Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 619 is not the same thing.
The Jia and Wang families were related by marriage, and Jia Lian's explicit pointing out of the Wang family's actions was seen by outsiders as a betrayal of trust.

In this era, protecting one's relatives is the norm. Jia Lian's actions are deserving of public scorn.

However, when matters involve foreign lands, people cannot openly attack Jia Lian. This is similar to a period in the Ming Dynasty when there was a faction among the officials who attacked the policy of opening up the seas.

The reason is simple: if the country opens up the sea, the majority of the revenue will come from the state. If the state bans the sea, it will not hinder smuggling along the coast at all, and the goods can still be sold at high prices. Therefore, people oppose opening up the sea.

Many things are like this: once you find the most basic interests, you'll know what drives people's behavior.

The existence of information asymmetry is what gives rise to the concept of a mob. Therefore, information acquisition is truly important.

After reading the memorial, Li Yuan instantly realized the consequences Jia Lian's actions would have on him personally. He subconsciously recalled the actions of those who had once surrounded him.

What is desired?

Li Yuan encountered a significant problem regarding how to deal with Annam.

The cabinet had been waiting for Li Yuan's reply for three days, and finally Li Yuan gave a reply.

The matter of the Annamite royal family was not mentioned. Instead, the cabinet was instructed to give Cui Cheng a "discretionary punishment" for his actions. As for the officials who were arrested and sentenced to exile by Jia Lian, the cabinet would simply follow the established procedures.

This response is quite interesting. Seeing such a vague statement about Choi Sung, the cabinet leaders gained a better impression of the new emperor, Lee Won, and also became more wary of him.

The imperial court only had a handful of officials of the second rank or above, so dealing with each second-rank official was a very cautious matter, as it concerned the dignity of the court.

The cabinet ministers probably knew something about Li Yuan's attitude, and they knew that he would definitely be dealt with, given that so many ministers had directly impeached him.

As for the other officials arrested by Jia Lian, it didn't matter; the Ministry of Personnel could simply send someone to take over their positions once the procedures were completed.

Lin Ruhai called everyone together to discuss the matter, and surprisingly, his four colleagues were rather mild in their approach to Cui Cheng's issue. Even Fang Song didn't seem overly harsh.

"His Majesty's decree has been issued, and punishment is necessary. I suggest issuing a written reprimand." Li Qing was naturally determined to protect Cui Cheng; the position of Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi was crucial, and his support was even more important. For a cabinet minister to advance to the position of Grand Secretary, gaining the support of the governors-general of various regions was paramount, especially the support of the governors-general of economically developed areas such as Guangdong, Guangxi, Huguang, and Liangjiang.

Yue Qi then echoed this sentiment, as did Fang Song and Pan Jixun. It wasn't that Li Qing's suggestion was particularly correct, but rather that how this matter was handled and its subsequent impact were crucial.

Lin Ruhai spoke very bluntly: "In that case, His Majesty won't be able to get through to us, so we'll have to make things a little stricter." Now is not the time to play the riddle-maker; we must be direct to avoid misunderstandings.

“Any stricter and it’s a punishment!” Even Fang Song only gave this much.

Why did things turn out this way? It was clearly a perfect opportunity to eliminate Cui Cheng. Why did Fang Song chicken out?
This time it can only be said that it was a special case. The officials from Guangdong and Guangxi impeached Cui Cheng, which was a case of a subordinate impeaching a superior. Their purpose was to curry favor with Jia Lian.

Such things are highly taboo in officialdom. If Cui Cheng is severely punished this time, what will happen to governors-general and provincial governors when they face collective impeachment from their subordinates?
From the cabinet's perspective, this incident should not have happened in the first place; the officials of Guangdong and Guangxi are not censors. Such behavior should not only not be encouraged, but should be suppressed.

What's infuriating is that it involves Jia Lian, the imperial envoy, and Cui Cheng has indeed been caught red-handed. This kind of thing wouldn't happen anywhere else; Guangdong and Guangxi are truly an exception.

The reason why Guangdong and Guangxi are an exception is quite simple: the cabinet basically tacitly acknowledges that Guangdong, Guangxi, and Southeast Asia are the core of Jia Lian's sphere of influence.

The situation has become quite complicated. On one hand, it must be dealt with, and on the other hand, the degree of intervention must be carefully controlled to prevent officials across the country from seeing this as an example and following suit, thinking that they could unite to overthrow their superiors, which is absolutely unacceptable.

The cabinet still has a tacit understanding in handling the overall tone, which is why Lin Ruhai is quite straightforward.

"Then let's punish him with half a year's salary!" Li Qing reiterated his stance, determined to deliver the sentence gently.

"Not enough, at least a year!" With the punishment set, Fang Song also expressed his opinion.

Pan Jixun and Yue Qi remained silent, while Lin Ruhai nodded: "Then issue a reprimand and punish him with a year's salary."

