Different standpoints, different joys and sorrows
The horses were rustling, the carts were rumbling, and thousands of chariots and cavalry were heading northwest.
Tibet had been conquered, the mourning period was over, the Dzungars had been driven away, and the people of the world were praising his achievements. If he didn't take this opportunity to go to the frontier to escape the summer heat, hold an alliance, or go hunting, it would be a shame to such a good situation! Of course, Yinreng also readily packed up a large number of relatives and ministers and went to the frontier.
Likewise, Hongdan was left behind to look after the household. Hongxi was left behind to help. Among the princes, all those below Hongtong were allowed to accompany the emperor. And among the younger brothers, Yunzhi, Yunqi, Yunyou, Yunsi, Yunxiang, Yunzhen, Yunli and below were allowed to accompany the emperor. Among the royal family, those who had followed the army on the expedition were allowed to accompany the emperor beyond the border.
Ever since the Empress came into being, the concubines of each family have been extremely depressed. It is really disrespectful to send a concubine to accompany the Empress when she travels. Most of the concubines and ladies accompanying the Emperor this time are the principal wives. Even if there are concubines, the principal wife must also follow.
The large group of people marched slowly and steadily, stopping at various stations along the way, and they covered only a few dozen miles a day, while the traveling group itself could stretch for several miles. The front group had already set up camp to rest, while the rear group was still moving forward.
The journey was slow, and Shujia, bored, called the Fourth Princess and Wu Yunzhu into the carriage, where the three of them chatted. Wu Yunzhu leaned over the window, lifted a corner of the curtain, and then lowered it again: "I can't see anything." The security around the empress's carriage was very strict, and the guards blocked much of the roadside scenery.
"You're such a monkey climbing up and down. Want to see the scenery? There are fewer rules on the meadow. There's a lot to see."
Wu Yunzhu sighed deeply: "That will take a long time~" Xiuniu followed the car, and listening to the pretentious tone, she covered her mouth and smiled.
"How dare you say that? Look at how steady your fourth sister is. You're away from home, so your studies will be interrupted, but you shouldn't play around."
“Yeah.”
"Your master is old and can't come with you. When you go out, remember to bring her something. This is the proper etiquette for a disciple."
This time, both sisters agreed. Wu Yunzhu said, "I will definitely never forget it."
Shujia nodded: "I almost forgot, along the way, many Mongolian taijis will come, and the princesses will also want to pay their respects when they have time. Xiu'er, bring the list and let them see it."
After getting the schedule, Si Gege was asked to read it out in the end, and Shujia also listened to it to deepen her impression.
"...On May 26th, Princess Heshuo Rongxian came to pay her respects...On May 27th, Princess Heshuo Duansu came to pay her respects...On May 12th and 18th, Princess Heshuo Hegong came to pay her respects...On May 29th, Princess Heshuo Duanmin came to pay her respects...On June 1st, we went hunting...On June 9th, we set out for the Mountain Resort..."
As Shujia listened, she thought about what to say and what to reward each person she met. It wasn't that she didn't want to bond with her sons, but the princes had to adhere to tradition and travel by horseback every day. Staying in the palace all day gave them a chance to breathe, and they wouldn't even ride in a carriage.
Yunxiang couldn't help but smile as he watched his nephews, sometimes running ahead, sometimes behind. It was just this period of time when he was a child, when the late Emperor and Concubine Min were still around. It was truly carefree! A nostalgic expression crossed his face, still tanned by the highland sun.
After several years of confinement, Yunxiang had matured a lot. He was a clever man to begin with, and now he had become more calm. He was thoughtful and meticulous in everything he did. Yinreng was quite satisfied with Yunxiang, so when Yunxiang came back, he handed over the affairs of the trip to him.
Gazing into the distance, he noticed his nephews had run a bit further away, and Yunxiang himself was riding forward. Hong had already heard the rapid clatter of hooves behind him, a stark contrast to the leisurely pace of the group. He pulled the reins and immediately turned to see it was his Thirteenth Uncle. He quickly reined in his horse, and only when Yunxiang approached did he confirm that he was coming to see him. Despite his doubts, he still spoke, "Thirteenth Uncle."
