Chapter 74 A Loyal Guard: The title "This Official" was actually more commonly used by Han Chinese civil officials, but it was taken out of the mouth of powerful ministers like Suo'etu...
The title "this official" was actually more commonly used by Han Chinese civil officials. It sounded somewhat inappropriate for a powerful minister like Songgotu to utter it.
The current situation was clearly a bit tricky, but Yu Lang couldn't help but laugh. He felt that he had been corrupted by his grandmother. As for exactly how corrupted he had become, he couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he now saw Suo'etu with a somewhat comical air.
"Your words, Lord Suo, have made me feel extremely uneasy."
"What are you afraid of? There are only the two of us in this room, so let's be frank about some things and not beat around the bush."
Suo'etu was not close to Yulang's branch of the family, but he and Shuai Yanbao were officials in the same court and had a close relationship.
However, Shuai Yanbao followed the civil route while Suo'etu was a military general. Although the two were of the same clan and always stood on the same side on important matters, they did not have much contact in private.
Shuai Yanbao thought Suo'etu was too domineering and arrogant, while Suo'etu thought Shuai Yanbao was too pedantic and indecisive, which he didn't like at all. From that time on, the two families, though from the same clan, were destined to have a strained relationship.
He was the one who put on airs first, and now he's criticizing me for being roundabout and not direct. Yu Lang looked up at Suo'etu, who was sitting at the head of the table, and felt somewhat disheartened.
This is the head of the Hesheli family. The rise and fall of the Hesheli clan rests on his shoulders. Isn't that just too outrageous?
"Since Lord Suo says so, I naturally dare not refuse anything in front of my uncle. If there is anything in the Hesheli family that I can do, I will never refuse."
"It just so happens that the Crown Prince has an eight-day rest period during this trip out of the palace. He has instructed his nephew to take good care of the affairs under his command. With the New Year approaching, everyone has to manage all the big and small matters of each household. Otherwise, if something goes wrong and it gets to the Commander's Office, it will be a shame."
Every word he said was correct, but Suo'etu was completely bewildered. "Who asked you that? Who wants to hear that? If you're not going to evade the question, then get to the point. What's with all this talk about the people under your command? You can manage your own people, why are you talking to me like this?"
"You can handle these family matters yourself. Since you're willing to work for me, behave yourself while you're serving at Yuqing Palace. The Crown Prince is the hope of our Hesheli clan. Don't bring your habits from outside the palace to the Crown Prince."
With a wave of his hand, Songgotu had become accustomed to having the final say over the years. Except in front of the Emperor, he rarely put his mind and ears down to listen attentively to what others had to say.
He heard what Yu Lang said, but it was as if he hadn't heard it at all. Only half of the sentence, "My nephew will never shirk his responsibilities," reached his ears. As far as Suo'etu was concerned, Yu Lang had agreed to listen to him.
"If His Majesty summons you in the future, there are things you should say, and things you shouldn't say. The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, and he doesn't necessarily have to let His Majesty know everything. If you can't grasp the proper measure, you can come to me anytime, and I will decide for you."
Hearing this made Yu Lang's heart churn. It wasn't fear, but simply a feeling of nausea. The words "to decide for you" sounded too matter-of-fact. In Yu Lang's eyes, Suo'etu's face looked greasy, twisted, and disgusting at that moment.
After Erhe's death, Yulang, who was not yet an adult, heard too many things about having to discuss and decide on matters together with the whole family, and he was the one whose decision was made.
Now that I and my great-grandmother have finally gotten to make all the decisions at home and outside, who does Suo'etu think he is to try and take charge?
"Nephew, you may have misunderstood what I said."
Having held a high position for many years, even now, blinded by power, Suo'etu still exudes an overbearing aura due to his arrogance and domineering nature. His tiger-like eyes widened when he heard Yulang say the word "misunderstanding," as if they could truly devour someone.
“My nephew first joined the Imperial Guard, then gained the favor of the Crown Prince and joined the Imperial Guard, and was later transferred from the Imperial Guard to serve at Yuqing Palace. The Plain Yellow Banner has always been led by His Majesty, so my nephew is, in essence, His Majesty’s servant. Is that right?”
"That's right."
Yu Lang traced his origins back to the beginning, and no one could or dared to say that he was wrong, not even Suo'etu, who dared to do so even though there was no one else in the study at the moment.
"Once I entered Yuqing Palace, it meant His Majesty had given me to the Crown Prince. So as long as the Crown Prince doesn't transfer me out of Yuqing Palace, my master will always be the Crown Prince."
"Whether His Majesty summons me or not is not for me, a mere guard, to presume to know. As for what to say and how to say it if summoned, as a guard by the Crown Prince's side, I only obey the Crown Prince's orders. After all, His Majesty has already assigned me to the Crown Prince's service, and I'm sure my uncle understands the principle of 'a subject does not serve two masters' better than I, a junior."
