Pilipala was praised
Since there was no guarantee that Qingde and his men would actually find Galdan, let alone that the main force would be able to catch him, Fei Yanggu, playing it safe, refused to confront Kangxi until they had captured him. However, mobilizing thousands of men was a major undertaking, and the emperor had to be informed. So, just before the expedition, he hastily wrote a battle report, announcing the discovery of Galdan's whereabouts, and kindly reminded Kangxi that Qingde was rumored to be chasing Galdan.
When the battle report arrived, Kangxi had already informed Shi Wenbing the day before that Qingde would be of great use to the army and had been sent out to scout the enemy. He had just told him that his son was missing, a more conciliatory and acceptable response. It must be said that Kangxi, even as he was, had reminded the crown prince not to tell Huashan directly and reminded his son to consider his wife's feelings, rather than throwing a tantrum at Shi Wenbing. This was certainly a thoughtful move.
When Shi Wenbing heard the news of Qingde's dispatch the first day, he was just worried. How could he not be worried when he was away on a military expedition? However, everyone on Earth knew that Galdan was failing, his men either dead or defecting. Qingde had a guide, and the journey wasn't far, so he wasn't in any danger.
When Shi Wenbing heard the word 'lost' today, he was stunned for a moment: "Huh?"
To prevent Shi Wenbing from getting into trouble, Kangxi had specially summoned Fu Dali to come with him today, so that if anything went wrong, Fu Dali could offer comfort. This was a very thoughtful consideration.
Fu Dali was also taken aback when he heard the news. He and his son had never considered Qingde's trip to be dangerous. In comparison, they were more worried about the decline in Qingde's HP caused by the harsh living conditions such as climate and diet.
Kangxi uttered a "Hmm?" and Shi Wenbing came to his senses. Everyone knew that if someone got lost on the grasslands, with the current survival capabilities of the Eight Banners children—especially those from wealthy families—they might be able to hunt a few things, but their cooking skills were absolutely terrible. Furthermore, finding firewood was still a long shot. Without being able to eat raw meat and drink blood, most people would starve to death.
Sure enough, had Qingde been defeated by heaven? Shi Wenbing still remembered that this was the emperor's presence, and he tried not to lose his composure. His face remained normal, but his hands were trembling slightly.
Fu Dali was heartbroken, but he had a father to take care of, so he persevered. It was like a delicate girl who, upon seeing a cockroach, bursts into tears and demands someone kill it. If she were married and had children, and her child cried, she would pick up the sole of her shoe and beat the cockroach into powder.
At this moment, another military report came from Fei Yanggu, and Shi Wenbing and his son staggered as they took their leave.
Kangxi felt a little sad, but he suppressed it. His heart had been tempered. Even so, he couldn't withstand the shock of the new news. It said, "My previous judgment was wrong. Fortunately, Qingde, Fei Yanggu, and others have discovered Galdan's whereabouts... After examining the Eleuth surrendered by Yi and others, I know that his words are true. I have already led my troops in pursuit."
Kangxi pounded his fist on the table: "Hahahaha! Good, good, good!"
The laughter made the Shi family father and son, who had just walked out the door, stiffen their backs: "Someone in our family died, and you're so happy?! ! ! And you're still laughing and cheering?!
Suddenly, Kangxi shouted loudly from inside: "Go and call Shi Wenbing back in!!!"
There was no need to bother others, as they could hear it themselves. However, according to procedure, they still stopped and waited for the eunuch inside to come out and call them, and then followed them in.
Fu Dali supported his father and tried to bow, but Shi Wenbing pushed him aside. Just now, he'd asked his son to support him when he was leaving, but now he was meeting the emperor again, so he couldn't act so pretentiously. Kangxi couldn't stop smiling, and seeing that Shi Wenbing still remembered the rules, he nodded approvingly. He liked people who remembered their duties.
"Stand up, Wei Zhu, and set up a seat."
The Shi family father and son were completely bewildered. The emperor's change was truly drastic and rapid. One moment he was practically saying, "Your son is dead!" and the next, his expression was even happier than when the two families had been planning to marry.
"You've raised a good son! Look for yourself, Qingde wasn't lost; he discovered Galdan's trail. He almost let Galdan escape, but now he's found him!"
Your Majesty, are you teasing me? First downplaying something and then praising it isn't the way to surprise me!
