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

On New Year's Eve of the first year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

The Forbidden City was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, creating a joyous and festive atmosphere.

Inside the Hall of Preserving Harmony, the imperial family hosted a banquet for high-ranking officials and princes from distant vassal states. The atmosphere was lively and bustling.

Hong Xiguan sat upright on the high dragon throne, a polite fake smile on his face, accepting the worship and congratulations of the crowd.

"I'm exhausted. These old guys are like broken record machines, they can't even say auspicious words properly."

Hong Xiguan mechanically raised his cup in acknowledgment while glancing at Ao Bai, who was sitting below him, out of the corner of his eye.

The regent, who is known as the "Number One Warrior of Manchuria," was wearing a brand-new court robe today, his face glowing with health, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

He drank wine in large gulps, ate meat in large chunks, and frequently chatted and laughed loudly with the military officers around him, the sound of which made the beams of the main hall vibrate.

However, Hong Xiguan keenly noticed that Ao Bai would always glance in his direction, intentionally or unintentionally, between drinks.

There was ill intent hidden in those eyes.

"Old fox, what trick are you up to now?"

Hong Xiguan sneered inwardly, but remained outwardly calm, even raising his cup in a distant toast to Ao Bai.

Upon seeing this, Ao Bai quickly stood up and returned the greeting, his smile growing even brighter, as if he were truly a loyal and devoted old minister.

After several rounds of drinks and five courses of food,

The atmosphere inside the hall reached its climax.

Taking advantage of the lively atmosphere, an inconspicuous little eunuch quietly slipped out of the Hall of Preserving Harmony and hurried towards the direction of the inner palace.

This young eunuch was one of Ao Bai's spies planted in the palace.

……

Jingren Palace.

Empress Dowager Tongjia did not attend the previous banquet.

She used the excuse of feeling unwell to stay alone in her palace and sulk.

"Your Majesty, someone wishes to see you."

Cui'er, the personal maid, walked in cautiously and reported in a low voice.

"Who?" Lady Tongjia asked impatiently. "I won't see anyone! I won't see anyone!"

"It was... someone sent by Ao Zhongtang."

Cui'er lowered her voice even further.

Upon hearing this, Lady Tongjia suddenly raised her head, a few question marks flashing in her eyes.

Ao Bai?

What did he send people for?

Although she didn't have much affection for that old scoundrel, in this deep palace, the enemy of my enemy might be my friend.

"Let him in."

A moment later, the young eunuch was brought before Lady Tongjia.

He knelt down with a thud and kowtowed: "This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress Dowager."

"Get up," said Lady Tongjia coldly. "What brings you here, Ao Zhongtang?"

The young eunuch stood up and looked around.

Tongjia understood and dismissed her attendants, leaving only Cui'er to serve her.

The young eunuch then stepped forward and said in a low voice, "This servant is acting on the orders of His Excellency the Grand Secretary, and has a question for Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."

"What are you talking about? Why are you being so mysterious?"

The young eunuch took a deep breath, mustered his courage, and spoke in a voice only the three of them could hear:

"Your Excellency wishes to ask Her Majesty..."

"Do the acne scars on the Emperor's face match what the Empress remembers?"

boom!

These words struck Tongjia like a bolt from the blue! Her face turned deathly pale, and her body trembled uncontrollably.

Acne scars!

The real Xuan Ye had contracted smallpox as a child, leaving a few faint pockmarks on his face.

Although there weren't many, she remembered their locations and shapes very clearly!

And now this "son" sitting on the dragon throne...

His face was so clean! So clean it seemed unreal!

Although there were a few freckles, their location, size, and shape... didn't match at all!

Lady Tongjia gripped the armrest of the soft couch tightly, staring intently at the young eunuch, her voice trembling slightly: "You... what did you say?"

The young eunuch lowered his head, not daring to look at her, and repeated, "The Grand Secretary only wants a definite answer. If... if Your Majesty also has doubts, perhaps... you could join forces with the Grand Secretary to find out the truth and give... give the real Emperor justice."

This sentence became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

Tongjia's psychological defenses completely collapsed. Images of Xuan Ye's cute little face as a child and his painful appearance when he contracted smallpox flashed through her mind.

"My Xuan Ye... my son..."

