Unexpected changes
A lot of things happened in October, which shocked everyone's nerves. Some people were upset about the funeral, while others were excited about the subsequent events.
There are many kinds of excitement. For example, Hongxiu, who was busy trying to prevent everyone from sharing unpleasant news with the Crown Princess, was experiencing a kind of nervous excitement. Yinreng, who suffered successive setbacks, was unable to move, and kept ruminating on his predicament, was experiencing a kind of desperate excitement. And for someone like Yinzhi, who was eager to take advantage of the Crown Prince's holiday to quickly gain more benefits, was experiencing another kind of excitement.
Hongxiu, Zishang and the others discussed that the Crown Princess usually used them anyway, and usually either you or I would be around, so everyone should keep a close eye on her and not let her hear anything that might make her angry in the last month.
Zichang said, "These two days are about the eldest prince's affairs. There are a lot of people around, so we should pay more attention to them. After these two days, everything will be back to normal, right?"
Xiuniu had met Xiluo several times, and although she didn't know her well, she knew that she was an old lady who knew the importance of things. "This time, I'm afraid the wife of the family won't be able to come and accompany the master, so we really need to be more considerate."
After the three of them had a small meeting, they went to invite Zhao Guoshi and other prominent eunuchs to discuss the matter in secret. Zhao Guoshi agreed immediately: "We understand all this. Leave the external affairs to us. You will have to take care of the internal affairs." The united front was initially established.
Among these people, those who came in as dowries had their families made good arrangements; the eunuchs' futures were also arranged. The Crown Princess's housekeeper arranged for them to receive more or less a share of the dividends in the shops outside. It might not be very conspicuous, but it was long-lasting; as for Xiuniu and others, the Crown Princess had another way of making arrangements.
The next year, the annual Xiaoxuan (small selection) came around, and Xiaoman's sister was among them. However, Xiaoman had only sisters and no brothers, which made her parents at home very worried. The Crown Princess had already promised to contact Concubine Tong next year and let Xiaoman's sister, if she was not selected, return home to take care of her parents until she could get married, or simply find a live-in son-in-law.
These arrangements offer long-term benefits and stability, but they come with one prerequisite: the Crown Princess's well-being. Best of all, they're subtle, subtle hints. Rather than suddenly giving you a whole estate, this gradual approach makes the blessing permeate your life.
Who wouldn't want to serve under such circumstances?
Yinreng didn't personally oversee the entire process of Hongyang's funeral; his focus wasn't there. Kangxi granted him two days off, supposedly to allow him to rest, but in reality, it wasn't a break. On the first day, he had to deal with many people trying to comfort him, and he also encountered his wife fainting (or sleeping?).
The next day, preparations would be made for the launch. He could only show up briefly at important moments, but he had to express his stance. On this day, he also had to write a report on matters related to the two-day holiday, so that he could hand it to Kangxi when he returned to work on the third day.
Busy! The Crown Prince is really busy!
Even more disheartening was the arrival of Zhang Ying and Xiong Cilü. They had been Yinreng's teachers; they had both served in the Imperial Household Department; and they had served as teachers to a student who was no longer overweight. After consoling the other princes and leaving, Yinreng heard of their arrival and once again welcomed them.
Both of them looked solemn.
For two people who had experienced so much, the death of a child was understandable and not considered too serious - the prince had three sons, and all of them were healthy. However, polite words still had to be said.
Each of them said, "Prince, please accept my condolences." Then they advised Yinreng to be at ease and take a long-term view.
Yinreng felt a little ashamed. He really had a long-term vision now, but he couldn't even mourn his deceased son with all his heart.
Zhang and Xiong exchanged a glance, and finally, Zhang Ying spoke up, "We're here to discuss something with the Crown Prince."
Yinreng said, "Master, please speak."
Zhang Yingxian had already prepared a plan: "Former Grand Secretary Zhang Yushu has returned home after mourning for his father. Now that he has finished his mourning period, the Emperor wants him to return to serve as a Grand Secretary."
Yinreng began to tally up the accounts in a clear and organized manner: "Excluding Wang Xi, who retired last month, the Grand Secretaries now include Yisan'a and Ma Qi of Man, Wu Yan of Han, and two tutors, a total of five. With his arrival, there will be six."
Xiong Cilü said, "That's right. It's rare for six Grand Secretaries to coexist. Even if there were, His Majesty would quickly make it five."
The recent practice of having one foreman and four assistants among the Grand Secretaries was a common one. With Zhang Yushu's return, one of the original five would have to step aside. This personnel management involved many aspects, one of which was the unspoken rule between Manchus and Han Chinese: the ratio of Manchu and Han officials could not be even, nor could there be a significant excess of Manchus or a noticeable deficiency. Of the five, there had to be at least two Manchu officials.
Yinreng quickly figured out the key.
"Can it be that only one of the two masters has to step down?" Zhang Yushu, Wu Yan and Xiong Cilü were all Jinshi during the Shunzhi period, while Zhang Ying was a Jinshi during the Kangxi period. Zhang Ying was younger, and Xiong Cilü was similar to Zhang Yushu and Wu Yan. How could these two be sure that they were the ones to step down?
