The Prince's Preparations
Kangxi once again toured the outskirts of the Great Wall, and the usual rituals were followed. A vast procession of attendants, including carriages and horses, guards, concubines, princes, royal relatives, civil and military officials, and so on, marched out of the capital and headed straight for the grasslands. As usual, Yinreng led the remaining personnel to see him off, escorting him all the way to the outskirts of the capital, where father and son bid a reluctant farewell.
Yinreng stood by the roadside, watching Kangxi return to his troops, then the large group behind him pass by one after another, his eyes flickering slightly. His younger brothers obediently avoided him when they passed by. Kangxi valued maintaining a martial spirit, and even the princes, even if traveling with a carriage, had to ride horses for a while before.
Yinreng also said goodbye to his brothers one by one, saying only a few words of farewell.
Yinzhi was quite proud and accompanied the emperor again, leaving the crown prince behind. For several months, Yinzhi was by the Khan's side, while the crown prince was far away. Distance creates beauty, but it can also alienate feelings. When he responded, he was very polite: "It's a pity that the crown prince can't go again. We will definitely serve the Khan well and will not worry the crown prince."
Yinzhi was a man who would nitpick words. He felt a pang in his heart. "If we serve Khan Ama well, the prince will not worry. If you 'serve him well', it will make the prince more worried, right?" He quickly changed the subject: "Please take care of my brother's family."
Yinreng said, "No problem. Your second sister-in-law meets your wife every day. When I go back, I will ask your second sister-in-law and third brother's wife to tell them that if there is anything they want to tell you, just write a letter and I will send it to you by post. It's very fast." He then said to Yinzhen, "The same goes for your family." He also specifically instructed Yinzhen, "You don't have to worry about Hongyu's full moon banquet." This was referring to Yinzhen's second son.
Yinzhi gritted his teeth and said, "It's getting late. If Khan Ama calls for help, it would be bad if we are all here and can't hear him."
Yinreng nodded and said, "Brother is right. Let's go quickly. There is no need to worry about our family." Yinzhi bowed, jumped on his horse, and beat the well-trained horse so hard that it cried out.
Aside from the guards who rode alongside him without hesitation, all the nobles and ministers who passed by the Crown Prince were inevitably embroiled in a flurry of activity. Suo Etu, a man of high rank and age, rode his horse in a respectful and courteous manner. Passing by Yinreng, he leaped from his horse with a dexterity befitting his age, patted his horse's hoof sleeve, and said, "Greetings to the Crown Prince."
Yinreng was feeling sad about the separation, and thinking about how fragile the father-son bond was, needing careful maintenance. His thoughts were dashed when Suo'etu interrupted him. It was easy for His Royal Highness to be sad for once. Seeing Suo'etu, he remembered the troubles he had caused before and the troubles he was about to cause. He took a deep breath and said, "Get up. Be careful on your journey. You are not young anymore. Don't rush for everything. Focus on resting."
Soetu was moved and said, "I am honored to be the Minister of the Imperial Guard. How dare I not do my best." The prince has indeed grown up and knows how to care about others. In the past, Yinreng would not have said the second half of the sentence.
Yinreng: ...I'm asking you to stop causing trouble, not trying to move you to work harder! "Khan Ama has already gone far away, you should go with the team." We need to find another way.
"The sun is scorching outside, and the road is dusty. It would be best for you to turn back early, Your Highness."
Yinreng sneered, "When the emperor travels, the ground is covered with loess and watered with willow branches. Where does the dust come from?" Seeing that Soetu was about to say something else, he waved his hand and said, "Go quickly. When you get there, it's better to observe more and do less."
Suo Etu felt a strange feeling in his heart. This prince gave him the illusion that Kangxi was possessed. Perhaps the scorching sun had made him dizzy. "I will take my leave."
Yinreng looked at his hair, which was almost completely white, and patted the old man on the shoulder: "Khan Ama has always been wise and sage. Why do you need me to remind you of important matters of state?"
Suo Etu was stunned: "Your Highness?"
"Go ahead. You are the Minister of the Imperial Guard. Don't stray too far from the team. Protect the Khan."
Suo Etu left, full of doubt, leaving the crown prince to continue staring. Within two minutes, he was interrupted again. This time it was Yarjiang'a, who had participated in two expeditions without making any mistakes. Even if he had no achievements, he had worked hard and seemed in good spirits. "Greetings to the crown prince."
