Great Qing Dynasty talker

Chapter 516 Qianlong Returns to Beijing: I Can’t Bear It Anymore, Issue Indulgences~
The majestic Forbidden City, with red walls, yellow tiles and white snow.

Bone-chilling cold
The arrogant Jingqi uncles had none of the festive spirit of previous years. They all huddled down and walked with their heads hung.

Even when meeting acquaintances, the smooth bowing and greetings that they used to perform became much more sloppy.

Yutai Teahouse on Qianmen Street is still bustling.

Old customers are performing "drinking tea without tea leaves" again~
……

Everyone said something.

Communicate about world affairs and vent the stress of life.

"Gentlemen, have you heard? There was a great victory on the front line. The soldiers killed 3 Wu bandits and the water of the Xiang River was dyed red."

The reaction was bland.
Everyone's expression was calm, without even a trace of emotion in their hearts.

You can call the Eight Banners children a bunch of idiots, but you can never call them stupid. These people have been in the imperial city for a long time and have seen all kinds of tricks.

A fat man was turning the big ring passed down from his ancestors.

murmured:

"A great victory, a great victory! Why do I feel that the soldiers on the front line are exaggerating their achievements? Has the Ministry of War been deceived?"

"I agree."

"I agree."

……

The Eight Banners children spoke with discretion, pointing their spearheads at the soldiers on the front line, rather than the Ministry of War or the Military Affairs Council.
Anyone who questions the imperial court will be beheaded.

It is only natural to question the soldiers.

The Lord of the Zhenghong Banner sighed:

"To be honest, I don't care what happens in the south. I just want to know when the prices of various things in the market will fall back to the prices in the 39th year of Qianlong's reign."

"That makes sense, sir."

Everyone talked while drinking tea.

There are three or two tea stems floating in the tea bowl. If you taste it carefully, you can taste the faint tea fragrance.

Years ago,

Two ships of Fujian tea arrived in Tianjin.

The Forbidden City got half of the boat, the princes, the military affairs department, the six ministries and the nine ministers got half of the boat, and the rest of the people got one boat.

It is said that

It was a New Year gift sent by the soldiers sent by Wang Danwang, the governor of Fujian, who risked their lives to break through.

It’s hard to tell the truth. In short, no one dares or is willing to delve into it.

……

That master sighed:

"The world is in a recession, and the quality of life of our people is getting worse and worse~"

Mr. Jin from the Ministry of Internal Affairs immediately responded:
"Who says it's not true? Take me for example. In the past, when I went to eat out, I would at least go to Zhimeilou. But now? I only dare to go to Shaguoju~"

Everyone sighed.

Mr. Jin was secretly delighted, damn, he succeeded in pretending.

Who of these poor guys in the teahouse can afford to eat at Shaguoju now? They can only go to Erhunpu at the entrance of the alley to satisfy their cravings.

Turning my head,

He happened to see Red Belt Fu Shou sitting at the next table and wanted to step on him.

Deliberately asked:

"Master Fu, I think your quality of life doesn't seem to be affected much?"

Everyone's eyes turned to him.

Ever since Fushou caused public outrage when he introduced the "correct way to eat tree bark" to everyone last time, many people have been looking forward to his misfortune.

……

Fushou looked around and felt quite disappointed with the Qing Dynasty and the Eight Banners descendants.

Leisurely said:
"From Zhimei Building to Shaguoju, it's nothing."

Everyone stretched their necks.

Looking at this kid Fushou, he blurted out:
"You all know that I, Fu Shou, was once the top scholar in the Eight Great Hutongs. What about now? I am not going anywhere. I will go home to find my wife."

The teahouse was quiet for a while, and then burst into laughter again.

Jin Ye laughed so hard that tears came out of his eyes. He pointed at Fu Shou and said:
"You have such a bad mouth, it would be a pity if you don't become a censor."

"Nowadays, expenses are too high, and money should be used sparingly. Having your own wife is both hygienic and reassuring, and the key is not to spend money."

Everyone burst into laughter again.

The teahouse was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

……

The torn curtain was suddenly opened.

