A sudden enlightenment after an illness
Yinreng slept in his Duanben Palace that day. The night before, he felt in a bad mood and did not want to make his wife uneasy, so he pretended to prepare materials for the next day's court session and slept directly in the Duanben Palace.
Shujia accepted his statement. As the second-in-command, she had to be prepared to be tested at all times. But there was one thing she couldn't figure out: didn't Mingzhu mean to abandon Yinzhi?
This news was told to her by Yinreng himself. Based on Shujia's impression of Mingzhu, she was not someone who would play tricks on others. Yinreng had always been highly vigilant towards Mingzhu. Even though he had retreated to the sidelines for many years, she was still one of Yinreng's top dangers - the other being Yinzhi.
Even if Mingzhu really wanted to make peace, Yinreng would not easily believe it. Now that he believed it, it meant that the matter was true.
Lian Mingzhu is no longer an enemy of the Eastern Palace, so why is Yinreng still taking it so seriously?
No matter how confused she was, Shujia still agreed: "Don't be too late."
Yinzu smiled, pinched his wife's cheek, and looked at his little son, who was sleeping soundly. The little guy had been fussing all day. It was May, the height of summer, and the adults were drowsy, but he was the only one who was energetic. If he wasn't played with for a moment, he would cry loudly, making everyone exhausted.
Children always want to grow up, but when they enter society they find that kindergarten is the easiest place to get along.
Yinreng was currently in this state: he understood more, saw more, seemed to see things more clearly, yet he was even more confused. Yinreng was now most concerned about two fundamental issues: one, the crown prince, and two, Kangxi. All other problems stemmed from these two minor issues.
Then all these trivial matters became entangled with two main issues, making his head a mess.
Maintaining the demeanor of a crown prince, Yinreng sat at his desk and went over the matters to be discussed tomorrow - the deprivation of the title of the concubine of Prince Khorchin Heshuo Tushetu's Efu Shalu for usurping the princess's ceremonial guards - and then, feeling prepared, he thought about other issues.
In comparison, this question was quite simple. There was a pattern that suggested a decent answer: simply give the title to someone from the same clan. Tomorrow would be an easy day, Yinreng thought.
Last time, Kangxi assigned the eldest prince to do a mission, and after he came back, he asked everyone to discuss it. What a big deal! The mission was done by the eldest prince, and it was impossible for him to share resources with everyone. You have to come up with a lot of things about something you didn’t participate in or know about from beginning to end! That’s really overwhelming. If other princes are doing the mission, they are also obliged not to tell anyone before reporting to Kangxi. This is the rule. When it comes to the political meeting, if you can’t answer, it means you are incompetent! If others encounter such a thing, as long as they are not directly related, they can still pretend to be dumb. Yinreng is the prince, and he is the key training target of Kangxi, the head teacher of the royal political training class. He has to stand up and answer every question, regardless of whether he raises his hand or not.
Yinreng was racking his brains over the reasoning plot every day and felt like his head was about to catch fire.
Finally, a relatively peaceful day had arrived, and Yinreng had time to think about things, but the more he thought, the more annoyed he became. He had been given the position of second-in-command, with a major policy, but this had only plunged him into a state of anxiety. Before, his anxiety was inexplicable, but now it was a well-known anxiety.
He is worried about his father!
Mingzhu seemed genuine now, and even if she had some conspiracy, he wouldn't care. Even then, with all her might, she couldn't do anything to him. Now, with her age, what was there to fear? He accepted her because, on the one hand, Mingzhu was genuine and her words made sense. On the other hand, he feared if Mingzhu showed weakness, and if he continued to push her too hard, others would interpret the situation differently. He couldn't give her any leverage, and certainly couldn't let Kangxi harbor such thoughts.
But it’s so hard to control your emotions!
Mingzhu and Soetu were experienced and shrewd, having experienced and seen everything, so they had no pressure to act out their feelings. But Yinreng was different. He could never forget the pressure Mingzhu had put on him, just as he could never forget the help Soetu had given him. The younger you are, the harder it is to change an impression. Although he later learned that Soetu had his own selfish motives and had caused a bad influence, once Soetu came to his senses, he still sided with him.
Mingzhu! Damn it! Reconciliation is one thing, but the knot in his heart is another. Yinreng knew that no matter how much he disliked Mingzhu, he couldn't do anything excessive in the future, because he had accepted the repentance now, and he had to keep his word and have his own pride.
