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

In the autumn of the fourth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

Nanyuan, the royal hunting ground.

A refreshing autumn breeze blows, and banners flutter in the wind.

The hunting party, composed of thousands of elite Eight Banners soldiers, galloped across the vast grasslands like an iron torrent.

The sound of horses' hooves thundered, and the horns blared, startling countless birds into flight from the forest.

This was not the first time Hong Xiguan had visited Nanyuan.

Since the second year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, when he first came here to hunt with the help of his regents, it has become a regular event every autumn and winter.

Externally, this was a military training and political show by the Qing emperors, adhering to ancestral rules and not forgetting the fundamentals of horsemanship and archery.

Internally, this is Hong Xiguan's final exam to test the results of his "development" over the past few years.

More than two years have passed.

"Time flies! I've already changed my dragon robes several times."

Hong Xiguan sat upright on the tall imperial horse "Black Cloud Treading Snow," feeling the fierce wind rushing towards him, his heart filled with countless emotions.

He is no longer the little kid who had to hide behind Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and tremble in fear.

Now, this body has grown to fifteen years old (nominally twelve), and its height has increased to about 1.8 meters.

With broad shoulders, a narrow waist, long arms, and a muscular physique, he's a total heartbreaker for young girls and a nightmare for middle-aged women.

"Your Majesty! There's movement in the woods to our left!"

A sharp-eyed guard shouted loudly.

Upon hearing this, Hong Xiguan spurred his horse on, and Wuyun Taxue shot off like a black lightning bolt, instantly leaving the main force behind.

A group of guards quickly spurred their horses to catch up, shouting "Protect the Emperor!"

Half of these guards were members of the Youth Corps, who, through their exceptional skills and the emperor's "favor," rose to the rank of third-class guards.

"Scatter, all of you! Don't scare my prey!"

At Hong Xiguan's command, the crowd immediately understood and dispersed, forming a huge encirclement.

In the forest, a huge black bear stood up, pounding its chest and letting out a deafening roar.

Hong Xiguan remained calm and composed, taking a specially made wolf-tooth arrow from the quiver beside the saddle, nocking the arrow, and drawing the bow with fluid and seamless movements.

The bow is a precious bow.

The arrow is a sharp arrow.

He's a man, and an even more formidable one!

His arm muscles bulged, and he drew the powerful bow, which required two people to pull it open, to its fullest extent!

"Buzz!"

The bowstring vibrated, emitting a dragon's roar.

The wolf-tooth arrow, like a streak of light, with a sharp whistling sound as it tore through the air, struck the black bear's left eye with perfect accuracy!

"Aww!"

The black bear let out a mournful howl, its massive body crashed to the ground, twitched a few times, and then lay still.

"Your Majesty is mighty!"

"Your Majesty is a master archer!"

Cao Yin and Li Xu's flattery arrived immediately.

The other guards also cheered loudly, their eyes filled with awe and worship as they looked at Hong Xiguan.

This young emperor is not only benevolent, but his martial arts skills are also unfathomable!

Hong Xiguan wore a faint smile, enjoying the flattery from the crowd.

Keep it low-key, keep it low-key! Standard procedure, everyone sit down!

He dismounted, preparing to go forward and inspect his spoils.

However, just as he approached, the black bear, which was supposed to be "dead," suddenly opened its blood-red right eye, roared, and leaped up from the ground, bringing a foul stench as it pounced on Hong Xiguan!

It happened so fast, like a rabbit leaping and a falcon swooping, that no one had time to react!

"Your Majesty, be careful!"

The guards let out a horrified scream, their faces turning ashen.

"Holy crap! They're even playing dead?!"

Hong Xiguan was also startled, but two years of hard training made his body react instinctively, and his right hand flashed towards his waist!

Hanging there was not a traditional sword, but a uniquely shaped flintlock pistol with a cold metallic sheen!

"Bang!"

The air was thick with the smoke of gunpowder.

The once-arrogant black bear now had a gaping, bloody hole in its massive head, with brain matter and blood splattered everywhere.

Its massive body swayed, and finally, unwillingly and completely, collapsed.

Almost at the same time that Hung Hei-kwun fired his gun.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Several more gunshots rang out!

Li Xu, Cao Yin, and several other guards also drew their pistols and fired several shots at the black bear's carcass, riddling it with bullets.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events and the deafening explosions.

