Chapter 136: The Fifth Princess 136

Chapter 136: The Fifth Princess 136

In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, within the eastern warm pavilion.

Kangxi looked at the memorial in his hand, his brows furrowing tighter and tighter. After a moment, he angrily swept all the memorials on the table to the ground with a single gesture.

When the emperor was enraged, Liang Jiugong and the other servants in the room immediately knelt down to beg for forgiveness.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger."

Kangxi glanced at the scattered memorials on the floor, his voice growing colder. "They truly have wolfish ambitions! Do they take me for a fool?"

Just a few days ago, he had publicly declared in the court that Elder Brother Prince was impulsive and foolish, and would not become the new crown prince. Since then, rumors attacking and slandering the deposed crown prince had suddenly emerged from all directions. It was clear who was behind it.

Thinking about what the Fourth Prince had secretly reported to him yesterday, Kangxi's anger flared up again, and his expression grew grave.

He had not known that after the crown prince was deposed, Elder Brother Prince would treat him so harshly, even intercepting his appeals. What was he trying to do? If he had not been cautious and assigned the Fourth and Elder Brother Princes to guard the crown prince together, Elder Brother Prince would have acted even more recklessly, covering up everything.

"Send someone to summon the Prince of Zhi."

Liang Jiugong did not dare delay and quickly sent a eunuch to fetch him. He then squatted down to gather the scattered memorials. Upon seeing their contents, his eyes darkened.

He placed the collected memorials back on Kangxi's desk and, after a moment of contemplation, gently advised, "Your Majesty, take care of your health. Anger is harmful. The imperial physician said you should stay calm."

Kangxi coldly snorted. "Stay calm? Have they ever thought about sparing my worries?"

After a pause, he seemed to be thinking about something and suddenly appeared dejected. "Do you think I am a failure as a father?"

The son he had raised himself had turned against him, and the imperial art he had always prided himself on seemed to be failing.

Not long ago, Kangxi had believed he had control over the relationship between the crown prince and Elder Brother Prince, but now he was unsure.

Liang Jiugong lowered his eyes, seemingly anticipating Kangxi's words, but still showed a look of fear on his face.

"Your Majesty, you speak too harshly. Although I am a rootless man destined to have no children, I know that even siblings can have conflicts. How much more so with others? Sibling rivalry is understandable; ultimately, there is still affection between them, and they would not truly harm each other."

Affection?

Kangxi's hand on the desk paused, and Liang Jiugong's final words, "they would not truly harm each other," pierced his heart like a thorn, giving rise to an even more terrifying thought.

Would Elder Brother Prince really not harm the crown prince? Even Kangxi himself was uncertain now.

Soon, Elder Brother Prince was summoned.

His tall and robust figure, combined with his martial background, exuded a sense of lethal power.

"Your subject greets His Majesty!"

Kangxi waved his hand, signaling him to rise.

After standing up, Elder Brother Prince asked, "May I ask why His Majesty summoned me?"

Kangxi's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was steady. "Elder Brother Prince, how do you think we should handle the recent attacks on the deposed crown prince in the court?"

Elder Brother Prince's heart tightened, but seeing his father's usual demeanor, he relaxed slightly.

"Your Majesty, as the saying goes, 'where there is smoke, there is fire.' Your subject has heard some of the deposed crown prince's moral failings, but due to the separation of ruler and subject, I did not comment much before. However, now that the deposed crown prince has not only failed morally but also attempted treason and regicide, I dare say that for the sake of public trust, His Majesty should handle this fairly."

Kangxi responded with an "oh." "What do you think should be done to handle the deposed crown prince's crimes fairly?"

Elder Brother Prince replied firmly, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, he should be executed to eliminate future troubles."

Then, as if remembering something, he added, "If it is inconvenient for Your Majesty, I am willing to relieve your worries by carrying out the execution myself."

Carry out the execution himself!

Kangxi felt a chill run down his spine, and waves of shock surged through his heart. He had not realized that the relationship between Elder Brother Prince and the crown prince had reached such a life-or-death point!

These were his own flesh and blood. How could he say such things? If he could treat his brother this way, would he one day treat his father similarly?