Although interrupted this time, it made people feel quite cheerful. Yinreng came back to his senses, sighed that it was not appropriate to be in a daze about this matter, and said to Yarjiang'e with a smile: "What's the matter? Look at you having fun. Two marches with the emperor weren't enough for you to have fun, and now you are running around in the wild again."
Hearing his affectionate words, Yaerjiang'a also smiled and said, "Traveling with the army and following orders is indeed not as joyful as this. I think the prince seems to want to have fun with us, doesn't he? He's staring at the troops with his eyes wide open."
Yinreng hit him on the shoulder and said, "You're making fun of me too. Isn't that even more fun?"
"That's right. One of the great joys in life is..." he whispered, lowering his head, "when you're not feeling your best, seeing others unhappy makes you feel better."
Yinreng frowned: "What's wrong with you? Are you unhappy? We've known each other for a long time, what can't we talk about?" After saying that, he stood up and patted Yarjiang'a on the back: "You are a good boy. Seeing that I can't accompany me, you gloat over my misfortune. I will deal with you when I come back!"
Yaerjiang'a bowed and said, "Then I will sneak into the Palace of Heavenly Purity and see how you find me." He whispered, "My father wanted to ask for a title for me, but he has been back for several months and there is still no news."
Yinreng said, "I will go find Khan Ama when the time comes."
After a few words, Yaerjiang A said: "No matter what happened then, I'm going now."
"Go, go, serve Khan Ama well, and then see if Khan Ama can protect you for a few more days."
“Hmm~”
"Your Majesty, this is a freshly picked watermelon, freshly cut from the well." Liang Jiugong bent over and handed a basin of watermelon into Kangxi's carriage. The carriage was so spacious that one could easily stand up and sit. There was also a small table and seats. In addition to Kangxi, there was room for a few more people to serve him.
Kangxi weighed a melon and said to Liang Jiugong, "See how many are left. Among the royal family members and ministers who are over sixty years old, each will be given half a melon."
Liang Jiugong repeated it and was about to leave when he thought for a moment and said, "Should we give one to the Crown Prince as well? He's still watching you from behind."
Ever since Liang Jiugong provided the information about the eldest prince's complaint, he'd been receiving a fair amount of money from the Crown Princess. He was, of course, well aware of the situation. While eunuchs were certainly greedy for money, they also knew how to assess the situation. With Yuqing Palace now seemingly more prosperous than the eldest prince's, it wouldn't be difficult for him to put in a word for them.
"Oh?" Kangxi became interested and called another young eunuch to go and take a look.
The young eunuch nodded with his hands down, got off the car, found a horse, and ran over. He saw the prince punching Yarjiang'a twice, sending him away, and continuing to stare at the team in a daze.
Today's almanac must have said, "It's not advisable to be dazed during a farewell." Just as Yinreng was returning to his thoughts, a young eunuch rushed over. While everyone else was moving forward, he was retreating, making it hard not to notice him. Yinreng, assuming Kangxi had something to say, stood up straight and waited. But this infamous eunuch rushed within three feet of him before turning his horse back!
“…”
"Is the prince still standing?"
"Yes, he also talked with the eldest prince of Prince Jian's family for a while. After the eldest prince of Prince Jian's family left, the prince stared at the procession in a daze again." Yarjiang'a was also a frequent visitor to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, so the young eunuch recognized him and told him everything he had seen.
Kangxi said, "Pick two top-quality watermelons, still soaking them in water, and take them to the Crown Prince. Tell him it's hot, don't let them get sunburned and worry me. Tell him to return early and do his job seriously, so I can rest assured." After the eunuch left, Kangxi said to Liang Jiugong with a hint of pride, "He's just like that, so considerate. He's even messing with the Yabu kid? They've been mischievous since they were little. They ignored each other when they were little, but now they're picking on each other again."
This kind of Kangxi really made Liang Jiugong not know where to start complaining. How could these two gentlemen be naughty when they were young? They were really angry! The servants all know this, but you...
Kangxi was bored sitting around, so he simply called Yaerjiang'a over to talk to him: "Were you playing with the prince just now?"
The emperor really knows everything. Yaerjiang'a sighed, lowered his eyebrows and said submissively: "I saw the prince on the roadside and went up to greet him."
"Really? Do you want to ask the prince to beat you?"
"Well, I'm here to show off to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is staying in the capital again."
Kangxi burst out laughing: "You guys!"
"The Emperor laughed, and this was also due to my smile. When we return to the capital, if the Crown Prince wants to beat me again, I will run to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Your Majesty, please protect me and don't beat me too hard. I just boasted to the Crown Prince, and if Your Majesty doesn't care about me then, I will be in trouble."
