Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Chapter 768: Ranking
Jia Cong glanced at him and said, "Old Fang, the country is small, but the world is huge. You will understand when you go out.

You are a member of the Feng Qian Hu family, and you are very talented. As long as you work hard, I hope you will be in charge of the Feng of all nations in the world in the future. Don't let me down, understand?"

Since you want people to do things, you should still give them the sweet rewards they deserve.

Fang Ji's heart was warmed, and his desire for power was rekindled. He hurriedly lifted his clothes and bowed, saying: "I will obey your orders, Your Majesty, and I will never regret it even if I die!"

"Well, I have always had a good eye for people. I never employ people I doubt, and I trust people I employ. Isn't Lao Sha doing a good job in the Western Regions?" Jia Cong said with a smile.

Everyone smiled and praised Jia Cong for his sharp vision and the ability to appoint the right people to the right positions, allowing Tiger Shark to make a new career in the Western Regions.

Jia Cong looked at the other men and said, "Lei Tai, Kong Xing, Jie Hui, you are all warriors I brought from Liaodong. You have extraordinary skills and should fight in the battlefield. It is a waste of your talents to stay in the Jinyiwei."

The three of them bowed and said, "We are grateful to the prince for his favor and for promoting us from among the prisoners, so that we can start a new life. In this life, we only wish to die for the prince, and dare not expect anything else."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said with a smile: "This king only promotes people based on their talents. I promoted you because of your abilities, and nothing else.

You are all great men, you should have fought on the battlefield thousands of miles away. I envy you, but now there is no chance for you to go to war."

"Your Highness is of noble status. He sits at the center of the government and can command troops, which is better than a million strong army." The three said hurriedly.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "This time, you have seen the benefits of the new army. In the future, the whole world will be ruled by firearms.

The stubborn ones under your command are good, they can be used to strengthen the body and cultivate the character, but if you want to fight, you must learn to use firearms. "

"Yes, I obey the order."

"You will set off today to Liaodong to participate in the training of the new army and learn how to command the new army. You will be of great use to me in the future." Jia Cong said.

"I obey your order and thank you for your grace, Your Highness." The three men were overjoyed. They were not used to being Imperial Guards, so they were naturally overjoyed to be able to lead troops into battle and achieve great things.

"Don't thank me, thank this era. As the saying goes, heroes are made by the times. Now that the times have come, it depends on you whether you can grasp it. Go, go back and prepare." Jia Cong waved his hand.

"I will follow your instructions, Your Highness. I will take my leave now." Everyone bowed and left.

Jia Cong sent everyone away and rubbed his brows. He had been worrying about too many things in the past two days and felt very tired. Thinking of the many time-travel novels he had read in the past, in which the writers always aspired to become emperors, he could not help but shake his head and laugh.

I feel exhausted and irritable just by worrying about this mess. If I have to worry about the military and civilian affairs of the whole world, and engage in intrigues with civil and military officials, nobles and concubines all day long, I will probably be exhausted to death.

Like Emperor Xifeng, he never had a carefree day during his more than ten years on the throne. Many princes and princesses were born before he ascended the throne, but he had almost no children after he ascended the throne. It can be seen how great the pressure on the emperor was.

This is a wise and enlightened monarch. In one word, he is exhausted. He has to personally order the killing of his father and son, and is then poisoned by someone sent by the queen. Why is that?

If one covets comfort and ease, he will inevitably be deceived and misled by his ministers, leading to the decline of imperial power and becoming a tyrant like a clay or wooden sculpture, which would be even more boring.

Not only is it boring, but you will also be infamous for eternity and be ridiculed and mocked by future generations. It is not worth it.

Throughout history, there has been no job that allows you to hold great power and at the same time be easy. The greater the power you want to hold, the greater the hardship you have to endure. This is an iron rule.

Of course, some people are fanatically obsessed with power. They cannot survive without power. They regard hardship as enjoyment and never get tired of it, such as Emperor Xifeng.

Jia Cong, however, does not have this hobby. The only lazy way he can think of is "delegation of power + monitoring + checks and balances", under the euphemism of trusting people.

For example, in the team going to Europe this time, the imperial envoys, Fang Ji's secret agents, and Jia Yun's men, the three parties checked and supervised each other, each with their own focus. Together with the Hydra spies he secretly arranged, it was enough to ensure that no one dared to make any small moves.

"What is worrying about, Your Majesty?" Pang Chao walked in with a smile.

Jia Cong stood up to greet him and said with a wry smile, "Sir, you have come at the right time. Cong is really not the material for big things. I have been busy with all kinds of things these past two days. It is more tiring than fighting a fierce battle. I am exhausted."

Pang Chao smiled and said, "Your Highness is too modest. Everything becomes easier the second time, and practice makes perfect. Then you will be able to do it with ease."

Jia Cong pointed at him and laughed, "Sir, you are just joking. The late emperor may not be able to handle the affairs of the emperor well after being the emperor for more than ten years. How dare Cong speak so arrogantly?"

Pang Chao said: "Your Majesty does not regard the vast country and billions of people as the private property of one family, so he can handle it with ease and freedom."

