The Red Mansion

Chapter 210 The winds of change change, the army crosses the river

On the eighteenth day of the first lunar month, Yangzhou was shrouded in mist and rain, the entire city shrouded in a hazy mist.

In the study of the inner residence of the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai, Salt Commissioner Yu Fuxi and Zhao Dan, the Assistant Prefect of Yangzhou, were having a private conversation.

Yu Fuxi holds a Ding kiln white porcelain teacup in his hands, in which Junshan Silver Needle tea leaves stand upright.

Zhao Dan stroked his sparse goatee, his voice extremely low: "That Imperial Envoy Jiang is currently enjoying the Emperor's favor. If he really decides to investigate the salt affairs thoroughly this time, what should we do?"

Yu Fuxi took a sip of tea before saying, "Don't worry too much! He's still young and just acting recklessly because of the Emperor's favor. Lin Ruhai has been managing things in Yangzhou all these years, has he ever caused any trouble? Could it be that this so-called imperial envoy can stir up trouble just because he's new here?"

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly heard the thumping of boots outside the door.

Bai Mao, the clerk, entered, his shoulders still damp with raindrops. He respectfully reported to Yu Fuxi, "Reporting to Your Excellency, the Imperial Envoy Jiang is currently visiting the Wenchang Pavilion with Miss Lin, the daughter of Imperial Censor Lin."

Upon hearing this, Yu Fuxi gave Zhao Dan a mocking smile: "Look at you, still so young at heart."

After discussing the matter in detail with Yu Fuxi, Zhao Dan took his leave.

As soon as Zhao Dan left, the forced smile on Yu Fuxi's face melted away like wax.

He stood alone under the eaves of the study, gazing at the misty rain, his face so gloomy it seemed to drip water. He had feigned composure in front of Zhao Dan just moments before, but now he felt a cold sweat on his back—Jiang Nian, though young, had served as an imperial envoy twice, once suppressing Zhou Sankui and shaking up the Shandong salt industry, and twice destroying the Luo sect and shaking up Jiangnan. Moreover, Emperor Taishun stood behind him; how could he not be afraid?

"Ugh!"

Yu Fuxi sighed, held up his umbrella, and walked to the courtyard of his eldest son, Yu Bin. Suddenly, he saw a group of servants peeking around outside the courtyard. When they saw him coming, they scattered like startled birds.

The scene inside the courtyard was horrifying: a girl, barely a teenager, knelt on the bluestone slabs, dressed only in a plain white undergarment. Rain soaked through her thin garment, which clung to her frail body. A burly servant woman brandished a riding crop, cursing filthyly, "You little hussy, see if you dare run away again..."

Under the eaves, Yu Fuxi's wife, Yan, was reclining in a chair, eating melon seeds with her legs crossed, while Yu Bin sat beside her.

The woman who was beaten was named Hu Yiyun. Originally a commoner from Yangzhou, she had been forced into marriage by Yu Bin last year. In just six months, she had been tortured to the point of being emaciated. Because Yu Bin had been humiliated by Jiang Nian on the night of the Lantern Festival, he had been taking his anger out on her even more severely these past three days. Just now, she had desperately tried to escape but was caught and brought back.

"What is this all about!" Yu Fuxi demanded in a deep voice, startling the maid who clenched her whip.

Madam Yan hurriedly got up to greet her, pointing at Hu Yiyun and saying, "This little hussy tried to escape just now, but fortunately she was caught and brought back."

Hu Yiyun crawled several steps on her knees in the rain to Yu Fuxi, raised her pale face, and cried out, "Please, sir, have mercy! If I stay here any longer, you will torture me to death!"

"Rebellion!" Yan shouted shrilly.

Yu Fuxi frowned and walked to the corridor, sternly saying to Yu Bin, "You wretch! Kneel down!"

Yu Bin knelt down reluctantly, and Madam Yan quickly stepped in between him, saying, "Why must you be angry, sir?"

Although Yu Fuxi had always spoiled his eldest son Yu Bin, he couldn't help but feel angry at this moment. He said with a stern face, "You offended that Imperial Envoy Jiang on the Lantern Festival. I told you to behave yourself, but you still acted so recklessly!"

