Pretending to be sick fails and ends up getting sick
After receiving the news that Kangxi would return to Beijing, Yinreng calculated a good date and moved back to the Eastern Palace in advance. By then, it was already August and autumn had arrived, and living in the Forbidden City was quite comfortable.
After returning to the Eastern Palace, Yinreng still did not care about state affairs, but only intervened in one matter: when his Khan father returned to Beijing, he would go to the suburbs to greet him in person.
Kangxi met his prince in the suburbs. Although his other sons were working hard on duty and the prince was on vacation, Kangxi still said, "You have lost weight. You have worked hard."
Yinreng looked better than before Kangxi's death, but his temperament had changed inexplicably. This change was a good thing in Kangxi's eyes. His son greeted him, "Khan Ama looks more energetic, but a little darker and thinner." He pretended to ask Hongdan, who had always been at Kangxi's side, "Did you eat and sleep well?"
Hongdan said, "Mafa has always been very well behaved."
Kangxi: "...Do you think I'm a child?" He rubbed the top of Hongdan's head, where there was hair. "You are the child," he looked up at Yinreng. "What about you? Have you eaten well and slept well?"
Yinreng smiled and said, "My son has been enjoying himself these past few months. He's been doing everything right, and he's even caught a few fish." He then praised his brothers who stayed in Beijing, saying that some were practical and others were hardworking. "I've been watching them all, and they've made great progress in just a few months. They've truly lived up to my Khan's expectations."
Kangxi shook his head and said, "The fifth brother is a taciturn person, and the seventh brother is timid. It still won't work."
Yinreng smiled faintly. Who cares about these two? "Fifth brother is down-to-earth, and seventh brother is also willing to work hard. Moreover, eighth brother is quite insightful, and tenth brother is also a rising star." He praised Kangxi a little and praised his brothers, acting like a silly older brother.
Kangxi said, "You still need experience," but refused to say more. Instead, he asked about Yinreng's health. "How are you recuperating? It's very humid near the water. Don't sit there all the time after you recover. Also, why didn't you mention this in your letter?"
"I didn't catch anything..." A depressed voice.
Kangxi scolded him a few more times, still not satisfied: "I'll talk to you again when we get back!" He continued to assess Yinreng's physical condition.
The emperor's return to Beijing wasn't a permanent stop. Kangxi's plan for this year was for a southern tour. This was a massive undertaking, requiring accommodations along the way, security, and supplies for the tour group. Local officials also had to prepare treasures for the emperor's arrival, gifts for his entourage, and various other projects, often described as projects to win the emperor's heart but ultimately meant to save his reputation.
Whether for public or private reasons, the plan for the southern tour was communicated very early.
Kangxi had already planned the list of accompanying personnel. Mingzhu and Soetu were both lucky enough to be selected, and the prince was also on the list. He was even supposed to go to Rehe to escape the summer heat, but he fell ill.
Normally, Yinreng was still in his prime, and an illness would be easy to recover from. However, once you care about someone, nothing that happens to them is trivial. Therefore, Kangxi not only allowed Yinreng to recuperate in Beijing, but also asked the Imperial Hospital to report on the prince's health while he was away in Rehe. He wanted to observe the prince's health and decide whether to allow him to travel so far, as he was about to make his southern tour the following month.
The Southern Tour had been prepared long ago and could not be easily changed. If the Crown Prince was not well by then, it would be troublesome. Kangxi adjusted his plan in his mind. Originally, Kangxi wanted to show the scholars in Jiangnan how good his Crown Prince was and continue to win their hearts.
Alas, originally, when we went to Rehe, we wanted to show off three generations of our family together. That would have been quite impressive! Since the Rehe show didn't work out, Kangxi hoped to show off during his trip to Jiangnan. It was also a way to win people's hearts and minds. See, the Qing dynasty has a future and will continue uninterrupted.
Yinreng was actually recovering well. He was just pretending to be weak. After all, the imperial physician said he had recovered but needed to rest. It was normal for him to be a little weak. I believe his Khan Ama must have received the same report. His son couldn't stand watching him pretending so much that he couldn't help but help him when he got out of the car. Yinreng lovingly took his son's hand and said, "Ama, it's okay. You go and accompany your Mafa."
Kangxi was not so sick that he accepted the kindness of the prince and his son. He took Hongdan's hand and walked slowly towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity. Kangxi sat down and did not let Hongdan go back to the East Palace to visit his mother as usual. Instead, he asked him to stand and listen.
