Chapter 396

Inside the western study.

As Jia Jing sat back down on the embroidered cushion, Baichai reached out, lifted the teacup on the table, took a light sip, and with that motion eased the heat on her cheeks a little.

Then she set down the teacup, lifted her almond eyes slightly, and quietly glanced at the youth beside her who had regained his calm, bright demeanor.

"Brother, why did you write such a poem yesterday? Is something troubling happening at court?"

Baichai extended her slender jade finger to twist the draft of the poem "Cold Wind" on the table, weighed her words, and asked softly!

She was still very interested in official affairs and economics, especially being able to discuss these matters with her beloved and understand his true thoughts as a high-ranking official.

However, in the past she had been awed by Jia Jing's dignity, hardly daring to speak, fearing to say the wrong thing, and Jia Jing also had little free time.

Now that their relationship has grown close, she has fewer reservations.

After all, judging from Jia Jing's past attitude, he does not object to these ladies of the inner chambers understanding current affairs.

Jia Jing caught the wafts of cool fragrance from Baichai's person, his eyes paused slightly, and he spoke calmly:

"Last night, officials knelt at the Meridian Gate to petition the palace, coercing the emperor to abolish the New Policies and dismiss the imperial commissioner Gong Dingzi, who was overseeing the rectification of officials in Jiangnan."

"Furthermore, the Left Deputy Censor-in-Chief Xu Zhuo, the Ministry of Works clerk Lu Shengnan, and the Censor Xie Jishi—three men of audacious boldness—spoke insolently in the Qianqing Palace."

"They formed factions for personal gain, deceived the sovereign, threatened the emperor's person, spewed nonsense about governance, provoking the emperor's thunderous wrath; that is why I and several grand councilors were urgently summoned to the palace so late."

This is not a secret either; with the edict exposing the faction case, it will likely spread throughout Shenjing today, so Jia Jing saw no need to conceal it!

Baichai furrowed her brows at the words, her face showing surprise, she pursed her glossy light-pink cherry lips, and asked in astonishment:

"What do you mean? Officials besieging the palace? They dare to be this bold?"

Although she had seen in historical records that civil officials had once besieged the palace, such incidents are still extremely rare in our dynasty.

Especially now, with Emperor Jing Sheng's prestige growing day by day, it seems even harder to believe.

Jia Jing's expression was stern, his voice icy as he said:

"Although the New Policies are a beneficial policy for the state and the people, they ultimately disturb the interests of civil officials, gentry, and scholars across the land."

"And Gong Dingzi in Jiangnan, unmoved by sentiment and employing harsh measures, has driven them to the point of having no choice but to leap over the wall in desperation!"

Baichai's moist almond eyes flickered, her heart gave a slight jump, and she asked cautiously:

"Brother, you seem to have no fondness for these people?"

"I am not unfond of them; I am unfond of all who lack ruler and father, who abandon state and people."

"Although the Great Han's external campaigns are still going fairly well, internal worries have only been increasing without decrease."

"Not to mention the great clans of Jiangnan—their power is deeply intertwined, many are corrupt and lawless, like a state within a state, a major malignant tumor in the Great Han realm."

"In Chuan Shan, refugees continually rebel; in Henan and Shandong, natural disasters have been frequent in recent years, with many victims."

"In the Two Capitals and thirteen provinces of the Great Han, the people cannot make a living; the starving dead lie everywhere, and everywhere are infants awaiting death from cold and hunger, and flesh awaiting the knife."

"One could say that the Great Han dynasty has reached such a state that it already bears the appearance of a dead end."

"This is also why the emperor had no choice but to resolutely enact the New Policies and rectify officialdom. But what of these officials and gentry?"

"They forever look only to their own interests, recklessly annexing land, evading taxes, forming cliques, corrupt and depraved, forming factions for private gain, with not the slightest regard for the court or the people."

Jia Jing's voice rang clear as metal and stone, his face stern, without beating around the bush, he said:

"Yesterday the emperor issued an edict sending Xu Zhuo and the two others to the Imperial City Guard's Prison for interrogation, ordering the Vice Grand Secretary Zhang Tingyu to subject them to severe punishment, using the faction case to launch a major purge and strictly rectify officialdom."

