Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Jinling, the headquarters of the Military Command.

Although two years have passed, in Jia Cong's memory, Zhang Kangnian's appearance has hardly changed.

He is in his thirties, with regular features, a thin complexion, clear eyes, a solemn expression on his face, and a just right official smile, making it impossible to tell whether he is happy or angry.

From the outside, this man appears to be an impeccable and experienced bureaucrat with a lot of worldly experience.

It was customary for the Ministry of War in the secondary capital to keep the position of Shangshu vacant, with the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War as the most senior and the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War as the second.

However, He Yongzheng, the left vice minister of the Ministry of War in the temporary capital, was nearly sixty years old and had been an important official during the reign of the retired emperor.

Fourteen years ago, there was a drastic change in Shenjing, and He Yongzheng was implicated in it. He was demoted to serve as an official in the Ministry of War in the secondary capital.

He has been in a slump for more than a decade, and due to old age and illness in recent years, he has been staying at home most of the time.

Emperor Jia Zhao only gave him an honorary title in the Ministry of War to save the face of the retired emperor.

He Yongzheng rarely appears in official circles, and people have almost forgotten his existence, so the current military chief of the secondary capital respects Zhang Kangnian, the right assistant minister.

He was promoted from a deputy commander of the Jinling Military Command to a civil official of the third rank in the Ministry of War. He was quite proud of himself.

……

The civil and military officials who came to welcome the arrival of the new artillery were all from the Ministry of War of the Temporary Capital and the Jinling Command. Normally, Zhang Kangnian, who was a third-rank official, was also considered a high-ranking official among them.

But Jia Cong noticed that in the welcoming team, Zhang Kangnian was not walking in the front. Whether standing or walking, he was always half a step behind the other person.

This kind of behavior is also a common practice in official circles. The fact that Zhang Kangnian is one step behind that person means that that person's official position is higher than Zhang Kangnian's.

But the man was wearing the robe of a second-rank military officer. The Great Zhou continued the tradition of the former Song Dynasty. Civil officials were always more important than military officials in the officialdom, and a third-rank civil official could go on par with a second-rank military officer.

Zhang Kangnian's behavior was not due to his humble and respectful nature, otherwise he would have been despised by the civil service group and accused of being servile in front of military officers.

There is only one possibility for such a phenomenon, that is, this second-rank military officer not only has a higher rank than Zhang Kangnian, but has also served as Zhang Kangnian's superior.

Therefore, Zhang Kangnian, a third-rank civil official, would lag one step behind a second-rank military officer when standing or walking, otherwise he would be criticized in the officialdom for being ungrateful.

Jia Cong looked familiar with this man. He remembered that he had met him once two years ago.

That year, he went to Nanjing to copy scriptures for Empress Dowager Xianxiao and participated in the foundation laying and consecration ceremony of Da Ci'en Temple. This man was also present.

Qin Ye, the builder in charge of the construction of the temple at that time, had introduced this man to her, Du Hengxin, the commander of the Jinling Commandery.

This person was also Zhang Kangnian's former superior. No wonder Zhang Kangnian would be concerned about official conventions and behave like that just now.

Although Commander Du holds a high official rank, he does not show any arrogance at all. He has a slightly plump face, fair skin, and a warm and calm expression.

His manners were not as rough as those of military officers, nor was his eyes as cunning as Zhang Kangnian's. Instead, he had the generosity and generosity of a man in a higher position, which made Jia Cong feel somewhat favorable towards him.

As the highest-ranking official among the welcoming officials, Du Hengxin stepped forward and said with a smile, "I met Weiyuan Bo once in Qixia Mountain. Today, he is even more elegant than before."

Jia Cong quickly replied with a smile: "Commander Du is too polite. I am in Nanjing to serve in the Firearms Division of the Temporary Capital. Regarding the training of firearms, I still need Commander Du's guidance."

Du Hengxin's official position was much higher than Jia Cong's. Normally, there was no need to waste time talking to a fifth-rank official.

