Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 384 The Governor will host a banquet tomorrow. No need to wear armor

50 meters away,

Incense is burning on the long table and yellow earth is splashed on the street.

The officials and gentry from Jiangbei who came to greet them were whispering to each other guiltily.

The imperial envoy had to be escorted by 500 soldiers to go to the toilet. This is not a good sign.
A Yangzhou scholar muttered:

"Jiangsu has always had a simple folk customs and kind personalities. Doesn't the Imperial Envoy's move hurt the hearts of the elders of this province too much?"

A retired official standing next to him did not say anything in agreement, but nodded slightly.

The governor is so wary of the people of Jiangsu, which has an extremely bad influence. The people of Jiangsu will not agree with this!
Anyway,

The story of Fu Chang'an using 500 soldiers to guard him when he went to the outdoor toilet would surely spread in Jiangsu and become a "strange story".

……

"The imperial envoy reads the imperial edict, kneel~"

The normal procedure is to read out the imperial edict first, then welcome the guests, and finally greet each guest one by one.

The content of the oracle was very unexpected.
He actually let it go and forgave the past, and Qianlong greatly praised the Jiangbei officials and gentry for their diligence, enthusiasm and support for the war.

The Governor-General of the Grand Canal, Guan Mingen, was awarded a yellow riding jacket and promoted to the rank of third-class light chariot commander.

Chang Huoyan, the prefect of Huai'an, was serving as the acting governor of Jiangsu.

Hu Zuoyou, the prefect of Yangzhou, served as the acting provincial judge of Jiangsu.

Yu Yunhe was in charge of the grain transport and served as the acting salt transport envoy of Lianghuai.

The prefect of Xuzhou, the prefect of Haizhou, the prefect of Tongzhou, and the co-magistrate of Haimen Hall were also commended.

Get promoted and make money!

Happiness comes too suddenly~
A group of red-tasseled hats knelt down and cheered:

"Long live the emperor. We, the officials, will serve the court with all our hearts and souls."

……

"Greetings, His Excellency the Imperial Envoy."

Fu Changan looked arrogant and impatient.

He acted like a typical child of an aristocratic family, and spoke in a high tone:
"You are actively raising money and food, which is a public-spirited act. Now that the military situation is urgent, you must continue to work hard to provide a steady supply of food and wages for the army."

Guan Mingen quickly expressed his opinion:
"Don't worry, Imperial Envoy. Although the fire in Fengji Warehouse caused heavy losses, I will still ensure the food supply for the soldiers on the front line even if I have to pawn my imperial beads, sell my concubine, and exchange my house."

Hu Zuoyou also spoke actively:

"I have only three words to say: the people of Yangzhou are loyal, the government of Yangzhou is determined, and the gentry of Yangzhou are fair-minded."

Chang Huoyan was more straightforward:

"I would also like to express my opinion. No matter how wide the Yangtze River is, the people of Jiangbei will tighten their belts and spend money to pave a way for the imperial army."

Yu Yunhe is relatively simple:
"My family, the Yu clan, will always be loyal subjects of the imperial court."

……

Fu Chang'an just listened with his nose in the air, looking extremely arrogant.

They are even too lazy to act harmonious and compassionate.

Just ask for money~
"The Governor's Office needs to be rebuilt according to the old system, not even a foot less."

"Yes Yes."

Everyone nodded like chickens pecking at rice.

"Also, these brothers brought by this imperial envoy need to be settled. According to the official positions, they need corresponding houses. Huai'an Prefecture, Yangzhou Prefecture, and Xuzhou Prefecture will come forward to enclose land and requisition houses."

Everyone was stunned again, but after thinking about it, it didn't seem to be a bad thing.

Quickly express your opinion,
There must be tens of millions of mansions in Jiangsu, which can easily accommodate the imperial envoy's confidants.

……

I thought this was the end,
Fu Changan was relentless and continued to make demands:

"My third brother died while serving as the governor of Jiangsu. He died a heroic and miserable death. The local government should build a temple for him so that he can enjoy the incense forever~"

Everyone was embarrassed and didn't know what to say for a moment.

