Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 565: Asking Someone to Deliver a Message
When Jia Lian returned to the Five Cities Military Command, he had Fang Song by his side. The man held the imperial edict in his hand, raised his chin, and strode in first.

Jia Lian looked at his back and couldn't help feeling a little moved. The emperor still cared about him and sent Fang Song to the front to bear the firepower.

Fang Song had no choice. He had already embarked on the path of a cruel official, so there was no way he could retreat.

Will it bring disaster to future generations? Isn't there another clique, Jia Lian? He is young and can help take care of the grandchildren in the future.

As for a grudge that has lasted for ten generations, it can still be avenged, but who can think that far ahead? People always take care of the present first.

If there really is such a powerful enemy that he asks his descendants ten generations later to take revenge, then we have no choice but to accept it.

Speaking of this ten-generation vengeance, it can still be avenged. The island country in the east is more suitable. I feel that after another hundred years, this vengeance can still be passed down.

The officials in the Bingmasi came out to greet them. Fang Song read out the imperial edict. Jia Lian would temporarily take charge of the Wucheng Bingmasi until after the Lantern Festival. Fang Song would lead the inspection team to check the accounts.

This sudden change caused two of the six imperial censors to collapse on the ground, while four others were stunned. The officers and soldiers below shouted in unison: "Your Majesty is wise and wise, long live Your Majesty!"

The accompanying eunuch returned to the palace and reported the whole process truthfully. Emperor Chenghui nodded with satisfaction. A trace of shame flashed through his heart for his negligence. He soon remembered the beauties he had wasted all these years. Then he went to the harem with great interest and ordered Qiu Shian to prepare tonic. The beauties he was going to kill tonight begged for mercy again and again.

Fang Song was very experienced in this job. He locked up the six censors separately, interrogated them one by one, and then compared their confessions. On the other hand, the accountant was responsible for checking the accounts. With these two methods, no official could withstand it.

Jia Lian picked up the revenue-generating business again and ordered a security reinforcement operation. The slogan put forward was to ensure that the people of the capital had a peaceful year and felt the warmth brought by His Majesty.

The people from the Wucheng Bingmasi are truly the so-called local tyrants, and they know the backgrounds of all kinds of people in the market very well.

After a meeting, when the action plan was finalized, many spies were sent out to identify the target and act overnight. If they were to take action, they had to catch the target off guard.

In a word, the scum that has resurfaced over the years must be cleared away to restore a bright and clear world to the people of the capital.

Of course, this is only the first step. After eliminating the gray forces in the market, we must also launch a crackdown against the minions of the wealthy and powerful.

To this end, Jia Lian ordered all departments to be prepared and to withstand high-intensity operations in the next half month.

Jia Lian led by example and asked someone to go home and bring back bedding so that he could sleep in the office at night.

That night, the Wucheng Army suddenly took action, setting fires all over the city and arresting people everywhere. The boss of this gang and the leader of that faction were awakened from their sleep and arrested one after another.

Among them, the places where Jia Lian personally led his men were naturally the most lucrative, such as the Sihai Guild Hall in front of them. Others really didn't dare to touch it.

Jia Lian led five hundred officers and soldiers, under the protection of fifty family generals, and occupied the surrounding commanding heights. They surrounded the guild hall so tightly that not even a fly could fly out.

This place is very particular. It is the top-level place for enjoyment in Beijing. No one knows who is behind it, but it really has everything, including eating, drinking, gambling, and smoking. Whatever you want can be satisfied.

Why do people still smoke? Don't think that if the imperial court bans opium, you won't be able to find a source of it. When Jia Lian was in the capital, he did fight hard, but after he left, he did it secretly at first, and gradually became bolder and dared to do it openly. The guild hall in front of us is like this. Everyone in the Wucheng Bingmasi knows that it provides opium services.

Jia Lian, who always hated opium, decided to take action against this family after learning the details. As for the people behind them, I don't care who you are.

The officers and soldiers holding the pillars struggled to break open the door and entered one after another.

Jia Lian was in no hurry to go in, but stood outside, with his followers holding torches behind him. In order to show his dignity, Jia Lian wore the official uniform of the second rank, stood with his hands behind his back, and stared at the gate sternly.

