The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 315: Inspiring Generals

The Empress warmly received Shen Ning.

Inquire in detail about the situation in Jiangnan.

The problems exposed by the Japanese pirates in Nanjing actually illustrate the problems in Jiangnan. Just like in the previous dynasty, these people colluded with the local gentry.

But what's even more hateful than the previous dynasty is that these people no longer completely depend on the local gentry, nor do they remain pirates. Instead, they go ashore and, through various means, form cooperative relationships with the local gentry.

Even as a member of the Wang family, Wang Zipeng became a pawn in their hands, used as a tool to be fired at will...

In other words, if it were the Jia family or the Shen family, and it were any weaker family, let alone defeating those Japanese, they probably wouldn't even get to see Prince Peng before being thrown into prison.

Shen Ning didn't shy away from the truth.

To outsiders, the Japanese were her sworn enemies, having killed her husband.

She and Jia Zhen were assassinated again, and no amount of revenge was too much.

She first thanked the Emperor and Empress for their care, saying that the hundred elite soldiers had saved her family's life, before mentioning the Japanese people that had been investigated in various prefectures and counties.

Putting aside everything else, their presence can be seen along the entire canal.

Can other places be less?
"...That so-called Japanese delegation is probably relying on the fact that their people have already infiltrated Jiangnan."

Shen Ning carefully chose her words, "Your Majesty, I heard that His Majesty has ordered the confiscation of the property of the Japanese in various places, and it is possible that they will be expelled from the country?"

"Yes!"

The Empress nodded. "It's about the Japanese delegation... Once the negotiations with the Russians and various Mongol tribes are over, they will be released and expelled from the country." She felt sorry that she couldn't avenge Shen Ning and the Jia family, "especially the delegation, since they represent Japan."

"I know!"

Shen Ning sighed softly.

If it weren't for time travel, who would have known that Japan, once a vassal state, harbored such wolfish ambitions?
Even after the desperate resistance against Japan in modern times, they have still managed to infiltrate every aspect of the country in the modern era.

"The Japanese delegation will definitely be released."

She wouldn't let go, the emperor wouldn't let go, and those self-proclaimed superior officials couldn't agree either.

Shen Ning said, "But the Japanese who have been imprisoned in various prefectures... in fact, upon closer investigation, not one of them is clean, and the Jiangnan gentry who mingled with them are not clean either. Letting these people go may seem like a small problem, but which one of them didn't live in Dazhao for several years?"

This?
The Empress vaguely understood what she meant.

"When the Japanese pirates rise again, they will be the vanguard. They know everything about Jiangnan and can even use the gentry they know to launch an even bigger Japanese pirate raid than in the previous dynasty."

"……But……"

The Empress frowned slightly. "What my sister said is something the Emperor and I have also considered. However, with the current strength of the Great Zhao Dynasty, those people might not dare to cause the same kind of Japanese invasion as the previous dynasty, right?"

Shen Ning: "..."

She smiled wryly.

"Your Majesty, no one gets up early without a reason!"

The people of Xiaozhai have been coveting this land for quite some time now.

"If they can unite with the Russians, they can cooperate with the Portuguese and the English. The chaos in Jiangnan was a huge blow to the Great Zhao, and what did they give in return? A suicide squad. Do you know how much merit this suicide squad can bring them? How much benefit can they gain from Portugal, England, and even Russia?"

Queen: "..."

She was stunned.

She hadn't thought about that.

I just feel that if the Great Zhao could defeat the Russians and force them to sue for peace, and even cause the former 'Great Qing' to collapse and the Mongols to submit, then the small country of Japan could certainly be easily subdued.

"Your Majesty, do you think I'm exaggerating?"

"no no!"

The Empress hurriedly shook her head. "I'm wondering how much Portugal and England can give Japan? Enough to make them betray their suzerain state, or are they really not afraid of the Great Zhao attacking them?"

Someone in the imperial court has mentioned this issue.

After all that talk, the conclusion was that the Japanese emperor wouldn't dare!

Everyone was full of confidence.

When the Emperor returned and spoke to her, he was full of confidence.

The emperor ordered a thorough investigation of the Japanese and the confiscation of all their property in Dazhao. In fact, the most important targets of his anger were the civil and military officials and local gentry in Jiangnan.

It's a warning to others.

It was a warning to them that the lessons of the previous dynasty were still fresh in their minds, and that the Great Zhao Dynasty could not follow the same path.

It should be understood that the Japanese pirate raids not only damaged the imperial court's tax revenue, but also the entire Jiangnan region.

From officials and gentry to ordinary people, no one could escape it.

