This emperor is not easy to be
Prince Xian's wedding was a lively affair. As a prince, his wedding was inherently grand. Ju's wife was the emperor's niece, so naturally, the status of the guests on both sides was elevated. Another grand royal gathering had begun.
With their status upgraded, Yinreng and Shujia could no longer attend weddings outside the palace. So, despite the excitement outside, they remained inside the palace. Anyone who has worked there and attended a dinner with colleagues understands that a dinner without the presence of leaders is a joyous and harmonious gathering.
The men drank some wine and bonded with each other.
Although the Crown Prince and his brothers were present, he was still young and friendly, so no one felt too restrained. Furthermore, Hong Tong, a more casual person, helped Hong Dan become closer to his relatives.
Hongtong himself was the subject of much ridicule. This was a wedding, so regardless of whether the conversation was about to stray off topic, the initial topic still had to revolve around the wedding. Prince Xian was getting married, and next up were the Crown Prince and his cousins. The Crown Prince's marriage couldn't be mentioned, as it might cross the line if not carefully considered. However, the others weren't so particular.
Guangshan and Hongsheng, who were about to get married, and Hongtong, Hongshu, and Hongsheng, who were rumored to be betrothed next year, were all teased. Even more unfortunate, except for Hongtong, the fathers of the other cousins also showed up, leading to a round of teasing among the cousins: "What are you all grinning about? It will be your turn tomorrow, no need to be envious."
——The speaker, Hongxi, their older brother/cousin, cannot stand up to him and can only be laughed at.
When it was time for the banquet, the elders would say something similar to their father: "His big day is coming soon, isn't it? He's grown so tall in the blink of an eye, and his face is even blushing."
Well, the banter was over, and the younger brothers gathered together again to tease the groom. Given King Xian's status, everyone was relatively restrained. The older brothers, after a couple more drinks and a bit of alcohol kicking in, began discussing more in-depth topics.
Prince Yong held out his wine cup to Prince Cheng, who, upon seeing it, took up his own cup to clink with it. The sound of the porcelain cups clashing together was light and crisp, almost drowned out by the background noise.
With two squeaks, the two princes tipped their cups to each other. Prince Cheng asked Prince Yong, "You look thinner. How are your duties these days?"
Prince Yong said vaguely, "I'm just busy with random things. There are so many things to deal with regarding money and grain."
"Well, take your time. You still have things to do, unlike me." The unfinished meaning in King Cheng's words was that he himself had been deprived of his job and was idle.
Prince Yong laughed and said, "Third brother's family is getting married for their daughter-in-law, isn't that busy enough?"
Prince Cheng sighed, "Your sister-in-law is busier than me—tell me, should I also ask for the title of Crown Prince for Hong Sheng?"
Prince Yong frowned and said, "Alright. If you want to ask for the title, please do it quickly so that the Imperial Household Department can quickly replace the things needed for the wedding. If you delay, the wedding will be rushed."
Prince Cheng nodded repeatedly: "Very, very, it's my fault for hesitating!"
Prince Yong frowned, thinking, "Don't I know what you're up to? Aren't you just hoping to use this marriage to get a higher rank? You'll have to rely on luck!"
Thinking about his thirteenth brother who was still guarding the mausoleum, the third brother was very lucky. After thinking for a while, Prince Yong hesitated and said, "Third brother, have you decided who to invite as a guest for my nephew's wedding?"
King Cheng said: "The left and right are just brothers."
"Is there a Thirteenth Brother?" Prince Yong asked again, without waiting for Prince Cheng to speak. "You are an elder brother. Be more magnanimous. The higher-ups will notice. Besides, it's better to resolve a feud than to create one, right? If you continue to quarrel like this, neither of you will be in trouble. For example, this time, both of you have suffered losses. What will happen if you continue like this? As an elder brother, isn't it normal to suffer a little loss?"
Prince Cheng was furious when he heard Yunxiang, but he couldn't help but give face to his fourth brother: "I know you care about him, and I'm not a petty person. As long as he doesn't cause me trouble again in the future, I will be happy to be in peace."
"That--"
"Oh my, oh my, can't I ask for permission later?" The fourth brother is close to the emperor, could it be that the emperor authorized it? Never mind, it doesn't matter if it wasn't authorized, it will make me look generous! Thirteenth brother, this time I am generous, there will be no next time!
Prince Yong breathed a sigh of relief. Among all his brothers, he had the strongest opinion of the Thirteenth Brother. He was capable and hardworking, and it would be a shame to leave him guarding the mausoleum. Picking up the wine pot, he personally filled both himself and the Third Brother with wine. Prince Yong said, "The Emperor is busy with court affairs and is happy to see us brothers living in harmony."
