Qing Yao

Chapter 426 Now he's really a prince.

The New Year's Eve party at Qianqing Palace was a great success—it was grand, lively, and united, and it ended perfectly amidst the sound of fireworks.

The biggest beneficiary of this gala was undoubtedly the newly crowned "Brother of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity," Zhao An. Although there was no specific change in his position, the old master's calligraphy was undoubtedly another top-grade magic weapon for the Golden Core stage, following the Ebilun Knife, the Double-Eyed Flower Feather, and the Yellow Riding Jacket.

The power of the four magical artifacts was such that even the governors and ministers in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm dared not provoke him.

Zhao An planned to frame his grandfather's calligraphy and hang it on the office wall after returning to Anhui, reciting it three times each morning, noon and night to show his boundless loyalty to his grandfather.

However, after the evening party, Zhao An did not return to the Anhui Examination Hall to rest, but instead waited with other officials outside the Meridian Gate for the New Year's Day Grand Court Assembly.

The annual New Year's Day Grand Court Assembly is a major event, just like the New Year's Eve Gala, but it is held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The court assembly does not discuss any political affairs; it is purely a ceremonial event, and it is held every year.

The old emperor rarely attends court these days, but he absolutely must participate in the grand court assembly on New Year's Day. Firstly, it serves to demonstrate the strength of the Qing Dynasty to the Mongol princes and foreign vassal states; secondly, it serves to let the world know that he, the emperor, is in good health and that they should not overthink things.

Only after the grand court assembly ended could the officials officially begin their Spring Festival holiday.

It's quite long, fifteen days. We'll go back to work after the Lantern Festival.

The appointed time had not yet arrived, and it was still dark. Without a heated sedan chair, Zhao An shivered in the cold wind. He estimated that the temperature was probably below minus ten degrees Celsius. In this godforsaken place with no shelter, he was truly suffering.

Apart from princes, ministers, Grand Councilors, Imperial Ministers, and some elderly officials who received special treatment, other officials, even the fat old man Ji and the hunchbacked Liu, had to stay put in the cold wind.

The old master's calligraphy hidden in his bosom obviously couldn't warm Zhao An's body. In order to prevent himself from freezing, Zhao An had to keep stamping his feet, but his teeth still kept chattering, and his fingers were frozen purple. He was completely different from the smug person he had been in the Qianqing Palace earlier.

Fortunately, half an hour later, at the hour of Mao (5-7 AM), the bells and drums at the Meridian Gate suddenly rang out in unison, and the tightly closed Meridian Gate slowly opened. Under the organization of the Ministry of Rites staff, the officials entered in order to attend the grand court ceremony at the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The princes and ministers attending the grand assembly were the same group who attended the evening party last night, except that there were more lamas wearing robes.

The entire process was overseen by the Ministry of Rites, making this grand court assembly more like a meticulously choreographed drama, with every action and every congratulatory remark strictly regulated.

Zhao An, who was the center of attention on stage last night, is now standing at the back of the hall like a lackey, only able to watch from afar as the old master, supported by Heshen, walks into the main hall.

What followed was a series of lengthy court ceremonies that lasted for nearly two hours. Zhao An's legs were already numb from kowtowing countless times, so when he heard the words "the court is over," he was as excited as he was when he heard the school bell ring on Friday in his previous life.

After leaving the palace, they found Xu Lin and the others who had waited all night and suffered all night. They covered their necks with their hands and then struggled to mount their horses and go back.

Upon arriving at the Anhui Guild Hall, Zhao An, who was extremely tired, did not rush to get into bed for a nap. Instead, he asked Xu Lin to gather all the accompanying guards together and had Yang Xiaoshuan distribute the New Year's money that had been prepared in advance to everyone.

It wasn't much, just five taels per person, all from Zhao An's heartfelt wishes.

The guild hall's stewards and servants were also present, and the hall was immediately filled with joy.

