New Generation Gangster Group
Since the emperor's return from the Great Wall, the Crown Prince has only had one unpleasant experience: Orondai's sister has finally married Marhun! The Eighth Brother and his wife ran back to pay their respects, only to be summoned to tea by the eldest brother upon their return. Even more frustrating is that Orondai still refuses to accept his offer!
I've already roughly explained the current imperial court's most prominent feature: the shareholding system. Ahem, although they call themselves "slaves," these "slaves" are incredibly courageous and capable. Of course, they can also have bad tempers and be a bit narrow-minded.
A prominent example is Tong Guogang and his son, Orondai, who refused to give Kangxi a way out in public. Tong Guogang was Kangxi's uncle, so it was fine; he was his elder, after all. Orondai was Kangxi's cousin, but he acted arrogantly just the same. When the cousins started to argue, the princes would plead, "Khan Ama, please don't be angry, ah~" but no one would jump out and say to Orondai, "You bastard! You're rebelling! Someone, drag him out! Beat him!"
If this was the case with the emperor, what about the crown prince? When the Qing Dynasty was still known as the Great Jin, replacing the heir was more common, and the concept of primogeniture was less common. This custom still has some remnants today, so even if we go against the royal family, the problem won't be too serious (see figure: Oboi).
This family is Kangxi's maternal family and his wife's family, which makes them even more powerful.
It's easier to deal with someone like Orondai, but his uncle, Tong Guowei, may appear gentle and refined, but he's actually even more determined than his nephew. He's truly unyielding and unyielding! He has his own set of criteria for evaluating people. If he thinks you're not good, it's hard for him to come around to his opinion. But if he thinks you're good, he'll be a stickler for it.
For families like the Tong family and the Five Founding Ministers, wealth and glory were theirs, and they had no fear of total annihilation. Again, population constraints constrained many things and also shaped the distinct characteristics of the Qing court, unlike those of other eras. For example, when it came to collective punishment, the most common punishment was that "descendants of the same ancestor were barred from official positions," not the extermination of nine or ten generations of a clan.
In short, the cost of committing a crime is very low, even if it involves going against the Crown Prince. There's also the possibility of retaining a minimum capital reserve in the hope of making a comeback later.
Another consequence of the Crown Prince's youthful ignorance was probably his lack of respect for these people. Think about it, he argued with the Emperor, something so disrespectful as to not even get a scratch. With that in mind, how far would you have to go to make him think, "This guy's not a bad guy!"
Even more frustrating is that the Tong family, unlike other families, has the advantage of seniority. The clever princes often make overtures. The Fourth Prince has a foster mother, and with a younger sister set to marry into the Tong family, he's emotionally close to them. Isn't that enough? But the Tong family, led by Tong Guowei, refuses to accept it!
It's hard to please them! It's also difficult to suppress them. Kangxi doesn't like ministers forming factions, and the Tong family really isn't as aggressive as the Suo and Ming families—they control half of the court! A family meeting is enough to form a "faction."
If you meet such a guy, you will be scratching your head!
Yinreng had been relatively successful in repairing his relationship with the civil officials over the past two years, enduring it with perseverance and gradually finding joy in it. But as for the Tong family, he had no other solution except to smile more sincerely.
So, upon hearing that the eldest son had approached the Tong family (?) through the eighth son, Yinreng's nervousness is understandable. Unlike other court officials, the Tong family, Yinreng knew how deeply Kangxi cherished this family. If he were to channel his longing for his deceased mother into their care, the result would be quite formidable. The Tong family's words carried considerable weight.
Yinreng could only console himself by muttering, "Fortunately, I'm from Tong Guogang's faction. Now, Tong Guowei's words carry more weight." He then chuckled self-deprecatingly, truly deceiving himself. His voice was very soft, floating in the air, revealing a strange feeling.
Ever since he realized his predicament was imminent, Yinreng had set about building up a force of his own. This work was done covertly and proceeded slowly. His team consisted of the officials in his Chancellery, but it now seemed far from sufficient.
As if it weren't raining cats and dogs, a young eunuch arrived with the news: "Grand Secretary Zhang wishes to see you."
"Please come in!" Yinreng made a decision immediately. It was becoming increasingly difficult to be alone with Zhang Ying. It was rare for Zhang Ying to come to him on purpose.
