The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 151 Secret Order 'Unexpected'

The emperor was most satisfied with the farcical performance of the Dengwen Drum.

The imperial court finally stopped giving that old woman the silver befitting a first-rank imperial consort.

Moreover, the properties acquired by the Marquis of Xinping have now been transferred to his nephew's name.

He happily went to thank his father.

"Father, your methods are truly superior. I admire you to the core."

Although he knew what was happening in the court, he was sure that his spies had told the old man, but as a son, he had to pretend he didn't know. He had to report good news, bad news, and if it was something neither good nor bad, he still had to come over and pretend he couldn't make up his mind...

Even if there's nothing else to do, he'll still come over and tell the old man about how so-and-so got into a fight today, their beards practically bristling. If he hadn't stopped them in time, they might have ended up taking off their boots and getting into a brawl.

In short, all the good deeds praised by the ministers were accomplished under the guidance of his father, the emperor.

"Your reward to the Jia family is very timely."

The emperor was still excited, "When the Cheng family saw this, they indeed turned against us. You have no idea how ridiculous they were in court, trying so hard to prove to Luo'er that he was a good child and that it was that old woman Cheng who was out of her mind."

It feels so good to finally be able to relieve all the frustration I've had for so many years.

"Father, let me have a drink with you today to celebrate!"

The Emperor Emeritus: "..."

He was very pleased with the flattery.

Indeed, the reward given to the Jia family was given by him.

"How big of a deal is it?"

That's what he said, but a smile was already in the Emperor Emeritus's eyes. "Is that something for you to celebrate? I think you just want to freeload off my good wine, don't you?"

"Hahaha, please do me the honor, Father Emperor!"

The emperor laughed heartily, mimicking the shameless manner of his youngest son when begging him.

He discovered that as long as his son didn't make a mistake and just acted spoiled with him, he was always quite happy.

"Okay, okay!"

The retired emperor looked both disgusted and helpless. "However, I can only drink three cups. The imperial physician said that I can only drink a maximum of three cups."

"Haha, if you drink more, even your son wouldn't dare give you any!"

Seeing the father and son laughing and joking from afar, Consort Zhen felt extremely annoyed, but she quickly put on a smile and tried to join them.

Meanwhile, the adults who had finished their official duties couldn't help but gossip with their families about the farcical incident of the petitioning drum that day.

What the adults didn't expect was that they had already started gossiping about the Cheng family long ago, and they hadn't missed a thing about the Dengwen Drum either.

Now, all that's needed is to add what's in the imperial court, and it'll be complete.

But when talking about the Cheng family, one cannot ignore the Jia family.

I must say, things really do change when the head of the family is replaced.

Jia She certainly did quite well.

His niece wasn't even married yet, and he dared to lead his whole family to help the Marquis of Xinping steal his mother.

Who else would dare to do that?
Even if the head of the family dares to do it, other family members must dissuade him.

As a result, the Jia family ended up with two scoundrels in charge. It seems that Jia Zhen of Ningguo Mansion had taken over all of their household guards.

Hey~
No wonder Old Madam Jia was worried and wanted to hand over the Rongguo Mansion to her second son.

such a pity!
Jia Zheng was even more of a hopeless case.

The name "Second Fool" is now known throughout the world.

"I heard that even his brother-in-law looks down on him?"

"No!"

In the tavern, everyone was discussing the day's major events. "The Lu family is connected to the assassin who tried to kill Jia Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion. I heard that on the day of the assassination, Madam Shen of the Ningguo Mansion was in the critical moment of giving birth when she heard that her son had been assassinated. She almost lost both her and her unborn child. It was only thanks to the female physician sent by the Empress that her life was saved."

"I heard that too."

The speaker's eyes shone brightly. "The Ningguo Mansion was not large. At that time, including Madam Shen's unborn child, there were only five people in the entire household."

"Why are there five? Shouldn't it be six?"

"That Master Jing is a monk at the Taoist temple, so how can he still be considered a member of the Ningguo Mansion?"

"...Yes, yes."

"Tell me, how much hatred must the Ningguo Mansion have for the Lu family? It's one thing for outsiders like the Wang family to mediate, but why is Second Master Jia so confused? Instead of helping his own family, he's helping his brother-in-law."

"So, he's a complete idiot."

Someone else added, "I heard that he and his wife are now being forced to kneel in the ancestral hall as punishment."

"Deserve it!"

"Haha, serves him right!"

Inside the tavern, everyone burst into laughter.

Inside the ancestral hall of Ningguo Mansion, Jia Zheng and Wang Shi finally learned what had happened at home the day before.

The two looked at their daughter, Yuanchun, unsure of what to say.

Jia Zheng was thinking that everyone else had gone except him.

Even Zhu'er received a reward from the Emperor Emeritus, but he didn't.

And Madam Wang...

