Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Lixiangyuan.

The main room was warm and cozy, filled with the delicate aroma of tea, its fragrance subtle yet enchanting. Beautiful faces, like blooming flowers, complemented each other perfectly.

Yingchun, Daiyu, and Baochai either sipped tea and chatted about daily life, or commented on embroidered fans.

After sitting for the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, Yingchun and Daiyu got up to say goodbye and went together to Rongxi Hall to see Jia Cong.

Aunt Xue heard less noise outside from inside the room, so she lifted the curtain and went into the main room, where she saw Yingchun and Daiyu coming out of the courtyard.

He said, "Another year has passed. Yingchun is a year older than you. Last year, many families wanted to arrange marriages for her."

I've heard the old lady mention that they're all from noble and wealthy families in the capital. I didn't expect this girl to not agree, and the old lady didn't even urge her.

No matter how outstanding a young woman's looks and qualities are, it's not easy to win her over as she gets older. Your sister Yuan Chun will be going through the same thing when she comes home next year.

Baochai laughed and said, "Mom, you're thinking too narrowly. Second Sister is different from before. She is now the eldest daughter of the East Mansion, and her status is very noble."

Even though she's still in mourning, she's not afraid of not being able to marry into a wealthy family, even if it's a few years later. I understand my second sister's thoughts; she wants to stay with Cong for a few more years.

Although Sister Yuan-chun is older, she is the most insightful among the sisters. Such an outstanding girl will naturally find a suitable match.

……

Aunt Xue laughed and said, "It's rare to see Cong and his brother like this. Yingchun cherishes her brother so much that she doesn't even care about him getting married."

Baochai said, "This is also very good. Sometimes I envy Second Sister for having such a brother to support her."

Because of this, the old lady didn't dare to pressure her too much about marriage. It's a good thing that the second sister can make her own decisions.

Needless to say, my second sister is blessed, and even my younger sister Xiuyan is excellent; she has a peaceful and open-minded nature, never competes or fights, and will surely be blessed in the future as well.

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Speaking of this Miss Xing, when I first met her at Rongqing Hall, she was truly an outstanding person."

It is said that a golden phoenix can fly out of a chicken coop. She has an aunt like the first wife, and her own parents are just ordinary people, yet they raised such an outstanding girl like her.

I was really tempted back then, but unfortunately Cong-ge got it, and it was too late for me to play matchmaker.

This girl is good in every way, except that she comes from a humble background and is not a good match for the Jia family.

Although she had a formal status with Cong-ge'er, she could only ever be a concubine, which was a bit of a pity.

……

Upon hearing this, Baochai became somewhat lost in thought and put down the embroidery frame in her hand.

He said, "Sister Xiuyan is outstanding in appearance and simple and pure in nature. This is a blessing from heaven. Although her family background is ordinary, it is just the natural order of things."

How many people in the world can have all the success and happiness in the world?

Although Xiuyan's younger sister did not come from a prominent family, she was gentle, unassuming, kind, and affectionate. The Cong brothers took great care of this cousin in their daily lives.

"Priceless treasures are easy to find, but a true lover is hard to come by. For Brother Cong to treat her so well, Sister Xiuyan has found her true love; she wouldn't care about such empty fame."

After hearing her daughter's words, Aunt Xue vaguely guessed what her daughter was thinking, and she was really troubled and wavered in her heart.

He sighed and said, "I know what you've been thinking these past few years. Who can't see that he's an excellent man? It's just that it's becoming increasingly difficult for them to be a good match."

The Xue family is a prominent family in Jinling, ranking alongside the Jia family as one of the four great families. For generations, they have been linked by blood and marriage, all of whom are legitimate members of the main line. The rules cannot be broken.

"You are the eldest daughter of the Xue family's main branch, how could you possibly have the same convenient access as Miss Xing..."

Baochai's face was a little pale. She said, "I know Mother is an old Taoist priest. Why talk about these things during the New Year? I'm a little tired. I'll go inside and rest for a while."

