Qing Yao

Chapter 319 No, let me go back to teaching.
Even as the acting provincial governor, Zhao An, a third-rank official, knelt before the disaster victims and apologized to the people. This was unprecedented since the founding of the Qing Dynasty, because officials represented the dignity of the court. Since ancient times, it was only the people who knelt before the officials, not the other way around.

Zhao An's actions were not merely a matter of improper conduct for an official, but rather a question of whether he was trying to win people's hearts.
Although Zhao An's household registration had been transferred from civilian to the Imperial Household Department, making him a servant of the emperor rather than a Han official, if he couldn't explain this clearly to the old man, who knew if someone with ulterior motives would make a big fuss about it.

Therefore, the report must be written, and it must be detailed, comprehensive, and objective, so that it can warm the old man's heart, which is not expected to live much longer.

Before writing the report, Zhao An made the following arrangements.

First, he ordered all Green Standard Army soldiers, members of the Grand Canal Gang, and officials and prisoners of war in Suzhou to participate in the work of collecting the remains of disaster victims. He also required that lime be sprinkled on the bodies during burial to prevent secondary disasters such as plagues from occurring.

It's already September, and the weather is no longer as scorching as it was in July and August, but it has also given bacteria room to grow. Zhao An doesn't want another plague to sweep across Anhui after the drought, locust plague, and war.

The horror of plagues is no less than that of droughts, floods, or man-made disasters. If another plague were to strike, the land of Huaibei would likely be devastated and deserted for thousands of miles.

With everyone dead, what base can Zhao An build? How can he compete with the old man?

Secondly, Zhao An organized the people of Suzhou and the able-bodied young people of the disaster victims to build temporary shelters in open areas outside the city. He ordered all usable materials inside and outside the city, including cloth, reeds, and straw mats, to be requisitioned to build sheds, ensuring that all surviving disaster victims had a place to live. The elderly, weak, women and children were moved to the academies and temples in the city for resettlement.

If an orphan who has lost his orphan has no close relatives to adopt him, the government will mobilize the people in the city to adopt him and provide him with a certain amount of money.

Third, all the grain stored in the city was taken out, and pits were dug and pots were buried to cook porridge and distribute it to the disaster victims. If there was really not enough grain, the captured mules and horses were slaughtered.

In short, even if we can't feed the disaster victims, we must at least keep them alive with some food in their stomachs, and we must not let them collapse on the eve of "victory".

After arranging these three matters, Zhao An asked Qingyao to lead people to Dadianyi and Sizhou to urge the delivery of grain, ensuring that the first batch of relief grain could be delivered within three days.

He instructed Qingyao that if any officials delayed or postponed the transport of grain, Qingyao and others should exercise their "yellow jacket" authority to act first and report later.

Afterwards, regardless of who he killed, he would take the blame.

"Rest assured, Lord Zhao, if the grain cannot be delivered within three days, I will have no face to see you again!"

After the battle, Qingyao was clearly transformed. He may not have felt much about the lives of the Han people, but at least he was now highly committed to disaster relief. The consequence of not providing disaster relief would be one riot after another. As a member of the imperial family, how could Qingyao allow the Qing dynasty to be shaken by the disaster victims?

Moreover, since Lord Zhao was going to give him the greatest credit, he dared not be negligent in the slightest. He selected a few capable subordinates and then rode away.

Having achieved a great victory and personally beheaded the prefect, Zhao An was undoubtedly the highest "authority" in the eyes of the officials of Suzhou. No one dared to disobey his orders, and the operation quickly began under the command of officials such as Tongzhi Cui Xiu.

The horrific scene of the disaster victims outside the city was so shocking that the Green Standard Army, the Canal Gang members, the yamen runners, and even the prisoners all displayed unprecedented efficiency. They quickly organized themselves, some digging trenches, some carrying corpses, and some building shelters using makeshift tools.
As for setting up the sheds, the disciples from the canal gangs from Yangzhou used their expertise in building dwellings for people living on the water to erect a batch of sheds that were strong enough to block the wind in less than two hours.

Under Zhao An's command and authoritative leadership, the entire city of Suzhou, including both its inhabitants and the disaster victims outside the city, all took on their roles like swarms of worker ants.

Order was restored once again.

With order came life, chaos gradually disappeared, and despair slowly faded from the hearts of the disaster victims.

Although the overall atmosphere at the scene still looked incredibly oppressive and heavy, the desire to survive and the will to live became a shared consensus among everyone.

As the "commander-in-chief," Zhao An was not idle either. He participated in the work of collecting the bodies with everyone else. Although he was sweating profusely, he never took off the yellow jacket he was wearing.

This makes him like a star under the spotlight, becoming the focus of attention wherever he goes.

His "advanced" deeds are constantly being sung among the disaster victims.
Of course, this was not a performance opportunity that Zhao An deliberately sought for himself, but rather a way to strengthen the hearts of the disaster victims, give them renewed hope, and at the same time ensure that the officials dared not slack off in the slightest.

