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

Chapter 18 Rejecting Hong Chengchou's Love!
The Military and Garrison Office of the Southern City.

"Gentlemen, according to the regulations of the imperial court, in addition to arresting criminals, dealing with fire and water, dredging ditches, and maintaining street order, the Military and Cadres Division should also assume the responsibility of comforting and pacifying the people. I have decided to build four new soup kitchens, one orphanage, one shelter for the homeless, and one relief hall."

"Gentlemen, do you have any objections?"

"No comment."

"The construction quality of the orphanage, the refuge, and the charity hall must be high. Perhaps a hundred or two hundred years from now, people will still remember our names, which will be a way to leave a mark on history."

"Your Excellency is wise."

One-man rule! Jiang Qingyun nodded in satisfaction; this was the Military Command he wanted.

"Meeting adjourned, brothers, let's eat!"

Eating out at restaurants all the time is too high-profile.

Therefore, Jiang Qingyun arranged for several of Lü Zhu's relatives from her hometown to work in the kitchen.

……

After finishing the meal, Jiang Qingyun called out to Zhao Zesheng, who was about to leave.

"Are you busy?"

"I was planning to visit a few wealthy households to solicit donations."

"Leave this matter to someone else. Go and do something more important. Visit those people who volunteered to file charges during the last trial, according to the list."

What's the point of visiting them?

“Talk to them and have them act as informants. Tell them that if any suspicious people or things happen around them, they must report them truthfully. The Military Command will reward them for valuable clues. Even if they report something wrong, there will be no punishment.”

Zhao Zesheng stood there stunned for a long time.

"My lord, I understand."

"Well, let's go."

As people were dispersed in waves, the once bustling military headquarters gradually quieted down, leaving only a dozen or so people behind.

……

Green Pearl then arrived with a beaming smile.

"Young master, would you like a bowl of ginseng chicken soup?"

Jiang Qingyun drank it all in one gulp, then devoured it in a whirlwind.

Green Pearl, having taken the empty bowl, hesitated and refused to leave, as if she had something to say.

"What's up?"

"The steward from the manor has arrived and is asking when you, young master, will have time to go home?"

Is something wrong at home?

"The butler said that the master and mistress have arranged a marriage for the young master, and it seems... it seems to be the niece of Minister Hong of the Ministry of War~"

A flash of anger crossed Jiang Qingyun's eyes, which was caught perfectly by Lü Zhu.

She whispered:

"Young master, since ancient times, marriages have been arranged by parents and matchmakers. Marriages must be between equals. That female bodyguard..."

Do you think this is inappropriate?

"No, whatever Young Master does is right. I'm just worried that it won't get past Master and Madam."

……

"From now on, don't call yourself a servant; call me 'I'!"

"Yes."

"Green Pearl, remember this: no one can stop me from doing what I'm about to do. I will personally go home and persuade your parents." Jiang Qingyun suddenly remembered something and asked, "Oh right, last time I asked you to stay with Jiang Nan for the inspection?"

"Ah~" Green Pearl blushed and leaned closer to lower her voice, "No scars, no blemishes, no body odor, no obvious diseases, flawless like white jade, never had bound feet, straightforward and simple personality, healthy mother, will definitely be easy to give birth to in the future."

Seeing the young master staring at him suspiciously.

Green Pearl lowered her head, and Mosquito snorted, "I was trained by the Madam herself."

"You go down."

After going out~
Green Pearl muttered to herself, "Young Master's style of doing things is becoming more and more domineering."

Everything else is negotiable, but the young master, a dignified sixth-rank official, wants to marry a female bodyguard. I can't even imagine how furious the master and mistress would be if they found out.

The Minister of War's niece is well-educated, reasonable, and comes from a wealthy family. What an excellent candidate for a principal wife!

……

She left, and the calico cat arrived, its fluffy little body squeezing halfway through the crack in the door.

"Meow~"

Seeing that Jiang Qingyun didn't object, the calico cat gracefully jumped onto his lap, retracted its paws, and settled comfortably. So serene and gentle, Jiang Qingyun was very pleased and had to pause his official duties to feed it and stroke its fur.

"There are some things I can't say to others, but it's probably okay to chat with you, you wicked cat."