Madam Yan forced a smile: "Master, please calm down. Bin'er is young and impetuous, but his filial piety towards you is as clear as day. For the past three days, he has stayed indoors, carefully following your teachings." As she spoke, she glanced sideways at Hu Yiyun kneeling in the rain, her voice suddenly turning cold: "But this little hussy doesn't know what's good for her, actually trying to escape and ruin our family's reputation!"

A gust of cold wind, carrying raindrops, swept in, causing Hu Yiyun's disheveled black hair to cling to her pale face. She pleaded with Yu Fuxi, "My lord, please understand! I've truly had enough of the master's torment! For the past three days, he's been finding all sorts of ways to torture me! Look!" She then revealed the bruises on her neck. "I don't want to die here! My lord, you are an official of the court, please have mercy and let me go!"

"You little devil, courting death!" Madam Yan interrupted sharply. "Want to get out? Dream on! Who knows if you'll go and gossip to that imperial envoy!"

These words struck Yu Fuxi like a thunderbolt. His eyes sharpened, and he turned and strode into the house, with Madam Yan quickly following. Yu Fuxi lowered his voice and said, "Keep a close eye on that little vixen! Don't let her get away!"

Madam Yan understood and smiled, "Don't worry, sir, I won't let her get away."

After saying that, she turned to look at Hu Yiyun outside the door, her smile instantly turning into a ferocious expression, her eyes like a venomous snake staring at its prey.

……

……

On the north bank of the Yangtze River south of Yangzhou city, there was a camp called Guazhou Camp. This camp was under the command of the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, and its main tasks were to protect the canal transport, as well as river defense and anti-smuggling.

On the 20th day of the first lunar month, the sky was clear and blue.

Tao Yonggui, the garrison commander of Guazhou Camp, was reviewing account books in the signing room when a personal guard rushed in in a panic and reported: "Reporting to the garrison commander, Lord Huo, the deputy military governor of Jingkou, and Lord Ren, the second-class imperial bodyguard, want to see you. They have already entered, and our men dare not stop them."

Tao Yonggui was taken aback, his heart filled with alarm: "Why are these two coming together? Could it be that the Imperial Envoy Jiang who recently arrived in Yangzhou is going to transfer the Jingkou Army? Oh no, this is terrible!"

Just as I was wondering what was going on, I heard the thumping of boots outside the door.

Huo Tianpei was dressed in the official robes of a second-rank deputy military governor, his square face gleaming with lightning-fast eyes. Ren Pijiang, on the other hand, was dressed as an imperial bodyguard, his sword sheath gleaming coldly at his waist. Behind them followed ten personal guards, all fully armed and clad in armor.

Tao Yonggui forced himself to remain calm and stepped forward with a smile: "This humble servant Tao Yonggui greets you two lords!"

Ren Pijiang did not return the greeting, his eyes cold as knives: "Commander Tao, do you know your crime?"

Tao Yonggui felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, but he feigned ignorance: "This humble servant is dull-witted and does not know what crime I have committed?"

Ren Pijiang produced an official document: "Imperial Envoy Jiang's edict: Tao Yonggui, the garrison commander of Guazhou Camp, colluded with salt merchants to allow smuggled salt to pass through, committing embezzlement and perverting the law. He shall be arrested and questioned immediately!"

Tao Yonggui was slightly taken aback, then suddenly shouted, "Without any evidence, how can you arrest me! Guards..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ren Pijiang shouted, "Take him down!"

Several of Huo Tianpei's personal guards pounced on Tao Yonggui like tigers, instantly pinning him to the ground.

Several of Tao Yonggui's personal guards tried to rescue him, but Huo Tianpei shouted, "I am the Deputy Military Governor of Jingkou. I am here on the orders of the Imperial Envoy. If you dare to disobey, you will be punished for treason!"

Several of Tao Yonggui's personal guards looked at each other, but none of them dared to make a move.

If we take action, the charges will be far too serious!

……

……

Although the Salt Commissioner of Lianghuai held an important position, he did not have direct military power under his command.

If Jiang Nian wanted to mobilize troops, he could have used the salt capture battalion, the Yangzhou prefectural defense force, the Yangzhou government office, and the Guazhou camp, mainly the salt capture battalion under the command of Yu Fuxi, the salt transport commissioner of Lianghuai. However, according to Lin Ruhai's secret report, Yu Fuxi, the garrison commander of the Yangzhou prefectural defense force, Zhao Dan, the assistant prefect of Yangzhou, and Tao Yonggui, the garrison commander of the Guazhou camp, were all in cahoots with the salt merchants, a den of snakes and rats.

