Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

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

Emperor Jiazhao was furious because of the rumors and slander he suffered due to Xu Liangxiong's death.

But even though murderous intent emerged in his heart, he still remained calm enough.

Rumors like these between officials and the public have always been very tricky to deal with.

If left unchecked, the rumor will only grow in popularity, becoming more and more outrageous, almost to the point of becoming true.

Because if a lie is told a hundred times, most people will believe it, and a thick fog will arise.

However, if the Jinyiwei or the Magistrates' Court were mobilized to search the streets and arrest and suppress those who spread the rumors, things would be even worse.

Most likely, people will think that you are guilty and will confess your crime, which will never be cleared up in the future.

The ancients said that it is more difficult to guard against the people's mouths than to guard against the floods, and there is some truth to this.

Therefore, even if the emperor is high and mighty, when faced with such a thing, out of reason and consideration, he would most likely choose to keep quiet and suffer the loss in silence.

Just when Emperor Jiazhao was feeling depressed, the eunuch suddenly entered the palace to report that Xu Kun, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wanted to see him. This made Emperor Jiazhao feel better and gave him some expectations.

The astonishing scale of the private firearms workshop in Nanjing made Emperor Jiazhao very wary, and the fact that the person behind the scenes could not be traced also made him very uneasy.

What made him feel even darker was that the Zhen family in Jinling was involved in a case of privately manufacturing firearms.

Because of the old Concubine Zhen, the Zhen family has a deep connection with the retired emperor. So, is the private manufacture of firearms also related to the retired emperor?

Such an idea may seem absurd to others.

But sixteen years ago, the capital city was in turmoil, and the emperor abdicated in shame. Emperor Jiazhao ascended the throne at an extraordinary opportunity.

All these drastic changes have left an indelible mark on the emperor's heart.

So when others think something is impossible, he will consider the possibility...

Under the sky, is it the land of the king; on the shore of the land, is it the ministers of the king.

Since he is the king of the world, he cannot allow any evil to happen beside his bed...

As for how to confirm this possibility, or to show a tough attitude towards certain coveted actions.

Therefore, it was confirmed that Zhen Shiwen was simply deceived and participated in the smuggling and manufacturing of firearms without knowing the truth.

Even though he knew the truth, he was deliberately involved in the private manufacturing of firearms and was plotting treason, which was very important to Emperor Jiazhao.

If the latter possibility is confirmed, he will deal with the Zhen family without mercy. At that time, the attitude of the emperor will be able to explain everything...

That was why he had chosen the smart and capable Wang Zhangjiang so early on, and sent him to the south of the Yangtze River to serve as the chief officer of the Jinling Jinyiwei and to conduct a thorough investigation into the affairs of the Zhen family.

And Wang Zhangjiang did not disappoint him. After arriving in Nanjing, he began to conduct intensive inspections and gradually broke through the deadlocks left by his predecessor.

According to a secret report from CRRC Corporation Limited, Wang Zhangjiang had made a breakthrough in the case of Yu Zhen Shiwen more than ten days ago.

Emperor Jia Zhao estimated based on the time that Xu Kun's eagerness to come to the palace to ask for an audience must be because there must be good news coming from Nanjing.

Otherwise, the craftsmen intended to sneak into the workshop to steal secrets, and the Jinyiwei's investigation had made no progress. Xu Kun was too busy hiding from the emperor, so how could he deliver himself to the emperor?

Emperor Jia Zhao figured out the key to this, and he couldn't help but cheer up. He said in a deep voice: "Send him to the emperor!"

……

After a while, the figure of Xu Kun, commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, appeared at the tall gate of Qianyang Palace.

He walked steadily to the imperial desk and said, "Your Majesty, I am Xu Kun, the commander of the Jinyiwei, here to see Your Majesty.

Jinling Jinyiwei's fast horse cavalry entered the city half an hour ago to deliver the news that Jinling Zhenshi's case has made some achievements. I have come to the palace to report to His Majesty. "

Emperor Jia Zhao was excited and said, "Speak!"

Xu Kun said: "Last time, when Jinling Wang Qianhu sealed up all the shops of the Zhen family, he interrogated the people in the shops.

They accidentally discovered a store called Haiyun Pavilion, where one of the people listed on the store's roster was missing.

Because there are so many managers and clerks in a shop, it is difficult to keep track of them all. It is also common for merchants to have staff turnover due to various reasons.

The Zhen family never mentioned this matter, and the local authorities accidentally overlooked it, so no one noticed it.

After investigation, Captain Wang found out that the missing person was named Chen Rong, a slave of the Zhen family.

Although Chen Rong is not the owner of the store, he is just an ordinary manager.

But according to the shop assistants, Chen Rong was very trusted by Zhen Shiwen, and Zhen Shiwen would take him with him to run errands on daily basis.

