My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 304 The Great Purge (Part 1)
In June of the sixth year of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign, the sun blazed fiercely.

Hongli's forehead was sweating after kneeling for only a short time.

The sound of cicadas chirping inside the Yuanmingyuan Garden made him frown even more.

Many of the officials and Manchu scholars behind him were also wiping their foreheads with their sleeves.

At this moment.

Emperor Yongzheng sent Su Peisheng out to announce the imperial decree: "The fourth prince, Hongli, along with the princes, ministers, and nine high officials, are hereby summoned to the garden for an audience!"

So, Hongli, along with the princes and ministers, and the Nine Ministers, entered the Yuanmingyuan Garden and headed towards Yongzheng.

Upon entering the Yuanmingyuan, Hongli was surprised to find that many of the lower-ranking military officers within the garden were people he had never seen before.

Because he frequently visited the Old Summer Palace, it was possible to tell.

When Hongli and his entourage arrived at Yongzheng's place, Yongzheng was facing away from them.

After Hongli and the others finished their greetings, he turned around, holding a gleaming Buddhist prayer bead bracelet in his hand, his face serene.

"How do you view things developing to this point?"

Yongzheng asked this question first, his tone neither warm nor cold.

Among the princes and ministers, the chief prince and minister, Yunxiang, spoke up at this time: "Now it seems that we need to think about whether we should continue to reform the Eight Banners official schools and whether we should orderly promote the new system of learning Chinese by the bannermen!"

"If we are to continue, then Yin Tai and Fu De cannot be allowed to live!"

"As Fourth Brother said, things have developed to this point, and they are now using the pretext of pleading for these two people to resist the new policy reforms."

Yunxiang's words prompted all the ministers present to nod in agreement.

at that time.

Yunlu couldn't help but ask, "Fourth Brother, why don't we just stop reforming the Eight Banners official schools? There are just too many Bannermen who are against it. We can't really go against the will of the people, can we?"

Emperor Yongzheng frowned.

Hongli also sighed slightly.

At this moment, Yunli also spoke up, saying, "In my opinion, this matter should not be given up so easily!"

"Because this is the first major policy that Hongli will be responsible for for the Queen Regent. If this major policy fails, Hongli's prestige in governing the central government will not be established. Moreover, Hongli is the first prince whom Fourth Brother has assigned to an important post. There has been criticism in the court and among the people, who say that Fourth Brother is too hasty in letting Hongli take charge of the ministry and become the Queen Regent so early."

"Therefore, if this matter fails, it will not only damage Hongli's personal prestige in governing the central government, but also the prestige of the fourth brother. If the fourth brother uses a prince to govern in the future, he will face even greater criticism."

Hongli's eyes lit up, and he wholeheartedly agreed.

He also did not want his first major policy decision to fail, and the reason for the failure was simply the resistance from the Manchu scholars and the internal weakness and compromise.

However, Ma Qi spoke up at this moment, saying, "But as Master said, things have come to this point, what else can we do but give up? And as Sixteenth Master said, we can't be so ruthless to our own people, can we?"

After speaking, Ma Qi added, "But my opinion may not be appropriate, since this is a matter that would damage the emperor's authority. Therefore, I would like to ask Your Majesty to make the final decision!"

Yunlu glanced at Yunli and Maqi and quickly added, "Fourth Brother, I'm confused. Seventeenth Brother and Maqi are right. It's best if you make the decision yourself."

Yongzheng rolled his eyes at Yunlu.

Then, Yongzheng looked at Hongli and the others: "And you?"

"Your subject also requests that Father make the final decision."

Hongli immediately cupped his hands in greeting.

"I second the proposal!"

The other ministers and the nine high officials all echoed this sentiment.

Those who reach the rank of Nine Ministers or above are different from other nobles and officials.

Because, for the sake of power, people of different races can unite to fight against the emperor.

Six years after Yongzheng ascended the throne, those who had already obtained high positions through imperial power naturally formed a community with the emperor.

Even if they oppose the emperor, they have to oppose him from the perspective of the emperor's interests.

That's why Yongzheng summoned them in, physically separating them from those who also petitioned outside.

