hotmtlnovel Chapter 546 The Old Lady’s Plan
Chapter 546 The Old Lady’s Plan
Chapter 546 The Old Lady’s Plan
The policy of reforming the natives and returning them to the Han people was first proposed by Jia Cong. At that time, he only sketched a general idea based on the superficial knowledge he had learned in the classroom in his previous life.
The people who truly perfected this policy were a group of civil and military leaders including the former Chief Minister of the Cabinet Wei Qinghe, the current Chief Minister Zhou Jiong, the Duke of Yingguo Zhang Yue, and others.
It has to be said that none of Daxia's top military heroes and cabinet ministers are there to do nothing.
Especially those who have made it through the imperial examinations, they are not lacking in knowledge, vision, or talent.
The only thing Jia Cong can be proud of is the historical knowledge and foresight that his previous life's education has given him.
According to repeated deductions and improvements by the cabinet and the governor's office, the Daxia version of the policy of reforming the native system has an overall guiding policy.
The best way to change the flow of people is to capture them by trickery, the worst way is to suppress them by force, the best way is to force them to surrender, the worst way is to order them to surrender by imperial decree. The way to control the Miao people should be to use both kindness and force.
This means that the policy of changing the chieftain system to officialdom should be implemented with a combination of kindness and severity. It is the best policy to make the chieftains voluntarily accept the implementation of the policy, while the worst policy is to resolve it by force.
The imperial court implemented the policy of converting natives into officials, set up prefectures and counties, added military institutions, conducted household registration checks in areas where converting natives into officials, measured land, collected taxes, built cities, established schools, and implemented compulsory education.
At the same time, the original tax and labor service system of chieftains was abolished. Like in the inland areas, taxes were levied based on the acreage of land, and the amount was generally less than in the inland areas.
In the summer of the tenth year of Yuanyou, the imperial court, taking advantage of the good reputation of the Mu Palace for a hundred years, basically completed the transformation of the natives into officials in Yunnan.
When the news reached Guangxi and Guizhou, it was like a thunderclap. The people under the rule of the chieftains responded one after another, wanting to enjoy the emperor's grace like the ethnic minorities in Yunnan.
After all, the land tax of the imperial court had been reduced to an almost insignificant level. On the contrary, those chieftains were still collecting head tax, land tax and other exorbitant levies. It was a luxury for the common people to have a bite of green salt.
I heard that the chieftains in Yunnan had accepted the new official positions conferred by the imperial court, and the people no longer had to be exploited by the chieftains. Children went to the public schools established by the imperial court to study. The emperor also asked the government to give the poor people farming tools and oxen, new grains, and three years of tax exemption...
Regardless of whether they are Han or minority, they are all subjects of the emperor and descendants of the Chinese nation.
The imperial court will not let the people of Daxia live like degenerates. The emperor's edict has clearly stated that he wants all the people in the world to have enough food and warm clothing.
What does the high official positions and generous salaries of the chieftains, their family backgrounds and futures have to do with the common people? What everyone cares about is to have enough food and warm clothes.
As a result, the chieftains in Guizhou and Guangxi, while resisting the imperial court, once again began to suppress the people under their rule.
According to the news from the southwest, the implementation of the policy of converting chieftains into officials in Yunnan benefited the people, and the ethnic minorities in Guizhou and Guangxi began a resistance movement against the exploitation of chieftains.
This is actually the time when the chieftains are most easily won over.
Either work with the court to seek benefits for the people, or join the ambitious people in their quest to stop the chariot with their arms...
Of course, the chieftains would not necessarily feel that they were trying to stop a chariot with a mantis arm. After all, the southwest had been in turmoil for hundreds and thousands of years, and successive dynasties had implemented similar policies to change the chieftains into officials, but they all died down in the end.
Sometimes they submit to the court to receive some appeasement and rewards, and sometimes they rebel to negotiate terms with the court...
I guess in their minds, the court's actions this time are just a lot of noise but little results.
The emperor was getting angrier and angrier as he thought about it. He had already shown enough sincerity and even issued a clear decree that as long as the chieftains were willing to change their status and were capable, it would not be a problem for them to be promoted to a prefect, and they could even be granted a hereditary title.
But these chieftains were not grateful and were still watching. They were also colluding with the wealthy families in the southeast and Lingnan, preparing to unite and resist the court's new policies.
"It's good to let Liu Xianglian go. I have given them enough sincerity, but they all still think that as long as they make a big enough fuss, I will give up halfway. It's really wishful thinking..."
Shi Nai made it very clear in his secret report that Shi Ding had already had contact with more than a dozen chieftains in Guangxi.
Logically, if these chieftains were loyal, they would report to the central government, after all, it involved rebellion.
But the children of the Shi family have traveled thousands of miles to the capital, and the speed of the official post can’t catch up with that of a child?
"Jia Cong, the kid from the Shi family..."
