Chapter 433: Gentle Embrace Sees the Bright Moon

Outside the eastern suburbs of Jin Ling City, at the Du family farm.

To the west, the evening glow was a brilliant red, and the hillsides were covered in lush, fragrant grass.

A carriage drove out from the farm, following the gentle slope of the hills, galloping toward the official road at the foot of the slope.

The person driving the carriage was a young man wearing a short jacket and a felt hat, the brim pulled very low, making it impossible to see his face clearly.

Once the carriage reached the official road, a woman's clear and melodious voice drifted from within—crisp and pretty, sounding unusually intimate and pleasant to the ear.

"Brother Jia Cong, when are you going to Gu Su?"

"Luo Xiong and Zhou Zheng are in collusion. He is the Su Zhou Guard Commander, with over a thousand troops under his command. It will be quite dangerous for you to try and seize someone from his hands."

"Do you want me to go to Gu Su with you? I can still be of help."

The young man driving the carriage pushed his hat brim up, revealing a handsome and refined face; it was none other than Jia Cong.

He lowered his voice slightly and smiled, "Sister Xiu, you are now the Chief Manager of Xin Chun Hao; it isn't good for you to go around wielding blades like before. Just stay in Jin Ling and keep an eye on the business."

"You don't need to worry about me. I have already deployed plenty of men in Gu Su and made proper arrangements. I am just waiting for news from there in these next two days, and then I will set off."

"Even if I cannot successfully capture Zhou Zheng this time, I have ways to retreat unscathed. There won't be any danger."

……

Ever since Jia Cong left Ming Ze Lane that day, he had Jiang Liu rush the memorial to Shen Jing, even taking half of his personal guards with him.

This farm east of the city held the crucial trump card for his entry into Jin Ling.

Having confirmed the relationship between Luo Xiong and Zhou Zheng, the situation had become somewhat severe.

Luo Xiong was once a subordinate of Zhang Kangnian and had succeeded him as the Su Zhou Guard Commander; the relationship between the two was extraordinary.

As for Du Hengxin, being Luo Xiong's direct superior, no one could say for certain whether he truly knew nothing about Luo Xiong shielding Zhou Zheng.

Regarding Zhang Kangnian, Jia Cong had always been deeply suspicious, but after multiple investigations, he had yet to find concrete evidence.

After Du Hengxin entered his field of vision, he also felt this person's background was deep, unfathomable, and difficult to categorize as either righteous or treacherous.

Both of these men held pivotal positions in Jin Ling, and the eyes and ears under their command could not be underestimated.

At this juncture, not knowing where the risk might come from, the more such a situation persisted, the more important it became to protect his own hidden cards.

Therefore, after Jiang Liu left, he would rather drive the carriage himself than have another person entering and exiting the farm, lest news leak out.

……

Because a new batch of grain and supplies had recently been transported through Xin Chun Hao's channels, Jia Cong and Qu Hongxiu had come over to arrange things properly before leaving together in the carriage.

As the carriage sped along the official road, Qu Hongxiu lifted the curtain, watching the scenery outside retreat rapidly; the air was filled with the fresh fragrance of trees and grass from the suburbs.

She glanced at Jia Cong, who was driving while wearing his felt hat, and her mood also became cheerful and soft.

Ever since she arrived in Jin Ling, they had rarely been alone like this.

Back when Jia Cong was studying at Qingshan Academy, he would go to her small courtyard every other day. The two of them would practice martial arts, talk, and discuss business together, intimate and inseparable.

At that time, life was plain and fulfilling, and it hadn't stirred up much unusual joy or sweetness in her; she felt it was only natural for things to be that way.

Only now, looking back, did Qu Hongxiu realize that those days were what she missed the most and what she wanted most.

Before the carriage reached the city gate, thunder suddenly roared in the sky, and within moments, a torrential rain began to fall.

Qu Hongxiu called out from inside the carriage, "Brother Jia Cong, the rain is too heavy. Come inside and take shelter."

Jia Cong hurriedly parked the carriage under a banyan tree by the roadside and climbed into the carriage cabin. Although it was only for a moment, his clothes were already more than half soaked.

There were no spare clothes in the carriage, and the wet garments clung to his body, making Jia Cong feel a chill.

However, the space in the cabin was small, and fearing that the water on his body would dampen Qu Hongxiu, he leaned against a corner of the cabin, listening to the dense and fierce sound of rain outside.

Suddenly, a hand reached out; Qu Hongxiu took her handkerchief and carefully wiped the rainwater from his face and hair.

