Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Upon hearing this, Zhu smiled sheepishly and said:

"That's why your brother asked me to find you! It would be extremely difficult for anyone else to accomplish this."

"First of all, the founding military heroes are definitely out of the question. They are all our own people, how can we let our own people fight against our own people?"

"Moreover, the military power of the Ba Shang camp is now in the hands of your eldest son, who is from the founding line. If the military power of the capital garrison is also in the hands of a founding military hero, how can the emperor feel at ease?"

"Your brother said that the emperor will definitely choose someone else to check and balance the emperor. Either he will send civil officials from the Ministry of War to the Beijing Garrison to reorganize the army, or he will transfer Yue Zhongqi or Nian Gengyao back from the Nine Garrisons."

"They were both trusted military officials promoted by the emperor, but even if Nian Gengyao and Yue Zhongqi wanted to successfully reorganize the Beijing garrison in a short period of time, it would be impossible."

"Your brother is the most suitable person to do this. Firstly, he is a civil official, and even if he were to take charge of the military, the emperor would be at ease."

"Secondly, he has served as the military governor of the capital garrison. With the support of the Jia family, it will be easier to organize the garrison than for others. This requires your help, sister!"

Zhu spoke about these things with great knowledge and understanding, a stark contrast to her previous ignorance of worldly affairs, clearly indicating that she had been repeatedly instructed by Prince Teng at home.

Madam Wang's expression froze for a moment, then she spoke:

"What can a woman confined to her home do to help? Is it because my brother needs money to bribe officials?"

With a fawning smile, Zhu said repeatedly:

"No, no! Think about it! The Jia family once produced three dukes, two of whom served as military governors of the capital."

"Many military officers in the Beijing garrison were promoted by the old Duke himself when he was alive, and they all owe him favors!"

"Although the old Duke has passed away, this kindness has been passed on to his descendants."

"Your brother-in-law is now the head of the Rongguo Mansion. If he's willing to put in a good word, your brother's work in the Beijing garrison will be much easier!"

"this……"

Madam Wang hesitated for a moment, even though she was very willing to help her own brother, Wang Ziteng.

However, since this matter involves Jia Zheng, she felt that even if she spoke up, Jia Zheng might not easily agree.

In the past, it would have been easier to say that since the Jia family was short of members, the Wang family, being a family by marriage and a long-standing friend, could easily lend a little favor.

However, now that the Jia family has produced that illegitimate son of the eldest branch, who is the grandson of the Duke of Rongguo and has been granted a marquisate, the second branch can no longer make decisions on many external matters on its own!

Seeing that Madam Wang hesitated, Zhu quickly added more fuel to the fire and whispered:

"If you don't utilize the connections left behind by the old Duke, they'll all be taken advantage of by that illegitimate son of the eldest branch, making him increasingly powerful. That's not good for your second branch!"

"Besides, you two are the rightful masters and mistresses of the Rongguo Mansion, and Baoyu is the rightful legitimate son. The legacy of the Duke of Rongguo should not be inherited by that illegitimate son!"

"Your brother said he wouldn't make things difficult for his brother-in-law. He just needs to write a letter to those founding military officers working in the Beijing garrison, asking them to help him out a bit more."

"Your brother also said that if he could become the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of War, Baoyu's future would be in his hands!"

Zhu's words struck a chord with Lady Wang.

Jia Jing was, after all, just an illegitimate son; what right did he have to inherit the Jia family's military connections?

Only his own Baoyu is the legitimate son, and all the good things in the Jia family should belong to Baoyu!

In addition, Wang Ziteng is his own older brother.

In terms of closeness to the relationship, he is the only true confidant, and in the future, Baoyu will still need to rely on his uncle!

Anyway, these connections are useless to his second wife, so it's better to give them to his uncle than to let that illegitimate son benefit from them!

Madam Wang smiled and said:

"Then I'll talk to the master about this when he has some free time!"

Zhu was pleased to hear this and smiled:

"As expected, siblings are the most reliable! If this succeeds, your brother will never forget your help."

The two chatted for a while longer, and after about half a cup of tea's time, Madam Zhu bid farewell to Madam Wang with a smile and went home!

Meanwhile, Madam Wang was also a bit tired and was preparing to take a nap, while also thinking about how to talk to Jia Zheng about the Wang family's affairs.

Just then, Jin Chuan'er, the head maid of Madam Wang's room, hurriedly came in from outside, lifting the curtain with Granny Xia, looking somewhat anxious.

Madam Wang had always disliked the lack of manners among the servants in the courtyard, and frowned as she asked:

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a hurry!"

Before Jin Chuan'er could speak, Granny Xia, standing to the side, pretentiously said:

"Madam, something's happened! Second Master was harassed in Miss Lin's courtyard, and they even smashed the jade he was wearing!"

Madam Wang's expression suddenly changed, and she said urgently:

"What's going on? Who dares to bully my Baoyu?"

Lady Wang could remain calm in other matters, but when it came to Jia Baoyu, she was more anxious than anyone else.

Granny Xia's cheekbones were high and prominent like a ghost's face; when her lips parted, jagged yellow teeth were revealed; her eyes darted around like a mouse; and she reported in an exaggerated, shrill voice:

"It's all because of that sharp-tongued Miss Lin. She really angered Second Master. He said Miss Lin didn't care about him as her second brother and wasn't close to him. He was so angry that he smashed the jade!"

Granny Xia, omitting the beginning and end of the story, directly pinned all the blame on Lin Daiyu, whom she had never liked in the first place.

She knew that Lady Wang also disliked Lin Daiyu, so she was sure she was right to say bad things about Lin Daiyu.

"What?!"

As expected, Madam Wang's expression changed, and she cursed with a livid face:

"I've always thought of her as a sharp-tongued, frivolous, and dissolute woman! Nothing good ever comes of her staying in this house!"

"Baoyu was a perfectly good man, but she corrupted him with her seductive and bewitching ways. Whenever he went to her room, he would either make a scene or talk nonsense."

"Now that everything was fine, they've smashed their manhood!"

After saying this, Madam Wang couldn't sit still any longer and walked outside.

"Come on, let's go see my precious jade!"

……

Inside the study of Mengpo Studio, Jia Zheng was dressed in a gray-yellow robe and wore a scholar's cap, exuding an elegant and refined air.

Sitting behind his desk, he looked at Jia Lan and Jia Huan's daily homework and quizzes, which he had obtained from the clan school, with a cold expression, and remained silent.

He was both happy and worried. He was happy because his grandson Jia Lan had given him a pleasant surprise. Both his calligraphy and his knowledge of classical texts were quite remarkable.

He ranked among the top in this small exam. Qin, the scholar in the clan school, said that with Jia Lan's attitude and effort, he should have no problem passing the county-level exam in a few years.

This greatly pleased Jia Zheng, as his lifelong regret was not being able to pass the imperial examinations.

Although he considered himself a scholar and spent his days discussing poetry and literature with the guests in his household, he didn't even have the title of a child scholar.

But now his grandson is about to fulfill his dream, how could he not be happy?

In the future, when going out for banquets and exchanges with colleagues, relatives and friends, you will have a respectable junior to talk about.

So that people wouldn't say that he could only get his official position by relying on his father's legacy, and that there wasn't actually a single person in his family who was good at studying.