Two runners from Shuntian Prefecture rushed in, wrapped in cold air, and pushed Manager Wang away.

"Great victory, great victory, we won~ His Majesty has returned to the palace ahead of schedule, and the vanguard has already reached Anding Gate as we speak. Everyone, why don't you hurry up?"

Hulala, the teahouse was empty.

Shopkeeper Wang was left alone in a daze.

As the clerk was packing up, he said happily:

"Shopkeeper, this is good now."

"What's good?"

"The imperial army is returning to the capital through Anding Gate. We have won the battle."

Shopkeeper Wang fiddled with the beads on the abacus and muttered:
"We? If you mention "we", it's bound to be bad news."

……

Andingmen and Deshengmen are the only two north-facing city gates in the capital.

The army set out from the capital through Deshengmen.

The army returned triumphantly through Anding Gate back to Beijing.

It has a beautiful meaning.

A large number of Beijing bannermen gathered outside Anding Gate, eagerly waiting.

The police from Shuntian Prefecture held long whips to maintain order and leave enough passage.

Occasionally someone would mutter: Did we really win?
……

far away,

The fifteenth son of the emperor, Prince Jia Yongyan, had a blank expression on his face and was surrounded by a sea of ​​red hats.

During his time as regent, he got a taste of imperial power.

I felt a little jealous about my father's sudden return to Beijing.

……

"Report, the forward is 5 miles away."

"understood."

Compared with Yongyan a few years ago, the current Yongyan has not only grown in age, but also in scheming. The clarity in his eyes is no longer there, and there is more hostility and cruelty.

He turned his head and found that one person was missing.

"Where's Senato?"

Immediately, a guard whispered:
"Your Highness, Lord Senatu, the commander of the Nine Gates, said he would come to take care of some military affairs. Logically, he should be here by now."

Yongyan was displeased.

Senatu, a member of the Bordered Yellow Banner, was born into the Yehe Nara tribe.

He had followed him to fight against the remnants of the White Lotus in northern Anhui, and was promoted all the way. During his regency, he defied public opinion and made him the Governor of the Nine Gates.

What is happening today?
Suddenly, cold sweat broke out on his back.

……

"I'm coming."

The royal carriage appeared in the distance.

It is large in scale and breathtaking in momentum.

500 guards of the Old Summer Palace rode tall horses to lead the way, wearing bright armor and with arrogant expressions.

Next came the Imperial Guards.

There are fifty-four canopies, seventy-two fans, twenty-four eight-flag banners, and thirty-six pennants.
There are also various ritual instruments such as golden drums, golden horns, golden axes, and standing melons.

Qianlong, sitting on the golden chariot, had a look of arrogance on his face.

The eunuchs carried whisks, golden incense burners, incense boxes, wash basins, spittoons, large and small golden bottles, and golden stools, and accompanied him on both sides.
Tens of thousands of people knelt down and shouted "Long live the king".

This is a ceremony that belongs only to the emperor.

Compared with Qianlong, Li Yu's travel was really shabby.

……

Heshen lowered his head and moved closer to Qianlong to listen to his teachings.

Nodding frequently.

Then he walked to the front of the team, took a deep breath, raised his right hand, and said in the loudest voice:

"God bless the Qing Dynasty. Hunan won a great victory. Half of the elite rebels in Jiangnan were wiped out in one fell swoop."

Wow~
The scene was boiling.

The Eight Banners children crowded in the crowd were all excited and began to believe it. Today's grand ceremony of the emperor's return to Beijing seemed like a real triumph.

The cheers outside Anding Gate were getting louder and louder.

Qianlong leaned against the golden chariot and said a few more words.

Then, the human megaphone Heshen smiled again,

Announced:

"After 10 days, all bannermen in the capital can go to the Dutong Yamen to claim their reward of 5 taels. All Mongolian princes, royal nobles, Manchu and Han officials in the capital will also receive rewards."

The Eight Banners descendants cheered again.

5 taels is not much, barely enough to buy 1 dan of brown rice, but at least it is income.

……

In a fanatical atmosphere, the imperial carriage drove all the way into the Forbidden City.

