Chapter 620: D-shaped roll brings blessing to the soul, using retreat as advance

Emperor Yonglong felt that the disciples of Qingtan Academy were completely different from the scholars from those academies in Jiangnan. They were not only full of energy, but also more willing to participate in discussing and responding to various matters involved in the current political situation.

 In contrast, scholars from Jiangnan Academy preferred to discuss poems, songs, and classic meanings, or they only advocated talking about moral sentiments, but did not like to discuss substantive matters.

This feeling made Emperor Yonglong particularly profound, and even Emperor Yonglong's requirements for his children became somewhat complicated and subtle.

He hoped that his sons could be proficient in poetry, songs, and classics, so that they could more easily win the appreciation and recognition of scholars. At this point, Emperor Yonglong knew that he had suffered a loss. To this day, scholars in the north and south appreciate it more. Prince Yoshitaka was quite critical of his shortcomings in this area.

However, if you focus solely on poetry, songs, and scriptures, you will inevitably be stretched thin when it comes to actually facing current political affairs.

People's energy and mind are limited, and several of his sons are not geniuses with outstanding literary and military talents. Because of this, Emperor Yonglong's feelings are very complicated, subtle, and entangled.

 The appearance of Feng Ziying was a comfort to Emperor Yonglong.

The other party was deficient in classics and meanings, and his disdain for poetry and songs was too much for his own taste. The government strategy he presented was indeed amazing, so Emperor Yonglong's originally agitated mind gradually settled down.

If the eldest son wants to please his father, let him do it. My own son probably still needs to focus on current affairs. Of course, it would be best if he can take care of both.

"Then I am also looking forward to seeing the performance of the students of Qingtan Academy next spring. Feng Qing, your return this time has given me great comfort. The Treasury of the Ministry of Finance and my inner treasury are both empty. The ones in Western Xinjiang and Liaodong Food and wages are even more urgent. After you return to Yangzhou, you must collect the royalties and the income from the Dongfan Salt Service as soon as possible and transport them back to the capital as soon as possible. There is really no time to delay."

Emperor Yonglong did not beat around the bush and said directly: "Chai Ke, Wang Ziteng and others have been going to the Ministry of Household Affairs and the Cabinet to make noises all day long, and they have also met with me many times. The river watering work is something that cannot be delayed. The three months you mentioned It’s been too long, I hope you can deliver the money to the capital within a month!”

 “One month?!” Feng Ziying was surprised. Time was a bit tight at this time.

 Emperor Yonglong did not explain much, and of course no explanation was needed.

 In the end, Feng Ziying nodded, "I will do my best, and if it is too late, I will find other ways to make up for it."

Emperor Yonglong nodded with satisfaction, "Feng Qing is my blessed general. If it weren't for Feng Qing, I don't know how much more effort I would have to put into it. By the way, the Ministry of Rites has already issued an approval for you to serve as the eldest son. In addition, By pursuing the title of Marquis of Hulun, I have an explanation for Feng Qing's original request. However, Feng Qing has made great achievements during his trip to the south of the Yangtze River. I don't know what to reward you? Forget it, I will give you the capital. I will reward you with a palace in the southern suburbs. That palace has a wide terrain and is close to the water. I have been there before when I was young..."

Seeing Feng Ziying's happy face but hesitant to speak, Emperor Yonglong was also a little surprised. Could it be that this guy was really waiting for him to speak and wanted something?

“Feng Qing, do you have something to tell me?”

Feng Ziying was so blessed that she bowed her head and said, "Your Majesty, I dare not hide anything when you see me. If my eldest uncle can be granted posthumous title and concurrent title, it will enable my eldest uncle to have a long-lasting relationship with each other in the future, and it will allow the Feng family to open up." The branches and leaves are scattered, and my family is filled with gratitude. My father may have warned me in the letter to be loyal and diligent..."

Emperor Yonglong stroked his beard and smiled proudly.

This was also his stroke of genius. Feng Ziying was the only one left in the three houses of the Feng family. I am afraid that the most important thing was the continuation of the Feng family's incense. However, he felt that it was not safe to have only one house. If he was given a posthumous title, he would be allowed to have both family members. However, These are some things that cost nothing, but can win the loyalty of the other party to the greatest extent.

But when this guy suddenly mentioned this matter, why, Emperor Yonglong suddenly noticed something.

“…, if it weren’t for the emperor’s gift, I would not dare to be greedy for heaven,…, my second uncle died of illness and took up the post,…”

 Emperor Yonglong's face slowly darkened.

I can give it, but you can't take it. This is the basic rule of being a minister. Unexpectedly, this guy was so arrogant and unruly. Feng Ziying's impression in his mind suddenly deteriorated.

“I don’t dare to expect anything else. I just hope that when I have more merit in the future, I can just ask the emperor to grant me a false title...”

 Emperor Yonglong was taken aback.

Of course he understood what Feng Ziying meant by the false title, that is, just like the false title of Shenwu General given to him by his father Feng Tang, a general with an unofficial title does not need to be given a land or a village, nor does it belong to a formal title. He is just a general. Virtual seal.

Hmm, it’s somewhat similar to the kind of donation to an official position. It has a good reputation and you can get a few small payments every year. If you can’t find a real job, it’s meaningless.

