The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 304 The Soldier

If we can't go ashore to buy supplies, we won't even have a problem washing up, let alone getting water.

Bazel Ackerman and Iris Roberts were very troubled and couldn't help but suspect that Da Zhao wanted to humiliate them and make them look bad in this way.

This is not impossible.

Negotiation involves various techniques, and psychological maneuvering is one of them.

Without food or water, and filthy, their morale was already significantly lower.

Some allies were even arrested and imprisoned on the first day.

The reason Da Zhao separated them in this way was to prevent them from communicating with each other.

hum~
Shameless!
Barzel was furious.

He wanted Iris to lead his troops in a forceful assault on the checkpoint.

But in the telescope, several cannons on the shore kept them locked in place.

The consequences of making any rash moves... might be something they can't afford.

Barzel could only suppress his restless heart.

We hope that the Great Zhao Dynasty will not go too far.

They were both like this; for Ishii and Nakamura in prison, each day felt like an eternity.

After the fight, they were all injured.

The two men suspected that the three burly men were martial arts experts.

The chains in their hands, though ostensibly chains, were actually weapons; wherever they struck or swung, bones broke or fractured.

Because they had weapons, these three men completely overpowered their thirty-odd men.

After the fight, most of their men were down, and there was a chorus of groans.

Even now, Ichiro Ishii and Keiya Nakamura still feel pain all over their bodies.

In some places, the bones weren't broken, but they were definitely cracked.

It's infuriating that the jailer here is also acting strangely. He clearly saw how miserable they were that day, but he didn't say anything about separating those three big men from them.

Even if they spend a lot of money to buy food, others have to eat their fill first before it's their turn.

If they had eaten quietly, that would have been fine. What's infuriating is that they were so picky, taking a bite of this and a bite of that...

Not a single meal of theirs was clean.

But if you fight, you can't beat them; if you sue, nobody listens.

Now, all Ishii can do is pray that the people in Dazhao will find out about their situation as soon as possible and save them.

Or perhaps those Rakshasa people could lend a hand, even if it's just to do a little bit of work.

If he survives this calamity, he will surely seek revenge for any wrongs he has.

Especially that Prefect Yu.

And everyone in this prison.

Ishii swore in his heart that everyone here would die.

The emperor and court officials of the Great Zhao Dynasty were all utter rubbish, cowards who bullied the weak and feared the strong.

Both were envoys, and the Russian Kingdom was about to attack, yet they didn't do anything to them while at the port.

While Ishii harbored resentment towards heaven, earth, and everyone in his heart, his expression became increasingly humble!
"dinner time."

Two jailers came over, one carrying a wooden bucket full of cooked rice, and the other carrying a bucket full of braised meat, tofu, and cabbage.

Ishii smelled the aroma, and his stomach rumbled involuntarily.

But he didn't move. Instead, he smiled broadly at the three men and said, "Please, brave warriors!"

When they got up, none of the sick and disabled people in the cell dared to move.

Actually, with so many of them, one bucket of rice wouldn't be enough. At most, each person would only have a bowl of rice. But these three people always wanted to eat first, and every time they ate, they would finish half a bucket.
"Hehe, thank you both."

Zhang Daniu took his large bowl and plunged it hard into the bucket. When he pulled it out, the bowl was piled high with rice.

"Alright, you guys hurry up and eat. We'll come back to collect the buckets in half an hour."

Because of these Japanese, not only has their food improved recently, but even the prisoners in the jail have also started to eat some meat.

They've actually had more work lately.

There weren't this many people in this prison before.

They brought over buckets of wild vegetable porridge, black steamed buns, and other food.

After they had finished their work, Zhang Daniu and the other two ate half a bucket of rice and half a bucket of vegetables in no time.

Honestly, the food here is much better than in the camp.

They were so reluctant to leave that they didn't want to go.

They sat down on the best pile of hay, their bellies agape, while Ishii and the others pitifully lined up.

Needless to say, there was almost no meat left in the dish.

Each of them had a small bowl of rice and a small spoonful of cabbage and tofu soup.

Those who can move around need help being fed.

Keiya Nakamura and Ichiro Ishii each scooped up a small slice of meat with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and ate it with great relish.

I must say, the chef's skills are absolutely top-notch.

Even vegetable soup is delicious when used to soak rice.

In this respect, the Great Zhao Dynasty was better than their Great Japan.

Nakamura Keiya felt that he had never eaten better food than prison food in his entire life.

pity……

Eating food without freedom is utterly disgusting.

"My lord, my lord."

He bowed respectfully to the jailer collecting the buckets, "Please, gentlemen, convey to Lord Yu that we have truly understood our identities. We beg you, please allow us to see him!"