Mingzhu's shift in focus brought another factor Yinreng hadn't considered: Kangxi's feelings. Mingzhu's perceptive eye for Kangxi was truly impressive, as she warned the crown prince against becoming too closely associated with her or Soetu. Yinreng's interactions with these two figures were already minimal, and the implication of Mingzhu's words only served to further his concerns.
Could it be that Khan Ama would be suspicious of me? This was the biggest problem. Ultimately, the world belonged to Khan Ama. When Mingzhu was at the height of his power, and the pressure on him was suffocating, Kangxi, in a moment's thought, chopped Mingzhu and his followers into pieces.
The decision-making power lay with his father. This was true for Mingzhu, and it was also true for Yinreng. But he couldn't understand his father. He was truly protective of him, and he was also truly protective of others. Whenever he felt that his Khan Ama was treating him very well, Kangxi would use his actions to tell him that the emperor would also be kind to others.
Just like that, he kept thinking, "I can't even touch an enemy like Mingzhu. I have to be careful not to ruin my reputation. This life is so hard.", "What exactly does Khan Ama mean?", "How many of these brothers can I trust?", "How can I defeat the boss?"
…
In reality, these were the only real matters His Royal Highness the Crown Prince dealt with daily. Add to that the myriad details of court affairs and the many interpersonal relationships he had to contend with, such as how to interact with members of the imperial family, how to deal with the powerful, and so on.
Exhausted.
He had been living like this for several years. Ever since he was frightened and unable to sleep in his wife's bed in Yuqing Palace, the Crown Prince's miserable days had begun. Yinreng's physical and mental health had been stretched to the limit, and it was natural that he would fall ill.
This illness was inevitable. Ever since the Crown Prince understood his predicament, he dared not sleep with eunuchs or maids nearby, fearing the pressure would overwhelm him and lead to his sleep-talking, which could be overheard. Only when he was with his wife, where Shujia was certain to keep his secrets, could he sleep with such a person with peace of mind. Otherwise, when the Crown Prince was asleep, no one was allowed in his room, and no one was allowed to enter. Even when he was with his wife, the maids on night duty were required to go to the outer room and were not allowed to stay in the inner chamber.
It wasn't that he couldn't handle it; the pressure was simply too much. He was still a man, the head of a household, with a wife and children to look after. The day-to-day worry, unable to express it, was incredibly depressing.
In the middle of summer, he was so anxious thinking about these things that he broke into a sweat and kicked off the quilt when he went to sleep. No one dared to be in the room, so no one covered him with the quilt. However, he put plenty of ice cubes in the room before going to bed - the crown prince felt hot.
In the middle of the night, he fell into a vague sleep. His body was no longer hot, but the room was very cold, so the Crown Prince simply lay down there.
It was Shujia who discovered Yinreng's illness. She hadn't slept well that night, and Yinreng was in a particularly bad mood that night. In the summer, the sun rises early, so she simply got up early and went to Duanbengong to check on Yinreng's condition.
By the time Shujia arrived at Duanben Palace, Yinreng would have been up by then. The eunuchs and palace maids were already up, and upon seeing the Crown Princess, they all came to pay their respects. Then there was the Crown Prince, and no one in his room responded—a phenomenon never before encountered.
With the Crown Princess in charge, everyone opened the door and entered the room, only to find the Crown Prince lying motionless on the bed. Everyone gasped in shock, then dared not breathe a word. Shujia quickly walked to the bed, reached out and touched it, her heart suddenly skipping a beat. It was so hot!
Shujia decisively gave the order: "The prince is ill, first fetch some water to apply to the prince. Zhao Guoshi, you go to the Imperial Hospital and summon the imperial physician, Gao Sanxie, to go to the Palace of Heavenly Purity and ask for leave from the prince. No one in the East Palace is allowed to walk around, and no one is allowed to talk about the prince's illness. Hongxiu, Qiao'er, you two go to the Ningshou Palace and tell the old ancestor that I can't go there today." As she spoke, she pulled the quilt over Yinreng. As the orders were issued one by one, the hearts of the palace maids and eunuchs settled down. Shujia's heart began to beat wildly - she had never seen Yinreng sick, but now he was lying there without even a groan, his face tense as if he had met the murderer of his father in a dream.
