I just forgot to write the title
Shujia said this to Yinreng as a rant, because after reading "Dream of the Red Chamber," she felt a certain sympathy for the Cao family. A new emperor, new ministers. How heartless to discard them after using them. The last time she saw the Cao family during her southern tour, she felt a little sorry for them. How pitiful to be exploited. Today, seeing this almost-formed Prince's Consort, the Crown Princess's fragile heart shattered. She couldn't help but speak out.
Yinreng didn't share Kangxi's deep feelings for the Cao family, nor did he possess his wife's complex obsession. He simply viewed the situation objectively. The officials in the Manchu court were becoming increasingly corrupt, a fact everyone had noticed, and within certain limits, everyone turned a blind eye. Even the Crown Prince received tributes from his followers. The Crown Prince, having experienced his own family's financial crisis, understood the ins and outs of this situation.
The position of textile supervisor was a lucrative one, and Cao Yin and others had close ties to the emperor, and were given secret missions. A comfortable life was perfectly understandable to Yinreng. As long as the Cao family didn't provoke him, he would ignore these matters for the sake of Kangxi's face and the Cao family's relatively respectful attitude towards him.
After Shujia's comment, Yinreng finally noticed that the Cao family was acting a little out of line. He wasn't afraid of your greed; a little greed was normal, and that was fine—but he was afraid of you going too far! If you went too far, it would be difficult to deal with. This reminded Yinreng of another issue: the Cao family seemed to have not yet come to their senses. This was a problem.
Yinreng had a relatively clear understanding of the state of the country's finances and the administration of officials. There had never been a single year in this country without famine, and while there were honest officials, there were also corrupt officials thriving on a large scale.
Every once in a while, a border inhabitant or some other group would cause a rebellion. The Red Miao incident has only just begun to unfold this year, even though they've been suppressed for two or three years! So much money has been spent on suppressing the rebellion. Why is there such chaos? The government is corrupt, and taxes are becoming increasingly heavy. People can no longer bear it. Rather than perish in silence, they're forced to erupt in rebellion.
Cleaning up the bureaucracy, opening up financial resources, and investigating deficits—these were the political tasks Yinreng had in mind. But at the moment, the conditions for carrying them out were lacking. Kangxi's goal was to maintain stability. As an elderly man, he preferred peace, and... partly because he wanted a smooth transition of power, he couldn't tolerate any discord. Yinreng could only remain in his own place.
This matter could only be left for later. However, the mention of the Cao family by the Crown Princess undoubtedly made Yinreng see another obstacle.
It is true that a new emperor appoints new ministers. There is also a saying that goes, "One should not change one's father's ways for three years."
You can unsubscribe from your father's old friends and let them go home to have children. But if you bring up old issues and prevent them from even having children, then you are wrong.
If you don't deal with them, will you let them erode the nation's health? That's all your money! If you deal with them, it would be a callous act, disregarding the contributions of this old minister to your father. This is how it is with many things: it's difficult to achieve both fame and benefits, which frustrates those who want to have their cake and eat it too.
Yinreng's back teeth clattered. Damn it! He couldn't even "remind" me; even if he did, it would have the connotation of a "warning." The subtext: Behave yourself, kid. If you don't, I'll take you down when I take power... At this critical juncture, isn't this just looking for an enemy, forcing someone to complain to Kangxi?
No, he needs to check how many such "old ministers" there are! I don't want to kill them all, but you guys shouldn't do it too drastically either! It's good for you, it's good for me, and it's good for everyone, isn't that the way to go? Things are really tough, so I have no choice but to... kill with a borrowed knife. Things he can't do, it's much easier to let his Khan Ama do them.
However, Khan Ama probably doesn't want to be known as a "dog that is cooked after the cunning rabbit dies"...
Yinreng pondered for a moment and decided he needed to have a conversation with his second brother-in-law, Qingde. He wanted to have the Imperial Censor expose the Cao family's financial losses and extravagant lifestyle, thus alerting Kangxi. Yinreng believed Kangxi had a way to keep such matters within a tolerable range. As long as they were within his circle, Yinreng would not mind.
Last year, Qingde didn’t have the courage to grab a spot on the driver’s list, but this year he is on the list, which is a great condition.
So, the Censorate is a good place.
After making up his mind, Yinreng began to focus on his upcoming trip.
