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Time flows like water, quietly passing by amidst the red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City.

On the surface, Su Ning was one of the most favored eunuchs in the emperor's court. He followed behind the young emperor Kangxi, keeping his head down and acting efficiently, maintaining his stuttering and timid image perfectly.

Behind the scenes, Suning's actions never stopped.

On the one hand, taking advantage of his position as a member of the imperial court, he discreetly inquired about the Forty-Two Chapters Sutra.

Those scriptures concerning the Qing Dynasty's imperial lineage were bargaining chips he had reserved for himself, perhaps the chips from which he could seize the greatest benefits.

On the other hand, he devoted himself to "assisting" Kangxi in training those Buku boys.

Su Ning skillfully incorporated modern fighting techniques and power generation methods into wrestling movements, significantly improving the combat capabilities of these young guards and earning Kangxi's increasing praise and favor.

"Little Gui Zi, you have truly not disappointed me!" Kangxi looked at the increasingly agile Buku youth in the arena, his eyes filled with admiration. "In the future... I will certainly not fail you!"

Although he did not finish his sentence, his determination to eliminate the powerful minister and return power to the court was clearly revealed.

Trust grew day by day, even to the point of almost "unrestrained" behavior.

Even when Emperor Kangxi summoned his concubines to the palace at night, he would often specifically request Su Ning to serve him in the outer room of his bedchamber, claiming that she was "clever and easy to serve."

Perhaps in Kangxi's view, a castrated eunuch was no different from furniture or utensils and posed no threat whatsoever.

However, Kangxi could never have imagined that every time he left satisfied, believing that his favor had been bestowed equally upon all and that the imperial line would continue,
A ghostly figure would silently sneak into the newly favored palace on the second night after he left.

Using his knowledge of the palace patrol patterns and the advantages of his spatial abilities, Su Ning evaded all eyes and ears, like a raccoon in the dark, and precisely located his target.

Those concubines who had just been favored by the emperor and might still have some glory and expectation left in their hearts, in their horror, would often see that the respectful and cautious Xiao Guizi of the daytime now had a completely different flame burning in his eyes, full of aggression and possessiveness.

"Your Majesty, please do not make a sound," his voice was deep and dangerous, his usual stutter gone, carrying an undeniable sense of oppression, "Tell me, if the Emperor finds out that the person who received favor last night is now secretly having an affair with someone else... how will he deal with you and your family?"

The chilling threat, like a poisoned dagger, pressed against the hearts of those young concubines.

Although they entered the palace to bring glory to their families, they valued their own lives even more.

Once their scandals are exposed, what awaits them is far more than just being confined to the cold palace; it could mean being hanged with a white silk ribbon or being poisoned, and might even implicate their maternal families.

Under extreme fear and Suning's semi-coercive and semi-seductive methods, most people had no choice but to submit, burying this humiliation and secret deep in their hearts.

"Besides, my timing is always perfect. If you don't tell me and I don't tell you, who will know? The Emperor's daily records show that he just came to favor me."

"Who...are you?"

"Does it matter if you're still alive? If you shout, you and your family are finished."

"Waaaah... What do you want to do?"

"Hey, what do you think?"

"..."

Thus, within the heavily fortified Forbidden City, an extremely absurd scene unfolded: Emperor Kangxi's "dragon spirit and tiger prowess" seemed to be blessed by heaven, and each visit to the palace seemed to precisely sow the seeds of a dragon.

In the imperial harem, news of concubines becoming pregnant came one after another, and the emperor's favor seemed to last exceptionally long.

Upon hearing the news, all the civil and military officials of the previous dynasty were overjoyed and submitted memorials to congratulate the young emperor, praising him as "the one to whom Heaven has ordained," "his good health is a blessing to the nation," and "the prosperity of the imperial heir ensures the eternal stability of the country."

The sounds of praise and adulation were incessant.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, as Emperor Kangxi listened to the flattery of his ministers and looked at the pulse diagnosis presented by the Imperial Medical Academy, which proved that he had "abundant kidney energy," a sense of pride and satisfaction couldn't help but show on his young face.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"Haha, Little Gui, you're a eunuch, what do you know?"

"Your Majesty, this servant believes that this is the rightful place for us, and we will surely be able to capture Ao Bai alive next."

"Hmm, how's Buku's training going?"

"Your Majesty, those bukku have now reached sixty or seventy percent of my strength, and they can definitely take down that despicable Ao Bai smoothly."