Looking at his familiar yet unfamiliar eldest son, Kangxi felt a deep chill. He had always thought Elder Brother Prince was rash and hot-tempered, but he never imagined he could be so cold-blooded, ruthless, and dangerous.

Seeing Kangxi's silence, Elder Brother Prince grew anxious. Had he not given up on the deposed crown prince?

That was unacceptable. The position of crown prince could be his, but the deposed crown prince must not be allowed to regain it.

"Your Majesty, if you worry about having no heir, there is no need. I am willing to recommend the Eighth Prince as the new crown prince and assist him," Elder Brother Prince said, bowing.

Kangxi was taken aback and frowned. "You want to recommend the Eighth Prince as the crown prince?"

Elder Brother Prince replied, "Yes. The Eighth Prince is capable and renowned for his virtue. Many officials praise him, and a diviner once said he would achieve great things. If he becomes the new crown prince, the officials will surely trust him, which would be beneficial for the Great Qing."

In Elder Brother Prince's mind, the Eighth Prince had grown up under his mother's care and could be considered her adopted son. If he ascended to the throne, it would be the best choice for them.

Kangxi knew the Eighth Prince was well-regarded in the court and had trusted him, but he had not expected him to have ambitions for the throne.

Moreover, Elder Brother Prince was willing to recommend and assist him!

Elder Brother Prince had never shown any willingness to assist the crown prince, but now he was willing to support the Eighth Prince. This was something Kangxi had never anticipated.

Had the Eighth Prince been colluding with Elder Brother Prince all along? Was he involved in the plot to harm the crown prince?

As Kangxi's trust in the Eighth Prince began to waver, many previously overlooked matters resurfaced in his mind.

Recently, he had appointed the Eighth Prince as the head of the Imperial Household Department. In less than a month, the Eighth Prince had gained popularity there. At first, he had not found anything wrong, thinking he was doing a good job.

But upon reflection, the Imperial Household Department was still his department. The Eighth Prince was spreading his name and gaining popularity, attributing the royal favor to himself. What use was there for him as the emperor?

Clearly, his intentions were sinister!

Kangxi has always been suspicious and sensitive. When he realizes that something is slipping out of his control, he instinctively feels threatened and reacts with obvious overreactions.

For example... right now.

He immediately summoned all the adult princes, intending to test them.

Sitting at the head, Kangxi looked at his sons who were in their prime, suddenly feeling a sense of urgency and crisis. So, among these sons who usually showed him respect, how many harbored different intentions?

Although he was shaken inside, he remained composed on the surface. "Just now, the Elder Brother Prince recommended the Eighth Prince to Me, saying he has the ability to be the Crown Prince. What do you brothers think of this?"

Everyone was startled, especially the Eighth Prince, who seemed completely taken aback by the Elder Brother Prince's action, feeling uneasy.

The others were no better off. Unable to gauge Kangxi's thoughts, none dared to speak, fearing they might inadvertently provoke his anger.

But Kangxi was already suspicious, and faced with their silence, he assumed they were tacitly agreeing. His anger found an outlet, and his rebuke echoed throughout the hall.

"Eighth Prince, I never thought I would misjudge you. You have such ambition, pretending so well all along. I see your intentions were not formed overnight; you must have been plotting for a long time, seeking fame and even willing to harm the Crown Prince to secure your position. Truly a virtuous prince of the Great Qing!"

In his fury, Kangxi was unreserved, but his final words were severe, accusing the Eighth Prince of harming the Crown Prince, which was a grave charge.

The princes below all knelt down, hands clasped. "Please calm down, Your Majesty!"

The Eighth Prince's voice trembled. "Your Majesty, please understand, your son had no such intention."

The Tenth Prince and the Fourteenth Prince also stepped forward to plead for him.

"Your Majesty, the Eighth Brother would never harm the Crown Prince. Please understand," said the Tenth Prince.

The Fourteenth Prince, being impulsive, lost his composure and challenged Kangxi. "Your Majesty, you cannot accuse the Eighth Brother without evidence. I will vouch for him with my life!"

With these words, the hall fell into a dead silence, and everyone's hearts raced.

Kangxi glared at the princes below, truly surprised that besides the Elder Brother Prince, the Tenth and Fourteenth Princes had also been swayed by the Eighth Prince.

That rebellious Fourteenth Prince, willing to swear publicly for the Eighth Prince.

