Chapter 381: The Champions of Victory

Jin Ling, the secondary capital's six ministries offices.

The Ministry of Works, once sparsely attended, suddenly became bustling these past few days, with officials and soldiers coming and going, even including white-haired, blue-eyed foreign barbarians.

Because, within a two-court courtyard inside the Ministry of Works' main hall, a new branch office—the Secondary Capital Firearm Office—had been established.

Though the Great Zhou had moved its capital from Jin Ling to Shen Jing, Jin Ling remained the strategic hub of southern China and the founding cradle of the Zhou dynasty, still holding extraordinary significance in the eyes of the imperial family and the people.

Moreover, Shen Jing lies in the north, situated at the crossroads between the Central Plains' agricultural civilization and the northern nomadic civilization, making its geopolitical situation exceedingly complex.

Since its founding, the Great Zhou has endured several emperors and ruled the realm for over seventy years, yet its protracted struggles against northern remnants of the Mongol Yuan, Tibetans, and Jurchens, though never fully ascendant, have never truly ceased.

Thus, establishing a complete administrative system in the prosperous southern hub became essential, to prepare for potential failures in the rear of the state.

Hence, even after relocating the capital to Shen Jing, the court retained the six ministries in Jin Ling to underscore its critical role as the southern stronghold.

The administrative structure of the secondary capital's six ministries matched that of Shen Jing's.

But since the relocation, governance in the secondary capital has inevitably been lighter than in the capital, Shen Jing.

Therefore, while the bureaucratic framework of the secondary capital's six ministries remained unchanged, only the Ministry of War, Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of Personnel, and Ministry of Justice—those bearing the heaviest burdens of southern governance—were fully staffed.

The Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Rites, both less busy departments, typically left the Minister's post vacant, with the Left Vice Minister as the highest authority; lower-ranking positions were also left unfilled to reduce redundancy.

Additionally, the secondary capital's six ministries served another special purpose.

Many officials who lost power struggles in Shen Jing's six ministries were exiled here to idle away their time, awaiting a shift in fortune before being reappointed.

Thus, though the secondary capital's six ministries could never rival the power and prestige of Shen Jing's, they never lacked seasoned political veterans steeped in strategy.

…

Since Emperor Jia Zhao issued a secret edict ordering Jia Cong to travel to Jin Ling and establish a branch of the Firearm Office,

Li Li Dekang, Minister of Works in Shen Jing, sent an official notice to the secondary capital's Ministry of Works, instructing it to prepare for the branch's establishment.

In truth, these "preparations" simply meant securing a venue for the branch's official business.

Jin Ling, once the imperial capital, already had spacious ministry buildings; moreover, the secondary capital's Ministry of Works now had few personnel and ample empty space.

Setting aside a two-court courtyard within the Ministry of Works as the branch office for the Secondary Capital Firearm Office was an easy matter.

Jiang Liu and four clerks from the Firearm Office arrived in Jin Ling ahead of Jia Cong and had already settled all these administrative details before Jia Cong's arrival, ensuring he had an official office upon reaching Jin Ling.

Thus, upon his arrival, the branch's affairs immediately commenced.

Moreover, all officials and clerks assigned to the Firearm Office branch were transferred directly from Shen Jing's Firearm Office, not selected from Jin Ling's local pool.

…

Though he held a secret imperial edict, upon arriving in Jin Ling, he promptly met with Yang Yang Hongbin, Chief of the Dalisi, and Zou Min, of the Zhongche Office, to discuss relevant strategies.

Yet publicly, he still carried out Firearm Office affairs with thorough diligence.

Although to Emperor Jia Zhao, Gu Yan, Wei Wei Guanyao, and others, Jia Cong's mission to Jin Ling to open the Firearm Office branch was merely a pretext for easier operations,

he did not merely perform a superficial show before Jin Ling's officials—he genuinely pursued the work with earnest effort.

Over the past few years, he had traveled to Jin Ling twice on official business and deeply understood its uniqueness.

