Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 497 Zhongshan Wolf

At 15:30, after 18 heads of the Chen family were chopped off in one go, the main branch of the Chen family was exiled to Annan. All the land under the name of the Chen family was taken over by the government, and the high-interest loans owed to the Chen family by the people were burned in public. The people of the whole city went crazy, and firecrackers rang all day long. The next day, another eight heads were chopped off, but they were not from the Chen family, but from accomplices. This time there was no large-scale house search, and no clan members were implicated.

The follow-up work is extremely trivial, and Lord Jia naturally would not put in the effort to do it. Doing everything himself would only lead to exhaustion, so he would definitely be lazy if he could.

If Huizhou had not gone too far, Jia Lian would never have taken action against the Huizhou officials and gentry.

The worst was Wei Da, who worked so hard to achieve this achievement that his legs became thin. On the other hand, Jia Lian took his beautiful wife out every day in the cool autumn and went fishing at the beach when he had nothing to do.

At Nanhaiwei, Qi Yun reported a name, and Jia Lian approved it without any intention of continuing to argue. Qi Yun was very lucky that he had escaped another disaster.

After the governor sent someone down to temporarily take charge of government affairs, Jia Lian gave some instructions and continued his inspection tour with his subordinates.

This acting official is an unlucky guy in the Governor's Office. He is the kind of person who is disliked by both his grandmother and uncles. Otherwise, as a marginal leader, he would not have had such a good fortune.

It's not that the others don't want to come, but they are really afraid and dare not come. They are afraid of being implicated in Huizhou and are deeply afraid that Jia Lian will expand the case and implicate others.

The new acting prefect was naturally cautious and conscientious, and handled subsequent affairs according to Jia Lian's instructions.

A den of thieves like the one in Pengjia Village would naturally be wiped out in one fell swoop, with only the ringleaders being punished, while the accomplices would be left alone.

None of the officials who originally belonged to Huizhou escaped, and the worst result was that they were demoted for not reporting the crime.

This case sounded a severe alarm bell for officials across the province, mainly because they didn't know what Lord Jia's bottom line was. This is clear, we can't disobey the emperor's will.

After the news spread, many people privately cursed: "Jia dog!"

Despite the scolding, Jia Lian was always received carefully wherever he went, not daring to make any mistakes.

Fearing that Governor Jia could not stand the poor, all beggars were rounded up, temporarily settled, and given food. Local gentry were also mobilized to clean the streets, leaving no dead corners. In short, the lesson of Huizhou was too profound, and everyone remembered it. Lord Jia took money, but when he should not do his job, he still acted like a human being.

The whole process caused great trouble to the local officials and gentry. Children who were usually ignorant at home were all locked up and not allowed to go out. The gang members were even more cautious, fearing that they would be caught by Governor Jia. The interesting thing is that there was no answer from Hai Longtou, and it was unknown whether the life of Qin San, the shopkeeper, would be in danger when he returned.

After a month of traveling, Jia Lian returned to the loyal city of Guangzhou at the end of September. The three officials and the chief officer of the garrison came out to greet him, and Jia Lian also received a reply from the capital regarding the Huizhou case.

The attitude of Emperor Chenghui's secret decree was very clear: well done, this kind of dog official will be allowed to do whatever he wants in the future. The cabinet's letter was very official, which meant that they knew about it and sent the criminal official to the capital for trial as soon as possible.

Zhang Tingen sent a letter, saying that Jia Lian had a good sense of proportion and should continue to maintain it. His attitude remained the same as before. The teacher supported you in rectifying the local officialdom, but do not kill officials easily.

The content of the court report was quite different. After Long Jinwei discovered the problem in Huizhou, he asked the governor to cooperate in the investigation. In other words, the official line was that Long Jinwei was responsible for the case.

In fact, anyone who knows Jia Lian’s background would not believe this nonsense.

Even officials who are unaware of the truth would curse privately if they believed this statement: "Dog officials are in cahoots with the factory guards."

After Wang Ziteng waited for Jia Lian to rest for a day, he sent someone to invite him over to discuss official business.

