Too clever to scheme
As mentioned earlier, the Qing court can basically be viewed as a less standardized joint-stock enterprise. This shareholding system may not have been written into the company's articles of association, but it was subconsciously implemented by everyone and was restricted by objective conditions.
On the one hand, the Qing Dynasty was later hailed as the pinnacle of centralized feudalism, with the emperor's one word worth ten thousand. On the other hand, none of those ten thousand words mentioned "confiscating the homes of five ministers." Even Emperor Yongzheng, known for his unyielding character, executed Alsong'a, who had been associated with the Eighth Prince, but still retained the title for the Niuhulu family.
The Qing Dynasty's aristocratic Qingzhou family was both powerful and bold. This boldness wasn't reflected in their boasts, but in their actions. What was a fight for the future empress? Even the empress had competed, though she was defeated by the Grand Empress Dowager and the Emperor. They were even capable of setting traps for the Emperor and the Crown Prince if pushed to the limit.
The girls of appropriate age from aristocratic families in Beijing have been very busy recently. They are receiving intensive training from the maids and are called by their parents and elders to cram in various knowledge.
It is best to know a little Mongolian when meeting the Empress Dowager. The old lady has a simple mind, so don't try to beat around the bush with her.
The emperor likes well-behaved girls. You must behave politely. Oh, and where are your books? You should pick up your studies again.
The Crown Prince's intentions are unclear but looking at the Crown Princess, he probably likes ladies like that (big mistake).
The Crown Princess is a kind person, always well-behaved. If you think she's easily fooled, you're wrong! She's so firmly established in the Eastern Palace, how could she have such a position without some skill? Besides, how could any woman resist summoning her niece to be her daughter-in-law? She's a lady to the Crown Prince, but not necessarily to you!
As for the Crown Prince... think about it after you are selected. He has no say in this matter.
The aristocratic families, which had been silent for decades after Kangxi chose his empress, were finally about to explode over the issue of the crown prince's choice of a concubine.
Everyone was very busy in the following days.
The Shi family is very busy, and their customer flow seems to have increased a lot.
Seeing the overflowing house of guests, and seeing that every time someone brought a young girl, Xiluotai didn't think they were bringing their daughters to marry her grandson. This was clearly related to the rumors. While the Shi family was prosperous, it was still slightly inferior to these aristocratic families. The thought of her granddaughter competing against the girls from these families immediately won Xiluotai over.
Nine times out of ten, it's impossible to succeed. It's better to take a step back, gain a good reputation, and then sit back and watch the tigers fight. Why not?
Xiluo Te figured out the trick, called her daughter-in-law and granddaughter over and gave them a lecture, then said: "My brother is getting older and it is time to get married. Look at these girls, there are so many of them, how can the prince marry them all..." After they put up the sign, they were also popular.
Shi Wenbing was the one who made the decision to "stay out of it." He summoned his son and grandson and issued an order: "The palace hasn't made any clear statements yet, and there's already such a commotion outside. This isn't a good thing. You should just stick to your responsibilities."
He also gathered all his brothers and nephews together and said, "It's a pleasant surprise for our family to have a princess consort. We should not indulge in greed. This matter is just a rumor. The selection hasn't even started yet, and you're already making irresponsible comments. This is my duty as a minister. If anyone asks, I will just say I don't know."
Later, he issued an order that the servants in the mansion were not allowed to discuss this matter, and anyone who did so would be severely punished.
Later developments made the Shi family feel even more confident in their wise decision. The capital city was a bit too bustling, and it wasn't as peaceful as it had been when the Crown Prince was choosing a wife. Ami Tofu, when he was choosing a Crown Princess, it just happened that the aristocratic families didn't have any suitable girls.
Compared with the bustle of the capital, the full moon banquet of Shi family’s grandson is not impressive enough.
Alinga was busy. First, he was busy regretting that his daughter had won the title of Seventeenth Consort, but her status was far inferior to that of the Crown Prince's Consort. The Emperor was truly a fool. How old was the Seventeenth Prince? Why was he in such a hurry to arrange a marriage? He should keep his daughter in the palace first, and then...right?
Fortunately, he still has a young child. His son, Arsonga, also has a daughter who is of the right age for the next selection. If he had at least three daughters in his family as candidates, wouldn't his chances of being selected be even greater? If he had known this was going to happen, he should have found a way to delay it.
