The people in Jiangnan have been bitter for a long time, but they are also full of doubts and resistance to the imperial court's new policies.
What the imperial court wanted was that Jiangnan, the Great Xia granary, could provide the imperial court with a steady stream of food. However, with the development of commerce in Jiangnan and the strong rise of sea trade, the common people saw that raising mulberry and silkworms could make money much faster than growing food.
This resulted in the fact that despite the vast fertile land in the south of the Yangtze River, it was impossible to be self-sufficient in food.
Xu Jin finally cleared and rectified the land in Jiangnan, but the task of persuading farmers was aborted before it even started.
"The benefits brought by sea trade are so great that everyone is only focused on the huge profits brought back from overseas by sea ships. Half of the land in the south of the Yangtze River is planted with mulberry trees, and the gentry are setting up workshops, and silk is shipped every time. Ships are shipped out.”
Jiangnan became richer, but Xu Jin's face did not look happy at all, but instead became more worried.
The carriage traveled north leisurely on the flat official road. Xu Jin leaned tiredly against the wall of the carriage and told Jia Cong his worries.
"The salt merchants are no longer the richest people in the south of the Yangtze River. Merchants in Jinling have established the Silk Chamber of Commerce. The wealth of those ten people has exceeded the annual income of Nanzhili. This is still obvious. Opening the sea is like a sea. It’s an abyss monster that I’ve never seen before, and I don’t even know how to deal with it.”
In just two and a half years, Jiangnan has changed. Everyone is chasing the huge power brought by sea trade, and everyone is discussing how to make money...
Loyalty, filial piety, benevolence, etiquette and shame seemed to be slowly disappearing. Xu Jin could feel all these changes. Although he was in charge of the king's order and had the power to kill first and report later in Jiangnan, he clearly felt that he was not up to his ability.
This was because he couldn't wait to go to Beijing to report on his duties at the end of the year, so he made an excuse to return to Beijing first, planning to report to the emperor and wait for the Holy Judgment.
"Teacher, are you worried about the changes in people's hearts due to profit, or are those businessmen reaching out to the court after gaining massive wealth?"
Jia Cong's inquiry gave Xu Jin some comfort.
This apprentice was always so keen, and he could see his true worries at a glance.
The moral models passed down by our ancestors seem to be being eroded by gold and silver. At the same time, the authority of the country was also eroded.
The Xilin Party has vanished into thin air, and the Jiangnan gentry-official and business group formed by the Xilin Party has fallen into disarray and is now unable to have any influence on the imperial court.
However, in southern Zhili, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong and other places, emerging forces based on maritime commerce have formed.
These large and small chambers of commerce, even if they are just seedlings now, cannot really affect the operation of the government.
But Xu Jin can guarantee that these chambers of commerce will eventually, like Shanxi merchants, Shu merchants, and Jiangnan salt merchants, reach out to the court after possessing massive wealth.
"You only know etiquette if you have enough resources. You can't even fill your stomach. Talking about etiquette and morality is just a luxury. Teacher, when the material foundation reaches a certain peak, people will automatically look for spiritual enrichment."
The scholar-bureaucrats in the Central Plains were born with a strange sentiment. They admired the height of morality, but always ignored the suffering in reality.
Just like the development process of the previous dynasties, the true promotion of moral and cultural construction was already after the new century, when the living standards of the Chinese people reached basic food and clothing or even moderate prosperity, and the pursuit of spiritual civilization began.
When a person doesn’t have enough to eat or clothing to keep warm, isn’t it nonsense to talk about morality with him?
If he can refrain from doing illegal things, he already has a good heart.
Jia Cong's words were not recognized by Xu Jin. He was an orthodox Confucian disciple, and his pursuit of morality could not be shaken by a few words.
However, Xu Jin can still understand Jia Cong's views.
"Perhaps what you say makes sense, but this matter still cannot be ignored. Sometimes, human nature degenerates in an instant. It is easy to destroy it, but it is difficult to pick it up again!"
Just now, he was still complacent with the experience brought by "knowing it from birth", but suddenly it was like a giant hammer hitting him hard, and Jia Cong's face turned pale.
"It's easy to destroy it, but it's hard to pick it up again!"
All kinds of figures kept flashing through Jia Cong's mind, and the big and small things he had experienced in his past and present lives were quickly played.
"You didn't hit me, why did you help me?"
This alone is enough to set back the moral standards of the Chinese people by fifty years.
And what Xu Jin told him about the changes in Jiangnan, the madness of pursuing interests single-mindedly, has already tended to develop into this situation.
Jia Cong couldn't imagine what Daxia would become if things continued like this. But Xu Jin's worries seemed to have turned into his worries, causing cold sweat to break out on his back in the scorching July summer.
