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

Chapter 309 No Regrets Allowed!

The guards withdrew from the city gate tower, and Jiang Qingyun and Huang Zongxi sat facing each other, beginning a debate that would go down in history and be highly controversial.

"Prime Minister, I apologize for offending you."

"There are no small or small debate venues, so bring it on!"

"The Grand Secretary said that all the traitors in the world are now in my trap. Does this mean that you have already decided that all these scholars are traitors?"

"No! They are not all traitors, but there must be traitors among them."

What is a traitor?

"Those who betray their people for their own selfish gain are traitors."

"As the ancients said: 'Judging by deeds, not by intentions, no one is perfect.' These scholars have all entered officialdom without any bad deeds, so why is the chief minister so arbitrary?"

"Because they want to be officials!"

Huang Zongxi was stunned. "No, Grand Secretary, you're being too extreme."

……

Jiang Qingyun took a deep breath.

"Those who want to become officials are not necessarily rare, but traitors definitely want to become officials, and they will stop at nothing to become high-ranking officials. Mr. Huang, do you agree?"

"Recognition."

"Therefore, the imperial examination is like a guiding light, first attracting them, and then picking them out one by one."

"Kill them all?"

"Yes."

"However, those who cut off their heads to become officials are not necessarily traitors; they may also be people blinded by greed."

"Mr. Huang, do you still remember what I said when we were boating on West Lake?"

"I dare not forget it for even a moment."

Jiang Qingyun:
"The foul-smelling water of West Lake needs to be flushed with a large amount of clean river water. In this process, some innocent fish, shrimp and crabs will inevitably be washed into the East China Sea by the turbulent current. They are the necessary price to cleanse civilization."

"The Liaodong region is eyeing us covetously, the grasslands are restless, the rebels in the southwest are wreaking havoc, Zheng Sen in the southeast is sharpening his knives, and Li Dingguo is waging guerrilla warfare in the mountains of Guangxi. Among them are good people and bad people, but without exception, they are all obstacles on our way forward. We need to defeat them, utilize them, control them, and kill them when necessary."

"In order to achieve light, we will step into darkness."

"Old Huang, you can't go easy on him!"

……

The long-abandoned You'anmen Prison has been given a new lease on life. The original signboard has been removed and replaced with "You'anmen Grand Hotel," a name personally inscribed by the Grand Secretary.

The instruments of torture were sealed away, the bloodstains were wiped away, and the cell was cleaned again.

A group of scholars from Wuchang looked at the gloomy "You'anmen Grand Hotel" and felt that something was wrong.

A minor official from the Ministry of Rites laughed:
"Esteemed scholars, please~"

Why is there a fence around this hotel?

"Ah, it is because the imperial court is considerate of the gentry's limited funds that this place has been set aside for you to stay for free. Of course, if you have more money, you can stay in a good hotel in the capital at your own expense."

"Where is the post station?"

"It's full."

"Where is the temple?"

"It's full too."

"what?"

"The scholars from Shandong and Henan arrived earlier than you."

The scholars from Hubei were indignant but helpless. They first stayed at an inn in the capital before finally entering the city.
A young scholar who had passed the imperial examinations stepped forward.

"Gentlemen, I am Zhou Peigong, a scholar from Jingmen. Let me say a few words of fairness. We have come to the capital to serve the court, and we are content with just a place to shelter from the wind and rain."

After saying that, he was the first to carry his bundle inside. The others followed dejectedly into the gloomy You'anmen Grand Hotel.

Was this place originally a military camp?

"A bit like."

……

"Zhou Peigong, how about we go for a walk?"

"You all go ahead, I want to review my books again."

"Okay~"

The Hubei scholars quickly integrated into the capital, having a great time in Liulichang, the Eight Great Hutongs, various guild halls, and the Chongwenmen market. All they could think about was that Zhou Peigong was a poor wretch, penniless and too ashamed to go out.

They're right.