Then he got angry. Damn it! The Faka family also had a granddaughter. Alinga and his brother Faka had been enemies for decades. They had been at odds since childhood, and their feuds had only gotten worse as they grew older. Although Alinga was considered a noble, he had a skill that the gossipmongers were afraid of: spreading rumors and gossip. [1]
Regardless of time, place, or situation, he would slap people in the face the more he needed to maintain appearances. Because of this skill, the entire Faka clan was completely humiliated by him, and of course, he himself was stripped of his position. But he was a hereditary duke, and soon he returned to the court like a cockroach.
The shareholding system is harmful!
Next, Alinga busied himself with making arrangements. Originally, he had a good relationship with the Eighth Prince, but the problem was that the Eighth Prince himself had become weak, and his nephew, the Tenth Prince, had also tried to dissuade him. More importantly, the Crown Prince's family had expressed no hostility towards him. Why not get on board this big ship?
Alinga instructed his wife, "New Year's Eve is almost here. Take the children to visit the Tenth Lady. The Tenth Prince's mother passed away early, so as his uncle, I need to take extra care of him. Also, take the maids to the Shi family's grandson's full moon celebration to see the world."
The grandson of the Shi family was referring to Guanyinbao's son. If anyone were to say that someone from the Alinga family went to the Shi family to "see the world," everyone would burst out laughing. How could that be "seeing the world"? It was clearly someone bringing someone to the Shi family to pursue his wife's interests. This man contributed greatly to the Shi family's prosperity.
After arranging all this, Alinga began to think again. Was it a bit cheap to send a notice to the Shi Mansion to invite Shi Wenbing, or should he let Alsonga meet with Fu Dali?
It wasn't just Alinga's family that was busy. His brother Faka also had his own ideas. Although Faka didn't inherit the title, he was still the uncle of the Tenth Prince, right? If his daughter couldn't become a First Consort, she could be a Consort. Wasn't that how Empress Xiao Zhao got to where she was? It was a pity that there were people of similar age in Alinga's family.
Tong Guowei couldn't remain indifferent to this matter. The prosperity of a family is inseparable from the establishment of in-laws. Tong Guowei was also well-informed. After receiving the news, he sent someone to call Orondai to inform him: "The news about the imperial concubine in the palace is that the Ningshou Palace has begun to look at the girls under its command. The crown prince will marry a concubine soon. Your father left early, so you should be able to take responsibility."
Orondai choked after hearing this: "Uncle, my nephew has been a bit of a nobody, but it's not to the point where he doesn't care about this matter."
Tong Guowei wanted to get angry, but he held it back: "You and your brothers, put aside everything that happened before. This is a family matter. Don't let your anger ruin the future of the clan." This was referring to the fact that Orondai often bullied Fahai.
Orondei snorted but did not refute.
Tong Guowei then made a comprehensive arrangement of the family's resources: "Go back and gather all the girls in the family. Don't miss out on any good ones! Next spring, several maids of age will emerge from the Imperial Concubine's palace. I've already decided to take them in and serve them."
Orondai angrily agreed. No matter how bad he got, he was just making a fuss about Fahai's background. Unlike Alinga, he used a baseless thing to slander his own brother. "Okay, I'll go back. Uncle, what are your plans?"
Tong Guowei stroked his beard and said, "There are so many things to do this year. The palace has only just begun, and the important things are still to come. If we use up all our energy now, we will have nothing to do later."
Orondai said impatiently, "Uncle, just tell me the truth. What do you want to do? I'll have a better idea of what you're doing. Otherwise, if you use too much strength, it will be difficult to deal with."
Tong Guowei pondered for a moment, looked at Orondai's expression, and said roughly: "Let's take a rough look at it at home first. For those who are not outstanding, we should find a way out as soon as possible. Don't put all the pressure on this one thing, so as not to delay the children's future."
This meant reducing the opportunities for girls with lower qualities and providing more seed players. Whether it was bringing them into the palace for display or spreading their good reputation, all efforts were put together.
Orondai agreed, thinking to himself, "If my maid isn't there in the end, I won't agree." Comrade Qingde said that the Crown Princess will have a maid next year, and that maid will be no worse than the Imperial Concubine's.
"Also, do your job with all your heart! You absolutely must do your job with all your heart!" Do you think the choice is only for girls? They're choosing the girl's father and her family!
Orondei rolled his eyes and said, "Nephew, I understand." He thought to himself, Longkodo was punished by the emperor not long ago, haha.
The rest of the palaces were similarly divided, their men preoccupied with state affairs while simultaneously pondering this marriage. Needless to say, the Dong'e and Guaerjia clans, with their established families, felt guilty about even being modest. The Hesheli clan also had its own concerns. Their family had daughters, quite a few, and the Sony clan had numerous descendants, flourishing. While their daughters weren't as good as those of the aforementioned clans, they were unwilling to accept this. The men in the clan discussed whether they should send someone to the Crown Prince to inform him.
