PFC Chapter 71 Military Lieutenant
Chapter 71 Military Lieutenant
Inside the Southern Study, after the Emperor finished reciting Lin Ruhai's recommendation of Jia Lian, he fell silent.
Jia Lian, still kneeling on the ground, had beads of sweat on his forehead. Knowing that every second he delayed would deepen the emperor's suspicions, Jia Lian dared not think further and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant is extremely ashamed and dares not accept such high praise."
In my youth, I was foolish and ignorant, and I was born into a wealthy family. I was unaware of the hardships my ancestors endured in establishing the nation, and I failed to consider the grand plan for the country and its people. I only sought immediate wealth and comfort, and became complacent. In fact, I have failed the grace of Heaven and the virtue of my ancestors.
After marriage, the family's finances became increasingly strained, and they gradually found themselves unable to make ends meet, which his wife often complained about.
Only now have I come to my senses: How can a man born between heaven and earth be attached to the wealth and honor before his eyes, without thinking of bringing glory to his family and serving his country?
However, I know that I am dull-witted and unable to make any achievements in the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. I also see in the biographies of historical figures, such as Wei Qing and Huo Qubing of the Han Dynasty, Li Yu and Guo Ziyi of the Tang Dynasty, and my ancestors. They fought on the battlefield, and were able to stabilize the country and repay the emperor's kindness.
"Though I am of lowly status, I am willing to emulate them and serve Your Majesty and the court with my humble body..."
Regardless of how the emperor views him, it's always right to express loyalty and determination to serve the country.
While Jia Lian was speaking, Emperor Ningkang above kept his gaze fixed on Jia Lian's face.
He didn't really listen to Jia Lian's words, but he was pretty sure of one thing: Jia Lian was definitely not an ordinary playboy.
In his Southern Study, even ordinary ministers would stand up trembling with fear, and some would even kneel on the ground and only know how to kowtow in terror, like insects echoing each other.
If it were a spoiled brat, feeling guilty, he would naturally be even worse. Jia Lian, however, was different. Although he also seemed nervous, he still spoke clearly and dared to answer questions. This composure alone far surpassed that of ordinary noble sons.
"If that's the case, why did you beat up the Prince of Duan's heir? Do you know that insubordination is a serious crime, or do you think that you can disregard ordinary members of the royal family just because of your ancestors' achievements?" Emperor Ningkang asked.
Upon hearing this, Jia Lian became somewhat indignant. "Your Majesty, I dare not. However, the Prince of Duan's son has insulted my father without cause, which is something that no son can tolerate even if he dies. In front of all the imperial relatives, I have no other choice but to arrange a duel with him at the martial arts arena."
The Crown Prince of Duan was no match for me, yet he still refused to apologize, which is why I angrily struck him.
The members of the imperial family present can all testify to this for me; I beseech Your Majesty to consider this matter.
Emperor Ningkang snorted. He naturally knew the whole story long ago; otherwise, he wouldn't have sent Prince Duan away beforehand and warned him to keep his son in check.
"It is ultimately your youthful arrogance and love of fighting that led to this. You should be glad that the Prince Duan's heir did not actually suffer any harm; otherwise, even if you had the most righteous reason, you would not be able to escape punishment."
Since you have such courage and have declared your intention to serve the court, and the Tatar tribes in the north are showing signs of raising troops, I have decided to send Prince Teng to lead troops to patrol the border... Why don't you follow him as a military officer, responsible for escorting grain and fodder, and go to the border to gain some experience?
Firstly, it will allow you to dedicate yourself to serving the country; secondly, it will give me an explanation to the Prince Duan's Mansion.
Would you like to go?
As Emperor Ningkang spoke, his eyes remained fixed on Jia Lian's facial expression.
He knew that the sons of noble families in the capital, accustomed to wealth and luxury, were rarely willing to endure hardship in the harsh border regions.
Jia Lian's words sounded nice, but if he dares to go back on his word right away, he will definitely have to teach him a lesson for his hypocritical behavior.
