Chapter 195: Nian Gengyao and Yinzhen listened to Lin Changqing again...
After hearing Lin Changqing's reply, Yinzhen tapped the table and fell into deep thought.
According to Lin Changqing, the rumors Longkodo had spread the day before were largely due to his relative Fan Shichong's recent promotion to Minister of War. Furthermore, Fan Shichong, previously demoted three ranks from Left Censor-in-Chief, was promoted directly to Minister of War just a month after Honghui's wedding. Rumors abounded that he had played a significant role in this, leading to the claim that despite his two years of absence from government, he remained in the emperor's good graces, and even a position among the Nine Ministers was within his grasp.
Some people even said that Prince Yong was pushing Fan Shichong to be the Minister of War and helping Nian Gengyao to gain military power. Did he have any ideas?
It is really heartbreaking.
Yinzhen felt somewhat helpless, and felt that he had been avoiding politics for many years in vain.
Sighing silently in his heart, Yinzhen pulled himself together and ordered, "Go back to see the prince and tell him..."
After Lin Changqing left, Yinzhen stayed in the study to go over everything again before going to find Fu Jin, only to see her rubbing her brows tiredly.
"What's wrong?" Yinzhen walked over and sat next to Fu Jin, then rubbed the back of her neck.
Qi Buchen leaned over to him and said, "It's about the church. A lot of people have come to ask for favors these past few days, and we just sent Fei Jiade away."
Fei Jiade was the Portuguese man invited by Yinzhen to teach her English and oil painting. They had not had much contact over the years, but they maintained a close relationship. But he suddenly came to her house today, catching her off guard.
But these people came for only one thing. Some time ago, an official from Guangdong submitted a memorial saying that Catholic churches were everywhere in various provinces and had become a common practice, so they should be banned. Emperor Kangxi agreed.
As soon as this decree was issued, the foreigners holding official positions in the capital became extremely anxious. They went around looking for people, and many of them found their way to the door of Prince Yong's Mansion.
"It's been almost half a month since the decree was issued. At first, no one came to our door. How come a group of people suddenly came to disturb our cold stove in the past two days?" Qi Buchen said with some surprise.
Yinzhen's heart moved, and he had a guess in his mind: "Maybe it's because my relative has just been promoted to the Minister of War."
Qi Buchen didn't react for a moment: "Ah?"
The two looked at each other for a while, and then Qi Buchen exchanged brain waves: "No way, they think it's your credit?"
Yinzhen shrugged slightly: "Obviously."
Qi Buchen sighed deeply and looked at him several times, hesitant to speak.
Yinzhen became dissatisfied: "Why, am I so useless in your eyes?" What was the reason for that disgust?
Qi Buchen complained indignantly, "I don't think you're useless, I think you're too useful! Even though I'm watching you so closely, you still flirt with other women outside and cause me trouble."
Is this the halo of the former Qianlong? Even though he has disappeared from the world, the outside world can still put all kinds of imaginations on him.
Yinzhen couldn't help laughing so hard that he bent over. He was always in a good mood when he was with his wife.
Qi Buchen didn't laugh. She said worriedly, "But seriously, why did my in-law suddenly become the Minister of War?"
In fact, according to his qualifications, Fan Shichong was more than qualified to be the Minister of War, but the main reason was that the timing of his promotion was a bit too coincidental.
She didn't believe that Kangxi had no ulterior motive.
Yinzhen laughed heartily for a while, and now he was a little lazy. He played with the tassels on her ears and said, "Who cares? Let's just live our lives comfortably."
Two months of comfortable life passed. During this period, no matter what people outside said about Fan Shichong and Nian Gengyao, Yinzhen just stayed in the Old Summer Palace and left all external affairs to Honghui, and Qi Buchen did the same.
Such days were broken one morning when a military report from the northwest rushed all the way to Beijing, announcing that Tsewang Arabtan had led his troops to invade Tibet.
A few years ago, Tsewang Arabtan invaded Xinjiang and was repelled at that time. He has been harassing the border in recent years. Unexpectedly, this time he took a detour and ran to Tibet.
The court was operating at high speed, with news from all over the country constantly being sent to the capital. Kangxi also kept summoning ministers to discuss who should be sent to quell the rebellion. After discussion, the court unanimously agreed that troops from Sichuan, Shaanxi and Gansu could be dispatched to quell the rebellion.
Just as the Ministry of Revenue began preparing food supplies, a memorial from Sichuan in late July stirred up controversy at court. After news of the Tibetan uprising reached Sichuan, Sichuan Governor Kang Tai, acting as a temporary measure, immediately dispatched troops to quell the rebellion. However, a mutiny erupted en route. Fortunately, Sichuan Governor Nian Gengyao and Songpan General Lu Zhenyang arrived in time to quell the mutiny. They were now stationed in Sesu with their troops, awaiting orders from the imperial court.
In this joint letter signed by the two, Nian Gengyao requested to lead troops to invade Tibet.
This was not the first time that Nian Gengyao requested to lead troops. The rebellion of the southwestern barbarians some time ago was still vivid in people's minds, and many court officials were deeply impressed. However, the memorial was submitted, but was kept in the court and not sent out.
Fan Shichong could sense the subtle glances directed at him from those around him. Thinking of what his son-in-law had said to him, he sighed slightly in his heart. Nian Gengyao was really ambitious. As a governor, he always wanted to get involved in military power. He really didn't take Prince Yong seriously at all, and he also implicated him.
