Chapter 85 Chapter 85 "The Emperor has already sent…

" "The Emperor has already sent the Crown Prince to the Yangxin Palace."

Yinzhen and Yinxiang were playing chess, and Yinzhen watched them go back and forth, regretting their moves, feeling almost unbearable.

"I'm not going to do this anymore. I'm going to do this. One step back, one step back!" Yinxiang hurriedly retracted his newly launched cannon.

Where had my brother gone to practice? His chess skills were improving by leaps and bounds.

Yinsi allowed him to regret his moves, then turned to look at Yinzhen, watching Yinxiang deep in thought.

"So soon? I thought the Emperor would need to think for a while."

Yinzhen: "I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing."

"Anyway, it's none of our business." Yinsi smiled and said, "The eldest prince should have heard the news by now."

Wenshan, pulling back the curtain from outside the hall, was surprised to see the three of them all gathered together.

"Huh? Why are you all here?" "

Yinzhen and Yinsi have now successfully graduated from the Shangshufang. They have more free time, but Yinxiang is still struggling with his schoolwork. It should be class time now, so why is he playing chess with Yinsi here?

"Did you skip class again?" Wen Shan put her hands on her hips and looked at Yinxiang.

Yinxiang waved his hands quickly: "I didn't skip class, I said I was sick."

"Sick?"

Wen Shan hurried forward and touched Yinxiang's forehead, then pulled his arm and looked at him: "What's wrong with him?"

"Mother, he doesn't look like he is sick. He just made up an excuse."

"..."

"You little bastard. "

Yinxiang took sick leave and even pulled Doctor Zhang over to ask the old man to bite the bullet and issue him a certificate.

Yinxiang laughed and said that his fourth brother and eighth brother were not in the Shangshufang, and that this class was really boring for him. It would be okay to skip it once in a while.

Wenshan slapped Yinxiang on the head, and seeing that he was sweating profusely, she picked up a fan and fanned him.

"Zhenzhu, bring in some more ice."

"Mother, he's not hot, he's anxious. You don't have to worry about him." Yinsi said with a smile.

Wenshan looked down and saw that Yinsi could actually beat Yinxiang in chess.

Yinxiang: "...I don't want to play anymore. I'm not in good shape today."

Yinsi threw the chess piece and didn't mind: "Okay, let's continue when you're in better shape."

This kid had to be convinced.

Wenshan sat aside and watched the two of them start to fight again, and quickly stopped them.

"You two can be quiet for a while in this hot weather. "

Wen Shan looked at Yinsi and said softly: "Have you visited your mother since you came back?"

Yinsi nodded: "I went yesterday, and my mother's legs are much better." Liangpin

's legs have become an old problem. Fortunately, she has taken good care of them in the past few years and it has improved a lot. She only feels a little stinging on rainy days.

Wen Shan sighed: "Liangpin is so young and I don't know how the root of this disease came about. Fortunately, it has improved a lot now."

The mother and son talked for a while and then Baoquan came in.

"Master, the eldest prince also hurried to the Yangxin Palace just now."

Yinzhen's expression was subtle: "The eldest brother really can't wait for a while."

Yinsi twisted the chess piece and said: "Hey, I feel sorry for the eldest prince now. Everyone knows that it is right to tell the eldest prince about anything involving the prince. "

The crown prince and the eldest prince stayed in the Hall of Mental Cultivation for more than an hour, and

soon there came the roar of Kangxi and the sound of vases and porcelain breaking. Liang Jiugong, who was guarding outside, was startled. He took a look inside secretly and thought that something big was wrong this time.

The eunuchs brought by Liang Jiugong also asked timidly: "Master, why is the emperor so angry?"

"Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, and don't listen to what you shouldn't listen to."

Liang Jiugong kicked the eunuchs and said: "Go and guard outside, and tell anyone who comes to ask for an audience that the emperor is busy."

After Soetu got the news, he was calmer than he himself expected. The crown

prince will have this day sooner or later if he keeps acting like this.

"Father, aren't you going to enter the palace?"

Soetu's son, Gelfin, also hurried over after receiving the news.

"What's the point of entering the palace? "

Soetu took a sip of tea and said: "Now the prince's only reliance is the emperor's favor. If the emperor still wants to protect the prince, then we don't need to do anything. If... then nothing we do will be of any use. "

Gerfin looked at Soetu's expression and always felt that something was not right. Father had always been enthusiastic about the prince's affairs. This was the first time he heard words like "let it be" from Father's mouth.

Is the prince really going to die?

There is no wall that is impenetrable, not to mention that the prince's affairs have been widely circulated for a long time. Everyone knows that it is only because Kangxi is partial that he does not care about the prince's mistakes. But they did not expect that the prince not only accepted bribes but also had a son with Wang's daughter and was so audacious as to ignore the law and steal the person away.

