Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 238 The Emperor's Carrot
How could the cabinet ministers not know the importance of coinage? What a joke!

Which one of these cabinet ministers didn’t come from the grassroots and work their way up to where they are today, step by step? How could they not know?
Since he knew it, he didn't say anything, but instead stared at Zhang Tingen, the Minister of Revenue. What was the reason?

To put it bluntly, these cabinet ministers had reached a tacit understanding before the meeting today, that is, the positions of the three ministers were the focus of the meeting. As expected, Emperor Chenghui proposed to adjust the Minister of Works at the beginning, and Guo Yan succeeded as the Minister of Rites.

Then, wouldn’t the next ones to be passed down be the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue?

That’s why Sun Huazhen was mentioned first and Zhang Tingen was mentioned later.

If you are thinking about this, the coinage can be postponed for a while. There is no rush anyway.

When doing things, you must prioritize and follow an order of importance.

The idea was good, but I didn't expect that Emperor Chenghui would not play by the rules. Let's talk about Sun Huazhen first. Emperor Chenghui said that he had a minister of war, which made it easy to mobilize troops. The tax arrears in Liangjiang were not settled yet, so we'll talk about it after it's settled.

Next is Zhang Tingen. I didn’t expect that Emperor Chenghui would be even more outrageous this time. You wouldn’t tell me, right? I have thugs!
Close the door and let Jia Lian go!

Jia Lian didn't care. He was just a young man and no one would blame him if he said something wrong.

At most, we can say that he is immature. Young people are immature to begin with.

As for the reputation in the officialdom, does Jia Lian have that? I don't have it, so why should I care?

So, there was a scene at the cabinet meeting where Emperor Chenghui took advantage of the situation and pinned down a number of cabinet ministers.

Jia Lian, who had returned to his seat, was amused. These people probably wanted to do something and were able to do it. But how could they explain it?

More concerned about the position under the butt!

In a sense, it is a default rule that cabinet ministers also serve as ministers. Of the three new cabinet ministers, only Guo Yan holds the concurrent position, and the others are all left alone, which makes them feel comfortable. But what if they are not comfortable? Emperor Chenghui just wants to do it this way, so who can do anything about it?

Do you want to eat this carrot? You have to show me some results.

Can you compare with Sun Huazhen and Zhang Tingen? How much have they done? How much have you done?

As for Guo Yan, Emperor Chenghui ignored him. Is it not okay to have double standards? Besides, he is the Shangshu himself.

Things returned to the track that Emperor Chenghui had expected, and the means used were still very rough.

This is also a test of obedience. Emperor Chenghui is calling this the Emperor's Mindset.

After apologizing, the cabinet ministers sat down again. This time, everyone knew the emperor's bottom line and had a clear idea of ​​what was going on.

"I have heard a little about the private minting of copper coins by the people. However, the coins minted during the reign of Emperor Taizu are widely circulated in the market, so it is difficult to distinguish private money and it is very difficult to ban it. I think that if we want to ban this, we should issue an edict to order local officials across the country to pay attention to this matter. Once discovered, they should be severely punished." Prime Minister Kong Zhao has spoken. Don't you think what he said is very good?

What you said is good, but it is just a normal treatment and the level of attention is not high enough.

Emperor Chenghui did not comment, but looked at Liang Daoyuan and said, "You are the second assistant, so you should say something too."

Liang Daoyuan could only stand up and speak. His meaning was almost the same. He could only rely on local officials and investigate wherever they found it. There was no new idea. One after another, the meaning was roughly the same. The matter was very important and must be investigated thoroughly. It must be banned in the future. However, that was the end of it. He did not continue to dig deeper.

Emperor Chenghui stopped talking, his eyes wandering, clearly expressing his dissatisfaction with the opinions of several cabinet ministers.

Just when the cabinet ministers were wondering whether the emperor had no intention of paying attention to him, or whether there was another plan behind this matter.

"Well, think about this matter carefully when you get back. Write a memorial to me later. I will also think about it carefully."

Emperor Chenghui did not make a decision immediately, but instead put it aside for the time being.

Then he changed the subject and said, "Lord Li, you were in charge of Guangdong and Guangxi before. How much do you know about opium?"

Li Chi was not prepared at all when he was named, but he did not panic. He stood up and pondered for a few seconds before speaking: "This substance is harmful to people. The court has already made a conclusion. When I was in Guangdong and Guangxi, I issued an order to ban this substance. However, the coastline is too long, and there are always places that cannot be taken care of. Civilian users will always find a way to buy this substance. I am incompetent, please punish me, Your Majesty."

Well, this is a mistake in reading comprehension. Emperor Chenghui was not concerned about his problem, but the problem of opium.

"I know very little about this substance. The Dragon Guard has found out that it can confuse people's minds. Users will do anything to get it. Li Qing might as well learn more about this matter, and then submit a charter. After discussing it at the cabinet meeting, we can make a final decision."

