Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Chapter 693 A sudden rise
Jiang Feng waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't be angry, my colleagues. There is always a teacher among three people. Governor Qiu has served as an important official in the Western Regions and Shaanxi and Gansu. He is well aware of the situation there. It is not surprising that he has insights that exceed ours.

The ancients said that reading ten thousand books is like traveling ten thousand miles. You have all read ten thousand books, but have you only traveled ten thousand miles? I am afraid there are few people in the court who understand this. Why don’t you listen to me and then discuss it?”

Guan Pu smiled and said, "What Prime Minister Jiang said is very true. I have lived in Jiangnan for a long time, and all I know about the customs and folkways of the Western Regions comes from books. It is hard for me to imagine the real situation there, so I ask Governor Qiu to help us solve our doubts."

"I dare not." Qiu Zhixin was rescued by the two men and freed from the siege.

He hurriedly said: "In the Western Regions, the people of all ethnic groups all hate the ruthlessness of Ah Ni, and all of them respect the benevolence of the Heavenly Dynasty and admire the clothes of the Central Plains.

The people there have been skilled in archery and horse riding since childhood and are brave by nature. Now their homes have been burned down and their wives have been tortured. All the brave men are furious and want to fight to the death with the rebels, but they lack the order from the imperial court.

The emperor only needs to raise his arm and call for help, and in an instant there will be tens of thousands of powerful troops. How can you say there are no soldiers?
Chinese people who have not been to the Western Regions have all spread false rumors, calling them barren deserts, which is actually a big mistake.

The Russians caused trouble in Yili because they were fascinated by its fertile land, sweet springs, flat rivers and plains, abundant resources, and it had long been known as a fertile area. In addition, it was slightly close to the southern border of their country, so they could move freely.

The Western Regions have traditionally been known for their rich water and grass, and abundant livestock. Except for Ili in the north, the ancient city of Qitai, Jimusa to Dihua, Changji, Suila and other places have all become barren since the wars in recent years.

Recently, merchants, civilians, and indigenous people from Gucheng and Jimusa have gathered to open up land and harvest abundant crops. The government troops charge high prices for the crops, which saves them a lot of transportation.

If I manage the place properly, there is a good hope for its recovery.

Among the places in the south, Turpan is the most fertile area. Except for the area belonging to Karashar, the other eight cities are mostly barren. Although the rest are not as extensive as the northern route, they are sometimes more fertile.

If the whole territory is recovered and people are recruited, the army's food can be collected and transported locally, and the military's salaries can be obtained nearby, so there will be no need to be as tight and worried as before, and there will be no panic.

After the Western Regions are pacified, all ethnic groups will have a rest and recuperation, and the ancient trade routes will be restored. In a short time, the country will be prosperous. How can you say that there is no benefit?"

Everyone in the court nodded secretly after hearing these words. It seemed that there was still room for a fight in the Western Regions?
However, these bureaucrats never make decisions based on whether you are right or wrong, but only on their own position.

For example, people in the New Party now wish to tear Qiu Zhixin, who jumped out to disrupt the situation, into pieces. No matter how much you talk, you cannot change the established policy of the New Party.

As for the Zhongli and Xueshe factions, they had never agreed with the New Party's decision to abandon the Western Regions. Now that Jia Cong was leading the fight again, they were happy to be troublemakers.

Even if they cannot change the decision of the New Party, at least they can know that the court is not a one-man show and there are still many "loyal and dedicated people".

Gu Tao nodded and asked, "Governor Qiu just mentioned the two major problems of no soldiers and no profit. I wonder how to solve the problem of 'no money'?"

Feng Yuan hurriedly said, "Lao Qiu, the ministry has just allocated 500 million silver coins to quell the rebellion of the chieftains in Qinghai, Hunan and Guangxi. We need to deal with the affairs of the Western Regions, but we can't take out a single cent of silver."

