Chapter 903: Reconciliation between Generals and Prime Ministers
The old playboy had been childless for many years and had done everything to have a child. Once, when he was drunk, he complained to Jiang Qingzhi that he had eaten several incense burners but still had no child.
After finally having a son, Zhu Shitai, the old dude was overjoyed, feeling that he had finally given an account to his ancestors after waiting for him to see the bright moon.
Educating children with this kind of mentality will lead to two extremes: either it is too harsh, making the children feel like they are in a cage, or it is too indulgent, causing the children to become lawless.
Zhu Xizhong was a strict father, and when Zhu Shitai was driven crazy, he simply pretended to be crazy. In history, it was unknown whether this kid pretended to be crazy for too long or what, but his fake madness turned into real madness.
Later, after being exposed by Jiang Qingzhi, the couple went to the other extreme, from being strict to being extremely tolerant.
Jiang Qingzhi stood in front of the antique shelf with his hands behind his back, looking at Zhu Shitai who was kneeling down, and said sternly: "Father and mother still have to act according to your mood, and have to be careful to please you, fearing that you will be dissatisfied in the slightest, but let you feel that you have found your father and mother's weakness, so you become more and more proud and more unscrupulous!"
Zhu Shitai lowered his head, feeling quite dissatisfied.
"Dissatisfied?" Jiang Qingzhi seemed to know what he was thinking, and sneered: "According to my opinion, a rebellious child like you should be thrown out and let you go out to face the wall. Your parents will forgive you because they are your parents. Those people outside have no such obligation and no such affection!"
Seeing that Zhu Shitai still didn't raise his head, Jiang Qingzhi said, "You are the only child in the Duke's Mansion. You must inherit the title of Duke, right? You have nothing to fear.
"After going to the battlefield once, you think you have grown up. You look down on your father, thinking that he is just an old playboy who can't compare to the great achievements you have made on the battlefield."
Outside, Zhu Xizhong's body trembled, and the Duke's wife sighed softly: "I discovered it a long time ago."
"Why not?"
"Da Lang is stubborn. If I tell him, I'm afraid he'll be even more proud."
"Ah!" Zhu Xizhong's eyes were pale, "Being a parent... is so difficult!"
Jiang Qingzhi said coldly: "You think you are good at fighting on the battlefield, but you don't know that the most difficult place in the world is not the battlefield, but the human heart!"
"The Western Garden is the power center of the world. Your Majesty controls the world from afar in the Yongshou Palace. Yan Song and his party rule the Ming Dynasty. Your father serves as a close minister of the emperor and a noble relative. Do you know how many storms he has experienced over the years? Too many!"
Jiang Qingzhi actually admired the old dude very much, for being able to stand firm between the Taoist priests and the Yan Party. If it weren't for his intervention, Yan Song and his son would still be trying to win him over.
How much painstaking effort, how much suffering, how much planning...
"For a fool like you, you can only survive half a day at most after entering Zhilu, and then you will be eaten alive by those people."
Jiang Qingzhi sneered, "Don't take it lightly. You should be aware of the strength of Yan Song's party. Your playboy companions may seem to be dismissive, but as long as the Yan party opens an opening, their fathers and grandfathers will immediately sharpen their heads to flatter and curry favor with Yan Song and his son, just to win the favor of Yan Song and his son. Have any of your companions' families offended the Yan party?"
"Yes, but..." Zhu Shitai thought of a playmate.
"But what? But he became a pauper later on?"
"Yes."
"Who did it?"
"Yan Song and his son."
"Do you think that family is stupid?"
"Not stupid, just... I'm on the wrong side."
"Do you think you are better than that man's ancestors?"
“Not even close.”
"Then, what qualifications do you have to look down on your father, who is feared and even tried to win over the Yan Party?" Jiang Qingzhi said softly, "He is a close official that His Majesty values. Do you think His Majesty would value an old playboy?"
Zhu Shitai looked up suddenly as if struck by lightning.
