Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 642 Governor Xiong

In terms of rank, Xiong Fang was not as high as Jia Lian, so it was only right that he came to greet Shangguan when he learned that Shangguan had arrived at Pukou, which was just across the river.

The railway had only been open for a month, and Pukou was still a small, run-down station with not many good places to go.

Therefore, Governor Xiong came here to wait. The place he stayed was very ordinary, but the food was passable.

Before the special train even made its way there, the railway protection team had already cordoned off the makeshift station.

Even for the Xiong faction, if they wanted to enter the station, they could only bring one follower, while the others waited outside.

The railway guards, standing with their backs to the railway, held rifles and had solemn expressions; it was clear at a glance that this railway guard team was an elite force.

After comparing them in his mind, Xiong Fang felt that his personal guards were far inferior to the road protection team.

In terms of treatment, the personal guards were no less than the road patrol team, but when it came to training, Xiong Fang was truly lacking in confidence.

Jia Lian was skilled in both literature and military affairs, especially in training troops—a fact widely acknowledged in the court and among the public. Some people had whispered among Xiong Fang about Jia Lian's alleged private army and potential rebellious intentions, but Xiong Fang dismissed these as mere idle chatter.

Even if Jia Lian really did rebel, what would it have to do with me? How corrupt must an emperor and cabinet be to allow Jia Lian to rebel?
The entire Jia family, numbering in the hundreds, were staying in the capital. Were they planning a rebellion?

When civil servants want to smear someone, evidence and logic are all nonsense.

Since the founding of this dynasty, the civil and military officials have maintained a balance of power, and the successive emperors have generally performed quite well. Jia Lian's situation is somewhat special; he gave up a comfortable life as a nobleman and a comfortable life as a civil official, insisting on becoming a lone minister.

It's really annoying! But what does it have to do with me?

Xiong Fang watched the train pull into the station and come to a stop. It wasn't the first time he had seen a train, but he was still very impressed. Being able to build a train was truly a wonderful thing.

After the guards disembarked and took over the defense, Jia Lian slowly got off the carriage, stood still, looked around, and then turned his gaze towards them.

Xiong Fang immediately stepped forward and clasped his hands: "Greetings, Your Excellency the Chancellor!" A candidate cabinet minister is, after all, the Chancellor.

The cabinet ministers of the Zhou Empire were fundamentally different from those of the Ming Dynasty in that they were truly of the first rank.

"Brother Zhengren, thank you for your trouble!" Jia Lian smiled in return, after all, the other party had gone through the trouble of crossing the river to welcome him, so he had to give him face.

After exchanging pleasantries, they set off by carriage, escorted by a cavalry. Xiong Fang boarded Jia Lian's carriage, and the two sat facing each other and talked. There wasn't even a maidservant in the carriage. Xiong Fang thought to himself: How cautious!
"This year, Liangjiang's performance in the Beijing inspection was below average, all thanks to Buqi!" Since there was no fear of being overheard, Xiong Fang spoke very directly.

"Brother Zhengren, I dare not accept such praise," Jia Lian said with a smile, shaking his head. He absolutely could not take the blame.

"Two prefects and five county magistrates were dismissed because of rampant banditry within their jurisdictions! Wherever the railway was built, bandits would wipe out entire families of gentry. The governor of Jiangbei cried for three days in my yamen, demanding an explanation. He even threatened to impeach Buqi, and it took a great deal of effort to suppress it." Xiong Fang continued, his expression grave.

"Everything requires evidence. If the Governor of Jiangbei has evidence, he can certainly report it to the capital. I, Jia, have nothing to fear, so Governor Xiong need not worry about me." You want me to owe you a favor? Dream on!
Xiong Fang was at his wit's end; he had underestimated the shamelessness of this fellow! If it were just a case of gentry being massacred in Jiangbei Province, that would be one thing, but what about Shandong? What about Hebei?

But it was useless. Without evidence, they couldn't do anything to Jia Lian.

It should be noted that the railway bureau was a legitimate government agency, and it held a 60% stake in the Tianjin-Pukou Railway.

This is the advantage of state-owned enterprises: no matter how many people die during road construction, local officials can't find any evidence and can only watch helplessly.

Indeed, some gentry were wiped out because of bandits passing through the area, but many more gentry cooperated well with the railway authorities and sold their land at a 30% premium.

Seeing that Jia Lian was unmoved by his persuasion, Xiong Fang had no choice but to be direct: "There is an urgent public demand for the construction of a railway in Jiangnan Province. I have submitted memorials to the court many times, but the railway bureau has been dragging its feet and has not approved it. Brother Buqi, who is in charge of the railway bureau, could you please be lenient?"

"If Jia remembers correctly, Governor Xiong's report clearly states that the Jiangnan region should raise its own funds, establish its own railway company, construct its own railway, and operate its own railway. How could Governor Xiong expect the Railway Vice Minister to approve such a report? Or is Jiangnan Province special, with its officials and gentry considered superior?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiong Fang witnessed how quickly Jia Lian's expression changed. In an instant, Jia Lian's face turned as cold as frost, his eyes sharp and full of murderous intent.

