Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

East of Shenjing City, Yuping Street, back alley.

The summer was hot and the light was dazzling, but the back alley was unusually deserted with few people walking around, as if it was isolated from the world.

Only the thick sycamore tree at the end of the alley, its swaying branches and leaves swaying in the summer breeze, casting mottled and fragmented light and shadows, and the monotonous and loud chirping of cicadas can be heard from the branches and treetops.

The house at the end of the alley has a shiny black gate and eaves covered with carved tiles. It looks extremely quiet and elegant under the shade of the banyan tree.

The flowers and trees in the courtyard are luxuriant and verdant, and under the bright sunshine of early summer, they exude an irrepressible vitality and vigor.

The courtyard is sunny and bright. On the left side of the main house, an elm trellis is built, which is covered with emerald green trumpet creepers and fiery red trumpet creepers, which is a spectacular sight.

There are stone tables and wooden benches under the rattan trellis, and the purple clay teapot on the table is steaming and the fragrance of tea is everywhere.

The middle-aged man with a handsome appearance was wearing a white silk coat with two buttons undone at the collar and his sleeves slightly rolled up, looking comfortable and unfussy.

He lifted the black pottery teacup on the table and drank the hot tea in it in one gulp, looking quite pleased.

Liu Wenxuan, the owner of Hongjin Silk Shop, was sitting opposite the middle-aged man. He picked up the purple clay teapot and filled the middle-aged man's empty cup with tea.

He said, "Boss, the final result of this examination is really unexpected. Zhang Wenxu actually won the first place. It's really amazing luck."

The middle-aged man picked up the teacup and took a sip nonchalantly.

He smiled and said, “Zhang Wenxu was able to win the title of No. 1 Scholar not because his writing was the best among his peers, but because Jia Cong held a high position and Lin Zhaohe unexpectedly fell into poverty.

He was ranked fourth on the list and came from an ordinary family. It was just a coincidence that he met someone at the right time.

Among the Pingmen disciples we originally supported, Zhang Wenxu was considered a top figure. He was ranked fourth on the list and could be among the top two, which was the most valuable position.

He has the potential to be a Hanlin scholar and a cabinet official, and yet he is not eye-catching.

But he, who was the best in the world and the champion in the imperial examination, was ranked lower than him.

Have you heard about the story of the Jinshi of this year's imperial examination who boasted about his official deeds in the imperial street a few days ago? Who do you think is more likely to be the top scholar, Jia Cong or Zhang Wenxu?

Originally, Zhang Wenxu was ranked fourth on the list, which could be considered outstanding in talent, so I think no one would have any doubts about it.

But he became the top scholar. With the existence of Jia Cong, others would not think that Zhang Wenxu was extremely talented, but would only think that he was a monkey in disguise.

Now his title as the top scholar is known to the whole world and is under public scrutiny. He has become a sitting target and his value has been greatly reduced.

If we dare to use him again, it will definitely attract attention. This person should be put aside from now on and we should not have anything to do with him.

The current emperor's move is interesting. He uses Zhang Wenxu to silence the world's gossips. Jia Cong, whom he values, remains intact, but his reputation soars.

Liu Xuan, how is the progress of the matter of the vacancies of officials who were demoted and exiled?"

……

Liu Wenxuan said: "The officials of this spring's imperial examination have been investigated by the Dali Temple and the Court of Inquiries because of the joint complaint filed by the candidates.

A total of sixteen officials went with the candidates. Due to their immoral acts such as accepting bribes and pursuing sex, they were charged with serious crimes by the court and were all dismissed from their posts. Many of them were exiled to the border areas.

On the contrary, the main culprit Xu Liangxiong was only dismissed early and expelled from the capital because he did not commit intentional fraud but was careless and derelict in his duty.

Among them, he was an important official of the court and the chief examiner of the imperial examination. The court was concerned about its reputation and tightened the standards to avoid further criticism.

However, news came yesterday that Xu Liangxiong suddenly suffered an outbreak of carbuncle while passing through Jiaozhou on his way back home, and died at the post station.

In the past few days, the news has been reported back to the capital, and people are talking about it and spreading rumors. Some say that he was tortured in prison, and his foundation was damaged, which led to his death from a hidden disease.

Some people also say that the current emperor deeply hates him for causing the examination fraud case, which greatly damaged the reputation of the emperor and the court.

Because of the criticism from both the court and the public, and the fact that the law clearly stated that it was difficult to impose severe punishment, he was sentenced to death by poisoning him with wine on his way back home.

These claims are just rumors circulating in the market, without any real evidence.”

The middle-aged man picked up the teacup and drank the remaining tea in it.

He said coldly: "In the officialdom, it is like sailing against the current. If you don't advance, you will retreat. If you don't strive for fame, you will die. We sow the seeds and someone else will reap the fruits.