"You dare to say such things to my face? You're really bold. No wonder the Crown Prince values you so much; you're different from others."
These words carried a hint of sarcasm, giving Yu Lang an inexplicable chill. It was a pity that Shen Wanqing wasn't there; if she could see Suo'etu like this, she would surely burst into laughter.
Who says women are petty and jealous? Look at how narrow-minded these so-called pillars of the state are. They don't do anything productive all day, just worry about who the Crown Prince and the Emperor favor. How are they any different from these so-called 'little women'? They're all just driven by self-interest; no one needs to laugh at anyone else.
"The same rice feeds a hundred different people. Uncle's words make sense. I am naturally different from others."
Yu Lang's skin is getting thicker every day. Even though Suo'etu is about to reveal his hand, he can still pretend that he doesn't understand anything.
Seeing Suo'etu choking on his words, his face turning purple, Yu Lang felt a faint sense of satisfaction. What a joke, this supposedly powerful and collateral branch! The renowned Suo Zhongtang was nothing special after all.
"As for Uncle wanting to use his nephew, that's only natural. As long as I can help with matters of the clan, Uncle, please feel free to give me your orders."
"So you mean that if it's not a matter concerning the clan, I can't just give orders?"
"If it's something outside, I have to ask the Crown Prince first. He's my only master."
After saying this, Yu Lang raised his eyes and looked directly at Suo'etu, making his stance clear. He was a Zuo Ling of the Plain Yellow Banner, and by rights, he should have been the Emperor's servant. However, by entering the Imperial Guard and then the Yuqing Palace, he was essentially given to the Crown Prince by the Emperor and had become the Crown Prince's servant.
However, no matter who it was, Yulang's loyalty was never to Suo'etu. He came today not because Suo'etu had sent a message to Gao Laixi a few days ago, but because relatives from different branches of the same clan should contact each other at the end of the year. As a junior and having just gotten married this year, it was natural for him to bring his wife to pay their respects and present gifts.
As for whether Suo'etu can use Yulang, it depends on Suo'etu's position when he says it. If he is speaking as a fellow clansman and uncle about the Hesheli family, then Yulang can do what he can do. But if he wants Yulang to be a second Geng'e, then Yulang really can't do it.
Yu Lang was clearly using the Crown Prince to intimidate others, but Suo'etu, though burning with anger, gradually calmed down. After all, he was a Grand Secretary; how could he, after so many years of navigating the treacherous waters of officialdom, truly lack any self-control?
However, he never took Yulang seriously from the beginning. He was just a small guard. He was handsome and agile. There were plenty of Manchus like Suo'etu.
The only difference is that Yu Lang is bold and a little clever. He first rescued the Seventh Prince, and then got a flashy cloak to wear in and out of Yuqing Palace every day, making everyone inside and outside the palace say that Yu Lang is now a favorite of the Crown Prince.
Soetu didn't take these petty tricks seriously at all. It wasn't until he heard Yulang's words today that he was willing to take this young man from his own clan seriously, and his attitude naturally became more formal.
“You’re right, your only master is the Crown Prince. The reason I called you here today is because it’s almost the New Year. In the past, when your uncle was in the capital, he would take care of things for you when there were matters to be done for the clan.”
Now that he's leaving the capital to take up his post, you're the only one left in charge of things at home. Be extremely careful in everything. If you have any unresolved issues, come visit us often. Since we're uncle and nephew, there's no need to stand on ceremony."
Look how quickly the conversation shifted. Even if it was extremely awkward, as long as Suo'etu didn't feel embarrassed, there was nothing wrong with it.
On the contrary, Yu Lang was young and not so thick-skinned. When he heard Suo'etu's words, his expression stiffened for a moment before he tried to naturally follow Suo'etu's train of thought and start talking about some unimportant everyday things.
It wasn't until he left the Suo'etu mansion and sat in his own carriage that Yulang slowly released the tension he had been holding in.
"So, Songgotu hasn't turned against us yet, has he?"
"No, Grandma is right. Suo'etu has just been in a high position for too long and has enjoyed a good life. He is not really arrogant or stupid."
This time, Shen Wanqing was one step behind Yu Lang. The women in Suo'etu's mansion were all talkative, and it was quite lively with a bunch of social butterflies gathered together. Shen Wanqing, who considered herself to be a lonely and artistic person, felt powerless to join in the conversation.
It's unclear whether this was a custom of the Suo'etu family or if this Tongjia woman was simply born with this personality. When Shen Wanqing was taken to the backyard, all she asked was whose family she was from, how she had been doing since marrying into the family, how her mother and grandmother were doing, and what the arrangements were for Fuxuan's marriage next year.
"Luckily you came out. They also sent someone to my place to deliver a message, otherwise I would have been driven crazy by the noise."
