"What did they say?" Kangxi was on a warm couch, dressed in a moon-white casual robe with a bright yellow jacket trimmed with black fur over it.
"Your Majesty, what the Fourth Prince said was all out of Your Majesty's fatherly affection for the Crown Prince, and was his advice to the Crown Prince," Liang Jiugong bowed and answered cautiously.
"That's all?" Kangxi's expression was indifferent, revealing neither joy nor anger.
But whenever the Emperor wore this expression, Liang Jiugong knew that Kangxi was in a bad mood. Just last night, a night watchman was publicly shamed. The reason was simple: when Kangxi called him to bed, he foolishly ran directly to the window facing Kangxi's bed. The bright moonlight cast his dark shadow onto the pale window paper. Half-asleep, Kangxi saw a figure suddenly reflected in his window and was terrified. He immediately summoned assassins! So, the poor little eunuch was dragged away and executed as an assassin. Liang Jiugong knew that the little eunuch was usually very honest, and he wanted to say something in his defense, but he couldn't bring himself to speak. He had always instructed his eunuchs to be careful when serving the Emperor, never to appear directly in front of Kangxi, not even as a shadow; they must always serve him cautiously with their heads bowed. The eunuch died unjustly, but who told him to run into Emperor Kangxi's bad luck at that moment!
"Oh, the Fourth Prince was also talking to the Crown Prince about things from the past, things the Crown Prince gave him when the Fourth Prince first came to live with the Emperor." Liang Jiugong said truthfully. He was now starting to have trouble figuring out Kangxi's thoughts, so he dared not speak to people casually.
Kangxi was silent for a while, and the look in his eyes gradually softened. He said, "The fourth prince is someone who values brotherhood. He doesn't like socializing and isn't particularly close to anyone. I didn't expect to see his true nature at a time like this."
Liang Jiugong breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "Yes, the Fourth Prince usually has a stern and unsmiling appearance. I heard that people call him 'Cold-Faced Fourth Prince,' but when my brother was in trouble, the only one who stood up to lend a helping hand was the Fourth Prince."
"The cold-faced Fourth Prince?" Kangxi pondered these four words.
"Yes, this servant has overstepped his bounds. This servant only heard it from a bunch of little rascals below. They say that the Fourth Prince always handles tricky matters. He doesn't seem kind on ordinary days and doesn't like to reward servants much, but the things he does for the Emperor are all major events." In fact, Liang Jiugong has always respected the Fourth Prince very much. Apart from the Crown Prince, he admires this prince the most.
"Did you take his bribes?" Kangxi asked, glancing sideways at Liang Jiugong.
Liang Jiugong's expression froze, and he knelt down with a thud, quickly curtsying, "This old servant dares not. This old servant has never accepted a single coin or silver from the Fourth Prince. Rather, this old servant saw His Majesty worrying day and night about the Crown Prince's affairs, and couldn't help but reveal what this old servant considers the best candidate for Crown Prince."
Kangxi looked down at Liang Jiugong's head, which was covered with layers of white frost. This eunuch was actually the only person he could confide in. He had been with him since he was eight years old, almost fifty years now. Since the passing of his grandmother, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, it seemed that only he had truly cared for him without any selfish motives. He actually said that the fourth prince was the most suitable candidate for crown prince?
"Why do you think the fourth prince is the best candidate for crown prince?" Kangxi asked coldly.
“Because the Fourth Prince was raised under Empress Tong’s care, he has a natural connection with the Tongjia clan. The Tongjia clan is also the Emperor’s maternal clan, so it’s good that the Fourth Prince has a close relationship with the Emperor’s maternal clan. Secondly, the Fourth Prince was raised by the Emperor’s side for two years, and his father-son relationship with the Emperor is very deep. This servant has seen it all, and the Fourth Prince’s affection for the Emperor is genuine. Thirdly, the Fourth Prince is decisive and dares to do what others dare not do. Fourthly, the Fourth Prince doesn’t side with his brothers, and he can’t bear to ignore even the weaker Seventh Prince. That’s why the Seventh Prince risked being punished by the Emperor to tell Zheng Shi about this. Now the Fourth Prince has gone to visit the Crown Prince, which shows that he cares about these brothers and brethren.” Liang Jiugong said, word by word.
Emperor Kangxi was almost moved by Liang Jiugong's words. He had been pondering for a long time who he should appoint as crown prince after deposing the crown prince, so that the crown prince could inherit the country built by his ancestors.
Prince Zhi? He's brave and fierce, but not particularly astute or decisive. Such a person is only fit to be a military general, not a ruler. Moreover, the Nalan family is corrupt, making them in-laws, and they'll inevitably rise again sooner or later.
The Third Prince? A natural-born cultured man, gifted in poetry and prose, but can such a person be a good emperor? Isn't Li Yu of the Southern Tang the best example? What use is excellent poetry if one ultimately loses their country and themselves? The Ma Jia clan is too weak to play a significant role.
Fifth Prince? I once valued this son highly; he was quite capable in both literature and military strategy. It's a pity that he was disfigured in a small battle, showing that he wasn't careful enough and was too arrogant by nature. Moreover, the ruler of a country is a matter of national honor, and I would never allow a disfigured prince to become the ruler.
The Seventh Prince? Needless to say, his congenital disability had already ruled him out.
The Eighth Prince? This son seems quite outstanding, and many people have started recommending him. He's kind, calm, and meticulous in his work, and has excellent interpersonal skills. However, I don't seem to particularly like his style of doing things, and his maternal family background is too low.
Ninth Prince? His most beloved youngest son, exceptionally intelligent, yet not involved in state affairs, had long been excluded by him.
The Tenth Prince? Although he was born to Empress Niohuru, he was a natural-born military general, but too dull-witted to shoulder such a heavy responsibility.
The thirteenth and fourteenth princes are too young. With their older brothers eyeing them covetously, neither of them has the courage or ability to assume the position of crown prince. The fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth princes are even less likely to succeed. I absolutely cannot establish a young prince as heir, otherwise the Qing Dynasty, which has finally stabilized, will fall into internal strife.
"Get up. You're an old man. If you suddenly kneel down like that and break your kneecap, I'll still have to take care of you in your old age," Kangxi said.
“Servants still have to serve the Emperor, and there will never be a day when they can retire,” Liang Jiugong said as he got up.
"I still need to think carefully about who to appoint as crown prince. You old fool, shut your mouth! If you let anything slip, I'll skin you alive!" Kangxi cursed, but the corners of his mouth were turned up.
"Yes, from now on this servant will be a silent gourd. This servant must not reveal even a single word about His Majesty's important matters," Liang Jiugong said with a smile.
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