Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 332 Silent Compromise and Tacit Understanding
For Emperor Chenghui, all systems are aimed at strengthening the foundation of the country.

Jia Lian knew very well that he should not think about changing the system for the time being, but should first change the country's dire situation.

Jia Lian has been thinking about how to change it for a long time. It is necessary to develop outward. Otherwise, with the current situation of the foreign trade of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it is possible to make a lot of money. However, due to the geographical location and transportation, the trade volume will easily hit the ceiling. Without an external market, the internal market can only be tapped. If industry and commerce want to tap the internal market potential, the farmers who make up the largest population cannot ignore it. If you want to liberate the purchasing power of farmers, you must crack down on land annexation. It is obviously unrealistic to kill all the landlords at this stage, so you can only reduce rent and interest.

Twenty percent of the population occupies eighty percent or even more of the land. How much is their consumption capacity?
After a lot of twists and turns, my thoughts returned to the question of unbundling industry and commerce. The current system is too rude to industry and commerce.

"I sincerely invite Lord Jia to have a drink with me later?" No matter whether he is willing or not, Ning Ke can't get rid of the reputation of colluding with Jia Lian, so he just doesn't care.

"No problem. Let me know when you find a place and I'll be there." Jia Lian agreed readily. Just because Ning Ke was bold and daring, it was necessary to have a quasi-ally.

After returning to the Wucheng Bingmasi and signing some documents, Jia Lian, who had entered a state of leisure, could not help but let his imagination run wild.

If a person can lie down comfortably, he will definitely not be willing to struggle. The premise of a peaceful life is that someone carries the burden for you.

There was no hope for the Jia family's mess, so Jia had to move forward with the burden. Even if he wanted to be lazy, he had to find time to spare in his busy schedule.

If you don't want the status of the Jia family to decline, you must work for the emperor. The emperor wants every official to be like an ox or a horse, and it would be best if they could provide their own fodder.

As for people, the more they know, the harder it is. Jia Baoyu is still the happiest one. He is so happy that Jia Lian wants to beat him up when he sees him.

I worked so hard, why do you sleep with a maid and not be responsible? Damn it, sooner or later you will find a chance to make him unable to take care of himself.

A diligent person will always have endless things to do.

Pan Jixun, who wrote it in one stroke, certainly didn't know this. After writing it, the cabinet ministers circulated it for signature and seal, and a memorial from all cabinet members was sent directly to the emperor.

Emperor Chenghui had expected the cabinet ministers' reaction, but he didn't expect it to come so quickly.

After reading the memorial, he carefully looked at the notes and found that they were written by Pan Jixun. Emperor Chenghui smiled bitterly. What happened today was a bit too much. Even the old workhorse Pan Jixun could not tolerate it.

If nothing unexpected happens, facing this memorial, if Emperor Chenghui does not compromise, then it will be known to everyone in the court and the country. At that time, the emperor will have to bear the huge pressure alone.

It's not that we can't find someone to take the blame, it's just meaningless. Even a fool knows that the mastermind of today's attack is the emperor, and the rhythm of the sudden attack is controlled by the emperor.

Even a powerful emperor like Emperor Chenghui could not bear the consequences of the collective resignation of the cabinet.

Jia Lian was right. No matter how powerful an emperor was, he was only a man. Emperors like Zhu Yuanzhang forced officials to work with shackles and write wills before going to work every day. From the results, it can be seen that officials only handled official business mechanically and did not care about official business at all. This approach is not advisable. To put it bluntly, it does not treat officials as human beings.

The emperor was also very clear that everyone was just a human being, and being able to become an emperor was just because the country needed a stable system. For officials, it didn't matter who was on the throne.

In short, don't push too hard. The greater the pressure, the greater the rebound. If you look through the history books and see Emperor Yang of Sui, you will know how an emperor who started with a bad start ended up courting his own death.

Being too strict is not advisable, and being too lenient is also not advisable. The degree of ruling subordinates depends entirely on the emperor's personal judgment. Being an emperor is not easy.

It was impossible to show weakness, so Emperor Chenghui picked up his pen and wrote three words on this sharply worded memorial: "I understand."

His noncommittal attitude seemed very flexible, but in fact, faced with a memorial threatening to abolish the cabinet, the three words "I understand" made the problem clear.

The memorial of resistance was written and submitted quickly, and Emperor Chenghui approved it quickly. After it was sent back to the cabinet, a group of ministers were waiting.

Kong Zhao was the first to read the review, and a relaxed expression appeared on his face. If it was not a hint of compromise, based on his understanding of the emperor, his reply should be [? ], with the subtext being [Are you trying to force the emperor to abdicate? ]

If they really reply as they did, the five cabinet ministers will have no choice but to retreat.

After reading it, the other cabinet ministers also breathed a sigh of relief, believing that similar things would not happen again in the future.

