My father is Yongzheng, and I am Qianlong?

Chapter 25 Submit a token of surrender to Hongli!
At Hongli's request, Shuntian Prefecture re-registered the food for famine relief and at the same time distributed the food, which was transported outside the city by soldiers to provide relief.

Under the close watch of Sui Hede and his brothers, the clerks and runners of Shuntian Prefecture could no longer make any false claims when weighing batches of grain.

However, Yu Deli's body began to tremble even more violently.

"Yu Zhizhong, are you cold?"

Hongli asked him coldly.

Yu Deli's teeth chattered as he began to stammer, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty...Your Majesty would like to speak to the Fourth Prince alone."

Hongli sneered in his heart: "Then let's talk in the back room."

So Hongli took Yu Deli to the back room.

Once he reached the back room, Yu Deli took a few deep breaths and knelt down again before Hongli: "Fourth Prince, please have mercy on me. I really didn't mean to deceive you!"

"Whether intentional or not, once the results come out and it's discovered that they don't match the grain allocated by the Ministry of Revenue, you won't be able to escape the crime of deceiving the imperial envoy."

Hongli said.

Yu Deli said, "I know, that's why I ask the Fourth Prince to show mercy!"

"It seems that you are really short of weight?"

Hongli asked.

Yu Deli nodded.

"You are so brave!"

"How dare you deceive and harm this imperial envoy? You are a Jinshi (Jinshi) and are well-versed in laws and regulations. You should know that this is a crime as grave as deceiving the emperor!"

"I can even kill your entire family!"

Hongli pretended to be furious and yelled at Yu Deli.

Yu Deli kowtowed and said, "Your Majesty, I understand. I only ask for your mercy, Fourth Prince. But I have no other choice. The government's deficit and expenses are so huge. If I don't embezzle, I won't be able to maintain its operations!"

"So, you can deceive this imperial envoy?"

Hongli asked.

Yu Deli said, "Of course not! I deserve to die!"

"As long as the Fourth Prince is willing to let me go, I am willing to serve you from now on. I will do whatever you ask me to do."

At this time, Yu Deli said again.

"How can I trust you?"

Hongli asked in a low voice.

Yu Deli also lowered his voice and said, "I am willing to hand over to the Fourth Prince the detailed written orders of money owed to the Shuntian Prefecture Treasury by various royal relatives and officials during my tenure as the Governor of Shuntian Prefecture!"

"As long as I am unfaithful to the Fourth Prince, he can use them to deal with me at any time in the future!"

After hearing this, Hongli immediately became interested.

Because what Yu Deli offered could be said to be the political weapon he was lacking right now!

In the future, whether using this to deal with some powerful bureaucrats or Yu Deli himself, it will indeed be a powerful weapon.

Moreover, Hongli knew that Yongzheng would need this weapon to carry out reforms and make up for the deficits in the future.

of course!

This also made Hongli understand that Yu Deli was willing to betray the entire bureaucratic group and express his intention to surrender to him in order to save his life.

"Then get up first and go get these detailed warrants."

"After this Imperial Envoy has reviewed this, I may consider letting this matter go unsolved and only allowing you to replace the lost famine relief grain."

Hongli softened his tone and had no intention of pursuing Yu Deli relentlessly.

This was his first time on duty, and he needed to let all the bureaucrats know that he was not easy to cheat, and he also needed to let all the bureaucrats know that as long as they were willing to provide a token of their loyalty that was valuable enough, he would show leniency.

In any case, the purpose of cleaning up the bureaucrats is to manipulate them to work for oneself in the future, rather than just cutting off one's own path to obtaining more political resources for momentary pleasure.

Moreover, before reforms are carried out to correct institutional corruption, relentless pursuit may lead to accidental killings.

"I thank Fourth Prince for his great kindness!"

"From now on, I belong to the Fourth Prince. Whatever the Fourth Prince asks me to do, I will do it without hesitation!"

Yu Deli breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly thanked Hongli. Then he went to his inner courtyard and gave the warrant and detailed account book to Hongli.

Hongli flipped through the book a few times, then closed it and took it in his hand. He said to Yu Deli, "I'll give you a day off. Go and replenish the grain. No matter where you make up for the deficit, you can't ask the hungry people to make up for it! Besides, this is my first mission as an imperial envoy, I can't mess it up!"

"Whoo!"

"Wait, who were you before?"

At this time, Hongli called Yu Deli again and asked him about it.

Yu Deli said, "I dare not hide it from Fourth Prince. I was originally a disciple of Ninth Master."

After hearing this, Hongli said nothing and just waved his hand to let him leave.

"Weighing sixty catties of grain!"

"Sixty kilograms of grain!" Next, Hongli returned to the front and listened to the clerks who were weighing and making records, shouting the weight of grain weighed and the weight of grain distributed.

Sui Hede had brought a cup of tea and said to Hongli with a flattering smile, "The tea served at the government office is very bitter. I have the audacity to brew a cup with the official Mansong tea I brought with me. Please help quench your thirst, Fourth Prince!"

Seeing this, Hongli just nodded with a smile: "Good servant!"

It is said that Hongxi had already set up porridge tents, registered the hungry people, and arranged them in designated areas. After the food arrived, he had people cook porridge.

