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

"Elder or younger?"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sneered: "Suksaha, tell me, when has there ever been an ironclad rule of 'eldest son' in our Manchu tradition? What did the Taizu and Taizong value when passing the throne? It was whether they could bring peace and stability to the country, and whether they could win the hearts of the people!"

After a pause, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang played her trump card: "I ask you, what is the greatest and most pressing threat to our Great Qing Dynasty, both inside and outside the capital?"

Sony was the first to react, answering almost as if he were answering a question: "Your Majesty! It's smallpox!"

"That's right!" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang slapped the armrest. "Smallpox! Such a dreadful disease, even the Emperor couldn't escape it! I ask you, if we were to establish another new emperor who lives under the shadow of smallpox every day, what if something else happens? How many more upheavals could our Qing Dynasty withstand?!"

Everyone agreed that it made sense.

"As for the third prince, Xuan Ye, he has already survived smallpox and will never have to worry about it again! By making him emperor, we can ensure the stability of the country and eliminate any worries about the future! This is a blessing from Heaven for our Great Qing, and it is the most foolproof plan!"

Once the words "Heaven blesses the Great Qing" are uttered, who would dare to oppose it? To oppose Heaven's blessing is tantamount to courting death.

"This servant seconds the motion! The Empress Dowager is wise; the third prince should be made emperor!"

Sony was the first to jump out and pledge its loyalty.

"We second that!" Oboi, Ebilun, and others quickly followed suit.

The outcome is decided.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang looked at the group of rough men who were completely fooled by her, and sneered inwardly.

You bunch of idiots, do you think I'm choosing my grandson?

wrong!

I'm choosing a son!

My son is the emperor, and my son's "brother" is also my son. Why can't he be the emperor?!

This is what it truly means to "keep the good stuff within the family"!

Then, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, in the name of Emperor Shunzhi on his deathbed, orally transmitted a "last will and testament" and ordered her ministers to draft it.

"By the late Emperor's edict: The third son of the Emperor, Xuan Ye, has succeeded to the throne and is hereby appointed as Grand Ministers Sony, Suksaha, Ebilun, and Oboi to assist the new emperor and oversee all military and state affairs."

Good heavens, they've directly tied four of the most influential Manchu ministers to the new emperor's chariot.

And so, the task is complete.

"Your Majesty, we... obey!"

A roar like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami echoed throughout the main hall.

However, these bigwigs who thought they had made the right choice will never know.

The "Third Prince Xuan Ye," who was about to be carried into the palace in a grand sedan chair, had already been possessed by a guy from three hundred years in the future in some unknown courtyard.

.....

After the Council of State Ministers decided on the new monarch, it was not announced to the public.

Because Emperor Shunzhi's body has not yet been transported back to the capital, it cannot be confirmed that he is truly dead!

During this period, the entire palace was plunged into an extremely eerie, deathly silence, as if a storm was brewing.

What's going on?

Hong Xiguan clearly sensed that something was wrong in the atmosphere of the palace.

The eunuchs and palace maids walked on tiptoe, spoke in voices softer than a mosquito's buzz, and although their faces were expressionless, their eyes revealed an unconcealable panic.

Like a group of chickens locked in a cage, they know there are weasels outside, but they don't know when the weasels will come in.

In a few days, it will be Lunar New Year's Eve.

The entire Forbidden City, in this strange atmosphere, coldly and quietly welcomed the arrival of the New Year.

There were no lanterns or decorations, no music or instruments, only the howling north wind and the occasional suppressed cough.

There must be a demon in the abnormal situation!

What on earth are these higher-ups up to? They're not even having a proper New Year's celebration; something really big must have happened!

Hong Xiguan tried asking Haha Zhuzi, Cao Yin, and Li Xu, who followed him around all day, but they just looked blank and knew nothing.

Expecting these little brats to know anything is like expecting a sow to fly.

Left with no other option, Hong Xiguan set his sights on Granny Sun.

That evening, he dismissed everyone else, leaving only Granny Sun to serve him.

