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

Chapter 7 Double Happiness
Since they were there to attend an internal meeting of the Military Command, no one felt there was any risk. Only three people carried swords; the rest were unarmed.

Once the knife fight started, these people could only swing the chairs next to them and smash them against each other.

Uert was quite fierce and brave, wielding a heavy sandalwood chair with great force, making it impossible for others to get close.

"Deputy Commander, the bows and arrows have arrived."

Zhao Zesheng, carrying a bow, two bows on his back, and four swords at his waist, rushed out from the back room.

Moment~
The two sides are vastly unequal in military strength.

"Close the door and beat the dog!"

With Jiang Qingyun's shout, Jiang Fang's confidence soared.

The neutral faction quickly closed both the front and back doors, siding with whoever won.
……

Jiang Qingyun drew back the bowstring and shouted sternly, "Kneel down! If you dare to resist again, you will be killed without mercy."

The person he pointed at immediately dropped the chair leg he was holding and knelt down with a thud.

Once you've got the first one, the rest will be much easier.

In no time, everyone except Wuerte knelt down.

"Come on, tie them all up. Await His Majesty's judgment."

Clerk Zhao Zesheng held a knife to Wuerte's neck, and the others rushed forward and tied him up.

Thus, the internal strife within the Southern City Military Command temporarily came to an end.

……

"Brothers, this was a successful meeting, an inspiring meeting. We uncovered and cracked down on the Southern City Military Command, which was not loyal to the Qing Dynasty. The court will commend each and every one of us."

Jiang Qingyun spoke incessantly, inspiring everyone.

suddenly~
There was a rapid knocking on the door.

Interspersed with cries and shouts: "Open the door! Help! We're from the Daxing County government!"

……

Half an hour ago.

Shigu Hutong in the southern part of the city is a large courtyard with a shop in the front and a residence in the back.

A thug ran quickly to the backyard and pushed open the door.

"Tiger, something terrible has happened! The government troops are here!"

"what?"

Tiger, who was smoking a water pipe on the couch, was startled. With a sudden leap and a tiger-like pounce, he grabbed the large knife hanging on the wall.

"Did you see it clearly?"

“I saw it clearly.”

Tiger, wielding a large knife, hesitated for a moment and decided to assess the situation further.

“Tell the brothers not to panic. Let me survey the area. If they’re coming for us, I’ll smash my cup as a signal, and then we’ll all rush in, kill the officials, and go to Yesanpo to become outlaws.”

……

The area around Beijing and its suburbs is divided along a central axis, with the eastern part belonging to Daxing County and the western part to Wanping County.

Therefore, in the eastern half of the southern city, civil affairs were under the jurisdiction of Daxing County, while water, fire, banditry, and street management were under the jurisdiction of the Military Command.

In short: everyone does their own thing.

Daxing County and Bingmasi are two parallel lines. But in the eyes of thugs, all officials and constables are one family.

Completely unaware of the impending danger, Chief Constable Qian of Daxing County led two constables and five idlers through the blacksmith shop in front of him and strode confidently into the courtyard.

"Mr. Qian, what brings you to my side?"

"Tiger Four, don't try to fool me, you've committed a crime." Constable Qian cursed as soon as he opened his mouth, his aim being to extort money.

"Mr. Qian, what's the matter? Please take this money and have some tea."

"Tiger Four, don't you know what you've been up to lately?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

"Tiger Four, you've been caught!"

……

The constable only intended to intimidate and extort more money, but instead, he broke the fragile nerves of the hoodlum who had escaped from Huaziying Alley that day, and the bloody process of Jiang Qingyun brutally beating his three companions that day surged into his mind again.

Dang rang~
The short knife he had hidden on his back fell to the ground, and the air froze instantly.

Officer Qian stared in disbelief and slowly backed away.

A dozen or so men, each wielding a sharp blade, silently surrounded them.

"Tiger Four, are you planning a rebellion?"

"Brothers, kill!"

After a fierce battle, 8 people from the Daxing County government came, and 3 returned.

Even a rabbit will bite when cornered, let alone a local tyrant like Tiger, who has brothers and a blacksmith shop under his command. When news of Jiang Qingyun killing two of his men and seriously injuring another arrived, he and his men couldn't sleep soundly for days.

