Chapter 109

After hearing this, the Queen Mother was speechless for a moment and could not refute. The Queen’s words seemed respectful, but in fact they contained a sharp edge, which made the Queen Mother unable to vent her anger. After all, although Emperor Qianlong was sometimes confused, if this statement were to spread, it would undoubtedly be a big blow to his reputation, and as a mother, the Queen Mother naturally did not want to see such a result. She tightly grasped the rosewood armrest, her fingers turned white due to the force, and said coldly: “I have been in this harem for many years, and I have seen many sharp-tongued people like you, but you are the first one who dares to contradict your mother-in-law. Making you the queen was the stupidest thing I have ever done in my life.”

Upon hearing this, the Queen remained calm and composed. She smiled and said, “It’s too late for you to regret now, Queen Dowager. It’s getting late, and I have things to do, so I won’t disturb your rest. I’ll come to pay my respects to you when I have time.” After that, she took Madam Rong’s hand, straightened her back, and strode out of the Cining Palace, leaving behind a silent room and the Queen Dowager’s complicated eyes.

Back at Kunning Palace, Rong Mama had already prepared a cup of hot Pu’er tea. She handed over the cup respectfully and said, “Your Highness, you must be tired from the argument with the Queen Mother just now. Have some Pu’er to moisten your throat.”

The queen took the cup and drank half of it in one breath, with a satisfied smile on her face. She said, “I didn’t say much when I argued with the queen mother. Most of the words were said by the emperor. I have been fighting in the harem for so many years, but today is the first time I feel so happy.”

Rong Mama also laughed, and she agreed, “The Fifth Princess is right. The highest level of palace fighting is to let the emperor fight himself. Instead of dealing with those women one by one, it is better to control the emperor’s heart. Now the emperor is thinking about the integration of Daqing and Dayan, and the life and death of the country. Other things have been put aside.”

The Queen was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, saying, “That’s right. With the Emperor blocking in front, no matter what tricks the Queen Mother and Concubine Ling use, they can’t hurt me. This feeling is so wonderful!” After saying that, she picked up the remaining Pu’er tea and took a sip. The fragrance of the tea seemed to carry a hint of joy of victory, filling the entire Kunning Palace.

Rong Mama put away her usual kind smile, and a solemn look gathered between her brows. Her voice was low and powerful, as if every word carried a heavy weight: “The Queen Mother did not get what she wanted this time. You know her character best. She will never give up easily. As the saying goes, we should be prepared for the worst. We have to be prepared!”

The queen sat on the gorgeous phoenix chair, her eyes slightly narrowed, staring at Rong Mama, her eyes hiding unknown depths. She gently raised her hand and stroked the intricate embroidery on her cuffs, with a barely perceptible worry in her tone: “So what do you think, how should we deal with the coming storm?”

Rong Mama stepped forward and lowered her voice, almost whispering: “The emperor has already decided to abdicate. The sooner he abdicates, the sooner we can feel at ease. In my opinion, it is time for the fifth princess to take action. Her wisdom and courage will surely lead us out of this predicament.”

The queen’s expression changed slightly, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but she immediately became firm again: “Isn’t it too hasty? After all…”

“Your Majesty, if we delay, something terrible will happen. We cannot hesitate any longer.” There was a hint of urgency in Rong Ma’s tone, and her eyes were firm, as if she had already seen the coming storm.

The queen was silent for a moment, and finally nodded, with a flash of determination in her eyes: “Okay, prepare the writing materials, I will write a letter myself and send it to Qingge.”

“Yes!” Aunt Rong responded and left. After a while, she returned to the Queen with writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone.

In the Jinling Dayan Palace, Li Qingge was sitting in front of the window of the study. The sunlight shone through the delicate window lattice onto her cold and beautiful face, adding a bit of softness to her. She took the letter from Su Xiaomei and gently unfolded it. The familiar handwriting came into her eyes. The anxiety and expectation revealed between the lines made her frown slightly.

