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

Chapter 8 Politics is Personnel

The Military and Garrison Office of the Southern City.

The young eunuch who came to deliver the imperial decree was handsome and recited the text with great intonation, which pleased everyone, especially those who had placed bets on Jiang Qingyun in advance.

Throughout history, in officialdom, it has always been a case of "when one person attains power, all his relatives and friends benefit."

The good days for everyone are finally here!
The original commander, Wuerte, was taken away on the spot by two Blue-feathered guards and exiled to serve in the Southwest Army. The rest of the military commanders were dealt with by Jiang Qingyun himself.

He was blunt:
“The Uerts’ henchmen imprisoned and tortured him, and demanded that his family pay him back three years’ salary.”

“The neutral party shall be given a severe beating of 20 strokes and expelled from the Military Command.”

"Fill the vacancies as soon as possible. We should recommend capable people regardless of personal relationships. Can you recommend one or two?"

Zhao Zesheng recommended two people, and each of his other confidants recommended one person.

Jiang Qingyun didn't ask any more questions and accepted them all. He planned to fill the remaining gaps with his neighbors, childhood friends, and Lu Zhu's hometown, Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture.

……

"My lord, what are your orders?" Zhao Zesheng rushed over.

“In a few days, you will come with me to Xiaohuangzhuang, Dingxing County, Baoding Prefecture.”

"what?"

"what happened?"

“My hometown is right next to Xiaohuangzhuang, separated by a river.”

Jiang Qingyun couldn't help but laugh; such coincidences are common in this world.

However, it is a good thing.

"My lord, I took the liberty of redeeming that actress from the Yuchun Troupe and have settled her nearby. What do you think?"

Jiang Qingyun's expression was complex, a constant struggle between the advanced education he had received over the years and the weaknesses of human nature.

Finally, he solemnly stated:

"This will never happen again!"

……

The promotion was public, but the order to investigate the Imperial Observatory was conveyed privately.

Jiang Qingyun clutched the secret edict written on the bright yellow silk, his heart pounding. He realized that this might be a golden opportunity to use the blood of the Imperial Observatory to unveil a corner of his grand plan.

The Qing government's biggest weakness was its lack of self-confidence.

Therefore, they were terrified of unusual celestial phenomena.

Without any investigation, Jiang Qingyun could conclude that the entire Imperial Observatory was a traitor, and that the Director, Tang Ruowang, was the biggest traitor.

……

Before I traveled through time, a senior once said:

"Before expecting to meet a benefactor, one must be prepared to give up one's own path of development. Once one meets a benefactor, one must follow the path laid out by that benefactor. You cannot have both a benefactor and freedom."

Jiang Qingyun's motives were impure; he merely used imperial power to temporarily achieve his own ideals.

But now, the original plan has indeed been disrupted.

Before investigating the Imperial Observatory, he decided to go home and visit his parents.

……

Needle and Thread Alley, under the big locust tree.

The Chiang family was overjoyed, setting off many firecrackers and hiring several drummers; all that was missing was a red carpet.

"Father, is such a grand ceremony really necessary?"

"Yes, it is very necessary."

Jiang Zhongcheng beamed with joy and tugged at his new official robe.

"Fifth rank?"

"Yes, thanks to you, I got promoted twice. My colleagues are green with envy."

Huh, where's Mom?

……

"Your father, that old geezer, has only been promoted a few days ago and has already taken a fancy to a vixen, and a slutty opera singer at that," Wen said angrily.

Jiang Qingyun felt inexplicably guilty.

He glanced at his personal maid, Green Pearl, beside him. Hmm, long time no see.

Green Pearl glanced at the young master, her eyes almost overflowing with tears. Yes, she missed him terribly.

Jiang Qingyun had no concept of master and slave, but he could sense that Green Pearl's feelings for him were very complicated, like a mother and a sister, and her daily care for him was meticulous.

Ms. Wen glanced at her son's eyes and, seeing that he wasn't angry, decided to address the matter openly.

"Green Pearl, come here."

"Madam~"

"Pack your things and go with the young master tomorrow. Take good care of his daily life. Yun'er, once you marry your first wife, you will give Lüzhu the status of a concubine."

"Madam Xie, Young Master Xie."

Green Pearl's eyes were slightly red with joy, making her look pitiful.

……

Father and son were promoted to the same rank, a cause for great joy and celebration.

The banquet, opera performances, and welcoming and sending off guests continued until evening. The father's newly acquired young concubine, with her head bowed and eyes downcast, wore brand-new clothes, her figure nimble, and her makeup exquisite. Upon meeting him, she bowed and knelt to offer a blessing.

