There is no such thing as the Kangxi and Qianlong eras

Chapter 366 Literary Inquisition

Songyun Bookstore.

As the name suggests, this is a book publishing house aimed at readers. The name Songjun is taken from the Book of Songs, specifically the Minor Odes: "Like bamboo shoots, like pine trees in full bloom." It implies that scholars cultivate themselves, establish virtue, and remain upright and noble.

The bookstore was first opened in the middle of last year, and its initial scale was not very large. It mainly sold miscellaneous essays and illustrated books. Although the sales volume was not very good, it was stable enough. In the Qing Dynasty, where literary inquisitions came every few years, novels and essays were already scarce, especially those illustrated books. Wealthy readers loved to read these kinds of books.

Around the end of last year, Songyun Publishing House somehow acquired the original manuscript of "The Biography of the Erotic Monks of the Qing Dynasty" and secretly published and sold it. From then on, it was unstoppable.

In any era, this kind of literature that flirts with the boundaries of highbrow and lowbrow tastes has never lacked an audience. In particular, "The Biography of the Eccentric Monks of the Qing Dynasty" is exceptionally well-written, having been repeatedly polished and revised by dozens of scholars from the Han Dynasty, and even by officials who surrendered to the Qing Dynasty and scholars who had passed the imperial examinations.

It can truly be called elegant, truly refined!

Not only is the novel's writing excellent, but the content is also extremely realistic and immersive. Some of the more explicit scenes may be fabricated.

However, the various powerful figures in Beijing and the Manchu Eight Banners in the novel's background are all incredibly real. Even the secrets of the pseudo-Qing imperial family, with Aisin Gioro as the protagonist, are mentioned more than once in the novel.

At first, Songyun Publishing House was not very bold, only daring to publish a small number of novels, and selling books was also done secretly.

It wasn't until sales exploded and they discovered the bookstore was completely unscathed, with the authorities never even bothering to contact them, that the bookstore suddenly became much bolder.

From initial limited printings to later mass sales, prices rose again and again, reaching a peak of 200 copies sold per month.

A novel with monthly sales of 200 copies may sound like a small number, but in the Qing Dynasty two hundred years ago, that was a rather terrifying sales figure.

Because printing conditions were limited in ancient times, the main printing methods were woodblock printing and movable type printing. The printing efficiency was extremely low, and errors and omissions were common. For example, the book "Dream Pool Essays" records that movable type printing "requires re-typesetting after printing dozens or hundreds of copies."

Take the early Ming Dynasty, with its relatively open writing style, for example. Even popular primers like the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, which were guaranteed to sell well, typically had an annual print run of only a little over 1000 copies per bookstore.

The Han Dynasty's postal and communications department was able to publish monthly because the government paid for it, so there was no shortage of printing craftsmen. Moreover, although the Han Dynasty's printing technology had not yet adopted steam engines, it had undergone several improvements, and the printed materials were mostly official gazettes, not long novels.

The reason why Songyun Bookstore was able to sell 200 copies a month is that it partnered with two other bookstores. One of the bookstores' owners recently hired a professional illustrator to try adding some beautiful illustrations to the novel.

A restaurant in Nanpi County, Zhili Province —

Several young men were having drinks in a private room on the third floor when one of them suddenly pulled out a novel in a mysterious manner: "Brothers, look what good stuff I've gotten my hands on!"

The person next to him glanced at the book cover and said, "The 'Elegant Monk's Sutra! Brother Zizhai, I've read this book before. It's indeed well-written, with meticulous research and a novel plot. It's a rare masterpiece..."

At the end, a knowing smile unconsciously appeared on his face.

The fact that everyone present could gather at the restaurant, inviting each other to drink and joke around, clearly indicated that they were all from wealthy families, and naturally, none of them hadn't read this erotic novel, also known as "The Elegant Monk's Sutra" or, more commonly, "The Biography of the Erotic Monks of the Great Qing Dynasty."

