Chapter 151

Xia Shouzhong bowed and said:

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Jing Sheng Di lifted his eyes and continued to ask:

"How about Lai Shangrong's case?"

Xia Shouzhong said:

"The Marquis of Jingwu had someone inform me, asking the Imperial City Guard to investigate Lai Shangrong, saying he violated the Da Han Empire's donation regulations by donating an official post with unclear sources of wealth, coming from a lowly background and fraudulently purchasing the position."

"Please have the Imperial City Guard thoroughly investigate his crimes, to remove this harmful horse from the court; he says he will memorialize to request your orders—what do you think of this?"

Jing Sheng Di fell silent for a moment, then let out a light laugh and said:

"He indeed said that in his memorial; he sure knows how to save trouble, he puts his household in order and wins over people's hearts, while I merely watch the spectacle, gaining nothing, yet still have to lend a hand."

Xia Shouzhong cautiously said:

"If Your Majesty feels it improper, I will have someone reply to him..."

Jing Sheng Di waved his hand and said:

"No need! Carry it out."

Jing Sheng Di stood up, walked to the map hanging on the wall, with his back to Dai Quan.

"How did that seventh-rank county magistrate Lai Shangrong obtain his donation? How has his official reputation been these years?"

Xia Shouzhong's expression cautious, he said:

"Your Majesty! In the third year of Jing Sheng's reign, the Lai family relied on Ning Guo Fu's third-rank general Jia Zhen, going through Dai Quan's connection at Longshou Palace, donated seven thousand taels, and obtained a county magistrate post in Jiangnan..."

Jing Sheng Di's gaze narrowed.

Xia Shouzhong dared not speak further.

In the third year of Jing Sheng's reign, Jing Sheng Di had only recently ascended the throne, his control over the court was weak, so the Retired Emperor had taken away much power from him.

After a long while, Jing Sheng Di slowly said:

"A servant's grandson can become a county magistrate by spending just a few thousand taels of silver. My court's offices and titles are being sold off like worthless junk by them! Well..."

Jing Sheng Di turned around, his eyes like torches, and said in a deep voice:

"The matter of Lai Shangrong must be investigated swiftly and strictly. Also, all those officials obtained through Longshou Palace over these years must be thoroughly examined."

"Corrupt, incompetent, lawless—those who deserve death shall die, those who deserve arrest shall be arrested, those who deserve exile shall be exiled; my court cannot tolerate these filthy things."

Xia Shouzhong bowed:

"Your servant obeys the order!"

Jing Sheng Di walked back to the imperial desk again, yet did not sit down.

He picked up Jia Jing's memorial and read the last few lines again:

"... The accumulated ills within the mansion are not the result of a single day's cold. Lai Da and his ilk, leaning on their age to sell their age, run amok unlawfully, treating the master's household and the law as nothing. I govern the household with military law; though harsh, I have no regret. For if a single room is not swept, how can one sweep the world? If a family is not governed, how can one govern a state?"

Jing Sheng Di murmured softly:

"'If a single room is not swept, how can one sweep the world?' This is not only about his managing the household, but also points to my governing the state."

"These years I have been implementing the New Policies at court, purging officialdom, clearing away accumulated ills—what is this if not governing the state with military law?"

"What difference is there between those corrupt officials below and Lai Da's ilk? They merely wear an official's skin."

Xia Shouzhong dared not respond.

Jing Sheng Di again muttered to himself:

"Lai Da, a mere servant, has embezzled several hundred thousand taels of silver; among the court's governors and nobles, who is not more corrupt than he?"

"How could I not wish to root them out one by one, executing those who deserve death? Yet I ultimately lack the awe of Taizu and Chengzu, so I must proceed step by step."

Jing Sheng Di walked with his hands behind his back to the carved lattice window, gazing at the vast night, his voice low as he said:

"Since my accession, the Ministry of Revenue's deficit has only grown. Nine out of ten regions suffer disaster; military expenditures in Liaodong, the northwest, and the southwest also require money."

