Yinreng said he would kiss her, but in the end, it was still him who held onto her waist and wouldn't let go.
Tong Wanyan scolded him for getting thicker and thicker-skinned, but he was actually quite pleased with himself.
The fatigue from two days of travel was nothing compared to the exhaustion from riding a horse for a few laps in the afternoon. While riding a horse was a sight to behold, it was actually quite physically demanding.
After dark, Yinreng held Tong Wanyan and went to bed early.
Tong Wanyan woke up in the glaring sunlight. The only downside of the yurt was that it didn't block out much light.
She stretched lazily, while Yinreng had already gone outside to practice martial arts and loosen his muscles.
"Awake? Have something light for breakfast. You'll have lunch with the Mongolian princes and princesses. The food will be Mongolian style, so it might be a bit oily," Yinreng reminded him.
Tong Wanyan hugged his waist and dozed off in his arms for a while longer: "I know, you ate so many green dates yesterday, but you're still fine. I'm in great shape and rarely get sick."
"Don't talk nonsense. It's best to be careful when you're out and about. It's rare for us to have fun, so let's not have any accidents." Yinreng coaxed him like a child.
"You only saw him once yesterday, did you not see the whole thing?" Tong Wanyan asked while washing her face.
Yinreng smiled and praised, "Smart. There are Mongolians who are not convinced by the Qing Dynasty, but there are also those who are willing to submit to the Qing Dynasty and become its allies. Yesterday, Father Emperor took us to see a prince who is pro-Qing."
"Didn't the defeat of the Dzungars last time frighten them?" Tong Wanyan asked in surprise.
“Their inherent warlike nature cannot be changed; it’s not something that can be deterred and made docile in a single instance. It’s already quite an achievement that they’ve kept quiet for so long.” What Yinreng didn’t reveal was that the entire population of the Dzungar tribe had been massacred.
A single defeat could not deter the warlike Mongols; only a large-scale massacre could truly instill fear in them for a while.
The battlefield is too bloody, and Tong Wanyan is just a woman; she doesn't need to know too many details.
Yinreng lightly brushed aside the matter of the Dzungars and said arrogantly, "Father Emperor chose this place for the hunt to show them the capabilities of the Qing men."
Tong Wanyan could roughly guess what Yinreng meant.
Throughout history, the victor is king and the loser is a bandit; the cruelty of war is something that those who are not on the battlefield cannot comprehend.
Therefore, Tong Wanyan was not fixated on this.
She chimed in, "No wonder the troops that came were all elite. Before you left, Father Emperor had you all given a good workout in your martial arts."
"With Xiao Yan being so clever, I have no need to worry about the future of our children," said Tong Wanyan, and Yinreng was greatly relieved.
Like begets like, their children are bound to be outstanding individuals.
The morning was for Tong Wanyan and the others to enjoy. Around noon, they all had to get ready again and go to the banquet with Emperor Kangxi.
To show respect for Emperor Kangxi, the banquet featured a very lavish spread of dishes.
Many of these things were completely new to Tong Wanyan, and she found them quite fascinating.
She was the Crown Prince's secondary consort, and her seat was second to Kangxi's left, while Yinreng sat first to Kangxi's left.
The moment Tong Wanyan and Yinreng appeared together, the eyes of the Mongolian princes and princesses lit up instantly.
A perfect couple, both exceptionally beautiful and talented.
They were not refined Han Chinese; they did not know how to express their amazement with poetry and songs.
Upon seeing such a stunning beauty, the Princess immediately exclaimed, "Your Majesty, is this the Crown Prince's concubine? She is truly a noblewoman of Manchu ethnicity, with an innate air of nobility, like a goddess. She is truly favored by the Eternal Heaven."
Some people praised Tong Wanyan, while others couldn't stand it and wanted to criticize her.
Another elegantly dressed princess, with an arrogant and sarcastic expression, said, "I've heard that the Crown Prince's concubine is the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Tong and is favored by the Eastern Palace. We Mongols are only good at riding and archery, and playing the Buku, but we're not very good at singing and dancing. Originally, we managed to gather some dancers to entertain the Emperor and the princes, just to make the Emperor feel relaxed. Since the concubine is so beautiful, why don't we invite her to dance a song?"
The faces of Emperor Kangxi and Yinreng instantly darkened.
Such provocative and disrespectful words are clearly intended to embarrass the Qing Dynasty.
However, it was because Tong Wanyan was not a proper Crown Princess that this princess dared to offend her with disrespect and audacity.
The seats on the Mongolian side fell silent; not a single sound was uttered.
Tong Wanyan suppressed her smile, her haughty expression making her seem like a goddess, sacred and unapproachable.
Ikmin'an was the queen of the Khoshut royal family and a princess of Khoshut blood. Her husband died young because he favored a beautiful Han woman, and her son was too young to handle important matters within the tribe. With her strong-willed nature, she made the Khoshut tribe almost her personal fiefdom.
That's why she spoke rudely to Tong Wanyan here.
Looking at Tong Wanyan's stunningly beautiful face and Yinreng's concern for her, she was reminded of how her husband had doted on Han women when he was alive.
Tong Wanyan remained seated and said coldly, "Princess Hui Te is beautiful and charming. In Mongolia, I am a guest, while the Princess is the host. Since the Princess feels that the dancers are not dancing well, please perform a dance for Father Emperor."
“I am the Queen of the Whit tribe. How can I dance like a dancer in public?” Queen Whit said dismissively.
Tong Wanyan's eyes were cold. Her proud neck and calm demeanor made the Mongolians secretly regret not speaking up for her earlier.
The Crown Prince's concubine seemed different from what they had imagined.
“I am the Crown Prince’s first concubine, a royal consort. When Princess Huite saw me, it seemed she was going to bow and greet me, right? I originally thought that the princess’s casual suggestion to have someone perform a dance was a Mongolian custom. Now it seems that I was probably mistaken,” Tong Wanyan said.
Princess Whitworth's eyelids twitched slightly, angered by Tong Wanyan's words.
Intimidated by Kangxi's frightening expression, she suppressed the urge to curse him.
Yinreng placed his hand over Tong Wanyan's left hand, which was casually resting on the table: "If I remember correctly, Princess Hui Te's younger sister is Galdan's wife, isn't she?"
Princess Whitworth's eyelids stopped twitching, and her heart began to tremble.
Yes, that's right. Besides Tong Wanyan's beauty making her resentful, she also hated the Tong family for killing her younger sister and brother-in-law.
It is said that the Qing Dynasty was lenient towards prisoners of war and surrendered officials, so why did they exterminate her sister?
“The Crown Prince is not mistaken.” Princess Whit lowered her head, forced to express her submission to the Qing Dynasty.
Yinreng ignored her and turned to the other members of the Mongol royal family, saying, "As you all know, Father Emperor is accompanied by many Eight Banner soldiers on his hunting trip beyond the Great Wall. Interestingly, the warrior who beheaded Galdan last time has also come along. If Princess Huite misses her sister and brother-in-law, she can meet and chat with him; perhaps it will bring back some memories."
Princess Huit glared at Yinreng with gritted teeth, a display that displeased the other Mongol tribes.
It's one thing for one person to be courting death, but don't drag them all down with it.
They still rely on the Qing Dynasty and dare not offend it.
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