Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Jude Square, Earl's Palace.

After the family dinner in Dengxian Pavilion ended, Jia Mu and others returned to the West Mansion. Jia Cong returned to the yard feeling a little uneasy.

Jia Cong helped Daiyu bring back a cart full of gifts from Lin Ruhai. These items were not for Daiyu's use alone, but were gifts that Lin Ruhai asked his daughter to give to relatives and friends.

As there were so many things, Daiyu asked Yingchun and Tanchun to help sort them out, divide the portions among each family member, and then send them off one by one.

Xichun was young, only ten years old, and could not do such things, so she followed Jia Cong back to the yard to play.

After a while, Daiyu came with Zijuan and Xueyan, and the two maids were carrying packages of different sizes in their hands.

Daiyu also held a few things in her hands, and her pretty face was slightly flushed as she walked.

When he arrived at Jia Cong's study, he put down the things in his hands one by one, including a finely carved Duan inkstone with the pattern of Songyue Qingfeng, two pieces of ancient Longxiangji ink, two Xiangzhu jade bucket red Hao brushes, and two volumes of Song Dynasty poetry collections.

Jia Cong teased, "Sister, why did you bring so many good things? I can't use them."

Daiyu pretended to be slightly annoyed and said, "Since you think it's too much, I'll take it back."

As he spoke, he raised his hands and was about to take the things away. Jia Cong hurriedly stopped him and said with a smile: "I am too nosy, you should take everything. If you give less than others, I will not agree."

Daiyu wrinkled her nose at him and said, "I can't do without you for my things. Besides, you brought these things for me from Yangzhou. I will definitely choose the best ones for you."

She smiled and pointed to the writing brushes, inkstones and inkstones on the table.

He said, "I know these things. Third brother has quite a few of them, even those given by the emperor. They are not rare. I picked a few for you as a token of my appreciation. If you don't like to use them, you can just put them aside."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I appreciate everything my sister gives me. These things are quite good. In my opinion, they are better than the gifts from the emperor."

Daiyu raised her lips to stop him from talking: "What nonsense! Fortunately, we are at home, so we are not afraid of breaking taboos."

She took the long package from Zijuan and said with a smile, "This is a hibiscus mat produced in Gusu. Aunt Chen brought me two. It is the coolest to sleep on in the summer. I'll give you one for next year."

Xueyan also brought with her exquisite items including the Xiuyu jade fan pendant, mandarin duck sachet, and soul-purifying incense that Daiyu had chosen.

While chatting with Jia Cong, she opened Jia Cong's fan box, took out his folding fan, hung the pendant on it with her own hands, shook it a few times to admire it, and put it back into the fan box when she was satisfied.

She also hung the selected sachet on the head of his bed, put the hibiscus mat in a proper place for him, and lit a newly opened soul-clearing incense on his desk.

Jia Cong smiled as he watched her graceful figure and willow-like waist, as she moved busily about her room with great interest, a lock of hair fluttering slightly at her temples, a look of indescribable harmony and ineffable beauty.

Daiyu was busy herself and then took Zijuan and Xueyan away. Because the gifts had already been distributed, she also had to go to the West Mansion several times to deliver them personally.

Jia Cong looked at Daiyu's departing figure, his heart softened, and the trace of uneasiness in his heart gradually calmed down.

……

He saw Xichun playing with the nine-linked rings. She was wearing a light purple embroidered double-breasted jacket and an exquisite ivory pleated skirt. She had two playful buns on her hair. She had bright eyes and thin eyebrows, and was very cute.

Jia Cong smiled slightly and took out a box of Huizhou clay figurines from the box he brought back from Jinling. The box contained a set of clay figurines of singing, playing the piano, blowing the sheng, dancing, etc. They were lively, lively and exquisite.

He said with a smile: "Fourth sister, it's so boring to play nine-ring puzzle all the time. I'll give you this box of clay figurines to help you relieve your boredom."

Xichun's mother died early, and her father and brother were both unreliable people. Now one of them is living in a Taoist temple, and the other died in a rather dirty and embarrassing way.

Xichun has lived in Rongguo Mansion since she was a child. Her life experience is similar to that of Daiyu, or even worse than that of Daiyu.

Because Daiyu has a famous father in Yangzhou and is loved by her grandmother in the capital, while Xichun, like Yingchun, is a girl with a weak sense of existence in the Jia family of Rongguo.

Because Jia Cong knew what would happen in the future, he felt more sympathy and pity for Xichun than for his other sisters.

I feel that if such a girl had more attention and intimacy, she would not develop the kind of aloof and cold personality she later developed, or even spend her whole life in seclusion and idleness.