Zhang Ying said, "Your Highness, I have already written a petition to resign."
Huh? Yinreng thought that even if there was a retreat, it would be Xiong Cilü who would do it.
"I have always been frail and sickly, and now, as I age, I am even less able to do what I want. I am entrusted with the task of drafting imperial edicts, and if I am not careful, it could easily lead to trouble."
Yinreng was still digesting the news. His father-in-law's family had stopped working without pay, so his master was also going to retire?
Xiong Cilü said, "Don't worry, Prince. This...is not a bad thing."
Zhang Ying continued what Xiong Cilü had said, "Zhang Yushu is also someone the prince is familiar with. He is a fair and upright person who avoids power. He never has any outsiders at his door and is calm and discreet." Not being partial to others is the prince's victory.
Xiong Cilü agreed. As long as they stopped bringing in figures like Mingzhu and Suo'etu, the court would be much less turbulent. "Be fair and just"? What was "just"? Between the Crown Prince and the eldest prince, as long as there was righteousness, there would be peace. Therefore, one must stay close to the Crown Prince.
Zhang Ying had already written his memorial; coming to inform the Crown Prince was merely a matter of appearances. Given Zhang Ying's temperament, it would be difficult to pry any inside information from him without Kangxi's permission. His willingness to come signaled that the matter was settled.
All Yinreng could do was accept the fact, and he accepted it honestly.
Xiong Cilü comforted him, saying, "Your Majesty is not seeking to be cautious in his actions these days. Zhang Yushu is just that kind of person. You know him well, so there's no need to worry about anyone stirring up trouble. He can handle it with stability."
No one mentioned the eldest prince, but they had already discussed a countermeasure.
The solution is to accept the situation and continue to hide. If someone wants to make a fuss, let them do it.
After seeing off these two, another minister, Yisan'a, who had more contact with the prince, came. Not long after, Xinyu also came and brought Soetu's condolences.
After dealing with these people, Yinreng's mind was still buzzing. Just as he was about to lie down and rest, he heard from behind that the Crown Princess had fainted.
It's busy again.
I was nervous for a long time, and only when Shujia opened her eyes did I completely relax.
Shujia had a sound sleep. When she woke up, it was already late. Yinreng was still sitting on the edge of the bed looking at her like a ghost. She was so scared that she almost gave birth to the child.
"I..." He turned to look around the house, "What time is it now?"
Yinreng reached out and touched her forehead: "It's two quarters past three in the afternoon. How do you feel?"
"It's fine." Really, if you get enough sleep, you'll be energetic and no difficulty will seem difficult. If you're mad, even if someone says "you idiot" you'll be furious.
Yinreng was worried: "The imperial physician has seen you and said that you are depressed and overworked. If you are sad, don't keep it in your heart. Talk about it and cry, and you will feel better."
Arguing with him at this point would only make him look like a drunkard who keeps claiming he's not drunk. Shujia soberly changed the subject: "Have you eaten yet?"
The noise inside had alarmed the people outside. Qiao'er, who came to take over the shift, stuck her head out to take a look, then retracted her head and asked people to help the Crown Princess wash up and bring the meal to the small kitchen.
Washing, eating, all went on in silence. Yinreng silently hinted, "Bring the medicine." Shujia drank another bowl of medicine. Yinreng was still worried: "Hongyang will leave tomorrow. You, don't go see him off. Go to sleep and don't think too much."
If I don't have to go far away, I can just watch the child being carried out, and that's fine too: "Okay."
Yinreng relaxed and slept soundly. Shujia slept too long during the day and suffered from insomnia. She stared at Yinreng's profile and almost couldn't help but kick him up to chat!
The next day, everyone in the Eastern Palace rose early. This day was the day of Hongyang's funeral. The burial site was far from the palace. Yinreng rode a horse, followed closely by Hongxi and Hongdan. Shujia took Hongtong in a carriage, followed by the carriages of Li Jiashi and Li Jiashi.
The women were escorted out of the palace and then turned back, while Yinreng, along with his two sons, escorted them straight out of the city before turning back. The rest of the journey was handled by the relevant departments.
Back at the Eastern Palace, the Empress Dowager's consolation group arrived again, primarily to visit the Crown Princess. No one dared to tell the old lady about what happened yesterday. As the due date approached and the bad news continued to pour in, the Empress Dowager ordered the Crown Princess to suspend her visits and sort out her affairs first.
Shujia still ordered her trusted palace attendants to bring Erpang to Ningshou Palace to pay their respects every day, and the Empress Dowager also sent a messenger to reply. Today, the person sent was Xiuniu. When the Empress Dowager heard that the Crown Prince and his wife had personally sent Hongyang and brought Hongtong with them, she felt a little uneasy, so she added some extra condolences.
Shujia slowly moved back into the house and offered them a seat: "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty." She then asked about the Empress Dowager's mood, and said that she had just returned from outside and would send Hongtong to see the Empress Dowager tomorrow, and then she let them go.
