When Fang He fell unconscious, Kangxi also encountered a grave crisis.
More than a dozen black-clad, masked assassins swiftly surrounded him after killing the four guards who had been protecting him earlier, intending to capture him.
Kangxi’s heart sank.
If the assassins had caught up to him, they would surely not give up on silencing Fang He.
After leaving Fang He behind, every moment felt like a raging fire burning within him, fueling his determination.
Even Ao Bai had never humiliated him like this.
Taking a slash to his left arm, he seized a sword from one of the assassins and roared, engaging them in combat, searching for an opportunity to break through.
But with wolves to kill in front and pursuers behind, even with his formidable skills, Kangxi could not escape from more than a dozen assassins.
His injuries grew increasingly severe.
After killing several assassins, he knew this couldn’t continue.
Fang He was right.
As the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, the Khan of Heaven, he absolutely could not be captured.
The Qing Dynasty could not afford such a disgrace!
Feinting a move, Kangxi quickly grabbed a handful of dirt from the ground and flung it, taking advantage of the moment when the assassins closed their eyes to dodge.
He kicked the assassin in front of him in the groin and turned to flee.
The assassin blocking his path instantly clutched his crotch, howling in pain as he fell to the ground.
The other assassins exclaimed, “Did we chase the wrong person? How could Emperor Kangxi use such a shameless trick?!”
It was Fang He who had inspired Kangxi.
After demonstrating the four moves taught to her by the old woman, Fang He had added, “As the saying goes, ‘It doesn’t matter if it’s a black cat or a white cat, as long as it catches mice, it’s a good cat.”
Now, with his life hanging by a thread, he found it unbearable to face death.
As the emperor, he could not abandon the mess to his grandmother and the crown prince by committing suicide.
At this point, any tactic that worked was acceptable.
Fortunately, Kangxi hadn’t run far when the sound of barking dogs and galloping horses, accompanied by urgent and furious shouts, approached at an even faster pace.
The pursuing assassins hesitated upon hearing the commotion, realizing they had lost their rare opportunity.
Without lingering, they gritted their teeth and fled.
But Kangxi had no intention of letting them go.
He stood under a large tree, shielding his back, and cautiously scanned his surroundings, slowly calming his breathing before calling out loudly.
Fuquan and Changing rushed over, one pale-faced and the other dark as ink, like the twin guardians of the underworld.
They knelt before Kangxi with a thud.
Tears instantly welled up in Fuquan’s eyes. “Your Majesty…”
“This is no time for words. Fuquan, lead the team and immediately divide into four groups to search for the assassins. Take them alive!” Kangxi interrupted Fuquan calmly, not giving Changing a chance to speak.
He swallowed his fury, mixing it with the taste of blood in his mouth.
“I want to know who has the audacity to invite me as a guest!”
“Changing, take a hundred men and head southwest to rescue the guards who split off… and the palace maid Fang He.”
He paused almost imperceptibly, the metallic taste of blood in his throat making his vision blur.
“I want to see them alive or dead. Not a single one is to be left behind!”
The sobbing Fuquan and the fiercely determined Changing both responded loudly.
Seeing Kangxi’s face as pale as gold paper, they dared not say more.
They quickly summoned the imperial physician to tend to Kangxi’s wounds while they led their teams, charging into the forest with fierce determination.
They, too, wanted to see who had the courage of a bear and the heart of a leopard.
They would personally deliver themselves as guests, cutting off the heads of their enemies as a return gift!
Kangxi watched as they disappeared from sight and then sat on the stool brought by the guards, allowing Imperial Physician Qin to bandage his wound.
Once the bleeding had stopped, the guards quickly ushered Kangxi into the sedan chair.
Since the area was not yet completely safe, no one dared to let the Emperor linger.
Kangxi said little, only casting a deep glance in the direction from which he had come before calmly entering the sedan chair.
Upon returning to the imperial tent, chaos ensued once more.
Even Consort An and Consort Jin, among others, heard the commotion and looked over from a distance.
Liang Jiugong, who had stubbornly refused treatment, finally fainted from exhaustion and was carried away for medical attention.
Everyone was panicked, as if the sky were about to fall.
Only Kangxi remained calm.
Seeing the palace maids weeping nearby, he scolded them sharply
“What are you crying for? I’m not dead yet! All of you, get out!”
These people usually knew how to vie for favor and stir up jealousy, but when faced with real trouble, all they could do was cry, nearly forgetting their duties.
They weren’t even half as capable as Fang He’s tail tip.
Alan Tai requested an audience outside, and Kangxi called him in, issuing cold orders,
“Convey my decree: everyone must attend to their duties. Anyone who panics or neglects their responsibilities will be punished with thirty lashes and a six-month deduction of their stipend!”
“The hunt will proceed as usual. Without my summons, no one is allowed within a hundred paces of the imperial tent. No one is to wander freely within the hunting grounds.”
“Do not prohibit communication between the Northern Mongol princes and the tribes. Assign guards to monitor their movements closely. Report any suspicious activity immediately!”
Seeing that the Emperor, though pale, was exceptionally composed, Alan Tai breathed a sigh of relief.
Like Fuquan and Changing, he was immediately sent off to carry out his duties without delay.
Imperial Physician Qin finished preparing the medicine, letting it cool slightly before personally bringing it in to serve Kangxi.
