Qing Yao

Chapter 424 The Mascot of the Qing Dynasty

The one who harbored resentment towards Zhao An was naturally Emperor Jiaqing, Yongyan, three years later.

Yongyan and Fuchang'an were both born in the 25th year of the Qianlong Emperor's reign, and are both 32 years old this year. They grew up together in the palace since childhood, so they have a very good relationship.

This is why, although Fu Chang'an closely followed Heshen, he didn't target Yongyan much, and sometimes even took care of Yongyan appropriately.

In Zhao An's past life, Emperor Jiaqing did not execute Fu Chang'an because of this friendship. Instead, he sent the guy to prison to personally watch Heshen hang himself, which scared him so much that he wet himself.

Yongyan came with his eighth brother, Prince Yi, Yongxuan; his eleventh brother, Prince Cheng, Yongxing; and his younger brother, Yonglin. These four were the princes who were still alive at the time; the rest had passed away.

Behind the prince were a group of Grand Councilors, led by the chief Grand Councilor, Agui.

Although Agui no longer concern himself with politics, the old master always retained his position as the chief Grand Councilor, which prevented Heshen from becoming the prime minister of the Qing Dynasty legitimately.

Perhaps this was something the old master did intentionally, to prevent Heshen from controlling the government for too long and becoming too powerful to control.

After all, the Qing dynasty's rule belonged to the Aisin Gioro clan, not the Niohuru clan.

Even if the old man liked Heshen very much, he still had to consider the well-being of his children and grandchildren.

As long as Agui remained in the position of chief Grand Councilor, even if he did nothing, he would still be the most important person in the Qing Dynasty court.

Agui usually attends large-scale events, such as the weddings of princes and princesses, and the annual Lunar New Year's Eve Gala is no exception.

You could even say that A-Gui was the most important guest at the party. Every year before the party started, the old man would ask where A-Gui was.

Following behind Agui were four Grand Councilors: Peng Yuanrui, Wang Jie, Dong Gao, and Song Jun.

The reason why Fu Chang'an walked with the princes was for reasons that cannot be spoken of. Of course, it can also be understood that Fu Chang'an and the four princes were cousins.

The other princes, such as the princes in hats, were already in the palace. Prince Li Linzhi, Prince Zheng Jihana, Prince Rui Chunying, and Prince Yu Xiuling had been chatting for more than an hour, but they did not talk about matters of the court. It was not that they did not want to talk about it, but that they dared not.

The two most successful things the old emperor did in his more than fifty years on the throne were: first, using literary inquisitions to break the backbone of Han Chinese scholars; and second, successfully locking members of the imperial clan, including the "Crown Prince," into a "cage" through several major cases involving the imperial clan.

Nowadays, princes are rarely seen in the imperial court, and their influence in politics is basically zero.

Calling them eight mascots would be a more accurate description.

"go in."

Fu Chang'an patted Zhao An on the shoulder with a smile and stepped into the main hall with his cousins.

A flash of disgust crossed Yongyan's eyes, and he looked at Zhao An as if he were a stranger.

Zhao An probably guessed Yongyan's identity, but the difference between the two in terms of both identity and strength was too obvious. Otherwise, he would have definitely used a mourning stick to drive this unfilial son out of the mourning hall.

How do I get in?
He couldn't very well enter the palace with the princes, even though Zhao An felt he could be considered one of them. But reason made him choose to follow the Grand Councilor into the palace.

Even so, this treatment is still extraordinary!
There were countless officials shivering outside the hall, many of whom were of higher rank than Zhao An. But Zhao An was the only one who could be personally summoned into the hall by the old master – a rare exception!
Agui merely glanced at Zhao An before heading straight into the hall, seemingly unconcerned about who Zhao An was, whose man he was, or why the Emperor treated him so specially.

The other Grand Councilors outwardly expressed admiration, encouragement, or inquiry towards Zhao An; in short, they were all smiling tigers, appearing particularly friendly.

This is the wisdom and skill of the high-ranking officials!
The cultivation level of a Nascent Soul Grandmaster is beyond the comprehension of a mere Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This scene was naturally witnessed by the princes and ministers in the main hall, who were shocked, puzzled, and envious.
If eyes could be replaced by a laser pointer, Zhao An's face would definitely be covered with dense red dots by now.

