Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 406: Matchmaker

Shenjing, Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

Yesterday, Jia Zheng and his mother discussed the letter from the Zhen family.

Since Rongqing Hall had never been able to keep secrets, the news spread throughout the Rongguo Mansion in less than half a day.

Jia She was busy with business outside and socializing with wine and women. He only cared about his own pleasure and was indifferent to the affairs of the family.

Mrs. Xing tried not to go to Rongqingtang as much as possible on a daily basis, and just lived in the east courtyard of her one-third acre of land, acting like her own local tyrant.

Therefore, Mrs. Xing didn't hear about the letter from the Zhen family until the next day, and she couldn't help feeling ashamed and angry.

Ever since she married into the Jia family, she knew that her master had suffered a great loss because of Jia Cong and his mother.

When that woman gave birth to a son, the old man became so angry that he fell ill.

Before the old man died, I don’t know whether it was because he was extremely disgusted with his master or for some other reason.

He actually divided the hereditary title into two.

His master, although the eldest son, only inherited an empty title and was sent to live in the East Courtyard.

The huge Rongguo Mansion and the noble property were all occupied by the second branch.

In the final analysis, it was all caused by Jia Cong, the unlucky guy.

Therefore, she had always disliked this bastard to the core, and would humiliate him whenever she got the chance since he was a child.

But no one expected that this unlucky star would have a turn for the better and now has earned a large fortune.

Mrs. Xing forgot how she had humiliated others in the past, but she never forgot that she was the legitimate mother of the current Earl of Weiyuan.

……

However, ever since Jia Cong moved to the West Mansion, he never set foot in the East Courtyard except during the New Year and other festivals.

Grandmother Jia never said anything about this matter.

Perhaps he knew that the father and son were at odds with each other, and it was better to have less trouble than more, so he acquiesced helplessly.

Therefore, although Mrs. Xing was angry, she could do nothing about it and did not dare to find an excuse to get angry.

Now, I heard that the Zhen family in Jinling had set their eyes on Jia Cong and wanted to discuss a marriage with the Jia family. Instead of looking for her own master, she wrote directly to the second branch. This was simply too much.

You should know that you and the eldest master are the legitimate parents of that evil creature.

Mrs. Xing couldn't swallow this humiliation, so she hurried to find Jia She and tell him about it.

By provoking her own master, she could vent her anger at the same time. Besides, she had her own plans...

……

She hurried into Jia She's study and saw her master playing with a newly acquired antique fan.

He stepped forward and told him what he had heard about the Zhen family, adding fuel to the fire.

When Jia She heard this, he became furious and almost tore the priceless ancient fan in his hand into pieces.

He roared angrily, "The Zhen family of Jinling is really going too far. I am the Lord of Rongguo Mansion, the Patriarch of the Jia family of Shenjing, and the biological father of that evil creature!"

Mrs. Xing fanned the flames: "Master is right, the parents' orders and the matchmaker's words are the truth.

That boy’s marriage is only decided by the master!

Second Uncle was really ignorant. After receiving the letter from the Zhen family in Jinling, he should have discussed the matter with the master first. How could he hide it from the master and go directly to discuss it with the old lady?

If the people in the mansion see this, what will happen to the master? "

Seeing that Jia She was so angry that his face had turned red and his breathing was heavy, Mrs. Xing felt that the situation had reached a point where she should stop talking and avoid making her own master angry, which would be difficult to deal with.

She slowed down her tone and said, "As for Cong's marriage, only the master is qualified to make the decision.

They want to arrange this boy's marriage without the master's knowledge, but that is absolutely impossible!

Since they can arrange a marriage for him, the master is his real father, so he can't arrange a marriage for his own son himself."

When Jia She heard this, his eyes lit up and he said, "Madam, what you said makes sense. I am his father and I am arranging a marriage for my son. Who can say no?"

I socialize outside every day, and I know a lot of high-ranking officials in the capital. It shouldn't be too difficult to find a daughter of an official for this boy."

