Kangxi felt no guilt whatsoever. He didn't care that his Chenghu hadn't become the crown prince, but Hongzhao, who was just like Chenghu, would definitely become the crown prince in the future.

Kangxi's obsession had become somewhat mad, though outsiders were unaware of it.

Even Yinreng believed that Kangxi favored Hongzhao because Hongzhao was pleasing and intelligent, and was his and Tong Wanyan's eldest son. As for the reason that he resembled his elder brother who died young, Yinreng never considered it.

Regardless, the path that Kangxi paved for Hongzhao was suitable for him and the best path for the eldest grandson of the emperor.

Hongzhao was unaware of the significance of being the Crown Prince. He only knew that, at his father's urging, his grandfather had agreed to allow him to skip early morning classes.

Hongzhao, grinning from ear to ear, ruthlessly picked a flower from the roadside flowerbed and presented it to Kangxi.

This was the first time Kangxi had ever received flowers. Faced with Hongzhao's innocent, chubby face, he was so moved that he almost covered his face and wept.

"Hongzhao is such a good boy," Kangxi said, looking at Yinreng.

Yinreng looked at Kangxi expressionlessly. He was forty years old, and the brightly colored flower in his hand was hardly a pleasing sight.

“When I was four years old, I already knew how to write the character for longevity for my father,” Yinreng said.

The implication is that Hongzhao's gift of a flower is incomparable to what he gave back then.

Emperor Kangxi's jealousy extended to his son; this was truly an eye-opener.

"I didn't mean anything by it. Hongzhao is filial, and you should be too." Kangxi hurriedly coaxed Yinreng when he saw that he was jealous.

Hongzhao, a beat behind, said, "Hongzhao also wrote the character 'longevity' for his grandfather, who praised it, saying it was better than what his father wrote back then."

It's over.

Kangxi, holding the flower, neither walked nor stopped: "Hongzhao, Grandfather has spotted a pavilion ahead. Let's go and enjoy the view."

Kangxi carried Hongzhao and fled in panic, disappearing into the distance in the blink of an eye.

Liang Jiugong, along with his guards and palace maids, followed behind, carrying things in their hands, and ran off in a flash.

Tong Wanyan glared at Yinreng: "You're amazing, Your Highness. You can even talk back to Father Emperor."

Yinreng smiled ingratiatingly, "It's all thanks to Xiao Yan's excellent teaching. Look how close my relationship with Father Emperor is now. Father and son, what can't we say to each other? Besides, Father Emperor raised me from scratch. That bond is something no one else can compare to."

Tong Wanyan chuckled and, holding Yinreng's hand, continued to stroll leisurely through the garden.

“Your Highness looks best when you smile,” Tong Wanyan said.

Yinreng turned his head and whispered, "I look good no matter what."

The two of them took advantage of Tana and Hongsheng being too young to understand what they were saying, and their interactions were incredibly sweet.

When Yinreng and Tong Wanyan slowly walked into the pavilion, Kangxi held Hongzhao on his lap and gently told him a story.

Yinreng had heard that story when he was a child. Years later, when he heard it again, his nose tingled with emotion.

How big could the pavilion for resting be? A few people sitting inside would fill up all the seats.

Yinreng couldn't help but sniffle, the sound of which made Kangxi turn around, and he happened to see Yinreng's red eyes.

Yinreng avoided Kangxi's gaze, embarrassed. It was a bit shameful for a grown man to be crying like that.

"Father always loved to tell this story; I knew it by heart when I was little." Yinreng's nose was still sore, and his voice was slightly nasal. He proudly complained about Kangxi's storytelling skills, which hadn't changed in decades.

Unexpectedly, he was slapped in the face by his own son a short while later.

Hongzhao, unfazed, poked his head out and said in a childish voice, "Grandpa, the story you told me, I've heard it from you before. You told it to us when you were putting us to sleep yesterday."

Emperor Kangxi stroked Hongzhao's round head, which was covered in soft baby hair that felt wonderful to the touch.

"This story was told by my grandfather, the Emperor," Kangxi said with a loving smile to Hongzhao.

Turning to his father, Kangxi continued, "When your father was little, he loved listening to this story. He never tired of it. Once, I was so busy that I forgot to tell it to him before he went to sleep, and he cried and fussed."

Hongzhao blinked cleverly: "So Father is a baby too!"