My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 170 About the Primary Consort

"My aunt told me to be more proactive and not to be shy. I need to become my cousin's real woman as soon as possible."

"And since I didn't know what to say, I decided to follow the instructions of the headmistress and complete the tasks my aunt had given me. That way, I wouldn't have to worry about delaying things because I didn't know how to start the conversation!"

"This servant was too presumptuous and abrupt; please forgive me, cousin!"

As she spoke, Nara Minxuan took the initiative to get out of bed and gave Hongli a very standard and natural apology bow.

Hongli looked at the snow-white Nara clansmen kneeling before him and felt that they were more politically aware than he was.

But Hongli still got dressed and helped her up from the carpet: "I don't blame you. Hurry up and get into bed. Although there is a charcoal fire in the room, it is still December. A gust of wind can easily get in!"

"Thank you, cousin!"

Then, the two of them lay down in bed again.

Hongli looked at her intently for a few moments and noticed that her cheeks were flushed from the cold, which added to her cool and aloof beauty. He couldn't help but kiss her forehead.

But Nara Minxuan didn't say anything. After a moment of silence, Hongli asked her, "Don't you have anything else to say to me besides completing the tasks assigned by your aunt?"

After hesitating for a while, Nara Minxuan looked up at Hongli and asked, "Cousin, have you written any new poems lately?"

Hongli thought for a moment, then hugged Nara Minxuan even tighter, tilted his head back and thought for a while before saying, "There is one."

"Can my cousin take a look?"

Nara Minxuan looked at him expectantly and asked.

Hongli, now energized, lowered his head, gently pinched her nose, and said with a smile, "That depends on your performance next."

This time, it was Hongli who took charge, while Nara Minxuan awkwardly played a supporting role, trying her best to complete various small tasks according to Hongli's requirements.

"Master, it's time to rest!"

After the clouds dispersed and the rain stopped, Haitang, who was attending to the guests, tactfully reminded them from the outer room.

Although Haitang is now his trial marriage princess, she also has the responsibility to supervise or take care of his private life on behalf of Yongzheng and the Empress.

Hongli naturally had to give her some face, so he called out to the outside, "I'll rest after I show my cousin my new work. You go and grind the ink."

"Whoo!"

Hongli changed his clothes with Nala Minxuan's help.

When Nara Minxuan was helping Hongli change his clothes, she smiled slightly but didn't say anything.

After changing his clothes, Hongli left the warm chamber of his bedroom and went to the inner study.

By this time, Haitang had already prepared the ink.

"Wait till I get my chance, then I'll show you what's what!"

Hongli glared at Haitang, then sat down behind his desk.

Haitang blushed and said nothing more.

Nara Minxuan, accompanied by her maid, also changed her clothes and came over.

However, she did not put her hair up in a bun, but simply tied it into a dark bun. She wore a soft silk dress and casually draped her long black hair over her right shoulder, and stood behind Hongli.

"The vast sorrow of parting lingers as the sun sets; my whip points east, and the horizon stretches before me."

"Fallen petals are not heartless things; they turn into spring mud to nourish the flowers."

After writing the poem he had come up with, Hongli personally handed it to Nara Minxuan. Then he stood up, bent his right elbow in front of his abdomen, and said to Nara Minxuan, "This is a miscellaneous poem, which I came up with by chance, so it has no title."

Now, Nian Gengyao has been forced to commit suicide, and Consort Nian has also passed away. In the entire palace, the Empress holds supreme power.

Hongli naturally wanted to be even more enthusiastic towards Nara Minxuan, so after Nara Minxuan asked him that question, he wrote her another poem.

Nara Minxuan looked at it carefully for a while, then smiled and looked up: "What a fine poem! What's especially rare is that it shows how broad-minded and kind-hearted my cousin is."

Hongli smiled slightly: "This is not just about expressing my own will."

Nara Minxuan nodded, then frowned slightly and pondered for a moment.

Hongli is in good spirits and does not feel tired. This is mainly because he is young, and Haitang's timely advice has prevented him from overworking his body.

So, Hongli casually picked up the "Complete Tang Poems" that he hadn't finished reading and continued to peruse it.

