Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 102 Recruiting Henchmen and Managing the World!
On the eighth day of the fifth month of the seventh year of Yongping, at the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), in the backyard of Ningguo Mansion.

"Gulu."

They ate the same coarse steamed buns with pickled vegetables, each with a bowl of millet porridge and wild tea soup. Fifteen members of the Jia family sat together with Jia Yan to eat.

Xiaoxue led the maids to lay out sheets of clean white Xuan paper on the eight desks, where Huizhou ink, Duan inkstones, and wolf-hair brushes were neatly arranged.

All of these people had attended the Jia family school, and none of them were illiterate, except for eight who were still young and knew only a few characters.

"Take them away."

After watching them finish breakfast, Jia Yan gave instructions.

"Yes."

The guards who had been waiting stepped forward and said sternly, "You few, come with me."

"You guys come with me."

Peng Li and Niu Qian took away Jia Guang, Jia Ying, Jia Chen, Jia Chang, and Jia Xing, while Ma Yun took away Jia Yun and Jia Qiang.

The former mainly learns the "Thirty-Two Postures Long Fist," while the latter learns the "Xin You Knife Technique." Their focuses are different; one embarks on the path of martial arts, while the other aims to quickly master the ability to protect oneself. Both of them learn in the martial arts arena.

The Ningguo Mansion's martial arts training ground, including the backyard, covers an area of ​​150 acres. After Jia Yan had it renovated, it was divided into several sections, including a shooting range, a physical training field, an armory, and a horse riding arena. It was big enough to accommodate eight hundred guards, let alone just a few of them.

"Second Brother Yan."

The eight little radish heads looked at each other, seeing that only they were left, and were somewhat at a loss.

"Starting today, you will study literature in the morning and practice martial arts in the afternoon."

"Now that it's all over, each of you should find a table or desk."

"Ah."

Jia Huan and the other boys obediently walked to the eight tables.

"Open the calligraphy practice books on your desks, look at them, and then practice copying them one by one."

'rustle!'

They quickly opened the calligraphy copybook, which contained many characters they did not recognize.

"I cherish my children, working tirelessly day and night, speaking to the elders to raise and care for them with kindness and compassion. The government has three distinct approaches, and the principles are based on seven principles: driving chickens is the way of governance, and keeping calves is the rule of conduct."

“If leniency and severity are properly balanced, customs can be changed. Do not allow them to be exploited or oppressed, and do not allow them to suffer. The common people are easy to oppress, but Heaven is hard to deceive. Taxes and taxes are essential, and military and national resources are vital.”

"My rewards and honors are not to be delayed. Your salaries and emoluments come from the people's hard-earned money. As the parents of the people, we should all be benevolent. Take heed and understand my deep thoughts."

Looking around at the eight people, Jia Yan read it aloud himself.

'? ? ? '

The eight young boys only half understood what they heard, but they were impressed despite not fully comprehending it.

"Start writing."

Jia Yan didn't say much, but gestured.

"Yes."

Jia Huan and the others hunched over their desks, copying the calligraphy from the model books, their little faces tense and extremely serious.

When they returned home yesterday, they witnessed the changes in their home firsthand, making them cherish this hard-won opportunity even more, and none of them wanted to give it up.

"Second brother is teaching the 'Proclamation of the Emperor'."

Lin Daiyu led Xiao Xichun in. She had heard Jia Yan's voice outside the courtyard and was quite surprised.

"Does your sister know about the 'Promulgation of Decrees'?"

Raising an eyebrow, Jia Yan seemed to be testing Lin Daiyu.

"Know something."

"The 'Promulgation of Edicts' was written by Meng Chang, the last emperor of Later Shu during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, in order to rectify official corruption in the fourth year of Guangzheng (941 AD)."

"After the Song Dynasty conquered Shu, Emperor Taizong of Song, taking into account the historical lessons of the political corruption and defeat of the Former and Later Shu without a fight, shortened the 'Promulgation of Admonitions' to 4 sentences and 16 characters: 'Your salary and emoluments are the people's blood and sweat. The common people are easy to oppress, but Heaven is hard to deceive.'"