Kangxi coughed, as if apologizing for his lack of discretion in telling his ministers before the matter was fully understood, which had startled him and made him embarrassed. He changed the subject and praised Qingde, saying that Shi Wenbing was "a good parent."
Shi Wenbing was both surprised and delighted, his heart aching slightly. He couldn't help but stroke his chest. He continued, "I have three sons and four daughters. All are good, but this one wasn't prudent enough. I never thought he would be so useful one day." Kangxi said, "I think he's very good!" Shi Wenbing said modestly again, "I don't deserve it."
When the army is away, incidents like the Qingde incident happen all the time. If they find it, it's a surprise; if they don't, it's normal loss. Unexpectedly, this time, not only did they make up for the normal loss, but they also made a huge profit by finding a big fish. How could they not be happy?
Even Shi Wenbing, though modest, felt that Qingde's return alive was a blessing from heaven, and his ancestors were grateful for his kindness. Kangxi, on the other hand, considered Qingde a lucky man, having stumbled upon the enemy just as the army had strayed.
Everyone is happy.
Kangxi rubbed his hands. He knew Fei Yanggu's abilities. Even if he couldn't capture Galdan alive, he could still chop off his head. So, how should we deal with the aftermath? The surrendered troops needed resettlement. Well, we already had someone specifically assigned to this task, but we needed more supplies. And the stragglers, it would be best to round them up and use them for the country's benefit.
Thinking of this, he happened to see Shi Wenbing: "What do you think we should do next?"
Shi Wenbing was the military counselor, usually responsible for similar daily tasks, such as camps, logistics, and drills. He only had theoretical knowledge of marching and formations, and had never actually fought in battles. After thinking it over, he decided to focus on his strengths: "First, we need to settle the surrendered people. Galdan surrendered under the might of heaven, and his tribes are quite numerous. These people have old grudges with the Khalkha Mongols, and handing them over to them would be a disservice. I think that although these are defeated soldiers, they have fought hundreds of battles. Their fall into this situation is due to the incompetence of one general and the exhaustion of thousands of men. If they can wholeheartedly convert, it would be better to recruit them into my service."
This sentence just happened to resonate with Kangxi's thoughts. Kangxi nodded in his heart, but did not show it on his face. He said calmly: "Go on."
Shi Wenbing spoke slowly as he pondered, "Also, Galdan was defeated by the royal army, suffering heavy casualties along the way and being deserted by his friends and relatives. I'm sure there are still many remnants scattered across the grasslands. It would be a waste to let them roam around or return to Dzungar. It would be better to take them all in. Set aside a piece of grassland for them to live and work in peace, allowing them to serve the country. The Mongols were born and raised on horseback, so they can be used."
"What else?"
This time, I didn't have to think about it, nor did I need to think about it. I just had to say the following polite words: "The surrender of prisoners, the triumphant return, the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel discussing each person's merits and demerits. For the rest, please forgive my dullness."
Kangxi laughed heartily. Of course, he had many more things on his mind, such as the balance of power among the various Mongolian tribes after Galdan's death, the attitude towards the new Dzungar Khan, Tsewang Arabtan, and the treatment of those who colluded with Galdan...
However, he didn't need to tell Shi Wenbing about this. He smiled and said, "You all kneel down and pay your respects. I will write a letter to tell the prince this good news. You can also write a letter to tell your family that Qingde is going to make a great contribution... ... ... ... "
Oh no! The Crown Prince is not so quick to act. He has already told the Crown Princess the bad news and then passed it on to Hua Shan, right?! Isn't this just looking for trouble?
Kangxi hurriedly dismissed the Shi family father and son and dug out a box containing letters written to him by the crown prince. He swiped through them in order, flipping through them, but found no relevant reply. Was he not taking it seriously enough to reply, or was he too embarrassed to tell his wife the bad news? Kangxi speculated for two minutes, then decided not to speculate anymore and wrote directly to Yinreng, telling him that Qingde was not missing. If you haven't told the crown princess and the others, then don't tell them. Wait until the final victory news comes and report it together. If you have, then hurry up and comfort them.
After writing the letter and sending it out, Fei Yanggu's victory report arrived before he could reply. Fei Yanggu sent a large group of people running towards them, shouting: "Great victory!"
