Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 807 Snowstorm Fills the Bow and Sword
Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Yuanyang wore a light red silk jacket over a blue satin vest, and her slender waist was tied with a white crepe silk handkerchief. Her figure was as graceful as a willow as she busied herself back and forth in the hall.

He had Jade open the lid of the incense burner, and then he carried the charcoal basket and added red clay charcoal to the burner.

Then he took the three-legged white jade incense burner with animal-shaped handles, placed it on the table of the Luohan couch, and lit a stick of Suzhou red incense that Grandmother Jia often used.

Then he went to the tea stove in the back hall to brew tea, and after a while he brought two cups of Lao Jun Mei tea to Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Grandmother Jia sighed deeply, while Lady Wang looked even more worried.

She said, “Grandma, Baoyu only watched a few plays today. All the brothers and sisters in the family are like that. Master’s temper is getting more and more irritable.”

He scolded Baoyu in front of everyone, showing him no respect whatsoever. Who in the family would value Baoyu after this?

Grandmother Jia frowned and said, "What kind of talk is that? I'm here. Who in the family would dare to look down on Baoyu?"

But you also need to be more aware that the situation at home is very different from before, and you can't keep thinking and calculating like before.

In the past, the children of Rongguo Mansion, whether it was Lian Er, Bao Yu, or Huan Xiaozi, even if they were a little careless in their studies, as long as they could read and write, it was not considered a big deal.

In the capital, it was commonplace for the sons of noble families to behave this way.

But now, we can't stop Cong-ge from being so outstanding, and he has earned the Jia family the title of Hanlin scholar, which is a unique honor among the military families of the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Although it cannot compare to the grandeur of the old king's government in the past, it is still a remarkable foundation of the Rongguo Jia family, worthy of the protection and maintenance of the family's descendants.

Given the current situation, it would be disgraceful if word got out that the children in the family are too lazy to study.

People would say that the Jia family was just lucky, with one outstanding member but no successor. Apart from Cong-ge'er, who was capable, the other members were too mediocre.

We need to look at things in the long run. Cong-ge'er is exceptionally gifted in his studies, and his family traditions are being passed down through generations. His descendants will likely be the same in the future.

The second branch is now a marginal branch, and the patriarchal system and etiquette are what they are, so there's nothing they can do about it. If their descendants are not as good as the first branch, what hope will they have for the future?

Zheng'er values ​​reading highly, and he must be thinking about long-term things. That's why he cares so much about Huan's willingness to study now and keeps talking about it.

But I know my own son well. Baoyu is, after all, the legitimate son, and Zheng'er hopes that he can study hard and become successful.

Therefore, you need to understand his thoughts. As the saying goes, when husband and wife are of one mind, their strength can break metal.

As his mother, you should often advise Baoyu to change his temperament a little and spend more time on his studies.

Even if they really don't like reading, they pretend to love reading in front of others, so that the father and son can save face and there will be less gossip.

Tell him to stop spouting those frivolous, bookish nonsense. Given the current situation at home, if Baoyu continues to say such things, it will only annoy people.

"Look at all the maids in the house; they've all become distant from Baoyu these days. Such words are simply inappropriate."

……

Although Madam Wang knew there was some truth to what she said, she was still very unconvinced.

A despicable little beast who had humiliated his mother's maidservant pretended to be studying diligently, flaunting and deceiving in front of the master, causing his son, Baoyu, to lose all face.

It's all because I was too soft-hearted in the past, letting this little beast grow up like this, and now he's become a cunning and harmful person...

Grandmother Jia glanced at her daughter-in-law, who remained silent, and wondered what she was thinking.

She sighed softly and said, "I know some things can't be forced. Baoyu has never liked studying or taking the imperial examinations since he was a child, so it's not something that can be easily persuaded."

But whether it's Baoyu or Huan'er, they are both Zheng'er's biological sons, and there's no doubt about that.

Regardless of who succeeds in their studies in the future, it will always be the second wife's legacy and dignity. You must understand this principle.

Grandmother Jia's words seemed to carry a deeper meaning, and Lady Wang felt a chill run down her spine. Although the old lady was getting on in years, she was by no means confused...