Fu Changan slammed the table angrily:
"My third brother is so noble and heroic. You in Jiangsu owe us the Fucha family. All prefectures and cities must build ancestral halls for him. The ancestral halls must cover at least half an acre."

"Yes Yes."

Everyone quickly agreed, saying it wasn't a big deal.

Anyway,

Rumor has it that Fu Kang'an might be the emperor's father.

……

"Sir, is there anything else you need us to do?"

"From now on, every major event in Jiangsu must be reported to me in advance."

"Yes Yes."

"Let all officials from the three prefectures, two states and one department in Jiangbei come to Huai'an. I will meet with them one by one and examine their abilities as officials."

This sentence,
It shocked everyone present.
Chang Huoyan asked quickly:
"If there is a flaw in your ability~"

"I am an imperial envoy, and I am taking off my hat and patch on the spot."

Fu Chang'an spoke in a sharp and arrogant manner.

Everyone felt much more at ease. It's good to be domineering. We are not afraid of you being domineering, but we are afraid of you being introverted.

Another chaotic display of loyalty.

……

Fu Changan suddenly reminded:

"Chang Fantai, you must earnestly supervise the harvest of spring grain. Only when there is grain can people's hearts be at peace."

Chang Huoyan's expression changed several times in embarrassment.

Or said:

"Governor, the spring grain was harvested a month ago. Except for the loss of 1 shi in Fengji Granary, all other grains were harvested."

Everyone looked straight at Fu Changan.

Fu Changan was indeed annoyed and asked:

"Why don't you guys in Jiangsu harvest the crops in advance according to the farming season? Do you take the imperial court seriously?"

Chang Huoyan wanted to explain the differences between the north and the south.

As soon as he opened his mouth, the angry Fu Chang'an splashed wine on his face.

It was suddenly eerily quiet.

……

Chang Huoyan was also confused. This didn't go according to the rules.

Hu Zuoyou quickly tried to smooth things over and helped pour the wine:

"What the governor criticized is correct. Next year, we will definitely criticize and educate the unruly people in this province, and set up rules by catching examples. The governor also devoted all his energy to raising military rations. In order to ensure that the soldiers had meat to eat, he sent all the pigs, sheep, chickens and ducks in the prefecture to the front line. If that wasn't enough, he also found a way to send tens of thousands of dogs to the soldiers to eat."

Guan Mingen lowered his head quickly.
I shouted in my heart, "Old Hu, you are always talking nonsense. Sooner or later, you will die because of this broken mouth. After all, you have been in the capital for many years, so you should know the rules."

really,

Fu Changan was furious and picked up the wine glass and splashed it on Hu Zuoyu's face again.

"Despicable."

"You know that we Manchus are taboo about eating dog meat!"

Hu Zuoyou looked so dejected that he wished he could slap himself twice.

Chang Huoyan had calmed down, slapped himself lightly, and apologized:
"Governor, I almost made a big mistake. I will send someone to get the dog back and release it. There's still time~"

"Ah."

……

A good welcoming banquet.

The series of events ruined everyone's interest and made everyone feel awkward.

Fu Changan walked away in anger.

His tyranny and dominance confused all the officials and gentry in Jiangbei.

Dozens of prominent figures looked at each other, with wonderful expressions.

At this time,

A butler wearing a melon-shaped hat and a silk robe came out.

He cleared his throat:
"Everyone, go back."

"The master will summon you in three days. Prepare your performance reports and official warehouse account books since you took office. Prepare well and don't make the master angry again."

A weird welcoming party just ended like that.

……

For the gold and silver antiques, rare food ingredients, silk fabrics, and Jiangnan skinny horses that were successively delivered to the imperial envoy's headquarters.

Fu Changan's actions also surprised everyone.

All the "tributes" delivered to my door were accepted on the first day, and those I was not satisfied with were returned on the second day. It was like going to the vegetable market and picking and choosing.

The main focus is to be confident!
The returned part will be ordered to be replenished again. If you are not satisfied, you can keep returning it until you are satisfied.

The officials and gentry in Jiangbei sighed in frustration.
They had wanted to test the character of the new imperial envoy, but now it was very clear - he was a domineering, arrogant, and bossy young man from a noble family in the capital.

