Chapter 12

Chapter 12

The night was as dark as ink, and the silvery moonlight poured down like a waterfall, enveloping the unusually tranquil imperial palaces, making even the wind carry a lingering sense of affection.

Yet no matter how gentle and cool the breeze was, it could not dispel Yinzhen's anger.

Since he could remember, apart from the wrestling arena, he had never been beaten. At most, he had been punished to kneel.

Even in the Imperial Study, the tutor dared not strike an imperial prince; it was the companions and attendants who were punished, which was rare for him compared to his brothers.

Unexpectedly, the first time he was ever struck, and on the mouth no less, was by a rude and unruly person who lacked even the basic virtues of a woman.

It was simply... a humiliation he couldn’t bear. Yinzhen crushed a wine cup in his hand, thinking that ten days ago, he should have ended Geng Shuning’s life.

Su Peisheng returned shortly after, sweat dripping from his forehead along the tail of his brow, not daring to wipe it away.

The head eunuch bowed so deeply that it seemed he wanted to bury his head in his chest.

"Your Majesty, Miss Shuning is not feeling well. I was afraid of offending you, so I didn’t bring her over."

Yinzhen didn’t even lift his head. People about to die always struggle; he wasn’t surprised.

But Su Peisheng had been with him for twenty years. He should know better. Was he concerned about offending him when the person was going to die anyway, whether there was a little more or less blood?

He lowered his eyelids, hiding the increasingly deep coldness in his eyes. "Su Peisheng, do you not understand the word 'please'? Are you getting better at your job?"

Su Peisheng's scalp went numb, and he quickly knelt down, his head touching the ground.

"Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. Miss Shuning ate too many cold desserts during the day. Nanny Chen told Zhao Song that Miss Shuning had been in such pain that she couldn’t get out of bed."

"After dinner, Miss Shuning asked Nanny Chen to help her get some calming soup from the Imperial Physician's office. She went to bed early and is sleeping soundly now; she can’t be woken."

"If we were to carry her out... it would cause quite a scene."

The emperor's presence in Qingyu Pavilion was supposed to be a secret; they absolutely couldn’t let the Empress Dowager or the Retired Emperor know.

Geng Shuning had taken advantage of the emperor's fear.

Her timing was perfect, knowing her menstruation was coming, yet daring to eat cooling desserts. If anyone said it wasn’t on purpose, they’d have to be blind.

Su Peisheng didn’t understand. She had broken rules before, but what had she done to anger the emperor so much that he wanted to punish her severely?

The last time, although the emperor had scolded her as a filthy thing, Su Peisheng had sensed the emperor's indulgence towards her.

Thinking it over, Su Peisheng thought he had figured it out. It was probably just a matter of men and women... Could this anger be masking something else?

Apart from Nanny Chen, there were also members of the Imperial Guard stationed in Cining Palace. It wasn’t impossible to get her out, though it would be more troublesome.

But Su Peisheng was afraid that if this ancestor rose to power and truly offended him, there would be many who wanted to snatch his position as the head of the imperial household, so he didn’t dare to be too forceful.

Yinzhen clearly understood this logic, but some time had already passed, and there were many matters for the next morning court session. He didn’t have time to waste in Qingyu Pavilion.

He laughed bitterly. "Get out and take your punishment."

After Su Peisheng left, Yinzhen didn’t touch the desserts anymore. He continued drinking from a plate of phoenix and dragon motifs, symbolizing harmony, and the anger on his face actually subsided.

Before the earthquake, despite occasional ambitions, the Crown Prince was still in place, and Yinzhen never imagined he would be where he is today.

His adoptive mother died young, his birth mother was distant, and his father paid him no mind. He earned his princely title through tireless effort and diligent service, without any help from anyone.

Once he ascended the throne and imperial power was in his grasp, everything he had never dared to imagine became easily attainable, like a dream come true.

The entire world would now operate according to his will, and the ambitions that had been suppressed by the Crown Prince and his brothers would be realized step by step. Yinzhen couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction.

However, with the Retired Emperor still alive, he had to restrain his temper as he did when he was a prince.

Elation and anger, like all emotions, needed to be kept in check; otherwise, things could easily go wrong.

