The Concubine Wushuang of Red Mansion

Chapter 140
Jia Cong met Xue Pan unexpectedly, or in other words, he was so busy recently that he forgot that Xue Pan was still there in Jinling City.

After all, he was just an imperial businessman. When he was involved in the fight for the heir, both Xue Pan and Xue Biao's father lost their lives. Although he can barely maintain his dignity now, in the eyes of Jia Cong, he is still a little shallow after all.

Seeing Xue Pan rushing towards him, Jia Cong dodged to the side. He jumped into the air, staggered a few steps, and almost fell to the ground.

"I don't know how to call Mr. Xiaolang?"

Xue Pan looked at Jia Cong with a squinting look. Next to him, Dong Xiaoqing bit her lip with fine teeth, scolding Xue Pan in her heart, and feeling very sorry for Xue Pan.

Jia Cong gritted his teeth in disgust, "If you dare to look at me with these eyes again, believe it or not, I will pluck them out for you!"

Of course Xue Pan didn't believe it. He came forward with a shy face and said casually, "Xiao Langjun, why bother! Although we meet by chance, it is fate. I love my brother, you look so cool, you don't know Your Xue family brother, with your brother here, it will be easy to get promoted and make a fortune."

He came forward and couldn't help but stretched out his hand to greet Jia Cong's face. Jia Cong touched his wrist with his elbow and kicked Xue Pan's lower body. He let out a shrill cry and knelt down. When he got down, Jia Cong stepped on his back, and Xue Pan lay on the ground gnawing at him, wailing.

"What are you doing, what are you doing? If you don't want to, just say it. Why are you beating someone?" Xue Pan cried and cried.

Jia Cong sneered, "This world belongs to the Xue family? You can still guarantee my promotion and fortune. I heard that your Xue family is engaged in maritime business, is that true?"

"Yes, yes, yes, let me tell you, Jia Yu Village, the prefect of Jinling, was secured through my Xue family's connections. If you don't believe me, ask around. Will I deceive you? Why don't you let me go quickly!"

"Is Jia Yucun originally related to your family?"

"He was brought here by my uncle, Prince Tengbao. My uncle is the military governor of Beijing. My uncle's home is Rongguo Mansion. Why don't you let me go! I'm telling you, you have to stay with me tonight. Look. I...Oh, father, brother, please forgive me!"

Jia Cong was no longer too lazy to talk to him. He used a third of his strength to crutch him down. Xue Pan only heard a "thump" sound, and the back of his neck was like a hammer hitting him. He felt a burst of blackness and his eyes were full of stars. Unable to help himself, he fell down.

Dong Xiaoqing said "Ouch" at the side, and saw Jia Cong lift Xue Pan like a broken sack, and slapped it several times. His face looked like he had opened a fruit shop, and he said hurriedly, "Master Jia, this is a I'm going to punish you for being a bastard. You can take it anywhere, but not here."

"If the Xue family finds out, the Nu family will not be able to live with it!"

Jia Cong called a few people to come up and dragged him out. When he saw the Xue family's servants dispersed to report the news, Jia Cong said coldly, "Strip him clean, hang him up on the tower, and write next to him. Five big characters: 'The Big Fool of the Xue Family'."

Dong Xiaoqing was really regretful and resentful. She just felt that she was unlucky. If this idiot Xue hadn't come, Jia Shen would have given her a poem even if he didn't think so. Now, fortunately, the Xue family has also been offended.

The Xue family was nothing in Jia Cong's eyes, but Dong Xiaoqing was just a businessman, and she could only fawn over the rich and powerful.

Jia Cong was shouting and killing her, which disturbed her and made it impossible for her to do business. She was so frightened that she didn't dare to say a word.

Fortunately, Jia Cong still had some conscience. Before leaving, he asked for a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and casually wrote a poem "Looking at the Sea Tide: Southeast Xingsheng" by Liu Yong and threw it to her.

This is the character that can be used to copy the "Tao Te Ching" for the Emperor's Holy Shou Festival. It is the Yuanze style that she has never seen. She just read it, "The southeast is beautiful, the three Wu cities, Qiantang has been prosperous since ancient times. Smoked willows paint bridges, and the wind With green curtains, there are 10 homes... The future is about to be beautiful, go back to Fengchi to praise it." The girl was a little confused.

What does this poem have to do with her being a prostitute?

Jia Cong smiled and threw down his pen and strode out. If he were to write Liu Yong's "Yulin Bell" today in the misty rain building on the bank of the Qinhuai River, what kind of verbal and written criticism would be waiting for him tomorrow? Want to meet.

