Xia Liuyue and his wife talk
In the past, Yinreng would have considered Soetu's idea the best. But now, everything was different. Yinreng was certain that if it failed, Kangxi would be furious. He had only considered postponing it, but Soetu repeatedly insisted on carrying it out. After just two sentences, he became furious: "How could you not listen to me?" This was still the crown prince; if it were the emperor, he would be even more displeased. No emperor likes others to ignore his will.
Every promotion is leaked beforehand, sometimes even requiring a briefing. The crown prince's attire and ceremonial equipment would take at least a year or two to finalize, not counting the production time. If the title is to be confirmed, at least the various supplies must be prepared, just as everyone now knows the crown prince will be crowned next year. Besides housing, there must also be tailor-made clothing, court robes, auspicious robes, casual attire, winter crowns, summer crowns, court beads, ceremonial equipment... not only for the crown prince, but also for his wife...
Yinreng already knew by now that the eldest and third sons were princes, the fourth son a beile, and the eighth son a beizi. Because their court robes had different patterns and colors, their hats were different, from the gold-threaded crowns to the oriental pearls inlaid, and even their clothing sizes were different, he would know who had been bestowed with which title once he inquired about the progress of the Imperial Household Department.
Based on Yinreng's understanding of Kangxi, if he truly intended to appoint a grandson as the crown prince, he would have certainly not forgotten such an important matter and would have begun preparations. However, he hadn't. In other words, Kangxi had no such intentions. Now that he understood this, he was no longer in a rush to secure the title for his son.
What made him anxious was that Yinzhi's title of Prince would inevitably squeeze his living space. If he fought back too hard, would it cause Kangxi's displeasure? The extent of the fightback was always difficult to grasp. What if Kangxi became suspicious of him?
If Suo Etu really wanted to write a petition, he would definitely not get any good results. Mingzhu would not sit idly by and watch Kangxi's mood fluctuate without taking the opportunity to implicate the members of Suo Etu's party with other excuses. When the time comes, we will definitely fight back...
Yinreng sat in a chair, sweating all over. He didn't want to imagine a situation where he and Kangxi would not get along. For so many years, he had never thought that such a day would come. He had always worked hard for two goals: one, to satisfy Kangxi, and two, to step on the eldest prince.
His face became more and more serious, and he sweated more and more.
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The lotus leaf-shaped, light green, transparent glass saucer and the light green, transparent glass bowl, topped with finely shaved ice and fresh fruit chunks, looked particularly alluring on a summer night in mid-June of the lunar calendar. It would have been even more perfect if the person serving this cold drink was a reasonably pretty young woman.
Shujia hadn't imagined she'd ever have to make these things again. Yuqing Palace always had plenty of ice, and glassware was readily available. She could command enough people to finely chip the ice, select the best fruits, and make a refreshing ice cream. Then she'd go visit her husband, who had recently been acting like he was having an affair, a husband who feared being discovered and, after a divorce, would be handed half of his property and pay a hefty alimony.
Is this even possible? While extramarital affairs were common these days, the lack of excessive wealth wasn't something the Crown Prince could relate to. Shujia could only speculate that if Yinreng hadn't suddenly fallen in love with a fairy in a dream or had developed a relationship beyond friendship with a man they couldn't be together, then he was in deep trouble—she had never seen him like this before.
After comparing her schedule and revisiting Yinreng's itinerary, Shujia confirmed that it was impossible for him to meet a fairy near Kangxi. She concluded that Yinreng was in trouble. And his troubles were her troubles. Yinreng's recent behavior had been unusual, somewhat restless. Although he was trying hard to act as if nothing had happened, she could still see it. This guy... in the thin summer weather, he was acting like a gentleman to his wife, and for several days straight. It was truly incomprehensible.
Unfortunately, Eunuch Cui, once an eyesore but now deeply missed, was still undergoing labor reform, so Shujia no longer had the same understanding of Yinreng's behavior as before. She also summoned Gao Sanxie to question him, but to no avail. Jia Yingxuan, a clerk in Dun's main palace, was also summoned for questioning and learned that Yinreng's daily routine was normal.
Shujia angrily said to them, "I know when the prince gets up, when he eats, when he writes, and what his arrangements are. I also know that he's doing the same things as before, but what I don't know is why he's lost so much weight."
