041 From Today On, Be a Good Person Who Goes Unpunished

Shunzhi asked in a low voice, "Where is Censor Jiang?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, he does not seem to be in sight. Shall we go and look for him?"

"No need."

Shunzhi stood with his hands behind his back, chest puffed out, trying his best to look like a grown man as he watched the bustling parade approach.

Such a novel sight—it was unheard of. From ancient times to the present, there had been parades for triumphant armies and parades for successful civil service examinees, but never for the common folk.

The guards were uneasy. "Your Majesty, we should stop them. We fear it may not be safe."

"Am I really so unpopular with the people?"

Shunzhi’s sudden remark left the guards so frightened that they dared not utter another word.

...

The parade was divided into several sections, with young women leading the front. Shunzhi felt a flutter of excitement; he always thought the common girls were prettier than the palace maids in the Forbidden City.

A line of women appeared, wearing uniform attire, with uniform height, makeup, and pacing—it was a refreshing sight to behold. They carried copper basins, white towels, gold-plated scissors, and colorful silk scarves.

"Please, Your Majesty, perform the ribbon-cutting."

Shunzhi strode forward. First, he washed his hands in the copper basin held by the first girl, then wiped them with the white towel held by the second. He took the gold-plated scissors from the third.

Approaching a long plaque tightly wrapped in red cloth, he made a snap—a clean cut. The red cloth fell away, revealing the inscription: "Three thousand harvests of wheat, the first victory over smallpox."

...

For a moment, the space in front of the Meridian Gate became as quiet as a bedroom. Countless eyes turned toward the young Emperor.

Looking at the inscription, Shunzhi trembled with excitement, his eyes slightly moist and his blood surging. He declared fervently, "An auspicious sign! This is an omen sent from Heaven to our Great Qing!"

Everyone present knelt in unison, shouting "Long live the Emperor!" The cheers sounded like crashing waves.

Shunzhi was immersed in absolute psychological satisfaction. What were gold, silver, jewels, or a harem of three thousand compared to this adoration from the people?

I am truly a sagacious ruler, he thought.

...

The second part of the parade began. Old men, their faces etched with wrinkles, each held a bowl containing common folk food. Their cloudy eyes filled with tears as they gazed affectionately at Shunzhi.

No words were needed. No acting was required. One only needed to recall the hardships of life, and the emotion flowed naturally.

Shunzhi walked over, moved. "Respected elders, please, all of you, rise."

...

The girls carrying the colorful silk scarves returned. There were eight scarves, corresponding to the eight colors of the Eight Banners, and they draped them over Shunzhi one by one.

Shunzhi found it quite pleasing; he felt Jiang Qingyun was very skilled at training women. However, the topic was too awkward to bring up.

Suddenly—

Shunzhi spotted a girl who looked familiar, much like the one who had been singing on the balcony when he had visited the Eight Great Hutongs in disguise. He lost his focus.

"Your Majesty!" a young eunuch whispered a reminder.

Shunzhi snapped out of it and immediately dismissed the thought. Impossible, absolutely impossible. How could a courtesan appear before the Forbidden City?

Yet, the girl’s attire was indeed alluring: a simple silk skirt, a slender waist, a straight back, shoulders delicate as a willow, cheeks like peach blossoms, and her long hair held up by a modest wooden hairpin.

Even a fourteen-year-old boy, let alone a forty-one-year-old man, would find her beautiful.

Fan Wencheng muttered to himself, "Indecent and corrupting." But he dared not impeach anyone, for the prevailing wind was not in his favor.

...

"By imperial decree, everyone is to be rewarded with one tael of silver from the inner treasury."

The symbolic significance of the inner treasury silver far outweighed its actual value. It was not much in the capital, but back in a home county, it was a family heirloom. If placed in a prominent spot in the main hall, any tax collector who dared to show up would be slapped across the face, and the collector would even have to beg for mercy afterward.

Feudal imperial power was, without doubt, the ultimate nuclear weapon for lending legitimacy to one's own agenda.

The general director of the event, one Mr. Jiang, was exceptionally low-key and humble today, standing far at the back of the procession. As it neared its end, his gaze met Shunzhi's from across the distance.