……

After talking for a while, Grandmother Jia intended to send her daughter-in-law back so she could relax in her bedroom in the back hall.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the hall, followed by cheerful laughter. It was Wang Xifeng talking to the gatekeeper maid.

The red brocade curtain was lifted, and Wang Xifeng entered with a smile on her face, followed by her maid Feng'er, who was carrying a black lacquered wooden box.

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Why can't you just stay and listen to the opera? You've come all the way here to wander around."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "The old lady has all left, leaving us to listen to the opera alone. What fun is there in that? We'll all sit for a while and then disperse."

I remembered I had something to give to the old lady, so I went back to my own yard to get it before coming over.

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Then I'd like to see what good stuff it is."

Wang Xifeng took the wooden box from Feng'er and presented it to Grandmother Jia as if it were a treasure.

He smiled and said, "A few days ago, Second Master sent New Year's gifts from Liaodong, instructing me to bring two top-quality wild ginseng roots to honor the old lady."

Still not entirely convinced, I took them to an outside pharmacy to have an expert examine them, and they were indeed two ginseng roots that were over twenty years old.

It's not the absolute best, but it's still high-quality ginseng, a gift for my mother to nourish her body and replenish her energy.

When Grandmother Jia opened the wooden box, she saw two wild ginseng roots that were lifelike in appearance, complete with hair and beard, and were indeed of superior quality.

Somewhat surprised, he said, "Lian'er was exiled to Liaodong, and I was always worried that he was having a hard time. How could he have found such a rare way to make a living?"

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Second Master was exiled to the army thousands of miles away, and he was originally going to have to live a hard life. Now he is also thanks to Brother Cong's good fortune."

Cong and his brother once led troops in Liaodong, where he had many comrades-in-arms who took great care of the Second Master on a daily basis.

Because the Second Master was literate, and because of the old friendship between the brothers Cheng Cong, he got a job as a treasurer and lived a stable life without suffering.

"The wild ginseng and furs I brought this time were all gifts from connections within the military."

……

Grandmother Jia sighed, "It's wonderful that Lian'er has the help of his brothers' connections in Liaodong. I was really worried before."

Exile to the army is an extremely dangerous matter. More than a decade ago, there was a change in the imperial family, and many noble families in the capital were implicated.

Many were beheaded and their homes confiscated, and even more were exiled to the border regions; none were ever heard of returning alive.

These people were exiled to the border regions, where they either died of illness or disappeared without a trace, their fates unknown.

Many of them were old acquaintances of the Jia family, but due to the sudden change of events, they died without a burial place.

Lian'er was unlucky; he was completely ruined by his father. He suffered this calamity but also had this good fortune. It was truly the blessing of the Rongguo ancestors.

As long as he's alive and well, nothing else matters.

Wang Xifeng said, "I asked Brother Cong a few times. He received a letter from his colleagues in Liaodong saying that Second Master is cautious in his actions and words and has a very good reputation in the army."

We can endure the harsh weather there now; all that's left is to slowly wait it out, and we'll return someday.

Grandmother Jia said, “Speaking of Lian’er, I’m reminded of Rong’er. He was exiled to Qiongzhou for thirty years. I’m afraid he will have a hard time coming back alive.”

Since Ningguo's family was raided, the Ningguo lineage has fallen into disarray, and who still remembers Rong-ge'er?

Even if he has little chance of coming back alive, we still need to know whether he is alive or dead. This is a single sentence that can't be used to describe two different Jias.

"Feng'er, you should also put in some effort. If you have any useful connections, ask them to help inquire about Rong-ge'er's situation. That would be doing our best."

Wang Xifeng readily agreed, but in her heart she didn't take it seriously. The things Rong-ge'er did back then were disgusting to think about.

He even had an affair with a male actor from the Prince Zhongshun's mansion; he was a shameless and despicable scoundrel.

Moreover, he was also accused of patricide, and the old lady was senile; why should she talk to him about kinship?

