Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 421: Unexpected Farewell

The ministers told the truth, and Emperor Chenghui was in a state of confusion. The sad thing was that even though they knew some people deserved to die, the ministers were still willing to let them go for the sake of national strategy. The happy thing was that the ministers were willing to tell the truth, even though they were a little evasive at the beginning and only let it go after Li Heng exposed it.

But anyway, at least there is a truth. Emperor Chenghui did not blame the ministers for their reaction. The matter here could not be explained in a few words.

If you want to get to the bottom of the Shanxi merchants, their history can be traced back to the Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties or even further. Shanxi has produced too many famous families. Shanxi merchants have never been simple businessmen, but are two sides of the same coin with the local big families. Shanxi merchants have a wide network of contacts in the capital and great influence. Don't blame Lin Ruhai for not killing Datong in the first place, and for holding back this time. He was really afraid.

Emperor Chenghui sat quietly in his seat, thinking, and his ministers also sat quietly, waiting for his final judgment.

"Investigate, and ask the merchants who violate the law to return taxes and impose heavy penalties. If their clansmen are officials, they will be dismissed and sent home to study. They will be reinstated after three years. Those who are extremely evil will be killed! As for Li Ni and the King of Dongping, I don't care whether they are united or not. In the face of absolute power, everything is an illusion. If they know what's good for them, Li Ni should surrender himself, and the two kings of Dongping and Xining should also come to Beijing with their families and give up their military power. I will return them to rich and idle people. In short, I will not compromise this time!"

Emperor Chenghui spoke very slowly, and it seemed that every word he said weighed a thousand pounds, hitting the hearts of his ministers hard. Li Heng scratched his ears and cheeks excitedly, and there was a gleam in the emperor's eyes.

After hearing this, Lin Ruhai sighed and said, "In this case, the Jinshang Bank case will have to go through a lot of trouble. It will not be able to resume business for a while, and it will be difficult to resume business in the future."

Emperor Chenghui was very determined: "It doesn't matter. At worst, we can change the name in the future. Or we can call it New Jinshang Bank. Those who are willing to operate in accordance with the law will be warmly welcomed by the court and will receive the necessary support."

The emperor made a decision, and the cabinet quickly formed a resolution and issued it for execution.

Because of this case, the day when Shanxi Merchants Bank resumes operations has become a distant prospect.

Xu Lin from the Inspectorate was taken away by Captain Long Jin while he was working and was not released until three days later. He himself did not actually get involved in the family business and it can be said that he was well protected by the family.

But this time it was different. Emperor Chenghui was determined to set a benchmark to let the families in the world see clearly that they should not think that they could be an official and do business at the same time without affecting each other.

How can there be no connection when one of the family members is an official and the other is a businessman? Even if the connection cannot be found, as long as one of the parties violates the law, the other party will be implicated.

Even officials who have already separated from their families will be affected. They will continue to serve as officials, but will be transferred from important positions and will have little chance of promotion.

Xu Lin was directly dismissed from his post. No matter how high his profile was among the young officials in Beijing, he became even more destitute when he was ordered to leave Beijing within a certain period of time.

Xu Lin didn't even have time to deal with the properties he purchased in the capital, so he could only leave his servants to deal with them slowly while he went ahead.

Of the friends who used to surround him, none came to see him off. He left the capital quietly with only a carriage, two servants, and two maids.

Xu Lin, filled with sorrow, sat on the shaft of the cart, looking at the blue sky and the changing clouds. All his ambitions became illusory at this moment.

Suddenly, the carriage stopped and the driver in front shouted, "Sir, someone is waiting at Shili Pavilion."

Xu Lin was delighted. As long as he had a friend to see him off, all these years in the capital would not be in vain. Having a close friend would be enough.

When he saw clearly the smiling person standing in the pavilion, the fire in Xu Lin's heart was extinguished, and his spiritual world instantly returned to a cold winter night.

Darkness, this world is too dark!
A gentleman like me has been deposed, while a treacherous villain like Jia Lian has risen to prominence. The Great Zhou Dynasty will be destroyed sooner or later.

Xu Lin, whose inner resentment had reached its peak, was fearless. He got off the carriage, strode forward and stood in front of Jia Lian.

There was already a height difference of about ten centimeters between the two, and now Jia Lian was standing on a higher ground, looking down on him even more. Xu Lin didn't notice it at first, but by the time he realized it, it was too late to regret.

It feels so frustrating to be looked down upon.

Xu Lin opened his mouth to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. He could only use his eyes to kill Jia Lian with endless anger.

"Looking at me like this, do you feel that you are wronged? Are you very unconvinced?" Jia Lian was really not angry at all. He came here to wait for Xu Lin on purpose.