Yinreng is in his prime, and his physical condition has always been good. He has also practiced martial arts for many years. It cannot be said that martial arts have any effect on strengthening the body, but it has some effect. Now he is sick and confused - safety is not his style, and Shujia can't help but worry about him.
The maids brought warm water and arranged the handkerchief. Shujia carefully folded it and placed it on Yinreng's head. By this time, Yinreng hadn't woken up yet. Hongxi had already washed and dressed and came to pay his respects to his father. Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi also arrived.
Shujia said, "Your father is feeling unwell today and is lying down. I have called the imperial physician. You should go to study first. If anything happens, I will send someone to call you back."
Hongxi was quite worried: "Mother, what's happening to my father..."
"We have to wait for the imperial physician to come to explain it clearly. You don't have to worry. Your father has always been in good health." Comforting Hongxi was also comforting herself.
After persuading Hongxi to go to class, Shujia finally said to Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi, "The imperial physician will be here soon. Don't stay outside. Come to my place."
The three of them didn't even have the mood to eat breakfast, so they just sat there waiting for the imperial physician. Shujia had just reached out to change the handkerchief on Yinreng's forehead when Hongdan arrived. Hongdan lived with Kangxi, and every day before Kangxi went to court or class, he would come and have breakfast with Kangxi. He had just paid his respects today and had only taken three sips of millet porridge when Gao Sanxie came to say that Yinreng was ill, and quite seriously.
Hongdan put down the bowl and said: "Please put state affairs first, your grandson wants to go and see your father." Putting the two sentences together, Kangxi was stunned.
Kangxi first sent Hongdan to see his father, leaving Gao Sanxie to inquire in detail. Gao Sanxie said, "I am not very knowledgeable in medicine, so I can't tell whether it is good or bad. I just know that the prince has a fever," he paused, "and he is a little confused."
A fever wasn't a serious illness, so Kangxi felt relieved. "Go to the Qingmen Gate." He wanted to finish his work quickly and go see his son. Today, many people were demoted by the emperor for one reason: they were too talkative!
At the Imperial Hospital, people didn't have to attend court on weekdays. They could get up at 12:00 in the evening, and at that time, everyone would come to take care of the patients. If someone called, they would go and see a doctor. If no one called, they would chat with each other, hold academic seminars, and check the patient's pulse on the day.
As long as no one of the emperor's status falls ill, everyone lives a leisurely life.
On this day, their peaceful life was shattered. As everyone was discussing which place had the best douzhi (soy milk), the chief eunuch of the Crown Princess's household arrived. Without even catching his breath, the usually composed eunuch attacked and arrested the prince: "The Crown Prince is ill! Come with me!"
Upon hearing the news, the face of the prominent imperial physician became serious.
Even when the Crown Prince's family lived in separate quarters, they weren't difficult to serve. Yuqing Palace had always been peaceful and healthy. Xiefang Palace, however, had two chronically ill individuals. One was Hongyang, who had a congenital illness and, due to his high social status, required serious attention. The other was Li Jia, who had a postpartum illness that needed to be slowly managed.
By the time the Crown Prince's family had all gathered, Li Jia no longer needed to see a doctor frequently, with only Hongyang to care for. Not long ago, Hongyang had died, and the Eastern Palace's need for imperial physicians had dwindled. The imperial physicians in charge of the Eastern Palace had found a comfortable job: to regularly check the Crown Princess's pulse and be prepared to provide emergency treatment during pregnancy and childbirth.
We prepared it for a long time, but it was never used once. The mother and child are safe.
No one expected that this time, the one to be rescued was the Crown Prince! A healthy person, once sick, would have a hard time recovering. This was common sense for most people, and even the imperial physician, though he didn't fully believe it, had this thought in mind.
Zhao Guoshi didn't say anything, but Sun Zhiding, who was promoted to the rank of Left Court Judge in the Imperial Hospital, took the initiative to go. Not only did he go himself, he also called three imperial doctors to go for a consultation together.
Sun Zhiding said: "Hurry up, Liu Shengfang, Zhang Maogong, and Jiang Xie, follow me. The morning court is about to begin, and the emperor will definitely ask if he doesn't see the prince." The other three did not dare to delay and stood up in response.