If Yinreng's weight change were to be seen in later generations, it would have made women who were desperately trying to lose weight envious and jealous. In just half a month, you could see with the naked eye that he was losing weight, and even his eyes looked a little sunken.
Gao Sanxie was a man of few words, but he was a man who knew what was going on. Not to mention that after the keys were locked at night, eunuchs could only guard the palace gates, not serve in the rooms where the palace ladies were. Even on ordinary days, the Crown Prince, who was clearly spoiled by the Emperor, would not be allowed to handle even very personal matters, perhaps out of spite or for other reasons. The Crown Princess's situation was slightly better, but it was mostly women's work, and the palace maids handled most of it, while the eunuchs mostly had to run errands.
But now, the Crown Princess is actually asking him about the Crown Prince, because he's lost weight! Gao Sanxie cursed in his heart. If I knew, I would have told the Emperor long ago. The Emperor asked too. He asked the same questions as you, and asked something you didn't ask: "Is the child greedy?" You trust the Crown Prince, even more than his father.
Jia Yingxuan was also deeply frustrated. They had previously served in various palaces and had done well, otherwise they would not have been in Kangxi's good graces. They were only being asked to take care of the Crown Prince's family, especially when the former eunuchs who served him were being questioned. However, the Crown Prince clearly didn't trust them anymore. Two days ago, he had sent Suo Etu away before speaking to him, as if to be on guard against him.
Jia Yingxuan couldn't deny that if something bad happened to the Crown Prince, he would definitely report it to Kangxi. Gao Sanxie probably meant the same thing. However, there was a premise: they were all now members of the Yuqing Palace and would not harm the Yuqing Palace. In this situation, being guarded by one's superiors was really unpleasant.
This depression didn't last long. The Crown Princess quickly controlled her emotions and simply told them, "I will inevitably ask you about the Crown Prince's affairs in the future. Please pay more attention. I am a woman and don't usually go to the front, so I have to rely on you to help watch and listen. I don't want to just stand by and watch the Crown Prince lose weight and not know why."
“Yeah.”
After watching them leave, Shujia took a deep breath and said, "Let's see what fruits and ice cream are available in the small kitchen today." People say that it is a 'bitter summer' and it is easy for people to lose weight in summer. Yinreng did not have this hobby in the past two years, but she could not think of a better way to start at the moment.
Shujia made a few cold drinks and tasted them; they were quite good. The palace also had iced tea and fruit, but they weren't as good looking as this. Perhaps the bright colors and pleasant visual experience would calm Yinreng a little on this scorching summer night.
She found a new moon-white cheongsam with a lotus pattern that she had made this year, tied it into a simple bun, and inserted two hairpins diagonally. Before rushing to find someone, she had to send someone to inform Yinreng and then kill him by surprise.
Even though he had been informed beforehand, Yinreng was still surprised when he saw his wife. Shujia had always been careful not to intrude on his personal space. As the saying goes, distance makes beauty. Giving everyone a little breathing space will actually make the relationship more harmonious. But today, she came over, which surprised Yinreng. He couldn't think of a reason for her to come. Wu Mingli simply said, "The Crown Princess asked someone to prepare some food today. She wants to come to see the Crown Prince. I wonder if it's convenient for you, my Lord?"
Seeing the problem was more troublesome than finding the solution. Before Yinreng could recover from the mess, he blinked and said subconsciously, "If she wants to come, let her come. Why be so distant?" Shujia had already come in.
The moonlight streamed down overhead, landing on hair and shoulders. A silhouette emerged from the open doorway, approaching in the light. Its cool hue brought a soothing breeze to this restless, scorching summer night. When Yinreng rose from his chair, he realized he had sat there for so long that his waist was stiff. "Why did you remember this?"
Shujia took the cold drink tray and walked over to put it on the table next to Yinreng: "I came here as soon as I remembered."
"What's this?"
"Try it. It's a little cold, but it's good for cooling off."
Yinreng's mind was in a tizzy, and he wanted to say, "Let me be quiet for a moment." But then, thinking of his wife, who had painstakingly prepared something for him and had come all this way, he suppressed his irritability and took two bites. The coolness of the food did indeed calm him down a bit.
