Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

The Great Zhou Dynasty, Jinling, the Xue family's old residence.

Xue Baoqin asked curiously, "Father, what do you mean by 'it's a pity'?"

Xue Yuan said, "I regret that our Xue family has not produced a talent like Jia Cong. Otherwise, why should we fear that our ancestral family business cannot be restored!"
What I regret even more is that, during my many years of traveling to remote border regions, I neglected the fact that such an outstanding person had emerged from my ancestral family.

If we can recognize and support him when he is still in obscurity, and even help him rise through the ranks, or even form a marriage alliance with him, our Xue family will surely receive great assistance.

Now it's too late. Jia Cong has already achieved great things, holds a prestigious official position, and has a bright future ahead of him. Isn't it even more of a pity?

Xue Baoqin heard the rest and felt that her father was very concerned about the family business and had a deep sense of dedication, but she was just a daughter and didn't pay too much attention to it.

Upon hearing the words "marriage alliance," her heart skipped a beat...

Xue Yuan said, "No matter what, it's still a great thing that the old kin of Shenjing has produced such a person."

Cong-ge'er has now entered the Hanlin Academy and holds the official rank of fifth-grade Hanlin Academician, making him, in a sense, Master Mei's superior.

"When you marry into the Mei family of Shenjing in the future, you will have more relatives to rely on, and others will naturally value you more. This is a convenient advantage."

Upon hearing these words, Xue Baoqin felt neither joy nor sorrow, only a vague sense of loss.

Xue Yuan said, "Now the second branch of the Jia family has fallen into ruin, and Prince Tengkong, who has the title of military governor of the capital, is a trapped beast in the officialdom."

Although the four great families of Jinling have always been closely connected, they cannot act recklessly; a wise bird chooses its tree to perch on.

Your aunt and Bao'er are thinking things through now, and they probably know that Pan'er is not cut out to maintain the family business.

That's when he came up with the idea of ​​renting out the old shop, which would not only preserve the family business for the long term but also bring him closer to the eldest branch of the Jia family.

Bao Yatou wrote to me asking for my help to renovate and clear out their four old shops so that they could be rented and handed over to Xinchunhao by the end of the year.

Xue Baoqin said, "Aunt and Sister Bao are in such a hurry, there are only half a month left until the end of the year."

Xue Yuan smiled and said, "Since this is a good thing, we should strike while the iron is hot and settle it as soon as possible. I agree that we should get it done quickly."

As long as this matter is resolved as soon as possible, the relationship between the eldest sister-in-law's family and Cong-ge'er will become even closer, and they will have more connections and care for each other while they reside in Shenjing.

On a larger scale, this matter will also greatly benefit our Xue family, so naturally I will do my best to help manage it.”

……

Xue Baoqin asked, "Father, since this matter was written by Sister Bao, she must have been quite involved. I often receive letters from her, and she frequently mentions Brother Congshi."

They seemed to get along very well, otherwise this Brother Cong wouldn't have facilitated this matter.

She asked the question so suddenly that even she felt something was off, and her face flushed slightly, but fortunately her father didn't notice.

Xue Yuan laughed and said, "Your aunt's family moved to the capital and have been living with the Jia family for quite some time now."

Bao'er and Cong'er are old siblings who live in the same mansion, so it's not surprising that they are close to each other.

I remember when they first arrived in Shenjing, Cong-ge was just a scholar, not as prosperous and noble as he is now.

It's just that the eldest sister-in-law didn't make a decision sooner. Bao'er is the eldest daughter of the Xue family's main branch, and she is so outstanding.

If the two families had formed a marriage alliance back then, it would have been a wonderful thing. Now it's all too late, what a pity.

Baoqin had heard her father's words just now, which expressed many regrets, so it seemed that he valued this Congshi brother very much.

Xue Yuan said, "Bao Yatou mentioned in her letter that the four rented shops have had smooth transactions and booming business for more than a year."

However, the year-end profit settlement was 30-40% less than in previous years, and even showed a downward trend year by year, which made her very suspicious.

