Qing Yao

Chapter 461 If you don't change your ideas, we'll replace you.

How would you describe Zhao An's demeanor at this moment?

It feels like my life is over.

A damned loyal, upright, and virtuous minister has infiltrated a group of Manchu scoundrels!
Although there are thousands of people, I will go!
This righteous and stern statement, along with those two poems, was enough to make the heads of the Manchu officers of the Bordered Yellow Banner present buzz.

Its momentum was absolutely thunderous!

I've finished speaking. Who supports me, and who opposes me?

With his righteous indignation and disregard for life and death, Zhao Andu didn't need to do anything further. He had already made the First Commander Buyandalai and the Third Commander Langtu pale in fear. The other commanders were even more terrified and dared not even breathe, for fear that they would be the next ones to be established as commanders.

At this moment, the nineteen Heshen henchmen who had been prepared to support Zhao An were even more terrified and panicked than others.

Several people turned pale.

what's the situation?
The art style is off.

He Zhongtang asked them to cooperate with Deputy Commander Zhao as much as possible, but how could they cooperate with Deputy Commander Zhao, who was so loyal to the country?

If they cooperate honestly, how can they continue to hold their positions as officials?
If they cooperate well, they can't be officials!

I really don't know what Deputy Commander Zhao was thinking. It's just a formality, why are you making such a big deal out of it?

"Take it down!"

This time, no one dared to utter a word to stop Zhao An's order.

"Whoo!"

The Goshkhas efficiently dragged the still-sobming Mingshan, Erhe, Bayar, and other unfortunate souls outside.

Even someone as stubborn as Mingshan wouldn't dare utter a single word of nonsense.

Even if he wanted to, he couldn't make it happen.

A long, deathly silence fell over the hall, as everyone sensed that a bloody storm was about to sweep across the entire Manchu Plain Yellow Banner.

The guy surnamed Zhao won't just give up like that!
Five mere juniors are probably not enough to satisfy this guy's appetite.

Buyandalai and Langtu felt their eyelids twitch simultaneously; their intuition told them that the Zhao family's real target was likely them.

It's because they weren't Heshen's men.

However, just as everyone was anxiously waiting to see what kind of storm Zhao An would unleash, Zhao An's tone unexpectedly softened.

"Everyone,"

After glancing at the heads bowed before him, Zhao An said with deep emotion, "Hafeng'a, Mingshan, and the others have irrefutable evidence of their crimes, and they have only themselves to blame. My handling of them according to the law is to uphold the law and discipline of the country."

"I am well aware that most of you here are descendants of founding heroes of our Great Qing Dynasty, whose ancestors' achievements are recorded in history. You yourselves are pillars of the state, selected and cultivated by the court, serving in various ministries or the Beijing Garrison. You have not been without contributions to the nation or the banners."

These words caused many officers to secretly raise their heads, their eyes filled with surprise and uncertainty, wondering what Zhao An was up to.

However, the tense atmosphere inside the hall had eased considerably.

"The collapse of the flag administration to this extent is not a sudden occurrence, nor is it the fault of one person alone."

Zhao An's voice changed from affectionate to heavy, "Old habits die hard, and the prevailing atmosphere is what it is. If I were to implicate and punish all of you in the course of this investigation, it would not only be of no use but would also paralyze the affairs of the Eight Banners and shake the very foundation of the Eight Banners. This is neither His Majesty's wish nor my original intention in this rectification."

Ok?
Almost everyone looked up and focused their gaze back on Zhao An's now harmless face.

"As I said before, I am willing to give you all a chance, a chance to redeem yourselves and start anew."

As they spoke, Zhao An put the double-eyed peacock feather hat back on his head, but he didn't put on the Ebilun sword. He just gently patted the scabbard of the imperial sword.

"Anyone who feels they have been negligent or negligent in their duties, or who has been somewhat careless in their conduct, must pay a fine of 'punishment' to the Commander-in-Chief's office within three days. As for the amount, you may decide for yourselves. The fine paid by you will not go into my personal pocket, but will replenish the Banner Treasury to help impoverished Banner soldiers and improve military equipment. This is both an act of atonement for your past mistakes and a way of showing your remorse to the Emperor!"

