Changsheng: Peak at the Beginning

Chapter 1260 Zhen Huan Enlarged to 183

Qianlong himself did not expect that the seemingly irreconcilable conflict between him and Zhang Tingyu would actually bring an opportunity for reconciliation because of Jiang Xinxin's lychees.

Qianlong was startled by Zhang Tingyu's sudden good attitude. After the lunch break, he couldn't help but go to Jiang Xinxin for advice: "Empress Dowager, what do you think is wrong with Zhang Tingyu? It can't be that he was bribed by me just because of a few lychees."

Jiang Xinxin rolled her eyes at Qianlong, not knowing whether this guy really didn't know or was just pretending not to know.

"I have heard a lot about the conflict between you and Zhang Tingyu, the regent. Perhaps according to the usual development of the affairs of the previous dynasty, you feel that Zhang Tingyu is too bossy about you because he was given the privilege of being enshrined in the imperial temple by the previous emperor. So he is proud of his hard work and great achievements, and is reluctant to give up his power."

Qianlong couldn't help getting angry when he thought of Zhang Tingyu's behavior in recent years. He pouted and said aggrievedly: "Isn't Zhang Tingyu like this?"

Jiang Xinxin couldn't help shaking her head and laughing: "Zhang Tingyu is a genuine gentleman. Perhaps it should be said that he has high standards for his own words and deeds, and also for others."

Qianlong did not quite agree with Jiang Xinxin's statement, especially when he heard Jiang Xinxin speaking for Zhang Tingyu, he felt even more aggrieved, but he did not want to lose his temper in front of Jiang Xinxin.

Jiang Xinxin continued, "Although the late emperor's harem was in a mess, if I hadn't been in charge, I don't know how many rumors would have spread and damaged the reputation of the royal family. But you have to admit that even though the late emperor's reign was shorter, he was already a good emperor who surpassed the Holy Ancestor in all aspects of civil and military affairs."

Even though Qianlong felt wronged, he admitted this, so he sighed and said, "Since I ascended the throne, I have always felt trembling with fear, fearing that I might do something wrong and damage the wisdom of the previous emperor."

Jiang Xinxin patted Qianlong's arm halfheartedly, without any intention of comforting him, and continued to talk about Zhang Tingyu: "So after serving an emperor like the late emperor, and receiving the late emperor's grace and being able to enjoy the supreme honor of being in the imperial temple in the future, Zhang Tingyu will only be more strict with himself, and therefore will be more strict with you, the next emperor personally selected by the late emperor."

This reason is very good and can indeed explain Zhang Tingyu's strict demands on him, but Qianlong could not accept it!

Just like when he sent troops to Japan in an attempt to occupy the rare mountains of gold and silver in Japan, he could only use the excuse of clearing out the pirates at sea, and did not dare to reveal a word about his true intentions, because sending troops to attack Japan when Japan had little intention against the Qing Dynasty was a brutal act that was recorded in history books.

For a minister like Zhang Tingyu, no matter what excuses were given, he could not be convinced by such a thing, unless Japan suddenly went crazy and recreated the previous dynasty's border massacre by Japanese pirates on the southeastern border.

But if that happened, countless innocent people would die in vain, which was a scene he did not want to see.

Even now that it has been confirmed that Japan has mountains of gold and silver, the people sent by Qianlong have brought back a lot of "trophies". The Eight Banners descendants are sharpening their knives and are eager to wipe out Japan, but he dare not reveal a word in the court, and just said that the trophies brought back by the navy are all trophies from clearing out pirates.

Judging from these things alone, Qianlong was completely unable to accept Zhang Tingyu's good intentions. Even though he himself had no intention of becoming a powerful official, and was even very likely to try his best to avoid becoming one, Zhang Tingyu's constant obstruction and so-called exhortations were considered by Qianlong to be a hindrance.

Ministers who cannot keep up with the emperor will sooner or later be abandoned by the emperor. Unfortunately, Zhang Tingyu has a "golden medal of immunity from death" from the previous emperor - permission to worship in the Taimiao. This makes his demands on various affairs and personnel even more outrageous, and makes Qianlong helpless towards Zhang Tingyu. He can only try his best to tolerate him before Zhang Tingyu's mistakes are big enough.

Qianlong took a deep breath, and under his solemn expression, he still showed a bit of pleading and compromise. He said to Jiang Xinxin, "Empress Dowager, can you please speak to Zhang Tingyu on behalf of your son?"

"At least ask him to think more about his son and stop being so harsh on him in public."

Jiang Xinxin was deeply grateful for Qianlong's trust, but she still firmly rejected Qianlong's proposal: "Since you are willing to ease the relationship with Zhang Tingyu, you should speak for yourself. Others, especially me, who abolished foot binding and fought for women to establish a female household, are not a good candidate to persuade Zhang Tingyu."

Yes, Jiang Xinxin was the empress of the previous emperor and now the empress dowager. Among the people, she was a respected figure. But in the court, especially among the powerful and wealthy, she was as notorious as the previous emperor. After all, she allowed women to set up households and grant them land, both of which challenged the secular traditions and values ​​established over thousands of years.

What's more, there was a female emperor like Wu Zhao in the Tang Dynasty, and even in our own dynasty, there was Empress Xiaozhuang Wen who participated in government for three dynasties.

Therefore, when Jiang Xinxin's popularity among the people was at its peak, the ministers of the previous dynasty were really worried that Jiang Xinxin would rebel and become emperor. After all, she really had all the prerequisites for success.

That's why Jiang Xinxin felt that if she came forward to persuade Zhang Tingyu not to always go against Qianlong, and pointed out that Qianlong was not the previous emperor and that he should not be treated with the attitude and expectations of the previous emperor, it would probably only backfire and add to Qianlong's difficulties.

Qianlong also figured it out, and now he could only sigh and secretly pray that Zhang Tingyu would be more tactful. Otherwise, he would have to treat Zhang Tingyu as a "powerful minister" who was trying to monopolize power and control the emperor by forming a clique to attack dissidents.

In fact, Zhang Tingyu really used litchi to show his weakness to Qianlong, because he also understood the situation in Jiangnan. If things went wrong, there would be great turmoil in Jiangnan. Although the cost of suppressing the rebellion would not be high for the court, the people affected were innocent.

Therefore, for Zhang Tingyu, the most urgent task is for the monarch and his subjects to be of one mind, to appease the officials and gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, and to prevent the people in the south of the Yangtze River from falling into war and losing their lives in vain.

As for Qianlong, as long as Zhang Tingyu stopped opposing him, he would not even expect Zhang Tingyu to give him advice or do things for him. So he quickly took advantage of Zhang Tingyu's good mood to secretly push forward the things he had already thought of, and did not wait until Zhang Tingyu got the news or Zhang Tingyu finally couldn't bear it anymore and then ask for trouble.

Lychees have set off a craze in the south of the Yangtze River this summer. After all, they are fresh lychees. Even when they reach the hands of the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River, they are often just picked from the trees only an hour ago.

Inspired by the ready-made example of Jiang Xinxin, the gentry in the south of the Yangtze River finally found a way to eat fresh lychees - transplanting fruit-bearing lychee trees from Guangdong and Guangxi and even Fujian!

However, such extravagant behavior was not stopped by Qianlong. After all, Jiang Xinxin had said that money is money only when it is in circulation. Gold and silver stored somewhere are just dead objects and are of no benefit to the court or even the people of the world.