The Red Mansions

Chapter 739 Zhen Xue: Good things take time...

Jinling, Ningguofu
Jia Heng didn't know that Duoduo was already thinking about setting off a storm of pirate rebellion in Jiangnan and other places, even if he knew it, he didn't care.

Accompanied by Yindie, Youshi carried her skirt and came to the second floor of Penglai Pavilion, talking about old friendship with Daiyu and Princess Beijing.

Zhen Xue raised her eyes to look at Youshi who was dressed in a plain dress, her bright eyes were full of autumn under her beautiful eyebrows, and she said softly: "Sister You, don't be so old at the beginning." "

Because when Jia Zhen was still in charge of the Ningguo Mansion, You Shi, as the third-rank imperial wife, often visited the Beijing Palace and had a conversation with the Beijing Princess Zhenxue, so the two were no strangers.

Youshi said softly, "It's been a year."

At this moment, Jia Heng held the teacup, took a sip, and looked at Youshi who didn't wear powder.

You Shi, who was not wearing the silk and satin dress for women, changed into a dress with plain material. Instead, the originally beautiful woman has a quiet and gentle charm that has been washed away.

Zhen Xue was talking to You Shi, looked at the beautiful woman with clear eyebrows, sighed quietly, and said comfortingly: "Nine out of ten things in the world are unsatisfactory, sister-in-law You shouldn't be too sad or too sad."

A woman's decency and glory belong to a man, but the husband of the man in front of him also murdered Zi Yu.

Youshi's bright eyes moved slightly, and he said softly: "Thank you, Princess, for your concern."

Several people were talking, at this moment, Qingwen went up to the second floor and said in a low voice: "My lord, Miss Xiao said that there is a briefing from Jinyi."

Jia Heng looked up at Daiyu, and said softly: "Sister Lin, talk here first, I'll go and have a look."

Daiyu said softly, "Brother Heng, hurry up and get busy."

For some reason, there was an illusion that she was the hostess of the mansion, helping him to receive guests.

Jia Heng said softly, left the attic, looked up at Chen Xiao, and asked, "What's going on?"

Chen Xiao handed over a booklet and said, "Liu Jixian sent someone to deliver it."

Jia Heng took the booklet and read it without saying a word. Later, with a slight frown, he looked at the rain curtain in the courtyard and said, "Liu Shengzao's son was the first to recruit."

Before leaving Yangzhou for the first time, the captain of Jinyi Mansion took Liu Changdao, the son of Liu Shengzao. The details of the company's deficit.

The eight salt merchants and Liu Shengzao had to reconcile their account books every year. The eight salt merchants shared the profits, and the shortfall of the salt transportation department had long been the private property of the Liu family and the eight salt merchants through various means of withdrawal.

Of course, Chonghua Palace also received a large portion.

Chen Xiao frowned and asked, "Then what should we do now?"

Jia Heng's face was gloomy, and he said in a cold voice: "Let Jinyi interrogate the Ma family and the Cheng family, and explain the clues to the deficit of the salt tax balance in the storage warehouse over the years. If Cheng Ma and his family confess, I can report to the court and let the court net On the one hand, let’s take a lighter sentence! In addition, once the evidence of the crime is confirmed, we will send Jin Yi Tiqi to arrest Liu Shengzao, so as to uncover the deficit of the Yan Division’s warehouse.”

Up to now, Jiangbei Daying has fallen into his control. If he pays attention to food, he deliberately does not touch the salt merchants, but he has no worries about officials like Liu Shengzao. The objective conditions are actually mature, but before that Need to communicate with Qi Kun.

Chen Xiaoli nodded, and said in a clear voice: "Then later, I'll send someone over to inform the Yangzhou Hundred Household Office."

"Go." Jia Heng whispered, watching Chen Xiao leave, and turned back to the attic.

It was not until evening that Princess Zhen Xue of Beijing left Ningguo Mansion alone. Jia Heng sent her to the carriage and returned to Penglai Pavilion.

When he climbed to the second floor, Youshi had already left, and there was only a girl in a green skirt standing in front of the window, looking out at the heavy rain curtain outside the window, her quiet and lonely temperament seemed to blend with the wind and rain outside the window.

Jia Heng's complexion moved slightly, and he approached slowly, also standing in front of the window, looking at the rain scene in the courtyard.

Looking through the hanging rain curtain, the misty rain in the south of the Yangtze River overlaps and flickers on the rocky rocks, and the rainwater is accumulated in the pits.

