Chapter 363: The Art of the Loyal Minister

Lady Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

When Seeing Yingchun entered the hall with Sister Yuanyang, she saw the room filled with jeweled ornaments and fragrant winds, already crowded with guests.

Among them were several women with unfamiliar faces; she realized the Zhen family's female guests had arrived.

Lin Daiyu, Seeing Tan Chun, Little Xichun, and the other sisters were all seated to entertain the guests, but Jia Baoyu, who usually always appeared with his sisters, was not present.

Though within the Jia family's inner quarters Jia Baoyu did not avoid his own sisters, to the Zhen family's women, he was an outsider male.

Moreover, with unmarried Zhen daughters present, even if Jia Mu doted on him, she would never allow him to appear in Rongqing Hall at this moment—otherwise, the Jia family would violate the great propriety of gender separation.

As Seeing Yingchun entered the hall, Jia Mu smiled and said to a middle-aged woman dressed in lavish robes: "This is my second granddaughter, Seeing Yingchun; she usually lives with her brother in the Eastern Mansion."

Seeing Yingchun saw the noblewoman, in her thirties, with a dignified, beautiful face, grand bearing, and her hair adorned with glittering jewels, radiating an aura of wealth—she guessed this must be Madam Zhen.

Madam Zhen seemed particularly attentive to Seeing Yingchun, studying her carefully from head to toe.

Though born into a great noble household, she showed not a trace of extravagance; she wore not brocade or silk, but a simple plain blue robe and long skirt, her sash loose and unadorned, humble and unpretentious.

Lin Daiyu and Seeing Tan Chun exchanged glances, both feeling a touch of surprise.

Madam Zhen's expression grew slightly awkward: "Old Madam, our third daughter is deeply cherished by you, raised since childhood in comfort and indulgence; her speech and conduct can be peculiar—please don't take offense."

Fortunately, he has been in Liaodong for the past half-year; otherwise, he would likely have been summoned to Rongqing Hall every few days.

Thus, Seeing Tan Chun still felt a certain admiration for this strange Zhen girl.

I especially love his poem 'Linjiangxian'; since I cannot meet an outsider male, could you help me, Sister, and ask Brother Cong for a copy of his calligraphy? I would be deeply grateful."

The Princess of Beijing sighed playfully: "Third sister, you are a guest here—why begin by demanding calligraphy from the Marquis of Lord Weiyuan? What propriety is this?"

This Zhen third daughter, whom Sister Yuanyang had called formidable, appeared to be about Seeing Yingchun's own age.

Jia Mu understood Madam Zhen's implication—over the past two years, Jia Mu had seen this many times: old family visitors often came expressly to meet the extraordinary Jia Cong.

Seeing Tan Chun, upon seeing this Zhen third daughter, found her not merely novel, but even somewhat awe-inspiring.

Jia Mu longed to say, "My Jia Baoyu is equally handsome, no less than Jia Cong," but she could only offer polite words.

She asked Jia Mu: "Old Madam, since this second young lady resides in the Eastern Mansion, she must be the Marquis of Lord Weiyuan's own sister, correct?"

The Zhen third daughter smiled: "Sister Seeing Yingchun has an excellent brother—I read his poetry while in Jinling; it was truly superb. I've also heard his calligraphy has reached the level of a master."

Jia Mu laughed: "We are old family clans—our younger generations are all siblings; what is there to make a fuss over?"

She was a few years older than the other Jia girls, her demeanor quiet and refined, her beauty elegant and graceful, her skin luminous, her bearing serene—she had blossomed into an outstanding young woman.

Jia Mu looked at Seeing Yingchun, who understood and replied: "Brother Cong is not at the office today; he is studying at home."

Madam Zhen then asked: "Old Madam, is Cong-ge currently in the mansion? This young man is now famous throughout the land; at his age, he has already been granted a marquisate—something unprecedented in the Great Zhou."

Earlier, Lin Daiyu and the other sisters had already met the Zhen women; now Jia Mu introduced Seeing Yingchun to them formally.

Her features were exquisite, her beauty clear and elegant, her bearing radiant, her countenance stunning.

As Seeing Yingchun bowed to the Zhen third daughter, the girl smiled in return, her snow-white, luminous face showing faint dimples, charming and graceful, utterly free of the usual restraint of a young lady.

