Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

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

At dawn, it was still pitch black outside the window, but through the latticed glass, the distant east was beginning to lighten with the first rays of sunrise.

The once-gloomy sky is now edged with gold, waiting for time to pass before it slowly spreads across the entire sky.

Inside the main bedroom, all was dark and quiet, with only the glowing red embers of the charcoal fire in the incense burner.

Because of the incense burner, Qingwen slept hot in the night with the brocade quilt only covering her chest.

The little red dress wrapped around her bulging chest, her breathing even and rising and falling slightly, she was sleeping soundly.

Beside the jade gauze pillow, her hair was disheveled, her cheeks were flushed, her eyebrows were delicate and exquisite, her eyelashes were black and curled, and her eyes and brows were beautiful and flawless.

One hand was also stretched out of the blanket, the sleeve was half-rubbed up, revealing a fair and flawless arm, with glistening flesh and bones, which was exceptionally alluring.

When a faint light shone through the glass windowpane, Jia Cong reached out and lifted the tightly closed bed curtains of the canopy bed.

Although Qingwen was always a heavy sleeper, she still sat up groggily and rubbed her eyes when she heard the noise from the bed curtains.

He asked in a cloying voice, "Third Master, we're still on leave from the yamen. Didn't you say you were going to the yamen but not the court? Why are you up before dawn?"

Jia Cong said, "We're about to set off for the campaign, and there's a lot to do these next few days. We need to get to the military camp early this morning, so we'll naturally have to get up early."

Upon hearing the words "going to war," Qingwen's heart sank slightly, and her sleepiness vanished. She threw off the bright red brocade quilt and nimbly jumped off the side couch.

She went over to help Jia Cong hang up the bed curtains and then took some cotton slippers for him to put on.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's too cold early in the morning. Don't wander around in your undershirt. Put on your padded jacket before you start working. Getting cold is no joke."

Qingwen got up and went to the sandalwood clothes rack with ruyi-shaped hanging clouds. She took her own jacket and put it on, but before she could fasten the buttons, she took Jia Cong's jacket.

She suddenly remembered something, opened the dressing table drawer and rummaged through it, quickly taking out a measuring tape, which was her tool for sewing clothes.

……

Jia Cong saw Qingwen pacing back and forth in the dark bedroom. Her slender waist was graceful and pleasing to the eye, but he wondered what she was busy with.

Qingwen walked back to the bedside, first helping Jia Cong put on his padded jacket, then letting Jia Cong sit on the edge of the bed, and squatting down with a tape measure to measure his dimensions on his knees.

Jia Cong asked curiously, "Qingwen, what are you fiddling with?"

Qingwen smiled and said, "The young ladies all came yesterday, but Third Master didn't return until late at night, so they didn't get to see you."

Before leaving, the second young lady instructed me to measure the third master's knee size. I figured the third master was going to war, so the second young lady would probably be making things for him.

Jia Cong didn't care when he heard this, and just let Qingwen do her hair. He saw her wrap the measuring tape around her thigh, make a circle around her knee, and then carefully remember the size.

As Qingwen drew closer, Jia Cong's knees touched her snow-white, full breasts. Her red dress was smooth and soft, fragrant and supple, and a strange, wonderful feeling welled up in his heart.

Qingwen's padded jacket was not yet buttoned, revealing her bright red undergarment underneath. Her neck was fair and her body was bent low, with the collar slightly open.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jia Cong caught a glimpse of a bright red bodice that revealed a deep, alluring, snow-white cleavage.

Qingwen glanced up unintentionally and noticed Jia Cong's strange gaze. Realizing something, her pretty face inexplicably flushed, and she reached out to cover her collar.

She wrinkled her nose slightly and said in a sweet voice, "Third Master is getting more and more improper. Don't look around. What's there to see?"

Jia Cong suppressed a laugh and said, "How am I being inappropriate? I didn't see anything."

Qingwen was quite unconvinced and asked, "You can't fool me. Look at your eyes, they're shining. You must be up to no good."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Why are you so protective of this? You're so wary of me. I really didn't see it clearly. Why don't you let me take a closer look?"

As he spoke, he pretended to put his arm around her slender waist. Qingwen exclaimed "Oh dear!" and laughed as she stood up and ran away. Jia Cong got up and chased after her for a couple of steps.

……

As the two were joking around, they heard two knocks on the door, and Ping'er came in carrying a copper basin of hot water.