The other princes who stayed behind were not as fortunate as the Crown Prince. They also went to greet him, but were not allowed to ride in the same carriage as Kangxi. It was only when they arrived at the Palace of Heavenly Purity that they officially met their father. After paying their respects to him, they discovered that not only was the Crown Prince present, but their nephew Hongdan was also standing at Kangxi's side, standing a little taller than them.
The princes who had accompanied the emperor also lined up with their brothers who stayed behind, standing in order, their eyes darting around. Yinzhi wondered, "Why is this kid standing next to the Khan in the frontier, and now standing so high up in the palace?" Yinzhi thought, "Perhaps... the Khan is training the next generation?" The others had similar thoughts.
Yinreng's hands were slightly sweaty. It was normal for Hongdan to be next to Kangxi, but it was a signal when he was next to the main seat in the Qianqing Palace.
Regardless of what his sons were thinking, Kangxi simply said, "You've worked hard," and asked them to report. According to age and rank, the third prince was the first to come forward.
Kangxi was not entirely confident in his sons, who had only recently assumed the responsibilities of the emperor. From his position in Rehe, he exercised remote control and deployed numerous informants. He was largely aware of government affairs, including some disagreements between the third and eighth princes, Yinzhi. To be fair, Yinsi's arguments were more plausible, while Yinzhi seemed a bit weak.
Yinzhi's report was balanced and contained, concealing all the discord, praising the Eighth Prince, and then giving the Tenth Prince a little praise. Kangxi made another comment on him, and then asked the Fifth Prince and others to add to the report in turn.
The Fifth Prince glared, almost running out of things to say. All that could be said had already been said by the Third Prince, and after racking his brains, he said, "Third Brother has said everything a son needs to say." Kangxi was speechless.
When it was the Seventh Prince's turn, he saw that the Fifth Prince had used the universal line, so he simply borrowed it as well: "My son has nothing to add."
The Eighth Prince filled in two omissions of the Third Prince, earning Kangxi's praise for his attentiveness. The Ninth Prince, of course, implicitly praised his Eighth Prince. Seeing this, the Tenth Prince, unable to express himself, also borrowed the universal line.
After the Twelve Princes and the Kangxi Emperor finished speaking, they offered their comments. In summary, they all had made progress, but there were still shortcomings and they needed to work harder. He then offered opportunities to the Fifth Prince and other princes he considered less outstanding, such as participating in preparations for the Empress Dowager's birthday or considering leading New Year's preparations. He also announced that the end of this month and the beginning of next month would be the period for the Eighth, Thirteenth, and Fourteenth Princes to take concubines.
As he spoke, he frequently glanced at the Crown Prince, continuing to observe his physical condition. The imperial physician said that his illness was cured, but his body was a little weakened. I saw that he had been sitting upright, and it seemed that he had recovered well.
Kangxi, who was concerned about his son's health, had no idea that his prince didn't want to travel at all.
Yinreng's central idea was clear: let his son act cute. He was old and no longer able to act cute, so it was better for him to stay in hiding. He no longer needed these things. When he was young, he really wanted to stay by Kangxi's side, fearing that someone else would come in to serve him. Now that his son was doing the job, he could free up his hands and take a step back.
Take a step back and the world will be wider.
Yinreng could guess a bit of what Kangxi was thinking. It was true that he wanted to take him out for a walk, and it was also true that he wanted to build his reputation. The former was acceptable, but the latter was a matter of course. As a crown prince, if he wanted to advance, he had to retreat first. His reputation had to be good, but his prestige couldn't be too high. The scholars of Jiangnan had been largely tamed after decades of using both kindness and power. If he, the crown prince, appeared before them in a virtuous manner, he would surely receive favorable reviews, but he couldn't expect such praise just yet.
At this stage, whatever Hongdan gets can be directly attributed to him as his father, without him having to step forward himself.
What Yinreng needs now is to improve the impression of his subjects among the frontier officials, but... the annoying thing is that all the way south from Zhili to Nanjing, a group of old officials who had long retired or been sent out to other places did not have a very good impression of him - it was too late to look back, and they went home/took office with a bad impression.
For example, Gao Shiqi and Li Guangdi, veteran ministers who had some influence on Kangxi's opinions, probably failed to satisfy Yinreng in some aspects when he was young and frivolous. Now, if the crown prince were to take action himself, the time and effect would probably be limited, so it would be better to send a very well-behaved grandson.
