"What did you say? The Fourteenth Prince is injured?"
"Your Majesty, it is absolutely true. This morning, I accidentally spilled some water, and when I was getting more water, I happened to overhear Eunuch Wei Zhu and Eunuch Xi, who serves Consort Yi, talking about this."
“Wei Zhu is a person close to the Emperor, second only to Liang Jiugong in rank, so the information he received is naturally accurate. No, I must see the Emperor.”
As she spoke, Consort De suddenly stood up and started to walk out.
Yunzhu quickly stopped her:
"Your Majesty, you mustn't! His Majesty has decreed that you must stay in Yonghe Palace. Without His Majesty's written order, you cannot go anywhere."
"Let me go! I need to find the Emperor and find out exactly where the Fourteenth Prince is injured, and how serious it is! Yunzhu, let go!"
Yunzhu knelt directly at the door:
"Your Majesty, either you kill me, or you go back and wait for news from the Fourteenth Prince!"
"Yunzhu, this is insubordination!"
In fact, after being frightened by Yunzhu, Consort De gradually calmed down.
She was indeed impulsive.
If I had actually rushed out just now, I might have harmed the fourteenth prince.
"Yunzhu, get up."
Seeing Consort De walking back, Yunzhu slowly got up.
Upon entering the room, Consort De first fetched the medicine, then called Yunzhu to her side:
"You little rascal, you've got some nerve. Does your hand still hurt?"
Just now, when Yunzhu rushed to the door and turned around to kneel down, she accidentally scraped her palms and knees.
"Your Majesty, this little injury is nothing. The Fourteenth Prince has been kind to me, and I promised to take good care of you."
Consort De found Yunzhu's appearance even more pleasing to the eye.
"You're such an honest girl. Take this medicine and apply it on time, or it will get worse."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Seeing that Consort De looked somewhat tired, Yunzhu helped her to bed to rest, and then picked up her needle and thread a short distance away to continue her embroidery.
At the same time, news of the Fourteenth Prince's injury also reached the ears of the other princes.
"Thirteenth brother, do you have any more detailed information?"
"Fourth Brother, according to our people, Fourteenth Brother's injuries are not serious. Besides, since Father didn't say that Fourteenth Brother should step down to recuperate, he must be fine."
Yinzhen nodded.
Although he and the fourteenth prince did not get along, they were still brothers, and he still cared about them.
After discussing the Fourteenth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, Yinxiang, brought up issues concerning people's livelihood.
"Fourth Brother, do you have a solution to the tax problem?"
Upon hearing the word "taxes," Yinzhen's expression turned serious.
Since ancient times, taxation has been an important source of national revenue and a crucial issue concerning people's livelihood.
However, as the Qing Dynasty grew increasingly prosperous, corruption became a parasite that eroded the country.
Many officials, under the guise of taxation, plundered the people's wealth, and Yinzhen and Yinxiang also collected a lot of evidence.
"Fourth Brother, we have enough evidence. Do you think we should report it to Father Emperor during court tomorrow?"
Yinzhen didn't speak, but turned around and thought about it carefully before nodding.
"Having evidence of corruption by those corrupt officials is not enough; we need to come up with practical and feasible policies."
Therefore, Yinzhen and Yinxiang stayed in the study until evening.
With the matter mostly settled, Yinxiang stood up and stretched a bit, while Yinzhen rubbed his tired eyes.
"Fourth Brother, now that we've reached a consensus, I'll head back now."
Yinzhen stopped him:
"You've been keeping me company all day, have dinner here before you go back."
Yinxiang nodded casually; after all, he often ate at his fourth brother's place.
"Gao Wuyong, go and tell Master Geng that the master and the thirteenth prince will be having dinner at her place later, and ask her to make preparations."
"Yes, sir."
Gao Wuyong hurriedly headed towards Geng Youran, and on the way he encountered Qingyan, who was beside Nian Yunrong.
"Hello, Eunuch Gao."
"Hello, Miss Qingyan."
"Where are you going, Father-in-law?"
Gao Wuyong didn't tell the truth. He just casually said, "The prince has something to discuss with Lady Geng," and then left.
Qingyan then told her concubine the news.
"Why is it her again? The Prince has only entered the inner courtyard of the Prince's mansion seven or eight times this month, and half of those visits were to Consort Geng's place. What tricks has Consort Geng used to make the Prince so obsessed with her?"
Qingyan cautiously responded from the side:
"Consort, please don't be angry yet. There is something more important right now."
"What's up?"
Hearing Qingyan mention 'more important matters,' Nian Yunrong temporarily suppressed her jealousy and listened to Qingyan's explanation.
"Consort, it's been six or seven days since the First Lady was released from confinement, but she hasn't left the house or asked us to come and pay our respects. Do you think something might have happened to her?"
Nian Yunrong pursed her lips.
"Don't worry, when I visited last time, the Fujin was in good health. Speaking of which, I'm a little surprised. Do you think Consort Li can really be so magnanimous? The Fujin's courtyard is kept clean and tidy, and the house is spotless."
Qingyan also found it strange.
"No, Qingyan, have someone keep a close eye on Consort Li. I feel this matter isn't so simple. Let me know immediately if anything seems amiss."
"yes."
Nian Yunrong was indeed quite clever, but unfortunately she only guessed half of it correctly, so it was actually useless for her to have someone keep an eye on Li Jingshu.
All the people arranged by Li Jingshu had entered the Fujin's courtyard, and Zhu Qing among them had become the Fujin's new head maid.
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
