The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 123 Harmony
In Yansui, Min Tai rode home with a gloomy expression.

His second wife, Madam Nie, looked aggrieved. Before she could say anything, he hurriedly asked the head maid beside her, "How is Madam Jia?"

"Reporting to your master, the mistress's life is temporarily suspended."

The head maid paused for a moment and said, "It was Mei-jie who said... that 'If Brother Bai comes back and finds that his mother is gone, he will be heartbroken,' before she could catch her breath."

Min Tai's forehead vein throbbed, and with a 'crack,' he lashed the whip in his hand hard against a servant behind him.

"Ah~"

The servant was in so much pain he almost jumped up, but he didn't dare. He forced himself to kneel on the ground, trembling, and cried out, "Master, spare me! Master, spare me!"

Snap snap~~~
Min Tai lashed him several more times, saying, "If you can't find Brother Bai, your whole family will pay for my son's life."

It's been a month, and all we know for now is that Brother Bai has headed towards the capital.

Needless to say, he knew what that kid was up to.

Min Tae was filled with anger, resentment, and helplessness.

With her father-in-law gone, why would the Jia family care about the life or death of a concubine's daughter?

Over the years, he has not received a promotion because his father-in-law wanted to avoid suspicion.

He finally died, but he was implicated by the Jia family and could no longer get a promotion.

Having no other choice, he took a second wife, confining Jia Wen to the inner quarters to prove to the world that he had nothing to do with the Jia family.

Who knew that just as he got things sorted out here, he got involved with Lord Zhang, and the whole family started causing him trouble.

He had kept it a secret perfectly, and all he had to do was send his daughter away. But that foolish woman, Nie, and her servant got too excited and let Bai Ge'er overhear him saying that he was going to send his daughter to be a concubine.

Min Tae gritted his teeth.

There’s only one step left!

At this moment, he deeply regretted his past soft-heartedness. If he had let Jia Shi die when the Jia family was in trouble, he would never have been threatened with death by her and unable to send his daughter away.

What he never expected was that because she made a scene and died, his daughter was in mourning, and this was something that Lord Zhang had to avoid, he neglected his son, which led to Bai Ge'er, a half-grown child, running to the capital to complain to the Jia family.

hum~
They're all such a worry!
Madam Jia caused him no peace of mind, Madam Nie caused him no peace of mind, and neither did his son or daughter.

"Master~"

Seeing that their master was about to lose his temper again, Madam Nie hesitated for a moment, then finally stepped forward, "Chen-ge'er was just calling for the master, you..."

"Shut up!"

What, Brother Chen is calling him?

What does a toddler who has just learned to walk know?
She doesn't even know when to choose when to compete for his favor. If he didn't already have Chen Ge'er, he would have divorced her by now.

hum~
No matter how troublesome Brother Bai is, he's still his son.

Moreover, without Brother Bai, even if he sends Sister Mei away, given that girl's fiery temper, Lord Zhang won't be able to help him.

One bad thing...

Min-tae dared not think about those terrible things.

His only concern now is whether the people chasing after Brother Bai have found him.

If not found...

Judging by the time, if everything goes smoothly for Brother Bai, he should have arrived at the Jia family by now. What is the Jia family's opinion on this matter?
In the past, he wouldn't have cared about what the Jia family thought.

With his father-in-law gone, his eldest brother-in-law Jia She was utterly incompetent, and his second brother-in-law Jia Zheng was all talk and no action, though he was completely useless.

The only person he feared was Jia Jing of the Ningguo Mansion.

Although he had entered the Taoist temple and seemed to be severing ties with the Jia family, who would dare to deal with the Jia family recklessly while he was still alive?
The Chen family in the capital is a perfect example...

The thought that his wife had no contact with the Rongguo Mansion after her father passed away, but had been corresponding with her sister-in-law in the Ningguo Mansion, made Min Tai even more agitated.

News from the capital came too slowly. If he had known about the Chen family earlier, and if he had known that his sister-in-law had been awarded the title of First Rank Lady, he would never have ended up with Jia Shi like this.

“You better behave yourself,” Min Tai stared at Nie Shi, “If Jia Shi is gone, you’ll die with her!”

After saying that, he strode towards the backyard.

The Min family's house is a large courtyard with three courtyards and a garden.

To be fair, Jia was quite a lucky wife.

Before she married into the family, the Min family was doing quite well, but he had many brothers, and when they got married, they exhausted all their resources and only got a small courtyard house.

