After the rebellion was successful, I realized that this place was the Red Mansion

Chapter 82 Lin Daiyu owes a debt to King Qian of Chu
Ningguo Mansion.

When Qin Keqing entered the room, four or five exquisite dishes were already placed on the table. The rice was the best green-stem rice. Seven or eight maids and servants were standing there. After smelling the fragrance of the dishes, they couldn't help swallowing their saliva.

Now there is only one person in the mansion who can eat delicious food, and she is the former Grandma Xiaorong, now Grandma Qin!
The maids looked at the eldest lady and saw that although she looked like a beauty, there was a hint of sadness on her face. She did not act aggressively because she was in charge of the lives and deaths of hundreds of people in the mansion.

Yesterday, Grandma and Grandma Zhen ordered people to beat more than half of the people in the house with sticks, making everyone respect and fear her, and no longer dare to regard her as Master Zhen's daughter-in-law.

Grandma Qin received the favor of the newly enthroned emperor and became the mistress of Ningguo Mansion!
"Put some food in two bowls and take them to Grandma Zhen."

Qin Keqing spoke in a gentle and soft voice as she instructed her maid Baozhu.

Baozhu did as she was told and came back after a while, saying that Grandma Zhen had accepted the dish as a reward.

After Qin Keqing finished her meal, she said to the maids, "Go ask Grandmother Zhen again. Tell her that I'm going to the West Mansion to see the old lady and ask if she wants to come with me."

After a while, the maid came back and said, "Grandma Zhen asked you to wait a moment. She will come over after she changes her clothes."

Not long after, Youshi arrived and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law met. Because Jia Zhen had died, Youshi wore a coarse linen mourning dress and took off all her previous jewelry. She looked unhappy.

However, she was Jia Zhen's second wife and was only in her early thirties this year. She had a pretty face and beautiful looks.

Jia Zhen was a man who put a lot of effort into women, so his choice of second wife would not be bad. Now that Youshi had changed into mourning clothes, she looked even prettier than before.

Qin Keqing stepped forward and bowed slightly, without saying much to her former mother-in-law, and went to Rongguo Mansion together.

Only when she saw Lady Jia did Youshi burst into tears:

"Old lady, I'm here to ask for a favor. Master Zhen's body is still in the house, and Grandma Qin doesn't dare to make the decision. Please come with me to discuss with the three girls and at least bury him!"

"Grandma Qin?!"

Everyone was attracted by this unfamiliar name. Qin Keqing was originally Youshi's daughter-in-law, but now Youshi called her "Grandma"...

Wang Xifeng was also surprised. She looked at Qin Keqing and saw that she was just sitting there silently, with a hint of sadness on her charming face.

Grandmother Jia nodded and said, "Zhen'er's funeral arrangements must be made. Yuanyang, go and see if Miss Lin is feeling better. If she is, please invite her over."

Yuanyang responded and hurried out.

She knew in her heart that the old lady did not want to invite Miss Bao. Although Miss Bao was also a relative, Miss Lin was like her own granddaughter and it was convenient for her to say anything to her.

After a while, Lin Daiyu came to Grandmother Jia and wanted to kowtow to her and pay her respects. Grandmother Jia hurriedly pulled her over to sit down.

Before she could say anything, a maid came to announce: "Old Madam, Miss Lin, Master Lian is back!"

This sentence startled everyone, especially Wang Xifeng, who stood up suddenly: "Second Master is back?!"

Lin Daiyu was also quite excited and asked the maid, "Where is Second Brother Lian?"

The maid smiled and said, "Second Master said that he dared not enter the second gate without the permission of the three ladies. I will go and ask Second Master to come in!"

After saying that, he went out.

Everyone waited anxiously for a while before seeing a man walk in.

Lin Daiyu and others were shocked when they took a quick look at him, thinking he was a strange man from somewhere. He knelt in front of Lady Jia and cried, calling "Old Madam". Only then did Daiyu and others recognize that he was Mr. Lian!
"You've become like this...?"

Wang Xifeng was also shocked.

What happened to her husband Jia Lian?
He was wearing a grey short-sleeved shirt and wide-crotch trousers. There were several large patches on his clothes. He hadn't washed them for several days. There was a faint sour smell, and they looked dirty and grey!
Not to mention the servants in the mansion, he couldn't even compare to the clothes of ordinary men on the street. He looked almost the same as Aunt Liu who came to the house to beg for money for the first time!
What is Wang Xifeng wearing now?
She wore a round-necked satin jacket with colorful flowers, a skirt embroidered with bamboo and chrysanthemums, a hairpin with five phoenixes and pearls in the shape of the morning sun, and earrings, necklaces, bracelets, etc. If she took off any one of them and threw it to her husband Jia Lian, it would be enough for him to change into a full set of silk and satin!

If the two of them stand together now, no one would think they are husband and wife!

Jia Lian looked up at Wang Xifeng, then avoided her gaze, sighed, and bowed to Lady Jia:

"Madam, my elder sister in the palace pleaded for mercy, and the emperor granted me permission to return and take care of Brother Zhen's funeral."

