Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 774 Clues to the Turbulent Times

The Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

The night outside the window was a deep blue, while inside the room, the candlelight shone brightly, the incense burner glowed with a dark red light, and the air was filled with the intoxicating fragrance of orchids and musk.

Zhi Shao was delighted to hear Jia Cong's words and took his hand that was resting on her shoulder.

He laughed and said, "Third Master, you must keep your word and not renege on it."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "There's no way to renege on this. I've already said that the South Slope Courtyard will be empty from now on, reserved for the Abbess and Miss Miaoyu to live in."

Zhi Shao smiled and said, "That's not what I was talking about. I was saying that on the tenth day of the month, Third Master really had time to accompany me to see off my master and senior sister."
"You've been so busy the other day, often spending your days off at the workshops outside the city."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "That's because there are important matters to be done at the end of the year in the workshop. The Emperor issued a special decree that we must finish up before the end of the year, so I naturally dare not be negligent in the slightest."

This important task was completed yesterday. Other official duties at the end of the year are just icing on the cake, and I no longer need to keep an eye on things, so I can have some free time.

There's no problem staying home during your days off; you're sure to have a pleasant New Year.

Tomorrow, have the steward go to Muni Temple to see if there are any commonly used items that are still missing, and then procure them.

"If the nun and Miaoyu move back, we'll have less to worry about, and everyone can have a peaceful and happy New Year."

Zhi Shao smiled slightly and said, "Third Master is so thoughtful. Yesterday, Master said that since I followed you, my complexion is full of vitality, and I will surely have good fortune in the future."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Since that's the case, you should treat me even better."

Zhi Shao felt a slight tightening around her slender waist as Jia Cong wrapped his arms around her, pressing his face against her disheveled hair and rubbing against her smooth cheeks a few times.

Zhi Shao felt a little hot, and a blush rose on her pretty face. She said, "Look at what Third Master is saying. Haven't I been good enough to Third Master?"

Jia Cong took a slight breath, and Zhi Shao's hair and neck were filled with the fragrance of perfume, exuding a charming and refreshing scent.

The intoxicating aroma lingered, fragrant and gentle, slowly permeating every inch of his chest and abdomen.

He laughed and said, "I think you are the most considerate to Miaoyu. You are inseparable from her all day long, and it seems that you treat her even better than you treat me."

Zhi Shao couldn't help but chuckle when she heard what he said was funny, and said, "Third Master, Senior Sister is a young lady, how can you be jealous of her?"

Zhi Shao reached out and touched her cheek that was pressed against her temple, and said, "I am doing well now, but my senior sister's family has declined and she has been a nun since childhood."

She's so young, yet she's destined to spend her life in seclusion. I feel a pang of pity for her. I'm much luckier than my senior sister, so I want to spend more time with her.

If Third Master wants me to stay with him, then I'll spend less time with Senior Sister and more time with you, okay?

Jia Cong laughed and said, "That's good, but you have to keep your word and not renege on it."

Zhi Shao was amused by him and giggled. Before she knew it, Jia Cong had unbuttoned her collar and reached into her undergarments with one hand.

Her silvery laughter came and went, mingled with coquettish evasion, sweet struggle, and a mixture of wanting to welcome and resisting.

Zhi Shao's pretty face turned red, and she muttered, "Third Master, you mustn't do anything naughty."

His words were only half-spoken when Jia Cong's actions disrupted them, and he vanished without a trace in an instant, his silence speaking volumes.

She was gently rubbed in her arms, and her whole body went limp. As she sat on the dressing stool, it was as if she had turned around and was sealed with fresh cherry lips.

Until the candles on the candlestick were blown out one by one.

In the darkness of ignorance, trembling moans gradually arose; a beautiful woman, graceful and alluring, joined in the bedchamber, her brocade quilt surging like waves towards Mount Wu.

…………

Shenjing (the capital city), Honglu Temple, Huitong Hall.

The sky was clear and the wind was biting. Liu Xiaoping, the registrar, carried a stack of documents as he walked along the corridor of the official residence.

