Chapter 413

Hearing Zhen Fangqing shook her head and smiled; her mother really fancied Jia Cong.

Just now she blamed herself for not worrying about her lifelong events and only thinking about doing business.

But knowing that she was doing business with Jia Cong, she immediately changed her words and said it was a good thing.

This person is quite popular.

The eldest master and wife are keen on this matter, and their thoughts are not discussed for the time being.

The old matriarch and mother appreciate him very much.

It's just that the eldest wife is keen on this matter, but it's just calculating the family business.

The Prince of Beijing and the second cousin in the Love Shenjing, they proposed this matter at the beginning, but they didn't fancy the family business...

Hearing Zhen Fangqing lived in the palace for a long time, accompanied the old Zhen concubine, and was taught by the old concubine; this elder in the clan loved her like a treasure.

Therefore, whether in the Zhen family or in the harem, she was a special existence, and the people around her had to value her by three points.

The Prince of Beijing, Shui Rong, and her second young lady of the Zhen family, who was the princess, often invited her to the palace to play, to win her over.

She knew the temperament of her second brother-in-law; he had always liked to make friends with famous scholars in the world and raise his reputation, often proud of this.

Jia Cong has risen rapidly in the past two years and has become the most outstanding figure among the children of the old nobles of the four kings and eight dukes.

Her second brother-in-law has always regarded himself as the head of the four kings and eight dukes; how could he not perform the trick of respecting the virtuous and making friends with a person like Jia Cong?

Jia Cong could climb to such a high position at this age, perhaps because of his extraordinary luck, and more because of his outstanding talent, different from ordinary people.

Could it be that a person like him would not see through the thoughts of the second brother-in-law?

This second brother-in-law actually wanted to use himself as a pawn, instigate his second cousin, and engage in the means of marriage and alliance; thinking about it, it feels a bit ridiculous...

Hearing Zhen Fangqing thought about this marriage that she didn't know whether to agree or not, and the cause and effect involved in it were so complicated, and she couldn't help but sneer in her heart.

She thought about the garden today, where she analyzed the pros and cons for Jia Cong, honestly stated her inner thoughts, and stated the idea of the second branch of the Zhen family assisting Xinchun Hao in taking the maritime trade route.

She could clearly feel that her words had moved Jia Cong, and many of her ideas coincided with Jia Cong's.

The thoroughness and foresight of the two on many things have a high degree of fit.

This strange tacit understanding, although not the spark of male and female desire, still made Hearing Zhen Fangqing's heart beat; this can probably be considered a confidant.

But Jia Cong said he had to go back and consider it; clearly, her proposal had a great attraction to him.

But he still maintained great sobriety, refusing in a tactful way, or perhaps temporarily delaying the decision and waiting for the change...

Just now her mother suddenly changed her words and supported her doing business with Xinchun Hao.

But it is not easy to do this business with Jia Cong.

She thought of the time when she wrote a letter, and Jia Cong simply and neatly rescued the third brother from the Embroidered Uniform Thousand-Commander Office.

At that time, she had many doubts about this matter, but now it seems that her guess was not wrong at all.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards searched the Zhen family shop and borrowed personnel from the Firearm Office; Jia Cong would definitely know about this afterward, and refined iron that could be used to build firearms was found in the Zhen family's Haiyun Pavilion.

As the first initiator of firearms in Da Zhou and the chief of the Firearm Office of Da Zhou, he naturally knew very well the risks implied by this matter.

Investigating the truth of private manufacturing of firearms is even inextricably linked to him, the chief of the Firearm Office.

She gave him a letter, and he easily promised to help the third brother, and he could make the third brother get out of trouble without any effort.

This includes his accessibility and connections in the officialdom, but there is a greater possibility; perhaps it is not a possibility, but a fact!

That is, he has reached a consensus with the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and the third brother is just the bait he let out.

He is setting a net for the Zhen family!

