Chapter 104: Wen Shan received the news...

Wen Shan was in Yuqing Palace, talking with Guo Luoluo. Fu Cha was also there with Yi'an and Hongxi. Wen Shan's first reaction was to keep Guo Luoluo from hearing the news. She was already experiencing a miscarriage, and now without Yinsi, she wondered what she might become obsessed with.

Wen Shan found an excuse to go outside and whispered to Zhenzhu, "Where did you get this news?"

She found it strange that Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang usually kept such bad news from her.

Zhenzhu said, "It's a young eunuch claiming to be working for the Fourth Prince. He's here to report to you on his orders."

"Send someone to ask Yinzhen if this is true," Wen Shan said. Zhenzhu

took the order and went there in person. Yinzhen was conferring with the ministers in the Shangshufang. Yinxiang had officially assumed his position at court the previous year, and Kangxi had assigned him to the Ministry of War for some initial experience.

At this moment, Yinzhen, Yinxiang, and Ma Qi were also discussing Yinsi's affairs.

"Your Highness, the Emperor has ordered Prince Lian to remain in the Luoyang Palace for reflection. All matters following the southern tour have been handed over to Prince Li." Ma Qi frowned. "Is the Emperor planning to reinstate Prince Li?"

"The Emperor has favored my second brother since he was young. He even let him off lightly for the serious crime of treason. It's not impossible for him to be reinstated as Crown Prince in a few years."

Yinxiang sat cross-legged on the couch, playing with an orange, his tone rather nonchalant.

Ma Qi's frown deepened upon hearing this.

Yinzhen, who was reviewing memorials nearby, raised his pen and wrote his comments in red before looking up and asking, "Did they say what the reason was?" "

No, only news of his confinement has come back. It seems the matter is being kept very secret, and the Emperor has issued a strict decree not to disclose it," Ma Qi said.

Yinzhen took a sip of tea to moisten his dry, itchy throat. "Eighth Brother has always been cautious and cunning, but this is strange."

"Who says it isn't?" Ma Qi said quickly. "Prince Lian is slick and cunning. Even he's fallen on such a serious note this time, so it must be no small matter."

This was the strangest and most important aspect of this matter: why had Prince Lian been confined by the Emperor, and why he wasn't even allowed to accompany him on the subsequent southern tours?

"Such a major incident always leaves clues. Have someone investigate thoroughly and report back as soon as possible," Yinzhen said. "The capital is also strengthening its defenses, especially keeping a close eye on Tong Guowei and his accomplices."

Tong Guowei wouldn't sit idly by if Yinsi got into trouble; who knew what he could do?

Only after Ma Qi took his orders did Yinxiang leap down from the couch.

"Fourth Brother, what happened to Eighth Brother? Did they send you any news?"

They hadn't received any news this time either, and the news startled them both.

Yinzhen shook his head gravely, "Eighth Brother, I haven't sent any news back."

This was the complication. Even if something truly happened, Yinsi's methods wouldn't have meant he couldn't send back any information.

Unless something truly catastrophic had occurred, Yinsi was under close surveillance. And now, during his southern tour, without capable personnel by his side, his actions were naturally even more limited.

Yinxiang had initially assumed that Yinzhen and Yinsi had secretly discussed some plot, but now, hearing Yinzhen's words, he panicked.

"This is troubling! What exactly happened in Luoyang?" Yinxiang frowned, pacing the room. After a few laps, he made up his mind: "Fourth Brother, after the Emperor leaves Luoyang, I'll quietly go over to see Eighth Brother."

He couldn't rest until he saw for himself, not knowing how Eighth Brother was doing.

"No," Yinzhen stopped him. "If this is truly a major event, do you think the Emperor won't have a backup plan? You're walking into a trap if you go there."

"Just waiting like this isn't a solution. We need to know what's happening with Eighth Brother!"

Yinxiang was terribly anxious. Of the three of them, Yinsi had always been the one doing the dirty work. If Kangxi found any evidence, it would inevitably be Yinsi's fault. That's why Yinxiang was so anxious.

