My father-in-law is Kangxi

Chapter 1856: Family Land

Dutongfu, the principal wife.

Seeing Qi Xi coming back exhausted, Jueluo stood up and told the maid to bring water and help Qi Xi wash and dress.

Qi Xi simply washed up, then sat down and gulped down a cup of warm tea.

"Ugh……"

Seeing that he looked exhausted, Jueluo couldn't help but sigh.

Obviously, as an elder, he should not bow down to the younger ones, but for the sake of the false reputation of the clan leader, he had to take a step back.

Qi Xi shook his head and said, "It's okay. This is the first year. I'm not used to the longevity increase. It will be fine once I get used to it..."

Jueluo sighed and said, "There is no distinction between public and private property. Will this happen every year in the future?!"

Even if Zhu Liang went there, it was useless. It was necessary for the cousin Qi Xi to go there in person to pay out the money.

Qi Xi said: "No matter what he thinks, we are not greedy for this share anyway, so we should hold on to it tightly. There is no benefit in being associated with silver, and we don't want to be suspected of this."

It is understandable that the government treated the clan land as private property.

There was no public property originally, that was originally the private property of the fourth room.

As for the ancestor's property, it was almost divided among his sons.

It was just that the fourth branch became the main branch, inherited the bulk of the family property, became the head of the family, took care of the other branches, and also took out a lot of private property as clan land.

That's why Qi Xi said he was not greedy for this public property.

If it were him who was living longer, he wouldn't be angry either.

Who would have thought that the patriarch would transfer his wife to another house out of the blue?
The couple looked at each other, feeling helpless.

They lead a quiet life and have a daughter and son-in-law to support them, so they don't care about the trivial matters of the clan.

However, the power of heaven is unpredictable and the emperor's orders are hard to disobey. As subjects, they have no choice but to obey orders.

Zengshou didn't know who had instigated him, but he started competing with Qi Xi over money during the New Year holidays.

But is this worthwhile?
Their fifth branch has not split up for three generations, has no side branches or concubines, and does not need any support from the clan.

Those who need help are the illegitimate children from other branches.

This year, during the Chinese New Year, not only was there a lot of complaints, but there were also a lot of grumbles.

Are these complaints directed at Qi Xi, or will they fall on Zengshou?

Everyone knows that Qi Xi, the acting clan leader, was appointed by the emperor himself.

The patriarch of Zengshou was also dismissed by the emperor himself.

Who dares to say that the emperor is wrong?
The emperor is right, and the selection of the new patriarch is also correct.

The only thing that is wrong is to increase your lifespan.

Bullying the weak and fearing the strong is nothing more than this.

These people are also the ones who are insatiable.

I have been receiving care and subsidies from the government for decades, all for free. Now with a one-year delay, the gratitude is gone and only complaints are left.

It was only because Zengshou was a duke and had many brothers and nephews. Otherwise, even without outsiders, the clan members would have taken the lead in adding insult to injury.

If it were up to the Jueluo family's temper, and the mansion refused to give it, then they would just drag it out. After all, they are not in a hurry.

It was the emperor's order to let Qi Xi take charge of the Dong'e clan.

Zengshou did not dare to disobey the order and could only secretly make things difficult for his cousin Qi Xi, which was also extremely stupid.

If this matter is brought to the attention of the Emperor, will he end up well?
Qi Xi, however, did not confront Zengshou head-on.

If that were the case, it would seem as if he was in the wrong and was thinking about the family property, which would make him look ugly.

It was delayed until the New Year's Eve. Zhu Liang went to the mansion twice but still hadn't paid any money, so Qi Xi went there in person.

No matter what, the money has been spent, so let Zhuliang deliver it to each household tomorrow.

Qi Xi said: "What kind of people are these damned people? Who do I think they are? When my father passed away, my elder brother and I were still young. If it weren't for my cousin's protection, who knows what would have happened..."

There were reasons why Qi Xi was not close to his clansmen in the past, but after all, several decades had passed and the older generation had all died out, with only a few people of the same generation left, so the story was over.

Now, seeing those people flattering him and slandering and defaming the Duke's Mansion and Zengshou, he was reminded of his early years and could not get close to them.

Even if Zengshou couldn't get over it for the time being, Qi Xi still had a distinction between close and distant relatives in his heart.

"I really don't like soliciting these things. With this false title, they will be more and more worried about Shushu's help in the future talent shows."

The Jueluo clan also disliked those clan members and still remembered the turmoil during the selection forty years ago.

When it comes to his daughter, Qi Xi immediately becomes strict.

