Chapter 58 Reactions from All Sides (Part 2)
"Your Majesty is right. As for that Princess Qingying, once she enters the palace, Your Majesty, as her mother, will naturally be able to teach her well."
“That’s right. Consort Jing is useless. It’s up to me to teach this Princess Qingying.”
At this moment, neither Cao Qinmo nor Nian Shilan took Qingying seriously, feeling that dealing with her was a piece of cake, and their focus was entirely on the Emperor.
Feng Ruozhao, upon receiving the news at Xianfu Palace, was equally displeased.
"Hongli is such a filial son, how could the Emperor bear to humiliate him like this..."
Feng Ruozhao gripped her handkerchief tightly and instructed, "Ruyi, please have a chat with Consort Shen."
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
In recent years, although Zhen Huan has enjoyed exclusive favor, she has maintained a good relationship with Shen Meizhuang and An Lingrong, and they have always been on good terms. Feng Ruozhao is even more grateful for her previous idea of building good relationships with the three of them.
It's likely that once Shen Meizhuang finds out about this, Zhen Huan will also find out. Feng Ruozhao doesn't ask for anything else, only that Zhen Huan pay more attention to the Emperor's attitude when accompanying him and speak well of Hongli.
As for the others, "I will invite Princess Gao here in a little while."
Gao Xiyue is doing so well, it's time for Gao Bin to contribute his efforts in the imperial court!
The gaze shifted from the inner palace to the outer court. At the Nian residence, Nian Gengyao paced back and forth in the main hall, panting heavily, which made Nian Xiyao's eyes ache.
"Stop it, you're making me dizzy."
"Brother, how can you sit still? The Emperor is humiliating Prince Bao like this, it's really..."
If Nian Gengyao originally sided with Hongli to protect the Nian family, then after becoming Hongli's martial arts instructor and spending a long time with him, he was truly and completely won over by Hongli.
It's hard to believe that the heartless old man on the throne could have given birth to such a good son as the Fourth Prince.
Nian Gengyao genuinely regarded Hongli as his future master, and a subject would die for his master. If it weren't for the fact that it wasn't easy to expose him yet, he would have loved to slap that old man across the face!
"Are you finding out what kind of person the Emperor is today?"
Nian Xiyao put down his teacup, his face cold and stern. "Judging from his attitude of planning to dismantle the bridge before even crossing the river, I know how suspicious he is. I knew this day would come."
"Prince Bao is too outstanding."
This was both praise and concern. His excellence was so remarkable that he couldn't help but think of the late emperor's deposed crown prince.
Nian Gengyao also stopped, his brows furrowed. "So, what do you mean, brother?"
"Does a few words from others about peace and tranquility really make the world peaceful? Doesn't the Emperor care about the people's livelihood? Then let him devote himself more to the country."
Nian Gengyao understood his meaning, nodded, and added, "Beset by internal and external troubles, His Majesty must be full of ambition and high spirits now. He should also take a look outside. The Dzungars are still eyeing us covetously..."
The two brothers exchanged a knowing smile. Consider it a preemptive purge of the court for Prince Bao's ascension to the throne; let their emperor keep busy. When he's busy, he won't have time for speculation, and he'll truly understand how important a good successor is.
"As for that concubine..."
Nian Gengyao snorted coldly, "Don't worry, elder brother, your sister will treat her well."
Nian Xiyao nodded. They didn't take Qingying seriously and wouldn't show her any mercy.
Although they won't directly harm her, the family behind her is a different story.
“The Ulanara clan has quite a few quirks; I’ll keep an eye on them.”
“Families that made their fortunes through women,” Nian Gengyao scoffed, “I will keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t hold the prince back!”
...
At the Prince Lian's residence, Yun Si, who was now outwardly appearing as a leisurely member of the imperial clan for his son's sake, was leisurely flipping through a book, completely ignoring Hong Wang wandering around in front of him, as if he didn't even see him.
"Father!"
In the end, Hongwang couldn't hold back any longer and called out to him.
