Dream of the Red Chamber: A Refined and Elegant Young Man in a Turbid World

"I understand!" Li Rong nodded repeatedly, though he was still a little scared. But seeing Jia Cong's cold face, he didn't dare to hesitate for a moment. "This servant will go and invite the eldest mistress right away!" After saying that, he turned around and ran quickly towards Li Wan's courtyard.

Jia Cong watched Li Rong's departing figure and let out a soft sigh. He knew that the next step was the most crucial: to ask Li Wan to testify, and in front of everyone, to use the pawn ticket as irrefutable evidence to solidify Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law's guilt, and then to punish her according to the family rules. This step had to be done beautifully and strictly according to the rules, leaving no room for others to find fault.

He turned and walked toward Yingchun's warm pavilion. Along the way, the maids and servants who passed by saw that his face was ashen and that he exuded a menacing aura that kept strangers at bay. They hurriedly stepped aside and avoided him, not daring to look him in the eye or even breathe loudly.

As soon as I approached the courtyard of Yingchun Nuange, I heard Siqi's voice coming from inside.

"Girl, don't think about 'let it go' anymore! That Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law deliberately took advantage of your gentle nature to dare to switch your clothes! Now that Third Master has agreed to help us, just wait patiently, we will definitely get them back!"

Immediately following, Yingchun's timid voice rang out, "Enough, enough, Siqi, stop making a scene. It's just a few bolts of fabric; if it's lost, it's lost. If we make a big fuss, it will upset the Old Madam and the Madam, which wouldn't be good. Besides, Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law is my wet nurse. If I really punish her, others will say I'm ungrateful and mistreat my wet nurse..."

"Young lady! How can you still think like that!" Siqi's voice grew increasingly anxious. "If she truly considered you her master, why would she steal your tribute? Why would she throw a tantrum and turn around and accuse you? This isn't ingratitude; it's blatant disrespect! If you continue to indulge her, she will only become more demanding!"

"Stop talking, Siqi." Yingchun's voice was weary. "My mind is made up. Let's just leave it at that. Don't bother Third Master anymore, and don't go looking for Madam and Grandmother anymore..."

Jia Cong stood at the door, listening to the conversation inside. He had long known that Yingchun was timid, but he never expected her to be timid to this extent.

He coughed softly, interrupting the conversation inside. The sounds from the warm pavilion vanished instantly, and then Siqi strode out. Upon seeing Jia Cong, she quickly curtsied, her face full of remorse: "Third Master, I was rude. Please forgive my rudeness."

"It's alright." Jia Cong nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the warm pavilion. "Is Second Sister inside?"

"Yes, the young lady is inside," Siqi quickly replied, stepping aside. "Third Master, please come in."

Jia Cong stepped into the warm pavilion. The warm pavilion was simply furnished. There was a couch by the window, where Yingchun was reclining, holding a plain handkerchief in her hand. She stared blankly out the window, her face expressionless, as if she was indifferent to everything around her.

She wore a blue silk jacket, the color of which was either faded from washing or naturally occurring. The material was ordinary, and the style was neither new nor old, which was quite inconsistent with her status as the second young lady.

Seeing Jia Cong enter, Yingchun barely managed to stand up, her movements slow and her tone still wooden: "Third brother, what brings you here? Please...please sit down."

Jia Cong walked to the chair next to the couch and sat down. Siqi quickly stepped forward, poured Jia Cong a cup of tea, and handed it to him.

Jia Cong took the teacup but didn't drink from it. He simply placed it on the table and his gaze fell on Yingchun.

"Second sister, I heard what Siqi said just now. That Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law secretly changed your clothes. This is no small matter. It concerns the dignity of the master and the rules of the mansion. We can't just let it go like this."

Yingchun lowered her eyes, not daring to meet Jia Cong's gaze, and nervously twisted her handkerchief, saying timidly,

"Third brother, it's just a few bolts of cloth. If it's lost, it's lost. Why make a big fuss? If it upsets the old lady and madam, it won't be good..."

But once the arrow is released, there's no turning back. Jia Cong waved his hand dismissively.

"Second sister, please rest assured, I will take care of everything. I have already instructed someone to invite Madam Zhu to be a witness!"

Yingchun raised her head, looked at Siqi, then at Jia Cong, her eyes filled with confusion and helplessness. Finally, she sighed softly and waved her hand, "Alright, alright, you handle it. Just don't make too much of a fuss and don't upset the elders..."

Immediately, this blockhead slumped back onto the couch, closed his eyes, and appeared completely unconcerned, as if the matter had nothing to do with him.

Seeing her like this, Siqi felt both angry and anxious, but there was nothing she could do. She could only sigh to herself and stand by her side.

Jia Cong sat quietly in his chair, waiting for Li Wan and Li Rong. The warm pavilion was silent, save for Yingchun's soft breathing and the sound of the wind rustling through the branches outside the window.

Before long, footsteps could be heard outside the courtyard. Then, Li Rong led Li Wan in, followed by an old woman in a blue cloth jacket with a calm face. She was none other than Granny He, the head of the courtyard. The old woman was carrying a small blue cloth bundle in her hands, which meant that she had already obtained the pawn ticket.

Li Wan wore a moon-white silk jacket with a dark blue satin vest over it. She looked gentle and graceful, with a touch of dignity between her brows.

She entered the warm pavilion and saw Jia Cong sitting in a chair, and Yingchun reclining on a couch. Yingchun barely opened her eyes, nodded to Li Wan, and said hesitantly, "Greetings, sister-in-law."

Jia Cong quickly stood up and bowed to Li Wan, saying, "Sister-in-law, please forgive me for troubling you with this trip. I feel really bad."

As he spoke, he pointed to the blue cloth bundle in Granny He's hand, "Sister-in-law, please look, the evidence is inside."

Li Wan's gaze fell on the bundle in Granny He's hands, and her brows furrowed slightly: "This is..."

"Madam, this is what I got from Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law's servant's room. It contains her pawn tickets for pawning clothes."

Granny He stepped forward, handed the bundle to Li Wan, and bowed slightly.

"As the Third Master instructed, I secretly went to the servants' quarters of Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law and took it from the wooden box under her kang mat. The old woman wasn't in the servants' quarters at the time and didn't notice."

Li Wan took the bundle, opened it, and sure enough, there was a brand new pawn ticket inside.

She picked up the pawn ticket, examined it carefully, and frowned even more. "Yuhe Pawnshop on West Street, pawned item: one bolt of cloud and crane patterned silk, pawned for twenty taels of silver, signed by Zhang Shi. Zhang Shi, you must be Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law, right?" Wang Zhu's daughter-in-law was illiterate, but that didn't stop her from pressing her fingerprint.

"That's right." Jia Cong nodded in agreement. "Sister-in-law is right. This Zhang is Wang Zhu'er's wife. She stole Second Sister's tribute materials and took twenty taels of silver to Yuhe to pay off her husband Wang Zhu'er's gambling debts. I just summoned Wang Zhu'er, and the servant has confessed everything, but his wife is still throwing a tantrum and refusing to admit it."