Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

North of the capital city, on Yongchun Street, lies Jixiangju Restaurant.

Yang Hongbin said, "Duan Chunjiang has no family in Shenjing, which means this woman is his mistress."

As a single man and a wealthy merchant, such stories of romance and adventure in the marketplace are not surprising.

But this woman lives alone. If she is a woman without a lover, why would Duan Chunjiang act so suspiciously when he is seeing her?

Have you checked whether this woman is married, or whether her husband is often away from home due to business or other reasons?

Zhou Tai said, "I also felt that Duan Chunjiang's behavior was strange, so I asked Fang Ya to check the woman's house."

The deed to the house is only in this woman's name. She is still a virgin and unmarried, and the house is quite expensive.

This woman spends her days at home, except for going to the clothing store to have clothes made or to buy cosmetics; she rarely goes out.

It's clear she doesn't need to earn a living and even has maids to serve her; normally, she wouldn't have that much money to buy a house.

Yang Hongbin's eyes lit up slightly, and he said, "If that's the case, then things are a bit strange."

Since this woman is unmarried, beautiful, and has no suitors, why should Duan Chunjiang be so secretive about his affair with her?

You should know that a beautiful woman living alone in the city is someone many people would covet.

Duan Chunjiang has no family, so what is there to worry about? He should interact with others openly and honestly, which will also put an end to any other people's thoughts.

His furtive behavior, as if he's afraid of being discovered, is really illogical. Who is he trying to protect himself from?

……

Zhou Tai suddenly thought of something and said, "This woman is not only beautiful, but also owns a house. She should be able to find someone to marry easily."

However, she did not marry and was content to have an affair with Duan Chunjiang; she was not a respectable woman.

If she can seduce Duan Chunjiang, why can't she seduce someone else?

Perhaps this woman has a lover, and even Duan Chunjiang knows about it, which is why she is being so discreet and secretive, afraid of letting that person find out.

"Sir, but this is also wrong. How can any normal man tolerate his woman having an affair with another man? It's simply outrageous."

Yang Hongbin couldn't help but laugh and said, "Zhou Tai, you have a very quick mind, bold ideas, and meticulous thinking. You were born to do this job."

You've hit the nail on the head; a normal man can't stand this kind of thing.

But Duan Chunjiang was able to remain silent about this matter and even deliberately avoided and covered it up, unless this matter could bring him great benefits!
You've been watching him for several days, but haven't found any flaws in him. Either he's not a spy, or he's extremely cunning.

If he is indeed the thief, he will certainly act cautiously and will not act rashly.

They might not even take action themselves, but rather achieve their goals through other means.

Zhou Taihuan suddenly realized: "For example, through Chen Ruichang or Xue Pan, or this strange woman living alone."

Yang Hongbin smiled sinisterly and said, "This woman is definitely strange. Send more people to keep a close watch on her residence day and night, and see who she associates with."

Zhou Tai said, "My lord, it seems this woman may know the details. The court is paying close attention to the military depot leak case, and a major battle is imminent."

If we all follow the rules, it will be difficult to make progress in the short term. It would be better to secretly capture this woman.

She's a frail woman; once she's in the Dali Temple's torture chambers, even without severe torture, I have many methods to make her talk!

……

Yang Hongbin straightened his expression and said, "I know you're talking about a solution, but the Dali Temple is the main court of the Three Judicial Offices."

They are not the Embroidered Uniform Guard or the Court of Judicial Review; they must be mindful of their actions.

Besides, it's not that time yet. We were just speculating earlier and didn't have any concrete evidence.

If this woman is nothing to do with anything, and it's just a casual encounter Duan Chunjiang had at a brothel, her sudden disappearance would definitely alert the enemy.

If Duan Chunjiang is indeed the one who leaked the secrets and wanted to pass them out of Shenjing, he must have had other accomplices, and it might even implicate many other people.

If he senses something is wrong, these people will surely scatter like birds and beasts. If even a few manage to escape, they will leave a seed of trouble in the capital city.

