Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Du Family Farm, on the eastern outskirts of Jinling City.

There is a bright red sunset in the west and lush grass on the hillside.

A horse-drawn carriage drove out of the farm, along the gentle slope of the mountain, and sped towards the official road at the bottom of the slope.

The driver was a young man wearing a short coat and a felt hat with the brim pulled down so low that his face could not be seen clearly.

The car was on the official road, and a woman's clear and beautiful voice was heard from inside the car. It was pretty and crisp, and sounded unusually intimate and pleasant to the ears.

"Brother Cong, when are you going to Gusu?"

"Luo Xiong is in collusion with Zhou Zhengyang. He is the commander of Suzhou Guards and has over a thousand soldiers under his command. It would be very dangerous if you want to capture him from him."

"Would you like me to go down to Gusu with you? I can still help you."

The young man driving the car pushed up the brim of his hat, revealing a handsome face. It was Jia Cong.

He lowered his voice slightly and said with a smile: "Sister Xiu, you are now the head shopkeeper of Xinchunhao, so you can't use a knife like before. You just need to look after the business in Jinling.

You don't have to worry about me. I have deployed a lot of people in Gusu and made proper arrangements. I will head over there as soon as I get news from there in the next two days.

Even if I can't capture Zhou Zhengyang this time, I have a way to escape unscathed, and there won't be any danger."

……

Ever since Jia Cong left Mingze Lane that day, he asked Jiang Liu to take the memorial to the capital urgently, and even let Jiang Liu take half of the guards around him away.

This farm in the east of the city hides his crucial support for entering Nanjing.

The relationship between Luo Xiong and Zhou Zhengyang has been confirmed, and the situation has become somewhat serious.

Luo Xiong was once Zhang Kangnian's subordinate and succeeded Zhang Kangnian as the commander of Suzhou Guard. The two had an unusual relationship.

No one can be sure whether Du Hengxin, as Luo Xiong's direct superior, was really unaware of the fact that Luo Xiong was shielding Zhou Zhengyang.

Jia Cong has always been deeply suspicious of Zhang Kangnian, but after many investigations, he has never found any concrete evidence.

After Du Hengxin entered his field of vision, he also felt that this person had a deep and unpredictable background, and it was difficult to distinguish between good and evil.

The two men held important positions in Jinling, and their spies and power should not be underestimated.

At this juncture, it is uncertain where the risks will come from. The more this is the case, the more important it is to protect your own cards.

So after Jiang Liu left, he would rather drive himself than have another person go in and out of the farm to avoid leaking the news.

……

Because a batch of food and supplies had recently been transported through the Xinchun channel, Jia Cong and Qu Hongxiu came over to make arrangements before driving away together.

The carriage sped along the official road. Qu Hongxiu lifted the curtain and watched the scenery outside the carriage rapidly receding. The air was filled with the fragrance of trees and grass in the suburbs.

She glanced at Jia Cong, who was driving the carriage in a felt hat, and her mood became cheerful and soft.

Since she arrived in Jinling, they had seldom been alone together like this.

When Jia Cong was studying at Qingshan Academy, he would go to her courtyard every other day. The two practiced martial arts and talked together, discussed business together, and were very close to each other.

At that time, life was plain and fulfilling, and she didn't feel much unusual joy or sweetness. She thought it was natural to be that way.

Only when Qu Hongxiu recalled it now did she realize that those were the days she missed the most and what she wanted the most.

Before the carriage reached the city gate, there was a sudden thunder in the sky and heavy rain began to fall in an instant.

Qu Hongxiu shouted from inside the car: "Brother Cong, the rain is too heavy, come in and take shelter."

Jia Cong quickly parked the car under a banyan tree on the side of the road, got up and got into the car. Although it was only a short while, most of his clothes were already wet.

There was no change of clothes in the car, and the wet clothes stuck to his body, making Jia Cong feel cold.

However, there was not much space in the carriage, and he was afraid that the water stains on his body would wet Qu Hongxiu, so he just leaned in a corner of the carriage, listening to the heavy and dense rain outside.

Suddenly a hand reached out, and Qu Hongxiu took out the handkerchief and carefully wiped the rain off his face and hair.

The expression on her face was focused and serious, with a hint of pampering and love, and a faint smile on the corner of her mouth.

Although the two were used to whispering to each other during their usual practice, it was different from the current situation.

