Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

September 8th, Jinling, Yuminfang.

The night was dark, but the lights were still on in the main house of the compound.

Keqing wore a light blue vest with gold floral patterns, a white round-necked gauze dress, and a pleated skirt embroidered with plum branches. She was elegant, graceful, charming, and beautiful.

Holding a blue and white stew pot in his hand, he pushed the door open and entered the main house.

The light on the desk was bright, illuminating Jia Cong's handsome and focused face, as he wrote furiously.

Her heart warmed slightly, and she said, "Brother Cong, you just came back from many days of running around, why don't you rest earlier."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "These two days are very important. No matter how busy you are, you can only spend these two days. When the imperial edict is issued in Jinling, the important matters will be settled. It will not be too late to rest then."

Qin Keqing heard the ease in his words and naturally understood his mood.

In just two days, Brother Cong's mission in Jinling will be completed, so he is naturally in a good mood.

By then he should return to the capital to report. Thinking of this, Keqing felt a little sad.

Suddenly, she felt a warmth on her palms, and Jia Cong held her soft hands in his palms and rubbed them gently.

Keqing didn't show any intention of struggling, but her face flushed and she stared at him in a daze.

Jia Cong said, "When I'm done with this, I'll accompany you to Da Ci'en Temple to fulfill your vow, and then we'll go to Ding'an Temple for a walk."

Although Keqing was feeling a little depressed, she still smiled and said, "You are not allowed to coax me. You are not allowed to not go."

It is joyful for two people to be together, but it is difficult for them to stay together. The world is complicated and it is not easy to have everything go your way.

That night, the lights in the main house were on until midnight.

Jia Cong copied down the important information from the blue booklet item by item, and carefully classified the important matters and names according to the severity of the incident.

These things will become important contents of his report on his work.

After the imperial envoy arrives in Nanjing to announce the decree, this document will be sent to the Dali Temple and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and will serve as the basis for them to clear up the case and arrest the criminals.

……

September 9th, Jinling, early morning.

Early autumn seems to be coming to an end, and there is a hint of chill in the air that was not there before.

Five miles outside Xuanhe Gate, the three hundred musketeers who followed Jia Cong to Jinling all set up camp on the spot.

The Ministry of War has already transported food and fodder for the three hundred musketeers to the camp.

Zhou Yong, commander of the firearms battalion, issued a military order requiring everyone to remain dressed and carry their muskets with them so they could be ready to fire at any time.

These three hundred musketeers were detained outside the city, which to some extent reduced the vigilance and attention of some people in the city towards them.

So, naturally no one would notice that there was a prisoner detained and hidden in the camp of 300 people...

On the official road in the eastern suburbs of the city, near the Du Family Farm, there have been groups of travelers coming from the east in the past two days, with various identities.

These people entered the Du family farm in batches without being noticed, and this situation continued until the evening of September 8th.

In the early morning of the ninth day, Jia Cong took the excerpted materials and left Yuminfang under the dim sky, and quickly went to Du's Farm in the eastern suburbs of the city.

As the morning hour approached, people began to leave the Du Family Farm.

Dozens of people, led by Jiang Xiaoliu, went eastward along the waterway to provide support.

More people joined the bustling crowd and integrated into the bustling city of Jinling.

Further east on the official road in the east of the city, the Zhenjiang Guard Command Office and the Changzhou Guard Command Office, which were farther away, both received unusual military orders on almost the same day.

This military order did not come from the Jinling Military Commandery, but directly from the Shenjing Ministry of War and the Five Military Commandery...

All these undercurrents, which are rarely known to the public, serve as important footnotes and foreshadowing for the upcoming turmoil in Jinling City.

……

After Jia Cong came back from the farm in the east of the city, he went back to the Firearms Department of the Ministry of Industry as usual.

Because according to the itinerary, the imperial envoy who announced the imperial decree would definitely arrive in Nanjing within one or two days.

At that time, before the imperial envoy entered the city, the advance officer would enter the city first to deliver the message, and the various government offices would be the first places to receive the message.

Jia Cong was planning his actions over the next few days. He had done everything he could and now was just waiting for the imperial edict to be issued.

After noon, a messenger came to report that the imperial envoy had entered the city in advance to report that the imperial envoy had set out from Gantang Posthouse this morning and entered Taiping Gate at 3:00 p.m.

The six ministries of the temporary capital, the Nanjing Commandery, the Jinyiwei Thousand Households and other officials of the third rank and above, as well as the heads of the ministries and offices, went to the Taiping Gate to welcome the imperial edict.

