On Willow Lane, behind Ningrong Street, Jia Heng walked through the mouth of the alley with a lantern in his hand and the smell of wine on his clothes. He had just climbed the stone steps and was about to open the door when he heard movement farther down the alley. Turning toward the sound, he saw several lanterns bobbing toward him.
"My good brother, you've kept me waiting forever!"
Jia Rong emerged from around the corner with two servants, speaking in delighted surprise.
In terms of generation, Jia Heng belonged to the jade-radical generation, while Jia Rong belonged to the grass-radical generation. But the former owner of Jia Heng's body had long tagged along with Jia Rong, carousing and currying favor with him, so their private forms of address had never observed the proper hierarchy.
As for why Jia Rong was here?
After taking the silver, Jia Rong had first gone to the Green and Red Pavilion at the corner of East Street and asked its celebrated leading courtesan, Miss Ruyan, to sing for him. He had listened until the late afternoon, then, seeing dusk approach, remembered the task his father had assigned him and set off for Jia Heng's home.
But upon arriving, he learned from Cai that Jia Heng was not home.
Jia Rong turned back toward the Green and Red Pavilion, only to run into a servant Jia Zhen had sent to demand an update.
Jia Rong feared that if he returned like this, his father would question him and most likely give him a sound beating. He told the servant that Jia Heng was not home, then took another servant with him to wait outside Jia Residence for Jia Heng to return.
That wait lasted from four in the afternoon until six in the evening.
He had made do with a hasty supper and remained by the door the whole time.
Jia Heng looked up and saw a familiar young face, fair as though dusted with powder, with handsome features and pale skin. Holding a lantern, the young man gazed at him with a face full of smiles.
"So it's Brother Rong." Jia Heng's gaze sharpened slightly. "What brings you here?"
After the former owner of his body had taken a blow from a club on Jia Rong's behalf, Jia Rong had not even visited him, let alone paid for his medicine as compensation. He had shown his former companion neither kindness nor loyalty.
As for the purpose of this visit, Jia Heng could guess most of it.
Most likely, Jia Zhen had sent his son to put "pressure" on him.
Jia Rong smiled. "My good brother, I heard you'd recovered, so I came to see you. Yesterday I sent Afu to invite you to Qingfang Garden for wine and opera. Why didn't you come?"
"My injury had only just healed," Jia Heng said. "My head was still swimming, and I wasn't feeling well. How could I drink?"
Smelling the wine on Jia Heng, Jia Rong smiled. "Judging by that smell of wine, you must be fully recovered now. Why don't we go and have another drink together?"
As he spoke, he reached for Jia Heng's clothes.
Jia Heng frowned and calmly brushed Jia Rong aside. "Brother Rong, if you have something to say, say it quickly. It's late, and I'm waiting to go inside and rest."
"My good brother, I've brought you a fine opportunity," Jia Rong said with a smile.
Jia Heng said, "What is it? You can tell me right here, Brother Rong."
A flicker of displeasure passed through Jia Rong's eyes. After all, as a member of the Ningguo branch, Jia Heng had always fawned on him. Now he would not even let him through the door. What was the meaning of this?
Jia Rong smiled. "There's something good I'd like to discuss with you. My father has arranged a marriage for me with the Qin Family, the family of Qin Ye, director of the Imperial Provisioning Office under the Ministry of Works. But I hear Miss Qin already has a marriage contract."
Jia Heng waved a hand and interrupted him. "If she's already betrothed, Brother Zhen can choose another worthy bride for you. Why come to me?"
Perhaps hearing Jia Heng's attitude in that "Brother Zhen," Jia Rong's smile stiffened. "Well, my father has already settled on the Qin family. If you agree to break off the engagement, these hundred taels of silver will serve as compensation."
As he spoke, he drew a hundred-tael banknote from his sleeve and offered it to Jia Heng.
Originally, Jia Rong had intended to offer only fifty taels. Yes, his trip to hear singing had also been a trip to exchange the banknotes.
But seeing Jia Heng's firm attitude, Jia Rong could only produce a hundred-tael note.
Jia Heng's expression darkened. Suddenly, he reached out and patted Jia Rong's shoulder, sneering. "Brother Rong, keep your silver. Don't mention breaking off the engagement again."
"Do you think it's too little?" Jia Rong's expression changed, and he lowered his voice.
"Even if you offered ten thousand taels of gold, how could I, Jia Heng, break my word?" Jia Heng said. "It's late. Go home and get some rest, Brother Rong."