At present, Jia Cong has too many things to do, and the layout here has reached a critical moment. The pressure from the emperor's side should not be withheld for long. Soon, he will be summoned to the capital. At this juncture, Jia Cong Cong didn't want to attract too much attention.

Now, the person being pushed to the forefront should be Zhao Zibi.

If the reform of the salt policy begins, Lin Ruhai, the salt patrol censor, should also come to an end. Jia Cong does not have much favorable impressions of his father-in-law, but no matter what, for Daiyu's sake, he will take care of him. As for He said that Lin Ruhai wanted to die, but there was nothing he could do.

Lin Ruhai had already stepped on the Jia family's boat. Otherwise, how could he be willing to send Daiyu to the Jia family in the first place?

Jinling City, Xue Family.

It was getting late, and Baochai returned to the house after having a fight with her sisters. Aunt Xue was sitting on the Arhat bed, talking to several mothers in charge. When she saw Baochai coming, she hurriedly waved, "My son, what's going on?" Are you coming back just now?"

Baochai is over 13 years old. She was born with a plump figure, a face like a silver basin, eyes like apricots, lips that are not dotted but filled with pills, and eyebrows that are not painted but green. The more Aunt Xue looks at her, the happier she is. Her daughter is more beautiful than Having a son is really a hundred times stronger.

"How did you learn the rules from grandma today?" Aunt Xue asked.

The family specially invited a nanny who came out of the palace to teach them the rules. Baochai naturally knew the intention. She was also quite ambitious and knew that only after entering the palace would her talents be put to use.

If not, her family is an imperial businessman. They have been engaged in agriculture, industry and commerce since ancient times. Even if they are rich and have a husband in the family, they will still be looked down upon by others. Even the girls from poor scholar families who were born in farming are better than them. How valuable.

This is also what Xue Baochai is unwilling to accept.

“It’s all very good!”

Aunt Xue said to grandma, "If I only have you, uncle, and no girls, I don't know how to live my life!"

Mammy smiled and said that the uncle is also good. He is not married yet and has no bridle to hold him. He will be fine when he gets married in the future, and so on.

Just as he was talking, the woman at the second door ran over in a panic and said, "Madam, something happened to the uncle."

"What happened?" Aunt Xue stood up and suddenly felt dizzy, "Please tell me clearly!"

"Tell the uncle's boy, say yes, say yes..."

The mother-in-law glanced at Xue Baochai as she spoke. How could she tell the matter about the brothel oiran in front of the girl?Xue Baochai also guessed that it must not be a good thing. At this time, he couldn't care about it anymore and said, "Come on, tell me, do you think my wife is so anxious?"

The woman could only say, "The uncle was stripped naked and hung on the Nancheng Tower."

Aunt Xue's vision went dark, and she almost fainted, cursing, "Who could be so evil-hearted as to do such a thing, he's not afraid of being struck by lightning!"

Xue Baochai was also humiliated and had tears in her almond eyes. She was calmer and asked, "Brother, did he have an argument with someone outside or something? Who did this? Now I'm looking for him." Who can end it?"

Since it is possible to hoist people up to the tower, it is not something that ordinary people can do. If nothing else, the tower of Jinling City is not something that ordinary people can climb.

These words reminded Aunt Xue. She wiped away her tears and scolded, "Hurry up and say it!"

The more anxious she became, the more hectic she became. The woman was about to say something, but was interrupted. Now she said hurriedly, "To answer my wife's question, the uncle had a conflict with the young master of the Jia family in the Yanyu Building. What was going on?" When I tried to snatch the oiran, I bumped into someone and was hanged from the tower."

"Why don't you invite the steward here quickly? Who can we turn to to settle this matter now?"

Aunt Xue was spinning around anxiously, but Xue Baochai heard the Jia family ask, "Which Jia family is it? Can you find out clearly?"

The woman at the second door just came to pass a message and couldn't explain clearly at all. Xue Baochai had to ask someone to inquire, and said to Aunt Xue, "Mom, if it is really Mr. Jia in my aunt's family, I'm afraid it will be difficult to handle. "

"We are all in front of relatives, what's not to do? He just doesn't look at my face or your aunt's face. He always looks at your uncle's face!" Aunt Xue was already furious. This was worse than Xue Pan's. Being beaten up is even more irritating.

Stripped naked and hung on the tower, what kind of humiliation did her son suffer?
Aunt Xue cried when she thought about it. After everything was packed, she hurried out to go to the Nancheng Tower in person.