Su Xiaomei stood aside. Seeing Li Qingge finish reading, she could not help but said indignantly: “The Empress Dowager of the Qing Dynasty thinks highly of herself, but in fact she is just a frog in the well. She dared to disrespect your Highness’s biological mother. She really humiliated herself. We must let her know how powerful we are!”

Hearing this, Li Qingge smiled faintly, with a cold and calculating smile. The embroidery needle in her hand shuttled across the silk, stitch by stitch, as if she was weaving a huge plan: “She wants to humiliate herself, I will help her, I just hope she won’t regret it. But, I’m wondering if I can do something about this matter to make everything more logical.”

“Make an article?” Su Xiaomei raised her eyebrows slightly when she heard this, and a hint of doubt flashed in her eyes.

Li Qingge’s eyes passed through the window lattice and looked into the distance. His voice was low and powerful: “I came here this time, ready to accept Qianlong’s abdication. But a new official has three fires to start. How and where to start this fire still needs careful planning. Although Empress Dowager Niuhulu is my grandmother, if this fire burns to her family, how will the civil and military officials of the Qing court view me?”

Su Xiaomei suddenly understood what was going on when she heard this, and said with a smile: “They will definitely think that your majesty is a cold-blooded and heartless king who doesn’t recognize his relatives.”

“That’s right.” Li Qingge sighed softly, “Humans have seven emotions and six desires, and emotions can easily trap them. For a king who wants to reform, eradicate feudal stubborn forces, and purify the court, being ruthless may not be a virtue, but it is the most effective strategy.”

There was a hint of helplessness in her words, but also a firmness. Su Xiaomei nodded in agreement after hearing this: “It is indeed a good idea to take the Niu Hulu family as a warning and kill the chicken to scare the monkey!”

Li Qingge gently stroked the gold-plated embroidery needle in her hand, a faint smile on her lips: “Then let’s prepare well. It’s time to collect this last net of fish.”

“Yes!” Su Xiaomei responded, her eyes full of admiration. She looked at Li Qingge, who was embroidering the mountains and rivers with her head down, and couldn’t help but sigh in her heart: Her Majesty is really a natural king, with deep scheming and no omissions.

At the pinnacle of power, emotions seem to have become impure. The last time he went to Beijing to recognize his relatives, he was trying to win the Qing Dynasty without fighting; this time he went to the Forbidden City, ostensibly to support his mother, but in fact he was using the Empress Dowager as a target to scare the monkeys. On the surface, he was affectionate, but behind the scenes, he was cautious, which was admirable, but also chilling.

However, it is lonely at the top. Li Qingge has infinite power and wisdom, but he will always suffer from boundless loneliness.

At this moment, the Queen Mother in the Forbidden City was still immersed in her own calculations, unaware that a disaster was about to happen. She was still secretly plotting to get rid of the Queen in order to consolidate her position.

Qing’er was very thoughtful and was sensitive to the tense atmosphere in the palace. She gently advised, “Old Buddha, you are already the Queen Mother. Although the Queen is in charge of the six palaces and is deeply favored by the Emperor, she is also your daughter-in-law. Filial piety comes first, and she dare not disobey you. Why do you have to target her?”

Upon hearing this, the Queen Mother glared at Qing’er, her voice filled with unquestionable majesty: “Do you also think that I shouldn’t compete for power with the Queen?”

Qing’er didn’t dare to look directly into the Queen Mother’s eyes. She lowered her head and spoke weakly, “Qing’er doesn’t dare! I just think that you, the Emperor, and the Queen are all family. There’s no need to make things so awkward.”

The Queen Mother sighed, a complex emotion flashed in her eyes: “You are still young, how can you know the interests involved? In the harem, everyone is fighting for power, and without power, you are like a lamb to be slaughtered. If I don’t hold on to power, how can I have a secure old age?”

“But you are the Queen Mother…” Qing’er muttered softly.

