My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 135 Consort Jinxi
Hongli noticed that Yongzheng no longer called the Eighth Prince "Eighth Brother" but instead called him "Old Eight." At this time, the Eighth Prince took the initiative to add the words "Your Majesty" before his Fourth Brother.

After saying this, the Eighth Prince said to Yongzheng, "That's right, I lost this meeting of princes and ministers!"

"However, I must say that what you are doing is wrong and is undermining the foundation of our Great Qing!"

"Scholars are the head of the four classes of people. You cannot, for the sake of your growing personal power, reduce the interests of the gentry, implement the land tax reform, force them to make up for deficits, and instruct your servants to open banks to compete with the people for profits, while refusing to reduce various fees!"

At this point, the eighth prince excitedly asked Yongzheng, "Do you know what the wealthy families are saying about you behind your back? They say you are mean-spirited, ungrateful, and greedy!"

"Besides cursing them behind their backs, do they really dare to rebel?"

Yongzheng became much more composed, sat back down, and even asked the Eighth Prince a question in return.

The Eighth Prince was speechless for a long time before asking Yongzheng in bewilderment, "Your Majesty, Fourth Brother, do you really not care about their feelings?"

"I only care about the fate of the Qing Dynasty!"

Yongzheng replied coldly.

The Eighth Prince suddenly said in a deep voice, "Since you only care about the fate of the Qing Dynasty, you should practice frugality, reduce the Green Standard Army, and alleviate the tax burden on local wealthy households, instead of simply exploiting them!"

"After all, our Great Qing Dynasty was able to gain a foothold only because of the support of Han Chinese landlords and wealthy families. Once we lose their support, if there are those who oppose the Qing and restore the Ming, who will suppress them for the court?"

After saying that, Lao Ba asked about Yongzheng.

Hongli sighed slightly at this.

He knew that the conflict between Yongzheng and the Eighth Prince would ultimately boil down to a struggle over policy direction.

Although the Eighth Prince preferred to unite with Han landlords and wealthy families, he still only wanted to see the Aisin Gioro family as conquerors and believed that the Aisin Gioro family needed to cooperate with Han landlords and wealthy families in order to continue to oppress and bleed the Han people.

Emperor Yongzheng saw himself as the emperor of China. He wanted to use Han Chinese landlords to check the Eight Banners nobles, and he also wanted the Eight Banners nobles to check the Han Chinese landlords, thereby further expanding his personal imperial power. He also wanted to increase the national treasury revenue and strengthen the country through his more centralized imperial power. Incidentally, he also wanted to ease class and ethnic conflicts by improving productivity and production relations.

Although both of them claimed that their goal was to ensure the Qing Dynasty could last longer.

But the key difference lies in...

The Eighth Prince hoped to continue cooperating with Han Chinese landlords and wealthy families, who were mainly Han gentry and, of course, also included Han Chinese military officers.

Emperor Yongzheng no longer relied on Han Chinese landlords and wealthy families. He only cared about how much silver and grain his court could provide to maintain the country's fortunes. He believed that the longevity of the Qing Dynasty depended on the strength of the court's rule.

Therefore, Emperor Yongzheng treated Han landlords and common people as equals to exploiters, but he placed greater emphasis on Han officials.

The Eighth Prince wanted to distinguish between the two, continuing to let Han Chinese landlords and wealthy families maintain the basic order of the Qing Dynasty, while he and his Eight Banner nobles only needed to maintain basic combat power.

Hongli naturally preferred to support Yongzheng.

History has shown that when the imperial court shirks its responsibilities and relinquishes power, allowing local gentry—that is, Brahmins—to govern the common people, the grassroots level of the entire country loses its organizational capacity and the power to advance productivity. As a result, it will fall into a cycle where it can be easily invaded by new foreign enemies.

Although Lao Ba still sees himself as a conqueror, he has clearly adopted the mindset of a landlord. Like many Han Chinese landlords, he does not want to change or work hard; he only wants to exploit human nature to consolidate his ruling order.

However, Emperor Yongzheng, who ascended the throne in middle age, was ambitious and had a strong desire for power. He was not afraid of hardship or change.

Emperor Yongzheng himself did not know how many years he would reign as emperor.

He only wanted to accomplish a few earth-shattering things within the limited time available, in order to fundamentally alleviate domestic conflicts.

Whether it is a class conflict or an ethnic conflict, it is not something to be expected that Han Chinese landlords and wealthy families will take the initiative to ease tensions.

Although Emperor Yongzheng disdained exploiting human nature, he was still aware of it.