Zhang Ying had originally been legitimately in charge of the Imperial Household Department, but since becoming Grand Secretary, his duties had become increasingly busy. Yinreng had been particularly proud of Zhang Ying's friendship in recent years. Zhang Ying was a meticulous and diligent person, reminiscent of an ancient minister. What pleased Yinreng most was not only his excellent parenting skills and orthodox thinking, but most importantly, his inability to cause trouble.
This is very important! The people around the prince, from the external aid to Haha Zhuzi, who grew up with him, were all worry-free. They were all lined up and killed together, which probably wasn't too unfair. This shows how rare Zhang Ying was.
As he understood the situation more and more, Yinreng admired people like Zhang Ying more and more. This is a truly smart person!
When Zhang Ying entered Dun's main hall, Yinreng had already stood up and was standing before him to greet him. Zhang Ying hurried forward and took a few quick steps to bow before Yinreng. Yinreng saw that he was halfway through bowing and stepped forward to hold his arm, "Master, how are you?"
Zhang Ying hesitated for a moment, but Yinreng had already given him a light hand and asked him to sit down: "Tea."
He also returned to his seat and said with great concern, "It's becoming increasingly difficult to enjoy tea and storytelling with Master nowadays."
Zhang Ying sighed deeply and said, "I have come to apologize to the Crown Prince."
"?" A puzzled look.
"Since I have been granted the title of Grand Secretary by Your Majesty, I have no time to attend to the affairs of the Chancellery."
Yinreng smiled, "Master, I'm delighted that the Khan-Ama holds you in high esteem." Kangxi greatly admired Zhang Ying's literary and calligraphy skills. As a Grand Secretary, he was always by his side, and he was asked to draft imperial edicts. With such a man around, Kangxi could laugh even in his dreams. Great! Whenever the Khan-Ama wanted to issue an edict, he would definitely call on him. If anything was hidden from me and would be detrimental to me, he could stop it at its source.
As the English saying goes, every coin has two sides. While Zhang Ying's favor with Emperor Kangxi was a blessing, it also brought with it another side: as Zhang Ying himself stated, he could no longer manage the Imperial Household Department. For Zhang Ying, holding onto this position while being unable to manage both was unacceptable. He could not neglect the work of the Imperial Household Department. Therefore, he had submitted a letter of resignation to Emperor Kangxi today.
The reasons are as above.
Kangxi had already agreed, but hinted that he should come and greet the crown prince: "After all, you have been together for so many years. You have reported to me, but you have not yet submitted the memorial to me, so as not to let others know. You are a cautious person. I also understand your difficulties, and what you said is reasonable. I have approved it, but the crown prince still does not know. You should talk to him in detail." What a good minister! If there is anything, he will not shout it out so that everyone will know.
Zhang Ying came to receive the order.
Yinreng was dumbfounded, his expression was truly blank for two seconds: "You've already resigned? Has Khan Ama also approved it?"
Zhang Ying wasted no time in arguing with him. "Your Highness, you should think about who will be in charge of the Chancellery next. In my opinion, it must be Xiong Cili. If Your Highness gets along well with him, you will definitely gain something."
"What do you mean?" Zhang Ying was usually very careful, and anyone who didn't take advantage of her to help him with his private work so frankly would be a fool.
The Crown Prince's two years of hard work had paid off. Zhang Ying spoke slowly, "The one who has always been in charge of the Chancellery was Tang Bin, Your Highness's teacher. After Tang Bin's death, Your Majesty appointed me to take charge. The next person should be someone who has worked with Your Highness before. Xiong Cilü has been appointed Grand Secretary alongside me, and he is also the Minister of Personnel, a position equal to mine. I declined the position, but it was granted because I had to serve and draft the imperial edict. Other than that, Xiong Cilü and I have the same duties."
Yinreng listened carefully and nodded from time to time: "I hope it will be as Master said."
There's an unspoken rule here: besides having important court officials holding concurrent posts in the Chancellery, another requirement is that the head of the Chancellery must possess considerable influence. Furthermore, judging by the first two officials Kangxi appointed to oversee the Chancellery, both were Han officials and, as Zhang Ying suggests, the crown prince's teachers. It's important to believe that when the crown prince was young, Kangxi truly loved him to the bone, completely unsuspecting, fearing only that he wouldn't advance, not that he would be too ambitious. The crown prince's teachers were all exceptionally talented individuals of their time.
