Classic, and Master Buku accompanied them.
Hongyang, Hongxuan, and Hongtun were pressed in front of the small desk, their eyes brimming with tears. "Fourth Uncle, Fourth Uncle, we miss you."
Unfortunately, their beloved fourth uncle has already gone on a long trip, so as not to let the three of you naughty little devils cling to him.
When Emperor Kangxi, far away in Jiangnan, learned of this, he was filled with contempt for Yinreng's unethical behavior. How could he stop educating his child?
Honestly, he's so immature. If it weren't for him, the Qing Dynasty would have fallen. The education of children is up to us!
Kangxi first boasted narcissistically, but then said that he had been away from the capital for too long and it was time to go back.
When Kangxi returned to the capital, his brothers Yinreng knew and went to greet him when it was time for him to return. However, seeing only a few sons scattered around, Kangxi still felt somewhat uneasy.
I miss the boss and the others...
Seeing the Emperor's seemingly displeased expression, the officials were filled with unease and suspicion, wondering if it was the officials from Jiangnan who had displeased the Emperor.
Because of my suspicions, I was worried about being implicated, so for a while I lived a rather cautious life.
Emperor Kangxi seemed to have noticed this as well, and remembering that the Crown Prince always liked to go out of the palace to play, he finally decided to go on an autumn hunt at the royal hunting grounds.
"If Baoqing were still here, he would definitely be looking forward to it and proudly tell me that he will definitely get first place this time as well." Kangxi said in a somewhat dazed tone, looking at an empty space in the hall, as if the figure of Yinti had reappeared.
Of all his sons, apart from Baocheng, he devoted the most effort to Baoqing.
He was the one who survived among so many sons, and because he survived, the other sons also survived.
Protect the Qing Dynasty, protect the Qing Dynasty, how could you abandon your father, the Emperor?
Liang Jiugong, who was listening to Kangxi's sad tone, lowered his head and remained silent. He thought of the princes who had already gone to sea and wondered what was so attractive about the Western coast that could attract them. Wouldn't it be better to stay in the capital and the palace?
However, when Kangxi spoke, he was only talking to himself and did not expect any response from anyone.
However, his sorrow was only momentary. Besides Baoqing and his children, he also had Baocheng, the third and fourth sons, several other sons, and the Qing Dynasty. He could not remain immersed in sorrow and grief forever.
Kangxi was able to quickly shake off his sorrow, but Consort Hui, Consort Rong, and others, especially Consort Hui, could not.
In the past, whether it was a tour of Mongolia or an autumn hunt in the hunting grounds, her Yinqi was always brought along, and he always came in first place, shining brightly, which made her proud of the Qing Dynasty.
This is also why I support the conquest of the Qing dynasty. Historically, very few crown princes have been able to ascend the throne. Besides, the Qing dynasty gained power on horseback, so what use is being able to read books?
"Baoqing is truly heartless. He actually abandoned me, his wife and children, and disregarded his own safety. I don't even know when he will be able to come back..." I don't even know if he will ever be able to come back.
The nannies beside her, hearing Consort Hui's dazed and sorrowful words, dared not utter a word of comfort.
At first, hearing the Empress's sorrowful mood, she tried to comfort her, but all she got in return was the Empress's scolding and reprimands. One of the maids was even dragged away and beaten several times.
Pretend you didn't hear anything, because the Empress doesn't need their comfort anyway.
Ever since Prince Zhi went on his voyage to the West, the Empress's mood has become increasingly worse and her behavior increasingly strange. She only smiles when she sees Prince Zhi's eldest son, Hongyu.
Seeing that the people beside her ignored her, Consort Hui glanced at them coldly, thinking, "A bunch of useless trash."
Consort Hui got up and went to Zhongcui Palace. Perhaps because her eldest and third sons had gone to the Western Ocean, her relationship with Consort Rong had improved considerably due to their shared misfortune and increased contact.
As for Lady Daijia and Lady Wanliuha... Hmph, they're not on the same path, and they're not even both concubines. When they chat, they just stand there diligently trying to please each other. How boring.
