Emperor Kangxi sat quietly in his study in the Qianqing Palace. After dismissing Liang Jiugong, he was alone in the room.
The crown prince was deposed, and he was heartbroken, but in the current situation, he didn't even have time to grieve. He was thinking, thinking about who would be the next master of the Qing Dynasty.
On the table were the names of all the adult princes except the crown prince. Finally, Kangxi turned his gaze to the name of Yinzhen.
Undeniably, Yinzhen's ability to get things done, his attitude towards things, and his tolerance towards his brothers all made him feel that Yinzhen was the best choice at the moment.
The night outside was hazy, just like Kangxi's mood at that moment, so hazy that even he himself felt he couldn't see clearly.
The blow of Yinreng's plot to oppose him was still too great.
The deposed crown prince's rebellion was known to the other princes, though not all of them were aware of it. Kangxi had dealt with most of those in the know, and as for the matter of his injury, he simply kept quiet about it. As for how Yinzhen knew about it, he naturally had his own channels.
Because of the deposed crown prince, the capital city appeared calm on the surface, but undercurrents were surging beneath the surface.
Just then, the eldest prince, as if possessed, followed the advice of an advisor and ran to Emperor Kangxi, saying he would kill the deposed Crown Prince Yinreng for him.
Because of Yinreng's rebellion, Kangxi was too lenient towards him. However, when he heard his eldest son's cold-blooded words about killing his younger brother, he still felt heartbroken. Despite his physical discomfort, Kangxi stripped the eldest prince of his title and rank, confined him to his residence, and forbade him from leaving without an imperial edict.
The eldest prince, who had spent half his life vying with the deposed crown prince, was also deposed after the crown prince was deposed.
Not long after the eldest prince was placed under house arrest, at a grand court assembly, someone brought up the topic of establishing a crown prince. Kangxi then coldly asked everyone to elect a crown prince.
Then Kangxi received a large number of memorials recommending the Eighth Prince, Yinzhi, as the Crown Prince. Looking at those memorials, Kangxi's face was cold, but he remained relatively calm.
Even his beloved crown prince had rebelled; what couldn't he understand? But remaining calm didn't mean he wasn't angry.
Before Emperor Kangxi announced the results after the selection process, a number of censors suddenly began to impeach the Eighth Prince, and the evidence against him was quite substantial and not a fabrication.
Then, in front of all the court officials, Kangxi gave the Eighth Prince a severe scolding, saying all sorts of harsh things. After hearing Yinzhen's retelling, Le Shu gained some understanding of Kangxi's sharp tongue.
The Eighth Prince had a powerful presence, but his downfall was completely unexpected.
This put the court officials who nominated the Eighth Prince in a very awkward position. They all said that the Eighth Prince was good and could be the crown prince, but when they investigated, they found a lot of evidence of his crimes. Whose face was being slapped?
Emperor Kangxi even suspected that Yinreng might rebel, possibly with the help of the Eighth Prince, who was the "beneficiary." As a result, the Eighth Prince's fate was even worse than in history, and he received the same "package" as the First Prince.
After learning of the situation at court, he openly ordered the destruction of the memorials recommending candidates, then summoned his trusted ministers and laid his cards on the table, declaring that he intended to make Prince Yong, Yinzhen, the crown prince.
However, this choice surprised and disliked those who came in.
Prince Yong was renowned for his impartiality and ruthlessness. For his subjects, the emperor was too tough, which made them weak.
Upon seeing this, Kangxi suddenly spoke up: "What, do you have a problem with the crown prince I have chosen for you?"
Kangxi has recently punished many people, and they are unwilling to cause any trouble. They are thinking that if one crown prince can be deposed, a second one can be deposed as well.
Several people said in unison.
"This servant dares not."
"Your subject dares not."
And so, the choice of the crown prince was decided.
In mid-December of the 47th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the imperial edict appointing the Crown Prince arrived.
After a series of ceremonies, Yinzhen officially became the Crown Prince, but due to the short notice, he did not move into the palace to live for the time being.
Following this, the imperial decree bestowed upon Yue Shu the title of the Crown Prince's secondary consort arrived.
After arranging all this, Emperor Kangxi's body could no longer hold up, and he fell ill, very seriously ill.
Because I was so sick, I didn't really enjoy the New Year.
All the necessary etiquette was entrusted to Yinzhen, and now the news of Kangxi's serious illness could no longer be concealed. However, the crown prince had been decided, and those with ulterior motives, even if they were not entirely willing for Yinzhen to become the future emperor, had already decided the outcome.
Unless they intend to rebel.
Could it be a plot to rebel?
The price was too high. The key issue was that the First Prince, the deposed Crown Prince, and the Eighth Prince, who had their own factions, were under heavy guard. Any slight movement from them would be fatal.
Yinzhen is just tough on people; we should just tolerate him. There's no need to joke around with your entire family.
In March of the 48th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Yinzhen officially moved into Yuqing Palace.
Looking at the cramped rooms before the New Year, Le Shu thought to herself, "No wonder the deposed crown prince went crazy living in such a place. He's close to the Qianqing Palace and is under surveillance every day. He's still young and has no secrets at all."
I need to be more careful about what I say from now on.
Moving into Yuqing Palace was a difficult experience for both Yue Shu and Yinzhen.
Because it was inconvenient for news to spread after moving into the palace, Le Shu temporarily handed over her business outside to Gao Wuyong to manage.
She finally had a lot of free time, spending her days reading, drinking tea, and playing with the children.
Yinzhen was extremely busy, and Kangxi's health was deteriorating, so he began to teach Yinzhen how to be an emperor.
At this critical juncture, he naturally wouldn't hold back his abilities.
Then Kangxi discovered that Yinzhen seemed to have a real talent for being an emperor. He was quick to understand things, had a long-term vision, and was ruthless yet composed. If only the crown prince had had these qualities back then...
Well then, Yinreng is finished.
In September of the 48th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, his hands were no longer able to write normally. He was still conscious, but attending court became increasingly difficult.
So he made a decision.
This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com