Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Jia Cong nodded secretly. This is human nature, all driven by interests. Under Huo Peng's secret manipulation, how could a woman like Fu Qiufang not fall into his trap?

After a moment of hesitation, he said, "You mean the son born by Fu Qiufang is not of Lord Ruhai's bloodline?"

Horn was stunned and said hesitantly, "This... I dare not say for sure. In those months, I had secret meetings with Aunt Fu many times. I heard that Lord Lin only slept with her a few times. I think she is not of the Lin family."

Jia Cong took a breath and said, "Zhuang Qing, arrest Fu immediately and interrogate him. If what you said is true, I will spare your life."

"Thank you, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness. I never said a single word falsely." Horn was overjoyed and kowtowed quickly.

"Hmph, don't be in a hurry to thank me. I only said that I won't kill you, but I didn't say I won't punish you. You raped someone's wife. You can be exempted from the death penalty, but you cannot be forgiven even if you are alive. Take him away, castrate him, and send him to a remote place as a soldier." Jia Cong sneered.

"My Lord... spare my life, my Lord..."

"Yes." Zhuang Qing agreed, and a captain came in and dragged Horn away like a dead dog.

"Haven't Huo Peng and Dong Yi been killed yet?" Jia Cong said calmly.

"Not yet, please let me know, sir."

"Go back and torture these two old foxes. They refused to confess even when facing death, thinking that I dare not torture them."

"I obey your command." Zhuang Qing bowed and retreated.

"Come back, this matter involves the reputation of Lord Ru Hai, you must be cautious, do you understand?" Jia Cong said.

"Don't worry, Your Highness. I understand and will personally conduct a secret investigation when I return." Zhuang Qing bowed hurriedly.

Jia Cong thought about it and ordered someone to invite Fu Qiufang over. It would be better to ask about such things in person. He also thought that this matter concerned the fundamental issue of the Lin family's bloodline, and Daiyu must be aware of it, so he went back to the inner house and secretly found Daiyu and told her about it.

Daiyu was shocked and angry when she heard this. She gritted her teeth and said, "Brother Cong, is this true?"

Jia Cong nodded and said, "It's almost certain. I have asked someone to invite her over so that we can ask her about it in person."

"How shameless! You're unworthy of being a human being!" Daiyu cursed angrily, tears rolling down her face. She was heartbroken for her father. She thought she would have a son in her old age, but she didn't expect that it was all the result of others' schemes.

Jia Cong hurriedly comforted her, saying, "Pin'er, calm down and take care of yourself.

I know you must be extremely angry when you find out about this, but since it concerns the reputation and bloodline of your father-in-law, I must let you know.

No matter what, I will never let my father-in-law's reputation be damaged after his death. You don't have to be too angry. It will be ugly if you hurt your body."

Daiyu burst into tears and leaned into Jia Cong's arms, saying, "Brother Cong, thank you for not hiding it from me. I will ask her in person later."

"it is good."

Fu Qiufang, along with her wet nurse, maids and others, followed Ling'er to the inner study. Seeing that Jia Cong and Daiyu had already arrived, she hurriedly greeted them.

Daiyu looked cold and said calmly, "Forget it. Bring Junjie here for me to see."

The wet nurse hurriedly handed it over.

Daiyu looked at the child carefully and saw that he had red lips, white teeth, delicate eyebrows and eyes, and was very well-behaved. It was hard to imagine that he was a bastard.

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "You all leave. I want to talk to Mrs. Fu."

Seeing Jia Cong dismiss everyone, Fu Qiufang felt a little flustered and said with a smile, "I wonder what the prince wants?"

Jia Cong ignored her and looked at Daiyu.

Daiyu looked at her with a stern gaze and said, "I have invited you here today, Madam. I only want to ask you one question."

Fu Qiufang hurriedly said, "Please ask your Majesty."

Daiyu asked, "Is Junjie a descendant of my Lin family?"

This sentence was like a bolt from the blue, and Fu Qiufang trembled all over. Her face turned pale, and she hurriedly said, "Why do you say that, Madam? Junjie is like the blood of Hai Gong, is there any falsehood?"

Daiyu sneered and said, "Madam, do you know the Imperial Academy student, Horn?"

Fu Qiufang felt a chill on her back and shook her head, "I heard from my brother that he has a sworn brother named Horn, but I've never met him."

Daiyu asked, "Is that so? Huo En has another identity. He is the nephew of former Military Minister Huo Peng. Does Madam know about this?"

Fu Qiufang was secretly shocked, and had a premonition that the truth would be revealed. She shook her head and said, "I don't know."

"Madam knows nothing about anything, but Horn knows Madam very well. What good things you two have done in the Fu family!

Do you think there is an impenetrable wall in the world? Horn is afraid of death and has already confessed. Do you still want to get away with it?" Daiyu pointed at her nose and shouted.

Upon hearing this, Fu Qiufang's body softened and she sat down on the ground, tears streaming down her face. She begged, "Madam, please spare my life. It was all because of my confusion that I fell into Horn's trap. Junjie is indeed the master's flesh and blood. Please have mercy on me, Madam."

