You can't only love the Qing Dynasty when you're eating the fruits of others' labor.

Chapter 139 No one supports my lofty ambitions; I will tread the blood-soaked path to the summit.

The 23rd day of the second month in the lunar calendar.

At the execution ground in Caishikou, Nancheng, crowds thronged, with hundreds of soldiers maintaining order. Representatives from Shuntian Prefecture, the Ministry of Justice, the Censorate, and the Court of Judicial Review attended the ceremony.

Bang bang bang~
The yamen runners cleared the way with gongs, followed by a formation of executioners carrying executioner's knives, and then a series of prison carts.

The onlookers were astonished.

"My goodness, how many people would that kill?"

"The imperial court is really strict."

"Good riddance, they all deserve to die."

Every ten zhang (approximately 10 meters), there was a yamen runner carrying a long whip, who would occasionally crack the whip to scare away onlookers who got too close.

"Get out of the way!"

"Back off, back off."

Suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves rang out in the street.
To ensure absolute safety, Jiang Qingyun dispatched his most valuable Mountain Battalion, sending heavily armored cavalry to patrol the streets in case of any unforeseen circumstances.

……

"Sir, there are too many death row inmates today, so we cannot arrange for a one-time execution."

"How many executioners came?"

"40 people."

"No problem, let's behead 40 people at a time, and do it in several rounds."

"Whoo."

After the stirring drumbeats, the deputy executioner shouted:
"Quiet, quiet."

"Jiang Qingyun, Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, invites all of you to come down from the stage for a closer greeting."

A group of red-tasseled caps reluctantly moved to stand below the platform, looking at the condemned prisoners five zhang away, feeling a sense of shared sorrow. Not long ago, they were colleagues.

"It is noon; the execution is to begin."

The demon-headed swords swung down in unison, and 40 headless corpses fell to the ground.

"Second batch, bring them up."

The soldiers dragged the second batch of 40 men, who were already unable to move and incontinent, onto the stage and swung their swords down again.

"The third batch, take them up."

Tens of thousands of people at the scene were completely silent, some even stopping breathing. The people being killed were not ordinary civilians, but high-ranking officials of the imperial court.

Everyone was horrified by the extremely shocking and bloody scene.

Blood dripped down the edge of the execution platform, like a small stream. As the soldiers dragged the condemned prisoners onto the platform, they stepped into the pool of blood, their boots splashing blood.

The representatives sent by the central government to observe the ceremony were sweating profusely and trembling with fear.

Jiang Qingyun proposed that each ministry send representatives at a rate of five percent to attend the ceremony as a warning to others. Emperor Shunzhi approved this, which led to this scene.

……

"Sixth batch, take them up."

~
"Eighth batch, take them up."

The executioners, known for their strong mental fortitude, were covered in blood, their arms trembling slightly, not out of soft-heartedness, but out of terror.

These blows aren't aimed at ordinary people; they're aimed at the most esteemed lords!

It's too cruel.

so horrible.

Jiang Qingyun beckoned, signaling Suksaha to come over.

The newly appointed Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, Sukesaha, ran to the desk and knelt down without hesitation.

"This humble official pays his respects to the Vice Censor."

"Rise. Suksaha, do you remember what I said to you here last time?"

"I remember the official saying that the court was still too conservative."

"Ah."

Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction.

"Today, more than 300 officials have been executed, which fully demonstrates that the Emperor and I are of one mind."

"Yes, yes. This humble official is worried that my lack of ability might hinder my work in the Ministry of Revenue. I humbly request your guidance, sir."

"Ability is not important; loyalty is. I'll give you eight words: respect procedures and keep a record of everything. If you do these, even if the result is wrong, it's still right. Conversely, even if the result is right, it's still wrong. If you encounter difficulties, consult with Vice Minister Zhou. If you're really unsure, you can come to me."

"Your humble servant will heed Your Excellency's teachings." The drumbeats sounded, and the beheading ended.

Jiang Qingyun took a deep breath, stood up from the table, and walked resolutely down the execution platform, step by step, leaving a trail of bloody footprints behind him.

No one will support my lofty ambitions; I will tread the path of blood to the mountain peak.

……

Jiang Qingyun proposed, and Shunzhi approved, that all central government departments should send representatives to witness the executions in person, hoping to serve as a warning that "everyone should not be corrupt or break the law."

