As evening approached, the imperial ship finally came into view. Cao Yin led the officials to kneel on both sides of the dock, where they had been waiting all day.
Some officials in Jiangnan were old or in poor health, but Cao Yin still had some human touch and specially arranged for them to sit in grand chairs to await the arrival of the Emperor.
When the imperial ship approaches, the Imperial Guards will row out in small boats to inform the emperor in advance.
The officials rose, removed their chairs, and knelt with Cao Yin at the dock to respectfully welcome Emperor Kangxi.
As the imperial ship slowly approached, Cao Yin's heart pounded faster and faster. He hadn't seen Kangxi for several years, and he felt uneasy.
Hesheli had close ties with him, and news from the capital kept coming in. Cao Yin also realized that he had been tricked by Suo'etu.
However, he was able to extricate himself as soon as possible. In order to avoid being collected by Kangxi, he had some contact with the families of all the princes' wives, except for the Ulanara family, whose wife had a very good relationship with the Gioro family.
Fei Yanggu and his two sons were too shrewd and didn't have much interaction with the court officials, nor much involvement with the officials in the south.
The Yuelai Inn and Linglong Pavilion were thriving, and Ulanara and the Fourth Prince's wife didn't need any outside help at all. They could basically rely on their own family to provide the Fourth Prince with all the support.
The reason why the prince's maternal and paternal families were involved with the officials in the south was because of money.
To make the princes' path to the throne smoother, they needed to use money to cultivate their own power. Many officials chose their sides because of the money.
On the boat, as Yin watched the dock slowly approach, he changed into a golden prince's everyday robe with a bright yellow belt around his waist. Qingyan wore a golden princess's everyday robe and a set of lotus flower headdress.
At this time of year, spring is in full bloom in the south, making it the best time for tourism.
"Sisi, where are we going to stay later?" Qingyan had heard that the Cao family would not be receiving the emperor.
"A temporary palace!" Yin said two words. "Two years ago, Father Emperor took some money from his private treasury and built a temporary palace in Jiangnan."
The reason I haven't been to Yangzhou in recent years is because the villa hasn't been repaired yet.
"Really?!" Qingyan was unwilling to collude with the Cao family. After all, living in the Cao family meant giving them some face. Therefore, Qingyan was very worried about what to do afterward.
Now, she felt completely relieved; the Cao family couldn't cause any more trouble. Qingyan remembered what Yin had said: in order to promote several eligible young ladies, the Cao family had actually had the ladies bring the wives to the courtyards of the Fujin (princesses) to pay their respects.
At the time, Qingyan found it strange that the girls in the south were not from wealthy or noble families and would never go out easily.
In modern times, she once read an article that said that Han women in the south would only walk through the gate three times in their lives: once for birth, once for marriage, and once for death.
The daughters of the Cao family were different. Like noble ladies of Manchuria, they did not have to abide by these Han Chinese rules, but their clothing did not reflect this.
Qingyan remembered that in the Cao family, only Cao Yin's eldest daughter did not bind her feet; all the other daughters had bound feet.
She loathed this deeply, even though bound feet looked exceptionally beautiful under a cheongsam, she still felt it was a shackle.
Men liked bound feet, but she often complained about it.
"Yes, the Cao family has prepared women to keep Third Brother entertained." Yin and the others did not like women with bound feet, and the Cao family had found out about this, which is why they prepared women for Yin Zhi.
Yinzhi enjoyed the company of beautiful women, and even more so, he preferred Han noblewomen who were well-versed in poetry and literature. The Crown Prince liked these things, but the other princes expressed no interest.
Qingyan frowned, feeling a little melancholy.
Every time Yinzhi made a southern tour, he would bring a new woman back to the capital, and those women would soon be forgotten.
From the Cao family, Yinzhi had already selected three girls, all of whom perished in the power struggles within the Third Prince's residence.
Dong Eshi was ruthless enough to harm even her own half-sisters, let alone outsiders.
"You feel it's a pity?" Yin Tai knows Qingyan well; the little girl would feel sorry for her.
The chosen girls were overjoyed, hoping to get closer to the princes. Even though Qingyan tried his best to persuade them, in the end, people still thought he was hindering their path to favor.
Moreover, their families had taught them from a young age that they should sacrifice everything for their family in the future.
They are not easily swayed by emotions, and they generally avoid things like those depicted in plays and folk tales.
Qingyan nodded. If those girls had their own ideas, they probably wouldn't be treated as playthings.
Yin held Qingyan's slender waist as they stood inside the cabin, while the children dressed up in the inner chamber.
Many officials hoped to see the twins, a boy and a girl, during this trip, as they were considered the mascots of the Qing Dynasty.
"Master, the young masters have finished washing and dressing." Su Lan and Su Zhu appeared carrying the two children. Yi Ken'e and Yin were dressed in golden casual clothes, while Hu Tu Li Feng Sheng Zha La Fen and Qing Yan were dressed in mother-daughter outfits. The twins' dark, watery eyes were gazing at the beautiful scenery outside the window.
"Mother, have we arrived?" Yiken asked curiously, noticing the changes in the scenery on both sides of the river.
"Yes, Yiken, your father will carry you outside in a bit. Don't make a fuss. There will be many people watching you and bowing to you." Yin held his son and warned him what was about to happen.
Qingyan was very worried about the twins. The officials in Jiangnan were waiting at the dock to welcome Kangxi. It was the first time the two children had seen such a grand procession. He was afraid that the noise would frighten them and make them cry.
“Yes, Father, Father and Mother said that we are the masters, and it is right for those people to kneel before us!” Hutuli Fengsheng Zhalafen replied.
From the very beginning of their journey south, Emperor Kangxi and Consort Tong constantly reminded their two children of proper etiquette. Sometimes, when Emperor Kangxi met with court officials, he would place the two children on his lap to test their courage.
The twins are seasoned veterans and will definitely not embarrass Yin.
“Yes, Mafa said that we were frightened, which is a disgrace to him!” Yiken’e kept Kangxi’s every word firmly in mind.
Yin was speechless. His father was right. The ministers all knew that the twins had spent a long time by Kangxi's side. If they didn't do a good job of maintaining appearances, they might really embarrass Kangxi.
"Are you two confident?" Yin gestured for Qingyan to sit down on the stool with him. The twins stood on their knees, looking at them at eye level. Qingyan was surprised that Yin actually knew how to respect the children.
"Yes, I won't embarrass Father!" Yiken said, puffing out her little chest.
Yiken'e had higher emotional and intellectual intelligence than the average child. In addition, Emperor Kangxi had been by his side since childhood, teaching him about human relationships and social etiquette, so he understood better what his ministers needed.
Yin felt reassured after receiving the assurance.
At this moment, the ship stopped, and voices paying their respects to Emperor Kangxi could be heard in the cabin.
Long horns sounded in unison from both sides of the dock, their deep blasts echoing through the sky.
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