"Alright! When the time comes, Xiao Gui, you will still have to stay by my side to protect me."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Emperor Kangxi might have thought this was an auspicious sign that he was about to assume personal rule and take sole control of the empire.

However, he was unaware that the bright yellow imperial crown on his head had been secretly stained with an intense, unyielding green.

Kangxi had no idea that Xiao Guizi, whom he increasingly relied on and who seemed loyal, was not only acting recklessly beside his bed, but was also secretly watching all of this with a cold eye, his heart filled with mockery and ridicule.

“Sing praises! Sing praises to your heart’s content…” Su Ning, hidden among the palace servants, watched the jubilation in the court and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth. “The holy ruler you all believe to be the chosen one will probably never imagine whose ‘merit’ this ‘prosperous imperial line’ is. This is truly a… wonderfully ironic drama.”

Su Ning turned his gaze to the majestic Ao Bai mansion outside the palace, and an even more insane idea began to take root:
When this farce about the "crown prince" reached its climax, and when Kangxi was full of pride and ready to take action against Ao Bai, if he knew the cruel truth, would this young emperor lose his composure?
And that might just be the best... grand gift for Ao Bai.

……

Qianqing Palace, Imperial Study.

The atmosphere today is completely different from usual; an invisible chill permeates the air.

The young emperor Xuan Ye sat upright on the dragon throne, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force he exerted, but he forced himself to remain calm.

Below, the powerful minister Ao Bai stood tall and imposing, his figure as majestic as a mountain, his gaze disdainful, still carrying his usual disrespect.

A meticulously planned showdown is about to unfold in this small space that symbolizes supreme power.

Following the pre-rehearsed script, Xuan Ye first inquired about political affairs in a gentle tone, then abruptly changed the subject, his voice rising sharply with long-suppressed anger: "Ao Bai! You have formed cliques for personal gain, deceived the emperor, and committed atrocities! Do you know your crimes?"

Almost the instant he finished speaking, dozens of strong and sturdy Buku youths, who had been lying in ambush behind the curtains on both sides and beside the pillars, swarmed out like cheetahs!

They were well-trained and worked in perfect coordination. In groups of several, they pounced on Ao Bai's limbs and torso, using wrestling grappling techniques to try to lock the giant in place!
"Your Majesty! What do you mean by this?!" Ao Bai was both shocked and furious. His voice boomed like a bell, his muscles bulged, and he struggled violently!

His immense strength, honed by countless battles, was terrifying. He managed to fling three or four boys away, sending them crashing into the palace pillars with the sound of bones cracking clearly audible! However, the Buku boys outnumbered him, relentlessly pursuing him like glue.

Ropes and leather straps quickly wrapped around his wrists and ankles, and although he kept breaking them, more restraints followed.

Despite his unparalleled bravery, Ao Bai was surrounded and attacked by dozens of skilled grappling youths in this confined space. For a moment, he was like a tiger trapped in a swamp, his movements visibly slowing down. He roared repeatedly, but could not break free.

……

As the powerful and influential warlord was gradually subdued by the young Buku whom he had personally trained, Xuan Ye was finally able to vent the pent-up frustration that had been building up in his heart for many years. A sense of triumph and a feeling of having the world in his grasp surged into his mind!

He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne, drew the gleaming dagger that had been hidden in his sleeve, his face flushed with excitement, and his eyes gleamed with the joy of revenge and proving himself!

"You scoundrel! Today I will personally dismember you!" the young emperor roared, holding a dagger, as he walked step by step toward Ao Bai, who was being barely restrained by the many youths and was still roaring and struggling.

He wanted to personally kill this traitor and establish his supreme authority with blood!
Just when the outcome was decided and Kangxi's mind was most excited and relaxed!

Suning, who had been standing by like a shadow, seemingly "frightened" by the scene, made a move!

He stumbled in a seemingly flustered manner, as if affected by the struggling Ao Bai, but his movements were extremely concealed and precise as he crashed into a Buku boy who was tightly gripping the key acupoint of Ao Bai's right arm joint!
At the same time, his fingers, like a viper's tongue, gently brushed against a certain spot on the boy's wrist!
"Ouch!" The boy felt a numbness in his arm, and the grip that had been tightening instantly dissipated.

That was absolutely brilliant!

