The funeral was held within the monastery walls. Adhering to Emperor Shunzhi's final wishes, the ceremony was austere, bordering on crude for a former monarch.
Kangxi and Yinreng wore the traditional white mourning garments. However, their grief was performative; lacking any genuine emotional bond, they merely observed the protocols. The only true mourning came from Lingguang, who wept uncontrollably for the man who had been his father and master.
Seven days later, the burial took place. Yinreng knew the coffin interred in the mountain's rear sector was empty. Kangxi had already deployed loyal operatives to secretly swap Shunzhi's actual remains and transport them to the Xiaoling Mausoleum, ensuring the former Emperor rested in his rightful imperial tomb without alerting the public to the chronological discrepancy of his death.
The Grand Empress Dowager, shattered by grief, fell severely ill. Kangxi delayed their return journey until she recovered, deliberately slowing their pace to protect her fragile health. By the time the imperial procession returned to the capital, it was already May.
***
Inside the Imperial Study.
Prince Fuquan, Kangxi's older brother, sighed regretfully. "I did not realize Your Majesty traveled to Mount Wutai because 'He' was dying. I should have accompanied you."
"The matter required absolute secrecy," Kangxi replied, shaking his head. "If both the Emperor and the Prince left the capital simultaneously, it would have triggered political panic. You needed to maintain stability here."
Accepting the strategic reality, Fuquan shifted the topic to Lingguang.
As a temple orphan, Lingguang possessed no surname. To be adopted into Prince Fuquan's household, he would naturally be granted the imperial surname, Aisin Gioro. The complication lay in his official status.
"Should he be registered in the 'Yudie'?" Fuquan asked. The 'Yudie' was the official imperial genealogy. Inclusion meant formal recognition as imperial blood.
Kangxi frowned in contemplation. Initially, he had agreed to care for the boy solely to fulfill Shunzhi's dying request. However, during the long journey back, Lingguang's behavior had significantly softened Kangxi's stance.
Kangxi's Internal Logic: Lingguang was socially awkward and ignorant of court etiquette, but he possessed an unwavering, literal obedience. Shunzhi had ordered him to study with Yinreng; Lingguang now reported to Yinreng every day without fail. Shunzhi had ordered him to serve the Grand Empress Dowager as penance; Lingguang attended her bedside constantly. He was a pure, highly intelligent asset with zero political ambition.
Despite this, placing an orphan of unknown origin directly into the 'Yudie' was legally treacherous.
"Let us delay the 'Yudie' registration," Fuquan proposed, reading Kangxi's hesitation. "I will take him into my estate as an adopted son. We will observe him for two years before making a final decision."
Kangxi agreed. "A sound plan. However, you will not be taking him home today."
Fuquan looked confused.
"My Father left behind books containing radical, novel concepts," Kangxi smirked. "You know the Crown Prince's obsession with engineering. He has been interrogating Lingguang about those books the entire journey. Now that you have entered the palace to claim the boy, Yinreng will undoubtedly appear to stall you."
As if on cue, the head eunuch announced, "His Highness, the Crown Prince, requests an audience!"
Yinreng entered, accompanied by Lingguang. After executing the proper bows, Fuquan smiled at the boy. "I have read the late Emperor's letter. I intend to adopt you. From now on, you will call me Father."
Lingguang hesitated briefly, processing the new reality, before nodding. "Father."
Yinreng narrowed his eyes slightly, calculating his angle. "Imperial Uncle, are you here to take Brother Lingguang home today? May I offer a suggestion?"
"Speak, Your Highness."
"Does your primary wife or your concubines know about this arrangement?" Yinreng asked. "Suddenly bringing a twelve-year-old boy into your household and declaring him your heir will spark immense domestic chaos. Since we cannot reveal the boy's true connection to my Grandfather, you need time to craft a plausible narrative for your household."
Fuquan paused. The logic was flawless. An unexplained adoption would lead to vicious internal politics among his wives.
"Therefore," Yinreng concluded smoothly, "it is far safer for Brother Lingguang to remain in the palace with me for a few more days while you secure your estate."
Analysis: Yinreng did not actually care about Fuquan's domestic peace. He simply needed Lingguang close by to continue reverse-engineering the modern textbooks. Using Fuquan's wives as a shield was the most efficient way to achieve this.
Fuquan agreed to the delay, and Kangxi dismissed the boys.
***
Inside the Yuqing Palace, blueprints and texts were scattered across Yinreng's desk: 'Fundamentals of Cement Technology', 'Dry-Process Kiln Design', and 'Applied Materials Science'.
Lingguang sighed, rubbing his temples. "I have reviewed all the literature. The chemical composition of cement—limestone, clay, and iron ore—is simple. The bottleneck is the manufacturing technology. Our current ceramic kilns cannot reach the sustained, extreme temperatures required for a dry-process rotary kiln."
"If the current kilns are insufficient, we build a new one," Yinreng stated firmly.
"From scratch?" Lingguang looked surprised. "The required machinery is highly precise."
"The textbooks demand modern precision, but we can adapt the principles for rudimentary industrial application," Yinreng countered. "Give me some time. I have a theoretical framework in mind."
"Understood," Lingguang agreed instantly.
Yinreng watched the boy return to his notes. 'It is almost frightening how easily he accepts this.' Lingguang never questioned where the books came from, nor did he question how a nine-year-old Crown Prince possessed advanced engineering concepts. Shunzhi had successfully conditioned the boy to accept these anomalies as absolute facts. It was highly convenient.
That night, alone in his chambers, Yinreng initiated contact with his AI.
