All good things must come to an end, and no group of people can perform on the same stage forever. Everything will eventually come to a close with the sound of music, and the people on stage will eventually leave so that a new play can begin.
The mystery of his origins that had lingered in Hongzhou's mind for so long also came to a perfect end. The matter of the mysterious letter finally came to a close after Qiuyun and her mother ran away together.
Having achieved her goal, Lady Geng led Hongzhou and his wife out of the palace. Although Qiuyun was absent on the return journey, Hongzhou and Lady Geng felt much more at ease.
After Geng and the others left, Lanqin told the Fourth Prince the whole story about Hongzhou. "Now Hongzhou will no longer doubt his background, so we can leave the palace with peace of mind."
The Fourth Prince nodded, gazing into the distant void, and slowly said, "It's best to say that this is the most appropriate way. Let Hongzhou never know, and let him live his life as a prince."
Although the Fourth Prince survived the struggle for the throne among the nine princes and ultimately emerged victorious, becoming the master of the Qing Dynasty and possessing supreme honor, with all under heaven belonging to the emperor, he still felt a sense of loneliness in the quiet of the night. Sometimes, he would reminisce about his youth.
Therefore, the Fourth Prince did not want such history to repeat itself with Hongzhou and Hongli. The Fourth Prince only hoped that Hongzhou and Hongli could be well and not lose their brotherly affection because of the mystery of the throne.
Now, the Fourth Prince feels that even if he can't ascend the throne, being a simple prince is still a good thing.
In particular, during that year, the Fourth Prince and Lanqin recuperated in the Yuanmingyuan Garden and visited Huizhou, where they experienced the tranquility of small bridges, flowing water, and traditional houses, and felt the simple life of working at sunrise and resting at sunset. Although the inn they stayed in was not as magnificent as the one in the Forbidden City, the Fourth Prince felt very content.
In the past, this was something that could only be dreamed of by the Fourth Prince, but he will soon be able to enjoy such a life.
"Soon, the Spring Festival will be over." Lanqin said softly, looking at the red wall in the distance. Then she turned to look at Fourth Master beside her. The two smiled at each other, their eyes only for each other.
Life is peaceful and serene, with my beloved by my side.
A few days later, the Fourth Prince and Lanqin left the palace quietly without alerting anyone. This time, the Fourth Prince and Lanqin did not inform Hongli in advance, but left only an imperial edict in the open behind the palace.
Although the imperial edict had been issued long ago, the Fourth Prince did not want to abandon the rules set by his ancestors.
By the time Hongli realized it, the Fourth Prince and Lanqin were no longer in the palace. Hongli gazed at the direction of the palace gate, tears welling in his eyes. He said silently, "Your subject will definitely govern this Qing Dynasty well, and your subject will definitely treat Hongzhou and Suhar well."
After a moment, Hongli withdrew his reluctance and regained his usual composure, his eyes filled with calm.
Now he is the master of this Forbidden City.
Hongli slowly walked out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and led the ministers waiting outside the hall to the Empress Dowager in broad daylight to retrieve the imperial edict.
The veteran minister Zhang Tingyu and the eunuch Su Peisheng, who was by the Fourth Prince's side, read aloud the contents of the edict. The edict had been prepared by the Fourth Prince long ago. It stated that Ji Changming, the director of the Imperial Observatory, had calculated the time when Hongli would succeed to the throne, and that Prince Bao Hongli would ascend the throne immediately.
After Su Peisheng uttered the imperial edict, Hongli stepped forward to receive it.
The ministers immediately knelt down and paid their respects to the new emperor.
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