As he spoke, Nakamura Keiya took out two more gold melon seeds.

This is from his pocket.

He didn't understand why these people had arrested them but hadn't confiscated their money.

"Just wait, our master hasn't been in a good mood lately."

Prefect Yu really couldn't be in a good mood.

The news has been reported, but to this day, the authorities in Beijing have not given him a single piece of paper.

They're actually quite close!

What are the Emperor and the officials in the court really thinking?
Or did they think he performed well, so they simply didn't give him any instructions?
Prefect Yu had a headache.

Both delegations probably hate him now and are thinking about how to accuse and frame him after they escape.

If the peace talks succeed, he will likely suffer some misfortune; if they fail... and Jiangnan descends into chaos, he will probably be the first to be criticized by the entire court.

Although the Jia family was still present, everyone knew what kind of person Jia She was.

Jia Min...

Lin Ruhai might take some responsibility for her, but Lord Lin is a capable, competent, and loyal minister. Over the years, no matter how chaotic things have been outside, he has protected all the salt tax revenue for the Emperor, which is no easy feat. The Emperor will definitely protect him first.

Hey~
He's going to take his whole family back home and starve!
If you don't want to starve, let them go...

slap~
He couldn't stand it after just one thought.

He didn't want to tolerate the Rakshasa people.

Despite the high mountains and long roads, they came here to seize territory.

Why?
Is there no one in Da Zhao?

As for the Japanese...

Prefect Yu was even less willing to tolerate it.

Look at them, they're all so well-behaved now.

But the more honest they were, the less he could let them go.

The lessons of the previous dynasty are still fresh in our minds. This is a group of people who fear power but do not cherish virtue. When they are strong, they are bandits; when they are weak, they are groveling and subservient.

But even when they are weak, they harbor wolfish ambitions.

How dare this tiny Japanese king call himself Emperor? And call himself Great Japan?

Bah~
The fact that they came with the Russians suggests that the two sides reached an agreement in the Sakhalin Island area.

Those places, though harsh and cold, were the inherent territory of the Great Zhao.

Even a woman like Madam Shen of Ningguo Mansion knew how to kill those Jurchens like Suo Jin. How could a dignified man like him let the Japanese take advantage of him?
Thinking of this, Yu Zhijian strode towards the back courtyard.

Before he can do anything big, he needs to make sure his wife is settled.

To his surprise, his wife's face lit up with joy as soon as she saw him. "My lord, guess who sent me this letter?"

Who?
Yu Zhijian wanted to say, "You only have eyes for your sisters, not your husband, right?"

But then she thought that even if only one of her sisters had a conscience, they could at least offer some consideration, so she held back.

"Who?"

Why write such a thick letter?
This person wouldn't come to the temple without a reason!

"Jia Min!"

It's Jia Min again?

What is she going to do?
Although it was rumored many years ago that she was the most talented woman in the capital, given Jia Zheng's foolishness, Prefect Yu always felt that the title of talented woman was mainly due to her good family background and the fact that she was being praised by others.

"What does she want you to do this time?"

Oh well, they're just lucky.

She has a good father and a good husband.

Whether it was Rongguo Gong Jia Daishan or Lin Ruhai, they were both people he admired.

She said that keeping the Japanese delegation locked up like this for so long was not a good thing and might hinder your future career. To prevent any unforeseen circumstances, you should try to pin their case on the assassination of Madam Shen of Ningguo Mansion.

what?
Yu Zhijian snatched the letter away.

The letter included all the confessions of the Japanese pirates captured in Xuzhou.

Although it was copied, it shows that he put a lot of effort into it.

"...These Japanese, while sending people to negotiate, also assassinated my sister-in-law. It's obvious they want to create the illusion of power struggles within the court. If the negotiations go smoothly and they get what they want, they will definitely push their luck and replicate the previous Jiangnan Japanese pirate raids to gain more benefits; if the negotiations don't go well, they will definitely create a Japanese pirate raid in Jiangnan as revenge."

In her letter, Jia Min wrote: "My father often said, 'War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. It is imperative to examine it carefully!' To treat a conflict between two countries with wishful thinking is to court death. Therefore, if Lord Yu can link this group of Japanese envoys to the case of my sister-in-law's assassination, regardless of the outcome of the peace talks, their 'reason' will be diminished by three points."

It's normal for Da Zhao to treat them however he wants.

It could even mislead the Russians into thinking that their inability to land or negotiate was due to the Japanese.

In short, it is the Russians who are begging us for peace talks, not the other way around. Peace talks are never about politeness; they are about fists, verbal attacks, and any means necessary…”

In his letter, Yu Zhijian seemed to see the saying "like father, like daughter."

He couldn't help but get excited.

