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

Chapter 256 The Grand Secretary Holds a Supplementary 20th Birthday Celebration
The Cabinet ordered the Ministry of Works to carry out a large-scale urban renovation project in both the inner and outer city, focusing on paved roads, public bathhouses, and leak-proof toilets.

The first point needs no further explanation.

The second point concerns public health.

Take frequent baths to reduce illness.

Jiang Qingyun was a man of principle. He did not want the bannermen to die from various epidemics. He believed that the bannermen should die in a more meaningful way, such as on the battlefield or in prison.

Just as the Roman Empire in history liked to build public baths, this was a very important welfare benefit.

The third point has long been overlooked by the world.

The capital city was densely populated, and every household dug a dry toilet.

The process of sewage seeping into the ground from dry toilets is slow and lengthy. The so-called "bitter water" is actually groundwater that has been slightly polluted by sewage.

Once groundwater is contaminated, the impact can last for at least a century.

Seven out of ten wells in the capital were bitter water wells. Wealthy families would choose to buy water, while the imperial family would transport water directly from Yuquan Mountain.

More ordinary people are drinking bitter water, leading to an extremely high rate of infection.

Therefore, the dry toilet seepage prevention project is a true century-long project.

……

With the arrival of early summer, everyone's eyes lit up.

At the initiative of Chief Minister Chiang Kai-shek, and under the combined pressure of thousands of fathers and husbands, the Manchu women, unable to withstand the beatings, collectively abandoned their elaborate and gloomy old Qing Dynasty attire and put on light, simple, and bright new cheongsams.

This trend started in the inner city, and the southern city quickly followed suit.

In just a few months, the evolution of clothing, which has taken more than 300 years, has been completed.

The famous philosopher Aristotle once said:

Civilization means wearing less clothing.

The New Life Movement firmly grasped the most crucial element of "civilization": wearing less clothing!

Less is more civilized!

The more there are, the less civilized it is!
Under the guidance of an invisible hand, the Manchu bannermen, who had just emerged from the old forest, were busy with both foot binding and promoting civilization.

With the widespread allocation of houses and collective increases in wages, it was comparable to the prosperous Kaiyuan era.

The bannermen spend their money without hesitation, showing a rather advanced view of consumption.

For a time, the commercial sector in the southern part of the city experienced an abnormal boom.

I swear to God, Jiang Qingyun did indeed inject many new things into the Qing Dynasty, but there was absolutely no consumerism in it.

……

Amidst the festivities, Jiang Qingyun finally held a belated 20th birthday celebration.

June 18th.

Chiang Kai-shek's residence.

Guests gathered in great numbers, and distinguished guests were all present.

The lights were dazzling, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

"The birthday celebrant has arrived."

Everyone quickly put down their chopsticks and stood up. Jiang Qingyun, dressed in a brand-new red robe, came out, supported by two beautiful maids on either side of him.

Kind-faced and gentle, with clear and bright features, he is highly respected and virtuous.

May Your Excellency enjoy boundless happiness and longevity.

"It is a cause for celebration that the Grand Secretary, despite his advanced age, still possesses the spirit of a fine horse in the stable."

"The Grand Secretary looks radiant, even more so than when he was eighteen."

"The Grand Secretary is gentle, kind, respectful, and frugal; he is truly a role model for us all."

The scene was filled with flattery, and among them were some sarcastic individuals who used the pretext of congratulations to vent their personal grievances.

It is not appropriate to pursue such matters on one's birthday.

As Jiang Qingyun bowed all the way, he unexpectedly saw several familiar faces, such as Ao Bai.

"Brother Ao, eat and drink well."

"Hehehehe~"

Ao Bai grinned foolishly, grabbed the golden roast suckling pig from the table, tore it in half, and handed one half over, just like the two of them sharing roasted venison in Jingzhou.

Jiang Qingyun was startled and felt a vague unease.

"Take care, Brother Ao. I'll come to see you in a few days."

Hehehe~

Ao Bai ate in an extremely disheveled manner, like a true madman. Beside him stood the emaciated Sony, his eyes cold.

Jiang Qingyun nodded slightly and then left his seat.

Sony, who was poisoned in the Forbidden City, fell seriously ill, but his life was not in danger.

Afterwards, Jiang Qingyun did not kill him. This was because killing Sony would have had too great an impact. Firstly, Sony was a meritorious official who defended the imperial family during the Beijing Incident, and secondly, Emperor Shunzhi had already publicly announced that he would marry a woman from the Hesheli family as his empress.