Therefore, Jiang Nian specially transferred troops from Zhenjiang this time.

Zhenjiang and Yangzhou are separated by the Yangtze River, only a few dozen miles apart by water, making troop deployment convenient. Zhenjiang is garrisoned by Huo Tianpei, the deputy military governor of Jingkou, with two thousand troops under the command of Tang Jina, the military governor of Jiangning.

In Daqing, the troops under the command of the military governors and deputy military governors were mostly "Yuan Army," meaning their ancestors had followed the founding emperor of Daqing in conquering the country, and were relatively more loyal.

The sudden capture of Tao Yonggui, the garrison commander of Guazhou Camp, inevitably caused unrest within the camp. However, thanks to the formidable presence of Huo Tianpei and Ren Pijiang, the disturbance was quickly quelled.

A centurion named Liu Qing temporarily took over the post of garrison commander of Guazhou Camp.

Once the Guazhou camp is stable, the Jingkou army can cross the river safely.

Five hundred elite soldiers from Jingkou, aboard multiple warships, lined up end to end, resembled a black dragon emerging from the sea. Bows, crossbows, swords, spears, and even firearms were displayed on the sides of the ships. The fleet cut through the waves, crossed the Yangtze River, and headed straight for Yangzhou City along the Grand Canal, exuding the solemn and imposing aura of a massive army. The people along the riverbanks stopped to watch.

An old fisherman with graying hair squinted and sighed, "I haven't seen this kind of spectacle in years!"

Silently, the armored vehicles crossed the great river, while undercurrents stirred up Yangzhou!
……

……

Protect Shen Garden on the lakeside.

Shen Chuan'en sat in a grand chair, a snuff bottle in his hand. Grand Eunuch Yan Xiu stood before him, hands at his sides, and said in a low voice, "Most of the smuggled salt from the abandoned houses at the dock has been loaded onto ships and will be transported out of Yangzhou tonight. But I'm afraid..."

He suddenly fell silent at this point.

"What are you afraid of?" Shen Chuan'en snapped his snuff bottle shut.

Yan Xiu swallowed hard: "I'm afraid that Imperial Envoy Jiang will get wind of this and come to intercept us."

Shen Chuan'en sneered: "This matter was handled discreetly, how could he know? Even if he got wind of it... the Salt Conservancy Camp, the Canal Transport Detachment, the Prefectural Government, the Guazhou Camp, aren't they all under our control? What trouble can he cause!"

Before he could finish speaking, a trusted servant outside the door said, "Master, Cui Ji requests an audience, saying he has something extremely urgent!"

Cui Ji was Shen Chuan'en's spy planted in Zhenjiang.

Shen Chuan'en frowned: "Let him in!"

Cui Ji rushed in, covered in sweat, and without even bothering with etiquette, said urgently, "Master, something terrible has happened! Deputy Military Governor Huo of Jingkou has led five hundred elite troops across the river, and they are most likely heading for Yangzhou!"

Shen Chuan'en was stunned upon hearing this, his face turned pale, and his voice trembled: "That Jiang Nian! He... he has such audacity! He actually dared to mobilize the Jingkou Army to Yangzhou!"

"Master, what should we do with our smuggled salt?" Yan Xiu asked anxiously.

After a moment of contemplation, Shen Chuan'en forced out the words through gritted teeth: "We can't worry about that now, we must flee Yangzhou immediately!"

My heart feels like it's bleeding!

He concluded that Jiang Nian's audacity and the large-scale mobilization were surely to punish the Shen family, and that it must have been with the permission of Emperor Taishun.

He was a decisive man. Even if it meant giving up much of his wealth in Yangzhou, he was determined to escape immediately, otherwise he would face certain death. Fortunately, he had made preparations for his escape in advance...

……

……

Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion in Yanyuan.

Jiang Nianzheng was bent over his desk, reviewing salt administration documents.

The maid Xiao Nan announced from outside the curtain, "My lord, Miss Lin has arrived."

