Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Jia Cong shook his head and smiled, "Just follow my instruction, sir." After that, he asked Pang Chao to explain the proposal one by one, as he still did not have the ability to read long texts.

"Well... strict supervision, clean up the bureaucracy; promote new laws, increase taxes; open commercial ports, promote commerce; learn Western methods, run factories and mines; build a navy, train new soldiers... These are good and very much to my liking. There are two more, please add them, sir." Jia Cong pondered.

Pang Chao said, "Your Majesty, please speak."

"First, we should not stick to any particular background, but vigorously introduce and promote talents. No matter if they are foreigners, Chinese, men, women, or disabled people, as long as they have a skill in science or industry, they will be given a title and an official position. It is not necessary to have only the Four Books and Five Classics to become an official.

I heard that during the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, there were many foreigners serving as officials here, but now there are none. This is the heyday of the Tang Dynasty."

Pang Chao twirled his beard and said, "This is very true. During the heyday of the Tang Dynasty, all nations came to pay tribute, and all the outstanding people from all countries came to submit. Later, due to the limitations of regional boundaries, we no longer see the grand occasion of the past."

"The second is to promote cultural exchanges between China and the West. This is polite talk. At this stage, the main thing is for us to learn from them and take all the good things from the Western barbarians. It is said that we should learn from the barbarians in order to defeat them.

As the saying goes, teach the apprentice and starve the master. When we have mastered it, that will be the time when the Celestial Empire will truly dominate the world.

Gu Cong believed that students should be sent every year to travel across the ocean to study in the Western countries, and when they finish their studies, they should return to serve the court.

Pang Chao clapped his hands and said, "Great! Great courage! Your Highness's mind and vision are far superior to those of his predecessors."

Jia Cong waved his hand and smiled, "Sir, please don't flatter me. I am just pointing out a direction. You still need to plan how to do it."

Pang Chao said with a smile: "Governing a country is like creating an art. The difficulty lies in solving the problem. Since Your Majesty has solved the problem, the rest will follow naturally.

If we talk about sending students, Chao believes that we must select students from poor families, preferably between the ages of twelve and fifteen. Their families are poor and they especially cherish the opportunity to study.

If I receive the grace of the court, I will study very hard and become a great man in the future."

"What you said is right, sir. Whether a poor family can produce a noble son depends on their own luck." Jia Cong nodded.

The next day, Jia Cong hosted a banquet for the nobles in the capital. All the kings, dukes, marquises, earls, sons, and barons in the capital gathered together, and those who served in other places also sent their princes to attend the banquet.

Yang Ling, Yan Shuangying and Lei Tai had already held official positions in the royal palace and served as greeters together with Jia Lian and others. Jia Cong was enjoying himself in the inner house and only came out slowly to greet everyone after everyone had reported in.

"My dear brothers and nephews, how have you been recently?" Jia Cong, wearing a dragon robe and jade belt, greeted everyone with a smile.

"Greetings to His Majesty. Thank you for your inquiry, Your Majesty. We are very pleased." Everyone bowed in greeting.

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Since we are old friends, why should we be so polite? Please take your seats and we can talk while we eat."

"Yes." Everyone hurriedly took their seats.

As there were so many guests, the main hall could not accommodate them all, so many tables were placed in the courtyard. Everyone was very sensible. They looked at the seats and sat down in their respective seats according to their own titles and relationships, leaving the "elegant seats" in the hall for the bigwigs in the army. Although there was no one to lead the way, there was no chaos at all.

Jia Cong bowed and said, "My humble abode is simple and my people are few. If I have not been able to provide adequate hospitality, I hope you will forgive me."

Everyone was busy being humble and flattering.

Jia Cong raised his cup and looked around with a smile. His gaze lingered on the faces of his old friends who had long since turned against him, such as the Three Kings who annexed the State of Qi, governed the State, and repaired the State. His face was warm and there was no trace of strangeness, leaving no doubt about his sincerity and kindness.