"Run slower. It's only the first day. If you keep running back and forth like this, you'll cover several times more distance than others. Be careful or you'll be sore tomorrow that you won't be able to get up."
"Hey." Hong Zao agreed, still unable to suppress his excitement. Yun Xiang shook his head repeatedly, looked around, and called two guards: "You accompany the Seventh Prince." Don't let him fall.
Then he took care of his other nephews. In addition to the prince, Yinreng also brought Hongzhao, the legitimate son of Prince Yong, and handed him over to Yunzhen, his dear fourteenth uncle, to take care of him. Even so, Yunxiang, as the person in charge of the trip, still had to go and see this precious child of his fourth brother's.
Hongzhao, eleven years old this year, rode a bay horse, his hat tilted, his face smeared with sweat, yet he still whipped the whip forward. His father was even more fussy than his father's father and his second uncle, especially in his daily behavior. The old sayings of not talking while eating or sleeping were outdated, and the saying of not unbuttoning when alone indoors was a minor issue. His father was even less strict than the length of each step and whether to enter the house with the left or right foot. He was incredibly strict.
Once outside, he could have some fun. The young boy felt the joy of letting loose. When his fourteenth uncle didn't see him, he slipped away. Yun Zhen turned around and found that his beloved nephew was gone. A cold sweat broke out. He shouted loudly: "What are you doing? Go find my brother!"
He sent all his followers off to look for someone, and he couldn't stay any longer, so he grabbed a guard and asked, "Where's the Thirteenth Master?"
After learning that his thirteenth brother was at the front of the team, he went to ask Yunxiang for help in finding him. Yunxiang had already caught Hongzhao and sent him back. Yunzhen didn't even have the energy to get angry, and threatened: "If you do anything naughty again, I will write to your father and ask him to punish you!"
Yunxiang couldn't help laughing. "Isn't this retribution? That time, Khan Ama took us and Fourth Brother on a trip, and you got lost. Fourth Brother was so worried that he went around in circles looking for you, afraid that something might have happened to you. Now it's your turn to find this kid."
Yunzhen: "...Don't run around all the time. If you want to hang out, go hang out at the Holy Vehicle, you silly boy!"
Yunxiang glanced at him in surprise, then immediately retracted his bridle, slowed down his pace, and spoke to his fourteenth brother: "Look at the weather. We'll have to set up camp in less than half an hour. He must be tired from running."
Yun Zhen smirked: "Rest for a while, we still have to hurry on in the afternoon. You can't rest in the middle of a horse race like this. If you rest, you won't want to get up again, and he'll suffer in the afternoon."
Yunxiang: "...I'll go prepare a few empty cars."
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Even at their slowest pace, they still made a circuit of the grassland. Many Mongolian nobles arrived with their wives, and many imperial princesses came with their husbands to pay their respects. The camp grew increasingly lively, with Shujia's gathering of prominent women. Of her three daughters-in-law, only one, Borjigit, had come with her. Borjigit's son was still young, and since her two sisters-in-law had to stay home, she had to come and serve her mother-in-law.
Entrusting their son, Su Risong, to the Crown Princess, Borjigit accompanied her mother-in-law on her journey, never looking back. Hesheli, holding her nephew, was reluctant to let go. Perhaps carrying this little boy was a sign of a son? Hesheli took exceptional care of Su Risong.
Similarly, Fifteenth Consort Shuhui and Prince Yu's Consort Shuyi were both unable to come because their husbands had to stay in Beijing. However, their two nieces, Xinping and Xin'an, arrived. As both nieces and nieces-in-law, they made up for the absence of their two daughters-in-law.
The men's victory was reflected in the women, who all smiled and praised each other's husbands, nephews, and nieces. Among them, Princess Jian's wife was both highly respected and of high rank. She had been in this social circle for a long time and was known to everyone. Her husband was the supreme commander of this Western Expedition. How could she not be flattered?
Of course, before praising others, the concubines always had to praise the emperor's wisdom. Shu Jia knew it was just a polite remark, but she still felt very comfortable listening to it.
Ning Hui had something on her mind, but she just responded to the story in a perfunctory manner, always saying modestly, "Our prince often says that it is the emperor's wisdom and the soldiers' devotion."