Drawing on his previous experience, Kangxi decided to have the Crown Prince and his family accompany him throughout this trip, while the other princes would rotate through Beijing to handle official duties. The first group to accompany him included the Crown Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, the Fifteenth Prince, the Sixteenth Prince, and the Seventeenth Prince. The Empress Dowager and some of the concubines moved to Changchun Garden to escape the summer heat.
At the same time, all the imperial grandchildren who were of age were to accompany the emperor. This meant that in addition to the three sons of the Crown Prince, Hongxi, Hongdan, and Hongtong, the sons of Yinzhi, Hongyu, Yinzhi, Hongsheng, Yinqi, and Yinyou, Hongshu, were also to accompany the emperor. This meant a total of seven imperial grandchildren, a relatively small number, and they could all accompany. However, if the grandchildren grew up in a few years, they would not be able to take turns.
The parents of Hongsheng, Hongsheng, and Hongshu would not be able to come for two months, so Kangxi ordered the Crown Princess to take care of them. A more difficult case was Hongyu, who also had Kangxi's permission to accompany him and was assigned to the Crown Princess's care.
The pressure on Shujia doubled.
Before leaving, Yinreng did some ideological work on Shujia: "You should treat Hongyu the same way you treat your other nephews, or even better. In the past few months, he has been following the same rules as Hongxi and Hongdan." He talked a lot.
Shujia thought, I think I reminded you of this before. She nodded and said, "He's still a child. Even if I'm unhappy, I don't have to feel bad for him. I always tell the Hongdan brothers that Hongyu is their cousin and not to vent my anger on him."
Yinreng breathed a sigh of relief: "This makes me feel relieved."
Shujia smiled and ignored the conversation. Seeing that Yinreng looked unhappy, she thought that Yinzhi was already in trouble and that he shouldn't be like this. Could it be something else? "Are you relieved or do you still look sleepy? Just put your worries to rest. I will never embarrass others and even myself over these things."
Yinreng hummed. This wasn't what he was worried about, was it? Just as he had come up with an indirect approach, and the old minister's problem was beginning to show some signs of improvement, he encountered a new problem. Song Lu, the governor of Jiangsu Province, and others had reported that the four prefectures of Su, Song, Chang, and Zhen were burdened with heavy taxes and arrears. None of the county officials in these four places had been able to fulfill their tax collection tasks. Consequently, none of the county officials in these four places had passed the assessments, and any who failed would be replaced, causing great headaches for their superiors. Song Lu had no choice but to intercede: Those who collected a certain percentage of taxes could be considered qualified and retained for future use.
The areas of Jiangsu and Zhejiang have always been prosperous. Can it be that the people are unable to pay taxes?
I'm so worried. Khan Ama, your mess is getting harder and harder to handle.
These are Kangxi's tasks now, but will become Yinreng's problems in the future. Yinreng rubbed his face and said, "I'm going to do something in the front. I'm afraid Hongyu's things are not complete, so you should prepare an extra portion for him."
"Okay." It's so strange, he doesn't look right today.
Yinreng rushed to his study, opened his little notebook, and began to record again. He didn't remember the situation in the south being so dire. If other things could be faked, the crops in the fields couldn't be faked. There were fields and land behind Wuyi Zhai, and he knew what the crops looked like. On the way back, the scene was prosperous, it didn't seem like they were short of money or food.
Let’s check it out. I wrote a letter to my disciple in the south: Tell me quietly, what is going on?
Meanwhile, Kangxi's face wasn't looking good either. Jiangsu and Zhejiang had always been prosperous, and the southeast had always been a major financial and tax hub. He acknowledged the heavy taxes. However, Jiangsu and Zhejiang hadn't suffered any major disasters in recent years. Furthermore, after the emperor's southern tour, he had likely granted tax exemptions. So why was it that taxes couldn't be collected? Was the situation so serious that the governor had to intercede?
According to memorials from Cao Yin, Li Xu, and others, people there were still able to make a living and prices were quite stable. What was going on?
check!
He immediately wrote an order to Cao Yin and Li Xu: What is the situation with taxation in the south?
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Just two days after the Supreme Father and Son issued orders to their respective confidants, the Holy Chariot set off.
This time, the procession seemed much more lively, thanks to the addition of several of the emperor's grandchildren. The conditions for the grandchildren to accompany the emperor were: they could ride a horse and wield a bow. Therefore, even though they had their own carriages, they still had to ride horses for a while every day. With the exception of Hongdan, most of the people were leaving the capital for the first time, and everything they saw was new to them.
