Chapter 1: Yongzheng

  In the third month of the 48th year of Kangxi, although Beijing was still chilly and windy, it could not stop the footsteps of spring. The green shoots that had been quietly sprouting began to spread rapidly, and what spread along with the breath of spring was ambition. Once this ambition took root and sprouted, it would be unstoppable.

  The Forbidden City, the western six palaces of the inner court to the north of Qianxi Wusuo, was the residence of Emperor Kangxi's sons when they studied in the palace. According to the rules, after the princes turned 16 and were granted a title, they would move out of the palace to live separately, but there were exceptions. The 14th prince, Yin Zhen, was an exception, who was already 21 years old, had been granted the title of Beizi, and had taken a consort, but still lived in Qianxi Sisuo.

  However, in the past two days, the South and North Three Progress Courtyard of Xisi Hutong has been filled with tension and depression everywhere.

  Although it was already late at night, the upper house of Xisi still had a bright candlelight. The two wives of Prince Yu Zhen, Wan Yan Hai Ruo and Shu Shu Jue Luo Jin Ning, sat in front of the bed with worried faces, staring at Yu Zhen who lay on the bed still unconscious.

  "Sister, it's been two days and two nights already. Why don't you go down and rest first? I'll stay here and keep watch." After a moment of silence, Jia Ning spoke up to persuade her: "You're the pillar of the family now. If you collapse from exhaustion again, the whole household will fall apart."

  "I'm not tired, Master Bei is like this, how can I sleep?" Hai Ruo's voice was low, but it carried a stubborn tone. "Jian Ning, instruct them to take turns serving, no need for everyone to be exhausted."

  "Sister..." Jian Ning was about to say something but stopped, stood up and let out a helpless sigh. She told the several maids standing behind her: "You all go outside and wait, let Madam Fu have some peace." Then she said to Hai Ruo: "Sister is feeling sad, don't keep it in your heart, crying will make you feel better." After that, she quickly walked out.

  The sea was still staring blankly at Yongzheng on the bed, but in her heart, she felt like a scorching hot oil, "It's the third day, today is already the third day, fourteen, why haven't you woken up yet?"

  Since the fourteenth master fell off his horse and was sent back to Xisi, several groups of imperial physicians came one after another. Some gave acupuncture treatments, while others administered medicine. Although they all said that there was no serious injury, only a head wound from the fall, and that he would be fine once he woke up, Hai Ruo had an ominous feeling as she saw them all with worried expressions.

  Later, a servant girl of the imperial physician overheard the physicians' conversation, "If she doesn't wake up within three days, it's likely that she will never wake up again."

  Upon hearing Yatou's words, Hai Ruo immediately fainted on the spot. After waking up, she refused to leave his side for even half a step.

  She silently recited the Amitabha Sutra three times, and Hai Ruo slowly opened her eyes. The candlelight remained unchanged, but Fourteen was still not awake. Looking at the candle flame jumping on the bedside candle holder, Hai Ruo suddenly felt a surge of sadness, "Thinking of you like a candle in the night, it's heartbreaking and tears are welling up, Fourteen, did you really abandon us without a care?"

  "Stop, stop the car!" A sudden, indistinct voice entered Hai Ruo's ears.

  Hai Ru was stunned for a moment, it was Shi Qi speaking, the Buddha had really descended! She hurriedly rushed to the bedside and softly called out in a low voice: "Shi Qi Ye, Shi Qi Ye."

  The person on the bed slowly opened their eyes and mumbled a sentence, "Where is this?"

  "In the mansion." Hai's eyes sparkled with joy for a moment, and she tightly grasped his hand, afraid that if she let go, he would fall unconscious again. "Now that you're awake, it's all right, the imperial physician said that as long as you wake up, everything will be fine."

  "Fourteenth Master? Imperial Physician?" Zhang Desheng muttered in a low voice, suddenly opening his eyes wide.

  Before his eyes was a delicate face with a faint smile, although tear-stained, but couldn't hide the joy on her face. The dress and attire were a bit awkward yet familiar. Looking around, everything was antique furniture and decorations. "Am I not dead?" Zhang Desheng wondered, sizing up everything before him.

  "Jianning, Jianning, Master Beizi is awake, hurry and invite the imperial physician, Master Beizi is awake." Hai Ruo hastily walked to the door and joyfully shouted.

  Cheongsam, this is the Qing dynasty's cheongsam attire. Staring at Hai Ruo's back figure, Zhang De Sheng finally confirmed that he was now in the Qing Dynasty. Time-traveling, crossing over to the Qing! Master Bei Zi!

  Zhang Desheng was overwhelmed with mixed emotions for a moment, he had died but fortunately could live again. Zhang Desheng felt an urge to cry loudly.

  In his previous life, Zhang Desheng's favorite thing was the police, and he even got into a police academy. However, unfortunately, after joining the police force for less than a year, he shot and killed a suspected robber during an arrest operation. Unexpectedly, the suspect's family had a strong background and seized on the fact that Zhang Desheng had fired two shots, refusing to let it go. The lawsuit lasted for five years, ultimately ending in defeat for Zhang Desheng, who was sentenced to five years in prison for intentional harm. After being released from prison, Zhang Desheng was deeply traumatized and proudly joined the ranks of NEETs (young people not in education, employment, or training). However, unexpectedly, while traveling abroad, he encountered a car accident.

  This was the Qing dynasty, and he was a Beizi? As Zhang Desheng pondered his new identity, countless scenes from the Qing dynasty flooded in from all sides, overwhelming him like a tidal wave. He felt a sharp pain in his head, and then knew nothing more.