"Do you remember? There is an order of seniority, and the Third Lady is in the front. Whether they want to inquire or seek personal gain, they should go to the Third Lady."

Jueluo said, "Master, it's easy for you to think so. Is it so easy to enter the palace? I am acting as the clan leader here, so it is legitimate for me to come to you for help in big and small matters."

The clan leader's main concerns are nothing more than filling vacancies among his sons and arranging weddings and funerals.

Hearing this, Qi Xi regretted even more.

I shouldn’t have gone to the Imperial Court with Prince Kang and Zengshou at that time!

Who would have thought that the emperor would suddenly have the urge to interfere in the internal affairs of his subjects' families.

The emperor acted more and more as he pleased.

The titles of meritorious people can be terminated or abolished at any time.

Nowadays, even family affairs are decided by a single word.

There was a scandal in the clan, and Zengshou did fail to supervise properly, but after all, they were divided into different rooms, and it was not the affair of the family, so he should not have been implicated so seriously.

"I was thinking that the Emperor might have had an impulse after seeing me, and I was careless..."

Qi Xi was very upset when he talked to Jueluo.

Since his brother and cousin passed away one after another, there are only a few people of the older generation left, and Qi Xi has felt very conscious of being an elder.

He saw that the government was in a difficult situation, and thinking of the care and support his cousin had given him and his brothers in their early years, he wanted to repay him a little.

As for Galin, although he had a wild temper, he was sent out, so he would help the people in the second house if he could. That was why he followed Prince Kang and Zengshou to Haidian to see the emperor after the incident with the second princess.

Who would have thought that he wanted family harmony but ended up in his current situation.

If he had known this, he would have stayed at home and lived his own simple life.

Jueluo said: "Master, don't worry too much. Zengshou is not smart, but there are always smart people in the fourth room who will remind him..."

As he was speaking, the doorman came over to report that the master had arrived and was waiting to see him in the front living room.

Qi Xi glanced at his wife and said, "You woke up pretty quickly!"

Too many words will be lost.

Even if Qi Xi guessed Kangxi's intention, he could not say it out loud, otherwise it would bring hidden dangers to himself.

He didn't say anything in front of Zengshou, and when he went to get the silver this time, he just said that he couldn't delay any longer as he was afraid that the elders in the clan would make trouble.

He did not have extra money, so he followed the precedent of the government office in previous years and did not ask about the management of the clan property accounts.

Qi Xi arrived at the living room in the front yard and saw Zengshou frowning in deep thought.

Seeing someone coming, Zengshou quickly stood up, knelt down, and said, "Second uncle, my nephew is confused..."

Qi Xi hurriedly supported him and said, "We are blood relatives, why are you saying these things?"

Zengshou was filled with shame and said, "It was my nephew who was embarrassed. I was confused and lost my mind for a moment."

Qi Xi comforted him, "No one could have imagined this. You are also an innocent victim. However, you are young and it is time for you to serve the emperor well. You can be promoted to deputy governor and focus on your duties for the time being. After three years, if you are awarded outstanding results in the imperial examination, you can be promoted to governor."

Zengshou heard this and said with a wry smile: "The emperor doesn't like my nephew. I'm afraid I'll have to endure many years as the vice governor..."

Qi Xi quickly made a gesture to keep quiet.

Zengshou: “…”

Qi Xi changed the subject and said, "Don't think too much. I'm almost fifty years old. After three to five years, the emperor will forget what happened before and it will be over."

Zengshou was not so optimistic. He opened a box on the small table next to him and said, "Second Uncle, these are the deeds and account books of several clan properties..."

Qi Xi frowned and said, "What nonsense! How can there be any clan property? It is true that we Manchus live together as a clan, but the custom of dividing the family and property is different from that of the Han people. These so-called clan properties are all private property of the fourth branch."

"Second uncle..."

Zengshou didn't expect Qi Xi to say this, and almost shed tears, saying: "But my great-grandfather did inherit the hereditary position from my great-grandfather..."

Qi Xi said: "According to the order of Emperor Taizu, the family property of our ancestors was divided equally among the three sons of the princess. The fourth branch did not get anything more than the other branches except for the hereditary title. The title of Duke was awarded to your great-grandfather for his military merits in conquering Korea, Ming, and Chahar. It has nothing to do with other branches, and the same goes for the majority of the property..."

As for the first three families, they did not get any share of Duke Wenshun's property, but got the property of his biological mother, which was the family fortune before Duke Wenshun married the princess.

Zengshou's resentment was alleviated a lot after hearing Qi Xi's words.

It was also because my great-grandfather was kind-hearted and cared about his clan members that he set aside part of his private property as clan property to support his clan members.

