Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 112: By order of the young patriarch.

……

There is another important reason why Jia Rong chose to go home. The Imperial College is very close to Ningguo Mansion. It used to take half an hour to take a carriage from Xishan Academy to go home, but now it only takes a little more than a quarter of an hour to get from the Imperial College to home, so basically no time is wasted.

After all, you can think about the ideas for writing an article while riding in a carriage, which doesn't delay you at all.

"Brother Rong."

On the way back to the yard, I met Xue Baochai.

Although Xue Baochai had a sweet smile on her face, she actually felt some unknown resentment in her heart.

Jia Rong flirted with her that day, and then he completely ignored her afterwards.

I feel a little lost.

Originally, she wanted to call him "Brother Rong", but then she felt embarrassed and changed her words to "Brother Rong".

"Aunt Bao."

Jia Rong looked at Xue Baochai calmly and said with a smile, "Brother Xue, how are you these past two days?"

"much better."

Baochai forced a smile.

She would rather Jia Rong call her Sister Baochai.

Even Miss Bao is fine.

But today, Jia Rong suddenly became very serious.

For a moment, Baochai couldn't tell whether Jia Rong was a real gentleman or a playboy from an aristocratic family, so she had to be serious too, saying with a smile: "Mom keeps him at home and doesn't let him run around. He just eats and sleeps all day, and he has gained a lot of weight."

"Haha."

Jia Rong imagined that Xue Pan looked not much different from Baoyu, and said with a smile: "Didn't he say he wanted to study? Has he studied in the past few days?"

Baochai shook the beauty fan in her hand and chuckled, "I read it, but after recognizing a few words a day, I fell asleep and went to sleep again."

"Take it slow. Learning a few words a day is also progress." As he spoke, he had already reached the door of his house. Jia Rong invited him, "Aunt Bao, if you have nothing to do, come home and have a cup of tea."

"Then excuse me."

Baochai agreed with a smile and followed Jia Rong into the yard.

Qingwen and Xiangling were originally playing and fooling around in the corridor. When they saw the two men coming in, they hurried forward to greet them.

"Master."

"Miss Bao."

Xiangling even bowed once more to Baochai, "Miss."

Baochai pulled Xiangling and said with a smile: "Follow your master and serve him well. There is a saying that goes "after suffering comes happiness", which is just right for you."

Xiangling's face turned red and she lowered her head without saying a word.

Qingwen smiled and said, "Miss Bao, please come in and have some tea. Don't embarrass our Xiangling."

Baochai smiled and said, "Look, now you have good sisters to support you."

As she spoke, Baochai went into the room and sat on a chair outside. Seeing Jia Rong holding a book in his hand, she smiled and said, "Rong'er, just go back to your studies. Don't let me come here to play and delay your studies. That would be a sin."

"Girl, have some tea."

Qingwen brought tea.

Ping Erh also came out and said with a smile, "Miss Bao, you've come at the right time. I was just about to ask you for something, so I don't have to make a trip."

Baochai asked with a smile, "What's the matter?"

Ping Er smiled and said, "There's someone out there who wants the manor of Lord Wang these days. The price is 60,000 taels. What do you think, Miss Bao?"

Baochai had never read Zhuangzi, so she didn't know the value. She just smiled and said, "It's fine if you think it's good. I'm just waiting to share the money."

Ping Er smiled and said, "Then we agree. We will have someone go to the government office to handle the formalities tomorrow. As for the money, we will send it to the young lady the day after tomorrow morning."

Baochai smiled and said, "Actually, there's no need to be so anxious. I'm not waiting to use it."

Ping Er sneered, "How can I not be anxious? I have to take it quickly and put it under the dowry box before I can feel at ease."

"You girl."

Baochai reached out and pinched Ping'er's pretty face.

Ping Er quickly turned away and said with a smile, "I am speaking seriously."

Baochai looked inside and said with a smile, "Rong'er is still studying. I won't bother you anymore. I'll bother you next time when I have time."

Then he stood up and walked out of the house.

Just then Xichun came.

"Sister Bao is here too."

Xichun walked forward, took Baochai's hand and said with a smile.

Sister Bao has been coaxing her to a pulp recently. If she hadn't known Sister Lin for a long time, she would have almost gotten together with Sister Bao.

"I met Rong'er at the door and came over to have a cup of tea." Baochai said with a smile.

Ping Er followed him out the door and said with a smile, "Miss Bao is here to ask for her dowry from Master."

"Oh!" Xichun said with a smile, "Did Ronger take Sister Bao's dowry? I'll go talk to him."

Baochai said shyly, "Don't listen to Ping'er's nonsense. I'll go and bother her when I have time."

"I'm going back."

Baochai said this and left quickly.

Xichun staggered in and sat opposite Jia Rong, supporting her head with one hand until Jia Rong finished writing an article.

"Aunt? When did you come?"

"I've been here for a while, and seeing that you were concentrating, I didn't disturb you."

Jia Rong also admired his own concentration more and more.

Surrounded by beautiful maids, especially Miss Baochai, he was able to concentrate and finish writing the article. With such concentration, if he didn't pass the imperial examination, who would?

"Sister Bao just came."

"Yes, I know. I invited him."

Xichun smiled and said, "Since they have invited us, you can't entertain them properly. Just write an article here. Sorry for neglecting them."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "Miss Bao, of course you can understand that studying is the most serious thing to do. The rest is just a waste of time."

Xichun smiled and said, "It's not like you're not doing your job properly. Lifelong matters are more important. Rong'er, you're already sixteen!"

Jia Rong waved his hand gently and said calmly, "Little aunt, just prepare the red envelopes. When I pass the imperial examination, I will marry a few more girls to honor you."