Mrs. Xing said, "If the master really finds him a daughter of an official family, then this marriage will not be of any benefit to the master."

After hearing this, Jia She was puzzled and asked, "What does Madam mean by this?"

Madam Xing said, “All women from noble families and officials have very serious thoughts.

Once she has secured the position of Countess with the help of the master, if he asks her too many questions, she will be like a Countess, and she will no longer care about the master and will only care about her own dignity in the family.

Besides, your son is now a powerful figure and has moved out of the house and settled down on his own.

The future daughter-in-law of an official, after entering the Jia family, will only be concerned about the status of her earl's mansion. How can she remember the kindness of her master and still care about him?

Master, I am not saying this in vain. There is already a similar thing happening in our family.

Lian'er's daughter-in-law is from the Wang family of Jinling, a real family of officials.

You see, after she got married, she saw that the second wife was gaining power in the eyes of the old lady, so she devoted all her attention to helping the second wife manage the household. She didn't have the master or me in her eyes at all.

Because of this, many people in Shenjing City are laughing at this."

Mrs. Xing said this with some gnashing of teeth, as she had always disliked Wang Xifeng's behavior.

What's more important is that Mrs. Xing herself came from a humble family, and her parents' family was not a respectable and high-ranking family, otherwise she would not have become someone's concubine.

This is her lifelong knot and inferiority complex. Since she doesn't have it, she is naturally jealous of others who have it.

……

After hearing this, Jia She's anger rose again. What his wife said was absolutely right. Lian'er's daughter-in-law was a person who changed with the wind.

He would beat and scold Jia Lian at any time, probably because he had no way to deal with his daughter-in-law and could only take it out on his son.

None of these women from aristocratic families are easy to deal with. Not to mention their own daughters-in-law, even the one their brothers married is a character with a hypocritical heart and a sweet mouth.

"Madam, what you said makes sense. Even if I find him a noble lady, that boy may not necessarily remember my kindness. Humph!"

"Madam, if you say so, you have a suitable girl in mind, you can bring her out and talk about it."

Mrs. Xing had been talking for a while and her mouth was dry. She was just waiting for her master to say this.

She breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile, "I have an excellent girl in my mind, my brother's only daughter Xiuyan.

This child has been a beauty since she was young, she is literate, well-educated and well-mannered, she is the perfect candidate, if she is promised to Congge, it will be a match made in heaven."

Jia She's face froze, and he said, "A match made in heaven? Although he doesn't need to be paired with a noble lady, there must be an official in the family.

This guy is an earl after all, and your brother is a commoner, they are too incompatible, how can this work? "Although Mrs. Xing was prepared, she still blushed when she heard this.

To put it bluntly, she was only thinking about her mother's family. That boy was a hereditary earl, and she wanted to take advantage of him.

But this niece is the only outstanding one in her family. Except for her insufficient family background, she is not inferior to others in other aspects and can be shown off.

Mrs. Xing said with a stiff upper lip: "Although your consideration is reasonable, it also has some unexpected aspects.

Although my brother is a commoner, Xiuyan is the daughter of an honest family. Moreover, my brother listens to me in everything, let alone Xiuyan. Naturally, as her aunt, I have the final say in everything.

Master, think about it, even if you find a girl whose family has an official position, she will not have the same benefits as Xiu Yan.

If she became the mistress of the Earl's Mansion, she would have no family to support her, so she would still rely on me and the master for everything. The master is considered to be half of the Earl's Mansion.

At that time, Xiu Yan will be his bedside companion, and no matter how stubborn that boy is, he has to give face to the master and me."

After listening to Mrs. Xing's persuasion, Jia She found it extremely reasonable. A common girl could actually have such benefits.

Since his wife had said this, Jia She no longer had any concerns about the Xing family being unworthy of Jia Cong because they did not have official positions.

The Earl's Mansion has a large amount of royal property, and Jia She has long been jealous of it.

As long as Jia Cong marries Xiu Yan, it will be beneficial to him in the future. It will also allow him to have a say in the Earl's Mansion, and then nothing will be a problem.

