Emperor Yongzheng

Chapter Nine
Emperor Kangxi nodded his head slightly, and walked in calmly. Pei Wenzhai, who was always talking, became silent.Shi Shilun suddenly became nervous, feeling the double oppression of Tianyan and Tianwei, who were close at hand.Although I have been introduced to officials several times since I was a Jinshi, I always look at one side from a distance, bow and back away after asking a few words, and myopia, I don't know what Kangxi looks like at all, this time I almost knelt down , but dare not look up.

"What you said is interesting, why are you dumb?" Kangxi sat down and said with a smile, "I want to look at you, so I raised my head. I'm not a tiger, can I eat you 'ten incomplete'?" The three of Ma Tong laughed, and the atmosphere in the room suddenly eased.Shi Shilun took a deep breath, bowed down, really raised his head, and took a serious look at Kangxi.

The 53-year-old Kangxi wore a velvet-grass raw silk tassel Canglongjiaozi bead crown, a very well-cut azurite straight-lined satin golden dragon coat, and a beige Gesha gown, with four white marble horsetails tied around his waist. Ribbon, the already gray beard is combed in an orderly manner, the corners of the mouth and eyelids have fine fish scales, only a pair of pupils are piercing under the thick eyebrows, and the blackness is bottomless. He looks old—in a different place, in a blue suit, he looks like a square and kind pedant from Sanjia Village. It is impossible to imagine that he is actuarial, calligraphy, painting, astronomy, and foreign languages. At the age of 15, Miaomo captured Obai wisely. At the age of 19, Gan Gang was decisive and determined to withdraw from the vassal. He traveled to the south of the Yangtze River six times, conquered the Western Regions three times, conquered Taiwan, settled in the Northeast, cultivated politics, dredged rivers, learned erudition, and wiped out all heroes in the world— ——He is an emperor who has followed Tang Zong and Song Zu in literary and martial arts, and is full of skills!
"Don't underestimate you, Shi Shi Lun. You are the only one who dares to look at me like this!" Kangxi laughed loudly, patted the memorial on the case with his right hand, and said, "That day when your father came back from Taiwan, I asked him, 'You How many sons do you have that can be brought up?" Shi Lang said five, and never mentioned you. Later I found out that Shi Lang had a little ninety-nine, and all five of them were useless, so I have to be kind, and the one who is really capable is This sixth child, he expected you to be able to establish your own fame, so he didn't mention it at all, knowing that his son is better than his father!" Zhang Tingyu saw that Kangxi was happy, and hurriedly joked: "Just now, the slaves were saying that there is a bad prime minister in the photo book. , there is the word 'poor harmony' in the Qiao'er card. Old General Shi Lang probably read it, so he can judge people correctly." Shi Shilun didn't expect that Kangxi was so bright and open-minded, and Zhuang and humorous as if talking about homely things. He immediately relaxed and replied with a smile. : "I don't know Zidu? The evil one is without eyes, and the beautiful one is without heart."

Everyone laughed again after hearing this, but Kangxi changed his face and said: "Let's talk about serious business. You all get up--Li Dequan, move some stools for the adults!" Li Dequan is the deputy chief eunuch of the Hall of Mental Cultivation. In 30, the mission was handled very neatly, and he promised repeatedly, and ordered a few young Sula eunuchs to arrange the stools.After a few people sat down, Kangxi said: "I'll call you in the study room to come in for a discussion today. Shi Shilun was recommended by the old Shisan. You are in charge of Goshha in the Governor's Mansion in Anhui. You have a strong character. I want to borrow your strength Your fortitude and integrity..." He leaned back, and said again: "The affairs of the household department are becoming more and more unspeakable now, and they need to be rectified painfully. The old fourth handed me a booklet from Anhui, saying that Xiuhe Yinzi was 150 short Wan, I originally thought it would cost at least 3000 million, which is difficult for the fourth and thirteenth, but who knew that the Ministry of Household Affairs went to the prince to complain and was refuted. I asked someone to check it, and the new collection was 2000 million In less than half a year, I have lent thousands of dollars of silver, and the rest I have said who will kill who, thanks to this decree, otherwise I would have borrowed it again! The officials are poor, and I think I know the matter of borrowing money from the treasury. Who knows it's come to this point!" Then he shook his head, as if chewing a bitter olive, and sighed after a long time.Ma Qi hurriedly comforted: "There is no money, but the account is here. The slave also knows a thing or two about this, and the evils in it are unspeakable. Some officials of the household department take out the money to lend money for interest, and the money is easy to chase. There are still more than [-] million yuan in the land, and there is no use of troops for a while, so it is impossible for the fourth and thirteenth masters to embarrass the money for repairing rivers and canals."

