Chapter 21: Encountering Lao Shi's Salty Fish Team...
They didn't linger in Cining Palace for too long. After finishing his snacks, Yin'e played with Yinqi's toys for a while before the Consort took Yin'e away.
On the way back to Yongshou Palace, Yin'e was a little disappointed.
He did meet Empress Xiaozhuang, and she had a strong presence, but she didn't give off a dignified feeling, nor did she show any wisdom. This made Yin'e, who wanted to meet a female politician who would be remembered in history, somewhat disappointed.
But Yin'e quickly realized why this was the case; he was now Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's great-grandson. In front of the younger generation, and in such a harmonious and joyful setting, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, enjoying the company of her grandchildren, was naturally a kind and gentle old woman, and would not reveal the dignity and vicissitudes honed by the years.
And then there's Yinqi... Yin'e really liked this fifth brother. In some ways, Yin'e even regarded Yinqi as his idol and a role model.
The Fifth Prince, Yinqi, will turn five this December. He can only speak Mongolian and knows nothing about Manchu or Chinese. Compared to Prince Juan, Yinzhen, who was also five years old last December but started studying in the Imperial Study earlier, Yinqi is the epitome of the "laissez-faire" type, a born lazy bum.
For Yin'e, who also wanted to give up and do nothing, Yinqi was his role model, his example, a guiding light, and a beacon in the darkness.
Yin'e was determined to follow Yinqi's example. He would resolutely resist the involution of competition, and if he could lie down, he would never strive; if he could be a lazy bum, he would never work hard.
Yin'e unilaterally announced that he and Yinqi had formed the Salted Fish Team. Their motto was to lie down when they could, to give up when they could, that there was no future in being lazy, that a Buddhist-style life was the most enjoyable, and that personal happiness was the most important thing.
Emperor Kangxi had high expectations for his princes, requiring them to study diligently 37/360 days a year. However, with Yinqi leading the way, the pressure on Yin'e, who was more of a slacker, would likely be less.
After all, with the precedent of Yinqi, it's likely that Kangxi was already calm when it was his turn. His mental fortitude had been honed to a high level, and he recognized the diversity of his princes, no longer demanding that all of them be both literate and martial, virtuous and talented.
Thinking of this, Yin'e seemed to see his future happy life where he wouldn't have to worry about anything, and couldn't help but smile happily.
Seeing Yin'e smiling so happily, the Consort felt a pang of sadness. She had assumed that it was his first time going out and that was why he was so happy. She couldn't help but regret that she had kept Yin'e too tightly under control in the past.
With a sigh, the Imperial Concubine thought to herself: Even if Yin'e is too young to go too far, it's always possible to take him to visit Yikun Palace. Yongshou Palace and Yikun Palace are right next to each other, and she is on good terms with Consort Yi. Yin'e is also about the same age as Yin'tang, making them the most suitable neighbors to visit.
Yin'e is a prince, a boy, so he can't be raised to be too introverted or too delicate.
The Imperial Concubine used to want to keep Yin'e confined in Yongshou Palace and put him under her protection.
But seeing how happy Yin'e is now, she decided to relax the restrictions on him appropriately in the future. As long as his safety is guaranteed, he can do whatever he wants and go wherever he wants.
After passing through the Moon Gate and entering the Western Six Palaces, before they even returned to Yongshou Palace, Yin'e and the Consort saw several palace servants standing at the foot of the palace wall near Qianqing Palace in the Western Six Palaces.
The child surrounded in the middle, with a long face and an unhappy expression, was none other than the Ninth Prince, Yin Tang, born to Consort Yi of Yikun Palace.
It turns out that Consort Yi experienced severe morning sickness during her pregnancy, making her pregnancy very difficult.
Unable to care for Yin Tang and not wanting him to have much contact with Consort Guo Luoluo, she ordered her wet nurse to take Yin Tang out to play, so as not to leave him in Yikun Palace and give Consort Guo Luoluo an opportunity to take advantage of him.
The wet nurse originally planned to take Yinzhen to play in the Imperial Garden, but after walking for a short while, Yinzhen complained that it was too far and insisted on going back.
The wet nurse dared not disobey Consort Yi's orders, and unable to appease Yinzhen, the group remained deadlocked not far from Yikun Palace.
Now, the Imperial Concubine and Yin'e have returned from paying their respects at Cining Palace. The two sides met face to face on the palace path with its red walls and green tiles. They could not pretend not to see each other and simply ignore each other.
No one knows what Yinzhen's wet nurse said, but Yin'e saw Yinzhen, who had been looking unhappy with a sullen face, tilt his head and then walk towards them on his own initiative.
