Chapter 85 "Father has already sent word..."
"Father has already summoned the Crown Prince to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."
Yinzhen and Yinxiang were playing chess, and Yinzhen watched them take back their moves, finding it unbearable to watch.
"I'm not going down here, I'm going down here, retreat one step at a time!" Yinxiang hurriedly pulled back the cannon he had just launched.
Where has the myna bird been practicing? Its chess skills have improved by leaps and bounds!
Yinzhi let him take back his move, and looking at Yinxiang's deep thought, he turned to look at Yinzhen.
"So fast? I thought Father Emperor would have to think about it for a while."
Yinzhen: "I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."
"Anyway, it's none of our business," Yinzhi said with a smile. "The First Prince should have received the news by now."
Wen Shan lifted the curtain and came in from outside the hall, somewhat surprised to see the three of them all neatly arranged inside.
"Huh? Why are they all here?"
Yinzhen and Yinsi have now successfully graduated from the Imperial Study and have more free time, but Yinxiang is still struggling with his studies. He should be in class now, so why is he playing chess with Yinsi here?
"Did you skip class again?" Wen Shan asked Yin Xiang, hands on her hips.
Yinxiang quickly waved his hand: "I didn't skip class, I just said I was sick."
"Are you sick?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Shan quickly stepped forward, touched Yinxiang's forehead, and then tugged at his arm to examine him closely: "Where are you sick?"
“Mother, he doesn’t look sick at all. He just made up an excuse.”
"..."
"You little rascal."
When Yinxiang took sick leave, he even dragged Zhang Taiyi over and made the old man bite the bullet and issue him a certificate.
Yinxiang chuckled. Since his fourth and eighth brothers were no longer in the Imperial Study, his classes were really boring. Skipping them once in a while wouldn't hurt.
Wen Shan flicked Yin Xiang on the forehead, and seeing him sweating profusely, she picked up a fan and fanned him.
"Pearl, bring in some more ice."
"Mother, he's not hot, he's just anxious. You don't need to worry about him," Yinzhi said with a grin.
Wen Shan looked down and saw that, to her surprise, Yin Si could actually beat Yin Xiang at chess.
Yinxiang: "...I'm not playing anymore, I'm not feeling well today."
Yinzhi tossed the chess piece aside without a care: "Alright, let's continue when you're feeling better."
We have to make this kid completely convinced.
Wenshan, sitting to the side, quickly stopped the two from fighting again.
"You two can finally calm down in this sweltering heat."
Wen Shan looked at Yin Si and said softly, "Have you visited your mother since you came back?"
Yinzhi nodded: "I went yesterday, and Mother's leg is much better."
Consort Liang's legs had become a chronic problem, but fortunately, she had taken good care of them over the past few years and they had improved considerably. She only experienced some stinging pain on rainy days.
Wen Shan sighed, "Consort Liang is still so young, I don't know how she got this illness, but thankfully she's much better now."
After the mother and her children talked for a while, Baoquan came in.
"Your Majesty, the First Prince also rushed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation just now."
Yinzhen's expression was subtle: "Brother really can't wait any longer."
Yinzhi, fiddling with a chess piece, said, "Sigh, I feel sorry for the eldest prince now. Everyone knows that if it involves the crown prince, it's sure to be right to tell the eldest prince."
The Crown Prince and the First Prince stayed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for more than an hour. After a while, Kangxi’s roar and the sound of shattering vases and porcelain could be heard from inside.
Liang Jiugong, who was guarding outside, was startled. He peeked inside and thought that something bad was about to happen.
The young eunuch Liang Jiugong brought timidly asked, "Master, why is the Emperor so angry?"
"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't listen to what you shouldn't listen to."
Liang Jiugong kicked the eunuchs and said, "Go outside and stand guard. If anyone comes to see him, tell them that the Emperor is busy."
Upon receiving the news, Songgotu remained surprisingly calm, a calmness he hadn't anticipated.
The Crown Prince's actions were bound to lead to this day sooner or later.
"Father, aren't you going to the palace yet?"
Upon receiving the news, Soetu's son, Gerfen, also rushed over.
"What's the use of going to the palace?"
Soetu took a sip of tea and said, "Now the Crown Prince's only support is the Emperor's favor. If the Emperor still wants to protect the Crown Prince, then we don't need to do anything. If... then it's useless for us to do anything."
Gerfen observed Soetu's expression and felt that something was off. His father had always been very enthusiastic about the Crown Prince's affairs, and this was the first time he had heard his father say something like "whatever will be."
Is the Crown Prince really going to die?
There are no secrets that stay hidden forever, especially since the Crown Prince's affair had already been widely publicized. Everyone knew that it was only because Emperor Kangxi was biased that he didn't hold the Crown Prince's faults against him. However, no one expected that in addition to accepting bribes, the Crown Prince had also fathered a son with Lady Wang and had the audacity to disregard the law and steal her away.