Finally, after the emperor arrived at the Summer Palace, he found an opportunity to see Shujia alone. He handed in his badge and received permission. Before he even entered the house, he ran into Huamei in the corridor. Huamei knew her and said with a smile, "The wife is here. The master is talking to Princess Rongxian."
Ning Hui was startled: "What did the princess say to the master?"
Huamei said, "I think they mentioned Prince Xian's wife." She looked around and saw, "Princess Rongxian has been here for a while. I'll go in and tell you."
She also benefited from the favors of Prince Jian's wife, but Ning Hui was well versed in the art of gift-giving. You can't give her gifts every time you meet; it's a bad habit. If you forget once, she'll remember your faults. Giving her gifts every now and then, so she can look forward to it, might be more effective.
Today, because she wanted to talk about something more important, Ning Hui loosened her grip and Huamei got a gold ingot.
Princess Rongxian came over and started chatting with Shujia about family matters, mentioning her meeting with Princess Duansu and the others yesterday. Shujia said, "I saw they seemed to be doing well, so I felt relieved. It's a shame I didn't hear any good news from them. Maybe they're so far away from home and haven't adjusted yet."
What can housewives talk about? Isn't it just about their children?
This played into Princess Rongxian's hands, and she took the opportunity to talk about her own daughter. Her daughter had been married longer, which made her even more worried. Then she said, "My daughter knows it herself. She's probably not jealous. But not having children is not a big deal. This... is something everyone has children. I think you understand my feelings. Well... I really do have a request for you..."
Princess Rongxian was worried about her daughter. Prince Xian's wife was her beloved daughter, and despite marrying a powerful prince, she remained childless. It would be strange for a mother not to worry! Prince Xian's family did have concubines, but they were all of low status. For some reason, there was no good news.
Upon learning of the situation, Princess Rongxian feared the palace would be displeased and would appoint a concubine of higher status for her son-in-law. If a son was born, his mother would be granted the title of concubine. Then, even though Xian Wang's wife was the princess's daughter, her life would be miserable. Princess Rongxian knew that childlessness was no small matter, so she didn't ask for a concubine to be chosen for her son-in-law. She simply hoped that the concubine would be of a more humble background.
During the Qing Dynasty, princesses who married into foreign vassal states only had a limited chance to see the emperor and empress each year. Whenever they got the chance, they had to speak their mind. Especially in situations like this, where a woman had been named in the previous imperial selection, she was essentially a backup. If they felt it was necessary, it wouldn't be illegal to arrange a marriage without waiting for the next selection. After all, it was just a concubine, so there was no need to be so strict.
Since the arrival of this empress, it has become much easier for wives, princesses, and ladies of high rank to plead for favors. Unlike during the reign of Emperor Kangxi, when pleading with the Empress Dowager was not always possible, the old lady might not be able to get things done. And if the position of the head of the palace was not legitimate, it was even less likely to be accomplished.
Princess Rongxian's daughter was Yinreng's niece, while Prince Xian's lineage was no longer related to the imperial family. Shujia believed that since Prince Xian already had a concubine and still couldn't have children, it was likely not just Fu Jin's fault. She hadn't bothered to find a proper concubine for Prince Xian. However, this presented a good opportunity to save face for both Princess Rongxian and her husband, as well as for Yunzhi and his wife.
He smiled slightly, "I understand what the princess said."
Princess Rongxian didn't dare to ask any more questions. She coughed and then said that Xin'an was really doing well and had already given birth to a son.
Huamei raised the curtain and said, "My lady, the wife of Prince Jian is here."
Ning Hui hadn't expected there to be another Princess Rongxian. She was startled and paused before paying her respects. Shu Jia smiled and said, "We're all family, why be so polite?" She offered her a seat.
Ning Hui wanted to see him alone, but her request was not what people at the time considered "unlawful" like Princess Rongxian's. Princess Rongxian wanted to use her family's influence to control Prince Xian's concubines, while Ning Hui's reason was much more legitimate, as her mother-in-law wanted to find a concubine who could bear children for her son.
Her hand-picked daughter-in-law, Nian, was of good family background, decent character, attractive appearance, and pleasant manners, yet she still hadn't conceived a child, leaving her mother-in-law anxious. Nian's luck had been unsuccessful; she couldn't conceive herself. After a year, she felt unsatisfied, so she had no choice but to arrange for a concubine to accompany her husband. Initially, however, the couple failed to conceive. But this year, just before the emperor's departure, the concubine was found to be pregnant.