Yinzhen had clearly thought of this. He stood up, put his hand on Yinxiang's shoulder, and said gravely, "Eighth Brother, you chose this so that if such a day ever comes, the three of us won't be wiped out. If anything goes wrong this time, we'll have to rescue him later."

Yinxiang's heart sank, his hands and feet running cold. He looked up at Yinzhen and said, "Fourth Brother, I have a feeling we're in big trouble this time."

As Yinxiang finished speaking, Jinbao arrived outside to announce that Zhenzhu had arrived.

Yinzhen quickly let someone in.

"Sister Zhenzhu, does mother have something to tell you?" Yinxiang asked.

Zhenzhu told her about a little eunuch who came to inform Yinsi. Sure enough, she saw that both Yinzhen and Yinsi were frowning.

"Which little eunuch, and what does he look like?" Yinzhen asked.

Zhenzhu understood that he was not one of the Fourth Prince's men.

"It is said that he is called Little Fifth Son. He is not very old, only about fifteen or sixteen years old. He is not tall and is very thin. He looks unfamiliar." Zhenzhu recalled.

Yinzhen and Yinxiang had never seen this person before. They thought that he might be a newcomer to the palace, and that he was asked to deliver the news because he was unfamiliar. Yinzhen

quickly thought about who in the palace would interfere in this matter. After thinking about it, it seemed that it was only Concubine Ping. So he waved his hand and asked Jinbao to send someone to keep an eye on Chuxiu Palace and look for this Little Fifth Son everywhere.

At Yuqing Palace, as soon as Wen Shan found an excuse to leave, Guo Luoluo felt strangely uneasy. Ever since Yinsi left, he'd sent her a letter every four or five days. She was supposed to receive a letter today or tomorrow, but there had been no news.

"Fourth sister-in-law, has Fourth Brother mentioned the Southern Tour these days? I'm feeling uneasy because I haven't heard from the Prince these days," Guo Luoluo asked.

Fucha knew from Wen Shan's hurried departure that something was amiss, but she maintained a gentle smile and said, "Eighth Brother, accompanying the Emperor on a Southern Tour, what could possibly happen? Perhaps the news has been delayed because he's been traveling by water on the imperial ship these days."

Guo Luoluo stroked her belly, frowning slightly. She'd been feeling uneasy for days, and the imperial physician couldn't explain the cause.

"By the time Eighth Brother returns, this little nephew will be six months old," Fu Cha reassured her, "by then he'll be able to stretch his little arms and legs and move around inside your belly."

Guo Luoluo was naturally curious about her first pregnancy, and her attention was drawn to it. She chatted with Fu Cha about her pregnancy.

"I think the fall you had a while ago has caused some instability in your fetus. They say mother and child are closely connected, and you're worried about your nephew being uncomfortable in your belly." Fu Cha said gently, "Don't worry too much, just rest well. If you trust me with the affairs of Yuqing Palace, I'll help you."

"Of course I trust Fourth Sister-in-law."

Guo Luoluo had indeed been feeling a little unwell for the past few days, and she naturally agreed to Fu Cha's offer of assistance.

Fucha spoke with Guoluo for a while, and when she saw she was growing tired, she left. Fucha's maid, Wenhui, helped her out of the gate of Yuqing Palace and whispered, "Fujin, judging from the Imperial Noble Consort's appearance, it seems something has happened to Prince Lian."

"Tell the palace maids to shut up, especially those in Yuqing Palace. Don't let these nonsense reach Eighth Brother's wife."

Fucha took Yi'an, who was being held by a palace maid and still reaching for her, and wiped the crumbs from her mouth with a handkerchief.

"The Fourth Master instructed us to take good care of his wife and her unborn child while his eighth brother is away from the palace," Fucha said. "As for what exactly happened, I'll ask the Fourth Master when I get back."

Yinzhen and Yinxiang were already in Xianfu Palace. Wenshan had already received the news, and they couldn't hide it anymore, so they had to tell her the truth.