Jiang Nian paused, the document in her hand still in her hand: "What's she doing here?"

Since he moved into Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion, this was the first time Lin Daiyu had come to Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion to see him.

Xiao Nan shook her head: "The young lady didn't say."

"Please come in." Jiang Nian put down the documents.

Before long, Lin Daiyu entered gracefully with Zijuan by her side. Today she was wearing a moon-white lined jacket, with a light blue vest over it, and only a white magnolia hairpin in her hair. Her whole outfit looked simple and elegant, yet it made her even more beautiful than the flowers.

Lin Daiyu curtsied, her eyes lowered.

Jiang Nian laughed and said, "What wind blew Lin Daiyu here today?"

Lin Daiyu glanced at him, then lowered her head and said softly, "After being treated by that divine physician Su, Father is feeling better." As she spoke, her voice trailed off, "I...I came here specifically to thank you for inviting the divine physician."

Lin Ruhai's health has indeed improved, firstly because of Su Tianshi's miraculous healing, secondly because he has entrusted all his official duties to Jiang Nian, and thirdly because his beloved daughter is taking care of him.

Jiang Nian suddenly straightened her face: "If you're going to thank me, you should be sincere. I've already saved your father's life by letting him live. Isn't your way of thanking me a bit too casual?"

Lin Daiyu twisted her handkerchief with her slender fingers, looked up at him, and asked, "What...what do you want?"

Jiang Nian said in a serious tone, "In my opinion, you should kneel down and kowtow three times. It only counts if you hear three 'thump thump thump' sounds."

Xiao Nan and Zi Juan couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that Jiang Nian was deliberately teasing Lin Daiyu again.

Lin Daiyu's eyes reddened with anger, tears welling up in them: "You are clearly the 'demon star' in my life, here to bully people!"

Jiang Nian laughed and said, "I saved your father's life. Such a great favor is enough to make you kowtow three times. How is that bullying?" Seeing that Lin Daiyu turned her face away and ignored her, she teased, "If you don't want to kowtow, just call me 'good brother-in-law' three times. That won't be difficult."

Lin Daiyu's ears burned, and she thought to herself, "Although Father's condition has improved, it is still unknown whether he will survive." She dared not utter these unlucky words, and only bit her lip in silence.

Seeing this, Jiang Nian sighed, "Fine, fine! Since you're not sincere and are just pretending, why should I force you?"

"Who's not sincere! Who's being hypocritical!" Lin Daiyu was so anxious that tears rolled down her cheeks, but she couldn't resist him. In the end, she lowered her head and whispered, "Good brother-in-law... good brother-in-law... good brother-in-law."

After calling her name three times, her face flushed red, and she turned to run away.

Just then, Qi Jianyu arrived at Peach Blossom Spring Pavilion with Dai Shijiao.

Jiang Nian told Lin Daiyu, Zijuan, and Xiaonan to stay in the inner room while she went out to meet Qi Jianyu and Dai Shijiao.

Travel-worn Dai Shijiao bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Excellency, Lord Huo of Jingkou and Guard Ren have captured Tao Yonggui, the garrison commander of Guazhou Camp, and are leading five hundred elite soldiers across the river and along the Grand Canal!"

Jiang Nian's spirits lifted, and he commanded, "Good! You two immediately gather the guards and personal soldiers and come with me to meet the Jingkou army!"

After the two men left to carry out their orders, Jiang Nian went into the inner room to fetch a cloak.

Xiao Nan stepped forward to serve him.

Lin Daiyu, her eyes still wet with tears, watched alongside Zijuan.
When Jiang Nian put on the cloak and took up the bow and sword, Lin Daiyu, Zijuan, and Xiao Nan all felt as if they were facing a majestic general going to war.

Just as Jiang Nian was about to step out the door, Lin Daiyu suddenly called out, "Wait!"

When Jiang Nian turned around, Lin Daiyu blushed and whispered, "I wish...I wish my brother-in-law a triumphant return."

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "Thank you for your kind words, dear sister!"

With a flick of his dark cloak, he strode away.

Lin Daiyu leaned against the door and watched him go until he disappeared. Recalling the scene just now, she stomped her foot in embarrassment and anger, cursing inwardly, "That annoying... stinky brother-in-law!"

(End of this chapter)