Because the readers of this novel were mostly young scholars who were rather shy, the title "The Biography of the Erotic Monks of the Qing Dynasty" was too straightforward and vulgar, so it was privately changed to a more elegant title.

Whether it's truly elegant or not is unknown, but upon hearing the three-character title, everyone present revealed smiles of kindred spirits.

The one called Zizhai chuckled and said, "Brother Wugeng, my book is different from the one you're looking at. Look, mine even has illustrations inside!"

The people who had just mentioned that they had seen it immediately became interested when they heard that there were illustrations involved.

"Oh? Open it and take a look."

"Please allow us to observe your painting skills..."

Tang Zizhai opened the book and held it up for everyone to flip through a few pages.

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

"This painting technique, I wonder which master it is, it's really big and white... no, it's incredibly lifelike!"

"Tang Zizhai, you're not a good friend! You had such a good book, but you didn't tell us. Instead, you secretly bought it for yourself."

Tang Zizhai quickly put away the novel and said with a smile, "I bought it by chance. You all know how popular Songyun Bookstore is lately. If I hadn't had my servants keep watch, I probably wouldn't have been able to buy such good books and magazines."

“Brother Zizhai, how about we make a deal? I’ll lend you the book so you can take a look. In return, I can lend you the books in my collection.”

"Including your incomplete copy of 'Jin Ping Mei'?"

"...Yes, but the time frame must be specified, and a written contract and collateral must be provided."

"Hehe, no problem, Brother Wugeng, don't you trust me?"

"Can't believe it."

"..."

Although everyone was out drinking and eating together, two of them actually started openly exchanging "pornographic books".

The others didn't show disdain; their eyes were filled with envy. They were genuinely envious.

"Jin Ping Mei," one of the Four Great Classical Novels of the Ming Dynasty, was banned by both the Ming and Qing Dynasties. It is rare for any fragments to survive to this day.

Although the "Yaseng Jing" has only been circulating in Zhili for the past year, it is still a first-rate and unparalleled masterpiece.

It is said that this book was circulated from the rebel lands in the south. The erotic content in it is not only written in a very vivid and engaging way, but also involves the Manchu Eight Banners and high-ranking officials of the court.

What attracts readers most in the novel is not the petty scheming of the Eight Banners officials, but the various "secrets" about the Qing imperial family.

For example, my Qing emperor Shunzhi was actually Dorgon's son. Dorgon and Empress Xiaozhuangwen (Dayu'er) actually had an affair, which is why Dorgon made Shunzhi emperor...

Whether it's true or false doesn't matter; what's certain is that these scholars from Zhili were immediately shocked when they first read the various cryptic speculations presented in the book.

This only refers to the Shunzhi Emperor, who lived a very long time ago, so its credibility is not very high.

Another more recent theory suggests that Kangxi was not actually Shunzhi's son, but rather the son of Shunzhi's brother. This is why Aobai wanted to rebel against Kangxi, because Kangxi was not the legitimate heir!
Some even more recently claim that Qianlong was Han Chinese, and that his father was actually Chen Yuanlong, a favored Han Chinese official during the Yongzheng Emperor's reign. Furthermore, Yongzheng knew that Qianlong was not his son, but for the sake of his political ambitions, he tolerated this, raised Qianlong, made him emperor, and heavily relied on Qianlong's biological father, Chen Yuanlong.

The first few were alright, but the last one was the most outrageous, yet it had the most believers.

Because the last one is indeed very popular in folk legends, Han Chinese officials and gentry who know these things have made up various versions of the story, including the exact time of Qianlong's birth, how he was related to Yongzheng, how the prince was switched at birth, and why Yongzheng tacitly allowed Qianlong to be his son.

The most outrageous case is that Qianlong's biological father, Weiwen, had two people who were uncle and nephew from the same clan and served as officials in the same court.

The group chatted and drank in a private room at the restaurant. At first, they were chatting about the details of the novel's illustrations, but as the conversation went on, the topic turned to court politics.

