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

Chapter 238 Little Jiang's Western Hunt in Miyun
"The court session is over."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and scattered like birds and beasts.

As Jiang Qingyun walked out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, he deliberately slowed his pace as he passed the guards.

"Strive on, everyone."

"Protect the Emperor."

"Beware of anti-royalist parties."

"I'm leaving now. The important task of protecting the palace is now in your hands."

At this level of acting prowess, there's hardly any acting involved anymore. The persona of a loyal minister is seamlessly integrated, making it impossible to distinguish which part is the actor and which part is genuine sincerity.

Others can't tell the difference, and neither can I.

In short, it can be summed up in one word: genuine.

The guards were saddened and all paid their respects to Jiang Qingyun.

After leaving the Meridian Gate, Jiang Qingyun immediately mounted his horse and galloped all the way to the Infantry Commander's Office.

"My dear son-in-law, you're back?"

"The situation is urgent. You need to do a few things right now."

……

Youanmen Prison.

Jiang Deshun shouted all the way: "The new list is out."

Inside the dungeon, the guards loaded their crossbows, ready to carry out the mission.

The imprisoned prisoners resembled a flock of quails awaiting slaughter, their eyes vacant, their faces ashen, awaiting their death.
A captain of the imperial guards asked, "Sir, shall we execute them all?"

“Execution? No, no, you misunderstand, a new list of releases has been released.”

"what?"

"Execute it."

"As ordered."

As the more than one thousand prisoners who had been held here walked out of the prison gates, the blinding sunlight made them feel as if they had been transported to another world. As soon as the sun shone, the seeds of anger began to sprout.

……

In the courtyard of the Infantry Commander's Office, bundles of official documents were thrown into a bonfire, sending plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky.

Destroying official documents in a rush before leaving office is also an international practice.

Jiang Qingyun addressed the civil and military officials who had come upon hearing the news:

"Brothers, the Ninth Banner is more powerful than I expected. They even make the Emperor wary. There's no other way. For the sake of the overall situation, I will temporarily step down. The position of Commander of the Nine Gates will be taken over by the Emperor himself."

"This is my final military order before I step down: patrols are suspended, arrests are suspended, and all duties are suspended. After I leave, all of you must travel in groups to and from your posts each day, and do not be alone. Beware of the Ninth Banner."

"The hurricane has passed, leaving only the grass. Take care, everyone."

"General!"

One person knelt down first, and everyone else followed suit.

Jiang Qingyun's tiger-like eyes were filled with tears.

"Brothers, I will come back, I will definitely come back. I believe that there is always justice in the world, that evil will not prevail over good, and that the dark clouds that obscure the sun are only temporary."

"If you encounter any difficulties, come to Miyun Shilibao to find me. Although I am no longer the admiral, I am still your elder brother."

Done.

He wiped away his tears with his sleeve, walked to the wall, and wrote: "Unite our will to protect the Emperor."

He threw down his pen and left the office.

Xiaoxiaosheng once wrote a poem: "Having accomplished my task, I resign and leave, unafraid of infamy or fame. With a single thought, I can kill ten thousand men, and my name will remain even a thousand miles away."

……

South City.

Chiang Kai-shek's residence.

The gate was locked, and the place was in a mess.

From the moment Jiang Qingyun arrived home, only a quarter of an hour had passed before the whole family boarded a carriage and fled. They didn't even have time to pack their valuables, displaying a determination akin to a warrior cutting off his own arm.

Sitting in the bumpy carriage, Wan Chun cried especially hard.

"My gold hairpin, my clothes, my savings, my dowry."

The calico cat next to it automatically closed its ears.

Green Pearl lifted the sedan curtain and saw the young master and his wife riding side by side on horseback.

The couple, fully armed and carrying long spears, walked slowly.

"Madam, today's events were fraught with danger but ultimately resolved without incident, which was no easy feat. Once we reach Miyun, we shall have a grand feast."

"My lord, I'm worried that if you relinquish your military power, what if—" "It's alright. Before, I was the one who kept it under control. After I leave, without anyone to keep it under control, the capital will descend into chaos. If it's not chaotic enough, I'll add more fuel to the fire."

"How to add it?"

