Soon, a circle of burly men gathered around Kangxi, every one of them praising Yinreng as if they were blind and couldn't see that all three of his arrows had completely missed the target.

Yinreng lifted his little face and swept his gaze around the hulking men surrounding him.

Good grief. Every single one of them was someone who would want him dead in the future.

But after counting on his fingers, Yinreng realized that the imperial clansmen either watched coldly from the sidelines or wanted him dead, the Manchu nobles were either neutral or also wanted him dead, and only the Han officials were sincerely praising him.

Well then, that settled it. Most of the people who could accompany Kangxi on a hunt were basically his enemies.

Though technically, they weren't Yinreng's enemies. They were the enemies of the Crown Prince whom Kangxi had appointed on his own authority.

Ah, so this is what it means to have the whole world standing against you.

Yinreng immediately leaned back dramatically, only for the back of his head to thunk against Kangxi's chest armor. Tears instantly welled up in his eyes from the pain.

"You silly Baocheng." Kangxi was busy dealing with the flattery around him and nearly broke into laughter because of his son.

Covering his head, Yinreng pouted and glared at Kangxi. "Imperial Father, you bumped my head. Shouldn't you reflect on your actions a little?"

Kangxi thought seriously for a moment. "Reflect on what? Reflect on the fact that I didn't make your skull hard enough?"

Yinreng: "..."

You make it sound like you gave birth to me yourself.

Empress Renxiao was a thorn in the former Crown Prince's heart. Even after two lifetimes, Yinreng still couldn't joke lightly about it.

He could only pout pitifully and rub his head.

Surrounded by a group of intimidating, murderous-looking men, this five-year-old child not only looked completely calm, but was even joking around with the emperor?

The burly men immediately intensified their presence.

Let's test him a little more! I refuse to believe that the emperor, a grown man, actually knows how to raise a child!

Feeling the testosterone practically radiating off them, Yinreng calmly glanced over the imperial clansmen.

At the exact moment Yinreng swept his gaze across the clan members, Kangxi's smile also faded as he looked around at them.

Father and son, by sheer coincidence, made the exact same expression and movement at the same time. One big, one small, their gazes swept from left to right and then back again, chilling the burly clansmen to the core.

Even though Kangxi was only in his twenties, his authority was already overwhelming. Whenever he got angry, they instinctively shrank back. Otherwise, they wouldn't limit themselves to sneaky little schemes.

But the Crown Prince was only...

Five years old!

A five-year-old child was not only unafraid of them, but he was even glaring back at them? And with eyes just as cold as the emperor's? Wasn't that a little too monstrous?

Kangxi noticed something off about the way they were looking at the Crown Prince and quickly lowered his head.

Yinreng: frowning-and-glaring.jpg

Kangxi sucked in a sharp breath, barely stopping himself from hugging, kissing, and tossing his son into the air right there on horseback.

How can the son I raised be this adorable?!

Among the imperial relatives, the only one who genuinely liked the Crown Prince, Fuquan, rubbed his chest.

Yep. Prince Yu had once again been utterly charmed by the Crown Prince today.

So cute. So jealous. I want a son this obedient and adorable who also glares at bad people!

"What's wrong? Your eyeballs are practically popping out," Kangxi teased, lifting the Crown Prince slightly higher and leaning close to his ear.

Yinreng-glare.jpg

"Father, my expression looks about the same as yours. If my eyeballs are popping out, what about yours?" Yinreng shot back without backing down.

Kangxi immediately turned serious. "Nonsense. My expression is nothing like yours. Why are you glaring at them? They're praising you."

Yinreng continued glaring. "Father, do I look stupid? A bunch of granny wolves praising me?"

Kangxi, endure it. Endure it.

As emperor, suppressing laughter was a professional skill. No matter how funny his son was, he absolutely wouldn't laugh.

"But Father, I've never even met them before. Why do they all dislike me?" Yinreng refused to let Kangxi keep laughing. "Aside from Uncle Fuquan, they all hate me."

Yinreng hinted frantically.

Father! They hate me!

But I haven't offended them, so how could they hate me?

On the surface, they hate me, but really, they're opposing you!

