Within two or three days, rumors about Yinzhi's residence increased, but Yinzhi was no longer as concerned as before. Dong Eshi was doing this for Yinzhi's own good, to prevent him from being disliked by Kangxi.
Yinzhi enjoyed the company of women, but he wouldn't forget his status because of them.
Emperor Kangxi, accompanied by Consort Tong, went directly to the Ulanara clan's villa in the suburbs, where Yin and Qingyan quickly came to greet them.
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Emperor Kangxi, dressed in a royal blue casual robe, stepped down from the carriage with Consort Tong. They both had smiles on their faces. For the past two days, Kangxi had taken her on a tour around the Jiangnan region, and she had wanted to come here and live for a few days without the constraints of palace rules.
"Greetings to Father and Mother." Yin bowed respectfully with Qingyan.
"Let's get ready to kowtow. Where is Fei Yanggu?" Kangxi looked back and found that Fei Yanggu was not present, which made him curious.
"Father, my father-in-law and my two brothers-in-law have taken the twins outside the mansion for a stroll," Yin said.
Qingyan hurriedly stepped forward to help Consort Tong into the palace.
After everyone was seated, Kangxi dismissed the servants outside, leaving only Li Dequan, Shu, and Shu Zhu inside the hall.
"Fourth Prince, the Third Prince's family is causing trouble at your villa. Aren't you two here?" Kangxi asked, looking at the two men.
“Yes,” Yin nodded. “When we came out through the side gate, Yiken’e discovered that Third Sister-in-law had gone to the mansion.”
Consort Tong smiled and thought to herself that Lady Dong'e had done a good job this time, and it seemed that Yinzhi had taken her advice to heart.
"My little darlings, thankfully you two didn't see Dong E Shi." Consort Tong had been protecting the children, but despite Kangxi's angry glare, she still chuckled.
ah? !
Yinhe and Qingyan looked at Consort Tong in surprise. Had Kangxi done something to anger Consort Tong again?
Every time Emperor Kangxi made a mistake, Consort Tong would do this, making him deeply reflect on his actions.
"Lanya, what about Yinzhi..." Consort Tong chose to side with Consort Dong'e, which was for the sake of the royal family's reputation.
As a father, Emperor Kangxi knew Yinzhi very well and shouldn't have caused such a commotion.
"Enough. Cao Yin sent Yin a concubine's daughter. What did he do then?" Consort Tong looked directly at Kangxi.
Yin immediately shrank his shoulders, hoping to shrink his body.
It seems Cao Yin has found an opportunity to offer a woman, and with his mother nearby, his father's actions...
"I also refused. You're right, these people haven't undergone any training and certainly can't shoulder important responsibilities." Kangxi realized his mistake and quickly agreed with Consort Tong.
"My dear, remember, none of the women from the south can be brought to the capital. These unruly women will only ruin our reputation," Consort Tong said, her brows slightly furrowed.
"Yes!" Qingyan quickly stood up and replied.
Yin understood slightly that those "skinny horses" were probably not specially trained. Some low-ranking officials even bought women from pleasure boats to give to their superiors.
"Mother, is there something wrong with those women?" After thinking about it carefully, Yin realized that there must have been a problem with the investigation into the identities of the virgins; otherwise, Consort Tong would not have been so furious.
Emperor Kangxi smiled awkwardly; he had no idea that the officials in the south were so audacious.
"Hmph, now you're all behaving yourselves. What are you thinking when you see those women?" Consort Tong sneered. These people won't learn their lesson until they're faced with the truth.
"Your subject wouldn't dare, I would never be interested in those women," Yin quickly coaxed Consort Tong.
Kangxi looked slightly embarrassed and could only smile apologetically from the side.
"I'm talking to you," Consort Tong said, looking at Emperor Kangxi.
"Yes, I was really wrong." Kangxi admitted his mistake in his capacity as emperor.
To outsiders, Emperor Kangxi was a towering figure, yet even he could be criticized by Consort Tong.
"Among the women sent, there were actually members of the White Lotus Sect. They haven't made any disruptive moves yet, so they're probably preparing to see if they can rise to a higher position." Kangxi secretly arranged for Tulichen to investigate, and the identities of those women came to light.
The emperor's southern tour brought many powerful ministers with him. The officials below hoped to acquire the finest female companions. The "slender horses" (women who were proficient in poetry and songs) from the White Lotus sect were specially trained to cater to the different preferences of each powerful minister.
These women were sent to pleasure boats, and the minor officials without daughters spent huge sums of money to buy them, intending to personally present them to the officials.
"One of the two women that Yinzhi took in came from the White Lotus Sect." Consort Tong didn't hide anything from Yinzhi and said it directly.
Qingyan was dumbfounded. She had seen those two women before; they looked very delicate and didn't resemble Baili's arrogant demeanor at all.
"What?!" Yin stood up. "Father, this person absolutely cannot be allowed to live."
"Sit down, still acting like a child. Let your mother finish speaking." Kangxi sighed, and Qingyan felt he had gained a lot in an instant.
“Those two have already been dealt with by the Third Prince Consort. Yinzhi and Dong Eshi are not yet clear about their identities,” Consort Tong explained. “If Yinzhi finds out, it will definitely cause a huge uproar in the city.”
Fortunately, Yinzhi didn't take a liking to those two; otherwise, the situation would have been much more difficult to resolve.
"It is said that the Crown Prince has also taken a woman. Father Emperor... have you investigated this?" Yin cautiously reminded him.
Kangxi glared at Yin, thinking, "Should I say this in front of Qingyan?"
"You've taught your son to make mistakes, and you're still trying to hide them?" Consort Tong glanced at Emperor Kangxi. This time, she was going to lay everything out in the open. If he dared to cause any more trouble, this matter would definitely not be something that could be resolved in an ordinary way.
“There is one, but those two women are protected by the guards of Yuqing Palace, so I can’t do it.” Kangxi looked at Yin. “I can’t let the Dragon Guards do it. It would damage the harmony between father and son, and make us a laughing stock in front of the southern officials.”
Yin secretly rejoiced. Kangxi valued his reputation, and if he had dealt with the matter directly, the balance of power in the southern officialdom would probably have been broken.
"Skinny horse" = White Lotus Sect?!
Qingyan's mind exploded instantly. During the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong, the White Lotus Sect was constantly being suppressed, resulting in significant damage to the sect.
The White Lotus Religion only grew and expanded in the later period of the Qianlong reign.
"Then... does the Crown Prince know?" Yin believed that the Crown Prince must understand the gravity of the matter.
Those who appeared in Yuqing Palace were probably the most dangerous, after all, the Crown Prince was the closest to Kangxi.
Consort Tong's face grew even colder. The Crown Prince only acts according to his own whims and doesn't care about Emperor Kangxi at all.
"I sent Shu to remind Lady Guarjia that these two women are not simple. The Crown Prince actually protected them in his study, and Lady Guarjia was reprimanded and is now confined to her room," Consort Tong said directly.
Yin felt a chill in his heart; the Crown Prince had still come to this.
"Mother, perhaps the Crown Princess didn't explain it clearly," Qingyan quickly advised, prompted by Yin's suggestion.
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