The harmony between sovereign and subject was never more apparent than at that moment.

...

That day, the parade circled the city three more times. Upon returning to the Southern City Command, Jiang Qingyun warned everyone again.

"Remember this: if anyone dares to speak of today’s events, their nine generations will be wiped out. Forget what happened today; you must not remember it, even if you are beaten to death."

"Yes."

The girls took their rewards and returned to their nests. They were all hand-picked by Jiang Qingyun from the Eight Great Hutongs.

There was no other way; aside from those girls, what other women in the city could pull off such a spectacle? Jiang Qingyun wasn't worried, though; whoever dared to expose the truth would be slapping the Emperor in the face. As long as no one dared to speak, Shunzhi would remain in the dark. Perhaps this was, in a way, a variation of "calling a deer a horse."

A small test!

Highly beneficial!

Jiang’s Rule of Workplace Conduct #1: Firmly grasp the greatest political correctness. No matter the rank of the official, I dare to challenge them!

Jiang’s Rule of Workplace Conduct #2: The measure of dealing with a superior is to find a balance between stroking their ego and maximizing one's own interests.

Jiang’s Rule of Workplace Conduct #3: Be bold, do not be afraid.

...

The next day, Shunzhi summoned Hong Chengchou to the palace.

"My dear minister, how are the preparations for the inoculation in the inner city?"

"Everything is ready, save for the east wind."

"Then begin immediately!"

"Your Majesty, the inner city is inhabited by the Banner people. This is a matter of great importance and requires caution."

"Caution? What is there to be cautious about?"

"Inoculation is not foolproof; there may be failures."

"Occasional failures are understandable. Proceed with confidence. I give you six months. After six months, I shall go to the Temple of Heaven to proclaim to the entire world: I have conquered smallpox!"

...

Watching the glowing, radiant young Emperor, Hong Chengchou inwardly groaned. As a seasoned high-ranking bureaucrat, his instinct was to pull others down to provide cover for himself.

"I request that the Imperial Hospital cooperate to control the quality."

Shunzhi pondered for a moment and actually agreed. "Summon Wu Yong, Head of the Imperial Hospital."

...

"Wu Yong, do you have confidence in this inner-city inoculation?"

"Reporting to Your Majesty, I have absolute confidence in my formula. Furthermore, with the testing of hundreds of thousands of commoners in the Southern City as a precedent, it is foolproof."

"Good."

Hong Chengchou looked at Wu Yong in astonishment, a sense of foreboding rising within him.

Something is wrong. This is not right.

Wu Yong bowed solemnly. "However, I have one more request."

"Please, speak."

"I am a physician and cannot tolerate even a grain of sand in my eyes. If the vaccine produced by Minister Hong is substandard, I will absolutely not pass it. This is for the sake of the Great Qing, and for my own conscience."

"Hmm, I grant your request." Shunzhi nodded, feeling it was perfectly reasonable.

...

After leaving the palace, Wu Yong declined Hong Chengchou’s invitation and departed alone in his carriage. Hong Chengchou stood frozen for a long time, his heart in turmoil.

He suddenly realized he had fallen into a massive trap. There were many people who had dug this trap—Jiang Qingyun, Wu Yong, and even Shunzhi himself.

Shadows loomed everywhere.

...

Two days later, dozens of miles outside Deshengmen, at a temporary vaccine production workshop converted from a military camp, the atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

"All substandard! Everything is substandard!"

Wu Yong stood with his hands on his hips, reprimanding the staff, with the members of the Imperial Hospital standing behind him in solidarity.

Hong Chengchou narrowed his eyes and blurted out, "I understand now. This was your intention all along; you are deliberately picking faults."

"Minister, please watch your words. There are four reasons for the failure, and I shall explain them in detail. First—"

Wu Yong spoke with clarity, and the problems he pointed out did indeed exist.

"Rectify it. Follow everything the Head Physician says and rectify it all," Hong Chengchou said, suppressing his rage.

...

Five days later, the same situation played out again.

Ten days later, the same situation played out yet again.