Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 742: Doubts about the General Situation

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

After hearing what Xue Pan said, Aunt Xue naturally understood what her son meant.

He frowned and said, "You are so confused when doing other things, but you are willing to use your brain for such a stupid thing. What a good-for-nothing!"

Xue Pan said with a smile: "My son's words are rough but his logic is not. I am also a sensible person and I know that my son is not talking nonsense."

Aunt Xue sighed in her heart. She was also born into a prominent family, and families like this attached great importance to etiquette and appearance.

Ordinary families only want to have a large population. As long as they are blood descendants, there is no clear distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children.

But the wealthy and aristocratic families are very different. Because they have been rich for generations, their sons all have many wives and concubines.

Therefore, there is no worry about the bloodline being weak, and the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children becomes strict. The legitimate bloodline inherits the family business, which is the most important dignity for the wealthy and aristocratic families.

It is extremely rare for a bastard like Cong'er to become the head of two families of Rongguo and Jia.

But because this Cong was a man of both literary and martial talents, famous throughout the world, and outstanding in everything, he had already covered up his illegitimate origin without a trace, and others had no chance to mention it.

A person like him is truly a talent that is so great that smoke is coming out of the Jia family's ancestral tombs that it will take several lifetimes for others to produce him.

But this is just one case, after all, it is a rare exception, and it is impossible for every generation to be like this.

The distinction between legitimate and illegitimate children in aristocratic families is still a universal truth in this world. For a noble family like the old lady of the Jia family, this is even more deeply rooted in her.

Cong'er inherited the title of Rong because he was outstanding and was conferred the title by imperial decree, and there was nothing wrong with it.

However, the next generation of the title of Rongguo would still be inherited by a concubine's son. How could an old-fashioned person like the old lady not feel uncomfortable?

I don't know why the palace issued such an order in the first place. It seems like it was deliberately meant to disgust and bring down the Rongguo Mansion...

What her son said was right. If the illegitimate son born to a maid became the prince of Rongguo Mansion in the future, the old lady would be depressed to death.

If it was a legitimate daughter of a noble family like my daughter who gave birth to a bastard son for Cong'er, the situation would be very different.

This child carries the blood of two great noble families. This illegitimate son with a distinguished background gives the old lady a big step forward.

The old man was even more precious than Zhu Sibao, and supported him with all his strength to take the throne of the Crown Prince of Rongguo, which also preserved the dignity of the Rongguo Mansion for several generations.

The Xue family of Jinling will also lend their full support to this matter, as this will help the family's future, and the Xue family will spare no effort.

Even the palace and the clan house had to take into consideration the dignity of the nobles and did not dare to allow the offspring of a slave to take the position of the Crown Prince of Rong State and ignore such a bastard's son.

When Aunt Xue thought of this, her heart was burning with anger.

My son is right. If Baoyu wasn’t pregnant, no one would have thought of such a distant event.

Once the matter is accomplished, his own grandson will become the Lord of Rongguo of the Jia family in the future. What a glorious thing that would be.

Although I probably won't be able to see this day, but even in the afterlife, I will be able to meet my master in a dignified manner.

However, the future hope is so glorious, and the current situation is so embarrassing.

How could I say to the old lady that I was willing to give my daughter Baochai to Congge'er as a concubine?

Besides, Cong'er is still in the three-year mourning period. Taking a few maids into his room is just an inner-house matter and does not violate the clan law and filial piety.

But the Xue family is an outsider's family, and allowing them to take concubines or mistresses is a serious violation of filial piety, so it would not work either way.

……

Xue Pan opened his eyes wide. He could see that his mother was moved and was eagerly waiting for her to speak.

I couldn't help but encourage her, "Mom, our family is from a royal merchant family, and we understand the principle of making huge profits at a huge cost.

Even if mom finds a marriage for my sister to a rich and powerful family, and she becomes the legal wife, it will never be as practical and respectable as what my son said.

Besides, my sister's mind is on Cong, and I'm afraid it won't work if you ask her to marry someone else."

Aunt Xue smiled bitterly after hearing this. Although the Xue family was wealthy, they had lost their official positions two generations ago. They were just respectable wealthy businessmen.

How could a family of this status possibly marry a nobleman? Even if the daughter was an outstanding person, it would be impossible.

He said impatiently: "Don't bother with that in the future. Your sister is the eldest daughter of the Xue family, and Cong is also in mourning. These are all nonsense."

Xue Pan was somewhat disappointed after hearing this. He had been attracted by Jia Cong's high official title and had always wanted to curry favor with him.

In addition, knowing that his sister was in love with Jia Cong, he felt that this was the best of both worlds. If he took action on this matter himself, his sister would probably be willing to do so.