From its very inception, the word "marriage" has meant the fatherhood of both parties. This time, men are truly busier than women. Busy showcasing themselves in public, busy scheming among their superiors, and busy using entertainment to foster closer relationships.
After the candidates did not receive any definite news from the Shi family and were not rejected, they were shocked by another piece of news and had to rearrange their plans: the palace had added another extra-staff judge.
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As the twelfth lunar month arrived, the entire capital was filled with a festive atmosphere. The Eighteenth Prince's untimely death seemed like a thing from a lifetime ago. In reality, the Eighteenth Prince's death had nothing to do with most people. Even within the palace, the mournful expressions were merely for the Emperor's benefit.
After the Emperor's birthday, the sadness naturally passed. Even in Kangxi's own case, the sequelae of the eighteenth prince's death were more due to the sadness at the time. He was a little unwell, and he didn't get enough rest. He didn't recover until the end of November.
With the emperor's peace, the palace became increasingly lively. Several princesses who had married far away in Mongolia also reported returning for the New Year, bringing not only themselves but also their husbands and children, if possible. Although the princesses had married far away, they had reserved residences in the capital for their stay upon their return, and they were absolutely unwavering in their decision to pack up their belongings.
In addition, the princes and nobles of the various Mongolian tribes, even if they had not married princesses or princesses, had to come to "pay homage". The capital was completely bustling.
Amidst the excitement, Kangxi slowly recovered. Seeing the laughter in the room, he remembered something: Concubine Min's fifteenth daughter, the sister of the Thirteenth Prince and the Eighth Princess, and the one who should have been ranked as the Tenth Princess, had reached marriageable age.
The Tenth Princess was born on the sixth day of the first lunar month in the 30th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign. She would have been nineteen (in nominal terms) years old after the Lunar New Year. She was already eighteen this year, and it was time for her to marry. Royal marriages were rarely decided at the last minute; most often, plans for the marriage began years in advance. The Tenth Princess's case was no exception. Despite the many disturbances at court in recent years, Kangxi had not failed to find a suitable home for his daughter.
Now that Mongolia has come to pay tribute, the matter of the Eighteenth Prince has been almost forgotten. The old man decided: I might as well take advantage of the arrival of my son-in-law to officially finalize the deal!
Therefore, in December of the 47th year of Kangxi's reign, Kangxi issued an edict: the tenth princess was named Princess Heshuo Dunke and was to marry Khorchin Taiji Dorji.
Kangxi was probably the type of person who thought: "I can do it, but you can't." The Crown Prince postponed the Fifteenth Prince's wedding, with Kangxi's approval. If he had dared to push the Fifteenth Prince to marry so soon after the Eighteenth Prince's death, Kangxi would have done it himself.
The princess and her husband were both in Beijing, and with so many relatives and friends gathered there, there was no need to send out wedding invitations. The density of Mongolian dignitaries in Beijing at this time was probably only comparable to the weddings of the emperor and the crown prince, so the Tenth Princess's wedding could be described as grand.
The Tenth Princess's mother died young, and it was Concubine Tong who was busy taking care of her. The concubines and wives of the imperial concubines also came to join in the fun, and the married princesses also came to visit their younger sister when they had time. The Tenth Princess's residence was bustling with people coming and going.
After the princesses finished chatting with the Empress Dowager and the imperial concubines, they were happy to join their younger sister. With Dunke's marriage, they were all neighbors, and maintaining good relations with their neighbors was essential, as well as a way to express their friendship. Their conversation revolved around life in Mongolia.
The third princess said, "It sounds like life there is a bit hard, but for us, it's not that bad." Princess Duanjing's daughter is going to marry Hongxi, so she has closer ties with her parents' family and is more confident - in fact, she is the softest among all the princesses.
As soon as these words were spoken, the second princess Rongxian echoed them: "Once you get married, the world will be wide open to you. As long as you can stand firm," she lowered her voice, "it's a good place there too." Princess Rongxian assisted her husband Wuergun in governing the banner area.
The fourth princess, Ke Jing, nodded and said, "That's what I mean. Marrying far away or marrying nearby is up to you." She was the most strong-willed of all the daughters of Emperor Kangxi. Her biological mother was only a noble lady, but her aunt was Consort Yi, Guo Luoluo. Marrying far away from her parents and relatives in the Khalkha region tempered her character. In the banner area, her status was higher than anyone else's, and she was called "Princess Haimu," implying her participation in politics and political consultation. [2]
The eighth princess, Wen Ke, Dun Ke's older sister, was also doing well and offered some comfort. The other princesses, one after another, tried to reassure their soon-to-be-married sister that her future life wouldn't be so bad.