Xu Liangxiong suddenly got the position of examiner for the imperial examination. If he had not been so eager for quick success and had been cautious enough in setting the questions, how could the candidates who had received his guidance have had any chance to take advantage of it?

He wouldn’t have ended up like this…”

Liu Wenxuan continued, "In addition to the sixteen officials who were dismissed and charged with crimes, another thirty-one officials who participated in the Spring Examination were demoted and expelled from the capital due to their involvement in improper conduct.

At present, there are forty-seven official vacancies in various government offices in the capital. Our people have received news that the various government offices will take the opportunity to reduce the number of officials, but forty vacancies will still remain.

These days, powerful people from all sides are busy seeking official positions for their own connections and confidants, and now more than half of the official positions have candidates.

I received instructions from my boss, mobilized my available connections, and spent a lot of gold, silver and beautiful women to make arrangements for fifteen of the vacancies.

Because the official positions chosen by the employer are all low- and middle-level positions among these vacancies, they are not very eye-catching and there are relatively few people interested in them.

Things are going smoothly right now, and these vacancies are all certain to be filled, but it will cost a large sum of money, plus the amount already spent, it will cost two hundred thousand taels."

The middle-aged man said: "If I can get these fifteen official positions by spending this money, this deal is very worthwhile.

At the beginning, Du Hengxin colluded with Zou Huaiyi to plunder foreign ships and looted mountains of gold and silver. The stolen silver that the court finally seized was only a small part of it.

Most of the rest of the gold and silver are in our hands, so two hundred thousand taels are nothing.

We have been planning this for a long time, just for this one thing. As long as we can get these thirteen vacancies, any amount of money will be worth it.

If there are fifteen officials supported by us in the government offices of Shenjing, you know what this means!"

The middle-aged man's eyes flashed with a strange light, and he continued: "These fifteen official positions are all real positions in the various government offices. As long as we can always control these fifteen people.

For us, there are almost no secrets in the court.

After these fifteen people take office, they will also cultivate their own subordinates and confidants. This is the way of being an official, and no one can escape it.

The situation will grow and develop as a result, and it will be an immeasurable force, providing more support for business and worldly affairs.

But there is one thing you must remember. Although we are not short of money, when we seek vacancies, the inflow and outflow of money cannot be too huge, which goes against common sense.

Otherwise, it would attract the attention of the secret police, such as the Court of Inquisition and the Imperial Guard, and then there would be trouble.

Remember, when it comes to gaining wealth, networking is the most important thing, and money is secondary. You must associate with the powerful and influential, so that you can blend in with the crowd and hide your identity."

Liu Wenxuan replied: "I have taken note of what the boss said. When this matter was being planned, I relied on the reputation of the silk shop to make friends with many people.

Many people are already familiar with the officialdom in the capital. For scholars who have passed the imperial examinations, the reason they seek to become officials in the capital is not because of the size of the official position, but because they want to accumulate connections with powerful people while serving as an official in the capital.

From then on, even if he was sent to serve as an official in another place, with the power in the capital as a backing, he would be one step ahead of others and would have a greater chance of a successful career.

Therefore, it is common for officials to spend tens of thousands of silver coins to seek vacancies in the capital. I have received guidance from my boss and will be more cautious with money matters. "

……

The middle-aged man suddenly thought of something and asked, "I heard a rumor that the firearms workshop outside East City has been quite restless recently. It is said that Jia Cong is making new firearms?"

Liu Wenxuan replied: "Boss, I have also paid attention to this matter. It is said that the current emperor once visited the firearms workshop in person, and then a large number of imperial guards were sent to guard the workshop.

The Ministry of Industry hired many vehicles in the city, but none of them were guarded by carriages. It was said that they were used to transport things to the firearms workshop frequently.

Moreover, after the emperor visited the workshop, Jia Cong was suddenly promoted to the fourth-rank General Xuanwu. It must be because he had invented a new type of firearm that he was rewarded.

The Ministry of Revenue also recruited many craftsmen from all over the country, who frequently went in and out of the official residence of the Firearms Department of the Ministry of Works. It was said that they had to be screened by the Firearms Department.

The street where my silk shop is located is full of shops. I have many personal contacts with the shop owners, so I often hear some gossips about the market.

It is said that some craftsmen from other places were drinking in a tavern. Some of them talked after drinking and were eliminated by the Firearms Bureau. Two other craftsmen from other places were arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and imprisoned.

His life or death is still unknown, and it is said that he did something illegal. "

After hearing this, the middle-aged man's eyes darkened slightly. After a moment, he smiled and said, "It seems that we are not the only ones who are curious. Some people have already taken action..."

Liu Wenxuan asked: "Boss, should we mobilize some manpower to find out what's going on?"

