After staying at Lao Tong's house for three days, Empress Tong and Xiuyun said goodbye in tears.
After this farewell, Xiuyun and Li Si'er have a chance to meet again. However, Yuzhu's sons may never see each other again.
After seeing off Empress Tong, Yuzhu returned to Changchun Garden to work as an errand.
On this day, after the old emperor had finished his breakfast, he went to find Yuzhu.
When Yuzhu entered the door, he was surprised to find that all the cabinet bachelors were there.
Today, there are five cabinet bachelors in total, namely: Song Zhu and Xiao Yongzao, the bachelors of Wenhua Palace, Ma Qi and Wang Xuling, the bachelors of Wuying Palace, and Wang Guan, the bachelor of Wenyuan Pavilion.
These five Lao Zhongtang, together with Yuzhu, the head of the Internal Affairs Bureau, formed the most luxurious decision-making team in the entire Qing Dynasty.
Not to mention others, Wang Xuling, who was already very old, actually sat next to the old emperor, which was indeed beyond Yuzhu's expectation.
In the old emperor's later years, the most trusted Han official must be Zhang Tingyu.
However, the Han official whom the old emperor respected most was definitely Wang Xuling.
Interestingly, Wang Xuling, who was awarded the Jinshi title in the fifteenth year of Kangxi's reign, was named thirty years earlier than Yuzhu.
After Yuzhu made a big salute, he stood behind the old teachers very wisely.
There is no way, Song Zhu, the youngest in the old hall, is also 10 years old.
As for Yuzhu, he was only thirty-one years old, so young that it made people feel frightened and frightened.
As long as Yuzhu stands here, even if he doesn't say a word, it is invisibly setting off an iron fact: Lao Zhongtang is not far away from the day when he will be buried.
The four elders in the middle hall were all given seats. Song Zhu and Yuzhu suffered a great loss due to their age and could only stand obediently.
Yuzhu was in his prime, his body was extremely strong, and he was not afraid of standing for any length of time.
However, Song Zhu, who is already over 60 years old, is having some difficulty.
After everyone arrived, the old emperor, who was sitting cross-legged, asked indifferently: "How are the preparations for the ceremony of the fourteenth's return to the capital?"
The return of the fourteenth son to Beijing to resume his duties was definitely the top priority before Kangxi's death.
Objectively speaking, the return of the Fourteenth Prince directly decided the big question of who should be the crown prince.
Hong Xi, Lao Si and Lao Fourteen, among these three people, who did the old emperor choose? It’s time to reveal his trump card!
Because the old emperor attached great importance to it, the person who presided over the ceremony of the fourteenth son's return to the capital was none other than Song Zhu, the chief Manchu scholar.
Song Zhu immediately bowed and reported the entire preparation process in detail.
The old emperor had been listening silently and did not express his position.
However, Yuzhu was keenly aware that the old emperor was not satisfied with Song Zhu's regular arrangements.
No matter how powerful Song Zhu is, he is still a human minister. How dare he go beyond the strict etiquette?
However, the beads in the old emperor's hand were spinning faster and faster, which indirectly showed that he was not in a good mood.
Everyone present was a highly virtuous old man, and it was not Yuzhu's turn to be talkative at all.
Yuzhu knew it very well. The old emperor knew that he and Old Fourteen were not getting along, but he also found him.
This shows that the old emperor may have determined that the fourteenth son is the crown prince.
It is said that the Sacred Heart is unpredictable. However, Yuzhu has been trying to figure out Kang Mazi's thoughts for a long time, and over time, he has already gained unique insights.
As expected, after Songzhu's report was completed, the old emperor named Yuzhu.
"Yuzhu, you are the youngest here, and your legs and feet are very nimble. Please help Song Zhu on errands." The old emperor gave the order without any intention of discussing it with Yuzhu.
"Hey." Yuzhu agreed very obediently.
These days, the methods used by important ministers to deal with the old emperor are varied and each has its own unique tactics.
However, everything remains true to its origins, and when it comes to impossible tasks, it boils down to twelve words: deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth from the inferiors, obeying the rule of law and disobeying the truth, delaying and waiting for change.
There are policies from above and countermeasures from below, which is an inevitable choice in an imperial society!
No matter how the errand was done in the end, Yuzhu's attitude in accepting the order was extremely upright and impeccable.
Yuzhu didn't bother to care about what Song Zhu was thinking.
However, the old emperor was obviously getting older and his memory was not as good as before.
The highest-ranking ministers of the empire were all present, but the old emperor began to talk about ancient times.
"Back then, when I captured Obei, I was really in suspense..."
"Zhu Chenggong is a short-sighted man after all. He deployed troops at the gates of Jinling City for several months, but he forgot to cut off the water transportation to the south of the Yangtze River..."
"Suo'etu is the number one sinner of our Qing Dynasty..."
The old emperor thought of that and said that, completely forgetting that what was being held was an imperial decision-making meeting.
"Oh, have you all had breakfast?" the old emperor asked everyone abruptly.
At this time, the eldest Wang Xuling struggled several times and tried to stand up, but could not. He had no choice but to hand over his hands and said: "Back to the emperor, I am worried that I will lose my temper, so I dare not take liquid food."
This answer seems to be wrong.
In fact, Wang Xuling was telling the old emperor in disguise that he was not hungry, but was thirsty.
If it were in the past, the shrewd old emperor would definitely have heard the connotation.
However, the old emperor was getting older and his hearing had seriously declined. He actually asked everyone: "Where did I stop talking?"
Yuzhu didn't pay much attention at first. After all, he was among a group of old guys. He easily interrupted, which was inconsistent with etiquette.
However, Yuzhu suddenly realized that everyone was looking at him.
Kang Mazi forgot his words, you look at me, what does this mean?
Oh, you are the smart ones, don’t you know how to pretend to be stupid?
Yuzhu deliberately lowered his head and simply didn't look at anyone, letting the room become cold.
However, things are unpredictable, and the old emperor named Yuzhu again.
"Yuzhu, what did I say?" The old emperor turned and stared at Yuzhu.
At this moment, Yuzhu completely understood why everyone was targeting him.
"Hui Khan Ama, Suo'etu is actually the number one sinner of our Qing Dynasty." Yuzhu knew very well that the old emperor hated Suo'etu.
According to Kang Mazi's understanding, if Suo'etu hadn't deliberately soured their father-son relationship, why would he have deposed the prince twice?
After the prince was completely deposed, the identity of the good saint Sun Hongxi became extremely embarrassing.
If he bypassed many sons and directly established Hongxi as the emperor's grandson, the stain on his origin would definitely be magnified infinitely.
There is no precedent in ancient times for deposing a father and establishing a son!
After Yuzhu's timely reminder, the old emperor continued to curse Suo'etu.
After more than half an hour, the old emperor forgot his words again.
The old men in the room all looked at Yuzhu together again.
Yuzhu still lowered his head and made up his mind that as long as the old emperor didn't ask him directly, he would keep pretending.
This person's memory has become worse as he gets older, which is actually an objective fact.
However, the old emperor's memory is poor. Anyone who dares to clarify the matter will be punished.
The king and his ministers are like father and son, which is the moral cornerstone of imperial society.
Even if the king and father say something wrong, his ministers must treat him docilely and never directly accuse him of his fault.
Kang Mazi forgot his words one after another, and Yuzhu kept adding reminders.
Once the news gets out, hehe, it will definitely become like this: The superior is deceived by the pillars.
Damn it, you are playing with the old emperor in the palm of your hand and you still need your head.
(s: I didn’t get back until early in the morning, even later, sorry.)