On the fifteenth day of the seventh month in the eighteenth year of Kangxi's reign, Prince Chun Longxi passed away and was posthumously honored with the title "Jing."

The Grand Empress Dowager was overcome with grief and repeatedly wished to personally attend the memorial rites, but Kangxi persuaded her not to.

Kangxi himself also wanted to attend in person, but the Grand Empress Dowager stopped him in turn and kept him at Cining Palace.

Yinreng, who had been moved by Kangxi from Qianqing Palace to Cining Palace, quietly poked his head out.

Great-Grandmother and Father, you stop me, I stop you. How interesting.

Kangxi was still grieving. Seeing Yinreng peeking around the doorway, he sucked in a sharp breath. "Baocheng! Weren't you supposed to be resting in bed?!"

The moment Yinreng realized he'd been spotted, he turned and ran.

With a grand sweep of the emperor's hand, several burly eunuchs rushed out from hidden corners and carried Yinreng back before Kangxi.

"Bao... cheng!" Kangxi slapped the armrest of his chair hard.

Yinreng leaned forward, took Kangxi's hand, and blew gently on it. After each puff, he looked up at Kangxi. "Blow-blow, pain flies away. Father won't hurt anymore."

Kangxi kept a stern face. "Do you think flattering me means I won't punish you?"

Yinreng blew on his hand again. "Not flattering. I'm worried Father's hand hurts."

The Grand Empress Dowager had been mourning, but seeing the interaction between her grandson and great-grandson, she couldn't help laughing aloud.

"Come here to Great-Grandmother. Great-Grandmother will protect you. He wouldn't dare punish you." She beckoned Yinreng over. "Not sleepy anymore?"

Yinreng threw himself into her arms and rubbed against her affectionately. "Not sleepy. Slept enough."

The Grand Empress Dowager settled him comfortably against her chest. "That's good."

Though smiling, she was deeply worried inside.

The imperial physicians had tactfully warned that the crown prince was still so young, and yet he had already repeatedly overtaxed his mind and spirit. If this continued long-term, it would harm his health.

The Western doctors were even more direct, indicating that collapsing from exhaustion in childhood would weaken his immunity, and he might grow up frail and sickly.

The Grand Empress Dowager rubbed the little topknot on Yinreng's head, untied the loosened tuft, and braided it again into a small braid. "Are you hungry? Great-Grandmother prepared lots of delicious food."

Yinreng shook his head and turned to Kangxi. "Father, are you troubled? I want to go pay respects to Uncle…"

"You're absolutely not allowed to go!" Kangxi scolded sternly. "I told you to focus on recovering. If you keep disobeying, I won't let you play with Baoqing and the others anymore!"

Yinreng pouted. "Hmph. Bad Father. Baocheng wants to send Uncle off one last time."

"It's enough that Baocheng has the thought." The Grand Empress Dowager gently patted his back. "Your Majesty, there is much to handle today. Rest for now and go tomorrow instead."

Kangxi: "…Yes."

A moment ago, she'd told him not to go, but the second Baocheng said he wanted to go, she immediately agreed to let him go?

"Baocheng, stay here and keep Great-Grandmother company, alright?" the Grand Empress Dowager said kindly.

Yinreng nodded. "Okay. Baocheng will stay with Great-Grandmother. Great-Grandmother shouldn't be sad."

The Grand Empress Dowager hugged him tightly, calling him with all sorts of endearments.

Kangxi: "…" I'm the Grand Empress Dowager's grandson. Baocheng is her great-grandson.

Kangxi could no longer keep his face stern.

He stood up, walked over, and lifted Yinreng, who was clinging and acting spoiled to the Grand Empress Dowager, straight into the air.

Held under the arms and raised to eye level with Kangxi, Yinreng tilted his head, kicked his little legs, and flapped his spread-out arms.

"Wuaaah! Flying!"

Kangxi had intended to lecture him about resting properly, but finally couldn't help laughing.

He lifted Yinreng even higher. "Alright. Flying."

After making the little chubby boy "fly" twice, Kangxi pulled him back into his arms.

The Grand Empress Dowager's expression as she watched Kangxi was indescribably complicated.

The Emperor's possessiveness toward the crown prince had gone a bit too far. I also want to hold the soft, warm, and sweet-smelling Baocheng.