By hating me, they're slapping you in the face!

Even though Let the Bullets Fly* hadn't been made yet, Yinreng felt it deserved to be listed as cultural heritage several centuries in advance. (T/N: A Chinese 2010 action comedy film)

Kangxi's smile finally vanished.

It wasn't that he hadn't realized this before. But this was the first time someone had pointed it out so bluntly.

Kangxi hadn't established the Crown Prince because of deep love for his empress, nor because he particularly valued legitimate sons. When his eldest legitimate son died, Kangxi didn't even return to the palace.

The love Kangxi now had for the Crown Prince came from personally raising the boy himself.

The real reason Kangxi established the Crown Prince was to weaken the imperial clan and nobility's control over succession to the throne.

He had always known that these people wouldn't let things go easily. But they had hidden it too well, and then the Revolt of the Three Feudatories happened, causing Kangxi to temporarily forget about it.

Even his son could keenly sense it now. Their malice wasn't hidden at all anymore.

They weren't even hiding it in front of him!

Kangxi held his son a little tighter.

Yinreng complained, "Father, relax a little, relax a little. Your armor is digging into me. Ah, I don't want to ride the big horse with you anymore. I want to go back to my own little horse."

"What little horse? You've never even practiced riding or archery. Can you even ride?" Kangxi mocked his son.

"Hmph, then I want someone else to take me." Yinreng tilted his head up. "Father will be hunting big prey, but I want to catch little bunnies. We're not going the same way."

Kangxi: "..."

He wanted to smack his son's little butt.

But Yinreng did have a point. Kangxi came to the hunting grounds specifically to show off his impressive martial prowess, and he certainly had the skill to back it up.

He firmly believed that he could still dominate the hunt even while carrying his son, but he was worried about frightening the child.

Though apparently the child wasn't frightened at all. He was only complaining that Kangxi rode too fast and jostled him around too much.

"You're so pampered. Just wait until you start learning riding and archery for real, you'll cry then," Kangxi scolded with a smile. "Who do you want to go with? Prince Yu?"

Yinreng raised his chubby little paw. "Mingzhu or Xingde!"

The last two lines weren't whispered privately. Both Kangxi and Yinreng said it loudly.

The moment Yinreng finished speaking, Kangxi regretted saying it so loudly.

Mingzhu happened to be standing among the nobles.

He had deliberately hidden himself in the crowd, neither too close nor too far from Kangxi, intentionally minimizing his presence.

Only Songgotu kept trying to squeeze closer, but the nobles refused to make room for him, so he could only crane his neck pitifully to look in.

At Kangxi and Yinreng's shout, Prince Yu Fuquan first lit up with joy and then immediately fell crestfallen, while Mingzhu nearly fell off his horse.

As for Songgotu? He was once again questioning life itself.

Yinreng quickly added, "Father is going to hunt tigers and bears. Uncle has to protect Father. Uncle is amazing!"

Fuquan's drooping face instantly perked back up.

That's right! This prince is just that amazing! Leave the Emperor's protection to me!

"As for me, I'll reluctantly let the super handsome Lord Mingzhu and Xingde protect me... ow!"

Kangxi flicked Yinreng on the forehead with a loving finger.

Everyone immediately turned to look at Mingzhu.

Nalan Xingde was still among the imperial guards farther away, so they couldn't see him.

They carefully sized up Nalan Mingzhu.

Well... they had to admit it. Mingzhu really was handsome.

If Mingzhu weren't good-looking, the notoriously arrogant Aisin Gioro Ajige wouldn't have forcibly arranged a marriage for his daughter back then.

Nalan Mingzhu's dignified handsome-uncle face twisted slightly.

The Crown Prince was only five. He wasn't at the age to appreciate beauty yet.

So who exactly kept talking about Mingzhu's looks around the Crown Prince?

Case solved. It was you! The most exalted emperor of the Great Qing!

The imperial clansmen all sucked in sharp breaths.

Kangxi's reputation suffered as collateral damage.

"Alright, alright, I know you've been thinking about it," said Kangxi helplessly, still unaware that his reputation had taken a hit. "Mingzhu has to stay with me. I'll let Rongruo protect you instead."

