Trouble in Yuqing Palace
"Well, mother, I sit and lie down all day, how much can I eat?"
When she said this, Shujia was in confinement after giving birth, and Xiluo Te was able to enter the palace to stay with her daughter for a while. This was not the first time Xiluo Te had come to help her daughter during her confinement, but her mood this time was subtly different from the previous time.
The last time I came, I was so excited, so thrilled that even a woman like Xiluo, usually so composed, felt a bit paranoid. My daughter had given birth to a son, my eldest son. I'd been worried for nearly a year, and now he finally had someone to rely on. Xiluo watched intently, listening intently at night. In her dreams, she kept repeating, "I hope he grows up safely." I hope both mother and child are safe, so that they can live happily together.
This time, she still showed concern, but with a touch of ease. This was already her second son, and if nothing unexpected happened, her position as Crown Princess would be secure. What else was there to worry about?
Xiluo Te's attention shifted more towards her daughter and grandson, and she thought less about her future. Her daughter ate well and slept soundly, and her younger grandson already had a wet nurse and nanny assigned by the Imperial Household Department to care for him. Her older grandson could run and jump, talk and laugh, and had even begun learning to write.
Life is so perfect.
Xiluotai no longer had anything to worry about. She acted like an ordinary old lady, no longer thinking about inheritance. She kept an eye on her daughter's health all day long: "Giving birth is like dying once. You can't be careless. The root cause of the illness you develop during the confinement period will last a lifetime."
"My dear mother, you've said this once before," Shujia said helplessly, "This isn't my first time in confinement after childbirth."
"You have to be careful, though. You still have decades to go. Don't take advantage of your youth and take things lightly. You'll suffer when you get old."
"I know~" Well, Hongxiu, who was next to the old lady, led the little eunuchs and carried table after table of nourishing stews, which flowed up like water.
Shujia reluctantly took the bowl of soup, drank two sips, and asked Hongxiu, "Where's Hongdan?" It seemed that she would have to change this girl's name. Because "Hong" and "Hong" have the same pronunciation, it's a little better now, but in two years, this name will no longer be acceptable.
"Our Third Prince was called by the Crown Prince. He was testing the grades of the First and Second Princes and said that the Third Prince is also a big brother. From now on, he should follow along and listen."
"Hmm."
Xiluo Te asked, "Have you been taking care of those two young masters recently?"
Hongxiu answered, "Madam, our master has been unwell lately and has seen less. He usually sees the two young masters every day to ask about their studies and invite them to dinner every few days. The eldest prince of Xiefang Palace is not feeling well, so the master has shown mercy and asked his birth mother to look after him."
Xiluo Te smiled and said to Shujia, "Then I feel relieved. Even if I have my own son, I still have to take care of my husband's son." Every time Xiluo Te saw Shujia, in addition to reminding her to behave like a mistress, take good care of her son and husband, and look after her own family, she would never forget this one thing.
Shujia was helpless: "Mother, am I that kind of person?"
"But I have to say that when people get old, they tend to nag."
"Speaking of which, how's things going at home?"
"Now I just sit back and watch over everything. These past few days, the emperor has been out on tour, so there's been less going on in the capital."
Yu Niu gently replaced the teacup for Xiluo. Xiluo nodded with a smile and continued to talk to Shujia: "Even though the old man's health is not as good as before, his temper is still the same."
Both mother and daughter felt a little helpless. The old man had been much quieter this year, less active outside and more at home. Hua Shan's current hobby was to infuriate his eldest son and grandson, feeling incredibly frustrated because they wouldn't let him play with their great-grandson and instead hired a teacher to send him to class.
The other irritant was the younger grandson. Qingde not only refused to let him play with the great-grandson, but he also came over to play with him, trying to confuse the old man so he wouldn't have any plans for his son. Huashan was a higher-ranking hooligan than Qingde, how could one not see that?
He chased me around the yard with a cane in hand: "Stop right there, you monkey!"
Hua Shan also felt a deep sense of grievance. He had played a significant role in Soetu's forced retirement by the Crown Prince. Now that Soetu had truly retired, he was being branded a good man who retired at the right moment. No matter how many mistakes he had made, Kangxi wouldn't pursue them further. And the Crown Prince might even have a little affection for him over time. This made Hua Shan feel uncomfortable. He couldn't be more active, or else he'd give people the impression that he'd squeezed Soetu out and gotten himself in. This was a bad idea and detrimental to long-term development.
Hua Shan could only stay at home and torment himself. Then he cursed inwardly, "Su San, I always cheat people, and this time you cheated me!" He had to rely on some "good news" to make himself happy, such as his granddaughter gave birth again, or his son and grandson got promoted... He could only vent his accumulated resentment by hunting down his second grandson! He couldn't go out and cause trouble for others. It was so frustrating!
