Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Jinling, Zhen Mansion, Yuhe Hall.

Miss Zhen San said: "To talk about this matter, it is because I opened a new shop in Fenghui Street."

When the eldest wife of the Zhen family heard this, her brows slightly frowned. She had heard from her son that the new shop was opened by Fang Qing using the private money of the second wife.

The eldest wife didn't have any shares in the new shop, which meant that she had no control over the shop at all. Even if the shop made money in the future, it would have nothing to do with her.

Thinking of this, the eldest wife suppressed her displeasure and said, "Third girl, don't we have enough shops at home? Why are you bothering to open a new shop?"

Miss Zhen San smiled and said, "Right now, our family's maritime trade business is doing well, and my third brother is helping to manage it, so I don't have to worry too much about it.

When the master was alive, he often said that one should be prepared for danger in times of peace. In the past one or two years, Japanese pirates have been rampant along the coast, and maritime trade has become much more risky than before.

It is not good to put all your eggs in one basket. I want to open up a way out for the Zhen family's business, so that the family can have more security for wealth and peace."

Old Lady Zhen naturally knew that the master that Miss Zhen San was referring to was not her eldest son Zhen Yingjia, but her second son Zhen Yingquan who had disappeared at sea. She couldn't help feeling sad.

My eldest son has always been proficient in the empty formalities of officialdom. He has been wasting his time as an official and has not made any achievements. However, he is a deep-minded person and is not close to me.

Although her second son did not become an official, he was full of wisdom and strategy. He not only earned a lot of gold and silver for the family, but also made far-reaching plans for the family. He always won her heart more than her eldest son.

Although my granddaughter is a girl, she has the same ambitions and vision as her father, and she always has long-term plans for the family in her mind.

When Old Lady Zhen looked at Third Miss Zhen again, there was a hint of gentle approval in her eyes.

He said, "Third girl, what you said is right. As the old saying goes, it is better to bring dry food when you are full and an umbrella when it is sunny. It is better to be prepared. With such a large family like the Zhen family, it is always right to have an extra way out."

The eldest wife originally wanted to say something in front of the old lady, asking the third girl to close the new shop as soon as possible to avoid wasting money.

But he didn't expect that the old lady would actually fall for the third girl's trick, and her voice was full of approval. He had no choice but to shut up helplessly.

Miss Zhen San said: "It just so happens that we have recently reached a deal with Xinchunhao and even signed a contract. The new shop on Fenghe Street is to handle the incense business of Xinchunhao.

The materials and production of the incense business are all in Jiangnan, and the customer base is also within the Great Zhou. As long as they don't export, there will be no risk in maritime trade, which can make up for the shortcomings of the Zhen family's maritime trade business.

But Xinchunhao is the royal merchant of the Great Zhou Dynasty and has a huge incense business in Jiangnan. If we want to do business with them, we need to invest a lot of capital.

I have also planned not to use the money from the Zhen family's public treasury, and for now I will only use the interest and deposits from the second branch of the family in the shop."

When the eldest wife of the Zhen family heard this, her heart skipped a beat.

……

Because Liu Xian had just gone to the old shop to withdraw the second wife's deposit in the morning, and later encountered the Jinyiwei inspecting the shop, Zhen Shiwen did not have time to pass the news back to the Zhen Mansion, so the first wife naturally did not know about it.

But as the mistress of the Zhen family, she would review the Zhen family's business accounts on a daily basis. Naturally, she knew that the dividends and surplus silver deposited by the second house in various old shops were not a small amount.

He thought that he could keep the money in the shop until the third Miss Zhen got married. Then this huge sum of money would belong to the Zhen family, that is, their eldest wife.

Now that I heard that Miss Zhen San was going to withdraw this money, I naturally felt very distressed.

But the old lady didn't say anything. She couldn't say no to her face. Not only was it inappropriate, it also seemed unreasonable.

So he asked, "If we do business with Xinchunhao, then we do business. Why would Shiwen and Congge'er have a rift?"

Miss Zhen San replied: "Madam, you don't know that Uncle Xian went to Brother Haiyun early this morning to withdraw the savings of the second house to use as the capital for the business with Xinchunhao.

But the second brother was unwilling to do so, saying that the matter had to be discussed at home before a decision could be made. There was no impenetrable wall in the business world, and Jia Cong would surely know about this within a day or two.

We have signed a contract with Xinchunhao. Now, because of Third Brother's obstruction, we cannot pay the principal and silver. Jia Cong will not blame Third Brother."

After hearing this, the eldest wife of the Zhen family felt relieved. She thought her son was smart and did not let the third girl take the money easily.

However, when he heard that this matter was actually related to Jia Cong, he was surprised and asked, "You signed a contract with Xinchunhao. What does it have to do with Congge'er? Does he have to blame your third brother?"

Miss Zhen San smiled and said, "The first lady may not know that Xinchunhao is actually Jia Cong's business, and he is the real manager."