He laughed and said, "I guessed that before Third Master went to war, he would be busy with official duties every day and would get up early in the morning. I was right."

No sooner had she finished speaking than Qingwen burst into laughter like a bell, quickly running out and almost bumping into her.

Ping'er was startled and scolded, "What a grown girl you are, always running around so early in the morning! Did the cat bite your tongue?"

Qingwen stuck out her tongue, took the copper basin from Ping'er's hand, and said, "There was a dragon climbing on the wall just now, it looked scary, so I ran away."

Ping'er laughed and said, "You impetuous girl, what's there to be afraid of about the eaves dragon?"

"That doesn't make sense. How can there be dragons on the eaves in the dead of winter? You must be half asleep and your eyes are playing tricks on you."

Qingwen Nuonuo didn't dare to say much. She wrung out a towel in the hot water and gave it to Jia Cong to wash his face.

She washed herself, fastened the buttons on her jacket, and then helped Jia Cong dress and comb his hair.

Several people were busy inside the house when they heard a flurry of footsteps coming from the courtyard, indicating that many people had entered.

Wu'er pushed the door open and came in, saying, "Third Master got up early too. You should hurry up and get ready. Second Miss and Miss Lin are here."

Ping'er smiled and said, "Jiang Liu came back yesterday to report that Third Master is going to war, and Second Miss and the others have something on their minds."

They stayed over for a long time last night, and even helped Third Master pack his luggage, but Third Master came back too late, so they didn't get to see him.

They must know that Third Master has been busy these past few days, which is why the girls came to visit early in the morning.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "I've been busy these past few days, so I definitely won't be out early tonight either. I'll be out for quite a while this time, so getting up early will be perfect for talking with my sisters."

Qingwen was quick and efficient; with just a little effort, she not only finished tidying up Jia Cong, but also dressed and groomed herself.

……

When the group entered the main room, they saw that Yingchun, Daiyu, Tanchun and other sisters had all arrived, and even Baochai had come from the West Mansion.

With each person's personal maidservant present, the main hall was quite lively. Jia Cong was chatting with Daiyu when he saw Lingguan enter from the courtyard.

Two kitchen wives followed behind, along with three maids, each carrying a food box. They filed into the house one after another, creating quite a sight.

Yingchun said, "I instructed the kitchen to send this. These past few days you've been leaving early and returning late, and I'm afraid I won't see you for a long time. I don't know when you'll return from your campaign."

It's more lively when my sisters and I have breakfast here, and we can chat more when we have time.

Xiangyun, being the most impatient, asked, "Third brother, you're going to war that day. Will you be back by the end of spring? I still want you to fly kites with me."

Daiyu said, "When it comes to military expeditions, the dates are unpredictable. We want our third brother to come back soon, but that's just wishful thinking. We might as well wait patiently."

"Little Yun wants to fly a kite. If she can't make it this year, she can wait until next year. There will be plenty of time then, and her third brother will play with her to her heart's content."

Tan Chun laughed and said, "Sister Lin is right. Let's not talk about the expedition. It would be taboo to talk too much. Let's just talk about casual things. That's what makes it fun."

Xiangyun was feeling a bit down, but she also thought it made sense, so she stopped bringing up the topic. After being teased by Jia Cong for a few moments, she relaxed and opened up.

……

The main room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere and fragrant aromas, with the sisters and their maids crowding two tables.

After sitting down for a short while, they seemed to have reached a tacit understanding and stopped mentioning the long journey, only talking about everyday matters.

Since we couldn't catch the kites in spring, we talked about summer lake trips, autumn mountain climbing, and winter snow appreciation. The atmosphere during the meal was cheerful, and there was no trace of sadness about the long journey.

After breakfast, Jia Cong returned to the workshop to prepare. The sisters gathered and chatted. Yingchun called Qingwen to talk about needlework.

Jia Cong left the inner courtyard and took a carriage out of the East Corner Gate. Although it was not yet fully light, it was already past Chen Shi (7-9 AM), the time when the four gates of the capital were opening.

The streets were much busier than usual, and a convoy of grain carts was approaching from the direction of the Ministry of Works' official granary.

Each cart was pulled by two horses, and the carts were piled high with government grain. The convoy stretched as far as the eye could see.

