Chapter 134: Personal Expedition
Kangxi, who had not been seen for a long time, finally set foot in Yongshou Palace again.
"Is Your Majesty done with his work?"
Yuying looked at Kangxi, who came in, ordered the servants to leave and then sat down by himself, and asked curiously.
[Why do you look unhappy?]
[Is something not going well?]
Kangxi reached out and held Yuying's hand, playing with Yuying's well-maintained hand. Looking closely, Kangxi's movements seemed somewhat familiar. Wasn't this the same as the way he usually wore the jade pendant around his waist?
It turns out that he is treating his hand as a jade pendant.
Yuying pulled her hand back and glared at Kangxi.
Kangxi touched his nose and held Yuying's hand again. He really loved the feeling of her hand, which was like warm jade.
"I just got a box of Yuhong ointment. I'll have someone bring it over for Ah Ying to wipe her hands."
Yuying snorted when she heard this, "That's more like it."
She sat down next to Kangxi and let Kangxi hold both of her hands, letting him hold and pinch them.
When Kangxi's mood finally improved, he started talking to Yuying about business.
"Zungar has repeatedly invaded the border between Qing and Mongolia. I have been discussing war preparations with my ministers in the Palace of Heavenly Purity for some time, and I have neglected Aying. Can Aying blame me?"
"What? Are we going to have a war?" Yuying stood up in surprise, and naturally withdrew her hands that were being held by Kangxi.
Kangxi was dissatisfied and held it again.
No, it’s already this time and Kangxi still has the mood to play with her hands.
Kangxi nodded. He looked at Yuying's still innocent appearance and felt a little reluctant. But everything was ready, so he couldn't help but feel reluctant.
He exerted force on his hands and Yuying fell into his arms.
Yuying then sensed that Kangxi was in a bad mood, and she did not rush to get up. Instead, she relaxed herself completely, lying in Kangxi's arms, and said sullenly: "Your Majesty, what's wrong with you? Is the preparation for the war not going well?"
"Everything is going well in the preparations for war." Kangxi helped Yuying up and held her in his arms. He looked at Yuying steadily, "I have to thank Aying for all this. The farming method and down jackets proposed by Aying have helped me a lot. The Qing Dynasty is now strong and powerful, so we are naturally not afraid of the invasion of the Dzungar Khanate."
"I'm glad I could help the emperor." Yuying curled her eyes. She didn't expect that she had made some contribution to this.
It's just, "Then why are you still unhappy, Your Majesty?"
Logically speaking...if everything goes well, shouldn't you be happy?
"I... have decided to lead the army myself."
Yuying was stunned and said she had forgotten something.
So that's it.
She looked at Kangxi, her eyes showing her worry for him, "Can't someone else go?"
Kangxi looked at the worry in Yuying's eyes, and he finally felt relieved. She knew about this, but she was still worried about him. Did that mean she had him in her heart?
Seeing that Kangxi didn't say anything, Yuying pushed him.
Kangxi then shook his head and said, "There is no one in the royal family who can lead the army."
"Where are Prince Gong and Prince Yu?" Yuying really couldn't understand why such a big dynasty had to have the emperor personally go to war.
Kangxi even shook his head, "I have other arrangements for the two of them."
All right.
It seems that Kangxi has to go.
Yuying's mind raced, trying to recall this period of history. But perhaps because she had lived in the Qing Dynasty for many years, she couldn't remember anything at the moment.
If she had known earlier, she would have taken note of it. Yuying felt very upset.
Yuying looked at Kangxi. Since she didn't remember anything, perhaps it was because Kangxi's trip would be smooth sailing, so she couldn't remember it.
Seeing Yuying remained silent, Kangxi could not help but speak up and interrupt: "Aying, don't you have anything to say to me?" Don't you want to ask him a few words?
"Your Majesty, you will come back safely." Yuying seemed to remember her current status and added, "I will miss you, Your Majesty."
As their departure was imminent, Kangxi did not want to be separated from Yuying for a moment.
He held Yuying in his arms, rested his head on her shoulder, and gently closed his eyes. He felt exhausted from meeting with ministers and preparing for the war in recent days. But the war was imminent, and the longer he delayed, the more his people would be devastated by the war. Thinking of this, Kangxi did not dare to stop for days.
He sniffed the faint fragrance coming from Yuying's body, and couldn't help rubbing against her shoulder again, wanting to be infused with her scent. It seemed that in this way, he would not be afraid of separation.
Kangxi laughed, it turned out that he could also be so sentimental.
He raised his head from Yuying's shoulder and assured her: "I will miss Ah Ying, too."