Hongdan represents Yinreng. This matter probably needs no special explanation as everyone knows it.
Let your son take the lead and regain some points in your impression. Next time when he has the chance to show up, the change won't seem abrupt, and people won't guess that "if you are too nice for no reason, you are either a traitor or a thief." It will be easier to achieve your goal by proceeding step by step.
Yinreng's plan worked perfectly. In this way, he needed to pretend that he could not travel.
Faking illness is a skill. One cannot pretend too much, as a poorly-offending crown prince's status would be severely affected. Nor can one pretend too lightly, as that would still lead to his being sent packing. Yinreng multitasked, calculating how to achieve his goal.
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After Kangxi summoned his sons, he let them go and rest. He also gave Hongdan a day off and ordered him to go home: "You still have to come on time tomorrow. I will be examining the lessons of the princes and grandchildren tomorrow. You must come with me."
Hongdan also agreed honestly.
When we arrived at the East Palace, Hongxi had not returned from class yet.
Shujia was sitting on the kang, and Hongdan trotted a few steps, acting as coquettishly as always. Yinreng slowly walked over, slowly reached out and lifted his son from his wife's arms by the back of his collar, then put him aside and sat down himself, saying slowly, "Be steady."
Hong Dan: "...廻."
Shujia: "...Son, come and sit here. Tell me what new things you've seen with your Mafa?"
Before the gossip radio station even started, Hongtong came over to make a scene: "Mother, mother, is my brother back? Oh! Father, you are here too?"
Yinreng: "..." He picked up the meatball and put it aside, "Will our fifth son come over later?"
Shujia suppressed her laughter and said, "You want to see him? That's fine."
Hong Dan asked happily, "Can my little brother speak now?"
Of course not. Another little ball of flesh was brought over. Hongdan reached out and hugged it: "It's so heavy." He also felt that the little ball of flesh was fragrant and soft, and it felt very good to hold it. He hugged it twice more and sniffed it. "Mafa is not in a good mood." He glanced at Yinreng and saw that he had no intention of stopping him. Then he slowly said, "Because of Princess Wenxian's matter, I didn't eat. My son went hungry with me."
Hongtong threw himself into Shujia's arms. His brother didn't hug him. How bad. Yinreng was praising Hongtong's bad brother: "As an attendant to the emperor, of course I have to share the joys and sorrows with you, Mafa. Are you hungry?"
"Mafa asked for some snacks for her son, but he didn't eat them. He came back and persuaded the Queen Mother to have dinner. Mafa took her son with her. That was the only meal."
Yinreng never went hungry as a child. Even during the war, when Emperor Kangxi reduced his food allowance, his was not. But he could not say that his son had been wronged, and he had to say, "That's good."
Seeing that Hongdan was hungry, Hongtong decided to be more magnanimous and grabbed a plate of autumn pears from the table: "Here."
The tribute pears were large and round, and there were only four on a plate, weighing over three pounds. Hongtong was trembling as he carried them. Hongdan placed his brother in Shujia's hands and took them with a look of confusion: "Thank you."
Hongtong continued to watch. Hongdan looked left and right. His mother was teasing his brother, and his father was looking at his mother. What unscrupulous parents. He grabbed one and took a bite under Hongtong's gaze. Hongtong withdrew his gaze with satisfaction. Shujia's shoulders shrugged, and Yinreng coughed: "You haven't washed your hands yet."
"Oh, the water is ready. I was so busy talking that I forgot," Shujia called out, "Qiao'er, where's the water? Go wash Third Prince's face."
Hongdan put the pear down silently, and Hongtong looked at his father silently.
Finally, everything was ready. Hongdan grabbed another pear, took two bites, swallowed it, and reported to his father.
Yinreng was very satisfied: "The emperor will go on tour again next month, and you are among the candidates. You should pay attention to it."
Shujia said, "Going out again? Oh, that's next month. The child just came back, let him go and rest. Hongxi will be back soon, and it's almost time for dinner. Whatever you want to talk about, let's talk about it after dinner."
"Whatever."
It was still daylight when Hongxi returned, but it was almost time for dinner in the palace. He met Yinreng and then Hongdan, and they sat down to eat together.
There was no sound of conversation at the table.
After dinner, Yinreng took his two sons to ask about their homework: "Tomorrow you Mafa will have a homework test. You two come with me. Hongtong also come and listen."
