Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Emperor Xifeng nodded and asked, "Who will be the general?"

Qiu Zhixin hurriedly said: "I recommend the former Gansu Town General Liu Jiezheng. He is well versed in military tactics, has outstanding military achievements, is familiar with the geography and customs of the Western Regions, and has a loyal and steady temperament. He is the best choice.

He was framed and arrested by Di Yan, Shi Ding and others the day before yesterday, and is now imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice’s Tianlao.”

"Ministry of Justice..." Emperor Xifeng said lightly.

The Minister of Justice Yan Ning hurried out and said, "Your Majesty, I have had people investigate for many days and have not found any violation of the laws of the country or the government by General Liu. What Di Yan, Shi Ding and others reported is all false. They deliberately excluded and framed him because they disagreed with General Liu's military strategy."

Jia Cong said, "Your Majesty, the Jinyiwei have investigated many places and found no illegal activities by General Liu. Please redress his name."

Now that the Prince of Nan'an was finished, Emperor Xifeng naturally would not investigate the matter any further, so he said, "Allow him to be released immediately and reinstated.

I order Qiu Zhixin, the governor of Shaanxi and Gansu, to be the general of Fuyuan, and grant him the authority to supervise the war in the Western Regions. However, if there is any urgent military situation, he can act at his own discretion and does not need to wait for my order. "

"I obey your order. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace and trust. I would never be able to repay you even if I die." Qiu Zhixin kowtowed with tears in his eyes.

Jia Cong nodded secretly. Emperor Xifeng was indeed a wise ruler. He dared to delegate power and trusted his employees, and did not employ them unless he was doubted. His courage far surpassed that of the retired emperor.

"Liu Jiezheng, the governor of Gansu and the commander-in-chief, was appointed as the general of the front army, temporarily under the command of the general of Fuyuan; Jia Cong, the junior protector, was appointed as the general of the rear army, with the overall responsibility of raising and transporting military expenses and food so that the front line would not be short of money.

As for the other generals who are suitable for use, you can report to me after you have made your decision.” Emperor Xifeng said.

"I will obey your order and will not let down God's grace." Jia Cong accepted the order and saw that the situation was settled, so he secretly winked at Feng Yuan.

Feng Yuan understood and turned his head slightly to look at the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate, Tan Cheng. It would be natural for him to bring up this matter and it would not attract attention.

He was also a senior member of the Neutral Party. He had gone through several major changes in the court and remained as stable as a rock. He could be called an unshakable figure in the political arena.

Tan Cheng had been informed by Jiang Feng, Feng Yuan and others, so he went out to report: "Your Majesty, the commander of the army has been decided, who can be the military supervisor?"

According to the rules of the imperial court, whenever the army is outside, a military supervisor will be appointed, and the supervisor will be either the emperor's trusted eunuch, a senior civil official, or a royal noble.

For example, when the Prince of Nannan went on a western expedition last time, he used the eldest prince Sun Qiu as the military supervisor.

"I recommend Chief Dai."

"I recommend His Highness the Tenth Prince. His Highness has been quite brave since he was young and is fond of military affairs. He will definitely not hinder the progress of the army."

"I recommend His Royal Highness the Second Prince."

"I recommend His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince."

"I recommend Prince Zhongxin."

"I recommend Minister Ding of the Ministry of War."

"I recommend Minister Gan of the Ministry of Works."

"I recommend Minister Wu."

……

Soon, the ministers nominated more than a dozen people, each with their own reasons, and no one could agree.

Emperor Xifeng hesitated for a moment and said calmly, "Let's discuss this matter later."

After the court session, all the ministers filed out, some were happy and some were sad.

This time, Jia Cong, the Neutral Party, the Student Party and Qiu Zhixin worked closely together to turn the tide, reversed the established national policy, won a great victory, and severely slapped the New Party in the face.

If the next war goes smoothly, Jia Cong's reputation will rise even higher.

All the officials in the world would think that if Jia Shaobao could overturn such a big thing, what else could he not do? How could they not rush to seek refuge and pay tribute to him?

Qiu Zhixin called Feng Yuan and Meng Huacai to stop, and said with a bow, "Please stay, my two lords. In order to ensure long-term peace and stability after the war, please ask the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Military Affairs to quickly send the local yellow register of the Western Regions people in the early Changtai period, as well as the files on tax quotas, salaries, military supplies, and military systems, to Suzhou by post.

