Chapter 370: Plum Blossoms in Xuanmu

Luocang Mountain, Liu Residence.

Because Jia Cong was going down to Jin Ling in a few days, he came to visit his teacher Liu Yanxiu before leaving.

Because next year was the three-year spring examination, he had been going up to Luocang Mountain every few days since returning from Liaodong to listen to his teacher Liu Yanxiu's lectures.

In the past two years, he had devoted himself to hard study, and had also received the teachings of Liu Jingan, who was known as the Great Scholar and Academic Saint, immersing himself deeply in the study of the classics.

Last year, he was able to obtain the position of Jieyuan in the special examination, and his foundation in classics, policy discussion, and current essays was already solid, with considerable heat.

Now he only needed to constantly consolidate the foundation, review the old and learn the new, draw inferences from one instance, integrate them into one furnace, and be original, so he could go up to the next level.

Therefore, Liu Jingan's teaching to him now no longer stayed at simple explanation of the classics.

Instead, he started from many aspects such as method, brushwork, standing heart, discrimination, and current situation. The master and apprentice were both pointing out the industry and another kind of cutting and colliding.

Liu Jingan was known as the Academic Saint. After retiring, he sat in the hall for more than ten years and taught seven scholars in the Liu clan, shocking the world. His ability to teach, saying that there was no one in the world who could compare to him, was not an exaggeration.

There are deep doubts in it. The teacher has experienced many things in the world, I don't know what you can teach me?"

But now the most important Jin Ling Guard under the Jin Ling Commandery has actually made such a big thing. The dignified third-grade guard commander is actually the mastermind behind the Water Surveillance Department case back then.

These were all prepared for Jia Cong to study and read when he had leisure. After all, he would have to spend a few months going down to Jin Ling this time.

For Liu Jingan, the examination industry was profound. After all, Jia Cong was young and needed time to accumulate and develop. He did his best to teach and point out, that was all.

He knew that his teacher had experienced the ups and downs of officialdom, and had been in a high position of nine ministers during the Retired Emperor's time, with broad knowledge and far-reaching strategies, so he wanted to hear his opinion.

One of them was Liu Jingan spending half a month collecting the essays and policy discussions of the first class of the examination in the past six years, and adding organization and comments.

In recent years, Japanese pirates and sea thieves have been abusing the waters near Gusu and Songjiang.

Baochai was sitting by the round table talking to Zhen Ying Lian, and there was a brown jade-patterned package on the table.

This was what Liu Jingan valued most, and he was also worried in his heart.

You must not be careless when you go down to Jin Ling this time. Investigate deeply, but if you have any gains, keep it secret and don't be surprised. Report to the Central Palace urgently and wait for the imperial decision. Avoid being eager for success and acting rashly, being implicated too deeply, and suffering from it!"

Another volume was his own intercepted questions, current essay questions, and policy discussion questions, and he also marked the direction of breaking the questions and reference books.

Who can guarantee that after Zhou Zhengyang is caught, there will be no involvement, and Jin Ling is the hub of Jiangnan......

But less than two years later, it actually involved a third-grade official with military power.

Zhi Shao blushed and said: "Young lady, don't talk nonsense. Where is the sister-in-law here? This time going south, Third Brother is taking me to visit my master by the way."

But in terms of strategy, Jia Cong had more extraordinary talent, and seemed to have an innate wisdom and sharpness, but this could not be obtained by acquired teaching.

Earl's Prefecture, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

Cases involving military generals and high officials have always been dangerous and unpredictable, and will definitely make the Emperor deeply wary.

During the Hongxuan period, in the jurisdiction of the original Nanzhili, the former Emperor issued an edict to establish the Jin Ling Commandery to control the guards of the five prefectures of Jin Ling, Zhenjiang, Changzhou, Gusu, and Songjiang, and to stabilize the core area of Nanzhili.

But in the words, it seemed that the meaning was more than that. With the tacit understanding between their master and apprentice, Liu Jingan did not need to be vague.