Jia Cong laughed: "The one who knows me is you, sir. You look so happy, sir, I have good news."

Pang Chao smiled and said, "I do have good news for His Majesty."

"Oh? What news?"

Pang Chao took out a document from the Ministry of Rites from his sleeve and said with a smile: "I have discussed this with Prime Minister Guan on the orders of the prince. Because the prince is the only prince of a different surname in the dynasty and is in charge of the government, he is noble and prominent, not comparable to ordinary princes or dukes.

The imperial decree for the prince's concubines is one principal, two concubines, and sixteen concubines. The remaining princesses and concubines have no fixed number and no imperial decree, but they can enjoy the salary of a fourth or fifth rank lady. "

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Well, thanks to the idea that the old lady gave me, the sixteen concubines should be enough for the time being. We can add more when they are not enough in the future."

Pang Chao twirled his beard and smiled, "Your Majesty is wise."
-
"What is Cong'er doing in the study alone?"

Baochai saw Qingwen, Qianxue and others guarding the door of the inner study. She heard that Jia Cong had eaten lunch and then hid in the inner study alone. She didn't know what he was doing, so she came to take a look out of curiosity.

Qingwen covered her mouth and smiled, "Who knows? Master just said that no one is allowed to go in. He wants to plan something important for our family."

Baochai smiled and wondered what was going on. She pushed the door open and saw Jia Cong sitting at the desk, writing in deep thought, his brows slightly furrowed, muttering to himself, and occasionally making a few strokes on the paper. It didn't look like he was composing an essay or writing, so no one knew what he was doing.

When he walked to the table, he saw a piece of paper with the names of the women in the backyard written on it. There were many traces of erasures on it, and it was obvious that Jia Cong was very hesitant.

"What to write?" Baochai asked with a smile.

Jia Cong raised his eyes and smiled, "Sister Bao, you have come at the right time. I am currently studying the strategy for how to ensure long-term stability for our family. Please come and give me your advice."

Baochai smiled and said, "Nonsense again. If you have the time to write the sisters' names here, why not just ask them to come and serve you? Why bother to think of them by their names?"

Jia Cong whispered, "They must not come. If they come, it will be hard to explain."

Baochai's eyes moved slightly, and she smiled and said, "No wonder you, a prince of your age, have the leisure to do this kind of writing. It turns out that you want to rank the sisters."

"Smart." Jia Cong chuckled, reached out and took Baochai to sit on his lap, and said with a smile: "In order to consolidate the status of Sister Bao and Pin'er, I returned all the extra concubines to the Ministry of Rites and asked them to increase the number of concubines to 16. How can I repay my kindness, sister?"

Baochai's almond-shaped eyes were full of waves. She shook her head and smiled, "I know that I have benefited from Pin'er's help. I should only thank Pin'er."

Jia Cong was anxious and said hurriedly: "It is obvious that Pin'er is taking advantage of her sister, why do you say the other way around?"

Baochai quickly stretched out her white hand to cover his mouth, and said coquettishly, "How can you say such nonsense? I'm afraid I'll annoy you. I already know what you mean, so there's no need to say more."

If you can do this, how can Pin'er and I repay you except to devote our whole lives to supporting you and raising our children?" Jia Cong said jokingly, "Of course there is a way. For example, if you become gods in the next life, and see that your husband has fallen into the mortal world and has no one to rely on, you can help me."

Baochai sneered, rolled her eyes at Jia Cong, and said, "Then I will be the daughter of the Seven Fairies, and you will be Dong Yong, how about that?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's a deal. When the time comes, you can teach me a way to become an immortal. In this life, I will fight on the battlefield, and in the next life, I will cultivate immortality and continue my legend. Isn't it wonderful?"

"Stop talking! You're laughing so hard that my stomach hurts. How come you have so many wonderful ideas in your head? No wonder you can write so many wonderful stories." Baochai smiled while covering her mouth.

Jia Cong stroked her gradually bulging belly and said with a smile: "Let's get back to the point. What do you think of the people I wrote?"

Baochai picked up the paper and read it carefully: Xiangyun, Baoqin, Qingwen, Fengjie, Chuchan, Zhenyuan, Wanyanshan, Wanyanxi, Yang Siniang, Bai Qiuwei, Youshi, Keqing, Miaoyu, Xiangling, Lanwei, Ping'er, and Li Wan.

"You...when did you even mention your eldest sister-in-law..." When Baochai saw Li Wan's name at the end, she couldn't help but glare at Jia Cong, what a greedy cat!

Jia Cong laughed dryly and said, "I said it was an accident, do you believe it?"

"Pah." Baochai laughed in anger, tapped his forehead and spat, "Let's see how you explain this to Ruyi and Pin'er. You have caught all the sisters-in-law at home in one fell swoop, and you are not afraid of being laughed at."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Isn't this also a good deed? This is a chivalrous act. Can I just be Yang Guo?"
Once you meet Jia Cong, you will ruin your life. How many girls will die of depression? I will be cursed to death by future generations. "

Baochai couldn't do anything about him, so she held her forehead with her hand and said, "You, there are so many girls in the family, but they are not enough for you. Your eldest sister-in-law has been faithful for many years, and you have the heart to do that to her."

