Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 377: The City of Trouble

Jinling, Xinglongfang, the old residence of the Jia family.

Jin Cai and his wife, along with the housekeeper and servants, had been waiting at the west corner gate for nearly half an hour.

The summer heat in Jinling is unbearable. Although the eaves under the corner gate cast a large shadow, standing there for a long time still makes people feel hot all over.

But there was no sign of anxiety on Jin Cai's face. He was still waiting there respectfully with his wife and a few stewards.

Ever since the direct descendants of Ning and Rong moved to Shenjing, the old house in Jinling has been in a semi-closed state and has not received any distinguished guests for a long time.

Jin Cai is the head steward of the old house of the Jia family and is a respected figure in Xinglongfang. Whenever the younger generations of the Jia family see him, they will respectfully call him Grandpa Jin.

In the eyes of the twelve descendants of the Jia family in Jinling, although Jin Cai was an old servant, his status in the family was not much worse than that of an ordinary master.

Everyone knows that he worked as a servant of the old Duke Rong when he was young, and his daughter Yuanyang is the personal maid of the old lady of the Jia family, and is also the old lady's most trusted confidant.

The twelfth branch of the Jinling Jia family was a branch of the Jia family and was unable to move to the capital with the main branch, so the two sides became estranged over time.

The old lady of Rongguo Mansion had been away from Jinling for who knows how many years. She had hardly ever met any of the young men of the literary generation in Jinling. It would be a stretch to say that they had a deep family relationship.

Therefore, the identity of Jin Cai, an old servant of the direct lineage who stayed in Jinling, became very special.

When the Jia family members in Jinling wanted help from their fellow roommates in Shenjing, they would sometimes have to ask Jin Cai to pass on the message to the Shenjing Mansion, which was much more effective than asking others themselves.

Not to mention the relationship between Jin Cai and the old Duke in the past, just his precious daughter Yuanyang, if she just said a few words in the old lady's ear, it would be of little use at most.

Therefore, whenever there were weddings, funerals, or festival gift exchanges, the concubines of Xinglongfang would send invitations to Jincai, seizing the opportunity to get close to her.

However, Jin Cai was an old Taoist who had seen the world, and he knew very well that those twelve concubines were not easy to deal with.

He was worried that if he got too close, he would be branded and bring inconvenience to the Duke of Shenjing's Mansion with an excuse. He was even more worried about causing gossip about his daughter.

Therefore, when encountering such things in normal times, we would just be polite and give face, try not to get involved and show our faces, and just close the door of the old house and live our own lives.

Such a shrewd and thoughtful person who doesn't care about external affairs is now waiting obediently at the corner gate to welcome guests, with an unusual amount of respect and patience on his face.

This scene made the neighbors in the side houses in Xinglongfang look very strange. They wondered who the important person that Old Man Jin was going to meet today was.

When the sun was about to rise above the crowd, the sound of horses' hooves came from the door of the house. The sound came from far away and got closer, with a hint of arrogant and powerful force.

Jin Cai saw from afar that a carriage was approaching from the tall gate of the square.

Behind the carriage followed a dozen mounted guards, wearing the military uniforms of the Great Zhou Dynasty. They were all strong and had muskets on their backs. They looked brave and majestic.

Jin Cai showed a happy expression on his face, and said to his wife, "Did you see that? That must be the Third Master's cavalry. Go back to the Second Gate and prepare some wine, food and accommodation to welcome the Third Master."

……

When Jia Cong sent Zhishao to Gusu, he asked Jiang Liu to take 15 musketeers as guards to arrive in Jinling first, and agreed on a return date in advance.

So Jiang Liu had been waiting at the dock with his men for the past two days, and this morning he took Jia Cong back home.

When Jia Cong returned to Shenjing from Liaodong, he brought 500 musketeers from Liaodong back to Shenjing to change guard.

The fifteen musketeers who accompanied Jinling in the escort were all elite soldiers among the five hundred musketeers.

Everyone had followed Jia Cong to fight in many places in Liaodong, participated in the battles of Yafu Pass and Qingyuanji, and had extremely high trust and loyalty to Jia Cong.

As a hereditary earl, he was ordered to go to Nanjing on business, accompanied by a dozen military guards. This was a common display of military honors and was not considered an eye-catching move.

However, this scene seemed somewhat shocking to Jincai and the neighbors living in the side houses in Xinglongfang.

Ever since the cavalry entered Xinglongfang, it has attracted a lot of people's attention.

