111. Extra 1
"none"
Qi You was promoted from Prince Chun to Crown Prince. Yuqing Palace was still under renovation, so he did not move into the palace and continued to live in the prince's mansion. Kangxi now lived in Changchun Garden, and he lived in the nearby Wumingzhuang.
His status had changed, but his life continued much the same. He would go to Shunyi every few days and occasionally give a class or two to a group of children. He didn't preach, but instead taught his students the good manners and personal cleanliness they had learned as children.
Qi You always believed that there was no need for lofty ideals or ambitious plans. If he could remember and practice even half of the etiquette, morality, and rules he learned in childhood, he would be considered quite good.
Unfortunately, many people have forgotten this. They see farther and higher, and have lofty ambitions, but they have forgotten their true selves and how to be human beings.
When in the capital, Qi You did not attend court. Except when he had something to see Kangxi or was summoned, he was busy with his own affairs.
About the Qing Dynasty’s plan for the next ten years.
Qi You suddenly appeared, and there were definitely people who would not like him, such as Lao Ba and his group.
After all, the situation was already decided, so Old Eight and the others didn't dare to be too obvious. Someone like Fourteen, who was spoiled and ignorant of the world, could only sneak around behind Qi You and put on a sour face.
As long as it doesn't bring Qi You into contact with him and interfere with his business, he generally ignores it.
As for the fourth brother and his friends, they were certainly disappointed. A few days later, he fell ill. After recovering, he lost some weight, but his features became more relaxed. When he saw Qi You, he smiled and greeted him. Compared to the previous quiet atmosphere, the place felt more lively.
Their thoughts and attitudes didn't matter at the moment. The most important matter was imminent, and Qi You had to deal with it properly to prevent future troubles.
The Crown Prince had his own Zhanshi Mansion and the Eastern Palace, which was equivalent to a small imperial court. The officials who had their sights on the various errands of Qi You's Zhanshi Mansion were ready to make a move.
Especially the nobles of the Bannermen, they were eager to pounce on them and grab some lucrative positions to benefit their family descendants.
Kangxi is still selecting candidates and has not yet decided.
The more impatient they are, the more harm it will do to Qi You.
There were many things he could not control. Once he stood in the position of crown prince, he naturally had a hostile and competitive relationship with Kangxi.
Even if the competition is not obvious now, as time goes by, coupled with the efforts of those who are interested in sowing discord, no matter how deep the father-son relationship is, it cannot withstand the threat of the country.
A fight breaks out between the father and son of the Heavenly Family. Whichever side wins, it is a pyrrhic victory. In unseen places, blood flows like a river.
That afternoon, the sun was shining brightly, and even though Changchun Garden was shaded by green trees, it was still very hot to walk in. The cicadas were especially annoying, their screams at the top of their lungs.
When they arrived at Qingxi Study, Kangxi had just finished his lunch break and was sitting on a couch drinking tea. Seeing Qi You come in, he asked him to sit down. Looking at his sweaty face, he groaned and said, "The dismounting place is quite far from Qingxi Study. Why don't you take a sedan chair?"
There was an ice jar in the room, and the cool air made Qi You feel much more comfortable. He smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Khan Ama. I'm fine. It's even more stuffy in the sedan chair, and there's a bit of wind when I walk."
Liang Jiugong led people to bring water. After Qi You washed up, he drank a cup of his usual mint water. The heat in his body subsided and he returned to his usual calm and composed self.
Kangxi looked at Qi You, frowning, and said, "Why don't you move into the garden? It will be more convenient that way, and you won't have to run around in the hot weather. You are strong and can handle it, but Hongshu can't be exposed to the sun. By the way, where is Hongshu?"
Qi You said embarrassedly, "He was naughty at noon and didn't want to eat. I punished him, and he cried and fell asleep."
Kangxi felt extremely distressed and glared at Qi You, scolding him, "He's just a little kid. If he doesn't want to eat, just coax him a few times. But you, as his father, just refuse to feed him and leave him hungry. He's still young and growing."
