Yinzhen, filled with worries, had barely stepped into his courtyard when Tong Wanle clung to him.
Tong Wanle fawned over a bowl of mung bean soup, saying, "My lord, this is mung bean soup that I made for you to cool you down."
Yinzhen ignored her, his face as cold as frost as he strode forward, trying to shake her off.
The Imperial Noble Consort's words kept echoing in his ears, reminding him of the emperor's ruthlessness and hypocrisy.
Su Peisheng steeled himself and stepped forward to stop Tong Wanle, saying with a smile, "Princess Tong, I'm tired today. How about I take this mung bean soup for you and present it to you later?"
Seeing Su Peisheng, that lackey, crowding around her, Tong Wan raised her eyebrows in displeasure and cursed inwardly: "You eyesore."
But she knew that it was better to offend a gentleman than a petty person.
She knew better than anyone how much Su Peisheng was favored by Yinzhen.
“This is just a token of my appreciation, no need to trouble Eunuch Su. Your Highness, if you are tired, I can massage your legs and feet. If you would like to hear a little tune, I can sing a couple of lines!” Tong Wanle dodged Su Peisheng’s outstretched hand and leaned closer to Yinzhen with a smile.
Looking at Tong Wanle's petty behavior and the lust in her eyes, Yinzhen felt disgusted from the bottom of his heart.
In her eyes, he was someone who could bestow offspring and glory upon her, simply because of his status as the Fourth Prince.
Driven by extreme disgust, Yinzhen impulsively asked, "Why can't you be like Consort Tong?"
Yinzhen felt incredibly envious when he thought of Tong Wanyan standing beautifully beside Yinreng.
Their eyes met with such sweetness and purity, untainted by anything else. This kind of affection was unlike that of royalty.
"Your Highness, Consort Tong is the Crown Prince's woman. You can't think too much about this," Tong Wanle shouted in a shrill voice.
She stared wide-eyed, clutching Yinzhen's robe in fear: "You like her too, don't you? Just because she's pretty? Then look at me! I'm the legitimate daughter, she's just a concubine's daughter."
Yinzhen coldly kicked her away: "What kind of beast do you take me for?"
He admired the beautiful relationship, not Tong Wanyan herself.
“If you look down on those born out of wedlock, why did you abandon the Crown Prince to rely on me?” Yinzhen said.
Tong Wanle said urgently, "You are different."
You are the future emperor; the Crown Prince's current glory is nothing but fleeting foam, easily shattered.
"Heh." Yinzhen sneered, too lazy to even utter the words of punishing her by confining her to her quarters.
"Su Peisheng, go and fetch the calligraphy that I hung in my study." Yinzhen turned his back to Tong Wanle and instructed Su Peisheng, "I am going to Yuqing Palace. Consort Tong recited Buddhist scriptures for my mother. She went to great lengths. As her son, I should go and thank her."
Tong Wanle was left standing there, leaning against the closed door, muttering to herself the words Yinzhen had said before he left: "Buddhist scriptures... Buddhist scriptures..."
When Yinzhen arrived at Yuqing Palace, Tong Wanyan and Yinreng were lying on the bed together, each with a play script, singing along.
Song lyrics and Yuan dramas, when savored, are quite delightful.
Before Yinreng had sung two lines, he touched Tong Wanyan's little hand and pinched her cheek.
After Tong Wanyan got angry, he put on an innocent face.
"Xiao Yan, you are pregnant now, and the imperial physician said we should be careful." Yinreng held the woman riding on his back; her fair face was flushed and she looked extremely beautiful.
Tong Wanyan raised her eyes charmingly, her gaze alluring: "Moderation, of course you must be moderate."
She pinched Yinreng's waist hard with her slender, jade-like fingers.
The pain almost made Yinreng jump up like a carp, but she sat on his waist, forcing him to remain completely still.
"Ouch... Little Yan, I know I was wrong, I won't tease you anymore. Good girl, forgive me." Yinreng's handsome face was contorted in pain, his nose and mouth crooked.
Tong Wanyan proudly raised her chin, like a smug cat: "Serves you right."
"However, I am really good-looking. Even when I'm in pain and gasping for breath, I still have a certain charm."
Before she knew it, Tong Wanyan was drooling over Yinreng's face and bare chest.
It's a little heartbreaking to be able to look at something but not eat it!
When Yinzhen arrived, he clearly interrupted Yinreng and Tong Wanyan's sweet afternoon time.
"It's getting hot, but only Fourth Brother is willing to walk around outside more. I don't know where he developed such a meticulous nature; even when he's sweating profusely, he still buttons the top button of his collar high. I feel hot just looking at him." Yinreng joked, helping Tong Wanyan up.
Once he touched her little hand, Yinreng didn't want to let go.
It's cool and refreshing, a true summer cooling wonder.
When Yinzhen saw the two of them while sitting in the hall, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but he quickly calmed down and put on the face of an obedient younger brother.
His attempt to conceal it wasn't very good; Tong Wanyan noticed and gave Yinreng a coquettish glance.
Yinreng immediately felt weak all over and coaxed her gently in her ear, calling her "my darling".
Fortunately, the three were some distance apart, so Yinzhen didn't hear his second brother's shameless words.
"Fourth brother, please don't take offense. My concubine is pregnant and her health is weak; I wouldn't feel at ease if I didn't support her." Yinreng looked lovingly at Tong Wanyan's belly. "My eldest brother has two daughters; I envy them greatly."
Yinreng easily transformed his affection for Tong Wanyan into a special feeling stemming from his expectation of having an heir.
In this way, without Tong Wanyan's ability to cause trouble, everything can be attributed to a mother gaining status through her son, thus avoiding outsiders' speculation and suspicion.
Tong Wanyan understood the good intentions behind it all.
Yinzhen was not a talkative person; he came over sincerely to express his gratitude.
When Yinreng saw that Tong Wanyan was about to bow to him again to express his gratitude, he quickly helped Tong Wanyan sit down and then pulled him aside.
"What are you doing, my own brother? Always thanking me like this, are we still brothers?" Yinreng said angrily.
Yinzhen looked embarrassed and sweat beaded on his forehead as he said, "Second Brother Crown Prince, I'm apologizing to the Consort this time."
The self-righteous Yinreng was embarrassed. He looked at Tong Wanyan with a wronged expression, but he couldn't show his frustration in front of Yinzhen.
Tong Wanyan smiled and pulled Yinreng to her side: "Fourth Prince, you are too kind. I am His Majesty's concubine. We are one family. You have already thanked His Majesty, which is enough. As His Majesty said, we are brothers, so why be so formal? We are just doing what we can."
"It is already commendable that we have done what we can," said Yinzhen.
How could she continue this conversation? Tong Wanyan tugged at Yinreng's sleeve, pleading for his help.
Your younger brother is so difficult to talk to; his bluntness leaves people speechless.
Yinreng, who was being relied upon by the beauty, regained his good mood: "Fourth brother, there's no need to mention this matter again. After all, you were raised by me."
Yinreng was the apple of Kangxi's eye, and he was taken everywhere with him. The Imperial Noble Consort was also Kangxi's darling, so whenever Yinreng went to Chengqian Palace, his only playmate was Yinzhen, who was blowing bubbles. Over time, he simply started treating Yinzhen like a doll.
Therefore, it's not an exaggeration for him to say that.
Recalling how he used to follow Yinreng around like a little boy when he was a child, Yinzhen smiled shyly, his gaze towards Yinreng growing even closer.
Of all his brothers, he did spend the most time with the second prince.
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