Two years ago, Zhi Shao returned to the prefecture with Jia Cong, and had made a big movement. Jia Mu heard the gossip of outsiders, thinking that Jia Cong's behavior was not upright, and sent someone to block him outside the second gate.

Zhi Shao greeted her when she heard footsteps. She wore a light purple dark flower cross-collar vest, a white round-collar crepe inner shirt, and a moon-white dark flower long skirt, standing gracefully, slender and beautiful.

Although there was some uncertainty in her heart, she thought about it, perhaps she was a bit too sensitive....

Jia Cong was shocked when he heard this. He had been with Liu Jingan for several years and knew his teacher's temper very well. Although he only warned him to be careful,

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he heard the sound of orioles and swallows in the room, and it seemed that all the sisters in the family were there.

He didn't reveal this matter to his family or colleagues, but he didn't hide it from Liu Jingan.

Jia Cong handed the two volumes to her and gave her two instructions. Zhi Shao neatly collected the volumes properly, so that Jia Cong could take them at any time.

Daiyu was arranging the luggage in the box, and she was still teasing Zhi Shao: "Good sister-in-law, I envy you, being able to go south with Third Brother.

It's a pity that it's midsummer now, and the plum blossoms on Xuanmu Mountain are not blooming. Everyone says they are extremely beautiful. I have been thinking about them for several years, but I have never had the opportunity to see them."

Jia Cong came back not empty-handed, but brought back two newly bound books.

After entering the inner room, he found that Yingchun and Daiyu were both there, helping Zhi Shao pack her clothes and luggage for the trip.

The Su Zhou Guard and Songjiang Guard under the Jin Ling Commandery stood firm and repelled the enemy. Although there was no great victory, they refused the enemy and protected the people, and had some beheadings, which could be considered as doing their duty.

And he told Liu Jingan the real purpose of going down to Jin Ling, and asked: "Zhou Zhengyang is a third-grade main official of the Jin Ling Guard, holding high power, not only involved in a major case, but also escaped calmly after the incident.

One can imagine how heavy the suspicion in the Emperor's heart will be.

And Jia Cong was his closed-door disciple who was accepted by chance in his later years, and his talent was higher than ordinary people, and he had even deeper expectations for him.

Back then, the Water Surveillance Department case broke out, and the Thousand-Household Commander Zou Huaiyi was brought to justice. Everyone thought it was a settled case.

Jia Cong's trip to Jin Ling this time was to handle official business by imperial decree. Ostensibly, it was to go to Jin Ling to set up a branch of the Firearm Department, promote firearm training, and recruit Western barbarian material talent. In fact, it was to assist in the investigation of the Zhou Zhengyang major case by imperial decree.

Met Jia Cong and smiled: "I know that Brother Cong is going down to Jin Ling in a few days, so I want to ask you to help me bring a letter and things to my cousin Xue Ke."

Jia Cong naturally knew the name Xue Ke, and didn't care in his heart.

Later, Jia Cong entered the palace to play the strategy of building a firearm camp, which was deeply appreciated by Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao.

The Emperor also, because of his estrangement from the Rongguo Jia family, let the Empress bestow palace flowers and skirts to Zhi Shao as a reward for Jia Cong, to relieve him and support him, and to suppress the Rongguo Prefecture.

At that time, Jia Mu thought it was a gift bestowed by the palace, but she didn't expect that the glory was Zhi Shao. That time Jia Mu had lost a big face.

Since then, Jia Mu had been wary of matters related to the palace, and was respectful and cautious in everything.

Even Zhi Shao, who had received the Empress's gift, became special in the Jia family. Because of the dignity of the palace, no one in the prefecture dared to treat Zhi Shao as a maid anymore.

Later, it was Wang Xifeng's idea. Because Zhi Shao had served Jia Cong since she was a child, and Jia Cong treated her differently.