"This is the scary thing," Tong Guowei muttered. "The joys and sorrows of the official vacancy are uneven, and the salaries are all meager. Long live is only talking about the household department, and the situation of the official department is not to be asked. Except for the routine of one year's ice and charcoal respect, there is no one else. Filial piety, suppressing those who should be promoted, and fabricating charges for those who should not be demoted; the Ministry of Punishment is worried that no one will file a lawsuit. As long as a lawsuit is obtained, the criminals, witnesses, and neighbors will be taken to the capital to be boiled and scraped. It's a toss to the bone. Alas... the common people say they would die without filing a complaint. They are not only afraid of being wrongly imprisoned, but they are also more afraid of this kind of torture. One person commits a crime and the whole village is poor. There are countless cases of human life that are private!" Tong Guowei doesn't talk much on weekdays. Today, he doesn't talk much. But he couldn't hold his tongue.Kangxi listened quietly without saying a word, only looking at the entrance of the palace with a faint look.Although Zhang Tingyu is young, he entered the study room in his twenties. He has read a lot, is profound and sophisticated, and only adheres to the motto "A thousand words are worth a moment of silence".It wasn't that he disagreed with Tong Guowei's views. The reality of the shortcomings in the Six Parts was far beyond his superficial opinion, but he was a little confused about Tong Guowei's intentions.Tong Guowei is the backbone of the "Ba Ye Party". The more he says this, the more it means that the fourth elder brother and the thirteenth elder brother are doing the right thing and doing their job well?After thinking about it for a long time, a sudden thought occurred in my mind: In recent years, Prince Yin has been in charge of all the affairs of the six ministries. The six ministries have been in a mess. What achievements can the prince have?Kangxi was already very dissatisfied with Yin's cowardice and incompetence, but Tong Guowei's calm talk turned out to be adding fuel to the fire!Zhang Tingyu was about to speak, but Ma Qi said: "Old Tong, that's why the emperor issued an edict to denounce the abuses and rectify them severely!" Zhang Tingyu had already made up his mind, so he touched his knees and sighed, and said: "This is all because of us. The minister who went to the study did not do things well. 'The master is worried about the minister's humiliation, and the master is the minister who will humiliate the minister and die'. When I think of these two sentences, I feel so ashamed that I can't sleep or eat well, and I can't sleep in peace."

There was no expression on Kangxi's face, and he said coldly: "Everyone has his own account, and there is no need to take it on behalf of anyone else. But as a minister, he should have this kind of conscience." He coughed dryly, his face paled. Gradually he calmed down, and asked Shi Shilun with a smile: "I heard that the fourth elder brother convened salt merchants from all over the province in Tongcheng to gather money to repair the broken river. Do you know about this?" I left Anhui on May [-]th. When I went to Beijing, I heard rumors that the fourth master and the thirteenth master had summoned the salt merchants to collect donations by force. In fact—" Before he finished speaking, Kangxi waved his hand to stop him, saying: "I have made an order Call them back. In October, I will go hunting in Rehe and meet the Mongolian princes. All the princes must accompany me. Before I leave Beijing, the officials must pay off all their losses. I transferred you here just to handle this errand. You Go to the household department to serve as the servant, first familiarize yourself with the affairs of the department, and the fourth elder brother and the others should come back."

"Your Majesty," Zhang Tingyu asked from the side, "this time you are leaving Beijing, the Crown Prince is still sitting in Beijing, right?"

