Dream of the Red Chamber: My Daiyu Has Been Reborn

"Mother!"

Jia Zheng angrily flung open the curtain and barged into Rongqing Hall without even announcing himself. He was usually very particular about etiquette, but now he was truly furious.

"Didn't you say you were going to pick someone up? How did it turn out like this?!"

When Lady Wang and the others saw Jia Zheng like this, they all fell silent and remained silent.

Grandmother Jia was already feeling resentful, and seeing Jia Zheng's accusatory manner, she slammed her hand on the table: "What are you shouting about! I'm still alive, who gave you the right to act so arrogantly?!"

Jia Zheng, who had been in high spirits, instantly softened upon seeing his mother's anger. In this era where filial piety was paramount, he didn't dare to be disrespectful to his mother.

"Mother, that's not what I meant, it's just that..."

"Alright." Grandmother Jia waved her hand, interrupting Jia Zheng before he could finish speaking. "I've already discussed it with Feng'er. She'll go to the Princess's residence tomorrow and personally bring her over."

Madam Wang chimed in, "Yes, sir! Feng'er has already sent someone to the princess's residence with an invitation. It's not a big deal, there's no need to get so worked up."

"What do you know, you woman?" Jia Zheng was afraid of his mother, but he had no regard for Lady Wang. He scolded her angrily, "Now the whole capital is talking about how our Rongguo Mansion mistreated Lord Lin's daughter, looked down on her, and sent her away with just a few third-class servants on her first visit."

Lady Wang and the others, who initially thought Jia Zheng was making a mountain out of a molehill, were completely dumbfounded after hearing what Jia Zheng said.

"How could it spread so quickly?"

Grandmother Jia's hands were trembling. She valued the reputation of the mansion most, and hearing that the whole capital was talking about it made her very upset.

"Zheng'er, what exactly happened? How did it spread like wildfire?"

"I don't know the specifics of my son. I've only heard that after Miss Lin went to the Princess's residence, Princess Anning and Marquis Duanping took it very seriously and personally went out to welcome her in. Now everyone outside is saying that our Rongguo Mansion is even more arrogant than the Princess's Mansion, and that our maternal grandparents' family treats Miss Lin less well than an outsider like her."

Jia Zheng sighed, his face dark, "Mother, I have no face to go out now. How can I face my colleagues?"

The news brought by Jia Zheng was too shocking for Grandmother Jia. She could no longer bear it and fainted.

"Mother!"

"old lady!"

This sudden turn of events immediately enlivened the previously somber atmosphere of Rongqing Hall. Maids and servants rushed forward, and Yuanyang soothed her and pinched her philtrum. After a while, Grandmother Jia finally regained consciousness.

As soon as Grandmother Jia opened her eyes, her lips trembled and her voice was weak: "Go...go and give those old women...ten more lashes..." She finished speaking in fits and starts, then her head lolled to the side and she fainted again.

Wang Xifeng hurriedly arranged for someone to fetch the imperial physician, while also instructing the maids to carry Grandmother Jia to the inner room on the couch.

Inside the alleyway to the west of Rongqing Hall, Granny Zhang and the other old women, each clutching their buttocks and hissing in pain, struggled to their feet from the bench.

One of the old women said with a mournful face, "I never thought that we would have to suffer like this at our age."

Granny Zhang quickly warned in a low voice, "Alright, everyone, say less. If it weren't for the old lady's kindness, that young mistress of the eldest son's family would have kicked us out of the mansion."

The other old women immediately fell silent, not daring to say another word, and the group limped away. But before they had taken two steps, the strong women who had just executed them returned, accompanied by Amber, Jia Mu's maid.

Despite the excruciating pain in her buttocks, Granny Zhang approached with a fawning smile, "Miss Amber, what brings you here? Is there anything else the Old Madam needs?"

Amber glanced at them indifferently and cleared her throat: "By order of the Old Madam, Zhang Mama and the others have failed in their duties, damaging the reputation of the household. Each of them will receive ten more strokes of the cane as a warning to others."

"ah?!"

Before they could react, the strong women holding boards had already lifted them up and placed them on the bench.

"ah--"

"Ouch—"

"My butt—"

With a series of muffled thuds, screams of agony rose and fell throughout the narrow passage.

In Grandmother Jia's room, Jia Zheng, Lady Wang, and others stood by the bedside with concerned expressions. After seeing the imperial physician administer acupuncture, Grandmother Jia's tightly furrowed brows finally relaxed, and her breathing gradually became steady. Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Madam Wang, in particular, silently thanked all the gods and Buddhas in the heavens. She knew perfectly well why the second branch of the family had achieved its current status in the household, and she was determined that nothing could happen to the old lady.

Jia Zheng asked worriedly, "Imperial Physician Wang, is the old lady unwell?"

"Don't worry, Lord Zheng. The old lady is just suffering from a sudden bout of anxiety. I'll prescribe a calming remedy, and she'll be fine after a good night's sleep."

Jia Zheng handed the prescription written by the imperial physician to a servant to prepare the medicine, and also ordered someone to present a generous reward.

After seeing the imperial physician off, Jia Zheng looked at the room full of people and became increasingly furious. He now knew what had happened; something that could have been avoided by simply sending someone back to inform him beforehand had instead become a major scandal throughout the city.

The thought that this whole mess was caused by the incompetence of a few old women made Jia Zheng want to tear them apart alive. He had always prided himself on managing his household with integrity, but now he had completely lost face.

Thinking of this, Jia Zheng strode out of Grandmother Jia's room and summoned his servant Qin Xian.

"Go, drag all those old women out and sell them off."

Qin Xian was taken aback, and hesitated before saying, "Master, what about the old lady...?"

Jia Zheng stared at Qin Xian with a livid face, without saying a word.

Qin Xian knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his forehead, and stammered, "Yes, yes, I'll take care of it right away."

In the back corridor of the Rongguo Mansion, Zhang Mama and the others helped each other to their quarters. After twenty strokes of the cane, they could barely walk on their own.

"Those twenty strokes of the cane really took half our lives."

"This is a stroke of good luck amidst misfortune; the old lady should be able to let go of her anger now."

"Anyway, we managed to stay."

Before they could even catch their breath, they suddenly saw someone standing at the door of the lower house ahead.

When the group approached and recognized Qin Xian and his menacing servants, a sense of foreboding washed over them.

"Uncle Qin, I didn't know you were here so late. Is there anything you need me to do?"

Qin Xian didn't answer, but simply waved his hand. Several servants behind him immediately stepped forward with sinister smiles, subdued Zhang Mama and the others, and tied them up tightly with ropes.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

"Uncle Qin, spare my life!"

"Grandma, we want to see Grandma!"

Qin Xian listened to their pleas without changing his expression: "Gag them, so as not to disturb the peace of the madam and the young ladies."