Perhaps it was because of this thought that whenever he returned from a business trip, he would bring her some small gifts and would talk to her jokingly whenever they met.

Xichun took the clay figurine, laughed happily, and couldn't let it go. Suddenly, she saw another box in the box, which was very similar to the box containing the clay figurine in her hand.

Out of curiosity, I opened it and saw three clay figures inside, a man and two women. They were so lifelike and lifelike, just like real people. I couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

She looked at one of the clay figurines of a woman and couldn't help but be a little surprised. She said, "Third brother, this clay figurine looks like Rong'er's wife. Oh, not like, it's exactly the same!"

Jia Cong's face was slightly embarrassed when he heard this. That day, he, Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing went to Daci Temple to fulfill a vow. There they met a Huizhou clay figurine expert who could make figurines based on people. The three of them thought it was fun, so they each made one.

Fortunately, Xichun was young and didn't quite understand Qin Keqing's affairs. Although she was surprised when she suddenly saw her portrait, she didn't think much about it.

If Wang Xifeng saw this clay figurine like this, Jia Cong's plan to hide Qin Keqing in Jinling would be exposed in an instant.

Xichun soon lost interest in the female clay figurine and happily picked up the clay figurine of Jia Cong.

Said: "This clay figurine looks exactly like my third brother. It's so cute."

Jia Cong said quickly: "If Fourth Sister likes it, I will give it to you."

Xichun's eyes lit up and she was extremely happy. She held the box of Huizhou clay figurines in her left hand, held the clay statue of Jia Cong in her right hand, and walked away happily.

……

Jia Cong looked at the clay statue of Qu Hongxiu in the box and decided to send a message to Nanjing by flying feather, asking Xinchunhao to pay attention to the movements of the Jinling Jinling Jinyiwei.

When the private firearms workshop in Jinling was searched, wooden boxes with the words "Hongchun Leather Goods" written on them were found, but there was no indication of which state or county Hongchun Leather Goods was located in.

Jia Cong didn't know whether the Jinyiwei had found the location of Hongchun Fur Goods over the past few days.

Before he went to Jinling, he heard Jiang Liu say that Jia She had privately opened a fur shop in the capital, but he did not pay attention to the name of the fur shop at that time.

At today's family dinner, Mrs. Xing accidentally mentioned that Jia She was in the fur shop, entertaining a guest from Jinling.

In other words, Jia She's fur shop had business dealings with Jinling. Such coincidental and sensitive information could not help but make Jia Cong make associations.

In fact, if you want to know the name of Jia She’s fur shop, it is very simple. Just let Jiang Liu go to Hongping Street and take a look.

If these are not coincidences, and are really as Jia Cong guessed, the Rongguo Jia family will face an unpredictable disaster...

He thought of Daiyu who was busy in her room just now, Xichun who was happily playing with the clay statues, and Yingchun and Tanchun who helped him prepare a family dinner early in the morning.

Although sometimes things are beyond his control, he can at least see through them as early as possible and take maximum precautions.

……

Shenjing, Hongping Street.

On the busy street, a fur shop with three doors is doing a booming business.

The shop was filled with all kinds of precious northern furs, including tiger, bear, leopard and other furs. Behind the shop were three locked warehouses, and it was unknown what was stored in them.

The private room on the second floor of the store was decorated in a luxurious and elegant style. At the moment, two people were sitting there, drinking tea and chatting.

One of them was dressed in luxurious clothes, had hollow eyes, a pale face, and an air of arrogance and domineering. It was Jia She, the first-class general of Rongguo Mansion.

The other person was a man in his thirties, dressed elegantly, of medium build, with a straight back, bright eyes and a meticulous expression.

He said to Jia She respectfully, "I am Chen Yongchuan, sent by my young master Sun to return to Liaodong to transport a batch of furs back to Jinling. The young master asked me to pass by the capital, and I must thank the marquis."

Jia She asked, "Shaozu has been in the south for quite some time, is he still in Jinling now?"

The man replied, "That's right. The furs, medicinal herbs and other mountain products from the Liaodong border towns are very popular in Jinling. The business is very prosperous, and it is also inseparable from the young master's cooking.

Now many merchants have their eyes on the market in Liaodong. Large Jiangnan merchants such as Ziyun Pavilion and Xinchunhao in Jinling have set up branches in Liaodong to make huge profits in gold and silver. "

When Jia She heard about the Liaodong specialty and how to make so much money in Jiangnan, his eyes lit up and his expression was full of envy.

Since the court implemented the new policy, wealthy families like the Rongguo Jia family have paid 30% more taxes in spring and summer than in previous years. The money received by the Rongguo Mansion has also shrunk by half, and the money allocated to the East Courtyard every month has been much less, which can no longer withstand Jia She's usual extravagant spending.

