Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 66 Leaving Beijing
……

Jia Rong is going to Jiangnan today.

The main purpose of this trip was to study in Jiangnan, and to invite the second branch of the Xue family to Beijing to take over the imperial merchant affairs.

Let the second branch of the Xue family... serve the Ningguo Mansion.

Normally, such a matter would only require Jia Jing to write a letter, and the second branch of the Xue family would naturally obey.

The reason why Jia Rong went there in person was, on the one hand, that Jia Jing wanted to train Jia Rong, and on the other hand, it was to show that he valued him and to win people's hearts, so that the second branch of the Xue family would follow Jia Rong more wholeheartedly.

Of course, if the second branch is useless, Jia Jing doesn't mind replacing it with the third or fourth branch. With the current power of Ningguo Mansion, it is easy to support a few royal merchants like the Xue family.

The study in the front yard of Ningguo Mansion.

Jia Jing warned: "This is your first time traveling far away, and it can be considered an experience. Remember to be careful and put your own safety first."

Jia Rong said respectfully, "Don't worry, Master."

Jia Jing nodded and ordered someone to call Jiao Da.

"Jiao Da, you lead our Ningguo Mansion's fifty elite guards and protect Rong Ge'er's safety along the way. You are not allowed to drink secretly. If I find out, I will punish you with a hundred military sticks!"

Jiao Da shuddered and said with a smile: "Master, what are you talking about? Although I am old, I know the importance of things. If the young master gets hurt outside, I will not come back and will die outside!"

Jia Jing said coldly: "You still want to die outside? You have to come back or I will peel your skin off with my own hands!"

"Yes Yes Yes."

Jiao Da nodded hurriedly and went downstairs to prepare.

Jia Jing took a sip of tea and said to Jia Rong, "Since you are in Jinling this time, you might as well go to Yangzhou and meet Lao Lin. He is more knowledgeable than me, and it would be good for you to ask him for advice."

"Also, I have a letter here. You can give it to him on the way."

Jia Rong took the letter and put it away.

The grandfather and grandson talked for a while. Jia Jing looked at the sky and said, "Go ahead and remember what I said."

"..."

After Jia Rong left, Jia Jing was silent for a while.

"Somebody come!"

"master."

"Go and ask Mr. Ouyang to come over."

After a while, Ouyang Chi came to Jia Jing's study.

"My lord, what is the matter?"

Jia Jing first asked Ouyang Chi to sit down and said with a smile: "This is Rong'er's first time going out. To be honest, I am really worried."

Ouyang Chi smiled and said, "Don't worry, sir. The eldest son is extremely intelligent and steady, and he is accompanied by the family's elite guards. There is no way anything will happen to him."

Jia Jing smiled and said, "Maybe it's because I'm too concerned."

"Mr. Ouyang, you have been under my command for more than ten years. I heard from Dongfang that you are also proficient in martial arts?"

Ouyang Chi smiled modestly and said, "I am ashamed to say that I have been following you for the past few years. I have become more and more lazy and my martial arts skills have been almost completely abandoned."

Jia Jing smiled and said, "Mr. Ouyang is too modest. This time I would like to ask Mr. Ouyang for a favor."

Ouyang Chi stood up and bowed: "My Lord, please give me your orders."

Jia Jing said sternly, "You lead a hundred guards and ride south along the two banks of the canal to secretly protect Rong Ge'er. If you encounter any robbers or bandits, no matter where they come from, kill them all... without mercy!"

Ouyang Chi listened and his expression gradually became serious.

"What you mean is... someone wants to harm the eldest master?"

Jia Jing's face was as gloomy as water.

"Maybe not. I'm just worrying too much."

"Maybe... yes!"

"In short, let's prepare for a rainy day."

"Subordinate, follow your orders!"

……

It's time.

The main gate of Ningguo Mansion was wide open.

Fifty elite guards of Ningguo Mansion stood in front of the door, holding knives and guns. Each of them looked majestic, energetic and murderous.

Jiao Da, wearing leather armor, stood at the front and shouted, "Fifty elite soldiers are ready to go. Please give us your instructions, sir!"

Jia Rong suddenly felt his blood pressure rising.

This is still in Kyoto!
Too high-profile!

"Put away all the weapons." "And Jiao Da, you!"

"It's so hot, aren't you hot wearing this?"

"Take it off."

Jiao Da said embarrassedly: "I will follow your orders, sir."

"Hurry up and take off your armor. Put all your weapons in the box and take them with you."

Jia Rong asked, "Do we need to bring weapons?"

Jiao Da said anxiously: "Master, the outside world is not like the capital. Robbers and mountain bandits are not uncommon to rob houses. There are also pirates on the canal. It is really not good to be without some weapons."

Jia Rong nodded.

"Well, take them with you and load them all on board."

"Put it on after you leave Kyoto."

……

Noon.

Two tall ships slowly set out from the canal dock, one after the other.

Jia Rong stood at the bow of the boat, his heart pounding.

This is his first step out of Kyoto and into the world!
This step must be taken well and steadily!
A fan blocked the scorching midday sun. Jia Rong tilted his head and looked. It was Xiao Xiao who was holding a folding fan and standing on tiptoe to block the sun for Jia Rong.

"Master, why are you standing here? You're in the sun."

"I was thinking about something."

"what's up?"

"Good thing."

"What good thing?"

Jia Rong held Xiao Xiao's slender waist and asked, "What do you think?"

Xiao Xiao raised her face and smiled sweetly: "Is he getting married?"

"There's no rush to get married."

Jia Rong looked out over the two banks of the canal.

Willows are green, flowers are red, and there are tens of thousands of houses.

The mountains are stacked one upon another, and the Red Mansion is a beautiful place.

"When I can handle it, I'll marry you."

Xiao Xiao was puzzled and asked with blinking eyes: "You carried it? What did you carry?"

"I'll carry you!"

"Cuckoo..."

Sailing can be said to be the fastest means of transportation in this era. In ancient times, there was a saying that "it takes only one day to return to Jiangling from a thousand miles away." In just three days, the two ships traveled day and night and reached Jining, Shandong.

That morning, Jiao Da, with fifty of his personal guards, was fully armed and came to Jia Rong and said, "Master, we are in the Weishan Lake area ahead. I heard that the pirates here are very serious. We must be on guard."

Jia Rong was writing an article on his desk. Hearing this, he paused for a moment and nodded, "Okay, then we'll step up our guard!"

"Yes!"

Jiao Da agreed, and stood on the bow with his personal guards, observing the slightest movement around him.

In addition to the two ships of the Ning Mansion, there were more than a dozen small boats following behind. Perhaps because they saw that there were many guards on the ships of the Ning Mansion, they followed behind to increase their sense of security.

The day's sailing passed quickly without any incident. As the sun was setting, the guards had worked hard all day, so Jia Rong would certainly not treat them badly. He ordered his men to cook the dozens of pounds of meat on the boat, and then he boarded the guard boat and ate big chunks of meat with everyone else.

Just no wine.

But the guards were already very satisfied.

The monthly salary of the Ningguo Mansion guards was not low, but most of it was taken home to support their wives and children, so they could not eat meat at every meal.

"I'm sorry to trouble you all tonight, brothers. When we get to Jinling, each of you will get five taels of silver for a drink," said Jia Rong.

Everyone immediately became more enthusiastic.

Jiao Da laughed and said, "Did you hear that? Master has a reward, keep your eyes open tonight!"

"Thank you for the reward, sir!"

"Don't worry, sir!"

"No thief can get close!"

……

(End of this chapter)