Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

In the capital city, in late October, the sky is high and the clouds are blue, the earth is desolate, and the autumn wind is about to end.

On the eastern outskirts of the city, on a gentle slope, there is a large-scale workshop. There are guard towers around the workshop, soldiers patrolling, and the security is strict.

The slope was surrounded by densely packed military camps and tents, which protected the workshop like the moon surrounded by stars.

In recent months, this Ministry of Industry's firearms workshop has been undergoing large-scale construction and expansion under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry's Food and Beverage Department.

Not only did they build workshops and warehouses, but they also continued to expand and add to meet the needs of manufacturing a large number of new firearms.

Facilities such as restaurants, barracks, and bathrooms that provide living quarters for hundreds of craftsmen were also built in specific areas of the workshop, and a new training ground was also built near the workshop.

A few months ago, Emperor Jia Zhao issued an imperial decree, ordering Jia Cong to speed up the production of a thousand breech-loading rifles and simultaneously form five military camps of breech-loading musket teams.

The densely packed military camps and tents at the foot of the slope belonged to the 1,500 imperial guards guarding the workshop, while the others housed the breech-loading musketeers.

There was a new training ground near the workshop, and bursts of dense gunfire could be heard from time to time. Several teams of neatly-dressed spearmen, holding newly-made breech-loading muskets, were lined up for practice.

On the parade ground, Jia Cong was wearing the uniform of a fifth-rank civil servant. His robe fluttered in the strong wind, and he was concentrating on watching the soldiers practicing with muskets.

Next to him stood a sturdy general, wearing a tasseled helmet and armor, looking very majestic.

In the military-filled parade ground, Jia Cong stood out in his elegant civil servant attire.

But every soldier and general on the parade ground would not show any contempt or alienation towards him because of his attire.

On the contrary, everyone's eyes were filled with awe and reverence, and every column passing by the reviewing platform would salute him respectfully.

There has always been a dislike between civil officials and military officials. The rough soldiers who have fought in the army can't stand the pedantry and ink of civil officials the most, and respect those with outstanding military achievements the most.

Everyone in the training ground knew that the young man in front of them was not only a famous civil servant in Shenjing City recently, but also a military hero with outstanding military achievements.

He once led thousands of troops to fight in Liaodong, won several great victories, and pacified the Jurchens. He was not only an excellent strategic figure, but also a brave warrior who could defeat generals in battle.

Such a person would naturally become the focus of admiration and attention in the military camp and training ground.

The generals around Jia Cong laughed and said, "Thanks to Lord Bo's report to the emperor, the elite troops of the Liaodong Firearms Battalion were selected and sent back to Beijing for training.

It is only for me to witness the power of this new breech-loading rifle, which is truly an eye-opener.

Lord Bo is not only a brave general on the battlefield, but also has such ingenious ideas and ingenuity that he created such a magical weapon, which makes me admire him very much. "

The general who was speaking was Wei Yongzhou, the captain of the Liaodong Firearm Battalion. This time he was ordered to select the elite troops of the Liaodong Firearm Battalion and return to Beijing to participate in the training of breech-loading rifles.

At that time, Wei Yongzhou was the commander of the Five Military Camps. He once traveled thousands of miles with Jia Cong to escort a large number of firearms into the Liaodong army.

Afterwards, he followed Jia Cong in a thousand-mile raid in Liaodong and fought fiercely with the Jurchens in Liaodong. He was promoted to Qianzong for his merits.

When Jia Cong returned to Beijing to report, he stayed in Liaodong to lead the troops. On the way, he was secretly transferred to Nanjing to accompany Jia Cong on business. He was Jia Cong's confidant in the Liaodong army.

……

There were a total of 1,200 spearmen selected for breech-loading musket training, of which more than 500 were elite soldiers selected by Jia Cong from the Shenji Camp.

He also submitted a special memorial to Emperor Jiazhao, saying that in battle, when using firearms for attack and defense, it would be better to use muskets to kill veteran soldiers, which would definitely better unleash the power of breech-loading rifles.

The Liaodong Firearms Battalion had fought with him across thousands of miles in the Baishan and Heishui regions, experienced battles of all sizes, and pacified the Jurchens in one fell swoop. They were all rare elite firearms combat troops.

We request Emperor Jiazhao to select elite troops from the Liaodong Firearms Battalion and send them to Beijing to participate in the training of the new breech-loading rifles, which will surely be of great use in future wars in the nine borders.

After the emperor's edict reached Liaodong, Wei Yongzhou, the chief officer of the Firearms Battalion, immediately selected 700 elite musketeers and rushed back to Beijing day and night.

When the troops were fully trained with breech-loading rifles, Jia Cong allocated 200 of the newly made breech-loading rifles for the training of musketeers.

