The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 175 Good News
At Rongguo Mansion, when she heard the gossip about the Jia family outside, Grandmother Jia was stunned for a long time.

Although the eldest granddaughter-in-law of the eldest son's family should indeed be superior in many aspects, her own family provided the dowry and the dowry money...

In the West Mansion, Baoyu and his family only received three thousand taels of silver for their weddings. Are Shen and You trying to tell her that the East Mansion is much richer than the West Mansion by doing this?

Grandmother Jia knew that because the East Mansion had fewer people, and the only spendthrift, Zhen'er, was kept under surveillance, plus there were only married-in daughters-in-law and no married-out daughters, the East Mansion was richer than the East Mansion over the past two generations. But why did the way the two of them were doing this make her feel so uncomfortable?

Hey~
The old lady couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"Grandma, the eldest madam of the East Mansion has arrived."

Before the words were even finished, Shen Ning had already arrived, "Auntie~"

Her smiling face left the old lady speechless.

"Oh dear, Auntie, you must have heard the news from outside?"

Shen Ning moved closer to the old lady and said with a smile, "Look, shouldn't you also get something for your great-granddaughter-in-law?"

Jia Mu: "..."

I just knew something was up.

She pointed a finger at her head and said, "Go ahead and say it, as long as you can make me happy."

Although Qin Shi is a daughter-in-law of the East Mansion, as the matriarch of the Jia family, she has received gifts from both Shen Shi and You Shi. It would be quite unseemly for her not to show any appreciation.

"Ha ha!"

Shen Ning smiled and sat down next to the old lady. "Does saving your niece-in-law's life count?"

"……Calculate!"

Grandmother Jia smiled and rolled her eyes at her, "Anything else?"

Shen Ning didn't speak immediately. She waved to the maids in the room, signaling them to leave, before whispering to the old lady, "She is the Crown Prince's daughter who was left outside."

what?
The old lady was so shocked she almost stood up. "Really?"

"Yes!"

Shen Ning nodded. "Zhen'er was summoned to the palace that day for this matter." She raised her hand and pointed upwards. "Because it was difficult to recognize her, she was given to Rong-ge'er."

Others may not say anything, but this old lady must be told.

If this old lady is unhappy, Qin Keqing won't have a good time after marrying into the family.

Some people act according to the old woman's cues.

Shen Ning didn't want to cause trouble for her family, so she simply let the old lady know.

"That day, I was actually trying to find a way to get to know her, and then tell her that I liked her and asked Rong-ge to marry her."

Jia Mu: "..."

A lot of information.

She's really... I'm totally impressed!
"Why didn't you say so sooner, child?"

Grandmother Jia patted her on the back and asked worriedly, "Besides the Emperor Emeritus, does the Emperor know about this?"

"know."

Shen Ning nodded, "That day, the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor met with Zhen'er together."

"Okay, okay! Okay, okay..."

Grandmother Jia was relieved.

Now that their family has been safely handed over to the Emperor by the retired Emperor, they cannot afford any more accidents.

"Then I'll give one to the Qin family too..."

"Please don't give me any money."

Shen Ning smiled and stopped her.

Although Yuan Chun was not in the palace, Jia She did not spend money in a fit of pique, and Jia Zheng dismissed his guests and servants. The West Mansion did not have any major expenses, but it was still not as big as the East Mansion, as it had more children.

"You should give a pair of the jade ruyi you have kept to Qin Shi, so that she can share in the good fortune of your old lord's title."

"..."

Grandmother Jia loved to hear this.

Her life has been smooth sailing.

Although things were not so good in their old age, the Jia family is now rising again.

Even the most useless grandson, Jia Lian, is now working in the armory. If Zhu'er passes the imperial examination and becomes an official... then the Jia family will have made a smooth transition.

This was exactly what the Duke wanted to see back then.

"Somebody come!"

She called to her maid, "Go and bring me my jade box."

Back then, Dukes Ning and Rong followed Emperor Taizu all the way from the south to the north, established the Great Zhao Dynasty, and acquired all the good things in the world.

Yuan Chun had only been in the palace for a few years...

Recalling those years when she was bewitched, Grandmother Jia suddenly sighed with emotion, "Bring me back my gold phoenix inlaid with rubies and my jade bracelet with rubies."

If it weren't for Madam Shen bringing Yuan Chun back, their family would still be pouring money into the palace.

"Auntie, there's too much."

"Not many, not many. Rong-ge'er is my first great-grandson."

Marrying a member of the royal family, Qin, who was difficult to reunite with, was already a grievance for him.

If others can't save face for them, they have to make it up to themselves.

"Once you've prepared the list of betrothal gifts, bring it over so I can take a look."

"Eh~"

Shen Ning readily agreed.

"Furthermore, since you've already decided that Qin is your granddaughter-in-law, have you considered bringing her into the family sooner?"

what?
Shen Ning was taken aback.

Rong-ge is only twelve years old.

