Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 116 The military commander Zhuge Liang ruled with law, and even the cunning servants of the Jia family were terrified!

"Uncle She".

"You should handle the matter of the main branch of the West Mansion."

Looking around at everyone, Jia Yan finally passed the question to Jia She.

'well!!!'

Jia She sighed inwardly. If this matter was not handled properly, the entire household would probably look down on him.

"Please have mercy, Your Excellency!"

Wang Shanbao's wife, skilled at reading people, realized that Madam Xing was unreliable, so she immediately knelt down in front of Jia She and begged him pleadingly.

"My lord, spare my life!"

Yingchun's wet nurse imitated Wang Shanbao's wife, constantly kowtowing and begging.

"Grandma, please forgive me."

"Spare your life!"

A series of sobbing sounds came from outside. Wang Xifeng walked in front, Li Wan followed behind, and on both sides were maids and old women from the mansion being escorted by female servants. There were at least twenty or thirty people in total.

"all these are?"

Grandmother Jia, sitting on the couch, couldn't help but look at Wang Xifeng.

"Reporting to our ancestors."

“These maids and old women are all traitors; their gold and silver jewelry and other valuables were confiscated from their residences.”

“There are plenty of ways to sell stolen goods outside. Yun’er has captured Zhou Rui and is now taking him to find his son-in-law, Leng Zixing. Leng Zixing is a well-known antique dealer in the capital. Many of the rare items in the mansion have been sold through him.”

"Lai Da and Lai Er were captured by Qiang Ge'er and taken to investigate the Lai family. These two are the biggest rats in the mansion."

Wang Xifeng acted decisively and explained everything clearly.

"What a bunch of traitors! I never imagined that my entire household had been emptied of its resources."

Upon seeing a group of old women and maids whose faces were vaguely familiar, Grandmother Jia's old face darkened, and she said in a hateful voice.

"old lady."

"Master Bao was beaten dozens of times by the Second Master and is almost dead."

Yuanyang whispered the news to Grandmother Jia.

"Quickly, tell him to stop."

Even tigers don't eat their cubs, so does this mean they won't stop until they've killed Baoyu?

Grandmother Jia was very worried and quickly shouted.

However, everyone in the hall remained calm and composed, and no one dared to speak, after all, it was Jia Yan who had stirred up the fire.

"Yan-ge'er".

"I'm going to swallow my pride and beg you for this."

"How about we spare Baoyu?"

Grandmother Jia hurriedly pleaded with Jia Yan, saying that she would be devastated if her precious son were to die.

"What are you saying, old lady?"

“Huan-ge’er, go and persuade Uncle Zheng. He’s just a useless piece of trash anyway. What does it matter what he says or does? Why get so angry?”

“Now that Baoyu has taken a concubine, it would be better to let him have a child as soon as possible. There is plenty of time in the future, and we can take our time to prepare him later.”

"We must teach the young men of this household to be upright and not have anything to fear."

Jia Yan, who was holding little Xichun in one arm, smiled and said a few words casually.

"Yes."

Jia Huan's eyes lit up, and he jogged towards the outside of the hall.

'? ? ? '

The faces of everyone in the hall twitched a few times, and they were all somewhat frightened.

These words were not merely meant to belittle Jia Baoyu, but rather to ensure that Jia Baoyu would never have peace in the future. Presumably, after hearing these words, Jia Zheng would occasionally give Jia Baoyu a good thrashing, and there would be quite a spectacle to watch in the mansion.

"Giggle!"

Xiao Xichun's flawless face blossomed with a smile, her silvery laughter echoing throughout Rongqing Hall. Lin Daiyu's lips couldn't help but curl upwards. Yingchun and Tanchun, who usually felt sorry for Jia Baoyu, didn't say anything. Xue Baochai looked at the intimate figures of the brother and sister in front of the hall, and her beautiful eyes couldn't help but show a strange light.

"Feng Ge'er".

"Was Wang Shanbao captured?"

Jia She's sudden remark instantly drew everyone's attention.

"Dad."

Wang Xifeng had obviously noticed Wang Shanbao's wife and Madam Xing's gloomy face, but she pretended not to know and replied in a serious tone, "Not only Wang Shanbao, but also Zhou Rui, Wu Xindeng, Wu Jinxiao and other managers and estate owners, not one was left out."

"The two manors and their twenty estates colluded with these managers, embezzling an unknown amount. They are currently taking stock of each one, and have brought in hundreds of accountants from outside to check them one by one, making sure they return everything they have embezzled."

"The Shuntian Prefecture just sent someone to ask if they need any help. All the yamen runners are ready to be ordered at any time."

‘Click! ’

Wang Shanbao's last hope was shattered, and he collapsed to the ground, his face blank.

"Yan-ge'er".

Jia She knew perfectly well why the Shuntian Prefecture had intervened. There were only two reasons: first, someone wanted to see the Jia family make a fool of themselves; second, to give face to the Marquis of Wu. Therefore, he returned the decision-making power to Jia Yan.

