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

Chapter 41 From Today On, Be an Unpunished Good Person
Shunzhi asked in a low voice, "Where is Imperial Censor Jiang?"

"Your Majesty, I don't think I've seen it. Perhaps we servants could go and look for it?"

"No need."

Shunzhi stood with his hands behind his back, chest puffed out, trying to look like an adult, as he watched the lively parade gradually approach.

Such a novel thing, I've never heard of it before.

Throughout history, there have been triumphant military parades and examination processions for scholars, but ordinary people have never been involved.

The guards were somewhat uneasy.

"Your Majesty, please stop them. We servants are afraid we are not safe."

"Am I really that unpopular with the people?"

When Shunzhi suddenly uttered this remark, the guards were so frightened that they dared not say another word.

……

The parade was divided into several sections, with young women leading the way.

Emperor Shunzhi was itching to see them; he always felt that women from the common people were prettier than the palace maids in the Forbidden City.

A row of women walked out, all dressed in the same clothes, of the same height, with the same makeup and walking in unison, a sight to behold.

They each carried a copper basin, a white towel, gilded scissors, and various colored silk scarves.

"Please, Your Majesty, cut the ribbon."

Shunzhi strode over, first washing his hands in the copper basin held by the first girl, and then wiping them with the white towel held by the second girl.

He took the gilded scissors handed to him by the third girl.

I walked up to a long plaque that was completely covered in red cloth, and snip, I cut it off.

The red cloth was unfurled, revealing the words on the plaque: "The wheat has ripened 3000 times, but smallpox has been defeated for the first time."

……

In an instant, the area in front of the Meridian Gate became as quiet as a heated brick bed.

Countless eyes were cast toward the young emperor.

As Shunzhi gazed at these words, he trembled with excitement, his eyes reddening, his blood boiling.

He excitedly announced, "Auspicious omen! This is a blessing from Heaven for our Great Qing!"

Everyone present knelt down in unison and shouted "Long live the Emperor!"

The cheers were like waves.

Emperor Shunzhi was immersed in the ultimate psychological satisfaction. No amount of gold, silver and jewels, or three thousand concubines could compare to the people's love and support.

I am indeed a wise ruler.

……

The second part of the parade has begun.

Each of the wrinkled old men held a bowl filled with various common folk foods. Their cloudy eyes were brimming with tears as they gazed affectionately at Shunzhi.

Needless to say.

No acting skills are needed. Just a slight recollection of life's hardships is enough to create a natural performance.

Emperor Shunzhi walked over excitedly: "Gentlemen, please get up."

……

The girls carrying colorful silk scarves came over again.

Eight silk scarves, each corresponding to one of the eight colors of the Eight Banners, were wrapped around Shunzhi's head one by one.

Emperor Shunzhi was very pleased, and he felt that Jiang Qingyun was very skilled at training women. However, the topic was too awkward for him to bring up.

suddenly~
Emperor Shunzhi spotted a girl who looked familiar; she resembled the girl who sang while leaning against the railing during his incognito visit to the Eight Great Hutongs.

He lost his composure.

"Your Majesty!" a young eunuch whispered a reminder.

Emperor Shunzhi awoke with a start and immediately rejected his earlier guess. Impossible, absolutely impossible, how could a concubine possibly appear before the Forbidden City?

However, this woman's attire was indeed quite alluring: a single-layered skirt, a slender waist, a straight back and thin shoulders, a face like a peach blossom, and a simple wooden hairpin holding up her long hair.

Let alone a 14-year-old boy, even a 41-year-old would find it very beautiful.

Fan Wencheng thought to himself: This is immoral and corrupting.

But he dared not impeach him because the political climate was unfavorable.

……

"By imperial decree, everyone shall be awarded one tael of silver from the imperial treasury."

The symbolic significance of the imperial treasury silver outweighed its practical value. It was nothing special in the capital, but back in the hometown county, it became a family heirloom.

If you put it in a conspicuous place in the main room, any tax collector who dares to come to the door will be slapped across the face, and the tax collector will have to beg for mercy afterward.

Feudal imperial power is absolutely a nuclear weapon for using someone else's name to intimidate others.

