Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Irritating
On the way back to Beijing, Yonglian couldn't wait to hand the drawings of the tricycle to Haiwang.
Before Qianlong could explain who had come up with the tricycle, Hai Wang's eyes welled up as he took one look at the blueprint. "This was also the late emperor's idea, right?"
Qianlong: ???
Yonglian: ???
How can you tell this?
"Ordinary craftsmen cannot come up with such an ingenious design. Only the late emperor and the Thirteenth Master can have such ingenuity." Hai Wang said.
Qianlong: “…”
What does that mean? Why couldn't he and Yonglian figure it out?
Yonglian nodded honestly, "This is indeed designed by Huang Mafa, I..."
"Khan Ama had this idea during his lifetime, but he was unable to draw it into a blueprint. It was during this period that Yonglian improved on Khan Ama's idea and drew this blueprint." Qianlong said.
He was not lying. He heard with his own ears Yonglian giving Khan Ama some advice. Yonglian was indeed involved in the design of the tricycle.
Hai Wang wanted to cry even more after hearing this. The previous emperor had passed away, and the Second Prince might very well be the next emperor, continuing to cause problems for their Imperial Household Department.
The Second Prince can draw such complicated drawings at such a young age. Who knows what kind of tricky things he will design when he grows up.
It’s really hard to be the Minister of the Imperial Household!
Qianlong saw the old man staring at the blueprint and scratching his head. He snorted, "Yonglian said this tricycle is even more difficult to build. Let you take your time to figure it out. There's no rush."
Hai Wang was startled and looked up at the young boy beside the emperor.
Yonglian smiled at him. "Yes! This is truly difficult for you and the craftsmen at the Imperial Household Department. If you encounter any difficulties, please report them to Khan Ama immediately and we can work together to find a solution."
When the time comes, he will go to discuss it with Huang Mafa. Anyway, Huang Mafa's soul will soon return to the Taimiao, which will be more convenient than going to Yonghe Palace before.
Hai Wang agreed, thinking that the Second Prince inherited his hobbies from the late emperor, but his good temper from the current emperor.
Yonglian also told Haiwang about Huang Mafa's suggestions on two-wheeled vehicles, which could only be said to be a discussion between him and Khan Ama.
Qianlong was satisfied that his good son even knew to let him participate.
Hai Wang said, "Your Majesty and Prince's suggestion is excellent. The Imperial Household Department is currently worried about the material of the wheels. We've tried several different woods but to no avail. If we wrap the wooden wheels with softwood vines, the problem will be solved."
Hai Wang left happily. Although the Second Prince had given them a new problem, he had helped them a lot.
The imperial carriage arrived in Beijing first to receive the late emperor's ancestral tablet and place it in the Taimiao.
When Qianlong was paying homage in the Taimiao, he suddenly thought of a possibility. The ancestral tablets of all his ancestors were here. Doesn't that mean that their souls were all here?
So if Yonglian comes here, can he communicate with our ancestors?
Hiss...that scene feels a bit chaotic?
The little guy won’t be scared, right?
Qianlong hesitated for a few days, but could not suppress his curiosity and took Yonglian to the Taimiao.
One cannot enter the Taimiao whenever he wants. It happened that the next day was the birthday of the Emperor Kangxi, so he took this as an excuse to take his son to the Taimiao to pay homage to the Emperor Kangxi.
According to rituals, the Qing dynasty generally placed more emphasis on memorial days than birthdays. Officials simply assumed the emperor's visit to the Imperial Ancestral Temple a few days ago had reminded them of his grief for the deceased emperor.
As for bringing the Second Prince along...
It's understandable that the Second Prince misses the late Emperor, but it's impossible for him to miss the Holy Ancestor. He was brought along purely because of the Second Prince's identity that everyone knows.
Yonglian was also very excited along the way, and whispered to Khan Ama, "Can the souls of our ancestors communicate with each other? If so, it would be so exciting."
Qianlong imagined it. He was not sure about the others, but it would be wonderful if his Emperor Mafa and Khan Ama could communicate with each other.
I wonder what the Emperor felt when his Khan gave him the temple name of Shengzu?