Thanks to Yinreng's interruption, much of the sorrow weighing on both Kangxi and the Grand Empress Dowager faded.

Longxi had been bedridden for so long that they had already prepared themselves mentally. It was not difficult to let the grief pass.

What truly weighed on Kangxi now was not Longxi, but Yinreng, or rather, Former Emperor Shunzhi's prophecy of a massive earthquake striking the capital.

As an emperor with absolute authority, it would not be difficult for Kangxi to issue earthquake warnings in advance under the guise of ancestral dreams or astronomical divinations.

But was the prophecy real?

If no earthquake came, his imperial authority would not truly suffer. He could simply execute a batch of "mistaken diviners" as scapegoats. After the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, the treasury was already depleted. Wasting supplies would pain him, but the losses would remain manageable. At worst, it would cause some public panic, which could still be suppressed.

But Kangxi actually hoped the earthquake would not come.

If it did, the already strained treasury would be pushed even closer to collapse. Even with preparation, all he could do was reduce losses and lessen chaos. There was only so much he could accomplish.

Compared to the devastation, the prestige gained from "successfully predicting" the disaster would be meaningless.

Fifteen days remained before the end of the seventh month. Every single moment of those fifteen days was torment for Kangxi.

He pulled Yinreng into his arms and buried his face against his son's shoulder, taking a deep breath.

Mm. After inhaling his son, his mood improved considerably.

Yinreng had long since gotten used to Kangxi's habit of "sniffing his son." At this point, his function in Kangxi's life was probably similar to that of a kitten: whenever the emperor felt bad, he would take one "hit of cat" and restore a bit of HP.

Kangxi never shared his anxiety with Yinreng.

In front of him, he deliberately acted calm and composed, as though saying, An earthquake? Just a small matter. Father has everything under control. No matter how panicked he felt, he would not let his son notice.

Yinreng had already fainted once. What if worrying further made him collapse again?

In Kangxi's eyes, every time Yinreng fainted, his lifespan shortened a little. That thought was even harder to endure than waiting for the earthquake itself.

The next day, a deeply worried Kangxi personally attended Longxi's memorial rites before suspending court for three days on the grounds of excessive grief.

During the suspension, Kangxi summoned his most trusted ministers and told them that the ancestors had appeared to him in a dream.

"The Bureau of Astronomy's divinations match the ancestral warning," Kangxi said solemnly.

He deliberately took the burden of the prophecy upon himself. This would not only enhance his own prestige but also protect Yinreng.

Although the "miracle" of ancestral prophecy might temporarily strengthen Yinreng's position as crown prince, officials opposed to him would surely seize the chance to praise him excessively, intentionally inflating his reputation in order to drive a wedge between father and son.

Worse, they might demand Yinreng to "predict" everything. And if he ever failed once, they could condemn him as a bringer of calamity to the nation.

But now, it was Kangxi himself receiving the ancestral warning. He wanted to see who dared to place him over the fire.

The ministers exchanged uncertain glances. They wanted to say divination was unreliable, but dared not.

However, they also didn't have the courage to take responsibility for causing panic across the entire capital over a dream and a prophecy.

Everyone in court was clever. If the warning proved true, all the credit would belong to the emperor. If it failed, they would surely be shoved out as scapegoats.

Songgotu and Changtai were among the summoned ministers.

Although Changtai spent most of his time "retired at home," he officially held the post of Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard and nominally oversaw palace security. Since earthquake preparations also concerned the palace, his presence in Qianqing Palace attracted no suspicion.

Kangxi maintained strict control over information surrounding him, so people in the capital could never fully track his movements. Several times, he and the crown prince had traveled together, yet outsiders assumed that only the crown prince had gone to Gabula's residence.

Even if someone in the capital noticed, they would merely think Kangxi was concerned for his father-in-law's health, which was a sign of valuing his wife's family. No one would imagine that Kangxi attached great importance to a young man barely in his twenties.

Changtai had never publicly displayed his talents. Even Songgotu himself did not know how capable his own nephew truly was, much less outsiders.

As soon as Kangxi raised the matter of the ancestral warning, the ministers sank into contemplation. Even Songgotu's expression grew grave.

Songgotu was arrogant, but extremely cautious in action. That was why he originally opposed abolishing the Three Feudatories.

