Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Shenjing, the official office of Dali Temple.

Yang Hongbin took the documents, flipped through them, and said, "Yuzhang, why did you choose these documents?"
I have carefully reviewed the interrogation records of these individuals and found nothing amiss.

Jia Cong said, "I chose these people not because their interrogation records were inappropriate, but for other reasons."

As I just mentioned, if the leak of military secrets was not intentional, it was either unintentional on the part of the person involved, and it would be difficult to find relevant traces in the interrogation records.

The interrogation records of the officials I selected were all perfect, without any flaws, but these were just superficial.

However, given the details of their duties and their personal habits and temperaments, they deserve more attention than other officials, and such meticulous scrutiny is likely to yield positive results.

Jia Cong picked out two documents and said, "These two are from two officials in charge of the granary department of the Ministry of Revenue. Although these two are not responsible for the specific collection of grain..."

Yesterday I went to the Ministry of Revenue to inquire about the monthly grain allocation and storage of the military granary in Donggang Town. They regularly send letters to the Ministry of Revenue regarding this.

This letter was handled by two officials in charge of the granary department, who would determine the amount of grain the Ministry of Revenue would collect the following month based on the monthly grain reserves in the military granaries.

Therefore, although these two officials in charge of the granary were not high-ranking, they wielded considerable power in grain requisition. Even their superiors deferred to their calculations for grain requisition.

……

Yang Hongbin said, "They are familiar with the monthly grain requisition amount, which doesn't seem to be directly related to the leak of the military storage location. Why does Yu Zhang think they are more suspicious?"

Jia Cong said, "The day before yesterday, I was summoned to the palace by the Emperor and carefully read the Liaodong military report."

Liang Chengzong, the general of Liaodong Garrison, was well-versed in military affairs and was cautious in managing his troops.

Based on the quantity and frequency of grain distributions over the years, he roughly deduced that the military granaries were nearly full around New Year's Eve.

At this time, due to the New Year holidays, most military towns postponed the collection of grain.

Therefore, General Liang did the opposite and ordered the Liaodong grain route to arrive at the military depot on New Year's Eve.

Because when the granaries are full, it is easier to mobilize sufficient food supplies, ensuring that the army has enough food to last.

When the grain transport team from Liaodong Town entered the warehouse to transfer grain, the grain transport captain was a meticulous person. He talked with the military officer guarding the warehouse and confirmed that the military warehouse was full at that time.

But on New Year's Eve, the remnant Mongol troops launched a surprise attack, seizing the military granaries overnight and stealing 650,000 dan of military grain.

Just as the Mongols knew in advance that the military granaries were full, so they seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack on New Year's Eve, this seems too coincidental and more like a premeditated plan.

Among the three major government offices in the capital, these two officials in charge of the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Granaries were responsible for the planning of military granaries, and they knew best when the military granaries would be full!

So even if they didn't intentionally leak information, the possibility that someone could have discovered the full-capacity timeline is not nonexistent.

They are more suspicious than other officials involved in classified matters, so a thorough investigation is necessary…

……

Yang Hongbin looked on with admiration and said, "Yu Zhang is meticulous in his thinking and truly has a keen eye for detail. He can see things that others have not yet seen. He is truly admirable."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "You flatter me too much. You consult officials from the three ministries every day. The affairs are complicated. Being in the midst of it all, it is inevitable that you cannot be thorough in every aspect."

I am merely providing guidance and information, which has the advantage of being an observer. By carefully considering and reflecting on things, I will inevitably gain some insights.

Whether these two are suspects can be determined by investigating their interactions with others around the twelfth lunar month; any suspicious activity will then reveal whether they are innocent or guilty.

Jia Cong then took out two more documents and said, "These two are officials from the Ministry of War, who are involved in the allocation of grain and fodder to various towns. They are unaware of whether the granaries are full."

But I knew the locations of the military depots very well. I had observed the administration of the Ministry of War and was very familiar with its officials.

