After discussing with the Grand Councilors, Hongli issued an edict ordering Grand Secretary Chalanga and others to go to Fengtian to survey the terrain and begin implementing the policy of distributing the Eight Banners troops to the border to strive for self-sufficiency and minimize the expenditure of public funds.

In addition, Minister of War Eshan was found guilty of accepting a thousand taels of bribes, and Kalchin was found guilty of bribing students; both were executed by order of Emperor Hongli!

Not only are the officials in the court a source of worry, but even the minting craftsmen at the Ministry of Revenue's Baoquan Bureau are on strike because the Ministry of Revenue is underpaying them this year, by four taels less per month. The craftsmen went on strike in a fit of anger.

When the supervisor of the Baoquan Bureau saw that the situation was not right, he decided to pay the wages at the original price so that they could start work as soon as possible. However, the sand-turning workers thought that the higher-ups were afraid of them, so they threatened to strike and demanded that the Baoquan Bureau pay them more. They also instigated others to cause trouble.

Upon hearing the news, Emperor Hongli was furious and ordered the Minister of War and the Commander of the Nine Gates, Shuhede, to secretly investigate the ringleaders and demand that they be executed alive as a warning to others!

National affairs, border defense, and many other matters await his attention every day. This is the fate of an emperor. He cannot complain; he can only do his best to handle every political matter well.

Fortunately, he still had Yushan and the children. As soon as he arrived at Jingren Palace and saw the mother and children, Hongli's tense nerves could finally relax.

The peaceful days continued until the end of the year, when the ministers became restless and petitioned to bring the Empress Dowager back to the palace for the New Year.

Hongzhou knew that his elder brother had a conflict with the Empress Dowager, and he certainly did not want to go to Changchun Garden to fetch the Empress Dowager. Therefore, he took the initiative to ask for permission to go and invite the Empress Dowager on behalf of his elder brother.

I still remember the last time the Empress Dowager went to Changchun Garden, it was Hongzhou who went to fetch her. However, this time, Hongli refused to compromise and rejected the Fifth Prince's request.