The next two generations of lords were so kind and generous that the clan members had become accustomed to eating out from the rich and had forgotten the origin of the clan land.

After Qi Xi said this, he didn't want to be vague anymore.

He said, "The Han people outside are buying clan land, and they are like gathering small things to make a big fur coat and gathering small things to make a big hill. We can also try it in our clan."

Zengshou was puzzled and said, "Second Uncle..."

Qi Xi said: "I have already written to Galin, I think he will be happy to help with the affairs of the clan land."

As he said this, he pushed the box on the table back to Zengshou and said, "Purchasing new family land is also a way to preserve the family for a long time. It is also necessary to clearly distinguish between public and private..."

Zengshou was a little dazed and asked, "Second Uncle, can this still happen?"

Qi Xi said, "Why not? This is in accordance with the rules. According to the clan members' titles and ranks, they can donate voluntarily, with no limit on the amount. My title is neither high nor low, but there is a vacancy here, so I will donate 200 acres of land as clan land, and on behalf of Xiao Er and Xiao San, I will donate 50 acres each."

Zengshou immediately came up with an idea and said, "My nephew has benefited from the kindness of his father and grandfather and has been awarded the title of Duke. So...I will donate 300 acres of land to the clan?"

Qi Xi nodded and said, "This adds up to 600 acres. If we add Galin's land and some other clan members with titles and hereditary positions, it will be almost enough."

It is clearly written in the Great Qing Code that if descendants steal and sell ancestral property and charity land, they will be forced into exile if they have more than 50 mu, and they will also be punished for stealing and selling official land if they have less than 50 mu.

If the person who bought the land knew that it was a sacrificial property and still continued to buy and sell it, he would also be punished and the property would be returned to the clan.

This sacrificial land cannot be bought or sold, and it will not be confiscated even if the property is searched.

The Dong'e family really needs an ancestral inheritance now, to ensure that in case of any accident, their descendants will have money to study and get married.

As for Qi Xi giving up the three hundred acres of land, he did so willingly.

Who told them to have a prince as their son-in-law? Wealth and danger coexist, so it is better to be prepared.

As for Gongfu and Galin, they should also be taken.

These two companies are also at the center of the vortex, and they may capsize at any time.

The three families rely on one crown prince and two princes, but it is impossible for all three families to be successful in the end.

As the throne changes, it is common for the nobles to rise and fall...

After the Little New Year, the Prince's Mansion began to prepare New Year's dishes.

Originally, a lot of New Year dishes had to be prepared, and this year there are even more.

Even though the Ninth Prince said that brothers and sisters are not outsiders and don't need to treat each other as outsiders, we can't pretend not to know.

You should still thank me when I deserve it.

Shushu called Xiaotang and added a lot of New Year dishes and steamed buns in addition to the ones originally prepared in the mansion.

There are four kinds of rice cakes that suit the occasion, including red bean and glutinous rice rice cake, old yellow rice and red date rice cake, transparent starch carp and orange jam rice cake, and meat-stuffed rice cake.

There are also dumplings, wontons, buns, and steamed buns with various fillings.

There are also twenty or thirty kinds of fried food.

Steamed, braising or stewing, the air is filled with the aroma of food.

The food boxes were all prepared, and the Ninth Prince was sent out to run errands. On the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, he ran all day.

Needless to say, there is the palace, and then there are the brothers and sisters.

Although the Seventh Prince and the Tenth Prince did not settle their accounts, is it possible that these two families were left behind?
The portion for Prince Dun’s Mansion had already been prepared.

There is only one remaining palace, the Seventh Prince's Mansion, and the friendship between Shushu and the Seventh Lady.

After sending off the brothers, it would be hard to leave out the uncles and aunts.

Then Prince Yu’s Mansion and Prince Gong just sent a gift box of rice cakes as a token of their appreciation.

My uncles and aunts have sent it, but what about my cousins?
Prince Zhuang’s Mansion also received a copy.

There are also Prince Kang’s Mansion and Prince Jian’s Mansion, which are related to Shushu’s family.

The Ninth Prince had long wanted to go to his mother-in-law's house to give gifts. Now that all the clan members had given gifts, he could finally go to his mother-in-law's house.

The Ninth Prince had dinner on the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month at the Governor's Mansion.

Now that the prince and his son-in-law have arrived, a banquet has to be held at the Governor's Mansion.

Because of the presence of the new bride, Zhang, two seats were set up.

Jueluo took Zhang and Xiaoqi to the west room, while Qi Xi took his sons to accompany the ninth prince in the east room.

The Ninth Prince picked up the wine jug and poured Qi Xi some wine...