It is said that the love between generations is greater than that for the grandchildren. Kangxi was ten times or a hundred times more loving to his grandchildren than to his sons. Qi You did not directly argue with Kangxi about the issue of children's education. He vaguely passed it over and said, "Khan Ama, I came here to talk to you about the residence. I also have some other ideas that I want to discuss with you."
Kangxi paused, put down his tea bowl, and said, "There are many empty courtyards in Changchun Garden. You can pick any one. Remember to choose a spacious one. When you have more people around you in the future, you must leave room for the officials from the Prince's Palace to work."
Qi You smiled and said, "I don't want Khan Ama, the Chancellery, the officials of the Eastern Palace, etc."
Kangxi never expected that Qi You didn't want an official, and was completely stunned.
Qi You made this decision not entirely to please Kangxi and dispel his imperial suspicion and vigilance.
First of all, the officials of the Prince's Mansion were all selected by Kangxi. Even if he selected someone to be with Qi You, he would inevitably be suspicious.
Although the selected officials were Kangxi's men, Qi You was not afraid of them exercising their supervisory and oversight responsibilities. The key point was that Kangxi was already old, and the officials were very cunning. They would definitely be indecisive and play both sides, which was purely an unpredictable explosive.
Secondly, Qi You really looked down on Kangxi's confidants and close associates. To put it bluntly, they were a bunch of trash who wasted salaries and food.
To put it mildly, these people, who came from the Eight Banners, were not ambitious and spent their days trying to rise up the social ladder. Apart from flattering others and enriching themselves, they were incapable of doing any real work.
The last part is Qi You’s real plan. He doesn’t want to form a team to compete with Kangxi. He wants to enter the court directly.
He employed Kangxi's officials to work under his supervision. He was frank and open, so that they could get used to his work style earlier and save the trouble of getting used to it later.
Qi You said, "Khan Ama, the harvest and yield per mu of the farm under my name are clearly known, and Degao and his men will be able to take care of the accounts. I don't have much social interaction outside, so it's enough for Nara to take care of it. As for the official business of the court, it will be handled in the court. If there is anything that requires my involvement, there are officials from the six ministries to handle it. I think the Zhanshi Mansion is really unnecessary."
Ever since Kangxi appointed Qi You as the crown prince, he could not accurately tell whether he was happy or unhappy.
Faced with his aging body, Kangxi never fantasized about living to be a hundred years old, but he still panicked.
Fear of losing the imperial majesty and supreme power.
With an indescribable feeling, Kangxi watched the Imperial Astronomical Observatory select an auspicious date and the Ministry of Rites prepare for the ceremony of enthroning the crown prince.
Among all these, what made Kangxi feel most complicated was the preparation of the Prince's Zhanshi Mansion.
Kangxi's entanglement and struggle were far greater than when he was preparing the Zhanshi Mansion for Yinreng.
At that time, Yinreng was still young. He was young and ambitious, and no one could be an obstacle to him.
The Qi You before you was completely different from Yinreng. He was restrained, his wisdom almost demonic. But he was also extremely honest, laying it all out clearly, leaving no room for doubt.
The dark clouds that had been lingering in Kangxi's heart finally dissipated. He felt truly relieved and said with a smile, "It's up to you. After all, all the officials in the court will be your subjects from now on. It doesn't matter who you use."
Being the crown prince was a difficult thing, and Qi You knew what Kangxi was thinking. The arrival of another crown prince was no different from Kangxi's previous feelings towards the deposed crown prince.
Qi You looked at Kangxi's relaxed expression and knew that this move was the right one. He continued, "The renovations at Yuqing Palace are almost finished. When I move into the palace, the house I live in now will be empty. Since the site for the manor I'm building for my second brother hasn't been chosen yet, why not let him move into my house?"
Kangxi was stunned and stared at Qi You in disbelief, not knowing what to say for a moment.
Generally speaking, Qi You is already the crown prince. After he ascends the throne, the mansion he currently lives in will be a place where hidden dragons hide, so how can anyone live there casually?
What's more, the person living there is the imprisoned deposed prince!
