Hongli, who had only been sobbing, burst into tears upon hearing Kangxi's weak and feeble voice: "Grandpa, I don't want you to fall asleep, Grandpa, get up... please get up..."
Hongli's cries moved everyone present. Kangxi looked at Hongli with satisfaction; he loved his grandson the most. After a long while, he finally looked up and gazed intently at the Fourth Prince. The Fourth Prince moved closer to Kangxi and listened carefully.
"Hongli is a promising talent; nurture him well and he will become a great man in the future... You must cultivate Hongli well..." Kangxi spoke slower and slower, each word seemingly uttered with all his strength. Upon hearing this, the Fourth Prince grasped Kangxi's hand tightly and nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, Kangxi struggled to open his eyes, panting heavily, and instructed the Fourth Prince: "You...you must...you must...protect...the Great Qing...protect...the Great Qing Empire for me..."
The Fourth Prince, in a panic, supported Kangxi, patted Kangxi's chest, and comforted him: "Father, don't worry, your son will definitely do it... Father, please don't move... take care of your health..." While comforting him, he gestured to the imperial physician beside him.
The Fourth Prince stepped aside, and the imperial physician examined the Emperor. Seeing this, Hongli frantically clutched the corner of the blanket, crying and shouting, "Grandpa Emperor, Grandpa Emperor, what's wrong? Grandpa Emperor..."
The several key ministers of Kangxi's cabinet kneeling below suddenly changed expression upon hearing Kangxi's words. They exchanged glances and fell silent. They all understood, and roughly guessed Kangxi's thoughts. Their faces remained expressionless, but their hearts were churning as they calculated their next moves…
After a long while, Kangxi slowly calmed down, opened his eyes and looked at the people around him. He stared blankly at the top of the bed curtains, took a deep breath, and then turned his head to indicate with his eyes that he had something to say.
The ministers knelt and walked forward, approaching Kangxi's bedside, with Longkodo at the very front.
Seeing this, the Fourth Prince quickly pulled Hongli down to kneel. Hongli didn't dare to kneel too far at Kangxi's feet, sobbing uncontrollably, trying to hold back but unable to stop.
Kangxi was helped up by Liang Jiugong and was half-lying down. Looking down at the ministers, sons and grandsons who had accompanied him for half his life, memories flooded back. From childhood to adulthood, to ascending the throne and until the last moment, decades of life had passed in the blink of an eye.
An endless sense of reluctance was evident in Kangxi's eyes. He knew that his time was running out, that he had too many things to say, and that he had too many things left undone.
But even that couldn't overcome his labored breathing. Kangxi's eyes were cloudy, and he opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word for a long time...
After a long pause, he managed to utter a few words: "The Qing Dynasty's rule was hard-won. You all followed me through thick and thin, and the Qing Dynasty owes its existence to you all... I am now... old, unable to walk or speak properly. But my children are still young, and I have grandchildren... so I am not worried..."
As he spoke, Kangxi turned his gaze to the Fourth Prince and Hongli, and smiled with satisfaction: "After I am gone... you must assist my son and grandson as you have assisted me... so that they may... protect my empire for me..."
With trembling hands, the Fourth Prince kowtowed deeply and answered loudly, "Your subject will certainly live up to Father Emperor's trust and swear to protect the Qing Dynasty with my life..."
Hongli then kowtowed deeply: "Grandfather, I, too, will do my utmost for the Qing Dynasty."
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