PFC Chapter 272 Consort Fucha
Chapter 272 Consort Fucha
The princes and nobles all nodded in agreement.
They then straightened their clothes, making themselves appear more dignified and proper.
Then, they followed Su Peisheng and entered the palace one by one.
Upon entering the hall, everyone was immediately struck by its brightness.
The lights inside the hall were exceptionally bright, illuminating the entire hall as if it were daytime.
And sitting high on the dragon throne was a big, fat orange.
His expression was solemn, his brows were slightly furrowed, and his expression revealed a chilling and murderous aura.
Everyone was taken aback when they saw the fat orange cat's appearance.
It seems this time something truly terrible has happened.
That's why the fourth brother managed to bring all these brothers together.
After quickly straightening their clothes, the group knelt down in unison to pay their respects, saying in unison:
"Your Majesty, we pay our respects! Long live the Emperor!"
The chubby orange-haired man slightly raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to stand up, and then spoke in his deep and authoritative voice:
“My brothers, summoning you here so late at night was not my intention.”
But today's matter concerns the very foundation of my Great Qing Dynasty, and I have no choice but to discuss it with you all.
Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions turned serious, and they responded in unison:
"Your Majesty, please speak. We will listen attentively."
His tone grew increasingly cold: "Palace servants..."
He was corrupt, manipulated prices, and even interfered in the royal offspring, harboring ulterior motives.
I have investigated and found that the accounts of the Imperial Household Department are in disarray. A single chicken egg is being priced at five taels of silver, and silk and spices are being sold at exorbitant prices.
Even worse, these bondservant servants secretly manipulated the concubines' childbirth in the harem, attempting to control the royal bloodline!
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall gasped, exchanging bewildered glances.
Prince Heng, Yunqi, spoke first, his tone grave:
"If what Your Majesty says is true, it is a disaster that shakes the very foundation of the nation."
"These bondservantes are originally royal servants, yet they dare to act so recklessly. If they are not severely punished, they may cause a great disaster."
Prince Dun snorted coldly and said angrily:
“These lackeys, relying on their ancestors’ merits, have been running rampant in the palace. They should have been dealt with long ago!”
"Your Majesty, I, your humble brother, am willing to personally lead a thorough investigation of the Imperial Household Department and root out these corrupt officials!"
Although the tenth prince disliked the fourth prince, these bondservant servants were able to bully and oppress the entire royal family.
These bondservants dared to act arrogantly and domineeringly over the entire royal family; they were simply lawless!
The thought of the shocking figures in the ledger made Yun increasingly angry.
These lackeys are so arrogant and domineering, they completely disregard their masters.
How could he possibly swallow this insult?
He secretly resolved to take this opportunity to vent his anger.
Other ideas were actually quite similar to Yun's.
In their eyes, these lackeys were utterly rebellious and could not be allowed to continue their arrogance.
It is a grave taboo for servants to bully their masters; if these servants are allowed to run rampant, it will be disastrous.
Where would those masters put their dignity then?
Just as Yunqi was filled with righteous indignation, Prince Zhuang, Yunlu, appeared somewhat cautious.
Yunlu cupped his hands to the fat orange and said, "Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the power of these bondservant individuals is deeply entrenched..."
They are all interconnected, so much so that moving one part can affect the whole.
If we act rashly, it may cause unrest in the palace and could even affect the entire imperial clan.
This matter requires further consideration.
In fact, Yunlu felt quite guilty.
As the head of the Imperial Household Department, he had some understanding of the affairs among the bondservant officials.
However, his birth mother was also from a bondservant family, which inevitably put him in a dilemma when dealing with this matter.
Water that is too clear has no fish; some things are unavoidable.
Yunlu never expected these bondservant families to go to such lengths.
If he had known this would happen, Yunlu wouldn't have turned a blind eye.
These bondservants were allowed to entrenched themselves for many years.
Prince Shuncheng nodded in agreement, saying, "What Prince Zhuang said is absolutely right."
While bondservants were certainly despicable, they were often intricately connected to the imperial family.
If not handled properly, it could trigger unrest.
Big Fat Orange was well aware of the stakes involved, but he also understood in his heart...
These coatings have now reached the point where they must be disposed of.
Big Fat Orange's expression was solemn as he said in a deep voice:
"What my sixteenth brother said makes sense, but that's precisely why we can't just sit idly by and do nothing about these bondservants."