Qi You said sincerely, "Khan Ama, I don't care about these things. If the house is empty, it will soon rot away without people. It would be a shame to waste it. Xian'an Palace is dilapidated, and there are too many people around my second brother. My nephews and nieces are still young."
Kangxi closed his eyes slightly, his expression moved, and he sighed deeply.
After Yinreng was imprisoned, the women around him became pregnant two or three times in succession and gave birth to a large number of children. Some died in infancy, and many more were still in their infancy.
Although he was angry at Yinreng's lack of restraint and indulgence, Kangxi was reluctant to let his grandsons suffer. He scolded Yinreng with a stern face and said, "For the sake of the younger generation, I will not stop you, as your uncle, for your generosity. Let them move out when the time comes. And Hongxi, you are busy now. If he stays with you, won't he get in the way and delay your work?"
Qi You pondered for a moment and said, "Hongxi spends a lot of time studying and is usually very obedient. Let's keep it as it is. There's no need to change it. But he still lives in the prince's residence. There are too many people in his backyard and it's very crowded. We need to find a house for him to move out."
Kangxi was always worried that as the crown prince, Hongxi would be led astray if he moved out.
Qi You was already the crown prince, so Kangxi put aside this concern. From then on, he had peace and could enjoy the happiness of family life with his grandparents.
Kangxi happily agreed and gave a few instructions as usual: "When he moves out, his uncle will take over his father's duties. With you watching over him, he won't cause any trouble."
If you calculate carefully, Qi You was not the only one who brought Hongxi with him. He was also the one who raised all the children of Yinzhi, Yinreng and Yinxiang.
Kangxi's eyes softened a bit, and he said earnestly, "You only have Hongnuan and Hongshu, and only one Nara in your harem. It's really too few. Even if I don't advise you to add more people to your harem, you are still young, you should have more children."
Qi You said solemnly, "Khan Ama, I still say what I said before: children are all determined by fate. I know Khan Ama's concerns. I only have Hongshu as a son. If he grows up to be a bad boy or is unable to shoulder the heavy responsibility, the Qing Dynasty will have no successor."
Before Kangxi appointed Qi You as the crown prince, he took into account the fact that he had few offspring.
Later, Kangxi thought that Qi You was young and in good health and could continue to have children, so he dispelled this concern.
If Qi You only had Hong Shu as his only child, who knows how many people would flock to him. If Hong Shu was useless, Qi You would have no choice in the future.
Since the safety of the Qing dynasty was at stake, Kangxi had to be cautious. He said in a deep voice, "Hongshu is clever, but he's still young. A child's intelligence doesn't guarantee success when he grows up. Even if he grows up to be clever, if he has a bad temper, he won't be able to get along with you. If you go east and he goes west, what will you do then? Where will you and your son end up?"
Qi You said calmly and firmly, "The heir should be a virtuous and intelligent one. Hong Shu is not my only choice. I have so many nephews. I will pass the throne to whoever is capable of taking the throne."
Kangxi was shocked by two or three consecutive things. His hands holding the tea bowl were shaking uncontrollably because of excitement, admiration, emotion, sadness and warmth.
His sons and grandsons are all his biological relatives. For Kangxi, of course he wholeheartedly supports choosing a wise grandson as the crown prince.
But for Qiyou, although his nephews were close, there was still a gap between them. Kangxi couldn't help but ask himself, if it were him, even if all his own sons were useless, he would not be willing to give up and would never give up the country to others.
Kangxi never doubted Qi You's words. He knew there was no need for him to lie. If he really didn't want power to fall into someone else's hands, and Nara couldn't give birth, he could marry a concubine, a Nagege. He was not afraid of not being able to give birth to a biological son to inherit the throne.
Having only Hongshu as his son was never a problem for Qiyou. He also had Hongnuan and other nieces.
As a traditional emperor, Kangxi had sent his daughters to pacify Mongolia. He certainly could not accept Qi You's idea and would be furious.
Qi You concealed the past very cleverly to avoid unnecessary complications.
After he came to power, he would have made many changes. I guess Kangxi would have vomited blood after hearing this and immediately deposed him.
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