Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

In Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia was preparing to rest when she suddenly heard the news outside. She was immediately furious and sent someone to fetch Jia Lian.

A little while later, the old woman came back and said, "Second Master Lian said that he has important matters to attend to and cannot leave for the time being. He will come in to pay his respects to the old lady after he has finished dealing with things outside."

"Good, good! Now he doesn't even listen to me anymore! What good can he possibly do? He's just a big shot with big ambitions and big abilities. He can't stand us old guys having any trusted people around him. He'll definitely eliminate them one by one so he can manipulate me in the future!"

Grandmother Jia was already furious that Jia Lian had attacked the Lai family without warning. Now, Jia Lian's disobedience further ignited her anger, and she, who was usually frugal and health-conscious, began to berate him in a fit of rage.

Because the meaning behind her words was too sensitive, the old women and maids next to her dared not say a word, and instead shrank back and acted like quails.

Yuanyang wanted to offer some advice, but after Grandmother Jia said those words, she dared not go against her.

But Grandmother Jia was only angry for a moment. She sat there sulking for a while, then asked around to find out what was going on outside. When she realized that Jia Lian was really serious, she couldn't sit still any longer. She immediately ordered someone to bring her cane and went to the outer courtyard herself.

As soon as Grandmother Jia made a move, Jia Lian knew it.

However, Jia Lian was not worried at all. He had long known that if he wanted to take action against the Lai family, he would have to get past Grandmother Jia first.

He had made ample preparations, and even sent someone to urge the Lai family on their departure regarding the results of the search. Although he had a suspicion, Jia Lian was also extremely curious about just how much money the Lai family, as servants, could have embezzled!

Lai Da and his wife learned that their home had been ransacked. Although they were extremely anxious, they were powerless to do anything under Jia Lian's pressure and could only watch helplessly. Having exhausted all other options, they placed all their hopes on Grandmother Jia.

There was nothing they could do. Jia Zheng, one of their backers, was already sitting to the side, not saying a word. Clearly, he had been half-convinced by Jia Lian and was willing to give up on the Lai family.

When Grandmother Jia came over, she saw the Lai couple, her saviors, and hurriedly scrambled over to them, begging for help.

Lai Da burst into tears: "Grandma, I am an unfilial son. I made a mistake and did something wrong. If Master Lian wants to beat or punish me, I am willing to accept it."

But my mother is innocent. She's old and has always lived a life of luxury, never suffering a hardship. Now, Master Lian has sent people to ransack our house. How can my mother bear this blow? If anything happens to her, I, your son, will never forgive myself, even if I die a thousand deaths…” Lan

Grandmother Jia had come with a gloomy face, but when she heard what Lai Da said, and thought of the more than sixty years of mistress-servant relationship she had shared with Granny Lai, she couldn't help but be moved, and her old eyes filled with tears.

She was about to help up the two pitiful people who were clinging to her trouser legs and begging for mercy, but Lai Da glanced at Jia Lian, who still had a cold and indifferent expression, and dared not get up.

Grandmother Jia helped them up once, but seeing that Lai Da and the other man were not up, she naturally understood the reason. So she did not help them up again, but in her heart, she became more determined to protect Lai Da.

She tolerated Jia Lian's actions when he dealt with the Shan family, which only emboldened him to take advantage of her. Now, he's even going after the Lai family.

She had always thought that Jia Lian was not a very obedient person. If she continued to tolerate him, she was afraid that, as he said, her trusted confidants would be eliminated one by one, and then no one would listen to her!

"old lady……"

Upon seeing Grandmother Jia approaching, Jia Zheng and Jia Lian naturally rushed to greet her.

Without saying a word, Grandmother Jia walked behind the main table and sat down.

Jia Zheng, less shrewd than Jia Lian, felt uneasy upon seeing this. He approached and whispered, "It's so late, why has the old lady come out in person? What are your instructions? Just have your children and grandchildren come in and wait..."

As soon as Jia Zheng spoke, he realized it was inappropriate, since he had been present when Jia Lian refused to obey the summons.

As expected, upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia flew into a rage: "Why did I come out in person? Perhaps it's because I never raised a good son or grandson in my life. If I had even one obedient and filial son or grandson, I wouldn't bother coming to your noisy place so late at night!"

Jia Zheng retreated awkwardly, unsure how to respond. He could only desperately try to signal to Jia Lian with his eyes, meaning: "The old lady is already like this, so let's stop. If we really anger her to the point of illness, our reputations and futures as uncle and nephew will be ruined."

Other onlookers also felt that since Grandmother Jia had come out and expressed her attitude so clearly, this matter would probably be resolved quietly tonight.

After all, in this era where filial piety is paramount, it is unwise to defy one's elders to punish a lackey.

A clever man like Master Lian would naturally not be stubborn in such matters.

But would Jia Lian back down just because Grandmother Jia is angry?

Obviously impossible.

