There is a surprise in this chapter
An expert can tell whether something is good or not with just one look.
Kangxi himself was furious, yet his plans were precise and precise. A bystander would have been surprised to see the emperor's hands shaking as he rushed from the Qianqing Palace to the Yuqing Palace, appearing completely out of sorts. Yet, his orders were issued one after another, seamlessly coherently, and within moments, the situation was under control.
Yinreng sat aside, listening to Kangxi's endless stream of orders, and slowly began to figure out what was going on. This was especially true when he heard Yinzhi say, "Prince Zhi has found the eunuch in the Eastern Palace, and over the past few years, he's been bringing in a lot of evil-repelling items and placing them in the Eastern Palace to curse the Crown Prince."
That one sentence was enough, and Yinreng's hands began to tremble. Fear wasn't the only thing, but genuine anger and shock. He wasn't surprised that Yinzhi would do such a rotten thing; given Prince Zhi's intelligence and emotional intelligence, as well as his hostility towards the Crown Prince, it was perfectly normal for him to do such a thing.
He was shocked that Yinzhi actually took action. Knowing that children chew their toes is one thing, but seeing them chewing is another.
After shock came rage! Yinreng stood up in an instant.
Realizing that Kangxi and Yinzhi were both looking at him, Yinreng calmed down a bit, but still couldn't help asking, "What?!"
Yinzhi looked up at Kangxi, then at Yinreng. Kangxi said to Yinreng, "Sit down," with a hint of sternness in his tone. Yinreng calmed down further, but still felt uneasy: "Khan Ama? What on earth is going on?"
Kangxi's tightly pursed lips moved, and he finally pointed at Yinzhi. He simply couldn't bring himself to believe that his eldest son was trying to haunt his second son, and that he had to be so diligent and serious in doing so. What a beast!
Seeing Kangxi and Yinreng acting like this, Yinzhi knew that Yinzhi was in trouble. Since he didn't like his elder brother, Yinzhi's misfortune wouldn't hurt him, but would actually benefit him. Of course, this was just his initial reaction. He could still sense the rage Kangxi and Yinreng were radiating, and it forced Yinzhi to abandon his gloating thoughts and become filled with fear.
The emperor's wrath left millions dead and blood shed for thousands of miles. Today's incident wasn't as exaggerated, but its nature was even worse.
Yinzhi didn't dare use any rhetoric, fearing that Kangxi, who was listening in, would ignite another wave of anger and take his anger out on him. He simply kept things simple, simply because he had accidentally discovered Yinzhi's mischief. Yinreng's eyes widened: "Is he serious?"
Kangxi coughed heavily, Yinreng sat back down, and Yinzhi shut his mouth again. "Really? If I had known, I wouldn't have reported it myself!" Khan Ama looked so scary!
Kangxi reached for the teacup to sip his tea. Yinreng and Yinzhi's ears jumped. They could clearly hear the three-piece porcelain set rattling. Kangxi's hands were still shaking, and Yinreng and Yinzhi tactfully pretended not to hear.
When Kangxi heard the noise, he angrily opened the lid, took two big gulps, and threw the teacup back onto the table. The three teacups in the set flew into three places, and the little bit of tea left crawled across the table, finally reaching the edge and dripping down.
Kangxi let out a long sigh: "Yinzhi, not a single word of what happened today can be leaked!"
Yinzhi was so frightened that he fell to the ground: "Your son obeys your order."
"Go ahead! Without my written order, no one is allowed to enter or leave Bao'en Temple! Keep an eye on that lama!"
“Yeah.”
"Go and watch, and wait for my order."
"Your son will take his leave." Finally, he could step back and take a breath.
Yinzhi walked out of the Palace of Heavenly Purity, without even taking out his handkerchief, but wiped his sweat with his sleeves. When he lowered his sleeves, he saw Yarjiang'a coming back. After greeting each other, Yarjiang'a asked, "Is Khan Ama in there?"
Before Yinzhi could answer, Kangxi heard from inside: "Is Yarjiang'a here? Come in!"
Yarjiang'a received a sympathetic look from Yinzhi, lifted his leg and stepped over the threshold, and looked up. Oh, the victim has also arrived. He did not dare to make any unnecessary movements, and greeted neatly, and then reported: "Reporting to Khan Ama, I first took Khan Ama's handwritten order to the clan house, counted the people, and went straight to the Prince of Zhi's Mansion. The Prince of Zhi is still in the ministry, not at home. The eldest prince of the Prince of Zhi's Mansion is still studying in the palace. The rest of the people are there, so I directly sealed the front, back and side doors of the Prince of Zhi's Mansion. I took the list of servants of the Prince of Zhi's Mansion and counted them. Except for two who went out to work, everyone else was there. I waited for a while, and when I saw that the people came back, I detained them all, and then I came to report."