Before going to bed, Zhao An arranged for Yang Xiaoshuan and Steward Qian to prepare a sumptuous lunch so that the guards could have a good year in the cold north.

He stopped eating, his eyelids kept drooping, and he couldn't stay awake.

After making the arrangements, he couldn't wait to go back to his room to sleep, because he hadn't received any notification about when he could return to Anhui. He could only wait for a notification at the examination hall for the next few days, and he guessed that the old man might have to summon him alone to ask about the situation in Anhui.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, there was a sudden, urgent knocking at the door. Zhao An had no choice but to force himself to open it, only to find that it was Manager Qian knocking on the door, with a clerk from the Imperial Household Department beside him.

Xiao Shuan was also standing outside the door.

Upon seeing Zhao An, the scribe hurriedly said with a worried expression, "Please tidy up, sir. The Emperor has summoned you to the palace for a family banquet."

"Family dinner?"

Zhao An was taken aback and subconsciously asked, "I am an official outside the capital, how can I attend the Emperor's family banquet?"

Then he gave Xiaoshuan a look, and Xiaoshuan understood and took out a five-tael silver ingot and stuffed it into the scribe's hand.

The scribe was embarrassed to accept the gift and said in a low voice, "When His Majesty was chatting with Minister He and Minister Fu just now, he suddenly asked where my fortune, prosperity, and longevity were. So, Minister He ordered me to come and invite you to the palace."

Oh, so the old man has taken me to heart now?
Zhao An dared not delay and quickly washed up before following the scribe into the palace in a carriage.

The old master's family banquet was still held in the Qianqing Palace. According to the scribe, the emperor's family banquet was also very lively, with more than two hundred tables set up every year.

If we assume eight people per table, this would be a family banquet for nearly two thousand people.

The Aisin Gioro family was quite prolific.

For no apparent reason, the idea of ​​vasectomizing the men of the Aisin Gioro family suddenly popped into Zhao An's mind.

This time, we entered the palace through the Xihua Gate. We didn't see Qingyao and Alebao; they were probably on leave and not on duty.

When Zhao An stepped into the Qianqing Palace again, a group of great-grandchildren who were not yet adults were playing around the old man. The old man was so happy that he patted the head of one great-grandchild and pinched the little face of another. The scene was harmonious and the huge palace seemed particularly warm.

The concubines and wives were eating melon seeds, while the princes and nobles were chatting idly. There was no trace of the solemnity and grandeur of the royal family; it looked more like a large family reunion.

Heshen, who was talking to Prince Yongxing, saw Zhao An arrive and waved to him with a smile. Zhao An quickly stepped forward to pay his respects, but Heshen told him to skip the formalities and then introduced Prince Yongxing to Zhao An.

Zhao An didn't know much about Yongxing, but he knew that this prince had the support of not only Heshen, but also the Fu family. In terms of power alone, he was far greater than his younger brother, Prince Jia, Yongyan, and his nephew, Prince Ding, Mian'en. Therefore, he had always been a hot favorite to seize the throne.

Unfortunately, he was not selected twenty years ago.

"Your humble servant Zhao Youlu greets Your Highness!"

Zhao An flicked his sleeve and gave Yongxing a deep bow. Yongxing smiled and casually tossed Zhao An a lucky bag: "It's the New Year, and I don't have much to reward you with, but I should still give you New Year's money. Take it."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhao An was too embarrassed to look at what was in the bag in person, so he carefully tucked it into his sleeve.

Yongxing smiled warmly. He already held Zhao An in high regard because of his relationship with Heshen, and Zhao An's performance last night left an even deeper impression on him. Seeing Zhao An's impeccable manners, he felt even closer to him.

"I had heard He Zhongtang mention that you, Zhao Youlu, are a talented person. After meeting you yesterday, I can see that He Zhongtang was not lying to me. You were able to answer so calmly and cite classical texts in front of Father Emperor. I admire your quick wit."

