The greatest problem facing Great Ming is its position caught between rule of law and rule by man, neither purely the latter nor the latter.
This is an issue that is almost impossible to avoid.
When a large number of Great Ming citizens wish to migrate to places like Jiaozhi, Myanmar, or Siam, these corrupt officials are forced to prioritize the interests of their own relatives and friends.
Amusingly enough, when these officials’ relatives and friends also begin migrating to Jiaozhi or Siam, ordinary Great Ming citizens become even more enthusiastic – if the officials’ family and friends are moving there, there must be benefits, otherwise why would they be so eager?
Of course, the migration of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people to Jiaozhi, Myanmar, and Siam is merely the beginning for Great Ming’s plans for millions of migrants.
Because beyond these three provinces, there will be Liaodong, Nurgan Regional Military Commission, the Western Regions, Anxi Protectorate, Alaska, and the large island that produces kangaroos – never mind whether these territories belong to Great Ming now; they will certainly belong to it in the future.
Including places like Duogansi and Wusizang Pacification Commission, Zhu Jinsong also plans to initiate a mutual migration model – however Lao Zhu completely pacified Yunnan, Zhu Jinsong will completely pacify Duogansi and Wusizang (a certain crab is rampant, just imagine it).
In addition, the Eastern Depot sent back news that greatly interested Zhu Jinsong – Qianlong the old dog is on the rise again!
This matter began when Qianlong the old dog sent the Eighth Prince, Aisin Gioro Yongxuan, to lead troops to Qiqihar and Yaksa.
As a Prince of the First Rank of the Great Qing, Aisin Gioro Yongxuan, although possessing literary talent and fine calligraphy, was frivolous in his demeanor. As soon as he reached the battlefield, Yongxuan was eager to display his bravery – and as expected, he was defeated by the Russian forces stationed at Qiqihar.
According to the normal script, after Yongxuan was defeated, the next scene would be ceding territory and paying reparations, as this was an ancestral skill of the Great Qing, starting from Mazigge, they kept ceding land and then gilded the lily on themselves.
The key point is that Yongxuan did not act according to the script this time.
After Yongxuan was defeated, the morale of the Great Qing’s Manchu Eight Banners was dampened. A group of Manchu Banner nobles, who were already unwilling to come to Qiqihar and even less willing to risk their lives fighting the Russians, were thinking of ways to cause trouble to return to Zhili. The Gurkha Banners and the Korean Banners, however, became enraged –
Who is Yongxuan? Yongxuan is the master!
If the master is bullied, doesn’t that mean the servants are incompetent?
How could they endure that?
Unable to bear it any longer, the Gurkha Banners and the Korean Banners first accumulated a surge of rage, then added a "share the master's worries and die for him" buff, and then, relying on their numerical superiority, they beat up the Russian soldiers stationed at Qiqihar.
After all, although the Gurkha Banners and the Korean Banners were both drawing a portion of their troops, they combined numbered tens of thousands, so beating a few thousand Russian soldiers was an easy task.
Of course, all of this is due to the Emperor’s blessing, Yongxuan the master’s wise and mighty command, and the servants of the Gurkha Banners and Korean Banners simply doing a small, insignificant deed.
Then, Yongxuan, leading the Manchu Banners, Gurkha Banners, and Korean Banners, continued to advance and also defeated the Russian soldiers at Yaksa.
Yongxuan even boasted, "Our ancestors took pity on those barbarians and bestowed several pieces of land upon them, but these barbarians are ungrateful and are pushing their luck? Let’s see how I deal with them!”
When this news reached Qianlong the old dog, Qianlong the old dog was overjoyed – the fifteenth son pacified the Gurkhas, and the eighth son recovered Qiqihar and Yaksa. What did this indicate?
It indicated that he was indeed very good at fathering sons!
Also, "Ten Complete" was not enough to describe his civil and military achievements; he should be called "Eleven Complete"!
Overjoyed, Qianlong the old dog directly summoned a concubine without even drinking deer antler blood.
After this, Qianlong the old dog issued new instructions to the Eighth Prince Yongxuan – strike while the iron is hot, keep going! Strive to create another "Russian Eight Banners"!
And Yongxuan truly lived up to Qianlong the old dog’s expectations. Upon receiving the urgent instructions sent by Qianlong the old dog, he immediately led the Manchu Banners, Gurkha Banners, and Korean Banners to continue bothering the Russians.
This time, the Manchu Banner nobles were no longer clamoring to return to Zhili.
The battles were fought by the Gurkha Banners and the Korean Banners, and the merits were distributed by Yongxuan, the master. Even if the Manchu Banner nobles lay down, they could still receive merit. If they were to clamor to return to Zhili at this point, wouldn't that make them fools!
In short, the Great Qing’s Prince of the First Rank, Aisin Gioro Yongxuan, and the Manchu Banner nobles became more enthusiastic with each battle, even giving Qianlong the old dog immense confidence and courage.
That’s right, this time Qianlong the old dog did not need to borrow from anyone named Liang to gain courage.
After summoning Heshen and the Grand Tutor to the palace, Qianlong the old dog got straight to the point: "What do you think, if I send someone to contact that rebel Zhu, and we divide the river and rule?"
Heshen and the Grand Tutor were somewhat bewildered.
The person surnamed Zhu already occupied seventeen of the eighteen provinces of Han, plus Jiaozhi, Siam, and Myanmar, where even Great Qing suffered setbacks. Now, he is deploying troops towards the Duogansi Pacification Commission. Seeing his territory about to expand further, and you want to divide the river and rule with him at this time?
Qianlong the old dog continued to speak to himself, "Duogansi, I will give it to him. Even Wusizang Pacification Commission can be given to him. I only want Zhili and Mongolia, plus the ancestral lands of Liaodong that Great Qing has held since ancient times. Is this request too much?"
