Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

After today's morning court session, Emperor Jiazhao went to the eastern warm room of Qianyang Palace to handle government affairs as usual.

As soon as the emperor took his seat, eunuchs from the Imperial Household Department filed into the East Warm Pavilion and sorted the memorials and impeachments submitted by various government offices on the imperial desk of Emperor Jiazhao.

One of the stacks of memorials with a blue cover was an impeachment memorial from the Censor of the Censorate.

It was the duty of the censors to report the impeachment upon hearing the news, but in the eyes of Emperor Jiazhao, the censors' impeachment was sometimes just nonsense and sometimes a sharp knife in the hands of the emperor.

All the censors who could enter the Censorate of the Metropolitan Censorate were generally third-class Jinshi graduates, and their status was considered noble. However, each person had a different personality, and the censors they eventually became were very different.

One type of censor is just like the majority of the people. He reports things based on hearsay and accuses anyone he catches. It does not require much technical skills, as long as he is bold and shameless, he can gain a good reputation as a censor.

The other type of censor also reported based on hearsay, but his reports were rigorous, detailed, and substantial. To put it bluntly, he would bite whoever he caught, but he could usually hit the target and kill the person he bit. He could be regarded as a different kind of outstanding official.

After the three-year examination, the first type of censor would most likely be kicked to the local area to be a county magistrate, county magistrate, or even a prosecutor. It depends on himself whether he can rise to power, but most of them would die in the local area for the rest of their lives.

After the second type of censors pass the three-year examination, many of them become seeds of important officials and will be appointed to important posts by the court. They will receive training at each level and many of them will even eventually become high-ranking officials.

Three years ago, Chen Minyan, the Censor-in-Chief of Yongzhou Province, was the first type of censor.

At that time, he heard that a scholar in the same examination had sued Jia Cong, hoping to take the opportunity to discredit the son of the Rong state and gain fame for himself, so he fanned the flames in the court and impeached Jia Cong for not having the qualifications to take the imperial examination.

As a result, due to his ridiculous inaction in government affairs, he was demoted by the emperor to be the magistrate of Dezhou Prefecture. Now, three years have passed, and this man is still languishing in the position of magistrate of Dezhou Prefecture. It is estimated that he will never be able to turn things around in this lifetime.

For example, Lin Ruhai once served as the Imperial Censor of Lanting. Because of his meticulousness, pragmatism, competence, and meaningful words, he was appreciated by Emperor Jiazhao and eventually became the chief salt official in charge of the salt administration in Lianghuai.

Therefore, as long as you are from the top three, you can have a job as an imperial censor. However, some people become shit eaters and eventually sink to the level of low-level officials, while some people are like taking magic pills and are able to soar to fame.

This is not a matter of same people having different destinies, but rather the differences in their talents, vision, good and evil, which ultimately lead to completely different results.

……

Emperor Jiazhao read through the censors' memorials very quickly, because most of the impeachments were based on hearsay and were either exaggerations or empty talk, and did not have much substance at all.

It was not until he read the last few books that Emperor Jiazhao slowed down his browsing speed and read them carefully.

One was a memorial from the Censor-in-Chief of Yangzhou Dao, impeaching the commander of Yangzhou Guard, Zhao Kaiwu, for his poor garrison, which resulted in the passing of the Lianghuai salt lord Huang Yougong through Yangzhou and the failure to capture him, allowing him to go unpunished.

One was a memorial from the Censor of Xuanfu Dao, impeaching the general of Xuanfu for his poor border defense policy. Since the beginning of winter, the remaining Mongolian tribes outside the Great Wall had repeatedly harassed border towns, burned, killed, looted, and came and went freely, making them difficult to destroy.

The third memorial was from the Censor of Yongzhou Dao. All the impeachments were related to Jia Cong's inheritance of the title of Rongguo. The memorial mainly impeached two matters.

