Su Peisheng stood guard outside the palace. The Fourth Prince was discussing matters with his ministers when a young eunuch from Yonghe Palace rushed over and whispered a few words in Su Peisheng's ear. Su Peisheng looked at the young eunuch in shock and asked him several times before letting him go.
Su Peisheng listened intently to the sounds inside the door, hesitating whether to barge in. Remembering the Fourth Prince's instructions not to disturb him under any circumstances, he paced back and forth at the door, conflicted. After much deliberation, he finally pushed open the door and rushed in. Ignoring the surprised and displeased looks from the ministers, he went straight to the Fourth Prince and said, "Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! A report has come from Yonghe Palace that Consort De has fainted again. She forbade Your Majesty to tell you the previous times, but this time it's more serious, and we dare not conceal it any longer..."
"When did this happen? Where are the imperial physicians? Have they gone?" Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince put down the memorial in his hand and asked anxiously. Su Peisheng looked around with difficulty, then looked at the Fourth Prince pleadingly: "Your Majesty, the imperial physicians have been guarding Yonghe Palace without daring to neglect their duties. Would you like to go and take a look yourself?"
Without a word, the Fourth Prince strode towards the door, completely ignoring everyone inside. Su Peisheng quickly bowed to the ministers and followed the Fourth Prince out.
After being fed a bowl of medicine by the imperial physician, Consort De struggled to slowly open her eyes. When the Fourth Prince saw that Consort De was awake, he excitedly grasped her hand, his face full of worry and tenderness. He leaned down and whispered to Consort De, "Empress Mother, your son has come. Are you alright?"
When Consort De recognized the person before her as the Fourth Prince, she suddenly became emotional, trembling as she tried to confide in him. However, she was too weak and could only watch him silently weep. The Fourth Prince panicked, frantically wiping away Consort De's tears: "Empress Dowager, don't worry, I understand. As long as you get better, I'll do whatever you say..."
Consort De convulsed, grasping the Fourth Prince's hands with both, her features contorted as she struggled to utter a few words: "Fourteenth Prince..." The Fourth Prince was stunned, frozen in place, his heart as cold as ice.
"Your Majesty, I did nothing to the Fourteenth Prince. He made a mistake and deserves to be punished. The Crown Prince is subject to the same punishment as commoners. He is a prince, and I have already brought him back and settled him in Changping. Your Majesty, you don't need to worry. Just focus on recovering." The Fourth Prince suppressed his grief and disappointment, his tone still gentle, though his movements carried a hint of resistance.
Consort De shook her head, tears streaming down her face, her eyes fixed on the Fourth Prince, and said, "Fourteenth Prince... he's your own brother... you can't... do this to him..."
The Fourth Prince's expression was stiff; he pursed his lips and lowered his head, refusing to look at Consort De. Consort De, using all her strength, gripped the Fourth Prince's hand, her fingers trembling uncontrollably: "Your Majesty, the Fourteenth Prince is ignorant... he listened to slanderous words, you... you are his... brother... you cannot abandon him..."
The Fourth Prince's eyes were red as he whispered to Consort De, "Empress Dowager, I have not given up on him. My father will not kill him. I will raise him for the rest of his life and let him live a leisurely life as a prince..." The muscles on the Fourth Prince's face twitched, as if he had made a difficult decision.
"If Your Majesty is truly willing, I... I want you to grant me a pardon... to the Fourteenth Prince. And I want you to swear, before our ancestors... that you will never harm the Fourteenth Prince..." Consort De stared wide-eyed at the Fourth Prince with longing, speaking each word solemnly.
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