Chapter 200 (Final Chapter)
"This medicine was meant to prematurely unleash the Emperor's potential. It was essentially trading longevity for temporary health. Now it's no longer effective..."
Yinzhen fell into a deep sleep once again. Faced with the interrogation of the Empress, the Crown Prince, and the princes, Wang Hesheng could no longer hide the truth, nor was there any need to hide it anymore.
It explained in detail the function and origin of the "medicine".
Ever since the late emperor sent him to serve the emperor when he was still a prince, Wang Hesheng had already detected the danger lurking beneath the pulse.
"Back then, the Emperor seemed to have anticipated this, and he was not too surprised by my diagnosis."
Wang Hesheng looked up and met the heavy and sorrowful faces. He continued to recall, telling the whole story of the secret that had been buried in his heart for many years.
"Later, I found a prescription in my family's secret techniques that could exchange three months of life for three days of health. After those three days, a person would fall seriously ill..."
Wang Hesheng didn't take the prescription seriously, but somehow the Emperor found out about it. When the Emperor ascended the throne, Wang Hesheng examined the Emperor's pulse again and discovered that the Emperor had been depleted for a long time and was prone to illness. The Emperor then presented the prescription to Wang Hesheng for further study.
"His Majesty wishes to prolong these three days of health, even at the cost of shortening his lifespan. He has ordered his ministers to focus on research, suppressing all negative effects as much as possible, and delaying it for as long as possible..."
"Previously, the Emperor's loss of taste and smell was a side effect. After that, the Emperor ordered his ministers to improve the prescription..."
"The effect is better, the suppression of side effects is more robust, and the burning life is also longer..."
Wang Hesheng paused, somewhat reluctant, but had to explain: "After the prescription was improved, there's only one situation where a side effect will occur... that is when the medicine's effects wear off, and His Majesty no longer has enough fuel to burn... his lifespan..."
After he finished speaking, the hall fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone watched as a veil of mystery, which they had always been curious about but had never opened, was finally lifted, revealing the shattered glass vase lying on the ground.
At this moment, no one dared to approach, afraid even to breathe, fearing that if they moved, even the last fragment would be reduced to ashes.
"Is there no other way?"
Honghui's voice was hoarse. The seventeen-year-old boy was tall and handsome, bearing a striking resemblance to Yinzhen. He had only just come of age and felt he could share his father's burdens. But the pillar supporting him had suddenly collapsed—how could he accept this?
Wang Hesheng shook his head helplessly. Over the years, his hair had turned white from research, yet he still couldn't find a way to save the emperor's life. In truth, he should have realized long ago that from the day the emperor took this medicine, from the day he drank poison to quench his thirst, his fate was already sealed.
“Honghui…”
A weak cry came from inside the imperial tent. Honghui was startled, then stumbled over and grabbed his hand in a panic: "Father..."
Behind him, a large crowd stood, all with red eyes, staring intently at Yinzhen, speechless.
“I’m here…” Even at the last moment of his life, even though he could no longer see, Yinzhen remained calm. “Don’t make things difficult for Physician Wang. He has done his best.”
“Father…” Honghui burst into tears instantly. He wanted to say that he didn’t want to make things difficult for Physician Wang. He just wanted his father to stay; he simply had no other choice.
"Summon the ministers."
Everyone understood what Yinzhen meant by those words. Honghui shook his head desperately, unwilling to believe that things had come to this: "No, Father, you are the Emperor, you will get better."
"Honghui, you are the Crown Prince!"
Yinzhen's single sentence caused Honghui to break down in tears. At that moment, he didn't want to be the emperor's crown prince; he only wanted to be his father's son.
"Honghui, don't put the Emperor in a difficult position."
With red eyes, Yun Ti lifted Hong Hui up. Yun Reng, who was standing to the side, tried his best to control his expression and strode out, his back looking somewhat flustered: "I'm going to summon people."
Such waiting was agonizing; watching helplessly as Yinzhen's life slipped away, everyone was too pained to speak.
Faced with death, Yinzhen was the most composed. He suddenly called out, "Fourteenth Prince, has the Fourteenth Prince returned?"
Upon hearing his fourth brother call him, Yunzhen burst into tears and threw himself at Yinzhen's bedside: "Fourth brother, fourth brother, I'm back, I'm back..."
