Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Nanjing, Ministry of Works, Firearms Department.

Among the six ministries of the temporary capital, the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites are two idle offices.

Not only were the positions of Shangshu in these two yamen vacant, but many of the regular official posts were also reduced in order to reduce redundancy.

Therefore, although these two government offices are not deserted at ordinary times, they are not very popular and there are not many people coming in and out all day long.

Compared with the busy official business and the powerful government offices such as the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue in the secondary capital, the comparison is like heaven and earth.

But since Jia Cong arrived in Jinling, the Ministry of Works, which had been very deserted, seemed to have suddenly turned around and became increasingly popular.

There were not only foreigners with blond hair, blue eyes, strange clothes and weird skin colors, but also those who came in and out of the Firearms Office every day.

Even in the government offices such as the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Nanjing Military Command, officials often came and went to hand over official business.

This made the officials in the Ministry of Works, who were spending their days in idleness, look at him with awe and even feel ashamed.

Everyone thought that the reason why Jia Jianzheng, who was not yet twenty years old, enjoyed such great fame at a young age was that he had his own abilities.

He had only been in Nanjing for a short time, but he had managed to turn the small Firearms Department, which consisted of only four clerks, into a bustling and bustling scene.

It is no wonder that such an energetic person was able to rise so quickly and smoothly in his official career at such a young age.

But early that morning, a captain in brocade uniform, wearing a flying fish robe and an embroidered spring sword on his waist, appeared in the courtyard of the Ministry of Works, which surprised the officials of the Ministry.

The place where this Jinyi centurion went was the East Courtyard where the Firearms Department's official residence was temporarily set up.

The Jinyiwei, a group of vicious and cruel henchmen, have always been feared by civil officials. Under normal circumstances, there is no official dealings between the Jinyiwei and the six ministries.

If there is any contact, most of the time they will come to the person's home to pick him up...

The officials of the Ministry of Works who saw this scene all guessed in their hearts that being visited by these lackeys was probably not a good thing.

……

The small courtyard east of the Ministry of Works is the official residence of the Firearms Bureau.

Jia Cong met the people from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who were even old acquaintances of his.

He once guarded the construction site of the Da Ci'ensi and assisted Jia Cong in eliminating the Japanese ronin. Now he is Liu Hai, a captain of the Jinyiwei.

After the two men exchanged a few pleasantries, Liu Hai took out the official document sent from the Shenjing Jinyiwei Command to the Jinling Jinyiwei Thousand Households Office and asked Jia Cong to take a look.

This made Jia Cong feel a little strange. According to common sense, there was no way for the Jinyiwei's official documents to be reviewed by an official from the Ministry of Works.

After he quickly read the contents of the document, he couldn't help feeling awe-inspiring.

According to the official document of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, nine damaged and improved Rumi guns suddenly disappeared from the Yafu Pass arsenal in Liaodong last month.

The armory officer Zhang Haodong deserted his post and his body was found fifty miles west of Yafuguan. He was stabbed in the back and died.

The current emperor was furious and ordered the Jinyiwei and military officers from various places to check the road checkpoints, but more than half a month has passed and still nothing has been found.

The whereabouts of the nine stolen improved Rumi guns are still unknown.

The emperor also ordered the Jinyiwei Command in Shenjing to issue an order, requiring the Jinyiwei in various places to strictly investigate the smuggling and circulation of local firearms, hoping to find clues about the stolen musket.

……

Jia Cong knew clearly why Emperor Jia Zhao had mobilized such a large army. The improved Rumi gun was developed by himself and represented the most advanced firearms technology of the Great Zhou.

If the stolen muskets are not recovered, the craftsmanship of the improved Rummey gun will soon be dismantled and imitated, with unimaginable consequences.

However, the nine improved Rumi guns have been stolen for more than a month and have not been recovered yet. Perhaps the improved principle of the Rumi gun has been disassembled and studied by someone and is no longer a secret.

……

Liu Hai said: "According to the order, the Jinling Jinyiwei will conduct a strict investigation on the smuggling and hiding of firearms in the city.

We have obtained relevant documents from the Maritime Customs, which record a total of 21 cases of illegal smuggling of firearms at various ports in Nanjing in the past six months.

Although the smuggled firearms had been confiscated on the spot, according to the description of the officials of the Maritime Customs, the original officials of the Maritime Customs had been covering up the smuggling of firearms before they were rotated.

The wealthy people in Jiangnan are most fond of Western exotic techniques and have always had a hobby of hunting with muskets for fun. The actual smuggled firearms are far more than what we see today.

In addition, Shenjing is located in the north, which is the hub of the world. If someone steals new muskets from the north, they must know that the government will conduct strict inspections in the north to protect the safety of Shenjing.

Therefore, the person who stole the new musket was likely to carry the stolen goods south. The south was rich and densely populated, and there were several states connected to the open sea, making it an ideal place to hide and escape.

Nanjing is a major port in the south of the Yangtze River with a diverse population. It is the meeting point of the north and the south. It is not impossible that these stolen firearms passed through Nanjing.

Therefore, Lord Ge ordered the Royal Guards to search and question all the people involved in the firearms smuggling case one by one.

