The Red Mansion Big Liar

Zhang Yun逸 stepped into the hall and first greeted Lady Jia, Madam Xing, Madam Wang, Aunt Xue and Old Lady You, then bowed to Sanchun, Baochai and others.

Everyone else had seen it before, so there was no need to elaborate, but it was the first time for Mrs. Xing to see it.

In my previous life, influenced by TV dramas, I always thought that even if Mrs. Xing was not fifty, she was at least in her forties.

Unexpectedly, she was just a woman in her early thirties, a little younger than Mrs. Wang.

However, on second thought, Mrs. Xing was not Jia She's first wife but his second wife. Her brother Xing Zhong's daughter, Xing Xiuyan, was probably only fifteen or sixteen years old at this time, so it was reasonable for her to be this age.

Zhang Yunyi didn't dare to look at her closely. At first glance, he just thought she looked a bit coquettish.

Seeing that Lady Jia did not ask them to stay, he paused and said, "The dishes have not been served yet. If the old lady and the second wife have nothing else to do, they can move to the side hall. I just happen to have something to ask the old lady and the second wife."

The original intention of proposing to Jia Zhen to invite the Rong Mansion was just to hold the meeting place with Wang Xifeng at the Ning Mansion and take the opportunity to resolve Ping'er's issue.

Unexpectedly, when I passed the front hall just now, I saw Jia She.

Although he was not clear about Jia She's plan, he knew that it was not a good thing, so he went to the main hall in the backyard under the pretext of greeting Lady Jia.

Although men and women sit at different seats, we cannot generalize. I thought that with my current popularity, Lady Jia would definitely not pay attention to those taboos, and I could take this opportunity to avoid Jia She's entanglement.

Unexpectedly, Grandmother Jia did not even try to persuade her to stay.

He thought that he had not yet attracted enough attention from Lady Jia, so he planned to use Yuanchun's matter to highlight his importance in Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang's hearts.

After all, if you want to have a smooth journey in Rong Mansion in the future, you will need the nods of these two.

However, although the emperor nodded to this matter, it has not been made public. It can be discussed in private, but it cannot be announced in public.

In fact, if it were any other time, Grandmother Jia would certainly not be so cautious, but now she is counting on Yuanchun to be named Prince Ning's concubine, and she is worried about being criticized.

Therefore, pay special attention to these details.

At this moment, hearing that Zhang Yunyi had something to tell them and knowing that he had returned from the palace, the two looked at each other, as if they had thought of something, and a hint of joy appeared on their faces.

"Hurry, hurry, hurry! Let's go to the side hall!"

Grandmother Jia hurriedly helped Yuanyang up from the bed, put on her shoes, and walked out the door with Mrs. Wang.

Everyone in the hall was confused, except Mrs. Xing and Wang Xifeng, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, who had different expressions.

When Mrs. Xing saw this, she couldn't help but think of the attitude she had shown when she mentioned Zhang Yun逸 to Lady Jia, and felt a little indignant.

Wang Xifeng's face was as gloomy as water. She hesitated for a moment, gritted her teeth, winked at Ping'er, and then whispered in a low voice: "Find an opportunity later and ask him to meet at the rockery near Linshui Pavilion after dinner."

Zhang Yun逸 was unaware of what had happened in the hall. He was currently in the side hall, telling Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang what had happened.

He didn't know that this was originally planned by the two of them. In order to increase his weight in the hearts of the two, he had to create confusion and keep it secret in certain places.

Fortunately, Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang were overwhelmed by the news, and since he did play a key role in it, they did not dare to raise any objections.

At last, he said meaningfully: "It is the duty of a minister to share the worries of the emperor and the late emperor. Please, old lady and madam, don't blame Yun Yi for speaking too much to the emperor."

"How...how could it be possible!" Upon hearing this, Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang looked at each other in surprise.

Although I had always thought highly of him, I didn't expect that he would have a say in such matters.

Although his words did not change Yuanchun's status as a concubine, the Rong Mansion would have to incur a considerable amount of expenses.

But if Prince Ning could succeed to the throne, with this special treatment, even if she could not be conferred the title of noble concubine, she would at least be superior to other concubines.

Thinking of this, the two of them felt more eager and began to regret that they had been respecting their status and not giving their personal belongings to You Erjie.

While thinking about how to make up for it, he smiled and said, "I also want to thank Brother Yi for adding this honor to our family!"

"The old lady and the lady are serious. We are a family."

He paused and reminded, "Although the emperor has spoken, the decree has not yet been issued. There is no need to publicize it for the time being to avoid unnecessary trouble."

"It's natural. We know the seriousness of the matter!"

"Then Yun Yi, please accompany the old lady and the Madam to the table!"

"Hey! Hey!" The two of them responded quickly.

