My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 239 Regaining Dignity, Hongli's Kindness and Power!

After complaining a few times, Hongli immediately got out of bed and left the inner room without waiting for Li Zhenxia to help him get dressed.

Li Zhenxia also sat up, put on her clothes, got out of bed, and hurriedly picked up her clothes and followed.

Hongli had been having marital relations with Jin Shi for some time and wanted to try something different, so last night he took her on a whim.

Li Zhenxia naturally complied with Hongli's wishes; she had no right to refuse.

Therefore, she naturally accepted Hongli as her support for the rest of her life.

At this moment, Hongli picked up his teacup and poured himself some warm water. Seeing that Jin Shi from the outer room had also come in, he first instructed her:

"It's hot now, remember to give the Cao family women who are under the lock some medicine to cool them down, and also distribute some of the cooling items we seized, such as fans, as a gift from me."

"Whoo!"

Jin responded and glanced at Li Zhenxia, ​​who had come up behind Hongli and started helping him get dressed.

Li Zhenxia also showed a pleased expression because of Hongli's instructions.

Unexpectedly, Hongli then said to her, "You should also go and see them for me, especially Old Madam Li. Pick some seasonal fruits to cool them down, and consider it a gift from me to them."

"Whoo!"

Since Li Zhenxia had already lost her virginity to Hongli, she became his concubine and could relay orders in the inner courtyard on his behalf, just like Ping'er in Dream of the Red Chamber.

When Hongli suddenly showed favor to Madam Li and other women of the Cao family, even giving them fruits, it was both to demonstrate his benevolence as their master and to repay Li Zhenxia for her attentive service the previous day.

However, Hongli had no intention of bestowing favors upon the male members of the Cao family.

The main reason was that the poor performance of Cao Zhaoye and other male members of the Cao family had led to the continued deficit of the Imperial Textile Bureau.

Otherwise, so many wealthy businessmen wouldn't be demanding repayment of their debts.

It was obvious that when the Cao family was in charge of the Jiangning Textile Bureau, they made IOUs for purchasing raw silk and other goods, and then kept delaying the repayment.

Now that these wealthy merchants have learned that the Cao family's property has been confiscated, they naturally come to ask the Fourth Prince to take some money from the confiscated property to repay the debts.

As a result, Hongli also had to deal with the deficit left over from Cao's tenure as the Imperial Textile Commissioner in Jiangning, which kept him, the master, from having any free time.

So, anyone would be in a bad mood in this situation.

Hongli didn't call them over; whipping or kicking them a few times would have been considered a sign of his good manners as a master.

It is worth noting that back in the Kangxi era, when Yongzheng was still working under the former crown prince, the former crown prince kicked him so badly that Yongzheng was bedridden for a long time because he did not do things to the former's satisfaction.

Even though Yongzheng was the younger brother of the former crown prince and not a bondservant, he was still treated this way because he did not satisfy the former crown prince.

Therefore, it wouldn't be excessive for Hongli to give these male stewards of the Cao family a beating.

However, the men of the Cao family are not having an easy time either.

Accustomed to a life of luxury, being confined in a family temple is no different from being imprisoned.

The scorching heat and the pitch-black surroundings made them very uneasy, as if something even more terrifying was lurking in the shadows.

Although they were being guarded by Fu Peng, a relative, who treated them fairly well, providing them with clean and tidy short blue shirts and preventing the guards from humiliating or beating them.

But those who are used to wearing silk always feel uncomfortable when they wear cloth clothes, feeling as if the rough fabric is cutting into their flesh.

The large communal sleeping area in the monks' quarters made it uncomfortable for them to sleep, as it was too hard and they felt that standing was more comfortable than lying down.

What made them even worse was that they soon smelled the stench of their own sweat, which made them feel even more miserable, and they soon became so haggard that they looked like they were about to die.

Cao Xueqin fared somewhat better, as he had to serve Hongli. Fu Peng had the guards prepare hot water for him so he could take a bath, on the grounds that he would not offend Hongli when summoned by him.

But Cao Xueqin did not take a bath until the hot water turned cold; he just stood there in a daze.

He needs someone to help him wash!

The newly prepared clothes were still coarse cloth short garments, which made him even less inclined to wash them.

Because he wanted to wear luxurious clothes.

But he no longer has that blessing.

When Fu Peng saw his cousin in this state, he walked over and, after a series of actions, left him completely naked. The actions were quite barbaric. Then, he picked up a bucket of water and poured about half of it over his head.

