The more he acted this way, the more he feared that Xu Qing might do sothing outrageous, yet he couldn’t help but to report it.
Such a dilemma.
...
Yingtian Prefecture, Xu Mansion.
Xu Qing received the ssage sent by Golden Ray Monastery, while Households Commander Zuo also wrote to inform him about the matter of Golden Centipede Dharma King’s Divine Separation, both accounts were quite consistent.
On the other hand, intelligence of the day was also sent over by Su Lianqing.
After she reported, she was sowhat puzzled: "Young Master, why didn’t we plan more ticulously and directly eliminate the hidden danger of the Golden Centipede Dharma King?"
In her view, if the Young Master had carefully planned, there would have been no way for the Golden Centipede Dharma King’s Divine Separation to escape.
Now that we have startled the grass and scared the snake, with the opponent moving into the shadows, it has beco even more difficult to capture them.
Xu Qing: "This matter has been anticipated by , it can even be said that I did it deliberately. In the past period, I’ve been too prominent, hence various parties are paying close attention to . If there isn’t any force in Jiangning Prefecture that could threaten , that would be extrely unfavourable for us."
The Luo Sect has deep roots with the Lotus Sect; being against Xu Qing, they certainly won’t raise suspicion in the outside world.
Xu Qing now needs such an adversary in existence, to set the higher-ups at ease.
He is formidable indeed, but Jiangning Prefecture is not a place he can completely control.
He may even make "mistakes."
A subordinate who never errs can make any superiors unable to sleep peacefully.
Su Lianqing suddenly realized, the Young Master truly is extraordinary. She thought to herself, the Young Master’s such caution against the Court’s higher-ups reveals his true inner thoughts.
Xu Qing naturally was aware of Su Lianqing’s little tricks.
Whether to rebel or not, it isn’t for Xu Qing to decide at the mont, he can only make choices according to the situation rather than preditated planning.
Zhou had to control seven parts of the world before attacking the Yin rchants. Qin had to harness six generations of accumulated ferocity before swallowing the two Zhou dynasties and vanquishing the feudal lords.
These are all examples to follow.
But as a superior, one must always give subordinates hope and direction.
If Su Lianqing hopes to rise from the ranks, Xu Qing must give her that hope; otherwise, her efforts will wane.
Subordinates, they would add extra layers to their lord’s clothing in cold weather, but it’s also because they themselves want to wear warr clothes.
In this world, there are hardly any truly altruistic noble persons.
Now, gentry and powerful families from Jiangning Prefecture hurry to Yingtian Prefecture to bow their heads and admit their wrongs to Xu Qing, yet he hasn’t rushed to display both grace and severity but has let Scholar Hu handle it instead.
Firstly, there’s no need to humiliate them face-to-face, allowing both parties a graceful retreat; secondly, it demonstrates that Xu Qing is also willing to cooperate with the local gentry and powerful.
We are all fellow countryn, and one would help when it’s due, so there’s no need to truly resort to a bloody fight.
This attitude undoubtedly has greatly improved the rest of South Zhili’s scholars’ perception of Xu Qing.
Had Xu Qing started like this, they would have taken it for granted.
After this turmoil, Xu Qing’s subsequent respect for local scholars actually made people feel a bit overwheld by the unexpected honour.
Now Xu Qing’s reputation in South Zhili, especially in Yingtian Prefecture, has changed again.
"Xu Jieyuan is able to write saintly and virtuous essays; he’s definitely not a cruel official like Lai Junchen."
"I knew it from the start, Elder Fang wouldn’t misjudge soone."
"I heard Xu Jieyuan plans to partner with the gentry and powerful of Jiangning Prefecture to engage in the tea and silk business, just look at him..." The speaker obviously had a touch of envy.
After all, tea, silk, and porcelain are hugely profitable trades in mariti comrce, with the profits largely cornered by the Four Great Families led by Duke Wei’s Mansion, leaving many gentry behind only able to partake of scraps; if they said there was no resentnt in their heart, it would surely be a lie.
Compared with the massive profits from mariti trade, how much tax could clearing and asuring the fields amount to?
"It can’t be, mariti trade is not sothing just anyone can engage in." The person responding knew all too well the pros and cons of the mariti trade business.
Ordinary people daring to engage in mariti trade would lose their ships to pirates as soon as they set sail.
Whether in South Zhili or even further south, to engage in mariti trade one must have a profound background and a strong mariti force.
"If Xu Jieyuan himself says he’s opened up the sea routes, then surely he has."
"Alas..."
...
Wei, Zhu, Lu, Wang, are the Four Great Families of South Zhili. Among them, Duke Wei is the noble, and the remaining three are families with deep roots in Jiangzuo, still flourishing in the Imperial Examination even to this day.
Especially the Wang Family, which has young and strong heirs and has produced seven Scholars, with the lowest ranking as Second Rank Scholars.
The highest-ranking official among them is now Minister of the Ministry of Justice, and one step ahead, they are in line for the "Upper Three Ministries" Ministers or the position of Left Imperial Censor.
The Ministers of the Upper Three Ministries or the Left Imperial Censor are almost certainly Cabinet Ministers.
Even if they are not currently in the Cabinet, they are in the first sequence.
After all, the number of Cabinet Ministers is often determined by the Emperor, and if the Emperor feels the Cabinet does not require so many people, even these Court bigwigs must wait in line.
But in the selection of Cabinet Ministers, they cannot be excluded.
Furthermore, a Cabinet Minister, aside from the Grand Secretary, without holding a position like Minister of the Upper Three Ministries or Left Imperial Censor, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, would not be taken seriously by other court officials, and their words might not carry much weight.
Currently, the heads of the Four Great Families are gathered at Duke Wei’s Mansion.
"I could tolerate him surveying and asuring fields, but this lad has the audacity to ddle with mariti trade business, I truly can’t bear it," Zhu Family Master clenched his fists, veins bulging on the back of his hand.
Zhu Family’s influence in the court isn’t that great, but their business spans throughout and beyond South Zhili, and they could be considered the financier among the Four Great Families.
Lu Family’s head, however, appeared calm; the Lu Family has always had a close relationship with the Heavenly Master Dao, with mbers of the family neither lacking individuals who have taken up religious orders nor young and strong officials who choose to retire from good positions to seek immortality and Dao on the mountain.
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