It seems~pretty good.

……

At noon 3 days later,
Outside the city of Huai'an, there is a wealthy businessman's manor.

The place was decorated with lanterns and colorful lights, and the atmosphere was festive. Red silk hung on the walls and red carpets spread on the ground.

The green velvet sedan chairs were lined up a mile away, and the number of hats was even greater.

"Governor, please come to the court. The subordinates are waiting for you to summon them one by one according to their ranks."

"Ah."

Fu Changan didn't curse anyone this time.

Accepted the venue arranged by Chang Huoyan and others.

"Lao Guan, how is it?"

"The sky clears after the rain."

All the seal-bearing officials and assistant officials from the prefectures and counties of Jiangbei were present, and there were greetings and laughter everywhere.

We can't even get such a complete lineup together during the Chinese New Year.

They are all our own people.

Chang Huoyan moved freely among the crowd.

But his eyes passed through the crowd and fell on Yu Yunhe.

Guan Mingen next to him is so experienced.

He came over and whispered:
"What's wrong? Is there a problem with Xiaoyu?"

"He said everything is normal in Beijing. I'm a little worried, so I'll take a look."

"What did you see?"

"That's normal. With his cunningness, if something really happened, he wouldn't be able to hide it on his face."

Guan Mingen nodded:

"Xiao Yu is just a dandy boy, but he's not a bad person."

……

Chang Huoyan chuckled:
"I also want to be a playboy, but the conditions do not allow it. His father is a military minister, and my father is a farmer~"

Guan Ming'en opened his mouth, but finally sighed and patted Lao Chang's thick shoulders.

When leaving,
He muttered to himself: My father was a third-rank official, a bannerman, and he passed away many years ago.

In the Qing Dynasty, "distribution based on father was the main method, with distribution based on examination as a supplement. Of course, there were also distribution methods based on luck, assignment, and multiple other methods coexisting."

Xiaoyu's future career will definitely surpass that of himself and Lao Chang.

In fact, if Lao Chang had a better family background, he would have become a high-ranking official long ago with his abilities.

And it’s not Lao Chang’s fault that he has an ugly appearance.

His father is a farmer, can he marry a beautiful wife? Can a family that has only eaten potatoes and wild vegetable paste since childhood produce a handsome scholar?
The acne on Mr. Chang’s face is caused by holding it in.

Guan Mingen walked and thought,
I couldn't help but shook my head and said to myself:
Everything is determined by fate and has no control over us.

A colleague heard it and quickly pulled his sleeve:
"Guo Du, I know a master. He has been studying the Book of Changes for thirty years. He can predict the future 500 years ahead and 500 years ahead. He is simply amazing, wow~"

Guan Mingen perked up when he heard this:

"Not false?"

"It's true. It's so true. He charges by the number of characters. He charges 10 taels for each character, and he has to take a sedan chair to pick him up."

"Send the master to my house quietly the day after tomorrow?"

"Whoo."

……

More than 100 Jiangbei local officials seized this rare opportunity to meet.

Socialize face to face
Various transactions and messages were exchanged frantically.

Everyone whose name was called in was scolded by Fu Chang'an, and then left with a smirk.

No one takes it seriously.

When working in the government, being scolded is not necessarily a bad thing.

Especially for this kind of domineering boss who scolds everyone he sees, mature subordinates will come to him to review the situation and offer their "loyalty" afterwards.

While waiting in the yard,
Everyone has already estimated the amount of "loyalty". According to the rank, it ranges from 5 taels to 2 taels.

Jiangsu has always been short of fertilizer.

If it weren't for the thief Wu making such a fuss, 9% of the officials in the capital would want to come to our province to get some water.

There is a vivid metaphor in the capital:
Jiangsu (except for a small area) is a flour jar.

When you wet your hands and press inside, you will get a lot of harvest that cannot be shaken off.

Hu Zuoyou has the most experience.
What kind of life did he lead when he was in the Censorate in Beijing? He was very stingy with his money, rented a shabby courtyard house, and had no authority at all.

What kind of life did he live after he became the magistrate of Yangzhou?
With just one look, the people below will immediately give you clear arrangements.

