I'm in the Red Mansion

Hearing Jia Cong's words, Xue Baochai couldn't help but laugh and said, "Your Majesty, the dynasty has been treating scholars with great favor since the Song Dynasty."

"I feel that since the Emperor has just ascended the throne, it is not appropriate to treat scholars like this. Once the news gets out, it will surely discourage those talented people from serving the Emperor!"

Hearing these words, Jia Cong found them extremely irritating.

Jia Cong glanced at Xue Baochai again, and vaguely felt that Xue Baochai probably thought of him as Empress Changsun.

Jia Cong was about to get angry, but he forced himself to hold it back.

I couldn't help but say: "My noble concubine, it is true that the Song Dynasty treated scholars well, but the Song Dynasty was weak and was trying to make peace everywhere. How could that be what I want!"

"When dealing with scholars, we should be both lenient and strict, and not indulge them blindly. Well, I won't be involved in state affairs today. I am tired."

After Jia Cong said this, Xue Baochai's face turned a little ugly and she apologized quickly.

But she still couldn't let it go.

She felt that the emperor had indeed done something wrong in this matter.

She must advise the emperor gently and not let him make the same mistake again.

Therefore, Xue Baochai personally brought some cakes and served Jia Cong.

Soon, Xue Baochai said again: "Your Majesty, even in the previous dynasty, there was no such thing as 11 important officials being executed in one day."

"Even if the emperor wants to confiscate their property, why not separate them? It would be better than..."

boom!
Jia Cong's face turned cold, and he threw the agate plate containing the cakes to the ground with great force, breaking it into pieces.

He stood up suddenly and sneered, "So, I have now become a complete tyrant, right?"

"Empress Xue, you have read a lot and you think you are well-versed, but don't you understand that the harem is not allowed to interfere in government affairs?"

"Hmph, I hope you take care of yourself!"

After saying that, Jia Cong flicked his sleeves, turned around and strode away.

Behind him, Xue Baochai couldn't help but burst into tears.

Xue Baochai didn't understand, she clearly meant well.

Seeing that the emperor did something wrong, could she still pretend not to know and not say a word to persuade him?
How could she not know that the harem cannot interfere in government affairs?
But how can such exhortation be considered as interference in politics?

Empress Changsun also advised Li Shimin not to kill Wei Zheng, but Li Shimin did not rebuke Empress Changsun for not interfering in government affairs.

Instead, he praised Empress Chang Sun, and she eventually became a virtuous empress.

Why am I so despised when I come to my side?

In anger, Jia Cong walked over to Lin Daiyu.

Originally, Lin Daiyu already knew that the emperor went to Xue Baochai's place today, so she didn't prepare anything.

The emperor's sudden arrival surprised Lin Daiyu.

Lin Daiyu hurriedly invited Jia Cong in and ordered his servants to serve him well.

But Lin Daiyu did not ask Jia Cong why he was angry.

Instead, he followed Jia Cong's thoughts and talked to him. Gradually, the evil spirit in Jia Cong's heart dissipated a lot.

There is a big gap between Xue Baochai and Lin Daiyu.

And this gap lies in their family backgrounds.

For example, Xue Baochai's family could not give her any support or help other than money.

As for Lin Daiyu, Lin Ruhai was afraid that Lin Daiyu would advise the emperor on behalf of the eleven ministers.

Therefore, he went to the palace to meet Lin Daiyu early, and deeply analyzed with Lin Daiyu the emperor's determination to promote the new policy and the benefits that would be brought once the new policy was implemented.

There is also the emperor who killed monkeys and scared chickens, without caring at all about what would happen to his reputation.

After hearing all this, how could Lin Daiyu still think that Jia Cong had gone too far?

Instead, I felt sorry for Jia Cong.

And this is probably the biggest gap between the two.

Since Xue Baochai lives in the harem, she can only see things on the surface.

As for the benefits of the new policy and other things, although she was smart, her knowledge was ultimately limited, just as later generations said about historical limitations.

Therefore, there were many things she did not understand.

If you don't understand, you can't help but give advice.

Lin Daiyu knew this already, so she did not try to dissuade him.

Even because of Lin Ruhai's advice, she always remembered that the harem should not interfere in political affairs.

Therefore, Jia Cong gradually calmed down on Lin Daiyu's side and felt that Sister Lin was the best.

