Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia temporarily put aside her feelings for Yuchuan, and according to Feng'er's calculations, her daughter-in-law, who was a maid, would not be able to stay sooner or later, so she should just let nature take its course.

He said to Madam Wang, "You don't need to be soft-hearted. This matter is too serious. If Qin Xian and his wife act as if nothing happened, how can they possibly get away with it?"

We should do as Cong-ge'er wishes. Go back and explain the situation clearly, so that the couple can leave the mansion as soon as possible and avoid seeing each other and getting annoyed.

With the two of them nowhere to be seen, half the gossip was gone, and even the distant relatives on the street, though they might have some idle chatter, quickly lost interest.

Wang Xifeng chimed in, "What the old lady says makes sense. Nowadays, the public funds are less than in previous years, and we are always short of money every month."

These restless lackeys are better off being eliminated; it reduces potential threats to the household and saves on expenses…

Jia Cong didn't pay much attention to Wang Xifeng's words, but seeing Wang's depressed and uneasy expression, his doubts deepened.

Qin Yong drove a kind-hearted person to death. After such a heinous act was exposed, Madam Wang still thought about protecting Qin Xian and his wife. Her unusual care for the Qin family was truly abnormal.

Jiang Liu had learned that Qin Yong had made a windfall two months prior, which was why he had the money to go on a pleasure boat and drink, which led to the incident involving the singing girl.

Moreover, his drunken ramblings at the tavern were overheard by Jiang Liu, leading him to suspect that Jin Rong had been assassinated, possibly related to Qin Yong.

Jia Cong originally intended to use the victim's complaint to bring Qin Yong into the hands of the authorities.

As long as Qin Yong is interrogated by Sanmu at the prefectural government office, the truth will come to light regarding whether his unclear source of wealth is related to the plot against Jin Rong.

According to Jia Cong's vague deduction, these things are mostly related to the East Road Courtyard.

As long as Qin Yong confesses that the matter involves the Jia family, Zhen'an Prefecture will have to pursue and convict him based on his confession. Any shady dealings in the East Road Courtyard will no longer be able to be covered up.

When he becomes the head of the family, he can act in accordance with the family rules and clear away the gloom in the family, so that there will be no more resentment and covetousness, no more hidden malice and obstacles that are hard to guard against.

……

But he didn't expect that Qin Yong's wanderings yesterday and failure to return all night would allow him to escape the Zhen'an Prefecture's pursuit.

Jia Cong's expectations were completely dashed, and he had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being.

Fortunately, the trouble caused by Yu Chuan was resolved, which can be considered as fulfilling the entrustment of Bao Chai and Jin Chuan.

Wang Xifeng originally wanted to use Qin Yong's matter to bring up the issue of Lady Wang's poor management of the household, and then use this to implicate the reduction of the monthly allowance, but she couldn't find a suitable topic for the time being.

Because of Qin Yong's incident, the second branch of the family was held responsible, making them increasingly vulnerable in front of the first branch of the family, which added to Grandmother Jia's worries.

Given the current situation, the second branch of the family has made a serious mistake due to lax household management, making it even more difficult for them to avoid the confrontation regarding Wang Xifeng's suggestion to cut clothes.

If the second wife wants to get an extra 30% of the allowance next year so that Baoyu and the eldest maid can live a decent life, she can only start by targeting her own second wife to shut the eldest wife up.

The people in the hall had different thoughts, and after agreeing on how to deal with Qin Xian and his wife, they dispersed.

As Jia Cong stepped out of the hall, he saw Yu Chuan following behind Madam Wang, constantly turning back to look at him.

Her bright and captivating eyes held restrained joy and deep gratitude.

Yu Chuan probably wouldn't know about his arrangements, but she must have sensed something, which made Jia Cong instantly understand her gaze.

His face was warm, with a slight smile on his lips, and he nodded slightly to her.

When Yu Chuan saw Jia Cong's expression, her bright eyes revealed a shy joy, radiating a touch of innocent radiance. She turned and followed Madam Wang away into the distance.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Sister Feng's Courtyard.

The weather was gloomy and the wind was biting cold, but the courtyard was bustling with activity. Maids and servants from all over the mansion came and went, and there were often soft laughs.

Today is the day for distributing monthly allowances. Fengjie's courtyard is usually not crowded, so this day is the liveliest of the month.

Wang Xifeng, dressed in a bright red felt cloak and followed by her maid Feng'er, returned from Rongqing Hall.

The people collecting their monthly stipends immediately quieted down and bowed to Wang Xifeng as soon as she entered the courtyard, making the courtyard instantly quiet.

Now, Second Madam holds the reins of the West Mansion's household management, with Third Master Cong of the East Mansion backing her up. She is seen as a god of wealth by all the servants in the mansion.

They also knew that the Second Mistress was incredibly cunning and ruthless, far surpassing the average man, and none dared to act recklessly in front of her.