"Your Majesty, I have already settled them in my mansion, and no one else can see them."
The emperor nodded to Jia Cong, fortunately this boy was vigilant enough.
"In that case, let Liu Xianglian go south. But this matter cannot be made public. I cannot afford to lose face!"
How can it not be embarrassing?
The emperor personally pardoned the historian's entire clan from being exterminated and only sentenced them to exile.
Now Shi Ding has actually slapped the emperor in the face and is going to rebel against Shui Rong...
"It's the Duke of Qian's birthday, so let Liu Xianglian go to Dali on my behalf."
……
The return of the Shi siblings to Beijing finally had a clear path forward with the emperor.
When Jia Cong came out of the palace, it was already early midnight, but Daiyu was still awake, holding a book and slowly flipping through it under the candlelight.
"Read less at night. It strains your eyes."
Daiyu let Jia Cong snatch the travel notes from her hand. She gave an order outside the house, and soon the food was served.
Jia Cong was indeed hungry. Although the emperor trusted him enough, strictly speaking, the incident described by the historian was a capital crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of his clan. Even Jia Cong felt his scalp tingling when he thought about it now.
Fortunately, Shi Nai finally did something smart this time and knew the importance of the matter.
Snoring snoring...
Jia Cong drank the Tremella and lotus seed soup in big gulps and ate the refreshing and delicious meal.
"What are you going to do about grandma?"
"Hulu, hulu... I can't keep this secret, I'll tell the old lady tomorrow morning. Fortunately, it's just Shi Ding, and the second uncle of the Shi family finally got someone done this time."
To be honest, Jia Cong didn't have a very good impression of these two historians.
He really despises people who are capable of eating up their own niece and leaving the whole family wiped out.
I don’t know whether Shi Nai truly understood the seriousness of the matter this time, or if someone was directing him from behind. Anyway, his secret memorial showed the emperor his loyalty.
A minister can be stupid, but he cannot be disloyal. This is the first requirement for the emperor to employ people.
"As long as this matter is handled properly, the Shi family may be able to revive. The old lady should understand this. It depends on how she will deal with it."
After all, Jia Cong's surname is Jia, and the old lady is the elder of the direct branch of the Shi family. It is more legitimate for her to do certain things.
……
"What sin did I commit in my previous life that I still have to worry about these trivial matters when I am old. Go call your father over and ask him to send someone to Lingnan to chop up Shi Ding and feed him to the dogs!"
The crimes committed by the Shi family before could be preserved thanks to the influence of her eldest brother, the old marquis of the Shi family, and her status as the dowager lady of the Jia family.
But Shi Ding actually wanted to follow Shui Rong in rebellion...
As long as the word "rebellion" is mentioned, no one, not even the Lord, can save the lives of the Shi family.
The old lady was indeed furious and her hands were shaking.
She slammed the table, and it was no use Daiyu and Yuanyang trying to comfort and persuade her. She almost roared at her eldest son to send someone to Lingnan to chop Shi Ding up and feed him to the dogs.
"Does Shi Ding have any brains? Even if the Shi family is punished now, what does it matter if they have to suffer for a few years or even decades in Lingnan? The connections that the Marquis' Mansion has accumulated over the past hundred years will definitely help them survive. In a few years, as long as the young man in the family can pass the imperial examinations or fight in the army, won't he be able to get an official position? Why does he have to collude with that poisonous snake Shui Rong..."
As for how profound the historian's background is, the old lady knows it better than anyone else.
Her eldest brother was a kind-hearted man and had promoted many capable people.
Even among the civil officials, Lord Shi had a very good reputation, which was one of the reasons why Shi Nai was able to inherit the throne from his brother and Shi Ding was able to be granted the title of marquis as an exception, despite objections from the court.
If the old lady's plan is followed, if there is a promising boy in the Shi family in the future, she will personally decide to adopt him under the name of her eldest nephew, which means giving Xiangyun an adopted brother.
With the influence of the Shi family and the support of the Jia family, it is not a problem for the eldest branch of the Shi family to rise again.
But Shi Ding's foolish actions directly brought the Shi family back to the Caishikou, where they were about to face the King of Hell.
In her rage, the old lady even told Jia Cong the plan she had been hiding in her heart.
"Grandmother is right. If this is true, the Shi family will have great hope of reviving. The palace has always regarded Uncle Shi as a loyal minister. The saints also said that if Uncle Shi were still alive, the Baoling Marquis Mansion would never have become like this."
bang bang...
The old lady slammed the table and became angrier and angrier as she thought about it. In the end, she even laughed out of anger.
"Since Shi Ding doesn't take the lives of the nine members of the Shi family seriously, then don't blame me for being heartless. Yu'er, go and call Yun girl over..."
