My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 174 Hongshi's Despondency After Being Adopted
Eighth Brother clenched his fists, his eyes wide open as he stared at Sixteenth Brother and Laibao.

He never expected that Lao Shiliu and Laibao would not only be ungrateful to him, but would also despise him so much.

The sixteenth prince nodded approvingly at Lai Bao: "We will go and report back to the Emperor, and accept whatever punishment is due."

"That's right, one should take responsibility for one's actions; that's what makes a hero!"

Lai Bao responded with a comment.

Seeing that neither Lao Shiliu nor Lai Bao were willing to accept Lao Ba taking the blame for them, Chang Ming sighed helplessly and had no choice but to follow.

After learning of this from the sixteenth prince and Lai Bao, Yongzheng nodded with great appreciation:
"Very good, you have not disappointed me. You have not been bewitched by Prince Lian's magic potion and allowed yourselves to be harmed by him!"

The sixteenth brother could tell that his fourth brother was very dissatisfied with his eighth brother because of this, so he directly referred to him as "Prince Lian" and stopped using "Eighth Brother".

But what he cared more about was whether his fourth brother had lessened his wariness of the eighth brother because of his deliberate targeting of the eighth brother, so he once again spoke righteously:

"Fourth Brother, Prince Lian is truly treacherous and cunning. He is trying to incite Lai Bao, Chang Ming, and other officials from the Imperial Household Department to vent their anger on you, causing internal strife within your Imperial Household Department!"

"Such a despicable person should be executed!"

Yongzheng was not angry at what the sixteenth prince said; instead, he earnestly addressed him:

How could I kill him?

"He was, after all, the late emperor's son. If I kill him, what will my other brothers and nephews think of me? What will the people of the world think of me? Even you might not trust me to work for me anymore."

"Sixteenth brother, stop testing your fourth brother."

"Your fourth brother isn't that ruthless and cruel as to not spare his own brothers!"

"No matter how treacherous and cunning Prince Lian is, as long as you can still understand me and have not been misled by him, I will be very happy."

Yongzheng then helped the sixteenth prince up and issued an imperial edict saying:

"Prince Zhuang is loyal, respectful, and clear-headed, and does not get confused on important matters. Therefore, he will not be held accountable for minor mistakes, but will instead be rewarded for his achievements and granted the privilege of riding a horse within the Forbidden City."

“Lai Bao, the Minister of the Imperial Household Department, although he had selfish motives, was clear-headed in the face of adversity and was therefore spared punishment.”

"Chang Ming was driven by selfish motives and reacted slowly, but fortunately he realized his mistake and corrected it, so he was only dismissed from his post!"

The sixteenth brother and Lai Bao quickly expressed their gratitude.

Chang Ming also expressed his gratitude.

Then, Yongzheng said, "As for those who caused trouble and looted, let Aqitu of the Infantry Commander's Office interrogate them and find out if they were instigated by Prince Lian."

then.

Azitu then began interrogating the forty or so troublemakers who had been arrested.

These were all Manchu bannermen who went to plunder the household of Li Yanxi, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Household Department.

As a result, all of them denied that Prince Lian had instructed them.

Emperor Yongzheng summoned Prince Lian for this matter.

Meanwhile, Prince Lian, the eighth prince, was angry because of the reactions of the sixteenth prince and Lai Bao.

Seeing this, the Eighth Prince's wife comforted him, "Don't be angry. That despicable Sixteenth Prince is just trying to curry favor with Yongzheng!"

"Then you've misunderstood Sixteenth Brother!"

Old Eight replied irritably.

Then, the eighth brother said, "He is deliberately playing the villain for the fourth emperor so that I can avoid being completely rejected by the fourth emperor."

After hearing this, the Eighth Prince's wife frowned: "Why would he be willing to play the villain?"

"Someone must have made him the villain!"

Lao Ba chuckled coldly.

The Eighth Prince's wife hurriedly asked, "Who?"

