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

The turbulent Yellow River absorbed more than 6000 scholars without lifting a finger.

The scene was eerily quiet for a moment.

Huang Zongxi suddenly wanted to test the foreign monk's character, so he asked, "Your Excellency, what is your view on heresy and pagans?"

Ferdinand Verbiest did not hesitate.

"They should all go to hell."

"Who do you think is more despicable?"

This question was so difficult that Ferdinand Verbiest was momentarily lost in thought before giving his answer.

"heresy!"

The two exchanged a glance, feeling a mutual appreciation.

Yes, it's not the heretics with their horses, scimitars, and strange clothes that are scary; the truly terrifying ones are the enemies disguised as our own.

……

Despite the bloody killings, Huang Zongxi felt no remorse. During his years as an official in the Lu Prince's regime, he deeply abhorred those who practiced Confucianism and Mencius against their teachings.

Never again will the Ming Dynasty be allowed to repeat its past!
Three years ago, in Hangzhou, the six words that the Grand Secretary used to summarize his experience were like a red-hot branding iron, burning him so much that he tossed and turned, and his heart was as hard as a rock.

The remaining scholars trembled with fear, feeling a sense of shared sorrow.

Huang Zongxi decided to conduct another round of screening.

“Countless traitors, heretics, and hypocrites have infiltrated Confucianism, tarnishing its reputation and destroying its structure.”

“Taking the case of the brother killing the brother in Qufu as an example, the magistrate of Qufu disregarded the teachings of the sages and deliberately misinterpreted the true meaning of brotherly love and respect. They concealed the key premise—brotherly love—and only emphasized brotherly respect.”

"If the elder brother is kind, the younger brother should be respectful. If the elder brother is not kind, the younger brother need not be respectful; this is the way of Heaven."

"The words of the sages must not be altered, and the reputation of the sages must not be tarnished by hypocrites. I hereby declare that all those who practice Confucianism and Mencius against their teachings shall be expelled from the Confucian school."

"To defend Confucianism, there is only one word—kill."

"Gentlemen, you have passed the screening, but I hope you will remember the important task of reviving Confucius and Mencius, and not practice Confucius and Mencius in reverse, otherwise, we will not spare you with our swords."

"Now, those who wish to stay and serve as officials, remain where you are. Those who do not wish to stay, please stand on the right."

Half an hour later~
More than 500 scholars left the queue and stood on the wrong side.

Duke Yansheng was dumbfounded.
It's over, it's over.

Sure enough, Huang Zongxi, the withered old man, whispered a few words to a new army officer beside him.

The officer quickly stepped off the platform.

A battalion of new soldiers quickly arrived, raising their guns and aiming at the scholars who were unwilling to become officials.

"Aim, fire."

Gunfire continued, and the infidels fell to the ground, shot one after another.

"kill!"

The newly armed soldiers, having emptied their guns, drew their swords and charged forward, hacking and slashing at the unarmed scholars who were fleeing in panic, until not a single one remained standing.

After killing them, the new army threw the bodies into the raging Yellow River.

……

The wind was howling.

The Yellow River weeps.

Facts prove that
Both the barbarian guards and the loyal guards are reliable; they are loyal only to the will of the prime minister!

The priests whispered among themselves, as if they had returned to the passionate Middle Ages.

A priest named Jack from Paris made a question to a priest named Tom from London with ill intent.

"Tom, do you think the Imperial army killed these brave guys who said no?"

"If you don't eat the toast, you will be punished with a drink."

"Haha, it seems you've learned a lot of Eastern proverbs from that clever and adorable little page. Unfortunately, you answered incorrectly."

"is it?"

"The truth is, if released, these heretics will quickly degenerate into infidels, and the most steadfast and die-hard infidels at that."

Tom nodded.

That seems to make sense.

“Tom, I think the person who compiled this booklet is a genius.” The Parisian priest waved the booklet in his hand.

On the commonalities between Christianity and Confucianism.

Subtitle: "Joining Hands to Build an Ideal World"

Every priest who came to China received a copy.

