Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Pampered Princess
It was agreed that he would have a three-day wedding leave, but on the afternoon of the next day, Yonglian was called by Emperor Qianlong to help.
There was no need to offer sacrifices to the Taimiao when a prince got married, but Yonglian wanted the Queen Mother to know the news of his marriage, so he took the initiative to suggest that he be taken with him when he went to offer sacrifices to the Taimiao next time.
Qianlong glanced at him and asked, "How old are you? Do you still need me to take you to the Imperial Ancestral Temple?"
Yonglian: "Ah, then I am not qualified to go!" Without Qianlong's consent, how could anyone enter the Taimiao?
Qianlong thought about it and realized there was really no reason to offer sacrifices to the Imperial Ancestral Temple in September. "You will offer sacrifices on my behalf on the first day of October."
Yonglian agreed, "We'll have to wait for more than twenty days. I can't wait to talk to the Emperor."
"Look at you, you're such a loser." Qianlong couldn't bear to watch. "If your Majesty sees you like this, she'll definitely despise you."
"No."
On the first day of October, Yonglian happily went to offer sacrifices to the Taimiao. He sent everyone away and spoke to the soul of the Emperor alone.
Yongzheng's spirit was very pleased to hear his grandson's sweet tone when he talked about his married life.
Although he had never met the girl from the Shumulu family, he was very familiar with Xu Yuanmeng and Shu Hede.
Shuhede was a clerk in the Grand Council during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng. Unexpectedly, he has now been promoted to the commander of the infantry. Emperor Qianlong wanted him to develop in the direction of a military officer.
"Shuhede is a good man. Not only is he well-educated, but he's also a thinker. His ideas are a bit bold, though."
Yongzheng felt that Shuhede might be more suitable for Yonglian's temperament. Hongli was a somewhat traditional person in nature. Shuhede might not be able to display much of his talents during the Qianlong period.
Yonglian nodded and said, "Master Shu's ideas are indeed eclectic. He is not bound by the teachings of any particular school or sect. He is also very quick to accept new knowledge."
Yongzheng said: "I think the girls raised in their family are also quite knowledgeable."
Speaking of this, Yonglian immediately showed an expression of pride, "Yes, our wife is really amazing, she also..."
Yonglian almost wanted to mention that Fu Jin was also a novelist. Although the Queen's spirit couldn't communicate with others, Yonglian was still worried that the Queen would have a bad impression of Shu Nan, so he quickly stopped talking and said, "She is also very talented in literature and has beautiful handwriting."
Yongzheng liked girls who were knowledgeable and talented, and after hearing this, he became even more satisfied with Yonglian as his wife.
The grandfather and grandson talked about the affairs of the court again, and Yonglian only reported a few major events in the court.
Yonglian was afraid of being heard, so he would not express his opinion, but Yongzheng could analyze for him the pros and cons of Qianlong's actions.
Hearing Yonglian's words that the Qing Dynasty had acquired a new territory in Libya and that Hongtao had become a vassal prince, Yongzheng felt a bit complicated. He knew that Hongtao's talents were actually limited and was somewhat worried that he would not be able to govern the land well.
But perhaps it was precisely because of his limited abilities that Qianlong felt confident in sending him to be a vassal king.
Yongzheng only reminded Yonglian that since the land belonged to the Qing Dynasty, it should not be wasted.
Yonglian understood and said that he would let Hongtao bring some steam engines over when the time comes.
Europe was also inventing the steam engine. Technology could only advance faster through constant communication, so Yonglian never thought of hiding the good things of the Qing Dynasty.
What's more, with so many missionaries in the Qing Dynasty, such things cannot be hidden at all.
Yonglian also hoped that the Manufacturing Bureau could build a steamship before Hongjiao went out to sea.
Yonglian had proposed the idea of a steamship since the Qing Dynasty manufactured its first steam engine, but because the craftsmen in the Imperial Household Department were not familiar with shipbuilding, there was no progress.
Until Hongtao's fleet returned, there were already shipbuilders among them. These people were very familiar with the structure of sea ships. Yonglian asked the craftsmen of the manufacturing bureau to communicate and cooperate with them.