Speaking of which, Jia Lian has been disliking the children from big families for a long time.

It's not a question of stance, it's simply because, [Jia doesn't even dare to call himself a gentleman, how can you be qualified? You dare to get ahead of me in my territory, so don't blame me for taking advantage of you. ]

All in all, Jia Lian felt that if he didn't do this, he would not be able to calm down.

Xu Lin was irritated by Jia Lian's question. He gasped rapidly, like pulling a bellows. After suppressing it for a long time, he calmed down and said in a tone that he thought was still elegant: "You and I are from the same department. Xu is a seventh-rank official, while you are a fourth-rank official. Do you dare to say that you have more opportunities to make meritorious deeds because you are closer to the emperor?"

This sentence seems tough, but it actually reveals Xu Lin's true mentality.

In short, he was not convinced, especially towards Jia Lian.

Xu Lin never thought that he was worse than Jia Lian. Especially after the results of the palace examination were announced, after reading the posted essays of the top scorer, Xu Lin made a disdainful judgment that Jia Lian got the top spot by flattering his superiors.

Of course, Xu Lin could not deny the series of achievements that Jia Lian made after he entered officialdom, but he believed that Jia Lian had more opportunities to make meritorious services, and if it were him, he would be able to do better.

Jia Lian didn't take Xu Lin's words too seriously, thinking it was just the incompetent barking of a defeated dog.

Of course, Jia Lian would be happy to break his spine with a stick.

"When we were in the Wucheng Military Command, I didn't charge you with contempt for your superiors because we were all censors. I didn't target anyone, but you had no good intentions towards me. As for the merits, I won't talk about some things you shouldn't know. Just talking about the invasion of the northern barbarians and the fall of Zhangjiakou, you were also in the capital at that time. As a Shanxi native, if you dare to take the initiative to sign up and be a supervisor in the army, I would respect you as a man. Come, tell me, what were you busy with at that time? Treat your colleagues in the Eight Great Hutongs?"

You're not convinced, are you? Well, not only will I defeat you, I'll also rub your face in the mud.

Xu Lin wanted to refute, but unfortunately, Jia Lian's casual words came true.

At that time, Xu Lin was really entertaining his colleagues at a banquet. After drinking, he was fond of making big remarks, criticizing the Ministry of War and the Cabinet at the time, and even hinted at His Majesty's reform of the court.

The shame and anger of having one's shortcomings exposed in front of him soon made Xu Lin's face flush red. He pointed at Jia Lian and said angrily: "So what? Do you dare to say that you have been clean since you became an official? I dare!"

Jia Lian couldn't help but smile after hearing this retort. "What a coincidence, I dare to do that too. Since I became an official, I have not embezzled a penny of public funds, and I have not even used my power to seek a penny of benefit for the Jia family. As for being clean, the Xu family is a big family, and so is the Jia family. People like us who come from families like us have no right to say that we are clean from the moment we are born. We all have original sin. All the wealth and glory are built on the blood and sweat of countless low-level tenants and slaves. Since I became an official, I have made countless contributions to the country and the court. What about you? Are you worthy of being compared with me? If you think you are worthy, then please tell me about your great achievements and let me learn more about them."

Xu Lin was stunned at the time. Jia Lian’s question was too simple and crude. Yes, what are my political achievements?

Xu Lin, who was led into a ditch by Jia Lian, thought hard but could not think of any merits that he could bring out. After passing the imperial examination, he passed the imperial examination and became a scholar-official. After two years in the Imperial Academy, he was not sent out to other places, but went directly to the Inspectorate. It was not that he did not have the opportunity to be sent out, but that he felt that life was too hard outside and he was unwilling to leave the prosperous capital.

Look at Jia Lian on the opposite side. After he became the top scholar at the age of sixteen, he fought in Yunyang and captured the bandit leader. Then he served as the acting prefect, governed the area, stabilized the people, restored production, and recruited outstanding people. He fought in Jining again and quelled the rebellion. He fought in Zhangjiakou for the third time, resolved the crisis in the north, and saved Xuanda. If you have to find fault with Jia Lian, it is nothing more than that wherever he went, the gentry and powerful people complained. Xu Lin actually knew very well what kind of character the local gentry and powerful people were. As an official, being envied by the gentry and powerful people was not a shameful thing, but an honor. Up to now, Jia Lian is only nineteen years old. Look at yourself?
Xu Lin is still a man with a sense of shame. After a conversation, Xu Lin suddenly realized that his previous groundless dislike for Jia Lian was groundless and the root cause was jealousy.

For a moment, Xu Lin was speechless and overwhelmed with shame. He covered his face with his sleeves and turned away.