At this time, Xue Pan was in a daze. He only felt that his lower body was cold. He was hanging on the city tower in the shape of a big character, facing the south direction. All people entering and exiting the city gate had to pass under his crotch.

The key is that he gave all his secrets to the other party, but he still doesn’t know who that young man is?
At night, the city gate was closed. It was not until the morning light illuminated the earth that the city gate was opened with a rumble. The carriage rushed out and stopped in front of the city tower. Aunt Xue got out of the carriage and saw her son naked next to her. On the city wall.

Xue Pan's hair was disheveled and his head was hanging down. Next to him was a large piece of white cloth with the five characters "Xue Family Big Idiot" written on it. Aunt Xue wailed and couldn't stand still.

"Mom, save me, save me, my son is dead!" Xue Pan saw that Aunt Xue was coming and shouted loudly. He tried desperately to close his legs, but they were tied to the tower and could not move. .

For the first time in his life, Xue Pan had the idea that he didn't want to live anymore. He just coveted the beauty, but the young man was too cruel. He couldn't force him even if he didn't agree, so why did he do it so cruelly?

There is no way for him to survive at all!

Xue Pan cried uncontrollably.

Aunt Xue almost collapsed and desperately asked her housekeepers to find a way to save the uncle.

The steward found the man guarding the city tower, but no matter how much money he paid, it didn't count. The other party smiled and said, "This matter was done by Jingwei. It has nothing to do with us. We can't make the decision. You go to Jingwei." go."

"What is Jingwei?" The steward was confused and it sounded strange. Where could they meet such a person?

"Aren't the generals here in Jingwei related to your Xue family? They come from Shenjing, the Jia family, you can't say we can have any relationship, they are all the same family, but there is a misunderstanding, you hurry up and find someone go."

The guard at the city gate was also very worried. This naked man was here, and there were so many people going in and out of the city gate. It would be strange if the people watching the excitement didn't block the place.People are stuck here, isn't it just giving them more work?

Aunt Xue's eyes were swollen from crying. After hearing the report from the steward, she asked again, "Can't you put some clothes on for me? What kind of words are you saying?"

Can the Xue family still have the face?
She was planning to send her daughter to Beijing to be selected. If something like this happens, is there any hope for her daughter to enter the palace?

The manager went to the city gatekeeper again, but he didn't dare to agree. "This is what Jia Shen wants. If we dare to take it upon ourselves to give Mr. Xue a piece of clothing, tomorrow we will have to guard the city gate." No need to do it!”

Aunt Xue had no choice but to ask someone to prepare generous gifts and go to see Jia Cong in person.

The place where Jia Cong stayed in Jinling was in the Zhen Family Courtyard. When the Zhen Family was sealed off, this courtyard was specially left out. The inside was intact and there were three courtyards with four entrances. It was outside the city and was the same as the Shenbing Camp. Very close.

The activities here were reported to Jia Cong in detail. When Aunt Xue came, Jia Cong personally greeted Aunt Xue as soon as she got off the sedan chair.

No matter how you say it, you are still an elder, so you still need to maintain a little bit of affection on face.

"My aunt is here. I didn't know beforehand. I'm sorry for the delay in greeting her!"

Neither humble nor arrogant, neither far nor near, Aunt Xue was at a loss as to what to do. Almost as soon as she met him, she, an elder, fell behind.

Aunt Xue knew exactly what happened in the Jia family from the letters she exchanged with her sister. At this time, when she saw the instigator, Aunt Xue felt not only hatred and disgust, but also surprise.

He turned out to be such a handsome young man, and he was also very young, three or four years younger than her Pan'er.

Aunt Xue was welcomed into the West Flower Hall, and they sat down together. Jia Cong asked someone to serve tea. Seeing that Aunt Xue remained silent, he took the initiative and said, "Auntie must be here for my cousin!"

Aunt Xue was so angry that she was shaking all over, "Since you called him cousin, why did you do such a thing? If he offended you, tell me, won't I teach him a lesson? If you do this, will I Where to put your face?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I didn't know he was my aunt's brother. After my aunt went to Nancheng Tower, I found out that when my aunt came here, I asked someone to put my cousin down. Jia Cong is young. , I did things inappropriately and offended my aunt and cousin, please forgive me!"

Aunt Xue didn't believe Jia Cong's words at all. Her sister had told her that Jia Cong, a child who looked young, was the most cruel and cruel, and refused to recognize his relatives. She came here today originally to beg. Yes, if that's the case, it would be better, occupying the action.

