Chapter 169 Death

The years from the 26th to the 28th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign were three years in which the Forbidden City was shrouded in gloom.

In December of the 26th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Cining Palace was filled with a somber medicinal fragrance. Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang lay on her couch, her once bright and vigorous eyes now clouded with a layer of gray. Her breath was weak, but she still managed to muster her strength and finally summoned the Kangxi Emperor and Yinreng.

Kangxi strode forward and grasped Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's withered hand. That hand, once warm and strong, had guided him through countless turbulent times in the court, but now it was thin and bony. Kangxi's eyes instantly reddened: "Grandmother, your grandson is here."

Yinreng, standing beside him, also knelt down. Still young, he looked at the Empress Dowager in such a state, filled with fear and reluctance: "Ukuma Mama..."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's lips trembled slightly, and her voice was as soft as a whisper: "Xuan Ye, I have seen all kinds of storms in my life. Now I have reached the end of my life. I have lived to the age of seventy-five, which can be considered a happy death. You don't need to be sad. It's just that there are still things on my mind that I can't let go of."

Her gaze slowly shifted to Yinreng, her eyes filled with affection. "Baocheng is a bright child from a young age. You have placed high hopes on him and personally taught him, which I have all witnessed."

Kangxi nodded, his voice choked with emotion: "Grandmother, I understand. I will definitely hand over the Qing Dynasty to him securely."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang gently shook her head and took a breath: "Your Majesty, the bond between father and son is the most precious thing. As the Son of Heaven, you are busy with countless affairs of state. Don't let matters of the court cause you to neglect your heartfelt conversations with Baocheng. Baocheng, your father's life has been too difficult. He has shouldered the legacy of our ancestors and his heart is full of love for the country. From now on, you must be more sensible and not make your father angry."

Yinreng was already in tears, and kowtowed, saying, "Wukuma, Baocheng will remember this. I will be filial to Father Emperor, study diligently, and live up to your expectations."

Kangxi shook his head, and even at this moment, he did not forget to speak up for Baocheng: "Grandma, don't worry, Baocheng is the most sensible."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang forced a smile. "You... Alright, Xuan Ye, you can go out now. Let me have a private talk with Bao Cheng."

Kangxi nodded, glanced at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang with reluctance, and slowly withdrew.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang wanted to raise her hand to beckon Baocheng, but she simply didn't have the strength. Yinreng quickly stepped forward, knelt beside her bed, and took her hand.

“Ukuma Ma…”

"Baocheng..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang looked at her graceful great-grandson with a smile. "Just now, Wukuma was talking nonsense. She was just being polite to your father. I like Baocheng the most. Baocheng has always been sensible."

With tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, Yinreng placed her hand near his cheek: "Baocheng knows, Baocheng knows that Wukuma and I are the best of friends, and he said this all for my sake."

"Baocheng, fate is predetermined. I've lived long enough. Don't be sad."

Upon hearing Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's words, Yinreng's pupils dilated sharply. Noticing this, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang became even more certain of her suspicions: "Ever since you asked Yinzhen to accompany me on walks every day, I've guessed that it's come to an end. Yinzhen is still too obedient to you, coming every day. All my unease has vanished because of him..."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was joking, but Yinreng couldn't laugh at all.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang looked at him with loving eyes, her weathered gaze filled with a calm acceptance of life and death: "Baocheng, this is not your fault, it's all your father's problem. He's been too strict, and I know that he's inadvertently tightened the shackles on you. Baocheng, don't really put yourself on the pedestal of a Buddhist prince. You are the Crown Prince, a prince of the Aisin Gioro clan, my beloved great-grandson. You don't need to try to save the common people, nor do you need to save me."

Yinreng wept silently, yet his entire being radiated immense sorrow: "Ukuma Mama, it's my fault..."

“No, Baocheng, this has nothing to do with you,” hot tears dripped onto Xiaozhuang’s hand, her heart softened, and she couldn’t help but worry about him. “Wukuma has had a hard life. It’s time for her to return to the embrace of the Eternal Heaven. You should be happy for me and take one last good look at this beautiful land.”

Seeing the relieved smile on Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's lips, Yinreng nodded: "Alright, Baocheng will."

“Baocheng…” Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang gripped Baocheng’s hand tightly. “Your father, your father’s heart is all for you. After Wukuma’s death, for your father’s sake, you must hold onto the position of Crown Prince. Don’t leave him, don’t suffer the same heartbreak as my son. You are Xuan Ye’s reins. If you let him go, he will go mad.”