Xiong Fang was speechless for a moment: "This..."

Jia Lian sneered twice: "Heh! Back in Jiangnan, you were too soft-hearted! You should have gone on a killing spree in Suzhou! Now look, they're starting to think Jia Lian is easy to bully and are getting too big for their britches."

Xiong Fang was truly surprised that Jia Lian spoke so bluntly. These kinds of things can be discussed, why resort to violence at the drop of a hat?
But he dared not haggle anymore; Jia Lian didn't seem to be joking.

"Brother Buqi, why go to such lengths? Let's talk this out." Xiong Fang put away his ulterior motives, and his tone softened considerably.

Jia Lian looked at him with a half-smile and said, "I, Jia, have met three governors-general of Liangjiang. During Han Zong's time, the Zhen family was rampant, but where are they now? When Sun Xiang was governor of Liangjiang, bloodshed broke out in the streets, and the officials and gentry of Liangjiang were as docile as frightened quails. You were promoted by Sun Xiang himself, but how come you have completely disgraced him? With your reputation, do you even have the face to write letters and give gifts to Sun Xiang during festivals? Bi Dingguo led the charge, and they haven't even settled their scores with me yet, and you've already jumped out to help them. Do you think I, Jia, have been practicing Buddhism all these years?"

Xiong Fang remained silent and stopped arguing. He secretly regretted that he had offered himself up uninvited.

The carriage stopped, the door opened, and Jia Lian ignored Xiong Fang, got out of the carriage, and stood in the front yard of a garden, looking around with his hands behind his back.

This garden is just average; there's not much to see.

The railway official came over and whispered, "This garden was built by a retired official. Due to family misfortune, his descendants sold it at a low price. Near Pukou, this is the only garden that is still decent."

Jia Lian didn't care who the retired official was. He glanced at the scene in front of him, where the steward and dozens of servants were kneeling on the ground, not daring to look up or speak. He was speechless.

"Get up, everyone! Leave one person to lead the way, the rest of you disperse." Jia Lian, having learned the situation of the garden, showed no interest in learning more.

After the servants left, only the steward stood hunched over, waiting. Jia Lian said to the railway official, "This place can serve as the railway bureau's exclusive post station, so it can be self-sufficient from now on."

The Railway Vice Minister's original intention was to present the garden to Jia Lian, so upon hearing this, he naturally had no objection. After all, it would be better for the garden to be under official ownership. Lord Jia didn't lack the money for such a garden, and the Railway Vice Minister wasn't necessarily going to give it away; he was merely making a gesture to Lord Jia.

Xiong Fang also got out of the carriage and stood behind, listening to Jia Lian finish speaking. He felt a slight tremor in his heart; this guy was truly cautious. Under official channels, surely any expense could be reimbursed, right?
Jia Lian didn't care about Xiong Fang's inner thoughts. He turned around and said indifferently, "The place is simple. If Governor Xiong doesn't mind, you can stay here for the night."

"His Excellency the Chancellor's southern tour is something I should be the one to receive. How can this be?" With outsiders present, Xiong Fang's tone and manner of speaking changed. His confidence stemmed from Sun Huazhen, but after their conversation in the carriage, it hadn't worked, and his voice lacked its usual assertiveness. In particular, Jia Lian's comment about Sun Huazhen's behavior in Liangjiang was like a slap in the face for Xiong Fang.

But what can be done now that things have come to this?

"Enough with the formalities. I'm tired, I'll go rest first. Governor Xiong, please feel free to stay or leave." Jia Lian didn't want to argue with him anymore. This man was pointless, not comparable to Sun Huazhen. And he dared to come alone? Had he been watching a show too long? Had he ever seen blood?
Without the conversation in the carriage, Jia Lian's words and actions at this moment would have been a blatant insult. Now, however, it's an attitude: bring it on!
What could Xiong Fang say? He really didn't dare! He was originally very confident that he could use the road construction issue to put Jia Lian in his place, but he never expected that the other party wouldn't be afraid at all! Instead, he turned around and threatened to draw blood!

If others said that, Xiong Fang could be 100% sure it was just bluffing, but this was Jia Lian, so he might actually be serious.

Xiong Fang watched helplessly as Jia Lian disappeared, then turned and went out, boarding the carriage waiting at the door. He hurried to the dock, where he would rejoin his guards. He had come and gone quietly. Jia Lian knew very well that Xiong Fang must have received considerable benefits from the gentry of Jiangnan; otherwise, he wouldn't have risked coming to see him alone.

It can only be said that Xiong Fang was relatively cautious in his actions and did not make a big fuss, otherwise he would have really lost face and the relationship would have to be torn apart.

Jia Lian didn't really have any ideas about whether or not to launch a major campaign in Jiangnan for the time being. The reason was none other than Lin Ruhai.

That's how people are; on that mountaintop, they sing the folk songs of that place.