But her own life had been drifting, raised in a relative's home; her heart bore hidden burdens and repression, unable to be as carefree and unrestrained as the Zhen third daughter.

…

Jia Mu laughed: "Indeed, these siblings have been close since childhood. My grandson is a restless one—only this second granddaughter can keep him in check."

Madam Zhen smiled: "Your second granddaughter is truly remarkable in appearance and bearing. In the capital, rumors say the Jia family's Cong-ge possesses extraordinary talent and beauty, exceptional in both literature and martial arts—rare in this world. Yet I've never had the chance to meet him."

If this sister is already so impressive, what must her brother be like?"

…

To Madam Zhen's left sat a graceful, elegant woman, dignified in her phoenix-and-crane imperial robe—she was the Zhen family's second daughter, now the Princess of Beijing.

The woman seated to Madam Zhen's right, Seeing Yingchun had already noticed the moment she entered Rongqing Hall, for in her eyes, this woman was truly unlike any other.

Seeing Tan Chun, too, as a concubine-born daughter, had learned from a young age the coldness of great households; her every word and action was careful, precise, sharp, and astute, determined never to give others grounds for criticism.

Jia Mu replied to Madam Zhen: "He is at home, but since today's visitors are women, out of propriety for male-female separation, we did not summon him to pay respects."

With inner constraints, one's actions are bound by rules—naturally, one cannot be as free and unrestrained as this Zhen third daughter, acting entirely on impulse.

Her long hair was simply coiled into a bun, with no other ornaments except a single pearl hairpin; her attire was plain and unadorned, yet she radiated an air of transcendent uniqueness, despite being a woman.

But it was only a request for a piece of calligraphy—not a big deal—so she said: "Sister, no need for formalities; I'll have Brother Cong write you a piece as a gift."

Though she admired the Zhen third daughter's disposition, she felt no more than that; she knew that in life, fate differs, and outward forms must vary—how could everyone be alike?

Lin Daiyu was naturally gifted, insightful, and poetic, sincere and wise, with a touch of aloof, lofty pride that set her apart from the mundane.

This Zhen third daughter was a woman of extraordinary beauty, yet devoid of any feminine softness; instead, she possessed a free-spirited, open-hearted nature—as if she had been born in the wrong body.

Her bright eyes were clear as water, shining intensely, as if they could see straight into one's soul, making one unable to meet her gaze.

All the servants in the mansion knew that for Third Miss Seeing Tan Chun, the concubine-born daughter, she was a fragrant, beautiful thorned rose—no one dared to slight or neglect her.

Her nature was sharp and capable, and she had always compared herself to men.

Seeing Yingchun had never seen such a free and unrestrained woman before—even rivaling men—and she could not help but pause in surprise.

Though concubine-born, she understood everything clearly, intelligent and courageous; Jia Mu greatly favored this third granddaughter, and Madam Wang also held her in high regard.

Today's visitors were married women of the Zhen family—Madam Zhen and the Princess of Beijing—so it would be acceptable for Jia Cong to pay his respects as a junior.

But now, with the unmarried Zhen third daughter present, greater caution was required; Jia Mu, seasoned in worldly matters, would never let anyone think the Jia family lacked proper decorum.

Madam Zhen laughed: "Old Madam, you're being too formal—we are old family ties from Jinling, nearly like one household. We've heard Cong-ge is still under the age of twenty."

In our eyes, he's still a child, even younger than my third daughter by a year or two—why bother with such formalities?"

The Princess of Beijing also smiled: "I know the Marquis of Lord Weiyuan is deeply fond of reading—he is a true literary talent of our age, no wonder he won the provincial top scholar title."

Last time, our Prince invited him to our mansion to meet friends, but he declined because he was going to Mount Mount Luocang to receive his master's teachings; we live in the same capital, yet I've never seen his true face."

Today is fortunate—we finally get to meet this young prodigy of the Jia family."

Jia Mu was startled by the Princess's words—when had this boy dared to refuse an invitation from the Prince of Beijing? That was far too disrespectful.

Jia Mu even detected a faint hint of displeasure in the Princess's tone.

