Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Emperor Ningkang changed his tone so quickly that Jia Lian didn't even have time to react.

It wasn't until the head eunuch received the order to prepare to draft the imperial edict that Jia Lian snapped out of his surprise and immediately kowtowed to express his gratitude for the emperor's grace on Daiyu's behalf.

Unlike the title of Imperial Noblewoman, which could only be obtained by attaching oneself to a man.

The title of "County Lady" was a very prestigious status for women, or what could be called a "female title of nobility".

However, women's titles could not be inherited, and over time, everyone accepted that they were merely symbols of personal identity.

The reason it's considered so prestigious is, of course, because such a status is extremely rare. One could even say that, aside from noblewomen of the imperial family, every woman who receives this special status is incredibly fortunate!

Leaving aside the noblewomen both inside and outside the court, even the most honorable women in the world, such as empresses, imperial concubines, and first-class noblewomen, can be roughly divided into these ranks from top to bottom.

Princess, Princess, County Princess, Princess of the County...

These are all ranks of first grade or higher, and are statuses that are virtually impossible for anyone other than royal women to attain.

These identities, with the suffix "master," clearly indicate that they are masters.

The next level was the title "Jun" (君), which was often used to bestow honors in ancient times and was reserved for ministers.

Lady of a prefecture, Lady of a county, Lady of a village.

From top to bottom, they are second rank, third rank, and fourth rank.

Don't underestimate the title of "County Lord" just because it's only the lowest rank of fourth grade. It's a title that is separate from men and is reserved for women!

Each one of them is extremely rare, even among women outside the imperial family. Furthermore, not every woman in the imperial family receives the title of "Prince".

Those noble ladies of the imperial family who did not have official titles were simply referred to as "imperial ladies" and could only rely on the status of their parents and brothers.

Perhaps in the eyes of those people, being able to obtain a title, even the lowest one like "village lord," would be something they would dream of.

Lin Ruhai, after all, was only a civil official, and had not yet reached the top rank; he was only a second-rank official.

With his official rank of second grade, granting his daughter the hereditary title of fourth grade village lady was just right—it showed the emperor's favor without arousing too much envy. (Error-free update @)

This is Emperor Ningkang, a monarch with a deep understanding of the world and a very good grasp of the scale of rewards and punishments.

Seeing Jia Lian's grateful expression, as if he were receiving imperial favor, Emperor Ningkang snorted. From Jia Lian's reaction, he knew that he must really like the Lin family girl.

He liked ministers who understood his preferences, making them easier to govern. He didn't like ministers who were too calculating.

"Enough of the small talk. How much do you know about the salt administration in Jiangnan?"

"Your Majesty, I have also heard about this."

"Hmph, Lin Ruhai submitted a memorial to me on his deathbed, recommending you as the Imperial Inspector to investigate the salt administration in the south and to investigate the death of An Siyuan. Are you willing?"

Jia Lian immediately knelt down and said, "To serve the court and be loyal to Your Majesty is my duty, and I am willing to await Your Majesty's orders!"

"Very well, in that case, I hereby appoint you as the Imperial Inspector, with the task of thoroughly investigating this case within three months... Hmm, you have any concerns?"

As Emperor Ningkang spoke, he noticed Jia Lian frowning and asked with some displeasure.

"No, I just feel that three months might be a bit too short. Moreover, although I am foolish, I know that cases concerning salt administration are extremely complex and complicated, and I am a rough man; I'm afraid I won't be able to unravel them in a short time..."

"What are you afraid of? I'm not sending you down to take charge of the salt administration. Three months isn't enough?"

As for the supposedly deep-rooted connections... how many officials of the fifth rank or above are there in the entire Yangzhou Prefecture? You, the dignified Marquis of Zhenyuan, would you be afraid of those local bullies?

As Emperor Ningkang spoke, he deliberately feigned a hint of disappointment. In truth, he was well aware that the salt administration was a far-reaching affair, after all, it was a behemoth that brought in twenty million taels of silver from the national treasury every year!

Of course, this year, due to a major unexpected event in the crucial Jiangnan Salt Administration, the target number was not reached.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have been so meticulous in selecting the imperial envoy to oversee the inspection, and he couldn't make a decision for so long. In the end, he still felt that Lin Ruhai's suggestion was good.

Lin Ruhai said he understood the salt administration, but his help was secondary. What Lin Ruhai valued most was Jia Lian's newly promoted military officer status and his daring, aggressive spirit. Moreover, Jia Lian came from a Duke's family, which... (To be continued!)

Chapter 439 The Crown Prince's Hint

Clearly, he has no connection with any of the parties involved in this matter, and he is indeed suitable to help him with this task.

Jia Lian could not bear Emperor Ningkang's provocation. His face contorted, and he shouted, "Since Your Majesty says so, I will naturally not be afraid of those so-called local bullies. However, as the saying goes, it is easy to offend the King of Hell, but difficult to deal with his underlings."

