Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Just when Jia Cong picked up his chopsticks, he saw Yuanyang coming over to serve the old lady shyly, so he smiled and said, "Old lady, what's wrong with Sister Yuanyang... If such a good person really becomes an aunt, God won't allow it."

The girls laughed again. Brother Cong is not one who is willing to suffer losses. Now that he has spent so much money, he must get something good back from the old lady.

Yuanyang stamped her feet and said angrily: "The Duke will tease us for being girls."

Jia's mother knew that Jia Cong was a hawk who could not see rabbits but not hawks. She spat: "You two are the only ones in the house, one is thinking about me, and the other is thinking about me."

No matter what, I promise it to you early, so that shameless Lian'er doesn't come to ask for it again in the future. "

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Thank you, old lady, for your kindness."

"Let's make an agreement first. Yuanyang will serve me here during the day. As for whether she is willing to serve you, it depends on her wishes. You are not allowed to use force." Jia Mu glared at Jia Cong and said.

Yuanyang was so embarrassed that she stamped her feet and said, "Old lady, I have to stay with you all the time."

Mother Jia clapped her hand and smiled: "I understand what you mean, but you are too old, so there is no reason for you to delay your life because of me.

There are no good grandchildren in the house, and Brother Cong is a bit mature, so it doesn’t mean you have been wronged. "

"Old lady..." Yuanyang knelt down with tears in her eyes.

"Good boy, get up quickly." Mother Jia stroked her temples and said with a smile.

Jia Cong also smiled and said: "Sister Yuanyang, what are you doing? I'm not the king of the mountain. It's a good thing that you serve the old lady here for me. In the future, the old lady can't say that I haven't fulfilled my filial piety.

Besides, there is a large population over there, so I can’t take care of you for the moment, so I’m not in a hurry.

It's only ten taels of silver a month, so you can take it first, just like Qingwen and Qianxue, hehe. "

"Who's worried..." Yuanyang blushed, spat and hid behind.

On the side, Amber hurriedly stepped up to take over from her to serve the old lady while she ate, feeling envious and jealous at the same time.

Wow... With ten taels of money per month, Yuanyang is too pretentious. She is obviously very willing to do it. Who can show her this? Which girl in the house would not be happy to hear that she can serve the Duke.

For a moment, Yuanyang calmed down a little, and came out with a blushing face, taking the chopsticks from Hu Hu's hand, serving the old lady's dishes, and also picked up two chopsticks for Jia Cong. Trembling, I almost dropped the dish.

The girls knew that she had a tender face, so they vowed to be a aunt. Now they were shy and timid to become Jia Cong's aunt, and never mentioned the matter of being a aunt.

If he joked again he would definitely offend her, because after dinner he started gossiping again.

Jia Mu smiled and said, "Just talking is boring. Invite my concubine and let's play cards."

Everyone said hello and hurriedly sent someone to call him.

After a while, Aunt Xue and Baochai came together, and everyone was greeted.

Jia Mu hurriedly offered her seat and then said with a smile: "Let's play cards. My concubine's cards are also up. Let's sit together. Don't let Feng girl mess with us."

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "That's right. The old lady will keep an eye on it for me."

Sister Feng said: "Add one more person to make it more lively."

Jia's mother said: "Call Yuanyang. Let her sit in her hands. My aunt is dazzled. Let her look at our two cards more closely."

Jia Cong had no interest in these business cards. He stood up with a smile and left, taking Baochai away.

In the car, Jia Cong remembered something and asked with a smile: "Sister Bao, is Sister Xue feeling better?"

Baochai pursed her lips and smiled and said: "Sure enough, evil people have their own trials and tribulations, but now they are in great condition. They are gentle, courteous, thrifty, and behave politely, as if they have been reborn.

My mother was happy and my brother was happy too. He said that since there was no one in the Xia family, he brought a lot of property over and asked me to take care of it for her. What on earth did you do? "

Jia Cong shook his head and said, "Don't say it, don't say it."