Someone immediately rode off to fetch Nalan Xingde.

Escorted by one of the emperor's attendants, Nalan Xingde rode up before Kangxi, who promptly stuffed an adorable little milk dumpling into his arms.

"Take care of my Crown Prince for a while," Kangxi said generously. "Whatever he wants to do, as long as it isn't dangerous, go along with him. If you take good care of him, you'll be rewarded."

Holding the Crown Prince, Nalan Xingde became extremely nervous. "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Wh-what do I do? I've never looked after a child before!

Mingzhu's expression was on the verge of cracking.

Our Yehe Nara clan does not want to be tied to the Crown Prince!

At long last, Songgotu managed to squeeze his way before Kangxi. "Your Majesty—"

"Shut up," Kangxi interrupted.

Songgotu: "..."

Yinreng stretched out his little arms and waved them enthusiastically. "Father, be careful! Uncle, Father is in your care now!"

Fuquan laughed warmly. "Alright, alright."

"Alright, my ass. Your riding and archery skills are worse than mine." Kangxi lashed his horse with the whip and rode off, leaving Fuquan with an arrogant view of his back.

"That's not necessarily true." Fuquan rubbed his nose and muttered under his breath before whipping his horse and following after Kangxi.

Some of the imperial clansmen followed Kangxi while others spread out to hunt nearby. The massive crowd gradually dispersed, and no one bothered the Crown Prince.

When Kangxi was clear-headed, they all knew their limits. Like Changning, they only dared to make sarcastic remarks and wouldn't cross the line openly.

Speaking of Changning...

Changning actually stayed behind alone. Looking at the Crown Prince, he asked, "Want your uncle to take you out to play?"

Nalan Xingde immediately hugged the Crown Prince tighter, his whole body tense with caution.

Yinreng smiled. "Prince Gong, Khan-Father has already gone far away. Instead of accompanying Khan-Father, you're staying here to tease your nephew. Is that really alright?"

Changning's expression darkened.

He carefully examined the little Crown Prince, who seemed like an entirely different person the moment he left Kangxi's side, then turned his horse and rode away.

Nalan Xingde finally let out a breath of relief.

"Th-the Crown Prince is amazing. You actually scared Prince Gong away?" an excitable voice suddenly sounded beside Yinreng and Nalan Xingde.

Turning his head, Yinreng saw an exceptionally beautiful man who was even more delicate-looking than Nalan Xingde. The man's bright eyes were wide open as he patted his chest and sighed dramatically.

Nalan Xingde said helplessly, "Cao Ziqing, lower your voice a little! Your Highness, this is Cao Yin, courtesy name Ziqing."

Nalan Xingde didn't elaborate further. He trusted that anyone the emperor had left behind to help protect the Crown Prince had already been introduced to him before.

Of course, Yinreng knew who Cao Yin was.

The future Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jiangning and the grandfather of the author of Dream of the Red Chamber, Cao Xueqin.

Yinreng just didn't expect that Cao Yin was this pretty when he was young.

Yes, pretty...

Good heavens, Father, do you pick imperial guards based on their appearance?

Wait. The Imperial Guard of Honor represented the emperor's public image during processions, so of course looks and physique mattered enormously.

Amazing. Let me look a little more!

Seeing the Crown Prince staring at him, Cao Yin hurriedly cupped his hands respectfully. "Did this servant frighten Your Highness?"

Yinreng shook his head. "Guard Cao, the difference between your appearance and your voice is way too big."

Cao Yin: "..."

Nalan Xingde suppressed a laugh. "Yes, exactly. His Majesty says the same thing."

Such a beautiful face paired with such a booming voice. Kangxi had been lamenting about it for a long time.

Cao Yin laughed. "That's just how I was born. I can't change it. Where does Your Highness want to go play? When it comes to having fun, this servant is an expert!"

Yinreng glanced at the guards Kangxi had left behind for him.

This group was led by Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin. Or rather, by Cao Yin.

The future Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jiangning was already one of the emperor's trusted confidants. Kangxi had specifically left Cao Yin behind to protect Yinreng.