Compared to those who merely guessed the emperor's intentions, Songgotu's status came only partly from the Heseri clan name, and most of it came from his own abilities.

Back during the Three Feudatories issue, Mingzhu had been the loudest in supporting Kangxi's wishes. But during the actual rebellion, Songgotu simultaneously shouted about killing Mingzhu while organizing the suppression campaign with impeccable efficiency, ultimately contributing far more than Mingzhu.

Songgotu was exactly the kind of person who stuck in Kangxi's throat like a fishbone: talented, capable, but far too proud. Rather than following the emperor's preferences, he trusted his own judgment, and thus frequently opposed Kangxi's decisions.

This time was no different. The moment Songgotu considered the consequences and difficulty of earthquake warnings, he was ready to oppose the plan.

If the emperor himself feared death, he could simply make preparations within the palace. As for people outside the palace, if they died, that was their own affair. There was no need for the emperor or the Qing court to shoulder responsibility for a prediction.

Just as Songgotu lifted a foot to step forward, Changtai had already strode out first and knelt.

"Your Majesty, this minister has something to report."

Kangxi was irritated by the gloomy silence among his trusted officials. Even Mingzhu, who was usually the quickest to flatter imperial intentions, dared not speak.

Seeing the normally quiet Changtai step forward first, Kangxi paused thoughtfully while tapping the dragon throne's armrest.

"Proceed."

Still kneeling, Changtai spoke eloquently.

Overseas, earthquake prediction had already developed into a field of study. Scholars researched which places were prone to earthquakes, what signs might appear beforehand, how people could protect themselves during earthquakes, and how to prevent secondary disasters afterward.

When Yinreng had quietly guided Changtai's education through Gabula, he specifically directed him toward studying Western knowledge about earthquakes.

Yinreng had long known that a major earthquake would strike the capital this year. Aside from pretending divine revelation to warn Kangxi, how could he possibly fail to prepare in other ways?

Neither Gabula nor Changtai cared that Yinreng was merely a child. While convinced of his extraordinary nature, they also never pried into its origins. They simply pledged loyalty to him and handled the matters that Yinreng himself currently could not.

Helping Kangxi prepare for the capital earthquake was the first major task Yinreng entrusted to them, so Changtai had devoted enormous effort to it.

"According to both Western studies and common Qing folk experience, earthquakes are always preceded by unusual signs. If Your Majesty only cites ancestral warnings, many commoners and local clerks may dismiss it and fail to carry out precautions seriously. This minister suggests sending officials to collect reports of abnormal animal behavior around the capital and use these as public warnings…"

Changtai never discussed whether the prophecy was "true" or "false." He moved directly into clear, organized, and practical measures.

After receiving guidance from both Gabula and Yinreng, he understood perfectly that once Kangxi brought the matter before his ministers, the question was no longer whether to act, but how to act.

How could panic be minimized while also reducing earthquake losses? That was what Kangxi truly cared about.

Everything else, in Kangxi's eyes, was nonsense, and arguments built upon nonsense merely wasted the emperor's patience and increased his anger.

"Using ancestral warnings and the Bureau of Astronomy's divinations as a starting point, while supplementing them with folk experience, the people can verify unusual signs around them themselves. There's no need to force action. Once convinced, they will move on their own…

Grain and silver cannot be crushed. Supplies from the treasury can be relocated to regional storehouses under heavy guard. If an earthquake strikes, relief can be distributed rapidly, and if no earthquake occurs, the supplies can still be sent to the front lines to reduce transport time…

Brick and tile buildings in the palace and capital may crush people and livestock. Animals can first be moved into thatched sheds or tethered outdoors without much trouble. More patrol officers can be assigned throughout the capital at night. Normally, they announce fire warnings, but if tremors begin, they can immediately strike gongs to help everyone flee and prevent chaos…"

After calmly presenting all his recommendations, Changtai said modestly:

"This minister has long been confined at home caring for his illness and enjoys reading Western works in his spare time. Places like Portugal suffer earthquakes frequently. Several missionaries known to this minister personally experienced earthquakes in their homeland and shared much knowledge with me."

The missionaries Changtai referred to were the "Western miracle doctors" Kangxi had stationed permanently at Gabula's residence.