Consort Rong was also worried about her third son, but the Third Prince's wife often brought her children to the palace to visit her, which helped her recover a little.
Because Yinzhi was not in the capital, Consort Rong was very concerned about Yinzhi's children, especially the vicious Dong'e clan, fearing that she would harm her grandson again.
Not only did they issue a death order, but they also sent several nannies to guard the young princes.
This infuriated the Third Prince Consort, Lady Dong'e, but she had no choice but to stop. Damn it, why wasn't Consort Rong so worried when her own Hongqing had an accident?
They could only maintain a distance and keep to themselves, knowing full well that if something really happened to the child while the Third Master was away, neither the mother nor the Emperor would let her off the hook.
Therefore, the Third Princess Consort Dong'e has been focusing on taking care of her own child recently. She knows that if she makes a move, these princesses who are backed by bondservantes are not easy to bully. They will surely join forces to ruin her son Hongqing.
Now that Hongqing is gone, Hongsheng must be protected. Only by raising him to adulthood will he have the opportunity and qualifications to compete for the position of heir apparent.
The Seventh Prince's wife is living a carefree life. Unfavored women always hope their husbands will die soon. Oh... he hasn't died yet, so it's not his turn for the children of the lower princesses to inherit the title of prince. They still have to live under her.
It should be said that I hope he leaves home and goes out into the world. It doesn't matter if he doesn't come back, as long as I'm living a carefree life.
The Ninth and Tenth Princes' wives quite enjoyed going out shopping, and since their husbands were both good brothers, it did have some influence on them to a certain extent.
The Fifth Prince's wife was overjoyed to have given birth to a legitimate son, and she didn't have time to pay any attention to Yinqi anymore. "Do whatever you want."
The twelfth prince's wife had just gotten married when the master went off to the West. Anyone who didn't know the situation would think that they had done something to anger the twelfth prince so much.
However, thinking about the Ninth Prince's wife, the Tenth Prince's wife, and the Twelfth Prince's wife, it didn't seem like a big problem. After all, the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were even better. They started by building large ships in Tianjin Bay and then went on two voyages to the Western Ocean.
After being persuaded by his maids and nannies, he came to his senses and began to get closer to the Ninth and Tenth Princes' wives, and they got along quite well.
Only the Eighth Prince's wife was extremely unhappy, to the point of being on the verge of exploding with rage.
She used to be the mistress of the Eighth Prince's mansion, and she had the final say in everything. But now that Hesheli and Fucha have arrived, the two concubines' coquettish pretense has made Yinzhi favor them.
The Eighth Prince's wife was furious, but what she didn't know was that with each outburst, Yinzhi's patience with her dwindled.
Yinzhi preferred the bright and flamboyant Guoluo clan woman to the shrewish Guoluo clan woman.
She knew that Consort Fucha and Consort Hesheli were outwardly gentle but inwardly fierce and wild, and she complained to Yinzhi about it. But Yinzhi not only ignored her, but also thought...it was quite good. Gentleness could make him feel sorry for her and arouse his male chauvinism, but a little wildness could arouse his desire to conquer.
As a woman, Guo Luoluoshi did not understand this point.
All that is known is that Yinzhi has changed his mind, favoring his concubines and neglecting his wife.
She even considered poisoning the two concubines, thinking that if she killed them, Yinzhi would be able to return to her side.
To the Eighth Prince's wife's disappointment, the medicine was completely ineffective, and the two concubines were still lively and annoying. As for being forced to kneel, they just ran away crying to complain to Yinzhi.
No one in the palace cares about what's going on in the Eighth Prince's household. If word got out, it would just be a laughing stock. She couldn't bring herself to do it; she used to boast about her deep affection for the Eighth Prince, but now…
Gaining sympathy and pity from others? No, it will only make others laugh at you behind your back.
The Eighth Prince's wife was unwilling and did not want to, so she tried her best to cover up the matter in public, pretending that the two concubines had never been favored and that she was the only one who was favored.
