Inside the imperial carriage, the princes and their wives stood on both sides. The women lowered their heads, showing no sign of resentment, as if they were simply following their own plans.
"Third Prince, is this your confidante, constantly revealing my whereabouts to the outside world?" Kangxi was extremely annoyed by Yinzhi's actions.
Although Dong E Gege's status was not high, she was still a member of the royal family. The woman in front of him was merely presented by a nearby official, yet she was favored by Yin Zhi for a period of time.
"Father, I misjudged people." Yin Zhi quickly kowtowed, feeling that he had also been deceived.
Qingyan listened to Yinzhi's apology and sneered inwardly. Everyone knew that the Third Prince was a pretentious person who valued elegance above all else.
Yin heard Qingyan's sneer, turned to look at her, and told her to control her expression.
Emperor Kangxi was still furious. If Qingyan acted too happy, he would definitely be targeted by Kangxi.
"You wives should also know about the master's whereabouts. Why didn't the third prince's wife come?" Kangxi wanted to call the third prince's wife, but found that she was not among the female relatives present.
"My wife caught a cold, that's why she didn't come!" Yin Zhi explained softly.
Upon hearing this, Kangxi's face turned completely dark. No wonder Consort Tong said that he only saw Princess Dong'e and not the Third Prince's wife.
"Is that so?" Kangxi asked Yinzhi coldly.
Within the capital, there were many rumors about Yinzhi, most of which concerned women. Whenever Kangxi was about to lose his temper, Consort Rong would come to apologize, saying that it was just that outsiders disapproved of Yinzhi's actions.
"It's fine to be cultured, but don't pick up those bad habits!" Kangxi looked coldly at Yinzhi. "You're the same!"
The princes and their wives all knelt on the ground, bowing their heads and saying "I dare not."
"Li Dequan, go and fetch Princess Dong'e!" Kangxi decided to punish her in front of the women, knowing that many people outside the Great Wall would want to see the imperial family make a fool of themselves.
Qingyan knelt on the ground and moved her knees slightly, hoping that her knees wouldn't hurt.
Consort Tong noticed Qingyan's actions but didn't say anything. She reached out and nudged Kangxi, signaling him to look at the princes.
"Alright, all of you, begin to kowtow." Kangxi granted their forgiveness directly. For the first time, the princes knelt on hard wooden boards, which was somewhat different from kneeling on gold bricks.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Everyone quickly expressed their gratitude.
"You lot have done well. Those princes outside the Great Wall are all counting on you. If anyone dares to act like Yinzhi, they will be blamed!" Kangxi was very annoyed with the princes outside the Great Wall. In the early years of Kangxi's reign, these people caused him a lot of trouble.
If the Empress Dowager doesn't firmly suppress them, some people will come and make excessive demands.
The princes outside the Great Wall all hoped that their daughters could enter the imperial family in the capital, or even the royal family. The princes going there to worship their ancestors became something these people longed for.
"Yes!" the Crown Prince and the princes replied.
The Crown Prince felt uneasy. Over the past few years, he had made numerous contacts with the princes outside the Great Wall, giving them some promises in the hope that they would lend him a hand and allow him to use these women to have some spies in the princes' residences.
So far, only the residences of Yinzhi and Yinsi have been successfully secured. Others are very wary of the women offered by these men, and Yinzhi and Yinsi have directly refused them.
"Your Highness, there are some things you can do, and some things you do that would be breaking the rules!" Kangxi glanced at the meek and obedient Crown Prince, feeling a sudden surge of annoyance.
He reprimanded the prince and then publicly punished the woman.
The slightly panicked looks in the eyes of the princes and their wives, and the gloomy expressions on the princes' faces, pleased Kangxi greatly.
"This servant, Dong E, greets Your Majesty!" Dong E Gege stepped into the imperial carriage, her whole body swaying slightly.
Looking at Dong E Gege's appearance, Qingyan couldn't help but sigh, noting how different she looked from how she usually appeared.
"Do you know your crime!" Consort Tong lashed out. Emperor Kangxi rarely interfered in the affairs of women. If it weren't for the possibility that the princes might be framed, he wouldn't have gone to such lengths to summon them.
"This servant knows her crime!" Princess Dong'e quickly apologized.
Consort Tong's voice put a lot of pressure on her. Now, she would rather be confined to the carriage. If Yinzhi brought someone else back from beyond the Great Wall, Dong'e Gege's reputation would be completely ruined.
"You didn't even try to advise the prince, but instead allowed people of unknown identity to approach you. If danger were to occur, could you bear the responsibility?" Consort Tong questioned.
"This servant is guilty!" Dong'e Gege knew that she could not escape this calamity.
“My dear mother, Princess Dong’e is quite well-behaved. Could you please spare her this time?” The Crown Princess suddenly stepped forward and pleaded. “As far as I know, since Princess Dong’e set off, she has been kept in the carriage by the Third Master. She occasionally meets with some of the wives of the Third Master’s subordinates, but she has no other activities.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Qingyan frowned slightly. The Crown Princess was pleading on the surface, but in reality, she was accusing someone.
Receiving officials' families?!
When Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong heard this, their expressions turned sour. Before their departure, Emperor Kangxi specifically instructed that the women of the household were not allowed to entertain the wives of officials along the way.
"It was my mistake. Previously, the Princess Consort was confined to her quarters, and the mansion did not entertain these women. I was nearsighted and wanted to take this opportunity to make amends!" Dong'e Gege explained hastily, somewhat flustered.
Qingyan chuckled inwardly. It would have been better not to explain at all, as every word she said hit Consort Tong's bottom line.
With the Fujin (princess) confined to her quarters, someone holding the position of Gege (a concubine rank) wanted to take her place.
"Don't you understand your place?" the Crown Princess quickly said. "Princess Dong'e, although you and the Third Prince Consort are sisters and you help each other, there are some things that are not appropriate for someone of your status to do. As the Crown Princess, I should be properly restraining you!"
As soon as the Crown Princess finished speaking, she turned around and kowtowed to Consort Tong.
"My dear mother, it's my fault for not disciplining my sisters-in-law properly!" The Crown Princess's actions startled Qingyan.
What was the purpose of the Crown Princess's actions today? It seems that the rules governing the sisters-in-law are all imposed by the Crown Princess.
"Get up, all of you." Consort Tong waved her hand; she couldn't refute what the Crown Princess had said.
Princess Dong'e dared not get up and remained kneeling in the middle. Yin Zhi frowned slightly, feeling a little soft-hearted.
Previously, he had been indulging in novelty and neglected Dong E Gege; now, he felt he had gone too far.
"Dong'e, it is your duty to advise the prince. Regardless of your status, it is your responsibility when you are out and about!" Consort Tong lectured.
Princess Dong'e knelt obediently and listened. Qingyan listened to Consort Tong say that the woman had been in contact with all the princes, but only Yinzhi had fallen into the trap.
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