Qi Shan was quite adept at arguing, and the official, his face turning ashen, thought to himself, "How can Prime Minister Qi be so inconsiderate? Even so, Prime Minister Qi's actions will surely spread rumors in the streets and alleys that are detrimental to you, and will also damage the reputation of the officials of the royal court..."
Even though everyone knows that Qi Shan is wealthy, has kept cats for many years without spending a penny of public funds, and has served as an official for many years, the Censorate, which always reports on matters based on rumors, has not been able to find any substantial evidence against him. He has only one daughter, and his only hobby is raising cats. He is a clean-cut figure among the officials, but a "good reputation" cannot be maintained by being "guilty-hearted" and "upright".
A good reputation does not equate to being a good official.
How many corrupt officials in previous dynasties had excellent reputations before going to jail? Reputation is cultivated, and Prime Minister Qi's actions are ruining it. What matters is not what he does, but what the common people think.
You can't reason with them.
Qi Shan said, "Would I care about this?"
He's just keeping cats, not having multiple wives and concubines.
Why would they focus on a lonely man like him, who loves cats, instead of those women with numerous wives and concubines in their harems? That's just Qi Shan's nature; he can wrong himself, but he absolutely cannot wrong his cats. As long as the money he uses to support his cats is legitimate, who cares how he raises them?
The officials who were just watching the drama unfold: "..."
We've been in the same court for five years, and this is the first time I've seen Prime Minister Qi cheat on me.
According to them, this is a minor matter.
The officials thought they were just bystanders watching the show, never imagining they were dogs who had been slapped while passing by. Seeing the censors from the Censorate persisting, Qi Shan sneered, "I recently heard that a colleague has quite a few women in his household. In the past, when the world was chaotic, no one cared how many wives or concubines a man had. Now that the world has been reshaped, shouldn't some things be done according to established rules?"
"To put it bluntly, how much does it cost me to keep a cat? But keeping a beautiful wife and concubine, the monthly allowance, the expenses of the servants, the new clothes for all four seasons, the cosmetics, the food for three meals a day—which of these is not more extravagant than keeping a cat? If even I, the Prime Minister, am criticized and condemned by the people for keeping a cat, how many of you gentlemen still have any flesh and blood left?" Qi Shan's gaze was like a sharp knife, sweeping over the officials present one by one. Some remained unmoved, while others felt guilty and inexplicably guilty, but without exception, they were all cursing inwardly.
Compared to raising a human, the cost of raising a cat is indeed not high.
Qi Shan added, "Furthermore, with my meager salary, I not only support cats, but also ninety-eight abandoned babies."
The stubborn censor corrected him: "One hundred and eighteen."
Qi Shan: "...When did twenty more appear?"
The censor and the onlookers: "..."
Qi Shan thought for a moment and realized where the extra twenty baby girls came from; they were most likely brought back by Jun Qiao from her medical practice in Kunzhou. The father and daughter's reunion had been too short to discuss this topic. However, it didn't matter; ninety-eight abandoned babies were no different from one hundred and eighteen. As the main society of the Gods Society in the Northwest region, embezzling a little bit was quite normal.
Then another thing came to mind.
How do you know so clearly?
Goodness, is this kid eyeing his ginseng?
The censor's expression said it all.
In the end, the matter was dropped.
Shen Tang naturally wouldn't say anything about Qi Shan because of this. She also had feelings for Su Shang. She didn't say that the Censorate was making a mountain out of a molehill. If the officials in charge of the censorate weren't a little crazy and would attack anyone they could, then serious supervision of all officials would only breed more and more parasites.
However, after court, she sent someone to take a stroll through the city.
In just half a day, the common people's topic of conversation had shifted to Qi Shan raising 118 abandoned babies, each one a daughter of Qi Shan, personally delivered and rescued by Qi Miao. So many children, and Prime Minister Qi raised them all without a second thought—what a philanthropist!
At first, the common people did not believe that this was true.
Where would he find so many abandoned babies to raise?
Upon hearing that all the abandoned infants were girls, many fell silent, for they knew it was true. They typically raised only two or three; the older ones would help care for the younger ones and assist with household chores. Having more than that wouldn't be cost-effective. Although in the present-day Kang Kingdom, women could also cultivate themselves, and land was allocated to women of marriageable age, giving daughters the opportunity to become pillars of their families.
But ordinary people don't know how to assess qualifications.
Investments made before a baby girl reaches adulthood carry risks.
Every baby girl is a huge gamble for them.
In terms of aptitude, the probability is equal for male and female infants.
Under equal conditions, male infants, even without cultivation aptitude, can still become family laborers when they grow up. Female infants, on the other hand, are at a slight disadvantage in this regard. The benefits of raising female infants are less than those of raising male infants, but the risks are higher. While the practice of abandoning female infants in rural areas has been curbed, it hasn't been completely eradicated. Qi Miao, being a female doctor specializing in treating and delivering babies, certainly had the opportunity to adopt so many female infants…
Of course, there are also people with dark intentions.