"If you hunt a lot this time, I will protect you. Otherwise—"
"Don't worry—"
——————————————————————————————————————————
The prince had another headache. He and Yarjiang'a had previously been repelled by their sexuality, but after the so-called misunderstanding was resolved, they actually got along well. It had to be said that the two had similar identities and personalities, and their perspectives were very similar. Having broken free from their relationship, they actually got along better than others.
This was a mutually beneficial relationship. For Yarjiang'a, having the support of the crown prince was a very good choice. For Yinreng, having a young ally who was also a future iron-hat prince was also a good thing.
From what Yarjiang'a said, it seems his title of Crown Prince has changed a bit. This isn't a good sign. Well, Yarjiang'a has quite a few brothers, but the older ones are all illegitimate, and the others born by his stepmother are still relatively young, so there's not much competition. Yabu would have to be incredibly naive to choose someone else over the eldest son, Yarjiang'a, who has recently achieved military success. This situation is probably due to some influence.
After guessing the reason, Yinreng decided to have his wife go among the women to test the waters. It seems that Yarjiang'a's wife is quite familiar with the Crown Princess.
Prince, forget it, someone is here to mess things up again.
Holding two large watermelons, Yinreng was speechless. These watermelons were distributed by the Imperial Household Department. The ones from the Yuqing Palace were definitely no worse than those from the Qianqing Palace. His father had even sent them to him. Yinreng thanked him, glanced at the watermelons in the bucket, and waved his hand. Someone took them.
After sending the melon delivery man away, he looked at the traveling team and decided to stay for a while. He had already been standing for so long, so he didn't mind standing a little longer.
The prince doesn't care, but someone else does.
When he returned to the palace, he first ordered: "It's hot today. Everyone except those on duty should go back. If there is no urgent military affairs, there is no need to report it in a hurry." As luck would have it, there was nothing serious. Yinreng quickly returned to Yuqing Palace and handed over the watermelon: "It's a reward from Khan Ama."
While helping him change his clothes, Shujia gave instructions: "Cut it up, and send someone to Xiefang Palace to invite the two masters to come over and eat together. What are you all standing there for? Hurry up and bring a couple of sets of clothes for our eldest and second princes as well! Wring out a handkerchief and wipe the eldest prince's face. Don't use a cold one, just a warm one will do."
Yes, Yinreng had brought his two sons, who could still walk, along to see the emperor off. Hongxi was fine, just a little wilted. Hongyang's small frame couldn't handle it, but he held on, refusing to lose face. His face was sunburned, and his eyes were wide open.
Shujia simply ignored Yinreng and went to observe Hongyang. She reached out to feel his forehead, which was a little hot, as if he was sweating a little. "It doesn't look good. Let's call an imperial physician to take a look."
Hongyang said softly, "Thank you, mother. I'm fine, I can handle it."
"Help the eldest prince lie on the kang for a while, wipe the sweat off his face, and fan him. Lin Si'er, send for the imperial physician."
Yinreng also came over and looked at Hongyang's appearance, sighing in his heart: "You lie down first, maybe you have been standing in the sun for too long." Hongyang is not in good health, and everyone has gotten used to it. They have been through it for so many years.
Shujia glanced at Yinreng. "Why did you let the child stand in the sun for so long? Could it be that... he has been standing since morning? How can this be allowed? Didn't I leave a box of ice in your car? Have you had tea?"
"How can I not stand when seeing Khan Ama off?"
Hongyang was quite depressed, his eyelids drooping. No boy was truly "sickly." Hongxi's eyes rolled around, then he lowered his head again. Suddenly, he heard a voice: "Tsk, tsk." Hongxi rolled his eyes, walked over and poked the little fat boy's pouting cheek: "Why are you still not speaking clearly?"
He didn't spend much time with his older brother, one of whom couldn't move much, while the other was at an active age. Li Jia couldn't keep both of them together, so she prioritized the one who needed care, which meant Hongxi spent more time at Yuqing Palace. Surprisingly, he got along well with the fat boy, and he even got to see his father. Why not?
Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi arrived a little earlier than the imperial physician. Li Jiashi was bored; in the middle of summer, she hadn't wanted to make another trip. Seeing her son lying flat on his back, Li Jiashi's casual chat with Li Jiashi immediately turned into a state of anxiety. After greeting him, she thrust her fan into the arms of the maid behind her and asked permission to go see Hongyang.
"Are you feeling uncomfortable? Are you feeling hot? Do you want some water? Let me see."
