The Great War Adds More Feud
The Great War Adds More Feud
After the Third Prince's full-month banquet at Yuqing Palace, another full-month banquet was held. It was for the Fifth Prince's eldest son, a concubine. This child was half a month younger than Shujia's son, and therefore two levels lower in status. Because of this, and the fact that the previous celebration had already been so lively, everyone was no longer impressed, so this time the scale was smaller and the atmosphere less lively.
However, because he was the eldest son of the Fifth Prince, although the Fifth Prince had not yet married, he was away from home. As the second uncle who stayed behind, Yinreng could not make his nephew's full moon celebration shabby. The Fifth Prince's mother, Concubine Yi, was one of the Four Heavenly Kings, so many people came to join in the fun.
The only drawback was that the child's biological mother held a low rank, and while she was a concubine in name only, she wasn't actually a concubine. The Fifth Prince also hadn't been granted a title, and without the necessary staff and support, things were a bit awkward. Concubine Yi was the grandmother, so it was appropriate for her to preside over the matter, but it wasn't a good look.
So, Concubine Yi complained with a hint of joy, "Young people's affairs are too complicated for me, an old man." A group of women were talking in Ningshou Palace at the time. Concubine Rong said, "I see you're so busy, you're so happy." Concubine Hui also said, "If I had a grandson who kept me busy, I would rather be tired." Her tone was a little sour. Concubine De smiled and said nothing, but Concubine Hui's words touched her heart. The third and fourth sons were getting married together, and the third son already had a wife, but her own son hadn't yet. It was a bit... a bit impatient.
Shujia was there too, and she waited until the other concubines had finished talking before speaking. She first remarked that Concubine Yi was still young, and then added, "The Imperial Household Department will take care of all matters, so you don't have to worry too much. If you need anything, just tell them to do it."
Concubine Tong said, "You were taking care of the pregnancy and the confinement before, so I'm afraid you didn't know anything. The chief steward of the Imperial Household Department, Ma Sika, has gone to the battlefield with the army. When the chief officer is away, no matter how hard the subordinates try, it's not as good as having him watching over you." The concubines nodded in unison.
This Masika was the son of Mi Sihan, a prominent councilor and minister of finance who had previously strongly advocated for the abolition of the feudal system. Mi Sihan, a member of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner and a member of the Fucha clan, was a staunch advocate for the abolition of the feudal system and provided funds and grain for Emperor Kangxi's suppression of the Three Feudatories. He died before he could see the Three Feudatories quelled, but even after the pacification, Emperor Kangxi still remembered him fondly. Oh, and I forgot to mention that during the initial war against the Three Feudatories, many (Soetu himself being quite vocal) demanded that those who advocated for the abolition of the feudal system be prosecuted. Mingzhu was one of them, and Mi Sihan, as a hawkish figure, was also on the list.
Mi Sihan's four sons, Ma Sika, Ma Qi, Ma Wu, Li Rongbao... were all highly valued by Kangxi, and none of them were easy to deal with.
Shujia said, "So that's how it is."
In truth, she understood nothing. As a time traveler whose knowledge of Qing Dynasty history was barely enough to pass the exams for the exam-oriented education system, she had no idea about the Fucha family's three generations. As a young lady who had traveled back in time as a boudoir girl, she knew the Fucha family was quite good, with a good family tradition, a motivated population, and a high status—pretty good indeed. Thus, she had no idea how many of the Eighth Prince's followers had emerged from the family, who had nearly been wiped out by collusion to promote the Eighth Prince as crown prince. She only thought Li Rongbao's name sounded familiar.
After so many years, much of what the second girl knew from her past life had faded. The name Li Rongbao sounded familiar to her simply because he had a son, Fu Heng, who was famous during the Qianlong Emperor's reign. There was a mention of him in the small print supplementary information in the history textbook. She knew Fu Heng was Qianlong's brother-in-law, but she couldn't remember the name of Fu Heng's father.
The wrinkled sign didn't know that Ma Sika's brother Ma Qili protected the eighth prince, Ma Qi's daughter became the twelfth wife, and Ma Qi's niece was the Crown Princess of Empress Qianlong, and she was still wholeheartedly helping to organize the full moon banquet for the fifth prince's eldest son.
