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

Chapter 68 The Waters Run Clear: The Liquidation of Dorgon
A large crowd gathered in front of the Meridian Gate.

Officials about to attend court gathered in small groups, whispering amongst themselves. Some gloated, some watched with glee, some sighed in regret, and others were indignant.

When Jiang Qingyun arrived, everyone turned to look at him.

All eyes are on them~
Fortunately, Jiang Qingyun had a strong mental fortitude. He dismounted gracefully, then took off his official hat and held it in the crook of his right arm. He walked towards the crowd with his head held high and his eyes straight ahead.

……

"Imperial Censor Jiang has made great contributions."

“Imperial Censor Jiang, your face is radiant; I think you’re destined for promotion.”

Various faces—fawning, fearful, and helpless—dazzled my eyes, like a kaleidoscope.

Jiang Qingyun ignored everyone else and walked straight to his superior, Ning Wanwo, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate.

"Greetings, Grand Secretary."

"Hello~ Hello~ Hello, um, are you here to attend court?"

Clearly, the Chief Constitutional Officer was a little flustered and was speaking incoherently.

"Grand Censor, the verdict has been set. Dorgon has committed ten crimes, and the evidence is irrefutable. His Majesty will announce it at the morning court session this day."

"Ah, great, that's wonderful."

"When the Golden Palace gets into a verbal battle later, I hope the Chief of Staff will offer some support."

"Absolutely, absolutely! The entire Censorate is united in its hatred of the enemy. Um... what is the Empress Dowager's opinion on this matter?"

Before I could even finish answering my question, Jiang Qingyun had already walked away. He probably didn't hear it, or maybe he did but pretend not to.

……

Jiang Qingyun searched for someone in the crowd—Fan Wencheng, Grand Secretary of the Secretariat and Minister of Rites.

I searched for him a thousand times in the crowd, and suddenly when I turned around, I found him coughing.

Fan Wencheng was probably sick; he had a severe cough.

But at this moment, this is a good illness. Be sick when you should be sick, be deaf when you should be deaf, and never lose face when you should be spirited.

“Imperial Censor Jiang, cough cough cough, last night you all, cough cough cough.”

"By imperial decree, I personally led troops to search Dorgon's home and found 32 prohibited items, including a dragon robe. I urge Your Excellency to speak up for me at the morning court session."

"Cough cough cough cough."

Fan Wencheng was coughing so badly that he couldn't reply. But Jiang Qingyun stood beside him, patiently waiting for his response.

After coughing out a song in C major, the result finally came.

"This old minister supports Your Majesty's decision to assume personal rule and make absolute decisions."

……

A sedan chair appeared in the distance.

It turned out to be Sony, the Commander-in-Chief of the Plain Yellow Banner and Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture. When the sedan curtain was lifted, he looked sickly and very listless.

Jiang Qingyun quickly moved closer, pushed aside the sedan bearers, and asked in a low voice:

"Senior, how are you feeling?"

"I am still recovering from typhoid fever, but with such a major event, as long as I am not dead, I will crawl to the Hall of Supreme Harmony."

"Is it really okay?"

"It's alright, let's go, let's go through the Meridian Gate together."

As soon as Sony stepped out of the sedan chair, he tripped. If Jiang Qingyun hadn't been quick-witted, he would have fallen flat on his face.

"Brother Jiang, thank you very much."

"Old Commander, slow down, let me help you."

The two walked together, exchanging information in hushed tones.

Sony is a typical example of someone who has become shrewd with age. He feigned illness before to avoid being drawn into the vortex of court intrigue, and now he is "attending the morning court despite his illness" in order to share the credit.

Know when to back down, but when it's time to fight for something.

……

At the third watch of the morning (5-7 AM), the Meridian Gate slowly opened.

"The auspicious hour has arrived; all officials shall enter the court."

The guards stood on either side, their hands on the hilts of their swords.

The officials straightened their clothes, passed through the side gate of the Meridian Gate, walked across the empty square, and entered the majestic Hall of Supreme Harmony, whereupon their vision suddenly darkened.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony is dimly lit. This is an inherent flaw in the architecture and cannot be improved.

