Then, he turned his head and said, "Mother, I have something to ask you?"

As he spoke, he waved to the people next to him to leave.

Those who came with Hongxuan left the pavilion immediately upon his signal, while Hongtao and the others looked at Jiaming and, upon receiving her signal, also left, waiting in a place not far from the pavilion where they could not hear the conversation.

"Speak?" Jiaming asked.

Hongxuan hurriedly asked, "Mother, what's wrong with my elder brother? Why is he always sick? Is someone...?"

"No!" Jiaming answered Hongxuan firmly before he could finish speaking.

"What's wrong with my older brother? He's always sick."

Jiaming paused for a moment, organizing her thoughts, before saying, "This is a long story. Don't interrupt your mother. You'll understand once you hear what I have to say."

No matter how eager Hongxuan was to know, he could only hold back, so he nodded and agreed, "Okay!"

"As for you," Jiaming said seriously, glancing at Hongjing, who was leaning against Hongxuan with his arm around him. "What your mother is saying now, and what she will say here later, you either understand or you don't. Just don't tell anyone, understand?"

Little Hongjing nodded quickly and obediently said, "I know, it's a secret between the three of us—Mother, Brother, and Jing'er. I can't tell you."

Upon hearing this, Jiaming smiled with satisfaction, "Very good."

Hongxuan patted Hongjing's fluffy head to show his approval, then looked at his mother and said, "Mother, you tell me."

Jiaming immediately said, "Your stepmother's mother was from the Gioro clan, and your father was from the Aisin Gioro clan. Then your stepmother and your father had your eldest brother."

Hongxuan looked confused, not understanding what his mother meant by this. What did it have to do with his older brother's persistent illness?

Then, he heard his mother say, "Your father's adoptive mother was from the Tongjia clan, and your imperial grandfather's birth mother was from the Tongjia clan. Your imperial grandfather and Empress Xiaoyiren, from the Tongjia clan, only had one daughter, who died before she was a month old. Another Tongjia woman in the palace has been in the palace for many years but still has no children."

Hongxuan's eyes were filled with confusion and bewilderment. Jiaming looked at him, then lowered her head and gave another example, "Your eighth uncle and your eighth aunt. Your eighth aunt comes from the Guoluo clan, but her mother comes from the Prince An's Mansion, which is also the Aisin Gioro clan. For many years, she has had no health problems. Your eighth uncle does too, but they just don't have children."

Hongxuan's eyes were even more confused. The examples his mother had given earlier had some comparisons, but the Imperial Concubine, his eighth uncle and aunt, whether they had children or not seemed to have nothing to do with his eldest brother.

Jiaming also noticed that the examples that followed no longer mentioned those without children, but instead cited examples she knew of from Manchu families where children born after marriage were always sick or even died.

After hearing many examples, Hongxuan's eyes were no longer confused; instead, they were filled with an unbelievable sadness and heaviness.

Jiaming stopped. "Did you understand what your mother was trying to say?"

Hongxuan took a long time to speak; his voice, which should have been clear and melodious, was now hoarse.

“I understand. My parents are, are close relatives, like, like my elder brother…” For a moment, Hongxuan was speechless, and tears fell one, then two, onto the face of Hongjing, whom he was holding.

Hongjing touched the wetness on his face, looked up and saw his brother close his eyes, tears streaming down his face.

Not understanding why his brother suddenly cried, he looked bewildered and helplessly raised his chubby little hand to wipe Hongxuan's tears with his sleeve.

As he was wiping, he was suddenly hugged by his fourth brother, which startled him.

Hongxuan lowered his head and buried it in Hongjing's arms, which he was holding tightly, and tears streamed down his face.

Hongjing was even more at a loss and couldn't help but turn to his mother for help.

Jiaming sighed and whispered, "It's okay. Just let your fourth brother hold you and let him cry. Once he's cried it out, he'll feel better."

After hearing this, little Hongjing obediently let Hongxuan hold him and cry. His chubby little hands would occasionally pat his back gently, just like his mother would when comforting him.

Hongxuan, who was crying, seemed preoccupied and lacked his usual sharp ears.

The thought that his elder brother, like his mother had said about Empress Xiaoyiren's daughter, his aunt, and others, would die from illness filled him with fear and grief.

Such a strong and optimistic older brother, such a gentle older brother who treated him so kindly, such a good person—why did God treat him so badly?!

After crying for a long time, Hongxuan finally regained his senses.

He held back his tears, raised his head, and looked at his mother with red eyes, asking unwillingly, "Mother, you know medicine, you know medicinal cuisine, can't you cure him, or at least give my brother a proper treatment? If you're afraid..."

Jiaming sighed and interrupted, "Mother is indeed afraid of being framed, but more so because Mother's medical skills are not necessarily better than those of the imperial physicians. Mother has not had much practical experience, so she is not as good as the experienced imperial physicians in treating people. Moreover, your father values ​​your eldest brother so much and invited the most skilled imperial physicians. If they could not do anything, Mother would be even more helpless."

Upon hearing this, Hongxuan understood, but felt more disappointed. He was disappointed that his mother's medical skills were not as good as the imperial physicians'; otherwise, there would have been more hope for curing his elder brother's illness.

Immediately, Hongxuan's eyes lit up, and he said, "What about the common people? There are many hidden talents among them. Maybe someone can cure my brother?"

Jiaming looked at Hongxuan, suppressing her reluctance, and said, "Given how much your father values ​​your elder brother, how do you know he didn't do that?"

Hongxuan immediately deflated.

Looking at the dejected Hongxuan, Jiaming continued, "Moreover, your elder brother's weakness and illness are more due to congenital factors than acquired ones, making it more difficult to treat. Furthermore, regarding the medicinal cuisine you mentioned, didn't we entrust it to your father a long time ago, asking him to have it prepared for your elder brother? If it works, it works; if not, there's nothing we can do."

Hongxuan pursed his lips; it was indeed the case.

At this moment, Hongjing, who was in Hongxuan's arms, looked up at his fourth brother for a long time. Seeing that his brother's expression was still not good and his eyes were red, he knew that his fourth brother was not as well as his mother had said after crying.

Although the little guy seemed to understand what his fourth brother and mother were saying, he probably did understand that his eldest brother was sick and his fourth brother was worried and cried.

The little guy was a bit jealous and didn't like taking away the attention his fourth brother had for his eldest brother. Besides, his fourth brother had cried because of his eldest brother.

At that moment, Hongxuan and Jiaming were talking seriously, and neither of them noticed the little one's pouting jealousy.

"But don't worry too much, your eldest brother might pull through!" Jiaming said comfortingly. She knew medicine and was actually quite skilled. But after observing the eldest prince's improvement, she knew in her heart that he might still die young.