Jia Lian went over immediately, after all, he was the nominal governor.

The Governor's Mansion at this time was much emptier than before, and the reason was very simple: most of the team members had gone to Annan.

When Wang Ziteng was talking with Jia Lian in the study, he said that he had already reported to the capital on the grounds of illness and hoped that the capital would send someone to replace him as Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Well, the Duke of Jiaozhi is going to his fiefdom to recuperate.

Jia Lian couldn't help but sigh inwardly after hearing this. Wang Ziteng was really an experienced politician. He could tell at a glance that there was a powerful force in the capital that was strongly dissatisfied with Wang Ziteng's continued stay in the position of governor.

Jia Lian said he knew, but he didn't show any attitude. Wang Ziteng helplessly said to himself, asking him to send people as soon as possible to take over the various departments that the Governor's Office had previously led. For example, shipyards, ironworks, mines, etc. The most valuable of them were the five warships bought from England, which had already returned from Annan and were anchored in the port.

Jia Lian said that it was no problem and he would definitely accept it as soon as possible.

After saying this, Jia Lian said goodbye and left without even eating. Wang Ziteng knew very well that the root cause of the cold relationship between the two families was not Jia Lian's problem, but that the Wang family had done too much.

Jia Lian returned to the governor's office. There was someone waiting at the door for a meeting. Jia Lian saw that it was Sun Shaozu and got off the carriage.

Sun Shaozu came over to pay his respects immediately, but Jia Lian did not let him get up. Instead, he put his hands behind his back and walked around him before stopping and saying, "It's been almost a year, and I finally get to meet Deputy General Sun. It's not easy."

Sun Shaozu was originally kneeling on one knee, but he immediately changed to the correct kneeling position and explained hurriedly: "My Lord, please listen to my explanation. I was so happy to learn that you were the governor of Guangdong that I came back to see you immediately. It was really because Annan refused to release me that we have been delayed until now."

Thinking of the original novel's "son of Zhongshan wolf, he will be rampant when he knows it", Jia Lian naturally didn't look happy, and kicked him over: "Bullshit, do you think I'm a three-year-old child? You are the deputy admiral of the navy. The Nanyang navy is led by Taiwei Wang himself, and you are the actual commander. The Nanyang navy is the navy of the court, not the private army of the Wang family. You are so good, you colluded with the Wang family and turned the court navy into a private army, what crime should you be punished for?"

This scene happened at the gate of the governor's office, and many people saw and heard it.

Sun Shaozu was scolded by Jia Lian, and his face turned pale. He begged for mercy again and again: "Sir, I really didn't do that. I couldn't come back to see you because I wanted to bring back more warships. Sir, the father and son of the Sun family..." Before he could finish his words, Jia Lian raised his foot and kicked him: "Shut up!"

Sun Shaozu, who was kicked, immediately shut up and knelt down obediently. Jia Lian said no more nonsense and turned around and went through the side door.

Sun Shaozu knelt at the door, not daring to move. His subordinates wanted to help him up, but Sun Shaozu scolded them and told them to get out. After kneeling for half an hour, Zhuzi came out and said, "Get up!"

Sun Shaozu then struggled to get up, but his legs went numb and he fell to the ground, covered in dust. Zhuzi didn't support him, so Sun Shaozu's subordinates hurried over to help him up.

Zhuzi then stepped forward and said, "How stupid are you that you didn't think of writing a letter to the master?"

This made Sun Shaozu want to kneel down again, but Zhuzi sneered, "Don't, I can't bear it. Go back and wait for the next punishment."

In theory, Jia Lian had no right to deal with Sun Shaozu, as he was under the jurisdiction of the Navy Office. In fact, the current Prime Minister of the Navy Office, Niu Jizong, had no control over the Nanyang Navy. The person who really had the final say on who would be the commander (general) of the Nanyang Navy was Jia Lian. Sun Shaozu was a deputy commander, and under the premise that Wang Ziteng concurrently served as the commander of the Navy, he was the actual chief officer.