The sycamore trees, plantains, pine trees, and willows planted in the courtyard have already been green and lush in the rainy evening, setting off the white wall with black and green eaves tiles, and the winding corridor with green lacquer railings surrounds the garden. A beautiful garden with a round sky.

Jia Heng gently pulled Daiyu over, embraced the girl's petite body in her arms, and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong with my sister?"

Although this is good in Jinling, there are no sisters to accompany and laugh. When he was in Jia's mansion, Xiangyun was a pistachio, and together with Tanchun's company, Daiyu was quite fulfilled.

Daiyu leaned her head against Jia Heng's arms, dispelled most of the loneliness and melancholy just now and said softly: "Brother Heng, I'm fine."

All right, it started to rain suddenly, and she planned to go to Jiming Temple with him to burn incense and pray for blessings.

Jia Heng held Daiyu's slender hand, sniffed the fragrance of the cardamom girl's hair, and said in a low voice: "Sister Lin is thinking of Sister Yun and the others in Shenjing, right?"

"En." Hearing this, Daiyu turned her pink and snowy face, her bright starry eyes outlined the lines of that clear face. The shock of being understood by the person in front of me is really hard to describe in words.

Jia Heng smiled, and said softly: "Although Jiangnan is good, but to my sister, it is like a guest from another country. I originally went out to play today, but I don't want to be delayed by the rain. Wait for things to go smoothly here, and then come back." Let Sister Yun, Third Sister, and Big Sister all take over, and we can have a lively and lively together."

If they all stayed at home, they would be like Qiaoer in a golden cage, which would be rather boring.

Speaking of which, he was also thinking about Yuan Chun, that kind of plump and soft touch, even wives like Zhen Qing and Zhen Xue couldn't give him the same feeling.

When the Jiangbei battalion is first reorganized, Jinyang can come over to help take over the salt affairs in Huaiyang on behalf of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Under the smoldering eyebrows, Dai Yu turned her starry eyes to look at Jia Heng, and said softly: "Brother Heng, do you have to wait for a while?"

"It won't take long." Jia Heng lowered his head and said softly.

As long as the Jinyi Mansion starts to torture and investigate the details of the Cheng Ma family's deficit in the Jiangnan salt storage depot, the rest is just a matter of time.

There is no need for the Cheng and Ma families, who were almost wiped out, to conceal the embezzlement of the salt tax balance, and then they can be caught.

Daiyu raised her eyes to look at the thoughtful young man, her gaze was lost for a moment, he must be thinking about important matters outside.

Jia Heng withdrew his thoughts, looked at Daiyu, leaned closer to that petite and lovely white face, lowered his head and held the girl's soft lips, soothing the girl's melancholy mood.

Outside the Xuan window, the raindrops are like broken pearls, and the mist and rain are hazy and locked the courtyard, and the tranquility and beauty overflow from the lips.

But it was said that Zhen Xue returned to Zhen's house in a carriage, and it was already the first time the lights came on, and the lights were blurred, and she returned to the Xiulou where she lived.

However, the beautiful Zhen Qing was looking through a volume of account books by the candlelight, which was the profit and expenditure of Chu King's various industries in Jinling and other places.

Jinling was the ancient capital of several dynasties. It was densely populated, bustling and noisy, and its commerce was also very prosperous. The shops collected a lot of gold every day, and the huge power of the King of Chu was naturally inseparable from gold and silver.

At this time, Zhen Xue came slowly with light steps and called softly, "Sister."

"Are you back?" Zhen Qing looked at Zhen Xue and saw her younger sister Yurong's skin was rosy, her eyes were like autumn water, and her complexion was bright, like a peony flower that has been watered and watered. Said: "Why so long?"

Zhen Xue's heart trembled when she heard the words, her jade cheeks were slightly red, she wanted to say something at first, and then she had a conversation with Zi Yu, but when she saw Zhen Qing's gaze, for some reason, suddenly she was annoyed in a low voice like a ghost Said: "Well, he is too, and the nonsense is endless."

After the beauty finished speaking, Yurong was hot as fire, and she felt her heart beating non-stop.

God, what is she talking about?Why did you tell such a lie in front of your sister?
Zhen Qingyu's face was slightly concentrated, she sighed faintly, her beautiful eyes were a little sad, and she said: "After all, he still loves his sister more."

Originally thought that a few days ago, she and he had already... didn't want him to treat his sister differently, presumably he didn't make her kneel down, hmph, this bastard.

Zhen Xue couldn't explain it anymore, she came to the side, sat in front of the dressing table, took off her head jewelry, looked at the beautiful lotus face on the bronze mirror, she couldn't say anything deep in her heart shyness.