Because there is hope, even the long farewell seems less boring.
Hongtong rode on his horse, remembering the instructions and not running around. How could that be possible? As he was walking, he suddenly lost his way! Hongxi was helpless. He also wanted to look around, but he had a younger brother to take care of, so his sense of responsibility was forced to increase. He stretched out his hand and said, "Where are you going?"
The same experience repeated itself for many of the emperor's grandchildren, leaving only the attendants suffering. Hong Shu and the others had been ordered by the Crown Princess to look after them, so how could she dare neglect them? Not to mention the children's parents had come to her for help before their departure. The Crown Princess frequently sent people to check on the grandchildren, and she could hold handfuls of slips of paper with their names written on them. The workload was truly challenging.
The Crown Princess was only slightly more troubled, but she also knew this was likely another observation test from Kangxi. She was particularly optimistic about Hongyu; nothing could possibly happen to him. The Fourth Lady was in dire straits; if her son were still alive, she could have brought him along to play. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back. Why are you crying now? It'll be considered bad luck if someone sees you.
If she wanted to cry, she had to wait until Yinzhen came back and cry in front of him. She had to cry to show him how wronged she felt, how sad she felt, and how much she missed her son.
Finally, they arrived at their destination, this time staying at the hot springs. As usual, Kangxi summoned the men to dinner, and the little boy also had a seat. Yinreng held the highest position, while Hongdan, in turn, held a higher position than his uncles and brothers. Also present were the accompanying princes and other princes, each seated in their proper order.
The princes' positions were easy to find, but the order of seniority for the grandchildren was a bit more disorganized. Hongxi was naturally ranked first; he was noticeably taller than the others. Hongtong had originally followed his second brother, but when the order was about to be filled, he nearly rushed forward, only to be glared at by both Hongxi and Hongdan. Only then did he realize: Hongyu was his cousin.
Then he made another mistake, and then another. Uh, he has quite a few cousins, and then another mistake. He pouted and ran to the end of the line of imperial grandchildren and took his seat. His joy faded a little, and when he looked down, he recognized Delong from the Jian family, and smiled broadly again.
Hongtong only made a few mistakes later, and Hongyu was a little overwhelmed. This was also an unlucky child. Not long after he was born, his biological mother died. He was already uncomfortable with having a stepmother, and then his biological father was confined. After being confined, his father was devastated and only knew how to live a life of drunkenness and debauchery at home.
Once the emperor's grandson, flattered by everyone, he was now reduced to a mere backdrop, a cautious one at that. After securing a place on the imperial tour, he went to receive his father's instructions. His father barely spoke before reminiscing about the scenery beyond the Great Wall: "...It was a beautiful place, with vast expanses of land and sky..."
It was my stepmother, Zhang Jia, who said, "Be careful on your journey and don't make any mistakes. If you encounter something you don't know is right or wrong, simply don't do it."
In comparison, the sisters were more specific: "Follow the emperor's grandfather closely, don't be left alone. Those servants outside are good at judging people and taking advantage of them. If they make a mistake and deduct money from you, you will suffer the consequences.", "Don't argue with your brothers.", "Don't hang around in front of the East Palace, no matter what.", "If there is any gambling, don't compete with the prince's family for the limelight. If you meet the younger brothers of other uncles, if you are more capable than them, it's okay to suppress them...", "If the East Palace treats you well, you should accept it generously. In our current situation, we can only hope that they live a happy life and don't bear grudges."
He gave many instructions in a secret manner.
However, everything was disrupted by an edict from Kangxi. The emperor asked the Crown Princess to look after the imperial grandchildren whose mother was not there. Even if Hongyu did not hang around in front of the Eastern Palace, the Eastern Palace would send someone to see him.
Kangxi was accompanied by so many princes and grandchildren that even if Hongyu tried to move forward, he couldn't keep up closely.
The gambling game has not even started yet, but Hongtong from the prince's family has already taken the initiative to run to the end and sit down. He is ranked second, which is quite conspicuous.
Hong Xi would occasionally keep an eye on him, and would whisper to the eunuch, "Can't you see the soup is cold? Go get some hot water!"