Under the vast capital city, it would be extremely difficult to find a few people hiding there.

The remnants of the Ming dynasty are lurking in the capital. If we don't eliminate them completely, they will surely cause endless trouble, and all our efforts will have been in vain.

"Have someone keep a close eye on this woman. Once new evidence is discovered to confirm her involvement, then proceed accordingly."

……

Zhou Tai looked convinced and said, "Your Excellency has considered things thoroughly; I was rash."

Yang Hongbin smiled and said, "You're already very capable. Is Duan Chunjiang in the shop?"

Zhou Tai said, "He left the shop half an hour ago. Our men reported that he went to the north of the city to talk business with a grain merchant. There was nothing suspicious about it."

He only has a few employees in his shop now. I've already checked them; they're all locals from Shenjing, and there's nothing suspicious about them.

Yang Hongbin said, "That's great. I'll go to his shop and see if I can find anything."

Zhou Tai understood that his superior was meticulous and that Duan Chunjiang had not yet revealed any flaws, so the temple master did not want him to meet him.

Officials from the Dali Temple who have presided over numerous trials and judgments will have an unusual demeanor and aura, which may attract the attention of shrewd and unpredictable individuals.

……

North of the capital city, on Yongchun Street, is the Duan Family Grain Shop.

The people queuing to buy grain moved forward little by little, and the cashier who weighed the grain was very quick and efficient, completing a transaction in a short time.

However, the people queuing remained impatient, and there were frequent pushing and shoving noises, which the waiters did not hesitate to shout and stop.

With a major battle imminent, grain prices are soaring and supply cannot meet demand. Those who have grain are kings, and they have no fear of a lack of buyers.

The grain store clerk was arrogant and didn't care even when customers came in.

The people who were buying grain lost their arrogance. Although they complained and fought with each other, they dared not argue too much with the shopkeepers and only wanted to buy and stockpile grain as soon as possible.

Several grain purchasing agents were busy with their work when suddenly two men bypassed the queue and strode directly into the shop.

One of the workers stepped forward to stop them, saying impatiently, "Go outside and queue up to buy grain. Who let you in?"

Upon seeing the two people's clothing and appearance, the words of abuse that were about to come out of his mouth were immediately swallowed back.

The two people who entered the store looked quite distinguished. The person in the lead was tall and well-dressed, with a calm and composed demeanor, clearly someone of high status.

The other person was dressed plainly, with a respectful expression, and looked like a close follower of the person in front of him.

Experienced shop assistants who frequently serve customers are usually adept at reading people's expressions and moods.

These two were clearly not ordinary people; they were people with important backgrounds. How could the waiter dare to speak so recklessly?

He quickly changed his expression and smiled obsequiously: "Sir, may I ask what brings you to our shop? We have a full supply of all kinds of rice and grains. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."

……

Yang Hongbin said slowly, "Does the shop have any top-quality Rouge Rice or Green Rice?"

Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper was slightly shaken. He realized he hadn't been wrong; these two were indeed someone important, asking for top-quality rice right off the bat.

He quickly smiled apologetically and said, "Sir, you are indeed a distinguished guest. However, this Rouge Rice is extremely rare, and only a small amount is produced each year. Our shop truly does not have any."

However, the store has a lot of top-quality Bijiang rice in stock. It is fresh from Yutian County, Beizhili Province. There is nothing better than this. I am sure you will be satisfied when you see it.

Yang Hongbin said calmly, "Let's take a sample of the rice. If it suits my taste, I will buy it."

Seeing that Yang Hongbin didn't even look at him and had a rather arrogant expression, the shopkeeper became even more certain that this was a genuine big buyer.

He quickly said, "Please wait a moment, honored guest. Bijiang rice is a top-grade rice, which ordinary families cannot afford, so it is not on display. I will go and get a sample of the rice now."

