The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 28 Buyout
As expected, Jia Jing got a better set of clothes, and as Lady Wang looked at them, she suddenly realized that she had lost out again.

Not to mention the Taoist robe that was being rushed to completion, this black sable fur coat alone was worth a fortune. Add to that the green sandalwood prayer beads and the Hetian white jade Qiankun ring, ahhh, these all belong to her son, to her Zhu'er and Baoyu!

Madam Wang was so angry she wanted to beat her chest and stamp her feet. What did they want to do by bringing this person back?

It feels like they're sending money to Shen Ning.

This is not fair.

But despite the bitterness and unspoken words she felt, she couldn't utter a single one.

Lady Wang knew that her mother-in-law still harbored unrealistic fantasies about Jia Jing, or rather, that her decades of preferential treatment of Jia Jing was ingrained in her very being.

Ugh, she's so angry!

At the impromptu family banquet, where men and women were not distinguished, Grandmother Jia's eyes gradually reddened.

She wasn't heartbroken about the things, but she suddenly understood what the handover between Shen Ning and Jia Jing was for.

How did the Jia family's prodigy end up like this?
Compared to her two sons, Grandmother Jia once trusted and relied more on Jia Jing, because as long as he was alive, the Jia family would not fall, and her two sons would receive the care of their elder brother, Jia Jing. But now…

"Auntie, let me... let me toast you!"

Jia Jing stood up and personally poured a cup of wine for Grandmother Jia, wishing her wealth, honor, and a long life!

He didn't say any of those empty words.

The old lady is destined for wealth and luxury, and she's good at maintaining her health, so living to be a hundred years old isn't impossible.

"Sit! Sit!"

Grandmother Jia forced back her tears and drank the cup of wine. "You take good care of yourself too. You all... take good care of yourselves."

Jia Jing then personally served the old lady a dish of braised pork and cabbage, saying, "Don't worry, as long as you're alright, we'll all be alright too."

Today, the country is governed by the principle of filial piety.

As long as the Emperor Emeritus is alive, the Jia family will be safe.

With the Emperor Emeritus gone, the two old dukes of the Jia family who risked their lives for the country are remembered. As long as the old lady is alive, her title as a first-rank duke's wife remains, and she can surely protect the Jia family for a time.

My biggest fear is that they will all be gone.

Looking beyond the surface, Jia Jing had long understood the imperial family's suppression of the Jia family.

This is not something he can change through his efforts.

Even the retired emperor, for the sake of the royal family's power and stability, would not use the Jia family again.

Therefore, the decline of the Jia family was only a matter of time.

He didn't know if future generations of the Jia family would rise to prominence, but Jia Jing knew that every dynasty and every powerful family was actually following the same path.

He didn't want to care anymore, and he didn't want to struggle anymore.

Jia Jing poured Shen Ning another cup of honey water from the teapot, saying, "This cup is for you..."

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and he paused, then said, "I wish you wealth, prosperity, and a long life!"

Shen Ning slowly raised her hand to take it, "Thank you!"

Jia Jingxian drank first as a sign of respect.

I've loved, I've resented, I've had my share of life, I've suffered, and I've let go.

From then on, he sought immortality and the Dao, while she struggled in the mortal world...

After downing a cup of wine, Jia Jing put down the cup, turned around, and left.

Everyone at the table was stunned. Jia Zhen didn't know whether to eat or not.

"...What are you still standing there for?"

Shen Ning drank the honey water in her glass and said calmly, "Come on, pack up everything that needs to be packed. If anything is missing... be careful with your legs."

"Yes, son... I'll go right away."

Jia Zhen was terrified. "Grandma, Uncle She, Uncle Zheng, and both aunts, I must take my leave now."

He cupped his hands in greeting and hurriedly caught up with his father, who was walking away quickly.

Huh?
His father went to the sewing room?
Oh dear, by the time I finish eating, it might have already been delivered.

When he arrived, he saw eight women putting the finishing touches on two thick Taoist robes, which were already completed.

At the dinner table, Shen Ning also put down her glass. "I'm sorry to have spoiled your mood, Auntie. I'll treat you to another drink when the weather is nice and you're in a good mood."

"..."

Grandmother Jia waved her hand.

She was too lazy to argue with Shen Ning anymore.

She couldn't eat anything and just wanted to go back to her room and lie down.

"It's all gone!"

She didn't want to see her son, grandson, or even Baoyu anymore.

With the help of her maids, Grandmother Jia left first.

"Feel sorry!"

Shen Ning was the second person to leave the table. Madam You and Rong-ge'er quickly helped her up and walked together towards the courtyard, where the sedan chair was parked.

Seeing that they had all left, Jia She picked up a piece of dried civet cat meat and said, "Eat it, it'll be a waste if you don't."

Jia Zheng: "..."

He couldn't eat, and without saying a word, he stood up and left.

He wasn't heartbroken about the gifts his mother had given him; what saddened him now was that the silver stored away by the clan hadn't been brought out.

Brother Jing has stopped managing affairs, Jia Zhen...

It's obvious that with his sister-in-law around, it will be difficult to get it out.

She had Lian'er use last year's harvest from the clan fields to purchase sacrificial fields for the clan school, clearly indicating that she didn't want to give them to his Yuan Chun.

Jia Zheng is now somewhat worried.

Lady Wang was even more worried.

She really didn't want to admit that she had tried to steal a chicken but ended up losing the rice instead, but that was the truth.

She got up and left without saying a word.