The Eighth Prince smiled and said, "It's probably Hongli, or maybe the Thirteenth Prince! But the Thirteenth Prince is so busy, he wouldn't have the time for this. Besides, if I were the Sixteenth Prince, I would be more willing to listen to Hongli."

"It's that Hongli again. He really goes to great lengths."

The Eighth Prince's wife couldn't help but purse her lips and say.

Old Eight sighed, "What a pity!"

"What's a pity?"

The Eighth Prince's wife asked.

The eighth brother said, "It's a pity that the fourth brother is too eager to reform. He is determined to make a name for himself and rectify the government, even at the cost of offending officials and gentry. Otherwise, I would be willing to submit to him for the sake of such a good nephew!"

"What, if he didn't reform the government like this, you would be willing to listen to him and divorce me?"

The Eighth Prince's wife inquired about the Eighth Prince.

Lao Ba smiled and said, "But if that's the case, he won't ask me to divorce you."

The Eighth Prince's wife nodded: "That's true."

Then, the Eighth Prince's wife asked him, "Why didn't you report to Emperor Yongzheng from the beginning that someone had come to the mansion and caused a disturbance?"

"Because if Fourth Brother finds out, he can use my name to kill people."

"I'd rather he kill me than let him kill others in my name!"

The eighth brother replied solemnly.

The Eighth Prince's wife said, "But the Sixteenth Prince ruined your plans, and he wouldn't let you take the blame for them. He even said those things to you. I don't know how happy Yongzheng was because of this."

“I will not accept the favor of the sixteenth brother, just as I will not accept the favor of the fourth brother.”

"I would rather be executed by my fourth brother than see myself lose even more completely!"

Lao Ba said with a resolute expression.

The Eighth Prince's wife smiled gently: "That's what I admire about you. You are gentle yet strong. When I first met you, I knew that you, who seemed so refined, had a tenacity that never gave up!"

Lao Ba simply smiled and said nothing more.

"Your Highness, a decree has been issued from the palace, summoning you to an audience immediately!"

At this time.

Yan Jin's voice came from outside.

"understood."

The eighth prince then left his wife's place.

However, as soon as the Eighth Prince came out, he encountered the staggering Hongshi in the mansion.

Lao Ba couldn't help but support him: "Hongshi, you've been drinking again?"

“Eighth Uncle, no! Father, I can’t not drink it. If I don’t drink it, I’ll remember so many grievances, so many grievances.” Hongshi said with a bitter smile.

The eighth brother said, "There's no need to force yourself. In the manor, you can call me Eighth Uncle if you want. The other day, Eighth Uncle reminded you just to make you aware of your current status."

"Uncle Ba, you are so kind! Actually, being your son is not such a bad thing."

"But if my nephew continues to be so willful, I wonder if he will be humiliated again."

"Your nephew truly dares not disobey His Majesty's will!"

Hongshi started to speak, then sat down on the ground to the side, head down, and waved his hand, saying, "I really don't dare to do it again!"

"Not anymore!"

Lao Ba said something.

Then, the eighth prince continued to persuade him: "Instead of worrying about what the emperor, the fourth brother, will do to you, you should worry about Hongli."

"Hongli?"

Hongshi looked at the eighth brother.

Old Eight, with his hands behind his back, looked at the sky and said, "Yes, you dug so many pits for him. He certainly didn't jump in and didn't become the person you wished for, like your second uncle, but that doesn't mean he won't resent you for it."

“I’m no longer a threat to him, so what else can he do to me? Besides, I’m already in this state, so what can he possibly do to me?”

Hongshi chuckled.

Lao Ba said, "But he can still influence the Emperor's heart, and Hong Zhou still needs to know his methods, including future blessings. Hong Shi, the person you need to pay more attention to now is him, and you should also let him see your true remorse!"

"I can not do it!"

Hongshi waved his hand, his face resolute.

The eighth prince sighed, said nothing more, and prepared to go into the palace first.

At this moment, the eunuch Yan Jin stepped forward and said to the Eighth Prince, "Your Highness, I heard that when the Infantry Commander's Office was interrogating the arrested people, they said that you did not instruct them to cause trouble."

