When the Fourteenth Prince saw Zhu Wanqing weeping, he couldn't bear it and reached out to wipe her tears, but he stopped in mid-air. What right did he have to wipe her tears? He was the one who drove Zhu Wanqing away in the first place, but now he had to rely on her to risk her life to save him.

Frustrated by his own uselessness, the Fourteenth Prince punched the edge of the boat, only to be struck by splinters of wood that hadn't been lifted, causing him to bleed profusely.

Zhu Wanqing exclaimed in surprise, grabbed the Fourteenth Prince's hand, and felt extremely distressed. She immediately tore off some cloth from her own body to carefully bandage the Fourteenth Prince's wound.

"What are you doing? Luckily, the injury isn't serious. Let's just bandage it up and stop the bleeding. We'll find a doctor when we get to a safe place..." Zhu Wanqing muttered to herself as she bandaged the wound, her face full of concern.

The Fourteenth Prince saw this and it touched the softest spot in his heart. He couldn't help but pull Zhu Wanqing into his arms.

Zhu Wanqing was startled, then quietly leaned against the Fourteenth Prince's chest. The familiar scent and warm touch made her feel as if the Fourteenth Prince had never left her.

"It is I who have let you down and made you suffer..." the Fourteenth Prince said to Zhu Wanqing with remorse.

Zhu Wanqing shook her head repeatedly: "No, I don't blame you. It was my own foolishness that almost led me astray!" She then looked up, her eyes filled with tears, and explained urgently, "But I had no choice. I was afraid that Master would leave me, so..."

The Fourteenth Prince looked at the person in his arms and said, "It's not your fault, it's mine..."

The two hugged for a while before letting go. The atmosphere was much better than before, and the Fourteenth Prince no longer avoided Zhu Wanqing. Only then did Zhu Wanqing ask, "Does Your Highness still want to compete for that position?"

The Fourteenth Prince remained silent, but Zhu Wanqing noticed the twitch in his facial muscles upon hearing this. The Fourteenth Prince then smiled bitterly and said, "Hmph... what right do I have to compete? My mere existence is a testament to my mother's desperate struggle..."

Suddenly, the Fourteenth Prince thought of Consort De, and his hatred for the Fourth Prince deepened, to the point that his hands unconsciously clenched together.

Zhu Wanqing gently stroked the Fourteenth Prince's hand, tenderly comforting him: "Although I have been far from the capital, I have inquired about your affairs. As for Consort De's matter, please let it go. As her mother, she must have done what she did for you willingly..."

The Fourteenth Prince frowned and said dejectedly, "My mother died without ever seeing me. It's my fault as her unfilial son, for I couldn't make her hold her head high. If only I could have... then my mother wouldn't have had such a life of regret..."

Zhu Wan smoothed down the Fourteenth Prince's brows and reminded him, "Your Highness is not without a chance. Everything can still be salvaged. It all depends on whether Your Highness can seize the opportunity... I know that the Eighth and Ninth Princes are at odds with Yongzheng. Why don't you go and contact the Eighth and Ninth Princes?"

Upon hearing Zhu Wanqing's words, the Fourteenth Prince fell into deep thought. He knew that his Eighth Brother had always harbored ambitions to seize the throne, but the late Emperor had already blocked his path. His Ninth Brother was also a staunch sworn brother of his Eighth Brother, utterly loyal to him. When it came to finding a partner, the Eighth and Ninth Brothers were indeed suitable.

Zhu Wanqing knew there was no time to rush things. Seeing the Fourteenth Prince's worried expression, she couldn't bear to say anything more. So she interrupted his thoughts, took his hand, and said, "Alright, alright, we'll think about it later. Now you should come back to the White Lotus Sect with me to rest. The White Lotus Sect is very safe. Even if Yongzheng finds us, it will take him a lot of effort, let alone capture us. Don't worry..."