"No need."

While playing with little Xichun, Jia Yan said, "Most of them are servants in the mansion. They have slave contracts. As long as they are not killed, it is not Shuntian Prefecture's business what to do with them. Those who do not have slave contracts will be sent to Shuntian Prefecture later, where they will be convicted and exiled to Chengde."

“The Marquisate of Wu’an is currently undergoing major construction. Sending them there would be of some use. All the people in the manor are related by marriage. Not to mention, Siqi, who works for my second sister, is Wang Shanbao’s granddaughter and Qin Xian’s niece. Qin Xian works for Uncle Zheng.”

“If we keep going down this narrow path, there will be hundreds, even thousands of people. We can’t just kill them all at once. The censors in the court who criticize the Jia family for their unjust killings could line up from the Hall of Mental Cultivation to the Gate of Supreme Harmony.”

"Great!"

Upon hearing this, Jia She's face was full of agreement.

"Yan-ge'er does have some kind heart after all."

"Boss, let's do it this way."

Grandmother Jia also supported Jia Yan's suggestion to exile him to the Marquisate of Wu'an, which was essentially Jia family territory, where they could do whatever they wanted. However, killing these servants would be a violation of the law, and it would not sound good if word got out.

"girl."

In the crowd, a tall, robust, and beautiful maid suddenly knelt down in front of Yingchun.

"Second brother."

Looking at her maid Siqi, with whom she spent every day, Yingchun felt a pang of pity, yet she didn't know what to do.

"elder brother."

Little Xichun stared intently at Jia Yan with her bright, large eyes.

"You, you."

Jia Yan affectionately tapped Xiao Xichun's brow with his index finger. He knew perfectly well that she wanted to help Yingchun, so he simply faced Siqi directly and said indifferently, "Qin Siqi has a fiery temper, acts decisively, and is always competitive."

"If you used this temperament on your second sister, how could she have ended up in such a state? If you were kept here, how would everyone in this household view your second sister?"

'Whoosh!'

Siqi's face turned pale instantly; her last illusions were shattered.

"You and your cousin Pan Youan were childhood sweethearts, and you developed feelings for each other as you grew up, but you were afraid of your parents' objections, so you could only secretly harbor your feelings."

"It's fortunate that you didn't exchange gifts in private in the mansion, otherwise, neither you nor Pan Youan would be alive today."

"Wow!" The Jia family members couldn't help but turn their heads, not expecting that this maid was such a devoted lover.

"I beg Your Majesty for mercy."

Seeing that her secret had been exposed, Siqi immediately kowtowed and begged for forgiveness.

"To tell you the truth, your parents colluded with your maternal grandfather and mother to embezzle from the household. Such a heinous crime will inevitably lead to a lifetime of toil until death."

“Pan Youan was weak-willed and timid. Fortunately, his servant did not dare to take any action, and his parents were honest and law-abiding.”

“Your uncle Qin Xian and your aunt are capable, efficient, and forward-thinking. If it weren’t for the trouble caused by your maternal grandfather’s family, they should have been managers in this household.”

"Since my second sister has asked for this, I will take the liberty of returning your slave deeds to Pan You'an and Qin Xian today."

"You may travel to Chengde with Mr. and Mrs. Qin Xian."

Jia Yan waved his hand dismissively.

"Thank you, Lord Xie!"

Siqi was moved to tears, kowtowed several times, and then turned to leave.

"Thank you, Second Brother."

Yingchun gracefully bowed, keeping this sentiment in her heart.

After seeing this, Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai pondered it. This Marquis did not seem entirely cold and ruthless; he treated his family with gentle warmth and kindness.

"I failed to handle the matter of the eldest son's family well as a father, and neglected Yingchun and Congge'er."

Suddenly, Jia She spoke up.

"Father!"

Yingchun and Jia Cong were shocked that Jia She would admit his mistake in front of so many people, and both of them had tears in their eyes.

"Since everyone is here today, I've finalized some matters concerning the eldest son's family."

Jia She looked ashamed and continued, "The title of Rongguo Mansion and Rongxi Hall shall be handed over to Lian-ge'er."

"Rongqing Hall will be handed over to Cong-ge'er. If Cong-ge'er obtains merit and title in the future and establishes another residence, Rongqing Hall will be returned to Cong-ge'er."

"After my father passes away, everything in the house will be divided in two and inherited by Lian-ge and Cong-ge respectively."

"When Yingchun gets married, I will prepare a dowry for her that will be no less than that of the noble ladies of the capital."

"Father-in-law/father!"

Wang Xifeng, Jia Cong, and Yingchun all spoke up at the same time, and everyone in the hall showed surprise. This was to arrange the division of the eldest son's family property ahead of schedule.

“Mother, Yan Ge’er.”

"I would appreciate it if you could bear witness."

Jia She turned his gaze to Grandmother Jia and Jia Yan.

"Boss."

"If you've thought it through, I won't say anything more."

“Lian’er inherited the first wife’s son ...

