Qing Yao

Chapter 470 Be Loyal to the Grand Secretary
A thousand words are not as meaningful as a few kowtows.

For Taiping, a fourth-rank lieutenant with no connections, the title of "first-class shrimp" of the third rank seemed like just two promotions, but those two promotions were something he could never surpass in his lifetime.

Although the members of the Eight Banners of the Beijing Garrison and the Imperial Guards were of the same origin, they were two separate systems.

If Taiping, the Zuo Ling, is considered a major battalion commander in the Central Army, then "First-Class Shrimp" is a senior colonel regimental commander in the Imperial Guard.

Almost all Manchu nobles in the Qing Dynasty were selected and promoted from the Imperial Guard.

Heshen, Fukang'an, and Fulong'an were all like that.

To put it bluntly, Taiping has risen to the top in one step, directly entering the ranks of high-ranking officials in the Eight Banners. If he is lucky and has a benefactor to help him, he might be able to become a Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard or a Minister of the Imperial Court before he retires.

Even if you're unlucky enough to be transferred out, you'll still get promoted and become a second-rank deputy general—that's a certainty.

Conversely, no matter how hard Taiping worked in the Eight Banners of the Beijing Garrison, he might be promoted to the rank of a third-grade military officer, but he would never have any hope of being transferred to the Imperial Guard as a third-grade head bodyguard.

The titles of Grand Minister of the Interior and Minister of the Imperial Court are things that can only be dreamed of.

In this way, how could Taiping not be grateful?

Seeing that Taiping was so excited that he couldn't speak and kept banging his head against the ground, Zhao An didn't immediately help him up. Instead, he sat there and looked at him with interest, letting him digest this hard-won happiness.

The other party's background had long been investigated from the archives. The highest-ranking person in his family was only a third-rank city garrison commander. He was able to become a captain because his father died in battle in Burma and enjoyed the "shadow of death".

Aside from being somewhat clever at making money, he was otherwise useless. Yet, this person rose to become a member of the Eight Banners high-ranking cadre echelon in one fell swoop. To be honest, it was no different from winning a million dollars in a scratch-off lottery.

We definitely need to give them time to calm down.

After a moment, once Taiping had calmed down a bit, Zhao An slowly got up, walked around the table, and personally helped him up. He said meaningfully, "This favor from the Emperor was hard-won. How could such a great fortune fall into your lap? You should weigh the pros and cons yourself."

"I understand. Without your patronage, I would never have dared to dream of such a favor."

As he spoke, Taiping wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve. At that moment, he was also grateful to one person: his wife, Chen.

If it weren't for Chen's guidance and his own determination to donate three thousand taels, how could he have possibly gotten such a great opportunity?

Of course, we should also thank Deputy Commander Zhao for his honesty; a mere three thousand taels of silver brought him such a tremendous fortune that even tens of thousands of taels of silver might not have been able to obtain!

Zhao An smiled and said, "It's not a matter of promotion, I just said a few words for you. As for your three thousand taels of silver, I will hand it over as your punishment money."

Upon hearing this, Taiping was stunned, looking confused, wondering how Deputy Commander Zhao had turned his filial piety gift into a bribe.

This means the other party didn't get any benefit at all!
He didn't take any benefits but bestowed such a huge favor upon himself. What's he up to?

After hesitating for a moment, I couldn't help but ask why.

"Don't ask about this anymore,"

Zhao An sat down, picked up his teacup, and said slowly, "In short, you must remember that although the reward for the guards of Qianqing Gate was due to my efforts, it was actually with the approval of the Grand Secretary. Therefore, from now on, you, Taiping, can only have two things on your mind."

"Please speak, sir!"

He looked so composed and upright that he was just short of snapping to attention and standing at ease.

"First of all, He Zhongtang is like the sky above us. Our future and wealth depend on He Zhongtang's every thought. From now on, you must be infinitely loyal to He Zhongtang! If He Zhongtang says east, you can't say west. If He Zhongtang needs something, you must be the first to step up, understand?"
"From now on, when you serve in the palace, you must be sharp-eyed and keen-eared, clearly understanding which messages to relay and which matters to report."

Zhao An's words were concise and to the point.

"I understand the humble position!"

Once recovered, Taiping didn't hesitate for a moment, snapping his fingers and performing the most standard flag salute. "Rest assured, my lord," he said, "I hereby swear that from this day forward, my life belongs to you, my lord, and Grand Secretary Tonghe! If I have any disloyal intentions, may I be struck down by heaven and earth and die a horrible death!"

The response was quite positive, and he felt that spending three thousand taels was well worth it. With Heshen as his backer, he didn't need to worry about his future career.

At the same time, he knew that he had gotten on Heshen's side. If Heshen really got into trouble, it would be a small matter if he, as a "top-class shrimp," was taken back; he might even lose his life.