"...Your Majesty, since the founding of the Great Zhao Kingdom, has the Japanese emperor ever submitted to us? Has he ever paid us tribute?"

Shen Ning had a headache, but she could only be patient.

If she couldn't even persuade the Empress, she was even less likely to persuade the Emperor. "They have business dealings with us in copper and iron, but even though we gave them silver, grain, and even things they desperately needed, they still held us hostage and restricted the amount of copper and iron they could get."

This is not something a docile vassal state can do.

"At this point, if we still think about suzerain states and vassal states... it would only show that we are being too naive."

At this point, Shen Ning sighed, "You may not know how big their ambitions are. Their emperor is called the Wa Emperor here, but in their country he is called the Emperor of Heaven. They call their country Great Japan."

In his letter, Jia Min said that Prefect Yu finally dealt a severe blow to the Japanese delegation because they talked about Great Japan and the Emperor.

"...I've heard His Majesty mention this before."

The emperor was also very angry at the time.

So the mission remained imprisoned.

The court did nothing to stop the martial arts figures from killing Japanese pirates in various places.

"But does my sister really think that after we defeat the Russians, they will still dare to cooperate with England and Portugal?"

The Empress said, "These two countries are too far away from our Great Zhao. If they lose, they can just pack up and leave, but Japan can't be moved. Do you think they're not afraid of us attacking them?"

Shen Ning: "..."

She rubbed her forehead.

"Your Majesty, when they refer to Great Japan and the Emperor, what do you think they are thinking of our Great Zhao?"

This?
The Empress was suddenly speechless.

Throughout history, emperors have always referred to themselves as the Son of Heaven.

"Everyone thinks that now that the Great Zhao is militarily powerful, even if the small country of Japan wants to cause trouble, it will give up after weighing the pros and cons, right?"

"……Yes!"

The Empress hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

Why should we make a choice after they've weighed the pros and cons?

Shen Ning countered, "Why can't we make them obedient and have no choice?"

This?
How to operate?

The Empress blinked. "Sister, do you think that if we kill all the Japanese who have infiltrated the various prefectures of Jiangnan, they will be completely in the dark and, even if they have the intention, will have no choice but to behave themselves?"

“…You could say that.”

Shen Ning nodded, "We can release the people in the mission, but we absolutely cannot release the Japanese from Jiangnan."

"That……"

The Empress thought for a moment, then said, "Sister, have Jia Zhen submit a memorial to the throne!"

what?
Shen Ning was stunned.

"His Majesty and the officials in the court will likely choose this path that leaves the entire nation of Japan with no other choice."

The Empress said, "Even if they still harbor treacherous ambitions, it will take a long time to train more people to come to Da Zhao."

What Dazhao lacks now is time.

With the north stabilized, Annam and other areas should be stabilized as well.

Next came the matter of officials and gentry in Jiangnan paying taxes together.

For her and the emperor, food should be eaten one bite at a time, steadily and surely.

The possibility of killing the Japanese delegation is zero, but as for those who have already been imprisoned... just like Sister Shen said, not many of those people are clean. If we find more evidence, killing them won't hurt.

After a while, when Shen Ning returned from the palace, she not only brought several palace maids with her, but also a lot of rewards. However, she was not in a very good mood.

She achieved her goal, but it was clear that the victories on both the north and south sides made the emperor and empress feel that everything was under control.

They...maybe they've gotten a little too cocky.

They also represent almost 99.9% of the population.

This is a big problem!

Shen Ning leaned against the carriage and sighed softly.

Now she is only grateful that the policy to deal with the Japanese pirates has been implemented.

With ample military strength, there's really no need to keep focusing only on your own little corner of the world.

Jia Zhen personally went to the door to greet him, but he never expected that his mother would bring him back to life.

Writing memorials was really troublesome for him!

But how could I disobey my mother's orders?
Especially after listening to her mother's series of analyses.

"...Let's invite a few more censors and have them sign the petition together!"

Censors may submit reports based on hearsay.

Shen Ning said, "Moreover, Ito Rui and others in Jinling have solid evidence to prove their wolfish ambitions and sinister intentions."

Leaving aside the loss of life, the food and secret passages were real and substantial.

"From specific points to the whole, the most urgent task is to eliminate the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan."

"Yes!"

Jia Zhen nodded, "I'll go right away."

……

The emperor, having finished his court session, hurriedly went to Kunning Palace.

After listening to the conversation between the Empress and Shen Ning today, he remained motionless for a long time.

"Your Majesty, do you think what Sister Shen said makes no sense?"

"...No! That makes perfect sense!"