Xu Jin saw the change in Jia Cong's expression. When his apprentice fell into fear and contemplation, he just closed his eyes and fell asleep, without disturbing his apprentice's introspection.
As Jia Cong's teacher, Xu Jin did not care about teaching Jia Cong's classics and history, but paid more attention to Jia Cong's ideological growth.
He had long seen that his apprentice was too naive and lacked awe and understanding of power and people's hearts.
In one word, it is still too immature.
The journey has been too smooth, there are too many people protecting him, and he has not encountered any decent setbacks. Sooner or later he will suffer a big loss.
The two masters and apprentices were each enlightening on their own path in the carriage traveling northward.
When the carriage entered the city and stopped outside the Daxia Gate, Jia Cong, who got off the carriage, suddenly bowed to Xu Jin.
"Thank you teacher for your teaching. The students understand!"
Xu Jin didn't ask Jia Cong what he understood, but just smiled happily.
When his teacher walked into the palace gate to reply to the order, Jia Cong stood up and continued to "be in a daze" with a frown on his face.
If it weren't for the teacher's reminder, he almost made an empiricist error.
Cang Xingzu knows that etiquette is correct, but he cannot allow the idea of valuing profit over righteousness to develop unchecked.
Jia Cong raised his hands and stared at his clenched fists with determined eyes.
There is no reason why material civilization and spiritual civilization cannot develop together. Jia Cong must grasp it with both hands, and both hands must be strong!
…
On the third day after the Spring Festival wedding, I took my son-in-law back to Rongguo Mansion to live opposite Yue. Almost two months have passed since I stayed there.
After finally returning to the Liu family, a few days later, I saw my maid Siqi running back to report the news...
After returning to Liu's house during the Spring Festival, she vomited whatever she ate. At first, she thought she was sick, but after calling a doctor, she learned that she was pregnant.
"Damn it, how could I forget such an important thing!"
Unlike the joy of the rest of the family, Jia Cong's face turned pale after hearing the news.
The second sister is just over fifteen. Conceiving and giving birth at this age is almost the same as going through hell.
He threw down the half-written note and hurried to Liu's house.
The maid of the Liu family wanted to report inside, but she saw Jia Cong rushing over like a gust of wind.
After opening the door, he saw his sister lying in the arms of that hateful man...
Liu Xianglian was holding her wife in her arms, holding a spoon in one hand, feeding Yingchun the meat porridge one bite at a time.
"Ah~ Brother Cong, why are you here at this time?"
Liu Xianglian had developed a thick skin now, and she slowly carried her wife to the bamboo couch, letting her lean on the soft pillow, and then waved to Jia Cong.
"The doctor just left. Your sister didn't even eat a few bites of lunch. I just cooked the meat porridge again..."
"The meat porridge cooked by your brother-in-law is delicious. I vomited everything else. I'm really hungry."
This couple is really...
This damn dog food!
Most of Jia Cong's original anxiety and self-blame disappeared in the dog food that the couple forced themselves on.
He handed the golden order given by the emperor to the accompanying soldiers and asked him to go to the Imperial Hospital to ask for the imperial doctor.
The uncooked rice has been cooked and the seeds have sprouted. What else can be done?
Fortunately, the opinion given by the imperial doctor after diagnosing his pulse made him feel a little more at ease.
Yingchun's body and bones are in good condition. As long as she is taken care of properly, she will not be in much danger in the future.
Of course, the problem of morning sickness must be solved first.
The imperial doctor prescribed several medicinal and dietary prescriptions, and left the Liu family with Liu Xianglian seeing her off.
Jia Cong sat next to the bamboo couch and blamed himself: "It's all my fault. I should have warned the second brother-in-law earlier. Second sister, you are still young and you shouldn't be in such a hurry to have a child..."
"You're talking nonsense again. Carrying on the family line is a big deal. Since I'm married to your brother-in-law, I should continue to have heirs for the Liu family."
"But it's too dangerous to get pregnant and give birth so early!"
Yingchun raised her hand and rubbed Jia Cong's head. She was glowing with motherhood and said with a smile: "I know what you mean, but some things cannot be avoided, and the child in my belly is too important." ”
Um?
Yingchun winked at Si Qi and saw Si Qi quickly walking out the door. Only Jia Cong and his brother were left in the room.
I heard Yingchun whisper: "Before the wedding, I accompanied the old lady to the palace once. Our queen said that Your Majesty intends to abolish the Liu family's direct branch, but he can't find a suitable excuse for the time being. The Liu family's direct descendants are not prosperous. Liu Fang's legitimate son has not given birth to a son so far, and the clan elders also have many opinions on the legitimate son and intend to choose an heir for him..."
Regardless of whether those members of the Liu family are really worried about losing their incestuous relationship, or they are eyeing the ancestral property of Duke Li Guo's mansion, the matter of selecting an heir has already been put on the agenda.
