The Red Mansion Big Liar.

Chapter 478 Making insinuations
"Boss, what's the matter? Are you asking us to pay the ship fare?" Seeing Xing Zhong coming back with an embarrassed look on his face, Xing's wife asked hurriedly.

"What ship fare? With your little achievements, they can charter such a big ship, and there are soldiers escorting it. Will they care about your ship fare?"

"Then why are you still looking so stern?"

Xing Zhong muttered mysteriously, "Who do you think Mr. Zhen is?"

"Who is it?" Xing's wife dropped her needlework and looked up, "Could it be that the rumors are false? Nothing happened to the Zhen family in Jiangnan?"

Hearing her question, Xing Zhong couldn't help but feel dazed and muttered to himself, "That's not right!"

"What's wrong?"

"I remember hearing that my brother-in-law's younger brother was also dismissed from office because he impeached Mr. Zhang of the Tiangong Academy. How come..."

Earlier, when he heard of Zhang Yunyi's name at the bow, he was only concerned with making amends and did not think deeply about it. It was only when reminded by Xing's wife that he remembered Jia Zheng's impeachment.

"Why are you talking about Tiangongyuan again?"

Xing Zhong said unhappily, "Have you forgotten? The reason why my brother-in-law was dismissed from office was because he impeached Mr. Zhang from the Tiangong Academy, right?"

"If it weren't for this, we wouldn't have thought of going to Beijing!"

"Whose mansion do you think Ningguo Mansion is now?"

"Whose else could it be? You've boasted a lot all the time that your brother-in-law's family is a duke of two countries. Who wouldn't know that?"

"This is all old news. Now it is the residence of Mr. Zhang from Tiangongyuan!"

Although Xing Zhong had just heard the news, it did not stop him from showing off to his wife. He even added fuel to the fire and smeared Jia Rong.

Xing's wife was puzzled and asked, "What does this have to do with us?"

"This Mr. Zhen is not a relative of my brother-in-law, but Mr. Zhang of Ningguo Mansion... my concubine's father!"

"Who cares who he is? He won't charge us for the boat fare..."

At this point, Xing's wife stopped talking. She stared at Xing Zhong in amazement, swallowed her saliva, and said in disbelief, "Concubine? Did you hear wrongly? Can a concubine have such a grand ceremony, with soldiers guarding her?"

"How can this be false? They have admitted it themselves!"

"Then why is he willing to give us a ride? Is there nothing wrong with your eldest sister's family?"

She didn't know the relationship between Zhang Yunyi and the Jia family, and the only thing she could think of was the face of the Rongguo Mansion.

"Mr. Zhang is the nephew of Mr. Jing from the former Ningguo Mansion."

"What's so strange about this? Even ten fingers have different lengths and thicknesses, let alone relatives? Didn't you always say that your brother-in-law and his brother don't get along?"

When it comes to family matters, Xing's wife analyzes them very clearly.

"No!" Xing Zhong shook his head and said, "The Xue family is a legitimate second-room relative!"

"That's probably a rumor! If your brother-in-law impeached him, would he still be nice to Mr. Xue?" At this point, Mrs. Xing couldn't help but feel guilty, "Then when we get to the capital, will we still talk about that?"

Xing Zhongshen agreed with this, but he acted as if he had foresight, tapping his fingers on the table and saying, "A lean camel is bigger than a horse. I told you so long ago!"

Then, he changed the subject: "Don't always think about the little profits at home, look forward more!"

"If you don't look at money, then what about power? You are not good at studying, so how can we expect you to pass the imperial examination?"

"Bah!" Xing Zhong spat, "I'm telling you not to just focus on that little business at home!"

Mrs. Xing's eyes lit up and she asked hurriedly, "Are you talking about the Tiangongyuan business?"

"Look at your potential!"

Xing Zhong shook his head and said, "Look at Mr. Zhen's pomp and circumstance. Not to mention the ordinary wealthy families, even ordinary officials cannot compare to him. As the saying goes, raising a son is a way to prepare for old age. We don't have a son, so don't we have to rely on the maid to earn face for us? It's just that..."

"Just what?" Xing's wife asked quickly.