The matter was skipped over again. Emperor Chenghui also attached importance to this issue, but his attention was limited. After all, he had never seen a country become poor and weak because of this thing.

As the recorder, Jia Lian could only record silently, and he could not speak without a purpose even if he jumped.

That is called disrupting the order of the meeting, and you will be impeached. Being impeached is a minor offense, but being scolded on the spot and unable to refute is a major offense.

At this time, Jia Lian once again realized how difficult it was to get things done.

Everyone has different perceptions and focuses. The country is huge and there are many things to do. We cannot do things based on our momentary emotions. When we are in the court, we must look at everything comprehensively. Our personal will can only serve the overall interests of the country.

The most urgent thing for Emperor Chenghui is to deal with three things. One is the clearing of the tax arrears in Liangjiang, which is currently in full swing. Another is the Shaanxi-Gansu case, which is an important part of the administration of officials and the first blow. Another most important thing is to take back the power of the Beijing camp. This depends on Wang Ziteng.

Today's meeting had no results. The emperor did not achieve his goal, and neither did the ministers. If he had to use force, Emperor Chenghui could do it, but the people would not accept it, and the consequences would be unpredictable. If a policy is not launched to the point of urgency, it cannot be implemented by force. Once the imperial power is used to being the only one in power and using force in everything, it will form path dependence, only looking at the results, not asking whether it is right or wrong. This is unacceptable to Emperor Chenghui.

After the meeting, the ministers left, and Jia Lian packed up and was about to leave. The Wucheng Military Department still had a lot of trouble.

Unexpectedly, the emperor called him and asked, "Are you disappointed?"

Jia Lian shook his head: "A little, but not much. Your Majesty is the ruler of a country, and you must win the support of the majority in everything. The matter of Liangjiang is really helpless. Forced execution may succeed for a while, but over time, problems will arise."

Emperor Chenghui was very surprised, and couldn't hide his surprise on his face as he said, "You do have some knowledge."

Jia Lian was once again in a state of confusion. Am I so unbearable? I am just a reckless man, right?

When we got back to Wucheng Bingmasi, it was almost time for lunch. I didn’t expect it to be so lively here.

There were a lot of people swearing loudly, making it like a vegetable market.

After Jia Lian appeared, the temperature dropped instantly. Everyone looked over, and the person who was cursing was stopped by his companions.

When they saw clearly that it was Jia Lian who appeared, everyone shrank their necks.

It is true that they are all children of the rich and powerful, but they are also divided into different levels. What level is Jia Lian? He has many halos and they are dazzling. The ordinary children of the rich and powerful have no room for bargaining in front of Jia Lian.

"Brother Jia, my name is Wei Zilan, you still remember me, right?" Of course Jia Lian remembered him. In the original novel, this guy seemed to have an unclear relationship with Qin Keqing. It was not a relationship between a man and a woman, but more like a follower.

Jia Lian nodded: "Why did you come in?"

"Hey, it's not me who came in. It's Liu Xianglian who got into a fight with someone. I'm here to pay the ransom." Wei Zilan explained, and Jia Lian understood that Liu Xianglian was also a character in the original novel. Third Sister You committed suicide because of him.

"Since you're fighting and causing trouble, you should stay in the study class for a few more days to learn your lesson." Jia Lian didn't intend to be partial and not let any troublemaker go. I can't just live a good life, but I'm getting into trouble by fighting with others for no reason, right?
"No, Master Lian, he only has an old mother at home. If he is locked up, it will be a big trouble. Besides, there must be right and wrong, right? He just saw injustice and took action in anger."

Jia Lian had neither a good nor a bad impression of Liu Xianglian. He felt that he was just a down-and-out nobleman's son with many hobbies.

The reason why he could hang out with Jia Baoyu was because of his background.

Since Wei Zilan said so, Jia Lian couldn't just do it: "Wait, I'll go ask about his case."

Jia Lian went inside to inquire about the situation. Nancheng Imperial Censor Gu Bingzhang quickly reported: "Liu Xianglian is an amateur. He likes to sing a few lines on the stage. He looks good. The audience recognized him and started to make a fuss. They wanted to chase him off the stage. He got angry and argued with others, and then he started fighting. He hit hard and injured several people."

Jia Lian calmly asked back, "Is it really so?"

Gu Bingzhang realized that something was wrong and immediately added, "There's also a Hua Dan who got involved."

Jia Lian looked at him with a half-smile, which made Gu Bingzhang's forehead sweat. Then he said calmly: "Investigate the case carefully and find out the facts clearly. Don't forget anything."

Fortunately, he was given face.

Jia Lian did not go to see Liu Xianglian, nor did he ask Wei Zilan to come in and sit and drink tea, which made it clear that he handled official business impartially, and the purpose of this was to convince the public. As the foreman of the censors, he took the lead in favoritism, and the people below naturally followed suit.

