Chapter 113 Divine Will
He loved his brothers and sisters, had many children, was diligent in his duties and cared for the people, and made outstanding contributions.
Prince Yong, Yinzhen, was without fault.
After reviewing all the investigation results, Kangxi had to admit that his fourth son, Yinzhen, was indeed a truly outstanding man.
As a son, Yinzhen had the merit of saving his father; as an elder brother, Yinzhen had a kind heart; as a minister, he had benevolent actions, diligent governance, and the talent to save lives.
From any perspective, Yinzhen was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate for the throne.
After reviewing the investigation results, Kangxi had made his decision. At this moment, he had to admit that what Bao Cheng said was true.
Returning to that night at Xian'an Palace, Emperor Kangxi, in a foul mood after suddenly discovering Consort Shu's ambitions, went to the residence of the deposed crown prince.
Looking at Yinreng, who had lost his position as crown prince and seemed to have gained a profound understanding and been freed from his shackles, Kangxi hesitated for a long time before finally asking the question.
"Who does Bao Cheng think is worthy of the position of Crown Prince?"
Yinreng smiled, seemingly unconcerned that he was no longer the Crown Prince. Instead, he seemed to have returned to his childhood, daring to speak frankly and openly in front of Emperor Kangxi.
"If it were up to me, I would recommend my fourth brother."
"Yinzhen? Why?"
Even though Yinreng no longer posed any threat to him, Kangxi's suspicious nature still led him to speculate that Yinzhen had made a promise to Yinreng, which was why Yinreng spoke on his behalf.
Kangxi's tone only lowered slightly. But Yinreng, who knew him well, immediately sensed his suspicion.
He chuckled inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged as he calmly accepted Kangxi's scrutiny.
"When I was imprisoned in Yuqing Palace, my fourth brother asked me a question."
"What's the problem?"
Yinreng and Kangxi looked at each other, and Yinreng repeated the words word by word, as if he were interrogating himself or Kangxi.
"My fourth brother asked me, 'In the Jiangnan corruption case of 42 years ago, was I ashamed and angry because of the loss of troops and generals, or was I angry for the innocent people who were victimized?'"
Kangxi was taken aback. He had considered that Yinzhen might either demote him or try to win him over. But he hadn't expected him to ask such a seemingly insignificant question.
But looking into Yinreng's eyes and listening to this "irrelevant" question, Kangxi suddenly turned his head away somewhat awkwardly. The air fell silent. Many things flashed through Kangxi's mind: the factional strife he had deliberately indulged, the chaotic officialdom in Jiangnan, the miserable plight of the people…
A mocking smile curled at the corner of Yinreng's lips. "Politics, politics." But even in the politics that Father Emperor values so much, there's no place for the common people.
“Father, even though I don’t like my fourth brother, I can see that he cares about the people and has a kind heart. In addition, considering his past achievements, not to mention anything else, just the merit of the potato project alone, what reason do I have not to recommend him?”
"Is this your reason?" Just as Yinreng understood Kangxi, Kangxi also understood this son. Was Yinreng a person who loved talent?
Even if Kangxi was still feeling ashamed and annoyed a moment ago, once the flame of doubt was ignited, it would not be easily extinguished by other emotions.
Under Kangxi's gaze, Yinreng chuckled softly, appearing somewhat mad.
"What I just said was nothing but high-sounding platitudes. The real reason is simple: Fourth Brother's weaknesses are too obvious. He is too solemn, too upright, and too sentimental..."
Yinreng paused, then looked up again, seemingly transforming back into the gentle and dignified crown prince that Kangxi had initially been satisfied with, leaving Kangxi momentarily dazed.
"Father, only if my fourth brother ascends to the throne can I, the deposed crown prince, survive."
“Baocheng…” When Kangxi heard him say this, his heart ached, and his doubts vanished instantly. He knew that Yinreng was telling the truth; no emperor could tolerate the existence of a deposed crown prince after ascending the throne.