She and her sister-in-law wanted to rent out a shop to stabilize their cash flow, and this was one of the key reasons.

The owners of these four shops are all elders of the Xue family, deeply entrenched over the years, and not easily manipulated.

If I want to quickly rectify and clear out the shops, I'll have to put in some effort.

Baoqin, tell your brother to go find Granny Jiang in the side room. She manages the accounts for your sister-in-law's shop in Jinling. I have some questions for her..."

……

The Great Zhou Palace, Qianyang Palace.

The spacious hall exuded an imposing aura, and the gray-black bricks on the floor reflected a cold, gloomy light.

Emperor Jia Zhao's desk was piled high with memorials he could not finish reading. Among all the emperors of the Great Zhou Dynasty, few could surpass him in terms of diligence in governing.

Perhaps due to his overly hands-on approach, Emperor Jiazhao's temples were already graying at just over forty years old, and he always looked tired.

Standing before the throne at this moment were Wang Shilun, Grand Secretary of the Cabinet; Gu Yankui, Minister of War; and Jia Cong, Secretary of the Peace Negotiations.

They had all received an imperial edict and entered the palace together to discuss and submit memorials, including the peace treaty with the Mongols and the affairs of the three major tribes.

Yesterday, Jia Cong submitted a special memorial, reporting that he had made several contacts with Noyan Taiji, and that the Ordos tribe had shown a willingness to make peace and appease them, so that they could plan for the future.

Emperor Jiazhao knew that Jia Cong was always resourceful and full of ingenious schemes, as evidenced by his two trips to Jinling to solve two major cases.

Although the emperor had deployed heavy troops and stockpiled provisions at the nine border regions, and was on high alert, he was confident that he could curb the ambitions of the remnants of the Mongols to move south.

However, the Tuman tribe's Anda Khan was powerful, commanding 200,000 elite steppe troops. Even if the Great Zhou could win the battle, it would have to pay a heavy price.

This would put immense pressure on the nation and its people. As a ruler who brought peace to the country, Emperor Jiazhao had to consider how to achieve the most remarkable results with the least cost.

Therefore, he was quite cautious about Jia Cong's memorial, after all, the Ordos tribe, one of the three major Mongol tribes, was a force to be reckoned with.

If the imperial court can win over their appeasement and submission, the remaining Mongol forces will be weakened by the loss of one of the three powers, and the Great Zhou will be able to restrain the Mongol desire to move south, which will surely achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Emperor Jia Zhao said, "Guo Lin, send Jia Cong's memorial to Minister Wang and Minister Gu for review. If you two have any solutions, please submit them to us."

In fact, before Jia Cong presented his memorial to the palace, he had privately discussed this matter with the two officials in charge of the peace talks.

After all, the pacification of the Ordos region was related to the overall peace negotiations of the remnant Mongol delegation, and thus to the chief negotiator.

Before he could act, Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui both gave their approval and support. Before he could report the matter to the palace, he also needed to give an explanation, which was a necessary etiquette in officialdom.

Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui were both experienced men. Even though they knew about Jia Cong's memorial, they still carefully read it through.

Emperor Jia Zhao asked, "Minister Jia, the grasslands are inhabited by remnants of the Mongol tribes, and their allegiance is fickle. In your opinion, is the intention of the Ordos tribe to submit truly sincere?"

Jia Cong said, “Your Majesty, the grasslands beyond the Great Wall are inherently limited by nature and lack resources. They need to exchange goods with those inside the Great Wall in order to reproduce and survive. This is the opportune time, which is difficult to overcome.”

Anda Khan amassed military might and coveted the Central Plains, hoping to break free from the limitations of time, expand the living space of the remaining Mongol tribes, and achieve his own hegemony.

When the remaining tribes obtain resources for survival, some may try to seize them through war and plunder, while others may choose to obtain them through peace and appeasement.

I have made many attempts to contact and probe Noyan Taiji, and have found that he is quite different from other Mongol leaders.