The recent negotiations have taken an unexpected turn, with the Mongol delegation suddenly changing its mind and increasing the number of border trade requests by 30%.

The Ministry of War of the Great Zhou, which was in charge of the peace talks, naturally refused outright, and the two sides entered a new round of tug-of-war in the past few days.

Wang Shilun, a cabinet scholar in charge of peace talks, and Gu Yankui, the Minister of War, will no longer participate in the daily consultations and negotiations between the two sides.

They showed their contempt for the unreasonable demands of the Mongol delegation. The Mongol delegation remained firm and refused to budge an inch, and the three leaders of the delegation did not show their faces at the negotiating table.

In the past few days, during the consultations and negotiations between the two sides, the Ministry of War of the Great Zhou was represented by several officials of the fourth or fifth rank, while the delegation from the Mongol Remnant Kingdom was also composed of second-rate individuals.

A bunch of incompetent lackeys spend their days in the main hall of the meeting hall, chattering and arguing, wasting time by spouting a bunch of useless nonsense.

Every day, a pile of records were generated. Although they were like useless scraps of paper, they were important matters of peace between the two nations and could not be ignored.

This created a lot of complicated and trivial paperwork for the translators and clerks on both sides.

After each day's consultations and negotiations, the translators of both sides would translate the other's transcripts and then submit them to their respective superiors for review.

If any inaccuracies are found in the translated documents, the translators and clerks from both sides will engage in a second round of wrangling, which is extremely tedious.

As the newly appointed registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial, Liu Xiaoping was in charge of the daily peace negotiation documents for his side, so he had been very busy these past few days.

But as a newly appointed official and a newly appointed scholar, whether it was out of initial enthusiasm for taking office or the perseverance honed through years of studying hard.

What outsiders might find tedious, headache-inducing, and meaningless, he could handle calmly, tirelessly repeating the tasks without ever making a mistake.

His perseverance and patience alone earned him the approval of the officials in charge of the Court of State Ceremonial, who privately believed he was a promising talent.

Today, after he finished organizing several documents, he was about to take them to the temple official for review when he inadvertently saw a large and clean carriage parked at the entrance of the meeting hall.

He had been in Shenjing for half a year and was already familiar with the city's customs and culture. This type of carriage was different from the carriages of the caravan companies and also different from ordinary carriages of the gatehouses.

Only the noble families in the city had the financial means to build such carriages, and they were only commonly used by wealthy households. The carriages used by the head of the family were even more magnificent.

He slowed down thoughtfully and saw a man dressed as a butler talking to the Imperial Guards guarding the gate in front of the car.

Amidst the biting cold wind, a voice could be faintly heard: "I am the steward of the Marquis of Weiyuan's mansion. I am here on my master's orders to deliver a return gift to Lord Nuoyan of the delegation."

Upon hearing the words "Earl of Weiyuan," Liu Xiaoping felt a slight chill and stopped in his tracks. After a moment's thought, he walked towards the door.

He walked to the door and asked, "What's all the commotion?"

The Imperial Guard guarding the gate recognized Liu Xiaoping and said, "Lord Liu, this man says he is the steward of the Marquis of Weiyuan’s mansion and wants to give gifts to the Noyan Taiji of the delegation."

However, orders from higher command stipulated that all personnel of the diplomatic mission residing at the consulate must be strictly guarded to ensure their safety, and that no unauthorized officials were permitted to enter.

The steward of the Earl's mansion remained calm and said, "My master is a Hanlin scholar and an official appointed by the imperial court. Since he sent me here on this matter, he is naturally familiar with the rules."

"Please do me this favor, sir. This is my master's visiting card; please take a look."

Seeing that the steward handled the situation with ease, Liu Xiaoping not only glanced at him again, but also took the visiting card, glanced at it, and then returned it to the steward of the Earl's mansion.

He said, "The delegation's Noyan Taiji once presented gifts to the Earl of Weiyuan, and the Earl of Weiyuan reciprocated by sending his servants to deliver return gifts."