Moreover, some people at the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion also expressed different opinions on the selection of the successor to the Duke Li's Mansion.
The matter even reached the emperor, and Yuanchun thought of his brother-in-law Liu Xianglian.
Although Liu Xianglian was a commoner, Liu Xianglian's father and Liu Fang were brothers.
If Liu Fang's line of heirs is extinct, there seems to be no problem at all for Liu Xianglian, his nephew or grandnephew, to inherit the title.
Jia Cong was also shocked by Yuan Chun's bold idea, and was also shocked by the changes in his second sister Ying Chun.
He knew Yingchun's temperament very well, she was non-competitive and gentle as water.
But at this time, Yingchun was like a sharp sword, which made Jia Cong a little unbelievable.
"Second sister, you..."
"Do you remember when Liu Fang put people in your brother-in-law's house? If I didn't fight back on some things, they would think I was weak and easy to bully. I can't rely on your brother-in-law and my family for everything, right? At this time Whoever gives birth to a son first will have a greater advantage. The empress said that she will try to trick His Majesty."
After saying this, Yingchun returned to her gentle and watery appearance.
"That being said, but..."
Jia Cong was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly: "But it's not worth the second sister risking her life. There are many ways to let my brother-in-law inherit the Duke's mansion."
Speaking of which, the title of Duke Li Guo has only been passed down to Viscount, but don't underestimate this little Viscount.
As long as Liu Xianglian inherits the title, the connections and influence accumulated by the Liguo Palace over the past century will quickly push her to a high position.
Coupled with the emperor and prince's high regard for Liu Xianglian, within three to five years, Liu Xianglian will definitely be at the forefront of military generals and become one of the few generals in the army.
Yingchun has kept this matter secret from Liu Xianglian until now. This stupid man still doesn't know that his sweet wife, who seems to be weak and unable to take care of herself, is trying her best to plan for his future.
By the time Liu Xianglian sent off the imperial doctor and returned to the room, the two siblings had already skipped the matter of managing the Duke's Mansion and were thinking about a name for the child who was less than three months old.
…
The news of Yingchun's pregnancy attracted the attention of all the masters of the Rongguo Mansion.
Even Mr. Pardon, who was always partial, picked out a large box of gold, silver and jade from his private treasury and had it sent to the Liu family.
Unlike Daiyu and others who were thinking about embroidering clothes and shoes, the old lady took advantage of the opportunity on the 16th day to take Wang Xifeng to Fengzao Palace to meet the wise concubine Yuanchun.
The first thing he did after returning home was to call his two sons and two capable grandsons, Jia Lian and Jia Cong, to Rongxi Hall.
The three generations of ancestors and grandsons closed their doors and began to plan the management of the Duke's mansion.
"If the second son-in-law inherits the Duke Li's palace, our family will be too powerful. Wouldn't this make things difficult for the palace?"
It was rare for Mr. Pardon to have a sense of political crisis. One family and two fathers were already powerful enough. If the government of Li Guo was added to the family, the Jia family would become a behemoth.
Even if the emperor didn't worry about taboos, Jia She himself felt frightened.
The old lady shook her head: "Compared with that good-for-nothing Liu Fang, Your Majesty is more willing to let his own people take over the management of the Duke's Mansion. Your Majesty cannot trust the other members of the Liu family. As long as we grasp the balance, Your Majesty will not care too much."
How to grasp the sense of proportion? Jia She was a little confused for a moment.
He rubbed his eyebrows and asked, "Then what did the empress say?"
Just listen to the old lady saying: "What I mean is that after Erlang inherits Duke Li's palace, he will hand over all the influence of Duke Li's palace in the military, leaving only the property and title. In this way, we will also benefit, and your majesty will also benefit." It’s a benefit. Duke Li’s government has a lot of power in the southwest, and the court is having a headache about Uzang.”
Duke Liguo's Mansion has been operating in the southwest of the country for nearly a hundred years. There are shadows of the Liu family in Sichuan, Shu, Guizhou and Yunnan. Many chieftains have come to visit Duke Liguo's Mansion.
If Liu Xianglian inherits the Liguo Palace and goes to Uzang to use troops in the future, it will be much easier for the emperor. At least he will not have to worry about the Liu family causing trouble.
Jia Zheng had no opinion on this. The old lady and the Pardon Master had already agreed on their opinions, so they turned their attention to the Jia Lian brothers.
"Lian'er, brother Cong, what do you think?"
"Second brother, please say it first..."
Jia Cong motioned to his second brother to speak first, but Jia Lian smiled mysteriously.
"Grandma, father, second uncle... Well, I have been planning this for a long time. Even if there is no second sister, I can let the second brother-in-law inherit the title of Duke Li Guo!"
Monthly ticket recommendation ticket
I’ll stop here tonight and continue tomorrow. Good night!
(End of chapter)