In November, there was finally some progress, but the ship was too small and could not carry much cargo since it also had to carry coal.
Yonglian immediately said with great wealth: "One ship is not enough, just build a few more."
Building a ship takes time, and it is definitely impossible to replace Hongtao's entire fleet with steamships in just one or two months.
Yonglian could only try to wait until the steamship was built next year so that he could go to Libya to deliver things to Hongjiao and others.
Hongtao was very much looking forward to it. If there really was such a fast ship, it would not be impossible for him to return to the Qing Dynasty once a year or two.
After the Chinese New Year, Qianlong took Hongtao and a group of royal family princes to offer sacrifices at the Eastern Tomb.
Yonglian, Yunlu and Hongzhou stayed in the capital.
Yunlu and Hongzhou were not the kind of people who liked to seize power, so they put all the blame on Yonglian.
Yonglian was very angry, but since his sixteenth uncle was old, he couldn't say anything. His fifth uncle was just being lazy on purpose.
Yonglian had no choice but to run directly to the Prince's Mansion to catch his fifth uncle to work together.
"Uncle, how could you bear to leave such a heavy workload to your nephew? What if he gets sick from all the work?"
Hong Zhou: "...If you said this before you were ten years old, I might have believed it."
Yonglian: "...If you don't work, I will complain to Khan Ama!"
Hong Zhou: “…”
He thought to himself, wasn't he just trying to let his nephew experience what it was like to be the Crown Prince and Regent? If he could manage the affairs of the capital in an orderly manner on his own, his brother would surely be happy to return.
Why doesn't this kid cherish this opportunity to show off at all?
He felt that if he did not agree, the young man in front of him would lie on the ground and throw a tantrum, so he had no choice but to go to the yamen with Yonglian to see the proposal with a sigh.
Yonglian was so busy these days that it was dark when he finished his work. He couldn't wait to go home and spend time with his wife.
During the Chinese New Year, the first wife was diagnosed with being two months pregnant, and the couple was ecstatic.
This child came at the right time. If he had come a step later, the Queen would have chosen a concubine for Yonghuang.
The eldest wife is now concentrating on taking care of her pregnancy in the hospital, and Shu Nan goes to talk to her sister-in-law every day.
Occasionally, the queen would ask her to help with some palace affairs. This summer, there was a big event, which was the wedding of Niu Lun and Balzhuer.
The last time they went to Mulan for the hunting expedition, the two had seen each other from a distance and were both satisfied with each other. Even if the marriage was settled, the people in the palace already called Balzhuer the Prince Consort.
Niu Lun's wedding house has also been found. Before Fu Heng went to the northwest, he was responsible for the renovation and expansion. After Fu Heng went to the northwest, Yonghuang took over this task and was responsible for making his sister's princess mansion beautiful.
Yonglian had also been there several times, but he was tired of saying the word "envy".
Even the prince's palace may not be as exquisitely built as the princess's palace.
The two brothers were envious and kept adding things to the princess's mansion.
At the same time, Qianlong was also preparing a dowry for Niu Lun. It was said that the cash alone was nearly 20,000 taels, and other items, from large farms and shops to small pots and pans, were also required.
The Queen has been busy during this period, and Shu Nan occasionally helps check the dowry list.
The dowry was so large that Niu Lun felt embarrassed. But when she tried to refuse it, no one agreed.
Yonglian was reluctant to let his sister suffer, but this also benefited Balzhuer. He was pua to his future brother-in-law. Such good living conditions are not for you to enjoy in vain. First, you have to take good care of my sister, and second, you have to serve the court wholeheartedly.
Balzhuer got his wish and became a member of the Imperial Guard. The young man looked very handsome no matter how he looked at him. However, because his wedding would be held in the second half of the year, he, as the groom, had to stay to try on clothes and go through the formalities, so he did not accompany the emperor to the Eastern Tomb this time.
Yonglian just grabbed him to do the job, "You don't have to worry about other things, but you have to pay attention to your own wedding, right?"