If you feel like hitting someone, like a captain, a hereditary viscount, or someone who is in charge of a royal guard, wouldn't that make you feel good?
————————————————————————————————
Shujia's confinement this month was remarkably leisurely. It was much better than the last time. Last time, there were fewer pregnant women in the palace, and everyone wanted to at least report the news. This time, with three newborns and two expectant mothers, everyone's attention was inevitably divided. Even though the same thing always attracted more attention when it happened to the Crown Princess, Shujia still felt much more relaxed than before.
With the birth of the second son, everyone showed increasing respect for the Yuqing Palace, the Crown Princess, and the people around them. This respectful attitude, compared to the previous forceful, rote-learning method, now seemed to have become a kind of common sense that was ingrained in their bones. In the eyes of most people, the Eastern Palace was already as stable as a rock, and paying attention to it was useless.
The most prominent manifestation of this was when the little fat boy was born, everyone was so excited that they would wake up laughing at night. Now, it has become an established fact, just like the sun rising in the east and setting in the west.
It's like a student who gets a perfect score on their first test. Everyone enviously chirps for a long time, "Ah, it's him!" "Great! He must have worked so hard!" "Huh? Really? I almost got a perfect score, too." The second time, everyone starts saying, "Him again?" "He's amazing!" The third time, "Oh, him again!" "Got it!" "I'm used to it." In the end, everyone becomes numb, saying "Oh!" and burying their heads in their studies, trying not to fail.
This was good news for the Donggong faction, but it wasn't so good for some others.
Yinreng was overjoyed to have a son, and he wrote to Kangxi to announce the good news. It wasn't a daughter, which was a little disappointing, but a son wasn't bad either; more sons, more blessings. Furthermore, having two legitimate sons, even without a serious analysis, was still subconsciously joyful.
He reported to Kangxi earnestly: "...On September 14th, the Crown Princess and Yuqing Palace gave birth to a son. Both mother and child are doing well. This time it's more successful than last time..."
Kangxi was overjoyed when he received the letter.
The emperor's tours weren't just for fun. This time, he was visiting the tombs in Shengjing to report his military exploits to his ancestors. He was also accompanying the Empress Dowager, allowing her to offer a remote tribute to her parents and meet with the Mongol tribes, fostering closer ties and engaging in diplomacy. Hmm, saying "diplomacy" seems a bit off; it was about promoting the healthy development of the united front and increasing closeness?
Probably. It's nothing more than increasing centripetal force. And a long-lasting dynasty and a thriving royal family are definitely a bargaining chip for increasing centripetal force in this era.
Kangxi happily announced the news to everyone.
Naturally, his elder brother Yinzhi, who had always disliked his second brother, also found out about this and was unsurprisingly furious. At the time, Yinzhi had just returned from outside the tent, where he had gone out to inquire about the location of a high-ranking monk so that he could hire him to come to Beijing with a high salary and take charge of the temple he had opened.
He was filled with joy, thinking that by the end of the year the temple would be finished, and the monks recruited would be in place. And by next year, when his own residence was completed and the temple officially opened, what a wonderful thing it would be.
Good things also have different levels of importance.
"Asshole!" Yinzhi couldn't help but be furious. He had planned to report the good news of recruiting a high-ranking monk to Kangxi tomorrow, but he was intercepted! They even gave him a big reward. Gritting his teeth, I endured it! I won't report this news. You can't have children every day. Next spring, I will directly present the well-maintained Bao'en Temple to the Khan Ama. Let's see what tricks you have!
——————————————————————————————————————————
Yuqing Palace did not make any moves, but was busy responding to the moves.
The first one to make a move was the fat boy, who aspired to be a good brother.
"Hey, what are you doing?" The one asking the question was the mother who was about to come over to stop them.
Since the chubby boy had a younger brother, he's become more and more like an older brother. After finishing school, he fulfills his older brother's duties and encourages his younger brother to "make progress." "Speak now, call me brother. Oh, first learn to call me Ama and E'mian. I'll teach you. I guarantee you'll be smart. Hey, wake up! Why are you still sleeping, little pig?"
I poke, I poke, I poke, poke, poke! Hey, it feels good, I pinch it again and again. The little fat boy forgot his brother's supervision and felt like he had found a new and interesting toy.
Erpang: "zzzzzz~hum!" The mosquito was so annoying that he slapped it and said, "Shut up! I want to sleep."
The little fat boy was stunned and turned around to complain: "Mother, he hit me!"
Were you the one who poked him first? Shujia glanced over. She hadn't paid much attention to the two brothers being so close just now, but now she saw that there was already a red mark on Erpang's tender little face!
The little fat boy was still feeling extremely aggrieved, his eyes filled with tears as he asked, "How could he not be obedient?"
Zhao, the wet nurse of Erpang, hurried forward and gently held Erpang's little fat paw: "Hello, brother, you are asleep." Her other hand gently stroked Erpang's bald forehead. Erpang felt comfortable and stopped humming.