Upon hearing this, Jia Lian seemed to be receiving a reward and immediately said, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will do my utmost to complete this task and will certainly not fail Your Majesty's kindness and support."
Seeing this, Emperor Ningkang was at a loss for how to react.
It was clearly meant to be a punishment for him, but it seemed to be exactly what he wanted.
However, he was somewhat satisfied, so he hummed in response, glanced down at the memorials on the table, and, recalling a problem that had been troubling him lately, casually asked, "I heard from Lin Ruhai that you went to Yangzhou this year, met with those salt merchants, and debated with them... In your opinion, is this salt administration reform ultimately beneficial or detrimental to the court? And what is the biggest difficulty in implementing it at the local level?"
Jia Lian certainly wouldn't be so narcissistic as to think he was more astute than the ministers in the emperor's eyes; it was just a casual question.
Therefore, he honestly replied, "The salt administration reform was a decision made jointly by Your Majesty and the high-ranking officials. How dare I, a person who cannot even read books, presume to offer any judgment? However, since Your Majesty has brought up the salt administration, I do have something I wish to report to Your Majesty..."
"you say."
"What I want to say is a private matter. If there is anything inappropriate, please forgive my ignorance due to my youth."
Your humble servant actually wishes to petition Your Majesty on behalf of your uncle, in the capacity of a junior.
Your humble servant knows that the salt administration is a crucial part of the imperial treasury and must be managed by the most suitable person.
However, my uncle is nearly fifty years old and has always been in poor health. In addition, he is burdened with heavy political affairs and has no time to rest.
When I saw him a few months ago, he was already showing signs of exhaustion. The doctor who examined him said that if my uncle-in-law did not receive proper care, he might not live long.
Your Majesty, I know that my uncle values the affairs of state more than his own life, and I'm afraid he has never dared to report his physical condition to Your Majesty in the truth.
However, I am concerned that if my uncle continues to serve as the acting salt commissioner despite his illness and exhaustion, firstly, he may be unable to handle many details properly, which would be detrimental to the salt administration; secondly, if something were to happen to my uncle while in office, it would hurt Your Majesty's feelings of loyalty to his ministers.
This is merely my humble opinion, which I have dared to present to Your Majesty today. If there is anything presumptuous or inappropriate, I humbly request Your Majesty's reprimand.
Upon hearing Jia Lian's words, Emperor Ningkang began to take them seriously.
Since ascending the throne, he has become more aware of the importance of finance in governing the country, so he replaced almost all the salt administration officials in order to ensure that the new reform policies have sufficient funds and grain to the greatest extent possible!
Lin Ruhai was one of the largest coffers in the national treasury, so naturally he couldn't afford to ignore him.
Lin Ruhai had always given him the impression of being a weak scholar, and it was rumored that Lin Ruhai and his wife were deeply in love. Now that his wife had passed away, he was probably heartbroken and ill.
Moreover, Lin Ruhai seems to have few children, and the salt administration is, needless to say, extremely burdensome...
Thinking about it this way, if what Jia Lian said is true, and Lin Ruhai really did meet with misfortune while in office, not only would he lose a trusted confidant, but the disruption to the salt administration in Lianghuai would also be a greater loss to the court...
Regardless of what he was thinking, Emperor Ningkang only looked at Jia Lian with a very displeased expression.
After all, Jia Lian's words were clearly a call for him to quickly find a new person in charge of the Yangzhou Salt Administration so that his uncle could take a break...
This is a matter of great importance concerning personnel changes. Is this something a person who doesn't even have the right to attend court should say?
However, the boy was cautious, constantly apologizing before and after each sentence, making it impossible for the man to reprimand him.
He then said, "I am aware of the matter you mentioned, but it is not something you should concern yourself with. You should go and prepare for your journey to the border. Military affairs are of utmost importance, so you should devote yourself to them. When you have time, consult your uncle, Prince Teng; he will teach you how to be a good grain transport officer. Alright, you may leave."
"Yes, Your Majesty, I shall take my leave."
After being forced to kneel for half a day, Jia Lian's knees were a little numb, but he dared not say anything. Just like when he came in, he carefully withdrew from the South Study.