Lu Ru politely escorted the guests out of the Eastern Palace. Shu Jia said to Li Jia and Li Jia, "You have worked hard these past few days. Go and rest."
The two men bowed silently and retreated silently. They had been through a lot these past few days, their faces pale and their steps staggering.
Hongxiu took off Shujia's coat and said, "Master, please go for a walk too. The Crown Prince and the other princes won't be back for a while."
Shujia had been sleeping in a daze, and suddenly she heard someone outside say, "The prince and the princes have arrived." She struggled to get up again.
Traces of fatigue could be seen on their faces. Shujia didn't ask a few questions about their journey, but said, "You should rest too. We have important things to do tomorrow."
Yinreng moved his lips and finally uttered, "Let's all go."
Everyone was exhausted these past few days. Before Shujia went to sleep, she called Qinglu over and said, "Bring me that booklet and add Hongyang's death date. And remind me on every anniversary."
After everyone had a good sleep, washed up, and eaten their fill, those who needed to review their lessons reviewed their lessons, those who needed to write reports wrote their reports, those who needed to rest rested, and those who needed to serve as backdrops served as backdrops. No one mentioned Hongyang again.
For everyone, when something is over, there may still be regrets when you mention it in the future, but the scars in your heart have healed and faded.
The dead are dead, and the living must live.
When the road ahead is filled with obstacles and the retreat is an abyss, there is no time left for nostalgia.
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The next morning, everyone, whether working or studying, rose early. Pregnant women, privileged enough to wake up, were spared the burden of paying respects at the Ningshou Palace. After seeing her husband and son off, Shujia still had to deal with the imperial physician. The physician, shaking his head, offered a flurry of words, summing them up in two words: "Rest."
Shujia looked left and right. Okay, let's take care of it. Technically, she was still in mourning, so it wouldn't be appropriate for her to go to someone else's place. It was a bit boring, though. She'd be interrupted every ten minutes of reading because it hurt her eyes, and she'd be stopped before she even started working on her homework because it was nerve-wracking.
Shujia can only zzzzzz~
Compared to Shujia, Yinreng's life was much more exciting. For the first time in the real world, the Crown Prince experienced what it meant to "a day in the mountains is a thousand years in the real world."
In the morning, he sent his son to the Palace of Heavenly Purity, and Kangxi had just gotten up.
After washing his face, Kangxi was in high spirits. He comforted his son and grandson, and asked Hongdan: "Have you fallen behind in your studies?"
Hongdan said, "My grandson has reviewed it."
Kangxi patted his little head and said, "Then go study."
Before the court officials arrived, Kangxi met with the crown prince. Winter days were short, and the room still had to be lit. Their secret meeting by candlelight seemed eerie.
Kangxi asked Yinreng to sit down and said: "You haven't been here for the past two days. I will tell you some things so that you won't have any questions later."
This is exactly what Yinreng wanted to know.
"Zhang Ying has requested retirement due to old age and illness, and I have approved his request. Zhang Yushu has finished mourning and is on his way to the capital to fill Zhang Ying's position. I have transferred Qi Shiwu, the governor of Shaanxi, to the position of governor of Gansu, and promoted E Hai, the governor of Shaanxi, to the position of governor of Shaanxi. On the winter solstice, I will offer sacrifices to heaven at the Circular Mound. You will go and perform the ceremony. I will also visit the mausoleum, and you will accompany me."
These are all good news areas.
Then, the bad news came!
Shi Wenbing had been promoted from Minister of War to Minister of Revenue. Now that the position had become vacant, Kangxi gave it to Alinga. Holy crap! Alinga was a crackpot. He was the uncle of the Tenth Prince. After the death of the Imperial Concubine, the Tenth Prince's mother, the Imperial Concubine, the entire family was mourning at the funeral home. While they were attending to the Imperial Concubine's funeral, he, due to his feud with his brother Faka, plotted to have him killed, spreading rumors and slandering Faka.
Kangxi punished him severely once, but later had to compromise for various reasons and re-employed him.
It is not known how long he could stay in this position, but if he were the Minister of Revenue, even if Kangxi suddenly decided to take away the position and let Shi Wenbing return to work, it would be difficult for Shi Wenbing to replace him. The Ministry of Revenue would become someone else's, and the Crown Prince would be scratching his head against the wall.
In addition, the position of deputy governor of Fu Dali was replaced by Yue Xi, another uncle of the Eighth Concubine, who had his title stripped, so that he could receive a salary to supplement the family expenses.
The imperial guards on Qingde's body eventually fell into the hands of Longke's sixteen-year-old son Yue Xing'a.
The news was bad, because none of the new hires were from the crown prince's family. But they weren't all bad either. Like a masochist, Yinreng's mind was preoccupied with a single question: How come the eldest son never got a single good job? These three positions were all very good. If he couldn't get the first two, he should have gotten the last one, right?
Because the person Yinzhi wanted to convince was Kangxi!
