Troubles keep coming
In Ningshou Palace, everything seemed harmonious, and only the Grand Empress Dowager truly felt that all was well. Everyone else's minds were already spinning, analyzing the current situation.
Everyone knew that Yinreng wanted to show his kindness, so there was no need to guess. What everyone was guessing was: how would he show it next?
It was obviously impossible to release the eldest brother, and the preferential treatment for the eldest brother's family had stopped there. The posture of caring for one's own family had been put on display, but what about the other siblings? This was what everyone was more concerned about. Everyone thought that he would make some statement after the New Year's Day, but now it seemed that apart from detaining a few younger brothers in the palace and sending a few old concubines outside the palace, there was no practical action.
What will he do to his brothers?
However, Hongyu had more complicated feelings. Many of them had lived with the eldest brother in East and West Fifth Houses, either as neighbors or neighbors, and had seen him grow up (although he was arrested and imprisoned before he was even a little older). Hongyu was quite polite around his elders, always calling him uncle, which was quite endearing.
What was going on here? These days, drawing circles and getting stabbed were essentially the same thing. Still acting like a saint after being stabbed? Clearly not in their family's style. But Yinreng wanted to keep up appearances, so everyone had no choice but to painfully follow suit.
Miserable.
I didn’t eat much and had to have another meal when I got home.
In contrast, Hongyu had already figured out his path: stay put. He would call Hongxi "brothers" and "brothers" and express a bit of surprise at their academic performance.
Beneath Yinreng's smile, his heart was swirling with conflict. Like all his brothers, no one had a favorable impression of Yunti, and he was the direct victim. But! He was the emperor, and he must not show vindictiveness. Wasn't Hongyu his nephew too?
Just bear with it!
This was a small matter; he paid a small amount for Hongyu's living expenses and received praise from the audience. The most important thing was that showing a kind expression could have the effect of paralyzing the masses.
What worried him most was: how to arrange for this group of brothers?
There weren't many useless children raised by Kangxi. Even though the flames of the struggle for the throne had just been extinguished, the ability of the brothers who hadn't experienced such a brutal struggle should not be underestimated. Moreover, they were numerous!
Kangxi was a prolific emperor, with numerous concubines and children. He now had over a dozen well-known brothers, all assigned their own places. His own son, who was about to grow up, would have nowhere to go. Was Yinreng just going to watch his brothers take over the court?
But my sons are still young and need time. Someone needs to do the work while they grow up.
Yinreng didn't want to be abandoned after his work was done, so he felt melancholy. Forcing his brothers to mourn in the palace also had this meaning. He had to think about what to do with all these people who were earning so much. Keeping them for nothing? He didn't want to. Giving them a job wasn't a good idea either.
Thinking of his brothers who hadn't been granted titles yet, Yinreng's smile was tinged with bitterness: "I need to find some more assistant commanders so I can give them titles." At this moment, we have reason to believe that he understood the essence of the Han Dynasty's policy of reducing the power of the feudal lords.
Yinreng listened to Hongdan reminiscing about the past with Hongyu: "It has been several years since we last met in the frontier."
Hongtong bonded with his cousin: "From now on, we'll be neighbors and can go to school together."
After shifting his gaze, Yinreng chatted with the Empress Dowager, saying, "Grandfather, look at these great-grandchildren. In two years, they will start their own families. By then, you will have five generations living under one roof." But his eyes were fixed on his younger brothers.
The new emperor has ascended the throne and has issued a general amnesty, but my younger brothers still haven't received a raise. If I delay any further, it will be bad. I'll first give the third, fourth, and fifth brothers a raise in title.
Alas, it still doesn’t rain. I wonder how severe the drought will be this year.
The Empress Dowager looked at her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and imagined that she would soon have a great-grandchild. How wonderful it would be to have a house full of children! She smiled and said, "I'm looking forward to that day!"
————————————————————————————————————————
If one wanted to have a grandson, they had to first find a wife for their great-grandson. This was a necessary procedure. This required arranged marriages, and arranging marriages for so many people simultaneously meant a selection process. This matter worried Shujia.
