Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 126 Niu Jizong's visit, Jia Jing's plan
……

Jia Baoyu is undoubtedly a very filial child.

Seeing his mother eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures in the small Buddhist temple every day, lonely and helpless, he felt very sad, so he once again followed Xiren's advice and asked Jia Rong to plead for her.

Unexpectedly, it was a bad start.

When he met Lin Daiyu on the way, his mentality collapsed.

He came back and threw himself on the bed and started crying loudly.

"I'm not going to look for that bastard!"

"I will never go to the East Palace again."

Xiren smiled secretly, sat beside Baoyu and comforted him softly, "It doesn't matter if you don't want to go, Second Master. I have another way to rescue Madam, and you don't need to ask anyone for help, and Madam can come out openly."

"what?"

Jia Baoyu raised his head and wiped his tears.

"Study hard for the imperial examination and gain fame!"

Xiren spoke word by word.

In fact, her suggestion to Baoyu to go to the East Palace to invite Jia Rong was just a cover. She knew that this was impossible. Her real purpose was to make Baoyu suffer some hardships and realize the situation.

"Second Master is smart. As long as he calms down and studies hard, he will definitely pass the imperial examination and bring back an imperial decree for Madam. For Second Master's sake, Grand Master will not embarrass Madam anymore."

When Xiren returned home that day, she thought about it carefully and decided that she should stay with Baoyu.

After all, no matter what, Baoyu is still a real man in the mansion, and he is also favored by the old lady, which makes him much more respectable than being outside.

Besides, Baoyu has experienced so many things. If he could put his sisters and little maids aside and concentrate on studying, he would not have to worry about not passing the imperial examination.

I don't know...

Baoyu curled his lips in disdain after hearing Xiren's words: "What kind of fame and honor is that? I don't care about it!"

"I don't want to be a parasite like the East Palace Master, who is useless to the country and is good at bullying my family. Madam is kind and good-hearted, so what's wrong with that? What right does he have to drive people to the small Buddhist temple? I don't accept it!"

"I just don't accept it!"

As Baoyu spoke, he became more and more excited, and his eyes turned red.

Xiren was so angry that her head hurt. She covered her head and said, "Second Master is shouting here that he is not convinced, and Madam can come out?"

"Forget it, follow the Second Master."

"I'll be going back in a year anyway."

Baoyu was startled, and without caring about being angry, he asked hurriedly, "What did you say? What do you mean by going back?"

Xiren whispered, "When I went back a few days ago, my mother discussed with my brother and told me to be patient for a year. Next year they will come up and redeem me and take me home."

Baoyu was stunned: "Why did they redeem you? Is it because our family is not good or is it because of me?"

Xiren laughed and said, "Second Master, what you said is true. I am not your family's child. My whole family is away from home. Now that I am older, I will naturally go back to reunite with my family."

"As for our family and the Second Master, they are naturally good, but I am not worthy of them."

Baoyu hurriedly said, "I won't let you go!"

Xiren wanted to annoy Baoyu, so she deliberately chuckled and said, "We have never had such a rule in our family. The old lady is also kind and benevolent. Maybe she will even waive the money for redemption."

Jia Baoyu looked at Xiren in disbelief: "You, really have to leave?"

Xiren: "Why stay here if you don't leave? Are you going to watch the mistress suffer in the temple? The old lady is old, and the master only cares about the concubine. Let me say something that you may not like to hear. If concubine Zhao is promoted to the position of wife one day..."

"impossible!"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Jia Baoyu didn't believe it at all.

Favoring a concubine over a wife is a serious crime. How could his master do such a thing? The old lady would not allow it!

"hehe."

Xiren laughed and said, "Second Master, the old lady said that she would build a Buddhist temple for Madam in the backyard, why hasn't the construction started yet?"

Baoyu: "The old lady said it's too cold this year, so we should start building next year."

Xiren: "Second Master also said that he would study hard starting next year."

I lied to you, and you believe it?
Baoyu: "..."

Seeing Baoyu silent, Xiren sighed and said earnestly: "Wake up! Our home is no longer the same as before. Second Master, don't you see that there are fewer little maids in the yard? Some more will leave in the next two days."

"why?"

Baoyu said while holding back tears.

In fact, he also discovered that there were fewer and fewer maids in the yard, and they were not as numerous as before.

Xiren said, "Now the eldest lady is the housekeeper, and the share of the maids has been redistributed. The second master is now like the third master, with two maids and two old women around him. The reason why I am still here is because I am the old lady's person."

As they were speaking, Musk Moon and Qiu Wen came in carrying a small bag and kowtowed to Baoyu.

Baoyu's eyes turned red.

"What are you doing?"

The two cried and said, "We can no longer serve the Second Master."

"Where...are you going?" Baoyu said weakly.

The two shook their heads: "I don't know. The eldest wife wants us to follow Wang Shanbao. Can the second master go and ask for mercy?"

Wang Shanbao's wife was known to be cruel and especially liked to beat little girls, so the two were frightened and scared.

Baoyu said hurriedly: "Okay, you wait."

After saying that, he went outside.

The first wife had been very nice to him in the past, so he should be able to ask for favors.

Xiren smiled and said nothing.

After a while, Baoyu came back dejectedly and lay on the bed crying.

He didn't even get to see the first wife, but was instead ridiculed and mocked by Wang Shanbao's wife.

Upon seeing this, Musk Moon and Qiu Wen said nothing more and quietly took their small bags and went out.

Housekeeper Wang Shan had just ridiculed Baoyu and felt refreshed. She was waiting at the door and smiled when she saw Sheyue and Qiuwen come out.