Kangxi looked around, seeing his children and grandchildren all in harmony, and felt that all the hard work in his life was worth it. He lifted the ban and allowed each of his grandchildren to drink a small glass of wine. "Drinking too much is harmful to your health. Go soak in some hot soup later. Drinking too much will make you dizzy, which is not good for your health."
Hearing about the hot springs, the grandsons were excited again. This trip had truly broadened their horizons, and they could brag about it to their brothers and sisters back home. Although excited, the grandsons were not noisy, just shifting slightly in their chairs. Kangxi watched with a smile, thinking that this was the style of their family, expressing their true feelings without being unrestrained.
At a formal gathering like this, which could be called a banquet, the rule of "not talking while eating" was no longer followed. Starting with the Crown Prince, everyone toasted him in turn. Kangxi was in a good mood. Since these grandchildren were born when the royal family was still small, Kangxi remembered them all. As he watched them file forward, he called out each one by name and asked them a question.
A harmonious scene.
The women are also quite harmonious here.
This time, almost all the people accompanying him were his wife, so they spoke more freely.
The Thirteenth Prince had regretted bringing his concubine along the last time. As a result, Guaerjia Shi was not brought along to some of the main wives' gatherings. Thinking back, he realized that he had indeed been negligent, forgetting that the Crown Princess's presence meant that she was more than just "the woman brought by the Crown Prince."
There were the Fourth Consort, the Thirteenth Consort, the Consort of Prince Jian, the Consort of Prince Kang, and so on and so forth—a whole host of consorts. Prince Jian's Consort was delighted that three of her children were accompanying the Emperor this year: the eldest son, Delong; the second son, Alta; and the third son, Yongqian. Both the eldest and third sons were legitimate. She exchanged childrearing experiences with the Crown Princess: "They haven't come in previous years. Just looking at these three monkeys, I've almost had my hair turn gray with worry in just one day."
The Fourth Lady's nose felt sore, and she held on tight. She had to hold on tight. The Thirteenth Lady felt better. This was definitely an opportunity. Last year, the Fourteenth Lady had accompanied her husband on a trip to the Great Wall, and soon after returning, she was diagnosed with pregnancy. A trip just for the couple was a boon for a wife who wanted a child.
The Thirteenth Lady wanted to inquire about some of the things to note on the road, such as clothing, food, housing, transportation, and etiquette. The Kang Wang Lady was quite enthusiastic and explained everything to her one by one. Then she said, "Oh, look at me, I've said so much. Wouldn't it be more clear if you asked the Thirteenth Prince later?"
This reminded the Thirteenth Lady that this was a good opportunity to spend more time with her husband.
Ning Hui coughed and said, "How can you be so nagging? We have to hurry tomorrow. If they talk too late, they will make mistakes tomorrow." She was experienced and subtly reminded the Thirteenth Lady, who was accompanying the emperor for the first time, that she was afraid that they would not be able to have a good time tonight.
After she said that, Shujia's face also became a little hot, and she tried to smooth things over by saying, "Today we are in Tangquan, it's a good time to relax and unwind so that we can continue our journey tomorrow."
All the concubines were principal wives, and their attitudes towards many things were very consistent. They looked at things from a similar perspective. They handled household chores, arranged servants, and increased revenue and reduced expenditure. They were very much in agreement... After a while, the concubine of Prince Kang and the concubine of Prince Jian reached a consensus on the cooperation between the two shops.
It was Hongxiu's turn to accompany the Crown Princess this time. Seeing the eunuch outside killing a chicken and wiping its neck, she walked in and said, "Master, the banquet at His Majesty's place is over, and the gentlemen have all gone back to their residences."
The ladies hurriedly stood up and said goodbye.
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On her second trip, Shujia was already very familiar with the role she needed to play, and she performed it even better than last year. Along the way, Mongolian princes and their families continued to arrive, and the Crown Princess encountered many of the Mongolian noblewomen she had met last year.
"This is our Fourth Lady, this is our Thirteenth Lady, and this is...", "You've gained weight compared to last year.", "She's lost some weight.", "Did your prince come this year?"
Cope with it.
It was easy to deal with external affairs, but more careful was required internally. Caring for the emperor's grandson was a delicate job. The emperor had his own servants, and the emperor would visit him from time to time. While the princess didn't need to cook or mend clothes herself, she still had to send someone to watch over them at mealtimes.
