The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 117

Regardless of whether the strategy to suppress the Japanese pirates is feasible, the Jia family deserves a reassessment from Prince Teng.

Moreover, Jia Min has returned, and together with Jia Zhen and Jia She, they have killed so many Japanese pirates. Furthermore, Jia Lian, her nephew-in-law, has been personally appointed by the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor as the Director of the Military Arsenal.

Although this official position is minor, even a powerful prince like the Prince of Nan'an would have to greet it with a smile and a respectful bow.

Even the most capable generals, if they don't want their troops to be targeted, have to bow down to the Armory Command.

now……

Wang Ziteng pointed out that his nephew-in-law Jia Lian could also be one of his helpers in returning to the capital garrison, so he taught him with great care.

Jia Lian listened attentively.

Yesterday, my father told him to go to Tai Xuan Temple when he had time. Uncle Jing knows things that he doesn't know and can teach him.

Now, besides Uncle Jing, there is also this Uncle Yue. Jia Lian listened very attentively, nodding from time to time.

Wang Ziteng was also very pleased and was about to continue his efforts when Wang Jin knocked on the door and came in.

"what's up?"

"Young Master Zhu Biao has arrived and says he wishes to see you."

Pearl?

Wang Ziteng was surprised, glanced at Jia Lian who was also quite astonished, and said, "Please come in quickly!"

Jia Zhu came in quickly. On his way there, he had guessed that his second brother Lian might still be there. However, there was nothing to hide between the brothers. After paying his respects to his eldest uncle, Jia Zhu said directly, "Elder Uncle, I heard from Father that he came to your place yesterday and said some things he shouldn't have. After returning home, he regretted it and would like to ask you, for the sake of our family, to forget his recklessness."

Ok?
Wang Ziteng never expected it was because of this.

He looked at his nephew, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.

"Don't worry!" he said with a smile. "Your uncle has always known what your father is like. When he comes to my house, he just has a cup of tea and chats about everyday things. I didn't pay any attention to it."

Leaving aside everything else, these two children of the Jia family were more than ten times better than Jia She and Jia Zheng.

With them around, the Jia family will not fare badly in the future.

"You took leave to come back just for this?"

Wang Ziteng smiled and reassured him, "The Wang and Jia families are as close as blood, so you can rest assured about your uncle's situation."

"more than!"

Jia Zhu looked at Jia Lian and said with a smile, "I still need to go to Biyun Temple with my second brother Lian. Marquis Xinping is holding a religious ceremony for Princess Baofeng at Biyun Temple. Sister Yuanchun is there. You know how difficult her family is. It would be better if we brothers went together to pick her up."

"Big brother is so thoughtful." Jia Lian nodded as Wang Ziteng looked over. "I didn't even think of that."

My eldest brother is like a real older brother to me.

When he was little, he would wobble and follow behind him.

When punished by their elders, their eldest brother would always accompany them if he knew.

Second Aunt always said that his studies were important, and Jia Lian also felt sorry for his older brother. After all, he had become an official, but his older brother, on whom the family placed the most hope, was still a commoner.

Jia Lian was afraid that he would feel a sense of loss.

"Hehe, don't be scared by my mother." Jia Zhu looked relaxed. "Studying isn't something that can be done in a short time."

Having studied for so many years, he knew very well that the imperial examinations tested not only knowledge but also luck.

Throughout history, countless famous figures and scholars have been incredibly learned, yet they all lacked luck in the imperial examinations.

He used to be very worried about himself.

But now...

Jia Zhu felt that as long as his exam results weren't too bad, it would be fine.

Lian's second brother has risen to power, becoming the powerful Director of the Arsenal. With him around, Lian's pressure will be reduced.

With his aunt in the East Mansion, even if Brother Zhen is not good enough, he can still protect the family.

Even if he does poorly on the exam, the Jia family will not decline.

This was the most gratifying thing for Jia Zhu. "Perfect timing, I also want to meet the Marquis of Xinping."

If he still cannot control Old Mrs. Cheng, who killed his mother, then please do not interfere with his sister Yuan Chun's way of managing the household.

Otherwise, even with the imperial decree of marriage, the younger sister could simply be a hands-off manager.

……

Shen Ning, who had been entertaining Grandmother Jia and Jia Min's entourage at Ningguo Mansion until the evening, thought it was a perfect day. However, she did not expect that Wang Shi would cause trouble because of Yuan Chun's return.

“Yuan Chun has returned, and your aunt has also met her. Zhu’er, hurry back to the Imperial Academy.”

Wang is under a lot of pressure right now. Everyone else's sons are doing well, but her son still has to take the exam.

This constant delay... what will we do in the future?
Despite the large crowd and the fact that the sun had already set, she still wanted to rush her son back to the Imperial College.

"Mother, it's getting late."