"System. Access the Advanced Task Log. The objective: Master five foreign languages. The reward: A localized, era-appropriate blueprint for a complete cement production facility and kiln modification."
The System hummed to life.
[System: Acknowledged. Warning: This is an Advanced Task. Chinese, Manchu, and Mongolian are excluded. You must demonstrate reading, writing, and conversational fluency in five distinct foreign languages. Passing grade is 80%.]
"Begin the examination," Yinreng ordered calmly.
[System: Host, be rational! You have only studied Italian with Ferdinand Verbiest for eighteen months. You cannot possibly pass four other—]
Yinreng bypassed the AI's warning, pulling up the virtual testing interface. He selected English, French, Spanish, Italian, and Japanese.
Two hours later, the results generated.
[System: ERROR... RECALCULATING... Host has passed all five examinations. Italian scored 81%. English, French, Spanish, and Japanese scored above 95%. How is this statistically possible?!]
Yinreng smirked. "You forgot my original background. I was an elite graduate from a top-tier modern university. Basic fluency exams are trivial."
[System: But you were an actor!]
"Acting was my profession, not my major," Yinreng corrected. "I possess a naturally high linguistic aptitude. I mastered English in high school. In university, I majored in French and took Spanish as a secondary language."
[System: And the Japanese?!]
"I watched a massive amount of anime without subtitles," Yinreng replied dryly. "I requested Verbiest to teach me Italian specifically to fill the fifth slot required for this exact reward."
The System fell silent, realizing Yinreng had been systematically preparing to exploit this specific quest for over a year.
A heavy, detailed scroll materialized on Yinreng's desk. He unrolled the localized cement blueprints with deep satisfaction.
Yinreng's Internal Logic: Cement was the second pillar of his industrial revolution, following hybrid rice. However, introducing it was politically dangerous. Unlike glass or crops, cement had zero historical precedent. Pulling it out of thin air would invite dangerous scrutiny. Shunzhi's death provided the perfect cover. By claiming he and Lingguang "decoded" the blueprints from Shunzhi's mysterious library, the invention was legitimized. Dead men could not be interrogated.
***
A few days later, Prince Fuquan returned to the palace to formally collect his adopted son.
Seizing the opportunity, Yinreng presented the blueprints to Kangxi.
"Imperial Father," Yinreng began, deliberately targeting the Emperor's current political vulnerability. "Lingguang and I have decoded a formula for a synthetic rock powder. When mixed with water and aggregate, it cures into a material vastly superior to standard mortar. It resists water erosion entirely."
Kangxi's posture straightened. "Water erosion?"
"It is ideal for constructing dams and river embankments," Yinreng pressed. "I know the Yellow River flooding is your primary concern. Governor Jin Fu has made progress, but he is limited by primitive materials. If we upgrade his infrastructure with this 'cement,' we can permanently secure the riverbanks."
Analysis: Historically, Kangxi's reign was defined by three phases: consolidating power, crushing rebellions (Taiwan, the Three Feudatories), and finally, managing the catastrophic Yellow River floods. By framing cement as a flood-control mechanism, Yinreng guaranteed Kangxi's full administrative backing.
Kangxi examined the intricate kiln designs, thoroughly impressed. "Fascinating. We must build a prototype factory immediately. Why haven't you handed this to Songgotu to manage?"
"Songgotu has already secured the credit for glass, cowpox, and hybrid rice," Yinreng analyzed coldly. "Accumulating too much merit turns a minister into a political target and breeds factional arrogance. I refuse to let his power grow unchecked."
Kangxi and Fuquan exchanged a look of profound surprise. It was rare for a Crown Prince to actively limit the power of his primary political ally.
"Very wise," Kangxi murmured, his approval of Yinreng deepening. He turned to his brother. "Fuquan, you will oversee the construction of this factory. Consider it an imperial gift to celebrate your adoption of Lingguang."
Lingguang panicked. "Your Majesty, I do not need a factory—"
Yinreng discreetly stepped on Lingguang's foot. "You are an imperial son now. Accept the Emperor's gift with grace."
Yinreng's Internal Logic: Kangxi was using Lingguang as a political smokescreen. By labeling the industrial facility a "gift for a child," the imperial court would ignore the construction, assuming it was a mere playground or estate. Furthermore, giving the project to the Emperor's fiercely loyal brother ensured the technology remained under strict royal control.
The factory construction began in absolute secrecy on the outskirts of the capital.
However, the political cover story inadvertently sparked a massive societal rumor.
It began with the adoption banquet. Prince Fuquan formally recognized Lingguang. The next day, Kangxi issued an unprecedented decree: Lingguang was granted access to the Imperial Study Room to be educated alongside the Princes.
Following this, palace servants leaked that the Grand Empress Dowager frequently summoned the boy for private teas, and the Crown Prince treated him like a blood brother.
The aristocracy connected the dots using flawed logic.
'An orphan of unknown origin. Supreme imperial privileges. The immediate favor of the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Empress Dowager. A massive estate (the factory) granted as a "gift."'
The conclusion spread like wildfire: Lingguang was not an adopted son. He was Emperor Kangxi's illegitimate child, brought back from a recent imperial tour. Prince Fuquan was merely providing legal cover to protect the Emperor's reputation!
If Lingguang was Kangxi's son, and he was twelve years old... that made him the eldest prince of the current generation.
Prince Fuquan was speechless.
Emperor Kangxi was exasperated.
And Prince Yinzhi—Kangxi's 'actual' eldest son—was absolutely terrified.