Aunt Xue couldn't help but worry when she saw her daughter get up and go back to her room.

The daughter became increasingly obsessed. When Congge was granted a title, everyone else was overjoyed, but she alone was unwilling and sullen.

To still bring up Miss Xing now is like being possessed by someone, beyond redemption...

……

On the 28th day of the twelfth month of the fifteenth year of the Jiazhao reign.

As New Year's Eve approached and dawn broke, large snowflakes began to fall, swirling and fluttering. In less than an hour, the surroundings were covered in a blanket of white.

In the magnificent capital city, the sound of firecrackers gradually increased from sporadic to widespread, creating a rich atmosphere for the New Year.

From the main gate and the ceremonial gate to Rongqing Hall and Rongxi Hall, the main gates of Rongguo Mansion were wide open all the way.

Along the covered walkways and on the eaves of the halls, vermilion and gold lanterns hang high, like two red and golden dragons extending into the inner courtyard.

The door gods, couplets, and plaques throughout the mansion have been replaced, and the peach wood charms have been freshly painted, giving it a brand-new look.

Because the Earl's mansion was established not long ago, and the entire estate was renovated and repaired less than two years ago, the mansion is still brand new and magnificent.

The New Year decorations throughout the mansion were in accordance with the Rongguo Mansion's regulations, but they were even more imposing than those of the West Mansion, exuding a unique vitality.

……

As Lunar New Year's Eve approached, shops on Ningrong Street would close, and everyone would stay home to celebrate the New Year, making the street even quieter than usual.

But just as the hour of Chen arrived, before dawn, the streets were teeming with people, with shouts and neighing of horses creating a bustling and unusually noisy atmosphere.

A large number of carts and horses came from the distant Liaodong, carrying all kinds of festive goods, and entered Ningrong Street in a grand procession that stretched as far as the eye could see.

When these carriages and horses reached the middle of the street, they split up and stopped at the gates of the east and west mansions.
The east and west gates of the two mansions were open, and the stewards of the two mansions, along with many servants, moved, carried, and counted items in an orderly manner.

Many residents of Ningrong Street came out to watch, filled with envy at the extravagance and grandeur of the Jia family's two mansions at the end of the year.

……

Since Jia Cong inherited the title but was demoted, the Rongguo Mansion's original eight estates in Liaodong have been reduced to six.

These farms were originally managed by Wu Jinxian, an old servant of the Jia family, but he took advantage of the fact that the Jia family was not in a position to exert influence and had been ruthlessly exploiting the farms' harvests over the years.

Last year, the Rongguo Mansion's six farms in Liaodong only handed over 5,000 taels of their harvest for the whole year, of which 40% was embezzled by Wu Jinxian.

Wu Jinxian acted with impunity because he colluded with Lai Da, the steward of the West Mansion back then, and Jia Cong naturally would not tolerate such evil.

The Dongfu Farm estate was also located in Liaodong, managed by Zhou Guangcheng of Xinchunhao Liaodong branch. Wu Jinxian's actions naturally could not be kept secret from Zhou Guangcheng.

After Wu Jinxian arrived in Beijing on New Year's Eve last year, he was dismissed from his position as manager of the farm by Jia Cong, and the Xifu Liaodong Farm was handed over to Zhou Guangcheng for management.

This year, the Liangfu Farm caravan is much larger than in previous years, with the number of vehicles and horses increasing by 30%.

Even a seasoned steward like Lin Zhixiao could tell that this year's farm harvest would be far greater than last year's.

Wang Xifeng, who was in the inner courtyard, was quite pleased to receive the news.

Last year, the farm only handed over five thousand taels of harvest, and the Xifu Gongzhong family lived a tight life all year round. As the housekeeper, Wang Xifeng suffered from the hardship.

If we can earn an extra one or two thousand taels this year, the public coffers will be much more comfortable next year.

Therefore, when the Xifu Farm's caravan was unloading and carrying goods, and the harvest was being counted in the outer courtyard, Wang Xifeng did not want to miss it.