Those who were swept by his eyes were startled and became uneasy, not knowing how Jia Cong would deal with them. Seeing that they seemed to be fine, they looked at each other and secretly gave each other encouraging glances. Since the law does not punish the masses, they guessed that Jia Cong would not dare to touch us.

"I invited you all here today for no big deal. It's just that I'm old now and I was busy with the national mourning a few days ago and didn't have time to attend. Today, I specially invite all of you old friends to come, so that we can have a drink and talk together, and reminisce about our friendship for several lifetimes. Don't leave until you're drunk, and drink to your heart's content."

After Jia Cong finished his polite speech, everyone stood up to congratulate him and raised their glasses to drink together.

Now that the government has undergone major changes and even the Five Military Commanderies Office has been abolished, everyone is unsure. Those who have a job are afraid that the duck in their mouth will fly away, and those who are unemployed at home want to take the opportunity to get close to Jia Cong and get some benefits.

After drinking this glass of wine, everyone was secretly trying to figure out their boss' intentions and thinking about how to show their loyalty. No one spoke for a while.

Jia Cong smiled slightly and said, "We are all warriors, why are you so shy? Do you drink like this at home?"

Everyone smiled shyly and said hurriedly, "How dare we be so presumptuous and rude in the prince's mansion."

Jia Cong waved his hands and scolded with a smile: "Nonsense, I invited you here to have a drink, not to go to the execution ground, why are you so reserved?
Each table can nominate a leader, drink and chat freely, are you afraid that I won't have any drinks to entertain you?"

When everyone heard him joking and joking, they all laughed and obeyed his orders, and hurriedly shouted and recommended people to drink with other tables.

The atmosphere at the banquet suddenly became lively. Jia Cong just sat down and said with a smile: "My dear brothers, please try the dishes in my house and see if they suit your appetite."

Everyone smiled and praised, and frequently offered each other drinks and food.

After three rounds of drinking, Jia Cong smiled and said, "You all seem to be in low spirits today. Are you worried about something?"

Li Meng, Wang Ning and others just laughed dryly and said nothing, while King Beijing and others did not dare to say anything more.

Niu Jizong glanced at everyone and said with a smile: "I think all of you brothers are concerned about military affairs, so you have no mood to drink."

Jia Cong said with a smile: "Why are you in such a hurry? Although the Five Military Commands Office has been abolished, the troops are still there. It's just a change of name. What's the value of it?"

Li Meng hurriedly said, "Please give us some instructions, Your Majesty. Otherwise, we will be at a loss and don't know what to do in the future."

When Li Meng brought up this topic, everyone in the hall put down their chopsticks and pricked up their ears.

Jia Cong said: "At present, I do have some rough ideas. How to improve them still requires your help and fill in the gaps."

"Please give your instructions, Your Highness. We will all obey you." Everyone said hurriedly.

Jia Cong said, "I intend to submit a petition to recommend the Duke of Anguo as General of Cavalry, Governor Wang as General of Chariots and Cavalry, Brother Wang as General of Guards, Brothers Niu, Liu, and Hou as Generals of Front, Rear, Left, and Right, and the rest of the generals as Generals of Miscellaneous Titles, in charge of the capital's military guards and the four barbarian garrisons. Their military positions in the capital's army and the imperial guards will remain unchanged."

Everyone nodded secretly. There was nothing wrong with this appointment of Jia Cong to take care of his own people. However, as long as the actual power of commanding troops in the capital army remained unchanged, the power structure in the army would not change, which was acceptable.

Li Meng quickly expressed his position: "Your Highness's order will be followed and we will obey it without any objection."

Wang Ning also hurriedly agreed. Since Li Meng had surrendered, he would never dare to revolt.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Your Majesty, the military reform is a cause for celebration. Although we are not in the army, we are also happy.