Kangxi lifted the bowl and drank it all in one go, then continued giving orders,
“Prepare another dose of medicine to dispel wind-cold, and also prepare a calming tonic. If we’re short on ingredients, send someone to the Rehe Palace immediately to fetch more.”
Imperial Physician Qin knew this was for the female official, Fang He, and quickly replied,
“Your Majesty, the medicinal ingredients we brought are sufficient. The Northern Mongol princes, upon hearing of your injury, also sent high-quality herbs. I’ve inspected them, and they are safe to use.”
Kangxi nodded, “Good, be thorough. Have Lu Wuning assist you. If there’s any uncertainty, set it aside for now.”
Lu Wuning was the chief of the Imperial Medical Bureau.
With his help, Physician Qin felt more at ease and left without further comment.
Yet Kangxi remained busy.
Whenever he had a moment of idleness, his mind was filled with the image of Fang He’s small face, stained with blood and tears, pleading for him to save her.
Ignoring his injuries, he rose and walked to the imperial desk, opening the map of the Mulan Hunting Grounds.
He ordered Li Dequan to summon Zhao Chang.
In truth, Zhao Chang had been waiting outside all along.
Upon being summoned, he entered the imperial tent and knelt, his face filled with guilt.
“This servant has failed in his duty and deserves death. Please punish me, Your Majesty!”
Zhao Chang usually appeared to be an ordinary palace guard, at most someone who had once served as the Emperor’s playmate, earning him some respect among the guards.
No one knew that he was actually the leader of the secret guards, commanding over two hundred agents.
His lifelong duty was to protect the Emperor’s safety at all costs.
But the secret guards were not as miraculous as they seemed.
They did not possess the ability to become invisible or appear by the Emperor’s side at any moment.
At most, they were more loyal, had better martial arts skills than others, and were adept at concealing their identities and gathering intelligence.
In the palace, they could serve closely, and during the southern tours, they managed well.
But on the vast grasslands, there was no room for their acrobatic feats.
They could only disguise themselves as eunuchs, guards, or low-ranking servants around the Emperor, protecting his safety in ways that others wouldn’t notice.
This time, Kangxi’s decision to take Fang He hunting was spontaneous, and only two secret guards had time to follow.
They had already shielded Kangxi from assassins, but now their fate seemed grim.
Thus, Kangxi did not reprimand Zhao Chang, “Rise, we’ll discuss your punishment later. I expect you to redeem yourself with merit.”
Zhao Chang immediately responded, “Your servant will spare no effort!”
“Take men and investigate along the route the Dzungars came from. Find out if they were truly attacked by wolves and what happened afterward,”
Kangxi said calmly, looking at the direction of the Dzungars west of the Luan River on the map.
“I don’t care how you do it, but find out the origin of the wolf pack that attacked me.”
“Also, send people to the Dzungars. I want to know Galdan’s weaknesses and the current size of his forces.”
Zhao Chang knelt on one knee, “Your servant will depart immediately and return before the hunt ends.”
Kangxi gave a faint nod, “Go.”
After Zhao Chang left, Kangxi had no urgent matters to attend to.
He wasn’t busy today, which was why he had taken Fang He out…
He subtly placed his right hand behind his back, pressing his thumb hard into his palm, but the pain still couldn’t fully calm him.
“Changing, has he been weakened by indulgence?”
Fang He, a woman, couldn’t have gone far even if injured.
Why was there still no news?
Li Dequan cautiously reported, “Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has heard of your injury and is coming to see you.”
“Quickly invite her in!” Kangxi steadied himself and slowly lay back on the bed.
The Empress Dowager rushed in with red eyes,
“Emperor, are you alright? How is Fang He?”
Kangxi forced a relaxed smile and sat up, “Mother, there’s no need to worry. I’m fine, and Fang He….. she must be safe too.”
The Empress Dowager’s heart was pounding with anxiety as she sat on the edge of the dragon bed, wiping her tears.
“It’s all my fault… I shouldn’t have told Fang He about the fun on the grasslands, making her insist on going hunting with you, leading to this.”
If not for fear of Kangxi noticing her distress, the Empress Dowager’s guilt would have made her burst into tears.
Originally, upon learning that Fang He didn’t want to stay in the palace, her aunt and Wuyunzhu had advised her not to interfere, but she couldn’t bear to see Fang He trapped as well.
Back then, Wulinzhu also didn’t want to stay in the capital or marry into the Zashuhuli clan; she wanted to return to Shengjing and live a carefree life.
But Fulin forbade it, her aunt forbade it, and the Jueluo clan forbade it.
They all saw the value in Wulinzhu staying in the capital, completely disregarding her wishes, forcing her to numb herself with recklessness.
Before Wulinzhu was escorted back to Shengjing, the Empress Dowager had privately bid her farewell.
Wulinzhu’s face bore a faint look of relief and resignation, something she could never forget.
So she avoided Wuyunzhu and contacted Lady Tana of the Lakshin clan, asking her to prepare a way to help Fang He leave the palace, waiting for the annual northern tour.
After Kangxi appointed Fang He as a female official, she hesitated.
If that girl could enter the palace in a high position, perhaps her life would be much better than if she left the palace.
But in the end, she still wanted to ask Fang He for her thoughts.
Tana said that it would be easier to find an opportunity to speak outside the hunting grounds, whether she decided to stay or leave.
When they were watching the hunt, they brought up the matter of throwing daggers to make Kangxi jealous.