Kangxi ignored Zhang Tingyu's question, stared at Shi Shilun and said, "Do you know why you were transferred? You don't take a single mustard, you are honest and self-confident, and you only take four coins for fire consumption. That's good. But with the dead Yu Jackie suffers from the same problem: Dare to resist, if the poor go to court against a scholar, you will favor the poor; if a scholar goes to court against a rich man, you will favor the scholar. This disposition is unreasonable—I prefer your disposition and ask you to manage money. Insufficient manpower, turn around and ask the fourth and the thirteenth to transfer a few, this year, some of the Jinshi can also choose to stay in the ministry to do business." After hearing the order, Shi Shilun hurriedly stood up and kowtowed: "Long live in Jiuzhong, with insight for thousands of miles, said minister There are not all of them, but I can correct my mistakes. I am strict and pedantic in nature, and I am not suitable to be a Beijing official. No matter which province, I ask Long Live to still send my ministers out. Either as an envoy or a Taoist government, I will protect you for three years. Inside, the entire territory does not close the doors at night. The errands of the household department are difficult and difficult, and the ministers are weak. I am afraid that it will be difficult to deal with it, and it will hurt the emperor's understanding of people." "Huh?" Kangxi tapped the book, "I'm afraid it is not! I know, to do this errand You want to offend people. But you are loyal to the king, and I should think about the future for you. I am more tolerant to my ministers, and you are afraid that you will end up in the end?"

Shi Shilun swallowed, what he was actually most afraid of was the master's "tolerance".Tolerance and generosity are originally excellent things, but if they go too far, they become "indulgence", and the disadvantages are even more unspeakable.Since the removal of the "princelings" like Suo'etu in 42, the world has been fine for a long time. Kangxi is determined to be a perfect man from ancient to modern times. The hotter it is, the more it comes from the word "tolerance".But this is the "Shengde" that Kangxi has always been proud of. How could Shi Shilun dare to criticize it so easily?After muttering for a while, he dared to say: "I...not because I'm afraid that I will offend too many people, but because I'm afraid...that there will be too many people offended!" Several ministers in the room couldn't help looking at each other, knowing what he wanted to say in their hearts. Take it high.

"It's too big..." Kangxi was slightly taken aback, turned his face and smiled and said, "Three assistants, who among you has accepted bribes or borrowed money from Kuyin?" Tong Guowei sat down next to Kangxi, and hurriedly apologized and said with a smile: "Slave I have more than a dozen Zhuangzi, and the emperor rewards me from time to time in addition to my salary. How dare I betray the emperor? Even Zhang and Ma, my slaves dare to protect them!" Kangxi said with a smile: "I am building these two palace gardens. There are positive items to be used, and I have not embezzled treasury silver. What do you mean by the word 'too big'?" Shi Shilun bowed his head and pondered for a long time, and said: "I have been in Beijing for several days, and there are several people in the household department who are in the same year. Feel sorry for each other. Now there is a slogan in the court: "If you don't owe money to the treasury, you are not a hero." Long live, do you know? Even the ministers in the study room have borrowed them before, and the fourth and thirteenth masters have entered the household department before returning them Yes, I heard that elder brother, elder brother, elder brother..." He glanced at Kangxi, whose face was getting uglier, and suddenly shivered, and stuttered. "Perhaps there is still a prince?" Kangxi had already understood the meaning of Shi Shilun's so-called "too big", and stretched out his hand to flick the corner of his robe, "It's not a big deal."

Zhang Tingyu, Ma Qi, and Tong Guowei couldn't sit still for a long time, and stood up with blushing faces. Tong Guowei's voice was so low that only he could hear him: "Please punish the slave for the crime of deceit. The slaves have indeed borrowed money. Pay off."

"Sit down." Kangxi was stunned for a long while, then suddenly laughed, "If you owe a debt, how can you talk about cheating? It's better than scraping and searching the people! I don't understand, don't even people like you still need money? Tong Guowei suddenly knelt down on his knees, nodded again and again, and said, "Long live... the slaves have no choice. In the past, Duke Huan was tired of governing, and Guan Zhong built a house to keep prostitutes. There is really an unspeakable secret..." "Fart!" Suppressing his temper, listening to Tong Guowei's words was really heartbreaking and sad, and he couldn't help but change his face, "Duke Huan is the king of the subjugated country! It is the duty of the ministers to admonish the death of Wen and Wu to fight to the death. Whether the prince is good or not, you can only admonish him bitterly." , not to mention that I am still alive, why didn't I explain it? But I want to learn from Guan Zhong to slander him!"