There is also the way Khan Ama treated his uncles. Eighth uncle was okay, but Emperor Mafa hated Eighth uncle, Ninth uncle, Tenth uncle, Fourteenth uncle and Third uncle... How would Emperor Mafa feel if he knew that they were all imprisoned?
Although Qianlong had reservations about many of Khan Ama's decisions, he was his Khan Ama after all, and he didn't want Khan Ama to be scolded by the Holy Ancestor Mafa!
If Huang Mafa really scolds Khan Ama, I have to speak up for Khan Ama.
Qianlong sighed in his heart, thinking that he had too much to worry about.
However, Qianlong was really worrying too much, because the souls in the various ancestral tablets could not communicate with each other.
Yonglian was also unable to communicate with the souls of other ancestors.
Qianlong was not discouraged and asked him to kowtow one by one.
Yonglian heard the ghost of Huang Mafa say, "It's okay if we can't communicate. Why force it?"
Yonglian returned to the tablet of the Emperor's father and explained, "Emperor's father, don't worry, let's try. If I can communicate with Wukumafa's spirit, I will pay my respects to him on your behalf."
Qianlong: “…”
Yongzheng: “…”
This time it was Yongzheng's turn to feel guilty, so he just let it go.
However, he was not worried that his little grandson could really communicate with Khan Ama's soul, because only his soul was there.
Yongzheng learned a rule from the ghost messenger: the soul that accepted the offerings could either stay in the mausoleum for a hundred years, or be attached to the ancestral tablet and only receive offerings for eighteen years before returning to the underworld.
Most ghosts would choose the former, as they might be able to see their great-great-grandchildren a hundred years later.
However, Yongzheng chose the latter, if for no other reason than to make it easier for his little grandson to come to him.
Eighteen years later, Yonglian was twenty-five years old and mature enough to no longer need the advice and help of an emperor. He could leave without worry.
Over there, Qianlong and Yonglian paid their respects in a circle, but Yonglian did not hear any voice of any soul. He felt very strange. He had clearly heard Thirteenth Uncle's sigh in front of Thirteenth Uncle's tomb last time, so why couldn't he hear the voice of other souls?
And there is one thing that doesn't make sense. The soul of Thirteenth Uncle is in Prince Yi's tomb, so why is the soul of Emperor Mafa in the ancestral tablet?
He thought about it and pretended to guess, "Is it because a person has been dead for too long that their soul no longer exists?"
Qianlong thought this made sense and said, "Then go and pay your respects to your Thirteenth Uncle."
The ancestral tablets of Yinxiang and the emperor were not together. The father and son went over and kowtowed several times, but there was still no response.
Finally, the two returned to Yongzheng's tablet, and Qianlong said, "Khan Ama, it is a pity that Yonglian cannot communicate with the spirits of his ancestors."
Yonglian frowned, unable to understand what was going on.
Seeing his little grandson unhappy, Yongzheng comforted him, "It's okay, it's okay. This shows that we are destined to be together. Which other family of grandparents and grandchildren can have such a fate? Your Khan Ama and his father Huang Mafa don't have it."
Yonglian: “…”
"Don't tell him." Yongzheng couldn't help but laugh when he saw his little grandson was stunned. "He would be jealous of you if he knew."
Upon hearing this, Yonglian couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Qianlong: "??? What did your Majesty say?"
Yonglian winked at Khan Ama and said, "I won't tell you."
Qianlong: “…”
Qianlong temporarily forgot that Yonglian could not communicate with the soul of Emperor Kangxi. He just wanted to know what Khan Ama had said to Yonglian.
But as smart as he was, he didn't keep asking. Instead, he asked the question suddenly when he returned to the palace to teach Yonglian how to play chess.
Yonglian: “…”
So cunning! So cunning!
Fortunately, he was a smart kid and was not easily tricked.
"The Emperor said that he was in the Taimiao, close to Yonglian, and it would be convenient for Yonglian to find him." In order to prevent Khan Ama from making blind guesses, Yonglian decided to lie.
Qianlong: "..." So that's what it was. He patted his son's head and said, "That won't do. Going there too frequently will arouse suspicion. Besides, don't disturb your Emperor Mafa's spirit for no reason."
