Chapter 382: Resentment Breeds Tenderness

Jin Ling, Office of the Regional Military Commissioner.

Although two years had passed, in Jia Cong's memory, Zhang Kangnian's appearance had barely changed.

In his thirties, he had regular features, a refined and lean appearance, and clear, bright eyes. His expression was solemn, carrying a perfectly measured bureaucratic smile that made it impossible for others to discern his true joy or anger.

From the outside, this man appeared to be an impeccable, seasoned bureaucrat with deep experience in the ways of the world.

It was customary for the post of Minister of the Ministry of War in the auxiliary capital to remain vacant, with the Senior Vice Minister of War holding the highest rank, followed by the Junior Vice Minister of War.

However, the Senior Vice Minister of War in the auxiliary capital, He Yongzheng, was nearly sixty and had been a high-ranking official during the reign of the Retired Emperor.

Fourteen years ago, during the great upheaval in Shenjing, He Yongzheng had been implicated and demoted to his current post in the auxiliary capital.

For over a decade, he had been unable to recover his standing, and coupled with his advanced age and frequent illnesses in recent years, he spent most of his time recuperating at home.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao merely allowed him to hold a nominal title in the Ministry of War to show respect for the Retired Emperor's face.

He Yongzheng rarely appeared at official functions, and the world had almost forgotten his existence; thus, for the time being, the Junior Vice Minister of War, Zhang Kangnian, held the highest authority in the auxiliary capital's Ministry of War.

Having transitioned from a Regional Military Commissioner of the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission to a civil official of the third rank in the Ministry of War, he could be considered to be riding the crest of success.

……

The civil and military officials who had come to welcome the arrival of the new-style cannons were all from the auxiliary capital's Ministry of War and the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission. By conventional standards, Zhang Kangnian, holding a third-rank position, was considered a high-ranking official among them.

Yet, Jia Cong noticed that in the welcoming party, Zhang Kangnian did not walk at the front; whether standing or walking, he always remained half a step behind another person.

This behavior was also a convention in officialdom; Zhang Kangnian trailing that person by a step indicated that the other man's official rank was even higher than his own.

However, that man was wearing the robes of a second-rank military official. The Great Zhou continued the customs of the former Song Dynasty, where civil officials were traditionally held in higher regard than military ones; a third-rank civil official was usually considered on par with a second-rank military official.

Zhang Kangnian's behavior was not due to an inherently humble or respectful nature; otherwise, he would have been scorned by the civil official community for being servile before a military officer.

There was only one possibility for this phenomenon: this second-rank military official not only held a higher rank than Zhang Kangnian but had also previously been his superior.

Therefore, Zhang Kangnian, a dignified third-rank civil official, stood and walked a step behind a second-rank military official; otherwise, he would be criticized in official circles for forgetting his roots.

Jia Cong found this man somewhat familiar; he remembered having met him once two years ago.

That year, when he went to Jin Ling to transcribe scriptures for Empress Dowager Xianxiao and participated in the foundation-laying and consecration ceremony at the Great Ci'en Temple, this man had also been present.

At that time, Qin Ye, the official in charge of the temple's construction, had introduced him to this man: Du Hengxin, the Commander of the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission.

This man had also been Zhang Kangnian's superior in the past, which explained why Zhang Kangnian was mindful of official conventions and had just displayed such behavior.

Although this Commander Du held a high rank, he showed not a hint of arrogance; his face was slightly round, his skin fair, and his expression warm and composed.

His demeanor lacked the roughness common to military officers, and his brows did not carry the deep, hidden motives of Zhang Kangnian. Instead, he possessed the broad-minded bearing of a superior, which made Jia Cong feel somewhat favorably toward him.

As the highest-ranking official among those welcoming them, Du Hengxin stepped forward and smiled: "I had the pleasure of meeting the Count of Lord Weiyuan once at Mount Qixia; seeing you today, your bearing is even more impressive than before."

Jia Cong hurriedly smiled and replied: "Commander Du is too kind. I have come to Jin Ling to take up my post at the branch of the auxiliary capital's Firearms Division. Regarding the training for the firearms, I will need much guidance from you, Commander."

