Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 380 Being Ignored Is a Good Thing
The ice jar in the study is emitting white mist. When summer comes and the weather gets hot, the ice stored in the cellar in winter is poured into the ice jar to serve as air conditioning. Who says that the ancients did not know how to enjoy life?

Xiren sat aside, looking at Xiangling enviously as she twisted her body dishonestly on Jia Lian's body. With a slap, she was hit on the butt and she finally behaved herself.

"You are still young!" Xiangling seemed to be dissatisfied with Jia Lian's reassurance and snorted twice: "Not young anymore!"

Xiangling, who was usually naive, only became more lively at this moment. She even rubbed her chest against Jia Lian's arm while talking.

Jia Lian, who was on vacation at home, was really recuperating and recovering his strength, while also observing every move in the court.

This is good news from the current situation, because no one mentions Jia Lian anymore. It seems that Jia Lian has been completely ignored.

Recently, public opinion has focused more on the three border military towns. Officials and generals from Xuanhua to Datong were all affected. Anyone who abandoned the city and fled would be dismissed from office at best, and the worst result would be that the Dragon Guard would confiscate their homes. The punishment this time was very severe, and the higher the official, the harsher the punishment.

Emperor Chenghui took ruthless action to dismiss the governor and provincial governor of Shanxi, which severely shocked the official atmosphere.

Just when people thought that only officials were being dealt with, Long Jinwei was active in various parts of Shanxi for a while, successively arresting more than 30 business owners, and issuing more than 5 million taels of fines alone.

If this happened in the past, the public would have been outraged and the officials would have been in an uproar.

But this time there was no big commotion. Just a few individual officials took the lead, and then the cabinet struck back with thunder and directly transferred or dismissed them.

Subsequently, the Minister of Revenue Ning Ke submitted a memorial stating that the Kaizhong Policy had been severely damaged and that the court should restore it. The most important thing was that the implementation of the relevant policies regarding merchants transporting grain to the three borders must be strictly supervised.

The most important thing is the issuance and exchange of salt permits. The excessive issuance of salt permits during the reign of the previous emperor (the retired emperor), the collusion between royal family members and powerful people to occupy salt fields, the rampant private salt, etc., have seriously undermined the Kaizhong Law, and supervision and crackdown efforts must be strengthened.

Jia Lian was holding the latest written intelligence materials in his hand, and his attention was distracted by Xiangling's glimpse. He turned his head to look at Xiren, and went out with the small basket in his hand.

I'll continue to look at the materials. Is it necessary to restore the Sino-French trade? The salt and iron monopoly system has always been about saving costs. How can the price of salt be reduced?
Jia Lian had lived through the Salt Company era, but that era is incomparable to the present. One is the state enforcing low prices, the other is the free market.

It is true that the free market is dynamic, but if it is too free, all kinds of bad things will happen. Businessmen dare to do business that will cost them their lives in order to make a profit.

A pound of salt cost fifty coins, let's calculate it according to the modern price of fifty yuan per pound of salt. Can ordinary people afford it? But this price did happen in reality.

Taking the capital city as an example, the lowest price of salt was ten cents per catty. Without discussing purchasing power, if we calculate it based on the modern price of salt of ten yuan per catty, the modern people would surely rebel.

The high price of salt was something that people in ancient times were accustomed to, just like the price of fruit in Japan and South Korea.

Woo…!
Jia Lian threw away the materials in his hand, lay on his back and closed his eyes. He didn't expect that he could learn it by himself. Could it be that Guixiang taught him?
After Xiangling covered her mouth and walked away, Jia Lian returned to his sage state and picked up the report again to continue reading Ning Ke's memorial to China and France.

The salt road was a quagmire, and if you stepped into it, you would most likely die. When Lin Ruhai was the inspector of salt, he did not dare to touch the salt road and could only compromise in many ways.

To put it bluntly, under the influence of various interest groups and salt merchants, it is difficult to find a clean official in the entire Salt Road, various prefectures in Lianghuai, and Changlu and other places if you really want to be serious.

How could Ning Ke not know the whole situation? Of course he knew, so why did he have to report it to the emperor to expose this abscess? Aren't you afraid of not getting any benefits but also getting splashed with stench?

Is there really such a great man? Jia Lian certainly didn't believe it. After thinking about it, it was probably the beginning of a deal. Ning Ke needed political achievements and wanted the Salt Administration to cooperate a little on salt tax?
This alone is certainly not enough for Ning Ke to take such a big risk, so it is still a matter of joining the cabinet.

There are two cabinet candidates, Lin Ruhai and Ning Ke. The former has handled a series of major cases and is currently the most trusted and most important minister of His Majesty. In comparison, Ning Ke is weaker. In this case, if he wants to join the cabinet, he must play a bigger game and must have a legitimate reason. The Minister of Revenue rectified the salt business and increased the salt tax, which was not considered an overstepping of authority.

