The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

The king of Wu was terminally ill and there was no cure.The doctor asserted earlier that he would not live until April, let alone meet the rebellious minister Zhen Zangzhu who besieged the Wu Palace with troops and forcibly divided half of Wu's land.Ordinarily, even if King Wu didn't die of illness, he would have died of anger. I didn't want to think that he still didn't die until mid-April.His confidant, Eunuch Guo, used to stay by King Wu's side day and night, but he often went out these days, and sometimes disappeared for several days.

Eunuch Guo knew that King Wu refused to close his eyes because he wanted to live to hear the answer: Who is it that anonymously sent King Wu the evidence of the crime of the first son.Those things are really not easy to check, and King Wu is also struggling.Eunuch Guo thought that the fastest way to find out is to start with the case that the least people know about.So he looked through the files and picked out a case.

The case is extremely simple.In Prince Wu's Mansion, all the empresses bought their makeup from two shops.Those two shops are time-honored brands in Jinling, with good products and high prices.According to the criminal evidence, the cosmetics used by the women in the mansion are all common things, not the goods of those two families.The rouge is not clean, the color is thin, and the lead powder is heavy and astringent.The people who bought it in fact got the goods from those two companies.It turned out that the rouge was bought casually on the street by a steward of the first son's mansion, and sent to those two houses to replace it in a box.Naturally, the money in the palace was passed through the accounts of those two families and returned directly to the steward.

Those two shops were threatened. Not only did they have to bear the reputation of bad things, but they also had to provide manpower and boxes for their defective products, and they dared not tell anyone.The first son of the first generation did not shy away from making money, but he was extremely cautious about this matter.For such a big event, only the two bosses and the responsible steward know about it.After the prince fell from power, the steward who was in charge of this matter was taken to prison and died there.Eunuch Guo had carefully examined the four shop stewards of the owner's shop, but none of them revealed a word to the outside world.In particular, the two shop stewards swore that they would not lie to other people's hands in everything, and they didn't know anything about their daughter-in-law's acquaintances outside.

Eunuch Guo thought for a long time, then got up and went to Dinglin Temple in the south of the city.

The former Wu Princess Baoshi became a monk here.Standing outside the door of Bao's nunnery for a while, Eunuch Guo kowtowed three times and pushed the door open.Only Mrs. Bao was the only one in the hall, his hair had been washed clean, and he was sitting on the futon and muttering sutras.

Eunuch Guo approached Bao Shi, knelt behind him and said, "Your Majesty ordered the servants to investigate who and who sent the criminal evidence of the first son."Eunuch Guo went on to say, "The servant has been searching for so long, but he didn't find out." Bao's chanting became louder, and he knocked harder on the wooden fish. "Yesterday, the servant came across a case. It was the prince who ordered the steward to secretly sell rouge and lead powder in the palace, and sold them as inferior ones. The servant thought it was strange. If the makeup is not good, the ladies must complain a lot. But the servant never listened to it." After such complaints. After checking again, those powders are very good. The rouge is clean and full of color, and the lead powder is light and soft. After thinking about it for a long time, I finally realized——that makeup powder is for embarrassment of all the empresses."

"Boom!" Bao slammed the wooden fish heavily, gritted his teeth and said, "I never touched their makeup!"

Eunuch Guo lowered his eyes and said: "Although the princess did not do anything, if one day you want to do something, it will be very easy."

Bao snorted coldly: "What is the difference between what Eunuch Guo said and what Mo Xu said?"

Eunuch Guo ignored it, and then said: "The servant has now found out, and everyone who handles the powder shop is tight-lipped. Now that this is the case, how did people know about this matter? And write it clearly. Theoretically, that matter After all, I have to change the box at the powder shop, and there are guys who have bought it. If you want to check it, you will not fail to find it. The servant is only curious, where did it arouse people's suspicion? Both powders are good products. Whoever checks that Go? Who has nothing to do to check that?"

Mrs. Bao had already stopped knocking on the wooden fish, thought for a moment and said: "My father-in-law means that someone reported the letter?"

Eunuch Guo nodded: "I think, unless there is a ghost in the prince's place, or in the concubine's place, the steward who handled it died perfectly. The one who collected taxes behind the prince's back is still alive. The servant has already After checking the steward, there was really no clue."

Bao thought for a long time, and said: "Those powders are all high-quality, but they were bought from another shop. That shop doesn't know who the buyer is."

"Is it the dead steward who is in charge of purchasing?"

"good."

"Which shop?"

Bao shook his head: "I never asked."

Eunuch Guo asked: "Your Majesty, there must be someone who knows the truth, can you tell me the name?" Bao closed his eyes for a while, and began to knock on the wooden fish again.Eunuch Guo said, "The slaves have found out that those things were not done by the princes. They don't have that ability." Bao still knocked on the wooden fish.Eunuch Guo sighed softly, "Master Zhen Zangzhu assisted the grandson to establish the Yue Kingdom in the south, does your lady know?"