These two Ministry of War officials are men of strong character, naturally easygoing, fond of banquets, and with wide social circles. It's highly likely they are the targets of espionage, and they should be investigated further.

……

Jia Cong took out the last four documents and said, "These four are military officers from the Five Military Commands. They are all responsible for escorting grain and are familiar with the grain routes and the locations of military depots."

Yang Hongbin said, "Of these four military officers, one came from a poor family and was transferred through connections in the military, while the other three were sons of noble families."

Chen Ruichang, a fifth-rank military officer in charge of land reclamation in the Right Army Commandery, held the most prominent position; he was the second grandson of Chen Yi, the Duke of Qi.

Jia Cong said, "Anda Khan is a steppe warlord, always ambitious and eager to go south. He has been tyrannizing the northern deserts for a long time and is a cunning and treacherous person."

His brazen dispatch of troops to seize the northern military depots was certainly not solely to alleviate the winter crisis; he must have had some other grand scheme in mind.

If I were Anda Khan, I would seize the military granaries and have plenty of provisions at my disposal.

Heading north could cut off the retreat routes of Xuanfu and Jizhou, allowing for opportune moments to capture them.

"Marching south, we can take advantage of the supply lines, and with fast horses and elite cavalry, we can march day and night, heading straight for the capital, catching it completely off guard!"

Upon hearing this, Yang Hongbin turned pale and said, "If what Yu Zhang thinks is true, and Anda Khan takes the opportunity to march south, the situation will be extremely critical."

Jia Cong said, "Starting the day before yesterday, the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commands each selected elite troops from the Five Military Camps and dispatched two hundred scouts to scout northward in separate teams."

In two days, news of military operations from the north will surely come back, indicating that Anda Khan has indeed marched south along the supply route, heading straight for the capital.

The Five Military Commissions are largely to blame for the leak of military supplies.

Because the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Works knew the location of the military granaries, the transportation of military rations was the responsibility of the Five Military Commands, and the planning of the route for the rations was solely determined by the Five Military Commands.

Therefore, unless there are other unknown reasons, the surprise attack on the military depot by the Mongols most likely indicates a leak of information from several government offices.

The Mongols' ability to coordinate their intelligence gathering was so precise that they could fill the military granaries to capacity on New Year's Eve, lay in ambush, and launch a ruthless raid.

……

Yang Hongbin listened to Jia Cong's detailed, sharp, and insightful analysis, which was thought-provoking and even chilling.

He is an outstanding figure in the Dali Temple in recent years. In just a few years, he was promoted from an ordinary Dali Temple judge to the Left Dali Temple Director.

He was highly regarded by Wei Guanyao, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, who entrusted him with important tasks. He was shrewd and capable, and his experience in handling major cases demonstrated his remarkable intelligence and resourcefulness.

But he could never achieve the meticulousness, perfection, ingenuity, and unconventional thinking that Jia Cong possessed.

Jia Cong's ability to assess people's hearts and the world, and his strategic judgment on military affairs, are qualities that Yang Hongbin cannot easily match.

In his view, this is a difference in innate talent, and even more so a limitation of acquired knowledge, a difference that cannot be easily bridged.

Jia Cong said, "For example, Chen Ruichang, whom you mentioned, is the most distinguished among the military officers who escort grain. He comes from a noble family."

He was fortunate enough to escape when the remnants of the Mongols captured the military camp and managed to return to the capital to report the military situation. Even so, it cannot be said that he was not a suspect.

According to my calculations, the location of the military depot was leaked around the turn of the twelfth lunar month of last year.

According to Chen Ruichang's interrogation record, he transported military supplies three times between the end of November and the eve of the Lunar New Year last year, which happened to coincide with the period of the leak.

The grain transport mission before New Year's Eve was originally to be carried out by another military officer, but he happened to fall seriously ill, so he was temporarily put in place.

During the period around the twelfth lunar month, he was the one who transported grain the most times among the four military officers.

