Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 97 The Foolish Tyrant Gets Beaten Up, Qianqing Palace Makes Another Plan!

“Yan-ge’er is a member of the Jia family after all; he hasn’t forgotten his blood ties.”

"Whether in the capital or in the Marquisate of Wu'an, it is most reliable to train these clansmen to serve as the backbone."

In Rongxi Hall, after listening to Wang Xifeng's words, Jia She greatly admired Jia Yan's painstaking efforts in selecting capable clansmen.

Back then, he also had a group of Jia family members as his personal guards. If it weren't for these family members fighting bloody battles, how could he have stopped Prince Yizhong, the most powerful member of the Eighth Prince's faction, that night, and thus suppressed the Eighth Prince's faction's invincible momentum?

Unfortunately, almost all of these guards were wiped out that night, and the survivors were seriously injured and died a few years later.

"Father."

"I"

Jia Lian was somewhat tempted, but hesitated to speak. Not long ago, he had been eager to buy an official position of the fifth rank, but now he looked down on it. Jia Yan, who was on the list, was the real path to success.

"what do you want?"

Looking at Jia Lian, Jia She asked solemnly.

"I"

When asked this question, Jia Lian was indeed stunned; he didn't know what he wanted.

Wang Xifeng glanced at Jia Lian with a hint of disappointment, then stepped forward and said, "My husband has not yet taken up his post, so it is difficult for him to make a decision. Why don't you ask your father-in-law for guidance?"

"Lian'er."

"You should learn more from Feng Ge'er."

Shaking his head slightly, Jia She was somewhat disappointed in Jia Lian. Even Wang Xifeng knew how to be opportunistic, yet he seemed to lack any ability to make his own choices.

"Yes, father."

Jia Lian lowered his head in shame.

“I donated a position as a prefectural assistant prefect for you. This is a civil service position, and if you want to appoint someone to a substantive post, it should be in a prefecture or county.”

"Even a minor county magistrate, who governs tens of thousands of people in a region, is called the 'parent official' or 'marquis of a hundred miles'."

"Within a single county, there are intricate and intertwined human relationships, including families that have continued from the Ming Dynasty and meritorious families that made military achievements at the beginning of the Great Qian Dynasty."

"If you are confident that you can figure it out, I can swallow my pride and beg Yan-ge'er to let you be appointed as a prefect in a certain place."

"I can not."

Meeting Jia She's gaze, Jia Lian uttered three words with difficulty: "He's an expert at indulging in debauchery and making friends with scoundrels. He'd be a struggle even as a county magistrate, let alone a prefect."

"At least you have some self-awareness."

Jia She sat upright in the main seat and said in a deep voice, "The imperial court has 150 prefectures, and there is no place for you among them."

"Only the newly established Wuyuan Prefecture and Yunzhong Prefecture, both located in the Hetao region, were set up to settle the Mongol Tartars after the Battle of Datong."

'Whoa!!!'

Jia Lian looked up in astonishment. Luckily, he hadn't agreed; otherwise, dealing with these Mongol Tartars would have been enough to give him a major headache.

"Does Father-in-law want my husband to pursue a military career?"

Wang Xifeng, quick-witted as ever, immediately grasped the key point.

"Ah."

Jia She nodded and continued, "The Jia family has two dukes who were originally from military families."

"Currently, Yan Ge'er is the Marquis of Daqian and General of the Cavalry. Everyone in the army obeys his orders, and even Grand Secretary Wei has to give him face."

"With just a flick of my finger, I can transfer you to the Beijing Garrison as a garrison commander, where you can accumulate some military merits and eventually inherit the Rongguo Mansion's title."

"Thank you father."

Jia Lian's face lit up with joy, and he quickly said...

"No rush, this matter still needs Yan-ge'er's approval."

"I'll take you to see him later."

Jia She waved his hand.

"Yes."

Jia Lian readily agreed.

"Dad."

At this moment, Wang Xifeng mentioned the Rongguo Mansion: "The Second Master ordered someone to hand over the keys to the mansion's storeroom to me. There are many things to do, especially the deficit."

"The income from the eight estates is decreasing day by day, and with several hundred people in the household, the monthly expenses alone amount to over a thousand taels."

“Even the most basic expenses for each room, not to mention the expensive and good ones, would cost several thousand taels.”

'? ? ? '

With a slight frown, Jia She thought about how difficult things had been for the household over the years, but he never expected things to turn out like this.

In fact, he never managed the household affairs. When Jia Daishan was alive, everything was decided by Grandmother Jia. Later, Grandmother Jia handed it over to Lady Wang.

"You should sort these things out for now. Once Lian'er's matter is settled, I'll make further plans."

"Yes."

Wang Xifeng agreed without saying anything more.

It was afternoon, and in the passageway of Rongguo Mansion, a figure hummed a tune and swaggered toward Pear Fragrance Courtyard. He was dressed in rich clothes, with broad shoulders, a thick waist, a thick neck, big ears, and an arrogant expression.

"Tap tap..."

A group of spirited women walked towards them, dressed in simple yet crimson outfits, each holding a sheathed longsword, instantly catching Xue Pan's attention.