The Tenth Princess said, "Except for the departed Fifth Princess, all of us sisters married Mongolians. Why should I be dissatisfied?" After all, those who married Mongolians lived longer. "It's just that I'm sad about being away from my parents and unable to fulfill my filial duties."
These words resonated deeply with the princesses. With the exception of the softer-tempered Third Princess, the others were able to participate in local politics to some extent, which was indeed much more glorious than being in the capital. Their only two concerns were: one, their parents and brothers in the capital, and two, the future of their own children.
A princess's son would surely inherit the title; otherwise, why would the Qing court marry a princess there? The difficulty lay with the daughters' fate. Many men of higher status on the grasslands were already being courted by the palace, seeking to marry them off to a princess, or perhaps a county lady. This was why the princesses turned their attention to their nephews. They said they were worried that the grasslands wouldn't be as prosperous as the capital, and that was true; they were also worried about their daughters.
Once the conversation started, everyone instantly found a common language, and those who knew that the selection of the Crown Princess had begun immediately started gossiping implicitly.
Among them, Princess Rongxian was the most enthusiastic. She already had a son and a daughter. Her son, Linbu, was obviously the future Zasakdoruo Prince of the Balin tribe, but she was worried about her daughter. Princess Rongxian's daughter, Borjigit, was born in the 35th year of the Kangxi reign. She was thirteen this year and it was time for her to find a husband.
The princess has privileges on the grassland, but the princess's daughter does not. It is better for her to marry in Beijing.
The princesses gossiped enthusiastically for a long time and went to Ningshou Palace and other places more frequently. After all, they were the ones who assisted in government affairs. After a few days, they came to their senses: this Crown Princess would probably come from Manchuria.
Look, apart from the first few days when the Empress Dowager cultivated relationships with her granddaughters, she then bluntly said, "You are all grown up now, please help me see if there are any good ones among these girls." Princess Shuhui and Princess Duanmin had even seen the Crown Princess. The Empress Dowager's approach has remained unchanged for thousands of years.
Princess Rongxian was the first to come to her senses. Since this was hopeless, she decided to settle for the next best thing: finding a prince in the capital would be a good option for her daughter. Princess Rongxian humbly agreed with the Empress Dowager, "We are young and ignorant, and we are just following our ancestors to see the fun."
Inwardly, he was thinking, if this doesn't work, there are others. He didn't show it, simply thinking of taking the opportunity to bring his daughter in more often so she could show off before the Empress Dowager and the Emperor. Of course, he also had to be more attentive to his elders to increase his importance.
The Empress Dowager was very happy. There was one more person who could help, and the life became even more lively.
However, they did not know that the wealthy families in Beijing were complaining: It was already a headache to deal with the different hobbies of several superiors, so how come an extra-staff examiner suddenly appeared out of nowhere?
Many of the princesses in Kangxi's family were not easy to deal with. They didn't have the power to make decisions, but they did have a say. If they said something unkind, you would suffer. They also had daughters of their own, so who knows if one or two of them would be careless and act rashly?
It wasn't until the middle of the first month that everyone realized the princesses' daughters weren't being considered. So the princesses were simply trying to smooth things over, not offending anyone and completely following the Empress Dowager's opinion. Only then did everyone feel relieved.
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The noise outside quickly reached the ears of the Eastern Palace. Kangxi wasn't necessarily as well-informed as the Eastern Palace in this regard. The Crown Princess's family was under scrutiny, so it was hard for her not to know. If she knew, the Crown Prince would know too.
Hearing his wife jokingly say, "No one who is about to marry a daughter-in-law has as much free time as me. All of Hongxi's affairs are handled by the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Household Department. I don't even need to worry about Hongdan's wife."
Yinreng was depressed for a while: "I should have told the legal guardian earlier."
The Crown Prince also received a message from Fabao: Soetu had died, and his son had to observe mourning, losing his official position and reciting Buddhist scriptures behind closed doors. Fabao was also a remarkable man, repeatedly criticized by Kangxi for being "lazy" and unwilling to do his job, but he was repeatedly flattened by Kangxi, then carved into 2,580,000 and continued to play as a card.
The reason is also because of "laziness". Laziness is good. If you can't be honest and do your job, just be a little lazy. At least you won't cause trouble.
However, due to the family's consensus, Fabao had no choice but to work hard for once.
Yinreng was speechless: "My son is getting married, how come I don't know?"
