Chapter 50 "Fourth Brother, let's go together..."
"Fourth Brother, let's go together. I heard from Uncle that there's a hot spring on that mountain over there. It's the best time to soak in it in autumn and winter." Yinzhi was trying to persuade Yinzhen to go to the hot spring with him.
Yinzhen felt it was too ostentatious and didn't want to go, but Yinsi kept nagging him: "This is my uncle's own hot spring pool, it's quiet and there are few people, so it won't bother you."
"We're going hunting tomorrow, so let's relax a bit."
Yinzhen couldn't go against Yinsi's wishes and finally had to compromise and go with him.
Bandi did indeed make proper arrangements, and the two of them didn't encounter anyone along the way.
The reason why Yinzhi insisted on taking Yinzhen to the hot spring was because he saw that Yinzhen was exhausted from riding on horseback every day these past few days, so he couldn't help but want him to relax.
The hot spring pool isn't large, but the water quality is excellent, and the surrounding area is full of flowers. A mountain spring has also been channeled down to the side, where you can collect water to brew tea.
Xiao Shunzi and Yinzhen's personal eunuch Jinbao were serving him. It was indeed quiet and sparsely populated. To avoid suspicion, Ban Di had already sent everyone out of this hot spring villa.
With no outsiders around, Yinzhi began to talk about how he had noticed that his father, the Emperor, had become suspicious of them.
"The Crown Prince also said a lot to me today, nothing more than that you are a traitor and a rebel, and that I should keep my distance from you." Yinzhen even had the mood to joke with Yinsi.
Yinzhi smiled and clearly didn't care much about the matter.
"The Crown Prince's words were not wrong, but his description of the person was not very accurate."
All three of them are now considered traitors and rebels; none of them can escape their fate.
The reason why Yinzhen and Yinsi accepted Kangxi's suspicion so readily was that there was no turning back once the arrow was released; sooner or later, Kangxi would find out.
Moreover, with age as a shield, it's easy to shirk many responsibilities.
"That's true, but let's keep quiet for now and not do anything," Yinzhen said after thinking for a while.
They are far from being able to confront the Emperor head-on.
We should wait until the crown prince falls from power before making any decisions.
But waiting another twenty or thirty years is absolutely impossible. Yinzhi has been thinking every day about how to make the Crown Prince, this ticking time bomb, explode as soon as possible.
“After we left this morning, Father Emperor sent someone to keep an eye on Consort Mi,” Yinzhi said. “Fortunately, we were prepared.”
Consort Mi truly knew nothing; even if she wanted to send a message, she wouldn't know who to send it to.
Moreover, they didn't have any bad intentions in supporting Consort Mi's rise to favor. It was simply because Wen Shan was too lazy to serve Kangxi and wanted to get rid of him as soon as possible, so Yinzhi found Consort Mi to replace her.
He didn't expect Consort Mi to repay him in any way; at most, this was just a good deed he did every day.
So even when Kangxi investigated, he couldn't find out the truth. He racked his brains but couldn't figure out that Consort Mi had indeed been specially instructed, but the reason was that Wen Shan wanted to avoid the emperor's favor.
From the day they decided to fight for the throne, Yinzhen and his companions knew that such things would only increase in the future, so they were already mentally prepared.
The hot spring had a pleasant temperature and the water was exceptionally clear and cool. Yinzhi squinted and sighed, saying that he must bring his mother and thirteenth brother to soak in it next year.
After soaking in the water for a while, Yinzhi suddenly asked, "I wonder what my thirteenth brother and mother are doing now?"
Now that he has the opportunity to monopolize his mother, he will definitely act like a tyrant in Xianfu Palace.
Yinzhen also closed his eyes to rest, but when he mentioned his thirteenth brother, he opened his eyes slightly and said, "I think your thirteenth brother has been corrupted by you. He only knows how to cling to his mother all day long."
Previously, it was Yinzhi who stayed by Wenshan's side every day, but when Yinzhi's studies became more demanding, this little nemesis became Yinxiang.
“Thirteenth Brother has also worked hard; let him relax a bit,” Yinzhi said with a slight smile.
He was naturally referring to the hardships Yinxiang endured in his previous life.
Yinzhen remained silent. In truth, his two younger brothers had indeed had a very difficult life in their previous lives. Yinsi was one thing, but Yinxiang, although he no longer had to live in constant intrigue and fear after Yinzhen ascended the throne, had spent so many of his prime years imprisoned and had a very unpleasant falling out with his father.
Yinzhi usually didn't like to mention his past life in front of Yinzhen, fearing that Yinzhen would overthink it. He only brought it up today because he met Longkodo and was moved by the experience.