If we allow them to continue to be so rampant, won't my country and state be destroyed by these lackeys?
Moreover, the corruption of the bondservant families was secondary; they harbored far more sinister schemes.
Hearing what the chubby orange cat said, Yun interrupted impatiently:
"Fourth brother, it's come to this point, why are you still babbling on and on? Why can't you just say what you want to say?"
Big Fat Orange was slightly displeased upon hearing Old Ten's rude words.
But he also knew that this was just Lao Shi's personality, and this was not the time to fuss over such trivial matters.
So, the chubby orange cat suppressed its dissatisfaction.
Pretending not to notice the disrespect in Lao Shi's words, he continued:
"These bondservants are trying to control the royal offspring; their wicked intentions are truly unimaginable."
Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall changed their expressions drastically, and the atmosphere instantly froze.
Yun asked in disbelief, "Fourth brother, what do you mean?"
The chubby orange-haired man slowly rose, his gaze sharp as he swept over everyone in the hall, his tone low yet chilling:
"What I mean is these bondservant servants..."
They were no longer satisfied with merely controlling the palace's finances.
Big Fat Orange said with a gloomy expression, his voice revealing a hint of coldness that made people feel fear.
"They actually dared to try to control the royal bloodline and even influence the succession to the throne!"
The fat orange cat's tone grew increasingly harsh, as if he wanted to tear the bondservants hiding in the shadows to shreds.
His gaze slowly swept over everyone present, finally settling on Prince Heng, Yunqi, and Prince Zhuang, Yunlu.
Yunqi's face turned pale instantly, and her lips trembled slightly.
It seemed like it wanted to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
Yunlu suddenly lowered his head, his forehead already covered in a fine layer of sweat.
His heart was churning like a raging storm.
Although he had long known that the power of the bondservantes was considerable, he never expected that...
They are incredibly audacious to interfere in matters concerning the royal offspring!
Upon seeing this, Yun's heart tightened.
He began to unconsciously recall his brothers' backgrounds, going through them one by one in his mind.
As he recalled the events, his eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
Without needing to think too deeply, Yun simply recalled his brothers who had survived to adulthood.
Then we discovered a startling fact.
Apart from the second son, it seems that only his own birth mother was not from a bondservant family.
Even the fourth emperor, whose birth mother was from a bondservant family.
This matter has gone largely unnoticed by Yun for so many years.
But now, thinking about it makes one feel a chill run down one's spine.
Big Fat Orange continued, "When Father Emperor was alive,
There were many Manchu bannermen in the palace, but very few of them conceived children.
And those who are fortunate enough to conceive rarely manage to give birth safely.
But only my second brother and you, my tenth brother, were able to grow up smoothly.
Although my second brother was born safely, he lost his birth mother right after birth.
If it weren't for his father personally taking care of him and paying close attention to his growth, he probably wouldn't have been able to grow up safely.
After giving birth to you, your mother, the tenth prince, experienced health problems.
Her health deteriorated, and she eventually passed away prematurely.
If these things were merely coincidences, I would absolutely not believe it.
Upon hearing these words, Yun's face turned deathly pale, as if struck by lightning.
He was completely stunned and stood there motionless.
He never imagined that his mother's early death might not be an act of fate, but rather something deliberately orchestrated by someone!
The thought flashed through his mind like lightning, filling him with fear and anger.
He suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide open, as if the anger in them was about to burst forth.
Even his voice trembled with excitement:
"Fourth brother...you mean, my mother...she was killed by these bondservant servants?"
The chubby orange cat was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke, his voice low and solemn:
"Although I have no conclusive evidence, I am well aware of the ruthlessness of these bondservants, which far exceeds our imagination."
They not only plotted to control the harem, but also sought to seize the imperial heirs and even covet the throne.
Big Fat Orange naturally couldn't find out about so many years of history in such a short time.
He just suddenly thought of this and deliberately said it to provoke Lao Shi.
Big Fat Orange's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the silent palace.
Everyone was stunned into silence, and for a moment the hall was completely quiet.
Yun's face turned deathly pale instantly, and his fists clenched tightly.
The knuckles turned white from the excessive force.
His eyes were bloodshot, as if they were about to spit fire, filled with anger and hatred.