Upon arriving at the gate, his badge was checked and he was brought before the emperor. He rushed to the imperial desk and informed Kangxi that Galdan had been apprehended. Because a classmate had acted recklessly, and because he was already seriously ill, he was now hanging on by a thread, though his life was not in danger. In the words of one of the culprits, "I didn't even have the energy to commit suicide." Galdan's own doctors were helpless, but fortunately, Qingde's sister packed a bag of medicine for him and found a piece of ginseng among them, which she used to keep Galdan alive.
"I am rushing to the Imperial Tent. I will definitely arrive before the Emperor's Birthday. What is your Majesty's will?"
Kangxi was delighted: "Instructions, I will stay here to await you. Bring Galdan here. I will celebrate your birthday with you all." Then he quickly sent the good news back to the capital, 800 miles away. Well, good news! Fei Yanggu was the most meritorious official, and Qingde's performance was also very good. How should he be rewarded?
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What's going on? Shujia blinked, the corners of her mouth twitching...
She was constantly worried about the news from the front. Her father was old, her second brother had fled far away. As for Yinreng, when she asked him about it, he was vague, and Shujia didn't dare to bother him with the matter.
Finally, today, Yinreng held his son, and they spanked each other, then taught him to speak. His son could now stand, quite well for a ten-month-old, but he couldn't walk yet; every step he took was a "slap." He had to sit the fat boy on the kang, and the two of them played war games, tickling each other.
Tired of playing, Yinreng used a small embroidered ball to amuse his son and asked him to call for help. The little fat boy called out vaguely, "Father." Yinreng was so happy that he kissed him several times, until the little fat boy's voice became unclear and had a tendency to sprinkle golden beans, and then he stopped.
Then he carefully taught his son: "Call me mother. It was not easy for mother to give birth to you. Why don't you say it? If I had a mother by my side, I would greet her every hour of the day and use her as my catchphrase."
Shujia was so embarrassed that she didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Forget it, he's still young." Then she reached out and touched the little fat boy's head.
Yinreng gritted his teeth and hugged the little fat boy a little closer to him. Then, he looked at Shujia solemnly. Shujia was a little puzzled, but seeing Yinreng's expression, she felt a little flustered and asked, "What's wrong?"
Yinreng pulled Kangxi's letter from his sleeve and said, "You...read it yourself." He placed his son beside him, ready to use at any time, himself ready to comfort him. Shujia finished reading and sat there, feeling numb. She wanted to ask something, but couldn't utter a word.
Yinreng quickly picked up his son and said, "Hurry up, call your mother."
The little fat boy didn't understand what was going on. He opened his big black eyes and smiled at his father in a very innocent and cute way. Yinreng glared at him, and the little fat boy tilted his head and imitated him. Yinreng closed his eyes, tilted his head, and put him on the kang again: You unreliable little thing!
At this moment, a young eunuch rushed in, panting, "Prince! Great joy!"
"What the hell!" Yinreng exploded on the spot.
Normally, the young eunuch would have been terrified. But this time, he was very courageous and immediately shouted, "It's truly great joy! A great victory! Galdan has captured our second uncle!"
"Huh?"
Shujia had heard the phrase "Second Uncle" quite often, so it was very familiar, and her reaction was quick. She stood up, rushed to Yinreng, and grabbed his shoulders with both hands. She didn't try to act like the Roaring Leader, but simply asked in shock, "Were you kidding me just now?" Who would joke about someone's brother's life or death? I haven't celebrated April Fools' Day for many years!
Yinreng himself was dumbfounded! I've been agonizing over this for days, trying to figure out how to stop my wife from being sad. Why are you, a little slave, crying out here? A great victory? It took me a while to remember that my second uncle seemed to be talking about... Qingde?
He broke free from his wife's hand, pushed her onto the kang, and threw his son to her. The Crown Prince was much less reserved than the Crown Princess, and he directly grabbed the young eunuch's collar and said, "Speak!"
The fat boy, held in his mother's arms, was incredibly happy. First, his mother acted with such force, grabbing his father. Then, his father, even more violently, grabbed the young eunuch, so much so that he barely touched the ground on his toes! It was hilarious! The fat boy, a lively, er, baby, grinned from ear to ear and clapped his hands in his mother's arms.
