The swansong of the swansong

Chapter 274 Mountain Collapse (3)

The eldest daughter of the emperor, Princess Rongxian of the First Rank, was born to Consort Rong of the Ma Jia clan, and her older brother was the third prince.

However, when Rongxian got married, Yinwu had not yet been born.

Therefore, although Yinwu and Rongxian were half-siblings, they had no affection for each other whatsoever.

Yinwu had no concrete evidence, but based on his understanding of Kangxi, he vaguely sensed something amiss.

The fact that Emperor Kangxi sent Yinwu to offer condolences after his brother-in-law died was unusual in itself.

These days, if someone working in the government isn't highly vigilant, they're very likely to be sold out and even have to help the seller count the money!

After returning to his residence, Yinwu quickly packed his belongings and had just sat down to drink a cup of tea when he heard that Kuiquan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Wanyan Zhong, the Right Vice Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs, had come to visit him together.

According to the rules of the Great Qing Code, the consort of a Heshuo Princess held the same rank as a Zhenguo Duke.

However, Princess Rongxian's husband, Urgun, had previously been the Jasak Dorok Prince of the Bairin tribe.

To highlight the special relationship between the Manchus and Mongols, Emperor Kangxi arranged for Yinwu to attend the funeral, which was considered a great honor.

However, since Yinwu was the chief envoy, he would certainly arrange for important officials from the relevant government departments to serve as deputy envoys to handle the specific tasks.

Kui Quan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and Yan Zhong, the Right Vice Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs, were the deputy envoys who were ordered to accompany the emperor on this mission.

According to their respective duties, Kui Quan presided over Urgun's funeral, while Yan Zhong focused on examining Urgun's successor.

Of course, Wanyan Zhong's so-called inspection was just a formality.

This is because Linbu, the only son of Urgun and Princess Rongxian, is the natural heir to the Jasak Prince of the Balin tribe.

"Your humble servant Kuiquan, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, wishes Your Highness good health."

"Your humble servant Yan Zhong, Right Vice Minister of the Court of Colonial Affairs, wishes Your Highness good health."

Yinwu nodded slightly and said calmly, "Never mind, sit wherever you like."

Kui Quan bowed deeply, trying to ingratiate himself, saying, "In Your Highness's presence, how could we servants possibly have a seat?"

Yinwu waved his hand and scolded, "If I tell you to sit, then sit. What's with all the fuss?"

"Whoo."

Despite being scolded, Kui Quan sat down on the round stool with a big smile on his face.

Once Yan Chong and the others were all settled, he leaned forward, only sitting on half his bottom, like a timid quail, staring expectantly at Yinwu.

Yinwu was no ordinary prince, but a minor banner lord of the Bordered White Banner. He commanded six Niru (military units), making him second only to Prince Yong, the fourth prince, in power.

In the Qing Dynasty of that time, the standard for a true master was only one thing: titles and official positions were secondary; all that mattered was whether one held a Niru (a military unit).
Over the years, under Kangxi's combination of force and persuasion, as well as coercion and enticement, the power of the banner leaders of the Lower Five Banners has been greatly diminished, and they are no longer able to resist imperial power.

The nominal banner lord of the Bordered White Banner, namely Prince Yanhuang of the First Rank, was bullied quite a bit by Emperor Kangxi because of his young age and lack of experience.

Today, Yanhuang actually controls only seven Niru, which is incomparable to his ancestor Hauge!
"Your Highness, we have discussed this briefly and drafted a plan. We would like to ask you to give us your final decision." Kui Quan held a draft in both hands and bowed as he handed it to Yinwu.

Yinwu was merely an acquaintance of Kuiquan and Yanzhong; they had no prior relationship.

After reading the memorial, Yinwu looked up at Kuiquan and said, "You've discussed this together?"

Kui Quan quickly stood up, bowed, and replied, "Your Highness, it has already been discussed."

"Very well, tomorrow I will present this proposal to Father Khan."

Upon hearing Yinwu's words, Kuiquan and Yanzhong, understanding the situation, immediately rose and bowed to take their leave. To avoid suspicion of associating with high-ranking officials, Yinwu naturally could not personally see them off, but instead instructed Wulin to escort them to the gate of the courtyard.

"Manager Wu, thank you for your trouble!" Kui Quan deliberately moved closer to Wu Lin, using his body to block Yan Zhong's view, and quietly slipped a hundred-tael banknote into Wu Lin's sleeve.

In front of Yan Zhong, Wu Lin felt it was inconvenient to push and pull or say anything more, so he just smiled meaningfully.

Seeing Wu Lin's kind expression, Yan Chong was overjoyed; there was hope!
It had long been known in the capital that Wulin was the most favored eunuch in Yinwu's court.

In plain terms, as long as Yan Zhong pleases Wu Lin, he won't have to worry about not being able to climb the social ladder to Yin Wu's favor.

Kui Quan had actually seen through Yan Zhong's little tricks. Given his status and position, he could naturally see right through Yan Zhong's schemes.

As Emperor Kangxi grew older, he refused to relinquish power.

As the saying goes, a country is in turmoil when its ruler is young.

In reality, even the old master is suspicious of the country.

If a man does not serve himself, he will be punished by heaven and earth!
Kangxi had too many sons, each with their own strengths, which inevitably led to a division among the Manchu nobles.

Some sided with the fourteenth prince, some gravitated towards the third prince, while many more Manchu nobles rallied under the banner of the eighth prince.

What Yan Chong couldn't understand was why Kui Quan wanted to align himself with Yin Wu.
That's definitely a secret!
A few days later, surrounded by dozens of guards from the Prince's residence, Yinwu led Kuiquan and Yanzhong away from the capital and headed north.

There are two routes to take from the capital northward to Balin.

One route is to leave Zhangjiakou, pass through Dushikou, and enter the Bairin tribe of Southern Mongolia via Duolunnuoer.

The other route was to follow the main road to Rehe, bypass Kangxi's imperial hunting grounds, and head east into the Bairin region.

As the imperial envoy, Yinwu was the only one who could hold a funeral in the Balin tribe.

Since there was no rush, Yinwu went along with Kuiquan and Yanzhong's wishes and led everyone straight to Zhangjiakou.

The large group only traveled one leg of the journey each day. With Prince Yinwu as the leader, the post stations along the way did not dare to be careless and provided them with the best food and drink.

Because it was a funeral procession, all the female actors sent by the magistrates along the way were swept away by Yinwu.

However, in the Qing Dynasty, no matter how small the matter, the hospitality was never insignificant.

Since Yinwu was wary of female actors, some shrewd people figured out the reason and actually sent a young male prostitute to him.

Yinwu had absolutely no interest in the young master Longyang.

However, both Yan Zhong and Kui Quan had a taste for this.

There was no other way; the Qing Dynasty ruled the country with filial piety in mind, and whenever a funeral was held in the palace, princes, nobles, and officials were not allowed to have sex with women.

However, princes, nobles, and officials are also human beings, and they all have emotions and desires.

As a result, young male prostitutes became the favorites of the powerful and wealthy.

It can relieve internal heat without causing pregnancy or endless troubles, making it a win-win situation!

That evening, after serving Yinwu a foot bath, Wulin hunched over and whispered, "Your Highness, the jade pillar is ready and is following ten miles behind our ranks."

Yinwu chuckled and waved his hand, saying, "Go and tell Yuzhu to stop causing trouble. If I really have something on my mind, I'll find a way to resolve it."

"Master..." Wu Lin was about to persuade him again, but was frightened by Yin Wu's cold gaze and shrank back, silently retreating to the side.

(End of this chapter)