He was just about to tell Yinzhen about his encounter with Longkodo that day when another of Yinsi's personal eunuchs suddenly came in to report that Consort Min had given birth to a princess the day before yesterday, and the news had just arrived.
It's likely that Emperor Kangxi is aware of this by now.
This was expected, and neither Yinzhen nor Yinsi were too surprised. Only Yinsi muttered to himself that it was truly despicable that his thirteenth brother had such a well-behaved younger sister.
Yinzhen also had two younger sisters born of the same mother. Hearing Yinsi's words, he recalled that he had hardly ever seen these two sisters, except for a few times at banquets for their full moon and first birthday.
"If only Mother could give us a little sister, and raise her in our Xianfu Palace, I could play with her every day," Yinzhi began to dream.
Yinzhi had mentioned this to Wenshan before, urging her to have a younger sister for them to play with, which almost resulted in Wenshan picking up a rolling pin and beating him.
"Mother has already worked hard enough, let's just let it go." Yinzhen was the most considerate of Wenshan, and said, "If you like, you can go to Jingren Palace with your thirteenth brother more often."
"No need, I don't like every sister." Yinzhi was uninterested; those who weren't born to his mother or raised in the palace weren't worth looking at.
On the day Consort Min gave birth, Wen Shan, who was in the palace, was also caught off guard by the Imperial Noble Consort, an uninvited guest.
Although the Imperial Noble Consort had put on makeup to brighten her complexion when she entered, Wen Shan could still see the sickness and weakness in her. After exchanging greetings, she said, "Your Highness, why did you have to come all this way when you are not feeling well? You should rest and recuperate."
Wen Shan was sincerely advising her to take care of her health, and the Imperial Noble Consort naturally understood this. So she just smiled and said, "I heard that Consort Min is giving birth. Now that Consort Niohuru has gone to Mulan for the hunt, I thought you might not be able to manage on your own, so I came to see you."
Currently, only Wen Shan remains in Jingren Palace. Apart from Consort De, all those above the rank of Consort have gone to the Mulan Hunting Grounds. Consort De has also just finished her postpartum confinement and needs to take care of the Fourteenth Prince.
The reason given was that she might be too busy, but that was a bit of a stretch. Wen Shan couldn't really help much anyway. The midwife and everything needed for childbirth had been prepared well in advance. As long as nothing went wrong during the delivery, Wen Shan just needed to sit there and wait for the baby to be born.
To act as a witness.
However, since the Imperial Noble Consort had said so, Wen Shan couldn't refuse her, so she thanked her and quickly led her to sit down.
The Imperial Noble Consort's health may not be as robust as that of Consort Min, who is currently giving birth.
“The Thirteenth Prince has grown so much.” The Imperial Noble Consort looked at Yinxiang beside her and smiled with a touch of affection. “Come here and let your mother take a look.”
Yinxiang obediently stepped forward, and the Imperial Noble Consort carefully examined him before turning to Wenshan and saying, "This is the first time I have seen the Thirteenth Prince. It seems that he looks more like the Emperor."
When Yinxiang turned one month old and one year old, the Imperial Noble Consort was ill and did not come. Having missed these two grand banquets, she naturally had little chance to see Yinxiang again.
However, just as the Imperial Noble Consort said, Yinxiang did indeed look more and more like Kangxi. Although he was not exactly the same, it was still rare to find someone who resembled Kangxi by three or four points. In particular, his eyebrows and eyes were clearly modeled after Kangxi's, making him unique among all the princes. Therefore, Kangxi had grown to like him more and more lately.
Yinxiang said that he looked like this in his previous life. Indeed, because he resembled Kangxi in some ways, Kangxi doted on him from a young age and deliberately made him befriend the Crown Prince.
“Yinxiang is the Emperor’s bloodline, so it’s normal for him to look somewhat similar,” Wenshan said.
The Imperial Noble Consort nodded, patted Yinxiang's head and said, "Good child, don't be afraid, your younger brother and sister will be brought out for you to see in a little while."
Inside the delivery room, Consort Min suddenly cried out in pain, followed by the loud cry of a newborn baby.
Wenshan finally felt relieved; the baby was finally born.
Soon the midwife came out carrying the baby, who had been cleaned and wrapped in a bright red quilt.
"Your Highness, Consort Xuan, Consort Min has given birth to a princess. The princess is in good health and both mother and daughter are safe."
Wen Shan beamed with joy and leaned over to take a look at the little princess. Although she was a bit wrinkled from birth, she looked quite robust and cried with great energy, indicating she was a healthy child.
Yinxiang also pulled Wenshan, wanting to see his sister, and Wenshan picked him up so he could see her.