The day after Hongyu's arrival at the palace, everyone had gone to school, and the area behind Ningshou Palace was completely quiet. Shujia, accompanied by the newly appointed Consort Mao and Consort Qian, along with her brothers' wives and daughters-in-law, arrived at Ningshou Palace. The late emperor's concubines were already gathered. In their private words, they said, "A bunch of widows have nothing better to do than show filial piety to the Grand Empress Dowager and chant sutras and pray for the late emperor before the Buddha."
The Empress Dowager was still excited from yesterday. She took Wu Yunzhu in her arms and said to Shujia, "I was just saying that the children look like adults now." She finally found something to cheer herself up. "The Emperor said yesterday that they should get married in two years and things will be lively from then on. Alas, with so many children getting married at the same time, there won't be enough girls for Xiu to show off." Which one would be a good match?
Long before Shujia and the others arrived, the Grand Empress Dowager had already spoken to the other concubines. How could the concubines just give a random reply? Those who remained were either waiting to leave the palace or simply had no sons, all living under the Emperor's tutelage, so who would dare to speak out? The Emperor's initial flurry of attacks, upon taking office, revealed he wasn't a pushover. The Grand Empress Dowager could speak, but they couldn't—the anniversary of the late Emperor hadn't yet passed, so who knew what the Emperor was thinking?
After hearing what the Empress Dowager said, the concubines did not respond, and the wives of the concubines also remained silent.
Concubine Mao moved her lips, then endured it again. Having finally made it through, Li Jia was delighted. Living alone in a palace, being called "Master Mao," with a dozen or so people serving and fawning over her, a sense of liberation naturally came over her. Today, her daughter-in-law had risen and come to her to pay her respects, then escorted her to Kunning Palace.
Normally, she would have to go directly to the Queen, and as a mother-in-law, she had no right to be served by her daughter-in-law. This feeling was wonderful, so wonderful that it made her dizzy and a little ecstatic.
Concubine Mao recalled the time she had followed Shujia to Ningshou Palace. As a concubine, she held considerable influence, and she wanted to offer a few words. But as she opened her mouth, she realized something was amiss: the Empress hadn't spoken yet. She quickly reminded herself to be more cautious.
Gegentana looked at her mother-in-law, then at the queen, and became even more speechless.
Shujia smiled and said, "If you want something lively, you don't have to wait until next year. Your great-granddaughters will be moving in in two days!"
The Grand Empress Dowager blinked, and Shujia said, "Have you forgotten? The Emperor has already issued an order to raise the daughters of Prince Cheng and others in the palace. He set a date the other day, and he also cleaned up Zhaoxiang House to give them time to say goodbye. They will be here in two days."
"Oh! Yes, yes, there is such a thing," the Empress Dowager said happily, "I liked all those girls that day." She remembered it wrongly. At that time, she was just happy to chat with the grandmother of the princesses, and the princesses did not get to say much.
"They will live behind your palace from now on. Are you happy with that?"
"Okay, okay!" The Grand Empress Dowager nodded repeatedly, then lowered her head and asked Wu Yunzhu in her arms, "You want to have a few more sisters. Are you happy about that?"
Wu Yunzhu asked: "Those sisters that day?"
"Yeah~"
"Okay~ I've already agreed with my sister that we'll play together in a couple of days."
Uh, the little sister isn't coming. The adults looked at each other, hoping that the little ancestor would forget about this.
Shuhui teased her: "You only remember that little sister. The other sisters will be sad when they hear it."
"I remember all my sisters," Wu Yunzhu pointed, "My third uncle's sister has a magnolia hairpin on her head. My fourth uncle's sister is the tallest. My fifth uncle's sister has dimples when she smiles. My seventh uncle's sister has big eyes."
Everyone had their own set of compliments, saying that the little princess was really smart.
Shujia said: "Just remember it. Remember it, and from now on they will all be your real sisters."
The Empress Dowager said, "That's exactly what you mean." She had also adopted a daughter and knew the ins and outs of this. Holding her great-granddaughter in her arms, she slowly said that these people would no longer be cousins from now on.