The results of the comprehensive analysis were compiled into a document and presented to the Emperor. Li Yuan reviewed it and, without any objection, immediately approved it.

As for the Wang family being overlooked, Li Yuan was quite satisfied. Jia Lian could point out the problems with the Wang family in his memorial because he was an imperial envoy and couldn't deceive the emperor. But how to deal with them was the emperor's business. The cabinet also understood this, so if the emperor didn't mention it, neither did they—a tacit understanding between the emperor and his ministers.

This was certainly not good news for Cui Cheng, and his future political prospects suffered a significant blow. But it was a helpless situation; who gave him the audacity to slight the imperial envoy?

Once the cabinet completed the necessary procedures and the documents were issued to the relevant departments, all of Jia Lian's actions began to be legalized. Those who were killed or exiled were acting on the will of the court, not on Jia Lian's personal will.

There used to be a saying, "Serving in public office is a good way to cultivate oneself." Everyone should carefully consider the meaning behind this saying.

There is a significant difference in how a person behaves whether they are a civilian or within the system.

Some things can be done or said by ordinary people, but those within the system cannot say or do them.

Those within the system naturally have the backing of the imperial court, which gives them a legitimate reason to act. While enjoying this convenience, those within the court are also subject to severe constraints on their words and actions.

In other words, from the day one enters the public sector, one is essentially shackled by the constraints of public service.

In ancient times, this constraint manifested in personal morality. Why morality? Because ancient officials wielded excessive power, and there were many gray areas; morality was often the only thing that could restrain them.

As for national laws, officials in ancient times naturally held the right to interpret them.

When the imperial document arrived in Guangzhou, Jia Lian wasn't surprised at all after reading it, and simply ignored the Wang family, which must have been the emperor's intention.

Jia Lian achieved his goal, teaching Cui Cheng a lesson that was neither too harsh nor too mild, and demonstrating his personal influence over Guangdong and Guangxi. As for the Wang family, there's no need to wait for further developments. During this period, Jia Lian's will was carried out, and Annam's foreign trade suffered a heavy blow. The Wang family's income plummeted, and the market share they lost was quickly devoured by other forces.

After receiving the cabinet's official document on the matter, Choi Sung immediately claimed illness and refused to leave the room, preserving the last shred of his dignity.

Nevertheless, from the capital to the provinces, people saw the results of the investigation in the official gazettes, learned of his discord with Jia Lian, and saw that the number of officials who could enter the cabinet would be greatly reduced.

As for the relationship between the Wang family and Jia Lian, it's obvious to everyone that Jia Lian held back; otherwise, it wouldn't have been a simple attack on the Wang family's trade.

As the dog days of summer arrived, Jia Lian became too lazy to go out, spending his days hiding in the Xue family mansion at the foot of the mountain to escape the heat. The entire government office in Guangdong and Guangxi seemed to have entered a slow-motion state, everything relaxed. Xiangling and Qingwen had been truly exhausted lately; Jia Lian disliked strangers serving him closely, so the two maids had to work harder. They had to serve him during the day and again at night.

These two maids are not young anymore, so it would be a lie to say they aren't worried. Even Qingwen, who seems the least concerned, has been working very hard lately.

It wasn't until the beginning of autumn that the Portuguese in Macau finally withdrew completely, and the imperial court officially reclaimed Macau.

The newly appointed officials from the Ministry of Personnel arrived one after another. They all wisely chose to pay their respects to Jia Lian first, and then present a gift to Cui Cheng. The governor was ill and could not visit him, so they had to maintain appearances.

The Wang family, through the Xue family's channels, repeatedly sent letters to Jia Lian begging for mercy, but naturally received no reply whatsoever.

When the weather cooled down, Jia Lian began his journey home.

After more than twenty days of travel, he arrived at the Beijing Railway Station, where he saw the people who had come to greet him, with Fang Song at the head.

After exchanging pleasantries, they boarded the carriage. Once inside, with only the two of them, Fang Song spoke directly: "This commotion has caused quite a stir; Li Rushui even broke one of her legs."

The two were practically a small, colluding group, and they didn't hold back when they spoke.

Jia Lian said calmly, "You can't blame me for this!"

Fang Song couldn't help but laugh and said, "Indeed, I can't blame you! But this feud is now settled."

Jia Lian shook his head: "How boring!"

Fang Song said, "The late emperor left in a bit of a hurry, giving Li Rushui a new hope; otherwise, there wouldn't have been so many problems. Originally, he should have stepped down when his term expired."

Jia Lian shook his head helplessly and said, "He's just lucky! His Majesty has just ascended the throne, so it's right for him to seek stability. His Majesty is already an adult, so he must not interfere too much, lest he be seen as childish and cause endless trouble in the future."