Therefore, his words were just lies to fool people. It must be that the Wang family gave him enough benefits, so this guy dragged it on until now.

The reason why he was asked to get up and go back to wait for punishment was not because Jia Lian wanted to lift him up high and then put him down easily, but because he let a deputy admiral of the navy kneel at the door for too long, which would not be good if it got out. Although it had already been spread. Sun Shaozu went back, feeling as if he had lost his parents all the way. When he returned to the garrison, he quickly wrote a letter to his father, asking him to think of a way. He didn't regret it too much, after all, he made too much money. When he went to Annan, Sun Shaozu not only made 100,000 taels of silver, but also got 50,000 acres of land. The price was to delay time and let the Wang family calmly divide the navy. Sun Shaozu once hesitated, but thinking that Jia Lian's wife was a daughter of the Wang family, he didn't take it to heart.

He was so smart that he didn't even write a letter.

After seeing the scene at the yamen gate, Sun Shaozu realized that Jia Lian and the Wang family were not the same kind of people, and he became panicked.

Jia Lian sat quietly in the study, with Baochai accompanying him and making tea for him herself.

Watching her making tea, Jia Lian was reminded of Miaoyu from the Mantou Temple.

"Sun Shaozu handed in a visiting card and a gift list. You were right to confiscate them." Jia Lian praised Baochai.

"It's been such a long time since I came to see you. It's not right to just say that I'm in Annan. If he wants to wait outside, then he can wait. I dare not make the decision for you."

"Okay, go back and rest." Jia Lian stood up and helped Baochai, and walked her to the door before turning back.

Baochai was indeed smart and saw the crux of the problem at a glance. When Jia Lian first took office, the officials below lined up to pay their respects to him.

As I said, Jia Lian might not be able to remember who came, but he definitely remembered those who didn't come, and he mentioned them several times in front of Baochai.

For this tour, Jia Lian raised a lot of funds. Chen's family was quite wealthy, and officials and gentry from various places also gave money, which added up to more than one million taels.

Even so, it was still a little insufficient, mainly because the navy was too expensive. Jia Lian initially estimated that training a navy capable of defeating Spain and the Netherlands in Southeast Asia would require at least thirty third-class sailing battleships. Even if they were built by themselves, not counting the time, each would cost at least 300,000 silver dollars. The downside was that it was too expensive, but the upside was that it boosted many local industries. For example, canvas, cables, and so on.

Personnel expenses and subsequent maintenance are another huge expense, which has to be paid every year. As long as Jia Lian is still in Guangzhou, this expense can be withheld from the tax revenue of the Maritime Customs. But how can I say it? Now that Jia Lian is gone, it may be hard to say.

Jia Lian arranged personnel to take over various places, including the navy. Sun Shaozu was directly put aside, and no one asked about him. He was completely panicked and sent people to send visiting cards several times. It was not that he did not want to come, but he could not even leave the port now.

In the capital, when Wang Ziteng's memorial claiming illness was delivered, Emperor Chenghui was quite satisfied, thinking that this guy was quite sensible.

There was a considerable disagreement within the cabinet on the issue of choosing the new Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi.

Guo Yan and Ning Ke advocated sending someone to take over as soon as possible, while Lin Ruhai advocated that the governor was an important official at the border, and that he was just ill, not dead, so it was not good to change his orders overnight, and there was no need to rush to send someone to take over. Pan Jixun simply chose not to advocate. Right, right, right, everyone had a point.

Zhang Tingen did not make any comment.

After a day-long meeting, everyone argued their own opinions, but there was no conclusion. Emperor Chenghui calmly adjourned the meeting and would discuss it next time.

The issue was put on hold for now.

People who were familiar with Emperor Chenghui's style of doing things realized that the emperor was not satisfied with either of these two proposals.

Since no one is satisfied, the result is obvious, and that is Jia Lian.

But what can I say? Jia Lian is not qualified anyway. Isn't this nonsense?
Lin Ruhai also realized it, but he couldn't take the lead. When he returned home in the evening and talked about this with Jia Min and Daiyu, Daiyu asked him, "What does your majesty mean?"