One is Beijing Prince Shui Rong. As a prince, he behaves in a flamboyant manner, seeking fame and winning people's hearts.

In the ceremony of promoting the title of Jia Cong, he deliberately humbled himself and brought the princess to the palace to congratulate him, creating a lot of hype. This was against common sense and caused controversy. His intentions were far-reaching and he did not live up to the emperor's expectations.

Second, Weiyuan Earl Jia Cong was blessed by the emperor and inherited the hereditary title of Rongguo. According to the etiquette, he was the master of the Rongguo Mansion built by imperial decree and should live in Rongxi Hall in the main part of the Rongguo Mansion to match the imperial decree's grace.

However, five days had passed since the imperial edict was issued, and guests from the court and the public had gathered to congratulate Rongguo, but Jia Zheng still occupied Rongxi Hall and refused to move out. He put family etiquette above state etiquette and overturned the dignity of the country's nobles. This was a great mistake...

……

Although the incident of the Yangzhou salt smugglers in the first memorial and the border threat in Xuanfu Town in the second memorial attracted the attention of Emperor Jiazhao, these two pieces of news had already appeared in the memorials of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue.

Therefore, the specific reasons did not surprise Emperor Jia Zhao, and the impeachment by the censor would only serve as an aid and reference for him to deal with the two matters.

The first two impeachments were true, but the third impeachment, if it happened under normal circumstances, would seem somewhat groundless and nitpicking.

But it happened to involve the inheritance of the title of Rongguo Mansion, which touched the sensitive nerves of Emperor Jiazhao.

It was not just one or two days before Prince Beijing Shui Rong acted like a virtuous king in everything he did. Although Emperor Jia Zhao always disliked him, he also sneered at him.

Because Emperor Jia Zhao knew very well that although Jia Cong was young, he was meticulous and sophisticated, by no means comparable to an ordinary teenager. Shui Rong's clichés could not fool Jia Cong at all, so Emperor Jia Zhao did not take it to heart.

What he cared about was the matter of Jia Cong being promoted to a higher title.

The reason why Emperor Jia Zhao allowed Jia Cong to inherit the title of Rong was that Baoyu had insulted the emperor and it would be detrimental to the royal filial piety if the second branch of the Rong family inherited the title.

But the deeper reason is that the descendants of Rongguo Mansion are not only decadent and mediocre.

Jia She even participated in the sale of salt and iron and the theft of muskets. He has lost his loyalty and righteousness and is now a traitor to the country!
However, due to various reasons, Emperor Jiazhao had no moral reason to remove the title of Rong Guo, and the Rong Guo lineage still had considerable influence among the old nobles.

He let Jia Cong inherit both titles of the Rong Kingdom in order to cut off the old direct lineage of the Rong Kingdom. By having Jia Cong inherit the title of Weiyuan, he weakened the hereditary title of the Rong Kingdom to the greatest extent possible.

In order to weaken him to the extreme, he did not follow the rules of propriety and common sense and granted Jia Cong the grace of being the heir to both the throne and the throne because he held two titles.

Moreover, the imperial edict specifically stated that the succession of the title of Rong Guojue was not limited to the direct line, but could also be inherited by branches and concubines. The intention to bring the title of Rong Guojue down to the dust was obvious.

Now that the imperial edict has been issued, Rong Xi Tang, which represents the authentic lineage of Rongguo Mansion, is still occupied by the direct descendants of Rongguo.

What kind of obscure hints will this give to officials in the court and the country, and to stubborn old officials like Beijing Wang Shui Rong who have ulterior motives.

The new title has been established, the old power is as strong as a mountain, the family rituals are prosperous, and the emperor's grace is obscure! Where is the majesty of the emperor's decree?

However, this matter could not be made public. Should Emperor Jiazhao personally issue an imperial decree to order Jia Zheng to move out of Rongxi Hall and restore Jia Cong's reputation?

How can the emperor save his dignity by doing such trivial things under the solemn imperial decree?