However, as a nobleman, he still holds an idle position in the court and has to take his status into consideration. It is impossible for him to travel around and make a lot of money like Sun Shaozu did. It is somewhat regrettable.

Chen Yongchuan turned his eyes and saw Jia She's expression. He smiled and took out a stack of banknotes from his arms and put them on the table.

He said, "The young master said that the furs he brought from Liaodong last time were shipped to Nanjing thanks to the Marquis's shop, and he and the Marquis agreed in advance that he would give the Marquis 10% of the profits after the business was completed.

Before I set out this time, my young master asked me to bring two thousand taels of silver as profit, so please accept it, my Lord."

Jia She looked at the stack of banknotes on the table and his eyes lit up.

The last time, after Sun Shaozu's batch of Liaodong furs was delivered to Shenjing, because he was not familiar with the trade routes and market conditions going south, he borrowed the channels of Jia She's fur shop and transported them to Jinling by land.

In fact, Jia She did not contribute much to this matter, he just did it out of convenience, but he did not expect Sun Shaozu to be so considerate and give him a bonus of 14,000 taels.

Before he left the capital, he had given himself two thousand taels. He originally thought that the remaining two thousand taels would not be easy to come by, after all, no one's money comes from the wind.

In the past few months, he had even given up hope, but he didn't expect that the manager named Chen Yongchuan, following Sun Shaozu's instructions, would send him two thousand taels of profit, which was truly a pleasant surprise.

Jia She could not hide his joy. He made a really good profit from this money. It showed how prosperous Sun Shaozu's business in Jinling must be.

He thought that as long as he could stay with Sun Shaozu for a long time, he would never have to worry about money again.

At this moment, he suddenly thought of the charming singing girl, Yingying, who was only sixteen years old and had made him salivate in Xingxiang Tower, and his heart was agitated.

Jia She had taken a fancy to the singing girl named Yan Xiang several months ago. However, she was a favorite in Xingxiang Tower and it would cost a lot to buy her, so he has not been able to get her yet.

With these four thousand taels of foreign wealth, not only can I buy the person, but I can also buy a unique house...

Chen Yongchuan said, "I will stay in Shenjing for a few more days to handle some chores. When the mountain products from Liaodong arrive in Shenjing, the young master told me that if I have any difficulties, I can ask the marquis for help."

Jia She smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "Shaozu is my nephew, and the Jia and Sun families are old friends. It is normal for us to help each other. Since he has told you, you can tell me if you have any difficulties."

Chen Yongchuan was delighted and said, "Then I would like to thank the Marquis first. The young master also told me that if I can get the help of the Marquis, I can still share the profits as usual..."

Jia She nodded and said, "That's great. It's a win-win for both of us. Let's do as Shao Zu said."

Chen Yongchuan added, "Young Master also asked me to convey to the Marquis that businesses from all over the country are eyeing the business opportunities in Liaodong. The Marquis, please be careful in helping us, so as not to be taken advantage of by other businesses."

Jia She smiled and said, "Of course. Last time I helped Shao Zu transport northern goods, no one else knew about it except me and the shopkeeper. Please rest assured."

Chen Yongchuan flattered Jia She a few more times and then stood up to say goodbye.

Jia She watched the man leave the shop and felt very happy. Fortunately, he did not go to the family dinner hosted by that evil creature, otherwise he would have missed out on a good business opportunity.

……

Jinling, the Jinyiwei Qianhu Division.

After Zhen Shiwen was killed, Zhen Fangqing received a warning from Jia Cong and acted decisively to eliminate all the hidden dangers that Zhen Shiwen had planted in the Zhen family shop.

Ge Zhicheng, a captain of Jinling Jinyiwei, wanted to use Zhen Shiwen's situation to investigate the Zhen family's involvement in the private manufacture of firearms. However, he lost all his leverage points and was completely deadlocked.

The Jinyiwei Command of Shenjing sent him an order several days ago, ordering him to arrest the murderer of Du Hengxin within ten days, otherwise he would be dismissed and investigated.

This rebuke from the higher authorities in Shenjing put Ge Zhicheng under tremendous pressure.

He mobilized a large number of Jinyiwei personnel and searched almost the entire Jinling City, but there was still no clue in the assassination case of Du Hengxin. Catching the murderer within ten days was just a pipe dream.

Ge Zhicheng had already sensed that his official position was in jeopardy. Having been immersed in the Imperial Guard for many years, he knew that such a rebuke from his superiors was a very dangerous omen.

Perhaps the person who will take over his position may be on the way at this time.

But Ge Zhicheng had more than 20 years of experience in officialdom, and had climbed up from a humble family to the high position of a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. His shrewdness and intelligence did not show that of a mediocre and cowardly person.