Jia Cong was cheered up after hearing this. Everything was ready and it was finally the final moment.

……

Jinling, Taiping Gate.

Just after noon, the Embroidered Uniform Guard dispatched three hundred soldiers to surround the area around Taiping Gate.

The Ministry of Works dispatched a large number of laborers to lay loess and spray clean water on the Taiping Gate entrance to the city.

The Ministry of Rites of the temporary capital sent out the Yiluansi, which lined up on both sides of the Taiping Gate to welcome the guests, with flags and ceremonial guards held high and playing sheng, flute, gongs and drums.

The angel delivered the decree, and it was as if the emperor himself was present. All the ceremonial standards were extremely complicated and magnificent, and no one was tired of it.

Officials of the third rank and above from the six ministries of the temporary capital, as well as the chief officers of each ministry, all rushed to Taiping Gate to welcome the imperial envoy.

Although Jia Cong was only a fifth-rank official and not the head of the Ministry of Works, he was also on the list of imperial envoys.

So his appearance in the welcoming team as a fifth-rank official attracted a lot of attention.

However, this is not too abrupt. After all, Jia Cong, a fifth-rank official, is not as important as an ordinary fifth-rank official. He comes from a wealthy family and holds the title of Earl of Weiyuan.

Not to mention that it is well known in the court and the country that Jia Cong is highly valued by the current emperor, so it is not surprising that he was promoted to receive the emperor's order.

However, officials with deep thoughts such as Du Hengxin, Zhang Kangnian and Jia Yucun would not have such a superficial understanding.

Today, the imperial envoy went ahead to the city to deliver the message. They all knew that the imperial envoy who delivered the order was actually the Deputy Chief Eunuch Guo Lin, who was a popular figure in the palace and the confidant of the current emperor.

The fact that Emperor Jiazhao sent Guo Lin to Nanjing to convey his imperial edict shows that he was extremely concerned about the affairs of Nanjing, and that there was even some deep meaning behind it.

Jia Cong, a fifth-rank official, was also included in the list of people to receive the imperial edict, which made these people have many complicated thoughts.

Among the officials present, except for a very small number who had already known in advance that this imperial edict was related to the case of Zhou Zhengyang in Nanjing.

Most officials did not know the details of the imperial edict, but they had heard many rumors that the imperial edict would bring shock to the officialdom.

This also made the officials present feel uneasy, not knowing which family would be the one to suffer the bad luck.

……

When the time came to Wei, three welcoming cannon shots were fired from Taiping Gate, followed by the sound of drums and music.

The imperial envoy entered the Taiping Gate under the protection of dozens of palace guards.

Among the troops, there were imperial guards holding silence signs with the words "Fourth Rank Qianyang Palace Supervisor and Attendant" written on them.

When the imperial envoy's sedan chair stopped, the officials of the Ministry of Rites set up the incense table and wine vessels, waiting for the imperial envoy to read out the imperial edict.

Although he had been on a long journey for five or six days, the Imperial Envoy Guo Lin was in high spirits and showed no sign of fatigue. He wore a blue-woven robe with gold-decorated flying fish patterns and a black gauze crown on his head, and his demeanor was calm and composed.

He walked to the incense table and the eunuch accompanying him sang: "The emperor has issued an edict, and all officials kneel to welcome it!"

Guo Lin glanced at the officials kneeling to greet him, and paused for a moment on Jia Cong, who was kneeling at the end of the team. He then unfolded the imperial edict and read aloud:
By the providence of Heaven.

Jinling is the hub of the southern half of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the place where our ancestors started their great careers, the place where maritime trade between all nations converges, and where people’s lives are prosperous and wealthy.

However, in recent years, the officialdom has been corrupt and strange things have occurred. The civil officials have been lazy and the military officials have committed evil deeds!

The various units of the Jiangnan Guard were repeatedly in danger of disasters and chaos.

In the twelfth year of Jiazhao, the Jinling Water Inspectorate colluded with Japanese pirates, slaughtered people in the open sea, drank blood and plundered property. Their crimes were heinous and brought shame to the country.

Zhou Zhengyang, the commander of the Jinling Guard, was in charge of the Water Supervision Bureau. He secretly took charge of the place and tolerated the traitors. He was the mastermind, who secretly spied on the state's important officials, concealed his crimes and absconded. He should be put to death.

Luo Xiong, commander of Suzhou Guard, disregarded the national law and hid an imperial criminal. He was also guilty of conspiracy and was dismissed from his military post. He was arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and severely punished.