Ignorant people are truly happy.
The Empress Dowager's temperament became increasingly simple, and her concerns were all about positive things. For example, "When will the eldest daughter-in-law give birth?" "Will they be home when the third daughter-in-law gives birth?" "Are you tired? You've just finished your confinement and you're already running around. Would you like some ginseng tea?"
Shujia smiled and said, "I'm fine." Since she was out of confinement, she had resumed her daily habit of walking to pay her respects. Exercise was scarce in the palace, so if she wanted to recover physically, she had to use her brain. Besides, she couldn't just walk at first; she'd be arrogant after giving birth, wouldn't she? It was early April, neither too hot nor too cold, so what was wrong with dressing up and walking a few steps morning and night? The child was left in the care of a wet nurse and a nanny, and whenever Shujia left, she always left a maid from her dowry to watch over her; it was more appropriate.
The Third Lady had just found out she was pregnant, her face beaming with happiness as she said with a smile, "The Crown Princess is truly filial." She and the Fourth Lady, having the Crown Princess as a precedent, wanted to follow suit, but because of her mother-in-law, she reported to her first and then followed, ultimately falling a little short.
But it was better than the first wife. The third wife felt a little sympathetic towards the first wife. She was the first daughter-in-law of the royal family, and basically everything she did set the precedent for those who came after her. But she happened to meet the Crown Princess, and it seemed as if she had not been considerate enough before.
The Fourth and Third Concubines exchanged glances, each feeling a little helpless. The Third and Fourth were neighbors, married at the same time, and were close psychologically. Neither Concubine was difficult to get along with, and their relationship was quite good. They would even gossip privately, both feeling that finding a balance between the eldest and second sisters-in-law was a bit difficult.
The Crown Princess was more familiar with them and they got along quite well, but if they got too close, they would neglect the First Lady. They lived even closer to the First Lady, but they couldn't let their relationship become strained, which put both of them in a difficult position.
When the First Lady's wife weakly echoed the Third Lady's words, the Third and Fourth Lady's feelings of helplessness deepened. It wasn't that the eldest sister-in-law was bad, it was just that in everyone's eyes, the eldest prince was too foolish. The Crown Prince and the Emperor were so intimate, and you insisted on interfering. They sympathized with the First Lady, but they didn't dare get too close to her, fearing it would cause unnecessary trouble for their husbands in the future. Therefore, beyond normal interactions, they had no deeper communication with the First Lady. They couldn't get too close to her, fearing that the eldest prince would cause trouble for their husbands.
On the contrary, the same situation made the relationship between the Third and Fourth Concubine better and better day by day.
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The palace was holding a full-moon banquet, and Kangxi was not idle outside, making various arrangements and giving instructions. He received a report from Yinreng: "Everything is going well at the full-moon banquet in the four eastern residences." He called Yinqi and showed him the letter. Yinqi was of course very grateful and expressed his gratitude. Khan Ama was still thinking about him, and finally he did not forget to say that the second brother, the crown prince, had worked hard.
Kangxi, delighted, joked with his son, "I have another letter from the Crown Prince, asking the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to choose an auspicious date for your and the seventh son's wedding. Would you like to take a look?" In fact, his reply to the Crown Prince had said there was no rush. But the Crown Prince still diligently gave him the results and waited for his reply. The groom was still following Kangxi around, chopping people, so what good was a set date? Yet, the father and son never tired of this, one constantly asking the Imperial Astronomical Observatory for divination, the other constantly saying that this date wasn't right and they should just try again, no rush, and take their time. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory was practically sweating.
Yinqi was teased by his father. His face turned red and he stammered, saying "No thanks", then he ran away.
After bullying his son, the unscrupulous father was in high spirits and ordered, "Call Prince Yu Fuquan, Prince Gong Changning, and Prince Jian Yabu." He was holding a meeting with the purpose of: "You three are of high enough status and seniority to hold down the rear for me." The three obeyed the order. Fuquan was fine, being kind and honest by nature. Yabu was a little unhappy that he couldn't go to the front, but when he thought about the emperor's brothers and sisters who were the same as him, his dissatisfaction subsided. Kangxi also said to Yabu with concern, "Yarjiang'a is very good. You and your son haven't seen each other for some time. Weizhu, call Yarjiang'a." The father and son met in the army, and Yabu's mood improved.