Fang also came over and whispered to the little fat boy: "The Fourth Prince was sleeping, and you woke him up. He should cry."
The fat boy looked up and saw his mother looking at him helplessly, as if he had done something really bad! How annoying! Everyone is bad! Little brother is naughty, disobedient, unmotivated, and even takes a nap. He is a piece of rotten wood. His mother actually thinks he is wrong. His mother is partial. Woohoo, his mother doesn't love him anymore...
"I feel so wronged!" The little fat boy lowered his head, his head looking a little big, and his neck hurt from the stuttering. His eyes were red, and he clenched his hands together, looking at the tips of his boots. He stubbornly stopped talking. "I'm a man, I can handle it!"
Shujia: ...She (she could refer to herself that way more readily in front of her two sons) is still in confinement after her postpartum period, feeling suffocated by being confined to her room every day. With Xiluo watching, her struggles have only allowed her to get out of bed and stroll around the house a few times, just two weeks later. I'm as annoyed as a trapped animal. My hands itch to tug at the tiny, newly braided hair of this ignorant, unfilial son!
Shujia's brow furrowed. Her son's fragile heart wasn't a good sign. She was about to scold him. How could you be so ignorant? Babies under a month old are like this. You could be more obedient. You're still angry! You need some frustration education.
If this were to be said, the little fat boy would probably have some psychological trauma. Who knows what will happen next.
Fortunately, the Crown Princess couldn't be alone, especially when she was with her sons, always surrounded by others. She could lecture her sons, get angry, and say harsh words. The maids, however, couldn't do that; they had to coax the young master with gentle words. Sehetu smiled and squatted down, "The Fourth Prince was asleep, and when he was waving his arm, he accidentally bumped into the master. If you don't believe me, look, isn't the Fourth Prince sleeping soundly?"
Sehetu's voice was soft, as if she was afraid of waking up the fat boy. Of course, she was also worried about that. She suddenly created an atmosphere, and the fat boy's expression became cautious. He asked in a low voice, "Really? Let me see."
Sehetu picked up the little fat boy and looked over to see that the second fat boy in the stroller was still sleeping soundly. "What? He can sleep so well?" he muttered in a low voice.
Xiluotai was also present and said, "The Fourth Prince has fallen asleep. Let's go sit outside." Shujia, wearing a brocade embroidered robe, was fanning herself with her hands by the front of her collar, feeling angry. Hearing Xiluotai's words, telling her to go outside, she left.
The fat boy's eyes reddened for a moment, and his nose began to run. Fang smiled and said, "It's really hot in autumn. If you feel hot, please wipe your face. It's autumn after all. Fanning yourself might catch a cold, and you haven't finished your confinement yet. Let's fetch some water, and wipe Third Prince's face."
Xiluo Te smiled and said, "Madam, you are right." Fang also smiled and said, "It is the duty of servants." She ordered the palace maids to fetch water and took the fat boy to wash his face.
Xiluo Te took two quick steps forward and whispered, "What's wrong with you? How old is the Third Prince? What can he understand? Are you angry with him? We have children of the same age, but you are tolerant of those who are not your own, but you are so rude to your own child. You must have scared him."
Outside, where the light was brighter, Xiaoman wrung out a damp, hot towel. Shujia wiped her face, slowly coming to her senses. Little Fatty was probably suffering from eldest son/daughter depression. Initially, he was happy to have a younger sibling, but then, realizing the attention was being shared less, he felt abandoned. Especially for someone like Little Fatty, born to be the center of attention, it's easy for him to have these distractions.
I didn't even think of this! I almost gave him a psychological trauma just now! Shujia felt ashamed: What's wrong with me? So emotional?
He sighed and took a seat at the main seat. He saw the fat boy, led forward by the nanny, was a bit hesitant, his steps filled with a hint of grievance.
Shujia stretched out her arms: "Come, come to mother."
The little fat boy looked at Shujia, then rushed forward, climbed onto the seat quickly, and threw himself into Shujia's arms: "Mom~" with a nasal tone.
Shujia reached out and patted the fat boy on the back: "Hey, you're sinking again."
"Hmph!" He buried his little face in his mother's chest and rubbed it back and forth as if to vent his anger.
"Isn't that good?" Xiluo said with a smile.
"Come, mother, take a look. Does your face hurt?"
“Hmm~Hmm——”
The mother and son, one wanted to see it, the other refused, chasing and hiding, until the little fat boy was coaxed over. He gave up and lay in his mother's arms, stretching his arms and hugging his mother: "Mom, my face hurts a little."
"Come, let me see." A thin red mark, invisible without close inspection, doesn't mean it doesn't hurt. Someone who was suspected of postpartum depression (?) has returned to normal, and I'm beginning to feel distressed. Huhu for my son.
The little fat boy was happy: "Mother."