News came from the palace this morning that His Majesty has appointed the Earl of Weiyuan as the chief secretary of the council. He is also an official of the Great Zhou council, and he and his subordinates are permitted to enter the council hall.

The guard at the gate was taken aback and said, "I am of low rank and have never heard of the newly appointed official position of the Marquis of Weiyuan."

Liu Xiaoping smiled slightly and said, "I am a newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and the newly appointed Registrar of the Court of State Ceremonial. Do you think I would falsely convey an imperial edict to you?"

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Guard was startled. Although this Liu, the Registrar, was a newcomer to officialdom, his forced smile and effeminate manner of speaking were truly astounding.

He was just a low-ranking officer in the Imperial Guard. He could be arrogant and domineering in the streets, but if he dared to falsely accuse an official of impersonating an imperial edict, he would be severely punished, if not killed.

As for whether Liu Xiaoping was telling the truth, this Jinyiwei clerk had no doubt whatsoever. What official would dare to falsely convey an imperial edict? They would be risking their life and future.

He quickly replied, "Lord Liu, you flatter me. I would never have dared to say such a thing. I will send someone in right away."

Liu Xiaoping said, "It's alright. You were just doing your duty. Ignorance is no excuse."

The steward of the Earl's mansion hurriedly had his servants unload a wooden box from the carriage, and then bowed to Liu Xiaoping to express his gratitude.

Liu Xiaoping simply nodded slightly, took the document in his hand, and turned to leave.

.........

Huitongguan, Ordos Tribal Inn.

Noyan Taiji was still dressed in Hanfu, wearing a moon-white robe with floral patterns, a jade belt around his waist, and his black hair was tied in a bun on top of his head, making him handsome and dashing.

Upon seeing the wooden box given by Jia Cong, he opened it with great interest and smelled a wonderful fragrance emanating from it.

Inside were many neatly stacked cardboard boxes, printed with beautiful patterns, and some of them had the words "Xinchunhao" written on them.

He came from the desolate desert and had not been in the capital for long, so he did not recognize what these things were.

But the intoxicating fragrance emanating from the box was so delightful and captivating that it was unlike anything he had ever heard before. His Han Chinese maidservant beside him laughed and said, "Taiji, the box is full of fine things. It contains perfumes, soaps, toothpaste, and toothbrushes from Xinchun Company."

These are all precious items used by nobles in the capital; ordinary people can't afford them. I've seen them in shops, but I've never used them.

Noyan Taiji was very interested and laughed, "The Han people have so many novel things, but this is the first time I've heard of perfume and soap."

Then he turned to the steward and said, "Go back and thank your master for your trouble in coming all this way to deliver the gift. Xiaoxia, take ten taels of silver and treat him to some drinks."

Upon hearing this, the maidservant hurriedly went to the back room to fetch the silver, but the steward quickly waved his hand and said, "I thank you for your generous gift, but the household rules are very strict."

"I serve the master of this household, and there's no reason for me to accept any benefits. If I were to be disrespectful, and my master finds out, I would be severely punished."

In reality, the etiquette and gifts exchanged among noble families, including rewarding and giving gifts to servants, was nothing more than a routine affair, nothing as impressive as the steward made it out to be.

Yingchun knew that her younger brother had just taken over as the head of the council, and that the Great Zhou and the Remnant Mongols were currently at a point of uncertainty regarding whether to go to war or peace.

At such a sensitive time, it's always right to be careful and cautious in one's interactions with the grassland people, and one should never lose face in front of them.

Therefore, before the steward left, Yingchun specifically asked Mushe to go to the outer courtyard to deliver a message.

The steward is instructed to only deliver gifts, not to speak out, and not to accept any benefits. Any violation will be punished according to family rules.

Noyan Taiji smiled at the steward and said, "Jia Cong's family is very well-mannered. Thank you very much. Please go back."

