Chapter 60: Yongzheng Ascends the Throne and Determines the Empress Dowager

Hongli smiled slightly at this. Far from feeling any contempt toward Hongzhuo, he actually felt a considerable sense of appreciation.

After finishing his archery and horsemanship lessons, Hongli had to return to the Maoqin Palace to wait for Yixiang to tutor him.

Although Yixiang had been kept in relative obscurity by the Kangxi Emperor following the downfall of the Crown Prince, in his early years, Yixiang had enjoyed deep favor from Kangxi.

No matter where Kangxi traveled, he always took Yixiang with him. This was because Yixiang was versed in both literature and martial arts, a true all-rounder, and he had also won the deep trust of the deposed Crown Prince Yreng.

However, ever since the second deposition of the Crown Prince, Yixiang had suffered from rheumatism in his knees, leaving his physical condition far below what it used to be. Consequently, he could no longer gallop across the fields on horseback.

Therefore, he could now only assist the Yongzheng Emperor in managing state affairs and, incidentally, educate the young princes of the imperial clan.

The reason Yixiang was considered an all-rounder was not only his proficiency in the Manchu and Mongolian languages, but also his considerable mastery of foreign languages such as English and Latin, as well as his deep expertise in Western learning.

Historically, after the Ninth Prince, Yitang, was dealt with, it was Yixiang who took charge of foreign affairs.

Because of this, Yongzheng had assigned Yixiang to teach Hongli military strategy and the Manchu and Mongolian languages, while also instructing him in Western learning and other subjects.

When Hongli arrived at the Maoqin Palace, Yixiang was already standing under the eaves outside, gazing at the Milky Way in the night sky.

"You're here!"

Yixiang smiled the moment he saw Hongli.

Hongli hurriedly bowed and said, "I didn't expect the Thirteenth Uncle to have arrived already. Your nephew is late, please forgive my discourtesy!"

"I simply didn't feel like going back first and arrived early. Between the two of us uncle and nephew, there's no need for such empty formalities."

"Let's go inside. Speaking of Manchu, Mongolian, Western learning, and mathematics, your Ninth Uncle is even more formidable. He's even planning to invent his own script."

After entering the Maoqin Palace, Yixiang did not sit down immediately, but instead began chatting idly with Hongli.

Hongli was well aware that the Ninth Prince, Yitang, was not only adept at commerce but also possessed profound scholarship, particularly showing a remarkable talent for linguistics.

However, likely due to Yongzheng's lingering distrust of the Ninth Prince, Yongzheng had no intention of letting him serve as Hongli's tutor.

"As for the personal bodyguard and instructor I promised you, I am still in the process of selecting one. Once I find the right person, I will ask your Fourth Father for his approval so he can accompany you in practicing archery and horsemanship."

Then, shifting to other matters, Yixiang began teaching Hongli the appropriate forms of official document writing in Manchu and Mongolian, as well as military strategy, tailored to Hongli's existing foundation in those languages.

After Hongli finished his lessons on Manchu, Mongolian, and military strategy, Yixiang glanced at the Western clock in the Maoqin Palace and said:

"There is still some time before the palace gates close. How about the Thirteenth Uncle teaches you some Western language next?"

Hongli nodded and asked, "I wonder which branch of Western learning the Thirteenth Uncle intends to teach your nephew?"

"English!"

"If you learn it well, you can make money from those who come here to our Great Qing to spread their religion! In recent years, your Thirteenth Uncle and your Ninth Uncle have both bought shares in a foreign trading company called the South Sea, and we've already made quite a bit of profit," Yixiang said.

South Sea?

Hongli could not help but gape in astonishment.

He had never imagined that imperial princes of the Great Qing like Yixiang and the Ninth Prince were already purchasing shares in British companies through missionaries.

However, as he was not very familiar with modern foreign economic history, he was unclear about the origins of the British South Sea Company.

Even so, he knew that many large companies in the Western world had long histories, and quite a few had already emerged during this period.

With this in mind, Hongli said to the Thirteenth Uncle, "In that case, this Western learning must be studied!"

"It certainly must!"

As he spoke, Yixiang wrote down the English alphabet on a piece of paper and handed it to Hongli. "I will teach you the Western letters first."

Following along, Hongli began to recite after Yixiang.

After reciting a few times under Yixiang's guidance, Hongli began to read them aloud on his own. Yixiang looked at him in utter astonishment and exclaimed, "Well, well, Hongli! Your Thirteenth Uncle didn't expect you to be a genius at this—you managed to get it right on the very first try!"

Hongli smiled faintly.

Naturally, he would not reveal that he already had a foundation in English.

For the most part, Hongli's life continued to revolve around his studies, without any involvement in national decision-making.

Affairs of the imperial court seemed to have nothing to do with him.

Like other young princes of the imperial clan, he merely participated to a small extent in the enthronement ceremony held a few days later, where he learned that the new reign title would be Yongzheng.

