After the list was released, Hongshi looked at it and found that none of the people he wanted to promote were on the list.
He was both annoyed by the fact that these people were usually ignorant and incompetent, and also annoyed that he had not gained any benefit from this scientific expedition.
Hongshi couldn't figure it out, so he decided to go see Eighth Master. His relationship with Eighth Master was getting better and better. Firstly, Eighth Master often gave Hongshi advice on government affairs; whenever Hongshi encountered a difficult problem, he could simply ask Eighth Master, who would generously share his knowledge. Hongshi gradually became somewhat dependent on Eighth Master. Secondly, Eighth Master always flattered Hongshi, making him easily think of his Eighth Uncle whenever he had any problems.
However, Hongshi knew that his father, the Emperor, did not like this Eighth Uncle very much. Therefore, he met the Eighth Prince in a very secretive way and never visited him directly. The Eighth Prince would never go to Hongshi's residence. On the surface, the two had no connection whatsoever.
On this day, Hongshi came out of the palace and sat in the carriage, closing his eyes to rest. After the carriage turned a corner and entered a relatively secluded alley, Hongshi got off at the back of the carriage. The carriage continued to move forward, while he waited in place. After a while, a sedan chair entered the alley from another direction.
After Hongshi got into the sedan chair, the chair immediately turned around and headed back the way it came.
Hongshi picked up the clothes that had been prepared in the sedan chair and put them on. After the sedan chair had traveled for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it finally stopped in front of an antique shop. Hongshi, who had already changed his clothes, got out of the sedan chair and went straight into the shop.
As soon as the shop assistant saw Hongshi, he immediately led him inside. Eighth Master was already sitting in an inner room, waiting for Hongshi.
"Eighth Uncle!" Hongshi greeted Eighth Master with a gesture of respect.
"Hongshi, it's great to see you. It's been a while since I've seen you," said Eighth Master.
"I've been busy with scientific research for a while now, and it's basically all settled," Hongshi said, sitting opposite Eighth Master.
"I wonder what brings you to meet your eighth uncle today?" the eighth master asked. The eighth master was quite idle at the Ministry of Works these days. The fourth master disliked extravagance, so there wasn't much to do at the Ministry of Works except for the annual tasks like repairing the river channels.
“It’s nothing, Eighth Uncle. All the people who came up in this imperial examination are unknown. Father Emperor selected a large number of people this time. The top three on both the first and second lists were granted official positions on the spot, all of them fourth or fifth rank. Eighth Uncle, I’m afraid your people will have to give way.” Hongshi said.
Upon hearing Hongshi's words, the Eighth Prince laughed and said, "Emperor needs a reason to replace people. Although I haven't attended court, I know exactly where these six new people have gone. Emperor wants to gradually replace people, but it's not an easy thing to do."
Hongshi said, "Eighth Uncle, what should I do now? Father Emperor seems to have no intention of establishing a crown prince. I have been working very hard in the Ministry of Revenue, and even Thirteenth Uncle praised me, but Father Emperor seems to be blind to it."
“If your father doesn’t have any plans to designate an heir yet, that’s a good thing for you. If he does, but it’s not you, that would be a bad thing,” said the Eighth Prince.
Hongshi's eyelids twitched, and he understood the meaning behind the Eighth Prince's words. He also knew that Hongli had always been favored by the Fourth Prince, and even by the Kangxi Emperor.
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