Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

On the seventh day, many important figures came to pay their respects in person, including Dai Quan and Prince Beijing.

Jia Cong went over to take over, lit incense and said a few words of condolence. Prince Beijing whispered to Jia Cong, "Brother, please spare me a moment to talk."

"Your Highness, please." Jia Cong led him to the corridor. When the servants and stewards nearby saw the two men coming, they hurriedly moved away and cleared the area in an instant.

Prince Beijing bowed and said tentatively, "A few days ago, an actor in my house committed a crime and was arrested by the imperial guards. I hope you can show mercy to him, brother."

Jia Cong smiled faintly, knowing that his words were actually meant to test how much he knew about him and Jiang Yuhan.

Yin said, "Because I have been busy these days, I have not yet informed the prince. This Jiang Yuhan, also known as Qi Guan, is an actor on the surface, but in reality he is not that simple. Does the prince know?"

Prince Beijing was shocked and said hurriedly, "I don't know anything about this. If it's convenient, I'd like to hear the details."

Jia Cong said: "It's not inconvenient. This person is a spy that the former factory owner Xia Shouzhong planted beside Prince Zhongshun. Now that Prince Zhongshun has been killed, he has infiltrated the prince's side. His ambition is not small. It's better for the prince not to get involved."

Prince Beijing was shocked and said, "There is such a thing! If my brother hadn't told me, I would have been kept in the dark and thought he was just an ordinary famous actor."

In this case, I will not ask any more questions and leave it to you, brother. If he does anything, it has nothing to do with me. I hope you can understand this clearly."

Jia Cong glanced at him and saw that he was indeed cruel and ruthless, abandoning his confidants like grass. He said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will enforce the law impartially.

Well, I am no longer in charge of things now. If the prince has any decree, please inform Fang Tongzhi."

Prince Beijing waved his hand and said, "Brother, please don't tease me. Although Fang Tongzhi holds the seal, his qualifications are shallow and it is difficult for him to convince the public. All matters, big or small, still need your decision. This is the expectation of the public, which cannot be achieved by the seal."

Jia Cong said hurriedly, "Your Highness, what you said makes me appear disloyal. Cong doesn't even go to the government office now because he is afraid that others will think that I can't let go of the power of the Jinyiwei and suppress Fang Tongzhi. If His Majesty knows about this, won't he think that Cong is unwilling to give up?"

Prince Beijing laughed and said, "That's not what I meant. The sage said, 'What a gentleman does, the masses naturally don't know.'"

Brother Shi has a noble status and has made great achievements, so naturally the Jinyiwei and his subordinates are convinced and he is the popular choice.

Although Fang Tongzhi is capable, he has just taken on the power, so he naturally needs to consult with Brother Shi on many things to avoid mistakes. "

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind."

As he was talking, Dai Quan came over and bowed, "Brother, how are you these days?"

Jia Cong hurriedly returned the greeting and said, "The general manager has come. I am sorry for not welcoming you from afar."

When Prince Beijing saw that Dai Quan had something to say, he politely said hello and left.

Dai Quan exchanged a few pleasantries, then said with a half-smile, "Brother, why did you suddenly send someone to arrest Jiang Yuhan? When my subordinates reported it to me, I didn't believe it at first. I said that Shao Bao knew his identity, so how could he arrest someone without warning?

After my subordinates verified it again and again, I dared to go to his house and ask him. If he has done anything wrong, I will apologize to Zilong. After I punish him, I will also order my subordinates to teach him a lesson. "

When Jia Cong heard that he was going to bring an army to hold Dai Quan accountable, he sneered in his heart. It was impossible for him to let the person go, but now was not the time to completely break off relations with Dai Quan.

Yin said, "Hey, the old internal minister and Prince Beijing are in sync. He just mentioned this matter and I brushed it off."

Dai Quan asked, "Oh? What did Prince Beijing say?"

"He pretended to be ignorant and asked what the actor had done wrong." Jia Cong said, "Chief Dai, Cong just found out that this person's identity is not simple."

Dai Quan raised his sparse eyebrows and asked, "What's not simple about it?"

Jia Cong said, "Do you remember the clues about the crime in Prince Beijing's Mansion that I gave you last time? The steward ordered Jiang Yuhan to investigate. What did he find out?"

Dai Quan thought about it, shook his head, and said, "They are all trivial matters. The important things are nowhere to be seen."

Jia Cong said: "That's right, because he took the salary of Dai Zongguan, but secretly worked for Beijing Wang, what do you think you can find out?
After he checked those clues, he eliminated them all within a day or two. The Southern Division has already recorded this matter and will report it to the chief steward later."

Now he has no means to retaliate against Dai Quan and King Beijing, but he can plant some thorns in their path first.

Dai Quan's face darkened immediately upon hearing this, and he said, "Zilong, don't joke around."

Jia Cong said: "This matter has been verified by me a long time ago, but I didn't point it out because I thought it was a counter-espionage plot by the chief steward. Now it seems that the chief steward was the one who fell into the trap.