Well, actually in the entire harem, except Xue Baochai.

The other concubines are unlikely to give advice.

Because apart from Lin Xue, they would not pay attention to what was happening outside.

Even if I heard about it, I wouldn't take it to heart at all.

……

But it was said that at the next morning court session, many civil officials had discussed and prepared to plead for mercy on behalf of the eleven important officials whose property had been confiscated the previous night.

During the morning court session, they indeed came out and begged for mercy.

When Jia Cong saw this scene, a sneer appeared on his face.

Among this group of civil officials, eleven of them were very tough and could not help but force the emperor to abdicate, forcing him to stop implementing the new policy.

And after I really forced these eleven people to beg for their bones and ransacked their homes.

The other civil officials immediately became timid.

Now, they no longer dared to force the emperor to abdicate, but instead begged for mercy.

And once I become more tough, they will not dare to do anything.

Ah!
Most of these civil officials were conservatives, peace-seeking, or even surrender-seeking in the previous dynasty.

Their bones have long since become soft.

It is simply impossible to expect them to remain tough to the end.

Next, Jia Cong directly showed the evidence of these eleven people's treason to the civil and military officials in the court.

After watching it, no one spoke up for these eleven people.

After all, these eleven people were guilty of treason and collaborating with the enemy, a crime that is almost comparable to treason.

Pleading for such people will definitely lead to misunderstanding. Could it be that you have also collaborated with the enemy and sold out your country?

Well, among these people, in the previous dynasty, there were indeed quite a few who had ambiguous relationships with the Qing Dynasty.

Of course, it is a bit of an exaggeration to say that they are collaborating with the enemy and selling out their country.

After all, the Qing Dynasty had not entered the capital, and they had no chance to choose...

But these civil officials were already frightened.

Therefore, no one dared to stand up and plead for mercy.

Next, Jia Cong handed the case over to the three courts for joint trial.

It is not easy to try such a senior official from a single department.

……

However, a few days later, these eleven important officials were sentenced to exile in Lingnan.

Lingnan is Hainan Island in later generations and is a famous tourist destination.

But at that time, it was a place full of malaria, and most people who went there would die within a few years.

When these eleven important officials were exiled, few people dared to see them off.

Who made them exiled on the charge of treason?
Sentenced to exile but not the execution of the entire family, which was already a great act of mercy from the Emperor, who gave him a lenient sentence.

Since these eleven important officials were exiled, the court, both civil and military officials, have become much quieter. No one dared to

However, Mr. Qin is still capable.

He served as prime minister in four dynasties.

Well, after arriving in China, the phase has been abolished.

But the position of Cabinet Grand Secretary is almost equivalent to that of Prime Minister.

Because he served as prime minister in four dynasties, he built up an intricate and tangled network of relationships.

And when he wants to do something, he can carry it out quickly.

Neither Mr. Kou nor Lin Ruhai possess this ability.

For example, if Jia Cong was a tyrant, he would want to collect taxes, or collect beauties from all over the world, etc.

This kind of thing is something that Qin Daxueshi can do with ease.

Moreover, starting from him, everyone from top to bottom can benefit, so everyone is very happy to do such things.

And now, what Grand Secretary Qin ordered was to measure the land.

In addition, Grand Secretary Qin also issued strict orders that if anyone dared to falsify or conceal the truth, they would be punished.

By then, even if the emperor doesn't blame us, Academician Qin will be the first one who will not let them go.

How could anyone from Qin Daxueshi's faction be willing to do such a thankless task?
However, due to the tyranny of Qin Grand Secretary, they had no choice but to do this matter seriously.

As for Qin Daxueshi, he helped the emperor to promote the new policy.

Even if he cannot die a good death at that time, at least he can pray for peace for his descendants.

Therefore, he really put all his effort into this matter.

With the assistance of Academician Kou and Lin Ruhai, this matter progressed very quickly.

Next, Jia Cong ordered the construction of new schools throughout China.

But this made scholars all over the world feel uneasy.

As scholars, they have always taken their family, country and the world as their responsibility.

But what the emperor has done now is truly heartbreaking.

He punished eleven important officials, measured the land, required all gentry to pay taxes, and built many new schools.

What is the emperor going to do?
This is simply cutting off the roots of Confucianism!
Making the gentry pay taxes together deprives them of their interests.