Balzhuer nodded repeatedly, saying that it was necessary, as no one wanted the wedding to go wrong.
Yonglian asked him to be responsible for communicating with the Guanglu Temple, determining the menu for the wedding banquet, and then reporting the budget.
This job didn't seem difficult, so Balzhuer went there happily. Two days later, he received the list and budget of ingredients needed for Guanglu Temple.
After reading it, Yonglian threw it in front of him and called Longpu, who was in charge of Huimin Canteen, "Come and tell the price of the dishes to the prince consort!"
Luang Pu started to report, and Balzhuer opened his mouth wide. The budget reported by Guanglu Temple had increased five times!
This is not the way to make money!
"They just think you're out of touch with the real world and are trying to coax you, a fool. And here, they need three thousand kilograms of sauce? What kind of dish are you making that needs so much sauce? The amount of peppercorns is wrong too. That many peppercorns will numb you to death." Yonglian said to Balzhuer, "Your wedding alone will be enough to keep them busy for years."
Baljur: “…”
"Khan Ama loves us, so we can't squander his money like this, right?" Yonglian handed the list back. "Go, brother-in-law, go and have a word with them." Balzhuer left in disgrace, and Yonglian couldn't help but sigh. He had thought Dadu and Alawangbu would trick this kid into a trap and teach him some lessons, but they were too savvy and posed no threat to Balzhuer. As a result, despite his current talents, this man was still a naive person, making him the villain.
It's better to learn a lesson before marriage than to let your sister suffer with him after marriage.
When the emperor came back from Dongling, he found that his future son-in-law, Balzhuer, had changed from a sunny and cheerful boy into a wilted pickled mustard greens, so he asked him who was the blind person who bullied him.
Balzhuer told the story, and no one bullied him. However, he finally opened his eyes and understood the world better.
Qianlong: “…”
Not only did Baljur understand the world better, he also understood Baljur better.
...This kid really has no brains!
Qianlong scolded Balzhuer and then handed him over to Yonglian.
In the months before his marriage, Balzhuer was ordered around by Yonglian and doubted his life every day.
One day, Niu Lun came to Yonglian and said, "Second brother, please stop bothering him. He has been frowning these days and doesn't look as good as before."
Yonglian: "Hmm? He came to see you?"
Niu Lun: "I went to see him." The girl said this with a calm tone, though her cheeks flushed slightly. "We just exchanged a few words. Khan Ama said he would give me two cars as a dowry. I figured I wouldn't need them often, and Balzhuer could use them for his daily errands, so I asked him what color he liked."
Yonglian: "..." Yonglian was in a complicated mood. Niu Lun brought two cars as a dowry when she got married, but he, the minister in charge of the manufacturing bureau, still didn't have a car.
Of course, this couldn't be blamed on Emperor Qianlong, as he had agreed to allow him to use the money from the Imperial Household Department to build a car for himself. After discussing with Shu Nan, Yonglian decided that they would have little chance of using the car. His work place was at the Manufacturing Bureau, which was within walking distance, and Shu Nan had even less chance to go out.
You don't have to spend this money.
The same thing happened to Yonghuang and his wife. They didn't want to spend the treasury's money, and they couldn't come up with 100,000 taels, so they decided to travel by carriage.
According to Yonglian, Balzhuer didn't need a carriage. The princess's residence was so close to the Forbidden City that it only took a quarter of an hour to ride there. Why would she learn horseback riding if she just sat down when she went out?
But if this car was given to Niu Lun, Yonglian would be willing to do it.
Hearing that Niu Lun had asked Balzhuer for his opinion, Yonglian curled his lips and said, "Who cares? Just customize it according to your preferences."
Niu Lun snorted, "I won't. You even have to discuss what to eat with my second sister-in-law, and you still blame me..."
Yonglian: “…”
"Balzhuer needs training, but too much is as bad as too little. I'm afraid he'll lose his confidence because of the setback." Niu Lun smiled, "I still like his optimistic and cheerful side."
Yonglian thought about it and said, "Don't worry, I'll adjust the strategy later."