"In the second year of Shaoxing in the Southern Song Dynasty, Emperor Gaozong of Song issued this ancestral instruction written by the poet Huang Tingjian to all prefectures, states and counties to be engraved on stone and erected in front of the main hall."

"Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang of the Ming Dynasty further ordered that it be erected in the passageway and that a pavilion be built to protect it."

After thinking for a moment, Lin Daiyu recounted the background and consequences of the "Issuing Decree".

These words not only caught Jia Yan's attention, but also drew the sidelong glances of Jia Huan and other young boys who were copying the calligraphy.

"good."

Nodding slightly, Jia Yan praised, "The Lin family of Suzhou truly deserves its reputation as a highly respected scholarly family in Jiangnan. My sister is such a learned woman."

The "Imperial Decree" is unfamiliar to most people, and only a few scholars know about it. It is unexpected that Lin Daiyu knows it so well. It is definitely not just a matter of reading it. She is indeed worthy of being one of the top two in the Twelve Beauties of Jinling and ranked first on the list of talented women in the Land of Illusion, along with Xue Baochai.

"Second brother, you flatter me."

When Jia Yan praised Lin Daiyu, a blush immediately appeared on her pretty face.

"Sister Lin is amazing."

Little Xichun clapped her chubby little hands, her eyes full of admiration.

"Sister Lin."

Jia Yan looked at Lin Daiyu and said, "Your health is a bit weak."

"That prescription used many potent medicinal ingredients, so it was said to be as effective as a drumbeat, curing the disease with a single cup."

"Given your current physical condition, you cannot withstand such potent medicine."

"What my second brother means."

Lin Daiyu quickly looked up at Jia Yan.

"Little Snow."

"Master."

Xiaoxue, dressed in a martial arts outfit, stepped forward.

"Wow."

This was the first time Xiao Xichun had seen Xiao Xue looking so heroic and spirited, and she stared wide-eyed.

"From now on, Lin Daiyu and her younger sister will be entrusted to you. Let us first lay the foundation for them with the Eight Pieces of Brocade."

"They follow the same routine as Huan-ge and the others, except that they practice the Eight Pieces of Brocade in the morning and study literature in the afternoon."

"Yes."

Xiaoxue nodded slightly and agreed.

"Thank you, Second Brother."

Lin Daiyu knew that Jia Yan's arrangement was for her own good, and she was even more grateful.

"Girl, let's go."

Xiaoxue, holding Xichun's little hand, was preparing to head towards the martial arts arena.

"Uh-huh."

Upon hearing about martial arts practice, Xiao Xichun's innocent face lit up with a bright smile, and she eagerly followed along, with Lin Daiyu accompanying her to the training ground.

"Master."

"They're coming."

A maidservant hurriedly stepped forward to report.

"Receiving guests in the study."

Jia Yan gave a few instructions and strode into the study.

A moment later, two young men dressed in straight robes and with black square headscarves on their heads appeared in the study, looking uneasy.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Sitting at the head of the table, Jia Yan carefully examined the two men, his index finger lightly tapping the table.

Li Wei, born in 1688, is from Tongshan in Jiangnan. He entered officialdom by donating money and is now a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Revenue, one rank higher than Jia Zheng, who is a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Works. His talent for navigating the officialdom is truly astonishing.

Liu Tongxun was born in 1700 in Zhucheng, Shandong. In 1724, he passed the imperial examination and was selected as a probationary official in the Hanlin Academy. He is now a seventh-rank official in the Hanlin Academy. His grandfather, Liu Bixian, was a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and served as an assistant director in the Guangxi Department of the Ministry of Revenue. His father, Liu Qi, was a Jinshi during the Shunzhi and Kangxi reigns and served as the prefect of Ningqiang Prefecture and later as the provincial governor of Sichuan.

"call!"

Their hearts pounded faster and faster with each knock. They were facing the most powerful nobleman of the dynasty, the Marquis of Daqian. Who could remain indifferent to such a figure?

"There is a proposal in the court to follow the example of the Qin and Han dynasties, to re-establish prefectures and counties in the Hetao region, and to relocate people to cultivate the land."