After standing up, Jia's mother hesitated for a moment and said, "It's been so long, and Brother Yi hasn't been to our house yet. This time, when the imperial decree comes down, you must show your favor!"

When she said this, Mrs. Wang woke up as if from a dream, and hurriedly said, "Yes, yes, yes!"

Zhang Yunyi said politely, "It is my fault for being so rude. I have been here for so long but have not yet gone to the mansion to greet the old lady and the madam!"

"You are indebted to the Emperor, so you should focus on your work..."

After some polite exchanges, the three of them returned to the main hall.

Grandmother Jia and Mrs. Wang no longer cared about their status. When they passed by You Erjie, they took off the bracelets on their wrists, held her hands on the left and right, and put them on her hands with eager looks.

This sudden scene not only stunned You Erjie, but also shocked the rest of the people present.

Old Lady You glanced at him secretly and a smile spread across her face.

Sister You San, who was sitting on the other side of her, looked fearful and lowered her head quietly.

Mrs. Xing at the opposite table was speechless. She rubbed her wrist for a long time, but ultimately she was reluctant to take it off.

Wang Xifeng, who was standing aside and preparing to welcome Lady Jia and Lady Wang to the table, had an increasingly solemn expression on her face.

"Why don't you thank the old lady and the mistress for the reward!"

You's words broke the silence. You Erjie looked at Zhang Yunyi with a smile on her face, then slowly stood up and said, "Thank you, Madam!"

Upon seeing this, You Shi grabbed Zhang Yunyi without saying a word and made him sit between her and You Erjie.

He turned around and teased Wang Xifeng, who looked serious, "Feng girl, if you want the elixir, you'd better hurry up. If you're late, you may not get any!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Xifeng's face changed from gloomy to happy, and she secretly cursed Youshi for being shameless.

The rest of the people covered their mouths and laughed.

Zhang Yunyi was confused when he saw this, but before he could ask, Xue Baochai and Tanchun, who were eager to find out, acted out the previous scene vividly.

Zhang Yunyi was also shocked when he heard this. Youshi was sure that Jia Rong had often gossiped in front of Wang Xifeng, but in his impression, Jia Rong was only supposed to be obedient.

For a moment, he couldn't figure out whether Wang Xifeng did it intentionally or unintentionally, and he looked at her unconsciously with a curious look.

When he looked up, he met Wang Xifeng's complicated gaze.

Zhang Yunyi raised the corners of his mouth slightly and gave a demonstrative look.

The reason why he had to rush to this time to let Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang show their importance to him was certainly not just to stay and avoid Jia She.

Only by letting Wang Xifeng see this scene can we gain an advantage in the subsequent negotiations.

……

(End of this chapter)

Chapter 87 Recognition of relatives

"Found it! Found it, Master Yi!"

The food and wine had just been served when a noise was heard outside the hall.

Then, a maid rushed in, panting, "Master Yi! Someone from the Xue family came and said that they found Xiangling's mother and are waiting outside now!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the place suddenly became quiet. Except for Madam Xing, everyone looked at him.

Zhang Yunyi bowed to Jia Mu and the others and said, "Excuse me, Madam, I will go out and take a look."

Grandmother Jia waved her hand and said, "It's rare to encounter such a good cause as this. Didn't you just say that you were looking for Xiangling's mother? Why don't you call her in so that we can join in the fun and listen to it as a news story."

Zhang Yunyi nodded and said, "Tell her to wait for a while. Bring the concubine's family over first, and then have someone call Xiangling over."

Although he knew that Xiangling's mother was Feng, he had never seen her.

Moreover, he was also worried that the Xue family would just find someone to fool him in order to appease him.

Therefore, cross-examination is essential.

Upon hearing this, Xue Baochai frowned slightly, glanced at him, then turned back to look at Aunt Xue with a lot of thoughts in her mind.

Only when he saw his mother's eyes wide open with a look of surprise did his brows relax.

Looking at Zhang Yunyi, he smiled and said, "Brother Yi, are you worried that someone is impersonating you? Do you want to ask about the details of the search?"

Although it was clear from her mother's expression that this was not arranged by her, there was no guarantee that it was not the servants' doing to seek credit or with evil intentions, so she just said it was an impostor and got her own family out first.

Zhang Yunyi understood what she meant and said with a smile, "Sister Xue is really smart. It's better to ask about some things clearly. I'm afraid that if we search for someone in a high-profile manner, people with ulterior motives will take advantage of it."

Wang Xifeng said in a flattering tone: "Brother Yi can even figure out Xiangling's life experience, how can you hide such a small thing from me?"

She always felt that Xiangling was a secret deal between him and the Xue family, and the so-called search for relatives was just a show.

Now, seeing that Zhang Yun逸 and Xue Baochai were singing the same tune and had some hidden meaning, but something went wrong in the middle, this sudden scene was not arranged in advance, but someone really impersonated someone else.

