The head of the Red Mansion

In the dim candlelight, Shen Ning finally asked the question that had been bothering her most, "Do you think there's... anyone suspicious over there?"

The wrong person?

Xing'er's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly felt a chill run through her body.

He understood what his wife meant.

But it is precisely because I know this that I am even more afraid.

"No... I didn't notice."

He did observe.

Because his master wanted to train him to be a manager, he recently studied with Jiao Da on things like observing terrain and people.

According to Grandpa Jiao, a qualified steward must be able to manage the household and accounts, and also be able to fight on horseback. In short, he must help his master deal with all possible risks and dangers in advance.

The old man almost made him remember everything he saw.

Xing'er was speechless for a moment.

Even Grandpa Jiao doesn't have the ability to remember everything he sees.

None of them had it.

"The abbot glanced at the master and the old man more often, and there was another one... who looked like he knew some kung fu. When he heard we were coming, he came out of the woodshed with an axe and took a look."

"..."

Shen Ning pondered.

There must be people from the imperial court at Taixuan Temple.

There are also other forces secretly recruiting people.

However, they were probably all bribed after she and Jia Jing went there.

In those years, although the original owner lived in a separate courtyard not far from the Taoist temple and would send people to deliver clothes, food and medicine to the temple from time to time, he rarely went into the Taoist temple himself.

But Jia Jing probably knew who was working for whom, otherwise he wouldn't have noticed the strangeness in the study that year and set it on fire himself.

"The one you mentioned who knows some kung fu is Master Shoujing. He's the one who gathers all the firewood for the temple, and he also does all the really heavy work."

Thinking of Master Shoujing, who used to occasionally take odd jobs and perform rituals for others, Shen Ning felt disheartened. "Never mind."

Even if she asked, there was nothing she could do.

Shen Ning sighed inwardly, "Is everyone in the Taoist temple in good health? Has anyone fallen ill? Did you all bring your winter clothes and blankets?"

We are all pitiful people.

Although life at Taixuan Temple was originally austere, it wasn't unbearable.

It was the original owner of this body and Jia Jing's past that made things complicated there.

The original owner's approach had always been to improve their lives and treat them well, hoping that one day when something critical happened, they would say one less word.

In fact, there were no bad people in the Taoist temple.

The abbot knew a little about medicine. When he was busy, he would work in the fields himself, and when he was free, he would treat the local farmers. Wealthy families would give him something, whether it was a few copper coins, a handful of rice, or an egg. If he encountered someone who was particularly poor, he would even give them some money.

The young boys they took in were either homeless children picked up by Shoujing, or children that some families didn't want to raise and sent to them in the middle of the night.

To this day, the entire Taoist temple has never had more than fifteen people.

The two people inside are the abbot and the master of Shoujing. The other three are Taoist priests of the Shou generation. They were originally from Taixuan Temple, but they had to travel to find a way to make a living back then because life was tough.

They returned to the Taoist temple after Jia Jing and his wife left, when things improved.

As for the others who travel there to loaf around and swindle money...

Since Jia Jing didn't say anything, she couldn't control it anymore.

"Everyone in the Taoist temple is doing quite well."

Xing'er breathed a sigh of relief. "When we arrived, the two old Taoist priests were still telling stories to the young Taoist disciples. They are in good health and can still grow vegetables. They also asked me to give my regards to my wife. As for winter clothes, blankets, rice, flour, and the like, we brought a whole cartload over, so there's definitely nothing to lack."

"Okay!" Shen Ning nodded. "That's good. You can go and rest now!"

"Yes!"

Xing'er carefully withdrew.

Shen Ning looked at the sun outside, but couldn't fall asleep for a while.

She was already writing the Jia family's recipes, but now...

"Prepare paper and ink!"

Qingzhu quickly got it done.

Shen Ning picked up her pen and began writing rapidly.

Qingzhu silently recited in her heart, 'Beyond the mountains, green hills rise; beyond the towers, more towers stand. When will the songs and dances of West Lake cease? The warm breeze intoxicates the tourists; do not mistake Hangzhou for Bianzhou.'

Whose poem is this again?

Qingzhu, who had never systematically studied, couldn't recall it for a moment.

But Shen Ning's pen kept moving, and soon she wrote about Niujia Village in the eastern suburbs of Hangzhou, where two heroes were drinking baijiu together. One was named Guo Xiaotian, and the other was named Yang Tiexin...

She couldn't perfectly replicate Jin Yong's Legend of the Condor Heroes, but she remembered quite a bit.

After all, his modern home already houses a complete collection of Jin Yong's works.

As the saying goes, the greatest heroes are those who serve their country and its people.

Although the world of Dream of the Red Chamber is not the real world, it is undeniable that the Western world here is also developing.

The Jia family's self-ringing clock, pocket watch, dressing mirror, and other items are clear evidence of this.

