webnovelfull Chapter 187: Step by Step, Yin Zhen 1
Chapter 187: Step by Step, Yin Zhen 1
Feng Xi closed her eyes and began to absorb the memories of this world. Soon, she discovered a startling truth—this world actually had time travelers! And this world was none other than the novel "Startling by Each Step." In this work, a modern woman named Zhang Xiao travels back to the forty-third year of Emperor Kangxi's reign and becomes a Manchu bondservant named Maertai Ruoxi. She develops complex emotional entanglements with the Eighth, Fourth, and Fourteenth Princes. She also witnesses the brutal struggle among the nine princes for the throne, deeply experiencing the ruthlessness and indifference of the imperial family.
The body Feng Xi currently occupies is named Hesheli Feng Xi, the youngest legitimate daughter of the Hesheli family, at only thirteen years old. According to the information provided by the system, her mission in this world is to change the fate of the Fourteenth Prince and free him from imprisonment.
Feng Xi's eyes widened as she asked the system in disbelief, "System, are you kidding?" The system calmly replied, "I'm not kidding."
Feng Xi took a deep breath and sighed, "A world where imperial power reigns supreme is truly unimaginable, but there's no need to be afraid. People will always find a way..." So, she decided to go find her grandfather, Suo Etu. After all, in this era, Suo Etu was one of the most powerful officials in the court, and his influence could not be underestimated.
Suo Etu: "Feng girl, what do you want to talk to Grandpa about?"
Feng Xi waved her hand and sent the servant away, saying, "Grandpa, do you think it's too big of a position for the Crown Prince to sit in?"
Suo Etu was horrified. He had never expected his granddaughter to say such a thing. He widened his eyes, glared at Feng Xi, and shouted, "How dare you say such a thing? Do you know what this means? Do you want all of our Hesheli clan to be confiscated and exiled because of your words?"
Feng Xi was not intimidated by Suo Etu's anger. She calmly took out a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to Suo Etu. "Grandpa, please take a look at this first."
Soetu took the paper and unfolded it. It was covered with dense writing. After reading it carefully, a look of surprise appeared on his face. It turned out that the paper contained a prescription for treating smallpox. If this prescription was truly effective, the Hesheli clan would gain even more glory and benefits.
However, when Suo Etu saw the rest of the text, his expression suddenly darkened. He raised his head, stared at Feng Xi, and asked, "Girl, did you write all this yourself? Where did you get this information?"
Feng Xi smiled slightly and said softly, "Grandpa, I know you are worried about the future of our family, but I also hope you can understand my thoughts. I don't want to see the Hesheli clan decline like this, so I have been looking for opportunities to change the status quo. This smallpox treatment recipe is a breakthrough I found. As long as we can successfully develop this medicine, we can save countless lives and at the same time enhance the status of our Hesheli clan. However, achieving this goal is not easy, and we need to pay a lot of effort and cost."
Feng Xi personally poured a cup of tea for Suo Etu and said earnestly, "Grandpa Fangzi, you can definitely send someone to verify whether this prescription is truly effective. If it can be proven to cure smallpox, then perhaps the guilt borne by the Hesheli family can be alleviated. However, Grandpa, you must also realize the seriousness of the problem. Now is the time to clean up the internal garbage. Regardless of whether my cousin can ascend to the throne, once he succeeds, the outcome of the Hesheli family will not be optimistic. Therefore, while there is still a chance, we must act decisively."
After thinking for a moment, Suo Etu asked, "Girl, then according to your opinion, how should Grandpa act?"
Feng Xi took a sip of tea and said slowly, "First, the authenticity and effectiveness of the smallpox prescription should be verified as soon as possible. Secondly, Grandpa, you must demonstrate a righteous, impartial and selfless attitude, take the initiative to report to the court and purge the bad elements in the family. Although doing so may cause you to lose your official position, at least you can ensure your life is safe. Although the Hesheli family is no longer as glorious as it used to be, Grandpa, don't worry, as long as the prescription is there, we can ensure that the glory of the Hesheli family will not disappear."
Upon hearing this, Suo'etu immediately dispatched a trusted aide to verify the prescription and began drafting a letter of apology, begging for a lighter sentence. He knew the weight of this incident was immense; any misstep could implicate the Crown Prince. Feng Xi was right: if there's green hills, there's no need to worry about running out of firewood. Only by overcoming the current crisis can we plan for future development.