After a lengthy explanation, Prince Cheng felt more and more that this was the Emperor's will. He thought, could this be a way out for me as well as for Old Thirteen? The two brothers clinked their glasses absentmindedly, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.
The women chatted about gossip and kept in touch with each other.
Women's gossip had different boundaries than men's. They would gossip about every wedding in their family. Since the bride was the daughter of a princess, the daughters of other princesses were inevitably included. Of course, Gegentana was no exception.
The Third Lady looked around and asked, "Isn't Hongxi's wife here?"
The Fourth Lady said, "She has been pregnant for several months and is in critical condition."
Princess Duanmin said, "The emperor is so gracious that he takes such good care of his daughters who are married off to other families, and he has even arranged the marriage of his granddaughter properly." The marriage order for Rongxian's daughter was also issued in the name of Kangxi, so this is quite true.
The other wives all agreed. The third wife was moved, but she said nothing.
The topic shifted from the princess's daughter to the royal daughter-in-law, and naturally, the future prince's wife, especially the Crown Princess, was also mentioned.
"It seems that the girls from the families who have been going to the garden recently are very lucky." The Eighth Lady's tone was also gossipy.
The Fifteenth Lady smiled and said, "Look at what the Eighth Sister-in-law said. The daughters of the Eight Banners are all blessed."
Prince Jian's wife nudged the Fifteenth Wife and said, "You're up to something again."
Shuhui said sternly, "How dare I play tricks on my sisters-in-law? Look at all these girls. Which one is worse than the others? No one will be wronged if they are chosen - the royal family is prosperous, and no girl will be wronged."
The wife of Prince Ping was a younger generation and not very old. She listened silently and thought to herself: It seems that even if these families are not chosen to be the Crown Princess, they can still become the wife of the Prince.
Prince Yu's wife listened intently. Since her family only had one wedding coming up, and it was already decided, she wasn't particularly concerned about the discussion about her daughter-in-law. She was focused on her son's future. She had to talk to Baotai about it; getting her son into the palace to study was more important.
While she was pondering, she was suddenly addressed by the Ninth Lady: "Prince Guangshan's wedding is coming soon, isn't it?"
Shuyi paused for a moment and said, "Our master just requested that Guangshan be made a crown prince, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs is a bit upset. They said that the formal attire was almost ready, but now they want to change it, so the date will have to be postponed."
The building tilted even more. The wives and princesses began to gather in groups of two or three, those who cared about one thing gathered in one place, those who cared about another gathered in another, and talked about the topics that interested them.
The Third and Fourth Concubines were discussing the fate of the concubines when they suddenly sighed, "In previous years, when something like this happened, we could always see Second Sister-in-law, and what she said was always accurate. Now... Alas." Now they have lost a good source of information. Although they can still see the Queen, it is not as good as when they see the Crown Princess and can gossip freely.
—————————————————————————————————————————
Shujia was accompanying Consort Mao, Consort Qian, and Gegentana to speak with the Grand Empress Dowager, while the other concubines were also fawning over her. The Grand Empress Dowager was initially quite excited, constantly muttering, "I wonder if they've all arrived at their table by now?"
They are probably referring to Princess Duanmin and others. The old lady is old and nostalgic, and she is particularly concerned about her daughter Princess Duanmin. When Xiaozhuang was ill, Kangxi specially brought Princess Balin Shuhui to the capital to accompany her, which also means the same thing.
Shujia looked up at the sky and said to the Grand Empress Dowager, "I'm afraid they'll be clamoring to see the bride first. It'll be a couple of minutes before they can take their seats."
The Empress Dowager sighed again: "The second girl (Rongxian)'s marriage seems to be happening right before my eyes. Her daughter is getting married again. Time flies so fast!"
Concubine Tong smiled and said, "It's a good thing that the children have grown up. I wonder how beautiful the bride will be today."
The Empress Dowager's thoughts turned to the bride again: "She is young, and young people look good in anything they wear. Unlike us, we are all old."
Most of the people here accompanying you are not that young!
The concubines hadn't noticed yet, but the Empress, Consort Mao, and Consort Qian's cheeks were already twitching slightly. Shujia couldn't wait to go back and look in the mirror and formulate a new round of maintenance plan.
No matter how depressed she was, she had to talk to the old lady. Shujia said, "Don't worry, Grandma. The young couple will come to pay their respects soon. They will be dressed up neatly by then."
"Yes, yes, yes," the Empress Dowager agreed repeatedly, "it would be more beautiful if the young couple were put together."