Her expression was focused and earnest, carrying a hint of doting and affection, with a faint smile lingering at the corners of her mouth.

Although the two were long accustomed to being close while practicing martial arts, this situation was different.

As they leaned closer, Jia Cong could clearly see her rosy, soft lips, her delicate and straight nose bridge, her jade-like cheeks, and those bright eyes brimming with autumn water.

Her figure was graceful and slender, and a faint fragrance drifted from her hair and temples...

In Jia Cong's eyes, Qu Hongxiu had always been heroic, spirited, clear-headed, and decisive.

Although she was a woman, she never needed protection or care from others; her curved blade was sharp, and no matter how vast the world was, she could gallop through it alone.

Perhaps it was because the rain outside was too heavy, leaving Jia Cong nowhere to hide, or perhaps the cabin was too narrow, bringing them too close together.

Never before had Jia Cong felt so strongly and clearly the radiant, delicate, and gentle beauty of a woman hidden beneath her heroic and bright exterior; it was unexpectedly soul-stirring.

Qu Hongxiu noticed Jia Cong staring at her, and the atmosphere in the cabin became somewhat unusual.

In truth, the two had not been without intimacy during their daily martial arts practice, but the current situation was quite different.

Qu Hongxiu did not avoid Jia Cong's gaze; she continued to earnestly wipe away the rainwater, letting him stare at her in a daze, though her face grew redder and redder.

She said softly, "Once you capture Zhou Zheng on this trip to Gu Su, your official business in Jin Ling will be finished. Who knows when you will come to Jin Ling again."

Jia Cong heard the reluctance in her words and remembered her saying that what she wanted most was to cherish the days before her; warmth could not help but rise in his heart.

Whether it was the sisters in the Jia household or other close women around him, it seemed they were all protected and cared for by him.

Only Qu Hongxiu never needed him to worry; in fact, it was she who helped and cared for him.

His heart warmed slightly, and he grabbed the hand she was using to wipe his temples. Qu Hongxiu seemed startled, but after a slight struggle, she let him hold it.

"Sister Xiu, why don't you come back to Shen Jing with me this time? The house in Xin Chun Lane has been empty all along."

Qu Hongxiu's heart trembled. She bit her lip and said, "If I go back, what will happen to the business? We have finally managed to gain a foothold in Jiang Nan with such difficulty."

"You still want to do maritime trade with Miss Zhen San, and there are still many things to handle in Jin Ling. Relying on Ke Qing alone won't be enough to support it."

"Brother Jia Cong, I also want to be with you all the time, just like we were before."

"But I always feel that the officialdom is too dangerous. The current Emperor is a formidable figure, and my background is a taboo; Shen Jing is not a good place for me."

"I will guard this family business for you in Jiang Nan. In the future, when you are tired and don't want to be an official anymore, we will have a place to rely on and a retreat."

"Hmph, besides, you have so many sisters in your family. If I go back with you, how many days will you remember me? It's better to stay in Jin Ling; you might worry about me a little more..."

The rain outside grew heavier, and the two people in the carriage chatted on and on, leaning closer without realizing it.

The air floated with a sweet fragrance. After many years of being together, the clouds parted to reveal the bright moon, and things finally became somewhat different.

Qu Hongxiu let Jia Cong hold her hand, seemingly forgetting to tell him to let go.

……

The 14th year of Jia Zhao, the 2nd day of the 9th month.

At the Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner's office, personnel were running in and out frequently, appearing very busy.

The Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner's office oversaw five guards and one department, totaling twelve thousand land and water guard troops.

The five guards were the Jin Ling Guard, Zhenjiang Guard, Changzhou Guard, Su Zhou Guard, and Songjiang Guard; the one department was the Jin Ling Water Supervision Department.

Every beginning of the month was the busiest time for official business at the Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner's office, and one of the most important tasks was distributing military pay and grain to the various guards and departments.

At this time, the military supply officers of each guard and department would send their lists and accounts to the Commissioner's office.

After verification by the Secretariat and approval by the Regional Military Commissioner Du Hengxin, they could collect the military pay and grain from the Commissioner's treasury.

On Du Hengxin's desk, the accounts verified by the Secretariat were neatly stacked, and beside him, two clerks from the Secretariat continued to organize the unverified accounts.

For the Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner's office, which oversaw over ten thousand guard troops, the daily pay and grain were the lifeblood of commanding troops; as the saying goes, "without grain, troops cannot be gathered."