Jia Cong suddenly came out and said, "Your Majesty, I have been contemplating my mistakes for more than half a month. Fortunately, I have come up with a plan that can raise a huge amount of money and grain to pay for the Western Expedition without spending a single cent of the national treasury!"

When these words were spoken, all the civil and military officials in the court were shocked. If they had known that Jia Cong was rich, could it be that he had the Midas touch to turn stones into gold?

Feng Yuan's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "Young Master has such an amazing skill? Tell me quickly."

Although Emperor Xifeng was also surprised, he remained calm. He glared at Feng Yuan and said, "Show it."

"Yes. Your Majesty, please allow me to raise money for military expenses by using the tariffs on trade routes in the Western Regions for the next few decades as bait from the wealthy families and business tycoons.

By then, the imperial court will be able to recover the vast territory without spending a single soldier or penny, and the patriotic gentry who invested in the project will also be exempted from tariffs for many years. Isn't that a win-win for both sides?" Jia Cong said.

Feng Yuan clapped his hands and smiled, "Great, it really is a good idea!
Your Majesty, I admire Shao Bao's method very much. I have never heard of such a good thing in my life. Please grant me your approval!"

Meng Huacai frowned and said, "This is a trick of getting something for nothing. If the court wants to gain the trust of the world, how can it use such trickery? If it fails, how can it explain to the investors?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's obvious that Lord Meng doesn't do business. How many businessmen in the world can guarantee that they will make a profit without losses?

Business is risky, and investment must be cautious. Once you buy, don't hold on. Don't complain whether you win or lose. Cong must have made these principles clear in advance. If you are afraid of losing money, just don't get involved. Who is forcing them to pay?"

Meng Huacheng opened his mouth and was speechless. It was indeed true.

Feng Yuan chimed in, "What the young guard said is that in business there are gains and losses, and a gentleman like Lord Meng cannot do business, and even if this fails, it won't be any worse than it is now.

Just think about it, since we have invested so much money, how can we afford to fail?

If the army's offensive fails, they will naturally make additional investments or bring others into the game without the help of the young guard, so as not to end up with nothing. This is what businessmen do. "

"That's right." All the ministers nodded and laughed.

Emperor Xifeng was also somewhat moved by what he heard. After all, which emperor would be willing to sign a treaty under siege? It would be a curse in the history books for eternity, so he looked at Duan Zhun and others and said, "What do you think, my dear ministers?"

Huo Peng, Dong Yi and others all looked at Lin Ruhai meaningfully. Brother Ruhai, your son-in-law has become a rising star, why don't you say something?
Lin Ruhai sighed secretly, and said, "I have something I don't understand, please enlighten me, Jia Shaobao."

Jia Cong looked at Lin Ruhai and said in a deep voice, "Minister Lin asked me about this, and I will tell you everything I know."

Lin Ruhai said: "Just now, Shao Bao said that doing business has gains and losses, which is natural. However, it is also true for fighting a war, especially when the troops are thousands of miles away.

How can the merchants and the wealthy believe that they will win this time? If they are not optimistic about this battle, how can they come up with money? This is the first point.

Now that the peace talks have been decided and the treaty has been signed, if we rashly tear up the agreement and start another war, and if we are defeated again, where will the dignity of the court be? This is the second point.

What should we do if we start high and end low when raising military funds, and the agreement is broken, the war is raging, but there is no more food and money, and the rich and powerful see the situation as bad and flee at a loss?

Should we withdraw our troops and admit defeat, or should we drag the imperial court down with us? This is the third option.”

"Lord Lin hits the nail on the head with his words," everyone in the New Party echoed.

Jia Cong was slightly speechless. Lin Ruhai had indeed touched upon the key issue, and it was difficult to answer for the moment.

Qiu Zhixin knew the relationship between the two, and hurriedly spoke for Jia Cong: "Lord Lin is talking about two points, one is whether we can win, and the other is whether we can raise enough food and money, right?"

Lin Ruhai nodded and said, "That's right."

