Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 408: Dark Heart and Dark Eyebrows

Zhen Shiwen thought about how he had been interfering in the family business on behalf of the eldest wife over the past few years, but his cousin had remained silent.

Even though he placed his confidants in the store and the fleet, his cousin didn't say a word.

I originally thought that she was just a girl after all, and although she was always smart, she was just that smart.

When meeting the eldest grandson of the Zhen family, he was somewhat cautious and tolerant.

I didn't expect that she would just keep it to herself, but once she got into trouble and was at a disadvantage, she would take swift action.

The withdrawal of store dividends and surplus silver was approved by the old lady in the mansion;

The purpose of reorganizing the fleet personnel is to replace the old with the new and eliminate mediocre ones.

These actions are all daily business methods.

Although everything she did might be detrimental to the eldest wife secretly, there was nothing wrong with it on the surface.

This left Zhen Shiwen helpless and feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.

Moreover, the old lady still dotes on the third sister very much and is currently preparing to arrange a marriage for her with the Jia family in Shenjing.

In order to accumulate family wealth, his father also strongly agreed with this matter and even wrote a special letter to Jia Zheng of Rongguo Mansion.

If the third sister gets engaged to that Earl of Weiyuan, it will be of great benefit to the entire Zhen family.

Now that the third sister has taken advantage of this momentum, everyone in the family has to give her some leeway.

I am under house arrest for committing a crime, and there is no way I can argue with her. The only way to have peace of mind is when she gets married soon...

……

Zhen Shiwen was feeling depressed, but Chen Xun said, "Third Master, the other party who stored the fine iron in Haiyun Pavilion came to the store once, but did not take anything away at that time.

He said there were a few new faces around our store, and things were not peaceful outside recently, so he was afraid something might happen, so he would not come to pick up the goods for the time being. "

After hearing this, Zhen Shiwen's expression changed slightly...

……

Chen Xun continued, "There is another thing. Yesterday, Jia Yucun, the prefect of Yingtian, sent his trusted family members to return the gift we sent.

It is said that in the case of the Liuhe man, the government office has found new evidence to prove that he is not guilty.

The person was released yesterday, and we can no longer take over the shop on Honglin Street."

Zhen Shiwen was already in a very unhappy mood after hearing a bunch of bad news, and now this one happened again, and he couldn't suppress his anger.

"What's wrong with Jia Yucun? He clearly took the money from me, but he actually went back on his word!"

A few days ago, Zhen Shiwen took a fancy to a prosperous shop on Honglin Street. Its location was no worse than the five old shops of the Zhen family, and the owner was just a man from Liuhe with no family background.

The owner of the Zhen family shop was his second uncle Zhen Yingquan, and now it is also managed by his cousin. If he wants to own it in the future, he has to wait until his cousin gets married.

Zhen Shiwen was looking to open a good shop so that it would be more convenient for him to do things in the future, so he decided to buy it.

But the shop owner refused to sell the item, so Zhen Shiwen asked a middleman to talk to him.

The shop owner, concerned about the middleman's reputation and unwilling to sell his property, raised the price of the shop to three times the market price, forcing Zhen Shiwen to back down.

This was a great loss of face for the Second Young Master Zhen. As the eldest son of the Zhen family in Jinling, he was troubled by a rogue citizen with no roots in the world. He could not tolerate this.

Later, it was Chen Xun who came up with an idea. He found a crime for the shop owner and used money to instigate others to sue him.

He also gave bribes to Jia Yucun, the prefect of Yingtian, and had the shop owner arrested and put in jail.

He was just waiting for the charges to be determined and was about to auction off the shop at a low price, but he didn't expect Jia Yucun to change his mind halfway.

Chen Xun said, "I also felt that this matter was a little strange, so I found a doorman who often followed Jia Yucun in and out, and used some money to get some information out of him.

He said that Jia Yucun had received a letter the day before. After reading the contents of the letter, his face became very ugly. Then he called the military officer from the government office and discussed with him in the room for a long time.

Less than two days later, the Liuhe man was suddenly found not guilty and released on the spot.

Third Master, it seems that it was this letter that made Jia Yucun change his mind. The person who wrote the letter must be extremely powerful, able to make the prefect of Yingtian bow down to him.