Do you know?

"We know a little," Li Wei and Liu Tongxun replied in unison.

"The northern border is bitterly cold, but only south of the Yin Mountains, the Yellow River meanders through, carving out a fertile land."

“The western loop consists of the area east of the Helan Mountains and the Yinchuan Plain; the western loop consists of the area west of the Yin Mountains, east of the Lang Mountains and west of the Wula Mountains; and the eastern loop consists of the area south of the Daqing Mountains and the Tumochuan Plain. This constitutes the complete Hetao region.”

"The western part of the city has Ningxia Town and many garrisons. The front part was originally under the jurisdiction of Ping'an Prefecture, with hundreds of thousands of people. After the Battle of Datong, many people were displaced and the people's livelihood was impoverished. The back part was originally the land where the Chahar tribe grazed cattle and sheep. I have ordered people to relocate more than 100,000 people and build a city for 300,000 Mongols to live in."

"The Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of Revenue jointly decided to re-establish Yunzhong Prefecture in Ping'an Prefecture, and later place Wuyuan Prefecture within it."

'Whoosh!'

This news caught the attention of Li Wei and Liu Tongxun, as if they had seen an opportunity.

"I am a martial artist, and my men are all roughnecks. If I ask them to kill someone, they will do it without hesitation."

"But if you ask them to govern a local area, these roughnecks won't even know where the place is."

"I am willing to serve Zhuge Liang, and I will gladly serve him at all costs!"

Li Wei was the first to kneel on one knee, demonstrating his loyalty.

Liu Tongxun hesitated for a moment, but still decided to serve Jia Yan: "I am willing to be Zhuge Liang's vanguard."

"Ah."

Seeing this, Jia Yan nodded in satisfaction and continued, "Get up."

"Thank you, Lord Xie!"

The two then stood up and stood respectfully to the side.

"The newly established prefectures of Wuyuan and Yunzhong are designated as fourth-rank officials, which is a bit lower than the rank of prefects in some places in Jiangnan."

"Fortunately, these two prefectures are newly established, and the imperial court does not have much energy to manage them. You can arrange the officials in the prefectures yourselves."

“The local powers in Yunzhong Prefecture are intertwined, and many gentry have survived. Liu Tongxun, you come from an official family, so you will be appointed as the prefect of Yunzhong Prefecture.”

"As for Li Wei, Wuyuan Prefecture is temporarily garrisoned by the three thousand retired soldiers I left behind. You can use them as a base to establish several county towns and recruit military households from Ningxia Town to enrich Wuyuan Prefecture."

"Yes."

Liu Tongxun and Li Wei's faces lit up with joy, and they responded loudly.

For them, becoming a prefect of the fourth rank was already a high promotion, especially since they had full authority over the matter, which allowed them to showcase their abilities—a truly valuable position.

"I will not say anything else, but I will just tell you one thing."

"If you do a good job, the two capitals and thirteen provinces will be waiting for you."

Meeting their gazes, Jia Yan's resounding words echoed in the study.

"Yes."

Liu Tongxun and Li Wei were filled with excitement, seeing a bright future ahead.

"Someone is coming."

"Master!!!"

Two maids appeared before the two, each carrying a tray.

"My Lord".

Liu Tongxun and Li Wei looked at the silver notes on the tray, somewhat puzzled.

"Although Liu Tongxun's family is an official family, after you pass the imperial examination and enter officialdom, you will have to rely on yourself for everything."

"And you, Li Wei, no matter how well-off your family is, you've probably emptied your pockets with your donations."

"A poor family needs a rich traveler. This three thousand taels is for settling your families. I don't want you to ruin your bright future for petty gains."

"Whether it's Yunzhong or Wuyuan, I hope to see them become shining pearls of the border region."

Staring at the two of them, Jia Yan's eyes were sharp as blades.

"Yes."

The two men immediately stepped forward, put away the three thousand taels of silver notes, and felt a chill run down their spines.

"Go back and prepare. The Ministry of Personnel will issue an official document in a few days."

With a wave of his hand, Jia Yan dismissed the guests.

"Yes."

