Chapter 61 The Elbow Really Turns Outward: Originally, Yu Lang's plan was to join the firearms battalion himself. Even if he couldn't get a position like wing commander, he was willing to...
Yu Lang originally planned to join the firearms battalion himself. Even if he couldn't get a position like wing commander, he was willing to be transferred or demoted to start as a guard officer.
At the time, he felt that the firearms battalion was a crucial place. As long as he could get in and establish himself, he would have more room to maneuver in the future.
After all, if all one could do was spend money, build connections, and flatter, not only would one be capable of that, but there would be a whole bunch of people like that in the entire Forbidden City. The further back in time one goes, the more people will be around the Crown Prince, and relying solely on the surname Hesheli won't give one a real advantage.
Looking back now, I realize I was too reckless and naive. I was neither close to nor far from the Crown Prince. Even if I hadn't used his influence to get into the Firearms Battalion, my name would probably have ended up on His Majesty's desk as soon as it was reported.
The Crown Prince rarely leaves Yuqing Palace these days, and I have been working at Yuqing Palace for so long that I have never seen him leave the palace even once.
In just over a month, His Majesty was already showering the Crown Prince with the best things in the world, sending them all to Yuqing Palace, and even informing the Crown Prince in advance that the Shi family was coming to the capital.
This is not simply about the Crown Prince currying favor with his father-in-law; His Majesty hopes that the Crown Prince will take the initiative to contact the Shi family and other forces related to them.
Hasn't Songgotu always considered the Crown Prince to be the Hesheli family's heir? Let's see who's closer to the Crown Prince after his wedding, with a Crown Princess and the Shi family involved. To put it bluntly, if the Crown Prince were to ascend the throne one day, the Duke of Cheng'en would be Shi Wenbing, not Songgotu.
Then, they wouldn't even let the Crown Prince attend court sessions in the Qianqing Palace. Not only that, but they also forced him to go to the Imperial Study to manage the other princes. They called it brotherly love and respect, but in reality, it was a way of putting the Crown Prince in a low light.
You were born to Empress Yuan, and I loved Empress Yuan dearly, so you are the Crown Prince. But if I hadn't loved Empress Yuan so much back then, or if I hadn't favored the Hesheli family, you, as the Crown Prince, would be no different from any of the other princes in the Imperial Study.
It's true that thunder and rain are both forms of divine grace, but it can't be raining on the left and thundering on the right, with the sun shining brightly overhead. How can anyone live like that?
If even the Crown Prince is in such a predicament, then I am merely a guard or servant in his presence. I must be even more cautious, walking on thin ice even with a promising future ahead. After all, if something were to happen to the Crown Prince, His Majesty would certainly not kill his own son, but he would undoubtedly kill those around the Crown Prince without mercy.
In this respect, the Crown Prince's plan was more comprehensive.
Yu Lang was originally a Zuo Ling (military officer) under the Bordered Yellow Banner. Su He and Martai were both selected by Yu Lang from among the Zuo Ling to join the Guard Battalion in accordance with regulations. After Yu Lang left the Guard Battalion, he did not take the two of them with him, nor did he let them take over his position as Guard Officer.
At the time, Yu Lang felt somewhat aggrieved, as he hadn't properly settled his people. Now, however, it seems like a lucky break. To outsiders, Su He and Martai have now distanced themselves from Yu Lang.
Two years later, when the firearms battalion is fully established and people are selected from the Upper Three Banners to join the battalion, the personal imprints on these two people will be even fainter, and at least no one will directly connect the two people with themselves.
As for Akdun, he was indeed a cavalry captain under his own command, but there were too many people with similar status in places like the Vanguard Battalion.
If Manchu bannermen serving or having served under the Crown Prince were not selected or had to be stamped with the Crown Prince's seal, it would be hard to say whether the Upper Three Banners could even select an elite firearms battalion.
