Chapter 427: Deep Dangers and Many Strange Feelings

Jin Ling, Apricot Blossom Lane, Yao Family Wine Shop.

Jia Cong had seen the intelligence report from Su Zhou forwarded by the Zhongche Office and had rushed here immediately.

After Zou Min'er "passed away," before the Love Shenjing's Zhongche Office issued a decree, Xu Xu Qiniang temporarily took over the affairs Zou Min'er was responsible for.

Therefore, bringing Zhou Zheng-yang to justice became Xu Xu Qiniang's urgent matter. Now that Zhou Zheng-yang's tracks had been discovered in Su Zhou, she was naturally very cautious.

After the two discussed it, and according to Jia Cong's suggestion, they mobilized capable personnel from the Love Shenjing's Zhongche Office to be sent to Su Zhou.

However, she had invited Jia Cong to come today, but it was not just for this matter.

After the two negotiated the Su Zhou affair, Xu Xu Qiniang took out several documents and said, "According to your wishes, my lord, the Zhongche Office has already monitored Du Heng-xin's daily activities.

And we have collected his official service records from the first year of Emperor Jia Zhao to the present.

We obtained his service documents from the Ministry of Personnel through our connections in the Auxiliary Capital's Ministry of Personnel. However, the Ministry of Personnel's records are mostly official jargon, and it is difficult to see any clues.

I mobilized the manpower of the Zhongche Office to visit his former colleagues, old acquaintances, and even some retired garrison officers from those years.

Seventeen people were involved, and based on their descriptions, a detailed collection was made of his official career over these fourteen years.

Your original thoughts, my lord, indeed have some truth; his service over these ten-plus years is indeed somewhat unusual."

Jia Cong flipped through these pages of densely written documents, feeling quite surprised in his heart.

This was his first time coming to Apricot Blossom Lane in three days.

In just these three short days, the Jin Ling Zhongche Office not only obtained Du Heng-xin's service documents from the Ministry of Personnel but even contacted seventeen people related to him.

They completely pieced together his official career over these ten-plus years. This kind of efficiency and speed in handling affairs really made Jia Cong gasp in admiration.

Did this mean that as long as someone was focused on and suspected by the Zhongche Office, it was almost impossible for them to hide their secrets?

Or perhaps this female wine shopkeeper was simply exceptionally shrewd and capable.

This person was clearly a secret agent of the Hidden Sect in the Zhongche Office, but her dedication and efficiency seemed even more like the Zhongche Office than the Zhongche Office itself….

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "You said before, my lord, that Du Heng-xin was once favored by the Emperor and was promoted directly from a Squad Leader to a Company Commander. According to reason, he should have been able to rise rapidly, but the facts were not so.

In the first year of Emperor Jia Zhao, he was suddenly transferred back to Jin Ling from the Love Shenjing. The specific reason cannot be investigated from Jin Ling and would require the use of the Love Shenjing Zhongche Office's secret files to know.

But after Du Heng-xin was transferred back to the Love Shenjing, his good luck seemed to have run out; the Emperor seemed to have forgotten about this person.

For nearly ten years afterward, he idled in the Jin Ling Guard and was only a Company Commander, with no further promotion in official rank.

According to old people from those years, Du Heng-xin had a bad reputation in the army; everyone said he was ruthless and would stop at nothing to get promoted.

Such a reputation made his colleagues and superiors guard against him, and he was often squeezed out and attacked in the army."

Jia Cong sneered in his heart. Du Heng-xin had betrayed his own clansmen back then, using the lives of his relatives to exchange for his own future. This matter must have been done very secretly.

But with the entire clan defeated and only he remaining safe, and being able to accompany the new Emperor afterward and being promoted two levels, it was truly self-evident.

Although no one would proclaim that he had informed the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, anyone with a discerning eye could surely see the filth and the root cause.

Therefore, it was not strange that Du Heng-xin had spread a reputation for being unscrupulous after being transferred back to Jin Ling from the Love Shenjing.

Although those who want to climb up in officialdom will use some ghostly tricks,

no matter if they are not upright gentlemen, in the world, they should have some bottom line.

But betraying one's entire clan and finally having them slaughtered to exchange for official wealth, regardless of the reason, would make people despise him.

Du Heng-xin's superiors and colleagues back then must have been wary of such a temperament and means, as no one wanted to be with a white-eyed wolf, lest they be bitten back.

Therefore, it was very easy to understand why Du Heng-xin had made no progress in his official career during the long years after being transferred back to Jin Ling from the Love Shenjing.

But why, after having once made contributions to the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao, did the Emperor send him back to Jin Ling after promoting him two levels, and never ask about him again?

Jia Cong thought for a moment and probably guessed some reasons.