Ning Hui, as a mother-in-law, was relatively reasonable and didn't interfere much in her son's affairs. It wasn't until the concubine became pregnant that she became concerned. It looked like her daughter-in-law was having health problems, and since her son was fine, she couldn't just conceive with a lowly maid. The grandson who would inherit the family fortune had to be born not from the legitimate wife, but at least from a legitimate concubine of the Eight Banners.
It should be said that this request is not excessive.
Shujia's mention of Hongdan immediately reminded her of him, and a look of discomfort washed over her. She had always been tolerant of the difficulties faced by the wives of the imperial clan, as she had always been able to bear children. Unexpectedly, as she grew older, she felt deeply hurt by this "trend."
Ning Hui's thoughts were perfectly reasonable. If Hesheli still couldn't bear children, Shujia wouldn't be happy for her son to have a child with just any woman. She would have to carefully select a concubine for Hongdan. A mother's personal qualities directly impact her children. Whether you like it or not, in this era, girls from better backgrounds and higher levels of education have a more positive impact on their children.
Shujia and Ninghui were worried about their son, while Rongxian was worried about his daughter. The three of them looked at each other and smiled bitterly, "Children are all debts!"
The other two people were still looking at Shujia eagerly. Shujia said, "I know everything you said."
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With Princess Rongxian and Ning Hui's requests for mercy, Shujia's stay at the Mountain Resort was becoming less than pleasant. No matter how beautiful the scenery, it was useless if she wasn't in a good mood. The chief she had left behind in Kunning Palace was Hongxiu, a literate eunuch who accompanied her. Every few days, she'd receive news.
They followed the above-board path. After writing the letter, sealing it with wax, and sending it to the Eastern Palace, Hongdan sent it to Chengde by post horse. In each of Hongxiu's letters, they described the harmonious relationship between the Crown Prince and his wife. Similarly, none of them mentioned that the Eastern Palace was pregnant.
Shujia looked so sad.
In contrast to Shujia's mood, Yinreng was in high spirits.
"In times of prosperity, the population will increase, and taxes will never be increased" earned this emperor widespread public praise. Universal support was the truth. This increase in population was calculated starting from the first year of the Changtai reign. Several years earlier, Prince Yong had been ordered to compile records, and the data available there dated back to the first year of the Changtai reign. Using this year's figures as a benchmark, various calculation methods were established.
Every imperial edict mentioned his reign title, which, combined with the content of cherishing the people's strength, would surely make him, the emperor, glorious in history.
Six months had passed, and Yinreng had heard nothing but favorable opinions, not a single objection. He was certainly pleased. However, in his letter to the three textile manufacturers, he added a touch of deception: "Everything has its advantages and disadvantages, and this is also true of the new law. You are my eyes and ears, how dare you deceive me? If there are any drawbacks in the implementation of the policy of never increasing taxes, you can speak frankly."
It's only been six months, and most people's understanding of this policy is still superficial. At this time, illiteracy is high, and public access to the policy is limited. People simply hear many people praise it, and therefore assume that no more taxes on childbirth is a good thing. Even if there are drawbacks, they won't be immediately apparent. If they were, it would only indicate that the decision-makers were screwed when formulating the policy.
The three weavers came forward together, all of them apologized in fear, and then carefully explained: It was really everyone who agreed.
Yinreng gained confidence and issued an imperial decree, leveraging this popular support to crack down on official corruption. Honestly, he had benefited from this corrupt atmosphere during his time as crown prince. Much of his family's living expenses came from donations from his subordinates, and those people could certainly afford such a large sum based on their salaries alone. Of course, that was all in the past. Now that the crown prince had become emperor, he was determined to implement reforms.
It was simply because of the increase in salt taxes and the end of the war that Yinreng had money and confidence. As we all know, execution is crucial to implementing new policies. Wang Anshi's reforms included many good ones, and his original intention was to serve the country and the people. However, due to the problems of the officials who implemented them, they were widely condemned. Yinreng's reading of history made him deeply moved by this, and he also felt that there were indeed many problems that needed to be addressed.
