A few days later, after escorting Kangxi back to Changchun Garden, Yinzhen took Qingyan and the children back to the garden. In Qingyan's study, there were many invitations piled up. Yinzhen looked through them one by one and noticed that there were many memorials from officials of the Eighth Prince's faction.
Qingyan prepared a pot of chilled plum juice and placed it on her desk. She received more invitations from the women on her side. In spring, when all the flowers were in bloom, many people were making plans to admire the flowers.
The invitations piled up on her desk. A sarcastic smile played on Yinzhen's face. These people were all testing him, hoping to gauge his attitude.
With the defection of Yin Tang and Yin Si, the ministers of Yin Si's faction began to look for their next patron, and Yin Zhen's side was undoubtedly the most prominent.
"Fourth Brother, these people don't hold back at all. How do we know we'll forgive them?" Qingyan sneered, looking at the stacks of greetings and throwing them aside.
"Just ignore it. Your situation probably isn't much better, is it?" Yinzhen looked at the desk not far away, and sure enough, it was similar to his desk, covered with invitations.
"Where are the two children?" Qingyan looked at Yinzhen. After returning to the garden, Yinzhen took the two children to exercise, and then he didn't see them.
"They were taken away by Father Emperor. Grandmother Emperor said she wanted to see the two children. Hafeng was taken to Mother Emperor's side," Yinzhen said directly. "Shurong said that Mother Emperor told us to handle things properly before going to pick up the children," Yinzhen said helplessly.
The situation at Changchun Garden was probably no different from here. As soon as Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong returned, the concubines began to find various excuses to pay their respects to Consort Tong.
Around noon, Li Dequan appeared at the door of the study and said that His Majesty invited Yinzhen and Qingyan to the Empress Dowager's courtyard.
Yinzhen was dressed in a light blue prince's everyday robes, while Qingyan was dressed in a pale yellow primary consort's everyday robes, with a headdress adorned with forsythia flowers, and they sat in a soft sedan chair on flowerpot-shaped shoes.
Changchun Garden was a riot of color, and many imperial concubines had come out, each dressed in spring attire, strolling through the garden in hopes of a chance encounter with Emperor Kangxi.
Yinzhen and Qingyan's sedan chairs walked discreetly from a corner of Changchun Garden. Through the curtains of the sedan chairs, Qingyan noticed that the palace concubines' attire bore a striking resemblance to that of Consort Tong.
In front of the Empress Dowager's courtyard, two palanquins stopped one after the other. Many concubines wanted to pay their respects to the Empress Dowager, but Narentuya stopped them.
"Greetings, Fourth Prince and Fourth Princess! The Empress Dowager and His Majesty are waiting inside." Narentuya was very fond of the three young masters of the Fourth Prince's residence. Every time they came, the Empress Dowager's place would never be quiet; it would be filled with laughter.
The Empress Dowager's daily life was somewhat monotonous, so those who followed her felt sorry for her.
The two stepped into the hall and heard Hafeng calling for Angguma. The Empress Dowager's eyes crinkled with laughter, showing that she was in a very good mood.
"No need for formalities, please sit down." The Empress Dowager waved her hand, preventing Yinzhen and Qingyan from bowing, and pointed to Consort Tong's side, indicating that they should all sit down.
"Your Majesty, Yiken'e said that the wild vegetables you've been eating these past few days are all thanks to him. You should eat them often in the future." Kangxi asked Imperial Physician Yuan to come and examine the Empress Dowager's pulse. He found that her health had indeed improved compared to before and said that continuing to eat vegetables would be good.
Under Yiken'e's persuasion, the Empress Dowager finally gave up her stubbornness and instructed Narentuya to start preparing vegetarian dishes.
"Alright, I'll definitely use it, Yiken'e. You can't worry about these things too much. Just tell the people below to do it." The Empress Dowager looked at Yiken'e and said, "Angguma is waiting to use the vegetables from your little vegetable shed."
"Okay, I definitely won't neglect my studies, Grandma Angguma, don't worry." Yiken'e made the old lady very happy, and even Emperor Kangxi was very satisfied with Yiken'e.
Yiken'e's mouth really has the power to make the dead seem alive.
"Come on, let's go for a walk in the garden with Grandma Angguma." The Empress Dowager saw that Kangxi had summoned Yinzhen and Qingyan, leaving the four of them in the main hall, and taking the children away to hide. Her opinion was clear: she did not want the children to be involved in complicated struggles for the time being.
"Your Majesty, let Shu Rong go along to serve them. All three children are quite mischievous," Kangxi said to the Empress Dowager.
After the Empress Dowager and her entourage had left, Kangxi's expression darkened, and he looked at Yinzhen with a rather unpleasant tone.
"How much silver did the Imperial Household Department report to the Ministry of Revenue?" Kangxi felt that the stewards of the Imperial Household Department had not done their job at all, and were even less diligent than his two children.
“Three million taels, Father Emperor, this is quite normal. The chief stewards of the Imperial Household Department all need to protect their official hats.” Yinzhen knew the way the chief stewards of the Imperial Household Department would reimburse expenses, and his own household's share would be better.
When the fifth and seventh princes had no duties, Yinzhen saw that the servants of the Imperial Household Department would lower their allowances. Now, Yinzhen was working for the Ministry of Revenue with his two younger brothers, and Yinxiang had been placed under his eldest brother's command, accompanying Yinti to handle matters.
"Yinqi has already gone to the eldest son's side. Yinyou... how is that boy doing?" Kangxi's feelings for Yinyou were very complicated. Looking at his crippled leg, he felt somewhat powerless.
“Father, the Seventh Prince is a capable man; he has never made a mistake when it comes to managing accounts,” Yinzhen said, looking at Kangxi.
Emperor Kangxi smiled with satisfaction. After being disciplined by Yinzhen, Yinyou had indeed improved and was much more energetic. Kangxi's mood gradually improved.
"Father, I think that Yinyou could be sent to work in the Imperial Household Department in the future," Yinzhen said to Kangxi.
Yinyou was very good at arithmetic, which allowed him to keep the servants in charge of internal affairs in check. When reports were submitted, Yinyou was able to conduct the first review.
"Really?" Kangxi asked, looking at Yinzhen.
Consort Tong sat beside him and inquired about Qingyan's matter of digging wild vegetables.
“Mother, Yiken’e really didn’t go in person. He only sent his servants. He was afraid that Father would say he was neglecting his duties,” Qingyan said helplessly.
“Yiken’e is very sensible, and I am very relieved.” Kangxi’s mood gradually improved after hearing Qingyan’s explanation. Yiken’e’s method was excellent.
"As long as the Empress Dowager is happy, that's all that matters. Yinzhen, the vegetables for the Empress Dowager will be provided from your garden. Is that alright?" Kangxi asked, looking at Yinzhen.
"There will definitely be no problem, Father Emperor, you can rest assured," Yinzhen assured him.
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