The deeper one's involvement, the greater the probability of something going wrong; therefore, this person must be thoroughly investigated.

……

Yang Hongbin admired him and said, "His Majesty's granting you the power of privy council is truly a wise move, saving the Court of Judicial Review so much trouble."

Your screening process has significantly narrowed down the scope of investigations into officials with classified information, making the investigation much more efficient.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "One person's wisdom is limited, but two people's wisdom is greater. The officials I just screened may have shortcomings and omissions. You have enough manpower under your command."

We can conduct a more thorough review, fill in any gaps, and proceed more appropriately. The investigation strategy for this case is now basically complete.

After chatting for a few more minutes, Jia Cong bid farewell to Yang Hongbin. He only held the power of a councilor to assist in clarifying the investigation strategy; the specific investigation matters were not his responsibility.

With a major battle imminent, the effectiveness of firearms against the fast horses and sharp swords of the Mongols was immediately apparent, as has been fully demonstrated on the Liaodong battlefield.

Jia Cong knew better than anyone how much Emperor Jia Zhao relied on firearms.

At present, the top priority is to rush the production of firearms. With the investigation coming to a close, Jia Cong will shift his focus back to the firearms workshop.

By the time he left the Dali Temple government office, it was nearly noon. Considering that it was close to his residence, he decided to return home to rest for the night before going to the workshop to manage affairs in the afternoon…

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

After Wang Xifeng entered the hall, the atmosphere became increasingly lively. The sisters chatted about household chores and joked with Grandmother Jia.

Baoyu was wary of Wang Xifeng's power, and dared not speak freely after she entered the hall.

Although he felt aggrieved, he had no choice but to accept it. He was also reluctant to leave. Even if things weren't going well in the West Mansion, it was still better than going back to the East Courtyard to face the Master.

When Xiren saw that Baoyu was no longer talking nonsense, she breathed a sigh of relief and hoped that she could get through this as soon as possible and return to the East Courtyard.

At noon, Grandmother Jia set up a banquet in the flower hall and invited Aunt Xue to join them. Aunt Xue was very eloquent, and Grandmother Jia enjoyed chatting with her.

Yingchun thought of something and said, "Grandma, I had breakfast in Congdi's courtyard this morning and heard him say that he was going to the Dali Temple to handle some business. That place is very close to the East Mansion."

"We might have to come back to rest around noon. I'll send Xiuju back to check if Congdi has returned home. It's so quiet there; have him come and pay his respects to the old lady."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "It's good that he's back. I haven't seen him for two days. It'll be more lively if we come together."

Baoyu came full of joy, but ended up with a belly full of annoyance. Not to mention, he was also controlled and intimidated by Wang Xifeng. Everything was really going wrong for him.

Hearing that Yingchun had sent someone to look for Jia Cong made him even more uneasy, and he wished he could just run away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it...

He only hoped that Jia Cong hadn't returned to the East Mansion, so that Xiu Ju wouldn't be able to find anyone there.

But things didn't go as planned. Just as the cold dishes and tea towels were laid out, Xiuju lifted the curtain and led Jia Cong into the hall.

Yingchun, seeing that her prediction was correct and Jia Cong indeed returned to the mansion, couldn't help but smile broadly, and the sisters were all in good spirits.

Jia Cong and Grandmother Jia exchanged a few words and were about to sit down next to her when Shi Xiangyun suddenly said, "Third Brother, sit next to me, I have something to say."

Although she addressed Jia Cong, she glared at Bao Yu with some indignation and resentment.

……

Yingchun and Daiyu both knew the reason. They knew that Xiangyun was childish and didn't accept Baoyu's words earlier. She was still sulking and showing off.

Although they found it somewhat amusing, they didn't take it to heart, because Xiangyun's temper flared up and subsided quickly, and she would be fine once this phase passed; it was no big deal.

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "If Sister Yun wants to say something intimate, she'll have to ask Brother Cong to come over."