And since Cao Yin and Nalan Xingde were friends, the two of them taking care of a child together wouldn't lead to disagreements.

"I want to see a little river," Yinreng said. "There are no rivers in the palace."

Cao Yin replied, "Alright, let's go over there. The water there is shallow, and there aren't any dangerous animals nearby. Your Highness can play on the grass there. Maybe you'll even catch a rabbit or a bird."

The emperor's hunting grounds were carefully planned in advance, so every area was designated for specific prey.

If dangerous animals ever appeared in a supposedly safe area, the people responsible for maintaining the hunting grounds would lose their heads.

Cao Yin knew the hunting grounds like the back of his hand and immediately found the perfect place for Yinreng to play.

Conveniently, it also happened to lie along the route Kangxi would take on his return after hunting dangerous game, so the emperor wouldn't need to make a detour to pick up his little milk-dumpling Crown Prince.

Cao Yin didn't become one of Kangxi's trusted confidants or gain the freedom to freely spend Kangxi's money, just because of his pretty face and loud voice, nor solely because his mother had been Kangxi's wet nurse.

Kangxi had many wet nurses, yet only the Cao family rose to prominence. That connection merely strengthened their relationship after Kangxi had already decided to promote the Cao family.

Compared to the noble-born Nalan Xingde, Cao Yin was much more socially adept and considerate.

For most people, reading expressions and moods required familiarity.

So when the people around Yinreng failed to anticipate his needs unless he voiced them aloud, it wasn't because they neglected him.

But people like Liang Jiugong and Cao Yin had honed their talent for reading people into something close to Observation Haki. Even with complete strangers, they could be attentive down to the smallest detail.

Yinreng was certain he hadn't dropped a single hint, yet Cao Yin had already arranged everything he wanted.

A blanket had been spread across the grass. Beside it stood a campfire roasting rabbit and pheasant, while nearby, a young eunuch, under Cao Yin's direction, was cooking wild vegetable fish soup.

Meanwhile, Cao Yin had ordered Nalan Xingde to pick wildflowers and grasses to weave flower crowns and baskets for Yinreng.

Though Nalan Xingde was a noble young master, he often associated with Han scholars and had picked up skills completely out of place among Manchu noble youths.

For example, elegant handicrafts.

Nalan Xingde could actually weave little grasshoppers out of long blades of grass. Can you believe it?

Yinreng danced excitedly. "Make one for older brother, make two for younger brother! I want one too!"

Nalan Xingde smiled. "Alright."

"This servant wants one too," Cao Yin chimed in shamelessly after finishing his arrangements.

"Here." Yinreng removed the flower crown from around his own neck and placed it atop Cao Yin's head.

Touching the flower crown, Cao Yin laughed helplessly. "Does this count as wearing flowers in my hair?"

"And one for Guard Nalan." Standing on tiptoe, Yinreng tucked a small orchid into Nalan Xingde's collar.

Looking at Nalan Xingde's shaved forehead, Yinreng felt deeply regretful.

Even though Nalan Xingde was handsome enough that even a shaved forehead suited him, not being able to tuck flowers into his sideburns was still a pity.

"There, now we're all wearing flowers," Cao Yin said with smiling eyes. "Many thanks to Your Highness for the reward."

"This isn't a reward. We're just playing," Yinreng said seriously. "Guard Cao, stop being so tense. I'm just a child. Watching you act like this is exhausting."

Cao Yin: "..."

Did I do something wrong?

This was the first time the universally well-liked Cao Yin had ever heard anyone say something like that to him.

Yinreng smiled. "Guard Nalan has the proud temperament of a scholar. The people close to him all carry that same scholarly pride deep down. I've often heard that Guard Cao is extremely learned, but because of your bondservant status, you can't prove yourself through the imperial examinations the way Guard Nalan can."

Yinreng actually had a favorable impression of Cao Yin, even though the Cao family eventually sided with the Eighth Prince, or more accurately, with the Manchu imperial clan.

But by then Yinreng had already been deposed, Cao Yin was gravely ill, Cao Yin's eldest son was in poor health, and the Cao family was clearly collapsing. It was only natural for them to think of their own survival.