Hongyang felt deeply ashamed. His brothers and uncles all acted like virile men, but he was the only one who was more delicate than a girl. His mother treated him like a baby in public, unlike the others in the palace who lacked a mother's care and longed for her love. Hongyang turned away and said, "I'm fine!"
The imperial physician came to see him and said that he was weak to begin with and had been out in the sun for too long, so it was nothing serious. "Just be careful and don't do it again. Drink plenty of water and eat some fruit, just not anything too cold. And drink plenty of soup with your meals. Rest for two or three days and you'll be fine."
Hongyang whispered to Li Jiashi: "I told you it's okay."
Finally, we can eat watermelon. The temperature is no longer too cold, which is just right for little Hongyang to eat some.
Shujia took a bite of the watermelon and said, "The watermelons this year are all good, sweet and juicy."
"That person was specially sent to the palace, so of course he's not bad." Yinreng had something on his mind and answered casually.
Li Jiashi ate the watermelon in silence, her words becoming less and less. Li Jiashi was worried about her son's health. If she had to choose between her son and her husband, she would definitely choose her son.
Watermelon is a diuretic. Even a small slice will quickly trigger a need for water, provided the body isn't too dehydrated. Shujia, seeing everyone looking preoccupied, decided to end the family gathering. Everyone else was fine with it, but Yinreng's expression was calm. Though she couldn't tell if he was happy or angry, Shujia knew something was amiss.
"Today we're seeing Khan off. The brothers don't have to go to school, so it's a good time to relax. Hongyang needs a good rest. How about asking them to go and rest?"
Yinreng nodded and said to Hongxi, "Your mother has granted you leave, so you can't slack off in your studies. Be careful, or your teacher will ask you questions tomorrow."
Hongxi was holding a sash, with the other end in the little fat boy's hand. Seeing the little fat boy trying his best to pull it, but still unable to do anything, Hongxi stuck out his tongue at him. Upon hearing Yinreng's lecture, he put down his hand, tugging at the little fat boy, and said obediently, "Son, I understand."
As soon as he let go, the little fat boy leaned back, his big head tilted backward, and he almost fell. Fortunately, Fang was quick and caught the little fat boy. Shujia's heart tightened when she saw this, and Yinreng was almost scared. "What are you doing?" Hongxi quickly got down from the edge of the kang and stood up.
Hongyang felt even more depressed. His father didn't care about his studies. Yinreng just said to Li Jiashi, "Please take care of Hongyang more." Oh, he really didn't treat him like a big boy. How annoying.
As a father preoccupied with his own worries, Yinreng didn't notice Hongyang's mood; he was deeply troubled. After sending the concubine and the illegitimate son away, Yinreng told the fat boy's wet nurse and nanny, "Look after the little prince more attentively from now on." He also rewarded Fang with twenty taels of silver. Shujia took note of this and prepared to wait for Yinreng to go on his errand.
Yinreng waved his hand and said, "Okay, carry the prince down." Shujia looked at the clock. It was the time for the little fat boy to take a nap, and it was also time for everyone to take a break.
I was destined to have a bad sleep at noon today because Yinreng had something to ask. "Have you heard any new news about Prince Jian's family recently?"
Shujia was about to close her eyes when she heard this question and blinked: "There's not much new information, but their wife often comes to see the Empress Dowager. What's wrong?"
Well, it seems my guess was right. Yinreng already has the idea, but it still needs to be confirmed later. Overall, the problem shouldn't be too serious. As long as Yarjiang'e doesn't commit the "Ten Evils," he can always make Yarjiang'e's wish come true. "It's okay. I saw him today, so I just asked casually."
No wonder. He had a sullen face just now, but now he looked relieved. But since he didn't say anything, Shujia couldn't ask directly. Being pestered with questions just before going to bed was something that could easily drive people crazy. She just secretly decided to ask Ning Hui in a couple of days.
Just like that, the Crown Prince fell asleep, but the Crown Princess couldn't sleep.
——————————————————————————————————————————
Within two days, Shujia knew the outline of the matter, and the source of the information was Ning Hui.
Ning Hui's words were subtle, but the information contained within was enough to make a novel about domestic intrigue, a truly fascinating one at that. "Our master said earlier that the prince sent our master on this expedition just to give him some weight so he could be crowned a crown prince. Now it's been months since the army returned, and there hasn't been a single word, and the prince hasn't said a word. He even criticized our master the other day, saying he didn't care about his brothers."
