Hershey smiled. She knew the little girl was still very young, but she had to start thinking about it.

The older she gets, the more urgent this matter becomes. Fortunately, she is still clear-headed and physically strong, so we can settle this matter sooner rather than later.

When my health declines, I might not have the energy to take care of my granddaughter anymore. That's how it is when you get old; you never know what your health will be like in the next moment.

However, this doesn't mean we should marry her off in the next few years. It just means we can find her a suitable husband sooner rather than later.

It's best to think about it beforehand, so that you're not unprepared and end up hurting his little girl!

What she wants to emphasize to Zhuzhu now is exactly what her relationship with the Crown Prince is like.

If the two really have no relationship, then she would certainly advise Zhuzhu to stay away from the Crown Prince. But if they really do have a relationship, then it's going to be a bit troublesome. However, she should also think about what to do...

"Then what do you and the Crown Prince think about Zhuzhu?" Hesheli asked with a smile. She lifted the curtain and led Jingrou inside, seemingly casually, but Jingrou was immediately taken aback.

Her voice was very gentle, but her grandmother had never brought up such a topic to her abruptly.

She still doesn't know what she was thinking. A few years ago, Wenying had mentioned this matter to her and reminded her. Jingrou really did subconsciously want to stay away from Yinreng.

But it didn't take long before he seemed to notice.

Yinreng didn't say much and continued to play with her as usual. If she showed any sign of wanting to distance herself, he would look at her with a very sad look that made her feel bad—it was as if she were seeing the boy who stood there all alone when she was a child, as if she had been abandoned once again.

Although Yinreng appeared gentle and refined, he never yielded in front of outsiders. Under that kind of gaze, Jingrou couldn't hold out for long; she was someone who responded to gentleness but not force.

Anyway, things got a bit confusing after that... The two of them still spent time together, and although they were mindful of the boundaries between men and women, they were still quite close, at least in the eyes of outsiders.

So she didn't know what to do, and she didn't know what she was thinking.

Perhaps it's because their relationship has lasted so long, and they've maintained a friendly connection for so long, that she's finding it hard to distinguish between friendship and what constitutes liking someone.

Because this way of getting along and the relationship had become so natural, she couldn't perceive anything wrong or inappropriate, and it had been subtly influencing her for so many years.

Hesheli didn't intend to pressure her. She patted her hand and continued, "It's alright, Zhuzhu. You can think about this matter carefully. What do you think? Your grandmother isn't trying to force you. She just wants to see you happy and wants to plan for this matter for you as soon as possible. So, Zhuzhu, if you have any thoughts, you can tell your grandmother."

Jingrou looked into her eyes, nodded, and agreed.

******

Qianqing Palace

Late at night, Emperor Kangxi summoned Yinreng.

Do you know why I summoned you here?

Yinreng lowered his head and said, "I don't know, but I feel that Father would never give up on this matter. I believe that Father and I are of one mind!" When he raised his head, his eyes were not filled with the frustration of being confined for several days, but rather sparkling, as if he were still full of ambition.

Emperor Kangxi, who had originally intended to tease him, couldn't help but snort when he met his clear, bright eyes. "You've been hiding in Yuqing Palace, but you've caused me a lot of trouble. You have no idea how many times those people have come to me, nagging and complaining!"

Emperor Kangxi naturally played the role of a benevolent ruler when he was out in the world, so he couldn't get angry at those loyal ministers. When he returned home, he took his anger out on the brat in front of him!

He found the person in front of him increasingly displeasing. He had been summoned several times, and even his meals and sleep were disturbed. But his son was hiding in Yuqing Palace, living a comfortable life, with no shortage of food or clothing!

Yinreng twitched the corner of his mouth. It was clearly his father who had initially confined him to Yuqing Palace, but now that he was talking about it, his father felt resentful!

"Father, as you know, changing this matter will be fraught with difficulties. This is just the beginning. However, I believe that with your wisdom and intelligence, you will be able to handle this matter properly."

Even at this point, he still dared to banter with Emperor Kangxi.

Emperor Kangxi was furious and glared at him. Of course he knew, but this son was really not cute at all!

He used to coax him with a few words, but now he only says these useless things. Doesn't he know that this matter is very difficult? But if it is difficult, he will not do it. How can he face the ancestors of the Aisin Gioro clan?

You're still trying to flatter him, but you should know that you're completely immune to his flattery anymore!

When the late emperor passed the throne to him, the Qing Dynasty was in dire need of reconstruction.

After more than 20 years of development, it is now thriving. Is it really going to decline like this? How will it explain the rest of its life?

So even if it's difficult, he has to do it. There's no need to listen to his nonsense.

"But do you know what kind of situation you will face once this matter begins, as the one who first started it?" Emperor Kangxi narrowed his eyes.

He couldn't keep the Crown Prince locked up in Yuqing Palace forever, and if he were to do this, it certainly wouldn't be for a year or two, nor could he keep Yinreng hiding forever.

This is not at all the demeanor of an emperor, and he would never allow his beloved crown prince to cower in the sidelines.

Although he was the emperor, he could not openly confront so many ministers. Even if those ministers harbored resentment but dared not openly oppose him, they would definitely find someone to take action against, and the best person for that would be the crown prince.

If they could kill the crown prince without anyone noticing, even if Emperor Kangxi suspected them, they wouldn't know who did it!

Sometimes, even emperors have many unavoidable circumstances, including situations where they cannot find evidence to avenge their beloved sons!

So, did Bao Cheng really consider his own situation and the circumstances he might face?