Yinreng was not a glutton, but anyone who is strictly forbidden from eating this or that will always have a restless desire in their heart.
If he hadn't been so good at self-control, Yinreng would have wanted to put every flower in the garden in his mouth to taste whether it was sweet or bitter.
Yinzhen glanced at Yinreng warily: "Second brother, don't be impulsive."
The way he looked like he wanted to gnaw on all the plates on the table was creepy.
Yinreng pretended not to care: "I was just saying it casually, I won't actually eat it. Patients should follow the doctor's orders, I understand."
Tong Wanyan looked at him with a half-smile, while Yinreng looked back at her with an open and honest gaze.
“I said I won’t eat, and I won’t,” Yinreng said.
Tong Wanyan reached out and picked up a piece of the dish that Yinreng had been staring at for a long time: "Since Your Highness says you don't want to eat it, then you don't have to eat it. Although you can't eat the other dishes, it's okay to eat a bite or two of this dish."
Yinreng's eyes followed Tong Wanyan's movements, like a Persian cat being teased with a cat toy.
"If Xiao Yan were to feed me herself, I would be willing to reluctantly take a bite," Yinreng said, swallowing hard.
Tong Wanyan shook her head: "That won't do, I can't let Master suffer."
Yinreng's gaze was intense: "I am not wronged."
Yinzhen, holding a bowl, was standing to the side, almost unable to bear watching any longer.
He remembered when he first came to Yuqing Palace, every mealtime was filled with delicacies, and palace maids would serve the food behind him. If he wanted something, he only needed to give them a glance, and the maids would accurately place the food in his bowl.
Inside the vast hall, only the quiet sound of chewing could be heard; the principle of not speaking while eating was being practiced very well.
However, Yuqing Palace has now become the most unruly place in the entire palace.
They no longer needed palace maids to serve them food, and they could even talk while eating. Although the rules were gone, the family's bond deepened, and everyone felt more relaxed.
Yinzhen took a sip of plum juice, and it tasted so good that he couldn't help but take another sip.
"Second Sister-in-law, this plum juice tastes different from other places." Yinzhen's eyes sparkled, looking very cute.
Tong Wanyan rested her elbows on the table, her chopsticks still in mid-air.
She replied, "I added mint leaves to make it more refreshing. I remember my fourth brother can't stand the heat, so I'll have someone copy this recipe for you later so you can make it at home."
"Thank you, Second Sister-in-law," Yinzhen said cheerfully.
Yinreng glared at Tong Wanyan with resentment: "Xiao Yan, aren't you going to feed me anymore? Fourth Brother can come to Yuqing Palace if he wants to eat. If that's not possible, we can have someone deliver it to him every day. Why go through all that trouble?"
Tong Wanyan smiled helplessly at him, her eyes full of doting: "It tastes better with sauce."
After his illness, Yinreng would occasionally act like a child.
The bright green vegetable leaves were rinsed in the sauce before being fed to Yinreng.
Ordinary gestures can somehow convey a deep and tender affection.
Yinzhen lowered his head and ate his meal, unwilling to witness this unpleasant sight.
In a little over a month, he will also have a wife, and he will be able to eat with her.
Having been on a strict diet for so long, Yinreng was incredibly satisfied even with just a small bite of something with a different flavor.
After tasting it, he obediently ate the dishes in front of him.
The food tasted great, just the way he liked it; Tong Wanyan had clearly put in a lot of effort.
Today is the last day of Yinreng's convalescence and rest. Tomorrow he will have to get up before dawn to attend court, and he will be busy again.
Having stolen half a day of leisure, Yinreng thought it would be better to be busy after being idle for so long.
If he could be intimate with his wife in the house every day, he would be fine, but the abbot made him abstain from sex, otherwise it would be detrimental to his offspring, and he completely lost all interest in sex.
Since he was going to return to the imperial court, he naturally had to do his homework in advance so as not to be completely unaware of current affairs after attending court.
After their afternoon rest, Yinreng and Yinzhen went to the small study to analyze the various forces in the court.
Because the younger princes were still young, only five princes entered the court to participate in politics. Among them, three had no interest in politics, and the court officials chose to side with either Yinreng or Yinti.
They had no problem finding an excuse for this. One side sided with the legitimate son, the other with the eldest son. The crown prince was a civil official, while Yinqi was a military general. The lines between them were clearly drawn, and signs of antagonism had already begun to emerge.
Aside from the princes who sided with the emperor, there were only the royalists and fence-sitters.
After clarifying their relationship, Yinreng and Yinzhen looked relieved.
“Throughout history, few crown princes have had good endings. They are always favored when they are young, but are guarded against when they grow up. Fortunately, I have four younger brothers, so I don’t have to fight for power in the court all by myself,” Yinreng said.
They were all well-versed in history. When Yinreng spoke, Yinzhen thought about the crown princes of various dynasties throughout history, and indeed, very few of them had good endings.
He harbored resentment, unwilling for Yinreng to one day also be feared by the emperor.
"Second Brother, Father Emperor loves you the most." Yinzhen couldn't continue after saying this.
He looked unwell and was in low spirits.
Didn't all the crown princes of past dynasties who met tragic ends have been favored by their imperial fathers? They were all once pampered and basking in glory.
Yinreng patted him on the shoulder indifferently, telling him not to be dejected.
“You’re right. Father’s love and high regard for me are beyond question. Precisely because of this, I will not let Father down. I will be an excellent crown prince,” Yinreng said.
"Yes, Second Brother will definitely be the most perfect Crown Prince." Yinzhen was absolutely certain.
The Crown Prince returned to the court, his court robes, which used to fit him perfectly, now looked somewhat loose.
The courtiers and Emperor Kangxi, standing in the Golden Palace, felt heartache and respect for Yinreng when they saw his frail appearance.
The guilt that Kangxi had just begun to subside intensified when he saw Yinreng's pointed chin.
"How is the Crown Prince's health? If he is unwell, he should rest for a few more days," Kangxi asked worriedly.
Yinreng smiled and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I am now fully recovered and am willing to serve you and the Qing Dynasty."
Even after recovering from a serious illness, he still keeps state affairs on his mind. What a wonderful Crown Prince who loves his people and is so diligent in governing!
Emperor Kangxi looked at Yinreng with pride: "I am very pleased that the Crown Prince has this. This is the true heir apparent of our Great Qing, who never forgets the people or the affairs of state. Please be seated."
Under the intense emotional influence of Emperor Kangxi, Yinreng became one of only two people allowed to sit and attend court in the Golden Palace.
Yinti looked at Yinreng with jealousy, and unusually, he didn't utter a single word of criticism.
He wasn't worried about the sickly crown prince fainting; he just didn't want to be the first to speak out and say something wrong that would anger his father!
Yinti, through self-hypnosis, turned his face away, refusing to look at Yinreng, who was sitting in the chair with a smile on his face.
Having had a conversation with Yinzhen yesterday afternoon, Yinreng, who had been away from the court for more than a month, was still thriving.
No matter what current events Kangxi and his ministers discussed, he always had his own insights, and his ideas were remarkably similar to Kangxi's.
Emperor Kangxi's good mood grew stronger as the court session progressed. If this were not the grand hall of the palace, he would have laughed out loud from his throne.
His Bao Cheng has the same style he had in his youth.
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