There is no such thing as the Kangxi and Qianlong eras

Chapter 396 Borrowing a Boat
Nanjing Imperial Palace.

"Your subject Cai Hong pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Cai Hong, a cousin (hostage) of Cai Qian who had been sent to Nanjing, came to pay homage to the emperor by imperial decree.

Nie Yu raised his hand to indicate, "No need for formalities, please take a seat!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Cai Hong said.

Once Cai Hong was seated, Nie Yu didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Cai Hong, I have summoned you here today because I have an important task to entrust to you."

Upon hearing that he had an important mission, Cai Hong immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty. I will go through fire and water and die without hesitation!"

Nie Yu smiled and raised his hand: "It's not that troublesome. I need you to go to Zhoushan now and find your uncle Cai Qian, the Marquis of Zhenhai, to borrow a batch of warships. You can use these warships to purchase some goods from Chongming Island and Taicang, such as salt, transparent glass, porcelain, etc. I just need you to help my Great Han transport a batch of soldiers to Jeju Island."

Cai Hong was initially puzzled when he heard that the emperor wanted him to borrow a boat from his uncle so that he could also transport goods. But then he heard the last sentence: "He also wants to transport some soldiers to Jeju Island."
Where is Jeju Island?
Noticing Cai Hong's confusion, Nie Yu had his secretary bring out a map and show it to Cai Hong.

Cai Hongfang then realized: "Your Majesty is going to Korea?"

“No,” Nie Yu shook his head and said, “I am not going to North Korea, I only want Jeju Island.”

Cai Hong was startled upon hearing this, and then advised, "Your Majesty, summer is almost over and autumn and winter are just around the corner. This is the season when storms are frequent in coastal areas. Sending troops to Korea now is probably not a good idea."

Goodness, Cai Hong's perspective is different from those of the Han Dynasty civil officials.

The civil officials' desire for Jeju Island by the emperor inevitably carries the suspicion of coveting the territory of a vassal state.

Even if the emperor's words were eloquent, Jeju Island had been annexed by Korea for hundreds of years, and it was only occupied by China for a few decades during the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. Neither the Ming Dynasty nor the Qing Dynasty possessed Jeju Island.

Cai Hong was different. After being a pirate for several years, Cai had long since opened his mind.

The emperor wants Jeju Island? No problem!
What business is it of theirs whatsoever with vassal states' territories? The only thing they find objectionable is that the timing is bad; going to sea to fight is likely to result in encountering waves and storms.

During the Mongol invasions of Japan, Kublai Khan suffered a defeat at the hands of the steppe Mongols, who preferred to wage war when the horses were fat and ready for battle in autumn. Meanwhile, the sea surface in autumn, having just experienced the summer heat, experiences a sharp rise in temperature, making it most prone to typhoons.

Nie Yu nodded: "There are many typhoons in autumn and winter? I understand. Then we will set sail again next spring. After setting sail, the fleet can first go to North Korea to trade and gather intelligence on North Korea. If the North Korean forces are not strong, then we can directly attack Jeju Island. If the North Korean forces on Jeju Island are too strong, then we can retreat first and then make further plans."

Cai Hong suddenly asked with some doubt, "Why does Your Majesty suddenly want to attack Jeju Island? This island is far away from our Great Han, and it is not even half the size of Taiwan. It seems useless to take it."

“This place can raise warhorses…” Nie Yu said, then added, “It’s also very close to Liaodong Pass.”

Cai Hong understood now and quickly bowed, replying, "Your subject obeys."

……

The Mountain Resort in Chengde.

This summer, Emperor Jiaqing finally couldn't resist and went to the Mountain Resort to escape the heat.

This summer resort was originally Kangxi's Rehe Palace. Located at the center of Beijing and the Mulan Hunting Grounds, it boasts excellent terrain, a pleasant climate, beautiful scenery, and direct access to the birthplace of the puppet Qing dynasty. It offered a commanding view of the interior and a commanding presence over the Mongol tribes, making it Kangxi's designated military and political center in the north.

In the 42nd year of Emperor Ma's reign, a large-scale renovation and expansion of the Rehe Imperial Palace began, which took 89 years and went through three phases to complete.

