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

The next day, at the Qianqing Palace.

The atmosphere of the court assembly was unusually solemn from the very beginning.

The civil and military officials stood in two rows on either side, completely silent.

Finally, the head of the regents, the elderly Sony, tremblingly stepped out of the procession and knelt on the ground.

"Your Majesty! I believe that Your Majesty is exceptionally wise and intelligent, and is now capable of handling all affairs of state personally. I humbly request Your Majesty to assume personal rule to reassure the hearts of all subjects!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ao Bai snorted coldly and stepped forward to rebut.

"Your Excellency Suo is mistaken! His Majesty is still young and inexperienced, and the affairs of the realm are numerous and complex. How can he be expected to handle them so easily? In my opinion, it would be more prudent to wait a few more years!"

Sony had anticipated his objection, so he turned around and, addressing the assembled court officials, shouted at the top of his lungs, "His Majesty is no longer young! Look at him! Look at His Majesty!"

He pointed to Hong Xiguan on the dragon throne: "Your Majesty's current stature is taller than many adults! This is a sign of Heaven's blessing upon our Great Qing, and the early arrival of a wise ruler!"

Upon hearing this, the ministers subconsciously looked up at the young emperor on the dragon throne.

Don't look at it, look at it!

The Kangxi Emperor, seated on his throne, still possessed a youthful appearance, but his physique...

My God! Is this really a twelve-year-old child?!

That upright posture, those broad shoulders—he was nearly five feet six inches tall! (A giant of 1.8 meters!)

Hong Xiguan sat on the dragon throne, enjoying the astonished gazes of the crowd.

Ao Bai's pupils suddenly contracted!

He served under Huang Taiji, met all of Emperor Taizu's sons, and even watched Emperor Shunzhi, Fulin, grow up.

The Aisin Gioro family's genes have never produced anything this outrageous!

Growing to 1.8 meters tall at twelve years old? Do you think I'm feeding pigs?!

It's a fake! It's definitely a fake!

At this moment, Ao Bai's doubts turned into certainty!

But he couldn't say.

Taking a deep breath and suppressing the murderous intent in his heart, Ao Bai said in a deep voice, "Height doesn't mean anything. The late emperor assumed power at the age of fourteen, which is an ancestral rule. The emperor should also follow the ancestral rule and should assume power no earlier than the sixth year of Kangxi's reign!"

Seeing that Sony was on the verge of collapse, Ao Bai wanted to drag it down with him.

How could Sony not see it?

He knew his days were numbered and he had to fulfill his promise to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang before he died, help the emperor assume power, and then make his granddaughter Hesheli the empress, thus ensuring the Sony family's wealth and prosperity for a hundred years!

Today, we must make sure the emperor rules in his own right!

"Ancestor rule?!"

Sony let out a cold laugh, and a startling light flashed in his cloudy old eyes.

"Then this old minister would like to ask Lord Ao! Could it be... that Lord Ao is reluctant to relinquish the power he holds?!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Ao Bai roared in fury. "As the regent, I have been wholeheartedly assisting the young emperor according to the late emperor's will. How could I have ever coveted power?!"

"Yeah?"

A mocking smile appeared on Sony's old face.

His eyes seemed to say: We both know how the late emperor died, and do you think I don't know where that so-called "edict" came from? Now you want to talk to me about ancestral rules? Do you deserve to?

"Sony! How dare you slander me like this!"

Ao Bai was so angry that he trembled all over. His big, round eyes stared at Sony, wishing he could devour this old, frail man on the spot.

"nonsense!"

Sony straightened his already hunched back, ready to dedicate the rest of his life to burning with energy.

He surveyed the assembled officials and declared loudly, "Your Majesty is a man of extraordinary talent, both heroic and wise—this is evident to all! Your request to assume personal rule is a move that aligns with the will of Heaven and the people!"

"This old minister makes his words clear today! His Majesty's assumption of personal rule is an inevitable trend and the mandate of Heaven! Anyone who dares to obstruct him under the pretext of 'His Majesty's youth' is a traitorous minister without loyalty or filial piety, harboring treacherous intentions!"

By the end, Sony practically roared, a terrifying glint flashing in his cloudy old eyes.

Upon hearing the words "traitor," the entire court was shocked!

No one expected that Prime Minister Sony, who had always presented himself as a proponent of the "Doctrine of the Mean," would be so fierce today!

This is clearly forcing everyone to take sides!

Either support the emperor to rule in his own right, or...

