Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 369: Conspiracy to connect the north and the south

Jinling, Xinchunhao Jiangnan Head Office.

In the inner room on the second floor, there are two beautiful and graceful women, like spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with her own beauty, complementing each other.

Qin Keqing was wearing a small dress made of snow-soft satin, a light green bodice with pink and blue flowers, and a horse-faced skirt embroidered with plum branches. She had a slender waist that could be held in one hand, and she wore an indigo waistband and sweat towel tied around her waist.

The afternoon sun shines in through the misty gauze windows, making the light in the room even brighter and softer, illuminating the graceful and elegant figure, with a delicate face as beautiful as a rose and charming.

Qu Hongxiu was not like Keqing, who was born into a family of officials. She was immersed in her boudoir and her daily life was delicate and exquisite. Although she was also a pretty and stunning woman, she dressed simply and casually.

She wore a pine green solid-color double-breasted top, a creamy white crepe stand-up collared top underneath, a white unembroidered skirt, and her long hair was tied up in a neat bun with a simple silver hairpin inserted in it. She had no other head ornaments.

Even though he was wearing a soft and elegant women's outfit, his movements and gestures still exuded a sense of elegance and heroism.

For Keqing, these were the most stable days of her life.

Before she got married, she followed her father and mother and married into the Ningguo Mansion, living in a dirty place. She had to be cautious in every step and be careful in everything. If it weren't for Jia Cong's secret support, who knows what would have happened to her.

Until Jia Cong sent her out of the capital and made her the second manager of Xinchunhao in Jinling, she never thought she could live such a life again.

You can be self-reliant and do what you want, and live your life as you wish without having to worry about the dirty deeds at home or endure the calculations of family members.

During the past six months, by sending young boys and girls from private schools in the capital and purchasing and selecting them in Jiangnan, Xinchunhao has cultivated a number of capable personnel in Jiangnan, and the work has become much easier than when it was first established.

Relying on Jia Cong's background and the connections he has made in Jinling, Xinchunhao's business in Jiangnan has been steadily expanding and will surely get better and better in the future.

Moreover, with a brave and capable woman like Qu Hongxiu as her company, Keqing felt that there could be no better situation than the current one.

If there is only one flaw, it is that Jia Cong is not always by her side. But he is still so young, and there is still a long way to go...

Compared with Keqing's delicate and thoughtful personality, Qu Hongxiu is more open-minded and calm.

When she was young, her family was mysterious and her life was dangerous and uncertain. It was not until she met Jia Cong by chance that she was able to break away from the past and live a stable and peaceful life.

Perhaps because she has seen too many ups and downs, she cherishes her current life very much. All this was brought to her by Jia Cong, and what she cares most about is to help Jia Cong maintain it.

Even if they can't be together now, it's only temporary and she can wait.

In that small courtyard in the northern part of the capital, during the two years of mutual support, the complex and bizarre relationship between her and Jia Cong had become unbreakable.

……

During this day, Hongxiu and Keqing received two letters from Shenjing with similar contents.

A decree from the Imperial Household Department was sent to the head office by express horse.

While the imperial merchants of the Imperial Household Department borrowed official channels and credibility to facilitate their business profits, they also needed to undertake corresponding royal internal affairs duties.

Whenever a war broke out, the Imperial Household Department would assign the purchase and transportation of grain, fodder, clothing, armor, iron materials and other supplies to the subordinate imperial merchants according to the industries they were engaged in.

When it comes to the construction of temples, palaces, river embankments and other projects, the Imperial Household Department will also assign construction, materials, labor and other miscellaneous tasks according to the technical expertise of the subordinate imperial merchants.

The money spent would be allocated in advance by the Ministry of Internal Affairs or paid in advance by the imperial merchants.

Under normal circumstances, any far-sighted imperial merchant would only earn some hard-earned money by taking on these tasks for the Imperial Household Department, and use the opportunity to establish good relations with the royal family and the Imperial Household Department to facilitate future development.

Most of the imperial edicts sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to imperial merchants were about issuing such public duties.

But the imperial edict sent by the Ministry of Internal Affairs this time was a bit strange. There was a sealing wax added to the outside of the box, just to prevent the leakage of information during the transmission process.

Such sealed box sealing wax specifications would only appear when the Imperial Household Department sent out military missions.

Since Xinchunhao was listed as the imperial merchant of the Imperial Household Department, Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing, who were in charge of the business, naturally had a clear understanding of the Imperial Household Department's standards of doing things.

When the two of them read the contents of the sealed edict, they were also very surprised.

It was not until not long after that Baozhu brought Jia Cong a flying feather message from the capital that they truly understood the purpose of the edict.

These days, Wang Dequan, who was in charge of the Xinchun branches in Suyang, happened to return to Jinling from Suzhou for business. Qu Hongxiu immediately sent him to rent or purchase a larger farm on the outskirts of the city.

After the local authorities have implemented the arrangements, he will be asked to transport a batch of Xinchun's goods during the day and temporarily store them there.

At the same time, people were sent to Changzhou and other places to purchase a batch of food and supplies...