By the fifth day of the twelfth month, he also learned from the *Court Gazette* that Yongzheng had elevated Lady Defei to Empress Dowager, bestowing upon her the grand title of Empress Dowager Renshou, and had requested her to move into the Ning Shou Palace, intending to honor her with the utmost reverence of the realm.

"The Fourteenth Prince is coming back; I had better not move palaces after all."

However, on the very evening that Yongzheng bestowed the grand title upon Lady Defei, she expressed her reluctance to move during a visit by Hongli and the Fourth Imperial Princess-Consort to pay their respects.

Upon hearing this, the Fourth Princess-Consort looked equally astonished. "Mother, what does this have to do with the Fourteenth Uncle's return? As the esteemed Empress Dowager, you naturally ought to move into the Ning Shou Palace, where the Empress Dowager resided during the reign of the late Emperor. How could you live in the quarters designated for ordinary imperial consorts? It is entirely contrary to ritual propriety!"

"What is contrary about it? Either way, it's just a place to sleep!"

"The late Emperor did not pass the throne to the Fourteenth Prince, and the Third, Eighth, and Ninth Princes, who were close to him, have all accepted the reality. If I, his mother, were to move palaces without a second thought and comfortably assume the role of Empress Dowager, could he bear it in his heart?"

Lady Defei, now Empress Dowager Renshou, gazed at the Fourth Princess-Consort with a worried expression.

The Fourth Princess-Consort managed an awkward smile.

For a moment, her mind went completely blank.

She simply had not anticipated that Lady Defei would make such an unexpected decision.

She had never imagined that such a thing could happen.

Empress Dowager Renshou continued, "I have already sent someone to inform the Emperor about this, and I am now waiting for him to come this evening to discuss it with me."

Hearing this, the Fourth Princess-Consort felt even more flustered.

Hongli, however, had long since prepared himself mentally.

Therefore, Hongli spoke up first: "Empress Dowager, you must not think this way. How could the Fourteenth Uncle possibly feel unhappy because you moved palaces? On the contrary, he would grieve in his heart precisely because you refused to move!"

Empress Dowager Renshou looked at Hongli in incomprehension. "Nonsense! How could he possibly grieve?"

"Because by doing so, you are cutting off his path to being enfeoffed as a Prince of the First Rank with an iron-clad hereditary title!"

Hongli knew that he could not change the Empress Dowager's partiality toward her younger son.

He could only exploit her psychological attachment to her younger son, painting a grand vision for her to make her genuinely consider the future of her youngest son, rather than just obsessing over his immediate feelings.

"You cannot simply focus on whether the Fourteenth Uncle is happy right now, or whether he can accept your move at present, and ignore the future glory of a Prince of the First Rank with an iron-clad title that he and his descendants could attain."

"Even if the Fourteenth Uncle does not understand your actions now, he will understand them in the future. His Imperial Father and your grandson will make sure he understands."

"Just think: if you refuse to move, the Fourteenth Uncle may know right now that you are doing it for him, but when he realizes in the future that it was your refusal which cost him the title of an iron-clad prince, won't he and his descendants resent you forever?"

With every word, Hongli was painting a bright future for Empress Dowager Renshou, implying that only if she agreed to move palaces could the Yongzheng Emperor be in the right frame of mind to confer upon the Fourteenth Prince the rank of a Prince of the First Rank with an iron-clad hereditary title.

Of course, painting such a picture was just a rhetorical device—it did not mean it would actually be fulfilled.

After all, even he could not guarantee whether Yongzheng would be in a good enough mood to grant the Fourteenth Prince an iron-clad title simply because the Empress Dowager agreed to move.

Empress Dowager Renshou herself was uncertain, so she asked Hongli, "If I move palaces, will the Fourteenth Uncle truly receive such extraordinary favor?"

"Your grandson does not know if moving palaces will guarantee it, but your grandson does know that if you refuse to move, and it incites the Fourteenth Uncle to cause a massive uproar upon his return, then such extraordinary favor will definitely be out of the question."

"Because even if His Imperial Father were willing to grant the Fourteenth Prince an iron-clad title, the people of the realm would never accept an impetuous younger brother of the Emperor becoming a hereditary prince of the highest rank!"

"Right now, the most crucial thing is your own conduct!"

"Your conduct will determine the stance of His Imperial Father, all the uncles, and even the younger generation on this matter."

Having understood the meaning behind Hongli's words, and realizing that her non-cooperation would displease Yongzheng—and likely also displease Hongli, the likely future sovereign of the next generation—Empress Dowager Renshou sighed deeply. "Very well."

"His Imperial Majesty has arrived!"

At that moment, the voice of an attendant rang out from outside.

Before long, the Yongzheng Emperor strode into the apartments of Empress Dowager Renshou, wearing a deeply displeased expression.

Hongli, the Fourth Princess-Consort, and the others all dropped to their knees.

Hongli heard Yongzheng say to Empress Dowager Renshou the moment he stepped inside: "Mother, by refusing to move palaces, are you not intentionally making the entire world mock your son?"

"I have changed my mind. I will move tomorrow."