Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 748 An Elder in the Country

Li Wan was very happy to see Jia Lian, and kept saying that the old prime minister had worked hard.

Jia Lian repeatedly said that it wasn't hard work, and that since he was idle anyway, it would be good to do something. After all, he had been quiet for a long time and wanted to move around.

Although the emperor didn't say some things, Jia Lian still managed to glean some clues from his attitude and other relevant information.

The reason they wouldn't let him go to Donghua Kingdom was primarily because they worried that Jia Zhi might actually declare independence. This could potentially lead to a North-South conflict and even war.

Secondly, Li Wan probably felt that his health was failing and wanted to help the crown prince ascend the throne to establish his authority. He was worried that unrest might occur, so he needed a capable and prestigious old minister to keep things under control.

Thirdly, there were concerns about instability within the army, so a crackdown on official corruption was necessary, and the nobility were no exception. Although the current nobility were no longer associated with the Four Kings and Eight Dukes of yesteryear, the Jia family's status remained exceptional.

For so many years, Jia Lian has been in charge of the cabinet, and the country has been thriving. Any emperor would have to remember this old minister. Putting aside everything else, what would it mean if he went out?

Don't let any scholars write something inappropriate, like the new ruler being intolerant of old ministers or being cruel and ungrateful. That would leave you with a bad reputation.

However, on the other hand, the emperors who were praised by scholars were mostly those who did something wrong, rather than those who did something excessive.

Emperor Renzong of Song was elevated to an undeserved historical position by scholars. In reality, he accomplished nothing during his decades-long reign, and even managed to ruin the Yellow River.

Zhao Kuangyin said he wouldn't kill civil officials who offered advice, but this guy went further and implemented it by not killing scholar-officials. Was he stupid?
Zhu Yuanzhang was quite perceptive; he knew that the source of imperial power was the common people, but his understanding was limited. Whether you call it a lack of knowledge or historical limitations, Zhu Yuanzhang did many absurd things.

In his mind, everything is set in stone and will not change in the future.

Zhu Yuanzhang's regulations were so numerous they bordered on obsessive-compulsive. Leaving aside things like what kind of people should wear what kind of clothes, the military household system was a direct result of a lack of historical knowledge; even the militia system could be corrupted, so the military household system was even worse. And then there was the imperial clan system, which eventually led to members of the imperial clan having to beg for food.

People should just focus on doing their best in the present moment and leave the future to future generations.

We cannot leave troublesome matters to future generations, under the guise of trusting their wisdom; that is a lack of responsibility.

After exchanging pleasantries, Jia Lian took his leave to go home, and the emperor personally saw him off at the gate of the main hall before stopping.

Jia Lian, who had walked a distance away, stopped and turned back. Seeing the emperor still standing there watching him go, he bowed solemnly.

The Imperial Diarist's notes were taken very quickly, which provided excellent material; the relationship between the emperor and his minister was harmonious.

The current court is quite different from the past. In the past, the court was composed mainly of traditional scholars. Now, half of the court members come from practical academic backgrounds.

It can be said that, apart from the emperor, no one in this country can make a mistake, and Jia Lian, the leader of practical learning, cannot have any problems either.

Therefore, as long as Jia Lian doesn't rebel, he'll be perfectly fine. No one can change his mind.

The emperors liked Jia Lian probably because he clearly had power, but he didn't seize it and never showed any signs of becoming a powerful minister.

This is quite remarkable, because people are very vulnerable to power.

When I was a child, I would go on stage as a student representative to give a speech, with hundreds of people watching me. I felt so good that I forgot who I was.

If you were a county magistrate, everyone in the county would have to call you "Old Parents".

To be fair, the term "parent official" has a good meaning, but the problem is that there are really very few officials who can actually hold that position.

When you become a high-ranking official, the people around you will speak to you politely, do things for you comfortably, and even a fart will be considered loud enough to make people complain.

Tell me, aren't you confused?

If I were an official, I'd definitely be confused. Luckily, I didn't become one; if I had, I'd definitely be a menace.

People must have self-awareness. If a person can't even control himself, how can he expect to control others?

In this world, managing people is the hardest job, because you can't see into someone's heart. Similarly, being an official who manages people is the easiest job, because people will listen to you.

