More than one person is unlucky
Kangxi treated his uncle with unwavering care. In September, Tong Guogang's coffin returned to Beijing. Though Kangxi himself was too ill to get up, he ordered the princes and ministers to greet him. Hua Shan, despite his age, had to brave the pressure of his old age to meet Kangxi's uncle. This time, he was fine; after all, they were acquaintances, a drinking buddy.
After returning, he took his grandson to the Tong family to pay his respects.
When Qingde came back, he said he was hungry and went straight to Shujia: "My dear sister, do you have anything to eat?" Shujia sneered: "If you don't know, you'd think you've suffered so much. How could there be no food for you in the kitchen?" Qingde said: "That's different. How can what they cook be compared to what my sister cooks? The care they put into it is different."
Shujia reached out and stroked her cheek to embarrass him, but Qingde acted like a slacker and just waited for the food. After a while, Shujia said, "Wait a minute." Today's dish was stewed pig's trotters, and Shujia wasn't allowed to use the knife yet. She asked the kitchen staff to clean up first, and she would just add the ingredients and control the cooking steps and the heat.
The pig's trotters were stewed until tender, with an attractive sheen, and tasted quite delicious. Qingde said while gnawing on the pig's trotters: "The street in front of the Tong family's door was crowded with people..." Posthumous honors.
Not only did Kangxi honor the deceased, but he also took out his frustrations on others. When someone died, anyone of high rank was expected to write a memorial or something. Kangxi originally wanted to write it himself, but his health had just improved, and he was burdened with state affairs. He had no choice but to delegate the task to the Hanlin Academy.
The Hanlin Academy was quite pragmatic. Tong Guogang's death was partly due to his own recklessness, so Yang Xuan compared him to a brave man from a previous era. Kangxi was displeased. "He's my uncle, and you dare call him brainless?" Wherever the emperor's anger struck, the officials were unmoved. Zhang Ying, the head of the Hanlin Academy, failed to notice that Yang Xuan's draft of the memorial for Tong Guogang was inappropriate. He was demoted to the position of Minister of Rites, and Yang Xuan was stripped of his post and sent to the frontier as a bannerman.
Then, without caring about anything else, Kangxi rolled up his sleeves and personally wrote a memorial. It portrayed Tong Guogang in a lofty, comprehensive, and complete light, stating that his death was a loss to the country and the nation… Such a beautiful image, written like an artistic photograph—beautiful, but not resembling the real thing.
In such an atmosphere, the army returned.
Fuquan heard the news on his way back, and his heart was pounding. But he gritted his teeth and continued to study the memorial he had been polishing.
After venting his anger at Tong Guogang's funeral, Kangxi calmed down, regained his rationality, and gradually recovered. Along with it came his imperial mentality and his protective nature.
The army returned, and so did the generals, looking disheartened. Some, like Peng Chun, felt guilty and contemplated their mistakes behind closed doors. Some, like many others, were restless and secretly sought various avenues, fearing harsh punishment. Still others, like Yinzhi, resorted to cunning schemes to evade responsibility and gain credit.
Although Yinzhi was married, he continued to live in the palace. His assigned residence was the first of the five palaces in the Qiandong Palace, making it very convenient for him to see the emperor. Upon returning to the palace, without even changing his clothes, he ran to the Qianqing Palace to complain to his father about his uncle's misdeeds.
Looking at his young son kneeling on the ground, Kangxi said coldly, "You've done a good thing!" Yinzhi shuddered, still unconvinced: "Khan Father, my son is right." Kangxi said, "You did the right thing?" Yinzhi immediately omitted the fact that he had been disobedient, had repeatedly ignored the advice of Prince Bo, had privately accused the commander of being timid, had constantly won over generals, and had placed his confidants in positions of power to exclude dissidents. He simply said, "Prince Bo is too cautious!"
A furtive glance at Kangxi's face, seeing he seemed expressionless, emboldened Yinzhi. Regardless of Fuquan's thoughts at the time, letting Galdan escape was a matter of unacceptable consequence, and Yinzhi clung to this point, refusing to budge. "I previously said that Prince Bo was timid, and Khan Ama scolded me for it. Now, it turns out he's let Galdan escape." My rudeness to him was his own fault; it's not my fault at all.
Kangxi was furious. He knew the eldest prince was a bit blunt and simple-minded, but he had never imagined he could be so foolish. Kangxi knew Fuquan well; he was a kind and honest man, not particularly capable, but steady. Furthermore, during Galdan's first southern invasion, the Qing army had been defeated by Galdan's provocation and had launched a rash attack. Fuquan's decision not to pursue Galdan was indeed a good one.
If I think about it calmly, I was a little too angry at this honest brother. But the situation at that time was indeed that I let the enemy go, and if I didn't say a few words, the next battle would be impossible to fight.