Looking at his little sister who looked like a little monkey, Yinxiang whispered to himself, "Don't worry, little sister, you'll be a great beauty when you grow up!"
The Imperial Noble Consort, supported by palace maids, rose and glanced at the little princess.
Seeing the newborn princess, the Imperial Noble Consort couldn't help but think of her own daughter who died shortly after birth, and her eyes couldn't help but show a touch of affection.
"Consort Min is a blessed person. Quickly carry the princess inside so she doesn't catch a cold."
The Imperial Noble Consort gently touched the princess's delicate face and then quickly had the princess sent back.
Consort Min gave birth safely. Wen Shan and the Imperial Noble Consort stayed for a while until all the busy work was finished and Consort Min had rested before the two of them left.
During this time, Wen Shan also let Yinxiang sneak in to take a look at Consort Min. The mother and son talked for a while. This was actually against the rules, but fortunately, the Imperial Noble Consort turned a blind eye and pretended not to see it.
Jingren Palace and Chengqian Palace are right next to each other. Wen Shan originally wanted to part ways with the Imperial Noble Consort at the entrance, but the Imperial Noble Consort walked back to Chengqian Palace in just a few steps.
Unexpectedly, the Imperial Noble Consort suddenly stopped her, saying that the weather was nice today and she wanted to go for a walk in the Imperial Garden with her.
Wen Shan didn't mean she didn't want to take a walk with her, but she was genuinely worried about the Imperial Noble Consort's health.
However, the Imperial Noble Consort insisted that Wen Shan could only accompany her, and also sent someone to fetch a sedan chair to follow, so that the Imperial Noble Consort could quickly return to the palace to rest if she got tired.
Yinxiang naturally followed Wenshan to the Imperial Garden.
When they arrived at Jiangxue Pavilion, the group went inside and sat for a while.
The Imperial Noble Consort was clearly exhausted; walking this distance had already taken a toll on her strength. So, after sitting down, she didn't continue with the pleasantries with Wen Shan and went straight to the point: "I heard that before the Empress Dowager passed away, she asked the Emperor to change the imperial genealogy of a prince to your name. Is that true?"
Although the matter has been circulating, Kangxi's attitude has been ambiguous. He neither denied nor mentioned it. In addition, thanks to the efforts of the Hesheli family, the matter has been suppressed until at least next year, so fewer and fewer people have brought it up.
Although Yinxiang was present, what could a child under two years old understand? So the Imperial Noble Consort did not try to avoid him.
So Yinxiang gently nudged Wenshan from below.
"That's true." Wen Shan readily admitted after receiving Yinxiang's hint.
The Imperial Noble Consort breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that it was true.
He then added, "I am willing to help you make this happen, but I have one condition: that Yinzhen be registered under your name."
...
While Yinzhen and Yinsi were discussing the unexpected event of Consort Quan giving birth to a daughter, Yinsi continued their previous conversation and told Yinzhen about his encounter with Longkodo at the camp that day.
"Longkodo?" Yinzhen tilted his head.
He had never met Longkodo, but he had heard Yinzhen and Yinxiang mention him.
Longkodo was the son of Tong Guowei, the younger brother of the Imperial Noble Consort, and the nephew of Empress Xiaokangzhang, the birth mother of Emperor Kangxi. He was both Emperor Kangxi's cousin and brother-in-law, so their relationship was extremely close.
Yinzhen pondered in his heart that, according to what Yinsi and Yinxiang had said, Longkodo would take up the post of Commander of the Nine Gates and be in charge of the defense of the capital. On the night of his father's death, he would convey his father's oral edict to pass the throne to him, and together with his thirteenth brother, he would lead troops to escort him to the throne.
According to Yinzhi, Longkodo was a spy planted very deep by Yinzhen. It wasn't until Kangxi died at Changchun Garden that Yinzhi learned that Longkodo, who always seemed to be loyal only to Kangxi, was actually a member of the Fourth Prince's party.
After all, the former head of the Tongjia clan, Longkodo's father, Tong Guowei, was a core member of Yinzhi's Eighth Prince Party.
Yinzhi had thought that Longkodo would remain loyal to both sides and be a pure minister, but he never expected that he would go against Tong Guowei's wishes, with the father and son each serving their own master.
Fortunately, there was Yinxiang, who had always stood by Yinzhen's side, who was able to provide supplementary explanations.
Yinxiang and Yinsi discovered something was wrong when they checked the accounts.
According to Yinxiang, Longkodo had indeed never had any contact with them before Kangxi's death.