  "Fourteenth brother, Fourteenth brother!" Hai Ruo returned to the bedside and found that Yin Zhen had fainted again. Her heart was in a panic, and she immediately turned back to the door and urged: "Where is the imperial physician? Has the imperial physician arrived?"

  "Returning to the master, in the South Wing there is a guard named Xu who is a physician, Ce Fu Jin has already gone to invite him and he will arrive immediately." The maid outside the door replied cautiously.

  Before long, Jian Ning brought Xu Taishi over in a hurry.

  Just as Madame Xu was about to pay her respects, Hai Ruo hastily said: "First attend to Young Master Bei, he just woke up and spoke a few words, but in the blink of an eye he fell unconscious again."

  "Are you awake?" Dr. Xu's heart skipped a beat with joy, and she hurried to the bedside, carefully taking his pulse for a while before letting go of his hand. She then said to Hai Ruo, "Congratulations, Madam Fu, the young master has passed the critical point, but his injuries are quite severe, and he will need several more days to recover."

  Hai Ruo Xin finally let out a sigh of relief, "About how many days will it take for him to wake up?"

  "It'll be a day or two at most." Dr. Xu furrowed his brow and said, "At the latest, three to five days."

  Zhang Desheng woke up again, and it was already the dusk of the third day later. In just three days and nights, he went through Aixinjueluo Yinzhen's 21-year experience all over again, completely inheriting everything from Yinzhen. From this moment on, Zhang Desheng became Aixinjueluo Yinzhen, the fourteenth son of Emperor Kangxi.

  The first thing Xuan Zhen saw when he woke up was Hai Ruo, who was guarding his bed with puffy eyes and a haggard face, which made him feel warm in his heart.

  "Grandfather! Grandfather, you're awake." Hai Ruo immediately sensed that Yin Zhen had opened his eyes and softly called out in surprise and delight.

  Although he felt very weak, Yong Zheng still managed to force a smile and stretched out his hand to hold Hai Ruo's, saying: "I'm fine now, thanks for your trouble."

  Yan Jian's eyes were indeed awake, and Hai Ruo's worries of the past few days instantly turned into tears streaming down her face. She sobbed: "What hardship isn't worth it? As long as Grandfather is fine, no matter how hard or tiring it is, it's all worth it."

  Yuan Zhen's heart was moved, and she gently shook Hai Ruo's hand, smiling: "Don't cry, your face will be ruined if you get makeup on it."

  Hai Ruo heard this and gently shook off Xian Zhen's hand, wiping away tears while smiling reproachfully: "After being ill for a while, it seems like you've changed your temper."

  Yuan Zhen suddenly became vigilant, the people closest to him were also the easiest to notice his changes, be careful not to reveal his true intentions. He hastily changed the subject and said: "I'm hungry."

  Hai Ruo's thoughts indeed followed, and she said to herself: "Look at me being so happy, it's been five days since you've eaten. I'll have someone bring up the porridge, as instructed by the imperial physician. Your body is too weak, when you wake up, you can only drink clear porridge."

  "You should also take a rest and not exhaust yourself. Let the maids serve you, that will be fine." said Yong Zheng with concern.

  After drinking two bowls of white rice porridge, Xianzhen felt a bit recovered, so he drove everyone out and lay quietly on the bed, sorting out the chaotic memories in his mind.

  It is now the 19th day of the third month in the forty-eighth year of Kangxi, and the tumultuous affair of the deposed crown prince and the public recommendation of a new crown prince have already come to an end. This differs slightly from how it will be viewed by later generations.

  In the ninth month of the 47th year of Kangxi, Kangxi abolished the position of Crown Prince Yinreng, imprisoned Yin for life, removed the title of Beile from Yinxiang, flogged Yinqi, slapped Yinmo in court, and placed under house arrest seven other princes: Yinzhen, Yintang, Yintao, Yinyou, Yinsi, Yin'e and Yinxi. Except for Yinzhi, all adult princes were punished. It was not until November that Kangxi gradually released the seven princes due to his poor health.

  What's past is past, Yongzheng doesn't want to dwell on it too much, he thinks more about the future.

  After the废太子 incident, the various princes and officials attached to them have formed two distinct political factions. One is led by皇太子胤礽, with three阿哥, four阿哥, and thirteen阿哥 as its main members, known as '**'. The other is led by eight阿哥胤禩, with nine阿哥, ten阿哥, and fourteen阿哥 as its main members, known as '八爷党'. The great temptation of the throne and the great merit of supporting the new emperor have created a situation where these two factions are irreconcilable from the day they were formed.

  Historically, the 'Eight Lords Party' ended in defeat, with Old Eight and Old Nine meeting a miserable end. The Fourteenth Prince Yin Zhen fared slightly better, but he was also at odds with Zhang De's previous life. After Yongzheng ascended to the throne, he was imprisoned and not released until Qianlong succeeded him. After his release, Yin Zhen became disheartened and lost interest in politics, eventually dying of depression.

  Yin Zhen's primary consort, Wan Yan Hai Ruo, also had a miserable end. She died of illness in the second year of Yongzheng and was posthumously criticized by Yongzheng for not upholding wifely virtues. He ordered her to be cremated on the spot and her ashes were buried under flowers to serve as fertilizer.

  Thinking of this, Yongzheng gritted his teeth secretly, all of this must change! From the 48th year of Kangxi onwards, everything will change!