My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 268 Father, I, Hongli, am also made of iron! A tough guy!
"What do you think of Celing's secret report?"

Celing submitted a secret report to Emperor Yongzheng, informing him of the matter.

Yongzheng then showed Celeng's secret report to Hongli himself, and after Hongli read it, he asked him about it.

After pondering for a moment, Hongli replied, "Like father, like son. Father is a tough guy who has braved water and fire, served in the Six Ministries, and ventured out into the countryside! A true hero!"

Yongzheng couldn't help but raise his eyes, his gaze shining.

Hongli looked at Yongzheng with increasing seriousness and earnestness.

His eyes were bright and piercing.

"Your subject should naturally be a man of steel! A tough guy! I can't let you down!"

"Your subject will not follow the example of your eighth uncle, who thought that handling the affairs of the vassal states was just like simmering over a low flame and balancing yin and yang."

"Your subject believes that in order to truly manage the affairs of the vassal states, drastic measures must be taken when necessary. Since the Mongol princes in the northern deserts are afraid of the Russian Empire, they should also be afraid of the imperial court, and even more so. Only by first having fear can there be respect, and only then can there be submission."

Hongli answered Yongzheng's question with a calm expression, speaking slowly and deliberately, giving Yongzheng a very composed feeling.

As a result, Yongzheng noticed the confidence and wisdom hidden beneath Hongli's words, and nodded frequently.

"As long as you don't follow your eighth uncle's example!"

In the early Qing Dynasty, the country was governed by ruthlessness.

Yongzheng was no exception.

Like Hongli, he understood that only by being ruthless enough to make the nobles and officials within the country regret supporting the Qing's entry into the Central Plains could they be deterred from easily allowing external forces to enter the pass again.

Then, Yongzheng looked at Hongli with some heartache, stood up and said, "Celeng submitted a secret report to me about this matter, presumably to let me see the pressure you are under. I never intended for you to bear this pressure so early."

"Governing is not easy. Your son is willing to share your burdens, and only in this way can your son better understand your difficulties."

Hongli replied with great seriousness.

Emperor Yongzheng was even more moved upon hearing this, and then instructed Su Peisheng: "Issue an edict to Prince Zhuang to allocate two million taels of silver from the imperial treasury to Prince Bao's residence!"

"What is this, Father?"

Hongli asked.

Yongzheng said, "If they dare to actually revoke your ceremonial rank, you can use this money to temporarily cover it up."

"Your son thanks Father!"

Hongli immediately made a thousand-fold offering and then went to Yijiao Temple, where he had received tributes.

These days, the incense money, or offerings, that Lao Ba received for Yijiao Temple has indeed decreased, and is no longer as much as Lao Ba received in the past.

After arriving at Yijiao Temple, Hongli checked the account books again and found that the income this month was tens of thousands of taels less than last month.

Generally, respectful gifts are divided into ice gifts and charcoal gifts, as well as gifts for festivals and birthdays.

Although, strictly speaking, this is also a form of bribery of superiors in this era, it is also a protection fee paid to avoid being legally harmed by those with greater power. Therefore, it is considered a common practice and a form of gray income that even the emperor could tolerate.

Even those who uphold integrity would regard officials who only accept routine fees as honest and upright.

But now, the princes, officials and gentry are giving Hongli less and less respect, so Hongli naturally has a legitimate reason to harm them.

Meanwhile, some Mongol princes from the northern steppes, who dared not offend the Russian Empire, also sent people to put pressure on the officials and gentry in the interior, threatening that if negotiations could not be reached as soon as possible, it would undoubtedly cause many Mongol tribes from the northern steppes to side with the Russian Empire in the future and move south with the Russian Empire, threatening the peace of the interior.

at the same time!

These Mongol princes from the northern deserts also instigated officials and gentry in the interior, especially the wealthy Han gentry from the south, to reduce their respect for Hongli.

They all knew that Tsering was able to organize so many Mongols to resist the invasion of the Russians, not just because Tsering was willing to exempt the rebels among his people from corvée labor and tribute.

Snapped!
Therefore, not long after, Tao Lai, the Minister of Justice, learned that the Mongol princes were afraid that Hongli, who was in charge of the Lifan Yuan (Court of Colonial Affairs), would excessively anger the Russian Empire. He was so angry that he slammed the letter from the Mongol princes on the table:
"How could Fourth Master push away so many Mongol princes from the northern deserts!"

Wang Jingzeng, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites who came to deliver the letter, also said with a furious expression: "That's right, this is utter nonsense!"

"This is an utterly reckless act that disregards the well-being of the nation and its people!"

"If we really offend the Mongol princes too badly, forcing them to flee to Russia and no longer submit to our Great Qing, and become enemies of our Great Qing, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Tao Lai then continued to denounce Hongli's actions after he took over the Lifan Yuan (Court of Colonial Affairs).

