Chapter 71

Chapter 71

After Su Peisheng had seen everyone out, only Yinzhen, whose face looked a little troubled, and Geng Shuning, who was resting her chin in thought, were left in the imperial presence.

In her room, Yinzhen didn’t stand on ceremony. With no outsiders present, she also felt no need to stand on formality and sat on the Luohan bed by the window.

Yinzhen put his arm around her waist, "I underestimated Father’s caution, and you suffered because of it."

Geng Shuning pouted, "Isn’t it normal for the retired emperor to be wary of a troublemaker? I’m just curious about what Zhang Penghe wrote in the secret memorial."

If that old man were in front of her, she’d give him a big slap.

Kangxi had been emperor for over forty years; he wouldn’t lose his composure. But if Zhang Penghe hadn’t spread alarmist rumors, the old man could have waited until they returned to the capital to lose his temper.

Geng Shuning wasn’t surprised. The Qing Dynasty’s moralists were famous worldwide. In later generations, people even used ‘the Qing is long gone’ as an insult.

She was just thinking about how to get revenge. That ungrateful wretch, did he really think she had no temper?

Yinzhen also thought of this. His expression turned serious, "Zhang Penghe is indeed talented, but he is overly rigid and outdated. Half the disorder in the southern river management is because of his inaction."

When Jin Fu and Yu Chenglong were still alive, although they each had their own flaws, at least the officials under them weren’t so disorderly.

Geng Shuning turned around and wrapped her arms around Yinzhen’s waist, gently blowing her sweet breath into Yinzhen’s ear.

"My lord, he doesn’t respect you and even tries to stir up trouble between you and the retired emperor. Are you just going to let that slide?"

Yinzhen tensed up and inconspicuously pulled Geng Shuning closer into his arms. The anger from being reprimanded in the secret imperial decree had mostly dissipated.

He lowered his head and lightly rubbed his nose against Geng Shuning’s cheek, "What do you want to do?"

Geng Shuning’s tone became even more coquettish, her small hand drawing circles on the imperial robe.

"On this journey south, you’ve seen quite a bit of disorder, haven’t you?"

"Why wait until we return to the capital to deal with them? We could fly off the handle and catch them off guard, wouldn’t that be better?"

"As the emperor, you have plenty of capable people at your disposal. Since Zhang Penghe can’t manage his subordinates, why not find someone who can?"

Yinzhen felt a ticklish, tingling sensation in his heart from her sweet voice.

Not an emotional numbness, but a tingling on his scalp.

Yinzhen stifled his laughter, feeling that Geng Shuning was acting a bit overly sweet. She had never been this cloying before.

Geng Shuning didn’t notice Yinzhen’s oddness, resting her chin on his chest and humming with a pout.

"Besides, the incident with the assassins earlier, it’s mostly Zhang Penghe’s fault for not keeping his subordinates in check. He should be punished!"

"And the officials and princes who accompanied us on this southern tour haven’t been behaving either. I suffered so much because of them. You need to stand up for me, my lord~"

Yinzhen couldn’t hold back anymore and laughed so hard his whole body shook.

He gently pinched Geng Shuning’s chin, lightly biting her overly coquettish little mouth, and asked with a smile, "Sui Ning, do you know what you’re doing?"

Geng Shuning blinked her big, watery eyes and tried to send a flirtatious glance, "Can’t you see? I’m whispering sweet nothings!"

"That old Zhang Penghe called me a troublemaker, and I’m not going to let him get away with that!"

Yinzhen: …

He looked at Geng Shuning's indignant little face, and after a moment, he hugged her and laughed heartily.

He couldn't picture any "dangerous beauty" being this much of a handful; he really couldn't imagine it.

After getting tapped twice by Geng Shuning, Yinzhen stifled his laugh and held her tiny hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Then aren't you afraid that Imperial Father will find out and finish you off with a cup of poisoned wine?"

Yinzhen had been itching to take care of Yunzhi and Yunxiang for ages.

The corrupt officials in the southern regions must also be dealt with.

