Chapter 1 Chapter 1 I fell
The first day of July in the first year of Qianlong's reign.
In the evening, a rainstorm came and went quickly. In just a quarter of an hour, it extinguished the summer heat in the Forbidden City by about 70%.
Pushing open the window, a breeze mixed with the scent of damp earth blew towards him. The young Emperor Qianlong relaxed his brows and moved his stiff neck.
He had a few memorials on hand. After reviewing them, he went to Changchun Palace. The Empress said she would make him a white fungus and lotus seed soup today.
As the mourning period for the late emperor had not yet ended, he did not turn over the cards, nor did he spend the night in other concubines' palaces. He stayed in Changchun Palace most of the time, and supervised Yonglian's progress in enlightenment.
When the late emperor was alive, he said that the princes did not have to enter the Shangshufang at the age of five or six. The homework in the Shangshufang was too heavy for children of five or six years old. It would be better to let the children read enlightenment books for two more years to lay a solid foundation. After their minds are a little more mature, they can seriously study the Four Books and Five Classics.
Qianlong was quite dissatisfied with this. All his uncles, including the late emperor, entered the Shangshufang at the age of five or six. Without the hard work for more than ten years and the strict requirements of the Emperor Shengzu, there would be no nine dragons fighting for the throne... No, how could so many princes with both civil and military talents be cultivated.
He wanted to follow the example of Emperor Kangxi and have his sons enter the Shangshufang at the age of six.
Unfortunately, Yonghuang lost his mother last year and the previous emperor also passed away, so his ascension to the throne as a father has been delayed.
It just so happened that Yonglian was six years old and could recite the Three Hundred Thousand Classics of Enlightenment by heart, so he was ready to start learning the Four Books.
He planned to arrange masters for his two sons after he finished his important business tomorrow.
Although the brothers Yonghuang and Yonglian were two years apart in age, Yonglian was smart and studious, just like himself. Yonghuang was slightly less talented, so the two children's learning progress should be similar.
Just as I was thinking about hiring a master for my son, a figure came into my sight and hurriedly ran towards the west warm pavilion.
Because the window was open, he could clearly hear Li Yu's scolding, "Why are you running? You're in such a hurry!"
"Oh no, Eunuch Li, the Second Prince fell down."
"What? Where did you fall? Where are you hurt? Have you called the imperial physician?" Without waiting for Li Yu to speak, Qianlong asked a series of questions loudly, then opened the door himself and let the young eunuch into the room to answer.
"Your Majesty, there was thunder and lightning just now. The Second Prince said that the Third Princess was afraid of thunder, so she went to the back hall to see her sister. On the way back, she may have slipped because there was water on the ground." said the little eunuch.
The Third Princess was the second daughter the Empress had given him. His first two daughters had died young, leaving him with only this little Princess. She was only one year younger than Yonglian and was also raised in Changchun Palace. Yonglian acted like a big brother and had always taken care of his younger sister since childhood.
"Where are you hurt?" Qianlong asked anxiously.
"From the outside it looked like he had just some scrapes, but...but the Second Prince fainted. The imperial doctors were all here and were just trying to think of a solution when the Empress asked me to come and invite His Majesty..." The little eunuch served the Empress and had seen the Second Prince grow up. He couldn't help crying as he spoke.
When Qianlong heard this, his heart sank suddenly and he immediately walked out quickly.
The young eunuch hurried to follow.
"Did you hit your head?"
"The servant who followed the Second Prince said that the fall was not serious, but he fainted for some reason." said the young eunuch.
The word "damn it" was on the tip of his tongue, but Qianlong suppressed it and walked faster, not noticing that the rain on the ground had soaked the hem of his robe.
The succession will be secretly appointed tomorrow, but Yonglian fainted today. Is this a warning from heaven?
Qianlong shook his head. This was impossible. His Yonglian was a legitimate son. He looked like him, was smart like him, was filial like him, and had a gentle temperament like the queen. He was the most suitable candidate for the crown prince!
In Changchun Palace, most of the imperial doctors on duty today have arrived, and they all breathed a sigh of relief.
The second prince finally woke up.
But it was too early to relax. A little palace maid quickly came out and said, "Go in and take a look. The Second Prince seems to have lost his soul. He doesn't look right."
The imperial doctors looked at each other and wondered if he had hit his brain.
The faint sound of Empress Fucha crying could be heard from the inner hall, "Yonglian, what's wrong with you? I'm your mother!"
Imperial physicians: “…” Second Prince doesn’t even recognize his mother?
They don't know how to treat this disease! The emperor will be here soon. If they can't find a solution, their career as imperial physician will be over.
Several imperial physicians entered the inner hall with sad faces and looked at the Second Prince lying on the couch.
The second prince is six years old this year. He has fair skin, delicate features, and his facial features are inspired by the best of both the emperor and the empress. His chubby little face makes him particularly lovable.
The young boy was lying on the pillow at this time, looking at the Queen with a pair of clear eyes, his little mouth slightly open, a bit surprised and a bit confused.