Jia Cong was already used to such scenes. Since the military granaries in Donggang Town were occupied by the remnants of the Mongols, the nine important border towns were short of food and supplies, and the imperial court had been making every effort to requisition food and supplies.

The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, the Five Military Commissions, and other government offices were all operating at full capacity, transporting grain and fodder to the nine border regions day and night.

As these grain carts from the Ministry of Revenue exited Hongde Gate, grain escort troops were already waiting outside the city. They would transport grain and fodder to the border towns along the newly opened grain route.

Whether the newly opened grain route will encounter Mongol troops marching south remains to be seen...

……

Besides the large number of grain carts from the Ministry of Revenue, the streets were bustling with pedestrians, far more than yesterday.

Many locals were driving carts or donkeys, carrying loads and bags, with their children in tow, all seemingly from out of town, which added to the chaos on the streets.

As Jia Cong's carriage moved forward, the crowds became increasingly dense, slowing the carriage's pace and causing Jia Cong to grow anxious.

Today he is going to the Five Armies Camp in the north of the city to select six thousand Shenji Battalion soldiers to accompany him on the expedition, and time cannot be delayed.

Although he had set off early, he encountered obstacles on the road and had to slow down the carriage, so he had to be vigilant to avoid delaying important matters.

At this moment, a group of about thirty government officials appeared in the crowd ahead, guiding pedestrians and clearing the road.

The person in charge was a familiar face; it was Liu Binfang, the prefectural magistrate of Zhen'an Prefecture, who was directing his yamen runners to carry out their duties.

Jia Cong lifted the carriage curtain and exclaimed, "Isn't this Prefect Liu? Why is he personally leading the errands in the streets?"

Liu Binfang smiled and said, "So it is the Earl of Weiyuan. I heard yesterday that the Earl has been appointed as the Assistant Commander of the Divine Machine Battalion by His Majesty and will soon be accompanying the army on a northern expedition."

Your Excellency is a man of profound strategy and a born general; you are sure to achieve great success on this campaign. I offer my best wishes in advance.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Prefect Liu, you are too kind. The road is a bit different today. There are many more pedestrians. I wonder what is the reason?" Liu Binfang sighed and said, "My lord, you do not know this. Since the military news came from the north that the Mongol army has invaded from the south, there has been unrest among the people."

In addition, with the army being mobilized in recent days to garrison north and prepare for the enemy, food carts have been arriving in an endless stream every day to urgently deliver military supplies northward, and the situation is one of great urgency.

Such a large-scale military operation would surely alarm the people of the northern prefectures and counties, as famine and war have always been the greatest fears of the people.

Whenever the people encounter war, they will feel the need to seek safety and security. Shenjing is the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty, heavily guarded and impregnable.

To escape the war, these people migrated here with their families, as long as they had relatives or connections in the capital.

A few days ago, the number of people migrating was sporadic, but today a large number have suddenly poured in, and this situation is likely to worsen.

Starting yesterday, almost all the yamen runners from Zhen'an Prefecture and Qinian Prefecture were transferred to the roads to prevent accidents, and the Five City Garrison Command will also send personnel.

"If Your Excellency's carriage is going to the north of the city, it would be best to take a detour. This route leads directly to Hongde Gate, and as the sun rises higher, the traffic will only get worse..."

……

After listening to Liu Binfang's words, Jia Cong's expression became slightly solemn. The war had just begun, and so many people were already pouring into the capital.

At this time, it is only the beginning of the movement of people, and the government will not intervene forcibly. The government will only send people to maintain order.

However, as the war continues and the remnants of the Mongol army approach the capital region, refugees from the north will flock into the city to escape the ravages of war.

At that time, the population of the capital city will increase dramatically, and the city will be overwhelmed by security, food, water, and epidemics.

Fortunately, Jia Cong had the foresight to recognize the potential dangers and had already ordered both mansions to stockpile rice and grain in preparation for any eventuality.

As the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty and the place where the emperor ruled the world, Shenjing (the capital city) had to be prepared for the disaster of refugees.

I fear that it won't be long before martial law is imposed at the four gates of the capital, prohibiting refugees from entering the city, but this will not stop the refugees from the north from heading south.

At that time, a large number of refugees will surely gather in the suburbs of Shenjing, and the firearms workshop is located in the eastern suburbs...

Although the workshop is guarded by 1,500 imperial guards, the amount of savings accumulated by the disaster victims gathering in the suburbs in the future will surely far exceed that amount.

