Heyue hugged him tightly and kissed his little face: "Alright, alright, Mommy won't hit you anymore, good boy..."
Seeing his face covered in tears and snot from crying, He Yue felt both amused and sorry for him. He was crying so hard. What was he doing just now?
Now that she had achieved her goal, Heyue naturally wanted to coax her precious son.
She didn't want Hongchang to become afraid of her, his mother, and stop being close to her.
"Hongchang, be good. As long as you don't bully your brother, your mother won't hit you. You and Hongtun are both flesh and blood of your mother. How could your mother abandon the other for the sake of one? You are also your mother's precious child. Think about it carefully. If your mother didn't want you because of Hongtun, would you be sad?"
With tears still streaming down his face, Hongchang shouted, "Mother, don't abandon Hongchang! Hongchang will never bully his little brother again!"
As she spoke, she hugged Heyue tightly, as if afraid that Heyue would disappear if she let go.
He Yue felt relieved and gratified. After all, this boy still cared about his mother. It was worth it for her to have doted on him.
She patted his back gently and comforted him in a soft voice, "Mother will never abandon Hongchang, never."
Hongchang's sobs gradually subsided, and he fell asleep in Heyue's arms.
Heyue instructed Hailan to bring hot water and carefully applied a hot towel to Hongchang's wound.
Although Heyue didn't use much force, it still left some marks; otherwise, Hongchang wouldn't have cried so miserably.
Upon seeing the wound, Heyue couldn't help but feel guilty.
I've really been a terrible mother; I hope Hongchang won't hold a grudge.
Thirteen didn't get back until very late, just as Heyue had returned from Hongchang's place.
Perhaps remembering what happened during the day, when Hongchang saw Heyue, he immediately turned his head away, lay down on the bed, and didn't move at all.
He Yue was also feeling guilty, so she had some of Hong Chang's favorite foods made and coaxed him for a while before he came out.
Seeing Thirteen sitting on a chair in the main room, head propped up and looking preoccupied, Heyue sat down beside her and asked, "What's wrong?"
Thirteen complained to Yue, "I heard you beat up Hongchang today?"
Heyue retorted, "You don't know, Hongchang has become more and more naughty as he grows up. He said he didn't want Hongtun as his younger brother, and he even pushed Hongtun. If we don't teach him a lesson, he won't know why the flowers are so red!"
Thirteen shook his head with amusement: "Why are you getting angry with him? It's just childish behavior, he'll be fine soon." He sighed again: "To be honest, this is my fault. If I hadn't insisted on keeping him in the capital, he wouldn't have such hostility towards Hongtun."
But even if you're angry, don't be too harsh on him. Children are very sensitive, and you don't want him to become distant from you.
Seeing the emotional look on his face as he said this, He Yue couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Why are you suddenly saying this?"
Thirteen shook his head and smiled bitterly: "You don't know, Fourth Brother grew up by Empress Xiaoyi's side since childhood and was not close to Consort De. Although he later returned to Consort De's side, he was saddened by Consort De's favoritism towards Fourteenth Brother. Gradually, he became more and more estranged from Consort De."
And then there's my second brother. When we were little, Father Emperor doted on my second brother and personally taught him to read, ride horses, and shoot arrows. As we were both Father Emperor's sons, I was often jealous of my second brother because of this, and I felt that Father Emperor was being unfair. But as I grew older, I came to understand this.
In the end, which father and mother don't love their own son? It's just that people's hearts are biased, and one side will always suffer. Moreover, we have been separated from Hongchang for so many years, and it's inevitable that the child will have some resentment. At this time, we shouldn't scold him too much for Hongtun's sake.
If Hongchang still has a problem with Hongtun, I'll just go and talk to him myself, tell him the truth. He's a boy; there are some things he needs to understand.
Heyue thought about it seriously and nodded: "Okay, I'll try to reason with him in the future."
Although Heyue loved both children and showed no favoritism, she didn't want Hongchang to become like her fourth brother.
Heyue always hopes that the children are happy, just like herself and her older sisters.
"But, is something on your mind? Why are you being so sentimental today?"
Thirteen has never shown much concern for her child. Rather than saying she cares little, it's more accurate to say she doesn't know how to get along with her child.
This is the first time I've ever tried to persuade Heyue so earnestly for the sake of her child.
Thirteen hugged Heyue and sighed softly, "Father Emperor talked to me for two hours today."
He Yue didn't understand. Wasn't the father and son talking normally? Why did he look so shocked?
Seeing her expression, Thirteen understood what she was thinking and shook his head: "Apart from Second Brother, Father has never spent so much time alone with any of his sons, and it wasn't even about politics."
Father Emperor also talked a lot about my childhood. We played chess and talked like an ordinary father and son.
At the time, I even had the illusion that my father, the Emperor, had always loved me, but there were too many things he couldn't do; he had to maintain his imperial dignity.
Heyue listened quietly without interrupting.
For ordinary families, a father talking to his son alone is heartwarming and sweet, but for a father and son in a royal family, such a situation is extremely rare.
Since his return, everyone has noticed Kangxi's special treatment of the Thirteenth Prince, but only Heyue and the Thirteenth Prince clearly realize that things are far more complicated than they seem.
However, neither of them knew what Kangxi was planning.
This time, Kangxi spoke alone with the thirteenth prince for two hours, and it was all simple talk between father and son.
This situation is utterly absurd.
Heyue asked him, "What are your thoughts?"
Thirteen tightened his arms around her and smiled bitterly: "Heyue, I don't know. I don't want to think about things in such a complicated way. I'd rather believe that Father Emperor really cares about me and just wants to talk to me."
Do you know? Before Heyue left, Father Emperor asked me a question.
"What's the problem?" He Yue asked, puzzled.
Thirteen took a deep breath and replied, "Father asked me if I was willing to become the supreme ruler."
He Yue gasped, staring at Thirteen in disbelief.
"You don't believe it either, do you?" Thirteen shook his head: "I thought I misheard at the time, but then I felt a surge of joy. Who wouldn't want to be the emperor? I don't deny that when I heard those words, I really had that thought. I wanted to be protected from being bullied by anyone, I wanted to be looked up to by all my brothers, I wanted to give you and the children a noble and secure identity and future, and protect you under my wings. I even forgot my promise to Fourth Brother."
He Yue wasn't surprised at all; such thoughts were perfectly normal.
If Heyue were a man, he wouldn't be content to be an ordinary prince.
I also want a future where I can be in control of my own destiny.
But judging from his expression, he clearly had other things on his mind, so Heyue listened quietly.
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