She took Ping'er in a sedan chair, with Lin Zhixiao and his maids and servants accompanying her. They went to the outer courtyard and a side hall where a beaded curtain was hung, and she personally listened to and counted the items.

Through the beaded curtain, she saw Lin Zhixiao arranging for his clever servants to count the various agricultural products, verify the accounts, and have the stewards loudly announce the results.

"Thirty deer, twenty-five roe deer, forty musk deer, twenty-five Siamese pigs, twenty wild boars, and fifteen preserved pigs."

"Thirty wild goats, thirty blue sheep, and five hundred catties of various kinds of fish."

"Two hundred live chickens, ducks, and geese, and eighty wind-dried chickens, ducks, and geese."

"Twenty pairs of bear paws, thirty catties of deer tendons, seventy deer tongues, eighty ox tongues, eighty catties of sea cucumbers, and one hundred catties of dried razor clams."

"Two thousand catties of top-grade silver frost charcoal, two thousand catties of medium-grade charcoal, and three thousand catties of firewood charcoal are selected."

"Thirty bushels of Imperial Rouge Rice, ninety bushels of White Glutinous Rice, sixty bushels of Green Glutinous Rice, one hundred bushels each of Mixed-Colored Grains, and one thousand eight hundred bushels of Ordinary Rice for Subsistence..."

While listening to the accounting reports outside, Ping'er and Caiming checked the farm's accounts from last year and calculated the difference in harvest between the two years.

……

After the count was completed outside the hall, Ping'er had already calculated the difference in the two years' harvest.

He laughed and said, "Grandma, this year is a bumper harvest. The yield from the six farms is 40% more than last year."

Last year, the farm's harvest was worth 5,137 taels of silver, and this year's harvest is worth 8,597 taels of silver, which is 60% more than last year.

This was partly due to the unfavorable weather last year; even excluding that, the income was still 40% higher than usual.

Wang Xifeng smiled broadly, but gritted her teeth as she said, "That old bastard Wu Jinxian is too ruthless. He embezzled so much money last year."

Just think, this is only last year. If you add up all the food he ate in previous years, it would be enough to fill half of the Rongguo Mansion.

Fortunately, Brother Cong has connections in Liaodong; otherwise, given the distance and the fact that it's so far, even if we had suspicions, it wouldn't have been easy for us to find fault with him.

This alone adds more than three thousand taels, which will make the public funds much more comfortable next year. We won't have to resort to exploiting others or robbing Peter to pay Paul anymore.

Ping'er, I need to talk to Brother Cong about this matter in the next few days. Wu Jinxian is a servant of the Jia family. He embezzled these things, so we can't just let it go like this.

He must spit it all out, otherwise the servants in the house will follow suit and rebel!
In previous years, you saw how strict my housekeeper was, and everyone seemed to be afraid of me. But in reality, we were all just frogs in a well.

Lai Da and Wu Jinxian, those lackeys, are colluding and causing trouble outside, embezzling their master's money and goods. How could we, the women in the inner quarters, know anything about it?

Fortunately, the family now has Cong and his brothers to uphold its traditions and maintain its dignity; things had really gotten out of hand before.

……

Hearing Wang Xifeng praise Jia Cong, Ping'er felt sweet and pleased, and said, "Grandma, we can finally have a good New Year this year."

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Zhou Guangcheng, who works under Brother Cong, is really a capable man. The Xifu Farm has become a goose that lays golden eggs in his hands."

Last New Year's Eve, only half a year after Cong and his brother were granted titles, the Dongfu Farm had already yielded more than 3,000 taels of silver, and this year the total harvest is mostly 6,000 taels.

After three to five years of this process, with further reductions in extravagant spending, the Xi family's wealth can be restored.

However, it's best to keep this to ourselves and not spread it around, lest someone find out the details and start having inappropriate thoughts.

Ping'er smiled slightly, knowing who Wang Xifeng was referring to.