Kangxi snorted coldly: "Can he still run away?! Take more people with you and bring that beast to me! Liang Jiugong! After Prince Hongyu finishes his studies, send him to the Prince Zhi's Mansion first. Escort him all the way and don't scare him. And watch your mouth!" He pounded the table as he spoke, and his hands were wet.
Yaerjiang'a and Liang Jiugong took the order and left. Even without Kangxi's advice, they dared not say anything. A young eunuch rushed forward to wipe Kangxi's hands and tidy up the messy kang table. Wei Zhu returned to report, "The Crown Princess has been invited to Ningshou Palace."
Yinreng licked his lips. He could tell Kangxi was going to take action against Yinzhi, but he couldn't tell exactly how. The more this happened, the more he needed to calm down. The boss's death was not a pity, but whether he could get the most out of this matter depended entirely on his own response.
At this time, his Khan Ama needed someone to comfort him, someone to enlighten him. His Khan Ama hoped for family harmony and brotherly love, and he liked to see a magnanimous Crown Prince with brotherly love... Yinreng knew all this. He knew he should also say that he didn't care, but no, he still wanted to strangle Yinzhi to death!
Even when they were at odds, he'd thought it would be best if Yinzhi died the next day. That was just a rant, a rant from a madman. Brothers in their family never fought each other to the point of killing each other. His eldest brother's behavior was no different from keeping an assassin ready to slit his throat in the middle of the night, if not worse.
Yinreng took a deep breath and said hoarsely, "Khan Ama, please calm down." He couldn't say anything more because he was still angry. Besides, Yinzhi cursed more than just him, he also had other brothers.
Kangxi's voice also fell silent: "I am not angry!"
Kangxi was not only angry about Yinzhi cursing his brothers, but also about his reputation. One son cursing other sons, such a thing is really unbearable! Even if you two had a real fight, it would have ended better than this!
Yinzhi had done something so heartbreaking that he couldn't be allowed to roam free. Kangxi meant that Yinzhi could only be imprisoned. However, to punish a prince, there had to be a reason, especially since he was the eldest son of the emperor. Even a lighter reason would be unacceptable. Therefore, Yinzhi's actions had to be made known. The thought of revealing Yinzhi's actions made Kangxi's heart tighten.
He always prided himself on being kind and handling his family relationships well. He didn't like Chang Ning, but he didn't skimp on Chang Ning's funeral arrangements, not to mention his devotion to Fuquan. He put on a facade of family harmony in front of the world, fully believing he could be a role model for the world, but his son failed to live up to his expectations!
It was such a slap in the face! But he had to do it. Kangxi began to feel dizzy and his vision went black for a while.
Yinreng sat upright for a while, then suddenly realized something was wrong. He turned his head and saw Kangxi swaying back and forth on the kang on the south edge. He hurried forward to support Kangxi, who held his hand tightly: "Don't worry, I'm here!"
Yinreng was not worried at all, but said: "Khan Ama, please take care of yourself. Compared with your health, nothing else matters."
Kangxi's face turned ashen: "This beast has caused me a problem. I can't let myself be angry because of this beast."
Having said that, when Yarjiang'a "invited" Yinzhi over, he still exploded!
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For Yinzhi, everything was still going well. With Ling Pu removed, the Crown Prince's movements within the Imperial Household Department were restricted. The Crown Prince himself seemed to be in poor health and was constantly ill, but Yinzhi's work within the Ministry was progressing smoothly.
When Yarjiang'a came over and said to him, "Prince Zhi, you don't seem to be busy? Khan Ama is calling you.", Yinzhi was still wondering whether Khan Ama was going to assign him some good task to make him stand out.
He straightened his clothes and walked side by side with Yarjiang'a, asking together: "What does Khan Ama want me to do?"
Yaerjiang Adao said: "Why are you asking me about what Khan Ama is looking for you? Go quickly and don't delay Khan Ama's business."