When Hongtong was also summoned, Shujia was reminded of something on her mind: Hongtong was born in September of the 37th year of the Kangxi reign. Next month, he'd be four, and next year, six, making him old enough to start school. This needed to be mentioned to Yinreng. Hongtong then reminded Shujia of their youngest son, who still hadn't been named. While there was no rush since he wasn't even a year old yet, neither Kangxi nor Yinreng had shown any signs of speaking up, so she needed to talk to Yinreng about it.
It's true that scarcity makes things valuable, and so are people. With so many children these days, they're no longer so precious. Think about how early Hongdan was named when he was born! Since Kangxi refused to give him a name, the family had no choice but to come up with a random nickname. Shujia was a complete name-gap, calling her sons "Baby," "Beibei," and "Baby." When she had another child, she had to give them numbers.
Shujia didn't understand Kangxi's dilemma. With the increasing number of grandchildren, names became scarce. Many Chinese characters with the sun radical have wonderful meanings, but some aren't so beautiful, like "explosion" and "sun"... They have to be used sparingly! For example, last year, the eldest son of the tenth family was born on the tenth day of the eighth month and died on the sixteenth. Giving a name too early would be a waste of a character. We have to wait and see if he can survive before giving him a full name.
With nothing else to do, Shujia thought about her children again, so she pulled out her little notebook and looked through it. In the first month of this year, the Third Prince, Yinzhi, had a son and two daughters born out of wedlock. In May, the Seventh Prince had two illegitimate sons, and two days ago, the Fifth Prince had another. These were the first birthdays due next year, so Shujia opened a new notebook, turned to the corresponding date, and began filling in the blanks.
By the time she finished writing, Yinreng had returned from testing his son, and it was getting dark.
Shujia stood up and asked Yinreng, "How is it?"
Yinreng was very satisfied with his sons' homework: "They are all good. I will take a look at them again when I go back today."
"?" Shujia looked questioningly, "Aren't they all bad?"
"After the exam tomorrow, they still have classes to go on. They need to prepare for the next lesson first."
"That's right," Shujia turned her attention to Hongxi. "You've been studying very hard these days. If you put in the effort, you'll naturally see results." She then asked for a plate of Gongli pears to be taken to him. "They're good for cooling down your internal heat. Don't eat too much. Have them stew them for you."
Yinreng ignored the matter and looked through Shujia's little notebook.
Shujia then said to Hongdan, "You have to get up early tomorrow, too. Go with your brother. You two, since your father says you can do it, don't study so hard today. Just take a quick look at tomorrow's lessons and then rest. If you don't sleep well, you won't be energetic tomorrow. Hongtong, you should go to bed too. You almost couldn't get up this morning."
The three of them said goodbye to their parents together.
The little ball of meat couldn't speak, his opinions were ignored, and he was taken away by the nanny.
After the area was cleared, Yinreng raised the notebook in his hand and asked, "Why are you thinking about things until next year?"
Shujia held her forehead and said, "If I can still think of it by next year, I won't have to write it down. The population is growing, and it's getting harder to remember. If I don't write it down, I might forget it by then."
Yinreng continued to flip through the books: "What about this year? What else happened this year?"
Shujia said, "I can remember things like my twelfth brother's wedding and the emperor's birthday. I've already made preparations for all of these. But I'm not so good at remembering the birthdays of my other nephews and nieces. I'll have to look them up."
The notebook is the current one, and this one has a lot of notes. It looks much thicker than the new one in Yinreng's hand. Yinreng slowly flipped through it and said: "There are more and more people, and more and more troubles. You have worked hard, and I have worked hard too."
Shujia gathered up the pens and ink on the table and said slowly, "Isn't this what we are doing? Let's sort out these things one by one and do them one by one. One less thing to do after another."
Yinreng put the notebook on the table and put his arm around his wife: "Yes, one less thing to do."
"Speaking of things, I have something to tell you."
"What's up?"
"Hongtong will be six next year and will have to start school. And our fifth child doesn't have a name yet. We need to consult Khan Ama first on both of these matters. Please tell Khan Ama when you have time."
Yinreng had been so busy meditating these days that he hadn't really remembered this. He smiled and said, "You're really thoughtful."
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The next day, Kangxi checked the homework of the princes and grandchildren and found that they all performed well. He returned in a good mood.
Yinreng then asked Kangxi: "Khan Ama, Hongtong will be six years old next year and old enough to go to school. Khan Ama, do you think we should let him study with his brothers? If so, I will teach him some etiquette. If we have to wait another year, I will not be busy with this for the time being."
