Chapter 108 "Who..."
"Do we need to spell out who's rebelling?"
Yinxiang stepped forward and looked at the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince.
Yinzhen stood with his hands behind his back: "Ninth Brother, Tenth Brother, is Father Emperor not the only one in the Hall of Mental Cultivation?"
“Longkodo abused his power to transfer guards from the Hall of Mental Cultivation, but he has now been subdued.”
"Tong Guowei is plotting a rebellion, are you two going to aid and abet him?"
The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince exchanged a glance and could tell that the situation was not good. Yinzhen and Yinxiang had obviously taken control of the situation.
The Ninth Prince gritted his teeth as he thought of Yinzhi: "Fourth Brother, what are you saying? My tenth brother and I are just visiting Father Emperor. We have never heard of Tong Guowei's rebellion."
Yinzhen was too lazy to argue with the two of them any further and directly ordered his men to arrest the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince.
"Please invite the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince to the side hall," Yinzhen instructed. "They must not be rude."
"yes."
As the Tenth Prince was being led towards the side hall, he turned back and angrily shouted, "Who wants your hypocrisy! Fourth Brother, how dare you force your troops to the Hall of Mental Cultivation... Ugh!"
The Tenth Prince's mouth was covered before he could finish speaking.
"Let's go, Fourth Brother." Yinxiang stepped onto the stairs and looked at Yinzhen.
Yinzhen hummed in agreement, and Liang Jiugong, who was guarding the door to the sleeping quarters, opened the door for Yinzhen and Yinxiang.
"Your Highness, the Emperor and Lord Tong are inside."
Yinzhen nodded and entered the bedchamber. He saw Tong Guowei standing in front of Kangxi's bed. Kangxi leaned against the headboard, looked up and suddenly smiled, looking at Tong Guowei: "It seems you made the wrong bet."
The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were locked in a side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. The Tenth Prince stepped forward and kicked the door twice, saying irritably, "Ninth Brother, what should we do?"
I never expected that Fourth Brother would suddenly appear at this time.
"Now that Fourth Brother knows... how will he treat Eighth Brother well in the future?"
The Tenth Prince scratched his head anxiously. The Ninth Prince glanced at him and said, "We are already struggling to take care of ourselves. We don't even know how the Fourth Brother will treat us."
I never expected that Fourth Brother, who is usually so quiet, is actually such a shrewd person. Just as Ninth Prince finished speaking, a familiar voice came from behind the screen.
"Fourth Brother will naturally not do anything to you, don't worry."
"A myna bird?!"
Yinzhi emerged from behind the screen, now dressed in a moon-white robe embroidered with phoenixes, looking extremely dashing, handsome, and noble.
Yinzhi stepped forward and patted his two younger brothers on the shoulders.
"Didn't I tell you before not to get involved with Tong Guowei?"
After entering the Imperial Clan Court, Yinzhi still sent messages to the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince, telling them not to interfere in his affairs and not to have any contact with Tong Guowei.
It seems these two didn't listen at all.
"If we want to rescue Eighth Prince, we must cooperate with Tong Guowei. Otherwise, wouldn't we just have to watch Eighth Prince be locked up in the Imperial Clan Court for the rest of his life?" The Tenth Prince has always had a fiery temper since he was a child, and he is even more so now. Sometimes he even dares to talk back to Emperor Kangxi.
The Ninth Prince was much more shrewd than the Tenth Prince. After his initial surprise, he had some guesses about what was going on when he saw Yinzhi appear there.
"Eighth Brother, did Fourth Brother let you out?"
The fact that Yinzhi is able to stay here unharmed and looks so calm and collected must mean that someone deliberately arranged for him to be here.
Now, only Yinzhen has this ability.
Yinzhi nodded: "I left the Imperial Clan Court two hours ago."
"I didn't come to you because I had something important to do right away."
The Tenth Prince was confused: "Eighth Brother, why did Fourth Brother release you?"
Isn't the myna bird the fourth brother's number one rival?
The Ninth Prince pondered for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Eighth Brother, the Tenth Prince and I treat you like a brother, yet you've kept this from us for so long."
Upon hearing this, Yinzhi pursed his lips and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, it's really due to the circumstances. The Crown Prince is deeply favored by Father, and Father is always suspicious. My fourth brother and I have no choice but to do this."
The Tenth Prince was still confused. He looked at the Ninth Prince and Yinzhi and said, "Eighth Brother, Ninth Brother, what are you talking about?"
“Eighth Brother and Fourth Brother have always been of one mind, Tenth Brother.” Ninth Prince looked at his slightly silly younger brother and said, “We were both fooled by Eighth Brother.”
