Qing Yao

Chapter 448 Eagle Dog
The feeling of "self-criticism" is better, more wonderful, and more pleasant than "you submit a report and I approve it".

Zhao An knew that his position as the Manchu Deputy Commander of the Bordered Yellow Banner was merely a temporary honor bestowed upon him by the old master, with the aim of having him take charge of dealing with the Shi family. Therefore, even if he wanted to stay in the capital and continue as the Deputy Commander afterward, not only would the old master disagree, but Heshen would also be unlikely to agree.

In the following years, Heshen cared about only one thing: the power of the sword!

Zhao An is the one in charge of this power, and other governors and viceroys who hold real power will also gradually become the ones in charge.

So at most a few days, Heshen should have sent Zhao An back to Anhui.

But this doesn't stop Zhao An from getting familiar with his duties as deputy commander.

Being idle is also idle.

In terms of organization, whether it was the Manchu, Mongol, or Han army, each had a chief commander in charge of the work and two deputy commanders in charge of different tasks.

The three positions are fixed, and unless there are special circumstances, a deputy commander-in-chief will not be added temporarily.

The division of labor between the two deputy commanders was also very clear: the left deputy commander was in charge of the four captains and their subordinate captains on the left wing of the banner, while the right deputy commander was in charge of the affairs of the right wing.

On a broader level, within the entire Manchu Plain Yellow Banner, Zhao An, the Right Wing Deputy Commander, was responsible for civil affairs such as household registration, grain supply, and litigation; while the Left Wing Deputy Commander was responsible for military matters such as stables, armories, and training.

In the event of an expedition, the Left Wing Deputy Commander-in-Chief, who was in charge of military affairs, would lead the army, as was customary.

After Commander Fan went to handle the filing matters, Zhao An casually asked the officer in charge of the seal room, "Where is this official's office?"

The captain immediately bowed and said, "Your office is located on the east side of the second hall, next to the seal room, which is convenient for you to handle confidential matters. I will now lead you there."

It was actually the office of Shih Ping-jen, who became a hanged ghost.

Zhao An nodded and followed the captain through the main hall to a spacious and bright side room on the east side of the second hall.

A sign reading "Right Wing Deputy Military Governor's Office" hung at the entrance. Inside, tables, chairs, desks, bookshelves, and tea tables were all provided, making it look quite legitimate.

Several copies of "Eight Banners Regulations" and "Central Government Examination" were neatly stacked on the desk, along with some documents to be processed. The desk was spotless.

It's clear that Shih Ping-jen is a person who pays attention to details.

However, he died because of the details.

After plopping down in the office chair of Lord Shi, Zhao An touched the smooth desktop, looked at the spacious office, and a sense of pride, as if he were a "proper Manchu official," welled up on his face.

A quick glance at the documents on the table revealed mostly everyday matters concerning the household registration changes, pay and rations distribution, horse and weapon maintenance, and disputes and lawsuits among the Manchu bannermen of the Bordered Yellow Banner.

Most of the work has already been completed by the lower-level officers and assistant officers. All that is needed is for the deputy commander in charge of the work to write a comment or affix a seal.

Zhao An was just getting familiar with the environment and certainly had no interest in actually handling these matters. He then asked the Zuo Ling what benefits and treatment he, as the deputy commander, was entitled to according to the imperial court's regulations.

I just wanted to ask if my employer has provided me with housing.

Owning a house in the capital was something Zhao An had dreamed of in his previous life.

If you couldn't get what you wanted in your past life, you'll definitely get one in this life.

The captain hurriedly replied, "According to regulations, you are entitled to a three-courtyard official residence. Currently, the Commander-in-Chief's office has an empty house in Baoda Ward, which can be moved into after some minor renovations."

After a pause, the captain added, "If you are not satisfied, sir, I will find you something better."

"No need to bother, just leave it there."

Zhao An waved his hand. He didn't have high requirements for accommodation. He just needed a decent place to stay. He couldn't stay in a guild hall every time he came to the capital.

He immediately instructed the captain to take him to Baoda Warehouse for a look. If everything was alright, he would pack up and move over today, thus becoming a true "Lord of the Capital." Meanwhile, at the He family residence, the steward Liu Quan stared wide-eyed at the cartload of top-tier collectibles sent by Qingyao. Even the well-informed Liu Erye couldn't help but marvel at the jade Guanyin statue and the box of gems, and immediately reported to Heshen, who was having breakfast.