Jin Ling has long been called a land of tigers crouching and dragons coiled, a strategic military stronghold; the Great Zhou's founding emperor once used Jin Ling's riverine defenses to gaze northward and unify the realm.

Since the court began promoting maritime trade, Jin Ling has driven the prosperity of six states and one prefecture in the south, making its wealth and splendor unmatched in the world.

Within the Great Zhou's state system, its importance extends far beyond the mere designation of secondary capital.

The tide of the world, like water without fixed form, inevitably flows from high to low.

As Jin Ling leads the flourishing maritime administration of the Zhou, though it has enriched surrounding states, natural disasters and human calamities have never ceased; advantages and disadvantages offset each other, conflict and alliance intertwine, and the scene has already grown blazing hot.

Under such circumstances, it is no surprise that this critical location attracts both internal and external covetousness.

Forget tales of future warships and cannons—these past few years, Japanese pirates have grown increasingly rampant, and illicit salt smuggling in Su and Yang has become rampant, far from baseless rumors or rootless whispers.

Not to mention throughout history, during times of dramatic shifts in heaven's will and human fortune, court intrigues, succession plots, and hidden societies—current concealed matters—who can be certain they won't resurface?

Therefore, Jia Cong believes promoting firearms and other advanced sciences in Jin Ling strengthens its foundations and deepens its reserves—a matter of great significance.

It is certainly not, as those in the know suppose, merely a trivial pretext for investigating cases.

Moreover, since he carries explicit imperial orders, he naturally carries out his duties with even greater legitimacy and authority.

Upon entering the Ministry of Works' temporary office, he assigned responsibilities to the four clerks he brought from Shen Jing.

He ordered them to obtain from the Ministry of Revenue the registry of Western foreigners registered for missionary or technical work, and from the Maritime Trade Office records of arrivals in Jin Ling over the past three months.

He instructed his clerks to screen these documents for Westerners with special talents, visit them individually, and personally meet and negotiate with any outstanding individuals.

He also dispatched half of the fifteen firearm guards brought from Shen Jing to various prefectures surrounding Jin Ling.

They were to investigate local conditions regarding iron smelting, sulfur, and saltpeter, as well as other assigned tasks…

Thus, before long, Jin Ling's officialdom and aristocracy all learned that the Marquis of Lord Weiyuan was an extremely diligent man, tirelessly occupied with Firearm Office affairs.

…

Jin Ling's official circles were complex, with many tied by countless threads to Shen Jing, and some having been exiled here after failing in Shen Jing's court.

Over the past few years, Jia Cong had gained outstanding renown in Shen Jing, unmatched among aristocratic youths, widely regarded as the future pillar of the Jia family.

Thus, these people naturally knew his background in detail.

Moreover, the Jia family itself was one of Jin Ling's four great clans, with countless relatives and old acquaintances scattered throughout the officialdom and aristocratic households.

Therefore, when he arrived in Jin Ling to carry out imperial duties, those connected to the Jia family inevitably hosted banquets in his honor.

Jia Cong, reversing his Shen Jing habit of declining social engagements, did not attend every banquet, but frequently appeared in public.

His conduct, both inside and out, resembled that of a talented, triumphant young nobleman of the Five Tombs.

Originally, some figures in Jin Ling's officialdom harbored reservations about Jia Cong's arrival.

They knew Jia Cong had solved the grand case of the Jin Ling Water Supervision Office, and now Zhou Zhou Zhengyang of the Jin Ling Garrison was implicated.

His being dispatched to Jin Ling at this moment naturally led many to suspect some underlying connection.

But Jia Cong not only arrived late after receiving the edict, but his entire conduct since arriving in Jin Ling quickly dissipated even these lingering doubts.

The hidden vigilance lurking in the shadows gradually relaxed…

…

Jin Ling, Mingde Lane, Zhen family mansion.

Like usual, Zhen the Third Lady had reviewed her business ledgers in her courtyard and waited for the head housekeeper outside the second gate to report.