"You've become a great general, why are you still crying?" Feeling the large tears falling on the back of his hand, Yinzhen gave a faint smile.
"I won't cry, I won't cry." Yunzhen wiped his face in a disheveled state. Now, he would obediently listen to whatever Yinzhen said.
"You need to behave yourself from now on, don't be so impulsive, and listen to Thirteen... Thirteen?"
"Fourth Brother, I'm here." Yunxiang leaned closer, fighting back tears as he gently grasped Yinzhen's hand.
"From now on, I'm entrusting Fourteenth Brother to you. You must look after him for Fourth Brother."
“Okay, I’ll watch over him.” Even though he knew that Yinzhen was no longer able to see, Yunxiang still couldn’t help but nod frantically.
"Also, keep an eye on yourself for me. Don't work so hard. There's always more to do. I don't want a workaholic thirteenth brother. I just want a healthy and long-lived thirteenth brother."
Yunxiang nodded, moved and pained. Overwhelmed by fear, he could no longer deceive himself. His fourth brother, who had protected him since childhood and whom he cared about most, was truly leaving.
"Okay, I'll do whatever Fourth Brother says..."
Yinzhen paused for a long time, and his strength visibly diminished, causing the thirteenth and fourteenth princes who were guarding him to panic.
When Yinzhen spoke again, his voice was slightly weak. He named a few more brothers, telling Seventeenth Prince and Honghui to support each other, and that Ninth Prince no longer needed to see his rival. He also told Third Prince not to stay at home all day writing books, but to keep an eye on Eldest Prince and make sure he doesn't sneak a drink...
After calling out the names of all his brothers, Yinzhen's breath grew weaker, and finally he slowly uttered that name: "Little Eight..."
Standing frozen in place, Yinzhi staggered upon hearing that familiar childhood address, his mind blank, and somehow found himself sitting down next to Yinzhen: "Fourth Brother..."
"I told you before, do your best and leave the rest to fate. If this is fate, I have no regrets, and you should let it go too..."
Overwhelmed with suppressed grief, Yinzhi shook his head: "You are the Emperor, you are Heaven, Heaven's will should not be like this..."
"Xiao Ba, we both wanted to be the sky in the past, but now I have to go first. Honghui's sky still needs you to help me hold it up for him..."
Yinzhen turned his head slightly, his lifeless eyes falling on Yinsi: "I entrust everything to you, Eighth Brother."
The heavy trust was placed in Yinzhi's hands. Yinzhi had clearly planned to fulfill his fourth brother's wishes long ago. But at this moment, he felt a little regretful, regretting that he had made it too obvious.
Perhaps that's why Fourth Brother had no more attachments. That's why he so easily and readily chose to give up and leave.
"Fourth Brother..."
"You know me." Yinzhen gripped Yinsi's hand slightly, and Yinsi fell silent instantly, unable to utter another word.
Soon, Yinreng arrived with a group of ministers.
A large number of people knelt in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, creating a solemn and tragic scene. As recorded by the historians nearby, Yinzhen formally passed the throne to Honghui.
"Honghui, the future of the Qing Dynasty is entrusted to you."
Finally, Yinzhen raised his hand and beckoned Honghui to his side. He laboriously took off the white jade thumb ring from his hand and handed it to Honghui: "Don't be sad. Father has just returned to where he belongs. Keep this thumb ring. It will protect you."
Yinzhen wasn't lying; this ring was a manifestation of the world's consciousness. Since successfully ascending to world consciousness, only a trace of the world's aura remained within the ring. This trace of aura represented the world's favor, and wearing it brought good fortune. Consider it his final little gift to Honghui.
Honghui, who knew nothing about the matter, looked at the thumb ring that his father liked the most, trembling as he took it, holding back his tears, not wanting his father to worry about him before his death.
"Okay, I will wear it carefully, and I will protect the empire left by Father..."
“I believe in you. Honghui has never let Ama down.”
Yinzhen gave a final smile. He turned his head slightly away from the dragon bed, leaving behind his last words: "In the future, treat your uncles and elders well. If... if... one day you can no longer tolerate them... then let them leave..."
"No, Father, I won't, Father—"
"His Majesty has passed away—"
On the third day of the ninth month of the eighth year of the Yongzheng reign, Emperor Yongzheng (Yinzhen) of the Qing Dynasty passed away.
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