Seeing his strange smile, Yinzhi was filled with speculation, never expecting his scheme to be exposed. He only regretted that Yaerjiang'e wasn't a eunuch in the Qianqing Palace, so he couldn't send a red envelope to get information. Wait! Yaerjiang'e wasn't a eunuch in the Qianqing Palace, so how could he be here? Is he kidding me?
When he thought of it, he asked, "Why did Khan Ama ask you to come and tell me?"
"Ah! I just happened to meet you there," Yarjiang'a glanced at Yinzhi, "Khan Ama asked me to come because it's a family matter. Don't worry, I'm not lying to you. Khan Ama is waiting for your reply. Don't ask me, I can't tell you even if you ask."
As the two mounted their horses, Yinzhi became even more curious. Yarjiang'a, however, kept his mouth shut and simply laughed in response to further questions. Yinzhi thought to himself, "My father is still in the palace. I can go if I want. What else could possibly happen to me in the palace?"
Yaerjiang was such a bad guy! He sealed off the Prince Zhi's Mansion, so that not even a messenger could leave. He brought Yinzhi into the palace without even knowing what was going on.
Arriving at the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Yaerjiang'a announced that Prince Zhi was brought in, and then retreated outside the gate again. He retreated just in time, and even through the door he could hear the sound of Yinzhi being kicked to the ground by Kangxi.
Seeing Yinreng looking at him with a constipated expression, Yinzhi thought that Kangxi had something good to offer him that would make Yinreng unhappy, so he knelt down with a bit of smugness to pay his respects to Kangxi.
Kangxi had been simmering with rage for a long time, but he hadn't released it before because he had to deal with things, and he was dealing with Yinreng, the victim, and Yinzhi, the meritorious man, so he suppressed it. Now that he had the culprit, what else could he hold back? He jumped up and kicked Yinzhi, who was caught off guard and slid sideways, knocking over two stools. He was immediately stunned: "Khan Ama!" His voice cracked.
His first reaction was what the prince had said, so he glared at his brother. Kangxi now looked at Yinzhi through sunglasses, his expression darker and darker: "What are you looking at, prince? Haven't you suppressed the evil spirit behind my back? Now you're bringing it out in the open!"
Yinzhi's face paled, and he was completely at a loss for words. The word "suppress nightmare" had already broken him. Seeing him like this, Kangxi became even more furious: "What? You dare not admit it? How could I give birth to a beast like you? Huh?"
Kangxi sent Yinzhi and Yaerjiang'a to Bao'en Temple, and both of them brought evidence. Kangxi threw these evidences in Yinzhi's face and said, "What else do you have to say?" Although he asked this, his murderous eyes clearly showed that he didn't want to hear it.
Yinzhi got up, tears streaming down his face like water from an open faucet, and threw himself at Kangxi's feet: "Khan Ama, Khan Ama, your son is so angry with the Crown Prince that he is confused! Khan Ama..."
If Yinzhi had cursed someone else, the matter would have been over. He was also one of the princes that Kangxi valued very much. But he cursed the crown prince, Kangxi's most valued son, no doubt about it! Kangxi kicked him again: "Did you make him so angry that he lost his mind? The crown prince serves me with sincerity, filial piety, loyalty and righteousness, treats his subordinates with kindness and courtesy, and cares for his brothers and nephews. And this makes you angry?!"
Yinreng stepped forward, hugged Kangxi's arm and brought him to the kang: "Khan Ama, calm down!" He also started crying.
It's the same thing. When you see someone you like crying, it's like a pear blossom with tears in the rain, which makes people feel distressed. When you see someone you don't like crying, it's like a mournful cry, which makes people feel annoyed. Kangxi also cried, hugging the prince and crying: "What sin did I commit to have such a son?! What sin did you commit to have such a brother?"
Yaerjiang'e was eavesdropping happily until Kangxi called him in. Yaerjiang'e rubbed his face, adjusted his expression, and listened to Kangxi's order: "Send Prince Zhi back to the palace and keep an eye on him!"
"Yeah." He was just about to go and take a look and clean up the aftermath - his spies were still staying in the Prince of Zhi's Mansion, and he had to go and deal with it.
Along with Yarjiang'a's retirement, Kangxi also issued an edict to replace the head of the Imperial Clan Court. From then on, the affairs of the Imperial Clan Court were transferred from Prince An to Prince Jian. Prince An's subsequent appointment was still to be determined.