Upon hearing this, Fang Song immediately sat up straight, took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his brow, and said, "Thank you for reminding me, but I am far inferior to that scoundrel Li!"

As a long-time employee, how do you view those who rely on their seniority to act superior when a respected senior leader is transferred and a younger one takes over?

This is the current state of the cabinet. Emperor Chenghui has a high level of prestige, and the cabinet is actually being severely suppressed. With Emperor Chenghui's departure, the cabinet feels as if a mountain has been removed from its head.

Since Li Yuan ascended the throne, the cabinet has continued the practice of Emperor Chenghui in handling many matters, namely, the emperor delegated power, and the cabinet ministers handled the matters directly and then reported back.

If Emperor Seunghui were alive, there would be no problem with doing this. The reason is simple: if Emperor Seunghui was dissatisfied with the outcome and pointed it out, the cabinet ministers would not object.

The new emperor, Li Yuan, lacks prestige and, out of a desire for stability, he directly approves almost all decisions made by the cabinet.

Occasionally, when there were differing opinions, Fang Song would patiently explain to the emperor why he made such a decision. In contrast, Li Qing would immediately change his decision whenever the emperor raised any questions.

After receiving Jia Lian's reminder, Fang Song naturally knew what to do. Fortunately, there was still time, enough to salvage the situation.

The story of Zheng Bo Ke Duan Yu Yan is one that every scholar has read, but few people have truly understood and applied it.

The principles are the same, but people are complex and easily become swayed.

After thinking for a while, Fang Songcai said, "Prime Minister Lin is the chief minister. No matter what, he can serve another term. When his time comes, he can either be transferred to a post outside the capital or retire. There is nothing to worry about."

After Emperor Chenghui ascended the throne, he institutionalized restrictions on the term of office for the chief minister, preventing the emergence of a chief minister like Fang Baiyi who could serve for life if he wished. Therefore, Lin Ruhai was actually the safest.

At this time, Fang Song and Li Qing were the most vulnerable members of the cabinet. That's why their rivalry was the fiercest.

"Your term is up next year!" Jia Lian looked at Fang Song meaningfully, implying that he couldn't miss this last chance.

What opportunity? Naturally, it's the chance to become the Grand Secretary, brought about by the new emperor's ascension to the throne. To become the Grand Secretary, one must seize the opportunity next year to oust Li Qing.

"No wonder Buqi attacked Cui Cheng. I was wondering why. It wasn't a big deal to begin with," Fang Song suddenly realized.

Jia Lian shook his head again: "No, no, it was Cui Cheng who made the first move. He's old, but he lacks patience. He deserved to be ambushed."

Fang Song seemed to understand something and said, "So, Li the scoundrel is also anxious."

"Yue Qi is a military general, but he lacks talent. Pan Jixun is getting old. Brother Fang is the only threat. Don't you think we should be worried?" Jia Lian said with a smile.
The situation is clear: as long as Li Qing remains standing for another five years and his health allows, he will succeed Lin Ruhai upon his departure. The situation is so clear that eliminating Fang Song, the only threat, is the only way to ensure peace of mind. Anyone in that position knows what to do.

"It was a wise move for you to take the initiative to accept this challenge today," Fang Song said with great relief.

When Li Yuan entered the palace to meet the emperor, all the cabinet ministers were present. After listening to Jia Lian's detailed report, Li Yuan said with great satisfaction, "Having recovered Macau, I dare say that I have not failed my father!"

Fang Song stepped forward first and said, "Your Majesty, the late Emperor was wise and mighty, and Your Majesty is no less so. This is what is meant by the Mandate of Heaven being in your favor. I congratulate Your Majesty!"

Lin Ruhai was momentarily stunned by the sight. He glanced at it subconsciously before slowly stepping forward and saying, "The Portuguese once occupied Macau, but Your Majesty has now taken it back. It should be offered as a sacrifice at the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

For a moment, Jia Lian, the mastermind, didn't even have a chance to shine, standing silently to the side, making way for his father-in-law!
The other cabinet ministers naturally followed suit; it would be foolish not to at this point.

Li Yuan naturally went along with it, accepting the congratulations from the cabinet ministers and deciding to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to offer sacrifices.

After the cabinet members withdrew, Li Yuan kept Jia Lian behind for a private conversation.

"Your Majesty, I offer my congratulations!" Jia Lian added privately. Li Yuan, quite surprised, asked, "Aren't you a little late?"

Jia Lian said, "What do the congratulations from the cabinet ministers have to do with me?"

Li Yuan was taken aback again. He lowered his head in thought for a moment before looking up, shaking his head with a smile, and remained silent, a hint of self-satisfaction creeping into his expression. The image of the cabinet members vying to offer their congratulations flashed through his mind!
Therefore, the congratulations from Jia Lian were not the same as those from the cabinet members.

(End of this chapter)