Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Grandmother Jia said angrily: "I am also old and obscure. I am buried up to my neck in the earth and still have to worry about you."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Thank you, old lady, for your kindness. I wish you a long and blessed life. It's a little early to say this. Besides, it's not a loss for you to worry about me. Don't you have to worry about Baoyu too?"

Grandmother Jia laughed, pointed at him and scolded: "You monkey, you are still criticizing me, when have you ever suffered a loss? Well, I heard that you are quite troubled about the position of concubine in the mansion recently?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Cong hurriedly said, "I was just about to ask the old lady for some advice." He thought to himself that the old lady had many years of experience in the inner chambers, and she had seen a lot, so she must have a good idea.

Grandmother Jia smiled and asked, "What do you think?"

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "There are too many monks and too little porridge. The palms and backs of the hands are all flesh. It's not good to give it to anyone. A bowl of water can never be evenly distributed. It's difficult.

So now only Ruyi, Baochai, and Daiyu have been nominated, and the rest of the positions are left vacant."

Grandmother Jia said: "This is also a last resort, but it can only solve the problem temporarily, not for a long time."

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "Please enlighten me, old lady."

Grandmother Jia asked, "Do you want to appoint a prince based on your own preferences, or do you want to appoint a prince based on public opinion and public opinion, or do you want to appoint a prince based on the interests of the general situation?"

"I'd like to hear the details." Jia Cong said respectfully like a primary school student.

"If it's based on your preference, you don't have to worry about anything. You can make whoever you want. For example, Qingwen, you can make her a concubine. Who can say anything?" said Jia's mother.

Jia Cong heard the hidden meaning in her words, and thought about the story of "the old sword and deep feelings" that Baochai had told him. It was obvious that what Jia's mother said was irony.

Yin pondered and said, "What the old lady meant is that this matter cannot be based on one's own likes and dislikes."

"Yes." Grandmother Jia nodded slowly: "If one's virtue is not worthy of his position, there will be disaster. No matter how much you love her, can you still pin her to your waistband every day?

This is not loving her, but harming her. She suddenly rose to a high position, but could not win the support of the people. This is the way to disaster, and she herself is not at ease.

For example, Yuanyang, I love this child very much, but I have to be fair and say that she can just be your concubine.

Don't think of my dignity and let her be a concubine out of filial piety. This will harm her."

Yuanyang was moved by Jia's earnest words and knelt down with tears in her eyes, saying, "Old lady..."

"Good boy, get up quickly. I am not senile yet, and I cannot watch you being roasted on the fire. Although you are a concubine, you are comparable to an official of the fourth or fifth rank." said Lady Jia.

Jia Cong touched his nose and smiled bitterly: "Old lady, it's not that exaggerated, is it? How come being a concubine is like being roasted on the fire? It sounds like Cong's place is like the Avici Hell."

Grandmother Jia glared at him and said, "What do you know at such a young age? Nowadays, most of the girls in your area are young and have few children. They don't know the benefits yet. You will have a headache in the future.

What can't a woman do for the future of her children? Are all those wronged souls in the deep palaces and mansions in Shenjing fake? Even the emperor is troubled by the affairs of the harem, let alone you, a prince? "

Jia Cong was also secretly frightened, and hurriedly said, "Please give me some advice, old lady."

"This is the first point I want to make. A woman's imperial decree is like a noble title. It cannot be granted lightly based on one's own likes and dislikes. It must be given to the right person.

Otherwise, girls will try their best to curry favor with you, frame and slander each other, and their underhanded tactics are hard to guard against.

How can you, as a general or regent, dispel people's greed for profit?"

"Yes, Cong, please continue."

Grandmother Jia continued, "If we say that the canonization should be based on public opinion, whoever has the most supporters should be canonized, is that right?"

Jia Cong thought about it and said, "It seems to be a solution."

Grandmother Jia shook her head and said, "In this way, everyone will set up their own factions and form cliques, just like party struggles. Whoever is best at managing personal connections and seeking personal gain will gain the upper hand.

The truly honest and caring daughters will suffer, and there will be no peace in the family, and the family tradition will be ruined."

Jia Cong was horrified. It was such a huge irony that if he had fought hard all his life, but the inner house was filled with life-and-death struggles like the party struggles in the court, it would be like a huge irony.

He hurriedly said, "What the old lady said is true. In terms of being versatile and getting along with everyone, who can compare to Sister Feng and Chu Chan? Girls like the Wanyan sisters who are straightforward and simple will definitely suffer a great loss."

Any unit will emphasize that honest people should not be taken advantage of, because honest people are needed to work hard and conscientiously. But in reality, it is often the honest people who suffer losses. Smart people will not suffer losses either. This is an iron rule.

Grandmother Jia said, "That's right. Your family has many girls and it's much more complicated than other families. It's not easy to manage them well."