Sun Zhiding led the team personally, running at a speed that was inconsistent with his age. If he had worn cloth shoes instead of court boots, he would have definitely run away!
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Seeing the imperial physician come in, Shujia stood behind the screen and said, "Let's skip these formalities for now. You can go see the prince first. He was fine yesterday, but when I came over today, he had a raging fever and he couldn't even recognize me!"
She spoke urgently, and Sun Zhiding didn't dare delay. As he'd said, Kangxi would soon receive the news. If there weren't many things to do at court today, and the emperor was about to arrive, he had to show his skills. After feeling her pulse, Sun Zhiding felt relieved. It wasn't a serious illness, just fatigue and some mental distress.
To be on the safe side, Sun Zhiding asked the other three imperial doctors to take the patient's pulse.
The four of them gathered together for a small meeting, each expressing their own views. Shujia didn't understand much, but she knew that although their expressions were solemn, their words were not harsh. Only then did she feel relieved.
Soon, Sun Zhiding came up to report, "The Crown Prince's illness is not serious; he only needs to recuperate. Your servants will work out a prescription. First reduce the fever, then treat him. He will recover soon."
Shujia hurriedly said, "In that case, let's hurry up." While she was free, she simply called Hongxi over.
The imperial physicians continued their small meeting. Sun Zhiding said, "The prince is in his prime and has a good foundation. As long as we don't prescribe the wrong medicine, he will be fine." There was another thing he didn't say. Even if no medicine was prescribed, the prince would most likely be able to survive as long as he paid attention to cooling down his fever and drinking plenty of water.
Liu Shengfang echoed, "Master Sun is right. I don't think it's a serious symptom. As long as it doesn't get any worse, it'll be fine."
Zhang Maogong said, "The emperor will go to Rehe next month, and I will accompany him. I seem to have heard that the prince will also accompany him. The prince's illness is not serious, but if it is not treated properly, it may relapse. This is..." He pointed, feeling even more worried.
Jiang Xie said: "In this case, we can't let the prince accompany the emperor, otherwise..." If anything happens, the imperial physician's job, "the most difficult and dangerous job in the ancient imperial palace," will come true for them.
Sun Zhiding made the decision: "That's it!"
They would draw up a prescription and, while the medicine was being boiled, submit it to Kangxi. If Kangxi had no objection, the medicine would be given to the Crown Prince. If the Emperor had another opinion, then they would revise it, as the medicine hadn't been given to the Crown Prince yet.
Kangxi is coming.
Today was a relatively easy day. Kangxi simply changed Kelqin's title to a prince, and then brought a group of his children and grandchildren to attack Duan Bengong.
Sun Zhiding, along with the eunuchs from the Eastern Palace, greeted Kangxi outside the palace. He stood up and reported the Crown Prince's serious condition. He said that if he could be cured, it would be his own fault; if not, it was a precautionary measure. The princes' expressions varied: some were happy, some worried, some bewildered, and some indifferent.
Kangxi was worried: "What is the pulse condition?"
As Sun Zhiding stood up and spoke, Kangxi's face grew gloomy.
When Yinzhi reached the inner room, he looked inside and saw a shadowy figure behind the screen, which looked like a woman. While he was talking, Shujia had already paid her respects to Kangxi inside. Upon hearing this, Yinzhi, who was also lost in thought about the beautiful future, stopped and stood in the outer room.
The princes listened to Kangxi's anxious voice from inside the pass: "Yinreng, Yinreng, did you hear Father?" Their hearts ached. This voice was so loving and kind, much like the way they coaxed their own babies when they were in a good mood. The crown prince had been out of the babysitting cycle for a long, long time!
Seeing Kangxi arrive, Shujia felt relieved and recounted the entire incident clearly: "Last night, the Crown Prince said he wanted to study, so he came back to rest. This morning, my wife came to see him... and he was already ill. She urgently summoned the imperial physician, who has already prescribed a prescription."
Sun Zhiding was outside, handing the prescription to Wei Zhu to show Kangxi. Kangxi studied Yinreng's face, touched his forehead, and frowned as he touched the already hot towel. He extended his index finger and gently stroked Yinreng's dry, chapped lips.
He turned around suddenly, grabbed the prescription and read it: "Let's boil the medicine."