Wang Xifeng said, "The closer we get to this point, the more we must adhere to the patriarchal clan rules and regulations. The reduction of the second branch's quota after the New Year must not be delayed any longer. Money is important, but etiquette and rules are even more important."

After Baoyu's marriage, there can be no gaps in the arrangements; everything must be settled. It's improper for outside men to keep wandering around the inner courtyard."

……

The Earl's Mansion, outer courtyard side hall.

Jia Cong was talking to a young man, about seventeen or eighteen years old, named Yang Shouming.

He is the manager of Liaodong Xinchun, a capable subordinate of Zhou Guangcheng, and also the leader of the Liaodong Farm car team for this trip.

He was originally from northern Fujian. Three years ago, his hometown suffered a famine, and his family members starved to death along the way. He was the only one left alive and was taken in by Jinling Xinchunhao.

He not only had no worries about food and clothing at Xinchunhao, but was also taught to read and write, and worked as an apprentice in the shop for two years before being transferred to Xinchunhao in Liaodong last year.

Although Yang Shouming was young, he was shrewd and meticulous in his work, and quick-witted. Soon after joining the Liaodong branch, he became Zhou Guangcheng's capable deputy.

Because Jia Cong and Noyan Taiji reached a consensus, the court tacitly approved the appeasement of the Ordos tribe's private trade.

Emperor Jia Zhao entrusted Jia Cong with full authority over this matter. Zhou Guangcheng, under Jia Cong's orders, established the Nine Border Caravan, relying on the Liaodong Xinchun Company.

Half a month ago, Zhou Guangcheng led his men to Ningxia Town to prepare for private trade between the two sides, and he was too busy to attend to other matters at the moment.

Yang Shouming was in charge of leading the team to transport the harvest from the Liaodong farms.

……

As Jia Cong was looking through the New Year's goods accounts, Yang Shouming said from the side, "Lord, this year's harvest, excluding various kinds of rice and grains, totals 1,500 shi."

There are also various poultry such as chickens, ducks, cattle, sheep, and wild birds such as deer, bears, and boars, as well as furs, medicinal herbs, river and seafood products.

Excluding the expenses incurred in transporting goods and horses along the way, the total cost was 280 taels, which amounted to 6,315 taels of silver.

Prices in the capital are higher than in Liaodong. After deducting the family's own needs for the holidays, if these harvests could be properly exchanged for silver, the proceeds would be higher than this.

Jia Cong was very satisfied with the results from the East Mansion Farm, which exceeded his original expectations, and he also greatly admired Yang Shouming's shrewdness and competence.

After Xinchunhao made its fortune, he took in and raised a group of orphans, including Yang Shouming in front of him, as well as Cheng Yang, Xu Xiaoguang and others from Jinling.

They all possessed a unique concern; they had struggled on the brink of life and death, and were given a new lease on life by the Xinchun ship. They were filled with great diligence and loyalty.

Jia Cong and Yang Shouming chatted for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, then, due to the busy year-end affairs, they got up and left.

He also instructed the steward of the Eastern Palace to arrange food and lodging for the caravan, so that Yang Shouming and the others could spend the New Year in Shenjing before setting off back to Liaodong.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall.

After Jia Cong finished his miscellaneous duties at the East Mansion, he had just sat down in the hall when he saw Xiao Hong, with a pretty face and a smile, quickly walk into the hall.

He said, "Third Master, three uncles and four peers from our hometown of Jinling have come to the capital to participate in the New Year's Eve ancestral worship. They are now thirty miles outside the city."

Their servant rode into the city this morning to deliver the message, and should arrive at the mansion around noon.

According to family tradition, I have already had tea and a small welcome feast prepared. Third Master, are you free today?

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Of course I will when I have time. When relatives from the same clan come from afar, I will always treat them with courtesy."

"Go to the east courtyard later and tell them that an elder from the Twelfth House of Jinling has arrived and requests that Master come to meet him. Master knows most of the elders from Jinling."

