I, Kangxi, am here to overthrow the Qing and restore the Ming!

The days in the South Study passed quietly by in the daily reading, archery practice, and the nightly "wolf-driving" game.

Hong Xiguan gradually figured out the personalities of his "initial team" members.

These individuals have distinct personalities and unique characteristics.

Cao Yin, this kid is definitely a born "political commissar" and "intelligence chief".

He was as meticulous as a spider web; no slightest movement could escape his notice.

Every time he plays "Fight the Wolf", he can accurately determine the identity of the other party by observing a casual glance or a slight change in tone when they speak.

Moreover, Cao Yin was meticulous in his dealings with others.

For example, if Hong Xiguan casually complained the night before that "the weather has been hot lately and I don't have much of an appetite," Cao Yin would find a way to get a bowl of chilled plum juice from the imperial kitchen and deliver it to Hong Xiguan the next day at noon.

After finishing, he neither boasts nor complains, but simply gets the job done quietly and then steps aside.

This kid has off the charts in emotional intelligence! He's a natural at interpersonal relationships and intelligence work!

From now on, the Imperial Household Department and the Embroidered Uniform Guard (if I can manage to set them up) will have to be handed over to him!

Li Xu is the team's "assassin" and "suicide squad leader".

He was resolute and taciturn, but there was always a fire burning in his eyes.

When playing "Wolf Chase," he never bothers with fancy logic. The gameplay is simple: whoever threatens the Emperor (the "Prophet" in the game), he trades one for one and takes them down! Even if it means exposing himself, he doesn't care!

Hong Xiguan once privately tested his martial arts skills and found that although he was young, he was extremely ruthless and every move was aimed at vital points. He had a "either you die or I die" kind of determination.

This is the sharpest knife! Loyal, and fearless! This kind of person must be kept hidden in ordinary times, so that he can strike fatally at the crucial moment!

Zhao Chang is the team's "academic star" and "tech geek".

This kid is incredibly smart, and his learning ability is abnormally strong.

He had a photographic memory for the Four Books and Five Classics. When Hong Xiguan occasionally revealed some basic knowledge of geometry and physics to him, Zhao Chang could always apply it to other situations and even raise questions that surprised Hong Xiguan.

Recently, Hong Xiguan had a Western missionary brought to Zhao Chang so that he could learn Latin and Portuguese from him.

There's no other way; if you want to see the world, you need a translator first.

This kid is going to be my future "Minister of Foreign Affairs" and "President of the Academy of Sciences"!

What pleased Hong Xiguan even more was that Zhao Chang's insight and perception were absolutely top-notch.

For example, when Hong Xiguan was reading a memorial, he would frown slightly, and Zhao Chang would immediately serve him a cup of hot tea at the perfect temperature without waiting for instructions.

If Hong Xiguan stretched after sitting at his desk for a long time, Zhao Chang would immediately bring him a soft cushion and put it behind his back.

He could always anticipate Hong Xiguan's various needs in advance and make the most appropriate response at the most appropriate time.

This...this is practically an AI assistant! It's so thoughtful!

The last one, Liang Jiugong, is the team's "craftsman" and "armory master".

This kid has no interest in reading or writing, but his hands are incredibly skillful.

Wood, bamboo, and even mud can be transformed into all sorts of lifelike little trinkets in his hands in less than half an hour.

That day, Hong Xiguan watched as he carved a lifelike praying mantis from a bamboo stalk. A thought struck him, and he called him over, asking, "Liang Jiugong, with your skills, could you... make a musket?"

Liang Jiugong was taken aback.

Hong Xiguan continued to coax him: "Not the big, clumsy kind of musket, but the kind... that can be hidden in your sleeve, very small, very delicate... handgun."

That's right, what I want is a handgun!

In the era of cold weapons, a small pistol capable of rapid fire was simply a game-changer! It was the ultimate weapon for survival and counterattack!

Hong Xiguan then instructed Suo'etu to retrieve a rusty handgun from the former Ming Dynasty Shenjiying warehouse. Liang Jiugong was instructed to disassemble it and then replicate it.

He wanted to cultivate Liang Jiugong's talent in this area from a young age.

Once the technology is mature, I'll explain the principles of the revolver to Liang Jiugong... Hehe, then I'll equip each member of my young bodyguard team with one.

Anyone who dares to mess with me, I'll just pull this out and slit a hole in their forehead!

……

However, just as Hung Hei-kwun was planning a bright future for his "teenage special agents"...

Something he hadn't expected happened.

On this day, the chief eunuch of the Imperial Household Department personally came to the Southern Study.

He smiled and said to Zhao Chang and Liang Jiugong, "Young masters, good news! By the grace of the Empress Dowager, seeing that you are of age and in good health, it is time for you to serve the Emperor. The manor has made arrangements, and tomorrow you two will be castrated."

Cleansing...purification?!

Is this going to castrate my future "Foreign Minister" and "military tycoon"?!

Hong Xiguan was stunned on the spot.

He then remembered that in the Qing Dynasty, the fate of "houseborn sons" like Zhao Chang and Liang Jiugong, who were born under the jurisdiction of the Upper Three Banners, was predetermined from birth: they were the private property of the royal family, and their children were born to be servants of the royal family.

The men either had to become guards or... had to be castrated to become eunuchs and enter the inner palace to serve their masters.

They weren't castrated before because they were too young and weak, and the surgery was too risky. Now, they are almost ten years old, which is the "right age".

Hong Xiguan looked at Zhao Chang and Liang Jiugong, expecting to see the two children's terrified expressions.

However, what he saw were two faces flushed red with excitement and joy!

Zhao Chang even knelt down with a thud and kowtowed heavily to Hong Xiguan: "Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty! Thank you for your grace, Empress Dowager! This servant... this servant can finally serve Your Majesty for the rest of my life!"

Liang Jiugong was also standing nearby, his eyes brimming with tears of emotion.

I rely on!

What... what's going on here?

You guys aren't scared at all, you're actually happy about having your manhood cut off?!

This feudal brainwashing is so damn successful!

Hong Xiguan's worldview was once again severely impacted.

He then realized that in the hearts of these bondservants, being a "eunuch" was not an insult, but an honor!

Because only by becoming eunuchs could they truly "serve in the inner court" and remain in the palace after the palace gates were locked at night, accompanying their masters at any time.

In their eyes, this is the highest loyalty and honor a slave can receive!

Never mind... I can't understand it, but I choose to respect it.

Every era has its own logic, and I cannot force my values ​​to change them.

Perhaps, for them, this is truly the best ending.

Two days later, the surgery was successfully completed.

Hong Xiguan personally brought tonics to visit Zhao Chang and Liang Jiugong, who were lying in bed and had pale faces.

Seeing the two boys who were moved to tears by his arrival, Hong Xiguan was filled with mixed emotions.

From this moment on, the two most famous eunuchs in history during the Kangxi era, who wielded immense power in the inner court and served the emperor for decades, Zhao Chang and Liang Jiugong, were officially born.

Their fate will be inextricably linked to their own.