He didn't even expect the Manchus to make their own efforts for the future of the Qing Dynasty or to take the initiative to ease the conflict, let alone expect Han landlords and wealthy families.
Therefore, at this moment, Yongzheng coldly said: "A group of descendants of traitors who gained wealth and honor by selling out their country, since they did not dare to use swords and spears to earn dignity for themselves back then, do not expect the monarch you have welcomed in to treat them as human beings!"

Hongli's eyes widened as he looked at Yongzheng.

He didn't expect that Emperor Yongzheng had already begun to regard the Han Chinese landlords and officials who surrendered to the Qing Dynasty as traitors and held them in contempt.

However, only Manchu princes and ministers were present; there were no Han officials present. Otherwise, if a Han official had heard these words, it's hard to imagine what he would have thought.

However, Hongli believed that even if the descendants of these traitors knew about it, they would most likely tolerate it.

Because later, when Emperor Qianlong compiled the "Biographies of Traitorous Officials" to humiliate the ancestors of the Han officials who surrendered to the Qing dynasty in order to strengthen the rites and teachings, they did not openly express any dissatisfaction.

In short, the Han officials who were large landowners and high-ranking bureaucrats during the Ming Dynasty truly lacked the integrity and character of the Ming Dynasty after the Qing Dynasty entered the Central Plains.

Only a very few will occasionally provoke us.

When Yongzheng said this, the princes and ministers present did not show any expression, and some even nodded in agreement.

Even Lao Ba himself was speechless for a moment, his face turning ashen.

"Therefore, since the Nine Ministers have already reviewed the matter of merging the poll tax into the land tax, and I have already made my decision, there is no need to discuss it further. The same applies to other national policies that have already been implemented."

"I would like to reiterate here that anyone who discusses the merits or demerits of a national policy after its implementation will be punished for making unwarranted comments!"

The eighth prince pursed his lips and asked Yongzheng, "Since Your Majesty says so, are you truly not afraid that favors will fall on the lower classes and resentment on the higher-ups, leaving you with a reputation that will last for eternity?"

Hongli nodded to himself, agreeing that the Eighth Prince's question was quite correct.

Because once the land tax system is implemented, landlords and wealthy households will definitely increase rents for their tenants and attribute the rent increases to the emperor's decision to implement the land tax system, which will cause the people to resent the emperor.

at the same time!

In order to maintain the stability of the land economy, most landlords would certainly not raise land rent too much. Instead, they would appropriately bear some of the increased tax burden after the conversion of poll tax to land tax, or even bear most of it, in order to leave a way out for tenants.

This will undoubtedly make the tenant farmers grateful to the landlord.

In this way, the implementation of the national policy of merging land tax and poll tax would make tenant farmers more grateful to landlords and more resentful of Emperor Yongzheng.

The same applies to the Royal Bank's low-interest loans to benefit the people. As a result, landlords and wealthy families had no choice but to follow suit and reduce their interest rates, even to a level lower than that of the Royal Bank. They would then say that the emperor was the most ruthless in taking profits, and that they were the true benefactors who helped the people get through the spring famine.

Thus, the more reforms Yongzheng implemented, the more public resentment he would attract.

After all, the power of public opinion at the grassroots level was controlled by landlords and gentry, and ordinary people couldn't possibly know much about the emperor who was high above them. Moreover, Yongzheng was a Manchu emperor, and Han people would subconsciously be unwilling to believe that a Manchu emperor could bring them good things.

Therefore, Hongli agreed with what the Eighth Prince said, acknowledging that such reforms would ultimately result in favor going to the lower classes and resentment going to the higher classes, and also acknowledging that the Eighth Prince was genuinely considering Yongzheng's personal interests.

Yongzheng clearly sensed the goodwill in the Eighth Prince's words, and his expression softened: "You don't need to worry about that. I'll say it again: for the sake of the Qing Dynasty, I don't care about anything. Even if the people curse me, or even if a few of them are misled into rebelling, I'm not afraid. That's the kind of man I am!"

"It is only the common people who commit thievery that I can forgive their ignorance."

"If someone dresses like a thief and becomes a notorious criminal, I will not tolerate it!"

Then Yongzheng said two more words in a resounding tone.

Hongli, who was listening from the side, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement, thinking to himself that the Han gentry and landlords were really miserable when they encountered Yongzheng, an emperor who was afraid of nothing.

Because Yongzheng clearly intended to bully them to the death, not only to seize their profits but also to force them to continue maintaining local order and prevent the people from rebelling and becoming thieves, otherwise they would be punished more severely than the thieves.

It's fair to say that being a gentry or landlord in the Qing Dynasty was not a happy thing!
However, Hongli had no intention of empathizing with these Han gentry and landlords.

In a sense, the Qing dynasty's entry into the Central Plains was also a choice made by the Han Chinese gentry themselves.

After all, it can't be the choice made by the Han Chinese people, can it?