After the guards reacted, they heard the officers and soldiers of the Five Cities Military Division introduce themselves, and they all put down their weapons and dared not resist.

If they resisted at this time and were beaten to death, it would be a waste of life. After learning that Jia Lian was leading the team, they were even more grateful. Because if they were beaten to death, there would be no place to seek justice, and even the big bosses behind the scenes would not dare to do that.

After confirming that there were no security issues inside, Jia Lian stepped into the gate. The officers and soldiers brought a chair and Jia Lian sat under the eaves. Torches were lit all around the courtyard, making it as bright as day.

After Jia Lian sat down, he was a little distracted, because he suddenly thought of whale oil, which could replace lamp oil and the price could be completely reduced. If there is a breakthrough in technology in the future, the city can also get gas street lamps, which can completely turn the capital into a city that never sleeps.

But it's difficult, because the capital city still has a curfew at night. The emperor only shows mercy during festivals and festivals, and the so-called Jinwu is not forbidden.

From the perspective of economic development, it is better to cancel the curfew in the future.

While Jia Lian was lost in thought, people were constantly being brought into the yard. There were many guests playing there at night, and they were all scared half to death. Then they started to quarrel and curse all the way. When they saw clearly the people sitting under the eaves in front of the hall, they all shut up obediently.

The ruthless people in the capital are also divided into different levels. For example, if you scold Fang Song in person, it's no big deal. At most, he will kill you behind your back. But you can't scold a ruthless person like Jia Lian. He will really kill you on the spot. This is a painful understanding brought by bloody lessons. Who among the various dandies and evil young men in the capital has not been punished by Jia Lian?
After working for the entire second half of the night, they seized fifteen abducted girls and more than a thousand kilograms of opium from just the Sihai Guild Hall.

There were more than 30 officials at the scene, standing in the yard, covering their faces with their sleeves, shivering in the cold wind. They were all pulled out of their warm beds, and most of them were probably going to be seriously ill afterwards.

Considering the officials' dignity, Jia Lian gave them a choice: if each of them paid five thousand taels, they would be allowed to go home.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t have cash, just write an IOU and sign your name.

Naturally, these officials had nothing to say and accepted it one after another. Not only that, they also thanked Jia Lian for saving their face.

The next are the second generation. This also depends on whether they smoke opium. Anyone who smokes opium will be locked up first. Others can leave if they want, but they will be fined 500 taels each.

The crime was easy to find. This was a den of thieves. These second-generation people who spent money here were helping the thieves and committing depravity. The second-generation people would not be released until daybreak, and everyone on the street would see them leave in a panic. Many local wealthy people and scholars were also arrested. Their families were notified to come and pick them up, and each of them was fined 100 taels. There were also outsiders, who could only be locked up first and their identities would be confirmed later. As for the people in the club, they were all detained and interrogated as soon as possible to find out where the kidnapped people came from, whether there was any blood debt, and where the opium came from, etc.

The biggest gain of this trip was not the fine, but the stolen goods seized on the spot, including gold, silver, bills, account books, economic transactions, etc.

After finding out the truth, Jia Lian asked people to continue to investigate and prepare to hand over any useful information to the palace for the emperor to deal with.

It's not that they have to trouble the emperor, but they found out that there are too many people behind this guild hall, including royal family members, relatives, and officials. They have joined forces to protect the guild hall, which is why no government dares to touch it. Why did Jia Lian want to touch this place? It's very simple. Others kill chickens to scare monkeys, but Jia Lian wants to do the opposite, to kill monkeys to scare chickens.

Throughout the second half of the night, gunshots continued to be heard in the capital, indicating that the other nine groups were taking action and encountering resistance.

After daybreak, a cellar in the guild hall was opened, and inside it were numerous antique paintings, gold and silver jewelry, and a large number of IOUs, all of which were owed by gamblers and drug dealers. The collateral was also varied, including houses, land, and wives and daughters.

Seeing these things, Jia Lian was really enlightened. He had them all put away and registered, and strictly prohibited anyone from tampering with them. Anyone caught would be severely punished.

After the commotion lasted the rest of the night, the surroundings were naturally alarmed, but no one dared to come out and ask questions at night. After dawn, people began to gather around. After all, this guild hall was well-known and many people knew about it, so they were naturally curious and wanted to know why it was raided.

