Red Mansion, Ningfu Scholarly Family

Chapter 67 The Xue Family's Second Branch

……

There is no sailing tonight, and the moon is bright and the stars are sparse.

There is a full moon in the sky and another full moon in the water. For a moment, it is hard to tell which is the sky and which is the earth.

"so beautiful!"

Xiaoxiao leaned on the bow of the boat, looked at the moonlight in the water, and said softly.

“It is very beautiful!”

Jia Rong looked not far away.

The reed marshes on Weishan Lake are connected to each other with almost no end in sight. The breeze gently caresses the surface of the water, creating ripples, and the moon shadow is also blown into pieces.

"I'm going to bed."

"Ok!"

Xiaoxiao had already tidied up the attic. There were two beds next to each other. After Jia Rong lay down, he couldn't fall asleep. He always felt that something was going to happen.

"Master? Why aren't you sleeping?"

Xiao Xiao asked, supporting her head with one hand.

"You're not sleepy yet. Do you have your sword with you?"

"it's here."

Xiaoxiao pointed to the head of the bed.

"Oh."

Jia Rong suddenly sat up and said, "How about playing with me? I don't think the master will find out this time, right?"

Xiao Xiao shook her head and said, "It's so late, and we're still on the boat. When I dance, I'm bound to make some noises when I step on the planks. Others will think something's happened to us."

"When we get to Jinling, find a place where there's no one and play there."

"But I really can't sleep."

"Would you like to read for a while?"

“I don’t feel like reading right now.”

If your mind is not calm, reading is in vain.

"What?"

"How about you tell me the story of the Heavenly Sword?"

"it is good……"

"By the way..."

As he was talking, Jia Rong became sleepy and fell asleep.

The night passed peacefully.

The next day, it was cloudy with light rain.

Jiao Da still did not let his guard down. Before five o'clock in the morning, he put on leather armor (he felt that armor was not suitable, so he changed into leather armor), went to the bow of the boat and closely monitored the surroundings. It was not until they were out of Weishan Lake that everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

……

Jinling, the second branch of the Xue family.

"Ahem, is there any news from the capital?" Xue Li, the second master of the Xue family, asked with a worried look on his face while lying on the sickbed.

Xue Ke shook his head and sighed, "A few days ago, a friend from the capital mentioned this to me, saying that Brother Xue's case has been submitted to the Ministry of Justice, and he will probably be severely punished."

"Severe punishment..."

Xue Li muttered to himself.

Xue Pan was severely punished, there may be only one reason!
Abandoned by the Jia family.

But this is understandable. Jia Jing, the patriarch of the Jia family, has always been strict and would never do anything to bend the law for personal gain.

"Any news about Ningguo Mansion?"

"Well, not yet."

As the two were talking, a servant came running in hurriedly: "Master, someone from Ningguo Mansion has brought a visiting card."

Xue Li suddenly sat up from the sickbed.

Xue Ke was startled.

"Master, you..."

Xue Li ignored Xue Ke and said to the servant, "Quick, bring it to me!"

The servant handed it over respectfully.

Xue Li took it tremblingly and laughed.

Xue Ke asked worriedly, "Master, are you okay?"

Xue Li smiled and said, "I'm fine."

"Immediately arrange for someone to go to the dock to welcome the distinguished guests!"

Xue Ke asked happily, "Is it someone from Ningguo Mansion?" Xue Li said with a smile, "The grandson of Master Jing from Ningguo Mansion!"

"what!"

Xue Ke was surprised.

This identity is extraordinary!

He originally thought that even if someone came from the Ning Mansion, they would at most send a housekeeper.

"Master, I'll get ready now!"

At this time, a bright girl in a white silk Xiangyun skirt came in, bowed and said with a smile: "Master, what's the matter, brother? I can hear you laughing outside."

Xue Ke smiled and said, "It's from Ning Mansion..."

"Master, what should we call him?"

