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

Chapter 43 The Consequences of Not Reading the Book in the Reverse

Looking at the kind and amiable Zhao Zesheng, Cao Xi had a sudden thought. Perhaps his family had spent money or pulled some strings, and Zhao Zesheng was deliberately going easy on him.

Seeing the flicker in his eyes, Zhao Zesheng nodded encouragingly again.

"Your Excellency has a discerning eye; my military achievements were indeed somewhat exaggerated."

"Ah, that's more like it. I'll go and summon the Censor back to court. When a superior questions a subordinate, all he asks is to tell the truth."

Cao Xi's expression was conflicted.

"Sir, falsely reporting military merits is a serious crime."

"Disloyalty to the court is the most serious crime," Zhao Zesheng said sternly. "Let me remind you again, the Regent is dead. The Emperor intends to place your Plain White Banner and the Two Yellow Banners side by side to form the Upper Three Banners, to be personally led by the Emperor. For the people of the Upper Three Banners, the most important thing is loyalty."

“I understand. I am guilty. I confess.”

……

A short while later, Jiang Qingyun returned to the main hall.

While flipping through the military newspaper, he asked:
"Cao Xi, according to the frontline military reports, you killed one Ming army captain, two lieutenants, and 132 soldiers in Shuozhou. In Luzhou, you killed one Ming county magistrate, five yamen runners, and 241 soldiers. Is this true?"

Cao Xi hurriedly replied, "I falsely reported military merits; these were actually killed by your servants and soldiers."

"How many did you kill with your own hands?"

"40 people."

What kind of weapon was used?

"The servant's sword."

"How many knives did you use to kill these 40 people?"

"A handful."

"Did you not change your knife midway?"

No, never.

"I see you are rather thin; how did you manage to kill those 40 enemy soldiers?"

“The lackey is driven by a fierce spirit. Besides, there may be civilians among the Ming soldiers who have just been coerced into joining, so they are easier to kill.”

The clerk in charge of taking notes kept working non-stop, glancing slightly upwards.

"Sir, the recording is complete."

Jiang Qingyun nodded: "Have him sign it."

……

After nervously reading the transcript, Cao Xi wrote: "The above content is completely consistent with what I said. Cao Xi, a bondservant under the Zhengbai Banner."

Then press your handprint on.

The clerk carefully put the paper away and replaced it with a blank sheet.

Jiang Qingyun continued to ask:
"Cao Xi, I, the Imperial Censor, have always been upright and incorruptible, and I cannot tolerate any injustice. You claim that you once killed 40 people without ever changing your sword in the process. Do you know how absurd that statement is?"

Cao Xi was stunned.

He really didn't understand; he was just a servant in charge of logistics.

"Cao Xi, have you read *Water Margin*?"

“This servant never reads books that are written in reverse.”

Jiang Qingyun pointed to the soldiers standing on both sides of the hall.

"Tell this Master Cao, who doesn't read anti-Chinese books, why did he change his knife midway through a series of killings?"

"Reporting to you, sir, after killing someone, the blade becomes severely dulled. No matter how good the knife or how skilled you are, you can't kill 40 people in a row."

……

Cao Xi's expression suddenly changed; he realized he had been tricked.

However, Zhao Zesheng was no longer in the hall at this time.

Jiang Qingyun unleashed his final trump card.

“Cao Xi, tell me honestly, how much silver did you spend to buy your military merits? And through whose connections did you get them? If you don’t tell me, the Southern City Military Command will have eighteen particularly cruel punishments waiting for you.”

“Ni Yong, the commander of the Plain White Banner, accepted 120 taels of silver from his servant.”

Cao Xi's mental defenses completely collapsed, and he slumped to the ground.

“Niyong? He’s already dead. You can’t hold a dead man accountable. Just sign the document.”

Looking at the transcript before him, Cao Xi felt as if the pen in his hand weighed a ton.

Jiang Qingyun pointed to the other two White Flag officers who were awaiting trial at the scene.