Min Tai slowed his pace, and when he arrived at Jia Wen's courtyard, his expression softened.

"Sister Mei, how is your mother now?"

As I pushed open the door, I saw my daughter carrying a bowl of medicine coming out of the inner room.

Min Mei's heart skipped a beat when she saw her father. "...He's asleep."

"What did the doctor say?"

"...Didn't Second Aunt say anything?"

Min Mei didn't want to act alongside her father.

She did have a good life when she was a child.

Her parents had always doted on her, and her father had even carried her on his shoulders to buy candied hawthorns. Even after her younger brother was born, her father doted on him more. With her mother around and her brother being well-behaved and adorable, she felt that life was good.

In fact, their family's life has only gotten better and better.

Even though her father's official position remained unchanged, her uncles and aunts always fawned over him because of her maternal grandfather in the capital, and her aunts and aunts also doted on her mother.

Everything changed after my maternal grandfather passed away.

The father became increasingly irritable, and the mother became increasingly silent.

But is all of this the mother's fault?
For so many years, the loving couple that everyone praised was all a lie.

Her uncle, who was a sixth-rank official, personally found a second wife for her father, and the whole family forced her mother to live in this small, dilapidated courtyard.

Her mother gave away so many things, one by one, but what did she get in return?
She was to be sent away to be a concubine to an old man who was almost old enough to be her grandfather.

To say I don't hate them would be a lie.

Min Mei not only hated her father, but also her uncles and aunts in the Min family.

What was the Min family originally?
A ninth-rank city gate officer, an eighth-rank flag officer, and an insignificant squad leader.

It was only because her father was good-looking and capable that her maternal grandfather took a liking to him and allowed her mother to marry into the family.

Because of her mother, all the uncles and elders in the Min family rose up one by one, but what was the result?
"In the end, she was disappointed. My mother has caught her breath again and won't die for the time being."

"..."

Facing his stubborn daughter, Min Tai's face turned cold again. "Is this how your mother always taught you?"

“If a child is not taught properly, it is the father’s fault. I am not only my mother’s daughter. If anyone is to blame, you are partly responsible.”

"you……?"

slap~
Enraged, Min Tai immediately lashed her with his whip. "Since that's how it is, then I, your father, will teach you a lesson about the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, and the Three Obediences and Four Virtues!"

If we don't straighten out this brat's temper, how can we possibly send her to Lord Zhang?
Thinking of this, he simply let go and started slapping again.

"...Hit me, go ahead and kill me!"

Min Mei endured the pain and glared at her father with hatred.

Ever since she learned that her father was going to give her away as a concubine, she often had the urge to die rather than live.

slap~
With the last lash, Min Tai slammed the whip to the ground. "Your mother isn't dead yet, and you want to learn from her how to cry, make a scene, and threaten suicide?"

He was panting heavily. "Someone come here..." He had just called for help when his attendant rushed over. "Master, General Tang requests your presence!"

what?
Min Tai's heart skipped a beat. "I'll deal with you when you get back."

He turned around in a hurry and rode away in no time.

Minmei slowly got up, struggled to close the courtyard door, and went to her mother's room.

Fortunately, the sedative in the medicine was very effective, and my mother was not woken up.

Can……

When Min Mei leaned against the table and collapsed to the ground, large tears fell, but she didn't utter a sound.

My younger brother is missing.

They didn't find out until a month later.

Although everyone says that the younger brother went to the capital, his maternal grandfather is gone, and who in the capital can take care of them?

She had witnessed how stepmothers in wealthy families would threaten and kill their illegitimate children; she had even seen it in her maternal grandfather's family…

While worrying about her younger brother's safety along the way, Minmei was also concerned that if he managed to sneak into the Rongguo Mansion, he might be beaten and thrown out.

If that happens...

Looking at her mother's pale face, Minmei couldn't think of a way out for the mother and daughter.

Over here, Min Tai arrived at the General's Mansion covered in sweat, but to his surprise, General Tang, who was usually indifferent to him, greeted him with a smile, "Lord Min, congratulations!"

what?
Min Tai was puzzled by his joy. "My lord, you..."

He couldn't help but feel a little expectant.

"Hehe, news just came from the capital that Jia Lian, the grandson of the Duke of Rong and the son of a first-class general, has been appointed as the Director of the Military Arsenal and will take office soon. Hehe, if I remember correctly, your Lady Jia is from the Rong family, isn't she?"