Under Yinreng's subtle prompting, Changtai had begun learning Western languages from them. Their discussions naturally shifted toward earthquakes, and the doctors eventually gifted him many scientific books on the subject.

This happened shortly after the doctors first arrived. Besides earthquake-related works, they also gifted many other scientific texts. Whenever Kangxi came to vent his frustrations to Changtai, the two of them often studied those books together while drinking.

At Changtai's words, Kangxi immediately remembered those times.

While drinking together, they talked about using Western knowledge to seek mineral wealth overseas and enrich the Qing Empire.

Now, they haven't searched for mines yet, but the earthquake knowledge was already proving useful.

Kangxi exchanged a meaningful glance with Changtai, his heart practically leaping like a startled deer.

The metaphor was entirely appropriate. Kangxi's current feelings resembled falling in love, both secretly delighted and smug.

While everyone else stood helpless and troubled, he and one minister not only understood each other perfectly but had already discovered a solution together long ago.

While the self-important old ministers were still racking their brains, the two of them could seamlessly complete each other's thoughts and produce practical plans, catching all the old foxes completely off guard.

What could possibly feel more exhilarating than this?

At last, Kangxi understood why history books described emperors writing embarrassingly affectionate letters to favored ministers, eating and sleeping beside them, and weeping harder at a minister's death than at an empress's.

For the first time, Kangxi was experiencing the joy of having a trusted companion and confidant supporting him.

At that moment, all he wanted was to drink himself drunk with Changtai again and sleep beside him while talking deep into the night.

"Bring him a seat," Kangxi ordered, beginning to play along with Changtai's performance.

Pretending ignorance, Kangxi asked how Changtai had learned these things.

Changtai also pretended Kangxi knew nothing, crediting everything to the teachings of the gravely ill Gabula, and even to the guidance of the nearby Songgotu.

Songgotu looked utterly bewildered, his confusion practically written across his face: Who am I? Where am I? I truly know nothing about this.

Mingzhu, who knew Songgotu extremely well, muttered inwardly: Is that confusion fake or genuine? Did Songgotu change tactics and start pushing his nephew forward to seize the political high ground?

Following Changtai's lead, Kangxi summoned Westerners who had studied earthquakes and brought in stacks of Western books.

"I fear I must trouble all my beloved ministers to remain and rest within Qianqing Palace these next few days," Kangxi announced, keeping all his trusted officials with him to study and discuss the materials together.

The other ministers all required missionaries to translate for them. Only Kangxi and Changtai could lean together, whispering directly in a foreign language without interpreters, making everyone else deeply envious.

Many of them began wondering whether they should also learn a foreign language.

They might look down on foreigners, but pleasing the emperor mattered more.

Mingzhu, widely praised at court as the man "most attuned to the imperial will," had already made up his mind. Since the Heseri clan shamelessly pushed forward someone interested in Western learning to curry favor, his own family needed someone similar.

Nalan Xingde, the eldest son… forget it. Rongruo should stick to his Chinese classics. Mingzhu sighed inwardly. The second son is still too young, so does that mean I have to do it myself? Truly, life is endless, and learning is endless too.

It was one thing for Changtai to be the first to step forward in support of Kangxi. But he had also proposed concrete, practical solutions, and that left Kangxi's trusted ministers unable to sit still.

Originally, they should have been arguing endlessly over whether anything should be done at all. Yet this young upstart Changtai refused to follow normal court procedure. He skipped straight ahead and pushed the matter into the stage of how it should be done.

While inwardly cursing him for not understanding the rules, they simultaneously wracked their brains for ideas.

Since the first step had already been skipped, the arrow was now on the bowstring and had to be fired. They had to fight to contribute more and claim a larger share of the credit.

Watching the ministers below argue like fighting cocks over specific policies, Kangxi remarked in English:

"You're impressive. Well done. If you hadn't stepped forward, they'd probably still be arguing."

The missionaries below: "……"

W-we don't understand the emperor's English! Don't understand, absolutely don't understand.

Smiling slightly, Changtai replied in English:

"This minister never intended to make things difficult for the other lords. Since Your Majesty has ordered this matter to be resolved, this minister merely sought every possible way to resolve it."

Kangxi snorted. "As though they don't know that? They know perfectly well, yet they still argue."

