Emperor Kangxi saw everything clearly in the court.
He knew in his heart that this matter was inextricably linked to Yinreng, and he still harbored resentment towards Dong Eshi.
"We will discuss the Fourth Prince's proposal later." Kangxi had no intention of squeezing any extra money out of the old minister at this time.
The suppression of the Dzungar Khanate provided the Qing Dynasty with a significant increase in resources, resulting in a relatively full national treasury.
If a second annihilation were to occur, it would likely severely weaken the Qing Dynasty.
Thinking of this, Kangxi's gaze towards the Tong family and Yinzhen softened considerably.
Loyal and capable ministers are what emperors like best.
"However, I agree with what the Fourth Prince thinks. I am very pleased that he can think so deeply at such a young age." Kangxi postponed Yinzhen's memorial requesting the recovery of the owed silver, but praised him in front of all the ministers with great pleasure.
That's enough.
Neither Yinzhen nor Yinreng expected that they could simply utter a few words and make the ministers immediately vomit up what they had swallowed.
Not to mention ministers, many members of the imperial clan have lent money to their relatives quite often.
One memorial could offend half the court officials; it's not something you can do.
They would be happy as long as Dong Epengchun carefully prepares his daughter's dowry and avoids causing a great commotion throughout the city.
"Father is right. It is because I am young and my considerations are somewhat lacking." Yinzhen quickly followed the ladder that Kangxi had given him.
Fearing that his son might cause further trouble, Kangxi instructed Liang Jiugong to shout: "Speak if you have something to say, otherwise the court is adjourned."
Then, they quickly left.
With Emperor Kangxi not in the main hall, these ministers and relatives huddled together in twos and threes, and it was immediately obvious that they were a group of people.
Yinti walked up to Yinreng, watching with a hint of jealousy as Yinreng patted Yinzhen's head, looking like a loving older brother.
Back when Yinreng was still crawling on the ground, he had held him in his arms. At that time, the first time Yinreng called him "brother," he was overjoyed.
It's a pity that when Yinreng grew up, he was always called "elder brother" in a hypocritical, mocking, or provocative way.
"Second brother, call me brother." Yinti blurted out without thinking.
Yinreng looked at him as if he were a fool: "Brother, is there something you need?"
“It’s my elder brother,” Yinti corrected.
He is his elder brother. Does that mean that if he is the crown prince, he can't call his own brother "elder brother"?
Yinti straightened his chest, silently bolstering his courage.
"Brother," Yinreng readily agreed and changed his address.
Yinti smiled with satisfaction, as if he had gotten a great deal out of Yinreng.
"Fourth Brother's request today is excellent. In a few days, the military camp will surely be able to replace its armor and weapons. I, your elder brother, will accept this favor," Yinti said to Yinzhen.
If it weren't for wanting to hear Yinreng call him "brother," he wouldn't have come to see that hypocritical, aloof gentleman.
Yinzhen nimbly dodged Yinti's outstretched hand that was about to pat his head: "It's all for the Qing Dynasty."
Yinreng suddenly smiled, and Yinti caught a glimpse of it and felt flustered.
“Brother, you also borrowed 100,000 taels of silver from the national treasury for your wedding,” Yinreng said slowly.
Yinti's head felt like it had been hit by fireworks; his vision went from dazzling to pitch black.
It seems he borrowed money, but is it 100,000?
“It’s clearly 80,000 taels,” Yinti said.
"Brother, you've forgotten that borrowing money from the national treasury requires interest. Even if you are an imperial prince, it's still the same," Yinreng said with a smile, looking just like a little fox.
Yinti felt a ringing in his ears; how could he have forgotten that incident?
Besides, does a son need to pay back money he borrowed from his father?
Yinreng saw through Yinti's thoughts at a glance, and his smile was incredibly gentle and tolerant: "Elder brother, you are Father Emperor's eldest son, you can't bring shame to Father Emperor."
Before he could drive Yinti crazy, Yinreng was secretly pleased and prepared to take Yinzhen back to Yuqing Palace.
He turned around but didn't see his short brother. Looking up again, he saw Tong Guogang and Tong Guowei circling around Yinzhen in the distance.
Yinzhen was already registered under the name of the Imperial Noble Consort, and had no connection with Wuya Clan whatsoever.
He bowed respectfully to the two pillars of the Tong family, saying, "Yinzhen greets his maternal grandfather and maternal uncle."
Tong Guowei's eyes narrowed into slits with laughter as he looked through Yinzhen at his daughter who had died in the palace.
"Since the Fourth Prince calls this old minister 'Grandfather,' this old minister will naturally stand unconditionally behind you. Rest assured, as long as His Majesty doesn't mind, this old minister will do whatever you desire," Tong Guowei said kindly.
Tong Guogang and Tong Guowei thought the same thing: unless Yinzhen wanted to seize the throne, there was nothing in the Qing Dynasty that the Tong family couldn't handle.
Even if they couldn't make Yinzhen the crown prince, they would never let him be inferior to the other princes.
The Tong family's loving heart warmed Yinzhen's heart.
"In a moment of impulse, Yinzhen advised his father about borrowing money, which instead caused his uncle to spend money." Yinzhen felt somewhat guilty.
Tong Guogang just said in court that he would pay off his family's debts.
Tong Guogang waved his hand dismissively: "It's alright. The Tong family is large and powerful; we can afford to pay the debts from the public funds. I'm happy that the Dong E family is suffering a loss."
"Fourth Prince, rest assured, this old minister has prepared the funds for your wedding and the establishment of your own residence. You need not be frugal in the palace," Tong Guowei added.
He looked at Yinzhen, who wasn't very tall, with a pang of sympathy. He thought about how the Third Prince and their Fourth Prince were only a few months apart in age, yet their heights differed so much.
It must be because the Fourth Prince didn't have his mother to take care of him in the palace, so he wasn't having a good time.
The Tong family members were all a bit dramatic; the more they thought about it, the more they felt that Yinzhen's life was particularly pitiful.
Look at those skinny arms and legs, and that chubby little face; those servants from the Imperial Household Department must have secretly skimped on their supplies.
After exchanging a glance, the two decided to go back and have someone discipline the servants of the Imperial Household Department. They would especially focus on disciplining Uya.
Yinreng stood to the side and waited for a while. Seeing no sign that they were going to leave, he took the initiative to step forward.
"My fourth brother is being taken care of in the palace, so you two need not worry," Yinreng said humbly and politely.
Yinzhen leaned closer to Yinreng, showing that their relationship was truly close.
Tong Guowei breathed a sigh of relief: "With the Crown Prince looking after the Fourth Prince, this old minister is very relieved."
As the people in the main hall gradually left, Tong Guogang knew that this was not the place to discuss matters.
As the Fourth Prince grew older, he was able to occasionally leave the palace, so they were not in a hurry to catch up.
After giving them a few more words of advice, Tong Guozhu and Tong Guowei left.
Yinreng led Yinzhen toward Yuqing Palace: "You're much happier now that you've spoken with Lord Tong?"
"Yes. I seem to see my mother in my maternal grandfather." Like Tong Guowei, Yinzhen was reminded of his maternal grandmother when he saw her.
Yinreng thought of Tong Guowei's wrinkled face, which was completely different from the beautiful face of the Imperial Noble Consort.
He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Fourth brother, is your eyesight alright?"
If your eyesight is poor, you should consult with the imperial physician as soon as possible.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
