Make a quick and flat move

"Congratulations." The voices of her sister-in-law and younger sisters made the eldest princess a little dazed. At the gentle reminder of the nanny, she forced herself to calm down and stood up together with the second princess, who also couldn't help smiling, to bow to Shujia to express her gratitude.

Shujia lowered her eyes, putting on a proper smile. "Such a major event doesn't happen often. The Imperial Household Department will soon send people to your place to take measurements for your clothes. They and the Ministry of Rites will also send people to your place to arrange and teach you etiquette. You should all be careful and control your servants. Don't cause trouble."

The two princesses hurriedly put their hands together and received the instructions.

Waving her hand, Shujia said, "Alright, don't be so reserved, everyone, sit down. Zishang, go get the things I picked out yesterday."

Zichang bowed, and with two young palace maids and two young eunuchs, she took orders to go to the storeroom. The princesses knew that this was probably a reward. The third princess rubbed her handkerchief a little uncomfortably, then quickly calmed down and resumed chatting and laughing with her sisters.

Gegentana saw this, her smile growing a little deeper. She had given birth to Hongxi's eldest son, a great achievement. Besides the official reward given to Prince Fu Danxiang—two hundred taels of silver and forty pieces of paper and leather—her greater reward was an even closer relationship with Hongxi.

Just as Shujia's birth of Hongdan had drawn Yinreng closer, Gegentana's position in Hongxi's family had become increasingly secure, and Hongxi would naturally share some of the outside world's affairs with her. Hongxi was in charge of the Ministry of Rites, and when the court wanted to confer titles on princesses, the Ministry of Rites would draft titles for the emperor to select. Therefore, Gegentana had known about the conferment of titles on the eldest and second princesses long beforehand.

Not only did she know that the first and second princesses were about to be canonized, but she also knew they were about to be arranged to marry, though the betrothals hadn't yet been decided. She also knew that the third princess had no role to play in this canonization. The little girl was a bit self-centered. Gegentana thought to herself, "What are you so anxious about? Do you think being canonized is a good thing?" In this dynasty, canonization was always followed by arranged marriages. Princesses who could stay in the capital were rare; most were destined to marry far away.

Thinking of her original marriage, she thought of her deceased mother. If she were to be assigned a son-in-law as unreliable as her father, she would be worried sick. A son shouldn't blame his father, and neither should a daughter. It was the third son-in-law who was truly unreliable and had been arrested and put in solitary confinement. Although Gegentana couldn't say it, she felt more distressed for her mother.

Just as she was thinking about it, Zichang had already returned, and the palace maids and eunuchs behind her were holding bags full of gifts. Gegentana smiled and said, "Mother is so kind and generous. She is always so generous. I am jealous of her."

The fourth princess laughed and said, "Sister-in-law also said that mother gave you gifts all day long. We are really jealous!" She pouted at Shujia and said, "Mother treats sister-in-law better than her own daughter. We don't agree with that."

Shujia also laughed and said, "You are so sharp-tongued. Which of you doesn't hurt me?"

Wu Yunzhu touched her head and said, "Mother, mother loves me the most."

Shujia smiled and said, "That's right."

"Mother, since you love me so much, can I keep my head?"

Huh! Everyone burst into laughter.

Little Wu Yunzhu's biggest concern was her hair. Many people told her, "It's Manchu custom for little girls to grow their hair out until they're a little older. Your sisters have long hair only because they're older. They had their hair shaved like this when they were your age. Don't your cousins ​​have their heads shaved, too?"

Wu Yunzhu was still unhappy: "I'm not a child anymore."

Oh, here’s the crux of the matter. Every child has a dream of growing up.

This time Shujia finally agreed: "Okay, let's start growing our hair tomorrow." Being bald wasn't a big deal; the idea was there. Shujia was quite democratic on this point. She had previously disagreed, partly because it was a matter of custom and partly to tease her daughter. She really had a bad taste.

Wu Yunzhu was still trying to argue, but her mother unexpectedly agreed. After a pause, she began to cheer: "Mother is so kind!"

Everyone couldn't help but smile again.

