Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 294: Unparalleled Contribution to Peace

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

In the warm room of the rear hall, it was the third day after Liang Chengzong's victory news that shocked the court and the country arrived.

A memorial regarding the Jurchen garrison strategy for Liaodong also reached Emperor Jiazhao's desk.

This memorial was written by Jia Cong. Since Emperor Jia Zhao had granted him the power to make direct memorials, although he was temporarily under the command of Liang Chengzong, he could submit memorials directly to the emperor.

In fact, the content of this memorial was not a sudden idea on his part. Before heading north to Liaodong, he had discussed with his mentor Liu Jing'an about the strategy for pacifying the Jurchens.

He knew better than anyone else in this world how great a change the Jurchens would bring to the world and how they would cause an almost catastrophic disaster to the people of the Central Plains.

He didn't know whether the Jurchens would return to their original historical track in this world where history was lost. If so, it would be another catastrophe.

It is impossible to determine whether among the three Jurchen guards he has come into contact with, a hero who will cause chaos in the world will emerge in the near future.

But when he came to this world, he could not remain indifferent. He always had to do something for this world with his vague perception of history and his foresight that was more sensitive than others.

When he discovers any clues that may ruin the future, he needs to do his utmost to nip it in the bud.

Now he and this world have become one, and here are those people he is closest to, and he needs the most secure and stable future.

Maybe it’s not just my own future, but also the future of many people in this world…

The mountains and rivers are newly created, the roads are rising, perhaps everyone comes to this world for a reason.

But now he is just a bastard of Rongguo Mansion. Although he has fame and official status, his power is still very weak in this magnificent world.

If he wants to do what he wants, he needs the help of powerful external force, and the best source of this external force is the supreme ruler who dominates the world in Shenjing City.

Although this supreme being is scheming, cunning, and even mean and ungrateful, every person has many sides.

Judging from his own perspective as a wise ruler, Jia Cong had to admit that, beneath all that dark haze, Emperor Jia Zhao was also a wise ruler who cared about the world and was capable of making achievements.

This alone was enough for him. Jia Cong believed that his memorial would definitely gain his approval and get as much help as possible from him.

……

In the warm room of the rear hall of Qianyang Palace, Cabinet Grand Secretary Cai Xiang, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding, and Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War Peng Runan were all given seats.

Some of these people were close followers of Emperor Jiazhao, some were political advisers, and some were officials familiar with the Liaodong and Jurchen war.

Jia Cong's memorial had been read over and over again by Emperor Jia Zhao.

He did not expect that during this trip to Liaodong, Jia Cong was not only brilliant in military affairs, but also had amazing insights in governance strategies.

At that time, Jia Cong's two memorials on building camps and strengthening the army with firearms and studying the subject by classifying things had already amazed Emperor Jia Zhao with their brilliant ideas and broad vision.

Among them, the memorial about using firearms to build camps and strengthen the army had been fully verified under Jia Cong's promotion in just the past year, which led to the great victory at Yafu Pass where firearms were used to great effect.

He was also amazed by the meticulousness and foresight shown in the Jurchen strategy for governing Liaodong.

The deep-rooted balancing act of power that he was used to using among his subjects.

When facing Jia Cong, she seemed to gradually soften because of his outstanding actions that were inconsistent with his age.

Because accepting and tolerating him to the greatest extent possible seems to bring greater benefits than suspicion and prevention, at least at this stage.

The memorial mentioned five strategies for ruling the Jurchens:

First, we must eliminate the chief culprits, the powerful, and the brave. The clans of the leaders of the Three Guards, the brave and trusted generals, and the ambitious and violent people must all be wiped out to eliminate the threat of the Jurchen army rising again...

The second is to open customs and trade, reduce the number of iron soldiers, and alleviate famine. Set up exchange markets, eliminate corruption, appoint honest officials, control the circulation of iron, exchange rice for mountain delicacies and furs, improve people's livelihood and eliminate evil and stubbornness...

The third is to promote culture and education, spread Buddhism and Taoism, and change the customs of the people. Confucianism is gentle, Taoism is natural, and Buddhism is the future. We can transform the wild and brutal temperament of the people in the border areas, gradually change their customs, and win their hearts...

Fourth, set up workshops, expand agricultural wasteland, and create a new livelihood. In order to maintain the power of the imperial merchants, we built workshops in border towns, took in Jurchen women and children, and developed the black soil in northern Liaoning to transform the strong nomadic people into farmers.

The fifth is to eliminate the evils, allow intermarriage, and interbreeding. To tame the people through culture and education, soften the heart through Buddhism and Taoism, open workshops, and promote agriculture. The people can come and go, intermarry, and form kinship relations, without distinction between Han and Hu.

Jia Cong also wrote in his memorial:
Among these five methods, the first method is the foundation of everything. It requires raising a strong army, pursuing victory, destroying the enemy, and eliminating future troubles forever.

With ten years of hard work, he implemented Laws 2, 3, and 4, strengthened the army to guard the border, let officials govern the people, pacified the wilds along the border, and incorporated the thousands of miles of land outside the Great Wall into the vast territory of Great Zhou, thus establishing an achievement in expanding the territory for His Majesty.

After fifty years of hard work, Law Five was implemented. By that time, people only knew that all people in the Han area of ​​the Great Zhou Dynasty were unified, but they didn't know where the Jurchen and Hu people in the north existed...

……

Jia Cong's strategy for pacifying the Jurchens made Emperor Jia Zhao's blood boil more than any of his previous memorials.

Because whether it is strengthening the army with firearms or studying things, they are all gradual strategies for governing a country.