"Um."
"Mother."
"Yeah." She held him and rocked him gently. The little fat boy laughed so hard that he started to laugh: "Mother still loves me. Then I won't be angry with my brother. I'll just pretend that he didn't hit me."
Huh? Why isn't it shaking anymore? The little fat boy had been feeling so comfortable just now. He turned his neck and saw his mother saying to him expressionlessly, "Who told you that your mother doesn't love you anymore? Besides, when you were his age, he beat your father. Your father must have thought you never hit him."
"Huh?" The little fat boy shuddered.
At this time, the father his mother had mentioned came.
"What's going on? It's so lively? Why are you out? Hongdan is here too? Where's your brother? Everyone, get up. Help the old lady get some rest; she's very tired." Yinreng's thoughts were easily distracted. The people who came to pay their respects stood up. Xiluotai greeted the crown prince and tactfully left, leaving the room for the family of four. Before leaving, she gave her daughter a look.
"Greetings to Ama," the little fat boy slid to the ground, mumbling, "My brother is sleeping." He looked up pitifully and took a peek. Ama, you must have forgotten, right? Right?
"I'll go see him. Hey? What's wrong with you? Don't you recognize your father?" What a strange look.
The little fat man lowered his head guiltily.
Shujia smiled, "It's just right. It's time for Mother to let me out for some fresh air. I have to go back and rest." She said in a dissatisfied tone, "Let's go in and take a look. There's something we have to discuss first. Our Third Prince made a fool of himself today."
"What's going on?" He came up and supported his wife's arm, letting his son hold his clothes. The three of them walked into the inner room together, not forgetting to remind him, "Watch your step, there's a threshold."
"Ask him," he glanced at the fat boy, who lowered his head even more, "he came here today because he felt wronged. He actually said, 'Mother still loves me.' Why should I not love you? You have no conscience."
As they were talking, they arrived at the inner room. Yinreng looked into the carriage and his face turned serious: "What's wrong with Fourth Prince's face?"
The little fat boy thought, was it me who poked him just now? He wanted to cry, but he held it back. No, he was a man, he had to hold on.
Shujia wanted to bend down and hug him, but Yuniu quickly supported her and exchanged a glance with Fangshi, who then came up and lifted Hongdan up. Shujia then explained in a long and short manner: "Hongdan wanted to give a lecture to his brother and asked him to get up. His brother was asleep, so he ignored me and even scratched his face. I glared at him, and he said I only loved his brother and started to not love him anymore." She reached out and pinched the little fat boy's face. "How could you think that?"
Yinreng laughed, touched the top of Hongdan's head, and stroked it gently: "You, be more open-minded. You are the son of father and mother. How can I not love you? I love you the same!" The fat boy was a little embarrassed and a little touched: "Father~" He even acted like a spoiled child. Yinreng took him and hugged him: "It's heavy again."
"Mother also said I was sinking. I'm not a piglet, he's more like one, still sleeping." The boy looked down at his brother from above, having inherited the family's vengeful nature. He struggled to get down again, and Yinreng lowered the fat boy down, watching him lying on the side of the stroller. He reached out and touched the fat boy's face: "Hoohoo, it doesn't hurt anymore, brother didn't mean it. Does it hurt? I'll treat you well from now on."
Shujia said, "That's good now. Your father just said one word and you changed your mind. Why did you insist on dragging me around for so long?"
Yinreng held the fat boy's waist with one hand, and was about to reach out with the other hand to touch the fat boy together with the fat boy: "That's right, your son is close to me! Are you jealous? If you are jealous, then give birth to a daughter to be close to you."
Shujia spat at him lightly: "You're talking nonsense in front of your son again."
Yinreng chuckled twice, and formed a gangster father-son duo with Hongdan to continue harassing the fat kid.
Erpang felt an itch on his face. Were those pesky mosquitoes back? Why was he scratching instead of humming? Another slap came! Startled, Yinreng lifted Xiaopang up, avoiding the attack, and reached out to grasp Erpang's claws.
"Good boy! Slow down! Aren't you whipping your brother and your father?"
The little fat boy was startled and almost screamed out in fear. Before he could react, he heard this sentence: "It's over. I used to beat my father like this when I was a child... Ugh, it's so uncomfortable. Father, are you seeking revenge?" Being held by a strong arm meant there was no danger of falling to the ground, but... it was very uncomfortable!
Shujia stepped forward to pick up the fat baby, and everyone in the room was startled. They moved much faster than the woman in labor, and quickly took the fat baby and put him on the ground.
The three members of the family, almost all sweating, smiled at each other. The fat guy who caused the accident continued to zzzzz.
The story isn't over yet; Shujia still has to provide follow-up education for her son. A child's early experiences and psychology directly impact their development as an adult.
