Chapter 776: Good Dreams in the Long Day

Da Zhou Palace City, Wenyuan Pavilion.

This is the place where the Da Zhou Cabinet handles government affairs, and it is a place where the elites of the court gather. Wang Shilun is in his position, calculating deeply and well-informed.

Jia Cong's clear and transparent words made him somewhat lost, his thoughts surging, and only Jia Cong's clear voice still echoed in his ears.

"The student thinks that the peace talks should be carried out step by step, and taking this opportunity of peace talks to investigate the differences and entanglements of the three major tribes is just the right time."

"Knowing oneself and the enemy, one hundred battles will not be dangerous, which can be calculated for the imperial court's situation outside the pass, prepared for danger, and set the first opportunity……"

Jia Cong's words, taking a different path, from the places ignored by others, hit the point, hit the key, making Wang Shilun feel refreshed.

The two talked more and more, and chatted for nearly half an hour before Jia Cong got up to say goodbye.

Wang Shilun sent him to the door of the office. After Jia Cong bowed and left, he still stood there, looking at his departing figure, thoughtful.

Jia Cong left Wenyuan Pavilion and went to the Ministry of War to visit Gu Yankui.

He was very familiar with Gu Yankui, and their conversation was more casual than Wang Shilun's.

Gu Yankui was naturally happy to see Jia Cong take the position of peace talk recorder, and his thoughts on the Remnant Mongol tribes were also recognized by Gu Yankui.

It was just that now the Remnant Mongol mission raised the bargaining chip for peace talks, dreaming of increasing the market amount by 40%, and the peace talks between the two states had entered a deadlock.

Gu Yankui and Wang Shilun no longer attended the peace talk consultations, only letting several Ministry of War officials be responsible for daily consultations.

Gu Yankui let Jia Cong participate in the daily consultations and listen, observing the wind and watching the situation.

If he had any inconvenience in his planning, he could discuss it with him at any time.

After Jia Cong met the two peace talk superiors, he had all the convenience in how to participate in the various affairs of the peace talks.

As for how to settle what he thought in his heart, he didn't have a complete plan yet. He didn't have deep contact with Nuo Yan Taiji, so he could only act according to the situation.

When he left the Ministry of War, it was almost noon. Because Gu Yankui said that there was no important consultation agenda between the Ministry of War and the Remnant Mongol mission today.

So he didn't have to go to the Hui Tong Hall again. Now the construction of 500 breech-loading guns had been completed, and the major events of the Firearm Department at the end of the year had been completed.

Since he was appointed as the peace talk recorder of the two states, he had temporarily handed over the firearm workshop to Liu Shizhen, so he didn't return to the workshop outside the city.

Therefore, he stole half a day of leisure, found a clean shop, finished his lunch, and returned to the mansion.

……

Count's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

During the day, Wu Er and Ping Er went to the Western Prefecture to handle family affairs, and Zhi Shao went to the South Slope Courtyard to accompany her master and senior sister.

The north wind was whistling in the courtyard, the doors and windows of the hall were tightly closed, and two purple copper Tai Lan incense burners were burning, flowing with fragrant warmth everywhere.

Qing Wen, Ying Lian, and Ling Guan were surrounding the incense burner to warm themselves. Three pairs of embroidered shoes of different colors were placed on the edge of the cage, clever and lively, beautiful and interesting.

Qing Wen was embroidering a handkerchief, Ling Guan was leaning against her to look closely, and Ying Lian was holding a copy of "Hui Zhen Ji" and flipping through it.

On the Arhat couch in the hall, Dou Guan was wearing rabbit fur earmuffs on her head, leaning against a pillow and dozing off, her small face red, appearing charming and lazy.

The afternoon was quiet and long, and Qing Wen and the others each found their own fun, occasionally saying some idle words to laugh.

It was just that they had no serious business to talk about, but it was about whose embroidery was good, whose color choice was wonderful, or Ying Lian talked about the bridges in the book, each discussing and laughing.

Dou Guan heard them talking interestingly, and also dispelled the afternoon sleepiness, ran over to squeeze together, sometimes letting Qing Wen teach her embroidery, and sometimes letting Ying Lian teach her to read.

Several people were having fun when they heard footsteps in the courtyard, followed by Jia Cong's clear voice.

"Dou Guan, since you are so hungry, you must eat two more bowls of rice today."

Dou Guan cheered: "The Cong Sanye is home. Ling Guan, hurry up and put the dishes out. Don't let the Cong Sanye go hungry."

Qing Wen knocked on her hair bun with chopsticks and laughed and scolded: "You little ghost, you are not afraid of the Cong Sanye going hungry, you are the one who is afraid of going hungry."

Ying Lian heard Jia Cong's voice and also came out of the study. Several people had just set the dishes on the table when Wu Er and Ping Er also returned from the Western Prefecture.

The two returned, and Zhi Shao followed into the courtyard.

She only said that she had eaten vegetarian food in the South Slope Courtyard and would not join the table for dinner. She said a few words to Jia Cong and then entered the main room to tidy up things.