Especially Hongyu. This child was uneasy on his own, and the Crown Princess was apprehensive about taking care of him, fearing she might not be able to provide adequate care. First, she took inventory of Hongyu's belongings and provided him with any missing items, then brought him over for dinner. Yinreng, Hongdan, Hongxi, and Hongtong were all brought up to fill the void.
Shujia said to Hongyu with emotion, "You're so big now. When you were just born, we all came to see you. At that time, your mother was holding you and was so happy. In the blink of an eye, she is gone..." She reached out and touched Hongyu's head, "You must take care of yourself."
When talking to Hongyu, talking about his mother is the safest topic. It also makes it easier to draw closer feelings between the two of them and blur out certain people, such as Yinzhi.
When the first wife died, Hongyu could remember a little, but his memory was not very clear. He vaguely saw a shadow in his dreams, which made him feel warm when he thought of it, but he wanted to catch it but couldn't. Shujia just kept talking about how good the first wife was. The first wife herself was not bad, so she had no psychological burden to praise her.
Hongyu gradually relaxed and finally couldn't help asking some questions about his mother. Shujia's first sister-in-law was the first wife, so she remembered a little: "She likes light food and doesn't like watching opera..." Hongyu gradually listened attentively.
Hongxi was older and would chime in from time to time: "My uncle is very kind and the dim sum he makes is the best."
Seeing the eunuchs already waiting at the door with food, Yinreng interrupted, saying, "Let's eat first, and then we'll talk." He looked at Hongyu lovingly, "If you need to know anything in the future, just come and ask your aunt. There's no rush now. If you're short of something or want something, just tell your aunt. If the servants are disobedient, just tell me. You're out here to relax, don't hold anything in. I'm afraid we'll have to go hunting when the time comes. Have you packed all your belongings?"
Hongyu stood with his hands hanging down: "My mother and sisters at home have prepared it."
"Women may not understand these things very well. The things they choose may be expensive, but they may not be easy to use. You are still young, and adult items may not be suitable for you. I brought a lot of things this time. Come with me later to take a look. You brothers will all have to pick out your belongings again..." He gestured, "Sit down and talk. We are eating now."
Hongtong pouted at his father: "Shh, shh."
Hongdan and Hongxi both looked in the direction of his mouth shape. Yinreng belatedly looked at his wife and said, "Uh."
Shujia looked at him with a half-smile, then turned to Hongtong and said, "Your father is right. Anyway, I am a woman, and anyway, I really don't understand these things very well."
Yinreng: “…”
Hongdan shrugged his shoulders and turned to Hongyu, saying, "Don't worry about them, that's it." The two were of similar age and had frequent contact, so their relationship was pretty good. Hongyu nodded and sat down to eat.
After eating until they were about 70% full, they gradually put down their chopsticks. Someone outside came to invite Yinreng, saying that it was the emperor who was calling. Yinreng stood up, and everyone else followed. Wiping his mouth, Yinreng said, "Perhaps it's urgent. You guys take your time. I'll be back soon." Everyone saw him out.
Today, there was indeed such an incident. Li Guangdi reported Zhang Lin, the former Yunnan Provincial Governor, saying that Zhang Lin was a merchant, had a bad family, profited from his network and harmed the people, and allowed his son to do evil. He requested severe punishment. Kangxi asked Yinreng what he thought. Yinreng said, "My son seems to remember that someone reported Zhang Lin before."
Kangxi nodded and looked questioningly at Grand Secretary Chen Tingjing. Chen Tingjing had previously served as the Minister of Personnel, a position he had only recently ceded to Li Guangdi. After careful consideration, he replied, "In the 42nd year of Kangxi's reign, Mu Chen, a member of the Imperial Censorate, reported that Zhang Lin, the Yunnan Provincial Governor, was a salt merchant, a position he considered discrediting and unpopular with public opinion. He dismissed Zhang Lin from his post. The Ministry of Personnel deliberated and upheld the decision."
Kangxi frowned. Li Guangdi's memorial mentioned Zhang Lin's illegal salt trafficking and his excessive profits. Wasn't that the end of the story? "Li Guangdi is not someone who has never seen the world. If he says it's excessive profits, then it must be substantial. Li Guangdi has carefully investigated and reported back."
Yinreng was thinking, this happened two years ago, why is he thinking about it now? Besides, Li Guangdi was complaining about someone, so why did he call me over at dinner time? Yinreng was still confused. Until Kangxi asked Hongyu: "Did you call Hongyu over for dinner today?"