Emperor Jia Zhao looked at the impeachment memorial, which was signed by Sun Shouzheng, the seventh-rank supervisory censor of Yongzhou Province. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, revealing a faint sneer.

Emperor Jia Zhao asked, "Guo Lin, do you know the origins of Sun Shouzheng, the Imperial Censor of Yongzhou?"

As the deputy chief eunuch of the Imperial Palace, Guo Lin was in charge of the Chariot Department of the Great Zhou Dynasty. He knew the resumes of important officials in the court in detail.

But a minor official of the seventh rank was not worth mentioning to him, and he would never remember the origins of such a minor official.

He hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, this Sun Shouzheng's name is quite unfamiliar. I am stupid and don't know his origin. I need to check the secret files of the Central Vehicle Department before I can reply to Your Majesty."

Emperor Jiazhao waved his hand, and Guo Lin walked out of the hall quickly. Only half a quarter of an hour later, he took a secret letter with a gray and white cover and quickly returned to the hall.

Guo Lin presented the secret letter to the imperial case and said, "Your Majesty, Sun Shouzheng is a native of Hangzhou Prefecture. He passed the imperial examination in the spring of the twelfth year of Jiazhao and ranked eleventh in the second class.

Due to his poor performance in the imperial examination, he was not appointed as an editor in the Hanlin Academy. The Ministry of Personnel selected him as a seventh-rank official in the Censorate to observe government affairs, and later he was transferred to the Censor of Yongzhou in the Supervisory Yuan.

By March of next year, Sun Shouzheng will have completed the three-year examination of the Ministry of Personnel."

Emperor Jia Zhao said in a deep voice: "This Sun Shouzheng is quite insightful and can be regarded as a useful minister...

I have conveyed my oral instructions to the Censorate and the Ministry of Personnel. Sun Shouzheng, the Censor of Yongzhou, has been diligent in his work, strictly abided by propriety, and was honest and outspoken. I am very pleased with his performance.

He was selected and given an additional examination, and promoted to the seventh rank of Supervisory Censor…”

Guo Lin was slightly stunned when he heard this. What kind of memorial did Sun Shouzheng submit that made the emperor value it so much?

Before the three-year examination, the emperor granted him a promotion by one level, which was like a godsend.

Although Guo Lin was in charge of many eyes and ears in the Imperial Chariot Department, it was impossible for him to know everything. It was impossible for him to have read the contents of the piles of memorials submitted by the Imperial Household Department.

Naturally, no one knew why Emperor Jiazhao suddenly showed favor to Sun Shouzheng.

He did not dare to delay and immediately asked Yuan Jing, who was on duty at Qianyang Palace, to summon the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate to convey the emperor's oral instructions.

……

The official office of the Censorate of the Great Zhou Dynasty, the official residence of Liu Yuqing, the Left Vice-Censor-in-Chief.

Liu Yuqing has been stagnant in the position of Left Vice-Censor-in-Chief for many years. Two years ago, the predecessor, Right Censor-in-Chief, retired due to old age. According to his seniority in the Censorate, Liu Yuqing could have been promoted to a higher position.

He even used a lot of connections to get high-ranking officials in the court to recommend him, and the Ministry of Personnel's Examination and Reward Office reported his name to the palace, but in the end they were all rejected by the current emperor.

As for the reason, Liu Yuqing knew it very well. Back then, his trusted censor Chen Minyan got involved in the first accusation of the Yongzhou case and arbitrarily reported that Jia Cong of Rong State was not qualified to take the imperial examination.

This incident caused a huge uproar in the court. It was later confirmed that Jia Cong was falsely accused. Chen Minyan was accused by the emperor of being negligent in his duties and ruining his reputation as a censor, and was demoted to the position of magistrate of Dezhou Prefecture.

As Chen Minyan's boss and benefactor, Liu Yuqing could not escape suspicion even though no evidence was found against him.

