Rebirth: The Fourth Lady Wants to Lie Down

The night in the Qianqing Palace was dark, and the flickering candlelight reflected the deep and complex face of Emperor Kangxi. Yinzhen's departure took away the disputes and noise in the court, but left behind a series of thoughts and decisions.

Kangxi sat on the dragon throne with his eyes closed in deep thought. Yinzhen's report lingered in his ears for a long time.

"Mingzhu's death has indeed caused a subtle change in the situation in the court."

Kangxi thought to himself, "The power of the eldest prince Yinzhi has been greatly reduced because of this. If the crown prince Yinreng becomes too powerful because of Soetu's imprisonment, it may not be a blessing for the country." He opened his eyes, and his eyes flashed with wisdom and determination.

"Li Dequan." Kangxi called softly. Although his voice was soft, it carried unquestionable majesty.

Li Dequan, who was waiting outside the door, heard the voice and came in, bowing and saluting: "Your servant is here, what do you want, Your Majesty?"

Kangxi picked up the pen on the table, pondered for a moment, and began to write on the rice paper. Each stroke seemed so steady and powerful, which showed his accurate grasp and careful consideration of the situation in the court.

"Go to the Dali Temple and hand this imperial edict to Soetu personally." He handed the written imperial edict to Li Dequan, with a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

Li Dequan took the imperial edict with both hands. Although he was shocked, he did not dare to ask more questions. He just said, "Yes, I will obey your order."

He turned around to retreat, but was stopped by Kangxi.

"Wait, I have something else to ask you." Kangxi's voice became much gentler. "Has the Ministry of Internal Affairs made all the arrangements for the banquet tomorrow night?"

Li Dequan quickly reported back: "Your Majesty, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has been carefully preparing for a long time, and everything has been arranged properly. We are just waiting for the banquet to begin tomorrow, and we will surely let all officials and royal relatives return with great pleasure."

Kangxi nodded slightly and smiled with satisfaction. "Very good, after you deliver this decree, send people to inform all the prefectures and make sure everyone knows about the banquet tomorrow night. I want to take this opportunity to let all the officials relax and observe their movements."

Hearing this, Li Dequan secretly tried to figure out the emperor's intention, and then replied, "Yes, I understand. I will do it immediately."

He bowed again and left the Qianqing Palace, but he was already thinking about how to complete this series of tasks efficiently.

As Li Dequan's footsteps faded away, the Qianqing Palace returned to peace again.

Kangxi looked out the window at the night, but his mind was clear. He knew that Mingzhu's death and Suo'etu's imprisonment were just the tip of the iceberg of the changing situation in the court. The real test was still to come.

Tomorrow night's banquet is not only a feast, but also a reshuffle and review of the power in the court.

……

Yinzhen finished his busy work in the palace and returned to his own residence. There was a subtle sense of ease in his steps, as if he had escaped the constraints of the court and returned to his own little world.

After entering the palace, Yinzhen went straight to the study in the front yard, where he handled government affairs and planned for the future. Although the documents on the desk were not heavy, he had to review each one carefully to ensure the normal operation of the state machinery.

In a short while, Yinzhen had handled these matters in order, and he felt slightly relieved.

Just as he was about to take a short break, he heard light footsteps outside the door, followed by Su Peisheng's respectful voice.

"Master, someone from the palace has sent a message saying that there will be a banquet in the palace tonight. Please be sure to attend on time."

Yinzhen nodded slightly and said, "I understand. You go and send that person away." Su Peisheng responded and withdrew. Soon he returned to the study and stood beside Yinzhen.

Yinzhen's thoughts involuntarily drifted to last night. Yi Ya's gentle words were still ringing in his ears. She mentioned that there seemed to be something strange in the courtyard, but she was unable to investigate it in detail due to her busy official duties.

At this moment, he felt an inexplicable expectation in his heart, so he asked casually, "Is there anything special about Fu Jin this morning?"

Su Peisheng immediately replied, "In reply to your question, after Fu Jin got up this morning, she met with several masters in the backyard in the main courtyard and asked about some trivial matters. It was a harmonious scene."

Yinzhen frowned slightly when he heard this, as if this was not the answer he wanted. His eyes inadvertently swept over Su Peisheng, and the hint of inquiry in his eyes made Su Peisheng understand instantly.

"Oh, yes, Master!"

Su Peisheng quickly added, "After finishing her breakfast, Fu Jin took a walk in the courtyard and seemed to be in a good mood. I guess she must have discovered the surprises you carefully prepared."

A hint of surprise flashed across Yinzhen's eyes, and the corners of his mouth rose unconsciously. He stood up, with a hint of pleasure in his tone.

"That's great. I need to discuss the banquet with Mrs. Fujin. Let's go to the main courtyard."

As he spoke, Yinzhen walked out, followed closely by Su Peisheng, and the two of them walked through the winding corridors towards the main courtyard. Along the way, the fragrance of flowers and the sound of birds seemed to add some color to the upcoming warm moment.