Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 232: Heartbroken and I Can’t Breathe

"Qiu Shi'an, summon Guo Yan." Emperor Chenghui was so angry that he forgot what time it was.

Qiu Shian rarely spoke to persuade, "Your Majesty, it is past midnight. If you summon the minister to the palace, it will disturb the whole government, but it will make Your Majesty angry. You may as well order the Dragon Guard to conduct a secret investigation and make a decision after the results are obtained." Emperor Chenghui suddenly realized, looked at Qiu Shian, and sighed, "Our own people are still considerate."

In fact, the first half of what Qiu Shian said is the important one.

Emperor Chenghui has made too many enemies, so he can no longer initiate a major case lightly and can only proceed slowly.

Looking at the account book in his hand, Emperor Chenghui sighed: "Although Jia Qing is young, he is mature and loyal to the country."

Qiu Shian was confused. Wasn't this the guy who threw the problem to the saint? Oh, he received money.

Qiu Shian reacted quickly. For the saint at the moment, it all depends on who can make money and put it in his own pocket.

That night, Emperor Chenghui went to Queen Zhou's place. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, and was so dazed that he didn't know when he finally fell asleep.

When he woke up, it was already noon. Emperor Chenghui was a little annoyed, but soon realized that this was Kunning Palace, and his anger immediately subsided. They were an old couple, and whenever he was in a very bad mood, Emperor Chenghui would come to see Empress Zhou. Even if he didn't get any advice, he would have a good rest environment. The Great Zhou Dynasty was already like this, and it was not a matter of urgency.

Outsiders saw that the country was vast, rich in resources, and strong in military. But what Emperor Chenghui saw was that the lower classes were living in poverty, demons were rampant, and the country was in turmoil.

Japan has an important matter today, and votes from all parties have been sent in. The top ten will be selected for Emperor Chenghui to choose from to fill the shortage of cabinet members.

As a result, Kong Zhao led a group of ministers and waited for a long time, but the emperor did not come.

The ministers began to wonder if the emperor was going to go back on his word, or if he was just trying to give them a warning. After all, the cabinet ministers in the past were all appointed by the emperor, without any so-called nomination process.

Everyone arrived early and was a little hungry, but if the emperor didn't come, who could preside over the vote count?

Moreover, the votes are all real-name tickets, and are sealed after being placed in a box. Ministers are not allowed to see the names when the votes are counted, and eunuchs have to do it.

Just when many people were wondering whether this matter would encounter any twists and turns, Qiu Shian's sharp voice sounded like a heavenly sound.

"The saint has arrived!"

Emperor Chenghui, who had rested well, strode in. After the ministers greeted him, he explained, "I reviewed the memorials past midnight last night. I was worried about state affairs and couldn't sleep. I got up a little late. Please forgive me."

This sentence may seem insignificant, but in fact, it is not a good look for the ministers. The emperor uses you to govern the country, how are you doing, why does the emperor lose sleep at night?
As the chief minister, Kong Zhao immediately bowed and said, "We are guilty!" and the other ministers followed suit.

Emperor Chenghui hesitated for a few seconds and sighed, "Let's start, Qiu Shian, counting the votes."

It is not a good thing for an emperor to not get the support of his subjects. Even if there is dissatisfaction, Emperor Chenghui can only let it go. In terms of personnel, more work needs to be done. It is a pity that Jia Lian is too young, and there are not many other subjects who can take on important responsibilities. Sun Huazhen, Zhang Tingen, and Li Qing were all sent out to be governors. It was not that Emperor Chenghui was reluctant to do so, but it was too big a matter.

In two years, at most two years, I will have to call them all back.

The counting process went quickly, with Qiu Shian constantly opening the sealed envelopes, the tickets were opened one by one.

The ministers were very excited when they saw this scene. Even if they only selected one person from the top ten, it would be a great achievement and the result of the unremitting efforts of the ministers. It was a major concession of the monarchy to the ministers.

The vote count results came out, and the list of ten ministers above the third rank was also announced. Minister Guo of the Ministry of Works ranked tenth, and basically had no chance. Despite this, he was very happy. At the beginning, he was desperate and served the King of Beijing, but he never thought that the old prince would die. Guo Yan's efforts were about to go to waste, and he would also have to sacrifice his lifelong reputation. Unexpectedly, there was a turn of events, and His Majesty favored him.

Minister Guo, who knew the situation well, considered himself a member of the imperial party.

Looking at the list of ten people, the one at the top made Emperor Chenghui feel sick for a long time. That old thing Fang Baiyi was still haunting him.

Li Sanjiang, the governor of the Grand Canal, topped the list, followed by Wang Changnian, the governor of Sichuan, and Li Chi, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi. These three people accounted for 70% of the votes, while the others were sparse, with Guo Yan, who ranked tenth, having only seven votes in total.

