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

Chapter 162 Do you love the Qing Dynasty?
It was already winter in the capital.

More than 3 people left in the southern expedition, leaving the inner city feeling empty, desolate, and deserted.

Fortunately, the number of soldiers patrolling the city in the Five Cities Garrison has increased to 1500, and they maintain regular patrols, which has slightly increased the city's population.

Patrols and law enforcement.

Day after day, month after month.

The walls of many alleys in the inner city were covered with the "Regulations for the Administration of the Capital." Although the paper had faded, its power remained. A thin chain had been firmly placed around the neck of the bannermen in the inner city.

Suddenly, a patrol of soldiers discovered a weak person in a certain place.

"This is where?"

"Reporting to Your Excellency, it's Dengcao Alley."

The officer looked around.

"Ah, since we can't find anyone who's weak and helpless, then let's just punish everyone in the alley together!"

……

Boom boom boom boom.

The five-knock method.

It's a bit crude, but very distinctive.

There's a saying among the Manchu people in the inner city: "When you hear five knocks on the door, don't doubt it, trouble is coming."

The flag bearers opened their doors uneasily, their expressions humble.

"A pile of excrement was found at the entrance of the alley. The perpetrator could not be identified. According to the 'Regulations on the Administration of the Capital' promulgated by the Five City Garrison, if one person defecates, the whole group will be punished. Pay up."

No one argued; they silently paid the money.

As long as Jiang Qingyun is protected by the imperial power, the bannermen will not dare to raise their heads in rebellion.

After years of turmoil, the soldiers of the Five Cities Garrison have completely forgotten that "Manchus are superior to others." On the contrary, they all feel that "the Garrison is superior to others."

The mentality of "Han people are low-ranking, flags are high" has long since vanished.

officer:

"Record: On November 5th of the eighth year of the Shunzhi reign, a light cavalry patrol team conducted an on-site enforcement action in the southeastern area of ​​the inner city, in Dengcao Hutong, in accordance with Article 7, Paragraph 9 of the 'Regulations on the Administration of the Capital,' fining 26 households and imposing a total fine of 2 taels and 6 mace of silver."

Then, the officer took out the seal and breathed on it a few times.

click!
A bright red seal.

Who is the head of Dengcao Hutong?

"I'm."

"You come."

click!
Another red seal has been added, the head of the unit's seal.

Procedural justice!

……

In terms of "diligence in performing his duties," no one in the capital could criticize Jiang Qingyun, because he truly did conduct a small inspection every three days and a large inspection every five days, and occasionally, on a whim, he would even launch a surprise attack.

It truly achieved procedural justice.

When patrolling near the central government offices, Jiang Qingyun decided to go to the Ministry of Revenue for a cup of hot tea.

Pushing open the door, Zhou Shao, who was engrossed in writing at his desk, looked up and smiled, "What brings you here today?"

"Just passing by on patrol, wondering what trouble you might be in?"

"No major troubles, but countless minor ones. By the way, the imperial court has sent a new minister in charge of the treasury."

"Who?"

"Former National History Institute self-criticism, Tang Bin."

“Good. Li Bayan is dead. Someone has to take his place, and it has to be an outsider, otherwise the court will not be at ease.”

The two smiled at each other.

"Third brother, I heard you've been organizing the Baojia system in the inner city lately?"

"Yes. Ten households form a pai, ten pai form a jia, and ten jia form a bao."

"Is it too dangerous?"

Jiang Qingyun smiled.

“I did not issue any official documents in the name of the Military Command, nor did I post any notices; it was just a verbal notification from the patrolling soldiers. If anyone impeaches me, I will deal with a few soldiers who acted without authorization.”

Are you testing me?

"Yes. Today they cede five cities, tomorrow they cede five more. I just want to know where the inner city's bannermen's tolerance limit lies?"

"Did you find it?"

"It is unfathomable."

The two of them burst into laughter.

……

After leaving the Ministry of Revenue, Jiang Qingyun went out to patrol the streets again.

The old city of Beijing is beneath my feet.