She was a little surprised that Jia Cong was so easy to talk to now. It was like a thousand pounds of strength being exerted on the cotton, making people feel angry and panicked.

Thinking that Jia Cong was like a king of hell, even the Jia family would not let him go. How could Aunt Xue dare to accept his favor for nothing? She said kindly, "Your cousin has always been a tyrant, and you brothers have never met each other before. It is true that he doesn't give you face when you meet, and you should tell him properly. Now that the situation is like this, it will make people outside laugh. "

Jia Cong smiled and said yes, without saying that Xue Pan had any shady intentions.

Aunt Xue in "Dream of Red Mansions" is the most treacherous, coaxing poor Daiyu into a coma, wishing she could be someone else's daughter.Jia Cong only read the last forty episodes of "The Dog's End", but he felt that Xue Pan's marriage to Xia Jingui had made the family uneasy, which was a good relief.

Aunt Xue waved her hand, and the mother-in-law who followed her handed a box into her hand. She handed it to Jia Cong, "This is your cousin's apology. Please don't do it for his fault." Take it to heart, you don't care about his face, you care about mine. I'm just your cousin, if he has any shortcomings, I won't be able to survive. "

"Auntie's words are serious!" Jia Cong didn't refuse the box.

Aunt Xue was relieved when she saw this, but she looked down on her in her heart.

The farce of the Jia family started with a few hundred taels of monthly silver. For that little money, this child turned the Jia family upside down. Aunt Xue's sense of Jia Cong was not much better for her sister.

As expected, he was used to being poor and only had money in his eyes.

There were 1 taels of silver notes in the box. Jia Cong put in the 5 taels of silver notes that Zhao Zibi had given him last night. He took it in his hand and stood up to find Xia Jin.

Xia Jin had been very busy these days with his trip to the north and felt a lot more haggard. When he heard that Jia Cong was coming, he put aside what he was doing and went to see his disciple.

Jia Cong handed the 56 taels of silver notes to Xia Jin, "Master, this is the first payment. Although it is still early autumn, the winter clothes of the soldiers in Liaodong should start to be prepared. If Master comes over, the food, grass and clothes will definitely be It’s necessary to prepare, I wonder what Master has planned?”

Xia Jin only knows how to fight, and the preparation of food and winter clothes was originally the responsibility of the Ministry of Household Affairs. In the past, when the Supreme Emperor was in power, although there were constant noises in the court, it has not reached the point where it is now. When the Emperor wants to do something, the Supreme Emperor's people are everywhere Constraints.

For Xia Jin, the risk was too great. The previous commander-in-chiefs were a lesson learned.

Jia Cong was not here to embarrass his master. He said, "Master, although the army in Liaodong is said to be 30, my disciple guessed that it is only 10 soldiers at most. If we are going to fight this winter, we must not freeze to death anymore. Master, please leave [-] taels of silver to your disciple, and I will take care of the winter clothes issue."

Xia Jin nodded and sighed, "With you here, I can rest assured as a teacher."

Food and grass can only be allocated from Jiubian. One tael of silver can buy one stone of rice, and 10 taels of silver is equivalent to 20 stone of rice. Transporting it from the south to the north will consume half of it.

No matter how reluctant Jia Cong was, he had to remind Xia Jin at this time, "Master, Jiubian may not be willing to give you food. I will give you an extra 6 taels of silver. This is not a clear path. Don't be reluctant to spend this silver." As the saying goes, money can make all the difference. As long as the money is spent, there will be many people to help you prepare food and grass. "

"Silly boy, you gave me so much money in one breath. Where did you get it? Although the Zhen family was robbed, the money belongs to the imperial court. If you take the money without permission, the emperor will let you go, but the emperor will not let you go either. You. Are you stupid as a master and don’t understand the joints? "

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Master, the fight against the Japanese is a big deal, and the war in Liaodong is also crucial. I can still handle it in the south. If I delay the war in Liaodong, I will be a sinner of the court. I am here to deal with food and salary matters." , I will definitely not be able to defeat Master."

Seeing that parting was imminent, from now on the master and the apprentice would move to the south and the other to the north, and he didn't know if they would meet again in this life. Xia Jin felt really unspeakably distressed when he looked at the boy who had not yet shed all the childishness in his features.

He roared like a soldier, but he didn't know that the general was fighting at the front, and the most important thing was the supplies at the rear. If he couldn't keep up, he would be cannon fodder on the battlefield.

If he went to Liaodong, not only would he not be able to care about the affairs in the south, but Cong'er would also have to keep an eye out to watch him. Xia Jin couldn't bear it.