Amid the fat boy's joyful applause, the young eunuch felt like dying. He thought to himself, "I've already said it, so I'll just have to repeat it again." Unable to bear it any longer, he pointed to his neck and said, "If I don't protest, I'm really going to die."
Yinreng loosened his hand, and the young eunuch rubbed his neck and hunched over: "The Grand Secretary in front asked me to come in quickly to invite you to discuss matters." The Grand Secretary said that with this news, no matter what the prince was doing, he would not be angry. Now it seems that what the Grand Secretary said was very unreliable.
Let me explain. Documents back then were categorized into several levels: 800-li express, 600-li express, and so on. To put it simply, it's like the difference between EMS, surface mail, registered mail, and so on. So, by the time Kangxi's letter, instructing Yinreng to "don't tell me until I tell you," was still 20 miles from the capital, the good news had already arrived.
The Grand Secretaries were sorting through the memorials when they discovered that Comrade Qingde, the uncle of Yuqing Palace, had made meritorious contributions. This was a good opportunity to make matters even more urgent, so they grabbed a eunuch and had him break into the palace. The young eunuch looked embarrassed and said, "The Crown Prince just went to the back to see the Crown Prince."
The Grand Secretary's eyes narrowed. "You slave, how dare you make excuses? Go tell the Crown Prince, the battle report from the front is a great victory! Qingde has captured Galdan alive!"
Remembering everyone you need to remember is a key to survival in the palace. The young eunuch was shocked to hear, "Qingde, you've even made a contribution? What a great job!" The Crown Prince is a very generous man. When he's happy, he'll definitely give him whatever he can get his hands on. The Crown Princess isn't a stingy person either. This reward is very generous. Unexpectedly, the timing was wrong, and he almost became cannon fodder.
Amidst the little fat man's laughter and applause, His Royal Highness straightened his clothes. The Crown Princess also came to her senses and called Ilari over: "Take good care of the little prince." She came over to straighten Yinreng's clothes herself. She felt her soul come back to her place and realized that Yinreng had just learned about Qingde's affairs with her. She felt a little apologetic and whispered: "Hurry up and get down to business."
Yinreng came to his senses, but… the excitement of his second brother-in-law's meritorious service had vanished. Now he just wanted to understand what was going on. He hummed, then said to Shujia, "I received the letter from Khan Ama a few days ago and didn't know how to tell you. Now that I'm speaking… you sit down for a moment. I'll go to the front to see what's going on and come back to tell you."
"Okay. Don't get too tired."
"Um."
The little fat boy, in his wet nurse's arms, clapped his hands and bid farewell to his father.
After Yinreng sat down at the front and read the victory report, he finally smiled, convinced that Qingde was truly reliable. The Grand Secretaries beside him rejoiced, "Your Majesty is wise, and under the divine power, Galdan has been captured." Meanwhile, Kangxi's ordinary mail arrived. Since it was a letter from the emperor to the crown prince, it was forwarded directly.
After reading it, Yinreng compared it with another victory report on the table and felt that he needed to discuss the postal system with his father. However, before that, he had to deal with other matters first: "Instruct the Ministry of Revenue to transfer funds to buy tents to accommodate the surrendered Eleuths. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Revenue should select personnel to count the surrendered people..."
After everything was sorted out, he ran to the back and told his wife, "You really did make a contribution, but I can't show you the official documents. I do have a letter from Khan Ama..."
Shujia was truly moved by Kangxi this time. It was rare for an emperor, so busy at war, to think of asking the crown prince to break the bad news to him slowly, so as not to alarm Huashan. As soon as the good news arrived, he immediately asked the crown prince to deal with the aftermath, even outlining two solutions, thus freeing the father and son from the burden of the initial trouble.
Although... there was a misunderstanding in the postal system.
Yinreng smiled and said, "Well, let's think about it. How should we celebrate Khan Ama's birthday properly? From what he said, he wants to celebrate it outside, so we need to make some changes to the preparations."
"What's there to change? This portion has already been prepared, so just send it as is, and prepare another portion to send over," Shujia was quite good at handling these matters. "Well, the weather is getting hot, so besides the clothes for celebrating the birthday, how about we pack a few more regular clothes? Regardless of whether Khan Ama has enough clothes to change into, it's always good to have a few more..."
"Well, that's fine."
After discussing the birthday gift, the little fat boy woke up and groaned in the inner room. Yinreng remembered that this useless son had laughed at him earlier and clapped his hands! He immediately said, "Carry him out!"