Baochai rolled her eyes at him: "If you don't tell me, forget it, who cares?"

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Sister Bao, now that the goods have been inspected, when will the payment be made?"

Hearing this, Baochai remembered the agreement between the two of them, and her fair and tender face was immediately stained with a layer of rouge, and she spat: "I don't remember those dirty words or nonsense."

Jia Cong took his time and said: "I advise my sister to pay with one hand and deliver the goods with the other. Otherwise, it will be delayed and the interest will be compounded. My sister may not be able to bear it, hehe."

After hearing this, Baochai's heart trembled, thinking of Jia Cong's dirty tricks, biting her lip, feeling ashamed, annoyed and helpless, she tapped his forehead and said angrily: "It's so annoying."

"Good sister." Jia Cong was overjoyed.
-
Early the next morning, Jia Cong first met with Pang Chao.

"Long time no see, how are you doing, sir?" Jia Cong said with a smile.

"There are all kinds of delicacies and delicious tea in the house. Chao eats well and sleeps well every day. He has gained a few pounds. But I heard that Brother Cong suffered a lot of injustice in Jiangnan?" Pang Chao said with a smile.

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "I was about to ask for advice from my husband. Putting aside the trivial matters in Jinling for now, what is the situation in Beijing now?"

Pang Chao said: "Since you went south, nothing has changed in Beijing. The rebellion has been established, people are at peace, and all forces are busy competing for the territory vacated by the old party and Wuhou, so there are no major changes.

If there are any worth mentioning, there are a few.

First, the rankings of several bachelors in the Military Aircraft Department have changed, and they have all moved forward. Guan Pu successfully entered the cabinet and accompanied him to the last seat. Jindong Pavilion, a bachelor, also served as the minister of the Ministry of Etiquette.

Second, four royal families with different surnames from the southeast, northwest and northwest officially joined the cabinet as counselors for military affairs. They were originally the bannermen of the military and had a profound background. Now they are well-known and have gathered many fans.

Thirdly, the princes are now ordered to visit the Military Aircraft Office, the Governor's Mansion, and various ministries to observe the government. It is obvious that they have taken into account the successor matters, and the second prince may not be sure of everything.

Fourth, when Mr. Zhun comes back, he will make big moves.

The fifth item is the task of clearing the deficit. It has been settled on the heads of the powerful, and some of it cannot be cleared. "

Jia Cong sighed: "I thought it would be easier after eradicating the old party, Tu Fei and others, but it seems that there will only be more things to do in the future."

Pang Chao said: "The imperial court is a vanity fair. No matter who comes or goes, how can there be less fights?"

Jia Cong waved his hand and smiled and said: "That's all, let's not argue. Anyway, the soldiers will come to block the water and cover up the earth. With Cong's crotch, he dismounts the horse and holds the gun in his hand. With the wisdom of the abyss and the sea, what is there to fear?"

Pang Chao said with a smile: "Don't praise me. As the saying goes, it's up to people to make things happen. The last time you went to the execution ground, this rebellion is both dangerous and dangerous. Success or failure is just a hair's breadth away. Don't ignore it."

Jia Cong was a little scared when he thought about it. If Pang Chao hadn't predicted that Ruyi would come forward to save her husband last time, Emperor Xifeng would have pushed the boat along, and he would have been in a dilemma of life and death.

This time it is even more dangerous. If you don't ignore everyone in the family and go to the palace to protect him, you can instead seek temporary stability to prevent the catastrophe.

Because he said: "Sir, what you said is that Cong should act prudently. This time he went to Jiangnan to investigate and deal with the Zhen family. Now that the Zhen family has been brought back, I wonder if you, sir, have a good idea to save him. I know that the Zhen family is worthy of death. , at least save the female family members, and leave a trace of blood to his family, so that I can return the favor. "

Pang Chao pondered for a moment and said: "It would be wise for you to suppress this case first. If you only save the female family members and leave a trace of flesh and blood, it is not impossible, but you can't delay it for too long.

