Chapter 390

Shenjing, Great Zhou Palace, Qanyang Hall.

Gu Yankui, standing below, felt his mind tense; the current Emperor regarded the firearms industry as the cornerstone for expanding territory and creating a great cause that would far surpass that of the former emperors.

He could imagine that the Emperor's knowledge of the theft of the new-style firearms signaled the leak of the secrets of the new-style firearms construction, which would bring unpredictable crises to the Great Zhou.

How gloomy and solemn would be the anger and suspicion in the Emperor's heart.

Although the matter happened at Yafu Pass in Liaodong, he, the Minister of War and Controller of Nine Provinces who was in charge of military affairs, could not stay out of it no matter what.

He heard the sound of the Liaodong Regional Commander's Office letter report being thrown onto the imperial desk by Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao; the report slid a few inches on the desk, revealing a taste of disgust and frustration.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's gloomy voice rang out in the vast and cold hall.

"The rotation of the Liaodong firearms battalion soldiers happened a month ago; why is it that the news of the theft of the new-style firearms from the Yafu Pass armory has only reached Shenjing now!"

Gu Yankui replied: "Reporting to Your Majesty, according to common sense, when encountering a rotation between the Liaodong firearms battalion and the Shenjing Five Military Firearms Battalion, the worn-out and faulty firearms would be returned to Shenjing together.

This is for the Firearms Office workshop to repair, but the destination of the rotation of the firearms soldiers returning a month ago was not Shenjing, so they did not carry the worn-out and faulty firearms.

Someone took advantage of this loophole and took the opportunity to steal these nine faulty firearms from the armory.

According to the Liaodong firearm armory regulations formulated by Jia Cong, the armory official needs to regularly count and check the number of firearms in stock, so as to timely grasp the situation of the firearms in stock and prepare for the unexpected.

But I do not know if the armory official on duty was derelict in his duties and did not regularly count the number, or if it was for other reasons, but he did not report the disappearance of the firearms in time.

It was not until the Liaodong firearms battalion conducted its second rotation half a month ago, needing to carry the worn-out firearms back to Shenjing for repair,

that the main general of Yafu Pass, Liu Yongzheng, personally checked the situation of the firearm armory and verified that nine faulty improved-type Lumlock muskets were missing.

When he wanted to personally interrogate the armory official Zhang Haodong, he discovered that this person had disappeared for no reason.

Liu Yongzheng realized that something was wrong, so he sent a large number of people to search for this person everywhere, and finally found his body fifty miles west of Yafu Pass; he had died from a knife wound in the back.

The theft of those nine improved-type Lumlock muskets must have been done by Zhang Haodong under the instigation and benefit of others, stealing from the armory he was guarding, and after the incident, he was killed to silence him."

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's eyes flickered gloomily, and he said: "Firearms are sharp weapons for protecting the country; a thousand-mile dike can be destroyed by an ant hole, and the actions of a small armory official can also spread poison for a thousand miles!"

Gu Yankui said: "I request Your Majesty to issue an edict to the garrison and Embroidered Uniform Guard battalion offices everywhere to strictly check suspicious merchants passing through everywhere and search for the stolen new-style firearms.

And to investigate and severely punish the private transport and private storage of firearms among the people everywhere, so as to deter ghosts and petty thieves."

In fact, whether it was Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao or Gu Yankui, both were wise and had seen many treacherous things in the world.

Someone could bribe the armory official of Yafu Pass, steal the new-style firearms without anyone knowing, and no one knew for half a month, and after the incident, they killed the person to silence them cleanly.

This shows that the person behind the scenes knew very well every move in the Yafu army and knew how to grasp the gap in the rotation of the two armies.

The whole matter was planned meticulously and acted decisively; it was definitely not the work of petty thieves.

Relying on inspections along the way to find the person behind the scenes or recover the nine stolen new-style Lumlock muskets was no different from looking for a needle in a haystack; the possibility was very low.

What Gu Yankui proposed was at most mending the fold after the sheep had been lost, taking this opportunity to clear up the irregular storage of firearms among the people, and slightly deterring those who coveted firearms; other than that, there was no other effect.

Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao said: "I will send capable people from the inner office to Liaodong to investigate the root cause of the firearm theft.

In addition, you should draw five hundred troops from the Five Military Battalions to strengthen the defense and protection of the firearms workshop in the north of the city, and strictly supervise the workshop personnel to prevent trouble before it happens.

I would like to see what those who stole the new-style firearms will do next, what they intend to do, and if they want to use this to imitate the new-style firearms, where they want to use them!"

The sunset was low, the stars were shining in the sky, and the melodious bell of Hanshan Temple came from afar.

Jia Cong and the others boarded Zheng Xiaohai's passenger boat, sailed in the inner river of Gusu City for half an hour, and then merged into the surging river flow of the main trunk.

And the commotion that had just been stirred up in Gusu City was left far behind by the boat riding the wind and waves in the twilight.

Douguan was young and at the most carefree age; she climbed over the wall and slipped out of Jin Bi Garden to report to Jia Cong, and just like that, she didn't go back and was going to follow Jia Cong to Jinling, not taking it to heart at all.

As the boat sailed into the Great River, she saw the vast sky and the vast river waves, feeling very excited and curious; she ran everywhere from the bow to the stern, playing and having fun by herself.

Jia Cong saw Lingguan sitting in the cabin, silent, her fine eyebrows slightly furrowed, her eyes lowered, not knowing what she was thinking.

Jia Cong asked: "What are you thinking about? Are you worried about your master?"

In Jin Bi Garden, Jia Cong saw that the female instructor of the opera troupe was very fond of Lingguan, and when she left, she didn't forget to give her a stage name; Lingguan was also very attached to this master.

"If I leave just like that, and Commander Luo can't find me, will he make things difficult for my master and Wenguan, Fangguan, Ouguan, Ruiguan..."

Jia Cong heard her voice was soft and sweet, her expression worried, and she said a long list of names of people in the opera troupe, but did not mention the troupe leader Chen Youcai.

It was estimated that the little girl was very disgusted and disliked Chen Youcai for selling her to Commander Luo, so she didn't even want to mention his name.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "That Commander Luo had people surround Jin Bi Garden to find you, and also because he was worried that the people in the troupe would report to you and ruin his plans.

Now that you have left Gusu, it is useless for him to detain the people in the troupe, and besides, you were taken away by us.

He knows my identity and Miss Zou's identity; we are all people in official circles, and this matter has already been brought to the open. If he really makes things difficult for your master and sisters to vent his anger, he would be tearing his face with us.

He can become a fourth-rank official, so he is not a reckless fool; he must consider official decorum and will absolutely not do such a thing without considering the consequences.

And I have already written to his superior; when the reply comes from Jinling, he will be even more afraid to act recklessly. Your master and the sisters in the troupe will definitely be safe and sound."

Lingguan listened to Jia Cong's words and felt that they all made sense, and her heart suddenly relaxed.

She had grown up in hardship since she was small, and since being sold to the opera troupe, she had been doing chores like washing clothes and cooking every day, busy in the small opera troupe every day.

She was unfamiliar with the outside world; all she knew were the people in the opera troupe, and what she saw in her eyes was just living a mediocre and fearful life.

Until that day she met Jia Cong and Zou Min'er, she didn't know that there were such outstanding people in this world, completely different from the people in the opera troupe.

The troupe leader wanted to sell her to Commander Luo to be abused; her master was a famous actor with superb skills back then and was the person she admired and respected the most, but even her master couldn't go against the troupe leader and couldn't save her.

As soon as this Young Master Jia came, with just a few words, he made the hateful troupe leader obedient, and could only let Young Master Jia take her away.

And he was also very good to her; not only did he speak kindly and pleasantly, but he also liked to take her with him wherever he went.

Yesterday, Commander Luo made such a big scene to catch her, but Young Master Jia was still able to take her out of Gusu safely.

As long as he was by her side, Lingguan felt she had someone to rely on and didn't have to be afraid of anything.

