Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 334 Ambition
……

The next day, after settling down at home, Jia Rong began to prepare for the burial of Master Zhen. He first invited a hundred monks from the Buddhist temple to chant sutras to pray for Master Zhen's soul-stirring end. He then went to the Taoist temple and invited ninety-nine Taoist priests to perform a ritual. The ceremony lasted for three days, and finally the burial was carried out on the selected day.

At this point, Mr. Zhen was finally laid to rest, bringing his life to a perfect end.

Jia Rong stayed alone in front of the tomb for half a day, talking to himself while drinking half a pot of old wine with Master Zhen and saying many intimate things. He returned home near dusk.

"Brother Rong!"

Jia Rong looked up dazedly and saw Lin Daiyu walking out from the corridor beside him.

She was wearing a white dress with a moon-white silk ribbon tied tightly around her waist, so light that it could not be held in one hand. She only had a light white flower on her head, and no gold hairpins to decorate her hair.

"Master...are you settled?" Lin Daiyu walked to Jia Rong and said softly.

"Okay, thank you very much."

Jia Rong raised his hand and gently touched the decorative white flower on Daiyu's head. It turned out to be an artificial flower made of silk thread.

"Thank you for what? I don't understand."

Lin Daiyu looked up and asked with a smile.

Jia Rong laughed and said, "I was wrong. You should do it."

"You look pretty good in this outfit."

Lin Daiyu blushed and said angrily, "Why are you still talking nonsense at this time? Are you drunk?"

"I'm not drunk." Jia Rong said seriously, "I've figured it out. The dead are gone. The spirit of the master in heaven certainly hopes that I'm well. So I can't be unhappy. I have to be happy."

"It's great that you think so. I'll go back first." Lin Daiyu lowered her head and was about to leave. Today she had originally planned to just meet him and comfort Jia Rong at the same time.

"Hey, don't leave in such a hurry." Jia Rong held Daiyu and said with a smile: "Let's talk inside. I'm going to Southeast Asia in a few days."

Lin Daiyu did not break free this time, and followed Jia Rong and said, "If you really want to go to Southeast Asia, go ahead, but just don't bring Baoqin's foreign sisters back home with us."

"hehe."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "You are the only one who is worried about me. Do you think I am the kind of person who would do anything wrong outside?"

Daiyu: “Yeah!”

Jia Rong: "Hmm? What?"

Daiyu pursed her lips and smiled: "I believe you, okay! Well, I really should go back. If I'm late, Yun'er will laugh at me if she finds out."

Lin Daiyu tried to pull her hand out, but Jia Rong held it tighter. She heard Jia Rong whisper in her ear, "It's too late. Yun'er is here."

"what!"

Lin Daiyu broke free at once, looked back, and saw Xiangyun walking towards her with a faint smile on her face.

She was wearing the same light-colored clothes, but there was no white flower on her head, no extra decorations, only an ordinary pearl hairpin.

"Sister Lin, Brother Rong."

Lin Daiyu blushed slightly and pretended to be calm, saying, "Yun'er is here... just in time, your nephew was missing you."

Jia Rong: “…”

Do I have it?
Did I drink too much and say something I shouldn’t have said?
Xiangyun smiled and said, "Brother Rong, you missed me? I'm flattered. Are you thinking about the purse I made for you? I don't have one now. I haven't been sewing recently."

Lin Daiyu said, "Lazy girl."

Shi Xiangyun chuckled: "You are still blaming me. How many times does Miss Lin sew in a year?"

Lin Daiyu glanced at Jia Rong and said, "Several times, isn't it Rong'er?"

Jia Rong: "Yes, very much."

"Have you eaten yet? How about I treat you guys to a drink tonight?"

Xiangyun looked at Lin Daiyu, covered her mouth and sneered, "I, don't I bother you?"

Lin Daiyu said: "If you feel it's a nuisance, go back and eat."

Jia Rong laughed and said, "To be honest, it's a bit of a hindrance..."

Seeing the two of them being so unreserved, Xiangyun suddenly felt jealous.

“You guys, huh…”

"Ignore you!"

"Stop talking and come in to eat." Jia Rong hurriedly asked Daiyu to pull the person over.

Lin Daiyu held Xiangyun and said with a smile: "Don't be stingy, Yun'er. Let's go back together after dinner."

Xiangyun curled her lips: "Who is stingy? I don't want to eat here!"

Jia Rong said, "Not eating here is stingy. I didn't expect that Aunt Yun, who looks generous, is actually so stingy that it's hard to joke with her."

Lin Daiyu nodded: "That's right, Yun'er is too stingy. I used to think you were a heroine, but it turns out..."

Xiangyun grinned and said, "I was just joking with you guys just now. What are we having for dinner tonight? Do you have any wine? I want some wine!"

"Of course!"

Jia Rong had people prepare wine and food, and also had someone prepare fruit wine.

"Fruit wine is boring, I want to drink aged wine!" Xiangyun said proudly.

