June arrived in the blink of an eye, and Emperor Kangxi, along with his concubines, princes, and their families, went to the Chengde Imperial Palace.
Because the eleventh prince, Yinzhi, and the thirteenth prince were in poor health, Consort Yi and Consort Min remained in the Forbidden City.
Inside the carriage, Hongxi sat on a cushion, playing with the music box that Yinzhen had given him.
His focused expression led Yinreng to believe that the brat was completely absorbed in something.
Oh, when will I grow up quickly enough to ride horses?
Ugh, I don't want to play with these childish toys anymore.
"Alright, let me play for a while. After all, I'm only a little over a year old. If I were to read strategy books now, it would probably scare my father to death."
While reading, Yinreng listened to Hongxi's complaints and mentally joined in the complaints.
When will Hongxi grow up? I really want to send him to the palace school as soon as possible, and then watch him study every night to see if he still wants to grow up quickly.
After thinking about it for a while with a wicked sense of humor, Yinreng stopped his wandering thoughts, mainly because the carriage had come to a stop.
According to custom, the carriage would only stop when Emperor Kangxi needed it.
Sure enough, a moment later He Yuzhu lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and said, "His Majesty has received an urgent message and has now summoned Suo'etu, Mingzhu, and Prince Yong to the carriage."
Yinreng found it strange.
If it's a major event in the court, why wasn't I summoned?
He was puzzled, but said nothing.
Hongxi, however, was internally complaining.
In my previous life, after a snowstorm in the south, there was a rainstorm. Will it be the same in this life?
Yinreng's brows furrowed even more deeply.
The carriage stopped for a full hour before resuming its journey, but throughout the entire process, Kangxi did not summon Yinreng.
Hongxi glanced at his father's expression and sighed as well.
Although this father is no longer as stubborn as in his previous life, and his relationship with his maternal grandfather has indeed improved considerably, the maternal grandfather is still a fickle person. The reason he didn't tell his father this time is probably because there have been some unfavorable rumors circulating in Suzhou, causing the maternal grandfather to have negative thoughts.
Yinreng rolled his eyes.
He did not go to Suzhou for disaster relief, but Lao Jiu and his team handled the matter very well.
No matter how you look at it, this can't be blamed on me.
As the crown prince, Father could have taken the initiative to ask Grandfather, which would have been better than this stalemate between father and son. Sometimes taking the initiative isn't about forcing things; it might be a sign of compromise.
Yinreng thought about it and felt that what he said made sense.
He picked up Hongxi and got off the carriage, then boarded Kangxi's carriage amidst the surprised gazes of the crowd.
At this moment, Emperor Kangxi was thinking about something with his eyes closed. When he felt the carriage stop, he was about to ask what was going on when the curtain was lifted and a chubby little boy appeared in front of him.
After only a slight pause, Kangxi pulled Hongxi into his arms, and then saw Yinreng, with his long arms and legs, board the carriage.
Kangxi asked with some confusion, "Baocheng, why did you suddenly come here?"
Yinreng didn't hesitate either. While adjusting himself into a comfortable sitting position, he jokingly said, "I saw that Father Emperor had finished discussing state affairs with those ministers before I dared to bring Hongxi over to see his grandfather."
Emperor Kangxi blushed at the sarcastic remark and scoffed, "What do you mean by 'secret discussion'? I just... thought you were trying to coax Hongxi, so I didn't call you over, afraid that too many people would frighten the child."
Don't use me as a shield; I'm not taking the blame for this.
"If that's the case, what did Father Emperor discuss with them?"
Kangxi felt that Yinreng had recently taken a really... risky approach.
In the past, she would have sulked alone. But now, she not only comes to him willingly, but also dares to question him.
Seeing that Kangxi remained silent, Yinreng raised an eyebrow. "Look at them, they're too scared to speak. And they still say it wasn't a secret discussion. Let me guess, they weren't discussing deposing the Crown Prince, were they?"
Liang Jiugong, who was on the carriage shaft, almost fell off.
Good heavens, they really dare to say anything.
Kangxi was so angry at Yinreng's nonsense that he couldn't speak for a long time. It was only when Hongxi hugged the old man's neck and kissed his cheek that Kangxi's attention was diverted.
"Grandpa is not angry, but Father is sad."
Kangxi asked in surprise, "Why are you sad?"
Who would dare to make Bao Cheng suffer?
"Father... I'm angry..."
Hongxi had a whole bunch of words in his head, but he just couldn't say them all at once.
Kangxi glanced at Yinreng and, seeing his awkward expression, immediately understood what was going on.
"Baocheng, it's about Suzhou. They sent an urgent message saying that some bridges have been washed away by the river, and judging from the current situation, there may be flooding."
Seeing that Kangxi had gotten to the point, Yinreng stopped being stubborn and asked, "What does Father Emperor mean?"
Emperor Kangxi sighed, “The Ninth Prince and the Fifth Prince handled the snow disaster. If we send them again now, their prestige will probably surpass yours. So I plan to send the Fourth Prince instead.”
Yinreng suddenly understood.
This is because they were afraid he wouldn't agree to the replacement, which is why they didn't discuss it with him.
Thinking of this, Yinreng felt a little embarrassed.
If he hadn't asked clearly, he would definitely have misunderstood his father.
"Father, the Ninth and Tenth Princes have handled their duties quite well during their time at the Ministry of Revenue. Moreover, with them around, a significant portion of those debts have been recovered. Most importantly, the national treasury is becoming increasingly abundant, and we will no longer easily worry about money."
My fourth uncle is known for his impartiality and incorruptibility; his involvement in disaster relief efforts might lead to conflicts with local officials.
Yinreng thought his son's words made sense and mentioned this view to Kangxi.
Kangxi said meaningfully, "Baocheng, you are able to get along well with your brothers because you are kind-hearted. They all seem to be very respectful to you now because they think I am keeping them in check, and also because they do not yet have the power to contend with you. The fourth prince is decisive and upright, and he is also a capable man."
Yinreng felt that Kangxi's words were not quite right, but he didn't know how to refute them for a moment.
"You should make him a knife in your hand, not a sword hanging over your neck."
Yinreng's body trembled, feeling as if those words had completely frozen him in place.
Kangxi did not continue the topic, but instead held Hongxi and teased him for a while.
Hongxi is over a year old and can snuggle obediently in Kangxi's arms, blinking his big eyes and looking around constantly.
Logically speaking, a child his age shouldn't be able to sit still, and might even get sleepy after playing for a while. But he was full of energy, so much so that he always wanted to run out and ride a horse.
Just then, a conversation between children could be heard outside the carriage.
"Twelfth Uncle, your riding skills are really good. Did the Emperor teach you?" A clear, melodious voice, like that of a nightingale, rang out, immediately attracting Hongxi's attention.
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