After thinking it through, Jia Lian couldn't help but sigh. In this era, seemingly majestic figures often cannot withstand scrutiny. Any action of an official has a motive behind it.

Jia Lian did not want to get involved, but when he thought about Ning Ke's actions, the salt tax would increase, the price of salt might go up, and the people would suffer even more, he felt it was unbearable.

Whether you are an official or a person, you have to have a bottom line, right? Moreover, this is a competition with Lin Ruhai for a position in the cabinet.

Seeing that it was getting late, Jia Lian stood up and looked around. He could not see Xiangling, but only Xiren sitting at the door with her chin in her hand, looking thoughtful. The thick curtain was blown open by the wind, and the light fell on her face, making her look more dazzling.

"What are you thinking about? So absent-minded?" Jia Lian asked curiously. Xiren was mentioned a lot in the original novel, but her fate was undoubtedly changed after being given to her by Lady Jia. She would definitely not be thinking about Baoyu at this moment.

"Are you going out, Master?" Xiren was startled awake and instinctively picked up the small bamboo basket when she stood up.

"Just take a walk, don't worry about it." Jia Lian was too lazy to care about what she was thinking. In this family, with Wang Xifeng in charge, everyone had to behave themselves.

Jia Lian went out to Guixiang's yard. When the maid at the door saw him standing up to greet him, her voice rose two tones.

After waving his hand, Jia Lian went straight in. Unexpectedly, it was Yingchun who flashed out from behind the curtain: "Second brother, why are you here?"

Jia Lian was stunned for a moment. Why can't I come here? He quickly realized that he usually slept in the main room or the study. He had not been to Guixiang's yard many times.

"Why are you here?" Jia Lian asked back with a smile on his face.

"Sister, you are more familiar with Sister Guixiang! You will feel uncomfortable in front of your sister-in-law." Yingchun said what she wanted to say directly to Jia Lian.

Jia Lian was in a daze for a moment. Before Wang Xifeng came in, it was Guixiang who took care of Yingchun more. He understood now.

Guixiang, who was already pregnant, looked very satisfied. The person supporting her was actually Tanchun. Yingchun and Tanchun lived close to each other, and the relationship between the two sisters was much better now than in the original book.

Jia Lian was curious about why Tanchun often came here, but didn't Lady Wang say anything about her? According to etiquette, Lady Wang was the mother, and Aunt Zhao was only the biological mother. "Why did Master come here?" Guixiang was also curious about why Jia Lian came here. Usually he went there by himself.

Jia Lian took out a small cloth bag from his sleeve and handed it to Guixiang: "Keep the things I got this time for fun." He also said to Yingchun and Tanchun: "You have some too, remember to take them."

Guixiang took it happily and opened it on the table. There was a roll of silver bills tied with a cloth strip, and five gems, some red and some blue, fell on the table.

In Jia Lian's opinion, gems are the least valuable things, but Guixiang likes them the most. Every time Jia Lian goes on an expedition, he remembers to bring a few back for her, and Guixiang keeps them at the bottom of the box.

"Wow, it's the size of a cat's eye!" Tanchun exclaimed. Yingchun didn't care much. She picked up a sapphire, looked at it, and put it back. "If you like it, sister, I'll give you a few and have them polished to make buttons."

Yingchun and Tanchun were both illegitimate daughters, and their status in the family was never high. Of course, this low status only applied to daughters of legitimate wives like Jia Min, who were served by maids and had no shortage of money in the Jia family.

In the past, Yingchun never dared to think about things like jewels. Jia Lian protected and spoiled her and never forgot to give her a share whenever he went out. Now even Jia She didn't dare to beat or scold Yingchun at will, so her status naturally rose.

Tanchun's situation is more awkward, she doesn't have a brother like Jia Lian to protect and pamper her, but she is careful and finds that when she plays with Yingchun, Mrs. Wang always lets her do whatever she wants. Therefore, Tanchun realizes that because of Jia Lian's change in status and position, his status in the Jia family is constantly rising, Yingchun has also been promoted, and she is also indirectly protected.

"Are you still in charge of the kitchen?" Jia Lian asked. Guixiang asked curiously, "Nowadays, it's mostly Lin Zhixiao's family who's in charge. Why are you asking this?"

Jia Lian smiled and said, "I want to ask what the current price of salt is in the market?"

Guixiang said, "The price of salt and grain in the capital has been unstable in the past few months. Let me ask the maid to go to the kitchen to ask!"

Jia Lian waited patiently and chatted with Yingchun and Tanchun. The two sisters were obviously much more lively than in the classic TV series.

Yingchun didn't care about the price of salt and grain, but focused on the hardships Jia Lian had to endure while on the expedition. She asked him about his food and accommodation, but Jia Lian downplayed the issue and said a few simple words. Yingchun's eyes misted over, and she felt sorry for her brother who was fighting outside and leaving the family behind. She repeatedly mentioned how miserable Jia Lian looked when he returned home, and she cried all night after she returned.

