Chapter 194 Getting off the donkey

With the Khorchin tribe's attitude as the starting point, it was destined that the Mulan Autumn Hunt would make Yinzhen very comfortable and satisfied. After all, the burly men under him were unusually careful not to drink too much, as if they were afraid of becoming like the Prince of Balin before, who, after drinking a little, became arrogant and ended up having his ancestral graves dug up.

After all, the capital is a hundred and eight thousand miles away from the Dzungar Khanate. However, as they are both Mongol tribes, news travels between them much faster. It is no exaggeration to say that the Dzungar Khanate is now known as the "God of Slaughter."

I thought the combination of the former Grand General Wang and General Yue Zhongqi was a winning combination. But who knew that this unknown Wuya Zhaohui was the real "dark horse"?

There's a long-standing rule on the grasslands: when two tribes are at war, children shorter than a cartwheel cannot be killed. This is an established custom. But this young General Zhao Hui... he actually laid the cartwheel flat to compare!

Anyone taller than a cartwheel was to be executed. Who could be shorter than those two pieces of wood? Even a newborn baby lying down was taller than a cartwheel. Every glimmer of hope had to be ruthlessly extinguished. Now, most of the Dzungars had been beaten to the point of surrender, no longer making futile struggles. Only a small minority were still making clearly useless efforts.

Such news sent chills down their spines. They couldn't help but keep it to themselves; who would dare to provoke this god of death at this time?

Although Yinzhen had not yet received the battle report from the front, this was the very idea he had for making this trip to the Mulan Hunting Grounds, and now he had finally gotten his wish.

"Today is a happy day. I'm tired of the songs and dances in the palace every day. The ones on the grassland are really refreshing. Your Highness, you've gone to a lot of trouble."

Yinzhen, seated at the head of the table, relaxed and raised his cup slightly in the direction of the Khorchin prince as a gesture of respect.

Seeing this, he quickly stood up with his cup in hand and said, "I am honored that Your Majesty does not find it offensive. It is an honor for this song and dance to have such a novel and enjoyable experience and to receive a word of praise from Your Majesty."

As he spoke, he raised his cup to the Emperor, then turned slightly to look at the Crown Prince, who was sitting a little higher up opposite him, and raised his cup in acknowledgment, displaying utmost humility.

Whether witnessed firsthand or heard from others, the power of those muskets was such that even those unfamiliar with them knew they were formidable weapons. The grasslands were renowned for their cavalry, their strength and sturdiness being their greatest assets. But now, with this weapon, who, no matter how strong or sturdy, could confidently guarantee they could withstand a single burst of fire?

The real solution is to face reality as soon as possible and lower one's already not-so-noble head.

If you still dare to defy the Emperor now, you might not even have a neck in the future.

Driven by Hongzhao's strategy of adding equipment, the annual Mulan Autumn Hunt, which used to deter the Mongols, has quietly transformed into a contest for how the Mongols can gain face in front of the emperor.

Yinzhen was not a foolish man. He could see through the schemes of these burly "shrewd" men, and he was not so arrogant as to attribute all the credit to himself. Thus, a dramatic scene unfolded.

The Mongol princes were subtly and overtly flattering him in every sentence, and Yinzhen's every three sentences revolved around the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince, however, was only responsible for agreeing with his father and acting as a dutiful son. After all, no one would dare to challenge him to a contest at this point.

Although the battle reports were indeed delivered a little slowly, they eventually reached the Emperor after many twists and turns.

As soon as Hongzhao entered the tent, he saw the messenger bowing and retreating outside the tent. He bowed and skillfully approached his father, the Emperor, and leaned forward to read the report together.

As soon as Hongzhao saw the letter, he knew it was sent by his thirteenth uncle. It seemed that he had successfully helped his fourteenth uncle return to the capital and was now reporting what he had seen and heard.

He quickly skimmed through it; the letter essentially said three things.

First, my fourteenth brother has already been received. He's very obedient and leaves as soon as I call him. He's currently recuperating in the Xun Prince's residence, waiting for my elder brother to return to court so he can hand over military power. Right now, Yue Zhongqi is leading his men to garrison in the Dzungar Khanate awaiting orders, while Zhao Hui is leading the vanguard to clean up the rear.

Secondly, there was the matter of "flattening the wheels." The letter didn't elaborate much on this, probably because Prince Yi wanted to report it in person to prevent the Emperor from believing someone else's words and punishing Zhao Hui. At least he could stop it in person.

Third, in his letter, Uncle Thirteen wrote that it was fortunate that he listened to the Crown Prince's advice and made a decisive decision to send troops. During the Dzungar civil war, Tsarist Russia also wanted to get involved and had even made corresponding arrangements. It was possible that even spies and vanguards had been dispatched. However, we were one step ahead and failed to let them succeed.

This letter is quite long, and even so, it is unlikely to be all that Prince Yi wanted to say.

Yinzhen was not good at archery or horsemanship, nor did he like hunting. Although he could discuss political affairs on the grasslands, it was not as convenient as in the capital. He had already given all the necessary warnings and tests, and this letter had really made him eager to return home.

Hongzhao could naturally see what his father was thinking. He took out a fan and gently fanned him while taking out a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbing his forehead.

“Father, this grassland is supposed to be further north than the capital, and there was a snow disaster the year before last. So why is it so much hotter this summer than in previous years? The heat doesn’t dissipate at all when we get to the grassland.”

Yinzhen looked away from the letter, raised an eyebrow at his son beside him, took the fan from his son's hand, and waved it at the two of them together—"Is You'er unable to stand the heat?"

He has always been afraid of the heat, otherwise he wouldn't have gone to the Yuanmingyuan to escape the summer heat every year before summer even arrived. It seems that Hongzhao is just like him in this respect.

Hongzhao frowned slightly and nodded – “It’s not just your son. Father, you see, these days the Empress Mother hasn’t worn the qipao she prepared long ago. She’s always been wearing her everyday clothes. The weather is so hot that even the horses don’t want to go out. They only ride a couple of laps before wanting to go back. Even Hongjin and Wenyi, who play around all day, need several sets of clothes prepared. They often sweat and look like they’ve lost weight in just a few days.”

Yinzhen naturally knew that Hongzhao was not a child who liked to complain, and that his words today must have been because he had seen through his thoughts. A feeling of comfort washed over him.

"Now that things are settled here, I will inform them to start packing up today. We will set off for the capital in two days. Things will be much better once we get to the palace."