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

Chapter 37 Things Are Changing

Jiang Qingyun felt a sense of relief as he listened to the screams coming from inside the barbican.

He suddenly discovered that persecuting people in the Qing Dynasty was a very enjoyable thing, especially persecuting those whose official rank was much higher than his own.

The pleasure derived from this even surpasses that of having two women on either side.

Haruki Murakami said: Power is the best medicine for vitality.

Jiang Qingyun wholeheartedly agreed. Power can decide the fate of others, even their life or death, with a single word. This feeling can accelerate blood flow, dilate blood vessels, and thus promote the heart's pumping action, constantly arousing desire in people.

A subordinate came running over quickly.

"grown ups?"

"Tell the brothers that if Ajige is captured alive, the reward is 200 taels of silver. Also capture three or five more prisoners, but no more."

"As ordered."

……

Soon, the barbican fell completely silent.

The corpses were piled up; more than 200 White Banner cavalrymen had been almost completely slaughtered, with only five or six men still able to barely pick up their swords and spears.

Two bodyguards, Heng and Ha, stood behind Jiang Qingyun.

Xiao Zhoucang was clad in heavy armor, his long sword planted firmly on the ground. He had been eating meat at every meal lately, and was clearly gaining weight horizontally.

Lady Jiangnan wore a custom-made light armor, a hollowed-out mask, carried a bow and arrows on her back, and held a long spear, the butt of which was slammed to the ground.

I don't know why~
In this situation, Jiang Qingyun suddenly thought of the monk Tianji.

If this bald monk were wearing a cassock and standing behind him at this moment, it would be even more impressive.

"My lord, Ajige has been captured."

The soldiers brought over a fat man who was tied up tightly.

"Let me go! How dare you, a mere Han soldier's dog, lay a hand on me!"

Snapped!
A slap interrupted Ajige's roar. He stared in disbelief at the Han Chinese Manchu of the Bordered Yellow Banner. A slave hitting his master? This is outrageous!

"I'm Aji~"

Snapped!
Another slap.

"It's me~"

Slap, another slap.

"I~"

Slap, another slap.

Jiang Qingyun grabbed Ajige by the collar and slapped him wildly until Ajige fainted.

……

"I have dispatched a fast horse to report to the Censorate, the Three Inner Courts, and the Forbidden City that Prince Ying, Ajige, defied the imperial decree and led troops into Beijing without authorization, launching a military attack on Xizhimen. His intention to rebel is obvious. I have reached my limit and will not tolerate this any longer. I have decisively launched a counterattack. I have now executed 213 soldiers of the Bordered White Banner who followed the rebels and captured the rebel leader, Ajige, alive."

The capital city of Beijing was shocked!
The night was quiet, save for the sound of patrol horses' hooves and the night watchman's clapper.

The Censorate and the Three Inner Courts acted like cowards.

Emperor Shunzhi sent a jade pendant to him by his guards. The meaning was clear: I support you.

Everyone in the Five Cities Garrison breathed a sigh of relief. They had made the right bet! Following the right leader meant a bright future ahead.

……

South of the city, at the Chiang Kai-shek residence.

"Madam, the Old Madam has arrived," Green Pearl whispered a reminder as Jiang Nan returned to the mansion.

"I will change my clothes first, and then I will go to pay my respects."

"Madam, there's no need to change your clothes. You'll be more pleasing to the eye as you go."

Side room.

Looking at Jiangnan in her military uniform, Madam Wen's doting affection was evident as she held Jiangnan's hand and examined her closely.

"Good, good, she is a good daughter-in-law of the Jiang family."

The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law chatted for a while, and then Wen took off the jade bracelet from her wrist and put it on Jiangnan.

……

After Jiangnan left, Green Pearl remained.

Wen then spoke with her for a while.

Green Pearl was a slave she bought and grew up by her side. She was instilled with various ideas from a young age and belonged to her own people.

Therefore, they speak more casually and directly.

"Young Master is a man destined for great things. You need to take care of things in the inner quarters. If there's anything you can't handle, just come to me."

"Yes."

"How was that late spring?"

"It was bought by the young master from the Qingyin Xiaoban troupe in Hanjia Hutong. It is said to be a virgin."