"What do you mean by 'reflecting on your mistakes in the temporary palace?'"

Wenshan was extremely anxious and demanded, "What happened? Why was he punished so suddenly?"

"I heard it seems to be related to Prince Li, but we haven't received any details yet." Yinzhen said, "Don't worry too much, mother. My eighth brother is very measured, so I don't think anything serious will happen."

Wenshan understood that this was Yinzhen's way of comforting her; the lack of news was a sign of a critical situation.

Yinxiang remained silent, his lips pursed, lost in thought.

Now all they could do was wait for the intelligence agents sent to gather information about what had happened in Luoyang.

News of Yinsi's misfortune reached more than just Yinzhen and Yinxiang; Tong Guowei naturally received it at breakneck speed as well.

Within a day or two, numerous officials, either directly or covertly, arrived to inquire about Yinsi's condition.

As the current Commander-in-Chief of the Nine Gates, Longkodo immediately tightened the capital's defenses and returned home to consult with Tong Guowei on countermeasures.

"Father, you know..."

Longkodo flung open the study door and rushed in. Tong Guowei was writing at his desk, having just finished sealing a letter when he entered.

"What are you yelling about? You're still so unstable even at the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Nine Gates."

Tong Guowei frowned. "Close the door."

Longkodo turned and closed the door in frustration.

"Father, what happened in Luoyang?"

"I don't know."

Longkodo was stunned for a moment. It was the first time he had heard the words "I don't know" from his father, Tong Banchao.

Tong Guowei's reputation as Tong Banchao wasn't earned for nothing. He had connections in the capital and the provinces, and he had easy access to all sorts of information.

"If even you don't know, then this situation is going to be troublesome."

Longkodo slumped in his chair, already calculating the chances of Yinsi switching sides with Yinzhen if he fell like the deposed crown prince.

Tong Guowei saw through his son's thoughts and immediately stopped him, saying, "Put those ideas in your head! Who are you? Can you get off this boat now?"

The Tong family was undoubtedly the core of the Eighth Prince's faction. To defect at this point would be tantamount to political suicide.

No other officials would dare to join their side.

So, for now, they could only throw everything they had at the stakes and support Prince Lian.

Longkodo was crestfallen. "If we had known this, we should have hedged our bets, Father."

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

Tong Guowei snorted, "Hedge your bets? When has Prince Yong ever considered you worthy? Don't forget who gave you the position of Governor of the Nine Gates?"

Longkodo rubbed his nose. When had his father ever been so grateful and upright? It was unlike the old man.

"Father, I also heard that this seems to be related to Prince Li." Longkodo continued, "Do you think the Emperor is really considering restoring the Crown Prince?"

"It's hard to say. Although Prince Li has not participated in government affairs in recent years, he has received all the necessary rewards. Who knows, the Emperor is testing the court officials?" Tong Guowei said solemnly.

"How careless! When Prince Li rebelled, we should have killed him, or at least demoted him to a commoner. Now that he holds a title, it's going to be very difficult for the Emperor to reinstate him." Tong Guowei agonized. Back then, the Emperor had held them back, wearing down their patience, so they'd let the deposed Crown Prince get away with it.

Longkodo said, "Father, it's futile to talk about this now

. What should we do about Prince Lian?" "Let's figure out what happened first," Tong Guowei said, standing up and pacing the room. He then instructed Longkodo, "Have your men guard the capital's defenses. If it's absolutely necessary..."

He would have to join Longkodo in a fight.

Even Longkodo, known for his boldness and quick thinking, was startled by Tong Guowei.

"Father, you have to be careful about this. It's only been a few years since Soetu's incident."

The Hesheli clan would have been eradicated if Kangxi hadn't spared Empress Xiaocheng's maternal family. Even so, the Hesheli clan is now much different from before. It's no exaggeration to say they are barely surviving.

Treason is no ordinary crime.

Tong Guowei had obviously thought it over carefully.

"This time is different from before. The emperor is on a southern tour without many troops. As long as we control the capital and then join forces with the Sichuan Governor to send troops to control the emperor's carriage, we have a chance of victory."