Even though he seemed to be at the end of his rope, he still did not give up hope. He was determined to fight with all his might and make a desperate struggle!

Since there was no clue in the case of Zhen Shiwen and there was no clue in the assassination of Du Hengxin, he decisively changed direction and tried another way, trying to find a breakthrough from other channels to get himself out of the predicament!

The only life-saving straw that Ge Zhicheng could grasp at the moment was the private firearms workshop seized on the northern outskirts of the city.

A private firearms workshop is a major case of treason. The inside story behind it may shake the court. As long as he finds out the mastermind behind the scenes, he can come back to life and save his career.

Although the Jinyiwei arrested all the craftsmen and killed most of the guards when they raided the workshop, they were unable to extract the truth from these people after repeated tortures.

The only useful clues left during the raid on the private workshop were the two wooden boxes containing the muskets stolen from Liaodong, because the emblem of Hongchun Leather Goods was written on the boxes.

That is to say, the nine muskets stolen from Liaodong were transported to Nanjing by water or land through a leather goods company called Hongchun.

However, the emblem on the wooden box did not specify the location, so it was impossible to determine in which county the Hongchun Fur Shop was located. It was extremely difficult to find the location of this fur shop.

However, Ge Zhicheng's own career was facing a desperate situation, so even if the opportunity was slim, he would not let it go easily.

He handed the matter over to his most trusted confidant Liu Yong, and assigned him Jinyiwei personnel to carefully investigate the whereabouts of the two wooden boxes.

……

Ge Zhicheng has been worried these days, and all his attention has been focused on this matter.

Not only did he assign enough manpower to Liu Yong, but he also asked Liu Yong to report the results of his investigation to him every day.

The sun was setting. He glanced at the Western pendulum clock in the official residence, and his eyes kept looking towards the door of the official residence.

After a while, footsteps were heard and most of Liu Yong's men were seen entering the government residence.

Ge Zhicheng's expression brightened, and he quickly asked, "You have been searching for several days. Have you found anything today?"

Liu Yong replied: "Your Excellency, if the two wooden boxes from the workshop were transported to Jinling by water, they would definitely leave traces of passing through customs by water at the Water Inspection Office and the Maritime Customs Office.

I have mobilized personnel in the past few days to carefully review the relevant documents on recent water transport inspections in these two government offices, hoping to find relevant clues.

But we have not found anything so far, so I infer that these two wooden boxes should not have been transported to Jinling by water, otherwise it would be impossible for them to leave no trace at all. "

Ge Zhicheng was disappointed, but seeing that Liu Yong looked haggard and his eyes were bloodshot, and the huge amount of documents involved in the Water Inspectorate and the Maritime Customs, he thought that he had tried his best.

Ge Zhicheng knew in his heart that such a search was like looking for a needle in a haystack, and it was not too surprising that nothing was found in the end. Could it be that he had really reached a desperate situation and was no longer able to turn things around?

Liu Yong said: "Sir, even if there is no trace of these two wooden boxes on the waterway, they must have been transported to Jinling by land.

I have read the confessions of the workshop craftsmen and guards. The two wooden boxes belonged to the workshop guard leader Sun Dacheng, who escorted them back to the workshop from outside. This means that Sun Dacheng was in charge of the land transportation of the wooden boxes.

According to the confession of the captured guards, Sun Dacheng was the only person who escaped from the workshop. He was not only the leader of the guards, but also the actual manager of the workshop, so his identity was very important. "

Ge Zhicheng's eyes flickered. "But after Sun Dacheng escaped, the Jinyiwei launched a massive search for him. It was as if this man disappeared out of thin air, leaving no trace..."

Liu Yong said: "Sir, although Sun Dacheng cannot be found, as long as he has handled the land transportation of wooden boxes, he will leave clues.

I think that if we can deploy enough manpower to conduct a careful screening of all the carriage and horse transport businesses in Jinling City, we may be able to gain something.”

Hearing this, Ge Zhicheng was excited and said, "This is not a solution, but Jinling is where the northern and southern trade routes of the Great Zhou meet, and the transportation of carriages and horses should be very prosperous.

The number of carriages, horses, and servants in the entire Jinling city is extremely large, and it will take a lot of effort to check them out. I will draw capable personnel from the ten centurions in the city, and you will be in charge of their deployment.

I'll give you three days to find out the result!"

Searching for any trace of Sun Dacheng's land transportation among the numerous and complicated horse-drawn transportation in Jinling City is like looking for a sword by carving a mark on a boat, and the result is very slim.

But apart from this stupid method, Ge Zhicheng, who was in trouble, had no other way out and could only try his luck. (End of this chapter)