Although the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao was also a ruthless person, he probably felt that a person who betrayed his relatives to exchange for a future could be used, but could not be trusted or relied upon.

Jia Cong had also heard that when the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao first ascended the throne, the situation in the court was turbulent as the Retired Emperor abdicated.

In order to stabilize his position, the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao had heavily relied on the Court of Judicial Review to rectify the court, exclude dissidents, and stir up many bloody storms.

Under such a trend, Du Heng-xin, who was only a Squad Leader in the army at the time, had limited status and strength and couldn't play any role at all.

Therefore, after the Du family was destroyed, he lost his own value.

The Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao promoted him two levels, which could be considered rewarding his contribution, and from then on, he threw this small person to the back of his mind, which was also within reason.

……

Jia Cong continued to read the documents provided by Xu Xu Qiniang, and when he read a certain paragraph, he couldn't help but be surprised: "Du Heng-xin also served as a Battalion Commander of the Jin Ling Water Surveillance Office!"

Xu Xu Qiniang continued, "Exactly. About five years ago, Du Heng-xin's bad luck seemed to have a turning point; he was valued and assisted by a noble in Jin Ling.

This noble even spent money to clear the way for him and even used the connections of the old Prince Beijing in the Love Shenjing to promote Du Heng-xin from a Company Commander to a Battalion Commander of the Water Surveillance Office."

Jia Cong felt strange when he heard this; Du Heng-xin, a person with such a tarnished reputation, actually had someone who appreciated him.

He asked curiously, "Who exactly is this noble in Jin Ling?"

Xu Xu Qiniang replied, "Zhen Ying-quan, the Second Master of the Jin Ling Zhen family."

Xu Xu Qiniang saw Jia Cong slightly stunned when he heard this name, so she explained, "It is normal for you, my lord, not to be familiar with this name, because Zhen Ying-quan disappeared at sea five years ago and there has been no news of him since.

Back then, Zou Huai-yi colluded with Japanese pirates to rob merchant ships, and those foreign sailors died silently and also disappeared without a trace. Zhen Ying-quan must have been the same.

People in Jin Ling have rarely mentioned Zhen Ying-quan's name in recent years, so it is reasonable that you, my lord, do not know him.

However, you might have heard of his daughter, Zhen Fang-qing. This Third Miss Zhen is very famous in Jin Ling, although she is of a young age, she is the person in charge of the Zhen family's business."

Jia Cong muttered to himself, "So it was her father…."

After Jia Cong arrived in Jin Ling, he had many contacts with the Zhen family and Zhen Fang-qing. He had also vaguely heard that the Zhen family's business was founded by the Second Master of the Zhen family.

But this Second Master had not been around for many years, so his daughter, Zhen Fang-qing, took over the business.

As for how this Second Master was no longer around, Jia Cong had not delved into it, as it was just the Zhen family's private business.

Only now did he know that this Second Master, Zhen Ying-quan, had actually disappeared at sea. According to Xu Xu Qiniang's statement, could it be that he also encountered a pirate ambush?

Jia Cong asked again, "I know that the head of the Zhen family, Zhen Ying-jia, holds the position of President of the Tiren Academy in Jin Ling, but this Second Master Zhen is just a merchant. How did he have the ability to use the connections of the Prince Beijing's mansion?"

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "My lord, you may not know that the Zhen family's power comes from the highly respected Old Imperial Consort Zhen in the palace. Back then, this Old Imperial Consort acted as a matchmaker, and the Second Miss of the Zhen family married the heir of Prince Beijing.

Four years ago, the old Prince Beijing passed away, and his heir, Shui Rong, inherited the princely title. This Second Miss Zhen is now the Princess Beijing.

Therefore, Zhen Ying-quan was able to use the Prince's mansion's connections back then to pave the way for Du Heng-xin."

Jia Cong asked thoughtfully, "So that's how it is. But Du Heng-xin was just a frustrated Company Commander at the time. Why did he catch the eye of Zhen Ying-quan and have him put in such effort for him?"

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "Because Zhen Ying-quan encountered a disaster at sea, the reason why he supported Du Heng-xin can no longer be verified.

But this time I mobilized personnel to ask those dozen or so old people from those years about this matter, and they indeed had different versions.

Some say that the position of President of the Tiren Academy inherited by the Zhen family is a nominal position with high status but no power, which is not enough to protect the Zhen family, and the Zhen family's Old Imperial Consort is also advanced in age.

Therefore, Zhen Ying-quan cultivated external power for the Zhen family.

Back then, Du Heng-xin was low in official rank and position, and his situation was down-and-out, but he had quite a bit of talent. Such a person is an excellent object for a noble family to support.

