"Father, I accept the punishment. I will go back immediately and personally apologize to all the noble ladies."
After saying that, Hongzhou got up to go back.
"return."
Yinzhen shook his head helplessly:
"You, spending every day with your fourth brother, should learn to be more mature. Let's leave it at that this time, but don't let it happen again. Go back and copy the Four Books. I'll check your work whenever you're done."
"yes."
Yinzhen then smiled and had Geng Youran set up a chessboard. While playing chess with Hongzhou, he instructed Geng Youran to go and prepare some food.
Qianxue and Xiao Anzi helped Geng Youran pack the ingredients while talking to their princess.
"Princess, it seems the Prince likes our prince quite a bit."
Geng Youran kept cutting eggplant into strips with her hands while talking to Qianxue and the others:
"Of the three children in our household, Hongzhou is the most mischievous. Although Hongli is more like a prince in temperament, perhaps that's why Hongzhou's special qualities caught their attention."
“Princess, I feel that you are different from other mothers.”
"Oh? Tell me about it."
Qianxue put down the meat filling she had prepared and took out the dough to knead it.
"Most other mothers are worried about their children being alone with their fathers. Especially concubines, who are afraid that their children will say something wrong and anger their fathers. But you, you come here to cook, while the young prince and the prince play chess alone in the room."
Geng Youran looked at Qianxue with concern:
"Qianxue, are you thinking about your younger brother?"
Qianxue's younger brother was born to a concubine. He was not loved because he was weak and sickly from childhood. Later, he was beaten to death for saying the wrong thing.
"Princess, don't worry, I'm fine, it's all over now."
Geng Youran patted Qianxue's hand to comfort her, and then said:
“After all, I am Hongzhou’s mother, so I naturally favor him. However, the Prince’s mansion is different from ordinary people’s mansion. These young princes will be in charge of the people’s food, clothing and housing when they grow up. If I keep protecting Hongzhou, he will never grow up and will make more and more mistakes.”
“Princess, our prince is not that kind of child.”
Geng Youran shook her head, thinking to herself that no one can predict what will happen in the future.
About an hour later, the group had finished preparing the meal.
"Your Highness, these dishes were all sent from our farm, and they are all seasonal. There's braised eggplant, willow-leaf chives, stewed beef shank, cold cowpea salad, and in the middle are wontons made with winter melon shreds. They're all home-style dishes, please don't find them too simplistic."
"Mom, didn't you say you also made braised beef?"
Helpless, Geng Youran asked Qianxue to cut some braised beef for him.
Looking at Hongzhou, who was enjoying his meal at the table, and then at Geng Youran, who was constantly serving food to him and Hongzhou, Yinzhen suddenly had the illusion that he was just an ordinary person.
Unfortunately, it was just an illusion.
"Damn it, has Erlund lost his mind? After leading troops for so many years, he still managed to let Dzungardan surround them!"
On this day, Emperor Kangxi, who was reviewing memorials in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, received a war report from Tibet: General Erlunde led his army into Tibet to drive out the Dzungar forces, but unfortunately suffered a complete annihilation.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. You've only just recovered a few days ago; you mustn't get angry again."
"Let the fourth prince enter the palace."
"Yes, sir."
After Yinzhen entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Kangxi ordered someone to present him with memorials.
"Look at this! This is the result of all this preparation for war. That Erlend has ruined my plans!"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. After this battle, the morale of the army must be low. We should try our best to stabilize the morale of the army and make sure that no more trouble occurs."
Kangxi waved his hand wearily:
"Then I'll leave this matter to you."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey your command."
Yinzhen left the Hall of Mental Cultivation and prepared to return to his residence, and Wei Zhu followed him.
"Fourth Prince, please wait."
"Eunuch Wei? What is it?"
"Fourth Prince, Consort De requests your presence."
Yinzhen's face stiffened for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
"In that case, I will go and pay my respects to Mother. Gao Wuyong, let's go."
Meanwhile, Consort De in Yonghe Palace was also tidying up.
"Your Highness, our people have already informed Eunuch Wei. If Eunuch Wei sees the Fourth Prince, he will surely invite him over."
Consort De snorted, harboring many grievances against her son.
“Every time he comes to pay his respects, he just brings some gifts as a formality, as if to tell the Emperor how filial his son is. But every time I ask him about the Fourteenth Prince, he always keeps quiet. On the contrary, the Eighth Prince is more attentive and tells me about the Fourteenth Prince from time to time.”
The people inside had no idea that Yinzhen was listening at the door.
Standing to the side, Gao Wuyong was sweating profusely, thinking to himself, "Your Majesty, you can't say things like that!"
Some of the clever servants around him wanted to go in and report, but Gao Wuyong stopped them all.
Yinzhen stood and listened for a while, then turned and left.
On the way back to the manor, Yinzhen kept touching the hairpin he had intended to give to his mother, which was tucked in his sleeve. After returning home, he handed the hairpin to Gao Wuyong.
"Give this hairpin to the Imperial Household Department and have them remelt it and make it into the shape of a magnolia. Use it as a birthday gift for the Princess Consort."
"Yes, sir."
While observing his master's expression, Gao Wuyong carefully accepted the hairpin.
"Sir, the steward just said that Princess Yun invited the imperial physician today, apparently because she's feeling unwell. Would you like to go and see her?"
"Let me finish reading these memorials. Oh, by the way, I remember that last time Father Emperor bestowed upon me a fine Korean ginseng and a piece of warm jade. Find them as well."
"Yes, sir."
In the evening, after finishing his work, Yinzhen sent Gao Wuyong with the ginseng and Nuanyu to Yunhui's courtyard.
Upon arriving at the door, she overheard Greenery urging Yunhui to eat.
"Princess, please have just one bite. You've only drunk some water since this morning and haven't eaten anything. What are we going to do?"
"Green Field, it's not that I don't want to eat, it's just that I really have no appetite. Go and brew the medicine, I'll just drink it later."
"...yes."
As soon as Luyin stepped out, she saw Yinzhen and Gao Wuyong about to enter.
"This servant greets Your Highness. May Your Highness be blessed."
Yinzhen glanced at the useless bowl of chicken soup in Luyin's hand, then went inside.
"Your Highness, may you be blessed."
Yinzhen quickly helped the frail Yunhui to her feet:
"If you're not feeling well, there's no need for so much formality. What, did the servants say you weren't feeling well today and even summoned the imperial physician?"
"Which servant has been so talkative as to bother you? I'm fine, it's just that the child is being a bit fussy."
"It's already summer, why are your hands still so cold? Gao Wuyong, bring the things up."
"Yes, sir."
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