Change happens quietly
Change happens quietly
After the Huashans left, Yinreng's mind was in a state of disarray, a mix of understanding and confusion. In some ways, the Crown Prince's life had always been simple. Even with Mingzhu and Yinzhi occasionally causing him trouble, he had lived a relatively happy life for the vast majority of the past twenty years—except for the significant loss of his mother.
Life was too easy for the Crown Prince, who lacked the necessary understanding of certain darker aspects. In his twenty-plus years, he'd gotten whatever he wanted. Aside from his unrealized wish for the death of his eldest brother and Mingzhu, he rarely had the time to think about the darker aspects. All he had to consider were the meaning of this book, how to write this character beautifully, how to ride a horse swiftly and steadily, how to shoot an arrow accurately, and how many more people would be added to the population that year, and what kind of person would be needed to fill the gap...
The only thing he didn't learn was intrigue. He was already the crown prince, so he could bully anyone he disliked. He could get whatever he wanted with just a word. He didn't need to learn any of that. He didn't have to think about devious means to get what he wanted; the most devious tactic he used was to act coquettishly with Emperor Kangxi. He didn't have to think about how to attract attention; he was born to be the center of attention.
Therefore, Yinreng rarely thought about what lay behind the glittering brilliance. He had lived in the open from childhood to adulthood, and at first glance, everyone presented him with their most glamorous side. Over time, he came to believe that this glamorous side was all there was, and he didn't think about what lay behind the peacock's spread tail.
So, after seeing Soetu regain his glory after a brief period of decline and Mingzhu demoted, he completely believed what he saw. Kangxi disliked Mingzhu and reinstated Soetu, which was good. After seeing this, he turned his attention to something else.
In other words, as soon as he has to think one step further, he's done. If you tell him this, he'll start to get confused - why would he need to know this?!
Now, with Huashan stripping away all the glitz and glamour of Soetu, Yinreng saw an increasingly unreliable great-uncle. So the question arose: what should he do next? This was a question Yinreng had never considered.
As mentioned earlier, he never had to think about these things. Nor did he consider what he would do if his situation of having the Khan's protection above him and Soetu's guidance below him was no longer there. Hua Shan used Soetu's record to prove his increasing uselessness and loss of favor with the emperor, and Yinreng began to feel lost.
Now he had no choice but to rely on Soetu because… he had no one to rely on. Without Soetu to protect him, Yinreng would immediately become a direct target for Mingzhu and the eldest prince. Looking for a fighter would be too hasty. Yinreng's temples throbbed with pain, and he cursed to himself in the room, "You're just exaggerating!"
After cursing, he felt a bit flustered. In his heart, he had already believed what Hua Shan said. This old charlatan was probably right again. But what should I do next? Yinreng was at his wit's end. The civil and military officials in the court were very helpful in assisting him in completing the tasks assigned by Kangxi. However, Yinreng also knew that if he asked them to directly assist him, very few would be reliable. Yinreng knew the difference between "leaning towards the crown prince among the princes" and "wholeheartedly accepting the crown prince as his only master."
He felt a bit heavy-hearted, but couldn't think of a solution for the moment. Yinreng was already tempted and wanted to ask Huashan again, but he felt that would seem impatient. Better to wait and see for a while. Huashan had already analyzed that Soetu wouldn't make another foolish move, so he could wait until he got back. It would also be a way to give Huashan some slack, to discourage the old rogue from getting too complacent.
Regardless, the prince had a sense of crisis. He subconsciously wanted to rely on his father, whose relationship had been growing increasingly strained. He even shamelessly used his son to play cute.
He took out a half-written letter and, after expressing that he was a well-behaved boy at home but wanted to go to the front to make achievements, he routinely reported on his son's condition, saying that he seemed to have grown a little taller, was eating well and sleeping well. At the end, he added, "He drools when he sleeps."
I finished writing and thought about it, but it didn't seem to be enough, so I put it aside and planned to think about it again and send it tomorrow. When I got back, Mrs. Xiluo and the others had already returned home. Once the mother of the child was gone, the grandmother stopped her and started playing with the baby. The baby was already asleep, sleeping soundly, and was actually drooling while sleeping.
The unscrupulous mother refused to let him wipe the saliva, and first took a piece of paper to print the saliva mark, and then asked someone to wipe the child's face with a wet warm towel. The child's father looked at his wife in amazement and said to him: "Just in time for you to come, write it down, twenty-five days, drooling while sleeping."
