Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Jia Cong had a secret discussion with Queen Chen for a long time before coming out of Changchun Palace with a smile on his face. He had got everything he wanted.

This is also a matter of course. Now that the enemy is at the gates of the city, even if Empress Chen doesn't want to give it, she has to agree. This is what they call the situation being stronger than the person.

What's more, she still needed Jia Cong's help in many things, and the new emperor was young and needed Jia Cong to help him mount the horse and send him on his way.

So the two of them reached an agreement harmoniously.

Watching Jia Cong leave, Empress Chen's expression suddenly turned cold. This bastard was taking advantage of the situation and his appetite was too big.

An Wenyao respectfully sent Jia Cong out, and came back and said carefully: "Madam, if you agree to the conditions of the Shao Bao, from now on he will be second only to one person and above ten thousand people."

Empress Chen raised her hand to interrupt him and said, "I know my limits. Let's get through this difficult time first and then plan for the future."

"Yes."

When Jia Cong returned to the Palace of Tranquil Longevity, all the civil and military officials, clan members and princes were still guarding the body respectfully. It was not that they did not want to leave, but that the entire palace had already been under the control of the new army.

"You guys have been waiting for a long time."

"You're too polite, young master." Everyone bowed and smiled apologetically, knowing that they would have to rely on Jia Cong for survival for quite a long time in the future, so who would dare to be disrespectful?

Jia Cong looked at Li Meng and Wang Ning and said, "The Beijing troops outside the city are still fighting without knowing who is our enemy. Now that the treacherous villains have been eliminated, the Empress has ordered the two commanders to leave the city immediately to quell the rebellion and then come back to the palace to discuss major plans."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they heard this. It was obvious that Jia Cong meant that he would no longer kill people.

Li Meng and Wang Ning were originally afraid that Jia Cong would take the opportunity to kill them, but when they saw that he had taken the initiative to let them go, it was obvious that he was not going to dwell on the past, so they hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty's order, I will leave the city immediately."

Jia Cong said: "Brother Wang Shi, go too and tell Lao Niu and the others to withdraw their troops.

The Queen has issued an order that it was all the treacherous tricks that led to the chaos tonight. All the soldiers are loyal and brave men who are dedicated to the country. As long as you obey the order and cease fire, the past will be forgiven. "

Wang Ziteng said happily: "I have obeyed the order." Jia Cong won a great victory tonight, and in the future he just needs to wait for his family to rise to heaven.

After the three of them left, Jia Cong looked at Duan Zhun and the others again, and said with a bow, "Mr. Zhun, all the gentlemen, please move to the East Side Hall. Cong will discuss the important affairs of state with you in accordance with the Queen's order."

Jiang Feng and Guan Pu smiled at each other, bowed and said, "Young Guard, please come in." They went out first, taking away a large group of important officials.

Everyone in the New Party looked at Duan Zhun with an uneasy look on their faces, not knowing what trick Jia Cong would play next, but it was definitely not a good thing.

Duan Zhun encountered a sudden change tonight, and even his character, which had been tempered by decades of ups and downs in the officialdom, was somewhat shaken.

He wanted to ensure that Emperor Xifeng's will was carried out, protect the interests of his party, and maintain the stability of the government so that it would not collapse overnight, so he forced himself to remain calm and deal with Jia Cong.

"Young Guard please."

When the New Party members saw Duan Zhun go out, they hurriedly followed him.

Jia Cong smiled and said, as the saying goes, when a scholar meets a soldier, he cannot explain his reason clearly.

No matter how famous you are as a minister or a great scholar, you have to bow down in front of the gun. I am considering the overall situation by not being Dong Zhuo. Anyone who does not know the current situation will only end up dead.

Hall of Mental Cultivation, East Side Hall

"My Lords, rest assured. Cong raised an army only to purge the emperor's entourage, punish the treacherous and corrupt officials, and clean up the government. He has absolutely no intention of rebellion, so you can rest assured." Jia Cong said straight to the point.

