After Hongli finished the sacrificial ceremony, he immediately returned to report to the Fourth Prince. When he arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation, he saw Su Peisheng standing outside waiting with a cautious expression.
"Eunuch Su, I've come specifically to report to Father Emperor about the sacrificial ceremony. Is Father Emperor inside now?" Hongli asked with a smile. Su Peisheng pulled Hongli aside, looked him up and down, and whispered in his ear.
"His Majesty is discussing matters with the Thirteenth Prince. Your Highness, please wait outside. No one is allowed to enter at this time..."
Hongli was startled and asked curiously, "Thirteenth Uncle? What is it?"
Su Peisheng lowered his voice and whispered, "It seems there's news about the Fourteenth Prince..."
Hongli paused, his expression shifting slightly. Thinking of what the Fourth Prince had said to him that morning, he couldn't help but worry about his fourteenth uncle, but more than anything, he felt for the Fourth Prince's situation and sympathized with him. He nodded silently, "Then...then I'll wait here. Father, when you have time, call me..."
Hongli went to the side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation alone and waited patiently.
Inside, the Fourth Prince sat solemnly at his desk, holding a letter in his hand. Below him, the Thirteenth Prince frowned, awaiting the Fourth Prince's words. After carefully reading the letter, the Fourth Prince slammed it heavily on the table, saying gravely, "As expected, it's still inextricably linked to the White Lotus Sect..."
The Thirteenth Prince stepped forward and asked with concern, "The Fourteenth Prince is in the White Lotus Sect? That makes things easier. We can wipe them all out in one fell swoop, lest these troublemakers harm the Qing Dynasty again..."
Fourth Master tossed the letter to Thirteenth Master, who quickly glanced at it, his expression turning troubled. "The White Lotus Sect has Fourteenth Master hiding on a small island at sea..." Thirteenth Master glanced at Fourth Master and said angrily, "Never mind, as long as Fourth Brother gives the order, I'll send ships to besiege the island right now. I think they're doomed this time..."
The Fourth Prince pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "This small island is located in the sea area outside Songjiang Prefecture in Jiangnan. If we rashly send troops, it will probably become public knowledge..."
Thirteenth Prince clenched his fist, angrily pounding his right hand, and said angrily, "At a time like this, what are you still worried about, Fourth Brother? If we don't bring Fourteenth Prince back soon, not only will the whole court know, but he might also cause you more trouble..."
The Thirteenth Prince approached and said urgently, "And then there's the White Lotus Sect. They've always been at odds with the court, repeatedly disrupting the political situation. If Fourth Brother is too soft-hearted, I'm afraid there will be more conflict..." The Thirteenth Prince suddenly stopped, looked at the Fourth Prince's expression, and hesitated before saying, "And... last time at the Yuanmingyuan, they almost killed Consort Xi!"
The Fourth Prince's expression changed drastically. He frowned and remained silent, suppressing his anger. He gritted his teeth and said, "No... The Qing navy is currently all around Fuzhou. This matter will get out, and I don't want to escalate the situation..."
Thirteenth Master sighed and said anxiously, "Fourth Brother, are we going to wait any longer? It would be such a waste if Seventeenth Brother had worked so hard to find this lead..."
The Fourth Prince glanced at the Thirteenth Prince, and after a long pause, said, "I have decided to secretly arrest the Fourteenth Prince..." He then instructed the Thirteenth Prince, "The Fourteenth Prince is, after all, a member of the royal family, and shares the same mother as me. I cannot allow the Qing Dynasty's scandals to be exposed. Moreover, his collusion with the White Lotus Sect is a grave taboo; I cannot let my ministers know... You go and arrange for a secret troop deployment with the Seventeenth Prince to encircle and annihilate the island, but remember, you must not make a sound..."
Thirteenth Prince nodded, reluctantly agreeing. As he left, he suddenly turned back, hesitating, and said, "Fourth Brother, what if Fourteenth Brother arrests us..." Fourth Prince remained expressionless, his eyes vacant as he stared into the distance, silent for a long time. Thirteenth Prince sighed and left alone...
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