Chapter 62

Chapter 62

Upon receiving the urgent imperial edict, Boweige naturally had to rush to the capital immediately.

Prior to this, Boweige had already reached a tacit understanding with the Hesheri family and made thorough preparations, waiting only for the emperor's decree to set off promptly to treat the crown prince's smallpox.

Boweige had used this method multiple times to treat many smallpox patients, gaining considerable experience in treating the disease. He was sure that once the crown prince got better, he'd become famous and receive rewards from the emperor.

Boweige was full of confidence and ambition, thinking that upon arriving in the capital, he would immediately be summoned by the emperor to treat the crown prince's smallpox. However, he was informed that the crown prince's condition had stabilized and was improving, and his treatment was no longer necessary, as the prince would recover soon.

Boweige masked his astonishment on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil. This wasn't what the Hesheri family had promised. Wasn't it because the crown prince's condition was severe that he was needed?

After settling down, Boweige was summoned to the palace by the emperor.

"Your subject, Boweige, pays his respects to Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live, long live." Boweige was nervous and anxious meeting the emperor for the first time. He was only a seventh-rank county magistrate and usually had no opportunity to meet the emperor. If it weren't for the crown prince's illness, he would likely never have had the chance to see the emperor's face.

Kangxi looked at Boweige with a gentle expression and told him to rise. After standing up, Boweige kept his head slightly down, only glancing quickly at the emperor's appearance when he stood up, then immediately averted his gaze to the ground, not daring to look directly at the emperor.

"I heard you've treated a lot of smallpox patients in Hubei using a special method." Kangxi placed the memorial in his hand to the side, which contained detailed information about Boweige, including his background and the methods he used to treat smallpox.

"Your subject just tried out a method that came from folk remedies. Initially, it was just an attempt, but unexpectedly, it proved very effective in treating smallpox, which is why I was able to cure those patients."

Boweige kept his composure, not showing any arrogance despite knowing the method to treat smallpox.

"I'm curious, what kind of method is this? Smallpox has always been a scary disease and a big worry for me. If there is a way to treat it, it would be a great blessing for the world."

Kangxi's words were sincere, as smallpox had plagued the Qing dynasty for a long time.

"Your Majesty, this method actually comes from folk practices and is called the 'nasal inoculation method.' There are generally two approaches: one is the dry method, and the other is the wet method.

The dry method involves taking scabs from smallpox patients, grinding them into fine powder, adding borneol and camphor, and then blowing the mixture into the nostrils of the person being inoculated. The wet method involves diluting the scabs with water and then implanting them into the nasal cavity.

Although this method makes the inoculated person get mild smallpox symptoms, with good care, they usually recover, which means they have effectively been through smallpox and will not contract it again."

Boweige explained in detail but didn't mention that while this method worked well, it didn't always work and could even kill the patient.

"What if the scabs are ground into fine powder but not treated like you said before using them for inoculation?" Kangxi suddenly asked.

"Scabs from smallpox patients that haven't been treated must never be used directly for inoculation. Using them in this way would cause severe smallpox symptoms, as dangerous as contracting the disease naturally. The scabs used for inoculation must be processed before they can be used."

The inoculation method couldn't guarantee success, let alone the method the emperor was talking about.

"Then do you know that the crown prince's illness was treated using this method?" Kangxi suddenly threw a piece of paper in front of Boweige, his tone shifting abruptly, his gentle expression replaced with a cold demeanor.

Boweige's heart dropped as he looked at the paper on the ground. He quickly knelt down, his heart racing, his hands shaking as he picked up the paper.

After reading what was on it, his face turned pale. The paper had details about his dealings with the Hesheri family.

He suddenly realized the emperor already knew everything.

"Your subject only told them about the method to treat smallpox and wasn't involved in the plan. I only said that Your Majesty would naturally summon me to the palace to present the method and make it widely known. I would never dare to plot against the crown prince, even with ten times the courage." Boweige's face was ashen, and his earlier composure was completely gone.