She would come back and continue to be angry, over and over again, until she looked quite haggard. Her bright and pretty face had become more mean because of her aggressive and volatile temper.
But she didn't know, and those around her wouldn't tell her, that she was so focused on fighting with the two concubines in the harem that Yinzhi was reluctant to return to the mansion.
However, having taken the wife from Prince An's former subordinates, Yinzhi couldn't be too harsh on her, which put him in a difficult position.
Only by ensuring that everyone receives equal treatment can one truly understand the hardships of serving the country, even before becoming emperor.
If you are ambitious, you must be patient in winning people over, and you must not let anyone find fault or hold anything against you in public.
With both court affairs to attend to and the inner quarters to be in turmoil, she breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that her father, the Emperor, had returned. At least he wouldn't leave her with a mountain of tasks to handle.
Yinzhi couldn't handle his primary wife and two secondary wives, so he wanted to take concubines... well, the kind of concubines who serve as servants. Many wealthy merchants wanted to send their daughters to him.
However, he doesn't want just anyone; he's still being selective.
Soon, they heard that the Emperor was going to the hunting grounds for the autumn hunt.
The Eighth Prince's wife wants to go too, and the two concubines also want to go...
Yinzhi was so annoyed that he said, "Go away, go away, okay?"
Yinzhi's approval only made the Eighth Prince's wife angrier, and she immediately started making a scene in the mansion, asking why they were allowed to go.
Now that Yinzhi's favor is being bestowed equally upon all his concubines, she is starting to get anxious, fearing that the other two concubines will conceive first, and she is beginning to panic that she will end up like the Fifth Prince's wife.
As a result, the more she made a fuss, the more annoying she became. Yinzhi stopped letting her follow him and made her stay in the mansion to take care of everything there and all the social interactions.
Lady Guoluo was furious, feeling that this was the beginning of favoring a concubine over the wife. She immediately started fighting with Yinzhi, her long fingernails striking Yinzhi's face.
She almost disfigured Yinzhi. As soon as she felt a stinging pain on her face, she pushed the Eighth Prince's wife away.
It's not that he can't win, it's just that he disdains fighting with women. But if this woman dares to ruin his future, he'd rather kill her with his own hands than fight her.
If he were disfigured, he would never have the chance to realize his ambitions.
He was confined to his quarters for a year. "Your Highness, take care of yourself."
Then he quickly summoned a doctor. If it weren't for the fear of causing gossip, he would have rushed to find the imperial physician.
After the imperial physician examined the wound, it turned out to be nothing serious; it was just a minor skin abrasion.
However, it also made Yinzhi more serious. If this shrew were to suddenly become as ruthless as Guarjia (the former fourth wife) or Hesheli (the wife of Longkodo), she might actually do such a thing.
Yinzhi understood Guoluo's character and could appease her, but given her current stubbornness, what she wanted was exclusive favor and his special treatment.
He also harbored a tiny, hidden ambition deep within his heart: if he could win over the two concubines, Hesheli and Fucha, it wouldn't be impossible to dig up some members of their families with a hoe.
Especially if the Crown Prince is deposed, wouldn't their two families be worried? Wouldn't they want to seek refuge with another prince?
Yinzhi's maternal family had no power, and his wife's family had no natural affinity with her. On the contrary, the stepmother of Prince An, Yue Le, and now Prince An's mother, loathed Yinzhi.
He always has other plans.
For this autumn hunt in the hunting grounds, Kangxi also planned to bring along several adult princes, as well as the thirteenth and fourteenth princes.
There was no way around it; the eldest brother and the others weren't around, and the fourth and eighth brothers were just weak scholars... Well, compared to the eldest brother, who was like a warrior, they did seem a bit weak.
Only the Crown Prince and the Fifth Prince did not know how the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes were doing.
The First and Third Princesses did not go with them and stayed in the capital. The Crown Prince took the Crown Princess and several children with him. The Fourth Prince did not take anyone with him. The Fifth Prince took two princesses with him. The Eighth Prince took two concubines with him. The Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes did not take anyone with them.
