The funeral of Empress Xiaoyi concluded, but the capital remained under a strict mourning period. While commoners resumed their daily lives—save for hosting weddings—the imperial palace operated under austere conditions. Banquets, music, and gatherings were strictly forbidden for all royals and consorts.
Crown Prince Yinreng led by example. He wore plain attire, avoided bright colors, and rarely left the Eastern Palace. With the Crown Prince strictly adhering to protocol, no one else dared to violate the mourning rules.
This oppressive atmosphere persisted until the twenty-fourth day of the twelfth month, when a significant event finally broke the gloom: Concubine Ping gave birth to the Twelfth Prince, Yintao.
Yinreng and his System observed this development with analytical precision. The timeline was attempting to self-correct. Although the mother had changed from the original historical timeline, the prince's birthdate remained exactly the same.
A few days later, Consort De was diagnosed with pregnancy.
Yinreng was initially confused. 'The Thirteenth Prince has not been born yet. How can she be pregnant with the Fourteenth?'
The System provided the missing variable: [According to historical records, Consort De gave birth to the Emperor's Twelfth Daughter in the fourth month of the twenty-fifth year of Kangxi.]
Working backward from a nine-month gestation period, Consort De should have conceived in July of the previous year. However, that was precisely when her son, the Sixth Prince Yinzuo, was murdered. The trauma and political fallout had naturally delayed her conception window. Now that the crisis had passed, the timeline was resuming its natural course.
The birth of the Twelfth Prince and Consort De's pregnancy acted as a catalyst, reviving the palace's vitality. The shadow of Empress Xiaoyi's death faded, replaced by a surge of royal pregnancies over the next two years, dominated primarily by Consort De and the newly favored Consort Zhangjia.
***
The Return of the Fleet
In June of the twenty-sixth year of Kangxi, the royal fleet finally returned to the capital. Diplomat Nalan Mingzhu had been at sea for over two years.
His safe return brought immense relief to the First Prince, Yinshi. Mingzhu was not only Yinshi's uncle but his primary political and financial backer. Had the fleet been lost at sea, Yinshi's faction would have been crippled in the ongoing succession struggle against the Crown Prince.
In the Imperial Study, Mingzhu presented his official report to Emperor Kangxi.
"Your Majesty, the mission was a success," Mingzhu announced, his voice carrying the weight of his achievements. "We visited fifteen nations and established diplomatic alliances with eleven. Furthermore, we have returned with assets that will change the empire."
Mingzhu detailed his observations of the West. He described European multi-mast galleons designed for transoceanic voyages, explicitly highlighting a British three-tier warship equipped with sixty cannons.
Hearing this, Kangxi drew a sharp breath. The Qing Dynasty possessed nothing of that scale. Yinreng, listening quietly from his desk, mentally contextualized the information: 'The West is deep into the Age of Discovery. If the Qing Dynasty does not industrialize its military now, the technological gap will become insurmountable.'
Mingzhu then explained his negotiation strategy. He initially attempted to trade the Qing's advanced cement and red brick technology for naval assets. The Western nations gladly accepted the construction techniques but only offered useless novelties in return. They recognized Mingzhu's desperation for warships and intended to extort him.
"I realized I needed leverage," Mingzhu explained pragmatically. "During my sociological observations, I learned that the West had just heard rumors of our smallpox vaccine (cowpox). Their scientists were trying to replicate it but failing to achieve our levels of safety and efficacy. Several foreign nobles secretly approached me for the formula."
Recognizing the tactical value of a medical monopoly, Mingzhu orchestrated a geopolitical pressure campaign. He approached the British and the French—two neighboring, rival empires.
"I initiated negotiations with the French regarding the vaccine but intentionally stalled the talks," Mingzhu said. "Simultaneously, I leaked rumors to the British that a deal with France was imminent. I paid a destitute noble to casually suggest a terrifying scenario: 'If the French acquire immunity to smallpox, what is stopping them from weaponizing the virus against their unvaccinated neighbors?'"
Yinreng's eyes widened in realization. 'Biological warfare leverage.' The mere possibility of an immune enemy unleashing a plague was enough to break the British negotiators. Terrified of falling behind, the British Empire immediately compromised.