This book, "Complete Tang Poems," was compiled and published by Cao Yin, the former Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jiangning, under the order of Emperor Kangxi. It is printed on high-quality cotton paper, making it very comfortable to read without scratching your hands, and the characters are clear.

Nara Minxuan silently recited the miscellaneous poems in her hand, and couldn't help but steal a glance at Hongli.

She had to admit that her husband was indeed exceptionally talented, no less than Nalan Xingde, a great Manchu scholar, and, more importantly, his vision and breadth of mind far surpassed Nalan Xingde's.

"Compared to Nalan Xingde's melancholy and indulgence in the sorrows of women and children, I admire my cousin's style of great love, tolerance, and lofty aspirations much more! It is my good fortune to be able to test marriage with the princess for my cousin."

Nara Minxuan couldn't help but say a few more words as a result.

"Not disappointed that you didn't become the Princess Consort?"

Hongli asked with a smile.

Nara Minxuan shook her head: "No! Being my cousin's trial marriage princess is better than being any prince's wife."

"I do not believe."

"These are my true feelings!"

"Because, based on my cousin's question just now, it was worth what I said just now."

Nara Minxuan said anxiously and then lowered her head.

Hongli nodded: "Okay, I believe you!"

When Hongli mentioned his primary consort, Nara Minxuan spoke up again, saying, "Cousin, I already know that your primary consort has been chosen, and she is the niece of Ma Qi, the former Grand Secretary and Minister of State Affairs."

Hongli knew that given Nara Minxuan's status, it wouldn't be difficult for her to know about such a newly decided imperial edict in advance.

He wasn't surprised and simply hummed in agreement: "So, what do you want to say?"

"This servant would like to congratulate my cousin in advance!"

"The Fucha family has produced many important officials. Since the late emperor instructed Grand Secretary Ma, the family discipline has become even stricter. As a result, their children are all talented and virtuous. They have held important positions in various places since the time of the late emperor. Their students and former officials are all over the court and the country. Their power is no less than that of the Tong family."

"My cousin's marriage to the eldest daughter of the Fucha family will greatly help him realize his ambitions, which also shows how much His Majesty values ​​him!"

Nara Minxuan first performed a curtsy and then began to speak to Hongli about the merits of the Fucha family. Hongli noticed that Nara Minxuan not only took the initiative to talk a lot about poetry, but also spoke very proactively about court politics.

This made him chuckle, and he asked her, "What is this Lady Fucha like?"

"This woman should be my cousin's virtuous wife, and she will bring prosperity to his career!"

Nara Minxuan replied without hesitation and in a serious tone.

Hongli glanced at Nara Minxuan, whose skin was as white as ice and whose face was calm, and asked her with a smile, "So sure?"

"This servant dares not lie to my cousin."

“I met this Lady Fucha before I entered the palace. We were close friends, so I know her given name and that she is kind, frugal, gentle, and intelligent.”

"She is as virtuous as the former Crown Princess and as intelligent as her maid aunt."

"She is as strong as the former Eighth Princess Consort of Prince Lian's Mansion, but without his domineering nature; she is as diligent and frugal as the former Thirteenth Princess Consort of Prince Yi's Mansion, but without his harshness!"

“She managed her household affairs well, just like the former wife of the Ninth Prince, Lady Dong’e, but without her greed.”

After Nara Minxuan said that, Hongli became even more curious about Lady Fucha.

Because the people Nara Minxuan mentioned were among the better daughters-in-law of Emperor Kangxi that he had heard of.

The Crown Princess of the former Crown Prince Yinreng, of the Guarjia clan, was indeed widely praised as a representative of dignified virtue, and even Emperor Kangxi praised her highly.

There are rumors that if it weren't for the Crown Princess's earnest persuasion, Emperor Kangxi would have deposed the Crown Prince much sooner.

Hongli had also heard Yongzheng and the thirteenth prince mention that the Crown Princess was a good second sister-in-law.

Needless to say, the Fourth Prince's wife was indeed always a virtuous and capable assistant to Emperor Yongzheng.

As for the Eighth Prince's wife, Lady Guoluo, according to the Eighth Prince himself, he was able to attract a large group of princes and ministers to support him entirely because of Lady Guoluo's strenuous efforts.