"It's not just the two of us, Tong Guowei, the entire court has been deceived by Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother."
Yinzhi had long anticipated this scenario. The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince were indeed sincere towards him and genuinely wanted to support him in ascending the throne. Therefore, he had naturally considered the possibility of this confrontation.
"I'm sorry, you all want to help me ascend the throne, but I have never had that intention."
This also, to some extent, signifies the failure of the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince's political investments.
They followed him hoping to rise to prominence, if not become second only to the emperor, but he never intended to take that position from the beginning.
"Is this what we're angry about?" Ninth Prince gritted his teeth. "Eighth Brother, you underestimate me and Tenth Prince. We followed you because you wanted that position. Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"You really... don't trust us at all?"
The Tenth Prince now understands, and he feels quite disappointed.
They were angry not because Yinzhi didn't want to fight for the throne, but because he kept it from them.
Would telling them ruin the myna bird's plans?
"...This is my fault." Since things had come to this, Yinzhi could only admit his mistake.
He did not choose to be with the Ninth Prince, and the Tenth Prince revealed that he did indeed harbor some suspicion towards him.
It's not that we're worried they'll tell anyone, but rather that the fewer people who know about this, the better. Especially since the eleventh brother is someone who can't keep secrets and wears his heart on his sleeve. If we tell him, even if the tenth brother didn't mean it, some people with ulterior motives will figure it out.
However, if he tells the Ninth Prince but not the Tenth Prince, it would make him seem biased, so it's better to keep it from both of them.
Anyway, he will keep them in check so they don't do anything out of line, and naturally he won't hold them accountable now.
He would protect his two younger brothers no matter what.
The Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince insisted on getting to the bottom of things, so Yinzhi had no choice but to express his concerns.
The Tenth Prince stared blankly, pointing innocently at himself: "Huh?"
So it was because of him?
Yinzhi was both amused and exasperated. He straightened his face and said, "You two are both my brothers, so of course I will protect you. Don't worry, your fourth brother won't do anything to you in the future."
The Ninth Prince's mind was more focused on business. His obsession with the throne was simply that if the Eighth Prince ascended the throne, he would be able to do business more freely in the future, instead of having to do it secretly as he did now.
Emperor Kangxi considered merchants to be lowly and never supported the Ninth Prince's association with merchants. He even reprimanded the Ninth Prince many times. However, the Ninth Prince still secretly opened his own business and did very well.
Naturally, this was also due to the covert support of Yinzhen and Yinsi.
"From now on, you're not allowed to hide anything from us," the Ninth Prince said awkwardly, arms crossed.
Well, as long as the myna is safe and sound, nothing else matters.
Moreover, they shouldn't have any trouble in the future, so they can only accept it now that things have come to this.
Yinzhi breathed a sigh of relief and pulled the two of them to sit down. He then beckoned to a palace servant who brought over some food and snacks.
"You all rest here for a while, I need to go to the front," Yinzhi said.
The Ninth Prince stuffed a piece of chestnut cake into his mouth and mumbled, "Tong Guowei doesn't know yet. That old fox's jaw is probably going to drop to the ground soon."
He really wanted to see that dejected, stamping-footed look.
Although Tong Guowei was a core member of the Eighth Prince's faction, the Ninth Prince and the Tenth Prince did not like this old fox who seemed to have a lot of selfish motives. However, he was already firmly tied to Yinzhi's ship, so he would not make any mistakes in basic principles, so the two of them turned a blind eye to him.
Yinzhi stepped out of the side hall, where Xiao Shunzi was waiting at the door.
"Take good care of the two princes," Yinzhi said in a deep voice.
"Don't worry, Master. Fourth Master and Thirteenth Master have been inside for a while now," Xiao Shunzi said, bowing his head.
There should be a result by now.
Indeed, both Kangxi and Tong Guowei in the imperial bedchamber were powerless to save the emperor.
For the first time, Kangxi realized he had misjudged the situation. He had considered that Yinzhi and Tong Guowei might take risks, but he never imagined that Yinzhen and Yinxiang would stage a coup.
In particular, Yinzhen had always followed the path of a lone minister. No matter how much Kangxi praised him, he insisted on not associating with important officials and was always very cautious towards him. No matter how much he favored Yinreng, he never showed the slightest disloyalty. This was one of the reasons why Kangxi was determined to reinstate the crown prince.
Yinzhen, the Crown Prince's biggest rival, was not one to fight for power.