Since the two Dukes Ning and Rong passed away one after another, their descendants have been mediocre and have only served as wealthy and idle officials who inherited their titles.

The Jia family members in Xinglongfang were already very unfamiliar with this kind of military feat scene with personal guards, and they did not expect to see it happen again today.

……

Jin Cai looked at the approaching cavalry with a smile on his face, and went to meet them with his servants.

Two years ago, Jia Cong went to Jinling for the first time, also on a mission ordered by the emperor. Jin Cai knew that he had made a name for himself in the imperial examinations and was valued by the emperor, but he was still young and could not hold a formal official position.

Now, only two years had passed, and he had become a fifth-rank official, one level higher than the second master in the mansion, and was even conferred the hereditary title of Earl of Weiyuan by the emperor.

Although the Jia family had a great reputation and already had the honor of being Duke of two countries.

However, Jia Cong was granted a title at such a young age. Not to mention the twenty brothers of the Jia family, I am afraid there is no one else like him in the whole world.

That was why Jin Cai welcomed Jia Cong into the mansion in such a serious manner. In his opinion, no matter how cautious the etiquette was, it was not excessive.

Now, in addition to the old lady, the Jia family has two other masters who have inherited the title and salary. No one is more noble and glorious than the third master.

Jia Cong got off the carriage and saw Jin Cai and several stewards. He smiled and said, "Butler Jin, how are you?"

Jin Cai smiled: "This old servant is very strong. I often hear news about the Third Master from the north. The Third Master is very capable and rare in the world. It is a cause for celebration that he was granted a title at such a young age.

The courtyard where the Third Master used to live was cleaned up a few days ago, and two first-class maids and two rough maids were assigned to it. They are all good housewives who are dedicated to their duties and will definitely serve the Third Master wholeheartedly. "

Because there were no women living in the old house, Jin Cai specially sent Jia Cong to the courtyard inside the second gate.

Jia Cong lived in this courtyard two years ago. The houses inside are still the same, but the furnishings are much more luxurious than before.

On the table in the main hall was a statue of nine jade-like treasures made of dark brown and reddish wood, inlaid with rubies as big as longan, and also inlaid with green pine, agate and red pearls.

There was a carved glass screen on the partition of the inner room, which was crystal clear and dazzling. Jia Cong had seen one of them at Wang Xifeng's place. It was said that they were rare offerings from the coast of the West Sea.

Entering the bedroom, there was a red jadeite longevity incense burner with cloud pattern on the table. The jade color was translucent and had a warm red hue. Milky white smoke was emitting from it, which was refreshing.

There was a gilded Western clock on the desk.

There is also a jade flower bonsai with jade-carved vines and gourds, and grapes with green leaves hanging below. The jade light flows and it looks lifelike.

Jin Cai said: "There are usually no masters or mistresses in the old house, and many valuable things are stored in the warehouse. Now the third master's status is very different, and he is not as simple as before.

I took the initiative to take out a few items that my grandfather used from the storeroom to add some life to the courtyard."

In the past few years, Jia Cong has seen many rare things in Rongguo Mansion, so he has some taste. These valuable ornaments in the room are rare even in Rongguo Mansion.

Antiques of this magnitude could only be seen in Lady Jia's Rongqing Hall or Sister Feng's courtyard, which was rich in furniture.

The old houses in Jinling are now vacant. Most of the good things in the house have been shipped to the capital. These things are probably the best things in the old house. Jin Cai can be said to be very attentive to herself.

This scene is much more grand than his own Earl's Mansion.

……

Jinling, Fenglefang.

This place is not as noble as Xinglongfang, where all the old residences of the nobles and princes of the Great Zhou Dynasty are located.

However, since the booming development of Jinling's maritime trade, this previously unknown district located in the east of Jinling City has also risen rapidly in a few years.

Many small and medium-sized officials made a fortune in the maritime trade by relying on their official powers, and built houses here one after another, so this place has also been called the Officials' Quarter in recent years.

Some of these officials were cautious and simply sent their family members out to run foreign goods businesses, relying on the power at hand to do some illegal businesses.

The other kind is actually abusing their power, colluding with maritime merchants, and seeking huge profits. Ever since the Water Supervision Bureau case was cracked two years ago, its aftermath has been like a touchstone for the Jinling officialdom.

Many officials living in Fenglefang were implicated in major cases involving the Water Supervision Bureau. Some suffered lighter punishments such as dismissal from office, while others were thrown into prison and lost their lives.