Changtai said, "Your Majesty doesn't need to be angry. The ministers may quarrel back and forth, but in the end, they will still have to work. At worst, it wastes some time. Their arguing merely exhausts their own energy. It does not hinder Your Majesty's actual business."

Kangxi could not help laughing. "Well said!"

The veteran ministers trusted by Kangxi glanced sidelong toward the throne and the ruler-minister pair seated there, all feeling a little sour inside.

What are the emperor and Changtai talking about? Why can His Majesty still laugh when discussing something as serious as earthquakes?

Wait… no way, right? Is the Heseri clan about to produce a new favored minister? Where did this Changtai suddenly come from? Why was there no sign of him before?

Unable to direct their displeasure at Kangxi himself, the ministers collectively shifted their hostility toward Songgotu.

"Congratulations, Lord Songgotu," Mingzhu drawled sarcastically. "The Heseri clan is producing yet another significant official."

Though inwardly panicking, Songgotu remained perfectly calm on the surface.

"My congratulations to you as well. Not as impressive as your own son, who has already become one of His Highness the Crown Prince's confidants."

Come then, mutual destruction!

Mingzhu and Songgotu glared at each other.

Kangxi observed every tiny movement below the throne as clearly as a modern teacher watching students whisper in class while thinking they're subtle.

This time, he switched to Russian so the missionaries would not spread gossip if they overheard.

"Changtai, Mingzhu, and Songgotu are glaring at each other again. Guess what they're saying?"

Changtai gave a bitter smile. "What else could it be? Lord Mingzhu is probably congratulating the Heseri clan for pushing a new figure into court politics, while Lord Songgotu is congratulating Lord Mingzhu because his son Rongruo is deeply favored by the Crown Prince."

Kangxi nodded. "That's what I thought too."

The two of them continued studying earthquake materials while quietly gossiping about officials in Russian.

The missionaries: "……"

Your Majesty… some of us actually understand Russian too.

Many years later, historians compiling Qing-era missionary notes would discover multiple accounts recording scenes like this:

"The Emperor of Great Qing and his favored minister Changtai would sit upon the imperial dais, speaking quietly in English or Russian. The other ministers never realized that the young ruler and his young minister were mocking their private affairs. The enlightened emperor of Great Qing always carried himself with great solemnity, yet for the first time I saw him behaving like an ordinary young man, laughing together with someone his own age at the stubbornness of old men. Witnessing this scene convinced me that even an emperor standing high above all others could still possess true friendship."

Neither Kangxi nor Changtai knew that their "great ruler-and-minister friendship" would later become legendary in literature, eventually inspiring countless embellished romantic rumors much like those surrounding Emperor Wu of Han and Wei Qing.

But presently, Changtai's head throbbed, and his ears rang as he struggled through newly learned foreign vocabulary. He was stumbling and stammering while trying to answer Kangxi's overly sharp and merciless comments about the ministers.

If these conversations ever leaked out, he would likely become the enemy of every official in court, including his own uncle Songgotu.

But when the emperor spoke, he couldn't simply remain silent.

Trying to satisfy the emperor while simultaneously avoiding insulting the ministers outright had already exhausted Changtai mentally.

Worse still, he had to translate his thoughts using an extremely limited foreign vocabulary.

Ever since the night Kangxi had kicked him off the bed while they slept side by side discussing matters, leaving him with a lump on his head, Changtai had gained a profound understanding of the phrase "serving the ruler is like serving a tiger."

My poor crown prince nephew… not only does he get kicked out of bed by the emperor, but he also has to endure the emperor's endless and dangerous complaints that would offend everyone if repeated aloud.

And my crown prince nephew isn't even six years old yet!

Changtai felt deeply distressed.

Meanwhile, the crown prince nephew whom Changtai pitied so dearly was currently surrounded by brothers, also discussing earthquakes.

"The earth we live on is actually a sphere."

"Second Brother, how many times have I told you? I don't believe that."

"Big Brother, be quiet and let me finish."

"But I don't believe you. Unless one day you take me to see the ocean. I want to see whether the top of the mast really appears first."

"Today we're not talking about that. We're talking about earthquakes. Earthquakes are when the earth dragon turns over."

"Earth dragon? A giant earthworm?"

Yinreng: "……"

He genuinely wondered how his Big Brother's tutors hadn't died of anger yet.