Others say that Zhen Ying-quan was obsessed with making the Zhen family prosperous through business, and at that time, the Emperor had already begun to implement maritime policy, and the establishment of the Shipping Administration in various places had entered the court's political agenda.

The Jin Ling Water Surveillance Office is in charge of waterway inspection and shipping protection, and is the most important military government office for the implementation of maritime policy.

Zhen Ying-quan saw the trend of future maritime policy and made preparations in advance, so he specifically cultivated a Water Surveillance Office official who could act as a spokesperson for the Zhen family.

In fact, after Du Heng-xin was promoted to Battalion Commander of the Water Surveillance Office, the Jin Ling Shipping Administration was soon opened, and the Zhen family's business caught up with the best time for maritime policy prosperity.

Therefore, many people believe that Du Heng-xin, who was deeply indebted to the Zhen family, would surely repay them and use the Water Surveillance Office's waterway inspection power to escort the Zhen family's maritime trade business.

Although there has never been solid evidence for this, the year Du Heng-xin was promoted to Battalion Commander of the Water Surveillance Office and the court opened the Shipping Administration in Jin Ling happened almost one after another.

The Zhen family seized the good opportunity of maritime policy implementation and took a step ahead of other maritime merchants, which is an indisputable fact that the Zhen family's maritime trade business has therefore flourished and risen day by day.

At that time, Du Heng-xin, the Battalion Commander of the Water Surveillance Office, must have also used the power of the Water Surveillance Office to give the Zhen family special care and support.

From this point of view, Zhen Ying-quan's strategic planning back then was far-sighted and ruthless. This kind of merchant's art is almost close to the treacherous path, which is truly extraordinary."

Jia Cong thought of Zhen Fang-qing, who, although a woman, was intelligent and well-versed in planning and balance, and was better than men in every way. It seemed she had inherited her father Zhen Ying-quan's legacy.

What surprised him even more was that the Zhen family had long been deeply involved with the Jin Ling Guard military system, but in his contacts with Zhen Fang-qing, he had never heard her mention or reveal it.

Perhaps her father's disappearance took away the relevant connections and feelings, or perhaps Zhen Fang-qing was profound and had isolated this information from him.

Xu Xu Qiniang continued, "It was also at the end of that year that the Japanese pirates and sea bandits under the command of the great East Sea pirate Liu Ao repeatedly looted the prefectures and towns along the river and entered the sea, and clashed with the Songjiang Guard several times.

This situation is somewhat similar to the present, because the Water Surveillance Office has elite naval forces and is equipped with dozens of warships of various sizes.

According to the decree of the Five Military Commissions, Du Heng-xin led naval forces and warships into Songjiang to assist in repelling the enemy.

No one expected that during this confrontation with the Japanese pirates and sea bandits, Du Heng-xin displayed astonishing military talent; he seemed to be able to anticipate the enemy's opportunities in everything.

He actually used ten warships of various sizes from the Water Surveillance Office and 700 soldiers of the Water Surveillance Office to defeat the Japanese pirates and sea bandits under Liu Ao's command with the strength of one army, beheading more than 400 people.

This created the greatest victory against Japanese pirates and sea bandits in the Emperor Jia Zhao dynasty, shaking the court and the public.

The Emperor also began to pay attention to him again, because the Songjiang victory back then was too dazzling, sweeping away the court's trend of ineffective suppression of Japanese pirates and sea bandits.

The Five Military Commissions, in order to show their own strength in commanding the army, credited Du Heng-xin, and the Emperor complied with the trend and agreed to promote Du Heng-xin to Regional Military Commissioner of the Jin Ling Regional Command.

Du Heng-xin had made no achievements in his official career for nearly ten years before.

But since meeting Zhen Ying-quan, he was actually promoted two levels in one year, suddenly becoming a Grade 3 high-ranking official, which is also a strange phenomenon.

But it was also at the end of this year that Zhen Ying-quan went to sea for business and suddenly disappeared halfway, and there has been no news of him since, for a full five years."

Jia Cong felt strange in his heart when he heard this. Du Heng-xin rose to power because of Zhen Ying-quan, and at the time Du Heng-xin was most proud, Zhen Ying-quan actually had an accident?

The incident happened five years ago, and Zhen Fang-qing should have taken over the Zhen family business at that time.

……

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "Since then, Du Heng-xin seems to have had smooth luck. Two years after he served as Regional Military Commissioner of the Jin Ling Regional Command, the then Regional Military Commissioner Wang Sheng suddenly died of illness.

The position of Regional Military Commissioner of the Jin Ling Regional Command became vacant. This position is a Grade 2 high-ranking military official, in charge of tens of thousands of garrison troops, protecting the six prefectures and one province of Jiangnan, and is a position with great authority.