"No, I won't leave Father Emperor..." Yinreng shook his head desperately.

"No matter what happens in the future, don't abandon him, don't let him be a lonely emperor, don't abandon your father..." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang gave her final instructions, and only felt relieved after seeing Yinreng's serious promise. "You can go out now and call your father in. I want to talk to him too, otherwise he'll get jealous."

"good."

With tears in his eyes, Yinreng reluctantly let go of Xiaozhuang's hand and slowly withdrew.

Kangxi, who had been standing guard at the door and had heard everything, rubbed his face, pretending nothing had happened, as if he had just received the news from Yinreng. He slowly pushed the door open, though his figure appeared somewhat hunched.

"Grandma..."

"Xuan Ye, Grandmother is leaving..."

Kangxi knelt beside her, took her hand, and shook his head with red eyes: "Grandma, don't go. Your grandson has already sent word. Wait, just a little longer..."

For a moment, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was dazed, then weakly shook her head: "He won't come, and I can't wait any longer... Xuan Ye, I've never had a mother-son bond in my life, but with you and Bao Cheng, that's enough... You and Bao Cheng must take good care of yourselves... take good care of yourselves..."

Kangxi nodded vigorously, his voice hoarse: "I will, I will be good to Baocheng..."

“Baocheng… has a compassionate heart… this is both good and bad… promise me… no matter what, you must protect him, even if he is not the crown prince, he is still your son… remember this…”

"Grandson, remember this, Grandmother, don't worry, I will love and protect Baocheng for the rest of my life."

Having received Kangxi's promise, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's last breath deflated. Her eyes grew increasingly dim, and with her last ounce of strength, she gripped Kangxi's hand tightly: "Xuanye, I'm leaving now. Don't grieve too much. I only wish to see you, father and son, living in harmony and happiness, and that the future of the Qing Dynasty be bright and smooth. Then I can rest in peace in the afterlife..."

Before he could finish speaking, his hand slipped limply to the ground, and he closed his eyes as if falling into a deep sleep, leaving only Kangxi's sorrowful voice echoing in the room.

"Grandma!"

Kangxi's cries shook the heavens. Thinking of how, in her final moments, her thoughts were only for him and his son, he was overwhelmed by immense grief. From then on, in the vast Forbidden City, he would never again see his beloved grandmother, who had supported him throughout his life.

...

Since the passing of the Empress Dowager, the Forbidden City seemed to be shrouded in gloom. Emperor Kangxi kept vigil day and night, deeply grieving. He even fainted from exhaustion due to excessive grief, and no amount of persuasion could console him.

Yinreng did not try to persuade him, but stayed by his side day after day, guarding the spirit of the Empress Dowager, and also fell into endless sorrow.

In the end, it was Kangxi who noticed his emaciated son. His heart clenched, and he was filled with self-reproach. He realized that he had been so immersed in grief that he had neglected his son. Only then did he pull himself together and recover for Yinreng's sake.

Not long after the Empress Dowager's passing, the Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia, who had been working tirelessly for many days, fell seriously ill and never recovered. After many days of lingering illness, she finally passed away in the twenty-eighth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

On her deathbed, Lady Tongjia held Yinzhen's hand tightly, looking at the young man she had grown into, her eyes filled with remorse: "Yinzhen... I'm sorry, all these years, I've neglected you, I haven't put enough effort into you, and you've suffered so much."

Yinzhen burst into tears, shaking his head and choking back sobs, "Mother, don't say these things, you will definitely get better."

Lady Tongjia gave a wry smile, coughed a few times, and continued, "From now on, you must follow the Crown Prince closely. He is of noble status and likes you. If you stay close to him, you will be less likely to encounter any trouble..."

Yinzhen nodded with tears in his eyes. Not long after, Kangxi arrived in a hurry after receiving the news. After dismissing everyone, he sat down by the couch.

When Lady Tongjia saw Emperor Kangxi, a glimmer of light appeared in her eyes. She said weakly, "Your Majesty, I fear I must depart first. I have a matter on my mind. Half of the dowry I brought from my maiden home will go to Yinzhen, and the other half to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is kind and benevolent; I only ask… that he take good care of Yinzhen in the future, so that the child will not be left alone and destitute in this deep palace…"

Outside the door, listening to his mother's plea, Yinzhen wept silently, the last trace of regret in his heart dissipating. No matter what, his mother still cared about him; besides his elder brother, the Crown Prince, he wasn't a child unloved…