Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Amidst the dust and bustling crowds at the entrance to Yangzhou city, dozens of riders suddenly appeared and rapidly approached.

Although the soldiers guarding the city gate could tell at a glance that the person was either rich or noble, they still stepped forward to inquire because of their duty.

"The Imperial Envoy has entered the city to handle a case; you may all leave immediately."

The group showed no sign of slowing down, and the soldiers guarding the city quickly retreated at the command of the soldier clearing the way.

After the imposing entourage entered the city, the junior officer at the city gate hurriedly called over two trusted men and whispered, "Quickly report to the garrison commander and the magistrate that the Imperial Envoy has entered the city!"

……

"A ten-year dream of Yangzhou, only to gain a reputation for heartlessness in brothels. Yangzhou, Yangzhou! The famous city of Huaizuo, truly lives up to its name."

Even though it wasn't his first time visiting Yangzhou, Jia Lian was still impressed by the city's prosperity and charm, reminiscent of a Jiangnan water town.

Riding along the ten-mile-long street, one's gaze wanders across the landscape, past small bridges and flowing water, as well as beaded curtains and embroidered screens. In the distance, from a beautiful pavilion, the faint sounds of warbling birds drift in, and amidst the flamboyant decorations, the unique charm of Yangzhou's "slender horses" is displayed to tourists from afar.

This is the refined elegance of Jiangnan, a haven for scholars and a paradise for the wealthy.

Looking at this bustling and peaceful city, and thinking that his arrival might disrupt this atmosphere, Jia Lian couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt.

"Is this your first time in Yangzhou, Lord Marquis?" Liu Xianglian asked with a smile as he looked at Jia Lian from behind.

"I came here once before, but unfortunately I was in a hurry and didn't get to properly appreciate the scenery and spring colors of this place."

"Hehehe, once Your Excellency has finished your important business, if you are in the mood, I can recommend a few places for you to visit..."

Hearing Liu Xianglian speak with such familiarity, Jia Lian glanced at him and asked with a smile, "Oh, it sounds like you know Yangzhou quite well, Second Brother. Tell me, how many lovers do you have here?"

Liu Xianglian had originally intended to earnestly introduce Jia Lian to the famous scenic spots and fun places in Yangzhou, but upon hearing Jia Lian's words, he was at a loss for words.

The other guards, though outwardly mocking, were inwardly envious. With Liu Xianglian's looks and charm, he could easily stir up jealousy and rivalry among the courtesans.

Then, looking at the brothel in the distance, he couldn't help but feel a little more longing.

Although the capital is prosperous, when it comes to entertainment, it is probably far inferior to this famous city in Jiangnan.

"Alright, once this matter is settled, if there's time, Erlang, please take us on a proper tour. However, you don't need to invite me for the wine and flowers and admiring the beauties; you can go on your own then."

"I am a man with a family, unlike you who are unburdened and can live a carefree life."

Jia Lian laughed and waved the reins, speeding up the journey towards the Salt Administration Office.

The guards and soldiers behind him all smiled at Jia Lian's words.

Although they knew Jia Lian was joking with them, they also knew that with the Marquis's status, what kind of beauty couldn't he have? He probably wouldn't even look at those courtesans.

But for them, it was a different story. Who wouldn't want to see the world-famous "Yangzhou Slender Horses"?

Hearing Jia Lian's tone suggest he didn't object to them going to see for themselves, they couldn't help but feel tempted, thinking that if they had the chance, they would definitely give it a try...

Upon arriving at the Salt Administration Office, the subordinates performed their duties, and Jia Lian led Yang Xun and others, who had come out to greet them, directly into the quiet room to discuss matters.

"So, what's the situation these past few days? Have you found anything out?"

"Your subordinate is ashamed..."

"Your Excellency is right. All the account books and documents of the Salt Administration have been organized and updated, with almost no errors or omissions. Since we subordinates are not proficient in this field, we have not been able to find any useful clues."

However, one thing is certain: the salt merchants of Yangzhou, and even the entire officialdom of Yangzhou Prefecture, are definitely up to something, and their attempts to cover it up are far too obvious.

Jia Lian nodded. He had never even considered investigating and resolving the matter through the accounts, unless those salt merchants were all fools.

"And what about An Siyuan?"

"An Siyuan's coffin has already been transported back. Because he was an official involved in the case, he was not buried and is now placed in the back office."

"What about his family? Have they been interrogated?"

"Anne Robertson had a wife and a concubine, and two children... However, his son is not here."

"Not here?"

