Kangxi sighed, feeling a mix of relief, pride, and something else entirely.
"Very well, do as you please." Kangxi waved his hand helplessly. "Don't tell anyone else about our conversation today!"
"Your subject understands." The Fourth Prince kowtowed to express his gratitude.
After leaving the Qianqing Palace, the Fourth Prince let out a long sigh of relief. "Father has been eating way too much salt lately!"
Emperor Kangxi also drew an X under the name of the Fourth Prince.
To ensure fairness, Emperor Kangxi decreed that although the Fifth Prince was raised by the Empress Dowager, the Seventh Prince had no chance of succeeding to the throne due to his health condition.
However, he still summoned the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince to the Qianqing Palace, but he did not tell them his story from back then.
Instead, he encouraged and praised the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince, telling them that he also had high hopes for them.
The Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince were deeply moved.
Emperor Kangxi was very pleased, feeling that the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince were behaving normally.
Kangxi continued to take out the list, marking the names of the Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince with an X, and also marking the name of the Eighth Prince with an X.
Emperor Kangxi guessed that if the Eighth Prince were in the capital, he might say some rebellious things, or even do something more outrageous.
Compared to the others, the eldest prince and his companions are relatively less troublesome, although they can be infuriating at times.
Next, Emperor Kangxi summoned the Ninth Prince. Seeing the Ninth Prince adorned with jewels, Emperor Kangxi felt a headache coming on.
"Ninth Brother, can you please stop being so ostentatious?"
"Father, I don't want this either, but my strength doesn't allow it!" the Ninth Prince said without any modesty.
"Don't flaunt your wealth! Don't you understand?"
"Father, I just want others to know how rich I am!"
Kangxi glared at the Ninth Prince. He had said those words precisely because he didn't want the Ninth Prince to be so ostentatious, but it turned out to be a waste of his breath.
"What do you want to do in the future?" Kangxi omitted the last question, feeling that it was pointless to ask.
"Make more money!"
"You can't just think about making money. You are a prince, and you must shoulder your responsibilities!"
"To earn more silver for the Qing Dynasty!"
Emperor Kangxi looked at the Ninth Prince with exasperation, "Can't you have any ambition?!"
"Father, how can earning money be considered unambitious!"
While silver isn't everything, you can't do without it! Think about it, why would you live without silver? Doesn't governing a country require silver? Doesn't waging war require silver? Silver is needed everywhere!
The son felt that the traditional social hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants didn't refer to the social status of merchants, but rather to the role of commerce. Only when commerce developed could the other three sectors flourish; commerce was, in essence, the foundation!
Kangxi looked at the Ninth Prince and shook his head helplessly, "Where did you hear these fallacies?"
The Ninth Prince smiled and said, "This is not nonsense. Father Emperor, this is what your son has come up with."
Father Emperor, do you know that your son sent a fleet to the West with only inferior tea, porcelain, and silk? As a result, they went crazy for it when they arrived in the West.
My sister said that people there are naive and rich! Father Emperor, you might consider opening more ports.
Emperor Kangxi was amused by the Ninth Prince's remark about being "foolish and rich," but he also considered the Ninth Prince's suggestion. "I will consider this matter!"
The Ninth Prince smiled, thinking that as long as he considered it, there would be an opportunity. Perhaps his words had already moved Emperor Kangxi, and he would earn even more money then.
"Don't just think about making money; you should also do your best for the imperial court!"
The Ninth Prince nodded, "Your subject understands, Your subject will study hard with Fourth Brother."
"Alright, you may leave." Kangxi finally summoned the Tenth Prince.
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