The medicine had already been simmering for a long time, and it was almost done after it was reduced. Hongxi held the medicine while Hongdan fed it into Yinreng's mouth, spoonful at a time. He was so delirious with fever that he didn't even know how to open his mouth, and a spoonful of medicine flowed down the corner of his lips.
Hongdan's delicate little eyebrows frowned, and Jiuzi threw it into the bowl, stretched out his little wolf claws with great momentum, and started to dig! Kangxi patted him, which scared Hongdan: "Mafa?"
Kangxi personally took charge, leaning Yinreng against his shoulder. He squeezed his son's chin, creating a crack. "Give it to me." Hongdan took the medicine bowl from Hongxi, and Kangxi fed Yinreng the medicine bit by bit. Even though the crown prince was delirious with fever, he knew the situation and drank it quickly, leaving no drop.
Shujia tried hard to observe the situation through the screen, but at the same time she had to maintain her appearance, and the handkerchief in her hand was almost crumpled to pieces.
The princes outside were so bored that they started looking for flies to swat. Yinzhi even kept his back straight, which made his brothers very upset. Second brother, even if it is just to prevent this guy from disgusting everyone, you have to hold on!
After Yinreng drank the medicine, his expression gradually relaxed and he fell into a deep sleep. Kangxi looked at his son several times before he remembered that there were other people in the room and his other sons standing outside.
"The Crown Prince is unwell, you all go and do your duties." This was addressed to the princes.
"Hongxi and Hongdan serve medicine and don't have to go to the county town to study." This is for the grandsons.
Then he turned to the Crown Princess: "I have nothing to do today, so I am here to see the Crown Prince. You can go down first and take good care of the two little ones."
Shujia replied with a "yes" and walked around the screen to leave. When she looked up, she quickly glanced at her two sons.
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After leaving the Eastern Palace, Yinsi was deeply puzzled. In the past, when this situation arose, his elder brother would have used his seemingly good-tempered younger brother as a trash can to complain about it, saying things like, "What's the matter with such a fragile body?" or "Khan Ama really cares about the prince!" or "I wonder how long it will take for him to recover?"
Today, he coughed twice, and he just put on a gloating smile and walked away! Well, he has improved...
How could Yinsi know Yinzhi's suppressed excitement? Yinzhi was so excited that his heart was about to jump out of his throat! He was sick, he was too sick to get out of bed, he was about to die of illness! La la la ~ I said, first his father-in-law's family held a funeral, then his son, and then what's next - Yinzhi had to purse his lips, once he opened his mouth, he was afraid that he would not be able to help laughing out loud. Going home to change clothes, changing the prince's court clothes into casual clothes for going out, Yinzhi prepared to go to Baoen Temple again. Zhang Jia helped him put on his clothes, and found him a fan in a fan case embroidered with lotus flowers and hung it around his waist, saying, "My master just came back and you are going out again. Where are you going? The sun is so hot now."
Yinzhi took the melon-shaped hat and put it on his head: "You don't need to know what's going on outside."
He walked away gracefully, leaving Zhang Jiashi staring at his back in a daze. The head maid came to ask, "Fujin, where is the breakfast? All the princesses have arrived."
"Ah? Oh, right here."
Yinzhi rode his horse at full speed to Baoen Temple. Bahangelung knew from his expression that he was going to listen to his nagging. He was so excited that he kept talking for a whole incense stick!
Yinzhi didn't speak for long, but the news was shocking, so shocking that Bahanglong thought he had become a master of curses. "Really?"
"That's right," Yinzhi made his sneer seem more mysterious, "Khan Ama didn't even wake him up, he's almost finished, hahahaha~
Bahanglong said, "Then I must work harder."
"That's right, absolutely wonderful. I'll go with you. No, I have something important to do, so you need to be careful here."
In a flash, he ran to Mingzhu's place. Mingzhu had been claiming illness and refused to see visitors for some time, and Yinzhi had been turned away twice before. This time, the matter was too serious, and Yinzhi was impatient to deal with it, so he rushed all the way to Mingzhu's residence.
The servant from the Ming Mansion rushed over to announce, "Grandpa! Prince Zhi is here!" His voice was loud. The last time Prince Zhi came, the old man said he was too sick to get up, but in fact... he was feeding the goldfish. This time, it seemed he was loosening the soil for the flowers? Could Prince Zhi have caught him in the act?
