The last southern tour
Whenever the emperor goes on tour, there are always attendants accompanying him. This time, the princes accompanying him were of varying ages. Besides the Crown Prince's family, there were also the Eighth Prince, the Thirteenth Prince, the Fifteenth Prince, and the Sixteenth Prince. The Eighth Prince came with his family, while the Thirteenth Prince, the Fifteenth Prince, and the Sixteenth Prince came alone.
The fifteenth and sixteenth princes were both sons of concubines, and this time they were accompanying the emperor on his southern tour, to see where their mothers grew up, to win the respect of the scholars in the south of the Yangtze River, and to promote the fact that this ethnic regime was actually very harmonious. However, they probably didn't visit their maternal grandparents' home.
Along the way, Yinreng took great care of his two younger brothers. It was an open secret that the Fifteenth Prince would soon become his brother-in-law. Kangxi was pleased to see his closeness to his younger brothers, so when the Crown Prince often spent time with the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Princes, and they introduced the geography of the mountains and rivers along the way, Kangxi did not reprimand them for not doing their jobs.
The Crown Princess chatted happily with the Eighth Lady along the way. Regardless of other factors, the Eighth Lady was a good conversation partner. They didn't discuss state affairs, only family matters, but their opinions were surprisingly consistent. Prince Ping's wife was a smart woman, while the Fourth Lady should have waited until her husband had another child. The Fifth Lady was too honest...
This day is about the Thirteenth Lady.
The Eighth Lady sighed, "This time, Thirteenth Brother did something proper."
"..." Well, the Thirteenth Master's concubine had already given birth to a son and a daughter, and the Thirteenth Master's wife had just gotten pregnant. "Everyone has to grow up."
The Eighth Lady was much more straightforward: "He was ignorant for too long. Does this mean he has finally understood?" She looked down on the Thirteenth Prince and then envied the Thirteenth Lady. "At least the Thirteenth Brother's wife is pregnant. That's great."
Shu Jiamo: "She finally made it."
"Who says it's not?" The Eighth Lady said with some resentment, her mind turning for a few times, "Speaking of which, among the sisters-in-law, only the second and third sisters-in-law are blessed with children."
Shujia was of course more modest: "I just let nature take its course. Speaking of children, we still don't have a daughter, but my third brother and his wife have both a son and a daughter."
Who cares if I have a daughter or not? Having a son is enough.
The Eighth Lady simply leaned over and whispered if there was any secret recipe.
Shujia was stunned. She hadn't expected the Eighth Lady to bring up this topic. Yinreng had said that the Eighth Lady's uncle's family was unlucky, and it was best to stay out of that business. She had assumed the Eighth Lady was complimenting her to build a relationship with her and get her to say something to Yinreng. Little did she know that in the Eighth Lady's eyes, she was a typical palace lady, the kind who wouldn't ask about a man's affairs outside of the palace. The questions she asked about were, naturally, women's matters.
Blink! Infertility is a human problem, and it will remain a global problem hundreds of years from now. We can't take the Eighth Prince for a checkup, nor can we perform artificial insemination on him and his wife.
Shujia whispered, "You two have always been in good health..." Her voice became even lower and the topic changed.
The Eighth Lady gritted her teeth and said, "Second sister-in-law, I know what people say about me outside. Wasn't it just to stop the Eighth Master? The concubine got pregnant and he lost it! To tell you the truth, eighty percent of it was me..." Tears were about to fall from her eyes. "I have been strong all my life and never lagged behind others. I also want to give birth to a child for the Eighth Master myself." This time she really cried.
Shujia handed her the handkerchief and said, "Tell me slowly. You'll feel better after you tell me."
The Eighth Lady herself held a handkerchief in her hand, slowly wiping away her tears. She didn't want to consult the Crown Princess unless absolutely necessary. Secretly, the Eighth Prince's residence had consulted numerous doctors, and their hesitant advice hinted that the Eighth Lady was having trouble conceiving.
Doctor Guang said she still refused to accept reality and was secretly asking for various folk remedies. The recently deceased wife of Prince An was a typical example of a woman with many children. There were many fertile women in Prince An's mansion, and all the possible experiences had been sought.
But I just didn’t get pregnant!
The Eighth Lady was pushed to the limit before she asked the Crown Princess: What if she really has a secret method?
"Second sister-in-law, I'm not asking for myself. If you really have any way... even if I ask those maids to give birth to the child, it will still be the Eighth Master's flesh and blood. I have followed him in this life, and I can't let him have no descendants, right?" Tears flowed heavily, and the Eighth Lady seemed to want to cry out all the grievances.
Shujia's expression was indescribable. The Eighth Concubine had always given people such a vivid and cheerful impression. For the first time, Shujia realized that a cheerful woman could also cry uncontrollably. Ever since the Eighth Concubine's wife became pregnant, all the pressure of childlessness had fallen on the Eighth Concubine's shoulders, but she had carried it for years. Now, she could no longer bear it.
Shujia couldn't describe the feeling in her heart.