Only Chang Ning, spoiled from childhood, showed discontent on her face. Kangxi saw this and was displeased, but he endured it. War was imminent, and anger was not the right thing to do. He specifically asked Fuquan to stay with him: "Keep an eye on him, don't let him cause trouble." Although he couldn't control his nephew, he could still control his own brother. Fuquan accepted the request seriously.
Fuquan, following orders, met Changning, who was waiting outside the tent. As Kangxi's youngest surviving brother (their surviving brothers were few to begin with), Changning was usually a figure no one dared to mess with. Everyone knew the current emperor was a benevolent ruler and wouldn't bully his younger brother. This was also why Changning was known for his willfulness. He complained to Fuquan, "Was it wrong for my brother and I to lead the army last time? It was clearly Yinzhi's fault! With him causing trouble, who would dare to take risks? Now that we've been put behind the camp, we haven't even smelled Galdan..."
Fuquan was very anxious and stamped his feet. "Shut up! You are talking nonsense again! Come back with me!"
Chang Ning was even more unhappy after hearing what he said. Instead, he followed Fuquan back obediently, muttering on the way: "I'm not wrong! That kid wanted to fight for power and killed Tong Guogang. He also suspected that it was you, brother, who killed Tong Guogang. Who doesn't know his little tricks?"
Oh my god! How dare this brat say anything?! The more right you are, the more you can’t say it! Fuquan didn’t care about anything else and slapped Chang Ning on the back of the head: "Shut up and come back with me! Last time you let Galdan escape and failed the Holy Grace, and you still have the nerve to talk nonsense?"
No matter how headstrong Chang Ning was, he still had some basic respect for his brother. The good old man Fu Quan had a green face, and Chang Ning was still a little scared, so he shut up and followed him back.
Little did they know, the brothers' conversation outside had already been known to many people. Kangxi was the first to tremble with anger. As the emperor, Kangxi naturally wanted everyone to be well, and for the royal family to be harmonious and respectful. Now, Changning, this unfortunate child, had torn off his fig leaf, and Kangxi couldn't help but be angry. Fuquan, however, was his usual thoughtful and understanding self.
Soetu is also one of them. He is now in the vanguard camp of the Central Army and is well-informed. After hearing what Chang Ning said, he was very happy. Prince Gong was right! Prince Yu was also a victim of the eldest prince's tricks, and he must not like him. Oh, why did I forget this earlier? I should have won over Prince Yu. The emperor has always been very caring towards Prince Yu, his elder brother. At that time, I was so focused on being stripped of my pride that I forgot to take advantage of his weakness and kill him by recruiting two more heavyweights to deal with him.
Suo Etu quietly approached Fuquan. Although Fuquan was a bit honest, he was not stupid. Looking at Suo Etu's sly smile, he knew that something serious was going on. He was worried that what Chang Ning had just said during the day would have a negative impact, and now, the negative impact has come.
Fuquan was completely overwhelmed, listening to Soetu's praises. Soetu wasn't stupid either, and he used the excuse, "I'm in charge of the vanguard battalion, but I've never been in battle. Your Highness led the army in the 29th year of his reign, and I've come to seek your advice." Fuquan assumed he was asking for advice and simply offered some precautions: "Be especially careful with the gunpowder in the firearms battalion. If it explodes, it will injure our own people first. Horses are especially important. Don't startle the horses and trample them when you're setting off the firearms..."
Suo Etu listened attentively and took careful notes. Fuquan was an honest man, and what he said was true, so it should be useful. He not only listened, but also asked questions when he encountered something unclear. This made Fuquan think that he was really asking for advice, and his expression softened.
Seeing Fuquan's expression soften and a hint of intimacy, Soetu said what he meant: "There's one more thing I'm really embarrassed about. I've forgotten what Your Majesty taught me!" He then bowed deeply, a bit for show. Fuquan felt a headache seeing him like this: "I've told you everything I know. I don't know anything else."
Suo Etu stood up straight, his eyes blazing. "It's not about the march, it's just one thing. I'm currently leading an army with the eldest prince, and it's really difficult for me to get along with the prince. I hope Your Highness can teach me how you got along with him that year. I'm not of the same generation as Your Highness, and we both suffered. Your Highness, please have mercy on me!"