However, building many new schools was an act of cutting off the roots of Confucianism, which was even more intolerable.

As a result, many scholars in the literati circle began to write articles criticizing the new policy.

They even colluded with each other, refused to take the imperial examinations, and were determined not to enter officialdom.

They also widely publicized the disadvantages of the new policy among the people.

In fact, the new policy was to cut the flesh of the grassroots gentry and benefit the people.

But the people don’t even know what the new policy is, and they can only follow what others say.

Could what those scholars said be wrong?

What they said was, of course, true.

The consequence of this is that countless people are confused.

The emperor is a rare good emperor with both civil and military achievements. Why would he implement such a new policy?
This made the people extremely disappointed in the emperor.

As Ni Er was in charge of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he naturally received a lot of news from various places.

After reading the news, he couldn't help but be shocked.

He hurriedly reported the situation and then asked for instructions:
"Your Majesty, do you want me to order them to be arrested? These people are extremely rebellious. I will investigate thoroughly."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "No need. It is better to guard against the people's mouths than to guard against the river."

"It's no use just arresting people without making them understand the truth."

Ni Er could not help but say angrily: "Your Majesty, these peasants are really too ignorant!"

"The emperor's new policies are obviously good for them, but they don't know what's good for them and are slandering the emperor behind his back. It's really unreasonable."

Jia Cong couldn't help but say: "The dynasties throughout history have adopted a policy of keeping the people ignorant. The people can be made to follow what they want, but they can't be made to know what they want. It's not the people's fault."

"Don't worry about this matter. I will handle it."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

In fact, Jia Cong had already anticipated that something like this would happen.

Therefore, Jia Cong had already prepared a counterattack.

Jia Cong's counterattack was carried out through the Daxia Monthly Report.

The article written by Jia Cong himself is now about to be published in the Daxia Monthly.

I believe that these articles should be published soon.

……

Just as Jia Cong expected, at this time, the Daxia Monthly Report had already been discovered in the capital.

Other places in Daxia are also stepping up printing. I believe that it won’t be long before the people of Daxia, even if they are illiterate, will hear about these articles in the Daxia Monthly.

At this time, many people in the capital were reading these articles in the Daxia Monthly.

The article published on the first page of the first edition was written by Jia Cong himself.

This article is written entirely in plain language.

Even illiterate people can understand it without the need for translation.

At the beginning of the article, Jia Cong first explained the content of the new policy.

In the second part, Jia Cong began to analyze why the demise of dynasties since the gentry stopped paying taxes was due to land annexation, with a large amount of land flowing into the hands of the gentry.

The gentry did not have to pay taxes, so the state's tax revenue was decreasing day by day.

In order to balance expenditures, the dynasty had to increase taxes, and ultimately these taxes were imposed on the people, causing them to suffer, rebellions broke out, and ultimately the country was destroyed.

The introduction of the new policy was to make the gentry pay taxes together and reduce the burden on the people.

In addition, the new policy also stipulates that any family owning less than 100 acres of land is not allowed to sell the land.

It seems that the imperial court wants to take over the entire family. Once a family is wiped out, the land will belong to the imperial court.

In fact, this is not the case. It is to prevent land annexation.

If the land is less than 100 mu, the people cannot sell it. In this way, even if the people's lives are difficult, at least they still have land to cultivate.

At least you won't starve to death.

The people are not smart, but they are not stupid either. They just don't have the channels to get the news.

Now that this article has provided an in-depth and easy-to-understand analysis, how could they not understand that they had been deceived by those gentry.

It turned out that the emperor introduced a new policy that targeted the gentry, but in a disguised way protected the interests of the people.

No wonder the gentry was so angry, as if his parents had died.

And deceived them.

At this time, the people of the capital city could not help feeling guilty for not understanding the emperor before and even felt resentment towards him.

But the article is not over yet.

Next, he began to criticize the scholars.

The scholars of China always claim to establish their minds for the heaven and earth, their mission for the people, their inheritance of the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and their creation of peace for all generations.

Don’t they understand that the New Deal is a good policy that will last forever?
They clearly knew it, but the new policy harmed the interests of their class.

Therefore, they vigorously opposed the new policies, wantonly discredited them, slandered them, and instigated the people to resent the court.

What a hypocrite, he is obsessed with personal gains and losses, and only wants to oppress the people and make hard-earned money with a guilty conscience. (End of this chapter)