The event's director, Mr. Jiang, was unusually low-key and humble today, standing far at the back of the line.

Near the end, he and Shunzhi exchanged a glance across the distance.

The perfect harmony between ruler and subject is about to begin.

……

On that day, the parade circled the city of Beijing three more times.

Back at the South City Military Command, Jiang Qingyun warned everyone again.

"Remember this: if anyone dares to tell anyone about what happened today, their entire family will be wiped out. Forget about today, and never remember it even if you're beaten to death."

"Yes." The girls took their reward money and returned to their nests.

They were all handpicked by Jiang Qingyun from the Eight Great Hutongs.

There was no other way; besides these girls, what other women in Beijing could handle such a scene? Jiang Qingyun wasn't afraid at all; whoever dared to expose her would be slapping the emperor in the face.

As long as no one dares to speak out, Shunzhi will remain in the dark. Perhaps, in our family's case, this could be considered a form of "calling a deer a horse"?

Mini test!

Very beneficial!

Chiang Kai-shek's first workplace rule: Firmly grasp the greatest political correctness; I dare to challenge officials of any rank!

Jiang's second workplace rule: The key to dealing with superiors is finding a balance between appeasing them and maximizing one's own interests.

Jiang's third workplace rule: Be bold and don't be afraid.

……

The next day,

Emperor Shunzhi summoned Hong Chengchou to the palace.

"My dear minister, how are the preparations for the seedlings in the inner city progressing?"

Everything is ready except for the east wind.

"Then let's begin right now!"

"Your Majesty, the inner city is inhabited by Manchus. This is a matter of great importance and requires caution."

"Be cautious about what?"

"There is no foolproof smallpox vaccination; failure is possible."

"I can understand occasional failures. Go ahead and do it. I'll give you six months. After six months, I will go to the Temple of Heaven to announce to the whole world that I have defeated smallpox!"

Looking at the little emperor with a rosy complexion~
Hong Chengchou inwardly groaned. As a seasoned senior bureaucrat, he instinctively wanted to drag others down with him.

"I request the Imperial Medical Academy to cooperate in ensuring quality control."

After thinking it over, Shunzhi surprisingly agreed.

"Announcement: Wu Yong, Imperial Physician."

……

"Wu Yong, are you confident about this smallpox vaccination campaign in the inner city?"

"Your Majesty, I have complete confidence in my prescription. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of people in the southern city have tested it beforehand, so it is absolutely foolproof."

"it is good."

Hong Chengchou stared at Wu Yong in astonishment, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

No, this is not right.

Wu Yong solemnly cupped his hands in greeting:

"However, I have another request."

"please say."

"As a physician, I cannot tolerate any imperfections. If the smallpox vaccine produced by Minister Hong is substandard, I will absolutely not approve it. This is for the sake of the Qing Dynasty and for my own conscience."

"Yes, I grant your permission."

Shunzhi nodded; he thought it made a lot of sense.

……

After leaving the palace, Wu Yong declined Hong Chengchou's invitation and left alone in a carriage.

Hong Chengchou stood there for a long time, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

He suddenly realized that he had fallen into a huge trap. There were probably many, many people digging the trap, including Jiang Qingyun, Wu Yong, and even Emperor Shunzhi.

There are many figures.

……

2 days later.

Dozens of miles outside Deshengmen, there is a temporary seedling production workshop converted from a military camp.

The atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

"All of them are unqualified, absolutely all of them are unqualified."

Wu Yong stood with his hands on his hips and reprimanded them, with the Imperial Hospital staff behind him united in their hatred of the enemy.

Hong Chengchou narrowed his eyes and uttered a sentence.

"I understand now. So that's what you were thinking. You were deliberately trying to cause trouble."

"Your Excellency, please be careful with your words. There are four reasons why you are unqualified, and I will explain them to you in detail. First..."

Wu Yong spoke clearly, and the problems he pointed out did indeed exist.

"Rectify everything, just as Dean Wu said." Hong Chengchou barely suppressed his anger.

……

5 days later.

The same thing happened again.

10 days later.

The same thing happened again and again.

(End of this chapter)