My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 340: Emperor Yongzheng's willingness to abdicate at any time brings great joy to Hongli!
After Hongli spoke, Ortai's eyes lit up. He thought to himself, "This Fourth Prince is indeed not pedantic or rigid!"
This made Ortai feel that he hadn't really lost out by getting that slap!
Ortai spoke first, saying, "In that case, we can start with Xiao Celingdunduobu. Although he is brave, he lacks strategy and is easily fooled!"

Hongli nodded, thinking that Ortai was quick-witted and had rich experience in local administration, so he put him in charge of the matter.

Not long after Ortai arrived in the Northwest, Xiao Celing heard rumors circulating that he was going to surrender to the Qing.

"Nonsense! How could I surrender to the Qing?!"

Xiao Ce Lingdun Duobu blushed and stood up from his chair.

Bulun, a trusted confidant of Xiao Celingdunduobu, looked up at him and said, "But our men have discovered that the number of Qing scouts around the garrison has indeed decreased significantly. This is clearly an attempt to mislead the Khan into believing we are a threat!"

Xiao Ce Lingdun Duobu gritted his teeth after hearing this.

"How cunning the Qing court is!"

Bren continued, "Furthermore, throughout the Northwest, all the way to Xi'an, there are rumors that you are going to betray the Qing Dynasty and submit to them, and that the Qing Dynasty will appoint you as the Great Khan of the Dzungars after the war!"

Xiao Ce Ling Dun Duo Bu clenched his fists again after hearing this: "Damn it!"

"The Qing court is indeed despicable, especially the Fourth Prince who is now regent, but now, I'm afraid the Khan might actually believe this."

"Bryn said with a worried look on his face."

After hearing this, Xiao Celingdunduobu looked at Bulun and asked, "Then how can I make the Khan not believe this?"

"Prove it to the Khan by taking the initiative to attack Kobdo!"

Brun replied.

After listening, Xiao Ce Ling began to think about it seriously.

Bren continued, "As long as we take advantage of the Qing army's unstable foothold and attack Kobdo immediately, and occupy Kobdo, the Khan will naturally be dispelled."

Kobdo is an important gateway to and from Khalkha. Occupying it would block the road from Khalkha to Dzungar, securing the rear during wartime and controlling trade during peacetime.

Therefore, the Qing army is now building a city here.

Xiao Ce Ling and Bu Lun had long planned not to let the Qing army succeed.

Now that Bren said this, Xiao Celing was even more certain of his decision: "We should attack Kobdo immediately."

As Xiao Celing prepared to immediately attack Kobdo, Ortai was also meeting with the commanders of the two Qing armies, Celing and Yue Zhongqi, and said with a smile:
"I have followed your advice and forced Xiao Ce Ling to send troops to attack. Now we'll see if he will send troops to attack on his own initiative."

"As long as he comes out on his own initiative, it's a good thing!"

"Finding the main force for the decisive battle on the vast grassland is the most difficult thing."

Celing replied to this.

Yue Zhongqi nodded in agreement: "That's right. Fortunately, the Grand Secretary managed to entice him to send troops. If that had succeeded, it would have been twice as effective with half the effort."

Yue Zhongqi now knows that his eldest grandson Yue Jun is safe and sound, and also knows that this is because Hongli established the Red and Black Register system.

Therefore, Yue Zhongqi was very grateful to Hongli and became even more cautious in battle. He was also more willing to flatter the Manchu officials like Ortai for the sake of the overall situation, and dared not be arrogant. He was even more humble than usual.

Therefore, Ortai felt even more reluctant to underestimate Yue Zhongqi, and simply waved his hand, saying, "This matter was made by Fourth Master, so if it succeeds, it will not be my achievement!"

Then, Ortai added, "However, when I left the capital, the Fourth Prince also asked me to tell you again that you must be careful to prevent the Dzungars from using various tricks to deceive you and cause you to divide your forces and be unable to support each other."

"Please rest assured, Fourth Master, we will keep this in mind and dare not act rashly!"

Celing replied to this.

Yue Zhongqi nodded in agreement.

Meanwhile, in the capital, the rumors spread by Dzungar spies were indeed going around.

"Everyone!"

"Have you heard? The commanders of the two armies in the northwest should be Marseille and Fuerdan, two senior and experienced officials."

"Even the Khan of the Dzungar Khanate said that what he feared most was this man as the commander-in-chief."

at that time.

In a teahouse near Yihuguo Temple, a Manchu man called out and started talking about national affairs.

Inside the teahouse, it wasn't long before someone chimed in, "Is that so? It seems the Dzungars are more afraid of the warriors of our Eight Banners!"

"Of course! The Dzungars are, to put it bluntly, mainly Mongol. Besides fearing our Eight Banners warriors, who else could they possibly fear?"

"Back in the day, my great-grandfather and my grandfather's generation had already beaten the Mongols so badly they cried for their fathers and mothers. So even though they are no longer Chinese, they are still afraid whenever they hear the name of our Eight Banners Warriors!"

At this moment, a Manchu man carrying a birdcage walked in and asked with a smile, "Since you say so, Master Xunrong, then I would like to ask you for your guidance."

The Manchu man, having heard that it was an acquaintance, turned around and bowed deeply, saying, "May I ask who it is, sir?"

"Then why didn't the commander-in-chief use our Eight Banners warriors in this campaign in the Northwest?"

The old man asked about it and then asked the tea boy to brew him the kind of tea he usually drank.

Upon hearing this, Xunrong's expression immediately changed. He then put his hand to his mouth and looked around.

Seeing this, everyone gathered around.

Xunrong then lowered his voice and said, "I heard that Fourth Master wants to seize the throne, which is why he wants to recommend these two as commanders-in-chief!"