The middle-aged man's eyes flickered, and after a moment of contemplation, he said, "The emperor conferred an official title on Jia Cong, which means he was entrusted with an important task and was also asking him to shoulder the responsibility.

Jia Cong is a cautious and shrewd person. He must know the importance of this matter and will not leave any loopholes for others. Therefore, we will not intervene for the time being and wait and see what happens..."

……

In the capital, at the Jinyiwei Yamen, the commander Xu Kun was idle.

Recently, Xu Kun had been feeling quite troubled because there had been no progress on important matters.

Because the Firearms Department workshop developed a new type of firearm, the emperor came in person and was very pleased. He appointed Jia Cong, the director of the Firearms Department, as the fourth-rank Xuanwu General.

Although the Firearms Bureau of the Ministry of Works was under the Ministry of Works, it was only a subsidiary body. The Minister of Works Li Dekang had no authority to assist in the management of the Firearms Bureau, and the affairs of the Firearms Bureau had always been directly managed by the palace.

The manufacture of firearms involves important military and national secrets. Even the Minister of Works does not know what kind of firearms the Firearms Department has developed, let alone Xu Kun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

But considering Xu Kun's sophistication and experience, even if he didn't know what the new firearms were, the fact that the emperor only visited the workshop once and conferred an official title on Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong shows that the newly developed firearms must be extraordinary.

After that, the palace sent a large number of imperial guards to guard the firearms workshop, and the Ministry of Works requisitioned a large amount of materials and transported them to the workshop.

The Ministry of Revenue also urgently collected first-class craftsmen from all over the country for screening and use by the Firearms Bureau.

Jinyiwei received an oral order from the emperor, and sent spies to the city to strengthen vigilance.

From this, Xu Kun could see how seriously and carefully His Majesty attached to the new firearms in the Firearms Workshop and the subsequent production of firearms.

Naturally, he did not dare to slack off. When the Firearms Bureau was selecting foreign craftsmen, he sent people to keep a close eye on them.

Jia Cong, the director of the Firearms Bureau, personally inquired and selected the craftsmen, and he actually found out the clue.

The Jinyiwei immediately put the suspected craftsmen in jail. Under torture, the two craftsmen confessed that they were instructed by someone to sneak into the workshop.

Xu Kun was very excited about this. He thought that once he could solve the problem of the treacherous people coveting firearms, it would be a major case and the Jinyiwei would achieve great success.

Unexpectedly, the task of catching the mastermind behind the scenes came to a standstill. The Jinyiwei secretly searched the entire city but found nothing.

Now, nearly ten days had passed and there was still no progress. The palace had repeatedly issued oral instructions and questioned Xu Kun, making him feel very uneasy.

He knew that new firearms were being manufactured at this time, and the current emperor was becoming increasingly wary and cautious about those who coveted firearms.

At the beginning, the emperor personally selected and appointed Wang Zhangjiang to Nanjing as a captain of the Embroidered Guards to investigate the follow-up of the Nanjing firearms smuggling case. This was an early move to prepare for a rainy day.

Some time ago, Wang Zhangjiang sent a secret report to Xu Kun that Zhen Shiwen's suspected case of illegal firearm manufacturing had made important progress.

Wang Zhangjiang has personally led people to Quanzhou, Fujian to arrest important suspects and witnesses.

Now, more than ten days have passed. According to Wang Zhangjiang's last secret letter, which estimated the progress of the matter and the time it would take for express horses to deliver messages between the two places, the news was supposed to have reached Shenjing yesterday.

But yesterday Xu Kun waited for a whole day, but he didn't see the Jinling Jinyi riders enter the city.

Now the mastermind who ordered the craftsmen to steal the firearms secrets has not been arrested. Xu Kun can only hope that Prince Zhangjiang of Jinling will make some gains, otherwise the Jinyiwei will not be able to explain to the emperor.

Just when he was extremely anxious and at a loss, hurried footsteps were heard outside the office.

A lieutenant in the imperial uniform came to the palace and reported urgently: "Your Excellency, the Jinling Jinyi Guards have entered the city on fast horses and brought a secret letter from the King of Jinling. Now they are waiting in the main hall!"

Xu Kun was greatly encouraged after hearing this and shouted, "Send him in right away!"

After a while, a dusty young officer of the Imperial Guards, wrapped in a black leather bag, walked quickly into the official residence.

He said: "Your Excellency the Commander, Captain Wang has captured the suspect in Quanzhou, Fujian eight days ago.

Six days ago, the prisoner was brought back to Nanjing, and an important confession has been obtained. I am here on the orders of Captain Wang to deliver a secret letter to the capital, and ask the commander to open it personally."

After the lieutenant finished speaking, he took off the black leather bag on his back, took out the secret box sealed with wax, and presented it to Xu Kun with both hands.