Before the shop assistant went to the warehouse to get the rice, he specially brewed tea to entertain him, but Yang Hongbin didn't care. He just wandered around the store and fiddled with the sample rice on the shelves.

He wandered around seemingly casually, then turned to the shop counter and saw items such as abacuses, ledgers, and teapots.

Suddenly, I smelled a strange, fishy odor. It wasn't pungent, but it was quite distinct.

He saw a small dish next to the abacus, containing some food, dark red and dry, looking like beef or mutton intestines, emitting a faint fishy or muttony smell.

Yang Hongbin frowned slightly, unable to recognize what kind of food it was, but he found it rather strange. His fingers tapped the counter lightly twice unconsciously...

……

Hearing the waiter's voice behind him, "Honored guest, the sample of Biji rice has arrived. Please take a look and see if you are satisfied."

Yang Hongbin turned around and walked over. He saw that the waiter was holding a round plate containing pale green rice, which looked quite good.

He reached out and picked up a handful of rice grains, fiddled with them in his palm, and smelled their aroma. His demeanor and manner showed that he was an expert in this field.

He said, "The rice in the shop is indeed of the highest quality. I want twenty dan (a unit of weight), and I can pay in cash on the spot."

The shopkeeper looked surprised and said, "Honored guest, we only have eight loads of green rice in the shop, not twenty loads."

Yang Hongbin said, "I want to buy everything at once. I don't have the energy to look for other stores. If you don't have it here, I'll have to find another seller."

Seeing that the duck in his mouth was about to fly away, the shopkeeper quickly said, "Honored guest, although my shop only has eight dan of green rice."

But other places won't have many either. I think our distinguished guest is someone who makes a big fuss. My manager has connections in Yutian County. Could we wait for him to return?

"If you give me two more days, the shopkeeper will definitely be able to help you get another twelve loads, ensuring you don't leave empty-handed." Yang Hongbin said, "In that case, I'll wait for you for two days. My attendant will come again after two days; if he doesn't, I'll just buy from another shop."

As he spoke, he led Zhou Tai out of the shop without looking back. The shop assistant was furious to see that they had lost such a big deal.

……

Following behind Yang Hongbin, Zhou Tai couldn't help but ask, "Sir, you just wanted to buy so much Bijiang rice. What if his shop really has twenty dan (a unit of weight)?"

"Aren't we really going to have to eat it? Twenty dan of green rice will cost nearly two thousand liang. If we back out and don't buy it, won't we expose our weakness?"

Yang Hongbin laughed and said, "The weather has been bad these past two years. Last year, Yutian County suffered a disaster during the autumn harvest, and only a few thousand dan of green rice were produced in total."

The Imperial Household Department consumed half of it, and the various noble families and wealthy clans, who lived extravagant lives, made advance purchases from Yutian County every year.

The remaining amount of Bigeng rice that flows into the market is at most one thousand dan.

I dare say that not a single grain store, big or small, in the entire capital city has twenty dan (a unit of weight) of grain in stock. I was certain he didn't have that many, which is why I said that.

Yang Hong then took out a handkerchief containing several pieces of dark red, dry food that had just been placed on the counter.

He said, "This thing on the counter must be food that Duan Chunjiang eats. It looks like it's made from beef or mutton intestines. There's nothing like this in this area."

This taste is fishy and pungent; people in Shenjing don't like this flavor. Ask someone knowledgeable; they'll tell you where this food comes from.

Just now, when the shop assistant went to get a sample of rice, Zhou Tai saw Yang Hongbin wandering around the store and seemed to have gone near the counter. He wondered when Yang Hongbin had taken this strange food...

……

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

As the sun sets in the west, the evening glow is like fire, painting the horizon with a brilliant red light, a breathtaking sight.

Jia Cong had been busy all day, but he wasn't too tired. Seeing the beautiful scenery on the horizon and thinking about the upcoming expedition, a strange hesitation arose in his heart.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, although it was still light, the main hall and the two side rooms were already lit up, exuding a harmonious atmosphere that warmed Jia Cong's heart.