Cao Yin's eldest daughter had been married by Kangxi to Narsu. If they didn't stand with the imperial clan, who else could they stand with?

Even Yongzheng, despite being notoriously petty, had only pursued the Cao family over financial deficits. After confiscating their property, he allowed them to return to Beijing, preserved the lives of the Cao family members, and even issued an order forbidding others from extorting or threatening them.

That showed the Cao family's allegiance was mostly just going with the flow. In truth, they hadn't truly committed to anyone.

And besides, the Cao family heirs really were disappointingly incompetent. Even Kangxi had eventually given up on them, much less Yongzheng.

Cao Yin froze for a moment before respectfully smiling. "Your Highness's words truly overwhelm this servant with honor."

"Father chose you to take care of me, so you should have a little more confidence in yourself." Yinreng waved a hand dismissively. "I already have plenty of people around me who act excessively deferential. I don't need another one. We finally have a rare chance to come out and play, so act more naturally. Stop doing Liang Jiugong's job all the time. Liang Jiugong!"

Liang Jiugong instantly appeared behind Yinreng like a ghost.

He shot Cao Yin a sideways glance from the corner of his eye.

Hmph.

"You take over Guard Cao's work," Yinreng ordered. "Guard Cao, stay here and play with me."

Cao Yin was one of Kangxi's guards. Even though he was technically a bondservant, Yinreng didn't want to order him around too much.

Besides, he was genuinely curious about the Cao family.

The real-life inspiration for Dream of the Red Chamber! The "Burial of Flowers" poem had supposedly been inspired by Cao Yin's own poetry!

Wait a minute. Rounding things up, didn't that basically make Cao Yin equivalent to Daiyu?

Yinreng's gaze circled around Cao Yin's beautiful face several times before he forcibly suppressed his laughter and looked away.

Nope. Can't keep thinking about this. I'll die laughing.

Liang Jiugong accepted Yinreng's orders and took over Cao Yin's tasks.

Left with no choice, Cao Yin sat shoulder-to-shoulder with Nalan Xingde to accompany this little ancestor.

Behind Yinreng's back, Nalan Xingde wiggled his eyebrows at Cao Yin.

See? I told you the Crown Prince was extraordinarily clever. You tried treating him like an ordinary child and got shut down, didn't you?

Cao Yin wiggled his eyebrows back.

Shut down? I was obviously praised.

But the Crown Prince really was frighteningly intelligent. How exactly does His Majesty raise children?

Nalan Xingde at least had two children of his own, even if he hadn't personally raised them. Cao Yin, however, had long struggled to have children and still had none. Looking at such a brilliant child, he couldn't help feeling envious.

"Guard Cao, have you ever been to Jiangnan?" Yinreng asked while staring at the grasshopper Nalan Xingde was weaving.

"I have," Cao Yin replied. "But this servant grew up in Fengrun, Zhili."

"Then tell me about Zhili," Yinreng said.

Cao Yin assumed Yinreng was merely curious about places outside the capital, so he began describing the prettiest sights, tastiest foods, and most entertaining activities.

As he listened, Yinreng subtly guided the conversation toward foreigners.

When foreign missionaries entered Beijing, they first stopped in Zhili after reaching the north.

The northern section of the Grand Canal passed through Zhili. Missionaries entering Qing territory from Guangzhou would travel north to Suzhou and Hangzhou before typically taking the canal into the capital.

Zhili corresponded roughly to the area around modern Tianjin. Tianjin's port served as Beijing's gateway to the sea and was extremely prosperous, crowded with foreign merchants selling their wares.

Whether during the later isolationist period or after the forced opening of treaty ports, Tianjin's port remained highly significant.

At present, Tianjin is still technically under maritime restrictions. But under Kangxi, those restrictions were relatively lax and aimed mainly at containing the Zheng family.

Most overseas trade through Tianjin involved Korea and Japan. Kangxi was fully aware of the smuggling and had once openly stated that, for the sake of the people's livelihoods, he intentionally turned a blind eye to parts of the maritime ban.