Heshen smiled and said, "Your Highness is too kind to this young man. He was just doing his duty as a subject. It is his good fortune to be favored by the Emperor and Your Highness."

Zhao An quickly bowed: "This servant is foolish and ignorant. Last night, I dared to speak recklessly, relying on His Majesty's benevolence. Your Highness is of noble birth and learned. This servant's petty tricks are really not worthy of Your Highness's attention."

"Too modest."

Seeing Zhao An's humility, Yongxing was even more pleased. He waved his hand and laughed, "You have real talent and are loyal to Father Emperor. This is truly rare and precious. Do your job well. With Grand Secretary He and I here, you will surely have a place in the court." The subtext of these words was all too clear. Zhao An was about to express his loyalty when he heard the old master's laughter: "He Shen, where are you? Why haven't I seen you for so long?"

"Master, your servant is here!"

Heshen quickly agreed, gestured for Zhao An to follow him, and said with a smile to the old man who was looking for him, "Master, your fortune, prosperity, and longevity have arrived."

"Your humble servant Zhao Youlu pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

Zhao An bowed respectfully.

The old man was dressed casually today, and perhaps because he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren, he seemed to be in a better mood than last night. He smiled and raised his hand to Zhao An, saying, "Fu Lu Shou, come to me."

Zhao An hurriedly stepped forward cautiously, not daring to get too close to the old master, nor too far away, maintaining a just-right distance to ensure that he did not stray from the core of the matter, nor overshadow Heshen.

Just then, a group of great-grandchildren came over to pay their respects to the old man. Looking at so many children and grandchildren, the old man suddenly said with some regret, "If only Sanfu were here."

"Sanfu'er" refers to General Fukang'an, who led his army on a distant expedition to the plateau.

Heshen was taken aback, wondering why the old master had suddenly thought of Fukang'an.

"Master, Third Brother is leading troops to serve you."

The one speaking was Fu Chang'an, the fourth fool, who had come with Prince Yi, Yongxuan, the eighth prince.

"oh,"

The old man nodded. "Did Sanfu send a report to the capital before the New Year?"

Fu Chang'an hurriedly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Third Brother has reported this to the capital."

The old man hurriedly asked what had been reported.

"My lord, Third Brother has set off from Xining into the Tibetan Plateau. Supply is difficult, and the soldiers are suffering greatly."

Although Fu Chang'an was not knowledgeable in military affairs, he was still a Grand Councilor in charge of the Ministry of War, and especially since his own brother was leading the army, he was bound to be concerned.

However, he did not notice the ruthless glint in Heshen's eyes. Earlier, because Fukang'an had publicly said that he was just an accountant who managed the emperor's money, Heshen was furious and secretly ordered his crony, Fu Ning, the governor of Gansu, to cut off Fukang'an's army's food and supplies. He thought this would force Fukang'an to withdraw his troops, but unexpectedly, Fukang'an led his troops to set off at a rapid pace and safely arrived in Xining. Then, from Xining, they set off into the plateau.

He used the phrase "speed is of the essence in war" to a masterful degree, catching Heshen completely off guard.

If Fukang'an were to achieve a great victory on the plateau, he would certainly be appointed to the Grand Council upon returning to the capital based on his past military achievements, and might even be granted a princely title and become the top meritorious official of the Ziguang Pavilion. This would undoubtedly pose a great threat to Heshen.

Because Heshen did not have military power!

Even though he had countless followers in various places, and even though he had placed a large number of people in the Eight Banners of the Beijing Garrison, the Imperial Guard, and the Infantry Commander's Office, on the surface he and the Grand Secretary could not command any army, not even the Green Standard Army.

None of his subordinates could match Fukang'an's military talent. Therefore, Zhao An's two consecutive victories in Anhui impressed Heshen, who wanted to promote him to his own use so that he could rival Fukang'an even if things changed in the future.

Knowing that Sanfu'er had already led his troops into the plateau, the old master was naturally pleased and ordered Heshen to urge the Ministry of Revenue and the northwestern provinces to provide Sanfu'er with full support.