Once Wang Xifeng entered the main room, the maids and servants who were receiving their monthly stipends immediately became more efficient and quieter.

Not long after, everyone quickly received their monthly allowance and dispersed, leaving the courtyard quiet.

Wu'er laughed and said, "It only goes smoothly when Second Mistress is in charge. These old ladies and maids have so much to say. What can be done in one sentence will turn into ten sentences."

Their chatter was giving everyone a headache, but as soon as Second Grandmother entered the courtyard, they all quieted down, and the matter was handled extremely quickly.

……

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "I wonder what these people are saying about me behind my back. They're probably calling me ruthless and mean."

But with such a large family, inside and out, if you're not shrewd and harsh, how can you keep this household in check? Sooner or later, things will turn upside down.

The second wife was once a formidable figure, but now that she has lost some of her influence, a major incident has occurred in the east wing courtyard; just now, even the main gate was blocked by government officials.

Ping'er and Wu'er's expressions changed slightly upon hearing this, and they hurriedly asked what had happened.

The news of the Zhen'an Prefecture's arrest of people at the East Road Courtyard has spread throughout Ningrong Street.

But since the incident had just occurred, although the news had reached Rongqing Hall, it had not yet spread throughout the inner courtyard of the West Mansion.

Wu'er and Ping'er were busy with household chores and distributing monthly allowances, so they naturally hadn't heard any news yet.

Wang Xifeng recounted the events that had just transpired in Rongqing Hall in detail, leaving Wu'er and Ping'er utterly astonished.

Ping'er said, "After what happened with Musk Moon last time, everyone said that Qin Yong was a bad person, which is why Musk Moon refused to submit even in death."

I never imagined this person could be so wicked. Such arrogance from a servant, driving a respectable young woman to her death—these words are far too harsh.

Wang Xifeng said, "This is not the strangest thing. Even after such a disgraceful thing happened, the Second Madam still protected Qin Xian and his wife."

After being persuaded by Brother Cong and the master, he reluctantly agreed, which seemed rather strange.

What benefits did the Qin family give the second wife that made her go to such lengths to protect her? I absolutely do not believe there is nothing strange about this.

Moreover, Qin Yong has now escaped, and the authorities cannot apprehend him. This matter is far from over, and it is uncertain whether there will be any further developments in the future.

Originally, the second wife had made a big mistake in managing the household, and she was largely to blame. I had planned to take advantage of this situation to cut back on expenses.

However, given the scene in the hall just now, it was difficult to find a suitable topic of conversation, and the Second Master was also present. He and Brother Cong had a bond of friendship, so there were some things that were hard to say openly.

However, the expenses of the Western Mansion next year will be even tighter than this year. If we don't do these things that offend people, the hardship and toil will ultimately fall on us few stewards.

The second wife's family has made a huge mistake. If we don't seize the opportunity and strike while the iron is hot, it will be even more difficult to achieve anything later.

……

Wu'er said, "Second Madam is absolutely right. The East Mansion has less than a hundred people, and there is no formal etiquette between elders, so everything is naturally simple and straightforward."

But the West Mansion is the residence of a hereditary noble family. If the public treasury has to support so many people and can't establish rules, and everything is done haphazardly, it will eventually become unsustainable and wasteful.

However, Grandma said that because Second Master was present, some things were difficult to say openly, but I don't think so.

Third Master and Second Master were close since childhood, not only because Second Master protected and supported Third Master when he was young, but also because the two had similar temperaments.

The second master was upright and valued poetry, books, and etiquette, which the third master admired and mentioned in his conversations.

The second master might not be so uncomfortable knowing about the grandmother's plans; if they were discussed in the right setting, things might even work out.

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up slightly. After a moment's thought, a smile appeared on her face, making her look exceptionally beautiful and charming.

He laughed and said, "Fifth Sister is the most thoughtful and clever. Her words have reminded me that I was really thinking too narrowly before."

She called out towards the door, and the maid Feng'er nimbly entered, asking, "What are your orders, Second Mistress?"

Wang Xifeng said, "Go and call Aunt Lin over. I'll wait for her in the inner room. If there's anything important, tell her to do it."

Wu'er and Ping'er looked at each other, Wu'er was even more confused. She had just said it casually, did Second Madam really come up with an idea?

Not long after, Feng'er returned with Lin Zhixiao's wife, and Wang Xifeng led them into the inner room.

Wu'er and Ping'er heard voices coming from the inner room, but they couldn't hear the specific content because of the thick curtain.

After a short while, Lin Zhixiao's wife finally came out of the inner room and walked out of the courtyard without stopping.

Seeing Wang Xifeng's strange expression, Ping'er couldn't help but laugh and say, "What's with this mysterious act, Second Madam?"