Emperor Kangxi once dreamed that Yinzhen would become Yinreng's right-hand man in the future. Yinreng was often indecisive and cowardly, and needed a minister like Yinzhen who was tough and impartial to assist him.
Therefore, Yinzhen's unexpected turn of events today was both within Kangxi's expectations and beyond them.
Yinzhen didn't say much after entering the palace. Everyone present was extremely intelligent, and they understood each other without needing to say it aloud. In particular, Tong Guowei had thought of countless ways to protect the Tong family, but in the end, he had to helplessly admit that he and the Tong family had become stepping stones for others in this palace coup.
"Yinzhen, have you also prepared a will for me?" Kangxi said, sitting up.
Now that the effects of the medicine have worn off, Kangxi feels better.
Yinzhen said calmly, "Father is a wise ruler. All the people under heaven hope that Father will be sagacious and wise, and so does your son."
"However, I cannot agree with the matter of reinstating Prince Li. Wouldn't it be like handing over the Qing Dynasty, which our ancestors built, to someone else?"
Kangxi sneered: "It's nothing that every prince wants to sit on the throne, but you don't need to be so hypocritical now."
"Your subject has always been for the sake of my Great Qing Dynasty, whether Father Emperor believes it or not."
Yinzhen's face remained expressionless, seemingly no longer concerned about Kangxi's reaction.
It doesn't matter whether I curse loudly or be humble.
Tong Guowei glared angrily from the side: "The Eighth Prince is no longer in the Imperial Clan Court. Has the Fourth Prince already turned against his own flesh and blood before even ascending the throne?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Yinzhi pushed open the door and came in.
He raised an eyebrow: "Looking for me?"
The appearance of Yinzhi surprised Kangxi and Tong Guowei, who had already accepted the current situation.
"You...you all..."
Kangxi was the first to react, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.
Yinzhen and Yinsi were actually in the same boat from beginning to end!
Tong Guowei also felt a tightness in his chest; all his planning and scheming over the years had turned into a joke!
So that's how it is! So that's how it is! Many things that he couldn't understand before finally have an answer.
"Father, please calm down." Yinzhi stepped forward, tilted his head to look at Kangxi's current appearance, and sighed, "Father, why should your illustrious reputation be used to go against the entire court for the sake of an incompetent deposed crown prince?"
Tong Guowei's mind went blank: "Eighth Prince... what is this...?"
Tong Guowei was unwilling to admit that he had been manipulated by Yinzhen and Yinsi from beginning to end.
"I actually forced my way into the Hall of Mental Cultivation for your sake! How laughable, truly laughable!"
Yinzhi calmly said, "Lord Tong, your title of 'Tong Half-Court' didn't come from nowhere. You manipulate court officials to sell official positions and titles, disregarding the laws of the court. How many selfish things have you done?"
"That sounds nice, but someone always has to do these dirty work." Tong Guowei laughed heartily.
He considered himself incredibly clever, but ended up becoming the black glove for the Fourth and Eighth Princes in handling these dirty tasks.
We kept him here until this moment, wasn't it?
At this point, even Kangxi had to admit that he had underestimated his two sons, and perhaps even the seemingly most harmless Yinxiang.
The siege of the Hall of Mental Cultivation today was likely orchestrated by Yinxiang.
Tong Guowei is now arguably the one who suffered the most, having been completely exploited from beginning to end.
He no longer had the strength to pursue anything further; the tide had turned and there was no turning back.
Yinxiang then stepped forward and said, “Father, we brothers all know that you have always favored our second brother since childhood. Actually, there is nothing wrong with that. If you want to give our second brother more gold, silver and titles, that is fine. But if you want to put such a person on the throne, won’t there be no place for us in the future?”
"Besides, you know my second brother's personality. Whether he is capable of this position is not for us to say. In fact, his filial piety is probably not as good as ours."
Yinxiang's intention today is to kill him and destroy his spirit.
"Don't forget, back when you launched your second campaign against Galdan, he wanted you to die on the battlefield."
This was something that Yinxiang had never been able to understand. It was strange that Kangxi could forgive and forget about the Crown Prince's actions and not mind at all.
Did the Crown Prince really cast a spell on Emperor Kangxi?
Emperor Kangxi was so angry that he couldn't speak, and could only scold him as a rebellious son.
Yinzhi ordered his men to bring the Crown Prince up. From the beginning, the Crown Prince had been imprisoned in another side hall.
The crown prince was now in tears, mostly from fear.
When Kangxi saw the Crown Prince's state, he was disappointed and frustrated. At this time, he needed to remain calm. Would the opponent be more lenient if he looked like he was scared out of his wits?