The paper was confiscated and handed over to the emperor: "He drooled while sleeping, so his mother printed it and said that if he was unfilial in the future, she would take it out and laugh at him." The child's father didn't know that the child's mother was feeling sorry for him. He wished he had a camera so that he could take nude photos to threaten her.
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After finishing his homework, the child's father was in a good mood and began to care about other things. He looked around and asked the child where his grandmother had gone.
Shujia held the baby's little hand and replied, "I told them all to go back. It would be chaotic if there were too many people. Mother is old, it would be good for her to go back and rest. It would be okay for her to come over during the full moon banquet. It would not be good if she is exhausted." Yinreng just asked casually. He always trusted Shujia, so he let it go after hearing it.
Unscrupulous parents start playing with their baby.
Shujia was prevented from getting out of bed, so the stroller was placed near the bed, allowing her to turn around and see the child. She simply carried the baby to the bed and watched him sleep. Yinreng unceremoniously sat on the edge of the bed, extended his right index finger, and poked it straight down. Then, looking at his finger, he muttered softly, "Blowing bubbles again, are you a crab?"
Shujia was embarrassed. He continued to mutter, "You've never heard of me having this problem as a child?"
Continue to be embarrassed.
“If there is, will Khan Ama poke like this as well?”
What the hell! Is he... the tadpole missing his dad? This...
"Huh? Why are there bubbles coming out of his nose?" asked the surprised father.
"..." Bubbles are coming out of the baby's nose. It turns out that what is drawn in cartoons is real. Some people really have bubbles coming out of their noses when they sleep! The mother was shocked and speechless.
After playing with the child for a while and poking the other's tender face for a long time, the unscrupulous parents were still commenting: "It feels good." How could the sleeping child withstand this? His faint eyebrows wrinkled, and his nose and closed eyes tended to move closer together. All signs showed that he was about to cry because of annoyance.
The unscrupulous parents acted decisively and stopped the bullying. The mother even reached out and gently stroked the baby's forehead: "Be good, sleep well, and you'll grow an inch more."
Baby: zzzzzz~
Yinreng had just used his son to be cute, and then he almost bullied his son to tears. He felt a little embarrassed and uncomfortable. Thinking of the reason why he used his son to be cute, he felt a little uncomfortable and a little sad and angry. He hesitated for a moment and whispered to Shujia: "Khan Ama treats me... uh, us, really well, right? He really loves us, right?"
Although he quickly changed his tune, Shujia noticed it. She asked him, "Do you love our son? All parents have the same feelings." Yinreng thought carefully. Of course he loved this son. The more he looked at him, the more adorable he found him. How could he not love such a lovely son? Similarly, since I'm such a good person, Khan Ama will definitely not ignore me. He felt relieved.
He sent the letter right away.
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When Kangxi received the letter, he was chatting with Shi Wenbing. Shi Wenbing, supposedly an advisor on military affairs, offered no real advice, merely shouldering the tedious task of inspecting the soldiers. Yet, Shi Wenbing worked diligently, rising early and staying up late, his face a rather weathered look.
Kangxi liked such people, and this man was his beloved father-in-law. Shi Wenbing's daughter had just given birth to a son for Yinreng, so he felt even closer to him. Whenever he had some free time, he would call Shi Wenbing over to chat: "You are busier than I am. I can never find anyone. I know you are doing your job with all your heart, but don't let your busyness ruin your health. If you are all exhausted, who can I find to do my job? Come, talk to me," he pointed to a stool on the right, "sit down."
Shi Wenbing thanked the host and said, "There are many people in the world. I may not be outstanding in talent. I can only make up for my shortcomings with diligence."
Kangxi laughed heartily: "You are not clumsy, but rather clever in appearance. The most feared thing in the world is the word 'heart'. You have achieved this, which shows that you are very wise."
Without fading his smile, he got to the point: "How is the camp now?"
"My Lord, since the arrival of the Master, the wells have gushed forth sweet springs. The servants all believe that the Master is blessed by Heaven, and are filled with joy and excitement. Galdan will surely perish."
Kangxi smiled subtly and asked, "Is there anything else to say in the camp?"
Shi Wenbing looked at Kangxi with puzzled eyes: "You are a dull servant."
"A few days ago, I reprimanded my uncle Tong Guowei, Suo'etu, and Yisan'a. Do you all think I was reasonable? Or do you all think that a gentleman should not stand under a dangerous wall?"
You have set the tone, who dares to dissent? We are not the uncle of the emperor or the great-uncle of the crown prince. But Shi Wenbing thought carefully and replied solemnly: "Although I am busy walking around in the camp, I don't want to listen to all kinds of rumors. Master, you asked what others said, I really don't know."