It doesn't matter.

This was exactly the effect Zhao An wanted—to make everyone guess and ponder what kind of background Zhao Youlu had and why he deserved such an honor.

If you can't guess, just use your imagination. It would be best if he were just like Fuchang.

Only by patching things up again and again can the arrival of the Five Princes in the Forbidden City have a legal basis.

Ji Yun and Liu Yong, who were standing in their positions, exchanged a meaningful glance.

"See that? Even drinking too much in this draft can bring you great fortune. Tsk tsk, sitting right in the wind, even a pig can fly."

Old Fatty Ji's words were full of sourness; it was clear that Zhao An following the Grand Councilor into the hall had provoked this first person of the Great Qing Dynasty to achieve the Golden Elixir.

In authentic Beijing dialect, it would be: "Who do you think you are, trying to show off here!"

Liu Yong's lean face was expressionless, only his goatee trembled slightly, and he said in a low voice, "If the wind direction changes, the higher this pig flies, the harder it will fall."

There is something in the words!

How did the wind direction change?
Things have really changed!

Shulin, who was at odds with Heshen, was transferred from his post as Governor of Shanxi to the more powerful Governor-General of Liangjiang. The current Governor-General of Liangjiang, Sun Shiyi, was transferred to the post of Governor-General of Sichuan. It is rumored that Zhu Gui, the tutor of Prince Jia, is very likely to be appointed Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi after the spring.

Furthermore, the appointment of Prince Jia Yongyan's father-in-law, Gong Ala, as the Minister of Rites might be confusing to others, but how could the old foxes, Ji the Fat and Liu the Hunchback, who had been navigating the officialdom for decades, not see through the clues?
The signal couldn't be clearer—the Emperor is getting old and is paving the way for a future heir.

The crown prince was not Prince Yongxing, who had the highest popularity, whose wife's family was extremely powerful, and who also had the support of the "second emperor" Heshen, nor was it the newly promoted prince, the particularly capable eldest grandson Mian'en. Instead, it was Prince Yongyan, who seemed unassuming and unassuming!

Fatty Ji and Liu Luoguo were quite confident in their judgment, so naturally they began to adjust their mindset and slowly gravitate towards Prince Jia. They couldn't afford to offend Heshen, whose power was immense, but it wouldn't hurt to make a few sarcastic remarks about Zhao An, Heshen's lackey.

Would Heshen really stand up to those two for the sake of this lackey?
This was also an indirect way to curry favor with Prince Jia, as everyone knows that both of Prince Jia's teachers had fallen into the hands of Zhao Youlu.

Once Prince Jia ascends the throne, not only will Zhao Youlu, that lackey, be in dire straits, but he and the second emperor will likely be the first to be filled with despair.

Zhao An followed the Grand Councilor into the main hall. The difference in temperature between the inside and outside made his blood, which had felt almost frozen, begin to revive, and the pores all over his body opened up.

Now another question arises: where should we sit?

The princes had seats, the Grand Councilors had seats, everyone had seats, except him.

Every table and every stool inside the hall has an owner!
That would be very awkward.

Heshen, who had just helped the old master to the throne, then realized that his lackey was in an awkward situation and didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Li Yu, the head eunuch, stepped forward and signaled a little eunuch to lead Zhao An to the lower left corner of the throne.

There were two large heaters there, making it very warm.

There were no seats, no tables, let alone food and drink.

The old master has already arrived, and there are also Mongolian princes and vassal envoys in the hall. The temporary addition of tables and chairs makes it seem like the Qing Dynasty is not very professional.

Thus, Zhao An became the only person standing in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace besides the eunuchs.

If it weren't for the beard on his face, wearing the official robes of a second-rank official, he would look no different from a eunuch.

Zhao An didn't feel anything special. Standing high up, he could see far, and this position made him even more eye-catching.

Who arranged for him to stand here?

Chief Eunuch Li, who serves the old master!

Is this arrangement by Steward Li the old master's idea?
You can see your long-lost family members with just a turn of your head.