Just as Zhao An and his guards were lifting more than a dozen corpses onto a cart to be buried, Guerrilla General Zhou Ku arrived cautiously with several clerks to report.

"grown ups!"

Zhou Ku's voice carried obvious respect, or rather, awe.

The image of Zhao An beheading Prefect Li Wen with a broken knife had been haunting Zhou Ku's mind, and he probably wouldn't dare to sleep that night.

Because, there will be nightmares.

He didn't witness the General's murder firsthand.

"This humble general and his men have completed the inventory of all the spoils. Please take a look, sir!"

Zhou Ku handed Zhao An a newly compiled "battle report".

"Read!"

Zhao An spoke succinctly, walked to a relatively clean open space, and subconsciously wanted to take off the white gloves on his hands, only to find that his hands were empty.

"Whoo!"

Zhou Ku hurriedly unfolded the battle report and read it aloud softly.

The great victory at Suzhou, along with the "seven battles, seven victories," claimed the deaths of over 24,000 White Lotus rebels. However, this figure was clearly fabricated by Zhou Ku to exaggerate Lord Zhao's achievements. The actual number of White Lotus rebels and Nian rebels killed was less than 3,000; the rest died from panic-induced trampling and from civilians driven by the White Lotus to attack the city. "Currently, over 3400 White Lotus rebels have been captured, along with over 4200 weapons of various lengths, 95 muskets, 45 matchlock guns, over 120 crossbows, 460 mules, 320 cart horses, and 9 warhorses."

Zhou Ku reported in detail that although there were many weapons captured, the amount of grain captured was less than 100 shi (a unit of dry measure). However, the amount of gold, silver and valuables captured was quite substantial, including more than 6,000 taels of loose silver, several thousand guan (another unit of dry measure) of copper coins, and some bloodstained gold jewelry, which should have been looted from local wealthy households and gentry by the rebels.

In addition, there were some White Lotus sect ritual implements and other miscellaneous items that were seized. These things will definitely be destroyed later; it's impossible to set up a White Lotus sect museum for people to visit.

Regarding Qing army casualties, the defenders of Suzhou suffered more than 300 casualties during the siege of Bailian, and Zhao An's group also suffered more than 100 casualties, mostly from the night battles. The pursuit after dawn resulted in relatively few casualties.

Zhao An nodded to indicate that he understood, and ordered Zhou Ku to send the wounded to the city to seek medical treatment, and to find coffins to bury the dead. As for the compensation for the dead and wounded and the rewards for the meritorious soldiers, he, as the acting governor, would be responsible for them.

Zhou Ku only needs to submit the list of officers who have performed well in defending the city.

"Whoo!"

After responding, Zhou Ku thought for a moment and added, "Sir, this is a preliminary count. There may be more scattered prisoners and spoils to be counted and put into storage later. Most of the captured weapons are crude and unusable, but the mules and horses are the biggest gain. In addition, the prisoners are mainly Nian rebels. These people are unruly and need to be strictly guarded to prevent any unforeseen events."

Zhou Ku's meaning was clear: kill all the prisoners to eliminate future troubles. As for the captured key members of the White Lotus Sect, whether to send them to the capital for execution by slow slicing or to execute them on the spot, it was up to Lord Zhao to decide.

"I have my own plans on how to deal with the prisoners; you may go about your business."

The Nian rebels were the source of soldiers Zhao An wanted, so he wouldn't listen to Zhou Ku's order to kill them. He waved for Zhou Ku to leave. As for the dozens of White Lotus core members he had captured, Zhao An planned to interrogate them. Those who were not firm in their stance could be turned and recruited to become spies within the White Lotus sect, while those who were firm in their stance and could not be recruited could only be reported to the court for execution.

Feeling thirsty, Zhao An raised his hand and a guard quickly handed him a water bag. After gulping down a few mouthfuls, Zhao An joined the others in carrying the corpse until nightfall before entering the city.

The next day, the organization continued to bury the bodies and resettle the victims. After two days of this, the area outside the city finally returned to calm, and Zhao An had time to write a formal report to the old man.

Previously, only two reports of victory were sent: one of the great victory at Suzhou and the other of seven victories in seven battles.

The report was written in the study of the deceased prefect Li Wenshu. At the beginning, Zhao An truthfully wrote down why he left Suzhou for Sizhou, and then he also clearly wrote down how he led troops to rescue Suzhou after receiving an urgent report.

The heroic act of risking his life to rescue Suzhou with only a few hundred men was summarized in a single sentence: "The lackey rushed to the rescue under the cover of night and luckily won a great victory over the rebels."

There's no need to go into details, because the old man is more knowledgeable about warfare than anyone else. A little review will tell him the principle of capturing the leader first. How could he not know that the White Lotus Sect, which started the uprising hastily, was nothing more than a rabble? As long as their command center is destroyed, the cultists will fall into chaos on their own.

The word "luck" is a humble expression of not taking credit or boasting.