At one year and two months old, Yinzhen walks very steadily, but because he is wrapped up like a ball, his little body waddles as he walks, just like a little penguin.
When they got closer, Ninth Prince Yinzhen no longer had a sullen face.
His delicate features and adorable face were adorned with a sweet smile. His slightly upturned phoenix eyes sparkled with a lively and clever expression. Apart from their appearances, the honest and simple Fifth Prince did not resemble each other much, and it was impossible to tell that the two were brothers from the same father and mother.
Whether it was taught by his wet nurse or not, Yinzhen bowed to the Imperial Concubine in a seemingly proper manner and greeted her in a childish voice, "Greetings, Imperial Concubine."
Yin'e, who could no longer be held by the wet nurse, was put down by Wang Mama. He walked steadily to the side of the Consort and looked at Yin Tang with some surprise: He did not expect that the Ninth Prince was quite polite. He originally thought that the Ninth Prince was very naughty.
After all, when I first met Yinzhen, he was throwing a tantrum in Yikun Palace, leaving his wet nurse and others helpless; this time, he had a sullen face and was radiating an aura of unhappiness, making people wonder when he would sit down on the ground and start rolling around again.
Since Yinzhen politely greeted the Imperial Concubine, Yin'e naturally wouldn't be ignorant of etiquette either, disregarding the rules of seniority. So he awkwardly cupped his hands in greeting to Yinzhen, saying, "Greetings, Ninth Brother."
Yinzhen was stunned for a moment, looked up at his wet nurse, and then realized what was happening. He then cupped his hands to Yin'e and said, "Greetings, Tenth Brother."
After the two brothers finished exchanging greetings, they almost reenacted the scene that had just occurred in the Cining Palace: Yin'e and Yin'tang stood there staring at each other, waiting for the other to speak first and for each other to make their next move.
Yin'e: Why aren't you leaving yet? We're in a hurry to get home.
Yin Tang: I don't want to go to the Imperial Garden. Why is it different from what my wet nurse said? Why haven't she invited me to play there yet?
After a while, the real child, Yin Tang, couldn't hold back any longer.
He turned around and glared angrily at the wet nurse whose head was bowed low, then turned back to the Consort and Yin'e and said directly, "Consort, I don't want to go to the Imperial Garden."
After thinking for a moment, Yinzhen touched his stomach and said softly, "I'm hungry."
Although he didn't say it explicitly, Yinzhen's meaning was clear: he wanted to visit their home and go back with them.
...I take back what I just said about Yinzhen being well-mannered. Yin'e lowered his hand expressionlessly, his eyes utterly speechless: Is Ninth Prince Yinzhen trying to extort money? This must be an extortion attempt!
Yes, this place is very close to Yongshou Palace, but it is also very close to Yikun Palace.
What is Ninth Prince doing? Why isn't he going home and instead insisting on staying with them? Yin'e doesn't remember them being very familiar with Ninth Prince!
Or is it that, for children, other people's homes are just more interesting than their own, and that the grass is always greener on the other side?
Yin'e could not have imagined that Yin Tang was actually homeless and unattended. Yin Tang did not want to go to the Imperial Garden, but Consort Yi also forbade the wet nurse from taking Yin Tang back to Yikun Palace when she was unable to care for him.
Even if it weren't Consort Yi and Consort Yin'e appearing before Yin Tang now, but other concubines, Yin Tang would easily be "picked up"—of course, if the person who came wasn't Consort Yi, Yin Tang's wet nurse wouldn't even encourage Yin Tang to be "abducted," she wouldn't allow Yin Tang to have any contact with unfamiliar concubines at all.
Unaware that Yinzhen was currently in a pitiful state, Yin'e simply looked bewildered and speechless: "What's going on with the Ninth Prince and the Fifth Prince? Are they taking turns trying to befriend me? But the Ninth Prince's friendship isn't sincere at all; it's completely unreliable..."
The Imperial Concubine, who had just decided to stop overly restricting Yin'e, lowered her head and asked softly, "Yin'e, shall we invite the Ninth Prince to Yongshou Palace as a guest?"
Yin'e hesitated for a moment, feeling somewhat conflicted.
To be fair, Yin'e didn't really want to get close to the Ninth Prince, who would become the core of the Eighth Prince's faction in the future.
But he had just received a favor from the Fifth Prince at the Cining Palace and had even decided to become good friends with him. He couldn't just turn around and treat the Fifth Prince's own brother coldly. Even if he had no relationship with the Ninth Prince and could disregard favors, he still had to give the Fifth Prince some face.
Or... why don't we try to recruit Yinzhen into our "lazy bum" team while he doesn't know the Eighth Prince yet?
Yinzhen seems to be quite good at making money...
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