Kangxi still attached great importance to Hongtong: "I remember his birthday is September 14th?"
"yes."
"Well," Kangxi hesitated for a moment, "let him study in the spring."
Yinreng accepted the order and then requested: "Khan Father, the little son who was born last year doesn't have a name yet. Will you give him a name?" His tone was a little intimate.
Kangxi looked at him with a calm expression and said with a smile, "You are so lazy that you don't even choose your own son's name!" He also knew that he was the one who gave his grandson his name. After cursing for a while, he promised, "I will give him a name when he turns one year old."
Yinreng had finished his concerns and quietly accompanied Kangxi to read the memorials. Kangxi flipped through a few and suddenly saw a memorial written by Yinreng. He raised his eyes to look at Yinreng, shook his hand, and opened the memorial. It contained the two things he had just mentioned.
Kangxi threw it to Yinreng and said, "You can approve this."
Yinreng: “…”
Kangxi pounded the table and laughed: "You are so cunning." Then he took the memorial away and said, "I want to keep this." He refused to let others approve it.
Yinreng was in distress. How could he avoid going on tour? Bribing the imperial physician was unlikely, and feigning illness to deceive the doctor seemed difficult as well. Did he have to actually get sick?
Your Highness, let's put this illness aside for now. You must first attend three wedding banquets: the ceremonies for your eighth, thirteenth, and fourteenth brothers. All three were appointed by Emperor Kangxi. While they didn't have official appointment certificates, they were registered. The process couldn't be sloppy. The thirteenth and fourteenth were both first-time ceremonies, and the location was within the Forbidden City.
Yinreng first went to Yinsi's place to show his friendship. When he got there, he found that Yinsi was really able to get along with everyone, which was a bit shocking. However, when he saw that the Tenth and Ninth brothers were close to each other, he didn't talk much, but instead joked with the Twelfth brother next to him: "Twelfth brother, you will be a groom soon too."
Yinreng glanced around the table, waited for Yinsi to come and inspect the place, and then left midway. Na Ce, since they were outside the palace again, and his friendship with Yinsi wasn't close enough to warrant staying the entire time, as soon as he left, Yin'e actually stood up and started to leave, saying, "Eighth brother, I won't bother you any longer." He then called to the back and asked the Tenth Concubine to leave as well.
A flash of displeasure flashed across Yinsi's eyes: "Tenth brother, are you busy too?"
The Tenth Prince laughed and said, "My wife has just married into the family. She is not very fluent in Chinese and Mandarin. Don't make my sisters-in-law feel uncomfortable just to please her. I have to go back and ask the nanny to teach her." Under the guise of his wife, he slipped away naturally.
Yinreng raised an eyebrow: "It's just right, I'll go with my tenth brother."
These two guys actually have a tacit understanding!
Moreover, the two of them actually stayed until the very end of the Thirteenth and Thirteenth Concubine's ceremony. The Crown Prince had said it well: "You live in the palace, unlike Eighth Brother's. If we stayed later, we'd be worried about the palace gates being locked. You guys here, we can go back in a moment when the time comes." He led the commotion.
Yin'er's eyes narrowed into a line as he smiled: "The Crown Prince is so interested, I think Da'an is safe. My brothers are really happy."
Yinreng gritted his teeth. How to pretend to be sick had become the Crown Prince's biggest worry. He hadn't even drunk the wedding wine to his heart's content! Yin'er wanted to toast him, but Yinreng pushed the toast to the groom: "I'll drink this cup. The rest is none of my business. The protagonist today is the groom."
He returned home to continue pondering his illness, wanting to stay in Beijing. Once he arrived in Jiangnan, in front of a group of scholars, if he didn't behave well, he'd be self-deprecating. If he did... one fan could outweigh ten haters. Better to leave some room for imagination. He still had to deal with his son.
After much deliberation, he finally came up with a solution: if he couldn't pretend, he'd just get sick! The Crown Prince had never abused his body like this before, and he finally got sick as he wished. Since the blissful self-torture method of warming himself by the fire followed by a cold soak was difficult to implement in late August and early September, Yinreng chose a very perverse method: eating!
Mustard is a flavor enhancer and is quite spicy. Tea left to cool on an autumn night is quite cold, while freshly brewed soup is quite scalding. If you enjoy hot soup when it's cold, that's fine. But if it's very hot, it's best not to drink cold tea just for the sake of refreshing. As for eating condiments as food, you're asking for trouble!
