Chapter Fifty-One: Raised by the Empress as Her Legitimate Son

"Secret designation of the heir?"

Yinxiang asked, falling into deep contemplation.

Yongzheng stood up and said, "Indeed, the secret designation of the heir!"

"Come, Thirteenth Brother, let us go to your guesthouse!"

"We have not had a proper chat in a long time. Tonight, you and I, brothers, shall sleep head-to-toe on the same mat. Furthermore, in private from now on, you shall still address me as Fourth Brother; do not add the word 'Emperor', it sounds quite awkward!"

With these words, Yongzheng began to walk outside.

Yinxiang followed him, saying, "That would be improper, propriety must still be maintained."

"This is an imperial edict!"

"And it is the utmost rule of propriety!"

Yongzheng replied in an unquestionable tone.

"Then your younger brother obeys the edict!"

Saying this, Yinxiang stepped down the stairs first, his boots crunching on the snow, exhaling a puff of white mist: "Fourth Brother, it is truly cold today!"

"Indeed, and I wonder if Hongli, resting in the palace duty room tonight, will suffer from the cold."

Yongzheng suddenly felt a tinge of regret for having Hongli accompany the Sixteenth and Twenty-first Princes to guard the palace gates. Turning back to look at the Fourth Primary Consort who had seen them off, he instructed:

"Tell the maids in Hongli's courtyard to prepare. Tomorrow at dawn, you shall bring him with you to move into the palace, temporarily residing in the vacant Yongshou Palace. From now on, Hongli shall be raised under your direct care."

The Fourth Primary Consort hurriedly acknowledged the command and said with unconcealed joy, "I thank Your Majesty for your grace!"

At this, Yinxiang could not help but smile. The Fourth Primary Consort was the future Empress, and for her to personally raise Hongli carried political implications whose significance went without saying!

Following this, Yinxiang and Yongzheng truly slept head-to-toe on the same mat.

This was primarily because, among all of Emperor Kangxi's sons, Yongzheng was the one who had embraced Han culture to the highest degree.

Consequently, he was well-acquainted with the custom among Han scholar-officials of sleeping head-to-toe to express deep affection, and was more than willing to emulate it.

Indeed, contrary to certain television dramas, in the actual history of the Qing Dynasty, although the Third Prince, Yinzhi, was often the one tasked with organizing scholars to compile books, Yongzheng actually possessed the highest attainment in Han learning.

As for the Third Prince, Yinzhi, his strongest suit was actually riding and archery.

One must know that the historical Yongzheng was extremely fond of cosplaying in Han clothing, often dressing himself as a Han Chinese within the palace and frequently considering himself a true Chinese emperor.

In his *Record of Awakening to the Great Meaning* (*Dayijue Milu*), he repeatedly emphasized this point.

In this regard, he was different from Kangxi.

After lying down, because he had just become emperor, Yongzheng still lacked any drowsiness despite the lateness of the hour, and instead excitedly envisioned his grand strategies for the future.

"Thirteenth Brother, have you ever heard the saying that the northern barbarians have no destiny to rule for a hundred years?"

Yongzheng suddenly asked Yinxiang at this moment.

Yinxiang widened his eyes and replied, "I have heard it. It originates from Song Lian's *Proclamation to Pacify the Central Plains*. But Fourth Brother, this is merely the view of pedantic scholars; you should not take it too seriously. Did the Northern Wei not hold the mandate for nearly a hundred and fifty years, not to mention its division into the Eastern and Western Wei?"

"You, you are just like them, always underestimating the Han people. You call it a scholar's view, but such views actually possess great depths of insight."

"Take the Northern Wei you mentioned—why were they able to endure for over a century? There is no other reason than their courage to reform institutions!"

"Our Great Qing has been approaching eighty years since entering the Pass. To surpass a century, and even to pursue an even longer dynastic longevity, institutional reform is imperative!"

Yongzheng revealed his true innermost thoughts to Yinxiang.