Just like Jia Lian, Tongzhi, who donated his official position, could also earn thirty-fifty taels a year, but it cost nearly ten thousand taels of silver to buy it back, and it would take hundreds of years to get it back.

Or maybe Feng Tang didn't have the status of Yulin's general, so the Shenwu general was really just a gold foil shell.

Although this kind of false title also requires certain procedures, it is two different concepts from Feng Qin's posthumous title of Hulun Marquis and the granting of land to the village. This is why Feng Tang was so angry when he only got one Shenwu general. , if it were not for the practical comfort of Datong Commander-in-Chief, the Feng family might really become resentful or even turn against the imperial court.

Emperor Yonglong’s expression was uncertain.

He previously thought that this guy was trying his best, but as long as he had a false title, it would be too boring.

Although this false title also requires a reason, such miscellaneous generals will not make much sense if they are not supplemented by actual duties.

With dozens of taels of silver a year, Feng Ziying has a bright future, how can she value this? And he also said that he needs to offset it with credit, which is a loss-making business no matter how you look at it.

“Feng Keng, what do you mean by your request?”

“Reporting to your Majesty, I just hope to find comfort and an explanation for my second uncle, and have no other wishes...”

Emperor Yonglong looked at the calm-faced minister in front of him, and in the end he could only snort and say nothing.

Feng Ziying left the palace with a look of fear on his face, and even the face of the chamberlain who sent him out looked much colder.

Out of the palace gate, Feng Ziying finally breathed a sigh of relief.

 Blessed my soul, I finally found a suitable opportunity to bring it up.

It is certain that Emperor Yonglong was unhappy. No emperor would be asked for rewards by his ministers in this way, and they asked for something by name. This was too presumptuous.

so what? If every time I come out of the east study room, I am chatting happily and Long Yan is happy, I am afraid that more and more people will have restless sleep. Today, many people can breathe a sigh of relief.

Similarly, is it too much to suggest that your second uncle deserves a knighthood, even if he is a general with a false title?

 Is it wrong to want to give Baochai a proper title?

 They are all correct.

Of course, it was impossible for me to say in front of the emperor that I wanted to marry Baochai and therefore wanted to be granted a title. That would really challenge Emperor Yonglong's bottom line. How could granting a title be considered child's play?

But after coming down, I can express my attitude confidently. Well, I can straighten my back. I have done it. As for the final realization, it still takes time and effort.

 Such things cannot be hidden from anyone, even in the palace.

There will always be all kinds of news spreading like wildfire, whether it is changed, original, or over-understood, in short, it is all that Feng Ziying likes to hear, and presumably many people besides Emperor Yonglong also like to hear it.

"Master Feng, you are finally out." Zhou Ru had been impatient for a long time and finally waited for Feng Ziying to leave the palace.

“Let’s go, but I have offended the emperor today, and I would also like to ask the prince to soothe my cheeks for me.” Feng Ziying had a heavy look on her face.

"Huh?!" Zhou Ru almost staggered. Isn't this man a saint? Why did you offend the emperor again?

Seeing Zhou Ru's face full of disbelief, Feng Ziying felt funny in her heart, and even looked a little depressed and guilty, "Let's go, let's go to the prince."

　　******

"What's going on? No one is there again?" Wang Xifeng raised her willow-leaf eyebrows in annoyance, and her eyes were a little more angry, "Is this Brother Keng so popular?"

Zhao'er lowered her eyebrows and smiled: "Second Grandma, I and Long'er have been guarding the door of Feng Mansion since early in the morning, but Uncle Feng left early in the morning, saying he was going to pay homage in the morning. Later, The younger one asked Long'er to guard in front of the Feng Mansion. The younger one went to the palace gate. There were too many people guarding outside. I heard that several old ministers and Uncle Feng entered the palace gate together. At noon, several old ministers and Uncle Feng went to the prime minister's house again. We went to guard there again. The chief minister of Prince Zhongshun's family chased people there, saying that if he wanted to find Uncle Feng, he would wait another day. ,…”

"So you're back?" Wang Xifeng was panicking. Prince Zhongshun is an unreasonable person, and so are the watchdogs below. But if she can't get accurate information from Feng Ziying's mouth about this kind of thing, she will sit down. Restless.

"Young one, I watched Prince Zhongshun's family, Zhou Changshi, take Uncle Feng away in a carriage, and we couldn't talk to him at all." Seeing that Wang Xifeng was becoming more and more impatient, Zhao'er quickly said with a grimace: "I've been keeping watch until now. I didn't go out. I was afraid that the second grandma would be anxious, so I asked Long'er to continue guarding and come back first to report to grandma."

Zhao'er subconsciously glanced at the inner room, but there was no sound in the room.

Wang Xifeng's face flashed with anger, "Why, I can't handle you, a slave?"

Zhao'er was startled and quickly knelt down, "I don't dare, but grandma, the second master kept saying on the way back that Uncle Feng's place is extraordinary now. Don't bother with other things easily. In Yangzhou, even the officials and merchants can’t do anything they want. After returning to Beijing this time, I’m afraid the tide will rise even more..."

 (End of this chapter)