Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Miaoyu couldn't do anything about him, so she just said angrily, "Why are you here talking nonsense when you are not busy outside?"

Jia Cong chuckled and said, "I'm here to ask the Master for a cup of tea." After saying that, he took the green jade cup in front of Miaoyu and drank it in one gulp, then placed the empty cup in front of him.

"You...rascal." Miaoyu spat at him shyly, but then refilled his glass and took another cup for herself.

Jia Cong said, "It was because of the beating of gongs and drums, chanting of scriptures, and music outside that it was really noisy. I had a hard time getting rid of the guests and came in to get some peace and quiet."

Miaoyu smiled and said, "It is natural to do this when performing rituals."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Why haven't I seen you chanting? If you were to chant, it would sound better than those monks and nuns."

Miaoyu rolled her eyes at him and said, "You are talking nonsense again, blaspheming the Buddha."

Jia Cong said with a smile: "The Buddha has already achieved enlightenment, how could he bother with a mortal like me? I saw you reading a book just now. What were you reading? A Buddhist scripture?"

Miaoyu quickly hid the book behind her and nodded.

Seeing this, Jia Cong became curious and said, "Master, monks are not allowed to tell lies."

Miaoyu blushed and said angrily, "Just drink your tea, you are so talkative."

Jia Cong shook his head and said with a smile: "I guess you must be reading a vernacular novel, maybe a story about a talented scholar and a beautiful woman."

Miaoyu rolled her eyes at him and said, "You are wrong."

"That's the handwritten notes of the previous generation."

"wrong."

"History book?"

"wrong."

"Zi Shu?"

"That's not right." Miaoyu smiled proudly and said, "You can't guess it even if you try your best."

Jia Cong had no choice but to surrender and said, "If you have any good books, bring them over to read together. You are so stingy."

Miaoyu spat, "You are stingy." Then she handed him the book.

Jia Cong took it and looked at it, then burst out laughing. It turned out that there were a few big words written on the cover: Jia Zilong's Poetry Collection.

He couldn't help feeling a little proud. He didn't expect that the cool and fairy-like Miaoyu was also his fan girl.

Miaoyu saw his smug look and couldn't help but scold him, "I shouldn't have shown it to you. I knew you wanted to make fun of me. You think you are the greatest poet in the world and you don't take anyone seriously."

Jia Cong hurriedly explained: "I have no such intention, but... but... hehe, how can I not be overjoyed to have a close friend like Miaoyu?"

Miaoyu said, "Who is your bosom friend? Young Master, what will happen if others hear you talk nonsense?"

Jia Cong smiled slightly, looking at the lines of beautiful small characters on the book, which were clearly written by Miaoyu herself, and there were many blank pages at the back, so he smiled and said, "How did you know my poems? You read all of them, Cong is so lucky."

Miaoyu said hurriedly, "Don't think the wrong way. It's just that Daiyu brought it to me to look at. I was practicing calligraphy when I had nothing to do, so I wrote it down in the book."

"Oh, that's how it is." Jia Cong said with a smile.

"You are not a good person. Give the book back to me." Miaoyu could no longer hold it and reached out to grab it.

Jia Cong let her snatch it away and said with a smile: "I'm curious, which one do you like best?"

Miaoyu was very smart and saw through Jia Cong's evil plan in an instant. The poems were all love poems. If she pointed out one of them, wouldn't it be like admitting that she had tempted him? So she spat, "I don't like those frivolous and flowery words."

Jia Cong refused to give in and said, "You must speak according to your conscience."

Miaoyu protested: "It is absolutely true."

"Okay, you monks all like to make witty remarks. I won't argue with you. Bring me the pen and ink." Jia Cong said.

Miaoyu's eyes lit up and she quickly brought the pen and ink and placed them on the table.

Jia Cong suddenly remembered a few lines of poetry, so he spread his hands to signal Miaoyu to hand him the poetry collection. He turned to a blank page, wrote quickly behind Miaoyu's back, and put the poetry collection together again.

Miaoyu felt as if she was being scratched by a cat, and could not help asking, "What did you write?"

Jia Cong threw down his pen and said with a smile: "Of course it is a poem, and it is quite Zen-like."

Miaoyu sneered. If Jia Cong was said to be able to write good poems, she would have no doubt about it, but if he talked about some Zen principles, she would never believe it.

"It's fine if you don't believe it. Actually..."

"What?" Miaoyu saw that he was hesitant to speak and glanced at him.
"I swear that the last incident was not my idea, and I didn't see anything at all, as the world can attest!
I know that even so, I have always let you down, so I came here to apologize." Jia Cong apologized with a dry laugh.

Hearing him bring up the past, Miaoyu's face flushed red, and the red glow quickly spread to her ears and neck like a burning cloud. She turned away and spat, "What good things are you talking about! You... are vulgar! Do you think I'm a fool?"

Jia Cong was dumbfounded... It seemed that he was blackmailing me? I was wronged!

"Well... I am also a victim... If it was me who did it, I will not die a good death." Jia Cong hurriedly explained.