Zhou Peigong was indeed a poor man, but there was another reason why he didn't go out.

In the dimly lit room, he closed his eyes and reflected on everything that had happened recently. First, there was the bizarre Wuchang provincial examination—he arrived, took the exam, and passed. Then, he rushed to the capital.

Then, the imperial court hastily arranged accommodations, neither inns nor military camps. Although the military camps were dilapidated, they were full of yang energy, while this place was eerily yin.

Finally, his gaze fell on the wall, where the lime water appeared to be freshly applied, which was strange.

He took out a small knife.

I'll scrape!

The dried limestone fell in a flurry, revealing a patch of dried brown bloodstains.

Zhou Peigong felt a chill run down his spine. Like Yao Qisheng, he had worked as a clerk in the government office for many years and was considered a semi-official. Compared to those pure scholars, he understood politics better.

……

Zhou Peigong tossed and turned all night, feeling as if he had fallen into a huge conspiracy. Could he have encountered another Zhang Xianzhong?
The next morning.

"Oh, you're out shopping too?"

"Yeah yeah."

Everyone was quite surprised to see Zhou Peigong walking so hurriedly, thinking that the sun had risen in the west.

Zhou Peigong left the grand hotel and wandered aimlessly around.

He was observing the southern part of the city.

The people's quality of life is good, and there are few unappetizing dishes.

The streets were very orderly; there were no hooligans or scoundrels to be seen, but patrol teams were frequently encountered.

Commerce is booming, with both high-end and low-end consumption thriving.

The small southern city was suddenly flooded with 5000 scholars from other places, and all the hotels were fully booked.

Restaurants, teahouses, and brothels were all doing booming business.

Wherever Zhou Peigong went, he would encounter self-important scholars who swaggered around, spouting classical phrases and brimming with ambition.

……

As he passed a luxury hotel, he came to a small stall selling sesame seed cakes.

"Shopkeeper, give me a sesame seed cake."

"Alright, five coins."

Zhou Peigong was stunned, because he only had four coins with him, and his face showed embarrassment.

"Young master, are you a scholar who has come to the capital to take the imperial examination? It's alright, four coins it is."

The shopkeeper handed him a sesame seed cake with a smile and kindly gave him a bowl of water.

Zhou Peigong sat down and continued the conversation.

"Father-in-law, how are things at home?"

"Good, be content." The shopkeeper said while sticking the sesame seed cakes on the stove, "Ever since Chief Minister Jiang came to the South City, when he was still the Commander of the Military Affairs Department, our lives have been getting better and better."

"Heaven has eyes."

Suddenly, Zhou Peigong noticed that the shopkeeper had no braid at the back of his head, and he was greatly alarmed.

"Shopkeeper, where's your braid?"

"It's cut."

"Keep your hair, lose your head; keep your head, lose your hair. Don't you know that?"

"All the Eight Banners officials in the inner city have shaved their heads. What you're saying is ancient history. Nowadays—" the shopkeeper lowered his voice, "the Emperor's word doesn't count; the Grand Secretary's word does."

……

Zhou Peigong was struck dumb. He was just a minor official with a very lowly position, and Hubei was far from the capital, so he couldn't see the current situation at all.

Without information, it's difficult to judge the overall situation.

Even the most intelligent person can feel dizzy and confused.

A diner next to me, who was engrossed in eating, suddenly pushed a stack of sesame seed cakes over.

"Brother, I bought too much, could you do me a favor?"

Zhou Peigong glanced at the man gratefully, noticing his capable appearance and composed demeanor, but for a moment he was unsure of his identity.

"I am Zhou Peigong, a scholar from Jingmen, Hubei. May I ask who you are, sir?"

"Yao Qisheng, a scholar who passed the imperial examination in Shaoxing, Zhejiang."

"Nice to meet you."

The two exchanged greetings and chatted amiably for a while. Suddenly, Yao Qisheng turned his head and asked abruptly, "What do you think, Brother Zhou?"

(End of this chapter)