Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 667 How can we live on?
The cabinet office was quiet; even the junior clerks walked quietly, afraid of disturbing the cabinet ministers inside.

The four cabinet ministers sat quietly in the room, each with a cup of tea in hand, not saying a word, just sitting there in a daze.

"Half an hour has passed!" Yue Qi said softly, breaking the silence.

"This is nothing. It usually takes at least an hour." Li Qing's words carried a hint of sourness.

Fang Song burst out laughing; he really couldn't help it.

Lin Ruhai coughed and said, "Stop talking nonsense. His Majesty summoned me because he has important matters to discuss. It's normal for the conversation to take a while."

A voice inside the Grand Secretary's heart was screaming: I am the Grand Secretary.

Since Li Yuan ascended the throne, the cabinet ministers had had opportunities to speak privately with the emperor, but these sessions were usually short, lasting at most a quarter of an hour.

It felt like the two sides weren't on the same page. Or rather, Li Yuan wasn't particularly patient with the lethargy displayed by the cabinet ministers.

In short, the emperor felt that the cabinet ministers were too conservative.

At this moment, Li Yuan felt that Jia Lian was too radical. Of course, Jia Lian's radicalism wasn't applied to everything. In most cases, Jia Lian was rather conservative.

Li Yuan believed that Jia Lian's radicalism at this moment was nothing more than a consequence of his previous assassination attempt.

In Li Yuan's view, there was little difference between Jia Lian before and after he joined the cabinet. Jia Lian preferred to travel and do practical work rather than stay in the office.

Li Yuan didn't think Jia Lian had any problems with his abilities; if it wasn't a matter of ability, then it was a problem with his style of doing things. After all, he was a well-known pragmatist.

As cabinet ministers, Jia Lian's work yielded tangible and concrete results, while other cabinet ministers focused primarily on abstract and theoretical matters.

Another possibility for his reluctance to stay in the office is that of the Grand Secretary Lin Ruhai. The strained relationship between father-in-law and son-in-law is no secret.

The conversation between Jia Lian and Li Yuan was briefly interrupted. It was understandable that Li Yuan had concerns about the points Jia Lian raised.

Being able to inherit the throne is one step, securing the throne is the second step, and how to exercise power is the third step.

Regardless of the step he took, Li Yuan needed support; power is manifested in having people willing to listen to one's words. There are historical examples of emperors who held the throne but had no one to listen to them, making it impossible to implement their policies.

Li Yuan was well aware of what those members of the imperial clan and their relatives had done. Dealing with a few individuals of lesser importance, or those who were not of one mind, was not a problem.

The remaining people, regardless of their abilities, were the ones who most supported Li Yuan becoming emperor; these people were the core supporters.

Targeting them too readily will create a negative public opinion environment, which will inevitably lead to a frenzied attack on this type of person by the civil service system.

Ultimately, Li Yuan's prestige had not yet been fully established, as evidenced by the cabinet's rejection of his decision to punish eight civil officials. Since they weren't his own people, they naturally couldn't be of one mind.

This isn't a matter of right or wrong, it's a matter of self-interest.

"I also have my difficulties, please understand, sir," Li Yuan explained in a low voice with some difficulty, mainly because he knew very well that Jia Lian had no selfish motives in this matter.

"Your Majesty, the common people are the foundation of the nation, bearing all the burdens of the court. As the supreme ruler, if Your Majesty has not seen something, so be it. But since something has been exposed, Your Majesty should resolutely stand on the side of the common people and send a clear signal to officials throughout the land. In this case of temple donations, the monks were able to donate 50,000 mu of land because the powerful and wealthy would rather worship ghosts and gods for peace of mind than show any compassion for the common people. If this is the case even in the capital region, what will officials throughout the land think? What will the gentry at the grassroots level think? The power of the court flows from top to bottom. What is a grain of rice at the top will be magnified tenfold or even a hundredfold when it reaches the grassroots. If Your Majesty has any expectations for the morality of officials, you might as well hope for favorable weather from Heaven."

Jia Lian finished speaking in a measured and unhurried manner, and then showed no intention of continuing.

That's all I have to say.

Jia Lian had no intention of lecturing; Li Yuan could tell he was simply stating the facts.

"Since I ascended the throne, I have rejected your proposals many times. Do you hold any grudges against me?" Li Yuan asked this question, which was somewhat sarcastic.

"Your Majesty has asked, and I cannot remain silent. To be honest, the late Emperor rejected many of my suggestions. As a subject, one should eat the emperor's food and do one's duty to the emperor, and do one's best in everything. Right and wrong, merit and demerit, are for posterity to judge. What I seek is, since I have come into this world, to leave some useful traces for future generations." Jia Lian's answer seemed very frank, but in reality, his mindset was inconsistent.

The former is somewhat hypocritical, while the latter is a genuine expression of one's true feelings.