As the head of the household, he naturally sat next to the old lady; it wouldn't be proper to break the rules and etiquette.

Grandmother Jia, being an experienced and shrewd woman, could easily see through Xiangyun's petty tantrum; it was nothing more than childish behavior and a trivial matter. Xiangyun and Baoyu had been together since childhood, sometimes laughing and joking, sometimes arguing and bickering, so Grandmother Jia was long accustomed to it.

However, seeing Xiangyun's closeness to Jia Cong, Grandmother Jia was pleased and hoped they would become even closer, making things much easier in the future...

He laughed and said, "It's just a matter of observing proper etiquette in front of outsiders. When it comes to family members, there's no need for so many formalities."

The sisters are close, so let them talk about their private matters. Cong-ge, please go and sit down. We'll talk amongst ourselves.

Wang Xifeng was just joking, and since Grandmother Jia had already spoken, she naturally wouldn't stop her. However, she sensed a hidden meaning in Grandmother Jia's words, and her heart skipped a beat.

Back then, Zhang, the wife of the Marquis of Baoling, often visited the old lady's home. She wanted to matchmake Jia Cong and Xiangyun and almost proposed marriage.

Not many people knew about this, but Wang Xifeng and Madam Wang happened to be there and witnessed it firsthand.

Just then, news of Jia Cong's marriage was announced from the palace, and the old lady stopped in time. Fearing that she might offend the palace, she even issued a gag order on the spot.

Afterwards, Wang Xifeng kept her mouth shut and never mentioned the matter to anyone. Now, seeing Jia Mu's expression, she knew that the old lady had never given up.

Now that Cong Lao San is in great mourning, it's unknown when the palace will grant him a new marriage, especially since he also holds two titles, connecting the East and West Mansions.

The old lady was plotting something in secret: she would first take the good stuff to her own family, using the marriage alliance between the Jia and Shi families as a pretext to strengthen ties and benefit both sides.

Wang Xifeng glanced at Daiyu, then subtly looked away, secretly amused. She thought to herself, "Third Brother Cong is too much of a ladies' man; he's the best at attracting young ladies."

In the future, if he picks up a cup and smashes a plate, who knows what will happen? He'll have his share of headaches. Thinking of this, Wang Xifeng actually felt a little looking forward to it...

……

When Jia Cong heard Grandmother Jia speak, he didn't take it too seriously. He sat down next to Xiangyun and said with a smile, "What good things do you have to say, Sister Yun?"

Xiangyun personally set out the cups and saucers for Jia Cong, and said with a smile, "What's the rush? I have plenty of nice things to say. We'll talk about it slowly later."

She reached into Jia Cong's bowl again and put some food in it, saying with a smile, "Third Brother, this dish of dried civet cat is extremely delicious. Would you like to try it?"

Jia Cong felt a little strange. Xiangyun was usually very carefree, so why was she being so attentive and intimate today? He wondered what she was up to.

Baoyu saw that Xiangyun was deliberately making trouble and was being very attentive to Jia Cong. Just now she had said that she would try to please Jia Cong tomorrow, but she didn't expect that she would do it today.

He was filled with grief and indignation, jealousy and envy, and his anger was so intense that he felt like he was about to explode.

Xichun, who was watching from the side, said with envy, "Sister Yun, I also like to eat dried civet cat. Can you give me a bite?"

Xiangyun said proudly, "You can have your second sister pick some for you, I'll only pick some for my third brother!"

Xi Chun was turned away and looked resentful.

Upon hearing this, Daiyu's lips twitched involuntarily. Yingchun quickly placed some food in Xichun's bowl, suppressing a laugh as she said, "Eat as much as you like, little girl, don't be so talkative."

……

Jia Cong also picked up a piece of food and gave it to Xiangyun, saying with a smile, "It tastes good, Sister Yun, you should try some too."

Xiangyun glared at Baoyu triumphantly, then looked away and saw Jia Cong's profile.