If we really do that, the selection scope will have to be expanded from the Upper Three Banners (Manchu Banners) to the Mongol Eight Banners and the Han Eight Banners. If we don’t want to use Mongols and Han people, we’ll have to select people from the Lower Five Banners.
In either case, firstly, the commanders of the three banners might not be willing; secondly, it would be better if they were willing, as there are more people who can be used because they are related to the Shen family. Not to mention anything else, just his wife's second cousin, as long as he has this opportunity, there is no reason for him not to go in.
With so many people involved, things get muddy. When the time comes, who can tell who the Emperor's confidant is and who the Crown Prince's confidant is, or who is standing behind him—Songgotu, Mingzhu, or Tong Guowei?
Yu Lang was like the most diligent scholar; while others reflected on themselves three times a day, he would repeatedly ponder the path he had taken and the things he had done during this period. He finally concluded: not very grounded, but quite lucky.
Emerging from Jide Hall, Yulang stood in the sunlight and slowly exhaled. Luck is also part of one's ability—this was something his grandmother had told him one night. He had never heard this before, and while it was novel, he found it extremely interesting.
When asked where she had heard that saying, she said she didn't remember. She also said that luck wasn't enough; one needed even more skill to keep that luck. She said she had figured it out herself, and when she heard this, Yulang hugged his wife and laughed happily, saying that their family had produced a female scholar.
Those words were just casual conversation between the couple at the time, but somehow the conversation drifted to that point, and after only a few words, they moved on to other things, so naturally they forgot about it and never mentioned it again.
Now, recalling it again, Yu Xiaolang clenched his fist inwardly, wishing he could face the sun and cheer himself on. It's a pity Shen Wanqing didn't see him like this; if she had, she would have definitely had it drawn. So, even Yu Xiaolang has this childish, immature side.
Having figured things out, Yu Lang's steps were lighter than usual. Just as he returned to his duty room at Yuqing Palace, he ran into Haha Zhuzi, who was with the Seventh Prince, looking for him.
Because of his act of leaping onto the horse to save the prince, Yu Lang had already heard a whole host of praises for him, whether genuine or feigned. It's human nature to get carried away by good words, but fortunately, Yu Lang managed to suppress his pride by mentioning the firearms battalion to the Crown Prince. Now, seeing the people in front of the Seventh Prince, Yu Lang showed no trace of smugness or arrogance.
"These wound medicines and this jade pendant were given to me by the Seventh Prince. Please accept them, Lord Yu."
"Your humble servant thanks the Seventh Prince for his generous gift."
Haha Zhuzi meant "give," but when it came to Yu Lang, it was a thank you for the reward. Haha Zhuzi, who was in front of Yin You, paused for a moment, and then continued in a low voice.
“Lord Yu, there’s no need to be so polite. My brother didn’t mean anything by it. Yesterday, when he went back, he said he saw that your hand was injured by the reins. He was going to come and see you yesterday, but he got a fever after returning home and couldn’t come.”
This was the first time Yu Lang had ever seen someone so approachable around the Emperor. He didn't know what to say, so he simply nodded and accepted the ointment that Yin You had sent. "Please inform the Seventh Prince that it is my duty as a guard. Your Highness need not worry about it."
As he spoke, he raised his hand, revealing the faint marks on his palm that had mostly faded. "These minor injuries should be invisible in a couple of days. Getting the horse startled isn't a big deal. You were fine even after falling off the horse this time. Next time, when Seventh Prince gets on a horse, the journey should be smooth sailing."
"Then I'll take your kind words, Lord Yu." Haha Zhuzi carefully examined the wound on Yu Lang's palm and left happily only after confirming that it was really nothing serious.
Children who are only a little over ten years old are most afraid of this situation. When they are younger, they are fearless and can get up and climb back onto the horse even if they fall. When they are older, they can still grit their teeth and climb on even if they are scared, because they know that if they don't turn back now, the more they think about it, the more scared they will become, and they will be even less willing to touch horses in the future.