Then he said again, "My salary for next month has not arrived yet, and I only have one hundred yuan. I can't even buy a coffin, so I came back to ask the old lady for help. I hope Miss Lin and Miss Bao can help me."

He said he came back to ask the old lady for help, but in fact he was asking Lin Daiyu if she had any solution.

After hearing his words, everyone looked at each other in confusion.

Everyone in the room was wearing gold and silver, but these were all temporarily allowed by the emperor. If he revoked his order, they would have to take off their clothes!

Everyone looked at Lin Daiyu.

Wang Xifeng asked, "Can I borrow some money? My mother's family..."

She couldn't even say this herself.

Jia Lian smiled bitterly and said, "My uncle is in a difficult situation now. He rents a house with two courtyards. The girls have moved out. The silver left when the house was confiscated is only enough to support them for a few months. He is now trying to find a way to make a living for them. He just came to ask me yesterday." Everyone was helpless. The money in the mansion no longer belonged to them.

Yu Shi couldn't bear it and said, "You're guarding this huge Duke's Mansion, but you can't even come up with a hundred taels of silver. No one will believe me if I tell anyone about it... Madam Qin, I'll be the boss and take the two hundred taels from my room and give it to Lian'er. Tell him to bury Master Zhen!"

She is Jia Zhen's wife, so it is reasonable for her to come forward.

Qin Keqing also felt sorry for Miss Lin, and seeing that Miss Lin was silent, she said to Youshi, "I will pay the money. I will go to the palace and apologize to the emperor later."

Jia Lian felt relieved after hearing this and said with a smile, "I had actually forgotten that the East Palace also had a Grandmother Qin who was in charge!"

Everyone laughed at what they said, and their eyes changed when they looked at Qin Keqing.

From then on, she was no longer Rong Ge's daughter-in-law.

"It's just..." Qin Keqing changed the subject and said gently, "Nowadays, my family can no longer afford the pomp and ceremony of a duke, so there's no need for a grand funeral. A coffin, a plot of land, and a few monks to chant will all be fine for about fifty taels."

Fifty taels...

Everyone in the room had complicated expressions. In the past, they would have given Granny Liu more than fifty taels of silver to send her off, but now that the head of the Jia family had passed away, they only had this little money for his burial.

Times have changed and this is unavoidable.

Grandmother Jia said, "Let's do it this way. According to what Grandmother Qin said, Lian'er, you go and take care of your elder brother Zhen's funeral."

Jia Lian quickly agreed.

After discussing Jia Zhen's funeral, Lady Wang couldn't help but ask, "Master and Baoyu..."

Everyone in the room looked at Jia Lian.

"It's all good, it's all good. The eldest master and the master don't do rough work, and Baoyu only boils water and cooks in the barracks. It's a bit hard, but it's not difficult!"

Jia Lian spoke half-truthfully, but how could anyone believe him when they saw him dressed like that?

Lin Daiyu said, "Brother Lian, stop trying to tease us. Just tell us the truth. How are Baoyu and uncle doing now?"

Jia Lian could only say, "Baoyu was beaten up again last night!"

"Ah!" Mrs. Wang felt sorry for her son.

Jia Lian said, "He woke up in the middle of the night, thinking he was in the Yihong Courtyard, and yelled for Qingwen at the top of his lungs. He woke up the soldiers in the nearby tent, who dragged him out and beat him up. Fortunately, no bones were broken!"

Mrs. Wang felt dizzy.

It was a blessing that he didn't break any bones? Just imagine how badly Baoyu was beaten!

Daiyu said, "Second Brother Lian, tell Baoyu to stay well in the camp and wait..."

She didn't know what to say.

All the things in the mansion belonged to Prince Qian. Even though she received the reward last night and could use them freely, those things were given to her by Prince Qian. If she asked Jia Lian to hand them over to Baoyu, she would still owe Prince Qian a favor.

How could she agree?

He could only say a few words, asking Jia Baoyu to wait for the opportunity in the military camp, hoping that one day King Qian would pardon him.

Jia Lian hesitated for a moment and said, "Baoyu knew I was coming back this morning and asked me to come to Yihong Courtyard to get some clothes..."

In fact, Jia Baoyu also asked him to convey a few words to Daiyu, but they were just questions about Daiyu's current situation and his words of missing her, which were meaningless to say aloud.

"Baoyu has no clothes to wear?!" Mrs. Wang could no longer sit still and cast a pleading look at Daiyu.

The old lady also looked over, and Daiyu's heart trembled. She couldn't escape after all.

Every day she stayed in the mansion, she would have to owe Chu Yan one more favor to repay the Jia family for taking care of her over the years. The debts of favor seemed to be woven into a web that made it impossible for her to escape.

Eventually, she was pushed into the palace, and like other girls, she had to serve Prince Qian in order to repay her debt to him.

I'm afraid that only by dying can I return to Yangzhou with a clear conscience.

"Purple Azalea."

Daiyu ordered, "Go to Yihong Courtyard and ask Xiren to pick out some clothes and some of Baoyu's daily belongings, and give them to Brother Lian to take to Baoyu."

As soon as she opened her mouth, she owed King Qian Chu Yan another favor.

(End of this chapter)