Putting the little fat boy on the kang, he was still half asleep. Yinreng, filled with rage, stretched out his hands, pinched the little fat boy's chubby cheeks and pulled them away: "You little fool! You can't even call me mother, you're so disobedient."
The little fat boy began to sob: "Wuwu...Father..." Yinreng felt distressed and wanted to let go, but the little fat boy continued, "Wuwu...Mother..." His pronunciation was not clear, but he was indeed shouting.
The son started crying, and his mother was heartbroken. She came over and slapped the murderer away, hugged her son and tried to comfort him. The little fat boy continued to sob, buried his head in the other man's wife's chest, and continued to call for his mother.
Yinreng was dumbfounded. "Are you trying to trick me, kid? When I asked you to call your mother to act cute to lighten the mood, you laughed at me. When I laughed at you, you cried and called for your mother!" If the saying "from childhood to old age" is true, then it's foreseeable that this kid will definitely not be a good person when he grows up. The ability to judge the situation is really natural.
But, I've never experienced a son crying to his mother after being bullied! The prince began to feel jealous, completely forgetting that usually anyone who tried to bully him was killed by his father. After staring at her for a while, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he stepped forward and said, "I didn't pay attention to the strength of my hand. I'm telling you, why are you crying? Your uncle has done something great? And you're still crying..."
Finally, the fat boy stopped crying, his face a cat-like mess. The nurse had gone to prepare toiletries and washed his face. Yinreng coaxed him with a bunch of toys, finally tugging on his cheeks. The boy, resigned to his grudge, called out "Ama" twice, and father and son reconciled.
Yinreng breathed a sigh of relief: "Who does this person who doesn't want to suffer any loss resemble?"
Like you! Shujia thought to herself, and gave him a sidelong glance.
Yinreng changed the subject: "Does he look like his uncle? I heard that nephews look like their uncles..."
Shujia thought to herself, it would be nice if he was like my second brother. He is cunning and has a promising future.
The topic was successfully diverted to Qingde, where the couple both complained about the postal system's blunders and how annoying it was that the army was out in the field without any information. For the first time in over a decade, Shujia missed her cell phone intensely.
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Whether it was Kangxi, Yinreng and his wife, or Shi Wenbing and his son who had already known the exact news, they all felt that Qingde had made a great contribution this time. They were all calculating what kind of merit he should have, but they didn't know that Qingde had already been praised by his uncle Shi Wenying.
Qingde swore that he really didn't mean it! If a person is lucky, he really can't be stopped! Holding the unconscious Galdan, pressing the knife to his neck, and smilingly accepting his love, what a great achievement! The guards were stunned for a moment, and were chopped to pieces by the bandits.
Qingde was happy and dragged Galdan to Fei Yanggu to show off his achievements.
Galdan's daughter was still there negotiating terms with Fei Yanggu! Although a preliminary consensus had been reached, the rebels hadn't laid down their arms yet. This added a weight to the situation. Zhong Qihai saw his father being held in Qingde's arms, his life or death uncertain, and his eyes turned green.
Fei Yanggu thought, "Oh no, you little thing, you always help but make things worse. If you had come earlier, we could have taken Galdan and taken all these people down in one go, and there would have been no need to negotiate terms. If you had come later, we could have negotiated terms and everything would have been peaceful. You are so neither here nor there,
Qingde said to Zhong Qihai with a wicked smile: "Girl, look, your father is seriously ill. Let's treat him. Haven't you seen a doctor holding a knife?" As he spoke, he shook the meat ticket twice. Fei Yanggu couldn't bear to watch any more. This kid is really a hooligan!
With his own father in the hands of the enemy, he was no match for them, so Zhong Qihai simply told everyone to lay down their weapons. Killing surrendered soldiers was something no one with any conscience would do: it was inauspicious, shortening one's lifespan, diminishing one's virtue, and damaging one's blessings.
Then he rushed over and cried, "Dad!" His heart was broken, but Galdan still didn't wake up. "What did you do to my dad? Why did you tie him up? Where's the doctor? Where's the medicine?"
It's hard to say whether Qingde was lucky or unlucky; he was credited with tying Galdan up like a dumpling. Then, to appease Zhong Qihai and the others, Fei Yanggu untied Galdan and, pretending to scold him for being disrespectful, said, "Tie him up and send two men to check Boshoktu Khan's injuries." That would have been fine.