Fabao asked mysteriously, "Why does Ningshou keep asking the imperial eunuchs to bring the girls into the palace? You don't know, usually the imperial eunuchs come alone to pay their respects. Only at times like this will the Empress Dowager say, 'Call the girls from your families over to play.'"
Yinreng turned his face away in pain. Suo Etu was truly the smartest person in the family. If it were him, he would have understood what he meant by now. He had no choice but to tell Fa Bao bluntly: "Don't have these crooked thoughts!"
After hearing what Shujia said, he complained to her: "One by one, they take advantage of the opportunity."
Shujia said, "It's human nature—is there really no suitable girl in their family?"
"If there were, you would have seen it in Ningshou Palace. If there were, I would have heard about it. Let's not talk about them anymore. I wonder if Wu Yunzhu has woken up? [3]"
"You're not going to attend the meeting?"
The little girl who had been sleeping in front of them also hummed at the right time. Shujia laughed and said, "I think calling her Little Pig is very appropriate!"
Yinreng had already leaned over to hug his daughter: "How can you say that to your own daughter?" My daughter is so well-behaved and cute!
"You're almost becoming a filial daughter."
Yinreng was about to retort, but then he realized something. He hugged his daughter, dodging her hand that was tickling his chin. He tilted his head and said, "I finally understand why it's so noisy outside." Who doesn't love their daughter? "Hiss——"
Shujia reached out and grabbed her daughter's little paw, looking at her nails carefully: "They've grown longer again. You can't use knives and scissors during the first month of the year." A baby's nails are thin, and if used at the right angle, they can be really sharp when scratching people.
"What will happen if she gets scratched?" Yinreng came over to study together.
Shujia suddenly stood up straight and stared at Yinreng's chin. While men under his command were supposed to grow beards later, Yinreng strictly adhered to this rule and shaved diligently, so his chin was still bald. Therefore, the three scratch marks running from cheek to chin were particularly noticeable.
"Even if I find you a cat to hold while you attend court hearings, I still can't wash myself clean even if I jump into the Yellow River!"
"Well?"
Shujia took a small target mirror from the dressing table, placed it in front of Yinreng, and tilted it slightly so that he could see her chin.
The Crown Prince raised his neck in a very arrogant manner: "Who dares to look at me?!"
"What's wrong with your face?!" Look, there are still people who dare to look.
For example, Kangxi.
He is still a child control freak.
After Kangxi's reminder, the princes standing before the emperor all looked openly at their second brother's face. They were so suffocated that they had already seen the three stripes on the crown prince's face, but they couldn't guess why. The Eastern Palace didn't keep cats, and the crown princess was not a bad-tempered person. How could he be injured?
Yinreng felt guilty for a moment, then started to act like a bachelor: "Your granddaughter scratched it." Go ahead and laugh if you want.
Kangxi was puzzled: "Didn't you cut her nails?"
Yinreng didn't notice that his father actually knew all this, and said dejectedly: "I used to be afraid that she would scratch her face, so I cut it when it grew too long. It's the first month of the year now... It's a good thing she scratched me." Hongdan only scratched her arms that year, but this girl scratched her face directly.
Yinzhi was stunned. His Khan-father and his second brother were...talking about whether his niece's nails needed to be cut right here at the imperial gate? Khan-father, the servants are about to come up to report!
Kangxi came back to his senses quickly: "I'll go see that girl later, and you--" he waved his hand, motioning Yinreng to come closer, and whispered, "Don't turn your face too far away later, there are foreign officials here today." Don't face them with the half of your face that was scratched.
After the morning meeting, Kangxi departed for the Eastern Palace. The Crown Princess was still in Ningshou Palace, and the Eastern Palace's beloved was rebelling on the kang. Her nails were still uncut, and she was wrapped tightly to prevent scratching herself. The little girl felt constrained and unhappy.
Kangxi was waiting in the front hall when the nurse brought the tightly wrapped little girl over. After she entered the room and brought her before the emperor, Yinreng stepped forward and said, "Give her to me."
Kangxi reached out and lifted the corner of the quilt covering the little girl's forehead in the same way as Yinreng did. When the day broke, the little chubby girl gave her grandfather a big smile. The little girl had the advantage of appearance, and her chubby face was very festive.
Hearing her smile, Kangxi felt much better.
Seeing his granddaughter struggling, Kangxi reached out and took her in. Yinreng was still a little worried, so Kangxi raised his eyebrows and said, "I held you in my arms before." Yinreng wisely shut up.
