Chapter 6 Running Errands

The night was deep, and the Palace of Eternal Harmony was shrouded in shadows.

Fourteenth Prince Yinzhen was now ten years old. Just days ago, his tutor at the Imperial Study had praised him for his intelligence. Every time he came to pay respects, the Palace of Eternal Harmony would be filled with laughter and joy, and Consort De’s expression would soften immensely.

Consort De, Uya Shi, had given birth to three princes in total. The Fourth Prince was adopted by Xiao Yi Huanghou, the Sixth Prince passed away in childhood, and only the Fourteenth Prince had been raised under her care since infancy. The bond between mother and son ran deep, and Consort De doted on him dearly.

Thinking of the unpleasantness from the evening, Consort De sat before her dressing table, her face somber, allowing the palace maids to gently massage her shoulders.

Wu Momo attended to her side, advising, “Your Highness, why trouble yourself over this? Your brother isn’t cut out for business, yet still wants to borrow ten thousand taels of silver. The Fourth Prince hesitated repeatedly—isn’t that understandable?”

“It’s not this matter that weighs on me,” Consort De said after a long pause, gazing at her no longer youthful reflection in the mirror. “The silver is secondary. If he doesn’t care about his own uncle, how could he care about me, his birth mother?”

She continued coolly, “If he’s distant from me, so be it. But Yinzhen is his own flesh and blood! Look at the Fourth Prince—he’s inseparable from the Crown Prince, treating the East Palace as his own home. Yet when has he ever shown concern for Yinzhen’s studies? In my opinion, Hong Yan holds more importance in his heart than the Fourteenth Prince.”

“How could that be?” Wu Momo hurriedly replied. “Your Highness, the Fourth Prince is occupied with official duties and rarely returns to the Studio of Leisurely Ease. This old servant remembers the Fourteenth Prince mentioning that seeking advice from the Fourth Prince was less helpful than asking the Eighth Prince…”

“Enough. There’s no need to persuade me,” Consort De waved her hand, her eyes noticeably colder. She then asked, “Has Li Jia agreed?”

The Fourth Prince had been raised by Xiao Yi Huanghou since childhood—a knot in Consort De’s heart that could never be undone. Wu Momo sighed inwardly as she took up a horn comb and gently smoothed Consort De’s long hair, whispering, “She agreed. She said that if Your Highness can deal a heavy blow to Guarjia, she is willing to do anything.”

A faint smile touched Consort De’s lips. “She doesn’t care for the title of secondary consort, clinging only to thoughts of revenge. What a pitiable creature.”

“Tell her she knows the Crown Princess’s weakness,” Consort De said, picking up a vermilion hairpin and testing it before the mirror. “Whether this child is a boy or a girl remains unknown—how could it pose a greater threat?”

Yinzhen should have been the Emperor’s favorite, yet ever since the birth of the eldest grandson, he had faded into obscurity, with even repeated praise from his tutors failing to stir any ripples. In terms of talent, Yinzhen stood out among all the princes—how could she swallow this injustice?

After all these years, the Emperor visited the inner palace less and less frequently. The four consorts were no longer young, with grandchildren already at their knees. Competing with younger women for favor would only invite ridicule. Now, only the Fourteenth Prince remained her sore spot—she would never allow anyone to steal his limelight.

Hong Yan, inheriting two parts of Empress Renxiao’s appearance, had already captured the Emperor’s heart. Now, his intelligence far surpassed ordinary people… Consort De’s gaze darkened as she tossed aside the hairpin and rose, heading toward her bedchamber.

Just wait and see.

The days were long, and someone was more anxious than her.

The next morning, at the Hall of Heavenly Purity.

After the morning court session concluded, a line of imperial princes stood in the Imperial Study Room. At a glance, each was distinguished and handsome—not a single one lacked in appearance.

The Crown Prince stood at the front, followed by the eldest prince down to the eighth prince. The older ones had participated in the court session, with only the Eighth Prince still studying, awaiting his marriage before attending court and receiving official duties alongside his elder brothers.

The Emperor sat while they stood. Under their father’s scrutinizing gaze, the Crown Prince remained the most composed—his posture straight, a faint smile playing on his lips, presenting a pleasing sight like a picturesque scene.  

Da Age stood to the left rear, curling his lips at the sight and silently cursing it as a show. San Age and Fourth Prince kept their eyes respectfully lowered, appearing solemn and obedient. Wu Age stared fixedly at the imperial desk, while Qi Age meticulously counted the floor tiles. Eighth Prince, elegant and handsome, maintained impeccable bearing.  