After Jia Lian let go a group of second-generation criminals, he ordered all the people and stolen goods to be taken back to the Wucheng Bingmasi, awaiting subsequent disposal.

It was just a place like this, and the work was not finished until dark. Once the seal was affixed, dozens of officers and soldiers were left to guard it.

There were more than 300 people brought back for investigation. The Bingmasi Detention Center, which had been idle for a long time, suddenly became lively. There were also nine other groups of people who captured more than 300 people last night. These people were all well-known ruthless people in the capital. The arrest process was naturally not smooth sailing, and many weapons were used. Therefore, there were not only people who were captured, but also corpses that were carried back. As long as the identity was clear, it would be easier to burn or bury them.

In short, there was a lot of noise. Jia Lian was still dozing off in the morning when someone poked his head at the door: "Brother Buqi? Jia Buqi!"

Jia Lian looked up and knew why the attendant at the door let him in. It was Xia Gang. All the old people around Jia Lian recognized him.

"Oh, isn't this Lord Xia? How come you have time to come and guide me in my work?" Jia Lian's tone was very irritating, but Xia Gang didn't dare to show his teeth.

There was no other way, so he had to come in with a thick face and said, "Brother Jia, isn't this too polite? Besides, I am just an official, how dare I know your job?"

Jia Lian raised his hand to stop him: "Don't come closer, just stand there and talk. The Xia family is now a wealthy family that everyone in the capital has to respect. I can't afford to marry them."

The words were very unpleasant to hear, but Xia Gang didn't care. He smiled and walked forward and whispered, "I am just a lowly seventh-rank official, and I am still a member of the lower class. Even if I come to visit you, I have to wait in the back when sending a gift, right? I know that you make friends regardless of status, but I can't be so ignorant as to ignore my status and stick to you just because we have some friendship in the past, right?"

Jia Lian was so angry at this guy's words that he laughed: "You are trying to blame me? I have been away from home these years, and I have received gifts every year and festival, right?"

Xia Gang sighed and said, "You're right. Isn't it because my father is in poor health and has been lying in bed for half a year without getting up?"

Jia Lian's expression became serious after hearing this: "Why didn't you tell me about this earlier? I could go see Mr. Xia."

Seeing this, Xia Gang smiled relaxedly: "Hey, my father has offended a lot of people over the years. It would be fine if he was fine, but now he is old and sick. How can I trouble you?"

Jia Lian immediately frowned after hearing this: "Get lost, do I care about this? If you keep saying this kind of nonsense, don't hang around in front of me anymore."

Xia Gang said: "Okay, okay, I won't say anything. Don't I have something to ask you?"

Jia Lian sneered three times: "I knew you were up to no good. Tell me, which one do you want to rescue?"

Xia Gang said: "My brother was detained at the Sihai Hall last night because of his wrong accent."

After hearing this, Jia Lian did not immediately release the person. Instead, he became serious and asked, "To play there, is it someone's treat or is it at your own expense?"

Xia Gang was silent for a while before explaining in a low voice: "Someone is indeed treating us, but it's not convenient for me, so I have to let him go."

"My dear brother?" Jia Lian suddenly raised his voice. Xia Gang nodded vigorously: "My dear brother!"

Jia Lian then relaxed his tone: "Don't say I didn't remind you, your current position is not easy to come by, and someone who invites you must have something to ask for, you have to think it through and see if you can afford it. You can take the person away now, and as a friend, I have nothing to say about what to do next."

Xia Gang thanked him repeatedly, and Jia Lian asked someone to take him to pick up the person. He still had to pay the fine of 100 taels. After all, there was a curfew in the capital, so this was used as an excuse to fine him.

After Xia Gang, more people came to ask for a meeting. Jia Lian refused to meet them no matter what identity they reported. Instead, he ordered to intensify the trial of the Sihai Guild Hall case and come up with a preliminary conclusion as soon as possible.

I thought those people would give up when they saw the difficulty, but unexpectedly, the next day, Wang Xifeng sent Lin Zhixiao.

"Second grandma bought a yard nearby. You can go there to rest at night. It will be more comfortable than staying in the office." Lin Zhixiao said this first.

Based on Jia Lian's understanding of Wang Xifeng, he felt that the matter was not over yet, so he leaned back in his chair and looked at Lin Zhixiao coldly without saying a word.