"After I personally led the expedition, I have already instructed that the Crown Prince be the regent. Every day, the Crown Prince will report to me what is happening in the court as soon as possible. If Ah Ying has anything to say to me, you can also write a letter to the Crown Prince and pass it to me."
Yuying was already drowsy at this moment. She could hardly hear clearly what Kangxi was saying. She just kept saying "um", "okay" and nodding.
Kangxi could see that she was pretending to be sober, and he couldn't help but reach out and tap her forehead, "Have you remembered what I said, Ah Ying?"
"Ouch, it hurts." Yuying covered her forehead, "Your Majesty, what are you doing? I know, don't worry, I'm listening. Isn't it just that if you have something to say, you can write a letter and ask His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to give it to you?"
"Since Ah Ying has heard it clearly, you must remember it. I will wait for Ah Ying's letter at the front line."
Yuying nodded impatiently, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. Shall we rest?"
After Yuying finished speaking, she couldn't help but yawn. She had stayed up late today, and it was already past her original bedtime. She also spent a lot of time accompanying Kangxi, and now she was extremely sleepy.
Seeing tears in Yuying's eyes, Kangxi wanted to talk to her more even though he was going to leave before dawn the next day. But looking at her like this, he couldn't bear to let her stay with him.
Kangxi sighed. Counting carefully, he seemed to have sighed more often today.
"Since Ah Ying is sleepy, then go to sleep."
Kangxi picked up Yuying steadily and walked towards the bed.
As if she had not anticipated Kangxi's action, Yuying hurriedly hugged Kangxi's neck, and was half awakened from her sleep.
The journey was smooth. Kangxi put Yuying on the bed and said, "If you are tired, go to sleep first. I will go to wash up."
Yuying sat on the bed and looked up at Kangxi, "It's okay, I can still hold on for a while, I'll wait for the emperor."
"Okay. I'll be back as soon as possible."
But Yuying was really sleepy. When Kangxi came back, Yuying had already fallen on the bed, looking like she was soundly asleep.
Kangxi strode over and looked at Yuying's ungraceful sleeping posture. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He could only help Yuying adjust her sleeping posture without complaint, and then he lay down next to her.
Kangxi couldn't sleep, he looked at Yuying quietly.
"I was not able to properly confer the title of Imperial Concubine because I was still in mourning. I owe you that. When I return, I will definitely give you a grand ceremony to confer the title of Imperial Concubine."
Kangxi spoke to Yuying, but it seemed like he was talking to himself.
Yuying turned over, as if she felt it was too noisy, and waved her hand to drive away the sound that was disturbing her sleep.
Seeing that Yuying had her back to him, Kangxi had no choice but to lie down and close his eyes.
A good night's sleep.
The next day, Yuying woke up from her sleep and found that there was no warmth around her. She must have thought that Kangxi had been gone for a long time.
She had no recollection of what happened yesterday after she told Kangxi that she would wait for him. Yuying blushed slightly. She didn't expect that she would fall asleep in a second.
Yuying asked someone to come in and serve her.
Qingtao, who heard the voice, quickly walked to Yuying's side. Yuying didn't remember it, but just asked Qingtao: "Where is the emperor?"
"Your Majesty, the Emperor led his army out before dawn today, and I'm afraid they have already left the capital."
Yuying was stunned. Kangxi was leaving now?
How come no one notified her?
"Your Majesty, the Emperor has specifically instructed us not to disturb you, so he didn't wake you up." Qing Tao explained that he didn't mean to not wake her up.
Yuying looked at Qingtao and then she realized that she had accidentally said what was in her mind.
Yuying stopped thinking about it, fearing that she might accidentally say what was in her heart again.
Seeing that Yuying stopped talking, Qingtao asked tentatively: "Madam, can I help you wash up?"
Yuying nodded.
When Qingtao started to help Yuying change her clothes, maids including Pei'er Huan'er came in carrying a copper basin.
After breakfast, Yuying didn't know what to do for a moment. She sat on the couch, fiddling with the chess pieces in her hands, her eyes blank, wondering what she was thinking.
Marquis Qingtao was on one side, and the rest of the people had other things to do, busying themselves. It seemed as if she was the only idle person in the entire Yongshou Palace?
Yuying shook her head. Why did she feel so uneasy after Kangxi left?
Yuying put down the chess piece in her hand and asked Qingtao beside her: "Go and find out if the prince is in the Palace of Heavenly Purity now?"
Yuying decided that she would write a letter to Kangxi and then ask the prince to send it to Kangxi on her behalf.