"Well, they say he's being raised at his maternal grandparents' house... But sir, I still feel there's something fishy about this. An Siyuan is a high-ranking official in charge of a region, and he only has one son. It's unreasonable that he's not raising him properly by his side, but instead sending him to his father-in-law's house."

Moreover, I noticed that An Siyuan's wife, Xu, always seemed depressed and troubled, but I couldn't get any information out of her.

Since the court has not yet convicted An Siyuan, and the Xu family is not considered to have committed any offenses against officials, I cannot press them too hard. Therefore, I have not been able to find any results. I am incompetent and hope that Your Excellency will forgive me.”

Jia Lian waved his hand, saying that Yang Xun had only been there for a few days and was of low rank and little influence. It would be easy for these people in Yangzhou to mess with him.

As for the doubts Yang Xun mentioned, they were basically nonsense. If there weren't such doubts, the imperial court wouldn't be so concerned about this matter, and he wouldn't have needed to come all this way.

After asking a few more questions about the details, Yang Xun and the others answered them one by one. Seeing that Jia Lian seemed to be deep in thought, Yang Xun and Zhao Cheng, a junior officer of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, exchanged a glance and took out a stack of silver notes from their pockets. Yang Xun said, "These were given to us by the salt merchants when we first arrived in Yangzhou. We accepted them all as instructed by you, sir. Please decide what to do with them, Marquis."

Jia Lian glanced at them and said, "Since it was given to you by those salt merchants, you can keep it. They control the salt trade in the entire Jiangnan region, and they are all rolling in money. They even caused such a big incident, making us travel thousands of miles to make this trip. It is only right that they give us some money to show their respect for our hard work."

However, you should also understand that this inspection of the salt administration was personally instructed by His Majesty to be carried out strictly. Therefore, you must not think that you can be lenient or cover up for others just because you have taken bribes. Otherwise, if things go wrong in the end, I will not be able to protect you.”

Yang Xun and his companion felt a slight chill and immediately agreed.

Without further ado, he took back the silver notes. He wasn't worried at all; those salt merchants were willing to give such generous sums of silver even to their attendants, so they certainly wouldn't be stingy with Jia Lian.

The reason he chose to hand over the bribe was simply to see Jia Lian's attitude.

Although he guessed that Jia Lian wasn't a pedantic person, seeing him not even glance at the silver notes before letting them accept them, he couldn't help but feel admiration and goodwill towards Jia Lian. A superior with vision, willing to allow his subordinates to profit, is a truly convincing and worthy leader to follow.

After the plan was finalized, Jia Lian came out and saw Lin Youquan arranging for the guards to drive away the onlookers and set up defenses. Jia Lian felt reassured.

This is one of the reasons why he didn't go to the temporary residence prepared by the local government, but instead moved directly into the Salt Administration Office. Lin Youquan was considered the old chief steward here, and with him handling these matters, he was familiar with the procedures and it was unlikely that anything would go wrong.

After giving a brief explanation, Jia Lian arrived at the place where An Siyuan's body was laid to rest.

Because the official was involved in the case, only a simple coffin was placed in a side hall, guarded by a few family members and servants dressed in mourning clothes. No one came to offer condolences, nor did anyone dare to.

Adhering to the idea that death is a serious matter, Jia Lian first lit an incense stick in front of the coffin and bowed twice.

Perhaps knowing Jia Lian's identity, or perhaps because the guards who had been keeping watch inside and outside the palace were too fierce, the members of the An family all appeared somewhat restrained and fearful after Jia Lian entered the palace.

However, according to etiquette, someone should express gratitude on their behalf at this time. So a woman in her thirties, with a pretty face and a rather plump figure, stepped forward and bowed to Jia Lian.

Behind her was a girl of about twelve or thirteen years old, with a pretty face and very delicate features, following closely behind the woman, while peeking out and looking at her.

Jia Lian looked over and asked, "Is Madam the wife of Lord An?"

"Your Excellency, I am indeed Xu." She didn't look at Jia Lian, her voice was indifferent, and her expression revealed no emotion.

"Please accept my condolences, Madam."

"Thank you, Your Excellency."

After saying this, Jia Lian fell silent, only lowering his head slightly as he sized up the woman before him.

Now, the atmosphere in the secluded mourning hall suddenly became even more tranquil.

The soldiers surrounding Jia Lian looked serious and kept their eyes straight ahead. The few members of the An family, on the other hand, all had their heads bowed.

The woman seemed to have sensed something, and finally looked up at Jia Lian, bowed slightly, and was about to leave.

"I wonder what Madam Xu's opinion is regarding Lord An's death?"

"My late husband was always in poor health and was busy with government affairs all year round. His health was already bad, and perhaps he could not bear the hardship of being escorted, so he fell ill and died on the way..."