They were waiting to return to the capital to handle things properly, not just with quick executions. Navigating all the political factions, managing the retired emperor’s concerns, and figuring out how to keep things stable afterward—all needed thorough planning by the six ministries and the cabinet.

Geng Shuning flashed a haughty, icy grin. "Which dangerous beauty doesn't have some special skills to show off?"

Putting extra emphasis on 'special skills,' Geng Shuning whipped out a few papers from her sleeve and smacked them against Yinzhen’s chest.

"I joined you on this trip south to ensure your safety, but the real goal is to help the people. The retired emperor isn't senile, after all."

Yinzhen narrowed his eyes. Since bringing this little fox close, why did she seem to grow even bolder?

Geng Shuning wasn't done being arrogant yet. She raised her chin, proudly gesturing for Yinzhen to look at the papers.

"Even if I’m a seductive troublemaker, the outcome is what matters. First, there was the high-quality charcoal, and now these foreign corn cobs. If someone who helps feed and clothe the people gets poisoned, then the world has gone seriously wrong."

Yinzhen leaned in closer, sat up straight, and looked genuinely surprised.

If it weren't for the hand still holding her waist, Geng Shuning might have been tossed off the couch.

He temporarily ignored Geng Shuning's puffed cheeks and soft little fists, his eyes gleaming as he quickly skimmed through the 'Prospects and Plans for Foreign Corn Cultivation' she had organized.

Yinzhen's breathing became more rapid than when he was agitated earlier, eagerly catching Geng Shuning's gaze.

"High yield, drought-resistant, and easy to grow, moreover, no need for a rest period? An acreage yield of three to four hundred jin (approximately 150-200 kilograms)?"

Knowing how much Yinzhen valued it, Geng Shuning put aside her annoyance from nearly being thrown off the couch and patiently explained.

"This is actually a form of fallow, just... crop rotation fallow?"

Recalling her past life's knowledge, Geng Shuning gently explained to Yinzhen.

Part of her plan was based on Old Madam Liang's experience; the old lady was diligent and, after planting a season of corn, loved to plant some vegetables to nourish the land.

Over three years, the corn yield almost doubled from over a hundred jin at the start, thanks to the enhanced fertility of the land.

However, Geng Shuning knew that field conditions in the north and south were different, and methods to enrich the soil couldn't be generalized.

The prospects section was written based on what she remembered from the seminars she attended at the Agricultural Academy in her previous life.

She remembered a professor saying that planting cover crops like radishes or soybeans could enrich the soil.

This way, there was no need to leave fields fallow for a season, nor would the yield decrease due to consecutive cultivation.

This method of crop rotation was only formally introduced and widely recognized in the 21st century, so for now, they needed to experiment gradually.

But in her previous life, corn yields could reach as high as 600 to 900 kilograms; here, achieving 200 kilograms should be possible, right?

Before Yinzhen became emperor, he would spend his leisure time working in the fields at the manor, pondering how to increase grain yield.

He knew more about the affairs of the land than Geng Shuning.

Nowadays, in the most fertile areas, even wheat or rice yields only about two hundred pounds per mu, and fields need to be left fallow; otherwise, the farmland would eventually turn into wasteland after years of continuous cultivation.

If these foreign corn cobs could truly double the yield and eliminate the need for fallowing, they could feed countless hungry people, and Yinzhen couldn't help but feel excited at the thought.

If the old man knew about this, instead of scolding Geng Shuning, he might even grant her a princess title.

Looking at the little fox eagerly waiting for his praise, Yinzhen was momentarily unsure whether he should call someone over for a discussion or just pull her into his arms.

Geng Shuning, seeing Yinzhen's eyes glimmering with emotion, felt a little uncomfortable with the loving look.

She playfully covered Yinzhen's eyes with her hand. "So, Your Majesty, can I whisper sweet nothings now?"

Yinzhen, feeling a heat in his heart, laughed softly and pulled down her small hand.

He got up and placed the especially important papers into the drawer of the imperial desk and locked it, then quickly walked back to the Luohan couch, reached out to scoop up Geng Shuning, and headed towards the bedroom.

Geng Shuning was startled by his urgent actions, her cheeks slightly flushed as she said coquettishly, "What are you doing? We haven’t finished our conversation..."

