Qing Yao

Chapter 463 Let's see how long you can be so arrogant.

If you can't figure it out, just keep thinking about it.

However, Deputy Commander Zhao didn't have much time left for them.

Inside information has leaked from the Governor's Office that Deputy Governor Zhao is drafting a list of people who will be reported to the Old Master as typical corrupt officials within the Eight Banners.

Is this still available?

Several of Heshen's cronies, whose self-criticisms had also been rejected for various reasons, couldn't sit still any longer and agreed to go to Heshen to complain.

As soon as they entered the study, the men knelt down in unison. The fourth squad leader, Fu Hai, said with a sob in his voice, "Your Excellency, Lord Zhao is making things difficult for even us! I have written eight self-criticisms as he asked, but Lord Zhao said that my handwriting was too neat and that I had someone else write it for me, showing no sincerity in my repentance!"

Zuo Ling Dezhong, who was standing nearby, quickly chimed in: "This servant is even more wronged! This servant has had bad handwriting since childhood. Lord Zhao said that this servant's crooked handwriting is disrespectful to the Emperor! This...this...this is simply a trumped-up charge!"

"What's most infuriating is,"

The eldest of the Zuo Ling, Shunde, pounded his chest and said, "Even the words 'this servant deserves to die' are criticized by Lord Zhao. He says that repeating it too much is perfunctory, but not saying it at all is disrespectful. Your Excellency, do you think this is any way to make people live?!"

"Your Excellency, you must stand up for us! No matter how well we write our self-criticisms, Lord Zhao will always find fault with them... If this continues, before the Banner Administration is even properly managed, we'll be driven crazy first!"

Zuo Ling Guoming was so aggrieved that he was almost in tears. He couldn't read!
Those self-criticisms were all written by Han Chinese writers from outside the city, and each one cost thirty coins.

Listening to the complaints of his cronies, Heshen showed no anger, but rather a rather amusing smile. He waved his hand to interrupt their grievances and said with a light laugh, "Alright, you can all go back now. I understand about this matter."

Are we just going back like this?
The group looked at each other, puzzled.

Seeing this, Heshen smiled and shook his head: "If Zhao Youlu only makes things difficult for others and lets you off the hook, how can this show continue? What will the Emperor think? What will outsiders think? The matter of clearing up the banner affairs is about the matter itself, not the person. Go back and write what you were supposed to write. Keep your composure."

The group was skeptical, but seeing how calm and composed the Grand Secretary was, they had no choice but to retreat dejectedly.

Zhao An remained incorruptible, relentlessly criticizing anyone's self-criticism, plunging the entire Bordered Yellow Banner government into an endless nightmare of written complaints.

Rumors and gossip from the outside world were rampant.

In the duty room of the Grand Council, Grand Councilor Wang Jie put down his teacup and shook his head with a smile at Dong Gao beside him, saying, "I heard that Zhao, the deputy commander of the Bordered Yellow Banner, no longer practices archery or horsemanship, but has started a school to teach people how to write repentance letters. It's truly a rare story."

Dong Gao stroked his beard and chuckled, "Isn't that right? I heard that even the word 'slave' isn't written humbly enough and has to be rewritten. This isn't organizing the banners; it's just nonsense and pointless fuss."

However, in the eyes of most court officials, this farce that occurred in the Bordered Yellow Banner Manchuria was purely "dog fighting" and was regarded as a joke.

The other banners also discussed this matter extensively.

Several captains of the Plain White Banner Manchuria were chatting idly in the teahouse while eating melon seeds: "You know Fuming of the Yellow Banner, right? I heard that he was forced by that newly promoted bannerman to read the Kangxi Dictionary until it was worn out. That kid can't even learn the Mandarin. What kind of nonsense is this?"

Upon hearing this, the chubby Zuo Ling Jingtai burst out laughing, almost slipping the lid of his teacup into his lapel: "If you ask me, that Zhao guy is really going after the writing brush. This isn't about managing the banner affairs; he's clearly making a fool of us Manchu men!"