Xue Li thought for a moment and said, "You two are of similar age, so you can just treat each other as equals."

"We don't actually have any relatives in the Ning Mansion. We only have some friendship between the elders, so we must not be overconfident."

Xue Ke hurriedly said, "Master, I understand."

Xue Baoqin laughed and asked, "Who are you talking about?"

Xue Ke said seriously, "He is the eldest son of the Ningguo Mansion in Shenjing. We are also family friends, so we can just call him Brother Rong."

Xue Baoqin had traveled extensively with her father over the years and had seen the world. After hearing what her brother said, she laughed and said, "I didn't even know that our family had such a distinguished family friend."

Xue Li held his beard and smiled, "You may not know this. When my father was alive, the two families still had contact with each other. Later, our second branch was separated and we were no longer qualified to come to Beijing to pay respects."

"But now's the chance!"

"If you can go to Beijing this time, remember to stay away from the Wang family! I suspect that the eldest wife is too close to the Wang family, which is why she is disliked by the Ning Mansion Master!"

The so-called "the four major families prosper together and suffer together" is for outsiders, but of course they all have their own calculations inside.

There are only so many resources. If the Wang family takes some, the Jia family will naturally have less. Would Master Jing be willing to do that?
Even though he has reached the highest position in the country, shouldn't he consider his grandson's future?

The fact that Jia Rong personally went to the Xue family is very telling.

Xue Ke was surprised and asked, "We still have to go to Beijing?"

Xue Li nodded and said, "Yes, you will probably have to go to the capital. Previously, your elder brother Xue Pan was listed in the Ministry of Revenue. Now that you have the support of Ningguo Mansion, it will not be a problem to list you in the Ministry of Revenue. In this way, the position of the imperial merchant can be taken over naturally."

"Although Jinling is good, it can never compare to the capital under the emperor's feet. That is the center of power, and it is full of gold!"

Xue Ke's heart was burning, but he hesitated and said, "But, your illness..."

"It doesn't matter!"

Xue Li is now in high spirits as he is celebrating the good news.

"Three to five years is fine."

"I must see the day when the second branch of our Xue family rises to prominence!"

"Hurry up and go to the dock to welcome the distinguished guests. Stop talking nonsense here!"

……

As for Jia Rong, he arrived at Jinling Wharf safely without any suspicious incidents.

Come to think of it, it makes sense. With the power of the Ningguo Mansion and the guards accompanying them, it is impossible for a mere pirate to dare to attack them. I'm afraid they would have been scared and hid far away.

"Five taels of silver per person for the drinks, and remember not to cause trouble." Jia Rong instructed.

Everyone laughed and said, "Don't worry, sir. We are all from Beijing. We know the rules and nothing will go wrong."

Got off the boat at once.

A handsome young man of about sixteen or seventeen came up with a few servants and said with a smile, "Is this Brother Rong from the Ning Mansion? I am Xue Ke from the second branch of the Xue family. Nice to meet Brother Rong."

Jia Rong waved his fan and smiled softly.

I am very impressed by the Xue family's second branch's tactfulness.

Their Ningguo Mansion and the Xue family have no connection at all, and he has no interest in coming all the way here to recognize Uncle Xue Ke.

If that's the case, he might have to consider changing players.

"Brother Lao Xue, thank you for waiting for a long time."

Jia Rong returned the greeting as an equal.

Xue Ke hurriedly said with a smile: "Brother Rong, what are you talking about? Originally, my father wanted to come and welcome you personally, but he has been unwell recently, so he repeatedly told me not to lose my manners in front of you."

Jia Rong said, "How dare I trouble Uncle Xue to come? After all, we are family, so there is no need for such politeness."

Xue Ke smiled and said, "Big brother is right. I was just being pretentious."

"I have prepared some wine at home to welcome you, big brother."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "Sorry to bother you then."

Xue Ke smiled and said, "Brother, please get in the carriage."

……

(End of this chapter)