Bao stopped his hands, with a little relief on his face: "Master Zhen has a conscience."

"Your Majesty is probably thinking that sooner or later the treasury of Wu State will belong to the son, so why would the prince be so cruel to his parents and sons. Madam, the prince changed the appointment of the son not for money."

Bao snorted, "Oh? What is that for?"

"After reading those files, the prince suddenly realized: the son is not the opponent of the two lords of the Bao family." Eunuch Guo said, "For the empress, one side is a son and the other is a brother; for the prince, one side is a son and the other is an outsider." .For the empress, the only son in the world is your son; for the prince, those are his sons. Since this son is not the opponent of the uncle, he will change a son. However, the other older sons are all mediocre. , so he gave birth to a young son who has not yet grown up, and arranged for a minister with fair ability but little courage. In addition, the second master of the Bao family was sent to Wei Ruoheng in South America, and Zhen Zangzhu and third master Bao were left alone in Shanghai. Once this little prince fails, or Chen Ruiwen can't stabilize the court..."

Bao Shi was startled, and the wooden hammer fell from his hand: "My lord wants them to fight!"

Eunuch Guo nodded: "At one end are Xiao Shizi, Concubine Shen, and Chen Ruiwen, who justifiably hold the inheritance of Wu Kingdom; No foundation, Chen Ruiwen is a literati. Zhen Zangzhu was born as a ranger in the green forest, and Bao Sanye is no longer a dandy. Whoever wins, whoever wins the country of Wu. Madam, if the Shizi Mansion is really under heavy siege, how can Lord Zhen rescue Mrs. Wu so easily? Sun?"

Bao immediately said, "Where's my son?"

Eunuch Guo also bowed his head immediately: "Peace."

Two lines of tears rolled down Bao's eyes: "Is it just peace?"

"It's just peace." Eunuch Guo closed his eyes slightly, "As the prince, if you can't suppress the minister, you will die. The prince has fallen to the current situation, and the princess can't get rid of it—the princess trusts her natal brothers so much that the prince Don’t guard against those two, let them play around without knowing it.”

Bao wept for a while, and then burst into tears.Eunuch Guo just knelt and watched.After a long time, Bao finished crying, wiped away his tears and said, "It's easy to know who made those things. It just depends on who gets the benefit in the end. Or can get the benefit."

Eunuch Guo earnestly said: "That's why the servant came to beg your mother. After all, the prince lost the golden crown because of those things. If you can find out before the prince dies, you can deal with him. Otherwise, the prince will return west with a crane, Chen Even if Lord Raven knew, he would probably win him over."

Bao's eyes flashed two stern colors instantly.After a long while, she said: "There is a mother Zhou in my yard who usually just sweeps the yard. She knows where to buy makeup."

Eunuch Guo nodded: "Thank you, ma'am." After three more kowtows, he got up and left.

Not long after, Eunuch Guo found Nanny Zhou.When I asked, the rouge shop was called Hongxiang Pavilion, which was near the Confucius Temple.Eunuch Guo went over to inquire, and found that the shop was of good quality and cheap, and the business was very good, and there was even a phonograph to play music.The boss, Wu Fumao, is only in his 30s, and he is amiable and amiable.When Mrs. Guo heard the name Wu Fumao, she felt familiar. She thought about it for a long time and couldn't remember where she heard it, so she stood in a daze for a long time.

Back at Prince Wu's Mansion, Eunuch Guo couldn't remember who Wu Fumao was, and walked around the room anxiously.There was a young eunuch who was his godson and silently brought him a cup of tea.Eunuch Guo was in a hurry, raised his neck to finish the tea, and asked casually, "Have you ever heard of a man named Wu Fumao?"

The godson thought for a while: "Did the godfather remember wrong? Is it Wu Shoumao?"

"Oh!" Eunuch Guo patted the case, "That's right. Isn't Wu Fumao Wu Shoumao's elder brother?"

Wu Shoumao was the confidant eunuch of Concubine Chen, and Concubine Chen took him with her when she went to Dajiala a few years ago.Concubine Chen died of illness, and it was this person who came back to report.Then he asked the king of Wu to go.A confidant eunuch who died as a favorite concubine, it is obvious that there will be no future in Wu Wangfu.The king of Wu agreed.

Eunuch Guo shuddered—could it be that Chen Ruiwen did all those things?He ran to go back to King Wu.After running about twenty steps, Eunuch Guo suddenly stopped.The matter has not yet been ascertained.Besides, if Chen Ruiwen did this, he would be very capable.Perhaps King Wu had greatly underestimated him, even if Xiao Shizi was a genius, he would not be able to suppress him.