Concubine Mi interjected, "When the time comes, I'll make sure the old ancestor is happy when he sees it."
The Empress Dowager pondered for a long time, then burst into laughter: "I'm very happy now." The old lady just wanted her children and grandchildren to be safe and prosperous. She rambled on for a long time about their conditions, and asked Shujia: "Sixteenth and Seventeenth are still in mourning, so their marriages have been put on hold. Isn't it time to arrange for Guangshan and Hongsheng's marriage?"
Shujia said, "Because we're all together and afraid of chaos, we're going to handle Prince Xian's affairs first. We've taken advantage of a good day, so we'll have to wait for the next auspicious day. Prince Guangshan has a new crown prince, so things need to be prepared again. Furthermore, Prince Cheng isn't out of mourning yet." The Queen's brothers haven't finished mourning either, so marrying off their daughter like that wouldn't be a good idea. It would be fine for an ordinary family, where royal matters take priority, but with the Queen's family, the two can work together and naturally delay the matter.
"Oh, that's it!" The Empress Dowager suddenly realized and thought of the late emperor again. Her mood fell. She lost interest and everyone dispersed after sitting for a while.
After returning to her residence, Shujia washed her face again. The weather was hot and she was sweating easily. Hongxiu and the others didn't find it strange and helped her change clothes.
Shujia waved her hand, sat down at the dressing table, and carefully examined her face in the mirror. Fortunately, it was okay. She had taken good care of herself and looked much younger than her actual age. There were no wrinkles or gray hairs to be seen yet. She patted her chest and breathed a sigh of relief.
Feeling a little better, she asked Hongxiu to find the tea set and practiced the tea ceremony to calm her nerves. Soon, the utensils were ready. Shujia washed her hands again and began to boil water. Looking at the kettle, she began to think about the concubines. Not only the daughter-in-law, but also the harem!
By the time the water boiled, she had already thought it through. Since she had already decided to live a stable life with him, she should not harbor any grudges over such things.
Just as she was about to take the kettle off, she heard a clapping sound outside. It must be Yinreng who was coming over now. They were truly telepathic. Shujia slowly took off the kettle, set it aside, and slowly stood up, thinking, shouldn't he be meeting officials or handling government affairs at this time?
When she reached the door, Yinreng was already in sight. Shujia's face was a little gloomy because of what she had just thought about, but she didn't expect Yinreng's face to be even worse. Shujia watched Yinreng approaching closer and closer, and the expression on his face changed from "seemingly not good" to "definitely not good".
Putting aside her thoughts, Shujia took a few steps forward and said, "It's hot today, and you're still walking around in the sun. I was just about to make some tea, would you like a cup?"
Yinreng forced a smile: "Okay."
The two sat opposite each other, Shujia boiled another pot of water, and Yinreng watched silently. Suddenly, he said, "It's very lively outside today, but you are so relaxed."
Indeed, after coming back, Shujia changed her clothes and combed her hair. She was dressed casually and didn't wear any jewelry. She looked very relaxed indeed.
Shujia rearranged the tea set and said without looking up, "You seem a little disappointed." She used hot water to heat the cup, then looked up at Yinreng with questioning eyes.
Yinreng had come to complain, and he was not polite, but rather a little angry: "Today I met Qi Shiwu and Tuo Heqi."
Shujia couldn't help laughing: "No wonder he was angry." These two guys are not good people.
—————————————————Flashback dividing line———————————————————
Today, Prince Xian was getting married, and all the prominent people had gone to the wedding. The man's family was Prince Xian's, and the woman's family was the Princess's. With both families hosting guests together, they almost caught all the powerful people in the capital.
There are always exceptions. If it's a "near miss," then there are still some who haven't gone. For example, two former "confidants" who were fired from their jobs.
Tuoheqi and Qi Shiwu were both veteran princelings, and were sufficiently wicked and arrogant that ordinary people dared not neglect them, after all, they were hindered by Yinreng. Now that the two seemed to have lost power, everyone's true attitude towards them was revealed.
As the saying goes, a friend in need is a friend indeed.
Gao Xiachang, the victim of their scheme, had some unexplained financial problems, but since his release from prison, those he exploited have reportedly donated money to him, which has more than offset his financial losses. Judging from this alone, Gao Xiachang's character is far superior to Tuoheqi's, whose complaint was presumably a more serious one.
Since the financial account was settled, Gao Xiachang continued to work as a censor. Tuo Heqi and Qi Shiwu, the two brothers in distress, became blank slates, and they cursed Gao and Zhao Shenqiao's ancestors for eighteen generations numerous times.
