No one knows what happened in Yuqing Palace that night; all that is known is that Suo'etu was summoned to the palace overnight, and the lights in Yuqing Palace stayed on all night.
The number of patrolling guards was several times greater than usual, and even the lights in the Crown Princess's residence remained on all night. At dawn, a group of about a hundred people rode swiftly away from the capital.
When Hongxi woke up, he saw Guarjia's bloodshot eyes and haggard face.
Although there were many people standing inside the hall, they all looked as if they dared not even breathe loudly.
What happened?
Hongxi waved his little hands, trying to attract the attention of the palace servants. Sure enough, as soon as he reached out his hand, the wet nurse came forward and picked him up.
When Guarjia saw that he had woken up, she wiped her eyes, hugged him, and comforted him.
"What's wrong with Hongxi? Is he frightened?" Guarjia asked worriedly when she saw that Hongxi's usual smile was gone.
Wenying hurriedly advised, "I've heard that children have a particularly strong sense of their surroundings. The young prince probably sensed that the atmosphere was unusual, which is why he was a little scared."
Guarjia sighed, handed Hongxi back to the wet nurse, and instructed, "Take the little prince to play in the side hall."
Watching the wet nurse leave, Wenying and the others couldn't relax.
"Your Highness, what should we do?"
Guarjia looked out the window.
She was the Crown Princess of the Qing Dynasty, and also the wife of Yinreng.
He had to do the things he assigned him well, and at such a critical juncture, he absolutely could not hold anyone back.
"The situation is critical now. On the one hand, you must keep the servants of Yuqing Palace in check and make them keep their mouths shut. On the other hand, you must also pay close attention to the affairs of the inner palace. The Crown Prince's intention is not to mention this matter to the Old Ancestor."
Wen Ying's face fell. "How could this possibly be kept from the Ancestor?"
Guarjia raised her head, her worry and timidity gone, replaced by a look of high spirits.
"We'll keep it a secret as long as we can."
Inside the Mongolian camp.
It was a rare occasion that all the princes gathered in Kangxi's tent. Faka led his men to guard outside the tent, while Liang Jiugong stood trembling by the bedside.
What a terrible thing to do.
Yin Zhi said, "I have noticed that some tribes seem to be mobilizing troops recently. Although the scale of the movement is not large, something is still not right after careful investigation."
Yinzhen snorted, "Even if we confine their leader here, those people have sensed that something is wrong. They probably already guessed that the problem lies with Father Emperor."
"What should we do now? Father Emperor hasn't woken up yet. If we continue our tour here, something bad might happen. We should return to the capital as soon as possible."
Yinqi glanced at the tenth prince, "Do you think we can still return to the capital smoothly now?"
The eleventh brother looked shocked.
Seeing his innocent and adorable appearance, his brothers felt too ashamed to look at him.
They're all people who make a living in the palace, how come the tenth prince is still so brainless even though he's so old?
The scene fell silent instantly.
Yinti glanced at Kangxi, who lay on the bed with his eyes closed, and then at his brothers, whose expressions varied.
“We brothers used to fight a lot for that position in the palace. Not only did we fight among ourselves, but we also joined forces to undermine the Crown Prince. But now the situation is critical, and I hope that we brothers can put aside our scheming and get through this difficult time safely.”
Yinzhen suddenly looked up. "Brother, what do you want to do?"
Yinti pursed his lips. "I will arrange for Faka to protect Father Emperor as he returns to the capital tonight. Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Tenth Prince will also return. Officially, we'll say there's something in the capital that requires your attention."
"I heard that Lady Wanliuha is pregnant, so she will return with you. All the other concubines who accompanied you will stay behind to pretend that Father Emperor is still here. After you return safely to the Forbidden City, I will take everyone back."
"No!" Yinzhen stood up and objected as soon as Yinti finished speaking. His eyes were red as he looked at the brute he had always looked down on, his voice trembling. "You're courting death. If we leave first, the entire main force that came with us will leave. If the Mongols discover the truth, or if they have any intention of rebelling, you're finished. You'll be buried in Mongolia, do you understand?"
"I know!" Yinti was somewhat agitated. Seeing his younger brothers' sadness or tragic spirit only strengthened his resolve.
"I'm just informing you today, not discussing anything with you. Pack your things now and set off first thing tomorrow morning. Make sure to protect Father Emperor and get him back to the Forbidden City safely. If anyone dares to have any other ideas at this juncture, I won't let them off."
Yinzhen and the others wanted to say something, but in the end they chose to keep quiet.
Given the current situation, it would be a miracle if we could get the Emperor back safely. As for the safety of the others...
Yinzhen was silent for a moment, and finally said in a low voice, "Brother, I will bring Hongyu back to the manor and wait for your safe return."
Yinqi patted his shoulder, as if he had a thousand words to say. After a moment of silence, he said, "The second prince is soft-hearted, so you should help him. Father Emperor is very suspicious, so try not to provoke him. The eighth prince is cunning and resourceful, so if possible, try not to let him come out before the second prince takes the throne."
Yinzhen listened attentively, silently accepting the instruction.
Liang Jiugong looked at his master, who was pretending to be unconscious, with deep concern, silently praying that the other party would miraculously wake up before leaving to return to the capital.
Otherwise, things might really get out of control.
"The Emperor of the Great Qing is outside this tent. Who goes there? Get out of here at once..." Before Faka could finish speaking, the tent flap was suddenly flung open, and a figure in a black cloak rushed in.
Yinti instantly drew his sword and shouted, "Get out..."
Before he could finish speaking, the cloak was lifted, revealing a face that shouldn't have been there.
Upon recognizing the person, Liang Jiugong gasped in shock, silently lit a candle for Emperor Kangxi in his heart, and then knelt down.
"This servant greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Emperor Kangxi, who was still trying to figure out who the visitor was, froze when he heard the words "Your Highness the Crown Prince".
Without saying a word, Yinreng threw himself onto Kangxi's body, and before he could even call out "Father Emperor," he fainted.
Liang Jiugong, who was closest to him, turned pale and yelled, "His Highness the Crown Prince has fainted! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
Everyone rushed over in a flurry, only to see Kangxi, who had been unconscious for nearly a month, suddenly sit up, holding Yinreng and speaking in a trembling voice, "Baocheng, Baocheng, what's wrong with you? Where is the imperial physician? Quickly, summon the imperial physician."
Liang Jiugong glanced awkwardly at the princes who were still in shock, and watched as their expressions changed from shock, confusion, and bewilderment to anger. He could only helplessly cover his face.
Oh no, our master has really gotten himself into big trouble this time.
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