The morning sun was not yet hot; its slanting rays pierced the window, fractured by the crystal jasmine on the desk into flickering, scattered specks of light.

Some of these specks fell upon Zhen the Third Lady's graceful, slender figure and her luminous, jade-like face, creating a breathtaking beauty.

Today she wore a pale smoky-green embroidered jacket over a cream-colored bodice, paired with a white horse-face skirt; her black hair was neatly coiled into a bun, adorned with a single phoenix hairpin set with pearls.

A sweet fragrance drifted through the room—whether from the crystal jasmine or Zhen the Third Lady's own intoxicating scent, it was indistinguishable.

At this moment, a woman in her thirties entered—the maid of Liu Linjiang Xian, Zhen the Third Lady's mother's personal attendant.

Her husband, Liu Linjiang Xian, had been Zhen the Third Lady's father Zhen Zheng Yingquan's personal attendant and once his most trusted aide.

Since Zhen Zheng Yingquan's downfall, Liu Linjiang Xian and his wife remained fiercely loyal to Zhen the Third Lady, unlike the fickle Chen the Manager and his kind.

Ever since Chen the Manager withdrew six thousand taels of silver to pay the fine for Zhen the Third Brother's smuggling of contraband,

Zhen the Third Lady had been uneasy about it, sensing something amiss, and sent Liu Linjiang Xian to investigate—today she waited for Liu Linjiang Xian's wife to report.

"Lady, my husband sent me to relay this: the Cong Sanye's ships transported contraband twice in the past two months—first three Lu Mi muskets, then four.

Because the Maritime Trade Office clerks at the port were familiar with the Zhen family, neither shipment was seized; this third time, however, new personnel were stationed at the dock, so it was intercepted."

Upon hearing this, Zhen the Third Lady's face darkened—her third brother had done this before, and not just once: first three, then four.

According to Great Zhou law, smuggling more than three firearms was equivalent to treason, punishable by severe imprisonment—how brazen his audacity!

Fortunately, this third shipment was only three firearms; had it been four, disaster would have erupted.

Remember, the Maritime Trade Office officials now stationed at the port were newly transferred from Shen Jing—these were unfamiliar faces who would show no favor to the Zhen family.

It was possible her third brother was already imprisoned and convicted; if so, the Zhen family would face immense difficulty cleaning up the mess.

…

Zhen the Third Lady had spent many years attending the Zhen Dowager Imperial Consort in the palace and understood court intrigues far better than most.

The current emperor was resolute, unyielding, and cold-hearted—not a benevolent soul.

The emperor and the retired emperor both reigned like twin suns; though the retired emperor had withdrawn to the inner palace and fully relinquished power to the current emperor,

given the current emperor's nature, his suspicions and vigilance were surely undiminished.

The Zhen family's wealth and power depended entirely on the Dowager Imperial Consort, who was the retired emperor's most cherished foster mother.

The current emperor has always treated the Four Kings and Eight Dukes who supported the retired emperor with coldness and suppression.

Look at the Jia family's Ningguo branch: for a minor case of seizing another's property with no serious consequences, the current emperor had systematically dismantled them until they were stripped of their titles and their estate confiscated—how ruthless!

By analogy, to claim the emperor harbored any goodwill or affection toward the Zhen family, stamped by the retired emperor's favor, would be laughable—even ghosts wouldn't believe it.

…

Her eldest brother's first son had dared commit such a taboo act—if those who read the emperor's mind turned this small matter into a great one, the Zhen family might face utter ruin.

Zhen the Third Lady rubbed her temples and said, "Does our household lack silver for him to spend? Is it worth risking everything for the profit of a few firearms? Unthinkable."

Liu Linjiang Xian's wife replied, "It's natural you'd think so—everyone would say the same. My husband was puzzled too, so he invited Chen the Manager to drink.

But that man kept his lips sealed—even after five-tenths drunk, he gave no clear explanation.

