My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 215 The Good Fortune of Consort Fucha: A Generous Reward with Implied Meaning!

Hong Sheng's words were like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, exploding in Lao San's ears.

But the third son always doted on his second legitimate son.

Because his eldest son, Hongqing, died at the age of six, the third son regarded his second son as a precious treasure.

So, the third son took a deep breath before saying, "Father knows who you want to see as the monarch, but it would be good if Hongli succeeded to the throne in the future."

"So stop saying such things, and stop hoping that Hongli will not be well."

"It wasn't easy for me to protect you from your fourth uncle!"

The third brother, Yunzhi, tried to persuade Hongsheng.

Hongsheng asked his third brother, puzzled, "But didn't Father always want Fourth Uncle to be disheartened and stop offending the gentry?"

"There's no need to let the grudges of the previous generation be passed on to you and Hongli in the next generation!"

"It would be a bad thing if the Qing imperial family continued to fight amongst themselves. We must put an end to it in this dynasty."

The third brother, Yunzhi, replied.

Hong Sheng could only bow and say, "Yes, sir!"

Yunzhi glanced at Hongli's retreating figure one last time and said, "However, he's getting married next year, and his primary wife is actually Ma Qi's niece. The Fucha family is no ordinary family!"

Yunzhi then left the garden.

After Fuheng returned home, Lady Fucha inquired about his situation at Langrun Garden: "Was it fun at Fourth Master's place?"

Fu Heng nodded.

Then, Fu Heng said, "My brother-in-law knows a lot of fun games, has written a lot of good poems, and even the food at his house is delicious."

The Ninth Sister, who was also there, couldn't help but gasp: "Wow, he's calling me 'brother-in-law' all the time now?"

Lady Fucha glared at her younger sister, then blushed slightly, but still continued to ask Fuheng, "What poems has Fourth Master written?"

Fu Heng then recited "Village Life" to Lady Fucha.

Upon hearing this, Ninth Sister couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "How could Fourth Master, a noble young master, write such a poem describing the leisurely and interesting countryside?"

"Don't you know? Fourth Master often goes to the countryside to inspect the affairs of the banners. He doesn't just sit in his study. I've heard that his banner officers and their men are no longer suffering from hunger because of this."

"Sister, so you've been secretly learning about Fourth Master all along!"

"I'm going to teach my younger brother calligraphy now, you can go back!"

Fucha suddenly put on a stern face and refused to speak to her sister anymore.

"Hmph, fine, I'll go back then!"

“But sister, the Fourth Prince not only seems to have lofty ambitions, but he is also an interesting person. You will definitely be blessed to become his primary wife in the future.”

After giving a dismissive reply, Ninth Sister continued to ramble on for a few more minutes.

Lady Fucha ignored her, but as she watched Fuheng write, her sister's words involuntarily came to mind.

"Ambitious and interesting."

Therefore, Lady Fucha suddenly felt a little hopeful about marrying Hongli in the future, and couldn't help but look at the calendar on the table, thinking to herself, am I really so lucky to become the primary wife of the Fourth Prince?

As for the Fourth Prince Hongli, after seeing the Third Prince and Hongsheng, he also remembered the promise he had made to the Thirteenth Prince, which was to have Hongsheng also be adopted.

He couldn't help but think that he should find an opportunity to talk to his tenth uncle about this matter.

There was no way around it; many of Hongli's uncles and cousins ​​were just as dissatisfied with Yongzheng.

Many of Hongli's cousins ​​were also dissatisfied with him, especially those who were much older than him and had already begun to lead troops and participate in the struggle for the throne during the Kangxi era.

Most of them had once been around Hongxi and Hongchun, forging deep friendships and even secretly establishing a relationship between ruler and subject.

Historically, Emperor Qianlong also dealt with these people after he first ascended the throne, but the severity of his punishment was not as great as that of Emperor Yongzheng.

However, the sooner such matters are dealt with, the less harm they will cause to the country's interests.

After all, anyone who likes to instigate internal strife is likely to do extreme things if left unchecked, such as betraying national interests and colluding with foreign powers for the benefit of their own small group.

Such things have happened many times throughout history.

Even if one side is already destined to lose.

However, the East Asian political struggle model of "winner takes all" means that many of them would rather lose both sides than let their opponent win alone.

Therefore, Hongli had already set his sights on people like Hongsheng, planted spies around them, and spent a lot of money training his own servants to do the same things as the sticky rod office.

In Hongli's view, the Empress's decision to keep her family out of the infighting was a wise choice and an outcome he was very happy to see.

Because in this way, if he becomes emperor in the future and the empress is no longer alive, even if he no longer values ​​the empress as his adoptive mother, he will not truly abandon the Ulalara clan.

After all, the latter already had military merits or had developed real skills, rather than just relying on connections.

of course!

The premise is that the defeat at Hetongbo could truly be avoided.

"May Mother be well!"

Therefore, when Hongli came to the Empress, he became even more respectful, and his respect came from the bottom of his heart.

The Empress had never been disappointed in Hongli. Even now, seeing him gradually mature, his youthful naiveté fading, and his Adam's apple becoming more prominent, she felt a genuine joy, like watching her own child grow up. So, with a smile, the Empress raised her hand, and after Hongli and Nara Minxuan rose, she said to him:
"I invited you here today for two reasons. First, my cook has prepared some new dishes, which your father and Uncle Thirteen have already tried and said are excellent. So I wanted you to try them too!"

