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

Half an hour later.

Inside the Southern Study, Xiong Cili held the newly written imperial edict, his beard trembling with excitement.

The Emperor wants to restore the old name of "Fengtian Hall"!

In Xiong Cili's view, this was not just a name change, but the emperor's move towards Han culture, a great victory of "using Chinese culture to transform the barbarians"!

Although the Emperor was in the Manchu camp, his heart yearned for the teachings of the sages!

He wielded his brush and wrote a magnificent article that would be recorded in history.

[Imperial Edict to the Cabinet to Restore the Old Names of the Three Great Halls]

By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:

Since assuming the throne, I have personally practiced benevolent governance and diligently sought to improve the administration, with the sole aim of upholding the orthodox traditions of China and bringing peace and stability to the people of the world.

When our dynasty established its capital in Beijing, in the early years of the Shunzhi reign, due to the unrest in the country, the names of the three main halls of the Ming Dynasty were temporarily changed to Taihe, Zhonghe, and Baohe, in order to show the harmony between the Manchus and the Han people. This was a temporary expedient.

Now that the world is united and peace prevails, the administration is becoming increasingly clean and the people are prospering, we should strengthen our cultural governance to solidify the foundation of the nation and rectify the system of rites to clarify social roles and status.

Looking back at ancient times, the Shang dynasty inherited the Xia dynasty's system, and the Zhou dynasty followed the Shang dynasty's rites, both adhering to their strengths and without completely altering the beauty of previous dynasties' ritual systems. The three main halls of the Ming dynasty were originally named Fengtian, Huagai, and Jinshen, with profound meanings that aligned with the Way of Heaven.

Those who are appointed by Heaven are those who receive the mandate of Heaven to rule over all people, in accordance with the meaning of the "Great Oath" that "Heaven sees as my people see, Heaven hears as my people hear," demonstrating that imperial power is mandated by Heaven and cannot be forced by human power.

The canopy, like clouds covering the sky and the heavens protecting it, symbolizes the auspicious purple aura coming from the east, protecting all living beings, and representing the emperor's benevolence spreading throughout the world.

Those who are cautious in their conduct are virtuous men who are mindful of their own conduct even when alone, cultivate themselves and manage their families well, in accordance with the principle of "reflecting on oneself to achieve sincerity," demonstrating to the emperor the intention of constantly examining himself, being diligent in governing and loving the people.

These three names not only demonstrate the legitimacy of imperial power but also reveal the fundamental principles of governance, displaying a solemn and awe-inspiring presence that far surpasses the more generic names like "Taihe."

I believe that our dynasty gained the empire not by taking it from the Ming dynasty, but by receiving it from Heaven. The Ming dynasty perished because of corruption in the government and the misrule of treacherous officials, not because of the failure of the rites and system. Now we are using the old name, not to be bound by the past, but to govern the land of China with the rites of China and to reassure the hearts of the Chinese people with the name of orthodoxy.

The Han people firmly believe in the Mandate of Heaven, respect ancient systems, and revert to using names such as Fengtian (奉天), so that the world knows that our dynasty deeply admires Chinese culture, is of the same lineage as the Han, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties, and is one with all people, regardless of whether they are Manchu or Han.

Manchu officials should understand my heart and not doubt the "system of a foreign race"; Han officials should know my intention and not be wary of the "traces of the previous dynasty"—rites and rites are public instruments of the world; legitimacy is the direction to which the people's hearts turn.

From this day forward, the Hall of Supreme Harmony will be renamed the Hall of Offering to Heaven, the Hall of Central Harmony will be renamed the Hall of Canopy, and the Hall of Preserving Harmony will be renamed the Hall of Prudence.

The Grand Secretariat, in conjunction with the Ministry of Rites, shall thoroughly examine the ritual system of the late Ming Dynasty and, with reference to the ceremonial procedures of this dynasty, determine the palace furnishings and ritual procedures, ensuring that the name and reality match and that the ritual system is clearly understood. Any official who fails to implement these regulations or raises unwarranted objections shall be punished.

The announcement was made to the whole world so that everyone would know.

October 1st, the fifth year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign.

……

Hong Xiguan held the imperial edict and read it with great interest.

"Tsk tsk, he really is a cultured person."

He flicked the bright yellow silk and smiled at Cao Yin, "Look, I clearly just thought 'protect your mother' sounded bad, but in Lord Xiong's writing, it became 'receiving the Mandate of Heaven, cultivating civil administration, and pacifying the people's hearts.' That's what you call professional!"

This is not just a name change; it's a way of quietly planting a Han Chinese flag in this palace filled with the stench of mutton.

Cao Yin gave a wry smile.