————————————————————————————————————————
After leaving Ningshou Palace, Wu Yunzhu felt a little sleepy due to the gradually warm weather. Shujia looked at the clock and patted her small face: "Don't sleep yet, eat something before going to bed."
Wu Yunzhu was carried to the table, looking around, eating her meal without much interest. Shujia was preoccupied, and put down her chopsticks after finishing half a bowl of rice. She turned around and saw her daughter holding a bowl with a spoon in it. She reached out and picked up the spoon, scooped a mouthful of rice, chewed it twice, and nodded.
The nanny was about to reach out, but Shujia stopped her. Wu Yunzhu squinted her eyes after taking a few mouthfuls of rice, but within two minutes, she was already hugging the bowl and closing her eyes. Then, her head dropped onto the bowl.
It didn't matter that she knocked, Wu Yunzhu woke up with red eyes.
Shujia smiled and said, "Wipe Gege's face."
The nanny hurriedly washed the little baby's face, changed a large clean towel to cover her collar, and brought her over to continue eating.
If possible, Shujia even wanted to let her daughter experience the atmosphere of fighting for food—it was better than being accustomed to being fed everything. This child was born into a high-class family, but high status doesn't always mean it's useful. How many princes have been deposed? And those were men! As a girl, Wu Yunzhu would probably face even more complicated situations.
"It's not a big deal. Be careful next time," Shujia consoled her. "Your brothers often fell into their bowls while eating when they were little."
After all, she was young and really sleepy. Wu Yunzhu felt embarrassed for a while, because in front of her mother, the embarrassment came and went quickly. She took two more mouthfuls of rice and looked at her mother pitifully: "Mother~"
"I know. Go back to your room and walk slowly. Just think of it as digesting the food."
After her daughter fell asleep, Shujia had no appetite for dinner. She ordered the meal to be cleared away and then asked, "How are the emperor and the prince eating? Have the princes had their meals yet?"
Zhao Guoshi replied, "The Emperor is in the Palace of Heavenly Purity today. He has summoned the Crown Prince and the other princes to dine with Prince Hongyu. I'm afraid they haven't finished yet."
Shujia picked out a few more fruits and said, "Send this to the front."
After finishing her work, Shujia sat in the east room of Kunning Palace, and her face darkened.
Big pick!
The three-year mourning period is actually only 27 months. Kangxi died in early July of the previous year, which was the year of the imperial examination. The emperor's death did not affect the imperial examination the following year.
Shujia calculated that of the twelve palaces in the six eastern and western palaces, she would need to reserve two for the concubines to stay in during their stay. Jingyang Palace had been used as a library in the 25th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign and was no longer habitable, so she had to take three of them. Concubine Mao and Concubine Qian each had a palace, leaving a total of seven.
There were so few people! Shujia herself felt that for an emperor, there were too few people. It wasn't that there were few women with official titles, but... there were few women! Shujia knew what was going on in her own backyard.
Shujia wanted to bite her nails. If she didn't add another woman, not everyone could be Empress Dugu. Add another woman? If she really brought in a peerless beauty, she would have no place to die.
With several legitimate sons and the fact that she was the first wife who had weathered all the hardships together, her position seemed secure. Worrying about these things was unfounded, but Shujia didn't see it that way. Who knew what a butterfly's wings could accomplish? Their family was destined for misfortune, yet now, as if in a dream, they stood at the pinnacle of power. If even this could change, what else was impossible?
If you hadn't read the "Records of the Grand Historian," and someone told you a singing girl could become an empress, you'd probably say, "Shu!" But Ban Gu recorded it, and this woman actually became the empress of Emperor Wu of Han. She dominated the world.
If you haven't read the "Book of Han", and someone tells you that he died without an heir because of his desire to please women, you'll definitely say: "Nonsense!" But Ban Gu tells you that there really was such an emperor in the world, and he died in the land of pleasure.
If you didn't know the History of the Tang Dynasty, and someone told you that a woman could become emperor in ancient China, you'd probably send them back to school for re-education. Unfortunately, Empress Wu Zetian was a woman.