"Think about it, our master has been on duty since he came back. He's more than ten years younger than those little brothers, and they're not usually together. And with the prince and his wife as the housekeeper, how could we possibly care about them? Our master lost his mother when he was young, so he knows very little about these things. Now, I don't know who said these things, asking the prince to give our master a good scolding."
Shujia thought to herself, "You're being kind, but there's something even more poignant you haven't said: Even if they care, their biological mothers are still worried you'll harm them." Yarjiang'a and Yinreng are essentially the same kind of people. As the only legitimate sons left, they look down on others with a sense of superiority. And since everyone else has a mother looking after them, naturally they're closer to their biological mothers. Both of them are the type to expect others to please them, so it's understandable that they come across as arrogant.
When he came back and told Yinreng about it, Yinreng said, "I was wondering, so that's it! Are the women in their family really that powerful? If Yabu was fooled by pillow talk, that would be really despicable."
Shujia said, "I don't think so."
"Really?"
"Since he asked if he cared about his brothers, King Jian had the intention of requesting a title for him."
"You're quite open-minded."
"Of course. Otherwise, why would he be so picky about this at this critical juncture? Why doesn't he pick on others? The more he does this, the more he cares about Yarjiang'e. The prince will be the prince in the future, and his brothers are still young and have to rely on him to take care of them. How can he not be friendly? All parents in the world have the same heart." There were words on the tip of her tongue, but Shujia held back and didn't say them, just like Li Ji in the family of Emperor Jing of Han.
"Hmm." The last sentence touched Yinreng. He was a father now, too. He gestured, "Yes, if one man is to be entrusted with his affairs after his death, he must be good to his other sons." Thankfully, His Royal Highness's empathy skills had improved.
Yinreng stared at the eaves for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said, "It's just like Li Ji in the Han Dynasty. Emperor Jingdi entrusted a concubine to him, but she resented him." Even if she had agreed at the time, she could still turn against him later. Like the Crown Princess, the Crown Prince swallowed his last words.
Shujia said calmly, "You reap what you sow. A broad mind brings great fortune. She didn't have a Buddha back then. If she had, reciting more sutras would have been beneficial to her."
Yinreng raised his eyebrows and curled the corners of his lips: "Where is Hongdan?"
"I walked on the kang all morning and fell asleep because I was so tired."
"You walked all morning, didn't you fall all morning?"
——————————————————————————————————————————
The Yarjiang'a incident has come to an end, and the prince can concentrate on dealing with the Soetu incident.
Holding a piece of paper in front of him, the young eunuch nimbly stepped forward to grind ink. Yinreng suddenly felt annoyed, waved the eunuch away, and pulled out a book, holding it across his face.
There's no need to write about this kind of thing, okay? Imagine my own servants forcing my sons to fight each other. Would I be happy?
The most frustrating thing right now is age. The Sog Party, starting with its leader, Soetu, is mostly elderly, with few newcomers. Soetu has sons, but none of them hold significant influence. It seems the essence of the Hesheli clan has been used up by Soni and Soetu alone. Even if there were other so-called heroes, they wouldn't have the same aura as these two. It's awful!
It would be strange if an old ox could pull a broken cart!
Looking at its members, there were certainly promising young men like Qi Shiwu, but those whom Soetu often mentioned had been slashed to pieces by the emperor and never mentioned again for a decade or two. Yet Soetu trusted them and was unwilling to part with them. These discarded fools, however, would inevitably come up with bad ideas, inevitably bringing harm to Soetu and ultimately endangering the Crown Prince's life.
Yinreng had never been so clear-headed as he was at that moment: Khan Ama would never be pleased to see him, an old and corrupt Soetu, sitting in a rickety cart with a bunch of stale officials. If he didn't draw a line between himself and Soetu, he would be drawn between himself and Khan Ama.
Regardless of whether Suo Etu had any selfish motives, he had stayed with her all these years. Even if she didn't like it, she had to consider the impact on her if Suo Etu really messed up. Over the years, everyone had tacitly accepted the two strange equations: what the prince wanted to do = what Suo Etu wanted to do, and what Yinzhi wanted to do = what Mingzhu wanted to do.
Soetu's retirement must be a glorious one, not a forced exit. If Soetu is to have a good ending, he must stop causing trouble, and the best way to avoid trouble is to make him lose the ability to cause trouble.
The situation was similar with Yinzhi. However, as the old fox from the Shi family said, Mingzhu was even more favored by the emperor than Soetu. Mingzhu always chose the most clear and correct position at the most appropriate time - except when competing for the throne.