Not counting Guanyinbao, his vacancy could be filled with the approval of the Grand Secretary of the Imperial Guards, without alerting Kangxi. The other three vacancies in the Shi family were all very important. Shi Wenbing's was self-evident, while Fu Dali's involved banner affairs. Qingde's vacancy was in the Imperial presence, which not only affected the Emperor's safety but also helped him leave a lasting impression with the Emperor, paving the way for future promotions.
Throughout the Qing Dynasty, many bannermen officials, having served as imperial guards, were promoted quickly, as the emperor was more familiar with them. This was especially true of the Imperial Guard, which was essentially the Central Party School of the dynasty, with students receiving salaries, professional titles, and promising careers.
How could Kangxi not attach importance to and be vigilant about these three positions? He would carefully consider any assignment like this. He had his own considerations regarding the right person for each position. How could it be so easy to snatch food from a tiger's mouth?
People hate poaching the most. When faced with this kind of situation, people will spit and draw circles on you at the very least, or even resort to physical violence at the worst. If you poach the emperor's girlfriend, he is definitely capable of doing more, such as summoning a group of people to spit on you, draw circles on you, or even gang up on you.
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During the two days the Crown Prince was on holiday, the eldest prince was vying for this lucrative position. Needless to say, he was first in the list of officials to be rewarded with gifts and favors. He had the final say over the money allocated to the lower levels, and those in charge of the purse strings enjoyed the most. The position of Vice-Governor was a bit lower, but Imperial Guard was a great place to rise to the top. The eldest wife's family was in the Bordered Yellow Banner, and her family was among those being considered.
After comforting the Crown Prince at the Eastern Palace, Prince Zhi didn't even have time to attend to his own errands. He went straight to Mingzhu's house. Kuixu and his brother Kuifang were both at work, and Rongruo's son had recently received a degree and also needed to report for duty. Yinzhi went straight to Mingzhu.
Mingzhu had been considering retirement since Soetu's departure. However, as he was the founder and spiritual leader of the Ming Party, Kangxi's crackdown on him was effective but not overwhelming, leaving many remnants of his faction still around. Mingzhu's sons, Kuixu and Kuifang, were both doing well and attracting considerable attention, making his path to retirement quite difficult.
Soetu also withdrew, but his retreat was complete. His followers were shaved, his morale was crushed, his children and grandchildren became obedient, and the Crown Prince rarely visited him. This further demonstrated the Prince of Zhi's ability to drag his feet. He would come around whenever he had something to do. It was as if he was afraid that others would not know that the two of them were still colluding to deal with the Crown Prince.
Mingzhu has been smart all her life, but she didn't expect that she would be held back by Yinzhi in the end!
Kangxi didn't mind his ministers' disagreements; they could discuss them. But he was annoyed by their factions, a fact Mingzhu had learned early on. However, what Kangxi couldn't tolerate even more than factions was interfering with the throne!
Mingzhu's original intention was to avoid defeat in the struggle with Soetu, so she had to support an older prince to fight against Soetu, who already had the crown prince. In the end, the factional struggle and the fight for the throne became entangled, twisted into a large knot that could not be unraveled.
It was also because of this factional struggle as a cover that Kangxi turned a blind eye to the fight for the throne and vented his anger on the factional struggle. Now that Soetu has withdrawn, if Mingzhu still refuses to withdraw, it will be a clear message to Kangxi: I just want to support the eldest prince to ascend the throne and win the credit for supporting him!
Doesn't that just clear Soetu's name? Soetu was right. He had foresight and recognized Mingzhu's sinister intentions early on. He loyally assisted the crown prince. Although his methods were a bit inferior, his intentions were good. OVER.
Mingzhu can then game over.
So Mingzhu stayed at home all the time, and only attended Tong Guowei's birthday party and the wedding of Orondei's sister, and didn't care about anything else.
Seeing Yinzhi coming again today, he really wanted to vomit blood.
Ever since Yinzhi arrived, Mingzhu had probably guessed what he did. Could it be that Shi Wenbing and the others were in mourning, and Mingzhu had been asked to find a way to fill these vacancies?
Mingzhu looked at Yinzhi. He wore a two-layered, smoked sable crown with a golden dragon crown. Ten oriental pearls crowned with a ruby. Because the owner of the hat was running so fast, the pearls and gem seemed to sway slightly. He also wore a robe with four dragons embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, and a sable cap lined with golden brocade...
Prince Zhi, you just got out of court, right? You came here without even changing your clothes. Do you miss me that much?
Mingzhu suppressed a sigh and asked Yinzhi to sit down and ordered the servants to serve tea. Yinzhi looked happy: "Have you heard?"
Mingzhu pretended to be deaf and dumb: "I am old and sick at home, and I haven't heard anything for a long time."
This indifferent attitude did not affect Yinzhi at all: "Hua Shan is dead."
"Which Huashan?"
"Well?"
Mingzhu said slowly: "There are at least two famous Huashans in the court, and there are who knows how many unknown ones there are..." She carefully flipped through the history of each Huashan.
Yinzhi didn't have the patience to listen and told the news directly: "It's Hua Shan from the Shi family, the Crown Princess's grandfather."
