As dawn approached, Yin and Qingyan dragged their exhausted bodies back to the tent, her back soaked with cold sweat.
On the return journey, Qingyan relied mainly on Yin to get back. The interrogation by the Mongol leaders made Qingyan feel terrified. If they hadn't captured these people, if Kangxi and Yin hadn't returned safely from that autumn visit, would her not-yet-one-year-old Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen have survived?
Yin is the crown prince; once he ascends the throne, he will definitely take action against them.
"Little darling, don't be scared!" Yin hugged her and comforted her. Yin's actions were a bit too much, and the fussy Kangxi was no longer going to side with Yi Ran Neng.
Qingyan's worst fears were not true, and her heart was slowly warming up.
"Fourth Prince, will Tulichen tell Father Emperor?" The things Tulichen interrogated were too horrifying.
It not only involved the royal family, but also the struggle for the imperial throne.
As his sons came of age, Emperor Kangxi was conflicted, as Yinzhi showed great ambition for the throne.
Although Emperor Kangxi personally issued an edict to shift the blame for the Mongol leaders being bribed onto Prime Minister Suo'etu, it was clear to everyone that without the Crown Prince's consent, Suo'etu would never have had such leverage to negotiate with the Mongol leaders.
Everyone in the officialdom is shrewd. They realized that Kangxi did not want to give up the crown prince, so they could only turn a blind eye and resolutely prevent anything from happening to Yin. However, Yin also needed to be able to establish himself properly.
After his failed attempt on the grasslands, Yinzhi was like a frightened bird, constantly worried that he would be personally dealt with by Emperor Kangxi.
“My dear, the Crown Prince will probably be scared to death by himself. The longer he stays in Yuqing Palace, the more his mind will become. He will think back on every move his father makes several times over.” Yin Tai understood Yin’s actions.
In his past life, the Crown Prince was so suspicious and petty that he drove himself crazy.
During his time in Zhengjiazhuang, Yin asked Imperial Physician Yuan to personally diagnose him. Imperial Physician Yuan mentioned that Yin was frightened by one of his guesses.
She nestled on Yin's shoulder, her little face scrunched up, her gaze fixed on the outside of the tent.
All the guards patrolling the camp were replaced by imperial guards, and there were very few Mongolian guards. This was only because Kangxi had personally promised that the safety of the women of the princes and ministers who came with him would be protected by the Imperial Guards when they went hunting.
"No, the Crown Princess is here, she will definitely comfort the Crown Prince!" Qingyan had no good feelings towards the Crown Princess whatsoever.
Every time the Crown Prince did something wrong, the Crown Princess would stir things up several times, leading him astray.
Of course, what troubled Qingyan the most was the Crown Princess's actions.
Every time Qingyan met the Crown Princess, she would speak to him in a sarcastic tone and even hint that Qingyan must raise Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen well, saying that this little princess would be the glory of the Fourth Prince's mansion.
Seeing the smug look on the Crown Princess's face, she wanted to just smear her face.
Fortunately, the Crown Princess's body is rather fragile, and she hasn't had proper care over the years, so having one child is already quite an achievement.
After observing the Crown Princess's physical condition through her spatial observation, she smiled slightly. A woman who couldn't bear the Crown Prince a legitimate son was definitely not someone he would like. In addition, the Crown Princess was too dignified. In front of Kangxi, she would definitely be a good daughter-in-law and a good candidate for Empress, yet she did not win the Crown Prince's favor.
"The Crown Princess can't have children herself, so she's eyeing my daughter!" Qingyan pouted. The Crown Princess had reduced the Crown Prince's harem to only two or three kittens, which greatly annoyed Kangxi. However, he couldn't say a word. The Crown Princess was personally chosen by Kangxi, and the Empress Dowager had sent people to carefully cultivate her.
To the outside world, the Crown Princess's every move was like a textbook example, serving as a role model for every prince's primary wife. However, Qingyan felt that this was merely Kangxi giving the Crown Princess face.
The Guarjia clan only had one outstanding crown princess; even her father, Shi Bingwen, was excluded from power by Emperor Kangxi.
The Guarjia clan's prosperity was only superficial; in reality, Emperor Kangxi had long been wary of them.
"Little darling, don't worry too much about the Crown Princess. Father will soon issue a decree. Of course, the Crown Princess's methods were basically trained by the Empress Dowager herself, and she probably has some of the Qiyan clan's secret medicines. You must be very careful!" Yin had already had twins and hoped to have a few more sons.
Otherwise, when he chooses his successor in the future, he will have to pick the shortest among the short, just like before.
"Hmm? My sister-in-law isn't happy, and besides, every time we go to Mother's, the Crown Princess causes us a lot of trouble!" Qingyan didn't have a good impression of the Crown Princess, feeling that she clearly took her too seriously.
"They've made a move against you?" Yin had always held the Crown Princess in high esteem, and Kangxi greatly praised her for her composure and magnanimity.
Back then, the Crown Princess only gave birth to one legitimate daughter. The Crown Prince favored Consort Li outside the palace and had no affection for the Crown Princess. Moreover, after the Crown Princess entered Yuqing Palace, someone tampered with her medicinal diet. When she gave birth to her legitimate daughter, she was drugged, which directly resulted in her being unable to have any more children.
These difficulties passed one by one, but the Crown Princess was able to tolerate them all. Facing the gaze of the outside world, the Crown Princess did not utter a single unnecessary word and did everything a primary consort could do.
"Father Emperor is very satisfied with the Crown Princess and even told us to learn from her." Qingyan pouted. Dong Eshi had indeed learned from the Crown Princess, not only sending her younger sister to the Third Prince's residence but also giving her the position of a secondary consort.
He patted her on the back, a smile playing on his lips. She had many complaints about the Crown Princess.
"Fourth Brother, are you even listening to me?!" Qingyan noticed he was lost in thought and quickly said in a sweet, coquettish voice.
"Yes, I'm listening!" Yin liked that Qingyan could act coquettishly as she pleased, and hoped that Qingyan could always act coquettishly by his side instead of slowly changing her personality.
As the Crown Princess spent more time in the palace, her methods became increasingly ruthless. She replaced two concubines in Yuqing Palace, but neither of them brought any good news.
Therefore, Kangxi always felt that the children's time had not yet come, and Yinzhi did not interfere in the affairs of the inner court.
Yin often showed Qingyan stories about the power struggles in Yuqing Palace, hoping she could learn from them and be wary of the scheming between her sisters-in-law.
"My sister-in-law and I are in the same boat. Tell me, the Crown Prince's methods are ruthless enough to extend his reach even to two children!" Qingyan protested. Becoming a mother brings boundaries, and Yin's actions had simply crossed them. (To be continued. If you like this work, please vote for it on Qidian. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please read at m.)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