Du Hengxin's official rank was far higher than Jia Cong's; by conventional standards, there was no need for him to waste words on a fifth-rank official.

Yet, although Jia Cong only held a fifth-rank position, he carried the halo of being a descendant of the Jia family of Rongguo, held the title of Count of Lord Weiyuan, and had achieved great military merit in Liaodong.

With all these identities combined, how could he be considered an ordinary fifth-rank official?

Therefore, even a second-rank frontier official like Du Hengxin did not show the slightest bit of negligence or arrogance before Jia Cong, who was perhaps excessively young.

He exchanged pleasantries with Jia Cong, reminiscing about the past with a relaxed and cheerful spirit, his demeanor natural and effortless, as if he were facing a colleague of the same rank and age, giving Jia Cong a feeling of being bathed in a spring breeze.

Those who could climb to the high position of the second rank were indeed no simple characters.

After the group of welcoming officials had performed their superficial duties, Jia Cong and Ma Delun led three hundred firearms soldiers to transport the five large cannons to the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission's standing armory.

After completing the storage procedures with the armory officials under Du Hengxin, he politely declined Du Hengxin's invitation to a banquet, as it was merely a matter of maintaining official appearances.

He also requested that Du Hengxin, in the name of the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission, arrange tents for the three hundred firearms soldiers escorting the cannons, allowing them to rest briefly before returning to Shenjing along the original route to report their mission.

As Jia Cong and Ma Delun left the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission, he looked back and saw Zhang Kangnian also leaving with several Ministry of War officials.

During the earlier interactions, Du Hengxin had been the one diligently playing the lead role.

As the head of the civil officials, Zhang Kangnian had echoed and socialized a few times, but he was neither overly enthusiastic nor cold, his sense of propriety precise and fitting, leaving no room for criticism.

Jia Cong recalled the birthday banquet at the Zou residence; whether it was Zhang Kangnian questioning him or persuading Zou Huaiyi, looking back now, his timing had been impeccable.

From any angle, this man appeared to be far from simple.

If Jia Cong's suspicions about him were correct, this man would certainly be much harder to deal with than Zou Huaiyi had been back then...

……

Jin Ling, Gongyu Street, Qingyin Pavilion.

In a third-floor private room, the clear and melodious sound of a pipa rang out. The plucking of the strings was at times sorrowful and lingering, like the whispered secrets of lovers, and at other times stirring and tragic, like the mournful songs of parting at the Yi River.

Amidst the clear pipa strings, a beautiful and exquisite voice sang gracefully, carrying a cold and subtle meaning that made one's heart tremble and become intoxicated.

The performer's skill was extraordinary, attracting many guests in the Qingyin Pavilion who could not help but follow the sound to find her. Even the attendants serving tea and water in the corridors stopped their steps, drawn by the music.

Although the strings and voice were bright and brilliant, charming and sharp, they lacked a certain roundedness and return to simplicity, as if the performer were in the prime of her youth, her feelings lingering and her heart burdened with unresolved emotions.

Only some of the seasoned musicians in the pavilion knew a little about the origins of this pipa music.

A few days ago, a Zhou Niangzi had arrived from the Pipa Division of the Shenjing Music Bureau. She was young, beautiful, and a rare, top-tier talent.

This Zhou Niangzi had received an imperial decree from the Shenjing Ministry of Rites to select and purchase top-quality theatrical and singing courtesans in Jiangnan, and for the time being, she was staying at the Qingyin Pavilion.

The musicians in the pavilion were very attentive to this Zhou Niangzi, and they fulfilled her requests as much as possible.

The reason everyone valued Zhou Niangzi so highly was that she was the disciple the Pavilion Master had taken in while in Shenjing.

Not only was she peerlessly beautiful, but she also possessed an extremely high talent for music. Having studied under the Pavilion Master for only a year, her pipa playing already displayed an extraordinary atmosphere.

What was even rarer was that this Zhou Niangzi also possessed a naturally gifted voice. Although it still lacked refinement, the innate talent was already quite remarkable.

Many of the seasoned female artists in the Qingyin Pavilion had spent half their lives immersed in music; they were masters of their craft with sharp eyes.