Jia Cong hurried over with a smile, presented the teacup to Jia's mother, and said, "Old lady, please have a sip of tea to moisten your stomach first, and then continue to teach your grandson the secrets of the inner house. Cong is all ears."

As she spoke, she sat down next to Lady Jia, took her hand and rocked it gently, and for the first time ever, she imitated Baoyu and acted coquettishly.

Yuanyang covered his mouth and laughed secretly, saying that there are times when I have to be humble and submissive.

Grandmother Jia laughed, took the tea and took a sip. "How can a monkey like you fly out of the Five Finger Mountain of Buddha?"
Jia Cong admitted his mistake decisively, because he felt that what Lady Jia said made a lot of sense and that there was a high probability that it would happen.

Even with Pang Chao's wisdom, he was of no help in dealing with matters in the inner house.

Moreover, although Baochai, Fengjie, and Chuchan understood these principles, they would not tell her in order to avoid being suspected of competing for favor and also for fear of offending their sisters.

The old lady is the only one in the world who would guide me without reservation. After all, I am her grandson, and I can't just watch my backyard catch fire and become a mess, which would be detrimental to the family.

Grandmother Jia continued, "So, if you want the harem to be stable, you have to consider the overall situation, your family background, and your ability. It's like the emperor selecting his ministers and promoting whoever he likes. This is called a tyrant.
He promotes whoever has more followers and has no opinion of his own. This is called a mediocre king.

Only those who have a grasp of the world, possess unique ingenuity, and are able to plan and strategize can be considered wise rulers.

Remember, the inner house is like the imperial court or the government office, grace and authority all come from the top, and everything else is useless. Only when you, the backbone, are stable, the house will not be in chaos. "

Jia Cong could not help but look at the old lady with new eyes, and sighed: "Zhuge was cautious throughout his life, and grandma is not confused about major issues. The old lady can be said to be a female Zhuge, and your grandson admires her."

Grandmother Jia was so happy that she couldn't stop smiling. She scolded with a smile: "You bastard, you made up some nonsense to fool me again. How dare I compare myself with Zhuge Liang?

If this gets out, I'm afraid all the scholars in the world will poke my spine into a swollen pulp."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Cong speaks from the heart, there is no falsehood. Besides, with Cong here, which scholar dares to scold you? Please tell me more specifically, how to deal with the East Palace."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Now you have already decided on one principal and two concubines. This is the right thing to do. As for the positions of the other concubines, we still need to consider. Who do you like?"

Jia Cong groaned and said, "In terms of their ability to manage the household and their family backgrounds, Sister Feng and Sister Chan are both the best choices, but..."

Then he glanced at Grandmother Jia and said, "Yun'er is from a noble family, Baoqin is also from a rich family, and they are both virgins, so it's hard to place them." Grandmother Jia said, "That's exactly the case. Now that you have a different status and your inner house is also attracting much attention, if you promote someone, it means you value the power behind them.

For example, Yun and Feng have noble families behind them, while Chan and Baoqin have powerful families from Jiangnan. They should not be ignored, and this is where the difficulty in making a choice lies.

And there is the girl Wanyan in your family. Thanks to her connections, the business with the barbarians in Liaodong has made you a lot of money, so you cannot remain ungrateful.

And I heard that Yang Si Niang and Bai Xiao Girl also have an unclear relationship with you. They saved our family's lives, how can we repay them?

There are also Yuan Yatou and Miao Yu, who are also from famous families. Although they have fallen on hard times, it would be embarrassing for you to let them be concubines, right? I can't remember the rest.

Although you can ask the Ministry of Rites to give you more concubines, don't forget that things are valuable because they are rare. If there are too many concubines, they will become worthless. Instead, they will dilute the power of Baoyatou and Yuer. By that time, there will be many factions in the mansion, which will be very troublesome, right?
The princess has a bold and straightforward personality, she is not a delicate person, I am afraid she will be difficult to control."

Jia Cong was in a dilemma and smiled bitterly: "I don't know what to do with what the old lady said. Please help me, old ancestor."

"Who told you not to learn your lesson? You fall in love with every woman you meet outside, and you have more wives and concubines than your ancestors combined. Now you feel annoyed?" Grandmother Jia spat at him and said, "There is a way to solve it."

Jia Cong was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "Old lady, please tell me quickly."

"Why don't you ask the Ministry of Rites to reduce the extra quota for concubines and increase the quota for concubines? This way, Baoyatou and Yu'er will have a secure position, and the family will benefit equally, with less trouble and conflict, and it will be easier for the Ministry of Rites to deal with it."

Jia Cong slapped his forehead and laughed, "I thought you were a female Zhuge Liang. How come I didn't think of such a good idea? I only thought of adding more people, but didn't realize that subtraction is the best way.

With one principal wife, two concubines, and several concubines, there will be no worries in the family." He immediately counted on his fingers how many concubines he should have.

