The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 184 Penalty
The snow hasn't stopped, but the capital city seems to be bustling again.

Not only were there more constables from the Five Cities Garrison and Shuntian Prefecture, but also from street corners, there were always some people staring at pedestrians with hostile eyes, as if they would suddenly attack and arrest people at any moment.

Fortunately, they never retaliated.

But being watched like this wasn't a good thing, so everyone hurried along, trying to finish their business as quickly as possible so they could get home sooner.

The first thing Dong Xiaoquan did after court was to inquire about the mysterious Mr. Liu.

"The people from the Prince of Jin's mansion have been searching, and now we can only be certain that Mr. Liu was prepared and escaped a step ahead of time."

The chief constable has been keeping an eye on the Prince of Jin's residence since last night. "If we want to find this person, we'll probably have to search every house in the park."

However, they cannot do this without a particularly legitimate reason.

In a capital city like Beijing, a place of great importance, a series of incidents will inevitably cause widespread panic.

The retired emperor and the emperor were also unhappy.

"...Never mind!"

After much deliberation, Dong Xiaoquan could only sigh, "Investigate this person secretly for now!"

He knew why Mr. Liu was hiding.

If the Prince of Jin finds him, he won't survive; if they find him... he won't survive either.

If it is proven that some of the Crown Prince's letters from back then were fake, the consequences would be unimaginable.

When the emperor is angry, millions will die; that's no exaggeration.

When the court and the royal family are in turmoil, who knows how many people will suffer and how many will be implicated.

The hard-won balance between the retired emperor and the emperor will inevitably be broken.

The great situation in Dazhao could be lost if things go wrong.

"No matter what, we can only talk about anything else after we find the person."

Dong Xiaoquan made up his mind, "You must also ensure the safety of Shouhou."

At this point, he added, "Have the patrolmen patrol Ning and Rong Streets more often. If Prince Jin can't find that Mr. Liu and is certain that we can't take action against him, he might still try to target the Jia family, especially the Ningguo Mansion."

"Yes!"

"A cornered dog will jump over a wall, and a cornered rabbit will bite, let alone a prince."

If the Prince of Jin dared to make designs on the Crown Prince, then the small Jia family would be even less of a threat.

Dong Xiaoquan looked at his chief constable, "Find a few people to let the Jia family know!"

"...The Jia family should have been on guard against Prince Jin long ago."

Chief Constable Lu said, "This morning, several of the Prince Jin's men who were loitering around the Jia family's area were put in sacks and beaten up."

Dong Xiaoquan: "..."

That's really shocking!
But somehow, it also feels a bit satisfying.

"Their legs were all broken."

Chief Constable Lu was speechless. "Moreover, the method of striking is very special. Even if a skilled doctor helps to reconnect it, it will probably be difficult for him to walk like a normal person in the future."

"Hmm~"

Dong Xiaoquan stroked his beard. "Did the people from the Prince of Jin's residence report the case?"

"They reported it, but in their private capacity. However, they didn't even get a clear look at the person's face, so we have no way of investigating."

Chief Constable Lu chuckled. "We only arrested a few thugs and troublemakers, but they all have alibis. So far, we can only investigate their cases by looking at their enemies. We ask them who they have offended, where and when they offended them, but they can't say. With no other options, we've had to drop the cases one by one."

here you go!
Dong Xiaoquan smiled and said, "Alright then, you don't need to report such trivial matters to me anymore."

"Yes!"

Chief Constable Lu and he exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

The Crown Prince has handled state affairs for the Emperor for many years and has received much praise from the court and the common people.

They thought that the crown prince, whom even the Qin Emperor, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Taizu of Song could not find, would ascend to the throne smoothly in their Great Zhao. But they never expected that he would end up in such a state. Who wouldn't sigh?

now……

Even if they can't do anything to the Prince of Jin for the time being, it doesn't stop them from making him disgusted.

Therefore, wherever the people from the Prince of Jin's mansion went, the yamen runners from the Shuntian Prefecture followed.

This cannot be kept secret.

What if they find out someone with the surname Liu...

I wanted to report this to the Prince of Jin, but the Prince of Jin had already entered the palace.

He could only endure the agonizing journey of traveling outside.

Inside the palace, the retired emperor still didn't know what kind of person his precious son, whom he had doted on for so many years, really was. He only knew that if he favored Prince Jin more, the political climate in the court wouldn't be one-sided.

"...Father, you have no idea how confused the Princess Consort is."

After inquiring about the old man's daily sleep and diet, Prince Jin, seemingly pleased that the old man was in good health, sighed at the end, "She actually wanted to report to the authorities after losing several treasures recently."

Ok?
The retired emperor narrowed his eyes. "What's missing?"

“A painting by Tang Bohu, a piece of Ge ware, and a double-sided embroidery of flowers and birds that you appreciated back then.”

The Prince of Jin had no choice.