……

The capital, Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall, and Mrs. Wang’s bedroom.

Because Jia Cong was going to Nanjing on business these days, Yingchun asked Daiyu and Tanchun to move into the East Palace to keep him company. Later, even Xiangyun, who came to stay at the Jia Mansion for a short time, moved into Yingchun's courtyard.

And Grandmother Jia did not stop him at all. Baoyu was in a bad mood all day long without his sisters to accompany him and laugh with. Seeing this, Mrs. Wang was worried and called Xiren over to question him.

Baoyu has been in a depressed mood these days. He has no fun at all and can't find anyone to complain to. He can only talk to Xiren, who comforts him with soft words and can't help but be affectionate with Baoyu again.

Now that Mrs. Wang suddenly called her over to talk, she felt a little uneasy because she had done that shameful thing several times.

Xiren only breathed a sigh of relief when Mrs. Wang asked Baoyu why he was unhappy recently.

Seeing that Baoyu was not getting along well with his sisters, Xiren privately thought it was a good thing. Not to mention others, especially Miss Lin, Xiren wished they could stay away from each other.

She knew that Miss Lin was a shrewd and capable person with a noble mind. She did not like people rubbing sand in her face and was not as easy to talk to as Miss Bao from Lixiangyuan.

And I secretly tried it with Baoyu several times...

This Miss Lin is the old lady's favorite. She is the old lady's favorite girl. In the future, the old lady will really arrange a marriage between Miss Lin and the Second Master.

As Second Master has always been obedient to Miss Lin, it's only a matter of time before the secret leaks out, causing Miss Lin to feel resentful. How can he then have the face to stay in the room?

This matter has been on Xiren's mind for a long time. In fact, it was mostly because she felt guilty. She didn't know that women from aristocratic families don't necessarily treat their husbands' concubines as a disaster or a beast.

However, Xiren knew that she was of humble origin and was not even a born child of the Jia family. Instead, she was bought by the Jia family with a few taels of silver. She couldn't help feeling inferior.

Although she appeared to be honest, she was more eager to climb up the social ladder than the other maids, otherwise she would not have secretly induced Baoyu to try that kind of thing when he was not yet old enough to dance with the elephant.

You have to know that wealthy families pay more attention to health care than small families. It is not recommended for men to lose their virginity too early before they reach the age of 15, so as to avoid damaging their foundation.

Xiren was taking a risk by doing this with Baoyu without any name or status. If she was discovered, she would most likely be driven out of the house, not to mention becoming his concubine.
Because she knew how serious the situation was, she thought very carefully about this matter. Of course, she felt that there were risks, so she thought about how to put it out.

She knew that Mrs. Wang disliked Miss Lin, and this was exactly what she wanted. However, she had never been able to say anything about it.

Now that Mrs. Wang asked about the topic, it was a good opportunity for her to talk about it. First, it would solve her own hidden danger, and second, it would comply with Mrs. Wang's wishes. In the future, she would be more secure in Baoyu's room. So she said, "Mr. Bao has been unhappy recently because Miss San and Miss Lin have moved to the East Mansion these days. Mr. Bao can't find the girls to talk to every day, so he is unhappy."

Mrs. Wang frowned when she heard this. She knew about this matter of course, and she didn't take it to heart at first. But since she had displeased Baoyu, she was naturally a little unhappy.

Xiren said: "In fact, it is not a bad thing for the girls to move to the East Mansion. Now the girls in the family are all grown up, and Miss Bao and Miss Lin are cousins.

The Madam also knew how the Second Master usually behaved towards his daughters. If there was any mistake here, the Second Master's reputation would be ruined.

I have been thinking about this for the past two years, but I can’t tell anyone. The girls moving to the East Mansion is also a good option…”

When Mrs. Wang heard this, her heart trembled. In fact, she knew very well that her Baoyu was born to like being close to girls, and this could easily cause trouble in a large and luxurious house.

The most important thing in Mrs. Wang's eyes was her eldest daughter, who had always been known for her virtue and gentleness and was now waiting to be selected in the palace to gain a high position.

Moreover, Baoyu is Yuanchun's biological brother. If Baoyu causes some obscene affairs between men and women in the inner house, the reputation of her eldest daughter will be ruined.

It is impossible for the royal family to choose a woman whose family reputation is ruined as a concubine. At that time, even if Yuanchun spent another eight years in the palace, it would be impossible.

……

That’s why Mrs. Wang’s reaction was so intense when Baoyu teased Jin Chuan that time.

She was afraid that Baoyu would hook up with Jin Chuan and do something shameful. Also, Jin Chuan asked Baoyu to investigate the affair between Jia Huan and Caiyun, which also violated Mrs. Wang's taboo.

Whether it is Baoyu or Jia Huan, they are Yuanchun's brothers from the same father. If anything happens to either of them, it will be a family scandal for Yuanchun.

Mrs. Wang would naturally not let such a thing happen, and this was the deep reason why she had to drive Jin Chuan out of the house.

Now that Xiren expressed such concerns, it just hit the nail on the head for Mrs. Wang. How could she not take it seriously?