But in reality, the biggest effect was—"Don't obstruct Jiang Qingyun in the future."

Ji Zheng, a senior official in the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department, who was watching the ceremony from the front row, thought to himself as he watched Jiang Qingyun's departing figure, "Minister Feng is indeed insightful. He took the initiative to make goodwill early on, and the two sides established a good personal relationship."

Suddenly~
Ji Zheng had some doubts about whether his superiors had long seen through the fact that the Jiang Group was going to become the "eunuch faction" of the Qing Dynasty.
Of course, the person wasn't castrated, but their logic in doing things was quite similar.

Ji Zheng even felt that given Jiang Qingyun's current arrogance, if he were to be humble, he could be called five hundred years old; if he were to be bold, he could be called a thousand years old.

"Doctor Ji, shall we go?"

"it is good."

The group left Caishikou in a daze.

……

There is a law in the animal kingdom:
If the most powerful beast wants to maintain its dominant position within its pack, it must avoid injury as much as possible.

If it is constantly challenged by younger competitors, even if it wins every time, it will be left with wounds. Once these wounds accumulate, its position will become unstable.

Therefore, one must seize the opportunity to intimidate one's own kind with enough blood and flesh, establish an unshakeable image of a strongman, and avoid being challenged in turn and exhausted.

Jiang Qingyun believes:
Wang Anshi's reforms lacked sophistication, Zhang Juzheng's reforms posed significant risks, Wang Mang's new policies were too outrageous, and Shang Yang's laws were too perverse.

Throughout history, for a "revolution" meticulously packaged as a "reform movement" to succeed, it requires an orderly organization, a program that resonates with the people, a loyal and elite army, a suitable environment, and a leader as steadfast as iron.

It's very difficult!

But no matter how difficult it is, it's worth trying.

……

Following the massacre of officials at Caishikou, Jiang Qingyun immediately began arranging the ransacking of homes, resulting in the destruction of over 300 households, none of which were spared.

The confiscation of property was a lucrative but also the most chaotic part of the operation. The only feasible, albeit clumsy, method was mutual supervision. Jiang Qingyun's method was for the Censorate, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review, the Prefectural Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, and the Commander of the Military Affairs Bureau to jointly direct a mixed force of soldiers to conduct the confiscation.

Reasonable levies are permitted: 10 taels for Han soldiers, 15 taels for Manchu soldiers, and 20 taels for junior officers.

Those of higher rank were delivered to the recipient's home afterward, depending on their status.

Logically speaking, the raiding of households shouldn't affect the elite cavalry.

However, in order to win over people's hearts, Jiang Qingyun deliberately borrowed horses and carts from the two Yellow Banner Cavalry Battalions, which gave him the opportunity to share the spoils.

The two yellow flag bearers were all smiles, having earned half a year's salary in just one trip.

……

Ministry of Revenue Treasury.

Truckloads of stolen silver were transported here, awaiting storage; the scene was quite spectacular.

suddenly~
A horse-drawn carriage came galloping by.

The curtain was lifted, and a fat man with a large head and thick neck struggled to get off the carriage, supported by two attendants.

"I am Li Bayan, a first-class earl, appointed by imperial decree to take over as Minister of the Treasury and directly manage the three treasuries of the Ministry of Revenue. Vice Governor Jiang, I hope you will take good care of me."

Li Yongfang had nine sons, and he was one of them. Li Shuaitai, the Minister of Justice, was his elder brother. Since entering the pass, Li Bayan's health had been deteriorating, and he had been living in seclusion at home.

"The minister obeys the order."

"Someone come here and inform the Right Vice Minister Zhou Shao to prepare for the handover."

Jiang Qingyun remained calm, believing this was Shunzhi's way of checking him; absolute trust was impossible.

"His Majesty truly favors your Li family."

Li Bayan smiled wryly and pulled over a chair to sit down.

“Vice-Governor Jiang, I won’t lie to you. It was the Empress Dowager who nominated me, and the Emperor approved it, that gave me the position of Minister in charge of the Treasury.”

"Judging from your tone, it seems you're not very willing?"

"It's just that my body can't take the strain."

Jiang Qingyun carefully examined him and saw that his complexion was ashen and he was sweating profusely, which made him look very unhealthy.

"I'll introduce you to an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor another day!"

"Thank you~"

(End of this chapter)