"We'll talk later," Yinzhen said, lightly tossing her onto the imperial bed and sweeping away the bright yellow curtains, his voice becoming muffled.

"You want to whisper sweet nothings—do you know the best time for that?"

Geng Shuning: "..." Afterward, by the pillow.

Otherwise, why would she have used that sweet voice earlier? She was trying to get him into bed, hehe~

After all, there’s a subtle chemistry between men and women; she could know a lot about the theoretical knowledge, but she couldn’t outperform Yinzhen in practical application.

After all, it was he who had many concubines, while she had only 'done' a Zhuang Zhou dream.

So Geng Shuning laughed coquettishly to dodge Yinzhen's burning kisses, panting as she continued to tease him.

"I don't want to~ I said we’re here to handle official business; if I go back pregnant, how will I explain it to the Emperor Emeritus?"

Yinzhen flipped her over to be on top, his head buried in her neck, laughing, as his hand landed on her, making her squeal.

"Speak properly, no nonsense!"

Geng Shuning, covering her bottom, sat up incredulously, "You hit me at a time like this? You... you keep celibate!"

She turned angry and was about to get off the bed, "Let me go, I'm leaving!"

Yinzhen's laughter made Geng Shuning tremble, and after a while, he deliberately teased her by moving slightly, causing her to soften.

His husky, heated voice whispered into Geng Shuning's ear, "I'm eager to serve our Sui Ning lay nun; I don't want to listen to you pretending to be a storyteller."

Geng Shuning whimpered inwardly, how was she like a storyteller? She was clearly enchanting him, this dead straight man.

In the past, when she cooed and murmured, the little wolf dog and the little puppy clearly enjoyed it a lot; had her coquettish skills weakened?

Geng Shuning simply bit Yinzhen's thin lips, clinging to him in a huff, "I don't care, if there's no method of contraception, I'm not doing it!"

Yinzhen: "..." He understood the last word.

He had long wanted this little fox to bear him a little prince, always feeling that her child would bring him even greater surprises.

Upon hearing her desire to avoid pregnancy, Yinzhen felt somewhat displeased, but he understood that this wasn't a good time for her to conceive.

He could only endure the burning in his body, controlling his desires.

"I'll have Court Physician Chang diagnose your pulse later and prepare a formula for a contraceptive tea that won't harm your body."

"That's more like it," Geng Shuning said, satisfied with this outcome.

However, she had no intention of letting Yinzhen off the hook just yet.

Her dark, lively eyes flickered as she lay down beside him, genuinely starting to engage in pillow talk.

"Your Majesty knows that at crucial moments... are there other ways to please you?"

Her small hand moved like a playful fish on the dragon robe. "Just like at the hot spring manor, as long as you can control yourself..."

"How you stood in front of me and protected me just now was truly impressive," she said, her words melting his resolve.

No man could resist Geng Shuning's provocative and seductive charm.

Yinzhen threw the dragon robe, the little eunuch's robe, and the yellow and white inner garments... one by one out of the curtain, with two naked figures flickering inside the curtain.

After a long while, Yinzhen's gritted question came through, "What did you learn in your dreams, come on, tell me!"

The response was uncontrollable moans and teasing whispers, barely managing to make the words clear.

"An alluring young widow... I've learned everything I needed to learn~"

Yinzhen: "..."

He laughed angrily; this minx never missed a chance to tease him.

He finally sealed Geng Shuning's slightly open mouth, not letting her say another word until she fell into an exhausted, deep sleep.

*

While Geng Shuning slept soundly, hugging the quilt, Yinzhen didn't rest.

He had Zhang Tingyu, who was responsible for drafting edicts, Chen Tingjing, the Hanlin scholar, and Wang Hongxu, the Minister of Works, summoned to the imperial presence.

Yinzhen's previous considerations weren't wrong; to deal with local officials and the forces in the capital colluding with them, he needed to be patient and take it slow.

But who would have thought his little fox would use a big weapon again for 'bewitching the master'?

Their personalities were quite similar; when they had the upper hand, who would be willing to suffer grievances?