"Yonglian... don't scare your mother!" Empress Fucha leaned over, hugged her son in her arms, and couldn't help shedding tears.
At this time, the second prince seemed to come back to his senses, called out "Mother" softly, then stretched out his chubby little hands and hugged his mother's neck.
"Oh my, Amitabha, I'm glad the young master is okay. He must have been frightened just now."
Seeing this, Yonglian's wet nurse, Nanny Fang, breathed a sigh of relief.
When the young master woke up just now, he asked dazedly, "Where is this?"
He looked at the people around him as if they were strangers, which scared everyone.
The imperial doctors all breathed a sigh of relief. As long as the Second Prince was fine, they would be fine too.
No one noticed that Yonglian's call of "mother" just now was actually full of doubt.
He just repeated these two words subconsciously because the name was both strange and familiar to him.
Isn’t this the name used by the Manchu people in Qing Dynasty TV dramas?
His last memory stopped at the moment he was pushed into the ICU, and he was here when he opened his eyes.
He was certain that this was not a film set or a prank, because the body was not his.
His previous life name was also Yonglian. Later, when his family watched Qing palace dramas, they found out that he had the same name as Emperor Qianlong's eldest son Yonglian.
Normally, he should be happy to have the same name as the prince, but in history, Yonglian died at the age of eight and was a short-lived child.
As expected, he was diagnosed with leukemia before he reached adulthood.
Someone advised his parents to change his name quickly, but it was too late. His condition worsened very quickly.
During his last few days in the hospital, Yonglian often had the same dream. In the dream, there was this palace, and the young queen was silently shedding tears.
In his dream, he knew that this was Emperor Qianlong's favorite, Empress Fucha, and that he was the young Prince Duanhui. He tried to comfort his mother, but unfortunately, she couldn't see him and only cried while repeating "Yonglian" and "Yongcong".
After waking up from the dream, Yonglian remembered that Yongcong was Empress Fucha's second son.
At that time, he just thought that he had watched too many Qing Dynasty palace dramas, and people around him said that the name Yonglian was unlucky, so he had this dream.
But now it seems that this is not the case. It is God telling him in advance that his next stop will be here.
Yonglian pouted sadly. He didn't even have time to say goodbye to his parents.
Just then, Qianlong arrived.
As soon as the eunuch finished his announcement, Qianlong had already strode into the hall.
"How is Yonglian?"
"Your Majesty, the Second Prince has woken up."
Upon hearing this, Qianlong's frown relaxed slightly.
People who came to pay their respects knelt on the ground. He waved his hand casually and entered the inner hall.
The emperor, who usually attached great importance to etiquette, didn't care about these things now. He signaled to the people in the inner hall not to bow. He sat down beside the couch, took his son from the queen's arms, held him on his lap, and looked him up and down.
Yonglian was stunned. The young man before him had almond-shaped eyes, a high nose bridge, and was quite handsome. If it weren't for the bright yellow coat he was wearing, he would have looked like a recent graduate.
He thought about it and realized that Yonglian died in the third year of Qianlong's reign. The time now could only be earlier than the third year of Qianlong's reign, as Qianlong had indeed just ascended the throne not long ago.
...I can barely be considered to have just entered the workplace.
Yonglian called out slowly, "Khan Ama."
He frowned a little bit in grievance, feeling a little uncomfortable with the sudden change of parents.
"Do you have a headache?" The little guy had a swelling on his forehead, and the skin around it was a little scraped. Qianlong gently touched the swelling.
Yonglian shook his head.
"Are you dizzy?" Qianlong asked again.
Yonglian continued to shake his head.
"Then what else is wrong?"
"No, I'm fine, Khan Father and Mother, you don't have to worry." Yonglian curled his eyes.
Compared to the pain of the last few days, Yonglian now feels relaxed all over, and the pain on his forehead is nothing.
It’s good that you’re okay. Qianlong’s heart finally settled down in his chest. Only then did he realize that he had been too...too gentle just now.
You can't be so gentle with those little brats, lest you spoil them.
He then frowned and asked, "How could you walk so carelessly? You even fell down in Changchun Palace?"
Yonglian has the memory of his original self in his mind. His original self was a very sensible and well-behaved child. His every move was in order, and he walked steadily like a little adult.
Perhaps in order to exchange souls, the original body briefly lost consciousness and fell forward.
"My dear father, I didn't act rashly. I just felt dizzy suddenly and then..." Yonglian said, his nose felt itchy and he couldn't help sneezing.
The Queen was already worried about her son, so she immediately said, "Oh, did you catch a cold? Imperial Physician, come and take Yonglian's pulse again."
"It's just a sneeze. Who told you to do that when it rains..."
Before Qianlong finished muttering, he thought of the reason why Yonglian went out in the rain, and his heart softened again.
Before he finished speaking, a little girl in a red dress ran in crying. It was the Third Princess.
