"Uncle Emperor, are you going to say next that it's time to get married?" He Xue asked with a smile.

How did you know I was going to say that?!

"Isn't that what everyone says? When you grow up, the next thing that comes to mind is getting married!"

"Haha! Hahaha!" Kangxi was amused by He Xue's words. "Come on, tell me what kind of person you want to marry!"

The Crown Prince looked at He Xue nervously, afraid that she would reveal who she had married.

"I'll listen to my father and mother, I'll marry whoever they tell me to marry!" He Xue knew she would definitely get married eventually, and she would marry whoever Su Hetai told her to marry, since Su Hetai wouldn't harm her anyway.

Kangxi looked at Hexue with a headache. As expected of Suhetai's daughter, she gave him a headache just like Suhetai. Would Suhetai agree to let Hexue marry the Crown Prince?

He had been watching the Crown Prince's expression the whole time. When the Crown Prince saw He Xue, his eyes lit up, but for some reason, he suddenly became unhappy. He didn't seem to be in pain.

During dinner, Kangxi sat in the main seat, with the Imperial Noble Consort to his left and Hexue next to her. Logically, the Crown Prince should have sat to Kangxi's right, but today Kangxi had the Fourth Prince sit next to him, so the Crown Prince sat next to Hexue.

Emperor Kangxi felt that he was a truly qualified father, having gone to great lengths for his son's marriage. Even without the necessary conditions, he would create them for the Crown Prince, hoping that the Crown Prince would understand his good intentions.

The Fourth Prince looked at Kangxi in shock. "What's wrong with Father Emperor today? Why does he want me to sit with him? Could Second Brother have misunderstood?"

The Crown Prince naturally wouldn't mind who sat next to Kangxi, as this would give him the opportunity to sit next to He Xue. In recent years, he had also noticed from Kangxi's actions that Kangxi probably knew he could only be with He Xue, so Kangxi should now create opportunities for him and He Xue to be together!

The Imperial Noble Consort looked at the helpless Fourth Prince and glared at Kangxi. Why was she trying to scare her son?

He Xue also couldn't understand Kangxi's actions at this moment. "Could it be that Uncle Emperor has believed those rumors? Is he going to give up on Brother Crown Prince? But then again, could Brother Crown Prince really be incapable?"

If it weren't for the presence of Emperor Kangxi and the Imperial Noble Consort, the Crown Prince would have definitely shown He Xue whether he was capable or not.

"Get to work, what are you all standing around for!" Kangxi said, looking at the group of people standing there.

"Father, it would be better if Second Brother stayed by your side. I tend to smack my lips when I eat, and I'm afraid I'll disturb your meal!" Fourth Prince said, making up an excuse.

He Xue lowered her head, suppressing her laughter. Fourth Brother was really going all out to avoid being near Kangxi.

The Imperial Noble Consort couldn't bear to see Kangxi make things difficult for the Fourth Prince, so she said directly, "Crown Prince, you sit next to your Imperial Father, He Xue sits next to the Crown Prince, and Yinzhen sits next to his Mother!"

Kangxi chuckled awkwardly, "I'll do whatever my cousin says!"

Only then did everyone sit down and begin their dinner.

After the meal, Kangxi felt that the Crown Prince could still get close to He Xue. He also noticed why the Crown Prince was unhappy. Whenever He Xue said "Your Highness the Crown Prince," the Crown Prince's face would darken.

"He Xue, I remember you used to call Prince Bao Cheng 'brother,' why do you seem so distant now?" Kangxi asked.

“You, Uncle Emperor, said it yourself, that was in the past. Now that we’re all grown up, we should know proper manners!” He Xue said.

The Crown Prince also noticed that He Xue only showed him proper etiquette, while treating everyone else the same.

Kangxi looked at Hexue helplessly, not knowing what to say. He couldn't very well tell Hexue that she didn't need to be polite and that she should just do what she always did.

At this moment, the eldest prince and his wife arrived with their two daughters. With the children joining them, Chengqian Palace was filled with laughter.

"Aunt, you're so young and already a grandmother!" He Xue watched as the Imperial Noble Consort teased the eldest prince's two daughters.

"I'm not young anymore! I'm old!" the Imperial Noble Consort sighed.

I wonder when Emperor Kangxi will finally allow Yinzhen and the others to get married. The marriages have already been arranged, but he still won't let them get married. Does that mean the Crown Prince is a son, but the others aren't? Now, from the Third Prince to the Eighth Prince, they should all be getting married.