Blaming them wouldn't solve their current predicament, so the two men discussed it and decided to ask Gelfen's connections, hoping that this son of Prime Minister Suo would speak for them in front of the emperor, hoping that they would be reinstated soon and that Gao Xiachang and Zhao Shenqiao would be executed! Unexpectedly, Gelfen reluctantly agreed and, upon returning, brought the matter up to the emperor, only to receive a "peaceful and honorable retirement."
Gelfin's abilities were far inferior to his father's. It was thanks to Yinreng that Soetu had been suppressed, and the family's arrogance had been cooled, and their behavior and conduct had become much calmer. Thinking back to the last time Yinreng had forced someone to retire, it was Soetu who was the target, Gelfin had no hope for either of them to be reinstated. He knew their personalities, so he mentioned it politely, but Yinreng scolded him—he refused to speak again.
Apart from that, no one else was willing to speak up for them. King Xian was getting married today, and neither of them had received an invitation. They were both in dire straits, feeling very depressed.
Unexpectedly, on such a joyous day, the two received an invitation from the emperor to come to Changchun Garden to meet him. When they heard the imperial edict at home, their eyes lit up. This was their chance!
Dressed neatly, they rode their horses, chugging along towards Changchun Garden. Along the way, they listened to the crisp thud of horse hooves hitting the flagstones, while mentally preparing their speech. Arriving at Changchun Garden one after the other, they saw each other and felt a surge of excitement. They exchanged glances, exchanged pleasantries, and used cryptic phrases to string together words.
Although it was the emperor who summoned them, the two still handed over their green cards politely. Yinreng brought them in without blinking an eye.
After entering the house, they knelt before Yinreng, and as soon as the hat on their heads was pulled, they burst into tears: "I am ashamed. I have brought shame to my master. I am too ashamed to see my master!"
Yinreng felt sad. Soetu and his followers were certainly not good people, and they certainly had their own selfish motives. However, regardless of their motives, they remained loyal to him, so he didn't bother to dwell on them. Seeing the two middle-aged men weeping in front of him, he also felt sad. "You two, you should be more careful. Why did it come to this?!"
The two of them immediately cried even harder, and their crying looks were not good at all.
One said, "I was careless in my work and fell into other people's traps."
Another followed up, saying, "While I certainly made mistakes, they are too unreasonable."
Yinreng wanted to roll his eyes: "It's good that you know you are wrong. Why are you still going around everywhere?!" If others see me, they will say that I have hidden my bow and arrows after the bird is killed!
Qi Shiwu and Tuoheqi stopped crying, wiped their tears, and sensed something was wrong with Yinreng's words. Qi Shiwu said, "Master, we truly acknowledge our mistakes. Please give us a chance to atone for our sins."
Forget it, you two! Just the two of you? Stop causing trouble for me, okay? Yinreng ignored them: "Get up and wipe your face. Take a seat."
Tuo and Qi had been in the officialdom for so many years, and their success had been smooth sailing to the point of being a little complacent. They were not really fools. Seeing that Yinreng refused to accept the offer, they stopped crying. They fell to the ground and kowtowed to express their gratitude. Tears were still in the corners of their eyes, but they had begun to sparkle.
He stood up straight, sniffed, wiped his face, and sat down carefully.
Tuoheqi was the first to speak out. He stood up and bowed, "I have acted carelessly and deserve to be punished. Thanks to your protection, I was able to escape unscathed. I am deeply grateful." Then he continued to cry, this time with fake tears, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my master. I dare not repay you with my own death! I have something to tell you, my master, and I will not be able to rest day or night."
Yinreng frowned and said, "Just tell me what you have to say. Why make it so serious?"
Tuoheqi wiped away his tears. He wanted to file a complaint, and the person he was suing was Zhao Shenqiao's son, Zhao Fengzhao.
Speaking of this, Yinreng was very unhappy. Isn't this revenge? Zhao Shenqiao reported Qi Shiwu, which means he reported you. How can you say that Zhao Shenqiao's son is not good? How can this be justified?
Qi Shiwu had been secretly watching Yinreng, and noticing that something seemed off about his expression, he stood up and asked, "Could it be that you've heard about it too?"
As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Zhao Fengzhao is indeed a corrupt official, and Qi Shiwu and Tuoheqi are equally corrupt. They're all of the same ilk, and even thousands of miles apart, they can still smell each other's scent. Zhao Fengzhao was once Galin's confidant, and Galin, while not a die-hard Suo supporter, is still a member of the same ilk. Who doesn't know who?
Your father doesn't give us face, so don't blame me for exposing your past. Damn Zhao Shenqiao, I can't bear that your son is corrupt and you don't even know about it!
