In the first year of the Jiaqing Emperor's reign, the Emperor abdicated in favor of Yongyan, and a grand abdication ceremony, a rare occurrence since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.
That day, the sky was clear and the air was crisp. Bright yellow ceremonial guards fluttered in the wind, and auspicious purple rays of sunlight frequently swept across the clouds. All the officials gathered before the Hall of Supreme Harmony, their court hats and robes impeccably tailored, their expressions serious and unsmiling. Heshen stood at the head of the civil officials, his face beaming with joy. Today was the day the twelve dragon energies converged; the "Fu" (福, meaning good fortune) stele in Lingyun Cave would be imbued with these dragon energies, ensuring his family's eternal prosperity and wealth.
The imperial procession unfolded from the Meridian Gate. Because previous emperors, upon their ascension to the throne, believed that "a country cannot be without a ruler for a day," the new emperor ascended the throne during a period of mourning for the previous empire. Therefore, the instruments for playing the Zhonghe Shaoyue and Danbi Dayue, which were displayed under the eaves of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, had always been set up but not played. Today, however, they were played, filling the Forbidden City with joy.
The bells and drums sounded at the Meridian Gate, and whips were raised on the steps. The palace officials and civil and military ministers who had been waiting in front of the palace all bowed their heads and bent their backs. The imperial carriages of the retired emperor and the emperor arrived on the palace bricks, and all the officials knelt down, addressing the retired emperor first and then the emperor.
After paying homage to the gods and ancestors, the Emperor then performed the three kowtows and nine prostrations to the Retired Emperor, and finally received the homage of the civil and military officials. The Emperor, over thirty years old, bore the marks of time on his brow. After decades of scheming and intrigue, he had finally achieved his goal. Yet, imperial power still did not reside in his hands. He stood respectfully beside the Retired Emperor, his demeanor and actions showing no sign of disrespect.
When the edict of the new emperor's ascension to the throne reached the Miao battlefield, Fukang'an, clad in armor, looked somewhat relieved, and the heavy burden that had weighed on his heart for decades finally dissipated.
After abdicating, the retired emperor continued to rule from behind the curtain and resided in the Yangxin Hall. The emperor relinquished all imperial power to the retired emperor and lived in the Yuqing Palace. The retired emperor was old, and all the concubines who had truly cared for him had passed away, leaving him truly alone. Only Heshen, like a son, stayed by his side day and night, alleviating his loneliness. Therefore, the emperor obeyed the retired emperor, allowing him to make all the decisions regarding state affairs. However, the retired emperor's hearing and eyesight were failing, and he often relied on Heshen's advice.
In the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the three men were engaged in a political discussion. The retired emperor sat on the dragon throne, the emperor sat on a slightly smaller chair with a dragon cushion on one side, and Heshen sat on a rosewood chair on the other side of the emperor, much closer to him than the emperor and the retired emperor.
On numerous occasions, Heshen would escort the retired emperor into the Golden Palace, so when the officials knelt in obeisance, they would also kneel before Heshen. The arrogance of Heshen's faction grew daily, and even the emperor treated Heshen with respect.
When news of Fukang'an's victory in capturing Langpo and attacking Pinglong reached the capital, the Emperor Emeritus was overjoyed and ordered an edict to be drafted to confer upon Fukang'an the title of King, awaiting Fukang'an's triumphant return to the capital.
The Emperor was worried that after Fukang'an was granted the title of Prince, he would find it difficult to remain subordinate to others, especially since Fukang'an commanded hundreds of thousands of troops. Heshen, on the other hand, was a civil official with no military power, relying solely on the Emperor Emeritus's favor. After much deliberation, the Emperor decided to allow Heshen to seize power for the time being, while secretly dispatching Wu Zhenyuan and other assassins to accompany the eunuch delivering the reward to the front lines, where they would seize the opportunity to kill Fukang'an amidst the chaos of war.
On the Miao battlefield, the rebel leader, Wu Wang Wu Bayue, built fortifications and strongholds based on the terrain and waterways to block the Qing army's suppression. Fukang'an, after months of tireless work, was already ill. Before Wu Zhenyuan arrived at the front, Fukang'an had already fallen ill in the army due to all-night sieges.
The eunuch, who was supposed to be delivering a reward, returned to the capital with news of Fukang'an's serious illness via an urgent courier. Since the new emperor's ascension to the throne, Yan Ning had been filled with anxiety. Upon hearing the news that Fukang'an had brought back to the mansion, Yan Ning could no longer stay in the capital with peace of mind.
Having been pampered by the Emperor and Consort Rong since childhood, Yunwan felt sorry for the elderly and lonely Emperor Emeritus, and since Princess Guren Hexiao was already married. She requested permission to go to the palace to accompany the Emperor Emeritus. In this way, she gradually became acquainted with Heshen. Whenever Heshen saw Yunwan, who was growing increasingly similar to Yan Ning, he felt regret that if she weren't a daughter of the Fucha family, he could have lowered himself to become a concubine of Fengshen Yinde. But how could a daughter of the Fucha family become a concubine in someone else's household?
The April wind carried both the warmth of spring and the heat of summer, gently caressing the face and bringing a sense of comfort. Yunwan returned to the Fu residence from the palace, having previously heard of her father's serious illness and now witnessing her mother's worry and anxiety. Although the Emperor Emeritus had dispatched a physician to the Miao battlefield the day the news reached the capital, Yunwan knew that Yan Ning wished to go herself.
Normally, the Emperor Emeritus loved watching Yunwan play shuttlecock with the palace maids, running energetically on the palace bricks, as if he himself had become many years younger. Today, seeing the Emperor Emeritus looking worried, Heshen sent someone to summon Yunwan back from the Fu Residence.
Unexpectedly, before even stepping over the high threshold outside the palace gates, Yunwan knelt down before him. "Uncle Heshen has doted on me since I was a child. Now, my mother is so ill with my father that she can't eat or drink. Please, Uncle Heshen, for Yunwan's sake, plead for my mother to be allowed to see my father!"
Yunwan's peach-pink skirt half-hidden on the threshold. Heshen bent down to help her up, brushing the dust off her dress. At his age, his position was equal to the new emperor's. If there was anything he couldn't have, it was Yan Ning's love for Fukang'an. He reached out to wipe away Yunwan's tears. If she was Fukang'an's daughter, she was someone he and Fu Chang'an had raised with love. What Yueman had, he had never lacked for Yunwan.
Looking at Yunwan's stunningly beautiful face, Heshen sighed, "Go back and tell your mother to prepare for her departure tomorrow! Your fourth uncle will escort her!"
The following day, the Emperor Emeritus personally issued an edict, allowing Fu Chang'an and his family, including Yan Ning, to visit the ailing Fu Kang'an in Miao territory. This edict was not reviewed by the Emperor, but was read aloud by Heshen during court. Heshen met Heshen's crescent-shaped eyes with a smile, but the coldness in those eyes forced Heshen to plan for his own situation after the Emperor Emeritus's death.
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