Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia looked at Jia She and Mrs. Xing and said with a smile, "Today, all the family members are here. You two came here one after the other. It seems like you had planned this beforehand."

When Mrs. Wang heard what Lady Jia said, she immediately realized that the eldest master and his wife had rarely appeared in Rongqing Hall in the past two years, let alone the two of them coming together.

After all, the old lady was smart. Although the question was asked in a joking manner, it made sense. She then looked at Mrs. Xing's expression.

Madam Xing said, "Today, my master and I came to see you. Is it because we want to tell you about a happy event?"

Upon hearing the happy news, Mrs. Wang and Aunt Xue who were present perked up.

Even Yuanyang, who was massaging Lady Jia's back, opened her eyes wide and looked at Lady Xing, waiting for her to tell her the good news.

The master and the mistress would say there is some happy event, could it be that the master is taking a concubine?

It's probably related to the Third Master. They are the Third Master's father and mother, and the old lady just mentioned this matter the day before yesterday.

When Grandmother Jia heard what Lady Xing said, her expression froze for a moment, and she asked, "What happy event do you have? Tell me about it."

Madam Xing smiled and said, "Now that Cong has established himself, he will be old enough to get married after the New Year. The master and I will help him take care of his life-long affairs."

After hearing this, Lady Jia felt uncomfortable and thought that her eldest daughter-in-law was just talking after the fact. She thought that you were the ones who were going to take care of that boy's marriage, but she had already found a gold ingot for him to marry.

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang thought to herself, as expected, the eldest master and the eldest mistress have never gotten along with Cong'er, so why are they thinking of arranging a marriage for him now?

Mrs. Wang had her own plans and naturally knew her sister-in-law's personality. The eldest lady would probably not be so eager to do something that would not be beneficial.

……

Jia She said, "Madam, we have found a good match for Cong-ge. She is the daughter of your brother's family, named Xiuyan. She is a perfect match for Cong-ge."

Mrs. Xing smiled and said, "Xiuyan is the most outstanding daughter in our Xing family. She is very pretty and has a very good personality. It is a match made in heaven for her to be married to Cong.

We are here to tell the old lady the good news. When Congge returns to Beijing, the master and I will help him take care of things. Old lady, you just wait to drink tea with your grandson's wife."

Aunt Xue, who was standing by, was almost dumbfounded. The eldest wife of the Jia family spoke so rashly. She had just opened her mouth for a few words and asked the old lady to wait for her grandson's wife's tea.

Congge'er is an earl after all, and now he is not in the capital, so how can his marriage be arranged so quickly and easily?

When Mrs. Wang heard that the wife promised to Jia Cong was actually Mrs. Xing's niece, she couldn't help but feel happy.

As the mistress of Rongguo Mansion, she had many eyes and ears in the mansion, but she knew exactly what kind of people Xing Madam's brother was.

That boy has become a count and is in great glory, surpassing even his own precious jade. If he were to marry a poor and lowly girl, it would be a good way to dampen his arrogance and make others laugh at him.

When Grandmother Jia heard that she was Mrs. Xing's niece, her face darkened and she asked Jia She, "What official position does the girl's father hold now?"

When Jia She heard this, he was dumbfounded and didn't know how to answer.

Mrs. Xing looked embarrassed, but she had to say, "My brother has always been indifferent to officialdom and economics, and has been farming and studying in Gusu to pass on his family tradition.

Xiu Yan is a girl from an honest and decent family. Naturally, there is nothing wrong with her becoming someone's daughter-in-law.

My brother will arrive in the capital in a few days, and I will bring the girl to meet the old lady. You will definitely like her when you see her."

Aunt Xue, who was standing by, felt very upset when she heard this. The Xue family made a living by trading business, and as a housewife, Aunt Xue knew more about the ways of the world than her sister.

The girl that the eldest wife said to marry Cong'er was actually an ordinary citizen with no official position.

The saying that farming and studying are the way to pass down the family tradition is nothing more than an excuse for having no means of livelihood and having a hard time making ends meet. Who doesn't know this trick?

The parents of this Congge were so absurd that the son of a count married a poor white girl.

If that's the case, my Xue family won't have to worry about the mismatch in family background. My Baochai has a dowry of ten thousand taels, which is a hundred times better than Xing Xiuyun's. It should never be the Xing family's turn to enjoy the glory.

……

After hearing what Mrs. Xing said, Lady Jia's face turned gloomy and she didn't respond to what she said at all.

