Even if Hongshi hadn't paid any attention, he knew that since his father, the Emperor, had dismissed Su Gengyao from his positions as Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi and General of Pacification in April, he hadn't stayed overnight at Chengqian Palace.
As a result, everyone said that Consort Hua had fallen out of favor, and he felt bored for a time, and playing with her was less exciting.
Judging by the timeline, it had been more than three months since his father, the Emperor, had last visited Chengqian Palace. At this time, Consort Hua suddenly announced that she was pregnant...
Could it be his?
No, no, perhaps Consort Hua is already four months pregnant... no, five months...
But soon, Hiroshi closed his eyes in despair.
His concubine had also been pregnant, and even if he didn't pay attention, he knew that a woman's pregnancy would show after three months. However, when he played with Consort Hua yesterday, her abdomen was still flat and slender, so she was definitely no more than three months pregnant.
It is his child.
His stepmother was pregnant with his child, and his imperial father found out!
Hongshi felt dizzy, and all the sounds around him turned into a cacophony of whispers. He knew, they knew, they all knew…
"Your Highness, Your Highness!" Jinzhong was startled by the sudden collapse and knelt down to help Hongshi up. "Your Highness, don't be afraid. Let's go ask the Emperor. Perhaps... perhaps the Empress has some misunderstanding?"
“Misunderstanding…” Hongshi murmured, “What misunderstanding could there be?”
"How could Her Majesty, who is so kind and gentle, possibly harm the Imperial Concubine's unborn child?" Jinzhong asked anxiously.
Hongshi finally listened to Jinzhong's words and his mind started working again before he realized that something was wrong.
Consort Hua was pregnant and then miscarried, but it was his mother who was confined to the palace, while he was unharmed.
Hongshi struggled to sit up, hesitated for a moment before asking, "Father...did he mention me?"
"I've never heard of that. Surely His Majesty wouldn't take his anger out on the prince..." Jinzhong said hesitantly.
Hongshi was in no hurry to get up. He just sat on the ground and waited for a while, only to receive his father's decree to deal with Prince Lian and Prince Yuntang.
After waiting for a long time without any movement, Hongshi's previously anxious heart finally calmed down, and he felt that everything should be alright.
Perhaps his father, the Emperor, was unaware of his affair with Consort Hua; or perhaps his father had even slept with the Consort.
Hongshi calmed down, but then he thought of his mother, who was confined to the palace and unable to leave, and bit his lip with some difficulty.
He wanted to see his father, the Emperor, to plead for his mother, and also to test whether his father truly knew nothing about his affairs.
But since it involves the Dragon Descendants, is it appropriate to plead for one's mother so directly?
After much deliberation, Hongshi suddenly recalled some gossip he had overheard recently, as well as the letters of plea and gifts that Hongwang had repeatedly risked his life to deliver.
"Father is indeed strict with Ninth Uncle, but he's been alright with Eighth Uncle. Why is Hongwang so afraid?" Hongshi murmured. After all, in his opinion, his father had only granted two brothers the title of Prince after ascending the throne: his Eighth Uncle and Thirteenth Uncle.
Uncle Thirteen is currently enjoying great success and has just received an additional salary, while Uncle Eight has been reprimanded year after year, which is truly unfortunate.
"Eighth Uncle is different from Ninth Uncle. Eighth Uncle was reprimanded by Grandfather in the past, and he has become more cautious and restrained in his actions, earning him a good reputation. However, Father always makes things difficult for him, which is really a bit..."
Hongshi didn't say the word "stingy" aloud, but he was thinking about it very quickly.
His father wasn't so intolerant. His thirteenth uncle and several other uncles after the fifteenth had all been given important positions to varying degrees in recent years. As for his ninth uncle, he was implicated by the family letters found when his tenth uncle's house was searched. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so harshly criticized so quickly. After all, his father had previously trusted his ninth uncle and sent him to the front lines to oversee the war.
Today, after Consort Hua's miscarriage and Consort Qi's banishment from the palace, his father's first decree concerned his eighth and ninth uncles. Perhaps he could use this as a starting point to first create an image of someone risking their life to remonstrate. If he could truly speak to his father's heart, he could then take the opportunity to ask about his mother, and perhaps even subtly inquire about Consort Hua's miscarriage...
Hongshi pondered the situation, feeling uneasy, but he couldn't simply ignore it. As night approached, he finally found the Hall of Mental Cultivation, inquired about it, and then went to the Palace of Eternal Longevity.
Inside Yongshou Palace.
Qian Shengyan bit her lip and watched Xiang'er, who had just come to serve tea but was unexpectedly left behind by the Emperor, leave. She didn't know how to turn around and face Yinzhen's dark face.
Xiang'er had only come to serve tea, but Yinzhen remembered that she had been in Consort Qi's palace before, so he asked if she had ever seen the Third Prince.
After recalling for a moment, Xiang'er nodded: "I saw her once, when the Third Prince took Sister Run'er away."
"Run'er?" Qian Shengyan asked curiously.
Xiang'er nodded: "Sister Run'er arrived a little later than me, but since we live together, we've talked a lot."
Seeing that Qian Shengyan and Yinzhen were very interested, she had nothing to hide: "Run'er's family is still a bondservant of the Plain White Banner. Originally, it was not time for them to enter the palace, but the Li family found them and sent them to the palace."
"Why did the Li family ask her to deliver it?" Yinzhen frowned.
Xiang'er hesitated for a moment and looked to Qian Shengyan for help, but Qian Shengyan was also unclear about this part, only vaguely guessing that Run'er was the one who looked somewhat like Consort Hua.
But now that Yinzhen was here, she couldn't very well say that she already knew. And considering that Hongshi wouldn't be any different now, she said to Xiang'er, "Just tell the truth in front of the Emperor."
"Yes..." Xiang'er was a little uneasy. Her face was injured, and she shouldn't have been serving in front of her masters. It was only because Consort Xi was kind enough to keep her, and didn't mind her dirty scars. However, she herself was very concerned and always faced away from her masters.
At this moment, she simply knelt on the ground, bowed her head, and replied, "Your Majesty, I was summoned here because I bear a resemblance to Consort Xi; and Sister Run'er, it is because her features bear a resemblance to Consort Hua..."
Qian Shengyan closed her eyes, unsure of what to say. Yinzhen also remained silent for a moment, then snorted coldly and said, "Was it last year? Didn't Consort Qi say anything?"
"Your Majesty, yes, around November..." Xiang'er said, "Sister Run'er is very beautiful. It's normal for Consort Qi to think that the Third Prince is young and likes new things."
Clearly, Xiang'er had thought so before, completely unaware that there might be a problem.
But now, considering what happened that morning, both Yinzhen and Qian Shengyan knew that things weren't so simple.
At the entrance of Yongshou Palace.
Thinking of the locked Zhongcui Palace and looking at the quiet and solemn Yongshou Palace with its bustling crowds, Hongshi pursed his lips. Jinzhong stepped forward to report, and then he was led to the main hall.
"Third Prince, please wait a moment. The Emperor is currently reviewing memorials and will be here shortly."
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