How to make someone obey? Give them benefits and they will definitely obey.

The problem is that there are so many people in this world, you can't just give benefits to those who are obedient to you, right? As long as you think this way and do this, problems are bound to arise.

When you give someone a gift, you must have something in mind. You can be confused if someone says nice things to you, but you're even more confused if someone gives you something.

Jia Lian is not a particularly self-disciplined person. He has been able to get to where he is now entirely due to the accumulation of his two lifetimes.

Jia Lian had just returned home to rest for a day and hadn't recovered when the Crown Prince came to his door.

This is what happens when someone comes uninvited!
The gates of the Jia family mansion, which had been closed for so many years, are now open again. Back when Jia Lian entered the cabinet and became the Grand Secretary, these matters were still kept hidden.

The Crown Prince's grand arrival must have a purpose. Jia Lian had no choice but to cooperate and go out to greet him.

The crown prince's goal was simple: he wanted to do things and to rightfully inherit the throne, so he had to do it this way.

If Jia Lian were to utter even half a word of dissatisfaction with the Crown Prince, his other brothers would pounce on him. Just because Jia Lian doesn't concern himself with the succession doesn't mean he lacks the power to influence it.

Another reason is that Jia Lian lived a long life. Emperors always respect long-lived people, perhaps hoping to share in their good fortune.

People in this era believe that long-lived people must be blessed.

Suddenly, I remembered that Ms. Song, a despicable person, also lived to be 102 years old, and I immediately felt that God was unfair. How many heinous things did this family do, yet they were able to live so long?

Therefore, the world is material. It's just that some people feel justified in doing evil, while others feel uneasy after doing evil and seek help from gods and Buddhas.

Let's assume this type of person still has some sense of shame, but they definitely have no conscience.

The Crown Prince's arrival was merely a formality, and Jia Lian had no choice but to cooperate, opening the door to welcome him in. This was to prove to the world that the Crown Prince was the absolute rightful heir, and that no one else could influence his decision.

If the Crown Prince, who is willing to mess with the administration, were to come to the door, even if Jia Lian were still as spry as ever and still able to practice martial arts at night, he would be carried out to greet him.

Upon arriving at the study, the Crown Prince performed the disciple's salute, which Jia Lian accepted with composure. At this age, having witnessed the reigns of three emperors and now facing the fourth, Jia Lian was qualified.

The Crown Prince asked, "Prime Minister, I have been reforming the bureaucracy, but there are rumors among the people that this move is unpopular. What do you think, Prime Minister?"

Jia Lian said, "The emperor's power comes from the mandate of heaven, and the people's will is the mandate of heaven. Why should Your Highness care about what others say? As long as you believe it is the right thing to do, then do it."

The Crown Prince respectfully replied, "I humbly accept your instruction!" Jia Lian said, "It is merely the duty of a subject!"

A member of the Crown Prince's entourage published an article in the newspaper reporting on the meeting.

When discussing the above dialogue, a commentator remarked that the old prime minister's statement, "It's just the duty of a subject," sounded easy, but was incredibly difficult to put into practice.

The Crown Prince then asked, "I wish to rectify military discipline; what does the Prime Minister think?"

Jia Lian smiled but didn't speak, only shaking his head slightly. The Crown Prince paused, but also didn't say anything.

The crown prince stayed for a while and then left. The newspapers reported on it extensively, and the news spread throughout the country. Of course, the newspapers did not mention the crown prince's inquiry about the rectification of military discipline.

Because of the crackdown on corruption, some undercurrents that had been brewing in private subsided after the article was published.

All the officials in the court instantly realized that Jia Lian was still alive. As long as he lived, the central empire was as stable as Mount Tai, and no one could shake him.

The crown prince wasn't just making things up recklessly; his people gradually took over the vacant positions, paving the way for him to secure his throne later.

As long as the Crown Prince doesn't interfere with military power, everything will proceed smoothly. Jia Lian believes the Crown Prince understands this.

The old emperor is still alive; it's inappropriate for you to meddle in military affairs. Just make sure the old emperor doesn't suspect that the crown prince is eager to ascend the throne.

It's important to understand that the older people get, the more suspicious they become. This is especially true for power-hungry individuals.