Zou Min'er in the cabin always felt that Jia Cong had an unusual pity for Lingguan; every time he spoke to her, it was full of moving warmth and patience, which made her feel very uncomfortable when she heard it.

But Zou Min'er had been with Jia Cong for a period of time; she was a person who was meticulous and detailed in her thoughts, but she knew that Jia Cong was not a person who was purely lustful.

Although Lingguan was stunning, she was not yet at the age of puberty, so even if Jia Cong were lustful, he wouldn't be like this.

Moreover, he came from a noble family and must have been surrounded by beautiful maids since he was small, so how could he be so shallow?

Zou Min'er felt that Jia Cong being so different to Lingguan must have a reason she didn't know.

Just like Lingguan leaving the opera troupe, Commander Luo actually searching with such great fanfare could never be just coveting Lingguan's beauty.

At this time, the wind was high and the waves were urgent on the river, and the sky was dark.

Douguan had been playing wildly on the boat for a while and finally exhausted her energy, starting to feel a bit bored.

The group ate the river food and coarse rice cooked by Zheng Xiaohai's wife; as soon as Douguan finished eating, she started to yawn. She was naturally born and raised, didn't need anyone to manage her, and climbed onto the sleeping couch, falling fast asleep before long.

Before long, Zou Min'er also started to feel sleepy; she had been busy since early morning, and later was caught in a storm caused by Luo Xiong, and then left Gusu in a hurry.

It wasn't until the boat left the inner river of Gusu City that they were truly out of trouble; this day had been very exhausting.

Zou Min'er was a woman after all, not as physically strong as Jia Cong, and now she couldn't hold on anymore.

There were only two sleeping couches for guests in the cabin; Douguan occupied one, so Zou Min'er couldn't very well occupy the other.

So she moved Douguan's small body inside and leaned against the side to rest in her clothes.

It was just that although she was sleepy, she couldn't fall asleep for a while, but she heard Jia Cong still talking to Lingguan.

At this time, outside the boat, the night was dark and the wind was high, and the river waves were surging, making the boat bump more and more.

Jia Cong saw Lingguan's fine eyebrows tightly furrowed, her small face pale, and her hand holding her chest, so he knew she was seasick, so he opened the cabin window halfway to let her breathe the fresh river wind, which could soothe her discomfort.

Lingguan was blown by the river wind and seemed to be a little better, but as the passenger boat swayed more and more violently, she became more dizzy and weak, and could no longer support herself, her head softly leaning on Jia Cong's shoulder.

The slight snoring of Douguan in the cabin, combined with the sound of the waves outside, created a rare sense of comfort and tranquility.

Lingguan had been working hard to make a living since she was small, doing chores like washing clothes and cooking, unlike the young ladies of large families who were reserved and particular.

But in the discomfort of seasickness, leaning on Jia Cong's shoulder was really a bit intimate, and there was a lot of shyness in her heart, but she also felt an unusual sense of safety and tranquility.

Seeing that Jia Cong didn't object and even reached out to pat her shoulder lightly, she just leaned quietly without moving.

Jia Cong said: "Lingguan, you sing opera so well; after you go to Shenjing, it won't be long before you become a famous actor, and you will have great prospects in the future."

Lingguan's voice was a little lonely: "But I don't like singing opera on stage anymore."

Jia Cong asked curiously: "Don't you like singing opera? You don't forget to practice your vocal exercises when washing clothes; why don't you like being on stage?"

Lingguan said: "In the opera troupe, since I learned opera from my master, in order to stay in the troupe and have enough to eat, there was no other way, so naturally I had to sing on stage.

That time Commander Luo and his friends booked the whole house to listen to opera was the first time I went on stage, and I felt I sang very well."

Jia Cong saw that when Lingguan said this, her small face glowed with spirit, as if she remembered her proud appearance on stage.

Suddenly her voice became low again: "But what's the use of singing well? That Commander Luo and his friends said a lot of ugly things, and that person also asked me to sing 'Sajin Fan'.

