"Fourth Prince, has something happened in the manor? Why did I notice that neither your primary wife nor your secondary wife came to the palace today?" After the evening ended, Kangxi still stayed behind to ask Yinzhen.
"Your Majesty, it's just that Honghui has a fever, and the Fujin (consort) is worried about leaving him at home to take care of him. Since Lady Yin is a concubine, I've let her stay at home since the Fujin hasn't come." Yinzhen lowered his head and answered respectfully.
"Honghui has a fever? What's wrong? Is it serious? Have you called the imperial physician?" Kangxi frowned slightly. He was still somewhat concerned about Yinzhen, the only legitimate son. After all, the fourth prince's offspring were not plentiful, and he only had one legitimate son. It was hard for Kangxi not to care.
"I've already summoned the imperial physician, and I believe he'll recover in a while." Yinzhen didn't really want to talk about this topic, but since the person asking was his father and the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, he had no choice but to answer.
"Well then, you should go back quickly." Kangxi nodded, showing no doubt about Yinzhen's words.
"Your subject takes his leave." Yinzhen bowed and withdrew, returning directly to his residence without lingering.
When Yinzhen returned to his residence, he intended to go directly to see Honghui. However, when he arrived at the door, he was astonished to find that the house was completely empty. He wondered if he had gone to the wrong place. He stepped back to check and found that he hadn't gone to the wrong place. Where had the person gone?
"My lord, my lord, the eldest prince has returned to Luoxue Pavilion with the concubine." Su Xiaobao had run herself ragged to reach Prince Honghui's room after hearing that Yinzhen had returned to the mansion. She saw Yinzhen standing at Prince Honghui's door and said breathlessly.
"Honghui is with the concubine?" Yinzhen asked in confusion.
"Yes, after you left, the Consort talked with the First Prince for half an hour before leaving. When she left, the First Prince got up on his own and followed her. The Consort originally didn't want to take the First Prince with her, but he insisted on going with her, so she had no choice but to take him back to Luoxue Pavilion." Su Xiaobao finished speaking in one breath after catching her breath.
"Hmm, then let Honghui go with the concubine." Yinzhen checked the time, thought for a moment, and decided not to go to Luoxue Pavilion. The little woman was probably already asleep by now. Besides, since Honghui was going with that little woman, he didn't need to interfere. Who knew Honghui might actually be doing well with her? Yinzhen's eyes flickered as he thought this. He didn't know the little woman's secret yet; perhaps he could learn something from Honghui this time.
Meanwhile, in Luoxue Pavilion, Yin Qingyi did not fall asleep as Yinzhen had expected.
"Honghui, would you like to go back to your room and sleep?" Yin Qingyi looked at Honghui, who was hugging a pillow and grinning at her, and had a terrible headache. This boy was not like this when he came back with her today. He did whatever she said without any trouble. Why is he arguing with her about falling asleep now?
Honghui remained silent, still grinning foolishly at Yin Qingyi.
"...Honghui, if you behave, I'll take you to play with your younger siblings tomorrow, okay? If you don't behave, your younger siblings won't play with you tomorrow." Yin Qingyi had no choice. As the saying goes, you can't hit a smiling face. Besides, Honghui's face was quite cute, so she couldn't bring herself to hit him. With a burst of energy, Yin Qingyi reached out and took Honghui's little hand, transferring some spiritual energy to it, and then pulled out her trump card.
“…Sleep.” Honghui’s silly grin faltered, and he looked at Yin Qingyi with a pitiful expression. Seeing that Yin Qingyi was unmoved, Honghui’s not-so-bright brain finally started working. Then, pointing at Yin Qingyi’s bed, he uttered a single word.
"No, you have to go back to your own room to sleep." Yin Qingyi shook her head mercilessly. Even if Honghui wasn't her biological son, he was already five years old and she couldn't possibly let him sleep with her.
"..." Honghui's silly grin vanished, replaced by a look of grievance as he stared at Yin Qingyi. The two stared at each other for a quarter of an hour, finally ending this grueling contest with Honghui's defeat.
"Your Highness, are you really planning to let the First Prince live in Luoxue Pavilion?" After Honghui left, Granny Qi asked softly, her eyes showing some disapproval. This is the Princess Consort's child; what's the meaning of it for him to live in Your Highness's courtyard now? What will outsiders say about Your Highness if they find out?
"Let's leave it at that for now. There's no other way, is there? I'll talk to him after the fifteenth when he's less busy." Yin Qingyi knew perfectly well that this was inappropriate, but Honghui was just being stubborn. You couldn't reason with him anyway.
"Sigh, how did things turn out like this?" Granny Naqi's feelings were complicated. Logically, she should be saddened for her master, but she didn't feel much sadness. Instead, she felt that the eldest prince's current state wasn't entirely without its benefits, at least for her master. With the eldest prince crippled, who in this mansion could compare to her master's child? Li Shi? She was just a concubine, and not even favored. How could she compare to her master?
"Perhaps it is fate," Yin Qingyi said softly. Compared to dying at the age of eight, isn't this a better ending? She just hoped that her mental disability could truly ward off that calamity. Yin Qingyi was still soft-hearted and couldn't bear to see a child die so innocently.
The next morning, Yin Qingyi felt someone standing beside her. Alarmed, she didn't open her eyes but released her consciousness. What she saw left her speechless. What was Honghui doing in her room so early in the morning instead of sleeping?
"Honghui, why are you here? And dressed so lightly, where are your servants?" Yin Qingyi opened her eyes, saw Honghui wearing only a thin shirt, and could only carry him into the bed, continuously channeling her spiritual energy into his body to dispel the chill. She was furious. Had Honghui gone mad and they gone mad too? They couldn't even keep an eye on such a small child! What if he caught a cold again?
"Hungry," Honghui said in a childish voice, his eyes still showing a dazed look, but with absolute trust and dependence on Yin Qingyi.
"...Qiuju!" Helpless, Yin Qingyi could only shout outside.
"Master, what's wrong? The eldest prince? What's the eldest prince doing here?" Qiuju immediately pushed open the door and came in, quite surprised to see Honghui in Yin Qingyi's bed.
"You're asking me? I'd like to ask you the same thing! How did Honghui get in? What are the servants who serve him good for?! Honghui ran out wearing only a single layer of clothing. It's so cold outside. If Honghui catches a cold, are they going to atone with their deaths?" Yin Qingyi was furious, and this was the first time she had ever lost her temper with Qiuju like this.
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