After a brief silence, the guards all knelt down with a thud.

"This servant failed in his duty to protect His Majesty and deserves to die!"

Everyone was terrified.

If anything were to happen to the Emperor today, every single one of them would be buried with him!

Hong Xiguan put away the pistol, which was still emitting blue smoke, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"Damn it, that scared me to death! This beast is even more troublesome than that old bastard Ao Bai."

He waved his hand: "Get up, all of you. This has nothing to do with you. It's just that this beast is too cunning."

After a pause, Hong Xiguan looked around at his trusted guards kneeling on the ground, and his tone became serious.

"That's the end of today's matter. The matter of the hand cannons is top secret. Anyone who dares to utter a single word outside... I will exterminate their entire family!"

Upon hearing this, the guards felt a chill run down their spines, followed by a surge of warmth.

They knew that the Emperor was protecting them!

If this matter were to reach the ears of the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, especially Ao Bai, his group of guards would be in deep trouble!

"Your Majesty, this humble servant obeys! I swear to serve Your Majesty to the death!"

Everyone unanimously pledged their loyalty.

Just then, a fast horse galloped in from afar.

"Your Majesty! Minister Su requests your return to the palace!"

The visitor was Songgotu, an imperial bodyguard.

Hong Xiguan raised an eyebrow: "What's the rush? The archery competition at Nanyuan was only a few days ago, and I haven't had my fill yet!"

Soetu dismounted, strode to Hong Xiguan's side, leaned close to his ear, and whispered, "Your Majesty, my father, together with the other officials, is preparing for tomorrow's court session... to request that you assume personal rule!"

Taking control of the government?!

Hong Xiguan tightened his grip on the reins.

After waiting for more than two years, has this day finally... arrived?

He suppressed his inner elation, keeping a calm expression on his face: "Oh? Is this really true?"

"Absolutely true! My father said the time... has come!"

Hong Xiguan took a deep breath and instantly understood the cause and effect.

In the past two years, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, in alliance with Sony, has been locked in a fierce battle with Oboi. However, as Sony grows older and his health declines, the balance of power in the court is being disrupted. Oboi's power is growing stronger and stronger, and he is becoming increasingly difficult to control.

Therefore, allowing the emperor to assume personal rule ahead of schedule became the last trump card for Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang and Sony!

Hong Xiguan took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and his face regained the majesty of a young emperor.

"Since matters of state are of utmost importance, then let us set off and return to the palace!"

……

As night falls, the lights are on.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the lights were on, but it was unusually quiet.

All the eunuchs and palace maids were sent to the outer perimeter, leaving only Hong Xiguan and his young guards in the vast palace.

Looking around at the young faces standing in the hall, Hong Xiguan felt a strange sense of accomplishment.

This group, which he jokingly called the "Receiving, Transforming, and Developing Youth Group," is no longer the fifteen teenagers who could only play with the lightning five-whip combo in the Leopard House.

After three years of development and three rounds of rigorous recruitment, the group now has fifty official members.

Each and every one of them was an elite personally selected by Hong Xiguan, or a bondservant of the Imperial Household Department who was quick-witted, adaptable, and highly skilled.

Among them, the most core twenty people, including Cao Yin and Li Xu, have been successively promoted by him to Blue Feather Guards, becoming his exclusive personal guards to protect the Qianqing Palace.

Hong Xiguan used the same combination of tactics used in later generations—"promising grand gestures, offering stock options, organizing team building activities, and setting up role models"—to completely transform this group of young people from humble backgrounds with bleak futures into his fanatical followers.

Make them believe that if they follow the emperor, they will have meat to eat, official positions, and endless riches and honors!

They were convinced that they were not ordinary guards, but "ministers who followed the dragon" to usher in a new era!

At this moment, these twenty core guards, dressed in dark blue uniforms and with pistols at their waists, stood like statues in various corners of the Qianqing Palace, their eyes wary yet fervent.

Their gazes toward Hong Xiguan were filled with an almost divine reverence.

As long as the emperor gives the order, they will rush forward without hesitation to assassinate Ao Bai, even if it means dying together with him.

"We're going to discuss taking over the reins of government tomorrow, I'm actually quite excited!"

As Hong Xiguan lay on the dragon bed, an overwhelming sense of tension crept over him.