Chapter 793: The Great Qing's Good Uncle and Nephew

Dodo had originally been a brave prince who loved literature and art, yet today he had actually brought over a thousand Confucian scholars to the Forbidden City, which thoroughly frightened the guard troops watching the gate at the Meridian Gate.

"My Prince, this slave—this slave has a duty to perform. He cannot, cannot let them enter the palace!"

A guard officer of the Plain Yellow Banner knelt before Dodo's horse, drenched in sweat and trembling, still desperately trying to explain.

Dodo smiled. "We have received an imperial decree permitting us to bring Confucian scholars from beyond the pass into the palace for an audience with His Majesty."

"My Prince, the decree says Confucian scholars, but they—"

Dodo still wore a smile. "They are Confucian scholars!"

"But they are all carrying swords and waist sabers—"

"A treasured sword befits a Confucian scholar!" Dodo said. "The Southern Dynasty's Duke of Yansheng household last year issued a 'Model of Confucian Attire'—and it includes a long sword at the waist!"

"But they also have firelocks and bows and arrows."

The men Dodo had brought were all "gun gentlemen"—about a hundred carrying flintlock pistols, another three or four hundred with matchlock muskets on their backs, and the rest bearing bows and arrows.

"These firelocks and bows and arrows are also Confucian learning!" Dodo said with a laugh. "This is the art of archery among the Confucian Six Arts, handed down from the time of the Duke of Zhou."

So the Duke of Zhou already had firelocks back then? The Plain Yellow Banner guard officer thought to himself: Our Manchu ancestors were truly fortunate to have survived!

Although he had gained some learning, the guard officer still refused to make way!

Though the Forbidden City was now the Great Qing imperial palace, it was in fact not defended by many men—just a guard battalion made up of bannermen selected from the two Yellow Banners, plus some imperial bodyguards keeping watch, about a thousand men in all, and they had to work in shifts, with many slipping away, so it was doubtful whether even three hundred were on duty now.

Dodo had brought over a thousand in one stroke—enough to force the throne!

While they were still entangled, the Grand Minister of the Interior Sonin arrived. Seeing the "gun gentlemen" guarding Dodo and the armed Confucian scholars following behind him, he actually breathed a great sigh of relief.

For he knew that Shunzhi's side was already prepared: seventy or eighty "frail scholars" plus several dozen sturdier eunuchs were lying in ambush inside the Gate of Heavenly Service, waiting only for the Shunzhi Emperor to dash his cup as the signal—and to make the deed easier, the place where Shunzhi received Dodo today was not the Hall of Martial Valor, but the Gate of Heavenly Service where the Ming emperors had held their open-air audiences.

Sonin knew Shunzhi was taking a desperate risk, and he especially did not want Shunzhi to kill Dodo—Dodo had fifty thousand troops inside the inner city of Beijing! Although they were called the "Nine Banner Troops from Beyond the Pass," in reality most were Han Chinese who did not love the Qing emperor at all; they followed Dodo and risked their lives only because he had granted them land, let them eat their fill and dress warmly, and promised them benefits.

If Shunzhi killed Dodo, no one knew whether these men would run riot inside Beijing—perhaps they would storm the Forbidden City, seize the Shunzhi Emperor, and hand him over to Zhu Cilang of the Great Ming! If it truly came to that, Zhu Cilang's luck would simply be too good!

So Sonin dared not take the risk, yet he could do nothing about Shunzhi.

A half-grown boy of Shunzhi's age, once his ferocity was roused, truly feared neither heaven nor earth—fortunately Dodo had brought bodyguards in force, so presumably Shunzhi would not dare dash the cup now.

"His Majesty has decreed: summon the Prince Regent, Prince Yu, and all the Confucian scholars to an audience at the Gate of Heavenly Service!" After proclaiming Shunzhi's verbal decree, Sonin waved at the guards blocking the gate. "What are you doing? Blocking the gate? Make way at once! My Prince, please enter!"

Then make way it is! The guard officer thought to himself: At worst we change emperors—they are all of the Aisin Gioro family anyway. As long as our pay and rations are not shorted, that is enough!

Shunzhi was now seated below the Gate of Heavenly Service—on the very seat the Chongzhen Emperor had yearned for in his dreams—and below him were quite a few princes, dukes, and high officials, all come to do honor to Dodo.

Grand Uncle Regent of the Army!

Zhu Cilang and Li Guo had both served as Crown Prince Regent of the Army, and now Dodo outranked them in seniority—not a crown prince, but a grand uncle!

Truly a cause for congratulation!