After wiping his face, Yinreng mentally reviewed everyone in the court. If he wanted to retire Soetu, he had to prepare a replacement, otherwise he'd be dogged by Yinzhi and Mingzhu. While he couldn't openly form a faction anymore, he still had to have some influence of his own, or he'd die without even knowing how.
Unfortunately, the Hesheli clan was left with no more capable members. His maternal grandfather's line had declined. His other maternal uncle, Fabao, had lost his hereditary title, and Xinyu was denounced as lazy by Emperor Kangxi. Looking around, there was no one left in his mother's family except Suo'etu.
The Shi family could be used, but Yinreng didn't intend to use them openly. Since they were related by marriage, they were his sphere of influence, so he could just slowly get along with them. If he did it openly, they would become his own party, which would also attract attention. So, his plan was to secretly select a few capable people.
Another thing to be wary of is the perception of coldness. After all, Soetu had been involved with me for so many years. If I hinted at a premature retirement, when Mingzhu had recovered, rumors would spread that the Crown Prince didn't care about his former ministers. Such a reputation wouldn't be good. Not only would those in Soetu's party distance themselves from me, but the impression of others in the court would also sour. Worst of all, Khan Ama might even have the same idea.
Hmm...it's time...to get closer to the people Khan Ama sent, but I need to find the right entry point. Then, I can legitimately transfer Gao Sanxie and the others to my side, and then, through these people, spread some news to the Qianqing Palace to make my intentions clear. This is better than going there and crying bitterly about Soetu being useless.
Perhaps he could find some more available members of the Suo Party to show he hadn't forgotten his past. But after searching around, he found he wasn't very familiar with any of them. What a tragedy.
With a deep sigh, Yinreng pondered when he usually had Gao Sanxie, Jia Yingxuan, and the others by his side. Handling government affairs? Not a good place to start, PSA. Having a private conversation? I always send them away, PSA. Wandering around? How could I have time for that?! He didn't even serve me personally.
Huh? Wait!
Yinreng walked out the door and stretched. He was in Dunben Hall at the moment, with Jia Yingxuan standing by to serve. He was wondering, the prince must be worried, as he had been reading the book in front of him for half an hour without turning a page. Seeing Yinreng suddenly stand up, he hurriedly followed him out: "Prince, do you want to prepare the sedan chair? It's so hot now."
"No, thanks. I'll just go for a walk." He looked up at the clock. In half an hour it would be dinner time. Every time at this time, the Crown Princess would send someone to ask if they wanted to dine together. Gao Sanxie, as the head eunuch, would also come along. If Yinreng had other ideas today, Gao Sanxie would make arrangements for him.
Today was no exception. Yinreng stood on the platform of Dunben Hall. After just a short while, his scalp began to feel hot and beads of sweat began to ooze out. Gao Sanxie led Wu Mingli over. Yinreng's eyes were a little blurry, and he squinted at them. The two of them walked over in small steps, walked down the steps, and came to the corridor, where they bowed and greeted each other. Yinreng turned his head and looked at them: "Stand up, what's the matter?"
Wu Mingli naturally let Gao Sanxie speak first. Gao Sanxie said, "I would like to ask the Crown Prince to tell me where the dinner is. The Crown Princess sent someone to ask if we can eat later."
Wu Mingli waited for Gao Sanxie to finish his report and move aside before stepping forward and repeating, "The Crown Princess sent me to ask the Crown Prince where tonight's dinner will be served. Is there anything you particularly want to eat so that it can be prepared quickly?"
Of the two meals in the Qing Palace, dinner was actually eaten quite early, especially in the summer when the sun sets late, making it seem like dinner should be eaten even earlier. Just look, when they asked for permission to eat dinner, the sun was still high in the sky. The Crown Prince seemed to be dazzled by the sun, and walked forward absentmindedly, "Let's continue as usual..."
Whoosh, gulp, crackle...
"Prince, be careful!"
Here, I'd like to introduce the structure of ancient Chinese palaces. They were built on elevated platforms, from the rammed earth platforms of the Qin and Han dynasties to the stone platforms of today. The main structure of the palace was built on such square or rectangular platforms. To enter the interior from the courtyard, one had to ascend the platform. The platform wasn't always equipped with steps, except in front of the main entrance. The rest of the area was a flat platform, without even a railing.
The Crown Prince was standing not on steps, but directly on the courtyard. The Yuqing Palace was built with high standards, with at least three steps. If he had stepped on something, he would have suffered swelling for half a month, if not a broken bone. Fortunately, he was the Crown Prince, and he had people around to protect him. The closest people were Gao Sanxie and Jia Yingxuan.