He said to Jia She in a stern voice: "Your son is not a servant who leads horses and drives donkeys, he is a real earl and nobleman!
I know you and this son have always been at odds, but you can't let him marry a commoner as his wife. If this gets out, how will the reputation of my Jia family be saved?"

Jia She was speechless for a moment. As the eldest son of Rong State, he was not ignorant of the principle of matching up between family backgrounds.

But his own situation was somewhat special. Jia Lian's biological mother was the daughter of a nobleman. After her death, Jia She remarried, Lady Xing, who came from a family of impoverished minor officials.

Therefore, his concern for family background was no longer important. Besides, he had always disliked Jia Cong and felt that since his father could remarry a woman from an ordinary family, why couldn't this beast? Could he be more valuable than his father?

The most important thing is that the boy married his wife's niece, which is more advantageous to him than marrying anyone else. This is the most important thing.

He hesitated for a long time before saying, "What the old lady said is not unreasonable, but Xiuyan is my relative, I know her background well, and she is a good woman.

In the future, they can live in harmony and have a smooth life, which is better than anything else. Why bother about what others say? "

Upon hearing this, Lady Jia became so angry that her face turned pale. She resisted the urge to smash the teacup. After all, her outsider Aunt Xue was present in the room, and it would be embarrassing if a scene broke out.

She was filled with rage. She had been thinking about the great alliance between the Jia and Shi families, but her ridiculous son listened to his stupid wife's instigation and brought in a commoner to mess things up.

She suppressed her anger and said, "Humph, that's easy for you to say. A noble family should talk about harmony between husband and wife, but we should also see if everyone has this destiny!

Your son is a nobleman registered in the Ministry of Clan Affairs and a person under the emperor's nose. You should marry him a commoner girl as his wife.

Don’t say that both the Jia family and I have lost all face. Have you ever thought about the face of others?

According to the ancestral system of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the wives of nobles must have their files kept in the clan office to record their family background. Once the marriage you are interested in is brought to the clan office, you will definitely be questioned and rejected.

Prince Zhongshun, the head of the Imperial Clan Clan Bureau, has a feud with my Jia family. If he can accuse you, his father, of disrespecting state etiquette, I’m afraid the palace won’t stop him…”

When Jia She heard this, he couldn't help but shudder. The old lady had been the wife of a duke all her life, and she understood the etiquette of noble ranks, and the ancestral rules of the clan better than ordinary people.

These words sounded quite reasonable, and Jia She couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

Mrs. Xing, who was standing by, was not satisfied and said, "It's just that we are marrying our own daughter-in-law, how can the government be so lenient with us?"

Grandmother Jia looked at her foolish daughter-in-law with disdain and sarcasm in her words, and said, "You may have a point, but who can blame you for raising such a great son?

The emperor personally conferred him the hereditary title of Earl Wangtai, which shows how much he values ​​Cong'er. Now you want him to marry a girl from the Xing family, which means that the earl conferred by the emperor is only worthy of marrying a commoner.

If your master is taken to the clan residence and can't get out, I, an old lady, won't be able to save him."

After hearing this, Jia She and Mrs. Xing both turned pale. They had not forgotten that Wang Shanbao's family used witchcraft to harm people and Jia She was locked up in the clan house for several days.

At that time, it was the old lady who went to the palace and begged the Empress Dowager to rescue Jia She.

When Mrs. Wang saw that the eldest master and his wife looked pale, she knew that they were controlled by the old lady's words. She realized that the marriage was aborted and could not help feeling disappointed.

Aunt Xue also heard that this matter would not succeed, and she felt relieved.

Otherwise, if this poor girl were to become Cong'er's legal wife, while his own daughter Baochai would be left alone, he would be sick to death.

……

When Jia She and his wife saw that they had unhappy faces and kept silent, Jia's mother knew that her words had made her son and daughter-in-law realize the seriousness of the matter, and they dared not mention the maid from the Xing family anymore.

But after all, they are Cong'er's biological father and mother. When it comes to their children's marriage, they have more legitimate rights and authority than her, the grandmother, according to etiquette and law, and have more say.

Grandmother Jia was determined to have Xiangyun marry into the Jia family. If she had a bad relationship with her eldest son and his wife over this matter, Xiangyun might not have a smooth marriage in the future.

Grandmother Jia has been the mistress of a large mansion all her life, and she understands best how to balance the power within the house. After all, they are her son and daughter-in-law, so there is no need to judge them all with one blow, and there should be some dignity left for them.

But he couldn't let his eldest daughter-in-law have any more delusions and instigate his stupid son to cause trouble.