The terrifying thing was that the person who came to tie up Qingde was Shi Wenying, a person of higher rank and seniority than him. With two of his closest followers, they tied him up like a dumpling in public. Fei Yanggu reacted quickly: "Inventory the men and horses, inventory the water supply, horses, cattle and sheep... Send guards, take turns to rest, and return to camp tomorrow. Post more sentries!"
As a senior officer, Shi Wenying had a nice tent. He took Qingde back to his own tent and ordered people to boil water, prepare clean clothes, and heat soup and hot meals. He also asked for a blanket, which must have been handed over by someone of high status. Although it was not as good as the conditions at home, it was much better than when they were on the march. Qingde smiled flatteringly and said, "Uncle, uncle, you are really my uncle. You are so kind to me."
Shi Wenying ignored him. Qingde rubbed his nose and cleaned himself up. He was truly exhausted. Killing someone was a strenuous task. Oh, he didn't kill them... but carrying Galdan and keeping constant vigilance all the way was exhausting enough. Not to mention the mental strain of the journey. Now, in a relatively safe environment, he relaxed and fell asleep.
Being young is good, Shi Wenying sighed. He left the tent and looked up at the sky. The sun hadn't set yet. He went to report to Fei Yanggu. He still had tasks to do: count and register the prisoners, interrogate the leader, and check if there were any other rebels nearby...
It was not until dusk that he returned to his tent and called the police. He also knew a little about medicine, and seeing that Qingde had rested well, he finally felt relieved after several days of tension.
Then... the whip was brought out.
Qingde was dumbfounded. He thought that this was just a formality, and that they would release him and provide him with good food and drink once they got him to a place where no one could see him. After all, he had definitely made a contribution this time. Moreover, it was his uncle who had kidnapped him, so he was obviously going to let him go. Their family had connections with the royal family, so they had to give him some face when dealing with him. It was just a show for that woman to see, so that she would restrain her subordinates and not cause any more trouble, and just coax the man to hand him over in front of the emperor to claim the credit. You see, his uncle not only released him, but also provided him with good food and drink, and let him sleep comfortably.
But why did such a good day disappear like a dream as soon as his uncle patted his shoulder and said, "Hey, wake up"?
Shi Wenying whipped with the whip very smoothly: "Little bastard! Five people each took five different paths, how did you get together? Do you think we are all fools?! I will beat you to death, little bastard! Do you know how scared the army is?! Tell me, was it your idea, little bastard?! I will beat you to death! You make me worried! The general has even written a letter to apologize."
Qingde began to feel guilty. He'd done the work, so he took the beating. He felt bad for making everyone worry. He was covered in a thick blanket, and Shi Wenying, fearing he'd catch a cold, had also placed a thick felt blanket under him. The whipping only stabbed him with limited pain. He'd just woken up, his mind still a bit hazy, and he didn't react, so he subconsciously used the blanket as a shield.
Then he realized that Shi Wenying was just slapping and scolding him, with no intention of hitting him hard. After a few hits, he realized what was going on. Was this a show? He also started to howl miserably. Shi Wenying stopped, and Qingde also walked out of the fortifications. He asked slyly, "Uncle? What's wrong?"
At this time, Shi Wenying actually started a fight without declaring war, and he continued to whip him. Qingde jumped back and forth like a monkey: "Uncle, uncle, uncle, what's wrong with you? It hurts!"
Shi Wenying cursed even louder. Qingde rushed out the door, explaining as he went, "If you can't see the road clearly, then you'll just end up together. All rivers flow eastward into the sea, and there are only five of us, so why can't we all end up together?! Ouch!"
Damn it, you're still being stubborn!
Shi Wenying, who was a little tired, became angry again and continued to whoosh.
The great hero, Qingde, was being praised with great fanfare...
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The uncle and nephew of the Shi family were so lively that a bunch of people had gathered early to have some fun before going to bed. Although not many people came due to military discipline, everyone knew everything they needed to know.
Fei Yanggu also received the news and hurriedly brought a group of senior generals to mediate: "How can a commotion among such a large army be allowed? Qingde is also a meritorious official. This matter ends here!"
After saying that, he took his men away.
This time the level of gossip was immediately raised.