"Madam Xu, are you certain that Lord An died of illness?"

"Yes……"

Jia Lian asked casually, seemingly unconcerned about Madam Xu's answer. However, he was actually taking in Madam Xu's expression.

Seeing that he feigned seriousness while responding, yet his eyes involuntarily drooped, one could tell that this Madam Xu might know something. But why was she unwilling to tell him? If An Siyuan had truly been murdered, he was clearly the only one who could clear An Siyuan's name.

Without pressing her, Jia Lian glanced at the girl behind her and smiled, "I've heard that Lord An has a son and a daughter; this must be your daughter. But I wonder, where is your eldest son now?"

"My son is unruly, so I've entrusted him to his maternal grandfather for upbringing..."

"Oh, where does your father live, and how many years has it been since your son was sent there?"

"My father's ancestral home is Datong Prefecture. We were sent there, it's been four or five years now..."

Jia Lian smiled, stepped closer, and asked, "Four or five years? Has Madam never missed your son, and willingly left him at his maternal grandfather's house so far away?"

Madam Xu glanced at Jia Lian again, "Of course I miss them a little, but my father is a learned man and now that he's retired, he's better suited to raising our children and grandchildren than having them with my husband and me, so..."

"Lord An suddenly passed away, and Madam doesn't even invite your son back to fulfill his filial duties?"

"His father is under suspicion. It would be best to wait until the imperial court investigates the salt administration and clears his name before discussing his funeral arrangements..."

"Oh, it's rare to see Madam so clear-headed. I thought that after Lord An's passing, Madam would be heartbroken, but I didn't expect her to be so calm and quick-witted. She answered all my questions fluently, as if she had rehearsed them."

Madam Xu was startled and looked up again, for Jia Lian was now less than a step away from her. At this distance, if Jia Lian were to be rude to her, she wouldn't even have time to react. Therefore, she hurriedly took a step back and said hastily, "I am indeed heartbroken, but I know I am useless. Now I only wish to cooperate with the government to investigate the salt administration and atone for my late husband's sins. As for your questions, sir, several officials have asked similar questions before, so I was able to prepare..."

"yes."

Jia Lian revealed a meaningful smile. Just as Madam Xu was feeling quite uneasy, Liu Xianglian came to deliver a message: "My lord, the prefect of Yangzhou, the vice prefect, and other officials have come to pay their respects."

Jia Lian nodded, but did not move, still smiling as he looked at Madam Xu, who was like a lamb to the slaughter.

In this situation, anyone with a modicum of intelligence could probably see through Jia Lian's thoughts.

Sure enough, Jia Lian seemed to have run out of patience and approached Madam Xu again, laughing, "So you've been heartbroken. I thought you weren't heartbroken at all. After all, with your beauty, even if Lord An is gone, it wouldn't be difficult for you to find another good husband."

Seeing Jia Lian's true intentions revealed, Madam Xu's face immediately showed anger. She glared at Jia Lian resentfully, and finally lowered her head and said, "I am, after all, the wife of an official of the court. I beg Your Excellency to show some respect."

"Hehehe, Madam, please don't be anxious. I just feel that there are still some suspicious points about Lord An's death. I want to find out the real cause of Lord An's death so that Lord An's spirit in heaven can rest in peace."

Well then, I have other matters to attend to. Please invite Madam to my residence tonight, so we can have a proper chat."

"you……"

That corrupt official was indeed lustful at first sight.

"I'm sorry, I cannot comply."

Madam Xu's eyes showed a sorrowful expression, but Jia Lian seemed not to notice at all. Instead, he instructed his servants to invite Madam Xu to his room that night.

"You're not allowed to bully my mother!"

The young girl was just beginning to understand things. She had been too scared to speak up before, but now that she saw her mother being bullied and on the verge of tears, she immediately stepped forward to stand between Jia Lian and Madam Xu, and shouted in a sweet voice.

Jia Lian glanced down at her, reaching out as if to pinch her cheek, but she dodged him. He then laughed and said, "You must be Lord An's daughter, right? Perfect, I also have some questions for you. Like your mother, you will come to my residence tonight to await my questioning."

After Jia Lian finished speaking, he glanced around, and several people immediately took charge of guarding the mourning hall.

Such behavior not only caused resentment in the eyes of the servants of the An family, but also left the imperial guards who had come with Jia Lian dumbfounded.

Lord Zhenyuan, are you so romantic?

Moreover, is the Marquis so unscrupulous and careless? Even if he has taken a fancy to the An family mother and daughter, what other means could he use behind their backs? Why does he have to do this in public? Isn't he afraid that they will spread rumors about him after they return to the capital?