He had thick, straight eyebrows, eyes like autumn pools, and a clear complexion. The lines of his nose and mouth were like clear mountain streams, giving him an indescribable beauty.

His voice was clear and melodious, gentle and heartwarming; it was really pleasant to listen to, something I had never noticed before.

Xiangyun was momentarily dazed, not knowing what was wrong, her heart pounding wildly.

I was confused and pondering to myself, everyone says that my third brother is good-looking, but I never thought so when I saw him every day.

It looks really good now, much better than Baoyu's round face...

She was a little dazed when she heard Jia Cong say, "Sister Yun, why are you spacing out? Why aren't you eating? Is it not to your liking?"

Xiangyun suddenly realized what was happening, jumped up from her seat, and subconsciously reached out with her chopsticks to pick up two more pieces of dried civet cat meat from the plate and put them into Jia Cong's bowl.

Her face flushed slightly as she said, "If Third Brother likes it, then eat more."

……

Jia Cong felt a little suspicious, sensing that something was off about the atmosphere and that Xiangyun was acting strangely today.

Shi Xiangyun felt annoyed. It was all Baoyu's fault. She was just bored and had no choice but to argue with him.

As a result, I felt anxious and uncomfortable all over, which was really inexplicable.

Last time, when the third brother celebrated his birthday with a banquet, the old lady used the third brother's name to trick four noble ladies into wanting to arrange blind dates for Baoyu.

As a result, the four little girls didn't like Baoyu. They got excited when they saw their third brother, their eyes sparkling and their faces flushed. They even laughed at him.

Xiangyun's mind was filled with all sorts of random thoughts. She reached up and touched her face, wishing she had a mirror to look at herself and see if she was blushing too...

When Wang Xifeng saw Xiangyun sitting next to Jia Cong, she was fine at first, but suddenly she became a little strange and stood there blankly.

She would occasionally tilt her head to look at Cong Lao San, her pretty face flushed, as delicate and charming as a begonia flower.

Wang Xifeng, being an experienced woman herself, understood the situation and teased, "Sister Yun, did you eat some ginger? Why are you feeling so hot?"

Xiangyun quickly said, "I just ate some ginger. I was so silly. My mouth feels warm."

She picked up her teacup and took a sip. After a long while, she managed to utter a sentence, thinking it would be better to change the subject so she wouldn't get lost in her own thoughts again.

She said, "Third brother, last time you quelled the Jurchen Tartars in Liaodong, and now the Mongol Tartars are causing trouble in the north. Will the court send you to lead troops again...?"

……

As soon as Xiangyun brought up this topic, everyone's eyes turned to Jia Cong, and even Baoyu couldn't escape the attention.

Even the ill-intentioned Wang Xifeng was momentarily distracted, her gaze shifting to Jia Cong, and Xiangyun couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Because the question Xiangyun asked was the one that everyone was most concerned about at that moment.

They all knew very well that the reason why the Jia family's two mansions had risen again and reversed their years of decline was ultimately due to this.

Most of them originated from the Liaodong Jurchen War. Back then, Jia Cong unexpectedly led troops to fight in Liaodong and wiped out the Jurchens in one battle, establishing his great military achievements.

Only then could he achieve fame in one battle, be granted a noble title and prestige, and establish himself in the Eastern Palace, leading to the current prosperity of both palaces.

Although Grandmother Jia kept saying that Jia Cong was now enjoying his official rank and should be content with his lot and just stay at home peacefully.

But whether her grandson could stay at home was not up to her. If he went out and made some great achievements, Grandmother Jia would be quite happy.

As for the sisters Yingchun, Daiyu, and Tanchun, although they were concerned about Jia Cong's safety, they also knew that he was an official appointed by the court, and his fate was not something that his family could control.

Baochai's feelings were also complicated. She hoped that Jia Cong would achieve great success and glory, but she also hoped that his career would come to a halt and that he would drift further and further away from her...