When we first talked about this, it was a summer night after dinner when we were still in the palace. Wen Shan was bathing and trimming the fur of Lai Fu and Fu Qi in the courtyard. Fu Qi was more obedient than Lai Fu. Whether it was bathing or trimming its nails, it didn't move at all. Lai Fu was different. Letting it bathe was like letting a firecracker go into a pond. It could soak a group of people around it as if they had just been rained on.
Even after Yinzhi gave it a bath once, he declined the task and left it to the hardworking Xiaoshunzi.
While enjoying the cool air today, Wenshan saw Fuqi and Laifu panting with their tongues out because of the heat, so she thought of giving them a bath and trimming their fur a bit. Although Wenshan knew that dogs cool down by panting and it had little to do with their fur, she still felt suffocated by the thick fur of these two dogs on such a hot day. Moreover, they were uncomfortable with their fur blocking their way when they rolled around on the bluestone slabs to cool off.
So Wenshan rolled up her sleeves and took the stage herself.
Fuqi was washed easily and obediently shook its fur on the side. Laifu, on the other hand, was running all over the yard and Bao almost couldn't catch it. In the end, it was Xiaoshunzi, who had a lot of experience washing dogs, who caught it with quick eyes and hands and then stuffed it into the basin with lightning speed.
With her hands on her hips, Wen Shan looked at Lai Fu, who was still struggling, and couldn't bear it any longer, shouting into the house, "Yin Si, come and control your dog!"
Yinzhi was oblivious to what was happening outside the window, and was sitting cross-legged on a low couch by the window talking with Yinzhen and Yinxiang.
On the table were various chilled fresh fruits. Yinxiang was too young to eat them for fear of upsetting his stomach, so he could only watch longingly as his fourth and eighth brothers each held a half-sized watermelon and ate it with spoons.
Hearing the commotion outside, Yinzhi opened the window without changing his expression and said, "Mother, good fortune is right here. Let it keep an eye on its daughter."
"..."
After saying that, he quickly closed the window.
Yinzhen sighed and rubbed his forehead in exasperation. Yinxiang, bored out of his mind, tried to eat a room-temperature plum with his still-growing little teeth. After struggling for a long time, he couldn't even break the skin, leaving only a trail of drool.
"Eighth Brother, you're so mean! How could Fuqi possibly control Laifu? It's more like Laifu is Fuqi's mother," Yinxiang complained from the side.
Ever since Yinzhen and Yinxiang started going to school early in the morning and late at night, the task of walking the dogs was handed over to Wenshan. Yinxiang always followed along. Wenshan would hold the two dogs with one hand and push him with the other, speeding through the Imperial Garden.
Fuqi was obedient, but Laifu was a complete rascal. He would run wild as soon as he entered the Imperial Garden. Several times, he ran into Yinqi, who was also walking his dog, and Laifu would beat up his father and brother, leaving Yinqi dumbfounded.
What kind of dog is this, a real-life version of Fan Lihua?
Yinqi, on the verge of tears, said that this might be the price he paid for skipping class to walk the dogs. He went home crying, carrying the two dogs whose faces were bruised and swollen from being beaten by Laifu. After that, he stopped skipping class every morning to walk the dogs.
He could only secretly ask Yinzhen and Yinsi before school ended each day whether Consort Xuan would bring Fu for a walk the next day. If she didn't, he would definitely skip school the next day to walk the dog.
When Yinzhen and Yinsi returned and relayed the story, Wenshan was left speechless, both amused and exasperated.
Unfortunately, Laifu has really become the most powerful dog in the palace, and it dares to kick anyone who gets close to it.
Yinxiang suspected that his eighth brother had taught him this, and then Yinsi gave him a lecture with a smile.
Yinzhi didn't want to continue discussing this matter, otherwise it would immediately escalate into accusations that he had failed to properly train the dog.
So they immediately picked up where they left off—Lonkodo.
As luck would have it, that day was the first time Longkodo appeared at a palace banquet with Tong Guowei. When Yinzhi saw him, it naturally brought back memories of the past. So when he returned, he grabbed Yinxiang and asked Longkodo when he had started associating with them.
Yinzhi had a very deep impression of Longkodo. When Kangxi suddenly passed away at Changchun Garden, there were only nine people present. Apart from the eight princes, the only remaining minister was Longkodo.
It can be said that if Longkodo hadn't stood on Yinzhen's side, Yinzhen's ascension to the throne would not have been so easy, given his military support and efforts.
Yinzhen had heard Yinxiang and Yinsi mention Longkodo before. In his previous life, he had been raised by the Imperial Noble Consort until he was a teenager, and only returned to Yonghe Palace after the Imperial Noble Consort passed away. So it was reasonable for him to call Longkodo "uncle".
