Chapter 20 Meeting the Saint
In the room where only the two of them were, Yinzhen held Yixiu's hand and talked on and on, as if he was comforting her, or as if he was venting his own emotions.
Yixiu not only felt completely relieved, but also felt a deep empathy for Yinzhen, feeling sorry for him while also realizing that their relationship had become closer. The two spent the night together, nestled close to each other.
All of this was recorded in detail in a small notebook and presented to Emperor Kangxi.
In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Kangxi, alone in the hall, received his secret guards. He flipped through the contents of the notebook and listened to the guards' lifelike imitations and retellings. Kangxi rarely showed his emotions outwardly, and he didn't know what he was feeling.
"cousin……"
As Kangxi read Yinzhen's words, he knew that Yinzhen was disappointed in Lady Wuya. He could tell from the way he addressed her that Yinzhen still loved Lady Tongjia.
But Kangxi didn't think anything was wrong, and Uya's behavior was nothing like that of a loving mother, no wonder Yinzhen felt cold. It was just that he hadn't heard his cousin mention the marriage arranged by Ulanara, and he only learned about it today.
The Uya and Ulanara clans were related, so did Consort De know about this back then? The Ulanara clan's illegitimate daughter became Yinzhen's secondary consort; was Consort De involved in this?
So, why did he agree to the two clans becoming related in the first place?
...
Leaving aside the turmoil in Kangxi's mind as he listened to the reports from the secret guards, and the ever-decreasing attitude towards Consort De, things were gradually returning to normal at the Yongjun Prince's residence as Yinzhen's health improved.
During this period, some personnel changes within the Prince's Mansion did not attract much attention.
Instead, the news that Prince Yongqun and his concubine Ulanara had "reconciled" attracted attention. No one expected that after this incident, Prince Yongqun had no estrangement from his concubine Ulanara. It is said that he met with his concubine the day after he woke up, and the two were happily together again.
Is Prince Yong really that magnanimous? Or has another romantic figure emerged from the Aisin Gioro family?
Taking advantage of the opportunity to purge the spies from his residence, Yinzhen deliberately released this news. Looking at his improved public image score, he nodded in satisfaction.
The servants in the Wutong Courtyard perked up again, making the other women in the backyard feel uneasy. They didn't want to believe in the affection between the prince and his concubine, and only thought that it was because the concubine was pregnant that the prince forgave her for the sake of the child.
As a result, the practice of seeking children in the backyard became very popular.
Yinzhen doesn't care about any of that right now. He's already laid so much groundwork for Kangxi; it's time for him to go to the palace and meet the emperor.
"Your subject greets Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed with ten thousand years of happiness and peace."
"Get up."
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
Kangxi glanced at the tall and handsome Yinzhen below. His complexion was still rosy, but his body had obviously become much thinner.
"How are you feeling?"
"Your son is unfilial, and I have troubled Father Emperor with his worries. I am much better now." Yinzhen replied respectfully, as stern as ever. But Kangxi felt that he was somewhat vulnerable, and feared that he had been deeply hurt by Consort De.
"That's good." Kangxi nodded lightly, clearly not one to show a doting fatherly side in front of adult princes. With just a simple question, he got straight to the point: "You're probably aware of the whole story. What are your thoughts?"
"Your Majesty, I have no particular thoughts. I leave everything to Father Emperor." Yinzhen's expression was calm, his composure mirroring that of Emperor Kangxi.
"You are the aggrieved party, don't you have a single complaint?" Kangxi didn't believe it and continued to test him.
"Father has already sought justice for me, and I have no complaints." Yinzhen bowed respectfully, showing no reluctance whatsoever.
"If that's the case, what do you plan to do with that eldest daughter of the Ulanara clan? I told you back then that I would leave it to you to handle." Kangxi continued to press. Ever since he learned about the "past relationship" between the Ulanara clan and Yinzhen, and seeing how well he treated that concubine, he was also very curious about Yinzhen's opinion of Rouze.
"..." Yinzhen was stunned for a moment, then replied, "It is the father's fault if the son is not taught. Since Father has already punished Ulanara's mother, let her be confined to the mansion."
"That's it?" Kangxi was somewhat puzzled. Could his cold-faced fourth prince be a saint? Or was he truly bewitched by this woman?
"Yes, for... for Mother's sake, let him go."
Hearing Yinzhen's tolerant reply, Kangxi felt a pang of unease. Had he not sent secret guards to record Yinzhen's actions, he would surely have mistakenly believed that Yinzhen was acting on behalf of Consort De. But now he clearly knew that the "mother" Yinzhen referred to was his cousin, Lady Tongjia.
If Yinzhen could treat the concubine's daughter of the Ulanara clan differently because of his cousin's pre-death assessment, then it's not hard to understand why he would be so lenient towards the legitimate daughter that his cousin had chosen at the time.
Seeing that Yinzhen was so sentimental, even letting go of the person who plotted against him because of the debt of gratitude for being raised, he would surely serve Yinreng diligently in the future. Although this was a good thing, Kangxi felt somewhat uncomfortable.
When the emperor was feeling unwell, he liked to stir up trouble, so Kangxi asked Yinzhen again, "What about Consort De? The imperial physician said that your anger triggered the poison, but did you recognize the auspicious robes?"
“…” Yinzhen was silent for a while, then suddenly knelt down and bowed to Kangxi, saying, “I beg Father Emperor to allow me to enter Yonghe Palace. I… wish to see… Mother.”
Kangxi stared at Yinzhen kneeling on the ground, pondered for a moment, and said, "I grant your permission. Go."
"Thank you, Father Emperor."
Yinzhen kowtowed and rose to walk towards the inner palace. Watching his departing figure, Kangxi felt a deep heaviness in his heart. He couldn't help but ask Liang Jiugong beside him, "Liang Jiugong, do you think I shouldn't have let him go? Consort De…"
Emperor Kangxi shook his head, his words filled with disdain for Consort De.
Liang Jiugong, who was standing to the side, did not dare to say anything more, but only comforted him, "His Majesty is a kind father and in the end, he cannot bear to refuse the Fourth Prince's request."
"I only hope that Consort Wuya still has some maternal heart..." Kangxi pondered for a while, then suddenly called out to the air, "Yingyi, go to Yonghe Palace. I need to know what Consort De and the Fourth Prince said."
"Yes." The person who came appeared mysteriously and left without a sound.
Standing to the side, Liang Jiugong pretended to be an invisible, deaf, and immobile tree stump, not daring to say a word, as if nothing had happened.
The gates of Yonghe Palace, which had been closed for a long time, were reopened because of Yinzhen's arrival.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince has arrived."
Zhu Xi hurriedly entered the palace to report to Consort De.
"I won't see her." Uya threw down her pen, her face full of annoyance.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince's arrival must have been approved by the Emperor..." Zhu Xi stepped forward to tidy up the writing brushes and ink on Consort De's desk, and whispered her dissuasion.
Uya closed her eyes impatiently, then said in a low voice, "Just say I'm copying scriptures and can't stop, otherwise it's disrespectful to Buddha. Tell him to wait outside."
"Your Majesty..."
"Hurry up and go! Why can't I order you to go?"
"Yes." Helpless, Zhu Xi could only go down and convey Consort De's message.
Yinzhen didn't mind and obediently stood at the door waiting under the scorching sun.
He didn't care about the sun's influence, since the secret guards would relay it to Kangxi anyway, right, my newly arrived secret guard friend? Yinzhen's gaze inadvertently swept over the roof beam, revealing a fleeting smile.
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