Chapter 133 Saying Goodbye to Old Kang: With Suo'etu's funeral completed, the New Year was fast approaching. Yu Lang was in charge of all the arrangements…
After Suo'etu's funeral was completed, the New Year was just around the corner.
After Yu Lang took charge of handling Suo'etu's funeral, apart from a few minor details that could be nitpicked, no one could find fault with him.
Once the funeral was over, Yuqing Palace showered down a multitude of gifts. Among them, the most eye-catching were dozens of pots of peonies and azaleas grown in the greenhouse. These were carefully cultivated by the palace gardeners, specifically for delivery to various parts of the palace during the winter, or for use as decorations during the New Year.
Because growing these flowers in winter is extremely expensive, they have always been rare commodities. Normally, it would be quite a big deal for an official to be rewarded with one or two pots, so the fact that Yu Lang rewarded so many at once truly dazzled everyone.
Two days later, Yu Lang was promoted to Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, in charge of the granaries in the capital and Tongzhou, and in charge of the Qingli Division in the southeast, southwest and other places.
The Crown Prince even transferred the river works, which were originally under the jurisdiction of the Minister, to Yu Lang, clearly telling everyone that from now on Yu Lang would be his money bag and the leader of the Empress Yuan's branch of relatives.
After the transfer order was issued, almost no one in the court was surprised. After all, the position of Right Vice Minister had been vacant for some time. Previously, the Crown Prince wanted to transfer Yu Lang to the Ministry of Personnel, but His Majesty stopped him. Now that he was to be the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, His Majesty had no choice but to give way to the Crown Prince.
As a result, the already bustling Hesheri family became even more lively.
This mansion was originally built when Shuai Yanbao was the Minister of Works. Now, after so many years of ups and downs across three generations, Yu Lang has finally risen to the position of Vice Minister of Revenue.
Inside and outside the capital, everyone referred to the Hesheli family as the residence of Minister Yu. No one felt that the Hesheli family was getting worse with each generation. Everyone said that Yu Lang had surpassed his predecessors, and the Hesheli family would have at least a few more decades of glory.
If we're talking about a blazing fire and blooming flowers, this is the perfect time to describe it. This time, neither Yu Lang nor Shen Wanqing could keep a low profile. Not only could they not keep a low profile, but they also went to the palace to express their gratitude. Afterwards, they took home a huge pile of rewards from the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, almost like they were buying them wholesale.
The Crown Prince needs his maternal clan to stand firmly in the court, and Yu Lang is now that banner. Or rather, the Crown Prince and Yu Lang have been sharing the same fate from the very beginning. During the years when the Crown Prince kept a low profile, Yu Lang dutifully performed his duties, never standing out or causing trouble.
As the Crown Prince gradually gained more control over the court, Yu Lang naturally had to adopt the demeanor of a powerful minister or even a favored minister in order to make outsiders and the common people feel that the position of the Crown Prince was definitely very stable.
"Where is Grandma?"
"Over in the small courtyard, Grandma said that tomorrow, New Year's Eve, will definitely be busy, so take advantage of the time to rest more."
"How many posts are left today? Let me see them."
"Grandma said these posts will be dealt with after the New Year, and she won't bother with them today."
On the 20th day of the twelfth lunar month, according to custom, the emperor should bestow blessings and seal the brush at the Qianqing Palace, giving the newly written "Fu" character to officials and relatives who have done well in their work this year. Then, after holding the sealing ceremony, all government offices can follow suit and prepare for the New Year.
However, His Majesty's health has been poor this year, especially after learning of Songgotu's death, he fell ill again. Since the winter month, he has had difficulty even getting out of bed and taking a step, let alone personally putting down his pen.
This task naturally had to be done by the Crown Prince. He was responsible for sending blessings and sealing the brush. Those who had always stood firmly on His Majesty's side and insisted that all matters, big and small, be decided by the Emperor also softened their stance.
Now, His Majesty is in poor health and ineffective, the Crown Prince is not seizing power, and the court officials who are loyal to His Majesty have endured for several months. This is enough in terms of both sentiment and reason.
Now that the Crown Prince has taken the Emperor's place in bestowing blessings, it has become the perfect stepping stone. Everyone has gradually changed their ways, whether quickly or slowly. Yu Lang has become the key to getting into the Crown Prince's household, and the area around his home is bustling like a market.
"Get as many as you can. Does she think no one will send invitations after the New Year?"
"Yes, this servant will go right away."
The baskets for collecting visiting cards were placed next to the gatehouse. There were three types of people who delivered visiting cards. One type was collected by the gatehouse and brought in directly for Shen Wanqing to see. Another type was collected in the gatehouse and given to Shen Wanqing to process every two days. The third type was placed in a large basket outside the gate, and they would decide what to do with it when it was full.
Yu Lang was looking at the second type of letter. These letters were from people who had little contact with the mansion, or from officials who served in the same court but did not have much interaction with him, or from local officials and wealthy merchants who came to the capital at the end of the year to report on their duties and to build relationships.
