Red Mansion Royal Cat

Chapter 543: Immortal Viper

As a former Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue and a world-renowned master of mathematics, it is impossible for Sun Shenxing to suddenly appear in the capital.

He was suddenly nominated to be the Minister of Revenue at the grand court meeting. Before noon, the Dragon Guards had thoroughly investigated everything that happened during Sun Shenxing's journey from Guangdong to Beijing.

Zhou Jiong only took a glance and was sure that Sun Shenxing's appearance was not just to challenge him.

After all, when Sun Shenxing set out from Guangzhou Prefecture, he had not yet thought about reinterpreting the holy words.

"Marquis Yongfeng, they have officially begun to fight back. Since the implementation of the new law, the conflict of interests has become irreconcilable. This is a war of life and death, and Sun Shenxing is their vanguard. If he becomes the Minister of Revenue, the consequences will be unbearable for you and me."

If financial power is lost, there is no point in talking about reform.

The already popularized maritime trade, compulsory education, and the extension of imperial power to the countryside will all become rootless sources, with their water sources cut off and gradually drying up.

Jia Cong took the secret report from the Dragon Guards handed to him by Zhou Jiong, and after a quick glance, he understood what Mr. Zhou meant.

The enemy is not a small group of people but an entire interest group that opposes the new law.

This interest group included big businessmen and landlords who dealt in tea, salt, silk, porcelain, etc., as well as the big sea merchants who originally relied on illegal smuggling, the Neo-Confucian scholars who occupied half of Daxia, and even many members of the Liu clan.

As the imperial party grew stronger and stronger and the new laws became more and more stringent, this opposition force finally came together and began to fight back against the reform.

"It seems that our methods are not cruel enough. In my opinion, you should also show your sword handle, so that people will not think that you are just good at talking..."

As Jia Cong spoke, his hand rested on the handle of the goose-feather knife that was hanging on his waist.

Jia Cong rubbed the jade handle with his fingertips. In the hot summer, the coolness from his fingertips suppressed his inner anxiety.

Almost every step of the reform was accompanied by one trouble after another.

Although there has been no life-and-death dispute so far, these troubles have already made Jia Cong lose his patience.

Today's secret report completely destroyed Jia Cong's original plan for a peaceful transition.

Just as Mr. Zhou Jiong said, reform is ultimately a life-and-death war.

There is no blood, but I can smell it.

Zhou Jiong just smiled at Jia Cong's statement.

His fingers tapped the table twice, like the sound of a huge bell, suppressing the sudden anxiety in Jia Cong's heart by a little.

"The rules cannot be broken. The court cannot use military force unless it is absolutely necessary! Your Majesty and I have long anticipated the appearance of Sun Shenxing. Whether it is the Minister of Revenue or the Minister of War, even if the entire cabinet has become theirs, what does it matter? Marquis Yongfeng, write a memorial when you return..."

……

Although Jia Cong and Baochai have known each other for a long time and the Jia and Xue families are close relatives, they are both married now and there are still some taboos that should be observed.

The two men each rode in a car, and stopped in front of the Rongguo Mansion, one in front and one behind.

Daiyu and Xiangyun, who received the news, welcomed her into the house and went to Rong Xi Tang to pay a visit to the old lady.

The old lady has been in a bad mood these two days because her beloved grandson Baoyu was scolded.

While Baochai was talking to the old lady, Daiyu asked in a low voice about Jia Cong's affairs in the court.

She took leave and did not attend today's grand court meeting. Jia Cong also went to the imperial city reluctantly, leaving his newlywed wife behind, because he had to participate in the court recommendation.

Upon learning that Jia Cong and Baochai were going to compete with the world-famous fortune teller Zisunshan in three days, Daiyu was not worried at all. Instead, she was eager to try.

Others may not know Jia Cong's ability in mathematics, but Daiyu knows it very well.

Just based on the various tricks Jia Cong used to scheme against her pocket money when she was a child, any great mathematics expert would have failed at the hands of Jia Cong.

But Baochai...

Daiyu couldn't help but frown. Although Baojie had followed Master Xue to manage the family business since she was young, she must be good at mathematics.

But the other party is a famous mathematician who is known throughout the world as the God of Calculation.

Seeing the worry on her brow, Jia Cong grasped her soft and boneless hand.

"Don't worry, Sister Lin. If it's a debate, I might lose. But in mathematics... hehe, I have the advantage!"

Unexpectedly, Daiyu glanced at him and raised her lips slightly: "I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about Sister Bao."

Uh……

Jia Cong was embarrassed and Xiangyun beside him giggled.

"Sister Lin, don't worry about me. In fact, in this math contest, Sun Shenxing has lost regardless of winning or losing. How old is he? How old am I? Even if he beats me, as long as Congge wins, do you think he has the nerve to be the Minister of Finance?"

This is Mr. Zhou’s real purpose. When a person’s status reaches a certain level, he must maintain his reputation.

Especially since Sun Shenxing was a master of mathematics, he had no choice but to accept the challenge.