"Who among you is willing to sign as a witness? Step forward, and you'll be released and sent home immediately after signing." One person silently stepped forward; he was Zhou, a member of the Bordered White Banner Cavalry.

Jiang Qingyun kept his word and released him immediately.

Cao Xi was completely devastated. His hands trembled as he signed his name and pressed his fingerprint on the document.

……

Having laid this foreshadowing, Jiang Qingyun felt a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

Chiang Kai-shek's residence.

He was on the recliner when the calico cat came up again, its furry body crouching down, swaying back and forth with its owner.

While petting the cat, Jiang Qingyun reviewed the recent strategic plans.

Before Hong Chengchou completely ruined the Miao affairs in the inner city, the "Shanxi fraud case" had already uncovered Cao Xi's involvement, but kept quiet and waited for further developments.

The Cao Xi case planted a seed of suspicion in Shunzhi's mind, casting doubt on the military achievements of the Qing army in the campaign against Shanxi! The loyalty of the two White Banners was even more questionable!

The seed may not sprout immediately after being planted, but it will sprout sooner or later.

The tree of suspicion will grow wildly in Shunzhi's heart, its branches and leaves flourishing, its shadow growing larger and larger until it envelops the entire Eight Banners.

What's even more exciting is that you'll be constantly scattering seeds.

Until one day, a terrifying forest grew in Shunzhi's heart.

……

Deshengmen is several dozen miles to the north.

The atmosphere in the "temporary seedling workshop" was oppressive, with a row of bloody human heads hanging at the entrance.

The messenger banged a gong and shouted orders.

"The Minister has decreed that if any flood season delays production, the first offense will result in the execution of the battalion commander. The second offense will result in the execution of the entire flood season."

Running away is impossible.

Cavalry patrolled the area, and deserters were killed without mercy.

Although the Imperial Medical Academy's prescriptions were copied hundreds of times and recited morning and evening, and at noon, in an attempt to instill them into the minds of these uneducated Green Standard Army soldiers, they were still completely baffled.

Biology hasn't even gained traction in the 21st century, let alone in the 17th century.

The boss called a meeting with his subordinates.

"Brothers, now that things have come to this, if you want to live, listen to me. Anyway, we don't need to do anything, whether it's true or false, it's none of our business. We'll just make something up to get by."

Everyone nodded eagerly.

Production is starting to surge!
……

Hong Chengchou has been very quick to anger lately.

Jiang Qingyun's Nanyuan Seedling Production Center has been disbanded. He sent troops to Tianqiao to search for people, but to no avail. All the itinerant doctors who used to gather there have disappeared.

Jiang Qingyun even refused to let his own daughter become his concubine.

This is clearly a declaration that they're determined to fight me to the bitter end.

"Let's not wait any longer. Let's try it out on a group of people in the Zhenglan Banner first and see how it goes. Go and ask Prince Xin, the banner chief of the Zhenglan Banner, for his cooperation."

"Father, if you feign illness now, how will the imperial court deal with you?"

"Dismissal from office and stripping of titles are punishable by exile or execution."

Hong Shiming's face was ashen, and he couldn't speak for a long time, as if all his energy had been drained away.

Hong Chengchou, having served as the military governor of five provinces, was far more shrewd. He waved his hand and said, "Go and do it immediately."

……

Descartes said: Those who attempt to use terror to give birth to science will ultimately fail!
Hong Chengchou's reckless behavior, which disregarded science, was destined to fail, but before he failed, he would certainly struggle desperately, trying to grasp at the last glimmer of hope.

For example, a small-scale trial was conducted in Zhenglan Banner.

Prince Doni personally oversaw the event.

He was the son of Dodo and the nephew of Dorgon, a position that was awkward, but he publicly expressed his loyalty to Shunzhi after his father's death.

Emperor Shunzhi bestowed upon him the title of Prince, but changed "Yu" to "Xin," the profound meaning of which is worth pondering.

Doni had no other choice; he had to cooperate with Hong Chengchou.

Looking at the anxious officers and generals, he had to set an example.

"I am the first to arrive."

(End of this chapter)