Several ministers bowed their heads and glanced sideways. After a moment, they kowtowed in unison and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, your subjects will obey your decree, assist the new emperor, and protect the Qing Dynasty..." Kangxi smiled with relief, as if a great burden had been lifted, and he relaxed instantly. He nodded and instructed Liang Jiugong to summon everyone inside.

The princes, relatives, and ministers all entered the room. Seeing the solemn expressions on the faces of the elderly ministers, the Eighth Prince felt a pang of anxiety. He exchanged a glance with the Ninth Prince and knelt before Emperor Kangxi. The others dared not utter a sound and followed suit, kneeling down.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Kangxi smiled and nodded contentedly, feeling a sense of fulfillment at having a large family and achieving his goal. He slowly instructed, "I am old, and I know my own body very well. Do not worry. I have summoned you all today to instruct you on some matters. A country cannot be without a ruler. When I pass away, you must diligently assist the new emperor. Brothers should support and help each other, and ministers should remind and advise one another. Protect the Qing dynasty's land and its people well..."

The Eighth Prince lowered his head, his face growing increasingly grim, while the Ninth Prince, unable to contain his anger, gritted his teeth inwardly. Although Kangxi hadn't explicitly stated who the new emperor was, his words and actions all hinted that the Fourth Prince was the most likely candidate for the throne…

After Kangxi finished speaking, he breathed a sigh of relief and fainted. Liang Jiugong frantically called for the imperial physician, and chaos ensued. Everyone looked at Kangxi with worry, while Hongli cried uncontrollably, standing helplessly by Kangxi's bedside.

Although they were ruler and subject, he was still Kangxi's father. At this moment, there was no longer much scheming or intrigue; everyone's expression was one of deep sorrow and heartbreak. They leaned forward, trying to catch a glimpse of Kangxi, their mournful cries making the atmosphere in Hanchun Garden exceptionally oppressive, filled with an overwhelming sense of grief.

On the other side, at the Prince Yong's residence.

After sending the servants from Lady Fucha's household away, Lanqin waited anxiously for Hongli's return. Even by evening, Hongli hadn't returned, nor had any news of him or the Fourth Prince. Lanqin was restless; her maidservants brought in food several times, but Lanqin never picked up her chopsticks.

"Someone come here..." Lanqin finally couldn't sit still any longer and beckoned a servant in: "Go to the entrance of Changchun Garden right now and check from a distance. Don't get too close, just observe the situation from a distance and then report back to me..." The servant nodded and turned to run off. Lanqin stared blankly at the rising night outside, her heart growing increasingly uneasy.

"It's alright! It will be alright. History has already been decided, we're just going through it again." Lanqin clenched her hands tightly, constantly reassuring herself, "Fourth Master and Hongli must come back safely, please don't let anything happen to them..." Lanqin's palms were sweating, and she walked around the room tremblingly, looking outside whenever she heard a noise.

After a long while, the servant returned, panting. Lanqin excused herself from the formalities and asked anxiously, "How was it? Did you see anything?" The servant took a few breaths and stammered, "Reporting to... Consort... this servant followed Consort's instructions and only looked around outside Changchun Garden for a while. The garden gate is now heavily guarded, and the gate is tightly closed with strict security. This servant waited for a long time but didn't see a single person come out."

The maid poured a cup of water and handed it to the servant: "Slow down, speak carefully, is there anything you've missed?"

Lanqin looked nervous, her brows furrowed as she muttered anxiously to herself, "Yes, it should be today, but why aren't Fourth Master and Hongli coming out yet? Could something I haven't considered have happened?" Lanqin looked at the servant and asked again, "What else did they see?"

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