Yarjiang'a had gotten rid of the nasty guy and landed a respectable job. Even though he was cursed, and the person who cursed him was exposed, he went home feeling quite happy. I really wanted to be cruel and imprison that spy who had infiltrated the enemy and didn't even know his master was under a curse in the Prince Zhi's palace. Well, let's get him out before he gets desperate and says I told him to do something.
Yaerjiang'a brought four guards from the Palace of Heavenly Purity to "escort" Yinzhi home. They didn't even let Yinzhi ride a horse, but instead got him a carriage and stuffed him in. Yinzhi even glared at Yaerjiang'a with a vicious look, but Yaerjiang'a pretended not to notice.
After sending Yinzhi home, Yaerjiang'a, relying on his own position in charge of the matter, summoned the servants of the Zhiwang family one by one and took the opportunity to instruct his informants: "You won't stay here for long. In a few years, I will get you out! I will take good care of your family outside."
After finishing the task, he checked the surrounding security and rushed back to the Palace of Heavenly Purity to report. Finally, he returned home and scolded Yinzhi in the study. Then he said to Ning Hui, "Go to Tanzhe Temple and invite the Bodhisattva! In a few days, our whole family will go to worship the Buddha!" He was still afraid of being cursed.
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After receiving the final report from Yarjiang'a, Kangxi nodded and said, "I understand." Then he took Yinreng to Ningshou Palace.
On the way, Kangxi said to Yinreng, "That beast has done such a wicked thing. I will punish him. This matter cannot be concealed. The Empress Dowager and the others will find out sooner or later. It is better to tell them sooner rather than later. The Empress Dowager is old, and the Crown Princess is pregnant. Speak slowly and don't scare them."
Yinreng agreed to all of them.
The atmosphere in Ningshou Palace was cheerful. It was rare for so many people to gather together. There were also many plump, fair-skinned boys to touch. The Empress Dowager touched this and that and said, "What a tender little face!"
Shujia's belly was already protruding, and she couldn't stand sitting for long. She changed her posture and said, "Children's skin is just a little more tender." She was very puzzled. When did Kangxi eat with his daughter-in-law? What was going on?
The Empress Dowager said, "He's the Emperor after all. Gathering these children together really makes my place much more lively. Seeing them makes me happier than anything else."
Shujia smiled and said, "Since you said so, I won't give you any gifts for your birthday this year. I'll just pile them up in front of you."
The whistle sounded and the emperor came.
Except for the Empress Dowager, everyone in Ningshou Palace stood up to greet her.
Kangxi came over and paid his respects to the Empress Dowager first, then sat down beside her. Shujia was looking at Yinreng questioningly, but Yinreng gave her a wry smile.
The Empress Dowager asked, "Why did the Emperor think of coming to see me?" Kangxi did not come every day. Today, without any prior arrangement, he suddenly asked someone to send the Crown Princess over. The Empress Dowager felt it was strange even if she stayed there any longer.
Kangxi forced a smile, his hands still shaking. At fifty, at the age of knowing one's destiny, it was normal for him to tremble with anger when faced with something like this. "I have something to tell you."
The Empress Dowager asked with great interest, "What's the matter?" The children below also looked very interested.
Kangxi first had the child taken to a side hall, and then briefly explained the whole story, speaking very concisely: "The eldest prince has made a mistake, and I asked him to reflect on it at home. I was afraid that you would ask about it without seeing his wife, so I told you first."
The Empress Dowager still didn't understand and insisted, "What did he do to make the Emperor angry?"
Kangxi had no choice but to point out the bottom line: "He is haunting his brother."
Shujia gasped. Needless to say, Yinreng was definitely on the list! She was half-believing this, not as seriously as the natives, but a little believing it. How should she deal with the current situation? Shujia bent over, holding her stomach.
Ningshou Palace was in a state of panic. The Empress Dowager's mind, already swirling with confusion over her eldest grandson's curse on her second grandson, found a new focus: "Hurry up and help the Crown Princess lie down inside. Call the imperial physician."
With this incident as a buffer, the awkward situation was smoothed over, and of course, the excuse of "the family having dinner together" was no longer necessary. Kangxi said to Yinreng, "I've sent people to Yuqing Palace and the Eastern Palace to fetch some talismans. I've asked the Crown Princess to come here, just to avoid startling her. Tell her not to worry and to go back home peacefully later."
He also ordered the Buddha statues and other items enshrined in Ningshou Palace to be taken to the Eastern Palace: "It is also to seek peace of mind."
The Empress Dowager readily agreed.