"Eh."

Having never seen such a charming appearance before, Xue Pan felt as if insects were scratching at his heart, and couldn't help but lean over to say hello.

"roll!"

The lead waitress's eyes turned cold, her pink lips parted slightly, and she uttered a single word.

“You son of a bitch, how dare you curse Grandpa Xue?”

Although Xue Pan had restrained his temper since arriving in the capital, he had never been insulted like this before. His anger flared, and he was about to attack when…
"Wow!"

Unexpectedly, a sharp sword light flashed past his eyes, and he felt the sharp edge pierce his skin on his neck, leaving him stunned on the spot.

"Humph."

A waitress saw his appearance and looked at him with disgust. She stepped forward and punched him hard in the stomach.

"what!!!"

Immediately, Xue Pan felt a churning in his stomach, and his body involuntarily arched.

"Sisters, beat him up."

The other maids didn't care who he was. They saw him as a dissolute scoundrel and didn't hold back. They punched and kicked him until he was lying on the ground, his teeth chattering.

They followed Jia Yan's orders, and anyone who tried to offend them could be dealt with however they pleased, as long as they weren't killed.

"Ouch!"

After the maid left, Xue Pan lay on the ground, his face bruised and swollen.

"Hurry up and help Grandpa Xue up."

The steward, who was passing by, called to his servant to help Xue Pan up and take him to Pear Fragrance Courtyard.

"My son, what's the matter with you?"

When Aunt Xue saw Xue Pan's miserable appearance, she felt heartbroken and rushed to greet him.

"elder brother."

Xue Baochai, who was doing embroidery, put down what she was doing and asked with concern.

"I"

Xue Pan, of course, wouldn't tell Aunt Xue or Xue Baochai that he had been beaten by a group of women. He just gave a vague answer. The servant from Rongguo Mansion who brought him didn't linger and quickly left Lixiang Courtyard. Those sword-wielding maids were like demons; they didn't dare to provoke them at all.

"Mom." "Let your brother rest for a while."

Xue Baochai noticed Xue Pan's embarrassment and smoothed things over.

"My poor son."

Aunt Xue then had her maid fetch the medicine and personally applied it to Xue Pan.

They were kept in the dark about what was happening at Rongguo Mansion and did not know that Lady Wang had been imprisoned. Otherwise, they would have been able to connect the dots and find the truth about Xue Pan being beaten. This very fact foreshadowed the shocking events that followed.

The Forbidden City, the Palace of Heavenly Purity, the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

"His Majesty."

"Jia She, First-Class General of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion, and Jia Zheng, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works; and Jia Zhen, Hereditary Third-Rank General of the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, submitted a memorial requesting the cessation of their ancestral property."

Su Peisheng respectfully handed the two memorials to the emperor's desk.

Emperor Yongping, who was reviewing memorials, glanced at them but did not open them, and said, "What is he doing?"

"Return to Your Majesty."

"After returning to his residence, Zhuge Liang did not see any outsiders."

"After the Rongguo Mansion caused a commotion, the Ningguo Mansion has now summoned a group of Jia family members who have not yet reached adulthood."

"hehe."

Emperor Yongping gave a forced smile, saying with a hint of sarcasm, "No wonder both the Ning and Rong mansions submitted memorials."

"To quell external threats, one must first secure internal stability. He intends to tidy up his home before dealing with external matters."

"Is there any other movement?"

"His Majesty."

Su Peisheng continued, "The Marquis of Wu has trained a group of women who have seen blood and possess considerable martial arts skills."

"These people entered the Ning and Rong mansions respectively and guarded the inner courtyards."

"Oh?"

Emperor Yongping raised an eyebrow, his eyes flashing with different lights.

The Jia family's Black Cloud has not shown its face for many years. The recent traces seen are either in the Western Hills or in Ping'an Prefecture. It is unexpected that Jia Yan has secretly cultivated a group of his own people. It seems that this Marquis of Wu has hidden considerable power.

"His Majesty."

"The Rongguo Mansion can still be inherited, but the Ningguo Mansion is the last generation."

"Unless Marquis Wu inherits the main branch of the family line, the lineage of Duke Ningguo will have no chance of recovery."

In the corner, Wu Sidao slowly slid his wheelchair around and said, "It doesn't matter if we leave these ancestral properties to them; we'll take them back anyway."

"I'm afraid that's not necessarily true."

Emperor Yongping said inexplicably, "Among the clansmen he has chosen, there are quite a few sons of the Ning and Rong princes."

"Your Majesty need not concern yourself with this."

Wu Sidao said calmly, "If the descendants of Dukes Ning and Rong could inherit the two prefectures based on their military merits, it would not necessarily be a bad thing for the country."

"Your Majesty could follow the example of the retired emperor and enfeoff several more vassal states."

'Whoosh!'

This proposal caught Emperor Yongping's eye. There were many unclaimed territories in the country, such as Annam, the Three Xuan and Six Wei, and Hami. These were all former territories of the Ming Dynasty. If someone could occupy them, it wouldn't hurt to grant them a fiefdom.