He was implicated as a result and was ignored by Emperor Jiazhao from then on. He was neither demoted nor transferred to another position, but was allowed to waste years in the same position.

However, Jia Cong, who was only the top scorer in the Yongzhou case at that time, passed the imperial examinations in just a few years, went to Nanjing twice, pacified the Jurchens, was conferred the title of super-class earl, and his reputation shook the world.

The young scholar back then was no longer someone Liu Yuqing could compare to.

That day, he was doing his usual paperwork as well as his daily duties, but he saw a figure swaying at the door of the government office.

When he saw clearly, he was shocked to find that the person was his superior, Zuodu Yushi Zhou Xianyang.

In Liu Yuqing's impression, he was the only one who went to Zhou Xianyang's official residence to report on official business, but the other party had never come to his official residence.

Liu Yuqing smiled and said, "Why is Lord Zhou free to come here today?"

Zhou Xianyang smiled faintly and said, "I encountered a rare incident today, so I came to ask Lord Liu what it was about."

Liu Yuqing was slightly stunned, and quickly said, "Master Zhou, please speak."

Zhou Xianyang said: "Just now, the palace eunuchs came to the Censorate to pass on the oral instructions. The emperor read the impeachment report submitted by Sun Shouzheng and praised him very much, saying that he worked hard and strictly followed the etiquette.

I was puzzled when I heard that you promoted me to the 7th rank Censor. Sun Shouzheng is working under you, so I came to ask you the reason.

I wonder why the impeachment he just submitted was so well received by His Majesty?"

Liu Yuqing was also shocked when he heard this. At that time, the censor Chen Minyan was demoted to the magistrate of Dezhou Prefecture, and the position of censor of Yongzhou Province under his jurisdiction became vacant. This is how Sun Shouzheng was able to enter the Censorate.

This person was a second-class Jinshi and did have some talent, but he was stubborn and upright, had a strong sense of propriety, and was somewhat inflexible. Liu Yuqing actually didn't think much of him.

It's just that Sun Shouzheng worked extremely diligently. Liu Yuqing himself had no hope of promotion and was too lazy to bother his subordinates, so he just let him do the work in the past few years. Unexpectedly, he suddenly caught the favor of the emperor.

He heard Zhou Xianyang mention that Sun Shouzheng was promoted because of the emperor's praise for the impeachment memorial he had just submitted.

He quickly went to the bookshelf behind him to look for relevant documents. The Censorate had two deputy censors, the left and the right, who were in charge of the supervision of several states. The Yongzhou Road mentioned by Sun Shouzheng was under the jurisdiction of Liu Yuqing.

The Supervisory Censors, who were in charge of the Left Censor-in-Chief Liu Yuqing, had to present a copy of the memorial to Liu for review and filing before submitting an impeachment memorial.

So Liu Yuqing quickly found the impeachment memorial that Sun Shouzheng had just submitted on the bookshelf.

When he read the contents of the memorial, he couldn't help but gasp. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?

Chen Minyan, the censor of Yongzhou Road under his command, was disgraced and demoted to the position of magistrate of Dezhou Prefecture because he impeached Jia Cong with false rumors. His official career was cut short from then on, and even Liu Yuqing was deeply implicated.

Now, Chen Minyan's successor was unexpectedly praised by the emperor and promoted because of the impeachment of matters related to Jia Cong.

Liu Yuqing couldn't help but smile bitterly in his heart. He really was in a fight with Jia Cong.

When Zhou Xianyang read the contents of the memorial, he immediately understood why Sun Shouzheng was favored by Emperor Jiazhao.

There are some things that a monarch should not speak openly about, so as not to lose his dignity as a king. As a subject, it is natural for him to worry about what the monarch worries about.

He smiled at Liu Yuqing and said, "The Yongzhou Dao Censor under your command is a lucky man. He has been favored by the emperor out of thin air."