Jiang Feng, Guan Pu, Feng Yuan and others hurriedly said with a smile: "Young Master is a man of integrity, and we can trust him."

Everyone in the New Party is angry but dares not speak out. They have said nothing. The current leader has been poisoned to death by you, and you still say that you have no intention of rebelling. I don't believe you.

Jia Cong said: "A journey of a thousand miles tests a horse's strength, and time reveals a person's true character. What kind of person Cong is will become clear in the future.

You don't have to worry about the end of the policy after the death of the leader. Cong has just discussed this with the Empress, and the Empress also believes that the new law is a good law for all ages.

Although it was created by the late emperor, it does not mean that the new law will change when the new emperor ascends the throne. This is beyond doubt."

Everyone in the New Party breathed a sigh of relief. Duan Zhun looked better and asked, "Excuse me, Young Master, does the Queen mean that the new law should continue to be implemented?"

This sentence was apparently asked to the Queen, but was actually asked to Jia Cong. Everyone knew that the Queen was just a fig leaf now to avoid losing face for everyone.

Jia Cong said in a deep voice: "Yes. The Queen said three things that will not change."

"Appreciate further details."

"The purpose of the new law will not change, the overall situation in the court will not change, and the rule of the literati and officials will not change." Jia Cong said.

Everyone's eyes lit up. These "three unchangeds" were extremely important.

The purpose of the new law remains unchanged, which means that the life-long efforts and achievements of the New Party members headed by Duan Zhun are still there and will not be wiped out.

The overall situation in the court remains unchanged, which means that there will be no major changes in high-level personnel, and there will not be a new emperor with new ministers. Everyone's life and official position are protected.

The most crucial one is the third one. The scholar-officials ruling the world will not change, which means that Jia Cong will not become the person of Cao and Zhuo, dominating the government and covering the sky with one hand.

Administrative power is still in the hands of the scholar-official group, which is what the civil servants value most.

For the civil officials, no matter what faction they belong to, if the emperor is made a puppet and is manipulated by the emperor, they will fully support it. This is called "the holy emperor rules the world with ease." But if they are made puppets themselves, they will definitely do it to the end. No matter how many new troops Jia Cong has, they will find ways to kill you.

Governing power is the core of the core interests of the civil service group and there is absolutely no room for negotiation, unless they are all killed, which is obviously impossible.

Duan Zhun also breathed a sigh of relief and asked tentatively, "Does the young master also hold this view?"

Jia Cong said, "Since the Majesty has given the order, I will obey it. The world is so big, if we don't let scholars govern it, how can we let the rough people govern it? Isn't this a joke?"

"Young Master is right." Everyone laughed.

"We rough guys just do the rough, dirty and tiring work and help the scholars and officials." Jia Cong said with a smile.

"Young Master, you are too modest. Since ancient times, for a country to be strong, both civil and military affairs should not be neglected, but must complement each other." Everyone said modestly.

Jia Cong said: "Even though it is said so, after all, all other things are inferior, only reading is superior.

Cong has always admired the knowledge of the elders, and Brother Zhengfang knows this very well. Cong often asks him for advice on the meaning of the scriptures.

Feng Yuan smiled and said, "Young Master, you are too polite. What you said is to ask for advice, learn from each other, and learn from each other."

Seeing Jia Cong's humble words and repeated attempts to please him, the New Party members relaxed a lot, thinking that this was already the best outcome, so what was there to argue about?
Now that the emperor has passed away, Jia Cong has shown mercy by not killing everyone at once.

Duan Zhun said, "It is rare that the Grand Tutor is respectful to the wise and humble, and always puts the overall situation first. I sincerely admire you. I wonder how we should assist the new emperor after he ascends the throne, and what instructions the Empress has for you?" Everyone perked up, as this was the key issue. They would never believe that Jia Cong had been planning to "clear the court" for a long time and did not want any benefits at all.

Jia Cong said: "The Queen does have some ideas, and she ordered Cong to discuss them with you.