It should be noted that the Han Chinese people continued their anti-Qing uprisings all the way up to the Kangxi era!

The Thirteen Families of Kuidong were suppressed by Han Chinese landlords who had surrendered to the Qing government.

Moreover, it's unlikely that the Manchu military aristocracy, whose total population was far less than that of the Han people, was so powerful that they could devour the entire Han territory on their own.
In fact, for this reason, the emperors of the Qing Dynasty, starting with Shunzhi, never truly respected Han Chinese scholars and officials, and showed them little respect.

During the Kangxi era, a small amount was indeed given, but this was because the Rebellion of the Three Feudatories forced Kangxi to ease relations with Han Chinese officials.

The eighth prince gritted his teeth and could only kneel down at this moment, saying, "Your Majesty, I have nothing more to say. If I have made any unwarranted comments on state affairs or slandered and caused trouble, I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

"Considering your merits in assisting the government, your crimes will be temporarily set aside. However, in my opinion, there is no need to hold this Council of Princes and Ministers. It can easily turn into a meeting of factions, inciting chaos and attacking each other! From now on, without my personal decree, no one may voluntarily request to convene a Council of Princes and Ministers."

"Those who violate this rule will be considered as members of a faction!"

After speaking sternly, Yongzheng dusted off his sleeves and left.

"Congratulations to your Majesty!"

Hongli bowed and called out to the assembled princes and ministers, then rose and left the Qianqing Gate.

He was in the last position, so naturally he left quickly.

However, as he left, Hongli couldn't help but glance at the Eighth Prince.

Lao Ba looked extremely dejected.

Upon seeing this, Hongli simply shook his head slightly, then turned and left.

He was certain that the Eighth Prince's challenge to Yongzheng's imperial authority would not end well.

Not long after Hongli left, Yongzheng sent someone to summon him.

Upon meeting Hongli, Yongzheng asked him, "Your eighth uncle said that if things continue to change like this, the favor will go to the lower classes and the resentment to the higher classes. Do you think the people will rebel on a large scale as a result?"

Hongli knew that Yongzheng was asking him this not because he lacked confidence in facing the consequences of reform, but because he was deliberately testing him to see if his understanding of governance had improved after studying for so long.

"I don't think so."

Hongli then gave Yongzheng the answer he wanted to know without hesitation.

"how to say?"

Yongzheng glanced at him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"If landlords and wealthy families could distinguish between profit and loss, they would not allow the people to rebel because of grievances. If they allowed the people to rebel because of grievances, where would our Great Qing Dynasty be today?"

"They won't even allow the people to have grievances."

"However, some educated intellectuals may express their grievances based on their conscience or dissatisfaction with their current situation."

"Therefore, what Uncle Ba said about resentment returning to the court may ultimately manifest as a few literati venting their grievances in their notes, at most instigating some officials to oppose the court, but it will absolutely not be the case that many landlords and wealthy families allow the people to resent the court or support the people's rebellion."

"In my humble opinion, the Han landlords and wealthy families are not so likely to allow the common people to criticize the court, regard themselves as the masters of the world, and sit on equal footing with them just because of some loss of land rent and interest."

Hongli shared the knowledge he had learned from Kangxi and Zhu Shi, based on his understanding of Yongzheng.

"Very good, Zhu Shi did not teach you for nothing."

Yongzheng nodded with great satisfaction, then asked Hongli:

"What do you think of your eighth uncle's talk about reducing the number of pro-independence members and practicing frugality?"

"With the Green Standard Army reduced, the Eight Banners alone cannot defend such a vast territory; at that point, we will have no choice but to abandon it!"

"We can't just abandon our hometown outside the Great Wall, can we? What if another Manchu bannerman emerges from there?"

"In my humble opinion, the Green Standard Army should maintain its fighting capacity to suppress the forces outside the Great Wall, such as the Mongols, Hui, and Tibetans."

"The Eight Banners troops were mainly responsible for supervising the Han army and suppressing Han gentry and wealthy families. Therefore, they could not be easily transferred to guard the border on a large scale. They still needed to be stationed in key places within the pass to support the government in exercising its power and suppressing local gentry."

“Our Qing imperial family is not the same as the Zhu family of the Ming Dynasty. We cannot maintain our rule by relying solely on civil officials and eunuchs.”

After Hongli explained his views, Yongzheng then ordered, "Summon Zhang Tingyu!"

Before long, Zhang Tingyu arrived before the emperor.

At this moment, Yongzheng got up and walked to Zhang Tingyu, saying, "Hengchen, draft an edict to appoint Songzhu, the Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall, as the chief envoy; Santai, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, as the deputy envoy; and promote Consort Xi to the rank of Imperial Noble Consort."

(End of this chapter)