The destiny of all heavens begins in the Red Chamber

With a soft sigh, Jia Huan said slowly, "Master, scholars and nobles are not in conflict!"

"The purpose of reading is to broaden one's horizons, improve oneself, cultivate one's character, and acquire the ability to govern. These are abilities that we, the sons of noble families, should possess!"

"But being a scholar does not mean one is a civil official; these are two different concepts!"

"What nonsense are you spouting?"

Master Zheng was once again dumbfounded, and the way he looked at Jia Huan changed.

Scholars and civil officials are equal—this is a concept he has long held. Jia Huan's statement is shaking his resolve, so how could he accept it so easily?

Fortunately, Jia Huan had already explained the pros and cons clearly.

Although he was quite displeased, the Second Master Zheng was not completely muddled. He did not speak harshly or try to save face, but simply expressed his dissatisfaction with silence.

Although the meeting ended badly, the atmosphere was indeed somewhat awkward.

Jia Huan didn't care. If Master Zheng wanted to make progress as soon as possible, he would definitely figure it out himself.

Before leaving, he chatted with the scholars and gentlemen in the study for a while, and didn't forget to hint to them to remind Master Zheng Er at a crucial moment not to be fooled by some civil officials outside.

He made his hints openly and honestly, and as for whether Master Zheng understood or not, he didn't care. He just wanted the guests to understand.

Jia Huan wasn't worried at all that these guys weren't serious, as their interests were practically tied to those of Master Zheng.

If Master Zheng Er rises to prominence, they can simply be his retainers, and they will still reap the benefits in the future.

Haven't you heard the saying, "Even a seventh-rank official is in front of the prime minister's gate"?

After leaving the Rong residence, he turned around and went to the Ning residence next door.

As the saying goes, as a member of a collateral branch, once an opportunity arises, one should naturally help the main branch advance further, and when the main branch gives back in the future, one will certainly receive benefits.

"Uncle Huan, you're a rare guest!"

Upon hearing that Jia Huan had come to visit, Qin Keqing immediately came to entertain him.

We'd just met, and I couldn't resist a lighthearted joke.

"Look at what you're saying!"

Jia Huan was somewhat amused and exasperated: "I was just trying to avoid suspicion. Look at my build, I'm stronger than most grown men outside. By the way, where's Qiang-ge?"

Some things are indeed difficult to say, and there's a strong suspicion that I'm flirting with my nephew's wife.

Although they were talking in the central courtyard's flower hall, with many maids and servants standing around, some of them had such vicious tongues that it was best not to cause trouble for themselves or their loved ones.

"Did Huan-ge'er need something from me?"

Just then, Jia Qiang's curious voice came from outside the door, and the fellow walked in, looking travel-worn.

"Sorry, I just came back from outside and happened to hear that you've come over, Huan-ge!"

"Now that Brother Qiang is here, let's get down to business!"

Since they were all on the same side, Jia Huan didn't bother with pleasantries and went straight to the point: "Now that the emperor is interested in making a name for himself in martial arts, wouldn't we noble sons have a chance?"

Then, he repeated what the Second Master Hezheng had said.

Indeed, Qin Keqing and Jia Qiang were far more enlightened than Master Zheng.

After listening to Jia Huan's account, both of them showed signs of excitement.

"Uncle Huan, this is a rare opportunity!"

"Indeed, such an opportunity is extremely rare for our noble family!"

"Uncle Huan, do you have any specific ideas?"

"Huan-ge, please speak your mind. The Ning family will do its best to cooperate!"

Jia Huan was very satisfied with Qin Keqing and Jia Qiang's reactions; this was the normal behavior he expected.

All that nonsense about 'warlike behavior is dangerous' is just propaganda used by the civil service to prevent the nobility from profiting.

It's likely that even they themselves didn't quite believe it, but Master Zheng the Second believed it.

They don't even consider how Jia Daishan, the second Duke of Rongguo, was able to inherit the title without being demoted.

If he had not made outstanding military achievements on the frontier, and had his cousin Jia Daihua, who was the military governor of the capital, with strong support, how could he have succeeded to the title without being demoted and become the number one nobleman of the court?

"Brother Qiang, do you want to fight your way up in the officialdom?"

Instead of answering, Jia Huan asked, "This opportunity is indeed excellent. I plan to have Cong-ge participate in the martial arts examination at the end of this autumn. He should at least be in the top three!"

Looking at the bewildered Jia Qiang, he chuckled and said, "I know you're not good at martial arts, but you can excel in logistics. Isn't that what you've been doing these past few years?"

"What about the external affairs of the manor?"

Jia Qiang asked the question subconsciously, clearly already very tempted.

