In the past, when meeting Mongolian princes at the Mulan Hunting Grounds, Emperor Kangxi would always bring the Crown Prince or other imperial princes, and there were rules about who would offer the toast. However, since Yinzhen's sons were still young, Changning was even more unwilling to let them drink alcohol at such a young age. Therefore, when Hongyan got up, his cup was filled with water.
Looking at the young but already very elegant Third Prince, all the Mongolian princes and dukes knew perfectly well that the Emperor had chosen him as the future emperor.
They also had high hopes for the Third Prince. For example, during the previous rebellion of Yinzhi, it was this young Third Prince who took up arms and rode a horse to turn the tide, leaving an indelible impression on everyone.
Seeing everyone crowding around Hongyan, Yinzhen also wanted to test his character and ability to handle affairs.
Despite his young age, Hongyan was neither arrogant nor humble, possessing the dignity of royalty. Moreover, his demeanor was both noble and approachable, demonstrating excellent judgment. This made the Mongolian princes and dukes, who were old enough to be his fathers, dare not underestimate him.
Yinzhen nodded to himself.
Honghui watched as Hongyan chatted with the crowd in front of him, surrounded by a group of people, and the Emperor's admiration was all too obvious.
Previously, he would have felt slightly uncomfortable. But looking at the bowl of sweet date soup, his restless heart immediately calmed down.
He remembered what his father had told him before, and his mother's last words before her death: that he should live a wealthy and peaceful life, that he should have a smooth and happy life, and that he should not suffer anymore.
He suddenly felt a sense of relief.
If you can't compare to Hongyan, then you can't compare to him.
Whether in literature or martial arts, he was never a match for Hong Yan. His once proud status as the eldest son of the legitimate wife was now gone.
He had no chance of winning against Hong Yan.
The Ulanara clan has completely declined.
He let out a long sigh, watching the campfire slowly rise, providing warmth that shone brightly in the dark night. Above, his half-brothers nestled beside their mother, a picture of maternal love and filial piety, a scene of familial bliss.
Perhaps, obeying his mother's words was the greatest act of filial piety he could show.
He had to protect the Ulanara clan; a futile attempt to fight against overwhelming odds was not an option. He couldn't allow his mother's family to decline; if he focused solely on power and profit, it would only hasten their downfall. Honghui was never foolish; he saw things very clearly.
The nights on the grasslands are both lively and expansive.
Hongzhao was overjoyed to see his brother shining so brightly at the banquet, but the clinking of glasses held no appeal for him. Besides, he was now quite proficient in Mongolian, and he had no interest in appreciating the songs and dances. He preferred the roasted meat served here.
However, after eating too much meat, his stomach felt a little uncomfortable, so he told Changning and went to relieve himself by himself. Changning even nagged him a couple of times, telling him not to just eat meat and to eat more vegetables.
Hongzhao is now very strong. Although he can eat meat, he doesn't look fat. This is also because he practices martial arts every day. He looks like a strong young calf.
He clutched his stomach, unable to bear his mother's nagging any longer, and jumped up in frustration: "Mother, I'm not talking to you anymore, I'll poop it out soon! I'm leaving now!"
"Go now, go now!"
Changning was worried for him just looking at him.
Hongzhao disappeared in a flash. Changning was worried and ordered Chuixue to find two eunuchs to follow him.
After his cathartic release, Hongzhao felt much better. It seemed he should control his meat consumption a little in the future; he felt like he could sit on Hongqing and kill him right now.
Thinking of that brat Hongqing, Hongzhao's fists hardened. He listened to his mother and went to suppress the brat's arrogance, but the brat shamelessly hid behind his elder brother and even laughed at him for only being able to use brute force.
ridiculous!
He doesn't even have brute strength!
That weakling, I'll teach him a lesson when we get back!
We need to come up with a plan.
He walked along, lost in thought, but then felt that the gatherings and dances at the banquet were rather uninteresting, not as beautiful as the grassland scenery.
So he simply found a small hill with a wide open space, lay down, and looked up to see a sky full of stars.
"So beautiful..." Hongzhao murmured. It was rare to see such beautiful stars in the capital, and even if there were, they were not this bright. Now, all the astronomical knowledge and constellations that he had never understood before, taught by Anda, were now imprinted in his mind.
He was trying to distinguish which was the Big Dipper and which was the Azure Dragon constellation when he suddenly heard a rustling sound, and he immediately became alert.
Having experienced the clash of swords and the treachery of the rebels, Hongzhao was exceptionally perceptive. He gradually bent over, intending to capture the intruder in one fell swoop, while his mind was still pondering how to quickly inform his father and the others.
The rustling sounds grew closer, and every nerve in his body tensed. His blood was surging, and he felt a strange excitement. He was facing the enemy alone, and he could do it.
"Hey!" Suddenly a figure darted out and shouted. In the blink of an eye, Hongzhao pounced and grabbed the person's throat, pinning them to the ground. He raised his hand and was about to draw his waist knife to end the person's life when he heard a clear female voice.
Ouch! You hit me!
"Huh?" Hongzhao was stunned for a moment. The stars were very bright, and under the starlight, he could see the girl's face very clearly. The familiar name was on his lips.
But what he said was...
"What's your name again?"
The little girl was stunned, then screamed angrily, "Aaaaaah! You bad guy! You actually forgot about me! You bragging brat! You loser!"
Hongzhao quickly released her and saw that she was dressed in the attire of a Mongolian girl, with exceptionally clear eyes, like stars above her head. She was beautiful, but her personality was extremely aggressive.
"You wicked fellow! You're worse than a wolf on the grassland!" Naritai said angrily. She had already seen Hongzhao and was thinking about their bet from last time. He still owed her a bark from his dog!
So she thought it would be fun to sneak up on him and give him a fright.
It's all his fault for shooting himself in the archery competition last time.
But this foolish lamb completely forgot about itself!
Naritai is furious!
Hongzhao certainly remembered her; he still had the bracelet she gave him. She was the first friend he made on the grasslands, and he valued his friends very much.
"I remember you! I really do!"
Naritai rolled her eyes at him, stood up, dusted herself off, and looked directly at him: "Then tell me, what's my name?"
"Ugh... I'm... I'm... it's too hot!"
Naritai flew into a rage again, and Hongzhao quickly raised his right hand: "Look, look! I've been wearing the bracelet you gave me! It's just that your name is too hard to remember."
Naritai calmed her anger upon seeing the familiar bracelet and let out a cold snort.
"I'll remember! My name is Naritai!"
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