Don't worry about the ones inside. Just put the invitations aside and have Qiuwen copy down the names of the families who sent them. If they come back with the booklet next time, you can compare them and understand what they really mean by coming to your door.
Some things need to be managed; first, send back the reply and return gift promptly. After a while, when the two families have more exchanges through the letters, either Shen Wanqing will pay a visit or she will host a snack, tea party, or dinner party at her home, inviting people to the mansion for a meal and a performance. Naturally, this friendship will be established.
Yu Lang spent the entire afternoon in his study sorting through a basket of visiting cards. Tomorrow was New Year's Eve, and he didn't want to leave this matter for Shen Wanqing to handle next year. It was too boring to leave this year's work for next year.
As the sun set, Yu Lang walked into the courtyard with a small stack of visiting cards in his hand.
Shen Wanqing didn't stay with her, but instead had her pillow and blankets taken to Yulang's sunny room to sleep.
Yi'an and Sui Ning were both absent, and the entire courtyard was so quiet that it didn't feel like the New Year was just around the corner. The first thing Yu Lang saw when he pushed open the door was Shen Wanqing on the warm couch, peeking out from under the covers and smiling at him.
"Why are you asleep? Have you been too tired lately?"
"Fortunately, Fangyi is back, so it's not too tiring with her helping me with the New Year arrangements."
Someone had already tipped off Shen Wanqing, telling her that Yulang was helping them with chores in the east courtyard. She had originally intended to get up and go check on him, but for some reason, she just felt too lazy to move.
Shen Wanqing would never have done this in the past. She liked Yu Lang, but she was determined to defend her rights in this world, which was her bottom line that she never gave up.
The specific manifestation of this thread is the rule she set with Yulang when she first came into this world: I make the decisions when it comes to family matters.
But as she watched Yu Lang and the little eunuch deliver the memorials to the Qianqing Palace, obediently handing over the neatly arranged visiting cards to her, even pointing out which one belonged to which family, Shen Wanqing suddenly became a little impatient.
He grabbed the stack of visiting cards and tossed them aside. With his other hand, he grabbed Lord Yu's collar and pulled him slightly. The two of them rolled around in a ball, making the last, most exhilarating lovemaking of the year as the sun set.
Even after a long time, Yulang still found it funny when he thought about it. It was almost dark, and he did nothing but hide in the courtyard and make a shameless scene.
It wasn't until Sui Ning started whining and crying for her mother that Yi An, carrying his little sister, came to the small courtyard. Only then did the two of them hurriedly get up from the warm couch, pushing and urging each other.
Once the year of the 42nd year of Kangxi's reign was over, time seemed to be accelerated. The end of an era came quietly, and by the time most people realized it, it was already time for the horse to break free and gallop forward.
In the 45th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, Mingzhu's son, Nalan Kuixu, passed away. After Nalan Kuixu was dismissed from his post, Mingzhu's family quickly fell into seclusion. Compared to Suo'etu, who still fantasized about finding a way out for his family, Mingzhu was more patient, and Nalan Kuixu never caused any further trouble until his death.
After seeing her son off, Mingzhu, who was too old to leave the mansion, sent a memorial to the emperor through a messenger, wanting to take her clan back to her hometown of Shengjing.
When this memorial was submitted, it is said that even the Emperor, who hadn't appeared in public for a long time, wept. The reason for his tears is unknown, but he summoned the Crown Prince to the Qianqing Palace that very day. It is also said that the father and son, reminiscing about the past, embraced and wept bitterly, but the exact nature of their weeping remains a mystery to outsiders.
However, a month later, Mingzhu left the capital with his entire family. This time, Nalan Kuixu's son, Yongshou, obtained the position of a military officer in Shengjing. The path that Suo'etu had sought for his descendants was finally realized by Mingzhu's family.
Yu Lang didn't have time to deal with those things. The plan to return the fire tax to the public treasury, which was discussed by the Crown Prince, Yu Lang, the Fourth Prince, and others, had already begun to be piloted. Yu Lang was busy managing the Ministry of Revenue and was always running around like crazy.
In Shen Wanqing's words, these three years were comparable to the previous thirteen years; Yulang had grown white hair in just one year.
The Ministry of Personnel, which Yu Lang had not been able to attend, was now taken over by the Fourth Prince. Kangxi no longer objected to this, but instead summoned the Fourth Prince to the Qianqing Palace for a detailed explanation.
Firstly, it serves as a warning to the Crown Prince that even if he wants to eradicate corruption, he must remember not to go too far with his methods, lest they backfire. Secondly, it serves as a warning to the Crown Prince about the possibility of corruption.
Even if you are already the crown prince who effectively controls the court, I can still promote other sons. If you want to implement your own ideas, you should take it slow and be more cautious. It's not too late for you to make sweeping changes when I'm really dead.
Over the past few years, the Crown Prince and Yulang had become accustomed to this kind of reprimand. Every few days, Kangxi would summon Yulang to the Qianqing Palace. Sometimes he would inquire about the Ministry of Revenue's situation, and sometimes he would have Liang Jiugong set up a chessboard and ask Yulang to play chess with him.