As for whether his sister became his wife or concubine, he didn't care, as long as he was the eldest brother-in-law...

Relying on the friendship they have had for many years in the same mansion, if things really come to fruition, Jia Cong will not treat his sister unfairly.

Besides, the last time Duan Chunjiang asked me to introduce Jia Cong, it was never done, which made me lose face in front of my friends.

After all, Jia Cong and I had a shallow relationship and I couldn't say a word in front of him.

But if my sister becomes his wife, she will really be my real relative.

With the influence of Earl Weiyuan, not only would he gain face in front of outsiders, but even when doing things among friends, it would be extremely convenient.

But if I don’t step in to take care of this matter, there’s nothing I can do as your brother.

Said: "Mom should really think about this matter carefully. Now that Cong Ge'er has no children, there is still time.

In another year or two, even if he hasn’t married yet, he’ll have raised a lot of illegitimate children. By then it will be too late to take action.”

Aunt Xue said impatiently, "Go away, go away. You just think about these trivial things every day. It makes me upset just by listening to them."

Xue Pan said with a smile: "Son, get out now. Mom, you should think about it carefully, but don't delay it too long. Son has an appointment today."

Aunt Xue frowned and said, "You've just been quiet at home for a day, why are you out fooling around again? If you cause any trouble, I'll expose your skin!"

Xue Pan smiled and said, "Mom, my son is doing a legitimate business, not fooling around, it was Duan Chunjiang who came to me to discuss business.

Recently, several hundred Mongolians have moved into the Tongwenguan. These people cannot get enough food on the grassland, and they are all gluttons who eat whatever they want.

In order to feed these gluttons, the Honglu Temple consumed an unknown amount of rice every day, and the Tongwenguan had to purchase grain from all over the city every few days.

Duan Chunjiang was interested in this big deal, but most of the business in the Honglu Temple required connections in the officialdom, and Duan Chunjiang, an outsider, didn't have such a foundation.

He knew that his son had some connections with the sons of nobles in the capital, so he went to discuss with his son to see if he could take advantage of the situation to make this deal.

Many of the young men his son made friends with had jobs in the Five Military Governor's Office. Although most of them were sinecure positions, they were serious officials.

It is not too difficult to use some connections to get the rice business of the Honglu Temple.

Duan Chunjiang also said that as long as his son could find connections to help him make the deal, he would give him 10% of the grain shop's shares.

Although my son doesn't care about this little money, he will be proud of himself if he succeeds in this business, so he still wants this honor."

After hearing this, Aunt Xue relaxed her expression and said, "This is the legitimate business of the grain store, so just do it well.

My family doesn't expect you to make much money, as long as you are willing to do a good job and don't mess around and cause trouble, I will be satisfied."

……

Honglu Temple, Tongwenguan, and Ordos Tribe Posthouse.

In the spacious main house on the top floor, Noyan Taiji wore a moon-white robe embroidered with gold, and his black hair was tied into a bun on top of his head like the Han people.

He was leaning on the Arhat bed, playing with an emerald green bowstring ring in his hand, his eyes slightly closed, his thick black eyebrows slightly raised, looking relaxed and at ease.

A pretty and neat Han maid was kneeling behind him, carefully massaging his shoulders.

He smiled and asked, "Taiji, is this comfortable?"

Nuoyan Taiji pinched the maid's hand and said with a smile: "It's very comfortable. You Han people are particular about serving others. You have so many tricks to serve others."

You serve me well and use all you know, and I will definitely not treat you unfairly.

When I return to the grassland, if you don't want to go with me, I will return your indenture and give you some money, and you can find someone to marry."

The maid smiled widely, and even though he had touched her, she didn't seem to mind, and said, "Thank you, Taiji, for your grace."

At this time, a tall and thin man walked into the main room and saluted Noyan Taiji.

He was wearing a gray Hu robe, a sheepskin hat on his head, and his back was slightly hunched, making him look inconspicuous.

Noyan Taiji waved his hand, and the maid behind him bowed slightly to him and left the room obediently.

Noyan Taiji said, "Shuergan, is there any news about the grain store and Xue Pan?"

Shu Ergan said: "Reporting to Taiji, everything is normal at the grain store these days, and people from Aletang no longer patronize the grain store.

But I saw a familiar face in the grain store, which was quite unexpected for me."

Noyan Taiji's eyes lit up slightly, and he asked, "Who is this familiar face?" Shu Ergan said, "Taiji should know that the Zhou people have banned border trade for more than a year, and it has been difficult for us to obtain supplies from the interior.

However, in the past few years, the border control had not been tightened, and the Ordo tribe would smuggle salt, iron, rice and grain from inside the country before winter every year so that the people could spend the winter safely.

