After leaving the Duke's mansion, Yinreng and the other two went directly back to the palace and headed to the Imperial Study where Kangxi was.
As luck would have it, Tong Guowei hadn't left yet.
Although Tong Guowei was old and his eyesight was failing, the traces of blood on the whip wrapped around his waist when Yinreng approached still made him twitch.
When Emperor Kangxi saw Yinreng arrive, followed by two of his favored young ministers, he was in a very good mood.
"Why are you here at this hour? Is there something you need from me?" Kangxi raised his hand, and Liang Jiugong immediately ordered the palace maids who were brewing tea to bring it up.
Yinreng glanced at Tong Guowei and said to Kangxi with a straight face, "I went to the Duke of Tong's mansion and gave Longkodo a beating. He probably won't be able to leave the house for at least ten days."
His own son beat up someone else's son, and he did it in front of the other man's father, speaking with such arrogance.
Emperor Kangxi, looking rather embarrassed, couldn't help but feel awkward.
"Uncle, the Crown Prince..." It's no exaggeration to say that Kangxi was close to the Tong family; the way he addressed them in private was a testament to this.
“Longkodo deserved to be beaten, and the Crown Prince was right to teach him a lesson.” Tong Guowei felt sorry for him, but he also believed that the facts were right.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's expression softened slightly.
"Your Highness, as the heir apparent, it is truly wrong of you to privately assault a court official," Kangxi reprimanded.
"Father, please forgive me, I went there as a father." Yinreng looked aggrieved: "My little daughter was frightened to death because of Longkodo. Tell me, how could I bear it? If I don't avenge my little princess, I will be unworthy of being a father!"
Emperor Kangxi was shocked. How could he not know that Yuanbao had given birth to a daughter in this pregnancy?
Could it be that they concealed the truth to avoid bad luck? But I remember the imperial physician's pulse record always showed only one pulse.
"When did you have a little princess?" Kangxi asked, frowning.
Tong Guowei felt a pang of panic; he hadn't known about this.
"Your Majesty, Crown Prince, please forgive me. This servant will immediately bind that rebellious son." Tong Guowei hurriedly knelt down to beg for forgiveness.
Yinreng helped him up in time, preventing him from actually kneeling down.
Yinreng faced Kangxi and said, "Xiao Yan only gave birth to Hong Yan. Father, think about it, during those previous nine months, Xiao Yan's belly was no smaller than when she was pregnant with Hong Zhao and Tana. Logically speaking, this pregnancy should have been twins, more likely a boy and a girl. But why was there only one in the end?"
Kangxi was puzzled and waited for Yinreng to continue.
Yinreng was truly bold to say: "It must have been Longkodo who angered Xiaoyan and uttered words that violated the established order, thus offending my little princess's ears and preventing her from being reincarnated into Yuqing Palace."
Is this something a human being would say?
If he weren't his own son, Emperor Kangxi would have beaten him to death.
Yinreng didn't care; he just felt wronged: "Father, you must stand up for your son, and for your little granddaughter who is not fortunate enough to enjoy the riches of the royal family."
Yinreng grabbed Kangxi's clothes and burst into tears, abandoning all pretense of decorum.
Tong Qinian tried to smooth things over for him: "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is a father, and he loves his children deeply. I'm afraid he's become obsessed with this because of his self-blame."
All the blame lies with Longkodo; Yinreng, as a father, simply loved his child too much.
Despite the difference in personal relationships, the most important person in Kangxi's heart was his son, Yinreng.
Tong Qinian is such a virtuous and upright person, with impeccable character. If he says so, then the Crown Prince must be right.
“Uncle!” Kangxi turned to look at Tong Guowei.
Yinreng used Kangxi's dragon robe as a handkerchief to wipe his face: "Perhaps it's just that I and the little princess are not destined to be father and daughter. Let's just let this matter go."
"Your Highness is magnanimous. I have failed in my duty to raise my son. I am ashamed." Tong Guowei understood that the matter was over.
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