The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 118: No Belief in Ghosts and Gods
After entering the palace, Jia Rong went directly to the imperial study.

When the eunuch outside saw Jia Rong coming, he quickly reminded him, "Master Jia, just now the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War..."

Jia Rong said calmly: "No need to say more, I already know."

Jia Rong strode forward, completely ignoring the eunuch's flattery.

Everyone else tried to curry favor with this eunuch who delivered messages and gave him bribes of a lot of silver and other things, but Jia Rong was the only one who didn't take him seriously.

Even a eunuch who keeps a dog in the palace needs some extra income and bribes. You can imagine what the atmosphere is like.

It is not Jia Rong who needs to bribe the eunuchs, it is the eunuchs who have no balls and are in pain in their balls who need to bribe Jia Rong.

Soon Jia Rong entered the imperial study.

When the Minister of Justice and the Minister of War saw Jia Rong come in, they both nodded politely.

If the emperor had not been here, these two second-rank officials would have to call him Duke Ningguo in a proper manner.

The emperor saw Jia Rong coming in and asked, "I already know about the affairs of Jia's family. I know that you are very strict in managing your family. I order you to work with the Ministry of Justice to handle this matter."

Jia Rong said, "Yes, I am not a partial person. The murderer was a 14-year-old boy. Although he has the same surname as me, Jia, I only associate with a few people in the capital. This man has committed a capital crime and it is not worth it for me to delay my work of refining medicine to plead for him."

The emperor didn't care about the death of an ordinary citizen, but cared more about what he wanted to eat.

"In that case, my dear minister, just focus on refining the medicine. This matter will be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for investigation."

Jia Rong said, "There is no rush to make medicine. I checked Jia Zheng's children and grandchildren and found that these two were poisoned. One of them did not want to live and wanted to die, and the other was so angry that he went out to kill people."

The emperor was too busy dealing with government affairs to bother with it anymore and asked, "Really?"

Jia Rong affirmed, "It is true, but I don't know who cast the curse. I am an upright and selfless person, and I have cured many people of their illnesses and prolonged their lives, so it is inevitable that I have offended many people."

"I am upright and have read the books of sages, so I am not afraid of these things. However, many members of the Jia family are useless and have no ambition to make progress. That is why they were cursed. I cannot avoid suspicion in this matter. I beg you to investigate this matter!"

Jia Rong does not respect ghosts and gods, and when he said this he was truly righteous and fearless.

The emperor said directly: "Approved! You take the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War to investigate this matter thoroughly! Don't waste too much time!"

Jia Rong quickly received the order and went home, and brought about two hundred people from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Justice.

When Jia Rong led his troops to the east courtyard of the West Mansion, the servants at the door quickly ran over.

"My lord!"

Jia Rong got off his horse and led his men into the courtyard.

Jia Zheng quickly came out of the study and saw Jia Rong accompanied by several high-ranking officials, and he hurriedly bowed respectfully.

"My lord, Master Qin, Master Yue."

Minister Qin and Minister Yue both nodded in return. Although Jia Zheng was no longer an official, he was still Jia Rong's father-in-law.

Even when Jia Zheng was still an official, he did not receive such courtesy as he does today.

Even though he is now the emperor's uncle, he is not as prestigious as being Jia Rong's father-in-law.

Face does not mean that others speak nicely to you, but whether they are willing to help you and whether they are willing to give you face.

Jia Rong said directly: "Check every room! Search carefully! Turn it upside down to find out the truth! Don't hurt anyone!"

After hearing this, a group of officers and soldiers at the back responded in unison: "Yes!"

Lord Qin and Lord Yue had no objection. This time the emperor asked Jia Rong to be in charge of this matter. Jia Rong searched his father-in-law's house directly without any mercy, which saved them from getting involved in other people's family affairs.

Jia Zheng looked surprised and soon understood why Jia Rong took the old lady away early.

Not only the old lady, but also Mrs. Wang was taken away. Now only Li Wan was left in the yard to take care of the insane Jia Lan.

The soldiers outside broke into the yard directly. Li Wan and her maid were terrified, thinking they were here to arrest their son.

"Don't catch my son! I am the sister-in-law of Duke Ningguo!" Li Wan was frightened. The only card that could boost her courage at this moment was Jia Rong.

The officers and soldiers nearby ignored the woman. They split into three groups from the gate and went straight into the house to search for things from the left, right and middle groups.

Jia She's courtyard was not big to begin with, and except for blocking the door and protecting a few adults, the rest of the more than 200 officers and soldiers quickly turned the house upside down in the mode of confiscating property.

Jia Rong said nothing and just stood in the yard waiting for news.

Jia Zheng didn't dare to say much. It didn't look like he was going to arrest anyone, but it was no different from arresting someone.

Li Wan, Aunt Zhao, Jia Baoyu, Jia Huan, Jia Lan and others were driven by officers and soldiers to the yard and stood there. Even the maids, divided into men and women, knelt in the yard.

There are more than a hundred slaves in the West Mansion now, but they can't even fill up an ordinary small courtyard.

Jia Zheng was still standing, and so were Jia Baoyu and the others. Li Wan was kneeling on the ground looking after her unconscious son Jia Lan who was lying on the ground.

"Sir! We found a box of gold."

