Days passed, and with the cleanup completed, Kyoto returned to peace.
But not long after, the capital city became lively again.
Because now everyone has the time and energy to ponder the vacant position of crown prince.
The princes and noblemen who aspired to sit in that position felt as if the throne of the crown prince was beckoning to them.
Who could resist? Even the Fourth Prince couldn't.
In the imperial court, there was back and forth, but as the days went by, the Fourth Prince gradually came to his senses. With the help of his advisors' analysis, he realized that not fighting was the best form of fighting.
He was so eager to get that position that he made trouble with his brothers in the court, but he couldn't get anything done and he didn't get any favors from his father, the emperor.
Moreover, the Fourth Master also disliked this kind of life. He preferred a life filled with practical matters rather than constant verbal sparring.
So he resumed his reclusive lifestyle and would occasionally visit the Old Summer Palace or stay at the manor for a while.
This attitude and style were met with disdain by the princes who coveted the throne.
If you don't actively try to impress the emperor among all the princes, how can you make the court officials see your firm resolve to seize the throne and gain their support?
However, the Fourth Prince's attitude gave Kangxi a rare moment of comfort and also made him think more highly of him.
However, what the Fourth Master's followers didn't know was that some ambitious ones, seeing the Fourth Master's usual carefree and unconventional lifestyle, couldn't resist the urge to switch allegiance and join another master.
For example, Nian Gengyao of the Nian family.
Nian Gengyao was quite talented. The Fourth Prince had taken notice of him. Among the Fourth Prince's brothers, those who were vying for the throne and those who were wary of the Fourth Prince, they had also paid attention to him.
Among them was the Eighth Prince, Yinzhi. At first, he only paid attention to him and did not think about winning him over. After all, the other party was a subordinate of the Fourth Prince and was labeled as Prince Yong from his birth.
But his concubine, Lady Wang, told him that this man was very talented in military affairs and had the Fourth Prince Yong as his backer, so he would definitely be able to make a name for himself in military affairs.
This means that Prince Yong had the opportunity and possibility to come into contact with and control a portion of the military force.
This played a significant role in the struggle for the throne.
He didn't care how she knew about Nian Gengyao; he only knew that as long as she didn't harm him and thought of him as a better person, that was enough.
Moreover, Lady Wang was quite farsighted in politics. She had foreseen that the Emperor's recommendation of the Crown Prince was a trap. She didn't believe it at the time, but in the end, she was the one who was most severely trapped.
Therefore, he decided to believe what Wang said.
Moreover, upon careful consideration, he realized that if Nian Gengyao were allowed to work under his fourth brother, then such a development trend was indeed possible.
He absolutely will not allow it.
Originally, he thought that if he couldn't have her, he would destroy her.
Unexpectedly, the other party was also considering switching sides. And the person he had his eye on was none other than himself.
If we could pry him away from Fourth Master, it would be equivalent to crippling Fourth Brother's arm. Moreover, our side would also have the opportunity to get involved in military affairs and seize military power.
Moreover, the chances are quite good, after all, there aren't many people who understand military affairs and can command troops.
It's a pity that Nian Gengyao was a disciple of the Fourth Prince. If he had joined someone else, even if he had been favored and given important responsibilities, his father, the Emperor, would definitely not have liked him for betraying his master.
It is estimated that Nian Gengyao's life was even worse than it is now.
For a time, both the Eighth Prince Yinzhi and Nian Gengyao were thinking about how to win over (or submit to) the other without jeopardizing their own futures.
Fourth Master established the Sticky Rod Office a long time ago, and over the years, the Sticky Rod Office under his control has become increasingly powerful.
Nian Gengyao was someone he had his eye on. He had someone keep an eye on him for a while, with no other intention than to secretly observe him.
Who knew that he would discover his ambition and his restlessness, and that he actually wanted to join forces with Lao Ba.
Fourth Master sneered, "Want to pledge allegiance to Eighth Prince? Very well, I'll grant your wish."
Perfect timing! I have something that's been giving me a headache and is proving difficult to handle. This time, I'll resolve it all at once.
In the fifty-third year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, it was another year for the imperial concubine selection.
In the Yong Prince's Mansion, Li, the concubine of the Pear Courtyard, and Ulanara, the wife of the Duan Courtyard, couldn't help but think of Nian, the concubine who had participated in the selection this year and was bestowed into the mansion.
Li was curious, wary, and somewhat expectant of Nian, the woman who was said to be the Fourth Prince's most beloved.
She was somewhat looking forward to the other party entering the manor, and then, she would gain the upper hand over the Guarjia clan from the Peach Courtyard.
However, she was also somewhat worried, after all, history had changed, and a woman from the Guarjia clan who had never appeared before had entered the household, given birth to two sons, and become a secondary consort.
Niohuru entered the backyard of a certain member of the imperial clan.
As for Lady Geng, who originally had a son, she was implicated by Lady Hesheli. She was already out of favor, but now she is completely out of favor, and the master doesn't even visit her anymore.
As for Hesheli, who has never appeared, she now only has the title of concubine and is not favored at all.
Since the master returned from contracting the plague, although the two of them had their confinement lifted, the fourth master treated them like they were invisible, as if he couldn't see them.
She was somewhat worried that Nian's fate had changed after she entered the manor. It wouldn't be so bad if it had gotten worse, but it would be even worse if she had given birth to a series of children who all survived.
For a moment, Li thought about many things and didn't know what to do with Nian.
Should they intervene to prevent her from ever entering Prince Yong's residence again, or should they follow history?
As for Consort Ulanara, she had very complicated feelings about Nian, who had been pretentious and always trying to humiliate her.
She wanted the stunningly beautiful Lady Nian to enter the manor and share the favor with Lady Guarjia, who had recently become the sole favorite, but she also didn't want to see her face, which, although beautiful, she never wanted to see again.
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