Many concluded that for this Zhou Niangzi to have such a foundation at only the age of fifteen, as long as she trained under the Pavilion Master for ten years, she would likely become another peerless talent of the pipa.

In the future, the Pavilion Master's mantle would likely be passed to Zhou Niangzi, so naturally, the female artists in the pavilion could not help but treat her with special regard.

……

It is said that good things are always appreciated. As soon as this Zhou Niangzi entered the Qingyin Pavilion, her bright and moving demeanor attracted the attention of the passing patrons.

Some young masters who prided themselves on being romantic and refined even thought about how to get close to her, but they did not expect someone to be faster than them, having already taken the lead.

Moreover, this person was currently very famous in Jin Ling: Jia Cong, a descendant of the Jin Ling Jia family who had come to Jin Ling to handle imperial business some time ago.

Not only was he renowned for his literary talent in Jiangnan, having created the popular story of a song sung throughout the city, but he had also achieved great merit in Liaodong and held the title of Count of Lord Weiyuan.

When it came to competing for a woman's favor, these Jin Ling young masters who frequented the elegant Qingyin Pavilion and spent money like water were all unwilling to yield to one another.

But compared to this person who had taken the lead, they conceded defeat quite decisively.

The gap between them was simply too vast; they could not compare with him in literary talent, and their wealth and power were far inferior.

Not to mention that man's appearance, which made women blush and lose their hearts, and left men with nothing but despair.

Fortunately, Jin Ling was not lacking in beauties; the sun rises in the east and rains in the west, there are always charming flowers waiting to be plucked, why pine for only one season of spring...

All the Jin Ling young masters who loved banquets and refined conversation were not coarse fellows like Xue Pan; they all had some sentiment, and especially when encountering insurmountable obstacles, their natures would become exceptionally broad-minded.

……

Qingyin Pavilion, third-floor private room. The fragrance of tea overflowed on the table, the porcelain was moist and lustrous, the room was filled with faint fragrance, and the music was gentle and moving, intoxicating the heart.

After a song ended, Jia Cong clapped his hands and praised: "The young lady's skill has already captured three parts of the Pavilion Master's charm; it truly lingers for three days, it is very pleasant to hear."

Zou Min'er wore a green cold-plum satin-faced jacket, a white cross-collar thin silk undershirt, and a plain pleated skirt. Her skin was honey-sweet, and her appearance was peerlessly beautiful.

The two outstanding young man and woman in the room, a perfect match, made this exquisitely decorated private room full of a youthful and tender, ambiguous atmosphere.

But after Zou Min'er finished playing, the extraordinary brilliance in the music seemed to instantly vanish, and she looked at Jia Cong with an expression of disdain.

This gaze made Jia Cong feel quite awkward; it was likely that he had rarely been looked at like this by a woman.

Jia Cong felt somewhat helpless: "Miss Zou, your pipa music just now was so moving, yet now you have such a look and expression; it is truly a mood-killer."

Zou Min'er glanced at him and said: "If it weren't for your endless lies, I wouldn't be playing and singing in front of you."

Jia Cong sighed: "The past is gone. Those things that happened are irreversible. I know that the chasm between you and me is hard to bridge, but worldly affairs are beyond human control.

Now that we are working together on state affairs, we should put aside personal grievances and likes for the time being. Don't say that you have deep resentment toward me; I am also extremely uncomfortable facing you.

Therefore, it is better to open our minds and finish this major task early. We will each have our peace, and it will save everyone from the mutual dislike of seeing each other, which makes everyone unhappy."

Upon hearing Jia Cong's words, a trace of disappointment appeared in Zou Min'er's disdainful expression. Her face turned slightly pale, and she gently set the pipa aside, sitting upright opposite the table, saying nothing.

Jia Cong continued: "People who come to this Qingyin Pavilion are all here for music, tea, wine, and refined conversation, enjoying a happy time.

Only the two of us have been in this private room for half an hour, remaining silent the whole time. Others will surely be curious and will inevitably generate some strange guesses, which will arouse suspicion in the eyes of those with ulterior motives."

Upon hearing this, Zou Min'er's pretty face turned red for no reason.