It was just a little bit. After eating two spoonfuls with a small spoon, he stopped and sighed. Shujia took the opportunity to ask, "Is it not tasty?"
Yinreng put the food on the table and said with a smile: "It tastes good."
Shujia said, "You've lost a lot of weight recently. I think it's because it's hot and you don't feel like eating. This isn't a new idea, but it tastes refreshing. Let's see if it can stimulate my appetite."
Yinreng wrinkled his nose. "My appetite hasn't decreased, but the food still tastes good. Add ice?" He scooped another mouthful. "It's not bad to eat in the summer. It's too hot in the palace in the summer. But you can't eat too much. If you can't digest it, it will hurt your body. Don't eat too much."
"I haven't lost much weight," Shujia took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off Yinreng's forehead. "You haven't lost weight, but you've lost weight. It seems you're not eating enough."
"There's been a lot going on lately. The fourth princess is getting married, the eldest and third sons need to be enthroned, the merits of pacifying the desert need to be recorded in stone, and there are still a lot of meritorious officials to be rewarded. There are also sacrifices to be made to the suburban temples, mausoleums, and ancestors, and this year is also a big year for competitions. Isn't it true that I've lost weight?"
Shujia was sure Yinreng was joking. What he just said was nothing to him. When Kangxi was away, he was in charge of the entire rear, and he didn't seem to lose weight. Now that Kangxi was back, he was actually tired...
Wait, Kangxi is back... could it be?
She smiled and shook her head, then turned to look at the clock beside her. It was half past eight, and even in summer, it was already dark. "If you think it tastes good, have a couple more bites." She stood up and walked behind Yinreng, rubbing his temples. "If you feel tired, come back with me and rest, okay? People who are extremely tired can't do their work well. Once, when I was a child, I was so busy sewing that I almost pricked my hand with a sieve even though I was too tired to doze off."
Yinreng felt relieved as he listened to her mumbling, but his heart was still in turmoil. His sweat wasn't just from the heat, it was also from anxiety. So far, he hadn't found a suitable solution to deal with the crisis. Relaxing back in his chair, closing his eyes, and waving his right hand twice, Gao Sanxie looked at the time and saw that it was time for them to leave, so he led his men out. The Crown Princess had already said, "Come back with me to rest," so everyone should stop joining in the fun. The rest should be left to the Crown Princess and the palace maids she brought with her.
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Shujia looked around and saw that the rest were all her own people, the kind who weren't afraid of anything being spread. Even better, the maids accompanying her today were Lu Lu and Zi Shang, who had come with her as a bride.
Yinreng seemed to be asleep. Shujia gently pressed his head from time to time, which made him feel much more comfortable. Suddenly, she asked, "Have you ever been in trouble?"
Shujia paused. "How should I put it? It depends on what it is. Who hasn't had worries since childhood?"
"I didn't know what worry was before. When I had something on my mind, there was always someone to help me."
"What now?"
"It's a bit difficult." His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had two golden henchmen, one, Kangxi, and two, Soetu. Unfortunately, he suddenly discovered that both of them were now unreliable.
"I don't know what happened to you, and I don't understand the affairs of the previous dynasty. If you want to hear it, I can tell you what I did."
Yinreng became interested. He reached out and pulled the hand off his head, clasping his fingers together and said, "Tell me about it."
Shujia unceremoniously put all the pressure on him: "Just give the right things to the right people. I just need to watch them do it and see if they do it well. That's all."
The problem is that it can’t be done well! “What if there are some who don’t obey?”
"Change it. However, the number of people available is always limited, so choose the tasks that they are suitable for."
Yinreng laughed, and his smile was a little miserable. This was really a dead end.
He couldn't tell his father off, and Soetu had his own agenda. Damn it, one was a close relative he'd lived with for over twenty years, and he didn't want to do anything other than seduce Kangxi; the other had been with him for over a decade, providing him with much support during his confrontation with Yinzhi. He didn't want to cause any unpleasantness with either of them, but he couldn't bring himself to do so.
"What's wrong?"
"It's okay."
There was definitely something going on, and it seemed like it was a very stressful situation. Besides Kangxi, there was no other reason, as Yinreng probably didn't take anyone seriously. If this matter wasn't resolved, Yinreng would probably continue to lose weight. The pressure would not only weigh on his body, but also on his nerves, eventually driving him insane and leading to his own utterly catastrophic behavior and self-destruction.