So Zhi Shao was given the same two taels of monthly silver as the young ladies, which was considered to have dealt with the dignity of the palace.

Even the female relatives in the family listened to plays and held rituals, they would call Zhi Shao out to show her face, so that outsiders would not say anything disrespectful.

In fact, both Jia Mu and Lady Wang knew clearly that the monthly silver Wang Xifeng set for Zhi Shao was not just to deal with the dignity of the palace.

It was also because there was an old rule in the Jia Prefecture, that is, the young masters in the prefecture reached the age of fifteen, and before marriage, they would arrange two people in the room to serve.

It was also to let the upright descendants know about human affairs before marriage, so as not to go outside to be absurd, be hooked by improper fox spirits, and cause the family to be restless and uneasy.

Back then, the men of the Jia family, such as Jia Zheng and Jia Lian, all came over like this.

Jia Zheng's two people in the room later became Zhou Yiniang and Zhao Yiniang Zhao.

Jia Lian was a bit more miserable. He met a lioness like Wang Xifeng. After Wang Xifeng entered the door, the two people in his room when he was young were driven out of the prefecture for various reasons.

One of them later married the family slave Bao Er, and until now, Jia Lian was still unclear with Bao Er's family.

Wang Xifeng was a person who was thoughtful inside and outside, and dripping without leakage. She also considered the internal and external reasons according to this old rule in the family, and set this monthly silver for Zhi Shao.

Because, in the Jia family, not only young ladies like Yingchun and Seeing Tan Chun had two taels of monthly silver, but also concubines like Zhou Yiniang who had no children had two taels of monthly silver.

Wang Xifeng was very familiar with the twists and turns of the big house, so she not only dealt with the dignity of the palace outside, but also no one in the house could say a word of gossip.

In fact, Jia Mu had done this once. Back then, Xue Pan harassed Zhen Ying Lian. Jia Mu knew that Zhen Ying Lian was entrusted to Jia Cong by Feng, which was like a matchmaker's words.

And because Jia Cong was becoming more and more outstanding, Jia Mu began to have the idea of solicitation, so she rewarded Zhen Ying Lian with a red gold necklace worn by a young lady, which was equivalent to Zhen Ying Lian getting the recognition of the elders of the Jia family.

Therefore, Jia Cong already had two fair and square people in his room, but Jia Cong himself had not yet reached the age of dancing and had not yet involved in the affairs between men and women.

And Zhi Shao was older than Zhen Ying Lian and had served Jia Cong since she was a child, and she became more and more different in the eyes of others.

Yingchun, Seeing Tan Chun, Daiyu, and other Jia family young ladies all knew the rules and roots of the family, and knew clearly that Zhi Shao would sooner or later be given to Jia Cong.

Women born in noble and official families were also used to such things and didn't care, so Daiyu would tease Zhi Shao like this.

And Zhi Shao had experienced ups and downs, and had practiced in Panxiang Temple for two years. Although the past was hazy, her attachment to Jia Cong came from life and death trials.

Her love was deep, her heart was focused, her daily behavior was uncompetitive, and she had a good relationship in the prefecture. Sisters like Yingchun and Daiyu were all close to her.

Jia Cong saw Zhi Shao shy, so he stepped forward to relieve her and smiled: "Sister wants to see the plum blossoms on Xuanmu Mountain, it's not very difficult. When I go back this time, I will bring some plum roots from Xuanmu Mountain and plant them in the East Prefecture, they will definitely live.

Sister doesn't need to travel over mountains and rivers, and she can see them."

Zhi Shao's pretty face was still flushed, and she said on the side: "Miss Lin, I lived in Panxiang Temple for a few years. The plum blossoms on the sunny slope south of Xuanmu Mountain are the most beautiful. I will help you pick some of the best plum roots.

Bring them back to the East Prefecture to plant, and the young lady will be able to see the plum blossoms bloom during the New Year this year."