However, what is written in this memorial is the greatest achievement that every emperor is most passionate about.

With these five methods, the previously untamed and untamed land of thousands of miles can be completely conquered by the Great Zhou. By expanding the territory, Emperor Jia Zhao can catch up with the achievements of Emperor Taizu. For an emperor, this is a fatal temptation, so he was so excited that he summoned his trusted ministers to the palace to discuss.

Emperor Jia Zhao said: "I have received Jia Cong's report from Liaodong on the strategy for ruling the Jurchens. It is very insightful. I have summoned all of you to discuss politics. If there are any omissions in Jia Cong's method, you can express your own opinions."

At this time, Guo Lin handed the four copies of the memorials that he had copied in advance to several people for them to review.

Then there was a silence in the warm room.

Shi Ding and Peng Runan were both military officials, so naturally they were concerned with military affairs, while Cai Xiang was a cabinet official, so naturally he was concerned with political affairs. Both were attracted by the meticulous and grand speeches in the memorials.

After a while, the cabinet minister Cai Xiang said:
"Your Majesty, this is a grand theory on pacifying the barbarians and expanding the frontier. It is grand and rigorous. It is for the newcomers. In addition to the methods of governing, it needs to be detailed and concrete. There are no other mistakes or omissions.

Jia Yuzhang is only in his prime years, but he is a man of both civil and military talents, and has extraordinary talents. As the Director of the Firearms Department, I find it difficult for him to display his talents... "

Shi Ding, who was standing by, said, "Your Majesty, we won a great victory at Yafu Pass and the Jurchens suffered heavy losses. Jia Yuzhang's memorial said that we must eradicate all evil and put an end to future troubles. This is pertinent and pragmatic advice.

I ask Your Majesty to send more troops to Zhao, sweep through Liaobei, and eliminate the threat from the Jurchens!"

……

Liaodong Town, Yafu Pass, and Military Affairs Office.

Liaodong is a vast area with a sparse population. The Military Affairs Office was built in a simple style, without any official luxury, but it occupied a large area, except for the military affairs officer's quarters in the front hall.

A number of official houses were built in the back hall as residences for military generals and officers. The second house to the east was Jia Cong's residence.

Ellie sat on the steps in front of the house, with a straight back, fair skin, and a long green gown embroidered with indigo branches and vines.

A wide indigo belt makes her slender waist look extremely slender, and makes her figure even more graceful.

Her long dark brown hair was casually draped, fluttering slightly in the morning breeze. She was not wearing a thick headscarf as usual. Her unique hair color shone with a dark golden luster in the sunlight.

She used fine cotton cloth dipped in tallow diluted in warm water to gently wipe her beloved long knife.

Her movements were soft and smooth, and even her eyes seemed calm and gentle.

The Saker Falcon named Eagle Slave was taking a nap on a tree in the yard.

In Jia Cong's eyes, Ai Li is a very delicate and beautiful woman.

But such a graceful and beautiful girl is like the vast and frosty land of Liaobei, heroic and valiant, she does not like red makeup, but only loves swords and fast horses.

Seeing that she had finished wiping her beloved long sword, Jia Cong took his own scimitar and sat on the steps again to wipe it carefully. She seemed to be enjoying it, and Jia Cong couldn't help but smile.

He opened the letter that had just been delivered to him and saw a very familiar and beautiful handwriting.

This surprised Jia Cong very much, as it was actually Daiyu's handwritten letter, and the signature on the envelope was Jia Zheng from Rongguo Mansion.

He did not inquire into the origin of the letter. After reading the contents of the letter carefully, he frowned slightly.

That day, Daiyu and her sisters listened carefully to the whole story behind the screen.

Including the palace's victory report and reward discussion, who proposed to confer a title on him, how the clan office came to the Jia Mansion to convey the message, etc., which were enough for Jia Cong to outline the whole process.

Daiyu also wrote at the end of the letter: Third brother is a man of unparalleled talent and wisdom, and can achieve all kinds of success on his own. The mediocre position of a nobleman is not worthy of your respect...

When Jia Cong saw this, he felt a little warm in his heart. This was because Daiyu and other sisters were afraid that if they took over the position of the crown prince, they would be regarded as aliens and enemies in the family and would never be able to gain a foothold again.

However, even the ladies in the boudoir, such as Lin Daiyu, the second sister, and the third sister, can understand this truth clearly.

How could the powerful Jiazhao Emperor not see clearly? He controlled the all-pervasive Imperial Chariot Department, and there must have been spies arranged in Rongguo Mansion.

It is impossible for him not to know his position and situation in Rongguo Mansion.

He must have been very clear that Grandmother Jia would never deprive Jia Lian of the title of Crown Prince and allow herself, the illegitimate son whom she had always despised, to inherit the hereditary title of Rong State.

If he directly issued an imperial decree to make himself the heir apparent, that would be fine, and the Jia family would have no choice but to accept it no matter how unwilling they were.

However, while he asked the clan office to go to the Jia family to summon them for consultation, he also emphasized that they should not be forced and should let the family deal with it on their own.

On the surface, he appears to be magnanimous and forgiving, and does not want to harm the hereditary inheritance of nobles.

The intentions are deep and the means are cruel.

The supreme ruler of the Great Zhou Dynasty was really too meticulous and ruthless in his management of the kingly ways and political tactics.

No wonder he was just a prince with no power when he came to power, but in just ten years, he suppressed the old party members of the four kings and eight dukes and made them unable to raise their heads.

They have either been unemployed until now, or are living out their retirement in the Five Military Commandery waiting for death. Even the emperor who was once a great military strategist has retired to the deep palace and become idle.

(End of this chapter)