"My name is Wanqiu, and I greet you, young master."

Jiang Qingyun raised his hand in the air, and Wanqiu stood up even from a distance of ten feet. It was like magic.
Late autumn and late spring, put together, make for a grand drama – the Spring and Autumn Annals.

However, this little incident reminded me that clothing innovation is also a key point in deconstructing the Qing Empire.

Why are actresses so attractive? Because they never wear Qing Dynasty clothing. A man's entire body can lie, but his penis is the only honest part.

That evening, Jiang Zhongcheng arrived, looking awkward and hesitant.

"What's wrong, Dad?"

Do you have any money on hand? Spend some of it.

Jiang Qingyun suddenly realized.

"Dad, don't worry, I'll have someone deliver it to our house in a few days."

"well."

……

Politics is about personnel matters.

In plain terms:
They place their own people in various positions to implement their own ideas. If they win, it's called "the court is filled with righteous indignation." If they lose, it's called "forming cliques for personal gain." If they neither win nor lose, it's called "forming factions and suppressing dissent."

Now, Jiang Qingyun urgently needs his own team.

With only five or six people from the Military Command, not to mention the quality of the personnel, the number was also insufficient, not to mention that two people were bedridden and recovering from injuries.

The next day, he knocked on each door.

The door of the house at the very back of Zhenxian Hutong creaked open.

"Brother Qingyun, what brings you here?"

"Xiao Cangzi, there's a vacancy at the South City Military Command. Would you like to take the job?"

Will they want me?

"Yes. I'm in charge of the Military Command now."

"Brother Qingyun, that's great, I'll work with you."

Zhou Cang is only 13 years old and is the sole breadwinner of this family.

The parents had three daughters in a row. They wanted to try again, but the father fell seriously ill. They could only bring a boy from outside the city and claim that he was their son.

If there are no male members in the family, they will not receive the guaranteed crop.

Adopting a boy to save a family's life was a common practice in Beijing.

If gene sequencing technology were available, it would be discovered that many of the Manchu people in Beijing were actually Han Chinese.

Jiang Qingyun found more than twenty teenagers in one go. When his father, Jiang Zhongcheng, heard about it, he also sent his most trusted personal guard.

In short, they cobbled together a team.

……

If a ruler is not discreet, he will lose his ministers; if a minister is not discreet, he will lose his life; if important matters are not kept secret, they will lead to disaster.

Jiang Qingyun kept his mouth shut until he appeared at the gate of the Imperial Observatory with all the troops of the Southern City Military Command.

The stunned doorman tried to stop him, but was kicked to the ground.

behind,

Zhou Cang turned his sword around and smashed it repeatedly against the fallen door, his blood boiling with rage. His mother had said, "When you're on duty, you have to work hard."

Jiang Qingyun shouted sternly:
"By imperial decree, investigate and eliminate the conspirators lurking within the Imperial Observatory who are plotting to overthrow the court. From this moment on, everyone is to remain where they are and not to move. No documents or files are to be burned."

"Brothers, seal the gate!"

"Gentlemen, please bear witness today."

"Rest assured, Lord Jiang." The two clerks, who had been invited by the Shuntian Prefecture and the Censorate respectively, were very polite and followed closely behind Jiang Qingyun.

The Imperial Observatory was surrounded by government offices, one after another, so such a big commotion couldn't be kept secret from others.

Many officials from the six ministries peeked out from the doorway, whispering amongst themselves.

……

More than a quarter of an hour passed between barging into the Imperial Observatory and entering the room of its director, Johann Adam Schall von Bell.

It seems a bit slow~
But that was exactly the effect Jiang Qingyun wanted; at that moment, Tang Ruowang's room was filled with smoke.

"who are you?"

Jiang Qingyun ignored the guy and used the scabbard to poke at the embers that still had embers in the furnace.

Shout loudly:
"Johann Adam Schall von Bell preemptively burned some of the documents, the contents of which are unknown, as are the quantities. I have reason to suspect that he burned some unspeakable secrets."

"It's on record!"

……

"No. My loyalty to the Qing Dynasty is as clear as day. I have dedicated my entire life to the Qing Dynasty, and I personally compiled the 'Shixian Calendar.' I am absolutely innocent!"

Looking at the excited Johann Adam Schall von Bell, Jiang Qingyun couldn't help but laugh:

"I feel it necessary to remind you that you arrived 29 years ago."

"You cast cannons for Emperor Chongzhen, and you mined for the Ming Dynasty. You're like a European woman who coveted wealth and status, first marrying the Ming Dynasty, and then, after her husband's death, marrying the Qing Dynasty. Do you have any innocence?"

(End of this chapter)