He lives in a luxurious manor of more than 1 mu, with a view of Slender West Lake from the window, and a full set of rosewood furniture. That's it, the annual rent is tael.

Old Hu still has a sense of shame and a trace of scholarly character in his bones, so he insisted on paying the one tael of rent himself.

Old Chang is different. He eats in an ugly way.

Not only did he not pay the rent, he also asked the landlord to pay 500 taels in reverse. The reason was to give him face!

……

I was busy until the afternoon, and the sun was still one hour away from setting.

The butler finally came out to pass on the message:

"My Lords, please stay for a light meal."

"May I ask, butler, is today a special day?"

"It's the birthday of the governor."

Everyone understood immediately.

During the Qing Dynasty, the boss of a yamen could celebrate his birthday three times a year, more than Guanyin.

Pass! Must pass!
The yard was bustling with activity. Even though they had arranged more than a dozen tables, it still wasn't enough, so they kept adding more.

The food on the table was very simple and most of it was cold, but it didn’t matter because everyone’s hearts were warm.

Fu Changan was still arrogant.

He just accompanied us for one round of drinks and then left. Everyone else didn't take it seriously and continued to socialize.

……

suddenly,

Guan Mingen frowned and asked:

"Did you hear any noise?"

Everyone fell silent and listened attentively.

Chachacha~
Outside, there could be heard the sounds of hundreds or even thousands of people running, as well as the sound of weapons clashing.

The Tongzhi of Haimen is the youngest official.
So everyone recommended him to climb up the wall to see what was going on.

He climbed up the wall and yelled:

"Oh no! The Imperial Envoy is planning a rebellion! There are soldiers everywhere outside."

While everyone was stunned, Yu Yunhe ran away.

call out:

"My father is Yu Minzhong! My father is the Minister of Military Affairs!"

The soldiers outside really let him go.

Fu Changan looked at the trembling senior and smiled:
"Mr. Yu, please go down and rest."

"Yes Yes."

When leaving Beijing,
Yu Yunhe, the grain inspector of Huai'an, was the only person on the pardon list.

……

For some reason, Fu Chang'an did not mobilize any local troops, but secretly transferred two battalions of the Huaixi New Army.

And only soldiers were mobilized, not officers.

The soldiers who rushed in were stunned. Looking at the red tasseled hats all over the yard, they dared not use their swords and could not cut them down.
Fu Changan shouted sternly:
"I am Fu Chang'an, the governor of Jiangsu Province appointed by the imperial court. This is the governor's golden seal. The people here colluded with the Jiangnan Wu bandits, burned granaries, and killed the imperial envoy. They have committed heinous crimes."

"What are you still hesitating about? Kill them all."

Thirteen-year-old Xu Mancang was also among them.

Because I am young, I have fewer concerns.

Since the governor has issued an order, what is there to be afraid of? The governor is the most important person in a province, and his words are the imperial decree.

He immediately rushed forward, raised his sword and slashed at the nearest Yangzhou prefect Hu Zuoyou.

With one blow, the knife chopped from the red tasseled straw hat to the moon-shaped chest.

Hu Zuoyou died in a miserable way.

……

Xu Mancang wiped the blood off his face.

He kicked the Haimen Tongzhi who was sitting on the fence and shouting "The Imperial Envoy wants to rebel" to the ground, then turned the tip of the knife, held the handle, and stabbed it hard~
Blood splattered.

The other soldiers then woke up as if from a dream and swung their swords at the various red tasseled hats.

Amid the miserable wailing and begging for mercy in the yard,
Fu Chang'an pulled out a roll of bright yellow silk from his sleeve.
Read slowly:
"Imperial edict: 142 local officials in Jiangbei colluded with each other, murdered senior officials, and set fire to warehouses. Their crimes are extremely serious and must not be punished. In the three prefectures, two states, and one department, all male members of the families of the officials involved will be beheaded on the spot, and the female members will be exiled to Ningguta. Their property will be confiscated. We must punish them swiftly and severely to cleanse the province of its distorted customs."

When he read the words "cleansed and renewed",
The killing in the yard also came to a perfect end, with corpses piled up and blood splattered on the white walls.

……

(End of this chapter)