Today is a special case, or it can be said that the emperor is taking advantage of his status to launch a surprise attack, which is almost like cheating.

The emperor refused to compromise, which led to the collective resignation of the cabinet. He was given a reputation of being unable to control the cabinet, which led to a sharp drop in prestige. Of course, it was shameful. However, the political future of the five cabinet ministers and their families in the Zhou Dynasty was completely ruined. The power of the emperor is very mysterious. The emperor who was killed at will by the eunuchs in the late Tang Dynasty was still the emperor. Zhu Yuanzhang was also the emperor even though he often launched major cases and killed tens of thousands of people.

Once the imperial power was no longer revered by the world and fell into the mortal world, the phenomenon of taking turns to be the boss like in the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period became very common.

The imperial power of the Great Zhou Dynasty was very stable, but even so, Emperor Chenghui would not take any risks. If something happens for the first time, there will definitely be a second time.

It seems that the imperial power and the cabinet are on equal terms this time, but in fact, it is the imperial power that benefits from breaking the rules.

It’s not that the civil officials are not capable, but that they are limited by the institutional design. Legally, the imperial power is supreme.

The original intention of designing this system was to allow the emperor to retain the power to overturn the table at the most critical moments, but it should not be abused at other times.

After everyone had read it, Kong Zhao thought for a moment, then handed the memorial to the eunuch waiting at the door and asked him to take it back.

The imperial power and the cabinet reached a tacit understanding again, as if this memorial had never appeared. The eunuch brought the memorial back, and Emperor Chenghui nodded with satisfaction, signaling for a brazier to be brought and burned to ashes.

A deal was reached between the cabinet and the imperial power that respected each other's bottom line.

Ning Ke and Jia Lian had to continue working, this was reality. Before leaving his post, Jia Lian received an address notice, went home to change his clothes, and took a sedan chair to keep the appointment.

The place where the guests were invited was not a well-known restaurant, but a private residence in the east of the city, which was a so-called private restaurant.

The biggest feature of this kind of place is that it is quiet and convenient for discussing things. With the guide arranged by Ning Ke, Jia Lian found the place very smoothly.

After entering the door, Ning Ke stood in the courtyard waiting, clasped his hands and greeted: "Because of the eyes and ears, Ning is not convenient to go out to greet you, Lord Jia, please forgive me."

Jia Lian didn't care. He smiled and folded his hands in return: "Master Ning, you are too polite!"

The small courtyard is not big, with only two entrances. Entering the main room in the backyard, a table is placed on the kang. After some courtesy, everyone sits on the kang.

It was obviously arranged in advance. After they sat down, a woman came to serve the dishes. She looked to be in her early twenties. If it weren't for the worldly air in her eyes, Jia Lian would have thought she was a beautiful girl from a small family. When all the dishes were served, the woman bowed slightly, politely withdrew, and left the room for the two of them.

Ning Ke picked up the wine glass and said, "Twenty-year-old Fenjiu, one?"

Jia Lian raised his glass and responded: "Good!"

After the toast, Ning Ke filled up the cup. Jia Lian thanked him with a gesture. Ning Ke put down the wine pot and did not intend to continue drinking. Instead, he said, "The cabinet will not give up today's matter."

Without hesitation, Jia Lian nodded in agreement: "Yes, this has touched the bottom line. Even a gentle Prime Minister like Kong will not give up."

"Your Majesty has reached a tacit understanding with the cabinet, and we still have to do the work." Ning Ke stated the purpose of the invitation very directly.

"Lord Ning, I'm just a cover. Don't look for me if you need any help." Jia Lian distanced himself from the matter very straightforwardly. He didn't want to give people an impression that could influence Emperor Chenghui.

"When it comes to understanding His Majesty, Lord Jia is far better than me. The rules of the Audit Department are easy to handle. I will make fewer trips to the Palace of Heavenly Purity if I can satisfy His Majesty. Please, Lord Jia." Ning Ke went straight to the point. Which minister doesn't want to be around the emperor? Ning Ke was scared. If something like this happened again, he would have a heart attack.

Jia Lian understood his mentality and said straightforwardly: "There won't be a next time, Lord Ning, don't miss this good opportunity. The three governors Li, Zhang, and Sun will return to the cabinet after two terms at most and one term at least. By then, the three prime ministers Kong, Liang, and Li will definitely be moved out, and the two prime ministers Guo and Pan will most likely ask to be sent out. After Fang Baiyi, it will be difficult for cabinet ministers to stay in office for a long time."

Ning Ke listened very carefully. What Jia Lian said was all valuable information. Just based on what he said, this meal was not in vain.

As he spoke, Jia Lian raised his glass to signal him to continue. Ning Ke knew that he didn't want to continue, so he raised his glass in response.