Jia Lian didn't care how the emperor interpreted it. He truly didn't care; Jia Lian was currently focused on having so many things to do, and had no time to waste on idle chatter.

To be frank, Jia has done right by the Li family's rule.

Li Yuan was speechless at this answer. Yes, his father's teacher was also very radical back then. During the land distribution in Yunyang, the impeachment memorials were so numerous they could drown people. At that time, Li Yuan thought that Jia Lian would definitely be purged after his return. During the Jining Rebellion, Jia Lian went to war and also received a lot of "unclaimed land," even incurring the infamy of not helping the descendants of the emperor. All these things did not affect Emperor Chenghui's trust in Jia Lian, and Jia Lian repaid Emperor Chenghui's trust with loyalty, creating a beautiful story of a ruler and his minister.

Looking back now, it seems that Li Yuan's trust in Jia Lian was far less than that of the late emperor, merely because he rejected one suggestion.

"I misspoke!" Li Yuan was a decisive man and immediately expressed his apology.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian said solemnly, "Your Majesty, you must remember that you are the emperor. You can do things, but you cannot say them. Just pretend that I did not hear what you just said. In the future, Your Majesty must remember never to speak to your subjects in such a way."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately understood the meaning behind Jia Lian's words. He stood up solemnly, clasped his hands, and bowed, saying, "I humbly accept your instruction!"

Jia Lian quickly stood up and stepped aside, refusing the courtesy: "Your Majesty, you mustn't!"

For an emperor to establish authority, a crucial point is to avoid speaking carelessly. This is especially true when addressing his ministers; an emperor lacking sufficient prestige should not easily admit mistakes. Actions can be corrected, but words must not be spoken.

This was a very targeted remark, because Li Yuan lacked prestige and absolutely could not back down when facing officials.

Jia Lian's actions at this moment perfectly fulfilled his earlier words, proving that his words and deeds were consistent.

"Since you're here, sir, let's have a meeting of the Imperial Cabinet. I'll make the arrangements right away. You may go and rest for a while." Li Yuan quickly adjusted his mindset.

After Jia Lian took his leave, Li Yuan sighed to Hu Min beside him, "Father once said that Jia Lian served the emperor with sincerity, and now I know! My heart is far inferior to Father's."

Upon hearing this, Hu Min immediately laughed and said, "What the emperor lacked was nothing more than prestige. With the assistance of loyal ministers like Lord Jia, given time, he will surely be no less than the late emperor."

Li Yuan merely smiled at the flattery; he was well aware of the changes in his own mindset. Back in Southeast Asia, Li Yuan genuinely regarded Jia Lian as his teacher, sincerely seeking his advice on everything. After ascending the throne, surrounded by praise, he inevitably became arrogant and complacent after hearing it for a while.

Honest advice is hard to hear, but everyone prefers pleasant words. However, some people speak eloquently for personal gain, while others speak unpleasantly simply to put on an act.

Not every official can be consistent in word and deed.

When dealing with a subject, look at what he does, not what he says. Judge by his actions, not his intentions.

When Jia Lian came out, he found the four elders of the cabinet gathered together, and couldn't help but want to laugh. However, he still maintained a serious demeanor and greeted them.

"Scandals are rampant in the capital, which is not good for His Majesty's reputation. Everyone should keep their mouths shut." Lin Ruhai said in advance to prevent people from talking too much during the meeting.

After everyone took their seats in the meeting room, Hu Min entered shortly afterward: "The Emperor has arrived."

Lin Ruhai rose from his seat, followed by the others: "Welcome, Your Majesty."

"Rise, gentlemen, and take your seats." Li Yuan had adjusted his mindset well; the matter had occurred, and he would deal with it.

After everyone was seated, Li Yuan coughed and, in his usual concise style, said, "I have just arrived at the Rehe Palace after leaving the capital for summer retreat, and scandals have been erupting in the capital. This is no accident; it is the result of the long-standing lack of self-discipline among the powerful and wealthy in the capital and the neglect of official duties by the officials. I have dispatched inspection teams throughout the country, but I have overlooked the capital. Do any of you have any advice for me?"

These words put the cabinet members in a difficult position. Of the three scandals, one involved the arrogance of the empress's relatives, which the emperor dealt with severely; another involved official misconduct, which the emperor also dealt with severely, but the cabinet rejected the ruling. The third scandal was more far-reaching, involving the private residences of wealthy families in the capital. It revealed not only gossip but also land auction tax evasion and land consolidation cases. Was land consolidation solely the work of the empress's relatives and imperial family? That was visible in the capital, but who was doing the same thing outside the capital?

Putting aside whether the emperor bears any responsibility, what about the responsibility of the cabinet?

The cabinet ministers remained silent. Jia Lian had already said what needed to be said, so he was playing dumb without any psychological pressure. The others, however, didn't know what to say.

The emperor has clearly come to hold people accountable. The cabinet can't just protect the civil officials and shirk responsibility, can it?