Daiyu pulled Zhi Shao, seeing the flush on her face not yet faded, she didn't tease her anymore, and smiled: "Good sister, you must remember these words, I will wait for you to bring the plum blossoms from the mountain back."

Jin Ling, Longtan Port Wharf.

The sky was like blood in the sunset, shining on the ten thousand hectares of river flow outside the wharf, radiating dazzling waves.

Two years ago, the major case that shocked the world happened here.

Two Japanese merchant ships had a dispute and fight due to the unfair handling of the Shipping Department, which led to the death of crew members of one of the Japanese merchant ships, and dozens of wharf guards and guard soldiers died in vain.

Now two years have passed, and Longtan Port has long returned to its past peace.

Those merchant ships coming and going, stopping at the wharf, and their ship owners and crew members, many even didn't know that a bloody catastrophe had happened here a few years ago.

Two years ago, because of the bloody case at Longtan Port, the Water Surveillance Department major case was detected. The Jin Ling Shipping Department and the Water Surveillance Department, as the main government offices involved in the case, were subjected to extremely thorough cleaning.

The main officials of these two government offices were killed, committed suicide, were convicted and died, or were demoted and transferred, almost none of them remained.

And the vacant official positions were divided up by the officialdom tycoons with hidden forces in the Love Shenjing and Jin Ling by various means.

These newly appointed officials, fearing the crimes committed by their predecessors and the terrible consequences suffered, were able to perform their duties faithfully and conscientiously when they first took office, without making mistakes.

But a big city like Jin Ling, which is rich in the world, with wealthy merchants, powerful households, gathering and following, maritime trade and foreign goods, and exchanges between countries, flowing with gold and silver, and being blinded by greed.

These officials who were trembling when they first took office, because of the power they held, countless wealthy merchants and powerful people who were interested in the benefits would use various means to please and erode their bottom line.

Two years is not a short time, enough for the dam that has been rebuilt to have countless fine ant holes again.

Ten years of cold windows, thousands of miles as an official, truly clean as water, with a firm heart and will, are after all only a few people.

And like Jia Cong, born in a noble family, and having a belly full of ingenious ideas, never suffering for silver money, it is even more a minority among the minority.

Most people cannot withstand the temptations of gold, silver, beauty, power, money, and glory, coming and going repeatedly, constantly washing and tempting.

They may not have the courage to do things like Zou Huaiyi, killing ships and looting goods, treating human life like grass, and writing countless crimes.

But relying on the power in their hands, colluding with merchants, favoritism and breaking the law, exchanging for benefits, and fattening themselves, where would they not do such things?

Since the detection of the Water Surveillance Department major case two years ago, the new officials of the Shipping Department and the Water Surveillance Department, the initial investigation and rectification were strict.

Within less than a year, this pragmatic and strict atmosphere was quickly worn away by various factors, and the entire Jin Ling Longtan Port merchant ship entry and exit, and official inspection, became a group of harmony.

How many dirty things in officialdom are staged at the wharf every day.

However, since Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao issued an imperial decree to carry out a large-scale rotation of officials in various relevant government offices in Jin Ling, the atmosphere of Longtan Port suddenly became tense.

Many officials of the Jin Ling Shipping Department and the Water Surveillance Department were replaced in this rotation storm, and the original official-merchant collusion relationship was cut off.

The entire Jin Ling Longtan Port wharf, for the inspection of civilian ships, merchant ships, and tribute ships, tightened the reins of strict inspection again.

In the past few days, there have been ships entering the port that have been inspected by officials of the Shipping Department and the Water Surveillance Department, and found to be carrying prohibited items, or the identity documents of the crew entering the port were incomplete.

Just now, a ship inspected by officials of the Shipping Department found another violation, and made the inspecting officials feel a bit tricky.

Because this merchant ship belongs to the Jiangnan noble Zhen family.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 371 =====

Because this merchant ship belongs to the Zhen family, a powerful clan of Jiang Nan.

(End of chapter)