As long as Grandmother Jia is alive, if he wants to do anything to the Lai family, she will definitely do so. So, if he's afraid of Grandmother Jia's anger, can't he just stand by and watch the Lai family cause trouble right under his nose without doing anything?

That is impossible.

If you can't even handle a lowly servant, how can you expect to achieve great success and benefit the world?

So Jia Lian remained silent, mimicking Jia Zheng's submissive demeanor, as if unaware that Grandmother Jia's anger stemmed from him.

After expressing her attitude, Grandmother Jia waited for Jia Lian's reply. Unexpectedly, her grandson pretended to be nonchalant, which made her even more annoyed. So she directly questioned him: "Lian'er, you have been in charge of the household for many years. Don't you know the saying that if the water is too clear, there will be no fish?"

I've watched Lai Da grow up since he was a child. He's smart and capable, so he's been by your master's side for many years. I don't know how many things, big or small, he's helped you with. In other words, even if he hasn't done anything particularly meritorious, he's certainly put in a lot of hard work.

Now that you're making such a big fuss about dealing with him, aren't you afraid your master will become suspicious?

Grandmother Jia was good at downplaying the seriousness of the matter. Knowing that Jia Lian had already solidified the evidence against Lai Da, she put aside those issues and instead talked about feelings and merits.

Moreover, she doesn't mention her relationship with Granny Lai; by focusing solely on Jia Zheng, she appears to be selfless.

Jia Lian quickly bowed and said, "What the old lady says is true, but I also know that a country has its laws and a family has its rules."

My Jia family has been established in the Great Wei for a century. Those who have contributed to our family are countless. If everyone can be arrogant and rely on past achievements, disregarding national laws and family rules, then not only is the decline of my Jia family inevitable, but even the Emperor himself would surely criticize my family for its poor management.

As a high-ranking official in the court, the master naturally understands this better than his grandson. Therefore, after reviewing Lai Da's incriminating evidence, the master switched his support to his grandson's actions and naturally didn't have any reservations.

If you talk about feelings and achievements, I'll talk about national laws and family rules; everyone should obey their own profession.

Grandmother Jia's face darkened further, and Jia Zheng, standing to the side, touched his nose, wondering if he had just said he would support Jia Lian. He didn't seem to have expressed any opinion.

"So, you're saying you absolutely have to deal with them?"

Grandmother Jia pointed at Lai Da and his wife below. The usually imposing head steward and chief steward's wife were now like lambs to the slaughter, looking at Grandmother Jia and Jia Lian with hopeful and pleading expressions.

Jia Lian understood that Grandmother Jia was using her authority to pressure him, but he didn't care at all and calmly replied, "You are incredibly audacious, and the evidence is conclusive. There is no room for leniency."

"You..." Lan

Grandmother Jia immediately straightened up, pointing a trembling finger at Jia Lian, as if she wanted to say something stern.

However, considering Jia Lian's current status and the fact that there are few male heirs left in the Jia family, he ultimately suppressed the thought of breaking all decorum.

Firstly, she didn't know if that would be enough to keep Jia Lian in check. Secondly, she was, after all, the matriarch of the Jia family and a first-rank Rongguo Lady, a high-ranking figure in the elite circle. Whether the Lai family was worth her doing that was something she needed to carefully consider.

"Lian'er, when will you finally learn the meaning of 'it's good to be confused'?"

"If it were today, I would absolutely forbid you from punishing Lai Da. What do you intend to do then?"

Since discussing feelings and merits didn't work, Grandmother Jia simply exercised her authority.

This can be considered a confrontation with Jia Lian. (Lan)

Jia Zheng, along with Madam Xing and others who had rushed over to see what was happening, watched the scene intently, wanting to know how Jia Lian would respond under such circumstances.

Should we back down or stand firm to the end?

It's probably a sign of yielding. After all, it's not shameful to yield to one's own elders, and it can even earn one a reputation for filial piety.

If Jia Lian were to defy her, Grandmother Jia had already made her statement. If Jia Lian were to disobey her in public, not only would Grandmother Jia lose face, but Jia Lian's reputation for being unfilial would be firmly established.

Jia Lian seemed stumped as well, his face serious as he met everyone's gaze.

Suddenly, he lifted the hem of his robe with both hands and knelt down directly in front of Grandmother Jia, clasping his hands in front of him and pleading, "Your grandson is unfilial and has troubled you, Grandmother."

However, the Lai family has occupied our Rongguo Mansion for decades, and the number of things they have done to infringe upon and damage our Rongguo Mansion's interests is countless.

From the day his grandson inherited the ancestral title and took over as clan head, he regarded it as his own responsibility to cleanse the Jia family of its ills and restore the glory of his ancestors.

Now that we know the Lai family is audacious and disloyal, and that they are like a leech to our Jia family, if we can only let them be and not eliminate them, not only will the restoration of our ancestors' glory become empty talk, but we ourselves will also feel unworthy to be descendants of the Jia family.