So that I can examine the old rules, weigh the pros and cons according to the current situation, and make a long-term plan and submit a decision."

Feng Yuan smiled and said, "Brother, you have a plan in mind and foresight. I admire you. I will have someone sort it out and send it to you later. Don't worry."

"Thank you, Mr. Feng." Qiu Zhixin bowed with a smile.

They were colleagues in the Ministry of Revenue back then, and he was Feng Yuan's old boss, so naturally anything was easy to talk about.

Meng Huacai said with a fake smile: "Don't worry, Governor. Since the Emperor has issued an imperial decree, the Ministry of War will certainly provide full assistance."

"Thank you, sir."

"You're welcome." Meng Huacai glanced at him and turned away. As a senior member of the New Party, he naturally did not want to see officials from other factions achieve success.

Qiu Zhixin smiled slightly, not caring at all. He caught up with Jia Cong and said with a cupped hand, "I will bring Jie Zheng to visit the Shao Bao's residence later to discuss military personnel matters."

Jia Cong returned the greeting and said with a smile: "General Qiu, you are embarrassing me. You are the commander-in-chief of the Western Expedition. It is time for Cong to go to your residence to pay a visit to you."

Qiu Zhixin waved his hand and smiled, "My humble abode is simple and it is not easy to entertain guests. The Tan Mansion is generous and it can save me the money for a meal.

As the saying goes, if you live by the mountain, you eat the mountain; if you live by the water, you eat the water. If you live by the Shaobao, you will naturally eat the rich. "

Niu Jizong, Feng Yuan and others laughed when they heard this, thinking that Qiu Zhixin was cunning. He was a general, but he always called himself an official and praised Jia Cong highly, clinging to the thigh of the God of Wealth.

Jia Cong smiled and nodded, saying: "Since General Qiu has given the order, I will obey it."

He then looked at Niu Jizong, Liu Fang and the others and said, "Brothers, come as well. Let's see if there are any generals that can be used. We can recommend people who are our relatives."

Niu, Liu and others were overjoyed, knowing that this was another good opportunity to make achievements, so they hurriedly bowed and said, "We have obeyed your orders and will take our leave first." After that, they left quickly and went back to study the candidates.

Qiu Zhixin also went to the Ministry of Justice with Yan Ning to pick up Liu Jiezhen from prison, and Wang Ziteng accompanied them as Jia Cong's representative.

Seeing everyone leaving, Feng Yuan put his arm around Jia Cong's shoulders and walked aside, whispering, "Brothers, have you lived up to our expectations this time?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Thank you very much."

"Prime Minister Jiang asked me to ask, about the Western Regions..."

Jia Cong said, "Don't worry. After we conquer the Western Regions, I will re-establish the prefectures and counties and ask the court to send officials to govern them. When the time comes, I will ask Prime Minister Jiang, Prime Minister Guan, and Brother Yuan to recommend them. I guarantee that no new party will be able to gain a foothold in the Western Regions."

Feng Yuan was overjoyed and said, "Very good, Zilong is a man of quick words. No wonder Jiang Xiang always praises you. Brothers like you and I are of one mind. What can't we accomplish?"

"Haha, thank you for your care, Brother Zhengfang."

"Hey, each other."

"By the way, Zilong and Lingyue are at loggerheads in the court this time, will it be a problem for me to go home?

Do you need me to teach you two tricks to control your wife, so that you can keep your house safe?" Feng Yuan said half-jokingly and half-seriously. Jia Cong understood what he meant, and glanced at Lin Ruhai, Dou Xiu, Meng Huacai and others, shaking his head and said, "When you are in the court, you have no choice. A gentleman should be harmonious but different."

Feng Yuan smiled and said, "This time the quote is correct. Ru Hai Gong is naturally a gentleman as pure as jade, but he is afraid of being provoked by villains. There is also a saying that a gentleman can be deceived by his own methods. Zilong just needs to be careful."

"Thank you for the reminder, brother."

"What's it worth? Let's go."

Watching Feng Yuan waving and leaving, Jia Cong thought about it and decided to walk towards Lin Ruhai.

"Zilong." Lin Ruhai greeted him with a smile, as if he didn't take what happened just now to heart.

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "Father-in-law, please forgive me for my rudeness just now."

