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Looking at the princes in their magnificent robes, Lanqin thought of their respective fates. This might be the last time they would raise their cups and laugh together like this.
The Third Prince, Yinzhi, was a scholarly and erudite man. His literary and cultural attainments were indeed greatly appreciated by Emperor Kangxi; the famous *Kangxi Dictionary* was compiled by him in collaboration with renowned figures such as Chen Menglei, Li Bo, and Fang Bao. Besides this, the Third Prince was also considered a filial son. When Kangxi was still healthy, he visited Yinzhi's Changchun Garden several times, even more often than he visited the Yuanmingyuan Garden. This led the Third Prince to harbor ambitions for the throne. Kangxi was aware of this but did not expose it, knowing that he would not choose the Third Prince. Ultimately, the Third Prince, Prince Cheng, was stripped of his title during the Yongzheng Emperor's reign and exiled to the imperial mausoleum.
Fifth Prince Yinqi, through a twist of fate, was spared the struggle for succession because his disfigurement allowed him to remain aloof from worldly affairs. He did not participate in the succession struggle and ultimately escaped death, but still died during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng. However, historical records do not specify how he died; it is generally believed that he either died of illness or was stripped of his title.
The Seventh Prince, Yin You, goes without saying. Now a Prince of the Second Rank, he has always been a nobody, secretly supporting the Fourth Prince, so he naturally transitioned peacefully into the Yongzheng era.
The Eighth Prince, Yinzhen, met a tragic end. Not only was he stripped of his title, but he was also removed from the imperial clan and given the name "Aqina," roughly meaning "fish on the chopping block." He died in prison in the fourth year of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign. The Eighth Prince's actions thoroughly disgusted the Fourth Prince with his brother. It should be said that when things go too far, the consequences are already predetermined.
Ninth Prince, Yin, was a staunch supporter of Yinzhen. During the Yongzheng reign, Ninth Prince was exiled to the Northwest, essentially placed under the supervision of Nian Gengyao to prevent him from communicating with the Eighth Prince's faction. However, this Ninth Prince was determined to fight to the end. He even devised a method of using Western scripts to create a code for Manchu, enabling him to communicate with his son and exchange information—a pioneering achievement in Chinese cryptography. In prison, Ninth Prince was renamed "Seshehei," meaning "annoying person," and ultimately died in captivity in the fourth year of Yongzheng's reign.
The Tenth Prince, Yinzhi, was sent to guard the imperial tombs during the Yongzheng reign, and later he went to live in seclusion in the Zhangjiakou area. He was a carefree and easygoing person, always different from others, and quite fortunate, living past the Yongzheng reign and passing away in the second year of the Qianlong reign.
The Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang, contracted a disease called "Crane Knee Wind," roughly equivalent to modern-day "bone tuberculosis." At the time, this was considered a terminal illness, prone to relapse, and required extreme physical exertion. After Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, he showered Yinxiang with favor. Yinxiang did not disappoint him, handling all the Fourth Prince's affairs impeccably. Moreover, Yinxiang was extremely adept at maintaining proper boundaries between ruler and subject, showing no arrogance or pride, dedicating himself wholeheartedly to the cause until his death.
The Fourteenth Prince, Yinzhen, failed in his bid for the throne, but ultimately, because he was the Fourth Prince's full brother, the Fourth Prince spared his life. During the Yongzheng era, he was sent to guard the imperial tombs. Although he was frustrated and unfulfilled, it wasn't exactly imprisonment, as the scenery near the tombs was quite beautiful, and he lived a relatively comfortable life. He also lived a long life, passing away in the twentieth year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign.
Looking at these princes, whose genes were so superior that they inspired envy, Lanqin felt a surge of emotion. In royalty, there are no fathers and sons, no brothers. If they hadn't been born into royalty, perhaps things wouldn't be like this.
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