Hongyun followed behind Honghui and saw that his older brother had a stern face, just like his father. He shrank back.

"Big brother, can big sister's face be restored to its original state?" Hongyun walked a few steps in Honghui's shadow, and asked somewhat blankly in the moonlight.

His older sister was always very kind to him. Although his mother didn't like his older sister, Hongyun liked her very much. She played with him, read to him, and even lulled him to sleep.

Although we've seen each other less in recent years as we've gotten older, the memories from my childhood have remained vivid and undiminished.

“Of course,” Honghui said in a deep voice. “You should spend more time with the eldest princess these days, so she won’t overthink things and it won’t be good for her recovery.”

Hongyun nodded hurriedly: "And what about you, big brother?"

“Big brother has more important things to do.” Honghui turned around, the moonlight shining on his profile, casting a half-shadow.

Hongyun felt that his older brother seemed to be smiling, but upon closer inspection, he couldn't see it and assumed he was mistaken.

The two brothers returned to their respective courtyards. Honghui once again sorted through the eldest princess's words in his mind and deduced that his mother suspected his eighth aunt.

Since that's the case, let's collect some interest first, Honghui thought to himself.

The next morning, Yi Hua glanced at Hong Hui and noticed that his small bag was bulging. She asked, "Hong Hui, what are you bringing to the palace today?"

"Oh, it's the book my son promised to give to Brother Hongqing. He forgot about it a few days ago." After Honghui finished speaking, he and Yinzhen got into the carriage.

Yi Hua nodded. Hong Hui's bag hadn't been fully packed, and a corner of it was sticking out. Yi Hua recognized it but couldn't quite place it. She didn't pay it any mind. She had to stay with the eldest princess today. A doctor from the common people had already come to consult her, and the mansion couldn't be left unattended.

Yinzhen sat in the carriage and glanced at Honghui: "Hongqing asked you to borrow a book?"

Honghui realized what was happening and subconsciously stuffed the things into his bag, then zipped it up: "Father, it's just some casual reading. It's rare that Brother Hongqing is interested in it."

Yinzhen sneered and didn't expose him. It's normal for children to have some secrets as they grow up, as long as it's not the two of them passing around erotic books.

Seeing that Yinzhen didn't press the issue further, Honghui wiped away imaginary sweat from his brow, and the two entered the palace without a word, parting ways.

Half a day passed quickly. Honghui slung his crossbody bag over his shoulder, told Hongqing that he had something to do at noon, and headed towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

When Liang Jiugong heard from his apprentice that Prince Honghui was requesting an audience, he found it quite intriguing.

It should be noted that Emperor Kangxi had favored Honghui for so many years, and it was always Emperor Kangxi who summoned him; Honghui had never taken the initiative to request an audience.

"Then something must have happened," Liang Jiugong thought for a moment, then raised his voice slightly at the entrance of the Hall of Mental Cultivation: "Your Majesty, Prince Honghui requests an audience."

After a moment of silence, Kangxi's voice rang out: "Summon them!"

Then, a woman in palace attire walked away reluctantly, turning back to look at him several times.

Honghui kept his eyes straight ahead, but out of the corner of his eye he saw a beautiful woman with disheveled clothes and messy hair roll her eyes at him.

Tsk, the timing of this visit is a bit off; it's disturbing the Emperor's romantic time.

Following Liang Jiugong into the inner room, Honghui obediently knelt down to pay his respects: "Honghui greets His Majesty the Emperor."

"Get up." Kangxi sat down at his desk, gesturing for Honghui to come over. "Read!"

Honghui read the memorials to Kangxi as usual. Kangxi listened quietly with his eyes closed, offering no comment. Honghui would put each memorial aside after reading it, and within half an hour, he had finished reading the entire stack of memorials.

Honghui, whose mouth was parched, took a sip of the tea offered by the eunuch.

It's so bitter.

"Why did you take the initiative to see me today?" Kangxi was pleased to see his grandson's face contorted in a grimace. "It's not that your grandfather misses you, it's that he can't see you at all."

You know, countless people with the surname Aisin Gioro submit daily memorials to pay their respects, just hoping to be seen by him in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Only this kid Honghui does the opposite, and he really thinks about him every day.

“My grandson has recently learned a new skill.” Honghui smiled somewhat embarrassedly and took out two items from his satchel and placed them in front of Kangxi. “Fourteenth Aunt is going to give Honghui a new little brother. As the elder brother, Honghui wants to prepare a unique gift for the occasion. Please take a look.”

"Grandpa, look, this little wooden bow is a miniature version of Uncle Fourteen's precious golden bow that I carved. Although it's still a bit rough, it will be fine after some polishing. Anyway, there are still a few months left."

Honghui put down the wooden bow and picked up a rattle drum: "I was worried that the wooden bow wouldn't turn out well, so I prepared a backup plan, which is the rattle drum that Liuliu loved as a child. I took this out secretly. If Liuliu finds out, she'll cry again."

"Grandson, let's put it in Mam Palace first, so it can share in Mam's good fortune." Honghui happily imagined his future as the older brother.

"You like this child that much?" Kangxi asked, noticing the rough carving of the wooden bow.

“My fourteenth uncle has treated his grandson like his own son since he was a child. In return, the grandson treats his children as his own younger brothers,” Honghui said solemnly.

"Besides, my brother Hongyu in the Prince's mansion is not in good health and rarely participates in strenuous exercise. He goes back to the mansion after school. The two brothers in the Crown Prince's second uncle's palace cannot go out of the palace to play at any time. Although my grandson is on good terms with my brother Hongqing, he still has his own younger brother to take care of. The brothers of my fifth and seventh uncles are all taciturn, and my ninth and tenth uncles are all sisters."

"My grandson only has one younger brother, Hongyun. It would be nice to have another one to make things more lively."

Honghui counted them on his fingers, talking about his small wishes.

"If you want a younger brother, have your mother give birth to one," Kangxi joked. "Don't bring out this wooden bow to embarrass yourself. Keep it here with me, and you can make another one."

"Huh?" Honghui didn't expect Kangxi to confiscate his hard work like that. He looked at the wooden bow with reluctance and said, "This is already my best achievement."

Emperor Kangxi smiled and said, "Your Grandfather taught me that the best is always the next one."

Honghui thought about it, nodded, and felt that what he said made a lot of sense.

When it was time, Honghui excused himself and went back to class, leaving the wooden bow on Kangxi's desk, out of place with the exquisite decorations.

"This child is quite close to the Fourteenth Prince." Kangxi knew that the relationship between the Fourth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince was somewhat awkward, but he did not expect that the next generation would not have any barriers. Indeed, blood ties are the strongest bond.

Kangxi started flipping through the memorials again, and suddenly he did some calculations: "Liang Jiugong, why didn't Honghui mention that the Eighth Prince's children didn't get along?"

Liang Jiugong smiled somewhat awkwardly: "Well, there are no princes or princesses born in the Eighth Prince's mansion yet."

Kangxi was somewhat surprised and looked up at Liang Jiugong: "They weren't born yet?"

Liang Jiugong lowered his head even further: "There is still no good news."

"Wow, the Aisin Gioro family really does produce lovers generation after generation." Kangxi said indifferently, his good mood from talking with Honghui just now gone. "Send a message to Consort Liang, and tell her to find a few fertile children for the Eighth Prince."

"Your servant obeys the decree."