Hongli, who was reprimanded, was unconvinced. Always respectful of his mother, he did not yield this time, but instead argued his case.
"Hongchang acts recklessly, has he ever considered the dignity of the royal family? If I can't even stand up for my own woman when she's being bullied, what kind of man am I?"
Consort Xi slammed her hand on the table in anger, retorting, "What kind of prince are you if you can't even control your own emotions?"
He's a person too, shouldn't he have his own emotions? "The one who did wrong is clearly Hongchang, why is Mother scolding me?"
"Because you are a prince! Ordinary people can do whatever they want, but you can't! Let me ask you, why would a maid of the Su family appear near the restaurant? If she hadn't left the manor and had stayed there properly, how could she have caused all this trouble?"
Yu Shan was the victim, and her mother's words truly chilled Hongli's heart! Fearing that his mother would blame Su Yu Shan, Hongli took the initiative to take responsibility, saying, "It has nothing to do with her. I took her out to relax."
How could Consort Xi not understand his thoughts? She had long heard about the troubles in his harem. She hadn't wanted to interfere, but her son was becoming increasingly outrageous, so she had to offer some advice.
“You show exceptional favoritism towards this maid, while the other maids have become mere decorations. After the wedding, you only stayed in Fucha's room on your wedding night, and later you continued to favor Su. How can Fucha’s family bear such neglect?”
As expected, his mother also had spies in his residence. Hongli's eyes narrowed slightly, but his expression remained unchanged.
“I will give her what I deserve. I know what I should do, so please don’t interfere too much in my private affairs, Mother.”
"A son grows up and is no longer under his mother's control!" With a soft sigh, Consort Xi rubbed her temples and reminded her again.
"Your father is keen to cultivate you. He sees everything you do and is secretly observing and testing you. You must consider the consequences and the overall situation before you do anything."
You think you're in the right, but your imperial father doesn't think so. Before the emperor questions you, you'd better take the initiative to go and apologize to him.
Hongli realized that what his mother cared about most was his father's opinion of him, not his feelings. In her eyes, he was not her son at all, but just a candidate for the throne. In order to win his father's favor, he had to restrain his emotions. Right and wrong were not important; the overall situation was the most important.
Although unwilling, Hongli ultimately obeyed his mother's wishes and took the initiative to apologize to the emperor.
Emperor Yongzheng had already heard about this matter, but he hadn't asked about it, precisely because he wanted to see how Hongli would handle the aftermath.
At this moment, Hongli had already admitted his mistake. Yongzheng glanced at him indifferently, and then continued to look at the memorial in his hand. "You admit your mistake on the surface, but there is no remorse in your eyes. In fact, you are still not convinced in your heart, are you?"
Hongli, having been exposed, did not try to explain further. “Father, you are very perceptive. Nothing can escape your discerning eyes.”
After writing "Understood" in vermilion ink, Yongzheng closed the memorial, set it aside, stood up, walked to the window, and seemed lost in thought, perhaps remembering an old friend.
"I was once young and impetuous myself. I understand your feelings. Everyone wants to protect the person they love, but how to protect them is an art."
As the saying goes, "Three women make a drama," and the backyard is the most turbulent place. Sometimes, excessive pampering will only bring trouble upon her. Finding the right balance is the key you should cultivate.
Hongli thought he would be scolded, but to his surprise, the emperor did not reprimand him. However, he did not know who his father was referring to as "her". Was it Consort Dunsu?
The early death of the Imperial Noble Consort was indeed a pity. Whether there were any suspicious circumstances, Hongli had no idea. However, the Emperor's gentle words served as a wake-up call for him. Hongli solemnly cupped his hands and said:
"Your subject will remember your teachings, Father, and will certainly reflect deeply on my actions."
After discussing this matter, the father and son chatted for a few more minutes about political affairs before Hongli took his leave of the palace.
After returning to his residence, Hongli's eyes were solemn. After changing his clothes, he stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gently stroking the white jade thumb ring on his thumb, gazing out the window in silence.
In the past, he would have endless things to say as soon as he came back, but today he didn't say a word. Su Yushan felt that something was wrong. "You seem a little off. Is something bothering you?"
Hongli never wanted to hide anything from her, but the things he had been reprimanded about today were all about Su Yushan. If he were to repeat them to her, someone as perceptive as her would surely feel sad and guilty. Therefore, he did not speak of it directly, but only made an excuse:
"Political matters may disturb your peace of mind, but it's not a big deal."
If there was nothing seriously wrong, why would he be frowning? He must have encountered a difficult situation. However, some government affairs were confidential, and he couldn't tell her about them, which she understood.
With a muffled sigh, Su Yushan didn't ask any more questions. She simply stood silently beside him, leaning against the window, lost in thought with him.
Seeing this, Hongli gently stroked her cheek with his finger. "What's wrong? Are you unhappy too? Did you suffer any grievances at home?"
Shaking her head, Su Yushan said softly, "How can I be happy if you're not happy?"
Hongli found these words quite pleasing, and he turned to face her, seizing the opportunity to instruct her: "Then you can try to coax me!"
This is really tough on her; she's terrible at comforting people. "How do I comfort her?"
He didn't say it explicitly, but only reminded me, "How do I usually coax you?"
"Hmm..." After pondering for a while with her chin resting on her hand, Su Yushan suddenly had a flash of inspiration and immediately came up with an idea. She took the initiative to raise her arms and hug him.
Suddenly embraced, Hongli's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "What does this mean?"
"You used to hug me like this when I was angry or sad!"
That was his instinctive reaction, but he hadn't expected her to take it to heart. "Would it make you feel better if I hugged you?"
Nodding, Su Yushan blinked her starry eyes, looking very serious, "Don't you think a hug has a magical power? It can soothe the wounds of the heart."
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