Qing Yao

Chapter 415 Surprise Attack on the Forbidden City?
Zhao An wondered how Qingyao knew he had gone to the capital and was staying at the Anhui Examination Hall.

"Your arrival in the capital might be kept secret from others, but surely it can be kept from me?"

Qingyao referred to himself as "this humble servant" as a sign of respect for Zhao An. He was a first-class bodyguard of the third rank, and a member of the Aisin Gioro clan with a yellow belt. In truth, Zhao An, who came from the Imperial Household Department and was a bondservant, should address others as "this servant."

Therefore, even though Zhao An was a grade higher than Qing Yao, he would definitely have to decline. The final result of this decline was that the two would address each other as brothers from then on.

In formal settings, they address each other as "Sir," but in private, they call each other Brother Qing and Brother Zhao.

“Yesterday I was on duty in the palace when I heard from the Ministry of Rites that Lord Zhao from Anhui was traveling to the capital to pay homage to His Majesty and was staying at the Anhui Examination Hall in the outer city. When I heard that, I was shocked! So today, as soon as I finished my shift, I came to find Brother Zhao!”

Qingyao's transformation was quite natural. Perhaps he knew his status as a member of the imperial clan was important. He actually bowed to Zhao An and addressed himself as "this humble servant." If outsiders heard this, they might report it to their superiors, which would cause trouble.

"As far as I'm concerned, if it weren't for Brother Zhao leading his brothers to achieve military merits in Suzhou, I, Qingyao, would still be raising hawks and playing with dogs at the Eagle and Dog Bureau. How could I possibly wear this first-class guard's uniform?"
Personally, Brother Zhao, you've been incredibly kind to us roughnecks. You've given us several thousand taels of silver in rewards alone, and even recommended us for merit. We brothers have had a wonderful year! Now that Brother Zhao is in the capital, on our turf, I, Qingyao, must do my best to show you the proper hospitality!"

Qingyao spoke with heartfelt sincerity, rubbing his hands together incessantly, fearing that Zhao An would not give him "face".

"I might not agree to other people's requests, but Brother Qing, how did I say it again? Yes, I can't refuse such kindness!"

Zhao An laughed heartily. Although he was merely using Qing Yao and the others, he only wanted to plant a few pawns in the capital, hoping they might come in handy in the future. After all, he couldn't say for sure that he wouldn't take up a post in the capital himself.

Having a few palace spies who serve as guards means that, regardless of whether their safety is guaranteed, they can at least know whether a meeting can be held or not in crucial moments.

Seeing that Qingyao was quite sentimental and loyal, he felt warm inside and thought that this person was worth investing more in. If he became the Minister of the Imperial Guard, his safety in the capital would be more guaranteed.

Seeing that Qingyao was so enthusiastic, he said that he was bored in the examination hall and wanted to go out for a walk.

Qingyao slapped his forehead and said happily, "Brother Zhao, where do you want to go? In Beijing, whether it's the inner city or the outer city, just say the word, and I'll show you the way!"

Zhao An smiled and waved his hand, saying that it was his first time in the capital, so he wouldn't bother with the outer city, as all places were pretty much the same. He suggested that he visit the inner city where the emperor and the Eight Banners soldiers lived instead.

The inner city is the entire city.

At present, the largest Manchu colony in China is undoubtedly the capital!

Qingyao is a first-class palace guard, and Zhao An is the acting governor of Anhui, a second-rank official. They should have no problem strolling around the city.

At that moment, Zhao An, along with Xiao Shuan and Xu Lin, changed into ordinary civilian clothes and followed Qing Yao, who had arrived without even taking off his official robes, into the city.

We entered the Manchu city through Chongwen Gate. The Chongwen Gate customs office was the most lucrative in the capital. It used to be under the jurisdiction of Heshen, but now it had been assigned to the fourth fool, Fu Chang'an, by the old master.

Qingyao's identity made the guards at the gate afraid to check Zhao An and his group's "identity cards," and they entered the city without any hindrance.

After emerging from the city gate, Zhao An and his companions were immediately struck by how much neater and cleaner the buildings and urban layout were compared to the outer city.

The Mancheng was originally the imperial city and residential area of ​​the Ming Dynasty, and its road construction and sanitation facilities were better than those of the outer city, as well as the greenery that could not be seen in the outer city.

"Brother Zhao, look,"

As the "tour guide," Qingyao explained along the way, "This area used to be the residence of the Plain White Banner, and that area was the residence of the Bordered Yellow Banner. The various princes' mansions, beile mansions, and banner people of each banner lived together according to their respective banners."

While listening to Qingyao's introduction with great interest, Zhao An observed the pedestrians on the street and found that most of them, regardless of age, were wearing robes. However, even the ordinary cotton robes were clearly different in style from the long gowns of the Han people.

Without exception, the men all had long braids, some jet black and shiny, others sparse and gray, trailing behind their heads. They carried birdcages and strolled leisurely down the street with a pigeon-toed gait. When they encountered acquaintances, they would approach them like clowns, bend down, and bump into each other with their elbows, calling out "this gentleman" and "that gentleman."

However, not all residents of Manchuria were bannermen belonging to the Manchu, Mongol, or Han Eight Banners. There were also a large number of Han bondservants who were classified as bannermen, as well as Han officials working in various government offices in the capital.

According to Qingyao, there are also a large number of artisans in the city who are only allowed to enter during the day and must leave at night, as well as small vendors who deliver vegetables, rice and coal to the whole city.

Laborers who collect swill and shovel manure, storytellers and singers, monks, Taoist priests, doctors and the like are also allowed to enter and exit with permits.

If someone enters Mancheng without proper documentation, they will be handed over to the Shuntian Prefecture at best, and at worst, lose their life.