“So what if she’s the Empress Dowager?” The Empress Dowager sneered, “The Consort De of the Holy Ancestor and the biological mother of the late Emperor, Uya, was also an Empress Dowager. She was honored by her sons, but she lived a miserable life. Her eldest son resented her, and her youngest son was also miserable, and finally died with hatred. Uya was the Holy Mother Empress Dowager, and I am also an Empress Dowager. Her tragedy must not be repeated between the Emperor and me…”

The Queen Mother’s words revealed deep fear and anxiety. It was because of the lesson of Uya that she was afraid that she would suffer the same fate. So after Empress Xiaoxian passed away, she decisively supported Nara to become the successor, valuing her upright character and courage to speak out.

After that, whenever the empress dowager encountered something she didn’t like and didn’t want to affect the relationship between mother and son, she would push Nara out to provoke Qianlong’s anger. After Nara was criticized to pieces and Qianlong’s anger subsided a little, she would come out to appease him. This trick worked every time, Nara took all the bad reputation, while the empress dowager still maintained her gentle and loving image.

However, all these plots were broken by the variable Li Qingge. The queen was no longer a chess piece that she could manipulate at will, and the queen mother was filled with anger and resentment.

She thought that Qianlong had forgotten his mother after getting a new wife, and that his heart was all on the side of the queen. She was so angry that she almost vomited blood. Her eyes were cold and her old face looked ferocious and terrifying: “Nara, I don’t believe you can become the second Dong Efei!”

Perhaps the Empress Dowager Niuhulu has lost herself in the wealth and honor, and her palace fighting skills are no longer as good as before. Last time, she used Lingpin’s fertility-giving Guanyin to frame the Empress, but failed. This time, she decided to fight conspiracy with conspiracy and vowed to get back at her.

In the blink of an eye, the New Year is approaching, and Princess Hejing and her husband return to the capital from Mongolia to spend the New Year with Emperor Qianlong. Princess Hejing is the legitimate daughter of Empress Xiaoxian and the only one of her four children who has grown up. Her return undoubtedly adds some unknown variables to the coming storm.

Qianlong’s love for the children born to Empress Xiaoxian was like a treasure in his palm, shining brightly and not allowing the slightest dust to stain them. In the magnificent palace of the Forbidden City, this fatherly love was like a warm spring breeze, blowing in the hearts of the children at all times.

It is said that the most favored and happiest princess in the Qianlong Dynasty was Princess Hexiao Gulun, but in fact, Princess Hejing’s happiness was more dazzling than the bright stars. She seemed to be the happiest pearl in the long history of the Qing Dynasty, and no one could compare to her.

Princess Hejing was born before Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne. She was a legitimate daughter, the fruit of the love between Empress Xiaoxian and Emperor Qianlong. Her parents had a deep affection, like a harmonious couple, which was enviable. Because her two illegitimate sisters died young, she was actually the eldest legitimate daughter of Emperor Qianlong, a nobleness that no one could match. In the harmonious family environment of her parents, the princess became the apple of the eye of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Xiaoxian. They doted on the princess and always felt that it was not enough, as if they wanted to give her all the beauty in the world.

After Empress Xiaoxian passed away, Qianlong turned his thoughts about his late wife into endless love for the princess, like a trickle of water. He gave everything, even repeatedly breaking the ancestral rules, just to give the princess the best. According to the rules, the princess who married into the Mongolian Empire needed to live with her husband, but Qianlong was reluctant to let Princess Hejing go away. He allowed the princess and her husband to stay in the capital, and specially built a luxurious princess mansion for them. That mansion was like the princess’s happy castle, witnessing Qianlong’s love for the princess. Qianlong also spent a huge amount of money to organize the princess’s wedding. That wedding was like a prosperous and unforgettable wedding.

What is particularly touching is that in the fifty-fifth year of Qianlong’s reign, the princess had just turned sixty and suddenly fell seriously ill. Upon hearing the news, Qianlong, who was already over eighty years old, braved the wind and snow and went to the princess’s mansion to visit her in person, despite his old age and frailty. In that era when men were superior to women, a daughter who was married off was like spilled water. It was difficult for ordinary fathers to do this, let alone Qianlong, who was the emperor? He sat by the princess’s bed, holding her hand, his eyes full of love and care. When the princess was sixty years old, she still had the love and care of her father who was over eighty years old. How rare is this happiness! It seems like the most precious treasure in the world.