Rather than letting these nobles waste their energy on debauchery and wrongdoing, it would be better to let them shed their blood for the country. A piece of unclaimed land would be the greatest blessing, and the noble families would surely mobilize in droves. The dynasty would not even need to give them any specific rewards.

Several years later, these places had become Han territory, and the current dynasty reclaimed them without lifting a finger, achieving two goals at once.

"Su Peisheng."

"An imperial edict was issued to the Ning and Rong prefectures, allowing them to retain their ancestral property."

Emperor Yongping immediately made a decision.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Su Peisheng bowed his head and replied.

"What do you think he will do next, sir?"

Then, Emperor Yongping's gaze fell on Wu Sidao in his wheelchair.

"Is Your Majesty worried that Nian Gengyao and others will side with the Jia family?"

Wu Sidao immediately saw through Emperor Yongping's thoughts.

"The nine border regions and garrisons are useless and only waste the nation's energy."

"Since I ascended the throne, I have allocated funds from the Imperial Treasury to the border towns on many occasions. Thanks to the thirteenth prince's skillful management, the Imperial Household Department has seen increased revenue. Otherwise, even if the Imperial Treasury were emptied, it would not be able to support the nine border regions."

“Nian Gengyao, Yue Zhongqi, and Zhang Guangsi were all rare capable generals among the Nine Garrisons. With the Mongol invasion quelled, most of the border towns in the Nine Garrisons were no longer of use.”

"I have been thinking about how to settle them these days, but I have not yet made a decision."

Emperor Yongping looked conflicted. In the end, he had no military power, and the Six Ministries did not listen to him. Even if he wanted to win them over, he could not offer them any substantial promotions or titles.

"Why doesn't Your Majesty hand them over to the Jia family?"

Wu Sidao said meaningfully, "The fact that the Emperor Emeritus agreed to rebuild the three major camps in the capital and handed over the Embroidered Uniform Army to him shows how much he values ​​it."

"If the Jia family wants to rebuild the Jia family's prestige in the imperial court and restore the former glory of the Ning and Rong Dukes' families spreading throughout the two capitals and thirteen provinces, the border troops and garrison soldiers are an obstacle that cannot be bypassed. Let's see how he does it."

"Which of those military families in the nine border regions isn't a deeply entrenched local power? Would they be willing to relinquish their power?"

"There are no positions in the three major military camps in the capital. There will always be a barrier between Nian Gengyao and the others. Now they are only first-class earls. If they become marquises or even dukes in the future, will they still be as close as the Jia family's sons?"

"I understand."

Emperor Yongping was a master of political maneuvering and naturally knew the ruthlessness of this tactic.

Power is the best supplement for a man's growth. When he is in a low position, he can submit for power. As his position grows, his ambition expands and he will only regard it as a disgrace. At that time, the relationship between Nian Gengyao and others and Jia Yan will be different.

"Your Majesty can entrust all matters concerning the border to the Jia family."

"For example, the two prefectures in the Hetao region."

“If we want to develop the Hetao region, we must solve the manpower problem. As long as Ningxia Town, Shanxi Town, Yulin Town, and Datong Town are not abolished, the large number of garrisons surrounding the four military towns will restrict the flow of people and land.”

"Add to that the bottomless pit that is the Marquisate of Wu'an; if the Jia family were to throw all their resources into it, they would only hear a ripple."

"The pursuit of profit will lead the Jia family to make the right decisions, and Your Majesty need not worry about these thorny troubles."

With a deep gaze, Wu Sidao suggested again, "I've heard that the Lin family's daughter has close ties with the Marquis of Wu. The Grand Master of the Imperial Academy in Jiangnan might be able to take this opportunity to return to the court. The Emperor Emeritus only forbids His Majesty's former officials from returning to the capital, but if she is the Marquis of Wu's father-in-law, then it's a different story."

"Like the sea!"

Emperor Yongping immediately thought of Lin Ruhai, and a variety of emotions arose in his heart.

"The Donglin Party members colluded with Prince Yizhong, causing the situation in Jiangnan to deteriorate and the national government to be unable to collect taxes."

"Only by using the power of the Jia family and the might of Zhuge Liang to sweep across the land can the world be cleared."

"Jiangnan has the highest tax revenue in the country. With these, Your Majesty will have a solid foundation to rectify the court."

"With this ebb and flow, Prince Yizhong's strength has been continuously weakened, so how can he threaten the throne?"

Wu Sidao spoke each word clearly.

"I understand."

A resolute look appeared in Emperor Yongping's eyes: "I will order someone to pay attention to this matter."

"Once the time is right, we will bestow a marriage upon the son of the Jia family. Surely, Ru Hai will have a son-in-law of great talent, and the situation in Jiangnan will be completely transformed."

"The loss of Jiangnan by the Fourteenth Prince is tantamount to pulling out a tiger's teeth. Why should I be afraid of him?"

"After the nine border and garrison troops were reorganized, Father Emperor only had twelve battalions under his command, and everything was different."

"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"

Wu Sidao agreed with Emperor Yongping's decisiveness, saying that a true emperor is one who can bend and stretch, and what are temporary gains and losses compared to the great cause of the country?

(End of this chapter)