My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 411 Emperor Qianlong loved to make empty promises, and used killing to stop killing!

"We can't let Zhu Quan die for no reason!"

Jiuzhou Qingyan Hall.

Hongli stood under the vermilion eaves, his hands behind his back, and gave this order in a deep voice to Laibao, who had been summoned for an audience.

"Whoo!"

In Hongli's view, if the fire at Chenghuai Garden, where Zhang Tingyu lived, was a conspiracy, then the only person who could have set fire to the guarded Chenghuai Garden was someone inside the garden.

Aside from Zhang Tingyu's family, his advisors and retainers were also present.

Wealthy families would keep advisors and retainers, firstly for handling paperwork, and secondly for contacting other officials and scholars on behalf of their masters.

Because if a Grand Councilor like Zhang Tingyu directly communicated with other bureaucrats and scholars, it would be misunderstood as a sign of forming a faction.

Therefore, powerful figures like Zhang Tingyu could not do without advisors and retainers.

If the fire at Chenghuai Garden was arson, Hongli could guess that the person behind it was not Ortai, but someone targeting the public collection of fire tax.

Because Ortai couldn't possibly be unaware that his true intention as emperor was not to let either of them lose.

Zhu Quan became uneasy after learning that Zhang Tingyu's house had caught fire.

He knew that although there was no direct evidence that the fire was caused by human intervention.

Moreover, fires are a common occurrence in this era.

Especially in the vast capital city, sporadic fires occurred every day.

Sometimes, this even happens in the royal palace.

Otherwise, there wouldn't be night watchmen shouting "Beware of fire!" every night.

But if it was done by someone, it could only be the work of someone who wanted Zhang Tingyu to take the lead in abolishing the system of returning the fire tax to the public treasury!
He could also roughly guess that the fire in the main courtyard of Chenghuai Garden was likely a warning to Zhang Tingyu from the forces behind the opposition to the return of fire tax to the public.

In addition, the emperor and Zhang Tingyu would certainly think the same way.

As a retainer who acted as a medium for these people to contact Zhang Tingyu, he became an important window for the emperor and Zhang Tingyu to investigate and find out who was opposing the reform of the fire tax collection system.

If the emperor refuses to compromise, he would rather Zhang Tingyu be killed by the forces behind the opposition to the reform of the fire tax system than abolish the reform of the fire tax system and find out who is behind it.

The emperor would definitely question him.

However, those who opposed the return of the fire tax to the public treasury would have guessed this and would no longer keep him.

Therefore, Zhu Quan suddenly felt that there were people all around him who wanted to kill him to silence him.

"what!"

Just then, screams came from outside.

Zhu Quan turned pale with fright, and then he saw one of his servants shot dead by a burly man riding on the roof beam. The burly man was talking to the people outside in Manchu, which Zhu Quan could not understand.

His servant had an arrow in his chest and was still holding a knife.

This made Zhu Quan immediately understand, and she gritted her teeth in anger, saying, "Why are you in such a hurry! Do you think I'm so worth sacrificing?!"

……

……

"If it was indeed arson, then it means that the scholars in the south that Zhang Tingyu mentioned are really anxious, eager for me to abolish the fire tax and return it to the public treasury!"

After Lai Bao left, Hongli also began to mutter to himself.

Then, he walked out of the Jiuzhou Qingyan Hall and climbed the artificial hill outside the hall.

It was getting dark.

The Yuanmingyuan was shrouded in darkness, and it was impossible to see what was happening outside.

However, not long after Hongli stood on the artificial hill, Chen Fu came to report: "Your Majesty, E Zhongtang has sent a notice requesting an audience."

"Summon me, I will go to Rugu Hanjinxuan to see him."

Without hesitation, Hongli spoke and then descended the artificial hill.

When Hongli met Ortai at Ruguhan Jinxuan, Ortai had already regained his composure and, after greeting Hongli, said:

"I just heard that there was a fire at Chenghuai Garden, so I immediately went to inquire about it. Fortunately, Zhang Zhongtang is unharmed. I have come to report this to Your Majesty and ask that Your Majesty not be troubled."

"I am very pleased that you are so concerned about Hengchen and have come to inform me of it immediately."

Hongli replied with a smile.

However, Hongli deliberately asked Ortai, "Yi'an, tell me, was this fire caused by you? If it was, as long as you admit it, I will not punish you!"

Ortai's thick eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he immediately prostrated himself and kowtowed: "Your Majesty is wise! This servant has no such intention. The rumors circulating outside that this servant is at odds with Minister Zhang are nothing but slanderous rumors spread by petty people!"

