The admonitions of Yinreng and Yinzhen ultimately amounted to nothing, leaving the heroes with no opportunity to use their talents.
Since returning to the capital, Yinti has taken ten days off to stay at the mansion with his primary wife.
The First Princess's due date was originally in August, so Yinti felt relieved to accompany Kangxi on the hunting trip beyond the Great Wall.
Little did anyone know that the fourth princess in the First Princess's belly was born with a naturally impatient nature, and was born faster than others.
By the time Yinti returned to the capital, the First Consort had been in confinement for more than ten days.
The First Consort gave birth just a few days after Emperor Kangxi and his entourage left Beijing.
Although Yinti stayed in the capital to accompany the First Consort, it didn't really help her with childbirth, but the feelings in his heart were different.
Yinti cherished his first wife, and he felt extremely distressed when he thought about Consort Hui's dissatisfaction with the First Consort for giving birth to four daughters after his return.
Without a doubt, since he's not in the capital, Consort Hui must have sent someone to the First Prince's residence to help. There will inevitably be plenty of small talk.
A son should not speak ill of his mother. Consort Hui had her reasons, and she was already quite good as a mother-in-law.
Unable to persuade Consort Hui to stop focusing on the First Princess's pregnancy, Yinti could only spend more time with her to show his respect and prevent anyone from looking down on her.
After giving birth to her daughter, the First Princess Consort, who had been somewhat melancholic, felt much better after Yinti stayed at home and stopped going to court to spend time with her.
She's still young, and she's not infertile. After a couple of years of rest, she'll definitely be able to give birth to a legitimate son.
The First Consort was a virtuous woman. Even though the couple couldn't see each other during her postpartum confinement, they could still talk through a screen.
After spending some time together, the restlessness in both of them, as expected, completely disappeared.
Despite holding the emperor's deep favor, Hongzhao remained calm in the face of Yinti's occasional provocations.
The biggest fear for a crown prince is being impatient. He's very composed right now.
Have you not seen how Li Chengqian of the Tang Dynasty, in his haste, took a risk and was executed on charges of plotting to usurp the throne? Li Tai, eager for the imperial throne, deceived his father and was demoted. Going back a little further, there was also the crown prince of Emperor Wu of Han; in short, none of them had a good ending.
Now that he has assumed the position of Crown Prince, he must accept the occasional provocations from his brothers.
They were barefoot, so they weren't afraid of him, who was wearing shoes.
If the crown prince is deposed, he faces certain death. If a prince is deposed, he might at most be imprisoned. The consequences for the two are vastly different.
Yinreng, who genuinely felt sorry for Yinti's chances of having an heir, went to speak to Emperor Kangxi when Yinti had not attended court for two days.
“Father, my elder brother is truly devoted to my sister-in-law. This time, she has given birth to a daughter, and she must be devastated. Father, you are kind, and my sister-in-law is always virtuous and caring towards her younger siblings. Could you please give her something as a reward? Otherwise, anyone would be shaken by this.” Yinreng said sincerely.
He considers himself a son, not a subject, so it is only natural for him to ask Emperor Kangxi for rewards.
The significance of rewards bestowed by the family and rewards bestowed by the imperial court is different.
Emperor Kangxi was used to the subtle power struggles between Yinreng and Yinti, and it was rare to see Yinreng speak up for Yinti.
"Last time you were gloating, but this time you feel sorry for the couple?" Kangxi didn't respond.
Yinreng chuckled, "Father, you know your son. In the past, my elder brother always tried to compete with me for who would give you the eldest grandson. I couldn't stand it, so I always went after him. Besides, what are three daughters? They can bloom first and bear fruit later. But this time, the flowers have been blooming for too long, and I really feel sorry for my elder brother and sister-in-law."
These were sincere words, and Kangxi pondered them over and over in his mind, but could not find any fault with them.
He was pleased with Yinreng's loving care for his elder brother: "My Baochang has grown up."
"Father, please don't say that. I will always be a child in your eyes. Don't think that just because I've grown up, you can abandon me and go and dote on the younger ones." Yinreng said with a hint of jealousy.
Yinreng, who would not turn twenty for another year, could barely be considered a child.
His eyes were clear and honest, and when he spoke to Kangxi, he still had the mischievousness he had when he was a child.
Emperor Kangxi beamed and patted Yinreng's bald head, saying, "Look at you. If the ministers heard this, they would look down on you and think you're not steady enough."
"Being composed is just for fooling outsiders. Why should a son be composed in front of his father?" Yinreng said dismissively.
The sense of accomplishment for a father is nothing more than the success of his children and their dependence on him.
Yinreng filled Kangxi's loving fatherly heart with nothing but him.
"I will listen to you. Give the First Consort some gifts. They are both young anyway. Since they are so eager for a legitimate son, let them have one slowly. If it still doesn't work in a few years, then it won't be too late to let the concubine have one," Kangxi said.
No sooner had Kangxi's gifts left the palace than the Empress Dowager's gifts followed.
Kangxi frowned, and Yinreng immediately said, "It's probably because your little cousin asked your maternal grandmother for a reward for your sister-in-law. Women are just soft-hearted and easily empathize."
"What little cousin? That's your concubine, my daughter-in-law!" Kangxi's brows relaxed.
Yinreng chuckled, “Father, have you forgotten? Last time, you were the one who protected Xiaoyan, letting her bully your son. When Yinzhen called her cousin, he even scrunched up his face.”
Emperor Kangxi refused to admit his peculiar sense of humor: "Yinzhen used to love to laugh when he was a child, but he has become increasingly expressionless as he has grown up. I am just trying to make him move his facial features more so that he doesn't end up with a paralyzed face."
"It's all the same idea anyway. Maybe women understand women's suffering. If she hadn't reminded me, I wouldn't have thought of so much. At most, I would have dragged my elder brother out for a few drinks to drown my sorrows," Yinreng said.
"I know Yuanbao'er is kind-hearted. The First Consort has contributed to the royal family by bearing children, and the Empress Dowager's reward to her is not excessive. I have heard that Consort Hui wants her niece, the daughter of Nalan Mingzhu's brother, to be Baoqing's secondary consort. This time, I will make the decision for the First Consort, so that she will not do anything she should not do," Kangxi said.
Yinreng was startled, but thankfully he arrived.
Otherwise, if Consort Hui had really brought Nalan Mingzhu's niece to the First Prince's residence, wouldn't that have made him even more closely connected with the Nalan family?
"Come play a game of chess with me. I heard that you gave Yinzhen the bitter melon the other day, and he and Consort Yi cried for a long time, and then asked for five or six extra jars of honey under the pretext of it." Kangxi and Yinreng chatted casually.
Yinreng obediently sat down in front of the chessboard with Kangxi: "It's more fun to tease my little brother occasionally. Father, last time you gave Hongzhao a cup of wine and made him drunk, but I didn't tell you."
For a moment, Kangxi's expression turned slightly awkward. For a dignified emperor to do such a thing was truly childish.
"I'll give you three moves, so shut up," Kangxi said, backing down.
Yinreng smiled so sweetly, but Kangxi saw through his slyness: "Five moves."
"Four steps," Kangxi said.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty." Yinreng could not push his luck any further.
His chess skills were not far apart from Kangxi's, and the outcome was uncertain.
Having made the first four moves, Kangxi lost without any surprise.
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