She knew that her only chance to save her life lay with JJ Lin, so she would not give in no matter what, because she was the only one in the world who knew his background.

Seeing how miserable she was, Daiyu was at a loss for a moment and didn't know how to judge.

Jia Cong said, "Don't cry yet. Since you said Junjie is the blood of Lord Ruhai, what is the evidence?"

Fu Qiufang was stunned and cried, "Your Majesty, how can I have evidence for this? Does Your Majesty have any evidence to the contrary?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "That's a good question. My evidence is Horn's confession. He said that you two had sex many times, but Ru Haigong slept with you very rarely. Naturally, the one who had sex more times wins. This is common sense."

Fu Qiufang argued: "Your Highness is wrong. It is not uncommon for people to get pregnant through one sexual intercourse. It all depends on fate, not the number of times they have sex."

Seeing that she had the audacity to talk about this matter and even argued with confidence, Daiyu was so angry that she wanted to slap her twice.

Jia Cong said: "That makes sense, someone come here!"

Zhuang Qing came in hurriedly, bowed and said, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."

"Mrs. Fu, this is the Chief of Criminal Affairs of the Southern Division of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. I think he knows how to judge the relationship between father and son. Captain Zhuang, please tell Mrs. Fu about it." Jia Cong sneered.

"Yes." Zhuang Qing looked at Fu Qiufang and said, "If you want to determine the relationship between father and son, you can drop the blood from the fingertips of the father and son into a bowl of water. If they mix, they are father and son, otherwise they are not.

If the father is dead, the son can drop his blood on the father's forehead. If it seeps in, then they are father and son. "

Jia Cong said: “Since Lord Ruhai has passed away, it is inconvenient to disturb him, but Horn is still here.

Mrs. Fu, I will order someone to test it now. If the blood of Horn and Junjie can be mixed, then you and Fu Shi will be tortured to death! Your Fu family will be wiped out!"

Fu Qiufang was so frightened that her soul was out of her body. Her teeth were chattering and her lips were trembling. She wanted to speak but no words came out.

"If you repent now and confess the truth, since this matter involves Lord Ru Hai's reputation, I will not kill anyone. You can decide for yourself.

Fu Shi is now in prison, and the lives of all the Fu family members are in your hands." Jia Cong said calmly.

Fu Qiufang dared not quibble, and kowtowed and begged for mercy: "Your Majesty, please have mercy, I will confess, Junjie... is indeed not the bloodline of Lord Ruhai, but the seed of Horn."

"Whore! You have no shame and can sleep with anyone!" Daiyu was so furious when she heard this and cursed loudly.

Fu Qiufang was so ashamed that she dared not say a word. Jia Cong looked at Daiyu and asked, "Should I kill her or not?"

Fu Qiufang trembled when she heard this and shouted, "My Lord, you promised not to kill anyone."

Jia Cong sneered: "Who the hell are you? Are you worthy enough to negotiate with me?"

Fu Qiufang sat on the ground, stunned and speechless.

Daiyu looked at her, then at the baby in her arms, and after a long sigh, she said, "The child is innocent. If you kill his mother, Junjie will be left alone without his parents. Spare her life. The child will take your surname in the future."

The last sentence was directed to Fu Qiufang.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace. Thank you, Your Majesty, for your grace." Fu Qiufang seemed to come alive and kowtowed to express her gratitude.

"Brother Cong, I don't want her to tarnish our father's reputation. Please send her away." Daiyu said.

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Okay, I will order her and her son to be sent to Goryeo, and they will never be allowed to return to the Central Plains."

Daiyu nodded.

When Fu Qiufang heard that she was going to be buried in a foreign country, she felt hopeless and cried, "Your Majesty, can you please order my brother to go with you?"

Jia Cong sneered and said, "You whore deserves to ride on the wooden donkey. Now I'm letting you save your life for the sake of your child. Do you still dare to ask for more?

I let Fu Shi go last time when he plotted against Miaoyu, but he dared to plot against Ru Hai Gong again. If I don't kill him, is there still justice? Zhuang Qing, go back and skin him alive for me!"

"Yes!"

Fu Qiufang screamed and was pulled away by two lieutenants.

Daiyu sighed and handed the baby to Jia Cong, who handed it to Zhuang Qing, saying, "Send someone to send the mother and child away immediately!"

"Yes." Zhuang Qing took the child.

"Pin'er, let's go back and rest." Jia Cong helped Daiyu up.

Daiyu shook her head and sighed, "Brother Cong, people are so treacherous. If Daddy were still alive, I wonder how angry he would be. It's easy to dodge an open spear, but it's hard to guard against an arrow from behind. You have to be more careful in the future."

Jia Cong said, "Don't worry, your husband is not a sincere gentleman like your father-in-law, and it's not that easy for him to plot against me."

Daiyu nodded slightly and said "hmm".

Seeing that she was depressed, Jia Cong smiled and said, "You see, Fatini and I got pregnant overnight, and I knew that the baby in her belly must be mine."

Daiyu heard this, smiled and rolled her eyes at him, and asked, "How do you know?"