Therefore, Chen Rong knew much more about Zhen Shiwen's background than others.

However, since Zhen Shiwen was mysteriously murdered, the Zhen family has been in turmoil. In order to prevent further trouble, Zhen Fangqing reorganized the Zhen family's business.

Whenever there was any shady or illegal activity in the business led by Zhen Shiwen, Zhen Fangqing would investigate and report it to the government, thus alleviating the temporary danger to the Zhen family.

Chen Rong's father, Chen Xun, was the steward of the Zhen family's eldest branch. He was also found to have committed illegal acts and was arrested and convicted by Yingtian Prefecture.

Chen Rong might have fled the store because he was afraid of getting into trouble because his father was convicted and Zhen Shiwen was killed.

Captain Wang had high hopes for this man and speculated that Chen Rong might know about Zhen Shiwen. After searching in many places, he determined that he was hiding in Quanzhou, Fujian.

He then led his elite subordinates to Quanzhou, and after several days of searching, he escorted the man back to Nanjing.

Six days ago, Chen Rong confessed in the Jinling Jinyiwei prison that the Zhen family's shop, Haiyun Pavilion, stored Ottoman fine iron, and it was not the goods that others had deposited in the store.

Instead, Zhen Shiwen was entrusted by a shopkeeper named Zhao to purchase this batch of fine iron from overseas through the Zhen family's fleet.

When Zhen Shiwen was handling the matter, Chen Rong followed him around, so he knew the inside story very well.

Later, due to the theft of muskets from the Liaodong border army, the Jinyiwei investigated the case and presumed that the stolen new muskets might have been smuggled to a place in the south of the Yangtze River where water and land traffic is unobstructed.

Therefore, those who smuggled firearms in Jinling City were searched one by one. Zhen Shiwen, who had smuggled firearms before, was also searched because of his experience of smuggling firearms.

The Ottoman fine iron stored in Haiyun Pavilion was eventually seized by the Jinyiwei.

Ge Zhicheng, who was the captain of the Jinling Embroidered Guards at the time, listened to the advice of Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong and did not confiscate the batch of fine iron from the Zhen family's shop.

Instead, they used it as bait to set up secret stakes near Haiyun Pavilion to lure in the person behind the extraction of refined iron.

Afterwards, a fire suddenly broke out in Haiyun Pavilion. In the chaos, someone took the opportunity to take away this batch of fine iron.

Under torture by the Embroidered Uniform Guards, Chen Rong confessed that the fire in Haiyun Pavilion was set by Zhen Shiwen.

Afterwards, the private firearms workshop outside the city of Jinling was surrounded and suppressed by the Jinyiwei, and this batch of fine iron was seized from the workshop.

From this we can see that Zhen Shiwen knew the use of Ottoman refined iron.

It was not that he was unaware of the private manufacture of firearms, but he deliberately participated in it!

The fact that he helped the person behind the scenes to smuggle Ottoman refined iron into private workshops is irrefutable evidence.

After the Jinling private firearms workshop was discovered by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was also silenced by the person behind the scenes.

All the details of Zhen Shiwen's case are in the letter from Jinling Jinyiwei. It is described in detail. Please read it, Your Majesty."

……

Guo Lin stepped forward, took the secret letter from Xu Kun, and presented it to Emperor Jiazhao.

Emperor Jia Zhao took the secret letter, glanced at it for a moment, and said coldly: "Which branch of the Zhen family is this Zhen Shiwen from?"

Xu Kun heard the sinister meaning in Emperor Jia Zhao's words, and he could not help but feel awe in his heart, and replied: "Zhen Shiwen is the eldest son of the Zhen family's eldest branch, and his father is Zhen Yingjia, the president of Jinling Tiren Academy.

Zhen Shiwen is also the future head of the Jinling Zhen family. I believe that the Jinling Zhen family is a big family in the south of the Yangtze River. Not only have they been officials for generations, but they are also very wealthy. They are known as Half City of Zhen in Jinling.

The Zhen family holds considerable weight in the hearts of the scholars and common people in Jiangnan. Now the eldest son of the Zhen family is actually involved in the private manufacture of firearms.

I think this is a serious matter and we must be careful!"

Guo Lin, who was standing by the imperial desk with the heads cut off, glanced at Xu Kun calmly. He naturally understood what Xu Kun meant.

I thought that Commander Xu's ability to investigate and solve cases was not as good as Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong's, but his ability to guess the emperor's intentions was really good...

Emperor Jia Zhao said calmly: "What Lord Xu said makes sense. What advice do you have for this case..."

Xu Kun said: "I think that the land of Jiangnan is far away from the capital, rarely receives the emperor's grace, has a large number of merchants, is vast and populous, and is prosperous.