In comparison, the favor of Princess Hexiao Gulun seemed mediocre. At least Princess Hejing was a happy imperial daughter from birth to death. She died before Emperor Qianlong, having been favored by him all her life, at the age of 62. In the Qing Dynasty, where many princesses died young, this was definitely a long life, as if it was her destiny, allowing her to enjoy a lifetime of happiness.

In contrast, after Emperor Qianlong’s death, the successor Emperor Jiaqing immediately held Heshen responsible. As Heshen’s daughter-in-law, she was inevitably implicated, and her only son died young, so her later years were quite miserable. Her life, like the fallen leaves in autumn, gradually lost its color and vitality.

Perhaps because her parents doted on her too much, Princess Hejing developed a somewhat spoiled character. She was proud of being the legitimate daughter of the empress, and despised the children of illegitimate children. That pride and self-confidence seemed to be innate. Lingpin took advantage of this and directed her spearhead at the successor, Nara. She was like a cunning fox, quietly planting the seeds of hatred in the princess’s heart. After some planning, the princess hated Nara to the core. The princess believed that her mother was the legitimate daughter of the Fucha family, and the glory of her mother’s family was not comparable to that of a poor family like Nara. What virtue and ability did Nara have to dare to occupy her mother’s position? It was really audacious and extremely hateful. This hatred, like a raging fire, burned in the princess’s heart.

Therefore, for many years, the princess, under the instigation of Concubine Ling, made things difficult for the queen. She either satirized the queen as a poor family or said that she was unworthy of the position and would surely suffer disaster. Her words were as sharp as a knife, as if she wanted to cut the queen’s dignity. According to common sense, although Nara was promoted from a concubine, she was also a stepmother. Under ethics, even the daughter of the original wife should not be so disrespectful to the elders. But Qianlong had too deep feelings for Empress Xiaoxian and his filter was too thick. Whenever the princess satirized Nara, Qianlong would try to smooth things over and could not bear to blame her. Over time, the princess became more and more spoiled and looked down on Nara.

Three years ago, the husband’s biological father died of illness. The princess and her husband, who lived in the capital, had to go to Mongolia to mourn. It was a vast grassland where the princess spent three years. Until today, she returned to this familiar place with her longing and expectation for the capital.

As soon as the princess returned to Beijing, Concubine Ling sent someone to complain, saying that the queen dominated the harem, contradicted the queen mother, persecuted the favorite concubine, and even caused the fifth prince Yongqi to be adopted out. The princess was furious after hearing this. She sat in the gorgeous palace, clenched her hands into fists, and her eyes flashed with angry flames. She thought to herself: This little poor woman dared to make trouble in the emperor’s harem, which was really outrageous. When there is no tiger in the mountain, the monkey claims to be the king. This princess must teach this woman a lesson.

One day, the Queen heard that the green plum blossoms in the Imperial Garden had bloomed, so she took Rong Mama to see them. The green plum blossoms were as crystal clear as jade, and exuded a faint fragrance. The Queen and Rong Mama walked along the path in the Imperial Garden, admiring this rare beauty. Unexpectedly, not long after they had watched, they ran into Princess Hejing.

The princess saw the master and servant admiring the plum blossoms with great interest from afar, and her brows were furrowed, as if she had seen something that displeased her. She said coldly: “Is the queen really so arrogant?” Lingpin served the princess like a maid, showing her humility, but with a cold look in her eyes. She held her bulging belly and whispered: “Well, princess doesn’t know, the emperor cares a lot about the queen. Not only did he reward her mother’s family, he also posthumously conferred the title of prince on the thirteenth prince who died young. Now Kunning Palace is really blessed like spring.” The princess snorted, her eyes flashing with jealousy and dissatisfaction: “How can this poor man enjoy such wealth?”