That’s why he chose Qingyu Pavilion—a place where he could freely express the highs and lows of being an emperor.

Today, Geng Jia Shuning's clumsy plot made him suddenly realize that his imperial pride and majesty, like Qingyu Pavilion, could not withstand the light of day.

That’s why even a female official dared to challenge him.

That’s why his brothers remained defiant, showing no fear of his traps, acting recklessly and carelessly.

Yinzhen drank more rapidly, lost in thought. Emperor Kangxi once said he was 'unpredictable in his moods' and needed to "curb impatience and practice patience" to achieve great things. Looking back, it seemed Kangxi had not been wrong.

After finishing the wine, he crushed the last cup in his hand. The sound of the night watchman's clapper echoed faintly in the distance.

He stood up, his tall and imposing figure regaining its usual calm. His sharp brilliance was gradually hidden away, seemingly disappearing into the Buddhist prayer beads he always carried.

The prayer beads hung quietly on his wrist, just covering the throbbing veins, leaving only serenity.

"Restore this place to its original state and seal it," Yinzhen instructed calmly before entering the secret passage behind the rock formation.

*

The next morning, seated high on the dragon throne, Yinzhen was exceptionally calm at the imperial court.

The ministers, and even his brothers who attended the court, were secretly astonished.

Even his once especially chilling gaze was now calm and rippleless, no longer resembling the terrifying Yama King. Instead, he began to exhibit the unfathomable depth of an emperor, much like the Retired Emperor.

Zhang Tingyu's drafted imperial edict was transcribed on a yellow silk scroll and read aloud by Su Peisheng.

"Imperial Prince Yinti... expanded the territory and made outstanding contributions. He is posthumously granted the title of Prince Zhi of the First Rank, with perpetual inheritance. His eldest son, Hongyu, inherits the title and is awarded the imperial seal, with the title passing down perpetually. The ceremonial affairs will be handled by the Ministry of Rites."

"Imperial Prince Yin Si... maintained the purity of the Qing dynasty... In recognition of his graceful demeanor, he is posthumously granted the title of Prince Lian of the First Rank, enjoying the honor in the Ancestral Temple..."

The imperial princes and ministers kneeling on the floor shouted in unison—

"We respectfully follow Your Majesty's orders, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"

Yinzhen calmly assigned tasks to Yinxiang and Yin E, then summoned the other brothers to the imperial study before dismissing the court.

Not only were Yinxiang and Yin E relieved, but Yinzhi and the others also felt a wave of relief and eagerness to seize this new opportunity.

Although the Retired Emperor was still alive, a new emperor meant new officials. If the Emperor did not assign them tasks, even the Retired Emperor could not say anything openly.

Now that the Fourth Brother was willing to employ them, everyone felt greatly relieved and eager to prove themselves, determined to make their days better than when they were in limbo.

Yinxiang and Yin E still harbored doubts about the Fourth Brother’s true intentions and weren’t convinced he was genuinely giving them a chance to build influence in the court.

Even though they had no business in the imperial study, the two shamelessly followed along.

In the imperial study, after some casual discussions and confirmations with his brothers, Yinzhen assigned tasks just as he had mentioned to Emperor Kangxi before.

Starting from the Twelfth Prince Yintang, he did not directly assign tasks but gave them several minor tasks, asking them to submit reports for further review.

Yintang and Yinxiang understood that this was their Fourth Brother's way of giving them a chance to prove themselves in the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Punishments. They weren’t envious of the brothers who had already received their assignments; instead, they were eager to work hard and prove themselves.

Yin Zhu looked around with a sly expression, trying to stir up trouble. "Since Fourth Brother has already spoken to Imperial Father about using the Twelfth and Thirteenth, what is there to worry about?"

"If you're still unsure about them, why not bring them along when you go to Changchun Garden and let Imperial Father guide them as well?"

Yin E also nodded, chuckling. "To be honest, Fourth Brother, with my limited knowledge, I'm afraid I'll have to rely on Third Brother for the Ministry of Rites. I'll also seek Imperial Father's guidance, so I won't disappoint you."

Prince Cheng Yin Zhi remained relatively calm, but Yin Zhu's elder brother, Yin Qi, visibly darkened.