Cao Xueqin was instantly emaciated and drenched, standing there shivering. But he didn't resist or say much, just hugged his arms.

"Scrub it yourself!"

Fu Peng gave the order in a deep voice.

Cao Xueqin didn't move, he just stood there trembling.

Fu Peng was furious. He went outside and returned a short while later with a horsewhip.

Upon seeing this, Cao Xueqin began to touch himself, not rubbing, but rather touching himself.

"Put some effort into it!"

Cao Xueqin had no choice but to grit his teeth, increase his strength, and begin rubbing himself, while tears streamed down his face.

"If you want someone to serve you, be more ambitious and learn to serve your master well first!"

Fu Peng said from the side.

Although the women of the Cao family had a better life than the men, and were not confined to dark and filthy places like temples, they still found it very uncomfortable to be cramped in a single room.

Although this could only be considered house arrest for ordinary people, rather than a severe punishment, it was worse than death for them who had suddenly fallen from grace.

At first, many women were only distressed because they no longer had jewelry on their heads and no brocade on their clothes, but then they became distressed because of the heat and the inability to wash.

When Li Zhenxia was ordered to visit them, they couldn't help but shed tears, as if they had suffered a great injustice, as if they had been made to live in a cowshed and wear bark and grass skirts.

When they saw that Li Zhenxia was wearing brocade clothes and had jade hairpins and silver ornaments in her hair, they felt ashamed of themselves and realized that only by being ordered around or even becoming someone close to their master, the Fourth Master, could they live the life they used to have.

at the same time!

This also made them begin to feel a little afraid of Li Zhenxia, ​​especially when they found that Li Zhenxia had put her hair up in a traditional Chinese style. Their faces showed more respect and longing, knowing that Li Zhenxia's status was more respectable than theirs. If Li Zhenxia could regain her dignity, then they could too!
Even Madam Li couldn't help but curtsy first: "This old servant greets the young lady!"

"Grandpa, please don't do this!"

Li Zhenxia quickly helped the old lady Li up, and then persuaded the former noblewomen, including Madam Ma and Madam Li, as well as her former sisters, to bow to her.

As Li Zhenxia looked at them, now stripped of their gold and silver jewelry, dressed in coarse cloth skirts, their expressions haggard and desolate, she couldn't help but think of her own past, and tears welled up in her eyes.

After a long while, Li Zhenxia managed a weak smile and said:

"I am here on the orders of Fourth Master to visit you and bring you fruits."

Seeing that Li Zhenxia still held onto their past relationship, Cao Xuan spoke up at this moment: "Sister Zhenxia, ​​have you become Fourth Master's woman?"

Li Zhenxia blushed instantly, her face glowing with a captivating beauty, but she still nodded: "Fourth Master is very well!"

Cao Xuan didn't understand, but Madam Ma and Madam Li exchanged a smile and said at that moment, "This is a good thing!"

……

……

"This is a good thing!"

"Since Fourth Master is willing to let the Imperial Textile Bureau repay our debts, it means that Fourth Master is still reasonable."

"In this way, we can take the opportunity to persuade the Fourth Prince to convince the Emperor to shut down the textile bureau and return the private benefits to the people!"

Hongli had Li Yuxian meet with the wealthy merchants who were demanding repayment in the front hall. He said he would follow the imperial decree to clarify the debts owed by the Cao family while they were in charge of the Jiangning Textile Bureau, and use the confiscated property of the Cao family to make up for them. Therefore, the gentry of Jiangnan behind these wealthy merchants were very excited.

However, their stated purpose is only to recover the debt.

In reality, they also hoped that the imperial court would shut down the textile bureau and sell its assets to them, thereby achieving the goal of state-owned enterprises withdrawing and private enterprises advancing in the textile industry in Jiangnan.

Therefore, after Emperor Qianlong agreed to use the confiscated Cao family property to repay the debt, these gentry from Jiangnan began to discuss this matter in secret.

But when Hongli personally met these wealthy merchants who held IOUs from the Textile Bureau, he first asked, "Who is Pan Jianxuan, the candidate for the civil service examination?"

Pan Jianxuan then stepped forward and said, "This student is indeed you."

"Your nephew forcibly seized the imperial horse belonging to the guards, falsely accused him of horse thief, forcibly arrested him and brought before the authorities, and even claimed that he was the law. Are you aware of this?"

(End of this chapter)