If possible, he would like to take Cong'er with him to Liaodong. The master and apprentice will help each other. The most important thing is that Cong'er is under his nose. He will protect him no matter what, even if he risks his life.

Jia Cong left 10 taels of silver. On the day of the imperial edict, he sent people to collect duck and goose feathers. Ducks are delicious here in Jiangsu. There was once a saying that no duck could leave Jiangsu alive. He planned to Using these duck feathers as a filling for winter clothes is both warmer and lighter than cotton.

The first order was for winter clothes from Liaodong. Only if he prepared it himself could he rest assured.

It's freezing in Liaodong, so keeping warm clothes is a top priority. In previous years, most of the winter clothes shipped to Liaodong were made of black-core cotton. Standing on the city wall wearing such clothes, 30 to [-] people could freeze to death in one night.

He can prepare clothes, and it is not a small project to prepare 20 shi of grain in a short period of time and transport it there. Jia Cong does not have the energy for a while, and he cannot go to war for the time being to disrupt the grain market in the south for the sake of military rations.

The most important thing is that with Zhao Zibi acting like a monster here, attracting the firepower of the capital, and the master having money, nothing will happen to the food issue.

"Master will bring two hundred soldiers over this time, and leave the rest to you. You have a total of 6000 or [-] men, which is enough for both resisting the Japanese and protecting yourself." Xia Jin asked, "Resisting the Japanese , it won’t be settled in a short while, what are you going to do?”

Jia Cong said, "If the Dashun country is strong, my disciple would like to attack the Japanese mainland, but of course I can't do that now. I plan to take the initiative and wipe out all the Japanese pirate strongholds near the sea. As long as these strongholds are gone, there will be no Japanese pirates." gained arrogant capital.”

The look in Jia Cong's eyes moved slightly. Of course, some of the offshore islands were the strongholds of Japanese pirates, but many more were the strongholds of wealthy families in the south of the Yangtze River. They maintained private soldiers on the islands, pretending to be Japanese pirates, or escorting their own ships out to sea. Escorting or plundering ships going out to sea, they committed all kinds of evil.

Jiangnan can be a little more chaotic.

The first pot of gold he wants will soon be obtained. In the future, the Shenbing camp will be responsible for the research and development of weapons. Textile looms and maritime trade will earn him money. He is also a military commander with real power. In this way, he can advance and attack. He could retreat and defend, and he had nothing to worry about.

If the country is stable, he will be a carefree nobleman. If the world is in turmoil, he will take advantage of the situation and reach the top.

In Shenjing, in the Rongqing Hall, Jia's mother, who had just lost 5 taels of silver, was overly worried and in poor health. After being brought home, she lay on the Arhat bed and sighed.

Daiyu was waiting by the side. In recent days, she had been sick and looked a little haggard. Fortunately, she maintained good health on weekdays, so she could still hold on.

She held the jade bowl and fed Jia Mu two mouthfuls of bird's nest porridge. Jia Mu managed to swallow it, then stopped drinking it and pushed it away, "I don't want to drink anymore. Just drink it!"

Daiyu was not used to eating leftovers from other people's meals, so she handed the bowl to Yuanyang, "Sister Yuanyang, I can't drink it right now, so you can keep it for now!"

Jia's mother did not doubt that he was there, and said to Yuanyang, "Yuanyang, drink it. It will get cold and you won't be able to drink it anymore. Yu'er wants to drink it, so let's drink it again!"

Daiyu would not ask for bird's nest porridge here, so she sat down on the side, took the beauty mallet, and gently beat Jia Mu's legs. Jia Mu asked, "Has Cong'er written any letters these days?" Come back? Did you tell me what he did there?"

Jia Cong would write a letter every ten days. In the letter, he would tell her at most what he had eaten and what he had drunk. Occasionally, he would playfully say how much weight he had lost or gained, and he would compete with her to see who ate the most. How fast you gain weight.

Daiyu touched her cheek. She didn't know whether she had gained weight or lost weight recently. She didn't know when he would come back.

Daiyu couldn't help but have a smile on her face as she thought about it. It was extremely sweet and she said, "Brother Cong writes back from time to time. Most of them greet me and ask me to eat more, sleep more and think less. He never talks about other things."

Just as he was talking, the maid who was opening the curtain outside exclaimed "Second Madam" and saw Mrs. Wang coming in angrily, holding a letter in her hand. When she saw Daiyu, she threw her in front of her. , "Look, look at the good things Cong'er has done. He really doesn't look down on the elders in this family, and even bullies his relatives."

(End of this chapter)