Forty-eight years of Qianlong

Chapter 170
October 49, [-]th year of Qianlong.

He Shen, who fell asleep in the middle of the night, heard the chiming clock outside rang three times, and woke up after rubbing his eyes.The concubine Su Qinglian was still raving in her sleep, and He Shen didn't want to wake her up, so he quietly got up and went to the outer room.

Just as he was about to cough and call the maid to come and serve him, he saw the Second Aunt Chang came in with a lamp.

"Why do you get up so early?"

"I remember something later and I want to ask you. Quan'er transferred 20 taels of silver to me a few days ago. Where did you get it from?"

He Shen rinsed his mouth and said, "This is Wang Jinglong's money. He wants me to help him operate the Lianghuai salt transport mission. It's a pity that this person is not well-off."

"How to say?"

He Shen handed the mouthwash cup to the maid, took the hot towel and wiped his face, and then said: "Someone will come and kill you."

"Ah!" Second Aunt Chang covered her mouth in surprise and said, "Who is so bold and dares to touch Master?"

He Shen said slowly: "Don't worry about this matter, you can't explain it clearly in a few words. You can transfer the money to the account of the mansion." He thought of the discussion among the people in the duty room of the military aircraft department yesterday, and couldn't help but feel light. sighed.

When the second aunt saw him like this, she couldn't help being a little surprised.No matter what difficulties he encounters on weekdays, He Shen seldom sighs, and can always deal with them calmly with a smile.But what happened today?
Seeing the puzzled look on Chang'er Aunt's face, He Shen explained: "The imperial court is going to raise troops again."

The Second Aunt Chang let go of her original concern, and said indifferently, "What else do I care about. Is it Burma or the Northwest this time?"

He Shen shook his head, finished his breakfast in two or three bites, and then said: "Northeast."

The second eldest aunt showed a hint of surprise on her face when she heard this, but she is not a woman who should worry about military affairs, so she said: "It's just a few thieves, why should I make trouble?"

He Shen didn't speak, he remembered the scene that happened in the Military Aircraft Department yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon when he came out of the Hall of Mental Cultivation, when he arrived at the military plane inside the Longzong Gate, he found that Yong Yan, Liang Guozhi, Qing Gui, Fu Chang'an and Dong Gao were all there.

As soon as he met Yong Yan, he said: "We have just arrived, and we are about to send someone to call you!"

He Shen smiled and said: "Just after coming out of the emperor, Lord Fifteen will give you instructions directly if you have something to do."

Qing Gui frowned, and waited until He Shen was seated before explaining: "Everyone, Fu Yaolin sent a letter yesterday. After I read it, I thought about it, and I think we should discuss it together."

In May, Qianlong decreed that since Agui was on a business trip to the Northwest, Qinggui would be appointed to temporarily handle all affairs in Beijing.After Fukang'an went to the northwest to pick up the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, Qing Gui took over the original post of minister of the Ministry of War.

Liang Guozhi asked, "Gansu?"

Qing Gui shook his head: "Yangzhou."

Everyone was surprised when they heard this. Fukang Anyuan is in Gansu, so what does Yangzhou have to do with him?

With a thought, He Shen asked, "You mean the case in Yangzhou last month?"

Qing Gui nodded, then took out Fu Kang'an's letter and handed it to Yong Yan, and then told everyone about the content of the letter.After all five people present had read the letter, Qing Gui said: "Everyone knows about the Yangzhou matter, and everyone has read Lan Meiyuan's excerpt. Before I thought about it, I couldn't figure it out. After the letter, the fog that had been in front of my eyes these days suddenly dissipated."

Yong Yan said: "According to his letter, the person who committed the crime in Yangzhou is the same as the Hubei people on the other side of the Xila River?"

Qinggui said: "Master Fifteen is wise. After the papers of Min Eyuan and Lan Meiyuan arrived, I asked someone to carefully check the files of the Ministry of War. Needless to say, North Korea, Japan, Gurkha, Burmese and Annam This kind of copper-armored lead-covered projectile has never been used in any musket. And the white clipper mentioned in the memorial is even more unheard of.”

Everyone listened carefully, Liang Guozhi involuntarily took out the dry tobacco, and just as he was about to light it, he remembered that Yong Yan was there.When he was about to put it away, Yong Yan said: "Mr. Yaofeng, it's okay."

Amidst the smog, Qing Gui asked the secretary office of the Military Aircraft Office to fetch a copy of the "Map of the Territory of the Qing Dynasty", and spread it out on the kang.He took a ruler, pointed to the position from Yangzhou City to Wusongkou, and said, "Everyone, please take a look. According to the reports from the patrol boats of the Susong Navy, that strange white boat can travel thousands of miles a day on the water."

