Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Jinling, Zhen Mansion, Yuhe Hall.

Old Lady Zhen smiled happily and asked Jia Cong about the daily affairs of the Jia family in the capital, as well as Lady Jia's recent situation.

Seeing that the old lady was in a chatty mood, Jia Cong told her some light-hearted and funny stories about the Jia family.

Although the eldest wife of the Zhen family had some private thoughts about Jia Cong's affairs, when she saw that the old lady and Jia Cong were chatting intimately, she also interrupted to ask a few questions.

Even the usually silent Second Wife of the Zhen family asked Jia Cong a few questions about his age and the growth of his parents.

Although Jia Cong responded to all the questions one by one, he couldn't help feeling strange in his heart. This scene was a bit like a blind date...

At this time, he did not know that Zhen Yingjia had already written a letter to Jia Zheng, in which he mentioned their idea of ​​marriage with Miss Zhen San.

Old Lady Zhen saw that he was facing a room full of noble ladies, responding appropriately and behaving calmly. Although he was young, his bearing and demeanor were truly outstanding.

At her age, she has seen a lot of people and is well versed in the ways of the world. She knows that although it is rare to be born with good looks, it is even more rare to have such demeanor at such a young age.

And Jia Cong was able to easily bring Zhen Shiwen out of the Jinyiwei. His knowledge and ability in navigating official circles made her look at this young man in a different light.

Madam Zhen smiled and said, "I have heard that my brother is an outstanding person. Now that I have met him, he is even more outstanding than he was famous for. Madam Jia is so lucky to have raised such an outstanding grandchild."

Jia Cong replied, "Madam, you are too kind. After arriving in Jinling, Jia Cong received a letter from home asking me to come to the Madam's house to celebrate her birthday on behalf of the elders of my family.

It’s just that after arriving in Jinling, I was busy with official duties and was unable to visit you earlier. I hope Madam will not be offended.”

Madam Zhen smiled and said, "It is natural for young men to be busy with official business. There is nothing strange about it.

The Zhen and Jia families are aristocratic families in Jinling. When your grandmother and I were young, we were only close friends. I haven't seen her for fifty years since she went to the capital.

Now that I know she has a grandchild like you, I am happy for her. When you come to the Zhen family, it is like coming to your own home. Don't be an outsider."

Madam Zhen introduced the women of the Zhen family present to Jia Cong, and then she saw Lingguan, who was following behind Jia Cong and was pretty and lovely, and she became curious.

He asked, "Brother Cong, I have never seen this girl before?"

Jia Cong was slightly stunned and didn't know how to explain Lingguan's identity for a moment.

However, Zhen Fangqing knew in her heart that Jia Cong was particularly caring towards Lingguan, and that Lingguan looked very much like Miss Lin from the Jia family...

Besides, it was she who invited Lingguan, so naturally she had to go out to help and cover up the situation.

Then he smiled and said to the lady-in-waiting, "This Miss Lingguan is a member of the family of the old house in Xinglongfang. I met her when I went to thank Yuzhang that day and I liked her very much. I asked Yuzhang to bring her here to play."

When Old Lady Zhen heard this, she thought Lingguan was just a concubine of the Jia family in Jinling, and she did not suspect anything, so she said, "Since this is the case, we are all old sisters, you should treat her well.

Then he smiled and said, "Brother Cong has also come to pay his respects. It's a rare opportunity for him to come to the Zhen family. Qing'er will take them to stroll around the garden and have a chat. Please help me fulfill my duties as a good host.

Don't stay together with us old people, it will bore the young people. I will ask the maid to call you when the birthday banquet starts."

Zhen Fangqing agreed with a smile and was about to leave with Jia Cong and Lingguan.

……

When Jia Cong left, he greeted Zhang Youpeng again and said, "Mr. Zhang, a long time ago, before I left Beijing, I went to Huaxi Village to pay a visit to you. Unfortunately, you were visiting friends in the south, so I didn't get to see you."