The three mixed together are simply unpalatable!
Yinreng chose tea first. When the eunuch offered to switch to hot tea, he waved it off. After a long wait, he gritted his teeth and gulped it down, feeling the coolness through his teeth. Then came the midnight snack, and he specifically requested meat congee. When it arrived, Yinreng took a sip and said, "It's not flavorful enough. I accidentally drank cold tea earlier. Let's make it a little spicier." Finally, he simply asked for mustard. It was hot and spicy. It was unbearable!
Yinreng gritted his teeth and swallowed!
That night, Yinreng suffered from vomiting and diarrhea as he wished.
Even the strongest man would collapse after two days of diarrhea. The Crown Prince's illness was very real, and the course of his illness was very cruel.
The next day, Yinreng still forced himself to go to court. His expression was obvious to everyone. Before Kangxi began to listen to the government, he asked him, "What's wrong with you?" He put his hand on his forehead and found it was covered with sweat. "Are you sick again? What's wrong with you this year?"
Yinreng smiled bitterly: "It was my son who was careless and drank the cold tea."
"How do you serve the people around you?"
"My son didn't want anyone to disturb him. He sent everyone away, and then he got so engrossed in his book that he reached for the tea. He only realized it when he felt something in his stomach. He immediately ordered some hot soup, but he still..."
Kangxi was speechless for a long while. "Go and rest. Call the imperial physician!"
The imperial physician diagnosed that he was weak and not suitable for travel.
Kangxi made the decision: "You will not travel this year. You should take good care of yourself during the winter. I have heard of the saying 'hibernating', so you should do the same. When spring comes next year, you can accompany me on the southern tour." He was determined to take him with him.
Yinreng: “…” Actually, I don’t want to leave. Actually, I want to stay.
He could be considered to have stayed, but he couldn't avoid the troubles. He couldn't have diarrhea forever, could he? Yinreng felt melancholy.
On September 14th, it was Hongtong’s fifth birthday. He received many exquisite little gifts. What surprised him most was that all the gifts given by his parents and grandfather were the Four Treasures of the Study.
Shujia and Yinreng exchanged a glance and said with a smile, "Keep it well. You'll need it when you start studying next year."
"real?"
"yes."
Hongtong was very happy. Hongdan acted like an adult and said, "You are so happy about this? You are such a little kid."
Hongtong was unhappy and rolled his eyes at his brother: "You are also a child."
Hongxi, who was no longer a child, said, "You two should stop arguing. Father and Mother are watching us."
Hongdan and Hongtong shut up. Hongtong held back for a moment before muttering, "Of course I'm happy I don't have to be pinched on the cheek anymore."
Hong Dan's ears twitched, and he felt sympathetic: "Yes, yes, the women in Ningshou Palace are really scary."
Hongtong's birthday was quite small. Apart from Hongtong himself receiving a gift, Hongdan got a night off and came back to have a meal together, and got some rewards from Hongtong's people.
Of course, some people will not forget the birthday of this little prince, such as Ling Pu.
Grandma Ling always wanted to show off, but the Crown Prince wouldn't give him a chance, wouldn't make any special arrangements, so Grandma Ling had no choice but to "create the conditions even if they weren't available." Hongtong's birthday was also an opportunity to show off! The need for the Crown Prince's approval was a matter of putting aside the formality, so the birthday gift was doubly elaborate.
Yinreng couldn't stand it any longer and called him over. "Gemstone bonsai, Western glass cups, South China pearls, mink fur... What are you doing with all this? Do you think I'm not eye-catching enough?"
Ling Pu ate another meal and said, "Master, you——"
Yinreng pressed the throbbing vein on his forehead. "Listen carefully. When Khan Ama asked you to be the head of the Imperial Household Department, he said, 'Whatever I want, you give me. Don't make decisions about things I don't want! I make my own decisions! I don't need others to make decisions for me! Are you being so willful and ignoring my words?"
This was a rather harsh statement, and Ling Pu repeatedly stated, "I, the servant, dare not make decisions for my master."
Okay, that should keep him in check for a while. Yinreng was worried about Ling Pu. Having someone close to him in the Imperial Household Department made things easier. This convenience didn't mean spending money, but getting things done. The Imperial Household Department was also responsible for the selection of the imperial maids for the three upper banners, as well as the allocation of eunuchs. Yinreng still had use for Ling Pu in these matters.
This Ling Pu has such a short vision that he only sees money, money, money!