Or is it that the Marquis is confident he can silence them with benefits afterward, which is why he doesn't care? If that's the case, that's not bad either; no one wants to make a wasted trip south.

However, Jia Lian's personal guards and others, who were more familiar with Jia Lian's habits, found it hard to believe that Jia Lian, who was always strict and lenient in managing his subordinates, would do such a tasteless thing.

Therefore, when the brothers of the Imperial Guard quietly inquired whether the Marquis had always been so dashing and romantic, they all replied, "Don't talk nonsense. The Marquis is not that kind of person. He must have other reasons, but..."

However, it's not impossible. Before joining the army, the Marquis was known for his womanizing ways in his household.

Although he later toned it down a bit, it might have been because he wanted to focus on achieving fame and success.

Now that the Marquis has achieved great success, perhaps he has fewer concerns now?

With Madam Xu possessing such captivating charm and her daughter being so well-behaved and lovely, it's not surprising at all that the Marquis would take a liking to her...

Leaving aside the matter of Jia Lian harassing Madam Xu and how it was secretly spread, Jia Lian leisurely received a group of officials from Yangzhou.

Prefect Wu Zhirong and others strongly advocated that Jia Lian move into the Imperial Envoy's residence, saying that this would be in line with Jia Lian's status, but Jia Lian directly rejected the idea.

Just as Wu Zhirong and the others were feeling a bit awkward, Jia Lian readily agreed to prepare a welcome banquet for him the next day, which made Wu Zhirong and the others secretly relieved.

Immediately, they tried to strike while the iron was hot and establish a good relationship, but Jia Lian said, "I just arrived in Yangzhou and I'm very busy, so I won't keep you company any longer. You may go on your way."

"By the way, could one of you please send someone to bring over all the accounts, income and expenditure records of the Salt Transport Office? I need to review them one by one."

"Yes, yes, I will have someone take care of it immediately."

"Okay, you guys go ahead."

Wu Zhirong and the others, who had been driven out of the main hall by Jia Lian, spontaneously gathered in the front hall.

One person couldn't help but sneer, "I thought this Marquis of Zhenyuan was so capable. Does he really think he can sort out the salt administration from the accounts of the Salt Administration Office and the Salt Transport Office? I bet even if you give him a year, he won't find a single flaw. In the end, he'll definitely slink back to the capital to report back..."

Shh, keep your voice down.

The prefectural magistrate interrupted him, looking at Wu Zhirong, "I wonder what the Prefect thinks?"

Wu Zhirong looked thoughtful, shook his head, and said nothing. Having only just met him, he still didn't quite understand Jia Lian's style of doing things.

Suddenly, a yamen runner from the salt administration office strolled over. Upon seeing this, Wu Zhirong immediately stopped, and the runner whispered something in his ear.

"really?"

"Absolutely true. When Jia Lian saw Xu Shi, his eyes lit up, and he seemed to want to devour her on the spot."

He pretended to ask some questions about the An family, then demanded that Madam Xu come to his residence that night for questioning. Even more shameless, he also ordered her daughter to go with her.

Now, the An mother and daughter are under his men's control, and they will likely suffer abuse at his hands.

"Did the Imperial Envoy ask An Siyuan? And how did Madam Xu answer?"

The constable then explained the matter in more detail.

Wu Zhirong was relieved, but then he also found it quite strange.

Given Jia Lian's status, how could he be so lustful? Not necessarily. The capital is the residence of the emperor, and these powerful figures in the capital probably dare not be so open about it; they are all burning with pent-up desire.

Having finally escaped Beijing, they naturally took advantage of the situation and acted without restraint.

As for Madam Xu, she certainly had the looks to seduce men. He was even thinking that once the salt administration matter was over, he might have the opportunity to take her as a wife.

Unexpectedly, Jia Lian stole her away.

There was no jealousy or resentment, but they felt that if Jia Lian was such an easy person to manipulate, it would be a good thing for them.

Therefore, he immediately informed those around him about this matter.

The officials around him were naturally surprised, and then they all laughed: "Since this imperial envoy is so lustful, then it's indeed easy to deal with. Those salt merchants may not have any other skills, but their ability to keep beauties is unparalleled."

"Therefore, Your Excellency need not worry. Just pass this message on to them and let them figure out how to win over this close minister of the Emperor. Hehehe. Those salt merchants are probably overjoyed. With such a powerful ally as their backer, their lives will only get better in the future."

"That makes sense. Salt administration has nothing to do with us anyway, so let them worry about it themselves."

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