"Ignite the Wanggongchang gunpowder depot and blow hundreds of households of the Bordered Blue Banner people into the sky."

A madness flickered in Jiang Qingyun's eyes.

"However, I don't think it's necessary. I personally have a higher opinion of the fighting spirit of the Eight Banners in the capital."

……

The eighth day of the first month of the tenth year of the Shunzhi reign.

Escorted by hundreds of armed cavalrymen, Xiao Jiang and his family hurriedly left Beijing in more than a dozen horse-drawn carriages, heading northeast towards Miyun.

The chess pieces that had been set up earlier finally came in handy.

Along the way, he repeatedly summoned his trusted confidants who served in the prefectural and county government offices. At the same time, he established two simple communication lines using the post stations along the route as points of contact.

One is Miyun—Beijing.

One is Miyun – Daming Prefecture.

On the morning of the third day, the convoy finally arrived in Miyun.

Shilibao is situated on a significantly higher elevation than its surroundings. There is a small village there that can serve as a temporary headquarters. The Chaohe and Baihe rivers flow through the area, offering beautiful scenery. If necessary, one can also take a boat to seek refuge.

The following day, people began to deliver pork, mutton, chicken, duck, firewood, rice, oil, salt, dried fruit, and pastries.

Among those who give gifts, there are quite a few clever people who try to curry favor with those who don't.

Although it is common for officials to flatter the weak and fawn over the strong, there is another type of person who is ambitious, penniless, and has sharp eyes, but they cannot afford to be successful.

Cold stoves offer better value for money, allowing you to achieve more with less money.

Moreover, Jiang Qingyun wasn't exactly an unpopular figure; at least he still retained his title of Left Censor-in-Chief.

……

Forbidden City.

The head eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, the Third Eunuch, strode into the side hall of the Qianqing Palace.

"My lord, Lord Jiang has left. He sent a letter through someone."

Shunzhi removed the sealing wax, tore open the envelope, and found only a blank sheet of paper inside. It read: "The enemy is in the Forbidden City! Your Majesty must be extremely careful, in all your actions, from food and clothing to housing and transportation." It was signed Jiang Qingyun.

The words "The enemy is in the Forbidden City" made Emperor Shunzhi dizzy with fear.

"From this day forward, a poison testing procedure will be added to my meals, and the number of guards in my bedchamber will be doubled, with only the Manchu bannermen from the two Yellow Banners remaining."

"Whoo."

"You take charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs for now."

"The slaves obey the order."

Upon leaving the Qianqing Palace, the Third Eunuch's hunched back straightened instantly. Gazing at the majestic Forbidden City, he was deeply moved and his emotions remained unsettled for a long time.

What a great benefactor.

……

The Thirteen Offices, the Directorate of Ceremonial.

Dozens of eunuchs knelt fearfully on the bluestone floor tiles, not daring to raise their heads.

The caning lashed out loud!
The eunuchs De, the Assistant Director of the Bureau of Ceremonies, and Qiu, the Director of the Imperial Horse Administration, were too exhausted to howl anymore.

The newly appointed eunuch sat on a rosewood official's hat chair, which was Wu Liangfu's favorite during his lifetime, with his legs crossed and his eyes closed, enjoying the enemy's wails.

The unpleasant experiences of my youth resurfaced at this moment, bringing a mix of emotions, a bittersweet feeling in my heart.

Who would have thought that even a little beggar could have a bright future?

At this moment, he wanted to cry out loud, yet he also wanted to laugh out loud.

An old eunuch suddenly came over and whispered, "Grand Eunuch, you can't fight anymore. If you keep fighting, someone will die."

The third eunuch slowly opened his eyes and turned his head.

“Drag him away, beat him to death, and let him die for his master.”

"Whoo."

"Greeting~"

The next second, the old eunuch's mouth was stuffed with a wad of burlap.

The strong and skilled eunuchs struck with ferocious force, leaving the victim a bloody mess after 10 strokes of the cane. Thirty strokes severed tendons and bones. Fifty strokes killed him instantly.

After 21 eunuchs were beaten to death in succession~
The Third Eunuch adjusted his hair ornament, stood up, and walked over the kneeling crowd, stepping on the blood on the ground. He spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

"Everyone, from now on, do your job well!"

(End of this chapter)