In Yulang's opinion, the Seventh Prince learned to ride a horse too late. If he had been four or five years old, a servant could have simply thrown him onto a horse, and he would have learned in just a few days.
Forget about leg ailments; several men under his command have leg problems, but none of them are afraid of riding horses because of it. So, in this matter, Yulang actually agrees with what the First Prince said yesterday: What's there to be afraid of! You won't die from a fall! Even if you did die, there's nothing to be afraid of.
However, Yu Lang wouldn't say such things, and it wasn't his place to interfere in the Seventh Prince's affairs. The Emperor's son was for the Emperor to worry about; he should just focus on his own little plot of land.
Having figured things out and being quite lucky, Lord Yu had a good time during his last two days on duty in the palace. It wasn't until he finished his shift and left the palace, when he heard Chang Shun tell him about his family situation at the palace gate, that he finally lost his temper.
"Master, Master, please don't worry. When I left home today, Madam told me not to tell you about this. I told you this behind Madam's back, you can't sell me out."
"Stop nagging. If you dare to keep it a secret, I'll beat you to death, you believe me?"
Yu Lang entered with a gloomy face, frightening the gatekeepers who all hid inside and dared not come out. Wang Shun, the shop assistant who had come back with Fang Liang, was seeing the master of this house for the first time, and it left him with a long-standing trauma, always feeling that the master of the house was a living devil.
Yu Lang stormed in, radiating a menacing aura; even a blind man could see he was genuinely angry. Those with more courage followed at a distance, curious to see who the young master was targeting. Only after witnessing Yu Lang enter the First Madam's courtyard did they slap their thighs in exasperation: "The young master truly cherishes the First Madam!"
"Madam, the master has arrived."
“So what if he’s here? Why are you shouting? I was just about to worship Buddha. Go, go stop him. Tell him I don’t have time today, and he should come tomorrow…”
For the past two days, Shen Wanqing has stayed in the East Courtyard and hasn't come out, not even to pay her respects to the main courtyard. When asked, she said she was exhausted that day and wanted to stay in bed for a few more days.
Niohuru was furious. She didn't know that Shen Wanqing was faking her fainting, but she felt that something was getting increasingly wrong.
She took control of the household and acted arrogantly both inside and outside the house, making it seem like the Hesheli family couldn't function without her. Then, she herself fell ill from exhaustion, and all the blame fell on her. What had she even done?
Niohuru, feeling that she hadn't done anything wrong and was completely innocent, was full of resentment. She thought her daughter-in-law was too pretentious. What was so serious that she only needed a day to rest and had to stay in bed all the time? She didn't know if her daughter-in-law was really uncomfortable or just pretending.
Niohuru uttered every word, yet her true feelings were written all over her face. She wanted her maid to stop Yulang from entering, but who could stop Yulang when he was in a fit of rage? Before Niohuru could finish speaking, and before she could even conceal her expression, her son had already barged in.
"What does Mother mean?"
"What do you mean? Who's been gossiping to you again? You've been away from the palace for so long, and now you're taking it out on me? You've got quite the nerve."
“My son is the master of this family. If he doesn’t tell me about things, who else would he tell? How did that become gossip?”
"I was referring to the Shen family's affairs. Now that the affairs of the East Courtyard and the Main Courtyard are being handled by the Shen family, Mother should not interfere anymore. She can decide how things are done and whether they are good or bad."
Yulang didn't want to listen to his mother's roundabout words. He had heard enough of similar things when he was the steward of the West Courtyard.
Every time Yulang came to pay his respects to Lady Niohuru, she would always ask him how he was doing and how his work was going. Every time, Yulang's answer was that everything was fine.
Because if Yulang doesn't answer well, Niohuru can't think of any other way. She will just keep asking why he didn't do well and what was wrong with him. Then, she will inevitably come back to saying useless nonsense like, "Your father died early, and your younger brother and sister are still young and pitiful. She herself is disheartened and can't even keep her position as the head of the household. As the eldest son, you must be obedient and sensible."