Qingtao went downstairs as she was told, and Yuying came to the desk reluctantly.
At this moment, Yinreng, who had just finished his court session and was walking towards the study in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, rubbed his eyes with a headache.
Kangxi went to the battlefield himself, leaving the court to Yinreng.
Yinreng moved a chair and placed it slightly below the dragon throne and began his first stint as regent in his life.
Yinreng sat on a chair and watched the court officials below saluting him. It turned out that this was the scene Khan Ama saw every day when he went to court. Yinreng felt a sense of freshness in his heart.
So what if Yinzhi could follow Khan Ama to the war? He was Khan Ama's best son, and Khan Ama was willing to hand over the entire court to him.
But it is not so easy to be regent.
"Your Highness, I have something to report..."
"Your Highness, recently..."
"Your Highness, I think..."
After the ministers stood up, voices of complaints rose one after another. It seemed that everyone was eager to bring up and resolve all the old and difficult issues that had been piled up during Kangxi's absence.
They didn't dare to act rashly in front of the emperor, but did they dare not deceive the young prince?
Some people looked at each other silently, and then they both spoke.
This is why Yinreng looked like he had a headache after the court session. He walked forward silently with He Zhuer, and sighed for no reason: "Khan Ama is very hard-working in handling the government affairs every day."
"Your Highness, if you are tired, why don't we go back to Yuqing Palace to rest? It won't be too late to come back after lunch."
"I'm fine." Yinreng put one hand behind his back, "Khan Ama is still waiting for my letter. Am I such a lazy person?"
Yinreng glanced at He Zhuer disapprovingly.
The latter rubbed his hands helplessly, he was worried that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would be too tired.
Yinreng entered the study room of the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He still sat in front of the small desk prepared for him by Kangxi, but this small desk had now been replaced by a larger table.
He Zhuer, who was standing by, was grinding ink for him while Yinreng opened the memorial submitted today.
There was silence in the Qianqing Palace for a moment.
After an unknown amount of time, Yinreng angrily put the pen on the pen holder. He Zhuer, who was standing next to him, really thought he was a pillar and didn't dare to move, for fear that he would be taken out on.
“They are outrageous!”
"Do these people think that since Khan Ama is not around, I can let them fool me?"
"Is this prince so useless in their eyes?"
Yinreng looked at these memorials and was about to vent his anger a few more words.
There was a knock on the door.
Yinreng could only take a deep breath and ask, "What's the matter?"
"Your Highness, Empress Jin of Yongshou Palace just sent a servant to deliver a letter, asking you to pass it to the Emperor."
"Come in"
Yinreng spoke up. He knew about this. Khan Ama had specifically told him before he left. But he didn't expect that the relationship between Concubine Jin and Khan Ama was so good? Khan Ama had only been gone for less than a day, right?
The eunuch guarding the gate brought the letter in, and Yinreng motioned him to put it aside.
After being interrupted, Yinreng lost his temper. So he asked He Zhuer to find some writing paper and started writing to Kangxi.
At this time, Kangxi had already led his army to set up camp in a place.
Yinzhi was very excited all day, or rather, he had been excited since he received the order to join the army.
At this moment, his mind was filled with the excitement of going into battle and killing the enemy, and he was waiting for his Khan Ama to confer a title on him after his triumphant return.
A bonfire was lit in the camp. Kangxi, Yinzhi, Prince Yu Fuquan and Prince Gong Changning sat around the bonfire. Kangxi was discussing the next marching direction with them.
In this expedition to Dzungar, Kangxi adopted a strategy of dividing and attacking together, planning to divide his troops into four groups, with Prince Yu Fuquan as the General of Fuyuan and Yinzhi as the deputy general, leading the left group to Gubeikou; Prince Gong Changning as the General of Anbei, leading the right group to Xifengkou; and he himself went to Bolo and Tun. In addition, troops dispatched from Shengjing were also on their way.
By dividing his troops into four groups, Kangxi's goal was to capture the Dzungar leader Galdan and his rebellious troops in one fell swoop.
"Yinzhi, you follow your uncle and obey his instructions in everything. Don't act recklessly."
Kangxi was worried and gave Yinzhi some advice.
"Don't worry, Khan! I will definitely perform well and won't let you down!"
The firelight shone into Yinzhi's eyes. He was wearing a suit of armor. Because he was not in a hurry, he took off the armor on his head and placed it beside him.
Seeing him dressed like this, he really looked like a young general. Kangxi felt somewhat relieved and emotional.
There will be no such leisurely time tomorrow. The army will separate and travel at full speed.
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