Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

"Xiang Ling, please change your clothes." Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and opened the azure curtain embroidered with ink and wash landscapes.

"You...are going out now? Don't you need lunch?"

Baochai stood up under the quilt, with a slightly resentful look on her face, her skin was bright red, dripping with sweat, and a few strands of hair stuck to her forehead.

Jia Cong turned around and leaned down, kissed her soft and plump lips gently, and said with a smile: "We went out to eat and made an appointment."

"Who?" Baochai rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Are Sister Bao jealous? Don't worry, the ones who don't have girls are Fatty Feng and the others."

Baochai's eyes flashed with shame, and he spat: "If anyone is jealous of you, just go and do it. The food outside is not as clean as the food at home, so you should eat less."

"Eh? Sister Bao's words seem to have some profound meaning." Jia Cong said with a smile.

When Baochai heard this, she was so ashamed that she hid her head and face under the quilt and said angrily: "You're talking nonsense, go away."

"I'm too lazy to go out to socialize. I'm busy. I'll take care of this matter as soon as possible so that I can be free to deal with Brother Xue's affairs."

"It's easy to talk," Jia Cong sat down with a smile. After everyone was seated, he said: "Your Majesty, Brother Zhengfang, Brother Pingyan, Brother Niu Shi, I have the temerity to invite you. I just want to ask you to see something." Then pass the list to everyone for circulation.

Jia Cong waved him away, took an ordinary blue cloth cart, and quietly left.

"Oh, thank you for your waiting. Damn it, damn it. Some household chores have been delayed. Don't blame me." Jia Cong came in with a smile and cupped his hands.

Baxianlou is a medium-sized restaurant in Shenjing. The soy sauce beef is a specialty. Jia Cong, Zhongxin and others fell in love with it after eating there once.

"Take this opportunity to push Ping Yangong into the cabinet. Pingyan Gong was promoted to the minister in the past. He is old and virtuous, has excellent talents, has deep qualifications, and has a high prestige in the scholarly community. If he can get help, it should not be difficult for him to join the cabinet. "Jia Cong slowly told Pang Chao's arrangements.

"I've seen it, Mr. Pang has no objection." Wen Youfang bowed.

Feng Yuan and Guan Pu looked at each other, nodded slowly, and did not ask why Lin Ruhai was not invited to discuss. It was obvious that Jia Cong wanted to alienate the New Party.

Jia Cong laughed and looked at Xiang Ling who was becoming more and more well-behaved. He couldn't help but hugged her and kissed her hard, then grabbed Ying'er's buttocks and left with great satisfaction.

"Except for the principal culprits such as Tu Fei and Cao Jin, there is a freshly released list of other persons involved in the case," Jia Cong said.

At this time, there were several people waiting in the private room on the third floor.

In the front hall, Wen Youfang was already waiting and presented an abbreviated list.

As for the clan, the prince is familiar with the situation and might as well give you some advice. Brother Zhengfang and Duke Pingyan just looked at the remaining courtiers. "

"Please Zilong for advice."

"Okay, okay." Everyone nodded hurriedly.

"Well, that's fine, let's go."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "I have a clever plan. The affairs of the court have nothing to do with me, but you two can make plans with Jiang Xiang."

"It's fun to laugh. Thanks to the Duke's care, I will repay my favor in the future." Guan Pu twisted his beard and said with a smile.

The two of them were excited. They had already thought of this event and hurriedly asked: "Does the Duke (Zilong) have any clever ideas?"

Xiangling was already shy, and when she heard this, her face turned red as if she was about to bleed, and Qiqi Aiai couldn't say a word.

"I've shown you my body so many times. How often do you show it to me sooner or later? It's a courtesy, and you can't just let honest people suffer."

Ying'er sneered and covered her lips with the back of her hand.

Zhongxin smiled and said: "My boss came late and made us wait. He will be punished by drinking three drinks."