Huang Taiji's favorite woman was a remarried widow. Queen Yang of the Western Jin Dynasty was deposed and reinstated several times and served as the empress of two hostile countries...
History challenges the limits of human imagination more than stories.
Are you saying this because men are unreliable? Emperor Wen of Han's first wife gave birth to four sons. Powerful enough, right? All four of them died together, leaving behind no names. They gave rise to Empress Dowager Dou.
Shujia looked around in bewilderment. How long could her good fortune last? It wasn't that she didn't trust Yinreng; he had done a good job over the years, but she still felt uneasy, afraid something might happen. He might be a good husband, but what about her? She considered herself a good mistress, but she couldn't say whether she was a good wife.
Different times have different definitions.
What should I do? Shujia couldn't think of a good idea. She tilted her head and saw two closed doors. Her daughter was sleeping inside. Thinking of her daughter, Shujia felt even more worried.
Not a son-in-law yet, but a daughter-in-law.
Hongdan must marry the following year; only then will he be officially considered an adult. However, how to treat his new wife is a complex matter. In the eyes of their mother, her children are the best and must not be wronged. The truth is, in the royal family, some things cannot be treated as normal.
Take the case of the sister-in-law and the sister-in-law, for example. Outsiders would treat them as equals, and Hongdan's wife was destined to be a level above the others. The thought of having her own daughter pay respect to someone else's daughter made Shujia sad. She didn't feel it when she benefited, but when she was the victim, her feelings changed.
Shujia suddenly understood why Empress Dugu had tried so hard to depose Yang Yong: My children would crawl under the feet of such a person, and I would never be able to close my eyes even after death!
This was Hongdan's legitimate wife; she wasn't necessarily a bad person, but her mother-in-law was a bit unhappy. Empress Lonely faced the question of whether her son's first wife was a piece of air, a favored concubine, or a member of the entertainment industry... Thinking of the future—the family business I worked so hard to build would fall into the hands of this bitch who only knew how to sing and dance to please men, and she even lived in my house and bullied my son. I absolutely couldn't tolerate that!
I understand, I understand so much! As a mother, which one would you choose: a younger brother who may not bully his older brother or an older brother who will definitely let his younger brother suffer?
Then there's your own family. Throughout history, the many empresses and queen mothers who insisted on marrying into the imperial family weren't simply trying to keep the emperor in their power; they were simply afraid of their family's misfortune. Think about it: your relatives and friends, who were once doing well, suddenly fell to a lower level, like a mountain of pressure on their heads. How could they bear it? They were all your closest brothers and sisters.
This supreme imperial power is such a pitfall! The benefits you take will have to be paid back sooner or later.
what to do? ! ! !
"My Lady, the list of palace maids to be released from the palace this year has been finalized and is awaiting your review."
Shujia was startled and broke out in a cold sweat. What had she been thinking about? She was the queen, and she had important things to do. What she had just thought about was not a good sign. She should not torture herself for no reason. She should just do more research on her daughter-in-law and strengthen her son's education. She should raise them to be smart, rational, and capable of self-preservation.
Stay calm, you must stay calm. Don't get carried away just because you're living in Kunning Palace now. Remember! Remember!
Shujia took out a handkerchief and wiped the sweat off her face: "Go ahead."
As for the harem, a beautiful marriage exists between a deaf husband and a blind wife. Yinreng has been pretending to be deaf and dumb for more than ten years, and now it is his turn.
————————————————————————————————————————
Unlike Shujia who scared herself once, Yinreng was now irritated by the real thing happening in front of him.
Even with the drought still going on, not a drop of rain had fallen from the sky. Yinreng, who still wanted to govern the country well, couldn't help but feel anxious. It was already April, and if it didn't rain, a severe drought was inevitable. But the drought wasn't the main reason for his anxiety.
The other was that he received two reports about bandits in a row, one from pirates and the other from outlaws.
Ma Qi read out the cases one by one, and Yinreng's face darkened gradually. These were just two cases of robbery, but they were enough to prove that society was not so stable. If the weather continued to be bad and the people's lives became more difficult, there would be a lot of trouble!