First, reorganize the Grand Council. Huo and Dong colluded with Dai Quan to plot treason and murdered His Majesty and the two princes. They are guilty of the death penalty. There are two vacancies in the Grand Council, and two more people must be added to the cabinet. "

Everyone nodded slowly, feeling warm in their hearts. This was only natural. Since Jia Cong had captured Huo and Dong, all the charges would definitely fall on them. Thinking of the two prime minister chairs that appeared out of nowhere, who wouldn't want to sit on them?

Jiang Feng twirled his beard and said, "This is a very good idea. I wonder if Your Majesty has any candidates?"

Jia Cong said: "Originally, the Empress said that such an important matter should be reported to the court according to the old rules, and then reported to the emperor for decision after the adults have made their decision.

Cong replied that the capital was in chaos now, with the two emperors having passed away, the prince dying, and the new emperor ascending the throne. The court would probably be busy for a while and would have no time to slowly select a new emperor.

Therefore, Cong boldly recommended two people to the Queen Mother. The Queen Mother did not comment, but only said that she would listen to the opinions of the adults, and if there was no objection, then it would be fine. "

Everyone asked hurriedly, "Who are the two people nominated by Shao Bao?"

Jia Cong said, "One is Chen Ji, the uncle of the state, from Yingchuan. The uncle of the state was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations and a great scholar with profound knowledge and a great reputation throughout the world. It is the right time for him to come out of seclusion and assist the young master. Do you agree with me?"

"What the Grand Guardian said is very true. It is appropriate and natural for Uncle Chen to join the cabinet." Everyone said hurriedly. He is the Queen's brother. Who dares to jump out and object?

"As for the other person, you are all familiar with him. He has devoted all his energy to the money and grain of the court for many years, and has flattered the affairs of various ministries and agencies, so that you have not had to worry about food. He has made great contributions, worked hard, and made great contributions. He is young and strong, and resourceful. Can he join the cabinet?" Jia Cong said.

Feng Yuan was surprised and happy, with a face full of shame, and waved his hand "modestly".

The faces of the New Party members froze, and they cursed the shameless man inwardly, "We said we would nominate you? Who are you showing this to?"

However, under Jia Cong's "proposal", he could only laugh dryly and said: "Minister Feng is extremely talented and has rich experience. His entry into the cabinet is what everyone expects."

"I dare not, I dare not. I am not talented or well-educated. How dare I enter the cabinet and become a prime minister? Please recommend other virtuous people." Feng Yuan declined with a smile.

Everyone was like eating a dead fly, so they had to play along with him and urge him to take on the responsibility.

Jia Cong rolled his eyes at him and said, "Brother Zhengfang, since you have been unanimously recommended by all the gentlemen, don't refuse. I hope you will put state affairs first."

Feng Yuan bowed his hands generously and said, "Since the Grand Protector has shown me favor and my colleagues have trusted me, I will accept your orders and serve you wholeheartedly until my death."

Jiang Feng, Guan Pu and everyone else congratulated him in unison. With this change, the power of the New Party in the Grand Council was greatly reduced.

Jia Cong ignored everyone's thoughts and continued, "As for the second matter, because the new emperor is young, the empress wants to appoint four ministers to assist in the administration and return the power to the emperor after the new emperor reaches adulthood. What do you think?"

"Your Majesty, your suggestion is very correct. It is also urgently needed at this time. I wonder who the candidate will be?" Duan Zhun said.

Jia Cong said: "I was just about to ask you to discuss the candidates. Please speak freely about your opinions. We must strive to be comprehensive in government affairs and convince the people of the world."

Feng Yuan said hurriedly, "If we talk about ministers of state, I would recommend Shao Bao first. Shao Bao is a genius who has made many outstanding achievements. This time he has restored order and supported the government. If he can't take the position, who else would dare to do it?"

"Yes, yes, what Lord Feng said is absolutely right." No one dared to object, and everyone nodded in agreement.

Jia Cong smiled calmly and said, "Cong is young and inexperienced, and his behavior is absurd. Moreover, he is in mourning. How dare he take on such an important task? Please recommend someone else who is capable and virtuous."

