Just after midnight, the Yuanmingyuan Garden was bustling with activity. Yinzhen rose and had someone bring Qingyan's formal attire to the carriage. He then wrapped Qingyan in a blanket, carried her to the carriage, and let her sleep peacefully for a while. (Please search on Baidu for the most complete information!)
Since the distance from Yuanmingyuan to Ditan Park is quite far, staying at the Fourth Prince's residence would allow for a slower journey.
Both children, like Qingyan, were packed up and sent to the two carriages behind.
The carriage slowly moved along the Temple of Earth, but Qingyan was still fast asleep, completely unaware of her surroundings.
An hour later, the aroma of congee with preserved egg and lean pork wafted into Qingyan's nose. She opened her almond-shaped eyes, sat up wrapped in the quilt, and looked a little dazed.
"Fourth...Fourth..." Qingyan called out softly.
Yinzhen quickly put down the pen in his hand, walked around the screen, and went straight inside.
"Little darling, there's still more than half the journey left. Do you want to get up and have breakfast first, then we can do your hair and makeup later?" Yinzhen liked that Qingyan could dress more comfortably.
After a quick breakfast, she leaned against Yinzhen's shoulder and began reading a book, wondering if she should invite all the children over.
"The children are still asleep. What time is it?" Yinzhen said, pinching her little face.
Qingyan suddenly slapped his forehead. Yinzhen was right; it wasn't time for the children to get up yet.
After the two had breakfast, a disturbance began to occur at the front of the convoy, and the convoy gradually came to a stop.
Yinzhen held Qingyan in his arms and ordered Bayan to quickly go and watch over the children's carriage.
"Fourth Prince, are we going to delay the start of spring plowing?" Qingyan noticed that the group following Kangxi's entourage to the Temple of Earth was being watched.
Yinzhen shook his head: "No, the time calculated by the Imperial Observatory should not be delayed."
Half an hour passed, and the caravan was completely silent, as if frozen on the road. Dawn was slowly breaking, and Yinzhen frowned, trying to figure out what had happened ahead.
"Your Majesty, something has happened to the people in Mongolia. The Grand Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs has arrived," Erlu reported quickly as he approached Yinzhen's carriage.
Qingyan was taken aback. The Mongol leaders should have already left the capital. How come there were still people in the capital?
“Unlucky!” Yinzhen emphasized those three cold words.
The situation in Mongolia was rather strange. The tribal chiefs under Batumuhe left as scheduled, but the chiefs under the Right Wing Prince were not so easily willing to give up the prosperity of the capital.
Those princes who were silenced have all caused trouble in the capital and have even fallen ill. The leaders certainly don't want this matter to escalate, as Kangxi will definitely have an excuse to make trouble.
"The Right Wing Prince's men all need to be dealt with properly. Su Peisheng, go and summon Yiken'e and Batu Buhe." Yinzhen sighed. Kangxi should summon them all soon.
The princes were all accompanied by their principal wives, and upon hearing this, Yinzhi was the most flustered.
Although the Tenth Prince's wife's family had no connection with the tribes surrounding the Right Wing Prince, any noblewoman from the Mongol banners had to keep a low profile at this time.
Later, Yiken'e, dressed in a royal blue prince's everyday clothes, and Batubuhe, who had changed into a royal blue Mongolian robe, entered one after the other.
Yinzhen pointed to the cushions and asked the two to sit down. He then asked Sulan to bring over breakfast. During the meal, Yinzhen explained the details to the two.
"Father, will the Emperor allow us to pass?" Yiken'e is getting better.
Yinzhen nodded: "That should be the case. Batu Buhe, make your position clear and do not get involved with the Right Wing Prince's tribe."
"Yes!" Batubuhe calmed down now. Just now, Huricha had whispered to him that the leaders of the Left Wing Prince's tribe had all left the Court of Colonial Affairs early.
After breakfast, the two quietly chatted with Yinzhen, while Qingyan sat beside him and began embroidering a purse. She personally prepared all the purses for the children.
"Mother, is this purse for Batu Buhe?" Yiken tilted her head, looking at Qingyan's purse, which was actually embroidered with silver thread.
Qingyan laughed and said, "That's right, Batubuhe only has a few purses, and today's one is even somewhat in the same color as his everyday clothes."
Yinzhen and his son Yiken'e looked at Batu Buhe's purse, and just as Qingyan had said, it really was 'suitable'.
As the family gathered around the table and began to speak, Li Dequan's voice came from outside the carriage, telling Yinzhen's family to come over, while Hutulifengsheng Zhalafen Gege could remain inside the carriage.
Qingyan looked at Yinzhen in astonishment: "Even I'm going?"
Yinzhen became worried. Could it be that some female relatives had gone there?
"Be careful." Yinzhen led the children off the carriage, while Qingyan removed the ruby pomegranate tassel from her temple and took a string of pink pearl tassels from her jewelry box before getting off the carriage as well.
Walking slowly forward from behind, Qingyan saw that the princes and their wives had all been summoned and a large bright yellow tent had been erected in the middle of the road.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, what's wrong?" Fifth Princess Consort approached Qingyan and asked kindly.
Qingyan shook her head, saying it was best not to offer any opinions before clarifying the situation.
Upon hearing the Fifth Princess's words, the Third Princess Consort revealed a mocking smile. The Fifth Princess Consort's family background was indeed not prominent, and there were some things she had not been taught.
"Speak less, observe and listen more," Ninth Princess Consort explained helplessly.
Fifth Princess Consort gave a wry smile; it really was true...
The group entered the imperial tent and first paid their respects to Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong, but neither of them showed a smile.
Qingyan's heart skipped a beat; she became worried, as this person's mood didn't seem very pleasant.
"Get up and kowtow, Lanya. Take the women to the side hall. It's a mess here. Since she wants to complain, let her complain to her to the fullest extent." Kangxi's temper flared up. This kind of person was truly a headache.
Consort Tong quickly stood up and agreed, leading the bewildered wives to a tent nearby. After the wives were seated, Consort Tong sneered.
The Mongolian princess couldn't hold back any longer and took the initiative to attack Qingyan.
"Fourth Princess Consort, the Left Wing Prince has been staying at your residence, hasn't he? Our leader has invited him several times, but he always says that the rules of the residence are strict and that he cannot stay out overnight. Does Fourth Prince or you have such great power that you can manage the Left Wing Prince's comings and goings? If you hadn't prevented the Left Wing Prince from leaving, our leader wouldn't have caused this disaster." A Mongolian princess consort stood in the middle of the tent, accusing Qingyan.
Qingyan stared at her in astonishment. Was this woman out of her mind? Rules were rules; even Emperor Kangxi had issued an imperial edict imposing a curfew. Who would be out in the street?
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