Li Guangdi wasn't on duty today, and Wang Fan was standing by. The old man was also worried about something else, and it stemmed from Hongxi, who stood beside Yinreng. Although Wang Fan wasn't from the Imperial Household Department, he was deeply concerned about this matter. Contrast this with the current situation: the older illegitimate son was already learning government affairs and honing his skills with his father, while the crown prince was still studying!
Concubine Mao was made a concubine. Although her family wasn't very powerful, her origin was not low. Concubine Hongxi was the daughter of her husband. She had a strong momentum! She was openly a prince.
Old man Wang made up his mind that if things remained like this in two years, he would write a letter to the emperor.
Yinreng was unaware of Wang Fan's thoughts and simply dealt with Ma Qi's report. The bandits he had already eliminated were either executed or sentenced, with meritorious personnel rewarded. As for the drought, he declared, "Order the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to select an auspicious day, and the Ministry of Rites to prepare. I will personally ascend the altar to pray for rain."
There's no other way, this is the last resort. Without artificial rainfall and the means to organize a water truck, we can only hope that God will give us some favor.
Ma Qi agreed, but he was praying in his heart: I hope there will be a suitable day soon.
Yes, on the right day, the emperor prayed for rain, hoping it would rain. This involved some astronomical knowledge. Even without satellites and louvers, at least there was some experience. The best thing was to predict the approximate date of rain. The emperor would pray, and if it rained, it was a sign of divine blessing.
After noting this, Ma Qi read out: "The Ministry of Rites has already prepared the documents for the promotion of Chengjunwang and Yongjunwang to Prince, and Qibeile and Youbeile to Prince."
"Leave it here for me to take a look at before handing it over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs."
“Yeah.”
The three of them discussed some other matters, and Ma Qi and Wang Xun went back to convey and carry out the instructions after receiving them.
Yinreng, however, was to receive the various officials who had come to pay their respects. As the green-headed plaques were brought up, Yinreng spotted Ling Pu's. This man had been dismissed from his post for financial misconduct and had been "reflecting" at home. Fortunately, he had married a good wife, received a hereditary position, and gained a higher rank, so he also wrote a memorial to pay his respects.
Yinreng's evaluation of Ling Pu is: he is relatively loyal to him, but not honest. If you want to protect him, don't let him "take charge".
In any case, this is a loyal person and should be called over to meet him.
Ling Pu was loyal, but he didn't understand Yinreng's intentions. He had sensed something and wanted to show himself to Yinreng. When Yinreng got a good job, he could think of him.
Yes, a fat job.
Yinreng had assigned his fourth brother to the Imperial Household Department. Besides managing the affairs, he also had the task of checking the accounts. This was just a prelude. Ling Pu had been in the Imperial Household Department before, and few people there were clean. A thorough investigation would reveal numerous flaws. Ling Pu, feeling like an old man who had followed Yinreng, rolled up his sleeves and said, "Good things are finally coming to us, right?"
The head of the Imperial Household Department was determined to win, and he came up with many excuses to cover up his financial problems. He vowed to cling to the emperor's thigh. He had a new goal: to be like Cao Yin! His daughter became the wife of a royal concubine!
Needless to say, Ling Pu succeeded in irritating Yinreng. He began by speaking tactfully: "I have always wanted to pay my respects to you, my master. My wife has also been thinking of you, but we are not qualified to write to you. Only when you show me grace can I see you." He began to cry, "We still want to serve you."
Yinreng was originally very touched, but when he heard that his subordinates then used the excuse of feeling sorry for him to step on the current head of the Imperial Household Department several times, he felt disgusted and said hurriedly: "I know your intentions. You have worked hard for so many years, and it is time for you to enjoy a peaceful life."
Ling Pu was still listening with his ears perked up, waiting for what would happen next. When he looked up, Yinreng had already shut his mouth.
Ling Pu was a little anxious: "The servants are not doing a good job. Even if I am useless, my son can still be used."
Yinreng smiled and waved his hand: "You don't have to be like this. Go back and ask Nanny for me. Tell her to come and kowtow to your master when she's free. This year, the queen has given your granddaughter a favor, don't forget to thank her."