He also gave the breech-loading rifle training manual he compiled to Wei Yongzhou to train the soldiers according to the manual. Now, nearly two months have passed, and the training of the rifle soldiers has been very effective.

Wei Yongzhou smiled and said, "My Lord, if we had this breech-loading rifle when we fought the Jurchens, we would have been able to achieve twice the result with half the effort and save a lot of effort."

He was the commander of the firearms battalion and had been in firearms battles for a long time. His understanding of the use of firearms was higher than that of ordinary people. Naturally, he praised the power of the breech-loading rifle.

Jia Cong said: "No matter how powerful a firearm is, it can only exert its full power if it is used according to local conditions and in the right way.

Liaodong is a land of white mountains and black waters, with many hills, gentle slopes, forests and water veins. It is not conducive to the charging of groups of war horses, but it can serve as a barrier to the advancement of firearms.

If the breech-loading rifle is used in the Liaodong battlefield, as long as it is deployed properly, it will naturally be twice as effective with half the effort.

But the court's biggest worry right now was in the northern desert. The prairie was endless and unobstructed, and the muskets were lined up and fired at the same time, with no protection at all.

In the battle of Liaodong, everyone in the world knew that firearms were powerful, so the Mongols must have taken precautions.

They have excellent war horses and superb riding skills. Once in danger, they can escape hundreds of miles away in an instant and easily escape the range of muskets.

Or they could take advantage of the vast grassland, make a roundabout move, and harass the enemy from both sides, which would effectively disrupt the musket formation.

The use of firearms in the battlefields of Mobei is much more difficult than in Liaodong."

Wei Yongzhou was the leader of the Firearm Battalion. He naturally understood what Jia Cong said and felt that it made a lot of sense.

He said, "According to Master Bo, a breech-loading rifle, a powerful weapon, would become useless if it were brought to the prairie."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "That's not the case. Firearms are used in different places and in different ways. The combination of the positive and the strange can make up for the shortcomings and defeat the enemy."

……

The two discussed the use of breech-loading rifles. Jia Cong suddenly thought of something and asked, "How is Zhigui in the army?"

Wei Yongzhou smiled and said, "I hope you will forgive me this time. I know Zhigui was your servant, and you must miss him.

Originally, I wanted to bring him back with me this time, but all the elite soldiers in the army were gone, and only a few recruits were left.

Although the Liaodong army is now suppressing the rebellion and there is no need to worry about war, we still have to leave reliable people behind to guard Liaodong's assets.

Uncle, you don't know that Shiki is born to be a soldier. He is not afraid of hardship or death, and it will be easy for him to stand out in the army.

Whether he is fighting in battle or training, this kid is very good at using his brain. Although he is still young, the soldiers are all convinced by him.

Liu Yongzheng was very optimistic about this guy and tried to poach him several times, wanting to transfer him to be the leader of his personal guards, but I rejected him every time.

Before I came out, after much deliberation, I decided to leave him in Liaodong to help me look after the Firearm Battalion’s belongings.

I have recommended him to the general, and promoted him to be my captain."

Jia Cong smiled slightly: "A good man has ambitions to go far and wide. It is a blessing for Zhigui to be valued by Brother Wei. It doesn't matter whether he comes back or not."

Although the captain was only a low-level officer in the army, he was in charge of over a hundred soldiers. Guo Zhigui was only fifteen years old, which was considered an outstanding performance.

However, Nanny Zhao had not seen her son for several years and was afraid that she would be disappointed. Jia Cong thought of taking more free time recently and taking Zhishao to visit the wet nurse more often.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Fengjie's Courtyard.

Wang Xifeng was flipping through the account book on the table. Wu'er was sitting on the couch, teasing her eldest sister with a bright smile, and couldn't let go of her.

The little girl stretched out her hands and kicked her legs, babbling, her big eyes narrowed into crescents, she was very cute.

Because winter was approaching, Feng'er brought a seamstress to the outer room to sew swaddling clothes, cotton clothes, winter shoes and other items for her elder sister to wear during the winter.

She would run to the inner room from time to time to compare the sample clothes on her eldest sister's hands and feet, and would play with her little hands with a smile.

At this time, Ping'er finished her housework and returned to the inner room from outside. She poured a cup of warm tea and drank it to quench her thirst.

Said: "Grandma went to Rongqing Hall to pay her respects this morning. Did the old lady ask about that matter? Has the rules been decided now?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, “This matter has been forgotten for several days, but today the old lady couldn’t bear it anymore and asked about it again.

This time I made it clear that the two families of the East and West Mansions would each give a gift of 1,000 taels for Baoyu's marriage, and the old lady had nothing to say after hearing this."

Wu Er smiled and said, "The old lady is understanding of the difficulties at home."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Last time I only asked for one thousand taels, which was a very low price. The old lady and the second lady were already disappointed.