Although the two spoke little, their actions were swift. Seeing the prince about to fall, one reached out to pull him, while the other jumped down to cover him. The final position was that the prince stood on one leg on the platform, with the other kicking Gao Sanxie's chest. Gao Sanxie jumped to the ground, clasping his hands together to support the prince's feet. Jia Yingxuan grabbed the prince's arm and pulled him back.
The prince's legs were saved, but the three of them were teetering on the verge of losing their balance. Wu Mingli froze for a moment, then quickly went up to support the prince, fearing he would fall. Gao Sanxie finally spoke a little less silently: "Where's he? Quickly help the prince into the house and sit down!"
The young eunuchs who had been driven away by Yinreng swarmed over, some supporting the crown prince, some summoning the imperial physician. Two discerning eunuchs came over to support Gao Sanxie, asking, "Your foot is also lame?" Gao Sanxie didn't have time to address them. He first addressed Jia Yingxuan, saying, "Next time you encounter something like this, don't pull too hard. Using too much force will strain your arm and make your master's footing even more unstable. If he slips, he'll fall even harder."
Jia Yingxuan imagined the scene of desperately trying to save his master, and then pulling Yinreng to his knees, and nodded vigorously. "Then I'll jump down and take over next time?"
Gao Sanxie was silent for a moment: "If you pull it more steadily this time, I won't have to jump down to cushion it."
Jia Yingxuan: “…”
Gao and Jia were meritorious in protecting their master, and Gao Sanxie was injured, so the prince's attitude towards them became much better.
"Has Gao An Da fallen asleep?"
"Not yet." The pain was too much to sleep.
"The little ones are coming in." They were two eunuchs from the Crown Princess's office, bringing a bunch of stuff with them. "The Crown Prince said Gao An'da's loyalty was commendable, and asked the Crown Princess to find some excellent medicine. When the Crown Princess heard about it, she rewarded Gao An'da and Jia An'da with a separate table each. Congratulations."
Gao Sanxie's new apprentice, Feng Dong, stepped forward to take the things and said, "You two, please sit down for a moment. I'll go make some tea."
"Oh, no need, we still have to go to Jiaanda's place."
Jia Yingxuan was in a much better position than Gao Sanxie; he wasn't injured, it was just a false alarm. He also invited the person to tea, and only let him go after receiving the reply: "You need to go back and report. If you're late, you won't be able to get into the back."
The next day, he went to serve refreshed. The Crown Prince summoned him, and this time he didn't shy away. It's said he even wrote a letter to Kangxi, thanking the Khan for giving him such a loyal and commendable servant. From then on, the two of them were able to serve in the study for extended periods, and even brought Yinreng along when he went to the Palace of Purity to discuss government.
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Gao Sanxie breathed a sigh of relief. There wasn't a palace rule explicitly forbidding eunuchs from literacy, but even before that, literacy was still rare. Eunuchs were all Han Chinese, so who could possibly know Manchu? He, however, had already mastered both Manchu and Chinese characters before Kangxi ordered the eunuch literacy classes, truly a rare gem among the eunuchs.
Only he knew how much thought went into this. Once a eunuch became one, he had no other aspirations but to climb the social ladder. Otherwise, he would be bullied by senior eunuchs his entire life, with nowhere to file a complaint. The Censorate wouldn't accept eunuchs' complaints, and the Imperial Household Department wouldn't punish senior eunuchs for junior eunuchs.
Finally, his cultural level, especially his Manchu language proficiency, made him stand out, and Kangxi also got to know him. Not long after, he was sent to the Yuqing Palace.
There were plenty of honest eunuchs in the palace, many of them attentive and careful. He wasn't the only one who could lead the overall situation, but he was sent. This shows how few eunuchs knew Manchu. Gao Sanxie knew why when he got the notice: there was at least some element of surveillance involved.
Kangxi's instructions to him also confirmed this: "You must serve the Crown Prince attentively and must not let him get close to bad people. If the Crown Prince shows any intimacy with bad people, or if there are anyone inappropriate around him, report to me immediately." Cui Yuzhu had just been dealt with at that time, so it sounded like he was afraid that his son would learn bad things.
Gao Sanxie, however, did not dare to take it lightly. It just so happened that the Crown Prince sometimes disliked his presence in the room, so he saved himself the trouble by simply saying, "The Crown Prince and Suo Etu were talking, and I was sent away." That was the end of the matter, and it didn't count as betraying the Crown Prince. Suo Etu's entry into Yuqing Palace was witnessed by everyone with eyes.