Miaoyu heard this and thought Jia Cong was a frivolous dandy. Her heart sank, she felt sad and bitter, tears welled up in her eyes. She gritted her teeth and said, "My Lord, please go back. I have let this matter go. Why do you have to cling to it?"

Jia Cong was stunned and reached out to pull her shoulder, but she turned away.

Because he made up his mind, he simply said, "Okay, I admit that it was my idea to let Sister Chan trick you in. I am not a human being, okay?"

Miaoyu said with a mixture of shyness and anger: "You know that too."

"However, I have a small request. Otherwise, I will not be willing to die with this reputation." Jia Cong said viciously.

Miaoyu whispered, "What request?"

Jia Cong jumped up and sat down next to Miaoyu. He pointed at her beautiful breasts and said with a drooling face, "Let me see it again. I didn't see it clearly that night."

"You! A pervert!" Miaoyu saw that he changed his expression like a dog. When she heard his words clearly, she was so embarrassed that she almost fainted and hurriedly hugged her chest.

Seeing that she was determined to refuse, Jia Cong did not dare to act rashly. He spread his hands and smiled bitterly, saying, "What are you doing? Am I a flower-stealing thief?"

Miaoyu sneered and said nothing, obviously not trusting his character. "Come on, come on, you didn't see it, but you still bear a stigma. I'm at a big loss." Jia Cong stood up helplessly and returned to his original position.

Miaoyu felt both angry and amused when she saw his aggrieved and angry look on his face. When she thought of the scene that night, her face couldn't help but flush again. What a shameless pervert! He had seen her and hugged her, yet he still dared to cry out for injustice?
Thinking that her reputation had been ruined in his hands, she felt angry and aggrieved, so she ignored him even more.

Jia Cong was a big-hearted man after all, and he would hold his temper when he was angry. Seeing Miaoyu ignored him, he felt a little discouraged. He couldn't help but poked her waist with his finger and said with a smile, "Let's not talk about the past, just let it go with the wind.

How did Buddha say it? Oh, yes, let it go. I have let it go completely. Let’s have a cup of tea. We are still good friends.

"Bah." Miaoyu quickly turned around and sat further away, cursing him shameless in her heart and was not willing to give him a good face.

Jia Cong was at his wit's end when he suddenly remembered something and jumped in front of Miaoyu again, saying in great sorrow and anger, "I almost forgot that you saw me naked. Clear my name."

Miaoyu was stunned, and was so ashamed and angry that she couldn't help hitting him: "Asshole! Vile!"

Jia Cong laughed: "Do you want to kill people to silence them?"

As he said this, he pretended to defend himself and dodged, then during the fight he saw an opportunity and reached out his hand to pinch him.

In the middle of summer, her clothes were already thin. When he suddenly attacked her chest, Miaoyu's heart trembled. She quickly hugged her chest and said, "You! Shameless."

Seeing this, Jia Cong hurriedly said, "I made a mistake. Sorry, sorry. Well, I have something else to do at home. Let's talk another day. See you, stay a while."

He was talking nonsense, but he was running away quickly. He was very happy that he didn't bear the bad reputation for Chu Chan in vain.

Miaoyu was so angry that she could not speak. She watched him slip away, her heart filled with anger, shame and humiliation. She sat there for a long time, feeling a tingling sensation in her chest. Her eyes fell on the kang, and she hurriedly picked up the collection of poems and turned to the end, where she saw the words:

Gift to Miaoyu

I once worried that my love would harm my monastic life, and I was afraid of leaving the city when I went into the mountains.

The world is in peace with the law of both ends, and the Tathagata will live up to the emperor.

"You scoundrel! How dare you talk about the word 'Brahmacharya'?"

Miaoyu chuckled, her eyes rolling, thinking to herself, "I will not disappoint the Tathagata, nor disappoint you." How could that bastard care whether he disappoints the Tathagata or not? His intention is naturally on "you." Thinking of this, her face turned slightly red, and the anger and grievance in her heart unconsciously dissipated.
-
It was already mid-August when Mrs. Wang's funeral was over. Jia Cong invested a huge amount of resources, and the long-awaited good news from the Western Regions finally came back in large numbers.

On August 11, the government troops made a feint to the east and attacked in the west, launched a surprise attack on Huangtian Village, conquered the ancient pastureland, the northern gate of Dihua City, annihilated more than 6,000 enemies, captured more than 500, and seized more than 200 war horses. Only more than 160 people were killed and more than 400 were injured.

In the early morning of August 12, Liu Jiezhen keenly realized that the enemy was not well prepared, so he decided to lead a large army to raid Dihua overnight. Seeing the divine soldiers descending from the sky, the enemy was horrified and fled the city. The government army conquered Dihua City and the two surrounding citadels without a single fight.

Starting from August 13, Liu Jiezhen was stationed in Dihua. According to the established strategy, he was not in a hurry to go south to break through the throat of Tianshan Mountains, Dabacheng. Instead, he ordered the army to sweep away the remaining bandits entrenched in Changji, Hutubi, Manas, Kulkash Usu, Jinghe and other cities. The enemy troops were defeated and suffered countless casualties and prisoners.