After falling down twice and struggling constantly, Wu Yunzhu, a healthy little girl, finally managed to free her hand. After being freed, the first thing she did was to grab something new to study: What is this?
Yinreng hurried forward to rescue his father's beard.
Kangxi believed that this little girl was definitely capable of scratching the crown prince's face. Even if his "divine beauty" was offended, Kangxi could not get angry at such a lovely face. This girl was often surrounded by her brothers and was very accepting of the fact that she was hugged again, just treating Kangxi as another person to play with her.
She didn't cry or make a fuss, but smiled and was still soft. Kangxi held his granddaughter and teased her for a long time before letting her go.
Compared to this vast army of figures, Kangxi's daughters seemed few and far between, and even fewer still survived. The Tenth Princess, married off at the end of last year, was his youngest surviving daughter, already eighteen. After the Tenth Princess, all the other imperial daughters died young. While a concubine gave birth to a daughter on October 9th of last year, she died in December, never causing a stir in the palace.
No wonder Kangxi was willing to play with his healthy and lively granddaughter when he saw her.
Yinreng watched Kangxi laugh for a while, then took the initiative to step forward and take his daughter: "Khan Ama, you haven't read the memorials submitted today."
Kangxi released his hand and looked at Yinreng's face. "You've moved around a lot today. Just stay here and study. I don't think the scratch is too deep. It won't be too noticeable tomorrow."
The next day, the few marks on Yinreng's face were no longer noticeable. The emperor and his son chuckled and began to call people forward to discuss the issue.
There are indeed things to discuss. For example, the Ministry of Justice reported that "Zhu Yongzuo followed the monk Yi Nian, arbitrarily claimed the Ming Dynasty's reign title of De, and wrote unwarranted poems, causing confusion and sedition. He should be executed immediately."
Kangxi was so angry that he trembled: "After Zhu San was gone, here comes Zhu Yongzuo! It seems that I was too lenient towards them! This trend cannot be allowed to continue!"
The princes all expressed their opinions, saying that it must be because the sentence given to Zhu San last time was too light that this group of monsters came out. They must be as cruel and ruthless to the enemies as the autumn wind sweeps away the fallen leaves!
Kangxi gnashed his teeth. What "immediate execution"?! Lingchi!
The execution took place in the first month of the lunar year, which shows how angry Kangxi was.
The next day, however, more tragic news arrived: Song Alabu, the Prince of Ordos, who had come to pay his respects, had died in Beijing. Rubbing his forehead, Kangxi ordered a thousand taels of silver for funeral arrangements, and sent Yinsi, the Prince of Ordos, and his guards to escort the coffin back to Beijing.
Since Yinsi was about to go on a business trip, someone would have to take care of the mess he had on hand. Yinreng also wrote a contingency plan in case Kangxi asked about it. Furthermore, the emperor would be touring the capital again in a few days, so he needed to make arrangements for the operation of the Eastern Palace after his departure from Beijing.
Shujia saw that he was too busy and worried that he was exhausted, so she personally brought someone to deliver a midnight snack to his study: "I know you are busy with important things, so I won't say anything else. Don't forget to eat when you are busy. If you are hungry, you will have no energy, and if you have no energy, you can't do anything good."
Yinreng put down his pen and said while washing his hands, "With you here, how can I starve?"
He sat down at the Huanghuali crabapple-shaped table. "Everything has come together. First, there was Zhu Yongzuo. Today, Prince Duoluo of Ordos has died of illness, and Laduhun, who was sent to examine the lama, has returned."
"This Laduhun, does he look like a cabinet scholar? It's embarrassing that a lama would need him to make such a trip. Can't the Lifanyuan or some other government office send someone?" Shujia started to arrange the plates.
Yinreng picked up his chopsticks and said, "The Diba appointed a fake lama before, but he died on the way to the capital. Lazang appointed a new one, and Khan Ama was afraid there might be another fake one, so he asked Laduhun to go and take a look."
After saying that, he went to eat his snack quietly.
The Crown Princess who was struck by lightning was left to digest this fact: Could that fake Lama be... Tsangyang Gyatso?
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The Crown Prince is already very busy, and the court officials are even busier than him.
In order to show off and also to get extra points for their girls, everyone rolled up their sleeves to get the job done.
The men were very busy, but one of them was even busier. Not only was he busy with his daughter's future, he was also busy coaxing his concubine. He was Longkodo.
Longkodo was a rare talent in the Xi Dynasty. He belonged to a wealthy family, had a relatively sober father above him, and a legitimate son who had already held an official position behind him. Not to mention the fact that the overlord, Kangxi, was a perfectionist who saw upholding propriety as his own duty, yet he dared to favor his concubine over his wife. He even clashed with his biological parents over his concubine, practically threatening his family's reputation and his own life to keep them from taking action—the very effect of joining a cult and being brainwashed was evident.