Zhen Qing approached and asked, "Did you ask when he came?"

Zhen Xue looked in the mirror, took off the jasper earrings on her earlobe with one hand, and said softly: "I asked, he said that it will only be two days, maybe tomorrow, maybe the day after tomorrow, and he will send someone to inform you before he comes."

Zhen Qing nodded, and said worriedly: "The old lady is very worried. My father told the old lady about the matter at the Ministry of War. It's all because of my fourth uncle's incident."

As the beauty spoke, her tone gradually became somewhat resentful.

Zhen Xue sighed softly, and said in relief: "Good things will take a while."

Zhen Qing smiled, and said: "That's what it means, our sisters can be regarded as an apology to him, and he should feel relieved."

Big deal, she'll just torture him a few more times in the future, if it's really not good, she will kneel down and serve him one more time.

Immediately, he said softly: "It will be the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days, let's talk to him when we come over."

While talking, the two sisters sat down and talked about themselves.

"Sister, what are you doing?" Zhen Xue's delicate body trembled suddenly, she turned her bright eyes full of autumn water, and looked at Zhen Qing who was holding her. Su Shou, very ashamed.

Although the two sisters had been quarreling in the boudoir for an unknown amount of time when they were not out of the cabinet, and now they are serving a young man together, after all, they have been married for several years, and Zhen Xue is still a little unaccustomed to being so intimate all of a sudden.

Zhen Qing smiled sweetly on her seductive and Yanye face, and said, "Sister, I smell that bastard."

Zhen Xue: "???"

My sister is really crazy, is she poisoned by that bastard?
Immediately, she realized that this was her sister who was joking with her. The beautiful eyes under her beautiful eyebrows flashed a touch of shame, and said, "Sister...Sister, stop making trouble."

Zhen Qing joked with a light smile, "Sister, are you satisfied this time?"

Zhen Xue's tender body trembled slightly, her jade face was secluded, and her snowy cheeks suddenly blushed like a glow, and under the light of the orange lights, she became more and more charming.

What can she do?
Maybe she is just a bad woman, in Jiangnan she... can only feel sorry for the prince.

"Sister, what we do... is not a long-term solution after all." Zhen Xue said in a low voice, biting her cherry lips with her white teeth.

Zhen Qing looked at Zhen Xue playfully, and laughed in a low voice: "What long-term solution does my sister want to stay with him forever?"

"What did sister say?" Zhen Xue said angrily.

The smile on Zhen Qing's face faded a bit, and she said softly, "Let's talk about tomorrow's matter tomorrow, and besides, there may not be no way out in the future."

When she becomes a queen and takes charge of state affairs, then both she and her sister can find a long-term solution.

Zhen Xue also stopped mentioning such worrying long-term matters, and said softly: "What do you say at home?"

"Let's have a look again. After two days, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival. Let him come over." Zhen Qing said softly.

Zhen Xue sighed and said, "Fourth Uncle is acting like this, alas..."

At this moment, the nurse outside said loudly: "Princess, Miss San and Miss Si are here to look for you."

Seeing panic in Zhen Xuerou's eyes, she said softly, "My sister will talk to third and fourth sisters first, and I'll go take a bath first."

Although she doesn't smell much now, she is indeed sticky.

Zhen Qing smiled and said, "Sister, let's go."

While talking, I saw two slim girls with bright eyes and bright teeth, accompanied by several nuns and maidservants, went up to the second floor, and they saluted Zhen Qing and Zhen Xue Yingying: "I have seen my sister."

Under Zhen Lan's beautiful eyebrows, she looked at Zhen Xue with clear eyes, and asked kindly, "Second Sister, when did you come back?"

Zhen Xue smiled softly, and said softly: "I've just arrived too, Third Sister, have you had dinner yet?"

"I've eaten." Zhen Lan smiled, seeing that there was no one beside Zhen Xue, she couldn't help asking, "Why didn't you see Xin Xin?"

Zhen Xue said softly: "Xin Xin will stay there for a few more days, this child is a bit playful, she has a good time with her godfather and Aunt Lin."

As Zhen Lan spoke, she walked up to Zhen Xue. Maybe it was the fresh air after the rain, or maybe it was Zhen Lan's keen sense of smell, Qiong's nose twitched slightly, and her heart was full of surprise.

What is this smell?something weird...

However, after a while, it's hard to say anything just because it's easy to sweat in summer.