Then he said seriously: "I think Lord Liu has also understood the emperor's intention in granting Censor Sun a favor. The Censorate is not only the voice of the people, but also the emperor's right-hand man.

The position of a hereditary hero is a prestigious position in the country. How can one be reluctant to give it up and violate the laws of the country based on family etiquette? This is a great mistake. Tomorrow morning, I will present a memorial to the emperor to explain the problem. What do you think, Lord Liu?"

……

When Liu Yuqing heard this, his spirits lifted, and then he felt ecstatic, as if he saw a glimmer of hope.

Because he was implicated in the false accusation of Jia Cong, he was left on the bench in the Censorate for several years.

Now, with a little bit of drink and a little bit of food, and by reporting the matter of Jia Cong in accordance with the emperor's wishes, perhaps the deadlock can be resolved and the emperor's forgiveness can be regained!
Liu Yuqing replied generously: "What Lord Zhou said is a righteous and brilliant theory of national law and etiquette. Tomorrow morning, Liu Yuqing will definitely follow Lord Zhou's lead!"

Not to mention that the Left Censor-in-Chief Zhou Xianyang knew very well that Liu Yuqing's selfish motives had always caused ripples in the political affairs of the court, which had never been confined to a certain time or place.

After Yuan Jing, who was on duty at Qianyang Palace, went to the Censorate, he immediately went to the Ministry of Personnel to summon the same oral order. In less than half a day, many well-informed officials had learned the news...

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

From the day the imperial edict was issued to Jia Cong to inherit the title, to the next five or six days, the house was filled with guests. Not to mention that Jia Cong was busy entertaining the guests, and the sisters in the family were also very happy.

The anxiety and jealousy hidden in the backyard of the West Mansion were growing day by day, without any decrease. They were unaware of the wind and rain outside, and were only confined to the inner house, calculating the two acres and three mu of land.

Mrs. Wang was so angry and sick that she racked her brains every day, thinking of how to preserve the power and authority of the second branch in Rong State now that Jia Cong's succession to the title had become a fact.

However, Jia Cong inherited the title and succeeded the throne by imperial decree. Even if he attacked him out of filial piety, it seemed that no feasible solution could be found. Even if he fell out with him and threw a tantrum, it would be of no avail.

Now the only thing Mrs. Wang can rely on is Jia Zheng's consistent kindness to Jia Cong. This is the only means to control Jia Cong and the only way to maintain the status of the second house.

Grandmother Jia has been worried these days, but what the old lady thinks in her heart is not as biased and narrow-minded as Lady Wang's.

Grandmother Jia enjoyed a life of wealth and glory. Perhaps in her heart, she had never changed. She was the ancestor of the East and West Mansions of the Jia family, and the most senior and respected lady of the state in the Jia family of Shenjing.

In recent years, as Jia Cong has continued to rise in power and been promoted to higher positions, Grandmother Jia has long wanted to give in to and win over this grandson whom she once despised. However, she cannot let go of her ancestral pride, and often ends up with the opposite result.

With the imperial edict that Rongguo would inherit the title, Lady Jia was finally forced into a corner with no room for retreat.

She knew very well that although Jia Cong was polite and considerate to her on the surface, he was probably very limited in his love for her as his grandmother.

He and I have never been close since childhood. The alienation between me and him in my heart, just like the alienation between me and him, has accumulated over time and is difficult to eliminate.

Therefore, the second son Jia Zheng is Jia Mu's greatest reliance in Rongguo Mansion. Only by maintaining the status of the second house in Rongguo Mansion can Jia Mu have a solid foundation and continue to enjoy the respect of Rongguo's ancestors.

Besides, there is Baoyu, whom she loves the most. As long as the dignity of the second branch of Rongguo is preserved, her Baoyu will be able to live a rich and worry-free life in the future.

In the past few days, Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang have discussed it several times. Since the title is irreversible, Lady Jia needs something to rely on, and Mrs. Wang cannot let the second house lose power.

