Meanwhile, the Eighth Prince's wife, dressed in court attire, arrived at the palace gate and requested to see the Fourth Prince.
When the Fourth Prince saw that the Eighth Prince's wife wanted to see him, he granted her permission.
He knew that this niece of Consort Yi was a formidable figure, and moreover, she was the niece of Prince An, making her a distant cousin of the Fourth Prince. The Eighth Prince's wife, dressed in her court attire, entered the palace and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to see the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince had always disliked the Eighth Prince's wife, partly because of Consort Yi. Therefore, upon seeing her, he also had a cold face and asked her what business she had come to see him. The Eighth Prince's wife knelt down to pay her respects and then begged the Fourth Prince to forgive the Eighth Prince out of consideration for their brotherhood. The Fourth Prince coldly replied that he should not consider brotherly affection; the Eighth Prince had secretly conspired with Hongshi to rebel, had he considered any brotherly bond?
When Su Peisheng came to report, the Fourth Prince was reviewing the progress of the Eighth Prince's case presented by the Dali Temple. The Fourth Prince pursed his lips, his facial muscles twitched a few times, and he darkened his eyes, saying angrily, "I told you I wasn't here. What is she doing here at this time?"
Su Peisheng frowned, feeling troubled on both sides, and said anxiously, "Your Majesty, this servant has already spoken to the Fujin (principal wife), but no matter how I try to persuade her, she will listen to me and stand guard at the door saying she wants to wait for Your Majesty!"
The Fourth Prince put down the memorial in his hand, took a deep breath, and said, "Then let her in. Let me see what she has to say!" Su Peisheng breathed a sigh of relief and crouched down as he withdrew. Soon, the Eighth Prince's wife stormed in, having specially donned her court attire, indicating she had come prepared!
The Eighth Prince's wife clearly harbored some resentment, but she still respectfully bowed and greeted the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince knew that this niece of Consort Yi was a formidable figure, and in addition, the Eighth Prince's wife was also the niece of Prince An, making them cousins across generations. The Fourth Prince's dislike for the Eighth Prince's wife stemmed from the influence of Consort Yi.
The Fourth Prince, with a cold face, glanced at her casually and asked, "Eighth Princess Consort, no need for formalities..."
The Eighth Prince's wife straightened up, but the Fourth Prince didn't offer her a seat, leaving her awkwardly waiting to the side. The Fourth Prince deliberately continued reviewing memorials, ignoring the Eighth Prince's wife. Helpless, the Eighth Prince's wife could only kneel in the middle of the hall and cry out, "Your Majesty, I have come to beg Your Majesty!"
The Fourth Prince was startled. He raised his head, his brows furrowed in surprise, and said, "What is the Eighth Princess doing? Get up and speak!"
The Eighth Prince's wife shook her head, unwilling to get up. Finally, the Fourth Prince spoke, and the Eighth Prince's wife, not wanting to miss her chance, burst into tears, sobbing, "I came for the Eighth Prince! I hope Your Majesty will forgive the Eighth Prince..."
The Fourth Prince's expression froze instantly, and he said sternly, "So it's because of the Eighth Prince?" The Eighth Prince's wife sobbed and pleaded, "Your Majesty, I know that the Eighth Prince has made a grave mistake this time, but I beg Your Majesty to forgive him this time for the sake of our brotherhood!"
Fourth Master shifted his body and questioned, "Then do you know what mistake Eighth Prince made this time?"
The Eighth Prince's wife was fully aware of the private dealings between the Eighth Prince and Hongshi, and also knew that the drought in Gezhou Village was orchestrated by the two. The Fourth Prince was furious about this, and the Eighth Prince's wife naturally couldn't admit it. She avoided eye contact and stammered, "This concubine...this concubine knows that the Eighth Prince is always unconventional and acts without fear. His dealings with Hongshi are probably all a misunderstanding..."
The Fourth Prince angrily threw down the memorial in his hand, stood up, pointed at the Eighth Prince's wife, and rebuked, "Are you saying that I am angry because he is associating with his own son?"
Everyone in the hall was terrified by the Fourth Prince, their bodies going numb and no one daring to utter a sound. The Eighth Prince's wife trembled in shock, glancing timidly upwards. The Fourth Prince composed himself, his eyes flashing with anger, and roared, "The Eighth Prince has secretly colluded with Hongshi to plot a rebellion. Should I tolerate this?"
In her desperation, the Eighth Prince's wife prostrated herself on the ground, kowtowing repeatedly and pleading, "Your Majesty, please calm down! Your Majesty, please calm down! No matter what, the Eighth Prince is Your Majesty's brother! Your Majesty cannot be so cruel to the Eighth Prince! The Eighth Prince has been behaving himself these past few days and has never done anything out of line. It was only when Hongshi came to see the Eighth Prince that he acted in a moment of confusion..."
The Fourth Prince, arms behind his back, looked visibly resistant and disgusted, and asked in a low voice, "Foolish? Did he ever consider that I am his brother when he did these treasonous things?" The Eighth Prince turned his back, his tone filled with disappointment and anger as he mentioned Hongshi: "As for Hongshi, I will discipline him myself. Even if he is my son, I will treat him equally and will not protect him..."
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