They watched until the two figures completely vanished from sight, yet Yin Zhen and the others still couldn't fully recover their composure.
Especially that person just now, whose features were as clear and graceful as spring water and lotus petals, elegantly refined without a trace of effeminacy. His bearing was open and free, with an inexplicable air of a Wei-Jin era literati.
Such deanor made Yin Zhen admire him deeply.
To him, a gentleman of such clear wind and bright moon being placed among favored ministers was itself an insult.
But thinking back on the others' behavior just now…
When he reflected carefully, it seed that it was actually the Emperor who had acted more out of line…
In short, within a very short ti, the Fourth Prince's mind had already constructed countless little scenarios.
By contrast, the Tenth Prince, sitting beside him, seed thoughtful. He couldn't help raising his arm to nudge the apparently dazed Yin Tang at his side.
“Hey, Ninth Brother, did you see that just now? The Emperor and that—no, Zi'an and the direction they walked off toward, wasn't it the palace? Right? Right?”
The Emperor returning to the palace would be one thing, but that person clearly wasn't of the guard or attendant class…
As if realizing sothing, the Tenth Prince swallowed instinctively, his eyes widening considerably.
Yin Tang, however, reacted indifferently. Hearing this, he imdiately reached over and shoved his unlucky brother:
“Nonsense, it's so late. Why would the Emperor not return to the palace?”
But the Emperor—ah! The Tenth Prince fretted, practically hopping with anxiety. Ninth Brother is already such a grown man, how could he be so obtuse!
“All right, Tenth Brother, with your brain, don't go making wild guesses. At this hour, why would the Emperor and Noble Consort Mother not return to the palace?”
Although he spoke to the Tenth Prince, Yin Tang's gaze kept flicking toward the Fourth Prince.
There was a hint of smugness at the corner of his phoenix-like eyes.
Yet at this mont, neither of the two present were in the mood to care about that.
“Noble… Noble Consort Mother!” Just as expected, the Tenth Prince's eyes grew even wider, and Yin Zhen furrowed his brow sharply:
“Ninth Brother, you shouldn't speak carelessly.”
But thinking it through, the two n's facial features did share so resemblance. Still, a glance revealed that their height and temperant differed by more than a little.
Besides, the person from earlier had clearly behaved like a man.
“Eh? Really? Ninth Brother, how did you figure that out?” Unlike the Fourth Prince's denial, the Tenth Prince supported his brother unquestioningly.
On hearing this, Yin Tang's expression brightened considerably. He cast a sidelong glance at the person opposite, and the Ninth Prince gave a smug little snort and said triumphantly:
“Isn't it obvious!”
“Heh, think about it. How many people in this world could be as beautiful as Noble Consort Mother? It's not like everyone could be always beside the Emperor!”
Inside the carriage, Yin Tang spoke with unmistakable self-assurance.
Soone as stunning and peerless as Consort Chen isn't easy to co across.
Yin Zhen, who had expected to hear so profound insight, was left speechless: “…”
Humph!
Despite his irritation, recollecting that subtle resemblance left a faint trace in the Fourth Prince's mind.
Yin Tang's remark sounded absurd, yet on closer thought, it was not entirely without reason.
Just as Yin Zhen was about to say sothing, the unlucky brother looked over with suspicion:
“Say, Fourth Brother, after seeing that scene, why was your first reaction that the Emperor favored handso companions?”
Why not think there was sothing odd about that person?
Before this, the Emperor had never shown such inclinations!
Considering that with only a single glance the unlucky Fourth Brother seed like the sky had fallen in, Yin Tang, only fourteen, looked at him with growing distrust.
Yin Zhen: “…”
Yin E: “!!!”
“Utter nonsense!” After a mont, Yin Zhen flicked his sleeve and said.
A mont later, Yin Tang's rather cheeky voice drifted from inside the carriage: “Heh heh, Fourth Brother, why are you so angry? I didn't say anything just now, honest!”
Then he added:
“Tenth Brother heard it, you know!”
Yin E next to him hurriedly nodded.
Yin Zhen: “……” Hmph.
Aside from those small unexpected interludes, the outing had been entertaining. Carrying her palace lantern back the whole way, An Ning was in a fairly good mood.
As for Emperor Kangxi himself, he probably had no idea just how wild his sons' imaginations could get, so his mood remained passable.
On the way back he couldn't help chatting:
“Now that Imperial Noble Consort Wenxi passed so ti ago, and the Tenth Brother is still unmarried, leaving him without soone to look after him properly under the watch of his brothers isn’t ideal…”
An Ning wondered what he was implying and looked over: “But there’s no one suitable in the palace to watch over the Tenth Prince right now.”
After all, the birth mother was a noble consort from the Niohuru clan. You couldn't just swap soone and lower her status.
That would be ridiculous—don't think the Tenth Prince would be pleased, and the Niohuru family surely wouldn't like it either.
Besides, he wasn't a child; a teenager could make noise and fuss, but without his consort mother he wouldn't be bullied by servants.
Before he could say more, An Ning decisively cut him off:
“Rest assured, I will order my subordinates to look after the Tenth Prince carefully. There will be absolutely no negligence.”
As for the rest…
“With Ninth Brother around, Yin E will surely recover quickly.”
Kangxi: “…”
Seeing her act as if she feared being implicated, he grew amused after a brief silence and shot her a glance:
“You've already said it all, what do you want to add?”
An Ning sipped her clear tea, noncommittal:
“You know my temperant. It's hard work to raise soone else's child, and that sort of thing is too taxing on .” She paused briefly, lowering her voice:
“If neither of us can be sincere to each other, then why bother?”
Hearing her, Kangxi fell silent for a heartbeat.
For a long while the imperial carriage was quiet, fixed on the face before him, as flawless as jade, her eyes still bright and carefree. He thought of the scenes from the market earlier.
After an uncertain span of ti, the man opposite raised his hand and took a quiet sip of tea:
“A-Ning, you haven't changed a bit all these years.”
“Hmm?” Not catching any hidden aning, An Ning snorted lightly, sounding pleased:
“If only Your Majesty worried less, perhaps you could be as perpetually youthful as I!”
She thought of how she had plainly said 'uncle', yet that little brat Yin Tang had cheerfully kept calling him 'brother'—whether deliberate or otherwise…
That unlucky child really didn't look at his Emperor's face.
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