The news of the great victory spread throughout the city.

Standing in the crowd, Wu Ting, the intelligence station chief, Jiang Tianmu, was holding back his laughter, thinking that these bastards really dared to lie and brag.

A single defeat over a thousand miles can be called a great military victory. When your majesty's army reaches the Central Plains, let's see how these grandsons will handle it.
but,

He unexpectedly saw an acquaintance.

He quickly squeezed over and bowed.

"Master Fu."

"Hey, Mr. Jiang?"

"I didn't expect to meet you here. We are destined to meet each other."

"You're right. Once fate comes, nothing can stop it."

……

Once a man has money, he can be with everyone.

As an overseas intelligence officer, station chief Jiang Tianmu spent money lavishly, was generous and had extensive connections in the capital.

There are a lot of royal family members like Fu Shou who are rich but have no money in the capital. They can put on airs to please ordinary people, but they dare not show off in front of rich people.

When socializing in Beijing, people always have a meal when they meet.

Jiang Tianmu paid the bill.

The Zhimei Building, which was once packed with guests, is now much quieter, and the private rooms upstairs are almost empty.

The shopkeeper led everyone to the private room on the top floor with the best view.

Jiang Tianmu was as generous as ever. He stretched out his palm and flipped it back and forth.

"Ten dishes, you arrange."

"Yes."

……

The shopkeeper personally serves the dishes, and there are all kinds of specialties from the north and south.

Most of the dishes are Shandong cuisine.

During the Qing Dynasty, Shandong cuisine chefs were far ahead in the capital, and Huaiyang cuisine could only come in second.

"Master Jueluo, is there any rare news recently? Tell us about it."

Fu Shou first offered a glass of wine, and then began to show off his information.

Jiang Tianmu listened silently.

Suddenly asked:
"Any news from the south?"

……

Fushou dipped his finger in the wine and wrote on the table:
Defeated!

Jiang Tianmu was stunned and stared at him suspiciously.

"It's absolutely true. I have an acquaintance in the Ministry of War. He is my childhood friend and is absolutely reliable."

This reason is purely Fushou's way of flattering himself. Based on his life experience, he judged that the court was likely to conceal its defeat and claim victory.

Jiang Tianmu smiled and said:
"I am a businessman. The war situation and the market situation are closely related. You dare not speak nonsense."

Fu Shou was probably drunk.
Said:

"I won't hide it from you. The Qing Empire is in danger."

"Master Fu, you are drunk. This is taboo."

"No, I'm not drunk." Fu Shou's eyes were red. "From the military officials to the runners, everyone is busy making money. There are many sober people in the city, all pretending to be stupid. I dare say that the South must have been defeated, and the defeat was outrageous. Look at the price of rice, hehe, it's quite like Chongzhen's."

……

Jiang Tianmu smiled.

"We are so close, but we are so close. What happened to Master Fu today?"

Fu Shou then revealed his true intentions and told the truth.

"Master Jiang is a man of great talent, but he has great connections. I'm afraid he is not an ordinary person."

Suddenly, the two intelligence officers disguised as followers in the private room became murderous and wanted to kill the guy as long as the stationmaster gave a signal.

Jiang Tianmu's eyes gradually turned cold:

"Master Fu, are you threatening me?"

"No, no. Don't get me wrong. I just want to follow you and make some money to support my family."

"Are you a bannerman or a royal family member? Why are you mixing with a Han Chinese like me? You dare to say it, but I dare not listen."

……

Fushou twisted uncomfortably in his chair:
"I need money!"

"You have iron crops every month, so logically you shouldn't be short of money?"

"No, it's very short of money. I owe a lot of money, and if I can't pay it back, the moneylenders will make me suffer a fate worse than death."

at this time,

The two guards brought by Jiang Tianmu have already stood behind Fushou.

One of them held a hammer in his hand.

Blunt weapon killing has a big advantage - it silences the person quickly.

One hit of the hammer and the man was motionless.

The dagger can't do that.

Fu Shou's forehead was covered with beads of sweat.
He knew that if he didn't tell the truth, he would die today.