Jia Cong smiled slightly: "The great case of the Water Supervision Office has been going on for two years, and the waves have not stopped. Now that a Zhou Zhengyang has been implicated, how many more eyes and ears are hidden?

I was originally deeply involved in this matter. Although I have put in a lot of effort, it is inevitable that there will be people lurking in the dark watching. It is never wrong for you and me to be careful in everything.

You played a song just now, and I saw footsteps moving outside; it must have already stirred the audience. This is the normal appearance of the host and guests in the pavilion harmonizing with music."

Seeing him explain this to her, his words detailed and professional, he was indeed a thoughtful person, but hearing it in her ears made her heart feel a mix of emotions.

……

She took a stack of documents from the interlayer of the pipa case and said: "This is what you wanted last time: the service records of all military officers above the fourth rank in the Jin Ling Regional Military Commission.

These are not the official documents of the Ministry of Personnel; they were collected by the Central Vehicle Office through various channels. I have organized and annotated the information."

Jia Cong saw that almost every document was outlined and annotated with red ink. Some sentences often had a sharp and keen feeling, and the handwriting was elegant and beautiful, which was very pleasing to the eye.

Jia Cong suddenly understood that an internal office like the Central Vehicle Office would not just let any delicate woman enter; they must have valued something unique about Zou Min'er.

Whether it was because of that Lady Qing or some other reason, it was unknown to Jia Cong.

Seeing Jia Cong's brows furrowed as he focused on reading these documents, Zou Min'er was slightly stunned, and she pulled out a document with a marked cover from the bottom of the stack.

"This is Zhang Kangnian's service record. Because this person is highly suspicious, in addition to Jin Ling, he also served as an official in Dezhou and Gusu. I have also gathered secret reports from these two places."

"This person is a close friend of Luo Xiong, the Commander of the Su Zhou Guard, and also has a deep relationship with Zhou Zhengyang, the Commander of the Jin Ling Guard. Before Zhou Zhengyang's incident, the two families even discussed marriage.

Zhou Zhengyang's daughter by a concubine once wanted to be betrothed to Zhang Kangnian's nephew as his wife..."

Jia Cong listened to these words, flipped through Zhang Kangnian's service record a few times, and did not speak on this matter.

Instead, he asked: "Miss Zou, you said last time that the Central Vehicle Office received news that the confidant who fled with Zhou Zhengyang had appeared in a place called Haishanzhu.

You also led people to search along the river, but found no trace."

Zou Min'er replied: "Although we didn't find any traces for a while, Zhou Zhengyang has no foothold in the Great Zhou, and his only path to survival is to enter the sea along the river.

He must have some way to avoid the searches of the guard troops along the way by land and water. He may have already gone to sea, or he may be hiding somewhere in the coastal states and towns, waiting for an opportunity."

Jia Cong's eyes flickered, and he suddenly said: "You said Zhou Zhengyang has a way to avoid the water route searches and inspections of the guard troops. I suddenly thought of something."

Zou Min'er heard his words were a bit abrupt and didn't react for a while. She looked at him with her bright eyes, waiting for him to say what he had thought of.

Jia Cong said thoughtfully: "I thought of going to Gusu to find someone. Only I have seen this person, and it is not convenient to send others.

It's just that my status is sensitive. If I don't handle the official business in Jin Ling and suddenly go to Gusu, it will inevitably arouse suspicion.

I know that you are ostensibly following the imperial decree of the Ministry of Rites to go to Jiangnan to purchase theatrical and singing courtesans, in preparation for the prosperity of the Shenjing Music Bureau's banquets and plays.

Gusu has been the home of Jiangnan theatrical music since ancient times, with countless folk theatrical troupes and talented people. It is most logical for you to go there to select and purchase musicians.

These days, you and I have been harmonizing in the Qingyin Pavilion, and others feel that we are close. Even if I accompany you to Gusu, outsiders will mostly think of other things and will not arouse suspicion..."

Zou Min'er, who was on the side, heard the ambiguity in Jia Cong's words. Her pretty face turned red, and her bright, watery eyes were full of anger. She only felt that this person was truly shameless in his thoughts to achieve his goal. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 383 =====