Ignoring Yinzhī's interruption, Yinreng continued explaining basic earthquake knowledge.

The scientific principles themselves were too difficult for children anyway, and his Big Brother would just keep arguing endlessly, so disaster survival and safety measures were far more important.

Young children frightened during disasters could easily fall sick or die. If he taught his brothers these things in advance, perhaps they would suffer less fear and avoid illness.

Fourth Brother didn't understand any of it, but he enthusiastically waved his puppy doll while rhythmically babbling "ah-ah-ah," providing background accompaniment to Yinreng's lecture. Honestly, he contributed more than the Eldest Prince's endless arguing.

Though still very young, Yinzhǐ listened with fascination and asked far more meaningful questions than Yinzhī's constant objections.

Yinreng hugged his Third Brother affectionately and rubbed cheeks with him.

As expected of the future Third Brother, who was renowned for immense learning! Even at such a young age, he's already displaying extraordinary talent!

In the future, Yinzhǐ would not only become deeply accomplished in classical Chinese studies and oversee the Complete Collection of Illustrations and Writings from Earliest to Current Times, but also become highly knowledgeable in Western learning.

He would achieve significant expertise in music theory, mathematics, geometry, and calendrical science under Kangxi's personal instruction. In modern society, if he isn't a mathematician, he would at least be an enthusiastic devotee of mathematics.

The big milk dumpling Yinreng hugged the little milk dumpling Yinzhǐ, kissing and cuddling him while looking at him like a precious golden investment.

A younger brother who likes mathematics will definitely help me accomplish many things in the future.

Yinreng had dreams he wanted realized in this era, but he couldn't personally carry them out himself.

If he did too much personally, it would become "grasping power." And then his relationship with Kangxi would once again slide toward the abyss it had fallen into in his previous life.

If he remained in the background, offering ideas while his younger brothers achieved success publicly and held him in their hearts fondly, that might be the ideal arrangement.

Seeing his younger brother, the Crown Prince, cuddling their Third Brother, Yinzhī's eyes grew a little warm. So he simply picked both Yinreng and Yinzhǐ up together, letting Yinreng continue holding Yinzhǐ while seated in his own lap.

Yinreng was full of question marks.

Since when was Big Brother this strong?!

Yinzhī beckoned toward Fourth Brother. "Come over! Fourth Brother, come over!"

Though not completely understanding what Yinzhī said, Fourth Brother saw all his brothers piled together and instinctively threw aside the puppy doll before crawling over on all fours to sit in Yinzhǐ's lap.

Yinreng stretched his arm out with difficulty and handed the puppy doll back toward Fourth Brother.

Fourth Brother hugged the doll happily and rested his little head atop the puppy's head.

When the Grand Empress Dowager entered the side hall to see her great-grandsons, she was greeted by an incredibly harmonious sight of brotherly affection.

Yinzhī leaned against the soft cushions of the couch, holding Yinreng in his arms, who was holding Yinzhǐ that was holding Yinzhen, who was carrying his puppy doll.

Yinreng continued chattering away about earthquake science while Yinzhī continued arguing. Yinzhǐ occasionally asked questions, and Yinzhen contributed enthusiastic "ah-ah-ahs."

The Grand Empress Dowager pressed a hand to her chest.

How can my great-grandsons be this adorable and lovable?

I've lived in the palace for so many years and seen countless children, but this is the first time I've ever seen brothers so close to one another.

Even outside the palace, such a scene would be rare, wouldn't it?

Among the Grand Empress Dowager's attendants were talented painters.

She immediately ordered someone to paint the scene and send it to Kangxi, who was still working overtime at Qianqing Palace.

The moment Kangxi saw the painting, he sprayed tea from his mouth.

What is my son doing?! No, I need to go see this myself!

Kangxi found an excuse to leave temporarily and hurried straight to Cining Palace. He didn't even stop to greet the Grand Empress Dowager before heading directly to the side hall.

By then, Yinreng had already grown sleepy.

Yinzhī was dozing off while holding Yinreng. Yinreng was dozing off while holding Yinzhǐ, and Yinzhǐ was already asleep while holding Yinzhen, who already drooled all over the head of his puppy toy.

Kangxi couldn't help but inhale sharply.

The painting the Grand Empress Dowager sent was actually accurate.

However, reality was even cuter than the picture.