The more I think about it, the worse I think of Zhao and his son. You are so disloyal!
The methods of corruption are similar across the country. Qi Shiwu, who had previously served as a provincial governor, knew the ins and outs of corruption even better. Zhao Fengzhao was even his junior in these matters. Just pick a few of his own pasts and you'd bet they'd all done it. Doubling expenses, altering the accounts to embezzle disaster relief funds, he spoke with such credible detail.
They had been on the same side, each convinced of the other's greed. Qi Shiwu and Tuoheqi, confident of their support and their status as bannermen, considered dismissal a reasonable matter. Tuoheqi was even more confident. Though he loved bribery and had instructed others to exploit merchants, he rarely went directly to the national or provincial treasuries (because he had no opportunity), and he had no scruples.
The two of them worked together to trap Zhao Fengzhao.
Yinreng still refused to believe it—who else would believe it? You can't beat someone's father, so you take it out on his son?
Qi Shiwu swore, "If I tell a lie, Heaven will hate me, Heaven will hate me."
If Zhao Fengzhao were present, he would definitely yell, "Fuck you! You're so shameless! You take a lot of ice and charcoal tributes from me every year!"
Tuoheqi also said: "These Han people are not clean themselves, and they insist on dragging us into the water."
Yes, the Manchu-Han conflict, the two again compared the example of Zhang Boxing and Galin. Galin was a bit greedy, but Zhang Boxing was not a good person either. "He was honest and upright, but also hypocritical. He was incompetent and ineffective in catching bandits. It was all thanks to Galin's ability that the situation was pacified."
"If the master doesn't stand up for us, they will ride on our heads!" Qi Shiwu swallowed his saliva and swallowed the obscene words.
Seeing Yinreng's grim expression, Togaqi puffed out his chest and said, "Every word I said is true. Perhaps Galin was also led astray by Zhao Fengzhao! We Bannermen have simple customs, while the Han people are always cunning and rude."
Yinreng frowned deeply. The conflict between Manchus and Han people had always been a headache for the Qing emperors.
At least among the central officials, the ratio of Banner and Han personnel must be at least one Banner person to one Han person. Sometimes there are more Banner people, and there are even more Banner people among the scribes.
One undeniable fact is that the Han population is large, and even if the chance of producing talented individuals is lower, the absolute number is still greater. Meanwhile, while Bannermen enjoy various preferential treatment, it's not guaranteed that every one of them is an elite. Choosing one out of ten thousand is obviously superior to choosing one out of ten. If it weren't for favorable national policies, who knows how many Bannermen would have been squeezed out by these Han officials.
In a war, the Bannermen may have the upper hand, but in a literary duel, you cannot defeat them! Quantitative change will lead to qualitative change.
If they wanted to use bannermen, there were too few capable and honest ones. The two in front of them and Galin were both living examples of the opposite. If they wanted to use Han people, they were afraid that it would undermine the foundation of the country.
But both sides are still making trouble, it’s so annoying!
After hearing what Togaqi said, Yinreng still wanted to laugh. Could Zhao Fengzhao "corrupt" Galin? The other way around was more likely! Looking at the qualifications and ages of the two men, Galin was definitely not someone to be trifled with!
Qi Shiwu continued to swear, "Master, please send someone to investigate. If Zhao Fengzhao is indeed honest, I will gladly take the blame. You can ask me to sign a written statement or submit a memorial tomorrow."
Seeing how serious they were, and that the matter involved Galyi, Yinreng felt even more hesitant, and did not agree, saying only, "I understand."
Seeing that they were unable to persuade Yinreng today, Tuoheqi and Qi Shiwu also dropped the topic and sighed about the past, accompanying Yinreng in conversation. Yinreng was in a bad mood and said a few words before sending them out.
After leaving Changchun Garden, Tuoheqi invited Qi Shiwu to his home. Qi Shiwu agreed generously: "It's been a while since we last met. It's a good opportunity. They're going to a wedding, so why don't we have some tea together?"
Arriving at Toheqi's house, the two sat down in Toheqi's study, washed their faces, drank tea, and ate fruit. They were already quite old, and after running back and forth and crying for so long, they were quite exhausted and needed to replenish their energy.
When they had almost finished eating, Tuoheqi asked, "What do you think the emperor means by today's matter?"
Qi Shiwu snorted coldly: "Even if you and I are not reinstated, we can't let them be so proud!"
Tuoheqi was a little disappointed and asked again, "Will the emperor do anything to them? Galin should be fine. Will Zhao Fengzhao be given leniency along with Galin as well?"