Once Taiwan was pacified in the twenty-third year of Kangxi's reign, the maritime restrictions would be lifted. Though Kangxi never explicitly announced the opening of Tianjin Port, trade between Qing China and countries like Japan flourished there afterward, meaning it had effectively opened already.

This was Yinreng's third life.

He still tossed and turned over the suffering of his life before last, and still carried the idealistic spirit of his previous life.

As long as Kangxi hadn't grown old yet, no matter how wildly he acted, he wouldn't actually die for it. So why not live a little more freely?

The Qing dynasty would inevitably fall someday. No matter how hard Yinreng worked, the inherent structural problems of the Qing truly existed.

Feudal society was destined to collapse. From that decaying soil, the undying flames he had seen in his previous life would inevitably bloom.

Yinreng couldn't control what would happen centuries later, but he could make small changes now, allowing vegetation to grow across the current soil.

Then, when the Qing eventually collapsed, that vegetation would become nutrients within the rotting earth, helping the flowers he longed for to bloom sooner.

Which transmigrator lacked ambition?

Fallen flowers are not heartless things; turned to spring mud, they nourish the blossoms.

Even if everyone ultimately headed toward the same destination, any transmigrator with ideals and convictions would want to leave something behind for China, to help it avoid at least a few detours.

At first, Cao Yin thought Yinreng's interest in foreign merchants was simply curiosity about their novel trinkets.

But Yinreng's questions became sharper and sharper, eventually touching on overseas colonies, political systems, royal families, and regime changes...

Cold sweat broke out across Cao Yin's forehead. "This servant... this servant doesn't know much about these matters."

"You left Zhili when you were still young, so it's normal not to know," Yinreng said. "But sooner or later you'll inherit your father's position, so you should gather more information about these things for Father."

Borrowing Kangxi's authority for himself, Yinreng continued:

"As for those fancy foreign gadgets, if we have the craftsmen and techniques, Great Qing can make them too. Father doesn't care about those things at all. Understand?"

A chill ran down Cao Yin's spine. "This servant..."

"Alright, you don't understand." Yinreng shook his head like a tiny old man. "Then let me put it more clearly. Father wants to become an emperor remembered for all eternity."

He pointed toward the sky.

"Above all stands the First Emperor, who first unified China: his virtue surpassing the Three Sovereigns, his achievements exceeding the Five Emperors! No matter how later rulers struggled, they merely ruled within the territory he unified. In order to become an emperor remembered through the ages, Father... ow!"

Yinreng clutched his head and looked down blankly.

A small fruit rolled in circles across the ground.

Still holding his head, Yinreng turned around in confusion.

Standing among the trees, Kangxi withdrew the hand he had used to throw, apparently listening for quite some time already.

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin immediately knelt to greet him. The other guards and palace attendants also dropped to their knees in chaotic succession.

Only Yinreng remained standing, clutching his head and silently condemning Kangxi with his eyes.

"Your son's head hasn't trained iron-head skills!" Yinreng exploded in outrage.

What is wrong with you?! Why do you keep hitting my head?! Children's heads are fragile! I'll really become stupid! Even throwing dates at me is unacceptable!

Kangxi sneered, picked his son up, smacked him lightly on the backside, and leaned close to hiss through gritted teeth into his ear:

"Don't repeat the things your grandfather taught you in front of outsiders! Understand?!"

What virtue surpassing the Three Sovereigns and achievements exceeding the Five Emperors, what emperor remembered for all eternity...

I haven't even dared think that far myself! Aside from Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Zhenzong of Song, what emperor would dare say something like that about himself?! Do you think I'm as shameless as Song Zhenzong?!

Song Zhenzong had brazenly gone to Mount Tai to perform the Fengshan sacrifices and lowered the prestige of the ceremony so badly. It was demeaned to the point that later emperors only dared hold sacrificial rites there instead of full Fengshan ceremonies, all because they feared someone saying, "Oh, so you're just like Song Zhenzong."

Father, you can't pin that on your son just because you secretly want it but haven't done it yourself!

Your son is already exhausting himself managing this enormous Qing empire!

Or what, you want me to act like Song Zhenzong and brag shamelessly?! I can't afford to lose face like that!!