My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 436 Qianlong, even more ruthless than Yongzheng, can only be grateful!
Yun Tang was truly afraid of the emperor's nephew in front of him.

Therefore, he addressed Hongli as "Master" directly, showing great deference.

You know, he used to be a very proud person.

They didn't even take Emperor Yongzheng seriously.

According to Emperor Yongzheng's own recollections, what he hated most about Yun Tang was that when he was emperor, Yun Tang would sit facing him with his legs spread apart.

This was considered a very disrespectful act in the Qing Dynasty.

Therefore, this also shows that he didn't even take Emperor Yongzheng seriously.

But now, Yun Tang has no choice but to ask Hong Li for help.

Hongli still smiled and said, "Ninth Uncle, I am very happy that you are willing to admit your mistakes, but I do not like it when you refuse to serve the court and go on a visit to foreign lands!"

"You know, the Qing Dynasty doesn't tolerate lazy people! Even members of the imperial family have to do things and be prepared to serve the Emperor."

"It is an honor for you that I thought of giving you a job instead of making you a lazy member of the imperial family. Since you call yourself a servant, you should be happy."

"Besides, this is considered an official business trip, and all expenses will be paid by the imperial court. You don't need to pay out of your own pocket. It's a waste of your Duke of Fuguo's money and grain, so why not?"

Hongli got up, walked to a row of kang beds by the window and sat down, his hands hanging down on his knees, and looked at Yuntang with a smile.

Yun Tang looked helpless.

Although Hongli spoke eloquently, his main expenses were spent on extravagance and showing off. But away from the capital, in a foreign land thousands of miles away, who could he compete with? And how could he flaunt his wealth?

We can neither invite a famous actor nor collect calligraphy and paintings by celebrities.

Besides, he didn't need a group of barbarians to praise him as a man of principle.

But Yun Tang couldn't say anything more now.

After all, Hongli had made up his mind and insisted that he go on a foreign visit.

Yun Tang eventually accepted the decree, but couldn't help looking back as he left the Yuanmingyuan.

"He really is Yongzheng's son!"

Yun Tang couldn't help but sigh at this.

Hongli watched Yuntang's retreating figure and simply smiled faintly.

“Summon Tulichen.”

Hongli decided to have Tulichen accompany Yuntang on his visit to foreign lands. Tulichen, a shrewd and loyal man, would monitor the affairs of the Ninth Prince during the visit and continue to use his expertise in drawing maps to create more accurate depictions of the foreign lands.

After Tulichen was implicated in the Yanxin case and punished during the Yongzheng reign, he was only reinstated as a vice minister after Hongli ascended the throne.

Therefore, this was an opportunity for Tulichen to regain Hongli's favor.

The news that the Ninth Prince was to represent the Qing Dynasty on a visit to foreign lands quickly became known to both the court and the public.

The governor of Henan, Chang An, soon learned of this matter and was somewhat shocked and disappointed.

"We have no hope at all. After all, our master has even dealt with the Ninth Imperial Uncle."

Chang An sighed about this in front of Jin Guotai and Fang Zhaolun.

Jin Guotai said with a worried look, "We were arrested because we failed to report to the Ministry of Revenue in time that the project funds allocated were insufficient and because we acted on our own and harmed the people. We are only making amends for our crimes now, but making amends for our crimes does not mean that we will be fine after the confiscation. We do not know how the master will deal with us in the end."

"That's right."

"I have no hope of advancing in my career; I just want to stay alive."

Fang Zhaolun sighed at this.

Chang An sighed deeply: "What's the use of keeping my life? My family property has been confiscated! Turning being an official into a losing proposition is something that has never happened before in history."

"Exactly, why are the Ministry of Revenue's losses only being attributed to us?"

"Is his Ministry of Revenue really clean?"

"Why is our master only targeting us Henan officials?"

Jin Guotai, feeling aggrieved, questioned Chang An and Fang Zhaolun at the same time.

Fang Zhaolun smiled bitterly and said, "Because His Majesty still needs to use E Zhongtang's people. Moreover, the Ministry of Revenue is too complicated. It's easy to punish us with a reasonable and evidence-based approach, but the Ministry of Revenue can't do anything about it. After all, the Ministry of Revenue official in charge of transporting the grain can no longer speak up, and the extent of the losses is impossible to verify."

Chang An nodded: "The master is punishing us because we covered up for the Ministry of Revenue and the Minister E Zhongtang above it."

"If we had known that earlier, we shouldn't have covered it up."

Jin Guotai said with deep regret. Fang Zhaolun smiled bitterly again: "No one expected that our master would confiscate our property because of this!"