Officer Qian was just an unlucky guy.
……

After listening to the bailiff's tearful account, Jiang Qingyun was overjoyed.

"Zhao Zesheng, you come and give a statement to the brothers in Daxing County. The process must be detailed, and they must sign and affix their fingerprints. Be quick, send it to the Censorate by fast horse."

Zhao Zesheng was a clerk with many years of experience, and he was very skilled with his pen.

In the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the complete confession was produced, and a quarter of an hour later, it was delivered to the Censorate by fast horse.

Fan Chengmo, the imperial censor patrolling the city, who was recounting the brawl that occurred during the meeting between the commander and deputy commander in the main hall of the Censorate, stared in disbelief at the fresh confession spread out on the table.

Left Censor-in-Chief Ning Wanwo paced back and forth with his hands behind his back.

"Imperial Censor Fan, what do you think?"

"I suggest attaching the Censorate's opinion on the matter, and then submitting it together to the Secretariat for Your Majesty's decision."

"it is good!"

……

Secretariat.

Grand Secretary Fan Wencheng's eye twitched, and he cursed inwardly:
"Jiang Qingyun, it's Jiang Qingyun again. I never expected that someone with such good calligraphy would have such a bad character."

"father?"

"When you're in the Forbidden City, you must use your official title! I'm going to see the Empress Dowager now, you wait here."

"Yes."

Fan Chengmo was very well-behaved; he perfectly inherited his father's traits—extreme caution and meticulousness.

He knew very well that Uert was doomed.

The "Meeting Minutes of the Nancheng Military Command" and the "Confessions of the Surviving Yamen Runners of Daxing County" were submitted. Whoever judged them, Jiang Qingyun would win.

The reason is simple: every dynasty had to abide by the "official order".

……

Cining Palace.

Shunzhi's angry voice echoed throughout the hall.

"This guy is incredibly audacious! He's a complete liar and incompetent, unforgivable. There's smallpox above and rioters below. If it weren't for Jiang Qingyun taking office, wouldn't Nancheng have turned upside down? Let Jiang Qingyun do whatever he wants."

"Your Majesty is wise." Fan Wencheng bowed his head and bent over.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang slowly began to speak:
"Your Majesty is right. We shall proceed according to the Censorate's decision. However, this Uerte has shed blood for the Qing Dynasty after all, so let's sentence him to serve in the Southwest Army."

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang stood up, and Emperor Shunzhi quickly helped her up.

Seeing this, Fan Wencheng bent over to create a more flattering angle and lowered his head to make him appear taller.

"Lord Fan."

"The minister is here."

“Someone secretly reported that the Director of the Imperial Observatory, Johann Adam Schall von Bell, was concealing unusual celestial phenomena from reporting them.”

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask what celestial phenomenon this is?"

"Yinghuo guards the heart, and the star enters the South Dou."

……

Fan Wencheng trembled all over and his face turned pale.

The meaning behind these eight astrological signs is that someone is coveting the throne and wants to take it over.

Any emperor would be uneasy if he encountered this.

"This old minister requests that a capable official be dispatched to investigate the Imperial Observatory!"

"Who should I send?"

“Jiang Qingyun! This man is unaffiliated with any faction and is new to officialdom. He is energetic and ambitious. Moreover, Jiang Qingyun’s position as commander is under the jurisdiction of the Censorate, so he can be considered an official appointed by the Censorate.”

"Hmm~" Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang nodded in satisfaction. "The wars in the southwest and Shanxi are at a stalemate, and the capital cannot be thrown into chaos. Astrological phenomena are of great importance, concerning the fate of the nation, and must be thoroughly investigated."

"What Your Majesty says is true," Shunzhi asked. "Then, should we promote Jiang Qingyun?"

"Let him act as the commander of the South City Military Command."

"Isn't it a bit low?"

"This person is only 17 years old. It's not a good thing for him to be promoted so high all at once. What is his father's rank?"

Shunzhi turned to look at Fan Wencheng.

Fan Wencheng quickly replied, "His father, Jiang Zhongcheng, is currently a cavalry officer of the Bordered Yellow Banner of the Han Army, a sixth-rank official."

"Promote his father to the rank of Deputy Lieutenant of the Infantry, a fifth-rank official. What do you say, Your Majesty?"

"So good."

(End of this chapter)