We must not neglect the little fat boy's food, clothing, housing and transportation. We must spend more time with him and talk to him more. There are also many examples: "Look at your eldest brother and second brother, isn't it the same? Your younger brother lives with mother now, and you also lay here when you were young..."
The fat boy finally understood. It wasn't that his parents loved him less, nor that they loved his younger brother more. It was simply that he had "grown up" and his expectations had changed. His older and middle brothers were already studying in the study, while he was still being taught by his parents. He would go to the study when he was older. When he was younger, he was a bit more aggressive than his younger brother and had beaten his parents for harassing him. He also lived with his parents when he was younger, but when his younger brother got older, he would have his own room.
Yinreng treated this as a joke: "Oh my, my son is jealous of his brother."
The young mother breathed a sigh of relief.
When you have more sons, how to manage the relationships between them and ensure their harmonious development is a big deal. The children's mental health is also very important.
Children aren't static, and you can't control every aspect of their development, especially their psychology. They're born as independent individuals, influenced by various factors. It's important to pay careful attention to your child's changes. Don't be careless and stick to the same method all the time; that's actually a sign of laziness and indifference.
This is how the Crown Princess concluded.
Damn! Being someone's mother is so hard! That's why mothers are great. Hey, my mother is getting old. Should I get her a walking stick tomorrow? Well, it would be too conspicuous in the palace. Better to have two palace maids support her... Let her have a good rest after the confinement period.
————————————————————————————————
The Crown Princess's confinement had ended, signaling the Second Prince's full month in Yuqing Palace, and October had arrived. The Second Prince's full month banquet followed the customary schedule for his brother. The night before, Yinreng, poking his youngest son's chubby, sleeping face, said to Shujia with regret, "What a shame, Khan Ama didn't make it again. Fortunately, Khan Ama would have returned before the New Year, and he would have been at the hundred-day banquet."
Shujia said: "It's not just once or twice that a family lives together. It's the same if Khan Ama can catch up with the Hundred Days Banquet." It's already too late, why bother complaining? "But, the son's name——"
"I have already consulted Khan Ama. Khan Ama said that he will be given a name after his return, one hundred days later."
"They have already handed over the list. Let's take a look and see if anyone is missing." Shujia pointed to the list on the table.
The hundred-day banquet wasn't large. Although it followed the Hongdan tradition, the importance of the two brothers was slightly different. Most of the attendees were women from the palace, as well as members of the imperial clan from the remaining ministers, effectively family members. Prince Yu Fuquan, ill, and Prince Gong Changning, declining in favor, were not accompanying the emperor. Both were in Beijing, but they also arrived.
Among the female members of the imperial family, some of the imperial concubines accompanied the emperor, such as Concubine Yi, whose family lived in Shengjing and was also taken there. According to Yinreng's words, Kangxi stayed at Concubine Yi's mother's home again when he returned to Shengjing. This was the second time Kangxi had stayed there.
If the concubines who stayed in Beijing, such as Concubine Tong, Concubine De, Concubine Hui, and Concubine Rong, said they would come, then of course the other wives would come.
Yinreng looked at it for a moment and didn't feel anything was missing: "Let's do it this way."
"Good. This time their gift is quite generous."
The gifts arrived before the guests arrived, and they were all generous and well-behaved. There were heavy gold lockets, vibrant yellow bracelets and anklets, and various gold and silver ingots. These were given to each palace. Below the gifts for the main palace were the gifts for the nobles and other dependents, which were of a lower order.
After Shujia had the list put away, she ordered Zhao Guoshi and Qingjin to put the items back into the warehouse according to the list. Valuable items were placed in a separate area, which would serve as a small treasury for her son.
The sisters-in-law were also generous. Each family had children, so even if it was just for the sake of exchanging gifts, they were generous. The court officials and royal family members all gave gifts, including ruyi and other items. Among them, the one given by Yaerjiang'a and his wife was a red sandalwood ruyi, exquisitely carved and inlaid with three pieces of beautiful jade, which sparkled brightly.
Among the gifts sent by the Shi family were some needlework. As aunts, Wendu and Jueluo also presented needlework.
To Shujia's surprise, Yinreng actually cared about these little things now, and even commented on the people on the list: "Yarjiang'a is a sensible person. If you treat him well, he will treat you well too..." Tsk tsk, Yarjiang'a's younger brother had promised his elder brother, the prince, that he would definitely be able to get his way in Yinzhi's palace.
Doing the same thing a second time would inevitably lose the freshness and excitement of the first time, and so it was this time. The concubines weren't as excited as they had been in previous years. They saw the child again, praised him again. After they sat down, the concubines arrived.
The Third Lady had left her confinement earlier, and the Crown Princess had given her generous gifts, which she had also given in return. When they met each other at this time, they even greeted each other's sons: "He looks whiter and plumper than the one in our family."
"I don't believe your child will be born badly. I can walk around now. I will definitely go see him tomorrow."