He first had to tell the old man, in a joking manner, about the princess losing her things.

This is called striking first to gain the upper hand.

If Dong Xiaoquan had spoken first...

Even without evidence, the old man would suspect that the Crown Prince's past actions were related to him.

"If this is reported to the authorities, my Prince Jin's mansion will become the laughing stock of the capital."

He seemed to complain as he said, "So, as soon as I heard about this, I had the old woman who reported it to the authorities arrested."

"...Are these things really lost?"

"It must be lost."

Prince Jin said, "My son investigated later and found that someone vaguely saw a dark shadow. I never thought that a thief would dare to steal from the Prince's mansion."

"We still need to investigate!"

The retired emperor had already decided in his heart to give Dong Xiaoquan a light punishment.

This man is too loyal and upright, doing everything in a rigid and methodical way. Since he has abdicated, he is more inclined to side with the emperor.

Because of his example, the emperor gained more and more influence in the court.

This is something the retired emperor cannot tolerate.

Historical records show that retired emperors without power never met a good end.

He was a hero for life, but he never wanted to end up as someone who evokes sighs of regret.

"Dong Xiaoquan of Shuntian Prefecture failed in his duty in this matter."

The retired emperor was very satisfied with the reason his son had given him. "Dai Quan, tell the emperor that I said that various major and strange cases are occurring frequently in the capital. Dong Xiaoquan has failed in his duties and should be fined one year's salary."

"……Yes!"

Dai Quan glanced furtively at the Prince of Jin, then quickly bowed and agreed, and went to inform the Emperor.

"Father!"

The Prince of Jin smiled broadly, “If you do this, Old Man Dong will definitely suspect that his son poisoned him with maggots. When his petty temper flares up, he will definitely cause trouble for his son again.”

"He wouldn't dare! I'll back him up."

The father and son laughed heartily.

Then they talked about the meritorious personnel who would be returning from the north in rotation.

"Shi Ding has made great contributions, and I heard that the Emperor intends to revive the tradition of bestowing titles upon him."

The old man from the Jin Dynasty inquired, "You mean, he..."

"Hmm~, his father was quite capable back then."

The retired emperor remembered his old ministers, saying, "I have decided to confer the title of Marquis Zhongjing upon Shi Ding."

"Marquis Zhongjing?"

The Prince of Jin smiled, "That's a good name." He then added, "Will you still send Dai Quan to deliver the imperial decree later?"

The emperor wanted to bring Shi Ding under his command, but the old fox was still the most cunning. With just one move, both Shi Ding and the emperor had no choice but to accept it.

"nature!"

The imperial edict conferring titles of nobility has already been written by the retired emperor.

Shi Ding was a capable minister.

As long as he lived, he certainly didn't want to be controlled by the emperor.

The emperor was aware of this as well.

The old man was wary of him, but as long as he wasn't confused, everything else was a minor matter.

As long as the old man wrote the imperial edict, he would stamp it.

This was to show that father and son were of one mind.

With two emperors in power, father and son working together, this is also a model for spreading education and moral guidance to all people.

As for Dong Xiaoquan being fined, what a trivial matter!
The emperor didn't care at all.

He's poor anyway. He'd be envious if his subjects were too rich.

"Lord Dong has most likely offended the Prince of Jin."

The Empress glanced at the Emperor and couldn't help but sigh, "Why don't you ask?"

"What's there to ask? Asking too much will only make Father Emperor uncomfortable, and then Old Dong will be even more unlucky."

Since they had been ruler and subject, he decided not to cause him any trouble. "By not asking, Old Dong was able to act freely."

Who was Dong Xiaoquan?
If the Prince of Jin is talking behind his back, then he should be prepared to be targeted by him.

The Emperor was pleased to see Dong Xiaoquan berate the Prince of Jin in court, saying, "I'll find another opportunity to reward him with something."

It's definitely worth more than a salary.

The retired emperor had taught him this.

Whether an official is poor or capable, they need to be challenged and disciplined. The more you challenge them, the more capable they become.

If you reward them with something later, they'll be willing to give their all.

"...It's good that you know what's going on."

The Empress felt that the Emperor had been having too much success lately and was becoming a bit arrogant.

But they've had such a smooth time together all these years, and she didn't want to spoil the mood.

"It's quantifiable, it's quantifiable."

The emperor smiled and pulled another piece of paper from his pocket. "Take a look at this."

"Bank notes?"

It was still a large bill of fifty thousand taels.

The Empress was surprised, "Was it sent by Prince Zhongshun?"

"Yup!"

The emperor stuffed the silver notes into the empress's hand, saying, "Those salt merchants in Jiangnan are really rich. You can use these as you see fit."

With the New Year approaching, he and the Empress no longer had to worry about receiving rewards.

"to make!"

The Empress accepted the gift with a smile. "The fighting in the north is basically over, and... there won't be any more fighting in the south, right?"

This?
The emperor frowned.

