The Roster Itself Is the Content

The voice of the Shunzhi Emperor was exceedingly loud, carrying far beyond the doors of the main hall.

Out in the vast square.

Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang, who had rushed there in frantic haste, came to an abrupt halt upon hearing her son's furious roar.

Overwhelmed by sudden agitation and surging anxiety, her blood pressure rose sharply.

Yet, the deed was already done, leaving her utterly helpless.

"Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager?"

"Return... return to the palace."

"As you command."

Eunuchs and palace maids supported the dizzy and disoriented Xiaozhuang back to the Cining Palace, where imperial physicians were immediately summoned to take her pulse.

...

The Shunzhi Emperor, his blood boiling, operated at full throttle.

Descending the imperial steps, he confronted his ministers directly:

"Grand Secretaries of the Inner Three Courts, what are your opinions?"

"Your Majesty is wise and brilliant; we ministers look only to Your Majesty's lead."

Grand Secretary of the Secretariat Fan Wencheng, Grand Secretary of the Hongwen Academy Ning Wanwo, and Grand Secretary of the State History Academy Chen Mingxia spoke in unison, their eyes resolute.

"Prince Li Mandahai, Prince Jingjin Nikan, Prince Duanzhong Bolo, Prince Shuncheng Lekedehun, Prince Zhuang Shuosai, and Prince An Yole. Do you approve or oppose?"

"Your Majesty is wise."

The eyes of the six princes were filled with helplessness, their complexions contorted with grievance.

The Shunzhi Emperor felt a rush of absolute euphoria, his blood surging with triumph.

He bounded up the steps, sat back down upon the dragon throne, and gave a wave of his small hand: "Execute these matters immediately. The court is dismissed."

...

Silence returned to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, but the entire capital seethed with unrest.

That very day, the six Deliberative Princes and Ministers joined forces to seek an audience with Empress Dowager Xiaozhuang.

After a long wait.

The head eunuch finally emerged.

"My lords, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is feeling unwell. Please return."

Prince Li Mandahai asked, "Eunuch, is Her Majesty aware of the events from this morning's court session?"

The head eunuch replied, "The Empress Dowager has said that since His Majesty has now assumed personal rule, it is no longer appropriate for her to interfere in state affairs. She intends to tend to her flowers, feed her cats, and spend her remaining years in peace. My lords, please return."

The six princes withdrew from the Forbidden City in dejection.

That same day, the Inner Three Courts promulgated an imperial edict with the utmost speed, issuing it to the Six Ministries, dispatching copies to provincial governors and viceroys across the realm, and proclaiming it to all bannermen in the capital.

The Ten Great Crimes were listed one by one, each more terrifying and shocking than the last.

The entire Inner and Outer City of Beijing was thunderstruck.

Dorgon's coffin was dug up and his corpse subjected to mutilation, hacked into dozens of pieces, soaked in animal fat, and burned to ashes.

...

The Shunzhi Emperor felt as though more than a decade of pent-up malice had been vented in a single day. His entire being felt unblocked and invigorated. That very night, he favored three palace maids in succession, yet still felt unsatisfied, as if something crucial was lacking.

However, he could not quite pinpoint what was missing.

When he had passed through the Eight Great Hutongs that day, the faces of the courtesans leaning against the railings singing their ditties had already blurred in his memory, but their voices, their attire, their figures, and their bearing remained deeply alluring.

Gazing up at the bright yellow silk canopy of his bed, the Shunzhi Emperor muttered to himself.

"Are women truly so different from one another?"

...

Following the dismissal of the court, Jiang Qingyun declined all manner of banquet invitations.

Presently, he had two tasks to accomplish. One was to seize power. The other was to meet with his two sworn brothers.

The first task was of the utmost urgency.

How was he to seize power?

By forming his own faction and placing these trusted individuals into various government offices to occupy key official posts, thereby indirectly controlling greater authority.

With the majesty of the imperial court now backing him, the difficulties were much reduced.

Even so, it was still necessary to maintain good relations with the Ministry of Personnel; in official circles of any era, procedural legality remained critically important.

The next day.

Jiang Qingyun delegated the task of hosting to Zhou Shao.

Zhou Shao had formerly served as a private secretary within the Ministry of Personnel, making him thoroughly familiar with official networks and convenient for handling behind-the-scenes arrangements, while Jiang Qingyun himself awaited his distinguished guests at a private restaurant in the Southern City.

A private restaurant was essentially a private club akin to those of the modern era.

The name differed, but the essence was identical.

Just as Jiang Qingyun had anticipated, the private restaurant concept had proven immensely popular upon its introduction. Featuring an independent courtyard with no signboard or banner, serving only a single table of guests per day, it offered tranquility, elegance, high privacy, and exclusivity.

It was particularly well-suited to the refined tastes of the high-ranking officials and gentry of the Great Qing.

...

Take the present establishment, for instance. It bore no formal store name, known outwardly simply as "Number 13."

The interior of the courtyard was designed in the style of a southern Chinese garden, accomplishing wonders within a constrained space. Rockeries, ponds, pavilions, and storied buildings were all present.