Jia Zhu glanced at Li Wan, still wanting to plead for himself, "It's fine for my son to go back to the Imperial Academy tomorrow."

"What do you mean it's getting late?"

Wang's face fell immediately, and she glared at Li Wan fiercely. "It's still light out. Go back and light a candle. By the time you go to sleep, you can at least read half a book more."

At such a crucial time, we can't afford to let our personal feelings get the better of us.

"Mrs. Li, do you think I'm right?"

"……Yes!"

When everyone looked over, Li Wan suppressed her shame and indignation and didn't say "yes," but she respectfully said, "Master, please go back to your studies!"

If Jia Zhu were home today, she wouldn't be able to live a normal life.

She had been married into the family for more than half a year, but she knew exactly what it was like for her mother-in-law to scold people.

Those phrases like "vulgar Huang Zi" and "even a slut is more respectable than you" are simply unbearable to hear.

Although most of the insults were directed at Aunt Zhao, Li Wan always felt that if things went wrong, the insults might also be directed at her.

Li Wan couldn't bear such scolding, so when she told her husband to go back to his studies, her eyes held a particularly resolute look.

"grandmother!"

Seeing that he couldn't reason with his mother and his wife looked pitiful, Jia Zhu could only plead with his grandmother, "Grandson..."

“Zhu’er is at home.”

Grandmother Jia, seeing her grandson's pleading look, did not disappoint him, saying, "You can read that half-book anytime, it doesn't matter if it's just one or two nights."

We're still in the Eastern Prefecture.

The second daughter-in-law showed no respect to Zhu'er and her daughter-in-law in front of everyone, which made the old lady very angry. "Besides, my Zhu'er has always been ambitious and sensible. Whether she studies or not, and how she studies, she is definitely more knowledgeable than those who don't study."

Wang: "..."

So, not reading books is actually referring to her, right?
She stood up abruptly. "Sister-in-law, you be the judge," she said, looking at Shen Ning. "Was I wrong to let Zhu'er go back to school?"

Shen Ning: "..."

What does this have to do with her?

At that moment, she desperately wished that Wang was calling Xing "sister-in-law".

But they were calling her name, and their eyes were still fixed on her.

ho~
She must be certain that she'll give her face because of Yuan Chun, Jia Zhu, and the children present, right?

Shen Ning smiled and said, "Reading is certainly not wrong, but as my aunt said, you can read half a book anytime, it doesn't matter if it's just for one or two nights."

It's absolutely impossible to drag her down with us.

She also found Jia Zhu's death very strange.

He passed the imperial examination with flying colors, how could he suddenly fall ill and die?

Looking at Wang's expression now, Shen Ning felt that she understood a little. "Besides, there are still more than half a year until next year's imperial examination. You should relax when you need to relax and be nervous when you need to be nervous. If you start to be nervous now, even the best person will not be able to withstand it in the next six months, both physically and mentally."

"Not bad!"

Jia Min chimed in, "Studying also requires a balance between work and rest. Studying to death... is the worst thing you can do."

In what year do a few people not die in the examination hall?
Why did those people die?

"Zhu'er, stay home and rest well for the night," she said gently to her nephew. "Don't be afraid of your father. I'll talk to your second brother later." Jia Min was too lazy to argue with her second sister-in-law, who didn't know how to read and gave orders blindly. She directly brought up her second brother, Jia Zheng, and said, "Second sister-in-law, you've had quite a bit of wine. Go home and rest early. Mother doesn't need you to take care of her anymore."

Wang: "..."

In an instant, she felt as if everyone was looking at her like she was a stranger.

She gave birth to the son, but here, everyone else is a member of the Jia family, and she is the only one who is a member of the Wang family.

"Mother, let me take you back!"

Yuan Chun had no idea what was wrong with her mother again.

The happier she was before that her two brothers came to pick her up, the more embarrassed she felt now.

My mother was practically saying that she had delayed my brother's studies.

"...back!"

Wang gritted her teeth, and with Yuan Chun's help, she stood up unsteadily, "Grandma, I've had too much to drink, I've..."

"Go back!"

Grandmother Jia waved her hand, "Take it easy on the road."

Out of consideration for her eldest grandson and granddaughter, the old lady finally offered some polite words.

"Grandmother, eldest aunt, aunt, aunt... I'll take my mother back first."

When Yuan Chun bowed, she glanced at her aunt Jia Min and forced a smile, saying, "Auntie has come all this way. I'll talk to you again tonight."

"Hmm~"

Jia Min laughed too, "I'm sharing a room with the old lady now, and we'll squeeze into her room together tonight."

"Come, everyone!"

The old lady was happy to squeeze in for her most beloved daughter and granddaughter, saying, "If there's no room, we'll sleep on the floor."

"You said it yourself."

