Emperor Qianlong: the beginning of his glory

Chapter92
Ge Fengnian retreated outside the store, and after waiting for a while, Hong Xiao and others did not come.He was an impatient person, so he asked Bu Ren, who was guarding the door, to go in and ask if he would be allowed to go back to the camp and gather the troops first.After a while Bu Ren came out and said: "No need. After a while, Minister Wang will pass through Fengtai Daying, so it will be done." Ge Fengnian had to wait patiently outside the door, and nearly an hour passed , I heard a sound of horseshoes, Hong Xiao, Neqin, Zhang Tingyu, and the nine admirals were temporarily appointed by Ying Nuo, the servant of the Ministry of War, because they were vacant.Seeing them coming, Bu Ren and Bu Li secretly asked, "Is it Bu Yi?"

"It's me." Bu Yi replied, "I've invited you all!" After saying that, he bent down under Zhang Tingyu's horse, and Bu Ren and Bu Li hurried over to help Zhang Tingyu step on Bu Yi's back.Several people entered the shop quietly.As soon as they entered the upper room, they saw Qianlong who had been away for nearly a month, led by Zhang Tingyu, and they all knelt down to pay their respects.

Qianlong raised his hand and said, "Get up. This place is no bigger than Da Nei, the house is small, we can't all sit down, except Tingyu, let's all stand and talk." Zhang Tingyu Xie En sat on the stool against the wall and said, "The emperor looks very good. It’s just a little clearer. Now that you’ve arrived in Fengtai, you’re only a short distance away from Da Nei or Changchun Garden, so it’s not easy to close this place.” Qianlong didn’t pick up on this, and said, “Your Minister Wang in Beijing is doing a good job—see Have you got a copy from Shanxi?"

"I see." Prince Yi Hongxiao hurriedly said, "This is really a matter of embarrassment to the court. But Sun Jiagan's handling is too reckless. How can we investigate if the evidence of the stolen goods is destroyed? My brother is very upset. Because Yang Sijing I don't know this person, so I asked Hongsheng if he had written a letter to Shanxi, and Hongsheng said, "What's the matter, I'm so stupid?" After talking about it, he became more and more confused." Qianlong's face With no expression on his face, he turned to ask Neqin: "Look!"

Neqin was stunned for a moment, and said: "According to my servant, this is the same as the false manuscript case, and it is not appropriate to go into it. If you can't find out, it's better to cut the mess with a knife." Hong Xiao sneered: "Then Yang Sijing openly said that it was Hong Kong. I was promoted to write a letter on my behalf, how can I clear up my wronged? It's none of my business, you speak so coolly!" Neqin said: "My lord, don't mistrust me. We are responsible to the master. What do you think in your heart, it should be There is no deceit and no concealment. There will naturally be an imperial meeting when the master returns to the palace. Allow me to explain slowly."

"Now is the imperial meeting." Qianlong said with a smile, "Isn't the discussion in the palace the same as now? The admiral doesn't even know, you've kept your mouths tightly shut, and you've done everything very carefully." He said with a pun, "I just want to ask, what's going on with the Seventh Office?"

Hong Xiao said calmly: "It was my younger brother who asked for instructions on the Seven Division Yamen established by Prince Zhuang. The emperor knows that it has been a hundred years since the founding of the country, and in this generation of younger brother, there are still two or three generations younger than the younger brother of the clan. People. Carrying a birdcage to teahouses every day, gossiping, raising dogs, and planting pomegranate trees, it is better to arrange a serious errand for them, and they are easy to supervise. The princes of foreign vassals come to Beijing and let them take care of them. So as not to cause any disputes." Qianlong asked kindly: "Who is in charge of this Seventh Office?" Hong Xiao said: "It's Hongsheng from Wuye's family, he is smart and capable. Prince Li Hongxi and Yibeile Hongchang Recommended. I was worried, so I added Hongpu as co-organizer." Qianlong asked: "After the establishment, you didn't ask about these things again?" Hong Xiao said: "I'm in the military aircraft department, and I didn't take care of this matter. It's just left Paying money and food on a monthly basis, taking care of housekeeping every day, are all small things."