Jiang Feng said: "What the Grand Guardian said is wrong. There is chaos in the capital right now, and only the Grand Guardian can suppress the country's destiny.

Although you are in mourning, at this critical moment of life and death, I think the new emperor and the empress will also seize the opportunity to reinstate you. Please do not refuse. Please change your filial piety into loyalty and serve the court first."

"Please, Young Guardian, change your filial piety into loyalty and serve the court as the most important thing!" Guan Pu, Feng Yuan, Yan Ning and others hurriedly advised.

The New Party members also echoed with a forced smile, saying, "You have the bigger fist, so you have the final say."

Jia Cong could not "refuse", so he could only say: "Well, Cong is respectful and would rather obey your order, and wait until the political situation is stable before making plans."

"That's right." Feng Yuan said with a smile. He knew that "making further plans" and so on was pure nonsense. Would he really spit out the meat he had already eaten?
Jia Cong hesitated for a moment and said, "Cong, please recommend two people. Lord Zhun and Prime Minister Jiang are both highly respected and admired by the people. They should serve as ministers of state."

"What the young master said is true." Everyone had no objection. If these two big guys couldn't be the regent, who else would dare to be the regent?

Guan Pu and Gu Tao knew that they had little experience and connections, so they didn't hold out hope.

Duan Zhun and Jiang Feng symbolically declined, but after being urged by everyone, they stopped talking.

"I recommend Chen Guojiu to take the position of Minister of State, which is justified and reasonable." Duan Zhun said.

Jia Cong secretly thought that the old man was experienced and knowledgeable, so he didn't need to remind him, so he agreed, "Cong seconded the motion."

Since the two of them set the tone, everyone naturally did not dare to object and nodded in agreement.

"In this case, write a report on this matter and present it to Her Majesty for her review," said Jia Cong.

"Yes."

"The young master just mentioned two things. Is there a third thing?" Duan Zhun asked.

Jia Cong said, "Yes. Cong thought that the new emperor was too young to govern. Although he had ministers of state and the assistance of civil and military officials, it was inevitable that the ruler was weak and the ministers were strong, which was not the way to long-term peace.

The Empress is knowledgeable and virtuous, a model for the whole country, and highly respected by the people. We should respectfully invite the Empress to take charge of the government, listen to government affairs from behind the curtain, and supervise the country on behalf of the emperor. This is the way to be a minister, and the royal family can rest assured. "

Everyone hesitated for a moment. If the Queen was allowed to attend court, it would mean that everyone would have one more layer of control over them, which would obviously be disadvantageous to the civil service group. However, it was not easy to refute Jia Cong. After all, his reasoning sounded like that of a loyal minister.

No one dared to say that the empress was not qualified to rule the country from behind the curtain. Not to mention ruling the country, Empress Wu had even been the emperor.

Jia Cong glanced at Jiang Feng and the others. They all understood the meaning of the music and agreed: "Young Master, what you said is very true. Your Majesty is talented and virtuous, as wise as the sun and the moon. If you can give us advice, I think the government will not go wrong."

The New Party members were very unwilling to do so. The Empress and the King's brother-in-law interfering in state affairs obviously meant that the power of the royal family and relatives would expand rapidly, and would naturally encroach on their territory.

Duan Zhun was silent for a moment, then said, "This is a very good proposal. I will submit a petition with my colleagues to invite the Queen to attend the court."

When the New Party members saw Duan Zhun speak, they all lamented in their hearts that their future was bleak.

Jiang Feng twirled his beard and pondered for a moment. He was quite open-minded. If the descendants rose to power, they might not be as obedient as everyone else. They would inevitably come into conflict with Jia Cong. At that time, Jia Cong would naturally win over everyone. So he asked, "Does the young master have any other instructions?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Anything else... It's just some military affairs, so you don't have to worry about it. Cong will discuss it with the two governors Li and Wang."

"That's great." Everyone knew that Jia Cong would never give up his military power, so they were too lazy to talk too much. (End of this chapter)