Since Your Majesty has given us three months to resolve this case, I will inevitably have to act swiftly and decisively, perhaps even resorting to force. If this causes any trouble, Your Majesty must protect me.

Jia Lian's words left Emperor Ningkang speechless. However, he also understood that Jia Lian's willingness to raise doubts indicated serious consideration, which made him even more confident that Jia Lian could handle the matter well. He then waved his hand and said, "You don't need to say anything; I will grant you the Imperial Sword. All officials in the prefectures involved in the case will be under your command."

"If you encounter anyone who deserves to die, or anyone who obstructs your work, just kill them. I will bear all the consequences!"

Jia Lian wanted this last sentence, so he chuckled, kowtowed, and said, "In that case, Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail your trust."

"Hmph, then go back and make preparations. I will have the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War arrange the accompanying guards. We will depart in three days. Do you still have any doubts?"

"Your humble servant obeys the decree."

……

"Lin Xiangjun, what a beautiful title."

As Jia Lian left the Daming Palace, he was eager to return to the Lin family and tell Daiyu the good news when he saw a carriage with an eight-treasure canopy slowly heading towards the Daming Palace.

Jia Lian recognized it as the Crown Prince's imperial carriage, so he stood by the roadside and bowed when the procession passed by.

Unexpectedly, the procession was stopped, and then the carriage curtain was opened, revealing the prince's smiling face.

"Why is the Marquis of Zhenyuan here?"

"I was summoned by Your Majesty and have just come from the Southern Study."

"I see... I heard that Father Emperor intends to send the Marquis of Zhenyuan south to supervise the salt administration?"

Jia Lian's heart skipped a beat. Although it had taken some time to wait for Emperor Ningkang's decree to bestow an honor upon Daiyu, the Crown Prince had received the news so quickly. He himself would not believe that the Crown Prince was unconcerned about this matter.

"Reporting to the Crown Prince, this is indeed true."

Upon hearing this, the Crown Prince's smile widened, and he casually inquired, "Oh, I wonder what the Marquis of Zhenyuan's opinion is on this salt administration case?"

"I can't offer any insights. I was just entrusted by Your Majesty to prepare for my journey to the south of the Yangtze River to oversee the situation. I will only dare to speak after I have investigated the matter."

"What Marquis Zhenyuan said is true."

The Crown Prince smiled and seemed very close to Jia Lian.

That's true. Ever since Jia Lian met the Crown Prince at the Crown Prince's villa, because Jia Lian unintentionally saved the Empress Dowager, which was a great help to the Crown Prince, the Crown Prince had tried to win him over in their subsequent meetings, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

Although he wasn't very sincere, given his status as the crown prince, it was still a show of respect for Jia Lian.

Even the Crown Prince was surprised by Jia Lian's rapid rise in rank. His return from the Oirat Mongols made it clear to the world how much Emperor Ningkang favored Jia Lian.

As a result, he couldn't help but feel a little regretful that he hadn't tried to win over Jia Lian earlier.

Given Jia Lian's current status, it will likely be difficult to subdue him in the future.

However, he wasn't worried, because he knew that compared to him, Jia Lian was even less likely to side with the Third Prince.

Firstly, the Third Prince wanted to befriend the upright officials, and favored ministers like Jia Lian would definitely be out of place there.

Secondly, he had heard from his servants that Jia Lian's several meetings with the Third Prince did not seem to be particularly pleasant.

This made him very happy.

He is the crown prince, and as long as Jia Lian doesn't side with the third prince, then they are all considered his subjects.

He certainly didn't hesitate to treat Jia Lian well.

"At such a young age, Marquis Zhenyuan has already accomplished several important tasks for the court, and each one has been completed perfectly, earning high praise from the Emperor and the court officials."

After hearing about it, I also greatly admired Marquis Zhenyuan.

It just so happens that I have been assisting my father in studying state affairs for some time now, and I am also very concerned about the salt administration in Jiangnan. I wonder if Marquis Zhenyuan could inform me of his findings once he has completed his investigation, so that I can better share the burden for my father and the emperor?

The Crown Prince's smiling words pleased Jia. (To be continued!)

Chapter 439 The Crown Prince's Hint

Lian was both surprised and astonished.

He seems to have misjudged the situation...

Originally, he had a bad impression of the Crown Prince because the Crown Prince was friendly with a good-for-nothing like the Prince of Duan's heir, and because the people in the Crown Prince's residence had embezzled two thousand taels of silver from him.

Unexpectedly, this crown prince also possesses such shrewdness.

First, the Crown Prince's attitude of trying to win him over was clear, because the Crown Prince had subtly changed his self-reference from "this palace" to the more intimate "I".

Well, given the level of trust he enjoys with Emperor Ningkang, it's easy to understand why the Crown Prince wants to befriend him.

The key point is what the Crown Prince said next.

He said he cared about the salt administration and that after he got the results, he would send him a copy as well.

What does it mean to send him a copy? If he finds out the results of his investigation, and the results are sent back to the capital, the Crown Prince will naturally know.