Therefore, Du Hengxin was very meticulous about the monthly verification and signing of military pay and grain; it was by no means a mere formality, but rather he would briefly browse through the accounts of every guard and department.

This chief official of the Jin Ling Regional Military Commissioner's office, the only Grade 2 high official of the Jiang Nan guard troops, perhaps did not use the most honorable means to rise in officialdom back then.

But that did not mean he lacked strategy and talent; he was absolutely a capable official, otherwise the shrewd Zhen Yingquan would not have placed his bets on him.

When he saw the account list for the Commissioner's headquarters, he noticed an unexpected extra expenditure for grain, which had not existed the previous month.

He asked the clerk from the Secretariat beside him, "Why is there an extra grain loss for the headquarters this month?"

The clerk hurriedly replied, "Reporting to my lord, last month the Ministry of War dispatched three hundred musketeers to escort the improved Red-Coated Cannons to Jin Ling."

"Currently, these three hundred musketeers are still stationed at the Commissioner's main camp. Last month, their grain was temporarily adjusted from other guards, so a separate item was listed for them this month."

Du Hengxin was surprised and asked, "The cannons arrived in Jin Ling a month ago. Why are these three hundred cannon guards still in Jin Ling instead of returning to Shen Jing?"

The clerk replied, "Originally, these cannon guards were supposed to set off to return to the capital more than ten days ago, but later, pirates harassed the coast of Songjiang, and Liu Ao's subordinate, the Water Luo Sha, snuck into Jin Ling to kill."

"Jia Cong, the Commissioner of the Firearms Department, worried that Liu Ao might send the Water Luo Sha into the city, possibly coveting the new-style cannons transported from Shen Jing."

"So, ten days ago, he submitted a memorial to the Ministry of War in Shen Jing to temporarily keep these three hundred musketeer guards in Jin Ling for the sake of absolute safety."

"The official document from the Ministry of War in Shen Jing just arrived at the Ministry of War in the auxiliary capital yesterday, so the Secretariat listed a separate grain allowance for these three hundred musketeers."

"In a few days, Commissioner Jia will personally escort the cannons to Gu Su and Songjiang, and these three hundred firearm guards will accompany him."

Du Hengxin's heart jumped, and he asked, "Commissioner Jia wants to take three hundred musketeers to Gu Su and Songjiang. Does the Ministry of War know about this?"

The clerk replied, "The official document from the Ministry of War in the auxiliary capital arrived this morning, and Vice Minister of War Zhang Kangnian has already signed it."

Du Hengxin's eyes flickered, and he asked again, "How long will this grain calculation be needed?"

The clerk replied, "The Ministry of War's reply states the time limit set by Commissioner Jia; this grain will be used until the 12th of this month."

"Calculating by time, it should be the time for escorting the cannons to Songjiang and returning to Jin Ling, after which these musketeers will return to Shen Jing to report."

Du Hengxin's expression was calm; after thinking for a moment, he signed the grain list.

……

Gu Su, Lianxi Street, Fuyun Tea House.

Although the heat of late summer had not yet faded, it was only the hour of Chen (7-9 AM), and the sun had not yet climbed high. Shops lined both sides of the road, and the flow of people was bustling.

On the second floor of a tea house facing the street, a man in his thirties sat by the window, wearing a gray short jacket; he was thin with ordinary features.

He held a coarse pottery teacup in his hand, his eyes fixed on a grand mansion across the street. Under the eaves hung a black-lacquered door plaque with gold characters, reading "Luo Fu."

A couple walked up to the mansion gate; the man was lean and energetic, carrying two baskets of vegetables on a shoulder pole.

The woman was slender with ordinary looks and neat attire, carrying a cargo box on her back.

The two walked to the gate, and the man spoke a few words to the gatekeeper; the servant then went inside to report. It seemed this couple was not visiting the Luo Fu for the first time.

Before long, a steward-like figure came out of the mansion and took a few looks at the vegetable baskets the man was carrying.

He said, "Jiang Liu, some of the vegetables you delivered last time were already wilted. Don't bring such stale things to the Luo Fu; our master only likes fresh produce."

"There are plenty of vegetable farmers in the city eager to deliver top-quality fresh goods to the Luo Fu; we don't need your things."

Jiang Liu was all smiles, his expression very shrewd and attentive. He laughed, "Steward Zhao, my vegetables were all freshly picked from my own field this morning; they couldn't be fresher."

"Last time, it was just too hot. Carrying them from the west of the city to here, the long journey and the sun's baking made them lose their quality."