The old man clearly didn't want to keep looking at the human-shaped mosaic. After sitting down, he started chatting with A-Gui and some other old hat-wearing men.

Knowing that the old master loved excitement, Heshen immediately signaled to his cronies, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately relaxed. The old master laughed heartily, while the ministers chuckled softly, creating a lively scene reminiscent of the New Year.

According to custom, before the formal banquet begins, princes, grandsons of the emperor, and close relatives of the imperial family must take turns stepping forward to kowtow to the old patriarch, wish him a Happy New Year, and say some auspicious words.

As in previous years, this year it was the eldest prince, Prince Yi, Yongxuan, who led his three younger brothers to set an example.

After saying the usual platitudes to his eleventh brother Yongxing, such as "Wishing Father Emperor good health and long life," Yongxuan limped away to the side.

When it was Prince Jia Yongyan's turn, in addition to the usual blessings, he added, "May Father Emperor live a long and healthy life, and always be smiling," which, combined with his sincere expression, made him seem especially genuine.

May you live as long as the pine and crane, and always be smiling?

The old man nodded repeatedly, clearly quite satisfied with his son's blessing.

Older people just want to be part of a lively atmosphere.

When things get lively, laughter often follows.

Having guessed that Prince Jia was the Crown Prince, Ji Yun seized the opportunity to step forward and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, today is New Year's Eve, a time of renewal. I observe that the palace is peaceful and the princes and grandsons are commendable for their filial piety, truly a blessing for our Great Qing. In particular, Your Majesty's calligraphy of the character '福' (Fu, meaning good fortune) is so vigorous and full of auspiciousness, truly a blessing that brings good fortune and longevity! Your Majesty's '福' not only adds to your blessings but also extends your life!"

Old Fatty Ji was referring to the enormous, powerfully written "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) character on the north wall of the main hall.

The old man spent two days writing it.

I write every Lunar New Year's Eve, and I always manage to capture a different flavor in each one.

This year's "福" (Fu, meaning good fortune) character looks very powerful.

It's probably the old patriarch showing his officials that he's still capable and can lead them for another twenty years.

As the old man grew older, he naturally enjoyed hearing auspicious words. Ji the Fat Man's words about adding blessings and extending lifespan struck a chord with him, and he was immediately delighted. He stroked his beard and laughed, "What a wonderful phrase about adding blessings and extending lifespan! Ji Yun, you have quite the tongue. Well said! My Han name, Yuan Shou, is indeed an auspicious omen of adding blessings and extending lifespan. Today, I wish to share this blessing and longevity with all my subjects."

The princes and ministers in the hall only understood what the old master was saying through Heshen's translation. Heshen was also the one translating when the old master was chatting with Agui and the princes.

This job is a bit tiring, but it's fulfilling.

"Your Majesty, this humble servant respectfully wishes you continued good fortune and longevity, may you live ten thousand years!"

Fu Chang'an, who had a keen eye for things, took the lead and shouted a slogan. The hall was immediately filled with singing and praising, which made the old man, who was immersed in the auspicious atmosphere of "adding blessings and prolonging life," smile so much that the wrinkles on his face rippled like water.

"His Majesty's blessings are boundless, and his lifespan is as long as the heavens! Today, the imperial calligraphy of the character '福' (Fu, meaning good fortune) hangs high before the palace, a sign of added blessings; His Majesty's given name, Yuan Shou, is the foundation for longevity. However, as this servant knows, there happens to be a minister in this palace whose name contains the character '禄' (Lu, meaning prosperity). Thus, the three stars of Fu, Lu, and Shou (福禄寿, meaning fortune, prosperity, and longevity) are all gathered in the Qianqing Palace, an unprecedented auspicious omen, foretelling that our Great Qing Dynasty will surely enjoy long-lasting prosperity and an everlasting stability in the coming year!"

After saying that, Heshen chuckled and pointed at Zhao An, who was listening with great interest, "Zhao Youlu, why don't you step forward to protect the Qing Dynasty, increase the salaries of the officials, and prolong the Emperor's life!"

(End of this chapter)