The Red Mansion

Chapter 65: Report to the Emperor (Part 1)
Jia Zhen slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clink. His eyes blazed at Peng Jizhong and he sternly demanded, "What did you say? You can't do it? How dare you disobey me?"

Peng Jizhong lowered his head, not daring to look directly at Jia Zhen. Cold sweat seemed to be dripping on his forehead, but he still forced himself to say, "Master Jia, I really can't do this. I beg for your forgiveness."

Jia Zhen's eyes were sinister as he threatened, "If you don't accept my toast, you'll be punished! If you don't do as I say, I'll peel off your skin!"

Peng Jizhong took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and said, "Please... please, Master Jia, don't force me."

Jia Zhen laughed in anger, suddenly stood up, strode to the door of the hall, and shouted, "Someone come here!"

As soon as the shout fell, Lai Er, the chief steward of Ningguo Mansion who was guarding outside the hall, came forward with several servants.

Jia Zhen turned around, pointed at Peng Jizhong, who was cowering in the hall, and ordered Lai Er, "Hit him."

Lai Er immediately ordered several slaves to go forward and beat the man up.

Several powerful slaves pounced on Peng Jizhong like wolves and tigers, and punches and kicks fell like raindrops.

Lai Er did not take any action himself, but stood aside and watched coldly.

Peng Jizhong was beaten so hard that he screamed and begged for mercy: "Stop hitting me! Stop hitting me..."

Jia Zhen shouted softly, "Stop."

The slaves stopped immediately.

Peng Jizhong was injured, his clothes were disheveled, and blood was oozing from his nose.

Jia Zhen looked down at Peng Jizhong and said coldly, "Can you still do as I say? Do you dare to disobey me?"

Peng Jizhong's voice trembled: "I...I'll do as you say."

Jia Zhen's lips curled up into a smug smile. He waved his hand, ordering Lai Er and the servants to retreat. He took out another five hundred taels of silver and casually threw it in front of Peng Jizhong, saying in a deep voice, "If you had just agreed, how could you have received this beating in vain?"

One of Peng Jizhong's legs was injured. He struggled to get up with the five hundred taels of silver note and limped out of Ningguo Mansion.

He looked back at the towering gate. The plaque on the gate that read "Built by Imperial Order for Ningguo Mansion" sparkled in the sun. A pair of large stone lions in front of the gate looked majestic, as if they were laughing at his embarrassment.

Filled with resentment, he dragged his injured leg, got on a carriage, and disappeared on Ningrong Street.

……

……

Peng Jizhong returned to the eastern suburbs, but did not go directly back to the Qin family. Instead, he dragged his heavy steps to the gate of the Jiang family's house.

The door of the Jiang family's house was closed. Peng Jizhong raised his hand and knocked on the doorknob, the sound dull and rapid.

Soon, the door opened slightly, and the gatekeeper Dong Feng poked his head out. Seeing the scars on Peng Jizhong's face, which were both swollen and blue, he was stunned and asked, "Butler Peng, what happened to you? Who did you fight with?"

Peng Jizhong endured the pain and humiliation and said anxiously, "I have something important to discuss with Master Jiang. Please let him know."

Dong Feng did not dare to neglect it and nodded quickly, saying, "Wait a moment, I will report it right away."

After saying that, he turned around and walked quickly into the inner courtyard.

Jiang Nian was sitting in the study, studying under teacher Qu Jishan.

Dong Feng was clever and did not report it in front of Qu Jishan. Instead, he waited until Jiang Nian left the study before quietly reporting it. When Jiang Nian heard that Peng Jizhong had something important to discuss with him and that he was injured, his brows furrowed slightly and he immediately guessed that it was related to Qin Keqing.

Jiang Nian immediately walked out of the inner courtyard and came to the gate of the house.

Peng Jizhong took out Jia Zhen's silver note of five hundred taels and reported in detail how Jia Zhen had threatened him and ordered his men to beat him.