Without allowing anyone to announce his arrival, Kangxi left Cining Palace with light, cheerful steps.

Seeing this scene completely restored his exhausted energy bar, and now, he could return to working overtime with full stamina again!

-----

In the blink of an eye, the twenty-second day of the seventh month arrived.

The first seven-day mourning period after Prince Chun Longxi's death had passed. Though his residence still displayed mourning halls, the impact of his death on the capital and court had nearly faded away.

Now, the court's major concern was Kangxi's "ancestral dream" and the Bureau of Astronomy's divination.

An earthquake would strike the capital before the eighth month.

The claim was shocking, so many people did not believe it.

Moreover, Kangxi never directly ordered earthquake preparations. He merely instructed officials to search for old farmers, hunters, and miners throughout the capital and investigate unusual occurrences nearby.

Very quickly, reports flooded in. Dry wells suddenly filling with water, wells with water abruptly drying up; insects swarming above ground as though fleeing storms; mountain rocks collapsing here, strange rumblings in ravines there…

Within only a day or two, more than a hundred "omens" were reported.

Most of them were fake or ordinary natural events unrelated to earthquakes. Real earthquake signs would not appear this far in advance.

Kangxi knew this perfectly well.

He merely spread news of the supposed omens while repeatedly insisting that they were probably false and that everyone should remain calm.

But the more the court said not to panic, the more terrified the people became.

Nobody knew the earthquake's range. Household registration controls were strict, and people were unwilling to abandon homes, fields, and livestock, so they dared not flee far.

Rumors claimed that the earthquake would arrive before the eighth month, so less than ten days remained.

Everyone thought: It's only troublesome for a few days. We can endure that much.

Thus, without Kangxi needing to order anything, the people of the capital spontaneously began moving property and building temporary shelters in open spaces.

Though the seventh lunar month marked cooling weather, an autumn heat wave happened to strike, making outdoor sleeping tolerable rather than cold.

Ordinary commoners preferred believing rather than risking disbelief. Eventually, even wealthy city residents and officials who had initially ignored the rumors became uneasy.

Then Kangxi ordered grain stores and treasury reserves to be inventoried and redistributed to regional depots under heavy guard under the pretext of "supporting post–Three Feudatories military logistics."

That made everyone even more nervous.

The less Kangxi openly connected these actions to earthquakes, the more convinced everyone became that the court was absolutely certain that an earthquake was coming.

The court simply isn't saying it publicly to avoid panic!

People secretly gathered intelligence from inside the palace and heard that tents were already being erected there. Thus, they immediately followed suit.

Some built tents in courtyards and gardens, while others temporarily relocated to country estates outside the city.

The rural estates were surrounded by open farmland and seemed safer than the city.

Officials quietly moved their families outside the capital as well, leaving behind only a handful of sturdy servants to guard their residences in case the earthquake struck.

Some lower-ranking officials and arrogant nobles simply took a leave or stopped showing up to work altogether, planning to hide until the final days of the seventh month passed.

Against this backdrop, Gabula's family appeared especially strange.

Not only did none of them leave the city, but Changtai, who previously held only the nominal post of Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard while supposedly remaining home to care for illness, suddenly took over security within the capital.

Within a day or two, he urgently reorganized troops, strengthened patrols throughout Beijing, and began emergency training in earthquake first aid.

Even Gabula's youngest teenage son became a guard assigned to the palace gates.

Within the enormous ducal estate, only the gravely ill Gabula himself remained.

Some mocked Changtai and Changhai as unfilial sons. Surprisingly, the Heseri clan, despite Changtai's rapidly rising court influence, remained unusually low-key and did not argue publicly.

Rumors soon spread that a rift had formed between Gabula and Songgotu. Supposedly, Gabula resented Songgotu's growing dominance within the Heseri clan and wanted to reclaim power, which was why Songgotu's faction in court refused to defend Changhai and Changtai.

"Big Brother! They're all spewing nonsense! Why won't you let me refute them?!" Songgotu shouted furiously beside Gabula's sickbed.

After waiting for Songgotu to finish stomping around in anger, Gabula had someone bring him tea.