Therefore, people's hearts are fickle, and they are prone to unexpected changes and dangers. More than a decade ago, Jinling was the most famous family in Jiangnan, and its reputation and prestige, which can be traced back to a long history, were even higher than the Zhen family in Jinling.

However, even such an aristocratic family, head of which, Du Hengchang, colluded with the remnants of the Hidden Sect and brought hidden disasters to the six prefectures and one city in the south of the Yangtze River.

Fortunately, the imperial court discovered the Du family's rebellious intentions early and wiped out all the remaining members of the Du family, which brought more than ten years of peace to the south of the Yangtze River.

Today, the Zhen family and the Du family are both prominent families in Jinling, and their reputation and wealth are no less than that of the Du family in the past.

The Zhen family has received the emperor's grace for generations. Although they have no hereditary title, they have held hereditary positions for three generations and have no thought of repaying the emperor's grace. The direct descendants of the family are rebellious and have no morals. They privately make firearms and harbor rebellious intentions.

Never forget the past and it will serve as a lesson for the future. Although Zhen Shiwen is dead, his crime has been hidden until now and will finally be revealed. Disobedience and evil deeds should not be forgiven lightly.

Whether his father, Zhen Yingjia, was a third-rank official in the imperial court and was involved in the private manufacture of firearms remains to be verified.

Even if Zhen Yingjia was not involved in this matter, he could not escape the guilt. He had no moral integrity in managing his family, had no way of educating his children, and secretly plotted treason, so he could not deserve the high official title.

Firearms are the most important tools of a country and the defense of the country. The treacherous and evil people who covet them must be wiped out and cannot be tolerated.

The Zhen family today is the Du family yesterday. I advise Your Majesty to punish the Zhen family severely for their crimes to serve as a warning to others and to deter the evildoers."

……

Guo Lin, who was standing by, couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart after hearing what Xu Kun said.

Commander Xu wants to put the Zhen family to death. Does he have a grudge against the Zhen family?

But Guo Lin changed his mind and thought about it, and figured out the reason. Xu Kun had been serving as an official in Shenjing, and had nothing to do with the Zhen family in Jiangnan, so how could there be any feud between them?

However, as the commander of the Jinyiwei, although he seems to be in a high position and has great power, it is actually a job that requires walking on the edge of a knife. Few of the commanders of the Jinyiwei have had a good ending.

As the emperor's lackey, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard can only hold on to his position and live longer if he deeply understands the emperor's will and serves as the emperor's sharp knife.

Xu Kun understood that the emperor was cautious about firearms, and his tolerance for the Zhen family had come to an end.

Besides, the investigation into the Zhen Shiwen case was fully handled by the Royal Guards, and now the detective evidence is solid.

Under such circumstances, if the affairs of the Zhen family were ignored and left unresolved, what merit would the Jinyiwei have to speak of?

Only by making the crime of Zhen Shiwen's private manufacture of firearms known to the world and accusing the Zhen family of serious crime can we please the emperor and demonstrate the merits of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

After listening to Xu Kun's words, although Emperor Jia Zhao remained calm and did not make a clear statement, there was a hint of relaxation on his face.

He said: "Xu Kun, you have coordinated well this time. The Jinyiwei has made great contributions in the investigation and verification. I will not hesitate to reward you."

"Guo Lin, pass on my oral order and order the Minister of Justice Wei Guanyao, the Minister of Justice Chen Maoshu, and the Left Censor-in-Chief Zhou Xianyang to come to the palace to discuss matters..."

……

Jinling, Mingdefang, Zhen family mansion.

The once prosperous, wealthy and majestic mansion now has an air of decline and desolation.

The maids and servants who came and went in the mansion no longer had their usual calm faces, and seemed to be a little bit uneasy as they worked busy.

Some time ago, a large number of Jinyi officers and soldiers broke into the mansion with ferocious looks and searched everywhere in the yard. The sound of furniture and porcelain being broken could be heard everywhere.

This situation was an unprecedented humiliation for the owners of the mansions.

For the Zhen family's servants, they had long been accustomed to the wealth and stability of the mansion. They had never encountered such a terrible storm in their lifetime and felt terrified whenever they thought about it.

But they are slaves of the Zhen family, and their life and death, honor and disgrace have long been bound to the Zhen family. No matter whether the Zhen family is rich and prosperous, or impoverished and decadent, they can only accept their fate.

These days, the maids in the inner courtyard have been doing their work very quietly and carefully, and they dare not make any noise.

I was afraid that if I did something wrong, I would anger my master who was in a gloomy and angry mood, and he might not only scold me verbally, but also punish me according to the family rules.

The reason why the servants of the Zhen family have such worries is that since the middle of last year, the Zhen family has been getting worse and worse. They are worried about everything and have not been satisfied with anything.

First, the third young master of the eldest house was involved in firearms smuggling and was taken to prison by the Royal Guards, causing the Zhen family to lose face.