"Master Jiang, you are from the south, right? I want to turn from darkness to light! I know the rules, and I will pledge my loyalty if you tell me to."

……

In the spring of the 44th year of Qianlong's reign,
There was unrest in the city of Beijing.

A large number of "princeling" officials were dismissed, including the Nine-Gate Admiral Senatu.

Qianlong's first move was a crushing victory, and he once again reaffirmed his authority as the sole ruler of the empire, leaving the nobles in the capital in silence.

Yongyan was covered in dirt and looked extremely embarrassed.

He was ordered to study and reflect in the mansion.

Qianlong wanted to teach his useless son a lesson and let him know how childish his little actions were.

"If I don't give it to you, you are not allowed to ask for it, let alone snatch it."

but,

He had no intention of deposing the crown prince.

Because one day he would die, who else could he pass the throne to if not Yongyan? He couldn't let a woman sit on the throne, could he?
……

"Heshen, is the Ministry of Revenue in trouble?"

"Have!"

"Can you fulfill the reward I promised you?"

"I dare not deceive the emperor. I roughly calculated that it would take about 150 million to 180 million taels. The Ministry of Revenue only has 90 taels of silver on hand~"

Qianlong sighed.

Looking at the remaining blood outside the window, he said:
"The emperor's words are as good as gold. Do you think I am just trying to be nice?"

"The servant dare not."

……

"When people have little money, they try to pretend to be rich. When times are more difficult, they try to pretend that things are easy. The same is true for the empire."

"Even if I lose, I will tell the world that I won. Even if I have no money, I will tell the world that there is still money in the treasury."

"We can lose the people's hearts, but we cannot lose their confidence."

"Do you understand?"

Qianlong's voice was cold and bloodless, echoing in the Winter Warmth Pavilion.

He Shen nodded silently.
He understands!

I was just pretending not to understand to cheer the old man up.

When the tiger king is injured, all kinds of wild animals will have inappropriate thoughts.

Therefore,
The tiger king had to hide his injured claw.

……

"You don't have to worry about the money. During the time I was away from the capital, some people were acting recklessly and had ulterior motives. It's time to settle accounts with them."

"What do you mean, Master?"

"Discussing the crime silver, isn't this the idea you came up with in the first place?"

"I am stupid, but I promise to do it well."

"Well, the scope of the negotiation of criminal silver is not only for the officials in the capital, but also for the local governors and prefects."

"According to the order."

Heshen left happily.

On that day, he summoned the capable generals of the He family army to his house to eat noodles.

It is true that our Qing Dynasty is short of silver, but it is also true that our Qing Dynasty is not short of silver.

Anyway,

The Ministry of Revenue’s treasury will be filled soon.

……

In the first month of the year, the Grand Council issued an imperial decree to open the spring imperial examination on the fourth day of April.

The imperial edict also announced to the world in advance that a special examination would be held in the autumn of this year, to be held in the capital and provincial capitals.

The Spring Examination is also known as the Imperial Examination.

The Autumn Examination is also known as the Provincial Examination.

In short, this round of Enke was very unusual and allowed everyone to see the emperor's madness.

……

All the Censorate staff were mobilized, pens were flying, and impeachment was made according to the list of names of the six ministries.

Facts don't matter, evidence doesn't matter~
The important thing is to pay the silver for the crime.

Those who were impeached, from the minister to the clerk, all bowed their heads and confessed their guilt.
The highest amount came from the Minister of Works, who paid 50 taels of silver for criminal discussion, while the lowest amount came from the Gatekeeper of the Imperial Academy, who paid 14 taels and 4 cents.

The Censorate did not impeach Yu Minzhong.

But Lao Yu still asked someone to deliver 1 taels on his own initiative, because he suddenly remembered that he had received about 12 taels more in charcoal tribute about 500 years ago.

Being sensible makes people feel distressed.

In such a strange atmosphere, people in the capital, from clerks to grand secretaries, voluntarily surrendered themselves and paid silver for their crimes.

Silver rain from the sky
Heshen bent down to pick up the pieces, but he couldn't pick them all up.

(End of this chapter)