At that time, officials in the court recommended Chen Yi, the Duke of Qi, one of the four kings and eight dukes, to take over this position, which was said to have a very high reputation among the nobles.

Moreover, at that time in the court, except for the Duke of Qi, other generals with qualifications were either already holding important positions or had retired in leisure.

Jia Cong sneered in his heart when he heard this. He naturally knew that Chen Yi did not end up in this position and was still in the Five Military Commissions as a nominal Left Military Commissioner, equivalent to retiring in leisure.

With the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's jealousy and disgust toward the old nobles of the four kings and eight dukes, how could he let the Duke of Qi occupy the position of the first military official of the Jiangnan garrison?

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "But in the end, the Emperor suddenly designated the then Regional Military Commissioner, Du Heng-xin, to succeed to the position of Regional Military Commissioner.

Du Heng-xin, whether in terms of qualifications or family background, could not be compared with the Duke of Qi, Chen Yi. At that time, many people felt very strange about Du Heng-xin's rise.

It was just that Du Heng-xin had just made a great military contribution and had already possessed a certain prestige in the Five Military Commissions and the Jiangnan garrison, so others could not find too many excuses to oppose it."

Jia Cong smiled slightly when he heard this and said, "Although the predecessors of the four kings and eight dukes had the merit of assisting the country, with the passage of time, the current generation of dukes and nobles in the court are either retired or have lost their vigor.

The current Emperor is a wise and sharp monarch, inclined to use capable and enterprising officials, which is also within reason."

Xu Xu Qiniang knew that Jia Cong was a descendant of the Jia family of the four kings and eight dukes, and the inheritors of the Jia family's two dukes were either abolished or left in luxury, which was exactly what Jia Cong said about losing their vigor.

It was just that this topic was too sensitive and involved the Emperor's private thoughts, so the two just touched upon it and did not go deep into it.

……

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "My lord, as far as I can see, Du Heng-xin is quite talented. He sank in the low position of Company Commander for ten years.

It was not easy for him to have a turning point, get the Emperor's favor, and climb to the Grade 2 high position. He must value his current official career and future very highly.

A person like him should not be like Zhou Zheng-yang or Zou Huai-yi, taking risks for the sake of monstrous maritime trade wealth."

Jia Cong said lightly, "What you said is not unreasonable. Du Heng-xin's strange rise is naturally the Emperor's favor toward him, and he also has his own opportunities."

In fact, Jia Cong said this very tactfully. After all, Xu Xu Qiniang's identity was strange, and it was impossible for him to reveal his true thoughts to her.

From the documents collected by the Zhongche Office and Xu Xu Qiniang's account, Jia Cong had probably already understood one thing.

Du Heng-xin's ability to climb to the high position of Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner was definitely not because of the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's special trust and favor.

A large part of the reason was Zhen Ying-quan's support for him back then, and Jia Cong even had a strange intuition that Du Heng-xin was like something Zhen Ying-quan had created.

Another important reason was the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's division and suppression of the four kings and eight dukes, which was like a snipe and clam fighting, and Du Heng-xin was just an accidental beneficiary.

The Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao only used Du Heng-xin as a ruthless tool; he was cold and ruthless toward him for betraying his relatives to exchange for glory, and even harbored deep suspicion and dislike, otherwise, he wouldn't have thrown him in Jin Ling for ten years and ignored him.

He finally promoted Du Heng-xin to Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner just to temporarily fill this key position.

In the Emperor Emperor Jia Zhao's view, Du Heng-xin's family background had stains, his background was simple, and he had no reliance, making him easier to control than the Duke of Qi, who had generations of noble status.

In other words, the first military official of the South Nanzhili was not the Emperor's confidant, but just a tool for the Emperor to take and give.

For a ruthless person like Du Heng-xin, what would he think in his heart? He would probably have more panic and anxiety than ordinary people.

……

Jia Cong suddenly thought of something and asked, "Did Zou Huai-yi take over the position of Battalion Commander of the Water Surveillance Office only after Du Heng-xin was promoted to the Regional Military Command?"

Xu Xu Qiniang said, "From the timeline, it should be so, but this time I only investigated Du Heng-xin's personal service records, and this matter has not been involved yet."

Jia Cong said, "Now that Zhou Zheng-yang has not been brought to justice and the situation in Jin Ling is unclear, Zhang Kang-nian is the most suspicious at the moment, but any possible doubt cannot be missed.

Check whether there are any other special connections between Du Heng-xin and Zhang Kang-nian, Zhou Zheng-yang, and Zou Huai-yi, besides the ordinary superior-subordinate colleague relationship." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 428 =====