As for Gu Bingzhang, he is almost fifty years old, and he will compromise with anyone he cannot afford to offend.

It’s an old habit of liking to smooth things over.

Let’s put it this way, people like Gu Bingzhang are the mainstream among Beijing officials.

People like Jia Lian are the exception. He charges fees for his study classes and makes things difficult for others. In the eyes of others, Jia Lian is too hateful.

When Gu Bingzhang came back again, he had a detailed case file in his hand, and Jia Lian read it quickly.

Huadan is a man and a good friend of Liu Xianglian. This is like Liu Xianglian's style, just like Jia Baoyu and Qi Guan.

The incident started because of this actress. The cause was that the grandson of Ningyuan Hou fell in love with the actress and insisted on treating her to a dinner.

When the other party refused, he used force. Liu Xianglian was not present at the time. He was taking off his makeup backstage. After hearing the news, he came out to stop the attack. In the eyes of the grandson of Ningyuan Hou, how could a poor young man directly let a group of followers snatch people away.

Liu Xianglian tried to stop them, but the other party attacked first and Liu Xianglian fought back. This was the truth, except that Liu Xianglian was a bit too heavy-handed, and several of the thugs had their arms broken by him using a chair.

The other side had more people and Liu Xianglian was beaten quite a lot, otherwise he would not have been so anxious to pick up weapons.

In the past, even if Gu Bingzhang went there, he would just scold the person a few words and then let him go.

This time was different, Jia Lian had just come back and made clear his demands. He did not dare to be partial and let the man go.

"Go and bring the grandson of Marquis Ningyuan here." Jia Lian said this and Gu Bingzhang's heart trembled. Oh no, he had forgotten about this.

What? Jia Zhen was injured in Liaodong. This is unacceptable, right?

Soon the person was brought over. Jia Lian was stunned when he took one look at him. This person looked very familiar. He asked with a smile: "What's your name?"

"My surname is Sun!" The answer made Jia Lian very disappointed. He looks like Ge You, so why is your surname Sun?
I almost said, listen carefully, criminals, you have arrived at a beautiful place with mountains and rivers.

Do people who look like this like to play the role of an actor?

"Second Master Lian, I just came back from Liaodong and I don't know the rules of the capital. Please raise your hand and let me go. I will definitely reward you handsomely."

This guy was not injured, and since Gu Bingzhang was suspected of shielding the criminal, he was not panicked at all.

"Fighting in a theater, destroying the theater for an actor, do you think this is a rule unique to the capital? Or is it that if you destroy a theater in Liaodong, no one can stop you?"

This fellow was quite sensible. He immediately raised his hand and gently slapped his mouth: "Hey, look at me, I have a foul mouth and can't speak. You are doing things impartially, I know that. We are all sons of noble families, can you please be gentler...?"

"Stop it, watch your words. What do you mean by gentleness? I'm not into that. Okay, let the housekeeper pay for the class. Remember, don't do this again. I really don't want to earn your money."

"No, Mr. Lian, we are all family, raise your hands, raise your hands."

Jia Lian waved his hand, and the soldiers carried him down.

He turned around and called Gu Bingzhang: "Liu Xianglian has been released, and the man surnamed Sun has to pay for the medical expenses and the losses of the theater. Well, considering that he is a first-time offender and it is not a serious case, he can go back after paying a fine of 1,000 taels of silver."

Liu Xianglian, who was released, was still a little puzzled. He still had ten taels of silver for medical expenses, which didn't seem like the Five Cities Army at all.

When he came out and met Wei Zilan, he learned that Wei Zilan had met Jia Lian and was asking him to plead for him.

After hearing this, Liu Xianglian stamped his feet and said, "Alas, I can't just leave like this. I have to thank them."

Wei Zilan smiled and said, "Xie is not here at this moment. Go back and pack up. I will treat Mr. Lian to a drink another day."

Gu Bingzhang was also trying to please them: "Young Marquis, you are lucky, otherwise you would have to go to the training class. This time I spoke well of you, so I fined you and let you off. By the way, you have to pay for the training class, it's a good thing if you can solve the problem with money."

Ever since Jia Lian returned to the Five Cities Military Command, the incidence of disturbances in the capital has dropped rapidly.

For several days in a row, no adults were arrested. Jian Renda was quite sad about this and decided to stop the study class.

It is said that the next day Liu Xianglian and Wei Zilan came to invite Jia Lian for a drink.

Unexpectedly, things suddenly changed. A eunuch appeared and called Jia Lian into the palace, which made Wei Zilan sigh: "Everyone says that Jia Lian is favored. I have seen it."

Jia Lian was also confused after entering the palace. What was going on? There was no cabinet meeting today, and Emperor Chenghui did not mention the concurrent post of a chamberlain.

When Emperor Chenghui saw Jia Lian, he made his intention clear: "Wang Ziteng has passed Yanmen Pass, you go to greet him and bring a few words with you."

(End of this chapter)