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

Xuanwu paused slightly, remained silent for a moment, and then said solemnly:

"That's hard to say! However, with a strict father like the Second Master guiding him, and bound by clan rules and family laws, it shouldn't have come to this!"

"Alright! It's getting late! Since the Duke's instructions have been fulfilled, I won't bother you any longer!"

Xuanwu was fully aware of the internal affairs of the Jia family, but he did not want to say much or get involved.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng, with a hint of melancholy on his face, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture and said:

"I'm very grateful to General Lu for making this trip today! As for the matter of my unfilial son, I will discuss it in detail with Zijie at the clan meeting tomorrow!"

"Farewell!" Xuanwu nodded and cupped his hands in farewell.

Afterwards, Jia Zheng and his mother escorted Xuanwu and his personal guards to the entrance of the courtyard.

After seeing him leave, Jia Zheng had no intention of staying in Rongqing Hall any longer. With a complicated expression and a sad look in his eyes, he staggered alone towards the front house!

Inside Rongqing Hall,

Grandmother Jia sat back on the high couch, and with the help of Aunt Xue, Yuanyang, and several others, she slowly recovered from the shock of Baoyu's situation, and her complexion returned to normal.

Lady Wang, also attended to by Li Wan, tidied her appearance and sat down on a chair in the hall. However, her face was still very pale, and her expression could not hide her grief and indignation.

Before long, Yuan Chun, Tan Chun, Bao Chai, Dai Yu, Xiang Yun and others in the side room also came out from behind the screen.

When Grandmother Jia saw the group, her gaze sharpened, as if she had thought of something, and she quickly asked:

"Have you found Baoyu's manhood? He's had it with him since he was born, it absolutely cannot be lost!"

Grandmother Jia clearly valued the magical jade very much; even when Baoyu was taken away to kneel in the ancestral hall, she still didn't forget to inquire about the whereabouts of this object.

With tear stains and a look of sadness on her fair skin and jade-like face, Yuan Chun replied softly:

"Xi Ren, She Yue, and the other maids are searching for her! She must have fallen somewhere!"

"But Grandma doesn't need to worry. The room is only so big; it definitely won't get stolen!"

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia sighed, remained silent for a moment, then looked at Lady Wang, whose face was pale and whose expression was sorrowful, and offered words of comfort:

"Baoyu's mother, don't be too sad. Zheng'er spoke a bit harshly in the heat of the moment today; he didn't mean it!"

"He only has one legitimate son, Baoyu, so it's understandable that he's disappointed in him... I'll have him apologize to you in a few days, so don't hold a grudge against him!"

Grandmother Jia knew that Lady Wang was heartbroken because, on the one hand, Baoyu had been taken away and made to kneel in the ancestral hall, and on the other hand, she had just been scolded by Jia Zheng and had lost all her dignity!

"And Yu'er and San Yatou, they are good too! San Yatou has a hard time managing the household, so it's no wonder things have escalated to this point."

"She is usually filial and reasonable, just like the eldest maid, and she always hopes that Baoyu will be well!" Grandmother Jia said again.

She offered a few words of apology to Jia Zheng, Daiyu, and Tanchun, mainly to prevent any sordid disputes within the second branch of the family.

The eldest and second wives in the household were already at odds, and now the second wife's family is experiencing internal conflicts, including marital discord and disputes between legitimate and illegitimate children, which is giving her a real headache.

We can only try to persuade both sides for now and maintain a semblance of peace. We'll have to deal with the rest later when the opportunity arises!

Of course, she didn't mention Sister Feng and Jia Huan, which clearly shows that she really resented the two of them!

Facing Grandmother Jia and the entire hall, Lady Wang could only lower her head and obediently reply:

"The old lady is right! My husband and I have been married for so many years, I know his good intentions!"

"I was also at fault. I lost my temper and said the wrong thing, which angered the master. But I meant no harm!"

Then, turning to look at Tan Chun and Lin Daiyu beside him, he said:

"Don't blame me, you two. I'm so old, and I only have one son, Baoyu. I always make mistakes when it comes to his affairs."

Lady Wang said this, but when she looked at Daiyu and Tanchun, there was still a hint of undisguised disgust in her eyes.

Now that Baoyu has been taken to the ancestral hall to kneel, and will be punished by the clan tomorrow, how could she possibly let go of her worries?

However, after Jia Zheng's stern and rapid reprimand, she couldn't show her emotions now.

That's how people are. Even if they have to bow down temporarily due to circumstances, the resentment in their hearts will only accumulate and deepen if they can't release it!

For the time being, Lady Wang could not deal with Jia Jing, nor could she control Feng Jie, and she could not vent her anger on Jia Zheng. So she could only vent all her resentment on Daiyu and Tanchun!

Daiyu, being an extremely sensitive person, knew that Lady Wang still harbored resentment towards her. Her expression paused, she pursed her lips, and only softly replied:

"Auntie, you flatter me!"

Tan Chun glanced at Madam Wang's slightly gloomy gaze, sighed softly, and whispered:

"It's all my fault, no matter what! No matter how much my mother hits or scolds me, I never complain. I only hope that my mother and father won't get sick from all this!"

As a young woman, if Tan Chun hadn't been granted the power to manage the household by Jia Jing, she wouldn't have been able to say a word to her stepmother, Lady Wang!

Regardless of whether what she did was right or wrong, and no matter what she thought in her heart, she had no choice but to bow her head and admit her mistake, as it was a matter of filial piety and propriety!

Upon hearing this, Yuan Chun's expression shifted slightly. She pursed her lips and said softly:

"My third sister has managed the household fairly and justly; what wrong has she done? As the saying goes, a country will not perish if it has honest ministers, and a family will not be ruined if it has honest sons!"

"The reason Jingdi put you in charge of the household is because he values ​​your impartiality, integrity, and decisive character. This is not your fault!"

"...I only hope that after this ordeal, Baoyu will learn from his mistakes and make some progress!"

At this point, Yuan Chun paused, then advised Lady Wang:

"Mother, you must never spoil Baoyu too much again. Such leniency will only bring misfortune..."

"I've thought it all out. After this matter is over, I'll have Baoyu study literature and martial arts diligently at the clan school and not return to the mansion easily."

"To avoid causing any more trouble at home, we'll wait until he's a few years older, get him married, settle down, and gradually become more stable!"

Yuan Chun's words were meant to take this opportunity to finalize Bao Yu's enrollment in the clan school, so as to avoid any further complications!

Of course, only Yuan Chun, the eldest daughter who held an imperial title and had sacrificed herself for her family, was qualified to say such a thing.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang glanced at Yuan Chun with displeasure and remained silent for a moment.

If her son Baoyu hadn't gone through this ordeal, he would probably have already arranged a marriage with the Nian family, and his rise to prominence would have been just around the corner!

Now that he's been punished by kneeling in the ancestral hall, who knows if this will get out and affect his marriage prospects!

Come to think of it, it's all the fault of that damned Lin girl and that unfilial Sanya. If they hadn't harbored evil intentions, things wouldn't have turned out this way!

Now the two of them are pretending to be obedient, which is simply outrageous!