Rebirth of His Royal Highness Prince Chenghu

That night

Yinreng lay in bed, lost in a deep dream, as if transported back to December 13, the eighth year of the Kangxi reign. He was in the Kunning Palace, watching servants bustle about the halls. Occasionally, he could hear a nurse whispering encouragement, "Madam, keep trying! The little prince will be born soon." Then, the sound of a baby's cry, like a heavenly sound, shattered the stillness of the night. Yinreng hurried into the inner hall of Kunning Palace, and the scene before him stunned him. Lying peacefully on the bed, his mother lay, her eyes closed, her face pale. Beside her, a tiny baby, eyes closed, slept peacefully.

Yinreng watched the tiny baby as he carefully prodded the soft touch, his lips curled up, his eyes filled with affection. He gazed at his mother in bed with a look of deep affection, as if, in that moment, time had stopped. Then, the sound of familiar footsteps shattered the warm tranquility. He turned to see his own father approaching slowly, majestic yet kind.

Kangxi strode into the inner hall and asked anxiously, "Has the queen given birth?"

The midwife knelt on the ground and reported to Kangxi: "The Queen has just given birth to a little prince. The little prince is healthy and cute."

Kangxi's face showed a joyful expression, and he said with emotion: "I finally have a legitimate son. This is really a great joy!"

Yinreng turned around, looked at the little baby tenderly, and said softly, "So it's you, my brother."

Time flew by, and it was already the fifth day of the second lunar month in the eleventh year. Yinreng stood before Kunning Palace, watching the imperial physicians come and go, anxious but helpless. He watched helplessly as his brother's life faded from illness, leaving his mother alone to endure endless grief. The helplessness and resignation pierced his bones like ice, wrecking his heart.

Yinreng stayed by his mother's side all the time, silently accompanying her through the painful days caused by his brother's death.

Time froze on May 3rd of the 13th year. At that moment, I witnessed my mother experiencing another miracle of life, giving birth to a baby who looked exactly like me as a child. Sadly, while I was still a baby, my mother passed away, leaving me alone. Tucked away in the arms of my father, I suddenly became aware of a familiar figure. Looking closely, it was my brother, who had passed away two years earlier.

The moment I was crowned Crown Prince, I felt an incomparable honor. As time passed, I gradually matured, diligently studying the art of governing, the art of commanding subordinates, horseback riding, archery, martial arts, poetry, and calligraphy. My brother always stood by my side, offering support and encouragement. As time passed, I grew up, married, and conceived a child. I had imagined that life would continue in this peaceful and simple manner. However, in September of the forty-seventh year of my reign, I was imprisoned in Xian'an Palace for a crime, leaving me with an unprecedented sense of heaviness and despair.

Fortunately, my brother stayed by my side the entire time, bringing me some comfort. In December, I was released, and seeing his joyful face at my freedom moved me beyond words.

In March of the 48th year, I was reinstated as Crown Prince, and time seemed to have returned to the past. However, the good times did not last long. In October of the 51st year, I was once again deposed for my crimes and imprisoned in Xian'an Palace again.

Seeing myself imprisoned in Xian'an Palace again, my brother was extremely anxious, but he was powerless. He wanted to fight for more rights for me, but he felt powerless and insignificant.

On December 14, the second year of the Yongzheng reign, illness took my life. I will never forget this day. My brother's companionship and love made it seem as if I could see him and my mother in my final moments.

Yinreng suddenly woke from his dream, sat up quickly, and couldn't wait to get off the bed. He was worried about his brother and couldn't wait to find him. Yinreng walked out of the room, walked straight to his brother's room, climbed onto his bed, hugged him tightly, and couldn't stop crying.

Cheng Hu was in a dream, gently embraced by a warm embrace. He opened his eyes and found that it was his younger brother beside him. He gently stroked his brother's back and said softly, "Bao Cheng, sleep peacefully. I will always protect you."