But, I wonder if there will be a place for us to use our talents in the future? I have been idle at home for these years, and I am almost going moldy." Hearing that someone was taking the lead, many nobles who were not in office loudly clamored to join in, crying out for injustice. They were all nobles, so why did others have official positions, even peasants had official positions, but they didn't?
Jia Cong smiled and glanced at the loud-voiced man, only to hear Niu Jizong whisper, "This man is Xiu Wenbo Yin Xingguo, a fierce general, but he doesn't know how to behave. He offended Tu Fei and was dismissed from his post a long time ago. He has been living off his old capital at home."

"Everyone, listen to me." Jia Cong nodded, stood up and raised his hand.

Everyone quickly shut up.

“I know that you all have a deep family background and are skilled in archery and horsemanship, but there are limited positions in the army, so I may not be able to take good care of you.

However, I have already considered this. As long as a nobleman is truly capable, he will definitely find a place in the army.

I will not let such a talented person go to waste at home, as this would be a great loss to the country." Jia Cong said loudly.

Everyone was overjoyed and eager to ask, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. I wonder what the rules are so that we can go back and prepare for battle."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's actually quite simple. You all should know that the technology of firearms is improving by leaps and bounds, and will only become more powerful in the future. The swords, spears, and halberds passed down by our ancestors are no longer very useful."

Although everyone was not convinced, they did not dare to refute. If someone else came, they would definitely have something to say. However, Jia Cong himself was an unparalleled general in the world. If he said that swords and guns were useless, who would dare to speak?
"So we warriors can't just cling to our ancestors' teachings. We have to learn! As the sage said, choose the best and follow it. So I think we in the army might as well follow the example of the scholars."

"Your Highness, we are all rough people, we can't read the Four Books and Five Classics." When the nobles heard that they had to emulate the scholars, they all broke out in a cold sweat. Do we have to learn modern literature and art? Isn't this a matter of life and death?

Jia Cong waved his hand and smiled, "No. For us nobles, knowing the words loyalty and filial piety is enough.

What I mean is that if a scholar wants to be an official, he must first study hard in a college, and then become famous in one stroke before he can become an official. Can't we warriors use this method?
Now that the new army, firearms, and new tactics are in urgent need of popularization, let's build a military academy. All military officers must undergo education and training in the academy. Only those who pass the examination can join the army and lead troops to fight. What do you think?"

"This method is excellent!" The unemployed nobles hurriedly said loudly that as long as they could become officials, they would go to school.

Someone else asked: "Do generals who are already serving in the army still need to go to school to learn?"

Jia Cong glanced at everyone and said affirmatively: "Of course I have to learn. Since I am a general in the army, I will not be stubborn. Whether it is a mule or a horse, I will take it out for a walk. The strong will prey on the weak, and the fittest will survive. It's that simple.

No one should think of a military position as an iron hat that can be kept for life. "

Li Meng and others were secretly shocked. Jia Cong wanted all the generals in the world to become his disciples.

All the nobles praised in unison: "Your Highness is wise, and we are sincerely convinced." As long as there is an assessment, there will always be some people who will be eliminated, so naturally they will have more opportunities to become officials.

The generals under Li Meng and Wang Ning remained silent, secretly worried about their own future.

Jia Cong laughed again and said, "Don't worry too much, everyone. No one is born knowing how to shoot a gun or fire a cannon. Just study hard. The barbarians can learn it, so why can't we learn it?

Besides, the world is not peaceful, and there are many places where soldiers can be used. As long as you are a talented general, there will always be a place where you can use your skills.”

"Thank you, Your Highness, for your support. We obey your orders." After taking this reassurance, everyone felt a little relieved and bowed hurriedly.

Because of the olive branch extended by Jia Cong, everyone was in high spirits and drank heartily. Only a few nobles who had little contact with the Jia family felt uneasy and forced themselves to smile.

After the meal, Jia Cong sent everyone out the door and glanced at Li Meng intentionally. The latter understood and deliberately fell behind.

