Fifteen days later, the imperial entourage arrived at the temporary palaces surrounding Mongolia. What should have been a month's journey was shortened by half. Upon arrival at the palaces, Kangxi summoned the princes and their wives.
Qingyan followed Yinzhen to the courtyard where Kangxi was staying. Looking at the scenery on the grassland, which was different from that inland, her eyes flickered slightly.
In the past, whenever she stepped onto the grassland, she would see nomadic herders grazing their livestock in the distance. But this time, the grassland was completely empty, and there were no herders to be seen at all.
"Fourth Prince, there are no herders left!" Qingyan said, looking at Yinzhen.
Yinzhen smiled and said, "Yes, there are no more herders here. There are some people causing trouble in the back. Father Emperor personally assigned the grasslands, and this area is now considered royal territory. There are Imperial Guards guarding it 10 miles away. Even the leaders of the Mongol tribes have to be checked when they come in."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yinti and Yinqi arrived. The three brothers exchanged pleasantries in front, while Qingyan began chatting with Lady Yingenjueluo and the Fifth Prince's wife.
When women get together, they naturally talk about their children.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, I'm pregnant!" Fifth Princess Consort said to Yingenjueluo Shi and Qingyan.
The two sisters-in-law looked at the Fifth Prince's wife in surprise. Among the prince's wives, neither the Fifth nor the Eighth Prince's wife had brought any good news. Even the Empress Dowager was disappointed in the Fifth Prince's wife.
"Have you spoken to Grandmother?" Qingyan asked, looking at the Fifth Princess Consort.
“I did tell Grandmother, and the Master said it’s enough to tell close relatives. The baby is still so far along; if we announce it now, we’ll be too presumptuous,” Fifth Princess Consort said directly.
"Congratulations, sister-in-law!" Qingyan said in a low voice. "If you feel unwell, don't hold it in. Imperial Physician Yuan is always around the twins' carriage. You can send someone to find him."
“Yes, sister-in-law, it’s a bit rushed to get here now. You should rest for a few days first, and don’t rush to pay your respects,” Yin Genjue Luo Shi echoed.
"Mother sent word that I shouldn't go to pay my respects for the time being, and that I should focus on my pregnancy." Fifth Princess Consort said with a smile.
Qingyan, the Fifth Prince's wife, and the Seventh Prince's wife all married into the royal family around the same time, so the three of them were often compared. Qingyan and the Seventh Prince's wife both had children, even if they were princesses, so it was not without good news.
As time went by, the Fifth Prince's wife's psychological pressure increased, and naturally, she could not calm down.
"Sister-in-law, how's your appetite lately?" Qingyan suddenly remembered that pregnant women's tastes can change.
"Fourth Sister-in-law, I might need your help. I'd like to eat some sour plums, but I don't know where to buy them," Fifth Princess said somewhat awkwardly.
There are Yuelai Inns in the nearby counties, and it would be difficult to buy a large quantity of sour plums from them without Qingyan's order.
"Don't worry, I'll have the innkeeper deliver it to your residence." Qingyan waved his hand, instructing the innkeeper to discuss the matter with the Fifth Prince's wife's purchasing department. "Before you eat it, it would be best to have Imperial Physician Yuan take a look."
"Fourth Sister-in-law, is that alright?" Fifth Princess quickly shook her head. "Just take the products from your shop; there's no need to inspect them anymore."
“No, we’re traveling, so it would be best if you kept your eyes open, okay?” Qingyan said to the Fifth Princess Consort.
The Fifth Princess's face was all wrinkled up like a steamed bun. If possible, she would certainly prefer Qingyan to lend a hand.
"Fourth sister-in-law is right. When we're out and about, who can guarantee that these people are loyal?" Yin Genjue Luo nodded in agreement.
Fifth Princess Consort quickly replied, "Sisters-in-law, I understand."
As the sun set, Qingyan followed Yinzhen out of the imperial palace and sat in the carriage. Qingyan told Yinzhen that the Fifth Prince's wife was pregnant and that she wanted to buy some pickled plums from the Yuelai Inn.
"You're right to remind us. We should be careful when we're out and about. These people on the grasslands have some ulterior motives. It's hard to say whether the people here are involved with those leaders." Yinzhen needed to investigate. He felt that the stewards here hadn't fulfilled their responsibilities.
Many messages were not sent out immediately, causing them to receive the information somewhat late.
Seeing Yinzhen's grim expression, Qingyan understood that the news Kangxi received was far worse than what they had. In fact, Qingyan felt this was to be expected; Kangxi was bound to impose some restrictions, after all, the face of the imperial family had to be preserved.
The leaders of the Left Wing Prince tribe have all arrived, while the Right Wing Prince tribe continues its normal life. Batu Buhe even sent a lot of things over there so that the tribe could live in peace.
“Little darling, I think what you did was excellent. I am very grateful to Batu Buhe.” Yinzhen said to Qingyan.
Qingyan nodded. "The people in the Batubuhe tribe are very honest, which is quite different from the people in the Left Wing Prince's tribe. Even the wool carpets they sell are very different."
Yinzhen heard this and wore a faint smile on his face.
Huricha repeatedly issued orders that if Yuelai Inn or Linglong Pavilion went to buy things, they must sell the best items. Therefore, these leaders were not treated the same as the people of the Left Wing Prince's tribe.
“When Hu Richa finds out, he’ll be a capable man. We’ll go back with Batu Buhe, and we’ll definitely prepare some rewards for the tribe. What do you suggest?” Qingyan leaned wearily against Yinzhen. The leaders of the Left Wing Prince’s tribe had just arrived and had already run to Kangxi’s side to complain about their poverty.
"Prepare more grain. Don't forget, much of the grain on the grasslands comes from the inland. I had Bayan inquire, and the price of grain in the surrounding areas is extremely high." Yinzhen had made preparations well in advance.
The leaders of the Right Wing Prince's tribe obeyed Batu Buhe's orders, preferring to suffer hardship within their own tribes, and worked together from top to bottom to overcome the difficulties. Not one of them submitted a memorial to Emperor Kangxi.
"What does Father Emperor mean?" Qingyan understood that if the amount of grain was huge, it was necessary to give Emperor Kangxi his approval.
"Father will reward you. Batu Buhe has discussed it with me and Huricha, and we want all the grain and fodder." Yinzhen gave Batu Buhe some information, and he became even more dedicated to helping him.
All the things they prepared in private were distributed under the guise of rewards. Kangxi issued an edict that when the team arrived at the grassland, Batu Buhe could return to his tribe for a visit, but Yinzhen and Qingyan would accompany him.
At this moment, the four children were talking inside the tent. The twins and Batubuhe were discussing whether they should go to Batubuhe's territory together.
Hutu Lifengsheng Zhalafen is, after all, a princess, and if she is not careful, some problems may arise.
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