Shujia wasn't frightened much, her stomach cramped briefly, and she slowly recovered after lying down. Her mind, however, was racing. When faced with something like this, anger was inevitable. It was like seeing a message saying, "This is a curse message. If you don't forward it X times, something will happen to your family." Believing it would be an insult to my materialistic upbringing, but not believing it would only make me worry about my family.
This is simply hijacking your feelings for your family to disgust people and spread panic! I really want to curse this guy for all his reincarnations!
Shujia was in this state of mind. She couldn't believe it, but she was worried about Yinreng if she didn't. Fortunately, she was more materialistic, so her anger was about something else: she was more materialistic, while the natives of this era were not materialistic. Yinzhi was doing everything he could to kill Yinreng! This was essentially the same as stabbing Yinreng with a knife!
Get him, get him!
After the anger subsided, it was time to think deeply: In this matter, how should I behave to get a high score? How should Yinreng behave to get a high score? This requires the couple to discuss together.
They had ample time and space to connect: Kangxi left Yinreng behind and returned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity. The imperial physician examined him, declaring him alright, and he was carried back to the Eastern Palace on a stretcher. On the way, Yinreng told her, "Khan Ama has already had those dirty things removed, and he's also gifted us a Buddha statue to protect the house. I couldn't be more relieved."
Shujia said, "I'm fine. How should I tell the children about this?"
"Let's talk about it when we get back."
Back at the East Palace, everyone was horrified. As soon as the Crown Princess left, a group of people from the Palace of Heavenly Purity arrived, rummaging through the house, taking several people away for questioning. They finally unearthed a ton of taboo items. Everyone thought their master had been caught doing something bad and was about to be sentenced!
Seeing that the prince and his wife returned safely, he finally felt relieved.
Yinreng personally helped Shujia down and said loudly, "Go do what you need to do." He then ordered, "Search this place up and down, inside and out, to see if there is anything left!"
Gao Sanxie stepped forward and followed the Crown Prince and his wife inside, reporting quietly, "We've turned everything out. The Yuqing Palace has the most. In the New Palace, we only found two items under Duan Bengong's bed. There's nothing else."
"I got it," Yinreng's tense face showed no relaxation, "Tell everyone to shut up! Anyone who talks too much will be beaten to death, no need to answer me!" Being cursed is a shameful thing even if you are the victim: you are such a failure as a human being, and you are being circled.
“Yeah.”
Shujia said, "It's my fault too. I didn't know there was such a thief in my house!"
Yinreng sneered, "This matter has nothing to do with you. Yinzhi and I have been at odds for a long time. What can't he do?!"
Shujia covered her belly with her hands. "I wonder what the rules are for Khan Ama? What are we going to tell the children?"
Yinreng pondered for a moment and said, "I think the boss has decided on the person this time! Suddenly one person is missing. Hongxi, Hongdan, and Hongtong are all studying now. There must be a way to find out. Tell me the truth."
"So—are you at Khan Amma's today?"
Yinreng pressed his throbbing temples and said, "What can I say? Just tell Khan Ama to calm down."
"That's good," Shujia pondered for a moment, "let's ask for mercy for our nephew and niece."
"Um?"
"The adults have made a mistake, and the child is really pitiful. If it is really the last circle, what will happen to the marriage?"
Yinreng thought, "The descendants of Guanglue Beile have not been kept in captivity for their entire lives. They must be released to reproduce. Besides, Khan Ama has always been soft-hearted. Instead of asking others to talk, why not I do it? That's it!" He was just worried about how to express his feelings.
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How many times had Prince Jian and Prince Zhi run back and forth between the Qianqing Palace, the Imperial Clan Court, the Baoen Temple, and the Prince Zhi's Mansion? They had kicked up so much dust on the street that it couldn't settle. Even the most obtuse person would have realized what was happening by the time Yarjiang'a returned home.
Yaerjiang'a and Yinzhi kept their mouths shut tighter than river clams, and shook their heads when asked, saying they knew nothing.
Of course, there were those who knew, like Myeong-ju. He was retired, while his son was still a serving official. Kyuseol had recently been given the prestigious assignment of special envoy to Joseon to enthrone King Yi Sun's successor, Kim. He was well-informed, especially since Myeong-ju was particularly concerned about Baoen Temple.
Upon seeing this, Mingzhu suddenly felt a sense of relief, as if something had finally happened. Kuifang was still worried: "Father, if this gets out, will the Emperor and the Crown Prince take their anger out on us?"