Oh, I'm getting off topic. The truth is, the first head, Tang Bin, was a Shangshu (Minister of State), and the second head, Zhang Ying, was promoted by Emperor Kangxi before he was given the concurrent position of managing the Zhanshi Palace. Within a year, he was promoted from Vice Minister of Rites to Vice Minister of War, and then back to the Ministry of Rites as Shangshu. When he reached a high enough level, he became the head of the Zhanshi Palace.
Now, Zhang Ying has submitted his resignation from the position of Minister of Rites to Grand Secretary. If Kangxi is not desperate to embarrass the Crown Prince, the next person to come must have the same title as Zhang Ying.
Zhang Ying bent his fingers and counted for Yinreng: "In the 37th year of the Kangxi reign, there were originally five Grand Secretaries, headed by Wang Xi, the others being Yisan'a, Alantai, Zhang Yushu, and Li Tianfu. In June, Zhang Yushu was removed from the list of Grand Secretaries due to mourning, and Wu Yan was added to the list, making another five. This year—" this year was a year of turnover, "Alantai died in September, and Li Tianfu died in October. In November, the Emperor appointed Ma Qi, Fulun, Xiong Cilü, and me as Grand Secretaries, making a total of seven, along with Wang Xi, Wu Yan, and Yisan'a."
Forget Wang Xi. He's Kangxi's chief, and if he were to assume the position concurrently, it would have a negative impact. Fulun, that guy, wouldn't want it even if he was offered it. He, Yisan'a, and Ma Qi were all Manchu officials.
Among the remaining people, only Xiong Cilü has a greater chance of winning.
Zhang Ying, a man who always kept his mouth shut, could say this; he must have seen it clearly. Yinreng stood up and bowed deeply as a gesture of greeting: "Thank you for your guidance, Master."
Zhang Ying accepted the greeting, for he had other things to advise him on: "Since Your Highness calls me Master, I cannot help but say a few more words - get along well with Xiong Cilü."
Yinreng took note of it carefully, and Zhang Ying added: "I have been with His Highness for a long time, and He has become more calm and composed than in previous years. This is very good. He is respectful, modest, prudent, and honest, which His Majesty likes." It was a perfect reminder!
Yinreng's mind raced. He had already grasped Kangxi's temperament and knew that Zhang Ying was telling the truth. Could this reminder not be so frightening? It sounded like a last will and testament! He sighed. This was probably the most in-depth conversation he'd ever had with Zhang Ying. From now on, Zhang Ying would be the one writing the emperor's edicts. It was best not to befriend the princes, and the princes, in turn, shouldn't befriend him.
Yinreng bowed deeply, adding a touch of solemnity: "Yinreng thanks Master for teaching me."
——————————————————————————————————————————
The next day, an imperial edict was indeed issued, approving Zhang Ying's resignation.
Kangxi asked Yinreng to stay and talk: "Has Zhang Ying told you?"
Yinreng looked distressed. "He told my son yesterday. If Khan Ama needs me, I should put him first in everything. But my son has lost a good teacher."
Kangxi soothed him, "Is he still in the court? Aren't the Yuqing Palace and the Qianqing Palace very far apart? Don't you have to come to the Qianqing Palace every day? You can see him."
Yinreng thought to himself, Yuqing Palace and Qianqing Palace are really far apart!
Kangxi said, "Don't be unwilling. I heard that you often drink tea and comment on books with Zhang Ying in your spare time. I will give you another person who can appreciate books and discuss philosophy with you. I guarantee that he will be more suitable than Zhang Ying."
"?" Yinreng had already mastered the look of doubt, inquiry and thirst for knowledge to perfection.
"When we chose a master for you, Zhang Ying and Li Guangdi both taught you. Have you forgotten that your books on ethics and morality were taught by Xiong Cilü? Now that his knowledge has improved, he's the one!"
Just as Zhang Ying expected! All these years of hard work in exchange for Zhang Ying's words were worth it!