He only said the Cong Sanye wasn't doing it for money; a powerful patron had requested it, and he couldn't refuse—it was for the family's spiritual merit, to ease future dealings outside."

Zhen the Third Lady's beautiful face twisted into a cold smile—her third brother called this "accumulating spiritual merit"? Didn't he know a single spark could ignite a prairie fire? This "merit" might burn the Zhen family to ashes.

She asked further, "Besides smuggling firearms, I heard he brought back a white barbarian. Has Liu Linjiang Xian uncovered this man's background? I wonder what scheme my third brother is hatching now."

Liu Linjiang Xian's wife replied, "My husband asked Chen the Manager—he said the man was an English silversmith.

My husband wasn't satisfied, so he asked a contact to check the Maritime Trade Office's entry documents; they too listed this foreigner as a silversmith, so it must be true."

Zhen the Third Lady frowned slightly, her beautiful eyes clouded with confusion, murmuring to herself: "Our household has no silverware business—why did my third brother go to such lengths to bring back a silversmith?"

Liu Linjiang Xian's wife watched as her lady rose and paced slowly around the room, her skirt swaying gently with each step.

She knew her mistress was exceptionally intelligent; she could infer ten things from one, outsmarting ten men.

But sometimes she encountered things she couldn't figure out, and when that happened, she would pace back and forth in her room—a rare sight indeed.

Liu Linjiang Xian's wife, fearing she'd disturb the Third Mistress's thoughts, added cautiously: "Our master also said that the sea vessel the Cong Sanye borrowed from the mistress suddenly stopped entering port yesterday."

"He claims recent business no longer requires sea vessels and will pause operations for a while."

Upon hearing this, the Third Mistress of the Zhen family's gaze flickered uncertainly.

The Zhen family owned a fleet of its own, established by Zhen Zheng Yingquan; after Zhen Zheng Yingquan's mishap, the Third Mistress took full control.

Over the past few years, since the Third Mistress reached marriageable age, marriage loomed ahead, and the main house began eyeing the second house's business.

Including that sizable fleet.

But as long as the Third Mistress remained unmarried and had the old imperial dowager's backing,

whether it was the second house's business or the fleet, it remained the property of the Zhen second house—no one could touch a single bit of it.

Still, although the main house couldn't seize the second house's assets, borrowing them was hard to refuse.

Two months ago, the Third Elder Brother of the main house borrowed one sea vessel from the Third Mistress, claiming he wanted to engage in maritime trade.

At the time, the court had just crushed the Jurchens in Liaodong, bringing all three thousand li of the frontier under Great Zhou's territory.

Many foresighted merchants rushed north to buy specialty goods—herbs, furs, mountain delicacies, timber—from beyond the frontier, then shipped them south to sell for profit.

Back then, the Third Mistress assumed the main house's Third Elder Brother borrowed the vessel to trade mountain goods in Liaodong.

But later, things grew suspicious.

The main house's Third Elder Brother used the sea vessel but didn't employ his own sailors; instead, he hired a new crew from outside.

Thus, no one knew what business he was truly conducting with the vessel.

This matter had long gnawed at the Third Mistress's mind, and now something had finally come to light.

She felt some regret—she shouldn't have been so cautious about elders' faces; she should have long ago ordered Liu Linjiang Xian to use his connections and investigate the truth.

The Third Mistress told Liu Linjiang Xian's wife: "Tell Liu Linjiang Xian that from today onward, he must strictly oversee all Zhen family vessels at the port—only our own business ships may operate."

No vessel may be lent out, not even to the main house! If the Third Elder Brother complains, have Liu Linjiang Xian flatly refuse—I'll explain it myself to the Elder Master."

"Also, even for our own business vessels, before they enter port, have Liu Linjiang Xian assign trusted men to inspect the cargo, to prevent outsiders from colluding to smuggle in illicit goods!"

She paused, then added: "Go into the city and find a skilled silversmith—I have need of him…" (End of Chapter)