"Small matter?" Qianlong sneered, "They have taken over the defense of the inner guards, and even blocked the eunuchs who were ordered to return to the palace. You are in charge of 'big matters'. May I ask you, what else is bigger than this? ——It’s the note you send to me every day, the report that doesn’t hurt or itch, the messy barometer? You Hongxiao solemnly gave me a note? There’s such a pile of dry wood in the backyard , It's on at one o'clock, and you still don't say a word? Faint!"

The emperor suddenly changed his face, and several people were so shocked that their faces turned pale. They couldn't stand anymore, and they all knelt down together.Zhang Tingyu couldn't sit still, and also knelt down, saying: "The minister and Neqin both know about this matter, and have also asked about it. Because they said that it was approved by the decree, they didn't go into it...The minister is old and stupid, please forgive me." Neqin also said: "It's hard for a minister to commit a crime, and I beg the emperor to punish him severely."

"I will not punish anyone." Qianlong suddenly changed his smile, "I called you here just to save your dignity. You have to tie the bell to untie it. This will be done tonight. The inner city belongs to Inno People, it’s still so far away from the city, so ask Ge Fengnian to escort you in—that’s it!” Hong Xiao said with a little embarrassment: “This is a matter of a decree. Why bother to lead troops into the city and alarm It's too big." Qianlong quickly withdrew his smile and said, "Your name is Hong'Xiao, but you don't know anything about it. To protect your dignity, you still have to talk! You step back and go to the West Wing to follow me into the city tomorrow. Don't You are here to do this job!" He said, and went to the desk to write the written letter, and said while writing: "For example, if there is sand in the eye, you want me to rub my eyes again tomorrow!" He handed the written letter to Ge Fengnian. "Your errands are two. Escort a few ministers to Da Nei, and then immediately go to Prince Yi's Mansion to capture Hongchang, as well as Hongpu and Hongsheng. Lock them together and take them to Jiaozongren Mansion for Neqin to take care of!"

"Your Majesty!" Hong Xiao called softly in pain.

Qianlong looked gloomy, waved his hands, and said, "Go down, I have a decree of kindness."

The Seventh Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which was established less than half a month ago, collapsed within two hours, disappearing as abruptly as it had appeared.According to Hongxi's vision, more than 2000 royal children and idle clan relatives in Beijing will be organized, together with their respective family slaves, this is a formidable force, quietly controlling the House of Internal Affairs (Zong It is also self-evident), and gradually grasp the power of the guards, the reception of foreign vassals, and the liaison with the Eight Banners,... the emperor has to buy it when he is powerful, even if he can't abolish this "suspicious origin, name "The emperor who is not divided properly" can at least cut off his dictatorship and restore the situation where the eight kings before the Shunzhi emperor discussed politics.But things are not easy until they are done.It turned out that the plan of "not showing the mountains and dews for a year, but only gaining a firm foothold" that had been secretly discussed many times failed to materialize.These nobles are not fuel-efficient, they say they are the "Seventh Division" of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs dare not provoke them at all, even Hongpu, Hongchang, and Hongsheng can't restrain them.These "soldiers" of the seven divisions of the yamen all have a terrible face.This one went to the Ministry of Households to find his disciples to approve money and food, and that one went to the arsenal of the Ministry of War to find his slaves to borrow weapons—they were all surnamed Aixinjueluo, and no one dared to provoke them.Later, they simply occupied Donghua Gate and Xihua Gate, saying that they were "helping the guards to guard the inner garden".The rapid development of this momentum even surprised Hong Xi himself.

But the next morning, Hongxi got up without knowing the sky.He planned not to even eat breakfast, and hurriedly called Hongsheng and Hongpu over to discuss how to rectify the "Seven Offices". Unexpectedly, before he finished washing, the officials of the Wangfu came in in a hurry and said: "My lord, I don't know what's going on, we There are soldiers outside the door! It looks like something is going to happen."