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "In theatrical performances, if you want to make them look good, you can't reveal your secrets. If you do, they won't work. Just you wait and see."

……

Rongguo Mansion, East Courtyard.

Inside the inner courtyard, Li Wan, holding her son Jia Lan's hand, was walking around, assigning tasks to the maids and servants, each keeping to their assigned place. Since the government officials entered the mansion to arrest people, although the women had all taken refuge in the main hall of the inner courtyard, they had not been disturbed in the slightest.

Liu Binfang also strictly disciplined her subordinates, forbidding any intrusion into the inner courtyard, but this still had a great impact on the entire East Courtyard Second Branch.

In addition, Jia Zheng returned to the mansion in a rage and drove Qin Xian and his wife, who were in charge of the inner and outer courtyards, into the woodshed in the outer courtyard, making the entire East Wing courtyard appear particularly gloomy and oppressive.

After Madam Wang went to the West Mansion, she never returned, causing unrest among the maids and servants in the courtyard.

Of course, there were exceptions. Aunt Zhao, on the contrary, was in a good mood, cracking melon seeds in her mouth, standing at the gate of her own courtyard, leisurely watching the excitement.

Because Qin Xian's wife was a confidante of Madam Wang and usually acted with great pomp in the inner courtyard, Madam Wang disliked Aunt Zhao, so naturally she didn't give Aunt Zhao a good look either.

Now that Qin Xian's family is in trouble, Aunt Zhao is naturally in high spirits and extremely pleased.

In the end, it was Li Wan who, seeing that the inner court was in disarray, stepped forward to inspect and manage the various areas, thus calming people's hearts down a little.

Seeing the scene in the inner courtyard, Li Wan couldn't help but sigh and held her son's hand even tighter.

Back then, she was the legitimate daughter of Li Shouzhong, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, and came from a very noble family. Her husband, Jia Zhu, was the heir apparent of the Rongguo Mansion.

Jia Zhu, having just passed the age of 18, became a scholar and a prominent figure among the sons of noble families in the capital.

Unexpectedly, a huge change occurred eight years ago when Jia Zhu passed away at a young age. What was once an enviable marriage is now nothing but endless sighs.

Even so, Li Wan, with her son Jia Lan, was still able to live a respectable life in the grand mansion.

Grandmother Jia took good care of her granddaughter-in-law, giving her double the monthly allowance so that she could properly raise her son.

Although Jia Cong eventually inherited the title of Rongguo and the second branch of the family moved to the East Courtyard, Li Wan didn't care much about it.

She was a widow with no other hope than raising her son.

Furthermore, the family has a cousin with remarkable literary talent, who serves as an excellent role model and inspiration for the son's studies.

……

However, the mother-in-law was resentful and always coveted the Xi family's property, which led to a strained relationship with the eldest son's family and frequent conflicts.

As a daughter-in-law, Li Wan naturally kept her expression and words in check, simply to protect herself.

In recent years, the second branch of the family has become increasingly decadent. Their only legitimate son, Baoyu, is lazy, absurd, and incompetent, and his future has been ruined by the Imperial Clan Court.

Seeing that the second wife's family has little chance of advancement in the future, and now with the incident of a servant driving someone to their death, the second wife's reputation is becoming increasingly tarnished.

She herself came from a scholarly family, which she felt ashamed of. Her son would have to study for the imperial examinations in the future, and the second wife's family reputation was ruined, which would likely also jeopardize his future.

But these are things she can't control, so she can only take it one day at a time and do her best to raise her son well.

Fortunately, the second wife's family wasn't completely despondent. A few days ago, she heard from her maid, Suyun, that the third daughter had been frequently coming to the east courtyard to instruct her brothers.

Huan-ge'er has recently changed his ways and has become more diligent in his studies, which is quite unexpected.

I heard that San Ya Tou worked hard to teach her brothers, thanks to the guidance and help of Cong, who also helped Huan Ge to get into the Imperial Academy.

This gave Li Wan some hope. The rift between the madam and the eldest son's family was deepening, but Aunt Zhao had some good fortune, as all the children in the house were close to Cong-ge'er.

Li Wan recalled that ever since San Yatou moved into the East Mansion, everyone had said that she was highly valued and loved by Cong Ge'er.

However, after moving to the East Road Courtyard, he rarely saw San Yatou anymore.

She is, after all, her husband's younger sister. For Lan'er's future, it's best to be closer to her...

As Li Wan was pondering this, she saw Jia Zheng and Lady Wang heading towards the main hall, so she quickly led her son away to avoid them.

……

East Courtyard, Inner Courtyard Hall.

Jia Zheng sent a maid to the outer courtyard to deliver a message, instructing Li Gui to select a clever servant and arrange carriages to wait in the outer courtyard, awaiting his instructions.

Then they brought Qin Xian's family into the main room and gave them a severe scolding.