First, Qingde was beaten, and those who had "made contributions" like him became obedient.
Secondly, those cadres in the army who were dissatisfied felt a little relieved after seeing Shi Wenying's attitude.
In the end, Qingde's beating made the captives feel a little relieved.
"Ouch - it hurts... Uncle -"
This wasn't a beating, this was applying medicine, and the shouting was deafening.
"Pa!" Shi Wenying slapped Qingde on the butt, "Shut up! I tell you, it's more difficult to make a contribution than not! Although the result of your thing is good, you committed a big taboo at the beginning. You colluded privately? Huh? You even colluded with the army! What's the situation in the court now? The eldest prince will definitely have military merit this time. Once he gets excited..." Our family is related to the prince!
Qingde stopped shouting and lowered his eyes to think.
Five days later, in front of the emperor, Kangxi finished praising everyone one by one, looked at the half-dead Galdan, and was very happy: "God is kind and merciful, and I am not a narrow-minded monarch. Although you have rebelled against me, I will not let you down. There is a place for you to be accommodated in the capital, and your son is waiting for you in Beijing." Galdan did not even have the strength to move.
Then came the celebration banquet. Drunk and drenched, Qingde used the excuse of being injured to avoid the emperor. When he arrived before the emperor, Kangxi consoled him and even examined his injuries. Qingde gathered his clothes and ran off, saying, "These injuries are real! They were all caused by my uncle!"
Everyone laughed at the back, saying he was shy. Kangxi said to Shi Wenbing and Fu Dali, "You all go and see him, and tell him not to be shy."
When the father and son met, Qingde knelt down and confessed. Shi Wenbing slapped Qingde so hard that he was crooked. Qingde mumbled, "Now it's even more like it. Father, you can tie me up and take me to the emperor to apologize. That'll be all."
"you!"
"I admit it first. It's just that I was reckless. Do I have to wait for the appointment?" He laughed wickedly. "First come, first served. I called myself a grandson. Who else wants to call me a great-grandson?"
Shi Wenbing patted his chest and said, "Whatever you want!"
Sure enough, he took his sons to apologize.
Kangxi was drinking happily and was about to take a rest when he heard that the Shi family father and son wanted to see him. He was a little puzzled and said, "By the way."
The father and his two sons came in, startling Kangxi. The great hero had become a pig-head, half his face red and swollen. Shi Wenbing came up and tearfully apologized, choking with sobs: "I will die! Master, you said before that I was a good parent. I didn't dare to say that. That was out of humility, with a hint of pride in my heart. Now it seems that I really was a bad parent! This little beast!"
"What's going on?" Kangxi was puzzled. Why was he talking about his godchild again? Fei Yanggu wouldn't lie. It was Qingde who captured Galdan, and he had already identified himself. That was Galdan, no doubt. With such a great achievement, everything was worth it!
Qingde knelt with his head bowed. "I was the one who acted presumptuously, thinking that if the master would look upon me and ask me to serve in the army, I would have to do something. My greed blinded me, and I ignored the overall situation and ran dozens of miles, and ended up getting lost. They say I was lucky, but I still feel uneasy, and I won't feel at ease unless I speak out."
Kangxi stretched out his hand and grasped Qingde's shoulders: "Get up."
“Hiss—”
"Um?"
After shaking, he stood up with difficulty. Kangxi saw that something was wrong and summoned the imperial physician to take a look. Qingde was still pretending to be shy, but Shi Wenbing slapped him on the back and he became obedient. He pulled open his clothes and saw old whip marks all over his body.
Shi Wenying struck with measured force, severely inflicting pain, though the wounds were superficial. Military medicine was the best, and the Mongolian doctors were also quite skilled in trauma. Shi Wenying had taken the medicine with him to visit his nephew.
Qingde whispered, "My uncle has already taught me a lesson."
Kangxi said helplessly, "Never mind. I didn't think it was anything." Fei Yanggu had already explained that they were lost on the grasslands, and that it was rain. It was understandable that young people were a little reckless. Furthermore, Kangxi was also a little afraid. If Qingde hadn't acted impulsively and really let Galdan escape, then all those years of preparation and two days of campaigning would have been incomplete.
Qingde still dared to ask the imperial physician to apply medicine, and finally grumbled: "But they all listened to me and wanted to do more work, travel more, and get more information. In the end, everyone was unwilling to accept it and wanted to show off to the master, so they came together. If we can't find it in the end, I will be guilty of a great sin..."