His footsteps had just echoed in the courtyard when a figure flashed at the door of the study. Yinglian quickly came out, her pretty face beaming as she approached Jia Cong.

She wore a red magnolia branch embroidered jacket, over which she wore a printed soft silk fur coat, a plain white soft cotton skirt, and a gold necklace.

With a slender figure and graceful waist, the bright sunset made her face glow with a rosy hue, making her appear even more delicate and charming.

When she walked quickly to him, Jia Cong smelled a sweet and pleasant scent.

Seeing her long eyelashes flutter, casting a shadow on her eyelids, she exuded an unusual refinement and radiance.

The bright red beauty mark between her eyebrows was dazzling and captivating, so lovely that Jia Cong couldn't resist reaching out his finger and touching it with a smile.

Yinglian didn't take it seriously and let him play with her fingers. She asked, "Young Master, you've been so busy these past few days, coming back late every night. Have you decided on the day of your departure?"

We haven't seen you during the day, and we've been wondering about it, always keeping an eye on things. We also want to know how many more days the young master will be home."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "We'll be done with today's work. The date for our departure has been set for the day after tomorrow at 9:00 AM."

Yinglian looked dejected and muttered, "So fast? You can only stay at home for one more day. It's definitely not even one day yet. You'll probably be out doing things again tomorrow."

Jia Cong stroked her temples twice; the touch was soft, warm, and smooth as silk, and he couldn't bear to let go of it.

He said, "The imperial decree was issued a long time ago. If it weren't for the many preparations before the battle, we would have set off a few days earlier."

……

The firearms workshops outside the city began relocation yesterday. Jia Cong mobilized 400 elite soldiers from the Shenji Battalion to participate in the overall relocation and security of the workshops.

As the saying goes, many hands make light work; when hundreds of people work together on a single task, the efficiency is astonishing.

In less than a day, all the equipment, raw materials, and stockpiled firearms in the firearms workshop were quickly moved into the city.

All essential raw materials used for making charcoal, sulfur, saltpeter, refined iron, and timber were stored in the temporarily converted fireproof barracks.

All the craftsmen were settled in the new workshop area, and by sunset that day, the new workshop had been partially restored, thus relieving Jia Cong of his major concern.

But these past few days, he's had far more to worry about than just that...

……

With 6,000 elite troops from the Shenjing Camp setting out on the expedition, Jia Cong, as the commander-in-chief, had far too many things to worry about in order to ensure a smooth and successful campaign.

Although the Great Zhou Dynasty has been developing firearms extensively in recent years, only Jia Cong has the experience to lead a firearms-equipped army in actual combat.

The only battle fought with firearms was when Jia Cong quelled the Jurchen Three Guards.

The deployment of 6,000 firearms troops presents a unique challenge compared to other branches of the military: how to maximize their combat effectiveness and how to prepare logistical support such as provisions, ammunition, and weapons.

Even veteran generals like Gu Yankui and Shi Ding were not entirely clear about these new matters.

In their eyes, Jia Cong was the ultimate authority on firearms, and everything was based on his ideas, with only minor additions and improvements made.

Not only did these veteran officials think this way, but Emperor Jia Zhao also held the same attitude.

When Gu Yankui raised various matters and sought the Emperor's opinion.

Emperor Jia Zhao then issued a special edict, granting Jia Cong the authority to decide on matters concerning the Shenji Battalion's expedition and related preparations.

This also gave Jia Cong great convenience, allowing him to make the most thorough pre-battle preparations for the 6,000-strong Divine Machine Battalion.

Back then, Jia Cong led a thousand firearms troops on a campaign in Liaodong to pursue and annihilate an enemy force several times larger than the Jurchens.

To ensure swift marches and victory in battle, his firearms soldiers were all equipped with warhorses.

The well-organized firearms-equipped cavalry enabled them to pursue Jurchens across the border with speed and agility, gaining the upper hand and ultimately annihilating the Jurchen Three Guards.

