Qing Yao

Chapter 459 You dare, you surnamed Zhao!

Commander Fan dared not say more and quickly withdrew to make arrangements. In an instant, all the clerks and clerks of the Governor's Office came out to distribute notices everywhere, and they were so busy that they were practically running around in a frenzy.

Those in the city are alright; even if they can't find a workplace, they can find a home. But those who work part-time at Yuanmingyuan outside the city have to run themselves ragged.

The official meeting notice was written on the special paper of the Governor-General's Office and stamped with the Governor-General's seal. In addition, Zhao An's reputation as a henchman had already spread throughout the capital. Even though the Manchu officers who received the notice were extremely unwilling, they had no choice but to put down their duties and ask for leave from their respective units to come obediently.

The next day at noon, the second council hall of the Governor's Office was packed with people, buzzing with excitement as the arriving officers inquired about the purpose of the meeting.

The nineteen henchmen of Heshen on the list also arrived early, exchanging knowing glances and gathering together, ready to give Vice Commander Zhao a good welcome and help him make this grand show a success.

When the appointed time arrived, the side door opened wide.

Wearing a yellow imperial jacket over his outer robe, with an Ebilun sword at his waist and a double-eyed peacock feather on his head, Zhao An walked into the hall expressionlessly. His attire was so striking that the whispers in the hall ceased abruptly without him even needing to scan the room.

Several officers who had been leaning against the pillars straightened up without realizing it, not daring to show any sign of negligence on their faces.

A young captain stared intently at Zhao An's attire, recalling his friend's warning from the Ministry of War: "That Zhao Youlu has the Imperial Sword; be careful, or he might end up with nothing."

In the corner, a stout colonel wiped his brow with his sleeve and muttered to his friend beside him, "This doesn't look like someone who's just here to make an appearance."

His friend beside him stared intently at the sword at Zhao An's waist, his eyelids twitching inexplicably.

Even the scribes standing outside the hall held their breath. One scribe couldn't help but steal a glance, but was glared at fiercely by the old scribe: "Lower your head!"

Apart from the main table and chairs, there were no other seats in the second hall, meaning that all officers had to stand for the meeting.

After taking his seat, Zhao An didn't waste any words and looked directly at En Tai, the commander of the seal office who was already prepared: "Tell everyone what happened."

"Whoo!"

Entai hurriedly stepped forward to inform everyone of the details of Zhang Changbao's case.

When the audience heard that a Han Chinese bondservant had been impersonating a Manchu official and fraudulently collecting money and grain from his own banner for ten years, the room erupted in uproar, with many officers displaying shock and indignation.

I don't know if they really didn't know, or if they were pretending.

"Ten years, a full ten years! Among you all are commanders, captains, those in charge of household registration, those in charge of soldiers, those in charge of dispatching, and those in charge of supervision. Are you all blind and deaf, completely unaware of such matters? Or is it that some of you are turning a blind eye, or even colluding with thieves to steal the imperial court's money and grain!"

Zhao An's tone was extremely sharp, and then he slammed his hand on the desk with a loud "bang," almost causing the brushes on the brush holder to jump out of their sockets.

"What kind of behavior is this? This is not only a crime of deceiving the emperor, but also an attempt to uproot the Eight Banners of my Great Qing! If we discover one Zhang Changbao today, we will discover Li Changbao and Wang Changbao tomorrow! If this continues, the banners will cease to be banners, and the country will cease to be a country!"
"I have been granted the grace of His Majesty and the trust of the Grand Secretary, and have been temporarily appointed to oversee the investigation of affairs within this Banner. The reason I have summoned you all here today is to expose the rotten flesh within our Bordered Yellow Banner! To see just how many parasites exist within our Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner!"

Some officers who were less courageous or had something to hide were so frightened by Zhao An's undisguised and stern accusations and the loud slamming of his fist on the table that they turned pale. Some shrank back instinctively, while others quickly lowered their heads. In any case, they dared not meet the eyes of the angry Zhao An.

Some officers, confident in their status or background, did not panic, but they frowned and stared at Zhao An in the main seat with serious expressions.

Many astute individuals had already realized that this meeting was likely a trap, and that the man surnamed Zhao was clearly after them.

He secretly pondered how to distance himself from those sordid affairs.

