In the spring of the thirty-eighth year of Qianlong's reign, the sixty-three-year-old Hongli, urged by his court officials, had to consider the selection of the next emperor after his death.
Over the years, he could feel his body becoming more fragile, his energy levels declining, and his personality becoming increasingly sensitive to external expressions.
If it weren't for the repeated urging from the court officials, Hongli wouldn't have even considered the matter of choosing a new emperor.
How much longer can he live like this?
The Qing Dynasty has existed for over a century, from its inception to its current state. Will it be able to continue to be passed down through generations?
Can the new emperor chosen by themselves truly protect the Qing dynasty, instead of following the example of previous dynasties that declined from prosperity to ruin and were eventually destroyed in the long river of history?
have no idea!
Hongli did not know the answer to the question he had asked, nor did he want to know.
It was at this moment, when the problem was forced to confront him, that Hongli finally admitted that he was somewhat cold-hearted, that he didn't care at all about what would happen behind him.
"Gao Yu"
"This servant greets Your Majesty."
Having served the emperor for many years, Gao Yu, who had long since established a solid power base in the imperial court, was no longer the naive young man she once was.
He bowed slightly, lowered his head, and carefully concealed the emotions in his eyes, doing his best to avoid letting the emperor notice his inner thoughts.
Having served the emperor for many years, Gao Yu has grown a lot through countless falls and rises.
Faced with the overwhelming imperial majesty, he was no longer as cautious as before.
Time is truly amazing; it can transform people completely and change their appearance.
"Go to Yikun Palace and invite the Imperial Noble Consort over."
Hongli sat in a chair with the window beside him half-open, the bright sunlight streaming in and covering most of his body, as well as his face and expression.
Hongli's voice sounded a little hoarse, a sign that his previous cold had not yet healed.
Gao Yu nodded in agreement, and before turning to leave, she handed the prepared teacup to Hongli so that he could reach for it at any time.
The steady footsteps disappeared from the room, and the open door was closed again.
Hongli remained seated motionless until he suddenly reached out, picked up the teacup on the table, and calmly held it up to his eyes.
Xin Chang's hands are no longer as full and strong as they were in his youth. Now, his hands are more like a layer of loose skin covering the bones inside, wrinkled and like an old tree bark.
Hongli frowned in disgust; he hated his current old age the most.
Compared to the vibrant and beautiful body of my youth, I find everything about myself unpleasant in my old age.
It's no wonder that Hongli liked to summon young concubines; their youthful and vibrant bodies always brought him pleasure, allowing him to temporarily forget his own situation and immerse himself in the pleasure of lust.
Unfortunately, such self-deception will eventually be exposed and shattered.
Sometimes Hongli was both angry and confused. He was angry that even as an emperor, he could not resist the natural aging of his body caused by the passage of time, and confused that although power was intoxicating, there were still many things that power could not solve.
But being an emperor must feel really good.
Second only to the emperor, above all others.
Sometimes, you don't even need to give a verbal hint; a thoughtful person will take care of everything perfectly.
Just like this teacup that Gao Yu sent, it didn't contain tea, but a medicinal drink to soothe the throat and moisten the lungs. Hongli only had to speak in a slightly different voice to enjoy the best treatment in the world.
For this reason, Hongli had no intention of deciding on the new emperor.
Because that would mean that such absolute power was slipping away from him.
This was a reminder that his time was running out and that the vast empire needed to be handed over to the next leader.
How unwilling I am! This country and its people should have been his for a long time, and it should all belong to him.
His calm gaze suddenly turned crazed, and a ruthless expression flashed across Hongli's face.
Thud—
The teacup he was holding fell to the ground with a thud, spilling all the tea inside.
Hongli didn't even glance at them, but stared intently at the few memorials on his desk.
As the water spilled on the ground gradually cooled, Hongli summoned the eunuch waiting at the door and ordered him to clean it up.
On the other hand, Gao Yu, who was sent by Hongli to invite Chen Yuwei over, was standing at the entrance of the Yikun Palace.
Chen Yuwei had just woken up from her afternoon nap when Gao Yu suddenly came over, making her wonder if Hongli hadn't rested well and had some mental problems.
"Please come over? What is it you wish to discuss?"
Slowly getting out of bed, Chen Yuwei gave a delicate yawn.
In contrast to Hongli, who became more sensitive with age, Chen Yuwei was the opposite, becoming more relaxed with age.
On ordinary days, he would either go out for a stroll in the Imperial Garden or invite a few concubines over for a chat.
Chen Yuwei leisurely arranged her daily life, trying her best not to be too bored.
As Xingkui helped Chen Yuwei dress and wash, she shook her head and explained that she didn't know either.
Gao Yu's arrival was sudden, as the Emperor had not summoned his Consort for some time.
“My lord, I tried to probe him, but Eunuch Gao just shook his head and didn’t say anything.”
Gao Yu's facial expression revealed nothing, but compared to Wu Shulai, who had completely switched sides, he was still somewhat lacking.
At least in terms of the appropriate distance between Gao Yu and Yikun Palace, Gao Yu was very sensible.
They would not easily cross the red line drawn by both parties, and they kept Hongli's recent situation very secret.
"Just shaking your head and not saying anything, what's wrong with you?"
Chen Yuwei scoffed and gestured for Xingkui to fix her slightly disheveled hair.
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