Wang Xifeng, who had come along, tried to liven things up, saying, "I'll bring a few of my sisters along, and we'll all sleep on the floor together."

"And me and me."

Lin Chang'an interjected, raising his hand and saying, "I want to sleep on the floor too."

He's never slept on the floor before in his entire life.

"I can see it."

Shen Ning laughed and said, "Hurry up, Zhu'er, Lian'er, take a bite, and then bring your wives to sleep on the floor at the old lady's place."

"Auntie, are you envious?"

Jia Lian smiled and pulled Jia Zhu toward the newly opened banquet table, saying, "Since you can't sleep on the floor, I'll carry Yue'er there for you."

"Bao Yue'er?"

Shen Ning smiled and gave him a sideways glance, "Just keep hugging him. Once you hug him, you'll know how difficult the little devil can be."

"Nonsense, how is he a little devil?"

Grandmother Jia looked at Jia Yue, who had barely cried until now, and said, "I think she is more well-behaved than her older sisters."

Upon hearing the laughter coming from the main hall, Wang, who had just left, was so angry that her body trembled slightly.

Her daughter, Zhu'er, is bewitched by a vixen.

If it weren't for Li Shi's sake, how could Zhu'er have dared to embarrass her in front of so many people?

"Mother~"

Yuan Chun was still worried about her mother, "My brother..."

"Don't mention him to me."

Madam Wang took a long breath to avoid embarrassing herself in the East Mansion. "I'm asking you, how is things going with the Marquis of Xinping? Has Old Madam Cheng caused any trouble?"

Yuanchun: "..."

After returning from Biyun Temple, she went straight to the East Mansion, firstly to visit her aunt Jia Min, and secondly to report the Cheng family's affairs to her elders.

But now...

"The Marquis of Xinping is quite good."

Yuan Chun could only report to her mother, "They also care about me a lot. They send people to inquire about me every morning and evening. The old lady of the Cheng family and some of the ladies and grandmothers of the Cheng family probably wanted to cause some trouble and give me a hard time, but when they saw the old women that my daughter brought, their expressions changed, and in the end, everything was peaceful and safe."

She paused for a moment, then said, “My daughter originally thought that if they were polite to me, I would be polite to them in return. But she didn’t expect that during the ritual, the old lady of the Cheng family would try to manipulate me with her words. In a fit of anger, my daughter found fault with the old woman next to her for bowing loosely to Princess Baofeng and made her clean the entire Buddhist hall.”

"……well done!"

Wang listened, patted her daughter's hand, and said, "We don't need to give that old codger any face."

"Hmm~"

Yuan Chun nodded.

She didn't say that the old woman had finished cleaning, but she had Baoqin take a white cotton cloth and wipe from behind.

If even a speck of dust gets on the white cotton cloth, it means the other party is not sincere, and everything has to start over.

In the end, the old woman had no choice but to ask for help and redoed the work three times.

This is the palace's torturous routine.

Simple and crude.

Yuan Chun had no idea how Princess Baofeng, who came from the palace, had been bullied by them.

"The old woman who made a contribution this time was rewarded with ten taels of silver by her daughter."

Wang: "..."

She felt quite uncomfortable.

Because those burly old women were all daughters of the eldest sister-in-law of the East Mansion.

She used those old women to deal with them.

Even the old lady trembled when she saw those old women, and subconsciously gave them some leeway.

Wang suddenly realized that every time her sister-in-law used those old women to show off her power to them, she would also give them a reward.

She took a few deep breaths and said, "Do whatever you want!"

If all else fails, she might as well raise a few herself.

but……

Wang felt that the people she had raised were not capable of fighting against her sister-in-law's people.

Even a single glance from her mother-in-law was enough to make her lose her temper.

Hey~
Forget it~
"Old Mrs. Cheng has a bad reputation, so it's okay for you to assert your authority over her, it's just that within the Cheng family..."

"The Cheng family all rely on the Marquis of Xinping's mansion for their livelihood."

Yuan Chun said, "They wouldn't dare do anything to me."

She can live as freely as her aunt.

"That's fine, that's fine."

Wang felt both gratified and distressed, because she couldn't do the things her daughter had done.

"I scolded your elder brother today and sent him back to the Imperial Academy. It wasn't directed at you. I was angry at your elder brother because he couldn't stand the sight of your sister-in-law."

Yuanchun: "..."

She couldn't interrupt her mother at all!
But my sister-in-law is definitely not that kind of person.

Even the eldest brother... isn't that womanizing.

But once a mother becomes obsessed with something, she can't be persuaded to come back to her senses.

"Don't let Li's dignified and gentle appearance fool you; in fact, she's very good at manipulating your brother with her words."

Wang was still angry. "Even towards me, her mother-in-law, she was only superficially respectful." She complained to her daughter, "Especially after we separated from your uncle, that one time I saw that the way she looked at your father was a little strange."