……

Jinling, the Ministry of War in the secondary capital.

Liu Yongfu, the head of the Ministry of War, entered the official residence of the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War with a document.

Seeing Zhang Kangnian working on official documents at his desk, he put the documents in his hand on the desk.

Seeing that Zhang Kangnian was concentrating on reading official documents, he did not speak so as not to disturb his superior, but just stood respectfully by his side.

Although Zhang Kangnian had only been in the Ministry of War for a year or so, because the Left Vice Minister He Yongzheng was in a semi-retired state, Zhang Kangnian became the de facto chief officer as soon as he entered the Ministry of War in the Temporary Capital.

He is a man of deep cunning and has a lot of skills in handling matters.

In recent months, the Ministry of War in the temporary capital has been busy and risky.

Zhou Zhengyang, the commander of Jinling Jinyiwei, colluded with officials in Shenjing, stole the interrogation information of Dali Temple, disobeyed the order, and fled for fear of punishment.

The Ministry of War, which was in charge of the military affairs of the six states and one prefecture in the south of the Yangtze River, suffered another devastating blow after the attack on Zou Huaiyi, the Water Conservancy Commissioner.

At this critical moment, Zhang Kangnian, who had only been in office for a year, demonstrated his outstanding management ability in the face of major events.

Yang Hongbin, the left chief of Dali Temple, went to Nanjing to capture Zhou Zhengyang but failed, and was caught in a dilemma.

Zhang Kangnian promptly informed the Jinling Commandery, which set up checkpoints in cities around Jinling to make arrests. He also coordinated with the Jinyiwei and Yingtian Prefecture to conduct a large-scale search in Jinling city.

He also supervised the transfer of a thousand guards into the city to guard the Jinling Guard camp where their chief officer had gone missing. Everything was arranged clearly and without any mistakes.

Compared to the Jinling Commandery, which was helpless in the face of the defection of the commander of the Jinling Guard, Zhang Kangnian's calmness and strategic planning seemed surprisingly brilliant!
……

Especially after Zhou Zhengyang escaped, seven civil and military officials in Jinling City were killed almost overnight, shocking the entire Jinling officialdom and making everyone feel insecure.

Among the seven officials who were killed, five were middle-level military officers of the Jinling Guard, which further stimulated the already turbulent Jinling Guard and put it into a huge crisis of mutiny in the camp.

Even if the Ministry of War had mobilized a thousand guards from other states to enter the city for security, it would probably be difficult to control the situation.

At this critical moment, it was Zhang Kangnian who entered the Jinling Guard camp alone. Relying on the prestige he had accumulated in the Jiangnan Guard, he successfully suppressed the Jinling Guard and prevented a dangerous mutiny.

After Zhou Zhengyang's incident, the Jinling Commandery, which directly governed the Jiangnan Guards, lost its luster. However, Zhang Kangnian seemed to be assisted by God. He took every step on point and turned the tide in everything!
The Zhou Zhengyang incident dealt a heavy blow to the Jinling Command, but it also caused Zhang Kangnian's prestige in the military department of the secondary capital to rise rapidly.

In comparison, black and white are separated, and the good and the bad are clearly distinguished.

In addition, he has extensive military experience and is related to the current King of Zhao by marriage.

Whether it is personal talent or official background, he can be said to be blessed.

Therefore, after Zhou Zhengyang's incident, the entire Jinling officialdom was walking on thin ice, but Zhang Kangnian took all the power of the Ministry of War in the temporary capital into his hands!
There were even rumors in the Jinling officialdom that the current emperor praised his powerful actions to clean up the situation after the incident.

Many people predicted that Zhang Kangnian, who had only been in office as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War for a little over a year, would likely have another opportunity for promotion.

……

Officials at all levels in the Temporary Capital's Military Department were in awe of this superior who had only been in office for a short time but was extremely resourceful and scheming.

Liu Yongfu waited until Zhang Kangnian had read the document before stepping forward and saying:

"Master Zhang, this is the training record of the Suzhou and Songjiang artillery troops, signed by Master Jia, the Director of the Firearms Department. Please review it."

