Chapter 357: Jia Jing Teaches His Nephews

Sunlight slanted across the horizon, dyeing the whole field a dark gold, the sorghum leaves rustling in the wind like countless hands clapping.

On the ridge, Jia Jing sat on a stone under the shade, eating the rice and snacks brought from the mansion that morning to fill his stomach.

Jia Cong, Jia Huan, and Jia Lan sat around him, while Xuanwu led his personal troops in a surrounding watch.

After quickly filling his belly, Jia Jing looked at the three kin nephews before him and, in their admiring or reverent gazes, asked:

"Having seen so many things today, do you have any feelings about it?"

Jia Huan, Jia Cong, and Jia Lan, faced with Jia Jing's question, looked at each other, hesitant to speak for fear of misspeaking.

Although they admired Jia Jing, there was also a measure of fear in that admiration!

First, Jia Jing is always solemn and austere; he rarely smiles in the mansion, making him seem three times more terrifying than Jia Zheng or Jia Mu.

Second, before leaving today they had been warned by Tan Chun, Li Wan and others, so they must keep a proper attitude before Jia Jing and not speak carelessly.

Seeing their silence, Jia Jing frowned and said in a deep voice:

"A true man, standing tall as the heavens and earth, what is there that cannot be spoken?"

"You are still young; don't imitate the court's cautious speech, just boldly express what's in your hearts."

"Whether right or wrong, only by speaking can you argue clearly, understand, and gain insight!"

"Even if you speak wrongly and embarrass yourself, it's better than keeping silent! Young people should have youthful vigor, be bold!"

Upon hearing Jia Jing's words, Jia Huan flared his eyebrows, sniffed, tilted his shoulders, and was the first to twist his neck and curse:

"These maggot‑hearted scoundrels, seed without… without destiny, that old woman just now and her three grandchildren were all that thin."

"Her son died serving the court, his land gone, no food nor drink, and the daughter‑in‑law was forced to hang herself."

"Those black‑hearted people of the Duke's manor, all are Qiu Nang's scoundrels, all should be killed!"

After speaking, he tightened his face, stole a glance at Jia Jing, fled before Jia Jing could see, then, while Jia Jing was inattentive, glanced again.

Jia Jing expressionlessly nodded; although Jia Huan's words mixed in much of Zhao Yiniang's rhetoric, at least they contained some sense of right and wrong.

Jia Cong's temperament was a few degrees steadier than Jia Huan's; after thinking, he slowly spoke:

"Third brother, I think governing the family must be strict!"

"The poor folk we just saw, many were oppressed by the stewards under the Duke's and Marquis's manors."

"Just like the servants in our mansion before, each committing crimes under the master's name."

"If not for your military‑law governance and strict family conduct, they would probably still be at large, continuing to wreak havoc."

This was a perspective from the steward, combining Jia Jing's earlier actions, offering this thought.

Hearing this, Jia Jing gave no comment for the moment, and turned his gaze to Jia Lan.

Jia Lan hesitated, then softly said:

"Third uncle, I recalled Du Fu's poem, 'The red‑gated houses reek of wine and meat, the road bears frozen corpses.' I previously didn't fully grasp its meaning, but today's sights are even more tragic than the poem."

"Moreover, our Jia Family is also a red‑gated house; we must never become like them!"

After hearing the three, Jia Jing was silent for a moment, then stood, paced beneath the tree, facing west.

The setting sun gilded his face with a dark‑gold sheen, stretching his shadow long across the loess road, like a sword planted in the ground.

He turned, looked at the three youths, and first said with praise:

"What you said is all very reasonable, and you each think independently; isn't that great? What is there not to speak?"

Upon hearing this, the three's faces relaxed a bit, and their tense bodies loosened.

Jia Jing was silent for a moment, then gently admonished each in turn:

"Jia Lan, you memorized Du Fu's poem, well done! The red‑gated houses reek of wine and meat, the road bears frozen corpses; from ancient times to now, it has always been so!"

"But has it always been right? Good and evil are ultimately repaid; our Jia Family is also a red‑gated house, and the family's wealth and honor were earned by our ancestors cutting through thorns, which is understandable."

"But our ancestors and the court never granted us the right to break laws or bully with power! No one may act without limits! No one has privileges beyond the court's statutes!"

"The red‑gated houses may have rotten wine and meat, but that food must not come from oppressing the common people!"

"Jia Cong, you say the household must be strictly managed; many evils are done by stewards under the various mansions, so your statement is only half true."

"Stewards act like dogs relying on their masters' power because they have a lord's backing. The stewards of the ducal and marquisial mansions dare to bully men and women, commit crimes—not merely out of boldness, but because they know someone behind them supports them."

"The occupied reclaimed fields bear the stewards' markers, yet the land deeds list the names of each mansion's lord. Would a steward dare act arbitrarily without the lord's prior consent?"

Jia Jing paused, his gaze falling on the distant fields reddened by the setting sun.

"Governing the family must be strict, that's true, but strictness isn't only for subordinates; if the top beam is crooked, the lower beams will sag."

"The lord must first control his own hands—don't take what isn't his; control his own mouth—don't eat what isn't his; control his own heart—don't covet what isn't his; only then can those below follow the rules."

"If the lord reaches out first, those below will stretch even farther. When the top rots a little, the bottom rots all the way; when both are rotten, the clan is finished!"

"Jia Huan, you said Qiu Nang's scoundrels should be killed. Killing them isn't hard; I have killed more people than you have ever seen."

"But after killing them? New ones rise, and after a few years become the same. Kill a batch, then greed follows; kill another batch, then greed again—when will it ever end?"

Jia Jing turned, facing the three, his gaze like a blade, and slowly said:

"Killing is only a means; after killing, preventing corruption and abuse from recurring is the true goal."

"And that can only be achieved by perfecting the system, enforcing strict oversight, and guiding thought, so that these powerful officials cannot, dare not, or wish to be greedy."

"That's what he says, but those who must die will still be killed; no one can act recklessly without paying the price!"

"However,"

"Shuntian Prefecture, as the capital region, governs twenty‑four Guards; it still needs to survey most Guard Posts first, to act purposefully and make decisions."

"Today's observations at Liangxiang Camp were shocking, yet they only involve the founding military merits of the Shan Duke's manor and the Pingyuan Marquis's manor."

"What he must reform are all hereditary military merit titles in Shenjing City; he must prepare fully and investigate thoroughly."

"Of course,"

"Since he chose to start the reform of capital‑region military affairs by auditing reclaimed fields, it was naturally a well‑considered decision!"

"According to the Embroidered Uniform Guard's report, whether founding military merits, Jingnan Wuxun, or new‑wealth military merits, only a few have encroached on Guard Post reclaimed fields in Shuntian Prefecture."

Occupying military farms and smuggling are the two most common crimes among Shenjing's military nobles, and at the same time their greatest source of profit.

Therefore, by using this matter as an entry point, at least half of the noble military families in Shenjing City will be ruthlessly purged!