Chapter 13 First Birthday Banquet (Part 1)

As per the Emperor's request, the Imperial Household Department held a grand first birthday banquet at the Yuanmingyuan Garden.

The concubines who accompanied the Emperor to the Yuanmingyuan for summer retreat, along with all the members of the imperial family, were present. According to Emperor Yongzheng, it was a palace banquet, but it was also a family banquet, so everyone was free to be formal.

That being said, aside from troublemakers, how many people can truly be so informal?

This banquet also marked the first public appearance of the Fourth Prince Hongli and the Fifth Prince Hongzhou. Outsiders were unsure of Yongzheng's attitude, so they were even more cautious.

Hongli and Hongzhou, dressed in their finest attire, sat behind a table with the Third Prince Hongshi, enduring the scrutinizing gazes of everyone at the banquet.

Well, you don't know until you sit together, and the contrast is just too obvious.

The Third Prince was tall, the Fifth Prince was strong, and only the Fourth Prince, sitting in the middle, was a handsome young man who stood out from the crowd, making the originally good-looking Hongshi and Hongzhou on the two sides pale in comparison.

Based solely on his appearance and demeanor, those of his generation who were of the same generation as Hongli were destined to be overshadowed by his brilliance. To be of the same generation as such a dignified and upright prince was both a blessing and a curse for the princes and members of the imperial clan.

This wasn't just one or two people's opinion; almost everyone thought the same way. Even Consort Qi, who felt threatened by the appearance of the two princes, couldn't bring herself to say that Hongshi was the best, despite seeing this scene.

Emperor Yongzheng, sitting on the high platform, naturally noticed not only the comparison between the three princes but also the reactions of the crowd. He was not angry at all; on the contrary, he was quite pleased.

Seeing Hongli's radiant glory was like seeing his own past self standing out from the crowd. Furthermore, since Hongli was his own son, the praise he received was also a way for his father to gain prestige.

With his mood and reputation both satisfied, Yongzheng appeared even more gentle, and his relaxed demeanor drew the attention of Yixiu, who was standing nearby.

Having roughly guessed his thoughts, Yixiu couldn't help but snort coldly, then turned to look at Hongli, her gaze instantly softening like water.

"What does that old woman mean?" Noticing Yixiu's gaze, Nian Shilan twisted the handkerchief in her hand. "Does she want to adopt the Fourth Prince? Does she even deserve it?"

"Your Majesty."

Songzhi, who was behind her, quickly tugged at her sleeve. "Your Majesty, even if you're unhappy, you should still be mindful of your behavior at the palace banquet."

Reminded, Consort Hua snapped out of her reverie but didn't say much, though she remained displeased. She thought to herself, "The Empress has no genuine feelings for Hongli; she's only after the Emperor. While she initially acted for the Emperor, her feelings later became genuine."

If Hongli really had a foster mother, why couldn't it be her?

Thinking of this, Nian Shilan subconsciously touched her stomach. She thought of the pain when the child left her body, the daily torment of trying to conceive, and then glanced at the handsome Fourth Prince Hongli, which strengthened her resolve to adopt him.

Such an outstanding prince should be her son, Nian Shilan's son!

...

From her seat as a concubine, Zhen Huan looked at the imperial relatives opposite her and quietly introduced them to An Lingrong, who sat to the left.

"That's Fifth Prince Heng and his concubine."

"The first one looks so imposing, it's intimidating. But he's quite kind to the Princess Consort."

Following An Lingrong's gaze, Zhen Huan saw the tall and robust Prince Dun across from her, who was serving food to the Fujin (the princess's wife) while his eyes kept drifting towards the princes' table.

"That's the Tenth Prince. His birth mother was the younger sister of the late Emperor's Empress Xiaozhaoren. He was of noble status and naturally had an imposing presence. The Tenth Prince was not favored by the late Emperor and was known for his bad temper, but he was extremely fond of his wife."

"Everyone says that a real man is one who is brave and unyielding, but I think a real man is one who knows how to care for others..."