When Shujia stopped laughing, everyone below immediately stopped talking, and Wu Yunzhu sat down again obediently.

Shujia rewarded them with two sets of jewelry and palace satin of similar weight: "The Imperial Household Department will buy your crowns and clothes, and these are just for your makeup. You are all grown-up girls, so dress up well. I am happy to see you dress up beautifully."

The two newly promoted princesses stood up to thank the reward. Then they saw the queen pointing at Gegentana and saying, "Your sister-in-law has been coveting these things for a long time. I will now assign a family name to each of you three. Your titles will be chosen by the Ministry of Rites..."

Before she could finish her words, the Third Princess burst out laughing: "If you want a name you like, go for it, ahem."

The girls laughed again.

Afterwards, Shujia said, "It's almost New Year's Eve, and I've been so busy these days. Today, after smiling, I feel a lot more relaxed. The eldest and second girls, go back and clean up the room. You three," she glanced at the three little girls, "go back and study. The second daughter-in-law, go back and take good care of the children. Then, everyone, go home."

Gegentana and the other princesses stood up and left.

Shujia finally put on a stoic expression. Seeing her like this, Hongxiu waved her hand downwards. The palace maids and eunuchs all knew that it was best to be gentle today.

Shujia was indeed a little irritable, and this irritability was caused by what Yinreng said yesterday.

After more than ten years of marriage, the two had a tacit understanding, and Yinreng was extremely confident in handing over a series of matters related to the harem and family to Shujia. He trusted her ability and her position. As she was his first wife, Yinreng did not take care of his children's marriages himself like Kangxi did.

Yesterday, he came in looking unhappy. He washed his face, changed his clothes, sat down and picked up the teacup. After taking two sips, Yinreng said straight to the point: "The eldest and second girls are old enough, and I have served them well. It's time to arrange marriages for them."

Shujia said, "I was just about to say this. The eldest daughter is already twenty years old, and it's just the beginning of the late emperor's death. It's absolutely unreasonable for a father to arrange his daughter's marriage before he has already paid his respects. Now that he has paid his respects, it's time to do it. But things are so busy before the New Year. If I get involved, the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites will be completely swamped."

"Tomorrow we'll have the Ministry of Rites come up with a title. The enthronement ceremony will have to be held next year. You might as well pass this message along."

Shujia smiled and said, "That's right. If one family has a daughter, hundreds of families will want her, let alone a daughter of the emperor."

Yinreng smiled awkwardly: "My daughter doesn't need to beg, she will rush to point it out."

"What?" Shujia was surprised. She had no idea that there were any unusual movements in Junggar, so she asked, "Who among the Eight Banners wouldn't be proud of Princess Deshang?"

What she said was the truth. The Qing Dynasty's imperial sons-in-law were fortunate, far happier than their consorts in previous dynasties. Every dynasty was wary of foreign relatives, and the emperor's sons-in-law were idle. If you have talent and the royal family has taken a liking to you, congratulations! Your career in this life is over. Despite your literary and military prowess, you'll eventually die as a consort to the imperial court. Of course, consorts like Wang Dun are a different matter.

Yinreng sighed deeply, as if to let out all the anger in his chest, and then said, "Zungar is restless again!"

"Ah? Wasn't Galdan already destroyed? His two children are now in the capital."

"Galdan seized the Khanate in the first place. Does Dzungar have a legitimate ruler? His nephew, Tsewang Arabtan, has been making a series of missteps since he pacified Galdan. He hasn't made any major mistakes, but he's constantly making small ones. I think he's getting increasingly impatient. It's time to...accumulate small mistakes and let them grow into something bigger."

"!" Shujia was quite shocked. She knew the Dzungar Basin was in Xinjiang. She knew the rebellion of the two Khojas during the Qianlong Emperor's reign was also suppressed in Xinjiang, but the two Khojas, just by their names, were Muslims. Galdan's lineage was Mongolian, and if they believed in anything, it would be Tibetan Buddhism. It was clear that after Galdan's destruction, it wasn't the Mongols who were the cause of trouble.