Yinzhi came to Mingzhu to ask for her advice: what should they do if the prince died? Mingzhu heard the noise from afar and ran into the house in a hurry. When she got to a place, she found that the soles of her shoes were still stained with mud. She took off her cloth shoes, threw them into the flowers, and rushed into the house to lie down.
Yinzhi also rushed over and saw Mingzhu panting heavily, sweating profusely, and her face flushed. Yinzhi first showed concern for Mingzhu and asked, "What's wrong with you?"
Mingzhu said: "Old, cough cough, old illness, cough, old illness..."
Yinzhi stepped forward and said, "You are lucky. The Crown Prince is so sick at such a young age that he can't get up..."
Mingzhu: "..." She coughed violently. This time it was real. Kuifang and others rushed over.
Yinzhi returned home in disappointment.
"Go and find out what the Crown Prince's illness is."
Kuixu rushed back from outside and said, "Father, it's true that the Crown Prince is ill. The Emperor has stayed in the Eastern Palace to look after him. The two princes who were studying in the Eastern Palace have also asked for leave today to take care of him. What do you think..."
Mingzhu closed her eyes and thought for a while: "The Crown Prince has always been in good health." Even if he is not, Prince Zhi is not a good partner if he does something stupid.
The news from the Suo-etu and Shi families arrived a little later, but they all knew by noon. Both families were terribly worried, and no one wanted to worry about the Crown Prince. They all consoled themselves by saying that the Crown Prince was still young, and an illness wouldn't be a big deal, even if he was unconscious...
Why do I feel more anxious the more I comfort myself?
The most anxious person was Kangxi. His son, to whom he had devoted the most energy, was so ill that he fell asleep. Letting go of Yinreng's hand, Kangxi wandered around the Duanben Palace and walked to the west study. The shelves were filled with books, and the table was neatly laid out with the four treasures of the study and some documents.
Kangxi was familiar with Yinreng's habit of placing things. He had taught him all of this. Kangxi picked up these things and felt as if they were his own. The things he looked at most often were placed in the front, and the things he needed to finish that day were placed closest to his left hand...
He picked up a document he'd read halfway through, a document about the decision on the fate of the Khorchin prince. Tucked inside was a piece of paper, inscribed in Yinreng's elegant small script: "Choose a close relative to inherit, awaiting the emperor's decision." Below that was a list of names, listing all those eligible for the throne.
Kangxi sighed inwardly, "This child is really exhausted." Sun Zhiding also said that it would be best for him to take good care of himself and avoid traveling. He would not be able to travel next month.
In the evening, Yinreng's fever subsided a little, and Kangxi felt relieved and let his two grandsons rest. He himself was about to go to court. At the door, he met Shujia who came to take care of him. Kangxi stopped and said, "You should pay more attention. I will come again tomorrow."
Shujia answered with a single "yes" without looking up. She was already panicking, her voice trembling.
Shujia set up a small couch next to Yinreng's bed to make it easier for her to take care of him. She didn't sleep well that night, and had strange dreams. She was so scared that she broke out in a cold sweat and woke up in the middle of the night. After waking up, she forgot what she had dreamed about. She got up and wiped her face, then looked at Yinreng, and he was actually moving!
Shujia was overjoyed and stepped forward. Xiuniu and the others also stepped forward after hearing the noise. Yinreng's dry lips moved and his voice was very unclear, but Shujia still made out a few syllables: "Mother... Mother... Mother... It hurts..."
Shujia stood up and stood blankly by the bed, tears falling on Yinreng's lips. There is always that woman in the world. Even if you have never seen her or have long forgotten her, when you are most sad, you will still say her name, as if... just saying this name can help you resist all pain and soothe all creation.
The sky gradually brightened.
Kangxi was in a very bad mood that day. The clan office reported: Prince Xian Danzhen died.
Damn! Kangxi wanted to flip the table, but finally he calmed down and said, "Ask the fifth prince Yinqi and the seventh prince Yinyou to take care of him. I've given him 10,000 silver coins for funeral expenses, and the posthumous title of Miba. I'll let Danzhen's son Yanhuang inherit the title."
He spoke very quickly, and Zhang Yushu had to memorize it quickly. He wrote down the text without adding any more words, and it became a draft. Kangxi glanced at it and said, "That's it. Go and serve this palace."