At the full moon banquet, the women talked about their children, but the Eighth Concubine, sitting in the middle, was particularly uncomfortable. Within a year, it was considered a newlywed wedding, so it was still too early for the Eighth Concubine. However, within the imperial family, the situation was different. Not only did the onlookers become anxious, but even she herself became anxious.
The Eighth Lady was extremely anxious, but she still managed to put on a bright smile: "Oh, she's so beautiful, she looks just like my second sister-in-law."
The Third Lady said, "My son looks like me, that's a sign of good fortune."
"I've heard that too..."
Chirping and chattering. No one noticed the Eighth Lady's depression.
The full-moon banquet didn't last long. After the guests dispersed, the chief eunuch emerged to direct the packing. It was time for Xiluo Te to return home. Shujia had brought her several large bags of supplies, everything from medicinal herbs to forging materials. She truly felt that Xiluo Te's life had been difficult. Mothers everywhere have their share of hardship, but mothers with two or more children face even greater hardships.
Xiluo Te was naturally reluctant to let her go, and before she left, she even warned her daughter: "Sit still and don't get angry easily. You have reached your current state, so you don't need to move around anymore. Be good to the eldest and second princes, and especially take good care of our third prince... You don't need to worry too much about the family, remember this."
Yinreng was talking to Soetu. Of course, Soetu was among the invited guests. Apparently, he was a veteran official who had voluntarily requested retirement, and Kangxi praised him and gave him a generous pension. Soetu said, "I was wrong before. From now on, I only hope to be able to come here and kowtow during the New Year holidays. That will be enough for me."
Yinreng felt a sense of accomplishment in his presence, but after hearing what he said, he also became sad: "You are still my uncle, why say anything more?"
——————————————————————————————————————————
The Shi family was certainly thriving, and even their in-laws enjoyed successful official careers. In October, Wendu's father, Ehai, was recognized by Emperor Kangxi and promoted from provincial governor to provincial governor.
However, Yuqing Palace has encountered another troublesome issue since the fat boy's "Brother Syndrome Incident." Your Highness, the Crown Prince, truly feels that he is short of money.
The Crown Princess discovered the Yuqing Palace's income and expenditure problems shortly after marrying in. At the time, her foundation was still shallow, her husband wasn't very involved, and the personnel issues within her own territory had yet to be sorted out. She was powerless—she needed to get to know her husband first before she could take action. The family was financially secure, with no other expenses. Furthermore, the Crown Princess herself was preoccupied with pregnancy and childbirth, so she didn't have to worry about this matter for the time being.
Now that the prince had discovered it himself, he became a little anxious.
The thing is, once the Fourth Prince's full moon celebration in Yuqing Palace arrives, it means mid-October, and they have to hold the annual ceremony. In previous years, the Crown Princess would worry about it, and of course, this year she still has to worry about it, but the situation has changed.
As mentioned earlier, Yinreng previously had a significant supporter: the Suo Party. The Suo Party was undoubtedly wealthy. They engaged in bribery, extortion, and used the names of certain influential figures to conduct business... They were incredibly wealthy. Similarly, they were also generous in their tributes.
Now, the prince discovered it, and he not only cut off the tail, but also the purse.
However, Yinreng did not regret it.
What the ruler likes, the people will follow. The King of Chu liked thin waists, and many palace ladies starved to death. The King of Qi liked purple, and Confucius said, "I dislike purple because it takes away from the color red."
The prince was arrogant, casually comparing others to dirt with every gesture, so everyone naturally kept quiet. The prince became approachable, so everyone naturally became closer to him. The prince wanted to hear the truth, and he became more pragmatic, so honest people would tell him the truth. Even those who were dishonest would carefully consider telling him a few truths.
It was only then that Yinreng learned many things he had never known before. His father's methods had truly been effective. Because of his "integrity," the imperial secretaries were energized, offering more advice to the crown prince, making more reports, and offering more persuasion.
The prince finally learned that much of his previous shady income had been extorted from his subordinates, who had used his name to pocket kickbacks and enrich themselves. Of course, he decided not to pursue this for now. There was also the bribery and corruption in official circles. The bribe-takers took the money, handed some to the prince, kept the rest, and then spoke a few words in his favor. Similarly, those who gave gifts were rewarded with official positions. As long as one did not make mistakes in their work, no one would say anything.
What a suicidal tactic! Yinreng was truly sweating this time. Fortunately, Soetu had retired early. And according to Soetu himself, Kangxi had already noticed something. There's hardly any clean money among the money you've collected! It's better not to take it!
But he didn't want to, as money was tight. The New Year was approaching, and he had to be careful about what gifts he gave to his Khan. Furthermore, the Crown Prince, aware of the importance of good relationships, wanted to be a generous giver. With his eldest brother planning to build a temple, the Crown Prince felt he needed some extra cash for personal matters. For example... supporting a few high-ranking monks. Or perhaps establishing a fund to help families of his former teachers in need, as a way of demonstrating his kindness and embracing his old friends.