"They're fighting among themselves like black-eyed chickens, but if one of them gains power, they'll definitely be my enemy," Yinreng said angrily. "Tsewang Arabtan is gaining strength and won't be honest. We have to be on guard. We have to be on guard. I intend to send the two princesses to Mongolia."

"..."The greatest use of our princess's marriage is to appease Mongolia, right?

"Next year's big selection..."

Shujia couldn't help but prick up her ears.

"Look out for some Mongolian women, either to be Hongdan's concubines or to be his bridesmaids."

Huh? I was thinking, at least within the range of options, I'd let the child agree on his own, and you're forcing a sale? Shujia sighed helplessly, "Okay. It's just a pity, I also had my eye on Fu Erdan's daughter and wanted to give her to Hongtong."

Yinreng said, "It has come to this, I have no choice but to endure it." His eyes turned somewhat resentful. Tsewang Arabtan had disrupted his reform plan and forced him to adjust his children's marriages. This grudge was really intense! Although the marriages of royal children were always politically determined, voluntarily marrying someone and being forced to marry a daughter were two different things.

Under the emperor's personal supervision, the Ministry of Rites achieved unprecedented efficiency. On the third day, they handed over a list of proposed titles. Yinreng looked through them and found that the title for the eldest princess was "Princess Heshuo Duansu," while the second princess was given "Princess Heshuo Gonghe."

Shujia had been joking when she had asked the two princesses to give gifts to Gegentana, and no one had taken it seriously. The decision still lay with Yinreng. When they saw the title, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment. It seemed more like a comment on their father than a title for the two princesses, leaving Shujia feeling both amused and annoyed.

————————————————————————————————————————

Although the two princesses hadn't been formally enthroned, their titles had been confirmed, essentially setting them in stone. Uninformed individuals within the court and the public speculated: Which of these two individuals would triumph this time? The Mongol kings also began to make their own calculations. Marrying the emperor's daughters was a sure-win deal. Just look at the third prince consort; if he hadn't been the emperor's son-in-law... he would have been dead eight hundred years ago.

This year's court ceremony was marked by the exceptional eagerness of the Mongol tribes, who arrived early in the morning, lavished themselves with gifts, and flattered the emperor profusely. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager and the Empress both received gifts for various reasons, the purpose of which was self-evident.

However, for the powerful people in the Beijing Banner, the princess's marriage was too vague. They were still focusing on next year's grand selection and the weddings of the emperor's two younger brothers.

Given the emperor's deep affection for his younger brothers, no one could ignore the two former princes who had yet to be granted titles. Yunlu was the more popular of the two. Concubine Mi repeatedly told Yunyu, "I used to feel bad for your brother's arranged marriage, as it wasn't as good as yours with the Seventeenth Prince. Now, it seems that peace is the best thing about the marriage."

Yunli’s father-in-law is Alinga. He has been stripped bare now and no one likes him. It is very difficult for him.

Yunyu smiled and said, "Mother is right. Please sit down and wait until my sixteenth brother gets married. We will then open a residence. You can stay between our two brothers' homes, amuse your grandson, and educate your granddaughter."

"Now that you mention it, I can't wait any longer."

Concubine Mi didn't have to wait too long. From the engagement to the wedding, although not everything was completed before the wedding, on the second day of the first lunar month, Concubine Mi had two daughters-in-law to support her.

The younger daughter-in-law, Guo Luoluo, was still young, but had a very good attitude. The older daughter-in-law also acted like an elder sister-in-law, giving advice where it was needed and even taking the younger sister-in-law to meet her natal sister. This allowed Guo Luoluo to quickly integrate into palace life, and the sisters-in-law got along quite well.

Shuhui was no stranger to such guidance, and not only did it come easily, she also had a trick up her sleeve. Since the autumn, she and Shuyi had been tasked with mentoring their nieces. "Marrying well" wasn't enough; "living well" was essential to a fulfilling life—this was Shujia's motto. Since she couldn't spare the time herself, she tasked her younger sisters with the task. With her experience mentoring her nieces, Shuhui was perfectly attuned to her younger siblings.

Concubine Mi was very pleased.

In return for the favor, when the Queen's adopted daughters were arranged to marry, Concubine Mi's gifts were very generous, which made Shuhui repeatedly advise her: "Mother, you are so generous now, but when they get married, what will you give them as rewards?"