Lin Ruhai waved his hand and smiled, "That's not true. You and I are ministers in the same palace. We should speak our minds and be loyal to the emperor. Even if we have different opinions, it is normal. Such things happen every day in the court. What's the point?
They are all out of public interest, so why should I be surprised? Moreover, after listening to Governor Qiu and your strategy, I also think this matter has great potential.”

Jia Cong said happily: "Does my father-in-law also think that the Western Regions should be attacked?"

Lin Ruhai smiled and nodded: "The premise is that not a single soldier from the imperial court can be mobilized, and no money from the national treasury is needed."

"Of course." Jia Cong said with a smile.

"Go ahead. You are in charge of fundraising this time. The emperor's order is as heavy as a mountain. Don't be negligent. Go and raise funds as soon as possible." Lin Ruhai said with a smile.

"Father-in-law is right. Cong will take his leave."

"Brother Ru Hai has such a good son-in-law, which is really enviable." Dou Xiu said with a smile.

"The young master has a good nature, but I am afraid that he will be led astray by bad people. That would be a loss for the country." Meng Huacai said lightly.

Lin Ruhai naturally understood what his two colleagues meant. A trace of worry appeared in his eyes, and he sighed, "A grown-up child is no longer under the control of his mother. Let him be."

Judging from Jia Cong's words and deeds, he may not necessarily act according to the New Party's wishes in the future. Lin Ruhai has known him for several years and naturally knows that he is not a person who would always obey his will.

Not to mention the old guys in the New Party, even for the princess, Daiyu, and even his beloved Baochai and Qingwen, he would only "choose the good ones and follow them", and would never blindly obey their orders.

Thinking of this, Lin Ruhai sighed secretly. If Jia Cong and the New Party came into conflict one day, he would be caught in the middle and would have a hard time living in peace. It would be better for him to request to be sent to another post early and stay away from them, so that he wouldn't have to see them and be bothered by them.

"Zhun Gong, Brother Beifei, you see Ru Hai seems to be quite worried."

In the corridor of the Grand Council, Dong Yi looked at Lin Ruhai and others not far away, and an idea came to his mind.

Huo Peng nodded and said, "The father-in-law and son-in-law have different paths, so it's natural to be worried."

Duan Zhun's slightly cloudy eyes showed a strange color, and he said thoughtfully: "I heard that Ru Hai's daughter is of noble character and beautiful appearance, and is very favored by the young protector. Therefore, she also respects this uncle and father-in-law very much."

"That's right. When Ru Hai was seriously ill and dying while serving at the Yangzhou Salt Bureau, he took a liking to his nephew, who was born out of wedlock and had a promising future, at first sight and entrusted his beloved daughter to him. As a result, he was deeply respected and loved by the Young Protector." Huo Peng said.

Dong Yi probed, "Zhun Gong, if the young guard goes astray in the future, only Ru Hai can guide him to the right path. We should also make some preparations to be prepared."

Duan Zhun nodded slowly. He naturally understood the hidden meaning in Dong Yi's words. He said that he would use Lin Ruhai to "guide Jia Cong onto the right path", but in fact he was afraid that Jia Cong would "lead Lin Ruhai astray". He even wanted to use Lin Ruhai to deal with Jia Cong, so he asked, "Do you have a good plan?"

Dong Yi smiled and said, "Ru Hai has been in love with his first wife Jia for many years, so he has no offspring. It is really unbelievable that a high-ranking official in the court has been short of staff for many years. My colleagues and I are worried about him."

Duan Zhun smiled slightly, and instantly guessed Dong Yi's plan, and asked: "Is there a woman with a clean background?"

As the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, if Jia Cong randomly brought a woman of unknown origin into Lin Ruhai's life, it would immediately arouse his and Lin Ruhai's vigilance.

Therefore, Huo Peng hurriedly said, "Don't worry, there is someone who is a good match for you."

"Who?"

"The sister of Fu Shi, the former Tongpan of Shuntian Prefecture, was a student of Jia Cunzhou. She was dismissed from her post last year for being involved in the Jia family case. She has been seeking help everywhere, but Jia Cong refused to give her a reply, and others dared not accept her, so she has not been able to resume her post.