"That was a character. It's a pity that he died."
I'm not saying this to make you feel sorry. Yinzhi quickly got to the point: "Once he dies, his sons will have to observe mourning, and his grandsons will have to observe mourning. Shi Wenbing is the Minister of Revenue, Fu Dali is the Vice Governor-General, Qingde is the Imperial Guard, and there's also Shi Wenzhuo, the Prefect of Suzhou. These are all lucrative positions! We must find a way to get them."
Even at the height of his power, Mingzhu wouldn't dare claim to have every lucrative position! He'd have to calculate, leaving shares for the five great families, territory for the Gioro clan, and then figure out how to persuade Kangxi indirectly. Mingzhu admired Yinzhi's ignorance.
She hadn't made a clear break with him yet, so she couldn't fall out. Mingzhu endured it and said kindly, "You can't get them all. There are so many people watching us."
"So you have to find a way! If you're too late, someone else will snatch it away."
Mingzhu clenched her fist, put it under her lips and coughed, "The Suzhou prefecture is vacant. Just inform the Ministry of Personnel. If there is a suitable person, just pass on the message."
Suzhou is quite fertile, but Yinzhi doesn't care about Suzhou and Fu. "What if I can find a royal guard for Uncle Hongyu?"
Mingzhu's forehead twitched. Well, the eldest wife's father was his old subordinate. For the sake of their old friend, Mingzhu thought for a moment before answering, "He was originally a second-rank official. There will be some trouble before he is promoted to the emperor. Let someone report his name first. If you continue like this..."
Yinzhi was going to marry a new wife, and the date was set for next month. Mingzhu asked Yinzhi to report the matter to Kangxi. Then Kangxi saw Yinzhi's former brother-in-law on the promotion list and would probably feel a little sympathy, and the matter might be settled.
Having found a solution for both positions, Yinzhi continued, "These two are still acceptable, but the most important thing is the other two. I would rather not have these two, but have the other two. However, the people I have on hand are not qualified enough. Do you have anyone you can recommend?"
Mingzhu coughed violently. "I can't even clear myself up!" The emperor has finally forgotten what I did, and I'm rushing to send those old friends to remind him. You smoked, but I didn't.
I’m old, I’m sick, I… I’m sick! Mingzhu straightened her body and leaned towards Yinzhi’s seat. Yinzhi also straightened his body and moved closer with his eyes blazing.
Mingzhu let out a loud cough that was so loud that it shook the heavens and the earth, and her body tilted, hanging weakly on the armrest of the chair.
Yinzhi panicked and went forward to support Mingzhu: "What's wrong with you? Hey, cheer up. Where is he? Quick, go and call the imperial physician."
The housekeeper of the Ming Mansion came forward quickly and said bitterly, "Your Highness, the servants are here for you. Now is the time for you to do your work in the government office."
Mingzhu also expressed her concerns in intermittent sentences: "Prince Zhi... is... ahem, at a time when he can make a difference, ahem... don't abandon your post."
Yinzhi was persuaded to leave, and Mingzhu was revived with full health.
When Kuixu and Kuifang returned, they were both taken to the study and lectured: "Don't get involved with this guy anymore!"
Kuifang has never been as active as Kuixu, and he just keeps saying yes.
Kuixuyou couldn't help but retort: "My son has never been optimistic about him. It was father who allowed him to enter the family."
"Are you dissatisfied with your father for not refusing to let the prince in?" That's not how it works.
Kuixu muttered, "My son is, is, uh, I feel that you can't indulge him any longer. It's time to get rid of what needs to be done. Cut the Gordian knot..."
Mingzhu looked at him with a look of disappointment: "Our family has been tied to the eldest prince for over twenty years. Can you just execute him if you say so? That's mean and ungrateful, don't you understand? He's a descendant of the emperor, the one who..." she lowered her voice, "Even after ascending the throne, we can't do anything to him! We are still slaves, and we have to muddle through. Do you understand?"
Kuixu was speechless, and Kuifang advised, "Father, please calm down. What you said is true, and what brother said is not unreasonable."
"You're really good at smoothing things over," Mingzhu scolded with a smile, her temper calming down a bit. "I've had many thoughts, and I almost wanted to marry your niece off to Guanyinbao of the Shi family."
Kuixu and Kuifang were shocked: "No way!"
"Yes, that's not possible. The emperor can ask the princes to teach Prince Hongdan and study with Prince Hongdan, but I can't marry my granddaughter to the Shi family." The change of wind direction was too obvious.
Kuixu and Kuifang remained silent. They had also secretly discussed Kangxi's actions, which was a bit like... asking everyone to build good relationships in advance.
"Hua Shan is dead, so let's put this matter aside for now."
Kuifang asked, "Is it true that the Prince of Zhi is so important?"
Mingzhu said decisively: "It's getting worse and worse."
Kui Xu said, "He'll always have a way out, even if it's a bit cowardly. We'll be his punching bags. Now we're in a difficult position. If we turn against the Crown Prince, not only will others despise us, but the Crown Prince might not believe us either. We'll be in trouble and our reputation will be ruined."
