Despite his words, Yinreng still put the peace buckle given to him by Prince Zhi into his usual purse.
Emperor Kangxi greatly appreciated Prince Zhi's actions.
Not impetuous, knows how to cultivate one's mind, and knows when to advance and retreat—very good.
Emperor Kangxi smiled and praised, "My Baoqing has grown up and become sensible, which puts my mind at ease."
The officials below echoed, "The Emperor is right, and Prince Zhi did a good job."
In reality, they were all harboring bitterness, cursing the Prince for being unambitious and incompetent. How could one succeed in the imperial court without ambition?
As the eldest son of the emperor, with a powerful maternal clan and a distinguished military record, he had a huge advantage. Instead of vying for the throne, he chose to become a monk. It was as if the seawater had ruined his brain while he was training at sea.
The person who cursed Prince Zhi the most in his heart was not an outsider, but his own family member, the Eighth Prince.
The Eighth Prince dreamed day and night of having the Prince of Zhi draw fire for him and act as a shield.
As a result, that simple-minded, foolish, and hot-tempered man actually became devoted to Buddhism. The Eighth Prince felt that the Prince Zhi was doing it on purpose.
From the moment Consort Hui refused to protect Consort Liang, Prince Zhi had been at odds with him.
Prince Zhi didn't care what others thought of him. Apart from his primary wife and beloved son, he only cared about Emperor Kangxi and Yinreng. Even if others made a big fuss in front of him, he wouldn't bother to even glance at them.
Prince Zhi was pure of heart and had few desires, while the other princes had no ambition to ascend to the throne.
For two or three years, Yinreng and his son Hongzhao worked together well and were so powerful in the court that no one dared to challenge them.
If Emperor Kangxi were old and frail, seeing that there were successors would surely make him so happy that he would laugh out loud in his dreams.
But he is still young and vigorous, and looking at the outstanding Crown Prince and the promising eldest grandson, he can't help but feel uneasy from time to time.
Even though Yinreng and Hongzhao would still act cute and charming in front of him, it did not lessen his wariness.
The crown prince, whom everyone hoped for, and the eldest grandson, on whom the court's high-ranking officials placed their hopes, lived together in the same palace and had a close relationship. Emperor Kangxi should have been among them, enjoying the harmony of three generations, but he always felt excluded.
Imagine the young concubines in the palace, their eyes darting around when they see the Crown Prince at a family banquet.
Emperor Kangxi was unwilling to admit that, as a man, he was inferior to his son.
In a few years, they might not even be as good as their own grandchildren.
The child who once lived off his pampering has become someone stronger than him, while he himself is like the setting sun.
Kangxi's resolve wavered.
The Eighth Prince, who had been repeatedly disliked by Emperor Kangxi since entering the court, once again came into Kangxi's view, replacing the Prince Zhi as a new whetstone and a point of balance.
In the dead of night, Kangxi comforted himself. Consort Liang came from a humble background, and Yinzhi had a distant relationship with the imperial clan, holding only a reputation for virtue but no real power in court. Such a person would not truly harm the Crown Prince and Hongzhao.
He simply wanted everyone to know that no matter how suitable the Crown Prince and Hongzhao were for the position, the person sitting on the dragon throne was still him.
As long as he lives, no one, no matter who, can surpass him in prowess.
He was the true emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the absolute ruler.
In the forty-fourth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, two princesses from Manchu families appeared in the harem of the Eighth Prince, Yinzhi. They were of ordinary appearance but were said to be fertile.
Upon learning that Emperor Kangxi had issued an edict to bestow a reward, Yinreng broke the small sandalwood writing brush that he had cherished for many years.
That writing brush was given to Yinreng by Emperor Kangxi a few years ago so that he could use it to revise memorials.
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