Oh, that's the key point. Yinreng was frank. After all, he had done nothing wrong, so he answered truthfully: "My son was thinking that he would go hunting soon, and the things he brought with him might not be easy to use. It's a good opportunity to take him to pick some after dinner."
Kangxi wanted to save face for Yinreng, so he didn't take on the task. Thinking that Yinreng had done a good job, he felt that it was not in vain to advise Yinreng to be kind and friendly: "Since that's the case, I won't keep you any longer. Help the children to tidy up and practice their skills tomorrow. Don't forget Hongsheng and the others either."
"My son obeys."
Back at his own plot of land, everyone was still there. Yinreng perked up: "Are you all done eating? Great, go pick up some useful things." He then sent him to meet Hongsheng and the others in Kuli.
The four boys stood up and followed him to search for something. Yinreng said as they walked, "This is just the beginning. Don't get too excited tomorrow. There will be many more hunting events, big and small, between now and when we return to Beijing in September."
Hongdan had been through this before, so he didn't think anything of it. The other three boys' eyes were already lighting up. Arriving at the edge of the field, the eunuch accompanying Yinreng went up to meet with the guards. Even for hunting trips, even for the prince's personal belongings, everything had to be registered according to security procedures. Bows and arrows, in particular, had great range and power, making them perfect weapons for assassinations.
After verifying everything, Yinreng led them inside and selected appropriate weapons for them, based on age, physical strength, height, and other criteria. He treated Hongyu the same way, massaging his shoulders with one hand and pulling his arms with the other, examining him like a chicken's wings. He even measured the length of Hongyu's arms with his hands and offered him a bow to test his strength.
While they were trying them out, Zhengsheng and the other two arrived. Yinreng patiently helped them choose as well.
Each person selected two bows, one for the main bow and one for the backup bow, along with a number of arrows. They also chose a short sword, each with a mark on it. After each person registered their bows, they said, "You have to carry your own bows. They will work best if you are comfortable with them."
He then took his sons and nephews to the stables to teach them how to choose horses. Hongtong was surprised and said, "Father, you can choose horses?" How strange! What kind of crown prince would be in a stable?
After being hit on the head, Hongxi looked around and couldn't find the murderer. He glanced around and saw Hongdan withdrawing his hand as if nothing had happened.
Yinreng smiled and said, "When I personally led the army to fight against Galdan, the warhorse chosen by your father was the best."
After choosing the horses, he took the opportunity to teach them the techniques of packing their horse's gear, which really opened the boys' eyes. If they hadn't been exposed to it before, they would have had no idea. They had always been very, ahem, that prince, but he was surprisingly familiar with these things.
Hongtong was Yinreng's biological son and was very young. He was the most casual child with Yinreng. He would ask questions from time to time: "This is different from what Anda taught. Why is it like this?", "We have followers, so we don't need to bring these, right?" and so on.
Yinreng also answered them one by one: "An Da taught us how to do things in the palace. Now that we are out there, we can't be bothered. Even though we have entourage, accidents are inevitable in the wild. It doesn't hurt to be fully prepared."
…
They didn't return until the sun was setting.
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Hunting is an activity that unleashes the wildness and passion of males. Kangxi's arrival marked the official start of the hunting event. After the emperor first caught prey, he personally led Hongdan, Yinlu, Yinli, and Yinyou to teach them how to command. He then assigned tasks: Yinreng led Hongtong and Hongyu, Yinzhen led Hongsheng and Hongshu, and Yinxiang led Hongsheng and Hongxi.
In fact, each prince led his son and the massacre began.
The women were not allowed to play and could only wait in one place until the men returned. Kangxi won the special prize, Yinreng the first prize, without a doubt. The rest was a scramble for position. It was a blessing that everyone was having so much fun.
After returning, there was another feast and drinking.
This evening's meal didn't quite align with the Forbidden City's biological clocks; it was more like a midnight snack than a proper meal. However, the bountiful harvest and the friendships forged during battle needed to be consolidated, so a small banquet was held.
Not only did the men drink and chat, but the women also gathered to gossip. Fresh game—this one was a gift from above, that one was hunted by the crown prince himself as a tribute to his mother. Whoever performed well today, whoever made a bet with whom, lost again.
