Regardless of the circumstances, Kangxi's promotion of the Eighth Prince was something that anyone with eyes could see.
The Ninth and Tenth Princes had grown up, and although they were dissatisfied with their Emperor's behavior, they could no longer act like they did when they were children, rushing to the Emperor's presence to throw tantrums and act spoiled.
They didn't even dare to go to Yuqing Palace to have a few drinks in their solitude, for fear of causing trouble for Yinreng.
They were all shrewd people; how could they not understand Kangxi's meaning?
Yinzhen and Yinreng were already bound together; if they were to try to align themselves with him, wouldn't that be directly challenging and provoking Kangxi?
The Ninth Prince could only stay in his own residence with the Tenth Prince, dismissing everyone else, and quietly complain a few words.
"Has Father Emperor gone mad?" The Tenth Prince opened a jar of wine, the aroma of which was quite enticing; it had been delivered from Yuqing Palace a while ago.
The aroma of the wine stirred a bittersweet feeling in the Ninth Prince's heart.
“With the way my eighth brother smiles at everyone he meets, how could he possibly replace the second prince? Does the emperor of the Qing Dynasty have to become a gigolo?” the ninth prince said indignantly.
The Tenth Prince shifted his position: "Ninth Brother, that's not that bad. That's going too far."
"Where did you go too far? You say there are more than a dozen of us brothers, and in a few years there will probably be more than twenty. Apart from two or three who stick together and have a good relationship, the rest of us don't respect anyone. Except for the Crown Prince, we fear him, look up to him, and are also close to him. He is the one who is popular and rightfully chosen, so why does Father always have to make things difficult for us?" The Ninth Prince was truly indignant.
Both he and the Tenth Prince were unambitious and didn't covet the throne. However, they also hoped for a peaceful and prosperous Qing Dynasty. Everyone knew that Yinzhi was not suitable for the position. His personality was too opportunistic; he couldn't even be a proper prince.
What they knew, the discerning Emperor Kangxi could not possibly have been unaware of.
It is precisely because everyone has seen the undercurrents surging beneath the riverbed that it is all the more chilling.
It is said that old people are kind-hearted, but emperors are often the ones who become more ruthless with age.
"No matter what, we have to stand up for Second Brother in court. If Father Emperor really makes a decision we can't stop, at least we have to protect Second Brother's family." The Tenth Prince, drunk, started slamming his fist on the table.
But he slammed his hand on the stone table. It wasn't like Tana, who was born with brute strength, whose hand was bruised red from the blow.
The Ninth Prince looked at him as if he were a fool: "The Imperial Concubine is such a smart person. I used to wonder who you took after for your simple-mindedness. Now it seems that you must have taken after Father Emperor."
The tenth prince angrily picked up the wine jar and gulped down the wine.
"Ninth Brother, the cooks you employ are so slow. This meat has been roasting for ages, why hasn't it been served yet? We've been drinking too much, and there's still no sign of the roast meat. It's such a spoilsport," the Tenth Prince complained.
The Ninth Prince covered his face, too ashamed to look at his foolish appearance: "How could anyone hear what we were saying just now? What an idiot!"
The Tenth Prince often invited the Ninth Prince to drink. The two of them used alcohol to vent their frustrations, which didn't raise any suspicions. People just assumed they were indulging in pleasure.
Prince Zhi was different; he directly confronted Wei Zhu, the chief eunuch whom Emperor Kangxi had recently promoted.
Unlike Liang Jiugong, who was sensible and knew his place, Wei Zhu acted arrogantly and had no past relationship with Yuqing Palace or the other princes in the palace.
A eunuch with a bit of cleverness and audacity, once he gained power, even with Liang Jiugong above him, was enough to fuel his ambition.
By serving him closely, he gained a better understanding of Kangxi's preferences.
Seeing that Kangxi was repeatedly promoting people from the Eighth Prince's faction, Wei Zhu defected after the Eighth Prince secretly sent him several gifts and silver notes.
Wei Zhu's inclinations were too obvious and undisguised. How could Prince Zhi possibly tolerate his servile and arrogant manner?
Once they met, Prince Zhi pointed at Wei Zhu's nose and launched into a tirade of abuse.
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