The primary consort that Emperor Kangxi appointed for Hongzhao was from the Fuca clan.
The Fuca clan is an old and prestigious Manchu surname with a rich history and significant influence in the military. While they may not appear as powerful as the Tongjia clan, it is still important to prevent the Qing emperors from being repeatedly born to women from the Tongjia clan.
Tong Wanyan was an accident, and Hongzhao was an even bigger one. If Hongzhao hadn't been exceptionally intelligent and had the makings of a ruler, and hadn't been so similar to Yinreng's deceased elder brother Chenghu at birth, Kangxi would never have made him the Crown Prince.
Moreover, the younger generation of male members of the Fucha clan are all extremely outstanding, skilled in both literature and martial arts, and will surely become an asset to Hongzhao in the future.
"Or is it because of the matter of Father Emperor bestowing Fucha as his concubine back then?" Yinreng asked.
Tong Wanyan glared at him reproachfully: "It happened so many years ago, why do you still remember it? Although she was ruthless, cunning, and good at hiding her true feelings, she was indeed beautiful and talented, a bright and generous beauty."
"I don't remember what she looks like, I only remember that she once tried to hurt you." Recalling the past, Yinreng couldn't help but show hatred in his eyes.
"We have different stances, and he is gone, so why say more? In any case, the grudge has been avenged, and the Fucha clan suffered heavy losses back then," Tong Wanyan said indifferently.
She stroked Yinreng's face: "I won't allow you to get angry over other women."
Yinreng immediately laughed, and he flicked her nose with his index finger: "Jealous jar."
"The Empress Father chose a primary consort for Hongzhao, and I think she's excellent in every way. The Crown Princess also thinks she's good. Even my father and fourth brother didn't say anything, did they? If one person makes a mistake, that's one thing, but how could a young girl fool all of us?" Tong Wanyan reassured Yinreng.
"Why is that?" Yinreng said, "If it were someone else, I think I would have had a nightmare. But since this happened to you, I feel that Heaven is using you to warn me about something."
Yinreng frowned and thought for a moment: "Could it be because both of your eighth brother's concubines are pregnant, making you worry that his only weakness of not having an heir will be gone, and that this will threaten me?"
“How can the Eighth Prince compare to me? Even if the position of Crown Prince were given to him, he wouldn’t be able to handle it well. He is indeed capable, but there are countless capable people in the world. There’s just one thing: his temperament is not suited for that position.” Tong Wanyan raised her finger.
Yinreng beamed with joy. He loved it when Xiaoyan praised him, letting him know that he would always be the best in her heart.
However, Yinreng's words gave Tong Wanyan some inspiration. She had a direction to guess in her mind, but she dared not be sure.
"Your Majesty, will Father Emperor make another tour to the borderlands this year?" Tong Wanyan calculated the time; the first deposition of the Crown Prince was around this time.
Yinreng said, "It's the same every year, it won't change."
"Will the master go with you?" Tong Wanyan asked.
"It shouldn't be. I should stay in the capital to oversee the country, and Father Emperor usually has his younger brothers accompany me," Yinreng said.
Yinreng spoke with absolute certainty, but when he returned from court, his expression changed.
"Xiao Yan, I, Prince Zhi, and a few others aged thirteen to eighteen will be leaving the capital with Father Emperor in a few days." Yinreng said, "Something will probably happen on this trip."
Tong Wanyan's heart skipped a beat; the storm had finally arrived.
“With my fourth brother in court, I have no worries. No matter what my eighth brother does, he can’t cause any trouble. So, the only thing that could happen is that he’s causing trouble beyond the Great Wall,” Yinreng analyzed.
Tong Wanyan untied the knot around Yinreng's neck to make it easier for him to breathe.
“My lord respects Father Emperor, and his manners are praised. He and Prince Zhi rarely quarrel anymore. The powerful Mongol tribes have always been close to us, and even the Eighth Prince tried to win them over but failed. So, if a problem arises, it will either be an assassination attempt or a family matter,” Tong Wanyan said.
"It must be a family matter," Yinreng thought, following Tong Wanyan's train of thought.
“There’s a family dispute. Your Highness, please bring two more imperial physicians with you on this trip. My sister Wenxian died of heatstroke on the way to the Rehe Imperial Palace. It’s already May, and my three younger brothers, the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth, are young and favored by Father, so they are quite frail. It’s better to bring a pediatrician than not,” Tong Wanyan suggested.
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