Min Tae: "..."

He was simply stunned.

Jia Lian?

Jia Lian isn't very old, is he?

How come...

"Your Excellency is not mistaken!"

Min Tai pressed down on the turbulent emotions churning within him and said with a forced smile, "My wife, Madam Jia, is indeed from the Rongguo Mansion. By all accounts, she is the third aunt of Doctor Jia."

"Haha, I knew it! You're a lucky guy."

General Tang slapped him on the shoulder, "When my wife hosts a banquet another day, you must bring your lady along."

what?
"Of course, of course, it would be an honor!"

Min Tai forced a smile and spoke to the general who was many ranks higher than him.

But in reality, his heart was like oil being fried.

He had just gotten home and hadn't even checked if Jia was still breathing.

"That's a rather unorthodox statement."

General Tang personally pressed him down to sit, saying, "I know you've suffered these past years, but we can't just focus on ourselves; we need to look at the practical benefits!"

He had heard about Jia's affair. The Duke of Rongguo had misjudged her back then!

“Look at your brothers, they all got promoted because of you.”

Although there has been no activity in recent years, the Min family has already reaped the benefits.

Those who get promoted and make a fortune, if they had any conscience, they wouldn't confine other people's daughters to the inner quarters and go on to take a second wife in a grand and spectacular way.

There's absolutely no chance of success.

But for now, he can only appease Min Tai.

He needs to get in touch with Jia Lian, otherwise, what if Jia Lian makes things difficult for him?
In that case, it will implicate a large number of our brothers and the entire Yansui region.

No matter how distant Jia Lian and Jia Shi were, they were at least once family. Under the same circumstances, he could easily gravitate towards them.

“You have been married to Jia for many years, and she has given you two good children. You must not let a second wife cause you to become estranged from her.”

Soldiers like them just say what they think.

General Tang was actually afraid of this fool, still thinking that the Jia family was the same as before.

If that were to happen, even if someone were to take their anger out on the military and simply withhold military pay, it would affect the entire population of Yansui.

After all, soldiers can only drink and eat to their heart's content once they have money.

Otherwise, all we'll have to do is eat cornbread.

"Don't dare!"

Min Tai was so frightened by General Tang's blunt words that he broke out in a cold sweat.

After a while, when he left the general's mansion, he spurred his horse and rushed back.

"Go and invite Dr. Fan from Jishetang to treat your wife."

As he walked in, he instructed, "Oh, right," he paused, "when you come in, have the old doctor bring in some more external wound medicine."

When he beat his daughter, he lashed out with the whip three times in a fit of rage, holding back the rest of the blows.

But the first three lashes were not light either.

"Yes!"

The housekeeper, who had just arrived, hurriedly responded.

Before long, he arrived at Jia Wen's courtyard again.

But this door...

Min Tae tried to push him away, but couldn't.

He took a deep breath and said, "Tell Granny Han to move a courtyard for Madam and Madam Nie."

He only hoped that his foolish son would not be able to enter the Rongguo Mansion.

He can't hurt his father, can he?
He also has the surname Min!

……

Capital, Rongguo Mansion.

Seeing Min Jianbai, who was clean, thin, and pitiful, Grandmother Jia frowned deeply.

She was unhappy to see those three illegitimate daughters.

Provide food and drink, hire a tutor to teach you what you need to know, and once you're ready to get married, give them a dowry and that's it.

If a woman doesn't have a good life in her husband's family after getting married, is that her responsibility?
The husbands of the three concubine daughters were all arranged by the Duke himself.

Although they were all marrying down, Grandmother Jia knew that those marriages were the best guarantee the Duke could give them.

If they had been a little more assertive, they wouldn't have been bullied so badly, let alone act like tyrants in their husband's family.

"Niece-in-law, have you written the letter yet?"

She looked at Shen Ning and decided to push the task onto her.

"Yes!"

Shen Ning nodded and said, "Zhen'er wrote it, and then Lian'er added a few more strokes. It should be sent out now."

Taking the military route should be quick.

Now I just hope I can still make it in time.

"Ah~"

Grandmother Jia sighed, "Your name is Bai-ge'er, right? Come, come to your maternal grandmother."

Since Lian'er has already stepped forward, she has nothing more to say.

"Grandma~"

Seeing that the old lady was quite kind, Min Jianbai became a little bolder and leaned forward, crying, "Please, Grandmother, save my sister again."

