My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 272 Fucha Fujin proves her virtue and is rewarded as a Xin Zhe Ku woman.

Hongli's meaning was clear to both Manduhu and Taolai: whether Zhang Tingshu and his entire clan could survive, and whether more Han officials and gentry would become the next Zhang Tingshu, depended on how much respect they had for Hongli.

Because Hongli could legally harm them at any time by exploiting loopholes in their writing.

"You'd better hurry up and give all the gifts you haven't given to Fourth Master, otherwise, you might end up like Zhang Tingshu!"

Tao Lai then gave this explanation to his friend Wang Jingzeng, a member of the Han Chinese gentry.

Manduhu, a member of the same faction, chimed in, "That's right, Zhang Tingshu has been convicted of treason."

Wang Jingzeng stood up in alarm: "Does Fourth Master value money that much?"

"This is not a simple matter of money!"

"The important thing is that Fourth Master wants to know through this whether you Han gentry truly have Fourth Master in your hearts!"

Tao Lai continued.

"That's right!"

Manduhu also said, "Now that the Russian Kingdom has already knelt down, the Mongol princes can no longer afford to offend Fourth Master, so you naturally have even less reason to affect the overall situation of harmonious coexistence between the Manchus and Han people in the future."

"The Rakshasa Kingdom has knelt?"

Wang Jing was even more shocked and disappointed.

Manduhu nodded: "Korechev has been sent here, and Langke has also agreed in the letter of state that he is willing to recognize the area around Beihai as the territory of our Great Qing based on historical origins and local cultural factors. He only said that the area from the Yinie River to the Anggar River needs to be discussed again because there are Mongols who belong to them living there."

Upon hearing this, Wang Jingzeng collapsed into his chair as if he had lost his parents:

"So, the Fourth Prince's ability to handle practical affairs far exceeds our imagination, and he will surely gain the Emperor's absolute trust in handling the affairs of the vassal states!"

After saying that, Wang Jingzeng gave a bitter laugh.

Clearly, the resilience of the Russian Empire was the spiritual pillar that enabled these Han gentry to dare to question and belittle Hongli.

But now, the Rakshasa Kingdom has knelt!
Their spiritual support was gone.

of course!

Not only Han gentry, but also some Manchu nobles and Mongol princes, whose spiritual pillars of doubt and disrespect for Hongli collapsed as a result.

Wang Jingzeng then bowed to the Manchu Protector and Tao Lai, saying, "Thank you both for informing me. I will write a letter to make up for the lack of respect, and even to add more, so that Fourth Master will not really think that we Han scholars and officials are not as filial as we were to Eighth Master back then!"

Prince Bao's Palace.

Hongli looked at the new bill sent by Yijiao Temple, smiled with satisfaction, and opened his mouth.

Because Fucha Fujin, who was sitting to the side, had just peeled an orange, and then, smiling, she fed him a segment of orange.

The elegantly dressed Fucha Fujin was newly married to him, so Hongli allowed her to stay by his side day and night.

However, Consort Fucha still advised him to interact more with the other consorts and ladies in the mansion for the sake of having offspring, and not to really only hope for the appearance of a legitimate son.

Moreover, these days, Jingyi has indeed begun to increase again, and judging from the trend, it is very likely that it will exceed the previous scale.

The wealth possessed by officials and gentry throughout the land still exceeded Emperor Qianlong's imagination.

However, as a prince, even if he knew that many of them might be incredibly wealthy and hidden super-rich, he couldn't possibly confiscate their property according to the list.

After all, he needs to maintain and improve the rules, not lead the way in breaking them.

Therefore, Hongli could only silently watch as they gave him his usual amount of silver, just like a bodhisattva statue receiving incense offerings in a temple.

The only difference is that he will cause harm if the money is insufficient.

But now that they've started to give enough, Hongli will abide by the "unspoken rules" of this society, no longer giving them legal harm in terms of power, but rather legal protection.

Therefore, Hongli had already pleaded for Zhang Tingshu before Yongzheng, saying that he only had the intention to rebel but not the act of rebelling, and that he had always been upright. Therefore, he requested that the emperor spare his life and exile him and his entire clan to Beihai for land reclamation.

Although the Zhang family, as a noble family, no longer knew how to farm, Hongli would have Celing recruit some refugees who knew how to farm to teach them.

The river valleys around Beihai accumulate heat quickly in summer, with temperatures reaching over 20 degrees Celsius. The frost-free period is long, allowing for the cultivation of a single wheat crop, making it one of the few regions in northern Inner Mongolia suitable for agricultural development.

By exiling Zhang Tingshu, Emperor Qianlong intended to send more Han Chinese to that area, which would facilitate the establishment of Han Chinese settlements. This would not only benefit future garrisons but also strengthen the assimilation of the local Mongols, thus fostering the emergence of a new major ethnic group in the region.

