Consort De gestured for Hongli to come to her side, and Hongli hurried over.

"Grandfather, is it possible for Grandfather's illness to be cured?" Hongli looked at Consort De with anticipation.

“Good child, your imperial grandfather will go to another place. He will be fine there. Hongli, go and call your father. Zufa is over there; Zufa has something to say to him. Go quickly!” Consort De’s well-maintained face showed a worried expression.

Consort De had a deep affection for Emperor Kangxi. Although Kangxi had favored his concubines for the past ten years, he always respected and trusted Consort De. Therefore, Consort De held the highest position among the four consorts, and she was the first to be received alone.

Seeing the serious expression on Consort De's face, Hongli dared not ask any more questions and quickly turned to find the Fourth Prince.

Following Consort De's instructions, the Fourth Prince avoided everyone's gaze and walked out from the back, then turned towards the side room where Consort De was to see her.

"Mother!" The Fourth Prince noticed that Consort De looked unwell and was rubbing her temples with one hand.

"All of you go out and guard the door. I have something to say to him alone," Consort De said to the palace servants with a frown when she saw the Fourth Prince arrive.

After everyone had left, Consort De gestured for the Fourth Prince to sit down. The Fourth Prince then chose a high-backed chair by the window and sat down.

"Come sit here, sit over here with your mother!" Consort De gestured for the Fourth Prince to sit opposite her.

"Mother, please speak." The Fourth Prince was clearly not used to Consort De's closeness. He was almost forty years old now, and he had more respect for Consort De, but less dependence on her.

"Fourth Prince, your Imperial Father has finally come to this day. He just told me inside that he wants to take good care of you two brothers. Do you understand what he means?" Consort De tightened her grip on her handkerchief.

"Mother, you flatter me. My son and Fourteenth Brother have always hoped to be brothers. But..." Fourth Prince naturally understood the meaning behind Consort De's words.

"Yinzhen, can you promise your mother that you won't be harsh on your younger brother in the future?" Consort De suddenly stood up and said. From her conversation with Kangxi, she already knew that the Fourth Prince was Kangxi's designated heir. As the mother of two sons, she couldn't help but worry about the other one, the youngest son whom she had always spoiled.

“Mother, if he were well-behaved and didn’t cause trouble, I naturally wouldn’t… But now he’s secretly recruiting soldiers in Duolunku and even colluding with cults!” Fourth Master said, frowning.

"Yinzhen, I'm begging you, your father is still alive. Promise me you won't punish him." Consort De walked up to the Fourth Prince and said.

“Mother, it’s not that I want to punish him, but he’s amassing an army in the west. Do you want me to just watch him throw the entire Qing Dynasty into chaos? Father is unwell, and I haven’t informed him yet what Yinzhen has been doing!” The Fourth Prince also stood up, looking into Consort De’s eyes, and said, “Mother, he is my own brother, and of course I don’t want to cause you distress. But do you want me to just let him capture us and allow him to break in with his troops?”

"No, Yinzhen wouldn't be so foolish," Consort De said, taking a few steps back in disbelief.

"Mother, the evidence I have is enough to convict him of treason!" Fourth Master said excitedly.

"Yinzhen, your mother begs you, please spare your brother!" Consort De pleaded.

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