"Don't worry, it's fine as long as the family doesn't know about this. But if they do, your father wouldn't dare."

Jia Min's face was cold.

Two of my three older sisters are already gone.

When she was little, she often played with her older sisters.

Although her mother separated them as she grew older, her sisters would always make her a handkerchief or shoes for holidays or her birthday.

When she was learning how to make rouge, her older sisters gave her a lot of advice, and later she was the one who made all the rouge for them.

"I'll go write a letter to Governor Zhang's wife right away."

Does she think the Jia family has no one else?
That old man Zhang actually dared to covet her niece.

Jia Min's face turned fierce. "Mother, sister-in-law, please wait a moment. I'll be right back."

"Go!"

Shen Ning waved her hand.

For Governor Zhang, it would be better for Jia Min to handle the matter.

"Thank you so much, Auntie!"

Min Jianbai immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

"Get up quickly!"

Jia Min personally helped him up, saying, "Why are you thanking me? Your mother is my sister."

At this point, a hint of sadness crept into her eyes. "Be good and stay with your maternal grandmother and aunts. I'll write the letter quickly, and maybe we can still send it over in time."

I just hope my sister can hold on.

otherwise……

Jia Min left in a hurry.

She had just left when Jia She and Jia Zheng, having heard the news, arrived together.

"Feng'er, find out who was on duty yesterday."

Madam Wang is now afraid the matter isn't too serious. "Ask them how they do things," she said.

On the surface, she wanted to vent her anger on her son, but in reality, she wanted to punish her niece.

They've only been separated for a few days?

Lian'er has only been back for a few days?
I used to pay my respects and report to her every day, but now?
Do you really think you've grown wings?

"Second Master has already taken Lin Zhixiao to investigate."

Wang Xifeng said, "Second Aunt, don't worry, we will definitely give Cousin Bai an explanation."

She never expected something like this to happen.

Their own cousin was actually turned away at the door.

"We'll talk about the doorman's matter later."

In Dream of the Red Chamber, when Granny Liu first came to visit and wanted to see Zhou Rui's wife, she kowtowed to the doorman.

It is clear that all the servants in the Jia family have eyes for wealth and status.

"Let's talk about the Min family!"

Shen Ning said, "When Sister Wen married Brother-in-law Min, it was a marriage down. Uncle hoped that the Min family would treat Sister Wen better because of the Jia family. He didn't expect them to think highly of her, but at least he didn't mistreat her. That's why he went around in circles and asked people to take good care of Brother-in-law Min's other brothers."

She had already asked Brother Bai and knew that in recent years, apart from Min Tai, who was not promoted because he wanted to avoid suspicion, everyone else in the Min family had been promoted.

Although their official positions weren't high-ranking, they were more than enough in Yansui.

"But now, their family has become ungrateful!"

"..."

"..."

Everyone couldn't help but look at Min Jianbai.

This child is also a member of the Min family.

“Don’t look down on Brother Bai. He’s already said that all his uncles and aunts wish they could sever ties with him and his mother.”

A child who was once pampered and spoiled is suddenly rejected by everyone, even those who serve him only pretend to serve him, while actually spying on him...

Shen Ning could imagine how miserable Jia Wen and her two children were.

This kind of betrayal and stabbing from loved ones is the most heartbreaking.

"Yes!"

Although there were tears in Bai Ge'er's eyes, his expression was very firm. "Since they want to sever ties with us, then... then they don't deserve to enjoy my mother's blessings."

"Good boy!"

Jia She's eyes were full of admiration, "He truly deserves to be the grandson of my Jia family."

Although he had no feelings for that younger sister, since the child had come to live with him and his sister-in-law had taken the lead, he naturally gave her his full support.

"Mother, I'm going to write a letter asking my sister to bring my niece home for a visit!"

"What relatives are you referring to?"

Shen Ning slammed the cup on the table. "Divorce!"

what?
Grandmother Jia was taken aback and looked at Bai Ge'er.

“Yes!” Bai Ge’er said, “My mother said she wanted to divorce my father.” He wiped away a tear, “Originally, she wrote several letters and asked me to deliver them, but I messed them up every time. I wanted to do it myself, but it didn’t work; I just couldn’t deliver them.”

The Min family still wielded considerable influence in Yansui.

"Grandmother, eldest uncle, second uncle, please help my mother and father get a divorce!"

If they don't get a divorce, his mother really will die.