Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 402: Deep Dilemma in Marriage

Jinling, Rongyufang, Zhen’s House.

Old Madam Zhen rebuked her harshly, "Shiwen, no wonder your father is angry. You are too absurd to do such a dangerous thing as smuggling muskets.

All the shops in the family were searched by the Jinyiwei because of this incident. With such a big uproar, who would dare to do business with the Zhen family in the future!"

When the eldest wife heard this, she was shocked. She was afraid that the old lady would use this matter to deprive her son of the right to look after the business. How could the eldest wife interfere in the family business then?

He quickly said, "Old lady, Shiwen did something wrong this time. As the saying goes, every failure makes you wiser, and he knows how powerful he is.

This time he can return safely from the Jinyiwei, and the matter will be over. He will definitely change his ways and manage the family business carefully. If there is an accident again, the master and I will never forgive him. "

At this time, Zhen Fangqing, who was beside Old Lady Zhen, said, "Third Brother's incident has caused quite a stir. Although he is back safely now, the incident will not be easily resolved.

The Jinyiwei are best at secret investigation and spying, and their actions are sinister and strange. This time, they let the third brother come back to give face to Jia Cong, but I am afraid that they will definitely send people to monitor the third brother's actions behind the scenes.

In order to prevent any complications, it would be best for Third Brother to stay in the mansion for the time being and avoid the limelight outside. "

After hearing this, the eldest wife of the Zhen family also felt that there was some truth in what she said. She had also heard that the Jinyiwei were insidious and cruel. Once you get involved with them, you will be in great danger and it will not be easy to get rid of them.

Letting his son stay at home and avoid the spotlight is also a safe and secure way.

But then she thought, isn't this tantamount to house arrest in disguise? How can her son manage his business?

Isn't it up to the third girl to handle the things in the shop?
However, the safety of her son is the most important thing now, so although the eldest wife has doubts in her heart, she dare not say that Zhen Fangqing's method is not feasible.

……

Zhen Yingjia on the side was silent. He glanced at Zhen Fangqing and sighed slightly in his heart. His niece was smart, quick-witted, meticulous, and best at concise and decisive.

Compared with her, her son is inferior after all. No wonder a young girl like her was able to manage the family business steadily after her second brother got into trouble.

The old lady of the Zhen family said, "Qing'er is right. This time the matter has become a big deal. Shiwen should stay at home to avoid the limelight. Let Qing'er take care of the business outside."

Then he smiled at Zhen Fangqing and said, "You just sent a letter, and Cong was so eager to help. Otherwise, Shiwen would not have escaped so quickly. This brother is a capable man after all.

You can prepare a gift to thank them. My birthday party will be in a few days, so please write an invitation and send it.

I also want to see the young Earl of the Jia family. People say that this Cong is a man of both civil and military talents, and that he is very proud of his life. I also want to see if it is true as the rumors say."

The eldest wife understood what the old lady meant. Jia Cong saved her son from the Jinyiwei, which made the old lady think he was capable, and she began to like Jia Cong.

In order to get the third girl married as soon as possible, she had already said many good things about Jia Cong in front of the old lady. Now that things were happening one after another, the old lady paid even more attention to Jia Cong.

Not only did he ask the third girl to prepare a gift to express his gratitude, he also asked her to write a birthday invitation and invite the other party to his house for a meeting. It was obvious that he was looking for a son-in-law for his grandson.

……

This year, Jia Cong was granted a title at a young age and his reputation spread far and wide. Even the Zhen family had heard of his name in Jinling.

The last time the eldest wife and Miss Zhen San went to the capital to pay homage to the old empress dowager, her son-in-law, Prince Beijing Shui Rong, was very respectful of Jia Cong.

Her daughter, the Princess of Beijing, also said that this man was a good match among the sons of aristocratic families.

At that time, the first wife just wanted to find a suitable candidate and marry off the capable third girl from the second wife, so that she would not get in the way of the Zhen family's business.