"You ignorant masses are so naive. How many officials in this world are truly good? Who knows if he raises these baby girls to accumulate merit or to benefit himself later? These baby girls will be very useful when they grow up—"
"What good can this do?"
Those who consider themselves clever simply laugh and offer no explanation.
However, some people disagreed: "But I heard that the charity doesn't prohibit the baby girl's biological parents from coming to claim their relationship?"
If the Prime Minister has ulterior motives, why would he specifically set up this clause?
If someone truly harbors dark intentions, they will definitely want to sever ties to prevent future troubles. They have specifically set up this rule to clearly tell these parents who have abandoned their baby girls that the child is only being raised by them temporarily for a few years. If they want to take her back, the child is willing to go with them, and they can reunite with the child's family at any time.
This statement nipped some conspiracy theories in the bud.
Some curious individuals even went to the charity hall outside the city to verify this.
This place does indeed adopt abandoned baby girls and doesn't forbid parents from reuniting with their children, but there's a condition: the child must be willing to leave. The biggest consequence of this incident is that more girls are being brought to the charity's entrance. Some of them were even secretly abandoned late at night.
Several children were completely naked, without even a swaddling cloth, and were found crawling with ants and insects. Fortunately, the children's cries were loud enough to wake the maids on night watch.
"Ugh, he deserves to be cursed..."
The maid gently brushed the insects off the child.
She took off her outer garment and wrapped it around the child.
“Abandoning them is one thing, but how can they be so stingy as to not even give them a set of clothes? They’re beasts! They expect parents to raise their children, hoping they’ll jump out and eat the fruit when they’re ripe. They don’t even consider whether they have the ability to do so!” Another maid came over with a lantern. Seeing the situation, she understood everything. She cursed angrily, then sighed helplessly and said with pity, “They’ve taken in twenty-two children in just the last two days. How can these people give birth but not raise them? These poor children, let Grandma hold them.”
"The likes of the cuckoo!"
It's likely that they heard in the market that Qi Xiang's charity was raising baby girls, and they all harbored the idea of taking advantage. Whether the baby girls turned out to be talented or not, they wouldn't lose out. Children are hardest to raise when they're young; by five or six, they can help with farm work and take care of younger siblings—either way, they wouldn't lose out. There were even two who abandoned baby boys.
If baby girls are being raised, shouldn't baby boys be raised even more?
The charitable organization's approach was to report the matter to the authorities.
If the baby boy's parents are found, they will be sent back.
If they cannot be found, they will be sent to other official charitable institutions for care.
Not all the children brought in were healthy. Some were sickly, pale and thin, and extremely thin, yet their bellies were swollen like pregnant women. It was obvious that they had a serious parasitic disease. After taking the deworming medicine prescribed by the hospital, they passed many long worms. Only with careful care did they survive.
Qi Miao looked worried upon hearing the news.
"Father, what should we do?"
If this trend is not curbed, charitable organizations will find it difficult to continue operating.
Qi Shan said, “What do you mean, ‘what should we do’? It takes ten months of pregnancy for a child to be born. If they are willing to add to the Qi family’s family, then let them continue to send children and have more. It’s not us, father and daughter, who will be exhausted. We just need to pay for it. Among so many children, there must be one with good qualities and character. If you do not wish to get married in the future, you can adopt the most suitable one. Even if you do not adopt, so many children can support you in your old age.”
Qi Miao: "...The key is, I'm afraid I can't afford to raise them."
Qi Shan finally raised his head: "I can afford to raise them. Your father is very wealthy. He can afford to raise not only a hundred or two baby girls who don't cost much, but also a thousand adult men."
Qi Miao: "..."
She had always been in charge of managing the household accounts.
Besides his normal income, her father also had a lot of income from dubious sources, leading her to suspect that Qishan might have actually embezzled funds.
"Don't worry about this, I'll handle it."
Qi Shan's handling of the situation was also very crude.
They directly selected a few "lucky ones," arrested them, and sent them to the authorities.
If it can be proven that these people are not truly too poor to raise their children, their actions constitute abandonment, which is prohibited under Kangxi law. The punishment ranges from a light beating to imprisonment. Qishan naturally ensured that they all enjoyed the benefits.
Whoever abandons the charity with a child bears primary responsibility, while the others, as accomplices, receive half the punishment. The executioners are extremely skilled; a single stroke of the paddle ensures that their buttocks are splattered with blood and mangled beyond recognition without killing them.
After several attempts, the effect was immediate, and the number of people following suit decreased sharply.
The frequency of the charity adopting baby girls has returned to normal.
Forehead……
Actually, it's not much different from normal.
As Qi Miao's medical skills improved and her house calls became more frequent, the number of baby girls she brought back also increased. Kang Bosui—her biological father and nominal cousin—couldn't stand it anymore. Taking advantage of a visit between the two families, he secretly told Qi Miao to adopt fewer children. These children weren't necessarily all abandoned; many were children whose parents were trying to shirk responsibility.
