"You think so too?" Fourth Master asked seriously.

“Yes, the people of Qilu are known for their fierce and unruly nature. In addition, there are many Han Chinese who oppose some of the policies of our Great Qing. Not only are there the Yu Ming rebels, but there is also an organization called the ‘Heaven and Earth Society.’ They have gathered a large number of restless people in the martial arts world under the guise of ‘overthrowing the Qing and restoring the Ming.’ It is really a very risky move for Father to receive students from all walks of life so rashly,” said the Thirteenth Prince.

“You truly understand me, my good brother. These are exactly what I was worried about. However, Father has already made his decision, and there's no point in us objecting anymore. We must now propose to Father that the number of guards be increased. As the acting Grand Councilor before the Emperor, the guards must be kept extremely strict and there can be no mistakes. Thirteen, you must help me!” Fourth Prince said.

“Why don’t we go see Father Emperor again now and explain our concerns to him? If we can gain his understanding, it will be easier for both of us to proceed,” the Thirteenth Prince said.

Fourth Master thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "You're right!"

When the two stepped into the Mingzheng Hall again, Liang Jiugong was quite surprised and said to the two princes, "His Majesty has just taken a midday rest. Would you two like to come again tomorrow?"

Fourth Master immediately said, "We can wait here."

Seeing that he had said this, Liang Jiugong naturally could no longer stop him. He could only ask the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince to sit in the side room and wait for Kangxi to wake up from his afternoon nap before they could go in.

The two sat in the side room having tea, and Liang Jiugong did not leave. As Kangxi grew older, his afternoon naps became longer and longer. He used to need half an hour to rest, but now it took at least an hour to get dressed. However, he often couldn't sleep at night. Therefore, Liang Jiugong simply calculated the time to help Kangxi get up.

At this moment, seeing the two princes waiting in the side room, he knew they wanted to discuss the matter with Kangxi, so he stayed to share his opinion with them. Although he was merely a eunuch, and although he had no children, his nearly forty-year-long master-servant relationship with Kangxi was no less than that of a father and son, and his loyalty to Kangxi had reached the point of undying devotion. If Kangxi were to order him to die, Liang Jiugong would do so without complaint.

The Fourth Prince knew that Emperor Kangxi relied heavily on Liang Jiugong, and he also saw that Liang Jiugong served Emperor Kangxi wholeheartedly. So he was very polite to him and said, "Please sit down, Your Majesty. Father Emperor will be taking a rest for a while."

Liang Jiugong was a man of great discretion. Although he had some influence with Emperor Kangxi, he was certainly not on equal footing with a prince. Therefore, he firmly declined, saying, "Fourth Prince, please don't flatter this old servant. I feel more comfortable speaking standing up!"

The Fourth Prince did not insist, and said gently, "Father's health is not what it used to be. Your Excellency is taking care of him and reminding him not to stay up late reading memorials anymore."

Liang Jiugong deeply agreed and said with emotion, "If Your Majesty could listen to this old servant, I would rather endure the hardship myself than let Your Majesty suffer. Alas, the memorials piled up every day and kept arriving, and Your Majesty had to read them until very late before he would rest. Now that Your Majesty is out of the woods, you are actually a little more relaxed. But I never expected that the death of Princess Heshuo Gulun would be such a blow to Your Majesty."

The Thirteenth Prince chimed in, "That's why I said Father Emperor shouldn't hold any book discussion conference. There are so many scholars in Shandong and Qi; are we supposed to meet with them all? Wouldn't that exhaust Father Emperor? And what if something else happens?"

Liang Jiugong naturally understood the Thirteenth Prince's meaning and agreed, saying, "In this old servant's opinion, His Majesty doesn't actually need to personally receive them. There are six princes here, which is enough to represent His Majesty's importance. Why not let the princes take the trouble to receive them on his behalf, and then select the top ten to meet His Majesty in the end? This way, unnecessary unforeseen events can be avoided!"

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince thought it was an excellent idea and clasped his hands in a fist salute to Liang Jiugong, saying, "What you say is absolutely right, Eunuch. In this way, the threat to Father Emperor can be greatly reduced. If there are any rebellious elements, we will not have to worry about harming Father Emperor."

Liang Jiugong genuinely cared about Kangxi's well-being, and was deeply moved by the concern shown to Kangxi by the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince. Compared to these two, the other princes were not as attentive.

When Kangxi was about to wake up, Liang Jiugong personally helped him change his clothes and told Kangxi about the worries and concerns of the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince.

"Did the fourth prince promise you any benefits?" Kangxi asked suddenly, his eyes slightly narrowed.

Upon hearing this, Liang Jiugong immediately bowed and said excitedly, "The Fourth Prince has never done me any favors. I beg Your Majesty to see the truth!"

Kangxi glanced at Liang Jiugong and said, "Then why are you going on and on to say good things about him? My ears aren't deaf; I can understand what you mean."

Liang Jiugong dared not look back at Kangxi and said, "The Fourth Prince is very worried about Your Majesty. Seeing his filial piety, I couldn't help but say a few words. If Your Majesty does not want to listen, I will not say anything. The Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince are still waiting in the side room. If Your Majesty is not happy to see them, I will send someone to say so."

Kangxi smiled and scolded, "You old fool, do you think I can't say anything to you now? How dare you take advantage of me!"

Liang Jiugong knew that Kangxi had dispelled his doubts and felt relieved. He said, "This old servant wouldn't dare. But I personally think that Fourth Master's method is indeed for Your Majesty's good. There are so many scholars in Shandong. If you were to meet them one by one, who knows when it would take? Why not let them screen them for you?"

Kangxi raised his hand and fastened the top button, saying in a cool voice, "Alright, I know what I'm doing. Go and have them come to the main room to see me."

Knowing Kangxi's temperament, Liang Jiugong dared not say more and bowed as he withdrew.

After the Fourth Prince explained his concerns in detail again, and with the Thirteenth Prince adding his own points, Kangxi really began to ponder. After thinking for a while, he said, "Very well, my energy has been somewhat lacking lately. You can arrange for the Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince to each be in charge of some, and select the ten best people to come and see me."

When the Fourth Prince saw that Kangxi had agreed, he glanced at Liang Jiugong and smiled at him, who returned the smile.

After the two men left, Kangxi said in a cold voice, "Liang Jiugong, when did you learn to seduce my son?"

Upon hearing this, Liang Jiugong's knees buckled, and he immediately knelt down, saying in a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, please understand! This servant must never have any connection with the outer court. Please, Your Majesty, see the truth!"

Kangxi stared at Liang Jiugong's head for a long time before saying, "Alright, get up. But you know very well what I hate most. If I find out that you are deliberately violating the rules, don't blame me for not showing any mercy to you as master and servant!"