Chang An stood up at this moment: "Let's not talk about these things anymore. Whether we are killed or tortured, we can only leave it to fate. If we do not report the truth, and if we make things difficult for Prince Xun, then Minister E will report the truth to the master to prove his loyalty."

"Without a doubt!"

"Xu Shilin has already had his head chopped off, and we will be punished as well."

Fang Zhaolun echoed, looking extremely dejected.

Ortai did indeed submit a memorial to Hongli reporting that Xu Shilin had been beheaded by imperial decree for obstructing Yunti, and that the governor of Henan, Chang An, and the heads of the two departments had suggested to him that Yunti be transferred.

Emperor Hongli responded directly to the memorial, saying that Xu Shilin deserved to die. The governor of Henan, Chang An, and the heads of the two departments, along with other Henan officials, submitted a memorial without reporting the facts and then slandered members of the imperial family. They were disloyal, short-sighted, and unfit to be high-ranking officials. However, considering that Xu Shilin was a minister trained by the retired emperor and had been interceded for by Prince Xun, and had shown meritorious service to atone for his crimes, he was given a chance and appointed as a probationary official to assist the governor of Henan in handling affairs. The probationary official sent to Henan would be appointed as the current official.

In other words, the current incumbent becomes a candidate, and the candidate becomes the current incumbent.

The former officials, who are already familiar with local government affairs in Henan, should continue to assist the current officials and, at the same time, use their familiarity with Henan to supervise the current officials, thus making the most of their remaining influence.

The conversion of the probationary officials brought by Ortai into incumbent officials was to give these probationary officials a chance to prove themselves.

That's right!

Following Hongli's instructions, Ortai also brought a group of candidates for governor and viceroy and other officials with him when he went to Henan.

"They didn't kill us, but we still have to keep working and do the work for the current officials."

Upon receiving the imperial edict, Chang An closed his eyes and said with a bitter smile.

Jin Guotai's expression darkened: "So, in other words, I'm now a candidate for provincial governor?"

"Same."

"This is truly an act of boundless imperial grace!"

After answering Jin Guotai's question, Fang Zhaolun sighed and then said, "But what if the current official also violates the imperial laws and regulations?"

When Fang Zhaolun asked this question, both of them looked at him.

"I mean, if the current officials also violate the imperial laws, would His Majesty, in order not to delay the project, directly promote us from candidates to current officials as well?"

Fang Zhaolun asked.

Chang An and Jin Guotai both turned to look at Fang Zhaolun, their previously dull eyes lighting up.

"The Emperor's grace is boundless!"

Then, the three of them knelt down together and bowed to the north.

……

"The Emperor's grace is boundless."

“Shi Lin, although you have committed a serious crime of deceiving the emperor, you are still a member of the Jue Luo clan. Therefore, the master thinks that you should be given some dignity and will grant you a white silk ribbon. You can commit suicide out of remorse.”

Zongren Mansion.

Yunlu arrived at the place where Shi Lin was imprisoned and conveyed to Shi Lin the final decision made by Hongli regarding his fate.

Because the Imperial Clan Court and the Ministry of Justice had already given their final verdict on Shi Lin's crimes, recommending immediate execution.

Emperor Qianlong, however, showed him special favor and bestowed upon him a white silk ribbon.

Shi Lin looked up and tears streamed down his face. He sighed softly, "How can he be even more ruthless than the Emperor Emeritus? The Emperor Emeritus would never have so blatantly issued an edict to bestow white silk upon members of the imperial clan."

However, that's exactly what Hongli wanted to do. He would protect the imperial clan members who deserved protection, but he would be even more direct than Yongzheng in executing those who deserved to die, instead of just killing them secretly and making people wonder if they were being executed quietly by the emperor.

Shi Lin eventually hanged himself because of this.

With this, the case of forced donations in Shanxi can be considered to have come to a complete end.

After learning of this, Liu Tongxun, the governor of Shanxi, informed the officials of Shanxi about Shi Lin's forced suicide, and said while turning the new walnut in his hand, "I hope everyone will take this as a warning."

Almost all the officials in Shanxi had been replaced, so naturally they felt no sympathy for Shi Lin, but rather a great deal of fear, secretly marveling at how ruthless the emperor was towards the Jurchen clan who had deceived him.

After Liu Tongxun finished speaking, Zhao Hui nodded first.

Because Emperor Hongli had instructed him to maintain a good relationship with Governor Liu Tongxun.

So, after nodding, Zhao Hui looked at Liu Tongxun and noticed the walnuts Liu Tongxun was playing with in his hand, and squinted her eyes.

(End of this chapter)