Two lines of clear tears slid down from the corners of her eyes.

Tongjia knew she had embarked on a path of no return.

But for her son, for that poor child who was switched at birth, she was willing to take the gamble!

Even if it's like asking a tiger for its skin!

a long time.

A voice filled with resentment and determination echoed from within Jingren Palace.

"Go back and tell Grand Secretary Ao... the current emperor... is not my Xuan Ye!"

……

Baohe Hall.

The banquet continued.

The little eunuch returned to the main hall quietly, and under the pretext of refilling the wine, he leaned close to Ao Bai's ear and whispered a few words.

As Ao Bai listened, the hand holding his wine cup suddenly paused.

Two terrifying beams of light suddenly burst forth from those hawk-like eyes!

He slowly raised his head, his gaze piercing through the crowd, and fixed intently on the boy on the dragon throne who was forcing a smile.

A cruel and sinister smirk curled at the corner of his mouth.

It really was a fake!

What audacity! How dare they confuse the royal bloodline and steal the divine artifact!

Ao Bai downed the strong liquor in his cup in one gulp and then turned and left.

The courtiers looked at Ao Bai, who had suddenly lost his composure and left, and were somewhat puzzled. Hong Xiguan was also puzzled, wondering if Ao Bai was going through late menopause.

.......

The weather in the Forbidden City can change in an instant.

During the day, the sun shines brightly, but by evening, dark clouds press down like splashed ink, making it so oppressive that it's hard to breathe.

Shenwu Gate.

As the north gate of the Forbidden City, this is an important passage for communication between the inner and outer courts. The Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard on duty today is none other than Mulima, the younger brother of Aobai.

Relying on her brother's power, Murima usually acted arrogantly and domineeringly in the palace, showing no respect to anyone except the Empress Dowager and the Emperor.

At that moment, he was leaning against the door, looking bored, and playing with a riding whip in his hand.

At this moment, a warm sedan chair slowly came to a stop at the palace gate.

The sedan curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man in a python robe with a composed demeanor stepped out.

He is none other than the current father-in-law of the emperor, the eldest son of Sony, and the prospective father-in-law of the emperor, Gabula.

Upon seeing Gabula, Murima narrowed his eyes and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

He swaggered forward, cracking his whip in his palm, and blocked Gabula's path.

"Oh, isn't this the Emperor's father-in-law?"

Murima said in a sarcastic tone, his voice so loud that the surrounding guards could hear him.

"What's this busy man doing? He's found time to come to the palace to pledge his loyalty again today?"

Gabula stopped and calmly cupped his hands in greeting: "Mulima, I am here on imperial orders to enter the palace. Please grant me this favor."

"Convenient? Of course it's convenient!"

Murima moved closer to Gabula, his fleshy face almost touching Gabula's nose.

"The Emperor's father-in-law is now the Emperor's father-in-law; who would dare not give him preferential treatment?"

At this point, his expression suddenly changed, and his voice became sharp and sarcastic.

"However, I am somewhat curious, to be willing to trade away even the legacy left by the late emperor in order to elevate their daughter to the position of Empress... Tsk tsk, the Sony family certainly made a very shrewd deal!"

These words were extremely malicious.

It not only subtly criticizes the Sony family for their ruthless pursuit of power, but also alludes to their betrayal of the late emperor and their siding with the "imposter" young emperor.

The surrounding guards all lowered their heads, not daring to utter a sound. This was a battle of gods; who would dare to interrupt?

Gabula's eye twitched slightly.

As Sony's carefully groomed successor, he possesses a level of shrewdness far exceeding that of ordinary people.

He knew that Murima was deliberately provoking him, hoping to make him lose his composure at the palace gate and thus give him leverage.

Gabula took a deep breath, suppressing his anger: "Lord Murima is joking."

The voice was completely calm, without the slightest ripple.

"I have important matters to attend to, so I will not keep you company any longer. Farewell."

Having said that, Gabula turned to the side and walked past Mulima without looking to the side, his steps steady and without the slightest panic.

Murima watched his departing figure and spat fiercely.

"Bah! What nonsense! What are you pretending to be so high and mighty for! Once my elder brother is free, the first thing he'll deal with is your Hesheli family!"

……