Late June. The imperial procession arrived at the Mulan Hunting Grounds. Emperor Kangxi formally commenced the autumn encirclement by drawing his bow and striking a passing deer. The observing officials erupted in immediate, practiced applause.
Standing beside the Emperor, Crown Prince Yinreng observed the spectacle with rational detachment. He recalled theatrical tropes where ambitious princes or guards would arrogantly declare, "Let us see whose world this is," during imperial hunts.
Yinreng's Internal Analysis: A fundamentally suicidal sentiment. The empire belongs solely to the Emperor. For a subordinate to claim otherwise in Kangxi's presence is tantamount to treason.
The mere thought of uttering such a line made Yinreng shudder in revulsion.
Kangxi noticed the movement. He frowned. "Are you unwell? You are shivering in the June heat."
"I am merely excited by the hunt, Imperial Father," Yinreng deflected instantly, ensuring he would not be confined to his tent for medical observation.
Satisfied, Kangxi chuckled and addressed the younger generation of nobles and princes. "Go! Today, we suspend the formalities of sovereign and subject. Show me the martial prowess of our Qing Dynasty's youth."
Before riding off, Eldest Prince Yinzhi sneered at Yinreng. "Since we are omitting royal titles today, do not cry when your older brother defeats you."
***
The Mechanics of the Hunt
Lingguang rode up to Yinreng as Yinzhi departed. "Does he hate you?"
Yinreng sighed at the boy's bluntness. "He does. But it is politically unwise to state it so openly."
Ignoring the complexities of palace politics, Lingguang raised his bow and seamlessly shot a passing rabbit.
Yinreng raised an eyebrow. "Your archery is highly advanced for a temple orphan."
"Master arranged for Uncle Wei to train me," Lingguang explained, referring to Shunzhi and his hidden imperial guard, Wei Dong. "Master claimed a growing boy needed meat. Uncle Wei and I frequently hunted in the back mountains. We always saved a roasted portion for Master."
Yinreng's Deduction: A transparent excuse. Shunzhi simply used the boy's nutritional needs as a loophole to break his monastic vows and consume meat.
Lingguang dismounted, retrieved a small shovel, and began digging a pit. "Uncle Wei taught me to set traps to capture prey alive."
"This is a populated hunting ground, not a secluded mountain," Yinreng corrected efficiently. "If you leave a trap unattended here, another noble will simply steal your catch before we return."
Lingguang paused, recognizing the logistical flaw. "Then I will accelerate the process." He retrieved a small porcelain bottle and sprinkled its powder into the pit. "The temple abbot created a powder to repel snakes. Uncle Wei found a civilian doctor to reverse-engineer the formula. This altered powder rapidly attracts wild animals."
Analysis: A localized chemical lure. Highly efficient.
Yinreng assigned a trusted imperial guard to secure the pit. They spent the next hour riding through the grounds, setting three traps in total.
***
The Calculation of Merit
Ga'erfen, the eldest son of Minister Songgotu, intercepted Yinreng's path. He glanced nervously at the guards before speaking. "Your Highness. My father reports that the Eldest Prince has hunted three times your current amount. I have my own catch here. Please, claim it as your own."
"No," Yinreng refused flatly.
"But Your Highness—"
"This hunt is not a succession test," Yinreng analyzed sharply. "Imperial Father is assessing the military readiness of the Eight Banners, not evaluating who is fit to be the Crown Prince. Furthermore, cheating would destroy my credibility."
Yinreng stared down the young noble. "I have already engineered the smallpox vaccine and hybrid rice. My political capital is absolute. I do not need to compete over dead rabbits to prove my worth. Return to your post."
Recognizing the strategic truth, Ga'erfen bowed and retreated.
Returning to their three traps, Yinreng and Lingguang found the chemical lure had worked flawlessly. Over a hundred animals—rabbits, pheasants, and roe deer—were piled inside.
***
The Presentation and the Tiger
At the imperial encampment, Yinzhi proudly presented his catch of thirty animals. Kangxi was highly pleased, praising his Eldest Son's martial skill.
Then, Yinreng and Lingguang arrived. Their horses were burdened with over a hundred animals. The officials stared in shock. Yinzhi's triumphant smile vanished into a scowl.
"Did you hunt all of this?" Kangxi asked, astonished.
Yinreng prioritized honesty. "We shot a few. The vast majority were captured using a chemical lure formulated by Lingguang. We set traps."
Yinreng pushed Lingguang forward, granting him the credit. Kangxi praised them both—acknowledging Yinzhi's physical prowess and Lingguang's tactical ingenuity.
Suddenly, the sound of galloping hooves interrupted the feast. A young woman in a red riding habit approached the Emperor's tent.
Kangxi dropped his cup, his eyes wide. "Wulinzhu..."
Yinreng's eyes narrowed. 'Wulinzhu' was the name of his deceased biological mother, the late Empress Hesheli.
The woman dismounted and knelt. "I am Wuxiha, daughter of Gabula, seventh in the household."
She was Gabula's daughter—the late Empress's younger sister. Her physical resemblance to Yinreng's mother was uncanny.
"I have a prize to present," Wuxiha declared confidently. She signaled her guards, who pulled back a tarp to reveal a slain adult tiger.
The crowd gasped.
"I encountered this beast while chasing a fox," Wuxiha explained, her voice steady. "I was terrified, but remembering the bravery of Manchu women, I refused to flee. With the assistance of my guards, we killed it. The King of Beasts belongs to the King of Men."
Kangxi laughed heartily, thoroughly captivated. He personally helped her up, his eyes filled with a man's predatory interest.
Yinreng's Analysis: A flawless political maneuver. Wuxiha knew she could not win by quantity, so she chose overwhelming quality. Claiming she killed a tiger alone would be absurd and invite charges of deceiving the Emperor. By freely admitting she utilized her guards, she appeared honest, brave, and resourceful. She had deliberately engineered this encounter to capture Kangxi's attention using her sister's face as bait.
***
The Harem Battlefield
Later that night, inside Yinreng's private tent, Minister Songgotu knelt on the floor, sweating profusely.
"Explain Wuxiha," Yinreng demanded coldly.
"Your Highness, I swear I did not know! She traveled here in men's clothing under the protection of my brother, Fabao."
Yinreng scrutinized the Minister. Years ago, Yinreng had issued a strict directive to the Hesheli clan: 'You may send women into the imperial harem, but you will never use my dead mother's face or legacy as a stepping stone.' Internal Logic: Songgotu was telling the truth. If Songgotu had orchestrated the tiger stunt, he would not have sent his son to offer Yinreng rabbits earlier that day. Songgotu's political survival was tied directly to Yinreng; he wouldn't risk the Crown Prince's wrath. The fault lay entirely with Fabao and Wuxiha herself.
"I will have her sent back to the capital immediately," Songgotu offered frantically.
"Denied," Yinreng stated. "She has already secured Imperial Father's interest. Removing her now would directly provoke his suspicion and anger."
"But Your Highness—"
Yinreng smiled, though his eyes remained completely devoid of warmth. "Let her enter the palace. Imperial Father's favor is a finite, highly contested resource. Let her compete with Consort Tongjia, Consort De, Consort Hui, and Consort Yi. If she believes my mother's face is enough to survive the vicious warfare of the inner court, let her prove it."
Yinreng took a slow sip of his tea. He would not dirty his hands removing his ambitious aunt. He would simply throw her to the wolves and let the harem handle the execution.