Xiao Hong continued, "My father was instructed by the Third Master yesterday to go to the Guanglu Temple this morning to receive the spring sacrifice reward money issued by the palace."

The imperial reward consisted of two parts: one thousand taels from the old Duke of the Western Mansion, and the other eight hundred taels from the Lady of the Eastern Mansion.

After Xiao Hong finished speaking, she went to the east wing and brought back a vermilion lacquered tray containing two bright yellow silk bags, exuding an air of imperial solemnity.

Each silk bag was stamped with the Ministry of Rites' vermilion seal, and in neat, small characters, it was written who was being honored, their name, official rank, the rank of the conferred title, and the amount of the imperial favor.

The two silk bags were also inscribed with the four characters "Bestowed by Imperial Grace," making them particularly eye-catching and solemn.

Jia Cong took the slightly smaller silk bag, feeling quite emotional. The lady of the East Mansion that Xiao Hong mentioned was his birth mother, Du Jinniang.

……

However, the imperial silver bestowed this year was quite meaningful.

Jia She passed away last year. Because his title was put on hold, no reward money was given out on New Year's Eve last year.

Afterwards, Jia Cong inherited the title of Rongguo, but the missing title was not reissued. Grandmother Jia did not want to argue with the court, so the matter was left unresolved.

Logically, Jia She, as the previous ruler of the noble family and a first-class general, should have received a share of the annual sacrificial reward silver, but he didn't.

Others might not know the reason, but Jia Cong could discern the significance of the matter.

Last year, Jia She died suddenly and remains a mystery to this day. Although he was not charged with any crime, his funeral was held as usual.

However, Jia Cong, being in the thick of it, knew that Jia She was not only involved in the theft of firearms in Liaodong, but also implicated in the major case of the illegal firearms manufacturing workshop in Jinling.

In Emperor Jiazhao's eyes, Jia She was wicked and his crimes were unforgivable; he deserved to die.

If it weren't for Emperor Jia Zhao's need to heavily rely on Jia Cong, which involved the matter of a marriage arranged by the palace, the Rongguo Mansion would have long been in dire straits because of Jia She.

Under such circumstances of concealing a crime, how could Jia She possibly receive a reward of silver?

However, such secrets and inner workings involve the emperor's heart and mind, so they cannot be told to outsiders.

……

Moreover, the amount of reward silver distributed this time is quite different from that of last year.

Although Jia Cong's birth mother, Du Jinniang, was posthumously honored, she was of low status during her lifetime, and could only be granted the rank of fifth-grade imperial consort. Moreover, she had been dead for many years, and there were established rules for the imperial consort's silver reward.

However, the amount of silver awarded this year has been increased to eight hundred taels, which is close to the standard of one thousand taels for the Duke of Rongguo.

The most important matters of state are military affairs and sacrifices. The imperial court bestows silver rewards, which are of great concern to powerful families.

The Guanglu Temple issued sacrificial silver, but there were instances of withholding, reducing, and increasing the amount, which was by no means unfounded.

What lies behind this is merit and demerit, etiquette and law, and the heart of the ruler!
Jia Cong was meticulous and shrewd, and he knew Emperor Jia Zhao's temperament and mind well, so he naturally understood the deeper meaning behind this action.

This is to elevate the new elites of the Eastern Prefecture, suppress the old patrons of the Western Prefecture, divide the power base to commemorate the decline of the dynasty, and have the new titles suppress the old ones.

On a smaller scale, due to the changes in the annual ancestral sacrifices and rewards, Jia Cong's prestige within the Jia family will become even more unshakable, while the influence of the Rongguo hereditary title will weaken once again.

Broadly speaking, Emperor Jia Zhao never stopped weakening and suppressing the old power of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes.

Within the majestic Great Zhou imperial city, the balance between Qianyang Palace and Chonghua Palace, standing side by side, will, over time, undergo an unpredictable tilt...

Although Jia Cong entrusted this matter to Lin Zhixiao, it was impossible to keep it a secret; the news would spread in no time.