Yonglian: "If I encounter difficulties in making the tricycle, can I consult Huang Mafa?"
Qianlong: "No! This is something that craftsmen should figure out!"
Yonglian thought to himself that if the Queen were to think about the things that the Emperor should think about, you would be the first one to be unhappy.
Ever since we last saw Qianlong and Li Wei playing chess, the brothers Yonglian and Yonghuang would occasionally play a game against each other, but since both boys were beginners, their games were just like chickens pecking at each other.
Even so, Yonglian often lost, and Qianlong could not stand it anymore, so he decided to give his second son some special lessons while his eldest son was doing his homework at the prince's house.
But Yonglian really had no talent in this area, and was killed by Khan Ama without leaving a single survivor.
Playing chess requires the ability to think three steps ahead. My son obviously doesn't have this mindset and can only think about the next step.
Qianlong helplessly touched his silly son's bald forehead and said, "Forget it, forget it. Play chess with your elder brother from now on. That's easy."
Yonglian: “…”
"If Khan Ama could lend us that globe, my brother and I would stop playing chess in our spare time."
Yonglian had mentioned to Khan Ama last time that he wanted a globe. Qianlong agreed casually and said that he would wait for someone to find it from the warehouse and send it to him, but nothing happened afterwards.
Yonglian thought that Khan Ama was too busy and reminded him again.
Qianlong did forget about it at first, but he remembered it once in the middle. However, he did not immediately send someone to find the globe.
He actually didn't want Yonghuang and Yonglian to see this thing, because the map on it was not very reasonable. Not only did the Qing Dynasty only occupy a very small part, but large areas were marked as oceans.
If it's really like what's drawn there, there's more ocean than land.
There is also a large area below. Missionaries said that this place is rarely visited by people and it is not known whether there is a country on it.
He didn't want Yonghuang and Yonglian to come into contact with such things whose authenticity was unknown.
Meeting his son's expectant eyes, Qianlong explained to him, "This globe was brought in by foreigners. I don't know whether the map on it is real or fake. If you want to know more about the vassal states of the Qing Dynasty, I will let Agui tell you."
Yonglian: "I want to know about France and England. Are they also vassal states of the Qing Dynasty?"
Qianlong: "...No, these are all Western countries, far away from our Qing Dynasty." In his opinion, these Western countries are not worthy of being called vassal states of the Qing Dynasty.
Yonglian continued to ask: "How far?"
"It would take half a year, or even a year, to travel by boat," Qianlong said. "These countries are in Europe, and they are all barbarians who are not educated."
Yonglian: “…”
"Then we will go and educate them. Wouldn't the missionaries from the palace become well-behaved after coming to the Qing Dynasty and receiving education?"
Qianlong couldn't help but knock his son on the head, "What a wild idea."
"That's not the case," Yonglian said. "They're promoting their God all over the world. Why can't we promote Confucius? Promote loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, and righteousness?"
Although his son's question was childish, Qianlong patiently explained, "...it's possible, but it's not necessary! Just like in a family, a father should teach his own son filial piety. If he has the energy, he can teach his neighbor's son, but he absolutely has no business caring about the kid next door."
Yonglian: “…”
You really put yourself in the role of a king and a father.
The little guy's mind was working quickly, and he had to seize every opportunity to make Khan Ama interested in the West. "But the missionaries say they are here to preach, but in fact they bring some strange tricks to our Qing Dynasty to make money from us. So we can use this as an excuse to go to the West and make money from them."
Upon hearing this, Qianlong raised his eyebrows. His son knew quite a lot.
He laughed and said, "We have been making money from foreigners. The annual tariffs of the Guangdong Customs are higher than those of the other three ports. I heard that our tea, silk, and porcelain are worth a fortune there and are very popular."
Yonglian's eyes widened in shock. "Wow! Barbarians are so rich? Why are they so rich?"
Qianlong: “…”
Yes! Why are they so rich?
Qianlong remembered that the European countries on the map were not very large, and the missionaries also said that the people there were not good at farming. So the money must have been earned from other countries, or they had a lot of gold and silver mines.
Qianlong suddenly became curious about these European countries and always felt that the missionaries were hiding important information from him.
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