067 A Proper Understanding of Imperial Authority

When Dorgon was alive, the Two White Banners under his direct command consistently overshadowed and suppressed the Two Yellow Banners led personally by the Shunzhi Emperor, basking in the height of power and prestige.

The Manchu bannermen of the Two Yellow Banners had harbored a deep-seated grievance for years. Today, as they carried out the confiscation of the estate, they were bound to show no mercy whatsoever.

Soldiers forcefully kicked open one door after another, attending to both official and personal business simultaneously. What was ostensibly a simple search warrant was effectively turned into an order for total plunder.

Chaos and panic reigned within the Prince Rui's Estate.

Jiang Qingyun’s attitude was one of tacit approval.

He was bold because he was meticulous.

He was overbearing because he understood the situation.

The official path has always been a one-way street, yet a one-way street is still a road. Being a road, it has an end. Should it have no end, life itself will eventually come to an end.

Either refuse to step onto the path, or walk it to its very end.

True warriors, before reaching the end of the road, even have the leisure to admire the beautiful scenery on both sides. If one can truly cast aside the fear of the unknown future, the scenery is actually quite pleasant.

...

The sun gradually sank toward the horizon.

Dong'e knew that her life, much like this setting sun, was about to plunge into darkness.

Beside her, her birth mother, Lady Li, clutched her hand and wept silently. As a princess of the Korean royal family, she possessed a basic grasp of the current political landscape.

"Dong'e, the political winds have shifted."

"Mother, do you think the Empress Dowager and the Emperor will kill us?"

"No, they won't. No matter what, the Emperor will spare our lives, mother and daughter alike."

Lady Li’s judgment was correct. Their gender alone dictated that they posed no threat whatsoever to imperial power, and thus they would not be subjected to total extermination.

East Asia does not believe in female sovereigns; East Asia only suffers hens crowing at dawn.

The sky grew dark, and torches were lit one by one.

The ransacking of the estate continued.

Suddenly, Dong'e felt a greedy glance cast upon her by Jiang Qingyun. Terrified, she quickly tightened the coarse hemp prison garments around herself.

Lady Li, crouching nearby, turned pale.

As a woman who had lived through the vicissitudes of the world, how could she fail to understand?

If Prince Xin's consort Doni were still alive, he might have offered some protection. But now, Doni’s entire household had been reduced to ashes, and the fate of the mother and daughter was something too dreadful to contemplate.

...

Chaoyangmen Avenue.

A group of officials from the Plain White Banner attempted to find out exactly what was happening within the cordoned-off area.

"This is my official tally, let me pass at once!"

"Which yamen are you from? Do you have an imperial decree? Do you have orders from the Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers?"

Zhao Zesheng, the Commander of the Eastern City Gendarmerie, remained entirely silent.

No matter who made a fuss, his only reply was: "Nothing to report. Cross this line and die."

The entire Five Cities Gendarmerie gradually grew out of tune with the other yamens in the capital—audacious, arrogant, and executing military orders without the slightest discount. After all, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief would cover for them all.

Before the barricades lay three corpses, all of them authentic bannermen who had tried to forcefully breach the cordon.

In the meantime...

Emissaries sent from the mansions of first- and second-rank grand secretaries, as well as from the estates of various princes and贝勒s (beiles), came to make inquiries, only to be dismissed with a single phrase: "Acting under imperial decree, nothing to report, you will find out at tomorrow morning's court session."

That night, countless people spent the night tossing and turning in sleeplessness.

...

During the routine curfew, the density of patrols was intensified.

Western City, Fuchengmen Avenue.

The patrolling cavalry of the Feng Banner intercepted three lavishly decorated carriages.

"Who dares to violate the curfew? Step down from the carriages!"

"Audacious! These are the carriages of Prince Zhuang's Estate."

"Tonight is a special circumstance. Without the Emperor's decree, no one is allowed to break the ban. Turn around and go back!"

It seemed the occupants inside the carriage gave an order, for the carriages continued forward, attempting to force their way through.

The cavalrymen all drew their sabers, and a physical clash seemed imminent. After a stalemate of a few moments, the procession finally turned around.

...

"What time is it now?"

"The hour of Zi has passed."

"It's about time. Gather the troops~"

Two quarters of an hour later, the soldiers carrying out the confiscation finally assembled.