In addition, we have also obtained Jiang Yuhan's confession. Do you think why he betrayed the East Factory and joined Prince Beijing?"

Dai Quan's face was almost dripping with water, and he asked sinisterly, "Why?"

"It's just because the prince is young, suave, romantic and passionate, and I love him in every way, and I have won his heart. Hehe, the so-called love comes from nowhere, but it is deep and lasting.

So naturally Jiang Yuhan is very loyal to the prince, and he had already rebelled against the East Factory during Xia Shouzhong's time, so he didn't mean to deny the general manager face. "Jia Cong said with a smile.

Dai Quan nodded and asked coldly, "Why do you think so?"

Jia Cong glanced at him and said with a smile, "The steward is testing me. You have been with the emperor for a long time. When Tu Fei was plotting a rebellion, in addition to Li Meng's defection, there was another person who tipped off the emperor. The steward naturally knows who it was."

Dai Quan's expression changed slightly, and he asked, "How did you know, brother?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Jiang Yuhan even confessed how the Prince of Beijing favored him, how could Cong not know?

The reason why Prince Beijing was able to tip off the emperor was because of the information Jiang Yuhan got from Prince Zhongshun, right?
Otherwise, how could he know the news that even the Jinyiwei hadn't found out? His confession will be sent to the chief steward later."

Dai Quan finally gnashed his teeth and said, "This bastard! How dare he deceive our family! After you have interrogated him, can you please send him to the East Factory? I want to chop him into meat sauce and feed him to the dogs!"

Jia Cong glanced at him and said, "Please forgive me, General Manager. If it were just a matter of official business, I would have no objection. However, this man and I have a personal grudge. I have vowed to make him spend the rest of his life in torture. I don't want to kill him so soon.

If the chief steward is not in a good mood, you might as well send a few capable guys to the prison to carry out the execution personally, so that our two families can learn from each other about the art of punishment."

Dai Quan naturally knew about Jinse's situation, and with a cruel smile in his eyes, he said, "Well, this is a great idea.

Let's make a bet. If one of us is a little bit inferior, he will lose 10,000 silver coins. If we accidentally kill him, we will also lose 10,000 silver coins. How do you think?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Just follow the steward's instructions."

Dai Quan smiled and said, "I've been out for a long time, so I won't bother you anymore. If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know."

"Oh, thank you for your kindness, General Manager. I will send you off to the inner chamber." "No need to be so polite. Please stay. You are not a stranger." Dai Quan left with a smile.

Jia Cong was just being polite, feeling a little amused in his heart, because anyone who said "not an outsider" was often an outsider.

Real wives, such as Jia Cong, Cheng Lingsu, Zhang Yuanba, Yan Shuangying, etc., would never say this.

Dai Quan brought out two young eunuchs and was about to mount their horses when he heard the young eunuchs whisper, "Prince Beijing said that the weather was too hot to ride a horse, so he specially arranged a carriage to take the chief steward."

Dai Quan's eyes moved slightly, he nodded, went out, and got into a luxurious purple cloud and rosewood carriage at the door.

As soon as I lifted the curtain, I saw Prince Beijing waiting inside with a smile on his face.

"Please take a seat, old minister."

Dai Quan smiled and said a few polite words, thinking of what Jia Cong had said just now, knowing that Prince Beijing was also using Jiang Yuhan to plot against him, he felt a little angry, but thinking of the overall situation, he could not lose his temper, and just smiled and said, "The prince has summoned me, what do you want me to do?"

Prince Beijing was unaware that Jia Cong had already told Dai Quan about Jiang Yuhan's true identity, so he hurriedly said, "How dare I be so arrogant? I really have something important to report to the Prime Minister."

"Oh? What's the matter?"

Prince Beijing called out, and the carriage slowly started moving, blending into the traffic. The noisy voices surrounded them, completely covering up the conversation inside the carriage. Fang whispered, "The Prime Minister is now in his prime, so isn't he planning for the future?"

Dai Quan's heart moved, and he said with a hint of sarcasm: "I am stupid, not as far-sighted as the princes who have long been able to raise the eldest prince, hoping that he would achieve great things and gain respect from the world.

But as the saying goes, you can't eat hot tofu in a hurry. Some things can't be rushed. Your Majesty, is this true? "

Prince Beijing did not take it as an offense, and said ashamedly: "The old minister hit the nail on the head, who can say it is not true? Not only did I fail to catch the fox, but I got myself into trouble and implicated my brother, Prince Nan'an... Oh, let's not talk about it.

After all, it is because we have too many ambitions but too little talent, and we are too ambitious to pursue far-reaching goals. Therefore, we dare not act rashly anymore, and have come to ask for the instructions of the Minister of Internal Affairs. I hope that the Minister of Internal Affairs will follow his lead."

Dai Quan said with a fake smile: "Why is your Highness so polite today? How can we be worthy of this?"

Prince Beijing said: "I am not being polite. I have discussed this with the other two princes. Even if the three of us put together, we are still no match for the Prime Minister.

