"Fourth Prince, I am thinking that you take Consort Lan and Imperial Physician Meng back to Jinan. Her poisoning is so severe that she cannot continue to accompany me," Kangxi said with a stern face.
Ah, is Holland in grave danger? Wasn't she already fine? How could she be poisoned again? Could it be her? Lanqin silently pondered to herself, unconsciously glancing at Consort Hui beside her. She saw that Consort Hui was frowning, her expression very distressed. If Lanqin hadn't suspected anything, she would have truly believed that Consort Hui was worried about Holland.
Perhaps sensing that someone was watching her, Consort Hui looked towards Lanqin. The two quickly looked away, but both felt a little uneasy at the other's gaze.
"Yes, Father Emperor, I will take the people from the Fourth Prince's residence to escort Consort Lan to Jinan for treatment. Please do not worry, Father Emperor," the Fourth Prince replied with a bow.
"You may all leave. I have a bit of a headache and need to rest for a while," Kangxi said, supporting his forehead with one hand.
After the three men bowed and left the imperial tent, they went their separate ways to their own tents.
"Master, will my sister die?" Lanqin asked worriedly. On this very day, Holland's life and death had taken several turns, leaving Lanqin completely bewildered. Although she knew that life in the inner quarters would not be peaceful, since transmigrating, she had never truly come into contact with those dark and dangerous aspects, and had been living her quiet life under the deliberate protection of the Fourth Master.
"Probably not, Lan'er. You go back first. I have something to discuss with Father Emperor." The Fourth Prince suddenly stopped and patted Lanqin's shoulder.
"My lord, I suspect it's Consort Hui! She's the biggest beneficiary of this whole affair, and she was with me when my sister was poisoned. I remember now, when Suoqiu, who was beside her, handed me a cup of tea, she spilled it, and then pulled me to clean up the water and tea leaves. Consort Hui was alone with my sister during that time. Could she have taken advantage of that moment to poison her?" Lanqin recalled watching many palace dramas where the culprit was often the most unexpected person. From miscarriage to poisoning, it all happened within a single day. The initial suspect was Yan Yu, but then things became increasingly complicated.
"I understand. I will tell Father Emperor to keep an eye on it. Don't overthink it. Go back. Don't tell anyone about this again, understand?" The Fourth Prince's eyes flashed with a starlight after he finished listening to Lanqin's account, but it was too dark for Lanqin to see.
Lanqin nodded, then helped Nianxue turn around and walk towards her tent.
The Fourth Prince watched that figure until it disappeared into the darkness before turning around and quickly walking back towards Kangxi's tent.
"Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince is requesting an audience!" Liang Jiugong saw that Kangxi was sitting there, motionless since they had just left. Now that the Fourth Prince had returned, there must be something on his mind. Liang Jiugong dared not delay and immediately spoke to Kangxi's profile.
"Let him in quickly!" Kangxi raised his head, looking at the entrance of the imperial tent, a hint of anticipation in his eyes. Although that anticipation was very faint, Liang Jiugong, who had followed Kangxi for nearly forty years, still caught it. He couldn't help but think to himself: It's as if this father and son had agreed beforehand.
"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty!" The Fourth Prince stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said.
"Why have you come?" Kangxi asked.
"Didn't Father Emperor send me?" Fourth Prince said, looking into Kangxi's eyes.
"You actually understood what I meant, Fourth Prince, very good!" A smile finally appeared on Kangxi's lips. He had deliberately said that he wanted the Fourth Prince to escort the Dutch back to Jinan, and it was this statement that told the Fourth Prince that Kangxi's previous words were not true. Before this trip, Kangxi had told the Fourth Prince that he would definitely accompany him to Yulin, Shaanxi.
When the Fourth Prince heard that Emperor Kangxi had ordered him to escort the Dutch to Jinan, he began to wonder: Had Emperor Kangxi forgotten what he had said before? As he followed Lanqin towards the tent, he continued to ponder whether Emperor Kangxi's words were true or false. When Lanqin voiced her doubts, the Fourth Prince suddenly had a flash of insight and finally understood Emperor Kangxi's intentions. Therefore, he returned.
"Your Majesty, I am foolish and have been thinking for a long time before coming to see you. I apologize for keeping you waiting!" The Fourth Prince also smiled, and the expressions of the father and son were remarkably similar. Liang Jiugong didn't know what kind of riddle the imperial father and son were playing, but seeing their smiles, he finally felt a little more at ease. So much had happened that day.
"Tomorrow, you will escort the Dutch back as I instructed, and you will also take five hundred men with you. Do you understand?" Kangxi said.
"Father, I don't need to bring so many people. I only brought three thousand guards with me when I came out. If I take so many people away at once, I'm afraid it will be disadvantageous for you." The Fourth Prince couldn't help but worry when he saw that Kangxi was confident.
"What, you don't trust me? I want to see what Cao Peining is up to." Kangxi's smile vanished.
Consort Cao!
Liang Jiugong was secretly shocked. He had been in the Forbidden City for forty or fifty years, yet he still hadn't figured out this woman's methods!
"How did Father Emperor suspect Consort Cao?" Fourth Prince said, "In fact, he had doubts about Consort Cao from the very beginning. It was because Fourteenth Prince had told him that he had seen Consort Cao's maid, Suoqiu, lingering near Consort Lan's carriage early in the morning."
“My spies discovered her contact with the outside world, so I have been keeping an eye on her,” Kangxi said. “Moreover, someone saw that Suoqiu put something in the horse’s feed and then gave the horse water.”
After hearing this, the Fourth Prince felt a chill slowly creep up his spine. Secret agents! Those who always hid around the emperor, never revealing their true identities, and who reported directly to him. They were forever shrouded in shadow, capable of infiltrating anywhere and killing anyone. No vetting was required; they reported directly to the emperor.
Consort Lan was poisoned; was it all arranged by the Emperor?
The Fourth Prince pondered inwardly, but asked aloud, "Should I secretly follow her? In fact, Consort Lan can reach Jinan without my escort."
Kangxi shook his head and said, "Don't worry, even without the five hundred men you brought, I can figure out her intentions. You can set off first thing tomorrow morning."
The Fourth Prince nodded in agreement, and when he saw Emperor Kangxi wave his hand, he bowed and withdrew.
When Fourth Master returned to Lanqin's tent, Little Princess was already fast asleep, but there was a hint of worry in her eyes.
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