When Lingpin and the princess were paying attention to the queen, the queen and Rong Mama also saw them. Rong Mama said bitterly: “This troublemaker is back again. Relying on her noble status as a legitimate daughter, she repeatedly gives the queen a hard time. She is so arrogant.” Her words were full of dissatisfaction and anger towards the princess. The queen sighed slightly, as if she was helpless about this complicated court struggle. She said: “Her mother is Empress Xiaoxian, who never treated me harshly when she was alive. Since we meet here, let’s go back.” Rong Mama said unwillingly: “Your Majesty, why should you be afraid of her now?” The queen shook her head and said: “Forget it, don’t say anything, go back.” After that, she turned around and wanted to leave, as if she didn’t want to entangle with the princess anymore.

Seeing this, the princess thought the queen was afraid of her and snorted triumphantly. She quickly stepped forward and blocked the queen’s way. The queen frowned and asked, “Princess, have you greeted the emperor and the queen mother since you came back?” The princess nodded and said coldly, “I haven’t seen you for three years. The queen has become more charming and beautiful.” Her words were full of sarcasm and provocation. The queen replied indifferently, “Thank you for your concern, princess.” She didn’t want to get too entangled with the princess and just wanted to leave this place of trouble as soon as possible.

The princess glanced at the queen and said, “Three years is neither long nor short. The harem has become a mess, with people being treacherous and having their own agendas. If my mother were still alive, how could this happen? After all, the second wife is not as good as the first wife.” Her words were full of contempt and dissatisfaction with the queen. Upon hearing this, the queen smiled faintly, as if she was mocking the princess’s childishness and ignorance. She said, “Whether she is the first wife or the second wife, a wife is a wife. No matter what you say, I am the mother of the country now. When a person dies, everything is empty. It is really ridiculous to care about the dead.” Her words were sharp and direct, leaving the princess speechless for a moment.

The princess was so angry that she couldn’t speak. She stared at the queen with wide eyes, as if she could see through her. She took a deep breath and said, “Don’t think that you can be on par with my mother once you succeed. I tell you, in the heart of the emperor, my mother is his only beloved wife. You are just a housekeeper entrusted by the queen mother to manage the harem. Do you really think you are the destined phoenix?” Her words were full of jealousy and hatred towards the queen. But the queen was not angry. She just glanced at the princess lightly, then turned and left. The princess was left alone, trembling with anger.

Rong Mama’s face, which was covered with traces of time, was filled with anger. Her eyes seemed to be burning with injustice, and her voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement: “Princess, what you said is really too much. Queen, even if you are a stepmother, you should enjoy the most basic respect and courtesy. This is the most basic duty of a child. How can you be biased because of personal feelings?”

Hearing this, Princess Hejing sneered with disdain, and her arrogant eyes flashed with contempt for the queen’s status. “Elder?” She snorted contemptuously, with an unquestionable determination in her voice, “What virtue and ability does she have to be worthy of being my elder? She is just one of my father’s many concubines. With just a word from my grandmother, she jumped from concubine to queen. Now she dares to act like an elder in front of me?”

After saying this, she turned around abruptly, her eyes wide open, as if she wanted to vent all her dissatisfaction and anger on Rong Mama. “When is it your turn as a lowly servant to interrupt when the princess and the queen are talking? Who the hell do you think you are?”

The queen saw Rong Mama being humiliated, her face instantly turned livid, and a hint of coldness flashed in her deep eyes. “Even if I was a concubine, I am now the master of this harem, the queen. Even if you don’t admit it, you can’t change this fact.” Her voice was low and powerful, and every word revealed unquestionable majesty.

Princess He Jing was shocked by this sudden majesty and took a step back. Her face instantly turned red, as if countless anger was burning in her chest. “You–” She gritted her teeth, but couldn’t find the words to refute for a while.

Seeing this, Lingpin hurried forward, her face full of anxiety and uneasiness. “The princess is young and ignorant, and she offended the queen in a moment of impulse. I hope the queen can be magnanimous and not hold it against the princess.” After saying this, she knelt down, trying to calm the storm with her humility.

Princess Hejing grabbed the corner of Lingpin’s clothes, her tone full of anger and disdain. “I am a legitimate princess, and she is just a concubine who was promoted to queen. What qualifications do you have to apologize for me? Don’t you see your own status?”