Although Jia Cong only held a fifth-rank official position, he carried the halo of a descendant of the prosperous Jia family, was granted the title of Weiyuan Earl, and had made great military achievements in Liaodong.

With all these identities endorsed, he is no longer an ordinary fifth-rank official.

Therefore, even a second-rank provincial governor like Du Hengxin did not act rashly or arrogantly in front of the overly young Jia Cong.

He exchanged pleasantries with Jia Cong and recalled the past. He was in high spirits, looked calm and composed, as if he was facing a colleague of the same rank and age. Jia Cong felt as if he were bathed in spring breeze.

Those who can climb to the high position of the second rank are indeed not simple characters.

A group of welcoming officials put in a lot of superficial preparations. Jia Cong and Madelen brought three hundred firearms soldiers and transported five cannons to the regular arsenal of the Duzhihui Division.

He also went through the arsenal entry procedures with the arsenal officials under Du Hengxin and politely declined Du Hengxin's invitation to a dinner, as it was just a formality.

Du Hengxin was also asked to arrange tents for the 300 firearms soldiers who were escorting the artillery in the name of the Jinling Commandery, so that they could take a short rest and then return to Shenjing along the original route to hand in the order.

When Jia Cong and Madelen left the Jinling Commandery, they looked back and saw Zhang Kangnian also leaving with several officers from the Ministry of War.

In the officials' response just now, Du Hengxin was the one who played the leading role diligently.

Zhang Kangnian, as the head of the civil servants, also responded with a few words, but he was neither too enthusiastic nor too cold. His manner was precise and appropriate, and there was nothing wrong with him.

Jia Cong recalled that at the birthday banquet at the Zou Mansion, whether Zhang Kangnian asked him questions or advised Zou Huaiyi, they were all timely.

No matter from which angle you look at it, this person exudes a very unusual meaning.

If Jia Cong's guesses about him are correct, this person must be much more difficult to deal with than Zou Huaiyi back then...

……

Jinling, Gongyu Street, Qingyin Pavilion.

The clear and melodious sound of the pipa rang out from the private room on the third floor. The sound of the strings was sometimes sad and lingering, like the sweet whispers of a man and a woman, and sometimes stirring and sad, like the farewell song of Yishui.

Amid the clear and melodious sound of the pipa strings, a beautiful and exquisite singing voice follows, revealing a cool and gentle meaning that makes people feel awe-inspiring and intoxicated.

The skill of the string player was excellent, which attracted many guests in Qingyin Pavilion. They could not help but follow the sound. Even many servants who were serving tea and water in the corridor stopped and were attracted by the sound of the string music.

Although the sound of the strings and the singing were bright, brilliant, charming and sharp, they lacked roundness and simplicity, as if the person playing the strings was in the prime of his youth, full of affection, with a grudge in his heart that was difficult to resolve.

Only some experienced musicians in the pavilion knew something about the basics of the pipa string sound.

Some time ago, a lady named Zhou came from the Pipa Music Bureau of the Shenjing Jiaofang Bureau. She was young, pretty, and a rare, first-class figure.

This Madam Zhou received an imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites in the capital and went to Jiangnan to select and purchase top-quality opera singers and dancers. She is currently residing temporarily in Qingyin Pavilion.

The musicians in the pavilion were very caring towards Miss Zhou and would try their best to meet any requests she made.

The reason why everyone is so fond of Madam Zhou is because she is the Pavilion Master's apprentice in Shenjing.

Not only was she extremely beautiful, but she also had a great talent for music. After only one year of learning from Lady Qing, she was already able to play the pipa in an extraordinary way.

What's even more rare is that this Miss Zhou actually has a natural good voice. Although it still needs to be tempered, this natural talent is already quite good.

Many experienced female artists in Qingyin Pavilion have spent half their lives immersed in music, are highly specialized in their professions, and have sharp vision.