Even though he wasn't directly involved, the crown prince's illness was real. Even if he was just waiting for the emperor's order to be called, and it was the Hesheri family who did it, to the emperor, he was in on the plot with the Hesheri family against the crown prince.

At this moment, he realized that not only would there be no reward, but he might also face execution. The Hesheri family was the maternal family of the Crown Prince, and the Emperor, out of respect for the Crown Prince, would not take action against the Hesheri family. However, he himself was likely to face execution.

Thinking of this, Bo Weige began to sweat profusely. Kangxi gazed at him silently, his expression calm yet enigmatic. Bo Weige's heart raced.

"Rise. This time, the Crown Prince's illness was also exacerbated by the remnants of the White Lotus Sect, which inadvertently caused him to contract smallpox. The condition was severe, but it has since improved," Kangxi remarked casually, not mentioning the Hesheri family.

The remnants of the White Lotus Sect were involved, but it was the Hesheri family who initiated it. If the Hesheri family had not harbored such intentions, how could the White Lotus Sect have taken advantage of the situation, nearly costing the Crown Prince his life?

Bo Weige rose unsteadily, unsure of the current situation and what the Emperor truly intended.

"Your Majesty means..." Bo Weige asked cautiously.

"I summoned you to begin smallpox inoculation trials among the princes."

Upon hearing this, Bo Weige's expression turned to one of surprise. The Emperor actually intended to implement this inoculation method among the princes?!

Among the current princes, apart from the Crown Prince, there were the eldest prince, the third prince, and the fourth prince who was not yet a month old. Although he had already tested this method on some people, there were still failures.

The Crown Prince's condition was critical, and yet the Emperor still wanted to test it among the princes. Wasn't he worried...

"The success of this inoculation method is not only crucial for the princes but also very important for the Qing dynasty. I have high hopes for you. Do you understand?" Kangxi descended slowly, placed a hand on Bo Weige's shoulder, and spoke with intent.

This inoculation method had long been circulated among the people but had never been widely promoted. Some believed in it and dared to take the risk, while others refused, fearing smallpox and the loss of life.

Kangxi deeply understood that the prevention of smallpox was crucial for the Qing dynasty. Before the Manchus entered the pass, even Emperor Taizong would try to select princes who had already had smallpox to lead troops when going on expeditions. Military campaigns would avoid the months of April and August when pox outbreaks were common. Such delays caused them to miss many good opportunities.

The rebellion of the Three Feudatories remained unresolved, and at this critical juncture, if a pox outbreak occurred in the army, it would be unimaginable, causing them to lose their advantageous position. With the inoculation method, Kangxi wanted to find a way to promote it. Even if it could not guarantee a complete cure, it could ensure the majority of the combat strength, and they would no longer be troubled by pox outbreaks.

To make the people accept this inoculation method, it had to be successfully tested in the palace first.

Only if the princes could become immune to smallpox through this method would it be convincing to the people.

If this was not done, even if Kangxi vigorously promoted it, the effect would be greatly diminished. Due to imperial authority, dissatisfaction would be suppressed but not voiced, planting hidden dangers. Kangxi would not allow such a situation to occur.

Bo Weige, however, understood two layers of meaning. If the inoculation method succeeded among the princes, the suspicion of his collusion with the Hesheri family would be cleared.

If an accident occurred, leading to the death of the princes and the failure to promote the inoculation method, he would have to pay with his life.

Bo Weige's heart raced, but he had no choice but to agree. "Yes, Your Majesty, I will not disappoint Your Majesty's expectations." He knelt once more to demonstrate his resolve.

"Good. I will have the pox clinic under the Imperial Medical Bureau assist you in implementing this inoculation method in the palace. I await your good news." Kangxi offered a soft smile, turned on his heel, and walked away.