Niu Lun wanted to say thank you, but that would be too awkward. From Khan Ama to her mother to her brother and sister-in-law, they had all been so busy and worried about her marriage, and she didn't know how to repay them.
Khan Ama gave her a generous dowry and an annual allowance of 1,000 taels, equivalent to that of a princess marrying far away. She wanted to use the money to do some charity.
Niu Lun discussed the second important matter with Yonglian. "I want to donate 500 taels of silver every year to the orphanage in the capital to help the children there learn to read and write. It would be best if the girls could learn some skills so that they can support themselves in the future."
Yonglian was stunned, and touched his sister's head with satisfaction. "Your idea is very good. Then you can write a charter to define where the five hundred taels should be used and how to supervise its whereabouts."
"What about Khan Ama..." Niu Lun was worried that Khan Ama would not agree. After all, Khan Ama gave him so much money because he wanted him to live a richer life.
Yonglian said, "I'll go talk to Khan Ama."
A few days later, Niu Lun wrote the charter, and the brother and sister went to see Qianlong together.
Qianlong did not agree at first, "You want to do good deeds, and it's the same as setting up Zhou Peng on the outskirts of the city every year, and you still have to worry about it."
Niu Lun's charter stated that she would regularly visit the children receiving assistance at the orphanage, assess their cultural level, and then assign them tasks.
Qianlong felt that this was not an easy task and did not want Niu Lun to worry about it.
Niu Lun said, "Khan Ama also said that five hundred taels a year is not a small amount. Of course I want to know where it is spent and what the effect is."
"Then let your second brother help you check it." Qianlong said. He didn't object to his daughter wanting to do good deeds to accumulate blessings, but he just didn't want her to worry about it.
Yonglian waved his hands quickly and said, "I won't help you with this. This money belongs to my sister. She can manage it herself."
Qianlong was so angry that he wanted to beat his son.
Niu Lun smiled and said, "Khan Ama, I will feel at ease if I manage this money myself. Besides, I have nothing to do all day and I don't have to serve my parents-in-law. If you don't find something for me to do, I will come back to the palace to see my mother every day."
"That won't do." Although Qianlong doted on his daughter, he also didn't want her to disrespect etiquette. What was wrong with a married woman returning to her parents' home every day? If outsiders knew about it, they would say that the royal princess had no manners.
"Khan Ama, just agree to Niulun's request. If this is done well, the people will not only be grateful to the princess, but they will also praise you for raising their daughter well." Yonglian said, "Using the money for this will actually help others and train more female workers for the workshop. It's better than donating it to temples and Taoist temples."
Qianlong thought about it and agreed. Niu Lun was setting an example for the women from wealthy families. If they had money, they should directly help the poor people. This was the real way to accumulate merit and was better than offering large sums of money to monks and Taoists.
Niu Lun added, "My daughter stayed in the capital. Some people in the court have already said that you spoiled her. If I can do some good things by staying in the capital, these people will stop saying that. The princess's value is not just in the Mongolian marriage. We can also help more people."
Yonglian applauded his sister, "Niu Lun said it very well!"
Qianlong was also persuaded and said, "Okay, okay, let's arrange it according to this rule. If you have any questions, ask your second brother."
Niu Lun happily hugged Khan Ama's arm and acted coquettishly, "I knew Khan Ama would agree."
Qianlong touched his daughter's head lovingly and said, "You are a grown-up girl now. You can't act like a spoiled child anymore." Then he glared at Yonglian and said, "If this matter is not arranged properly, I will hold you accountable!"
Yonglian: "...So if this matter is handled successfully, it is my sister's credit, and if it is not handled well, it is my responsibility."
Qianlong laughed, "That's exactly what I meant!"
Niu Lun also made faces at his second brother.
Yonglian: “…”
Yonglian sighed, "I am no longer Khan Ama's little darling. I want to go back to find my wife for comfort."
As he was about to run, Qianlong grabbed him and said, "This is a memorial from Fuheng! It reports on the reform of the native system."
"Let me see, let me see!"
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