Moreover, Wang Xifeng could clearly sense that Jia Cong deeply disliked Jia Rong, and not just because of his wicked and criminal acts. Wang Xifeng could even vaguely guess that Jia Cong's dislike for Jia Rong was mostly due to his beloved sister, Qin Keqing.

Back then, Cong Laosan kept calling her "Miss Qin" with such intimacy that no one could hide it from him. Wang Xifeng would never believe that the two of them weren't having an affair.

Wang Xifeng naturally didn't want to get involved with people Jia Cong disliked, not to mention Jia Rong, a despicable fellow whom she despised.

It would be even more pointless to let Jia Cong know that he was involved with Jia Rong, and cause him displeasure.

……

Xuanfu Town, southeast of Donggang Town.

The northern lands are bitterly cold, even more so than the capital. Since the beginning of winter, heavy snow has fallen almost continuously.

This is a medium-sized town in the area south of Jiubian.

Donggang Town is close to the three towns of Jiubian, located in the middle of Xuanfu Town, Datong Town and Ji Town, about 150 li away from all three towns.

The town is surrounded by towering mountains to the north, and has historically been a remote and inaccessible place due to its dense forests and difficult terrain.

However, Donggang Town has wide official roads built on both the east and west sides, facilitating transportation to the three towns to the north.

The road south of the town is not on the main official road, but it can still lead to the capital city of Shenjing by passing through the surrounding towns.

Therefore, Donggang Town was neither a bustling town in the north nor located at the center of the official road.

Despite the constant flow of people and vehicles traveling north and south, the town remains bustling with activity every day, and all kinds of shops are thriving.

But several months ago, border troops began to be stationed in a valley east of the town, setting up camps and fences, and were heavily guarded.

Every few days thereafter, large convoys heading south would converge on the valley, accompanied by a large number of soldiers.

Two months after this began, northbound carriages and horses started gathering in the valley, escorted by border troops.

Checkpoints were set up around the town, and soldiers armed with knives and guns were stationed there to conduct random checks on passersby.

The townspeople and merchants gradually heard various rumors that the Mongols frequently raided the border between Xuanfu and Datong.

The border troops and Mongol cavalry frequently clashed, resulting in casualties on both sides. The imperial court issued a military decree to strictly guard the nine border regions and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out, as a major battle was imminent.

However, those who frequently travel to and from the border towns are already accustomed to border wars, after all, this place is still 150 li away from the three northern towns.

Although the rumors were growing increasingly intense, they did not cause any panic among the residents and merchants of Donggang Township.

Moreover, the recent gathering of troops around the town has made the townspeople feel more secure and at ease, and the town remains peaceful and prosperous.

……

Before noon that day, a group of people, consisting of more than 30 large carts and more than 200 accompanying border soldiers, approached from afar on the official road leading east from Donggang Town.

The man at the head of the procession rode a warhorse; he was burly and had a long sword at his waist.

He carried a long object on his shoulder, which was tightly bound with cloth strips, obscuring its original appearance.

He was wearing a uniform commonly seen in the military, with a sleeveless sheepskin coat over it. Despite the wind and snow, he remained upright, with a composed demeanor, and was beginning to exude authority.

But looking closely at his face, he was actually quite young, only about seventeen or eighteen years old. And judging from the way he led the troops, he was definitely not an ordinary soldier.

Only those who were with him knew that this newly appointed commander of the Liaodong Firearms Battalion was only mature-looking, and was actually less than sixteen years old.

He is a rising star in the Liaodong army in the past two years. Although his military rank is still low, he is considered a formidable young man in the army based on his age and combat achievements.

The soldiers had heard many rumors about this excessively young superior officer, saying that although he was not from a noble family, he came from a powerful family in the capital.

He himself never spoke of his background, and the military generals also kept quiet about it, so no one else knew anything about him.

However, in daily training and marching, this young commander was neither arrogant nor extravagant. He ate and lived with his soldiers, and led his troops practically and effectively, earning him considerable prestige among them.

The young officer riding alongside him was a man in his early twenties, wearing a heavy fur coat, a camel-skin hat, and a fur scarf around his neck.

Even though he was wrapped up completely, he still curled up on horseback, afraid of missing a single bit of warmth.