But as long as he accepted the challenge, as long as Jia Cong and Baochai could fight him on equal terms, or even as long as he, Sun Shenxing, could not win a quick and decisive victory, he would not have the face to accept the emperor's edict.

He is just a child. What's there to be proud of if you beat him?
He is just a child. Can't you even compare to a child?

Look, Mr. Zhou is sure to win even if he only uses two children to fight.

Baochai's analysis is almost exactly the same as what Jia Cong was thinking. It can only be said that people become cunning as they grow old, let alone an old fox like Zhou Jiong who has made it to the top of the court.

"Sun Shenxing...this man has a grudge against our family!"

Ok?
The old lady suddenly gritted her teeth, attracting the attention of several people.

The old lady said angrily, "It was him who cheated our family. In March of the 41st year of Zhaowu, the emperor went on a tour to the south. The Ministry of Revenue was short of money, and Sun Shenxing said that he wanted our family and the Zhen family to be responsible for the stationing of the emperor, and he cheated our family out of hundreds of thousands of taels of silver..."

The Ningrong Jia family's deficit in the Ministry of Revenue actually occurred mostly during the Emperor Zhaowu's Southern Tour. And it was all for the expenses of the Saint's stay during the Southern Tour.

To put it bluntly, when the saint was on his southern tour, he needed to eat, play, and stay in gardens. The Zhen family, which was firmly in the top position in Jiangnan, and the Jia family, which was from Jinling and had the most military honors, became the main forces to welcome the saint.

The Zhen family is the local tyrant guarding the south of the Yangtze River, and they have many ways to extort money.

But the Ningrong Jia family is different. How dare they do anything wrong under the emperor's nose?
If you don’t have money, you can only go to the Ministry of Revenue to borrow money.

If you don't lend it to me, what will you use to cultivate your garden?

If you don't lend it to me, are you going to let the emperor live in a thatched hut?
If you make it difficult for the saints to have fun, then you are being disloyal.

Originally, the expenses should have been from the Ministry of Revenue, but under Sun Shenxing's manipulation, it immediately became the Jia family's attempt to win the emperor's favor. They borrowed money from the Ministry of Revenue to build a headquarters for the people to come south for fun.

Not only did it ruin the reputation of the Ningrong Jia family, but it also forced the Jia family to owe the Ministry of Revenue hundreds of thousands of taels of silver.

Sun Shenxing is indeed a master of mathematics!
This was the first time Jia Cong had heard of this. He sighed and said, "There is such a thing? I thought our family's deficit was caused by our extravagance."

"How is that possible? The spoils of war your grandfather and his men have taken from their battles alone are enough for our family to use for decades. If Sun Shenxing hadn't used your grandfather's position as governor of Yansui to trick me into thinking this was an opportunity to gain the emperor's favor for your father and uncle, how could I have been deceived by him and let my family take on the task of welcoming the emperor?"

The old lady obviously hated Sun Shenxing to the extreme, and even revealed the secret she had kept in her heart for twenty years.

As to whether it was for the purpose of pardoning Master Da or Master Zheng's future, Jia Cong expressed doubts about it.

Given the special status his father holds in the old saint's heart, it won't make the slightest difference whether he does this or not.

The child of a half-brother is his biological son!

Forget it, it’s already this day, what’s the point of worrying about these things?

But...

"That's perfect. Let's settle both old and new grudges. If I don't make Sun Shenxing lose so badly in three days that he vomits blood, I will consider it incompetent!"

When the old lady heard this, most of the annoyance she had been feeling in the past few days disappeared, and her originally cloudy eyes became bright.

"Are you sure you can win?"

Jia Cong grinned: "Grandson is 90% sure, the remaining 10% is because I am afraid that others will say that I am proud!"

……

Although it seemed that the court was in turmoil, in fact, it was always under the control of the emperor and several bigwigs in the cabinet.

After learning a lot of information from old man Zhou Jiong, Jia Cong was too lazy to pay attention to the turmoil in the court.

As newlyweds, Jia Cong and Daiyu put aside their office work and enjoyed the rare leisure time.

Seeing that tomorrow was the day for the mathematics competition, Jia Cong not only did not prepare at home, but instead left the Rongguo Mansion with Daiyu and prepared to go shopping in the market.

"Next month, I will accompany Lady Dai'e to stay with my father-in-law for a month, and then we will leave for Japan after the Mid-Autumn Festival."

On the third day after the wedding, Jia Cong took his wife back to the Lin Mansion to pay his respects.

The father-in-law gave Jia Cong many instructions, the most important of which was the news that Wang Ziteng brought back from Dengzhou.

All preparations for the war against Japan have been completed. The two naval divisions are awaiting the emperor's edict. When the time comes, they will cross the ocean to the east and completely incorporate Japan into the territory of Daxia.

As for the departure time, the Five Military Commandery has tentatively planned the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Jia Cong will accompany the army as a military inspector and imperial commissioner, responsible for wartime supervision and post-war pacification of local areas.

Daiyu, who was originally in a good mood, suddenly became depressed after hearing what Jia Cong said.

"Why do you have to go? Can't someone else go?"