Mingzhu said calmly, "As long as we get away from Prince Zhi, today's incident won't involve us."
"So what should we do?"
Mingzhu thought about it and said decisively: "This is an opportunity."
If it weren't for the Prince of Zhi's foolish behavior, I wouldn't be sitting here. However, because he discovered that Prince of Zhi was foolish, he was forced to make a new choice. In the end, it turned out that following the Crown Prince was not bad. It was an unexpected gain.
Given this, Mingzhu didn't want to see the Crown Prince fall again. Prince Zhi was already unreliable, and if the Crown Prince was even more unreliable, he'd be in trouble for both of them. Mingzhu felt his chance to shine had arrived!
"Prepare the sedan chair and go to Suo Mansion!"
Soetu also had a son. Although he was not as active as Mingzhu's son, he was still a top figure. Soetu also knew the news. When he was wondering, Mingzhu came.
Soetu's brows relaxed. Mingzhu's coming must be related to this matter. It seemed that it was Prince Zhi's fault.
When the two met, Suo Etu got straight to the point: "There's no need for us to be polite. Let's get straight to the point. Look at how busy the streets are. Someone just said that Tong Guowei has been summoned to the Palace of Heavenly Purity."
Mingzhu had been worried about how to start, but now she finally didn't have to think about her opening line: "The Prince of Zhi's mansion has been surrounded by people from the Imperial Clan Bureau. No one is allowed to enter or leave. The Imperial Clan Bureau has changed people. You know all this. I think something has happened to the Prince of Zhi."
"Do you know what it is?"
Mingzhu couldn't say that he had guessed what it was, so he could only analyze: "It involves the clan house, and they are surrounded at home. It must be a big deal. It is probably a family affair of the royal family." This is not a bad idea.
Suo Etu leaned forward and asked, "So why did you come to see me—?"
"I suspect Prince Zhi is up to something bad, so I came here to tell you something."
"Well?"
"If something really happens to Prince Zhi, the Crown Prince must not kick him when he's down. Instead, he must speak up for him to appear kind and magnanimous." Mingzhu slowly told him her plan and tried to convince Soetu. Kicking him when he's down would only make Kangxi think that the Crown Prince is not magnanimous enough. No matter what, the Crown Prince must insist that he is a good brother who loves his brother, because Kangxi likes people who are affectionate and righteous.
Suo Etu also knew this, and reluctantly agreed, even saying to Mingzhu: "You can't let go of the Prince of Zhi after all."
Mingzhu smiled bitterly and said, "After all, I've watched him grow up. If he were truly miserable, I wouldn't be able to bear it. However, it's also true that this is for the Crown Prince's own good."
Suo Etu also knew that now was not the time to fight, so he said in silence, "Are you sure?"
Mingzhu slapped her thigh and said, "It's okay, am I here to tease you?"
Suo Etu was silent for a moment. "You and I are both unemployed at home. It's not a good idea for us to show up at this time. Why not let my son and your son go to the Eastern Palace together?"
"Okay! Kuixu is the Imperial Tutor and is currently on duty in the palace. I'll ask Kuifang to go find him and tell him that there's something going on at home. I'll take the opportunity to tell him what's going on."
"It just so happens that I have something to ask Fabao, and he is in the palace."
The sons of both families often hang out in the palace, and are now qualified to enter. Even without using the excuse of family matters, they found two official business excuses to go to the palace with confidence.
After Yinreng had appeased his family, he returned to Yuqing Palace to hold a meeting with his colleagues. Kangxi had asked everyone to keep Yinzhi's affairs secret for the time being. He wanted to hold a meeting to discuss the Western Tour. The court had to function even without Prince Zhi, and he couldn't neglect his duties for him.
Halfway through the meeting, Mingzhu and the son of the Soetu family came to him hand in hand. Yinreng was moved and ordered them to be taken to the side hall to talk. No need for polite words, he directly stated the purpose of their visit.
Yinreng and his wife had come up with the same idea. Although it wasn't Kuixu who spoke up, he knew it must have been Mingzhu. Because Mingzhu had concerns, she persuaded Soetu to send someone to act as a guarantor. If the idea had been Soetu's, he wouldn't have needed to involve Mingzhu's family.
Since the subject was Suo Etu's son, Yinreng naturally had to ask Kuixu, "What does Ming Xiang mean?"