Yinreng thanked Kangxi and then asked, "I'm thinking of holding a banquet and inviting everyone from the Imperial Household Department to give Master Zhang a farewell banquet and also to welcome Master Xiong. What do you think, Khan Father?"
Kangxi agreed without even thinking: "Yes."
When Yinreng returned, he told Shujia about the matter: "Hold a banquet in front. There's no need to have too many. Just have a share of all the affairs of the Zhanshi Mansion, no matter how big or small. Also prepare some gifts for the two masters. Make a list and order the items and bring it to me."
"good."
Giving gifts to intellectuals is convenient, and fine brushes, inkstones, and paper are excellent gifts. Adding a few paintings and calligraphy by famous figures would be even better. When giving Zhang Ying a present, Yinreng personally wrote a scroll, calling him a "good teacher." When accepting Xiong Cili, Yinreng took concrete action—he personally pushed the man into a chair and repeatedly addressed him as "teacher."
The villains in Mr. Xiong and Mr. Zhang's hearts were filled with sorrow: "We finally got to see the Crown Prince behave properly. This day has come." The unfortunate Tang Bin, Geng Jie, and their gang really died with regrets.
Xiong and Zhang had probably reached a consensus. Xiong Cilü had observed the Crown Prince's behavior for a while, welcoming and supporting his change. He couldn't help but think, "If I can help educate a new generation of sage rulers, it would be a great achievement that will go down in history."
The banquet in Dun's main hall wasn't large. At the head of the table sat Yinreng, flanked by two teachers, and below were several reunion tables. They were all refined gentlemen, and Xiong Cilü even saw someone he knew—Wang Yiqing, son of Wang Xun. It seemed like this guy had a good relationship with the crown prince.
Wang Yiqing's father, Wang Fan, was considered a disciple of Xiong Cilü, so Xiong Cilü knew what kind of person he was. Judging from Wang Yiqing's expression, it didn't seem as if he was simply respecting the 'Crown Prince'; he seemed to have a deep admiration for the Second Prince. Xiong Cilü made a note of this.
One banquet was not big, and the other was even smaller.
Two people.
One old and one young.
Two scoundrels.
The older one was an outward scoundrel, while the younger one acted like a scoundrel in a polite manner.
Let's zoom in. The older one is Orondai, and the younger one is actually Qingde.
In other words, when the crown prince was still helpless against the Tong family, a little scoundrel had already infiltrated the enemy.
Let’s start from the beginning to explain the cause of the matter.
——————————————————I am the dividing line of flashback————————————————
Orondei's sister finally married Anjun Wang Marhun in October. Regardless of his age, at least his cultivation, quality and title were worthy of the Tonggiya clan.
The Prince An's residence, previously declining in prestige, saw a resurgence thanks to the Eighth Prince's nephew-in-law. Tong Banchao, however, remained unfailingly arrogant. Countless people came to the two residences to offer congratulatory gifts, and the gates of the two residences were bustling with activity. Some simply handed in their orders and gifts and left. Others were offered the chance to enter the residence for tea, and even higher-ranking individuals were able to chat with the host for a while longer.
The Shi family belonged to the Plain White Banner, unrelated to the Plain Blue Banner of Prince An's palace. Even in terms of blood ties, they were a million miles apart. The two families didn't have much of a relationship, so the gift was merely a formality.
As for the Tong family, Orondai looked at Shi Wenbing and Qingde with a strange look. The two men, supporting an old man named Hua Shan, sat in his living room. These men weren't high-ranking officials (Shi Wenbing had been transferred from Minister of War to Minister of Revenue, Hua Shan was unemployed, and Qingde was still working in his old position), nor were their titles high (the highest rank was an earl, there was also a Heshuo Efu whose wife had been dead for many years, and a newly promoted viscount).
Who told them they were the emperor's relatives? Orondai had the honor of meeting him, and his strange expression never ceased. Hua Shan had often seen him before, but when his father died, the old man had only come to offer condolences and then just exchanged greetings. What was he doing today?
A tip: Orondei and his father were enemies in their previous lives.
Hua Shan coughed as he spoke: "The Tong family is of course a distinguished family, so we don't need to worry too much about it. It's just a matter of courtesy and reciprocity in daily life. But this time, things are a little different..."
