Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 646 The List is Here

After the provincial examination, Jia Lian did not even show up for the palace examination, but instead asked for leave to rest at home.

Lord Jia is just that low-key! The only way is to not mess with him!
As the saying goes, "Well water doesn't interfere with river water," you go your way and I'll go mine.

That's what they say, but in reality, it's not like that at all.

If you're doing even slightly well, there will be people who can't stand it. They'll either be eyeing your good points or trying to bring you down and trample you underfoot.

Anyone who trades stocks knows that seeing others make money is more painful than losing money yourself.

Therefore, Jia Lian created a series of state-owned enterprises that were very profitable, which is what is known as his original sin.

What should you do when countless bloodshot eyes are staring at you, wishing they could take your place and devour you?
Jia Lian's answer was clear: anyone who dared to covet it, if they could be killed, they would be killed; if they couldn't be killed, they would be made to suffer to the bone.

Otherwise, those people will never learn their lesson.

After the palace examination, the newly appointed scholars either went directly to the Hanlin Academy or participated in the examination for probationary officials.

Those who entered the Hanlin Academy fared better; the examination for Shujishi (a junior official in the Hanlin Academy) consisted of two parts: policy essays and practical learning.

In the past, only policy essays were tested, but this year practical learning was added. Surprisingly, the results were not bad, and all the successful candidates passed.

To be honest, the current level of difficulty is only equivalent to junior high school. For the smartest people in the world, passing the exam is almost effortless as long as they are willing to study. This is especially true given that the imperial examinations in this dynasty required mathematics.

The imperial examinations concluded smoothly, which seemed like a good start to the new year. However, a memorial to the throne shattered everyone's illusion of a peaceful and uneventful world.

The Vice Censor-in-Chief reported that a large number of new workshops and enterprises had sprung up in Jiangnan, more than tripling the number from five years ago. Ironically, the industrial and commercial taxes and agricultural taxes in Jiangnan remained the same as five years ago!
So many newly established businesses don't have to pay taxes?

In stark contrast, the industrial and commercial taxes in Beijing and Tianjin have more than quadrupled compared to five years ago due to the booming industry and commerce sector.

We urge the imperial court to thoroughly investigate this matter!

When this memorial reached the hands of the Commissioner of the Court of Judicial Review, the man's face turned green. Who would dare to write such a memorial? How many people would they offend? How did they even get to the position of Vice Censor-in-Chief?

Then look at the signature below: Jia Zheng.

That’s okay!

They're uncle and nephew, you started it, so why can't they fight back?
The fact that this memorial could be sent through the Office of Transmission instead of directly to the Emperor shows that they were willing to follow the rules; otherwise, what could you do?

The Ministry of Justice immediately sent it to the Cabinet, not a second longer. This was like iron that was almost red-hot; it wasn't just hot to the touch, it was hot enough to cook your hand.

Fang Song, who was in charge of the Censorate, received the memorial, glanced at it, and smiled. Calculating the days, it should be here soon.

Do you really think Jia Lian went south to inspect the railway construction because he had nothing better to do?
[This should be investigated.] Fang Song quickly wrote his comments on a small piece of paper, dipped a water bottle in the memorial, and leisurely walked to the Grand Secretary's office.

When Lin Ruhai saw him come in with a big smile, he thought it was something else, but he never expected it to be this kind of thing.

The memorial submitted by Jia Zheng was from his brother-in-law's family, and the issues he raised were real. He had read various summary reports from the end of last year before submitting the memorial.

Tell me, should we investigate this matter thoroughly?
After reading the comments, Lin Ruhai glared fiercely at Fang Song, but the guy didn't care and just smiled back.

Tax evasion by unscrupulous businessmen is widespread and deserves a thorough investigation!

Lin Ruhai also wrote a note, stuck it on, and then handed it to Fang Song.

Fang Song glanced at it but did not take it. Instead, he sneered, "Prime Minister Lin, is your assessment inappropriate? If you insist on this, please forgive me for not daring to send this memorial to the Emperor for review!"

Lin Ruhai remained silent for a moment. In theory, there were no major issues and there was no need to hold meetings for everything. However, this matter could be big or small, so a small cabinet meeting had to be held first to reach a consensus.

"Call everyone over and let them see before we talk."

This time, we have no choice but to hold a meeting; Lin Ruhai must turn this final decision into a collective opinion!
Then it should be presented to the Emperor; otherwise, the matter will become very troublesome.

Fang Song guessed Lin Ruhai's idea of ​​downplaying the issue and couldn't help but remind him, "Prime Minister Lin, it's better not to hold a meeting."

Lin Ruhai knew the truth perfectly well, but still clung to a sliver of hope, saying, "Let me think about it!"

Fang Songyi clasped his hands and took his leave. Lin Ruhai summoned his servant and asked him to go to the Censorate.