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "Sister, you are wrong. It was clearly me who was attacked." Then he recounted what happened that day.

Baochai shook her head helplessly and said, "Forget it. But there are a total of sixteen concubines, and you are already seventeen."

Jia Cong said, "I plan to appoint twelve first, leaving four vacancies. Please teach me how to choose."

Baochai's bright eyes turned slightly, and she smiled and said, "Why are there four empty ones?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Even the way of heaven is not perfect. If I take all the positions at once, what will I do in the future?"

Baochai smiled and said, "Who gave you this idea? It's a good trick to quench your thirst by looking at plums."

Jia Cong chuckled and said, "Sister, you underestimate me. Cong is well-versed in the art of war. Could it be that he couldn't think of such a brilliant plan?"

"You are smart to leave four vacancies, so that you won't have any trouble in the future." Baochai said with a smile.

Jia Cong shamelessly claimed the credit for Lady Jia's work for himself, and said with a smile: "Isn't it true that the closer you are to the red, the redder you are? Sister Bao taught me for many years, and I have made some progress after all."

Baochai smiled and shook her head, saying, "It's just that I can't interfere in such matters. No matter who is demoted, it will hurt the relationship between sisters. You decide for yourself."

Jia Cong hurriedly said: "Good sister, please at least remind me."

Baochai thought for a moment and said, "For the sake of fairness, these twelve sisters must all be talented, able to convince the public, and have a good foundation. This will be beneficial to the overall situation of the family."

Seeing that her statement was similar to that of Jia's mother, Jia Cong nodded, pondered for a while, picked up his pen and crossed out the names of Wanyan Xi, Youshi, Xiangling, Ping'er, and Li Wan, leaving exactly twelve people.

Baochai glanced at the list that took into account both Jia Cong's interests and his preferences, and said with a smile, "This is considered appropriate. Why didn't you write Lingsu?"

Jia Cong said: "Ling Su is not completely considered a member of your inner house, and she doesn't value this."

Baochai sighed, "Lingsu is dedicated to the public, regardless of fame or gain, and works hard without complaint. She is truly respectable."

Jia Cong nodded and said, "This is a gift from heaven."

Baochai suddenly reminded her, "It's time for you to change your clothes."

"Huh? Why?"

"Have you forgotten that a few days ago, Duke Yansheng sent a note saying that he would come to visit you today, and you even invited him to have a drink." Baochai said with a smile.

Jia Cong slapped his forehead and said, "That's true. I have to meet so many people every day that I totally forgot about this Shandong hero."

Baochai smiled and said, "You are poor. Duke Yansheng is from a family of scholars, gentle and elegant. How can you be a hero? You are not a wandering man."

Jia Cong laughed: "He even wanted to eat my breakfast last time. What a gentleman."

Baochai smiled when she heard this.

As they were talking, Qingwen suddenly came in and said, "Sir, the doorman sent a message saying that Lord Yansheng has arrived."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Please stay with me, Mr. Pang. I will be out soon."

"Yes." Qingwen left with a smile.

"Oh, Brother Xinghe, it's been a long time. I'm sorry for not coming to greet you. I was so busy with official duties that I forgot the appointment with you." Jia Cong quickly walked out to the main hall, bowed and said with a smile.

Kong Xinghe hurriedly stood up and returned the greeting, "Xinghe greets His Majesty."

Jia Cong warmly shook his hand and sat down, saying, "You and I are close friends, how can we address each other by our official titles? Isn't that too distant?"

Kong Xinghe said with a smile: "The present is different from the past, how dare I overstep my authority?" Seeing Jia Cong feigning anger, he quickly changed his words and said: "It is better to obey than to be respectful. I pay my respects to my brother."

Jia Cong then burst into laughter and said, "Great, that makes me happy." Then he introduced Pang Chao and Kong Xinghe to each other.

The two exchanged a few pleasantries and reminisced about their past friendship. Jia Cong gradually got to the point and said with a smile, "Brother, your timing of entering the capital is just right. With your congratulatory letter and your personal audience with the emperor, you will be a role model for the world, and your position as the heir to the throne will be secure.

The Empress Dowager was also very happy and said that you are very righteous and considerate of the overall situation. She will reward you when you leave Beijing."

Kong Xinghe smiled and said, "As soon as I received the news from my brother, I dropped everything and packed my bags to set off. Unfortunately, I was delayed for a few days in preparing the gifts. Otherwise, I would have been able to catch up with the coronation ceremony of the heir to the throne."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's okay. It's enough for you to come. Brother, besides paying homage to the new emperor, do you have anything else that you need me to do for you? If so, just tell me."

Kong Xinghe said: "It's nothing, I just haven't seen you for a long time, I miss you so much, I came to your house to listen to your advice."

Jia Cong pointed at him and said with a smile: "Brother, learn to be polite like others."

Kong Xinghe then smiled and said, "It's not uncommon to be polite. I came here because I heard that you want to make great plans and implement new policies, so I came to ask for your advice. I wonder if my family can help you?"

Jia Cong said: "If I can get your help, I will be able to rest assured."

(End of this chapter)