Afterwards, after letting these people express their opinions, Yongzheng revealed the truth: "I have already transferred the four Green Standard Army patrol battalions to Xizhimen. You want me to make decisions on my own, so let me tell you clearly: since these bannermen want to rebel against me, then I will no longer recognize these bannermen as my own people!"

"If you also oppose me for this reason, I will execute you first, and from now on, all the Imperial Guards will be handed over to the Green Standard Army!" Upon hearing this, Hongli secretly cheered, thinking that as expected, when the central government was in power, in order to finally complete a major policy that was not in the interest of the vested interests, the absolute support of the emperor was indispensable!

Hongli was very grateful for the support and guidance of his father, Yongzheng.

The other ministers, except for Yunxiang and Yunli, all showed expressions of shock.

"Your subject dares not!"

"I don't dare!"

"Slave dare not!"

But at this point, no one had the right to object.

After all, if they continued talking, Yongzheng would execute them as well, and also elevate the status of the Green Standard Army.

"Marseille, go to Xizhimen and bring over the Fourth Battalion of the Green Standard Army. Suppress all the traitorous cliques who are petitioning outside the Yuanmingyuan!"

The task of leading troops to suppress the rebellion was entrusted to his trusted confidant, Marsai, rather than to his brothers and sons, as well as Maqi and Longkodo, whose trust in him was not particularly high.

"Whoo!"

Marseille did not refuse.

of course!

He couldn't refuse either, as he was neither the son of Yongzheng's brothers nor a member of a prominent Manchu family like Ma Qi or Longkodo, whose family status made them someone Yongzheng needed to win over and be wary of.

Although his grandfather was Tuhai, he still couldn't compare to the Tong and Fucha clans.

"Yunlu, take three hundred Green Standard Army cavalrymen from the Yuanmingyuan to the Infantry Commander's Office to oversee the executions. Display the heads of Yin Tai and Fu De outside the Yuanmingyuan gates so their accomplices can see the consequences of their faction's disloyalty!"

"Wu Ge is already waiting at the northwest gate with those three hundred Green Standard Army cavalrymen. You can ride there from there."

"Whoo!"

Although Yunlu was unreliable in small matters, Yongzheng still trusted him in important matters. Moreover, among the brothers he could rely on, only Yunlu was in good health, so he had no choice but to send Yunlu to supervise the execution.

Neither Yunxiang nor Yunli are currently suited for galloping on horseback.

Emperor Yongzheng did not intend for Hongli to do this task; he had other plans for Hongli.

Meanwhile, Yunlu, after meeting up with Wuge and three hundred Green Standard Army cavalrymen, went to the Infantry Commander's office.

When Yin Tai and Fu De learned that Yun Lu had brought an imperial edict, they exchanged a smile.

Yin Tai said with a smile, "Master has come to spare us from the death penalty."

Fu De bowed to Yin Tai and said, "Thanks to your desperate efforts, Master has shown mercy. I am deeply grateful!"

Yin Tai returned the greeting: "This is the kindness of our master, and also the sentiment of everyone. It is not something I can do alone. You need not do this!"

"By imperial decree, Fu De and Yin Tai shall be executed immediately, and Prince Zhuang, Yunlu, shall oversee the execution!"

After arriving at the Infantry Commander's Office and meeting Yin Tai and Fu De, Yunlu announced the imperial decree to the two men.

Upon hearing this, Yin Tai and Fu De were so stunned that they immediately raised their heads and opened their mouths wide.

They hadn't expected the imperial decree to order their immediate execution.

"how come?"

"Sixteenth Master, isn't our master afraid of leaving behind a legacy of infamy?"

Yin Tai and Fu De both asked about Yunlu.

Yunlu didn't say much, but waved for Aqitu to take the two men to the execution ground.

As Yin Tai was being led to the execution ground, his face flushed crimson, he cried out, "Master! Why do you disregard the sentiments of the people and kill an old man like me!"

Fu De didn't shout, but his eyes were lifeless. Only when the knife was held above his head did he give a bitter laugh: "I didn't expect to die after all!"

Then, the two guillotines fell.

Yin Tai and Fu De were immediately decapitated.

The two still-open, blood-soaked heads were soon packed into boxes and taken back to the Yuanmingyuan by Yunlu.

(End of this chapter)