Naturally, these were spread by the First Prince. The Prefect of the Capital Prefecture, citing the recent frequent banditry and the need to thoroughly investigate the capital, searched the residence that the Crown Prince had used to house Lady Wang.
Wang is now essentially an unregistered resident, unable to clearly state who he is or where he comes from, and thus was arrested as a suspect.
Wang, a pregnant and vulnerable woman, was terrified after surviving an assassination attempt and facing a search party. The eldest prince's men, knowing her background, made her spill everything after only a few questions.
Then the Prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture filed a complaint against the Crown Prince and the Ministry of Justice for their lax supervision.
Nuomin broke out in a cold sweat upon learning the news. Fortunately, the Fourth Prince informed him to report to the Emperor immediately. Otherwise, this incident would have implicated the Crown Prince, and it was hard to say how the Emperor would have dealt with him in his wrath.
The Crown Prince's sale of official positions, which led to a series of incidents involving his lack of moral integrity and disregard for the law, greatly angered Emperor Kangxi.
The crown prince hadn't expected all these things to be laid bare all of a sudden, and aside from kowtowing and admitting his mistakes, he had nothing to say in defense.
The eldest prince, watching Kangxi's ashen face, thought to himself that if the crown prince wasn't severely punished this time, then his father must have lost his mind.
Can the Qing Dynasty really be entrusted to such a crown prince?
Emperor Kangxi also asked himself this question.
Can we really hand over the Qing Dynasty to this muddle-headed crown prince?
Finally, Kangxi closed his eyes and said: "The Crown Prince is arrogant and disrespectful, so he is confined to Yuqing Palace and shall not leave without an imperial edict."
The eldest prince looked up, somewhat surprised and secretly pleased.
Since Kangxi did not specify a time limit, it meant that the Crown Prince was under house arrest in Yuqing Palace indefinitely, and the next step would naturally be to strip him of his title.
"Father!" The Crown Prince was clearly panicked. He grabbed Kangxi's leg, tears streaming down his face, and said, "Father, I know I was wrong. I was just confused for a moment, Father!"
"Yinreng, I have given you many chances, but you have failed to live up to my expectations." Kangxi looked at him calmly: "Even when I see your mother in the future, I will still have a clear conscience."
The prince collapsed to the ground, feeling that he was truly finished this time.
Yinzhen and the others, who were waiting for the news in Xianfu Palace, were also somewhat surprised when they heard it.
"Just confinement?" Yinzhen frowned.
“Isn’t confinement enough? This is an official decree that forbids him from leaving without an imperial edict.” Yinzhi said, “Everyone knows that the Crown Prince has committed a grave error by being confined to the Eastern Palace and not allowed to leave without an imperial edict.”
"But Father still hasn't stated the Crown Prince's crime," Yinxiang said.
The punishment seemed severe, but in reality, they had a backup plan.
Yinzhi, resting his chin on his hand, said, "Let's at least give the Crown Prince some face. But he's already under house arrest and practically crippled. It's just a matter of time before Father Emperor can bring himself to depose him."
In Yinzhi's view, the Crown Prince had already withdrawn from the struggle for the throne. Even though Kangxi did not explicitly state what mistake the Crown Prince had made to warrant house arrest, the ministers were not stupid. How could they allow such a tainted Crown Prince to ascend the throne?
However, Kangxi was in a fit of rage, so no one dared to challenge him. Even the eldest prince had learned his lesson and didn't add fuel to the fire.
"Moreover, it is urgent to wage war against the Dzungars." Yinzhen thought for a moment and said, "It would be inappropriate to shake the foundation of the country at this time."
“Now is indeed not a good time to depose the Crown Prince, but it doesn’t matter.” Yinzhi said with a smile, “The Crown Prince has lost this game, but Suo’etu is still here.”
Emperor Kangxi might abandon the crown prince, but Songgotu would not.
In his opinion, there's still a lot of trouble ahead.
Anyone in the imperial court and harem with a brain knew that the emperor was furious this time, and no one dared to approach him again to mention the crown prince. As a result, the scene fell into an eerie calm. Xiao Tongjia even secretly asked Wen Shan whether the preparations for the crown prince's wedding should continue.
The imperial decree for the marriage had already been issued, and the wedding date was set for the end of next year. Kangxi had originally thought that by then the campaign against the Dzungars would be over, and after returning to the capital, the grand wedding of the crown prince would be a double celebration. However, he never expected that they would be in such an awkward situation as to prepare for the wedding.
The Crown Prince's wedding is much more complicated than that of an ordinary prince. If preparations are not made now, the wedding date will not be met next year. And most importantly, should the preparations still be made according to the standards for the Crown Prince?
Will the Crown Prince still be the Crown Prince by the end of next year?
If not, should the wedding still take place?
In short, there were a lot of questions and no one could make up their minds. They didn't dare to offend Emperor Kangxi. At this point, what difference was there between asking directly and inquiring whether the Crown Prince would be deposed?