All the arrogance from before turned into the early spring wind at this moment, drifting farther and farther away.

To be honest, Xu Lin's performance surprised Jia Lian. People are indeed complicated. If you look at modern times, you will know that many great figures are from famous families. There are also more children of famous families who followed him to the other side and survived in a small place.

We cannot draw conclusions about a person based on his or her origins. The birth process of any civilization is not only bright and glorious, but also has an invisible dark side.

Subconsciously, Jia Lian's attitude towards Xu Lin changed a little, at least he no longer despised him.

Especially seeing this guy embarking on the journey home alone instead of joining others for warmth.

Because of the beating of Fang Song, Xu Lin was dismissed from the Inspectorate, and the other four were sent to local prosecutorial offices. It was equivalent to demotion for Beijing officials to be transferred to other places.

Fang Song, the Censor-in-Chief, recovered from his injuries in half a month. After returning, he went to the Ministry of Personnel to handle the formalities and was appointed as the Right Censor-in-Chief, a promotion of three levels in a row.

With Fang Song taking office, the cabinet also signed and sealed the regulations on the amount of silver for crimes, and determined the regulations on preferential treatment and punishment for officials.

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When seeing this new rule, Jia Lian really didn't know what to feel. In short, it was very complicated.

If a corrupt official is discovered, he can use money to buy his life. This is the case for those who are discovered, but what about those who are not discovered?

It can only be said that any reforms in the middle and late stages of the dynasty were aimed at improving the central finances rather than considering the livelihood of the grassroots first.

The imperial court had money, and when the common people rebelled, the army had money to pay their salaries and suppress the rebellion.

In any dynasty, the first to be sacrificed are always the lowest class in society.

Seeing that this new rule he had come up with could actually be passed, Jia Lian once again deeply understood the word "privilege".

Human society can never avoid the existence of privileges. If a country is to maintain a state of healthy development, it must ensure the existence of an upward channel.

As a member of the privileged class, Jia Lian sometimes felt secretly embarrassed deep down, then shook his head and forgot about it.

I can only promise to do my best to treat the lower class well. As for the servants of the Jia family, they are not qualified to be at the bottom of society.

The bottom of the society in this country is in the vast rural areas. The ordinary citizens in the city, as long as they have a job that can guarantee three meals a day, are not qualified.

Later, although agricultural taxes were waived, capital came in. Seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides were first vetted, and then every household was deprived of the right to raise a few pigs.

Capital will not miss any field that allows for large-scale production.

Overall, the growth rate of social wealth has accelerated, but the so-called reducing effect can be ignored.

The lower class can only sell themselves and work to earn money. Anyone who dares to say that they treat their employees well will be accused of destroying the environment.

When some alternative elements emerged among the capitalists, the official media came out and attacked them.

The frightened author went to look up the Constitution and the Labor Law overnight.

Pulling away, get back to business.

In the eleventh year of Chenghui, spring came a little late in the officialdom. A storm was jokingly called "late spring cold".

As the worst-hit area, the Inspectorate was reorganized again, and half of its officials were replaced. The provincial censors were also required to conduct self-inspections. The court sent inspectors to conduct inspections within the year. If any problems were found, they would be charged with additional crimes.

Although there are constant cases in the officialdom, the general tone has not changed: unless the crime is serious, the person will not be executed.

The rectification of the Inspectorate was still in progress. The case in Shanxi was investigated by Long Jinwei. The Ministry of War was also busy. Yue Qi launched a new military reform.

The original intention of the military reform was to build a Beijing camp capable of fighting. Note that this does not include local areas.

The reforms at this stage can be regarded as common sense.

Yue Qi had extensive military experience, so, in response to existing problems in the Beijing Camp, he combined the existing successful experience (Shenji Camp) to launch his plan.

The Beijing camp was divided into three parts: the field army, the garrison army, and the imperial guard.

The field army was divided into three towns. The original Xishan Camp was changed to Xishan Town (the First Town), with one commander and two assistant commanders, and it was in charge of the flags, battalions, teams, platoons, and tents at all levels.

Nanyuan Town and Tongzhou Town are the second and third towns, each with a military strength of between 15,000 and 18,000 men, and their equipment is copied from the Shenjiying.

The Shenjiying, a reference for military reform, belongs to the garrison army and is ranked fourth in the operational sequence.

Jiumen Town is the imperial guard, the fifth town in sequence.

The Imperial Stable Supervisor and the Dragon Guard Commander were not included in the Beijing camp.

After the military reform, the left, center and right military commanders as well as the grand commander-in-chief were all temporary assignments and no longer permanent positions.

When this plan came out, the nobles in the capital were shocked and they wrote letters to express their dissatisfaction.

(End of this chapter)