"The earthquake in the capital is about to come, and His Majesty is already deeply troubled. At a time like this, anyone causing trouble over matters unrelated to the earthquake is putting their name into the emperor's little black book. They'll definitely be dealt with later." Gabula spoke slowly between coughs. "You don't need to worry about Changtai and Changhai. Once the earthquake matter is over, they'll resign the temporary posts they've taken on and return home to care for my illness. At that point, the rumors will collapse on their own."

Songgotu gulped down a cup of tea. He was so angry that he even chewed up the tea leaves before finally calming down a little.

Still fuming, he said, "Those two nephews are so capable. Why did Big Brother keep them hidden at home? Don't tell me Big Brother is really wary of me!"

Gabula and Songgotu's remaining three younger brothers, Korkun, Xinyu, and Fabao, shrank into the corners, not even daring to lift their heads.

Third Brother, what nonsense are you saying?! Are you trying to anger Eldest Brother to death?!

Gabula, however, did not get angry.

He said quietly, "How many times have I told you this? Do you never remember anything I say? I once told you that maternal relatives of the imperial family should never act arrogantly. I told you to watch your words and behavior, but you never listened. Since you insisted on showing your ambition at court, I could only keep Changtai hidden and restrained. Otherwise, the Heseri clan would attract too much attention."

Songgotu: "…Did Big Brother really say that? Fine, fine, you did."

He plopped himself down beside the bed. "I'm aggrieved! The Heseri clan is aggrieved!"

"What grievance do you have? The Crown Prince is the truly aggrieved one," Gabula replied. "Do you know how much effort he has exhausted on behalf of the Heseri clan?"

Songgotu looked puzzled. "The Crown Prince is still so young. What could he possibly have done?"

Gabula avoided mentioning the crown prince's supernatural wisdom from birth.

"The Crown Prince is exceptionally intelligent and is personally raised by His Majesty. He understands things you do not. He deliberately distances himself from you while drawing close to me, a dying man, and secretly teaches Changtai how to deal with the emperor. You insist on indulging your pride and refusing to retreat for the sake of temporary satisfaction, while the Crown Prince struggles through every step in the palace."

The more Gabula spoke, the angrier he became.

"Since ancient times, crown princes inherit the throne. They do not seize it! The more humble and obedient the crown prince and his maternal relatives are, the more the emperor favors them. Did all those history books you read go straight into a dog's brain?!"

Songgotu muttered weakly, "I've already been keeping a low profile lately…"

"I know. That's why I'm saying this to you one more time. Otherwise, I could only prepare an escape route for the Heseri clan and my two sons, without caring about you anymore." Gabula's expression dimmed. "But my two sons are the Crown Prince's maternal uncles. If disaster falls upon the Heseri clan, they will be the first examples to warn others, and then you will be next! Changtai would certainly be sacrificed, while only Changhai might survive by deliberately betraying Changtai."

A chill ran down Songgotu's spine. "Big Brother, do you know what you're saying?!"

Gabula replied coldly, "I know. Changtai also knows, but Changhai still doesn't. If things truly reach that point, saving one life is still saving one life. If you cannot make preparations like this, then what kind of official are you? Serving the emperor is like serving a tiger. Today you are Grand Secretary Songgotu, tomorrow you may become a prisoner in chains. Thunder and rain alike are both imperial grace, and the ruler's heart is ever-changing. You've been an official this long, do you truly still not understand?"

Songgotu fell silent while the other three younger brothers trembled while huddling in the shadows.

Their sickly eldest brother just scolded the arrogant Third Brother until he couldn't even raise his head. It was terrifying.

Though they did not fully understand the political meaning behind the words, the bruises left from recent beatings by Songgotu and Yinzhī's guards were already aching faintly.

After falling out of favor with the Crown Prince, Songgotu had indeed begun reflecting on himself.

Now, upon learning that the Crown Prince did not actually dislike him, but was actually trying to protect him, Songgotu felt happy even while being scolded by his elder brother. Later, he would beat his younger brothers and sons even harder, but that was another story.

As anxiety and panic steadily spread throughout the capital, squeezing everyone until they could barely breathe, the earthquake finally came.

On the twenty-eighth day of the seventh month in the eighteenth year of Kangxi's reign, during the hour of Si, the mountains split, and the earth shattered.

Held tightly in Kangxi's arms, Yinreng listened to the thunderous roar of the earth and sighed softly.

The earthquake had struck. It was time for Emperor Shunzhi to make step down.