As for the jokes from Yinzhi and Yinxiang about how he instructed all officials to refer to Longkodo as "Uncle Longkodo" in all future memorials after his ascension to the throne, even he himself felt his toes tremble when he heard it.
But from another perspective, Longkodo must have done something of great merit to receive such a reward.
He felt somewhat embarrassed, as he was still unaware of the full story.
But Yinxiang was still shouting that his fourth brother was just such a genuine man.
Those who were loyal to Fourth Brother were never mistreated by him.
Yinzhi looked at Yinzhen's stern face, which actually made him seem a little lost, and nodded in a pretentious manner, saying, "Actually, he is still a bit inferior to the thirteenth prince's title of 'the greatest man in the universe'."
"..."
This silenced both Yinzhen and Yinxiang.
"Ahem, let's get back to Longkodo." Yinzhen put his hand to his lips, trying to steer the increasingly off-topic meeting back on track.
Yinxiang, who was so close to Yinzhen, had no idea what Longkodo had done in his previous life to make his fourth brother dote on him so much. Before that night at Changchun Garden, the two had clearly already crossed paths, and Longkodo had even secretly pledged allegiance to him. This was because Yinzhen and Yinxiang arrived at Changchun Garden together, and as soon as they arrived, Longkodo had already informed Yinzhen of what had happened in the garden and had already gathered troops to keep an eye on the ministers in the capital.
They look like acquaintances.
But since his fourth brother hadn't told him, he didn't ask.
Moreover, from that day on, his fourth brother was no longer just his fourth brother, but also the emperor whom he would always have to be wary of.
Therefore, even with Yinzhi and Yinxiang, who had both lived a second life, present, the question of when Longkodo joined the Fourth Prince's faction remains unsolved.
The only person who might know this is Yinzhen himself from his previous life.
Since they couldn't figure out how they made contact, they let it go. After all, Longkodo was just like Nian Gengyao, spoiled and arrogant. The better Yinzhen treated him, the more arrogant he became. In just three years, he went from being the emperor's most trusted minister to a prisoner.
Speaking of this, Yinzhi couldn't help but sigh that when it came to killing someone by destroying their spirit, it had to be his fourth brother. After Longkodo was convicted, Yinzhen imprisoned him in a small house that Yinzhen had specially built for him next to Changchun Garden, where Longkodo had made great contributions to the rise of the new emperor.
That's really mean...
I wonder if Longkodo, in his impoverished later years, ever recalled that night when he so confidently escorted Yinzhen to the throne, thus embarking on the path of a powerful minister second only to the emperor, when he saw Changchun Garden every day.
This mental torment was so devastating that Longkodo went insane within a year and subsequently died.
"Although this person is prone to becoming spoiled and arrogant, he is indeed a capable talent." Yinxiang concluded in his final remarks, "Moreover, he has not yet entered officialdom and is eager to realize his ambitions, so now is the perfect time to win him over."
Moreover, he has the Tongjia clan behind him. Although Tong Guowei is still the person in charge of the Tongjia clan, Tong Guowei is an old hand. The last time he sided with Yinzhi, he waited until he thought the situation was settled and Yinzhi was about to ascend to the position of crown prince before he made his bet.
However, it was too early at the time. At that time, the only prince who could rival the Crown Prince was the eldest prince. The other princes were still young and inexperienced, so it would be too difficult to win over Longkodo.
So the group decided to proceed gradually. Yinzhi had secretly developed a lot of connections over the years, but fearing that Kangxi, who now had an exceptionally firm grip on the court, would find out, he only recruited officials of the third rank or lower in the capital. He didn't even dare to touch Ma Qi or Tong Guowei.
One wrong move and you lose everything.
Now that we're back to the present, Yinzhen has obviously remembered these things, and after a quick calculation, he realized something was amiss.
"It seems that Longkodo entered officialdom a bit too early in this life."
This is precisely why Yinzhi was shocked when he met Longkodo today.
“I’ve been thinking about this too. Perhaps the current political situation is much more chaotic than before, and the Tong family is no longer able to sit still, so they’re sending Longkodo to court as an official sooner,” Yinzhi said.
Yinzhen cautiously said, "In short, be careful in everything. Since things have changed, don't rely too much on the past life, or it will cause trouble."
This was also what Yinzhen was most worried about. This life had obviously changed so much, and he was worried that Yinsi and Yinxiang might make a mistake because they were too careless.
"Don't worry about these brothers. As for the thirteenth brother, it's hard to say. I'm the most cautious one when it comes to doing things."
At this moment, Yinzhi did not forget to secretly take a jab at the thirteenth prince, who was not present.
"..."
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