After hearing the report from the lieutenant, Xu Kun was overjoyed. He could not wait to take the secret box, check the wax seal, take out the secret letter and read it carefully.

He quickly read the secret letter, with a look of surprise and a hint of awe, and shouted: "Prepare the horses, I want to enter the palace immediately!"

……

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

The atmosphere in the hall was somewhat solemn. The Minister of Personnel Chen Mo stood hunched before the imperial desk, his expression wooden, showing no sadness or joy.

Emperor Jiazhao looked at the memorial in his hand with an extremely gloomy expression on his face.

He asked, "Xu Liangxiong was in his prime, and I have never heard that he had any hidden illness. He was only out of the capital for a few days, so how could he suddenly die? Has the local government investigated the cause of death?"

Chen Mo said: "Although Xu Liangxiong was demoted for his crimes, he is still a high-ranking official in the ministry and has a special status, so we should not take him lightly.

After the news of his death reached the capital, the Ministry of Personnel and the Dali Temple sent personnel to the scene.

The Dali Temple examined his body and found that Xu Liangxiong had refused to confess before, but he did so after being tortured. There were signs of torture on his body.

However, the Dali Temple was very careful in its execution and only caused flesh wounds, without leaving any internal diseases.

A famous local doctor was hired to diagnose the patient, and based on the description of the patient's condition by his servants, the doctor found that the patient had symptoms consistent with an abscess.

Therefore, it is speculated that he was overly depressed after being convicted and sentenced, and was tired and weak along the way, which caused the carbuncle. There is no doubt about the cause of death.

However, when the news of Xu Liangxiong's death reached the capital, rumors arose both inside and outside the government.

It was said that as the chief examiner of the imperial examination, he neglected his duties, causing a major fraud case and undermining the integrity of the imperial examination, and he should be executed for his crime.

The court spared his life out of respect, but he will eventually die. The speculation is quite disrespectful..."

When Emperor Jiazhao heard this, he became furious and slammed the imperial desk heavily. The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became a little gloomy.

He said: "Xu Liangxiong has done a lot of harm to people. If he hadn't committed dereliction of duty, how could such a big fraud case have been caused?

This implicated many candidates and officials. Now that he is dead, it would be fine, but the royal family has to take the blame.

He is a convicted official. It is not easy for me to kill him. Why do I need to use these means? "

Chen Mo said: "Your Majesty is a wise and capable ruler. The case of the Spring Examination was judged according to the law and reason. It is clear to the world and impeccable.

However, there are always evil and rebellious people who speculate and speak nonsense, causing confusion. The court must investigate and correct them. "

Emperor Jiazhao sighed and said, "What Minister Chen said makes sense. The state is in turmoil and we are overwhelmed. The monarch and his subjects should work together to achieve the right path.

There are those who are disobedient, try to curry favor with the public, obscure the emperor's favor, and disturb the public.

The court would not give them any excuses. Although Xu Liangxiong was a criminal, he was once a third-rank official after all.

I pity him for dying early, and grant him grace, granting him the title of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and burying him in the third-rank official attire. My dear Mr. Chen, I leave this matter to you."

Chen Mo said: "I obey your order. Your Majesty is magnanimous. I am grateful for your grace. I will definitely get this done."

Emperor Jiazhao looked a little tired and waved his hand. Chen Mo quickly said goodbye and left the Qianyang Palace.

As he walked out of the hall, he couldn't help but look back, feeling confused.

Xu Liangxiong's sudden death seemed strange no matter how you looked at it, but he had been in the court for half his life, so he still had some vision.

Although, the current emperor has always been ruthless and decisive since he ascended the throne, he definitely has the courage to kill Xu Liangxiong.

But to His Majesty, the examination fraud case has been settled, and Xu Liangxiong is more valuable alive than dead.

Demoting a third-rank official to the eighth rank and retiring him is more satisfying than killing him. It can also serve as a warning to others and demonstrate the rule of law.

With His Majesty's ability to weigh and plan, how could it be possible that he would wait until the major case was settled and Xu Liangxiong left Beijing before taking his life?

This is tantamount to giving others an excuse to discredit the emperor himself, leaving him with a reputation of being cold and cruel...

If Xu Liangxiong did not die of natural causes, and was not removed by someone sent by the current emperor, then who did it?
Chen Mo's mind was full of thoughts, and he couldn't help but imagine the possible characters, but he had no idea at the moment.

As he was about to lower his head to leave the palace, he saw a eunuch walking hurriedly towards him, who brushed past him and went straight into the palace gate.

I heard a voice coming from the palace: "Your Majesty, Lord Xu, the commander of the Jinyiwei, is here to see you outside Chengtian Gate.

He said that he had important matters to report to His Majesty, and that he had made some progress in the old case in Nanjing..." (End of this chapter)