Mingzhu was silent for a while, then said: "If you can't please me, then find another way to please me! You can't just give up like this."
Kuixu couldn't believe it: "Father! Are you really going to give in to the prince? Then all these years..."
"It's all because of Soetu all these years!" Mingzhu found a perfect excuse.
Kuixu was speechless, and Kuifang countered: "That's not something that can be achieved overnight."
"You won't do it from now on?"
Kuixu found his voice again: "How embarrassing!"
"Impeach the Crown Prince directly and ask the Emperor to depose him. He's the most popular one. Are you going to do it?"
Kuixu retreated, but there was still a look of dissatisfaction in his eyes.
Kuifang didn't know why things had turned out this way, and tried to smooth things over again: "How about we not protect Prince Zhi and not follow the Crown Prince, and find another backer?" He couldn't believe it himself as he spoke.
"who?"
Kuifang was completely defeated.
Mingzhu said gloomily, "I've been busy for most of my life, but I didn't expect to die because of this move. Do you think I want to surrender to the Crown Prince? He... has the clan law, has abandoned his flatterers, changed his bad habits, and has Prince Hongdan with the Emperor. Among the other princes, he can't compete with him just in terms of status. Prince Zhi does have the advantage of being a long-term prince, but you can see how he's incompetent. Even if we ignore the status, he's already the Crown Prince, and he has no bad deeds to publicize. How can we pull him down?"
Mingzhu concluded her speech: "There's no other choice except the Crown Prince. Even if I can't surrender, I have to explain the misunderstanding."
The sons were depressed, depressed about their family's future.
Mingzhu was right. If the crown prince continued to act as arrogant as before, no matter how insignificant the eldest prince was, he would eventually be deposed, unless Kangxi died before then. In this case, Mingzhu only needed to depose the crown prince, and their family would be safe. The future was bright, and they were willing to take a gamble for this. Simply removing the crown prince would be enough, and they could even continue their good life without having to support another.
Kuifang came over first and asked: "Now are we going to... lean towards the Eastern Palace?"
Kuixu struggled for a while before saying, "I'm afraid it's difficult." He wanted to say that the Eighth Prince was a good person, but he became discouraged when he thought about the fact that the Crown Prince had no faults. The Emperor was not an ordinary protector of his people, and he could not get rid of the Crown Prince by just reporting on him.
As long as you don't object, Mingzhu also breathed a sigh of relief. He is old and was pretending to be sick just now. It is true that his physical fitness is declining. In the future, his sons will still be in charge of the family. Mingzhu doesn't want his sons to cause trouble after his death and make the family fall into poverty.
"Let me think about it again." Mingzhu began to think.
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Yinzhi didn't know that Mingzhu's family was already discussing a defection plan. He rushed to Yinsi and forcibly pulled out Yinsi, who was learning to take charge of affairs.
Yinsi sighed, observing the sweat stains beneath Yinzhi's winter hat. He knew what Yinzhi was worried about. It wasn't that he hadn't drooled over the Shi family vacancy. After careful consideration, he concluded that the Suzhou prefecture and the deputy governor-general's position were easier to secure. As for the other two, they were merely incidental. They were just a mix of what was there and what wasn't, muddying the waters.
Marhun was already in charge of the Imperial Clan Court, and his wife was a daughter of the Tong family, so his words carried great weight. Yinsi had discussed this with Marhun yesterday and decided to ask Tong Guowei to raise the issue with Kangxi, and Tong Guowei agreed.
Now Yinzhi ran over and handed him another list, and said: "When Khan Ama asks us to speak tomorrow, you must not say anything bad about these people. It is best to recommend them." While running, he forgot the very practical idea that Mingzhu came up with.
Yinsi was so happy when he saw this: "Brother, you are so smart! You actually have the same idea as me this time. You don't even take the lead yourself, but let others take the lead."
What kind of people are these?! I can tell at first glance that they're your people, okay? Especially the Minister of Revenue and the Deputy Governor-General, they're totally out of place! I can tell at first glance that these people are biased towards you, okay? You're such a fool to be the Khan!
He even agreed verbally: "When the time comes, I will mix these names with other names so as not to be conspicuous. How about it?" Among the other names he mentioned, there were also one or two people he liked. As the saying goes, "take advantage of troubled waters", the Eighth Prince's skills were a hundred times better than the First Prince's.
Yinzhi received the assurance and smiled brightly: "Do you have any retainers or servants waiting for a job? It's not impossible to discuss it."
The smile on Yinsi's face began to fade. "You've got all the good jobs, and now you think of me?" He shook his head and said, "Thank you for your concern, brother. I just want to be a rich and idle person. Don't bother with these stressful and laborious matters. I'm busy enough just doing the errands assigned by Khan Ama."
Yinzhi left happily, leaving Yinsi to watch his retreating figure with contempt.