Lin Zhixiao was trembling all over when he was looked at. He trembled and stood up with the help of a chair. He walked forward and whispered, "Several imperial officials have come to ask for help. Second Madam really can't refuse. Let me bring a message. Go to the yard next door and rest. We can talk about the matter there. Second Madam will never interfere with your business."

Jia Lian then spoke up: "The grandson's wife of the eldest branch of the Jia family, can you ask her what she is missing for me? She needs to pass on a message to someone!"

Lin Zhixiao immediately knelt down upon hearing this, kowtowed repeatedly and said, "Second Master, Second Master, calm down! You must calm down. If not, beat me up to vent your anger."

Jia Lian pointed at Lin Zhixiao and cursed: "She has no brains, and you have no brains either? You came just because I told you to? Why didn't you send someone to tell me first? Why did you have to buy everything in the neighboring courtyard before you came to tell me? Yesterday, one day and one night, you ran to the Wucheng Bingmasi Yamen eight hundred times. If it weren't for your loyalty in the past, I would have had someone put you in a bag and dig a hole in the courtyard to bury you."

When Lin Zhixiao heard this, he raised his hand and slapped himself repeatedly, saying, "This little one deserves death, this little one deserves death."

After being whipped more than ten times, his face turned red, and Jia Lian said calmly: "Okay, get up and talk."

Lin Zhixiao then stood up. Jia Lian looked at him and said, "I know you are in a dilemma and dare not go against her wishes. Go back and tell her that this is only the first time. If it happens again, I will write a letter of divorce."

Lin Zhixiao was immediately covered in cold sweat after hearing this. He slowly left and stood in the autumn wind shivering. It took him a while before he had the strength to turn around and leave.

After half an hour, Lin Zhixiao didn't come, but Ping'er came.

When Jia Lian saw Ping'er coming in with a food box, he was not angry. He just sat there without moving and let her come forward.

Ping Er opened the food box and spread out the dishes, whispering, "Second Master, the young lady is frightened. Tell me that you like me the most. Let me ask for her help."

Jia Lian did not speak either. He continued to lean back in his chair with his eyes closed, as if in a trance.

Ping'er continued to speak softly, "When the young lady was in the Wang family, she was also a bullied and money-loser. She told me that only after she married the Second Master could she be completely proud. The fact that she is now a third-rank imperial edict was brought to her by the Second Master. No matter how harshly the Second Master said, the young lady dared not complain in her heart. It's just that the divorce letter is too scary."

Jia Lian still didn't respond, and Ping'er didn't get anxious, and continued, "Young lady is just too proud. A few well-connected officials came to your house and begged you to help them because they couldn't see the Second Master. Several people were just trying to save your face, and that's why this happened."

Jia Lian opened his eyes and glared at Ping Er fiercely, saying, "She is a fool, and you are also being foolish? Didn't you send someone to tell me in advance?"

"Second Master, I am the young lady's concubine who came with her as a dowry. If I were to be unfaithful to her, would you still tolerate me?" Ping'er suddenly raised her voice and spoke more quickly.

Jia Lian then stood up and sat at the table, picking up his chopsticks to eat. As he ate, he cursed, "Stupid woman, I have enemies all over the capital, and I don't know how many of them want to kill me immediately. If you can't help, forget it, but don't cause trouble for me. It's okay to save face, but if you know how to save face, you won't be so stupid that you can't be hopeless."

Ping'er's body was obviously relaxed. She carefully served Jia Lian until he finished his meal. After putting down her chopsticks, she turned around and went out to ask someone to bring a hot towel.

"It's only because I got this temporary and offending job that anyone else would be killed by the censor's impeachment." Jia Lian cursed again, Ping'er just smiled and didn't refute. Jia Lian wiped his mouth and said, "Go back!"

Ping Er whispered, "Thank you, Second Master."

Jia Lian waved his hand and Ping'er went back.

After that, Jia Lian still refused to see anyone. Even when officials came to visit him, Jia Lian had people stop them and ask the visitor for the imperial edict. If there was an imperial edict, he would see them; if there was no imperial edict, he would be asked to leave.

In short, Jia Lian of Sihai Guild Hall has been investigated, and it must be investigated thoroughly.

(End of this chapter)