The old lady was much smarter than the second wife. She was impatient to argue about this, and now that one thousand taels had become two thousand taels, she would naturally take advantage of the situation to decline.

Fortunately, the second wife has been busy these days and is not in the hall in the morning. I am not in a hurry to pass on the message. The old lady will talk to her, so I can save some saliva.

But when I went there today, the old lady mentioned something in her gossip that was quite funny.

It is said that the second wife came to chat a few days ago and said that Xiren and Caiyun had been in the same room for several months but there was no movement, and she thought it would be difficult for them to have children.

She wanted to give Caixia to Baoyu as well, hoping for a result soon. It was strange to hear that the Second Wife was so anxious. Raising a child is not like planting wheat in the field. It will sprout after a few days of watering and sun exposure. It has only been a few days since Xiren and the others entered the room.

The daughter-in-law is about to come in, but the second wife is still eager to put a woman in Baoyu's room, not afraid of leaving room for gossip and causing quarrels between the young couple in the future."

Ping Erh said, "Why is the Second Madam so anxious now that she is worried that she will have no children in the future when Second Madam Bao comes into the family."

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "I was also a little puzzled at first, but then the news came out from Rongqing Hall.

That day, the second wife and the old lady were whispering that you were there in the third brother's room again.

There are only two of them in Baoyu's room now, which is a bit too little, so let's add one more on each side."

Wu'er heard Wang Xifeng's humorous remarks, glanced at Ping'er, and couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Ping'er's face flushed, and she muttered, "The Second Madam is so desperate for her grandson, she can just carry someone into the room, why did she involve me? It's so boring."

Wang Xifeng looked disdainful and said, "Second Madam does have great ambitions. She always compares Baoyu with Third Brother, but how can these two be the same?"

She glanced at Wu'er and Ping'er and said jokingly, "Caixia has grown up this year, and her figure looks like that of a girl who can easily bear children.

You two are also good candidates. It has been quite a while, but there is no news. Don’t let them take the lead, or we will lose face.”

When Wu'er and Ping'er heard Wang Xifeng talking about obscene things, which were quite bold and explicit, their pretty faces turned red. They wanted to laugh but were too embarrassed to speak out loud.

……

At this time, Lin Zhixiao's wife came in with a smile, first talked about several affairs in the mansion, and asked Wang Xifeng for advice on how to deal with them.

After finishing talking about the business at hand, he said, "Second Madam, I heard that something happened in the East Road Courtyard yesterday."

Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up, and with a gloating curiosity, she asked repeatedly, "Why did something go wrong out of the blue? Tell me what the story is."

Lin Zhixiao's wife said, "Yesterday, Grandma Huang from the entrance of East Hutong went to the East Road Courtyard early in the morning to complain to the Second Madam and cry, causing a great uproar in the courtyard.

It was said that her nephew Jin Rong from her mother's side had come out of the clan school the day before and had not returned home until dark, so her family members hurriedly looked for him everywhere.

Later, the man was found in the corner of the alley, covered in scars and blood, with his legs broken.

Although he was not seriously injured, the doctor said that he would still be lame even if he recovered.

Jin Rong said that although it was dark at the time, he could not see the face of the man who attacked him, but the back view looked very similar to the servant of Master Huan Sanye.

In addition, Master Huan San had recently had a fight with Jin Rong due to jealousy, leaving him with a bruised face. Jin Rong then insisted that it was Master Huan who was responsible.

Jin Rong's mother, Widow Jin, cried and wailed, and Grandma Huang was so angry that she went to the East Courtyard to argue with the Second Madam.

Wang Xifeng listened with great interest, and her face showed a fearless expression.

He laughed and said, “I didn’t expect that Huan, who usually seems like a frozen cat, could be so ferocious and even beat someone to a cripple. How come I didn’t see that before?

But how did he become enemies with Jin Rong, and why was he jealous of her?

He is so young, but he is already hooking up with women outside. It's really outrageous."

Lin Zhixiao's wife laughed and said, "Second Madam, you misunderstood. It's just a joke anyway. Just tell it to Grandma, it can also be used to amuse her.

Mr. Huan Sanye's jealousy is different from others. Now the rumor is all over the streets, saying that Jin Rong is a prostitute.

I have a crush on a guy named Yu Ai from school. He is also a real young man. Anyway, the things he says in the relationship are extremely unpleasant.

Master Huan San became jealous because of this incident, and thus he and Jin Rong became enemies. They had fought several times before, and he unexpectedly ended up killing Jin Rong.

The second wife was at her wit's end and was worried that the rumors would get worse and worse and the second house would be completely disgraced.

He gave Widow Jin two hundred taels of silver, hoping to suppress the matter, but it was too late. The word had already spread, and it was impossible to silence everyone.

……

Wu'er and Ping'er, who were standing by, blushed with shame when they heard this disgusting and filthy thing.