"Jack, what's your opinion on this booklet?"

"At first glance, it seems shocking, but upon closer inspection, it makes perfect sense."

"The author is very talented, but there is one sentence in it that I will never agree with."

"Was Confucius the second son of God?"

"Yes."

The two reached a rare consensus: if Confucius was acknowledged as the second son of God, then he was Jesus' brother.

No.

Absolutely not.

……

7 days later.

All 1200 successful candidates in the imperial examinations were granted official ranks, but they could not take up their posts immediately.

"What? The imperial court wants us to become military officers?"

"No, no, you have misunderstood. The imperial court hopes that you will join the newly established Baoding Military Academy and become scholars who are skilled in both literature and martial arts."

"But we are Confucian scholars."

Everyone was furious.

The official from the Ministry of Personnel's Selection Department patiently explained:

"Everyone, please be patient."

"The Grand Secretary has devoted himself to the study of Confucian and Mencian thought for twenty-seven years and believes that in the present day, the court should reaffirm the fifteen virtues of a gentleman—benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness; gentleness, kindness, respect, frugality, and humility; loyalty, filial piety, integrity, shame, and courage. There are also the six arts of a gentleman—rites, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and mathematics. Confucian scholars should have martial virtues; the sages are certainly not wrong."

Everyone was as silent as a cicada.

The theoretical basis is solid and difficult to refute.

"Gentlemen, the Grand Secretary has instructed that the imperial examination system is a good thing, but it must be updated to keep pace with the times, be fair, just and open, and leave enough room for the poor and needy to rise in society."

……

In Baoding, a brand-new school, converted from the original Confucius Temple, has sprung up.

Hang two signs:
Baoding Military Academy
Imperial Army Officer School

The scholars, dressed in their Confucian robes, walked into the school with expressions of grief and indignation. They had not expected that the Grand Secretary Jiang Qingyun would actually come in person.

"Greetings, Your Excellency the Grand Secretary."

"Please rise, everyone. From this day forward, you may call me Principal."

Everyone was stunned.

headmaster?

"In order to revive Confucius and Mencius and to revitalize Confucianism, I will personally serve as the principal of the Baoding Military Academy, which means that you are all my students."

Everyone's spirits lifted.

Disciple of the Emperor, how wonderful!

"Instructor team, step forward."

A group of officers stood in front of the platform, legs apart, hands behind their backs.

Upon closer inspection, everyone was astonished to find that among them were Manchu, Mongol, and Han military officers, as well as Confucian scholars and even a priest.

Jiang Qingyun continued her explanation.

"You are the first class of students at the Baoding Military Academy, and your study period is one year."

"During your time at school, in the first six months you will study military subjects including swordsmanship, shooting, formations, drums and bugles, artillery, and terrain. In the second six months, you can choose one or more subjects based on your personal strengths."

"After graduation, your future plans will be determined based on the credits you earn."

Instantly, the crowd began to discuss the matter.

"Quiet, quiet."

"Regarding academic credits and military discipline, a booklet with relevant regulations will be distributed. You can spend two days memorizing it, and then take the first exam. I think this shouldn't be too difficult for you, right?"

There was laughter at the scene.

If even a single word is missed, it would be a disservice to the ten years of hard work spent studying.

"Gentlemen, it is the orthodox Confucian tradition for civil officials to learn martial arts. When Confucius led his disciples across the Sixteen Kingdoms, he spoke out against injustice along the way. What did he rely on?"

"If civil officials don't understand military affairs, how can they command military officers?"

Everyone nodded in agreement; it was an elegant affair for a civil official to lead troops.

Jiang Qingyun said meaningfully:

"Your exam results at school will determine your ranking as Jinshi, which in turn will determine your future rank. A year later, I will personally confer swords upon the top three Jinshi."

……

They were assigned dormitories, provided with bedding, and given books.

The Baoding Military Academy was in complete chaos.

Principal's office.

Jiang Qingyun summoned the instructor team again.