The two of them got closer, and Jia Cong could clearly see her rosy and soft lips, her delicate and straight nose, her jade-like cheeks, and her bright and beautiful eyes.

Her figure is slightly graceful and slender, and her hair is fragrant...

In Jia Cong's eyes, Qu Hongxiu has always been heroic, clear-headed and decisive.

Although she is a woman, she never needs protection or care from others. With her sharp scimitar, she can conquer the world by herself.

Perhaps it was because the rain outside was too heavy, leaving Jia Cong with nowhere to hide, or perhaps it was because the carriage was too narrow, making the two of them too close.

Jia Cong had never felt it so strongly and clearly as he did today. Her girlish beauty and tenderness hidden beneath her heroic spirit were so breathtaking.

Qu Hongxiu noticed that Jia Cong was staring at her, and the atmosphere in the carriage became a little strange.

In fact, the two of them had been close to each other during their daily practice, but the current situation was very different.

Qu Hongxiu did not avoid Jia Cong's gaze, and continued to help him wipe the rain off. She let him stare at her in a daze, but her face became redder and redder.

She said quietly, "This time when you go to Gusu, as long as you catch Zhou Zhengyang, your mission in Jinling will be completed. I don't know when you will come to Jinling next time."

Jia Cong heard the reluctance in her words and remembered that she once said that what she wanted to do most was to cherish the present days, and he couldn't help feeling warm in his heart.

Whether it was the sisters in the Jia family or other close women around him, they all seemed to be cared for by him.

The only person who never gave him any worries was Qu Hongxiu, and he was even the one who was helped and taken care of.

His heart felt slightly warm, and he grabbed her hand that was wiping her temples. Qu Hongxiu seemed startled, and just struggled slightly, then let him hold her hand.

"Sister Xiu, why don't you come back to Shenjing with me this time? The house in Xinchun Lane has been empty."

Qu Hongxiu's heart trembled, he bit his lip and said, "If I go back, what will happen to the business? We have finally established a foothold in Jiangnan.

You still want to do maritime trade business with Miss Zhen San. There are many things to deal with in Jinling, and Keqing alone cannot support it.

Brother Cong, I also want to be with you all the time, just like we used to.

But I always feel that the officialdom is too dangerous, the current emperor is a powerful figure, my background is taboo, and the capital is not a good place for me.

I will help you protect this family business in Jiangnan. When you get tired and don't want to be an official anymore in the future, we will have a way out.

Humph, besides, you have so many girls and sisters in your family. If they go back with you, you will only remember me for a few days. It is better for you to stay in Jinling, so that you can care about me more..."

The rain outside was getting heavier and heavier. The two people in the carriage were chattering and getting closer to each other unknowingly.

The scent of Tian Xin floated in the air. After years of getting along with each other, the clouds and mist were finally parted and the bright moon was visible. Things finally became a little different.

Qu Hongxiu let Jia Cong hold her hand and seemed to have forgotten to ask him to let go.

……

The fourteenth year of Jiazhao, the second day of September.

The Jinling Military Command Office was very busy with people running in and out frequently.

The Jinling Commandery has five guards and one division under its jurisdiction, with a total of 12,000 land and sea guards.
The five guards were Jinling Guard, Zhenjiang Guard, Changzhou Guard, Suzhou Guard and Songjiang Guard, and the one office was Jinling Water Supervision Office.

The beginning of every month is the busiest time for the Jinling Military Command. One of the most important tasks is to distribute military pay and food to the subordinate guards.

At this time, the quartermaster of each guard would send the list and accounts of his guard to the official residence of the command department.

After the inspection by the Experience Department, and the approval by the Commander-in-Chief Du Hengxin, the army could collect military pay and food from the Command Department's treasury. On Du Hengxin's desk, the accounts of the Guard Department that had been checked by the Experience Department were neatly stacked, and next to them were two clerks from the Experience Department who were still sorting out the unchecked accounts.

For the Jinling Military Commandery, which has over 10,000 guards under its jurisdiction, the daily pay and food for officers and soldiers is the lifeline of commanding the army. As the saying goes, without food, you can't gather soldiers.

Therefore, when checking and approving military pay and rations at the beginning of each month, Du Hengxin was very careful. It was not just a formality, but he would briefly review the accounts of each guard department.