Qi Shiwu sneered: "Galin is fine, but Zhao Fengzhao may not be fine." The Qing emperor was lenient to the bannermen, but not to the Han officials.
Tuoheqi said, "That's good! Should we send a letter to Galin?"
"Okay."
They were discussing the matter heatedly, but they didn't know that Yinreng had also summoned someone to speak, and that person was none other than the former Jiangning Weaving Supervisor, Cao Yin.
Cao Yin's loyalty to the imperial family was undeniable, and Yinreng had taken good care of him, so he was grateful. Upon hearing he was summoned, he quickly dressed and headed for Changchun Garden. He was living well. This was his childhood home, and the climate was comfortable. He didn't have to worry about reporting to others. Aside from the Li Xu family, which was a major concern, everything was fine. He had actually grown even fatter than when he'd been in Jiangnan.
He was still muttering to himself along the way, today is the wedding day of King Xian, and all the famous dignitaries have gone to the wedding banquet, so why is the emperor still "secretly marching into Chencang" like this?
As expected, he was secretly crossing Chencang. He entered Danning Residence, took off his hat and knelt. After bowing, Yinreng offered him a seat and asked, "How have you been in Beijing lately?"
Cao Yin had just sat down when he stood up again and said, "Thanks to your protection, my master, my family is deeply grateful."
Yinreng extended his hand and pressed it in the air, motioning Cao Yin to sit down. "Sit down and talk. Prince Xian is very happy today, and they've all gone to get some wedding wine. It wouldn't be appropriate for me to go over there, and sitting around would be boring. I might as well find someone to talk to—do you remember the situation in Jiangnan?"
Cao Yin wondered what he was asking about. So he started by discussing the landscapes of Jiangnan. Seeing Yinreng showed little interest, he switched to discussing its culture. Yinreng merely listened, and when he got to the topic of the half-printed collection of poems, he said, "Li Kai is quite knowledgeable. You can be assured of his success."
Cao Yin said, "Of course," and then he brought up Kangxi's southern tour. Yinreng's expression remained calm, though he pricked his ears when he heard about the southern officials gathering to see the emperor.
Cao Yin said all this, but he didn't know what Yinreng wanted to hear. Was he really just looking for someone to "talk" to? At this time, Yinreng spoke up and asked, "How are Zhang Boxing and Galin doing in office?"
Cao Yin's heart skipped a beat. He pondered and said, "If Zhang Boxing is indeed a good person, then Galin... is also a kind of love."
Yinreng sneered: "Your words are funny, please speak more carefully."
Cao Yin was deeply troubled. How could he not know about the Manchu-Han conflict, or more precisely, the Manchu-Han conflict? Even discussing such a topic with Kangxi required careful wording, let alone Yinreng? The emperor had asked, and he couldn't avoid addressing it, so he resorted to generalities. "Zhang Boxing's conduct is awe-inspiring," he praised Zhang Boxing, but made no mention of Galin.
Galin was not a clean man to begin with, and he had even implicated Cao Yin in a multi-million dollar deficit. Cao Yin must have heard some of this, but even if he couldn't make it out, he could sense it, as they lived in Jiangnan together and didn't get along particularly well. It was a kindness of Cao Yin to not step on him, but it was absolutely impossible for him to praise him.
Yinreng fiddled with a memorial. It turned out to be a memorial from Mu Helun, who had been sent to investigate the impeachment between Zhang Boxing and Galin. He argued that Galin was right and requested that Zhang Boxing be dismissed. Squinting his eyes, he could naturally hear the unfinished meaning in Cao Yin's words—that Galin was nothing to praise.
"So, Galin's moral character is indeed flawed? Why didn't Zhang Tingshu and Mu Helun impeach him?"
Cao Yin gritted his teeth. Even if Galin was trying to force him to death, he didn't need to be too polite. As for the Manchu-Han conflict, he was, after all, a bondservant, not a Han Chinese. He revealed another secret: "Galin is the Governor of Liangjiang. I've been in Jiangning for many years, and I'm still under his control. How can the new Shangshu be expected to learn anything? The former Governor-General Yi Sigong impeached Galin for the treasury deficit, but there was something else going on."
"How do you say that?"
"Galin impeached him not because of the deficit, but because...Yisigong did not pay him enough tribute." There were also years of deficits and the mess left by the previous president. Cao Yin could not go into more details. If he said too much, many people would be exposed, and he was afraid of being implicated.
Yinreng's expression darkened even further. He inherited not only the throne and the mess from his father, but also, naturally, the gossips he'd received from everyone in the past. He knew about the old deficits and the bribery. Hearing Cao Yin's words, he was already halfway convinced.
