During the reign of the Qianlong Emperor, he had many interactions with Liu Yong. These interactions are full of wisdom and humor, fully demonstrating Liu Yong's talent and resilience.
Qianlong was an intelligent and talented emperor who was very fond of poetry with Liu Yong. Once, Qianlong asked Liu Yong: "How many people were born and how many died in the Great Qing Dynasty in a year?" Liu Yong was speechless for a while, but he replied subtly: "There are two kinds of people a year, man and woman. Qianlong laughed after hearing this, praising Liu Yong for being reasonable. Later, Qianlong asked Liu Yong, how many people died in a year in the Great Qing Dynasty? Liu Yong closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before replying, "One person was born in the Great Qing Dynasty and twelve died. He explained that there are twelve zodiac signs in a year, and each zodiac sign will have one death, so twelve people die in a year. After Qianlong listened, he laughed and said that Liu Yong was smart, and everyone was amused by his answer.
In addition to the talented Liu Yong, Qianlong also admired his character. Liu Yong came from a family of eunuchs and received a good tutor and education, and honesty and integrity were his family style. In the case of Hejun's embezzlement, Liu Yong took a serious attitude and exposed his crimes. Liu Yong's integrity made Qianlong admire him very much. He was impartial and selfless, and he insisted on sharp words and loyalty, whether to corrupt officials or the emperor, and safeguarded the fairness of the country and the interests of the people.
Liu Yong's integrity and ingenuity made Qianlong rely on him greatly. Spurred on by Liu Yong, Qianlong made several southern tours, and had some literary debates with Liu Yong on the way. Qianlong knew that Liu Yong was not a good person to mess with, but he also enjoyed interacting with Liu Yong, which gave him some fun during the arduous journey. Qianlong has always praised Liu Yong's talent and humor and has rewarded him with some gifts.
Although Liu Yong was repeatedly ostracized during the Qianlong Dynasty, after Jiaqing ascended the throne, he was again appreciated and used by the emperor. In the end, Liu Yong enjoyed the honor of crown prince taibao and was posthumously presented with the shrine of the sages.
Liu Yong was a talented and intelligent official who demonstrated his intelligence and integrity in his interactions with Qianlong. He always responded tactfully when dealing with government affairs and dialogue with the emperor, and did many practical things for the government and the people, maintaining the stability of the country and the well-being of the people. His story shows us the image of a loyal, intelligent and upright official, and also fills us with yearning and imagination for those wise literati officials in Chinese history.