Kangxi's failure to achieve a complete victory in this battle couldn't be blamed solely on Fuquan's incompetence. Based on Kangxi's recent military observations, the decline in the Eight Banners' combat effectiveness was undeniable, and the overall level of their generals was declining. For example, Pengchun, during the battle, failed to even select his position properly and charged headfirst into a quagmire, struggling with the mud before engaging Galdan. Even following a military textbook wouldn't have led to such a mistake! Fighting a battle without understanding the terrain is pointless!
Even if the instructions were correct, what good would they do? It's like telling a child to study hard and pass the imperial examination so he doesn't have to pay taxes. But he's a bit of a jerk and can't even read a single word. What can you do?
Unexpectedly, Yinzhi would insist on dwelling on his uncle's mistakes, his words hinting at a sense of "If I were the commander, I would definitely win." Kangxi disliked this, very much disliked it. He preferred the crown prince, a gentle yet arrogant figure, a casual exudation of nobility, not Yinzhi, who would repeat himself like a repeater, "I am the best."
"Never mind, never mind. He's my son after all." Kangxi sighed. "There are advantages to being brainless. He won't cause any big trouble. Even if he has some courage and strength, he's still easy to use. But right now, I still have to clean up his mess!"
You idiot! You could offend anyone else but my brother! Son and brother, how can I ever get away with this? Do you know that the battle against Galdan isn't over yet and I still have to rely on my subordinates? You're shirking responsibility like this and yet you're directly challenging the commander. This shows a lack of unity between the upper and lower levels, a major military taboo!
Kangxi closed his eyes and whispered, "That's your uncle. You're a nephew, yet you're so disrespectful to your elders. You've read so much that it's all in vain. Tell me, did your uncle defeat Galdan?"
Yinzhi was stunned: "He clearly let him run away..."
Kangxi's voice slowly escaped from between his teeth: "He won, but you are telling me that your uncle, my brother, is in cahoots with Galdan? What good does Galdan gain from winning? Huh?"
No matter how stupid Yinzhi was, he knew that Kangxi was unhappy, and he stammered and didn't dare to respond.
Fortunately, there was still hope. Kangxi continued to advise: "As the deputy commander, you have been complaining to me since you left the capital. Did your uncle let Galdan go at that time? Don't have any thoughts that you shouldn't have. Everyone in the court knows what kind of person your uncle is. Prince Yu is your uncle, and what he says is what you have to say. When we discuss attacking the ministers and taking their confessions, if you have any disagreement with Prince Yu, watch out for your skin! Do you understand?"
Yinzhi didn't quite understand, but also seemed to understand. He carefully wrote down Kangxi's words and prepared to find an opportunity to consult Mingzhu.
Mingzhu laughed. "Big Brother, the Emperor is protecting you. Don't worry about anything else. If Prince Yu doesn't say anything, then forget it. If Prince Yu wants to make a memorial, just say it. Prince Yu said exactly what you wanted to say."
Yinzhi was a quick learner. At the morning court, Fuquan, carrying a thick stack of memorials, prepared to present them: "Here is everything I want to say." It was too thick to be read in court. Looking at Fuquan's expression, Kangxi knew his brother was going mad. He asked softly, "Does anyone else have anything to say? Yinzhi? You're the deputy commander. Speak up."
Yinreng's lips curled up. He looked down on the eldest prince not only because he was born out of wedlock, but also because he was... dumber than him. If Yinreng's temper was a five, Yinzhi's was a ten. Yinreng looked forward to Yinzhi and Fuquan going to court and cursing at each other like a shrew.
Unfortunately, Yinzhi said, "Whatever the prince says is what it is."
Yinreng was stunned. He sat closest to Kangxi, except for the eunuchs, and he could clearly see the corners of Kangxi's lips curl up. He then saw Yinzhi glance at Kangxi timidly, and Kangxi nodded approvingly with his eyes closed. Damn! You two are still flirting with each other!
Fuquan, the honest man, hadn't expected Yinzhi to say such a thing. Well, he couldn't continue his complaint. His memorial listed every single thing Yinzhi had done—none of which was good. Any further complaint would have made his uncle look dishonest. Fuquan, driven to tears by Kangxi's subtle trickery, tore up the memorial and said, "Since the eldest prince has said such things, what else can I say? I'm the commander-in-chief, so naturally, this is all my fault." He accepted all leadership responsibility.
Kangxi still protected his son.
This perception became to Yinreng: Khan Ama is still protecting the eldest brother! With the eldest brother's brain, which is not much smarter than a pig, there is no way he would do such a thing. Thinking about Kangxi's every move just now and finding out about Kangxi and Yinzhi's long secret conversation, Yinreng knew the truth.
I was wondering why what the boss did today felt so familiar. It was clearly the work of Khan Ama! As the person who had spent the longest time with Kangxi, Yinreng was naturally no stranger to things that bore Kangxi's mark.