This chief officer of the Jinling Military Commandery, the only second-rank official in the Jiangnan Guards, might have used some unhonorable means to rise to power in the officialdom.

But that doesn't mean he has no strategy and talent, and he can definitely be considered a capable official, otherwise the shrewd Zhen Yingquan would not have bet on him.

When he looked at the list of accounts at the headquarters of the Military Command, he unexpectedly found an additional expenditure on food and fodder, which did not exist last month.

He asked the clerk beside him, "Why did our department have an extra loss of food and fodder this month?"

The clerk of the Experience Department quickly replied: "Your Excellency, last month the Ministry of War sent 300 musketeers to escort the improved red cannon to Nanjing.

Now these 300 musketeers are still stationed in the Commander's Camp. Last month, their food and fodder were temporarily transferred from other guards, so this month they have been given a separate item."

Du Hengxin was a little surprised when he heard this, and asked, "It has been a month since the artillery arrived in Nanjing. Why are these 300 artillery guards still staying in Nanjing and not returning to the capital?"

The clerk replied, “Originally, these artillery guards were going to set off for Beijing more than ten days ago, but then pirates attacked the Songjiang coast, and Liu Ao’s water demons sneaked into Nanjing to kill people.

Jia Cong, the director of the Firearms Department, was worried that Liu Ao would send the Water Rakshasas into the city, and they might covet the new artillery shipped from Shenjing.

Therefore, he wrote a letter to the Ministry of War in Shenjing ten days ago, requesting that these 300 musket guards be temporarily retained in Nanjing, just to be on the safe side.

The official document from the Ministry of War of the Capital just arrived at the Ministry of War of the Auxiliary Capital yesterday, so the Experience Office allocated a separate amount of food and fodder for these 300 musketeers.

In a few days, Jia Jianzheng will personally escort the artillery to Gusu and Songjiang, and these 300 firearms guards will accompany him."

Du Hengxin was startled when he heard this and asked, "Jia Jian is about to lead 300 muskets to attack Gusu and Songjiang. Does the Ministry of War know about this?"

The clerk in charge of the department replied, "An official document just arrived from the Ministry of War in the secondary capital this morning. The left assistant minister of the Ministry of War, Mr. Zhang Kangnian, has signed the document."

Du Hengxin's eyes flickered, and he asked again: "When will this grain and grass budget be used?"

The clerk replied, "The reply from the Ministry of War states that Jia Jianzheng has given a time limit, and that this amount of food and fodder will be used until the twelfth of this month.

Judging from the time, it should be the time to escort the artillery to Songjiang and then return to Jinling. After that, these musketeers will return to Shenjing to hand in the order. "

Du Hengxin looked calm and thought for a moment before signing the grain list.

……

Suzhou, Lianxi Street, Fuyun Teahouse.

Although the scorching heat of late summer has not yet dissipated, it is only the noon hour and the sun has not yet risen high. Shops are lined on both sides of the road, and people are bustling about.

On the second floor of a teahouse facing the street, a man in his thirties was sitting by the window. He was wearing a gray short coat, had a thin build, and ordinary facial features.

He held a rough earthenware teacup in his hand and looked towards a stately mansion across the street. Under the eaves hung a black plaque with gold lettering that read "Luo Mansion".

A couple walked to the gate of the mansion. The man was thin and in good spirits, carrying two baskets of vegetables on a shoulder pole.

The woman was slim, of ordinary appearance, neatly dressed, and carrying a cargo box on her back.

The two men walked to the gate of the mansion. The man said a few words to the gatekeeper, and the servant went to the mansion to report. It seemed that this couple was not the first time to come to Luo Mansion.

After a while, a man who looked like a butler came out of the mansion and took a look at the basket of vegetables the man was carrying.

He said, "Jiang Liu, some of the vegetables you sent last time are wilted. Don't send these stale things to Luo Mansion. Our master likes them fresh.

There are plenty of vegetable farmers in the city who are eager to send high-quality fresh produce to Luo's residence, so they don't need your things."

Jiang Liu's face was full of smiles, and he looked very shrewd and attentive, and he said with a smile: "Butler Zhao, my vegetables are all freshly picked from my own fields, and they are the freshest.

Last time it was because the weather was too hot. The journey from the west of the city to here was too long and the goods were damaged by the scorching sun.

Today I went out before dawn and didn't see the sun on the way.

