Chapter 361: Worldly Affairs Have Zhen and Jia

The Great Zhou Imperial Palace, Qianyang Palace.

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao were both old officials of the court and clearly remembered that when Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao first ascended the throne, there was bloodshed in the succession, changes in the old and new, and internal and external troubles.

To sit firmly on the throne and sweep away the adverse currents, the Emperor made great use of the inner offices such as the Zhongche Office and the Court of Investigation, overriding the Three Judicial Offices, arresting officials on a large scale, looting remnants, and excluding dissidents.

At that time, the Love Shenjing was in a state of turmoil day and night. Court officials went to court and entered the office like walking on thin ice, not knowing which day they would be targeted by the hawks and hounds of the inner offices, ending up in prison or dying prematurely.

But those days of turmoil and fear had passed for more than ten years. Those blood, those fights, and those separations had begun to fade in the memories of many court officials.

Now, the past events that once made people palpitate seemed to have begun to be unsealed again...

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao looked at this Head of the Court of Investigation, who was imposing in appearance but full of danger, and couldn't help but feel disgust.

Civil officials had always regarded a good reputation as more important than life and death, but the Court of Investigation always convicted officials, not taking their lives first, but ruining their reputation first. Weren't those five officials who resisted the new law treated like this?

Living in humiliation, ruining one's reputation first, and leaving a bad name for ten thousand years—for civil officials, this was a fate worse than death.

So the Court of Investigation focused on interrogating him, but he denied it at first.

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao felt sad. This person was the Emperor's sharp blade. To put it nicely, it was to rectify the administration; to put it presumptuously, it was to use the Court of Investigation to control the officials.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao gave Zhou Junxing some pointers and instructions, then let him leave the palace first. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, the whole process did not avoid Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao sneered: "A good third-grade military official of the Jin Ling Guard actually has the ability to reach the Ministry of Personnel's Evaluation Department. Investigate it for me! Any official involved will not be spared!"

"Those who have solid evidence of the leak in Zhou Suqing's confession will be severely punished, those who have not cleared their suspicions will be investigated, and those who are poisonous will not be missed, so as to avoid future trouble."

This Zhou Junxing had such sharp methods. Before entering the palace, he must have determined the opportunity. Once he reported the leak of Luo Qingchang, the Emperor would definitely pay attention to the reason for the leak.

……

Especially since the major criminal who leaked the secret came from the Court of Judicial Review, Wei Guanyao, as the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, was even more like standing on the edge of an abyss.

……

Seeing Zhou Junxing talking eloquently to Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, with clear thinking, sharp eyes, and words full of seductive induction, they couldn't help but feel deep fear in their hearts.

After interrogation and comparison by the Court of Investigation, it was finally determined that the Court of Judicial Review's criminal record officer, Luo Qingchang, was the major criminal who leaked the secret!

Zhou Junxing didn't care about Wei Guanyao, who was kneeling, and continued: "This person is the first person to know the content of Zhou Suqing's confession besides Yang Hongbin."

Luo Qingchang was a third-rank Jinshi. Because he was from a poor family, had no background, and was not good at drilling, he had been a seventh-grade criminal record officer for four years in the Court of Judicial Review.

A memorial brought eight officials down into the dust, and after these eight officials were caught, how many more would be implicated? No one could be sure...

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao gasped when they heard this.

Such precise speculation of the imperial will, colluding and causing trouble, sharp and dangerous, unscrupulous—he was worthy of the name of a cruel official. With the Court of Investigation controlled by this person, the court would probably have no peace from now on.

……

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao looked coldly at Wei Guanyao, who was kneeling to accept his guilt, and said nothing.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said: "Since the leak has been investigated and pursued by the Court of Investigation, and the worries have been temporarily removed, the Jin Ling Zhou Zhengyang case must be stepped up for investigation."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said angrily: "The dignified Court of Judicial Review, the main trial office, actually had a case of stealing from the inside. It is truly unreasonable! How did he leak the secret? Are there any accomplices!"

Twenty-one people were initially confirmed to have no signs of leaking secrets and were in normal work, but their entry and exit actions had been monitored.

"The above-mentioned people disregarded the laws of the country, colluded and formed cliques, and sought private interests. I request the Emperor to investigate strictly to warn others and correct the public's hearing!"

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao read the memorial once and said sternly: "The Court of Investigation will investigate with all its strength. The criminals involved in the malpractice of the Ministry of Personnel will be handled according to the facts, and absolutely no one can be wrongly released!"

"In the second day after Zhou Suqing confessed, Luo Qingchang sent his confidant family members to ride fast to Jin Ling to report to Zhou Zhengyang. That was why Yang Hongbin's arrest of Zhengyang failed."