Hong Xiguan didn't ask directly, but instead sighed seemingly unintentionally: "Granny, do you think Father is still hunting in Nanyuan? It's almost the New Year, and he hasn't returned to the palace. It's so deserted."

Granny Sun's hands, which were tidying up his bed, suddenly froze, her face instantly turning pale, her eyes darting away, unable to meet Hong Xiguan's gaze.

There's hope! Granny Sun definitely knows something!

Hong Xiguan's heart skipped a beat; he knew he had asked the right person.

Granny Sun's husband, Cao Xi, was a high-ranking official in the Imperial Household Department, in charge of the Construction Department, one of the most lucrative and well-informed departments.

He heard everything that happened in the palace, no matter how small.

Hong Xiguan decided to add fuel to the fire.

So he walked up to Granny Sun and, in an almost whispered voice, said something that shocked everyone.

"Granny, I heard from Aunt Su Ma that... the Empress Dowager has already chosen me and wants me to be the crown prince."

That's right, it's PUA! Oh no, it's reasoning with people! I'm telling you in advance, I've already decided to make him the crown prince!

You're now in the same boat as me; your son Cao Yin's future is in my hands.

Do you want your son to be successful in the future? Do you want your Cao family to bring honor to your ancestors? Then tell me everything you know!

Upon hearing this, Granny Sun trembled violently, abruptly raising her head with disbelief in her eyes!

The Third Prince... has been made Crown Prince?!

Her mind was instantly caught in a fierce internal struggle.

On one side lies a shocking secret that the masters have repeatedly ordered must not be revealed.

On the other hand, there was the bright future of his own son, Cao Yin!

He was just a bondservant, powerless to change anything, but if... if he could curry favor with the new emperor beforehand...

After a fierce internal struggle, Granny Sun's servility ultimately triumphed over her fear.

She knelt on the ground with a thud, her lips trembling, and in a voice more unpleasant than crying, she lowered her voice and said:

"Third Prince...you...you mustn't tell anyone! This servant...this servant only heard it from my husband, from a few of the chief stewards of the Imperial Household Department..."

"They say...the Emperor...the Emperor personally led the expedition to Xiamen, and was...was defeated by the Zheng family's cannons..."

boom!!!

Granny Sun could no longer speak the rest.

But it was as if an atomic bomb had been dropped into Hong Xiguan's mind!

Holy crap?!

Emperor Shunzhi... was killed by Zheng Chenggong with a cannon?!

What the hell is this plot?! It's completely different from the history I learned!

According to official history, he died of smallpox. Even in unofficial accounts, he became a monk! How did he end up on the Xiamen front lines, only to be killed by a single cannon shot?!

This is just too... too fucking outrageous!

Hong Xiguan was truly stunned.

I feel like all the history I've worked so hard to learn is just a joke.

Here, the wheels of history were not only bent, but practically set flying by dump trucks!

But it's strange!

No wonder he has been going to Cining Palace to pay his respects every morning and evening lately. When he passes by Qianqing Palace, he always feels that the place is lifeless and there is not a ghost in sight, nor are there any ministers going to pay their respects.

At the time, Hong Xiguan thought that Shunzhi was just being moody and withdrawn.

After all that, it turns out the person was already gone!

These Manchurian bigwigs are quite the actors!

The boss has been gone for almost a month, but the company is still operating as usual, and they even claim to the outside world that the boss is on vacation!

This crisis management ability would be considered top-tier by today's standards!

After the initial shock, a surge of immense joy instantly welled up in Hong Xiguan's heart.

Emperor Shunzhi is dead!

Really dead!

So that means my chance... has really come?!

Am I, this imposter, really going to go from "stuntman" to "leading man"?!

These past few days, Hong Xiguan has been going to Cining Palace to pay his respects as usual.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang became increasingly affectionate towards him, but she never mentioned anything about state affairs. She would only chat with him about everyday matters, asking him how his studies were going and how his calligraphy was progressing, as if all the storms outside were irrelevant to him.

This old lady is protecting me, but she's also testing my resolve!

Hong Xiguan was depressed.

……