"Being a dandy is just a mask your father wears to the outside world. It's his way of survival. It's not his true self. Do you think your father's methods are bad? None of the emperor's close ministers are fools. How many people have fallen into your father's hands over the years? Among them, there are many extremely smart people, and many so-called famous generals."
"How did your father get to where he is today?" Jiang Qingzhi said, "He climbed up step by step, with fallen enemies and opponents behind him. And what do you rely on? In Huben Zuowei, do you really think that without your father and me, you can stand firm so easily?"
"Uncle, didn't you say you wouldn't take care of me?"
The confident young man, who thought the world was under his control, had his pride and confidence shattered step by step by Jiang Qingzhi.
"Your mentality collapsed?" Jiang Qingzhi took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and said faintly: "I said I wouldn't take care of you, that was a lie. I'm not a saint. I can't do this to my own child. Your father is the same.
Do you know that your father secretly went to Huben Zuowei to watch you practice many times for you? Whenever he found that you were not doing well, being excluded or scolded, he would be in great pain and would come back to find me...
Did you know that your mother frequently went to temples and Taoist temples after you joined the army? Whenever she saw a statue of a deity, she would kneel down and pray devoutly. She didn't pray for herself or the Duke's Mansion, but for you! "
Jiang Qingzhi looked up and thought of his mother in his previous life. "What they want is not the inheritance of the Duke's Mansion, but that you can live a peaceful and happy life!"
"Second uncle!"
Zhu Shitai's confidence and pride had just been shattered, and then he was hit by emotions again. He opened his mouth and his cheeks trembled.
Jiang Qingzhi walked out and pointed inside to Mr. and Mrs. Zhu.
"Dalang!"
"Dad! Mom! I...I was wrong."
Jiang Qingzhi was holding a cigarette and looking at the rockery in the yard, when he suddenly thought of Dapeng.
Children are like this. When they are at a rebellious age, what they need is not teaching, but role models.
Whoever can match their three views at that time will be their friend. However, the three views of parents and elders are very different from theirs. When they spend every day with each other, children will feel that they are not on the same path.
If you don't agree with me, you don't need to say a word. When you meet a good friend, a thousand cups are not enough.
Those young men in later generations who secretly drank alcohol were actually just trying to soothe their confusion about the future.
"Second Master." A maid came over, "The front yard said that the Second Master's family has arrived."
Jiang Qingzhi went to the front yard, and it turned out that it was Xu Wei who came.
"Uncle, great joy!"
"Say it." Jiang Qingzhi shook off the ashes from his cigarette and wondered what it could be.
"Just now, more than a dozen dignitaries went to the Ministry of Revenue and took the initiative to declare their land and population."
Xu Wei was in high spirits. "This is just the beginning. With this group of people leading the way, there will surely be more and more people to come. This game of chess is alive!"
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "It's as expected. Those people don't dare to take risks, so they will definitely bow their heads. By the way, are there any memorials suggesting expanding the scope of the investigation?"
In Jiang Qingzhi's eyes, the powerful and wealthy are just dead bones in a tomb. He starts with the powerful and wealthy, in order to scare the tiger away and hit the bull from behind the mountain.
"Not yet." Xu Wei stroked his beard, "Those people will not be willing. Besides, they are all smart people. Since they have taken the initiative to declare, why don't they go a step further and show goodwill to Your Majesty?"
Maximizing profits is the way to go!
"You go to Zhilu and keep an eye on it. Also..." Jiang Qingzhi took a puff of medicinal smoke and squinted his eyes, "Tell Lord Xia not to worry about my character anymore. The important thing is more important. Let the old man spread the word that I said that the powerful and noble are loyal to Your Majesty... Everyone has gone astray! Just change back."
Xu Wei laughed and said, "This is to incite those people to turn against us! It reminds me of the reconciliation between generals and ministers."
In this incident, the scholars and officials hid behind the scenes and continued to fan the flames, and even helped. The powerful people knelt under the high pressure and fought back...