"Butler Zhao, look, the vegetables in this basket are all very fresh."

As Jiang Liu spoke, he walked over to Emperor Zhao and stuffed a piece of silver weighing three taels into his hand.

He said, "Butler Zhao, I run a small business and rely on the business in your mansion to support my family. I don't have anything good to offer you as a filial gift, so I'll just treat you to a cup of coarse tea."

Butler Zhao weighed the silver in his hand. This amount was enough for half of his monthly salary. He immediately smiled and felt that Jiang Liu was indeed sensible.

Butler Zhao waved his hand generously: "I will trust you once more, pick the vegetables in."

Jiang Liu smiled again and said, "Housekeeper, this is my wife. She works as a maid in the Golden Phoenix Pavilion. She brought the best rouge and powder from the Golden Phoenix Pavilion, as well as the best perfume from the Jinling Xinchun Shop.

I want to send it to the inner courtyard and let the ladies take a look. If they like it, it will save the family from having to run errands."

Emperor Zhao looked at the box of goods on the woman, squeezed the silver in his hand, and said, "You, Jiang Liu, are quite smart. You know how to sell one for one and even take care of your wife's business."

But the ladies in this mansion are noble, so don’t bring ordinary stuff into the inner courtyard, or I will be punished too.”

Jiang Liu quickly opened the box of goods his wife had brought. Butler Zhao saw that it was filled with a dazzling array of exquisite and high-quality goods. He let down his guard, waved his hand, and took the couple into the Luo Mansion.

……

Probably after a meal's time, the couple left Luo's house, walked through the streets and alleys, went back to the teahouse opposite Luo's house, and went up to the private room by the window on the second floor through the back door.

Jiang Xiaoliu saw the man sitting by the window and said, "Brother Zhang Wu, I have delivered food to Luo's house several times, but I couldn't get in after I got to the gate of the outer courtyard.

This time, probably because I was familiar with him and gave the housekeeper some benefits, he let me move to the kitchen in the outer courtyard and let Miss Mai Qiao move into the inner courtyard.

I've been to the Luo Mansion's kitchen and the amount of rice and food they prepared was normal, nothing out of the ordinary.

There were seven or eight guardsmen fleeing with Zhou Zhengyang. All of them were big eaters. If Luo Xiong hid them in his house, the kitchen would not have prepared only this little rice.

Moreover, the people coming and going in the Luo family's outer courtyard are all Luo family servants, and there are no outsiders with suspicious behavior. "

Brother Zhang Wu said, "In fact, according to common sense, Luo Xiong would not hide people in his house. I asked you to go into the house to investigate just in case."

Since receiving the news from Jia Cong in Jinling that Zhou Zhengyang was hidden by Luo Xiong, Jia Cong and the personnel sent to Gusu by the Royal Chariot Division immediately clarified their search target.

Zhang Wu and Jiang Xiaoliu first conducted a careful investigation of Luo Xiong's two villas in Gusu City, because these two places were most likely to be where he was hiding.

It turned out that one of the villas was used by Luo Xiong to keep a mistress, and was home to a beautiful dancer whom Luo Xiong bought from Hongxiu Pavilion. It was impossible for it to be used to hide another man.

Luo Xiong's other villa is only occupied by a few old servants and is usually vacant.

Originally, Luo Xiong's mansion was the least likely place for Zhou Zhengyang to hide.

However, Zhang Wu was determined to try his luck, so he asked Jiang Xiaoliu and her subordinates to pretend to be a couple and spend several days sneaking into the mansion to investigate.

The result was the same as he expected, he found nothing. He couldn't help feeling disappointed and had no idea where Luo Xiong had hidden the person.

He also thought that Luo Xiong might have hidden Zhou Zhengyang in the Suzhou Wei camp, but he quickly overturned this idea.

Even though Luo Xiong was involved in the major case of the Water Supervision Bureau that year, the people under his command who knew about it must be only a few.

It is impossible that all the 1,500 guards of Suzhou Guard were his accomplices.

Moreover, the soldiers in the Guards camp often conduct drills and training all year round, and many of them know each other.

A group of strangers hiding in the camp would be easily discovered.

There are over a thousand people in the camp, and they are talkative. The news will leak out in less than two days, and it will be impossible to hide it.

Luo Xiong was able to climb to the position of a fourth-rank commander, so he would never be such a fool. (End of this chapter)