"What does the prince want?" Li Meng asked in a low voice.

Jia Cong said: "Please tell your trusted nobles that since our nobles run their own school, they will be more lenient towards their own people, so there is no need to worry too much."

Li Meng's eyes lit up, and he smiled and bowed, saying: "On behalf of all my old friends, I would like to thank Your Majesty for your grace." Jia Cong's words were obviously intended to tighten the future of military generals from humble backgrounds, at least for senior generals.

Jia Cong smiled and nodded. He didn't want to create unfairness artificially, but in order to win the hearts of the nobles, he had to let the humble generals suffer first. Who made their ancestors weak?
The next day, Jia Cong submitted a memorial nominating and recommending senior military officers below the rank of general, and suggested opening new military academies in the suburbs of Beijing, Nanjing, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Gansu, and Dihua to educate and train military officers above the rank of captain and centurion from all over the country, in order to introduce hot weapons into the army in the shortest possible time.

The Empress Dowager approved it.

That night, Jia Cong hosted a banquet for officials of the third rank and above in the West Mansion, and talked with Duan Zhun and others about the new law. No one had any objection. Although Chen Ji had some objections, he did not dare to raise them for fear of angering Jia Cong.

Besides, he was a complete rookie in the Military Affairs Office. Who would support him? Even the emperor's uncle had to be ranked according to seniority.

On the third day, Jia Cong hosted a party and invited his wives, concubines, and sisters to spend a day relaxing and having fun in the garden.

When Lady Jia saw the prosperity of her family, all the guests who came to visit her complimented her on her ability to educate her descendants, which far surpassed that of her ancestors. They flattered her so much that she couldn't stop smiling. She felt that she would be able to walk sideways when she met her ancestors in the future.

The family dinner was held in Zhuijin Tower. The sisters were laughing and talking in great spirits. With the addition of Feng Jieer, Chu Chan and others joining in the fun, the atmosphere was even more joyful, as if it were heaven on earth.

Jia Cong also relaxed and said with a smile: "I kind of miss the big crabs at Sister Bao's house."

Baochai smiled and said, "I'll ask them to prepare more for the Mid-Autumn Festival this year so that you can have enough to eat."

"That's right. There are many people in our family, so we asked Pan to be more generous. In previous years, we had to calculate carefully when we sent those baskets, and they were still not enough to fill the gaps in our stomachs." Sister Feng turned around and said with a smile.

Baochai spat, "Feng girl, the gaps between your teeth are bigger than people's. You've always eaten a lot in previous years. Look at your belly. You're almost due by the Mid-Autumn Festival, but I won't let you eat crabs even if there are any."

Everyone laughed. Feng Jieer said with a smile, "Isn't this what I asked for from everyone? It's true. It shows that officials who have always pleaded for the people have never had a good ending. Empress Bao, please have pity on us common people."

Now that the imperial decrees have been passed down for Baochai and Daiyu, they are now legitimate princes and concubines, and can be called "empresses".

Everyone covered their mouths and chuckled, agreeing as if they were afraid that the world would not be in chaos.

Baochai's face turned slightly red, and she stood up and said angrily, "You are just a jokester. I will tear your mouth off."

Sister Feng quickly dodged and said with a smile, "Look, the queen is going to hit someone, and no one is stopping her."

Jia Cong hurriedly hugged Baochai and called Fengjie to stop her, saying, "Stop making trouble. You two are so pregnant, but you don't know how to be careful. If something goes wrong, it will be very troublesome."

Baochai then rolled her eyes at Fengjie, rubbed her belly, and sat down shyly.

Feng Jieer stopped teasing her and went to talk at another table.

Seeing that everyone had calmed down, Jia's mother smiled and said, "Brother Cong, now that you have brought honor to the family, don't forget to support Baoyu."

Seeing everyone looking at him, Baoyu stood up from Jia Mu's arms somewhat awkwardly, and stood solemnly with his hands hanging down. (End of this chapter)