However, this matter cannot be taken on. She is not Guanyin, the Goddess of Fertility, and she does not have any secret recipe at all! Shujia pondered for a moment, and when she saw that the Eighth Lady's tears were gradually disappearing, she said slowly: "Are you two too impatient? This kind of thing cannot be rushed."
"After so many years, how can I not be anxious?"
Shujia racked her brains for a solution. She hadn't expected the Eighth Lady to ask such a question. Even if it had been the Fifth Lady or the Seventh Lady, she would have accepted it, but it had to be the Eighth Lady. She shouldn't be like this. She should be full of energy, even if it wasn't very appealing, but she was still full of energy.
"What will you do if a bastard child is born?"
"Of course I have to take good care of it." Is there really a way? If there is, I can try it myself first.
"Who was the last one to get pregnant in your house?" Let's look for her again.
The Eighth Lady smiled bitterly, "Do you think we haven't tried?" After Wang's miscarriage, the couple had a moment of rage, then continued their efforts to have a child. Their efforts proved fruitless, and they still thought of Wang. But there was still no good news.
Shujia was speechless.
The two looked at each other in silence, not knowing what to say.
That night, Shujia told Yinreng about this matter. Yinreng sneered: "Now you're worried about it, what were you doing before?" He pulled the quilt to wrap his wife more tightly. "The old man now brings the eighth child with him. Do you think he is in the emperor's favor? He is just trying to warn him. And... maybe he doesn't want me to have any grudges against him. We should spend more time together and be friendly and respectful to each other."
"What are you talking about? Did we do something to our Eighth Brother?"
"It's just that the old man has too many concerns," Yinreng said boredly. "Honestly, I'm just too full to handle him. But this old Eighth is really a lovely person."
Shujia froze: "What happened to him?"
"Maybe he's gotten the hang of it. He's been very respectful all along the way," he smacked his lips. "He's a man of some ability. If you don't have any initial dislike for him, you'll think he's a good person after just a few words."
"I can't say what kind of person he is, but keeping him in Zhongcui Palace is like betraying him."
"No matter what he's like," Yinreng said indifferently, "With so many brothers, I wouldn't mind having one more. I mean, why are we all hanging around Old Eight and his wife today?"
Shujia was stunned. "Really? What are you talking about them for?" Just because the Eighth Prince still had no son, no matter how popular he was, it wouldn't matter. The Crown Prince had already been appointed, so he wouldn't be deposed again, right? Although Kangxi often played by unpredictable rules.
No words were spoken that night.
The next day, the Eighth Lady came over again to chat with the Crown Princess.
Crying is really a great way to relieve stress. Yesterday you were tearful, but today you are as beautiful as a peach or plum.
The Eighth Lady chatted and laughed cheerfully, "We'll be arriving in Jiangning tomorrow. They say Nanjing is prosperous, so Jiangning must be quite good. Second Sister-in-law, when you were here last time, if you found any good sights, please let me know so I can be prepared to see them."
Shujia: "..." She recovered so quickly.
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When Kangxi was in Jiangning, he arranged a marriage for Cao Yin's second daughter.
That night, the Crown Prince was mocked by his wife: "You are so worried that you even detained Hongxi in the capital and wouldn't let him out."
Yinreng glanced at her and said, "What do you know?! Khan Ama treats Cao Yin differently." He tapped the armrest of the chair with his right hand, then suddenly raised it up and hooked his finger at Shujia.
Shujia glared at him to protest his gesture, but still moved forward.
Yinreng said, "Cao Yin and Li Xu were both sons of Khan Ama's nanny, but Khan Ama treated them differently," with a sneer on his face. "Cao Yin's connections with the scholars made him a much better reputation than Li Xu's. Although Li Xu also had a reputation for being 'generous,' his character was inferior."
"How did you know?" You didn't investigate the emperor's secret agents in Jiangnan, did you? If you don't do it right, people will die!
"Fifteenth brother's biological mother, Concubine Wang, was recommended to Khan Ama by Li Xu," his smile became even colder, "This time, he again..."
Pimping for the emperor? Well, that's a harsh statement, but in essence, it's pretty much the same.
"Khan Ama is old, what is he going to do?!" Shujia said indignantly.
"He has received the Emperor's grace, but he has no intention of repaying his kindness. Instead, he uses these things to fool around. How can he be praised in the eyes of the Khan?" He paused. In fact, Li Xu was still quite useful and had also sent a lot of secret information to Kangxi. "Even if he still has one or two uses now, compared with Cao Yin, he is still a far cry."
"So, Cao Yin is a good person?" Shujia's tone was very subtle.
"Not very good, but better than Li Xu. Not as good as Sun Wencheng. Sun Wencheng was recommended by Cao Yin, and he is more considerate than Cao Yin." Just talking about the deficit, it is much less than Cao and Li. Sun Wencheng's deficit is very easy to make up, unlike the other two, who hold the position of salt administrator but can't make up the deficit no matter what!