Two weeks later, after numerous trials, they finally achieved success. Overjoyed, Suo'etu presented his findings and a letter of apology to the imperial court. Meanwhile, Feng Xi dispatched servants to search for new species near the foreign church, where they unexpectedly discovered tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and potatoes. She immediately ordered them to be planted at the farm in the suburbs, and she personally visited every few days to check on their progress. Gazing at the lush green sweet potato vines, Feng Xi felt a surge of joy, anticipating the bountiful harvest in three months' time.
In the early morning, Kangxi sat on the dragon throne in the court. The eunuch Li Dequan beside him shouted loudly: "If you have something to say, please stand up and report. If not, please leave the court."
Suo Etu knelt hurriedly and said respectfully, "I have something to report." He presented the memorial with both hands. Kangxi took it and unfolded it, discovering that it contained a prescription for preventing smallpox. He asked doubtfully, "My dear, is this true?"
Soetu stood respectfully in the court, reporting his findings to Emperor Kangxi: "Your Majesty, I have already conducted experiments on the farm and planted them myself." Upon hearing this, Emperor Kangxi's face lit up with joy, and he said happily: "Excellent! Soetu, you have performed a great service. Tell me, what reward do you want? I will grant it to you..." Soetu wiped the sweat from his forehead and presented another memorial. Emperor Kangxi opened it and his face suddenly turned gloomy.
Soetu quickly kowtowed and apologized, "Your Majesty, please forgive me..." Mingzhu, standing by, was deeply curious, wondering what exactly was in that memorial that had so frightened Soetu and angered the emperor. Emperor Kangxi pondered for a moment, then spoke: "I hereby order that the guilty members of the Hesheli clan on the list be spared the death penalty, but must remain alive. They will all be exiled to Ningguta. In recognition of Soetu's meritorious service in presenting the smallpox cure, he is hereby demoted to the rank of second-class duke, while retaining his position as Councillor... Court dismissed!" Relieved, Soetu wiped the sweat from his brow, thankful to have finally escaped this ordeal. He stood shakily and, with heavy steps, slowly walked home.
Mingzhu stopped him and said, "You old fellow are so cruel, cutting off your tail to survive." Soetu looked back at Mingzhu, who had been fighting with him all his life, and sighed, "People like us have enjoyed the pleasure brought by power, so how can we be willing to let it go? It's just that the situation is clear now, and we can only go with the flow. You'd better go back and deal with those messy things at home. It's not scary to lose power, as long as you have the green mountains, you will not be afraid of running out of firewood! Old friend." After that, he turned and left, leaving Mingzhu standing there, looking at his back and thinking deeply.
Mingzhu knew that their success wasn't solely due to the women's struggles in the harem; more importantly, it was their wisdom, strategy, and keen insight into the situation. Now that Suo Etu had made his decision, it was time for him to act.
Soon after, Kangxi received evidence of the Mingzhu Party's crimes. Furious, he immediately dismissed Mingzhu from his post and ordered him to retire at home. The other members of the Mingzhu Party were also dismissed and investigated, but Kangxi, considering their past achievements, decided to give them lenient sentences.
In the 44th year of the Kangxi Emperor's reign, the Emperor ordered a selection of young women, and Hesheli Fengxi was among the candidates. It was impossible for women from her family to be rejected; they would either enter the imperial court or become imperial concubines. After a year of experimentation and refinement, Fengxi summoned Suo'etu and had him present these high-yield crops to Kangxi. Delighted by the results, Kangxi decreed that Suo'etu's title of First Duke be restored, and summoned Hesheli Fengxi to ask what reward she desired.
In the Yangxin Palace, the waiter bowed to Kangxi and said, "May the emperor be well!"
Kangxi said, "Hesheli Gege is indeed beautiful and intelligent... Tell me how you would like me to reward you."
Feng Xi knelt down and said, "I fell in love with the Fourteenth Prince at first sight, and would like to ask the emperor to grant my wish!" Kangxi looked at the woman kneeling in front of him and said, "I agree!" So he sent Li Dequan to convey the imperial edict.