"I'll go myself," Yinzhen decided. He didn't care about anything else; he was only interested in the "thing nobody knows" that Nian Shi had mentioned, but he didn't want Qian Shengyan to take the risk.
Qian Shengyan also wanted to go. She hadn't seen Nian Shi for a long time and wondered what her current situation was and what secrets she held. She was very curious!
She understood Yinzhen's concerns, and looking at her own large pregnant belly, Qian Shengyan tugged at Yinzhen's sleeve and shook it: "I will stand far away and not touch her. I will just listen, okay?"
"No good." Yinzhen showed no mercy, brushing away her small hand that was clutching his, but then grasping it again. "Your due date is almost here, what are you doing running around like this?"
"No, there's still a month to go." Qian Shengyan grabbed his hand and shook it again, her voice unconsciously becoming lower and softer, "Go, go, I want to go..."
...After saying that, Qian Shengyan herself got goosebumps. Her coquettishness must be due to hormones, not because she likes to act cute.
That's right, that's exactly it.
Yinzhen had probably never seen anything like this before. He was stunned for a moment by Qian Shengyan's words, but he had already missed the best time to refuse, so he had no choice but to agree.
But he still couldn't help but repeatedly remind her: "Stay away, just take a lookâno, just stand outside the door, don't go in, and don't have any contact with her."
Qian Shengyan naturally agreed with "uh-huh," but her cunning eyes were darting around, clearly indicating that she might not necessarily listen.
After arranging things, Yinzhen, accompanied by eunuchs and guards, boarded a carriage with Qian Shengyan and left the palace.
The two left quietly, only informing Hongli before heading out in the evening. However, before they even saw Nian Shi, they encountered an unexpected scene.
Because the manor was in the suburbs of the capital, the carriage headed towards the city gate. However, not long after passing the bustling city center, Qian Shengyan, who had been peeking through the curtains, spotted a familiar figure.
She let out a soft "Huh?", which was naturally heard by Yinzhen, who was sitting beside her with his eyes closed, and he asked, "What's wrong?"
"Your Majesty, I think that looks like..." Qian Shengyan didn't know either, and she was a little embarrassed. "Actually, it's nothing. I'm just making a fuss over nothing."
"What?" Seeing her stammering, Yinzhen leaned closer to take a look, and then his expression changed, and he frowned deeply.
His reaction made Qian Shengyan even more panicked: "Well, the Third Prince is all grown up now, it's normal for him to have some close friends, isn't it..."
I feel like I'm the kind of hypocritical, tattling, and malicious person who's all innocent and scheming!
Qian Shengyan coughed lightly: "Hongli didn't attend class today. It was his day off, so the Third Prince went out of the palace to travel and visit friends..."
"You don't recognize who that is?" Yinzhen interrupted Qian Shengyan, frowning as he asked her.
Qian Shengyan was taken aback: "Who?"
"Yes, you haven't seen them, so how could you possibly know them?" Yinzhen sneered. "You think they're just children visiting friends and having fun, but you don't know..."
What do you mean? Who is it?
How come Yinzhen is so good at speaking in riddles!
Qian Shengyan wanted to ask him more questions, but Yinzhen continued to look out the window. Seeing this, Su Peisheng, who was serving nearby, knocked on the carriage and asked the driver to slow down.
Yinzhen watched the two men turn into the depths of the alley, his expression shifting between light and dark. After a moment, he ordered, "Send someone to follow the Third Prince and see what he's going to do."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Su Peisheng replied and jumped off the carriage. A moment later, he returned and said, "Your Majesty, I have already ordered people to follow them."
Yinzhen grunted an "Mmm" through his nose, but only closed his eyes and said nothing more.
The atmosphere in the carriage became strange for a moment. Qian Shengyan was a little uneasy. She wondered if she had been meddling in other people's business. After thinking for a moment, she turned to Su Peisheng for help.
Su Peisheng calmly lowered his eyes, seemingly unaware of Qian Shengyan's gaze, while his hand casually gestured an "eight" in front of him.
Eight? The eighth prince, Yinzhi?
It doesn't seem like it. He looks very young from the side, like a teenager. The age doesn't match up...
Qian Shengyan was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized!
This is not Yinzhi, this is Yinzhi's son!
Yinzhi had only one son, named Hongwang, who was born in the 47th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. He was three or four years younger than Hongshi, and should be about the same age as the boy we just saw.
Is he Lao Ba's son? How come he's with Hong Shi?
Qian Shengyan suddenly recalled the fate of Hongshi, who had his yellow sash taken away, and couldn't help but wonder if this matter was also related to Yinzhi.
No wonder Yinzhen was so annoyed with Yinsi. This man was like an unkillable cockroach, jumping around from the Kangxi era to the Yongzheng era. Even after his hopes of succeeding to the throne were dashed, he still didn't forget to stir up trouble.
This guy is really something. What does he want? He doesn't even care about his own well-being, does he just want to cause trouble for others?
But what good would it do to go against the emperor?
Just like Empress Wuya, she made a mess of things and didn't gain any benefits. What's wrong with being an empress dowager in peace?
After much deliberation, Qian Shengyan guessed that these people's perception of Yinzhen hadn't changed yet.
Uya felt that this was her eldest son, whom she could manipulate at will, and Yinzhi felt that this was still the same aloof and taciturn fourth brother. However, they forgot that Yinzhen was now the emperor, holding the power of life and death. Even if he couldn't do anything to you openly, it would be very easy for him to make things difficult for you.
Qian Shengyan sighed for these stubborn people who were going against the emperor, and then sighed for Hongshi, that silly boy, what a blockhead, being played like a fool without even realizing it. Your father is the emperor now, why don't you just try to curry favor with him?
As the carriage left the city gate, it gradually grew dark. Qian Shengyan was initially worried about the capital's gate restrictions, but then she thought, "The emperor is sitting in the carriage now, so what is there to be afraid of?"
Upon arriving at the village, the carriage drove directly onto a narrow road, winding its way through several turns before finally stopping in a secluded spot.
Qian Shengyan helped Yinzhen out of the carriage, looked up at the tiled house in front of her, and knew that Yinzhen had given Nian Shi enough face and probably provided her with a good life.
But once inside, Qian Shengyan's thoughts changed somewhat. This was really just a slightly better farmhouse. It couldn't compare to the palace or the Old Summer Palace, or even the imperial estate where one could once enjoy hot springs.
An old woman respectfully led them silently to the entrance of the main house, then stood to the side with her hands at her sides, not intending to go in.
Yinzhen wasn't in the mood for that either, and simply gestured for Su Peisheng to open the door.
As soon as the door opened, a strong smell of medicine wafted out of the room, masked by an unmistakable odor of vomit, which was quite unpleasant.
Qian Shengyan almost gagged, and Yinzhen pulled her back a few steps.
"She refused to eat, and fearing something might happen to her, I forced her to eat a bowl of porridge, but she vomited it all up..." the old woman quickly explained, "She's also caught a cold, and we haven't dared to open the windows for ventilation, so the smell is a bit unpleasant. Please forgive us, Your Excellency."
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