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

Chapter 39 I Need Comrades!
A biting wind blew into the Imperial Garden, passing through the pavilions.

Perhaps Jiang Qingyun's words were too shocking, Shunzhi was somewhat bewildered, and Sony's expression was as if he had seen a ghost.

Jirhalang, being a senior prince, frowned.

"Imperial Censor Jiang, aren't you exaggerating a bit?"

"Your Highness, it's not that I'm deliberately making alarmist statements to advance my career. I genuinely believe there's an undercurrent at work within our Eight Banners."

"You mean, even Manchus can rebel against the Manchus?"

“That’s right!” Jiang Qingyun said very seriously, “Song people can rebel against Song, Ming people can rebel against Ming, so why can’t Manchu people rebel against Manchu? Your Highness, this is just a smokescreen.”

Jirhalang was dumbfounded and speechless.

Sony felt a chill run down his spine.

“What you say makes some sense. Who do you think these people are? How can we identify them? And how can we ensure that we don’t wrong a good Manchu and at the same time don’t let a bad Manchu go unpunished?”

Emperor Shunzhi's thinking was quite meticulous.

Jiang Qingyun was secretly delighted and whispered, "I have a plan."

……

2 days later~
The Office of Transmission instructed all officials of the third rank or above in the capital, as well as local governors, to submit a memorial on "how to properly handle the affairs after the death of the Emperor's father, the Regent Prince."

The Secretariat was responsible for collecting all petitions, without issuing replies, and directly forwarding them to the Emperor for review.

Afterwards, a notice was posted in Beijing that all Manchus could submit petitions, regardless of their official rank.

In an instant, it caused an uproar.

The Manchu bannermen were always enthusiastic about participating in restaurants, teahouses, and brothels, treating them as if they were their own family business.

Where there is a topic, there will be opinions.

Where there are viewpoints, there will be disagreements.

Within half a month, three groups of people appeared in Beijing.

A group that supported Dorgon and wanted posthumous honors for him, mainly composed of members from the Two White Banners and the Plain Blue Banner.

A group that opposed Dorgon believed that the honors bestowed upon him were too great and should be revoked; this group constituted the largest proportion.

The last group remained silent, representing the smallest proportion.

The three groups argued incessantly, often making excessive remarks.

Sony, the commander of the Plain Yellow Banner, sensed an unusual and dangerous atmosphere and fell seriously ill, unable to attend court. The Imperial Hospital diagnosed him with a severe case of wind-cold.

The entire Suo residence was closed to visitors.

……

The Ministry of Personnel.

Jiang Qingyun visited again and, as usual, gave the familiar doorman a silver ingot.

"what!"

Familiar tones, familiar roads, familiar people—it's so nice.

This time, he was personally received by Ji Zheng, the Director of the Personnel Selection Department of the Ministry of Personnel, with an old acquaintance, Zhou Shao, standing beside him.

Go through the procedures, hand over the bank draft, and get the official certificate.

Although Jiang Qingyun was domineering, he also abided by the unspoken rules.

After working for half an hour, he went out again and was promoted to the fifth rank, making rapid progress.

……

At noon, there was a private banquet.

The location was chosen on the top floor of the newly opened Zhimei Building in the Dashilan neighborhood.

Jiang Qingyun and Zhou Shao sat opposite each other, with four hot dishes, a hot pot, and a pot of warm Shaoxing wine. It wasn't extravagant, but it was enough.

"Brother Zhou, have you ever considered entering officialdom?"

"I was quite interested in it when I was young, but now I have little interest. I work in the Ministry of Personnel myself, and I know the procedures by heart. As long as I have the money and connections, I can probably get a lowly eighth-rank official position, earn a few dozen taels of silver a year, and then go to some unknown corner to squat down, flattering my superiors and being harsh to my subordinates. Why bother?"

Jiang Qingyun smiled, knowing that he meant what he said.

The hot pot started bubbling away.

Zhou Shao picked up the serving chopsticks, filled them with a thin slice of mutton, dipped it slightly in the pot, lifted it out and placed it in a sesame sauce dish, then used the other chopsticks to pick it up and put it in his mouth.

Another sip of Shaoxing wine.

He smiled and said, "Brother Jiang, this is southern wine."

"Oh?"

