Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

West Warm Pavilion of Qianqing Palace

Faced with Jia Jing's earnest words, Emperor Jingsheng pondered for a moment and made a decision:

"I truly know of Zijie's loyalty and devotion to the country!"

"However, you are a trusted minister of mine, and I do not think it is necessary to make things difficult for you because of these two people! Moreover, it is not appropriate for your relatives to shed blood when you return in triumph."

"I think we can make some adjustments within the scope of the court's laws! Considering that neither of them has committed any of the ten heinous crimes."

"Let their noble titles offset their crimes, and sentence Jia Zhen and his son to exile in Qiongzhou, serve in the army, and never be employed again!"

The Han Dynasty's exile areas were mainly concentrated in remote southern regions, also known as Lingnan.

Places like Qiongzhou, Longchang in Yunnan and Guizhou, and parts of Guangdong and Guangxi were considered to be places of miasma, with harsh environments and poor transportation at that time.

Qiongzhou, which included Yazhou, Danzhou, Wanzhou and ten counties, was one of the most famous places of exile for the Han Dynasty.

Surrounded by the sea, prisoners had difficulty escaping, and the climate was hot and humid with many mosquitoes and miasma, making survival difficult.

The Song Dynasty literary giant Su Dongpo was once exiled to this place and left behind the poem, "I would eat three hundred lychees a day and not mind being a Lingnan native forever."

Of course, Su Shi would not have been able to maintain such a relaxed state of mind without the repeated assistance from his relatives and friends in the court!

Upon hearing Emperor Jingsheng's words, Jia Jing couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

It's true that every sip and every bite is preordained by fate! Unexpectedly, Jia Zhen was implicated and sentenced to a serious crime by the civil officials because of his own actions, but was also spared his life by Emperor Jingsheng because of his own reasons!

Cause and effect cycle, and after going around in circles, this punishment has actually returned to the original point of impartiality.

Jia Jing said no more about this.

His original goal was simply to get rid of Jia Zhen, the unstable cancer in the Jia family. Exile and execution were both ways to achieve his goal, and he could accept them!

Furthermore, exile was no better than being sentenced to death, not to mention the additional punishment of being sent to the army.

If no one takes care of them, the future of Jia Zhen and his son will likely be nothing short of tragic and miserable.

After Emperor Jingsheng sat upright at his desk, he turned his calm gaze to Jia Jing and continued:

"After the Ningguo Mansion was stripped of its title, it became an official residence. It's just sitting empty anyway. I think it would be better to bestow it upon you as a separate residence."

"It just so happens that the Ministry of Works is still preparing for the construction of your Duke Jing's mansion, and it will probably be difficult to complete it in a short time."

"As a high-ranking official of the court, you bear great responsibilities. It is inappropriate for you to still be crammed into a small courtyard in the Rongguo Mansion!"

"As for the title of Ningguo Mansion, although it has been used to atone for the crime, it doesn't mean there won't be an opportunity to inherit it again in the future!"

"If any of the descendants of the Dukes Ning and Rong are outstanding and have rendered meritorious service to the country, you may report this to me in the future, and I will reward them accordingly!"

Emperor Jingsheng's decision was well-intentioned, taking Jia Jing's interests into consideration in every aspect.

They neither ordered Jia Zhen's execution nor prevented the Ningguo Mansion from obtaining a noble title.

The so-called "rewarding him at the discretion of the authorities in the future" was actually just a way of avoiding the current limelight.

Furthermore, because the Duke of Jing's mansion had not yet been completed, Emperor Jingsheng actually bestowed the Ningguo mansion upon him as a separate residence.

It should be noted that Ningguo Mansion was a duke's mansion built by imperial decree during the founding of the Han Dynasty, and its vast area was among the largest in the entire capital city.

In fact, the Ningguo Mansion is more luxurious and grand than the Rongguo Mansion.

After all, back then, the Duke of Ningguo was the elder brother of the Duke of Rongguo.