The only way is to get Jia Cong's agreement to let the second branch take charge of the Rongguo Mansion's assets. Jia Cong would most likely agree to this for the sake of Jia Zheng's face, so that the second branch can continue to retain its foundation.

After lunch that day, Grandmother Jia asked Yuanyang to invite Jia Cong to Rongqing Hall to discuss matters.

……

Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong Courtyard.

After receiving the last group of guests yesterday, the east and west mansions of the Jia family finally became quiet.

The morning sunlight blended together, diluting the bitter cold of the severe winter in the capital. Seeing that Jia Cong finally had some free time, the sisters gathered in his yard to spend time.

The light in the study was bright and soft. Tanchun was writing a pair of Spring Festival couplets. Ever since she saw the note that Jia Cong wrote to Nanny Zhao that year, Tanchun fell in love with his calligraphy.

In recent years, she has copied Jia Cong's calligraphy whenever she has time, and has already acquired 70% of his charm. In the eyes of laymen, her calligraphy is almost indistinguishable from the original, which shows the effort Tanchun puts in.

Jia Cong stood behind Tanchun, sometimes commenting with a smile, and sometimes holding Tanchun's hand and writing a few words.

Yinglian helped to grind the ink while Lingguan stood aside and watched Tanchun write gracefully. Her handwriting was so similar to that of the Third Master that she was very envious and watched with great interest.

In the main room, Daiyu and Yingchun were playing chess. In terms of chess skill, Xiangyun was probably on the same level as Jia Cong. The worse she got, the more she loved to play. However, Yingchun beat her too many times, so she had to change the game to watching the game.

Baochai was chatting with Zhishao. She had heard everything her mother and brother said in the inner room that day. She did not sleep well the whole night. Although she was very upset, she could not make any sense of it.

Thinking that Jia Cong still had to observe mourning for three years, and that anything would happen many years later, he began to cover up his thoughts and stopped fantasizing.

In addition, her aunt had been looking at her with increasingly kind eyes recently, which made Baochai feel uncomfortable, so she came to the East Palace to play with her sisters more often than usual.

The morning sun in the courtyard was very bright. Wu'er and Qingwen, with two maids, were hanging out to dry the quilts and bed curtains in each room. The red and green silks, with the faint fragrance of residual fat, looked beautiful and gorgeous under the sunlight.

When Yuanyang entered the yard and saw the bustling crowd, he felt somewhat envious.

Ever since Jia Cong inherited the title, Grandmother Jia has been unhappy every day, and Mrs. Wang has been gloomy every day. The entire West Mansion has become increasingly strict, making Yuanyang, who serves Grandmother Jia, feel increasingly depressed.

On the other hand, the East Palace seemed to be filled with laughter and warmth every day. Being in it, Yuanyang felt more and more clearly the difference between the East and West Palaces.

In the study, Jia Cong received the message from Yuanyang and frowned slightly. He knew what Grandmother Jia wanted to discuss, and it was not a good thing.

However, he had received the title by imperial decree, and he followed the principles of propriety and law, so he did not have to worry about the evil spirits in the inner house. Even if he answered the questions in a straightforward manner, others would not be able to find any fault with him.

Tanchun was a smart woman, and now she was taking over the household duties from Wang Xifeng, so she naturally knew what the old lady was talking about when she asked her third brother to come to Rongqing Hall to discuss the matter.

She glanced at Yuanyang and said with some concern: "Third brother, the old lady and the wife must be discussing family affairs, why don't I go with you."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Third sister is a daughter of the second house after all. There are embarrassing things everywhere. I can't bear to involve you in it for nothing."

When Tanchun heard him say that he was reluctant to leave, her face turned red for no apparent reason, but she saw Jia Cong and Yuanyang had already left the study.

……

When entering the courtyard, Jia Cong suddenly thought of something and asked, "Sister Yuanyang, did the old lady only call me to discuss this matter?"