How dare they cause trouble after the emperor has entrusted them with important duties? Were they tired of living and seeking ropes to hang themselves?

Helpless, they were his younger half-brothers. Yin Qi glared back at Yin Zhu's provocation with great resentment, rising uncomfortably to apologize on Yin Zhu's behalf.

After all, it was no secret that the emperor disliked Yin Zhu and Yin E.

Unexpectedly, Yinzhen didn't really get angry this time. Hearing Yin Zhu and Yin E's words, he leaned lazily against the low table, casually turning the prayer beads, not even lifting his eyelids.

He didn't give Yin Zhi a chance to speak either.

"What Ninth Brother and Tenth Brother said makes sense. The Six Ministries are critical places, and the tasks there cannot be taken lightly. The ins and outs are probably clearer to Imperial Father than to us."

"Since you've just started, there isn't much work for you. Just like me, set aside half a day every three days to go to Changchun Garden and receive Imperial Father's teachings."

After finishing, Yinzhen lifted his teacup, sipping as his half-raised eyes smiled at his brothers.

"In the past, I cared too much about face. While you respected me, you probably knew in your hearts that I should thank you for covering for me."

"These days, my heart and soul have almost been poured into the Hall of Mental Cultivation, following the Second Brother. I always feel inferior to him, which causes me distress."

"A few days ago, after drinking a bout of wine, I understood some truths. We are all brothers, and there's no need to hide things. I only hope you understand your tasks soon and join me in carrying out the Second Brother's legacy."

Hearing this, everyone was somewhat dumbfounded. It was well known that the emperor cared deeply about his reputation, so no one expected to hear such words.

Had Fourth Brother found enlightenment, or was this a tactic to dig a pit for them in advance?

Each of them had their thoughts, but none of them showed it on their faces. Time would reveal their true intentions.

Yin Zhi rose, humbly acknowledging the emperor's words, and led his brothers in kneeling.

"We will follow your imperial instructions! Your subject brothers will diligently perform our duties!"

*

After sending off these princes and lords, Su Peisheng carefully took the teapot from his adopted son, replacing the emperor's tea, and secretly glanced at the emperor's expression.

Since the previous night's order to no longer go to Qingyu Pavilion, Su Peisheng's heart had been hanging.

Based on past experiences, he always felt that the emperor was extremely angry, and the calmer he appeared, the bigger the explosion would be later. It was just a matter of when it would erupt.

To Su Peisheng's surprise, Yinzhen showed no signs of losing his temper. He didn't even arrange the calligraphy practice that usually accompanied his suppressed anger.

The formal reports were stacked high on the imperial desk, but for the first time, Yinzhen didn't rush to look at them. Instead, he picked up a "Geographical Gazetteer" from the bookshelf and leisurely read it by the window's monk's couch for half an hour.

Just as Su Peisheng's heart was beating more anxiously, he suddenly heard the emperor's amused voice.

"Su Peisheng, send a message to that fool. If she still wants her head, she should think carefully about how to handle the tasks I've assigned her. I will give her an opportunity."

Geng Shuning's beautiful head... he would claim it in time, but there was no need to rush.

Yinzhen lazily tapped his finger guard a few times on the low table. "If anything goes wrong during the Thousand Autumns Festival, won't Yanchun Pavilion still need more attendants?"

Su Peisheng quickly bowed in response. "Yes, Yanchun Pavilion transferred two palace maids to Anle Hall half a year ago, and the Imperial Household Department hasn't had time to replenish the staff due to a shortage of personnel."

The disgraced imperial concubines in Yanchun Pavilion are many, and many of them are insane. Getting your face scratched while working there is a minor concern, and there have even been cases of palace maids being strangled or beaten to death.

If one were sent to Yanchun Pavilion, it would be no different from meeting the King of Hell early.

"Mm..." Yinzhen smiled faintly. "Go on, then."

Before Su Peisheng had fully risen, he heard his emperor's teasingly light voice again.

"We should also assign female officials to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. We can't even find a reliable personal attendant. Tell the Imperial Household Department to send maids and train them properly in etiquette."

Su Peisheng was speechless. Clearly, you never planned to let her off easy, did you?