Three months later, after the Fourth Prince recovered, he gradually began to appear in the court.
However, the atmosphere in the court was not good, and the Crown Prince and the Emperor were becoming increasingly estranged.
Because of the Fourth Prince's plague, which was related to the Hesheli clan, and the Crown Prince's maternal clan was also the Hesheli clan, people couldn't help but wonder if the Crown Prince was afraid of the older princes, so he sent someone to take action against Prince Yong.
But this is too easy to involve the Crown Prince, which doesn't seem like the way a Crown Prince should act.
But the Crown Prince has been acting more and more recklessly lately, and seems to be giving up on himself. So, maybe the mastermind behind this is really the Crown Prince.
But the Fourth Prince didn't believe that the Crown Prince was just throwing caution to the wind.
He felt it wasn't true. After recovering from his illness, he met with his father, the Emperor, for the second time and told him about his situation and his suspicions. However, he lacked evidence and couldn't completely clear the Crown Prince of suspicion.
"Fourth Prince, why are you so sure it wasn't the Crown Prince who did it? You have no evidence to prove he didn't do it." Kangxi stared directly at the Fourth Prince.
The Fourth Prince straightened his posture, looked calmly at Kangxi, and said, "Because he has always been such an arrogant and disdainful person as the Crown Prince's second brother, how could he possibly do such a treacherous and vicious thing?"
Kangxi was taken aback upon hearing this, then flew into a rage. "Ha, according to you, the Crown Prince isn't that kind of person. So, the Crown Prince's previous nightly spying on the imperial tent, mobilizing troops to instigate a rebellion, and his treacherous intentions weren't his doing either?"
The Fourth Prince stood up straight, his gaze towards Kangxi unwavering and resolute.
Although he did not speak, Kangxi understood his meaning—he believed that the Crown Prince did not do it, as the Crown Prince was not that kind of person.
"But the troops were mobilized using his private seal, and the ones spying on the imperial tent at night were his confidants."
Fourth Master continued calmly, "Private seals can be stolen or forged, and trusted confidants can be used and betrayed."
"That's utter nonsense!" Kangxi was furious. If it weren't for the fact that he had recovered from his serious illness, he would have made him kneel on the ground until he calmed down.
“But Father, this time our son contracted the plague because of the Hesheli clan. The eunuch who lured Hongxuan into inhaling opium last time was also connected to the Hesheli clan in the end. But if the mastermind is the Crown Prince, would he allow such a harmful substance as opium to spread throughout the Qing Dynasty? He is the Crown Prince whom you personally taught.”
The Fourth Prince did not directly state what kind of person the Crown Prince was, what his feelings were towards the Emperor, or what he was capable of, so it was impossible for him to have done such treasonous things as spying on the Emperor's tent at night or mobilizing troops to rebel.
Instead, he started from his own experiences and spoke about the doubts he discovered.
“Your Majesty has investigated before. These people have connections with Jiangnan. They may be the Crown Prince’s people, but they may not be. And I believe they are more likely not the Crown Prince’s people. But if they are not the Crown Prince’s people, then how far has the Crown Prince’s maternal clan, the Hesheli clan, been infiltrated?”
As Kangxi listened to the Fourth Prince's words, he gradually calmed down and began to listen to what the Fourth Prince had to say.
Because the Fourth Master's speculation was based on evidence.
Moreover, the thought of this possibility he mentioned, and the thought of the Crown Prince, filled Kangxi with rage if it was indeed these people who had infiltrated the palace and brought him down.
Immediately, a sense of vigilance arose again. If what the fourth prince said was true, then had his inner circle and the entire Qing Dynasty court been infiltrated as well?
After this conversation, while worrying about his own safety and the stability of the Qing Dynasty, Kangxi recalled the words of the Fourth Prince and said with a wry smile, "It's too late. Even if the Crown Prince is wronged, it's too late."
After being deposed the first time, the Crown Prince knew that he would never inherit the throne. Even if he was reinstated, he knew that his father did so to maintain balance in the court.
Although he was unwilling, his fate was already largely sealed.
He had already prepared himself to be deposed again; he was merely serving as a stepping stone for his father.
Does the Emperor know about the Crown Prince's support for him and his filial piety?
As the Fourth Prince walked out of the Qianqing Palace, he watched the Crown Prince's retreating figure, pursed his lips, and left without saying a word.
In the fifty-first year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Kangxi, feeling quite displeased, issued his second imperial edict to depose the crown prince.
The deposed crown prince's gaze remained unchanged, as if he were not the one being punished.
Kangxi glanced at the Crown Prince and saw his composure and undiminished elegance. He recalled the Fourth Prince's words and the increasing number of clues he had uncovered in secret, particularly those from Jiangnan. He desperately wanted to retract the imperial edict, but he knew it was impossible.
A crown prince who has never been deposed, and with so many outstanding brothers under him, will not be able to hold onto the throne in the future.
Kangxi clenched his hands, closed his eyes, and opened them again, his eyes filled with determination.
Below, the Fourth Prince listened with mixed feelings to the imperial edict that he had expected to arrive sooner or later.
He felt a mix of regret over the crown prince's deposition, as he had once been the one he wholeheartedly wanted to support. Yet, he also felt a surge of ambition; he too could now contend for the throne.
In the fifty-second year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the emperor summoned the Fourth Prince to the palace.
After paying his respects, Kangxi said calmly, "I've found out."
The sentence came out of nowhere, and Fourth Master didn't react for a moment.
Kangxi ignored his reaction and continued, "The one who infiltrated the Hesheli clan, caused you to contract the plague, and lured Hongxuan to inhale the opium, has been found out."
The Fourth Prince looked at Kangxi and guessed, "The Heaven and Earth Society? In Jiangnan, they are the only ones with such power and ability."
Kangxi appeared calm, but the Fourth Prince could tell that beneath that calm lay boundless rage.
"Your Highness, your second brother has indeed been outmaneuvered by them."
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