When everyone heard this, they couldn't believe it.Traveling a hundred miles a day is already the fastest speed they can think of, and now they say that a boat can travel a thousand miles a day.What a joke!But after Qinggui's explanation, the patrol boats on the Yangtze River from west to east reported the times when they saw the strange boat one by one, and everyone was dumbfounded.

Then, Qinggui used a ruler to mark the distance from the Shengsi Islands to the mouth of the Xila River.On the national map of the Qing Dynasty, the national territory was divided into countless small square grids, all of which were marked with dotted lines; the east, west, north, south, and north of each grid corresponded to the actual distance of 282 miles, and the oblique distance was [-] miles.

Everyone present including He Shen is a well-educated person. Even Liang Guozhi, who was born as a top scholar, is no stranger to arithmetic because he has been handling ordnance logistics and managing the transfer department all year round.

"According to this calculation, these people have done a huge case in Yangzhou, and they can run back to Xila River in at most two days." When He Shen said subconsciously, everyone present was shocked.

You can even go to Yangzhou, but what about Tianjin? !

Thinking of this, Yong Yan said: "We must discuss this matter today to reach a result, and I will ask for an order. Tomorrow I will call Da Qier, and there must be no delay."

"I'm also worried about this." Qing Gui asked someone to collect the map, and sighed: "Originally, we should listen to the opinions of Lord Yunyan and Yao Lin on military matters, but now they are busy with the aftermath of Gansu You won't be able to come back for a while. What's more, alas!"

Liang Guozhi knocked on the cigarette pot and said: "I don't think things in the Northeast can be delayed, and things will change over time. However, the location of the Xila River is remote. When the ancestors were fighting Yaksa, 3000 people beat 500 people. I have been preparing for more than half a year. The more than 2000 people in Fuyao Forest were completely defeated before, so I think they are still not prepared enough. According to my opinion, we must start preparations now, and we can send troops to attack in the spring of next year."

After hearing this, Yong Yan turned to look at He Shen again.He Shen said: "As long as the emperor speaks, you don't have to worry about the matter of silver."

Yong Yan looked as usual, and continued: "Actually, if you want to fight, you have to go to Fukang'an. Although you lost last time, the Gansu rebellion proved that this is the only person left who can fight in civil and military affairs. It's just a pity that Hailancha"

When everyone heard this, they also sighed endlessly.

Qing Gui stared at Yong Yan and said: "Fifth Master, what Yaofeng said just now is right. You can't wait for the situation in the South China Sea Islands to deteriorate before you start. The Xila River is connected to the sea and is close to Hunchun. Today it occupies Xiong Island, and tomorrow It will be able to harass Hunchun. At that time, if you want to use troops, it will be ten times more difficult!"

"Fight!" Yong Yan punched the table and made up his mind, "Let Fukang'an take the lead, and Agui sits in Wula, Jilin!"

Dong Gao suggested: "Don't worry about it on land, I'm afraid it will be troublesome for the navy. I'm worried that the Jilin navy won't be able to stop the strange ship with the speed of the strange ship mentioned by Mr. Shu Zhai just now."

Qing Gui said: "This is easy to handle. Fuyaolin sent people south to Guangzhou before, and entrusted people from Shisanhang to buy the blueprints of the Western Clippers. Now the blueprints have been sent to the Ministry of War, so that Zhili and Jilin shipyards can start building immediately That's right."

At this time Yong Yan said: "That's it. I'll go and propose to the emperor first. When Da Qier is called tomorrow, Lord Shu Zhai will play a memorial."

When He Shen put on his court clothes, the chime bell in the outhouse rang again.Looking up, it was already Yinzheng.Then he set off in a sedan chair and set off towards the Meridian Gate.

Today is the day when the emperor listens to the government at the imperial gate, which is commonly known as "Jiao Daqier". Officials above the fourth rank of all ministries in Beijing must participate.

After the Manchu Dynasty established the Dingding Central Plains, it imitated the Ming Dynasty's daily Fengtianmen early dynasty.At the beginning of Shunzhi, he listened to the government in the Hall of Supreme Harmony every day; since Kangxi succeeded to the throne, the Gate of Heavenly Purity was the closest to the inner court compared to the Hall of Supreme Harmony; the emperor walked more than 80 meters from the Palace of Heavenly Purity to arrive.So it became a common practice for Yugan Qingmen to listen to politics.

In the era of Yongzheng and Qianlong, the place where he listened to politics in the morning was changed to the "Diligence and Prosperity" in the Old Summer Palace (this is not a hall, but a set of small courtyards with three entrances.) And the emperor drove back to the Forbidden City in October every year After that, he will listen to politics at Qianqingmen.