When he got angry, the three ministers and Shi Shilun raised the corners of their robes and knelt down with a plop, just kowtowing and apologizing. The eunuchs and maids in the room were so frightened that their faces turned pale and trembled, and they were silent. For a moment, the room was as dead as a deserted temple. The big Fanjin clock on the wall clicked slowly.Prince Yin of the East Palace was the second son of Kangxi. He was originally the only son of Queen Xiaochengren's Hesheli family. Since the 42nd year of Kangxi's reign, Suo'etu secretly formed a party and plotted to force Kangxi to abdicate and support Yin. However, he was executed after the incident. Deyi'er was so frightened that he avoided Kangxi like a rat in the dark, except for Dingsheng in the early morning.What the minister in the study was worried about every day was that the father and son, both half-aged and older, could not work together as one, and the splint was uncomfortable. How could it not be thrilling to see Kangxi openly having a violent attack on the prince?Zhang Tingyu was aware that Kangxi's current anger was all instigated by Tong Guowei, but Tong Guowei was now the uncle of the state, and behind him was the powerful force of Eighth Prince Yin. How could he, a Han official, dare to join in?Ma Qi was straightforward and rough by nature, but he refused to follow Tong Guowei through the muddy water. He kowtowed and said, "I have another reason for borrowing money. Nowadays, there is no one in the six ministries and nine ministers who does not borrow money from the treasury. I and Li Guangdi are among the first-class nobles." In fact, his annual salary is 180 taels of silver. With this little money, let alone entertainment, he can’t support his wife and children! Relying on the emperor’s reward, Bing Tanjing, who is from the province where he is from, has a manor, so he should not borrow money. But if If we don't put on a show, how can outsiders know the details? Thinking that we must have lived a good life by betraying people, how can we afford the reputation of being a corrupt official?" "Has it come to this? Those who borrow money have a good reputation. The person who borrowed it turned out to be a bastard, which is shocking to hear!" Kangxi stood up as soon as he pressed the table, walked a few steps, and looked at the word "patience" written in his own handwriting on the west wall, and slowly, his face After regaining his composure, he looked back at Shi Shilun who was full of confusion and said, "Shi Shilun."

"The minister is..."

"The more I think about it, the bigger the matter." Kangxi said slowly and carefully, "Arabtan of the Junggar tribe is a wolf, very restless, and has already occupied a large pasture in the Khalkha tribe. It’s hard to guarantee that I won’t personally conquer Junggar for the fourth time! Once the country raises troops, there will be no money in the treasury to pay back? So the money owed by the Ministry of Households must be recovered as soon as possible, don’t hesitate.”

"……twitter!"

"Don't look forward to the future. Liang Qingbiao, Minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs, issued an order today to let him rest in Beijing, so as not to hinder you." Kangxi looked at Zhang Tingyu with burning eyes, "Zhang Tingyu, you have to make an edict." After finishing speaking, he tossed his braids back, and again He said to Shi Shilun: "I have given you the yellow mandarin jacket and the flag of Wang Ming, and I have the right to arbitrarily decide. Then there are the princes and the four elder brothers and the thirteen elder brothers who are in charge. You just have to do it boldly. From the top, I bow down, and down to the group of princes." Minister, treat everyone equally and clean up to the end!"

Shi Shilun shirked errands, and what he was most afraid of was that Emperor Kangxi would not be firm. Seeing that Kangxi was so determined, a stone fell to the ground immediately, and he fell deeply on the ground, and said in a hoarse voice: "Guoshi reported to the master regardless of his wealth. Long live is so trusting, how dare I dereliction of duty? "

"That's a good statement!" Kangxi sighed, "I just mentioned the prince, but in fact, I know the prince best. He is not a person who is confused and ignorant of things. There must be loyal people to assist him to perfect him. There are rumors outside that I Whatever you want to be the crown prince, it’s nothing—you’ve all heard that?” The four of them were stunned, and hurriedly kowtowed to agree, but Kangxi said again: “I have a warning, the world is powerful, and I am the only one. Accept it, one person handles it, there is absolutely no reason to be left alone. A courtier must not have strange thoughts, form cliques, harm the country and seek private interests, and if I find out, who can not protect you; Now, who can't harm you!"

His words seem fragmented and incoherent at first glance, but when he thinks carefully, his words are connected from end to end, and the connotation is unfathomable.A few people are all gentle and thoughtful, what don't you understand?Their foreheads were covered with sweat, and they all answered: "Yes!" The voice was so loud that even they were startled.

"Kneel down." Kangxi waved his hands gloomyly and said, "I'm tired too. Shi Shilun is going to see the prince. You can hand in the sign in a few afternoons and bring in the draft for me to read."

(End of this chapter)