"The Lord's righteousness is deeply felt in our hearts." Guan Pu and others were overjoyed. This was an excellent opportunity to eliminate dissidents and win over his cronies. As expected, Jia Cong took the initiative.

"Sir, this is a preliminary list of people related to the rebellion case. Please indicate it."

Jia Cong said: "Has Mr. Pang read it?"

Jia Cong laughed and jumped out of bed naked. Xiang Ling and Ying'er had already come in with hot water, wiped him clean, and helped him change into casual clothes.

"The Duke said so." Everyone nodded.

Seeing Xiang Ling's blushing face and shy look, Jia Cong couldn't help teasing her.

Everyone laughed and said, "How dare you? Zilong, please take a seat."

For a while, everyone looked at it carefully and took turns to scribble on the list. Jia Cong saw that everyone was measured and did not delete it drastically, so he nodded with satisfaction.

Jia Cong waved his hand and said with a smile: "Brother Niu Shi and I understand the matter of your honor, so I don't need you to worry about it.

"How can you bully a girl? Why don't you go and do it if you're not busy?" Baochai spoke uprightly in the tent.

Everyone took a breath and suddenly felt that the thin paper weighed more than a thousand pounds. Each name on it represented a famous gentry family in Beijing.

"This is..." Everyone was shocked as they looked at the names of clan members, nobles, and courtiers.

"That makes sense." Everyone laughed.

"What does the Duke mean?" Guan Pu asked.

"You're welcome. I invite you all here today just to be honest with each other. The wind is strong and the waves are high. If we don't support each other, it won't last long." Jia Cong said.

"I do have a humble opinion."

"Ping Yan Gong, I didn't expect you to have recruited many talented people from the old party. You really have a way." Jia Cong said with a smile.

"For example, this time, the only two remaining bachelors of the old party are definitely in trouble. They pulled out the carrots and brought out the mud, along with all the court officials. Do you two care about the vacant position?" Jia Cong looked at Feng Yuan and Guan Pu.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "How can Cong dare to be expert in such a big matter because he is young and has little knowledge? Naturally, I have to ask for your opinions to avoid arresting the wrong person. Please see if there is anything that needs to be added or deleted."

Everyone was shocked, Jia Cong actually wanted to plan for the position of military commander, and he had a big appetite.

Zhongxin and Niu Jizong looked at each other. This had nothing to do with them. They just drank tea without saying a word.

Old Guan Pu's face was a little hot, his voice was trembling slightly, and he was obviously very excited, and he said: "The Lord's kindness, how can I repay my teaching servant?

It's just a military aircraft position. I'm afraid His Majesty already has a candidate in mind, and it can't be forced by human power. "

Feng Yuan also nodded and said: "Now the New Party accounts for three people in the Military Aircraft Department. Even if Prime Minister Jiang pushes hard, it may not be possible."

"I know that you are talking about Duan Zhun and the others in the New Party. Except for Duan Zhun who has sufficient qualifications, the rest of them, whether they are Hunan Governor Hengzhou, Fujian Chief Envoy Wen Wei, Shanxi Inspector Wang Si, or those from Beijing. Ding Xian, the right minister of the Ministry of Justice, and my father-in-law are like Hai Gong, but they are not qualified enough to compete with Ping Yan Gong," Jia Cong said.

"Having said that, how can the three major military aircraft of the New Party be taken lightly? It is difficult for the Holy One to favor the New Party." Feng Yuandao.

"Not necessarily. No matter how favored the New Party is today, there is no reason to let its family become the dominant one. Besides, neither Prime Minister Jiang nor Duke Ping Yan will restrict the new law. The Holy One may not consider it. What's more..."

"What?" "Military Grand Masters have a long tradition of court promotion. When Prime Minister Jiang says, with the combined efforts of your two families, the new party may not be able to cover the sky with one hand." Jia Cong said with a smile.