War supplies are bound to be scarce, and seemingly weak disaster victims, in their struggle for food and survival, can easily turn into mobs and rioters...

Firearms workshops are the source of vital national assets; if they were to suffer any crisis during wartime, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The thought only flashed through Jia Cong's mind before a chill ran down his spine.

Looking at the increasingly crowded people, he made up his mind, his expression slightly solemn, and said to Liu Binfang, "Thank you for the reminder, Magistrate Liu!"

……

He had Jiang Liu change course, and sure enough, the journey was much smoother, and they arrived at the Fifth Army Camp's main tent ahead of schedule.

Since the imperial edict was issued from the palace, he had already made up his mind on how to select the elite of the Divine Machine Battalion.

The core members of the firearms battalion who followed him in the Liaodong campaign, such as Wei Yongzhou and Guo Zhigui, are still in the Liaodong army.

However, Jiang Xiaoliu, Yu Xiuzhu, and others were secretly transferred from Liaodong to Nanjing to help him solve the major case of the Imperial Guard. They did not return to Liaodong but were instead rotated back to the Shenji Battalion.

They were all veterans of the Shenjing Camp and had close personal relationships with Jia Cong. Therefore, although Jia Cong had not joined the Shenji Camp, he was unaware of the camp's training situation.

However, through Jiang Xiaoliu, Yu Xiuzhu, and others, he knew perfectly well the quality of the various troops in the Shenjing Camp.

……

Therefore, after Jia Cong entered the camp, he did not spend much time facing the Shenji Battalion, which was lined up in formation. Before noon, he had already selected six thousand elite soldiers.

Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, who accompanied him into the camp, was the commander of the central army of the Five Armies Camp. Although the Shenji Camp was an independent army, it was not under the command of the central army.

However, Shi Ding was authorized by Emperor Jia Zhao to supervise the training of the Shenji Battalion on a daily basis, so he had a general idea of ​​the quality of training of the various armies in the Shenjing Battalion.

He had originally intended to instruct Jia Cong on selecting elite soldiers, but unexpectedly, Jia Cong was quite confident. He walked alongside the patrolling troops, calling out names as he went, and had already selected twelve squads of men.

Moreover, those he took a liking to were all elite soldiers in the camp who had performed exceptionally well, which truly shocked Shi Ding.

He knew that since the Shenji Battalion was formed, Jia Cong had never entered the camp to observe training, except for a few tests of firearms. How could he identify elite soldiers at a glance...?

However, Shi Ding saw many of Jia Cong's extraordinary qualities and thought that he must have had exceptional military talent in Liaodong, given his remarkable military achievements.

Perhaps by observing the morale of the soldiers, one can easily distinguish between the good and the bad. Seeking out veteran generals in the army requires such keen insight, so I didn't think too much about it.

However, the six thousand men chosen by Jia Cong were all elite troops from the Shenjing Camp, so Shi Ding couldn't help but have more confidence and expectations for his expedition...

……

Jia Cong selected the elite Shenji Battalion to lead the troops into battle, and then summoned the squad leaders of each squad to give them detailed instructions on the preparations before the expedition. He then left the camp and returned to the firearms workshop.

After entering the workshop, he summoned Liu Shizhen, Qian Huai, and others to inquire about the progress and quantity of the construction of porcelain mines, ammunition, etc., which all met his original expectations.

Jia Cong then gave detailed instructions on the future direction of firearms production, the regular transportation channels for the army, and the supply of raw materials for production.

Firearms are far more powerful than ordinary swords and spears, but for the 6,000 elite Shenji Battalion soldiers to unleash their full combat potential, the supply of ammunition is their lifeline.

At that time, even those who were well-versed in firearms, such as Liu Shizhen and Qian Huai, did not have a deep understanding of this because they lacked practical experience with firearms.

However, Jia Cong was extremely cautious about it, repeatedly explaining the details to the two of them, to the point of being tiresome.

After he finished explaining the relevant matters, he continued, "The war is currently intense, and many people from the north are rushing to move into the city to escape the war."

It is believed that before long, a large number of refugees will gather in the suburbs. Once the war intensifies, the situation will be unpredictable and will pose a threat to the workshops.

In the morning, when I entered the Beidaying camp to select elite soldiers for the expedition, I found a large area of ​​the camp that was empty. It must have been because tens of thousands of elite soldiers were transferred out to other areas, which is why these barracks were left behind.

