The banquet for the elderly concluded successfully, and the guests and hosts departed. Emperor Kangxi ordered that each of the elderly be escorted back home, and that each person be given some Beijing specialties as a gift. This was something Hongli had suggested to Kangxi.
As expected, all the elderly people were very grateful for Kangxi's tolerant treatment of them, and the banquet for a thousand elders quickly became a popular story among the people.
That day, Hongli went to Hongzhou's room to tell him about his experiences outside. He said they hadn't found anything yet; those people had made all the arrangements beforehand, leaving no trace. Hongli and Zhao Kuangxun were only focused on heading north, desperately trying to avoid the pursuers, so they didn't pay attention to any distinguishing features, only concerned with escaping.
"Hongzhou, I have something to say to you." Hongli walked straight into Hongzhou's room, even though Hongzhou had already told his personal servant that he was not feeling well and could not receive guests.
"You, I don't want to see you." Hongzhou looked somewhat caught off guard when Hongli entered.
“Do we really have to end up like this? Hongzhou, we used to be inseparable brothers, and you argued with Hongtai and the others at the Thousand Elders Banquet, which shows you haven’t truly forgotten me as your brother, right?” Hongli said loudly.
Hongzhou stared intently at Hongli, and that feeling of pent-up frustration welled up inside him once again.
“I told you, if you have feelings for her, you should treat her well! What did I say to you that day when we left Jinan?” Hongzhou finally said.
Hongli knew that Hongzhou was deeply in love with Xueying. Although he himself was also somewhat attracted to Xueying, he had never been as pure and persistent in his feelings for her as Hongzhou.
"Not only did you fail to do so, but you also want to break off the engagement with her. Where do you think you'll put her?" Hongzhou's eyes held a stormy, sinister glint, as if it were about to engulf him.
"I... nothing really happened between her and me. Actually, I hoped she would marry you because you love her deeply..." Hongli said weakly at the end.
“I know Xueying isn’t the kind of shameless woman. But did you actually fall for her?” Hongzhou said with a mocking smile. “Perhaps a long time ago, she liked you.”
Hongli recalled what Kangxi had said to him, and what the Fourth Prince had said to him, but Hongzhou's words before him only made him feel helpless.
“Hongzhou, we are still good brothers, always will be. There are so many women in the world, how can you not like other women?” Hongli said.
"Yes, don't worry. I just hope you won't make me see Xueying sad again," Hongzhou said stubbornly.
"Don't you care about what happened to me after you all left?" Hongli said.
The two brothers chatted together again. When Hongzhou heard Hongli say that he had almost died on the road, he was shocked and asked Hongli in detail about everything he had experienced.
From then on, the two brothers resumed their former relationship, and Hongli was no longer troubled. Perhaps fate had brought these two women into his world at the same time.
Meanwhile, Fucha Mingyu suddenly wrote another letter to Hongli, filled with self-deprecating words, expressing her forgiveness of Hongli and her willingness to be good sisters with Xueying. This was likely because the Fucha family had seriously considered the matter and felt that Hongli marrying a princess from the Ulanara family at the same time wouldn't be a bad thing.
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