After thinking about it again and again, Eunuch Guo got up and left the mansion, and went straight to Yingtian Mansion.Lord Yinfang of Yingtianfu personally picked it up.Eunuch Guo held the token of King Wu and said: "Lord Fang, the miscellaneous family is ordered by the prince to investigate an important matter. Please lead someone to seal a shop together with the miscellaneous family. Don't ask too much."

Mr. Fang is an obedient person, and never asks what should not be asked.Immediately, about thirty arresters were called up, and they rushed towards the Hongxiang Pavilion of the Confucius Temple in a mighty manner.When I got there, I saw that they were closed in broad daylight!On Neighborhood Road, Wu Fumao said that he had something urgent to do and closed early.When asked carefully, it was not long after Eunuch Guo left.Eunuch Guo stumbled: "How cunning! You've stunned the snake."

Then he broke open the door of the shop and searched carefully inside, but found nothing suspicious.But a catcher said: "Is the makeup shop so profitable? This kind of phonograph is very valuable."

Another policeman said: "My daughter-in-law loves the items in this store. She says they are good and cheap, and there are not many items. When they are sold out, they will be pulled down, and they are not in a hurry to replenish."

Another one said: "Since ancient times, there are no good products that are cheap, and good products are not cheap."

Mr. Fang thought after hearing this: "Since the goods are good and cheap, where does this owner get so much spare money to buy some phonograph for fun?"

Eunuch Guo thought for a while, ordered the shop to be closed, took the gramophone away, and Huaying Graphics arrested Wu Fumao.

After about an hour, a young eunuch went to Concubine Shen and Chen Ruiwen, saying that Eunuch Guo had invited them.Concubine Shen is in the Wu Palace, so she arrived first.Before entering, I heard a tune coming from the house.Eunuch Guo hurriedly greeted her out of the door and respectfully invited her in to sit at the head.

Concubine Shen saw the gramophone on the desk at a glance, and said with a smile: "Eunuch still has such a favorite thing."

Eunuch Guo said: "This is a gift from the owner of a makeup shop outside. I didn't want it, but he insisted on giving it."

Concubine Shen said: "Probably I want to ask my father-in-law to open up favors and do business."

Eunuch Guo said: "Isn't that right? The slave doesn't know what the cosmetics are like." He turned around and ordered his godson to send two boxes of cosmetics and put them in front of Concubine Shen. "Mistress, take a look, okay?"

He is King Wu's confidant, so Concubine Shen naturally has to give face.So he first picked up the lead powder and smelled it, and said in amazement: "Why is it the same as what we used earlier?" Tried the rouge again, and said flatly, "It's from that family. It's not that the first generation sent someone to buy it randomly. Is it okay to fill it up with a second one? I think it looks good, not half a cent."

Eunuch Guo wondered: "Which family is it? It's well-informed."

Concubine Shen shook her head and said, "These business people are smarter than a dog's nose."

Eunuch Guo looked at her expression carefully, he didn't seem to know her, so he was secretly relieved. "Since the empress thinks it's good, I can use theirs again in the future."

Concubine Shen said: "I don't know what other people are doing. I'm really good at it." Eunuch Guo nodded.

Seeing that eunuch Guo invited her here just to look at the makeup, Concubine Shen felt at ease and relaxed.Coincidentally, there was a moment of silence in the room, and the music from the phonograph entered my ears unconsciously.Concubine Shen was startled: This song...she has heard this song before.His complexion changed, and he suddenly remembered an old incident many years ago.Eunuch Guo looked at her with joy, sorrow, and sigh, and didn't bother her.After a long time, Concubine Shen came back to her senses and apologized to Eunuch Guo.Eunuch Guo tentatively said: "Your Majesty seems to recognize this song? Can you teach me a thing or two? I have never heard it before."

Concubine Shen sighed, "It seems like a lifetime away."

"Oh?" Eunuch Guo thought for a moment, "Could it be a song from Sichuan?"

"That's not true." Concubine Shen thought about it again and said, "But I did hear it in Chengdu."

Eunuch Guo smiled and said, "Isn't that the song from Shu?"

Concubine Shen shook her head: "No. At that time I lived in my master's other courtyard. The neighbor next door lent the house to some outsiders. One night I sat in the courtyard playing the piano, and someone sang loudly in the courtyard next door. It disturbed my piano sound. The foreigner's singing...is really not very pleasant. Even so, I still remember it." She smiled lightly, "I'm born with a good memory. Especially the tune."

Eunuch Guo suddenly had an idea in his mind, and asked casually, "Where is that foreigner from?"

"From the capital city."

"The miscellaneous family followed the prince from the capital of Wu. This song is not the style of the capital."

Concubine Shen said: "I heard that many Mr. Lulin taught him to urinate. I think he learned from those people?"

Eunuch Guo asked curiously, "Maybe the lady knows who the neighbor's guest is?"

"I know." Concubine Shen smiled and said, "It is very famous. It is Jia Cong, the Regent of Yan Kingdom."