In the flickering light of the torches, Jiang Qingyun noticed that many soldiers wore poorly concealed expressions of joy on their faces. Since ancient times, confiscating estates had always been a lucrative post, offering the chance to make a small fortune.

He did not expose them, but simply raised his voice to give the order:

"Brothers have worked hard tonight. Once the task is accomplished, the imperial court will naturally reward merit accordingly."

"However, anyone concealing property belonging to the prince's estate must throw it onto the ground right now. I will not pursue the matter. One quarter of an hour from now, everyone will run a lap around the courtyard to prove their innocence. Do you all understand my military order?"

"Understood."

Clink, clank~

Gold ingots, silver ingots, and jewelry were thrown out one after another.

Afterward came the group run: the friction of armor plates and the resounding clatter of military boots.

...

"Hear this, all bailiffs and runners of Shuntian Prefecture: go and inspect the Efficient Cavalry. If you find anyone concealing the prince's estate's property, point them out on the spot."

A quarter of an hour later, Wu Jingyan, the Magistrate of Daxing, came forward to report.

"Reporting to the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, not a single person in the Efficient Cavalry is concealing anything."

Jiang Qingyun’s expression remained indifferent.

"Good. Now, it is the turn of the Efficient Cavalry to inspect the men of Shuntian Prefecture."

Another half a quarter of an hour passed.

His old father, Jiang Zhongcheng, came personally to report: "Reporting to the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, not a single person in Shuntian Prefecture is concealing anything."

Jiang Qingyun nodded, taking it all in stride.

At home you call me an unfilial son, and I won't argue with you. In this place, however, you must address me as the esteemed Left Vice Censor-in-Chief.

"Very well. I declare that today's joint operation was clean, beautiful, neat, and above reproach."

"Return to your respective camps~"

Upon leaving the prince's estate, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Everyone had gained something; as long as one wasn't too greedy—just hiding a few ingots of gold or silver inside one's armor and making sure they didn't shake loose while running—it was all fine.

Sir Isaac Newton once said:

Execute procedures with meticulous care, and go through the motions with steadfast diligence.

Those who achieve both can start from Lincolnshire and reach the summit of Downing Street.

Friends who frequently serve as officials all know that power does not equal rank. If you cannot command others, you have no power; the ability to issue commands that are obeyed—that is true power.

In the future, Jiang Qingyun hoped to stage several more of these cross-yamen, cross-system joint operations.

So what if they were banner camps?

Use them often enough, and they would loosen up—loosen in terms of slackness, that is.

Today's affair served to initially foster tacit understanding and mutual trust.

Friends who have never personally served as an emperor might assume that imperial power is supreme and absolute, where one word is final, and every yamen obeys commands as smoothly as moving one's own arm.

This is a cognitive misconception.

The so-called imperial power is akin to a Maxim gun draped in full belts of ammunition.

A weapon of mass destruction!

Yet this Maxim gun can be fired by the Emperor, and it can equally be fired by the ministers, because the trigger mechanism lacks facial recognition technology.

The crucial point is—can you find the opportunity to walk closer, and closer still?

When you stand directly in front of the muzzle of the Maxim gun, sweat pours like rain from your brow, and your knees tremble.

When you stand to the side of the Maxim gun, you shower it with praise, inspecting it from top to bottom.

When you stand behind the Maxim gun, you harbor a lethal weapon, and the intent to kill naturally arises within you. Tat-tat-tat-tat, tat-tat-tat, watch my machine gun spit blue flames.

...

The hour of Mao.

Jiang Qingyun, having spent the entire night without sleep, changed out of his military attire and donned his formal official robes adorned with rank insignia. Leisurely, he rode his horse toward the Forbidden City, the surroundings growing steadily brighter with every step.

Early summer was approaching, and the moment of sunrise came earlier each day.

The red sun rose in the east, brimming with hope.

"Saksaha."

"This subordinate is here."

"During the morning court session shortly, you will take the lead. Do not lose your nerve, do a good job, and I will guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and honor."

"Thank you, My Lord."

Jiang Qingyun turned his head, stared straight into his eyes, and suddenly burst into loud laughter.

Saksaha did not understand the meaning behind it. Dazed on horseback for a moment, he joined in and laughed heartily as well.

In truth, he knew as clearly as a mirror: Jiang Qingyun might not necessarily help him rise to the top, but he would certainly be able to cast him down—down to the depths of hell.