Shujia whispered in his ear: "If it really doesn't work, I'll use some stupid methods."
"Hmm?"
"It's difficult to know what he is suitable for. Just tell him not to do things he is not suitable for. If he is too easy to talk to, don't interfere. If he has too big ideas, don't send him too far away or ask him to do big things, and everything will be fine." How can I put it on his Khan Ama?
"Really?" Soetu was stubbornly insisting on his own way. How could he be persuaded to resign? If he left, everyone would think the crown prince was doomed, right? Wait! Perhaps, we could ease tensions elsewhere. He'd just been thinking out of habit. Once he'd imagined a conflict, he'd instinctively reacted. He could easily take this opportunity to... show weakness! However, there was one thing he had to ensure.
Yinreng stood up, turned his arm, and pulled Shujia over to stand opposite him. Lu Lu and others retreated tactfully, thinking that some restricted scene was about to appear between the couple.
Shujia was upset, isn't it?
Of course not. Yinreng looked into her eyes and said, "You said that the eldest son is also Khan Ama's son, and Khan Ama loves him too. Does he love him more than me?"
Shujia was sure he was fainting from the heat, so she reached out and felt his forehead. "You've won over Khan Ama's heart, so how could Khan Ama value others more than you? Don't you know how much Khan Ama loves you?"
"Have you read Zou Ji's Advice to the King of Qi?"
"Are you saying I'm protecting you? Could it be that Khan Ama's kindness to you over the years is also due to his favoritism? Isn't the eldest prince a prince? Why are you so stupid now?"
"Khan Ama values them more and more..."
"them?"
"I'm overthinking it. In the past, I was the one who did the work. Suddenly, a bunch of brothers showed up and wanted to start their own business. Why am I telling you all this? It's unnecessary to make you worry."
So that's how it is! "I'm not worried. The nature of father and son won't change. Khan Ama is father and son to them, isn't he to you too? You see each other every day. If this is the case, you still feel strange," he said, raising his eyelids and giving a look of contempt, "you should write a letter of repentance."
What he said made a lot of sense, and it was what Yinreng wanted to hear. He felt a little better and said casually, "This has never happened before. Thinking about the eldest brother makes me feel uneasy. For so many years, he has been chasing after me. You should have seen that he has set his sights on my position. In the past, he was just fooling around with Mingzhu and riding on her influence. Now he is almost a prince. I can't stop him. He is about to catch up..." Khan Ama...
Shujia burst into laughter. "Before I married into the palace, I was still young, and I heard some of this. I just want to ask you, are you suffering from heatstroke? You just need to sit there steadily, and he should be the one who is restless, right? For so many years, I have only seen you sitting like this, and he has been circling around your seat, not even touching the edge. Now you want to get off your seat and play with him in circles? Aren't you afraid of getting dizzy? You move your seat away, and let others take advantage of it. The more he moves, the more mistakes he makes, right? We just need to wait for him to make mistakes, and he hasn't made enough mistakes yet?"
"When did he make the mistake? How come I didn't know?" If I had known earlier, I would have taken advantage of it.
"In the 29th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, during the expedition against Galdan, the commander-in-chief and deputy commander disagreed. Didn't he ask Khan Ama to stop overstepping his authority? Such things can't be concealed. At that time, I spent some time in the family study and read the court newspapers. I thought, this eldest prince is indeed a bit foolish. But when I met him in person, I found him to be truly endearingly honest and straightforward."
Yinreng: My previous worries seemed foolish. The boss is never a match! There is only one person to face.
The author has something to say: Thank you to the girls who made up the points. I was very moved to see so many divers emerge. However, Jinjiang is too busy. This work is really difficult and the waste of energy is really not worth it.
Well, to clear up any misunderstandings, let me make it clear that the girl was not asking me for the Fourth Master or the Eighth Master. She was complaining that there were always the Fourth Master and the Eighth Master in Qing Dynasty novels and that people forgot about the national humiliation. So I made it clear again that there will be no extramarital affairs in this article.
JJ did draw, I’ll try to see if it shows up when I resend it in the background.
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