Kui said, "Of course it's the same as Suo's." He paused, "Your servant father was also wondering if you could mention it to His Majesty and ask him to marry the eldest daughter of the Prince of Zhi to the third son of the Shi family?"
"absurd!"
"That's what my father meant: this matter is ridiculous in itself, and the marriage won't happen anyway. Even if it does, there won't be any loss, right?" Kuixu said politely.
Yinreng was silent for a moment before saying, "As expected of a Ming Prime Minister."
"Your Highness is a wise man, but you can't talk about this kind of marriage right away."
"I understand. Give your father good luck."
Kuixu achieved his goal and left with great satisfaction. The Suo family also made a cameo appearance and made their position clear to the Crown Prince, and also left with satisfaction. Yinreng, through this incident, also saw that Mingzhu was sincere in her loyalty and had been useful, and he was also very satisfied.
The one who was dissatisfied was Kangxi.
Tong Guowei was getting older, and after the Lunar New Year he began to think about retirement. Although he still had some work to do, it wasn't a daily job. Today he had signed a contract, and while he was resting at home, he received a summons from the emperor. He quickly changed his clothes and went to the palace.
As soon as he entered the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Tong Guowei was shocked: Kangxi looked like he had aged ten years, the wrinkles on his face had obviously deepened, and his facial expression was also terrible.
"Master." Could it be that Prince Jian was sweeping the streets back and forth today because something really happened?
It’s true!
Tong Guowei was stunned after hearing what Kangxi said.
"You can't believe it, can you? I can't believe it either!" Kangxi was furious, then deflated, "He really broke my heart."
Tong Guowei's relationship with Kangxi was relatively recent, so he was less cautious in his words: "Your Majesty has no choice but to punish him. If he remains, he will be unable to explain to the other princes. However, punishing him will also affect the reputation of the royal family."
"Exactly! This shameless thing!"
"I think we need to act quickly and cut the Gordian knot! If we delay for too long, public opinion will boil over, which is even worse. We should quickly resolve this matter while everyone is still in shock. By the time they have something to say, it will be too late. We can then do something big to cover this up... Isn't the Emperor's birthday coming up soon?"
Kangxi nodded without saying anything. Tong Guowei hadn't seen Kangxi for a long time and had no instructions, so he tactfully excused himself. Kangxi, however, was thinking about another matter that needed to be addressed, a topic that would be a great way to attract public opinion.
After Tong Guowei left, Kangxi, having already established his own rules, had more energy to think outside the box. The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. "How could it be so unlucky? People had been dying continuously for the past two years! It was all because of him!" Although none of the deaths were caused by Yinzhi's curse, Kangxi couldn't help but remember him. He shook his fist at the sky!
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That night, countless people couldn't sleep well.
The Crown Princess was scolding her son: "Hongxi, what did you mean by that?! Listen carefully, even if you see Hongyu in the future, you must not give him a cold shoulder. You are not allowed to meddle in the affairs of the adults! Prince Zhi didn't curse your brother! And you, Hongdan, don't talk nonsense in your Mafa. I'm telling you that I'm not asking you to mess around! Your great-grandfather was almost eighty when he died. How many more years do you want him to live before he can't be considered to have died from the evil spirit?"
Yinzhi was thinking: Is this achievement enough for me to be a prince?
Prince An’s family was feeling depressed: How could they suddenly lose their job?
Princes: What happened again?
The next day, Kangxi generously announced the answer: "Prince Yinzhi of Zhi is impulsive, foolish, and has terrorized the Crown Prince and the other princes. He has no regard for his parents and brothers, and acts without scruples. This is for the deliberation of the princes and ministers!"
There was a great buzz among the people, finally understanding why the emperor had acted so decisively yesterday. After the buzzing, no one dared to plead for Prince Zhi. The Third Prince had found evidence and cursed the other princes. To plead for him would be to offend the emperor's household register. This household register was not easy to offend.
However, this Prince Zhi quietly accomplished such a big thing, wow, it's really...
Okay, stop gossiping and listen to what the emperor said next: "Hongdan, the third prince of the Yuqing Palace, is the legitimate descendant of the country. He was still young before, but now he is growing up. He can be made the crown prince. Let's discuss the ceremony."
Wow! Pour cold water into the hot oil pan and it explodes!
The kings and ministers thought, "The emperor has played this stunt beautifully. Who would even think of the Prince of Zhi now?" A crown prince, a future crown prince, and emperor is far more worthy of discussion than a washed-up Prince of Zhi. "We need to discuss Prince of Zhi quickly, and then we need to roll up our sleeves and discuss the treatment of the crown prince as well."