After saying that, Zhao An stopped talking and left the time to the group of "fat sheep" in front of him.

Upon hearing this, the officers immediately understood that Zhao An was asking them to pay for their own safety.

However, compared to losing one's job, being dismissed, or even being imprisoned, paying a fine seems acceptable.

Seeing that although everyone remained silent, their expressions had clearly softened considerably, Zhao An nodded slightly and raised his voice, saying, "Furthermore, everyone must personally write a letter of self-criticism, deeply reflecting on their shortcomings in banner management and duty performance. This letter of self-criticism cannot be superficial; it must delve into the root causes of their problems, because this letter of self-criticism is not written for me to see, but for the Emperor to see!"

Zhao An raised his voice considerably for the last sentence.

The fines for crimes were meant to increase the old master's private treasury, while the written self-criticisms were clear evidence of the ideological unity of the Manchus of the Bordered Yellow Banner under his leadership.

Presenting the old man with two impressive achievements before launching a large-scale investigation would be beneficial for subsequent actions.

A letter of self-criticism?

What the hell?
Whether it's a deputy commander or a lieutenant commander, we all looked at each other, completely bewildered.

Zhao An gave a precise explanation: a letter of self-criticism is a letter of thanks or a letter of confession.

Regardless of whether you are innocent or not, you have to write it.

If you confess your wrongdoings without being innocent, as long as you have a deep understanding of the situation and show genuine remorse with a fine, how could the magistrate, who has always been lenient towards the Eight Banners, not give you a chance?

The old master wouldn't give it, but the middle-aged man would!
The decision of who receives the gifts and who doesn't is to be made by Deputy Commander Zhao.

After all, Deputy Commander Zhao was the first person to review the relevant materials.

Just write the truth if you are innocent; Lord Zhao never wrongs anyone.

It was a very clever way of fighting. The Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner, as the emperor's personal banner, was internally complex and interconnected, and any move made by it would affect the whole situation.

If most of the officials above the rank of Zuo Ling were to be killed, not only would it be difficult to explain to Heshen, but even the old master might not be happy to see it.

Haven't you noticed that since the old master ascended the throne, his numerous attempts at reform have only addressed the symptoms, not the root cause, to the point that he's now too lazy to bother with any further reforms?

If Zhao An hadn't made a big deal out of Zhang Changbao's affair of impersonating a Manchu, using it as an excuse to guide Heshen to eliminate his political opponents, Heshen wouldn't have been persuaded to speak up. Otherwise, given the old master's later-life policy of "seeking stability through inaction," he probably wouldn't have paid any attention to it.

Leave it to the next administration to handle.

Arresting a few typical cases like Mingshan, who are the most vocal and have the most substantial charges, to serve as a warning to others is sufficient.

As for the rest, we'll see how they perform.

If officers of the rank of Zuo Ling and above perform well, then officers of the rank of Ling Cui and Xiao Qi Xiao below Zuo Ling will become more active.

Zhao An's real target was the core Eight Banner officers below the rank of Zuo Ling. Although these people were also greedy, they were, after all, the backbone of the Eight Banners. If they could be purged on a large scale, it would definitely further reduce the already limited fighting strength of the Eight Banners.

This group of grassroots cadres is numerous, but their status is relatively low and their backgrounds are not so strong, so there is less resistance to taking action. This ensures that the Eight Banners are not revitalized by overdoing it, and also avoids that the purge is too extensive and triggers a large-scale backlash from the Eight Banners elites.

The powerful and wealthy kept quiet, which gave the old man peace and quiet.

With merits and political achievements, and by the way, bringing in some more members for the Party, everything will be complete.

Zhao An believed that the old man would appreciate his "sensible" approach.

"I urge everyone to cherish this opportunity and not make a mistake! If anyone still harbors wishful thinking and tries to get away with it, or remains stubborn and unable to change their mindset,"

Without any hesitation, Zhao An grabbed Ebilun's sword and pulled it out a third of the way with a loud clang. "If you don't change your mind, then change the person! There are plenty of people to fill this Manchu position in the Bordered Yellow Banner!"

We can't pull out any more; if we pull out too much, everyone will see that the Ebilun knife has already broken.

(End of this chapter)