After more than half a year of intermittent fighting, the war between the two sides reached a stalemate. Neither side dared to launch a major offensive, and both were observing and looking for the other's weakness before striking decisively. The Crown Prince and his entourage had just arrived in the northern desert, and the Mid-Autumn Festival was only a few days away.
As soon as the Crown Prince arrived, he immediately went to Kangxi's tent to pay his respects. The other princes were also present, presumably summoned by Kangxi specifically for this occasion.
"Father, I noticed you seem to have lost weight, so I brought several chefs with me. They are skilled in several cuisines, including Suzhou, Cantonese, Sichuan, and Shandong dishes. Whatever Father wishes to eat, they can make it for you," the Crown Prince said.
"Hehe, my Bao Cheng's filial piety is commendable. Good, I really miss the dishes made by the imperial chefs in the palace." Kangxi said with a kind face. When he left, he actually brought several chefs from the imperial kitchen with him.
"The Crown Prince really knows how to please Father Emperor. We're fighting a war here, not going on a trip, so why be so particular?" Prince Zhi, who had always looked down on the Crown Prince's behavior, couldn't help but make a sarcastic remark when he saw the Crown Prince flattering Emperor Kangxi.
In other words, only Prince Zhi dared to speak ill of the Crown Prince to Emperor Kangxi's face; no one else had that kind of influence.
Kangxi merely glanced at Prince Zhi and said, "Baoqing, your younger brother, the Crown Prince, is also showing great filial piety. Baocheng, the Mid-Autumn Festival is just around the corner. Have your chefs prepare a decent Mid-Autumn Festival family feast so that we can all celebrate together."
The Crown Prince adopted a filial expression and said, "Your subject will go and prepare for Father Emperor immediately."
The Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince watched the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhi fight each other, seemingly observing from the sidelines, since they never directly clashed with the Crown Prince.
At noon, Kangxi told everyone to go back and rest, and to prepare for the Mid-Autumn Festival family banquet. He also planned a grassland bonfire party, inviting the leaders of the various tribes that had submitted to him to strengthen their bonds.
When Prince Zhi, the Third Prince, the Eighth Prince, the Ninth Prince, the Tenth Prince, and others learned that Emperor Kangxi had sent the Crown Prince to accompany him and appointed the Fourth Prince as regent, they each had their own thoughts.
Prince Zhi thought this was a good thing, indicating that Kangxi was not very satisfied with the Crown Prince's regency over the past six months. So he relieved him of his power and summoned him to his side for a reprimand.
Third Master felt that the Crown Prince must have done something to offend Kangxi, otherwise, why would he bring him to serve in front of the Emperor?
The Eighth Prince and the Ninth Prince, however, felt quite dissatisfied and terrified that the Fourth Prince had been appointed regent. Thus, the Fourth Prince gradually ascended to the throne after the Crown Prince, something the Eighth Prince had not wanted to see.
The Tenth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince seemed indifferent to their brothers' thoughts. They probably never had any ambition for the position, so they never bothered to speculate about the Emperor's intentions in making such a decision.
However, now that the Crown Prince has arrived, Kangxi has entrusted him with the task of organizing the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, seemingly without any sign of dissatisfaction. This has caused the other princes to start having second thoughts.
Emperor Kangxi had a habit of taking a midday nap. During his nap, he only allowed Liang Jiugong to stand guard, while everyone else had to wait outside and no one was allowed to get close.
"Baoqing and Baocheng, those two brothers used to play together. They were such a close pair of brothers back then. I really miss those times," Kangxi said, lying on the bed, leaning against a large cushion.
“Your Majesty need not worry. As people grow up, they will certainly not be the same as when they were children. Prince Zhi is brave and His Highness the Crown Prince is kind. In this old servant’s opinion, they are both good sons of Your Majesty,” Liang Jiugong said.
"Old man, why do I need you to coax me? Tell the truth!" Kangxi said lightly.
Liang Jiugong felt a shiver run down his spine. He glanced cautiously at Kangxi and said, "This servant dares not criticize the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhi. This servant only feels that the two princes seem to lack magnanimity. Whether they can treat their brothers well in the future and ensure the prosperity of the Aisin Gioro family bloodline is what this old servant is worried about."
Emperor Kangxi narrowed his eyes and said, "Prince Zhi is brave but lacks wisdom and magnanimity. I never thought he could inherit my Great Qing. The Crown Prince, the son I personally nurtured, cannot win the hearts of the people. How can I entrust this empire to him with peace of mind?"
Liang Jiugong stood like a statue beside Kangxi's bed. The emperor could speak such private words to him because he was absolutely loyal to Kangxi.
"Look, even here, I still receive a constant stream of memorials impeaching the Crown Prince," Kangxi said, frowning.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince’s situation is relatively well handled. You should find him a few regents, just like the four regents that the Holy Ancestor found for Your Majesty back then,” Liang Jiugong said.
"Back then, I was just an ignorant child. He has already come of age. What use would it be if I found him a regent?" Kangxi shook his head and said.
“Your Majesty, you are still in the prime of your life, why worry about these things? If you continue to guide and teach the Crown Prince for another ten or eight years, perhaps he will make progress,” Liang Jiugong said.
This time, Kangxi didn't continue speaking. After pausing for a while, he said, "You should also go out and stand guard outside. Don't let anyone approach!"
Liang Jiugong knew that Kangxi was about to summon the secret guards, so he immediately took a few steps back, turned around and walked out.
After he left, several shadowy figures appeared out of nowhere and stood together in front of Kangxi's bed. They knelt down to pay their respects and waited for Kangxi's questions.
"What have you found?" Kangxi asked with his eyes closed.
"Your Majesty, we conducted a covert investigation in Yangzhou and discovered that Su Fusheng had close ties with a merchant surnamed Zhou. However, when we went to find this Mr. Zhou, we were too late. He, his entire family, and even their residence had been set on fire and burned to the ground." The guard knelt on the ground and reported.
"Burn it? You mean we can't find anything more?" Kangxi said angrily.
“This servant deserves to die. From the items found in Su Fusheng’s home, there was no evidence of him communicating or associating with anyone. Only this merchant surnamed Zhou. We discovered that this merchant surnamed Zhou was not originally from Yangzhou, but from the capital,” the guard said.
"Continue the investigation. Perhaps someone is covering for others. How dare a mere merchant collude with officials to create such a commotion? And even attempt to frame the Crown Prince? I believe this is a conspiracy. It seems the people of Yangzhou are living too comfortably. Issue my decree: confiscate the property of the Su family. All adult males of the Su family shall be executed, and all children under the age of 13 shall be exiled to Yongning Pagoda as slaves, and their descendants shall be barred from taking the imperial examinations for three generations. All women shall be strangled, and minors shall be forced into servitude in government households," Kangxi said coldly. This decree was drafted and then sent to Yangzhou to be proclaimed.
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