Suo'etu quickly became aware of Bo Weige's audience with the Emperor, but to his surprise, Bo Weige was not called to the Qianqing Palace to attend to the Crown Prince. Instead, he was assigned to the pox clinic to prepare for the inoculation method.

Did this mean Bo Weige would not gain the merit of treating the Crown Prince?

"Lord Suo, since the Emperor urgently summoned Bo Weige to the palace, shouldn't it be for the Crown Prince's illness? Why, at the last moment, is he not using him to treat the Crown Prince? Isn't the Crown Prince's condition supposed to be worsening?"

This was something they could not understand. The Crown Prince contracted an illness, and the Emperor issued an edict to seek famous doctors for treatment. They recommended Bo Weige, and the Emperor indeed summoned him immediately. But shouldn't Bo Weige then gain merit for treating the Crown Prince and receive rewards from the Emperor?

And shouldn't the Hesheri family gain the reputation of finding a famous doctor for the Crown Prince, so that when the Crown Prince grew up, he would remember this and draw closer to his maternal family?

"Have we sent someone to probe Bo Weige for information? If the Emperor did not summon him to treat the Crown Prince, then why?" Suo'etu's eyes narrowed, his voice laden with gravity. He sensed something was awry.

"This is the strange part. Bo Weige evaded our agents sent to gather information. He was evasive about why the Emperor summoned him. Could there have been some development we are unaware of? We recommended Bo Weige, so why is he avoiding us?"

If not for someone's recommendation, with Bo Weige being just a lowly seventh-grade county magistrate, even if he was knowledgeable about the smallpox inoculation method, he would not have had the chance to see the Emperor.

"You say Bo Weige dodged our agents?" Suo'etu latched onto this detail, a thought suddenly dawning on him.

"Yes, Lord Suo, this person is truly ungrateful and doesn't know what's good for him. Without our recommendation, how could he have gotten the opportunity..." The man was speaking indignantly when Suo'etu abruptly interrupted him.

"This is bad!" Suo'etu's expression changed drastically.

The others were still confused. "Lord Suo, what is it...?"

Suo'etu took a deep breath, his face grave. "I suspect His Majesty already knows. This time, the Crown Prince's recovery is related to the Hesheri family. His Majesty used this audience to reprimand Bo Weige, making him draw a clear line with us."

"Ah?! If His Majesty knows about this, why didn’t he punish Bo Weige... but instead still uses him?" The man was confused and, in fact, quite anxious. If His Majesty already knew about this, then their recommendation of Bo Weige would have confirmed His Majesty's suspicions.

"Bo Weige does have some talent in treating smallpox. His Majesty has been thinking about how to solve the smallpox problem, and now Bo Weige's appearance has alleviated His Majesty's concerns.

Therefore, even if His Majesty is unhappy with Bo Weige, he will still spare him for the sake of the smallpox vaccination method, and may even reward him. His Majesty wants Bo Weige to work for him, but he will not allow Bo Weige to have any further connection with the Hesheri family. This is why Bo Weige is keeping his distance from us," Suo'etu analyzed with a grim face.

His Majesty must have made his displeasure clear. How could Bo Weige dare to risk His Majesty's displeasure by associating with the Hesheri family again?

"As for the Crown Prince, if His Majesty knows, why hasn’t he acted..." If His Majesty had not shown any signs, how could they have misjudged the situation?

"Even if he wants to act, it won’t be at this time, and he won’t make it explicit," Suo'etu said with certainty, but his expression did not improve.

The reason His Majesty hasn’t acted is undoubtedly due to his concern for the heir and the current situation. The Hesheri family cannot collapse, and the matter of the Hesheri family plotting against the Crown Prince must not be spread.

But His Majesty's silence doesn’t mean he’s not unhappy with the Hesheri family.

"I must head to the palace right away," Suo'etu decided decisively.

"Lord Suo!"

The others stood up, alarmed. Going to the palace to see His Majesty—was Lord Suo planning to beg for forgiveness?!