Many people concluded that this Miss Zhou, who was only 15 years old, already had such a foundation. As long as she trained with the Pavilion Master for ten years, she would be able to produce another Jade Venerable Pipa Heavenly Sound. In the future, the Pavilion Master's legacy would most likely be passed on to Miss Zhou, so naturally the female artists in the Pavilion could not help but treat her differently.

……

It is said that good things are always appreciated by someone. As soon as this lady Zhou entered Qingyin Pavilion, her bright and charming demeanor attracted the attention of the passing musicians.

Some young men who are conceited about their romantic and elegant appearance even thought about how to get close to her, but they didn't expect that someone was quicker than them and got there first.

Moreover, this person is now very famous in Jinling City. He is Jia Cong, a member of the Jinling Jia family who went to Jinling on an imperial mission some time ago.

This man not only had an outstanding literary reputation in Jiangnan, and once had a song that was sung by the whole city, but he also made great contributions in exterminating the enemies in Liaodong and was granted the title of Weiyuan Earl.

When it comes to jealousy in front of women, these young men from Jinling who often go in and out of the elegant Qingyin Pavilion and spend money like water are unwilling to give in to anyone else.

But compared with this first comer, they still admitted defeat very quickly.

In fact, the gap between us is too great. I cannot compare with him in literary talent, and I am also far behind him in wealth and power.

Not to mention the man's appearance, which makes women blush and fall in love with him, but makes men feel despair.

Fortunately, what Jinling City is most lacking is beauties. The sun rises in the east and the rain falls in the west. There are always beauties waiting for you to pick. Why bother with a one-sided love for just one season of spring...

All the young men of Jinling who love feasting, entertainment and idle talk are not rough people like Xue Dashazi. They have some feelings, and especially when they encounter insurmountable obstacles, they are naturally extremely open-minded.

……

Qingyin Pavilion, an elegant room on the third floor, has a fragrant tea aroma on the table, a glossy porcelain luster, a subtle aroma floating in the air, and melodious sounds that are intoxicating.

After the piece was finished, Jia Cong clapped his hands and praised, "Young lady's skills have already acquired one-third of the charm of Lady Qing. It really lingers in my ears for three days. It is very beautiful to listen to."

Zou Min'er wore a green plum satin front-opening bodice, a white cross-collared thin silk blouse, and a plain pleated skirt. Her skin was fragrant and her face was beautiful.

The two outstanding young men and women in the room are incomparable, making this exquisitely decorated elegant room full of youthful and charming flavor.

But after Zou Miner finished playing the song, the extraordinary beauty in her voice seemed to disappear in an instant, and she looked at Jia Cong with disgust.

This look made Jia Cong feel quite embarrassed, probably because he was rarely looked at like this by a woman.

Jia Cong was somewhat helpless: "Miss Zou, your pipa music just now was so moving, but now you look at me like this, it really spoils the mood."

Zou Miner glanced at him and said, "If you hadn't been telling lies, I wouldn't have played the strings and sang in front of you."

Jia Cong sighed, "The past is gone, and what happened cannot be undone. I know the gap between me and the girl is hard to bridge, but things in this world are beyond our control.

Now that we are working together for the cause of state, we should always put aside our personal grudges and likes and dislikes. Don't say that you have an irreconcilable grudge against me, I also feel extremely uncomfortable around the girl.

So, let's put aside our worries and get this matter resolved as soon as possible, so that we can each be at peace and avoid being disgusted with each other and feeling unhappy. "

When Zou Min'er heard what Jia Cong said, a look of disgust and disappointment appeared on her face. Her face turned slightly pale. She gently put the pipa aside, sat opposite the table, and said nothing.

Jia Cong added: “People who come to Qingyin Pavilion all come to listen to music, drink tea and chat, and enjoy their time.

We were the only two who came into the private room and stayed there for half an hour without making any noise. Others would definitely be curious and would come up with some strange guesses, which would arouse suspicion in the eyes of those who were interested."

After hearing this, Zou Miner's pretty face turned red for no reason.

Jia Cong smiled slightly: "The Water Supervision Bureau case has been turbulent for the past two years. Now Zhou Zhengyang is involved. How many spies are there who are not involved?