"is it?"

Someone asked out of curiosity.

Xunrong said even more seriously, "Of course! We're just waiting for these two to return from pacifying the Dzungars and make unparalleled contributions, so that even we Manchus have to acknowledge their military achievements. That way, we can force them to abdicate!"

"Is there such a thing?"

The entire room where the teahouse was located fell silent, and at the same time, someone asked a question out of curiosity.

Xunrong said, "It's said that both the Emperor and Prince Yi are seriously ill. The Fourth Prince, fearing that things might change and a situation like the one that happened to the Fourteenth Prince during the late Emperor's reign, decided to act sooner rather than later." "That can't be, can it? The Fourth Prince has been in the capital the whole time, overseeing the country. What could he possibly be worried about?"

At that time, some people objected.

The old man standing behind Xunrong added, "That's hard to say!"

Everyone looked at the old man.

At this moment, the old man sat down, placed the birdcage on the table, and said, "Even if you don't study hard at school, you must have heard a lot of stories about seizing the throne in plays, right?"

"Where in the imperial family can there be a true father and son?"

"Our Fourth Master is a man of great ambition; how could he let such a golden opportunity slip away?"

The old man then started drinking his tea.

Xunrong chimed in, "That's right!"

Then, Xunrong gave the old man drinking tea a thumbs up: "That old man is truly insightful!"

The old man smiled at him and said, "Have some tea."

"Hey!"

"What kind of tea do you want? I think you should go somewhere else to drink tea."

At this moment, a group of soldiers from the Infantry Commander's Office burst in.

The military officer in the lead said something as soon as he entered.

Most of these Manchus were stunned.

Only Shumulu Dexiang stood up from his seat at this moment, took out his armband bearing the insignia of "Model Household of the Plain Red Banner," and proudly walked over, saluted the military officer, and then looked at the bannermen and said:

"It is they who are making irresponsible remarks about state affairs here, and even said that the Fourth Prince is plotting a rebellion!"

The military officer immediately ordered the arrest of all the Manchu bannermen.

"Uncle De, what are you doing?"

Upon seeing this, Xunrong couldn't help but ask.

Shumulu Dexiang simply snorted: "I just can't stand you questioning and slandering the Fourth Master!"

Shumulu Dexiang then said to the military officer, "My son is now serving in the city guard camp, wearing the same color hat as you. He was able to wear this hat thanks to the Fourth Master who gave us ordinary bannermen a way to make a living back then."

Old trees have many roots, and old people have many words.

At this moment, Shumulu Dexiang actually started chatting with the military officer.

Seeing that he was the father of an official, the military officer didn't dare to reprimand him. He just smiled and said a few words in response before leaving with his men.

"Fourth Master, we have now discovered that the Westerner Badomin, who is employed by the inner court, is a Dzungar spy. He previously worked as an interpreter for Russia, where he investigated our Great Qing."

"The officers of the Infantry Commander's Office also discovered during their investigation that he was secretly incorporating knowledge from Chinese classics such as the Inner Canon of Medicine into his French materials, and was selectively drawing upon many of our effective remedies."

Military Affairs Office.

Hongli also heard the rumors.

Therefore, he ordered the Eight Banners Commandery to select a group of model households from among the bannermen, and also gave some idle bannermen in the capital a job, the purpose of which was to have them report rumors circulating in the streets that slandered high-ranking officials of the court.

This assignment was primarily targeted at elderly Manchu bannermen whose sons or nephews held lower-ranking official positions.

After all, these Manchus were the most willing to show their loyalty and were the emperor's true base of support.

Therefore, on this day, Hongli heard from Grand Councilor Fuerdan about the capture of the spy Baduoming.

After speaking, Fu Erdan gave the evidence to Hongli.

After Hongli took it, he said, "Very good, a generous reward will be given to the person who reported the relevant clues."

"Whoo!"

On the same day, Hongli ordered his guards to escort Baduoming to see Yongzheng.

Meanwhile, Yongzheng also learned of many rumors circulating outside from Hongchun and Hongxi.

Hongchun said to Yongzheng, "There are rumors circulating that the Fourth Prince intends to force the emperor to abdicate after Celing and Yue Zhongqi return from their great victory!"

After hearing this, Yongzheng asked, "What else is being spread?"

"It is also said that the Fourth Prince is gathering evidence of crimes committed by Grand Councilors Marsai and Fuerdan, and is preparing to punish them, because the Fourth Prince feels that they are hindering him."

Hongchun replied.

Yongzheng neither confirmed nor denied this, and only after Hongxi came in and mentioned the matter did he ask the two of them, "What do you think about this?"

Hongchun thought for a moment and replied, "Your subject will only obey your fourth uncle's orders!"

Hongxi, who had returned to Beijing under the pretext of visiting Yongzheng and the thirteenth prince, glanced at Hongchun, then looked at Yongzheng and knelt down directly.
"Your Majesty is wise! The Fourth Prince would never have any disloyal thoughts. If he did, you would have seen it long ago without anyone reminding you."

"This can only be the work of wicked people spreading rumors and causing trouble!"

"Su Peisheng, tell Hongli that I intend to grant Hongxi the double salary of a prince, and he will not need to request permission to return to the capital in the future!"

At this point, Yongzheng gave his instructions.

Then, Yongzheng said to the two men, "Don't let outside influence you. If Hongli really wants to seize the throne, I will be happier than anyone else! This shows that he is willing to fulfill your Khan's long-cherished wish for me!"

“Father! The right to rule is ordained by Heaven; how dare your son overstep his bounds!”

Suddenly, Hongli appeared outside the hall and bowed deeply before Yongzheng.

(End of this chapter)