Looking at the words "By the Mandate of Heaven" on the imperial edict, he vaguely sensed that this young emperor was playing a grand game that no one could understand.

But on this chessboard, the number of Han Chinese pieces seems to be quietly increasing.

......

Cining Palace.

The atmosphere here is much more oppressive than in the Qianqing Palace.

Amidst the swirling sandalwood incense, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang closed her eyes to rest, turning a string of Buddhist prayer beads in her hand.

"Grandson greets His Majesty the Empress."

Hong Xiguan entered the main hall and bowed respectfully.

Although he is now in power, this old lady is still the biggest boss in this palace, and the show he has to put on still has to continue.

Upon hearing the words "Grandmother Empress," Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang opened her eyes, her brows furrowing slightly, her eyes revealing displeasure.

"Still calling her Empress Dowager?"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's voice was calm, yet carried an imposing aura: "Aobai is dead, and that short-lived Tongjia woman is gone too. There are no outsiders in this palace now."

Hong Xiguan was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening.

This is a showdown.

In that unspeakable secret, he and the woman before him were not grandfather and grandson at all, but mother and son. He was Hong Chengchou's child, an illegitimate son born to Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang in order to win over Han officials and consolidate her power.

"Is that... calling her Mother Empress?" Hong Xiguan asked tentatively.

"Hmm." Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's expression softened somewhat, and she gestured to the chair beside her. "Sit down."

The word "Mother" filled Hong Xiguan's heart with mixed emotions.

But he had to call him that, because that one address was tantamount to acknowledging his Han Chinese ancestry and the abnormal yet solid political alliance between them.

"I heard you were wearing a Ming dynasty dragon robe in the Southern Study just now?"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang asked, seemingly casually, "Should we change the names of the three main halls back?"

Hong Xiguan was startled. This old lady's network of information was truly all-pervasive. He would have to clean up the inner court properly later!

Yes, that's true.

Hong Xiguan didn't hide anything. Instead, he leaned back in his chair, something he would never have dared to do before: "Mother, since you've asked me to call you 'Mom,' let's speak frankly."

He pointed to his shiny bald head: "I wear that dragon robe because I think that's what a human being should wear. I don't like these horseshoe cuffs, I don't like this pig tail, and I especially dislike the servility of all the officials in the court who keep calling each other 'slave' and 'master'."

"I am of Han descent, and I want to be a Han emperor."

If outsiders heard this, it would be enough to cause a huge uproar.

But Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang listened quietly, without getting angry or shocked. She looked at her young and impetuous son with a complicated expression.

"You want to be the emperor of the Han people?"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sneered, stood up, walked to the window, and pointed to the layers of palaces outside: "Wake up! You are sitting on the dragon throne of the Qing Dynasty. The Eight Banners cavalry, the officials of the Six Ministries, and most of the troops in the country are still in the hands of the Manchus."

"You think you can do whatever you want just because you killed Ao Bai?"

"Your little tricks of changing names will be tolerated by the Manchu nobles, but if you dare to challenge their very foundation, if you dare to say you are Han Chinese, believe me, the Forbidden City will have a different master tomorrow?"

Hong Xiguan remained silent.

He knew that Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was right; it was a huge kidnapping, and he was bound to the surname "Aisin Gioro".

"I really dislike those savages from beyond the Great Wall."

Hong Xiguan curled his lip, looking disgusted: "They don't bathe, they all smell like sheep, they're uncivilized. Talking to them makes me feel like my IQ is being lowered."

Hearing her son's racist remarks, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was both amused and exasperated, as she deeply resonated with his sentiments.

"Then you'll have to endure it even more!"

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang returned and said earnestly, "If you want to tame these 'savages,' you must be more like their master than they are. Now that Aobai has just died, people's hearts are unsettled. Although the Upper Three Banners are under your control, the princes of the Lower Five Banners are all feeling uneasy."

"You have to appease them, you have to use them."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang patted Hong Xiguan's hand, her eyes turning deep. "Don't rush the blood transfusion. The blood must be drained slowly. If it's drained too quickly, the person will fight to the death."

Hong Xiguan looked at the most powerful woman in Manchuria and nodded.

"Okay, whatever you say."

He stood up and straightened his Manchu attire: "When I have time, I will summon the banner chiefs of the Lower Five Banners, give them some candy, and listen to their headache-inducing Manchu language."

As he reached the door, Hong Xiguan suddenly stopped, turned back, and smiled. "However, Mother, I've decided to change the names of these three main halls. We should at least leave some human touch in this palace."

Watching Hong Xiguan's departing figure, Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang sighed and closed her eyes again.

This child is far more ambitious than his brother (Shunzhi), who only knows how to talk about love, and his father (Hong Chengchou), who only knows how to kowtow!