This was Prince Yong's special attitude towards Heyue. If it were a concubine from another household who came, Prince Yong would not pay any attention to her and would simply hand her over to his own concubine.
But this time, Fourth Brother didn't come, and not a single person came to say a word.
Although the Fourth Prince's wife was not allowed to inquire about what was happening in the front courtyard, Heyue had already learned from the steward Liu Fu that Prince Yong was only worshipping Buddha in the front courtyard when she arrived.
As long as it wasn't something that couldn't be talked about, the butler didn't need to hide it from Heyue. It was just a habit he'd formed over time, so he casually mentioned it to Heyue.
Now, if you say that Fourth Brother is too busy to come over, Heyue doesn't believe it.
But the doubt only flashed through her mind. He Yue thought that perhaps her fourth brother had something come up and forgot to tell her.
This is not a big deal.
He Yue was used to being pampered by her fourth brother, so she was a little unaccustomed to such a cold treatment.
Half an hour later, Hongchang and Tongxuan returned from the front yard. Heyue sat for a while longer before bidding farewell to her fourth sister-in-law.
After getting into the carriage with the two children, He Yue noticed that Hongchang, who was usually lively, was now looking downcast and unhappy. She asked curiously, "What's wrong? Are you unhappy to see your fourth uncle?"
You came so happy, but now you're so depressed. What's wrong with you this time?
Tongxuan, on the other hand, was as usual, and there was nothing wrong with her.
Hongchang snuggled into Heyue's arms and answered sullenly, "Mother, Fourth Uncle doesn't like Hongchang anymore."
Hearing his heartbroken words, He Yue was utterly bewildered: "Why would you say that?"
Hongchang looked aggrieved: "Fourth Uncle doesn't hold Hongchang anymore, he only holds Xuanxuan, and he doesn't talk to Hongchang, he just lets Hongchang play by himself."
Tongxuan's mouth was stuffed full of snacks. She pointed at her cheek with her index finger and said proudly, "Shame on you. You're so big and you still need your fourth uncle to carry you. I'm a girl. People say that girls are their fathers' and mothers' little cotton-padded jackets. I am my fathers' and mothers' little cotton-padded jackets, and I am also my fourth uncle's little cotton-padded jacket."
Hongchang got angry, his eyes reddened, and he retorted angrily, "That's not true! Fourth Uncle likes me too!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she threw herself into Heyue's arms, her clear black and white eyes filled with tears, and cried out in grievance, "Mother, Fourth Uncle doesn't like Hongchang anymore, and Hongchang doesn't want to like Fourth Uncle anymore either."
Heyue patted his back, amused: "How can you say that? Xuanxuan is right, Hongchang is a big boy now, how can he still need his fourth uncle to carry him? Xuanxuan is a girl, only girls need to be carried. Is Hongchang a girl?"
Hongchang shouted, "Hongchang is not a girl! Hongchang is a man!"
He Yue smiled and said, "That's more like it. Hongchang is a man, he can't cry over this. Boys have to be strong, you know?"
Hongchang's cheeks flushed slightly, and he puffed out his cheeks, then huffed, "Hongchang won't cry!"
Seeing that Hongchang was in much better spirits than before and was no longer sad, Heyue breathed a sigh of relief and hugged Hongchang in her arms, but her heart sank.
What does Fourth Brother mean by this?
Even if you don't hug Hongchang, you shouldn't neglect him like this and ignore him.
You can hug Tongxuan, so why can't you care about Hongchang?
Is this the same fourth brother who held Hongchang in his arms and personally taught him to write?
How could things have changed so much in just a few days?
If Fourth Brother hadn't shown affection for Hongchang from the beginning, Heyue wouldn't have thought anything of it. After all, Fourth Brother had so many nephews, there was no need to show closeness to each of them.
At first, Fourth Brother doted on Hongchang, but now that things have turned out this way, it's obviously very strange.
Moreover, he was indifferent to Hongchang, but treated Tongxuan as usual.
Hongchang's sadness clearly indicates that Fourth Brother's coldness towards him is more than just ordinary.
Heyue stopped thinking about it and told Thirteen about it that night: "What do you think is wrong with Fourth Brother? Has something happened?"
Thirteen remained silent.
He Yue noticed the sadness in his eyes and suddenly realized that there might be a hidden story.
Thirteen met He Yue's gaze with a wry smile: "I haven't had a proper conversation with Fourth Brother in a long time. Fourth Brother seems to have become suspicious of me, thinking that I have designs on that position. I should have expected this."
"How could he think that way?" He Yue was furious, never expecting it to be for this reason.
Judging from Thirteen's expression, it was clear that this had been going on for more than just a day or two, yet Thirteen didn't say anything.
"He knows perfectly well that this is Father Emperor's will, so how could he not understand your thoughts?"
It's a shame that the thirteenth brother was raised by the fourth brother; how could he think like everyone else?
“I don’t know either. Every time I see my fourth brother these past few days, I want to explain to him, but he always avoids the topic. I can tell that he doesn’t talk to me about anything like before.”
Perhaps this is the price. I finally understand how my second brother felt back then; this is what it feels like to be all alone. But all of this was bestowed upon me by Father Emperor. I don't know who to blame, or should I just silently accept it?
Heyue didn't know how to comfort him; her heart felt heavy, as if it were stuffed with cotton.
Not only did Thirteen treat Fourth Brother as her closest person, but Heyue also genuinely regarded Fourth Brother as her own elder brother.
When this happened, both of them felt the same way.
Thirteen could tolerate it, but Heyue could not.
The next day, Heyue went to Prince Yong's residence and talked with her fourth sister-in-law for a while.
Around 9:00 AM, I heard that Fourth Brother had returned and gone to visit Consort Nian.
It wouldn't be right for Heyue to just brazenly block people at the concubine's place last year. She's not a woman from the Fourth Prince's harem. What kind of behavior is that?
After having lunch in her fourth sister-in-law's room but not seeing her fourth brother come over, Heyue felt resentful. She made an excuse to go for a walk in the garden and wandered around on her way to the study in the front yard.
It snowed a few days ago, and there are still unmelted snowflakes on the treetops and rooftops, all pure white and sparkling, reflecting the sunlight.
The snow on the road was swept clean, so it didn't affect people walking.
On a freezing cold day, Heyue, wearing a bright red cloak, tightly covered the cloak with her hands. She walked for half an hour but still couldn't wait for the person she was waiting for. Her legs ached from walking, and she was shivering from the cold.
He Yue was already sensitive to the cold, and after wandering around for so long without seeing the person she was waiting for, she felt completely numb from the cold, and she felt incredibly wronged.
Seeing Heyue hugging her arms, her face red from the cold, Zhizhu felt extremely sorry for her and advised, "Madam, please don't wait here. Perhaps the Fourth Prince is busy. Let's go back first."
He Yue was seething with anger, cursing inwardly. She refused to believe that Prince Yong would not know she had been wandering around for so long; it was clear that even she was being avoided.
He truly lived up to his title of "Cold-Faced Fourth Prince," his coldness giving He Yue her first taste of how others felt when facing Prince Yong.
Yue used to think that Fourth Brother wasn't as cold as others said, but now that she's experienced it for herself, she realizes how naive she was.
Where in the royal family can one find any unchanging true love?
Even the best of brothers can change their minds when it comes to things that affect their own interests.
Heyue didn't want to make herself suffer any longer. She could always come back tomorrow. She refused to believe that she couldn't catch anyone in one go.
Can he continue to hide in the backyard?
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