Simply put, I was an old friend of your father's. He's dead, and you... didn't have a good relationship with him when he was alive, but you've been doing well since his death. As for me, I simply stopped acting like an elder in front of you and didn't want to bother you. Just because we don't have close contact doesn't mean I've forgotten my old friend's descendants. Now that you're marrying your sister, I have to come over.
The old fox made a strong move and placed a thick gift list: "It's just a token of my appreciation. I know your family doesn't need these little things. I'm also dying, so I'm fulfilling my wish."
Whenever Shi Wenbing appeared with his father, he would always follow up with various translation explanations. However, this time, compared to his explanation, Orondei preferred Hua Shan's straightforwardness. He and Tong Guogang could quarrel, but in the end, they were of the same extreme and repelled each other. The father and son had too similar tempers and personalities.
Orondei was a man who didn't mince words. "After the old man passed away, the fawning and flattery we used to have is still there, just not as fervent." Everyone turned their enthusiasm towards Tong Guowei. "I thought you were the same as them. Now that I'm marrying my sister, their gifts are still the same, but yours are different! The old man has made a good friend. Old man, please sit down."
Shi Wenbing stared blankly, while Qingde laughed muffledly.
After meeting once, Orondei remembered the Huashan grandparents even more because he had a good impression of them.
One day in the palace, when he saw Qingde, the bored emperor's cousin started chatting with the prince's second brother-in-law who was also very idle.
Holy shit! You don't look like your grandfather, you look more like your father! Come, chat with your uncle.
Birds of a feather flock together.
The summary is completed.
——————————————————End of flashback————————————————————
From then on, Orondei and Qingde became friends regardless of age difference - but not quite equal ones.
Orondai, with his father dead, began to feel nostalgic: "Father, ever since you left, I can't find anyone to argue with except the Emperor! So lonely!" Luckily, he met Qingde, and Orondai finally understood why his father had played with Huashan. He supposed the two of them had discussed requesting permission to raise the flag together beforehand, otherwise how could it be such a coincidence? (Poor thing, didn't your father tell you back then? Sure enough, their relationship wasn't great.)
Qingde also preferred Orondai's temperament to the rest of the Tong family. He was straightforward, speaking his mind without needing to express it. If he disliked someone, he'd say, "Your dress is ugly," unlike the others who wouldn't or wouldn't dare say it to their faces, but would secretly smirk behind their backs. He also wasn't like his immediate superior, Longkodo, who was scheming and calculating. His boss's father, Tong Guowei, was also a formidable man, having fathered a son like that.
Then, Qingde found himself in a miserable situation.
Hua Shan and Tong Guogang were of the same generation, and both were Heshuo Efu. Although this title wasn't very valuable, it was sometimes useful. Qingde was a generation younger than Orondei! He usually acted like a coward in public! When Hua Shan was unhappy, he would even play tricks on Tong Guogang. Anyway, that was his image. Qingde couldn't do that!
If Orondai invited him for a drink, he would have to go home with his wife. Once, he had just finished dealing with Longkodo and didn't want to see the Tong family again (the reason will be mentioned later). Orondai arrived, pinched his shoulders and asked his cousin to borrow someone: "Lend me this kid."
Qingde pleaded for mercy in every possible way, and finally brought up his father: "My father said that I have been idle lately and asked me to go home early and question me every day."
Orondai smiled grimly: "Your father? Shi Wenbing? Come on, I'll take you to find him!"
Just go to the parents and snatch the child away!
Fortunately, Shi Wenbing's facial expressions tended to become more expressionless as he grew older, so he suppressed his surprise and said to Orondei seriously, "He is still young. He should be working hard and making achievements. It's not time for him to be so carefree yet."
He got a cold look from Orondei: "It's too fake for kids like you and me to say such things! Hasn't this kid made great achievements? He has made great achievements!" He activated the skill of 'clearly being unreasonable' and took the boy to his house to drink.
From then on, Qingde had a drinking buddy, and the two of them were having fun together, cursing (other people's) mothers, and bickering. The prerequisite was that Qingde didn't let Longkodo get entangled for too long.
The author has something to say: Some classmates said that yesterday’s picture was too small, so I posted it again today.
Eighth Master's Characters
I fell in love with this character at first sight!
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