"The Qin family is a humble household; what could they possibly teach her?"

Grandmother Jia said, "It would be better to let her marry into the family sooner, so the child won't suffer, and you and Madam You can also teach her a thing or two."

"..."

Shen Ning considered the possibility of this.

Qin Ye was, after all, a fifth-rank official; he couldn't possibly endure hardship.

But in the eyes of the powerful and wealthy, his official position was nothing but poverty.

Qin Ye's public persona was indeed that of a poor official in the capital.

In *Dream of the Red Chamber*, when he sent Qin Zhong to the affiliated school of the Jia family, the gifts he gave to Jia Dairu were all pieced together from various sources.

But when Qin Zhong died, he was still thinking about the several thousand taels of silver his father had entrusted to him.

Are you afraid Qin Ye won't agree?

Seeing that she didn't answer for a long time, Grandmother Jia couldn't help but ask her.

"That's not true."

Shen Ning shook her head.

The fact that Qin Ye could make such a request shows that he truly loves his child.

In the Dream of the Red Chamber, the two children ended up in such a state; it can only be said that they were entrusted to the wrong people.

Since the Jia family and the Qin family arranged the marriage, the Jia family must have already confirmed Qin Keqing's identity.

Otherwise, Grandmother Jia wouldn't have been able to say that Qin Keqing was the best among her great-granddaughters-in-law.

If anyone is unaware of this... then Qin Keqing is the only one who doesn't know.

When she died...

Thinking of the funeral that even many royal palaces attended, Shen Ning felt that everyone was actually aware of her true identity.

It's just that it wasn't described in the book.

"Lord Qin is a good man; he should know how to make the best choice for his daughter."

If you really disagree, then say that as long as Qin Keqing marries into the family, Qin Zhong can attend the Jia family's affiliated school.

Shen Ning felt that this alone was enough to win over both father and daughter.

"I was just thinking that if we do this, outsiders might start saying that Qin was a child bride."

“…Don’t worry!”

Grandmother Jia glanced at Shen Ning and said meaningfully, "With you here, no one dares to say such things to her."

……

In the Shou Kang Palace, the retired emperor is reviewing memorials from the northern frontier.

As he looked at it, his hands began to tremble.

"Your Majesty, may you live ten thousand years! Your subject, General Jiang Yu of Ningxia, has fulfilled his mission and now presents this report of victory. On the night of August 28th, Tatar reinforcements arrived in the Hetao region, their arrogance boundless, attempting to once again invade our Great Zhao territory. However, the soldiers of Ningxia and the reinforcements from various garrisons, united in their hatred of the enemy, fought bravely with unwavering resolve. After several days of fierce fighting, they finally defeated the enemy, beheading 23 enemy generals, killing 2,467 enemy soldiers, capturing 1,272 enemy soldiers, and seizing over 4,000 horses, countless weapons, and provisions..."

We won! We won!

The Hetao region, which was once part of the ancient lands, was returned to the Zhao state.

The spirits of his father and the crown prince should no longer blame him.

The retired emperor continued reading about Jiang Yu's plans for the Hetao region, fearing that this hard-won victory might be reversed by the Tatars.

That place is a natural breeding ground for horses.

It is the place that Da Zhao lacks the most.

The Tatars kept a close eye on that place, not wanting the Great Zhao to have warhorses of the same quality as theirs.

Without good warhorses, even if the army of the Great Zhao invaded the grasslands, they would be helpless against their seemingly swift and unpredictable troops.

"Quick, get the map!"

When the retired emperor urgently requested the map, he didn't expect that the emperor who delivered the memorial had already had the eunuchs hold up a map of the Ningxia region, waiting for him to see it. "Father!"

The emperor's smile was particularly sincere. "Congratulations on taking back the Hetao region! I have already reviewed General Xia's plans for the Hetao region. Let me explain them to you."

The Emperor Emeritus: "..."

He looked at the son who had helped him wash away his shame, and slowly nodded, "Alright, speak, I'm listening."

The Hetao region belongs not only to him, but also to this son.

It belongs to their Great Zhao.

The father and son were excitedly exchanging words in the hall, unaware that Consort Zhen, though in a small Buddhist hall, had received news from the outside.

She sat there, wishing she had a map so she could see the north and south.

The fighting in the north will also affect the south.

If the north is stable, it's impossible for war to break out in the south.

But all she could guess was the Emperor Emeritus's thoughts, and the Emperor's...

Consort Zhen felt that once the north was stabilized, the Emperor would seize the opportunity and immediately launch an attack on the south.

The retired emperor was old and had lost his drive, but the emperor was very good at persuading people.

If he attributes the great victory in the north to the retired emperor, then the retired emperor might do as he wishes and take action in the south.

After all, he still wanted to see the founding emperor and the crown prince after his death.

hiss~
If they take action in the south, then her son...

Consort Zhen has a terrible headache.

Her son has really been spoiled rotten.

He couldn't defeat the Prince of Nan'an.