Soon, a soldier came out holding a box of gold.

Jia Rong took a look at it, took it and examined it.

"There are more than a thousand of them here. Who do they belong to?"

Jia Rong remembered that he had given 1,000 taels of silver last time, but the gold in his hand was worth more than 1,000 taels of silver, and it was impossible that he had not spent any money here.

Before the man on the ground could speak, the soldier said, "We found it in the west room in the backyard."

Jia Zheng said carefully, "The madam should have given it to your sister-in-law to manage." Li Wan lowered her head and said nothing. That was the money in her room.

As for why it was more money than what Jia Rong gave, that was a family matter.

Jia Rong rummaged through the box and then handed it to Jia Zheng.

"This is not what I'm looking for. Master Zheng, please keep it yourself."

Jia Zheng breathed a sigh of relief and quickly took it with both hands, "Yes, thank you, Duke!"

The others also breathed a sigh of relief. Li Wan realized that this was not a case of arresting people and confiscating their property, otherwise they would not have returned it to Jia Zheng.

But his son was probably in trouble at this time.

Li Wan and Jia Rong do not have a good relationship.

It's not that she doesn't want to do it well, but it's not appropriate for men and women to be intimate with each other. Li Wan usually goes to Ning Mansion with Wang Xifeng to look for some silver, or goes with the girls to collect some rewards, but she never goes alone.

Normally, we don't talk much, and I'm not a young and lively girl, so naturally I can't make friends with her.

In the early years, Jia Rong had some dealings with the Li family, but after Jia Rong married Jia Yuanchun, the Li family was ashamed to associate with such people and gradually declined.

Li Wan can only count on Jia Rong to help her son now, otherwise if her son kills someone, his future will be ruined!
Just as Li Wan was thinking about how to ask Jia Rong for help and how to establish a relationship with him, another soldier came out carrying something.

"Sir! We found a paper man!"

Jia Rong took the little paper man in one hand and looked at the people on the ground.

Aunt Zhao was feeling guilty and her face was covered in sweat.

Jia Rong quickly took the small paper figurine with the birth date and looked at it, then asked Jia Zheng.

"But what is Jia Baoyu's birth date?"

Jia Zheng took it and looked at it, "No, it belongs to Jia Lan."

Another man came over with the same thing, "Sir, I found another one. I found this in a woman's room."

Jia Rong said to Jia Zheng, "Master Zheng, please take a look."

"Yes." Jia Zheng quickly took it from the man and this time said quickly, "This is Baoyu's."

Jia Rong took over the two little paper figures and looked at Aunt Zhao, who was pale and dared not look up.

Jia Rong simply threw the two paper figures in his hands directly on Aunt Zhao's head.

"Mr. Zhao! Why don't you tell the truth?!"

Aunt Zhao couldn't bear the shock and fainted.

Seeing this situation, even the dumbest person would know that this matter is closely related to this woman.

Li Wan was also pale, but she was frightened, while Jia Lan and Jia Zheng were also pale, they were all frightened.

Jia Rong looked at Jia Zheng and asked, "Has anyone come to ask for money these days?"

Jia Zheng said hurriedly, "A few days ago, March 15th was the birthday of the God of Wealth and the God of Life. Many families in the capital invited monks and Taoist priests. A Taoist woman named Ma came to visit their home. The mistress and the old lady donated a lot of money to make the family peaceful."

Seeing Jia Rong asking about this matter, Li Wan hurriedly said, "That Daoist woman Ma asked me for money, but I didn't give her any, so she went to Aunt Zhao's room and stayed there for quite a while."

"That Ma Dao Po also said that the old concubine of the Prince of Nan'an's mansion and the Marquis of Jintian both donated incense oil to her."

Jia Rong said, "Let's go! Go and catch that Taoist Ma!"

Jia Rong returned the things to Jia Zheng, and together with a few adults and soldiers, he found out the location, broke into the house and captured the old woman.

The old woman might have some skills, as she was still unruly when she was caught.

"You don't respect the Buddha! You will go to hell in the future. Why don't you let me go?!"

Seeing this, Jia Rong immediately pulled out his knife and carefully placed it on her ear.

"I'm a scholar, I don't have much strength, just bear with it."

As Jia Rong spoke, he cut off one-third of his ear.

Ma Dao Po screamed in pain, "Sir, please spare my life! Sir, please spare my life!"

Jia Rong asked: "Am I a good person or a bad person?"

Ma Dao Po shouted loudly: "Good man! A very good man!"

Jia Rong continued to ask: "Will the Buddha bless me or send me to hell?"

Ma Dao Po cried out, "Please bless me! The Buddha will surely bless you to become a high-ranking official!"

Jia Rong threw away the knife and became a Buddha.

"Humph! If praying to the gods and Buddhas can make you an official, then all the officials in the world should have a monk as their father! A bunch of swindling low-class bandits, come here, pour all the incense oil and lamp oil in the house into her stomach. If she can live until tomorrow morning, I believe that the gods and Buddhas will bless her!"

Ma Dao Po has hundreds of kilograms of sesame oil at home. Not to mention hundreds of kilograms, even a few kilograms would be too much to bear!

What's more, he really used the hot lamp oil to burn the old woman...

In just half an hour, Ma Dao Po was killed by Jia Rong.

(End of this chapter)