Wanting to find out the origin of that batch of high-quality refined iron through this matter, or even the truth of the Zhen family's possible private manufacturing of firearms.

Since he understands the unpredictable dangers hidden in the Zhen family, how could he let Xinchun Hao easily get involved?

Hearing Zhen Fangqing thought through this section, and her mind became a little lost.

Although this person is young, he is deep in the city, meticulous and good at planning, and has a basis for planning; he is as outstanding as she imagined.

Hearing Zhen Fangqing remembered the first meeting at the old residence in Xinglong Fang, the burning demeanor, unforgettable.

In the Zhen family garden, the two talked tacitly, and their ideas were compatible; although the matter was not completed, it still gave her a feeling of meeting a confidant.

But behind all this, because of the things caused by the third brother of the main branch, Jia Cong has actually stood on the opposite side of the Zhen family.

Thinking clearly about the details and entanglements here, Hearing Zhen Fangqing felt a little pain in her heart.

Jia Cong left the Zhen mansion with Ling Guan, and the carriage drove steadily on the road, seeing the flow of people coming and going on the street through the window.

He remembered the words Hearing Zhen Fangqing said in the Zhen family garden today; although he did not accept the other party's suggestion.

But Hearing Zhen Fangqing's maritime trade vision undoubtedly moved him.

The Zhen family has a fleet capable of long-distance voyages, as well as business routes and connections in various countries opened up by years of maritime trade business.

These are the things that Xinchun Hao needs most in its expansion overseas.

But the Love Shenjing sent news that the improved Lu Mi gun was stolen, and it was speculated that the stolen firearms might flow to Jiangnan.

At this juncture, the Embroidered Uniform Guards found high-quality refined iron for forging firearm barrels in the Zhen family's shop.

In Jia Cong's view, the Zhen family has become a vortex of risk.

Even if Hearing Zhen Fangqing's suggestion is attractive, he will not touch it rashly.

After several contacts with Hearing Zhen Fangqing, the other party is not only an outstanding woman in talent and appearance.

Her outstanding foresight and wisdom also left a deep impression on Jia Cong, and there was a bit of mutual appreciation.

When the two talked today, Hearing Zhen Fangqing once spoke bluntly; she proposed to assist Xinchun Hao in expanding maritime trade, which is also seeking the interests of the Zhen family and creating a retreat for the Zhen family's family business...

Jia Cong sat on the horse and closed his eyes to think, trying to sort out the complex information into a clear context.

Hearing Zhen Fangqing said that the Zhen family's maritime trade business was created by her father; from her words and deeds, Jia Cong could see that she cared very much about maintaining her father's business.

With her intelligence and strategy, and her mentality of focusing on the family business, she would never touch the dangerous thing of privately operating firearms.

When they first met at the old residence in Xinglong Fang, Hearing Zhen Fangqing's conversation and behavior made Jia Cong vaguely feel that she might not know that the Zhen family shop contained taboo refined iron.

But the Embroidered Uniform Guards searching the Zhen family shop would definitely arouse Hearing Zhen Fangqing's vigilance.

Since the Embroidered Uniform Guards could discover that batch of Ottoman refined iron in the shop, with Hearing Zhen Fangqing's shrewdness, she would definitely check the shops under her name afterward to make up for the loss.

When she discovered the existence of this batch of refined iron, she would naturally realize the huge hidden danger it brought to the Zhen family.

She should be like him, not knowing the inside story hidden behind this batch of Ottoman refined iron.

All she could do was prevent it before it happened and create a layer of guarantee for the safety of the Zhen family.

When she sold the farm to Qu Hongxiu, the Ottoman refined iron incident had not yet happened.

But there must have been problems within the Zhen family; from that time on, this Zhen Third Young Lady had already created a backup, which can be considered as taking precautions.

Waiting for the exposure of the batch of Ottoman refined iron, perhaps there are other reasons Jia Cong does not know.