"Congratulations, Master, Congratulations, Master." Seventh Lady's words had a slightly sour tone. Her expression was considered good, but nearby, Concubine Yunyou, Concubine Liu Jia, couldn't conceal her mixed emotions.

After the New Year, when the Yunlu brothers got married, the enthronement ceremony for the two princesses was ready.

After handling the marriage of Yunlu brothers, the Imperial Household Department and the Ministry of Rites were able to free up more manpower to preside over the enthronement ceremony, which was quick and efficient.

On the 28th day of the first lunar month, the two princesses were enthroned as scheduled. The eldest princess was betrothed to Alabtan, the eldest son of Prince Oleqitu of the Khorchin tribe, and the second princess was betrothed to Prince Doro of the Khalkha tribe, the Zasak Heshuo Tushetu Khanate.

All the princes' wives came to offer their congratulations. From here, it was clear which was the biological mother and which was the legitimate mother. The biological mothers of the two princesses, both of whom had been granted the title of concubine, also came.

Shujia had no interest in watching their performance, but was secretly worried: How should I choose a wife for Hongtong?!

The queen is very sad and the emperor is very angry!

Knowing that the Dzungars would not give up, Yinreng secretly prepared for war. In addition to his marriage alliance, he placed the responsibility of reorganizing the court in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue.

"What the hell is Gelfin doing?! He can't even handle such a trivial matter!"

Gelfin was Soetu's son. He hadn't held any prominent position during Soetu's reign, which clearly showed his ability. Appointing him as Minister of War was a temporary solution; in peacetime, his title as a relative of the emperor might have been enough. Unfortunately, he encountered the military's preparations for war!

It’s going to cost me my life!

Reorganizing the military was already difficult enough, and the Eight Banners were gradually becoming corrupt, a task beyond his capabilities. Furthermore, Yinreng's demands required not only that the military be reorganized, but also that it be done quietly, which made it even more difficult. Consequently, Gelfin needed someone to advise him, as he was unsure of many things himself.

It is a well-known law that once a secret is known by more than two people, it is no longer a secret.

The secret was almost leaked! This made Yinreng very embarrassed.

"There is not a single one that works well!" Yinreng muttered angrily and busied himself with trying to remedy the situation.

Since war was inevitable, it was necessary not only to organize the troops but also to have generals. He pondered for a moment, then issued orders that Yunxiang and Nersu be transferred to the Ministry of War. Shi Wensheng was transferred to the Ministry of War as Minister of War, Geerfen retired, and the command of the infantry was given to Soetu's other son, Aljishan.

Although Arjishan, like his brother Gelfin, had both remained largely unnoticed during their father's reign, the emperor's most basic requirement for an infantry commander was that he be trusted. Whether he was the right man or not, he was the one.

Yinreng sighed. If Aljishan was not able to do it, then he would have to support the Sony family.

—————————————————————————————————————————

Shi Wensheng had served as a governor and governor-general, and was very skilled in general affairs. He had also organized small-scale crackdowns within his jurisdiction and was not completely unfamiliar with the affairs of the Ministry of War. He got the hang of it quickly.

Within two days, he came to report: "Zhao Shenqiao had previously made a report. Now the problem of falsely claiming food and wages in the army is a serious disaster." In layman's terms, the proportion of people who are drawing salaries without working and using the second dimension to pretend to be the third dimension is very high.

Yinreng said with a fierce look: "Since you know, just do it! Otherwise, what's the point of having you?"

Shi Wensheng thought to himself, "Don't I have to report this to you? Otherwise, if I offend these ruffians, what will they do to me?" He nodded and asked, "I think the Ministry of Revenue is clearing up deficits. How many soldiers are being liquidated under the guise of the Ministry of War?" He used the excuse of investigating the economic problems of those who were not paid without work to rectify military affairs.

Yinreng nodded in agreement.

