I, Kangxi, am here to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming!

After Zheng Zhilong was killed, the Qing court began to convene a council of princes to hastily enthrone a new emperor.

The meeting was not held in any magnificent main hall, but in an inconspicuous corridor on the east side of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The meaning was clear: let's settle this behind closed doors, among ourselves, and not let any outsiders see it.

Inside the hall, a vast expanse of the Qing Dynasty's top nobles, all bearing titles, knelt in regal formation.

At the head of the table were princes, dukes, beile, and beizi, all members of the imperial clan, numbering more than twenty.

They are "insiders" of the Aisin Gioro family, and natural shareholders of this empire.

Shuo Sai, Fu Shou, Duoni... all the names that resonated throughout the Eight Banners were silent at this moment, their eyes exchanging silent glances.

Among them, sitting in the first seat was Prince Yue Le, also known as Prince An of the First Rank.

Yue Le was the grandson of Nurhaci, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the fourth son of Abatai, the Prince of Raoyumin. He was about forty years old and in his prime.

During the later years of the Shunzhi reign, Yue Le made outstanding military achievements, repeatedly leading troops to quell the remnants of the Southern Ming forces. He held the highest prestige among the imperial clan and was undoubtedly a core figure.

Below the imperial family are the seats of the councilors.

There were thirty or forty people in total, including all the key figures who held real power, such as the Eight Banners Commanders, the Manchu and Mongol Ministers of the Six Ministries, and the Grand Ministers.

Sony, Aobai, Suksaha, and Ebilun, the four giants, sat in the four corners, each with their eyes closed, as if they were not there for a meeting, but for meditation.

In addition, officials from the Court of Colonial Affairs and the Censorate, as well as one or two Han officials, such as Shi Shen, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, were also temporarily "ordered" to attend the hearing.

Their role was roughly equivalent to that of servants applauding and cheering during a performance in a wealthy household; they were responsible for creating the impression of "the princes and ministers being of one mind," but in reality, they didn't even have the right to speak.

"Cough cough."

Yue Le cleared his throat, his deep and magnetic voice breaking the deathly silence in the hall: "Everyone is here. I'm sure you all know why I've summoned you all today."

He speaks very directly and in a very江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and chivalry) style. He didn't mention anything about "the emperor's passing," but only said "it's all in the bag," which is called tacit understanding.

"A country cannot be without a ruler for even a day."

Yue Le slowly uttered these six words, his eyes sweeping across the hall: "According to the old system of our ancestors, a new emperor should be established. As for who should be established, I ask all the princes and ministers to speak freely so that we can decide on this important matter."

As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell into complete silence.

Everyone's gaze unconsciously darted back and forth between the names.

The sons of Emperor Shunzhi who were not taken away by the King of Hell beforehand: Fuquan, eight years old; Xuan Ye, seven years old; Changning, four years old.

Good grief, even three of them combined aren't enough to beat one adult.

Whoever is chosen is simply a mascot placed on the dragon throne.

So who will be the "powerful minister" who holds the imperial seal and governs on behalf of Heaven? That's the key question!

Just as everyone was still figuring out how to place their bets, Prince Xin, Doni, a member of the royal family who seemed a bit dim-witted, suddenly spoke up.

"Your Excellency, in my humble opinion, the country relies on an elder ruler. The current three princes are all too young and may not be up to the task. For the sake of the nation, it would be better to select a virtuous and older member of the imperial clan to succeed to the throne!"

As soon as these words were spoken, several princes immediately chimed in, echoing the sentiment.

"What Prince Xin says is absolutely right! The country depends on a wise and capable ruler!"

"If we're talking about someone with both virtue and talent, looking across the imperial clan, none other than Prince An would be worthy!"

In an instant, all eyes turned to Yue Le.

Yue Le was secretly overjoyed, but she had to keep a straight face and put on an expression that said, "Oh dear, how could I accept this?"

The throne!

That's the ultimate throne that every man in the world dreams of! And now, it's right there in front of him, within his reach!

He spent half his life on the battlefield, enduring countless hardships, so why can't he sit in that chair?

If Fu Lin can sit here, why can't I, Yue Le?

Yue Le's heart was pounding with excitement, but he still had to be modest: "You flatter me, gentlemen. I am a subject of the Great Qing Dynasty, devoted to the country. How could I dare to have any improper thoughts?"

The tone was deliberately coy, which translates to: "Quick! Persuade me again! I'll pretend to refuse and then give in!"

Just as this drama of "three refusals and three concessions" was about to reach its climax—

"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

A sharp, drawn-out eunuch's voice, like a poisoned flying dagger, pierced the eardrums of everyone in the hall.

"The Empress Dowager has arrived!"

Everyone was shocked. The princes and ministers who had been so dignified just moments before suddenly knelt down on the ground like cats whose tails had been stepped on, their heads hitting the ground with a loud thud.

"Your humble servants respectfully welcome the Empress Dowager! Long live the Empress Dowager!"

With Su Mala Gu's support, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang swayed as she entered. Her imposing presence and stature were astounding! Though her face bore the sorrow of her deceased son, her eyes, like two cold stars in the snow, sent shivers down anyone's spine.

"Get up, everyone."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager!"

Everyone scrambled to their feet, each one like a quail, barely daring to breathe.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's gaze swept around the hall, and finally, like two awls, it fixed firmly on Yue Le.

"I overheard you all discussing the matter of establishing a new emperor while I was outside the palace?"

"I've also heard that someone has suggested selecting a suitable candidate from among the imperial clan?"

Yue Le's heart skipped a beat, almost jumping out of her throat.

"I have come here today only to give you all one piece of advice."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang paused for a moment, and then spoke slowly and deliberately, as if the Empress Dowager were issuing a decree.

"The throne of my Great Qing Dynasty belongs to the Aisin Gioro clan! The rule passed down from our ancestors is that the throne is passed down from father to son! Although the Emperor has passed away, his bloodline still lives on! Fuquan, Xuan Ye, and Changning are all my own grandsons! As long as one of them is still alive, the throne of the Great Qing Dynasty will not be coveted by any collateral branches of the imperial family!"

Those words were so domineering! They shattered Yue Le's dream of becoming emperor in one fell swoop.

Yue Le's face turned pale instantly, as white as a freshly painted wall.

He knew that the Empress Dowager was referring to him!

Yue Le knelt down again with a thud, his voice trembling with sobs: "Empress Dowager, please calm your anger! This servant deserves to die ten thousand times! This servant's loyalty to the Great Qing is as clear as day and night! This servant is willing to support the prince to inherit the throne, and has absolutely no disloyal intentions!"

A wise man knows when to yield; Yue Le is still too green to fight against a woman who has spent her whole life playing mind games.

"Very good." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang nodded coldly.

Seeing this, Suksaha quickly stepped in to smooth things over: "Your Majesty is wise, but... all three princes are young. I wonder which one Your Majesty prefers to support? If we follow the order of seniority, it seems that the second prince, Fuquan, should be chosen..."