I'm making this clear, there's only one meaning.

Send him the results in advance...

Why send him the results in advance? It's simply because he genuinely cares about this matter, or because it involves some kind of personal interest to him.

Getting the news in advance will make it easier for him to make the necessary arrangements!

Moreover, this was also a test of Jia Lian's loyalty. If Jia Lian agreed, it would naturally mean that from then on, Jia Lian was his man...

With just a few simple words, he created a huge problem for Jia Lian! And the Crown Prince hadn't even given him any leverage.

After all, it is perfectly reasonable for the crown prince to be concerned about state affairs. The crown prince did not even explicitly ask him to send a message in advance.

That's true; most people who can sit in the position of crown prince are probably not stupid. _o_m

If the Crown Prince is like this, then the Third Prince, who dares to challenge the Crown Prince, must also be no good.

No wonder his maternal grandfather deliberately instructed him not to get involved in the struggle for the princes' positions.

"Your Highness is too kind. I am acting on the Emperor's orders to serve the court. As for the results, I will report to the court immediately and will not hide them from Your Highness."

When the Crown Prince asked him a question with ambiguous language, Jia Lian simply pretended not to understand.

The Crown Prince stared at Jia Lian for a few moments, then suddenly smiled and said, "So, Marquis Zhenyuan disdains to be close to me?"

Though the words were light, the implications were heavy. Even Jia Lian dared not take it lightly at this moment.

The Crown Prince is the heir apparent. What does it mean to be the heir apparent? In other words, whenever Emperor Ningkang passes away, the Crown Prince becomes the rightful ruler of the land, the one to whom he must be completely loyal.

Therefore, even if one does not pledge allegiance to the Crown Prince, one must absolutely not offend him.

At this point, the Crown Prince essentially asked bluntly: Are you unwilling to serve me?

Jia Lian naturally dared not respond casually. He cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I am wise. I eat the food of the Great Wei, therefore I am a subject of the Great Wei."

As a minister of the Great Wei, he is also a minister of His Majesty and a minister of the Crown Prince.

Therefore, I never forget Your Majesty's kindness and only wish to serve Your Majesty wholeheartedly. As for other matters, I am but a humble man and dare not interfere or speak carelessly, for I know that everything I have comes from Your Majesty, and I must not do anything to disappoint Your Majesty.

Similarly, when Your Highness reigns over the land in the future, I will serve you with the same loyalty and will never have any disloyalty.

I believe that His Highness the Crown Prince at that time would not want any of his ministers to be at the beck and call of others.

I sincerely hope that Your Highness will understand.

Although Jia Lian's words were tactful and even a bit roundabout, the Crown Prince understood them.

Jia Lian's meaning was very clear.

Although he is the crown prince, the one sitting on the throne now is still Emperor Ningkang.

Jia Lian must revolve his actions around the will of Emperor Ningkang and must not do anything that would arouse the emperor's suspicion.

He even implied that he would remain loyal to Emperor Ningkang in the same manner after the latter's death, fearing that he might be displeased.

Heh heh heh, he understands the logic. Because most of the smart and capable people in the court share this attitude, and they won't openly side with him easily.

However, Jia Lian was the first to explain things to him so clearly.

He couldn't help but laugh. Sure enough, someone who could gain his father's trust so quickly was no ordinary person; he had underestimated him before.

(This chapter is not finished!)

Chapter 439 The Crown Prince's Hint

What Marquis Zhenyuan said makes sense, but I wonder if my good-for-nothing third brother were to ask him the same question in the future, would Marquis Zhenyuan still be able to give such a resolute answer?

Jia Lian also smiled: "Although I am not well-educated, I understand the greater good. I only know to be loyal to the Emperor Emeritus, to His Majesty, and to the Crown Prince, but I did not know that as a subject, there is a fourth person to be loyal to."

"Hahaha, Marquis Zhenyuan, how interesting, how interesting..."

The Crown Prince gave Jia Lian a deep look, lowered the carriage curtain, and immediately ordered the carriage to depart.

Jia Lian stood there, watching the Crown Prince's carriage disappear into the distance, before secretly letting out a sigh of relief.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger; the ancients were right.

This is still just the crown prince, not the true emperor, but anyone who takes it seriously can put immense pressure on him. If he feels this way, what about others?

His ability to persist in the battle stemmed not only from his own unwavering resolve but also from the fact that Emperor Ningkang was a wise and capable ruler. This premise enabled him to maintain his firm commitment to loyalty to Emperor Ningkang.

If it were a foolish and incompetent ruler, unable to even protect those loyal to him, even if it were just for self-preservation, the ministers would surely scheme for their own future. (Error-free update @)

Therefore, throughout history, there have been so many periods of political turmoil. And that's why so many people, knowing the dangers, still yearn for the chance to rise to power through patronage…

With a light breath, Jia Lian turned and left the Forbidden City.

Chapter 439 The Crown Prince's Hint