"If you don't believe me, ask the shopkeeper. Yanjing rice wine doesn't taste like this."

……

The shopkeeper bowed and smiled slightly: "Master Zhou is very capable. It is indeed a new batch of Jiangnan rice wine that our shop has just received. I thought I would let you taste the flavor of your hometown."

"How did you know my hometown?" "Most of the clerks in Beijing are from Shaoxing Prefecture, there's no mistake. Are you satisfied now, sir?"

"Shandong cuisine is very authentic."

"Then please enjoy your drink." The shopkeeper, with his keen insight, withdrew.

"Brother Zhou, why don't you enter officialdom?"

"Ok?"

"If you want to do things, you have to become an official. If you want to do great things, you have to become a high-ranking official. If you don't have enough money to bribe your way in, I'll find a way to raise it. If you don't want to go to the provinces, the first choice is the various ministries in the capital. If you can't go there, Daxing and Wanping will also be fine."

"What are you planning?"

"I want to live a grand and unrestrained life. The world ultimately needs someone to do something practical. I can't do it alone; I need comrades."

What does "comrade" mean?

"We share the same ideals and goals!"

"Brother Qingyun, what are your thoughts on money and women?"

"If you compare your career to a hot pot, money is the charcoal, and women are the sesame sauce."

……

Jiang Qingyun looked at Zhou Shao, who was deep in thought, through the steam from the hot pot, without urging him.

He held the plate in his left hand and gently pushed the pile of mutton slices, which looked like a small mountain, into the boiling soup with his right hand.

Let it sit for 2 seconds~
Scoop the mutton into the pot with a bamboo strainer, and all the water will be released. Drain the broth and pour it into an empty bowl.

"Give!"

Zhou Shao laughed; it was the first time he had ever seen such a bold and unrestrained way of eating.

Jiang Qingyun ate with great relish, occasionally dipping her food in sesame paste or chive blossom sauce.

Zhou Shao took a deep breath and raised his wine glass:
"Lord Jiang, cheers!"

"Dry!"

The two drank it all in one gulp and laughed heartily.

The shopkeeper downstairs was delighted to hear this; the adults' happy smiles indicated they were satisfied with the food.

In the South City, Imperial Censor Jiang was the ultimate authority. Behind every charcoal, vegetable, transportation, manure, water, and tile shop in the entire South City were his relatives from the countryside.

However, he wasn't offended at all.

The fact that relatives of a high-ranking censor are making a living in these miserable industries shows what? It shows that Lord Jiang is incorruptible; he could have easily robbed them.

……

Half an hour later~
The cleaning staff came downstairs with a thud.

"Shopkeeper, these are loose silver coins left by Lord Jiang."

"Oh dear, what should we do? Quick, hurry and chase after them to return the money."

"Shopkeeper, last time you asked me to chase after them, and I finally caught up with them, but they didn't want it, so I took it back."

"You don't know anything! I can do without him, but I can't not pursue him. Hurry! Go for it!"

The fellow received a reward of 10 coins and quickly went out for a run.

Of course he couldn't understand it. If he could understand the artistic merit involved, he wouldn't be a waiter but the manager.

Lu Xun once said:

In officialdom, some things are known to have no outcome; the key is the process. If you did it and someone saw the process, that's enough.

……

We drank alcohol again that night.

Bingmasi set up a simple restaurant with an average environment, but it was known for its generous portions of oily food, strong liquor, large bowls, and warm hospitality.

Jiang Qingyun was dressed in a cloth robe, with his hair half-down, and did not look like a civil official at all.

Rewards were distributed on the spot, reaching everyone.

Zhao Zesheng, a trusted confidant, promptly stepped in to smooth things over: "My lord, the imperial court is giving so much?"

He took 120 taels.

Zhou Cang, who was standing to the side, put down his braised pig's trotters and said, "Nonsense. The meager amount given by the court is hardly enough. Most of the reward money today was borrowed by the officials from the stingy old man in Shanxi."

There was total silence.

"Sir, what will happen if we have to pay back the money later?"

"I am penniless and have no money! I won't pay! I simply won't pay! I'll just give him the entire Military Commandery as collateral!"

Everyone burst into laughter, further strengthening the cohesion of the small group.

(End of this chapter)