To gradually change the character of this city according to one's own will, thereby achieving some unspeakable purposes. (This is followed by a seemingly unrelated sentence about Dengcao Hutong.)

A young Manchu woman in front of them suddenly changed her expression, turned around and walked away hurriedly, as if a ghost was chasing her. It was obvious that she had never had bound feet.

Jiang Qingyun was slightly displeased.

Why is she running?

"Should we mark it down and ask?"

"Ah."

A short while later, the guard who had volunteered returned, his expression strange, and he deliberately lowered his voice.

"My lord, they are criminals of the Prince Rui's mansion."

……

The house at the very back of Dengcao Hutong was originally inhabited by people from the Prince Rui's Mansion.

From a prince's mansion to a courtyard house, it's like going from heaven to earth, a dramatic drop in status. Of course, compared to ordinary people, it's still unattainable.

At the very least, they could receive a monthly stipend equivalent to that of a prince.

Thump thump thump thump~
Five knocks on the door.

After the door opened, the guards went in first, and then Jiang Qingyun slowly stepped across the threshold.

Just as I rounded the screen wall, I saw a group of women bending slightly, raising their handkerchiefs in their right hands, and waving them close to the flag bearers.

"Greetings, Your Excellency. May you be blessed with good fortune."

The round-faced woman standing in the middle is a member of the Goryeo royal family, of the Yi clan, and a concubine of Dorgon.

The famous artist Ximen Qing once said:

When bamboo is young, it is called bamboo shoot, which is sweet, tender, and juicy—a true delicacy. When it matures, it becomes bamboo, which is incredibly tough; even someone with the strongest teeth couldn't bite it. It is no longer food, but rather a building material.

Jiang Qingyun immediately spotted Zhusun, Dorgon's only daughter.

"Prepare a clean and warm room. I need to speak with Dong'e alone."

Everyone was shocked.

Jiang Qingyun waved his hand:
"I need to examine whether you have actively expelled the lingering influence of Dorgon from your mind and whether you have truly repented. If your repentance is not thorough, you will be sent to prison for reform."

……

The east wing was warm and cozy.

Jiang Qingyun sat imposingly on the edge of the pit.

"Remove armor!"

"Sir, what...what did you say?"

"Remove your makeup! Remove your nail polish! Remove your gold hairpins! Remove everything that can be removed!"

Xixisuosuo.

After a moment, Jiang Qingyun looked him up and down and nodded in satisfaction.

"It's been a year since I last saw you, Dong'e, you've grown up."

Dong E was so grief-stricken that she couldn't speak.

In this situation, Jiang Qingyun couldn't help but think of a famous Japanese formula: grief + resentment + shame = willingness.

……

Just as they were having a great time, someone suddenly shouted from outside.

"My lord? Lord Jiang?"

The voice then faded, presumably because the guards had forcibly silenced it.

Dong E:

"My lord, military affairs are of utmost importance."

"It's alright! The sage taught us that we should finish what we start. How can I give up halfway? Even if the sky falls and the earth collapses, it's not urgent."

We're in the middle of something great, how can we let trivial official business interrupt us? That's utterly ridiculous.

Before the words were even finished...
"My lord, an urgent military report from the southwest: the Prince of Dingnan and the Prince of Zhennan have both been killed in battle."

This time it was Zhou Cang who shouted it.

Jiang Qingyun's mind stirred, and he involuntarily lost his original spirit.

"Dong'e, did you hear that? The imperial court has suffered a defeat in the southwest. Many Eight Banner soldiers have shed their blood on the battlefield and will not return."

"I...I heard it!"

Dong'e was completely bewildered; she couldn't keep up with this bizarre, absurd, and abstract thought process at all.

Jiang Qingyun continued:
"I ask you, do you love the Qing Dynasty?"

"I love the Qing Dynasty."

Jiang Qingyun said solemnly:

“I am exhausted from worrying about important military matters every day. If you truly love the Qing Dynasty, you would not only think of yourself but also be unwilling to give me even a little happiness. If you continue to feel wronged like this next time, it will seriously damage the mental state of an important court official and cause many harms to the Qing Dynasty.”

"do you understand?"

(End of this chapter)