Jiang Nian remained silent after hearing this. He pondered for a moment before snorting coldly and thinking to himself, "After Wang Ziteng, this time they're going to punish Jia Zhen again!"

Jiang Nian said to Peng Jizhong, "You've done a great job! I'm not ungrateful. Don't accept Jia Zhen's five hundred taels of silver. I'll give you another five hundred taels later!"

Peng Jizhong said worriedly, "Master Jiang, if I don't follow Master Jia's instructions, he will definitely order his slaves to beat me again, or even... even kill me."

Jiang Nian's expression froze, and he said in a deep voice, "Don't worry. I will punish him and keep you safe. Come with me to the Zuoying Yamen to sue Jia Zhen!"

Peng Jizhong suddenly opened his eyes wide: "..."

……

……

If Jiang Nian did not have the golden finger of luck, facing the matter of Jia Zhen, he would most likely not choose to lead Peng Jizhong directly to the Zuoying Yamen to sue Jia Zhen.

Upon arriving in Beijing, he had already caused a major altercation with Wang Ziteng, alarming Emperor Taishun and even the retired Emperor Jingning. He had then disturbed Emperor Taishun again over the imperial examinations. If he were to alarm Emperor Taishun again over Qin Keqing and Jia Zhen's quarrel, it would be unwise and reckless.

He had a golden finger of luck, and he had been working hard recently to pass the imperial examination and enter the court, so he should have good luck. He thought that he could deal with Jia Zhen simply and roughly this time, without wasting time, effort and trouble to choose other methods.

Although Peng Jizhong was afraid of Jia Zhen and feared being sued, he still followed Jiang Nian and He Yun to the patrol office of Zuoying. He Yun even specially put on the official uniform of the fifth-rank Dragon Guard.

The morning sunlight enveloped the Zuoying Yamen of the Patrol Force located outside Chaoyang Gate. The high blue-gray walls seemed to be stained with a layer of gold, and the flag hanging on the flagpole also seemed to be stained with a layer of gold.

Inside the yamen, Ma Peicheng, the lieutenant general of the Left Camp, was accompanying the newly appointed governor of the Beijing Camp, Lu Kodo, to inspect the camp affairs.

Lukodo, dressed in his official uniform, looked dignified and walked with a steady gait. Wherever he passed, the officers and soldiers saluted with awe. Ma Peicheng led the way, explaining the affairs of the camp to Lukodo in a respectful and cautious tone. Lukodo nodded, lost in thought.

Suddenly, one of Ma Peicheng's personal soldiers approached and whispered something in Ma Peicheng's ear. Ma Peicheng nodded slightly.

This scene happened to be caught by Lukodo. He fixed his eyes and asked, "What's the matter?"

Ma Peicheng pondered for a moment, then leaned closer to Lukodo and lowered his voice, "Your Excellency, Jiang Nian came to the Zuoying Yamen and said he had something important to discuss with me."

Hearing this, Lukodo's eyes flashed with a strange light, and he asked in a low voice: "But is it the brother who is very close to the Thirteenth Prince?"

Ma Peicheng nodded: "It's this brother."

Lukodo's expression became playful.

He had already learned about Jiang Nian and Wang Ziteng, and was both surprised and delighted.

What is surprising is that Wang Ziteng, such an important official and a trusted military general of the retired Emperor Jingning, was punished by Emperor Jingning for offending a young man. He was demoted from the governor of the Beijing camp to the general, and his power was greatly reduced.

To his surprise, Lukodo was promoted to Jiedushi of the Beijing Camp, filling the position vacated by Wang Ziteng. Furthermore, he and Wang Ziteng had a long-standing feud; Wang Ziteng had always looked down on him, viewing him as mediocre and incompetent, while Lukodo considered Wang Ziteng arrogant and overbearing. Wang Ziteng's punishment for Jiang Nian had given Lukodo a warm feeling towards the young man.

Lukodo said to Ma Peicheng, "Send Jiang Nian in. I want to see him."

(End of this chapter)