"Gantt, damn it!" Jiang Qingzhi grinned, "If you can avoid the first day, how can you avoid the fifteenth?"
"My Lord, officials from the Ministry of Revenue have been rushing to various places one after another. With the surrender of the dignitaries in the capital, the subsequent land inventory is in full swing..." Xu Wei said softly: "The local areas are dominated by scholars and officials. I think we should be prepared for contingencies."
Jiang Qingzhi nodded, "Your Majesty has this preparation, and so do I."
"Then...should we order all the garrisons to be on alert?" Xu Wei's brows showed a fierce look, "If the local scholars and officials cause trouble..." He put his fingers together like knives and swung them down fiercely.
Jiang Qingzhi shook his head slightly. "Many things require countermeasures. Old Xu, this is a life-and-death battle. We must firmly gain the upper hand."
"public opinion!"
"Yes, only if we are right can we speak louder than the other party. For this reason..."
Jiang Qingzhi's eyes dimmed, "I am a little shameless, no, I am ruthless! This is in line with the expectations of His Majesty and you."
"It is inevitable to hurt a few people, and we can only make up for it afterwards," said Xu Wei.
Jiang Qingzhi was mentally prepared that the new policy was not a dinner party.
……
Jiang Qingzhi was a little fed up with the food at the old dandy's house. After drinking a few glasses of wine, he pointed at the dishes and said, "Brother, the food at your house is too greasy."
"Our ancestors have been eating this way for generations." Zhu Xizhong was puzzled, "Isn't it delicious enough?"
"It's delicious, but it's made with lots of oil, meat, and seasoning. Let's not talk about the original taste of the food. Just eat it this way. Be careful here..."
Jiang Qingzhi pointed to his temple and said, "With a bang, it exploded."
"Don't scare me." Zhu Xizhong smiled, but his smile froze under Jiang Qingzhi's serious expression. "You're not serious, are you?"
Jiang Qingzhi nodded, "Why would I harm you? After eating too much of this greasy and heavy food, have you ever felt dizzy, breathless, or walked unsteadily... Don't look at me, touch my waist, it must be as thick as an ox."
The couple touched their waists together, and Zhu Shitai was laughing secretly.
"It has always been like this, and there's nothing wrong with it," said Zhu Xizhong.
"Where do you think the disease comes from? Overnight? No, it accumulates over time. Brother, sister-in-law, let's not talk about longevity, but try to live to eighty or ninety!"
Jiang Qingzhi finished speaking and raised his glass. "The wine is good. There are a lot of alcoholics in my family. I have also become addicted to alcohol. I will bring a few jars back later."
After eating and drinking, Jiang took more than ten jars of wine home. However, the old couple was struggling over whether to follow Yan Song's vegetarian diet or continue their own eating habits.
Zhu Shitai sighed, "Dad, Mom. My wife's belly is getting big. Since I'm joining the army, I'm afraid I won't be home often. I don't ask for much, I just hope that when the child grows up and has a baby, you can help take care of it."
"Four generations living under one roof!" The old playboy looked at his wife.
"It makes me happy just thinking about it." The Duchess's wife was moved.
Jiang Qingzhi didn't know that his words changed the fate of the old playboy and his wife.
He was standing in the night at this moment, and asked coldly: "Have you found out?"
"Yes." In front of him was Chen Ji, a centurion of Yebu Shou. "I have been watching that man for a long time. Before the Northern Expedition, he looked for opportunities to get close to Zhu Shitai, showing his goodwill from time to time, or helping him without leaving any trace. At the beginning of the Northern Expedition, he gave him a lot of advice, and Zhu Shitai has a good impression of this man."
"What did you say?"
"He said some things about Zhu Shitai's talent, which was just flattery. He also often felt sorry for Zhu Shitai, saying that his superiors suppressed him, and there must be someone behind it. If his family had some connections, he wouldn't be suppressed by others..."
"Very interesting!" Jiang Qingzhi said with a smile, "I'll get it tomorrow!"
"Leader!"
(End of this chapter)