"Oh? What about you?"
"Slave...slave..." He gritted his teeth and said, "Slave believes that in order to destroy Galdan, the master must come in person." This was what Shi Wenbing had observed recently. Nowadays, the factional struggles are fierce, and both sides are pulling against each other. There is a suspicion of infighting. Without Kangxi to keep it in check, there is no need to fight Galdan. Let's fight among ourselves first.
"Go on."
Kangxi clearly wanted to train his son, but his son was too young and inexperienced, so he needed someone with experience to help him. The prince was considered an amateur, but his position was indeed exalted. If an amateur commanded the experts, he would be doomed! What if the experts refused to obey? If things got out of hand, it would be chaos.
This situation was demonstrated during the previous campaign against Galdan. The commander-in-chief, Fuquan, was Yinzhi's uncle, yet he was unable to subdue him. Kangxi was also partial, favoring his own son. The father and son nearly killed the honest Fuquan.
Unable to speak directly, Shi Wenbing could only say, "There are many relatives and nobles in the army, and it's possible that they might not get along with each other... There's no one who can control them... Only when the master comes can he command everyone and make everyone concentrate on their work and not shirk their responsibilities."
Kangxi nodded. Of course, he had thought of this, and it gave him a headache. It was fine with the nobles; he could beat and scold them, but when it came to the complicated relationships between the court officials, it was a headache. Shi Wenbing seemed to have a hidden agenda. What was there to be antagonized?
Shi Wenbing still had a serious face. "For example, the horses the Crown Prince sent last time were good, and the Master was satisfied. But the horses from the Ministry of War were not good, and the Master could have punished them immediately. If the Master hadn't come in person, and the commander of the army had been replaced, a report would have to be filed, and the Ministry of War would have to submit a memorial to defend itself. The Master would then send someone to review the case, and if it was true, those who deserved punishment would be punished, and those who deserved horses would have been taxed more. This would have taken time. This is just one example. For example, the front and rear armies each have their own difficulties, and they might not necessarily be considerate of others. This kind of wrangling would be difficult to handle. It would require a divine judgment. The Master is at the front, and there are all these things to deal with. If you weren't here, more people would slack off. When the army is away, memorials are exchanged," he shook his head, "and it's easy to delay military operations and tie our hands. War requires smooth communication between the upper and lower levels. But the Mongols can't be careless. To fight Galdan, we need a large army, and too many people will make it difficult to coordinate. We must rely on the Master to accomplish anything."
Kangxi finally agreed with his words. Just then, Yinreng's letter arrived. Shi Wenbing was about to leave, but Kangxi said, "Wait a moment."
After quickly reading the letter, he finally burst out laughing when he got to the last page. He casually told Shi Wenbing, "The little prince is doing well..." and showed him a piece of saliva print paper. Next to it was the prince's annotation. Shi Wenbing had a headache. Was his daughter starting to become unreliable?
Kangxi smiled and began to write a reply -
"The Crown Prince's questions are very thorough and detailed, and his desire to know everything is exactly what I want. I am very pleased. Moreover, you are in the capital, handling government affairs with a firmness like Mount Tai. Therefore, I am at ease and free from worries while I am away from the border. How can I expect this to be easy? My blessings are probably due to my good deeds! I tell everyone I meet here about it. Because you are filial to your father and are sincere and earnest in everything you do, I also hope that when you grow old, your descendants will also be as filial and respectful as you are. I know that you are cautious in everything, so I write this letter to you." [1]
Finally, he slipped a page of paper between his fingers and sternly pointed out, "You can't bully children like this. I never bullied you like this when you were little. At most, I poked your fat chin with my finger." After writing, he sighed, "It's good to have a mother..."
Shi Wenbing quietly excused himself, and Kangxi waved his hand with a somewhat disinterested look, "You go."
As Shi Wenbing retreated, Kangxi thought about Yinreng. The image of a child he had forgotten slowly resurfaced: chubby, crying, making noises, and drooling. Most of what Kangxi was thinking about now was triggered by Yinreng's letter. It was over twenty years ago, so how could he remember every detail clearly? He projected it onto his memory by looking at his grandson's growth diary, imagining how his son must have looked back then. As everyone knows, imaginary things are usually more exaggerated than reality: cute things are cuter, scary things are scarier, and Kangxi just happened to have imagined a very cute, chubby boy.