A gentleman never talks about profit. The prince used to have more money than he could spend, so he had no idea about it. But now that he wanted to discuss this, he had to find a wife first. He felt a little ashamed as he spoke: "How much money do we have left?"
Shujia had never thought that Yinreng would ask her this question. It was so strange! She had noticed that Yinreng was now very common, but she had never expected him to ask this question.
After a moment's wait, he said, "Are you asking about cash? That's not much, and it's not the treasury of the Imperial Household Department up ahead. There's not much room for it. It's about ten thousand taels, reserved for emergencies." Then there were the daily expenses. Kangxi distributed daily necessities, but various bounties and temporary expenses, like when the Empress Dowager had to perform a ritual, all required money. To survive in the palace, spending couldn't be too stingy. It was part of daily life.
"So—what about a promising project?"
"This is a bit trivial, I need to take a look at the book." And a lot of it is the Crown Princess's dowry.
The Crown Prince had not previously realized the importance of this aspect. Whenever he needed something, he would just ask, and the Imperial Household Department would allocate funds. For minor personal matters, Soetu would do it. He did not own any property.
If you ignore his status as the Crown Prince, all the Crown Prince has now is a portion of the inventory in the Yuqing Palace warehouse. The house is lent to him by his father, and the car is allocated to him by his father. All of these can be reclaimed at any time. The only things that cannot be reclaimed are probably his wife and children.
In comparison, the Crown Princess had fields, houses, shops, dowry servants, and cars. Kangxi could take back the ones he had allocated, and he could also build new ones in her private possession.
Such a contrast leaves me speechless.
Shujia took out the account book and said, "Because we are in the palace, far away from the outside world, I don't understand it very well, but I told them to handle it. We don't need these much anyway. What's the matter? Do you have any questions?"
The farm's production not only provides for its own sufficiency, but can also be sold for profit. Shujia hasn't been able to carefully analyze the recent profits, but after looking at the figures, she thinks they're roughly the same compared to previous years. She lets them save half, and the other half can be used to buy new land and rented out for rent. The same goes for the shop; they don't manage it themselves, but simply collect rent, ensuring a guaranteed income regardless of drought or flood.
Yinreng looked at it for a moment, speechless for a long time, and then said, "Don't I have a private room?"
This, it seems, is really nothing. "Aren't all those things in the warehouse yours?" Yang Yang said, looking at the notebook in his hand. "Aren't these ours? What's wrong with you today? Why are you saying these things?"
Yinreng said, "It's hard, it's not enough."
Shujia was almost moved to tears. Did he finally discover it?
"The tributes to Khan Ama haven't been paid yet. Dezhu asked me to send them back. We don't have anyone outside to handle these matters. I have other plans for this year. Although it's enough now, if I don't think of a solution in the future, I'm afraid it will only get worse. It will be too late to take action then."
Is he preparing for a rainy day?
"What on earth are you planning to do? Give me a rough idea so I can know how much money you need. Then we can figure out a solution."
Yinreng stammered: "Normally, I have to reward people a lot. They are all in the same palace and have different residences, so the interactions between brothers are not as good as when they used to live together. Even if I reward people, the rewards have to be increased. There were many honest people in the Zhanshi Mansion..." To monitor a brother's court officials from outside, one also needs to buy connections with money.
After calculating the open and hidden accounts, the annual income must be increased by at least tens of thousands to barely make ends meet.
The Crown Prince needed a purse. However, money was hard to come by. Renting seemed safe, but the returns were meager. Farming yielded even less. As for business, he didn't have the right people. These external accounts also needed someone trustworthy to handle. The Crown Princess had hired Qing Jin's brother, who was capable of handling dowry matters, but Shu Jia couldn't guarantee his ability in other areas.
After much deliberation, I decided to start a business. However, I was short of people and didn't know where to start.
The Imperial Household Department could make delicate items like glass and soap (called "pancreas" by then, already capable of production), but it was difficult to promote them. The technology wasn't advanced enough, and the Crown Princess wasn't a chemical engineer. If she were to spend some time in a glass workshop, perhaps she could offer some suggestions for improvement, as she wouldn't be able to remember the entire process. Could the Crown Princess work outside? Obviously not!
They say women and children's money is the easiest to earn, so maybe opening a store catering to women is a good idea? Wrong! Take clothing, for example. Don't underestimate the conservatism of the times; clothes that are too bold won't sell. Jewelry? Where does the money come from? Cosmetics? Hundreds of years later, countless cosmetics brands are still using the slogan: "Traditional remedies..."
When they were worried, two old guys gave them some advice.