Wang Jingzeng nodded: "Minister Zhang of Han has already gone to pay his respects to Fourth Master, hoping that he will consider the feelings of the Mongol princes and not make excessive demands on the Russian Kingdom!"

When Zhang Tingshu, the Minister of Justice, came to see Hongli, he allowed Yuzhu to meet with him.

Zhang Tingshu was a straightforward person. During the Kangxi era, he defied the emperor and overturned an imperial decree, which earned him the appreciation of Emperor Yongzheng when he was still a prince. As a result, he rose rapidly in rank during the Yongzheng era and became a minister.

"Fourth Master, you can't let a small matter cause you to lose the big picture. You should put aside your demand for Kolychev in order to appease the Mongol princes and negotiate with the Russian Empire as soon as possible!"

Upon meeting Yuzhu, Zhang Tingshu said the following to him. Yuzhu replied, "Fourth Prince is a prince, a master, while the Mongol princes are subjects, servants. There is no reason for a master to yield to a servant!"

"But you and Fourth Master should know the consequences of dealing with the Mongol princes!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tingshu immediately stood up, shouted angrily, and his face turned green.

Yu Zhu took a deep breath.

"Zhang Tingxu, what are you yelling about?"

Hongli happened to return to the Prince's Mansion at this time, and heard Zhang Tingshu shouting in the Chief Secretary's room, so he asked a question.

Zhang Tingshu immediately came over and greeted him, saying, "Your Majesty, I was worried about you, so my voice was a little loud!"

"Reason doesn't lie in raising your voice. Don't think that just because Father Khan values ​​you, you can really yell and shout in my palace!"

Hongli said in an unfriendly tone.

Zhang Tingshu then said, "I only want to ask Your Highness, do you know that you still need the support of these Mongol princes to ensure peace in the world?"

"nonsense!"

Hongli shouted sharply.

Zhang Tingshu immediately knelt down.

Hongli then said to Zhang Tingshu very seriously: "The long-term stability of our Great Qing has never relied on anyone's support, but on our own wisdom and perseverance! Only you Han gentry only think about relying on the support of others to bring about long-term stability!"

Zhang Tingshu's face turned a deep purplish-red, yet he was unable to refute it.

Hongli then asked Zhang Tingshu, "Why haven't you sent your ceremonial gift yet? In your letter to Chen, you mentioned 'in order of succession.' Tell me, are you not sending the ceremonial gift now because you think I won't be the one to be succeeded in the future?"

Hongli's words were like a bucket of ice water poured over Zhang Tingshu's head, making Zhang Tingshu feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and he shivered with cold.

"What do you mean by that, Fourth Master?"

Zhang Tingshu asked about this.

Hongli coldly said, "Now it's my turn to ask you what you mean. Yuzhu, immediately send the letter from Zhang Tingshu to Chen An to the Censorate, and report to the censor that this Minister Zhang is plotting a rebellion. At the same time, have the guards imprison him in his guest room to await the court's decision!"

"Fourth Master!"

How could you do this!

"I did write a letter to Chen An back then, but that was a foolish opinion made during the previous dynasty, and His Majesty has not taken it to heart."

Zhang Tingshu argued his case logically.

Hongli asked, "How am I?"

"You accuse me of treason."

"Aren't you deliberately bullying me?"

Zhang Tingshu replied, sounding quite aggrieved.

Hongli sneered: "I'm going to bully you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Tingshu gritted his teeth.

"I know I'm bullying you, and you know I'm bullying you, but you don't need to ask me why I'm bullying you."

"If you really want to ask, you can make a list or outline first, and ask it at the Three Judicial Offices or the Council of Princes and Ministers. Someone will give you an answer then."

Hongli then said to Yuzhu, "Go immediately, this is a great achievement for you in exposing the rebellion!"

"Whoo!"

After Yuzhu left, Hongli went to the Court of Colonial Affairs.

Meanwhile, some Mongol princes in Beijing were waiting for him at the Court of Colonial Affairs.

When Hongli arrived, the second-class Taiji of the Chechen tribe, Burbala, bowed deeply to him and said, "Please, Fourth Master, agree to the negotiations with the Russian Kingdom and give up your demand for Kolychev. Our Living Buddha is willing to forgive Kolychev!"

Hongli glanced at him.

His eyes flashed with murderous intent!
Then, Hongli instructed Li Yu: "Summon Minister Tegut, Vice Minister Dase, Changshou, and Bandi, and also summon Najitai from the Banner Registration Office!"

"Also, have the Manchu and Han archives doctors retrieve the archives of the more than 30 li (over 10,000 mu) of land lost by the Chechen Taiji!"

"Whoo!"

(End of this chapter)