If a Han Chinese official was granted a house by the emperor, he could live in the Mancheng. For example, Zhang Tingyu, an important minister in the early years of the old master, was granted a house in the Mancheng. However, Han officials who were granted houses usually only used the houses as temporary resting places when they were on duty, and they basically bought houses in the outer city for their families to live in.

Except for those who had communal dormitories while on duty, Han Chinese staff members of various government offices were required to leave the city and live in their own homes outside the city after get off work.

As they strolled around, the group came to see the dark red palace walls in the distance. Without a doubt, it must be the Forbidden City.

The Forbidden City is certainly known for its grandeur and solemnity, but the scene before him was completely different from the solemn and imposing "Imperial City Wall" that Zhao An had imagined—the area along the base of the tall palace walls was densely packed with all sorts of vendors!

The sounds of hawking, shouting, and bargaining blended together, creating a lively atmosphere no less bustling than the markets outside the city.

There were vendors selling candied hawthorns, glutinous rice cakes, and donkey rolls; vendors selling everyday goods such as scraps of cloth, needles and thread, and cosmetics; and even vendors setting up stalls, beating drums and gongs, performing monkey shows and acrobatic tricks!
Groups of three or five Manchu men, dressed in faded silk robes and carrying birdcages, gathered together, some squatting on the ground fighting crickets, others chatting animatedly. The Manchu soldiers patrolling the capital region ignored the scene before them, and would even stop to greet familiar stall owners, casually picking up a fruit, wiping it on their clothes, and taking a bite.

Zhao An looked incredulous: "In the heart of the capital, right under the emperor's nose, such noise and chaos is far too childish! Doesn't the palace care?"

"Manage? How do we manage it?"

Qingyao smiled wryly and lowered his voice, saying, "Brother Zhao, you don't know this, but can you find any real commoners who can set up stalls near the capital? They're either loyal farmers with Manchu banner status who rely on their ancestors' legacy to earn some pocket money, or they're servants from some prince or nobleman's mansion who are using their master's name to do him a favor."

Those in charge of things in the palace knew all about these matters and always turned a blind eye. As long as the palace gates weren't stormed and no major chaos was caused, who cared?

Besides, over time, everyone's become familiar with each other, so who would have the heart to actually go and drive them away?

"Oh."

Zhao An nodded, his gaze naturally falling on the palace wall covered with stalls, and a bold idea popped into his mind—if there were a few ladders, wouldn't it be easy to climb in?
No wonder the Jiaqing Emperor was able to be approached by assassins; with such poor security, it's no wonder he was assassinated.

After wandering around for a while, we unknowingly arrived at the Ministry of War.

The Ministry of War, in charge of the selection of military officers, military registers, weaponry, and military orders, is the core of the empire's military power, and its offices are naturally imposing.

The high walls, the tightly closed vermilion gates, and the guards standing with spears all exuded an air of power.

If it weren't for the yellow jacket Qingyao was wearing, the guards at the entrance of the Ministry of War would probably have come forward to check Zhao An and his companions' identities.

There wasn't much to see, but Qingyao insisted on taking Lord Zhao to see the Xihua Gate where he was on duty.

Let them take a look.

As Zhao An was about to circle around the Ministry of War wall to Xihua Gate, he inadvertently discovered a hole about half a person's height, just big enough for one person to bend down and crawl through, hidden by a row of trees.

The bricks and stones at the edge of the cave entrance were worn very smooth, obviously due to frequent and long-term entry and exit.

Zhao An thought he was seeing things. He looked at the hole in the wall, then at what was inside, and asked Qing Yao incredulously, "Is this the Ministry of War?"

"Yes."

Qingyao chuckled and pointed to the Ministry of War buildings inside the cave. "The Ministry of War is too big. The clerks and servants on duty can only come out through the main gate after their shift, which means they have to take a long detour. So, for the sake of convenience, those people dug through the wall themselves."

"Oh? You can pay for it yourself!"

Yang Xiaoshuan, who was standing to the side, was so shocked by what he heard that his jaw almost dropped.

Xu Lin rubbed his forehead: "What if a thief breaks into the Ministry of War?"

"What's so great about stealing from the Ministry of War? A thief can't possibly steal the Ministry of War's official seal."

Qingyao continued to lead the way without taking it seriously, while Zhao An smiled but kept glancing back at the hole like a thief.

One question kept running through my mind: if I stole the seal of the Ministry of War, could I theoretically mobilize the entire Green Standard Army to "purge the emperor's inner circle"?

The Xihua Gate, where Qingyao was stationed, was mainly a "checkpoint" for staff of the Grand Council, the Imperial Household Department, and princes and grandsons to enter and exit the palace. The person in charge was a second-rank official of the Imperial Guard.

The Minister of the Imperial Household was equivalent to a captain, and below him were the first to third-rank guards. Qingyao, as a first-rank guard, was equivalent to the leader of the guard group.

During their shifts, the team leader is responsible for guarding and inspecting the Xihua Gate.

Ministers of the Imperial Household Department usually drink tea and read newspapers in the Imperial Guard's quarters.

Zhao An noticed that there were fifteen or sixteen guards on duty, all wearing yellow jackets, but apart from these guards, he did not see any imperial guards on duty.

The guards' checks on people coming and going were superficial; some familiar faces were simply waved and let in.

Ok?
Zhao An looked at Xihua Gate with a smile, but his lips moved slightly as he whispered in a voice only Xu Lin could hear, "If I give you a hundred assassins to launch a surprise attack through this gate, are you confident you can reach Yangxin Hall?"

"what"

The young lord's question made even the bold Xu Lin's heart pound. After a long while, he murmured in the same weak voice, "Finding someone to guide you is not a problem, young lord. What does the emperor look like?"

(End of this chapter)