Not only the court was in an uproar, but also the harem.
The upper part of the palace exploded because of the latter event, and the harem exploded because of the former event.
Concubine Hui was even more devastated than Kangxi, completely lost. She cried to the Empress Dowager, but to no avail, so she went to Kangxi, begging him. The Qianqing Palace was not a place for concubines, so she was trapped in the harem.
The emperor is meeting the prince now.
If his son was to be made the Crown Prince, Yinreng would have to come back to express his gratitude. Kangxi seemed to have lost all his strength. "This should have been done a long time ago, but Hongdan was still young and hadn't done anything yet. Now is the perfect time to do it, so that no one will get upset."
"Khan Ama cares for Hongdan, and I am filled with gratitude. I believe that although my eldest brother made a mistake, my nephews and nieces are still young and must be unaware of it. If the kings and ministers decree harsh measures, I will plead for him."
"Yes..." Kangxi sighed, "You thought very well. I was worried that you couldn't overcome this hurdle."
"Even if the son is angry, he won't take it out on the children. He's just afraid that the people below will see their father making a mistake and not take them seriously."
"They are also my grandchildren, and no one can humiliate them!" When talking about this, Kangxi was very clear-headed.
Yinreng took advantage of the situation and brought up Mingzhu's "bad idea": "Although we are not of the same generation, I also want them to take a look. Adult matters have nothing to do with children. Everything still depends on Khan Ama. I haven't told the Crown Princess, nor the Shi family about this idea. If it's okay, it's okay. If not, just pretend I never said anything."
"I have my own arrangements."
That's it? Yinreng mentally made a victory gesture. Okay, I have to explain this to my wife when I get home!
When Yinreng arrived at the Eastern Palace, it happened that the Eastern Palace was also in an uproar. They were even more concerned about the next thing that Kangxi announced to the court today: Is Hongdan going to be the crown prince?
Yinreng's excitement was indescribable. Once Hongdan's position was established, it would mean that his position would be unprecedentedly stable.
Shujia's tears welled up. "Once Hongdan's position was established, it wouldn't just mean Yinreng's position would be unprecedentedly secure. It would also mean... even if Yinreng ascended the throne, he would have to make Hongdan the crown prince. Hongdan's position would be incredibly difficult to remove." (This "insulting" was a literal term.)
Shujia truly felt that history might have been distorted. Given Yinreng's current situation, as long as he didn't completely lose his mind, the Eastern Palace would not actually fall, even if it faced various risks and was on the verge of collapse.
The council quickly reached a decision: Prince Zhi was stripped of his title and placed under house arrest, along with his family. Everyone was eager to join the Crown Prince's celebration, so the decision was quick. Kangxi approved the decision without a single objection, and simultaneously assigned individuals with diverse political views and military guards to guard Prince Zhi's household.
Then, Suo Etu and Mingzhu were summoned to the palace. Then, everyone saw Shi Wenbing being summoned again. Finally, Suo Etu acted as a matchmaker, and Shi Wenbing's son married Mingzhu's granddaughter. To this, everyone could only say: "Damn it!"
Kangxi didn't need to present facts or reason with these three people. He just told them directly, "I think this is enough."
Then, Kangxi gave the eldest daughter of the former Prince of Zhi the title of Princess, and the other three daughters were all given the title of County Lady, to show that he had not forgotten his granddaughters, and everyone should not take advantage of their misfortunes and look down on them.
Kangxi's calculations were clear: he sought to appease the Mingzhu faction, not Yinzhi. While Kangxi judged Yinzhi to be exploiting Mingzhu, not the other way around, the outside world didn't know. They still believed the two were one and the same, making it easy for Mingzhu's former friends and students to become uneasy over Yinzhi's affairs.
By having Mingzhu become a relative of the prince's father-in-law's family, it avoided the need to resort to knives and guns, and also invisibly resolved the uneasiness.
As for Yinzhi's family, there was no need to waste resources on marriage alliances. With just one word from the emperor, who would dare to degrade his children? Moreover, Kangxi had already planned to marry the eldest princess of the Zhi Prince to Mongolia.
The author has something to say: Who guessed the question about the crown prince? Isn’t it a surprise?
It's said that people who clicked in couldn't see the content, and then combined with the title of this chapter... pound the ground! Try posting it again.
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