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

After briefly explaining some things to Jia Zheng, Jia Jing came out of the ancestral hall and planned to go back to Jingming Hall first to make some preparations before heading directly to the Twelfth Battalion.

By this time, the sun had already climbed onto the eaves of the courtyards in the East Mansion, turning the blue tiles white.

Jia Jing walked eastward along the stone path through the hall, enjoying the summer scenery of the mansion at a leisurely pace.

The whitewashed walls on both sides were slightly hot from the sunlight, and the moss at the base of the walls had withered, clinging to the brick seams like dry ink lines.

The bamboo blinds hanging under the eaves were half-rolled up, and a breeze slipped in from underneath, carrying a faint coolness. But before you could really feel it, the coolness touched your face and was quickly swallowed up by the summer heat.

Several cicadas hid behind the locust tree leaves, chirping in drawn-out tones, as if keeping time for the sweltering morning.

As Jia Jing leisurely turned the corner of the passageway, he suddenly saw a woman with a graceful figure standing in the shadows beside the stone steps, dressed in a dark green dress.

The woman had her head down, her face showing a hint of sorrow, as if she were pondering something, or perhaps she was simply passing by and taking a break.

Hearing footsteps, the woman abruptly raised her face. Her fair face appeared exceptionally soft in the interplay of sunlight and shadow, her eyebrows and eyes curved gently.

Upon seeing that it was Jia Jing, her fair and jade-like face immediately lit up with joy. She stepped forward a few paces, curtsied, and said:

"Greetings to the Duke!"

Seeing the smiling girl walking briskly towards him, Jia Jing frowned and asked with a hint of doubt:

"Ping'er? What are you doing here? Did your second sister-in-law send you to find me?"

He wasn't surprised that Ping'er had come to the East Mansion!

Apart from the main courtyard of the East Mansion, which was heavily guarded, there were no restrictions on people from the West Mansion entering other parts of the East Mansion.

The two mansions were connected by a gate, and although Jia Jing sent his personal guards to watch over them, he did not prohibit passage!

After all, places like Dongfu Huifang Garden are scenic spots and are good places for young ladies to stroll and enjoy the scenery!

However, Ping'er was clearly waiting for him here on purpose. If it weren't for Wang Xifeng's instructions, she wouldn't have done this, given her personality!

Ping'er was pretty and delicate-looking, with a beautiful face and a gentle and dignified demeanor. Upon hearing Jia Jing's question, she smiled sweetly and softly replied:

"Reporting to the Duke, the lady has prepared plum juice in the pavilion in front. She said it's hot, and since the clan meeting has been going on for so long, the Duke must be thirsty. Please come over and rest."

"She has come to the East Mansion several times these days, but she hasn't been able to see the Duke. She has a few words she would like to say to you in person."

Ping'er's words were handled with better tact; she didn't say "request an audience" or "have important business."

Simply saying "I have a few words I'd like to say in person" and mentioning that you've already visited Dongfu several times makes you seem both approachable and sincere.

In addition, it must be said that,

Since Jia Jing returned to the mansion from the Northwest, Feng Jie has indeed visited the East Mansion several times.

However, Jia Jing was either busy with official duties or not at home, so she never had the chance to meet him.

This time, it's likely that after learning about the clan meeting, they went to great lengths to ambush him on this road!

Jia Jing glanced at the intelligent and virtuous Ping'er, pondered for a moment, and nodded slightly:

"In that case, let's go see Second Sister-in-law!"

Fengjie had been actively trying to get closer to him, and Jia Jing was naturally aware of this.

For example, her speech yesterday after Jia Baoyu smashed the jade showed great awareness and courage. She also contributed to the affairs of Ke Qing and Yuan Chun.

And during this time, she helped Tan Chun a lot with housekeeping, and did a really good job.

Considering all these factors, Jia Jing agreed to meet with him.

So the two walked along the red-railed veranda. As they walked, Jia Jing looked at Ping'er, whose features were delicate and beautiful, and casually asked:

"I noticed you were standing there earlier, looking troubled. Did something happen?"

Ping'er was taken aback when she heard this. She hadn't expected Jia Jing to be so observant, and she certainly hadn't expected him to ask about a maid like her in such a kind manner!

After thinking for a moment, Ping'er carefully chose her words and said softly:

"These are all things concerning our maids, and I'm not sure if it's appropriate to talk about them!"

Jia Jing frowned, staring at Ping'er without saying a word.

Ping'er seemed startled by Jia Jing's sharp gaze and subconsciously whispered:

"This isn't my problem, it's Xiren's problem!"

Jia Jing was slightly surprised, looked away, and asked:

"Xi Ren? Who are they?"

Ping'er's ears turned slightly red, and she explained softly:

"Because of the huge commotion caused by Master Bao smashing the jade yesterday, even his 'vital organ' was broken, Madam sent someone to Master Bao's courtyard this morning."

"It is said that the head maids, including Xiren, have not taken good care of Master Bao."

"They even said that their seductive nature corrupted the men, that they brought bad luck to Master Bao, and that they should all be driven out of the manor!"

"Xiren and the others are packing their bags right now! Their indentures are in the hands of the Second Madam, and this matter... even Grandma and Third Miss can't interfere!"

Jia Jing frowned, and couldn't help but say coldly:

"Wang Shi can't seem to calm down for long; she's taking her anger out on the maids again..."

You should know that Jia Baoyu's courtyard had nearly twenty maids, including eight head maids!

Although Qingwen was gone, Grandmother Jia still bestowed another person upon her, making a total of eight!

If these eight head maids are all expelled from the manor, their fates will likely be grim!

Looking at the endings of Jin Chuan'er and Qing Wen in the original novel, we can see that in a wealthy family like the Jia family, being "kicked out" was almost like a death sentence for maids.

Because being "kicked out" is not the same as being "released".

"Release" means to be stripped of one's slave status and regain one's freedom; while "drive away" simply means to be expelled from one's master's side, while one's slave status remains.

This means that they are still legally the property of the Jia family, without legal status, unable to leave, and with nowhere to go.

As slaves "with masters," no other legitimate profession would accept them.

As a servant born into a family, Jin Chuan'er could only return to her parents' home after being expelled, and endure the pressure and cold treatment from her family.

Qingwen was handed over to her good-for-nothing cousin and his wife, and because she did not receive proper care, she eventually fell seriously ill and died.

More importantly, the charges for being "kicked out" are often extremely disgraceful accusations such as "misconduct".

This stigma can last a lifetime, and the heavy pressure of public opinion can destroy a person's will to live.

Once their reputation is ruined, they are not only deprived of their jobs, but also of their dignity and future.

Therefore, as long as Xiren and others are driven out with accusations of "corrupting the men" and "bringing bad luck," even if they have parents' homes to stay in, their lives are basically over.

If you have no parents or relatives to take you in, then you're basically not far from death!