It involved seven officials of the Ministry of Personnel, including the Assistant Director, Director, and Left Vice Minister of the Evaluation Department. In addition, Luo Qingchang's superior, the Director of the Court of Judicial Review's Criminal Record Division, was also involved in falsifying Luo Qingchang's annual evaluation.

"The two beloved ministers are the heads of their respective offices, so you should take this as a warning and rectify the officialdom of your departments!"

Zhou Junxing said: "Reporting to the Emperor, the Court of Investigation has been interrogating and torturing a total of 37 people involved in contacting the confession information from the Court of Judicial Review and the Five Military Commissions for several days."

Such a cruel official style, how could it not make civil officials like Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao hate him deeply?

Perhaps it was because of this character that the Emperor promoted him to be the Head of the Court of Investigation...

This person once interrogated Zhou Suqing with Yang Hongbin, was responsible for recording Zhou Suqing's confession, and knew the confession information very well.

Two years ago, he followed his superior from the Court of Judicial Review to Jin Ling to assist in the aftermath of the Water Supervision Office major case. Due to official business, he had contact with some officers of the Jin Ling Guard and thus got to know the Jin Ling Guard Commander, Zhou Zhengyang.

Luo Qingchang had many benefits and handles in Zhou Zhengyang's hands, so he was willing to be his eyes and ears. He learned the content of Zhou Suqing's confession and worried that Zhou Zhengyang would be caught, and that he would be implicated and suffer.

"I use the severity of the Court of Investigation to rectify the officialdom, remove corruption and generate muscle, guide the clear flow, and deter the small people."

Wei Guanyao had served as the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review for many years and had always been diligent and promising, and was quite valued by Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao. But in the Zhou Suqing case, the Court of Judicial Review had made such a big mistake, which made Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao very disappointed.

Zhou Junxing took out a memorial and presented it, saying: "Emperor, according to the confession of Luo Qingchang, the Court of Investigation has sorted out and investigated that Zhou Zheng Yan operated the department's connections to illegally seek promotion for Luo Qingchang."

Zhou Zhengyang gave him two Jin Ling singing girls, a small courtyard in the north of the Love Shenjing, and even used the connections of the Ministry of Personnel's Evaluation Department to list Luo Qingchang's performance as Grade B, promoting him to a seventh-grade official position.

Luo Qingchang had many benefits and handles in Zhou Zhengyang's hands, so he was willing to be his eyes and ears. He learned the content of Zhou Suqing's confession and worried that Zhou Zhengyang would be caught, and that he would be implicated and suffer.

"I use the severity of the Court of Investigation to rectify the officialdom, remove corruption and generate muscle, guide the clear flow, and deter the small people."

However, under the three woods, he soon confessed his leak.

Wei Guanyao, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review on the side, turned pale and knelt down, saying: "I governed the office strictly, causing trouble, I am guilty."

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao felt awe in their hearts and hurriedly agreed in unison. Wasn't the dialogue between Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao and Zhou Junxing just now a deterrent to them?

"Regarding the transmission of document information related to this case, I will send elite inner office personnel to be responsible, so as to avoid further changes. Besides Yang Hongbin continuing to handle affairs in Jin Ling, I have decided to send capable people to Jin Ling to assist in the investigation."

"The two beloved ministers can recommend reliable candidates for me to consider."

Gu Yankui breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this. The main culprit of this case, Zhou Zhengyang, was a third-grade military official, the troops he commanded belonged to the Ministry of War, and the military position he held was under the jurisdiction of the Five Military Commissions.

Now that the Five Military Commissions were deeply involved, and two officials of the Five Military Commissions died under torture, could the Ministry of War stay out of it?

The cruel official of the Court of Investigation was digging into the bones and sucking the marrow, using this matter as a starting point to dig out and implicate more crimes.

The most urgent task now was to solve the Jin Ling major case as soon as possible, bring Zhou Zhengyang to justice, and end the whirlpool that was constantly expanding.

Only in this way would the Emperor put down the raised butcher knife. Although many officials implicated by the Court of Investigation were not good things.

But if the water is too clear, there will be no fish. How many officials in the court are truly clean and honest? The government office has to open, and things have to be done. Once there is no restraint, I am afraid there will be chaos.

Gu Yankui thought for a moment and said: "Reporting to the Emperor, I recommend Earl Lord Weiyuan Jia Cong to go to Jin Ling to assist in handling this case. When the Water Supervision Office major case broke out, it was Jia Cong who made many strange plans in Jin Ling to break the case."