That is a song sung by prostitutes in brothels; my master taught me that although opera singers are not noble, the patriarch also left rules that although we sing to make a living, we cannot lose the integrity and decorum of a green-clad singer.

Actually, I know that Commander Luo and his friends, and many others, look down on opera singers who perform on stage, and I don't want to be looked down upon.

I don't want to sing for such people; I like singing opera and songs, but I don't like singing on stage for those people. If there is another way to make a living in the future, I would rather not go on stage."

Jia Cong probably understood a little; the encounter during her first time on stage probably left a shadow on Lingguan, stimulating the hatred of evil and stubbornness in her nature, and she actually had a psychological resistance to being on stage.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "You sing so well; if you really don't sing opera in the future, wouldn't it be a pity?"

Lingguan smiled slightly and said: "Young Master is a capable and good person, not a villain like Commander Luo. You say I sing well; as long as you like it, I will sing for you."

After speaking, she opened her cherry mouth slightly, and beautiful words and light sounds rang out in the cabin...

Outside the boat, the river waves were surging, never stopping, but they could not cover up Lingguan's clear, moving, and lingering singing.

"You are murmuring in your mouth, searching bitterly in your dreams. The past is gone, only talking about the present; meeting tonight, I will manage you. I don't want your white walls and gold, I just want your head full of flowers and brocade dragging on the ground.

Eyebrows curved like distant mountains covered in emerald, eyes horizontal like autumn water without dust; because of the message sent tonight, see the clouds and rain tomorrow..."

Lingguan's voice was as clear as the sound of nature, and her singing style was beautiful and vivid; although there was no accompaniment of huqin or pipa, it did not appear thin or light at all. It was clear, pleasant, natural, and pure, even better than usual.

She sang a stanza, and then repeated it several times, like chanting three tunes, circling and lingering, never ending, making Jia Cong intoxicated.

She had a comfortable smile on her face, her hair was black and pretty, and she was still leaning on Jia Cong's shoulder.

While singing, her two slender little hands were unconsciously making opera gestures, revealing a moving, simple, and cute quality.

Zheng Xiaohai and his wife, who were rowing the night oar outside, heard the moving tune from the cabin and slowed down their rowing unconsciously, so as not to make the water sound too heavy and disturb the beautiful tune in the cabin.

They felt that the little girl in the cabin was very capable; singing opera was really better than the famous actors in Gusu City.

Douguan on the opposite couch was still sleeping soundly; Lingguan's tune, which was like the sound of nature, seemed to be a better and more soothing lullaby for her.

It was just that Zou Min'er, who was leaning against Douguan, didn't fall asleep at all. First, she heard the conversation between Jia Cong and Lingguan, and felt touched in her heart, only feeling that the encounter between people was just the word 'fate' from beginning to end.

Her first meeting with Jia Cong was nameless, and their encounter was full of grievances, and the knot in her heart was hard to resolve; they were destined to walk on two paths that were difficult to intersect.

But Lingguan met him in the midst of insignificance, without any ties or obstacles, and they were in harmony; it was like a dodder vine relying on a pine or cypress. This was probably fate; whether it existed in life or not, it could not be forced at all.

Lingguan's tune was still floating in the cabin, and the air was full of clear and charming pleasure...

Zou Min'er silently recited the tune: You are murmuring in your mouth, searching bitterly in your dreams. The past is gone, only talking about the present... I don't want your white walls and gold, I just want your head full of flowers and brocade dragging on the ground.

A head full of flowers refers to a woman wearing a hairpin phoenix crown when she gets married, and brocade dragging on the ground refers to the red phoenix brocade robe a woman wears when she gets married.

In Jiangnan opera, describing a woman marrying a satisfactory husband often uses a head full of flowers and brocade dragging on the ground as a metaphor.

Zou Min'er was born in a Jiangnan official family and often listened to opera with the women in her family when she was young, so she naturally understood the meaning.

She followed Lingguan's tune, her cherry lips slightly opening and closing, singing silently, and a silent mood impacted her heart, her eyes gradually becoming moist. (End of chapter)