Lin Ruhai is the same!
After entering the cabinet, Lin Ruhai naturally strived to become the Grand Secretary. He certainly needed support!

Now that I've become the Grand Secretary, shouldn't I reward those who have contributed? Shouldn't everyone continue to support me?

As a native of Suzhou, Lin Ruhai naturally became a role model for officials in the Jiangnan region.

From another perspective, it can also be seen that Lin Ruhai also believed that Jia Lian's control over state-owned enterprises was inappropriate and harmed the interests of the vast majority of gentry, especially the gentry in Jiangnan.

Why the gentry of Jiangnan? Because Jia Lian was in the north, and objectively, any non-greedy northern gentry could share in the benefits of road construction. The Jiangnan gentry, being further away, were a bit slower to act.

Jia Lian knew very well that even with the existence of stocks and the distribution of some benefits, many people would still be dissatisfied, feeling that everything should be contributed.

Xiong Fang felt that the gentry of Jiangnan could discuss this, while Jia Lian said that it didn't matter to him.

Upon entering the main hall, Xiren was directing the servants to wipe the furniture. In fact, it had already been cleaned, but Xiren simply enjoyed the feeling of ordering others around.

Jia Lian didn't scold her. He casually sat down on a chair and stared blankly at the calligraphy and paintings in the central hall.

After looking at it for a while, Jia Lian got up and went closer to look at the seal. It turned out to be an authentic work by Dong Qichang.

Damn it, these guys are something else!
Even though he knew it was to please him, Jia Lian still felt a little uncomfortable.

She got up and walked to the backyard. Xiren quickly followed. Qingwen packed her clothes, Yuanyang helped to burn incense, and Siqi made the bed and changed the sheets she had brought.

Jia Lian approached the wall, looked at the calligraphy and paintings on it, including Tang Yin's authentic works, shook his head, and gave a helpless bitter smile.

Looking at the incense burner, it's the real thing, and the chairs and stools are all made of rosewood.

I wonder how many of the items in this garden are originals and how many were added later.

Forget it, this isn't the place to be serious.

There was a voice at the door, and soon Zhu Zi came in: "Master, an urgent report from the palace!"

Jia Lian immediately perked up and raised his hand, saying, "Let me see it!"

Zhu Zi presented a large envelope with both hands. After checking the sealing wax seal on it, Jia Lian opened it.

Military reform report?

Military reform is certainly a good thing. The old-style army of the Zhou Empire was rotten to the core and should have been reformed long ago.

However, in Jia Lian's view, Yue Qi's report was essentially the same as before, just with a different name.

There's nothing new about it; it's just a reduction in scale. It's the same old routine of disbanding the old armies in each province and training a new one.

This thing is complete bullshit!
Disbanding the old army is easy, and training a new army is not difficult either, but what should be done with the old army? Should they be placed according to the roster, or should they be simply abandoned and left to fend for themselves?
Furthermore, if only the local areas are changed, what about the central government? Does the Ministry of War still control everything?

Should the military and government be separated? Or should the Ministry of War control strategy and military pay, or something else entirely?

It was all a mess, a pot of undercooked rice.

If we follow this report and make changes, once it's fully implemented, it's no wonder there will be chaos.

After reading it carefully, Jia Lian's mind became even more confused, because the Ministry of War was composed of mostly civil officials.

Therefore, if we want to reform the system, we must start with the Ministry of War; otherwise, the reform will be a waste of time.

Forget it, this thing is of no reference value.

Jia Lian casually tossed it aside and ordered that writing materials be prepared.

After pondering for a long time, Jia Lian put pen to paper.

The essence of military reform is the separation of military and political affairs. Military interference in politics is the source of chaos, and civil officials interfering in military affairs is also a source of chaos. Therefore, if we want to reform the military, we must first reform the Ministry of War.

Jia Lian's reply was simple. The core idea was that the Ministry of War was outdated, but reforming it was still premature. A thorough and comprehensive investigation and planning based on the actual situation were necessary before any reform could be discussed. As for Yue Qi's report, it was merely a flimsy, ineffective solution.

Regarding military reform, His Majesty's wishes should be the primary consideration. The core principles should be outlined based on the needs, and a plan should be formulated according to the actual situation.

In short, we can't just act on a whim.

Reform is a major undertaking and must be carried out with caution and thoroughness; hasty actions should be avoided.

Jia Lian finished writing hastily, put the pen into an envelope, sealed it with sealing wax, affixed his seal, and had it taken back to be sent to the capital overnight.

When Xiong Fang returned to the headquarters, his trusted advisor rushed forward and whispered, "Governor, there has been a major upheaval in the Ministry of Personnel in the capital."

The so-called major change in the Ministry of Personnel naturally meant that the positions of Minister and two Vice Ministers were vacant. There was no conclusion for the time being, and many people were watching these three lucrative posts.

As for the positions below, many people are also eyeing them, especially the positions of Assistant Director and Assistant Director in the Ministry of Personnel, which are coveted by many.

(End of this chapter)