Besides, the third girl's marriage to Weiyuan Earl of the Jia family of Rongguo is also a very good marriage for the Zhen family. This is also a common method used among aristocratic families.

Moreover, it would be of great benefit to the eldest wife in charge of the Zhen family in the future. At that time, she was just thinking about these benefits.

But no one expected that Jia Cong would be so adept at manipulating others in Jinling within a short time, and could easily get his son out even from such a powerful government office as the Jinyiwei.

She had never met Jia Cong before and had no intuitive understanding of him. Now she realized that this young man was not only famous, but also a very resourceful person.

The third girl is already a very powerful person in the family. If she marries Jia Cong in the future, with two powerful people together, it is hard to say whether the first wife can really control the Zhen family's property.

Thinking of these things, the eldest wife felt regretful that she had set a trap for the third girl and ended up falling into it herself.

But Zhen Fangqing spoke briskly to the old lady, "Don't worry, Grandfather. I will prepare the gifts myself and have them delivered to the old house in Xinglongfang. I will also write the birthday invitation and send it to you."

……

Jinling, Longtan Port.

The dock was bustling with people, and not far away in the river, a passenger ship that had set sail from Suzhou was slowly approaching the dock.

In the pavilion at the pier, Jia Cong and Zou Min'er stood side by side, followed by Lingguan, whose little hand was still holding Douguan's.

Because the matter was urgent, Jia Cong and Zou Min'er took Lingguan and left Gusu overnight, without having time to take the other four little actors with them.

Those four short plays were selected by Zou Miner from more than a dozen short plays, and all of them were performed by people with excellent acting and singing skills.

They are Fangguan, Ouguan, Aiguan and Kuiguan respectively.

This time, Jia Cong and Zou Min'er sent dozens of people to advance eastward to the prefectures along the river. The team that entered Gusu received Jia Cong's instructions in advance to send the four little operas back to Jinling.

These small plays will be included in the variety show of the Shenjing Jiaofangsi in the future. They are all girls in their teens who have never traveled far alone. As the host, Zou Miner naturally has to go to the dock to pick them up.

Lingguan, Douguan and the other four grew up in the opera troupe and were like sisters to each other, so Jia Cong specially brought them two to pick them up.

When the passenger ship docked, four girls in their teens, each carrying a small bag, timidly got off the ship and looked at the bustling dock in front of them with a reserved look on their faces.

Until Lingguan and Douguan ran up to greet them, a group of little girls were laughing and having fun.

They all left their hometowns when they were young, and some of them don’t even know where their families are. Only the sisters who grew up together in the opera troupe are the closest to each other.

After they chattered and expressed their feelings to each other since their separation, Jia Cong and Zou Min'er took them back to Qingyin Pavilion to settle down.

It was the first time for all of them to visit Jinling City. They leaned against the car windows along the way, watching the magnificent scenery of this majestic city in the south of the Yangtze River with curious eyes, their words and looks full of amazement and novelty.

……

The carriage ran for two cups of tea and stopped not far from the main entrance of Qingyin Pavilion as usual. The group got off the carriage and entered the pavilion.

As soon as I walked to the door, I saw a middle-aged woman coming over and yelled to Zou Miner, "Miss, it's really you. I couldn't recognize you last time, but this time I can see for sure."

Jia Cong looked back and saw that the person who called her Miss Zou Min'er was a woman wearing shabby clothes and carrying a box of rouge and hairpins hanging from her body.

Zou Min'er looked back at the woman. Jia Cong noticed a look of surprise in her eyes, but he heard Zou Min'er say coldly, "This sister-in-law has recognized the wrong person."

The woman looked confused and murmured, "Miss, I am Mrs. Wu from the kitchen. Since our house was ransacked, there has been no news of you.

