Although Changchun Garden was heavily guarded and no one could enter without an order, even with such tight security, the news had already been relayed to Duolunku in the northwest.
The Fourteenth Prince was still discussing the next steps with his officials when a guard rushed in, shouting, "Fourteenth Prince, news has come from the capital: the Emperor fell seriously ill yesterday at Changchun Garden..."
Upon hearing this, the Fourteenth Prince abruptly stood up, initially shocked, then furious after confirming several times: "What? Father Emperor is seriously ill? Why was there no news sent to inform me beforehand?"
The Fourteenth Prince, consumed by rage, his eyes bulging as if about to erupt in fury, demanded, "Hasn't Father been ill all along? He even sent someone to pay his respects a few days ago without any warning. How could he suddenly fall ill like this? Did he leave a will?" The guards knew nothing. The Fourteenth Prince, far from the capital, had been preparing, but he hadn't expected Kangxi's illness to be so sudden. Coupled with the matter of Zhu Wanqing, the Fourteenth Prince had been unable to keep track of the situation in the capital. This had caused him to panic and lose his composure.
The others in the room dared not utter a sound, knowing full well that Kangxi's death meant an impending great battle, and they were all waiting for the Fourteenth Prince to give his orders...
Seeing the Fourteenth Prince lose his composure, and given the suddenness of the situation, a general couldn't help but rush forward to remind him: "Fourteenth Prince, I still think Your Highness should return to Jingzhou as soon as possible to observe the situation before making any further plans. However, the capital is probably already occupied. It might still work if Your Highness returns to the capital to wear mourning clothes. As long as Your Highness can return to the capital smoothly, we can then cooperate from both inside and outside to take Beijing in one fell swoop..."
Everyone was greatly encouraged upon hearing this, and they responded enthusiastically, while also urging Fourteenth Prince to calm down and consider the bigger picture.
These words jolted the Fourteenth Prince awake. The plan he had meticulously crafted for so many years was finally about to begin, and he felt both nervous and fearful. After a moment of calm reflection, he ordered, "Ten thousand elite troops are ready. They will return to the capital with me first. The rest will remain where they are, ready to be deployed at any moment. In case of any unforeseen circumstances, we will march straight for Beijing..."
"Yes, sir!"
Since falling ill, Lady Wanyan had been bedridden and unaware of what had happened in the front courtyard. The maid, having received orders, rushed to inform Lady Wanyan, breathless, and knelt before her, saying, "Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The Emperor has passed away!"
Upon hearing this, Wanyan sat up, nearly collapsing from dizziness, and braced herself with her hands. Her face full of disbelief, she asked, "What did you say? The Emperor is dead? Where is the Fourteenth Prince? I need to find the Fourteenth Prince..."
Wanyan struggled to get up and leave, but a maidservant stepped in to support her, hurriedly saying, "Madam, the Prince already knows and is preparing to return to the capital. He ordered me to come and inform you..."
Lady Wanyan panicked and didn't know what to do, shouting, "Quick...quickly pack up...I want to go back with the Prince..."
The maidservant stopped Lady Wanyan with a worried expression: "The Princess Consort is still recovering, and such a long journey may be too much for her. It would be better to wait for the Prince to go back and check on her first, and then the Princess Consort can return..."
Wanyan pushed the maid away: "What do you know? The prince can't afford to waste a single moment!"
After saying this, she hurriedly went to gather her clothes. The more flustered she became, the slower her movements. After a while, her clothes and belongings were scattered everywhere. Wanyan angrily threw them down and sat blankly on the edge of the bed. The maidservant quickly and swiftly began to tidy up.
Fourteen, along with Wanyan and ten thousand elite soldiers, went directly from Duolunku to attend the funeral.
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