The hatred for killing one's mother is irreconcilable.
"These scoundrels, how dare they harm my mother like this!"
Yun's roar echoed throughout the hall, deafeningly loud.
He suddenly stood up, like an enraged lion, and kicked the stool in front of him hard.
With a loud bang, the stool toppled over.
Yun's face was filled with grief, indignation, and uncontrollable rage.
The other princes were also shocked by this astonishing news, their expressions changing drastically.
They looked at each other, exchanging shocked glances.
Clearly, they all realized that the Emperor was determined to carry out a complete overhaul of the bondservant families.
Yunqi and Yunlu exchanged a glance, both revealing a wry smile, feeling somewhat troubled.
It should be noted that their maternal families were also of bondservant origin!
Recalling the Emperor's ruthless treatment of the Uya family behind the Empress Dowager,
They had no other thoughts.
No matter what their maternal family is like, they still bear the surname Aisin Gioro.
It's impossible to forget one's own surname just because of a family that isn't particularly close to one's maternal relatives.
The atmosphere inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation was extremely tense, as if one could hear the heartbeats of everyone present.
Seeing the reactions of everyone in the hall, the chubby orange cat still felt it wasn't enough and said:
"You can also think about whether you have any princesses or concubines from bondservant families in your household."
Why are there so few brothers among us who have been born without a legitimate son?
But those illegitimate children were able to grow up safely.
His voice wasn't loud, but it resounded like thunder in everyone's ears.
Before the fat orange had even finished speaking, the expressions of the princes in the hall changed several times.
Among them, Prince Zhuang, Yunlu, reacted the fastest.
His face instantly darkened, and he quickly cupped his hands in greeting:
"Your Majesty, my brother does indeed have several concubines from bondservant families in his household."
However, they are generally quite well-behaved on a daily basis.
Your Majesty, I never imagined they could be involved in such a conspiracy.
At this point, Big Fat Orange's disgust for these bondservant women had reached its peak.
He snorted coldly and said without any attempt to hide his true feelings:
"I'm afraid their so-called law-abiding behavior is just an act in front of you."
Seeing this, Prince Shuncheng hurriedly echoed:
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. My brother also has several bondservant princesses in his household. They usually appear docile and obedient."
Hearing Your Majesty's words now, I can't help but feel a chill in my heart.
Prince Dun, Yunxin, was even more enraged. He gritted his teeth and said:
"Fourth brother, you're absolutely right! These bondservant slaves..."
He usually has a meek and submissive demeanor.
Who would have thought they would do such a thing behind the scenes!
I'll have someone investigate those concubines in the master's mansion thoroughly later. If there really is a problem...
"I will absolutely not let them off easily; I will personally kill these lowly maids!"
Although Prince Huan, Yunqi, did not speak,
But his expression was equally grim, clearly indicating that he was no less turbulent than the others.
Big Fat Orange noticed the various expressions on the faces of the people in the hall and had already made up his mind.
He slowly sat back on the dragon throne, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority:
"Brothers, I know this matter has far-reaching implications, but that is precisely why we cannot tolerate it."
The scourge of the bondservant system is not a recent phenomenon; if it is not thoroughly eradicated, the Qing Dynasty may be in grave danger.
The chubby orange cat looked at Yunqi, Yunlu, and the others with a serious expression.
His gaze was sharp and unwavering, as if it could pierce through their very souls.
"I know you must have some difficulties in your hearts, but I hope you remember that your surname is Aisin Gioro."
Big Fat Orange's deep, powerful voice echoed throughout the palace.
"The Aisin Gioro dynasty cannot be destroyed in our hands, brothers!"
Upon hearing this, Yunlu's expression changed slightly, and he quickly bowed and said:
"Your Majesty is absolutely right. Your subject is willing to fully cooperate in thoroughly investigating the affairs of the Imperial Household Department and the bondservant families."
His tone was sincere, and his attitude was firm.
Yunqi also cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I am also willing to lend you a hand and never let these servants continue to do evil."
Yun said through gritted teeth, "Fourth brother, whatever you say, I'll do!"
These lackeys, I will make them pay with their blood!
He was agitated and clearly harbored deep resentment towards those from the Imperial Household Department and the bondservant families.
It seems he really blamed his mother's early death on the bondservant family.
I wish I could eradicate these bondservants completely.