“Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has sent someone to request that you come to Cining Palace!” Liang Jiugong said to Kangxi.
"Alright, I understand!" Kangxi knew without guessing why the Empress Dowager had come to him.
Kangxi knew that he would have to talk to the Empress Dowager sooner or later, but he was worried that the old lady might not be able to bear it!
After Emperor Kangxi arrived at Cining Palace with Liang Jiugong, he said, "Grandson greets His Majesty the Emperor!"
The Empress Dowager did not ask Kangxi to get up, but remained seated and stared at him.
Kangxi raised his head and secretly glanced at the Empress Dowager, only to be caught red-handed by her.
Kangxi looked at the Empress Dowager with some embarrassment, "Grandmother!"
"Your Majesty, please rise!" said the Empress Dowager.
"Thank you, Grandmother!" Kangxi said, rising to his feet.
"Your Majesty, you should have guessed why I summoned you here, right?"
"Grandson knows!" Kangxi quickly replied.
"Your Majesty, Bao Cheng is already of marriageable age. Why didn't you arrange a marriage for him during this selection of concubines?"
"And before, I told you to arrange people in Baocheng's room. Did you ignore my words?" The Empress Dowager slammed her cane on the ground.
"Grandmother, please calm down! Your grandson had no such intention!" Kangxi immediately admitted his mistake.
"Then why didn't you arrange a marriage for Bao Cheng?" the Empress Dowager asked anxiously. Now the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince are about to get married, but the Crown Prince hasn't even been betrothed yet.
"Grandmother, it's not that I don't want to arrange a marriage for Bao Cheng, but Bao Cheng..." Kangxi pondered how to say it in a way that would make the Grand Empress Dowager accept it.
"What exactly happened to Baocheng? Tell me quickly!" The Empress Dowager asked anxiously after hearing Kangxi's words.
"Grandmother, please don't worry, I'll tell you right away!" Kangxi reassured the Empress Dowager. "Grandmother, back then you asked me to arrange people for Baocheng, and I did so immediately. But when Baocheng saw those people, he fainted!"
"He fainted? Is it because Bao Cheng didn't like the people you arranged?" The Empress Dowager suspected that the people Kangxi had chosen were too ugly.
"Grandmother, that's not how it is! It's that Bao Cheng can't get close to these people, or more accurately, he can't get close to women. He'll faint if he gets near them!"
"How could this be?" The Empress Dowager accidentally knocked over the teacup beside her. Was Heaven going to destroy the Qing Dynasty?
"Grandmother, are you alright?" Kangxi asked worriedly.
"It's alright!" The Empress Dowager quickly recovered. "Emperor, are you sure this is Bao Cheng's fault?" The Empress Dowager was worried that someone might have done this on purpose. Perhaps those palace maids had something on them.
"Grandmother, it's Bao Cheng's problem. Whenever Bao Cheng gets close to a woman, he feels nauseous, and in severe cases, he faints! Even Physician Liu can't figure out what's wrong!"
"Your Majesty, what will you do if Bao Cheng's illness doesn't get better?" Although the Empress Dowager loved the Crown Prince very much, she had to plan for the long term of the Qing Dynasty. No dynasty would allow a crown prince who couldn't get close to women.
Does the Aisin Gioro family intend to produce a monk in every generation?
"Your Majesty, have you thoroughly investigated the people around Bao Cheng?" The Empress Dowager suspected that the Crown Prince might have been misled.
"Grandmother, we've already investigated, and there's nothing suspicious!"
Grandmother, Bao Cheng is the crown prince of the Qing Dynasty whom I have personally nurtured. I will not give him up easily. Bao Cheng is more deserving of the position of crown prince than anyone else.
Moreover, even if the crown prince is chosen now, I'm afraid my grandson won't have the energy to cultivate him again! Kangxi said.
"But Your Majesty, Bao Cheng is really not suitable to be the Crown Prince of the Qing Dynasty! You must consider the fate of the Qing Dynasty, otherwise how can I face our ancestors?" The Empress Dowager earnestly said to Kangxi.
“Grandmother, Bao Cheng is not someone you can’t contact with. Today, I’ve thought of someone!” Kangxi said.
"Who is it?" the Empress Dowager asked anxiously, grabbing Kangxi's arm.
As long as she's a woman, it doesn't matter what her background is. Didn't Emperor Kangxi favor a palace maid from the Imperial Laundry Department? Could there be someone of lower status than that?
"He Xue! I've thought about it carefully, and Bao Cheng doesn't seem to feel uncomfortable at all when he's with He Xue!"
"He Xue?" The Empress Dowager was surprised to find it was He Xue. He Xue's background was indeed suitable for the position of Crown Princess.
However, Suhetai holds a large army. If Hexue is the only person the Crown Prince can contact, then all of the Crown Prince's children will be born to Hexue. At that time, will Suhetai have any improper thoughts?
Moreover, He Xue and the Crown Prince seem to be quite far apart in age. He Xue is not old enough to participate in the selection process yet. Does the Crown Prince have to wait any longer?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
