Emperor Kangxi was so angry that his beard trembled. "You openly attacked the Crown Prince in Yuqing Palace, and you still don't know you're wrong?"

“It was clearly the Crown Prince who provoked me first, Your Majesty…” Before the Eighth Prince could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Kangxi.

"Enough! The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, the future emperor. How dare you lay a hand on him? This is utterly lawless!" Kangxi glared at the Eighth Prince, his eyes filled with disappointment. "Did you lay a hand on the Crown Prince because you are dissatisfied with me?"

"Father, I was wrong! I acted on impulse!" Seeing the situation was not good, the Eighth Prince quickly knelt down and begged for mercy.

Upon seeing this, the Crown Prince said to Emperor Kangxi, "Father, considering that this is my eighth brother's first offense and that I was not injured, I humbly request that you show leniency."

"I don't need your fake kindness! Aren't you just putting on an act here to gain a good reputation for yourself? I don't need it!" The Eighth Prince looked at the Crown Prince with resentment.

Kangxi's expression, which had eased slightly, darkened further. "Yinsi, if you don't want to hold a funeral for Consort Liang, then go ahead and cause trouble here! I have already shown you and your son leniency; don't be so ungrateful!"

The Eighth Prince gritted his teeth and said, "Your subject will return to the manor immediately!"

He must now ensure his mother's proper burial; as for the Crown Prince, there is still a long way to go.

"Yinzhi, shouldn't you apologize to the Crown Prince for your behavior just now?" Kangxi said to the Eighth Prince.

The Eighth Prince ignored Kangxi's words and left without looking back.

"You unfilial son!" Kangxi said, pointing at the Eighth Prince's back.

"Father, please calm down! Eighth Brother is probably in a bad mood because of Consort Liang's passing!" the Crown Prince said to Kangxi.

Emperor Kangxi sighed and looked at the Crown Prince. "Crown Prince, escort me back to the Qianqing Palace!"

"Yes, Your Majesty, I obey!" the Crown Prince replied.

He Xue looked at the Crown Prince with concern. The Crown Prince patted He Xue's hand to comfort her, and then went to the Qianqing Palace with Kangxi.

After the Eighth Prince returned to his residence, Tana had already arranged for the mourning hall to be set up.

The Eighth Prince went straight to Consort Liang's memorial hall. He gazed silently at Consort Liang's memorial tablet, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

"Mother, your son is unfilial, unable to provide you with a peaceful life while you were alive. Now, even your funeral can only be held hastily..." the Eighth Prince murmured to himself, tears glistening in his eyes.

Just then, a servant came to report that the eldest prince had arrived with a group of his brothers. The eighth prince wiped away his tears, turned around, and walked out of the mourning hall.

"Eighth brother, please accept my condolences! If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask!" the First Prince said with concern.

"Thank you, elder brother!" the Eighth Prince said, bowing.

Although the eldest, third, and fourth princes had some complaints about the eighth prince and Consort Liang, they were still brothers and had to maintain appearances, which is why they came to the eighth prince's residence.

Because Consort Liang was not buried in the imperial mausoleum after her death, the ministers in the court guessed that Consort Liang must have done something to anger Emperor Kangxi. Moreover, since the floods in Jiangnan, the Eighth Prince had not been given important positions by Emperor Kangxi, so very few people came to pay their respects.

The Eighth Prince had witnessed firsthand the sycophantic and condescending attitudes of these people.

In the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Kangxi was momentarily at a loss for words when speaking to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince could see Kangxi's predicament, but he didn't speak and just waited for Kangxi to open his mouth.

Liang Jiugong, watching from the side, grew increasingly anxious. "Your Majesty, why are you being so hesitant? Speak directly to the Crown Prince!"

"Ahem!" Kangxi cleared his throat. "Baocheng... Your Majesty misunderstood you about what happened before! Your Majesty shouldn't have doubted you!"

The Crown Prince did not respond to Kangxi's words, but instead asked a question he had always wanted to ask.