Putting aside everything else, the huge Huifang Garden in the northern part of Ningguo Prefecture is a private garden unique to Ningguo Prefecture.

Inside are buildings such as Tianxiang Tower, Ningxi Pavilion, and Dengxian Pavilion. At the north corner of the wall, flowing water is drawn and gathers to form a lake.

With pavilions, towers and pavilions all available, it can be described as a rare and auspicious place in the capital!

But now this rare mansion is only used as a separate residence for Jia Jing.

Jia Jing thus became the only person in the capital city to possess two Duke's mansions.

Hmm? It can't really be called two duke's mansions, after all, the Jingguo Duke's mansion was built according to the regulations for a county prince, and it would only be a few times more magnificent than the Ningguo Duke's mansion.

Jia Jing's expression froze for a moment, then he remained silent for a while before saying in a deep voice:

"Your Majesty's consideration for me is so thoughtful and your favor so great! How can I possibly accept such kindness!"

"However, since His Majesty has bestowed the Ningguo Mansion upon me, I think the construction of the Jingguo Mansion can be postponed for the time being."

"The court is currently short of funds. If I were to undertake large-scale construction projects, I would feel uneasy! Besides, I don't need two mansions!"

These were Jia Jing's true feelings. With his current power, status, and wealth, he didn't really have much desire for a mansion.

Emperor Jingsheng sized up Jia Jing, then suddenly chuckled, a hint of something enigmatic in his voice, and said:

"The Duke of Jing's mansion must still be built; the imperial court is short of funds and there's no reason to mistreat meritorious officials!"

"As for my consideration for you, my dear minister, it's so that you can better serve the court wholeheartedly. I also have my own selfish motives behind this!"

Emperor Jingsheng and Empress Jingsheng's remark was actually more of a joke.

Although Jia Jing had made great contributions, he had already been granted titles and honors and had not treated Jia Jing poorly. So why would Jia Jing need to go to such lengths to reward Jia Jing's family again?

There are many officials in the court who work hard and diligently, but which one is worth Emperor Jingsheng's careful consideration?

Emperor Jingsheng did not dwell on this topic, but instead changed the subject, bringing up another matter:

"Regarding the Shanxi merchants in the Northwest, I have already ordered the Imperial City Guard to investigate in secret. The case involves far too many people and the interests involved are deeply intertwined."

"Not only were civil and military officials in the capital implicated, but there were also connections with gentry and powerful families in the south of the Yangtze River. This was a case of collusion with the enemy and smuggling."

"I do not wish to alert the enemy, so I have instructed you to postpone your actions. Zijie, please pretend you know nothing about this matter and do not let word get out."

Jia Jing had already submitted a memorial to Emperor Jingsheng three months prior regarding the matter of the Shanxi merchants in the Northwest.

Emperor Jingsheng replied that he had ordered the Imperial City Guard to conduct an in-depth investigation, but after several months, they still hadn't fully uncovered the vast network of interests involved.

That's normal, though.

The eight prominent Shanxi merchants were not only involved in border smuggling and collusion with the enemy, but also had business dealings with civil and military officials in the imperial court.

They sent tributes to civil officials, provided smuggling channels for military officers, and also paid a considerable amount of silver to the retired emperor every year.

In addition, many of his family members served as officials and generals in the border towns, and they also supported each other with the gentry and wealthy merchants in Jiangnan and Guangdong.

Their vested interests were intertwined throughout the Han Dynasty, making it difficult for Emperor Jingsheng to thoroughly investigate these eight prominent Shanxi merchants in a short period of time.

The reason Jia Jing initially planned to take action against them in the Northwest was out of desperation. He wanted to find a pretext to wipe out their stronghold and confiscate their assets to fund the army.

Then, following the clues, we can collect evidence and thoroughly investigate the corrupt officials in the central government who colluded with them for money and power.

After all, it's much easier to arrest first and then investigate than to investigate first and then arrest!

However, Emperor Jingsheng may be considering that the matter involves too many people and wants to obtain solid evidence before confiscating property and arresting people, so as to avoid criticism from the court and the public!