His younger sister, a beautiful lady from a noble family, was often said to be both talented and beautiful. Fu Shian relied on his younger sister to arrange marriage with a wealthy nobleman, thinking that it would be a step to advance his career, and was unwilling to promise her marriage to anyone easily.

However, the wealthy nobles thought that her family background was shallow and refused to marry her, so she has been delayed until now and has become an old maid, still unengaged at the age of 22 or 23.

If we can match them up, it shouldn't be difficult for her to be Ru Hai's concubine. If we can give birth to a child, Ru Hai will have nothing to worry about. " Huo Peng said with a smile.

Dong Yi said, "Just ask someone you know well to write a letter to Cun Zhou, asking him to help bring them together, and then give Fu Shi a small official position, and this will surely be accomplished."

Duan Zhun hesitated for a moment and said, "I heard that Ruhai is not as strong as before, and he is nearly fifty years old. He is busy with government affairs all day long, so he may not be able to have a satisfactory child."

Dong Yi and Huo Peng smiled at each other and said, "Don't worry, Jun Gong, good people will be blessed by heaven, and Ru Hai will definitely have a successor."

Duan Zhun saw that the two had already made a plan, so he nodded slowly and said, "Good."
-
Jia Cong returned home and discussed the personnel arrangements in the Western Regions with Pang Chao. As long as there was a war, it was a good opportunity to place his own people. Even King Nannan understood this, so Jia Cong would naturally not miss it.

"This time I plan to transfer Su Can, Ling Kong, and Yang Zhi to the Western Regions for training. It would be a waste to leave them in the Beijing camp. It would be better for them to earn some military merit."

Jia Cong pondered and said, "Also, if there are any good talents among your old friends, please promote them. What do you think, sir?"

Pang Chao said: "Very good, but are you sure you can raise 2000 million silver?"

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "To be honest, I was also fooled. But if I hadn't said so at the time, how could I have shocked everyone in the court? Let's see first."

Pang Chao smiled and said, "It's okay. Your skills in making money are well-known. Merchants and wealthy families will flock to you. Even if there are some shortcomings, you can always think of other ways. What do you think about the future of the Western Region?"

Jia Cong thought for a moment and said, "If this battle goes well, we can re-establish the Western Regions Protectorate, order Liu Jiezheng to stay there as Protector, transfer Yang Xiong, the general of Liaodong, to serve as the general of Gansu, and send one person from the capital to Liaodong as the general. What do you think, sir?"

Pang Chaowei groaned for a moment and said, "The Protectorate of the Western Regions is a natural outcome and it is as it should be.

Yang Xiong has been deeply rooted in Liaodong for a long time. It is difficult for your master Wang Jin and others to control the overall situation, so it would be a good idea to move him.

As for who to send to take over the Liaodong General Army, we still need to think about it. This position is very important and we must not entrust it to the wrong person. "

Jia Cong said, "What you said is right, sir. If my master had not been so inexperienced, I would have recommended him to take over the command of Liaodong General. Now I can only make the transition. I reserved this position for my master. It doesn't matter who I choose, as he won't be in office for long anyway."

Pang Chao smiled and said, "Brother Cong has become more and more experienced. Let's talk about the Western Regions. How do we defend such a large area after conquering it? Do you have any plan?"

Jia Cong said: "Cong looked at the geographical map and found that in addition to the Protector-General who was in charge of military and civilian affairs, there were four generals in charge of the army, namely the General of Yili, the General of Dihua, the General of Aksu and the General of Kashgar. They were stationed in the four key places and settled in the four directions.

In terms of civil affairs, we should follow the example of the mainland, set up prefectures, counties, and schools, promote the imperial examination system, cooperate with the Neutral Party and the Academic Society, give them official positions, strive for their full support, and completely incorporate the Western Regions into the territory of the Celestial Empire. "

Pang Chao smiled and twirled his beard, saying, "Good! This is the fundamental strategy for long-term peace and stability. Don't forget the two sentences I said the other day: control the barbarians with the barbarians, and control the religion with the religion."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I won't forget it. Jiang Xiang and the others will take care of it. I told them that if you can't govern well after the official hats are given, don't blame me for choosing someone else."

"Good." Pang Chao said with a smile.

As he was speaking, he heard a personal soldier come to report that Qiu Zhixin, Liu Jiezhen and others had come to visit.

Jia Cong hurriedly took Pang Chao out to greet him. (End of this chapter)