Ning Ke knew that Jia Lian would not talk about court affairs for a while, so he did not dwell on it. The two of them clinked glasses twice more, and Ning Ke took the initiative to bring up some gossip.

"There is no sign here either. Master Jia, do you know why?"

Jia Lian shook his head. Ning Ke smiled and whispered, "The owner and manager of this place is one person, the woman just mentioned. She was originally the mistress of a doctor in the Ministry of Revenue. After the Wu Yuhui case, she opened a private restaurant to make a living. She is a good cook and the place is secret, so she quickly became successful. Several officials wanted to keep her as a mistress, but they were all rejected."

"She is smart. No matter who she follows, her livelihood will be cut off. Those people who like her may not have good intentions." Jia Lian understood the key after a little thought.

"Yes, as long as the troubles on the ground are not excessive, they can be dealt with by money. No one who can make a name for himself on the ground is blind. Those people are not interested in her people, but this place. I guess if someone likes her, she let them go herself." Ning Ke's voice was not loud, enough for Jia Lian to hear, but it was not clear if it was farther away. Besides, both of them brought people to supervise each other.

"Well, the dishes are all home-cooked. They taste good and the cooking is pretty good. Who are these carefree ones?" Jia Lian was quite interested in these gossips.

Ning Ke laughed and said, "They are all below the fifth rank and not worth mentioning. The only one worth mentioning is a Hanlin named Zhou."

Jia Lian felt his teeth ache when he heard this. Why was there always something to do with the great uncle wherever he went? If it was him, it would be completely understandable. This person has little ability but great ambition.

Ning Ke continued, "He's just this one. He's been under house arrest for nearly half a year. It's about time he was released."

Jia Lian listened and smiled, "Don't be such a pessimist! It's rare to have a quiet meal."

Ning Ke, who knew the situation well, smiled back and raised his glass, saying, "Just saying it for fun. This is a place to eat, not to do anything half-closed."

Jia Lian thought for a moment and said, "I am the governor of the capital, and I am in charge of the capital."

Ning Ke suddenly laughed in silence, having forgotten that this person had such an identity. It is not uncommon for officials to have part-time jobs, but it is rare to find someone as exaggerated as Jia Lian.

"Lord Ning, after the three rounds of rectification, budgeting and auditing of the Inspectorate, most of the officials in Beijing will leave again. From now on, you should keep a low profile in everything." Jia Lian is relatively conscientious. The meal was good, so he gave some advice.

Ning Ke held the cup and pondered for a while: "Thank you!" He finally figured it out. It would be better for me to die than for my fellow Taoist to die. Don't worry about anything. Just take a look.

Behind the three tactics mentioned by Jia Lian, there is another method of performance evaluation. It is obvious that with the series of measures taken today, being an official in Beijing is really not easy.

In connection with the three ministers who were sent to other places mentioned earlier, when they come back from their places, even bigger things will come.

"I'm asking a question that may be a little confusing, Lord Jia, you don't have to answer it, but what do you think about the cabinet additions?" Ning Ke didn't actually want to ask this, but when the mood was right, he just asked it out.

When Jia Lian heard this, he was actually a little hesitant. In fact, he didn't have a clear answer in his heart, he just didn't know whether he should say it or not.

From the perspective of centralization, the Grand Council is the peak. The current cabinet is slightly inferior. It can be seen that Taizu of this dynasty knew that the disadvantage of excessive centralization lies in the personal ability of the emperor.

If you meet an emperor like Daoguang, it would be a joke if all the ministers went to court in patched official uniforms, and the country would be ruined.

Seeing Jia Lian was silent, Ning Ke quickly made amends: "I made a mistake!"

Jia Lian shook his head slightly: "I really can't give a clear opinion on this matter."

Ning Ke saw that he was sincere, so he didn't ask whether it was true or not. He smiled and raised his glass: "Drink!"

Ning Ke was actually very satisfied with today's meal. Jia Lian said a lot, which showed that he was not opposed to deepening the friendship.

Ning Ke drank a little too much, and took the opportunity to say something he shouldn't have said: "The water in Beijing is too deep, and I was choked by it if I wasn't careful. The original intention was to rectify the bank, but unexpectedly it led to such a big thing. The matter has been taken care of, and Kong Chuqi has also been offended. It's too late to regret it!"

Jia Lian smiled in a very wicked way. The truth of the matter was probably clear now. Ning Ke also took the opportunity to be more frank and deepen the friendship between them.

It doesn't matter if we don't have a good relationship, just take it slow.

Jia Lian did not resist this, but he kept his mouth shut and did not say anything that should not be said.

Ning Ke understood that when it came to the emperor, Jia Lian could hardly utter a word.

This kind of cautiousness is worth learning from. It is hard to say how far this person will develop in the future, but he will definitely not fall easily.

Looking at the age comparison again, Ning Ke suddenly lost interest. Comparison? Bullshit!

(End of this chapter)