"Are you sure? Have you drunk it?" Jia Rong looked at Xiangyun with doubt in his eyes.

Xiangyun looked up and said, "Are you looking down on me? I always drink aged wine at home, and only drink fruit wine when I come to your house."

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Yes, that's right. Whatever you say is what it is. Don't get drunk and make a fool of yourself later."

"I'm drunk? Impossible! Bring me the aged wine quickly, I can't wait any longer!" Xiangyun shouted.

"Okay, then let's age it."

Jia Rong asked Ping'er to prepare.

Lin Daiyu knew her own limitations very well, and said, "I can't drink aged wine, I drink fruit wine."

Xiangyun laughed and said, "You really can't do it."

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "You are very capable. Don't ask me to help you go back later."

Xiangyun said: "It's not certain who will help whom. Don't drink two glasses of fruit wine and get drunk. If you do, I will have to help you."

Lin Daiyu: "Don't worry."

While the two were bickering, the food and drinks had already been served, and the aged fruit wine was also served.

Xiangyun could not wait to open the jar of aged wine, poured out a large amount of it, and pretended to sniff it.

"Ma Xiangchun!"

"I'll drink a bowl first!"

As he said this, he picked up the bowl and took a big gulp.

Jia Rong was almost stunned.

Yun'er is so fierce!

"Cough, cough, cough..."

After taking a sip, Xiangyun started coughing and her face turned red.

Lin Daiyu covered her mouth and laughed.

Jia Rong kindly said, "Why don't you just drink some fruit wine?"

He could see that Xiangyun had never tasted aged wine and didn't know how to drink it.

"No." Xiangyun waved her hands and said, "Fruit wine is boring. I just love this!"

Soon Xiangyun's face flushed and her speech became incoherent.

"Drink some wine, come on, I want more!" Lin Daiyu drank two glasses of fruit wine, feeling a little drunk. With a blush on her face, she said, "We have to go back. If Yun'er gets upset later, I won't be able to stop her."

Xiangyun swayed beside him and said, "You still want to cure me? How are you going to cure me?"

"This is how to cure it!"

Lin Daiyu tickled Xiangyun's armpit.

“Ah, chuckle…”

Jia Rong watched the two quarreling and became even more drunk. While he was still sober, he hurriedly said, "Xiao Xiao and Ping'er, you two can take them back."

"Ah."

The two of them agreed and went over to help.

Xiangyun was still clamoring for more, but was pulled out by Xiaoxiao: "Miss Yun has a big drink, and you made our master drunk. Please forgive him this time."

Xiangyun: "Really? I'm so awesome?"

Read the error-free version at 69shuba! 6=9+shu_ba is the first to publish this novel.

Xiao Xiao: "Yeah! Miss Yun is amazing!"

After returning home, Xiangyun didn't even bother to wash or dress, but fell asleep on the bed.

Lin Daiyu washed up briefly and slept for the night.

The next day, Xiangyun got up and asked suspiciously, "How did I get back last night? Didn't I go to persuade Rong'er not to be sad because the deceased had passed away? I didn't remember it afterwards. Sister Lin, do you know?"

Lin Daiyu: "..."

……

It is said that Lin Ruhai did not dare to be negligent after receiving the imperial edict to wipe out the Japanese pirates. After going south, he actively trained the Lianghuai navy, preparing to encircle and annihilate the Japanese pirates who landed on the land first, and wait until the war in the South China Sea is over next year, and the navy will return to annihilate the Japanese pirate navy in one fell swoop.

Just when he was mobilizing a large army to encircle and annihilate the Japanese pirates, he suddenly received an order from the imperial court: give up the suppression of the Japanese pirates and immediately assist Shandong Jiedushi Zhang Wanqing in quelling the rebellion!

"!"

Lin Ruhai almost collapsed.

Old tears.

How can you change your orders so often?
Isn't this just fun?
It is almost the same as lighting beacons to scare the princes.

"Sir Lin, the emperor and the cabinet officials must have higher-level considerations. We just need to follow their orders." The Jinyiwei who was supervising the army looked at Lin Ruhai with vigilance. As long as Lin Ruhai dared to show signs of "disobeying military orders while on the battlefield", he would immediately write a secret letter to report it, or even take out a backup plan to control Lin Ruhai!

"Then... let's follow your order." Lin Ruhai said with some tiredness.

Of course he would not disobey the order.

Recently, the rumor that the leader of the White Lotus Sect is Prince Yi Zhong has spread almost all over the world. He has also heard about it. It is possible that Emperor Anping made such a decision out of anger...

It's just not very wise.

Lin Ruhai couldn't understand why Prime Minister Ye and the other ministers in the cabinet didn't dissuade the emperor from making such an obviously foolish decision in time?

……

Jia Jing got the news that night.

He was not at all surprised by Emperor Anping's actions. Although the Japanese pirates would affect the economy of Jiangnan, they would not immediately have much impact on his rule.

