Emperor Kangxi would offer a few words of praise to this prince and a few words of compliment to that prince, and even the young princes who had not achieved much received his gentle comfort and encouragement.
Even the youngest son, the twelfth, could tell that Kangxi was changing the subject and avoiding the question raised by Yinzhen.
Yinreng's leniency in not pressing the matter relieved Kangxi considerably.
A little while later, Kangxi's guilty conscience fermented into remorse.
The Crown Prince trusted him so much, yet he secretly sent gifts to his eldest son behind the Crown Prince's back. He truly betrayed the Crown Prince's deep love for his father.
When the emperor feels remorse, everything becomes easier.
In the days that followed, when he visited the Mongolian princes, Kangxi always put Yinreng first, fully demonstrating his satisfaction and trust in this crown prince.
This display was not only visible to the Mongolian princes, but also to the Qing guards accompanying him, who could better appreciate Kangxi's support for the crown prince.
His position as crown prince is as secure as Mount Tai.
Nine out of ten guards who came to accompany the emperor to Mongolia were born into prominent families and had many high-ranking relatives and friends behind them.
Once they return and spread this news, it's easy to imagine that Yinreng's prestige in the court will only rise even higher.
Yinreng was very pleased with this unexpected surprise. When Tong Wanyan finished eating the roasted rabbit and her mouth was dripping with oil, she learned that the small pieces of roasted bear paw on her table were hunted by Yinreng and Yinti at great personal risk. Her eyes flashed with murderous intent.
Yinreng carefully moved to Yinzhen's side: "Fourth brother, I'll stay with you tonight, how about your wife and your second sister-in-law stay together?"
Yinzhen shook his head firmly: "Second brother, you took too much risk this time. Even if you wanted to save third brother, there were guards there. Third brother would have been fine then. You should let your sister-in-law have a good talk with you."
"The bear paw that I hunted myself tastes exceptional, especially after being brushed with several layers of honey and roasted. It's incredibly fragrant. Please try it, sir, or it won't taste good when it gets cold," Tong Wanyan said with a smile.
Yinreng stiffly moved back to his seat and sat up straight: "I've heard that bear paws are very nourishing and have beautifying effects. Xiao Yan, you can eat them for me. I'll just eat some vegetables."
"No, that won't do. Look how happy Father is today, I can't let him down. A bear is so big, it must be strong. If I eat its paw, I might become as strong as a bear." Tong Wanyan used serving chopsticks to put the bear paw from the plate into Yinreng's bowl.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yinreng had no choice but to eat.
After taking a bite, Yinreng found that the taste was indeed quite good. So he ate it in big mouthfuls, enjoying it immensely.
Tong Wanyan watched him finish eating with a smile. To outsiders, her behavior appeared very virtuous and generous.
Princess Whitworth was unwell and did not attend the post-hunting banquet, so the atmosphere at the banquet was very harmonious and lively.
Those sitting here are all tactful and know how to praise people in accordance with Kangxi's wishes.
Tong Wanyan received praise from several princesses, which greatly enhanced Yinreng's reputation. This was an indispensable part of the "Lady's Diplomacy."
The playful bickering between Tong Wanyan and Yinreng at the banquet was known only to the Aisin Gioro brothers who lived nearby; outsiders assumed it was proof of their good relationship.
After Emperor Kangxi got drunk, a prince offered up his niece at the opportune moment.
While not of particularly distinguished status, it was presentable enough.
Even if Emperor Kangxi didn't think much of him, he could still advance or retreat without affecting his reputation.
Under the lamplight, a beautiful woman appeared. In the evening, with a bonfire and the aroma of wine, Kangxi gazed at the exotic Mongolian beauty and, lacking self-control, succumbed to her charms.
It's not that he doesn't have Mongolian concubines in his harem; having one more wouldn't matter, as long as they aren't given high positions or children.
Emperor Kangxi, beaming, embraced his newly acquired beauty and returned to his yurt. His concubines, still upset, ate much less that evening.
Emperor Kangxi's taking in beautiful women sent a new message to the Mongols.
They still had the opportunity to send women to the Qing Dynasty palace to give birth to imperial heirs with Mongol blood.
This gave the Mongol princes a jolt of confidence. They couldn't defeat the Qing Dynasty, and they weren't allowed to support a Qing prince in the future.
Perhaps it wouldn't work during Kangxi's reign, but what about the next emperor?
Looking at the Crown Prince's handsome face, young and good-looking, he was more favored by unmarried women than Emperor Kangxi.
The Mongol princes were beginning to have their own ideas. Emperor Kangxi wanted to show off the power of his Great Qing Dynasty, while the princes were doing everything they could to win their father's favor.
With dozens of people each having their own thoughts, the banquet was lively and exceptionally enjoyable, with both hosts and guests happy.
After the banquet, Yinzhen said to Yinreng, "Take care, Second Brother."
After saying that, he grabbed his concubine and ran away.
Yinreng looked at Tong Wanyan with a panic in his heart: "Xiao Yan, I'm going to talk to my elder brother."
"It's getting dark and late, please don't disturb my brother. Even if it's important, we can talk about it tomorrow," Tong Wanyan said softly.
The gentler she was, the faster Yinreng's heart pounded.
If a fairy-like person suddenly becomes incredibly gentle with you, it's because they want to devour your heart.
Oh my god, oh my god!
With his last shred of hope, Yinreng tried to wink at Yinti and Yinzhi, but it was like throwing a blind man a wink; neither of them paid him any attention.
The two were so drunk that they slumped onto the table, one after the other, and passed out completely.
Tong Wanyan grabbed Yinreng's arm and, with a clever touch, dragged him back into the yurt.
After they left, Yinti and Yinzhi raised their heads from the table, twisting their heads and rubbing their necks.
"Big brother, second brother is doomed when he goes back this time," Yin Zhi said without any remorse.
He would never admit that he was the original cause of Yinreng being bullied by Tong Wanyan.
Yinti downed the last drop of wine in his cup in one gulp: "A tiger in the house, huh? Luckily, your sister-in-law couldn't come along this time. Thank goodness."
Yin Zhi mischievously reminded him, "Brother, your sister-in-law will definitely know about your heroic deeds when we return to the capital."
Seeing his sly and mischievous appearance, Yinti inexplicably recalled how he had begged him to save him a year ago, crying and crawling on the ground.
In a bad mood, Yinti punched Yinzhi in the face.
"Third brother suffered quite a few injuries today, one more won't make a difference." Yinti left after finishing the beating.
Yin Zhi hissed and stood up, covering his cheek.
Dong E Hailan had no choice but to support him: "Why did you have to provoke my elder brother? He's used to being in the army and has a bit of a bandit-like air about him. If you upset him, you'll just suffer for nothing."
"I'm happy to. Just like my elder brother said, one more injury won't make a difference. When my elder brother goes back, my sister-in-law will take care of him. My wife, I've made you proud today!" Yin Zhi was truly a little drunk.
His eyes sparkled as he looked at Dong E Hailan; her handsome appearance was captivating.
Dong'e Hailan clutched her chest; her heart had long been broken by her husband and mother-in-law. No amount of beauty or sweet words could bring her back to life.
“When Mother finds out, she will be very proud of Master,” Dong E Hailan said.
Undeterred, Yin Zhi insisted that Dong E Hailan praise him: "And what about you?"
Dong E Hailan smiled slightly, seemingly in admiration, and said, "I am also proud of you, my lord."
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