"Good, good, good! I wish I could gallop across the Western Regions and kill all the enemies!" Jia Cong clapped his hands in admiration while holding the battle report.

Pang Chao smiled and said, "With this good news, your burden will be lighter. The emperor might remember you for something."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It is better to rely on oneself than on others. My teacher once taught me that we should not rely on others' moods to determine our life and property. Cong deeply agrees with that."

Pang Chao nodded and said, "That's right. But we have to wait a few days before reporting these battle reports."

"Of course." Jia Cong now receives the information firsthand through the flying eagle. This is his private channel, but he is not going to reveal it to the emperor.

Based on the expedited rate of 800 miles, it would take at least ten days for the court to receive the battle report.

As the two were talking, they suddenly heard Cheng Lingsu's report.

Jia Cong hurriedly called her in and asked, "What's the matter?"

Cheng Lingsu took out a piece of paper and said, "Commander Yan sent a message saying that the ships and soldiers have arrived at Weiqing Niwa Port in Jinzhou."

Jia Cong knew that Qingniwa Port was Dalian Port, so he spread out the map and said, "Order the entire army to rest for five days and prepare sufficient supplies.

He ordered Yan Shuangying to lead 3,000 Jifeng Battalion soldiers and Wei Wuji to lead 5,000 Liaodong new troops to set out with the fleet in five days to raid Goryeo.

"As for how to fight, let them decide for themselves. The Royal Guards have already given them the intelligence, and I have also sent the Ninja Corps over a long time ago. In short, I only have one request, which is to be unstoppable and crush them with overwhelming force."

"Tell them to openly raise the banner of my Dingguo Mansion without hiding anything. Just say that the ruler of Goryeo is unjust and perverse, and the people are suffering.

Therefore, the Holy Dynasty specially sent out the Heavenly Army to comfort the people and punish the criminals, saving the people of Goryeo from the water and fire."

"Also, since they are the royal army, tell them not to disturb the people and make sure they do not harm anyone. Every time we capture a city, we can kill the local tyrants and confiscate their property, and distribute the money, grain and land to the poor people. Only in this way can we resolve the hostility of the Korean people towards us and win over the hearts of the people." Jia Cong said.

"Yes." Cheng Lingsu took note and went out to pass the order.

Pang Chao clapped his hands and smiled, "Very good. Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people win the world. Brother Cong's move is very good. With the heavenly army enforcing the kingly way, who can stop it?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Sir, the people are blind and stupid. As long as someone gives them a little benefit, they will be driven by that person, even if it means destroying their country with their own hands.

Now I am attacking Goryeo. Besides my powerful ships and artillery, I only have the banner of the Celestial Empire and the trick of beating the local tyrants and dividing their lands."

Pang Chao's eyes lit up and he said with a smile, "Brother Cong's words really impressed me. They are really insightful. As the sage said, the people can be made to follow but not to know. This is why."

Jia Cong looked down at the map and said, "Let's wait and see if the new army can give us some surprises."
-
On August 21, Yan Shuangying and Wei Wuji led the fleet to cross the Huangshui Ocean, and then divided the troops into three routes to attack the three waists of the Goryeo Peninsula, attempting to cut it in half and form a joint attack on Gyeonggi Province from the north and the south.

Wei Wuji led two thousand new troops to attack Hwanghae Province and landed at Haeju.

Yan Shuangying led 4,000 troops and headed straight for Gyeonggi Province, landing in Incheon.

Li Ke and Ming Yao, the former defense officers of Liaodong, who were promoted by Jia Cong to guerrilla generals, led two thousand new troops, took Zhongqing Road, and landed in Baoning.

Feng Yi stood on the dock, watching the fleet go away, thinking back to the densely packed black gun muzzles on the upper and lower layers of the hull, and the muskets on the backs of tens of thousands of new soldiers in distinctive armor. He couldn't help swallowing his saliva. Although several days had passed, he still couldn't catch his breath.

No one expected that Jia Shaobao had secretly trained such a powerful army that was capable of destroying a country and slaughtering a city. Not to mention dealing with a tiny country like Goryeo, even if they fought back to the capital... with the cooperation of several other battalions of troops under his command, they would definitely win.

No, I have to write a letter to my eldest brother right away to explain it to him and make sure he understands the situation. Even though Shao Bao has lost his positions as the Jiedushi of the Beijing Camp and the chief of the Jinyiwei, people actually look down on this stubborn guy. If you think his luck is about to end, you are totally wrong.

Thinking of this, Feng Yi hurriedly twisted his fat buttocks and got on the carriage, thinking about how to put it. If he leaked Jia Cong's military intelligence, how many heads would he have? So he stuck his head out and said with a smile: "Brother Zhang, come in and have a chat."

Zhang Dabiao was Jia Cong's first personal soldier. He was now sent to Jinzhouwei as a guerrilla. He was responsible for supervising the construction of the port and secretly monitoring Feng Yi.

Hearing Feng Yi's call, Yin reined in his horse and asked, "What do you want, sir?"

"How dare I? Please come in and have a private conversation, brother." Feng Yi naturally knew his mission and said hurriedly.

Zhang Dabiao nodded, dismounted and got into the carriage. (End of this chapter)