My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 347 The Greatest Loyalty Received by the Regent: Zhu Yuanzhang's Descendant!

After asking the question, Hongli rested his elbow on the table, turned his sky-blue hat tube, and even put his hand into the hole, while waiting for the Grand Councilors to reply.

Marse then turned to look at Zhang Tingyu and Jiang Tingxi.

Fuerdan also looked over at the two of them.

Zhang Tingyu's muscles twitched slightly at this moment, and then he stepped forward and said, "I have already ordered them to donate at least five million shi of grain!"

"Donate grain?"

Hongli asked.

Jiang Tingxi then added, "Fourth Master, please allow me to explain. If we, the gentry of Jiangnan, merely make up for the arrears in taxes, it would only be out of fear of the imperial court. Only by donating grain to aid the army can we demonstrate our loyalty to the country, even at the cost of our families!"

Hongli was actually quite aware of the landlord class's weaknesses and knew that they dared not allow the court to actually implement the red and black registers, but he still deliberately showed a look of astonishment.

"You have truly given this Regent a pleasant surprise!"

Emperor Hongli smiled and sighed, then clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Excellent! The officials of our dynasty are indeed more considerate of the national situation and more loyal!"

Speaking of it.

Hongli then looked at Marseille and asked, "Are there any princes in the capital who trade rice at high prices?"

With rice prices soaring, Hongli couldn't help but pay attention to the princes and nobles in the capital.

Furthermore, since the Qing army entered the pass, due to the malpractices of land enclosure in the early period, most of the fields in the capital are now in the hands of the Eight Banners princes.

Therefore, they had a considerable amount of food.

This is why, in the early years of the Yongzheng Emperor's reign, Prince Cheng (Yinzhi) and Prince Heng (Yinqi) were punished by the emperor for trading rice at high prices.

Hongli now hopes to discover some of their mistakes, and then force these princes to take some grain from them to stabilize grain prices and reduce the voices opposing the conquest.

"How come this servant happened to think the same way as Fourth Master?"

Marseille then replied with a surprised laugh.

then.

He then said, "Your Highness, I have secretly investigated and found that there are no princes or nobles trading rice at high prices."

After answering, Marseille lowered his head even further.

After hearing this, Hongli simply nodded, then looked at Zhang Tingyu and Jiang Tingxi and said indifferently, "It seems we can only rely on Jiangnan."

It is said that ever since Emperor Yongzheng severely punished the princes and nobles for trading rice at high prices, the imperial family and the Eight Banners nobles no longer dared to trade rice at high prices, and instead hoarded large quantities of grain in their estates.

Because Emperor Yongzheng was truly ruthless towards members of the imperial family and princes.

"If the imperial court forbids us from selling grain at high prices, then we won't sell it. We'll only sell it to Han merchants at high prices and let them sell it!"

"Exactly. If we sell at a high price, people will think we're not showing any consideration for the imperial court. But the merchants have to pay high prices because the grain they buy is already expensive. Can they blame us for that?"

"That's right. What does the so-called high rice price have to do with us? It's clearly caused by the war in the Northwest. We'll just enjoy ourselves, listen to operas and songs, play with birds and appraise treasures. Let those in power worry about it."

At that time, some princes and nobles said this in secret.

And indeed, this was the case. Even though the imperial court restricted the profit margins of grain merchants in the capital, they had no choice but to raise grain prices again and again in order to maintain their profits.

Even government-run grain factories had to raise grain prices appropriately.

However, this only made the people in the capital even more anxious, complaining that the war in the Northwest was too costly in terms of money and supplies.

After finishing his military and political affairs at the Grand Council, Hongli, who wanted to see what was going on in the city, discovered that pawnshops and grain shops were doing brisk business on his way home in disguise.

He knew that this was because many people were buying grain with money.

The singing, acting, and cheering coming from inside the high walls made him shake his head.

"I hope Jiangnan can hold on and not be scared into sending grain just because of a red and black book."

The words spoken by a few drunken, spoiled young men as they rode by, swaying their heads, made him sneer.

He guessed that these Manchu princes were also hoping that the gentry of Jiangnan would oppose the imperial court.