If the confiscated stolen money comes to Beijing and it is discovered that the Zhen family's financial resources are far different from their previous losses, Long Yan will definitely be furious, and the Zhen family will be in danger.

Before that, you must ask a capable person to intercede. As an admiral, you must not intercede for the criminal yourself. "

Jia Cong nodded slowly, which is understandable. If the person handling the case intercedes for the criminal, it will inevitably make people suspect that law enforcement is not strict, and the Jin Yiwei will also face a crisis of trust in the imperial court.

Because he said: "How about asking the Queen to intercede?"

Pang Chao shook his head: "No. Now you must keep a distance from the queen to avoid suspicion."

"How about asking Prime Minister Jiang to take action?" Jia Cong thought for a while and said.

Pang Chao smiled and said: "I have told you before that Prime Minister Jiang has a very protective nature. How can he easily intervene in such a big case? Now that he has got everything he wants, what other bargaining chips can you offer in exchange?" ?”

Jia Cong said: "So Huo, Dong, Gu and others are just average, so who else has enough weight to say this?"

Pang Chao said: "Leng Shigong."

"Well, who?"

"That's Zhun Gong, Leng Shi is his nickname. Because he once wrote two poems, Hanyun Seal in the Ancient Temple, Leng Shiji in the Youxi. His simplicity and profoundness were praised by people at the time, so he took this as his nickname." Pang Chao said.

Jia Cong nodded, frowned slightly, and said, "I have no contact with him, how could he help me?"

Pang Chao joked: "Now you are half the son-in-law of the new party. It is normal for him to sell you a favor just for the sake of Ruhaigong."

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "Sir, don't make fun of me. I'm afraid my father-in-law doesn't have that much face."

Pang Chao said: "I just made a joke. Because Mr. Zhun has returned to Beijing, the new party members are strong and will do something great. It is inevitable to deal with you. If I can sell you a favor first, wouldn't it be more convenient when I want to use you in the future?" Therefore, I predict that Mr. Zhun will be happy to take action."

"So that's the case. Sir, you see clearly."

Pang Chao smiled and said: "The authorities are confused, but those who watch are clear. Brother Cong, don't forget, your face is very valuable now."

Jia Cong said: "Sir, you are ridiculous. There is one more thing. Now the prefect of Jinling..." Because he told Li Chao's story in detail.

Pang Chao listened quietly and said thoughtfully: "This person has a deep connection with the New Party and should not be touched lightly.

If you touch him, the new party will immediately think that you have the intention of fighting with the party. At that time, you will be under tremendous pressure. It is unwise to turn against the new party for a mere pawn. "

Jia Cong frowned and said, "Is there no way to bring him to justice? This man really deserves to die."

Pang Chao burst into laughter and said to the point: "Are you avenging Miss Miaoyu? It's a good story about a hero saving a beauty."

Jia Cong's face turned red, and he hurriedly waved his hands and said, "Is Cong that kind of person? If he just coveted the beautiful jade and never succeeded, he would not be guilty of death. In fact, because of his numerous evil deeds in the past, he has already harmed several people. Human lives must be punished for their crimes.

What's more, he dared to bring the new governor of Liangjiang to my house to show off his strength, hoping that I would throw a rat weapon into his trap, thinking that I wouldn't be able to kill him. How could Cong bear this bad breath? "

Pang Chao said: "Now that you have a different status, you have to start from the big joints. If you act rashly due to temporary joy and anger, the whole situation will collapse. It is not a wise person. Even if you want to kill this person, why do you need to do it yourself?"

Jia Cong said: "Sir, what you mean is... to kill someone with a borrowed knife?"

Pang Chao smiled slightly, raised his hand and wrote the word "Li Chao" on the note he carried with him, saying: "The time has not come yet, so let's just record this son's head. One day, if you teach him to do too much injustice, he will die." ”

Jia Cong nodded and said, "Sir, since you have a plan, Cong can rest assured."

