20demayo Chapter 156 The world is so big, why don't you want to go and see it?
Chapter 156 The world is so big, why don't you want to go and see it?
Yes, he is the Crown Prince, so he is destined to be distrusted by you and not trusted by you. As for me... well, why think about these things? This is not something I should worry about. Since I have already suffered this, you must give me the person I want.
"Father, are you still angry with your son?"
Angry? Angry about what? Yinzhuo's fainting spell earlier had terrified Kangxi, so how could he be angry with him now? But Kangxi knew Yinzhuo well enough to know that his question was definitely not just about whether he was still angry. After a moment's thought, he decided it was best to remain silent for now.
Yinzhuo waited for a while but didn't get a reply from his father. He peeked towards Kangxi's direction and thought, "Something's not right. He doesn't look angry. Why isn't he saying anything? Could it be... that he already knows what I'm going to do?"
"Father, you can't be that petty, can you? What I did before was wrong, but you've already cracked my head open, what more do you want? How about this, I'll sing you a little song, and if you're happy, you'll forgive me this time, okay?"
Kangxi originally only intended to put Yinzhuo out of the loop and see what the boy would do if he didn't respond. He never expected to receive such an unexpected surprise.
"Alright, but we have to make this clear beforehand: if your little tune doesn't satisfy me, I won't let you off easily..."
Yinzhu was very confident in his upcoming performance. He refused to believe that if even his father, an old relic from hundreds of years ago, couldn't handle his song, he would accept the punishment.
"Of course, Father, please sit down. Come on, son is about to start singing... Ah, there's only one father in the world, a child with a father is like a treasure, nestled in a father's embrace, happiness is boundless..."
How did Emperor Kangxi react to Yinzhuo's little tune? Let me put it this way, I don't know if any of you have heard this lyric, but how does it go again? Right, so exciting, I feel like I've reached the climax of life, I feel like I've reached the pinnacle of life…
"Hahahaha, Yinzhuo, your little tune is quite good. Your father is very satisfied. Since that's the case, I will spare you this time."
If Yinzhuo had a tail, he'd be wagging it high right now. He's telling me, his little tune is extraordinary. As soon as he starts singing, he'll definitely be able to win over his father.
Yinzhuo sat quietly on the bed, watching Kangxi revel in his moment of triumph without showing any sign of calming down. He got up, walked to the table, tested the temperature of the teapot, picked up a cup, poured a cup of tea, and brought it to his father.
"Father, since you are satisfied, could you grant my request and hand over Dai Zi to me? I promise you I will keep an eye on him and only let him work in the Ministry of Works researching and manufacturing weapons. I will never let him go out and contact any other people he shouldn't."
Upon hearing this, Kangxi did not say whether he agreed or not. He simply took the teacup from Yinzhuo, brought it to his lips, took a sip, pondered for a while, and then put down the teacup, gesturing for Yinzhuo to return to the bed.
"Yinzuo, there's something I've always been curious about. You don't seem to pay much attention to matters of state or military affairs, so why are you so insistent on asking me for Dai Zi this time, even willing to give up your comfortable life for him? I admit that Dai Zi is indeed quite talented in firearms manufacturing, but are firearms really that important?"
Are firearms really that important? Yinzhuo's answer was definitely yes. A century later, the Qing Dynasty was forced open by foreigners using firearms they looked down upon. The subsequent century of darkness and the immense sacrifices made by countless Chinese people before the dawn of a new era were all too painful. Isn't this bloody lesson enough to prove the importance of firearms? Therefore, Yinzhuo's answer at this moment was resolute.
"Of course it's important. If we fall behind, we'll be attacked. We may not use firearms, but we can't be without them. I think it's always best to keep the initiative in our own hands, Father. What do you think?"
What does Kangxi think? Kangxi thought his son was right, but he was still a little uneasy about appointing Dai Zi. He frowned and thought silently for a long time before looking up at Yinzhuo and asking.
"If I hand Dai Zi over to you, how can you guarantee that the weapons he makes will not become the root of disaster that overthrows my Great Qing? I know that firearms are extremely powerful, but it is precisely because I know this that I have tried my best to curb them. Do you know that if such powerful weapons fall into the hands of those Han people, it will be a catastrophic disaster for my Great Qing?"
Well, in the end, it all comes down to your own narrow-mindedness. Although China is a vast country with abundant resources, it is still just a small part of the world. People say the world is so big, why don't you think about going out and seeing it?
Manchus and Han Chinese are all subjects of the Qing Dynasty now. You are biased and cannot treat them equally, yet you are always afraid that they will rebel against you. Since you have such a shameless double standard, then you have already met the basic conditions for expanding your territory. Now let's focus on developing firearms and strive to take over the small country across the sea as soon as possible. I believe that with your thick skin, you will be able to find a good reason to give us a legitimate reason to fight.
"Father, don't worry. As long as you hand Dai Zi over to me, I will definitely keep an eye on him. At worst, I can lock his whole family up in the Ministry of Works and feed them well. If you don't trust your son, why don't you personally assign someone to watch over him? Ninth and Tenth Princes are both free now, so why don't you hand them over to me as well? With the three of us watching over one person, how can he possibly pull any tricks under our noses?"
Emperor Kangxi was almost driven crazy by Yinzhuo's scheming. He knew exactly what Yinzhuo was thinking. Taking the Ninth and Tenth Princes over would just make them run errands and do hard labor for him.
"Hmph, your plan is quite good. Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince, you won't have an easy time after they go to the Ministry of Works. They'll be the ones to take the lead when things go wrong, so you can shirk your responsibilities and have it easy, right? But I haven't really thought of any jobs to give them yet. Having them follow you around isn't a bad idea..."
Yinzhuo was indeed calculating in his mind. You see, although the historical Yintang was so vicious that he was called the "poisonous snake nine," he was indeed talented in business. If he could get his hands on him, wouldn't that be a sure way to grab a money bag? As for the tenth prince, he was by no means a fool. He was open-minded, insightful, and had a sharp mind. Asking him to keep an eye on Dai Zi shouldn't be a big problem.