It would be a lie to say he wasn't nervous or worried, but when he thought about it, if it weren't for Deputy Commander Zhao giving him the opportunity to board the ship of the Grand Secretary, what important figure would have taken notice of him, a mere junior officer, and given him such a great opportunity?

Having thought this through, what else is there to worry about?

The world is vast, but the central hall is the greatest!
"That's the second point,"

Zhao An pointed to himself, then raised his hand and patted Taiping's shoulder affectionately, his tone becoming sincere, "Taiping, you can use those 'lowly official' and 'senior official' titles in public from now on. In private, we can just call each other brothers."

Taiping was stunned again upon hearing this.

Zhao An chuckled softly, turned around and walked back to his desk, took out a silver note from the drawer and stuffed it into Taiping's hand.

"Take it."

Zhao An's tone was very gentle, "You paid the three thousand taels of silver as punishment, and your family must be struggling financially now. You, Taiping, are now a guard of the Qianqing Gate, and your status is not what it used to be. You must have many expenses now. Just keep it, consider it my help as your virtuous brother."

Everything must be considered properly. Being promoted to "top-class shrimp" greatly enhances Taiping's position and status, but at the same time, it greatly reduces his opportunities for personal gain.

Because guards don't have many ways to make money besides official duties and rewards.

There's a lot of socializing involved.

When Taiping was a Zuo Ling (a military officer), he could earn several thousand taels of silver a year, but when he became a "first-class shrimp" (a low-ranking official), he could earn very little money.

Therefore, Zhao An had to anticipate the difficulties others might face, since he simply enjoyed dealing with these guards who were responsible for protecting the old master.

Qingyao and Alebao's group belonged to the Imperial Guards, while Taiping's group belonged to the Qianqing Gate Guards. The difference between the two should be the difference between the internal security bureau and the external armed yamen runners. The former was responsible for the imperial city, while the latter was responsible for the palace city.

Both groups had their own brothers who had risked their lives for them, so they just talked casually.

Three thousand taels of silver for the loyalty of a "top-grade shrimp" is more worthwhile than anything else.

Of course, Zhao An always put He Zhongtang first, and made that clear. This move completely shattered Taiping's psychological defenses. Looking at the three thousand taels of silver in her hand, and then at Zhao An's incredibly sincere face, this heartfelt gesture was more real than any empty promise.

This caused Taiping's eyes to redden again. She clutched the silver note tightly, wanting to say something, but Zhao An raised his hand to stop her and said gently, "Go, prepare well, and report to the palace guards tomorrow. Just focus on your duties from now on. I will take care of things in the banner for you."

The Imperial Minister Bao Lun, who came to complete the formalities earlier, directly dealt with Zhao An face to face, so the staff outside did not know that Taiping had now prospered.

All that is known is that the Grand Commandant rushed to the yamen in a great hurry, and then burst into tears in the Deputy Commander's office.

It's likely that Taizuo Ling is on Zhao Fudutong's "blacklist".

Although the Colonel tried his best to keep a straight face when he came out of the office, the radiant joy and happiness that shone from his eyebrows and eyes could not be hidden.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the entire Governor's Office, and then rapidly spread to the entire Bordered Yellow Banner Manchuria.

"What?! Guards from the Qianqing Gate?!"

The third commander, Lang Tu, who was holding a teacup, suddenly trembled, splashing scalding tea all over himself without even noticing, his eyes wide open like copper bells.

How could I not be shocked!
Over the years, Talangtu has spent countless efforts trying to get into the Imperial Guard, but in the end, he wasted a lot of money and still remained in his own banner as a captain.

As a result, one of his junior officers quietly became a "top-tier shrimp," someone he would have to treat with respect whenever they met. Not only was Lang Tu in disbelief, but several other officers under the Third Commander in the office also looked up in unison, exchanging bewildered glances, unable to believe their ears.

After a brief silence came a cacophony of noise, like a pot exploding.

"A guard at Qianqing Gate? Taiping? Him? What makes him so special!"

Zuo Ling Debao, who was wearing the hereditary title of Cavalry Captain, suddenly stood up, slammed the teacup in his hand on the table with a "clatter", and his face turned red.

"What is Taiping? He can't even read a few characters. As for martial arts, he's just a third-rate fighter! His ancestors didn't even have a decent title. He only got a Zuo Ling (military officer) because his father died in battle. Damn it, this kid has never been a big shot in our Bordered Yellow Banner. How come he can rise to the top in one step!"

Debao grew angrier and angrier, shouting, "In the past, when Taiping saw me, he always bowed and scraped, wishing he could avoid me! Last year, during the military drill, the soldiers under his command couldn't even draw their bows properly, and I publicly reprimanded them like grandsons, not daring to utter a single word! This kind of trash is fit to serve before the Emperor, fit to wear that 'first-class shrimp' feather? Bah!"