If we replace him, we don't have to worry about him getting into big trouble, but it is hard to say whether the next head of the Imperial Household Department will stand purely on our side like he does.
Yinreng was conflicted.
Shujia also faced a dilemma. The Shi family had also sent birthday gifts. Their gifts weren't unusual; it was customary to give something for a nephew's or grandson's birthday. Furthermore, the Shi family was the Crown Prince's official father-in-law, making them a legitimate relative. Shujia's concern wasn't with these, but with the news the gift-givers had relayed: Xiluo Te wanted to enter the palace.
It's natural for you to want to go to the palace to see your daughter, so come on.
The next day, Xiluo Te came to visit her daughter and brought her some news: Shi Lin was not feeling well and was about to retire, so she asked the capital to make preparations as soon as possible.
What was there to prepare for? It was simply a matter of a comeback. It wasn't Shi Lin's comeback, but the return of the descendants of the Huashan clan.
Hua Shan passed away in October last year. This October marks one year, and his grandchildren can now start their official careers.
Shujia was a little confused. This was not something she could decide, so she asked first, "What do your family members think?"
Xiluo Te said, "This is their husband's business. They said it was done according to the rules. I just came to pass on a message. The fourth old master wants to return to the capital, so he must inform you. He also needs to inform the Crown Prince. However, Fu Dali means that he should wait another two years. I hope Your Highness will forgive me for this. Your servants..."
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Shi Lin is Hua Shan's younger brother, and he is not much older than Hua Shan. Hua Shan would get sick if he stayed at home bored, but Shi Lin is a very busy man, and he could also get sick from being tired. Especially now that Guangdong and Guangxi are suppressing the rebellion, and he is in charge of the coordination, so his energy is very limited, and he has even fallen ill recently.
Shi Lin was worried he couldn't hold out any longer. He had originally hoped to wait until his nephew and grandnephew returned, then retire after achieving success, thus contributing to the overall prosperity of the family. However, military affairs were currently involved, which lacked the long-term impact of government affairs. The emperor was waiting to see the results. If he forced himself to hold out and didn't have the energy to complete the task properly, he would be implicated.
After weighing the pros and cons, Shi Lin decided to submit his retirement letter to Emperor Kangxi. After all, the current situation in suppressing the rebellion was relatively good, so he couldn't be considered a deserter. Before that, he contacted the capital. The letter, addressed to his son, Shi Wenying, read: "I am old and frail. Continuing in this position would only bring disgrace. It would be best to retire at the right time. Retiring now is both for my own benefit and to remind the Emperor that the one-year mourning period for my brother Hua Shan's descendants has expired. I'll calculate the date and submit my request for retirement to the capital just as the one-year period has expired."
He ordered Shi Wenying to go to Shi Wenbing to discuss the matter: "I know you probably share this thought, but please consider the timing of Fu Dali's return." He suggested: "As the eldest grandson, Fu Dali is destined to inherit the throne. It would be best if he could serve for the same length of time as Shi Wenbing. After all, Shi Wenying is still in the court, and there's Shi Wensheng as the governor in Yunnan, so there's no need to worry about the emperor forgetting our family."
The letter was very long and was delivered by a special person, two people at a time, with strict instructions to keep it confidential. He also wrote a short letter to his other nephew, Shi Wensheng, briefly explaining his decision.
This was a big event for the entire family. Shi Wenying in Beijing received the letter, analyzed it briefly, and then ran to Shi Wenbing.
The Shi Mansion had been quite quiet this past year, closed to visitors. Shi Wenying was a major source of information. This time, Shi Wenbing thought there was new news: "What? More news? I saw the court bulletin today, and it seems peaceful." Ever since the emperor announced he would not be traveling south for the time being, there had indeed been a lot less news.
Shi Wenying actually had some news: "This morning's news is that Orondei's family fired bird guns in the Gubeikou forbidden area, which angered the Emperor, who then executed him. Now he's only left with the job of a guard."
Shi Wenbing: "..." Being able to throw away such a long list of titles is a real talent for Orondai. As for Orondai's various illegal activities, Shi Wenbing, who was responsible for maintaining order, had become so accustomed to them that he was numb and had no energy to complain.
"Brother, you also think this is not a big deal, right? I think so too." Shi Wenzhuo counted the tea leaves boredly and had no interest in Orondei anymore.
Fu Dali sat upright, Qingde tried not to roll his eyes, and Guanyinbao could not feel indignant. Orondai had done too many similar things, and Kangxi had made too many exceptions for the Tong family. The three of them agreed that Orondai's title would be restored.
