Having received Yongzheng's approval, Heyue happily returned to her residence.
On the other hand, Hongtun had no hope for his mother's suggestion to vaccinate them against smallpox.
Not to mention that Uncle Jiu and Father have a deep-seated grudge, Mu Jingyuan would never help them. Besides, are those foreigners' things really trustworthy?
Hongtun was skeptical of this, always feeling that Mu Jingyuan was just seeking fame and fortune and had no real ability. He believed that his Ninth Uncle and Fourteenth Uncle had been deceived by Mu Jingyuan.
But Mother was so excited and enthusiastic that Hongtun didn't want to discourage her.
Hong Tun casually mentioned this to Hong Chang, but Hong Chang, in his nervousness and fear, told his younger brothers about it.
In Hongchang's view, smallpox was the most terrifying disease. Countless people in the entire Qing Dynasty had lost their lives because of it. He had heard that his fourth uncle's eldest son, Honghui, had died because of it.
Mother wants to inoculate them with smallpox, isn't that the same as getting smallpox? How terrible is that? So we absolutely cannot let Mother do anything reckless.
Then, Hongchang unexpectedly learned a secret.
By the time Heyue returned to the mansion, it was already late afternoon.
As soon as we entered the courtyard, we saw several children, from oldest to youngest, standing in a neat row at the entrance of the main house, except for Hongtun. They were standing there as if they were being punished.
Upon seeing her return, the children were overjoyed and swarmed around her.
"Mother, Mother, you're finally back..."
He Yue was puzzled. Why were they all so tense and agitated? What had happened?
The next moment, He Yue knew what was going on.
Hongchang spoke up urgently, "Mother, I don't want to be vaccinated!"
Then Hongjiao gritted his teeth and said, "Mother, I don't want to get smallpox either!"
Hongmian was already crying with snot and tears streaming down his face: "Waaah! Mother, I don't want to get smallpox! I don't want to get smallpox! It hurts so much..."
Hongxiao was the youngest and didn't understand what was going on, but seeing his older brothers pleading fearfully, and even his fourth brother crying, he burst into tears himself: "Waaah! Mother, Hongxiao doesn't want to get smallpox either! Hongxiao will be good and will never make you angry again, and will never steal his brothers' snacks again, Mother, please don't be angry, okay?!"
Hongchang, Hong Xiao, and the other two were speechless, glaring at him through gritted teeth: This glutton!
Hongxiao stopped crying with a "giggle" from being frightened by her brothers' terrifying gazes, but she was still sobbing. She timidly hid behind Heyue, her chubby little hands tightly clutching Heyue's skirt, her eyes wet with tears.
He Yue had a terrible headache. Why did Hong Tun have to say such nonsense?
Also, aren't these guys overreacting? It's just smallpox vaccination, why are they so afraid?
He Yue tried to remain calm: "Alright, alright, don't worry. It's just smallpox vaccination, it's not that scary. It'll be over soon, and besides, it's not even happening yet."
Hongming wiped away his tears, sobbing uncontrollably, "Mother, waah! I don't want to get smallpox! It's so scary, it hurts so much! I don't want to get smallpox..."
He Yue was both amused and exasperated, and patted his head: "Why are you crying? You've never had a smallpox vaccination, how do you know it hurts?"
Hongmu shook his head fiercely: "I've had it done before, it hurts so much! I don't want to get it done!"
He Yue stopped abruptly, stunned: "What did you say?!"
Hongming's shoulders were shaking, he was crying very sadly, his eyes were filled with tears, and he looked at Heyue pitifully: "Mother, I've already been vaccinated, don't get vaccinated again!"
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Heyue scolded with a smile. This child is getting more and more outrageous. Do you think I, as his mother, wouldn't know if any of them have ever been vaccinated against smallpox?
They must be terrified to tell such a lie.
Hongmian was so anxious that he didn't know what to do. He stamped his feet and couldn't say a word.
“Mother, it’s true.” Hongchang explained for Hongming with a sigh, “What my fourth brother said is true, he really did plant it.”
He Yue's face immediately darkened: "You lot, explain yourselves clearly!"
Seeing that his mother was angry, Hongmian shrank back and followed his mother into the main room with his brothers.
Hongxiao's chubby little hands clung tightly to Heyue's dress, her face full of grievance and timidity.
Heyue sat on the armchair in the main room, holding Hongxiao on her lap. She took out a handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears on his face. Looking at her sons, who were cowering and dared not raise their heads, she said coldly, "Explain yourself clearly, what happened!"
From Hongchang's explanation, Heyue finally understood the cause and effect. After listening, she couldn't help but feel complicated, not knowing whether to laugh or cry.
It turns out that when Yunti returned to Beijing from the Northwest in the sixtieth year of Kangxi's reign, Tongya took her younger brother Hongmu to visit the Fourteenth Prince's residence.
At that time, Mu Jingran from the Ninth Prince's residence was treating Hongying, the third son of the Fourteenth Prince.
After the doctor's visit, the Fourteenth Prince had a sudden idea and asked Mu Jingran to inoculate the two children with smallpox.
Perhaps because they were afraid that Thirteen and Heyue would reject them, they didn't let the two children tell Heyue and Thirteen, and have kept it a secret until now.
He Yue tried to recall carefully, but couldn't remember anything wrong with Tong Ya and Hong Mu at that time.
Suddenly, a thought flashed through Heyue's mind, and she remembered that for a period of time, Tongya and Hongmu's arms had not touched water.
At the time, Heyue didn't think much of it, assuming it was just a prank. Could it have been around that time?
Upon learning the truth, Heyue suddenly fell silent.
I never imagined that the Fourteenth Prince would dote on Tongya to this extent.
Despite their incompatibility, he doted on Tongya and even gave her pimples.
Heyue then recalled what the wife of Prince Lian had said in the sixty-first year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
It is said that Hongming should have died at that time, but for some reason he survived.
He Yue had a bold guess, and her heart couldn't contain her excitement.
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