……

Xinchunhao was actually Jia Cong's property. This was no secret in the palace or the Imperial Household Department. Some powerful businessmen in the business world knew the inside story.

However, Jia Cong and Qu Hongxiu, the parties involved, did not publicize the matter excessively due to concerns about Jia Cong's identity, so many people still do not know about it.

Old Madam Zhen and the first wife were both women who lived in the inner house and never left the house, so naturally they didn't know the whole story. Even Zhen Shiwen, who often walked around the shop, was not aware of this.

However, as the real person in charge of the Zhen family business, Miss Zhen San has access to different connections and information than ordinary people, so she naturally knows the close relationship between Xinchunhao and Jia Cong.

Ever since she last visited Lady Jia at Rongguo Mansion in the capital, her family had expressed their intention to arrange a marriage between her and Jia Cong. As a young woman, she paid more and more attention to Jia Cong's affairs.

In recent years, Jia Cong's reputation for both literary and military talents has spread throughout the world, and it is also said that he is a handsome man and unparalleled in the world. Miss Zhen San also knows this news.

She was influenced by her wise father since she was a child, and was raised in the palace, witnessing the dangers of the palace.

After his father's accident, he experienced a dramatic change in his family, and in the past few years he has been tempered by the ups and downs of the business world.

Her extraordinary experiences have made her mind and knowledge different from those of ordinary women.

Although she was a girl, she had the broad mind of a man and did not have the same high expectations on marriage as ordinary women.

Sometimes she just thought that if, as a woman, she must go through marriage, it would not be bad if that man was Jia Cong.

At least he's no worse than those dandy playboys from rich families in Jinling City.

This man is of equal status to her and has done so many extraordinary things. I think his reputation is well-deserved and he should be considered a good man.

These are probably some of the thoughts in Miss Zhen San's heart that she doesn't care too much about or pay too much attention to.

Perhaps it was because of these thoughts that when Qu Hongxiu purchased the East City Farm from the Zhen family, she was willing to sell this idle ancestral property at a fair price.

And take this opportunity to create a bond between himself and Xinchunhao as a possible backup and retreat in the future.

In the vagueness of this plan, there is more or less the shadow of Jia Cong.

For Miss Zhen San, since there are not many men in the world that she likes, she might as well find a relatively better one.

……

But her words surprised the old lady and the first wife of the Zhen family.

The eldest wife said, "Third girl, you are serious. Xinchunhao has been famous in Jinling in the past two years. Everyone knows that Xinchunhao is registered under the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Xinchunhao's storekeeper Qu is the only female imperial merchant in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. How did she become Cong's property? "Miss Zhen San smiled and said, "This is absolutely correct. The secret formula of perfume used by Xinchunhao was developed by Jia Cong himself. He also founded Xinchunhao with this secret formula.

This time I went to Shenjing to pay homage to the old empress dowager, and also went to Fengzao Palace to pay homage to the queen. I heard that the current emperor and the Ministry of Internal Affairs both acquiesced to this matter.

Moreover, all the big businessmen with foundations in Jinling market also knew the inside story of this matter.

Xinchunhao was able to take advantage of the market situation thanks to its status as an imperial merchant and the background of Jia Cong, a son of an aristocratic family and the mighty Earl.

Otherwise, how could it be possible to rapidly expand the business of a new company in such a short period of time?

Although Miss Qu is the head shopkeeper of Xinchunhao, she is just helping Jia Cong to manage the business.

When the eldest wife of the Zhen family and the third young lady Zhen entered the palace, the third young lady Zhen grew up in the palace and was very much loved by the queen, so she went to Fengzao Palace to pay a visit, but the eldest wife did not have this blessing.

Now that they heard Miss Zhen San say this, the old lady and the first wife naturally believed it.

Old Lady Zhen smiled and said, "I didn't expect that Cong is not only a man of both literary and martial talents, but is also proficient in business. He has such a big business at such a young age.

The Jia family is truly blessed to have such a son. "

Then he smiled and said to the eldest wife of the Zhen family: "You have good taste. Among the elder relatives of the noble family, there is really no other such an outstanding man. He is a perfect match for our Qing'er."

Miss Zhen San, who was always graceful and elegant, had a rare blush on her face.

But she said in a coquettish tone, "Madam, Xinchunhao and I are doing a legitimate business, which is also very beneficial to the Zhen family. It doesn't make sense for Third Brother to stop Uncle Xian from taking the money."

Old Lady Zhen knew that her granddaughter always behaved like a man, ten times better than the ordinary boys in the family. But when she mentioned Jia Cong just now, she was actually shy.

He smiled and said, "Since you are doing business with Congge, you are all brothers and sisters from an aristocratic family. No one can be trusted. I will make the decision on this matter. You can ask Liu Xian to pick up the money.

I just want to ask Brother Cong for help to get your third brother out of Jinyiwei as soon as possible."

The eldest wife of the Zhen family, who was standing by, felt very uncomfortable after hearing what the old lady said. The third girl just coaxed the old lady with a few words, but the money from the second room in the old shop was taken away just like that.