"His Majesty is already aware of this. Although he hasn’t made any statement, the Hesheri family cannot pretend nothing happened. This is also an opportunity His Majesty has given us. I must go to the palace immediately to see His Majesty, express my stance, and plead for forgiveness to calm His Majesty's anger."

His Majesty did not make it explicit, but he could not pretend nothing happened. Only by going to the palace and pleading for forgiveness before His Majesty could this matter be resolved openly.

After saying this, Suo'etu immediately went to change into his court robes. The others didn’t dare stop him and waited at the Hesheri residence for news, not daring to return home. In this situation, they could only relax after Lord Suo returned from seeing His Majesty.

They were all loyal to the Hesheri family. Since the Crown Prince was the heir, following Lord Suo, they were the orthodox faction in the future succession to the throne. Once the Crown Prince ascended the throne smoothly, they would be the close advisors of the new emperor.

A young eunuch hurriedly relayed some news to Liang Jiugong, who then turned and walked over to Kangxi, speaking beside him, "Your Majesty, Lord Suo requests an audience."

Kangxi did not look up from the memorials he was reviewing and remained silent.

Liang Jiugong stood by, waiting silently, and the air grew quiet again.

Suo'etu waited outside for His Majesty's summons. Previously, when he had an audience with His Majesty, the messenger would quickly lead him in, but this time he was not immediately summoned. This further confirmed Suo'etu's suspicion that His Majesty must know, which is why he was not summoned right away.

Suo'etu understood this well. Now, waiting outside, he dared not show any dissatisfaction on his face. Instead, he became even more humble, waiting respectfully outside without having the young eunuch go in again to relay the message.

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea,

"Let Suo'etu in," Kangxi finally spoke.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Liang Jiugong nodded in acknowledgment, then went out to summon Suo'etu.

His Majesty had kept Lord Suo waiting for a while, so he naturally had to go out and explain properly. It was not that His Majesty deliberately kept Lord Suo waiting, but that His Majesty had important matters to attend to, which is why Lord Suo had to wait.

Liang Jiugong was an old servant by Kangxi's side. Even though Suo'etu now held a high-ranking position, he still had to show some respect. Immediately understanding, he said, "His Majesty is busy with state affairs. It was my sudden request for an audience that caused the trouble. Thank you, Eunuch Liang." Suo'etu's face showed a hint of a smile, and his attitude towards Liang Jiugong was very polite.

"Lord Suo, you are too kind. It's no trouble at all, you flatter this servant. Lord Suo, this way please, His Majesty is waiting for you inside," Liang Jiugong replied with a smile, flicking the whisk in his hand as he led the way.

After leading Suo'etu to Kangxi, Liang Jiugong tactfully dismissed the other servants, withdrew himself, closed the door, and waited outside.

Once all the servants had left, leaving only Kangxi and Suo'etu, Suo'etu, who had been bowing, suddenly knelt down, his expression changing.

"Suo'etu pays his respects to the Emperor, may the Emperor live ten thousand years," Suo'etu performed a grand salute, his head hitting the ground with a loud sound.

Kangxi, sitting above, watched Suo'etu's salute and said indifferently, "Suo Qing, rise."

"Your servant dares not. Your servant has come to seek forgiveness for a grave mistake made in a moment of folly and dares not deceive the Emperor, thus has come to confess and seek punishment."

Suo'etu spoke loudly, his face showing remorse, then removed his official hat and placed it aside, kowtowing again with the same loud impact. When he raised his head, his forehead was already red and swollen, showing the force of his kowtow.

Kangxi's expression remained calm, seemingly puzzled by Suo'etu's actions, "Suo Qing, what crime have you committed? You have toiled for the Qing dynasty, acting without fault, why suddenly seek punishment?"

Suo'etu understood that the Emperor's words carried hidden meanings, and if he had not come to seek forgiveness today, the consequences might have been more severe.