"Do you think that Emperor Shunzhi of the Qing Dynasty was really Dorgon's son?"

"Hehe, I don't know, but I think it should be true. Otherwise, why would Emperor Shunzhi recognize Dorgon as his father and regent, and even posthumously confer upon Dorgon the temple name of Emperor Chengzong of the Qing Dynasty?"

"You're wrong. When Emperor Shunzhi later took power, he had Dorgon's coffin exhumed and his corpse whipped. As a result, the temple name of Emperor Chengzong of the Qing Dynasty was also abolished."

"Rather than Dorgon and Emperor Shunzhi, I think Emperor Qianlong might not actually be one of us Han Chinese!"

"You actually believe that?" "Why wouldn't I? I think this book is right! Let alone Emperor Qianlong, even Emperor Yongzheng, I think he was probably one of us Han people. Otherwise, why would Emperor Yongzheng value us Han people so much, but not the Manchus and Bannermen?"

Although the book "Biographies of Lewd Monks" published by Da Han embellished various stories and fabricated rumors about the Qing Dynasty, it never said anything bad about Yongzheng. At most, it just made up a fictional "green hat" for Yongzheng.

Although Yongzheng's reforms completely failed during the Qianlong era, it must be acknowledged that Yongzheng did make efforts to truly Sinicize the pseudo-Qing dynasty and transform it into a legitimate and powerful dynasty.

Among the twelve emperors of the pseudo-Qing dynasty, Yongzheng was one of the few who was willing to actively accept the adoption of firearms, and even formed a dragon cavalry force mainly equipped with firearms.

At the same time, he set a precedent by allowing local governors and viceroys to appoint Han Chinese, unlike the Kangxi era, which advocated for the unity of Manchus and Han Chinese but in which local governors and viceroys were either from the Eight Banners or were Manchus, and Han Chinese could not even dream of it.

However, both of these ended up being obsolete during the reign of Emperor Qianlong. The musket-wielding dragon cavalry was abolished by Qianlong, who believed that cavalry using muskets was a betrayal of their ancestors and a forgetting of their ancestral archery skills.

As soon as Emperor Qianlong ascended the throne, he immediately replaced all the local governors and viceroys with Manchus and bannermen, fearing that Han people would gain power.

Even now, it's pretty much the same. The Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, the Governor-General of Yunnan and Guizhou, the Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, the Governor of Henan, and the Governor-General of Sichuan and Shaanxi—none of them were Han Chinese.

The scholars were still talking when suddenly a commotion came from outside the window.

The group, quite drunk, peered out the window, hoping to have some fun, only to find that a large contingent of soldiers had arrived outside.

At the entrance of the restaurant, the manager personally led his servants out to greet them, bowing and scraping.

"Hey, gentlemen, what brings you all here?"

Do you know this book?

The head constable raised his hand, took out a copy of "The Biography of the Lewd Monks of the Qing Dynasty," and held it out to the restaurant manager.

The restaurant owner recognized it at a glance, but still denied it outright: "This... what is this? Why is it named so vulgarly? Sir, I really don't recognize this book, and I've never seen it before."

The officer sneered, "Heh, it doesn't matter if you don't admit it. We have everything. Go in and search every corner!"

"Ta-ta-ta-ta!"

At a command, more than a hundred soldiers rushed into the restaurant, while dozens more guarded the various entrances to prevent anyone from escaping.

While Tang Zizhai and his companions were still drinking and dazed in the private room, the door was suddenly kicked open violently.

One of the young men, emboldened by alcohol, stood up and angrily shouted, "Who let you filthy soldiers in? Get out!"

A shout really startled the Qing soldiers.

But soon several Qing officers walked in and angrily shouted, "What are you all standing there for? Search us! This is an imperial edict from the capital. Even the county magistrate couldn't keep it. How many heads do you have to dare to disobey an imperial edict?"