The court recommendation is hosted by the Ministry of Personnel, which organizes officials of the third rank and above in the imperial court to publicly recommend talents for an important position, and finally reports the two or three people with the most votes for the emperor to select.

The person who is elected must be a person with a great reputation. The so-called right to get an official position is to be recommended by court.

Guan Pu said: "It's just that among the officials of third rank and above, excluding the old party, most of them are members of the new party. Even Tingtui and servants have no hope."

Everyone nodded.

Jia Cong had already prepared and said with a smile: "What's the difficulty? I'll leave Shi and Su alone for the time being. I'll take care of the rest of the old party first. You try to fill in the vacancies and come back to Tingtui when the troops and horses are strong. It's not yet known who will win." "

Everyone clapped their hands and laughed: "Wonderful plan!"

"As for the clan, King Zhongshun is finished this time. It would be great if the prince can take advantage of the situation and seize the position of Da Zongzheng. I can only help you get here." Jia Cong looked at Zhongxin and nodded on the table. register.

Zhongxin smiled bitterly and shook his head: "It's difficult, it's difficult. There are still a few old princes in the clan whose titles are above mine. This Zuo Zongzheng was passed down to me by my father. If I want to go further, it will be difficult to reach the sky."

Feng Yuan smiled and said: "My lord, everything depends on human effort. Don't forget that we are still in charge of clearing the deficit. As long as we do this well and achieve this great contribution, Da Zong Zheng will naturally deserve the title."

Zhongxin's eyes lit up, he held Jia Cong's hand and said, "Brother, I rely on you."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "You and I, brothers, why are you so polite? Come and eat vegetables."

Everyone laughed and left happily.
-
Three days later, in the Yangxin Hall, Jia Cong played Emperor Xifeng of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, the rebellion case of Tu Fei and others has made significant progress, and I am here to report it.

This is the detailed case and the list of persons involved. The princes and teachers Zhize and Su Haochu insisted that they were coerced by Tu Fei and others and could not help themselves, and had no objection.

Considering that everyone's identity was unusual, they were not tortured. Careful investigation and verification are required. The rest of the people have confessed, and all the witnesses and material evidence are available. Ask the Holy Judge. "

Emperor Xifeng flipped through the book and sneered: "Anyone who has confessed his crime will have his or her family confiscated by the courtiers who appeared in Ningshou Palace that night;
Generals of the third rank or above who participated in the rebellion, those without titles, and the Yi tribe;
Those who have nobility will be deprived of their title, their homes will be confiscated and their families will be exterminated, and the rest will be removed from the rank of generals of more than a thousand generals.

As for the clan members who secretly colluded with the rebels, their homes were confiscated, their titles were seized, and they were demoted to common people.

The court officials involved in this case will all have their homes confiscated and dismissed from their posts, and will never be used again. "

"The minister obeys the order."

"I give you seven days to resolve this case and set the record straight."

"I accept the decree and will definitely live up to the emperor's orders." Jia Cong bowed and said.

"Let's go. By the way, go to the harem to see Concubine Yuan. She was also a little frightened this time." Emperor Xifeng said.

Jia Cong agreed and went to Fengzao Palace to visit Concubine Yuan.

When Concubine Yuan saw him arriving, she cried with joy. She pulled him to cry and laugh. She was happy because the Jia family had another prince, and he was also a powerful prince. She was crying because she was frightened by the rebels' night attack on the palace a few days ago. broken.

Jia Cong comforted her for a while before coaxing her back to peace, and said: "Sister, there is no need to be sad, our family is fine, and the old ladies and sisters miss you too.

In a few days, I will tell you, Your Majesty, how about welcoming you home to visit you during the Lantern Festival next year? "

Concubine Yuan burst into tears and laughed, saying: "It's a deal, don't coax me."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "I am a prince after all, how can I go back on my word?"

Concubine Yuan sneered and said, "You, you don't have the integrity to act like a prince." As she said this, her smile suddenly faded away and she said, "No, don't play it."

