mtl008 Chapter 99 The Sixth Prince Learned a Lesson
Chapter 99 The Sixth Prince Learned a Lesson
Although Emperor Kangxi said he would throw the greedy Yinzhi out, after Yinzhi and Yinzhi left, he still had Liang Jiugong find all the things Yinzhi had taken a liking to and then had them delivered to him.
"Look, Khan Ama talked so hard, but in the end he still sent the things to you. Putting everything else aside, my brother has had his eye on that set of cups for a long time. He's talked to Khan Ama about it countless times, both openly and secretly, but the old man just wouldn't budge. In the end, he just gave them to you like this."
Yinzhuo looked at Yinzhi, who was holding the cup and examining it carefully with a sigh, and felt quite helpless. "Seriously, you're quite free, aren't you? Why are you always staring at me like this? And how come you seem to know everything about everyone's affairs? You're too gossipy."
"Third Brother, isn't the yamen busy lately? If you really have nothing to do, go home and keep your wife company, take care of the kids. What's the point of always running over here to me?"
Upon hearing this, Yinzhi put down his cup, glanced at Yinzuo, leaned back, and beckoned Dexi to come over.
"You want to get rid of me? I'm telling you, no way. Lai Dexi, take down this set of cups your master just got and clean them. Make him a cup of tea. I really need to taste how the tea I've brewed in my life is different from the tea we usually use."
Yinzhi didn't mind that Yinzhi was taking the initiative and wanted to use the glass cups to brew tea, and waved for Dexi to do as Yinzhi said. After all, in his opinion, apart from the exquisite workmanship and novel designs, the glass cups were no different from the ones he used in his previous life. Compared to these glass products, he still preferred the set of blue and white famille rose twelve flower goddess cups in his hand.
Yinzhi had previously thought that Yinzuo must have really liked the cups to ask Kangxi for them, but looking at his casual demeanor now, it was impossible to tell that he cared about them at all.
"Judging from your expression, you don't seem to like this set of cups that much. So why did you beg and plead to get it from your father yesterday?"
The reason he insisted on coming over was because he was furious yesterday when Emperor Kangxi called him stingy. He was only thinking about grabbing whatever was valuable, not caring whether he liked it or not. Besides, he was mostly joking when he said that, but he never expected that Emperor Kangxi would actually give it to him. But things are different, and he couldn't say it like that. After all, his third brother had already been so sour enough today, and he was afraid that if he provoked him any further, his entire Enze Garden would be flooded with jealousy.
"Of course I like it, but it's just a set of cups. Since Third Brother wants to use it, let him use it. You just said that Eldest Brother really likes this set of cups. That's great. I won't have to bother preparing this gift for his birthday next year. I can just send the set of cups over then."
Yin Zhi was filled with regret. Why did he mention his elder brother? If he had said he liked it then, would this set of cups have been his birthday gift next year? Oh, what a mistake, what a mistake.
The Third Prince, in his miscalculation, showed no courtesy to Yinzhuo when he left, grabbing everything he could, from paper and inkstones to fruit and tea—there was practically nothing he didn't want. Didn't he want to earn a reputation for being greedy? He claimed he was helping his younger brother share the burden, but Yinzhuo was stunned. He never dreamed that retribution would come so quickly. He had just robbed his father yesterday, and today he was being robbed by his father's son.
"Third brother, that's enough already. Do you need my spittoon? Or I, Dexi, can get it for you too. At least I go to my father to get things. Look at you, so pathetic, running around trying to get things from your brother who has no official position and no income. Aren't you ashamed?"
Yin Zhi had the nerve to do that? Of course he did. He was calling over the servants to help him with his things while answering his brother's questions in between.
"Look at what you're saying. Why should I be embarrassed? I'm just taking advantage of my brother, not an outsider. And as for your spittoon, forget about it. It's not even edged with gold. What would I do with that thing? Besides, you have no official position or job, but to say you have no income is a stretch. If you didn't have any income, where did all that money that your father withheld from you come from?"
In the end, Yinzhi came empty-handed and left with a lot of things, full of pride. As for Yinzuo, after being taught a lesson by Yinzhi, he became angrier and angrier, feeling wronged. What should you do when a child is wronged? Of course, you should go to his parents.
"Father, are you even going to care about your son anymore? Third Brother has gone too far! He's like a bandit raiding a village, taking everything my son has..."
With his two sons causing trouble, what could Emperor Kangxi do? He couldn't very well call Yinzhi over and scold him, could he? In the end, the old father could only silently pay the price for his sons, compensating Yinzhi by giving Yinzu a bunch of things before finally sending this troublesome child away.
"Liang Jiugong, come and help me to lie down in the back for a while. If that brat comes again in the next few days, don't let him in. Just seeing him gives me a headache."
Upon hearing Kangxi's words, Liang Jiugong agreed and helped Kangxi towards the rear hall where he was resting. He thought to himself, "These past two days have been filled with the Sixth Prince's antics; you must be getting a headache just seeing him. But the Sixth Prince is coming again tomorrow, and this old servant can't stop him."
However, Liang Jiugong's worries were clearly unnecessary, because Yinzhuo had no intention of coming back tomorrow. After all, it was so hot outside, and if he hadn't gone to complain to his father, he wouldn't have wanted to come out at all. His garden was big enough for him to play in.
For the next few months, apart from paying his respects to his father every few days, Yinzhuo hardly left his Enze Garden. He spent his days playing with the dogs, reading books, and when he was bored, he would send someone to invite his brothers over for a small gathering. He lived a very comfortable life. This leisurely life continued until the weather turned cold and Kangxi had to return to the Forbidden City.
Returning to the Forbidden City meant the arrival of winter. Kangxi said to Yinzhi that the year was no different from any other year. However, for Yinzhi, this winter brought about a dramatic change in his life, because his mother, Consort Niohuru, passed away that winter.
Birth, aging, sickness, and death are beyond human control. Yinzhuo knew very well that he couldn't help Yinzhi in any way, so he only asked Dexi to keep a close eye on Yinzhi's daily life. After all, the pain would eventually pass, but if the body collapsed, it would be truly collapsed.
The Spring Festival of the thirty-fourth year of Kangxi's reign was spent in such a gloomy atmosphere. When spring came and the weather gradually warmed up, Kangxi took them back to Changchun Garden. Only after leaving the palace, a place that evoked feelings of longing, did Yinzhen's mood seem to improve.
In June, Emperor Kangxi first bestowed the title of Crown Princess upon the Crown Prince, and then embarked on his routine tour of the northern frontier. This time, the entourage was exceptionally long, including not only the Crown Prince but also all the princes from the eldest to the twelfth prince.