The steward, seeing that Noyan Taiji was dressed in fine clothes, had an outstanding appearance, and was surrounded by a large number of servants, figured he must be a nobleman of the same rank as the Earl.

Unexpectedly, he was so kind and polite that he was flattered and quickly bowed before leaving.

……

After the steward left, the head of the guards suddenly rushed in.

He said, "Taiji, together with the chief clerk of the hall, convey a message to all the tribes, saying that the Emperor of the Great Zhou has appointed Jia Cong as the chief clerk of the two states' negotiations, and that he will participate in all matters of negotiation in the future."

Noyan Taiji's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he said, "Strange, why is it that Jia Cong was given such an official position at this time?"
He was a fifth-rank Hanlin Academician, and I heard that he was quite prestigious in the Great Zhou Dynasty. How could he have been given the position of a mere clerk?
I had drinks with him the day before yesterday, and yesterday he was promoted to an official position. It sounds like too much of a coincidence..."

He paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, unable to come up with a solution for a while. He then waved to Hu Ergan, who bowed and left the room.

Noyan Taiji turned to look at the dazzling array of boxes, a smile spreading across his face as if he had received a pile of toys.

He picked up a cardboard box from the trunk, took out an exquisite white porcelain bottle with painted decorations, carefully removed the cap, and a fragrant aroma wafted out, causing him to exclaim in amazement.

He said, "Xiaoxia, what is this? It smells so good, even better than the finest musk from the grasslands."

The maidservant beside him smiled and said, "Taijir, this is called perfume. It is made with Xinchunhao's exclusive secret recipe. You can't buy it in other shops."

Noyan Taiji laughed and said, "Perfume, is it something you can drink?"

Xiaoxia laughed and said, "This stuff can't be drunk. We Han people like to burn incense and wear sachets."

But this perfume is much more fragrant than any incense sticks or sachets. Just a few drops applied to the pulse points and behind the ears will keep the fragrance going all day.

It is said that the secret recipe for making this perfume was devised by the Earl of Weiyuan after reading many ancient books and spending a lot of time thinking about it, and everyone in the capital knows about it.

The fact that Huangshang Xinchunhao had the exclusive right to sell perfumes and soaps was also closely related to Jia Cong…

Noyan Taiji didn't pay much attention to the name Xinchun, but he became more and more interested when he heard that the perfume was made by Jia Cong.

He laughed and said, "There is such a magical thing, but it's only in such a small bottle. You Han people really know how to play."

No, it should be said that Jia Cong really knows how to play. I never expected that besides wielding a knife, he also has these strange skills.

He picked up another cardboard box, took out an oval-shaped object from it, which felt light in his hand and emitted a very pleasant fragrance.

He asked, "What kind of rare item is this?"

Xiaoxia smiled and said, "This is soap, it's for bathing. Using it to wash your body will not only make you feel comfortable, but also make you smell really nice."

Noyan Taiji's expression grew increasingly astonished, and he asked, "This bathing equipment was also invented by Jia Cong."

Xiaoxia laughed and said, "I don't know what's going on in the streets, or whether it's true or not."

Noyan Taiji held the soap and fiddled with it, seemingly quite fond of it.

Suddenly, he laughed and said, "Xiaoxia, quickly prepare hot water for me so I can take a bath."

Xiaoxia blushed, chuckled, and said, "Please wait a moment, Taiji, I'll go prepare right away."

……

East of Shenjing City, Yuping Street, back alley.

The weather was bitterly cold, and the cold wind howled through the alley. The doors and windows of the houses on both sides were tightly closed, and the alley was quiet.

A man wearing a light brown fur-lined cloak and a hood covering most of his face walked alone to the end of a quiet alley.

Stopping in front of a neat little courtyard, I knocked on the brass doorbell. The monotonous, rhythmic metallic sound echoed through the alley.

A tall, slender woman opened the door; she was beautiful and had a serene expression. She then ushered the man into the courtyard.

As winter sets in, most of the flowers and plants that were carefully arranged in the courtyard during spring and summer have withered, leaving only withered branches in the flowerpots, which are then placed in sunny spots.