The beef and mutton from the Great Wall are delicious, and this is a post-hunt feast. Even with a constant supply of fresh fruits and vegetables, this feast still features mostly meat. Pan-fried, deep-fried, roasted, and boiled, the meats exude a fragrant aroma. Topped with various eight-leaf gossips, they are truly delicious.
But there is a person here who is absent-minded and can't eat.
Comrade Qingde was so frustrated that he nearly glared at Orondai. He was already the Deputy Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate, a man of high rank. Who was he going to invite for a drink and a meal? And yet, Orondai came over, not only on his own but also with a group of guards, insisting on having a drink with him.
The reasons are: "You are in the spotlight today, how can you not drink?", "I didn't expect you to be so capable.", "You have beaten us, you have to give us this face, drink it!"
Have you forgotten that I also rose to prominence through military service? Why can't I excel?
Oh, I always saw you hanging out with gangsters, and never thought you were a decent person.
Depend on!
At this moment, the rescuer appeared!
Yinreng waved to Hongtong and said, "That's your uncle. Go and see him."
Hongtong was just about to go downstairs to play when he received the order. He brought a little eunuch with him and swaggered to Qingde: "Uncle."
When he arrived, all the guards scattered. Only Orondai remained where he was, looking very proud. He bowed to Hongtong and said, "Greetings, my brother."
Hongtong looked at Qingde, who introduced him: "This is Orondai, which is..."
"Great uncle?" He had heard his brother talk about him.
Orondei grinned.
"Why are you here, brother?" Qingde gave his seat to Hongtong, squatting with Orondai. At a night drinking party on the grassland, the tables and seats were low, and two grown men squatting were barely above the height of a child.
Hongtong whispered, "I wanted to sneak out to play, but my father saw me and sent me here."
Sneak out to play was exactly what Orondai wanted, so he offered his opinion: "We need to wait a while. Once those who can't hold their liquor well have had enough, we can get drunk and go out."
There were indeed people who had a low alcohol tolerance, and soon some people were absent. Orondei pulled Qingde, and Qingde asked the eunuch to report to Yinreng, and then he pulled Hongtong out together.
Soon after leaving, Yinreng asked Kangxi for permission, as he discovered that Hongtong seemed to have been abducted and that he had to go and rescue her personally. Kangxi was also worried about Orondai and said, "Go and come back quickly, and don't get entangled with Orondai." Yinreng came out openly.
Orondai was not drunk at all. He looked at Yinreng with boredom and grabbed Hongtong: "You two chat."
Yinreng smiled at him, and then he and Qingde walked slowly together. He asked Qingde to find a reliable censor to keep an eye on Cao Yin. Qingde was not drunk, and he said three sentences in total: "This is not easy to do." "We need solid evidence." "We can only try."
Yinreng smiled and said, "It's best if he doesn't have one. I'm just afraid that he does."
Qingde thought for a moment and said, "I'm afraid it will take some time. Cao Yin is a cautious man, and the emperor values him very much."
It's difficult because the emperor values him.
Yinreng was silent for a moment: "It must be kept secret, it's okay to go slowly." One year should be enough, right?
Qingde agreed.
Yinreng said to Hongtong, "You are getting bolder and bolder. You are still running around at night."
Orondei turned on his heel, carrying Hongtong back, and said to Yinreng with a smile: "Return it as it is, one for another." He hooked his arm around Qingde's neck, "He still owes me a round of wine."
Yinreng looked at Qingde sympathetically and coughed: "Do as you please."
He brought his son back and fooled around again until the banquet was over.
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The report from the emperor who was sent to investigate the tax situation in the four prefectures arrived faster than the news from the prince: scholars with official titles and bannermen in the banners were exempt from taxes, as they owned a lot of land, while the population that needed to pay taxes was too large, the per capita arable land was small, and the output was insufficient.
For example, suppose there were ten hectares of land in a certain place. Five hectares belonged to a Jinshi (a scholar who did not have to pay taxes), and the other five hectares were divided among a number of commoners who were required to pay taxes. The output of these five hectares was enough to support their livelihood. However, once the population expanded, the tax-exempt people would still not pay, and the number of taxpayers would double. In order to avoid forcing them to death, they had to leave some food for themselves. After leaving enough food for them, there would not be enough left to pay the taxes.
