Chapter 325: Pointing Out the Maze of Official Career

Jia Cong had just left the Rongqing Hall when he met the steward, Lin Zhixiao.

Lin Zhixiao said: "Cong Sanye, the official matchmaker you mentioned has been invited, and the matters Cong Sanye instructed have been made clear to the person who came."

"She said that the Sun family violated the agreement first, so the Jia family can call off the marriage without being in the wrong. As long as the Jia family writes the document to call off the marriage, all other matters will be handled by the official matchmaker."

Jia Cong said: "According to the civil law of the country, if one party violates the agreement in a marriage, they must pay a penalty for the dowry, which will be shared equally between the government and the victim. Use this money to distribute porridge outside the city to accumulate blessings for the Second Sister."

When Lin Zhixiao heard this, his expression was a bit strange. That Sun fellow meeting Cong Sanye could be considered unlucky to the extreme.

Being scolded by Cong Sanye in public, driven out of the Jia Fu, and half of the betrothal gifts being taken by Cong Sanye to distribute porridge—this was enough to open a porridge shop for several months.

However, this Sun fellow deserved it. Cong Sanye discovered his dissolute behavior in the flower and willow places. Cong Sanye cherished the Second Young Lady the most, so how could he not deal with him?

He hurriedly said: "Cong Sanye, don't worry, I will go and handle it immediately."

Jia Cong looked at the empty Rongqing Hall behind him, thinking of how many sordid things had happened here since he was granted a title.

First, Jia Mu wanted to use You Shi and Jia Rong to stuff the Count's Mansion, then she wanted to control the Count's Mansion by assigning family slaves, and today it was the covetous faces of Jia Xiao and other clansmen.

Then, through the mass production and tiered sales of the Xinchun Firm, it became something available to the public. The profit silver generated by these things would never be lower than the perfume of the Xinchun Firm.

Fortunately, he had dealt with these troubles one by one, and he should be able to have some peace and quiet for a period of time.

As for these two remote agricultural estates scaring away the covetous people like Jia Xiao, it was just an additional unexpected gain.

Scheming for power, intrigue, jealousy, and greed—this was the family of poetry and etiquette that had been passed down for generations.

Not to mention the huge wealth brought to him by the Xinchun Firm...

If he felt that the Liaodong agricultural estates were too desolate, he could also choose several agricultural estates that were some distance from the Love Shenjing but not as remote as Liaodong.

But in Jia Cong's eyes, it was ordinary. Back then, in order to bring coolness to the Xiuniang Perfume Shop in the height of summer, he had tinkered with the method of making ice.

He knew that in the later generations, the black soil outside the pass was the most precious soil, and its fertility was the best in the world, making that place a world-famous granary.

Of course, he would firmly grasp the progress of everything in his own hands.

Moreover, in the eyes of people like Jia Xiao, 1,000 shi of title assets, with an annual income of 4,000 to 5,000 taels of silver, was a huge fortune that made people drool.

How could these Jia family descendants, who only knew how to covet pleasure and were narrow-minded, realize the precious opportunity within it?

In many cases, a huge amount of silver could allow you to do as many things as possible...

But the area of the agricultural estates was far smaller than the Liaodong agricultural estates, so in the end, Jia Cong still chose the Liaodong title asset agricultural estates.

Just in the Love Shenjing and surrounding areas, every summer, it could bring him thousands of taels of income, almost on par with the title asset income.

In fact, before the Imperial Household Department transferred the title assets, they had given some choices.

He had promised the Emperor that within three years, the annual profit of the Xinchun Firm would reach 500,000, a promise that might be realized half a year early.

How could he miss such an opportunity to seize the initiative? Even later, when he had resources in his hands, he would increase his acquisition of Liaodong black soil.

Now that the Jurchen forces outside the pass had perished, that place was a newly developed territory of the Great Zhou. As the minister who made the first contribution in the Jurchen war, the Imperial Household Department could let him enclose the most fertile agricultural estates.

Subsequently, he would also tinker with items with simple manufacturing processes, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, etc., and of course, there would be other things that did not exist in this world in the future...

Luocang Mountain, Liu Residence.

Since returning from Liaodong, things like meeting the Emperor, presenting captives, being granted a title, and renovating the mansion had come one after another, and he had also been busy ruining Yingchun's marriage...

