Save the Bachelor of Heaven

For the next period of time, the relationship between Su Qinglian and Xiangyun was quite good.

Su Qinglian is talented, she knows everything from piano, chess, calligraphy and painting to poetry and poetry; Xiangyun is also a talented woman, especially in the fields of calligraphy, painting and poetry appreciation.

Therefore, the two can be said to be sympathetic to each other, and they soon became like one person after seeing each other.

After Xiangyun and Xiangyun accepted Su Qinglian, they found an auspicious day and accepted Su Qinglian as a concubine.

This also made He Shen quite jealous.

During this tour to the south, Xiang Nan was promoted to two ranks in a row, he was promoted to be a bachelor of the Imperial Academy, and he was promoted to be a minister of the Ministry of Rites.

In comparison, he only rewarded with double-eyed feathers, which was far behind Xiang Nan.

"Congratulations to Mr. Ji, congratulations to Mr. Ji, the joy of being admitted to the imperial examination is so enviable." He Shen cupped his hands and smiled.

"Why are you talking sourly with adults?" Xiang Nan asked with a smile when he heard it.

"To be honest, Mr. Ji, I do have pantothenic acid. But I know that there are people who are more sour than me." He Shen smiled, "Do you know who this person is?"

"You and your lord don't have to be secretive. During the trip to Hangzhou, it was just you, me, and the one who met Qing Lian." Xiang Nan pointed to the sky and said, "You want to say that pantothenic acid is him, right?"

He Shen was taken aback for a moment, and then asked, "Since Mr. Ji knows, why doesn't he back down? You still want to fight with that one? Are you not afraid of offending him?"

He originally thought that Xiang Nan didn't know that the emperor was also tempted by Su Qinglian.

"Not afraid." Xiang Nan waved his hand and said, "He Shen, I'm not like you. You want to be a powerful minister, and power is more important than anything else in your eyes.

So in order to please the emperor, you flatter, flatter, flatter, and even the woman you like, you can present to the emperor.

And I want nothing. I didn't want to be a high official, nor did I want to make a lot of money. I don't need others to respect me or be afraid of me. So I don't have to deliberately please anyone, and I live relatively freely.

Qing Lian is the woman I like, so I want it, I can't afford to use her in exchange for fame and fortune. And my lord, isn't it good to be a free and easy person like me? "

He Shen pursed his mouth and was speechless.

...

Two months later, Shang Rong, governor of Zhili, asked for an order to build a garden for the emperor's leisure and summer use.

As soon as the memorial was published, the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Rites and other ministries immediately followed and seconded the proposal one after another.

He Shen was even more supportive, "Your Majesty, you have a lot of time to manage and work hard for state affairs every day. It is really hard. You should build a garden for your entertainment."

Hearing what they said, Qianlong was delighted in his heart.

He calls himself a perfect old man, thinks highly of himself, and wants the best in everything.

Naturally, the garden also wants to be magnificent and extremely gorgeous. In this way, not only can you enjoy the prosperity of the garden, the beauty of lakes and mountains, but also the envy of future generations.

However, he also knows that building a garden costs money, and it costs a lot of money.

If it is for one's own selfishness, large-scale construction and public funds are wasted, and it will not sound good if it is not spread.

Therefore, he looked at Xiang Nan, "Ji Xiaolan, what do you think?"

"My majesty, I entered the Qing Dynasty, established Yanjing as my capital, and inherited the Forbidden City. Since then, the royal buildings have been dominated by gardens." Xiang Nan bowed and said, "Since Lord Shunzhi, there has been a quiet and suitable building. Garden, Jingming Garden, Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace, Changchun Garden, Xichun Garden, Mirror Spring Garden... large and small, there are more than 90 royal gardens.

From Haidian to Xiangshan, it stretches for more than 20 miles, and it is magnificent. In my opinion, Qin Shihuang's Efang Palace is no more than this. The construction costs of all previous gardens are very high, and the construction of Changchun Garden alone cost 110,000 taels of silver.

And the repair and maintenance costs over the years are as high as one million, which is really a big burden. Therefore, in Yichen's opinion, it doesn't matter if the new garden is not repaired. "

When Qianlong heard this, his expression sank.

...

"Your Majesty, Mr. Ji is worried about building gardens and spending public funds. He is also kind." He Shen smiled, "I have an idea that can resolve this problem."

"Oh, tell me." Qianlong asked quickly after hearing this.

"Your majesty cares about the world and works hard for state affairs. Building gardens to entertain you is also for the benefit of the Qing Dynasty and the common people.

Therefore, every citizen of the Qing Dynasty should make a contribution. The minister suggested that the money for building gardens should be donated throughout the country. The minister took the lead and pledged five thousand taels. "He Shen said immediately.

"Good job with adults!"

"That's exactly right with my lord!"

"My lord He is really loyal to the emperor and patriotic!"

When He Shen said something, all the officials immediately agreed with each other loudly.

"Your Majesty, I do not agree with Mr. He's proposal. Although Mr. He said it was a donation, when the order is passed down, it is very likely to be misinterpreted as apportionment.

The officials below cleverly set up a name to collect all kinds of exorbitant taxes, and the people of Li have long been unbearable. Now that the garden fee is added, the common people will be even more burdened, and it is difficult to support it. Xiang Nan immediately said again.

"Master Ji, the emperor is the emperor of the world. The emperor worries about the affairs of the country and takes care of everything. It is very hard. For the sake of the emperor, can't the people of my Qing Dynasty donate even a little money?

If they are not even willing to pay this little money, how can they be regarded as loyal to the emperor and patriotic? "He Shen retorted.

"Your Majesty is really nice and knows how to label you. In this case, the emperor, I suggest that all officials in the Qing Dynasty donate all their family property for the emperor to build gardens." Xiang Nan bowed and said, "Eating the emperor's salary is a matter of loyalty. The official's If the family property comes from the emperor, then it will be dedicated to the emperor to relieve the emperor's worries. If it is not dedicated, it will be disloyal and unfilial.

The minister took the lead and gave all his property. The emperor can send Ouchi guards to the minister's house to search the house today. "

Xiang Nan's words immediately excited all the officials.

Xiang Nan is an upright official with little property. Unlike them, they all hugged a lot. They are reluctant to donate their family property.

Besides, there are only six people in the thatched cottage, and the annual cost is only thirty or forty taels of silver.

But all of them have big families and great careers, as few as dozens of people, as many as hundreds of people. If all the family property is offered up, will this big family drink the northwest wind?

"That's enough, Ji Xiaolan, stop messing around." Qianlong shouted, no matter how much he wanted to repair the garden, he couldn't do it by copying the houses of hundreds of officials. Otherwise, no one would dare to be an official. Who would he rely on to manage the world, and who would listen to what he said?

"Let's talk about repairing the garden, Sanchao!" Qianlong waved his hand immediately.

...

"Ji Xiaolan, you are presumptuous, you deceive the emperor, you have no eyes for the emperor. What's wrong with the emperor's garden, you block it from left to right? It's not your money?" He Shen argued.

"And my lord, the world is so big, where there is no disaster, where is there no difficulty? The treasury only has so little money, don't save more to deal with disasters, what will you do if something happens?" Xiang Nan rolled his eyes at him and said, "If you really care about the emperor, If you want him to have fun, that’s fine, you pay for it yourself. You and your lord’s property must be donated, and ten summer manors may be enough to build it.”

"You're talking nonsense!" He Shen was taken aback and quickly denied it.