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

Chapter 171 The Prince Regent Uses Force to Purge the Emperor's Ladies from Corrupt Officials!

Jiang Bei and Zhou Cang rushed in.

Jiang Qingyun didn't wait for the two generals to ask any questions before quickly issuing the order.

"Zhou Cang, go and gather the militia. As many as you can, gather as many as you can from the southern city who have participated in the temporary city patrol team. Each soldier will command 50 militiamen to set up barricades, block the streets, temporarily take over the city gates, and announce to the whole city that a temporary curfew has been imposed and no one is allowed to leave their home. In this emergency, you may kill without asking for permission."

"Sir, in what name?"

"Just say it's a bandit suppression exercise, um, an exercise."

"As ordered."

"Jiangbei, go and pass on the order to open the armory. Those who can wear armor should wear armor, and those who can ride horses should ride horses. The rest should be organized into a battalion and given matchlock guns."

"As ordered."

……

After the two trusted confidants left in a hurry.

Jiang Qingyun turned around and saw Jiang Nan standing quietly in the corridor, fully armed, wearing full armor, holding a long spear, carrying a waist knife, and a bow and arrows, with a resolute look in his eyes.

"Madam, something is not right in the inner city. Several councilors have suddenly gathered their own troops."

"Another mutiny?"

"It's hard to say. In any case, we need to prepare for the worst."

Jiangnan breathed a long sigh of relief.

“My lord, I will protect the family members in the manor. If there is a real mutiny, I will escort them to the Tongzhou General’s Office for refuge.”

"So good."

Jiang Qingyun nodded with satisfaction.

Actually, I didn't understand what the elite cavalry was trying to do. Logically speaking, it shouldn't be like the 226 Incident again, but anything can happen.

What if the banner lords and princes go mad?
I can't even imagine what that scene would be like.

Jiang Qingyun did not want to see a mutiny. He was pursuing a career in officialdom and was most afraid of the situation getting out of control. Small disturbances could be beneficial, but big disturbances would mean certain death.

If another 226 incident were to occur in Beijing, there is a high probability that the young Shunzhi Emperor would be forced to abdicate, which would mean the collapse of all his three years of planning.

Jiang Qingyun stood there, unable to calm down for a long time.

Then Jiangbei came again to report: "Vice Governor, all troops have been assembled."

……

Forbidden City.

Upon learning of the unusual activity at several camps of the Imperial Guard, Grand Minister Ao Bai did not hesitate for a second and immediately ordered all palace gates to be closed, with the Imperial Guard taking over the defense of the palace gates.

The imperial guards, dressed in yellow riding jackets, also hurriedly changed into their new clothes. But riding jackets and swords were useless in battle. Everyone was heavily armed, with horses and long swords, ready to fight the enemy by riding and shooting.

Qianqing Palace.

Shunzhi shouted sternly:

"Wu Liangfu, what's going on?"

"Master, this servant does not know."

"Are your Thirteen Offices incompetent? How could you be completely unaware of such a major event beforehand? You damned lackey."

“This servant deserves to die. This servant has just started to set up shop.”

Emperor Shunzhi ignored the man and took the emperor's sword from the wall.

Keng~
The sword was drawn, its cold light gleaming.

……

Central Government Office Street.

The patrolmen from the Five Cities Garrison marched in, with 500 arquebusiers in the middle and 1000 armored cavalry on both sides, advancing side by side in perfect unison.

Jiang Qingyun was wearing double-layered heavy armor, with a short pistol at his waist, a sword at his side, and a long spear in his hand.

He looked imposing, but his back was actually covered in sweat.

Having lived two lives, he had never been as nervous as he was today.

Suddenly, he raised his right hand.

"stop!"

The infantry and cavalry halted and stood at attention.

Such a scene startled the officials of the two government offices, who scattered and fled like startled cockroaches.

Jiang Qingyun watched as Fan Wencheng, the Minister of Rites, stumbled every few steps and couldn't even get up. He was probably scared out of his wits.