This is actually a good opportunity.

The south side is jumping around.

The Great Zhao army had a legitimate reason for its attack.

If we deal with them first, we won't have to worry about the north later.

only……

The emperor was somewhat displeased when he thought about how his father might bestow titles or ranks upon someone else in the end.

Don't miss this opportunity...

"I need to think about this matter carefully."

The Russians to the north are becoming increasingly rampant.

According to the Ningguta General's Report, the Jurchens suffered a terrible defeat.

"Actually, fighting now wouldn't be bad, just treat it as training!"

Once the Tatars and Jurchens are dealt with, the Great Zhao will likely have to face the Russians directly.

The emperor stood up. "Lu Huaizhong of the Court of State Ceremonial said that the Jurchens are seeking cooperation with our Great Zhao."

Queen: "..."

She dared not interrupt on such an important matter.

"Never mind, I'll go and talk to Father Emperor."

Passive waiting is not a good approach.

The emperor said to the empress, "There's something delicious for Father, so you don't need to wait for me today."

"Ok!"

The Empress straightened his clothes and said, “Speak properly to the Emperor Emeritus. If Prince Jin doesn’t leave for a while, you can dine with him. You should also speak to him politely.”

"Haha, I'm not that kind of hot-tempered person."

The emperor left with a smile.

The Empress, however, remained frowning.

Although I made a lot of money again, I was too greedy this year, and I'm afraid I won't be able to do it next year.

As the Empress carefully put away the silver notes, Shen Ning was also rewarding those who had made contributions that day in the Ningguo Mansion.

She hadn't intended to beat up the Prince of Jin's men, but since Jia Zhen had them beaten, she felt quite relieved and naturally felt she should be rewarded.

It could be said that when the skinny monkey fell, all the guards and trainees of the Ningguo Prefecture made a fortune.

Even Tang Fu and Tang Gui, because they followed Rong Ge'er to learn martial arts, were rewarded with a roast duck and two taels of silver today.

As the housekeeper of the You family, she naturally prioritized business for her own family.

Furthermore, the roast duck restaurant she and her wife run has long been famous in Beijing.

Don't reward people too much.

"Mother, this is your bonus for this month."

As the weather gets colder, business at roast duck restaurants is relatively slow.

Fortunately, the wife had the staff improve the food boxes and wrap them in quilts to ensure that the roast ducks delivered to each household were still hot.

"Two hundred and thirty-four taels."

"Well done!"

Shen Ning waved to Qingzhu, who immediately took the silver away. "There will probably be several more heavy snowfalls today. Tell the workers to prepare more rice and grain so we can distribute porridge outside the city later."

"Everything is ready."

Madam Yu hurriedly said, "This year, the Salesian Bureau has reportedly prepared a large amount of winter supplies."

Shen Ning nodded, "The steamed buns from the Mantou Nunnery..."

"It's still going on; we're giving out four hundred alms every day."

Madam You smiled, "However, because the steamed buns are delicious, many people buy them, and the Steamed Bun Nunnery has already broken even."

"How many people did you take in?"

"Seven!"

Madam You said, "They are all homeless old women and women. Now they are making a living by selling steamed buns at the Steamed Bun Nunnery."

The two women, mother and daughter-in-law, were chatting about everyday things and business in various places. Meanwhile, in the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Zheng was quite annoyed because he no longer had Baoyu to scold.

He thought that the child had been spoiled since childhood and would not be able to endure the hardships of martial arts training, but he did not expect that the child would go there early in the morning.

"Sir, please take a look at the letter from Madam Xue of the Xue family in Jinling..."

Wang Xifeng finally delivered the letter from that aunt.

Aunt Zhou followed Jia Zheng and looked at it first, asking, "Should we send some to Madam?"

"Give it to me, I'll deliver it!"

The Xue family was in Jinling, and they were considered old relatives of the Jia family.

Jia Zheng took the letter and followed Aunt Zhou, watching her open the door to the small Buddhist hall.

Madam Wang, who was striking the wooden fish, raised her eyelids slightly upon hearing the noise, but did not get up.

That's how she does everything these days.

Jia Zheng will not change his attitude.

Come here now...

"There is a letter for you in Jinling."

what?
Madam Wang's heart stirred.

Did my sister reply?
she……

Madam Wang did not dare to show her eagerness.

"If you have faith, then you have faith!"

If I can give it to her, I definitely will; if I can't, then I won't.

"Would you let me reply to your letter in this state?"

"Of course not."

Jia Zheng felt at a loss for words when facing her, saying, "You will never write a single letter to anyone in this lifetime."

I'm so scared?
Madam Wang began striking the wooden fish again.

"Your sister is going to Beijing, and she said she wants to come and stay with you."

Jia Zheng threw the letter on the ground. "When you go to the capital later, tell her frankly that she shouldn't think about anything unrealistic. My Jia family will not be a support for any of your relatives."