Another winter passed, and when the pear blossoms in the palace bloomed, their white petals and green leaves stood out against the red walls and golden tiles of the Forbidden City, creating a scene that was both serene and beautiful.
Tong Wanyan would occasionally sit in the courtyard admiring the flowers. Looking at the lush pear blossoms, she would always think of Yinreng.
They possessed the same striking and beautiful features, but Yinreng had a more refined and noble air about him.
Good-looking people are always favored by time. Yinreng shed the naivety of his youth in the 28th year of Kangxi's reign and became more and more mature in his behavior, which made people feel intoxicated and at ease.
Tong Wanyan also became increasingly elegant, and her radiant beauty was so striking that it was almost impossible to look directly at her.
People say that Yuqing Palace is a palace of beauties. Even the lowly eunuchs who sweep and clean are handsome. Not to mention the senior palace maids and eunuchs who serve in front of the masters, they are all outstanding in appearance.
Surrounded by such beauties, Tong Wanyan and Yinreng were still the two most handsome.
When Shi Xiuzhu had free time, he would accompany Tong Wanyan to play the zither and paint, and then they would pick newly opened pear blossoms together, wash them clean, and make pear blossom wine.
This life is like that of an immortal, comfortable and wonderful.
Emperor Kangxi probably couldn't stand it, seeing someone so carefree while he was so busy that he barely got enough sleep every day.
With a stroke of his imperial pen, he decreed that the Eighth Prince Yinzhi should leave the palace to establish his own residence and bestow upon him a plaque inscribed with "Blessed by Heaven".
Upon hearing this news, both Yinreng and Yinzhen remained outwardly calm, but inwardly they were seething with rage.
Especially for Yinzhen, the Eighth Prince's residence and his Fourth Prince's residence were side by side. The two people who didn't get along were located closest to each other, which made Yinzhen extremely awkward.
"Fourth brother, come with me to Yuqing Palace for lunch today," Yinreng said.
Yinzhen nodded indifferently and followed Yinreng away.
As the Eighth Prince received congratulations from all around him, his eyes swept over the departing figures of Yinreng and Yinzhen, and his smile widened.
But as he laughed, he felt inexplicably lonely.
When other brothers left the palace to establish their own residences, they would gather around with great fanfare, begging for food and drinks. But here, his brothers would only offer a dry, perfunctory greeting, utter the same old blessings, and then leave without a second thought.
When they were little, they went to school and played together, laughing heartily.
The Eighth Prince was most adept at concealing his thoughts. He seemed to wear a gentle mask that would never fall off, always smiling at everyone. Even the curve of his lips looked exactly the same, as if it had been measured with a ruler.
At first glance, it seemed noisy, but in reality, it was quiet. Everyone knew this, but tacitly kept quiet about it.
Upon returning to Yuqing Palace and closing the door, Yinreng immediately revealed a mocking smile.
"The sooner he leaves the palace, the better. It will save me from being annoyed by him in court, and from being constantly haunted by his shadow in the palace," Yinreng said sarcastically and arrogantly.
Yinzhen felt a little aggrieved: "But he lives next door to me."
A good mood comes from comparison.
Yinreng's mood improved slightly in comparison to Yinzhen's.
He patted Yinzhen on the shoulder: "You've worked hard."
The location of the residence circled by Emperor Kangxi cannot be changed.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Yinzhen and the Eighth Prince will likely remain neighbors for life.
Yinzhen was upset because of this.
Originally, Yinreng did not plan to return to Yuqing Palace at noon, but he decided to come back at the last minute without informing anyone.
When he arrived at Nanyuan, he found it empty.
"The concubine has been invited by the Crown Princess to have lunch in the East Courtyard," said the gatekeeper eunuch of the South Garden.
Yinreng's brow twitched slightly: "The Crown Princess always finds a way to harass Xiao Yan while I'm away."
Yinzhen wisely remained silent, continuing to worry.
Upon entering the East Courtyard, one is greeted by a refreshing expanse of green. In the corner, beside a small pond, there are craggy rocks, their slender style quite similar to that of Yinzhen.
However, Yinzhen believed in Buddhism, while Shi Xiuzhu believed in the Tao of attaining immortality.
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