Kangxi stood up, drew the sword hanging behind him, and walked down step by step. "Very well, then today I will grant your wish!"

The princes did not expect this turn of events and hurriedly knelt down to plead. Their father was clearly enraged, about to execute the Fourteenth Prince on the spot.

"Please calm down, Your Majesty. The Fourteenth Brother is young and ignorant. Please don't take it personally!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider. The Fourteenth Brother..."

"Your Majesty..."

Pleading voices filled the hall, but they could not calm Kangxi's fury as he approached the Fourteenth Prince.

The Fourteenth Prince was clearly terrified, his face pale, frozen in place, overwhelmed with fear.

Seeing Kangxi's seriousness, everyone panicked. At this critical moment, Yinqi, who was nearby, knelt and grabbed Kangxi's leg.

Unable to move, Kangxi looked down and saw the Fifth Prince.

Yinqi met his father's gaze directly and pleaded, "Please calm down, Your Majesty. Whatever punishment you deem fit, please spare the Fourteenth Brother's life."

Seeing this, the Ninth Prince also rushed forward and grabbed Kangxi's other leg.

He could not let his Fifth Brother face danger alone, so he decided to share the burden. If their father was angry enough to strike, it would be better if both of them took one blow each rather than his Fifth Brother taking two.

The other princes also reacted and knelt to block Kangxi.

Gradually, Kangxi's rage subsided, and his rationality returned.

He looked at the pale Fourteenth Prince and the Fifth Prince who first grabbed his leg, feeling a sense of relief. In this life-or-death situation, he had sons who cared for each other.

With a loud thud, Kangxi dropped his sword, and everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

In Ningshou Palace.

When the eunuch reported, the room erupted into chaos.

Especially the Empress Dowager and the Fourteenth Princess Consort, who panicked upon hearing that Kangxi had drawn his sword against the Fourteenth Prince. The Empress Dowager managed to stay composed, while the Fourteenth Princess Consort collapsed into a chair.

Concubine Yi and the Empress Dowager were also shaken. The Empress Dowager maintained her composure and asked the eunuch, "Where are the princes now?"

The eunuch replied, "They are still in the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Your Majesty."

The Empress Dowager nodded slightly and addressed everyone, "The emperor was probably just momentarily enraged. Since the Fifth Prince intervened, there should be no further trouble. You should all return to your palaces and send someone to guard outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity."

No one refused and hurriedly left Ningshou Palace. An Qing and Concubine Yi stayed behind, while the Empress Dowager sent someone to wait outside the Palace of Heavenly Purity to bring Yinqi over once he emerged.

The Ninth Princess Consort also stayed, knowing that the Ninth Prince would be brought over later.

Concubine Yi, having heard that Yinqi dared to intervene with Kangxi, was worried, but then remembered An Qing's pregnancy.

"An Qing, don't panic. Your child is important. The Fifth Prince is fine," she comforted, patting An Qing's hand.

The Empress Dowager also came over to check on An Qing, given her advanced pregnancy and the need to avoid any shock.

An Qing reassured them, "Grandmother, Mother, don't worry. I am fine."

Soon, Yinqi and the Ninth Prince arrived at Ningshou Palace.

Concubine Yi angrily scolded Yinqi, "How dare you! What if the emperor had lashed out at you?"

The Empress Dowager also looked relieved. She knew the emperor well; for him to draw his sword, he must have been beyond reason. Fortunately, it ended without serious harm.

Yinqi knew he had acted rashly, but the situation was urgent at the time, and there really wasn't any other option. "Grandma, Mother, it wasn't as dangerous as you think. After I grabbed His Majesty's leg, Ninth Brother also jumped in and held onto his other leg. Then the other brothers surrounded us."

In that situation, even if his father was furious, he wouldn't lose his mind to the point of chopping all his sons.

Concubine Yi was surprised when she heard that Ninth Prince had also hugged Kangxi's leg. "You also hugged your father's leg?"

Is this real or fake?

She knew her son well; he was always quite cunning and not as emotional as Fifth Elder Brother. How could he risk his life for someone with whom he didn't have much of a relationship?

Ninth Prince was unhappy with his mother's reaction. "Mother, what do you mean? Yes, I might be a bit cowardly, but Fifth Brother is my own brother. I'm not that heartless!"

