Kangxi first questioned Hongxi and Hongjin one by one. It was obvious that this was not the first time the two brothers had met the emperor, and they behaved affectionately but without being impolite.
Hongyu looked rather short, creating a stark contrast when standing next to Hongqing.
Prince Zhi stared intently at his only son, which made Emperor Kangxi feel somewhat uncomfortable.
This eldest son is the Baturu of the Qing Dynasty! When I was his age, I already had several sons.
Now he has no children, only this one son, and he doesn't even know if he can raise him to adulthood.
Having shown concern for Hongyu's health, Emperor Kangxi bestowed upon him a great deal of medicinal herbs to help him recover.
Hongqing, who is usually fearless, was unusually shy in front of everyone.
When Emperor Kangxi asked him what books he had read, Hongqing patted his chest and declared, "Grandpa, Hongqing doesn't like reading. He will become the most powerful Baturu in the future!"
Prince Cheng was itching to get his hands on him; if it weren't for the old man being there, he would have definitely given him a good beating.
Kangxi patted Hongqing's head: "A man who only knows how to act recklessly without using his brain is a brute. Go back and have your father teach you to read properly."
Upon hearing this, Hongqing's face fell, making her dislike of studying very clear.
Kangxi turned his head and met a pair of exceptionally clear and bright eyes.
This is the eldest son of the fourth prince. His facial features are extremely similar to those of the fourth prince, except for his eyes, which are innocent and clear, filled with curiosity and affection, making him unforgettable and instantly endearing.
Emperor Kangxi beckoned Honghui over: "Honghui, do you still remember Grandfather?"
Honghui tilted his head and looked at him for a while, then shook his head: "Mother said that when Honghui was little, Grandfather held him, but Honghui doesn't remember."
"How small were you when you were little?" Kangxi couldn't help but laugh when he saw the little bean sprout, who barely reached his knees, earnestly talking about his childhood.
"Even younger than Hongsheng's younger brother." The only child Honghui had ever met who was younger than himself was Hongqing's younger brother.
Kangxi thought for a long time before he remembered which of his grandsons Hongsheng was. He suddenly remembered: "Honghui, that's your brother Hongqing's younger brother."
“Hongqing’s brother’s younger brother is Honghui’s younger brother.” Honghui said seriously, “Honghui also has a little brother who is in Li’s mother’s belly.”
Emperor Kangxi was quite pleased to hear this. The fourth prince's wife was a good person, as could be seen from Honghui's attitude towards his cousins and half-brothers.
******
New Year's Eve Palace Banquet
Honghui sat next to Yinzhen, eating quickly in small bites. It seemed that Consort De had given special instructions, as there were several sweet treats that children liked on their table.
The eldest princess sat next to Yi Hua, feeling somewhat uncomfortable in a crowd of strangers.
Seeing that Honghui was eating with great relish, Yihua didn't say much, but occasionally put food on the eldest princess's plate so that she wouldn't feel embarrassed to eat.
Yinzhen smelled the wine pot; it smelled of sweet wine. He then poured a small cup for Yihua and gestured for her to try it.
Yi Hua has a low alcohol tolerance, and after transmigrating, she gets drunk after just a sip. How could she possibly lose her composure at the palace banquet?
Yi Hua raised her eyes and glanced at Yin Zhen sideways; this man had ill intentions.
Seeing his wife's anger and embarrassment, Yinzhen found it amusing and poured himself a drink.
The Princess Consort of the Prince of Zhi stared blankly. Everyone said that the Fourth Prince was cold-hearted and heartless, but now it seemed that their relationship was harmonious. Over there, it was warm and cozy, but on her side, it felt like sitting in an ice cellar.
Looking at Prince Zhi's profile, his wife felt a pang of bitterness. This man had given all his tenderness to his late wife, leaving behind warmth for their children, while he always kept a cold face towards her.
A child? Does he want his own child?
The wife of Prince Zhi was somewhat dazed, drinking one cup of wine after another, as if trying to warm her heart with its heat.
It's a pity that the wines served at the palace banquet were just cheap, ineffective fruit wines; no matter how much you drank, you wouldn't get drunk.
Yi Hua noticed the scrutinizing gaze, glanced around, and finding nothing amiss, she became more alert.
After several rounds of drinks, Kangxi suddenly noticed that Honghui was eating happily, with Yinzhen intentionally or unintentionally covering for him.
The hamster-like speed at which Honghui ate pleased Emperor Kangxi, who waved to summon Honghui to the imperial court.
Honghui had always felt the love of his elders since he was a child, so he was not afraid. He ran over and politely greeted them: "Grandpa, is your name Honghui?"
"Grandfather wishes to dine with Honghui. Is Honghui willing?" Having grown tired of the singing and dancing, Kangxi sought his own amusement. He completely ignored the speculations that his actions were causing among the people seated below.
Honghui nodded, patting his lower abdomen. Although he was already a little full, he thought it wouldn't be a problem to eat a little more with his grandfather.
With a keen eye, Liang Jiugong instructed a young eunuch to bring over a small table, which was placed below Kangxi. Fresh dishes were then served very quickly, most of which were reserved for the emperor and not even Yinzhen was entitled to enjoy.
Yi Hua tugged at Yin Zhen's sleeve with some worry. Although Yin Zhen was also anxious, he remained calm and shook his head to signal Yi Hua to calm down.
In this situation, what else can we do but trust Honghui?
******
The young eunuch stood beside Honghui, intending to serve him food.
Honghui waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need him.
Honghui then used his chopsticks to pick up food steadily, finishing everything in his bowl.
Emperor Kangxi found it very interesting, especially after he discovered a pattern in the little guy's eating habits: every two bites of meat and vegetables, he would force himself to eat a bite of green vegetables.
The reason I say "forcing yourself" is because that pained expression is so funny it's hard not to laugh.
"Honghui doesn't like green vegetables?" Kangxi asked. He took a bite and found it quite tasty.
Honghui put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth, and replied, "I don't like it."
"Then why eat it on purpose?"
“Honghui promised Mother that he wouldn’t be a picky eater and that he would eat vegetables and meat every day. If he behaves well, Mother will reward him with a kiss.” Honghui said, a little embarrassed. “Even though Honghui is a big boy now, he still wants Mother to kiss him.”
Yi Hua couldn't stop smiling as she listened; how could there be such an adorable little angel baby?
Mother wants to kiss you every day, but Honghui feels he is going to be a big brother and is struggling with this decision.
"Today, since you are here with Grandfather, I grant you permission to eat only meat," Kangxi said, increasingly pleased with the sight of the food.
Honghui shook his head: "Honghui thanks Grandfather. But Father said that people should keep their promises and not break them just because they are children. If Honghui can't even stick to something as simple as eating, it will be difficult for him to achieve great things when he grows up."
That's just like what the fourth prince said. Kangxi was a little surprised when he heard this. He looked at the child who was about to turn four again. He was clever and cute, innocent yet worldly-wise.
It seems that the fourth child has been carefully nurtured and taught.
"Good!" Kangxi pinched Honghui's little face approvingly and personally picked up a piece of beef for him.
Liang Jiugong thought to himself, "You really can't judge a book by its cover. Even a three- or four-year-old child can be so clever these days. It seems we'll have to deal with each other quite often in the future."
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