This man was well-versed in Han studies, and his speech and eating habits all admired the orthodoxy of the Central Plains. It is said that his birth mother was a Han woman, so he was influenced by Han studies from a young age.

Therefore, after many attempts to probe and assess the situation, I have concluded that this person originally harbored affection for the Han dynasty, and I am absolutely certain that I have not misjudged him.

As an official appointed by the court and tasked with recording the peace negotiations between the two nations, I cannot be unaware of the gravity of the matter.

As a prince of the Ordos tribe and one of the three leaders of the Mongol delegation, he would certainly be careful with his words and would not easily speak recklessly.

However, after several exchanges and probing, he would frankly tell his ministers that his intention to appease and appease the Ordos tribe must have been after careful consideration.

In my humble opinion, these words and sentiments were not spoken privately by Noyan Taiji; they must have been approved and authorized by Jirang Khan.

……

Wang Shilun said, "What Chief Jia said makes a lot of sense. The harmony and peace among the tribes is of great importance to their survival. As a prince of the tribe, Noyan will surely be careful with his words."

He would never have uttered such words so easily with the officials negotiating peace with the Great Zhou without the approval of his father, Jirang Khan.

If the officials in charge of the peace talks leak the news, the Ordos tribe will surely suffer a backlash from the Tuman tribe.

He must have heard of Manager Jia's reputation and, after several attempts to get to know him and test him, concluded that he was a trustworthy person, which is why he finally revealed his true feelings.

Through Jia Zhangji's words, he was sending messages to the imperial court. Upon careful consideration, this was all part of his long-planned scheme.

Jia Cong continued, "Ever since we met on Hanzheng Street, I have noticed that he has been deliberately trying to befriend me."

It is not surprising that he accompanied the delegation to Beijing to negotiate peace with the intention of observing the situation and creating another opportunity for the Ordos tribe to break free from the control and coercion of Anda Khan.

Given Noyan Taiji's wisdom and resourcefulness, his intention to befriend me must have been carefully considered. He knows that although I hold a lowly official position, I frequently serve before the Emperor and hold an important post in the Ministry of Works, giving me access to information that reaches the Emperor's ears. Compared to high-ranking officials in the court, I have greater opportunities for social interaction.

In my daily interactions with him, I can perceive the underlying reasons for his words and actions. Therefore, I believe his statements are quite credible and worth mediating.”

Gu Yankui said from the side, "Your Majesty, the two garrisons of Xuanda and Daxing have submitted military reports over the years, as well as information obtained by border scouts."

It is said that the three major tribes of the Mongol tribes have had many conflicts and frictions over the years.

Ten years ago, Anda Khan gathered three elite troops to fight against the remnants of the Oirat Mongols in the northern desert. Tuohuan, the eldest son of Jirang Khan, accompanied the army on the expedition, but was unexpectedly killed in battle.

Rumors circulated outside the Great Wall that Jirang Khan was deeply grieved by the death of his eldest son, and that this incident had caused a rift between him and Anda Khan.

Over the past decade, the grasslands have experienced abnormal weather, frequent cold spells, and increasingly difficult livelihoods.

The Hetao region, stretching for two thousand miles, is a land of abundant water and grass. In order to escape their predicament, the various Mongol tribes all coveted the Hetao region. The Tuman tribe and the Yongxielun tribe both sent their people into the Hetao.

Jirang Khan's second son, Yingba, led his troops to drive them away, which led to friction and conflict between the tribes. In the chaos, Yingba accidentally fell off his horse and died.

There were rumors outside the Great Wall that Yingba's death was orchestrated by Anda Khan, who killed the sons of Jirang Khan in an attempt to seize the Hetao region.

However, this matter was largely considered unfounded, and Jirang Khan had no concrete evidence, so the matter was left unresolved.

Based on these long-standing events, I believe it is not surprising that Jirang Khan and Anda Khan, though outwardly friendly, harbor some resentment towards each other.

……

Upon hearing Gu Yankui's words, Emperor Jiazhao smiled grimly and said, "It sounds like the sudden deaths of Jirang Khan's two sons are related to Anda Khan."