Yuanyang replied, "Besides the Third Master, the Master and his wife are also here, there is no one else."

After hearing this, Jia Cong said to Wu'er, who was drying bedding in the yard, "Wu'er, please help me invite my second sister-in-law to Rongqing Hall to discuss matters."

Wu'er quickly agreed and went to the West Mansion to call for help.

Yuanyang was a little surprised when she heard what Jia Cong said. The old lady didn't ask the second wife to come over, so why did the third master suddenly think of this?

But on second thought, now that Jia Cong has inherited the mansion and the title, he is very different from the past. He is the legitimate head of the Rongguo Mansion. If he wants to ask the second wife to come and discuss matters, there will naturally be no problem.

Yuanyang follows Lady Jia around every day, and knows a little about what the old lady and the mistress are thinking these days.

Thinking that Jia Cong had calmly asked Wang Xifeng to come over to discuss matters, which was beyond the old lady and the lady's expectations, she was afraid that today's matter would not be settled. She glanced at Jia Cong and couldn't help feeling a little worried.

When Jia Cong and Yuanyang arrived at Rongqing Hall, they saw that Lady Jia was already sitting in the hall, with Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang sitting below her.

Jia Zheng looked somewhat tired and impatient. Mrs. Wang had lost a lot of weight in the past few days and her face looked sickly, but her eyes were bright, dancing with a stubborn and focused light.

When she saw Jia Cong enter the hall, she just glanced at him and then lowered her eyes, but the rosary in her hand turned faster...

When Jia Cong saw him, Grandmother Jia said, "Brother Cong, now that you have been ordered to inherit the title and property of your ancestors, the Rongguo Mansion has finally found its place. This mansion is a little different from before.

As the saying goes, there is no order without rules. The family needs to establish some rules so that everything can go smoothly, the whole family can feel at ease, and the family business left by the ancestors can prosper properly.

You are a capable child. It is your duty to be an official outside and make achievements. We can't let you, a man, take care of the trivial matters at home every day. It's too unlike of you.

Your sister is also a capable person. She has kept your Earl's Mansion in good order inside and out. But I think it's quite hard for her as a girl to run around.

If the second girl is allowed to take care of the affairs of the West Mansion again, I'm afraid she will be exhausted. Her delicate body as a girl will never be able to handle it.

Besides, the second girl is still in the boudoir and will get married in the future. Even if you take charge of the West Mansion, it will not be a long-term solution. You are not married, and there is no female head of the household in the inner courtyard.

I have thought about it carefully for you and have come up with a solution that has the best of both worlds. Let your wife help you manage the family business. Your family members are the most trustworthy, so this is the most appropriate way.

When you return from mourning for six months, you will be able to serve the Emperor. You don’t have to worry about family matters, so you can concentrate on doing your job well. This is what it means to take care of both your family and your country.”

Jia Cong sneered in his heart. Grandmother Jia had thought it through carefully and even laid out the principle of not neglecting both family and country. She even took Yingchun and her future wife into account...

After hearing this, Jia Zheng looked unhappy and said, "Madam, Cong-ge'er was ordered to inherit the title and family property. He is the eldest son of the first house. Is it inappropriate to let the elders of the second house take charge of the family property?"

When Mrs. Wang heard what Jia Zheng said, her eyebrows almost stood up, and she was deeply resentful of Jia Zheng in her heart. The master really didn't know how powerful he was until he was in charge of the family. If she didn't give him a hand now, the second house would be left to starve in the future.

Grandmother Jia's face also darkened. Some things should not be said. Once they are said, things will be unpleasant. She was concentrating on making plans for the second house, but this naive son jumped out to sabotage her.

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became a little tense, and suddenly a crisp and cheerful voice was heard from outside the hall: "Sorry to have kept the old lady and third brother waiting for a long time, I just got the news and rushed here." (End of this chapter)