"I have a question about how the administration of officials is going. Please think about it clearly during lunch and report to me individually. Qiu Shian, it's getting late. Please prepare the food first. Don't let you go hungry."

The ministers thanked Emperor Chenghui and paid no attention to the questions he raised. This was official documents, old-fashioned. There were a lot of standard answers, and it all depended on how the individual organized it to make Emperor Chenghui feel something new.

Minister Guo seemed quite lonely among the ministers. Several stakeholders gathered together to murmur. It was nothing more than some sarcastic remarks, such as that although Fang Ge Lao was not in the court, he could still control the court. They did not dare to speak loudly, lest someone heard them and quarreled, and maybe even fought.

There were quite a lot of people at the scene. Those who were eligible to run for election and thought they had a good chance of success came back to report on their work. After two months of going back and forth, we were finally going to see the results.

Li Sanjiang, who was at the top of the list, was very popular and people greeted him warmly wherever he went. When he received congratulations, he smiled and was full of confidence, as if he had already been determined to join the cabinet.

Emperor Chenghui returned to the study and picked up the inkstone angrily, then put it down and smashed it with a teacup.

He finally managed to let out a little bit of air in one breath. Old thief! Old thief! Old thief!

I could only curse in my heart, not out loud, for fear that the walls might have ears.

Fang Baiyi's influence made Emperor Chenghui feel uneasy and anxious at the moment. Half of the top ten were people he promoted when he was in power, and the top three were his disciples. If he were still in power, he would be so powerful.

At this moment, Emperor Chenghui felt as if Fang Baiyi was standing in front of him, looking at him silently with a sarcastic smile on his face.

Emperor Chenghui has been thinking about a question in his mind: is it possible that Wu Yuhui, who is currently imprisoned in the Southern Court, and the major case in Shaanxi and Gansu that he is investigating, are not enough to alert the civil and military officials in the court? Or is it possible that the person who is spending the summer in the garden has secretly done something?
Emperor Chenghui rejected all the above possibilities. The only plausible explanation was the transfer of benefits.

The ministers' lunch was simple, a bowl of shredded pork noodles and a side dish for each person.

Emperor Chenghui always eats this, there is nothing wrong with it. The ministers have no time to think about delicious food, waiting for the result is the most important thing.

After the meal, according to the ranking, Minister Guo, who should have been the first to enter, heard Li Sanjiang's name. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, thinking that maybe after the top three, the others would not have to go in.

There is actually nothing wrong with what he said. All three of them are ministers with excellent qualifications and political achievements. Even if they are not selected, if they follow the normal process, there is a great probability that these three will enter the cabinet.

Li Sanjiang is a handsome middle-aged man, the kind that meets the current aesthetic standards. After entering the study, Emperor Chenghui spoke directly from behind the huge desk: "The time is one stick of incense, and the dictation will begin after twenty breaths."

To be a cabinet minister, do you need to take an eloquence test? To be honest, if you don't have some eloquence, you have basically no chance of becoming a cabinet minister. Cabinet quarrels are all basic operations. So, Li Sanjiang was not surprised. After a short brewing, he began his story.

"Your Majesty, the administration of officials..."

After an incense stick, Li Sanjiang came out. It was hard to tell his mood from his expression. When someone familiar approached him to ask, Li Sanjiang still said confidently that he had a good grasp of it. He didn't dare to say that he was sure. After all, Emperor Chenghui listened to him and asked him to come out expressionlessly. Although he said all the clichés, Li Sanjiang had carefully combined them and tried to make them more vivid and literary.

They are all Jinshi graduates, so it is normal for them to compare their literary talent at such a critical moment.

They went in one by one and came out one by one. Guo Yan, who thought he had no chance to perform, finally got his chance to perform.

After entering, Guo Yan started to speak: "Since the beginning of this dynasty, the administration has been corrupt, and we need to focus on rectifying the administration..."

After the introduction, Minister Guo began to talk in depth.

Minister Guo didn't know how others were treated, but after he started speaking, Emperor Chenghui kept looking at him and talking.

After he finished speaking, he came out dizzy. Others saw that he was unsteady on his feet and thought he was doomed.

Friends also came forward to comfort him, but Minister Guo shook his head and said, "The outcome is hard to predict."

The final list came out, Qiu Shian came out with a piece of paper and read it in front of all the ministers: "I will give you the list!"

All the ministers saluted in unison and stood in awe to listen.

"Li Sanjiang resigns as the governor of the Grand Canal and joins the cabinet." Qiu Shian paused for a moment. Li Sanjiang, who was the first to be named, immediately stepped forward with a red face to thank him. Qiu Shian said, "If you have anything to say, go to the imperial study and speak in front of the saint."

Some people also noticed that Li Sanjiang did not hold a concurrent post as a minister, which was unusual. Normally, except for the chief minister, everyone else would hold a concurrent post as a minister, in order to increase their voice.

