The former/late Emperor, father of Kangxi and Prince Gong. He had passed away, and the Grand Empress Dowager reflected that if he had still been alive, the Empress Dowager would long ago have been manipulated and cast aside by more cunning and ambitious women in his harem. It was well known that his relationship with the Empress Dowager had never been particularly close or affectionate. The Grand Empress Dowager considered her own protection and support to have been essential to her niece's survival in the palace.