The Suo'etu household kept an opera troupe, and when Shen Wanqing went there today, there was a lively performance on the stage. The commotion on the stage, coupled with the constant questions from Tongjia and the others, almost caused the usually composed Madam Shen to break down.
"I tentatively brought up matters outside, but this lady of the main hall really wasn't interested at all. After a few words, she went back to the mundane matters of the inner quarters."
"I heard from the old lady that this lady of the main hall was like this when she was young. She never cared about Suo'etu's affairs outside. She only cared about the family's affairs, and her favorite thing to do was to act as a matchmaker."
It is said that in today's world, women are in charge of the home and men are busy outside. However, to be a good wife, one cannot simply manage the home. Many things that are inconvenient for men to say or do in public must be done by the wives.
If Tongjia really had this personality from a young age, and actually lived most of her life according to her own preferences, then she was quite an interesting person.
"But this is good. We came here today to tell them that our relationship with Suo'etu is that of relatives. It is only natural for relatives to visit each other. Our family has always been like this for many years. We have never relied on them, nor have we cut off our ties."
Unless one day Songgotu and his family are completely eradicated and imprisoned by Emperor Kangxi, the Hesheli family has no reason or need to completely sever ties with him, and of course, they cannot. Even His Majesty the Emperor cannot be unreasonable in this matter.
"There were only Suo'etu and me in the study. How could the eldest mistress be so sure that His Majesty and the Crown Prince knew exactly what I was thinking?"
"Why not? I don't believe that Suo'etu was standing on the street when he was trying to win over Geng'e. He probably called him to the mansion to talk to him. After all, Suo'etu is such a big shot, it's not realistic to ask him to go to Geng'e's house."
Such matters are usually discussed in the presence of only two people or only Suo'etu's confidants; it's impossible for a whole room to talk about how Geng'e betrayed the Emperor and defected to Suo'etu. If that were the case, Kangxi and the Crown Prince would still find out about Geng'e's affair, and naturally, Yulang wouldn't be able to keep it a secret either.
Emperor Kangxi was not a tyrant. If he truly intended for Yulang to replace Suo'etu as the head of the Hesheli family, he would have given him ample time and space to grow.
As long as one doesn't become a servant to Suo'etu, it's not a taboo. Becoming a loyal servant to the Crown Prince is, at least in Kangxi's current mind, acceptable.
After all, he wasn't given a mission by Kangxi beforehand like Geng'e. Right now, Yu Lang's character is very clean and shining: a good guard who is loyal to the Crown Prince.
The phrase "remain faithful to one's husband until death" gave Yu Lang goosebumps. It sounded so strange. He'd thought his great-grandmother was educated, but it seemed she was just like him, unable to even use the right words.
However, the two didn't stay at Suo'etu's residence for long, and it was still early after they finished discussing the situation in the carriage. Eight days of leave sounded like a long time, but it actually passed in the blink of an eye, just like Shen Wanqing's Golden Week holidays before.
"It's still early, why don't we go back right away?"
"Grandma and I are thinking the same thing. Even if we hadn't said we were going to pay New Year's respects to the commander tomorrow, since we've already come out, let's go today."
"Okay, let's go to a few places today."
Shen Wanqing lifted the carriage curtain and instructed Chang Shun to go back and load the rice, flour, vegetables, and meat that had been prepared earlier into another carriage to bring out. She and Yu Lang then went to the first house they had decided to visit, the one whose leg had been broken by Algishan's horse.
The carriage of the Hesheli family stopped for a short while in front of the Suo'etu residence before leaving. Suo'etu sat in his study for a long time without saying a word.
From Geng'e to Yulang, one was hesitant and the other was determined, but in the end, neither could be brought under his command, which made Suo'etu somewhat irritable.
Of course, he wasn't without capable subordinates, but the Emperor's unpredictable behavior towards Yuqing Palace and the Crown Prince over the past year or two had caused him great anxiety.
Meanwhile, the Crown Prince was growing up day by day. The servants and ministers who used to only obey his orders began to ask for his opinion. Even if they had already made a decision, they would always ask if they should report to the Crown Prince first before proceeding.
This was an instinct; they were officials of the court, not her servants. Before, when the crown prince had not yet entered the government, everything was naturally decided by her, the head of the Hesheli clan. Now, with the crown prince's wedding imminent, her position had become awkward.
And then there's Yu Lang. Suo'etu never imagined that Yu Lang would refuse him. Now that Yu Lang has refused, he belatedly realizes that Yu Lang did indeed have other options.
The Crown Prince is about to marry his Crown Princess, and the Shi family will rise to prominence along with her. I heard that Yu Lang's wife's surname is Shen, and the Shen family served the Shi family extremely well when they returned to the capital from Fuzhou.
In this way, Yu Lang, whose surname is Hesheli, has a wife who can connect with the Crown Princess's family, and he has already gained a foothold in front of the Crown Prince. To him, his position as Suo Zhongtang is really like a chicken rib.
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