Because Heshen's family lives in Houhai, when he arrived at the square outside the Meridian Gate, it was only the second quarter of Yinzheng.It was still dark at this time, and the Meridian Gate Square was already full of sedan chairs and carriages with lanterns hanging on them.These people are not only civil and military officials and clan princes, but also guards and servants of various families. They also have to go in with their masters so that they can obey orders at any time.For example, because He Shen himself is a first-rank member, he can lead eight people, including six guards and two personal attendants.

Those officials who arrived early were all sitting in their cars, reciting the content of the report to Qianlong in the morning.If you stutter or fail to memorize it during the face-to-face performance, you will be reprimanded at the slightest, and will be fined and lost the official.

As soon as He Shen's sedan chair landed, several sharp-eyed officials came over to say hello, say hello, and flatter him.And He Shen still had a smile on his face, saying hello one by one.

Because it is called Da Qier, including He Shen himself, all the bachelors in Beijing must participate.In addition to Agui, a scholar of the Wuyingdian University, who is still dealing with the aftermath of the rebellion in the northwest, headed by the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, Cai Xin, a scholar of the Wenhuadian University, Ji Huang, a scholar of Wenyuan Pavilion, Wu Mitai, a scholar of Dongge University, and Liang Guozhi, a co-organizer It's all here.Among these people, except He Shen, who just passed 34 years old, the others are either in their 60s or 70s.

At this time, Heshen was named a first-class man by Qianlong because of his meritorious service in the logistics and planning of the suppression of the chaos in Gansu.

Now that he is full-fledged, he has become one of the four major forces in the late Qianlong Dynasty.

He Shen smiled and bowed to the other four academicians one by one, talking and laughing with kindness and kindness like family members.The four bachelors also knew that the purple-haired man who was now popular, also got up to say hello.

Everyone chatted for a while, and thought about things for a while, and the sky began to brighten.So all the officials, led by the hall officials of various ministries and several great scholars, lined up outside the left ye gate under the Meridian Gate according to civil and military divisions.These people, together with their own servants and guards, formed a long line that stretched far away.And a group of princes Baylor stood outside the right door, led by the fifteenth elder brother Yongyan, he also brought eight people, and the queue behind him was also the leader of the queue.

At the beginning of the morning, as the big drum in the Meridian Gate rang seven times, the left and right Yemen opened slowly.Under the leadership of Cai Xin, a group of civil and military officials lined up to enter from the left tuck gate; fifteen princes led Prince Baylor and others to enter from the right tuck gate.

After everyone enters the Meridian Gate, go all the way north through the Gate of Supreme Harmony, then through the Square of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, enter the middle left gate and wait.When the team arrived at the middle left gate, it happened to be the first quarter of the morning.

This section of the journey sounds not far away, but for many officials in their [-]s and [-]s and the long queue, it is impossible to go fast.After arriving at the middle left gate, the officials will take a short rest here, organize the grooming team, and then move forward again as a whole team.

Then go all the way north, pass through the east side of the Hall of Preservation, enter the rear left door and wait.When you get here, all the guards and servants can no longer go in, and must wait outside the rear left door; because after passing here is the Qianqingmen Square where the imperial gate is in charge of politics.

The guard at the back left gate saw that all the officials had arrived, so he told the emperor inside the Qianqing Gate that the ministers had arrived, and Qianlong immediately issued an order: "All the ministers are here."

So the guards on duty followed the officials to the east side of Danchi, Qianqing Gate, and stood in line facing west.The fourth-rank officials who are responsible for recording the "Ziju Zhu" should stand on the west side of Danchi, facing east.

There are five rooms in the east and west of the entire Qianqing Gate (the ancients called one room in the middle of two pillars, and there are six pillars in the Qianqing Gate.) There are three rooms in the north and south. This is not a door anymore, it can be regarded as a large living room.The emperor received his ministers and handled government affairs in the "big living room" of his home, which fully showed the meaning of being at home.

As for Qianlong's throne, it was set on Danchi in the middle of Qianqing Gate.There is a screen behind the throne, and in front of the seat is a table case for placing memorials, also called memorial case.

After everyone stood up, 73-year-old Qianlong, wearing a winter crown on his head, a bright yellow dragon robe and a black round-neck mink fur end cover, slowly stepped out of the seat from behind the screen. A row of eunuchs is arranged on the left and right sides of the screen.

"My lord, please kowtow to the emperor! Long live my emperor, long live, long live!" From Qianqingmen square to the back left door, everyone knelt down and saluted.

"Stay flat." Qianlong said lightly.