Qiu Zhixin said generously: "Your Majesty, I am confident of victory in this battle, and I am willing to lead the army on behalf of the court. Today, in front of the emperor and all my colleagues, I will sign a military order. If I cannot win, I will commit suicide to thank the world!" "Old Qiu is crazy."

"Is it worth it?"

"Why are you working so hard?"

"What's so good about the Western Regions?"

"Alas, I miscalculated. Even if I win, I have offended all the Grand Secretaries. What should I do in the future?"

"Lao Qiu doesn't plan to live anymore."

When the ministers heard that he had issued a military order, they were all shocked and began to whisper to each other.

Jia Cong also took a deep breath and said loudly: "I didn't expect that Governor Qiu would have such a heroic spirit. How can Cong be left behind?

I am willing to be the army's food supervisor to ensure that the Western Region army has a continuous supply of food. If I fail, I am willing to be punished by military law!

Just now, Lord Lin asked me how to make wealthy merchants hand over their money. My Lords, please forgive Cong's wild words. Based on Cong's past achievements, if I say we can win, then we can win. Who dares to question me?

With Cong's ability in business, if I say I can make money, then I can make money. Who dares to question me?
Even if the military funds raised were not enough, Cong still had some family wealth. Even if he had to sell everything he had, he would raise enough money to fight this war for the court! Otherwise, it would not be enough to repay the grace of heaven.

Therefore, you don't have to worry too much about money and food. Cong will find ways to raise at least 2000 million taels of silver for the army! "

"Well, well, well, I often hear people say that Jia is true, white jade is used to build a hall and gold is used to build a horse! Shao Bao is loyal and brave, and his actions of serving the public wholeheartedly are shameful to many heroes throughout the ages."

Jiang Feng clapped his hands and praised: "Your Majesty, I think this battle must be fought. If we don't fight without a single soldier or a single cent from the court, future generations will surely laugh at all the officials in the court being cowardly women."

"A soldier can be killed but not humiliated! I ask Your Majesty to order another battle to recover our lost territory!" The ministers said as they came out of the ranks.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Zuo Tongzheng Han Ting took out a few memorials from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, I have just received several memorials from famous scholars in the capital, including Mr. Sui Han, the principal of Mingde Academy, Mr. Han Mei, the principal of Youdao Academy, Mr. Guo Yun, the principal of Shendu Academy, etc.

"It is said that the court is seeking peace through peace, which is like adding fuel to the fire. We must seek peace through war in order to achieve long-term peace. Please read this, Your Majesty."

Tongzhengshi Bai Shou was secretly furious, as he had no idea about any of this. It was obvious that someone was deliberately hiding this from a member of the New Party in order to launch a surprise attack.

Sure enough, when these memorials were submitted, all the officials rushed out to speak out about the advantages of war and the disadvantages of peace. Since the war spirit was raging among the scholars, it was time to go with the flow and gain a reputation for being loyal to the emperor, patriotic, and outspoken.

Seeing that the officials were "outraged", Lin Ruhai retreated silently. At this point, he really could not find a reason not to fight.

Huo Peng said: "Your Majesty, the court has already signed an agreement with the Western Regions envoys. If we rashly tear it up, the court will lose all its credibility. How can we gain the trust of other countries in the future?"

Emperor Xifeng frowned slightly and nodded slowly.

Jia Cong sneered and said, "Mr. Huo, you said that treaty is too hard for Yu Cong to wipe his butt. Does the Celestial Empire still want to talk about loyalty and trust with barbarians and rebels?
Besides, the country stands firm in the world by force, not reputation. If you act like a modest gentleman, will others not bully you?
In the future, when we communicate with other nations, we will rely on our fists, not our credibility. If we cannot win on the battlefield, all we say will be in vain.

It is better to make people fear me than to make them trust me, do you agree with me, colleagues? "

Feng Yuan, Niu Jizong and others laughed and said, "What Shao Bao said is very practical and he knows people's hearts very well. That's right! The Hu people fear power but not virtue. What they respect is only swords and guns, not credibility."