Zhen Huan was no longer paying attention to what An Lingrong was saying; her gaze followed Prince Dun's eyes to the Fourth Prince Hongli on the princes' table.

Looking at this young man she had met once before, who had once stirred her pity and who she had even thought of helping in her time of need, now whose circumstances had changed drastically in the blink of an eye and who had become a highly sought-after prince, Zhen Huan couldn't help but purse her lips, her feelings somewhat complicated, yet she couldn't quite explain why.

Just then, Yongzheng raised his wine cup to Prince Dun, saying, "Tenth Prince, I toast you and your wife."

Yun subconsciously glanced at the Fujin beside him. The Fujin gave him a look, and Yun picked up his wine cup and stood up with the Fujin to express his gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The attitude wasn't great, but compared to before, it was quite a face-saving gesture for Yongzheng. Yongzheng was momentarily flattered. Had the Tenth Prince given in?

Feeling that the tenth prince was impressed by him, Yongzheng, in a good mood, glanced at an empty seat and said with a smile, "I wonder what new thing the seventeenth prince has spotted and is unwilling to move. Why isn't he here yet?"

Prince Shen and Prince Guo were on good terms, so naturally he stood up to explain on his behalf.

But the Tenth Prince's wife didn't care about this scene; instead, she looked at her master with surprise.

"Madam, why are you looking at me like that?" Yun felt a little uncomfortable, as if Madam didn't recognize him.

"His Majesty is in a good mood today," the Tenth Princess said tentatively. Before coming, she had been saying that she would not give the Emperor a good look, so why was she behaving more respectfully than usual? It's a shame she had been worried for so long.

Yun froze, unconsciously glancing at the profile of the Fourth Prince Hongli on the princes' table, muttering, "His Highness is thinking about something and can't pay attention to the Fourth Prince."

"Thinking about something? What are you thinking about?" The Tenth Prince's wife looked suspicious. She had noticed that he kept looking at the prince's seat. What was he planning to do?

Suddenly, a thought flashed through her mind, and the Tenth Prince's Consort was shocked. She couldn't help but whisper, "I noticed you've been staring at the princes' seats. You wouldn't be trying to sow discord between the Emperor and the princes, would you...?"

"You don't have that ability," the Tenth Prince's wife said anxiously and worriedly.

"What are you saying? Is that the kind of person the Prince is?" Yun quickly retorted, meeting the worried yet distrustful look in his wife's eyes. His heart softened, and he leaned closer and whispered, "Look at the Fourth Prince."

"What's wrong with the Fourth Prince?" The Tenth Prince's wife glanced at Hongli's profile. His features were well-defined and his eyebrows and eyes were like a painting. What, did his good looks offend you?

"The Fourth Prince is so handsome, he doesn't look like the Fourth Prince's child at all."

Like a bolt from the blue, the Tenth Prince's wife wanted to cover his mouth. How could he say such things? She couldn't help but reach out and pinch the soft flesh on his waist. "My lord, think it over before you speak, or don't say anything at all."

"Ouch!" Yun winced in pain, but faced with his wife's anger, he dared not ask her to let go, displaying a complete lack of authority as a husband. He quickly explained, "That's not what I meant... no, that's also what I meant... no, no, what I meant was, don't you think the Fourth Prince's profile looks like someone else?"

The Tenth Prince's wife was completely confused. She subconsciously glanced at the Fourth Prince's profile again. She didn't know if it was because of the Tenth Prince's influence, but the more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. "He does look somewhat familiar, but I can't remember who he looks like?"

"Right, Your Highness, you think so too!" Hearing the words of the Princess Consort, Yun was extremely excited and became even more certain of her thoughts.

"Your Highness, who do you think the Fourth Prince resembles?" The Tenth Prince's wife looked at her husband, who was so happy that he couldn't help but clench his fist, with a puzzled expression.

At this moment, Yun remembered that it was at the palace banquet. He looked around cautiously, quietly approached, and whispered, "Your Highness thinks that the Fourth Prince looks like the Ninth Prince. His profile is exactly the same as the Ninth Prince's..."