Unfortunately, these Manchu princes and nobles were disappointed. After all, their ancestors had long since terrified the gentry of Jiangnan, and now they were hoping that the other side would stand up for them.

"Fourth Master!"

After Hongli returned home, his primary wife, Fucha, quickly handed Yonglian over to the wet nurse and personally came to serve him tea.

At the same time, Fucha's primary wife also mentioned a family matter: "I received a report from my fifth uncle that he has recently fallen ill and is paralyzed."

"Then we should go and take a look."

As he spoke, Hongli ordered his men to prepare a carriage, and then led his primary consort and concubines to the Heng Prince's residence.

Because Hongli was the Prince Regent, the people of the Heng Prince's Mansion opened the middle gate.

After seeing Yunqi, Hongli inquired about Prince Heng's illness.

Yunqi laughed and said, "I'm getting old! I drank too much last night and ended up fainting and looking like this."

"Fifth Uncle, just rest and recuperate. If there is anything your nephew needs, just send someone to tell him."

Hongli said this.

Yunqi said, "I am an idle person and have no need. However, people are struggling to make ends meet right now, and there has been a flood in Jiangnan. The gentry in Jiangnan are probably not having an easy time either. It would be better not to forcibly take their grain."

“My nephew would never take it by force.”

Hongli smiled and glanced at his cousins ​​out of the corner of his eye.

The cousins ​​quickly suppressed their smug expressions.

Hongli didn't say much, and went home after visiting Yunqi.

When Consort Fucha saw that Hongli's complexion had worsened since returning from the Prince Heng's residence, she guessed that the people from the Prince Heng's residence must have also upset him. So she took his hand and smiled at him.

Hongli smiled and said nothing more, only looking at the flow of people outside the carriage, each of them hurrying along, carrying bags of grain.

At this moment, the servant of Zhu Zhilian, the first-class marquis, also hurriedly returned carrying a grain bag.

Zhu Zhilian, who was leaning on his cane and looking out from outside the house, asked, "How much has it gone up again?"

"The price has increased by two points per bushel!"

The servant replied.

Zhu Zhilian breathed a sigh of relief after hearing this.

He is currently recognized by the Qing government as a descendant of the Ming Dynasty imperial family.

After Emperor Yongzheng ascended the throne, in order to further ease internal conflicts, he changed his previous approach of exterminating the Zhu Ming imperial family. Instead, he specially found a member of the Zhu family and certified him as a descendant of the Ming imperial family. In the second year of Yongzheng's reign, the member was granted the title of First-Class Marquis and was responsible for the spring and autumn sacrifices at the Ming emperor's mausoleum.

And this person is Zhu Zhilian.

He was originally a member of the Bordered White Banner, and he passed the imperial examination during the Kangxi era. Before being granted a marquisate, he had already risen to the rank of prefect.

Because the commander of his banner discovered that he was a descendant of the Prince of Dai of the Ming Dynasty, he was granted the hereditary title of First-Class Marquis by Emperor Yongzheng.

Zhu Zhilian was also influenced by this and gradually began to truly consider himself a descendant of the Ming Dynasty imperial family, especially after frequently reading Ming Dynasty history books.

Therefore, after learning that grain prices had soared again, Zhu Zhilian couldn't help but sigh: "This major war is exactly the same as the Chongzhen era. Grain prices are skyrocketing, the people are terrified, and the powerful and wealthy are indifferent. I just wonder if Jiangnan will also be like the Chongzhen era, unable to deliver all the grain tribute."

After returning to his residence, Hongli went to the Grand Council before it got dark.

After arriving at the Grand Council, Hongli asked Marseille, "How much grain is left in the granaries of the capital?"

"It can last until next year, but if we want to stabilize grain prices, it won't last until next year."

Marseille replied.

Hongli nodded after hearing this and said, "Let's use all of it to stabilize grain prices first. We'll talk about next year's issues next year."

"Whoo!"

As soon as he arrived at the Grand Council, Marseille presented a memorial saying, "Liu Tongxun reports that a large number of grain ships from Jiangnan are entering the capital!"

(End of this chapter)