Lin Ruhai said with a smile: "The Prime Minister has not expressed his opinion, and His Majesty has not said anything, so what else can we guess?"

Daiyu subconsciously said, "Father's plan is to make Brother Lian have one less mother-in-law, which is already very thoughtful. It can't be that Brother Lian is the acting governor, right? That's a bit too exaggerated."

Lin Ruhai smiled but said nothing. Daiyu looked at his expression, which gradually froze. She let out a breath of foul air: "How much does your majesty favor Brother Lian to be able to do this?"

Lin Ruhai talked about the Huizhou case, and finally said to Daiyu: "Your Majesty ordered the inspection team of the Inspectorate to conduct a nationwide investigation to see which officials are taking advantage of the price difference of silver coins like Huizhou did. If they are found, they will be punished and no leniency will be shown. The attitude is very firm!"

Daiyu couldn't help shaking her head after hearing this: "There used to be fire consumption, but after the imperial court minted coins, the fire consumption stopped. Naturally, the officials below had to think of other ways to make up for it. There are policies from above and countermeasures from below, nothing more than that."

"It is absolutely impossible to stop them from making money." Lin Ruhai gave a summary and added: "Jia Lian always puts the interests of your majesty first, at least on the surface. He is so young, but he acts like an old official who has been around for decades. If you marry him and become his equal wife in the future, your father is afraid that you will suffer a loss."

Daiyu blushed and lowered her head, her voice barely audible: "Then I won't marry!"

Jia Min raised her hand to her forehead and smiled bitterly. She was even more worried when she thought of the chaos in the backyard of the Jia Mansion. Jia Lian, that bastard, was a spendthrift.

After a few days, the cabinet met again. At the last moment, when the matter of Wang Ziteng was brought up again, Lin Ruhai and Guo Yan clashed again, each holding his own opinion. Pan Jixun suddenly said, "What is there to argue about? Just let Jia Lian act as the agent." After he said this, the scene was silent for a while, and everyone looked at Emperor Chenghui.

Emperor Chenghui nodded slightly with an expressionless face: "That's it, it's just an agent, it's not official."

Ning Ke said leisurely: "Jia Buqi, a third-rank official, was promoted to the post of Guangdong governor, a second-rank official. He has jumped the rank."

Zhang Ting'en said straightforwardly, "Most governors are of the third rank, and a few are of the second rank. In Jiangnan, the governors are of the second rank. Your Majesty is now determined to develop the South China Sea. In my opinion, the importance of Guangdong is increasing. It would be better to promote Jia Lian to the second rank governor, so that the acting governor of Guangdong and Guangxi would not be so conspicuous. Wang Ziteng is ill, so it is not an act of usurpation."

Zhang Tingen knows how to debate!

Ningke opened his mouth a few times and then closed it again.

Emperor Chenghui made the decision: "That's it. Let's talk about the affairs of Anxi and Nurgandusi."

Reports came back from both the east and the west, and they were delivered one after the other.

First, on the side of the King of Dongping, Li Ni of Mobei set up the Mobei Royal Court, and had some minor disputes with the King of Dongping's Nurgan Dusi. At the same time, both sides encountered small groups of Russians, had disputes, and fought. The King of Dongping was better off and did not suffer any loss, but the Mobei Royal Court did suffer a loss. Both sides submitted memorials, hoping that the court would intervene to resolve the dispute between the two, and at the same time asked for instructions on how to deal with the Russians.

King Xining also encountered the Russians, but he encountered a local force supported by the Russians. After the exchange of fire, King Xining's vanguard suffered certain losses. King Xining's vanguard won the battle, but was worried that there would be a larger dispute with the Russians in the future, so he specially submitted a memorial for instructions.

Zhang Tingen had discussed this matter with the emperor privately, so he made a decisive decision: "There is no rush. Send someone to take a look at the site before making a decision. Don't just look at their reports."

(End of this chapter)