Du Hengxin, the commander-in-chief of Jinling, held an important position but had no command ability. More than half of the five guards and one department under his command were guilty. They were derelict in their duties and were incompetent. He was dismissed from his post, investigated and punished for his crimes.

Zhang Kangnian, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, was serving as the Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Military Affairs Commission. He could not shirk his responsibility for failing to investigate the crimes committed by the guards under his jurisdiction. He is suspected of being involved in the case and will be suspended from his post today for investigation until the cases are reviewed and the punishment will be decided later.

The Dali Temple and the Imperial Guards arrested Zhou Zhengyang and Luo Xiong and gave them a deadline to solve the case.

During the investigation of a major case, the imperial envoy Guo Lin was summoned to receive the emperor's will, and the Jinling government and guards were given the power to control the situation.

The Water Inspectorate and the Jinling Guards in Jinling City were all ordered to stay inside their gates and were not allowed to move without the order of the imperial envoy. Anyone who disobeyed the order would be punished for treason.

Liu Xiaozheng, commander of Zhenjiang Guard, and Shao Ping, commander of Changzhou Guard, were dispatched to lead a thousand elite soldiers each to arrive in Jinling, stationed outside the city, and guard Jing'an.

Admire this!

……

Guo Lin finished reading the imperial edict. The emperor's intentions item by item were truly thought-provoking. The officials who received the edict tried to suppress their emotions, but were actually filled with uproar inside.

Everyone knew that Zhou Zhengyang had escaped without a trace, but many officials present were unaware that he was being hidden by Luo Xiong, the commander of Suzhou Guard.

No wonder His Majesty was furious, saying that the Jinling Commandery was incompetent and that more than half of the five guards and one department under its command were guilty.

It is not unfair that Du Hengxin, the commander-in-chief, was dismissed and investigated by Your Majesty.

The officials around all looked at the two unlucky guys under the imperial edict today.

Zhang Kangnian, the right vice minister of the Ministry of War, had a pale face, a gloomy expression, and said nothing.

The commander-in-chief Du Hengxin looked indifferent, as if he had given up hope, like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water. Many officials present were in awe. Du Hengxin and Zhang Kangnian, one was the chief officer of the Jiangnan Guards, and the other was the deputy officer of the Jiangnan Guards.

They all hold high positions in the Guards and have strong foundations in the army.

The Jinling Guards and Water Supervision Division in Jinling City had a total of 3,000 soldiers, all under the command of the Jinling Commandery.

Your Majesty is cold-blooded and dangerous. He dismissed them from their posts and investigated them to prevent them from joining the enemy and causing chaos. He also ordered the Jinling Guards and the Water Supervision Department in the city not to move without authorization.

He even mobilized the troops and horses of Zhenjiang Guard and Changzhou Guard to garrison outside the city, and granted Guo Lin, the imperial envoy who announced the imperial edict, great power to command them.

Your Majesty has done everything in advance so that no one will have the energy to even think about causing trouble.

Although Du Hengxin and Zhang Kangnian were demoted by imperial edict, removed from their posts for investigation, or suspended for supervision, there is no substantial evidence to convict them.

Therefore, after the imperial edict was announced at Taiping Gate, they each left the government office and returned to their homes and locked themselves in. However, the Jinyiwei immediately dispatched troops to station near their residences, which was tantamount to house arrest.

……

After the decree was announced, the welcoming officials left, but Jia Cong went up to Guo Lin to greet him.

The two had frequent contact when they were in the capital, and they could be considered to be old friends.

Even when Guo Lin returned to the inn to stay, Jia Cong actually offered to see him off in person, which attracted the attention of the officials present.

Jia Cong was a well-known civil servant, the son of a noble family, and an earl conferred by the emperor. He was a person of some status, but he was so flattering to a eunuch.

If it weren't for the fact that Guo Lin still had the power of a saint, some officials who considered themselves to be upright would probably have stepped forward and scolded Jia Cong for being disrespectful.

Guo Lin, on the other hand, was somewhat flattered by Jia Cong. He had had frequent contact with Jia Cong in Shenjing and had also seen Jia Cong make speeches in front of the emperor.

He knew a little about Jia Cong's character. This young Earl of Weiyuan had no habit of flattering others. Could it be that he took the wrong medicine today?

Until Jia Cong followed Guo Lin back to the inn, Guo Lin was a little confused and didn't know what the other party was doing.

But Jia Cong said solemnly: "Eunuch Guo, the situation in Jinling City is unclear right now. It is inconvenient to report some things at the Taiping Gate, where the imperial edict is announced. That is why I came to the hall to report. This is an important case and cannot be delayed."