……

As Jiang Qingyun continued walking, he saw two familiar faces—Sun Yanling and Kong Sizhen, and stopped in his tracks.

Sun Yanling's expression was slightly fearful, reserved, and obsequious.

He raised his glass:
"Prime Minister, I wish you a happy life and good health every day."

After saying that, he raised the wine jug and poured it into his mouth, gulping it down in one go. Then he turned the jug upside down to show his sincerity.

Jiang Qingyun smiled and nodded.

“The Prince of Dingnan was a meritorious official who shed blood for the Qing Dynasty, and the court should take care of his descendants.”

Kong Sizhen, standing to the side, looked embarrassed.

For some reason, Jiang Qingyun suddenly thought of someone—Empress Xiaozhuang!
Kong Sizhen was Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang's adopted daughter. Could she know where Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was hiding? Thinking of this, Jiang Qingyun couldn't help but glance at Kong Sizhen a few more times.

Sun Yanling noticed this as well, and felt uneasy.

……

Continuing on, we encountered another familiar face – Fan Wencheng.

Fan Wencheng stood up with a look of fear on his face.

"May the Grand Secretary live a long and healthy life and have a son soon."

"Ah."

After the Capital Incident, Jiang Qingyun imprisoned Ning Wanwo, allowing him to die of illness in prison. However, he spared Fan Wencheng, merely dismissing him from his positions as Grand Secretary and Minister of Rites under the pretext of failing to defend the emperor, leaving him in a vacant post.

Fan Wencheng poses little threat; keeping him around can serve as a facade.

If you want to kill him, it's just a matter of saying a word.

Jiang Qingyun sighed inwardly. When he was the Nine Gates Admiral, he only needed to focus on cutting down enemies. But as the Grand Secretary, he had to consider many more things.

Politics is always a sticky, messy thing.

……

A middle-aged man dressed in scholar's robes suddenly left his seat, blocked his way, and respectfully knelt down and kowtowed.

Some busybodies quickly introduced it.

"He is Qian Qianyi."

Jiang Qingyun nodded.

"Get up."

"Thank you, Chief Minister. On my way to the capital, I heard of your literary and military prowess and was moved to write this poem."

Qian Qianyi took out the congratulatory poem from his sleeve, and a maidservant reached out to take it.

Jiang Qingyun glanced behind him and asked, "I've long heard of He Dongjun's beauty? Did she come with you?"

"Reporting to the Grand Secretary, my wife has not yet come to the capital; she is still at our old residence in Changshu."

Jiang Qingyun remained silent and turned to walk away.

He has no intention of letting Hong Chengchou, Wu Sangui, or Qian Qianyi go; he will settle accounts with them sooner or later. It's just a matter of time.

Qian Qianyi felt slightly apprehensive and awkwardly sat back down at the table.

"Brother Qian, you are so lucky. Even the Grand Secretary envies you for having such a wonderful wife."

"If Lord Hedong were to enter the capital and share a drink with the Grand Secretary, I dare not even imagine how brilliant Lord Qian's future career would be."

"Sigh, if I had known this would happen, I would have gone to the Qinhuai River to beg for one back then."

The person sitting next to me did everything in their power to be sarcastic.

Qian Qianyi's face flushed slightly as he raised his glass in contemplation.

He knew that in public, every word Shangguan spoke was significant. Since the Grand Secretary had asked such a question, he was probably interested in Liu Rushi.

The problem is that Liu Rushi is almost 40 years old and no longer has the beauty she once had.

……

Midway through the birthday celebration~
The Grand Eunuch, the Third Eunuch, has arrived.

"On the occasion of the Grand Secretary's twentieth birthday, the whole country celebrates together, and the Emperor bestows upon him a pair of congratulatory couplets."

All the guests immediately knelt down to pay their respects, but Jiang Qingyun alone did not kneel; he simply cupped his hands slightly.

The three eunuchs slowly unfurled the congratulatory couplet.

The eagles of Jingzhou soared high, their achievements spanning a hundred generations, yet only half remained. The capital region rose to prominence, and storms from all directions converged on Youzhou.

The crowd cheered in unison.

"Your Majesty flatters me; I dare not accept such praise."

Jiang Qingyun spoke modestly, but his heart skipped a beat. The usually impatient young emperor had actually learned to be patient, which was not a good thing.

(End of this chapter)