Tuohuan and Yingba died one after another, several years later, making it difficult for people to notice.

If all of this was done by Anda Khan, who devised a plan to eliminate the descendants of Jirang Khan, leaving him without an heir, so that he could seize and occupy the Hetao region.

His methods were ruthless and decisive, truly remarkable; worthy of being called the unparalleled hero of the Northern Desert!

Emperor Jia Zhao's words were sinister and cold. Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui were both veteran officials who had experienced many changes in the world, and they both felt a chill run down their spines...

Even Jia Cong sensed something was off about the atmosphere and felt uneasy.

Emperor Jiazhao said, “According to the words of the three ministers, I also think they make a lot of sense. The pacification of the Ordos region should be taken seriously, as there is much that can be done.”

However, the terms and conditions of the peace agreement between the two states must not be relaxed in the slightest, lest it give Anda Khan an opportunity to exploit the situation. We can only act according to circumstances after the peace agreement is reached…

Wang Shilun said, "What Your Majesty says is absolutely right. The overall situation of the peace agreement between the two states must not be changed. Only in this way can we weaken the strength of the Tuman tribe and curb their intention to move south."

The Ordos tribe's desire for appeasement stemmed from their wish to obtain the necessary resources from within the Great Wall through a conciliatory approach.

The imperial court could secretly discuss and sign a contract with them. In return, the Ordos tribe would be able to obtain surplus resources, but they would have to make a commitment to the Great Zhou and exchange fine horses and other goods.

Specific regulations can be drafted in detail later, but the quantity of these supplies must be outside the limits set in the peace agreement.

If trade is conducted through the Nine Border Trade Zone, the Tuman tribe will surely notice, giving Anda Khan an excuse to instigate war. We must be on guard.

"A prudent solution is needed for this matter. If it is implemented for one or two years, the Ordos tribe, with the support of the Great Zhou, will have the power to restrain the Tuman tribe, and the imperial court will no longer need to worry about it."

Upon hearing this, both Emperor Jiazhao and Gu Yankui felt somewhat foolish.

The Great Zhou and the Ordos region traded goods without using border trade channels, and had to avoid being noticed for two years. They couldn't think of a suitable strategy for the time being.

Seeing that Jia Cong seemed to be deep in thought, Emperor Jia Zhao said, "Minister Jia is known for his quick wit; do you have any good ideas?"

Jia Cong said, "Your Majesty, I have come up with a solution, which I think is appropriate, but it goes against common sense."

Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui were both veteran officials of the court, each with exceptional wisdom and resourcefulness. They had been pondering the matter for a while but could not find a solution.

Jia Cong had come up with a solution in a short time, which aroused their curiosity.

Emperor Jia Zhao said in a deep voice, "It is merely a discussion between the emperor and his ministers. There is no need to worry. Please speak freely."

Jia Cong said, "In my humble opinion, if we cannot use the conventional methods, then we must use the extraordinary methods, which is smuggling."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jia Zhao's expression changed slightly, then he smiled and said, "Minister Jia is indeed full of ingenuity; it's amazing that you could come up with such a thing."

Wang Shilun and Gu Yankui were both old but still vigorous men. After a little thought, they understood Jia Cong's meaning and secretly exclaimed how brilliant it was.

However, this method was not suitable for high-ranking officials to utter, and the words of praise that were on the tip of their tongues were swallowed back down.

Wang Shilun said, "Your Majesty, Manager Jia's method is feasible. As long as it is implemented in a moderate manner for two years, the situation outside the pass will change, and then it can be used to clarify the law."

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

Inside the main room, the incense burner was burning brightly, and Madam Wang, wearing a fur-lined jacket, was reviewing the account books for the income and expenditure of the East Wing Courtyard.

The maid Yu Chuan stood to one side, serving her. She wore a light blue cross-collar long vest with an ivory-colored half-worn jacket and a white cotton skirt.

Although she was dressed as an ordinary maid, her natural beauty and charming appearance were undeniable.