Zhao An gave the officers time to process their thoughts. After a dozen or so breaths, he spoke again: "Whether you are veterans, hereditary officials, mutual officials, or public officials, I am giving you a chance because of the merits your ancestors rendered to the country. Go back and investigate thoroughly whether there are any cases similar to Zhang Changbao's, such as fraudulently obtaining salaries without working or embezzling funds. If so, report them immediately. This will be considered a merit of your self-investigation, and I can petition the Emperor for leniency!"

The translation is: leniency for those who confess, severity for those who resist.

The officers, however, kept their eyes down and remained silent.

The same applies to Heshen's cronies, because, according to Zhao An, they also had to voluntarily declare their identities.

Before they could ascertain the true thoughts of Deputy Commander-in-Chief Zhao and Grand Secretary Tonghe, these people were hesitant and dared not express their opinions rashly.

The hall remained quiet.

Seeing this, Zhao An snorted inwardly and suddenly shouted, "Where is Hafeng Ahe!"

"The humble position is here!"

A captain, around forty years old, hurriedly stepped forward.

"Hafeng, you also hold a position in the Construction Department of the Imperial Household Department. I heard that the job is so lucrative that you've neglected your duties as a banner officer. I'm afraid the soldiers under your command can't even draw their bows anymore?"

Zhao An's tone was clearly sarcastic.

"This..." Hafeng'a blushed and dared not utter a sound.

Zhao An ignored him and shouted again, "Where is Bayar!"

"The humble position is here!"

The zuoling (military officer) named Bayar quickly stepped forward.

"I heard that you took the money and rations that should have been distributed to the banner soldiers and lent them out. Is that true?"

"Absolutely not, absolutely not!"

Bayar shook his head vigorously without even thinking.

Zhao An snorted coldly: "Where is Erhe!"

"Your humble servant is here!"

A slightly overweight officer stepped forward hesitantly.

"Is it true that you falsely claim 5,000 taels of banner salary every year?"

Erhe was so frightened that he fell to his knees with a thud, crying out, "Innocent! Innocent!"

Bayar also joined in, crying out for justice.

"Injustice?"

Zhao An didn't bother arguing with the two at all, and his gaze swept across the crowd again: "Where is Daryl!"

"The humble position is here!"

A captain stepped forward in response, his face equally grim.

"The number of armored soldiers under your command has been decreasing every year, but the reported amount of money and rations received remains unchanged! Who pocketed the extra silver?"

Daryl swayed, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat, and he opened his mouth but could not make a sound.

"Where is Mingshan?!"

At Zhao An's shout, a young captain dressed in exceptionally fine clothes stepped forward with a stiff upper lip.

"Mingshan, do you know how many bannermen under your command don't even have decent weapons and armor? They spend their days playing with falcons and fighting dogs. How can you be so lazy and disgraceful to your ancestors!"

Ming Shan's face turned pale and then red, filled with shame and indignation, but he could only clench his fists tightly and lower his head deeply because of Zhao An's imposing presence.

"Somebody come!"

Zhao An raised his hand, and Goshha, who had been waiting outside the hall, entered in response.

These Goshha were not Zhao An's guards, but rather people from the Governor's Office.

"Take off their official hats!"

Before Zhao An could finish speaking, Goshha pounced forward like a wolf.

Before Hafenga could react, his official hat was ripped off. Bayar recoiled in fear but was pressed down from behind, and the hat fell to the ground with a thud.

Erhe collapsed to the ground, letting Goshha remove his official hat. Mingshan tried to struggle but was held down by two Goshha from the left and right, who forcibly took the hat away.

The four officers who had been stripped of their official hats looked ashen-faced. Hafenga's eyes were vacant, Bayar was trembling all over, and Erhe collapsed to the ground.

Only the young and impetuous Mingshan, after the initial shock and humiliation, felt a surge of blood rush to his head, and he suddenly broke free from Goshha's restraints, shouting with his neck stiff:

"You, surnamed Zhao! You're just a newly promoted deputy commander, you haven't even warmed up to our old Manchu surname, yet you dare to touch my official hat? Do you know where your family was scrambling for food when my ancestors were following the old Khan and living in the cold outside the Great Wall?"

During Emperor Taizong's reign, my family served him faithfully. When Prince Rui led us into the pass, we were among the first group of meritorious officials!

The number of imperial edicts and certificates enshrined in the clan's ancestral hall is more than the amount of rice you've ever eaten!
"You dare touch me today? Tomorrow all the girls in the Eight Great Hutongs will be laughing at us Manchurian monks for letting a new Manchu bully us!"

(End of this chapter)