Jia Cong whispered: "Brother, I have been in the flower garden for many years, don't I know whether she is a virgin or not? This is one reason;

Secondly, when she went back, I had asked someone to accompany her and serve her. If someone else had interfered, how could I not know?

Third, after she returned to the Western Regions, Qiu Zhixin and Liu Jiezhen also sent maids and servants to serve her.

It can be said that her belly grew bigger while her brother was watching her, so how could it be fake?"

Daiyu finally couldn't help but chuckle and said, "You are judging others by your own standards. If Sister Fa knew that you were so suspicious of her, she would never let you go."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "This is not my instruction. It's all my subordinates who are taking my orders. What can I do?"

"Bah! What the superior likes, the subordinates will like even more." Daiyu scolded with a smile.

"I have been wrongly accused again." Jia Cong pretended to spread his hands and sighed, saying, "By the way, I will send Chi Ge'er to patrol the border in the western region in a few days. If you have anything to bring to Fatini, you can ask him to take it."

Daiyu thought for a moment and said, "I'll go and discuss this with Ruyi and Baoyatou first."

"it is good."

Half a month later, the first batch of new troops had completed preliminary training. Jia Cong personally led Li Meng, Wang Ziteng, Niu Jizon and others to the outside of the city to see off Sun Chi, Wang Ning and his party.

After three cups of practicum wine, Jia Cong pulled Sun Chi aside and told him, "Chi'er, after you go to the Western Regions, your mission is to expand the territory and keep going west until you reach the coast of the Western Sea!
If I'm not mistaken, that place is known as the land flowing with milk and honey. You should occupy as many seaports as possible so that the supplies from the Celestial Empire can be transported to you.

Jie Zheng will be in charge of the grain supply. He will not go with you. I have given him the task of guarding the gate to the Western Region. If you are defeated, he will be the last line of defense for the country."

Sun Chi said: "I understand. It means I am responsible for attacking and he is responsible for defending."

"Yes. You led your army to the battle not to burn, kill, and plunder, but to control the vast land and barbarians in the west, to spread the majesty of the Celestial Empire, and to ensure the smooth flow of trade routes in the Western Regions.

Therefore, there is no need to rush for success or to go deep into the enemy's territory. The most important thing is to win the hearts of the people and be careful not to lose what you have gained or to prevent rebellion after you have pacified them.

It is best to advance step by step and take over one city at a time. Wang Ning is a man of both civil and military talents and can assist you. "Jia Cong said.

Sun Chi nodded and said, "The ancients said that those who want to fight for the world must first fight for people. They also said that the people are the foundation of the country. The expenditure of the country, the salaries of the generals and officials, and the food and wages of the army all come from the people.

The people are the source of the army. Without the people, the army cannot be strong. If the people are not strong, the army will lose its source, just like a fish out of water. Don't worry, I will not show off my bravery. "

Seeing Jia Cong looking at him with new eyes, Sun Chi laughed and scolded, "What are you looking at, you idiot? Don't I look like a scholar?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I admire you. When did you start reading secretly?"

"Bah! What do you mean by studying secretly? After all, I studied seriously in the upper study for a few years. My teachers were all great scholars, not like you who are unlearned and can't even make mistakes in the stone tablet to record merits." Sun Chi sneered.

Jia Cong laughed dryly and said, "Excuse me. Since you understand, I won't waste my words. In a nutshell, it's hard to conquer a kingdom, but it's even harder to keep it!"
The Western Regions have many barbarian tribes, with complex forces, and their customs and culture are very different from those of the Celestial Empire. Since the Han and Tang Dynasties, perhaps no one in our dynasty has ever gone that far. Tenth Prince, this heavy responsibility is now handed over to you. "

Sun Chi saluted and said solemnly: "Don't worry, General, I will not return until I conquer Loulan!"

Jia Cong put his arm around his shoulders, feeling sad, and said in a deep voice: "You and I are now thousands of miles apart, and I don't know when we will meet again. Please take care."

Sun Chi also hugged him, his eyes slightly red, and said: "You take care of yourself too. If the Queen Mother makes any mistakes, I hope you can give her more advice."

"I will." Jia Cong nodded, knowing that Sun Chi meant for him to avoid conflict with the Empress Dowager as much as possible in order to preserve their brotherhood.

After Jia Cong said goodbye to him, he walked up to Wang Ning and said, "General Wang, the Western Regions are vast and not inferior to the Celestial Empire. It is a place for men to make achievements and establish their careers. The court is waiting for your victory report."

Wang Ning had recovered from his exile these days, and thought that it would be better to go to the Western Regions to show his talents rather than stay in the capital. He cupped his hands and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty. I will sacrifice my life to serve the court."

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Just tell me what you want. I will do anything I can to help you."

Wang Ning tried to probe: "I have a few generals in the capital who are very useful. It would be more convenient if I could take them with me."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's not difficult. Just ask anyone to write a list and I'll give it to you."

Wang Ning said happily: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "No need to thank me, just assist the Tenth Prince well."

"The general will get the order at the end."

Watching Sun Chi and his party gradually go away on the official road, turning into small dots and disappearing at the end of the road, Jia Cong sighed and turned his horse back to the city. (End of this chapter)