Just before leaving get off work, Chang Sui returned with news of Jia Zheng. Lin Ruhai sat there for a while before sighing, tearing up the previous approval slip, and calling someone in to present the memorial to the Emperor.

The sentence that Chang Sui always brought back was very simple, just three words: "Can't be stopped!"

Lin Ruhai knew that he couldn't stop them! Since he couldn't stop them, he might as well turn the tables and take the initiative, and then he could do something underhanded during the process.

After finishing his day's work reviewing documents, Li Yuan got up to stretch his body and was wondering where he would rest that night when Hu Min came in with a memorial in his hand.

With a sigh, Li Yuan said with a wry smile, "There's always so much to do!"

Hu Min said with a smile, "The sage is concerned about all the people, which is why he works so hard."

The correct interpretation of this statement is that Li Yuan did not trust the people in the cabinet and secretariat, which is why he tried his best to read every memorial.

Of course, this is also a learning process, but it's so tiring!
It's so easy for the emperor to slack off; with the cabinet and the secretariat, he can delegate a lot of authority.

Li Yuan, who had lofty ambitions, dared not slack off, so he tried his best to read as many memorials as possible to understand the important domestic political affairs.

Now that this memorial has been delivered, it must have been forwarded by the cabinet, and the emperor must read it.

He could have just ignored it, but after reading it, Li Yuan's good mood for the whole day was ruined. He slammed his fist on the table, stood up angrily, and shouted, "You bookworm, you traitor!"

Hu Min had seen it beforehand, so he promptly advised, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Now that the matter has been exposed, just deal with it."

Li Yuan angrily said, "You don't understand. The problem in Jiangnan is not a new problem, but a chronic one! Back then, when you went on a killing spree in Suzhou, you finally subdued the gentry of Jiangnan and made them obediently pay their commercial taxes. It's only been a few years, and the old disease has relapsed. Since this has happened, it must involve the corruption of officials. The two Jiang regions are such important places. Thirty years ago, forty percent of the country's taxes came from Jiangnan. My father has worked hard to reverse the situation and has finally made some progress. If the report is confirmed to be true, it shows that the officials in Jiangnan have seriously neglected their duties."

Li Yuan left out one more thing: if you can't control the local gentry, can't you control the officials? No wonder the Master repeatedly emphasized that governing the country begins with good governance. With clean governance, half the battle is won.

The next morning, the cabinet received a notice to convene an emergency cabinet meeting.

Cabinet ministers have a tough job, with regular meetings held twice a month, on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month. Extra meetings are held in special circumstances. Each time an extra meeting is called, it indicates that something significant has happened.

Li Yuan had made preparations in advance, having people prepare reports and data, which he then presented to the cabinet ministers during the meeting, asking them to make a clear statement on the matter.

The other cabinet ministers didn't really care; whether they spoke or not was none of their business. But Lin Ruhai had no choice but to speak.

"Your Majesty, I believe that all merchants are unscrupulous, and tax evasion is commonplace. We should launch a nationwide audit of industrial and commercial taxes to thoroughly punish these cunning and deceitful individuals."

The meaning of these words is quite clear: they are shifting the focus.

After speaking, Lin Ruhai looked around and silently sat down.

Li Qing immediately responded: "Your Majesty, I believe that Prime Minister Lin's words are reasonable. Why have dynasties throughout history emphasized agriculture and suppressed commerce? First, it was because they feared that the people would not think about farming and would instead engage in commerce for profit. Second, merchants have always been cunning and deceitful, and their power should not be allowed to grow. Therefore, when it is time to rectify the situation, we must not be lenient."

The position of Grand Secretary wasn't given lightly. Yesterday, Lin Ruhai had done his homework beforehand, ensuring that he had two people supporting him.

Yue Qi then stood up and said, "Since the late emperor, the promotion of industry and commerce has indeed brought many benefits to the national treasury, but that does not mean that there are no problems with merchants."

Fang Song was looking at the ceiling. It was already quite considerate of him to keep quiet; otherwise, given his status, any words he uttered would have been directed at officials.

Pan Jixun is always dozing off, just waiting for his retirement. It's impossible for him to speak.

Li Yuan was not like Emperor Chenghui, who could command the cabinet's obedience merely through hints. This was the consequence of a new emperor lacking prestige after ascending the throne.

Although he was well aware of the attitudes of the three cabinet members, and the underlying reason being mutual protection among officials, Li Yuan still had to endure it. After all, the opinions of the cabinet had to be respected, otherwise he would be seen as a tyrant.

The label of "tyrant" is unacceptable; it invites condemnation from all.

Fortunately, Li Yuan was mentally prepared for this situation, so he stated his position straightforwardly: "The Governor-General of Liangjiang and the officials of Jiangnan Province summarize the data every year. Haven't they been unaware of this phenomenon for just a day or two? I think they are aware of it. The annual tax difference is only in single digits, no wonder they have such a good reputation in Jiangnan."