Furthermore, since he had inquired about the old Jiangning Weaving Factory, he naturally inquired about the new Jiangning Weaving Factory. Li Kai's secret memorial also confirms this. Of course, Li Kai himself had only just arrived in Jiangning, so his knowledge was limited. It only proves that Zhang Boxing's character was more reliable than Galin's. Galin's pomp and circumstance were indeed grand.
After Cao Yin was asked to step down, Yinreng became even more unhappy!
——————————————————End of flashback——————————————————
After talking about his troubles, Yinreng breathed a sigh of relief and felt much less stressed. Shujia smiled and ordered five small cups of tea. She picked up a cup and said, "Try it."
Yinreng was thirsty, and this small cup of tea was only worth a sip. He suppressed the urge to finish it all in one gulp, and slowly sipped his lips to moisten them: "It's bitter at first, but sweet after a while."
"It's all the same."
Yinreng smiled and said, "That's right, the beginning is always the hardest."
Shujia handed him another cup, and Yinreng took it, sipping it even more slowly. Thoughts raced through his mind. Hadn't he long wanted Galin back to cause less trouble? Now that he'd heard more about his "deeds," shouldn't he be thankful that his decision was right?
After drinking the third cup, Yinreng had already decided on the new governor-general of Liangjiang.
"But this Zhao Fengzhao is really difficult to deal with! I also want to use Zhao Shenqiao. Zhao Shenqiao is rarely loyal, and it would be a pity to let his son implicate him."
Shujia was not easy to talk to. It wasn't impossible for a tiger father to have a dog son. If Zhao Shenqiao's loyalty was to the literary inquisition, she would still feel uncomfortable. "Then let's investigate. If it's true, it will save the people; if it's false, it will at least restore the reputation of Zhao Shenqiao and his son." Shujia practiced Tai Chi.
"What else is there to investigate?" Yinreng continued to drink his tea. "When the post of Governor of Jiangnan and Jiangxi was vacant, the late emperor wanted to appoint Galin, but was concerned about his bad character. Zhao Fengzhao is the son of Zhao Shenqiao, and his father has a good reputation, so the son must be good. Zhao Fengzhao served as prefect under Galin, so the emperor asked Zhao Fengzhao if Galin was virtuous. Zhao Fengzhao said Galin was the most honest, so he promoted Galin to governor. Regardless of who led the other astray, neither of them is a good person. Well, let's investigate."
Shujia shrugged and sat up straight. Yinreng had already noticed and gave her a strange look. Shujia coughed, and Yinreng drank his tea in silence. No, he still wanted to laugh. His wife's expression was really... a rare sight in a century... pretentious!
It's not good to make fun of people, especially when they are drinking water. Not only did he choke, but a few drops of tea sprayed out of his nostrils.
Yinreng let out a deafening cough, and everyone rushed forward, some patting his back, some wiping his face.
With this incident, Yinreng's unhappiness mostly dissipated: "This is a matter of squeezing out abscesses, it's better to get it out sooner rather than later. I have important things to do, and it's only natural to sort these people out."
Shujia wiped the tea stains off his clothes and said, "Finally you smiled."
"Huh? Have I never smiled?"
"You know the answer but you still ask."
————————————————————————————————————————
Yinreng finally sent someone to investigate Zhao Fengzhao. When he received the exact information, the ministers, under his pressure, dared not be biased towards Galin anymore, and found out many bad things about Galin.
Well, let's sentence both of them together. Galin, having been dismissed from his post in the banner, was recalled to the capital and surrendered some of the illicit funds. The so-called "partial" refers only to the portion of the deficit that was discovered. Galin, who assumed the position of Governor-General of Liangjiang, took more bribes than he personally embezzled, largely at the expense of others. Due to the unspoken rules of gift-giving in official circles, efforts to recover this portion of the money were minimal, and many accounts were left unresolved.
Zhao Fengzhao's case was more tragic. While his case was slightly different from the "500,000 taels of silver" alleged by Tuoheqi and Qi Shiwu, he still managed to embezzle over 200,000 taels of silver. The saying "three years as a clean magistrate, 100,000 taels of silver" really rings true for him.
Dismissal and recovery of fines.
You should know that much of Zhao Fengzhao's embezzlement and corruption was due to gifts to his superiors; his wealth wasn't that substantial. Zhao Shenqiao, a fairly honest official, didn't have that much money to make up for it. Ashamed of having a corrupt son, Zhao Shenqiao resigned, saying, "I'm quitting my job because I've failed to raise my son well." His words were quite harsh.