I didn't expect this Liuhe guy to have such a connection. I checked it out before and found that this guy obviously has no family background. I don't know how this letter came up."

Although the Zhen family is the most prominent family in Jinling and has great power and influence, they have not gone so far as to question the prefect of Yingtian.

What's more, they even returned the gift money, which clearly shows that they can't get the job done.

And that strange letter must have a very important origin. It can make the prefect of Yingtian suffer a setback, and it can also cause the Zhen family to run into trouble.

Zhen Shiwen felt that he had been unlucky recently and everything was going wrong, but there was nothing he could do about it.

……

Jinling, Gongyu Street, Qingyin Pavilion.

In the elegant room on the third floor, incense was burning in a white porcelain incense burner, and the milky white smoke was lingering and swirling, refreshing the heart.

Zou Min'er wore a green satin jacket with a pattern of plum blossoms, a white collarless chiffon lining, and a long pink and white skirt embroidered with plum branches. The long skirt covered her azure embroidered shoes.

She glanced at Jia Cong, who was sitting opposite her and reading the latest news from the China Railway Corporation.

She discovered that when he was concentrating, he would reveal a calmness and steadiness that was totally inconsistent with his age, as if he was not a youthful boy, but someone else she didn't know.

It is not surprising if you think about it carefully. At his age, he can do so many amazing things and climb to a high position that ordinary people of the same age can hardly reach. Naturally, he has his own uniqueness.

Originally, Jia Cong came to Qingyin Pavilion every one or two days and met Zou Miner in the private room on the third floor.

They will review the latest information from the China Railway Corporation, check the letters and reports sent back by the states along the river, and discuss the next countermeasures.

Afterwards, Jia Cong will pass the relevant information to Yang Hongbin of the Dali Temple to ensure that both parties can work together on related matters.

This kind of relationship between Jia Cong and Zou Min'er began on the second day Jia Cong arrived in Jinling.

But since the day Jia Cong learned that Mrs. Wu was missing, he came to Qingyin Pavilion every day.

When the Firearms Department was free from official duties, he would even go to the Qingyin Pavilion during office hours without fear of causing gossip in the official circles.

As Jia Cong came to Qingyin Pavilion more frequently, Zou Miner felt inexplicably at ease. Although she had some difficult knot in her heart, she had already gotten used to his presence.

She actually wanted to tell him that he didn't have to come every day, and that Mrs. Wu's disappearance didn't mean that she would be in trouble, but she said nothing.

Jia Cong came every day, and she would wait for him in the elegant room on the third floor, doing the things they did every day. Time would pass slowly, but also quickly.

It has been quite some time since he entered Nanjing, but Zhou Zhengyang's whereabouts are still unknown.

She searched for those who were guilty of the same crime as her father, but still had no clue.

So she is not afraid of anyone causing her trouble, because the trouble must be related to what she cares about.

If it happened, then it would likely lead to some discovery, and she would be one step closer to resolving the burning question in her heart.

She did not tell Jia Cong about her dangerous thoughts.

Not only did he come to Qingyin Pavilion every day, but he also brought four musketeers with him every time he came. These people would drink tea in the corner of the lobby. She believed that even if someone wanted to cause trouble for her, they would definitely stay away from her.

Jia Cong looked at the documents in his hand and said, "I will leave four musketeers with you to guard. If anything happens, you can take care of them."

Zou Miner's voice was soft and gentle, and she said, "There are only women in Qingyin Pavilion. I live in the backyard of Qingyin Pavilion, and all the ladies who perform in the pavilion live there.

The inner courtyard is guarded by strong women all the time, and men are not allowed to get close. It is useless to keep them here. Don't worry, I won't leave Qingyin Pavilion, and nothing will happen."

When Jia Cong left the elegant room, he saw Zou Min'er standing at the door to see him off. The old copper hairpin that she wore on her hair every day was reflecting a faint but clear copper light.

People were coming and going in the corridor. A tall maid happened to pass by and bowed to him gracefully.

During the day, Qingyin Pavilion is bustling with people. There are no uncouth people coming and going, and everyone who greets you is polite. It doesn't seem like a dangerous place.