At first, Yu Lang felt sorry for Niohuru, then he felt sorry for himself listening to her words, then he didn't want to hear another word of hers, and now he can calmly refuse to listen to her rambling anymore.
"Boss! I'm your mother."
Just two days ago, her mother-in-law told her not to let her son drift apart from her, and she thought to herself, "How could that be possible?" But just two days later, her son got angry with her because of Shen's fainting. It's true what they say, "He's forgotten his mother after marrying a wife." The Han people are so right.
“No one says you are not my mother. Your son has given you the full amount of support you deserve every year, and I have never caused you any worry about my affairs outside.”
Now that our son is married, his wife is not only the matriarch of the family but also his wife, the wife of a military officer. Therefore, from now on, all matters concerning our son, both internal and external, will be decided by Madam Shen. Do you understand what our son means?”
When Yulang needed his mother, Niohuru, to support him the most, she used her youngest son and the pretext of mourning and Buddhist worship to find herself the most respectable, easiest, and least objectionable path.
No wonder Yulang found a wife who could stand shoulder to shoulder with him to support the family, and Niohuru could no longer interfere in his affairs by using her status as his mother and mother-in-law.
"What kind of bewitching potion did this Shen woman give you? I've told you so many times I didn't do anything. I didn't even say a word to her and she just collapsed on her own. How can you blame me for this?"
Niohuru felt truly wronged. She had wanted to come, but she hadn't done anything. Was it wrong for her, as the first wife of the East Courtyard, to even want to manage the household and set rules for her daughter-in-law?
"Mother, I am your own son." So no one in this world understands you better than me.
When Shen gets going, she's the kind of person who'd rather strangle herself than beg for mercy in bed. The fact that she was so exhausted that she fainted halfway back to the East Courtyard shows how incredibly tired she really was.
"Please don't do anything. Shen is already exhausted if you don't do anything. If you do anything, will your daughter-in-law even survive?"
"You scoundrel, you think you're all that now that you've caught the Crown Prince's eye after working at Yuqing Palace? How dare you speak to your own mother like that! If I go to the Commander's Office and report you for disobedience..."
"Yulang, you're back, but I haven't seen you around."
As Yu Lang rushed into Hesheli's courtyard, he cleverly sent a message to the east courtyard. Shen Wanqing had been there for a while. She stood in Niohuru's courtyard without going in. There was really no need for the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law to meet at this moment. Meeting might just add fuel to the fire.
"Come out here, I'm too weak to walk, come and help me."
It wasn't until Niohuru's words became increasingly absurd that he finally interrupted her. Throughout history, the country had been governed by the principle of filial piety. If Yulang were truly condemned by Niohuru as disobedient and unfilial, it wouldn't be something that could be forgotten just by saying it tomorrow.
Niohuru knew she shouldn't have said that. After being interrupted by Shen Wanqing, she stopped talking and just stared fiercely at Yulang, hoping that her son Yulang would take the initiative to apologize to her.
How could Yulang possibly back down at this time? If he were to bow down to Niohuru now, it would be even more difficult for Shen to have any say in the family in the future.
So even though he was feeling very upset and frustrated, Yulang forced himself to stay calm, took a deep look at his mother, and then turned and came out of the house.
Besides Shen Wanqing, Fangyi was also in the courtyard. Fangyi looked at her brother for a while before whispering to Shen Wanqing, "Sister-in-law, you should take my brother back. With me here, nothing will happen to Mother."
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Red envelopes will be dropped in the comments section of this chapter.
The red envelopes for the 1st and 3rd have already been distributed~ There are still several days of holiday left, have fun everyone.
A quiet, self-deprecating explanation: Holidays are more tiring than work, and I have to go out tomorrow for the Mid-Autumn Festival, so the extra chapters won't be released for now. They'll definitely be released in a few days when they are allowed! [Dog head with rose][Dog head with rose][Dog head with rose]
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