Although Tanchun was young, she had a different perspective and boldly asked Jia Lian: "Second brother, is there something going on in the court?"

Jia Lian looked at Tanchun in surprise. In this respect, she was a bit like Daiyu, but Daiyu was much more sensitive and reserved, and liked to keep things to herself, while Tanchun asked directly. Perhaps it was because it was rare for her to get along with Jia Lian.

"Indeed, there is something going on. It has nothing to do with me. I am just afraid that it will involve Uncle Lin from the Lin family, so I came to ask about the price of salt and make some preparations."

Tanchun seemed to be thinking deeply after hearing this, so Jia Lian asked her curiously, "What books do you read on weekdays?"

Before Tanchun could answer, Yingchun said, "Sister Tanchun has read a lot of books!"

Tanchun said shyly, "My sister's reading is indeed a bit miscellaneous. She is not as well-read as my brother. I am sorry to make you laugh."

Jia Lian waved his hands and said, "Everyone says that women without talent are virtuous, but that is totally wrong. Women are in charge of the home, and if they don't read, they won't understand reason. Many officials have been ruined by women."

Tanchun listened without saying anything. After thinking for a while, she whispered, "I read a book a few days ago that mentioned that in the Northern Song Dynasty, the wife of a prime minister beat her maid to death, causing the prime minister to lose his job."

When Jia Lian heard that she actually read history books, he became interested in being a teacher and smiled to explain: "The servants in the homes of officials in the Northern Song Dynasty were mostly hired. Concubines and maids were mostly rented for a period of time, and they became free when the time was up. The Ming Dynasty inherited many systems from the Yuan Dynasty, including the system of domestic slaves, which was also inherited in this dynasty. Because it was an employment relationship, once the killing of a servant was discovered, it would naturally be punished by national law. In this dynasty..., there is still a difference." Jia Lian paused and couldn't continue. It can't be said that it is an institutional regression, and it further protects the interests of officials from a legal perspective, right?

According to the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty, beating a domestic slave to death was a family matter, and being a domestic slave depended entirely on one's reincarnation. Those in good families lived a better life, while those in bad families suffered a life worse than death.

Otherwise, how can we say that history is an upward spiral?

The dynasties in the Central Plains rose and fell, but the Northern Song Dynasty was actually an era when protection for the lower classes was relatively good.

Speaking of the Yuan Dynasty, which was seriously regressive, it really treated people as animals, and treated everyone equally. Even the lower class of the Mongols were treated as animals.

It is said that people in the Yuan Dynasty were divided into four classes, and the prerequisite was that one had to become a human being first before being qualified to be classified into four classes. How could one be classified into four classes if one was not even considered a human being?
This topic is too complicated and Tanchun is too old to understand, so she is a little confused.

Fortunately, Yingchun didn't like this topic and continued to talk to Jia Lian after interrupting him. Guixiang, on the other hand, sat quietly aside, holding her stomach, watching the three people talking with a satisfied smile on her face.

To Guixiang, it doesn't matter who is the superior or the inferior. As long as her child is born, her personal destiny will change. If it is a son who is good enough, it will be worth it for her to have a royal decree in the future.

The maid who had gone out to ask questions came back and told Jia Lian the latest price of salt: coarse salt was 22 coins per catty, and green salt was 65 coins per catty. Compared with the spring, the price had more than doubled.

(PS: In ancient times, the price of salt was often measured in dou and shi. I am writing this based on current practice.)
This price seemed a bit exaggerated to Jia Lian. After all, in modern society with industrialized salt production, the price could hardly be so outrageous.

Of course, the high prices are also related to traffic and transportation, and more importantly, it is the collusion between officials and businessmen to exploit the people.

You don't have to eat other things, but salt is a necessity in life.

After Jia Lian learned the price, he began to think about how to write a memorial to stop Ning Ke. Although the two did not have much hatred, didn't this involve Lin Ruhai?
As a human being, it is normal to help your relatives instead of others!

Jia Lian is not a moral saint. When reading a book, he never criticizes the author under the banner of morality. At most, he will turn around and leave if he doesn't like it. He will occasionally point out the flaws in the work. In short, he will not stand on the moral high ground to tell others how to do this or that. However, under the heavy pressure of life today, any person can still have some dirt in his heart. Do you really think you are a moral role model?

People with a double standard constitution have a different opinion. Just like some women walking on the street in revealing clothes, if you look at them once, they will think you are vulgar, but if you look at them twice, they will suspect that you are taking secret photos.

I would like to advise you all that if you meet someone who is good at double standards and always demands others to do a certain thing, you should stay away from him as soon as possible, otherwise you will be struck by lightning and get covered in blood.

(End of this chapter)