Chapter 38: Exile to Ningguta

"The immortal in the moon palace sews a white silk sleeve,
The maiden in the autumn boudoir tests the traces of her hooves."
"To whom shall I whisper my silent shyness?
Wearily leaning against the west wind, the night has already dimmed."

After Hongli finished reciting this poem, Princess Shushen pondered for a long while before remarking with great emotion, "The author is truly extraordinary!"

Princess Shushen then asked Hongli, "What about Baochai's?"

"Baochai's is as follows:"
"Cherishing a fragrant form, she keeps the gate closed by day,
Carrying a water jar herself to irrigate the terrace pots."
"Rouge washes out the shadows on the autumn steps,
Snow and ice summon a soul pierced by dew."
"Only when pale can one know the flower is more vibrant,
With so much sorrow, how can jade remain unblemished?"
"Longing to repay the White Emperor, she stays pure and clean,
Silently standing tall, the day dims once more."

Hongli recited the "Ode to the White Begonia" that Baochai wrote in that specific episode of *Dream of the Red Chamber*. He had to admit that for the literary-minded women of this era, *Dream of the Red Chamber* was a dimension-crushing force. A noblewoman like Princess Shushen, who had been raised in the palace with a thorough education in classical poetry and was well-versed in the popular Nalan-style lyrics, was now completely captivated by the genius of the characters Baoyu and Daiyu.

"Between Baochai and Daiyu, whose is better? They both feel so wonderful!"

Princess Shushen, much like countless readers of *Dream of the Red Chamber* in later generations, began to mutter to herself, pondering whose poem was superior. Hongli merely smiled, took a sip of tea, and picked up a piece of fresh chestnut cake steamed with osmanthus sugar from a silk-lined box, chewing it slowly.

"Keep telling the story!" Princess Shushen suddenly urged.

After swallowing his food, Hongli replied, "Imperial Sister, let's continue another time. That gentleman only sent me this small amount of manuscript recently."

"Can't you urge him to update faster? Just tell him that you’ve been waiting so eagerly you can’t sleep!"

"Tell him that as long as he writes quickly, you will reward him handsomely."

"If that fails, send him a blade! Let him know that if he doesn't behave, his head might not stay on his shoulders!" Princess Shushen stood up excitedly.

Hongli said, "Imperial Sister, don't be so agitated! Fine work takes time; this isn't something that can be rushed or coerced."

In truth, Hongli had no intention of finishing the story in one go. He intended to keep the princess acting in his favor, and if he didn't dole out *Dream of the Red Chamber* in portions, he feared he might be the one being manipulated by her instead. Princess Shushen looked crestfallen, and shortly thereafter, Hongli took his leave.

***

No sooner had he left than he was summoned by the Kangxi Emperor.

The Emperor wanted him to review several memorials impeaching Hongchun. This forced Hongli to acknowledge that the Qing court was like a sieve; no sooner had Hongchun been placed under house arrest than officials began clamoring to impeach him for his various misdeeds. Of course, as the eldest son of the Fourteenth Prince, Hongchun was a natural political rival to other princes and nobles involved in the succession struggle. The rumors reaching these officials clearly originated from Hongchun’s political enemies, and the impeachments were undoubtedly orchestrated by them as well.

"How do you think we should deal with your cousin?" Kangxi asked after Hongli finished reading the memorials.

Hongli knew the Emperor was testing his attitude toward his own kinsmen. Recalling how Kangxi spoke of Hongchun, his previous criticisms of him, and the handling of the former Crown Prince Yinzhi, the Thirteenth Prince Yinzhi, and the First Prince Yinzhi, Hongli realized that while Kangxi possessed an extreme desire for control and a profound fear of being usurped, he lacked the heart to kill his own sons or grandsons. In this, Kangxi was much like Zhu Yuanzhang; no matter how egregious his descendants' actions, he could never bring himself to execute them—house arrest and stern rebukes were the harshest measures he would take.

"Grandson feels that, in any case, it is not my place to comment on the handling of Cousin Hongchun," Hongli replied. "But since the Imperial Grandfather asks, I must answer. In my humble opinion, Cousin Hongchun’s faults may stem from the fact that the Fourteenth Uncle has been leading troops abroad for years and was unable to discipline him properly."

"Furthermore, the *hahajuzi* (attendants) around him likely failed in their duties as servants, intentionally inciting him and leading him astray. Therefore, rather than punishing him personally, it would be better to severely punish the attendants around him. After Cousin Hongchun has been confined for a time to reflect, let him out, Imperial Grandfather! I believe the Fourteenth Uncle will discipline him well then."

By suggesting that only the attendants be punished while showing leniency toward Hongchun, Hongli signaled to Kangxi that he valued family bonds and would not be overly ruthless toward his kin should he ascend the throne. Although this was somewhat unjust to the attendants—who, being mere servants, could hardly restrain their masters—it was not entirely unmerited. Having enjoyed the privileges that came with being in Hongchun’s inner circle, they were not truly innocent.

For Hongli, while he knew it was impossible to do much to Hongchun while Kangxi was on the throne, it was a victory to prune away his wings. He knew that emperors who were reluctant to strike at their own blood were often willing to punish those around them. Just as Zhu Yuanzhang, when his sons erred, would punish their court officials or, in the case of his nephew Li Wenzhong, execute the scholars surrounding him rather than punishing the nephew himself.

Hongli’s words struck a chord with Kangxi, who was visibly satisfied.

"Hengchen!" Kangxi called for Zhang Tingyu.

Zhang Tingyu bowed immediately: "I am here!"

"Draft an edict: Hongchun is to be confined for three months and ordered to reflect deeply at the Imperial Clan Court. As for the *hahajuzi* around him, they have slandered and misled their master; their crimes are unforgivable. Exile them all to Ningguta to serve as slaves to the armored soldiers! Once Hongchun is released, the Imperial Clan Court shall select new attendants for him," Kangxi commanded.

"I obey the edict!"

Kangxi then smiled and took Hongli’s arm, saying, "It is rare for you to have such a heart for your kinsmen while still maintaining a firm hand. Hongchun, as your elder brother, should learn from you!"

Hongli merely smiled, his expression calm and natural.

Time flew by, and soon it was the ninth month of the sixty-first year of the Kangxi reign. As the saying goes, the spring cold is lingering, and the autumn heat is intense. Since the start of autumn, Kangxi's chronic ailments—what later generations would recognize as hypertension and hyperglycemia—had begun to worsen.

It was during this time that Kangxi suddenly issued an edict allowing Hongli to return to the Prince Yong's mansion, claiming he no longer needed to be raised personally by the Emperor. At the same time, Kangxi appointed Tuli Chen as the commander of the city garrison and dismissed Ede, citing Ede’s abuse of power for personal vendettas and his sowing of discord.

Many outsiders were puzzled by these sudden moves, but Hongli understood the deeper meaning and felt no anger—indeed, he was quite delighted. He knew that Tuli Chen had become his mentor. By doing this, Kangxi was effectively placing a newly established mobile force in the capital under the control of his trusted subordinate, which in reality meant handing them to Hongli. This made Hongli even more certain that Kangxi truly intended to pass the throne to the Fourth Prince.