Grandmother Jia glared at him and said, "Concubines are not as cheap as carrots and cabbages. You can have as many as you want, but it will never be enough. And don't be so honest. If you take all the positions at once, what will happen to those who don't get any?
We can only find a way to pull down the one who went up first, wouldn't that cause more trouble?

You must leave a few vacancies so that everyone can have something to think about, just like the carrot in front of the donkey, who can see it but cannot eat it, so he will naturally focus on it and the family will be peaceful. "

Jia Cong had never expected such a plot to take place in the inner house, and he sighed, "It is often said that an old man is like a treasure in a Taoist family, and it is true. If it were not for the old lady, Cong would have been doomed forever."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "From now on, if you worry more about Baoyu, you will be honoring me."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Don't worry, old lady."

The next day, Jia Cong entered the palace early in the morning with the proposal written by Pang Chao and presided over the court meeting for the first time.

Because the successor emperor is young and cannot sit for long periods of time, he does not need to attend court to protect his dignity.

If Jia Cong was not present on the day of the court meeting, Duan Zhun, the head of the cabinet, would preside over the meeting, and then he would report the agenda and important government affairs to the Empress Dowager in the Yangxin Palace.

Since Jia Cong is entering the palace today, it is natural for him to preside over the event.

A young eunuch had already placed a huanghuali armchair for him under the throne; this was the privilege of the regent.

Jia Cong went up to the hall wearing a sword and shoes, glanced at the civil and military officials, lifted his clothes and sat down.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."

"No need to be polite, good morning, everyone." Jia Cong smiled and bowed, saying, "Before discussing matters, let me say something off topic. When I first attended court, I found that the morning court was too early, especially in winter, when it was dark, cold, and hungry. It was unbearable. You all understand this."

All the ministers laughed. What else could they do if the ancestral rules were like this?
"I think it would be more appropriate to postpone the morning court session by one and a half hours to Chenzheng." Jia Cong said with a smile. Chenzheng means 8 o'clock in the morning in later generations.

The officials were delighted. This was a great act of good governance. They all said in unison, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your understanding."

Suddenly, several discordant voices rang out: "The morning court session at the hour of Mao is an ancestral custom and should not be changed lightly."

"Government affairs are very busy, and even if we go to court at Mao time, we may not be able to handle the compromise. If we postpone it further, it may hinder public affairs."

"The sage said, 'We are born in sorrow and die in comfort.' If we postpone the morning meeting, it may breed a culture of hedonism and debauchery, which will delay the development of state affairs in the future. This is not the right way."

"We are paid by the emperor and should be loyal to him. How can we be lazy and neglect state affairs for the sake of comfort? Postponing the morning court session is not an option.

If you want to enjoy it, why not quit your job and sleep till noon? "

……

All the ministers were extremely embarrassed. These censors were just argumentative trolls with a lot of big principles. No one dared to argue with them seriously, and they were given a reputation of being lazy and unwilling to work.

Jia Cong looked around and saw that they were all small-time characters in the imperial court. They had not yet been polluted by the big dye vat of officialdom and did not know the principle of blending in with the world. Who do you think you are with your warm-blooded heart? You just do something against anything you don't like.

He smiled and did not argue with them, saying, "Will postponing the morning court session corrupt the morals and delay government affairs? Let's try it for three months and see. If it's really not good, it's not too late to change it back.

If you feel that the official duties are too heavy to be completed, why not postpone the adjournment for an hour and a half? It's not a big deal, there's no need to discuss it further."

"Your Highness is wise." All the ministers praised in unison.

"The main purpose of coming to the palace today is to discuss several matters with you gentlemen." Jia Cong opened the small notebook and spoke slowly.

"Please give your instructions, Your Majesty." said the ministers.

"The first thing is of course the new law. Whether the court has money depends on it. How is the implementation of the new law going?" Jia Cong said.

Duan Zhun said, "Your Highness, now the nine provinces of the country, except for the chieftains, have all implemented the new law. This summer, the tax will be paid to the capital, and there should be a rich profit."

Jia Cong nodded: "Don't worry about the Tusi for now. There are only a few acres of land in the mountains. It will be easy to deal with them when firearms become popular.

It is not cost-effective to go into the mountains and fight them head-on now. To deal with these barbarians in the mountains, we have to use the strategy of luring the snake out of its hole and lure them to our territory to fight.

General Li, I will leave this matter to you. Please formulate a battle strategy as soon as possible. In the near future, the imperial court will uproot the local chieftains who have been entrenched for hundreds of years."

Li Meng bowed and said, "I obey your orders."

Jia Cong said: "Everyone, I reiterate once again that the new law is the most precious legacy left by the late emperor. Cong will stick to it and will never give up on it!
If anyone expects to return to the old law, they are making a wrong calculation. The new law will not stop, it will only be updated! "

"Your Highness is wise!" Duan Zhun took the lead in bowing.

"Your Highness is wise!" Everyone agreed, whether they were willing or not.

"Now let's discuss the new law. Please feel free to express your opinions." (End of this chapter)