Shujia hadn't eaten in two days and still had no appetite. Kangxi ate his meals regularly, but he didn't eat as much at any of the three meals combined.
The first question he asked was: "How is the prince?"
Shujia said, "The fever has subsided, but he hasn't woken up yet. He was talking in his sleep for a while."
"It'll be alright!" Kangxi said, and rushed inside, bringing with him a gust of cool air. Shujia followed him in silently. She didn't feel safe going anywhere else.
It was the same old position, the same old movements. On the few occasions when Yinreng was ill as a child, Kangxi personally tended to him, caressing his bald forehead, holding his little hands, stroking his face, and constantly repeating, "Father is here, Baocheng will get better."
This time was no exception. It was only when Kangxi touched the stubble of his son's beard that he realized his son had grown up and lost a lot of weight.
Yinreng was not old enough to grow a beard, so he shaved the stubble on his chin as it grew to keep his face clean and tidy. He hadn't shaved for two days, and it hurt Kangxi's hand.
"You've grown up..."
It was at this moment that Yin Zu woke up. He stirred his body as if struggling, but his eyes didn't open yet. His mouth moved first, and he let out a sigh that sounded like a groan: "What time is it..."
Shujia said quickly, "It's only the beginning of the 3:00 AM. You should sleep a little longer." Kangxi turned around and looked at her.
"I feel like I've had enough sleep, get up...Ama?!"
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The Crown Prince's illness came to a temporary end, and three days later, he was able to attend court.
It is said that Prince Zhi smashed his own study.
Five days later, he was still in good spirits, attending his ninth brother's wedding, and then his tenth brother's wedding. At the banquet, the somewhat frail Crown Prince became much more approachable. Perhaps due to his illness, his rough edges had smoothed out, his pretentiousness faded, and a gentle and amiable Crown Prince emerged before everyone.
Yinzhi was concerned about his health and hinted that he was not in good health. Yinreng just smiled and said, "Brother, you are too kind. My illness is not a big deal. I am ashamed that I have tired my father to come to see me and that my brothers are worried about me." When the prince fell ill, one thing was clear from everyone inside and out: the emperor still attached great importance to the prince.
It is said that Prince Zhi almost smashed the Buddha statue.
But the crown prince and his family never made it to the Great Wall. Kangxi, on behalf of the empress dowager, went to Rehe to escape the summer heat. Kangxi summoned Yinreng for a private conversation: "You've been on such a long journey, and your recovery is paramount. Go and stay in Changchun Garden, where it's cooler. Have them report important events to you, but don't worry about anything. I'll be checking on you when I return. If you recover, we can go on a southern tour together. If you don't, you won't be able to join us."
Yinreng smiled and said, "Thank you, my son, for your concern."
Kangxi still took Hongdan with him. The Empress Dowager was filled with regret, "It's a pity that the Crown Princess couldn't come with you." Kangxi said, "Mother and the Crown Princess live together in the palace and see each other every day. But the Fifth Princess doesn't come into the palace often after her marriage. How about I bring the Fifth Princess with you this time?"
The Queen Mother thought for a moment and said, "This is also very good."
The fifth princess was not doing well. Not long after she left the house, she... died.
The day Kangxi received the news, he was so sad that he couldn't eat.
Yinreng and Shujia were staying in Changchun Garden when they received the news. They immediately asked Hongxi and Hongtong to change into plain clothes. Yinreng shook the letter in his hand and whispered to Shujia, "I will probably get better after Khan Ama comes back. I may have to get sick again."
Shujia was a little surprised: "Why do you say that?"
Yinreng sneered: "As long as I am not sick, some people will never jump out. Only when I am sick can Khan Ama see some people clearly. You know the situation, don't worry too much." The subtext is that you have to cooperate when the time comes.
Shujia whispered: "Han Ama will also be worried about you, you..."
Yinreng put his hands behind his head and lay down comfortably: "I'm grown up now. I won't make Khan Ama worry. At most, he will worry about me." He imitated Hongtong, blinked mischievously, and murmured, "My younger brothers have grown up too and can do their work. I can take care of less things." After being sick and having a good sleep, he thought that he probably understood his Khan Ama's current mentality.
Han Ama is good to himself and also to others.
He understood the same thing differently and decided to be a good boy who would not make his father worry.
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