"Greetings, Grand Secretary."

"Please rise, gentlemen." The officers, dressed in new military uniforms, stood ramrod straight, heads held high and chests out.

"Regarding military education, I would like to reiterate that each person is only responsible for the subjects within their own duties, and must strictly follow the textbooks."

“Pass on all your knowledge to them and let them practice freely. To relieve you of any worries, I will give each of you 10 death quotas per year.”

Everyone was visibly relieved.

In military training, deaths are common.

Especially horseback riding!
Jiang Qingyun smiled and said:

"Your stipends during your time at school will be doubled. Work hard, and I guarantee you a bright future."

"Thank you, Chief Minister."

After kneeling on one knee again, everyone left.

The appointment of former Eight Banners officers as instructors fully demonstrates that the claim that the Grand Secretary discriminated against and harmed the Eight Banners is pure nonsense.

Trust needs no words.

Loyalty, no words needed.

……

There are armed guards at the school gate.

"stop."

"I am Wu Guo, and I have come to report on behalf of the Grand Secretary."

"Director Wu, please come in."

The soldier salutes.

Wu Guo nodded to him and hurried into the school. As he passed the drill ground, he saw a line of words painted on the wall: "Open up ten thousand miles of waves, spread national prestige to all directions."

For some reason, I felt a slight excitement.

Principal's office.

He met his uncle, who was also the Grand Secretary and the school principal.

"Greetings, Grand Secretary."

"Wu Guo, you've finally arrived."

"Prime Minister, I am just a physician. I know nothing about military affairs. I am afraid I will not do a good job."

Wu Guo was filled with trepidation.

"You don't need to understand it. You just need to grasp the overall situation. Specific tasks will be handled by specific people. You just need to stay at the military academy and grasp the key principles."

"Yes."

Wu Guo's smile was forced.

"If you have free time, you can also write a medical book. Here, you are both the head of education and the head of medical affairs."

"Yes."

Jiang Qingyun stood up and pointed to the empty chair.

"I'm leaving it to you. If you have any questions, just send someone to find me. It's not far from Baoding to the capital."

……

After returning to Beijing.

The cabinet issued its 81st decree, ordering all provinces to show no mercy to those who practiced Confucianism and Mencius against the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. The homes of all 6000-plus people were confiscated, their families were exiled to the Liaodong Reclamation Army Corps, and their property was confiscated and deposited into the national treasury.

Since they are enemies, there is no need to show them mercy.

Hatred cannot be eradicated.

The story of the Orphan of Zhao is a bloody one.

Cut it off early and eliminate the root cause to prevent future troubles.

The drowning of 6000 scholars in the Yellow River was like a stone thrown into a calm pond, drawing extremely strong reactions from all sides.

The whole country was shocked!

Jiang Zhongcheng, the father, was dumbfounded. He silently polished his sword for a long time and from then on, he was always ready to fight, wearing soft armor when he went out, and was always on guard.

Mother Wen did not sleep all night.

The next day.

At Wen's request, a series of personnel adjustments were made at the Yuquanshan Palace.

The women's musketeer squad was expanded to 50 people and took over the defense of the inner quarters, under the control of Madam Jiangnan.

The Prime Minister's guard expanded the patrol perimeter to one mile from the foot of the mountain and added 20 tracking dogs.

Lu Zhu took over the daily groceries purchasing and adjusted the kitchen staff.

Several watchtowers were built at the highest point of Yuquan Mountain, and people were organized to cut down the dense trees around the palace, creating a firebreak and warning zone.

……

When Zhou Peigong and Yao Qisheng discussed this matter privately, they almost broke down in tears.

"The deaths of 6000 scholars in the Yellow River are horrifying and too numerous to recount. Brother Zhou, if this man is not eliminated, the nation will be in danger. This man's harm is ten times greater than that of the barbarians."

"Yes, he claims to defend Confucianism, but in reality he wants to destroy it."

"Yes, he wants to wipe out all the scholars in the world."

"Brother Yao, are you familiar with the Petition of the Scholars?"

