In the cool breeze of the Summer Palace, Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly saw a child playing among the grass and asked Li Lianying, 'Whose child is this?' Li Lianying bowed and replied, 'Your Majesty, everyone calls him Little Rabbit Prince; his origins are unknown.
When the child saw Empress Dowager Cixi, he immediately stopped playing, knelt down, and paid his respects with a clear, bright voice. Empress Dowager Cixi said nothing, turned around, and walked away. Li Lianying followed closely behind, his expression tinged with a mix of nervousness and hope. Though he was the chief eunuch, wielding immense power, even the Grand Councilors respected him, and he had served Empress Dowager Cixi since the Xianfeng era, having witnessed the era of regency, the western retreat, and return to Beijing. He was now her most trusted confidant, yet he could not escape the fate of eunuchs—childless. This Little Rabbit Prince had been carefully arranged by Li Lianying long ago: an orphan from a circus troupe, brought into the palace and meticulously trained in etiquette and court manners. Only because the boy was intelligent, quick-witted, and knew how to behave appropriately did Li Lianying dare to present him before Empress Dowager Cixi.
Empress Dowager Cixi saw through it all. She had lost her own child early in life and naturally felt sympathy for children. Seeing Li Lianying’s declining health in recent years, she understood he longed for someone to care for him in his old age. She had never forgotten his loyalty and kindness—his constant care during the western retreat, his devoted attention during illness, all etched deeply in her heart.
The real turning point came during one of Empress Dowager Cixi’s nighttime illnesses. The boy volunteered to stay by her side through the night, silently guarding her, serving tea and water with perfect propriety. In her delirium, Cixi remembered the boy’s calm and measured demeanor. From then on, the boy frequently entered her private chambers, running errands, providing companionship, even learning to read aloud for her. When Prince Qing came to discuss affairs, he saw the boy explaining illustrated books at Empress Dowager Cixi’s feet. She quietly remarked, 'Though young, his mind is as delicate as a hair,' sealing his position.
Later, two months before Empress Dowager Cixi’s death, Li Lianying fell gravely ill. The boy attended to him daily. When Cixi saw Li Lianying in his final days, she said only, 'Don’t worry, someone will take your place.' This nameless boy from a circus troupe, through Li Lianying’s careful planning and his own intelligence, became the one who could stand in for Li Lianying—becoming a secret legacy within the imperial court, a quiet testament to trust and devotion.