The couple was ordered to set off immediately to stay at the Tongxian Farmhouse, and were not allowed to set foot in the East Courtyard again!

After Jia Zheng stormed off, only Lady Wang, Yu Chuan, and Qin Xian's wife remained in the main room, and the atmosphere became extremely oppressive.

Madam Wang found an excuse to send Yu Chuan away. Yu Chuan felt very relieved to see Qin Xian's wife in such a sorry state.

She didn't want to share a room with this person either, so she was naturally happy to leave early.

After Yu Chuan left the main room, Qin Xian's wife, with less restraint, sobbed and said, "The Qin family is loyal to Madam. Please have mercy and leave me a way out."

My wife and I are both getting on in years, and we were once the managers of the East Wing. Now that we've been sent to live on the farm, how can we ever face anyone again?

Although my wicked son is despicable, he has always been loyal to his wife…

Madam Wang's face turned ugly, and she shouted, "Shut up! I don't care that your son drinks and gambles all the time."

But he shouldn't have been so audacious as to drive a respectable girl to her death, despite being a slave.

What a terrible mess he's made! He's ruined the reputation of the second wife!
I pleaded with the old lady on your behalf, but it was no use. Qin Yong's actions were too outrageous to be covered up.

You two can't avoid this either way. You'd better settle down at the manor. If you say anything more and anger the master, your lives will be in danger!

……

Upon hearing this, Qin Xian's heart turned cold. He and his wife had spent half their lives scheming, but because of Wang Shanbao's family, they had never been able to get ahead.

After enduring so much hardship, the second wife moved to the East Courtyard and became the steward of both the inner and outer quarters under Madam Wang. Her period of glory was short-lived, and she soon found herself in such a predicament.

Her family was utterly loyal to her, but when something went wrong, they were discarded like dead dogs, fueling a deep resentment within her...

Seeing Qin Xian's ashen face, Madam Wang gradually calmed down and took out a hundred-tael silver note from her person.

He softened his tone and said, "Things are getting tense right now, so you should go to the farm to stay first. Take this hundred taels of silver to settle down."

Once things have calmed down and the master has lost his temper, I will find a way to settle you all.

You two need to understand that Qin Yong has committed a serious crime. If the authorities arrest him, he will face certain death.

"Shenjing is such a small place, it seems he'll have a hard time escaping..."

……

Qin Xian's wife left the main room dejectedly, and as she walked, she was pointed at and whispered about by people, making her feel ashamed to death.

She was by nature shallow and mean-spirited, and had been suppressed in the West Mansion in the past.

Once she became the steward of the East Courtyard, she naturally became arrogant and bossy towards the maids and servants. Everyone was afraid of the power she held, so they naturally swallowed their anger.

Now that she's fallen on hard times, those who harbored resentment in the past will naturally seek revenge.

From the main room to the entrance of the inner courtyard, there wasn't much of a path, but Qin Xian's family heard mocking laughter and curses all the way.

As soon as they arrived at the inner courtyard gate, Li Gui, accompanied by two servants, was already waiting there.

They put the couple under guard, took them back to their residence to pack their belongings, and then escorted them to the farm in the manor's carriage.

Qin Xian's family had enjoyed their glory for more than half a year, but now they had been stripped naked and were being laughed at and insulted at will, making them so angry that they were about to explode.

The couple returned to their residence. Li Gui and his servant guarded the courtyard, while Qin Xian's wife pulled her husband into the room and quickly closed the door, repeating what Madam Wang had said.

He said, “My dear husband, we are so loyal to our wife, but now that Yong’er is in trouble, she wants to abandon us. I can’t swallow this.”

Although I don't know the details of what she did, I can mostly guess what she was up to. Does she really think we're made of clay?

Qin Xian glared and said, "So what if you can't swallow this? You've spoiled this ignorant beast. It's one thing for him to drink and frequent brothels."

He dared to sleep with girls from respectable families, so who can he blame for ending up in this state?

Our Qin family are hereditary slaves of the Jia family, generation after generation. Even if you sell the madam and bring her down, we will still be slaves of the Jia family.

Do you think that Master Cong and the Master will let us go? They certainly won't take our lives overnight; it's just a matter of paying several generations' worth of rice and grain to the government.

Your son is a bastard, and you're a brainless idiot. Don't expect anything now, just settle down at the farm first.

The lady is right. If Yong'er falls into the hands of the government, he will surely die.

He must have heard the news and fled. In the past two years, we have been secretly buying houses in the west of the city without telling anyone. Yong'er must have gone to hide there.

He still had some money on hand, and having experience in the business world, he hoped he could escape with his life.

Now that the family is alive, there will be hope for the future. The lady gave us a hundred taels of silver. As long as she doesn't go too far, we'll leave room for maneuver.

The journey to the farm takes a day and a night, so please be careful on the road..." (End of Chapter)