The thirteenth prince was known for his extravagant spending, but he managed to maintain his family business in an orderly manner. Besides the constant rewards from Emperor Yongzheng, it is said that this was related to his wife, Zhao Jia, being skilled in managing household affairs. It is said that she came from a military family and managed her household like an army. Even though the thirteenth prince's sons, such as Hongchang, did not do anything too outrageous, she even supported the thirteenth prince in voluntarily confining Hongchang.

In addition, the ninth son, Yin Tang, was the wealthiest among Kangxi's sons, supposedly because his wife, Dong E, was skilled in business.

Therefore, Emperor Yongzheng once rebuked Yinzhen, saying, "Your family's wealth, amounting to millions, is all thanks to the management of your wife, Lady Dong'e."

But now, Nara Minxuan compared these famous consorts of the princes during the Kangxi era with the Fuca clan, and said that the Fuca clan had all their advantages but none of their disadvantages, which even Hongli himself found hard to believe.

"Tell your cousin, is it because you have a good relationship with Lady Fucha that you praised her so much?"

Hongli then asked Nara Minxuan about it.

Nara Minxuan performed the curtsy again: "No, because even I am not as good as her. Of course, I have never seen a Manchu woman who is as good as her."

"Is it that exaggerated?"

Hongli looked at Nara Minxuan seriously.

Nara Minxuan's eyes widened: "Really, putting aside everything else, just the fact that after her father's death, she kept to her duty and devoted herself to raising her younger brother Fuheng at home, so that even though he was young, everyone praised his extraordinary talent and virtue, is enough to prove that she is not a simple woman."

Hongli knew that Fucha's father, Li Rongbao, had passed away in the first year of Yongzheng's reign, when Fuheng was only two years old (by the traditional Chinese age reckoning).

Considering Fuheng's later achievements, Hongli had no choice but to believe it.

Hongli then asked Nara Minxuan, "What is her maiden name?"

"Wanyun".

"Fucha Wanyun?"

"Ok!"

Hongli nodded, leaned back in his chair, put his hands together behind his head, and looked up at the ceiling.

Then, Hongli glanced at Nara Minxuan, who had a cold expression, and smiled slightly.

Nara Minxuan couldn't help but smile.

"Are you familiar with her uncle, Ma Qi?"

Hongli suddenly asked a question.

Nara Minxuan then tentatively asked Hongli, "Cousin, are you worried that he has become extremely cunning and unprincipled, and might act against your wishes?"

Hongli nodded.

He didn't expect that Nara Minxuan knew so much about Ma Qi.

Nara Minxuan then asked Hongli, "May I share my thoughts?"

“In private, cousin, you don’t need to be so careful. I know you’re not a rash or impetuous person.”

Hongli replied with a smile.

"That servant girl was so insolent!"

Nara Minxuan gave another curtsy, which was quite a lot of courtesy, but Hongli did not seem to mind.

Nara Minxuan then said, "In my humble opinion, a veteran official like Ma Qi, who has served two dynasties, does not need to speak frankly. As the saying goes, one can understand the meaning by listening to the music. Cousin only needs to give some hints. There is no need to meet him in person and give him instructions in person, for fear that things will not end well."

Hongli nodded: "That makes sense."

“It just so happens that my father has been in contact with his third son, Fude. I am willing to convey my cousin’s message to him through my father.”

Nara Minxuan replied.

Hongli nodded. He had to admit that having a noblewoman by his side was indeed convenient, as she could convey his will to the important officials in the court without him having to do so, thus avoiding a lot of trouble.

Hongli looked around the inner study, then drew a map on a piece of paper and handed it to Nara Minxuan: "If there is a chance, have your uncle give this to him, and he will naturally understand what I mean."

"Whoo!"

Hongli then asked Nara Minxuan, since she seemed to have a wide network of sources for information, "Any news lately?"

"There is something that has been widely discussed within the Eight Banners recently. My cousin has just returned to the capital and may not know that His Majesty intends to reduce the number of officials in the Inner Court and various princes and nobles."

"Reduce the number of vests?"

"That's right! Now many princes and ministers, as well as their subordinate captains and cavalrymen, are in a state of panic because of this. They are all afraid that their cavalrymen will be dismissed. After all, a cavalryman's monthly salary is three taels of silver, not including rice."

(End of this chapter)