Even if Ling Pu was tactless, he could only take his leave.
Yinreng frowned and clenched his fist. He flipped open the draft of the imperial edict written by the Ministry of Rites, glanced at it, and seeing that the general meaning was correct, he wrote "approved". Seeing Hongxi nearby, he ordered Hongxi to go to the Ministry of Rites to find Yunzhi: "Start with the easy ones and follow your uncle to see how he does his job."
Hongxi received the order and went to the Ministry of Rites to find Yunzhi, leaving Yinreng to continue meeting officials and reviewing memorials.
One of the memorials was a report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs written by his fourth brother. In Prince Yong's eyes, his wording was already very polite, but Yinreng still became angry when he read it.
The Imperial Household Department was a lucrative place, and not taking any of it would be a disservice to the master's cultivation, so various forms of corruption arose. Even if one didn't actively take advantage of it, the amount of money received from subordinates as tributes was considerable. It was simply too much! Two typical examples were Cao Yin and Li Xu.
Yinreng knew about these two people. He had just ascended the throne and it was not appropriate for him to immediately touch the old ministers of the previous emperor. However, he wrote a reply on the memorials submitted by these two people: "Pay back the money quickly!" Unexpectedly, the report submitted by the fourth son showed that these two were still big debtors!
"Send it to Prince Yong."
Prince Yong was in charge of the Imperial Household Department, whose office was not far from the Palace of Heavenly Purity, so he arrived quickly. After a quick greeting, Yinreng pointed to a stool and said, "Sit down and talk."
After the two brothers sat down, Yinreng asked, "Cao Yin once reported that the deficit was not that high. Is what you found true?"
Prince Yong was very excited: "I have not said a single word falsely. They are old ministers of the late emperor and are very respectful to their master. They are dedicated to their work. I think they are not bad. Their work is one thing, but these losses are another. Now there are comparisons. The Hangzhou weaving manufacturers are of similar rank. When it comes to the emperor's favor, Sun is not as good as these two. As for welcoming the emperor, doesn't Hangzhou welcome him? Cao and Li received the grace of the late emperor and took on the administration of Lianghuai, but Sun has not! These accounts are in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If the emperor wants to see them, I will go and get them immediately. I have remembered every single one clearly. If it weren't for Sun, I would have said that they really had a hard time. How could Sun make ends meet, but they couldn't? In terms of family property, it was Cao who recommended Sun, which shows that Sun is inferior to Cao. But Sun has no losses, Cao does!"
Prince Yong originally thought that these two were his father's old ministers, so what good or bad could they do? He would just quickly settle the matter and turn a blind eye. I think his second brother thought the same thing. You don't know until you check, and you'll be shocked when you check! It's not a problem if you don't know the goods, it's a problem if you compare the goods.
After a moment of anger, he finally thought about it. Cao Yin was Narsu's father-in-law, and Concubine Mi was Li Xu's niece, so he had to give his family face. So the Prince of Yong simply reported the two's deficits, without mentioning anything about eliminating the country's pests.
Yinreng's suspicion hit the fourth brother's sore spot. He felt so wronged! I was clearly covering for him.
Now that was good, he didn't even bother to provide cover, he just jumped out, and after he finished speaking, he regretted it, "Oh, I forgot not to speak so quickly."
He swallowed hard and whispered to his second brother, "This is the trick of the subordinates. If they report too much, they're afraid the master won't give them a chance. If they report less, the master will pity them and think they can pay it back quickly, so he lets them serve another term. Instead of dismissing them immediately and asking them to pay back, they can have a break..."
Yinreng threw down a memorial: "This is a memorial from the Governor-General of Liangjiang, Galin. He says that Cao Yin has a deficit of three million. Please check it."
"What?!" Prince Yong was also shocked. "It can't be that much. This Galin..." He paused. Galin's brother and cousin MS had ever supported the crown prince? It would be bad to say bad things about him. He turned around and said, "He hasn't seen the account books of the textile bureau. Cao Yin's deficit is true, but the amount may not be that high. Your Majesty will know for sure."