Shi Wensheng added, "After such a long period of peace, many of the Eight Banners' archery and horsemanship skills have waned, and they may not be of much use anytime soon. If Tsewang Arabtan suddenly launches an uprising, it would be unacceptable for the Green Camp to seize the initiative." The population of the Eight Banners is accurate, and not a single one can be wrong. The Green Camp is the most prone to unpaid salaries. The fact that unpaid salaries are a major issue itself demonstrates that the Green Camp's role in combat cannot be underestimated. This indirectly proves that the Eight Banners' combat effectiveness is worrying. Emperor, you must find a way to make the Eight Banners shine!

"Are the Fudali brothers all full?"

"Yes." Shi Wensheng held his breath for a moment and answered very briefly.

"Tell Qingde to the Outer Firearms Battalion! Summon Dai Zi!" Yinreng's expression was terrifying. He didn't want to be like his father, who had to fight three times in a row, lasting years, to quell the rebellion. He had much to do internally and couldn't afford to delay. The country he inherited wasn't as well-established as it had been when his father personally led the campaign, so every penny saved was a penny earned. Yet, he knew this was a formidable enemy, one not to be taken lightly.

In order to achieve a quick, flat, and powerful attack, in addition to adequate preparation, one must also rely on certain technological advantages. The cannons made by Dai Zi had already been instrumental during Emperor Kangxi's personal campaigns, and now that they were in his possession, there was no reason not to use them.

The Outer Firearms Battalion, stationed outside Beijing, earned its name. Composed entirely of bannermen, they were forbidden from entering the city, preserving their pristine character and keeping their simple, brave, and skilled swordsmen from the ravages of prosperity.

An expert can tell whether something is good or not with just one look.

Yinreng had never fought in battle, but since Kangxi personally led the army and was in charge of the rear, he naturally attached great importance to war preparations. In this respect, he also grasped the key point: war is a contest of comprehensive strength.

Shi Wensheng finally let out the breath he had been holding when he emerged from the Palace of Heavenly Purity. He was old, and it was time for him to step down. He should have resigned when Yinreng asked him to be the commander of the infantry. However, for the sake of the family's overall interests, he had to hold on a little longer, until his nephews had finished their mourning. Only then would he consider his mission complete.

Now that's good, Shi Wensheng thought, he will be able to submit his resignation again after a while.

When he returned to the Ministry of War, he saw his men gathered in twos and threes, discussing things. Shi Wensheng frowned. He recognized that all the scribes and doctors gathered together were Manchus, not Han Chinese.

After coughing, Shi Wensheng asked the reason.

If it were any other time, everyone would have said, "Your Excellency, we were just wondering when you would return from your visit to the Emperor, and what a coincidence that you've arrived."

This time, everyone had a smile on their face: "Sir, the servants are saying that the master is really..." and gave a thumbs up.

Shi Wensheng was a little annoyed: "My master is not someone an outsider can speak casually about."

Everyone sensed something was amiss, and one clever person quickly explained, "You forgot, sir, today is the day for the big pick-up. At this time of year in previous years, we'd all be having fun trying to see which family would get the first spot. Honestly, we'd even make a little bet."

Shi Wensheng knew this, and every time this happened, the men in the families that showed more ability would push their daughters' cars to the front. Some would even get bruised and bruised from pushing each other, and many onlookers would enjoy watching.

He raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

“This year is going to be incredible!”

Attention.

"At this time of year in previous years," he pointed at the sun, "no one would come out. This year—everyone is already inside, and everything outside is so orderly!"

Shujia's method is the sorting method. I've sorted your order for you, so you don't have to mess around. If you violate the rules, your daughter will be sent back immediately!

This governance is truly orderly.

Inside and outside the palace, there were many people biting their fingers and sighing: An expert can tell whether something is good or not with just one look.

"I've always known her for her meticulous approach, but I never thought she'd be so resourceful. Tsk tsk." Jiu Ye shook his head, commenting on his second sister-in-law in a less-than-respectful tone, yet couldn't help but sigh, 'Well done!' This woman wasn't easy to mess with, and he was wise not to take advantage of her family!

Jiu Ye forgot that his second sister-in-law did the same thing three years ago, but people were in panic at that time and not many people paid attention to it.

The author has something to say: Ten minutes before leaving get off work, my index finger was cut TT