Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

Zhen Yuan watched him go out, stretched out his hand to test the temperature of the water, and although she was shy to death, she still couldn't resist the temptation of taking a bath, so she slowly undressed and took off her belt, and put it on the screen.

Hmm... Soaking in the hot water, Zhen Yuan couldn't help but sigh softly. She never thought that one day even taking a bath would be so beautiful.

Jia Cong pricked up his ears and listened to the sound of water inside. He felt itchy and couldn't help but gently opened the door and slipped in quietly.

Zhen Yuan, who was already worried and focused, suddenly heard the door hinge turning and subconsciously exclaimed: "Who!"

"Me." Jia Cong touched his nose. He really didn't have the talent to steal jade and fragrance, so he was discovered as soon as he came in.

Zhen Yuan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling angry and funny, and spat: "Dirty seed, what are you doing here?"

Jia Cong smiled dryly and said, "I'll come in and ask my sister if she's missing anything, if the water temperature is right, and if she needs help..."

Zhen Yuan said angrily: "Thank you, Mr. Guo, you are helping me by closing the door behind you when you go out."

"Oh." Jia Cong honestly bolted the door and turned back.

Zhen Yuan heard the footsteps coming back, and said with embarrassment and annoyance: "What are you doing again?"

Jia Cong said "shyly": "Sister Yuan, I have an unkind favor."

Zhen Yuan's face was as hot as charcoal, and she spat: "What are you making a fuss about again?"

"My body is itchy and I want to wash it off..."

"You...can't you wash it later?" Zhen Yuan said in a trembling voice, almost fainting from shame.

"I won't be itchy in a while."

"You... you bastard, you're obscene!" Zhen Yuan was so angry that he slapped the water, causing splashes of water to wet his fair and tender face.

"If sister has no objections, I will come in. Hey, let's save some coal. You don't know, Jin Yiwei's funds are limited. Coal is so precious now that we can hardly afford it."

In line with the principle of not taking advantage of the bastard, Jia Cong rubbed his hands and slipped in.

"Nong Wo Lai, hurry up and get out." Zhen Yuan saw him walking around the screen and crossing his shoulders, so anxious that he could even speak Jinling dialect.

Jia Cong held the edge of the tub, leaned into Zhen Yuan's ear and said, "Good sister, something happened to the Zhen family now, and it is my duty to take care of you for the rest of my life. Do you still want to give your body to others?"

Hearing this, Zhen Yuan sighed quietly. She was already ready to commit herself to him, so she blushed and slowly opened her arms.

"Good sister."

Jia Cong hurriedly rolled up his sleeves and reached out to fish under the water.

"You... bastard, you know you didn't have good intentions when you tricked me into taking a bath. Please be gentler..."

Zhen Yuan's vitals were grasped by him, and her whole body was powerless, her heart was like flying catkins, and her energy was like a gossamer.

"My sister knows that there are tigers in the mountains, so she prefers to go to the tiger mountains, but she secretly agrees with her?" Jia Cong laughed.

"Bah, who allowed you, a dirty son of a prince, to bully a weak woman without being ashamed?" Zhen Yuan spat.

Jia Cong said: "I am not bullying you for nothing. I have asked Duke Zhun to intervene on your behalf. I think there will be good news soon. Of course, Uncle Shi and Brother Shi can only do their best and obey fate."

Zhen Yuan hurriedly said: "That precious jade..."

"Don't worry, I've made a proposal to your father-in-law to leave a bloodline for your family and keep your daughter and family safe."

Zhen Yuan naturally knew Duan Zhun, and when he heard him take action, he felt relieved. He thought of his father and brother's bleak future, and couldn't help but get red-eyed.

Jia Cong said: "Good sister, you have done your best. The success or failure of the family is determined by itself. How can you, a weak woman, control it?"

Zhen Yuan forced a smile and said: "What you are saying is that I am too persistent. Thank you for running for my family. Now I have nothing to repay. I only have this body. If you don't dislike it, just kill me."

After saying that, she stood up from the bathtub and faced Jia Cong bravely. A large amount of water droplets slid down her body, reflecting the sunlight through the window lattice, like sparkling gems rolling down the jade mountain. It was so beautiful that it was dazzling.

Jia Cong didn't expect her to be so bold. Looking at the pure and holy beauty like mutton-fat white jade in front of him, he suddenly felt a little ashamed of himself and was speechless for a moment.

Zhen Yuan glanced at him and said with a half-smile, "Dirty seeds, don't you like to see them? Why don't you?"

Jia Cong smiled and said: "Sister Yuan, are we going too fast?"

Zhen Yuan spat at him: "Isn't this what you want? Are you pretending to be Liu Xiahui again now?"

"I... I want it, but... aren't you still in Xiaozhong? I'm not too embarrassed, so I'll give it a try." Jia Cong stammered.

Girls like Zhen Yuan are not only afraid of men messing around, but they are even more afraid that if they mess around, men will stop messing around.