A few days later, the prince received another piece of information that supplemented the previous one. Because the output was not enough to pay the tax, some people simply registered their land in the name of the gentry in order to avoid tax. Over time, the land registered in the name of others became theirs, and the tax revenue of the state was even less. The remaining people could not afford the tax, and the capitation tax had to be converted into silver. Those who could not pay simply became refugees. [1]
Kangxi and Yinreng were both worried. Kangxi also secretly ordered all localities to investigate carefully to see if this situation was widespread.
Being a national leader, especially in such a complex country, means that not a year goes by without disasters, not a month goes by without troubles. He had long since mastered the skill of suppressing all difficulties, yet maintaining a cheerful demeanor while socializing with his Mongolian brothers, enjoying themselves, and having fun.
They played all the way until mid-July, when the Third Prince and his companions from the capital were coming to replace the Fourth Prince and his companions. Then something happened, not too big, but not too small either - the Fourth Lady was diagnosed to be pregnant!
Anyone who has given birth once should have some understanding of their physical condition. If the baby hasn't arrived twice, it's 80% certain that the baby is pregnant. The Fourth Lady made an excuse of feeling unwell and asked the imperial physician to come and check her pulse.
Difficult and complicated diseases may be misdiagnosed. If the imperial physician cannot diagnose the happy pulse, he should not be allowed to continue his career.
When the news came, all the female relatives were happy for the Fourth Lady.
When the Fourth Prince received the letter, he couldn't stop grinning. He had four sons, but unfortunately, two had already died. The remaining two looked shaky, their condition only slightly worse than that of the Eighth Prince. Then he remembered that he had to return to the capital, but a pregnant woman couldn't withstand the bumpy ride, so it was impossible for her to travel at full speed.
Finally, Kangxi made the decision that the Fourth Prince would not be rotated this year.
No sooner had the decision been made than the capital received another piece of bad news: Su Malagu was critically ill. Su Malagu had a habit of refusing to take medicine when she was ill. No matter how the princes in the capital tried to persuade her, she refused to break this rule. Kangxi, knowing this habit, was helpless and finally issued an order: "You don't want to take medicine, right? Let's perform a ritual to exorcise her evil spirits and see if it works..."
Of course not. Another legendary figure in the Qing Dynasty died of illness in the autumn of the 44th year of the reign of Emperor Kangxi.
The author has something to say:
[1] This is just the simplest example, just like a physics formula that eliminates influencing factors. The actual situation is much more complicated than this! Landowners have different identities and their tax situations are also different...
After reading Liu Sijing's long review, I would like to answer the following questions: (I wipe my sweat, as if I were giving a report...)
Regarding the Crown Prince's competence, he had been involved in government affairs since his teens, and during Kangxi's personal campaigns, the rear was entrusted to him. The "Annals of the Emperor" states: "In February of the 35th year of the Kangxi reign, the Emperor ordered the Grand Secretaries and other officials to suspend their reports to the ministries and government offices. All matters were to be handled by the Crown Prince. Important and urgent matters were to be discussed and reported to the Crown Prince."
In addition, Kangxi praised the Crown Prince's ability to handle affairs.
I have written about this aspect of TT in my previous article.
Second, the protagonist is a woman living in the palace, and her job is to deal with trivial matters. When it comes to government affairs, she can only know and give suggestions indirectly, and many times the information is incomplete... She can only influence her husband through trivial matters. This was decided from the beginning when the character was selected.
As for singing praises and being self-indulgent, it is not the time yet, at least I cannot be intoxicated when I write.
Third, regarding the crown prince, he was second in command. His ideas and ambitions had to be suppressed. Who told him to be second in command? His status necessitated an awkward position between the emperor and his subjects. As emperor, he could be forceful because he was supreme. He was purely a subject, striving for performance, also for the sake of the country and its people. So what was the point of a crown prince doing this? It was a joke. Historically, the main reason for deposing a crown prince was because Kangxi felt he was too forceful, even saying, "I want to divide my authority so I can do whatever I want." If the crown prince had really acted forcefully against his father, he would have been killed.
As for the political and economic issues of the late Kangxi period, I have only just begun to write about them. There is still time to discuss them after I have finished writing.
Fourth, Kangxi himself was aware of issues such as land annexation. The pilot program of adding the ding silver tax to the land area was first implemented during his reign, not during the reign of Emperor Yongzheng. By the end of the Kangxi reign, Sichuan and Guangdong provinces had already implemented the ding silver tax as part of the land area tax.
I don’t know if I have made myself clear, everyone is welcome to discuss.
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