Compared to the young captain's defiant spirit, the young man accompanying him exuded worldly wisdom and shrewdness, creating a stark contrast between the two.

……

The young man pulled his scarf down a bit and asked, "Zhigui, where are we? How far are we from Donggang Town?"

Guo Zhigui took out a map, looked at it carefully for a few moments, and said, "Second Master Lian, this place is less than five li from Donggang Town. It will only take an hour to get there."

Once we get to town, we can rest for the night, take care of business first thing tomorrow morning, and then make two more trips before the end of the year, and we can have a peaceful New Year.

The young man said happily, "When we get to Donggang Town, I'll have to warm myself up by the fire and have a few drinks to ward off the chill. This awful weather is unbearable."

One of these two men was Guo Zhigui, Jia Cong's former servant, who had been serving in the army in the Nine Border Regions for two years.

Back then, Guo Zhigui followed Jia Cong to quell the Jurchens and made many military achievements, thus distinguishing himself in the Liaodong army. Now he has been promoted to the rank of commander of the firearms battalion.

The young man traveling with him was Jia Lian, who had recently been recommended by Deng Hui, the military commander of Yonglan Pass, to become the clerk in charge of the pass's warehouse.

Currently, the Mongol Empire and the Great Zhou Dynasty are locked in a stalemate in Xuanfu and Datong. Liaodong Town is far from the battlefield and has been free from war for a long time, making it a time of peace and tranquility.

As long as Guo Zhigui manages the training of his soldiers and is ordered to rotate and patrol, there are no major issues in the army.

Jia Lian has been appointed as the new clerk in charge of the granary at the pass. At present, it is not wartime and his duties are quite leisurely.

After entering the twelfth lunar month, Guo Zhigui received orders from his superiors to lead fifty musketeers and be transferred to the grain transport team to be responsible for escorting grain supplies.

Jia Lian was also seconded to the grain transport team to be in charge of transporting, counting and recording grain. The two people who had worked in the same household in the past met again.

Transporting grain over long distances during heavy snowfall is a difficult task, but fortunately, Liaodong Town is not in wartime, so the supply of grain is not urgent.

With ample time to transport military rations, Guo Zhigui and Jia Lian could easily complete their task by following the established procedures, only encountering some wind and snow along the way.

……

At noon, Guo Zhigui led his convoy to Donggang Town. The soldiers in the convoy crossed the town and headed to the valley where the barracks were stationed north of the town.

Thirty grain-carrying wagons and more than two hundred cavalrymen escorting the grain made quite a show of force, attracting the attention of many people in the town.

As the group was about to leave the town, near a charcoal shop on the northern edge of the town, a young man emerged. He was sturdy and of average appearance.

He was wearing a coarse cotton-padded jacket, his hands covered in black charcoal ash, making him inconspicuous. He watched the grain carts passing through the town with a slight flicker in his eyes.

Next to the charcoal shop was a cloth shop. The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man, dressed in fine clothes and with shrewd eyes. He also came out of the shop to watch the excitement.

He laughed and said, "Boss Sun, this grain transport team is quite impressive. I wonder which border town they're from."

When these grain-carrying soldiers return, they will surely buy a large amount of charcoal to keep warm along the way, and Boss Sun will make a fortune again.

It must be said that Boss Sun had good foresight, recognizing that Donggang Town was close to the military depot and seizing the opportunity to start a charcoal business.

Your charcoal shop has only been open for less than a month, yet it's doing much better than my cloth shop, which I've had for over ten years. Your way of making money is truly admirable.

Mr. Sun laughed and said, "Manager Lin, you flatter me. I'm just doing this opportunistic business, taking advantage of this trend to make some extra money."

The town is surrounded by dense forests, and the townspeople all cut their own firewood and make charcoal.

That family would pay money to buy my charcoal; I just rely on being a soldier to get a decent meal.

Mr. Sun had a smile on his face and chatted casually with the cloth shop owner, but his eyes never left the grain transport team for a moment.

Only after the grain transport team left the town and entered the military granary valley to the north did Boss Sun casually walk back to his shop...

(End of this chapter)