The Sichuan Governor was promoted by Tong Guowei and could be said to be Tong Guowei's confidant.

"But the Ministry of War is under the control of the Thirteenth Prince, and Prince Yong is also in the capital as regent..."

Longkodo still felt something was wrong. Just as he was about to persuade him again, the housekeeper reported that the Ninth and Tenth Princes had arrived.

"Please come in, my dear princes."

Tong Guowei straightened his clothes and looked at Longkodo. "Don't tell them what I just said to you. Let's hear what these two have to say first."

Yinzhen, on his part, was also busy, sending several waves of people to inquire about Yinsi. However, this time, something was indeed strange. The people in Luoyang were very tight-lipped, and no information could be obtained. The only vague information was that the matter was related to Prince Li. Kangxi was furious, and Yinsi was then confined to the Luoyang palace.

Yinsi rubbed his aching head and was just as he was thinking about what to do next when he received another piece of troubling news: Yinxiang had secretly slipped away to Luoyang.

Yinzhen smiled helplessly and waved the eunuch who brought the news away.

Yinxiang had also left him a letter saying that he had waited for several days but still had no news and was worried, so he went to Luoyang despite the risk. His old subordinates were there, so Yinzhen didn't need to worry.

Thirteenth Brother was still the chivalrous king he once was.

Yinzhen had no choice but to send more men to Luoyang to at least ensure the safety of Yinsi and Yinxiang.

Wenshan had been preoccupied lately, with one son imprisoned in Luoyang and another escaping the capital, nearly frightening her to death.

Even Wenshan knew something was amiss, so she refrained from interfering with Yinzhen and Yinsi's arrangements. She focused on palace affairs and kept the news about Yuqing Palace a secret from Guo Luoluo.

Yinxiang rode at full speed, day and night, for three days before arriving. Yinzhen had arranged for several palace maids to arrive at the temporary palace, and Yinxiang sneaked in at night.

Yinsi was imprisoned in a small palace at the southernmost end of the Luoyang Palace. When Yinxiang entered at night, only one room was lit by candlelight. The courtyard was bare and looked desolate, with few other palace maids.

Yinxiang was furious that his picky brother, his eighth brother, had been confined in such a place.

Yinxiang pushed the door open and saw Yinsi reading a book.

"My dear brother!"

Yinsi heard the door open and looked up to see Yinxiang taking off his cloak and walking towards him quickly.

Yinsi was startled at first, but then his heart was soothed.

"Why are you here?" Yinsi stood up and pulled Yinxiang to look out the window. It was quiet and no one was around.

"Did you sneak in?"

Yinxiang said: "My fourth brother and I know that you have been confined by the emperor and there has been no news from you, but I was worried about you so I came to see you."

Yinsi patted his shoulder: "Does my fourth brother know you are coming?"

"My fourth brother didn't let me come at first. I came secretly but left a letter for my fourth brother." Yinxiang touched his head.

Yinsi naturally understood why Yinzhen didn't let Yinxiang come, and he also knew that Yinzhen would not be able to stop Yinxiang.

"Okay, my dear brother, let's not talk about this for now. What happened?" Yinxiang couldn't wait to pull Yinsi to sit down. Now this was the most important thing.

Yinsi smiled and said, "The Emperor knows about the Crown Prince's affairs."

Yinxiang's heart skipped a beat: "What are they?"

Yinsi said slowly: "Unfortunately, it was me who instigated the Crown Prince's rebellion."

Yinxiang: "!!!"

Although the Crown Prince and Soetu had originally started the rebellion, Yinsi had also given them a push from behind through Tong Guowei.

The trigger for the Crown Prince and Soetu's haste to act was the arrest of the Fourteenth Prince, who was seriously ill due to Uya's family. This was all orchestrated by Yinsi.

Yinsi had suffered a real loss from his tour this time. Without many trusted aides by his side, he was unable to pass on information after being imprisoned.

"How did the Emperor know?" Yinxiang asked hurriedly.