Upon hearing this, Yinxiang sat up and looked at Yongzheng: "I know that Fourth Brother has always been dissatisfied with the status quo, but I simply do not know how you intend to reform. Do you truly wish to emulate Emperor Xiaowen of Northern Wei? Yet I remember very clearly that because of Emperor Xiaowen's actions, the national strength of the Northern Wei actually deteriorated."

"That is because Emperor Xiaowen reformed in the wrong direction!"

"He transformed the Northern Wei into a court that the Han aristocratic clans wished to see, rather than a court suitable for all of China!"

Yongzheng said with utmost seriousness.

Yinxiang looked at him: "Then what does Fourth Brother mean?"

"If the Great Qing wishes for its dynastic fortune to endure, it can no longer position itself as mere conquerors. Since we are now the masters of China, we must act for the affairs of China! Otherwise, sooner or later, like the Mongol Yuan, we shall be driven back beyond the passes by a popular uprising!"

Yongzheng's expression was somewhat fervent.

Yinxiang shook his head: "This younger brother does not understand."

"It means whatever is beneficial for China's prosperity shall be the direction of our reform; whatever is not should not be done!"

"For instance, Emperor Xiaowen's pedantic, Confucianized reforms stripped the Toba clan of their valor and simplicity by encouraging intermarriage with Han aristocratic clans and transforming their own nobility into aristocratic factions. Naturally, this was detrimental to China's prosperity, and thus should not be done."

"Because China at present does not lack aristocratic families, and certainly does not lack pedantic Confucian scholars."

"Even if the Eight Banners were to be entirely sinicized into scholar-officials, it would merely swell the ranks of the literati, plunging us prematurely into the desperate plight of the late Ming Dynasty."

"Instead, China currently lacks commoners who can directly provide the court with taxes, grain, and able-bodied laborers."

"Just like the late Ming, our Great Qing has not yet reached a century since its founding, and yet the common people directly controlled by the court have already, in massive numbers, attached themselves as tenant serfs to wealthy households."

Yongzheng also sat up, presenting his thoughts to the articulate Yinxiang.

Having been an imperial prince for over forty years, he clearly had long harbored a systematic set of views on governing the state and its people.

Yinxiang had once heard Yongzheng touch upon some of these ideas before, and could not help but caution him: "Fourth Brother, forgive my presumption, but if you emulate Emperor Xiaowen, perhaps people might find it somewhat more acceptable!"

"Allowing the Bannermen to study poetry, prose, and the eight-legged essay, giving up military training and equestrianism, halting external conquests, abandoning useless territories, and lifting bans on commerce—they would be quite pleased with that."

"But if you strengthen the court's power to levy taxes and conscript soldiers, it is tantamount to cutting off their very roots!"

Yongzheng nodded and rubbed his hands together.

Then, he looked at Yinxiang: "I know that even without Imperial Father urging the Manchus to sinicize, most of them have already done so spontaneously, learning the exquisite decadence of the Han scholar-officials to the point of surpassing their teachers."

"If one poses as a conqueror, one can simply indulge in endless pleasure and turn a blind eye to corruption and decay. But I ascended the throne past the age of forty, and mere pleasure holds little meaning for me. Rather than that, I might as well endure hardships so as not to fail Imperial Father's entrustment."

"Only, Thirteenth Brother, I have too few people who can serve as my arms and wings, so I cannot do without the support of you, my 'Desperate Thirteenth Brother'!"

Saying this, Yongzheng smiled at Yinxiang.

Yinxiang lay back down: "Fourth Brother, you need not say such things. Since I, your old Thirteenth, have chosen to stand by you, I will naturally risk my life for you."

"I certainly believe you. No need to say more; even if we cannot sleep, we should close our eyes for a while."

"We still have much to be busy with tomorrow."

"Mm..."

***

The Palace of Heavenly Purity.

The Imperial Guard Duty Room.

All four palace gates had been locked, including the Gate of Heavenly Purity.

At this moment, Hongli, Yinzlu, and Yinzhi were lying on the couches inside the duty room. The only light in the room came from the direction of the imperial coffin, casting window shadows across the walls.

Hongli could not sleep. Indeed, the quieter it was, the more active his thoughts became.

