Qing Yao

Chapter 429 How loyal am I, Your Excellency?
Heshen's biggest problem was not that his official rank was not high enough, nor that his power was not great enough, nor that he had not enough money; rather, he had no power to back him up!

In the previous history, if Helin, who succeeded Fukang'an as the commander of the Eight Banners Army, hadn't unfortunately died of an epidemic, causing Heshen to lose his biggest weapon, even if Jiaqing had ten times the courage, he wouldn't have dared to play the trick of capturing the king first to capture the thief.

The entire court was filled with Heshen's cronies, most of the local governors and viceroys were people promoted by Heshen, his own younger brother was leading the Eight Banners army outside, and half of the guards in the palace were people placed by Heshen. So how could Jiaqing possibly make a move?
If you mess with Heshen, won't his own brother and a group of governors and viceroys who are all living in fear take desperate measures?
Fearing being purged, the officials and the public were not about to sit idly by and wait for their doom.

He Lin, the Eight Banners commander, will instantly become the banner and new leader of the people to jointly condemn the tyrannical emperor.

The whole world will rebel; it's a foregone conclusion.

He Lin is a capable person. Last year, he was sent by his brother Heshen to Fukang'an's army for training. He was transferred from the civil position of Vice Minister of Works to the military position of Commander of the Plain Blue Banner of the Han Army. This arrangement was obviously Heshen's way of planning ahead and preparing for possible major changes in the future.

No one who could sit in Heshen's position was a fool!
He Lin's historical trajectory followed exactly as his brother wished, and he successfully became the leader of the Eight Banners Army after Fukang'an's death, helping Heshen to seize control of the Eight Banners Army.

Unfortunately, despite all his calculations, Heshen never anticipated that his younger brother would also meet his end in Miao territory, just like Fukang'an.

Heshen probably foresaw the outcome the moment his younger brother died, but despite making various preparations, he still didn't expect that Jiaqing, this unfilial son, would be so heartless as to take action in front of the Emperor's coffin.

This was truly a surprise attack.

The old man's body is barely cold!

Zhao An now intends to fill the gap in Heshen's military strength. It's not that he wants to replace Helin in taking over the Eight Banners, but rather that he wants to become Heshen's right-hand man along with Helin, so that Heshen won't have to work with such a scoundrel as Si Shazi.

In terms of the army, the Qing Dynasty not only had the Eight Banners Army, but also the Green Standard Army.

Your Excellency, you have arranged for your younger brother to succeed Fukang'an as commander-in-chief of the Eight Banners. Do you think this servant's character is no different from Dong Zhuo's?

He doesn't resemble Dong Zhuo at all; he's more like a warlord from the Northern Warlords.

The Huai Army was the mainstay of the Beiyang Army.

"Your Excellency, I dare to speak some foolish words today, even at the risk of my life. Whether it is Shulin, Zhu Gui, or even General Fu, the reason they can cause Your Excellency so much trouble is simply because they each have their own support. Some have the prestige of the upright officials who can influence public opinion; others control the power of local officials who form their own system; and still others..."

At this point, Zhao An paused slightly, and seeing that Heshen did not show any displeasure, he slowly uttered the four most crucial words, "or military merit and power."

The phrase "military power" was deliberately emphasized.

In other words, what Zhao An really wanted to say was about military power; everything else was just a prelude.

Heshen's eyebrows twitched suddenly, and he raised his eyelids but did not speak. His eyes, however, seemed much deeper than before.

"This servant should not speak such nonsense, but Your Excellency's strategic planning in the court is unmatched. However, the most basic truth in this world is still the handle of the sword. Whoever holds the handle of the sword holds life and death in their hands, Your Excellency!"

Zhao An bent down even lower, his voice becoming more earnest, “Back then, Nian Gengyao pacified Qinghai and held immense power in the Northwest. How arrogant and domineering he was in front of Emperor Yongzheng! But what happened to him? Emperor Yongzheng was far away in the capital. With just one order, he could make Nian Gengyao surrender, be demoted to a gatekeeper, and eventually be sentenced to death.”

What is it based on?
It wasn't just about the proper relationship between ruler and subject, but also because Nian Gengyao had lost his military power!

After speaking, Zhao An immediately knelt down, feigning that he dared not say another word. He had said what he needed to say, and it couldn't be clearer: no matter how high Heshen's position and how glorious and illustrious he was, without military power, he was just a paper tiger.

He believed that no one had mentioned these words to Heshen before.

This only makes his loyalty all the more apparent.

I will say what others dare not say, and I will do what others dare not do. As long as you, Your Excellency, are here, I will always be your most loyal dog.

Looking at Zhao An kneeling before him, Heshen's expression turned solemn. He knew all too well the importance of military power.

Previously, relying on the old master's almost unparalleled favor, he climbed step by step to the top of power. Subconsciously, he always felt that the old master's favor was the strongest armor on his body. However, he also knew that the old master's favor would disappear one day. Therefore, he wove a huge network of relationships in the court and the country, thinking that he was as stable as Mount Tai. However, as Zhao Youlu said, he lacked nothing, except for a major weakness in the area of ​​power.

Therefore, last year he carefully arranged for his younger brother Helin to accompany Fukang'an on an expedition to the plateau, and he also wanted to befriend Fusan so that the two sides could support each other. Unexpectedly, Fusan was ungrateful and, relying on his noble birth, did not take Heshen seriously.

As long as Fu San is alive, it will be difficult to make up for the shortcomings in the army, and it will be difficult for his younger brother and Lin to get ahead.

Even Heshen couldn't determine who the crown prince was at the moment.

Previously, he thought it was Yongxing, who had the support of the Fu family and himself. Now, he thought it might be Yongyan, who had always been ignored by him, because the old master had not consulted him on the appointment and dismissal of three crucial governors, and had even made the decisions without his knowledge, which was almost impossible in the past.

There seems to be some hope on the side of the eldest grandson of the emperor, Mian'en.

However, after carefully analyzing the three candidates for crown prince, Heshen had to admit that no matter who was chosen, it would be disadvantageous for him.

With Yongxing ascending to the throne, would his brother-in-law Fusan, who held military power, still allow him and the Grand Secretary to continue controlling the government?

After Yongyan ascended to power, Heshen felt that he was fortunate to have a peaceful end, given all the things Heshen had done to him.

As for Mian'en, he didn't take Heshen seriously at all.

Only if the old master lived on could Heshen's position remain secure.

But the old man is eighty-two!
Among his many followers, only his younger brother and Lin had had in-depth conversations with him on this topic; no one else dared to discuss these things with him.

This kid in front of me.
These are not nonsense words, but honest advice!

Zhao An, who was kneeling on the ground and dared not look Heshen in the eye, suddenly seemed to have made up his mind. He raised his head sharply and gritted his teeth, saying, "This servant believes that if Your Excellency could place an elite force that obeys only your orders in a strategic location, then, not to mention that General Fu's arrogant and fierce troops are difficult to suppress, even if there is a change in the court, Your Excellency can either support the emperor or remain invincible!"

Upon hearing this, even Heshen's heart skipped a beat. This treasonous statement, if uttered even once, would be a capital offense, resulting in the confiscation of his property and the extermination of his entire clan.

However, this precisely addresses the deepest, yet most painful, worry in Heshen's heart—how many more years can the old master live?

Once the imperial tombs collapse and a new emperor ascends the throne, without a powerful empress, how can he possibly retain his immense wealth and his overwhelming power?
The study fell into a deathly silence.

(End of this chapter)