"De Bao is right!"

Another captain named Chang Wu slapped his thigh in anger, his face full of disdain. "With Taiping's skills, he couldn't even shoot a lame deer during the last hunt. How can someone with such skills be a guard at Qianqing Gate? Is our Bordered Yellow Banner short of people or what?"

Sitting in the corner, the old Zuo Ling Chengtash also shook his head: "How strange! Did Taiping's ancestral grave emit auspicious smoke? According to seniority, background, and ability... how come this good thing doesn't fall to him? It can't be that the Grand Secretary likes him, can it?"

I really can’t figure it out.

"Looks good?"

De Bao scoffed, "It's more like he and the Grand Secretary have taken a liking to his wife."

"Alright, everyone, say less."

The commander tapped his pipe on the table, his gaze sweeping over everyone before finally settling on Debao's face, which was contorted with jealousy. "The affairs of the palace, the tasks appointed by the Emperor, are not something you or I can casually interfere with. Be careful what you say."

Upon hearing this, all the officers felt a chill run down their spines and dared not speak recklessly any further.

Lang Tu was also puzzled. Taiping was a very mediocre person with no background. How did he suddenly become a guard at Qianqing Gate? There must be something behind this that he didn't know.

Thinking of this, Langtu turned his head and instructed Goshha, who was in charge of making tea and water for everyone, "Go and find out what Taiping has been doing these past few days, who he has met, and also go to the Governor's Office to ask someone."

"Whoo!"

Goshha nodded and went out the door.

Inside the Governor's Office.

Zhao An's face was cold and stern. In front of him was a formal document with the ink still wet, on which were listed the names of five people: Ming Shan, Dalier, Bayan'er, and others.

After a moment of contemplation, Zhao An picked up his pen, signed his name at the end, and solemnly affixed the seal of the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Manchuria. Then he looked up at the officers, including Commander Fan, who had been waiting for orders.

"Report this official document to the Grand Secretary, and ask him to use the seal to remove the official hats of the five men and strip them of their banner status! In addition, you shall personally lead a team to the homes of the five men to conduct a thorough search, and register and seal all their property without fail!"

"Whoo!"

Commander Fan accepted the official document with both hands, knowing that the five men from Mingshan were completely finished.

Zhao An then looked at Duonuo, the seal-bearing officer who had first discovered Zhang Changbao's embezzlement of Manchu funds and rations: "You shall draw personnel from each of the offices to the duty offices of the five officers, control the relevant personnel in the duty offices, seal all files and account books, and make sure to thoroughly investigate and uncover every single case of corruption, bribery, and malfeasance committed by the five officers during their tenure!"

"Whoo!"

Dono accepted the order, turned around, and strode out. Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps and the clanging of armor echoed inside the yamen, and a large number of people poured out of the governor's yamen.

Zhao An knew that the search and seizure of the residences of Manchu bannermen was extremely sensitive, so he could not use the 120 armed attendants he had brought from Anhui, since these attendants were all Han Chinese. Han Chinese involvement in the internal affairs of the Eight Banners was extremely risky and could easily give others ammunition against them; similarly, it was inconvenient to arrange for Yang Xiaoshuan and Xu Lin to participate.

This matter can only be handled by personnel within Xianghuang Banner. Utilizing the existing power structure within the banner to carry out this purge, while inevitably subject to constraints, is the safest option at present.

The news that Taiping had been promoted to "first-class shrimp" had probably spread to every corner of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner by now. Countless people were shocked, and many others were secretly beating their chests in regret.

Zhao An gave everyone the opportunity, but unfortunately, only Taiping seized it.

Commander Fan, who was ordered to deliver the dismissal document to Heshen's residence, quickly completed his mission. Heshen stamped the document with the seal of the Commander-in-Chief without even looking at it, and then instructed Commander Fan to take the document back.

"I resign from my humble position!"

Just as Commander Fan was about to turn and leave, Heshen casually remarked, "That Zuo Ling in your banner named Taiping is quite good. He voluntarily paid three thousand taels of silver as compensation for his crime, showing deep remorse. Let him do his job as a guard properly and not make the same mistake again."

what?
These words struck Fan Canling like a bolt from the blue. His tense body finally relaxed after he left the He residence and turned the corner. He then leaned against the wall and slowly sat down, unconsciously taking out a pair of walnuts that he had been handling for many years and had developed a patina.

Then a crisp "crack" was heard, and the beloved item that had been with Commander Fan for many years was crushed.

Because of the excessive force, the broken walnut shells even cut the palm of Commander Fan. However, the usually composed and calm Commander Fan was completely oblivious to the pain. He just sat there listlessly, staring at the pedestrians passing by on the street in the distance, with only one thought in his mind—"Damn it, I should have paid five thousand taels!"

(End of this chapter)