"The result of this leverage," Mingzhu smiled, "is that a fully equipped Western warship is currently docked at the Tianjin port. We also secured blueprints for three-tier battleships. Furthermore, I infiltrated their shipyards and successfully abducted two of their core naval architects."
Yinreng accidentally snapped his brush, ruining his test paper. He was astounded by Mingzhu's ruthless efficiency. He had secured hardware, blueprints, 'and' the scientists required to reverse-engineer them.
"Excellent work!" Kangxi slammed the table in approval.
***
The Arms Race
Mingzhu was not finished. He opened a massive chest brought into the study, revealing a cache of highly advanced firearms.
"Through similar manipulations, we acquired 10,037 muskets," Mingzhu reported. "Three thousand of these are the advanced 'Pan-chang' matchlocks, which feature superior firepower and firing mechanisms compared to our current models. The foreigners refused to sell us the manufacturing methods, so I used heavy bribes to convince two of their master gunsmiths to defect to the Qing."
Next, Mingzhu presented the artillery haul: ten cannons, including breech-loading models, and four unique cannons with short barrels.
"These four possess a curved trajectory," Mingzhu noted, unsure of their exact application.
"Howitzers," Yinreng interjected immediately, drawing Kangxi's gaze. To maintain his cover, Yinreng quickly cited his sources. "Imperial Father, I read about these in the Western texts you provided, and discussed them with the new missionaries. Standard cannons fire in a straight line, which is excellent for sieging walls. Howitzers fire in a parabolic arc—a curved path—making them highly effective for striking hidden troops behind cover during field battles. Used together, our military would have no blind spots."
Kangxi was overjoyed, though concerned that four howitzers were not enough. Mingzhu immediately alleviated this worry by announcing he had also recruited a dedicated artillery specialist.
***
The Agricultural Division
As Kangxi reviewed the rest of the cargo manifest, he paused at a list of organic goods: tomatoes, zucchini, onions, papaya, apples, strawberries, and cabbage.
"What is the purpose of this?" Kangxi asked dismissively.
"I requested them," Yinreng answered smoothly. "Before the fleet departed, I embedded a guard named Su Hetai into the diplomatic envoy with one strict objective: collect foreign seeds to see if they can be cultivated on Qing soil to diversify our food supply."
Kangxi shook his head at what he perceived as his son's gluttony.
"Since the political and military debriefing is complete, I will take my leave to inspect these new foods," Yinreng stated, swiftly packing his belongings. Knowing Kangxi would be occupied with the military assets, Yinreng used the food as a perfect excuse to exit the study unquestioned. Kangxi, amused by his son's priorities, let him go.
However, Yinreng's true objective was not food.
Upon returning to the Eastern Palace, Yinreng immediately summoned Su Hetai. Two years ago, Yinreng had selected Su Hetai from the lower ranks of the imperial guards specifically because he belonged to a declining noble branch; he was highly competent but lacked strong factional ties, making him entirely loyal to Yinreng.
Su Hetai arrived carrying the true prize: 'Rubber tree seeds.'
"Perfect," Yinreng said, his eyes gleaming. Rubber was an absolute prerequisite for advanced industrialization, required for everything from steam engine seals to electrical insulation.
"Your Highness, I learned from the locals that these seeds lose their viability quickly," Su Hetai reported. "I forced several foreign agriculturalists to cultivate them in soil aboard the ship. Some died, but many sprouted successfully."
Yinreng immediately retrieved 50,000 taels of silver from his private vault.
"Take this capital," Yinreng ordered firmly. "Travel south to Guangdong, Guangxi, Yunnan, and Hainan. Purchase massive tracts of land and establish rubber plantations. Hire local labor and use the foreigners to instruct them. This material is vital. Furthermore, issue bounties across the southern provinces; it is highly probable that native rubber trees already exist within our borders but remain unidentified."
With the industrial foundation set, Yinreng handed the secondary vegetable seeds to his servant, Meng Jixiang, to plant at the orphanage estate. When Meng expressed ignorance on how to grow foreign crops, Yinreng seamlessly procured an agricultural manual from the System's low-level quest rewards to guide him.
Within days, Kangxi officially decreed the establishment of a state shipyard and a dedicated firearms research bureau. For his monumental contributions to the empire's modernization, Nalan Mingzhu was awarded the title of First-Class Duke—achieving a far greater destiny than his historical counterpart ever did.