Concubine Ling was frightened to the point of paleness. She clutched the corner of her clothes tightly with both hands and said in a trembling voice, “Princess, she is the empress appointed by the emperor after all. We…” “So what if my father appointed her?” Princess Hejing interrupted her with even more disdain, “When my mother died, my father was heartbroken and vowed not to appoint another empress. It was only after my grandmother’s repeated pleas that this woman took advantage. Her position as empress was only appointed by my father under duress. Now that my grandmother is dissatisfied with her, how long can she remain as empress? She will be deposed sooner or later!”

The Queen was furious when she heard what Princess Hejing said, but her eyes were unusually calm. She stared at Princess Hejing and Concubine Ling coldly, her heart filled with disgust for these two women. She knew that the reason they dared to be so arrogant was simply because her family was in decline and out of favor.

Thinking of the former glory of the Nara clan, the queen could not help but feel a surge of sadness in her heart. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, the Nara clan was also a prominent family, even more so than the Shaji Fucha clan of Empress Xiaoxian. However, a hundred years later, the men in the clan were not up to the task, and each generation was inferior to the previous one. Otherwise, how could they be insulted by the princess?
The queen was filled with resentment, but then she thought of her daughter Li Qingge. Her eyes instantly became firm, as if she had found the strength to support herself. Humph, no matter how powerful the Shaji Fucha family is, what can it do? Didn’t Fuheng and others die at the hands of their own daughter one after another? The fate of the Qing Dynasty has ended. Even though you are a legitimate child, what can you do? Once the emperor’s edict of abdication comes out, I will be the Empress Dowager. I must double back what I lost before.

Thinking of this, the queen smiled calmly, and that smile was full of confidence and determination. “Then we will wait and see!” Her voice was calm and firm, as if she had already seen the future victory.

Princess Hejing looked at the queen in astonishment. She couldn’t believe that this woman whom she had always looked down upon could become so tough. Where did her courage come from?

The queen looked up at her, her eyes seemed to say: “My courage was given to me by my daughter. What can you do to me?”

“Madame Rong, let’s go!” The Queen took Madam Rong’s hand and turned to leave. Her back looked unusually determined and arrogant.

Princess Hejing was used to being domineering, so how could she bear such humiliation? She dodged and blocked the Queen’s way, shouting, “Stop! My fifth brother was cruelly adopted out by my father. Are you behind this?”

The queen looked at her coldly, her voice full of disdain and disgust. “I don’t bother to talk to you any more. A good dog doesn’t block the road, get out of the way!”

Princess Hejing became even more angry when she heard this. She pointed at the queen, her finger almost poking her face. “How dare you call me a dog?”

The queen looked at her with a smile full of mockery and contempt. “You admitted it yourself. I didn’t mean it that way.”

“You, you…” Princess He Jing was so angry that her whole body was shaking, her face was distorted, as if she was about to lose control.

Seeing that she was still furious, Lingpin said timidly, “Queen, please don’t blame the princess. She didn’t mean it.”

The queen felt sick to her stomach when she heard her gossip. She looked at Lingpin coldly, as if she was looking at a clown.

When Princess Hejing saw Concubine Ling like this, she became even more furious. She pointed at the empress and shouted, “Nara, I will make my father depose you!”

But Lingpin cried and begged: “Empress, please don’t bother with the princess, she didn’t mean it…”

The queen was so disgusted that she spat on Lingpin’s face, her voice filled with disgust and anger. “Is this the end? Will you die if you don’t disgust me?”

Lingpin had spit sprayed all over her face and was stunned, as if she couldn’t believe that all this was true.

Princess Hejing was so angry that she reached out to pull the queen, trying to use her own strength to conquer this woman who dared to resist her.

However, the queen was not someone to be trifled with. She pushed Princess Hejing hard and threw her to the ground. With a cry of “ouch”, Princess Hejing fell on her back, half of her body on the cobblestone road and the other half in the grass. Her hands were covered in blood from the gravel.