She had long wanted to give the maids in Baoyu's room a good beating, but she regretted that she never had the chance.

"You two, come with me."

Wang Shanbao walked forward and said, "The eldest lady said that the kitchen is short of people to work on the fire. You two go and do your work quickly. Otherwise, don't blame me for not reminding you if you get beaten."

"Yes……"

The two of them agreed carefully. Now they dare not have the proud temper of the deputy lady.

after all……

The master is useless.

Here.

Baoyu cried for a while and then sat up.

"I want to study!"

"I'll go back to school tomorrow."

Xiren said happily: "That's it!"

"As long as Second Master studies hard, I won't leave."

……

Study in Ningguo Mansion.

"Lord Niu Jizong from the Zhenguo Mansion is here to visit."

"Tell him to come in."

After a while, Niu Jizong came in with a smile and bowed, "Congratulations, Elder Jia. It was inconvenient for me to come to your house a few days ago because there were too many people."

Jia Jing smiled and said, "You don't need to be so polite. Our two families have been relatives for a long time. In fact, you shouldn't have come today."

Niu Jizong frowned and said, "Does the old man really not care about the affairs of the Ministry of War anymore?"

Jia Jing nodded: "The emperor has given me the power to reform the commercial tax. The affairs of the Ministry of War are now in the charge of the left and right assistant ministers. I can't interfere."

"Hey!"

Niu Jizong sighed and said helplessly: "We were better off when the old man had the final say, but now that the old man doesn't care, I'm afraid we won't get any military pay."

Jia Jing took a sip of tea and smiled faintly: "Don't worry about this. It is indeed inconvenient for me to interfere in military affairs. As for the military pay, it will definitely be more timely than before."

Niu Jizong's eyes lit up: "Why is this?"

Jia Jing smiled and said, "You don't have to worry about this. Go back and appease your subordinates, and make up the outstanding food and wages for the New Year this year."

Naturally, he had to offer the money he earned as a tribute to the retired emperor, but the retired emperor could not swallow it all. It was reasonable and justifiable for the remaining silver to be used first to pay off the military pay owed to the Ministry of War by the Ministry of Revenue.

Shouldn’t the Ministry of Revenue be grateful?

This is an important reason why he was willing to make money for the emperor.

The basic foundation of military honors cannot be lost.

Given his status, he is destined to be unable to control the civil service group, and he will have to rely on nobles in the future.

Niu Jizong stood up and saluted excitedly.

"Thank you, sir!"

Jia Jing waved his hand and said, "Go back. Don't come here if you have nothing to do."

“Hehe.” Niu Jizong said with a smile: “Don’t worry, old man, I understand… There is one more thing.”

Jia Jing: "Speak."

Niu Jizong: "This time when we went to Shaanxi to recruit soldiers, the Right Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War, He Yuanqiu, came to the Beijing Camp to ask for people. Will you give him elite troops?"

Jia Jing thought for a moment and said, "Even a lion will use all its strength to fight a rabbit. Let's take the best troops with him. Besides, there's no danger. He can at least gain some merits and also train his troops."

Niu Jizong said: "The battle reports are all from the mouths of the civil officials. They say that they are responsible for all the planning and victory far away. They never mention the bloody battles of the soldiers. They never mention how many good brothers died in the last suppression of bandits in Antu Mountain. If it weren't for you, the adults, who were involved..."

"Okay, stop complaining." Jia Jing interrupted, "If you don't want to go, don't go. Let someone else go."

Niu Jizong: "Haha, I'm just saying it casually. Even a small mosquito leg is still meat. I'll add some merits to my list."

……

Honeycomb briquettes.

Jia Rong has been doing this after school recently.

Coal and yellow mud are readily available, but Jia Rong is not clear about the proportions, so it is rather troublesome and requires repeated experiments.

Xiao Zhuzi was unlucky. Jia Rong ordered him to smash charcoal and play with mud. His whole body and face were covered in black, like a little devil.

"Ahem, sir."

"What are we doing this for?"

Xiao Zhuzi was about to cry.

If Xiao Xiao Qingwen was the deputy young lady, he was the deputy young master, who dressed neatly every day and served the master to and from school.

What kind of work have you been doing these days?

"What? You don't want to? Then go down, I'll find someone else."

"No, no." Xiao Zhuzi said hurriedly, "Master, I'm just joking. I'm willing to do it."

"Then keep doing your job well."

Jia Rong has been the same these days. His whole body is covered in black and he has to take a shower every day when he gets home.

Finally, four or five days later.

Jia Rong made the finished honeycomb briquettes.

I made a mud stove with green bricks and yellow mud, and tried it out by lighting it. The effect was very good and it could completely replace part of the charcoal.

What's more important is that it is ten times cheaper than charcoal.

Most of Kyoto's charcoal is obtained from Yun'an Mountain, northwest of Kyoto. After years of logging, the area has become bare, and the logging site has to be moved to the more distant Yunmu Mountain.

The whole process of logging, transportation and burning leads to extremely high price of charcoal. Moreover, the Ministry of Industry also wants to make a profit from it, so the price makes ordinary people feel priced out.

Every winter, countless people freeze to death.

This honeycomb briquettes are durable and cheap.

People's first choice.

Nobles and officials can also use it. Although it cannot be placed in a hand warmer, it is completely fine to use it on the floor fire in a fumigation cage or a warm room.

It will definitely sell well!
The problem now is that the imperial court does not allow the mining of the coal mines in Xishan, and the people in the Imperial Observatory are afraid of disturbing the feng shui of Kyoto.

He was totally helpless about this.

Jia Jing has to find a solution.

……

(End of this chapter)