After lunch, the group quietly returned to the camp. Consort Tong, accompanied by Qingyan, sat with Emperor Kangxi and his son inside the imperial tent, while the few who had been secretly brought back knelt in the center of the tent.
Qingyan looked at the group and couldn't help but laugh. Apart from the little beggar, the others who were keeping watch were only teenagers. Judging from their appearance, they probably came from the same background as the little beggar. Even the two constables had been forcibly brought from the beggar's den by the prefect.
Tulichen returned ahead of time and had thoroughly interrogated the men. The constables were acting on orders from above, forbidding any beggars from appearing in the county town while Kangxi was encamped. Anyone found doing so would be arrested.
They knew the little beggar and wanted to safely return him to the dilapidated temple. However, the little beggar wanted to get medicine for his sick mother and got into an argument with the oppressors, which was witnessed by Qingyan.
"Is your mother sick?" Qingyan looked at the little beggar's bitter face and her heart softened.
The little beggar looked to be only 7 or 8 years old, with a thin and weak body, clearly indicating that he had not lived a good life. In order to see Emperor Kangxi, Tulichen had the servants wash the little beggar clean and change him into a brand new set of cotton clothes, which was very different from when he was carried back earlier.
"Yes, I only have my mother left. I hope you kind people can save my mother!" The little beggar cried. At this moment, he was even more worried that his mother would leave him.
Emperor Kangxi patiently inquired about the little beggar's background and why he was in this place.
The little beggar wasn't originally from here; he had fled famine from Zhili (present-day Beijing). His father had died suddenly on the way, leaving only him and his mother alive, the little beggar sobbed.
At this moment, Yin couldn't help but recall the tragic scenes during the disaster relief efforts in Zhili, and he lowered his head.
This disaster relief effort was completed by him and Qingyan, but they haven't yet helped everyone.
"Fourth Prince, you have done very well. There would have been even more disaster victims in the past!" Kangxi reassured Yinzhi.
Kangxi's silence did not mean he was unaware of anything. He was fully aware of the secrets his ministers were hiding. To maintain balance in the court, Kangxi could only endure it and deal with the erring ministers elsewhere.
The yamen runners were all adults and knew more than the little beggar. Since the person in front of them was the emperor, they dared not hide anything anymore. They told the prefect that before Kangxi arrived, all the beggars were to be gathered in the dilapidated temple. The original intention was to massacre them all, but the yamen runners tricked them, saying that if they were to massacre them, the people would definitely rebel.
At that time, there were only two days left before Emperor Kangxi arrived, so the prefect spared the lives of these beggars.
Qingyan stared in astonishment. This prefect was incredibly audacious and ruthless. He thought he could just dismiss hundreds of people who had given up their lives with a few words?
Both Emperor Kangxi and Yinzhi looked displeased. Consort Tong also racked her brains, wondering if the prefect was a member of the Tongjia clan. After thinking it over, she realized that the man had no connection with her family, and then she felt at ease to watch the show.
"The beggars have all been driven to the dilapidated temple, and you still want to wander around the streets?" Yin looked at the yamen runner. The reason made sense, but there were some flaws.
"Previously, someone filed a complaint against the emperor, and the prefect ordered us to be on the streets at any time. If we encountered anyone with ill intentions, we were to throw them into jail first and deal with them after His Majesty left!" The yamen runners were also helpless. They were on duty and had to think about the future. It was good to be able to help one more person in private.
What?!
All four were shocked. Seeking redress from the emperor carries considerable risk; no one would take this path unless they were desperate.
"Is what you said true?!" Kangxi was furious. He knew that clear water had no fish, but he could not tolerate someone lying behind his back.
"Yes." The constable looked at the little beggar and thought to himself that even if they couldn't survive, they could at least leave a way for his former family to live.
Kangxi smiled coldly. Coming here this time was indeed the right decision. No wonder Fei Yanggu had so earnestly advised him to stay at each post station for two days to enjoy the scenery. He patted his forehead. Fei Yanggu had some kind of secret message in his hand, but there was no concrete evidence.
Thus, Fei Yanggu could not report back, lest he be falsely accused, so he had no choice but to use this insidious method to let Kangxi handle it personally.
This old fellow really went to great lengths. Seeing Qingyan's still bewildered expression, Kangxi decided not to ruin Feiyanggu's impression on Qingyan. Fortunately, only the four of them knew about this; the Mongol princes hadn't come to greet them.
"My little darling, dinner is in your hands now!" Kangxi was about to send Qingyan away, but Consort Tong had to stay and listen, as this might involve the women of the harem, and he had to be careful.
"Yes!" Qingyan stood up, bowed, and left the tent. Yin, worried about Xiaoguai's safety, followed her.
Just as Kangxi was about to speak to persuade him to stay, he watched as Yin's figure quickly disappeared.
Qingyan stepped out of the tent and waited for Yin to appear not far from the courtyard. She looked at him with a smile.
This glance warmed Yin's heart; Xiao Guai understood his feelings.
"Fourth Brother, shall we go to the Imperial Kitchen first?" Qingyan decided to stop the imperial chefs from making stews. In this hot weather, who could have an appetite?
Yin nodded and followed Xiao Guai toward the imperial kitchen. Before they even entered, they heard arguing coming from inside. She pulled Yin to a corner of the tent and squatted down to listen to what was happening inside.
He grabbed Xiao Guai by the collar and dragged him away.
How could one possibly inquire about news from the Imperial Household Department without permission? Yin knew all too well why Xiao Guai didn't move. To prevent Qingyan from being reported by the censor, he had no choice but to protect Xiao Guai first.
When they were almost at the imperial kitchen, she finally came to her senses. The little guy immediately started kicking and thrashing about. To outsiders, it just looked like Yin was cuddling the little monster and being cheeky. But they were just a newlywed couple, so such intimate behavior was to be expected.
"Fourth Prince, I know I shouldn't listen, but doing something outrageous in front of His Majesty is better than being constantly put on the hot seat!" Qingyan whispered to Yin.
Yin's eyes flickered slightly; she had come up with a solution.
Yin led Xiao Guai on a stroll near the tent of the Imperial Kitchen. It was nearing evening, but the sun had not yet set.
"The sunset here is much more beautiful than the one in the Forbidden City!" Qingyan exclaimed, gazing at the setting sun as it dimmed on the horizon.
Yin sighed. Xiao Guai had been confined in the Forbidden City for a long time, and she always pretended to be ignorant in order to put Kangxi at ease. Fei Yanggu and his two sons held a lot of military power, and Qingyan had to be exceptionally shrewd and adapt well to royal life, otherwise she would be disliked by Kangxi.
"After we return to the palace, it shouldn't be more than a year before we're able to live in the Fourth Prince's residence," Yin smiled. "Next year during the New Year, besides attending the banquet at the palace, we'll stay at the new house so you can also have a reunion year." (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
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