If the emperor were any more ruthless, he might have even used the Prince of Nan'an to get rid of her son.

Then he will punish the Prince of Nan'an...

Consort Zhen was pacing around in the small Buddhist hall.

She suspected that the emperor had sent Prince Teng to the south so that he could seize control of her son and the Prince of Nan'an when they were both weakened.

How to do?
Will my son be able to come back?

The Emperor Emeritus's words are not to be trifled with!

unless……

Consort Zhen stopped and slowly took off her little sweater.

The son is pampered and walks so slowly that even if he reaches the south, he won't get anything good.

It's better not to go than to do that.

Wearing only her undergarments, Consort Zhen opened a crack in the window.

……

The news of the great victory at Hetao finally overshadowed the extraordinary story of the Jia family's ten thousand taels of betrothal gifts.

Shen Ning also received Lan Zhi's letter.

The battle in the Hetao region is very difficult.

The Tatars frequently reinforced their troops.

Fortunately, this time the emperor sent money, gifts, and people.

All parties provided timely assistance, and there were even occasional surpluses.

Otherwise, even if we take Hetao, we won't be able to hold onto it.

Now, the reinforcements from all sides have become the garrison of the Hetao region, and the Tatars, because of the Russian kingdom further north, dare not make any more moves.

Seeing Lan Zhi's repeated thanks for the medicinal herbs sent by the Jia family, Shen Ning felt comfortable all over.

Good steel should be used on the blade.

Good medicinal herbs should naturally be sent to where they are most needed.

"Mother!"

Jia Zhen smiled and said, "When General Jiang returns to Beijing to report on his duties, Cousin Lan will probably come back again. My son will personally go to pick her up then."

His mother had never forgotten her cousin Lan ever since she met her once.

I heard that my cousin Min has another cousin who is so skilled that she has been begging Jiao Da to teach her martial arts many times.

He even went to ask Uncle She for help.

This forced Uncle She to treat him to drinks twice.

In the past, a young girl would definitely have received a scolding.

But now...

Jia Zhen was afraid of all his female cousins.

He had to avoid them all, neither hitting nor scolding them.

"Why should I ask you to pick me up? Can't I go by myself?"

Shen Ning put down the letter. "By the way, is there still no news about the female tutor I asked you to find?"

"We found it."

Jia Zhen said, "They are from the Weiwu Escort Agency, but they still have to go back to their hometown. They said that since they are going to teach people, they have to take their two nieces with them."

"...As long as you have real skills, anything goes."

Shen Ning nodded.

She needs a maid who knows a little martial arts.

My daughter will need it in the future too.

"And muskets... did you manage to buy them?"

"not yet!"

Jia Zhen shook his head. "My son went to plead with several missionaries in the capital, but two of them had their muskets taken away by Lord Chen of the Ministry of Works, and the other one absolutely refused to agree."

Given his usual temper, he would have been furious long ago.

They had already arranged for someone to use force against them in secret.

but now……

Look at his mother, she wouldn't dare!
Xing'er and the others are all afraid of his mother.

Those cowards...

Jia Zhen felt that if his mother threatened him even slightly, they would spill the beans and expose him.

Until then...

Jia Zhen felt that he had no way out.

"Lord Chen from the Ministry of Works?"

Shen Ning had no idea what her eldest son was thinking.

The focus was on the fact that Lord Chen from the Ministry of Works had purchased muskets from missionaries.

Ministry of Industry, huh?
"Is that Chen Jingpeng, the Minister of Works?"

"Yes!"

Jia Zhen nodded.

He looked at his mother and suddenly remembered something. "Mother, are you saying that the Ministry of Works is also researching the missionaries' muskets?"

If that's the case, then he... can rest assured.

"should be!"

Shen Ning nodded slowly, "When Lian'er comes back, have him come over."

She might as well ask her nephew instead of her son, who was not in court.

Jia Lian may have already made contact.

Or rather, the place where the Ministry of Works manufactures firearms has already figured it out.

Shen Ning had high hopes for this.

"He should be back soon."

Jia Zhen said, "Why don't we send our son to take a look?"

He knew how eager his mother was for a musket.

"Go!"

Shen Ning nodded, "Ask about the Ministry of Works, especially the situation with muskets."

A little hint could lead to a breakthrough very soon.

She prepared it; we can't let it go to waste!

After watching her eldest son leave, Shen Ning couldn't sit still and paced around the room.

There is no peace anywhere.

The Red Mansion was not peaceful either.

Otherwise, Shi Xiangyun's father-in-law, General Wei, would not have died in battle in the south.

However, the author did not focus much on the war.

she……

Shen Ning was very anxious.

Who is in power in the Rakshasa Kingdom now?
Is it expanding?
If the Tatars are willing to fight the Da Zhao because they no longer oppose him, does that mean they've already started fighting in the north?

If that's the case...

Shen Ning took out the map that Jia Jing had copied years ago, but didn't touch it for a long time.