Yinreng tried to persuade Zhao Shenqiao to stay, claiming he "would not depose a father for his son." Zhao Shenqiao remained frustrated, knowing he had been framed, but his son had indeed done something wrong. Unfortunately, Zhao Fengzhao was still on his way back to the capital, so he couldn't immediately enforce the family rules against his son. He was filled with anger and was determined to retire.
Yinreng was even more furious than he was and scolded him. Zhao Shenqiao's memorial was a bit harsh, which gave him an excuse to lash out. After the scolding, Zhao Shenqiao became more honest, his expression more serious, and his behavior more upright. He was eager to restore his son's lost integrity.
Qi Shiwu and Tuoheqi were overjoyed. They held their wine cups and teased Zhao Shenqiao, saying, "This old killer has finally gotten his comeuppance!"
However, things took another unexpected turn, and the two women dragged Qi Shiwu out again!
Sun, the wife of Yao Honglie, the former magistrate of Ningzhou, Shaanxi, who was implicated in the scandal, knocked on the door and accused Jueluo Wushi, the former governor of Gansu, Chen Hongdao, the magistrate of Qingyang Prefecture, and others of extorting money.
Wang, the wife of Chen Hongdao, the former prefect of Qingyang Prefecture, knocked on the door and accused Yin Tai, the governor of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and others of protecting the prefect Yao Honglie and torturing Chen Hongdao.
It sounds like it has nothing to do with Qi Shiwu, but after in-depth investigation, it was found that Qi Shiwu had served as the governor of Gansu and had accepted more than 3,600 taels of fire consumption silver from the governor Jueluo Wushi (this was one of the main uses of fire consumption. In order to show filial piety to superiors, more and more fire consumption was collected, which became a burden on the people).
The case was simple, similar to Yi Sigong's: the superiors demanded money, the subordinates didn't give enough, and so the two sides fell out. The difference was that Chen Hongdao and Wu Shi were one, while Yao Honglie and Yin Tai were on the same side. Wu Shi demanded money from Yao Honglie, but Yao Honglie couldn't provide it. Yin Tai assisted Yao Honglie and wanted to deal with Chen Hongdao.
It is truly admirable that the two women came to the door for their husbands, but it is a pity that both husbands are not very clean. Everyone sighed that Chen Hongdao and Yao Honglie were lucky to have such good wives, but then put the matter aside and focused their attention on the case.
The case was exposed by two women whose husbands were minor figures. It involved two former governors of Gansu, the current governor-general of Sichuan and Shaanxi, and three former provincial governors of Gansu... and it became a major incident.
In the end, only Yao and Chen were punished. Yao Honglie did indeed embezzle money, so he received a heavier sentence and had to pay it back. Chen Hongdao did not embezzle money, but his behavior was indeed improper, so he was dismissed from office and caned, but was allowed to redeem himself. The others, all bannermen, were dismissed from office and shackled according to the law, but were allowed to redeem themselves by paying money to avoid punishment.
At this point, the two women had worked in vain. The emperor was slapped in the face and realized the corruption and rampant corruption that had been rectified. He also realized how wise he was in reducing energy consumption.
As mentioned earlier, Zhao Shenqiao had served as Left Censor-in-Chief and was quite protective of the censors. Now that he was being "retaliated against," the censors rushed to the scene, thoroughly implicating all those involved in the case. Qi Shiwu and the others were bannermen, subject to different laws, so while they might not receive a harsh sentence, they still had to be discredited!
The emperor's cheeks were swollen on both sides, and Yinreng really wanted to strangle both people to death!
By the time the incident concluded, it was already the end of September, and the royal family had returned to the palace. The weather was dry, and the emperor was furious. Those who lost money were confiscated, and those who committed crimes were denied redemption! Those who deserved exile were exiled, and those who deserved shackles were shackled. You hit me in the face, and I won't give you any face!
The state's policy of keeping bannermen in captivity forced those who were in mourning or retired to return to Beijing to live, so it was very convenient to bring them over and scold them.
The sky above the Palace of Heavenly Purity echoed with the emperor's roar: "I have always been lenient with you, but you have embarrassed me! You have no regard for me in your heart or eyes!"
After this incident, Yinreng issued another decree. Those who have deficits should make up for them themselves, don't wait for me to settle accounts! Those who have collected too much fire consumption should reduce it themselves, don't wait until something bad happens! Bosses should stop blackmailing their subordinates. Subordinates who are blackmailed can file a secret memorial to complain. Be honest! Also, bannermen, can you show some courage and stop making mistakes all the time?
At the same time, he solemnly commended good officials like Erlunte who were of banner origin, and claimed that officials in the banner should learn from them.
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I'm back bird~
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