"Master, is Jia Min's suggestion feasible?"

"Yes, absolutely!"

Yu Zhijian was pleased, "At least I don't have to worry about you going to live a hard life with me."

"What nonsense are you talking about?"

Madam Yu smiled, "Even if we don't become officials, my dowry will be enough for our family to live comfortably in Tianjin."

They've been a loving couple for so many years, and she's not that kind of scumbag.

Jia Min mobilized her sisters who had married civil officials years ago.

People come from all over the country, so it's rare for us to get together.

In fact, Madam Yu also intended to build connections for her husband.

"After Jia Jing died like that, the Jia family developed an irreconcilable hatred with the Japanese. Didn't you have a headache last year, worrying that if the Emperor Emeritus continued like that, you would have to resign?"

Madam Yu sighed, "The fact that you didn't resign from your official post is actually thanks to the Jia family."

She knew that her husband had considered resigning from his official post many times.

In fact, she was prepared for him to resign from his official post.

The imperial court is in utter chaos.

If things go wrong, their whole family could be trapped and their lives could be in danger.

"Madam Shen was such a good person. She was assassinated by Japanese pirates. The Jia family wants to help her get some justice. We have the ability to help her. If we don't help her at all, we will also feel bad."

Her husband did not help the Jia family entirely because of her.

"You decide what to do. We don't seek to be remembered in history, we just want to have a clear conscience."

"...I'll listen to you, Madam."

Assigned by the emperor to keep an eye on Lord Yu's secret affairs, I saw that this old married couple was actually being all lovey-dovey. I didn't know whether to be envious or angry.

hum~
The Emperor has a secret order in his possession.

But the condition is that it can only be given to him when Lord Yu can no longer hold out and is about to give in.

Anwu initially felt he wouldn't last until tomorrow, but now...

He was extremely curious about what Jia Min had said in the letter.

Speaking of the Rongguo Mansion, it's a real mess. Their daughters are all incredibly intelligent, but their sons...

Anwu quietly followed Yu Zhijian, trying hard to snatch the letter from his hand.

……

In Jinling, Shen Ning was looking through the clan's accounts, which Xing'er had already checked, bit by bit.

If a clan school was established in the capital, there would naturally be one here as well.

As is customary, the former clan school in the capital was managed by Jia Dairu, who was also the headmaster. Here, it is mainly managed and taught by the Ninth Master, Jia Daicheng.

But he was not as good as Jia Dairu, who at least became a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations).

Jia Daicheng was just a scholar.

The clan school accounts here...

slap~
"Take it over and have your uncle gather all the clansmen, make the accounts public, and anyone who has taken more than their fair share should hand it over to the authorities. Once that's done, the clan school will follow the model in the capital."

"Yes!"

This was something Xing'er had anticipated.

He hurriedly picked up the ledger and was about to leave when he heard his wife say, "How's the investigation going with the person I asked you to look into?"

"...No...I couldn't find it."

Xing'er was also helpless.

He came over and immediately started preparing the sacrificial fields; it's not easy to have a continuous stretch of fields.

Other families are easy to deal with; give them more money, coordinate with the government and brokers, and things will eventually be settled. But the lords in the clan are different; they want more than double.

Other families could simply buy roughly the same land from a broker and receive some compensation. But the elders, wives, and grandmothers in the clan, even knowing that the clan would eventually receive a share of this ancestral land, would complain today and cry tomorrow.

Xing'er sent several letters home about this, but fortunately, her uncle was promoted again, and those people didn't dare to go too far in the end.

But because of them, he was distracted by a lot of his energy.

"Not even a single word?"

Shen Ning couldn't help but ask again.

Xing'er shook his head helplessly.

Finding someone is like finding a needle in a haystack!

Shen Ning sighed, waved her hand, and told him to go do his own thing. She sincerely hoped that after Xue Bawang was gone, Yinglian could marry Feng Yuan.

The son of a local gentry, with an old servant in the house, must have some family wealth.

Thinking of this, Shen Ning remembered something else and said to Xiao Dong, "Have Rong-ge come over here."

As a noble young master from the capital, making connections with people in the local area should be a simple matter of a word!
Perhaps she can find Feng Yuan in him.

Then, following Feng Yuan, they found Yinglian.

When she read Dream of the Red Chamber back then, she felt particularly sorry for this girl.

A life of happiness can be shattered by a human trafficking ring.

Having finally grown up and just one step away from escaping this sea of ​​suffering, Xue Bawang interfered again.

If possible, Shen Ning hoped to lend a helping hand and make her life a little better.

Among the Twelve Beauties of Jinling, whether in the main register, the secondary register, or the supplementary register, none of the girls had good fortune.
Why?