"He made the prime culprit of the Water Supervision Office, Zou Huaiyi, punish himself. He is familiar with the ins and outs of this case, and Jia Cong is both scholarly and martial, good at using strange plans, and skilled in leading troops. I think he is the most suitable candidate to go to Jin Ling."

The Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, Wei Guanyao, also said: "I agree. Zhou Suqing was captured by Jia Cong in Liaodong, which shows that he knows the details of the Water Supervision Office major case very well."

"He and Yang Hongbin once worked together to break the case in Jin Ling, and they are familiar with each other and will definitely cooperate tacitly. Plus, the Jia family is a big family in Jin Ling, and has the convenience of local connections."

"Jia Cong is indeed the only candidate for the Emperor to solve the major case in Jin Ling."

Wei Guanyao and Gu Yankui had the same idea: send the most capable person to fill the hole in Jin Ling early. If it drags on, who knows how many people the Court of Investigation will harm.

Moreover, the person who leaked the secret came from the Court of Judicial Review. If Zhou Zhengyang remained at large, he, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, would be finished.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao looked at the urgent expressions on the faces of the two old ministers, looked at the memorial on the desk about Zhou Junxing investigating the malpractice of the Ministry of Personnel, and his mouth twitched tightly.

Whether it was the Zhongche Office or the Court of Investigation, the sharp blade was out of the sheath. Wanting to kill but not killing was when it was most deterrent.

……

Ningrong Street, Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's courtyard.

Since the improved Red-Clothed Cannon's construction specifications were determined, the main business of the firearms workshop was the mass forging of cannons.

Jia Cong was good at firearms research and improvement, but he was not good at the specific affairs of firearms construction. That was the specialty of the Firearms Division Deputy Supervisor, Liu Shizhen.

Therefore, the busiest person in the firearms workshop recently was Liu Shizhen, who was seen in and out of the workshop every day, wholeheartedly supervising the construction of new cannons.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had decided to transfer some new cannons to prioritize equipping the coastal passes of Songjiang and Su Zhou, because in the past six months, Japanese pirates had often invaded along the estuary.

Jia Cong also consciously stopped the firearms research affairs, because with the current construction technology level of the Great Zhou, many new concepts he proposed could not be realized, so he became idle in official business.

More time was spent on studying classics, contemporary system arts, or regularly going to Mount Luocang to listen to Liu Yanxiu's lectures.

This morning, after he and Yingchun finished breakfast, Jia Mu's senior maid, Yuanyang, came to invite Yingchun to the Western Prefecture to meet guests.

It was said that the wife of the Zhen family in Jin Ling brought the Third Miss Zhen to the Love Shenjing from afar. Because the Old Empress Dowager in the palace was not in good health this year, the female relatives of the Zhen family were going to enter the palace to pay homage to the Old Empress Dowager.

Because the Zhen family and the Jia family were old relatives of the Jin Ling family, after seeing the Old Empress Dowager, they also came to visit Jia Mu. Accompanying them was the Princess of Beijing, because the Princess of Beijing was the Second Miss of the Zhen family before she married.

The relationship here was somewhat complicated, and Jia Cong was stunned when he heard it.

Jia Cong had been holed up in the Eastern Courtyard before he was ten, almost in a state of isolation, and later went to Qingshan Academy to study, and was away from home all year round.

Later, he went south to Jin Ling and Liaodong, and didn't spend much time in the mansion. Plus, the exchanges between the Zhen family and the Jia family were not as frequent as those of Wang, Shi, and Xue, so naturally, he didn't have much concept of the Zhen family.

Since the eight branches of the Jia family settled in the Love Shenjing, because no one from the Zhen family was an official in the Love Shenjing, the foundation of the Zhen family was still stationed in Jin Ling. Therefore, the exchanges between the Jia family and the Zhen family in the Love Shenjing were not as close as those of other families.

Jia Cong and Jia Mu had been estranged for many years, and he didn't enter Rongqing Hall if he didn't have to on weekdays, so naturally, he heard even less information about the Zhen family.

……

However, Yuanyang had been by Jia Mu's side since she was a child and was more familiar with the relationships of these old relatives than others.

Since Jia She and Lady Xing forced Yuanyang to be a concubine, after a storm in Rongqing Hall, Yuanyang was considered to have reduced her future worries.

That day in Rongqing Hall, Yuanyang wanted to cut her hair to show her ambition, and it was Jia Cong who took action in time to stop her. Later in Jia Mu's room, the Old Lady said those words to Yuanyang.

Although Yuanyang didn't show it on the surface, how could she not be increasingly close to Jia Cong in her heart?