It seemed like just an accidental collision in the chaos, but it just so happened to untie the most crucial binding on Ao Bai's right arm!
At this moment, Kangxi, holding a dagger, approached with great vigor, completely exposing his side to the attack range of Ao Bai's right arm, which had just regained some freedom!

Who was Ao Bai?
Having experienced countless battles, his sensitivity to the flow of qi is extremely keen!
As the pressure on his right arm eased, though he didn't understand why, his survival instinct and pent-up rage erupted like a volcano!

"Young Emperor! You're asking for death!!!"

A deafening roar erupted, like a tiger unleashed from its cage!
Ao Bai's thick, iron-pillar-like right arm suddenly broke free from its remaining restraints, accompanied by a fierce wind that tore through the air. His five fingers clenched into an iron fist powerful enough to split stone tablets, completely ignoring the other Buku youths pulling him back. He gathered all his life's ferocity and, with lightning speed, slammed it hard and solidly into Xuan Ye's temple, which was right in front of him!

"boom!!!"

A dull, teeth-grinding bang exploded in the arena!

Xuan Ye's confident and excited expression froze instantly, his pupils dilated sharply, filled with extreme astonishment and disbelief.

He didn't even have time to utter a scream before the whole world spun around him and plunged into endless darkness.

The dagger, a symbol of his ambition to rule personally, fell to the ground with a clang.

All of this happened too fast, too suddenly!

The surrounding Buku boys were all dumbfounded, staring blankly as their sworn emperor collapsed limply like a broken doll, a horrible dent appearing at his temple, from which blood gushed.

"emperor!!"

“Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor!!”

After a brief silence, there were heart-wrenching screams and frantic roars.

However, it's too late!

They've completely gone mad!
When Ao Bai landed a punch and felt the warm blood splatter on his face, the resentment that had been building up for years, the rage of being ambushed, and the despair of his situation completely overwhelmed his last shred of reason!

"Ah—!!!" Like a maddened prehistoric beast, he broke free from all restraints, his eyes bloodshot, and he pounced on Xuan Ye without regard for anything else. His iron fist, as big as a sandbag, was filled with boundless hatred and brute force...

One punch!
Two punches!

Three punches!

……

Like a heavy hammer striking a drum, it crashed down on Xuan Ye's already deformed head!

"You schemed against me! You little brat, you plotted against me! I'll beat you to death! I'll beat you to death!!"

The cracking sound of bones breaking, the dull thud of flesh tearing, the whooshing sound of blood splattering...

They intertwine to form a chilling symphony of death.

The once wise and mighty young emperor was beaten to death by his ministers in the most primitive and violent way in his own study, and his death was too gruesome to bear!
Inside the imperial study, the stench of blood was so strong it was nauseating.

Some of the Buku boys were paralyzed with fear, while others tried to stop him but were easily slapped away by Ao Bai. The whole scene was completely out of control and turned into chaos.

And the culprit who caused all of this...

The moment Ao Bai threw his first punch, Su Ning, taking advantage of the chaos and shock of the crowd, retreated silently like a ghost and disappeared into the shadow of the palace pillar.

He glanced indifferently at the bloody scene and Ao Bai, who was engrossed in the frenzied slaughter. His face was expressionless, but a cold glint of triumphant satisfaction flashed deep in his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation, he turned around and, using the palace routes he knew by heart and the gaps in his patrols, his figure flashed a few times in the complex palace grounds, quickly moving away from the power center that had become a battlefield.

He followed the perfect escape route he had painstakingly devised, avoiding all possible checks and surveillance.

Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, Suning silently fled the Forbidden City, which had just undergone tremendous changes and was about to be engulfed in a raging storm.

Outside the palace, the sky was high and the clouds were wide.

Inside the palace, a political storm triggered by the emperor's sudden death and the madness of powerful ministers was only just beginning to sweep through.

The wheels of history, fanned wildly by this "butterfly," have completely veered off course and are heading into an unknown, dark abyss.

She really didn't want to be a slave to the descendants of the wild boar skin; she had originally planned to escape the palace and fly far away.

Unfortunately, Kangxi had the misfortune of transferring him to his side, so if he didn't do something, he would be letting the readers down.

Everyone says that history has no "what ifs," but this is a fictional world, and history is deliberately taking a different turn.

We want to see if the Manchu Qing dynasty, now in chaos and having lost its legitimacy, can still rule China. We also want to see if the Heaven and Earth Society, the Mu family, and Zheng Jing's lineage can rise to power.

...(End of chapter)