"Meow~"

"When I was 18, I finished reading 'Dream of the Red Chamber' and decided that the gentle, kind, and well-educated Lin Daiyu was the perfect wife."

"When I turned 25, I realized that Baochai, who was healthy and emotionally stable, was the best match for me."

"When I turned 35, I changed my mind again. I think Wang Xifeng, who is shrewd, capable of managing both the household and the people, is the best. She can help me share the pressure."

"When I turned 40, I realized that Granny Liu, who was wise in a foolish way, resilient as a mountain, and loyal to the heavens, was the real gem among women."

"When I was young, I didn't know how good my grandmother was, and I mistook Daiyu for a treasure."

"Upon closer reflection, Grandmother Jia is actually not bad either."

……

The calico cat in my arms had its eyes slightly closed.

As a female cat, she knew that when a man was agitated, listening was enough; no further words were needed.

"Dorgon is dying, and that guy surnamed Hong is starting to panic."

"In terms of character, Hong Chengchou was a hundred times worse than Fan Wencheng. Fan Wencheng was just a scholar who had received no favors from the Ming Dynasty and surrendered without a second thought. But Hong was a military commander who held the reins of the three border regions and commanded hundreds of thousands of troops. Emperor Chongzhen did not do anything to wrong Hong."

"Besides, what I need is a wife who can fight alongside me and shares my ideals. When it comes to marriage, family background is really irrelevant; on the contrary, it will become an obstacle."

"Killing one's wife's entire family is never a good thing."

"I was wrong. I shouldn't have gone to the Hong family for that meal; it exposed my unparalleled beauty and talent!"

"Meow~"

The calico cat's ears perked up and its tongue lolled out. The person and the cat chatted happily.

……

Half an hour later, Jiang Qingyun came to the kitchen carrying the cat.

"Get the cat a fresh braised fish~"

"Yes, sir."

The calico cat sat proudly on the clean millstone at the kitchen doorway.

The cook, who claimed to have fed Green Pearl a large ear of corn when she was a child, hurriedly boiled water and killed fish. She cherished this job, eating three full meals a day and receiving a monthly salary, almost like the treatment of a wealthy mother-in-law.

As she killed the fish, she muttered to herself, "No wonder people say that even a dog or a cat should be born in the capital."

Even a baby born in the capital is more precious than a baby born in Zhili!

……

Jiang Qingyun was right.

Hong Chengchou is now in an awkward position and urgently needs to cultivate confidants and make allies.

He was a confidant of Huang Taiji and Dorgon, but now the situation has changed, and he can't find a new master.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang was lukewarm towards him, and Emperor Shunzhi disliked him.

The two Yellow Banners regarded him as Dorgon's dog!
None of the Han officials were willing to pay him any attention.

During the reign of Emperor Shunzhi, the three most trusted Han Chinese officials in the capital, ranked in order of their level of trust, were: Fan Wencheng, Ning Wanwo, and Hong Chengchou.

Fan Wencheng was a purely civil official, with no knowledge of military affairs.

Ning Wan, I am also a civil official, but I am knowledgeable in some military matters.

Fan and Ning both despised Hong Chengchou.

The reason is simple: we only turned to the Later Jin because we were starving. You, the mighty Grand Commander of the Ming Dynasty, are trying to steal our food as traitors? Is it so delicious?
Therefore, Hong Chengchou was in an awkward position.

He studied everyone in the imperial court and discovered Jiang Qingyun.

This young man is shrewd, bold, and of impeccable lineage. While his current official rank is low, he is destined for great things. If a marriage alliance could be formed with Jiang Qingyun, it could also ease tensions with the two Yellow Banners.

……

Needle and Thread Alley, under the big locust tree.

Hong Shiming, the son of the Hong family, personally visited to express his father's affection for Jiang Qingyun.

“A few days ago, my father invited Brother Qingyun to his residence for a chat. They hit it off immediately and he was very fond of his talent. If our two families could become husband and wife, Brother Qingyun’s future would be limitless.”

"Uncle Jiang, you have raised a fine son."

Jiang Zhongcheng grinned broadly, "Not at all, not at all~"

(End of this chapter)