"If it doesn't rain, there must be treacherous ministers," Yinreng sighed. "You should sort out the Ministry of Internal Affairs. If the former emperor's old ministers are involved, you can protect them. If there are any serious consequences, report to me."
Needless to say, there was also a pile of black papers on Galin in his small drawer. Another sigh, Suo Etu, you are such a JP attractor!
Galin has always presented himself as an upright person. He consistently exposes corrupt officials, and his accusations are always accurate. This accuracy isn't due to the sensitivity of his predators, but rather to his instinctive ability to spot his own kind. Indeed, Galin himself is not a good person. The sources of these scandals are diverse.
Yinreng pinched his collar. The weather was really hot, but it wasn't time for ice yet. He sighed. Being an emperor was really... tiring!
Thinking of Galin brought back thoughts of Soetu. His son's mourning period was almost over; what kind of position should he be given? I just hope these people aren't like the cronies Soetu recruited! Oh, and there's also Kuixu. Mingzhu has been dead for over two years now, so I have to admit, Kuixu still has some talent.
Yinreng sighed again, his heart warming a little. After fighting for most of their lives, they passed away one after the other. They must not be lonely on their way to the underworld. These two old guys! If they were still alive, the government would definitely not be so bad! Back then, they were bashing each other, even if they were deadly, but they didn't delay the important work. The suppression of the Three Feudatories, the recovery of Taiwan, and the suppression of Galdan were all things that happened when these two old guys were in power.
Thinking of this, the wrinkled faces of the two men became adorable again. They were both good people. If there were still two such people today, even if they were fighting among their own factions, Yinreng would welcome them. As long as they could get the job done, that was good! Unconsciously, Yinreng used the standards of these two people to judge the court officials, and he was a little disappointed.
He shook his head and thought about how to arrange for the sons of these two people.
Yinreng put down his pen, then thought of something else. Mingzhu and Suo, sworn enemies, shared one characteristic: harmonious families, often referred to as henpecked. Mingzhu's wife died young, and he hadn't remarried in over a decade. He had no concubines, let alone illegitimate children. Even after his death, his power lingered. Suo'etu, on the other hand, had his own children, and there were no rumors of any scandals. He worked diligently, thinking about how to assist the crown prince while also making a fortune to hand over to his wife, who controlled him until his death.
(Do you understand how natural Hesheli Wu Yunzhu's dislike for Si'er is?)
If he couldn't decide which two people to hire in the future, would he have to hire the one who was afraid of his wife first? Yinreng drew a line in his mind.
A man who is afraid of his wife is focused!
————————————————————————————————————————
The emperor, having added a new rule to his employment code, was in high spirits and took his son to have dinner with his wife and daughter. Hongxi, now in his own place, went back to eat, while Hongdan and his brothers were all present.
Shujia didn't expect so many people to come, and quickly asked them to rearrange the table: "You all came here without even telling me."
Wu Yunzhu imitated him and said, "You all came here without even saying a word."
Yinreng leaned over and pinched her cheek: "Don't imitate nonsense, you are a little girl, it will be unlovable if you imitate an old woman."
Depend on!
After a long while, Shujia managed to adjust her mindset and finally stopped looking at her husband with such a complicated expression. She'd felt so sorry for Yinreng just now. He'd done everything right, but she was still worried. She hadn't worried about him back in the Eastern Palace, but now, after more than a decade together, she was suspicious.
He was in the middle of a moment of self-reflection, but after hearing this, he abandoned his reflection and snorted coldly. Wu Yunzhu stood obediently, and Yinreng followed his daughter's example. Shujia looked at the father and daughter in silence, unable to find any words, and began to find fault with her sons.
Wu Yunzhu reached out to tug at Yinreng's skirt, but since he was short, he could only reach this far. Yinreng lowered his head and listened to his daughter's ridicule: "You're afraid of your wife!" the little baby said in a fusty voice.
"It's good to be afraid of your wife," Yinreng snorted and coughed. He reached out and tickled her, making his daughter laugh and saving his sons.
After a tiring day, I finally feel relieved.