When Concubine Ling saw this, she shouted angrily, “Empress, you… actually dared to murder the princess…”

The queen knew what was going to happen next, and didn’t bother to pay attention. Her eyes were full of indifference and determination, as if she was watching an insignificant farce.

At this moment, she had only one thought in her mind: My daughter is coming. What if Princess Hejing falls? Even if she really dies from the fall, the emperor will not dare to punish me!
“Let’s go!” The Queen snorted coldly, ignoring the shouting of Concubine Ling and the wailing of Princess Hejing, and turned away. Her back seemed unusually determined and proud, as if she had already stood at the pinnacle of victory.

……

At the same time, several helicopters roared to a stop at the back hill of the Forbidden City. The hatch slowly opened, and a strong gust of wind blew away the dust around.

Li Qingge walked out slowly, wearing sunglasses and simple yet elegant clothes. Her steps were steady and powerful, and every step revealed her confidence and composure.

At this time, Qianlong was in the imperial study, immersed in his world of calligraphy and painting. On the table were twenty finely carved seals, each of which contained a profound historical and cultural heritage.

Qianlong picked up a seal and pressed it heavily on a painting. It was a painting of “Snow Horse” by Zhao Ziang. The horse in the painting was so lifelike that it seemed to jump out of the picture.

“This painting of Snow Horse by Zhao Ziang is really a masterpiece!” Qianlong praised it repeatedly, as if he had found a soulmate. He felt that one seal was not enough, so he picked up several more seals and stamped them on it, as if he wanted to pour all his love for the painting into it.

One seal, two seals, three seals… After eight seals, Qianlong finally stopped. He looked at his work with satisfaction, as if he saw himself merged into this painting.

At this moment, Li Qingge walked in. She saw Qianlong destroying cultural relics at a glance, and the corners of her mouth couldn’t help but twitch. This stamping maniac is indeed worthy of his reputation!

She said calmly: “The Qing Dynasty is about to fall, and you are still in the mood to stamp here. Should I praise you for your good attitude, or scold you for being heartless and ungrateful?”

When Qianlong heard the voice, he looked up at Li Qingge and said in surprise, “Why…are you here? Why didn’t Li Yu, that servant, inform us?”

Li Qingge pulled a chair over and sat down, her posture casual and elegant. “Li Yu called out several times outside, but you were so focused on stamping that you didn’t hear it.” There was a hint of ridicule and helplessness in her voice.

Qianlong smiled awkwardly and said, “This painting is great, I like it very much. It doesn’t matter if I put a few more seals on it.” He was like a child who had obtained a favorite toy, his face full of satisfaction and joy.

Li Qingge rolled her eyes and secretly complained in her heart: How many seals are you calling this? They are almost covered with it, just like psoriasis, and you can’t scratch it off. She remembered the Sanxi calligraphy that Qianlong gave her last time. When she got home and opened it, she saw that it was full of his seals and inscriptions, which was simply unbearable to look at.

“Fortunately, you are the emperor, otherwise you should have been shot long ago for destroying cultural relics like this.” Li Qingge couldn’t help but mutter, but her voice was so low that only she could hear it.

Qianlong said nonchalantly: “What are you afraid of? Wang Xizhi and the others are all ministers. I am the true dragon emperor, protected by hundreds of spirits, and immune to all evil!” His voice was full of confidence and pride, as if he really believed that he possessed extraordinary powers.

Li Qingge looked at him, and an indescribable complex emotion surged in her heart. This man was not only her father, but also the emperor of the Qing Dynasty that was about to perish. He had countless shortcomings and deficiencies, but he also had his own persistence and beliefs.

She sighed and decided not to dwell on these unimportant things. She came here for more important things to do. So, she said, “Father, I have something to discuss with you…”

Emperor Qianlong coughed twice, a meaningful smile hung on the corner of his mouth, and his eyes that had experienced vicissitudes of life flashed with an imperceptible brilliance. He sat in the magnificent Forbidden City Hall, surrounded by dragon and phoenix carvings, showing the royal style. “You came at the right time. I raided several families in the Ministry of Internal Affairs not long ago and obtained countless treasures. You can pick a few you like.” His voice was soft, but it carried unquestionable authority.