The tall, thin Deshou slammed sunflower seeds on the table, his face full of disdain: "What did those guys from the Yellow Banner do to deserve this? They're being treated like dirt by some newly promoted traitor! I heard they don't even dare to put on a decent meal, afraid that traitor will accuse them of being extravagant and wasteful. Are they trying to kill us all?"

Upon hearing this, Zuo Ling Yongzhong, who had been silently munching on sunflower seeds, spat out the shell and cursed, "If you ask me, it's those cowards in the Yellow Banner who spoiled them! Try that with us in the White Banner? We'd have slapped them across the face long ago! Do they really think our Manchu whips are just for show?" "Exactly!"

Jingtai slammed his teacup down on the table. "Look at what the Yellow Banner has become! The former head of the three banners has been turned into something like the Hanlin Academy by those two traitors. Are they going to make all eight banners wear queues and take the eight-legged essay exam tomorrow?"

Most of the discussions were tinged with scorn and gloating, as if it were none of their business. In fact, many people believed that Zhao An's actions in the Bordered Yellow Banner were nothing more than reckless and chaotic behavior, relying on Heshen's support, and that he had no real intention of reforming the banner's affairs.

Such a big event naturally reached the ears of Prince Jia, Yongyan.

His teacher, Hu Gaowang, who was serving as a vice minister in the Ministry of War, came to his home specifically to inform him.

The teacher and student were playing chess at that moment.

After listening to what Teacher Hu said, Yongyan was taken aback for a moment, then gave a slight snort and said, "Heshen's indulgence of Zhao Youlu's reckless behavior has offended everyone in the Bordered Yellow Banner. In the future..."

The prince didn't say what the future held, but Teacher Hu continued, "Those whom Heaven wishes to destroy, it first makes mad."

Yongyan nodded slightly; he and Teacher Hu had the same idea.

Under the guise of cleaning up and reorganizing the banner affairs, Heshen instructed his henchman Zhao Youlu to cause such trouble for the emperor's personal banners. On the surface, it was for the good of the Eight Banners, but in reality, the more he stirred things up, the more popular the people Heshen and his cronies would lose.

What are the Eight Banners?
It was the very foundation of the Qing Dynasty!

If a current of discontent with Heshen were to brew within the Eight Banners, it might one day become the key force in bringing down this corrupt official.

"Your Highness, I believe that now is the time to add fuel to the fire. Why don't you submit a memorial tomorrow praising Zhao Youlu for his meritorious service in rectifying the discipline of the Bordered Yellow Banner, and request the Emperor to reward him? Let Zhao Youlu become arrogant and domineering, and he will really offend all the Eight Banners on behalf of Heshen. At that time, we won't even need to lift a finger; the Eight Banners will devour this gang of traitors alive!"

Teacher Hu asked his students to submit the petition instead of submitting it himself because he was not a Manchu.

Foreign officials are not qualified to comment on matters concerning the Eight Banners.

"Oh?"

The teacher's opinion stirred something in Yongyan's heart. However, everyone in the court knew that he was at odds with Heshen, so it seemed inappropriate to submit a memorial praising Heshen's lackeys.

"I have always been at odds with Heshen, so it would be disrespectful if I were to suddenly submit a memorial praising his cronies."

Yongyan picked up a black chess piece from the corner of the table and pondered, "I'm afraid anyone with eyes can see the trick."

"Does Your Highness know that what is given openly is taken secretly?"

Teacher Hu placed the white piece in his hand on the empty space on the chessboard. "If Your Highness's petition is successful, you can let the vicious dogs devour people; if it fails, you can still show goodwill to the powerful and treacherous officials, so that they will not keep pressing Your Highness."

"this?"

Yongyan frowned slightly, and after a few breaths, he slammed the black piece heavily onto the center position. "As my teacher said, I will help Zhao Youlu solidify his reputation as a capable and efficient official, and see how long he can be so arrogant!"

(End of this chapter)