Fuquan wanted to vomit blood. How did I get along with him? I couldn't get along with him! We just complained to each other! I finally suffered a loss in silence. Are you willing to learn from me? Fuquan still had to say polite words: "Big brother is not a rude person. You can rest assured to do your job for the emperor."
Suo Etu saw that this was no use. He thought, "If this opportunity is missed, there will be no chance of success. Where will he find another Prince Gong who dares to expose the past 29 years of shame in front of Prince Yu and draw out Prince Yu's resentment towards the eldest prince?" Suo Etu simply pointed out that he and the eldest prince were not compatible, and Prince Yu also had a past score with the eldest prince. Should we settle the score with him together?
As if fearing his weight wasn't enough, Suo Etu even mentioned the Crown Prince: "The eldest prince has a bit of a quick temper and doesn't get along with everyone, and the Crown Prince is quite tolerant of him. However, I really can't neglect military and national affairs, so I have the audacity to ask for your advice."
If Prince Yu could be persuaded, he would no longer be Prince Yu.
Prince Yu knew about the Ming-Suo factional strife, so he let them fight, just watching the fun. After all, he was the emperor's brother and only obeyed the emperor. So what if Mingzhu or Soetu were powerful? If they angered his brother, the emperor, they would be deposed! They were just servants of the Aisin-Gioro family. He didn't make a move, and neither side dared to make an effort to win them over, so he just watched the show.
Although he was a servant, Prince Yu was unwilling to offend easily. He had always strived to maintain a balance between the two factions, never favoring either. Now that this balance had been disrupted by Soetu, Prince Yu's irritation was understandable. I just want to live a peaceful life, and you're asking me to do something stupid?!
If Soetu had only talked about himself, Fuquan wouldn't have been so angry. At most, he would have put on the airs of a prince and not participated in the quarrels among his subjects. Soetu shouldn't have brought the crown prince with him. He could have just waved his hand and said he didn't care about the servants' quarrels. But when it came to the crown prince and the eldest prince, things weren't so easy to resolve. Just like Chang Ning had just done, she tore off the veil of peace.
Prince Yu was the emperor's elder brother and the princes' uncle, so why would he choose sides? As long as he remained neutral, even if the crown prince ascended the throne, no one would hold him accountable later. He would still be honored, so why would he bother getting involved in such a mess? He knew Kangxi well, and he wanted everything to look good. It would be strange if Kangxi was pleased if his brother helped his son fight!
Originally, Prince Yu had simply watched the Crown Prince and the eldest prince bicker, remaining unmoved. Not only did he remain unmoved, he even feigned ignorance. As the Crown Prince and the eldest prince discussed brotherly matters, he would adopt the amicable, elder-like demeanor and offer a slew of fraternal praise, effectively silencing their attempts to choose sides. This led both sides to believe he was clueless, forcing them to play the role of obedient nephew, behaving appropriately in front of him so they could "truthfully" report their good behavior to Emperor Kangxi. Prince Yu's life was still quite comfortable.
That was in the past. The moment Suo Etu said this, Fuquan seemed to see the rocking chair in his garden where he often lay down shattered to the ground...
You get shot even when you're lying down!
Fuquan's expression was not as good as before. After all, he was a person who had been in a high position for a long time and he still had some skills in maintaining his temper. He did not get angry immediately, but just said, "Don't worry, just do your job well. The emperor is wise and will deal with it." He was still pretending to be stupid.
No matter how much you pretend, it's not real after all, especially since Fuquan is not one to put on a show. Both Fuquan and Suo'etu knew that today's negotiations had fallen through. Suo'etu's face also turned grim.
Fuquan knew that Soetu, born out of wedlock, was a stubborn and unyielding man. He refused to compromise on anything he was in charge of. Soetu had only ever suffered at the hands of Kangxi, so it was unclear whether he truly obeyed him. Since he had spoken to him, it was fine. If he didn't agree, even if he signed a promise not to side with the eldest prince, Soetu would still be embarrassed.