After reviewing the accounts, Madam Wang frowned and said, "Yu Chuan, go and call Aunt Qin over. I have something to say."

Yu Chuan agreed and went out to call for someone. After a while, a middle-aged woman entered. She had big eyes, a high gait, and a shrewd and worldly air about her.

Madam Wang asked, "I've been looking at the monthly accounts of the courtyard, and they're always completely empty by the end of the month, with no surplus left?"

Qin Xian's wife looked troubled and said, "I followed Madam's instructions and moved from the second house to the east courtyard. I dare not save a single tael of money on the respectable aspects of life outside."

To avoid disgracing our second branch of the family, I have already reduced the size of the courtyard where possible, but I have donated any redundant or wasteful items.

Even so, by the end of the month, it was barely enough to get by, with hardly any surplus left.

Madam usually had no time to pay attention to the details of the accounts, but she did not know that the West Mansion's public funds were meticulously calculated, and that the money allocated to the East Road Courtyard each month would never exceed a single penny.

Second Madam was an extremely meticulous person to begin with, and now with the addition of Ping'er and Wu'er as her two helpers, neither of them is easy to deal with.

The government's monthly budget allocations were also handled with extreme precision, so that no one could find fault with them.

Qin Xian's wife was only halfway through her sentence when she stole a glance at Madam Wang's face. Seeing that Madam Wang looked resentful and her brows were furrowed, she must be feeling very uncomfortable.

Then he continued, "A few days ago, there were rumors in the West Mansion that the eldest son's family was the legitimate heir of the Rongguo family, while the second son's family was now a concubine's family, and the old practice could no longer be followed."

The second branch of the family should no longer employ first-class maids, and the status of the stewards and servants in both the inner and outer courtyards should be lower than that of the western branch. This is in accordance with the patriarchal system and proper etiquette.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang turned pale with anger and couldn't help but burst into a tirade, cursing, "What utter nonsense! Who has the audacity to utter such arrogant words!"

Qin Xian's wife said with a forced smile, "Although these vulgar words have spread, who would dare to do such a thing?"

The second branch has our master as the head, and even Third Master Cong owes the master a debt of gratitude. If anyone were to act like this, what would become of the Rongguo Mansion's reputation?

Now that Third Master Cong has become a Hanlin official, he cares most about his official reputation. His relationship with his master is well-known among the nobles and relatives in the capital.

Even someone as formidable as Second Madam would have reservations and would never dare to act like that, especially with the Old Madam present.

Even we servants will remain utterly loyal to the master and mistress, and we must never allow anyone to look down on us.

Upon hearing these words, Madam Wang's expression relaxed, and even a hint of arrogance appeared. Qin Xianjia's words had struck a chord with her.

He said, "You are quite insightful. Back then, Cong-ge also tried to force Master to stay in Rongxi Hall, but Master is a sincere gentleman and disdained to do so."

Now that we've moved to the East Courtyard, we're suffering a huge loss. With the West Mansion acting this way, the family's finances are becoming increasingly strained.

Now, they can't even keep a little surplus. Baoyu is getting married next spring, and the two thousand taels given by the public treasury are too meager. What kind of grand occasion can they possibly have?

If Baoyu's marriage were to be undignified, and the legitimate grandson of a Duke were to become a laughingstock, what would become of him?

Seeing Madam Wang's face full of worry and indignation, Qin Xian's wife felt a sense of smugness.

Her deliberate attempt to speak harshly and humiliatingly of the West Mansion was nothing more than a ploy to sow discord and incite Lady Wang's hostility.

She knew Madam Wang's temperament best; only by putting on a show like this would Madam Wang become even more wary of the main branch of the West Mansion.

Naturally, she would increasingly rely on her husband and his wife to help her manage the household affairs and guard the gates of the east courtyard.

Only by gaining more and more respect in front of his wife can he easily obtain the things he desires and longs for.

Qin Xian's wife glanced at the beautiful jade bracelet, a thought flashed through her mind, and she came up with an idea... (End of this chapter)