This girl's marriage to Jia Cong hasn't even started yet, but she's already given her own money to him. What a money-loser.

However, the eldest wife did not dare to say a word at this moment. Jia Cong was familiar with the Jinyiwei, and he would rescue Shiwen earlier if he had done the deal with the third girl.

If he heard that Shiwen was trying to hinder his business, I'm afraid he would not give him this face.

Besides, the third girl has always been a capable person, and no one knows what trouble she will cause.

Miss Zhen San smiled and said, "With the old lady's words, nothing can be impossible. I will ask Uncle Xian to go to the store to get the silver, and I will write a letter to Jia Cong in person, asking him to help my third brother."

……

Jinling, the Firearms Department of the Ministry of Industry in the temporary capital.

In the past two days, Liu Yong, along with two clerks from the Firearms Department who were familiar with firearms, searched and interrogated all those suspected of smuggling firearms in Jinling City.

That morning they searched the five large shops and more than ten small shops of the Zhen family in Jinling. After the search, they took the suspect Zhen Shiwen back to the Qianhu Office for questioning.

However, Jinyiwei Captain Liu Yong and two clerks from the Firearms Department who accompanied the search rushed back to the Firearms Department's official residence as soon as possible.

Jia Cong noticed the strange expressions on their faces and guessed that something must have happened.

One of them, Liu Shilun, a clerk from the Firearms Department, handed Jia Cong a short metal stick that was slightly thicker and longer than a ruler.

He said, "Master Jia, Zhen Shiwen has been taken to the Qianhu Office for questioning. Captain Liu took us to check the Zhen family's shops, and we found this thing in the warehouse of one of the shops."

Jia Cong saw that the short metal stick was as long as his forearm, two fingers thick, with a square cross-section. The surface was dark and dull, and it felt heavy in his hand.

Liu Shilun said: "Sir, we found these items in the warehouse of Buyun Pavilion in the west of Zhen's city. There are a total of 105 items.

I have seen this thing before. It is high-quality fine iron produced by the Ottoman Empire. It is rare in the Great Zhou. This kind of fine iron can be used to refine high-quality swords that can cut iron like mud.

Also, this kind of fine iron can also be used to make a qualified gun barrel!"

Jia Cong's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he asked, "The Rumi guns we purchased from the Ottoman Empire are made of this kind of fine iron?"

Liu Shilun replied: "The Rumi guns we imported from the Ottoman Empire are made by different manufacturers, so ordinary Rumi guns cannot use this kind of high-quality iron.

Only the best quality Lumi guns will use this kind of high-quality iron to make the barrel. "

This clerk named Liu Shilun was the cousin of Liu Shizhen, the deputy director of the Firearms Bureau. Influenced by Liu Shizhen since childhood, he was fascinated by the firearms industry.

He is not only familiar with all kinds of firearms, but also has rich knowledge and practical experience in firearm manufacturing and debugging.

Jia Cong had set an iron rule regarding the employment of personnel in the Firearms Department: no one who was not an expert in firearms was allowed to enter the Department.

Even though Liu Shilun was a relative of Deputy Supervisor Liu Shizhen, he was no exception.

With the recommendation of his cousin Liu Shizhen, the Ministry of Vehicles secretly investigated his resume and background, and only after Jia Cong's interrogation and testing did he enter the Firearms Department.

As he was still a scholar and did not have the qualifications to be an official, he temporarily served as the clerk of the Firearms Department.

When Jia Cong went to Nanjing on business, he brought him with him, which showed that he recognized Liu Shilun's expertise in firearms.

Since Liu Shilun could recognize that this was high-quality iron produced in the Ottoman Empire and could be used to cast gun barrels, then it must be correct.

……

Jia Cong's eyes flickered, and he asked Liu Shilun, "Did everyone in the store see you taking this thing away?"

Liu Shilun replied: The person who was in charge of the store's warehouse was stopped at the door, and it was Captain Liu and I who led people to search the warehouse.

When I found this Ottoman iron, I thought something was fishy. I was afraid of alerting the enemy, so I secretly took a piece of iron without being discovered by anyone in the shop.

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Fortunately, you are thoughtful and careful. It's best that you didn't alarm them."

Liu Shilun continued, "After I left the warehouse, I checked their warehouse accounts, which indeed recorded five boxes of cast iron being put into the warehouse, which were used to build the anchors for the Zhen family's fleet.

But I am from southern Zhejiang, and most people in my hometown make a living by fishing at sea, so I know very well that the anchors on the ships are all made of crude iron.

It is absolutely impossible to use this kind of high-quality iron to forge it. Even if it is a royal ship, it is impossible to be so luxurious. Therefore, recording the use in the account must be an attempt to cover up the truth and deceive people!"

Jia Cong looked serious and asked, "How many gun barrels can be made from the 105 pieces of Ottoman fine iron?"

Liu Shilun replied without hesitation: "Taking into account the necessary losses, these Ottoman fine iron can be used to make 200 gun barrels!" (End of this chapter)