Taking those scoundrels by surprise, causing them to make mistakes in the chaos, wasn't a bad strategy.

On the evening of the tenth day of June, while they were still twenty miles away from Yangliuqing, countless imperial decrees were sent out from the dragon boat at breakneck speed to all corners of the empire.

The Emperor issued an edict praising Jiangning Circuit Intendant Zhang Baihang for his clean governance and effective administration, promoting him to Viceroy of the Two Jiangs, overseeing river management.

Zhang Penghe remained the Governor of River Management but lost his jurisdiction over river management officials.

All river management policies and strategies required the supervision and approval of Zhang Baihang before implementation.

The evidence submitted by Zhang Penghe was confirmed by the Minister of Punishments Chen Tingjing and the Minister of Works Wang Hongxu, who interrogated and signed off on it.

The Emperor issued an edict reprimanding Prince Lian's mansion, the Ninth Prince's mansion, and Prince Dun's mansion, ordering the three households to be confined to their residences for three months of reflection, forbidden to leave without an imperial decree.

Even the Eighth Princess Consort Elokoro at Wutai Mountain was reprimanded by imperial decree, with Shanxi troops stationed to guard her, isolating her from external communications.

This was practically an edict of house arrest, and as soon as it was issued, several ministers and the imperial princes detained in the cabins were struck with shock.

On the third day of the sixth month, when the emperor's edict spread through the capital, it stirred up a tempest.

The Tong family, who had been constantly plotting to visit Changchun Garden, quieted down and stopped making big moves.

Even Emperor Kangxi was startled by his son's reckless actions, causing him to drop his teacup.

He asked Li Dequan, Liang Jiugong's disciple, "What is the Fourth Brother up to?"

Li Dequan cautiously speculated, "Perhaps my master didn't make himself clear, which displeased Your Majesty. Has Your Majesty... become angry?"

The emperor had been unpredictable in his anger and joy since childhood. Although he had endured much over the years, giving others the impression of being cold and stern, Kangxi and those close to him knew his true temperament.

Kangxi, angrily dropping another teacup, said, "Foolish! Is he really willing to throw away the empire for a woman?"

Kangxi understood that Yinzhen's edict was connected to the secret order he had sent via Liang Jiugong.

To some extent, Kangxi didn't take Zhang Penghe's inflammatory words seriously.

However, Yinzhen's readiness to risk everything for Geng Shuning raised Kangxi's concerns.

The Aisin Gioro family was known for producing men who were deeply in love. Geng Shuning possessed some inexplicable special abilities, and if the Fourth Brother truly set his mind on something, it would be too late.

Kangxi didn't want Hong Xi or any other prince to face the dilemma he and his father had once faced.

His secret edict was both a test and a warning, with no intention of seizing power from Yinzhen.

However, Yinzhen's response disappointed Kangxi.

Whether he misunderstood Kangxi's intentions or was blinded by his feelings for a woman, Kangxi felt Yinzhen's actions lacked the way of a ruler.

The angrier Kangxi became, the worse his expression grew. "Go, issue my edict to summon Geng Shuning to see me along with the emperor!"

Facing the retired emperor's wrath, Li Dequan didn't dare say much and quickly sent people to carry out the task.

When Liang Jiugong returned to Changchun Garden, Kangxi's anger reached its peak.

"Summon Tuoheqi and the Fifth Prince discreetly. If the Fourth Brother defies the edict, bring him here by force if necessary!"

If the Fourth Brother didn't know better, he couldn't blame his father for not showing him respect.

Kangxi wanted to see if the Fourth Brother would choose the empire over a woman. If Yinzhen didn't repent, while he was still alive, it wasn't impossible to replace the emperor.

*

After just a few scandalous days on the dragon boat, Geng Shuning and Yinzhen disembarked.

Before they could smoothly board the imperial carriage, they saw Liang Jiugong again.

Geng Shuning, still dressed as Xiao Sui, stood by Yinzhen's side.

Seeing rows of imperial guards and the Changchun Garden Imperial Guard following Liang Jiugong, it was clear they were up to no good.

Geng Shuning thought, "Here comes the storm."