"Regarding the matter of the Crown Prince's smallpox, in a moment of folly, after learning of the inoculation method, I thought divergently, fearing that the Crown Prince might one day fall victim to smallpox and perish. Upon learning of Bo Weige's inoculation method, I thought to have the Crown Prince immunized against smallpox.

This was a moment of folly. After the Crown Prince contracted smallpox, I was filled with worry, and seeing the Crown Prince not recovering, I had no choice but to recommend Bo Weige to treat the Crown Prince's smallpox.

Now that the Crown Prince's condition has improved, I have been troubled by this matter, knowing that my momentary folly has endangered the Crown Prince. I am ashamed before the Emperor and the Crown Prince, thus I have come to seek punishment, so that I may face the Emperor and the Crown Prince again."

Suo'etu spoke with emotion, his eyes filling with blood, appearing deeply remorseful and unable to bear the torment, thus sincerely seeking forgiveness.

He then kowtowed three more times, each with great force, until his forehead bled. Despite the pain, Suo'etu showed no sign of it, maintaining his posture of seeking forgiveness.

He knew that without such actions, the Emperor's anger would not subside. This act of self-sacrifice was necessary for Suo'etu.

Even knowing that the Emperor would not truly punish him or the Hesheri family, he had to fully display his attitude of seeking forgiveness.

Kangxi watched Suo'etu's actions expressionlessly, listening to his words, inwardly sneering. After a while, he picked up a teacup and threw it in front of Suo'etu. The porcelain shards flew, but Suo'etu did not dodge, allowing the shards to fly towards him, even if they might cut him.

"Your servant is guilty, please punish me, I dare not ask for forgiveness," Suo'etu's voice was filled with emotion, his face showing extreme remorse.

"You have great audacity! To commit such an act and still have the face to seek forgiveness before me, do you think I truly will not punish you?! If something had happened to the Crown Prince, could you still be here seeking forgiveness?!" Kangxi's voice was filled with suppressed anger, his expression stern, though he tried to control it, his voice was still raised.

Kangxi's face was full of anger, Suo'etu's face showed fear, but his heart was at ease. The Emperor's anger over this matter actually reassured Suo'etu, compared to the Emperor's silent pretense of ignorance, letting the matter pass as if nothing had happened, which was not the case.

The Emperor's hidden anger was what truly frightened Suo'etu.

But now, with the Emperor's anger displayed, Suo'etu felt at ease. Only by letting the Emperor vent his anger could the matter truly be put to rest.

"Your servant knows, in a moment of folly, I nearly caused a great disaster. I thought, if something had truly happened to the Crown Prince... how could I face our ancestors, I would have followed the Crown Prince in death. Even now that the Crown Prince has recovered, I cannot forgive myself, I only hope the Emperor will punish me, your servant dares not complain, only hoping the Crown Prince does not learn of my folly."

Suo'etu spoke, tears streaming down his face, "I fear that if the Crown Prince learns of this, he will be heartbroken. I am not a good grandfather, to have endangered the Crown Prince, I deserve death."

As he spoke, he kowtowed again, his forehead bleeding profusely, but Suo'etu did not stop.

It seemed as if he intended to kowtow himself to death, appearing genuinely repentant.

Kangxi's face showed anger, but his heart was clear. Suo'etu's display was ostensibly to seek forgiveness, but it was also a reminder that the Crown Prince could not do without the Hesheri family, nor without his grandfather.

The loud kowtows were all part of a strategy to force the matter to be overlooked, not to be pursued further, as it was not suitable for the Crown Prince to know.

"You have committed such a grave mistake, you truly deserve death. If you were not the Crown Prince's grandfather, I would have punished you long ago! Stop kowtowing! If this matter were to spread, how would the Crown Prince face it?!"

Kangxi's tone still carried anger, his gaze sharp, appearing furious, but his heart was calm.