"Don't worry, grandma. We'd better keep this a secret. His Majesty has made arrangements. Before my second brother-in-law arrives in the south, this matter is top secret! Besides, as for Sister Yun, Second Brother Bao said it's better not to tell her yet, so as not to worry her."
Jia Cong deliberately told the old lady about this before Baoyu and his wife arrived in order to avoid Xiangyun.
After all, Xiangyun is the legitimate daughter of the Shi family and the eldest daughter of the former Baolinghou Mansion.
She might resent the torture her two uncles inflicted on her, but it was impossible for her not to care about the historian's affairs.
But what can a woman in the inner house do?
Instead of letting her worry in vain, it is better to let her continue to be that energetic, cheerful and bright girl.
The old lady disagreed and temporarily calmed down.
"You haven't understood one thing. Even if Shi Nai's secret report gave the Shi family a glimmer of hope, and even if our family still has some face in the palace, rebellion is rebellion, and the entire clan will be executed. Your Majesty has given us face, so we should also show our loyalty and show our attitude."
The old lady had experienced the struggle for succession at the end of Emperor Zhaowu's reign. She saw some things more clearly than Jia Cong, a fledgling in the officialdom.
The emperor may not care, but that doesn’t mean the Jia family, or the historians, won’t do it.
"Let Yun come. She is the eldest daughter of the Shi family, and she has to shoulder some responsibilities. It's impossible for her parents to be without someone to burn paper and incense in the future."
……
When Baoyu accompanied Xiangyun to Rong Xi Tang, the old lady's anger had mostly dissipated.
Shi Nai's secret letter did give the old lady a lot of confidence.
"Baoyu, please talk to Yun about Lan's siblings' return to Beijing. And Cong'er, please tell her uncle about his secret report..."
Soon, Baoyu told the whole story of Xiangyun and her brother returning to the capital, and how he secretly went to seek Jia Cong for help. Jia Cong also added that Shi Ding colluded with Shui Rong, contacted the local people in Guangxi, intended to rebel, and that Shi Nai secretly reported the matter.
Xiangyun felt as if her head was exploding with thunder and buzzing.
Baoyu supported Xiangyun, who was about to collapse to the ground, and looked at Jia Cong worriedly.
He had not had time to ask Jia Cong about the palace's opinions, but when he saw Jia Cong nod, he felt slightly relieved.
"Sister Yun, don't worry. His Majesty told me last night that Uncle Shi is still loyal."
The word loyalty is sometimes so magical.
As long as you are loyal, in many cases, it is enough to pull a person or even a family back from the brink of death.
Xiangyun is also a noble lady from a marquis's family. Her experiences over the years have made her grow a lot, so she naturally understood what Jia Cong said.
The historian still has a glimmer of hope!
"Girl Yun, don't worry. Even if Shi Ding, that beast, is not a human being, the Shi family will not bury him with him. I want you to write a letter..."
The old lady's approach was ruthless. What she wanted was to directly remove Shi Ding from the Shi family tree and cut off ties between the Shi family and Shi Ding.
To be even more ruthless, one would directly eliminate the three branches of the Shi family.
Shi Xianggui seems to be a pretty good kid now. Shi Nai was able to send his youngest son to the capital and show his face in front of the emperor, which may not be without his intention of taking a gamble.
and so……
"Write a letter to the elders of the Shi family in Jinling and tell them that I, as the middleman, want to adopt Gui Ge'er into the first house and let him inherit your father's lineage."
what?
"Grandfather, I have discussed this with Sister Yun. When she and I have a son in the future, we will adopt him under the name of my father-in-law..."
"Nonsense!"
The old lady secretly glanced at the expression of her eldest son who had come running over, and seeing that there was no change in his expression, she hurriedly stopped Baoyu's absurd idea.
She scolded him, "I know you are filial, but how can the blood of the Jia family be left outside? Be careful or your father will beat you with a stick! Gui Ge'er was able to risk his life and travel thousands of miles back to Beijing to report the news. This shows his courage and bravery. He is a good child who can take on responsibilities..."
Even Xiangyun, who was almost wiped out by the second wife, agreed with the old lady's words.
In fact, when she was in the Bowling Marquis Mansion, her cousins were quite nice to her.
In particular, Shi Xianggui, the youngest, was quite fond of his cousin Xiangyun.
She had no ill feelings towards Guiger. It would be great if he could be adopted by his father so that the first family could have a descendant.
But now the historian is involved in rebellion again, and this matter has not been resolved...
"Let Gui Ge'er be adopted into the eldest house, and the heir patriarch of the Shi family will personally remove that beast Shi Ding from the family tree. This way, even if this matter is made public in the future, it can be regarded as an explanation to the royal family."
The old lady said earnestly: "Don't underestimate this statement, it is our Shi family's loyalty to His Majesty!"
Monthly ticket recommendation ticket
I’ll stop here tonight and continue tomorrow. Good night!
(End of this chapter)