Naturally, the latter was spread by the eldest brother. The prefect of Jingzhao searched the house where the prince used to accommodate Wang on the grounds of a thorough investigation of the capital due to the recent frequent bandits. In short,

Wang is now an illegal household. She can't explain who she is and where she came from, so she was naturally arrested as a suspicious person.

As a weak woman who is still pregnant, Wang had just experienced an assassination and was facing the officers and soldiers who came to search for her. She was already terrified. The prince's men knew her details, and without further questioning, they made her spill the beans.

Then, the Jingzhao prefect accused the crown prince and the Ministry of Justice, who had been lax in their supervision.

Nuomin broke out in a cold sweat upon learning this. Fortunately, the Fourth Prince informed him to report this to the Emperor immediately. Otherwise, with the crown prince implicated, the Emperor's wrath would have been unpredictable.

The chain of events, starting with the crown prince's selling of official positions and then implicating him in his personal morality and disregard for the law, infuriated Kangxi.

The crown prince hadn't anticipated the sudden revelation of all this, and he offered no rebuttal save a kowtow.

The eldest prince, observing Kangxi's sullen face, wondered if the crown prince wasn't severely punished this time, as the Emperor's greed had blinded

him. Could he truly entrust the Qing dynasty to such a crown prince?

That was the question Kangxi himself asked himself.

Could he truly leave the Qing dynasty in the hands of this foolish crown prince?

Finally, Kangxi closed his eyes and said, "The crown prince is so disrespectful and rude that he is confined to Yuqing Palace and cannot leave without a royal decree."

The eldest prince looked up, a mixture of surprise and ecstasy.

Kangxi hadn't specified a time limit, which meant the crown prince would be confined to Yuqing Palace for nearly eternity. The next step, naturally, would be to abolish his title. "

Father!" The crown prince was clearly panicking. Tears streaming down his face, he hugged Kangxi's legs and said, "Father, I know I was wrong. I was just confused for a moment, Father!"

"Yinreng, I've given you many chances. It's you who didn't live up to your expectations." Kangxi looked at him calmly, "Even if I meet your mother in the future, I will have a clear conscience."

The prince collapsed to the ground, feeling that this time he was truly finished.

Yinzhen and the others who were waiting for news in Xianfu Palace were also surprised when they heard the news.

"Just house arrest?" Yinzhen frowned.

"Isn't house arrest enough? There's a clear decree that he can't leave the Eastern Palace without a decree." Yinsi said, "By confining the prince to the Eastern Palace, everyone knows he's committed a serious crime."

"But the emperor still hasn't stated the prince's crime," Yinxiang said.

The punishment seemed severe, but in fact, there was a trick up his sleeve.

Yinsi held his chin and said, "At least give the prince some face. However, house arrest means he's already half-disabled. It's just a matter of time before the emperor has the heart to depose him."

In Yinsi's view, the prince had already withdrawn from the battle for the throne. Even if Kangxi didn't explicitly say what crime the prince had committed to warrant house arrest, the ministers were not stupid. How could they allow such a tainted prince to ascend the throne?

But Kangxi was furious, and no one dared to confront him. Even the eldest prince had learned his lesson and refrained from adding fuel to the fire.

"Besides, the military campaign against Dzungar is imminent," Yinzhen thought for a moment and said, "It's not appropriate to shake the foundation of the country at this time."

"Now is certainly not a good time to depose the crown prince, but it doesn't matter." Yinsi smiled and said, "The crown prince has lost this game, but Soetu is still here."

Kangxi would abandon the crown prince, but Soetu would not.

He believed there was more trouble to come.

Anyone with a brain in the imperial court and harem knew that the emperor was furious this time, and no one dared to bring up the crown prince again. Instead, an eerie silence fell. Little Tonggiya had secretly asked Wenshan if preparations for the crown prince's wedding should continue.

The imperial decree granting the marriage had already been issued, and the wedding date was set for the end of next year. Kangxi had imagined that by then the campaign against Dzungar would be over, and a grand wedding for the crown prince upon his return would be a double celebration. Unexpectedly, they were now faced with the awkward task of preparing for the wedding.

The crown prince's wedding was far more complex than any other imperial prince's. If preparations were n't made now, the wedding wouldn't be held in time for next year's date. Furthermore, would it be prepared according to the proper procedures for a crown prince? Would he still be crown prince by the end of next year ? If not, would the wedding even take place? 

A multitude of questions weighed heavily on her mind, yet she didn't dare risk provoking Kangxi's wrath. Asking at this point would be no different from simply asking if the crown prince would be deposed. Wen Shan and Tong Jia sat in silence, ultimately forced to proceed with the ceremony. Even if the crown prince was deposed, they could simply make some adjustments and continue with the ceremony. If the wedding was canceled altogether… well, congratulations to the lucky Guaerjia. 