She looked at her daughter, but her attention was focused on the old woman from the Cheng family.

I don't know why, but I always feel that my daughter is using that old woman to warn her.

Old Mrs. Cheng was abandoned by everyone in the Cheng family, labeled as mentally unstable, she...

"Tell Marquis Xinping that the old lady can be locked up, but she must be given all the necessary benefits. We must not let anyone find any loopholes to exploit."

Wang said, "This time, although it seems like it was a reward from the Emperor Emeritus, it was too risky. In the future... you should also keep an eye on him."

The Marquis of Xinping owes the Jia family such a huge favor; his daughter's life will be many times better than hers in the future.

While feeling relieved for her daughter, Wang was also deeply disappointed.

The master has already written a memorial requesting her retirement; at most, she'll lose her title in half a month.

On the first wife's side, everyone has an imperial title; on the second wife's side...

Lady Wang deeply resented Jia Zheng's incompetence.

"besides……"

Wang looked at Jia Zheng and said, "Since your uncles all went, you should have told us then."

Now, only Zhu'er from the second wife's family has received a reward. What's going on?

Marquis Xinping will probably look down on his father-in-law and mother-in-law now.

"...If I were to speak up, would you, Father and Mother, agree?"

Yuan Chun didn't understand why her parents liked to blame others so much, as if they were innocent and had done nothing wrong no matter what happened. "You will never agree to this."

"I am your father!"

Jia Zheng's face flushed with anger. "Regardless of whether we agree or not, you and Marquis Xinping should come and tell us."

He might just go.

Even Pearl went, and he…

Jia Zheng felt that as long as his daughter came to tell him, he would definitely go.

It was his daughter who deprived him of the opportunity to receive the reward.

He was deprived of the opportunity to show himself in front of his clansmen.

It was clearly her own daughter, but it was her elder brother and the nephew from the East Mansion who took the lead and did the work...

Jia Zheng was both angry and ashamed. "Now, let's get going... we already know." He closed his eyes, panting heavily.

He really raised a wonderful daughter!

And my son...

The son went by himself, without caring whether his parents lived or died.

Jia Zheng felt dizzy and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

……

In the Ningguo Mansion, on the Tianxiang Tower, a gentle breeze was blowing as Shen Ning played chess with Yingchun.

"Second sister is going to lose."

Daiyu smiled, pursing her lips, and said, "Second Sister, why don't you just admit defeat!"

There's absolutely no need to get so worked up over a game of chess!
"Aunt..."

Yingchun was dejected, wondering, "Am I really at my wit's end?"

"...Not necessarily!"

Shen Ning glanced at two of the pieces without showing any emotion, "Anyway, you can still kill a lot of me here."

what?
Not only was Daiyu craning her neck, trying hard to find the flaw, but even Minmei, who was holding little Jia Yue, couldn't help but peek over. "Come on, everyone, let's see who can solve this game..."

Shen Ning thought for a moment and then laughed, "Anyone can be like the old lady and order food in the kitchen for three days straight."

Ahhhh?
Everyone got excited.

They are now studying at Ningcuixuan, and they eat here for breakfast and lunch. Aunt Li's cooking skills in the kitchen are absolutely superb.

I heard that she can make a different dessert and dish every day for a whole month.

For a moment, apart from Jia Yue who was just groaning and not understanding anything, everyone else was racking their brains for a way to break the deadlock.

"Aunt, what if this move lands here?"

Min Mei held her little cousin in one arm and placed a black piece into a dead end with the other.

"No, wouldn't that be giving away so many children to my aunt for nothing?"

Yingchun objected.

“But…” Daiyu tilted her head, “Although Cousin Mei gave Aunt a lot of food, if we go any further in, she will come back to life and kill a large number of Aunt’s people, and she won’t be able to save them.”

"That's it."

Min Mei looked at Shen Ning, her beautiful eyes shining brightly, "Auntie, did I make the right choice?"

"...Congratulations, by the way."

Shen Ning smiled and nodded, "Starting tomorrow, you can order whatever you like to eat."

"Wow, Cousin Mei, I love Aunt Li's steamed sweet cheese."

"Cousin Mei, I...I like to eat Ruyi cake."

"Quickly, quickly, write them all down."

Min Mei, holding little Jia Yue, said to Yingchun, Tanchun, and little Daiyu, "We can't just talk about snacks. Aunt Li's honeycomb tofu is especially delicious."

"Yes, yes, and also the soft-shelled eel." Little Daiyu reminisced about the famous dish from her hometown, "The soft-shelled eel that Aunt Li made that time was also delicious."

Tan Chun was quick-witted; she would write down every single one that was mentioned by the others.

Seeing that she had almost finished writing on a piece of paper, Shen Ning quickly added another dish, "Pine nut fish rice, I also really like this dish, let's eat it together later."