The cuisine focused primarily on Shandong fare.

The porcelain bowls and chopsticks were all top-tier products from Jingchangzhen, matching the grade of imperial ware, differing only in patterns and colors.

The female proprietor, Qian Lihua, had originally come from the elite courtesan circles of the Eight Great Hutongs. With a change of her professional name, makeup, hairstyle, and attire, she had successfully crossed over into a new business.

In essence, she was a high-class socialite.

"My lord, this concubine has brewed a pot of tea for you."

"Leave it there."

"Understood. Since my lord is fatigued from court, shall this concubine give you a massage to help you relax?"

...

The herbal tea entered the mouth with a rich fragrance, infused with a touch of deer antler and brown sugar, nourishing both yin and yang.

The pure white-lidded bowl in her hand was simple in shape yet possessed an uncommon elegance. The only vulgarity was the erotic motif painted on the inside of the cup lid—those who enjoyed such imagery could gaze upon it, while those who did not could simply ignore it.

Jiang Qingyun, being a free-spirited individual, turned the lid over to inspect it directly.

Qian Lihua let out a soft giggle; accustomed as she was to hypocrites, encountering a genuine rogue so abruptly caught her slightly off guard.

"My lord, the distinguished guests have not yet arrived, have they?"

"Mm."

"The timing is just right, and this concubine is feeling refreshed. Why not let me serve—"

"No. This official knows your intentions are good, but your consideration is incomplete. Should the distinguished guests arrive midway, would this official not find himself in a difficult predicament? Injuring one's health takes only a single instant."

Qian Lihua's face blossomed into a smile, her cheeks flushing crimson.

"Sir, you truly are a fascinating person."

"Come closer and listen..."

After a string of whispered instructions, Qian Lihua froze, twisting her fingers together nervously.

"Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

"Do you grasp the gravity of the stakes?"

"I do."

"Remember, the skies of the Southern City bear the surname Jiang. Go down now and prepare to welcome the guests at the entrance."

"Yes."

With her heart pounding wildly, Qian Lihua quickly gathered her skirts and hurried downstairs.

From this day forth, she possessed an additional identity: an intelligence gatherer!

Not just her, but the female proprietors of every private restaurant in the Southern City were informants. Every day, they were required to transcribe guest rosters and report them level by level until they ultimately reached Jiang Qingyun's hands.

In official circles, discovering who was dining privately with whom was in itself a vital signal.

...

Jiang Qingyun peered outside and saw Feng Shuan, Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Ji Zheng, Director of the Bureau of Evaluations, and Zhou Shao, Imperial Commissioner of the Western Factory of the Baoquan Bureau, arriving together.

He hastily cupped his hands in greeting:

"Distinguished guests have graced us with their presence. Welcome, welcome."

"Imperial Censor Jiang, how do you do?"

Minister of Personnel Feng Shuan waved enthusiastically while taking quick, hurried steps toward the stairs. Seeing his superior act with such eagerness, Director of Evaluations Ji Zheng had no choice but to trot along behind him.

Jiang Qingyun was extremely puzzled and cast a glance at Zhou Shao.

Zhou Shao shook his head.

Although the three sworn brothers—Zhou, Wu, and Jiang—possessed differing personalities, all three were seasoned veterans of officialdom.

To take the previous moment as an example.

Jiang Qingyun's glance meant: "Why is a Minister of Personnel currying favor with me like this? What is the reason?"

Zhou Shao's head shake meant: "I have no idea."

...

Jiang Qingyun waited at the top of the stairs, extending his hands far in advance.

Feng Shuan, just reaching the top of the staircase, took two steps in one, thrusting both hands forward with an extraordinarily ingratiating attitude.

Their hands clasped tightly together.

A triumphant meeting of minds.

"His Excellency the Heavenly Official has arrived, bringing great honor to my humble dwelling."

"I felt an immediate affinity with Imperial Censor Jiang the moment we met. Splendid, truly splendid. Today, let us put aside official titles and gather purely as literary friends, shall we?"

"I would not dare refuse such a gracious command."

"How delightfully straightforward."

Hand in hand, the two men walked over to the table.

"This spread of dishes is fragrant, visually appealing, and appetizing. Old man here is genuinely feeling a bit hungry."

"Please take your seat!"

"After you!"

After two rounds of drinks, Feng Shuan even began to gently chide Zhou Shao.

"Master Zhou, why didn't you introduce younger brother Qingyun to me earlier? Such a brilliant young talent—had we met sooner, I, Feng Shuan, certainly would have taken him as a grandson-in-law and offered a hundred thousand, no, two hundred thousand taels as a dowry."

Zhou Shao, equally adept at navigating social scenes, promptly fetched three empty wine cups for himself.

"Your criticism is entirely justified; the fault is mine. Shall I punish myself with three cups?"

"You deserve it, you certainly deserve it."

Feng Shuan, the fifty-something Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, cheerfully slapped the table, casting aside all official dignity.

[The book is officially scheduled to launch tomorrow at noon, and massive chapter updates will follow!]