Jiang Qingyun spotted his old comrade-in-arms, Ao Bai, and nodded in respect. Ao Bai also nodded slightly, indicating that he was fully prepared.

After the ceremony, Shunzhi spoke.

"My esteemed ministers, please speak freely."

"Your servant Suksaha has something to report: Regent Dorgon harbored rebellious intentions during his lifetime and secretly hid contraband such as dragon robes and armor."

The ministers of the State Council instantly changed color.

Before they could even refute, a large group of people stood up in the hall in response.

"I request that someone be sent to investigate."

"This matter is of great importance. Your servant requests that Lord Suksaha present the evidence in court."

……

"Come on, bring up all the witnesses and physical evidence."

Outside the palace, the imperial guards, who had been in cahoots beforehand, immediately brought in several prisoners and contraband.

Emperor Shunzhi frowned:

“Suksaha, aren’t you one of the Two White Banners, a trusted and beloved general of the Regent?”

"Yes, but I am first and foremost a loyal subject of the Qing Dynasty, and only then a favorite general of the Regent. It is precisely because I have followed the Regent for so long that I cannot condone his actions."

Where did these things come from?

"It was a righteous man in the Prince's mansion who risked his life to report it, and this servant secretly reported it to Imperial Censor Jiang. Imperial Censor Jiang entered the mansion to inspect it, and then he found these things."

Shunzhi still looked incredulous.

"The Regent Prince is the pillar of our Great Qing Dynasty. He has made great contributions to our Great Qing Dynasty. How could this be?"

……

Jiang Qingyun stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, merits are merits, and mistakes are mistakes."

"presumptuous."

"For the sake of the Qing Dynasty, I have no choice but to be presumptuous. The witnesses I have brought can all testify that the Regent Prince did indeed harbor ambitions to usurp the throne during his lifetime." Jiang Qingyun looked at the group and said, "Speak the truth."

“I am the steward of Prince Rui’s mansion. The Regent has secretly kept 130 sets of armor in the mansion, and he often sneaks to wear the dragon robe in the dead of night.”

“I am Qing Zhou, a cavalry officer of the Bordered White Banner. I personally overheard the Regent and Prince Yu discussing the rebellion outside the tent.”

"When I was in Shanxi, I personally heard He Luohui persuade the Regent to lead his troops back to fight."

……

"You lackeys, who is behind this, instructing you to frame the Regent?"

"Lord Tan Tai, what's the rush?"

"The Regent Prince, my father, made unparalleled contributions to the Qing Dynasty's entry into the Central Plains, and His Majesty has posthumously conferred upon him the title of Emperor Cheng. Now you've gathered a bunch of lackeys to overturn the case, Jiang Qingyun, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"You ask me what I want to do? I'd like to ask you, Tan Tai, what do you want to do, you're a member of the Plain Yellow Banner who has followed Dorgon so devotedly?"

"I***."

Tan Tai swore; he was getting agitated.

"Tan Tai, you dog slave, kneel down!" Shunzhi roared.

Tan Tai knelt down with a thud, his eyes bloodshot.

The atmosphere inside the hall was tense, with swords drawn and bows ready to strike.

Jiang Qingyun suddenly shouted:
"The regent has indeed made contributions, but it is also a fact that he hid the dragon robe and armor. If he had lived any longer, he might have become Wang Mang instead of the Duke of Zhou."

"The Regent died at the right time, he died young. It is truly a blessing from heaven for our Great Qing and for our Emperor."

……

Fan Wencheng could barely stand. He was genuinely afraid of Jiang Qingyun, who dared to do anything and say anything.

Emperor Shunzhi rose, his face flushed.

"By imperial decree, I hereby proclaim to the world that Dorgon has committed ten major crimes. First, treason; second, plotting rebellion; third, plotting treason; fourth, heinous crimes; fifth, immorality; sixth, great disrespect; seventh, filial impiety; eighth, discord; ninth, injustice; and tenth, internal strife."

"Revoke his posthumous title, exhume Dorgon's body and mutilate it, and purge his associates."

(End of this chapter)