Yongcong was awakened by Wei Yan, the eunuch beside him. Upon hearing that the Jiuzhou Qingyan banquet was on fire, he was instantly wide awake, grabbed his coat, and ran outside.
He lived not far from Jiuzhou Qingyan, so he arrived at the scene of the accident in just a few steps.
The once elegant building is now engulfed in flames, its former appearance completely obscured. Yongcong's heart skipped a beat; his father couldn't possibly...
Yongcong was somewhat relieved after hearing Li Yu's report.
The place where Emperor Qianlong is resting tonight is some distance from the area where the fire is at its worst; he is on the other side, but the situation inside is also very dangerous.
Without thinking, Yongcong grabbed a bucket of water from the fire-fighting area, soaked himself completely, and rushed into the inferno.
Yongcong searched the room for a long time, but couldn't find Qianlong anywhere.
Fortunately, his efforts paid off. After passing through a large fire, he found Emperor Qianlong lying on the ground, crushed by a roof beam.
At this moment, Emperor Qianlong was close to falling into a coma. In his dazed state, he seemed to see his son and asked incredulously.
"Yongcong, is that you? Did you come to save Father?"
Ignoring the burning sensation in his palms, Yongcong laboriously lifted the roof beam, carried Qianlong on his back, and walked outside.
"Father, your son has come to save you."
The child who once needed to be held and nurtured by his parents has now grown up and can carry his elderly father on his back.
Emperor Qianlong was deeply moved, and a warm feeling washed over him.
If something were to happen to her, Yongcong would be the biggest beneficiary. He was the legitimate son of the Empress, his older brother had no right to inherit, and his younger brother was his own brother born of the same mother.
He was the prince most likely to ascend to that position after his own death; he could obtain everything smoothly without doing anything.
Yet he still bravely rushed into the fire and rescued himself. Thinking of this, Qianlong was even more satisfied with Yongcong.
Only after escaping danger could he finally relax and faint.
When Yunyi arrived after receiving the news, she saw her son carrying Qianlong out. She quickly ordered the imperial physician to examine the father and son.
Seeing the worry in his mother's eyes, Yongcong comforted her with a relaxed expression, "Mother, don't worry, I'm fine."
Yunyi could tell at a glance that he was just trying to comfort her. His face was red from the heat, a few strands of his hair were singed, his clothes were covered in marks, and his hands were clenched tightly. How could he be alright?
Qianlong had been rescued, and Yunyi had him carried to a nearby house for accommodation. She also instructed others to put out the fire as soon as possible.
Because the matter was of great importance, and fearing that the Empress Dowager's health might be affected by hearing the news due to her advanced age, she did not send anyone to report it.
The same applies to the concubines in the harem; they weren't informed, for fear that they would come and cause trouble.
So when Emperor Qianlong woke up the next day and learned about this, he greatly praised Empress Nara's actions.
If this news were actually told to the Empress Dowager, it would be inappropriate to disturb the elderly woman's sleep late at night, and this news would likely make her anxious.
Seeing the dark circles under the Empress's eyes, Qianlong knew she hadn't slept all night because of worry, and he felt a pang of heartache.
"Your Majesty is very kind. You handled things very well last night. You have also kept watch over me all night. Go back and rest!"
Yunyi had indeed been guarding this place the whole time, but now she was so tired that she couldn't stay any longer. So she didn't refuse, bowed, and left.
On the way back, Xiao Qi popped up: "Host, what you mentioned before, it wasn't about Emperor Qianlong encountering a fire, was it? But how did you know about this in advance?"
At this point, Yunyi stopped keeping Xiaoqi in suspense and explained directly.
"This is all thanks to the novels I've read. I've forgotten which book it was from, but it says that in the thirty-second year of Qianlong's reign, a fire broke out at the Jiuzhou Qingyan banquet in the middle of the night. It was the Fifth Prince Yongqi who bravely rescued his father, rushing into the sea of fire to save Qianlong."
“But now that the Fifth Prince is gone, I should naturally let my son take such a great credit.”
Xiaoqi was still a little doubtful: "But, because of you, many things have changed. How can you be sure that this will definitely happen?"
“Xiao Qi, why should I be sure if it will happen? I just said I was a little worried about Qianlong and asked Yong Cong to keep an eye on it. It doesn’t matter if nothing happens. He will just think that his mother is overthinking. It’s just between the two of us. I won’t say anything, and he won’t say anything either. Nobody else knows.”
"If that had really happened and he had saved Qianlong, then in Qianlong's heart, he would have been the best and most outstanding son who had saved his life."
Thinking about what had just happened, Xiaoqi felt a wave of fear: "But what if Yongcong had an accident because of this? How can you, as his mother, not feel sorry for him at all!"
"What are you saying? Do you think only your godmother cares? I was prepared before I let him go, okay?"
"Historically, Emperor Qianlong was unharmed in this fire. If the fire had been really big, Yongcong wasn't stupid; he wouldn't have gone to rescue people himself."
Yun Yi waved the prop in her hand: "Xiao Qi, have you forgotten? If something really happens, I still have props. I won't let Yong Cong get hurt."
The Emperor's residence, the Jiuzhou Qingyan, caught fire, nearly causing the Emperor's death in the flames. Emperor Qianlong was furious and ordered a thorough investigation.
After confirming that no one had actually done anything wrong and that it was merely the negligence of the eunuch on night watch, he ordered all the palace maids and eunuchs involved to be executed as a warning to others.
As for the good son who saved him, Emperor Qianlong directly ordered that the third prince born to the Empress be granted the title of Prince Rong.
Upon receiving this decree, the entire court and the inner palace were greatly shocked. It should be noted that Emperor Qianlong's eldest son, Yonghuang, was currently just a bald prince without any title.
The Third Prince was only fifteen years old when he became a prince, which was truly a great honor.
The following year, in the spring of the thirty-third year of Qianlong's reign, a selection of consorts was held in the capital. Fucha Yining, the eldest daughter of Fucha Fuheng, the First-Class Duke of Loyalty and Bravery, was chosen as the consort of Prince Rong, and the wedding was to take place on a chosen date.
Emperor Qianlong also issued an imperial edict, bestowing a marriage upon Fukang'an, the third son of Fuheng, and Princess Gulun Herui, with the wedding to be held on a chosen date.
Because Emperor Qianlong wanted to keep his daughter for another two years, the wedding date was set for two years later, when He Rui turned eighteen.
Emperor Qianlong, who was eager to have a grandson, had a double standard when it came to Yongcong's marriage, setting the wedding date for the end of the year.
Poor Fucha Yining, she was only fifteen years old when she had to marry and enter the deep palace.
Knowing Qianlong's plans, she was afraid that he would urge the young Fucha Yining to have a child, and she was also afraid that Yining would be pressured to have a child at a young age, and that something might happen to her because of childbirth.
Therefore, before the marriage, Yunyi had been looking for opportunities to help Fucha Yining improve his health.
Although she is only fifteen years old, her body is already as developed as that of an eighteen or nineteen-year-old girl.
So, not long after the young couple got married, good news came out: the wife of Prince Rong was pregnant.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