On Zhen Qing's beautiful jade face, she smiled profusely, and said: "Sister, let's go, I will talk with Lan'er and Xi'er for a while."

As she spoke, she took Zhen Xi's hand and said with a smile: "Xi'er, it will be the Mid-Autumn Festival in a few days. After the poetry meeting, my sister will choose for you."

When Zhen Xi heard the words, she felt ashamed, her face blushed immediately, and she said in a low voice: "Sister, I... I'm still young, and I still want to be more filial to my father and mother."

"Just make a decision first, and it won't delay your filial piety." Zhen Qing smiled and looked at her fourth sister with picturesque eyebrows.

If he can't be betrothed to that Baoyu, maybe it's better to betroth Xi'er to that bastard, then in the eyes of outsiders, he will be completely tied to the boat of their Zhen family.

Instead of now, she and her sister are so sneaky, almost letting him take advantage of it.

However, the concubine's room...according to her Zhen family's family status, it is a bit outrageous. If the fourth uncle hears about it, he will probably be pissed to death.

Zhen Lan stared at her with narrow, clear eyes, and asked curiously: "Eldest sister, why did the old lady insist on meeting that uncle Yongning earlier?"

She had witnessed what was being discussed in the house these two days, because the fourth uncle offended that Uncle Yongning, and the old lady seemed to want to ease the relationship.

Hearing the words, Zhen Xi also turned away from her graceful and pretty jade face, and looked at Zhen Qing curiously with bright eyes. In the past two days, almost one name was said in unison in the house - Jia Heng.

In fact, these few days, Zhen Qing came back to live, which made the two sisters Zhen Lan and Zhen Xi feel novel, and they often asked Zhen Qing for anecdotes about strange people in Shenjing.

Zhen Qing said softly: "You guys saw this Uncle Yongning two days ago, he is only a year or two older than Lan'er, but he is already a minister of Zhu Kingdom in the imperial court, he was the first..."

For some reason, the noble Princess Chu looked curiously at the bright and beautiful faces of her two younger sisters, and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity in the scenes at this moment in her heart.

Well, when I was talking about "Jia Heng's Biography" with Zhen Xue.

……

……

The rabbit ran away, and before you knew it, another day passed.

What Jia Heng said in the Ministry of War in Nanjing and the Ministry of Households spread successively to the entire Jiangnan officialdom, and there were many discussions.

The rectification of the Jiangnan camp was in full swing. The first thing was to check the military quota. However, because the ordnance of the Jiangbei camp was cut off first by the governor of Liangjiang, all the families in Jinling saw Jia Heng's joke.

Only a few people noticed that Jia Heng went to the Ministry of Households to put pressure on Tan Jie, the servant of the Ministry of Households, and fell into deep thought.

Annan Houfu
This is a large house with several layers of front and back, covering a vast area, surrounded by elms and willows, with carved beams and painted buildings, flying eaves and brackets, pavilions, terraces and pavilions.

In a pavilion on the second floor, Annanhou Yezhen squinted his eyes slightly, sitting on a rattan chair. This Annanhou, who once shocked Annan, was nearly sixty years old, with high eyebrows, and his youth was faintly visible from his old face. At that time, Yingwu was playing with two walnuts in his big palm-leaf fan, and behind him were two maids in red and green dresses, holding their shoulders.

The tea served on the side of the coffee table was a young man about thirty years old, wearing the robes of a fourth-rank military officer, who was Ye Zhen's second son, Ye Kai.

Ye Kai said in a low voice: "Father, have you heard the news from Jinling recently that Shen Jiefu is going to clean up the camp in the south of the Yangtze River?"

The Wenwan walnut in Ye Zhen's hand paused slightly, and said: "Don't pay attention to him, Shen Jiefu is not brave enough, he's just bluffing, the real tidy one is still in Jiangbei."

"Father mean...Jia Heng?" Ye Kai asked in surprise, his thick eyebrows slightly moving.

Ye Zhen said in a deep voice: "At the beginning when the Beijing camp organized the army to practice martial arts, it involved people who knew nothing about it. Prince Teng caused trouble, and the man in the palace used him to organize the army. Who would have thought that such a brat would really do things well?" It's done."

Ye Kai pondered for a moment, and said: "Father, this man is not as young as a weak crown, and his achievements, except for suppressing the rebellion in Henan, are hardly commendable. Now he is in a high position in the military, and he is a privy minister, but he is relying on the Son of Heaven. Favor and trust are not commendable."

This is the perception of southern generals like Zhen Zhu and Ye Kai who are far away from Shenjing. They may think that Jia Heng may have some skills, but... that's it.