Kangxi felt a little annoyed. He had just finished celebrating his success when this meritorious official came to apologize, and he had indeed made a mistake.
Kangxi then scolded him fiercely, "You still know how to cry? You are putting me in a difficult position! You have just accomplished something great, and now you come to ask for punishment. What should I do?"
Qingde knelt down again and cried silently, "I am guilty of a capital crime. I regretted it when I ran away, but I was already out. Master, the grass with Shao was so cold when we slept. The grass was still wet. If I hadn't thought that I would rather die than bring shame to you, Master, I would have given up. I thought that if I died with them, I would have atonement for my sins."
Shi Wenbing and Fu Dali also knelt. This sincerity was sufficient. Kangxi considered that Qingde was a young man, full of vigor and blood, and still needed to be tempered. Kangxi made a judgment. It must be said that Qingde's usual disguise played a significant role. An ambitious young man, blinded by passion, did something a little out of the ordinary, and it achieved excellent results.
At a time when the emperor was trying every possible way to maintain his martial spirit, Qingde's behavior undoubtedly needed encouragement.
Seeing his minister repentantly repentant brought immense satisfaction to the emperor. As a rather conceited emperor, undeterred by the strife among his fellow scholars, Kangxi remained confident and believed the world was full of love. He felt that Qingde's lesson was sufficient, a warning enough for him to behave himself. Furthermore, his attitude was good! This was most important.
Kangxi then said, "I wanted to punish you, but I also thought of your father. When he learned of your disappearance, he couldn't even walk steadily. How could you bear to do this?"
Qingde burst into tears, deeply moved by the emperor's words. Finally, the three of them embraced each other and cried bitterly. Kangxi finally concluded the conversation with satisfaction: "Everyone, go back and rest. I'm tired too."
Although his dissatisfaction with Qingde disappeared after this incident, his good mood was also completely gone. Kangxi did not sleep, but simply sat and pondered the matter. The more he pondered, the angrier he became. His thoughts went from Galdan to Tibet.
Galdan enjoyed the support of the Dalai Lama's teacher. Yes, you read that correctly: the Dalai Lama, he and the Fourth Panchen Lama were both his teachers. According to some mystical theories, Galdan was the reincarnation of Yinza Hutuktu, so at the age of ten he was taken to Tibet by the Yellow Sect to become a monk. His honorary title of Boshoktu Khan was bestowed upon him by the Dalai Lama. Oh, and he had a classmate named Sangye Gyatso, the Fifth Dipa, who caused so much trouble in Tibet that Lhazang Khan wanted to kill him.
In the 35th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, during the Lantern Festival, the Sixth Dalai Lama, Tsangyang Gyatso, was hastily enthroned. It was then revealed that his teacher had been dead for over a decade, a death he had concealed for fourteen years. Kangxi, realizing that the Dalai Lama he had so diligently cultivated to dispose of Galdan was actually a fellow disciple of his, was practically choking with anger.
He is so angry!
Oh my god!!! I've been saying all these good things for years, and have they all just been wasted? Maybe Sangye Gyatso told Galdan all the damn things, and those two classmates are probably laughing at me behind my back for being stupid! He even applied for a title for himself in the name of the Dalai Lama, and I approved it!
No, I have to deal with him! I must deal with him! The Mongols and Tibetans are very devout Buddhists and have great respect for living Buddhas. If a great living Buddha is controlled by bad elements, the whole of Qinghai will be in turmoil! Well, not yet. We need to rest after the war. Who should we send to fight next time? It seems that Qingde can be trained. He is courageous and has not lost his spirit. He has awe for me, which is very good. Although he was a little disgusted, Kangxi's rationality as an emperor returned and he began to analyze carefully. However... he still needs to be honed! Where should I throw him to hone him?
Qingde's crying was effective. Although he was scolded by his father for a long time after he came back, Kangxi finally forgave him.
When the question of how Qingde was able to join the others in their search for Galdan, how he got lost, and whether this violated military discipline was brought up again by Kangxi, the leader expressed his opinion, and the crowd quieted down. The discussion of merit could begin.
The author has something to say: I heard that today is the rehearsal day for Shengun Day, and I am very depressed.
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