"As long as he agrees and acknowledges Great Qing, then we will send people to participate in his so-called 'little broken ball' sports event, and that 'pot' can also participate."
For a time, Heshen and the Grand Tutor didn't even know how to retort to Qianlong the old dog.
The key was not knowing how to persuade him.
To say that Zhili and Liaodong were historically the lands of the Han, and that we are merely Tonggusi who came to reside there? This is seeking death!
To say that Great Qing cannot defeat the one surnamed Zhu? Although this is a fact, His Majesty the Emperor does not wish to admit it!
After thinking about it, Heshen and the Grand Tutor still bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
"However, in my humble opinion, that rebel surnamed Zhu is at the peak of his success. I fear that His Majesty’s good intentions will not be appreciated by that person surnamed Zhu."
"Why don't we wait a bit longer?"
"I have heard that the one surnamed Zhu has clashed with the Portuguese at sea. Not only did he build a 'Jingguan' for all the Portuguese residing in Macau, but he also demanded compensation for military expenses from Portugal."
"Moreover, the one surnamed Zhu has also accepted the nominal submission of Siam and Myanmar, and is deploying troops against Duogansi. Does he not realize that the climate and customs of the southern seas and Duogansi are vastly different from the Central Plains?"
"With all these miscellaneous matters combined, that person surnamed Zhu is bound to stumble. At that time, would it not be too late to propose dividing the river and ruling?"
"As for that 'pot' and that 'little broken ball' sports event, it is Your Majesty’s magnanimity to send people to participate, showing that he thinks highly of the one surnamed Zhu, and I believe he will not be unappreciative."
Qianlong the old dog reclined on the couch, his hands tucked into his sleeves, and grunted, "Then let's send someone to investigate that 'pot' and see what it's all about – when it comes to mediating disputes between nations, how can this matter be done without Great Qing?"
"Also, that 'little broken ball' sports event requires careful attention. We need to see which events Great Qing can participate in, and win several gold medals to let the world witness the spirit of our Eight Banner disciples."
The Grand Tutor immediately responded with a "yes" and accepted.
In Heshen’s opinion, Zhu Jinsong was organizing that "pot" organization and the "little broken ball" sports event, likely to promote the name of his Great Ming court to the world.
This means that the more countries and people participated, the more face Zhu would have – Great Qing is also a formidable power in the world. Relying solely on the name of Great Qing, it was enough to scare the Dutch from acting against the Lanfang Republic. Without the participation of Great Qing, his "pot" and "little broken ball" sports event would inherently lose a grade!
As for Zhu Jinsong’s earlier statement about reclaiming Zhili within three years, it had been intentionally or unintentionally overlooked by Qianlong the old dog and Heshen – the Portuguese had sent envoys to discuss reparations, could that person surnamed Zhu really continue to hold onto Portugal? Did he still care about the reputation of a great nation!
Furthermore, even if that person surnamed Zhu had no shame, he couldn't possibly reclaim Zhili within three years. After all, that rebel Zhu was currently deploying troops everywhere and wouldn't have time to attack Zhili anytime soon.
Besides, Great Qing is not made of paper or clay. Now that it has the capable Gurkha Banners and Korean Banners, if they were to face each other on the main battlefield, it would be difficult to say who would win or lose!
Then, the very next day after Qianlong the old dog discussed these matters with Heshen and the Grand Tutor, Zhu Jinsong got the news.
Zhu Jinsong casually threw the intelligence report on the table and said to Zeng Cheng and others, "Take a look, everyone. You have all worked hard during this period. It's rare to have some fun to relieve your fatigue." xxs壹贰
Zeng Cheng picked up the intelligence report and looked at it with a bewildered expression, then handed it to Liu Huaiwen and frowned, "What is going on with this Qianlong the old dog? Has his brain really gone bad?"
Liu Huaiwen, who was also flipping through the intelligence report, nodded and agreed, "Perhaps he was kicked by a donkey. As long as his brain were normal, he wouldn't talk such nonsense – by the way, does Qianlong the old dog know that joining the 'pot' requires an entry fee? Otherwise, should we let him pay the money first?"
Zeng Cheng chuckled, cast a glance at Zhu Jinsong, and said, "This is absolutely impossible."
Zhu Jinsong also nodded and said, "Bureau Chief Zeng is right. We can directly destroy Qianlong the old dog, or use other methods to make Qianlong the old dog cede territory and pay reparations. However, doing something like tricking him into paying an entry fee is not advisable."
Liu Huaiwen pouted and mumbled, "How can tricking Qianlong the old dog be called tricking?"
After mumbling, Liu Huaiwen shifted the topic back to business, "Your Majesty, since the King of Portugal who is stationed in Macau has sent people to Great Ming, should we not discuss the matter of compensating Great Ming for military expenses with them?"
Yes, not many people in the Great Ming court cared about Qianlong the old dog.
For the various bigwigs in the Great Ming court, it was more important to be concerned about the issues between Portugal and Great Ming than to worry about what new tricks Qianlong the old dog might come up with –
Previously, through intermediaries in France, the Queen of Portugal, Maria I, who was known as "Pious Maria" in Portugal and "Mad Maria" in Brazil, finally learned of the annihilation of the Portuguese in Macau.
Although Maria I was already mentally unstable due to the death of Pedro III and almost unable to govern, facing issues that could affect Portugal's survival, such as the complete annihilation of the Portuguese in Macau, the Great Ming Empire demanding reparations from Portugal, and France, while relaying messages for Great Ming, also demanding a "small" fee for war mediation, Maria I had to pull herself together and send an envoy to Great Ming.
As for Qianlong the old dog…