Because he had something else to ask for, he also helped to set up an ambush.

Tanchun, who was standing by, clapped her hands and said with a smile, "If we could know it at a glance, it would be really boring. Why don't we sit in the court and have a trial of the case..."

She spoke excitedly, her face beaming with joy and she was eager to try it out.

Suddenly, someone pulled the corner of her clothes. She looked down and found Yingchun, who was sitting next to her, pulling her clothes and glaring at her.

She smiled at Yingchun, then turned to Wang Xifeng and said, "The ancestors said that we should treat it as a news story. The more exciting the story, the better. Second sister-in-law, do you think it is true or not?"

"Third sister is right. Today's play is called "The Story of Ascending the Court". It happened on this day of this month of this year in this dynasty. Brother Yi sat in court to try a case and made an unwavering judgment. We will also pretend to be ordinary people to join in the fun. Old Ancestor, please watch this play and then give us your comments."

As she spoke, she picked up the wine glass, walked to Zhang Yunyi and said, "Sister-in-law, let me offer a glass to Brother Yi first to moisten your throat, and then slowly unravel the mystery, how about that?"

Zhang Yunyi raised his glass and was about to clink it with her, but unexpectedly Wang Xifeng reached out and touched it directly.

The wine glass was narrow to begin with, so it had to be touched lightly with fingertips. The cool and smooth touch made Zhang Yunyi's heart flutter, and he looked at her deeply.

She raised the cup with both hands, tilted her snow-white neck, and drank it all in one gulp.

After she finished the wine in the glass and put it down, the majestic figure in front of her trembled noticeably. She then raised the back of her hand, wiped it across her beautiful red lips, and looked at him with a beautiful smile.

Zhang Yunyi just felt his mouth was dry and he quickly swallowed a mouthful of wine.

Just as I finished my drink, a message came from the door: "Madame Li from the concubine's house is here!"

It has to be said that the Xue family was thoughtful. Taking into account that Xiangling was a girl, they sent both a man and a woman to look for her relatives. When they heard the call from the backyard, they sent a nanny to report.

As soon as Nanny Li entered the inner hall and greeted her, Xue Baochai immediately reminded her, "Nanny Li, you must answer everything Brother Yi asks you word for word!"

"Yes!" Nanny Li quickly agreed.

Zhang Yunyi sat upright, looked at her with sharp eyes, and said in a deep voice: "Tell me what happened!"

"According to the instructions of the madam and the young lady, I and my companions went to Gusu and found the Hulu Temple. After asking around, we learned that a family named Zhen had lost a baby girl. The rouge mark on her forehead..."

Since she was chosen to come in and report, she would definitely not be a tongue-tied person. Zhang Yunyi listened carefully, and Jia Mu and others also listened attentively.

"Myself and a few others had to travel to Ruzhou before we found the Feng family. However, Xiangling's father had lost his beloved daughter and was so angry and resentful that he became a little mad. He never returned and there was no news of him. Her mother was also overly worried and not in good health, so she had to return by boat, which delayed us for a long time..."

Upon hearing that Xiangling's father was also missing, Jia Mu and others sighed.

Being able to tell these details, Zhang Yun逸 had already believed it for the most part.

He nodded and said, "Is Xiangling here?"

Xiangling had already heard the news and rushed over, but had been listening outside. When she heard Zhang Yunyi's question, she hurried in.

Although she was a little worried, she couldn't help feeling sad when she heard that her parents could not be found anywhere and that some were going crazy or sick.

However, the more she thought about this, the more worried she was that her mother would take her back, and her face became more and more uneasy.

Zhang Yunyi patted her pink back and consoled her: "Grandpa will take care of it, it's okay!"

Xiangling felt relieved now. She nodded and stood beside him with her head down in silence.

Only then did Zhang Yunyi have Feng brought in.

Zhen Shiyin was over forty when he got his daughter Xiangling. Although Feng was younger, she was nearly fifty years old now. In addition, she was over worried and looked like an old woman.

As soon as she came in, she stared at Xiangling, unable to take her eyes away, and the hot tears in her eyes seemed to have broken off the string.

She rushed over quickly, hugged Xiangling, and murmured, "Yinglian! Mother is sorry for you!"

Xiangling was held in her arms, her movements somewhat stiff.

After all, the Zhen family was once a family of scholars, and Feng also had some knowledge. After a brief loss of composure, she immediately turned to Zhang Yunyi and knelt down.

"Thank you for helping me find my daughter. In my next life, I will repay you with a gift of grass and a ring!"

"Don't worry about finding your relatives yet!" Zhang Yunyi said in a deep voice without any expression on his face, "Xiangling... Yinglian is mine. I am not here to help you find your daughter, but to help her find her relatives. Do you understand the difference?"