If Grandmother Jia, Jia Zheng, and others knew about this, they would surely feel aggrieved or puzzled. If the other nineteen sons of the Jia family knew, they would have even more speculations.

In short, most people are not at peace on New Year's Eve, but Jia Cong doesn't need to worry about these things, as this matter will not do him any harm.

He said, "Xiao Hong, have Steward Lin open the main hall of the ancestral hall. First, offer the two portions of the reward silver as incense, and then burn the sachet as an offering during the annual sacrifice."

……

After Xiao Hong went out to run errands, Jia Cong got up and left Rongxi Hall, going to the three small side rooms on the east side of the courtyard.

Rongxi Hall is the main hall of Rongguo, where the head of the family handles household affairs and receives guests.

The three side rooms to the east of the main hall were where the head of the household lived and rested. This was the case for all the heads of the household in the past, and Jia Cong naturally followed this practice.

He exited Rongxi Hall, turned left along the covered corridor, and walked a dozen steps into the east wing.

The first side room on the right has a glass beaded curtain hanging inside. There is a small canopy bed inside, and a bronze mirror and dressing case items are placed on a table next to the bed.

This is the living quarters of the maid Xiaohong. Because she is the head maid of Rongxi Hall and is responsible for serving Jia Cong, she lives in the right-side side room.

A marble screen hangs on the front wall of the central side room, and four round chairs are placed on both sides of the main seat, with silver and red floral chair covers and four footstools underneath.

The most spacious room on the left is the first side room, which is where the head of the household usually entertains himself. A large kang (heated brick bed) is set up by the window, covered with scarlet woolen cloth.

The kang (heated brick bed) features a large red coin-patterned backrest, a dark blue coin-patterned pillow, and a light blue coin-patterned quilt, creating a magnificent, elegant, and luxurious atmosphere.

On the north side of the kang (heated brick bed), against the wall, a new bed was set up, covered with a thick mattress, a rose-red gauze pillow, and a green silk quilt with delicate floral patterns.

When Jia Cong returned to the East Mansion yesterday, he had not yet seen this bed. It must be because Yu Chuan moved into Rongxi Hall yesterday, and this small bed is her temporary sleeping place.

……

Just as Jia Cong sat down on the kang (heated brick bed), a graceful figure appeared at the doorway. Yu Chuan entered carrying a tea tray, her pretty face smiling and flushed.

He said, "Third Master, this is freshly brewed Yunwujian tea. Xiao Hong said Third Master likes to drink this."

I brewed it and let it steep for a short while; the tea soup is excellent. Third Master, would you like to try it?

Jia Cong took the teacup and saw that the tea was emerald green, with rising steam and a fragrant aroma. He took a sip.

He laughed and said, "This tea is really well-brewed. It's thanks to your thoughtfulness that I'll let you take charge of my tea from now on."

Hearing Jia Cong's praise, Yu Chuan was delighted, her face breaking into a bright smile. Her clear and pretty features were quite pleasing to the eye.

Jia Cong asked, "You moved in so hastily yesterday, did you sleep well last night?"

Yu Chuan smiled and said, "When Master and Madam were still in the West Mansion, I lived in the East Corridor Room and served Madam on a daily basis. It was just a wall away from here, so I was naturally very used to it."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Aside from entertaining guests and taking a midday rest, there's not much to do during the New Year holidays. Take some time to talk to your sister; don't stay too bored."

Yu Chuan found his words warm and approachable, which made her feel at ease for no reason. Compared to the strict etiquette of his wife, he was quite different.

She felt happy and content. Everyone said that the Third Master treated the maids very well, and it was indeed true. Her sister also said that she was blessed.

As Jia Cong sipped his tea, he chatted casually with Yu Chuan. The lattice window next to the kang (heated brick bed) was bright and clear, with a ring of beautiful ice flowers forming on it.

Outside the window, snow was falling heavily, but inside, laughter and conversation filled the air, the fragrance was subtle, and the room was warm and cozy... (End of Chapter)