Inside the Qianqing Palace, the atmosphere became oppressive. Consort Yi felt that Qingyan was disrespecting Yin. As his sister-in-law, shouldn't she give way to her brother-in-law?
Emperor Kangxi had Su Peisheng summon Consort Tong. Consort Yi got involved, so Consort Tong should have stepped in to resolve the situation.
Qingyan stood behind Yin, using himself as a backdrop. He found it strange that he was in the back of Yin's business, which was just a temporary closure. It was as if he was stealing Yin's business.
After Consort Tong entered, everyone settled in. She sat down next to Emperor Kangxi, looking down at Consort Yi.
"Alright, Consort Yi, tell me what's troubling you!" Consort Tong glanced at Consort Yi. Having spent a lot of time with her, Consort Yi seemed straightforward, but in reality, she was quite cunning.
Consort Yi felt a little uncomfortable when she heard Consort Tong speak. They had entered the palace around the same time, but their statuses were clearly different.
"Ninth Prince, why aren't you telling your mother yet!" Consort Yi was already annoyed when she heard Yin complain, so she specially brought Yin over to make him explain himself.
“My dear mother, Fourth Sister-in-law’s shop has closed down, and my servants are getting restless. They heard about Fourth Sister-in-law’s arrangements and they also want to take a vacation!” A hint of seriousness appeared on Yin’s face.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi slammed the memorial heavily onto the imperial table. He had not been very optimistic about Yinzhen's business ventures, and if it weren't for Consort Tong's persuasion, he probably wouldn't have agreed. Now, Consort Yi and her son felt that Consort Tong was playing tricks.
"Ninth Prince, you should handle business matters yourself. With so many shops, are you just going to keep an eye on the people around you?" Kangxi was very disappointed in Yinzhen. Qingyan went to the elite shop alone, and he hadn't heard that Fei Yanggu had been competing with anyone for Qingyan's sake.
Yin listened to Kangxi's words and became somewhat dismissive, thinking that princes were entitled to special privileges.
"Your Majesty, I was just making a request, but Fourth Sister-in-law didn't agree!" Yin thought Qingyan was petty. So what if she opened the same shop next door?
Did she really have to retaliate like this?
Kangxi glanced at Tulichen, who quickly went out to inquire about the conflict between Yin and Qingyan. Consort Yi, who had been in the deep palace for many years, was completely unaware of Yin's situation outside. Now that Yin had come to complain, Consort Yi immediately became protective of him.
"You have truly disgraced me. Is this all you've learned? Using your status as an imperial prince to suppress everyone?" Kangxi was furious. He had sent Yinzhen to the capital so that the royal family could control everything.
Upon hearing Kangxi's reprimand, Yin lowered his head even further, feeling extremely irritated.
"You say you're not convinced?" Consort Tong noticed the fleeting anger and shame in Yin's eyes, and she wouldn't let him off the hook.
When Consort Yi heard Consort Tong's question, she looked at Consort Tong pleadingly, hoping that she could spare Yin this time for the sake of her decades of discipline.
"No," Yin had no choice but to lower his head, for Kangxi had angered him.
"Yin, get out! I'll say it again, if you use your princely status to bully others in business, I will investigate and I will not let you off easily!" Kangxi knew Yin well; just by looking at his face, he knew that Yin had done many things that crossed the line.
Under the emperor's nose, a prince committed such a wrong act; what will others think of the royal family?
The reputation that Qingyan had built up would probably be ruined by Yin.
"Father, Yin might have been confused for a moment!" Yin watched as he left the main hall. He dared not say more and could only plead against his conscience.
Consort Yi was stunned. Yin was actually speaking up for him. Whether he was sincere or not, at least he didn't kick someone when they were down.
"A moment of confusion?!" A cold smile appeared on Kangxi's face. If anyone was confused, it wouldn't be Yinzhi.
Consort Yi gave a bitter smile. Yin had thoroughly angered Kangxi, and she was in a very awkward position to stay there.
Tu Lichen walked in from outside, holding a memorial in his hand. It recorded Yin's every move from the beginning of his business to the present. Qingyan looked at the memorial and felt a sense of lingering fear. Fortunately, he had been very well-behaved and had not angered His Majesty.
Emperor Kangxi read through the memorial, which recorded how Yin's subordinates had expanded their businesses. It contained not only reports of his forceful acquisition of property, but also some shady dealings. The more he read, the angrier he became, and he threw the memorial at Consort Tong's face.
"My dear mother, please pay your respects to your son!" Kangxi said angrily.
Qingyan watched as Consort Yi quickly knelt on the ground to beg for forgiveness. As she looked down, she saw the memorial describing what was said about Yin, and she found it hard to accept.
"Your Majesty, this may be a frame-up!" Yin's actions crossed Kangxi's bottom line.
Consort Yi secretly groaned. If Yin did this, it might be because of Yin Si's instigation. Fortunately, Yin had already distanced himself from Yin Si and his status was rising steadily.
Now, Consort Yi regrets why she let Yin get close to Yin Si. If it were the other way around, and Yin got close to Yin, perhaps his life would be very different.
“Slander?!” Kangxi sneered.
Who would frame Yin?
Consort Yi panicked. How could she possibly cover up the lie for Yin?
"Fourth Prince Consort, you've also been through the business world, but Yin is not that kind of person at all!" Consort Yi directly implied to Kangxi that Qingyan's business dealings were public and involved far more actions that damaged the royal family's reputation than Yin's.
Kangxi's face showed helplessness. Consort Yi was indeed a shrewd woman. She managed to bring up Qingyan's matter by mentioning Yin's affairs.
"Consort Yi, I respect you as the Emperor's consort. In the business world, who doesn't know that the Fourth Prince's wife is the most disciplined in doing business? She never uses her status, nor does she show her face in public to conduct business. Everything is managed by the servants below her!" Yin said coldly to Consort Yi.
Consort Yi shuddered involuntarily. The Fourth Prince in front of her seemed to be 'forcing' her with his eyes. If she dared to make any further moves, she would surely suffer a terrible fate.
"You actually threatened me!" Consort Yi was furious. Emperor Kangxi still doted on Consort Yi.
Standing behind Yin, Qingyan realized that Kangxi had no intention of interfering, so it was probably acceptable for Yin to take the initiative.
"Your Highness, Ninth Prince needs to walk his own path. No one will give way to him in the business world." When Qing Yangan first entered the business world, he paid a lot of tuition fees before finally gaining his current experience. Therefore, it is absolutely impossible for Yin to start a business without paying tuition fees.
"Fourth Prince Consort, I never interfere in Yin's business dealings. I'm just reminding you that if the women show their faces in public, it will damage the reputation of our master!" Consort Yi's words made Qingyan narrow his eyes.
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