After a long while, Hongli finally regained his composure. He took a deep breath and asked, word by word, "Does Hongzhou know about this matter?"
"No, although I don't know why Hongzhou has some doubts now, he can't be sure that I am his birth mother." Lanqin didn't want to hide it from Hongli, so she told him about Hongzhou's private trip to Huangjue Temple to inquire about the situation when he prayed for rain at the altar back then.
The Fourth Prince put down his cup and slowly said, "I have ordered that those who knew about this matter back then must not spread it, so no one will tell Hongzhou about it."
Upon hearing the Fourth Prince's words, Hongli was even more puzzled. Why would his father and mother tell him about this today?
"And now..."
The Fourth Prince naturally knew what Hongli was wondering about. "I'm telling you this, but you still have to keep it a secret. Don't tell Hongzhou."
"But what if Hongzhou asks why I shared the Empress Dowager's profits with him?"
"You just need to state that these private properties belong to your imperial father," Lanqin said softly with a sigh.
The Fourth Prince nodded and solemnly instructed Hongli, "Just do as your mother tells you."
"Father, I don't understand why I can't tell Hongzhou about this." Hongli had always had a close relationship with Hongzhou. When Hongli first learned that Hongzhou was his twin brother, he was very shocked, but now that he had recovered, he was more happy.
In the past, if the Emperor and Empress Dowager worried that the twins couldn't be raised together, now that he and Hongzhou are both adults, why can't they make Hongzhou's life or death public? Why keep Hongzhou a secret from the world?
Seeing the confusion on Hongli's face, Lanqin naturally knew what Hongli was thinking, but Lanqin and the Fourth Prince also had their concerns. Lanqin pursed her lips and frowned, saying, "Hongzhou will always be your good brother and Prince He. If we tell him the truth, I'm afraid it will cause some disturbances."
Upon hearing Lanqin's words, Hongli understood that his smooth succession was largely due to his mother's favor with his father, the Emperor. His status was incomparable to that of his father's other sons, which is why no ministers stood up to oppose him when his father announced his succession.
However, if disloyal ministers in the court were to learn that Hongzhou was also born to the Empress Dowager, some would develop ulterior motives, and Hongzhou might one day stand against them and vie for the throne, inevitably leading to a bloody power struggle in the court.
Thinking of this, Hongli nodded in agreement; he was unwilling to take action against Hongzhou.
Seeing that Hongli nodded in agreement, Lanqin looked at him and said, "You must promise your mother that you will always protect the Qing Dynasty and treat your brothers and sisters well."
Lanqin didn't distrust Hongli; she simply distrusted the imperial power itself. How many people in this world could maintain their integrity under the temptation of imperial power? Hongzhou posed no threat to Hongli now, but what about in the future? Lanqin had always known, and history books had proven with bloodshed just how ruthless the struggle for imperial power could be.
But she didn't want to see such a thing happen to her child; she didn't want to witness another so-called 'nine princes vying for the throne'.
Seeing Lanqin's serious expression, Hongli did not hesitate at all and swore, "Your subject will follow Mother's wishes, protect this Great Qing, and treat your brothers and sisters well."
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