I have been handling this matter under the order of the Great Khan. Although I do not know the true identity of the person who has been trading with us for many years, he must be a member of the Datong border army.

Without the protection of the surrounding army, it would be impossible to do such a dangerous business at the border.

The people we traded with were all the same people, but they used different names each time, which was an excellent way to conceal their true identities.

But I remember the appearance and behavior of several of the leaders very clearly. Even if they turned into ashes, they could not hide from my eyes.

Today, I was at the Duan Family Grain Shop and accidentally saw a merchant who was the leader of our business. I would never make a mistake in judging him."

Noyan Taiji looked thoughtful and asked, "Then this man is from the Datong border army, and Duan Qingjiang is the Darughachi of Anda Khan.

How could the two of them have any connection with each other? The Zhou border troops smuggled salt, iron and grain only for profit, and did not mean to betray the country and surrender to the enemy.

The situation between Da Zhou and Anda Khan was tense and a war was about to break out, but soldiers from Da Zhou were entering and leaving Duan's grain store.

Could it be that Anda Khan is so powerful that he has already planted spies in the Datong border army, so that the two armies will surely win the battle?"

……

Shuergan said: “Although what Taiji said makes sense, this person’s situation is somewhat different.

Our trade with the interior of the country has been completely cut off since last winter, and those who traded with us have never appeared again.

The Zhou people continued to tighten the standards of border trade, and it was around that time that I began to have some sources of information because I often went to the border for business.

I heard that a big incident happened in the Datong border army last year. A hereditary commander named Sun Zhanying sneaked out with his family and fled north in treason.

This incident caused a great shock in the Datong army. Qian Shaoyang, the general of Datong, was convicted and executed, and many officers in the Datong army were implicated.

As a result, all the smuggling channels of the tribes in the Datong Army were cut off, and the number of warriors from various tribes heading south to Caogu had to increase significantly.

The Yongxielun and Ordos cavalrymen marched south to seize supplies and often encountered the Da Zhouwei army, resulting in heavy casualties on both sides.

However, Anda Khan's troops were able to sneak through the pass and plunder, often avoiding the scouts and elite cavalry of the Great Zhou. Not only did they successfully seize food and supplies, but most of them were able to escape unscathed.

Therefore, there was a rumor among the herdsmen that Sun Zhanying, who had sneaked through the pass and escaped to the north, went deep into the northern desert and surrendered to Anda Khan.

This man's family has inherited the Datong military position from generation to generation. He knows everything about the military checkpoints, cavalry deployment, and material allocation in the surrounding areas.

It was with the help of this man that Anda Khan's elite cavalry were able to steal and plunder as if assisted by God. They often came and went like the wind, avoiding the heavy and taking the light, and returning with a full load. "

……

After hearing this, Noyan Taiji looked serious and said, "Now the rumor is true, Sun Zhanying really surrendered to Anda Khan.

Relying on this man's familiarity with the surrounding armies, Anda Khan went south to plunder on a large scale, easily collecting supplies and accumulating strength without making any noise.

However, he was reserved towards the Yongxielun and Ordos tribes, allowing us to sneak southwards, where we ran into obstacles everywhere and suffered heavy casualties.

He is taking this opportunity to weaken the strength of the Ordos and Xie Lun tribes, deepening the hatred between our two tribes and the Great Zhou, making it impossible to turn back.

Our two tribes naturally became more dependent on him, and we were increasingly controlled by him. This is a really vicious plan!"

Shulgan was surprised when he heard Noyan Taiji's words. Although he was well-informed, his vision and thinking were not as sharp as Noyan Taiji's.

He did not connect these fragments of information in his mind, so naturally he could not draw any conclusions about the overall situation.

He said: "Taiji is smart and what he said makes sense. If Sun Zhanying had not fled north, Da Zhou would not have tightened border trade.

The Mongolian tribes obtained some supplies through the tea-horse trade, and obtained scarce salt, iron, grain, cloth and other items through smuggling by border troops.

The tribes can therefore spend the winter in peace, and there is really no need to go south to confront the Zhou army and fight for their lives. This is beneficial to both sides."

……

Noyan Taiji said: "You are right. The Ordos tribe has been grazing in the Hetao area for generations. The water and grass there are abundant. It is a blessed land bestowed by the Eternal Heaven.

My father Khan once said that the glory of the Golden Family is a thing of the past, and it is a luxury to want to conquer the Central Plains and dominate the world like their ancestors did.

Back then, the Mongol cavalry numbered millions and swept across the world, unrivaled. However, after only a hundred years in the Central Plains, they were chased and driven north by the Han people and had to struggle to survive.

I have been studying Han books intensively since I was young. The Han people are hundreds and thousands of times more numerous than us. They make a living by farming, guarding the land all their lives, and several generations have lived in one place.