Yinreng burst into tears and hugged his brother tightly, the sadness in his heart was beyond words.

Cheng Hu noticed the dampness of his clothes and whispered, "He Zhu, light the lamp."

He Zhu entered the house and lit the lamp, instantly dispelling the darkness around him.

"Put down the lamp, He Zhu can go down." Cheng Hu said.

He Zhu: "Yes, sir" and walked out and closed the door.

Chenghu gently pulled his brother away and saw the tears on his face, his heart aching. "Baocheng, what's wrong with you? Why are you crying so sadly?" He asked softly, trying to comfort his brother.

Yinreng hugged his brother tightly, tears streaming down his face, his voice choked with sobs: "Brother..."

Cheng Hu held him in his arms and patted his back: "Be good, don't cry, brother is here, brother will protect Bao Cheng."

Yinreng was in his brother's arms, crying with tears in his eyes, as if all his grievances and anxieties had found an outlet.

Chenghu gently hugged Baocheng, patted his back, and comforted him gently: "Cry, brother is here, brother will always be with you, don't be afraid."

In his brother's arms, Yinreng's tears flowed like pearls from a broken string, soaking both of their clothes. His sobs were heartbreaking, as if he wanted to pour out all the grievances and pain. After a long time, he gradually calmed down under his brother's comfort, and only sobs echoed in the air.

Chenghu asked softly, "Baocheng, can you tell your brother what happened?" His words were full of tenderness and care.

Yinreng said to Chenghu with a wronged voice, "Brother, Baocheng had a nightmare. It was terrible."

Chenghu asked with concern, "What nightmare is making you so uneasy? Would you like to share it with your brother?"

Yinreng: "I dreamed that eight years ago, my mother gave birth to my brother. Four years later, my brother died. My mother fell ill. Two years later, my mother gave birth to me. My mother passed away, leaving Baocheng. My father named me the crown prince. I grew up to be good at governing the country, controlling subordinates, riding, shooting, martial arts, reading and calligraphy. But my second brother was the eldest brother in the dream, and my younger brothers bullied Baocheng. My father didn't care about me. In September of the 47th year of the Yongzheng reign, I was deposed for a crime and imprisoned in Xian'an Palace. I was released in December. In October of the 51st year, I was deposed for a crime again and was still imprisoned in Xian'an Palace. Later I learned that my younger brother, who was four years younger than me, succeeded to the throne. I died of illness on December 14th, the second year of the Yongzheng reign. The last thing I saw was my brother and mother coming to pick me up."

Chenghu hugged his brother tenderly, patted his back gently, and said softly, "Baocheng, don't be afraid, brother is always by your side. It was just a nightmare. Isn't brother accompanying you well now?"

With a hint of fear in his eyes, Yinreng confided to his brother: "Brother, Baocheng is really scared."

Cheng Hu: "Don't be afraid, I'm here. I'll always protect you, and no one can bully you."

Yinreng asked puzzledly, "Brother, I have never seen you in my dreams, but why do I always feel that you are by my side, watching over my growth?"

Cheng Hu: "Baocheng has never seen his brother, but when Baocheng was born, his brother was watching. He knew that you were born by our mother and are my biological brother. As an older brother, it is natural for me to protect my younger brother."

Yinreng asked pitifully, "Brother, can Baocheng sleep with you?"

Cheng Hu nodded and whispered, "Okay." Then he got off the bed, soaked a cloth, and carefully wiped the tears from his face. When everything was ready, he put the cloth back in its place, turned off the lights, and quietly returned to the bed, ready to sleep together.

Yinreng obediently leaned inward and lay down comfortably.

Cheng Hu lay down beside him gently, tucked the quilt carefully for him, and said softly: "Sleep peacefully, brother will always be by your side."

Yinreng quietly hid in his brother's arms, his chubby little hands tightly wrapped around his brother's waist. As his eyelids gradually closed, everything was still and he fell into a peaceful sleep.