It is not uncommon for wealthy and extravagant families to have children who behave in absurd ways and play with nanfeng.

People like Jia Lian behaved dissolutely. Not only did he often flirt with women, but he also sometimes used the handsome young servants outside the second gate to relieve his sexual desire.

But in the mouths of the women in the inner courtyard, such things are considered extremely filthy and shameless.

Wang Xifeng spat fiercely and cursed, "Jia Huang's wife had the audacity to come to me and beg me to send her nephew to study in the clan school.

I gave her this face out of weakness, but I didn't expect that her nephew Jin Rong was such a person who would do such a despicable thing. I was really blind.

This kid deserved to have his legs broken. I told her that her nephew was murdered, but she didn't say a word to me. It seemed she didn't have the face to tell me.

Huan'er is also a lowly creature. How old is he, yet he is involved in such shameless things? He is truly a scum of the Jia family!
Now that I know about this matter, Jia Huang's wife cannot hide away even if she wants to. Aunt Lin, please go and tell the master in the school a message.

Please ask him to expel Jin Rong from the clan school immediately to avoid tarnishing the school founded by our ancestors. I will pay back Jin Rong's tuition.

If this kid wants to get close to the clan school again and cause trouble to other members of the clan, I will have his other leg crippled!"

……

Rongguo Mansion, Baoyu Courtyard.

Baoyu sat upright at the desk, holding a book in his hand, flipping through the pages gently with a focused expression, revealing a rather elegant air.

However, what he was reading was not the classics, history, and collections of literature, but Ming Yanxun's new vernacular novel "Mirage Unofficial History". The content was so interesting that Baoyu could not put the book down.

He read the script for a while, then threw it on the table, stood up and walked a few steps around the room, looking happy and even a little complacent.

On that day, he was despised by the fairy Miaoyu in Rongqing Hall, and then he heard the bad news that he was studying in the Imperial College. All the pain and blows seemed to be far away now.

He was in a very good mood these past two days, feeling a kind of excitement and joy...

Because Mrs. Wang came back from Rongqing Hall two days ago, she went to his room to talk.

Speaking of Ping'er, who has just moved into Jia Cong's room, there are already three people in the room now, but in his room there are only Xiren and Caiyun, and with one more person, the room looks respectable.

He also said that he wanted to give his maid Caixia to her, but asked him not to make it public for the time being and just keep it to himself.

Mrs. Wang also said that Caixia was in great shape and had a body that would be easy for her to bear children, and asked Baoyu to take good care of her, thinking that maybe she could get rid of her illness and leave behind children.

When Mrs. Wang was leaving, she transferred Qiu Wen to serve in the East Courtyard. Baoyu was reluctant to let her go at first, but with Caixia around, he didn't care too much.

This made Baoyu extremely surprised. He thought he was so lucky and that his wife understood him best.

Baoyu has been familiar with Caixia since childhood. Although her appearance is not as outstanding as Jinchuan's sisters, she is also a very clean and pretty daughter.

What's even more rare is that when Caixia reached the age of marriage, she began to grow up and her figure became very attractive, which made Baoyu quite envious of her.

Baoyu never thought that he would be so blessed. From then on, the room was filled with the tenderness of water, which really made him feel intoxicated...

At this time, Caiyun came in with hot tea, and Baoyu asked, "Why didn't I see Sister Xiren this morning?"

Caiyun seemed to be in a low mood and said, "Sister Xiren is bringing a little maid to clean up the west wing, where Caixia will live in the future."

Baoyu stamped his feet and twisted his waist, his face full of regret and said, "How could I be so foolish that I didn't even think of this and treated Sister Caixia so badly? Damn it, damn it.

Since she is going to live in our room and will be with us day and night in the future, we naturally have to arrange a very suitable place for her to live in peace.

Xiren is more careful than us and has thought of this matter long ago. I will also go and check the room and make sure it is more comfortable."

When Caiyun saw Baoyu so excited, she felt a pang of sadness and strangeness in her heart, and her head felt a little dizzy.

The Madam knew clearly that the Second Master was not good in bed, so why did she still stuff women into her room? As long as Caixia got on the bed, the Second Master's secret would be hidden.

The more people know about this, the greater the risk of it being leaked. If the news leaks out accidentally, everyone will be ashamed.

This Second Master is becoming more and more weird now. He knows that he is a silver-plated spear head and a bird that cannot fly even if its wings are cut off.

If a new woman enters this room and they start to get close, everything will be exposed.

The Second Master had no sense of shame or worry, and was actually jumping for joy. No one knew what he was thinking.

Baoyu didn't know that Caiyun was depressed. He pushed open the door happily and walked into the yard with light steps.

I only felt the sunshine was gentle and bright, the scenery in the courtyard was fresh and elegant, the trees were green, the grass was green, everything was green, and my mood was very comfortable... (End of this chapter)