Everyone knows their own business. It is true that Prince Yong did not play any role in his becoming the Minister of War, but it is impossible to say that Prince Yong has nothing to do with him. Therefore, he has been cautious in his words and deeds since he took office, and he was almost like a clay or wooden sculpture. He did not expect that he would be roasted on the fire. Fan Shichong asked himself, he did not offend any gods or Buddhas.
No matter what others think, Fan Shichong looks like a Buddha practicing silent meditation, and he has no intention of speaking.
——There is more than one Minister of War in this room.
However, the matter was not finally decided at the court meeting because Kangxi was very angry and his attention was focused on how to punish Kangtai.
After the court session, this news was quickly delivered to Yinzhen. He frowned slightly in annoyance: "Nian Gengyao..." He had heard enough of this name recently.
In the following days, Kangtai was dealt with with great force, and with his death, the future of the troops stationed in Sexu naturally became a matter of course.
After a flurry of verbal battles and sparring, everyone was waiting for Kangxi to speak, but he suddenly asked, "Where's the fourth brother?"
Although Yinzhen held no official position, he was qualified to attend court meetings simply by virtue of his title of prince.
The court officials looked at each other in bewilderment. None of them had expected the emperor to ask this as the first question. For a moment, there was an awkward silence in the entire court.
Finally, it was Yinsi who stood up and said, "Father, my fourth brother is now obsessed with his farm life and has not been to the court for a long time."
"Hmm." Kangxi replied softly, then ordered as if nothing had happened, "The Ministry of War should draft a memorial on this matter and submit it. The court is dismissed."
The court meeting ended in a whimper.
Yinzhen had just received the news from the court meeting when someone came from the palace.
"What? The Emperor wants to visit our garden?!" Qi Buchen shouted loudly.
Yinzhen couldn't help but scratch his ears and pulled the man who stood up in surprise to sit down: "What's your reaction? If people know about this, it will cause another storm."
Qi Buchen's cheeks were puffed up like a pufferfish: "Then how should I react?" She counted her fingers aggrievedly, "Is it so easy to receive the imperial carriage? What good things have you done again!" She hadn't bothered with this for many years.
"Hey." Yinzhen was unhappy, "How come I'm wrong again?"
Seeing that Fu Jin was about to put her hands on her hips, he quickly changed the subject: "Okay, okay, let's talk about serious matters."
Qi Buchen asked with a sad face: "When?"
Yinzhen replied, "The 26th."
"Oh, huh?" Qi Buchen suddenly realized, "Isn't the 25th my seventh brother's birthday?"
Yinzhen nodded.
Qi Buchen frowned, "So the Emperor will attend my seventh brother's birthday party?"
Yinzhen shook his head: "I haven't heard of it."
"Hiss." Qi Buchen took a breath of cold air into his lungs, "What if I hadn't gone..."
The couple looked at each other, then sighed together, and said in their hearts at the same time: Father Emperor, you are really good at making people hate you.
"By the way, the news that the Emperor is coming has not been released yet, right?" Qi Buchen asked with hope in his eyes.
Yinzhen ruthlessly shattered her fantasy: "Gu Daban, who came to deliver the message, said that he met my third brother when he was leaving the city, and he has reported the truth to me."
Qi Buchen's waist suddenly bent. Well, now that the person who loved to invite Kangxi to visit the garden knew about it, how long would it take for others to know about it?
Not far.
In the afternoon, Yinzhi came first to teach his younger brother some experience in entertaining the Emperor; then Yinqi and Yinyou came together and asked if they were needed to attend the banquet that day; Yinsi and Yin'er came shortly afterwards and asked Yinzhen to let him know if he was missing any supplies; finally, Yinzhen came alone.
The two brothers sat down in a primary and secondary position, and for a moment no one spoke.
Finally, Yinzhen couldn't help but break the silence: "When the emperor was discussing Nian Gengyao's affairs today, the emperor asked about you."
Yinzhen raised his eyes and glanced at him: "Yeah."
Yinzhen waited for a while and asked, "Did the Emperor say he wanted to come to your garden?"
Yinzhen gently brushed away the invisible dust on his sleeves: "Hmm."
Yinzhen clenched his hands on his legs a little tighter: "Do you know why?"
Yinzhen lifted up the purse embroidered by his wife's wife at his waist and admired it for a moment before putting it down. He raised his eyes and said, "I don't know."
Yinzhen blinked, his chest rising and falling twice with a slightly larger amplitude, and said in a stern tone: "Can you please ask the Emperor to let Nian Gengyao be the governor of Sichuan?"
Yinzhen stared at him, his eyes devoid of emotion. After a moment, he looked away and slowly uttered two words: "No."
"You!" Yinzhen suddenly stood up and glared at Yinzhen, "Why do you have to do this?"
Yinzhen smiled: "How about this prince?"
The veins on Yinzhen's neck were faintly visible: "What's wrong with Nian Gengyao being the governor of Sichuan?"
"Heh." Yinzhen didn't even bother to look at him. "Childish."
Yinzhen was furious: "What did you say!"
Yinzhen picked up the tea bowl directly.
Yinzhen was filled with rage and had no place to vent: "You! Good! Very good!"
Walk away in anger.
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