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

Chapter 9: If the Emperor and Jesus were both in danger, who would you save first?
The largest room in the Imperial Observatory was cleared of extraneous items such as tables, chairs, and benches, and used as a temporary interrogation room.

Everyone was ordered to sit on the ground and listen to the interrogation.

Jiang Qingyun patted the large telescope in the room, turned his head and asked loudly:
"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, who do you think is greater, Confucius or Jesus?"

"They are all great, but they shouldn't be compared because they belong to different fields."

……

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, if the emperor and Jesus were both in danger, and you could only save one, who would you save?"

"I will save the emperor without hesitation!"

……

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, you are a foreigner who traveled thousands of miles to the East, first serving the Ming Dynasty and then the Qing Dynasty, dedicating your entire life to this land. What ulterior motives do you have?"

"I simply hope to enhance East-West relations, spread advanced technology, and spread the gospel."

"Is your sole purpose to spread your religion?"

"No, missionary work is only a minor part of the reason."

"Very well, I will petition the court to ban all churches and arrest believers starting tomorrow. Do you have any objections?"

"I, I object."

……

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, you don't actually care whether the world is Ming or Qing, you just want to spread your faith, right?"

"No, you're making false accusations."

"In other words, you don't even care who's the emperor, right?"

"no no."

How does the Regent Prince treat you?

"The Regent is very good to me. No, no, that's not what I meant."

"So what do you mean?"

"No, no, I swear to God, I will support Emperor Shunzhi forever and ever!"

……

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, someone has reported that you concealed unusual celestial phenomena. Do you plead guilty?"

"No, that's slander."

“I will interrogate everyone in the Imperial Observatory repeatedly until the truth is uncovered. If you confess now, the court may still show leniency.”

……

"I suspect there is a conspiracy group hidden within the central government in the capital. What role do you play in this group?"

"No, no, my loyalty to the Qing Dynasty is as clear as day."

……

Jiang Qingyun was aggressive, and Tang Ruowang gradually broke down.

The clerk in charge of taking notes was sweating profusely, wishing he could cover his ears and become deaf.

suddenly~
Jiang Qingyun walked to the interrogation chair and asked sternly:

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell, do you have a letter?"

"W-what?"

"Faith is something you firmly believe in, something you are willing to fight for, something you are willing to give everything for, including your life."

Despair filled Johann Adam Schall von Bell's eyes. He stared intently at the young man before him, trying to see through his eyes and understand his heart.

……

Li Zubai, the deputy supervisor standing to the side, suddenly spoke up:

"Lord Jiang, why don't I answer your question?"

Okay. So, do you have it?

"I have!"

“Deputy Supervisor Li, I have long heard that you are a devout believer. Let me ask you, between Jesus and Confucius, who is greater?”

"Jesus!"

Johann Adam Schall von Bell closed his eyes in anguish.

Jiang Qingyun nodded slowly, then turned to look at the two clerks in charge of taking notes.

"It's on record!"

Do you think there is a conflict between the spirit promoted by Christian doctrine and the ruling spirit of the Qing Dynasty?

"Have."

Can the contradictions between the two be reconciled?

"Irreconcilable".

The room was deathly silent. Everyone in the Imperial Observatory was ashen-faced. It was all over. Deputy Director Li, you've ruined us all!

Johann Adam Schall von Bell himself fell into a strange mental state, humming a folk song from his hometown, repeatedly rubbing the silver cross that had been with him for decades, tears streaming down his face.

Li Zubai stood tall and proud, like a martyr.

Jiang Qingyun sat in the armchair, and a friendly calico cat sat on his lap. This cat was a stray cat taken in by the people in the Imperial Observatory.

at this time,

Dr. Yang Guangxian, a chronologist, suddenly stood up from the corner.

"Sir, I want to report this!"

"Johann Adam Schall von Bell was a schemer who infiltrated the central government of the Qing Dynasty and attempted to overthrow it. He deceived everyone."

Jiang Qingyun was not surprised at all.

He carefully closed the kitten's ears, preventing it from hearing the schemers' nonsense.
……

Even late at night, the lights are still on.

The transcript was sent directly to the Qianqing Palace, where Emperor Shunzhi reviewed it first, followed by the review of his senior officials.

Emperor Shunzhi, who had a slight liking for the old man Johann Adam Schall von Bell, felt extremely betrayed and was so angry that his hands trembled.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang remained relatively calm, but she still shook her head and sighed.

Minister of War Hong Chengchou: "I request that those involved, including the Imperial Astronomical Bureau Director Johann Adam Schall von Bell, be executed."

Everyone echoed in unison.

Emperor Shunzhi looked at Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, but she remained silent.

She's waiting~
The Imperial Observatory is not far from the Forbidden City, and it is very convenient to travel back and forth on horseback.

Not long after~
The imperial guards and eunuchs who had been dispatched rushed back.

"My lord, your servants have verified that no one in the Imperial Observatory was tortured. The clerk responsible for taking the record was not from the Military Affairs Bureau, so the authenticity can withstand scrutiny."

……

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang stood up.

"The Imperial Observatory has collectively degenerated, lost its loyalty, and abandoned its basic principles. Tell Jiang Qingyun to execute him according to the written record, without needing review by the three judicial departments, and to execute him tomorrow."

"What do you say, Your Majesty?"

"The Empress Dowager is right."

All the ministers knelt down in unison: "The Empress Dowager is wise, the Emperor is wise."

Outside the Qianqing Palace, a bolt of lightning struck the ground, followed by a muffled rumble of thunder.

For some reason, many people had a strange thought: that the man surnamed Jiang was deliberately causing trouble!
Another fast horse galloped in from outside the palace.

The messenger, smelling strongly of rain, rushed into the palace.

"Report~"

"Datong City was well-fortified, and the Ming general Jiang Xiang held firm and did not come out. Our army suffered three setbacks in its attacks, with more than 5000 casualties. The Imperial Father Regent Prince dismissed Ajige from his title of Prince and demoted him to a Prince of the Second Rank."

"Understood, let's go down."

Emperor Shunzhi stared into deep thought at the puddle of water left by the messenger on the gold brick.

……

The next day at dawn~
Having not slept all night, Jiang Qingyun drank a bowl of ginseng tea, compiled and sealed the interrogation transcripts and the "Celestial Phenomenon Observation Records," and ordered them to be sent to the Forbidden City.

Dr. Yang Guangxian, who was credited with exposing the water clock, was not only pardoned but also promoted to acting supervisor at Dr. Yang's suggestion.

at this time,

He was bowing and whispering to Jiang Qingyun to express his loyalty.

"Lord Jiang, I am of limited talent and knowledge. I am afraid I am not up to the task."

"Go and pick a few people who can get things done. Remember, pick no more than four."

"I understand."

Although the rank of the Supervisor is higher than that of the Commander of the Military Affairs Department, there is a rule in officialdom: whoever promotes you, you are their man.

……

Three poles in the sun!

Jiang Qingyun is about to kill someone.

Representatives from the Censorate, the Ministry of Justice, and the Court of Judicial Review all came to observe the ceremony.

"Release me, I am a Manchu."

"I am also a Manchu, I don't understand celestial phenomena at all, I am illiterate."

Although the Imperial Observatory was a highly specialized institution, some official positions were still held by two officials, one Manchu and one Han, who supervised each other.

Faced with cries of injustice, Jiang Qingyun had no intention of letting them go; regardless of whether they were Manchu or Han, they were all put to the test.

The overthrow of the Qing Dynasty begins with the Imperial Astronomical Bureau!
(End of this chapter)