"And have the cabinet implement the capital inspection, examining officials' merits and demerits by the method of achievement evaluation: the capable stay, the incompetent go; the diligent are promoted, the lazy are demoted."

"This time, the court has resolved to take real action! Just wait and see—how many officials in Shenjing will lose their heads over this, and how many will have their property confiscated and be dismissed!"

Hearing Jia Jing's cold and solemn words, Baichai's expression froze.

Although she had previously sensed from Jia Jing's poetry that a storm was brewing and something major might happen at court, she never imagined it would be this perilous!

"Launch a great purge?" Those three words have always signified a bloody wind and rain, turmoil and unrest!

Baichai's heart involuntarily rose with a sense of "alarm"; she turned her snow‑white visage and jade skin toward Jia Jing and spoke anxiously:

"Will this matter implicate you, brother?"

In her panic and confusion, the first thing Baichai thought of was her lover's safety!

Jia Jing gazed at those eyes filled with worry, their moist almond shine, and instead of saying this matter was the result of his own remonstrance, he drew Baichai's soft, fair arms to him and comforted her gently:

"It is mainly a matter of the civil officials; for now it has little to do with the military nobility!"

"I tell you this only to let you know that Shenjing will not be tranquil for a while."

"After I finish handling clan affairs today, I must go to the Twelve Division Camp to take command, to guard against the unexpected; within the next ten days or so, I fear it will be hard for me to see you again, sister!"

On Baichai's soft, pear‑blossom‑like cheeks a blush rose again, but she did not let the shyness of skin‑to‑skin contact stop her; she leaned her delicate frame toward Jia Jing, lifted her gaze, and spoke solemnly:

"Brother ought to prioritize state affairs; there's no need to worry about… home!"

Jia Jing accordingly slipped his arm around the girl's waist, embracing Baichai whose jade‑like face was flushed, warm and fragrant, and spoke softly:

"Sister, you are beautiful outside and wise within; you have always understood the bigger picture!"

"At the West Mansion, my personal guards are stationed; aside from a few individuals who occasionally cause a ruckus, there is really no other problem nowadays."

"At the East Mansion, Xuanwu is my trusted confidant; he will remain on guard at the residence. If you have an urgent matter, sister, you can send someone to find him to relay it to me, and I will give him instructions!"

Baichai's body went slightly limp, and she lightly rested her pink cheek on Jia Jing's shoulder.

Lifting her gaze to look beneath the youth's stern brows, her eyes were deep as an abyss, the light beneath her brows shimmering, hinting at a hint of infatuation, her soft cheeks burning, and she spoke softly:

"Brother, though you are extraordinarily brave in martial prowess, you must still take care of yourself when you are out!"

"I usually just read, do needlework, and raise lion‑cats at home; there's nothing else."

"As for my family… aside from my elder brother, who is somewhat… unsettled in disposition, the rest are quite fine!"

Although Baichai did not want to mention Xue Pan in front of Jia Jing, since the topic came up just now and she had heard Jia Jing say that Shenjing has been unsettled lately, she silently gave Xue Pan a preventive shot in front of her own lover.

So that in the future her elder brother does not stir up trouble, causing her to lose standing in the hearts of those before her… becoming overly passive!

Jia Jing glanced at the girl in his arms, her jade‑like beauty lovely, also guessed some of her thoughts, and seemingly unintentionally warned:

"His disposition is unsettled… when he gets older, think of a way to temper his temperament, and that will be enough."

"Only one point to note: never break the law, cause disorder, or act recklessly; even now, on the court I have many enemies, and if I truly provoke trouble, even though I have compassion for my sister, I cannot show favoritism!"

Jia Jing placed emphasis on "violate law and order," which also counts as a reverse preventive injection for Baichai!

Should Xue Pan's case break out in the future and he be sent to prison to grind his temperament for a few years, I suppose Baichai cannot blame him for not having warned earlier!