So I decided to follow the Minister and take the open road, so as to avoid walking in the dark and getting myself into trouble if I am not careful."

Dai Quan was very happy to hear this, as if he had drunk fine wine, and he said with a smile: "Your Majesty, you are wrong, wrong. I don't have any ideas, I just follow the emperor's orders."

Prince Beijing stared at him and whispered, "According to the old minister, this is a matter of national importance...

I heard that although the emperor has taken good care of himself, he has been too busy with government affairs in recent years. On average, he reviews hundreds of memorials every day, sleeps less than three hours, and eats no more than half a bowl of rice at each meal.

How can it last long if we eat so little and work so much? The inner mind knows this very well. "

Dai Quan glanced at him and said nothing. As the most trusted person of the emperor, he naturally knew. After a long while, he slowly opened his mouth and said, "What the prince meant..."

"I think privately that the Prime Minister will be in charge of the overall situation in the future, and there will always be some clerks running errands in the court. I and my two brothers are not talented, but we are willing to share the Prime Minister's worries." Prince Beijing said solemnly.

Dai Quan was a little dizzy after being flattered so many times, and waved his hands hurriedly, saying, "Why are you saying that? You are embarrassing me."

"Hey, Prime Minister, don't be too modest. As the ancients said, if you don't plan for the future, you will have immediate worries. Right now, the court is at loggerheads with each other. It's ok for the emperor to suppress it, but if... we don't prepare early, we might be caught off guard.

If you are willing to show us a way, we brothers are willing to charge into the battle." Prince Beijing pressed on.

"This..." Dai Quan was also somewhat tempted. From the overall perspective, he should indeed work together with the three kings.

The civil service group is naturally hostile to the eunuchs, and with the two big banners of Duan Zhun and Jia Cong, they can at most win over some small followers. Not to mention the nobles, who hold military power. If there are things they cannot bear to talk about, how can they ask for help from themselves?
Yin put aside some of the disagreements and pondered, "Does the prince still have high hopes for the eldest prince?"

Prince Beijing sighed, "I just can't see the situation clearly, so I ask the Minister of Internal Affairs to give me some advice."

Dai Quan smiled and said, "Since Your Majesty is not ashamed to ask, I will just talk about it. Please correct me if you are wrong."
-
After seeing Dai Quan off, Jia Cong chatted with his old friends Niu Jizon, Liu Fang, Wu Lang and others who had come to visit him. He only breathed a sigh of relief after seeing them off.

Seeing that the sun was setting, she quickly hid in the garden to steal a few minutes' leisure. For a moment, she began to miss Jia Zheng.

If he were here, he could at least help deal with the guests. But now that Jia Zheng is away, Jia She is paralyzed, and Jia Lian and Baoyu are not important enough, he has to handle everything himself, which is really tiring.

Unconsciously, he walked to the foot of the Rongcui Temple. Jia Cong's heart moved a little. It would be nice to go to Miaoyu to ask for a cup of tea. It would be better to be with a beautiful woman than to be with a group of grown men all day long.

What's more, she was wronged by what happened last time. Even though it was Chu Chan's idea, she should apologize, so she hurried up the mountain.

After opening the door, Jia Cong asked, "Is Master Miaoyu here?"

The old woman hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, please sit down for a moment, my lord. I will go and invite him."

"No, no, I don't dare to trouble the abbot. I'll go in by myself." Jia Cong said hurriedly and ran into the nunnery.

The old woman smiled secretly and quickly bolted the door of the nunnery.

Jia Cong went up to the second floor with familiarity, and tiptoed to the Zen room where he usually had tea. He saw Miaoyu, wearing a gauze black robe, sitting on the kang, leaning against the window, holding a book in one hand and fanning herself with the other. On the kang table was a cup of freshly brewed fragrant tea, and the fragrance of the tea rose with the steam and came with the wind.

Miaoyu seemed to be so absorbed in reading that she didn't notice there was someone behind her.

Jia Cong had no interest in what book she was reading, but he suddenly became naughty, so he reached his hand into the window and gently covered Miaoyu's eyes from behind.

Miaoyu exclaimed at first, but then realized that the person who came had no ill intentions, so she smiled and said, "Is it Sister Chan? How abominable! Why don't you come in? I just happened to make tea."

Seeing that the person behind her was silent, Miaoyu asked again: "Could it be Daiyu? She is already a wife but still so naughty. If you don't let go, I won't give you tea."

Jia Cong held back his laughter and said nothing.

Miaoyu couldn't hold it anymore, so she quickly pried open the hand covering her eyes, turned her head and looked, her face immediately turned red, and she angrily scolded: "You, bastard. You have no respect at all. Why are you so rude? I'm not your daughter!"

Since Jia Cong "accidentally" bathed in the same pool with her last time, he was no longer afraid of her. He said with a smile: "Miaoyu, please don't wrongly accuse a good person. Is this disrespectful?

If you were my daughter, you would know what disrespect means. "Without waiting for her invitation, he walked in and sat on the kang. (End of this chapter)