Heshen naturally agreed.

Shortly after, the family banquet officially began, and Zhao An was also seated.

Knowing that the old master was getting old and had poor teeth, the imperial kitchen prepared dishes for him that were as soft and tender as possible.

One of the dishes, "Evergreen Stewed Pork," was the old master's favorite. After taking a bite, the old master chewed it carefully and said with a touch of self-deprecation, "Although my teeth are as old as the nation, they are not strong enough! Only this meat, stewed for a day, can match my teeth."

Everyone naturally smiled and flattered, saying that the old man's teeth were very good, almost as if they were stronger than steel and harder than iron.

"Your Majesty, the strength of a nation lies in its deep foundation; the strength of teeth lies in their ability to chew. Your Majesty, with your supreme wisdom, governs the nation like this evergreen plant simmering over a low flame—deeply rooted and with a lingering flavor. This is not because Your Majesty's teeth are inferior, but because Your Majesty's governance has reached a state of perfection, capable of transforming all things into something as soft as silk, let alone mere meat paste. In my humble opinion, Your Majesty's teeth are not inferior to those of the nation, but rather that you have become one with the nation, sharing in the taste of this eternal prosperity!"

Heshen's flattery was ingenious. He both picked up on the old man's self-deprecating remark and elevated it to the level of governance. The old man was delighted and laughed, saying, "Heshen, with your clever tongue, you've even turned my lack of teeth into a display of civil and military prowess."

Heshen laughed and said, "My master is blessed with great fortune. To be able to smile at my master is the greatest blessing of my life."

Zhao An, with a forced smile on his face, accompanied him like a fool. He knew that Heshen had made him the center of attention yesterday, so he couldn't possibly steal Heshen's thunder today.

Besides, he's not good at flattery.

While people were eating and drinking inside the palace, a grand opera was being performed in the square outside.

The old man's favorite operas were "The Treasure Raft of Peace" and "The Golden Rules of Persuasion," and this performance was of the "Havoc in Heaven" scene from "The Treasure Raft of Peace."

Amidst the deafening sound of gongs and drums, Sun Wukong on the stage tumbled and fell, delivering a spectacular performance.

Zhao An had no interest in drama, and he certainly wouldn't clap his hands like the emperor's grandson, great-grandson, and great-great-grandson, so he just quietly ate his food.

As a result, Heshen taught him another lesson. Heshen said, "Master, no matter how powerful the Monkey King is, he can never escape the palm of the Buddha. Just like some villains in this world, no matter how many tricks they have, they can only bow down and submit under the wise and sagacious light of the Master, which is like a net in the sky."

"Our Great Qing Dynasty cannot have Sun Wukong."

The old master smiled and put down his wine cup. As was customary, it was time to distribute New Year's money to the princes and grandsons.

The New Year's money given by the emperor was definitely not ordinary copper coins, but gold ornaments called "Qianlong Tongbao" specially made by the Imperial Household Department, and each prince and grandson of the emperor received one.

The eunuchs carried trays covered with bright yellow brocade and presented the glittering "Qianlong Tongbao" coins to the princes and princesses one by one.

The old man's face was full of kind smiles as he watched his grandchildren happily receive their New Year's money.

What is happiness in old age?
Surrounded by children and grandchildren, the hall was filled with joyful sounds.

The number of princes, grandsons, and princesses was fixed, but the Imperial Household Department would make a few extra coins for unforeseen circumstances, because sometimes the old master would also give lucky money to his favorite close ministers.

Heshen and Fu Chang'an both had them.

Sure enough, after the grandsons had received their gifts, the old master instructed Li Yu to give the remaining coins to Heshen and the others.

When Li Yu brought the plate back, there was still one left on it. The old master smiled when he saw it and instructed Li Yu: "This one is a reward for my fortune, prosperity, and longevity."

(End of this chapter)