Originally, Jia Mu had wanted to bring out her own Jia Baoyu to make an appearance—this Zhen third daughter was as exquisite as her Lin Tan Yatou, truly a fine match; Jia Baoyu would surely be captivated…

Now, hearing the Princess's words, she knew she must summon this boy out to appear—otherwise, the Prince of Beijing's resentment would grow.

So she ordered Sister Yuanyang to go to the Eastern Mansion and bring Jia Cong to speak with them.

Lin Daiyu's eyes flickered, and she noticed Madam Zhen's gaze following Sister Yuanyang as she left Rongqing Hall, then glanced at the Zhen third daughter—there was a faint, unspoken expectation in her expression; Lin Daiyu subtly furrowed her brows.

She looked again at the Zhen third daughter, who was chatting with Seeing Yingchun; her profile was luminous, her skin like snow, seemingly indifferent to Jia Cong's arrival.

Soon after, Sister Yuanyang returned and said: "Just now, a palace eunuch arrived at the Marquis's mansion to deliver an imperial decree, summoning Third Master immediately to the palace to meet His Majesty—he may not return for some time."

Jia Mu and Madam Wang and the others were startled—why had he been suddenly summoned to the palace?

At this moment, even Seeing Tan Chun noticed: upon hearing Jia Cong had been summoned to the palace and could not appear in Rongqing Hall, Madam Zhen's expression seemed to darken with disappointment.

Jia Mu chatted further with the Zhen women about old Jinling stories and family matters, learned they would depart for Jinling in a few days, and instructed Madam Wang to prepare a banquet for them.

…

Great Zhou Imperial Palace, Qianyang Palace.

That morning, Sister Yuanyang had come to summon Seeing Yingchun to the Western Mansion to meet guests; Jia Cong had been peacefully reading at home, when suddenly palace eunuchs arrived to summon him.

He followed the eunuch through the palace grounds, walking for a long time through halls and corridors, guessing all the while why Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had summoned him—but found no clear answer, until he arrived without realizing it.

The majestic Qianyang Palace remained unchanged; every brick, tile, table, and chair exuded imperial authority; the vast, silent hall was filled with the familiar chill and coldness.

Though Jia Cong had visited here many times, each entry into the hall brought the same strange weight of authority and oppression—never diminished.

Once within the deep palace, life, death, honor, and shame were no longer in one's hands; all was subject to another's will.

Heart without anchor, fate controlled by others.

These sensations filled him with deep discomfort, leaving a persistent urge within him to resist and flee from this seat of supreme power.

This was the majesty and cruelty of imperial authority—the fate of every minister, standing on the edge of a precipice.

…

Jia Cong noticed that besides Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao and Guo Lin, ever-present beside the emperor, there were two other ministers.

One was a familiar face: Minister of War and Commander of Nine Provinces Gu Guo Yankui; the other, a man in his forties, was unknown to him.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, upon Jia Cong's arrival, ordered Grand Secretary of the Dalisi Wei Wei Guanyao to explain the full details of the Zhou Zhou Zhengyang case to him, and to assign him to travel to Jinling to assist in the investigation.

Jia Cong was somewhat surprised—he had captured Zhou Zhou Suqing by accident in Liaodong, ordered the Yafu Garrison to escort her back to the capital, and then promptly withdrew, refusing to involve himself further.

He had wished to avoid this matter entirely, yet now the Emperor's will left him no escape.

The memory of Zou Zou Huaiyi's suicide during his assistance to Prince Ning in Jinling still haunted him.

At that time, he had sensed something hidden behind the affair—something deeply taboo; now, with the old case reopened, complications were inevitable.

Jia Cong paused briefly, then said: "Your Majesty, the official testimony leaked, and the suspect escaped—now the situation has become one of alerting the enemy.

All those connected to Zhou Zhou Zhengyang in Jinling must have already hidden or fled.

Moreover, whether Zhou Zhou Zhengyang is even the mastermind, or whether someone else lies behind him, remains uncertain.

Now, if Your Majesty sends officials to Jinling to intensify the investigation, the move will be obvious to all—no matter how swiftly the Imperial Investigation Bureau arrests the leaker.

But the capital is filled with countless officials, offices densely packed, their networks deeply entangled—who can guarantee that news of my mission to Jinling will not reach Jinling before I arrive?

