Chapter Thirty-Nine: A Surprise Just Like Li Yunlong's

Upon returning to the Prince Yong residence, Hongli resumed his studies at the estate school. Consequently, he found himself in the daily company of Hongzhou once more. Hongzhou, naturally, was overjoyed. However, this also meant he had to encounter Hongshi every single day. Hongshi, for his part, was far from happy; he grew increasingly cold, with a hint of resentment lingering in his eyes whenever he looked at Hongli. Hongli remained indifferent to this, maintaining only the surface-level politeness expected of a younger brother toward an elder. Hongshi reciprocated in kind, keeping up the facade of brotherly affection.

During this period, Hongli followed his father Yinzhen’s lead, keeping a low profile. Yinzhen lived in seclusion, praying day and night for the Kangxi Emperor, hoping that the heavens would grant him a swift recovery. Hongli, when not occupied with his studies, spent his days transcribing Buddhist scriptures, intending to use this act of devotion to move the Bodhisattvas to heal the Emperor. When Yinzhen was at home, Hongli would proactively borrow scriptures from him and ask his father to oversee his sincerity in copying them. Yinzhen was deeply moved by this, sometimes even taking Hongli with him to temples to burn incense and offer prayers.

Amidst these acts of piety, Hongli learned from Yinzhen that the arrangement of his assigned Zuo-ling (companies) had been finalized and approved by imperial decree. Hongli felt a keen sense of anticipation, wondering exactly which three companies had been bestowed upon him.

One day, while Hongli was at home transcribing scriptures, a decree was delivered by the Grand Secretariat: "By Imperial Order, upon the recommendation of Abulan, Commander of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner; Luoderjin, Commander of the Mongol Bordered Blue Banner; and Tangsetide, Commander of the Han-martial Bordered Blue Banner: Beizi Hongli is hereby granted the 10th Company of the 2nd Regiment of the Manchu Bordered Blue Banner, the 7th Company of the 5th Regiment of the Mongol Bordered Blue Banner, and the 3rd Company of the 9th Regiment of the Han-martial Bordered Blue Banner. Respect this!"

"Your grandson receives the decree and offers his thanks!"

After receiving the order, Hongli immediately sent Suihede to the Ministry of Revenue’s Eight Banners Department to investigate the specifics of these three companies. To Hongli’s pleasant surprise, he discovered that the hereditary captain of the Manchu company was none other than Ortai. Although Ortai was currently merely a sub-director in the Imperial Household Department and had remained stagnant in his career for years, Hongli knew that this man was a renowned statesman in history, best remembered for his instrumental role in implementing the policy of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials.

"Your servant, Ortai, pays his respects to his Master!"

The following day, Ortai, acting with great propriety, did not show any disrespect despite Hongli being a young master of only ten or so years of age. Upon learning that his new master was Hongli, he came to pay a formal visit. As a subordinate within Hongli’s banner, this visit was entirely legitimate and not a matter of forming illicit factions. After Ortai performed his salutations, Hongli gestured for him to rise and said, "That is enough."

Ortai thanked him and stood up, yet he kept his head bowed, waiting for instructions. According to the Eight Banners system, Hongli was his legal master. Unless the Emperor ordered a change in his banner affiliation, Hongli held absolute authority over him—he could have Ortai executed, dictate the marriages of his children, demand his service, or even seize his property—and the Emperor would not directly intervene. Thus, even though Ortai held a lucrative position in the Imperial Household Department, he had to tread carefully in front of Hongli.

Hongli spoke to him then: "You are currently serving in the Imperial Household Department. By all accounts, that is a position with ample opportunities for profit. There is a saying that one would rather be a minor official in the Imperial Household than a vice-minister in the Six Ministries. To protect such a post, the priority should be to curry favor with those in power, not to rush to see a young master like me. Why did you come to see me without waiting for my summons?"

Ortai glanced at Hongli in surprise before cupping his hands and replying, "My Master is truly extraordinary for one so young; you understand the workings of officialdom well. However, this servant knows that adhering to protocol is more important. Since you have become my new master, it is only right that I come to pay my respects immediately."

"Is that all?" Hongli asked with a smile. "You don't intend to just sit in the Imperial Household Department and line your pockets?"

Ortai looked up, stunned once more, then bowed deeply to the ground: "My Master is wise. This servant indeed wishes to improve himself! The Imperial Household Department may be lucrative, but it is ultimately a place for 'fat rats' seeking comfort. This servant has been blessed by the state for generations; how could I be content to act as a mere parasite and disregard the great principles of loyalty to the sovereign?"

Hongli nodded, then asked, "Then why did you not advance before? Was it a lack of funds to grease the wheels, or were you unwilling to lower yourself?"

"Reporting to Master, it is because I did not wish to betray my former master by joining the Eighth Prince's faction," Ortai replied.

"Who was your previous master?" Hongli asked.

"It was the First Prince," Ortai answered.

Hongli was not surprised. After the First Prince, Yinzhi, had been stripped of his titles and imprisoned, his banner divisions were naturally broken up and redistributed. It made sense that the Manchu company granted to him had been carved out of the First Prince’s original holdings. He simply had not expected that the company under Ortai's hereditary management would be the one assigned to him. As a former servant of the First Prince, Ortai’s refusal to defect to the Eighth Prince’s faction despite his master's downfall explained why his career had stalled. Now that his allegiance had been legally transferred to Hongli, his proactive approach suggested that he had long been looking for a new pillar of support. Yet, even in his eagerness, he had refused to break protocol or actively seek a new patron, waiting instead for the court’s official assignment. Only in this way could he maintain his integrity and claim that he was simply following imperial decree, avoiding any charge of disloyalty.

"What is the current status of your company in terms of population, land, livestock, and wealth?" Hongli asked. Because Yinzhen had been handling the arrangements while living in seclusion, he had not provided details on the specific assets of these companies. Hongli was now inquiring directly to understand the resources—human, material, and financial—that were now at his disposal.

"Reporting to Master, the company I manage has 736 registered adult males, 653 dependents, 345 qing of land..."

Hongli’s eyes widened. He knew that under the Qing dynasty, companies often concealed the true number of their population and land from the court to avoid taxes. Even so, he had not expected Ortai’s company to be so substantial. On official records, a single company usually boasted only about 300 men. Ortai’s company was essentially the size of two or three, a reinforced unit.

"This is the 'white register' containing the true figures for the population, land, and finances," Ortai said, handing over a document. The 'white register' was an internal ledger used for management, distinct from the official reports submitted to the government, and it reflected the true conditions of the holdings.

Hongli took it and examined it carefully. As he read on, he sighed inwardly, realizing that Ortai was a talent capable of expanding frontiers and developing economies. He had truly found a treasure. Yinzhen had indeed selected an excellent company for him. It gave Hongli a sense of unexpected joy—like someone who thought they had the strength of a single platoon, only to realize they actually commanded a full division.