Baoyu looked at this and that, his lips trembling as if he was about to cry, but Wang Xifeng grabbed him and said, "Good boy, you don't understand adult matters. Just eat your food."

Just because the old lady and the madam can't take care of Baoyu now doesn't mean they won't remember him later.

Wang Xifeng didn't want to be reprimanded by them later, so she naturally comforted him.

"Yes, yes, eat properly."

Jia She took the fine wine his mother had treasured and poured himself a full cup first.

He only got to drink this good wine today because of Brother Jing.

after……

Jia She knew that his elder brother Jing would never come back.

As he ate and drank, he remarked, "This liquor is damn spicy."

He ate and drank, his eyes red, as if he regarded the food as his enemy, which made him look even more ferocious. When Baoyu saw this, he refused to eat the food that was being fed to him and burst into tears.

……

In the sewing room, Jia Jing changed into his Taoist robe, stuffed the black sable fur coat and the Taoist robe given to him by Grandmother Jia into his bundle, and strode away from this place he had run through countless times in his youth. Back then, his younger brother She was his little follower, but he was bad at studying, and because of this, he had been disciplined by his elders countless times.

Zhengdi...

Although his children seem to be doing well now, Jia Jing doesn't really like him.

This is someone who has liked to pretend since childhood. Taking advantage of his good looks, his talent in studying compared to his older brother, his young age, and his aunt's favor, he has bullied his younger brother to an unknown degree.

Fortunately, the Jia family needed a spoiled heir at that time; otherwise, the title of Rongguo Mansion would most likely not have fallen to Shedi.

Jia Jing sighed softly to himself.

"Father, the carriage has arrived."

If the father didn't get on the bus, Jia Zhen didn't dare to get on either.

If he could, he wouldn't want to ride in the same car as his father.

"Hmm~"

Jia Jing glanced at his son and said, "Come on up with us!"

Jia Zhen: "..."

He obediently followed his father into the car.

"Listen to your mother more often from now on."

Jia Jing looked down on this son.

But the Ningguo Mansion cannot produce another heir like his father or like him.

He is not good at either academics or martial arts.

"Don't meddle in things here in the West Prefecture."

He ordered the school to be renovated first, then the treasury funds to be returned; his wife clearly still wanted to struggle.

Since he can't be there, he'll leave it to his son!

"Father, rest assured, I always listen to my mother when it comes to family matters."

Lai Sheng's estate and shops together must be worth at least 200,000 taels of silver, but his mother wouldn't give it to him. She gave the lion's share to You Shi and her son. What did he say?

He said nothing.

Jia Zhen considered himself an extremely filial son. "As for the West Mansion..." He paused for a moment, "After the matter of returning the treasury silver came up, the old lady and second aunt seemed to dislike my mother very much. If there is anything, I will discuss it with my mother first."

Jia Jing: "..."

I look down on this kid, but at least he's obedient.

He closed his eyes slightly. "Do you know how much I have hidden savings?"

what?
Jia Zhen was stunned.

How could he know?

He kept what his father gave him, but he wouldn't even dare to look at what his father didn't give him!
"Son..., son dares not know."

He was trembling with fear, pitiful, weak and helpless.

"Ho~"

Jia Jing let out a hissing sound that was hard to tell if it was a sneer or a look of disdain, "You have some savings, don't you? Tell me, how much?"

Jia Zhen: "..."

My father never played by the rules.

He claimed it was his own private savings, but in the blink of an eye, it ended up with him.

Jia Zhen dared not speak carelessly, and lowered his head, saying, "My son has more than three thousand six hundred taels of private silver."

It looks like there aren't many.

But it depends on when you saved it.

Having inherited the Ningguo Mansion, he was the most powerful person and had no need to save up any private funds.

"Get out!"

Jia Jing scoffed, "This silver is what you saved up when you were a kid, planning to run away from home, right?"

"..."

Jia Zhen was so frightened he almost knelt down.

How did his father know?

Jia Zhen only dared to think about running away from home; he never dared to actually do it.

He was terrified that if he left home, his legs would be broken and he would become the most useless person in the Jia family.

This is something his father would do.

Jia Zhen would never forget the time when his mother's hand was swollen from being hit by his father while protecting him.

The imperial physician said there was a fracture in the bone, but that was after my father had already held back. If he had hit his leg harder...

“Son… son doesn’t have the guts.”

"I see you don't have any either."

Jia Jing was very disappointed.

He once hoped that he would have the courage to run away from home.

I hope this son can do things that he wouldn't have dared to do when he was young.

Unfortunately, even though he provided him with all the conveniences to help him save more money, he just kept saving it.

Useless things.

"Your mother is asking me for her private savings. Do you know how to answer her?"

"..."

Jia Zhen wanted to cry.

The father is not to be trifled with, and the mother is not to be trifled with now either.

"What does the father want his son to say?"

As Jia Jing glanced at him, he quickly added, "You can tell me how to answer about your private savings. But from now on, my private savings are yours. I will save money for you every year without letting you know."

Jia Jing: "..."

Did he mean it?

Although it sounds good, he is someone who wants to sever all worldly ties!
but……

As a qualified heir to the Ningguo Mansion, he was certainly not the kind of person who was pedantic and ignorant of economics.

He sighed. "I promised your mother I would give her all my savings, and I won't go back on my word. So, you have to take everything from me, even a needle or a thread."

what?
Jia Zhen opened his mouth, but dared not object.

"But since I raised you, take those three thousand six hundred taels of silver to buy off our father-son relationship!"

This is a win-win situation.

He would neither fall into poverty nor sever his father-son bond.

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