The emperor sighed, "This is something I hadn't anticipated."

He had been worried about the possible resurgence of Japanese pirates in Jiangnan, but he never expected to directly cut off their supply lines and kill all those Japanese.

Many ministers in the court opposed the expulsion of the Japanese and the confiscation of their property.

He was led astray by them!

Just like Mr. Liu said, what's wrong with accepting 'money' for the food and lodging of the Rakshasa delegation?
Those people are about to conquer the Great Zhao, why should we support them?
Wouldn't it be better to use that money to support your own people?

Whoever spouts nonsense again will be made to support the Rakshasa delegation.

Then, no one dared to support the Rakshasa delegation. In order to survive in Dazhao, those people agreed to an agreement that they could carve out 300 acres along the border, anywhere.

Mr. Liu told him that the 300 acres could be together, or they could be separate, or they could even be a sharp knife that could be used to stab where they wanted to stab.

"These Japanese must die."

He cannot immediately take action against the officials and gentry in Jiangnan.

But we can use these Japanese to put accounts on their tab first.

"Unfortunately, Madam Shen is a woman, and Jia Zhen is still in mourning."

He desperately needs someone with both a fierce edge and a global perspective.

Only Mr. Liu...

The emperor was afraid he would work himself to death.

"No, I must think of a way to get Jia Zhen into the palace as the deputy chief of the Imperial Guards."

At least every now and then, he can go home and ask his mother for advice.

"...Doesn't he have a copy tomorrow?"

The Empress chuckled, "How we bring it up later is just a matter of a word from you, isn't it?"

"Yes, yes, he has a copy tomorrow."

The emperor was pleased, saying, "It's such a pity that someone like Madam Shen is only preoccupied with the inner quarters."

He felt sorry for her, but he felt even more sorry for Jia Jing.

These are all talented people!

"Your Majesty, have you forgotten Jia Min?"

Seeing the Emperor's expression, the Empress was moved and said, "Prefect Yu had no intention of taking action against the Japanese delegation. It was Jia Min who wrote letters everywhere and asked them to reach Madam Yu."

Are women really inferior to men?
The Empress felt utterly disdainful.

However, this world has always been male-dominated, depriving women of the path to advancement and confining them to the inner quarters.

That's not the worst part. The worst part is that, trapped in the inner quarters, everyone has to fight over men just to survive...

A person who is not jealous at all...

The man might even feel that the woman doesn't love him.

There are really not many people like Sister Shen, who wouldn't even let a man take a concubine.

The Empress knew that the Emperor had feelings for her, but that didn't mean he would always have them.

So many loving emperors and empresses, so perfect in their youth, but in their old age...

"There are actually many people like Sister Shen in this world."

"Yes!"

The emperor noticed the empress's low spirits, took her hand and said, "And you, Cai Cai, all these years, you have been helping me."

Otherwise, he wouldn't have made it through.

"Aren't palace maids with skills allowed to leave the palace six months early to teach at the orphanage?"

The emperor sighed inwardly, "I now intend to give them a year ahead of schedule."

Leaving the palace at the age of twenty-five is too cruel for a woman.

At this point, there are almost no women left to marry.

Only those who have lost their wives, or those who cannot find a wife.

"For certain special cases, the deadline can be brought forward to two years."

He looked at the Empress and said, "The orphanages in various parts of the Great Zhao have problems, except for a few. If you think it's okay, Cai Cai, you can gradually send palace ladies to take over. I will support you."

"Your Majesty~~"

The Queen's eyes grew brighter and brighter. "Can you also send me troops?"

"I keep my word. You can have either the Imperial Guards or the Five Cities Garrison if you want."

"Please wait a moment, who do you want... I need to discuss it with Sister Shen."

The Jia family has many connections in the military, and with the Jia family involved, the female officials she sends down can be guaranteed safety.

The empress was the daughter of a minor official, and she knew all too well how difficult it was to be a woman in this world.

"...Aren't you afraid she'll get angry with you!"

Having appeased the Empress and saved himself a troublesome task, the Emperor couldn't help but laugh. "She went home the night before last, and yesterday she must have had to deal with her relatives all day, and now you've summoned her here again..."

"Are you underestimating me?"

The Empress scolded him, "If Sister Shen knew that I was looking for her about this matter, she would definitely come to the palace immediately without any hesitation."

"Hahaha!"

The emperor laughed loudly, "If you're so capable, then declare it this afternoon!"

He hadn't been able to spare any attention for the sales bureau's affairs, but every day he left it there, he suffered.

"You wait!"

The Empress immediately summoned Granny Wu and ordered her to fetch the person.