"Hmph, father and son are alike. Keep an eye on them and discipline them when necessary. No matter how many women are added to Yun'er's household, you will always be number two."

"Yes." Green Pearl beamed with joy; the support from her mother-in-law was very important.

……

Main house.

Jiangnan removed his armor and cotton-padded clothes, and untied the five layers of cotton cloth that had been tightly wrapped around his neck, feeling a great weight lifted from his shoulders.

Mulan's life wasn't easy.

As the saying goes: "Without armor, one feels light and free; horses graze on the southern mountain, rabbits emerge from their burrows, and blood flows freely."

"My husband, I was really worried for you today."

"It's alright. I acted only after I had a clear understanding of the situation." Jiang Qingyun lowered his voice. "Ajige slaughtered 80,000 people in Shanxi. I can consider this my way of doing justice."

Jiangnan was stunned; she couldn't imagine what 80,000 people meant.

After a while~
She blurted out, "My lord, I know little. Before I married you, my father told me to follow you wherever you go, whether you're a chicken or a dog. I will listen to you in everything."

There was a knock on the door, and two maids came in carrying buckets of water.

"Young master, madam, it's time for your bath."

"Everyone smells terrible by the end of the day, it's time for a good wash."

Jiangnan blushed; she also felt that she was getting suffocated by the armor.

……

At night, after the lights are turned off.

Couple's night talk.

"How many years has your father-in-law been a镖师 (bodyguard/escort)? What are the镖路 (travel routes)?"

"For more than 20 years, it has mainly been the northern route, escorting furs and tea, and going west to the grasslands."

"What about south?"

"Merchants heading south all use the Grand Canal and don't need escort agencies."

Jiang Qingyun fell silent and quickly drifted off to sleep.

……

The next morning, sunlight shone on the city of Beijing, reflecting off the snow and creating a vast expanse of white.

Jiang Qingyun went to the Censorate to report after getting up.

That's the advantage of having a low-ranking official position; you don't have to get up at four in the morning to freeze inside Zhengyang Gate, wait for the Meridian Gate to open, and attend that damned morning court session, listening to all that pointless talk.

We rode slowly along the way, taking in the sights of the southern part of the city.

The Dashilan commercial street outside Zhengyangmen is now very different from what it used to be.

The road has been repaired and is now basically flat.

Drainage ditches have been added along the roadside to facilitate drainage.

The shops, which varied in quality, were also rectified. What needed to be demolished was demolished, what needed to be repaired was repaired, and finally a layer of paint was applied, making them look very clean and tidy.

The time-honored shops on both sides of the commercial street cover clothing, food, housing, transportation, gold and silver calligraphy and paintings, antique pawnshops, and entertainment services.

Behind the commercial street are various small shops, each with its own unique features and lower prices.

More importantly, safety!

The South City Military Command will use sticks to punish anyone who dares to cause trouble, fight, or urinate and defecate indiscriminately.

These are the obvious changes.

The changes that occurred behind the scenes are little known to the public.

The entire southern part of the city, especially the Dashilan area, was teeming with informants. Shopkeepers, waiters, tea servers, actors, sedan chair carriers, peddlers, and even courtesans would report any valuable information they heard or saw.

……

After entering Zhengyang Gate, we soon arrived at the Censorate.

Jiang Qingyun lifted the corner of his robe and stepped across the threshold.

His colleagues in the courtyard were all smiling at him, a humble smile.

"Imperial Censor Jiang, let's have a drink together tonight."

"Imperial Censor Jiang, let's stroll through the Eight Great Hutongs together tonight."

It is clear that the latter is more sincere, while the former is just empty talk.

Jiang Qingyun simply returned the greeting with a clasped fist and a smile; he knew something must have happened.

Continuing towards the Censorate, they encountered Fan Chengmo, who had already stepped down as the Imperial Inspector of the Southern City.

The passageway is narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time.

Jiang Qingyun remained motionless. Fan Chengmo suddenly remembered his father's words, and took a few steps back to make way for him.

"You have something urgent to attend to, you can go first."

"Ah."

Jiang Qingyun remained as domineering as ever.

(End of this chapter)