He began to recall what Emperor Kangxi had said to him before passing away, the map Kangxi had shown him, the consultation among Kangxi's sons before the emperor's remains, and the impending Yongzheng reign that was about to unfold.

Lost in these thoughts, Hongli eventually drifted off to sleep.

***

It was not until the sky grew faintly bright that he was awakened by Yinzlu and Yinzhi. Together with them, he witnessed the Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard supervise the key-bearing captain and the guards as they opened the palace gates.

Just as Hongli finished a yawn, he saw that Yongzheng and Yinxiang had already entered the palace, both having changed into mourning garments.

Yongzheng led him toward the imperial coffin, asking him along the way, "Were you cold last night?"

"Thanks to Imperial Father's concern, this son was not cold last night," Hongli replied.

Yongzheng nodded, then went before Kangxi's bier to mourn for a while. Hongli, meanwhile, headed to Yongshou Palace after the Fourth Primary Consort arrived with Niohuru and the others.

It was then that Hongli realized he would henceforth live by the Fourth Primary Consort's side, alongside Niohuru and Haitang.

This meant he was to be raised as a primary-consort-born legitimate son.

Hongli felt no resistance toward this, for he understood clearly that this carried intensely positive symbolic significance for him politically.

He noticed that even his biological mother, Niohuru, was beaming with joy because of this. Especially when she saw the Fourth Primary Consort personally dressing Hongli in mourning clothes, her eyes welled up with tears of emotion.

In this era, for a low-ranking concubine, if her child could win the recognition of the household's primary mistress—and even be treated as her own flesh and blood—it was equivalent to an affirmation of her own value and respect.

Therefore, Niohuru was exceptionally delighted.

Hongli did not know why Yongzheng had suddenly arranged for the Fourth Primary Consort to raise him personally.

What surprised Hongli even more was that the childless Fourth Primary Consort was also extremely willing to cultivate him as a legitimate son, as if both she and Yongzheng regarded him as a great contributor to the Fourth Prince's household!

Consequently, the Fourth Primary Consort personally brought him to pay respects to the Dowager Concubine De.

However, when Hongli accompanied the Fourth Primary Consort to see Dowager Concubine De, he noticed that she did not seem very pleased.

He did not find this strange.

For Dowager Concubine De had always favored the Fourteenth Prince, and had hoped even more that the Fourteenth Prince would ascend the throne as emperor; in her heart, she only ever accepted the Fourteenth Prince as the rightful ruler!

Even after the Fourth Primary Consort and Hongli paid their respects, the Dowager Concubine De asked Hongli with a cold expression: "Hongli, you were also before the imperial couch last night. Did you hear whether the Late Emperor truly intended to pass the throne to your father?"

"Naturally, there are my uncles and the imperial edict as proof," Hongli replied.

Upon hearing this, Dowager Concubine De sighed: "That the Emperor commanded my son to succeed to the great lineage is truly something beyond the bounds of dreams!"

*(Note: These words were historically spoken by Dowager Concubine De after Yongzheng's ascension, not fabricated!)*

As soon as these words left Dowager Concubine De's mouth, both Hongli and the Fourth Primary Consort widened their eyes in shock.

For the Dowager Concubine De, as the emperor's biological mother, to speak thus at such a moment was tantamount to declaring that the reigning emperor possessed no qualification to inherit the great lineage!

In an era governed by filial piety, for a mother not to recognize Yongzheng's legitimacy would undoubtedly unleash massive political repercussions!

If those with ulterior motives learned of this, they might even directly accuse Yongzheng of usurpation!

"The inner court must not interfere in state affairs. I implore my imperial grandmother to retract what she has just said, lest it prove unfavorable to the state!"

With this, Hongli hurriedly stepped forward to remonstrate. He certainly did not want Yongzheng to be disappointed in his failure to uphold the authority of his imperial father.

Moreover, if Yongzheng's legitimacy to the throne were questioned, would not he himself be questioned when he inherited Yongzheng's throne in the future?

To say the least, his interests and Yongzheng's were entirely aligned in this matter.