Even if Daiyu had a broad view and was sensible, she did not want her husband to cross the ocean and go to a distant overseas country just after their wedding.

Jia Cong held her in his arms, his palms passing through the thin gauze, feeling the smoothness of Daiyu's skin.

He explained in a low voice: "Do you still remember Shui Rong?"

Daiyu was stunned when she heard this. Shui Rong, what a familiar yet unfamiliar name.

If Jia Cong hadn't suddenly mentioned it today, she would have almost forgotten about this person.

"Didn't he disappear? Could it be that the war against Japan was also related to him?"

Jia Cong nodded: "Prince Jing's hidden man has entered the palace of the King of Wa. The mysterious man who united the various vassal states of Wa to fight against the King's army is Shui Rong. I will not be at peace until he is dead!"

Daiyu couldn't help but sigh at how difficult and terrifying Shui Rong was. No wonder Wang Ziteng insisted on having her husband join the army. The emperor would also agree to let Jia Cong, a wise marquis, join the army to the east.

As long as Shui Rong is alive, not only Jia Cong, but even the emperor will not feel at ease.

The poisonous snake must be killed completely!
"According to the secret report sent back by Prince Jing, Shui Rong not only persuaded the various fiefdoms of Japan, but also won over Western countries such as England and Portugal, intending to hold Daxia back in Japan. Moreover, the King of Japan has been completely controlled by him, and there is a great possibility that he will establish himself as king."

Speaking of which, Jia Cong admired Shui Rong's tenacity. He could not be killed or broken by a hammer. No matter what the situation was, this man would always make one backup plan after another.

They could even cause trouble for the imperial court thousands of miles overseas or within the territory of Daxia.

"It was this fellow who came up with the idea for Luosha Nation to move eastward to harass the Western Regions. My second brother captured a few spies in Gaochang, and upon investigation, it turned out that they were people arranged by the Shui family a long time ago. This person is really a headache!"

Daiyu also sighed: "That's really terrible. I thought this man had died in Jiaozhi a long time ago."

Feeling Jia Cong's hand unconsciously moving up from her abdomen again, Daiyu patted it lightly, but failed to stop the restless hand.

Jia Cong shamelessly felt the softness of his palm and whispered in Daiyu's ear: "Don't worry, I will be back in a few years at most. His Majesty told me that Lord Wang wanted to exchange his life for the future of the Wang family, but he didn't want to be known as mean and ungrateful. After Japan is pacified, let me kidnap Lord Wang and bring him back to the capital. I only need to set up a platform in Japan, and he will send someone to carry the heavy responsibility later..."

……

“Sweet and delicious Shanshan melon…”

"The best ice cream to cool down the summer heat in Beijing. Even the Yongfeng Marquis said it was delicious after trying it..."

"Look at the winter melon, it's big and round, and the emperor said it was sweet after eating it..."

For the common people in the capital, the disputes in the court were more of gossip to kill time after dinner.

The vendors and tourists in the market all live their lives peacefully.

Jia Cong and Daiyu were so close to each other in the carriage that they were almost sweating all over and their mouths were already dry.

They sat in a private room on the second floor of the teahouse, eating delicious cold fruits and enjoying the rare coolness.

“This ice cream…”

"Oh, this is Xi girl's property."

Daiyu scooped the ice cream from the small bowl with a small wooden spoon. After taking a bite, her eyes became dazed, like a squinting cat.

So sweet!

Jia Cong explained to Daiyu, "Xi girl has always been a talkative person. I told her about it before, but she didn't do it. I didn't expect that she would discuss it with Chun'er, ask for milk and other things from the palace, and let the people in the imperial kitchen study it for a long time, and actually made it."

Speaking of greed, the strongest person in the Jia family is Xichun.

Whatever she heard, as long as it had something to do with deliciousness, even if it was the Queen Mother's peaches, she would try it.

Fortunately, she is the eldest daughter of Ningguo Mansion and has no shortage of money.

They also became close friends with the little princess Chun'er. The two greedy little girls took advantage of the palace and took away milk, cane sugar, and several chefs from the imperial kitchen.

You know what, these two girls are lucky. The chef in the imperial kitchen is quite capable and managed to create the Daxia version of ice cream.

In the hot summer, who can resist cold and delicious ice cream?
"Uncle Jing personally arranged for Xi to open six shops in the capital, with a monthly net profit of more than 1,000 taels. She and Chun'er split the profits 50-50, and the two girls will never lack money for snacks in their lives."

With the royal family standing behind them, who would dare to take the money for snacks from the two little girls, unless he is crazy.

Jia Cong opened his mouth and took a spoonful of ice cream that Daiyu fed him. It tasted really good.

He looked at the fruits on the table, asked for a knife, cut the Shanshan melon and the winter melon into small pieces, and mixed them into the ice cream...

Even better!
As the two of them were enjoying the meal, Jia Shiyi's voice was heard from outside the door.

"Third Master, Young Madam, something really happened to Second Master Bao. There are rumors among the people that Second Master Bao... Second Master Bao and Grand Madam Rong are having an affair..."

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

　That’s all for today, continue tomorrow, good night!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)