"Of course, I will not hide it from you, my master. I do not admire Zhang Zhongtang. I find him cowardly and cunning, and he is not willing to take responsibility. But I must admit that he is indeed quick-witted and meticulous. He can write down anything you ask of him as soon as he picks up his pen. He is also quite wise in how to run the central government affairs in a thorough manner."

"During the reign of the Retired Emperor, while handling military affairs in the Northwest, he also dealt with Miao affairs, and was able to ensure that there were no leaks or oversights in military secrets. This was largely due to the system of imperial secrets he created!" "Moreover, now that Your Majesty has just ascended the throne, there are few Han officials in the Grand Council who are both meticulous and experienced. Therefore, this servant would never do such a disloyal, immoral, or unwise thing!"

After Ortai finished speaking, Hongli simply said, "Get up."

"Thank you, Master!"

Ortai then got up.

Hongli continued, "I never suspected it was you. I'm only asking you this now to see how upright you are."

"You have not disappointed me."

“But if you do this, you will disappoint those who depend on you. You may also encounter the same thing that Zhang Tingyu went through.”

"Therefore, I urge you to be extremely careful."

Hongli nodded and spoke frankly to Ortai.

Upon hearing this, Ortai couldn't help but show a look of emotion.

He had to admit that his master was indeed wise and trusted him.

For a subject, the greatest fear is that the emperor will doubt him and not believe in his loyalty.

Hongli then got up and walked over to personally help Ortai up: "The Emperor Emeritus once said that you, Ortai, are also a minister who are entitled to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

Ortai was stunned upon hearing this.

Then, Ortai murmured something and prostrated himself on the ground again: "This servant is ashamed!"

Hongli had no choice but to help him up again.

Seeing Ortai's state, Hongli couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "This pie-in-the-sky promise really works."

No wonder Emperor Qianlong made similar promises to Ortai and Zhang Tingyu at the beginning of his reign.

"My lord, Zhang Zhongtang has presented his nameplate requesting an audience."

At this moment, Chen Fu came again to report that Zhang Tingyu was requesting an audience.

Emperor Hongli then summoned Zhang Tingyu again. At the same time, he did not let Ortai leave and said to him, "It's perfect, you two can talk with me about the fire at Chenghuai Garden."

"Whoo!"

Before long, Zhang Tingyu arrived at Hongli's place, but he was not surprised to see Ortai there as well.

However, he did not show any sign of friendliness towards Ortaido.

Of course, Ortai also doesn't have that.

The two were tacitly in a state of neither complete hostility nor excessive intimacy.

Because if they were overly friendly, the emperor would become uneasy.

After Zhang Tingyu greeted him, Hongli asked him, "Yi'an said that Chenghuai Garden caught fire. Is that true?"

Zhang Tingyu bowed and said, “I dare not hide it from Your Majesty. It was the main courtyard of the garden that caught fire. I am guilty for failing to protect the bestowed garden!”

"If someone did it intentionally, then you are not guilty."

At this moment, Hongli said something.

Zhang Tingyu did not mince words and stated frankly: "If someone did this intentionally, it can only be because of the recent fire tax! The gentry and common people still hope to abolish the fire tax and return it to the public treasury."

"But I have said it is impossible to abolish the fire tax and return it to the public treasury!"

"I will say it again: I may grant benefits to the gentry and common people, but I will never relinquish power to them."

Hongli said in a deep voice.

Zhang Tingyu's face remained as still as a deep well, and he solemnly replied:

"Your Majesty understands! I only dare to ask that Your Majesty consider this as not being man-made, and preserve the civilized spirit of the world, and not to take it to heart. In any case, they are only targeting me."

Hongli understood Zhang Tingyu's meaning: in the Qing Dynasty, no one dared to directly attack the emperor, so the emperor didn't need to be overly nervous.

"master!"

"This servant cannot agree with what Minister Zhang has said!"

“Zhang Zhongtang is a veteran of three reigns. If we really want to take his life, it will be a disgrace to the court.”

"Moreover, regardless of whether this was intentional or not, it should be treated as intentional, and this should be used to give a severe deterrent! For no other reason than that local gentry and commoners daring to interfere in government affairs is already a major taboo!"

"Zhang Zhongtang is considering the bigger picture and doesn't want to break ties with them, so let this servant handle it!"

"This servant may not have any other skills, but I do have the ability to follow the old ways of our ancestors and stop killing with killing!"

(End of this chapter)