His words were quite blunt, and the cabinet members were immediately silenced. The emperor wasn't stupid; how could he not see the problem?

Lin Ruhai also couldn't understand what the officials in Jiangnan were thinking, or how they dared to do such a thing.
This isn't the end of a dynasty, it's the height of prosperity! When the emperor was powerful and well-equipped, would you dare to deceive him like this?

However, Lin Ruhai still wanted to do his best to save these officials. After all, he was the Grand Secretary, and Li Qing and Yue Qi were able to support him because they had agreed to try to reduce their crimes.

The reason for doing this is twofold. One is the cabinet's own fault. The cabinet failed to pay attention to the problems in Jiangnan, which is a dereliction of duty.

Li Yuan's words were already very polite; he didn't point out any dereliction of duty by the cabinet, which was essentially giving the cabinet a way out.

"The Governor-General of Liangjiang and officials at all levels in Jiangnan are indeed suspected of dereliction of duty. The court still needs to deal with them. There are priorities. Put the officials' affairs aside for now and focus on rectifying commercial taxes and collecting the money."

Lin Ruhai made a final attempt to avoid the entire cabinet being labeled as derelict in their duties.

Li Yuan sat there silently, his face cold, and the atmosphere suddenly became heavy. Even though the emperor was a new ruler, a true dragon in his thirties, he was still capable of devouring people.

"Your Majesty, during the reign of the late Emperor, Jia Buqi assisted Grand Secretary Sun in reforming the commercial taxes in Jiangnan. He has a better understanding of the local situation. Why not let him go there personally to take charge of the reform of Jiangnan? In addition, the nationwide reform of industry and commerce is a major event that requires time to prepare. We can wait for the results from Jiangnan before pushing it forward."

After Fang Song stepped forward and spoke, Li Yuan, without giving anyone else a chance to speak, immediately said, "Fang Qing's words are excellent, it's settled then. Summon Jia Lian here, I'll ask him in person and then we'll discuss it further."

The meeting was suspended. After Li Yuan left his seat, Li Qing glared at Fang Song and whispered, "Don't you think things are serious enough? Let Jia Lian investigate?"

Fang Song sneered, "What could others find out if they investigated? Could they report back to His Majesty? Would His Majesty be satisfied?"

Lin Ruhai said, "Alright, stop arguing! Since things have come to this, let's make other plans."

In fact, Li Qing knew that Fang Song was telling the truth. Not to mention Jiangnan, any other place would need to be very tough to deal with this kind of thing.

When it comes to a tough style, which high-ranking official in the court can compare to Jia Lian?
The root of the problem lies with the emperor; he wants to rectify the situation thoroughly and lacks sufficient trust in the cabinet.

Ultimately, the cabinet has to blame itself. If it had discovered the problem earlier, it would have been fine.

So, has the cabinet found out yet? Of course they have, but they don't want to cause trouble. Don't think that cabinet ministers are all that important; the cabinet is just a makeshift operation.

The Ministry of Revenue had submitted a report, and the cabinet minister in charge, Li Qing, had approved it. He even reprimanded the Ministry of Revenue, instructing them to relay the message that the matter could not be allowed to pass.

But what was the result? Did they change anything?
If things were really changed, would this incident still have happened?
Everything is about dealing with things; once you can get through it, the matter is over.

Serious? Not at all. Offending people doesn't benefit the national treasury, it doesn't go into your own pocket.

The officials below them have to help cover up the various gifts they receive every year, right?

If you take the money and don't do the service, who will deliver it to you in the future?

Sometimes you really can't investigate, because once you do, it's like a landslide! There's no such thing as a problem with just a few individuals.

Jia Lian had been waiting in his office the whole time. He was the one who initiated this whole thing, so how could he not know what was going on?
Fang Song will definitely say everything he needs to say; whether the emperor accepts it is another matter entirely.

As expected, the eunuch came to announce his arrival. Jia Lian thanked him and then got up to leave.

Upon arriving at the venue, seeing all the dignitaries present, I naturally greeted them first; one cannot neglect the formalities of etiquette.

Li Yuan arrived shortly after. After having the official documents shown to Jia Lian, Li Yuan ignored the cabinet ministers and asked Jia Lian directly, "What do you think of the officials in Jiangnan?"

After a moment's thought, Jia Lian replied with certainty, "The problem certainly exists, but Your Majesty must be cautious about how to handle it."

Li Yuanqi asked, "Oh, what do you mean, sir?"

Jia Lian said solemnly, "We can't get things done without officials. It's unrealistic to wipe out all the officials in Jiangnan. The court's punishment is also to learn from past mistakes and cure the disease."

Li Yuan sneered, "Can't I even deal with this?"

Jia Lian shook his head and said, "His Majesty can certainly handle it, but the late Emperor's consistent approach was to severely punish the ringleaders and not question those who were coerced."

Li Yuan fell silent upon hearing this, looking down at the table, remaining silent for a long time.

(End of this chapter)