She glanced at Mrs. Xing, who looked disappointed, and said, "According to what you said, your niece must be a lovely girl, and after all, a close relative of the family.

When she arrives in the capital, you can take her to the garden for a stroll, let Cong show his courtesy as a cousin, and the sisters will have more company.

If you really think that she and Congge are a good match, then there is a solution."

When Mrs. Xing heard this, her eyes lit up. After listening to Lady Jia's words, she thought the matter was completely ruined.

He even went to great lengths to bring his brother's family to the capital, spending forty taels of silver a year. He really ended up losing more than he gained.

Now, after hearing what Lady Jia said, he was extremely delighted that there was actually a chance for a turn for the better. He thought that his plan could actually come to fruition.

Mrs. Xing smiled and said, "We are young and inexperienced. How can we understand the ways of the world as well as an old lady? It will definitely be the best thing to let the old lady make the decision on this matter."

When Mrs. Wang saw this scene, she was delighted. She thought the old lady was really confused. She actually changed her mind and came up with a compromise for the first wife.

Aunt Xue felt depressed after listening to the conversation between Lady Jia and Lady Xing. It was ridiculous that the Jia family was so absurd that they could actually discuss such an incompatible thing.

……

Grandmother Jia said, "Both Cong and Baoyu will be old enough to dance elephants in the new year. According to the rules of the Jia family, when a young master turns fifteen, he will be assigned two servants to serve him.

Your niece is here, let her meet Cong Ge'er, if they like each other.

Let her enter Congge's room. At least she will have a status. I can still make the decision on this matter."

When Mrs. Wang heard this, the teacup in her hand almost fell to the ground. Aunt Xue also looked very surprised. What else could she do? Marrying a wife turned into taking a concubine?

Mrs. Xing's face turned red, she felt that the old lady was making fun of her. She was the eldest wife of the Rongguo Mansion, how could her niece be the concubine of a bastard's son?

She held her breath and said, "Madam, Xiuyan is a virgin girl from an honest family. Our Xing family has a clean and upright family tradition. How can we let her be a concubine for Congge'er?"

The reason why Grandmother Jia said this was that she had anticipated Lady Xing's reaction and said, "The Jia family is not an ordinary family, and Cong is a hereditary earl.

His East Mansion is destined to be rich for generations. Whether you are his wife or concubine, you will enjoy happiness with him for the rest of your life. The boy has always been attentive to his daughters. What's wrong with letting your niece be his wife? In the future, if they have a son or a daughter, no one in the Jia family will dare to look down on her.

Don't think that being the first wife is good. Without a family background, how can you manage the house? If you are not careful, you may lose your life!"

When Mrs. Xing heard this, she felt a little cold in her heart. Although she didn't want her niece to be a concubine, she also knew that what Lady Jia said was not just a scare tactic, but a serious principle.

This is not the way of the aristocratic families. Although she became the wife of the first wife in the Rongguo Mansion, her family background was humble and she was far inferior to the second wife who came from the Wang family in Jinling.

Even though Mrs. Xing was a powerful person, she was still looked down upon in the Jia family. Although she was the wife of the eldest son, the head of the Rongguo Mansion happened to be the wife of the second son.

And other people didn't think there was anything wrong with it, which shows how important a woman's family background is in a noble family, just as what Grandmother Jia said.

My niece Xiuyan has an even worse family background than mine, and I heard that she is not a strong-willed person.

If she really wanted to be the Earl's wife, how could others accept it? She would face countless attacks from both sides. How could a woman without a family background survive?

Isn't that what the old lady said? If you're not careful you could lose your life.

Even if she becomes his legal wife, if something really happens, it will implicate me, which may be a disaster.

……

Mrs. Xing was struggling with all this thought, knowing that it would be impossible to get her niece Xiu Yan to marry Jia Cong.

Not only will he definitely not be able to pass the old lady's test, let alone what people are saying outside.

His mind suddenly changed, and he was slightly moved by Lady Jia's suggestion to go into the room.

She helped Xing Xiuyan to arrange a marriage, not because she was considering her life and dignity, but only for her own family's convenience and benefit.

Although being a concubine doesn't sound nice, the old lady's words are not without reason. When Xiu Yan arrives in Shenjing, even if she can marry an ordinary minor official in the future, it is better to be promised to that boy as a concubine.

Having pieces on the board is better than having no pieces to play. This way she will always have something in mind and will be connected to the wealth of the East Palace...