They have a strong sense of hometown, unlike us Mongolians, who live by following the water and grass, wandering around and making the world our home.

They may not be as brave and strong as the Mongols, but as long as they are not killed, they will one day rise up in resistance for food, land and dignity.

Neither the Ordos tribe nor the Yongxielun tribe has any ambition to dominate the world. We are just following the ancestral precepts of the Golden Family that the strong are respected.

Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe was the strongest man on the grassland. He had always wanted to conquer the Central Plains and restore the glory of his ancestors.

Now that I think about it carefully, the Mongolian tribes and the surrounding armies were confronting each other and on the verge of a war. Tracing back to the source, it seems that it was all related to Sun Zhanying.

I even have some doubts that the reason why Sun Zhanying suddenly escaped to the north might not be that simple..."

Although Shu Ergan had a limited vision, he was also a smart person. After listening to Noyan Taiji's words, he was greatly shocked.

According to Taiji, Sun Zhanying's escape to the north caused the Great Zhou to tighten border trade standards, which put great pressure on the Mongolian tribes and a war was imminent.

However, Anda Khan has always been ambitious. He was probably pleased with Sun Zhanying's escape to the north. Just as the Han people said: we are happy to see it happen.

Noyan Taiji said: "Shuergan, keep watching the Duan family grain store. Since that person came once, it is definitely not a coincidence and he will definitely come again.

Find out where he is in Shenjing and who else he is in contact with besides Duan Chunjiang.

For the sake of the overall interests of the Mongolian tribe, we will not destroy anything, but clarifying these things will be of great benefit to our Ordos tribe."

Noyan Taiji walked to the desk, where there was an exquisite wooden box. When he opened it, he found an empty slot inside and a telescope next to it.

A telescope of exquisite craftsmanship, exactly the same as the one he gave to Jia Cong.

Noyan Taiji gently stroked the telescope and said, "We should also pay more attention to Xue Pan, as he has a special identity and background.

Duan Chunjiang deliberately made friends with this person. In addition to wanting to implicate Jia Cong, he might have other motives..."

……

Earl's Mansion, south slope of Dengxian Pavilion.

A small piece of land was cleared on the south side of the plum forest at the foot of the slope, and the flowers and trees originally planted there were transplanted elsewhere.

Dozens of sweet potatoes were planted on this small piece of land. Compared with the two truckloads of sweet potatoes shipped from Fujian, this is only a very small part.

The winter in Shenjing is dry, but the sunshine is abundant. The small plots of land that have been cleared are very fertile because flowers and trees are planted there all year round.

If the sweet potatoes are half-buried in the soil and watered in small amounts every day, they will begin to sprout in six or seven days.

The reason why only a very small part is planted is that sweet potatoes grow slowly in winter and it is very difficult to bear fruit, so only a few seedlings are planted for trial.

The remaining sweet potatoes were safely stored by Jia Cong, ready to be planted on the farm outside the city next spring.

He specially found a cool and empty room in the mansion, spread hay on the ground and sprinkled a layer of coarse salt.

Stacking bags of sweet potatoes can ensure that they do not deteriorate to the greatest extent possible.

Next to the small sweet potato field, Zhishao and Xiuyan were holding watering cans and watering the seedlings in the field.

Miaoyu stood to one side, wearing a Miaochang bun on her head, a plain yellow Buddhist robe, a Qiuxiang-colored silk sash around her waist, and her plain black and white embroidered shoes vaguely visible under the robe.

With a dustpan stuck in her slender waist, her body slightly leaning to the left, she was watching the two people watering the seedlings with great interest.

A faint smile appeared on her usually cool and calm face, like a rare flower receiving dew, very elegant and moving.

Since the last time Jia Cong went to the Nanpo courtyard, the two of them washed and roasted sweet potatoes together, and then the three of them took advantage of the evening breeze to chat.

This comfortable and carefree scene with someone to accompany her made Miaoyu, who had always been lonely, feel restless and often thought of him involuntarily.

Jia Cong asked people to plant sweet potatoes on the south slope, and Miaoyu couldn't help but pay attention to it.

Zhishao, Xing Xiuyun came to the fields every day to look after them, and often brought Miaoyu with them.

Miaoyu was watching two people watering the seedlings when she suddenly realized something and turned to look.

When the sunset glowed on the path in the garden, Jia Cong's figure appeared.

She was wearing a light blue round-necked robe with floral patterns and a leather belt with tiger patterns and jade plates tied around her waist. Her long black hair was meticulously combed into a bun and she tied her hair with a white jade hairpin that was as smooth as cream.

In the evening light, he has a handsome face and fluttering clothes, just like a banished immortal, coming towards you.

(End of this chapter)