Yinzhi looked up with a smile, "Didn't you go hunting with Prince Bao? Why did you go out so excitedly and come back so angry? Did Prince Bao make you angry?"
"Father! How could it be Hongli!"
Hongwang glanced at him helplessly. His father was too good at pretending. He didn't reveal a single secret in their private conversations. He wasn't the kind of person who would willingly leak secrets.
Yinzhi raised an eyebrow, wondering what kind of spell the Emperor's fourth prince, Hongli, had cast on Hongwang. After studying in the palace for a month, he came back and kept calling Hongli "brother Hongli."
Not only Hongwang, but also the tenth prince, and even the ninth prince's letter echoed the tenth prince's sentiments. Does Hongli possess some kind of magic that has drawn his sons and brothers to him?
There was nothing he could do. He only had one son, and his two brothers who supported him had both sided with the Fourth Prince. What did he have left to fight for? What was the point of fighting?
His previous opposition to the fourth prince was merely out of fear of losing power and being controlled by him. Now that everyone seems inclined to push Hongli to the throne, he'll simply go with the flow. A nephew with whom he has a good relationship ascending to the throne—while not necessarily a meritorious act of supporting the emperor—will certainly receive better treatment than when the fourth prince was in power.
Moreover, Hongwang clearly had a good relationship with Hongli. With Hongli's ascension to the throne, Hongwang's future was also promising. Yinzhi immediately convinced himself.
But Hongwang didn't expect that his quick and silent acceptance would be interpreted as tacit agreement! Tacit agreement with Hongli's identity! Otherwise, why would he give up so easily? It was all for the sake of his own son!
Hongwang was a little jealous at the time, but thinking that Hongli had never stayed by his father's side and was living in the dangerous palace, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him and thought that his father was doing the right thing. He would also protect Hongli.
She had been protecting him for several years. Today, she dragged Hongli out hunting because she knew that the Emperor had bestowed the Qingying Princess, who had feigned urination at the Third Prince's selection of a consort, upon Hongli as a secondary consort. She was afraid that he would be unhappy, so she dragged him out to vent his frustrations.
Who knew that upon returning, news of the wedding date would arrive? If it weren't for his seventeenth uncle's quick thinking, Hongwang didn't even dare to imagine how Lady Fucha would view Hongli in the future, or how others would ridicule him.
Before Yunsi could ask, Hongwang rattled off everything.
Yinzhi's brow twitched slightly. Was the fourth prince getting old and his mind becoming unclear? Anyone with eyes could see that he was Hongli's only outstanding successor. What good would it do him to tarnish Hongli's reputation?
Because of that little bit of suspicion, Hongli was overthrown. Is it the stupid Third Prince Hongshi or the incompetent Fifth Prince Hongzhou who can inherit the throne?
"Father, what do you think we should do? Why should Hongli suffer such injustice?"
Hongwang's implication was quite clear: How could your own son, my own brother, be insulted like this by the Emperor? Use your brains and think of a solution!
Although Yinzhi accepted the task of helping Hongli ascend to the throne, he was sometimes speechless when faced with Hongwang's overly empathetic gaze, as if he wanted to "take his place."
I always felt that this son was born for Hongli. He was such a good older brother to Hongli, and he cared for Hongli even more than his own father.
Yinzhi was slightly jealous, but thinking that Hongwang had always taken the lead, it was time to let Hongli see the power of the Prince Lian's mansion. It was time to put in more effort.
Yinzhi smiled and tapped the table. "The fourth prince has been living too peacefully. It's time to direct his suspicions in the right place. This murky water of the Imperial Household Department is enough to keep him up day and night, unable to sleep peacefully..."
The Imperial Household Department! Hongwang's eyes widened suddenly as he realized that his father had indeed made preparations and had even extended his reach to the Imperial Household Department. He must be fully aware of the situation in the palace, which explained why he had never shown any concern for Hongli before.
It's all connected! Hongwang was once again amazed by his father's shrewdness and foresight, completely forgetting that Yinzhi had once served as the head of the Imperial Household Department.
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