Jia Heng gave Jia Rong's shoulder a light push.
Jia Rong cried out, staggered backward, and landed on his backside. His lantern fell to the ground, its light illuminating the utter disbelief on his sleek-haired, powdered face.
"Master Rong!" A servant hurried forward to help him up.
Jia Heng entered the courtyard and shut the door.
Jia Rong picked up his lantern, his expression shifting as anger rose in his heart. He spat viciously at the door. "You penniless wretch! You don't know what's good for you!"
With that, he took his lantern and left with the servants to report back.
Jia Heng entered the room, and lamplight flared to life. He poured himself a cup of tea and stood by the window, gazing at the bright moon overhead as he considered the matter of Jia Zhen and his son.
Cai asked, "Brother Heng, who were you speaking to outside just now?"
"Jia Rong from the eastern mansion," Jia Heng said. "His father sent him to make me break off my engagement with the Qin family."
Cai's expression changed. "You didn't agree, did you, Brother Heng?" she asked in alarm.
Jia Heng chuckled. "What are you saying, Aunt Cai? How could I agree? Those people in the eastern mansion are used to running rampant. They think a little silver lets them do whatever they please. They must be dreaming themselves blind."
A layer of worry crept over Cai's face. "The eastern mansion has no regard for the law. You must be very careful, Brother Heng."
Jia Heng nodded. "Yes, I'm thinking of a way to handle it."
Cai considered for a moment, then suggested, "If nothing else works, should we ask the old madam in the western mansion for help?"
Jia Heng glanced at Cai and nodded. "I had that in mind."
"I still have a little goodwill with Miss Yuanyang, who serves the old madam," Cai said. "If things really come to that, Brother Heng, go and see the old madam. We absolutely cannot let the eastern mansion ruin your marriage."
Jia Heng nodded. "I suspect Jia Zhen may send someone to summon me tomorrow."
He had only recently arrived in the Red Chamber World and had not yet had time to establish himself. Facing Jia Zhen now, he had very few cards to play.
I must secure a position as soon as possible, whether through the imperial examinations or military service. A man cannot go a single day without power, or he can only let others trample him.
The night deepened. A bright moon hung in the middle of the sky, shining on the young man's refined features and revealing his grave expression with particular clarity.
The imperial palace · Daming Palace
The hall blazed with light, figures moving to and fro. On the floor, gleaming clear as water, a shattered porcelain cup reflected the candlelight from the palace lamps.
Behind the pillars, eunuchs stood respectfully in attendance, not daring to make a sound. The atmosphere in the hall had congealed into ice, cold almost beyond endurance.
Behind the imperial desk, Emperor Chongping wore a bright yellow dragon robe. He was in his early forties, with a lean face and hair already streaked with gray. His expression livid, he sneered. "Ji Town has eighty thousand troops, strong soldiers and sturdy horses, yet they cower behind the city walls! Fewer than twenty thousand Eastern Barbarians slaughter my people and plunder their property right under their noses. This Tang Kuan occupies his post and eats his stipend without doing his duty, too afraid to venture out. He deserves death!"
Below him stood Yang Guochang, Grand Secretary of Huagai Hall and chief grand secretary of the cabinet, an old man with graying hair. In an aged voice, he said, "Your Majesty, ever since Liaodong fell, the Eastern Barbarians have grown too powerful to contain, stronger with each passing day. Ji Town stands foremost beyond the pass, but a lone palm cannot clap. It is difficult to lead troops out of the city to contest with the Eastern Barbarians. Though Tang Kuan commands eighty thousand men, most are infantry. The Eastern Barbarians may be fewer, but they are elite cavalry. They come and go like the wind, suddenly in the south, then suddenly in the north. Even with courage and strategy, Tang Kuan can only hold fast behind the cities and fortified garrisons."
Chen Han had originally established a governor-general for Ji Town and Liaodong, but more than twenty years ago, Liaodong had fallen into enemy hands. From then on, Chen Han's entire Northern Borderlands had shifted to a defensive footing.
Such was the current situation between Chen Han and the Later Jin.
Emperor Chongping snorted coldly. Clearly, he understood all this, but the anger in his heart did not diminish, for it meant that the whole of the great Han could only watch as the Eastern Barbarians entered Hebei's prefectures and counties, burning and plundering them bare.
To Emperor Chongping, whose ambitions towered higher than heaven, this was nothing short of an intolerable humiliation.
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