Even though the old crown prince Yinreng had been deposed for many years, Hongxi, as the eldest son of the old crown prince, was still a big shot and had his own followers.

For example, the current Grand Secretary of Wenyuan Pavilion, Wang Fan.

According to the "Records of Qing Dynasty", he was still actively working for the restoration of the crown prince in the 60th year of Emperor Kangxi's reign, which angered Emperor Kangxi and led to his severe reprimand.

Therefore, Hongxi had many followers and retainers working for him, and they could always know whether the grain distributed was the actual amount allocated by the Ministry of Revenue.

Soon, Wang Yiqing, the eldest son of Wang Xian, came to Hongxi and reported to him, "My dear eldest brother, there has been no mistake in the Fourth Prince's grain distribution so far. Everything is in accordance with the accounts."

Hongxi, who was using a snuff bottle, stood up in surprise after hearing this, took off the snuff bottle in his hand, and said with a smile: "It seems that Hongli in Fourth Uncle's house is indeed quite capable!"

"Yes, there are very few honest officials who can stay in Shuntian Prefecture. It is truly amazing that the Fourth Prince can avoid being deceived by them."

Wang Yiqing then echoed.

"In that case, I didn't give him that house and that person in vain. If I can really get the throne in the future, I can really rely on him among the Manchu ministers, and rely on you among the Han ministers."

Hong Xi said this and looked at Wang Yiqing.

Wang Yiqing hurriedly bowed: "I am ashamed!"

"Hey, Youfen, why are you being so modest in front of me? Your Taicang Wang family's loyalty to my Eastern Palace is obvious to me and my father. Honestly, we are the ones who should be ashamed. We have failed the elder's good intentions!"

Hongxi's eyes turned red as he spoke.

Then, Hongxi said, "Well, I'll host dinner at Chaoyang Tower for Hongli, and you can come with me! You two can get to know each other."

Seeing that the time was almost up, Hongli ordered his men to close the granary and wait until after dinner to weigh and distribute the grain. He also asked Sui Hede to arrange for his men in Shuntian Prefecture to take turns guarding the granary with the granary keepers.

Just at this time, Hongxi sent someone to invite him to have dinner at Chaoyang Tower.

He knew that this must be because Hongxi discovered that he had not been successfully deceived by the officials of Shuntian Prefecture, so he was making further attempts to show goodwill.

He also wanted to see Chaoyang Tower, which was rumored to have survived from the Wanli Dynasty to the Kangxi Dynasty, so he did not refuse.

However, before going to dinner, Hongli first returned to his house in Li Ge Lao Hutong, prepared to take a bath and rest, and then go to have dinner.

He had already found out that the original owner of the house given to him by Hongxi was Li Dongyang, the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty.

Li Dongyang was granted the title of Wen Zheng after his death and held a high status in the Ming Dynasty.

So, when Hongli came to this house, he found that it was indeed elegant and exquisite, with small bridges, flowing water, pavilions and terraces.

However, this luxurious residence of a top scholar-official in the Ming Dynasty has now become his villa.

What is even more rare is that the servants assigned to this house are indeed respectful and well-behaved. There is even a beautiful and skinny girl named Xianghong.

"The temples are covered with red fragrance, and the jade hairpin is on the head."

"Your name comes from Wen Tingyun's poem 'Bodhisattva Man: The Water Crystal Curtain and the Poli Pillow'?"

After taking a bath, Hongli chatted with Xianghong who helped him change clothes.

Xianghong smiled slightly and said, "The Fourth Prince is very knowledgeable, and this is indeed where my humble name comes from."

Hongli nodded after hearing this and asked: "How long have you been staying in this house?"

"My Lord, I have been here ever since I was ten years old, in the fifty-fifth year of the Kangxi reign, when my master in Beijing bought me from my mother in Yangzhou and brought me to Beijing."

"The person who bought me said that whoever owned the house would be my master, but I never thought I would meet you now."

Xianghong raised her eyes and glanced at Hongli with her big watery eyes.

Hongli laughed in surprise after hearing this: "So, you are still a virgin?"

"I dare not hide it from my master, yes."

Xianghong pursed her lips and replied.

Hongli smiled slightly. He guessed that Hongxi had too many beautiful maids in his mansion and had no time to come here to take a look. He didn't even look at Xianghong. He didn't know that Xianghong's beauty was indeed top-notch, so he just gave her to him along with the house.

This made Hongli feel like he had found a bargain.

But now he can only feel good psychologically, but cannot experience it yet.

At this moment, Hongli noticed that she looked a little depressed and asked: "Why are you suddenly melancholy?"

"I dare not hide this from you, my master. I am already over fifteen, and I am afraid that when you grow up, you will not like me because of my age."

Xianghong knelt down and told the truth in a soft voice, with even tears in her eyes.

Hongli looked at this alluring and charming girl and regretted not growing up sooner. He could only raise his hand to let her stand up: "It's okay, it's better to be older! I don't like people who are smaller than me!"

Xiang Hong then smiled happily: "With Master's words, this servant feels much more at ease. I will wait for Master to rest for a while!"

"Then hold me and rest!"

(End of this chapter)