“We summoned you today—” Before the Emperor could finish, all the princes held their breaths, only for him to abruptly shift his tone and ask the Crown Prince, “Has Hong Yan gotten up yet?”  

Even his voice had softened slightly.  

Hearing this, Da Age nearly choked on his own resentment.  

What made him even more furious came next—the Crown Prince took a step forward and replied with a smile, “Reporting to Father Emperor, he was still sound asleep when I left. I imagine he hasn’t risen yet.”  

Though his tone sounded reproachful, none of the brothers missed the indulgent look on the Crown Prince’s face.  

Da Age scoffed inwardly, his stomach churning with sour envy. *Wasn’t Hong Yan famous for his diligence? How could he be so lazy? Truly undeserving of his reputation.*  

“Good, good.” The Emperor was immensely pleased, assuming his beloved grandson had taken his advice about “balancing study with rest” to heart. Even the Crown Prince seemed more agreeable in his eyes, and he stood up with a kindly expression, patting the latter’s shoulder.  

Da Age: “…”  

*This is unfair.*  

The others wore varying expressions, all tinged with envy and resentment, thinking to themselves—*So the Crown Prince/Second Brother can now rely on Hong Yan to secure favor?*  

Ambitious ones like San Age burned with jealousy, while Fourth Prince was an exception—he silently curled his lips into a noticeable smile, as if hearing praise for his own child.  

Wu Age accidentally caught sight of that smile and was thoroughly startled. He retreated a step in alarm, drawing the Emperor’s sharp glance, and immediately froze in place.  

Eighth Prince lowered his gaze slightly, his envy mingled with longing. With his wedding day approaching, he couldn’t help but imagine—if his future heir with his principal wife could receive such affection from the Emperor…  

The Emperor swept his gaze over their reactions before speaking gravely, “We summoned you today because the southern expedition to Mongolia has strained the imperial treasury, leading to unpredictable consequences. We wish to hear your thoughts.”  

His words sent shockwaves through the room—even the Crown Prince was taken aback.  

*The treasury is strained? Since when?*  

The atmosphere in the Imperial Study Room shifted abruptly. The princes all turned solemn, some deep in thought, others hesitating. Yet after a long silence, they exchanged glances—no one dared to speak first.  

The treasury was no ordinary problem. Aside from the losses incurred from the campaign against Galdan, the Emperor had, in his benevolence, lent substantial sums to imperial relatives and court officials over the years.  

Last year had seen no major disasters—it had even been a bountiful harvest. They had heard the treasury’s income and expenses were balanced, yet now the Emperor suddenly brought this up…  

The Emperor’s words were an imperial decree. None present were fools—in an instant, they thought of terms like “recovering debts” and “punishing corruption,” inwardly groaning as their expressions grew even more serious.  

The Crown Prince thought to himself—*Father Emperor is truly planning to reform the court!*  

This was no easy task.

Indeed, it was no easy task. The joy of being granted titles had barely faded when the princes nearly wore bitter expressions, racking their brains for excuses to decline. Some even glanced covertly at Yinzhen, thinking this assignment was tailor-made for the Fourth Prince.

The Fifth Prince and Seventh Prince groaned incessantly. One had been raised under the Empress Dowager’s care, while the other was born with a foot disability. Securing a princely title peacefully was already the pinnacle of their ambitions—why bother with such thankless labor?

The Emperor paid no heed to their thoughts.

If brothers united against external challenges, what could hinder the prosperity of the Qing dynasty? To him, their incessant infighting was merely a sign of idleness.

Noting the time was ripe, the Emperor spoke calmly, his words final: “Since there are no objections, We entrust this weighty task to you. Pair up in twos and proceed separately.”

Then, with pointed emphasis, he added, “Over the years, the expenditures of the Six Ministries and the Imperial Household Department—We grant you the authority to audit them. As for the imperial relatives and ministers, repaying the National Treasury’s debts is their duty. The sooner this is done, the better. Do not disappoint Us.”

This was nothing short of a bolt from the blue.

The Fifth Prince’s face fell, while the Seventh Prince’s knees nearly buckled. Their pleading gazes turned toward the Crown Prince, who cleared his throat lightly, thinking, *Better others suffer than myself.* Since the pairing was already decided and the Emperor hadn’t mentioned him, *Seventh Brother, my apologies.Yet the very next moment, the Emperor’s imposing gaze landed on him: “The Crown Prince shall join as well.” Set aside your current duties—the National Treasury takes precedence. Yinreng, do you understand?”

The Crown Prince’s smile stiffened. “…Understood, Imperial Father.”

Seeing this, the Da Age finally exhaled in relief.