At this moment, he was busy circling around his beloved concubine Si'er: "What's wrong with you? Where exactly do you feel uncomfortable? Is that doctor stupid? He can't cure you!"
Si'er turned away and slumped over on the bed. Something was on her mind. She had given Longkodo a son and two daughters, which was part of her legacy. However, her children were all debts. Her son was fine, but Longkodo had been given a job through scheming. But her daughter was a disaster—a bastard. Tong Guowei had gathered the girls in the family for consideration. Si'er's eldest daughter was old enough, but Tong Guowei had overlooked this granddaughter.
Even though both legitimate and illegitimate children can run for election next year, there is still a difference between having family support or not. The Tong family has no shortage of girls, so how could her daughter get such a good opportunity? Si'er was heartbroken and cried out in pain with a bit of tears: "Ouch~"
When Longkodo heard this, his soul flew away. His sobs were even louder than Si'er's. "Where does it hurt?" he urged angrily. "Where are the people? Are they all dead? Go and get two more doctors."
Last time, he tried to comfort him with kind words and asked him detailed questions, but Si'er just kept him waiting without saying anything.
The doctors came, and if Longkodo didn't need them, he really wanted to scare them first. After the doctor examined her, he was confused. The woman didn't have any disease, so why did the man look like she was about to die?! She explained to Longkodo tremblingly, "It's nothing serious." As soon as the four words "It's nothing serious" came out of her mouth, Si'er let out another sob. Longkodo immediately turned hostile: "You mean it's nothing serious?! You quack, free up your hands and I will send someone to smash your signboard!"
The doctor was so frightened that he ran away. Si'er just kept saying he was not feeling well. Longkodo was so anxious that sweat broke out on his forehead and tears came out. Finally, he simply sent someone to the Imperial Hospital to fetch the imperial physician. Si'er smiled at the sound of the words in the tent, then his face turned sad. When the imperial physician finally arrived and took the patient's pulse, he was so skilled that he found nothing wrong. He then started to worry.
He said to Longkodo, "There's nothing seriously wrong with my limbs, I'm just a little depressed." Those who can't see the symptoms are just boredom from overeating, causing them to think too much and then become depressed. This is a relatively standard statement.
Longkodo quickly asked for a prescription and medicine. The imperial physician casually prescribed a bitter prescription, saying, "Don't bother us for no reason: drink it for seven days and you will be fine."
After the imperial physician left, Longkodo personally supervised the preparation and boiling of the medicine. When the medicine was ready, he ran over to feed it to Si'er himself. Si'er knew that he was fine, but he found it too bitter. Longkodo coaxed him, saying, "Good medicine tastes bitter, but you'll be fine after drinking it."
Si'er cursed inwardly, thinking it was fine if he didn't drink it, but then he remembered that he still had something to tell Longkodo, so he had to endure the bitterness and finish the bowl of medicine. If you close your eyes and drink it all in one gulp, it will be fine, but Longkodo insisted on feeding it spoonful by spoonful, and Si'er felt that his tongue was numb from the bitterness.
After Longkodo finished serving the medicine, he brought tea for Si'er to rinse her mouth, helped her lie down, and then carefully asked, "What's on your mind? Why don't you tell me?"
Si'er sighed, "If I tell you, it will only cause you more sorrow. Why should I bother?"
Longkodo quickly wiped her tears and said, "Just tell me, I'll find a way to handle anything."
Si'er then expressed his wish: "I would rather follow you without any name or status, but... there are these evildoers. They have grown up now. If you say it to others, they were raised by the concubine. Even if they are relatives..." He started crying again, and this time he turned around and faced Longkodo with his back.
After all these years, Longkodo's first wife hadn't died, not because these two people were kind, but because the situation didn't allow it. If the first wife died, Longkodo would have to remarry, and the idea of a concubine becoming the first wife, especially one of that background, was out of the question - Tong Guowei's tolerance also had its limits.
Longkodo's first wife was a royal concubine, so her death was particularly difficult. Si'er, harboring resentment, had often tortured the respectable mistress at home. This time, the eldest daughter was left out, further exasperating Si'er, who then directly took the matter to Longkodo.
Longkodo was a man who only obeyed his concubines, and now the future of his illegitimate children was involved, so he began to think carefully about this issue. He patted Si'er on the back and coaxed her softly, "Don't worry, I won't let my children suffer any humiliation."