Yinzhen took out a secret letter and handed it to Kangxi.
"This was intercepted just a few days ago. Please take a look, Your Majesty."
The Crown Prince trembled with fear. Kangxi, after reading the book with skepticism, felt his already aching and suffocating chest become even more difficult to breathe.
"I haven't even reinstated you as crown prince yet, and you're already trying to win people's hearts and accepting bribes?"
Yinzhi watched coldly with his hands in his pockets. The Crown Prince had always been like this. He really couldn't understand why his father, the Emperor, always buryed his head in the sand.
Tong Guowei had no time to care about any of this. He walked to Yinzhi's side and said sadly, "Eighth Prince, please spare Tongjia for the sake of all the things this old minister has done for you. I am willing to die for you."
As long as he could keep Tongjia alive, he could die without regrets.
“The Tongjia clan is the maternal family of Empress Xiaoyi. For Empress Xiaoyi’s sake, Fourth Brother won’t do anything to the Tongjia clan,” Yinzhi said, glancing at him.
This can be considered as giving Tong Guowei a promise.
"Okay, okay."
In the end, it was these two aunts of their family who protected the wealth and status of the Tongjia clan.
...
Wenshan woke up just as dawn was breaking. No one had disturbed her all night, but she didn't sleep well. Every time she moved, Pearl, who was keeping watch by her bedside, would wake up.
"Master, it's still early, why don't you sleep a little longer?"
Wenshan grabbed a handful of hair and sat up. She was probably the most carefree mother in the world; her sons had done such a big thing tonight and she could still sleep.
It would only cause trouble for her to go to such a scene, so it would be better for her to stay in Xianfu Palace and avoid having people come to beg her.
"Did anyone come by last night?" Wenshan asked.
Pearl shook her head: "No, the message came from the Hall of Mental Cultivation half an hour ago."
"Yes, it's done."
Wen Shan was stunned for a moment: "...It's done?"
Pearl smiled and nodded: "The princes have already received the imperial edict and are making arrangements at full speed. It seems that the change of government will take place soon."
The fact that the Fourth Prince was able to ascend the throne and their master became the Empress Dowager was certainly a joyous occasion.
Wen Shan wrapped herself tighter in the blanket and looked at the morning light streaming in through the window. For the first time in so many years, she felt that the world was so fresh and clean.
Her good days are finally coming!
Wenshan couldn't sleep either. After she got up, washed up, and got dressed, Baoquan came in with a big smile.
"Your Majesty, last night Tong Guowei plotted a rebellion and forced the emperor to abdicate. Our Fourth Prince arrived in time to quell the rebellion, and the Emperor has already issued an edict to appoint the Fourth Prince as the Crown Prince!"
"The Eighth Prince was also released from the Imperial Clan Court. It was said that Prince Li had used a curse on the Emperor. The Eighth Prince had also been framed."
Pearl couldn't help but laugh and say, "This is wonderful! We must celebrate!"
After listening, Wen Shan asked, "...Where is the Emperor?"
Baoquan said with some difficulty, "His Majesty was already ill from a sudden illness, and this incident has made him even more ill. He is no longer able to handle state affairs, so he has issued an edict appointing our Crown Prince to oversee the country."
It seems that Yinzhen and the others wanted to proceed a little slower and did not allow Kangxi to abdicate directly.
At breakfast time, the three brothers, Yinzhen, arrived at Xianfu Palace.
Wen Shan hadn't seen Yin Si for a while, and when she saw that he had lost a lot of weight, tears welled up in her eyes.
"How did you lose so much weight?"
Yinzhi smiled and said, "It's alright, Mother. You're all better now."
"That's why my fourth brother and I stopped you from going to the Imperial Clan Court," Yinxiang said. "You'd be heartbroken if you saw your eighth brother."
Wenshan pulled them down to sit and asked, "Is everything settled?"
Yinzhi nodded: "Don't worry, everything has been taken care of."
Wen Shan thought for a moment and then asked, "What did your Emperor... say?"
After all, Emperor Kangxi is still alive.
After they handed the deposed crown prince's secret letter to Kangxi last night, Kangxi's attitude changed noticeably.
In the end, without saying anything more, he personally wrote the edict appointing Yinzhen as the crown prince and then let them leave.
But in the end, he still asked for a way out for his most beloved son.
Whether it's imprisonment or being reduced to a commoner, it doesn't matter, as long as Yinreng's life is spared.
Yinzhen agreed, and Kangxi closed his eyes and said he was tired and needed to rest.
