Emperor of the Red Chamber

Chapter 147: King and Minister, Brother and Brother

A country cannot live without a ruler for a day.

The imperial business is complicated and it is impossible not to be tired if you want to be a good emperor.

Yuan Qingbai had long understood this truth, having deeply felt it from the two emperors, Jing'an and Chengtai.

Even during the Chinese New Year, Yuan Qingbai only had one day off on New Year's Eve. He performed the opening ceremony in Baohe Hall on New Year's Day, which meant that he, the Emperor Tianlong, had begun a busy new year.

He has summarized his work as the emperor last year.

He ascended the throne in March last year and was emperor for a total of ten months. He did many things, big and small, but when he summed it up, it can actually be simply summarized in three points.

First, to stabilize the throne, ease the tense atmosphere in the court caused by the Chengtai period, and regulate various conflicts, including the conflicts between the court and local gentry. As a result, some of the regulations of Emperor Chengtai were revised.

Second, he tried some reforms, such as the reform of the Imperial Observatory and the Imperial Medical Service.

Third, prepare for a major war against Dzungar.

Yuan Qingbai thought to himself that he had been competent as the emperor of the Great Zhou for the past ten months. Although he did not sleep for only two or three hours like Emperor Chengtai, he was diligent and hardworking. Moreover, he was not complacent, nor did he indulge in pleasure.

He also knew that the road ahead was long and arduous, and his path to becoming an emperor was still long. The future state affairs would be complicated, waiting for him to explore personally and work diligently.

It is the fourteenth day of the first lunar month, and tomorrow is the Lantern Festival, also known as Shangyuan.

In the morning, Yuan Qingbai was in the warm room of the Yangxin Palace, reviewing a memorial.

This memorial was submitted by Song Jiahan, the Vice Minister of Works and Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture. The title is eye-catching: "Your Highness Song Jiahan is reporting on the affairs of the Grand Councillors Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting"!
"…Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting were deeply favored by the late emperor. In his will, the late emperor praised Tang Chengyuan as "a man of integrity and sincerity in his service" and praised Zhan Erting as "loyal and loyal, talented in economics, able to keep the people safe and supervise officials, and pacify the borders. He is truly a famous minister who is rare in the world." The late emperor ordered the two to be enshrined in the imperial temple to show the emperor's great favor."

"Since His Majesty ascended the throne, he has followed the will and promoted these two people to be the Ministers of General Affairs, granting them great power and placing great hopes on them. However, less than a year after His Majesty took the throne, these two ministers abused their power, formed their own cliques, and competed for fame and fortune. The struggle became more and more intense..."

Song Jiahan's memorial consisted of a thousand words, mainly impeaching Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting for abusing their power and forming their own faction, which intensified the struggle.

Yuan Qingbai carefully reviewed the memorial three times, but smiled and sighed in his heart: "Song Jiahan is worthy of being the 'first minister of remonstrance' in the current era. He is really not afraid of death!"

As early as during the Chengtai period, Song Jiahan was well-known for his outspokenness and frank criticism. He gave advice to Emperor Chengtai many times. Once he even wrote a 2,000-word article suggesting that Emperor Chengtai "get close to his brothers, stop paying donations, and withdraw troops from the northwest."

Fortunately, although Emperor Chengtai was stern and harsh, he appreciated and respected Song Jiahan and never punished him. However, he did not adopt many of Song Jiahan's advice.

After Yuan Qingbai ascended the throne, Song Jiahan continued his style as the "first minister of remonstration". In just ten months, he had given advice to Yuan Qingbai more than twenty times, and the matters he advised on were both big and small.

For example, Song Jiahan advised to lift the confinement of the former second prince, the former seventh prince, and the former twelfth prince.

For example, Song Jiahan exposed that Jia Zhen took a concubine during the 100-day national mourning period and advised him to be punished.

For example, because Yuan Qingbai moved to Yuanzhao Garden more than a hundred days after Emperor Chengtai's death, Song Jiahan once submitted a memorial to the emperor to criticize Yuan Qingbai for this. Later, he submitted another memorial to the emperor to criticize Yuan Qingbai for living in Yuanzhao Garden for too long.

Just a few days ago, Song Jiahan wrote a memorial to accuse Ruijun Wang Yuan Qingshu of not doing his job properly, relying on his power, being arrogant and willful, and acting recklessly. For this, he was scolded in person by Yuan Qingshu in the palace.

And today, Song Jiahan turned his spearhead toward Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting again, impeaching these two powerful prime ministers together, with the serious charge of "abusing power and forming cliques".

No wonder even Yuan Qingbai couldn't help but sigh that this man was indeed the "first minister of remonstration" and was not afraid of death.

Literary men die in admonishment, and military men die in battles.

If a minister of remonstrance like Song Jiahan were placed in certain dynasties in history, he would die for his direct remonstrance, either being executed by the emperor or killed by powerful ministers.

Fortunately, Emperor Chengtai was not such an emperor, and neither was Yuan Qingbai.

Like Emperor Chengtai, Yuan Qingbai also appreciated and respected Song Jiahan. He appreciated his courage to speak out and give direct criticism, his integrity, and his talent in governing.

Yuan Qingbai did not punish Song Jiahan for his direct criticism. Instead, he protected Song Jiahan and had a plan in mind. He wanted to use Song Jiahan to rectify the administration and crack down on corruption in the future...

As for Song Jiahan's memorial this time, Yuan Qingbai agreed half and rejected half.

As the emperor who had just ascended the throne, Yuan Qingbai paid close attention to Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting, two powerful prime ministers. Although he did not know everything, it was certain that he knew the two better than Song Jiahan. Some of the situations Song Jiahan described in this memorial were just hearsay and had not been confirmed.