She had never seen a missionary's musket before, but Shen Ning was afraid that their muskets were better than those of Da Zhao.

Although Jia Lian was already in the Armory, and she could gradually influence him, she still wanted to use Jin Yong's book to inspire more patriotism among the people.

That century of suffering was too heartbreaking.

Whether it's Shen Ning's hometown in modern times or her hometown in the world of Dream of the Red Chamber, it's both in Anhui.

Of the 160,000 memorial facilities across the country, more than 29,000 are martyrs' cemeteries, and more than 22,000 of them are in Anhui Province.

When I was little, we weren't allowed to turn off the lights at home during holidays like Chinese New Year. My grandma said it was to guide the spirits of those who died outside back home...

Shen Ning's characters took shape quickly, while Qingzhu carefully ground the ink, not daring to disturb her in the slightest.

Time passed slowly, until the sky began to lighten, and she had only written up to the ninth chapter, "The Seven Freaks of Jiangnan."

It's as if her wrist doesn't even belong to her anymore.

Shen Ning put down her pen. "I'm going to take a nap today. I don't want to be disturbed."

"Yes!"

Qingping, who was on duty, readily agreed.

"Keep the manuscript safe and don't let anyone else see it."

"Yes!"

Qingping carefully placed the last sheet of paper that had dried, and said, "Madam, let's soak your feet again!"

The story is great.

When it was Qingzhu's turn to be on duty, she was reluctant to leave.

She originally wanted to scold Qingzhu for not advising her to stay up all night.

But when she saw it, she realized that she couldn't bear to see her wife stop writing either.

"Let's do it!"

Shen Ning yawned.

She has always been health-conscious, so this sudden change in her routine is really not a good habit.

"I'll fill another basin with hot water and soak my hands in it too."

She still needs to find someone to write it for her.

Find someone who's quick.

Otherwise, she would have had to write it all herself with a calligraphy brush...

Just thinking about it made Shen Ning feel that the future was bleak.

Qingping moved very quickly. She had started as a maid, so doing it now was second nature to her.

When Jia Zhen woke up, he wanted to go to his mother's place to find some peace, but he heard Qingzhu say that his mother had been so upset that she hadn't slept most of the night and was now catching up on sleep.

For a moment, his heart felt... hot, sour, and tender.

Jia Zhen, not wanting to disturb them, went directly to the ancestral hall.

"Zhen'er?"

Upon seeing Jia Zhen, Jia Zheng's spirits immediately lifted. "May I go home now?"

Wang also stared longingly.

Although they had already eaten the "bitter memories and sweet tastes" breakfast, both of them felt they could still eat a whole chicken.

"I'm afraid not!"

what?
Jia Zheng immediately flew into a rage, "Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, Zhen'er, we've had such a long-standing relationship as uncle and nephew, can't you make an exception for even one day?"

"..." Jia Zhen ignored him and slowly stepped forward to offer incense to his ancestors.

“It is precisely because of our uncle-nephew relationship that I have been implicated by you, Second Uncle Zheng.”

Implicated?

he?
How can it be?

Jia Zheng didn't believe it.

Wang was somewhat looking forward to it.

But wasn't Jia Zhen's position just a nominal one?

Since they don't need to attend court, what's the harm in that?
"...How did I drag you into this?"

Jia Zheng thought about it for a while but couldn't come up with an answer, so he had no choice but to ask him.

Of course, he wasn't entirely confident when he asked that question.

“I went to the temple to see my father yesterday.”

Jia Zhen turned to look at him, "Of course, we should talk to him about family matters. Tell me, what was my father's attitude when he found out about what you did?"

Jia Zheng: "..."

A hint of panic involuntarily appeared on his face.

The Wang family is also included.

Although life is already very hard now, and although Jia Zheng has always been with her, that is Shen Shi's punishment for her.

As a woman herself, Madam Shen was still quite magnanimous.

Even when she was furious, she mainly cursed Jia Zheng.

But my brother-in-law...

Wang knew very well that the old lady hated her even more.

They hated her for dragging Jia Zheng down with her, and they also hated her for dragging down her grandsons.

Jia Jing usually doesn't stand out, but if he does...

"Didn't he become a monk? He's renounced worldly life, so why would he care about family matters?"

Wang's tone was very unnatural.

For some reason, she had a feeling that if Jia Jing punished her, she would suffer even more than if she were punished in the ancestral hall.

At least in the ancestral hall, she still had hope of getting out.

"So, my second aunt really wants my father to become a monk?"

Jia Zhen was furious.

Do others not know why his father became a monk, and don't they know either?

His father's decision to become a monk was entirely out of necessity.

Pretending to be a monk is just for show.

Although his father took away his only three thousand taels of private money because of this, his life was given to him by his parents, so what is a little money?