Today I will submit a memorial to the Emperor, requesting that His Majesty allocate a suitable campsite as a place for the workshops to relocate during wartime.

You should mobilize your manpower to first take stock and organize the musket and cannon construction equipment, materials, inventory, and craftsmen that have been halted.

Before I set out on my campaign, I will make sure to establish a temporary relocation camp within the city. These two projects will be the first to be relocated into the city.

If the workshop had not been completely relocated before I set off, this matter was to be overseen by Deputy Supervisor Liu, who was to follow up day and night to complete the relocation as soon as possible.

Once the workshops are relocated and settled, all construction outputs should be restored as soon as possible. As long as the war continues, the supply of firearms and ammunition cannot be easily interrupted.

After giving instructions, Jia Cong went to his study to grind ink and write a memorial. He then drove out of the firearms workshop and re-entered the city towards the palace.

As the carriage passed through the streets and alleys of the eastern part of the city, Jia Cong suddenly thought of something, but he was currently overwhelmed with many matters and could not rest for a moment. He could only come over when he had some free time tomorrow...

……

In the east of the capital city, there is an exquisite two-courtyard house, which was originally an idle property of the Rongguo Mansion.

It is said that the house was added by Jia Daishan during his lifetime, but no one knows who lived there before.

This residence had been vacant for more than ten years. When Jia Cong took over the family business in the West Mansion, he cleaned and renovated the residence and invited Ellie and her daughter to move in.

As Xinchunhao's branches spread throughout the north and south of the Great Zhou, information transmission became increasingly frequent, and the role of Feiyu became more and more prominent.

All matters concerning the training and taming of Fei Yu require a spacious and quiet place, which is why Jia Cong chose this residence and arranged for Ellie and her daughter to live there.

The backyard of the mansion has two connected side rooms, with two rows of windows on all four walls, and wire mesh installed.

The side room was neatly arranged with many birdcages, which housed various kinds of birds.

But there was no strange smell in the room, probably because Ellie cherished the birds and cleaned it diligently every day.

At this moment, she was sitting on a stone bench in the backyard, wearing a light blue embroidered Shu brocade robe, with a mugwort-green scented handkerchief tied around her waist. Her eyes were deep, her skin was fair and smooth, and she was charming and beautiful.

He was laughing and teasing two baby kestrels, carefully feeding them chopped mutton with chopsticks, thoroughly enjoying himself...

……

Hearing the front door open, Ellie quickly picked up the two kestrels, put them back in their cage, and turned to go to the front yard.

Just then, I saw my mother, Xu, close the courtyard gate, carry a bamboo basket into the main room, which contained crisp green vegetables and five or six bright red persimmons.

There were four or five trunks piled up in the main room, looking like they were for a long journey.

Ellie said, "Mom, I already told you that if you need to buy small items, you can just let me go out. Why did you have to go yourself?"

Madam Xu laughed and said, "I'm not old yet, I'm not that delicate. Walking around and stretching my muscles and bones won't do any harm."

You're a young lady, it's good that you have Yuzhang with you. Although you're not afraid, it's always good for you to avoid going out in public.

When Ellie heard her mother mention Jia Cong, she said, "I almost forgot, Mother. Yu Zhang hasn't come to visit for a while."

Madam Xu smiled and said, "He must be very busy lately, so it might be inconvenient for him to come over."

Ellie quickly asked, "Mother, have you heard any rumors? What has he been busy with lately?"

Xu said, “Today I went out to buy things, and the streets were more chaotic than before. There were many more people from other places on the road, and large carts carrying grain were coming one after another.”

Hearing that the Mongols have invaded from the south, the Emperor has mustered his troops to march north to meet them in battle, with the commander-in-chief being Liang Chengzong, the former general of Liaodong.

The news that Marquis Jia Cong of Weiyuan had been appointed as the Assistant Commander of the Divine Machine Battalion and was about to join the army on campaign had spread throughout the city.

Ellie's eyes lit up: "Why didn't he tell me about such an important event as going to war?"

Madam Xu smiled and said, "Since we are going on a campaign, it must be a big deal. There are many preparations for military operations, and we will definitely be too busy to come over. We will come over before we set off."

Ellie said, "Mother, we're heading south after the fifteenth, can we postpone this for a bit..." (End of Chapter)