But this wasn't a long-term solution. The emperor would think he was incompetent. The prince would be wary of him, treating him as an outsider, and he wouldn't have a good future. He wanted to surrender to the prince, but he was afraid of the emperor, and the prince wouldn't give him a chance.
Now, he can finally have the best of both worlds. Being a eunuch is not easy. Hiss! It hurts!
Jia Yingxuan also went through some difficult changes in his heart. Unlike Gao Sanxie, who had a hint of a mission, he was only reminded by Kangxi: "Stay true to your duties and do not act rashly. Advise the Crown Prince and serve him wholeheartedly." He vaguely knew that Gao Sanxie would be summoned to the Qing Palace, and he would have provided some information. But now, he hesitated.
Previously, under the Crown Prince, he had a tendency to be passive and lazy, only doing his assigned tasks and playing dead the rest of the time, never actively considering his master's interests. The Crown Prince seemed to have a good impression of him, but he was no match for the other eunuchs in the Emperor's service. He still didn't dare to rebel, but could he lean a little towards the Crown Prince and devote himself a little more wholeheartedly?
Yinreng clearly sensed a difference between the two eunuchs, and he was certain it wasn't just him being overly sensitive. For example, under Jia Yingxuan's direction, tea was now served twice as quickly in the Dunben Palace, and the chairs were even more polished than before. Another example was Gao Sanxie, who used to have a stern expression, but now, based on his facial expressions, he could easily tell what the Khan thought of the officials.
For example, the person Yinreng met today was Wang Fan, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Gao Sanxie had clear eyes and a slightly upturned mouth, which was a world of difference compared to the frown that could kill a mosquito when Xinyu came to pay his respects two days ago.
Wang Fan was one of the courtiers Yinreng considered a good friend. He was the grandson of Wang Xijue, the Ming Dynasty's prime minister. Wang Xijue had been the subject of considerable criticism during the chaotic succession crisis. This period was not too distant, and the family tree survived, passed down orally. Wang Fan held this incident to deep resentment. Since entering the officialdom, he had held himself to the standards of a sage, conducting himself with integrity, abstaining from corruption and favoritism, promoting scholars from humble backgrounds, and impeaching officials with connections. He raised his sons to embody the virtues of ancient gentlemen. His entire family could be considered paragons of Confucian morality.
Most fascinatingly, he passed the imperial examination in the ninth year of the Kangxi reign, was selected as a scholar-official, and appointed an editor. Besides this initial position, reserved for a talented Jinshi candidate, he also held the position of Zuo Zanshan (Left Minister of State), and after returning from sick leave, he assumed the position of You Zanshan (Right Minister of State). Both were officials of the Eastern Palace, and were old acquaintances of Yinreng. He also served as the Superintendent of Education in Zhejiang Province and had numerous students at court. He also attended the Imperial Lectures, providing ample opportunities for interaction with Kangxi!
It was a shame. Back when he was in the Imperial Household Department, he was still young and didn't pay attention to these things. Fortunately, it wasn't too late now. This person only wanted one thing: a good reputation. This was exactly what the Crown Prince wanted. There was no need to deliberately approach him; Wang Fan would naturally turn his attention to the Crown Prince.
Yinreng also acted like a typical prince, inquiring about the Ministry of Revenue's inventory. "Khan Ama has exempted the Eight Banner soldiers from loans, but this cannot harm the people. This money is also their hard-earned money for the expedition, so it cannot be saved. The Ministry of Revenue must pay for it. Are you prepared?"
Wang Fan was a conscientious man. "The Ministry of Revenue has long reserved silver for military supplies, and also for rewards and celebrations at the beginning of the uprising. I'm currently verifying the total, but I don't know how much the Eight Banners owe. They need to report this; the Ministry of Revenue has no control over the banner camps."
Gao Sanxie's body swayed slightly back and forth before regaining his footing. Yinreng was certain that these servants had good judgment. Furthermore, their moods needed to be taken care of. Being nice to them would undoubtedly affect their moods, and their stances would shift unconsciously.
The author has something to say:
Update early today!
Yesterday I was so depressed. At 11:14 in the morning, Rou Daddy sent me a text message: Happy Holidays? Based on the time it was received, I have every reason to believe that he edited the text message at 11:11.
After work, I decided to treat myself to something delicious. I burned my hand while eating rice noodles...
Alas, alas, alas~
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