Jia Lian began to stay at home with peace of mind, writing things when he had nothing to do. He did want to go out for a stroll, but not only was Jia Quan worried, the emperor was even more worried.

There was no other way but to stay in the capital, right under the emperor's nose. If he could live to be a hundred, that would be an auspicious sign.

Jia Lian had a good attitude, reading historical books every day, with the *Records of the Grand Historian* being his most frequently read. Sima Qian was probably the only historian who could speak frankly and honestly; subsequent historians were all corrupted by power to varying degrees.

The fact that the Records of the Grand Historian was written and has been passed down to this day is truly thanks to the magnanimity of Emperor Wu of Han.

Later generations like to comment on the ancients, especially in the Internet age. Some people criticize Emperor Wu of Han, such as the Edict of Self-Reproach at Luntai, in order to negate him.

To put it bluntly, given the way the Records of the Grand Historian was written, any emperor would have ridiculed Sima Qian. Would the book even have been published if he hadn't drastically altered it beyond recognition?
What a fuss!

Don't say that Emperor Taizu of Song wasn't qualified; Zhao Kuangyin truly ended the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period.

What was the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period like? In short, it was a chaotic era, like a living hell, where human life was truly as worthless as grass.

Although the correction went too far, it was a necessary price to pay; otherwise, civilization would not have been revived, much less iterated.

When later generations criticize the ancients, it's because you didn't live in that era and can't empathize with their experiences.

So don't just listen to what others say online; go and read books to see how the ancients evaluated each other.

The crown prince successfully placed some of his own people into the court and initially gained control of the finances, but he did not touch the military and personnel powers.

It is clear that the Crown Prince was very sensible and knew how to act appropriately.

This is a good thing. If suspicion arises between the emperor and the crown prince, it will inevitably lead to internal strife.

Jia Lian published a new article in the newspaper, which was commissioned by the Crown Prince.

Today, the Minsheng Daily has been upgraded to the primary media outlet of the imperial court, while the Dibao (official gazette) is now considered an internal reference.

Jia Lian wrote a special article in the newspaper about this, titled "Beware of Capital's Objectification of People."

Throughout history, it has been common for people to die for wealth and birds to die for food, especially in ancient times when commerce and trade were underdeveloped.

Money is a thing, but it only has value in circulation when it is used as money and as a general equivalent.

After Jia Lian's article was published, it had a huge impact on the country. This was the first time in many years that the old prime minister had republished an article under his own name.

The flavor is still the same, all in plain language. The point is, no matter who reads it to you, you'll understand the meaning.

In his article, Jia Lian emphasizes that capitalists are willing to sell everything, even the rope that hangs them, in order to make money.

It also emphasized that having wealth is not a sin, but being rich and heartless is a sin, and illegally acquiring wealth is a sin.

The editorial commentary in the Minsheng Daily stated that this article is promoting positive social values.

This is a bit of a smokescreen. This article was written at the request of the Crown Prince, but its real purpose was to tell the Crown Prince to be wary of capitalists and that the two thousand years of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce were not for nothing.

Capitalists are willing to give up everything except wealth, including the nation, for their own riches.

Jia Lian hoped that if he were to die tomorrow, this article would serve as a reminder to future emperors.

Unfortunately, Jia Lian is still alive, living alone.

When one is inside the Jia Mansion, one can read a book when it is quiet, or wander around the two mansions after sitting for a long time, looking here and there, occasionally spacing out and reminiscing about the people in front of objects.

After staying at home for a long time, Jia Lian would go out to the streets and sit in a teahouse for a whole morning, listening to others chat.

Few people recognize Jia Lian nowadays. The older generation in the community did not live to see him and had never seen him in person or in a photograph.

Jia Lian moved about the streets with great ease. Those who secretly followed him, however, were suffering greatly.

As Jia Lian grew older, he really started going wherever there was excitement. He often had only one attendant with him, wandering around aimlessly.

Everyone was afraid that something would happen to him, and even more afraid that he would encounter something that would happen to him.

Just as I feared, Jia Lian was wandering around the street when he saw something interesting and immediately went to join in.

On the street, a young girl stood holding scissors to her neck, shouting at the man in front of her, "I'd rather die than go back with you."

(End of this chapter)