"Secondly, I haven't seen Minxuan for some time and want to see her and let her know that it is an honor for our Nara clan that she is pregnant with your child."

Hongli then smiled and said, "Your Majesty is so kind; your son and Minxuan are blessed."

then.

The Empress then brought up the matter of him standing up for Wuge and teaching Longkodo a lesson, saying, "Wuge was also at fault in this matter. You should also discipline him. Don't really treat him like an uncle and let him develop an arrogant attitude!"

"Although my uncle has his faults, they are understandable, and I should not reprimand him. Besides, I have no reason to reprimand him in front of outsiders. I only intend to find an opportunity to be alone with him to advise him, or perhaps give it to you, Mother."

"But since Mother is indeed virtuous and dignified, there is no need for me to bring this up again. So when I met my uncle today, I knew that he had changed a lot and sent my cousins ​​to the Northwest to serve the court. In the future, my uncle and all my cousins ​​will only rise to prominence and bring glory to our family."

"Don't worry, Mother!"

Hongli's words indicate that he considers Wuge as one of his own, not an outsider, and that he hopes to see the Ulalala clan prosper in the future.

Upon hearing this, the Empress became even more amiable, nodded, and her eyes were full of praise for Hongli.

Nara Minxuan, who was standing to the side with her big pregnant belly, also looked at Hongli with admiration.

She felt that her fourth master was much more at ease in front of her aunt, the Empress, than she was in front of her aunt, the Empress.

She was more nervous facing her aunt, the Empress, than she was facing her own parents.

"You've been talking too much. Sit down and rest for a while, then have them serve the meal."

The Empress glanced at Nara Minxuan, who was looking at Hongli, and said this.

Then, the Empress had Hongli and Nara Minxuan sit on the rosewood chairs to her left and right.

The rose chair was covered with thick, slightly worn silk cushions and had slightly worn throw pillows embroidered with petals, which carried a faint scent of soapberry.

In Hongli's memory, the Empress was frugal and reduced her spending, so the chairs in her room didn't usually have cushions or pillows. Now, they were specially made and washed in advance, which must have been prepared for Nara Minxuan, who was already pregnant.

Hongli could only say that the Empress truly cared about her niece.

However, Nara Minxuan only looked at him, which made Hongli pick up his tea, take a sip, and give Nara Minxuan a wink.

Seeing this, the Empress had no choice but to ask Nara Minxuan, "How has she been lately? How is her diet and sleep?"

"Aunt, please don't worry, I'm fine, I just have an increasingly strong craving for sour foods."

Nara Minxuan replied very politely.

If it weren't for the Empress's insistence that she continue to address her as "aunt," she wouldn't even dare to call her that.

The Empress nodded with a beaming smile: "Good that you like sour food!"

Do you have any back pain?

The Empress asked with continued concern.

Nara Minxuan had no choice but to turn her head away from Hongli, shake her head, and say with a smile, "No."

The Empress sighed: "Now your mind is completely on Hongli."

Subsequently.

The Empress then gave a signal to the palace maids to bring over a zither wrapped in brocade. She smiled and said to Hongli and Nara Minxuan, "I was thinking that Minxuan is currently pregnant and has many inconveniences. I am afraid that she will not be able to take good care of you. So I have decided to bestow upon you, Hongli, a Song Dynasty zither that I have treasured for many years."

"This guqin is called Songshi Jianyi. Its sound is warm and mellow. Minxuan can play it in her spare time so that Hongli can hear it, in order to fulfill her service and also to please herself with the music, so as to calm her mind and spirit during pregnancy."

After the Empress said this, Hongli and Nara Minxuan were about to get up to bow and express their gratitude, but the Empress said "No need," so Hongli and Nara Minxuan sat back down.

Then the Empress had a wooden box brought over.

Hongli noticed that there was a pen holder in the wooden box.

The Empress pointed to the brush holder and said, "This is a brush holder with ink and color on bamboo and butterfly patterns from the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. I am giving it to you, Hongli, hoping that you will have many descendants. I believe you can understand my good intentions."

"Your subject understands that a pen holder needs a good pen, and the Ulalala clan will surely be the one to write your legend with the good pen that I can rely on in the future!"

Upon hearing Hongli's reply, the Empress smiled and couldn't help but feel a growing fondness for Hongli compared to her niece.

Nara Minxuan looked at Hongli again, her eyes sparkling.

As for Hongli, he was indeed aware that the Empress's gift to him was a reward for standing up for her, the Ulala clan, but she did not say it outright, as it would not fit her image of being virtuous and kind.

As for giving away the zither and the pen holder, they were not given casually, but rather with profound meaning.

As the Empress herself said and Hongli himself answered, the former naturally also hoped that he and Minxuan could live in harmony.

In short, her stepmother and adoptive mother clearly did things in a subtle and unassuming way.

Hongli dared not underestimate such a person. He knew that this was also why, although the Empress was not fierce and evil, Nara Minxuan was still very afraid of her.

After leaving the Queen's place, it was already completely dark.

But just as Hongli was about to get out of the car with Nara Minxuan, they heard Longkodo's voice coming from outside the car.

"This servant pays his respects to the Fourth Master!"

Hongli never expected that Longkodo would be waiting here.

(End of this chapter)