“Nonsense! Hongwen and Tai’an both said they saw you arguing at Jieyu Abyss. Then tell your father, how exactly did you fall into the water?” the Crown Prince roared.
"The road over there is a bit slippery. We were having a contest by the water to see who could throw their pebbles the farthest, and I didn't expect to slip and fall in," Hongxi said.
"Why do we have a stone-throwing contest?" the prince asked.
“It was my son who suggested it. He always acts so important, so my son said we should see who could throw their pebble the farthest, and that’s how we went to Jieyu Abyss,” Hongxi said.
"Has anyone seen where you two got lost?" Tai asked.
“The eunuchs and palace maids who were passing by all saw it,” Hongxi said.
"Did anyone see you fall into the water?" The Crown Prince pondered repeatedly how to tell the Fourth Prince about this, since it happened in the palace, his own son was alive, but his son had lost his life.
“I don’t know, I don’t know. I only found out he was dead when the eunuchs came to rescue me,” Hongxi said blankly.
“Your Highness, children sometimes misbehave. This was just two children being silly; it was simply an accident,” said the Crown Princess, Shi.
Li listened from the side and her heart skipped a beat. What did she mean by that? Did she mean that her eldest son was being silly and had pushed Hongjun?
“Your Highness, Hongxi wouldn’t lie. Your Highness, it’s been raining these past few days, and the area around Jieyu Abyss is indeed very slippery,” said Madam Li.
The Crown Prince nodded and stopped Shi Shi, who was about to speak again, saying, "Alright, let's leave it at that. You'll see, the Fourth Prince and Consort De will both come to inquire about this matter. Father Emperor, who is almost at Rehe, will also receive this news soon."
Seeing that the Crown Prince had said this, Lady Shi said no more.
Hongxi was taken back by Li Shi to be comforted, and everyone else was warned not to say anything to the outside world.
Meanwhile, the Fourth Prince entered the palace. The palace gates were already locked, but as a prince with Emperor Kangxi's golden token, he was allowed to enter.
Yonghe Palace.
The mother and son sat silently in their chairs. A palace maid served tea, but neither of them reached for the cups. Fueled by anger, the Fourth Prince stormed into the palace. He wanted to confront the Crown Prince about Hongxi's involvement with Hongjun, but ultimately refrained from rushing off to ask. Instead, he went to Yonghe Palace first.
"Fourth Prince, Hongjun is not blessed!" Consort De had been holding back for a long time, but finally said it. She had summoned all the eunuchs and maids who had seen Hongjun and Hongxi at Jieyu Abyss, as well as those who arrived at the scene to rescue them, and questioned them in detail.
"Mother, is it really an accident?" Fourth Master asked in a low voice.
"What, you suspect it was done by someone? Hongxi?" Consort De glanced at the Fourth Prince's eyes and asked.
"It's too much of a coincidence. My son just discovered a crucial clue, and then Hongjun had this accident," Fourth Master said. "My son thinks it's possible that Hongjun's death was caused by someone, not Hongxi, but someone else."
"Fourth Prince, you know that in the palace, you can't just say things without evidence. You have to have evidence," Consort De said.
"Yes, I know. That's why I came to the palace to discuss this with you, Mother. I want to tell you something. This matter involves the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess," the Fourth Prince said.
Consort De looked at him quietly, gesturing for him to continue.
"Your son has discovered that the person who instigated and seduced the deposed Prince Heshuo is a man surnamed Shi. This man is named Shi Junyan, and he is from the Shi family clan of Shi Bingde. He has almost fallen into your hands several times, but each time they escaped. Just today, your son and Magistrate Tang of the Capital went to a courtyard of the Shi family in Changping, and even found something very important." The Fourth Prince then told Consort De the whole story in detail.
Silence, a long silence.
"Fourth Prince, your Imperial Father may not be happy to hear this," Consort De said.
The Fourth Prince's heart skipped a beat. What he feared most was Kangxi's attitude. Judging from Consort De's words, what if the conclusion he reached after investigating was not what Kangxi wanted to see? If the Crown Prince could still be forgiven, would he have offended the future heir apparent beyond redemption?
“But Hongjun’s death is his father’s death. His son cannot be indifferent to his death!” Fourth Master swallowed a mouthful of water.
Consort De sighed and said, "Fourth Prince, that child is ultimately unlucky. Your mother has already investigated. If you still have any questions, your mother will call them all here."
"Where is Hongxi? Has Mother asked him?" Fourth Prince asked.
“Hongxi was so frightened he couldn’t speak. When I saw the child, he was terrified,” Consort De said.
“He was the last person Hongjun was with, we must ask him,” Fourth Master said.
“He is, after all, the Crown Prince’s son. The Crown Prince has already come and relayed Hongxi’s words. He said that the path to Jieyu Abyss was slippery, and the two of them accidentally slipped in,” Consort De said.
"He accidentally slipped in? Then why is he alright, but Hongjun is dead?" Fourth Master asked.
"Fourth Prince, it might really just be an accident," Consort De said.
"Mother, please summon the eunuch who rescued them. I want to ask him myself," said the Fourth Prince.
Consort De nodded and then gestured to a palace maid to summon those people. They were all still in Yonghe Palace, as Consort De was now in charge of the inner palace.
Several young eunuchs were brought before Consort De; they were the ones who first discovered Hongjun and Hongxi, and the ones who jumped into the water to rescue them.
"Who rescued Hongjun first?" Fourth Master glanced at him and asked in a deep voice.
"Yes, it is your servant," a tall eunuch replied.
"Did you see someone calling for help in the water, or did you reach down to the bottom and feel for them?" Fourth Master asked.
"I heard someone calling for help, so I ran over. I can swim, so I jumped in and felt around. I found a hand and pulled it out. I don't know who was who," the eunuch said.
The Fourth Prince then asked the other eunuchs, but their answers were similar, and he couldn't get any more information out of them.
"Fourth Prince, you should rest in the palace today. Go back tomorrow to arrange Hongjun's funeral. Alas, it's such a pity he was so young. Don't let him leave this world too lonely," Consort De advised.
Fourth Master couldn't sleep that night. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see Hongjun standing lively and energetic in front of him. He was Fourth Master and Li's eldest son. When he was first born, he had loved, kissed, and held him. But after Li committed a crime and committed suicide, he felt that he had really neglected him.
People only learn to cherish things after they lose them. Fourth Master silently shed a tear in the darkness, unable to sleep for Hongjun's untimely death.
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