Seeing Jia Cong somewhat confused, and the female guests hadn't arrived at the mansion yet, there was still time, so she told Jia Cong some of the origins of the Zhen family in detail.

It was said that there was an Old Empress Dowager in the palace with a noble status, who was over seventy years old. She was a noble consort of the previous Emperor, Emperor Hongxuan, and was one of the very few concubines of Emperor Hongxuan who was still alive.

Although this Old Empress Dowager was not the biological mother of the Retired Emperor, she had the grace of raising the Retired Emperor, and the Retired Emperor treated her like a mother, so her status in the harem was very noble.

There was another more important thing: this Old Empress Dowager was from the Zhen family of Jin Ling.

Because of the existence of this Old Empress Dowager Zhen, although the Zhen family of Jin Ling had no achievements in opening up the country, and no hereditary noble title, their status in the Jiangnan region was noble, and they were rich and luxurious.

Compared with the four major families of Jin Ling—Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue—they were even better.

Not to mention that the Second Miss of the Zhen family, who was of the same generation as Baoyu, married Shui Rong, the Prince of Beijing, as his proper wife. Her noble status was even higher than Jia Mu's.

However, this Princess of Beijing was a person who knew etiquette. She only respected the feelings of the old relatives of the family and never put on the airs of a Princess in front of Jia Mu.

Usually, because her status was sensitive, she couldn't come to the Jia family often. However, her relationship with Jia Mu was quite good. This time, she took advantage of the visit of the female relatives from her hometown to come over together.

Yingchun knew more about the old relatives of the mansion than Jia Cong and had heard of the origin of the Second Miss Zhen, but it was the first time she heard of the Third Miss Zhen.

She asked curiously: "Their female relatives are entering the palace to pay homage to the Old Empress Dowager, and it is reasonable for the mistress in charge to come over. Why let the unmarried young ladies show their faces?"

Yingchun having such a question was also reasonable. The Third Miss Zhen who came with them, since she was called a young lady, must be an unmarried daughter.

Like great families such as the Jia and Zhen families, unmarried young ladies never stepped out of the second gate and never stepped out of the great gate, rarely showing themselves in front of people.

Not to mention traveling thousands of miles like the Second Miss Zhen to enter the palace to pay homage to the Old Empress Dowager Zhen.

Yuanyang smiled: "The Old Lady mentioned this when she was idle. This Third Miss Zhen is an unusual one. Among the young ladies in the Zhen family, she is a fierce one, just like the Third Young Lady in our mansion."

Yingchun looked at Jia Cong and smiled: "That's a coincidence. It looks like the ones in the third row are all fierce characters."

Yuanyang also looked at Jia Cong and smiled, naturally understanding Yingchun's meaning. Wasn't Jia Cong also in the third row?

Yuanyang continued: "There is another reason for this. A few years ago, this Third Miss Zhen was still young, and the Old Empress Dowager was lonely in the deep palace, so the Zhen family sent the Third Miss into the palace to accompany and teach her."

"It was only a few years ago that she was sent back to Jin Ling, so the Old Empress Dowager was particularly close to the Third Miss Zhen. This time, the Third Miss Zhen came to pay homage to the Old Empress Dowager together."

"Because the old relatives were visiting, the Old Lady asked Miss Lin, the Third Young Lady, and the Fourth Young Lady to meet the guests, and also asked the Second Young Lady to go over together."

"Now the Second Young Lady is the eldest young lady of the Earl's Mansion. Meeting the female guests of the Zhen family, the young lady cannot be missing."

Ever since Jia Cong took Yingchun to live in the Eastern Prefecture, Yingchun was Jia Cong's own sister, so she was the eldest young lady of the Earl's Mansion. This status was much more precious than the original concubine-born young lady of Rongguo Prefecture.

Although Jia Mu was not close to Jia Cong, Jia Cong was granted a hereditary Earl title at a young age, was both scholarly and martial, and was famous far and wide. Now he was the unquestionable facade of the Jia family.

The female relatives of the Zhen family visited, and among them were unmarried women of the same generation as Jia Cong. Men and women were different, so Jia Cong naturally couldn't show his face.

Letting Yingchun come forward to meet the guests represented the Earl's Mansion and represented the glory of one family with two Earls. For Jia Mu and the Jia family, it was face.

It was just that Jia Cong heard that the proper wife of the Prince of Beijing, Shui Rong, was actually the Second Miss Zhen of Jin Ling, and he was somewhat vigilant in his heart.

He didn't care about that Third Miss Zhen; she was just an unmarried woman.

Regarding the Second Miss and Third Miss of the Zhen family in Jiangnan, they appeared in Chapter 56 of Dream of the Red Chamber.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 362 =====