Not long after Li Si'er's incident, news came from the imperial court that the Eighth Prince had lied about the disaster situation and embezzled disaster relief funds with local officials.
When the news arrived, the Eighth Prince had just arrived in the capital. Emperor Kangxi was furious and ordered a thorough investigation. When the matter was found to be true, he was so angry that he cursed the Eighth Prince in the Qianqing Palace, even saying that "Yinzhi is the son of a lowly woman from the Xinzheku and is not fit for a great responsibility."
These words shocked everyone, both in the government and among the people.
They were genuinely a bit confused.
The Emperor has been increasingly wary of the Crown Prince lately, and has basically ignored the other princes. Why did he suddenly promote the Eighth Prince and then eliminate him?
I can't figure it out, I just can't figure it out.
Changning was also surprised. In her memory, the Eighth Prince hadn't died so soon. This should have been at least a few more years later! The Crown Prince hadn't been deposed yet, and nothing had happened to him, so how come the Eighth Prince had stepped down first?
This isn't going in the right direction!
Could it be the butterfly effect of me traveling through time?
History has definitely changed; the Qing Dynasty of today is probably the Qing Dynasty of some parallel universe.
Upon hearing this news, no one was more heartbroken than Consort Liang.
She was born beautiful, and even in a place like the Imperial Laundry, she was a gem that could not be hidden. She was quickly discovered by Consort Hui and given to the Emperor.
Even though she was somewhat dull and lacked charm, she still won Emperor Kangxi's favor with her beautiful face and was fortunate enough to give birth to the Eighth Prince.
Of all the princes, the Eighth Prince's mother was of the lowest rank, which made him feel inferior to his brothers. This led to his low self-esteem, making him more cunning and hesitant to offend anyone. Consort Liang felt extremely guilty, believing she hadn't given her son a good family background and social standing.
However, in recent years, her son has gained more and more favor from the Emperor and more and more people respect him. Consort Liang is not without joy or pride.
But now, the Emperor's words struck her like a thunderbolt.
The son of a lowly woman from the Xin Zhe Ku!
So even if her son works hard and is outstanding, he will still be unworthy of the position because of her?
Consort Liang felt as if her heart was being torn apart, and she nearly fainted.
Consort Liang is ill, but no one dares to fetch the imperial physician for her. Everyone knows that the Eighth Prince has already been disliked by His Majesty.
A mother's status rises with her son's, and a son's status rises with his mother's. Neither Consort Liang nor the Eighth Prince currently enjoy this advantage.
Consort Hui found this very strange. Logically speaking, the most troublesome matter in the court right now should be caused by her eldest son and the crown prince. Who does the eighth prince even have?
So Consort Hui summoned Prince Zhi to the palace.
"Yinti, have you heard anything? Who stabbed the Eighth Prince in the back this time?" Consort Hui asked with some concern.
To be honest, she also had some affection for the Eighth Prince, since they were both raised in her palace. Her original plan was to have the Eighth Prince be a support for her son, so that her son wouldn't be alone and helpless without the help of his brothers.
Lao Ba did indeed always keep a low profile and did a lot for Lao Da.
Prince Zhi pondered for a long while, his voice tinged with bitterness: "Mother, Father's heart is now unfathomable. None of us sons are in his heart anymore. Haven't you realized it yet?"
Consort Hui was startled: "What nonsense are you talking about? You are the Emperor's eldest son. Even if the Emperor doesn't favor someone, he wouldn't disregard you. How many battles have you fought for the Emperor all these years?"
Prince Zhi gave a wry smile: "Mother, Wenke is about to be married off. Once my fifteenth sister's marriage is finalized, who will take care of the affairs of the Mongol tribes?"
Consort Hui understood his meaning, but she didn't take it to heart.
She cherishes her grandsons and has little affection for her granddaughters, let alone her own granddaughters. She has four granddaughters, so what does it matter if she gives one or two away?
However, she also knew that her son had always doted on his legal wife and loved his children born of his first wife very much. In particular, his daughter had grown up on his lap since she was a child.
"Yinti, pacifying the Mongols isn't necessarily a bad thing. If we have the support of the Mongol forces, wouldn't we be even more confident?"
Prince Zhi suddenly looked up: "Mother, the Crown Princess has also given birth to a princess. Will Father Emperor let her serve as a tutor in Mongolia?"
Consort Hui was stumped by the question; she really didn't know how to answer.
The Crown Prince is the Emperor's darling, and the Crown Princess is also highly trusted by Emperor Kangxi. However, lately, the Emperor's attitude towards the Crown Prince has become increasingly strange.
What exactly is wrong with the Emperor?
Fourth Prince's Mansion
Changning was discussing the trip to Mongolia with Yinzhen.
The purpose of this trip to escort Princess Heshuo Wenke to her new home was to demonstrate the power of the Qing Dynasty, elevate the princess's status, strengthen her authority, and reassure the Thirteenth Prince so that he could personally inspect his brother-in-law.
Thirteenth Master didn't arrange for anyone to accompany him, and Fourth Master couldn't very well bring a group of women in a big way. It didn't seem like they were going to do something serious; it looked more like they were taking people sightseeing.
I had promised Meng Guqing that I would take her with me to the grasslands this time, so that she could go back to her parents' home, see her relatives, and ease her longing.
Since one concubine is already accompanying her, it's inconvenient to take the other one along. Furthermore, Hongmin and Hongchen are still very young, only a few months old, and it's worrying to leave them unattended. The palace is also unstable right now, and it's impossible to leave her two sons in Consort De's Yonghe Palace any longer. Therefore, Changning will not be going this time.
Yinzhen was extremely reluctant to leave. He could no longer live without Changning, and he felt restless and anxious whenever he couldn't see her for even a short while. He also had two newborn sons. He loved looking into the eyes of his children, so bright and clear, so pure, as if they could see into one's heart.
Sometimes, as Yinzhen watched his children grow up, he felt a sense of awe, a reverence for life.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are inevitable; as long as there are children, their bloodline will continue.
"It's July when we're going, the hottest time of the year. Don't wear those lined robes anymore, or you'll get heat rash again," Changning muttered to herself as she packed his things.
"When you're riding a horse, you get covered in dust, which is hard to wash off. Your thighs get sweaty and stained red. Wear these newly made cotton clothes; they're comfortable, soft, and breathable. I'll also bring you a dozen or so pairs of slippers to wear in the carriage or tent. Have Su Peisheng remind you."
"When you wear slippers, don't wear socks over them, take them off and let your feet breathe. Your feet are always sweaty, and after wearing socks all day, they're soaked and your feet are all wrinkled."
As Yinzhen watched Changning's red lips open and close, each utterance filled with words of concern for him, his heart warmed. He wrapped his long arm around her and pulled her into his embrace. The faint fragrance of the woman filled his nostrils. He buried his face in the woman's neck, his voice muffled.
I really want to take you with me and never be apart from you.
Hearing Yinzhen's almost coquettish words, Changning smiled sweetly.
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