After a moment of distraction, Kangxi let out a long sigh and had to get back to business. The immediate business was military affairs. The Central and Western Armies had agreed on a date to jointly encircle and suppress Galdan. Fei Yanggu obeyed without a word. It certainly needed a general commander; the march needed smooth communication, Kangxi thought.
I couldn't help but start to draw conclusions and lessons. Last time, Yinzhi's actions were indeed not authentic. I had to clean up the mess for him, and I also wronged Prince Yu. Hmm, I have to pay attention to similar issues when I send troops in the future.
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Yinreng read the letter and felt reassured that his father was still very satisfied with him. He touched his chin, making sure it was no longer chubby, and then put his hand down awkwardly, his cheeks slightly flushed. He looked around and saw that the young eunuchs were standing very neatly, their eyes and noses observing each other. Then he coughed and read the letter again.
As luck would have it, the day after receiving the letter was the full moon banquet. Yinreng was in high spirits and didn't mind the small attendance. As mentioned earlier, many of the children's elders were away from the capital. Fortunately, there were still a lot of female elders. Without men at home, there was less trouble and gossip. It was perfect that all who could come came.
The happiest person is the child's mother. The child's full month means the end of her one-month sentence. She can finally wash her hair, take a bath, and walk! Shujia made a request for personal hygiene without hesitation: wash with water!
Xilute came again that day and had the house sealed off and the water heated to a perfect temperature before Shujia could wash up. After a good wash, she felt relaxed, the only thing that bothered her was her figure.
My bust is a size bigger than before, which is fine, as long as it doesn't sag too much. The annoying thing is my waist. The layer of loose skin that used to accumulate on my stomach is slowly disappearing. Maybe it's because I'm young and don't have any stretch marks, but my waist has really widened by three or four inches.
Mrs. Xiluo Te added, "It's okay. It will be fine after a while. After giving birth, everyone gets a little fatter. Hey, where are the clothes I prepared in advance?"
Zichang came over holding the clothes: "Here I come."
After all, she was Shujia's biological mother. Xiluo Te had thought of everything she could think of while Shujia was still pregnant. Pregnancy can change a woman's figure, so she needed to wear maternity clothes, which were made by the palace. After she gave birth, she naturally couldn't wear the clothes she wore during pregnancy. However, since childbirth inevitably changes her size, even if she recovers well, her original clothes won't fit her for the first few days after giving birth.
Xiluo Te had already secretly told Hongxiu and the others, and these maids naturally understood everything immediately. Shujia didn't have to worry about it, as they had already prepared the clothes according to the new size estimated by Xiluo Te.
Shujia was able to get out of bed, but the flat shoes were still placed in front of the bed. In the words of Mrs. Xiluo, "You are still a little weak, and those shoes are heavy. You should wear these first." She got out of bed in slippers, combed her hair, put on her clothes, and put on her hat. Today she was wearing a ceremonial dress, which was perfect for her. It was also stable when paired with court boots.
Dressed neatly, they came out to meet the guests. Probably because they were too bored, the Empress Dowager led the way, and all the important palace ladies came.
Now that she was free and no longer had to stay in bed, Shujia was particularly pleased with everyone. Not to mention the Empress Dowager, with whom she had always gotten along well, and Concubine Tong, Concubine Rong, Concubine De, and others, with whom she had no strained relationships, even Concubine Hui, with whom everyone knew there was a conflict of interest, all seemed much more approachable.
While the women were polite, they were also prone to chattering. As soon as the congratulatory words were spoken, the atmosphere immediately became lively. Concubine Yi said, "I see the Crown Princess has recovered quite well." This opened the conversation, and the subject shifted to postpartum care. Many of the concubines had given birth before, and they all chimed in with their secret recipes.
The Empress Dowager listened cheerfully, without giving it much thought. She simply held Shujia's hand, and the two of them laughed together. The Empress Dowager also asked Shujia, "I haven't seen the little prince for five days. How is he now?"
"He eats and sleeps, sleeps and eats, so he's not too noisy and less of a worry."
The eldest concubine, with her belly bulging, felt a little uncomfortable and worried. On the one hand, she hoped this was a son, but on the other hand, she was worried that if she had another daughter, she would really collapse, and she probably thought... the eldest prince would also collapse. The third concubine sat aside, a little absent-minded. She hadn't had her period last month, but she couldn't be sure. Even if she was pregnant, it had only been two months, so she couldn't be sure. She hadn't felt her pulse last time, but she should have had her period this month, but she still hadn't had her period. The third concubine was a little uneasy.