Li Qingge stood in the center of the hall, wearing simple and elegant clothes, looking particularly fresh and refined in the complicated palace decorations. She had a gentle smile on her lips, which showed respect for Qianlong and a subtle meaning. “No need.” Her voice was soft and firm, like a breeze in spring.

Upon hearing this, Qianlong raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was surprised by Li Qingge’s refusal. “Why are you being so polite to me?” His tone was somewhat intimate, trying to narrow the distance between the two.

Li Qingge shook her head slightly, with a barely perceptible coldness in her eyes. “I’m not being polite. The Qing Dynasty will be mine in no time. By then, everything will be mine. Do I need to be picky? When you abdicate, everything will naturally be mine.” Her tone was calm, but every word was like a knife, piercing Qianlong’s heart.

When Qianlong heard this, his face changed slightly, and an indescribable pain surged in his heart. He was silent for a moment, as if he had a thousand words to say but didn’t know where to start, and in the end he could only let out a heavy sigh.

Seeing this, Li Qingge raised a hint of sarcasm at the corner of his mouth, and then changed the subject and asked, “How much silver was seized this time?”

When Qianlong heard this, his expression eased slightly, and a hint of pride flashed in his eyes. “Hey, it’s more than 100 million taels.” There was a hint of boasting in his words. You know, the annual income of the Qing Dynasty is only 20 to 30 million taels. The net income of 100 million taels of silver is simply an astronomical figure.

Li Qingge frowned slightly when she heard this, and sneered in her heart. She knew that the corruption in the Ministry of Internal Affairs was far from this, and the 100 million taels of silver was just the tip of the iceberg. She looked at Qianlong sharply and asked, “Where is the account book? Bring it over to me.”

Qianlong was stunned, then took the account book from the eunuch beside him and handed it to Li Qingge. Li Qingge took the account book and flipped through a few pages, frowning more and more. She sneered, threw the account book aside, and sneered: “You were deceived by them.”

Qianlong was shocked when he saw this, and asked quickly: “Were you cheated? This… How is this possible…”

Li Qingge glanced at him coldly and said, “The Imperial Household Department is greedy for more than just this. You have been blinded by them and still think you are a wise and powerful emperor.”

When Qianlong heard this, his face turned pale and he was filled with anger. He gritted his teeth and said, “Okay, I don’t believe you can find out anything else.”

Li Qingge smiled confidently, turned around and shouted: “Shi Shuyu——”

Following her call, a man in blood-red military uniform and with a stern face quickly walked into the hall. He was tall, walked steadily, and exuded a fierce aura that should not be underestimated. He knelt on one knee and shouted respectfully, “I am here!”

Li Qingge looked at him firmly and said, “Copy them for me. Don’t miss any of them.”

“Yes!” Shi Shuyu took the order, turned around and left, ready to lead the White Horse Army to launch a vigorous house-raiding operation.

When it comes to the ability to confiscate property, if the White Horse Army led by Shi Shuyu is second to none, then no one dares to claim to be first. They have confiscated all the big families and forces in the south, and even dug out the money hidden underground. This time, they are even more eager to catch all the corrupt officials in the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

To the west of the Forbidden City, a magnificent building comes into view. This house is decorated with carved beams and painted buildings, and is magnificently decorated with colorful embroidery. It is second only to the royal palace in scale. In the Forbidden City, where every inch of land is worth a lot of money, it is easy to imagine how wealthy the owner must be to own such a house.

At this time, two young servants were lazily leaning against the stone lions, gossiping about their master. They were dressed gorgeously, but it was hard to hide the vulgar aura of slaves.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind blew, followed by the sound of horse hooves. The two servants stood up straight in fear, staring at the white horse army that suddenly appeared in front of them.

They saw these people wearing bloody military uniforms, with fierce faces and murderous auras, just like Shura descending. Moreover, they did not have the rat-tail hairstyle on their heads, so they were obviously not from the Qing Dynasty. The two servants were shocked and asked in a hurry: “Who are you? How dare you trespass into Wuya’s house? Do you want to die?”