Emperor Yongzheng granted Hongli's plea for leniency, but exiled Zhang Tingshu's entire clan to Beihai, and even assigned Zhang Tingshu himself to serve as a slave to the local armored soldiers. This was already a great mercy to Zhang Tingshu's entire clan.

After all, he was charged with treason, which was a more worthwhile thing for the court than killing them.

at the same time.

Emperor Hongli also ordered the Ministry of Personnel to demote Tao Lai, who had been transferred after being demoted four ranks, to the position of Director of the Department of Pleasing Distant Regions of the Court of Colonial Affairs with the additional title of Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Transmission, and to go to Beihai to handle vassal affairs.

In reality, Hongli put him in charge of managing the Han Chinese who had been exiled or migrated to Beihai.

Because Tao Lai and Zhang Tingshu had a good relationship.

Hongli believed that Tao Lai would not ignore Zhang Tingshu's family like the local Mongol princes did, or even wish for their violent death in the northern desert. Instead, he would do his best to take care of them and help them settle down in Beihai, so as to achieve the purpose of strengthening the border for the court and restraining the Mongols.

Moreover, Tao Lai was a Manchu bannerman, so he naturally cared more about the court's interests in the northern desert.

However, Hongli did this to teach Tao Lai a lesson for daring to question and belittle him.

When Tao Lai learned that he was going to be demoted and transferred to Beihai, he naturally felt like he wanted to die.

Although he was a Manchu, he was unwilling to go outside the Great Wall and only wanted to stay inside the Great Wall!

"Fourth Master, didn't you say that as long as this servant repents and reforms, you would give this servant an important position? Why are you sending this servant to Beihai?"

"Now that I've gone to the North Sea, how can I personally come to pay my respects to you during festivals? Waaah!"

Tao Lai came to see Hongli for this reason, and asked him while sobbing.

Hongli rolled his eyes at him and said, "What kind of talk is that?"

"It's precisely because we want to give you an important position that we're sending you to Beihai!"

"And let's also see if you've truly reformed. How can you not understand my good intentions?"

"As long as you do a good job in Beihai and make the wheat fields there, I will request an imperial decree to transfer you back to the capital as a vice minister to assist me in managing the ministry, based on your meritorious service in defending the border."

Upon hearing this, Tao Lai could only kowtow and say, "So that's how it is. This servant was foolish and did not understand Fourth Master's good intentions!"

"I forgive you. Get up."

Hongli said something about this.

Tao Lai thanked the emperor and stood up, promising, "Please rest assured, Fourth Master, this servant will go to Beihai and do a good job, making the wheat fields there cover the land!"

Hongli nodded.

Tao Lai then prepared to go to Beihai, while Hongli continued to manage the Court of Colonial Affairs and received even more respectful gifts.

Although the Han Chinese officials and gentry had become more obedient, Hongli still had Li Zhenxia, ​​Cao Lu, and other bondservants continue to review the books and manuscripts from Jiangnan in his residence.

These books and manuscripts are so vast that they cannot be reviewed in a short time.

Because Emperor Yongzheng was not comfortable letting court officials handle these books and manuscripts, he allowed Hongli to keep them in the Prince's Mansion under the guise of supporting his future recruitment of scholars to compile books.

To expedite the review process, Hongli not only had the servants from the Cao, Li, and Jin families of his own palace review the documents, but also had Nian Zhu, who served Nian Yirou, assist him. Meanwhile, he arranged for other servants from his own banner to assist Nian Yirou.

On this day, the weather was fine and the sky was filled with rosy clouds.

After returning home from the official business, Hongli, because his wife Fucha strongly advised him not to cling to her, went to the backyard of his palace—the Begonia Courtyard—to check on the maids who were reviewing books and manuscripts there.

These maids, mostly daughters of the Cao, Li, and Jin families, grew up in Jiangnan and were well-versed in literature. They were rare talents among bondservant families and were very fond of reading and editing manuscripts, some even to the point of obsession.

Although Nian Zhu was not from a family of bondservants sent to Jiangnan, she was, after all, Nian Gengyao's only daughter, so it was practically the same. She was very serious when reading and reviewing the manuscript.

When Hongli saw her holding a book, standing under a crabapple tree in the courtyard, reviewing it with a pen, he walked over to her and couldn't help but glance at her buttocks.

He had to admit that three years after Nianzhu entered the mansion, her back had become increasingly prominent and erect, resembling a half-ripe peach when viewed from behind.

Taking advantage of his inattention, Hongli gently patted him on the shoulder: "What books did you find during the interrogation?"

Nianzhu froze on the spot as if she had been electrocuted. When she saw that it was Hongli, her face turned red to the back of her ears, and she said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, "Fourth Master!"

(End of this chapter)