One is to deter the smuggling and hiding of firearms, and the other is to hope to find clues about the theft of new types of firearms.

However, there was no one in the Jinyiwei who was familiar with firearms, and they knew nothing about the stolen improved Rumi gun.

So Lord Ge asked me to come to Lord Jia and ask the Firearms Bureau to assign an agent who is familiar with firearms to cooperate with the Embroidered Uniform Guard to search and interrogate suspicious people.

Lord Ge also explained that Lord Jia was an expert in firearms and the initiator of the Great Zhou's strong military with firearms. He was always resourceful and was highly valued by the emperor.

Regarding this firearms smuggling investigation, I must be open and honest with Lord Jia about all the secrets and tricks, and I also ask for your advice and guidance."

……

Liu Hai handed Jia Cong another list and said, "This is the list of people who were caught smuggling firearms, extracted from the documents of the Maritime Customs. They are also the targets of the Jinyiwei's investigation this time."

Jia Cong was moved when he heard this. It was surprising that Ge Zhicheng, a captain of the Jinling Jinyiwei, was so frank and open with him in the investigation of the stolen musket.

It is also possible that the Shenjing Jinyiwei Command Department obtained permission from the palace to allow the Nanjing Jinyiwei to adapt to local conditions and make use of the power of the Director of the Firearms Department. It is unknown.

After all, even the improved Rumi gun was developed by himself. When it comes to familiarity with firearms, few people can surpass him.

……

Jia Cong said: "That's no problem. The guards I brought from Shenjing this time are all musketeers from the Firearms Battalion, and they are familiar with the use of the improved Rumi gun.

It would be perfect for me to select a few of them to help you investigate the smugglers."

Jia Cong took a few glances at the list Liu Hai gave him, and one line of words caught his attention.

'Jinling Zhen family donated the fifth-rank Tongzhi, Zhen Shiwen.'

Jia Cong asked, "Is this Zhen Shiwen a member of the Zhen family in Jinling?"

Liu Hai replied: "This person is a member of the Zhen family.

Zhen Yingjia, the president of Jinling Provincial Tiren Academy, has two sons. The eldest son is Zhen Shiwen, and because he is the third child, he is called Zhen Sangongzi by others.

Zhen Yingjia also has a young son, Zhen Baoyu, who has been raised by the women in the inner house since he was young and usually never leaves the house. However, he is a spoiled child and is not a cause for concern.

However, this Third Master Zhen is quite remarkable.

Ever since the second master of the Zhen family, Zhen Yingquan, died at sea, the third son of the Zhen family began to manage the Zhen family's business. He has been very active in the outside world in the past two years.

Earlier this month, a ship under his name entered Longtan Harbor, where Wang Weian, a newly transferred official from the Maritime Customs, inspected and found three brand new foreign-made Lumi guns smuggled on board.

Therefore, Zhen Shiwen was also among those being searched and questioned by the Royal Guards this time."

Jia Cong frowned when he heard this, and suddenly remembered that Jia She had encouraged Jia Qiang to join the firearms workshop.

Although Jia Cong sternly rejected this proposal and it did not cause any adverse consequences, it left a deep impression on him.

It seems that every big family always has one or two guys who are not law-abiding...

……

Jinling, Fenghe Street.

A new shop called Xiuwen Pavilion has opened in the core location of this street. It has three rooms in a row and is very large. The store is exquisitely and elegantly decorated, and all items are made of high-quality materials.

As soon as the shop opened, it attracted guests from all over the world. The store entrance was crowded with people and cars and horses, making it the most eye-catching scenery on Fenghe Street.

The owner of this shop is Miss Zhen San, the famous daughter of the second branch of the Zhen family.

Nowadays, all the major families in Jinling City are aware of the extraordinary qualities of Miss Zhen San. The Zhen family's current prosperity in maritime trade is all managed by Miss Zhen San.

For some unknown reason, Miss Zhen San suddenly opened a new shop on Fenghe Street. In addition to selling exquisite foreign goods, she also sold many exquisite local items from Jiangnan.

There are even Xinchunhao’s best-selling premium perfumes.

Rumor has it that the reason Miss Zhen San opened a new shop was to establish a trade relationship with Xinchunhao, the royal merchant in Jinling City, and they might cooperate in distribution operations in the future.

As for the details, outsiders have no idea, but it must not be groundless, because there are forty bottles of top-quality Xinchun perfume on the display cabinet of Xiuwen Pavilion.

You should know that ordinary merchants who go to Xinchunhao for bulk purchases are not allowed to purchase more than twenty bottles of high-quality perfumes each time, and Xinchunhao has also strictly limited the number of purchases per year.

The purpose of Xinchunhao's operation is to prevent individual customers from purchasing high-quality perfumes in bulk, which will impact and weaken the sales of Xinchunhao's exclusive stores in various places.

Therefore, Xiuwen Pavilion has the ability to display forty bottles of high-quality Xinchun perfume at one time.

According to speculation by insiders, Miss Zhen San must have signed a large-scale cooperation contract with Xinchunhao.

In the past two years, Xinchun has established trade routes in various states in the south of the Yangtze River. With the protection of its status as an imperial merchant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, its business has become increasingly prosperous.