"Soldier?" Hong Xi spat out the green salt water in his mouth, and asked, "You didn't ask, which yamen is it? Who sent it? What are you doing at the door?" The clerk said, "The servant asked, said It belongs to the nine-door admiral's yamen, and is ordered to guard it. I can't ask anything else." Hongxi stood there dumbfounded like a log, without speaking for a long while, his face was blue and gray, and suddenly an ominous premonition came to his heart , shivered uncontrollably: "The emperor must be back, he found out about the Qisi yamen." He slumped down on the easy chair, stroked his bright forehead and thought for a while, then suddenly jumped up Said: "Ask them to prepare a sedan chair for me. I'll go to Da Nei to have a look."

The gatekeeper promised to go out, and Hongxi changed his clothes here, wearing a smoked mink court crown, a four-ball five-claw golden dragon stone blue court jacket, a sable hood with a golden satin lining, and a cat's eye stone around his waist. The gold and jade square belt, the sash is slightly exposed, and it is adorned with four oriental pearls - neatly dressed, when I left the palace, I saw outside the screen wall and along the wall of the palace, there are three steps, one post, five steps and one post, all of them are military officers with swords, and the lowest rank Boss Qian, standing proudly and not looking sideways.Knowing that something serious happened, he took a breath of cool air, calmed himself down, and got on the sedan chair, but no one stopped him, so he ordered loudly:

"Go to Donghua Gate to pass the sign!"

Everything in Donghuamen is as usual.When the gatekeepers, guards and eunuchs saw Prince Shili arriving, they greeted him as usual.After handing over the sign and entering, there was a decree immediately: "See you at the Hongxi Yangxin Hall."

Hong Xi's heart was fluctuating, at one moment he thought "I'm not afraid of taking cold medicine if I'm fine", and at the other moment I was inexplicably nervous.It was snowing lightly in the sky, and there was thin ice on the ground. I lost my mind a few times and almost slipped and fell... In a trance, I came to the Chuihua Gate of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.The eunuch Wang Li went on to say hello to Qian'er, and said, "Long live Lord said, when Prince Li arrives, call in immediately." Hongxi nodded and came in, and saw Qianlong sitting in the East Nuan Pavilion with Neqin and Er Er Tai, Yunlu, and Hongxiao were discussing matters, they hurriedly went forward and knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, saying: "I don't know that Yujia has returned honorably, so I don't have to welcome him. I beg the emperor to forgive me."

"It seems that you are in good spirits." Qianlong said with a smile, "It's just that you are getting thinner, so you should cherish yourself a little bit!" Then he asked to get up and give him a seat, and then said: "The palace examination can no longer be delayed. Beijing is so cold, some poor scholars can't live. So, ask the Ministry of Rites to check. There are Gongsheng students who can't afford to live in a store or live in a temple. I didn’t bring cotton-padded clothes and quilts, so I took some from the military supply warehouse and distributed them. You know, there may be future generals here, wouldn’t it be a crime to freeze to death here?”

Ertai, who was sitting next to Hongxi, hurriedly said: "The master is very thoughtful. According to the slave, the inspection of the Seven Division Yamen last night found 6000 taels of silver, as well as a lot of quilts and charcoal. Why don't we separate them out?" Distributing it to poor Gongsheng students saves a lot of trouble." Naqin immediately objected, saying: "It's better to follow the Lord's will. The confiscated things are messy, and they are directly rewarded without even an account. Encountering this kind of thing, it’s not good if it becomes an example. The copied things should be put in the warehouse, and the rewarded things should be out of the warehouse. The rules can’t be messed up. We must prevent the villains from cheating.” Knowing that something really happened, my head swelled with a "buzz", and my mouth moved: "...copied?..."

"The palace examination will be scheduled for October 26." Qianlong looked at the puppet-like Hongxi with teasing eyes, and said to himself, "it will be presided over by Hongxiao and Hongxi, and Neqin will supervise the venue. In previous years, every year in the palace examination, there was frostbite." Yes, this year it is called the Ministry of Rites, and each person will be given a copper hand stove, and the hot water will be replaced every once in a while. As for the topic of the palace examination, I will decide at that time. What do you think?" Several ministers immediately sang the praises and praised in unison.Qianlong smiled and asked, "Hong Xi, why don't you say a word?"

(End of this chapter)