"what?"

"Many people are privately organizing to protest the prime minister's atrocities."

"Which people?"

"Officials, gentry, and scholars are all involved. Not only in the capital, but also in Zhili and even the whole country, there is an undercurrent of activity. The fifth anti-Chiang alliance will be a massive and unprecedented movement."

"I'm afraid there will be rivers of blood."

"What I fear is not bloodshed. There are countless anti-Chiang Kai-shek supporters across the country. What we lack is a leader who can command widespread support."

"I just remembered someone."

"Who?"

“Zhou Shao, the Governor-General of Liangjiang, was also my introducer in the officialdom.”

"Brother Yao, Governor-General Zhou is the Grand Secretary's sworn brother. He is in charge of the two rivers region and holds the reins of the nation's finances and taxes. Would he betray us?"

“He is from the same hometown as me. Although we only met once, I felt that he was a kind and honest man and a model of Confucian scholar-official.”

Zhou Peigong remained silent.

Suddenly, he looked up: "I thought of someone else."

"Prince Yanping!"

They both said in unison.

Yes, the orthodox Confucianism is in the southeast.

Zheng Sen, the Prince of Yanping, was a student of Qian Qianyi. He received the most orthodox Confucian education in Jiangning and ruled a region, making him a powerful local lord.

More importantly, Zheng Sen took a clear stance in handling the Ku Chengdong case.

Ku Chengdong was a servant of Chen Jin, the Qing Dynasty's Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang. Chen Jin was brave and ruthless in battle, and was the biggest obstacle for Zheng Sen to seize Fujian at that time.

The servant Ku Chengdong killed Governor Chen Jin and surrendered to Zheng Sen with his head.

As a result, Zheng Sen killed Ku Chengdong.

The reason given was that a slave killing his master was a heinous crime.

Yao Qisheng: "Brother Zhou, are you also going to participate in the petition to the emperor?"

Zhou Peigong remained silent.

“Brother Zhou, submitting a petition to the emperor is a death sentence. How about we write a joint letter and send it to the Prince of Yanping?”

"It's what you wish for."

……

Fuzhou.

Inside the governor's office.

Zheng Sen's arms trembled slightly.

Feng Xifan, who was standing to the side, silently picked up the fallen official report and put it back on the table. He advised, "Your Highness, please calm down. This man has tampered with books and indulged in Confucianism. He has acted against the tide of history and has lost the hearts of the people. This may not be a bad thing for us."

Zheng Sen remained silent.

He is in pain.

Before long, Fuzhou gradually became a spiritual sanctuary for those who opposed Chiang Kai-shek.

Letters of loyalty poured in like snowflakes, and envoys from all sides arrived like falling leaves, all sharing the same central message—the universally respected Prince Yanping, raise your arms and give the call to arms!

Zheng Sen was in even greater pain.

……

November 8, 1661.

A rare downpour.

Inside the Fuzhou Governor's Office, security was tight and the atmosphere was tense.

All the trusted generals gathered together to discuss important military matters.

Feng Xifan earnestly advised:
"Our army has been preparing for three years to take over Dayuan Island. We have spent countless amounts of money on warships, soldiers, weapons, and supplies, and are just waiting to cross the sea and launch an attack. At present, Prince Yanping may be able to make a feint and take advantage of the anti-Chiang Kai-shek movement to cross the sea and take Dayuan Island. Then it will not be too late to march north."

Liu Guoxuan also stood up:

"In my opinion, taking into account the climate and ocean currents, our military should complete the cross-sea military operation before the end of next spring."

The other infantry officers stood up one after another and expressed their opinions, either directly or indirectly. Almost everyone present believed that they should not abandon the cross-sea military operation to retake Tainan Island, but instead assist the illusory anti-Chiang Kai-shek alliance.

Faced with the unanimous opposition from his subordinates, Zheng Sen, sitting upright, remained silent.

Reason and morality are at odds.
[Updates will be daily from now on, two chapters combined into one.] (End of this chapter)