Hangzhou was also a city that received the emperor, so why didn't it have as many problems as you? Sun Wencheng didn't even ask for salt administration, and he probably couldn't get it even if he wanted to. How did he live his life?
Shujia felt deeply that her IQ and EQ weren't up to par with these ancient figures, so she simply gave up thinking about it. "Things going on out there are really confusing. Why are you talking about this? Are they worrying you? Is it Li Xu?"
Yinreng pulled his wife over and placed her on his lap: "This servant is about to become your relative."
Shujia slapped Yinreng on the back: "What nonsense are you talking about?"
"You didn't write it down in your notebook? Li Xu's first wife, Wang Shi, is Wang Pin's aunt."
Damn! Kangxi and Li Xu are of the same generation.
"Huh? I only know that Wangpin is from the south."
Yinreng hugged his wife tighter: "Now I know that Li Xu is not a good person."
"Um."
The Crown Prince confessed frankly: "Today he sent me a roundabout way of asking if I wanted, uh, some servants."
Shujia struggled, put her hands on his shoulders, and asked nervously, "What did you say?"
Yinreng smiled and said, "Of course not," teasing her, "What's wrong with you?"
Shujia pinched his cheeks and said, "Who told you that? I'm just worried. It's not what you think. Since you said he's not a good person, if you accept his things, you'll feel guilty."
Yinreng grabbed Shujia's hand and held it in his: "That's a fool. He thinks he can control me like this? He underestimates me. He can't coax Khan Ama, and he can't coax me either. I'm not a person who is greedy for pleasure, and I will never leave you."
Shujia murmured, "I know, I know." If Yinreng himself was a man who indulged himself in pleasure, how long could her little thoughts hold him back? If he didn't want to, how could he give in?
Shujia knew she shouldn't talk too much, but she couldn't help asking, "Don't you want a few new people to cheer you up? You don't need these, there are plenty in the palace."
"Why can't I just not want it?" Yinreng reached out and gently cupped Shujia's cheek, caressing it with his thumb and gently wiping away the tears that had slid down her cheeks. "Are you crying or laughing like that? Look at your eyes, they're so beautiful."
Shujia stared at him blankly, then slowly, a smile forced itself across her face. Yes, why couldn't he be a good husband? Just because he was the crown prince? So many things in this world were said to be "irrational," but where did the so-called common sense come from?
As the candlelight flickered, their foreheads touched.
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The Crown Prince and his wife were discussing the three weaving factories, and Kangxi also had secret reports concerning them.
The difference is that the Crown Prince and his wife's harsh criticism of Li Xu marked a new beginning in their relationship. The Emperor was furious over several secret reports implicating the three textile manufacturers.
Kangxi knew of the significant deficit in the weaving industry, and he knew it. Spies, after all, would also be responsible for matters requiring financial expenditure, so he gave the salt administration to Cao and Li. However, he hadn't anticipated that with two such lucrative positions in hand, reports indicated that their deficits were currently running into millions of taels.
Kangxi was filled with rage but had no place to vent it, so he could only pound the table a few times.
The next day, he went to pay tribute to Zhu Yuanzhang with a lot of anger.
The Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, officially known as the Ming Taizu Mausoleum at this time, was the original location of Sun Quan's tomb. The feng shui was excellent, and the mausoleum was well-maintained, with the Qing court constantly sending people to guard and repair it.
Kangxi stood in the hall, with his children and grandchildren standing behind him.
Kangxi looked straight ahead and spoke silently to Zhu Yuanzhang.
I will enlist your descendants in the banner, confer titles on them, and make them my heirs, so that your family line will not be cut off.
Yesterday, I received a secret report that the person I had my eye on suffered a heavy loss, and I felt very sad.
If you encountered something like this, you'd probably kill everyone, right? I'm different. I won't kill anyone unless it's absolutely necessary. I want to settle this matter.
You are a clean official, clear in punishment, and clear about gratitude and resentment. In this respect, I am not as good as you. But I protect old officials and remember old favors. In this respect, you are not as good as me. Your children and grandchildren are killing each other, fighting everywhere, and suffering. My son will live in harmony and happiness.
After offering sacrifices at the tomb of Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty, the emperor set out for Suzhou. Li Xu had already rushed to Shandong with Cao Yin and others to welcome the emperor, and at this time he was accompanying the emperor all the way south.
Kangxi, a reasonable emperor, was already anxious and irritated by the deficit, but the sight of the Suzhou reception helped him calm down. The Suzhou and Jiangning receptions had been quite good. Kangxi thought to himself, "The show's done well, anyway. At worst, they won't come again. Let them take their time and make up for the deficit."
The author has something to say:
OTZ...I've decided not to torture the second girl with emotional issues.
If you feel you can't accept it, cough cough, you can ignore this paragraph. Scratching my head, anyway, this article is very clear TT
PS: Tomorrow Corey has a dinner party. If I get home early, I'll write a sequel about the continued collapse. If I get home late, there won't be anything. I've been planning this sequel since yesterday. Because of this sequel, I thought of more, which is why I have today's interaction with the Crown Prince and his wife = =!
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