Rebirth: The Fourth Lady Wants to Lie Down

Carrying a heavy responsibility and mission, Yinzhen stepped into the heavy wooden door of Kangxi's study with carefully compiled testimony in his hand.

In the study, there was a faint scent of ambergris. Emperor Kangxi, dressed in casual clothes, was immersed in a game of chess alone. He looked relaxed and contented, as if the troubles in the outside world had nothing to do with him.

"Your Majesty, the fourth prince Yinzhen requests to see you." Li Dequan's respectful and slightly surprised voice came from outside the door, breaking the silence in the study.

Kangxi was slightly stunned, the chess piece in his hand hanging in the air, and a hint of surprise and approval flashed in his eyes. He had never expected that Yinzhen could complete such a complicated task so quickly.

"Let him in." Kangxi put down the chess piece, his tone revealing a hint of anticipation.

Yinzhen walked into the study room, his steps steady, his face solemn but respectful. He bowed deeply to Kangxi and said, "Your son Yinzhen pays respects to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty be blessed with good health." After saying this, he stepped aside and waited for Kangxi's next instruction.

Seeing this, Kangxi smiled faintly and waved his hand to signal Yinzhen to come forward: "Fourth Brother, since the matter has been investigated, we might as well not rush to talk about those things. Come, play two games of chess with me."

Yinzhen heard this, although he had something urgent to do, he did not dare to disobey the emperor's order, so he respectfully walked to sit opposite Kangxi. He glanced at the chessboard and saw the black and white chess pieces intertwined to form an intricate pattern.

Yinzhen pondered for a moment, picked up a white piece, and gently placed it in a position that seemed ordinary but had a profound meaning.

Seeing this, Kangxi's eyes flashed with a bright color, as if he was attracted by Yinzhen's chess skills. He smiled slightly, and not to be outdone, he picked up a black piece and echoed Yinzhen's chess piece.

Just like this, the two of them played chess one after another, and gradually the game became more and more intense and exciting.

"Fourth brother, your chess skills have improved a lot." Kangxi exclaimed while playing chess, his tone full of admiration for Yinzhen.

Yinzhen smiled modestly and said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. I have only made some progress and I still need your guidance."

In the study, Emperor Kangxi and the fourth prince Yinzhen were playing chess, with black and white chess pieces jumping on the board, as if it was a battle of wisdom and strategy between the two. However, in this tranquility, there was another more complicated storm hidden.

"Fourth brother, have you made any progress in this investigation?" Kangxi gently put down his son and asked casually, but his eyes revealed his trust and expectation in Yinzhen's ability.

Yinzhen paused for a moment, then responded calmly, "Father, I have finished the interrogation. Most of the officials involved in the case did accept bribes. But what is particularly serious is that we found an account book in Li Fengshen's house, which records in detail the illegal activities between Li Fengshen and Suo Etu."

Yinzhen's tone gradually became solemn, and he continued, "Li Fengshen took advantage of Soetu's influence in the court to engage in corruption and bribery, buy and sell official positions, and use state projects as personal ATMs. They embezzled a large amount of state funds by cutting corners and falsifying accounts. What's worse, Li Fengshen also built a huge business network, colluded with merchants from all over the country, and jointly sought huge profits, which seriously damaged the interests and reputation of the court."

As Yinzhen spoke, Kangxi's face gradually darkened, his fists clenched, and his knuckles made slight noises, revealing his inner anger and confusion.

"Suo Etu, I have been very kind to him. As the maternal uncle of the Crown Prince, he is the most powerful official in the country. Yet he is still not satisfied and has done such a shameless thing!"

In anger, Kangxi turned his gaze to Yinzhen, with a trace of worry in his eyes: "Fourth Brother, does this matter have anything to do with the Crown Prince?"

Yinzhen knew that Kangxi valued and loved the prince, so he answered cautiously: "My dear father, from the current evidence, there is no sign that the prince was directly involved. But it is undeniable that as the nephew of Soetu, the prince would be more or less influenced by him, and to a certain extent, he is also an indirect beneficiary of this matter."

Upon hearing this, Kangxi was silent for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons.

Finally, he sighed, his tone showing both helplessness and determination: "The Crown Prince is the foundation of the country, and he should not be easily shaken. This matter ends with Suo Etu. Fourth Brother, you return to the capital immediately, arrest Suo Etu, interrogate him strictly, and make sure to make his crimes known to the world as a warning to others."

Upon hearing this, Yinzhen immediately stood up and bowed to accept the order: "I will obey your order and will not let you down."

After saying this, Yinzhen bowed deeply, turned around and left the study, leaving Kangxi sitting alone in front of the chessboard, looking at the endgame with mixed feelings.

He knew that although the game had come to an end, the changes in the court had just begun.