Later, it was the Earl of Weiyuan who stepped in to mediate and finally got the third young master out of prison.

But not long after, the third young master was unexpectedly killed, and he died in the bed of his concubine. It was said that his death was very embarrassing, which brought shame to the Zhen family.

After that, nothing good happened to the Zhen family. At the end of last year, news came from the capital that the old concubine was seriously ill, which made the master of the Zhen family panic.

Everyone in Jinling City knew that the Zhen family had been rich and prosperous for generations, mostly because of the protection of the old concubine.

Once the old empress dowager passes away due to old age, the Zhen family's protection and power will most likely be reduced by more than half.

The third daughter of the second wife traveled a long way to the capital to visit the old empress dowager about her illness, and surprisingly there were some unexpected turns of events.

Not long after, good news came from the capital. With the help of the old Concubine Zhen, the emperor was going to marry the third girl to the Earl of Weiyuan.

The famous Earl of Weiyuan had been to the Zhen family before. Many maids and servants in the inner courtyard had seen him. He was a top figure in the world.

Not to mention that the Rong Jia family is one of the top wealthy families in Shenjing. The marriage between the Zhen and Jia families will be of great benefit to the Zhen family, which is already in decline.

During that time, the old lady and the second wife were in a very good mood, and even the eldest master and the eldest wife had smiles on their faces.

But unexpectedly, good things did not last long and misfortunes never come alone. After some time, news came from Shenjing that Earl Weiyuan's father had suddenly died.

The court cancelled the marriage between him and the third girl on the grounds of observing filial piety. It is said that the marriage decree was only halfway through being read out when someone from the palace interrupted it...

From that time on, the situation of the Zhen family took a sharp turn for the worse.

The Jinling Jinyiwei seemed to have found a support and would come to harass him every few days.

First, a special official document was issued, summoning the master to the Jinyiwei for questioning, so that the master would lose face in the Jinling officialdom.

Afterwards, the Imperial Guards sealed off the Zhen family’s shop business in the city and even broke into the Zhen family’s mansion to search.

The Zhen family's nearly one hundred years of power and glory were trampled underfoot by the Jinyiwei...

The old lady fell ill in bed due to the shame and anger caused by the Jinyiwei's home search. Although she sought treatment from a famous doctor in Nanjing, her condition was always unstable.

The master and his wife in the first house were both in a bad mood, and the old lady had been busy at home these days, and it was said that she was packing up her belongings...

Even the ignorant maids in the inner courtyard could feel the panic of the coming doomsday.

……

The Zhen family mansion and the large house.

When Zhen Yingjia came back from the yamen, he saw the maids and servants in the courtyard walking back and forth, collecting valuables and utensils and putting them back into boxes.

His wife was standing on the corridor, ordering the servants to do things.

This situation has been going on for two days. Zhen Yingjia seemed helpless about his wife's feminine views, and he was too lazy to pay attention to them because he also had a lot of worries.

In the past, he was the president of Jinling Tirenyuan, a third-rank official, and a leading figure in Jinling officialdom.

Every day, I don’t know how many old relatives from noble families, colleagues and students frequently visit me, drink and socialize with me, speak flatteringly and in a respectable manner.

Ever since he was summoned by the Jinyiwei and ever since the Jinyiwei brazenly searched the Zhen family compound, all these people from the past suddenly disappeared, and some even tried to avoid them as much as possible.

Zhen Yingjia's confusion and panic had reached the point of suffocating him, so he no longer had the mood to care about his wife's financial calculations.

When Mrs. Zhen saw her master returning home, she quickly asked the maid to serve tea and personally brought it to Zhen Yingjia.

Zhen Yingjia took a sip of tea and asked, "Why are you setting up all this trouble?"

Mrs. Zhen Er said, "Master is also aware of the current situation at home. In the past, people always came to visit us, but now there is no one at home. Everyone is avoiding us.

I thought that having a blocked nose and eyes was not a good idea, so early in the morning when my master went to the yamen, I went out to visit several old relatives.

There are always people who follow the wind and say a few useful words to me.

They said that Shiwen's involvement in the musket case was a big offense to His Majesty. In the past, the old empress dowager was still alive, and His Majesty was concerned about the face of the retired emperor and could not take action.

Now that the old concubine has passed away, His Majesty no longer has the scruples he used to have, and will most likely settle the score later..."

When Zhen Yingjia heard this, anger spread across his face and he slammed the teacup down.

He said, "Shut up. How can you say such things casually? If the news gets out, aren't you afraid that the Jinyiwei will cause trouble for you?"

Mrs. Zhen said, "Master, this time someone is deliberately causing trouble, and no matter how careful we are, it will be useless.

Shiwen is gone, but we still have Baoyu. We must make some plans for him. We can’t just sit there and wait. I have already packed up a lot of valuables…” (End of this chapter)