The officials who are still able to live here are all cautious and respectful. They make some hard-earned money through family business and naturally will not be caught.

At this moment, in an unremarkable three-courtyard house in the alley, there is a study room filled with books and antiques, filled with a refreshing and elegant atmosphere.

A middle-aged man with a dignified demeanor, holding an exquisite blue and white covered teacup in his hand, was listening to a young man standing with his hands hanging down. The young man was of medium build and half of his left little finger was missing.

"Sir, our connections with the Dali Temple, the Ministry of Personnel, and other government offices in Shenjing have all been cleared out by the Court of Inquisition because of the leak. Now the news in Shenjing is very poor.

In addition, this time the Ministry of Personnel carried out personnel rotation in various government offices in Nanjing. The newly assigned officials did not know the original rules, and things became much more difficult than before.

Some of the officials who were rotated were found to have clues and were imprisoned, but these people are basically on the periphery and cannot affect us at present.

Also, the Zhen family wants to temporarily stop our business with them... "

The middle-aged man frowned and asked, "Why do they suddenly want to stop?"

The young man replied: "A merchant ship of the Zhen family had been out at sea for three months. It was unaware of the current market conditions in Nanjing. When it entered the port, a new official from the Maritime Customs Office found contraband on board.

The third young master of the Zhen family was not very courageous and was worried about something going wrong, so he asked our people to suspend the operation."

The middle-aged man sneered: "The Zhen family is very courageous. Their home is a den of foxes, and now a little fox has appeared. The whole family can often walk by the river without getting their feet wet...

Those Lumit guns are not worth much. Have we found the person we are looking for?"

The young man replied: "We found the person, an Englishman, currently settled in a place west of the city."

The middle-aged man asked again: "Where are the things we bought from Liaodong now?"

The young man replied, "We have received news from the north that the goods have been shipped. When they arrive in Shenjing, they will find a proper trade route to the south. The ports are now full of new officials and the inspections are strict, so we are going by land this time."

The middle-aged man said, "From a long-term perspective, this is the most important thing. You should take good care of that Englishman and make sure nothing happens to him. If an emergency comes, don't let him have a chance to speak."

The young man replied, "I understand. Your Excellency asked me to keep an eye on Jia Cong's whereabouts. Today, someone at Longtan Port saw him arrive in Jinling."

The middle-aged man looked a little puzzled: "He is much slower than I thought. The emperor asked him to go to Nanjing to do his job, but he took more than a month to arrive."

The young man replied, "In the past few days, our people have been keeping an eye on the movements of officials heading south. In fact, Jia Cong's entourage and guards arrived in Jinling a few days ago, and he alone arrived today."

The middle-aged man's eyes lit up and he asked, "With his current status, he traveled alone without any followers or guards. He must not want people to know his whereabouts. Have you found out where he went?"

The young man replied, "Our people asked the boatman, and he said Jia Cong boarded the boat from Gusu. As for why he went to Gusu alone, there is no way to find out."

The middle-aged man said quietly, "It was he who uncovered the Water Inspectorate's affairs. Even Zou Huaiyi fell into his hands for no apparent reason. We must be on guard against such people."

The young man said, "Sir, it took almost two months after Zhou Zhengyang's incident for him to arrive in Jinling, and the imperial edict ordered him to set up a branch of the Jinling Firearms Department, so he should have nothing to do with this incident, right?
Yang Hongbin is now in charge of the Jinlingwei case, but he has no clue about it so far. When Zhou Zhengyang left, he cleared out all the people he couldn't take away, and Yang Hongbin has reached a dead end.

If the court wants to send Jia Cong to investigate the case, it is a matter of urgency and they will definitely make it known. They will definitely not let him take so long to arrive in Jinling."

The middle-aged man nodded after hearing this, and he also felt that this made some sense, but he was still worried, so he said: "Let your people keep an eye on Jia Cong, and if there is anything unusual, we can prepare early."

……

Jinling, Dazaimen, Xinchunhao Jiangnan Head Office, backyard.

Qu Hongxiu leaned against the door with a smile on her face, looking at Jia Cong waving a scimitar in the yard.

There was a figure in the yard, with a nimble and heroic figure, skillful and neat moves, and a bright and fine sword light, leaping around his body. His attack was like thunder, and his defense was like condensed green light, which was dazzling to the eyes.