There were few things in the capital that the emperor couldn't find out, except for things he didn't want to know. He wouldn't pry into the trivialities of Longkodo's backyard, for example, but when it came to government affairs, he was very shrewd. Kangxi quickly learned that two of his sons had been absent from work that day.
Kangxi knew everything Yinzhi did. Well, he had been close to Mingzhu for a while, but fortunately, Mingzhu was tactful and her actions were within the tolerable range. And Yinsi, who told him to be close to Huifei?
The other princes were very well behaved, doing their duties conscientiously without any impulsiveness. Kangxi was very satisfied.
The truth is cruel.
The Third Prince has recently been traumatized by the issue of recommending people for promotion, and always wants to be more effective in front of his Khan Father, so that he can be promoted as soon as he says so. Before that, the Third Prince is more concerned about getting more money to repair the garden.
The Fourth Prince was a very pragmatic person. He had little experience in his duties and his words weren't always effective, so he simply let his followers start from the bottom and work their way up. Why bother forming a pair within the court and then trying to grab that hot, fat piece of meat? It originally belonged to the Crown Prince, and now the Eldest Prince had his eye on it, and he couldn't win the fight (= = resentful face).
The Fifth Prince was thinking of using his remaining money to buy land as capital for his descendants. The Seventh Prince had never paid much attention to such matters.
The above is the whole truth.
Aside from the crown prince, the other princes who had been assigned responsibilities handed in their work. Kangxi was unsurprised to discover that Yinzhi had only mentioned a few people he had identified, not even bothering to add any more context, and was completely anti-crown supporters. Damn it!!! Kangxi was furious, and he began to become wary!
What's going on? A vacancy appeared the day before, and the next day someone was urging us to fill it. Because the position is important, I agreed, and today you're trying to sneak in your own agenda? No, this isn't sneaking in your own agenda at all. Yinzhi, this is all sneaky stuff, nothing serious at all!
The third brother just randomly filled in the numbers and almost wrote down the resumes of all six ministers. The fourth brother was more serious and copied the resumes of Shi Wenbing and others, thinking that it would be best to find someone similar to fill the position because Shi Wenbing had done a good job in this position before.
The Eighth Prince provided a number of alternative options, including eighty percent of those nominated by Yinzhi.
When the time came for public discussion, the Third and Fourth Princes said, "We think they are all good and can be used. Please let Khan Ama take the lead."
The Fifth and Seventh Princes said, "My sons are not deeply involved in this matter and dare not speak carelessly."
The eldest prince kept recommending the people he reported, saying that one was capable and the other was qualified, as if they were born for this position.
Kangxi's fury grew. He didn't believe Mingzhu was so foolish as to write such a list. He also knew that the imperial physician had entered Mingzhu's home since Yinzhi left. Thinking things over, it was clear that this idea wasn't Mingzhu's. It was Yinzhi who had come up with it, clearly because Mingzhu hadn't offered any advice, and had even dragged Yinsi into it. The imperial physician had just returned, and Kangxi had immediately brought him in for questioning. Kangxi knew Mingzhu wasn't ill.
He had always thought that the court officials had led his son astray, but he didn't expect that his son was using the court officials for his own selfish reasons! With Yinreng's preemptive move to force Soetu to retire, Kangxi cast this faction aside. Now that Mingzhu was old and could only feign illness, Kangxi began to dislike Yinzhi.
It must be said that, given Mingzhu's good manners, Kangxi still had a good impression of him. However, Yinzhi's behavior was always a bit silly, and his impression of him kept decreasing, which continued until now, and a qualitative change occurred.
He was a loving father to his sons. When spending time with them, it was easy to forget he was the emperor. They would think, "This is my father. I want this and that. I just ask him to agree. If he doesn't agree, I'll use some tricks to make him agree. Even if he doesn't agree, it's okay. I can ask him again next time."
Then came the additional condition: "Because my father is still the emperor, scratching his head, so he has more things, and I can ask for more things."
They only thought about snatching it from their brothers, but forgot who held the thing they were trying to snatch! You're not snatching it from your brothers, you're snatching it from your father. Is the crown prince truly the heir? That was decided by the emperor. The right to use it temporarily belongs to Yinreng, but the ownership belongs to Kangxi, and Kangxi can change the contract at any time.
This person... ascended the throne at the age of eight, ruled the country at the age of fourteen, crushed both the Ming and Suo factions, and reached the pinnacle of political power! It would have been fine if he didn't think about it this way, but once he paid attention to this aspect, there was nothing he couldn't figure out.
Yinreng was the first to realize his mistake, so he remained a good son and was protected. His brothers didn't realize their mistake, but that wasn't a big deal, as their fighting abilities were still limited and they weren't at the point of angering the emperor. But Yinzhi, this time, hit rock bottom.
Those who poach others, please respect yourself. Those who poach the emperor... please take care of yourselves.
Congratulations, Prince Zhi, you have successfully reminded Emperor Kangxi that his sons have grown up and started to fight for power.
Kangxi laughed in anger. Compared to the jumping Yinzhi, the silent third, fourth, fifth and seventh brothers were so adorable! Your father's daughter just died two months ago, three grandsons and one granddaughter died in the past year, and your brother died and his son's funeral is in progress, and you're doing this!