Shi Wenying said unhappily, "I have something important to tell you, will you listen?"
Shi Wenzhuo sat up straight: "What's the matter?"
"My father is going to retire."
"What?" the male quintet asked.
Shi Wenying said, "My father said that although the two countries are in a stalemate, the government troops are winning victory after victory. It is a good time for him to retire at this glorious moment. Besides, the mourning period for my nephews has also ended, so it is a good time to remind His Majesty."
Shi Wenbing's tone became excited: "How could my uncle retire for these little things?"
Shi Wenying waved her hands repeatedly, "It's not all for them. Father is old, and if he continues to bear such a heavy burden, he might lose his integrity. Now the situation is right, why not take advantage of it? We all have to retire, so why not give our younger generation some convenience?"
Shi Wenbing asked, "Is Uncle really not well? Those who went to Guangdong and Guangxi earlier reported that they saw Uncle and he's doing well."
Shi Wenying smiled bitterly and said, "To be honest, I want to enjoy a peaceful life. My father's body can handle it. As for handling the military and political affairs of the two provinces..."
Regardless, Shi Wenbing was still very grateful to Shi Lin: "Uncle, are you going to retire? Are you going to return to Beijing? Will His Majesty allow it?"
"Even if we ask an imperial physician to see him, he'll give us the same answer."
Shi Wenbing fell silent. His most pressing concern was how to handle the aftermath. "Even so, Fu Dali will have to wait for the full three years. I'm afraid my uncle's efforts will only benefit Qingde and Guanyinbao."
Shi Wenying said, "That's what Father meant."
Shi Wenzhuo had to wait for three years and didn't care about this, but he thought of another thing: "Should I talk to the East Palace about this?"
Shi Wenbing was more conservative and didn't want to ask the Crown Prince for help, but Shi Wenying said, "Even if we don't ask the Crown Prince for help, we must tell him about my father's retirement."
Shi Wenbing agreed: "It just so happens that Prince Hongtong's birthday is coming soon. Tell them to tell the Crown Princess when they send gifts to the palace, and let your sister-in-law go meet the Crown Princess."
Shi Wenying saw that her goal had been achieved and stood up to say goodbye: "My father is going back to Beijing, I have to go home and pack up."
It was inconvenient for everyone to keep him, so they stood up and saw him off.
At a small meeting at home, Shi Wenbing said to Fu Dali, "You are the eldest grandson."
Fu Dali then expressed his opinion: "Son, save it. I can't lose my moral integrity just for being born two years earlier."
Guanyinbao hesitated for a moment: "Then is my son also?"
Shi Wenzhuo said, "Why are you causing trouble? Just do what needs to be done. If you go on like this, you'll seem pretentious and people will start to talk about it."
Qingde blurted out, "What does the prince mean?" At first glance, the Shi family showed their good manners by doing this, but the prince's camp suddenly lost at least a deputy governor. What would the prince think?
Shi Wenbing hesitated for a while and then made the final decision: "I can only ask for your understanding, Your Highness." In the long run, this is a good arrangement for both the Shi family and the Eastern Palace.
————————————————End of flashback————————————————————
After hearing this, Shujia said to Xiluo, "I can't make the decision on this matter. I have to talk to the prince." She was completely clueless about state affairs, and this was not modesty.
Someone was quickly sent to invite Yinreng over. Yinreng was very respectful to Xiluo Te and said, "Please sit down. How is your family?"
Xiluo Te bowed and replied: "Everything is fine, but..." and looked at Shujia.
Shujia said, "Shi Lin is ill and wants to retire."
Yinreng paused, "Is that so... He's old, what a pity... Hey, have Fu Dali and the others finished their mourning period?"
Shujia said, "That's exactly what I'm talking about. However, Fu Dali is the eldest grandson, so according to the rules, he has to observe the rule for three years."
Yinreng said straightforwardly, "That's what I was saying too. Three years is three years!" Shi Lin backed down at this point, wasn't he pushing for his own family? Would he let Fu Dali, the eldest grandson, remain idle for nothing?
Xiluo Tewan had never expected Yinreng to be so straightforward. She discarded all her drafts and returned home with the good news. Shi Wenbing and others therefore had a better impression of Yinreng.
In the Eastern Palace, Shujia looked at Yinreng, wanting to say something but stopping herself.
Yinreng smiled and said, "That's fine. This is just right."
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