Qi Miao is no longer nervous or anxious when facing Kang Nian.
She simply said, "I can't afford to gamble on that possibility."
Parents who are looking to take advantage of their daughters won't treat her well; they can afford to raise her anyway, so bringing her home is fine.
Qi Miao was completely unresponsive, and Kang Nian couldn't do anything about it.
"How come I didn't know you had this kind of hobby before..." he sighed. Kindness is good, but it must be used in the right place and on worthy people. Using it wrong will only drag you down, make you the target of criticism and misunderstanding, and in severe cases, even lead to your utter ruin.
Just like his cousin Qishan, who died young.
"This isn't a matter of personal preference; I just want to save people."
She lacked the power to influence the court, nor was she skilled in those areas, but she had her strengths: she could save many women teetering on the brink of death, and she could prevent many infants from dying young. See, she was capable of doing things.
The controversy surrounding cat ownership and the charity hall had just subsided, and the troop deployments in various prefectures were almost complete. They received the warrants and marched towards Kunzhou.
These messages were not officially communicated to the public.
Fengluo, the capital, remains as bustling and prosperous as ever.
However, some with more connections were secretly keeping an eye on the matter, such as Fang Yan and his group. After arriving in Fengluo, they spent most of their time living in the Duke's mansion, keeping a low profile and not openly contacting Gu Ren's former subordinates, at most meeting privately for drinks.
One of Gu Ren's former subordinates had served under Chao Lian and was seriously injured but was saved by Fang Yan. He always remembered this kindness.
Before heading to Kunzhou, he had a private get-together with Fang Yan.
Swords and blades have no eyes on the battlefield. The Northern Desert came prepared. This meeting might be the last time they see each other, so they couldn't help but drink some wine.
As the wine flowed and the air grew warmer, my mind became more active.
"Does Mr. Fang have anywhere to go?"
Fang Yan shook his head: "I haven't thought about it yet."
The former subordinates hadn't expected this answer, and a strange feeling welled up inside them. They sighed, "Still waiting and seeing?"
To be honest, I'm a little disappointed.
If it were the Fang Yan of the past, upon hearing that the Northern Desert was about to attack, he and the former Lord Gu would have readily picked up their weapons.
Fang Yan shook his head again: "Not really."
The old subordinates rekindled their hopes and prepared to listen carefully to what was going on.
Fang Yan glanced at Chao Lian beside him, who showed no objection. He continued, "The Duke's mansion is currently short of manpower. I don't have my elder brother's courage and talent to lead troops into battle. We brothers are all commoners, so this matter is not easy to resolve."
Upon hearing this, the former subordinates said, "What's so difficult about that?"
It would be very easy to recommend him if Mr. Fang simply nodded.
Little did they know that this was precisely why Fang Yan hesitated.
"Ah, let me explain in detail—"
Shen Tang has been incredibly kind and benevolent to Gu Ren's family and former subordinates. When the Kang Kingdom was founded, many meritorious officials failed to receive titles, yet she granted Gu Ren's eldest son the unique honor of a first-rank duke. After Gu Ren's former subordinates were incorporated into the government, they have all been regularly promoted and given important positions in recent years.
They never discriminated against or suppressed them because of their original background.
So far, the balance is very stable.
But the situation changed when Fang Yan, Chao Lian, and the other two appeared.
Before their arrival, Gu Ren's former subordinates were still a disorganized mess, easily favored and relied upon by Shen Jun. Their arrival naturally drew the former subordinates together around the three of them, as they formed a natural alliance. Even if they didn't intend to form a faction, the outside world's speculation was unavoidable. This was detrimental to the Duke's Mansion and Gu Ren's former subordinates, who had finally gained a foothold.
Fang Yan had to consider this aspect.
Upon hearing this, the former subordinates also fell silent.
After a long silence, he said, "Then what should we do? Mr. Fang, you can't just bury your talents like this forever, can you?"
Perhaps things aren't that complicated?
Fang Yan said, "That's not the case."
Pointing to himself, he said, "I'm going to try my luck at the medical center. If the front lines break out, the doctors and physicians there will definitely be there to help. That would be a good opportunity for me. My twelfth brother is very strong, so it would be very easy for him to join the army and start as a private..."
By not relying on old connections, we can avoid implicating them.
|ω`)
Everyone should take care of their health lately, especially the elderly and children in the family.
My son, nicknamed "Leather Jacket," has a fever again. Luckily, it's not the flu, just a normal viral infection (I don't know if he's positive). His fever has been recurring for the past two days. At eleven months old, he's much stronger than when he was just a month old, and his temper has also worsened. He's completely uncooperative when it comes to giving him medicine. He even tries to trick me, holding the medicine in his mouth and then spitting it out when I turn my head! What a rascal! Does he think I can't see his bib?
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