……

Everyone was surrounding the table when they heard footsteps at the courtyard gate.

Looking back, it was Yingchun who entered the courtyard, wearing a light blue satin round-collar robe with broken magnolia patterns, a rice-white cotton skirt, and a bright red flower-scattered fur cloak.

The cold wind rolled the cloak, and the pearl-inlaid phoenix hairpin on her head was crystal clear, flashing slightly, setting off her beautiful appearance, elegant demeanor, and generosity.

Behind her followed the maid Xiu Ju, holding a bright tile windproof lantern.

Jia Cong smiled: "Why does the Second Sister have time to come over at this time?"

Yingchun smiled: "I didn't see you yesterday. I heard you were drinking outside, and it was late when you returned. I came over to see you today."

Jia Cong asked: "Now that it's meal time, has the Second Sister eaten?"

Yingchun smiled: "Not yet. I'll just eat here with you, and we can talk."

Jia Cong hurriedly asked Qing Wen to add bowls and chopsticks. The brother and sister ate while chatting.

Because a cooking woman in the East Prefecture was bought from the south, she was good at cooking southern dishes daily, and Ling Guan was also used to making refined Su dishes.

The dishes on the table used the game Jia Cong got, all of which were rare and high-quality materials.

Several venison dishes and a large bowl of pheasant soup were cooked with bright colors and rich fragrance.

Yingchun smiled: "I had a venison banquet at Rongqing Hall at noon. Our East Prefecture cook's craftsmanship is even better than the Western Prefecture's."

Jia Cong smiled: "Although venison is good and chewy, the Old Matriarch is getting on in years, so I'm afraid it's not very comfortable. It's better to make it into soup."

The two chatted casually about the venison banquet. As for Baoyu's behavior at the banquet, Yingchun naturally didn't mention half a word.

To avoid dirtying her brother's ears, and if it went wrong, he would be angry for nothing, which was truly not worth it.

Jia Cong asked: "Second Sister, are there any extra perfumes, soaps, toothpaste, and toothbrushes in the warehouse?"

Yingchun said: "Although the sisters often use them, some were sent to the Western Prefecture. There should still be quite a few left. Why does Brother Cong ask about these?"

Jia Cong smiled: "The venison and pheasant eaten today are a favor, so it's better to send some return gifts."

Yingchun said: "This matter is easy to handle, and you don't need to worry about it. I will prepare a copy for you tomorrow and ask the steward to send it for you."

"At noon, the Old Matriarch also said that your friend knows the market. It's not easy to hunt these game in the twelfth lunar month."

"She also asked which noble family's son in the capital he is, and maybe the Old Matriarch knows his elders."

Jia Cong smiled: "This person is not a noble son in the capital, but a character from the grassland……"

……

Yingchun heard it and found it rare, saying: "How could Brother Cong know people from the grassland? Although my sisters and I are in the inner house, we also know some things outside."

"I heard that the imperial court and the Mongols are in a confrontation at the Nine Passes, and it is said that a war is about to break out. Now many grassland people have come to the city, saying they want to make peace with Da Zhou."

Jia Cong said: "I was appointed by the Emperor as the peace talk recorder, and I will have to deal with these grassland people in the future. It's just courtesy."

The brother and sister finished their meal and chatted over tea for a while. It was getting late, so Jia Cong sent Yingchun back.

After he returned, he went to the study, found the Ministry of War gazette collected a few days ago, which gathered the military situation of the Nine Passes and various towns in the past month.

The content of the gazette came from the military situation memorials of the border towns, compiled and copied by the Ministry of War, and circulated within a small range in the court as a reference for the response to the war at the Nine Passes.

Only the Emperor's imperial front, the Cabinet, the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Works, and the Ministry of Revenue could contact these military gazettes.

Originally, according to Jia Cong's official rank, he couldn't contact this kind of military gazette.

But as the supervisor of the Ministry of Works Firearm Department, his position in the Ministry of Works was very special. Even Minister Li Dekang had no right to control him.

All affairs of the Firearm Department were directly assigned by the Emperor, which made his position in the Ministry of Works somewhat transcendent.

Li Dekang and Jia Zheng were colleagues for many years, and he had always been very kind and polite to this overly young subordinate and junior.

Once Jia Cong entered Li Dekang's office to discuss the construction materials of the firearm workshop, he saw the military gazette on his desk and couldn't help but look at it a few more

"I was sent over to pass a message to the Second Young Lady, wanting to hear what ideas or plans she might have."

"I spoke of the matter with the Second Young Lady, then discussed the arrangements with Sheyue, and after things were settled, I returned to our courtyard on the way."

"Hearing from Qingwen that the Cong Sanye had long since returned to the mansion and was visiting the courtyards of the various young ladies."

"I came to Miss Lin's place first since it was nearby, and sure enough, I met the Cong Sanye."

Daiyu smiled and said, "Sister Ping rarely comes to my place; since you are here, you must sit and chat. Hearing Zi Juan, serve Sister Ping some hot tea."