Fortunately, Emperor Qianlong indulged in pleasure and successfully completed the Summer Palace in the three years before his abdication; otherwise, Emperor Jiaqing would not have been able to enjoy it.

On this day, Emperor Jiaqing was reviewing memorials at the Summer Palace when he suddenly felt his eyelids twitching. He immediately called out, "Zhang Jinzhong!" "Your Majesty, this servant is here!" Zhang Jinzhong, who was waiting outside the palace, hurriedly ran in and knelt down to respond.

Emperor Jiaqing rubbed his forehead and said, "I have been feeling uneasy lately, as if something bad is about to happen again."

Hearing Jiaqing's question, which was not really a question, Zhang Jinzhong was also a little stunned. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Your Majesty, this is probably due to your recent overwork in state affairs, which has exhausted you. Why don't you put it down and rest for a while? Don't let your worries about state affairs harm your health, as it will not benefit the country!"

Jiaqing was quite pleased that Zhang Jinzhong immediately expressed concern for his health, but he still shook his head: "The country is facing increasing difficulties. The false Han in the south has committed treason and has already usurped the throne. Half of the south has also fallen. At this time of national crisis, even if I have devoted myself to the country, how can I disregard the foundation of the empire left by our ancestors for my own enjoyment?"

"Your Majesty... Waaah..."

Goodness, this Qing Dynasty eunuch is quite the actor!

He could cry on cue, and his tears were perfectly timed and quite emotional, making it seem as if he was moved to tears by Emperor Jiaqing.

"Alright, I'm tired. Go and fetch me the calming pills."

Emperor Jiaqing waved his hand, and Zhang Jinzhong quickly wiped his eyes and hurriedly left the Jiaqing Palace.

After a moment, he returned, carrying a small, exquisite brocade box.

Zhang Jinzhong held a brocade box in his hands, knelt down and presented it to Jiaqing. The box was opened, revealing three dark, shiny pills that emitted a strong aroma of spices.

It is common knowledge that medicines are almost never fragrant. Any elixir that can be scented with spices must have some illicit drugs added to it.

Emperor Jiaqing took out one pill and swallowed it with some tea.

The medicine melted instantly upon entering his mouth, and in no time, Jiaqing was free of fatigue and felt full of energy.

Emperor Jiaqing praised it, saying, "It is indeed a rare and precious medicine. Just one pill can invigorate the spirit and boost morale. A reward!"

When Zhang Jinzhong heard the word "reward" at the end, he knew that Prince Cheng was about to receive another reward from the Emperor.

That's right, this calming pill didn't come from the palace, but was a rare medicine presented by Prince Cheng from outside the palace. Prince Cheng was said to have received it from another merchant surnamed Pang.

The exact origin of this medicine is unclear, but it is indeed invigorating and refreshing after taking it. Whenever the emperor was exhausted, taking one pill would immediately restore his physical strength and energy.

However, Zhang Jinzhong also keenly noticed that the emperor seemed to have lost a significant amount of weight compared to a few months ago when he was not taking the calming pills.

Unaware of Zhang Jinzhong's thoughts, Emperor Jiaqing, after taking the calming pills, was still somewhat uneasy, but he attributed it to being troubled by state affairs, especially the memorials he was currently reviewing, several of which mentioned the continuous rise in prices in Beijing.

There was no way around it; the Grand Canal transport had been completely cut off, and half of the Jiangnan region had been lost. After the pseudo-Han usurped the throne, he completely severed all the transport of supplies and grain from the south to the north.

Beijing now relies entirely on grain supplies from the north, as well as some grain that has been forcibly purchased from North Korea, and the pressure of the shortage is enormous.

Not only could it not meet the food and fodder needs of the northern army, but it also failed to satisfy the appetites of the Manchu nobles in Beijing.

Rising prices are almost inevitable!
Dong Gao, as the leading minister of the Grand Council and a veteran of two reigns, was left in Beijing by Emperor Jiaqing to stabilize the situation. But even if this old minister tried his best, there was no grain, and grain was no grain. Unlike silver and copper coins, grain cannot be conjured.

(End of this chapter)