"Hehe." Xichun covered her mouth and laughed, "How many should I marry?"

Jia Rong said seriously, "At least...several."

It’s actually a little bit short of getting a place on the list of successful candidates.

When will the grandfather and grandson have the power to dominate the government and be second only to the emperor!
Princess too... forget it!

As for the rest, the principle is not to marry someone with the same surname.

Xichun smiled happily.

"That puts me at ease."

"I'm going to go play with Sister Lin, are you coming?"

Jia Rong thought for a moment and said, "I have some things to do here. Little aunt, go and say hello to Aunt Lin for me."

"Ok!"

Xichun nodded and went outside.

At this time.

Ping Erh came in with tea and said with a smile, "Miss Bao just said that she is only waiting to divide the money, and everything is up to us."

Jia Rong took a sip of tea and said, "Miss Bao is straightforward. In that case, let's go to the government office tomorrow to get the job done. After all, we need the money urgently."

Ping Er nodded and said, "I was just about to tell you, Master. Zhou Rui's family's property, including their calligraphy and paintings, was sold at the pawnshop for a total of 80,000 taels of silver, which was all given to the Second Master of the Xue family to take to Jiangnan to buy grain."

"The eldest master sent someone to say that there are three hundred of the old master's former soldiers, as well as many young men, all here together. He asked if we wanted them all."

Jia Rong asked, "You want them all? How many people are there in total?"

Ping'er said, "There are more than 600 people in total. If they bring their families with them, there will be more. But the master said that the families will be sent to us for free. In addition, some of the personal soldiers are too old to work, so we only need to fill the gap of 400 laborers, which means a total of 8,000 taels of silver to make up for the lack of manpower in the farm."

Twenty taels per person. The master is very knowledgeable. Under normal circumstances, this is the price for legitimate labor.

"Take the money tomorrow and send it to the master. Send the rest of the money to Xue Ke to continue buying food."

"Give all the personal soldiers from the Western Palace to Jiao Da and have him take them to the manor outside the capital for training."

"Also, find someone to watch over Madam Wang's remaining concubines. If anything happens, arrest them all and confiscate their property immediately. Don't be polite."

Mrs. Wang has already taken care of everything, so there is no reason to keep a few concubines there.

Ping'er nodded and agreed to everything.

……

the other side.

Baochai returned home feeling somewhat confused.

Now she has her own courtyard, just to the east of Xue Baoqin. Aunt Xue couldn't resist the warm invitation of the master of the West Mansion, and took Xue Pan to live in Lixiangyuan.

After their brother was exiled, they were left alone with their widowed mother and a huge fortune.

I absolutely dare not move out.

In the mansion...

I say I have someone to rely on, but actually I don’t.

How much of the affection between relatives from lifetimes ago can still be retained now?
"Girl, what are we having for dinner tonight? I'll go to the kitchen and ask for it."

Ying'er's words interrupted Baochai's wandering thoughts.

Baochai waved her hand casually and said, "Just order two side dishes, and don't forget to pay them. It's free accommodation, but you can't eat or drink for free."

Ying'er smiled and said, "Yes, the money I gave you last time is enough for a month."

"That's good, let's go."

Ying'er did not go, but approached Baochai and said with a smile: "Miss, did you go to Master Rong's yard just now?"

"That's all you know!"

Baochai said something angrily.

Ying Er smiled and said, "I know even more."

"Brother Rong, Sister Bao, hehe."

Baochai blushed immediately.

"You damn girl, you want to slap me in the face, right?"

Ying Er begged for mercy: "I won't do it again, I won't do it again, please forgive me this time, young lady."

Baochai frowned and said, "Don't say such things anymore in the future. Who are we? How can we..."

His brother was still an exiled criminal. Even if the grandfather took her in out of kinship, he couldn't possibly help her become the future mistress of the Ningguo Mansion. At most...

Take some care!
……

The autumn wind blows.

Aunt Xue had nothing to do that day, so she prepared to go to the Buddhist temple in the backyard to visit her sister, Mrs. Wang, who was worshiping Buddha.

At that time, the two maids from Wu Xin's family and Zheng Hua's family were inside talking.

"Madam, my uncle was promoted to the commander of nine provinces the other day and went to the frontier to serve the country. When he comes back, he might have been granted a title of nobility and appointed as prime minister." Wu Xinjia said with a smile.

Mrs. Wang nodded, clutching her Buddhist beads.

"Brother is the most capable person. You should be patient for a while. Don't let others catch you like Zhou Rui's family did. When brother returns triumphantly and is made a marquis and prime minister, our Wang family will rise!"

"When the time comes, won't the old lady have to come in person to ask me to leave this Buddhist temple?" Mrs. Wang said with a smile on her face.

It was as if I saw Jia Jing being dismissed from office and Jia's mother's ridiculous look of regret.

Zheng Hua's wife laughed and said, "Madam, you are right. Both our families have asked for leave to go home these days. Anyway, the eldest wife is in charge of this place, so we have nothing to do and are happy to have free time."

"She is the housekeeper? What kind of management is she doing?" Mrs. Wang sneered.

Wu Xinjia laughed and said, "We two secretly arranged a few trusted people in the back. The whole yard is in chaos and there is no order in sight."

"Hahaha."

Mrs. Wang smiled happily.

Just at this moment, several burly old women from the East Palace came over, and the few people were startled.

"What are you doing!"

Mrs. Wang said in a timid tone.

Several maids smiled slightly.

"On the orders of the young clan leader, arrest the thieves in the Jia Mansion."

(End of this chapter)