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

Lai Shangrong panicked as well, quickly crawling a few steps forward and looking up at Jia Cong with a mixture of urgency and apprehension in his eyes.

"Third Master, please have mercy! He's just an ignorant servant who spoke carelessly. I'll discipline him severely when I get back, even break his legs, please spare his life!"

Although he feared Jia Cong's official rank and status, he was also unwilling for his own servant to die in the mansion, as it would ultimately bring bad luck to the Lai family and give them something to talk about.

But Jia Cong remained unmoved, a ruthless glint in his eyes.

"Li Rong, drag him out and beat him to death! How dare a mere servant speak so arrogantly to his master! Today, we'll make an example of him and let all servants see the consequences of humiliating their masters!"

Li Rong responded and stepped forward, grabbing the servant by the back of his collar and about to drag him out.

The servant was terrified, crying and struggling. Lai Shangrong, sweating profusely, quickly rose to stop him. "Third Master! You mustn't!" Lai Shangrong's voice trembled with anxiety. "He's just a servant. Why dirty your hands? Please, for the sake of the household's reputation, and for the sake of my father's hard work, even if he hasn't done anything particularly meritorious, spare him this time!"

Jia Cong snorted coldly, and his figure moved suddenly. Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and he had already drawn the Zhaowu Golden Mace from his waist!

Before anyone could react, Jia Cong flicked his wrist, and the golden mace, whistling through the air, slammed into the servant's chin! A crisp "crack" rang out, accompanied by the servant's heart-wrenching screams. His chin was smashed open, and his teeth, mixed with blood, gushed out, splattering on the ground in a horrifying sight.

The servant instantly lost the strength to cry out. His mouth was crooked to one side, and he could only make a "hoarse" sound as he breathed out. His whole body was convulsing, and his eyes were unfocused. Clearly, he was breathing more gas than he was taking in.

All of this happened in the blink of an eye. The strength of a third-level martial artist was far beyond what these servants who worked all day could comprehend. Lai Shangrong couldn't even see the afterimage of Jia Cong wielding his mace, and he didn't even have time to think of stopping him.

The hall fell silent instantly, save for the servant's faint breathing and Lai Shangrong's exclamation.

Jia Cong calmly and slowly retrieved the golden mace and handed it to Li Rong, ordering him to wipe the bloodstains off the mace with a silk handkerchief. His tone remained icy.

"Lai Shangrong, see this clearly. This is the consequence of a servant deceiving his master. Today I will spare your life and his as well, but he will never be allowed to utter a single word about his master for the rest of his life."

He stared at Lai Shangrong, whose face was deathly pale and who was trembling all over.

"Go back and tell Lai Da that from now on, anyone in the Lai family, whether it's you or any of the servants, whoever dares to slight any master in the mansion will face consequences beyond just a broken jaw. I will definitely report this to the Ministry of War and punish you according to the law!"

Lai Shangrong was so frightened that his legs went weak, and he knelt down again, kowtowing repeatedly.

"This servant understands! This servant will certainly tell my father to strictly discipline the servants in the household, so they will never dare to offend again! Thank you for your mercy, Third Master! Thank you, Third Master!"

Jia Cong glanced at him and said coldly, "Get out of here with your men, and don't dirty the Qingyan Hall."

Lai Shangrong felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He quickly got up and signaled his men to drag away the dying servant. He then bowed and backed out of Qingyan Hall, not daring to even breathe loudly. Only after leaving the Grand View Garden did he dare to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

Li Rong hurriedly led several servants to clean up the bloodstains in the hall. Jia Huan was also terrified. He had only wanted to vent his anger, but unexpectedly, Jia Cong suddenly went berserk. The polite and well-mannered Cong-ge'er of the past had become a devilish figure in the blink of an eye.

Jia Cong suppressed his anger and resumed his smiling demeanor. He turned to the two maids and ordered them to make more tea, then pulled Jia Huan to sit down.

"Huan-ge'er has been frightened. Someone, bring some fruit..."

Jia Huan sat down silently. After a long while, he took two sips of tea before raising his head, his tone much firmer.

"Brother Cong, you are exceptionally courageous and intelligent, far surpassing me. If you ever need my help in the future, just give the word, and I will do anything to help!"

Jia Cong slowly put down his teacup, looking at the other person with a hint of appreciation.

"What are you saying, Huan-ge'er? We are brothers in the same household, and we should support each other. Although you are not favored by the master and mistress, if you work hard, you may still be able to make a name for yourself."

"Cong-ge'er is right, let's go, let's go, teach me a few more moves today!" Jia Huan got excited and wanted to drag Jia Cong to the riverbank to practice martial arts again.

After teaching Jia Huan a lesson, he finally let the other party leave the garden. When he returned to Qingyan Hall, he found Chu Lan whispering to Jinping, not even noticing him entering the courtyard.

He coughed lightly, startling the two maids who immediately stood up straight and came to greet him.

"Third Master, would you like to eat?"

Jia Cong calmly waved his hand.

"No rush, tell me, what were you whispering about just now?"

Chu Lan's face turned pale instantly, and she stammered, not daring to utter a sound. Jin Ping, however, was bolder. She carefully stepped forward and helped Jia Cong change out of his martial arts shorts while speaking softly to him.

"Third Master, please calm down. Sister Chulan is just talking to me about the monthly allowance."

Jia Cong raised his head suspiciously.

"Monthly allowance? What, is the household short of your money?"

The two head maids exchanged a glance, and Chu Lan shook her head timidly.

"It used to happen before, but it hasn't happened since Third Master started practicing martial arts. However, this month's allowance hasn't been paid yet... This servant's mother is seriously ill and needs some money..."

Jia Cong frowned upon hearing this. The Rong family used to pay out monthly allowances on the fifteenth of each month, and he used to look forward to that day every day. However, after learning martial arts, his personal savings gradually increased, and he no longer worried about money, so he gradually forgot about it.

His first thought was whether Wang Xifeng had once again diverted the money to lend money. However, in the past year, Jia Cong had earned three workshops for the Rong Mansion. Whether it was perfume, tremella, or glass, these were all sources of income. Logically, the Rong Mansion's financial situation should have improved significantly.

It wasn't a good time to ask directly, so Jia Cong could only suppress his doubts and wave his hand.

"Perhaps it's just a delay, who knows? Fine, bring twenty taels of silver, and you can divide it among your subordinates..."

Chu Lan and Jinping exchanged a glance, then both curtsied.

"Third Master is kind and generous; thank you for the reward!"

Jia Cong was never one to mistreat the people in his courtyard. Many people had been exposed because they were betrayed by their close associates. These servants and maids had not been with him since childhood. If he didn't reward them with money, there was no guarantee they wouldn't turn against him in the future.

The next day, Zhou Haiyong took Li Rong for a leisurely stroll to work. Jia Cong, the third-in-command, had a private office. After roll call in the main hall, Zhou Haiyong returned to the main office behind the hall, while he and Yang Shaoyan sat on duty in the side rooms on either side.

Not long after they had sat down, Deputy Commander Yang Shaoyan entered. Jia Cong quickly stood up and bowed.

"May I ask what business Master Yang has with me?"

Yang Shaoyan had important business to attend to, so he didn't stand on ceremony and simply smiled and pointed outside.

"Brother, you are new here and in charge of criminal matters. You should familiarize yourself with the situation properly. However, we are short-handed today, so I have to ask you to take a household and patrol the streets."

Jia Cong also put on a smiling face.

"What are you saying, sir? It is my duty to perform my duties in this position. I would like to ask you to tell me how to conduct the inspection."