Originally, he was quite dissatisfied that all the girls in his family had gone to the East Palace, leaving his Baoyu alone. That boy's territory was so fragrant.

Now, after hearing what Xiren said, this is actually a good thing.

Mrs. Wang had no idea of ​​what was in Xiren's mind. She just thought that Xiren was a kind and honest person who was devoted to Baoyu, so she admired and cared for her even more.

Then he thought again, Daiyu is Baoyu's cousin, so isn't she Jia Cong's cousin? If anything happens between the two of them, it won't be the fault of the second wife.

It would be best if that girl Lin lived in the East Palace and didn't come back, so as to avoid making Baoyu stupid and foolish.

Moreover, Mrs. Wang heard that Yingchun had invited Baochai to move to the East Palace to keep her sisters company when Jia Cong went to Jinling, but Baochai declined.

This matter also satisfied Mrs. Wang. After all, she was the daughter-in-law candidate she had chosen, and she would not join in the fun in the East Palace and give that boy face.

As for whether Baochai would be obsessed with her own son if she stayed in the West Mansion and cause the things that Xiren was worried about, Mrs. Wang was not afraid.

At worst, once they get married, everything will be covered up and there will be no need to worry about any bad consequences. Instead, it will fulfill their own wishes and leave the old lady speechless.

Moreover, Mrs. Wang also made up her mind that the next time she talked to Lady Jia about Daiyu's move to the East Palace, she would say some nice things to ease the old lady's worries and let the maid stay in the East Palace more.

This is to prevent her from coming back early and causing Baoyu to become stupid and foolish again, and also disturbing the good times between Baoyu and Baochai.

……

In the northern suburbs of Shenjing, there is the Firearms Workshop.

During these two days, Jia Cong went to the workshop as usual during the day, and at the same time started to prepare for his journey south to Nanjing.

To outsiders, his actions both inside and outside the palace seemed normal, except that he was still in no hurry to go to Nanjing on business, and the palace did not urge him to do so, as if everyone had forgotten about the matter.

Jia Cong naturally didn't know that Lady Wang and Xiren, out of their own selfish motives, would somehow assist in the plan to let Daiyu live in the East Palace forever. If he knew, he wouldn't know how to thank them.

Two days ago, Jia Cong sent the last Feiyu message to Jinling. He had done everything he could.

The debugging of the improved red cannon in the firearms workshop was immediately advanced rapidly.

The gunpowder that was reported to have been dampened on a large scale suddenly seemed to have found a proper disposal method and could no longer delay the construction progress.

The shells and ammunition needed to fire fifty rounds per burst were quickly manufactured and stored.

Yesterday, everyone in the workshop worked together to complete the transportation and transfer of artillery, as well as the packing and sealing of shells and ammunition.

At noon today, Marquis Zhongjing Shi Ding has dispatched 300 elite soldiers from the Fifth Army Battalion to escort the improved artillery from the Meridian Gate south to Nanjing.

In fact, according to the itinerary, taking the sea route may be more convenient, and you can even reach Songjiang directly.

However, according to the latest report from the Ministry of War, pirates and Japanese pirates have frequently appeared in the coastal areas of Songjiang and Suzhou this year, and there are considerable risks in traveling by sea.

And according to Jia Cong's idea, the artillery should first arrive in Jinling and then be transported by land. Although it will take some time, it is the safest way to prevent others from taking advantage of the opportunity.

……

This time, along with the new artillery, they went south with the Portuguese artillery instructor Madeline.

When he was in Liaodong, he and Jia Cong cooperated well in the great victory of Yafu Pass, making the eight Portuguese cannons exert their maximum power.

Jia Cong was very impressed by Madelon's profound knowledge of artillery. After the great victory in Liaodong, he sincerely invited him to join the Great Zhou Firearms Bureau to be responsible for artillery research and debugging.

Madelon has always been unable to tolerate the coldness of the north and has always longed to move to the milder area south of the Yangtze River. For him, escorting the artillery south this time is a good move for him.

Afterwards, Madelen will stay in Jinling to assist Jia Cong in opening the Jinling branch of the Firearms Bureau.

Jia Cong and Liu Shizhen, deputy director of the Firearms Bureau, sent Madelen to the official road heading south from the north of the city before saying goodbye to each other.

Just as the column of five military camps transporting artillery was moving away on the official road.

However, another dusty caravan came from the north of the official road. The caravan was composed of strong and sturdy men. Several of the carriages had thick sheepskin coats tied on the roofs.

If you meet merchants who travel frequently and have some experience and knowledge, they will definitely see that the men in the caravan all have the demeanor of northwestern men, and this caravan must have come from the nine border areas to trade goods.

At this time, Jia Cong and Liu Shizhen had left the official road and returned to the northern suburbs firearms workshop. Naturally, they noticed this inconspicuous merchant caravan heading south.

If Jia Cong could stay on the official road longer, he would notice a familiar face in this caravan.

The man was tall and strong, with a straight nose, a wide mouth, slightly protruding cheekbones, and bright eyes, revealing a shrewd and capable look.

It was Sun Shaozu who was forced to break off the engagement by Jia Cong that day.

(End of this chapter)