Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 624 Intrigue
"Sister! I heard Xue Ke has been doing well recently?"

Xue Baoqin was stunned for a moment, then immediately replied: "Sister, my brother is where he is now thanks to the help of His Majesty, otherwise he would have starved to death with his ability."

Xue Baochai nodded, and then said: "Although that is what I said, if Xue Ke didn't have the ability, he wouldn't have lived so well."

"Thank you for the compliment, sister."

"This is what happened. Isn't the second branch of Rongguo Mansion doing business in North Korea? But recently, things have been a bit difficult on the road, and the checkpoints are very difficult to pass. So I want Xue Ke to come forward and talk to the people at the border."

After listening to this, Xue Baoqin frowned.

When it comes to greeting the soldiers at the border, Xue Pan is more confident, so why does he let his brother Xue Ke do it?
As soon as she had this idea, Xue Baoqin became alert. She lowered her head and said, "I am not offending you, sister. It is really because my brother is limited in ability and cannot make connections. I am afraid that it will affect you and Rongguo Mansion. So please ask someone else to help."

Xue Baochai was not angry when she heard the other party's refusal, but smiled and said, "If that's the case, then forget it."

Then Xue Baochai started talking about some family matters, and before she knew it, the topic turned to their sons.

"Prince Wei is four or five years old now. Is it time for him to go to Wenhua Palace to study?"

Hearing Xue Baochai's question, Xue Baoqin said, "He is still young. I plan to let him go out to study in a year or two. During this time, I will teach him personally and will not delay him."

"Sister, this is not right. We are women. No matter how knowledgeable we think we are, we cannot compare to those Jinshi who fought their way up from the bottom. So it is better to let Jia Ji enter Wenhua Palace to study as soon as possible."

Xue Baoqin lowered her head and did not answer Xue Baochai.

An awkward atmosphere was spreading in the hall.

Ying'er, who had been serving Xue Baochai, hurried out to smooth things over.

"Oh, I forgot. The pearl soup that our queen prepared for Concubine Xian was already prepared. I was delayed. I will go get it now."

Take the whole pearls, put them in a jade mortar made of fine jade, and crush them with a jade pestle. Then put the pearl crumbs in a silver bowl and rinse with hot water. This is the pearl soup.

After saying this, Ying'er walked out of the main hall in small steps. After a while, she came back with a tray and handed it to Xue Baoqin.

Xue Baoqin glanced at the cup on the tray and took it carefully.

Ying'er dragged the tray to Xue Baochai again and personally handed it to her.

Xue Baochai picked up the bowl and drank a sip with a spoon. Finally, she said with a smile, "Today's pearls are better than before."

"Yes, today we use Dongzhu from Liaodong."

Xue Baochai nodded in satisfaction, and then said to Xue Baoqin: "I didn't intend to eat this thing at first, it's too extravagant. It was the emperor who forced me to eat it, so I had no choice but to listen to him."

Xue Baoqin nodded, with envy in her eyes.

The two sisters then went on to talk about some gossip in the palace, and then Xue Baoqin said goodbye.

Xue Baochai did not try to persuade her to stay, and personally escorted Xue Baoqin out of the palace gate before returning.

After coming in, Xue Baochai came to where Xue Baoqin had just sat, picked up the small bowl on the coffee table next to her, opened it and took a look.

"My little sister, even I am on guard against her."

Although Xue Baochai said something self-deprecating, there was a hint of coldness in her eyes.

It turned out that Xue Baoqin didn't drink a single sip of the pearl soup that Ying'er had brought over just now.

Ying'er came up to Xue Baochai and said, "Madam, we must not be careless anymore, otherwise the young master's position will be in jeopardy."

Xue Baochai nodded gently, then called Ying'er to her side and whispered a few words in her ear.

Ying'er understood, smiled and left.

That evening, after Xue Baochai had finished her dinner, she was walking in the courtyard of Kunning Palace when Ying'er came over in a hurry with a gloomy face. "Madam, the things you sent over have all been intercepted."

"Oh, what's going on?"

"It was ordered by His Majesty himself."

Xue Baochai sighed and said, "My sister is so lucky."

"What about the King of Wei?"

"My lady, our people can't even get close to you."

Xue Baochai sighed again. To be able to have such strict defenses, it must be Jia Rui himself who did it.

The person with the most power and influence in this palace must be the emperor. Since the emperor wants to protect Xue Baoqin and Prince Wei, she, the queen, can only watch.

"Send someone out to tell my brother that although Xue Ke is doing well in business, he is still young after all. Don't make any mistakes, offend anyone, or hurt the people, otherwise it will bring shame to our royal family."

Ying'er understood what he meant and walked out with a smile.

Xue Baochai looked at the setting sun and thought to herself, "Sister, don't blame me for being cruel. I had no choice but to do this for my son!"

Not to mention the fight between the sisters Xue Baochai and Xue Baoqin in the palace, let’s talk about the Rongguo Mansion.

Due to the rumors some time ago, the Rongguo Mansion has been very quiet during this period, and no one from top to bottom dares to slack off.

Fortunately, the emperor didn't seem to care, which made the masters in Rongguo Mansion relax.

When she relaxed, Grandmother Jia thought of the person who started this incident, and she felt extremely angry.

However, apart from filial piety, Grandmother Jia now has no other way to control Wang Xifeng.

But if Wang Xifeng continues to exist, then she will be a time bomb for Rongguo Mansion and Baoyu, which can blow Baoyu to pieces at any time.

It seems that only one can be sacrificed.

After making up her mind, Grandmother Jia immediately summoned Jia Lian's concubine Qionghua.

Since moving into Rongguo Mansion, Qionghua seldom went to see Lady Jia. It was not that she did not want to see her, but that Lady Jia was proud of her status and refused to see her.

This time, Qionghua was flattered to be summoned by Lady Jia. She dressed up immediately and hurried into Rongqing Hall with her maid to kowtow to Lady Jia.

Grandmother Jia was very kind and pulled Qionghua to her side, asking about her well-being.

Qionghua also answered with a smile on her face, and from time to time she showed her admiration for Lady Jia.

"Qionghua, you are a good child. You have helped our Jia family to expand. This is much better than Feng Lazi." Grandmother Jia said with some emotion.

When Qionghua heard this, she immediately lowered her head and said nothing.

Qionghua is different from Lady Jia. After all, she lives close to Wang Xifeng and understands some of Wang Xifeng's methods.

Qionghua was very afraid of Wang Xifeng.

This fear was caused by the small movements that Wang Xifeng showed from time to time, or the shocks brought by the forces under Wang Xifeng from time to time.

Therefore, Qionghua didn't dare to say a bad word about Wang Xifeng. She just wanted to live in peace, watch her children grow up, and finally use the money she had saved to find filial and obedient wives for her sons so that they could live a stable life.

Grandmother Jia looked at Qionghua and smiled, then said, "What's there to be afraid of, child? If you were the head of the family, you would be more pleasing to me than Feng Lazi."

(End of this chapter)