But Madam Xing was the eldest wife of the Rong Kingdom after all, and she couldn't afford to lose face by agreeing to let her niece become a concubine in front of everyone, so she was still a little hesitant.

When Lady Jia saw Mrs. Xing's expression, she roughly guessed what she was thinking.

He wanted to get this matter settled as soon as possible. As long as his eldest daughter-in-law agreed to it and got some benefits, he would push Xiangyun out, and he would not be afraid of his son and daughter-in-law causing trouble again.

At this time, Wang Xifeng entered Rongqing Hall and greeted Lady Jia as usual, but her charming phoenix eyes kept looking towards Jia She and Lady Xing.

She also calculated the timing and rushed to Rongqingtang to watch the show.

The eldest master looked like a defeated rooster, with a gloomy face and no words; the eldest mistress's face flushed and she looked hesitant.

She guessed that Mrs. Xing's plan would be rejected by the old lady in just a few words. This was also within her expectations. She just felt that she came a little late and missed a good show.

……

Grandmother Jia glanced at Wang Xifeng and said to Mrs. Wang, "Next year, Baoyu and Cong will both be fifteen years old. According to the rules of our mansion, they will both have two people to serve them in their rooms.

There are quite a few outstanding maids in Baoyu's room, and you have chosen one."

Mrs. Wang was somewhat disappointed to see that the old lady had denied the matter of the Xing family's maid. But when she saw the old lady suddenly asking about it, she didn't care.

He casually said, "There are suitable ones, but they have to be pleasing to the old lady."

Grandmother Jia asked Wang Xifeng again, "Cong'er is your brother. As his sister-in-law, you should consider him more. You often go to the East Palace. Is there anyone in Cong'er's room that you like?"

Wang Xifeng was slightly stunned, wondering why the old lady suddenly brought up this topic. Hadn't the old lady known about this matter long ago?
However, Wang Xifeng was quick-witted. When she looked at the expressions of Jia She and Mrs. Xing, she knew that Lady Jia's words were not spoken casually and must have her own meaning.

So she followed Lady Jia's thoughts and said, "There are quite a few pretty maids in Brother Cong's room, and there are two who are pleasing to the eye.

The first one is Miss Zhishao. She has been serving the Cong brothers since she was a child. She is the most valued by the Cong brothers and has also received gifts from the Empress Dowager, so she has to be given a status both internally and externally.

The other one is Yinglian, who is very beautiful. Her mother is now the owner of Xiuniang Incense Shop. She entrusted her daughter to the Cong brothers early on, which was considered a matchmaker's agreement.

She also received a gold necklace from the old lady, which should be counted as a bonus, but Yinglian is a little young."

Mrs. Xing just felt a little unwilling to let her niece become a concubine.

Listening to Wang Xifeng's detailed account of the matter, she was surprised that there were so many women in Jia Cong's room, and that the candidates for concubines were in short supply. She was dumbfounded that her niece didn't even get a chance.

Grandmother Jia glanced at Mrs. Xing's expression and said, "I like Yinglian, too, but she is indeed a little young and still childish. It won't be too late to wait for her to grow up a few years."

Grandmother Jia asked Mrs. Xing again, "How old is your niece this year? Girls are older and know more about things."

Mrs. Xing had been led into a corner by Lady Jia at this moment. She had just heard Lady Jia say that Yinglian was too young to sleep with him, and that her niece was only thirteen years old, but still a little immature.

Seeing that Lady Jia suddenly asked her, she was afraid of losing her last remaining wish, so she blurted out, "Xiuyan's birthday will be in April next year, which is exactly the fifteenth."

As soon as she said this, she felt a little regretful. This was proof of her mistake. There were other favored girls in that boy's room, and even the old lady had her eyes on them. If her niece went there, she would just be sidelined.

Then Grandmother Jia said, "That's just right. She's the same age as Cong'er. When she comes, bring her to meet me. As long as she and Cong'er get along well, the matter will be settled."

After all this talk, I am tired too. You all can go down and have a rest. Yuanyang, help me go back to the room and lie down. I am old and useless... "

……

Mrs. Xing felt really depressed and frustrated when she saw Yuanyang helping Lady Jia to the back hall.

He originally wanted his niece to be Jia Cong's wife, but he didn't expect that she could not become the wife and was tricked by the old lady into becoming a concubine.

It would have been fine if she was just a concubine, but she wasn't even the top one in Jia Cong's room. There was also Zhishao, who was of no small background, standing right above him.

This time, he not only failed to steal the chicken, but also lost a lot of rice...