Either he would bear the stigma of being a "traitor" and stand with the powerful Ao Bai!

Ao Bai's face instantly changed from red to green, then from green to purple, a dramatic display as if a dye shop had been opened.

Holy crap! Sony's gone all in with their ultimate move!

Hong Xiguan sat on the dragon throne, watching in awe.

That's ruthless! I like it!

Ao Bai clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles cracking.

Sony has pushed him to the brink.

He could, of course, disregard everything and forcefully oppose it, but that would confirm the charge of "clinging to power and harboring ulterior motives."

At that time, no matter how powerful one is, it will be difficult to silence public opinion.

"Damn it, that old dog! Even in his dying moments, he's trying to bite me!"

Ao Bai was furious, but his mind was racing.

Simply pushing through won't work; we need to find another way.

Taking a deep breath and forcibly suppressing his anger, Ao Bai forced a smile that looked more like a grimace.

"You flatter me, Your Excellency. My loyalty to the Qing Dynasty and the Emperor is as clear as day. However... ruling in my own right is a matter of great importance to the nation and should not be taken lightly."

Changing the subject, his gaze fell upon Hong Xiguan on the dragon throne: "Although His Majesty is intelligent, he has never truly handled state affairs. Minister Suo says that His Majesty already possesses the ability to rule personally. I wonder... what is the basis for this claim?"

Hong Xiguan sneered inwardly.

You want to test me on the spot, huh? You want to embarrass me in public so you can save face, right?

Sony, having anticipated this, immediately chimed in, "Your Excellency's words do have some merit. In that case, why not request His Majesty to adjudicate a few memorials in court, demonstrating His Majesty's judgment, so that all the civil and military officials may witness firsthand the benevolent rule of our Great Qing!"

This suggestion was exactly what Ao Bai wanted to hear.

What could a twelve-year-old child possibly know about important military and national affairs, even if he had read a few books?

The intricate details in those memorials were so complex that even many veteran officials had to ponder them for a long time.

If the young emperor answers one or two questions incorrectly, or even if his answer is not thorough enough, I will have a reason to continue to challenge him!

"Good! This method is very fair!" Ao Bai immediately agreed, fearing that Sony would go back on his word.

Immediately afterwards, he personally selected several memorials from the memorial office that he considered the most troublesome.

"Your Majesty, this is a memorial submitted by the Jiangnan Textile Bureau, which mentions the reduction in silk production in the Suzhou and Hangzhou area and requests a reduction or exemption of this year's silk tax. We humbly request Your Majesty's decision."

Ao Bai presented the first memorial, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible amusement.

Ah, just an appetizer!

Hong Xiguan took the memorial, glanced at it, and understood it perfectly.

Those officials in Jiangnan, relying on the remoteness of the region and the distance from the emperor, complained of poverty and reduced production every year, but in reality, they were all rolling in money.

This memorial was just an attempt to fraudulently obtain subsidies.

If it's approved, the national treasury will suffer, while those guys in Jiangnan will have even fuller pockets.

If you don't allow it, I'm afraid they'll really slack off next year.

This is indeed a dilemma.

All the officials held their breath, watching the young emperor on the dragon throne.

Hong Xiguan pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke, his voice clear and steady:

"Jiangnan is a land of fish and rice, and a center of silk production. It has always been a vital source of revenue for the imperial court. This year, there are reports of reduced production, so there must be a reason. Here's what we'll do: have the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Textile Bureau each send one person to form a joint investigation team to head south immediately and conduct an on-site investigation of the mulberry fields and weaving workshops in Suzhou and Hangzhou. We must find out whether it is a natural disaster or a man-made one."

He paused, his gaze sharpening: "If it is indeed a natural disaster, the court will certainly show compassion and reduce the amount accordingly. But if I find out that someone has neglected their duties, or even deliberately lied about the disaster, deceiving the emperor..."

His voice suddenly turned cold: "Both crimes will be punished severely! There will be no leniency!"

After he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.

The standard procedure: investigate first, then draw conclusions; both appease and deter; give a slap, then a sweet treat—this tactic has been overused throughout history!

Ao Bai's expression changed slightly.

This answer was flawless, even more so than his own handling of the situation.

Unconvinced, he submitted a second memorial.

"Your Majesty, this is a report from Prince Jingnan, Geng Jimao, who said that coastal pirates have become rampant again and requested that more military funds be allocated to build more warships. This matter will be very costly, so please make a decision, Your Majesty."