Liu Tongxun and Li Wei, carrying silver notes, walked heavily out of Ningguo Mansion.

Watching the two leave, a hint of ambition rose in Jia Yan's heart. With the golden attribute "Zhaolie Reborn" in effect, he had no worries about their loyalty. Compared to the high and mighty emperor, he had given them far too much.

Both of these men were renowned ministers in history, possessing exceptional abilities and character. Given a platform, they were able to soar higher and farther. This symbolizes that Jia Yan's influence extended from the military to the local level, demonstrating that both civil and military achievements were indispensable.

"Master."

"The Marquis of Zhenguo, the Marquis of Liguo, the Marquis of Xiuguo, the Earl of Zhongshan, the Earl of Huaiyuan, the Earl of Lintao, and the Earl of Qingjiang have arrived."

Just as Jia Yan was deep in thought, a maidservant entered to report.

"please!!!"

Jia Yan uttered a single word.

"Yes."

The maidservant hurriedly went to make the arrangements.

Before long, several burly figures entered the study in the backyard of Ningguo Mansion.

“Tap tap.”

Hearing footsteps, Jia Yan looked up and was somewhat amused and exasperated. Niu Jizong, Liu Fang, and Hou Xiaokang were dressed in bullfighting costumes, while Wang Ziteng, Nian Gengyao, Zhong Qi, and Zhang Guangsi were dressed in unicorn costumes, all looking quite imposing.

"Uncle Cow."

"Did you come on horseback today?"

"Then it must be on horseback. To not return home in wealth and honor is like wearing fine clothes at night."

Niu Jizong said with a proud look on his face.

"As it should be."

Hou Xiaokang, Liu Fang, and others strongly agreed.

"."

Jia Yan thought to himself: Just as I thought!
"Nephew."

"Why aren't you wearing the python robe and jade belt?"

"How many people in the capital city want to pay homage to the Marquis of Wu of the dynasty?"

Niu Jizong looked Jia Yan up and down, and said with some regret.

"Your Excellency conquered the grasslands at the tender age of twenty, a feat unparalleled throughout history."

"A young man in his prime should be dressed in a python robe and parade through the streets to let the sons of the Great Qian Dynasty witness the valor of the Marquis of Wu."

Yue Zhongqi said loudly.

"Yes."

The others nodded and nodded in agreement.

Following the Ming dynasty's system, the four bestowed garments were ranked as follows: the python robe first, followed by the flying fish robe, and then the bullfighting robe and the qilin robe.

Unlike the Ming Dynasty, which bestowed a wide variety of robes, even allowing eunuchs to wear python robes, the Qianlong Emperor was extremely strict in this regard, granting python robes only to the crown prince, the head of the nobility, the kings of vassal states, the chieftains of tributary states, and tribal leaders.

Since the founding of the dynasty, among the nobles in the court, only the two dukes of Ning and Rong, and Jia Daishan of the second generation of Ningguo Mansion, were granted python robes, which were enshrined in the Jia family ancestral hall. The remaining nobles at most received flying fish robes, which shows their high status.

Since the Yuan Dynasty's first battle, the current dynasty has not bestowed any new clothing upon them. No wonder Niu Jizong and his entourage paraded through the streets in their bullfighting robes and unicorn robes—this was an unparalleled honor!
"I don't like this kind of ostentation, so I don't need to join in the fun."

Jia Yan waved his hand and declined their offer.

Just kidding. If he were attending court, wearing a python robe and jade belt would be appropriate, but wearing the same outfit at home or when traveling would not only be inconvenient, but would also make him an easy target for others.

"oh oh."

Niu Jizong and the others then stopped trying to persuade him and gave up their desire to show off.

PS: Python Robe: The highest-ranking bestowed robe, featuring a four-clawed python pattern and a jade belt.

Flying Fish Robe: Featuring a python-shaped flying fish pattern, dragon head, fish fins, and a curling fish tail.

Bullfighting costume: Based on the dragon, with python-shaped patterns and bull horns.

Qilin Robe: Based on the Qilin, it features a deer's body, ox hooves, and a lion's tail.

(End of this chapter)