If we really put it into consideration, only Yinzhen, only Yinzhen who had these weaknesses according to Yinreng, could do it.
Emperor Kangxi had never considered, or rather, had not deeply considered, the possibility of the Crown Prince being deposed. Caught off guard by Yinreng's revelation, Kangxi wanted to make a promise, but was somewhat at a loss for words.
Yinreng had long since lost hope in him, and without waiting for him to speak, he continued, "Father, there's one more thing: he can only live if Yinzhen ascends the throne. Fourth Brother's achievements are too great. An emperor who cannot tolerate a deposed crown prince will naturally not tolerate a brother whose achievements overshadow his own."
"Isn't it a very simple choice? If the fourth brother ascends the throne, all the brothers can live. If someone else ascends the throne, the fourth brother and I will definitely not survive."
...
Coming to his senses, Kangxi, however unwilling, could only accept Yinreng's judgment. Yinzhen's achievements were too great; as his father, he naturally had the power to suppress Yinzhen and even occasionally felt some apprehension. If it were anyone else who ascended the throne, the more popular Yinzhen was, the more he would become a thorn in the side of the new emperor.
Emperor Kangxi never denied his favoritism; of all his children, he favored Yinreng the most. Of his remaining children, he valued Yinzhen the most.
He would never agree to the new emperor's ascension to the throne if it cost his two sons their lives, not to mention that none of the candidates could compare to Yinzhen.
Therefore, Kangxi was very clear that Yinzhen was his only choice.
So, while the court officials were trying to figure out Kangxi's mindset and were speculating in various ways, they suddenly discovered that the emperor had brought Prince Yong to his side to groom him.
Actually, no one noticed at first, because it was a consensus that Prince Yong was capable, and he had taken on heavy responsibilities more than once. In all court affairs, Kangxi entrusted important matters to Yinzhen. Even at the crucial moment of choosing an heir, the civil and military officials did not feel there was anything wrong with it.
For example, the Eighth Prince Yinzhi was usually praised by Emperor Kangxi, but when he was suddenly promoted to the position of Grand Steward of the Imperial Household Department and investigated Lingpu's embezzlement case, everyone felt that this was a hint.
For example, the seventeenth prince, Yinli, was usually unknown, but when he was suddenly promoted by Emperor Kangxi and many famous teachers were selected for him, everyone felt that this was a signal.
But when it came to Yinzhen, Kangxi transferred him from the Ministry of Revenue to the Ministry of Personnel, which was quite normal. Do you think someone in the Ministry of Personnel was corrupt?
It was perfectly normal for Emperor Kangxi to allow Yinzhen to participate in the discussions at the Southern Study; everyone thought that Prince Yong was indeed capable.
It's perfectly normal for Emperor Kangxi to frequently bring Yinzhen to the Qianqing Palace for instruction. Which powerful family do you think Prince Yong has caught up with again? Is it the Niohuru or the Hesheli clan? Give us a hint, let's sever some ties!
It wasn't until the emperor's handwriting appeared on the memorials that the court officials began to suspect that the emperor had chosen Prince Yong.
Regardless of the confusion among the court officials, Kangxi, after observing the situation, couldn't help but laugh in exasperation. He had made it so obvious, yet his ministers were only now realizing what was happening. Was Yinzhen simply too unpopular, or had these people done too many wrong things and were unwilling to let Yinzhen ascend the throne?
Suddenly realizing that his court was filled with a bunch of incompetent fools who only knew how to form cliques and pursue personal gain, Kangxi became even more determined to put Yinzhen on the throne. He was soft-hearted towards the old ministers, so let Yinzhen take the lead.
Unbeknownst to them, they had inadvertently given Yinzhen a boost on his path to the throne. Aside from a few confident ministers, most were at a loss. "Prince Yong, how are you going to cultivate relationships with him?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