The two talked for a long time, and when it came to the matter of foreign affairs, Jia Cong smiled and said: "Now Xiyi has delivered more than a dozen warships, all equipped with artillery and projectiles, but they are all small ships of the third and fourth levels. They were all put on the Lingnan Sea for training, which is not worth mentioning.

I have ordered people to select some reliable sons from Zhuangzi, Liaodong, to go south and serve as shipwrights and navy soldiers. "

"Are Xiyi firearms really so useful?" Pang Chao still didn't believe it. As for firearms, there were them in Beijing, but they were hard to use.

Jia Cong nodded and said: "If you want to cross the rivers and seas, you must have this thing. In addition, various workshops and factories are also stepping up their construction. Land and materials are purchased, and everything is managed up and down. People eat horse chews, and money is spent like running water, but it should be It’s barely enough.”

Just as he was talking, he suddenly heard the soldiers coming to report that Zhongxin, Feng Yuan and others were invited.

Jia Cong hurriedly went out with Pang Chao, but saw three fat men walking towards him. Everyone exchanged a few words in front of Shenshi Hall.

Jia Cong saw the fat man next to Feng Yuan. His figure looked like a round head placed on a square. His appearance was about sixty-seven points similar to Feng Yuan's, but he was two times fatter than him. He had no neck, and he was full. With a smile on his face, he bowed and bowed, feeling very happy.

"Brother Zhengfang, is this your brother? He is indeed majestic and heroic, extraordinary." Jia Cong said with a smile.

"The Duke has good eyesight. It is his younger brother Feng Yi who just came back from Yongxing Prefecture." Feng Yuan said with a smile, "Third brother, I haven't met the Duke yet. You can be transferred back, thanks to the Duke's words."

Feng Yi hurriedly lifted his robe, knelt down on one knee, and said: "I thank you for your kindness. From now on, I will come and go through fire and water, but it depends on my mission."

Jia Cong hurriedly stopped him, fearing that he would be unable to get up after he knelt down. He said with a smile, "I'm serious. My brother and I have an irreversible relationship. It's a small effort, but it's worth mentioning."

Zhongxin smiled and said: "We are not outsiders, how about we talk while eating?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Please."

At that moment, a few people entered the flower hall and sat down. The prices for food and wine were increased. Everyone exchanged glasses and drank wine. It was very lively.

Jia Cong saw that Feng Yi was very forthright when the wine was drunk, and he didn't talk nonsense. He knew how to advance and retreat in a measured manner, and responded appropriately, so he knew that he was a smart man. He nodded secretly in his heart, wondering why people say he has a pig-like face and a bright heart. This The three fat guys are all in the same boat.

After drinking for three rounds, Jia Cong gradually got to the point and said, "Prince, brother Zhengfang, a few days ago I went south to clear the Zhen family's debt. How is it in Beijing?"

I heard from the princess that many people have come to bother her recently, and my little brother just returned to Beijing. I can't touch the head and tail of the three-foot-long pole, and it is eaten upside down. Can you two clear up the confusion? "

When it came to business, Feng Yi hurriedly shut up, put down his chopsticks respectfully, and poured wine and tea for everyone.

Zhongxin and Feng Yuan were already prepared and busy explaining.

"Zilong, please forgive me, that's what happened. You know, since Zhongshun and his gang did bad things, the rest of the clan is good, and they all keep their pants tight for days and months.

I have always cared for the poor and the weak, and helped them from time to time when nothing happened. How can I come to collect debts now?
One by one, they dragged their children and daughters to beg for help, and I really couldn't bear it.

If you want to ignore me, you will not only hurt the family ties, but also live up to your brother's high expectations; if you want to be lenient, you will also betray the sacred mandate, which is really difficult.

Thinking about me, I have always been full of wits and tricks, and can change the rain and clouds... Hehe, I hope I can forgive you and tell Ruyi for me. I am also the head of a monk, so there is nothing I can do. Please bear with me, Zilong. "(End of chapter)