Jia Cong naturally wanted to continue this experience in using firearms.

For artillery units to exert their superior combat capabilities and maximize their mobility, this is of paramount importance.

However, for the Great Zhou, warhorses were the most valuable military resource. The shortage of warhorses had always been a major headache for the Ministry of War.

Jia Cong painstakingly persuaded Gu Yankui, and finally, through the Ministry of War's full efforts, he was able to mobilize troops.

One thousand eight hundred warhorses were drawn from the five military camps and the garrison troops of the four neighboring prefectures.

This was the limit that the Ministry of War could achieve. Although in Jia Cong's mind, the number of warhorses was still insufficient, it was still quite good.

Subsequently, ninety dwarf horses were requisitioned from various places to transport ten improved red-coated cannons and twenty improved breech-loading cannons.

More than 30 large carts of various types were requisitioned from the Ministry of Works and major cart companies in the city to transport military provisions, as well as various firearms and ammunition.

Aside from these major preparations for the military operation, all the other minor matters were finally settled before sunset today.

Loading and preparing horses, vehicles, provisions, ammunition, and other supplies will take some time. The entire army will rest for a day tomorrow, and can only set out the day after tomorrow.

……

Seeing Yinglian's reluctant expression, Jia Cong smiled and said, "This isn't my first time on a royal mission. If the war goes smoothly, I might be able to return when spring arrives."

"It's about the same time as my last trip to the south of the Yangtze River, so we'll see each other again soon."

Yinglian looked incredulous and said, "Young Master is lying again. Yesterday, the housekeeper said that she heard some news outside while running errands."

"This time, the Mongol Tartars have sent 100,000 men, and much of the north has been occupied. You think you can drive them away in a month or two? I don't believe it."

Jia Cong laughed, "We'll just shine it all, no need for anything else. They'll run away once we've shone halfway through..."

Hearing the commotion, Qingwen and Lingguan both came out of their rooms, Qingwen still holding the fur-lined jacket in her hand.

When they heard that Jia Cong would be going to war the day after tomorrow, they were all a little uneasy and their spirits were low.

Douguan suddenly appeared from somewhere, her round, bright eyes sparkling, showing no trace of sorrow.

He clapped his hands and laughed, "Great! Third Master is going to war. He will surely be a great general, capturing enemy generals and thieves. When he returns victorious, we can finally regain our dignity."

Then, adopting the posture of a martial arts performer, he raised his voice and sang: "Liu Jinding, who double-locked the high mountains, made a great contribution in the battle of Shouzhou, and gathered 100,000 troops to fight the evil Taoist monk..."

The children's voices were clear, melodious, and full of energy, echoing endlessly in the courtyard.

When Qingwen and the others learned that Jia Cong was going on a campaign the day after tomorrow, they were all initially sullen, but Douguan made them laugh out loud, and most of their sorrow and parting feelings dissipated.

Lingguan chuckled and pinched Douguan's nose, immediately cutting off her singing, and said with a laugh, "All you do is run around all day, and your singing isn't appropriate for the occasion."

Liu Jinding is a female general, while Third Master is a man; your argument is completely irrelevant.

Douguan laughed and said, "There aren't that many lyrics for the occasion. Just a little bit is enough. Besides, Third Master really has a female general right now."

The other day, when Third Master returned, he mentioned that Miss Xu from Hongfu Lane was going to accompany him on the expedition; after all, she's a female general.

Qingwen said, "I know Miss Xu. She came to our manor once before. She is not only very beautiful, but she is also very good at wielding knives."

There was also a large, flat-feathered bird that looked rather silly, and it kept circling around Miss Xu's head.

Douguan feigned disdain and said, "What flat-feathered bird? That's a very rare bird."

Third Uncle told me that it can fly thousands of feet high and see everything.

Sister Qingwen, you're quite pretty too, but you're so ignorant. You don't even know what a gyrfalcon is, you just call it some kind of flat-feathered big bird..." (End of Chapter)