Just as things were calming down at the Dong family's place, news came from Huizhou Prefecture that Shen's maternal father, Prefect Shen, had been dismissed from his post and was under investigation; he was now in prison.
When the news reached the Dong family, Madam Shen fainted immediately.
The Dong family was thrown into chaos as well.
When Madam Shen woke up, she hurriedly asked the old woman beside her, "How is the Shen family?"
Too shocked to hear anything more, Shen fainted after hearing only the beginning. Upon waking, her first thought was to ask for details.
The old woman standing nearby said, "Master Shen has been dismissed from his post and is under investigation. He is now in prison, and the Shen family has been raided. The charges against him have been settled."
Ms. Shen felt dizzy again.
"How could this be? Do you know why?"
"The person who came to deliver the news didn't mention it."
The Shen family, while not the largest and most powerful, still wielded considerable influence. Yet, it collapsed without a sound, leaving the Shen family without its support. Now, she can only pray that her married daughters won't be implicated, otherwise her life will become even more difficult.
Not only the Shen family was worried, but everyone else in the Dong family was too. After all, the Dong family owed its current success to the Shen family. If the Shen family was imprisoned and their property confiscated, the Dong family would not fare any better.
Just as the Dong family was filled with anxiety and fear, people from the prefectural city arrived and surrounded the Dong family. The Dong family followed in the footsteps of the Shen family.
All of this happened very suddenly.
With the Dong family imprisoned, Dong Shanyin's business naturally vanished overnight.
The business was gone, and then a new magistrate arrived who repeatedly forbade the suppression of medicinal herb prices, and Qiao County returned to its usual tranquility.
Meanwhile, Emperor Kangxi and Youqing were already on their way to Jiangsu.
Jiangsu, Yangzhou Prefecture, post station.
The Crown Prince and his entourage had been waiting for quite some time.
Emperor Kangxi traveled at a leisurely pace, while the Crown Prince and his entourage barely stopped. They had already been in Yangzhou for more than half a month.
"I received a letter from Father Emperor, and I will arrive in Yangzhou within three days."
"This servant has noticed that His Majesty has been making quite a stir along the way, and this servant is somewhat worried that something might have happened in Yangzhou."
The Crown Prince had been here for more than half a month, so he naturally couldn't be idle. He didn't miss any of the social engagements or networking. Things that he dared not do under Kangxi's nose, the Crown Prince had no scruples about in Yangzhou.
"Father probably won't stay in Yangzhou for long. Be careful then, don't stand out. Father can't possibly notice everything."
"You're right, sir. I was overthinking it."
The Crown Prince made many connections with officials and merchants in Yangzhou. Although the officials here were not as influential as those in the capital, the officials in the capital were all shrewd and capable, and he was powerless to make connections with them even if he wanted to.
The Fourth Prince also knew that Emperor Kangxi was coming.
Su Peisheng said, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince has been making quite a stir lately. His Majesty will be here soon. Should we lend a hand?"
Although the Fourth Prince is not openly aligned with the Crown Prince, many of his actions lead people to believe that he is on the same side as the Crown Prince, and even the Crown Prince himself thinks so.
"No need. Father Emperor has allowed our county to proceed without preparation. Father Emperor probably knows what the Crown Prince is doing. There's no need for us to do anything. Let's just pretend we know nothing."
"Yes, sir."
The eldest prince is doing much better than the crown prince. Since parting ways with Kangxi, neither of them has been idle. Along the way, the eldest prince has made as many acquaintances as the crown prince, and the two are secretly competing with each other!
Although the Fourth Prince was only a teenager, he was much more sensible than the Crown Prince and the First Prince, who were several years older than him. He knew that doing too much would lead to more mistakes, so he simply did nothing.
At the residence of Prefect Yang of Yangzhou, he also received news that Emperor Kangxi was coming.
Because he had pledged allegiance to the Crown Prince, this prefect obviously knew a lot, such as the things that Kangxi had done along the way. He couldn't say he knew everything, but he knew quite a bit.
In the past, if the emperor came, he would certainly welcome him, but this time Kangxi's visit was clearly not for sightseeing, but rather he intended to take serious action.
Yangzhou was a prosperous place, and Prefect Yang was very comfortable in his official position. However, the comfort was too good to be true, and the allure of wealth and power blinded him.
The prefect of Yangzhou once served in the capital. During his tenure, Emperor Kangxi was at the height of his power. Although he did not get to meet the emperor at that time, he greatly admired the emperor's methods in issuing those decrees.
Back then, I remembered to strive for success and reach the ears of the emperor. But after all that hard work, I ended up in Yangzhou, where I lost my true self amidst the wealth and luxury.
The Crown Prince managed to win over the Prefect of Yangzhou, but he didn't know the Prefect very well, so he was unaware of the Prefect's current predicament.
Lord Yang might be able to fool the Crown Prince and other inexperienced young men, but he wasn't so sure he could fool Emperor Kangxi!
So he could only pray that Kangxi would come and leave, and not linger.
"Master, why aren't you asleep yet?"
"I can't sleep because I'm thinking about things."
"What are you thinking about, sir?"
"His Majesty will be here in a few days. When that happens, you can let Qing'er show her face in front of His Majesty."
Madam Yang was taken aback upon hearing this: "Master, are you planning to send Qing'er to the palace?"
"I've been away from the capital for years, and I've heard from there that His Majesty dotes on the Empress. It's hard to say whether Qing'er will be able to enter the palace, but we should at least give it a try."
After all, in Lord Yang's opinion, his youngest daughter was truly a beauty beyond compare. He had never seen anyone taller than his daughter, and this was not just him boasting.
Throughout Yangzhou Prefecture, everyone who had seen his daughter wanted to marry her. He hadn't considered sending her to the palace before, but now he had no choice but to give it a try.
Madam Yang nodded in agreement.
Yang Qing wasn't born from her womb, but she was well-raised and not mistreated. Madam Yang had no objection to this. In any case, it was just a marriage alliance. Being beautiful and marrying well would bring more benefits, which was exactly what Madam Yang hoped for.
It would be best if the Emperor valued it.
However, on the other hand, "Master, you've been getting close to the Crown Prince lately. Wouldn't it be inappropriate for us to let Qing'er show up in front of His Majesty like this?"
Lord Yang said, "We just won't let the Crown Prince know until things are done."
Madam Yang nodded: "I understand."
In the backyard of the Yang family, Qing'er, whom Lord Yang and Madam Yang had mentioned, was currently experiencing the first stirrings of young love.
“Miss, you can’t go out anymore. If the master and mistress find out, they’ll probably punish you.”
Yang Qing was a concubine's daughter, but because of her appearance, she held a relatively high position in the Yang family. However, this "relatively high" status was relative. Madam Yang was generous with her food, clothing, and daily necessities, but she was also quite strict in disciplining her. If Madam Yang hadn't found out that she had secretly gone out, she would have been severely punished.
"Okay, okay, I understand, I won't do it again."
As she spoke, Yang Qing revealed a cryptic smile.
The maidservant serving nearby was completely baffled.
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