In the midst of the bustle, someone came in to ask if the feast should begin. The Empress Dowager took Shujia's hand and stood up, saying, "Set the table." Everyone took their seats in order. Shujia invited the Empress Dowager to take the first seat, followed by the concubines, then the wives of the princes, and finally the wives of the princes, the wives of the princes, and other relatives of the imperial clan.
Shujia was the host, yet a junior, yet she took advantage of her status and served only the Empress Dowager. Two minutes into the meal, the Empress Dowager pulled her over to sit beside her. "I feel bad for you standing. Only if you sit with me can I enjoy my meal." Shujia smiled and sat down, then asked the Empress Dowager, "What would you like to eat?"
She continued, "Twist the handkerchief for the First Lady, she's getting hot easily these days, and also for the Third and Fourth Lady, please be more careful. Ning Hui isn't feeling well either, so take care of everything for me."
After a heavy postpartum nourishment, Shujia herself wanted to eat something light, which caused the Empress Dowager to say, "You are not a rabbit, why are you eating vegetable leaves?"
The Third Lady had originally picked up a piece of green vegetable, but after hearing her words, she obediently swallowed it and put a piece of pork knuckle on her plate. Suddenly, she felt nauseous. The Fourth Lady was a thoughtful and considerate person. "What's wrong with the Third Lady?" The maid, who had been instructed by the Crown Princess to look after the two other ladies, hurried to speak quietly to Shujia.
Although Sanfujin kept waving her hands, everyone could see that she looked uncomfortable, so she summoned the imperial physician, which made Rongfei nervous. Yifei teased her, "Don't worry, she looks like she might be pregnant." And indeed, she was pregnant.
The Empress Dowager had no time to consider the question of 'human diets must be different from rabbits'. She repeatedly urged that the Third Lady be sent back and that she be well cared for. She also said to Rong Fei, "You should go and see her too." Rong Fei was certainly concerned, but she said, "She's just a child, and young. It's better for me to serve the old ancestor."
The Empress Dowager kept saying no, but Rong Fei refused to leave. Shu Jia smiled and said, "The third brother is away, so it's only natural for a concubine to worry about him in the palace." Only after she brought the third prince out did Rong Fei go down the steps and say goodbye.
The banquet resumed, and there was even more joy. The Empress Dowager said happily, "Oh, it's really a series of happy events." Naturally, there were a lot of people flattering her.
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On this day, Yinreng added two more items to his letter home. He wrote: "...My younger brothers are doing well in their studies. My thirteenth and fourteenth brothers are in great shape. I only hope that Khan Ama will return soon so that he can listen to the teachings of the Holy Father... Also, congratulations to Khan Ama on the birth of his two grandchildren..."
After finishing the writing, he came to see his son again, and the more he looked at him, the more satisfied he was. Yinreng always had this feeling now: I see that my son is satisfied, and my Khan Ama is also satisfied, right?
Shujia was thinking about the baby's future growth and education.
The baby was a month old, but still had no name. A full name would have to wait until Kangxi decided. Yinreng, never satisfied with any nickname, was now known as "Third Prince of Yuqing Palace." Palace rules dictated that after birth, a wet nurse, nanny, eunuch, seamstress, laundry lady, and so on would be assigned to him. Though not a prince, the baby looked more precious than any other. Although the number of attendants was limited to a smaller number than that of a prince, each one was carefully selected.
Although the baby was being raised in Shujia's household, two wet nurses and two nannies were already assigned. Shujia repeatedly argued that there was no need to be so selective with the wet nurses and nannies—too many people would cause problems. However, Yinreng said that this was something Kangxi had personally reviewed and approved, so he couldn't reduce the number. Although the baby's wet nurses and nannies were bondservants, they were hereditary servants. The wet nurses, Wanliuha and Yidari, and the nanny, Sehetu, all had Manchu surnames.
Their presence would be crucial to the baby's life for a long time, and their background and qualities were crucial. Furthermore, she would have to resume her duties as Crown Princess and handle various duties. How would she find time to care for the baby? Shujia insisted that she must be in close contact with the baby; he couldn't be raised like his father... embarrassingly... embarrassingly.
Well, there's also the issue of how Bao Bao gets along with his two brothers, and so on and so forth... there are quite a few troublesome things. Well, we can't treat the bastard son badly.
The author has something to say: [1] Kangxi really said this at the time.
Ami tofu, you have to know how to tell and remind. For example, Shijia Standard Dad.
You have to know how to act cute, like the prince. You have to know how to drag people on board, like Shujia.
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