Wen Shan and Xiao Tongjia were speechless and could only continue with the ceremony for now. Even if the crown prince was deposed, they could simply reduce the scale and continue using the same ceremony. If even the wedding was canceled...
Then we can only congratulate the lucky one, Lady Guarjia.
To Wen Shan's surprise, one day Emperor Kangxi suddenly came to Xianfu Palace and took the initiative to talk to her about this matter.
Is the Crown Prince's wedding still being prepared?
Unable to fathom his thoughts, Wenshan could only tell the truth that preparations were still underway.
Kangxi hummed in agreement and then said, "This matter can be put aside for now. There's no rush. The Empress Dowager is getting old and is concerned about Yinqi's marriage. Let's get Yinqi's marriage arranged first."
Wen Shan: "...Yes."
Kangxi looked at her and suddenly sighed: "Enough, let's not talk about this anymore."
"The palace has been in chaos lately, and I imagine you've had a hard time. Let me tell you something good."
Wen Shan: "?"
Any good news lately?
"I will soon be going to war against the Dzungars. The Crown Prince is under house arrest and reflecting on his own actions, so I have decided not to take Yinzhen to the front lines. After I leave, Yinzhen will oversee the country, and Yinsi will assist him."
Wen Shan: "...Your Majesty, what kind of good news is this?"
Kangxi smiled, propping his head up as he looked at her: "Haven't you always been reluctant to let Yinzhen go to the battlefield? Isn't this a good thing?"
They are the target of everyone's criticism!
Even Wen Shan, a political novice, understood what this meant. Suo'etu was still safely in the capital, and none of the Crown Prince's cronies had been implicated. This was bound to cause a lot of trouble for Yinzhen and Yinsi.
Wen Shan looked at Kangxi with a quiet gaze and said, "Your Majesty is asking a question you already know the answer to."
Kangxi smiled: "My mind is made up. I will issue an edict soon. This is the responsibility of Yinzhen and Yinsi as princes. It won't do you any good if you glare at me."
"..."
Kangxi's telling Wenshan was tantamount to informing Yinzhen and Yinsi in advance.
So the next day, Wenshan told them about it.
Unexpectedly, Yinzhen and the others remained calm.
"Mother, my fourth brother, eighth brother, and I have already discussed this matter." Yinxiang said while eating iced fruit, "The Crown Prince is obviously unable to oversee the country. My eldest brother still has some skills on the battlefield, so he should be taken along. The rest are my fourth brother and eighth brother."
“Mother, don’t worry. My fourth brother and I can handle that old man, Suo’etu,” Yinzhi said with a smile.
Wenshan breathed a sigh of relief seeing their confident demeanor.
"It's good that you have a clear understanding of the situation. In any case, these are extraordinary times, so please be careful in everything you do."
Wenshan gave her instructions.
After Emperor Kangxi issued an edict appointing Yinzhen and Yinsi as regents, a new undercurrent of tension arose in the court.
The fact that the emperor wouldn't even send the crown prince out to oversee the country when he personally led an expedition shows that the emperor was truly disappointed in the crown prince this time.
Of the remaining princes, the eldest prince went on the expedition with the emperor, while the fourth and eighth princes stayed behind to oversee the country.
The current situation seems to suggest that everyone has a chance.
After that, Kangxi issued several more imperial edicts, making the situation even more complicated.
First, Yarha, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice who helped the Crown Prince switch prisoners, was dismissed and investigated. Before the investigation was even completed, Emperor Kangxi personally ordered him to be executed in prison.
Subsequently, all the palace servants and guards of Yuqing Palace were replaced, and those servants who were close to the Crown Prince were either beaten to death or driven out of the palace.
These two imperial edicts made everyone feel even more that the Crown Prince was completely finished.
As for Lady Wang, who was pregnant with the crown prince's child, this was not brought to the forefront. Kangxi put her under guard, treating her well until she gave birth to the child, and then exiled her and her family to Ningguta.
Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang watched Kangxi's actions with cold eyes and sighed, "The Crown Prince really doesn't know how lucky he is. His father favors him so much that even in this situation, he still goes to great lengths to take care of him."
If he were even slightly clear-headed, who could possibly challenge his position as crown prince?
After all, Emperor Kangxi truly controlled the entire court.
Yinxiang tilted his head: "Eighth Brother, didn't you just say to Mother that the Crown Prince was no threat?"
Yinzhi tapped his head: "That's not because I was worried about Mother, but it's only a matter of time before the Crown Prince is deposed."
However, it's clear that the Emperor hasn't made up his mind yet.
Yinzhen frowned and thought for a while before saying, "Father Emperor sent me to oversee the country during this campaign, probably to see how capable I am."
Without a doubt, Suo'etu would create trouble for him, and if he couldn't handle it, then he probably wouldn't be a qualified candidate for crown prince in the Emperor's eyes.
Yinzhi put his arm around Yinzhen's shoulder and said with a smile, "Not only that, I'll also cause you some trouble this time, Fourth Brother."
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