Jialuo and the three chubby boys were overjoyed to know they were going on a trip. A few days ago, when Hongyao came back, he boasted to them about his southern tour with the Emperor...
I'm so envious! I even want to rush up and pinch Hongyao's cheek so you can show off!
However, I was also very happy to be able to go on the trip myself, so I immediately had my things packed and waited for the departure day to arrive.
The three chubby boys were also happy that they no longer had to memorize their lessons, and they happily clung to Hongyao's side, saying, "Brother, brother, I want to learn archery from you too."
"Brother, Father said he could shoot a deer when he was five years old. Can you shoot a tiger for me?"
Deer and the like aren't fierce enough for them; they want a roaring tiger to show off... no, the domineering presence of an older brother.
Hong Yao:......
I think you want the tiger to shoot me.
But what could he do when his younger brothers pleaded with him? He could only stand tall, puff out his chest, and confidently declare, "Of course, no problem!"
As the older brother, how can he say no in front of his younger brothers? Wouldn't that diminish his image of authority and power in their eyes?
After agreeing, Hongyao went to his grandfather for advice, feeling somewhat troubled. His father was a bit annoying; he liked to tease his little cutie and would definitely laugh at him.
The Grandfather would be different; he would definitely tell him what to do.
Emperor Kangxi was quite pleased with Hongyao's clinginess and even personally took Hongyao by his side, for example, to hunt tigers...
The sky was clear and the air was fresh; it was a good day to set off!
Yinreng and Hongyao were moved to the front to serve beside the imperial carriage, while the three chubby boys were left in Jialuo's carriage, curiously looking out at the situation.
"Mother, Mother, that, that..."
"Wow, Mom, I want to eat it too."
"Mother..."
Beside her, three chattering little chubby kids were being affectionate, and they were also pointing out the scenery outside the carriage and sharing it with their mother with great interest.
Seeing their excitement, Jialuo glanced at them indifferently and gave a perfunctory reply, "Mm."
The three chubby boys didn't think their mother was just being perfunctory. After sharing with her, they started thinking about their fourth uncle again. "Mother, fourth uncle, we want to find fourth uncle."
"Why didn't my fourth uncle's younger brother come?" Hongyang still wanted to play with his younger brothers a little bit. It would be so nice if everyone went out together.
"I don't know, ask Fourth Uncle." Jia Luo didn't answer this kind of question. Don't you three chubby kids know you're being a bit noisy?
The three chubby kids, not getting an answer, didn't insist on asking. On the way, they even ran around the area quickly with their short legs, shouting, "Ahhhhh, here I come!" (running with arms outstretched).
The others watched the chubby boy playing with slight smiles, some even quite envious, but none dared to approach and strike up a conversation with the Crown Princess.
At most, Emperor Kangxi remembered the three chubby boys and sent someone to take them over, but the carriage was quite large and also contained Hongyao, his books, and his memorials...
Besides the imperial relatives, many ministers also accompanied the emperor on his journey. They all noticed that the emperor always kept the Crown Prince's eldest son, Hongyao, by his side, including during his recent southern tour.
Because several princes suddenly went to sea to sail to the Western Ocean, none of the princes left in the capital were able to rival His Highness the Crown Prince, so the number of officials following the Crown Prince naturally increased.
In their view, the emperor's move was a signal that the emperor might be... going to establish a crown prince.
Thinking about it, it's not impossible. I was thinking that while he was still alive... ah, I mean, on his deathbed, he could also train the next generation of successors of the Qing Dynasty.
Not only did he simply keep the prince by his side, but when he spoke on stage, he didn't even bring the crown prince; he brought Prince Hongyao directly instead.
Isn't this just a plan to establish the crown prince?
When the officials around Yinreng sneaked over to test him, they hadn't even exchanged two words before Yinreng overheard their thoughts. What? The Crown Prince? You still want to ask Father Emperor to establish the Crown Prince?
Do they think his position as crown prince is too secure?
(End of this chapter)
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