But these are all minor details. To enter the cabinet, one must definitely hold the title of college student, at least from the first rank, which is the pinnacle of civil officials.

"Li Chi, resign as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and join the cabinet."

After another round of excitement, all the ministers held their breath, waiting for the last name to be read out.

Qiu Shian was also wicked. He looked around with a smile, and then slowly read out the last name: "Guo Yan entered the cabinet and served as the Minister of Works."

With a bang, the ministers exploded. Qiu Shian's sharp voice was like iron scraping glass: "Silence! Anyone who makes noise will be punished for impoliteness!"

The scene fell silent, and Guo Yan staggered to the imperial study as if he was drunk.

Qiu Shian then continued: "The results are out, let's all go."

The ministers were in a commotion again, and seemed unwilling to disperse. Qiu Shian once again raised a sharp voice: "Why, the words of the saint don't work?"

The Prime Minister Kong Zhao immediately said, "We are guilty!"

Liang Daoyuan followed suit, and so did all the other ministers, and only then was the riot suppressed.

However, the result of this selection was like a thunderclap in the sky above the capital.

Of the three new cabinet ministers, only Guo Yan concurrently served as Shangshu, while the others were all left without a position. Wang Changnian, who ranked second in the vote, was probably the worst off, as the first and third were both selected, but he was left out.

Those who knew the details could not help but gloat over the misfortune. For example, Liang Daoyuan said in front of his confidants, "When Wang was in Beijing for many years, he always regarded himself as Fang Baiyi's disciple. He is also from Tongcheng. If he doesn't lose the election, who will? Li Sanjiang has the highest reputation and is popularly selected to join the cabinet. Li Chi is also Fang Baiyi's disciple, but he never tells others about it. Guo Yan is the only member of the imperial party in the cabinet. Your Majesty gave up three positions and kept one. Who can say that Your Majesty is unfair? Who dares to say that Your Majesty is unfair?"

Not only did Guo Yan, who had the worst reputation and qualifications, enter the cabinet, but he also served as the Minister of Rites. What does this mean?
If Jia Lian were present, he would give the answer with a smile: "Do you know what it means to call a deer a horse? It's good that you know it. This is called an obedience test."

The essence of the meaning is that it depends on who will submit a memorial to impeach Guo Yan. Whoever impeaches will be in trouble.

Guo Yan was the last one to enter. After he knelt three times and kowtowed nine times, Emperor Chenghui raised his hand and said, "Stand up. There is something. Please cooperate with the Dragon Guard to investigate."

Guo Yan knew that this was a test, and answered without hesitation: "I will try my best."

Emperor Chenghui nodded in satisfaction and said, "The new rifle supervised by Jia Lian has appeared among the people of Tianjin. The Dragon Guard must find out how it got out. Have any related craftsmen been lost? Currently, you are the only one who knows about this, so remember to keep it secret."

Guo Yan said sternly: "I obey your order!"

In the Zhou Dynasty, Guo Yan was the first person to serve as the Minister of Works in the cabinet, which set a precedent.

No one knew the true intention of Emperor Chenghui. Even Pan Jixun, the Left Vice Minister of Works who was on his way back after the river control was completed, did not know either.

Jia Lian, who was far away in Dengzhou, was enjoying a seafood feast, accompanied by the generals of the navy and officials of Dengzhou Prefecture. You can't eat too much crabs, and seafood is not good to eat too much either, but fresh abalone is good, you can eat a few more.

The accompanying officials were all confused. On the first day of Lord Jia's arrival in Dengzhou, he didn't say anything and just kept showing off at the banquet. What was he waiting for? Or was there some other purpose?

After eating the seafood, Jia Lian put down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a towel, and washed his hands before speaking: "I came to Dengzhou to see the navy's assets. I hope you will not disappoint me."

The officials were overjoyed upon hearing the news and expressed their understanding.

You need money! I know! If you are willing to pay, it's easy to deal with. Those who don't want money are annoying!
Everyone has rich experience in dealing with the annual inspection of the Ministry of War. This time we are here with the emperor's mission, so just add money.

That night, Jia Lian stayed in a house owned by a local wealthy businessman.

The officials in Dengzhou all lamented that Lord Jia had no preference for women, he just simply liked money.

Normally, the local famous prostitutes at the banquet would always take one back home, but Lord Jia didn't take any back home and left quickly, leaving a pile of shells on the seats, which was quite cool. The famous prostitutes were very resentful and wondered if he was Viagra.

The next day, Jia Lian announced to everyone that he wanted to take a day off to recover his energy and asked everyone not to disturb him.

So officials came to his house one after another to bring supplements to help Lord Jia strengthen his body, but he didn't want any famous prostitutes because it was useless.

Jia Lian, who earned 50,000 taels in one day, looked at the money with great sorrow, muttering to himself, "None of it is mine. I am so heartbroken that I can't breathe!"

(End of this chapter)