Therefore, if our ancestor insists on protecting the Lai family tonight, then your grandson kneels and begs your ancestor to strip him of his title and the position of acting clan head, and to choose another capable person to assume this great responsibility.

"If, venerable ancestor, you consider the merits I have rendered to the country and the family over the past few years and are unwilling to abandon me, I beg you to remain on the sidelines for now. Wait until I have thoroughly investigated Lai Da's assets and cleared him of all his crimes before you make your final decision!"

Quiet, unusually quiet.

At that moment, those standing nearby and able to hear clearly were shocked by Jia Lian's words and dared not show any abnormality.

Those who hadn't heard clearly but were standing further away could still see the reactions of others, especially the masters on the corridor, who dared not make the slightest sound.

In the southern corner, Madam You, who had come from the East Mansion, did not go up to the corridor, but instead observed the situation from the side under the protection of Yin Die and others.

She had been there for quite some time. At this moment, beneath her beautiful face, her red lips were slightly parted, and her expression was one of surprise mixed with admiration.

Since Grandmother Jia arrived, although she hasn't said much, her confrontation with Jia Lian has never stopped.

Jia Lian anticipated the enemy's moves and preemptively laid down irrefutable evidence against Lai Da. Knowing that it would be difficult to overturn the case, Grandmother Jia tried to appeal to Jia Lian's emotions, hoping to gain his leniency.

Unwilling to show any mercy, Jia Lian dealt with the matter using the law.

When Grandmother Jia saw that Jia Lian was unyielding, she decided to lay her cards on the table and use her authority as the matriarch to force Jia Lian to comply.

Grandmother Jia was Jia Lian's maternal grandmother, so logically, Jia Lian should have had no choice but to comply with her words. However, Jia Lian boldly invoked the Jia family's ancestors and their glory!

This was something she hadn't expected, but upon reflection, it seemed to be the only option under the circumstances.

Faced with Grandmother Jia, the undisputed matriarch of the Jia family, only the ancestors of the Jia family could keep her in check.

However, while this might suppress Grandmother Jia, it would inevitably offend her completely.

Therefore, Jia Lian's later words, asking Grandmother Jia to strip him of his title and position as clan leader, were merely a strategic retreat.

To be honest, the position of clan head is relatively easy to deal with, as Grandmother Jia is barely qualified to intervene. However, the title of nobleman is bestowed by the emperor, and no one, not even the biological father, has the right to take it away. So what virtue or ability does Grandmother Jia have to deprive Jia Lian of his title?

Therefore, Jia Lian placed the choice in the hands of Grandmother Jia, leaving the decision entirely to her.

Thinking of all this, Madam You felt a surge of emotion mixed with pride. She realized that she had poured everything into this man, and it hadn't been a disgrace at all; on the contrary, she had struck it lucky…

If others could see through these tricks, it would be even more obvious that Grandmother Jia, who had been adept at scheming since her youth, was even more so.

Grandmother Jia was stunned for a long time, unable to say a word.

She truly couldn't believe that Jia Lian, that monkey, had become so formidable. Even with her, the matriarch who held an overwhelming advantage, personally taking action, she couldn't gain the slightest advantage over him, let alone force him to back down.

Grandmother Jia was quite certain that even if Jia Jing, Jia She, and Jia Zheng, all members of the previous generation of the Jia family, stood in front of her, none of them would dare to confront her like this.

Let alone confronting her, I'm afraid that the moment she appears, these people will already be following her orders with her very first words.

If these three people are like this, one can only imagine what the other members of the Jia family's eight branches are like.

Therefore, for far too many years, Grandmother Jia had not experienced this feeling: that she was determined to do something, yet still couldn't accomplish it!

Jia Lian, that monkey, is really something else. He made this old woman reflect on herself before she died.

She stared at Jia Lian with a gloomy expression, but Jia Lian knelt obediently, so submissive that he "dared not" raise his head to look directly at her, as if he had said everything and now it was up to her, the matriarch, to decide what to do.

"Hmph, then I'd like to see just how many crimes you can list against him."

"But let me tell you first, Lai Da's mother and I are like sisters. She's been with me for most of my life, and over the years, I've given her countless amounts of money and jewels. If you want to do anything to them based on some paltry 'evidence,' I won't allow it."

Grandmother Jia sat down in her original seat, feeling even more annoyed than before she arrived.

Jia Lian seemed to offer her all the choices, but in reality, the only option he truly gave her was to sit on the sidelines and watch the show. Unfortunately, she had no choice but to accept it. If she had known this monkey was so well-prepared, she shouldn't have come out. If it weren't for the whole family being present, she wouldn't have been so easily controlled by Jia Lian's words.

"Thank you for your kindness, Ancestor. You have made your decision. Your grandson will not wrong an innocent person, nor will he let anyone who dares to harm the reputation and interests of the Jia family go unpunished." Lan

Jia Lian bowed in thanks, stood up, and his face was now beaming with joy.

In contrast, the Lai couple had dark and gloomy faces.

They all knew that the Lai family was definitely finished.

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