Suo Etu was such a jerk that he even managed to change Gu Badai's evaluation from "superior" to "impetuous." Gu Badai, in the fourteenth year of the Kangxi reign, had been ranked first in the Kangxi personal examination for bannermen, promoted to Imperial Academy Reader, a man known to the emperor, possessing the hereditary title of Second-Class Adahahafan, and even serving as a doctor in the Ministry of Personnel. Suo Etu dared to do this, and wasn't he afraid of being found out?
"Oh no! This idiot bully is holding a grudge against me. I have to be careful!" Fuquan was torn to death, but he still believed: The princes' quarrel is not a place for anyone to wade into. Last time, the elder princes betrayed me so badly. Now with the crown prince, there will be nothing left. I absolutely cannot agree to this. At worst... let's just get rid of Soetu.
Suo-etu knew that Fuquan was honest, but not stupid. If he acted foolishly, he wouldn't be able to defeat Ulan Butong. While he might not be good at political maneuvers, he knew the common ways of the world. Fuquan was playing dumb. Suo-etu secretly resented Fuquan and took note of him.
As soon as Fuquan saw Suo'etu's face, he knew that the feud was over. He... had never had any problem with the crown prince, but now he had to worry about Suo'etu. How miserable! Fuquan secretly hated Suo'etu. "Why are you picking fights for no reason?"
Parted on bad terms.
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This is just a small episode. Although it is a major event that will affect the future lives of the two parties involved and will also affect the lives of many people, the most important thing at the moment is to march and fight.
Suo Etu returned, fuming, and when he met Yinzhi head-on, he still had to smile and salute. Yinzhi didn't dare ask him to perform the salute properly, so he just smiled and supported him, each with his own agenda. They did share one goal: to perform well in this battle and urge the vanguard battalion to win a decisive victory.
Kangxi was also busy. In addition to deploying troops and exchanging letters with the Crown Prince, he also maintained close ties with the various Mongol tribes. Some of these tribes also came with troops to support the battle, and Kangxi made full use of them. He dispatched the Khorchin Tushetu Prince Shajin, the Darhan Prince Bandi, the Khalkha Chechen Khan, the Prince of Namzar, the Sidisili Beile, and the Penchuk Beile to scout the enemy.
The grassland campaigns were, after all, Mongol territory, and these men brought back good news: Galdan had escaped. Kangxi boasted to Tong Guowei, Soetu, and the others, "Galdan fled at the sight of the enemy. If, as you say, I had retreated first, wouldn't that have been an advantage for him? And it would have been disheartening for Fei Yanggu." Tong Guowei and the others apologized again.
Kangxi, in a good mood, dismissed the issue and began planning a pursuit. He appointed Ma Sika, the Imperial Guards Minister, as the General of the Northern Frontier. He led the pursuit. General Bahunde, Qi Shi, and the Guards Commander Okejiha served as advisors. The remaining generals and deputy generals dispatched twenty or thirty men to join the pursuit—a practice meant to train the troops in the unskilled task of beating a fallen enemy.
Shi Wenying was also among those pursued. His nephew, Fu Dali, had been personally recommended to Kangxi by Shi Wenbing. Kangxi asked, "Aren't you worried about him?" Shi Wenbing replied, "I'm more worried he'll accomplish nothing. Last time, he accompanied the emperor, only to return home without seeing anything. If things keep going this way, he'll think military service is just that, and even treat real weapons as a joke. I'm afraid that's not a blessing." He asked Kangxi to sympathize with his son's love and let his son go and kill him.
Kangxi was delighted and agreed. Shi Wenying brought a burden with him to the battle, and Shi Wenbing said, "No need to take special care of him." So you said you wouldn't take care of him?! Shi Wenying led her nephew away in a bitter mood.
Victory was in his grasp, and Kangxi was in a good mood to write a letter to the Empress Dowager to announce the good news. The Empress Dowager took the letter and handed it to Shujia to read: "I am old, and my eyesight is not good."
Shujia unfolded the letter and took a look. It was in Mongolian, perfectly legible, with ample space between characters and lines. Kangxi detailed the progress since the expedition, first stating that he had received divine help: water had suddenly appeared in the wells, and the grass, which had withered due to drought, had grown lush again. He then went on to describe Galdan's misdeeds, then explained how he had fled, abandoning all his belongings. The Mongol tribes all said Galdan was simply trying to escape. Kangxi also briefed the Empress Dowager on his upcoming military plans, concluding by announcing his return on the tenth day of June.