As soon as he finished speaking, several Qing soldiers immediately sprang into action, smashing and ransacking the private room.

After searching around, I found nothing.

This startled the young men in the private rooms, sobering them up. They had all heard the officer say things like, "It's an imperial edict from the capital," and "Even the patriarch couldn't bear to hear it."

Tang Zizhai, the organizer of the gathering, suddenly seemed to remember something and subconsciously pulled his clothes closer, revealing a brand-new illustrated novel lying inside.

However, this unconscious action was noticed by the officer.

The officer shouted, "Hold this man down and strip him of his coat!"

Several Qing soldiers were taken aback. The deputy said, "Boss, these men look like scholars. What if..."

Snapped!
With a slap, the deputy was immediately stunned and hurriedly chimed in, "What are you all standing there for? Didn't you hear what the boss said?"

Several Qing soldiers immediately swarmed forward. Tang Zizhai didn't even have time to reveal his family background, and even if he had, it wouldn't have made much difference.

No matter how powerful a local tyrant is, can he be more powerful than an imperial edict from the capital, or more powerful than the puppet Qing dynasty?
Tang Zizhai was subdued in no time, and by the time the illustrated version of "The Biography of the Lewd Monk" hidden in his clothes was found, he was ashen-faced.

The officer took the novel, flipped through a few pages, then closed it again, a smile on his face, and slowly said, "Arrest them all and throw them in jail!"

For a moment, the private room was filled with cries of despair.

"You can't arrest me! You can't arrest me!"

"My dad is the richest man in the county! My dad is the richest man in the county!"

"The county magistrate has a close relationship with my family. Aren't you afraid of being blamed by the county for arresting me?"

“My uncle is the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites in the imperial court; even the county magistrate has to kowtow to him…”

"..."

However, no one paid them any attention, and everyone was forced out of the restaurant by the Qing soldiers who had tied them up.

Everyone in the restaurant was arrested, and even the restaurant itself was not spared. Several accompanying officials went up to seal it off and escorted the restaurant manager in shackles.

This was just one place in Nanpi County. The remaining restaurants, bookstores, teahouses, and any other places where people gathered, especially scholars, were all raided and confiscated.

Arrests were taking place everywhere in and around the county town, and the county jails were filled within a few days.

Those arrested included poor people, officials and gentry, and even several county students.

The first wave of literary inquisition battle royale in the Jiaqing era has officially begun!

Emperor Jiaqing, as the Renzong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, had a good temper and would not easily launch a literary inquisition over trivial matters, especially now that the Qing Dynasty was in a precarious situation.

The issue of literary inquisitions must be handled with utmost caution.

However, the book "The Biography of the Lewd Monks of the Qing Dynasty" that Ji Xiaolan presented to him that day made him furious and also filled him with deep fear.

The book not only details the important officials and key figures of the Qing Dynasty capital and the Manchu Eight Banners, but also elaborates on his great-grandfather, grandfather, and even his deceased father, Emperor Qianlong.

Emperor Jiaqing certainly disliked Emperor Qianlong's refusal to relinquish power after abdicating, and even took action by giving him the temple name Gaozong as a form of satire. However, this does not mean that he could accept that the Qianlong portrayed in the novel was actually a Han Chinese.

Although Jiaqing's mother was from the Han Banner Army, she was considered to have half Han Chinese ancestry.

However, if Emperor Qianlong were actually Han Chinese, this news would inevitably cause an unnecessary uproar in the power center of the Qing Dynasty, and might even shake Emperor Jiaqing's rule over the Eight Banners system.

This was something Jiaqing would never allow, so he made a decisive decision and issued an edict to designate "The Biography of the Licentious Monks of the Great Qing" as a heretical book, and then launched a large-scale literary inquisition.

He then appointed Ji Xiaolan to personally preside over the trial, determined to bring the mastermind behind this evil book to justice.

Whether we can catch them or not is not important; the key is to catch them!

(End of this chapter)