Only after these things were finished did he truly have free time.

Having been away for half a year, it was a necessary etiquette of the master-disciple relationship to go to Luocang Mountain to pay respects to his mentor, Liu Jing'an.

As soon as he entered the Liu Residence, he saw his mentor's wife, Madam Cui, waiting there.

Madam Cui saw Jia Cong and was as fond of him as ever. Whether he was granted a title or not was secondary; the old lady just felt a bit heartbroken, only saying that he had become darker and thinner.

In the study, Liu Jing'an, whom he hadn't seen for half a year, seemed to have aged visibly, but fortunately, his spirit was still vigorous, and his eyes still shone with divine light.

Liu Jing'an looked at this young disciple of his, with a smile on his face and a very satisfied expression.

He said: "I originally thought that you following Minister Gu to inspect the Nine Borders would just be to increase your knowledge. I didn't expect you to cause such a big stir, and I didn't expect you to have such talent in military affairs."

Jia Cong replied: "The student was also just happening to be there, and there was some luck involved."

Liu Jing'an pondered: "What surprised me even more was that the Retired Emperor happened to bestow gifts upon you through the Retired Empress at this juncture..."

In fact, Jia Cong had thought about this matter many times afterwards. Now he probably understood why Master Liu would say this: it was nothing more than the Emperor's grace, which was the result of the interaction of various reasons.

Liu Jing'an said: "Now the Great Zhou is in a prosperous age of governance. Although there are hidden troubles in the Nine Borders and the Southeast Sea, there are very few major wars."

"It is very rare for you to be able to make such contributions this time. After this, it will be a bit difficult to make such great contributions again."

Jia Cong sighed slightly: "Sir, if there are no wars in the country and the military generals are idle, that is a good thing. The battle in Liaodong saw blood flowing for a thousand miles, and people's lives were piled up. It is really not as interesting as reading by the west window."

Liu Jing'an said: "Do you know why the Founding Emperor granted the Minister of Rites the title of hereditary Marquis Lady Bao Ling, while granting the Jia family's Ning and Rong the title of Duke with a reduction in rank?"

Jia Cong thought slightly: "In the student's humble opinion, at the beginning of the founding of the country, the military generals had high merits, and the civil officials governed the peace, so the Jia family's title was higher than the Shi family's."

"But once the country was established, it was necessary to balance the power of the military generals so as not to disturb the country."

"In a prosperous age of governance, it is necessary to reuse civil officials to control the military generals who lead troops with civil officials who have no troops."

"The Shi family's Minister of Rites was of the same rank as the first grade, a person who assisted in governance, a minister of the essence of the world."

"Therefore, the Shi family's Marquis Lady Bao Ling title could be hereditary, but the Ning and Rong military dukes could not. This is the method of balancing civil and military affairs at the beginning of the founding of the country."

Liu Jing'an nodded with satisfaction. His disciple was only fourteen years old, and to have such a thorough insight into the art of balancing the imperial court was considered very rare.

"You have already passed the two examinations, your name in poetry and prose has spread throughout the world, and you wrote a four-character grand essay during the provincial examination. You can be considered a natural seed of a civil official."

"You have submitted strategies for building camps with firearms, methods of governing and learning, and policies for governing Liaodong to the Emperor. These are all matters of civil officials governing prosperity, and the Emperor must have a deep impression."

"Now the four borders are stable, and after the Jurchens are wiped out, I am afraid there will be no major wars. The Emperor must know this in his heart."

"Therefore, the Emperor granting you the grace of a hereditary title is not just to boast to the Retired Emperor, nor is it because he wants you to make more military contributions. I am afraid that his intention to use your talent as a civil official is more."

"When you were originally named the top scholar in the imperial examination, Ge Hongzheng of the Hanlin Academy once recommended you to enter the Hanlin Academy, but the Emperor said: 'The son of a noble family should cultivate a courageous spirit.'"

"That was the Emperor's taboo against your background and literary talent, fearing that it would be fueled by the court officials, and in the future, it would produce the power of a powerful minister who is both civil and military and cannot be controlled."

"But ever since you made contributions in Liaodong, the Emperor has regenerated the idea of cherishing talent, so he borrowed the hand of the Imperial Clan Court to implement the policy of changing the heir, leading the Rongguo Jia family to be decisive. This is to cut off the root of your background."