Let Zhen Qingfang's plan to lay out a retreat speed up the operation and implementation.

That's why she was busy establishing business dealings with Xinchun Hao and intended to assist Xinchun Hao in expanding maritime trade.

She must have seen the faint role he played in this matter.

In fact, with Hearing Zhen Fangqing's cleverness, it is not surprising to think of this point.

Because when the Embroidered Uniform Guards searched the shops in the city, they borrowed personnel from the Firearm Office, which is not a secret, and you can know it by asking a little.

Since the people from the Firearm Office intervened in this matter, it means that he knows everything about the whole thing.

She described to him the huge positive help that the Zhen family has for Xinchun Hao to carry out maritime trade, which is to bind the second branch of the Zhen family and Xinchun Hao together.

In the future, when the Zhen family triggers unpredictable risks due to the unknown origin of Ottoman refined iron, can the second branch of the Zhen family be separated from the vortex of the entire Zhen family...

This should also be the real reason why she always emphasizes the second branch of the Zhen family, not the entire Zhen family, when planning the future with him.

Jia Cong's carriage left the Zhen mansion, and after passing Chengxian Street, it happened to be on the road he left Ziyun Pavilion yesterday.

Along the way, he could still see the figures of the Yingtian Prefecture yamen runners patrolling the streets, and the frequency and manpower were even more than yesterday.

When the carriage drove to the intersection he passed last time, it was still set up with checkpoints by the Embroidered Uniform Guards, and the number of Embroidered Uniform Guards conducting the inspection was twice as many as yesterday.

Jia Cong felt slightly strange in his heart; according to normal logic, something must have happened, otherwise the number of people guarding the checkpoint would not double.

However, the company commander Liu Yong of the Embroidered Uniform Guards was not present today, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards below did not know Jia Cong.

Therefore, as soon as he saw Jia Cong's carriage, a platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards stepped forward to search the carriage.

He even brought a female runner, looking like he was going to let her search the female family members in the carriage.

When the carriage curtain was lifted, Jia Cong saw the frightened expression of Ling Guan beside him, his eyebrows suddenly wrinkled, and his face showed displeasure.

He took a black iron token from his arms; the iron token was carved with fish-dragon exotic patterns, intertwined, mysterious and exquisite, and four seal characters were engraved in the center.

This token is the voucher for Jia Cong to control the Jin Ling Zhongche Office.

Because the identity of the Zhongche Office is mysterious, many low-level officials in ordinary yamen do not even recognize this token.

But the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Zhongche Office are both of the nature of the inner yamen, and the platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards conducting the inspection recognizes this token.

Therefore, seeing Jia Cong suddenly take out the token of the Zhongche Office's managing supervisor, he was really startled.

The managing supervisor of the Zhongche Office is not a permanent official position; they are all handled specially and authorized by the emperor himself.

Although the managing supervisor of the Zhongche Office only manages one thing, the scope and power involved in this matter vary from case to case.

Perhaps the managing supervisor can only control a few secret agents of the Zhongche Office, and it is also possible to have the power to control all the forces of the Jin Ling Zhongche Office.

If it is the latter, then the official position of this youth in the carriage is still above their Embroidered Uniform Thousand-Commander.

Therefore, this platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards would not be stupid enough to ask Jia Cong what he is in charge of and how much power he has.

The Zhongche Office is all permitted by imperial power, and what they manage are all secret matters; guessing and asking presumptuously is the way to take death.

Although the Embroidered Uniform Guards and the Zhongche Office belong to the category of the inner yamen, the Embroidered Uniform Guards are commanded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard Command Office.

The Zhongche Office has always been commanded by the emperor's trusted inner servants, equivalent to the emperor's direct jurisdiction.

Therefore, although both belong to the inner yamen institutions, compared with each other, the Embroidered Uniform Guards are just raised by a small mother.

A small platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards really does not have the courage to challenge the managing supervisor of the Zhongche Office.