You bastard!
Kangxi's hand trembled as he gripped the paperweight, his lips gradually curling into a straight line. After all, he was approaching fifty, and he cared more and more about family harmony, fearing his sons' unfilial behavior and rebellion if he died. The various deaths of people this year had challenged his nerves. Even if he suppressed the anger, it was still accumulating, waiting for an outlet.
Yinzhi, your father is not stupid! How can I let you have your wish?
Yinsi, are you stupid? You're already a prince, and your mother is already the head of a palace, and you're still following him around? You're a prince, a prince, a prince! Do you understand? He's my son first, and then his brother!
Want to plant someone? Wishful thinking!
Yinzhi relied on the fact that he was the most favored by Kangxi among those present - this was no exaggeration, Kangxi's most beloved son was the crown prince, followed by Yinzhi. Of course, that was before today - he actually urged Kangxi: "Please make a decision as soon as possible, Khan Father." He must create a fait accompli before the second son comes out of seclusion.
Kangxi's Ren and Du meridians were opened, and he instantly understood Yinzhi's plan. "You just wanted to finalize things while Yinreng was on vacation, didn't you? It was me who decided it, so Yinreng couldn't object, right? As soon as there was a vacancy in his father-in-law's family, you wanted to fill it with your people? Don't you even look at who you recommended? Do those things really work?!"
You want to sideline Yinreng? Make him a mere crown prince with no real power, and then with a gentle push, he'll fall to the ground and shatter into pieces? Brilliant! You're truly worthy of being my son! I'd do the same thing to anyone I wanted to deal with!
It is impossible for you to replace Yinreng, but it is feasible for me to make a decision early.
Kangxi immediately made a decision: "Aling'a, the Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs, will be appointed Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. Yue Xi will be appointed Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Han Army of the Bordered White Banner. Yue Xing'a, the son of Longkodo, will be appointed Imperial Guard."
Yinzhi was petrified. Kangxi didn't give him any face at all.
Yinsi was also petrified. Kangxi was too kind to him.
The other princes were petrified. The Eighth Prince was so proud.
Even after leaving the Qianqing Palace, Yinsi still had a typical smile on his face, but his mind was still confused.
These appointments were not proposed by him to Tong Guowei at all, but they were the most beneficial to him! Alinga, Yue Xi, and Longkodo were all very polite to him.
The problem was, he hadn't nominated Yue Xing'a at all. He knew Longkodo disliked this son and preferred Yuzhu, the son of his favorite concubine. And Yuzhu had barely learned to walk. Tong Guowei wouldn't have nominated his own grandson either. Given Yinsi's connections, no one had nominated Yue Xing'a!
But others don’t care about this. Everyone knows that Lao Ba has a good relationship with these people.
Tong Guowei's lineage is getting closer and closer to Prince Si's mansion.
Yue Xi is the son of Yue Le and the uncle of the Eighth Lady. There is no need to repeat the reasons.
And Alinga.
Yin'e hadn't yet been given a separate residence and still lived in the palace. He hadn't married yet, so he hadn't received many errands. Unlike Yin'e, who had a separate residence outside the palace and could go out and fool around under the pretext of visiting his brother, he had very little contact with outsiders. Even if it was his uncle, it would be difficult to get close to him if you had such a peculiar uncle.
Yinsi, however, possessed this ability, gathering all manner of demons and demons under his wing. Even the most capable, like Alinga, the prudent, like Tong Guowei, and the cunning, like Wang Hongxu, all formed close bonds with him, a truly heartfelt loyalty. Alinga and Yinsi were so in tune with each other that even his own nephew, Yin'e, had to take a back seat. Even brothers as ruthless as Jingxi and Marhun, who could fight to the point of madness, sided with him—a truly remarkable sight.
Kangxi sat in the Qianqing Palace and laughed, "Eldest brother, Eighth brother, I'll give you one more chance, but you must seize it well and don't go astray."
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Inside the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the sky gradually brightened. Eunuchs arrived to prepare the emperor for his court session, and Wei Zhu was already shaking out Kangxi's black fox cloak.
Yinreng stood up and helped Kangxi put on his clothes: "Khan Father, your son will go to the mausoleum with you. Is Hongdan still living in the Palace of Heavenly Purity? I'm afraid he can't control it." He never mentioned those strange appointments.
Kangxi glanced sideways and said, "Of course he is traveling with me!"
What Yinreng wanted to ask more was who would be in charge of the capital, but he tactfully kept his mouth shut. Khan Ama was becoming increasingly confusing to him. However, Yinreng had a universal rule: for the time being, he should just be the second-in-command.
The very obedient prince had no idea that during the two days of his retreat, his Khan Father had undergone a tremendous change in his heart.
The author has something to say:
I always feel that the reason why so many people were trying to harm Yinreng was not only because his position was too high, but also because he had a bad temper and was too closely tied to Soetu. Everyone was afraid that he would have a hard time after taking power, so they had to get rid of him first.
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