"These years the Ministry of Revenue's finances have become increasingly strained; if not for the confiscations from the Prince of Linchuan, the Duke of Chengguo, and others, plus a portion of the spoils handed over after the great victory in Liaodong, this year would hardly be bearable."

"Moreover, in Jiangnan, the Zhen family, having once welcomed the previous emperor and the Retired Emperor, also owes the court a considerable shortfall."

"They manage the Jiangning Textile Bureau; who knows how much silver they have embezzled from court officials to afford their household's extravagant, unrestrained lifestyle."

"While the court's deficit continues to grow, the wealth of these official families increases day by day. I merely implement the New Policies, yet these officials cry 'competing with the people for profit' and 'harsh governance'—utterly shameless."

"All this money belongs to me! Yet I cannot recover it!"

As Jing Sheng Di finished speaking, a flash of harshness crossed his eyes.

Jia Jing merely investigated a few servants of the Jia mansion; the confiscation likely yielded no less than three to four hundred thousand taels.

If he could confiscate these corrupt officials at court, how much silver would that yield?

Once we have that silver, the court need not worry about money for disaster relief or military campaigns!

Xia Shouzhong's expression shifted, and he said:

"Your Majesty! Other officials are manageable, but the Zhen family not only has old ties with the Retired Emperor, the elderly lady of the Zhen family even served the Grand Empress Dowager; it is really not easy to move against them..."

"It's just another 'Lai Granny' after all! The world will never lack such lackeys who lean on their age to sell their age, wicked slaves who bully their masters."

"I want to see how long they can remain carefree. Once I free my hands, not a single one of the Jiangnan salt merchants, the Zhen family, or the gentry aristocrats will dare to stir."

Jing Sheng Di gave a cold snort, his voice grim.

Jiangnan has long been a heartache for the court; the great clans are deeply entrenched.

They have continually covertly resisted the court's New Policies, taxes have been decreasing year after year, and Jing Sheng Di has long harbored the intention to rectify this, only the opportunity has not yet arrived.

Jing Sheng Di looked toward Xia Shouzhong and said:

"Jia Jing has done well! He has, on my behalf, first honed his skills at home."

Xia Shouzhong said:

"It is only because of Your Majesty's sagacity that you can employ a hero like the Marquis of Jingwu. Now the great army of Ba Shang is about to be completed; before long you will be able to wield a broad sword and sweep away the court's corruption!"

Jing Sheng Di shook his head and said:

"The northwest is unsettled, how troublesome!"

After a moment of silence, Jing Sheng Di suddenly said:

"He wrote another poem today; do you know?"

Xia Shouzhong hurriedly replied:

"I have heard, Marquis Jingwu's several sisters invited him to a poetry gathering; he could not refuse, so he composed a poem."

"I, a man of little learning, find it excellent."

"Especially the line 'As long as the sovereign's grace is as deep as the sea, my heart forever bows to the Nine Heavens' struck my heart; it shows Marquis Jingwu's wholehearted loyalty to Your Majesty."

Jing Sheng Di smiled at the words and said:

"You truly do not understand poetry. The essence of the poem is the line 'If it benefits the nation, I will give my life; I will not shun fortune or disaster for personal gain.'"

"Lord Jia was able to write that line; my teachings these past days were not in vain."

Xia Shouzhong forced an awkward smile and fell silent.

Jing Sheng Di, however, ordered:

"Tomorrow have this poem framed and hang it in my Western Warm Pavilion. Let the ministers who later come here for council also see the poem and understand what is called loyalty to family and country."

"When I am weary from reviewing memorials each day, I can also look at it and know that this world still has loyal ministers and capable generals, and I am not fighting alone."

Xia Shouzhong's eyes grew slightly warm, and he silently sighed that Jia Jing's imperial favor was truly enviable; this was the first time Jing Sheng Di intended to hang a minister's poem in the Western Warm Pavilion.

What does 'Jian is in the emperor's heart' mean? What does 'imperial favor is flourishing' mean?

Marquis Jingwu, this is the best example!