At the second-floor window, Keqing was watching Jia Cong practicing sword with great interest. It was the first time she saw Jia Cong practicing martial arts. She also heard Qu Hongxiu say with some pride that Jia Cong was taught all his martial arts by her.

Although she had no idea whether Jia Cong was good at training, judging from Hongxiu's expression, he should be good. He was good at both literature and martial arts. In her eyes, he was indescribably good.

After being apart for such a long time, they finally met again. Keqing's joy was beyond words, but she couldn't show it too much in front of Qu Hongxiu.

When Jia Cong stopped wielding the knife, Qu Hongxiu came forward to talk to her, demonstrated a few moves, and even pinched Jia Cong's hands and feet a few times, which made Keqing feel a little jealous.

She took two cups of herbal tea that she had brewed earlier, went downstairs and into the backyard.

Jia Cong took the cold tea, but stared at Keqing with his bright eyes, a smile on his face, and he seemed to be in a good mood. Keqing's pretty face flushed, and she had a lot to say.

Unfortunately, there was Miss Qu shining brightly nearby, so they had to give up for the time being. The atmosphere at the scene was already a bit weird.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I will stay in Jinling for a long time. I will come here to see you as soon as I have time. If you have any urgent matters, just send someone to the old house in Xinglongfang to inform me."

Qu Hongxiu's eyes flickered as she said, "Don't bother yourself. I haven't been with you for the past two years, and you haven't learned all my skills. From now on, you must come to me at 15:30 every day.

Practice with me for half an hour, and then go to the government office after the morning hour.

In addition, we have also obtained the farm you requested, which is the former property of the Zhen family in Jinling. When things come to a critical point, we can settle it down safely."

Seeing Jia Cong's expression slightly startled, she said with a slight frown: "Why not?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Sister Xiu is willing to teach me, I'd love to have you. How could it be impossible? I come here early every morning. The farm you bought is the property of the Zhen family in Jinling?"

Qu Hongxiu replied, "The Zhen family is a wealthy family in Jinling with a lot of assets under their name. It's just a coincidence that the manor I like happens to belong to them, and the formalities and paperwork are all in place."

Jia Cong only asked about the Zhen family's old property because he had heard of it. It was common to run into acquaintances and old families in business, so he didn't take it too seriously.

He then took out a gilded pocket watch, glanced at it, and said, "I have some official business to attend to, so I will go to your place tomorrow morning."

Baozhu, who was outside, heard what Jia Cong said and asked curiously, "Brother Cong, you just asked me how to get to Qingyin Pavilion. You can also do government affairs there."

Jia Cong: "..."

Qu Hongxiu couldn't help but chuckle and said, "The emperor has given you a good job. Qingyin Pavilion is full of women. Where are you going to do your work?"

Jia Cong felt regretful in his heart. He thought to himself that he was so stupid as to ask Baozhu, such a quick-talking girl, for directions.

He quickly explained: "I'm not kidding you, I'm really going to work..."

Qu Hongxiu said: "I don't care what you do. You have learned my Kung Fu and know the rules. It's not good if you can't follow the rules."

Jia Cong's face showed a trace of embarrassment. He wanted to laugh but held it back. Then he waved to them and left.

Keqing felt a little reluctant to see Jia Cong leave in a hurry. When she heard that he was going to Qingyin Pavilion, she wondered if that was where Madam Qu Le was raised and what government business could be done there.

Then he asked curiously, "Sister Xiu, you said that the Kung Fu you teach has certain rules. What are those rules? Why do you feel a little uncomfortable when you hear that?"

Qu Hongxiu wanted to laugh, but he held it back and said, "The swordplay and Qi movement techniques that Brother Cong has practiced are the secrets of our Qu family. Before the age of fifteen, you must maintain your boyish body, otherwise you will hurt yourself and lose your skills."

Qin Keqing blushed when she heard this, and couldn't help asking, "How could you say that to him?"

Qu Hongxiu looked curious and said, "I will not pass on my family martial arts to anyone else except him. This is very important, so I have to tell him."

Keqing had a stunned expression on her face after hearing this: "After all, there is a difference between men and women, so you are not afraid of taboos..."

Qu Hongxiu looked at Keqing's expression and couldn't help laughing: "When I met him, he was only a little old. There was nothing wrong with what he said."

Then he said, "Keqing, he likes women. Jinling is a world of pleasure. Don't let him do whatever he wants. You have to persuade him. He will listen to you."

Qin Keqing: “…….”

(End of this chapter)