Zhang Kangnian asked, "What is the Firearms Department's assessment of the progress of the training? When will the two artillery guards complete their training and be able to officially deploy their artillery to defend the Jiangbei area? The Jinling Commandery sent someone to inquire yesterday."

Liu Yongfu replied, "I have asked the artillery instructor of the Firearms Department, and he said that it will take another half month of training before the two artillery guards can set out and transport the artillery to the garrison."

Zhang Kangnian asked again, "Master Liu, your brother works in the Ministry of Rites in Shenjing. Do you have any news about the matter I asked you to inquire about?"

Liu Yongfu smiled and said, "I dare not neglect what Master Zhang has ordered. Yesterday I received a letter from my brother, and I have already found out what Master Zhang wanted to know.

The year has come for the replacement of the entertainers in the Shenjing Jiaofang Bureau. Some of the entertainers are getting older and are no longer suitable for playing and singing. According to the usual practice, the Ministry of Rites will select them from the wives of convicted officials or purchase them from the public.

The places where the female musicians were purchased were all in the Jiangnan area where music was flourishing. Since Du Qingniang, the pipa instructor of the Jiaofangsi, was a famous music master in Jiangnan, the Ministry of Rites entrusted her with the responsibility of purchasing in Jiangnan.

Coach Du sent three capable musicians to Yangzhou, Jinling and Hangzhou respectively to select the best local musicians.

Among the three Le Niangs who went out of Beijing for business, the one who went to Yangzhou was called Wang Ke, the one who went to Nanjing was called Zhou Yun, and the one who went far to Hangzhou Prefecture was called Bi Wanzhen.

Liu Yongfu saw that Zhang Kangnian's face was as gloomy as water, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry, but there was a thoughtful expression on his face.

Liu Yongfu's parents and brother are all in Shenjing. He has always wanted to be transferred to Shenjing to be an official, but such a thing is almost impossible without a solid official background.

But the Lord Zhang in front of him was no ordinary person. Many people in the Ministry of War in the secondary capital knew that Zhang Kangnian and the former King of Zhao were relatives by marriage and had a very close relationship.

Liu Yongfu was so enthusiastic in running around for Zhang Kangnian's private affairs because he wanted to establish a good relationship with this superior, so that he could use him as a bridge to follow the path of King Zhao and be transferred back to Shenjing to be an official one day.

Now seeing the look of doubt on Zhang Kangnian's face, he, who had always been quick-witted, naturally wanted to show his goodwill and flattery.

He asked, "Your Excellency is asking about the music and dance of the Jiaofang Bureau. I wonder what difficulties you have. Perhaps I can help you solve your problems."

Zhang Kangnian smiled faintly and said, "It's not a big deal. I have a distant relative who I haven't contacted for many years. I heard a few days ago that he passed away. Because his family fell into poverty, his only daughter fell into the music bureau.

I recently heard that this person would go to Jiangnan on business, so I asked Lord Liu to inquire about this matter. If she really went to Jiangnan, as an elder, I would like to take care of her and fulfill the obligation of an old friend. "

Liu Yongfu smiled and said, "Your Excellency is kind-hearted and I admire you very much. Among the three women I mentioned just now, there may be your juniors among them."

Zhang Kangnian seemed a little disappointed and said, "These three people are not my distant relatives, which is a pity. Maybe the news I heard was wrong."

But I still want to thank Lord Liu for his help. I know that Lord Liu's parents are in Shenjing. I will write to King Zhao and ask him to help Lord Liu if there is a vacancy in Shenjing."

After hearing this, Liu Yongfu was overjoyed. He felt that this superior was really considerate of the people below him. He had only done a little thing, but he could get such a reward in return.

Zhang Kangnian sent away Liu Yongfu, who was thanking him profusely, and walked slowly in the official residence, his eyes cold and deep, muttering: "Du Qingniang, Zhou Yun..."

(End of this chapter)