"Rongqing Hall was given to Cong-ge'er, and these things in my room were divided in two and given to Bao-yu and Huan-ge'er respectively."

After thinking it over, Grandmother Jia made a new decision.

'Ugh!'

The Jia family members standing nearby were all surprised. They didn't expect that Grandmother Jia would change her mind. Previously, she had planned for Baoyu to inherit all the gold, silver and valuables in her room. Now, she actually gave half of it to Jia Huan, her illegitimate son. It was really unbelievable.

However, Jia She and Jia Yan immediately understood Grandmother Jia's thoughts. It seemed that she wanted to leave a way out for Jia Baoyu. If Jia Huan succeeded in the future, he would have to take care of his elder brother, who was born of the main branch. As for Jia Lan, it goes without saying that the heir of the second branch would not care about Jia Baoyu.

"Uncle She, the old lady said so."

"Then I will bear witness that anyone who dares to cause trouble in the future will not be blamed for being ruthless."

With a cold glance, Jia Yan's voice was so chilling it could freeze everything, sending a shiver down the spines of everyone present.

"Don't dare."

Wang Xifeng, Jia Cong, and Yingchun all agreed, while Madam Xing, as the first wife of the main wife, was excluded from the discussion and ignored by everyone.

“Cong-ge’er”.

"You've suffered a lot of injustices over the years."

“In the future, you will learn martial arts and join the army, which will cost a lot. I will give you five thousand taels of silver to buy some things.”

"Send away all the servants in your courtyard, and Feng-ge'er will arrange for someone else to serve you."

Jia She patted his illegitimate son on the shoulder and said earnestly.

"Don't worry, Father-in-law."

"I will definitely arrange some capable maids and servants to serve my second brother."

Wang Xifeng quickly assured everyone that Yingchun was not yet married, and Jia Cong was even younger, so she, as the sister-in-law, had to take on the responsibility.

After all, Rongxi Hall has been clearly handed over to Jia Lian and his wife for inheritance, along with the title of Rongguo Mansion. The rest are just petty gains and don't amount to much.

"I"

The sudden concern left Jia Cong somewhat bewildered, and he hesitated in place.

"Sister-in-law Lian doesn't need to put in too much effort."

“In Cong’er’s courtyard, arrange a head maid, and find two junior maids and a senior maid.”

“I heard that Lin Zhixiao has a daughter named Lin Hongyu, who is clever, quick-witted and eloquent. Why not arrange for her to marry Cong’er?”

"As for Second Sister, Siqi has gone, and Xiuju has been promoted to head maid."

"This time, kicking out these people has actually streamlined the workforce considerably, preventing them from wasting their time eating nothing all day."

"The imperial palace employs no more than seven hundred eunuchs and no more than five hundred palace maids."

"In the Prince's mansion, there are no more than two hundred officials with official ranks, plus eunuchs, maids, and servants who guard the house."

"I took a quick look and found that the Jia family, with its two mansions, has no fewer than several hundred women alone, and the number of servants and other staff members is over a thousand. It's almost as large as the Forbidden City."

Jia Yan brought up this matter, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally, which startled everyone in the Jia family.

"inappropriate!"

Without thinking, Grandmother Jia and Jia She blurted it out.

Are you kidding me? The Prince's Mansion only has two hundred people. Do the Ning and Rong Mansions deserve to have so many people?
“Brother Yan is right.”

"Previously, Lin Zhixiao had said to the Second Master: 'The population is too large. Why don't we pick a day and ask the Old Madam and Master to let some of the old servants who have helped out, but are no longer needed, go out and do business? Firstly, they can each have their own businesses, and secondly, the family can save some food and monthly expenses each year.'"

"Now look what's happened. One by one, relatives and friends have become thieves. I'm afraid less than one or two out of ten people are left."

"In my opinion, we should send all the older, clumsy women home, and keep only the gardeners. We can then buy some younger maids and servants from the market."

"There is no need to make any changes to the maids who are currently serving in the mansion. One hundred and fifty people are sufficient."

Wang Xifeng spoke with great logic and reason, clearly having thought it through long ago.

"Can!!!"

Jia She had no objections. The people in Jia Mu's courtyard were honest and law-abiding, so she naturally wouldn't refuse. In reality, the only ones who would truly suffer losses were Lady Wang and Lady Xing, whose personal servants were all wanted criminals for embezzlement.

“If that’s the case, then let’s do as Brother Yan said and transfer Xiao Hong to Second Brother as his head maid.”

"The embroidered tangerines in front of my second sister will all be treated according to the original regulations: first-class maids will receive 1 tael of silver per month, second-class maids will receive 800 cash, and third-class maids will receive 500 cash."

“The same applies to the servants, doormen, gardeners, and attendants. The monthly allowance for Cong-ge’er, Lan-ge’er, and Huan-ge’er’s attendants has been increased to two taels.”

Wang Xifeng quickly added.

Everyone else agreed with the plan, and the charter was thus established.

(End of this chapter)