"Go, help the Minister over here."

A short while later, Fan Wencheng, pale as a ghost, was brought over by soldiers.

His teeth were chattering, but he didn't utter a sound.

"Grand Secretary Fan, the Xiaoji Battalion has assembled without orders. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, you should go to the South City to take refuge, so as to avoid a repeat of the events of 226."

Fan Wencheng gritted his teeth and remained silent. "You don't think I'm about to rebel, do you?"

He remained silent.

Jiang Qingyun sighed.

It seems Fan Wencheng harbors deep resentment towards me. Once this matter is settled, I might as well go into Fan's residence, grab a few women, and give the old man a good dose of positive energy.

……

In front of.

A troop of cavalry galloped in.

The lead knight, wielding a tiger-shaped lance, made a graceful rein in and came to a sudden stop. He glanced at the banners and recognized them as belonging to the Five Cities Military Command.

"I am Yabulan, the military commander. Where is Vice-Governor Jiang?"

"I am here. I have led troops to defend the emperor. What is the situation now?"

Yablan urged his horse forward and leaned closer to whisper.

"The camp was tightly closed, and the soldiers were fully armed, but they did not leave the camp."

"No explanation?"

“Prince Mandahai has just entered the palace. Your Majesty, please convene an early morning court session.”

"what?"

Jiang Qingyun could hardly believe his ears. This was just too ridiculous! Using military exercises as a pretext to scare Emperor Shunzhi?
"Yes."

Yablan's expression was also quite interesting.

What's the point of holding an early morning court session?

"I don't know, he didn't say."

"That damned bastard."

To publicly curse a prince is, by all accounts, a grave offense. But Jabran didn't care, because for now, the two yellow flags were still in the same trench.

……

Jiang Qingyun composed himself and asked in a low voice, "So what do we do now?"

"By imperial decree, the Five City Garrison Commands are to stand by inside Zhengyang Gate in case of any unforeseen circumstances. You will come with me to the palace to prepare for the morning court session."

"My outfit?"

"It's alright, there's a reason for it."

"According to the order."

For some reason, Jiang Qingyun felt something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. After whispering with a few trusted confidants for a while, he followed the guards into the palace.

Upon reaching the Meridian Gate, he suddenly couldn't help but glance back at the blurry military flag in the distance, feeling as if he had fifteen buckets of water in his heart.

Among the guards on duty, Second-Class Guard Suleda looked up at him with a blank expression, clearly unaware of the situation.

"Lord Jiang, please~"

"Please~"

Yabulan was in front, and Jiang Qingyun was behind.

The steps of the Hall of Supreme Harmony were filled with archers.

They were all guards under the command of Commander Yabulan. This elite force's greatest achievement was killing Zhang Xianzhong from a distance, making them famous in one battle.

……

Enter the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Jiang Qingyun saw Shunzhi, dressed in golden armor and wearing a golden helmet, sitting silently on the dragon throne. The scene was quite comical.

Everyone inside the hall seemed to be mute.

At a glance, almost all the officers and ranks—from junior commander to brigade commander, deputy brigade commander, captain, and commander—are Manchus.

Full morning service?

Jiang Qing cautiously stood among the officials of the two Yellow Banners, seeking a sense of security. Sure enough, everyone cast friendly glances his way.

However, Prince Li, Mandahai, turned his head and stared at him fiercely, his murderous intent undisguised.

Call ~
It turned out to be the case.

Jiang Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief.

It's not that we're afraid of the enemy in the open, but that we're afraid of the enemy in the dark.

So our Great Qing's third anti-Chiang Kai-shek alliance has been declared established, right? The first two were all through diplomacy, but the third one is now using both military and political means, isn't it?

In the blink of an eye, Jiang Qingyun dispelled the mystery.

There is only one truth, and that is—the purging of the court of corrupt officials by force!

"Beside you" refers to myself.

Broken~
(End of this chapter)