When the third princess saw Li Yu outside the door, she knew that Khan Ama was there too. She first bowed to Ama obediently, and then looked at her second brother on the couch.
"My second brother fell down because he came to see me. It's my fault... wuwu..." When the third princess saw the bump on her second brother's forehead, tears started to fall down her face.
Qianlong was strict with his son, but he was a daughter slave. When he saw his little girl crying like this, he quickly put his son on the couch and hugged his daughter.
"Don't cry, don't cry. This is not our little princess's fault." Qianlong took out a handkerchief to wipe his daughter's tears.
The little girl tilted her head and looked at her second brother, "Second brother, does your forehead hurt? Let me blow on it for you..."
Yonglian: “!!!”
Help! How can there be such a cute sister!
No wonder Princess Hejing is so favored. Who wouldn’t like such a cute little girl!
Yonglian smiled suddenly with his eyes curved, "Second brother, your forehead doesn't hurt at all."
"Woo woo... I will never be afraid of thunder again." The third princess said while rubbing her eyes.
"It's not your fault. It's your second brother's fault for walking too fast and not seeing the steps clearly." Yonglian said as he pulled his sister's chubby hand.
Qianlong was just about to say that you kid just said you were not rash, but he quickly realized that this kid was just coaxing his sister.
Qianlong's heart softened instantly. This prince was indeed the one he had chosen. He was so sensible!
"It was raining so heavily just now that it's normal that you can't see the road clearly." Qianlong's tone softened unconsciously, and he reached out and rubbed his son's head.
Yonglian felt a little embarrassed when his head was rubbed, and his little face turned red.
The Queen felt relieved when she saw that the Emperor did not blame Yonglian. The Emperor was very strict in disciplining his two sons, especially Yonglian, whom he never spoiled.
But the Emperor really valued Yonglian. Whenever the child had a slight headache or fever, he would be as anxious as he was. He just had to pretend to be a strict father.
When the empress looked up and saw the imperial physician waiting to check Yonglian's pulse, she said to Qianlong, "Your Majesty, please take the little princess to the outer room first. I will stay here."
Qianlong nodded, picked up his daughter and walked out. Halfway through, he turned back and said, "Have someone apply a handkerchief soaked in ice water to Yonglian's forehead. It will reduce the swelling faster." After taking two steps, he turned back and said, "Wring out the handkerchief a little. Be careful not to let water drip onto the nearby wound."
The Queen smiled, "Don't worry, Your Majesty."
Yonglian lay back on the pillow. The imperial physician took his pulse and said that he had caught a slight cold. He didn't need to take any medicine, but just needed to drink a bowl of ginger soup to warm himself up.
The Queen hurriedly ordered someone to make ginger soup. She personally applied an ice handkerchief to the swelling on Yonglian's forehead, her movements gentle.
Yonglian looked at the queen's face and felt inexplicably sad. Perhaps it was because she was always crying in his dreams.
If Yonglian and Yongcong had not died young, Empress Fucha would not have become ill due to grief. With favor and a son, she must have been the happiest empress in the Qing Dynasty.
From time to time, the voice of Qianlong coaxing his daughter could be heard from outside. Yonglian curled his lips. This man's voice became hoarse when talking to his daughter.
"After drinking the ginger soup, go back to your room and take a nap." The queen said to Yonglian.
Yonglian obediently agreed, and the ginger soup was quickly served. He pinched his nose and drank it. His body instantly warmed up.
Yonglian lived in the west side hall of the rear palace of Changchun Palace. He went to the outer room to say goodbye to Khan Ama, and Qianlong asked him to take the third princess back with him.
The third princess came here originally to see her second brother, and when her second brother was leaving, she followed him back.
The little girl had nannies and palace maids to play with her, so she was not very attached to her father.
Yonglian then withdrew with his sister.
Watching the brother and sister walking out hand in hand, Qianlong couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips in relief.
The Queen sat down beside Emperor Qianlong, feeling somewhat guilty. "It's my fault for letting Yonglian go out in the rain..."
"This is not your fault, it's all the fault of the servants who followed Yonglian..." Qianlong suppressed the smile on his face, his expression turned slightly cold, and asked someone to call the young eunuch who followed Yonglian.
The Queen had just asked Yonglian about the fall, but she did not hold the young eunuch responsible.
But he can't escape the fate of the fifteenth day. The Emperor will definitely not forgive him.
Qianlong scolded the young eunuch a few words and let him go to the Ministry of Punishment to receive his punishment. After receiving his punishment, he didn't have to come back to serve, and he could go to an unimportant place to be a eunuch cleaning.
After the young eunuch left, Qianlong thought for a moment and said, "I will assign two reliable servants from the imperial court to serve Yonglian."
The Queen said, "Your Majesty, thank you for your concern."
"What's the big deal? Slaves from other places are fine, but the slaves around Yonglian must be carefully selected."
From tomorrow on, Yonglian will be the crown prince.
I heard that the second uncle was led astray by the eunuchs around him. Such a tragedy must not be repeated on Yonglian.
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