As long as you are alive, I have watched you grow up, how could I have made a mistake?" Zou Min'er said coldly, "I am not a lady, but Miss Qu Le in the pavilion. You have made a mistake."

After Zou Miner finished speaking, she walked into Qingyin Pavilion without looking back.

After Zou Min'er had arranged for Ouguan and others to live, Jia Cong noticed that she still looked a little uneasy.

The two returned to the private room on the third floor that Jia Cong often reserved. After closing the door, Jia Cong asked, "I can see that the woman did not mistake you."

Zou Miner said: "Although I grew up in Jinling, the Zou family is an official family. I grew up in the inner courtyard. Apart from my family relatives, few outsiders know what I look like.

Even so, I still used a pseudonym when I came to Nanjing, and wore a veil hat every time I went in and out, just in case I ran into someone I knew back then and was recognized.

But I didn't expect to meet her. Mrs. Wu has been a cook in my family for many years and is very familiar with me.

She has always been an employed person in my family, but she was not sold as a slave, so when the house was searched, she would not be sold but only dismissed. She might have been trying to make a living nearby recently and was bumped into by her.

I just denied it flatly, so she might be skeptical, but Mrs. Wu is just an ordinary woman, I believe she won't harm me."

At this point, Zou Miner looked at Jia Cong with complicated eyes, and then said: "Besides, when you entered the Zou Mansion to arrest someone, you did not meet Mrs. Wu, so she should not know you."

Jia Cong naturally understood what Zou Min'er meant. If Mrs. Wu knew him, she would be surprised to find out that Zou Min'er and the man who ruined their family were always together.

Outsiders have no idea of ​​the complicated entanglement between the two people. When seeing this scene, they will be surprised and suspicious at first.

Once the news spreads, it will be very disadvantageous to Jia Cong and Zou Miner's work in Jinling.

Jia Cong walked to the window of the private room and looked down at the street, but he could no longer see Mrs. Wu. He could not help but frowning slightly.

He said to Zou Min'er, "According to what you said, it shouldn't be a big deal. Just be careful when you go out and try not to run into that woman again."

……

When Jia Cong left, he took Lingguan and Douguan back home. Ouguan, Fangguan and others were surprised and envious to see that they were not living in Qingyin Pavilion but were living with the handsome Master Jia.

Jia Cong returned to the old house in Xinglongfang. Just as he reached the second gate, he saw the housekeeper Jin Cai walking towards him quickly.

He said, "Third Master, I am the second son of the Zhen family of Jinling. I have come to your house to express my gratitude to you. I am now serving tea in Xuanhe Hall."

Jia Cong was slightly stunned when he heard this. He had just rescued the second young master Zhen from the Jinyiwei yesterday, and he came to thank him today, which was quite timely.

Jin Cai glanced at Jia Cong with a strange look on her face, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Jia Cong asked curiously, "Mr. Jin, is there anything wrong?"

Jin Cai said with a strange look on her face, "The person driving for the second young master Zhen is Liu Xian, the manager of the second branch of the Zhen family. I have seen the exchange of gifts between the Jia and Zhen families several times in previous years.

But the second Master Zhen and his servant are a little strange. I found that they have girl’s ear holes on their earlobes…”

Jia Cong was somewhat stunned: "..., Butler Jin, you have observed it carefully enough."

Jin Cai looked a little embarrassed and said, "Haha, I also saw it accidentally. When they entered Xuanhe Hall, Liu Xian was guarding the door of the hall and did not allow the servants to enter.

All the tea was taken by Liu Xian, and then delivered into the hall by the second young master's personal servant. His behavior was quite strange.

This old servant has had some dealings with the Zhen family over the years and knows a rare thing about their family. The person in charge of the Zhen family's business now is not a man, but Miss Zhen San from the second branch of the Zhen family.

It is said that this third young lady is extremely talented and unmatched among the other members of the Zhen family. In the past few years, she has managed the Zhen family's business very well, which has become a miracle in Jinling City.