Guo Lin was also a man who had seen a lot of the world and had always known Jia Cong's abilities. The reason why the emperor issued the decree this time was because of the letter that Jia Cong had obtained through investigation in Jinling.

Judging from his words and expression, there must be something serious going on.

After Jia Cong explained the whole story, he took out the letters and secret accounts left by Zou Huaiyi.

Guo Lin flipped through the blue-covered notebook in his hand, his expression filled with solemnity and shock.

When Jia Cong wrote to the capital, he only discovered that Luo Xiong was hiding Zhou Zhengyang.

Not long after that, he not only secretly arrested Zhou Zhengyang and Luo Xiong on his own, but also found the physical evidence left by Zou Huaiyi and got to the bottom of all the issues left over from the Water Supervision Bureau case.

He just waited for me to go to Nanjing to announce the imperial edict, and then took advantage of the situation to settle the case. Such thoughtful planning and swift and decisive actions were indeed somewhat astonishing.

Guo Lin didn't expect that his trip to Jinling this time would actually be a good assignment. If this matter was accomplished, he would get a share of the credit for free. It was really a blessing to work with someone like Jia Cong.

He finally understood why Jia Cong had been able to reach such a high position at such a young age.

This man is extremely talented and strategic, and his luck and fortune are unstoppable. I am afraid that the emperor will reward him with favor again when he returns to the capital this time.

……

Guo Lin looked at the blue booklet in his hand and said in a serious tone: "The emperor received the report from the Earl of Weiyuan and was quite worried about the situation in Nanjing, so he sent the Zha family to the south to announce the decree.

Zou Huaiyi's secret account recorded that the looting of ships offshore involved many officials, but he did not explicitly point out the mastermind behind the scenes. "

Jia Cong replied: "Zou Huaiyi is very thoughtful. He didn't say it clearly in the secret account because he wanted to keep a trump card in his hand. We only need to interrogate Zhou Zhengyang and Luo Xiong to find out who this person is."

Guo Lin smiled and said, "Fortunately, Weiyuan Bo has identified the suspects and used various means to temporarily stabilize the other party. Otherwise, if a war is triggered, the consequences will be disastrous."

Jia Cong said: "Eunuch Guo, the troops from Zhenjiang and Changzhou have not yet arrived in Nanjing, so they cannot form a clamping force.

Eunuch Guo has the power of control from His Majesty, so he should act immediately. Every day of delay in the city will increase the risk, so we need to act as soon as possible."

Guo Lin said with some concern: "When we left the capital, the emperor told us that Weiyuan Bo had 500 musketeers secretly transferred from Liaodong. Will we be unable to cope with the situation with just these men and horses?"

Jia Cong said: "I have made many plans in advance. There are 300 firearms soldiers stationed outside Xuanhe Gate. The general Zhou Yong once discussed the transfer to Liaodong. He and I have a comrade-in-arms relationship. This man can be trusted and used...!"

……

After the imperial edict was announced at Taiping Gate, the officials who received the order returned to their respective offices.

The contents of the imperial edict spread quickly in the officialdom of Jinling, causing discussions among officials and citizens of Jinling, adding countless speculations and waves.

Just when panic was spreading among officials in Jinling and people were feeling uneasy.

After Guo Lin, the imperial envoy who announced the imperial edict, returned to the inn, he quickly summoned several officials to discuss matters. When these officials left the inn, the atmosphere in the entire Jinling city had changed drastically.

A large number of soldiers from the Five Cities Military Division were mobilized within the city, and personnel from each of the hundred households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard were deployed everywhere.

The three hundred musketeers originally stationed outside Xuanhe Gate were suddenly ordered into the city, and the situation in the city suddenly became serious.

……

Jinling, Fenglefang.

The few servants in the three-story house are now nowhere to be seen.

The men coming and going in the courtyard were all sturdy and strong, each carrying a weapon, and the atmosphere was gloomy and depressing.

In the study, Liu Xuan said to the owner of the house, "Sir, news has come from outside that Guo Lin has urgently mobilized the Five Cities Army and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to close the four gates of Nanjing. There must be some unusual movement!"

The middle-aged man said with a stern expression, "It seems that Jia Cong not only captured Zhou Zhengyang, but also found out other things. Now that Zhou Zhengyang is dead, he is going to show all his cards!