"Hey, why is this? The eldest sister doesn't want to be married?" Jia Cong asked curiously.

Concubine Yuan smiled bitterly: "I have never dreamed of it. It's just that you have just been promoted to the title of Duke, and your foundation is not stable. If you ask for relatives in a hurry, you may lose the holy family. It should be noted that kindness comes from the superior, but it cannot be claimed by the ministers."

Jia Cong nodded slowly and said: "Forget it, I'll just ask the Queen to help me mention it when the time comes. What's the value of such a small thing?"

Concubine Yuan smiled when she heard this and said, "If the empress is willing to help, then it will be a matter of course."

Jia Cong smiled and said: "I am the queen's son-in-law after all. Why don't you help me with this little help? If you tell me, it will make people laugh."

"Be careful what you say!" Concubine Yuan was startled and shouted hurriedly: "You are so complacent again that you can't say anything."

Jia Cong smiled, spread his hands, and said, "Sister, it's better to guard against the slightest chance than Cong."

Concubine Yuan rolled her eyes at him and did not dare to mention the matter again. She was afraid that he would say something disrespectful again and said something disrespectful. She turned around and said, "How are you, sir and madam?"

"Well, Brother Huan is very clever. When the rebels came, he did the opposite and took them to hide in Xiaoci County. They escaped without any damage and are now heading back." Jia Cong said with a smile.

Concubine Yuan breathed a sigh of relief and said, "That's good." She stopped talking and glanced at Jia Cong.

Jia Cong understood and said, "Sister, do you want to talk about your wife?"

Concubine Yuan was a little embarrassed and said: "Third brother, now you have become famous and have a family and a career.

My sister wants to ask for a favor from you. In the past, my wife was stupid and offended you a lot. My sister will make amends for you on her behalf. I hope you won’t argue with her. I don’t think she will ever be the same as before. "

Jia Cong said: "Sister, it is the old lady's intention to punish my wife, and it has nothing to do with Cong. However, since my eldest sister has opened Chrysostom, why can't I do it? I will go back and tell the old lady."

He also didn't want to cause a rift between Mrs. Wang and Concubine Yuan. At this stage, a concubine was still very important to the family.

Concubine Yuan said happily: "Third brother, you have really grown up, sensible and tolerant. Our family will depend on you in the future."

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Sister, don't try to trick me. As long as my wife takes me as the patriarch of the clan seriously in the future and doesn't mess around with her, I will naturally respect her."

"Third brother, don't worry. I told her that it will never happen again. From now on, you will have the final say in all major affairs of our family." Concubine Yuan said hurriedly.

After hearing about Jia Cong's bravery in leading the troops to turn the tide, she could no longer think of competing with him. Besides, she felt relieved to have such a strong man at home.

Jia Cong nodded: "If there is a big matter at home, I will naturally ask my eldest sister for advice. My eldest sister has a heavy responsibility in the palace and is walking on thin ice. If there are any problems, I can ask someone to tell me, and my younger brother will take care of my sister's worries."

Concubine Yuan had tears in her eyes. This brother was the only one in the family who understood her suffering, so she nodded and said, "I understand. You should be more careful outside. The officialdom is dangerous, so don't be careless."

"Yes."

Concubine Yuan and Jia Cong talked about their brother-sister relationship for a long time before reluctantly parting ways.

"Don't forget, teach Baochai and the others to bring Sister Qiao in next time so I can have a look." Concubine Yuan watched Jia Cong leave and suddenly raised her voice.

Jia Cong staggered and said with some embarrassment: "Okay, I also like this niece."

Concubine Yuan looked at him with a half-smile but said teasingly: "Since she is your niece, you have to love her very much."

Jia Cong smiled dryly and said, "Don't worry, sister." After saying that, he hurried away, wondering if even Concubine Yuan in the palace knew about this?

What a bastard, none of the three of you can learn it well! Concubine Yuan's face turned slightly red and she glared at him angrily. (End of chapter)