"The most urgent task is to rectify public order, clarify the laws and punishments, and then announce this to the world." The cabinet clearly had a plan in place, and Li Qing stepped forward to speak.

In reality, the first two scandals were nothing compared to the third case. The most troublesome was the third one, but fortunately, Crown Prince Li Wan handled it well, suppressing the news, silencing the monks, and preventing a large-scale exodus.

The third case cannot be discussed openly, otherwise both the emperor and the cabinet would lose face.

"When it comes to rectifying conduct and upholding justice, don't say one thing and do another, applying two standards to people and matters," Jia Lian said sarcastically, expressing his distrust of the implementation.

"Jia Lian, don't let your personal emotions get into business." Lin Ruhai didn't dare let Jia Lian elaborate; if he were allowed to continue, it would inevitably escalate.

If we have to trace the three major scandals back further, what about the assassination of Jia Lian? That's probably the biggest scandal of all. A high-ranking official was assassinated in the street, and what was the result of the investigation? Even after the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review intervened, the case remains unsolved.

It can be said that Jia Lian gave the other ministers in the cabinet a lot of face, mainly because of his good personal relationship with Fang Song, which prevented a major incident from happening.

What does it mean to endure hardship for the sake of the country? Jia Lian's actions are the standard answer.

Speaking of this matter, the emperor did a good job. His attitude was very clear on the list of cabinet candidates: candidates were excluded based on their place of origin, which was a way of giving Jia Lian an explanation.

In contrast, the cabinet has yet to provide a satisfactory response.

Jia Lian didn't say anything more, out of respect for Lin Ruhai, who was, after all, his father-in-law.

However, the friction between the two still allowed Li Yuan to get some gossip.

Hu Min quietly entered and whispered in Li Yuan's ear. Li Yuan listened and laughed, "Let Xiong Qing come in too, so he can listen and get used to the atmosphere of the Imperial Conference."

After Hu Min left, Li Yuan smiled and said, "Xiong Fang came to the capital from Liangjiang and rushed over as soon as he learned that I and the cabinet were in Rehe. My intention is that in the future, alternate ministers should attend cabinet meetings as observers."

The implication is that they do not have the right to speak voluntarily, but the emperor can ask questions.

The presence of two alternate ministers must have put pressure on the cabinet members. Father Emperor's move was brilliant!
It was precedent for alternate ministers to attend meetings, so Lin Ruhai and the others had nothing to say.

"I thought Wei Zhixian would arrive first, but it turns out Xiong Liren arrived first," Fang Song joked, easing the previously tense atmosphere.

Li Yuan laughed and said, "The coastal transportation is convenient, so it's not surprising that Xiong Qing arrived first."

By actively joining in the conversation, the emperor was also trying to ease the tension, as things had indeed become a bit serious before.

"The railway was built by Buqi, but for the sake of maritime transport, Buqi even threw a teacup at Kong Xiang back then. I still remember it vividly." Lin Ruhai sighed as he spoke.

Jia Lian glanced at the teacup subconsciously but didn't reach for it, which made Lin Ruhai slap his face.

Xiong Fang entered, first paying homage to the emperor, then greeting the other officials. Hu Min arranged seating and then withdrew, and the meeting continued.

Jia Lian spoke up first: "Lord Xiong's arrival is just in time. Prime Minister Li suggested rectifying public order and clarifying the criminal justice system. The court should show its importance by appointing Prime Minister Fang as the head and Lord Xiong as the deputy. After returning to the capital, a team can be formed, and personnel can be mobilized to rectify public order in the capital while also reforming the criminal justice system. This should have some effect."

These words made everyone's faces turn a little ugly. Xiong Fang was even more confused. What's wrong with me? I just arrived and I'm already assigned a job. Can't you at least let me rest a bit?

No, this is Jia Lian giving me an opportunity. As a candidate for cabinet minister, it's a good chance to establish my authority.

"The Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review have performed their duties poorly; their superiors should resign. I will not keep them here." Li Yuan made a decisive decision, and everyone knew what it referred to.

“The prefect of Shuntian cannot be a coward; let’s transfer him,” Lin Ruhai said, adding that someone had to take the blame.

If an official fails to perform his duties as the prefect of Shuntian, the consequences are severe. Regardless of his background, once he is punished, his future is over, and he will have no chance to advance.

"Transferring him is inappropriate; demote him. The Ministry of Personnel will select another capable person to succeed him. My intention remains unchanged." Li Yuanke had no intention of letting the Prefect of Shuntian off the hook. If he couldn't handle the job, why did he accept the position in the first place?
The fact that the final message remained unchanged caused a drastic change in the expressions of Lin Ruhai and others. Li Yuan had already made his stance clear once before regarding the candidates for cabinet positions, and he was repeating it again this time.

How will officials in Jiangxi and Shanxi survive in the future?
(End of this chapter)