Today, Xinchunhao has become a leader in the Jiangnan perfume industry and a well-known imperial merchant brand in Jinling City.

The Xiuwen Pavilion newly opened by Miss Zhen San is implicitly endorsed by the imperial merchant Xinchunhao.

Such a unique publicity stunt brought unexpected popularity to the opening of Xiuwen Pavilion!
……

Xiuwen Pavilion, inner room on the second floor.

Miss Zhen San, who changed her hairpin into a hat, was wearing a blue men's soft robe, her hair was as black as ink, and her jade hairpin was shining. She was elegant and beautiful, with a graceful demeanor, and was beyond description.

A pair of slender jade hands, ten slender and delicate fingers, as soft and white as jade, without any flaws, with an extraordinary beauty. She took the fragrant tea brought by the maid Bei'er and took a sip gracefully.

He said to Liu Xian who was standing beside him, "Uncle Xian, starting from next month, our dividends and surplus money from the five stores in which the eldest family holds a stake will be gradually transferred to the Xiuwen Pavilion account."

Liu Xian's face grew slightly serious. As the manager of the second house, he knew those five shops very well.

They were all founded by the second master and are the most profitable shops of the Zhen family. They are tantamount to five geese that lay golden eggs.

Ever since the second master of the Zhen family, Zhen Yingquan, got into trouble, Miss Zhen, the third daughter, relied on her close relationship with the old Concubine Dowager Zhen and her own outstanding talents.

He successfully managed the business left by his father, but inevitably paid some price.

Because, no matter how capable she is, she is still a woman after all, and one day she will marry someone else.

Although the Zhen family's business was founded by her father, when she gets married one day, she can only take a few shops with her as a dowry.

Most of the businesses started by my father will remain in the Zhen family as a guarantee for the Zhen family's continued prosperity and wealth.

No matter whether it is clan property or family property, it is passed down to sons and not daughters. This is the clan’s iron rule.

Although Miss Zhen San won the right to manage her father's business, she had to give 30% of the shares of her father's five best stores to the eldest wife of the Zhen family.

To outsiders, this was not an excessive matter. The second branch of the Zhen family had no descendants, and she was the only woman left.

Now the old lady of the Zhen family has asked the third daughter to take charge of the business on behalf of her father, which is considered a great honor for a girl.

It seemed natural to let her give 30% of the shares of these shops to the first wife as a basis for the first wife's heir to participate in managing the business.

Since the eldest wife of the Zhen family has two legitimate sons, after she gets married in the future, these businesses and stores will definitely be managed by the eldest wife, not to mention that she has to sell 30% of them now.

Although the matter was raised by the old lady in the family, the eldest wife must have said something behind the scenes. The eldest master Zhen Yingjia said nothing about the matter and seemed indifferent.

But keeping silent or not expressing an opinion meant that Zhen Yingjia, as the head of the family, tacitly approved of the matter, and he did not speak up personally only because he was concerned about losing face.

……

As the trusted steward of the second house, Liu Xian was very loyal to Zhen Yingquan and his daughter. Although he was dissatisfied with the Zhen family's decision, he could do nothing about it given his status.

After all, no matter how outstanding and capable the third girl is, she is still just a girl. That's the way the world is.

Now, when he heard Miss Zhen San make such a request, he naturally understood the meaning.

He said, "Miss San, this can be done, but if we withdraw money from the old store, Third Master will definitely have something to say. I'm afraid it will put Miss San in a passive position."

Miss Zhen San smiled and said, "If the eldest brother asks or wants to make things difficult for you, you can say that Xiuwen Pavilion has just opened and needs money to operate.

Moreover, Xiuwen Pavilion has signed a contract with Xinchunhao, and they will jointly develop trade routes in Jiangnan in the future and sell goods to each other, so a large amount of silver and money will be invested. "

After hearing this, Liu Xian's eyes gradually brightened, and he suddenly understood some recent events.

Manager Qu of Xinchunhao wants to buy the idle farm in the east of Zhenjia City. Normally, the Zhen family's ancestral property would not be sold easily.

At that time, the third girl sold the perfume to Xinchunhao at a fair price despite the opposition of the third master of the first house. The only condition she fought for was to sign a perfume sales contract with Xinchunhao.

The amount involved in the contract was insignificant in Liu Xian's eyes.

This made Liu Xian very confused. How could Miss Zhen San, who was always shrewd and capable, do such an obviously unprofitable business?

Because the contract clearly stated that Xiuwen Pavilion could only purchase twenty bottles of high-quality perfume from Xinchunhao every month.

The forty bottles of perfume now displayed in the showcase for promotion were accumulated two months in advance and then displayed in the showcase at once.

It turns out that the third daughter of our family already had a plan for this matter...

But Liu Xian has lived in the Zhen family for his entire life, and he knows too well how many twists and turns there are in the mansion. What's more, the first wife is now eyeing the second wife's property covetously.

So he reminded her: "Miss, even if the Third Master can't stop us, there's no guarantee that the news will get to the old lady and the eldest master, and then things will be difficult to handle..." (End of this chapter)