If Zhao An were to use extensive descriptions of his own bravery, the White Lotus Sect's power, and the battle of wits between the two sides, it would only make the old master doubt his "character."

Those in power may not necessarily like ministers who are very capable, but there is no one who doesn't like honest people.

The same applies to the "seven victories in seven battles." All the "seven victories" were attributed to the brave warriors under his command who fought valiantly and were easily defeated, while he never mentioned that he himself was the one who led the charge.

After the disaster is over, Qingyao and the others will definitely return to Beijing to report on their work. At that time, the old master will definitely ask in detail. The more Zhao An downplays his own contributions, the better impression he will leave on the old master.

As for why Prefect Li Wen was killed, the report stated: "When I led my troops back to the official road forty li from the city, what I saw was not a joyous crowd, but rather a group of refugees, old and young, their faces withered and emaciated. Their condition was utterly tragic; corpses piled up along the road, maggots and flies swarmed the fields, and the cries of young children were heart-wrenching. When I sent men to inquire, they all said: 'Prefect Li drove us out of the city, saying, 'Those who follow the rebels will die, those who leave on their own will live!'"

The lackey, his heart filled with rage, ordered the refugees to return for food. Upon reaching the walls of Suzhou, he witnessed a scene of utter devastation. Corpses lay strewn about, and starving people crawled on the blood-soaked ground, scrambling to eat raw rice to fill their bellies. The city's guards, armed with weapons, drove the refugees away, and cries of agony filled the air.
"Your servant has repeatedly ordered Prefect Li Wen to open the granaries to provide relief and comfort to the disaster victims, but Li Wen has defied orders and continues to watch the people suffer, using excuses such as fearing looting and preventing aid to the enemy."

After adding the previous report about Li Wen's refusal to allow reinforcements into the city, Zhao An pointed out that Li Wen, as the prefect, disobeyed his order as the acting provincial governor and acted extremely dogmatically, which led to the tragedy in Suzhou, causing tens of thousands of disaster victims to be driven by the White Lotus and innocent people to become victims of the knife.

"Local officials who outwardly comply but inwardly defy the emperor must not be allowed to continue. Otherwise, the imperial authority will be completely undermined. If local officials who guard their territories value their land above all else and do not obey the orders of high-ranking officials, how is this any different from treating the central government as if it doesn't exist?"

Zhao An pointed out that the reason why the White Lotus Rebellion was rampant was not only due to the exploitation by officials and the helplessness of starving people, but also because officials like Li Wen "fueled the flames" for their own interests. The so-called closing of the city gates and shirking responsibility for the loss of land was actually driving the people to their deaths and forcing them to join the rebels!
It is also a form of "local protectionism." If even a provincial governor cannot effectively restrain and command the officials below him, how can the imperial court be fully aware of what is happening in the localities?

"Your servant fought a bloody battle against the White Lotus bandits in Fangping. Yet they resorted to such a ruthless plan, driving fish into the abyss and setting off a prairie fire. If this man is not executed immediately to appease the wronged souls of northern Anhui, I fear the heavens will be enraged, the gods will weep blood, and the reputation of our Great Qing's benevolence will be utterly ruined! Therefore, I have used Ebilun's sword to behead him three times, to establish the laws of the court, to demonstrate the emperor's divine might, and to comfort the suffering of the people!"

At this point, Zhao An paused, tilted his head to think for a moment, and continued: "This servant knows well that a sword can kill officials, but it is difficult to win the hearts of the people; power can intimidate the enemy, but it is difficult to warm frozen bones. At this time when people's hearts are boiling, if extraordinary measures are not taken, Suzhou will become a powder keg again in an instant!"

Therefore, this humble servant, a high-ranking official of the third rank, resolutely removed his official robes and knelt on the blood-stained ground, so that all the people might witness that the court had never abandoned them, nor had the emperor. Only in this way could the people's hearts be at peace, preventing the rebels from inciting further chaos.

He then confessed that Ebilun's sword was damaged due to the fierce fighting with the cultists, and asked the old master to punish him. He said he would be willing to accept any punishment, even being sent back to Yangzhou.

After all, the Ebilun sword was a treasure of the Qing Dynasty.

To put it another way, it means, "If you, sir, think I've done something wrong, then remove my official hat and let me go back to Yangzhou to teach and educate people."

As a teacher who educates and nurtures students, I have suddenly taken on this role, and it is inevitable that I have some scholarly idealism and my methods are inevitably harsh.

Finally, a list of those who had made meritorious contributions was attached, and Qingyao and other guards were prominently listed, with their rankings being quite high.

After reading through the entire document, he felt that the meaning was quite clear. Whether the old master would reward or punish him was beyond his control, so he gently blew on the paper to make the ink dry faster, and then sent a messenger on horseback to the capital.

Unexpectedly, the study door was suddenly pushed open, and Xu Lin, who was looking furious, came into view: "Young Master, the soldiers from the governor's office are fighting with our people! Damn it, they're trying to steal our credit!"

(End of this chapter)