And Dodo had been generous: he had allotted territory to the Bordered Blue, Plain Red, and Plain Green Banners, and even the defeated Ajige's son Laogin had received Henan Prefecture and inherited his princely title, not stripped down to nothing.

So everyone was quite in favor of Dodo becoming Grand Uncle of the Emperor—only Shunzhi was unhappy.

Because the title "Grand Uncle" sounded dangerous—a Grand Uncle of the Emperor was heir to the throne! The moment Shunzhi died young, the Qing throne would pass to Dodo. How could Shunzhi not be afraid? So now he clutched a Chenghua doucai chicken cup he had picked up from who knew where, ready to dash it against the white marble floor tiles.

Seeing Dodo enter the Meridian Gate, the Shunzhi Emperor trembled with excitement—he only needed Dodo and his partisans to come a little closer, and he could catch them all in one net!

Wait, why were there so many of Dodo's partisans? And some carrying bows and firelocks? Was this coming to court or forcing the throne? Was he about to die?

Imperial Ama, save me!

At this moment the Shunzhi Emperor actually thought of his Imperial Ama, Dorgon!

The Great Qing truly cannot do without Imperial Ama!

Seeing the signs turn bad, Shunzhi wanted to flee, but his calves were cramping and he could not stand up at once. Just then, Sonin came trotting in.

"Your Majesty, the Prince Regent, Prince Yu, has finally arrived. Would you not rise to greet him?"

Shunzhi could not rise at all. Staring at the crowd of fully armed "Confucian scholars," he trembled uncontrollably, his voice quavering as he spoke.

"Why does Uncle Prince bring warriors to court? Does he plot something?"

Sonin laughed at this. "Your Majesty, do not misunderstand. The Prince Regent, Prince Yu, plots nothing—he has merely brought some Confucian scholars to expound the principles of Confucianism to Your Majesty."

Shunzhi thought to himself: So the principles of Confucianism are expounded with treasured swords and firelocks!

Just as Shunzhi was about to flee but had not yet fled, his good uncle Dodo had already drawn near. He did not kowtow, but merely cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Greetings to Your Majesty."

"Greetings, Uncle Prince."

"Your Majesty, why are you clutching a cup in your hand? Are you going to dash it?" Dodo had sharp eyes and had spotted the cup in Shunzhi's hand.

Startled by him, Shunzhi's hand jerked, and he very nearly did dash the cup—had he dashed it, he would have met his end!

Quickly gripping the cup tight, Shunzhi thought fast and said to Dodo, "Uncle Prince, We have heard you are fond of porcelain, so We wished to give you this cup. It is a fine piece—Ru ware from the Song dynasty!"

As he spoke, Shunzhi hastily handed the cup to Wu Liangfu to pass to Dodo. Dodo had heard of Ru ware but never seen it, so he took it to admire, and at a glance he quite liked it.

"Good, truly beautiful!" Dodo nodded. "It even has a little chicken pattern. This Ru porcelain indeed lives up to its fame!"

How could Ru porcelain have a little chicken pattern?

There were several connoisseurs of the Bordered Green Banner present who understood porcelain; they all found it strange, but none dared point it out.

Dodo had his men put away the "Ru porcelain" carefully, and thinking he ought to give something in return, he took out the flintlock pistol he carried at his side—which gave Shunzhi a great fright.

Is he going to shoot me? How bitter is my fate!

"Your Majesty," Dodo said, "this is a flintlock pistol produced by Shanghai Shen Steel of the Southern Dynasty, modeled on the flintlock pistols of the Red-haired Country. Though no fine piece, it is sturdy and durable. I have carried it at my side for many days, and now offer it to Your Majesty as a return gift."

Shanghai Shen Steel not only produced iron and steel but also manufactured weapons, the most famous of which were firearms. This type of flintlock pistol had gone into production at Shanghai Shen Steel two years earlier, mainly supplied to Ming army officers, with some also sold to sailors on merchant ships.

Jabusi had also obtained some and presented them to Dodo—flintlock pistols were mere showpieces, of little use on the battlefield, though quite handy for a shootout.

After receiving the pistol, Shunzhi discovered that it was not loaded with powder or shot, so it could not be used to eliminate traitors. He sighed. "The Southern Ming's weapons grow ever sharper, and no matter how our dynasty strives, we cannot catch up!"

Dodo smiled. "Your Majesty need not worry. Though the Southern Dynasty's firearms are sharp, this subject has ways to deal with them. Your Majesty need only dwell safely within Beijing, protected by the troops of the two Yellow Banners, and all will be secure.

In short, leave everything to me!"

(End of Chapter)