The soil in all the flowerpots was slightly damp, showing that even in the dead of winter, they were still carefully tended to, waiting to bloom again next spring!
The man in the cloak entered the spacious main room facing south. Directly opposite the door was a round pear wood table with cups and utensils on it, and a marble table screen.

On the north wall stood an incense table, with a solitary memorial tablet, covered only by silk and white satin.

On the memorial tablet was an earthenware vase, upon which rested a graceful red plum blossom, its buds bursting into bloom, exuding an air of aloofness.

Beside the earthenware bottle sat a white porcelain incense burner, with three sticks of Qinghun incense burning, their smoke curling upwards and their subtle fragrance wafting through the air.

On the right side of the room was a large sandalwood table. A middle-aged man wearing a light gray fur-lined robe was bent over the table reading books. A map was also spread out on the table.

The warm sunlight streamed in through the window, bathing him in its glow, making him appear as if a rough jade had suddenly gained luster, revealing his handsome and refined appearance.

Seeing the man in the cloak enter the room, he asked, "Liu Xuan, is there any new information about our affairs recently?"

The man took off his cloak and said, "Master, two days ago, of the fifteen official positions we planned for in the capital, the last two have already arrived from afar to take up their posts."

Now everyone is in their positions, and everything is normal and uneventful.

The middle-aged man put down the book in his hand and said, "At least all our planning has paid off. We can't use these people for now unless absolutely necessary."

Let them serve peacefully as officials in the capital for two years. Once they've blended into the crowd and become true citizens of the capital, they'll be able to play a much greater role in the future.

Liu Xuan said, "Of the batch of Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) we supported this year, only two entered the Hanlin Academy, while the rest entered various ministries to observe government affairs."

Only two people encountered some unexpected events and were transferred to serve as county magistrates in Zhejiang and Fujian provinces.

Besides us, it was a very common practice for powerful and wealthy families in the capital to support newly successful candidates in the imperial examinations.

"Some people have deeper connections than us, so these two were squeezed out of their positions in Beijing."

The middle-aged man said, "Noble and wealthy families are best at planning ahead. In previous years, they even had the practice of 'catching a son-in-law after the imperial examination results were announced.'"

Nowadays, it's common practice to support a few promising talents, keeping them as backup plans for future use; the current outcome is already quite good.

Liu Xuan continued, "However, none of the fifteen people we supported held positions in the Ministry of War. Despite our best efforts, we still haven't succeeded."

Two people from the Ministry of War are implicated in the spring imperial examination cheating scandal. Besides us, there are other people who have recommended candidates.

However, Gu Yankui, the Minister of War, was an old but shrewd man who politely declined all requests for favors from his connections.

Now both vacancies in the Ministry of War have been filled. One official was transferred from the Ministry of Justice and is said to have served as a Beijing official for three years. He is a veteran of the officialdom in the capital.

Another vacancy was reportedly filled by Gu Yankui, who was selected and transferred from the border army to serve as the director of the Armory Department of the Ministry of War.

This old man Gu was extremely cautious, managing the Ministry of War like an iron barrel, making it very difficult for outsiders to find a way in.

The middle-aged man sneered and said, "Gu Yankui is honest and shrewd, but he is also quite calculating and cunning."
When the emperor first ascended the throne, he was just an unknown sixth-rank provincial inspector in the Ningxia border army.

Because of the change of the throne, chaos broke out in the border army. He was rewarded by the emperor for his meritorious service in quelling the rebellion.

Over the past decade or so, he has risen through the ranks, experiencing many ups and downs, eventually reaching the high position of Minister of War, and being regarded by the emperor as a pillar of the state.

Now that the remnants of the Mongol Empire and the Great Zhou Dynasty are locked in a standoff at the Nine Borders, the role of the Ministry of War is becoming increasingly prominent.

At such a critical juncture, an old fox like Gu Yankui would naturally be extremely cautious in his actions…

(End of this chapter)