Behind the railing of the corridor on the third floor, Zou Min'er watched Jia Cong's figure as he walked through the lobby and finally out the door. She still stood there in a daze.

……

Jinling, Ziyun Pavilion.

Tomorrow is August 28th, the birthday of the old lady of the Zhen family.

Jia Cong had already received a letter from Jia Zheng in the capital, asking him to visit the emperor on behalf of the Jia family to celebrate the birthday.

Yesterday, Zhen Fangqing personally wrote an invitation and asked Liu Xian to deliver it to the Jia family's old house in Xinglongfang, inviting Jia Cong to attend the old lady's birthday party, which was considered a thoughtful courtesy.

Moreover, Zhen Fangqing liked Lingguan very much, so she specifically asked Liu Xian to tell Jia Cong to bring Lingguan to the mansion to meet her in the back house of the Zhen mansion.

The birthday gift for Old Madam Zhen had already been prepared by Jin Cai, and was delivered to the Zhen Mansion by Jin Cai herself yesterday, so Jia Cong naturally didn't have to worry about it at all.

All Jia Cong needs to do is appear at Zhen Mansion on the 28th on behalf of the Jia family.

He went to Ziyun Pavilion today to buy a gift, but it had nothing to do with celebrating Old Madam Zhen's birthday.

Since Zhen Fangqing had brought a thank-you gift when he came to visit him last time, Jia Cong naturally had to return a gift as a gift.

Ziyun Pavilion is the most famous and expensive clothing store in Jinling City, selling all kinds of high-quality fabrics, ready-made clothes, accessories and jewelry.

It is also the signature shop of the Xue family in Jinling. Ever since Aunt Xue took Baochai and Xue Pan to the capital, Ziyun Pavilion has been handed over to the second master of the Xue family, the father of Xue Duo and Xue Baoqin.

Since the gift was for a girl, he naturally brought a female companion as an advisor, so Jia Cong brought Lingguan out.

Since arriving in Jinling, Lingguan has lived in the Jia Mansion in Xinglongfang and spent her daily days in the mansion. This is the first time that Jia Cong has taken her out to visit Jinling City.

So the little girl was in a very good mood, and it could be seen that she had taken care of her appearance before going out today.

She wore a cross-collared, double-breasted gown embroidered with magnolia flowers, a pink and white thin cotton lining, and a maroon horse-faced long skirt. She looked pretty and lifelike.

Although she was young, she had a background in drama and her walk and manners were gentle and charming. As soon as she entered Ziyun Pavilion, she attracted a lot of attention.

For women of this era, learning opera has many requirements. Not only do they have to practice voice and singing every day, but they also have to put on makeup and wear colorful clothes, walk with good posture, cultivate their energy and mind, and concentrate on creating rhythm.

These are extremely good ways to hone a woman's aesthetic taste, so all famous actors and actresses are mostly described as people with extraordinary temperament.

Although Lingguan was born in a poor family, she had been immersed in the opera troupe for many years. In addition, she had a great talent for opera, was naturally intelligent and insightful, and had a very good theatrical cultivation.

She had a good eye for aesthetics and soon helped Jia Cong pick out two sets of clothes and a set of jewelry.

The styles are all elegant and unique, but not extravagant or vulgar, which is exactly what Jia Cong likes. He thinks it is a wise decision to bring this girl out to buy women's things.

He also bought a pair of phoenix-tail earrings with gold-thread inlaid oriental pearls for Lingguan, and a Suzhou embroidered soft silk dress for Douguan.

She chose gifts for Qu Hongxiu and Keqing respectively, and picked out an exquisite gold hairpin with plum blossom pattern and kingfisher feathers from the store.

……

Jia Cong took Lingguan out of Ziyun Pavilion. After the carriage had traveled for a while, they saw soldiers and officials from the Yingtian Prefecture patrolling the streets in groups of three or five.

Jia Cong felt a little strange because there was no such situation on the road when he came here.

When we reached an intersection, we saw a large group of Jinyiwei setting up checkpoints and the atmosphere was a bit tense and solemn.

Among the Jinyiwei who were conducting the interrogation, there were also several strong women in official uniforms. They held portraits in their hands and identified and compared the women in passing carriages and pedestrians.