Thinking of the teachings of her mother and several aunts, Zhen Yuan rolled her eyes at him shyly and said, "You have helped our family so much, and the old lady will not blame you."

As he spoke, he turned around, bent down, and held the edge of the bucket with both hands. He looked back with a charming smile and said, "Cong Lang, do you like it?"

"I like it, I like it." Jia Cong's throat seemed to be choked, and his voice was dry and hoarse.

Looking at the beautiful scenery in front of me, I couldn't think anymore. I just felt that a ball of flames was surrounding my whole body, and it was the only way to save myself.

As soon as his feet softened, Jia Cong knelt down with a plop, holding his soft buttocks like the full moon in his hands.

"Sister Yuan..."

"Well, Cong Lang..." A soft groan escaped Zhen Yuan's nose.

Jia Cong turned into a wolf and didn't care about etiquette. He was about to enter the port when he suddenly heard the captain at the gate shout: "Your Excellency, Huo Zhongtang has sent someone to invite you."

Um? Jia Cong's heart moved, and he suddenly regained his clarity. He hurriedly raised his head, suppressed the evil fire, stood up and said, "Sister Yuan, I'll go into the palace, and you can wash yourself."

He suddenly felt that he should not get a girl who could rival Daiyu Baochai under such circumstances. It was too disrespectful and looked like a flower-picking thief.

Zhen Yuan was disturbed and her courage was exhausted. She had already retreated into the water. She looked up at him and felt even more ashamed.

Jia Cong smiled and turned to leave, but she stopped him.

"what happened?"

"Lean down." Zhen Yuan's face was as red as blood and her voice was like a gnat.

Jia Cong didn't know why and leaned down.

Zhen Yuan was so ashamed that she bit her lips and stretched out her bare hands. "Thank you sister." Jia Cong saw him and smiled.

Zhen Yuan rolled her eyes at him and whispered softly: "Bad guys are not afraid of being bitten. Okay, let's go quickly."

"How come my sister is clean and pure? It's me who has humiliated her." Jia Cong said with a smile, "Yuan'er washes slowly. Don't worry, no one dares to come in. I just lied to you."

"You're a bastard, you're a pervert, I won't let you go," Zhen Yuan spat.

"Cong is leaving. When everything settles down, I will come back to marry Yuan'er." Jia Cong left with a smile.

Zhen Yuan smiled shyly and slowly sank into the water. Thinking of the collapse of her family, she shed tears again.
-
When Jia Cong came to the palace, someone had already led him to see Huo Peng.

In the small courtyard next to the military aircraft office, Jia Cong had just arrived when he saw Huo Peng coming.

After exchanging pleasantries and sitting down, Jia Cong said, "Mr. Huo called me, is there something wrong?"

Huo Peng said: "I had a discussion with Zhun Gong yesterday, and we both feel that everything is difficult at the beginning. We have made a good start, and if we let go at this time, it will inevitably be wasted. Now that the country is in trouble, there are too many places where money is needed. It is really difficult. This has to be done.”

Jia Cong said in shock: "Cong ransacked the Zhen family in the south of the Yangtze River. The stolen money will arrive in the capital soon. Moreover, Qian'er also recovered a lot of losses. He also ransacked the mansions of many clan members and nobles. How can the state treasury pay it back?" Will you be short of money?”

Huo Peng said with a wry smile: "How can Zilong know that firewood and rice are expensive if he is not a family? The raids only look good on paper and there is not much money left. Most of them are fields, houses and utensils, and it will take time to realize them. What's more, the Western Regions have been using troops for many years, and the money is so expensive." Like running water."

Jia Cong nodded. As the governor of the left, he was well aware of military expenditures. It is no exaggeration to say that at least a quarter of the country's military expenditures were thrown into the Western Regions. He didn't know what the purpose of the war was. The war lasted for several years. , still fighting.

The battle reports were pretty good, with victories often reported, but the war never stopped.

He had served as a border general and knew all about these routines. He reported good news but not bad news. When the gun went off, there was a thousand taels of gold. If there was no war, where would the border guards get the money?

However, at this time, his focus was on consolidating the basic base of the Beijing Army, and he did not bother to rectify the border areas. These thankless tasks had to be put aside first.

"Even so, it's not enough. The war in the Western Regions only costs three to four million silver a year." Jia Cong thought for a while and said.

Huo Peng whispered: "The war in the Western Region is secondary. It is actually preparations for another major event."

Jia Cong asked: "What's the matter?"

Huo Peng glanced at him and whispered: "Cutting the feudal clan."

"Cutting the feudal vassal?!" Jia Cong was shocked.

"Shh, keep your voice down." Huo Peng made a gesture and said softly: "Zilong is not an outsider, and I won't hide it from you. His Majesty has been planning this for a long time and it is inevitable."

Jia Cong said: "It's so good, why do you suddenly want to cut down the vassal? There are nine great fortress kings in the world, guarding the nine sides. Once it becomes unstable, it will be a major event that collapses the sky."

He had guarded Liaodong for several years and knew that the power of the Liao king should not be underestimated.