After getting what they wanted, Yinzhen and the others naturally left.
They didn't really intend to kill Kangxi. The medicine they administered was only meant to weaken him so he couldn't get out of bed. The three of them, including Yinzhen, discussed how to ensure a smooth handover and minimize turmoil in the court.
But no one expected that Kangxi would abdicate just one month later.
Yinzhen served as crown prince for a month before ascending the throne.
Wen Shan eventually rose to the position of Empress Dowager.
When Wen Shan heard the news that Kangxi had voluntarily abdicated, she was almost scared to death. Based on her understanding of Kangxi over the years, he was a person who valued power and reputation more than anything else. How could he suddenly abdicate?
It's more believable that he's plotting a comeback.
After Kangxi announced his abdication, he sent word that he wanted to see Wenshan, but Wenshan thought about it for a long time and ultimately did not go.
In her current situation, she naturally no longer needs to consider Kangxi's feelings; she can simply find an excuse to get by.
Looking at Wen Shan's expression, Pearl said, "Master, are you really not going to see her one more time?"
For more than a month, Wen Shan had not visited the Hall of Mental Cultivation even once.
“There’s nothing left to see, and nothing left to say.” Wen Shan was making pastries, her hands never stopping. “After more than thirty years, everything that needed to be said has been said.”
Yinzhen naturally supported all of Wenshan's decisions. Since she was unwilling to spend any more time with Kangxi, Yinzhen sent Kangxi to the Chengde Mountain Resort to recuperate.
On the third day of the eighth lunar month, Yinzhen officially ascended the throne and changed the dynasty name to Yongzheng.
The Imperial Noble Consort was honored as Empress Dowager, the Fujin Fucha was honored as Empress, the Eighth Prince was honored as Prince Lian, and the Thirteenth Prince was honored as Prince Yi. Both of them served as Grand Ministers of the Interior at the same time. Yinzhi managed domestic affairs, while Yinxiang managed military affairs.
The other princes were also granted titles according to their age and merits.
Tong Guowei's rebellion was a capital offense, but Yinzhen did not pursue the Tongjia clan's crimes, nor did he punish Longkodo. He only spared him the position of Commander of the Nine Gates, which was a way of giving Tongjia a reason to stay.
It just so happens that on the very day Yinzhen ascended the throne, Lady Guoluo launched her attack.
She gave birth to a healthy daughter without much trouble, and Yinzhi was overjoyed. He cherished this precious jewel in his heart. Even Yinzhen, who had just finished his enthronement ceremony, came to see his little niece in person and bestowed upon her the title of Princess Heshuo on the day of her birth.
By this time, Yinzhi and Lady Guoluo had moved into the mansion that Yinzhen had specially prepared in the capital, and Wenshan naturally went over to see her granddaughter.
"This child really knew how to pick the right time to be born." Wen Shan held the baby and smiled broadly: "What a lucky little girl."
Yinzhi also teased his daughter from the side: "Yes, look how much your fourth uncle and thirteenth uncle love you, they brought you so many gifts."
"Have you chosen a name yet?" Wenshan asked.
Yinzhi nodded: "I thought about it for a long time and decided on several names. In the end, before Father Emperor left, he said that if it was a girl, he would choose the character Yu, which means 'endowed with outstanding talents'."
Wen Shan: "..."
Hearing this word reminded her of Yuqing Palace.
Is this some kind of attempt to annoy Yinzhi before leaving?
Yinzhi naturally understood what Wenshan was thinking and quickly said, "Father, that's probably not what you meant. It's just that I don't really like the character 'Yu' either. After thinking it over, I decided to name the child Ning'an, which is to say, he takes after Yi'an."
"This is good. Let's call her Ningning as her nickname." Wen Shan liked the name; it meant peace and tranquility—such a wonderful blessing.
Yinzhi asked the wet nurse to take Ning'an away, and after hesitating for a moment, he asked, "Mother, are you really not going to see Father again?"
“What’s the point of seeing each other? I’ve been with your father for over thirty years and we still feel like strangers. I don’t understand him, and he doesn’t understand me,” Wen Shan said. “Now that we’re finally free, let’s just not see each other again.”
After saying that, Pearl came to report that Consort Yi, Consort Liang, and Consort Mi had sent people to find her to play cards. Wen Shan immediately perked up when she heard this. After seeing her granddaughter, she rushed back to the palace to play with her sisters.
Yinzhi watched Wenshan's departing figure, smiled and shook his head, ultimately not taking out the letter he was clutching in his hand.
It seems that the letter that Father Emperor left for Mother before he passed away will never see the light of day again.
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