A warm atmosphere can soften a person's heart. Shujia's anxiety that had been with her all day dissipated. It would be foolish to condemn him for something he hadn't done. The hand that was squeezing Hongtong's arm loosened, and Shujia looked at the fighting father and daughter and smiled.
Hongtong bared his teeth and rubbed his arms. Women are so cruel!
Everyone was very well-behaved during the meal, there was no conversation, but everyone had a smile on their face.
After sending all the children away, Shujia wanted to report to Yinreng on the issue of whether to keep or dismiss the palace maids: "Originally, we were planning to release all those over 25 years old, but now it seems that we have to keep another 10 or 20."
"How do you say that?"
"You forgot, the sisters will be moving in in a couple of days. How can there be no servants? There's no reason to bring all the people in the palace in. There are also people who do the cleaning and other rough work."
Yinreng said, "This is a benevolent policy—has the date been set?"
"The first day of next month, what?"
"Change it, and wait for my news."
Shujia didn't know what was going on, but she still agreed: "Okay."
Yinreng's idea was quite simple. The Imperial Astronomical Observatory calculated the date accurately, and he would go to pray for rain on that day. His wife would place palace maids in the harem to help him.
Because of Yinreng's words, hundreds of palace maids witnessed the emperor and empress's feat of adopting four daughters at once. The relocations took place on different days: on the first day, the daughters were sent from Prince Yong's Mansion, on the second day, from Prince You's Mansion, on the third day, from Prince Qi's Mansion, and on the fourth day, from Prince Cheng's Mansion.
They brought a lot of bags, big and small. They didn't need to bring a full set of furniture, but they still had some of the household items that everyone was used to, a few clothes they liked to wear, and jewelry and private belongings given by their families. They were all carried into Zhaoxiang's office one by one.
Arriving at the palace, there was no time to look at the accommodations. First, they paid their respects to the Grand Empress Dowager, then to the Emperor and Empress. They didn't need to worry about changing their household registration; the "relevant departments" would handle it. The weather was scorching, even at home, but the palace had more ice, and the rooms were stocked with more, making it cooler than the prince's palace.
The Empress Dowager was a little sullen. It was too hot! She had been so eager to see her great-granddaughter, but now she had lost interest. She had plenty of ice basins in her palace, but it still wasn't enough.
Yinreng had no choice but to announce: "Let's go to Changchun Garden." He couldn't let the old lady get too hot.
The princesses were packed up and taken to Changchun Garden before they even had time to remember the furnishings in the house. It must be said that it was much cooler here.
Under Yinreng's repeated urging, the Ministry of Rites finally gave a suitable day. The emperor went on stage to pray for rain, and the empress returned to the palace and announced that the palace maids would leave the palace.
Unfortunately, it didn't rain that day. Shujia hurried back to Changchun Garden, where Yinreng, locked in his room, was furious. Anyone who bumped into him at this juncture would be in trouble, and unfortunately, the unlucky one arrived!
Yinreng exerted so much force with both hands that he nearly tore the memorial apart! This bastard!
The memorial concerned his only current relative, Kangxi's third son-in-law. This good comrade had been having affairs with other women during his wife's mourning period. Worst of all, the woman he had been having affairs with was married, and he had taken her away with him. After a period of deliberation, someone filed a complaint.
To clarify, Hongxi's mother-in-law died in March of the 49th year of the Kangxi reign. If the Third Prince-in-law really did this, that is to say, this behavior has not been reported until now, which means that during the period from the death of Kangxi until now, the Third Prince-in-law, as a son-in-law, has been having fun with a married woman during the mourning period for his father-in-law!
I'm so angry!
No, you can't kill him yet!
Yinreng picked up the red brush viciously and wrote three big, clear words on the memorial: "Arrest and bring to Beijing."
Strangely enough, the decree had just been issued and the person had not yet arrived in Beijing when it started raining.
heavy rain.
Yinreng breathed a sigh of relief.
The author has something to say:
When a new official takes office, no matter how prepared you are, you will still be in a mess.
You may be well prepared when you take over and be able to hand over smoothly, but there will still be a lot of problems to come. Perhaps only when you are actually in the position can you understand it.
There will be more troubles waiting for them both!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