Even if he couldn't make her the legitimate wife, getting an imperial edict for Si'er would be a good idea. Slowly, Longkodo told Si'er his plan one by one.
Si'er turned over and sat up: "But Da Niuniu has already complained about the delay..."
"Will you allow me to think of a solution?" Longkodo said. He had the most distant relationship with the Crown Prince in the entire family. If he didn't find a solution, his future would be fraught with worry once the Crown Prince ascended to power. It wasn't so much for him, as he was Kangxi's cousin after all, and the Crown Prince couldn't go too far with him. But the future of his beloved son, Yuzhu, would be ruined.
Thinking to himself, "Eighth Prince has misled me," Longkodo began to think, "If I could marry my daughter off to a better man, so that the whole family could benefit, wouldn't that be a good option?" With both sons and daughters taken care of, Si'er was also happy.
Longkodo clenched his fists and decided to get the imperial edict for Si'er first, so that his daughter would be eligible for nomination within the family, and then... if my father doesn't cultivate my daughter, I will do it myself!
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If this person lost his mind, his head wouldn't be filled with brainstorming, but with the devastation left by the typhoon. Longkodo hadn't studied Kangxi's thinking at all, and no one had studied Kangxi's particulars about arranged marriages.
He had a regular work and rest schedule, didn't smoke or drink, studied and worked hard, respected his mother and grandmother, was friendly to his siblings, loved his children, and cared for his relatives... Kangxi had all the qualities of a good man in the 21st century except for being "loyal".
As an emperor, such self-discipline can only mean one thing: he is a perfectionist.
As a perfectionist emperor, he could tolerate some regrets in government affairs due to the struggles between various factions. However, he would never tolerate any more flaws within the controllable scope.
Therefore, even if his grandfather Huang Taiji married someone else's aunt and then married someone else's niece, his father Shunzhi did the same. Even if his son Yongzheng married his younger brother's sister-in-law to his son as a wife, his grandson Qianlong even married his cousin to his uncle as a second wife.
When it comes to the marriages of his younger children, Kangxi strictly enforces the iron rule that marriages cannot be between people of different generations.
No matter how hard Longkodo tried, his daughter could never marry into the Eastern Palace, no matter whether she was a legitimate or illegitimate child.
But Longkodo was unaware of Kangxi's obsession, and neither were the powerful officials in the capital. Invisibly, they had many imaginary enemies, and they were all looking for ways to strangle him.
A famous person must be mentioned here: Alinga.
At the height of his power, Alinga led the Imperial Guards and the Imperial Household, prayed for a good harvest on behalf of the emperor, and his daughter was nominated as the prince's wife. It was inevitable that he was well-informed, and when he heard that Longkodo had sought an imperial decree for his concubine, he was delighted—he was just worried about finding an opportunity to mess with your family!
Few people in the city knew about Longkodo's misdeeds, but no one had exposed them because they were on the Tong family's signboard. Alinga knew about it, but he had let it slide. He had been so used to forgetting about it that he suddenly brought it up, which gave him a brilliant idea.
If the Tong family's reputation went wrong, then even with Emperor Kangxi's blessing, the entire family would be unable to hold their heads up for many years. Even when I hated the crown prince, I still thought: The emperor loves the crown prince too much. Now Alinga just wants to sing: It's great that the emperor loves the crown prince, he loves him so much, it's wonderful!
If the Tong family has any moral issues, will the emperor still give the prince a daughter-in-law from the Tong family?
The answer is no.
Just like Tong Guowei planned to put forward a family candidate, Alinga also developed a plan to clear the obstacles for his own girls to enter the palace.
In early February, the emperor was leaving the capital with the crown prince and several other princes. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Alinga bribed a large number of people to spread the Tong family's scandal throughout the capital. The imperial tour would take some time, and by the time the emperor returned, the whole city would be in turmoil.
It's hard to tell others, but the Shi family and the Hesheli family, who have close ties with the Eastern Palace, will definitely find a way to tell the palace. Then, hehe~ then there's no need to show up myself.
By the way, Alinga has a skill: spreading gossip.
The author has something to say:
[1] Alinga’s ability to spread rumors is recorded in history. On one occasion, he personally accused his brother Faka of being a hooligan. On another occasion, he bribed actors and servants to slander the prince in the market.
[2] The word "sea clam" comes from online information.
[3] Wuyunzhu means ninety, not ninety-seven. The previous number was wrong.
ps: Catching the clown and hugging a cat is so cute!
PPS: Since Longkodo and Si'er are annoying, why not write about them first?
Actually, I don’t like Tong Guowei and Alinga either…
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