Wang Xifeng was so shocked when she heard these words that she was stunned for a long time. She thought she had missed a good show, but she didn't expect that the good show was yet to come.

The first wife clearly wanted to marry her niece to the third son of Cong, but when it came to the old lady, as if by magic, her wife turned into a concubine.

Wang Xifeng looked at Lady Jia with admiration, and kept thinking in her heart, this is how the old lady could fool people, the old lady really is very experienced.

The third son of the Cong family is really good at attracting women. There was news from the palace earlier that he would be granted marriage to the third daughter of the Zhen family in Jinling. Since there was no follow-up on this matter, the old lady came up with the idea of ​​discussing marriage.

As a result, he didn't even come home, his first wife was nowhere to be seen, but he already had a concubine.

……

Jinling, Mingdefang, Zhen family mansion.

That day, Jia Cong came to the house to express his condolences and gave Zhen Fangqing some kind advice, which made her deeply agree.

Just after the seventh day of Zhen Shiwen's funeral, Zhen Fangqing took Liu Xian and conducted an audit of the accounts of the stores under the name of the Zhen family with swift and resolute force.

A strict investigation and secret interview was conducted on the people Zhen Shiwen had planted in various stores. It was found that these people had received instructions from Zhen Shiwen to interfere in and control the store business.

Some of these people even committed fraud and corruption. After being investigated by Zhen Fangqing, they were either fired or handed over to the authorities.

The remaining personnel who had no intention of going beyond the limit were also transferred from key positions, left idle and left to fend for themselves.

This move shocked all the businesses under the name of the Zhen family.

Ever since Zhen Yingquan died at sea, the first wife of the Zhen family has been heavily involved in the business started by the second wife.

Although the third daughter of the second wife is an extremely shrewd and capable person, she has always remained calm when it comes to the shady methods of the first wife interfering in the business, and seems to be holding an attitude of seeking harmony.

No one expected that the third son of the first wife had just passed away, and his body was not even cold yet, but the third daughter of the second wife swept away all the forces planted by the first wife with such force that they were swept away by the wind.

When the news reached the inner courtyard of the Zhen family, Zhen Yingjia and Mrs. Zhen were helpless. After Zhen Shiwen was killed, the eldest branch of the Zhen family was no longer able to interfere in the family business.

Although there is another woman named Zhen Baoyu in the first wife's house, everyone in the Zhen family doesn't know that this man is completely useless.

Mrs. Zhen once thought of adopting a capable nephew from her natal family to help manage the business of the first house, but an incident that happened later completely shattered this plan.

Zhen Fangqing discovered a batch of high-quality sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal in another old shop of the Zhen family. However, the manager and the clerk who handled this batch of goods had disappeared a few days ago.

Anyone who knows a little bit knows that these things can be used to make high-quality gunpowder. It is a serious crime for a store to store these things.

The manager and clerk who handled this batch of goods were all introduced to this old shop by Zhen Shiwen.

When the news reached the inner courtyard of the Zhen family, Old Lady Zhen smashed the teacup, pointed at Zhen Yingjia and his wife and angrily scolded them. The attempt of the eldest branch of the Zhen family to intervene in the family business was thus cut off.

However, Zhen Fangqing was not clear about the handling information of this batch of goods, and whether there was anyone else who knew about this except the missing managers and waiters.

If she destroyed the goods privately, it would soon be seen as a cover-up and would bring disastrous disaster to the Zhen family.

Finally, Zhen Fangqing had no choice but to turn the conspiracy into an open one and report the matter to the Yingtian Prefecture Yamen, accusing the store manager and clerk of violating store rules, making huge profits, and absconding with the money.

He also handed over all the high-quality sulfur, saltpeter, and charcoal to the government, thus helping the Zhen family avoid a hidden disaster.

When Ge Zhicheng, a captain of the Imperial Guard, heard about this, he wanted to use it as a basis for further investigation in an attempt to find evidence that the Zhen family was committing treason.

However, the secret agent of the Jinyiwei he arranged in Zhen Mansion sent an urgent message, asking him to temporarily stop his actions.

That morning, two retainers from Prince Beijing's Palace rode into the city on fast horses and went straight to Zhen's Mansion, reportedly bringing an urgent letter from Prince Beijing's Palace.

This incident made Ge Zhicheng realize that there was more than just the old Concubine Zhen in the palace behind the Zhen family in Jinling.

The hereditary prince of Beijing Palace is also a close relative of the Jinling Zhen family, which makes him decide to wait and see what happens. (End of this chapter)