According to Yuan Qingbai's understanding, the two prime ministers, Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting, have indeed become two factions fighting against each other.

One important reason why this situation occurred is that Yuan Qingbai did it on purpose!

Since he ascended the throne, Yuan Qingbai has been deliberately leading Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting to fight and sabotage each other. He mediates in the middle, not letting one suppress the other, and ensuring a balance, so that the two cannot live in harmony, let alone collude with each other. This is conducive to curbing the power of the two prime ministers, stabilizing the throne of the new emperor, and strengthening his imperial power.

This is the art of emperorship!
Obviously, this matter needs to be handled with caution.

At this moment, after reviewing Song Jiahan's memorial, Yuan Qingbai believed that Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting had not yet reached the level of "abusing power and forming cliques", but it was time to warn the two.

In addition, Yuan Qingbai had already planned to increase the number of military ministers when the time was right. This would both prevent powerful ministers and strengthen the imperial power.

……

……

On that day, Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting were warned by Yuan Qingbai in the Yangxin Palace one after another. The tone of the warning was somewhat harsh, which made both of them frightened.

Since Yuan Qingbai ascended the throne, he has always treated the two of them well, giving them generous rewards, and has visited them incognito more than once, including during the Chinese New Year. Even if he was dissatisfied with them sometimes, he would usually persuade them with gentle words or give them stern warnings. Today was the first time.

Tang Chengyuan and Zhan Erting were both loyal ministers. Moreover, they both knew that Yuan Qingbai's warning was reasonable. They would not feel resentful towards Yuan Qingbai because of the severe warning this time, and they would both reflect on their mistakes.

There is no need to elaborate on this matter.

It is said that Prince Qian Yuan Qingsong left Beijing for more than half a year last year to examine and promote potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn, and only returned to Beijing at the end of the year.

Yuan Qingsong's skin was darker and rougher than before, because he had been traveling around the country and working hard in the fields for more than half a year. His performance made Yuan Qingbai quite satisfied.

During the Chinese New Year, Yuan Qingbai reunited with his two brothers Yuan Qingsong and Yuan Qingshu.

Today is the 14th day of the first lunar month. Yuan Qingbai summoned the two to the palace to accompany Empress Dowager He to drink and enjoy the moon. Tomorrow, on the 15th day of the first lunar month, it will not be cheap. Empress Dowager He is also the mother of Yuan Qingsong and Yuan Qingshu in name, and has some motherly feelings for them.

So this afternoon, when Yuan Qingbai was still busy with state affairs in the Yangxin Palace in the palace, Prince Rui Yuan Qingshu came to the palace of Prince Qian Yuan Qingsong in a gorgeous sedan chair, ready to enter the palace with Yuan Qingsong.

At this moment, Yuan Qingsong and Yuan Qingshu were in the study.

This is Yuan Qingsong's study room. Because he likes reading, especially poetry, the layout of this study room is quite exquisite. The space is not small, but it is arranged in an orderly manner. There are many bookshelves and bookcases, and there are many books. There are paintings and calligraphy by famous artists on the wall. There are four treasures of the study on the desk, and the fragrance of ink is intoxicating. There is also a stove for burning incense, and the smoke is curling. Outside the window, the shadows of bamboo are swaying, and the scenery is elegant.

While sipping his tea, Yuan Qingsong said to Yuan Qingshu, "Fifth brother, I heard that you met Song Jiahan in the palace the day before yesterday, and blamed him for impeaching you, so you scolded him?"

Yuan Qingshu took an exquisite copper-based painted enamel snuff bottle, opened the exquisite lid, took out a proper amount of snuff with a snuff spoon, dipped his finger in it, and put it under his nostrils to take a sip, then responded: "Scolding him is a light punishment. If I hadn't thought of him as a good official, I would have beaten him up. He actually accused me like that in the memorial, ha!"

The Han people began to smoke snuff in the Ming Dynasty. However, very little snuff was imported during the Ming Dynasty, and only some people in Guangdong smoked it.

During the reign of Emperor Jing'an, the maritime ban was lifted and Western missionaries brought a large amount of snuff and snuff bottles to the Great Zhou. Emperor Jing'an also found a group of Westerners who were good at making snuff bottles to make snuff bottles in the imperial palace.

Nowadays, the habit of snuffing spread throughout the Zhou Dynasty, and appreciating snuff bottles became a fashion. Snuff bottles even became a symbol of status for some nobles and wealthy people.

Yuan Qingsong saw that Yuan Qingshu was taking snuff in front of him, and he was used to it. He continued to speak his mind: "Song Jiahan accused you of not doing your job properly, and of relying on your power, being arrogant and willful, and acting recklessly. In my opinion, it is not false."

After Yuan Qingbai ascended the throne, he gave Yuan Qingshu the power to participate in state affairs. However, this fifth brother rarely participated in state affairs. Instead, he indulged in pleasure and behaved in an arrogant and willful manner.

Yuan Qingsong continued, "Although you and my third brother are friendly and respectful, you are the emperor after all. If you continue to be lazy and arrogant, and one day you cause a big trouble, or the emperor loses patience with you, I'm afraid there will be disaster."

Yuan Qingshu put away the snuff bottle, stared at Yuan Qingsong, and said with a smile: "Fourth brother, I am used to being willful. When my father was alive, he treated us so strictly, but he still couldn't tame me. My temper is hard to change. Moreover, as long as I sincerely respect my third brother and don't cause any big trouble, my third brother will be able to tolerate me and will not guard against my ill intentions!"

Yuan Qingsong was stunned when he heard this. He stared at Yuan Qingshu and sighed in his heart: "Great! It turns out that this useless fifth brother actually has such a deep intention!"

(End of this chapter)