He was so angry that he returned to Yuqing Palace after leaving the court and sat there for a quarter of an hour. Suddenly, he launched into a rage. With a wave of his hand, he first swept away the priceless porcelain on the table, then rushed to the desk, tore up two pages of large characters he had just written that morning, threw them to the ground, and jumped on them, stepping on them and jumping on them.
Yinzhi, you wait!
These movements might sound a bit ridiculous to a teenager, but no one in Yuqing Palace dared to laugh. The Crown Prince's anger was nothing new, and the servants were used to it. So what was stepping on paper? Just don't use us as a training ground for your leg skills.
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Yinreng, having calmed down, sought out Soetu to discuss matters. Soetu, also in the army at the time, was privy to many of the issues. His position wasn't solely due to nepotism. He pointed out, "The master is clearly protecting the eldest prince now. Even if you're angry, there's nothing you can do. Let's see how the ministers decide on the charges and then decide on the appropriate punishment."
Soetu saw that the war was still to be fought. The importance of Mongolia to the Qing court was self-evident. Therefore, he advised Yinreng, "After this incident, the master and Prince Yu should have clearly seen the power of the eldest prince. The Qing court must fight another battle with Galdan, and by then the eldest prince will no longer be as powerful as he once was! Why bother getting angry with him?"
Changing the subject, Soetu began to discuss the next steps: "The New Year is approaching, have you... started to think about what gifts to bring to the Empress Dowager and the Emperor?" Yinreng was unconcerned: "What did Khan Ama ask for?" Soetu thought for a moment, swallowed his words, and continued: "Next year, uh, the palace will probably start looking for a wife for you..."
Yinreng was more concerned about this, not just because he wanted a wife he could hold, nor was it simply about support from his father-in-law's family. Most importantly, only after marriage could he be considered an adult with a family and a career. His eldest sister-in-law's belly was bulging again, probably before the birth. If she gave birth to a son this time, Yinreng would be extremely uncomfortable!
So Yinreng asked Suo Etu: "I haven't heard anything, do you know?"
Suo Etu wiped his sweat and said, "I don't have any news. I just want to remind you that the more time comes, the more you have to be patient." Yinreng coughed, "I know," and moved his lips, unable to help but said, "In your opinion, which family... uh..."
Soetu understood and smiled, "Just look at which family's girls are often summoned to the palace, or which family they will send their favorite people to meet starting next year, and you'll know about it." You have to coax and flatter this prince. If you really treat yourself as his elder and put on airs and "guide" him, you'll be asking for trouble.
Yinreng muttered to himself, "There's been a lot going on lately. I haven't summoned anyone into the palace, nor have I sent anyone out to see you... Uh, I get it. You can go back."
Suo Etu rolled his eyes. First, Tong Guogang died, then he inherited an army that was not completely victorious. Then the ministers began to judge him. It was all bad luck. Even the empress dowager wouldn't invite a young girl to play with her at this time. Forget it. Anyway, the big election was the year after next. He had a full year to adjust. It didn't matter if it took a little time.
As Soetu stepped back, Yinreng's thoughts turned over and over in his mind. What kind of wife should he want? As the most wealthy bachelor in the country, it was natural for Yinreng to be picky about his future wife. She had to be beautiful, come from a good family, be virtuous, have good manners, and most importantly, be able to give birth to a son! It pissed off the boss!
Whose family is better? Yinreng scratched his head. The number of young women he had met was too limited. After analyzing all the data, he had to come up with a specific image. Unexpectedly, a person who seemed dignified but revealed her true colors when pushed into a corner appeared.
If it was her, it wouldn't be bad. At least, the Empress Dowager liked her, and she wasn't a bad person. Most importantly, Yinreng vaguely sensed her dislike for the eldest prince. Anyway, every time he met her, he heard her stepping on the eldest prince.
While Yinreng was lost in his thoughts, Kangxi was also anxious about his marriage. After everything had finally settled down, Kangxi, the kind father to him, put the search for a wife on the agenda. He clutched a copy of the "Book of Jin," opened a page, and scratched a few lines with his fingernails: "There are five things you can do with a daughter of Duke Wei, and five things you can't do with a daughter of Duke Jia. The daughters of the Wei family are virtuous and have many children, are beautiful, and have long white hair; the daughters of the Jia family are jealous and have few children, are ugly, and have short, dark hair."
Well, I have to say that this does make sense. So, the requirements for a daughter-in-law were: virtuous, fertile, beautiful, tall, and fair-skinned! Finally, after narrowing down the selection criteria beyond family background, Kangxi decided to hold another round of auditions after the New Year.
But before that, there is one more thing to do!
After the New Year, Yinreng foolishly received the gift from his Khan Ama.
Kangxi gave him several concubines!
I haven’t chosen my first wife yet, so I’ll keep her on credit and give her to you next year. I have a few concubines, so I’ll give them to you first. You can use them first.
The author has something to say: If you just count the number of words, the previous chapter plus this chapter is enough for three updates, right?
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Escape with your head in your hands...
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