Everyone suddenly understood: Oh, so he wasn't doing it for Fourteenth Prince, but for Yinqi.

"So, you rushed forward to hug His Majesty's leg to share the burden with Fifth Brother?" An Qing asked, puzzled.

Ninth Prince replied matter-of-factly, "Yes, in that situation, I had no other choice. If His Majesty really wanted to chop someone, he wouldn't focus on just one person."

Yinqi hadn't expected Ninth Prince to think like this. He felt a warm sense of gratitude and patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Ninth Brother."

Ninth Prince waved his hand dismissively. "We're brothers; we don't need to say such things."

Concubine Yi was both relieved and touched by their bond, despite the danger they faced together.

"You little rascal, your Fifth Brother hasn't been wrong about you!"

The Empress Dowager looked at them with satisfaction. Although Ninth Prince wasn't raised under her care, he was still Yinqi's younger brother. Seeing their close relationship made her happy.

Compared to others, An Qing felt a different kind of emotion. Over the years, Ninth Prince's business had grown significantly, and he hadn't become part of the Eighth Prince's faction as history had recorded. So, when she heard that he had also stepped in to stop Kangxi, she initially assumed it was for Eighth Prince. She never expected the real reason to be this.

After leaving Ningshou Palace, Yinqi and An Qing left the palace. They couldn't discuss much on the way back, so it wasn't until they returned home that An Qing learned the full story from Yinqi.

She was familiar with this part of the history of the Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne, one of the few events involving historical Yinqi.

An Qing had considered trying to help Yinqi avoid this incident. Although she knew it ended safely historically, unforeseen circumstances could always arise.

But since they were urgently summoned back by Kangxi from the northeast, and she didn't know exactly when the event would occur, avoiding it was impossible. They had to let nature take its course.

"I'm sorry. You must have been scared," Yinqi said apologetically.

When he left the Palace of Heavenly Purity and heard that An Qing was also in the palace, he was extremely worried. Thankfully, seeing her safe at Ningshou Palace eased his mind.

An Qing smiled. "The messenger didn't beat around the bush. I knew you were fine, so how could I be scared?"

Yinqi realized she was right.

"What were you thinking then? Weren't you afraid?" An Qing asked curiously.

Yinqi shook his head. The situation was too urgent; he didn't have time to think much. The knife was about to fall on Fourteenth Prince, and if he didn't intervene, the injury would be severe or even fatal.

"But after it happened, I couldn't help feeling a bit scared."

An Qing responded with an "Oh." "Scared of what?"

Yinqi gently stroked her belly. "Scared of not being able to see you and our child."

If something had happened to him, leaving An Qing and their child behind, he wouldn't be able to rest easy.

But then he thought that even if something did happen to him, An Qing's character and abilities would ensure their child would be well taken care of, and life would go on as usual. It seemed as if his presence didn't make much difference.

This realization left him feeling somewhat dejected.

At that moment, the baby in An Qing's womb kicked forcefully, hitting Yinqi's hand on her belly, as if responding to his words.

They were both stunned. This was the first time they had felt such a strong kick.

An Qing came to her senses and laughed. "See? The baby is scolding you, telling you not to put yourself in danger again."

Yinqi also laughed, gently stroking her belly. "Okay, Father was wrong. I'll change next time, but you can't kick Mother's belly so hard anymore, okay?"

The baby responded again, but this time with a much gentler kick, as if saying, "Since you know you were wrong, I'll forgive you."

Despite not being first-time parents, they still found it magical. After marveling for a while, they finally returned to the main topic.

"His Majesty ordered that Elder Brother Prince and Eighth Prince be detained and instructed Toheqi to investigate the matter thoroughly. We don't know what will happen next," Yinqi said.

Elder Brother Prince claimed that a sorcerer had said Eighth Prince had a noble destiny. Kangxi would certainly investigate who this sorcerer was and whether Elder Brother Prince and Eighth Prince had plotted against the Crown Prince.

An Qing sighed silently. What else could happen? Elder Brother Prince had doomed both himself and Eighth Prince. This was the turning point in the Nine Dragons Struggle for the Throne where both began their decline.

The Imperial City was about to become turbulent once again.