At this time, the fifteenth elder brother Yongyan led the six great scholars to the seats set up on the east side of the Qianqing Gate; four living annotators stood behind the great scholars to record at any time; The inner guards stand on the east and west sides of the white marble railing under the danji respectively.

Then, the officials of each ministries, in the order of clan mansion, official, household, punishment, ritual, military, engineering, Lifanyuan, Metropolitan Procuratorate, Tongzhengsi, Dali Temple, cabinet, Imperial Academy, and Zhanshifu, held the For the memorial, walk up the steps from the east side of Danchi in turn, kneel down and salute in front of the memorial case, and then put the memorial of this part on the memorial case.The purpose of this is to allow Qianlong to read the corresponding memorials in order when listening to officials' reports.

After the memorials are handed in, officials of the fourth grade and above of each department will go up the steps on the east side of Danchi to answer the questions in turn according to the order of each department and the order of official rank.For example, after Zuo Zongzheng of the Clan Mansion had finished speaking, the next step would be the Minister of the Ministry of Officials, and so on.

Everyone "sit in a row" in turn, from the first-rank officials of each ministry to the fourth-rank officials below.

Other yamen, such as Taichang Temple, Guanglu Temple, Honglu Temple, Guozijian, and Qintianjian, ranked after the Ministry of Rites; Playing things, ranked after the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

According to the rules of the Yumen to listen to the government, after the officials of the yamen finished their reports, they had to follow the guards of the Qianqing Gate to go out through the back left door in order.And if there is a separate copy of this chapter that the cabinet bachelors collect every day, then they need to make a personal request.

(The purpose of saying so much is to tell you that so far, none of the "Yumen listening to politics" in all Qing palace film and television dramas is correct!)
After the Clan Mansion, Ministry of Officials, Ministry of Households, Ministry of Punishment, and Ministry of Rites finished reporting successively, when the [-]th elder brother Yongyan, Liang Guozhi, and He Shen saw Qinggui, Minister of the Ministry of War, walking up the steps, they all thought to themselves: "coming!"

"My lord, Minister of the Ministry of War Qinggui has something to report to the emperor." In the early winter morning, Qinggui's voice was calm and powerful as always.

"Talk." Qianlong, who had been squinting his eyes, opened them suddenly, and the corners of his gray eyebrows slightly raised.

"According to the official document sent by Jilin General Du Erjia, since June this year, the Oros people have driven a large western ship, first occupied Xiong Island, took in criminals and fugitives, and killed the garrison officers and soldiers wantonly. Later, they occupied the area around the mouth of the Xila River, cultivated land privately, resisted the heavenly soldiers, and brutally killed the garrison officers and soldiers as well as the local border residents. The Hubei people relied on the remoteness and danger of their lairs, eroding the northeast land, treacherous and obstinate, in order to amplify their power. Disturb our dynasty The land of Longxing is rampant.

Now Jilin and Heilongjiang have a long border. Although the flag soldiers are brave, their strength is weak.The minister asked for an order to dispatch troops to conquer and suppress, so as to restore the country! "

After hearing Qinggui's performance, Qianlong turned his head to look at Brother Fifteen and said, "How about the Minister of Military Aircraft's discussion?"

Yong Yan had already reported this matter to him in the afternoon yesterday, and before the key was released at the palace gate in the evening, Qianlong had already agreed.At this time, it is just a question according to the process.

Yong Yan hurriedly stood up from his seat, walked to the memorial table and knelt down to salute, saying: "I will wait for the second meeting."

Qianlong nodded, and said in a clear voice: "The barbarians from abroad are rampant and lawless. With their sharp weapons, the officers and soldiers were defeated, many were killed, and the country lost a pillar. As for the private name, it is especially deliberate and lawless. Damn it. We must make them fear the military power of the heavenly court, and we must not just use the military power to subdue them without cultivating virtue."

"My ministers, please abide by the decree!"

The next day, Qianlong issued a decree to reward Agui and Fukang'an for their contributions to suppressing the rebellion in Gansu: "Agui was named the first-class duke when he pacified Jinchuan before. Now he is a bachelor, and there is no way to add more grace. Then give Qingche Duwei the post, that is to say, Agui and Yuyi's descendants should choose one person to inherit.

Fukang'an prepares for the thieves and robbers in the bottom store, so he has the opportunity first and contributes more.When Jinchuan was pacified before, he was named Jiayongnan, and then he was named Jiayonghou in the Jin Dynasty.Co-organize undergraduate affairs. "

So far, the Qing court's political preparations for sending Agui and Fukang'an to send troops have been completed.They can go north to Jilin again only after the two of them have completed the aftermath of the Hui chaos in Shaanxi and Gansu and returned to Beijing to take orders.

(End of this chapter)