After listening to Liu Quan's report, Heshen put down his ivory chopsticks, picked up a silk handkerchief to wipe his mouth, and said indifferently, "It's kind of him to have this thought. Have someone put it in the treasury."

"Yes, sir."

Liu Quan knew that what his master valued was not these treasures, but Zhao Youlu's understanding and loyalty.

I feel more at ease using subordinates who know to prioritize the best for me and understand cause and effect.

The gifts delivered by Xu Lin to Fu Chang'an's residence, though not as grand as Heshen's, were still all precious items.

After weighing a piece of fine Tianhuang stone seal material, Fu Chang'an smiled and said to the steward, "This Zhao Youlu is a grateful person. My efforts for him have not been in vain."

Very good review.

As dawn broke, news of the Jinghai Marquis's residence being ransacked, the Marquis of Jinghai Shi Bingren being ordered to commit suicide by the old master, the execution of all male members of his household, and the exile of women and children spread rapidly throughout the capital city with the sunlight.

As the saying goes, "When the rabbit dies, the fox grieves," and "Those of the same kind grieve for each other," many meritorious officials who had similar family backgrounds to the Marquis of Jinghai and who had obtained their titles through their ancestors' military achievements felt a chill.

The Shi family was, after all, a first-class marquis whose title was hereditary and could not be replaced. How could they have ended up like this just because they defiled the imperial seal and an old book?
To any discerning person, the Shi family's downfall was truly unjust.

Many people were filled with anxiety: Today it's the Shi family, will it be their turn tomorrow?
Some astute officials, however, sensed danger in this.

The entire process of the Marquis of Jinghai being executed and his entire family being searched and confiscated took only one day. What does this tell us?
This shows that the old man has zero tolerance for any possible infidelity!

So what exactly does this "infidelity" encompass?

That's thought-provoking.

No one dared to criticize the old patriarch who had ruled with absolute power for over fifty years. At most, they could only sigh inwardly at the unpredictability of the wrath of Heaven, and then openly or secretly turn their attention to Zhao An, the executor of the case.

The term "hawks and hounds" quickly became the most frequently used word when officials privately discussed Zhao An.

Several Han Chinese censors gathered at their private residence. After a few drinks, one of them lamented and angrily denounced: "Zhao Youlu and his lackeys will stop at nothing to curry favor with the emperor. Framed meritorious officials, ruined their families and caused their deaths. He is a disgrace to the officialdom and a calamity to the court!"

One member of the imperial clan, who was related to the Marquis of Jinghai by marriage, was so angry that he smashed a teacup in his residence and shouted at his nephews and nieces: "When did it become the domain of the Aisin Gioro family to be so presumptuous as to be presumptuous by such a lackey! Zhao Youlu is nothing but a vicious dog under Heshen's command, yet he dares to bite at the heads of the Eight Banners nobles. This is outrageous!"

In no time, Zhao An's reputation as the old master's lackey and Heshen's vicious dog spread like wildfire throughout the officialdom of the capital.

Qian Wen, the head of the examination hall, overheard this and quickly reported it to Zhao An, who was busy with renovations at the "official residence" of the deputy military governor in Baodafang.

"Hunter? To be the Emperor's henchman is a blessing that one would beg for. They may want to be, but are they worthy?"

Zhao An chuckled softly, not taking the matter to heart at all. He then focused his pen, and a huge character for "loyalty" took shape.

"Have someone frame it and hang it on the main wall of the examination hall. Remember, it must be eye-catching and prominent!"

Zhao An, chin in hand, looked at his masterpiece with satisfaction. "This word 'loyalty' is something we, as subjects and servants, must talk about every day, every month, every year. We must even talk about it three times in our dreams. Hmm, if I miss even one of these words, my whole body will itch like fleas are having a meeting, from the top of my head to my heels."

After saying this, he looked at Steward Qian with a solemn expression, "I am loyal to the Emperor, but who are you loyal to?"

“Your Excellency,”

Manager Qian felt a surge of joy, thinking, "This humble servant is loyal to you, sir!"

(End of this chapter)