"Today, I set off before dawn, so they didn't pass through the sun at all."

"Steward Zhao, take a look, the vegetables in this basket are all fresh and crisp."

As Jiang Liu spoke, he reached out and slipped a piece of broken silver into Steward Zhao's hand, weighing a full three taels.

He said, "Steward Zhao, I run a small business and rely on the mansion's trade to feed my family. I don't have anything good to offer you, so just treat this as a bowl of coarse tea."

Steward Zhao weighed the silver in his hand; it was enough for half a month's wages. He immediately beamed, feeling that Jiang Liu was indeed sensible.

Steward Zhao waved his hand generously, "I'll trust you one more time. Bring the vegetables in."

Jiang Liu laughed apologetically again, "Steward, this is my wife. She works as a maid at Jin Feng Pavilion and brought some top-quality rouge and powder, as well as top-quality perfume from Jin Ling's Xin Chun Hao."

"She wants to send them to the inner courtyard for the Mistress and young ladies to see. If they like them, it saves the family from running errands."

Steward Zhao looked at the cargo box on the woman's back and squeezed the silver in his hand, saying, "You, Jiang Liu, have a sharp mind. You know how to sell one thing with another, even taking care of your wife's business."

"However, the Mistress and young ladies in the mansion are noble; don't bring ordinary goods to the inner courtyard, or I'll be the one to suffer."

Jiang Liu hurriedly opened his wife's cargo box. Steward Zhao saw that it was filled with a dazzling array of exquisite, top-quality goods. He lowered his guard, waved his hand, and led the couple into the Luo Fu.

……

After about the time it takes to eat a meal, the couple came out of the Luo Fu, wandered through the streets and alleys, and circled back to the tea house opposite the Luo Fu, entering the second-floor private room by the window from the back door.

Jiang Xiao Liu saw the man sitting by the window and said, "Brother Zhang Wu, I've delivered vegetables to the Luo Fu several times, but I only ever got as far as the outer courtyard gate."

"This time, I guess my face was familiar, and I gave the steward a benefit, so he let me carry them to the outer courtyard kitchen and let Miss Maiqiao enter the inner courtyard."

"I checked the Luo Fu kitchen; the amount of grain and food they prepared was normal, with no unusual circumstances."

"Escaping with Zhou Zheng are seven or eight guard subordinates; these men are all big eaters. If Luo Xiong were hiding them in the mansion, the kitchen couldn't possibly only prepare this little grain."

"Moreover, those coming and going in the Luo Fu's outer courtyard are all Luo family servants and pages; there are no suspicious outsiders."

Brother Zhang Wu said, "Actually, by common sense, Luo Xiong wouldn't hide people in his own mansion. I let you go into the mansion to investigate just to be safe."

Ever since receiving the news Jia Cong sent from Jin Ling, learning that Zhou Zheng was being hidden by Luo Xiong, the search target for Jia Cong and the men sent by the Central Vehicle Department to Gu Su became clear.

Zhang Wu and Jiang Xiao Liu first conducted a careful search of Luo Xiong's two villas in Gu Su City, as these two places had the highest possibility of concealment.

As it turned out, one of the villas was used by Luo Xiong to keep a mistress—a beautiful dancer he bought from Hong Xiu Pavilion—and it was impossible for it to be used to hide other men.

As for Luo Xiong's other villa, there were only a few old servants watching the house, and it was usually vacant.

Originally, Luo Xiong's mansion was the place with the least possibility of hiding Zhou Zheng.

However, Zhang Wu, holding the intention of "hitting the grass to startle the snake," had Jiang Xiao Liu and his subordinate pose as a couple and spent several days mixing into the mansion to investigate.

The result was the same as he had expected; they still found nothing. He couldn't help but feel disappointed, not knowing where Luo Xiong had hidden the people.

He had also thought that Luo Xiong might have hidden Zhou Zheng in the Su Zhou Guard camp, but he quickly overturned this idea.

Even if Luo Xiong was involved in the major Water Supervision Department case of that year, the number of people under his command who knew the truth must be a minority.

It was impossible for all fifteen hundred guard troops of the Su Zhou Guard to be his accomplices.

Moreover, the soldiers in the guard camp often trained year-round, and many of them knew each other.

A group of strangers hiding in the camp would be very easily noticed.

With over a thousand people in the camp, there were too many mouths, and news would leak in less than two days; it couldn't be hidden at all.

Luo Xiong was able to climb to the position of a Grade 4 Commander; he absolutely would not be such a fool. (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 434 =====