"And you submitted a memorial to resign from the position of heir and refused to inherit the Ningguo line, which is to show your heart to the Emperor. This is one time and that is another!"

"The Emperor's holy heart is dictatorial and his strategy is deep, and you can meet moves with moves, not falling into the rut, but it conforms to the heart of heaven."

Jia Cong listened to these words, his eyes gradually becoming condensed. Although his thoughts were not shallow, he had not accumulated the transparency and wisdom of Liu Jing'an after a lifetime of ups and downs in the officialdom.

Liu Jing'an's words made him feel like he had been enlightened.

Liu Jing'an smiled slightly, his expression seemingly carrying a trace of self-mockery: "I originally wanted to use your literary thoughts to make you an ordinary reader, who could be stable for a lifetime."

"But your luck is somewhat extraordinary, so I am afraid it will be a bit difficult to be stable for a lifetime."

Speaking of this, Liu Jing'an's tone suddenly became a bit solemn: "Since you have already stepped into the officialdom, the cause and effect are entangled, and it is difficult to get out easily, so you should judge the situation and avoid evil to protect yourself!"

"Do you know why the Emperor granted you the title of Count this time and added the Grade 3B scattered title, but your Grade 5 real position was not promoted?"

Jia Cong had some realization in his heart and said: "Because with my current situation, the real position of Grade 5 has reached the peak, and there is no promotion!"

Although Jia Cong was granted the title of Count Lord Weiyuan this time and added the Silver-Blue Light and Luxuriant Grand Master, it belonged to the Grade 3B scattered title.

But the Grade 3B scattered title was just a false name and glory, and it could not be compared with the Grade 3B real position.

Because according to the Great Zhou official system, promotion to a Grade 4B real position must be from the two-list jinshi background, just as a noble title must have military merit to be granted.

This is the iron law of the civil official's official career, otherwise the selection of talents through the imperial examination would be a mere formality, and scholars from poor families would have no way to compete with the descendants of noble families.

If the path of selecting talents through the imperial examination during the national mourning is blocked, and the scholars of the world are alienated, then it is not far from the destruction of the country.

In those years, Jia Zheng, as the second son of the Duke of Rongguo and the successor of the imperial Rongguo, was only granted the position of Ministry of Works Secretary by the Retired Emperor.

After floating for more than ten years, he was only promoted to the Grade 5B Ministry of Works Vice Director. It was absolutely impossible to be promoted to a Grade 4B official position, just because he was not from the two-list jinshi background.

If the noble son of a Duke is like this, it can be seen that the Grade 4B real position must be from the two-list jinshi background, which is such a strict official iron law.

Therefore, Jia Cong has now been promoted to the Grade 5A Director of the Firearm Division, and he has reached a bottleneck on the path of civil officials.

Even if he is now granted the hereditary Count Lord Weiyuan, he cannot go any further in the real position of civil officials, because he is only a Provincial Graduate Wu, not a jinshi.

Therefore, this time he made great contributions in Liaodong, the Emperor granted him the title of Count, bestowed equal title assets, and granted him the Grade 3B scattered title, but did not add a real position.

The Emperor is a meticulous and wise monarch in government affairs. Although he has the intention to reuse Jia Cong, he will never break the rules for him and do things that are against the world.

If Jia Cong relies on his title, 1,000 shi of title assets, and a Grade 5 real position in the future to live a life of leisure in his Count's Mansion, it is not impossible.

A hereditary count, with a noble status, seems to have no need to suffer the hardship of the imperial examination.

But after a long time, this will definitely lose the heart of the monarch, because that is not the Emperor's original intention, nor is it the value that the grace of a hereditary title should be exchanged for.

Just as Liu Jing'an said: You have already stepped into the officialdom, and the cause and effect are entangled, so it is difficult to get out easily!

The reality of the situation really does not allow him to enjoy wealth and comfort from now on.

If he wants to break the current deadlock, Jia Cong has only one way out: return to the imperial examination hall. As long as he takes the jinshi title, all problems will be solved.

The rest is just to see how the Emperor arranges it himself, because the efforts Jia Cong should make have been made.

If it weren't for Liu Jing'an's extraordinary keen insight and thorough understanding of the person in the palace,

Jia Cong himself might have found it difficult to penetrate the deep meaning of this.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 326 =====