"Hongtun, you go out first!" Thirteen's voice was slightly deep.
Hongtun looked at Hongchang with concern and pleaded for him, "Father, my elder brother acted impulsively and has already been punished..."
Thirteen frowned: "This is none of your business. You can leave now."
Hongtun had no choice but to get up and leave.
The remaining eunuchs and maids also withdrew at Thirteen's command.
When only Thirteen, Heyue, and Hongchang remained in the room, Thirteen looked down at Hongchang with a stern expression.
Hongchang shrank back, looking at Heyue pleadingly for help: "Mother..."
"What exactly are you trying to say?" He Yue couldn't bear to see Hong Chang in such a pitiful state and questioned Thirteen.
Thirteen sneered: "Hongchang has always been reckless and has caused trouble many times in the past, but none of them were serious enough for me to pursue. However, the Prince Yi's mansion is currently enjoying great favor and is being watched by countless people. As the heir apparent, he cannot afford to make even the slightest mistake. Just you wait, tomorrow at the morning court session, an imperial censor will impeach Hongchang for assaulting a prince. Even I cannot save him. No matter how much the Emperor loves Hongchang, he will no longer protect him."
Rather than letting others use their weaknesses against me and the Emperor, it would be better to proactively request the Emperor to depose Hongchang from his position as heir apparent, which would at least give everyone an explanation.
At this point, Thirteen couldn't help but complain to Heyue: "If you ask me, you spoil Hongchang too much, which is why he has such a fearless personality. It's good to let him suffer a bit now, so that he won't cause any more trouble in the future and bring disaster to Prince Yi's mansion!"
Hearing him say that, Heyue glared at him fiercely: "So it's my fault? Shouldn't I love my own son? Besides, what's wrong with Hongchang protecting his sister? If it weren't for Hongshi's status as a prince, would Hongchang have to suffer like this?"
In fact, Heyue also knew that Hongchang was too flamboyant, which was not a good thing; she was just dissatisfied with Shisan's attitude.
Doesn't he know how to speak properly? What is Hongchang supposed to think if he says something like that?
It seems as if Hongchang has smeared the Prince Yi's Mansion, and they want to use Hongchang to quell the outside criticism of the Prince Yi's Mansion.
"Who told him to be a prince? Hitting a prince is wrong, and he should suffer this injustice." Thirteen said coldly.
"Father, it was my fault. I don't care about the position of heir apparent. I am willing to take responsibility for my actions. Mother, you don't need to worry about me." Hongchang apologized in a low voice, feeling very regretful that his impulsiveness had caused trouble for his father and mother.
He Yuexin softened instantly and patted his head comfortingly: "Alright, Mother knows you did it for Yaya. You did nothing wrong to protect your sister. Mother is very happy that you risked your life for your sister. Don't listen to your father's nonsense!"
Hongchang's eyes were slightly red, and his face was full of grievance: "Mother, please promise me one thing, okay?"
"Tell me, and I'll grant your request." As long as it's not excessive, Heyue will not refuse Hongchang.
Although this child can be a bit impulsive at times, he still values his sibling relationship.
Heyue was pleased, but also felt sorry for the injustice suffered by Hongchang.
Hongchang stared intently at Heyue, his eyes burning with hope: "Mother, you can't let Father make Hongtun the heir. I will work hard to win back this position in the future. I'm determined not to let you and Father down!"
He Yue: "..."
Thirteen:"……"
Heyue glared at Hongchang, gritting her teeth inwardly.
Even at this moment, he still couldn't resist competing with Hongtun. He Yue really wanted to pry open his head and see what was inside.
But when she met her son's pitiful gaze, Heyue couldn't bear it.
"Alright, Mother agrees!" Heyue agreed.
The position of heir apparent is meant for the eldest son of the legitimate wife. Even if Hongtun is intelligent and outstanding, Heyue never intended for Hongtun to take Hongchang's place.
This was also to avoid rifts between brothers.
If the position of heir apparent is truly given to Hongtun, it's hard to guarantee that the already strained relationship between the brothers won't worsen.
Hongchang breathed a sigh of relief and grinned.
Thirteen's face darkened: "Is this how you fear your younger brother? When did Hongtun ever say he wanted to be the heir apparent?"
Hongchang grumbled discontentedly, "Don't think I don't know. Father prefers Second Brother's composure. Humph, even if I'm not as composed as Second Brother, I will never give up the position of heir to him!"
Thirteen pointed at Hongchang, furious, and glared at Heyue: "Look at this, is this how an elder brother should act? What has Hongtun ever done to wrong him?"
Heyue kicked him, her voice fierce: "What did Hongchang say wrong? Hongchang may not be as composed as Hongtun, but he's a good boy. The position of heir is his, and no one can take it away from him! Besides, Hongchang and Hongtun are both my sons. I don't favor either of them. What belongs to one should belong to the other. As the younger brother, Hongtun should be protected by his older brother Hongchang. Why should he be the heir?"
Hongchang hugged Heyue's arm, his heart beaming with joy: "Mother still loves her son the most!"
Thirteen looked sorrowful and utterly helpless: "Just protect him then!"
Heyue told Hongchang to rest well, instructed Hongchang's personal eunuch Tang Hai to take good care of him, and then went out with Thirteen.
Once outside, Heyue slapped Thirteen's arm hard: "How can you do this, Father? Can't you talk to the child properly?"
Thirteen rubbed his sore arm and frowned: "You're being too harsh on him, aren't you? How old is he? Can't I even scold him a little?"
He Yue's face darkened: "You know perfectly well that Hongchang has been wary of Hongtun since he was a child, so what's wrong with going along with him a little? Do you have to make him unhappy?"
"I never said I would give the position of heir to Hongtun. He's just having wild thoughts and competing with Hongtun, and now he's blaming me?" Thirteen was unhappy.
"Hmph! Don't think I don't understand, you're just biased towards Hongtun!" Heyue had a knowing look on her face: "Hongtun is different from Hongchang. Hongtun grew up by your side since he was little, and I understand that you favor Hongtun, but you can't go too far. Hongchang is also your son. We selfishly left Hongchang in the capital, causing him to lack a lot of care, which is why he has always been competing with Hongtun. We owe him this, and you can't be prejudiced against him because of it and hurt his feelings."
Thirteen fell silent.
After a long silence, Thirteen sighed, "Alright, it's my fault. I was too harsh on Hongchang. I'll change, okay?"
He Yue's expression softened: "In short, you should take good care of Hongchang. He will definitely be upset if he loses his position as heir."
Before Thirteen could speak, Hailan came to report: "Your Highness, Madam, Lady Fucha, the wife of the Duke of Zhenguo, has arrived."
The wife of the Duke of Zhenguo was Yuxiu.
Embarrassingly, among Yongzheng's many adult brothers after he ascended the throne, only Prince Chun Yunyou, the thirteenth prince Yunxiang, and Prince Guo Yunli fared better.
Besides the Eighth Prince and others who consistently opposed Yongzheng and were either reprimanded, demoted, or imprisoned by Yongzheng, several adult princes also suffered cold treatment and punishment from Yongzheng.
Among them was the Twelfth Prince, Yun Tao.
At the beginning of Yongzheng's reign, because Yuntao had done a great job in handling the affairs of the late emperor's coffin, he was granted the title of Prince Lü.
Last year, due to carelessness in handling affairs, Yuntao was stripped of his title of Prince of the Second Rank by Emperor Yongzheng and demoted to Prince of the Third Rank.
Later, Yun Tao made mistakes in the ceremony for the late emperor to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple and in the golden book for bestowing titles upon his concubines, and was demoted to Duke of Feng'en Zhenguo.
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