“I was originally going to accept the offer on behalf of these ignorant fools.”

Lao Ba sneered.

Yan Jin continued, "Therefore, this servant believes that the reason for bringing you to the palace might be for this matter."

Lao Ba nodded, indicating that he understood.

When the Eighth Prince met Yongzheng, Yongzheng indeed asked him about the matter: "The Infantry Commander's Office has sent a confession. The arrested person refuses to admit that you ordered it. What do you have to say?"

"It was indeed my younger brother who instructed him."

"But they just don't dare to admit it."

Lao Ba replied.

Yongzheng gritted his teeth: "If you were the one who instigated this, then you also know who the ringleader among them is?"

Lao Ba said, "I do know."

"it is good!"

"Then go to the Infantry Commander's office and point them out."

Emperor Yongzheng gave the order.

"Whoo!"

So, the eighth brother went to the Infantry Commander's Office.

The infantry commander, Aqitu, was also ordered to take Lao Ba to the place where the forty-odd people were being held.

When Lao Ba saw these people, he said in a low voice, "Now, your Emperor has asked me to identify the ringleaders among you. I will randomly point out a few, so that you won't all lose your lives."

"As for those of you who have been identified, I will provide your families with substantial compensation!"

"do you understand?"

These people just nodded mechanically after hearing that.

Lao Ba then began to identify people, mainly those he knew, including his own guard, Jiu Liu.

Although these ninety-six were supposed to be the Eighth Prince's bodyguards, they also participated in the robbery because they were dissatisfied with the new policy of reducing the number of bodyguards.

But it is precisely this ninety-six.

When Yongzheng ordered the sixteenth prince, the infantry commander Aqitu, the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard Kuadai, and Etengji, along with the two vice ministers of the Ministry of Justice, to jointly interrogate the five main culprits, and had the eighth prince attend the trial, the ninety-sixth prince refused to admit that he was the main culprit in court, saying, "It was all Prince Lian who made us admit that we were the ringleaders, saying that this would prevent everyone from losing their lives!"

"Is this true?"

After hearing this, the sixteenth brother couldn't help but ask a question.

Old Eight, on the other hand, opened his eyes wide.

The sixteenth brother looked even more astonished, and then looked at the eighth brother. After a while, he deliberately turned cold: "Eighth brother, you're doing favors again, just to make the fourth brother seem cruel and mean, and you seem kind and virtuous?"

Eighth Brother glared at Ninth Sixth Brother with eyes blazing with fury: "He's lying!"

"This servant did not lie!"

"This servant deserves to die, but I am unwilling to deceive His Majesty, and I dare not slander the princes of the imperial family!"

Ninety-six quickly denied it.

"what about you?"

The sixteenth brother asked about the other four.

The four of them were at a loss for what to do.

At this moment, the sixteenth prince threatened the four main culprits, saying, "If you confess now, your families will still live. But if, as the ninety-sixth prince said, the court finds out that you were indeed cooperating with Prince Lian to deceive the emperor, your families will not survive. And you should also know that since the ninety-sixth prince has said this, the court will definitely keep a close watch on your families!"

The four had no choice but to confess the truth, saying that Lao Ba had made them admit it.

The eighth brother's face grew increasingly dark, like iron.

The sixteenth brother and others then reported the results of the interrogation.

After receiving the results, Yongzheng summoned the thirteenth prince and said to him with a smile, "Thirteenth brother, the ninety-sixth prince you turned has indeed worked!"

"I knew it. Mynah would be even more ruthless to its own people. The closer you are to him, the more likely he is to designate you as the ringleader!"

The thirteenth brother replied with a smile.

Yongzheng nodded: "Yes, fortunately the sixteenth prince has also made progress, and with you here, I am not afraid of how much trouble the eighth prince might cause."

The thirteenth prince nodded: "This is a good thing!"

Yongzheng nodded in agreement: "This will also be a good thing for Hongli in the future!"

(End of this chapter)