It's nothing more than good luck. He has heard about the emperor and was appreciated and promoted by Emperor Chongping.In fact, this can't be wrong, because at the foot of the imperial city, anyone who has made merit will surely be noticed by the superiors.

Ye Zhenwan slightly frowned his thin and strong eyebrows, and immediately opened his old eyes, and said: "No matter who he is relying on, the palace will give him the opportunity to use things, as long as he does not make any mistakes, he will always stand upright." The credit will only be like a broken bamboo, and a lotus will grow every step of the way, this is... the heaven and the earth work together at all times."

He was similarly like that in Annan back then. Although there were difficulties, he managed to overcome the dangers, and he was as strong as a bamboo. Back then, he also thought it was his own ability. Thinking about it these years, I am afraid that it is also related to the prosperity of Longzhi and the strength of the country's military.

Now the Son of Heaven has the ambition to rejuvenate himself, he is invigorated and promising, and he has used young people like Jia Heng to rectify the military affairs, hoping to fight against the Eastern Captives.

What's more, I heard that the prince of Donglu thought that he was a serious threat and personally sent someone to assassinate him.

In fact, this is the perspective of the first generation of entrepreneurs who were awarded military merits, and they would not rashly draw conclusions on a person.

Ye Kai frowned, and said in a low voice: "No matter what, what he did in Jiangbei doesn't work very well in Jiangnan, not to mention his son, even the ones below will be turned against Yingtian. Fortunately, it is only Shen Jiefu now Jun, if this Uncle Yongning handles this matter, I'm afraid it will disturb my old capital of the Han Dynasty, and the Jinling Ancestral Temple will not be peaceful."

Ye Zhen sighed, and suddenly asked: "Kai'er, how many years have you been here to take care of your father in Jinling?"

Ye Kai was surprised, and replied, "It's been 14 years."

Ye Zhen looked at the rain curtain outside the attic, and whispered, "It's been 14 years."

When people get old, not only are they soft, but their hearts are also soft. More than ten years have passed, and those old brothers who were brave and good at fighting, Han and Annan monkeys, were all fascinated by the fragrance of Jiangnan's powder.

Ye Kai couldn't control his father's thoughts, and asked, "Father, the Liangjiang governor's yamen is going to check the military quota recently, and the uncles asked what should I do?"

Among the six guards in the south of the Yangtze River, the commanders and acquaintances of the five guards are all from Ye Zhen's old department, and some of them are not young.

Ye Zhen turned Walnut's hand for a moment, pondered for a moment, and said: "When I go to Liangjiang Governor's Mansion tomorrow, these are all generals and schools who have contributed to the community. Don't wait too long. As for weeding out the old and the weak, the Jiangnan Camp will replenish the number of troops every year." , is what it should be.”

Ye Kai thought for a while, then said in a low voice: "The son will talk about this matter with a few uncles later."

Ye Zhen pondered for a moment, and said: "They are not young anymore, and they have enjoyed the blessings that they should have enjoyed these years. Some of them are old, and it is time to go back and have grandchildren. Since the imperial court wants to rectify the Southern Army, To promote youth, we cannot go against the trend."

Since the Henan incident was pacified, the general situation of the world has returned to that Prince Yong in Shenjing City. He also has to be ignorant of current affairs and go against the general trend. The key is where will his Ye family go in the future?

Also like the nobles in the Taizong Dynasty in Luoyang, enjoy the wealth with peace of mind, and gradually fade out of the Han military?
Without authority to guard, I am afraid that this wealth is just passing away, and it will not last long, and we still need to find another way out.

The eldest son has mediocre talents, but he is a man who can succeed to the position of Marquis. The second and third sons are military generals, but they have no titles.

Seeing that his father was lost in thought again, Ye Kai got up and bowed, and left the courtyard with his hands folded.

Ye Zhen opened his tiger eyes, quietly looked at the rain curtain in the courtyard, lost his mind again, and murmured: "Perhaps we should meet that Jia Heng."

If he is really a natural born general, he has the fierce style of Ning Rong and his two masters...

The next day, the sky was bright, and the air in Jinling City after the rain was fresh and pleasant, and the willows were soft and green.

Jia Heng, Dai Yu, and Shui Xin boarded a carriage and headed for Zhen's house under the guards of Jin Yi Mansion.

At this moment, the Zhen family had received the news, and opened the middle door ahead of time to welcome them. Nunnies and maidservants drew up the curtains and lined up to welcome them.

(End of this chapter)