At first, Yu Lang really didn't understand why, with so many civil and military officials, princes, beile, and erhu, he would choose someone like himself who was a die-hard loyalist to the crown prince from beginning to end and was also a complete idiot at chess.
You get used to it after a while. Anyway, he can look for me whenever he wants, as long as he doesn't mind that I'm bad at chess.
Until one time when the Tongzhou granary had a temporary problem, the officials of the Ministry of Revenue were unsure of what to do and came to the Qianqing Palace for advice.
When Yu Lang had to put down the chessboard and take his leave, he inadvertently caught a glimpse of Kangxi's somewhat disappointed and bored expression. At that moment, Yu Lang vaguely realized that His Majesty did not really want to keep controlling the Crown Prince forever.
However, as an emperor, a once all-powerful and influential ruler who is now merely a figurehead with no real power, he might be able to see reality clearly and suppress his desires to make the choice that is most beneficial to the country.
Even after making his choice, he couldn't help feeling lost and wanted to do something more. It's like how many leaders who have retired from the front lines still like to offer advice; the nourishment of power is too tempting, and it's hard for anyone to be so open-minded as to let go so easily.
The reason why Kangxi chose Yulang might be that he felt that among so many people around the Crown Prince, only Yulang could understand this meaning and then convey it to the Crown Prince.
Later, Yulang found an opportunity to tell the Crown Prince about this matter, and not long after, the memorials that were sent to the Qianqing Palace every day were now being delivered by the Crown Prince himself.
Since then, whether it was the Crown Prince, Yu Lang, the Fourth Prince, or the Shi family and other confidants of the Crown Prince, they all felt that things were going a little more smoothly than before when they were on duty.
It was only at this moment that everyone realized how powerful and influential the Emperor truly was. As long as the Crown Prince didn't completely please him, even if he didn't leave the Qianqing Palace for several years, he could still make everyone's work less comfortable.
Yu Lang felt both relieved and fearful. That night, he held Shen Wanqing and whispered to herself, "Luckily, the Crown Prince and the others didn't really intend to do anything. If the Emperor had found out they had harbored any improper thoughts, the outcome would have been uncertain."
The emperor and the crown prince are both trying to soften each other with their 'sincerity', both are trying to maintain a harmonious relationship, and both are waiting for the most dignified and perfect ending.
This time, fate was on Yinreng's side.
In the spring of the forty-seventh year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, news first came from the palace that the Empress Dowager was dying. This time, unlike in the past, there were no rotating caretakers; only the Fifth Prince and his wife remained at the Ning Shou Palace. Six days later, the Empress Dowager passed away, and the Crown Prince and his wife handled the funeral arrangements on behalf of the Emperor.
During the entire period of the mourning period, Kangxi was only carried to the mourning hall once in a sedan chair. Having lost a lot of weight since his stroke, Kangxi looked much older, and most of the officials who hadn't seen the emperor for several years burst into tears upon seeing him.
On the contrary, Kangxi seemed particularly calm. He was helped down from the sedan chair by the Crown Prince and Prince Zhi. Ignoring the numbness and sluggishness on one side of his body, and even his somewhat clumsy movements, he lit an incense stick for his stepmother who had accompanied him for most of his life.
After offering incense, Kangxi seemed to want to say something, but said nothing. He gently shook his head and then had the Crown Prince and Prince Zhi help him back into the sedan chair. The Crown Prince had to stay behind to preside over the funeral rites, while Prince Zhi followed the sedan chair back to the Qianqing Palace.
After the Empress Dowager's funeral, even the ministers were no longer summoned to the Qianqing Palace. Apart from the Crown Prince and a few princes and nobles who went there to pay their respects on a daily basis, even loyal followers of the Emperor like Tong Guowei and Ma Qi could only kowtow to Kangxi from outside the door.
In the autumn of the forty-seventh year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, it was an ordinary morning that Shen Wanqing would later recall.
Yulang was the first to get up, quickly ate breakfast, and went to work at the Ministry of Revenue. Yi'an was still in the palace and hadn't returned. As usual, Suining had been secretly reading storybooks the night before and couldn't get up.
Shen Wanqing was the only one eating beef noodles with milk tea when she heard a heavy, slow bell ringing from the direction of the imperial city.
Everyone knew what the bell meant at this time, since the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue had already started preparing the items needed for the Empress Dowager and the Emperor's funeral last year.
During this period, rumors were circulating in the court that several princes and nobles, as well as the princes who were still bald, would be granted titles and ranks. What else could be the reason for such a promotion at this time?
But Shen Wanqing still couldn't help but feel her heart pounding in her throat. After the bell rang eighty-one times and stopped completely, Shen Wanqing forced herself to stand up, her legs feeling a little weak: "Qiuwen, get ready to change your clothes and go to the palace."
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As I write this, I feel a sense of relief, just like Jiyun.
[Dog head carrying a rose][Dog head carrying a rose][Burning with tears]
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