Huo Peng was ridiculed by Jia Cong, so he snorted coldly and stepped aside.

Jia Cong added: "Cong has heard that 'I was sent to protect the country, but I don't know where to use the generals.' As a general of the country, Cong is deeply ashamed. I wonder how you generals feel?" After saying this, he glanced at Li Meng, Wang Ning and others.

Some people in the civil service team could not help but chuckle. These two lines of poetry really trampled the dignity of a general into the dust.

Even though Li Meng, Wang Ning and the others did not get along with Jia Cong, they dared not not express their opinions at this moment, otherwise it would be disastrous if the news got out. They hurriedly said: "It is a great shame! If the plan of the Grand Guardian and Governor Qiu is feasible, the Western Regions must fight!"

Qiu Zhixin glanced at the New Party and sneered, "As the old poem says, in the history of the Han Dynasty, the most foolish plan was to marry a princess. The country depends on a wise ruler, and its safety depends on women.

My dear colleagues, since the founding of the country by Emperor Taizu, not an inch of territory has been lost. During the reigns of Emperor Taizong and the Emperor Taishang, not an inch of territory was lost either. The current emperor is wise and powerful, far surpassing the previous dynasties. Why do you all want to cede territory and marry a princess? I am deeply puzzled.

How can the history books record that the first three emperors were able to defend the country, but the current emperor lost the vast land of the Western Regions? Where do you want to trap the emperor?"

As soon as these words came out, all the ministers in the palace were silent. These words were too sharp and too sensitive. They involved the historical evaluation and status of the emperor. Who dared to interrupt easily? Could it be that the emperor was not as good as the emperor emeritus, so they lost the country?

When Emperor Xifeng heard this, his pupils suddenly shrank like needles. He always prided himself on being diligent and hardworking, and he would not submit to anyone except Taizu.

He was already furious about the stain of defeat in the Western Regions, and now Qiu Zhixin had exposed it so openly, how could he tolerate it any longer?

Yin said coldly, "That makes sense. Tell me, my ministers, why did I lose the Western Regions? Was it because I was immoral? Or was it because I did the opposite and brought disaster to the world?"

"We, the ministers, would rather die than share your worries." When the ministers saw that Emperor Xifeng was angry, they all knelt down and apologized.

Emperor Xifeng snorted coldly and looked at Duan Zhun.

Duan Zhun sighed inwardly, knowing that Jia Cong, Qiu Zhixin and others had successfully aroused the emperor's "great talent and strategy" and created the conditions that necessitated a battle.

Yin Qi said: "Your Majesty, I think this is a different time. When we were negotiating peace, we didn't know that Governor Qiu and Shaobao Jia had such a good plan. Now we can keep the court's troops and money, and march west. It can be said to be the best of both worlds.

The sage said, "A gentleman should not be too harsh or too harsh on the world, but should be righteous." Now that justice is at hand, how can we endure humiliation and seek peace? I ask that you let Jia Shaobao and Governor Qiu give it a try."

Jia Cong was listening carefully, and when he saw Duan Zhun putting himself on the spot, he said hurriedly, "Prime Minister, you are right. I also want to fight for my country, but the food and fodder must be sent before the troops move. Money and food are the foundation for the victory of the army.

I recommend Governor Qiu to take charge, and I am content to be a grain supervisor. Of course, if any lord is willing to take on this responsibility, Cong is very willing to gallop to the Western Regions and kill the bandit chieftain with my own hands! "

What a cunning boy! The New Party members cursed inwardly, "You are the commander, but can't you stay in the rear and transport food?"
Qiu Zhixin kowtowed and said, "I have just signed a military order and am willing to lead the army for the court. If I fail, I will die. Please grant me permission, Your Majesty."

Seeing that the two of them cooperated so well, one willing to fight and the other willing to be beaten, everyone had nothing to say.

(End of this chapter)