Prince Yong, Hongtong, Shi Shilun, and others in the capital jointly submitted a memorial confirming the final plan. Hongdan, Ma Qi, and Li Guangdi added a note requesting a pilot program. Yinreng must have done this deliberately; he had previously transferred Li Guangdi's student Yang Mingshi to Yunnan as governor, and the pilot program would begin there. The long-awaited trap had finally ensnared Li Guangdi, a veteran fox.
Yinreng's plan had already begun, as early as when he promoted several of Li Guangdi's students. He also planned to use these Neo-Confucian scholars' mentality of "speaking for the people and seeking fame for themselves" to use them again when the land tax was equalized and the gentry were integrated into the government.
This tax reform primarily targeted Han Chinese, officially known as "commoners." The Eight Banners were exempt from taxation. And at the local level, Han Chinese still predominated. In an era when academic excellence was the key to officialdom, most local officials were civil servants who had passed the imperial examination. At this point, using a leading academic figure as a proxy and dragging him into the fray was a wise decision.
For Li Guangdi, his students became the vanguard of the new policies. Who would believe him if he said he didn't support them? He couldn't stand up against this policy, which benefited both the country and the people, so he had no choice but to accept it. Completely dragged into the situation, Li Guangdi could only smile wryly and write a memorial expressing his devotion to the cause, "I will devote my life to it until my death."
Yinreng flashed a sly smile as he issued two imperial edicts: One stated that the fire consumption tax would be returned to the public. It was determined that only one cent of silver would be collected nationwide for the fire consumption tax, and this would be announced publicly. At the same time, from now on, all local taxes would be fixed. Local officials could not increase other taxes and levies simply because they had less income from the fire consumption tax. Any local official who collected more than they wanted would be impeached by the censor, his superiors, his subordinates, and officials from neighboring jurisdictions. Those who did not impeach him would be punished as well as the official.
The second is the "maintenance silver." I don't have any more money to burn. I know you're having a hard time, and if your salary isn't enough, I'll give you an allowance. Maintaining integrity silver is fifteen times your salary. If you take my maintenence silver and then embezzle it, I'll cripple you.
In order to show his determination, Zhao Shenqiao was brought out again and thrown into the position of chief censor.
These two edicts were issued together, demonstrating that the emperor had not forgotten his officials. Rectifying the civil service does not mean I want to kill you. Everyone, please take a step back. If you stop eating into my family business, I will make your lives a little better.
These two imperial edicts were truly effective, and their execution was closely tied to the skill of the rulers. At the top sat Yinreng, who had been regent for decades; in the middle sat the astute and conscientious Prince Yong; below them sat a group of capable officials who had accumulated experience since the reign of Emperor Kangxi, serving as provincial governors. And at their side was the inquisitive Zhao Shenqiao.
The implementation was quite good. The amount of money for maintaining integrity was considerable, primarily from the provincial fire consumption tax. Using the fire consumption tax to pay for maintaining integrity left a surplus, and the state did not lose money. Many officials, having received the money and being subject to strict legal restrictions, were able to comply with the decree. Complaints and backlash were not as great as one might have expected.
It's like a house on the side of the road. If you put a lock on it, no one with a sense of self-discipline would break in and steal anything. But if you leave the door open, there's no security camera, and there's a lot of valuables inside, anyone who can refrain from breaking in is a true gentleman.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yinreng issued another order, which was to check the overdue treasury silver - if you happen to collect taxes under a pretext, what if there is corruption?
The punishment for defaulting on treasury silver was already established during the reign of Emperor Kangxi. Failure to pay off the debt resulted in a ban on officialdom, to prevent officials from exploiting the people while in office to repay their debts. Yinreng went even further, imposing a joint punishment: if a person defaulted on a debt, he or she, as well as his or her descendants, were barred from officialdom, and descendants of the same ancestor were prohibited from holding official positions above the seventh rank.
When this proposal was made, many people cried. The situation in Changtai seven years was that the people were happy while the officials were worried, and those who wanted to be honest officials were happy while corrupt officials were worried.
The New Deal reforms in the true sense of the word have begun with great fanfare. A good start is half the battle.
The author has something to say: The butt determines the head, cough cough.
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