My brother was always cautious, especially in such an important matter, he shouldn't have left any evidence.

"That old man, Soetu, left someone in the palace. It turns out he'd already sensed something was amiss with Fourteenth Brother. It was my fault for not dealing with these intruders."

Yinsi said this lightly, but Yinxiang was already on the verge of jumping up and down with anxiety.

"This is trouble! This is trouble!"

Yinxiang's heart was pounding. "No, Eighth Brother, come back to Beijing with me immediately to discuss countermeasures with Fourth Brother. If the Emperor finds out about this, he'll definitely punish you severely!" Yinxiang

felt a pang of pain as he recalled the pain and torture he'd endured in his previous life, imprisoned in Yangfeng Alley for over a decade. He couldn't let Eighth Brother suffer the same fate as him!

"Thirteenth Brother," Yinsi grabbed the now-flashing Yinxiang and forced him to sit down. "At this point, I can only save you and Fourth Brother. Fortunately, I didn't drag you into

this." "Eighth Brother, what are you talking about? There wasn't a single decision we didn't make together."

But in the end, it was Yinsi who took the brunt of the blame, so he couldn't bear to see Yinsi punished.

Yinsi's calmness was due to his recent understanding. Once Kangxi learned of this, it would likely only be a matter of time before he was reinstated as the crown prince, and he would undoubtedly be the first to be sacrificed. However, killing him wouldn't be a serious matter; at most, he would be imprisoned in the Imperial Clan Court or, in a more severe case, demoted to a commoner.

None of this mattered; as long as Fourth Brother could ascend the throne, it was a minor matter; it would only mean some suffering for him.

"Thirteenth brother, listen to me. Even if the Emperor wants to reinstate the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince's fate is over. The Hesheli clan has fallen, and the former Crown Prince's faction is divided. Not to mention that he hasn't participated in government affairs in the past few years. Even if the Emperor single-handedly helped him to the throne, he would be a spent force and would not be able to achieve anything."

"Hurry back to the palace and tell Fourth Brother to be prepared. We have to get the Emperor to step down as soon as possible."

In the past few years, not only have they been slowly taking control of the court, but the craftsmen they have kept in the capital have also been busy, researching and developing many good things day and night. It's just that Kangxi's temperament is a bit conservative, and he often only tries things superficially and is unwilling to promote them on a large scale. Some time ago, Yinzhen and the other two brought up this matter in a small meeting . They must not let the Qing Dynasty miss this opportunity for rapid development again. Even if the Emperor stands in their way, they have to find a way.

"Eighth brother, I will never let you suffer, and neither will Fourth Brother," Yinxiang said firmly.

"Come with me, let's return to the capital. We'll do what you just said now. We can raise our troops while the Emperor is away."

Yinsi's eyes warmed, but he still persuaded Yinxiang: "Now is not the time. It would be difficult to act while the Emperor is away. We have to wait until he returns to the capital."

There were so many officials outside that they couldn't guarantee they would all be under their control, not to mention that several Zhili governors had troops under their command. It would be better to wait until Kangxi returned to the palace before taking action.

Yinxiang thought about it and understood that Yinsi's words made sense, but he still felt reluctant to let Yinsi suffer.

"I'm not exposed to the wind and rain here, so I don't have to suffer much. When I return to the capital, you and Fourth Brother will naturally look after me. It's okay. If we act quickly, I shouldn't be imprisoned for long." Yinsi said with a smile.

Yinxiang looked around the room and became even more angry: "Why don't you even have someone to serve me?"

The Emperor was going too far.

"Yes, I let them go because I found them annoying." Yinsi brushed the dust off Yinxiang's shoulders and said softly, "Go back and tell this to Fourth Brother, and let Fourth Brother make the decision."

Yinxiang gritted his teeth and said, "I'll rush back overnight, Eighth Brother, take care of yourself."

Yinsi smiled and said, "Okay, take good care of your Eighth Sister-in-law. She's still pregnant. Don't let anyone bully her."

Yinxiang nodded, "Don't worry, wait until we rescue you."