The Empress Dowager was startled by the first part of the story. When she heard about water coming out of the well, she chanted, "The Emperor is blessed by the gods and Buddhas." She gritted her teeth when she heard about Galdan killing women, children, and the sick to ease the burden of the escape. She didn't understand Kangxi's military plans and simply dozed off. Only when she heard that Kangxi would be back in Beijing before the tenth day of the sixth lunar month did the Empress Dowager perk up: "Where is it written?"
Shujia smiled and pointed to the letter. The Empress Dowager's eyes, slightly presbyopic, squinted as she examined it carefully. A young maid quickly brought the eyeglass case, and the Empress Dowager put it on, then read the letter carefully. Shujia frowned. The Empress Dowager clearly had no reading difficulties. Still, this made her seem more like she was in a personal relationship.
The Empress Dowager was not the only one who received the letter. The letter from Yinreng was longer and more detailed. That evening, Yinreng was overjoyed and said to Shujia, "Khan Ama is coming back soon. It's just right. He can come back to rest for a while before our son's 100th day."
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As Kangxi had anticipated, the battle quickly ended. However, the pursuit force Kangxi had arranged did not achieve the greatest success; the credit went to Fei Yanggu. He crippled Galdan at Zhamodu and then sent Deputy Governor Ananda to report the victory.
In the imperial tent, Kangxi happily received Ananda, first asking about the hard work of the army, and then reading Fei Yanggu's memorial.
Fei Yanggu's memorial was very modest, stating that he had chopped off more than 2,000 heads, captured more than a hundred people, and captured countless children, camels, horses, cattle, sheep, weapons, and other valuables. Kangxi was pleased for a moment, then used his fingernail to make a mark next to the record, thought for a moment, and began to ask questions.
Kangxi was a man of action and first asked, "How is the battle going?"
Ananda was a perceptive man. He knew the text of the memorial before he arrived, and his reply was identical to the one he had submitted. He concluded by saying, "Bo Feiyanggu feared exaggeration, so he kept it brief in his memorial. In fact, we killed over 3,000 bandits at the battle site. The rest, wounded and fleeing, perished in the valley, leaving hundreds of bodies lying side by side. We also killed Galdan's wife, Anu, and many of the bandit leaders. Only Galdan escaped with a few cavalrymen. Of the scattered bandits who surrendered to General Masika, over a thousand remained."
Kangxi liked such people and praised Fei Yanggu for his reliability.
Suo Etu, listening from the sidelines, felt a chill run down his spine. He immediately thought, "It was Tong Guowei who had been the first to persuade the Emperor to return to the capital. I was just joining in the fun, and I couldn't possibly attract Fei Yanggu's hatred." Fei Yanggu probably didn't realize he'd already learned about his advice to Kangxi about his diet, and that he was keeping a close eye on it.
After Kangxi confirmed his victory, he dismissed everyone and reported the news to the capital. Shujia also saw a letter from the Empress Dowager announcing Kangxi's victory and his upcoming return to the capital.
Back home, Yinreng had already heard the news and was delighted: "Khan Ama's predictions are as accurate as a god. He will definitely be in Beijing before the tenth day of June!" It was good to be back. Father and son could be close again. Being far away was always a problem. The eldest son was left behind to clean up the mess, so no one was bothering him. It was great.
Yinreng could no longer sit still as he spoke, pacing back and forth as he made plans: "Of course, there's the matter of welcoming him. Well, I'll have to take good care of my son these past few days and raise him well. When the time comes, I'll show him to the Khan, and he'll surely be pleased. I also have to check on my ninth brother and the others' studies; I can't neglect them and displease the Khan..."
Shujia wanted to roll her eyes: "Could it be that I haven't raised my son well enough?" She poked her son and said, "Boy, let me tell you, Dad, we have always been good."
Yinreng chuckled, held his son's armpits with both hands, and shook him back and forth, making the baby laugh so hard that his saliva was flowing.
The author has something to say: The National Day holiday is over, Xia Xiaoshou is going home, and I have to go to work tomorrow.
Sigh, time flies by so fast~
Sad, packing my luggage...
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