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but my father is still in the observation stage and can only be considered half a Taoist priest at present. Moreover, even if he becomes a Taoist priest, he is still my Jia Zhen's father and Uncle Zheng's eldest cousin."

"Don't...don't listen to her nonsense."

Although Jia Zheng was flustered, his deep-seated respect for his elder brother was ingrained in him since childhood. "Zhen'er, tell me how my elder brother plans to punish me?"

Whether you stick your head out or not, you'll still get stabbed; there's no way to avoid it.

In that case, let's come sooner!
Tomorrow is the Mid-Autumn Festival, and Yuan Chun will be married in about ten days, becoming the wife of the Marquis of Xinping.

No matter how much respect you have for your elder brother, he'll still give you some face, right?

Jia Zheng held onto a sliver of hope, waiting for Jia Zhen to announce the punishment.

“Tomorrow, I will summon all the men of the clan and give you forty lashes and me twenty lashes during the ancestral worship ceremony.”

Jia Zheng: "..."

His legs were shaking uncontrollably.

His complexion shifted between red and white, eventually turning deathly pale.

Jia Zheng stood there, his legs trembling, his mouth slightly open, his lips quivering, but he seemed to have lost his voice and couldn't utter a single sound.

The whole clan...

Brother Jing has absolutely no intention of giving him a way out!
Although I had long wanted to return to Jinling, that was based on matters in the capital, and I didn't know about my hometown.

But once the entire clan is informed...

If his sons all want to watch him get beaten, then no matter how big the world is, where will he find a place to hide?
"Uncle Zheng, from now on, you should stay at home and cultivate your character!"

Jia Zhen showed him no sympathy whatsoever. “At least you’re alive, and Zhu’er and the others are all doing well, but your uncle’s family… only Cousin Lan is left.”

According to his father, this punishment was as lenient as it could possibly be.

“My father said that if my cousin Lan comes back in the future, as long as she wants, the Jia family will unconditionally cooperate with her for a punishment of up to thirty strokes of the military rod.”

Jia Zheng: "..."

His body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

As he sat down, his breathing became easier, and he was finally able to speak again, "Wang Shi~" Jia Zheng turned his head, his eyes red, "Are you satisfied now?"

Wang: "..."

She longed to be satisfied with this.

Although Jia Zheng has lost some weight, he has always taken good care of himself, and dozens of lashes wouldn't kill him.

With proper care, it can always be restored.

If they could beat Jia Zheng, they could leave this ancestral hall, which would be even better.

"And my second aunt..."

When Jia Zhen looked at her, he said coldly, "Since you are a woman of the Jia family, you must bear the responsibilities you are obligated to bear."

Wang: "..."

Her heart was trembling.

If she were to be beaten in front of everyone, like Jia Zheng...

It would be better to die.

“My father said that he would set up a small Buddhist shrine for you in Lixiang Courtyard. You don’t need to come out during festivals. From now on, you can eat porridge and vegetables there, chant Buddhist prayers, and atone for your sins.”

Wang: "..."

Jia Zheng: "..."

Neither of them knew for a moment which punishment would be harsher.

"Yuan Chun is getting married."

Wang had no choice but to fight for herself.

She observes vegetarianism and chants Buddhist prayers on the first and fifteenth of every month, and even on special days, she abstains from meat.

But that kind of vegetarianism and chanting of Buddhist scriptures must be different from Jia Zhen's simple meals.

Wang was afraid it was wild vegetable porridge, a dish meant to evoke bitter memories and sweet sentiments.

And we can't go out even during holidays like Chinese New Year...

That means she will no longer be in charge of anything related to their second wife's affairs.

"You can't treat me like this."

As she spoke, tears streamed down Wang's face like beads from a broken string.

"If word gets out, her parents, who are only the daughters of a marquis..."

"Everyone in the court knows about Second Uncle's affair."

Jia Zhen interrupted her.

Nowadays, everyone knows that his second uncle is an idiot, used and looked down upon by the Wang family.
All the daughters of the Wang family's direct lineage are married; otherwise, the things Second Aunt did would have been enough to keep them from getting married.

Even Lian's second brother's wife, who used to be a very energetic person, has become much more composed lately, afraid that she might make a mistake and be caught out.

This is someone that the old lady, his mother, and Lian's second brother all like.

The lives of the other Wang family daughters... according to Jia Zhen, must have been even more miserable.

"If you are confined to the ancestral hall, and the descendants of the Jia family follow suit, then it will be a laughing stock for the whole world."

So, they can't escape?

Wang's legs went weak, and she sat down on the ground.

She and Jia Zheng watched helplessly as Jia Zhen turned and walked away, their vision blurring.

I thought I couldn't go on like this anymore, but I never expected...

Wang covered her face and burst into tears. (End of Chapter)