His mother had just said she would avenge him, but the next second she ordered the servants to gag him so he wouldn't speak. He was very unhappy about it.
When Consort Yi saw the Ninth Prince throwing a tantrum, she couldn't help but laugh. She reached out and touched the Ninth Prince's head, but when her hand touched the back of his spiky hair, her eyes became dark and unfathomable.
That damned Fourth Prince, he still thinks he can treat his Ninth Prince like this because he still has Empress Tong as his backer.
The Ninth Prince became even angrier, his little face turning completely red with anger, and he angrily waved his two chubby paws.
His mother didn't try to comfort him; instead, she laughed at him. This time, he was truly angry.
Consort Yi looked at the little dumpling in front of her, her cheeks puffed out in anger, her eyes red with rage, and she was about to cry again, so she quickly comforted her gently.
"Your mother didn't mean to shut you up. It's just that on your father's territory, if you say something your father doesn't like to hear, he might not punish the Fourth Prince and might even have a bad impression of you."
"Once we return to Mother's Palace, Xiao Jiu can tell Mother whatever she wants to say, and Mother will not stop her."
Consort Yi knelt down and gently embraced the Ninth Prince, tenderly wiping away the tears from the corners of his eyes with a handkerchief, her tone full of doting affection.
"Don't worry, your mother will definitely avenge Xiao Jiu. Even if your father lets him go, your mother will not let him go."
The Ninth Prince lifted his head from Consort Yi's embrace and hurriedly said.
"Mother, and that dog too, we can't let it go. If it weren't for that dog, I wouldn't be in this state."
"Mother, look at me like this, how can I go out like this? They will all laugh at me."
Consort Yi's face was still full of kindness, and her voice was still gentle as water, but where the Ninth Prince could not see, her eyes turned fierce.
"No, no one in this palace would dare to speak ill of Xiao Jiu."
"If anyone speaks ill of Xiao Jiu, Xiao Jiu should immediately tell Mother. Mother and your Imperial Father will definitely stand up for you and punish them severely."
The Ninth Prince then slowly smiled, snuggling in Yibin's arms and repeatedly saying that he would definitely teach the Fourth Prince a lesson and not let him off easily.
---
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation and immediately knelt down to pay his respects. Seeing that his father, the Emperor, had not spoken, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen wisely lowered his head and did not make a sound.
Even sitting at the head of the table, Emperor Kangxi couldn't see the expression on his fourth son, Yinzhen, who was bowing his head. Looking at his motionless, wooden son, Emperor Kangxi became even angrier. He picked up the teacup beside him and threw it hard at the side of Yinzhen.
Tea and porcelain shards were spilled everywhere, with much of it splashing onto the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen. Several sharp shards cut his cheek and chin, leaving small red marks.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, dared not flinch in the slightest. He knelt there upright, his head bowed, which made his back appear even straighter.
Emperor Kangxi sat on the high dragon throne, looking expressionlessly at the kneeling Fourth Prince Yinzhen below. His eyes were cold and deep, and he exuded an invisible pressure.
The sight made the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, kneeling below, involuntarily feel a little short of breath. He pursed his lips tightly and lowered his head even further.
Kangxi's voice was deep and powerful, but devoid of any warmth.
"Fourth Prince, why did you cut off your Ninth Brother's braid?"
"Didn't I always teach you to be kind and respectful to your brothers and sisters, and to love and care for your younger siblings?"
"You're almost at the age to get married, and you're still bullying that little Jiu who's not even six years old yet."
"For the sake of a beast, he would disregard his own flesh and blood, become irritable, and be unpredictable in his moods."
As the words grew increasingly harsh, the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, slowly bent his pine-like back, biting his lower lip tightly until it bled red, yet he felt no pain.
She raised her head, her eyes defiant, staring straight at Emperor Kangxi sitting above her.
"Father, why didn't you investigate the cause of the matter before admitting my guilt?"
“If it weren’t for Ninth Brother hurting Duofu, whom my son raised, for no reason, how could my son have cut off Ninth Brother’s braid?”
Emperor Kangxi, sitting at the head of the table, was so angry that he laughed, and his laughter was particularly loud in the quiet Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Her face flushed slightly with anger, her chest heaved, and her eyes were filled with rage as she looked at the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, who was kneeling below her. Seeing his unrepentant and evasive appearance only fueled her anger.
"You are unrepentant, argumentative, rash, and unpredictable. I need to correct your temperament."
"Go outside and kneel down. You can come back in when you admit your mistake."
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, looked at the broken pieces on the ground, said nothing more, straightened up, got up from the ground, and walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation without saying a word, kneeling straight outside.
Liang Jiugong, who was guarding the door, tightened his legs and tried to calm himself down when he heard the Emperor's angry voice coming from inside.
Liang Jiugong looked at the Fourth Prince Yinzhen kneeling at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, his face full of pain, and said in a low, earnest voice.
"Fourth Prince, why won't you listen to this old servant? Go in and apologize directly, let His Majesty know that you are repentant. How can you confront His Majesty head-on?"
Before Liang Jiugong could say anything, Emperor Kangxi inside the palace angrily gave Liang Jiugong orders.
"Liang Jiugong, send someone to execute that dog for me. I don't want to see that dog in the palace again."
Before Liang Jiugong could act, the Fourth Prince Yinzhen grew impatient and called out anxiously.
"Father, it's all my fault. If you're unhappy, punish me however you like, I'll accept it."
"Duofu is innocent. Please, Father Emperor, rescind your order."
"Please, Father, retract your order. I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have hurt my ninth brother."
"It's all the son's fault."
Emperor Kangxi did not change his decree because of the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's temporary admission of wrongdoing and repentance; his tone remained frighteningly cold.
"Liang Jiugong, you dog slave, I can't even order you around anymore."
Upon hearing the order, Liang Jiugong ignored the Fourth Prince Yinzhen's unpleasant expression and hurriedly led his men toward Chengqian Palace.
The Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, got up from the ground and tried to chase after him, but the guards of the Emperor's Hall of Mental Cultivation, upon hearing the order, quickly pinned him down and prevented him from moving.
Without His Majesty's decree, the Fourth Prince, Yinzhen, would have to kneel here indefinitely.
The fourth prince, Yinzhen, could no longer hide his anxiety; his eyes turned red, and he shouted loudly.
"Father, I know I was wrong. It's all my fault. Duofu is innocent. Duofu is the only thing Mother left me."
"Your son begs Your Majesty to forgive him this time. I promise that I will be kind and respectful to my brothers and never do anything that Your Majesty dislikes."
No matter how much the Fourth Prince Yinzhen begged for mercy outside Kangxi's Hall of Mental Cultivation, Kangxi inside did not change his mind.
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