I fear that upon reaching Jinling, I will repeat Yang Yang Hongbin's fate: losing the initiative before even entering the city; to uncover the truth within will become nearly impossible."

…

The old Water Surveillance case and the current Zhou Zhou Zhengyang case were tightly linked through Zhou Zhou Suqing, one continuous thread; Jia Cong understood better than anyone the dark, murky depths involved.

Whether Zou Zou Huaiyi or Zhou Zhou Zhengyang, both were from the garrison troops—this entire affair could not avoid entanglement with military power.

Historically, any major case tied to the military was extremely perilous; no matter how high one estimated the difficulties, it would never be excessive.

Since Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had chosen him to assist in Jinling, escape was impossible—he must convey the risks and challenges to the Emperor in advance, at least to lower the Emperor's expectations as much as possible.

He would not let the Emperor believe that merely sending him to Jinling would easily turn the tide—even if he possessed such ability, he would never allow the Emperor such a delusion.

Beside him, Gu Guo Yankui nodded silently—he was a veteran of officialdom and knew full well that success in any matter depended first on seizing the initiative.

With testimony leaked and the suspect escaped, the initiative was lost; unless reversed, even the most capable man sent to Jinling would likely achieve nothing.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said, "Minister Jia's words are reasonable—what strategy do you propose?"

Jia Cong replied, "Your Majesty, secrets bring success; leaks bring failure."

When the Jin Ling maritime trade case first erupted, its root lay in overseas trade, involving vast sums of silver that corrupted hearts and turned corrupt officials in the Water Supervision Bureau and the Maritime Trade Office into desperate men."

Now that Zhou Zhou Zhengyang has escaped, most of those tainted by the Water Supervision Bureau scandal are already on alert and will surely hide carefully."

Zhou Zhou Zhengyang is a third-rank official; if he has the power to manipulate the Ministry of Personnel's evaluation system in Shen Jing, he must also have cultivated connections within the bureaus of Jin Ling."

Your Majesty may appear lax on the outside but remain vigilant within—have Yang Yang Hongbin handle the case in Jin Ling normally, proceed step by step, show no haste, feign weakness, and ease the situation."

Meanwhile, you may take the opportunity to rotate officials in Jin Ling's maritime administration, replacing key personnel with loyal and trustworthy men—this will plug leaks and break the old networks of collusion."

And when dispatching capable agents to assist in the investigation in Jin Ling, you may also employ flexible, adaptive methods…"

…

Beside him, Gu Yan and Wei Wei Guanyao watched this young minister speak confidently before His Majesty—his thoughts clear, his logic meticulous, his eyes bright and piercing, his words tightly woven and profoundly persuasive.

Gu Yan had seen Jia Cong's extraordinary abilities many times before, whether in firearms strategy or commanding troops in Liaodong; though this plan still surprised him, he was no longer astonished.

Wei Wei Guanyao had only heard of Jia Cong's reputation before, never having worked with him officially.

Now, seeing him dissect a once-troublesome matter in moments and propose a strategy brimming with wisdom, such maturity at such a young age moved him inwardly.

Yet both Gu Yan and Wei Wei Guanyao were seasoned men, having seen countless others.

Watching Jia Cong's demeanor as he presented his case, they both felt a chill—because his mannerisms bore an uncanny resemblance to one man.

That man: Zhou Zhou Junxing, the most feared official in Shen Jing, whose name had recently stirred the Imperial Court.

Same imposing presence, same ingenious schemes; same meticulous rigor, radiating cold pragmatism; even the seductive power and persuasiveness of his speech were nearly identical.

Such traits, revealed at the core, cannot be faked—they are a man's true essence.

This youth is younger than Zhou Zhou Junxing, more gifted and learned, and possesses the highest aristocratic lineage and noble title in Da Zhou—things Zhou Zhou Junxing could never dream of.

The sovereign's trusted lone ministers all seem to share certain traits.

Gu Yan, who had a decent personal rapport with Jia Cong, refused to dwell further.

But Wei Wei Guanyao had already imagined: Jia Cong's talent and potential far surpass Zhou Zhou Junxing's; if His Majesty continues to favor him so deeply, what if one day he becomes a lone minister like Zhou Zhou Junxing…?

(End of Chapter)