When it came to managing the National Treasury, the Crown Prince was the greatest obstacle. The court’s intricate dynamics meant offending pivotal ministers was all too easy—would he dare? Moreover, with the Hesheli clan and Suo’etu behind him, favoritism was inevitable.

While the Da Age was still pondering, the Emperor grew impatient with their lingering presence. Having concluded official matters, he waved them off. “Enough. All of you may withdraw.”

The group bowed in assent and retreated with lowered eyes.

Among them, only the Fourth Prince walked at a measured pace, a faint hint of excitement hidden within. The Eighth Prince took a deep breath and stepped forward resolutely.

This was the Emperor’s first test for him. He would complete it flawlessly, achieve outstanding results, and then proudly welcome his bride.

The imperial princes rarely gathered for discussions.

The Crown Prince took the lead, his gaze drifting lightly toward the Da Age. “With this pairing arrangement, how should the tasks be allocated?One of the core principles of a crown prince was grace—he couldn’t compete with his younger brothers. Sensing the tricky nature of the assignment, he sighed inwardly. *Since Imperial Father is determined to rectify this, I can no longer feign ignorance.*

“We defer to Second Brother’s decision,” the Fourth Prince said slowly when the Da Age remained silent.

The San Age glanced at the scowling eldest prince, then at the composed Fourth Prince, and quickly interjected, “To avoid holding my elder brothers back, I’ll take on the burden alone and review the Ministry of Rites’ records myself…”

He had ambition, but this task was unlike any before. Self-preservation was paramount.

Hearing this, Yinqi inwardly cursed the Third Prince’s cunning for stealing his lines!

Yinqi would gladly leave it to the capable. Regardless of other considerations, he dared not touch the Imperial Household Department, the Ministries of Revenue and War, or the debt collection—these were far too perilous.

As for pairing up? The eldest had Mingzhu behind him, and the Crown Prince had Suo’etu. Who would dare get involved? It would be nothing short of skinning oneself alive.

Seventh Prince, rarely in sync with him, quickly chimed in, “This younger brother shall join Fifth Brother in exerting efforts at the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Works.”

Heh, all the easy tasks were gone.

Fourth Prince, needless to say, was undoubtedly tied to the Crown Prince. Eldest Prince Yin Zhi suppressed his frustration repeatedly, nearly cursing Third Prince and the others to the high heavens, but ultimately held back with a cold snort. “Eighth Brother, it’s just you and me left.”

Yinsi had no objections and nodded solemnly, appearing ready to follow Eldest Brother’s lead.

After weighing the options for a long time, Eldest Prince concluded that compared to the Imperial Household Department and debt collection, the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War would offend fewer people. Thus, he carefully chose the latter. “The Ministry of Revenue’s archives are vast and the waters run deep. Even with both of us working, it might not be enough…”

The unspoken implication was clear to everyone. The remaining two tasks automatically fell to the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince.

Fourth Prince frowned slightly. Though excited at the possibility of realizing his ambitions, he knew full well that achieving tangible results in these two areas would be difficult—extremely difficult.

Forget about debt repayment—just dealing with those bondservant families was no easy feat.

Only the Crown Prince remained smiling, calmly concluding, “Alright, that’s roughly how we’ll divide the tasks. Everyone is dismissed.”

Hong Yan slept soundly until broad daylight, waking up refreshed and invigorated. Freed from the threat of a deadlock and spared the need to rise early and strive, life felt unexpectedly wonderful.

He leisurely washed up and had breakfast before heading to the main courtyard to pay respects to his mother. The Crown Princess touched his cheek curiously and asked, “No studies today?”

Hong Yan cleared his throat and replied, “Hanmafa scolded me, saying I should balance work and rest. Besides, I have a five-day break.”

“Is that so?” The Crown Princess smiled warmly. “Then Yuanbao can sit and keep me company.”

After a while, a palace maid came to report that the Crown Prince and Fourth Prince had returned to the study together. The Crown Princess nodded lightly and instructed, “Have the kitchen prepare light meals and add a bowl of mung bean soup. After discussions, they ought to relax.”

“Yes.”

Hong Yan rested his chin on his hand as he watched his mother handle palace affairs, when suddenly, an extremely bad premonition struck him.

His Fourth Uncle was teaming up with his father—again!

He sat uneasily for a long while, fearing Yinzhen might come looking for him, his “confidant.” But before Fourth Prince arrived, He Zhuer appeared first.

Accompanied by the system’s affectionate summons, He Zhuer burst into tears upon seeing the Crown Princess. “The Crown Prince is so worried he can’t eat! Please go and see him at once!”