The Red Mansion

Chapter 14: Let Baochai come to apologize

Xue Jin didn't dare sit down. He stood with a slight bow and pleaded humbly, "My son Pan is young and impetuous, and he acted rashly. Today, he offended Master Jiang. It's totally wrong. My family is willing to compensate you with a sum of money. I only ask that you be kind and not pursue the matter further. Let's reconcile."

Jiang Nian deliberately sneered, his tone stern and cold: "Xue Pan actually dared to gather a crowd to come to my house to cause trouble, intending to beat me to death and take my life. This is a lawless, audacious, and heartless! I intend to ask the governor Tang to deal with him severely. Even if he cannot be executed, he must be prevented from becoming an imperial merchant and sentenced to imprisonment! The group of powerful slaves he gathered must also be severely punished! This matter cannot be let go by paying silver? Besides, I am not short of silver!"

Xue Jin was stunned and said hurriedly, "Master Jiang has misunderstood. Brother Pan has lost his mind today and actually gathered a group of people to cause trouble, but he has no intention of harming your life."

Jiang Nian said with a stern face, "Today on the Qinhuai River, Xue Pan publicly threatened to kill me. He also gathered so many powerful slaves and came to my house, banging on the door and climbing over the wall. He was so aggressive and murderous. If the Jiedushi hadn't arrived with his troops in time, I'm afraid I would have become a ghost by now!"

Xue Jin looked embarrassed and felt apprehensive.

He knew very well that if Xue Pan was convicted of this crime, the consequences would be serious.

Xue Jin paused, then pulled out a five thousand tael silver note and respectfully handed it to Jiang Nian, saying, "Master Jiang, please understand. Pan'er has no intention of harming you, nor does he have the courage to do so. But today, Pan'er has truly offended you. Here is a five thousand tael silver note. Master Jiang, please accept it and don't be so foolish as to confront Pan'er, this foolish villain."

Jiang Nian raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes fell on the banknote, and thought to himself: "The Xue family is really rich. Five thousand taels of silver in one shot!"

But he didn't reach out to take it.

Xue Jin continued, "I will definitely ask Pan'er's mother to discipline him strictly from now on. I will also ask his uncle to discipline him strictly. His uncle is the governor of the Beijing camp, and he has always respected him. I will also ask his uncle to help discipline him. His uncle is the grandson of Rongguo Duke Jia Yuan. His name is Zheng, and his courtesy name is Cunzhou. He is highly respected. In this way, Pan'er will be able to reform himself."

Five thousand taels of silver is a huge sum of money for ordinary people. If you have this money and don't waste it, a family of several people can live comfortably for a lifetime.

Xue Jin deliberately brought up Wang Ziteng, the governor of the Beijing camp, and Jia Zheng of the Rongguo Mansion, trying to intimidate Jiang Nian and make him give up.

Jiang Nian sneered and said in a firm tone: "I know who Xue Pan's uncle is and who his uncle is, so what? Not to mention that they are far away in the capital, even if they are both in Jiangning City now, I will not be afraid. What Xue Pan did this time is really excessive. I will not easily reconcile, unless..."

Having said this, Jiang Nian deliberately paused, and his eyes swept across Xue Jin like a knife, as if waiting for the other party's response.

Xue Jin was delighted and asked hurriedly, "What will it take for Master Jiang to reconcile?"

Jiang Nian deliberately picked up the teacup and looked into it. The tea water was clear and blue with a few tea leaves floating on it. He gently blew on the tea leaves floating on the water, then sipped the tea while thinking.

After a while, he looked at Xue Jin with a deep gaze and asked, "Does Xue Pan have a younger sister?"

Xue Jin already understood the reason for the argument between Xue Pan and Jiang Nian today. Although he felt a little uneasy when Jiang Nian asked about Xue Baochai, he was not surprised. He nodded slightly and answered truthfully, "Yes."

Jiang Nian asked, "What's your name?"

Xue Jin said, "Her childhood name is Baochai."

Jiang Nian held the teacup in one hand and gently stroked the cup with the other. His expression was as calm as a deep pool of water. He looked directly at Xue Jin and spoke calmly, "If you want to reconcile, there is only one way. Have this Miss Xue come to my house to apologize and send me ten thousand taels of silver!"

Xue Jin was stunned for a moment: "..."

……

……

After meeting Jiang Nian, Xue Jin hurried back to the Xue family.

He took a few deep breaths, calmed himself down, and told Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai about Jiang Nian's request. Xue Baochai immediately looked angry.

A girl in the boudoir would not easily meet a man from outside the family, let alone go to a man from outside the family to apologize to him. Xue Baochai was also dignified and self-respecting.

For Xue Baochai, asking her to go and apologize to Jiang Nian was not only a damage to her reputation, but also a great humiliation.

"How could this Jiang family brother be so overbearing! He actually made such an impolite request!"

Aunt Xue was so angry that she was shaking all over, even her voice was trembling, and there seemed to be anger burning in her eyes.

The room suddenly became quiet, and the air seemed to be filled with a suffocating sense of oppression.

The spring sunshine shone through the window lattice, spread on the ground, and fell into the eyes of Aunt Xue and Xue Baochai, but it seemed as if it was not sunshine, but shadow.

Aunt Xue hesitated for a long time, sighed deeply, leaned forward slightly, and looked at Xue Baochai with helpless eyes: "Bao girl, for your brother and for our Xue family, are you willing to endure this injustice?"

Xue Baochai lowered her head, clasping her hands tightly together, her fingers trembling unconsciously, and a bitter feeling welled up in her heart. Her mother loved her brother more than her, and her brother was the only child in the family, and this matter concerned the future of the Xue family.

Xue Baochai bit her lower lip in grievance and whispered, "If mother asks me to go, I will go."

Aunt Xue's face was filled with distress, her eyes were filled with guilt, and her tone was apologetic: "Precious girl, I know you feel wronged, but now your brother's safety is in someone else's hands, and the future of our Xue family depends on it. You...just bear with it for once. Once this matter is resolved, we will immediately go to the capital and stay away from that Jiang family boy forever!"

Xue Baochai lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her eyes moistened with tears, but she finally nodded gently, her voice so low that it was almost inaudible: "Okay, I... I'll go."

Aunt Xue asked Xue Baochai to leave, then said to Xue Jin, "That young man from the Jiang family saw Bao-ya-tou on the Qinhuai River today and said he loved her so much he fell in love with her at first sight. He even wanted to buy her. He's specifically asked Bao-ya-tou to come and apologize, and I'm worried he'll take advantage of this opportunity to do something unkind to her."

Xue Jin said in a deep voice: "Of course I will go with Bao Yatou and stay with her the whole time."

Aunt Xue was still worried, so she paused and said, "Take Tad with you. I'll feel more at ease if you have a man and a boy to keep me company."

……

……

in the afternoon.

The sun is just right.

The Jiang family's backyard seemed to be covered with a layer of brilliant light.

Jiang Nian practiced martial arts in the backyard as usual, with He Yun giving him careful instruction and Meng Xiong keeping him company.

Jiang Nian was wearing a tight-fitting suit, basking in the bright sunshine while drawing his bow and shooting an arrow.

At this moment, Dong Liang's wife, Yao, came quickly with an anxious look on her face. She said to Jiang Nian respectfully, "Master, the Xue family is here again, and this time the Xue family girl is here too."

Jiang Nian curled his lips and nodded slightly: "Bring them here."

Thank you all for your monthly tickets, and happy Chinese New Year!
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(End of this chapter)