Aunt Xue shared similar feelings with her daughter, mainly because Jia Cong was too wicked. Things that others could not obtain with great difficulty were easily obtained by him, which was really unbearable.

Baoyu also hoped that Jia Cong would stop causing trouble. If he made any more noise or scandals, the master would go even crazier and would try his best to ruin himself.

It would be best if Jia Cong, like himself, lived a clean and honest life at home. If everyone were the same, others would realize his good qualities.

But then he thought that if Jia Cong were always at home, wouldn't he be monopolizing the sisters, and who would care about him? Baoyu felt that his life was really difficult...

……

Jia Cong sensed the different gazes on everyone and said, "I can't say for sure about this myself, but firearms are now widely used and are an extremely important fighting force in the army."

The Mongols were fast horses and sharp swords, and their fighting prowess was formidable. In order to win the war, the imperial court would inevitably have to make use of firearms.

As the head of the Firearms Department of the Ministry of Works, facing matters of national importance and the Emperor's command, I am prepared to go through fire and water to live up to my official rank.

Upon hearing this, Yingchun, Daiyu, Tanchun, and the others felt that this was most likely the outcome.

Although they were all young ladies who rarely left their homes, they were influenced by Jia Cong's presence.

Everyone knows that firearms are very famous nowadays. Back then, Jia Cong was able to fight the Jurchens outside the pass with just over a thousand firearm soldiers.

Now that war has broken out again beyond the Great Wall, I'm afraid Jia Cong will never have a moment of peace. I just hope he doesn't seek merit and that everything goes smoothly for him.

Baoyu found Jia Cong's words disgusting; even at home, he was still spouting such official jargon.

With the emperor not even around, who are they trying to convince with these nice words? They're truly corrupt to the core, utterly hypocritical, and beyond redemption...

Only Xiangyun suddenly blurted out: "Third brother, Sister Lin said it was very dangerous last time, your blue rhinoceros armor got a cut."

This time, if we really have to go on another expedition, we need to be extra careful. We just want to come back safe and sound; we've already had our share of glory before.

Jia Cong knew that Shi Xiangyun was usually very carefree, so he was a little surprised that she was now saying such considerate things.

He smiled and said, "Sister Yun is so thoughtful, I will definitely remember it."

……

The small banquet was quite pleasant, and Baoyu, having been intimidated by Wang Xifeng, did not cause any more trouble, thus avoiding any disturbance.

After the banquet ended, the sisters returned to the East Mansion with Jia Cong. Baoyu looked on with reluctance, but could only slink back to the East Courtyard in a sorry state.

Baochai returned to Pear Fragrance Courtyard with Aunt Xue, and thinking about what Jia Cong had said, she felt somewhat sullen.

Back in the main room, he took out a purse, cut out only a rough outline, and started embroidering with needle and thread to pass the time.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside, and her brother Xue Pan entered, carrying a small red paper packet with four corners.

He laughed and said, "Sister, you weren't home at noon, so I went out for a stroll by myself. The pastry shop on the corner was already open early."

I bought some osmanthus and pine nut candy, freshly made. It's your favorite treat, try it!

Seeing the purse in Baochai's hand, he praised, "Sister, you have such good craftsmanship. You must make one for me."

Baochai smiled and said, "If you don't mind, I'll make one, but it will take a few days."

Xue Pan laughed and said, "It doesn't matter. It's not like we need it right away. Just tell Mom that I have a business dinner tonight and won't be home for dinner."

Baochai frowned and said, "It's the New Year's season, and there aren't many shops open outside. Why doesn't my brother stay still and go out wandering around?"

Xue Pan laughed and said, "Sister, you've misunderstood. I'm not going out to travel. You may not have heard that the Mongols in the north have occupied the military camps."

Chen Erge, from the Duke of Qi's mansion, happened to be transporting grain when he nearly lost his life and was seriously injured before escaping back to the capital.

He and I have always been on good terms, and I arranged to visit him at his residence with Duan Chunjiang, just to show my respect as a friend..." (End of Chapter)