Huo Peng sneered and said: "Okay? Take the war in the Western Regions as an example. If it weren't for King Liang's obstruction, how could the minor troubles in the Western Regions not be quelled for several years? How much military expenditure was wasted by the court in a year? How much of it fell into the army?

Let’s talk about the King of Liao. When Zilong was guarding Liaodong, it was not that he had no dealings with the King of Liao. For his own selfish interests, he dared to attack even the prince, not to mention cooperating inside and outside to attract Jurchens to attack. Is this a good thing?

The Nine Great Fortress Kings were originally established by Taizu to stabilize the Nine Borders. Nowadays, the Nine Borders Army Town has thick walls, strong soldiers and horses, and a large population. Why does it need a vassal king to guard it? His Majesty decided to cut down the vassal state just because he saw that the king of Sai was amassing a large number of troops privately, interfering in military affairs, embezzling military pay, and being lawless. "

Jia Cong nodded slowly and said, "How could Prime Minister Huo leak this important military matter to me?"

Huo Peng said with a smile: "This matter requires your brother's help. I will tell you a few days ago so that you can be prepared so that you can prepare for the imperial congratulations in a few days."

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said: "Your Majesty, you want to ask me? How can Cong have any opinions on such important military and national affairs? He is just following orders."

Huo Peng said with a smile: "Now that Zilong is the Duke of the country, he is also appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Left and the Admiral of the Jinyi Guards. Your Majesty will not ask you who will go? But you don't have to worry. The Military Aircraft Department will come up with the regulations. You can check for any omissions and fill them up." Can."

Jia Cong could only nod in agreement, but he was a little worried in his heart. No matter how much he didn't understand history, he also knew how to cut down vassals. If one mistake was made, it would easily lead to chaos. Then wouldn't he have to rely on soldiers to clean up the mess?

It was so troublesome for Kangxi to subjugate the three vassals, and they fought for several years. What's more, today there are nine vassals, and all of them have a hundred-year-old foundation. How to subjugate them?
He doesn't want to fight now, he just wants to grow up and develop his own thermal weapon army.

Huo Peng said: "That's a long way off. Let's get back to the present. Today, Duke Zhun and I went to ask for the Holy Will, and His Majesty said sixteen words."

"Please make it clear, Mr. Huo."

"If you pay off your shortcomings, you must not let go. If you are afraid, you will give up all your previous efforts."

Huo Peng said again: "Your Majesty means that you don't have to worry too much. Repaying debts is a matter of course. Anyone who dares not to repay will be severely punished according to the law." He took out Emperor Xifeng's handwriting and handed it to him.

Jia Cong took a deep breath, took it with both hands, and said, "Now that the holy order has been given, Cong understands."

It seems that I am going to use myself to death now. When the work is completed, will I kill myself to thank the world?

Huo Peng seemed to have read through his mind and said with a smile: "You are the Emperor's consort and the Duke of the country. You don't have to worry about anything. Just do whatever you want. This is a good thing that benefits the country and the people. Both the Duke and we will speak for you." "

Jia Cong said: "Thank you Huo for loving each other. Cong should go all out to repay God's kindness."

"That's it. Zilong, you are still a young man, and you are at your peak. If you can go all out and accomplish extraordinary feats repeatedly, how can your achievements in the future be beyond the limits of the Duke and Lord?" Huo Peng twisted his beard and said with a smile.

"Cong thank you Huo Xiang for your kind words." Jia Cong chuckled, I believed your lies, you are a very bad old man, but fortunately Mr. Pang had already taken care of it.

Jia Cong left Huo Peng and went out, went straight to the Ministry of Household Affairs and went straight to the minister's office.

Several officials who were busy saw him coming and told him and Feng Yuanhao to put on a pair of trousers, so they hurriedly went out.

Feng Yuan stood up, cupped his hands and said with a smile: "Zilong is here, I'm sorry if I missed my welcome."

Jia Cong glared at him angrily, handed him the manuscript, and raised his chin: "Read it for yourself."

Feng Yuan opened it and took a look, his eyes moved wildly, he glanced at him with a sly look, and said with a smile: "Since there is a decree, I must obey it from afar, and everything must be followed."

Jia Cong laughed angrily: "You are so humble. When will you let me take your lead?"

"Reward after award, laugh at everything. I am really weak and unable to bear the heavy responsibility." Feng Yuan sighed sadly.

"Stop talking nonsense and give me the list of nobles and clans who owe more debts and pay less debts. I'm going to collect the debt." Jia Cong said angrily.

"Okay! Zilong's courage shines in Kunlun, and his heroic spirit soars into the sky. Brother, I have already prepared it for you." Feng Yuan chuckled and took out the roll of roster he carried with him from his sleeve.

"Look, what's written in red above is the one who owes a lot of debt. It's up to you."

Jia Cong snorted, took the name list, turned around and left. He didn't want to look at the shameless fat face in front of him again, for fear that he wouldn't be able to help but beat him up. (End of chapter)