Zhang Youpeng smiled and said, "I just returned from visiting a friend in Hangzhou. I will stay in Jinling for a while. I am now staying in Fushou Lane in the north of the city. If you have time, Mr. Jia, you can come to Fushou Lane to talk. When you go there, just say my name and you will find my residence."

Jia Cong was just about to invite Zhang Youpeng to Yangzhou, and this was exactly what he wanted to hear. He quickly replied, "I will definitely pay you a visit, sir."

……

In the Zhen family garden, Zhen Fangqing asked curiously, "Yuzhang, do you know Mr. Zhang?"

Jia Cong replied: "Mr. Zhang is a famous doctor in Shenjing. He once cured the injury of a friend of mine. I didn't expect to see him in your house. Are Mr. Zhang and the Zhen family old friends?"

Zhen Fangqing replied: "Mr. Zhang is the benefactor of my family. The old lady highly respects him. I heard from my mother that the old man passed away fifteen years ago and the old lady also became seriously ill.

At that time, Mr. Zhang was practicing medicine in Jinling and was familiar with my father, so he was invited to diagnose the old lady. Fortunately, it was thanks to Mr. Zhang's miraculous hands that the old lady escaped the disaster.

Five years ago, my father died at sea. My mother was so worried that she fell ill and was bedridden, dying. It was Mr. Zhang who happened to be a medical practitioner in Nanjing and saved my mother’s life with his medical skills.

Mr. Zhang saved two generations of the Zhen family, so the old lady was very grateful to him. Whenever he came to Jinling, she would invite him to the inner house to meet him, to show the close relationship between the two families. "

After hearing the story, Jia Cong was thoughtful. He originally thought that Zhang Youpeng was just a famous doctor with superb medical skills, but he did not expect that he had such a deep connection with the Zhen family of Jinling.

It sounds like whenever something unexpected happens to the Zhen family, Zhang Youpeng seems to be in Jinling.

But this was just a thought that popped up in Jia Cong's mind subconsciously after listening to Zhen Fangqing's story. In fact, there was no logic at all, so he didn't take it too seriously.

……

Zhen Fangqing suddenly said: "Yu Zhang, I know that Xinchunhao is your property. In the past two years, I have been paying attention to Xinchunhao's incense trade route in Jiangnan.

At present, all kinds of incense products produced by Xinchunhao are not only sold in the six prefectures and one state in Jiangnan.

I heard from merchants traveling between the north and the south that they could see traces of the expansion of the Xinchunhao trade route both in Liaodong in the north and in Guangdong in the south.

I think within a year at most, Xinchunhao will have a solid foundation and become a leader among the imperial merchants of the Imperial Household Department of the Great Zhou Dynasty."

Jia Cong was a little surprised when he heard her suddenly talk about the development of Xinchun's business routes.

However, it is widely rumored in Jinling City that this Miss Zhen San is smart and capable, and a genius in business, which is true.

Her prediction of Xinchunhao's development was also very accurate.

When Xinchunhao was first included in the list of imperial merchants of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, it only had one Xiuniang Incense Shop in Shenjing, and the annual profit of the incense shop reached 50,000 taels.

Jia Cong once promised Emperor Jia Zhao that after Xinchunhao entered the Imperial Household Department, it would take three years to establish trade routes and become an imperial merchant with an annual profit of 500,000 taels.

Now, two years have passed. During these two years, Xinchunhao's incense business has reached saturation in six prefectures and one state in the south of the Yangtze River, and its business tentacles have spread north and south.

It spread to the entire territory of the Great Zhou at a steady and powerful speed.

Liaodong Xinchun Branch has become a leader among all branches in the country. In the 3,000-mile land outside the Great Wall, the scale of Liaodong Branch is expanding rapidly.

Jia Cong had carefully calculated with Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing, and they all believed that within the next half year, Xinchunhao would be able to achieve its promised annual profit of 500,000 taels.

However, he would have some reservations about this early progress with Emperor Jia Zhao. Facing this suspicious and scheming emperor, Jia Cong would still be fully prepared to deal with him. (End of this chapter)