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

Jia Jing walked under the eaves of the Jia family mansion, accompanied by Yuanyang, the personal maid of Grandmother Jia.

Yuanyang wore a light red silk jacket, a blue satin vest, and a white crepe silk handkerchief tied around her waist—a typical maid's attire that revealed her unassuming nature.

She had a wasp waist, slender shoulders, an oval face, jet-black hair, a high nose, and a few freckles on her cheeks. She had fair skin and a pleasant fragrance.

Her appearance wasn't particularly stunning, but walking next to her exuded a gentle aura.

The matter of reorganizing the servants at the Jingwu Academy has come to an end, and Grandmother Jia has returned to Rongqing Hall.

Upon hearing that Jia Jing was going to visit Lin Daiyu, Grandmother Jia asked Yuanyang to accompany him to see her on her behalf, as she was also concerned about her granddaughter's health.

The two remained silent as they walked through a series of hanging flower gates.

Yuanyang glanced at the imposing young man beside her from the corner of her eye from time to time. She saw that Jia Jing had a solemn face, pursed lips, and deep eyes, and she didn't know what he was thinking.

The mandarin duck opened its mouth and whispered:

"My lord! The old lady was so angry today that she almost collapsed in her chair. It scared me to death!"

Jia Jing paused slightly, then replied:

"Perhaps it was the actions of the wife and second sister-in-law that saddened the old lady, and she inevitably became agitated."

Yuanyang pondered for a moment, her face showing hesitation, but she parted her red lips slightly and said:

"Today, it's not just about Madam and Second Mistress Lian!"

"I've been taking care of the old lady for quite some time now. Although she doesn't say it, I understand many things in my heart."

Upon hearing this, Jia Jing fell silent for a moment.

Aside from being angered by the undermining between Lady Wang and Sister Feng, everything else concerning Grandmother Jia today was related to him.

Whether it's beating Jia Baoyu, disciplining the servants, or criticizing Grandmother Jia for not knowing what's important, it's all about the consequences.

Yuanyang glanced cautiously at Jia Jing's expression, a hint of fear on her face, and said:

"My lord! It was my fault for being so talkative!"

Jia Jing smiled gently, looked at Yuanyang, and said:

"You're quite the loyal maid!"

Jia Jing knew very well that Yuanyang was saying these things to him simply so that he would be more considerate of Grandmother Jia and be more accommodating to her in his words and actions in the future.

As expected of Jin Yuanyang, she was a loyal and virtuous maid who would commit suicide to follow her mistress after Grandmother Jia's death.

Even though he had dealt with so many servants today with ruthless methods, he couldn't stop her loyalty to her master. Despite her fear, she still spoke up.

Yuanyang felt uncomfortable under Jia Jing's gaze. She paused slightly, her red lips parted slightly, but she couldn't resist the urge to pour out her heart.

She knelt down with a thud, and said in a clear voice:

"My lord! I am but a servant girl, and there are some things I shouldn't say, but I have no choice but to speak for the sake of the old lady."

"After much thought, I can only humbly speak a few words from my heart to the Marquis. I wonder if the Marquis would be willing to listen."

Jia Jing stopped and looked at her for a while, making Yuanyang feel uncomfortable, before saying indifferently:

"Go ahead and say it! I'm listening!"

Yuanyang braced herself and said softly:

"I know that the Marquis was raised in the east wing since childhood and had a hard life. He doesn't have much affection for the old lady."

"So since returning to the mansion, my relationship with the old lady has been lukewarm, and we're not very close."

"This rectification of family conduct is also a good thing. The Marquis is a man who does great things outside, with a strong character, and he cannot tolerate the insolence of his servants."

"But the old lady was kind to the poor and weak, and she wasn't a bad person at heart. In all the years I've followed her, I've never seen her kill anyone."

"She's just getting old, she likes to reminisce about the past, she likes the lively scene of her children and grandchildren around her, and she likes the harmony of her family."

"The old lady is well aware that some servants abuse their seniority, but she just can't bear to see them like this..."

"Of course, in the eyes of the Marquis, this is a bit too soft-hearted. The Marquis cannot tolerate any flaws and thinks things through more deeply and further."

"And then there's Baoyu. The old lady does indeed dote on Baoyu a bit more."

"The Marquis may think that such pampering is not a good thing, but the old lady also thinks it's because Baoyu looks like the late Duke Rong..."

"The old lady is not a bad person, nor is she confused or unreasonable. She is already old and can't take any more trouble."

"Ever since the Marquis returned to the manor, the old lady has often suffered from headaches and couldn't sleep all night. She hides her worries deep inside, but I can sense them."

"I don't understand what's going on outside, I just hope that in the future, the Marquis and the Old Madam can speak to each other in a gentler tone and consider their words more carefully..."

As she finished speaking, Yuanyang's voice grew softer and softer until it was almost inaudible, and she dared not look at Jia Jing's expression any longer.

He whispered:

"My lord, these are my true feelings. Seeing how upset the old lady was today, I am really worried about her health."

"If there has been any offense or misstatement, Your Excellency may punish me as you see fit..."

Jia Jing said expressionlessly:

"Yes! The old lady is a good person, and you are a good person too—a loyal maid and a kind-hearted mistress. Only I am a heartless, ruthless villain!"

Yuanyang's mouth agape slightly as she was questioned by Jia Jing, her bright eyes looking at the young man in front of her with a mixture of surprise and suspicion.

On her delicate oval face, fair with a rosy glow, she stared blankly, somewhat bewildered.

Jia Jing sighed and continued:

"You dare to speak frankly to the Lord, even to the point of offending your superiors. Though you have overstepped your bounds, your heart is good. Arise!"

"I know very well what kind of person the old lady is, probably even better than you do. But you have absolutely no idea what kind of person I am."

Jia Jing has always had a clear understanding of Grandmother Jia, not only from his memories of his past life, but also from the investigation conducted by the Embroidered Uniform Guard these past few days.

Grandmother Jia was just a happy, soft-hearted old lady who was easily swayed by flattering words and loved excitement and extravagance.

It's not that bad.

Neither in the original novel nor in the investigation, Grandmother Jia ever harmed a single person or harbored any evil intentions.

Compared to the other women in the Jia family, Madam Xing was stupid and brainless, Madam Wang was all talk and no action, and Wang Xifeng was ruthless. Even Grandmother Jia could be considered harmless.

In the original novel, Jia Huan once deliberately burned Jia Baoyu with lamp oil, but in the end, there was no excessive punishment.

Jia Baoyu was Grandmother Jia's darling son...

Of course, it's not to say that Grandmother Jia was really that clean!

Regardless of the circumstances, as the matriarch of the Jia family and the one with the highest status, she bears some responsibility for the Jia family's eventual tragic end.

Another issue is the excessive favoritism and indulgence shown towards Jia Baoyu.

And she was overly lenient with the servants of the Jia family, such as the Lai family, the biggest cancer in the Jia family, who were her trusted servants.

As for other words like ruthless, vicious, or cruel, they have nothing to do with Grandmother Jia.

This is just a normal elderly woman.

As people get older, they become more soft-hearted, spoil their grandchildren, and believe that happiness comes from harmony and peace.

Grandmother Jia was not like Madam Jia Zhang from the Siheyuan; she was not as despicable and shameless.