I was originally closely related to this matter. Although I have put in a lot of effort, it is inevitable that there will still be people hiding in the dark who will spy on me. It is always right for you and me to pay attention to everything.

The young lady just played a piece of music, and I heard footsteps outside. The music must have moved all four seats. This is the normal way for the host and the guests in the pavilion to play music in harmony."

Zou Miner heard him explain this to her in a detailed and businesslike manner, and it seemed that he was indeed a thoughtful person. However, listening to it made her feel mixed emotions.

……

She took out a stack of documents from the inner layer of the pipa bag and said, "This is what you wanted last time, the records of military officers above the fourth rank in the Jinling Military Command.

These are not official documents from the Ministry of Personnel. They are collected by the China Railway Corporation through various channels. I have sorted out and annotated the information. "

Jia Cong noticed that almost every piece of document had notes outlined in red ink. Some sentences were sharp and clear, and the handwriting was delicate and beautiful, which looked very pleasing to the eye.

Jia Cong suddenly understood that an inner court like the Imperial Chariot Department would not just accept a delicate girl, probably because they valued the unique qualities of Zou Miner.

It is not known whether it was because of Madam Qing or for some other reason, Jia Cong had no idea.

Seeing Jia Cong's brows half-knitted as he looked through the documents intently, Zou Min'er was slightly stunned, and then she pulled out a cover with a mark on it from the bottom of the documents.

"This is Zhang Kangnian's case. He is a serious suspect. In addition to Nanjing, he also served as an official in Dezhou and Gusu. I have also collected secret reports from these two places."

This man was a close friend of Luo Xiong, the commander of Suzhou Guard, and also had a close relationship with Zhou Zhengyang, the commander of Jinling Guard. Before Zhou Zhengyang got into trouble, the two families had even discussed a marriage.

Zhou Zhengyang's concubine's daughter once wanted to marry Zhang Kangnian's nephew... "

After hearing these words, Jia Cong looked through Zhang Kangnian's case several times but did not say anything about this matter.

Instead, he asked, "Miss Zou said last time that the Central Vehicle Division received news that the confidant who escaped with Zhou Zhengyang appeared in a place called Haishanzhu.

The girl even led people to search along the river, but found no trace. "

Zou Miner replied: "Although no traces have been found for the time being, Zhou Zhengyang has no place to stand in the Great Zhou, and the only way to survive is to go along the river and into the sea.

He must have found some way to evade the search by the guards on both land and sea. He may have gone out to sea, or he may be hiding somewhere in a coastal town, waiting for an opportunity."

Jia Cong's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said, "You said Zhou Zhengyang had a way to avoid the search and investigation by the Wei army by water. Suddenly, I thought of something."

Zou Min'er found his words a little abrupt and didn't react for a moment. She looked at him with her bright eyes, waiting for him to say what he had thought of.

Jia Cong said thoughtfully: "I want to go to Gusu to find a person. I am the only one who has seen this person. It will be inconvenient to send others.

But my identity is sensitive, and it might arouse suspicion if I leave my government affairs in Nanjing and suddenly go to Gusu.

I know that the young lady was ostensibly following an imperial edict from the Ministry of Rites to go to Jiangnan to purchase opera singers and dancing girls in preparation for the grand banquet and opera performances held by the Imperial Music Bureau in the capital.

Suzhou has been the hometown of opera and music in the south of the Yangtze River since ancient times. There are countless folk opera troupes and singing groups with many talented people. It is only natural for girls to go there to select and purchase female musicians.

These days, the young lady and I have been in harmony with each other in Qingyin Pavilion, and everyone else feels that we are close. Even if I accompany the young lady to Suzhou, most outsiders will think of me somewhere else and will not arouse suspicion... "

Zou Min'er, who was standing by, blushed when she heard the ambiguity in Jia Cong's words. Her bright eyes were filled with anger. She felt that this man was so shameless in his attempt to achieve his goal. (End of this chapter)