Hearing this, Jia Min and Jia Wen, who were taking a walk, couldn't help but laugh. As they walked up the stairs, they said, "Sister-in-law, please include the two of us!"

"You're going to order food from me again?"

Shen Ning looked speechless. "What doesn't the old lady have there?"

"It's not as lively over there as it is over here now, at the old lady's place."

"that is!"

A gust of wind blew by, and the joyful chatter from Tianxiang Tower seemed to float up to the sky.

Jia Yue went from being under this older sister's care to being under that aunt's care, having a great time. By the time everyone left, she was so tired that she fell asleep without needing to be coaxed.

The child's cheeks were chubby, and Shen Ning, who was holding him, couldn't help but kiss him again and again.

After what happened with the Cheng family, will the Jia family's daughters who get married in the future no longer be easily bullied?
And this little guy plays so well every day, how could he possibly be so heartless as to become a monk?

When Shen Ning carried her youngest daughter back to the hospital, she had no idea that at this moment, not only did Prince Teng realize how much she had changed the Jia family and wanted to focus his attention on her, but Prince Jin also realized what was going on.

His money string is gone.

Lu Kun, known as the God of Wealth of the West, came to the capital and helped the emperor.

Even if the victory in the Ningxia campaign is only minor, his throne will be secure.

The Prince of Jin sat in his study, his face filled with gloom.

He felt they had targeted the wrong person.

Jia Jing, residing in a Taoist temple, couldn't cause much trouble, but Shen Shi could genuinely influence the Jia family.

Especially after Jia Zheng fell from power.

Jia She was probably so obedient to Shen Shi, who had helped him divide the family property and reclaim Rongxi Hall, that he was completely compliant with her.

Needless to say, Jia Zhen was even worse.

And Jia Min...

The Shen family sent people to rescue them one after another, and Jia Min and Lin Ruhai are now incredibly grateful.

How long has it been?

She was clearly half-dead before, and everyone knew she wouldn't survive childbirth.

The Prince of Jin gritted his teeth!

He doesn't care about the Jia family.

But he cared about that position.

Because of the Shen family, he was getting further and further away from that position.

Especially around noon, my mother sent over that message.

The King of Jin could not accept this.

With the crown prince gone, he is the one closest to the throne.

Father clearly liked him so much; he was clearly confused for a moment, which is why he casually assigned the throne to the least important person.

Moreover, the Prince of Jin knew that his father had regretted his decision.

Father will give him a chance.

But now...

"Somebody come!"

He tapped the table three times.

A gust of wind blew by, and a bodyguard appeared out of nowhere, kneeling on one knee. "Master!"

"Find an opportunity..."

Prince Jin said, "The death of Madam Shen from the Ningguo Mansion was an unexpected event."

what?
Isn't Madam Shen a woman confined to the inner quarters?

What they've been doing all along is...

The guard was a little stunned, but quickly recovered and replied, "Yes!"

The guards only needed to follow their master's orders.

"Remember, don't give yourself away. She... can only be an accident."

An assassination attempt in the street like that against Jia Zhen is something only a fool would do.

His bodyguards always made their moves by accident.

Prince Jin, after reviewing the key to the Jia family's restoration of favor, felt that it lay in the assassination of Jia Zhen.

His father, the emperor, once again mentioned his so-called old brothers.

That's why they found a pretext to bestow the title of First-Rank Imperial Consort upon Lady Shen.

In Shen's case, her title of First Rank Imperial Consort was probably obtained from the Emperor.

After all, Jia Jing hadn't even been able to inherit the Ningguo family's title when he was with his father, the Emperor.

So, she was helping the emperor.

She has always been helping the emperor.

Prince Jin deeply regretted that he should not have listened to his mother and seduced Yuan Chun.

What rare commodity is worth hoarding?
After pushing Yuan Chun to the emperor, how difficult would it be for him to win back her heart?
Moreover, the emperor wasn't a fool.

Prince Jin closed his eyes briefly, and after the guards had silently retreated, he said again, "Someone come here."

"The slave is here!"

Wu Rubao rushed in.

"Go and investigate the Prince of Nan'an's attitude towards the Cheng family."

The Cheng family is under the protection of the Prince of Nan'an.

After being humiliated by the Jia family like this, he can't just do nothing, can he?
"Your Highness, what about...what about the Marquis of Xinping..."

"Did I ask you about the Marquis of Xinping?"

What is Cheng Luo?
The King of Jin was furious.

He was the most favored prince, and Baofeng was the least favored princess.

Yet, she actually took care of someone who was also unloved back then and almost died of a high fever.

If she hadn't intervened back then, many people in the harem would have died from illness, and the throne would never have gone to that person.

"Why aren't you getting to work?"

"Yes! Yes, yes!"

Wu Rubao rushed off to get things done, completely flustered.