In the final analysis, this token of the Zhongche Office's managing supervisor, which Jia Cong usually does not use, seems to have more deterrent power than his fifth-rank official body at a critical moment.

That platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards lowered his head, took the token with both hands, only looked at it slightly, and then respectfully handed it back to Jia Cong with both hands.

"The humble servant did not know that the lord had arrived, and there was much offense; I will send the lord through the checkpoint."

"Today I saw that the patrolling yamen runners on the street increased, and the manpower of the Embroidered Uniform Guards at this checkpoint also increased by one time; what is the reason?"

According to normal logic, the Embroidered Uniform Guards setting up checkpoints and suddenly increasing manpower belongs to the secret matters of the Embroidered Uniform Guards' duties, and those who are not in the Embroidered Uniform Guards cannot inquire.

But Jia Cong is the managing supervisor of the Zhongche Office, and in terms of power, he steadily suppresses a platoon leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guards, so the platoon leader did not hide it, and it was not a secret matter.

"Reporting to the lord, an hour ago, a female corpse was found in a deserted house in nearby Tianjing Lane, stabbed to death by a knife; after inspection by the coroner, it is very likely to be the technique of a Japanese warrior.

The Embroidered Uniform Guards suspect that it was done by Shui Luo Sha who sneaked into Jin Ling the day before yesterday; after the Thousand-Commander received the news, he ordered to increase manpower at all checkpoints in the city, hoping to find the traces of Shui Luo Sha as soon as possible."

Jia Cong heard this and was surprised, asking, "Tianjing Lane is located in the center of the city, not a deserted place; why are there deserted houses?"

Jia Cong's question naturally has a reason; Tianjing Lane is an old lane in Jin Ling, and the location is indeed good; the houses there are worth some silver, and generally they will not be abandoned and left unused.

That platoon leader replied, "The lord may not know, but Tianjing Lane is an old lane in Jin Ling; the location is indeed good; in the past, many garrison officers of the Water Supervision Office lived here.

In those years, these people followed Zou Huaiyi and made a lot of extra money; later, the major case of the Water Supervision Office happened, and these garrison officers living in Tianjing Lane were all implicated.

Either they were raided and beheaded, or they were exiled; the government confiscated their houses in Tianjing Lane and later released them for sale.

But people in the city knew the origin of these houses and disliked them for having a fierce and broken family appearance; for two years, no one bought them, so they all became deserted houses.

According to the inspection by the Yingtian Prefecture coroner, the deceased was a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl; it seems that she was killed not long ago, and the body is still in the old house."

Jia Cong heard the description of the platoon leader and felt strange in his heart.

I heard two days ago that Shui Luo Sha appeared in the city, and today she came out to kill?

Pirate Liu Ao invaded the coast and confronted the Songjiang Guard, but his capable female bandit leader was killing in Jin Ling city; I don't know if there is any connection?

He suddenly thought that Tianjing Lane is not only not far from here, but also only half a cup of tea away from Qinyin Pavilion.

Yesterday he and Ling Guan went to Ziyun Pavilion to buy gifts, and today he was busy paying birthday respects to the Zhen mansion; he hadn't been to Qinyin Pavilion for two days.

He thought of not seeing Zou Min'er for two days, and last time she was recognized, and the Wu Sao who recognized her suddenly went missing for no reason, which made Jia Cong raise his vigilance.

This woman who has a strange relationship with him has made him very concerned about her without knowing it.

He was a little absent-minded, ordered Jiang Liu to send Ling Guan back to the old residence in Xinglong Fang, and then asked him to meet him at Qinyin Pavilion.

Ling Guan heard that Jia Cong asked her to return to the mansion alone, not only a little worried and asked the reason.

Jia Cong just smiled and coaxed her a few words, asking her to rest assured and return to the mansion first, and he would come back after he finished his work.

Then he walked alone in the direction of Tianjing Lane. (End of chapter)