A normal person would make the same choice. Even if he managed the Ning family's external affairs perfectly, he would still only be a chief steward of external affairs. Relying on the Ning family's prestigious reputation, ordinary mid- to low-level officials would not dare to offend him.

However, when facing high-ranking officials, or even low- or middle-ranking officials who hold significant power, they still have to bow their heads.

No one with any pride would be willing to accept such a situation.

At this time, Jia Qiang was already twenty years old. If he said he didn't have the idea of ​​making achievements, no one would believe it, unless the position of the head of the Ning Mansion's external affairs was more prestigious than being an official.

I hadn't thought about it before, mainly because the Ning family didn't have any adult males to support the family.

Given his own abilities, which lie in logistics management and business operations, even if he entered officialdom through the Ning family's connections, he wouldn't be able to easily rise to prominence without working hard for more than a decade, which is why he hasn't made any moves.

But the situation is different now. If war breaks out, the supply lines will be of paramount importance.

It was quite normal for officials in charge of supply lines to be promoted if they made meritorious contributions on the front lines.

In the Ming Dynasty novel "Investiture of the Gods," whether it was local lords or the armies of Zhou and Shang, were the grain supervisors all highly capable individuals? They were either Erlang Shen Yang Jian or powerful generals with extraordinary abilities.

If one can ride the coattails of the war, one might be able to rise directly to the pinnacle of mid-level officialdom, such as the fourth rank, or even enter the ranks of high-ranking officials within just a few years.

After all, the Great Qian Dynasty had not made any major military moves for a long time.

Once the current emperor sets his mind on something, the Xun Gui Group will not let him give up easily.

"I will temporarily manage the six estates of the Ning family outside the city!"

Jia Huan pointed to his nose and said frankly, "As for the shops and other businesses, let a trustworthy servant take charge for now. I will help supervise the accounts and provide military support!"

Then, pointing at Jia Qiang, he said, "Go to the Imperial Guard first and get some experience. When the time is right, have that family return the favor and help you get a real position in charge of the grain transport!"

"If I didn't lack suitable candidates, and if Cong-ge'er weren't pursuing the path of a top-tier military officer, I wouldn't be telling you all this!"

As for him personally, isn't he just too young?

There are no generals in the army who can be fully trusted. If he rashly enters the border army, his military achievements will certainly not be taken by others, but it is also unlikely that he can be promoted quickly.

The title of "young general" sounds impressive, but in reality, it is quite feared.

Just think about it: once a young general makes a name for himself, he can stand firm in the imperial court for at least forty years!

To put it bluntly, if the emperor's lifespan is not long enough, he could even outlive several emperors.

At that time, based solely on his seniority, he would be an extraordinary veteran of several dynasties. Coupled with his prestige in the military, he would undoubtedly be a top-tier military leader, the kind that would keep the emperor up at night.

Unless it's a chaotic era, there are very few so-called 'young generals' anymore.

Cong-ge is thirteen years old this year, and fifteen in the traditional Chinese way. After serving in the army for two or three years, no one would doubt that he is already an adult.

A young general is generally less intimidating than a teenage general.

"Just do it!"

Before Jia Qiang could answer, Qin Keqing stated decisively, "The Ning family has been dormant for too long. If Qiang-ge'er can rise rapidly in the officialdom, it will naturally be a great thing for the Ning family!"

Chapter 234 Matchmaking (Please Subscribe)

At this time, Qin Keqing had quite the air of a strong woman.

For some reason, Jia Huan always felt a little strange when her beautiful, watery eyes swept over him.

Of course, he didn't think too much about it and happily reached an agreement with Qin Keqing and Jia Qiang.

The Ning family's six large estates outside the city will be handed over to Jia Huan for management.

In the spirit of reciprocity, Jia Huan made it very clear: "Of the harvest from the estate, apart from keeping half for our own use, the rest will all be handed over to the Ning Mansion's grain shop!"

This shows considerable sincerity. Just look at the trusting expressions on Qin Keqing and Jia Qiang's faces; they certainly haven't held back much.

Even with Jia Qiang personally managing the situation, the losses alone would exceed half a percent.

As for whether the lost grain was eaten or went to other channels, Jia Qiang himself didn't know.

As long as he still needs the farm managers and stewards to do the work, such losses are unavoidable.

Jia Huan's situation is completely different!

He has enough manpower under his command, including a number of talented people who manage the estates. These people have been trained in the past year or so and can completely cover the estate managers of the Ning Mansion.

With ample military strength, the 'losses' within the estate can be minimized.

That's how it was. Besides feeding and drinking his brothers and sharing some of the profits, he still had a surplus, because he had so many men under his command.

Of course, taking over the Ning family's estate completely and arranging for people to supervise the Ning family's other businesses will take a considerable amount of time and cannot be done overnight.

These are all minor details; they can be handled by my subordinates.