To Wen Shan's surprise, Kangxi suddenly arrived at Xianfu Palace one day to discuss the matter with her. 

"Is the crown prince's wedding still being planned?" 

Wen Shan, unable to fathom his intentions, replied truthfully that it was. 

Kangxi said "hmm" and then said: "This matter can be put aside for now, there is no rush. The Empress Dowager is old and is thinking about Yinqi's marriage. Let's arrange Yinqi's marriage first." 

Wen Shan: "...Yes." 

Kangxi looked at her and suddenly sighed: "Forget it, let's not talk about this." 

"The palace has been in a mess recently. I believe you must be busy. Let me tell you something happy." 

Wen Shan: "?" 

Is there any good news recently? 

"I will go to Junggar soon. The prince is under house arrest and it is not suitable for him to be the regent. So I think again and again not to take Yinzhen to the front line. After I leave, Yinzhen will be the regent, and Yinsi will assist him." 

Wen Shan: "...Your Majesty, how is this a good thing?" 

Kangxi smiled, leaned his head on his hand and looked at her: "Haven't you always been reluctant to let Yinzhen go to the battlefield? If this is not a good thing, what is it?" 

He is the target of public criticism! 

Even Wen Shan, a political novice, understood the significance of this. Soetu remained safely in the capital, and the crown prince's associates remained uninvolved. This would undoubtedly cause considerable trouble for Yinzhen and Yinsi. 

Wen Shan looked at Kangxi sullenly and said, "Your Majesty, you ask despite knowing the truth." 

Kangxi smiled. "I have made up my mind. I will issue an edict shortly. This is the responsibility of Yinzhen and Yinsi as princes. There's no point in glaring at me." 

"..." 

Kangxi's words to Wen Shan were like giving Yinzhen and Yinsi advance notice. 

So, the next day, Wen Shan shared the news with them. 

Unexpectedly, Yinzhen and the others remained calm. 

"Mother, my fourth and eighth brothers and I have already discussed this matter," Yinxiang said while munching on some iced fruit. "The crown prince is clearly unfit to serve as regent. My eldest brother, though, still has some experience on the battlefield, so naturally, he should be brought along. The rest are up to my fourth and eighth brothers." 

"Don't worry, mother. My fourth and eighth brothers can handle that old Soetu," Yinsi said with a smile. Wen Shan breathed a sigh of relief at their confident demeanor. 

"It's good you're feeling confident. These are critical times, so be extremely cautious," 

Wen Shan advised. 

Kangxi's decree appointing Yinzhen and Yinsi as regents stirred a new undercurrent within the court. The fact that the emperor personally led the army without releasing the crown prince to serve as regent showed his genuine disappointment in him. 

Of the remaining princes, the eldest prince accompanied the emperor on the expedition, while the fourth and eighth princes remained behind to serve as regents. 

The situation now looked as if everyone had a chance. 

Following this, Kangxi issued several more decrees, muddying the waters even further. 

First, the Vice Minister of Justice, Yaerha, who had assisted the crown prince in changing his prisoner, was dismissed and investigated. Without even an investigation, Kangxi personally ordered his execution in prison. 

Subsequently, all the palace servants and guards in Yuqing Palace were replaced, and servants close to the crown prince were either beaten to death or expelled from the palace. 

These two decrees reinforced the perception that the crown 

prince was doomed. As for Wang, the woman pregnant with the crown prince, the matter was not brought to light. Kangxi placed her under guard, pampering her until she gave birth, and then exiled her and her family to Ningguta. 

Yinzhen, Yinsi, and Yinxiang watched Kangxi's actions with a cold eye, sighing, "The crown prince truly doesn't appreciate his blessings. The emperor favors him so much that he still takes such pains to protect him even at this point." 

Had he been more rational, no one could have shaken his crown prince's position. 

After all, Kangxi held undisputed control of the court. 

Yinxiang tilted his head: "Eighth brother, didn't you just swear in front of mother that the prince is not a threat?" 

Yinsi knocked his head: "I said that because mother is worried, and it is only a matter of time before the prince is deposed." 

But the current emperor obviously hasn't made up his mind yet. 

Yinzhen frowned and thought for a while and said: "This time the emperor went to war and asked me to be the regent, I think he wanted to see what I am capable of." 

It goes without saying that Soetu will definitely cause trouble for him. If he can't handle it, then in the heart of the emperor, he probably won't be a qualified candidate for the crown prince. 

Yinsi put his arm around Yinzhen's shoulder and said with a smile: "Not only that, I will also cause you some trouble this time, fourth brother."