Jia Cong knew that these strong women were female yamen runners of the Yingtian Prefecture Yamen, and were generally used to manage and escort female prisoners. Often due to the differences between men and women, they would also do yamen duties involving women and children.

Among the Jinyiwei who were setting up checkpoints, Jia Cong also saw an acquaintance, Liu Yong, the captain of the Jinling Jinyiwei's Qianhu Division.

As soon as Jia Cong's carriage approached the checkpoint, several Jinyiwei and a female yamen came forward for inspection.

Jia Cong was confused, so he asked Jiang Liu to invite Liu Yong over to talk.

Liu Yong and Jia Cong had known each other for many years. Knowing that his carriage had arrived at the checkpoint, they hurried over.

When Jia Cong saw Liu Yong, he asked, "Brother Liu, what happened? Why do you suddenly have to set up a checkpoint?"

Liu Yong waved away the Jinyiwei who were about to interrogate him and said, "Master Jia, you may not know that the Songjiang Jinyiwei sent a letter this morning saying that the Japanese pirates under Liu Ao attacked the Songjiang Guard and are currently fighting with the guards."

Jia Cong was shocked when he heard this, because he didn't know Liu Ao before he came to Jinling.

However, due to the Zhou Zhengyang case, Zhang Kangnian, the former assistant of the Jinling Military Command, was suspicious. He had served in the Jinling Military Command for many years and had many trusted friends in the Jiangnan Guard.

Jia Cong and Zou Min'er were concerned about Zhang Kangnian's special identity and could not find any concrete evidence on him, so they asked the Royal Chariot Division to collect the detailed resumes of all military officers above the fourth rank in the Jiangnan Guard.

I hope to find some clues related to Zhang Kangnian among these middle and high-level military officers of the guards.

He had seen Liu Ao's name many times in the resumes of Luo Xiong, the commander of Suzhou Guard, and Du Quan, the commander of Songjiang Guard.

That's because in recent years, the Japanese ronin warriors under Liu Ao have repeatedly harassed Songjiang Guard and Suzhou Guard, looted the towns and villages around the two places, and fought many fierce battles with the soldiers of the two guards.

Although Liu Ao had a large number of Japanese pirates under his command, he was not a Japanese, but a member of the Da Zhou clan with a pure bloodline.

It is said that Liu Ao's ancestral home is Quanzhou, Fujian. The Liu family has been a great pirate in the East China Sea for generations, and their history can be traced back to the founding of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

When the Liu family's pirate power was at its peak, they gathered tens of thousands of pirates and roamed the southeastern coast of the Great Zhou. The Great Zhou government forces sent large numbers of naval forces to encircle and suppress them several times, but all failed.

When the current Emperor Jiazhao implemented maritime policy and reopened maritime trade with various countries, foreign maritime merchants also made every effort to resist the rampant sea pirates for the sake of their business safety.

Under the pressure of various forces, the Liu family's pirate power has shrunk and is no longer as prosperous and arrogant as it was more than a decade ago.

But after Liu Ao took over power from his father and brother, the situation changed again.

It is said that when Liu Ao was young, he envied the prosperity of the south of the Yangtze River. With the arrangement of his father and brother, he went ashore in the coastal area under a pseudonym and studied under a famous teacher in Jinling.

Fifteen years ago, he suddenly left the mainland and returned to the island to take over the Liu family's business.

He was a man of great literary talent, and his vision and cunning were much more profound and sinister than those of his family members who were only interested in gathering together and looting.

Since he took over the power of the Liu family, he has recruited many Japanese ronin samurai who were stranded on the sea due to the internal strife of the Japanese shogunate.

With the joining of these powerful Japanese ronin warriors, the Liu family's pirate forces finally flourished again.

In the past four or five years, the Japanese pirates who harassed the prefectures where the Yangtze River flows into the sea have been inextricably linked to Liu Ao's forces.

Therefore, Jia Cong was not surprised that Liu Ao's forces harassed Songjiang Wei.

However, Songjiang Wei was hundreds of miles away from Jinling, and was harassed by Japanese pirates under Liu Hai. Why did the yamen soldiers patrol the streets in Jinling and the Jinyiwei set up checkpoints for strict inspection?
(End of this chapter)