Suo Etu had always cared for Yinreng. He had previously ignored his considerations, but now he was grateful. Having spent so much time at home, having seen the world's fickleness, he finally understood the Crown Prince's intention to protect him. He knew the Crown Prince's situation and understood his lack of money better than anyone else.
Anyway, the New Year was approaching, and in November, before Kangxi returned, Soetu sent a generous New Year's gift. It was generous, but not much different from any other year. But he included a letter. Because of the previous incident of a slave escaping, he had his son deliver the letter in person.
In the letter, Soetu apologized, saying he hadn't been busy enough to do anything. It was only during the Lunar New Year that he remembered that the eldest prince had the start-up capital, while the crown prince was relatively short on cash. He suggested a way to get involved in business, saying it was a fast-growing industry. As long as it was legitimate business and didn't involve personal gain, there would be no losses. Furthermore, there was no need for collusion between officials and businessmen; all he needed to do was invest in a legitimate business to protect it from persecution by other forces. There was no need for the Crown Prince to commit any illegal acts.
Suo Etu repeatedly pointed out that it must be "proper business" and said that he could help supervise from outside and correct any mistakes immediately "so as not to bring disgrace to the reputation of the Eastern Palace."
In short, collecting protection money in an organized, disciplined, and principled manner! This kind of thing has been done by all the officials below, and the Crown Princess's father also did this when he was in Hangzhou.
Meanwhile, there's another avenue: sending servants into business. This one is more difficult because the market isn't clear. It's not as sure-win as the first one. However, many other royal palaces and officials have done this before, as it's their own property and tacitly approved. The situation with the Crown Prince shouldn't be much different, but it must be legitimate business. Soetu now acts like a nagging elder, insisting on being a good person.
As soon as Yinreng explained this to Shujia, she immediately understood. It wasn't that she hadn't considered this approach, but it required Yinreng's approval, so she hadn't dared to bring it up before. Yinreng had another idea: "Besides Soetu, I also need someone special to keep an eye on." A double-pronged approach.
Shujia said, "If it were up to me, I'd rather not invest and be more practical, saving a little money." Combining these two ideas, we could avoid the stigma of collecting protection money and still make money. If we actually invested, even if we were accused of something, we'd have something to say to Kangxi.
Black money is hard to come by, and the prince wants a good reputation. Competing with the people for profit already requires caution, but now it's better to be more careful: "Since that's the case, find someone and use his name to invest."
Another person who offered advice was Hua Shan. He was delighted. It was New Year, and he could accept gifts again. With the fall of the Suo Party, his family had saved a lot of money on favors and face. When Shi Menbing and his wife reported to him, he laughed, "We still need to pay for Suo Etu. The others... are all dead. Tsk tsk."
Soon, he couldn't laugh anymore. He soon realized that if the Suo Party's income decreased, the prince's income would also decrease. His granddaughter would also have to live a hard life.
Giving money openly? A slap in the face of the prince.
He suggested another strategy to his granddaughter. Earn money from imported goods! Shi Wensheng, the governor of Yunnan, and Shi Lin, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. Many members of the Shi family had been exiled, and even more served as officials in the south. They knew the abundance of fine goods in the south. For example, the areas bordering Yunnan were rich in ivory and gemstones. While their prices there weren't exactly dirt cheap, they were still several times cheaper than in Beijing. Guangzhou, a bustling city, was also the gateway for many rare Western goods to the mainland.
Our family has connections in legitimate business, and there's no need to cheat or deceive. Lu Buwei's father said that the profit from the luxury goods business is second only to political investment.
Shujia said to Yinreng, "Why don't we wait a few months? Think about it, which brother doesn't need money? Let them do it, and then see what's left. We'll do it later. It's better to be a little tight than to compete with the brothers, right?" If everyone works together, it won't be conspicuous. However, they may not have all these connections and ideas. Moreover, the Eastern Palace should not do too many businesses and collect too much money, as that would attract too much attention.
It's enough.
Yinreng said, "It's not good. Shi Lin has been the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi for almost ten years. Khan Ama trusts him. If we do this, it might affect his reputation." He looked carefully and was actually a little timid.
Shujia didn't really care about this; the couple didn't even have a salary, and Yinreng had no property. If Kangxi had even a little concern for his second son, he wouldn't have bothered. The only thing to worry about was that the person he sent must be reliable and not cause trouble. The timing also had to be perfect; wait until the people in the branch office started doing business before taking action.
Yinreng said, "Don't worry too much about that. In Guangzhou, Shi Lin is watching over you. In Beijing, we have Suo Etu."
The deal was settled. Shi Lin didn't need to be particularly caring. His presence was a form of care. He would choose a few profitable businesses, have the Crown Princess invest in them, and earn some money for cosmetics. In name, it would still be the Crown Princess's dowry, generating interest. As long as the Crown Prince existed, he was a guarantee.
The author has something to say: Oh my, I’m so plump today!
What I wanted to say, I forgot...
OTZ……
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