The other was Prince Yi Zhong. The elder brother rebelled against his younger brother, which was a fatal blow to the prestige of Emperor Anping.

He must suppress it as soon as possible!
Stir it up, stir it up. How can he have a chance if he doesn’t stir it up?

Ever since the retired emperor retired to the background and Emperor Anping took power, he had other ideas.

In other words, ever since the huge interests in Nanyang were controlled by the Jia family, his mind has undergone a drastic change.

Ambition!

When a person is as rich as a country and has military power in his hands, will he still be willing to be inferior to others? Can he be willing to give up the huge benefits of Southeast Asia to the court?

of course not.

However, when one day Emperor Anping discovered that the Jia family had acquired wealth that was enough to rival a country through Southeast Asia, would he easily let the Jia family go?

Of course not.

and so……

He had no choice but to take this path.

Fortunately, his eldest grandson was very capable and quietly managed to develop the Nanyang territory. The vast territory there was the Jia family's future retreat. Once he failed, he would naturally die without a burial place, but Rong Ge'er could take his family to Nanyang to continue living a happy life.

"Brother Rong, do you know the situation that our Jia family is facing now?"

That night, in the old house of Ningguo Mansion, Jia Jing called Jia Rong into the study and dismissed all the servants.

"Grandpa, I know something." After thinking for a moment, Jia Rong said seriously, "No matter what decision you make, I will support you."

Hearing this, Jia Jing showed a relieved smile on his face, and said earnestly: "The emperor is now very wary of us. The Jinyiwei has greatly increased in his hands. Recently, he has also set up a Dongchang to monitor all officials. As long as they want to investigate, the matter in Nanyang will be revealed."

Jia Rong said, "What Grandpa said is right. Our Jia family has used the imperial court to make profits in Southeast Asia several times. I think the emperor and the officials in the imperial court are not fools. They knew there was something fishy going on, but they didn't dare to say anything because of Grandpa's power. Now that Grandpa's business tax reform has been successful, the emperor is eager to invite Grandpa to Beijing... Is he planning to destroy the bridge after crossing it?"

"Ha ha……"

Jia Jing laughed a few times and patted Jia Rong on the shoulder: "It is possible, but the court is in a turbulent time right now. The emperor dare not touch our Jia Mansion for the time being, and this is our last chance!"

"How's Luzon going? Have they taken it?"

Jia Rong shook his head and said, "It's still a little bit short. Those Westerners are not easy to deal with, especially their sharp tempers. Jiao Da is waging a guerrilla war with them on the island."

Jia Jing hesitated for a moment, and seemed to have made up his mind: "I will give you 5,000 elite soldiers, and you will arrange them to assist Jiao Da. They are the most hidden trump cards of our Jia family. Each of them has experienced hundreds of battles. They were handed over to me by the old master himself... Now I hand them over to you!"

As he spoke, Jia Jing clapped his hands.

An old man who looked older than Jiao Da appeared in front of Jia Rong, bending over.

"I've met the eldest son."

The old man bowed.

My goodness, isn’t this old man Liu who raises horses in the stable?
"Uncle Liu, is that you?"

Uncle Liu said with a smile, "My Lord, please forgive me for making fun of you. All I have done in my life is to raise horses, and my subordinates are all old men who only know how to ride horses."

Jia Rong felt relieved.

No wonder the Jia family was able to leave behind five thousand “elite troops” without anyone noticing!
Feelings are elite old men.

I think these are all personal soldiers who have retired openly, so they were able to hide it from everyone.

Jia Jing laughed out loud.

"Old Liu is being modest again. Back then, your Musketeer Cavalry Battalion established a great reputation in the Northeast. The Jin Tartars were trembling with fear when they heard about it. I just wonder if you can still ride on war horses now?"

Old Liu didn't say much, but clasped his hands and said firmly: "I am willing to die for the Jia family!"

"it is good!"

"From now on, you will listen to Rong'er. He is the future patriarch of the Jia family." Jia Jing said with a slightly majestic voice.

"Meet the young patriarch."

Old Liu hurriedly bowed to Jia Rong.

"Uncle Liu, there's no need to be so polite." Jia Rong supported him gently and found that although Old Liu was old, he was in good health and had the aura of old Huang Zhong.

Among five thousand veterans like these, the little yellow-haired Westerner is nothing.

After arranging for Lao Liu to go down and prepare for the trip to Luzon, Jia Jing asked Jia Rong about the recent situation in the capital, and Jia Rong then mentioned the matter of the leader of the White Lotus Sect.

"Grandfather, I was almost kidnapped by the White Lotus Cult leader when I was in Beijing. Later, through Bai Caier, Xiao Xiao found out where the White Lotus Cult leader was... and killed him in a dense forest thirty miles outside the city. Afterwards, my grandson found out that he was actually the Prince Yi Zhong from that year."

……

(End of this chapter)