It is rumored that the Third Miss Zhen often changes her hairpins and hats and goes in and out of the Zhen family shop to take care of business. In my opinion, this Second Young Master Zhen is very likely the Third Miss Zhen. "

After hearing this, Jia Cong understood in his heart that the person who delivered the letter to him on behalf of Miss Zhen San last time was Liu Xian, the manager of the second branch of the Zhen family, and he came with her today as well.

So, it’s not that the person Jin Cai said might be Miss Zhen San, but it must be her.

Jin Cai, who was standing by, saw Jia Cong's thoughtful expression and began to murmur in her heart, the Third Master has always been able to flirt with girls, and he would not have flirted with the Third Miss of the Zhen family. Now she has come to his door...

This gentleman is really amazing, please don’t let anything happen to him…

Jia Cong said to Jin Cai, "Tell the servants outside the second gate to stay away from Xuanhe Hall and not to get close to it. Also, transfer the two maids in my yard to serve outside the hall."

If it was really Miss Zhen San who came to visit in the name of her brother, it would be quite unconventional. However, she is the daughter of a noble family after all, so she still needs to be respectful and polite.

He called Lingguan, who was about to return to the inner courtyard with Douguan. Since the guest might be a female, it would be more convenient to take Lingguan with him to meet her, and it would also avoid suspicion of being a man and a woman.

When he brought Lingguan closer to Xuanhe Hall, he saw from afar Liu Xian, whom he had met that day, standing at the door of the hall.

Inside the hall, a tall and graceful figure in a green robe was standing with her back to him, admiring the calligraphy and paintings hanging in the central hall.

Although only the back can be seen from a distance, the figure and posture are very clear.

But I saw that this person had clothes fluttering in the wind, a slender waist and a straight back, black hair as black as ink, and his hands were placed behind his back. His fingers were slender and white like jade, and he was indescribably elegant and free and easy.

Jia Cong had heard Yingchun and Daiyu mention Miss Zhen San, but he had never seen her.

Daiyu has always been a simple-minded person, but whenever she heard that the mistress of the house brought a girl of the same age to visit and tried to meet Jia Cong in a roundabout way, she would feel a little jealous and disdainful.

When the eldest lady of the Zhen family brought the third girl to the house, although she came to pay a visit to Lady Jia, after a few words, she also found an excuse to meet Jia Cong. Daiyu felt uncomfortable.

However, Jia Cong was summoned to the palace at that time, so he did not report it with Miss Zhen San.

Afterwards, Daiyu teased Jia Cong about this matter, and there was some dissatisfaction in her words, but even so, she was frank with Jia Cong, saying that Miss Zhen San was also very outstanding.

Jia Cong naturally had great faith in Daiyu's eyes. Just the back of this girl revealed her elegance, bravery, and unrestrained charm. She was completely different from all the women Jia Cong knew.

As soon as Jia Cong arrived at the hall door, he heard Liu Xian saying to the inside of the hall: "Second Master, Earl Weiyuan has arrived."

Jia Cong brought Lingguan into Xuanhe Hall. At this time, Lingguan was also confused. She didn't know why Jia Cong brought her to meet the guests.

However, Lingguan trusted Jia Cong very much and felt that Jia Cong must have his reasons for doing so, so she just followed his instructions.

At first, Lingguan thought she was meeting a male guest and felt a little strange and shy.

However, she came from a theatre troupe, and was more sensitive to women's figures than ordinary people due to her daily singing, dancing and movement.

When I saw the back of the guest in the hall, I felt a little strange. The person had a thin neck and a straight back, and a waist as slender as a willow. She was obviously a woman, but she was dressed in men's clothes.

Zhen Fangqing, who was appreciating calligraphy and painting in the hall, turned around when she heard Liu Xian's reminder. What caught her eye was a pair of bright eyes as deep as an autumn pond.

(End of this chapter)