Xing Zhong said anxiously, "I just don't know where Mr. Zhen comes from, and whether our girl can be liked by Mr. Zhang!" "Why don't you go and find out?"

"How do I find out about this?"

Mrs. Xing pondered for a moment and offered a suggestion: "I think the young man from the Xue family seems to be an old acquaintance of him. Why don't we go ask him?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" Xing Zhong stood up quickly, "I'll go ask him right away."

After leaving the cabin, he looked around, came to Xue Ke's cabin and knocked on the door.

Xue Ke stood at the door and asked in surprise, "Uncle, is there something wrong?"

"Good nephew!"

Xing Zhong greeted him and went in, saying, "I heard some rumors at home, and I don't know whether they are true or not, so I wanted to ask my nephew."

Xue Ke asked thoughtfully, "What's the matter?"

"I heard at home that the second master of my brother-in-law's family was dismissed from office, and there was even evidence that he had impeached Mr. Zhang from the Tiangong Academy..."

It’s not that he didn’t believe his wife’s analysis, but it was inconvenient to ask directly, so he found such a topic, intending to beat around the bush before getting to the point.

Unexpectedly, Xue Ke nodded and said with a worried look on his face: "It was just a rumor at first. The notice of the disposal was posted a few days ago, but..."

Having said this, he frowned and hesitated to speak.

Xing Zhong was stunned when he heard this, but instead of being surprised, he was delighted. He thought to himself, could it be that what his wife said was right, that Zhang Yunyi has a closer relationship with his brother-in-law?

But he said calmly: "But what?"

Xue Ke shook his head and said, "However, except for the second master of Rongguo Mansion, the remaining officials will be taken back to the capital for trial."

After all, Xue Baoqin was engaged to the Mei family, so he didn't dare to mention Mei Lian's treatment.

Fortunately, Xing Zhong's focus was not on this, and he quickly asked: "Then how about Mr. Zhen..."

He stopped there and did not continue the topic. He said, "At the dock, I didn't know Mr. Zhen's identity. After I went back, I felt more and more uneasy. I remembered that my nephew and Mr. Zhen were old acquaintances, so I came to ask my nephew for advice..."

He paused and asked indirectly, "Could it be that Mr. Zhen is still unaware of this?"

Xing Zhong was suspicious, and Xue Ke was the same.

After all, he was still separated from the Rongguo Mansion by a layer, and he rarely had contact with Aunt Xue after she came to Beijing, so he was not aware of the filthiness in the Rongguo Mansion.

Originally, at the dock, they were wondering why Zhen Shiyin was willing to give the Xing family a ride, and just now at the bow, Xing Zhong spoke rudely and exposed Zhen Shiyin's shortcomings, but he didn't even turn his face away.

I can't help but wonder if there is another reason.

Businessmen believe in making money through harmony. He also needed help from Zhang Yunyi. He thought that this was no secret and Xing Zhong would naturally know it when he arrived in the capital. Having more friends means more paths, so he might as well do him a favor.

In case Zhen Shiyin treats the Xing family differently and has other ulterior motives, this can be considered as a gesture of goodwill in advance.

So he said, "Mr. Zhen has been in Jiangnan for some time, so he naturally knows that he has some connections with my family... His daughter was once stranded outside... After several twists and turns, thanks to the rescue of my eldest brother and aunt, she was fortunate enough to follow Mr. Zhang..."

He kept it simple, avoided the important points, and explained Xiangling's affairs as tactfully as possible. He then said, "My family has been imperial merchants for generations. This time, Master Zhen came to Jiangnan because my aunt asked Master Zhang to help clean up the family business..."

Upon hearing that Xiangling had been lost and sold several times before finally ending up with Zhang Yunyi, Xing Zhong couldn't help but feel overjoyed.

He treated Xiangling, who was living outside, like this. After all, his own daughter was the niece of the eldest wife of Rongguo Mansion. Isn't it...

Although it is said that one should marry a virtuous wife and a beautiful concubine, since my own daughter is good in every way and I can take the niece of the Duke's Mansion as a concubine, I guess...

He couldn't wait to consult his wife, and said goodbye quickly, "So there is such a secret. Thanks to my nephew for helping me clear it up!"

……

(End of this chapter)