I have been doing business in the city for many years, and I originally thought that I would still have a chance at the critical moment!
We didn't expect that the emperor had such deep plans that he made changes before the imperial edict was issued. The information transmitted from the capital was biased, making us defenseless.

Not only was the eunuch given the power to control the city, but troops from Zhenjiang and Changzhou were also mobilized to garrison outside the city.

The emperor is full of suspicion and his methods are sinister...

Now that the initiative has been lost, even if I raise my arms and call for action, the people in the city will weigh the success and failure of the move, and no one will rashly raise troops to respond under such circumstances."

The middle-aged man said sullenly, "The situation is hopeless, but the way out has been prepared. It's time to leave now."

Liu Xuan said, "Sir, the city is under great alert. It may not be easy to leave now."

The middle-aged man sneered and said, "These methods can't trap me. I have already made arrangements..."

……

To the west of Jinling City, there is the Jinling Guard Camp and the Water Conservancy Camp.

After the Taiping Gate decree was announced, the Jinling Guards and the Water Supervision Division became the target of public criticism. The emperor's decree clearly stated that the two barracks must remain closed and not move without authorization, in order to prevent violence.

The incidents that occurred in the Water Supervision Bureau and the Jinling Guards one after another have made the emperor completely lose trust in the Jinling Guards.

Faced with the threat of the Zhenjiang and Changzhou guards approaching the city, even if some people in the Water Inspectorate and Jinling Guards had rebellious intentions, they did not dare to act rashly.

After the Five Cities Military Affairs Division blocked the four gates, many Five Cities Military Affairs Division and Jinyiwei troops appeared near the Water Supervision Division and the Jinling Guard camp, watching and being on guard.

Among these surveillance personnel, there were also a large number of elite firearms soldiers from the Five Armies. The combined number of people in the two places far exceeded the 300 musketeers who were stationed outside the Xuanhe Gate.

No one knew where such a large number of Five Armies' musketeers came from. They seemed to have emerged from the ground.

Who on earth could be so deceitful as to transfer such a large number of musketeers into the city without anyone noticing?

……

Those officers in the Water Inspectorate and Jinling Guards who were deeply involved and had ulterior motives thought and speculated, inferred the reasons themselves, and tried to identify the causes, which made them even more fearful and cautious.

They were almost certain that in addition to mobilizing the Zhenjiang and Changzhou guards to garrison outside the city, the emperor must have other backup plans in the city.

These sudden appearance of large groups of musketeers was one of the emperor's backup plans.

This has made many people who are hoping for a lucky break give up their desperate ambitions.

This might be something Jia Cong had not expected. The sudden appearance of these 500 musketeers in the city created a huge deterrent force that far exceeded their own combat power.

……

After the imperial edict was announced at Taiping Gate, Zhang Kangnian never returned to the government office, but went straight back to his mansion.

The black oil-painted door of the Zhang residence was tightly closed, exuding a gloomy and depressing atmosphere.

At the gate of Zhang's mansion, more than twenty soldiers from the Five Cities Army were guarding, and there were five brocade-robed captains wearing flying fish uniforms and embroidered spring swords on their waists.

The Five Cities Army and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were mobilized together, and the alert with such a large number of people could not be said to be anything but strict and cautious.

The once powerful Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is now under complete house arrest.

Just when these soldiers from the Five Cities Military Department were feeling bored, suddenly many masked men emerged from both sides of the alley.

These people walked lightly, with sharp blades in their hands flashing a chilling light. In just a moment, they rushed to the gate of Zhang's house from both ends of the alley.

A flagman from the Five Cities Army and Horse Division had a drastic change of expression, drew his sword and shouted, "Who are you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the masked man running in the front chopped down the knife in his hand with a speed so fast and fierce that it was terrifying.

The small flag of the Fifth Army's Bingma Division hastily raised his sword to block, but the masked man was very skilled in martial arts, and the force of his sword was extremely strong.

The soldiers of the Five Cities Army were responsible for guarding the city gates and maintaining public order in the city on a daily basis, and they led an easy and carefree life.

Therefore, their training and combat effectiveness is one level lower than that of the garrison guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

Although Xiaoqi raised his sword to block, he could not withstand the powerful force of the opponent's sword. When the two swords collided, the sword in his hand collapsed downwards as expected.

The masked man slashed the little flag's face diagonally with his knife, cutting his face in half, blood splattering, and his facial features shattered.

The little flag fell to the ground before he could even utter a scream. He was still breathing hard, but his body was twitching horribly.

The masked man waved his knife and shouted, "Kill them all and escort Master Zhang out of the city!" (End of this chapter)