The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 191 Plum Garden
At the Rongguo Mansion, Lin Daiyu, holding her younger brother Lin Chang'an's hand, followed behind their mother towards their courtyard.

"Mother, did Second Uncle have something to do at Pear Fragrance Courtyard today?"

"Why do you ask that?"

Jia Min glanced at her youngest son and asked him, puzzled.

"I felt that my grandmother was not very happy during dinner."

Lin Chang'an asked, "Sister, do you also sense that Grandmother is unhappy?"

"Ok!"

Lin Daiyu nodded, "Mother, what are Second Uncle and the others always arguing about? Grandmother is getting old, why don't they understand at all?"

She doesn't expect them to be filial, but she feels bad for the old lady because they keep making her unhappy.

"And Brother Bao, he ran to the East Mansion to avoid them all."

Lin Chang'an was very melancholy.

Of course, I also feel sorry for my cousin, "We used to eat together, but now he's eating at my aunt's house in the East Mansion."

"..."

Daiyu glanced at her younger brother.

She attended school at the East Mansion, and every few days, her aunt would have lunch with them.

The meals in the East Mansion were mostly prepared by Aunt Li. She had a pair of skillful hands, and no matter what she made, even if it was just ordinary vegetables, she made them taste better than others.

The cousins, along with their husband and aunt, would sometimes experiment with different dishes.

So far, following the travelogue, I've successfully completed five routes; the others... well, let's not even mention them.

But my aunt insisted on not wasting anything. No matter how bad it tasted or how strange it was, they would still share it with each other and eat it all.

Today, the ladies tried to make candied sweet potatoes like Aunt Li, but they put in too much sugar, making them cloyingly sweet.

Because of this dish, the man said they were causing her trouble, and forced them to brush their teeth again and drink two more cups of tea.

Daiyu sighed inwardly. For the next seven days, she would not eat anything sweet.

Of course, if you want something sweet, Mr. Zhan probably won't give it to you either.

"Sister, when do you get your holiday?"

Lin Chang'an felt it was a great pity that he couldn't go to school at the East Mansion. Every time he heard his sister talk about the fun things that happened there, he longed to go.

"Why do you want your sister to have a holiday?"

Jia Min glanced at her youngest son, "If you can't bear to part with Baoyu, then get up early tomorrow and go with him to Master Jiao's place to practice martial arts."

After receiving her husband's letter, she made a point of getting up early to go and check on the East Mansion.

Grandpa Jiao truly lives up to his reputation as an elder of the Jia family.

Rong-ge'er and Bao-yu, who were learning martial arts, recited their lessons while practicing horse stance.

Others who practiced martial arts followed suit.

Even a servant who doesn't know martial arts can learn to do a horse stance for a while and recognize a few more characters in that environment.

"tomorrow?"

Lin Chang'an shrank his neck. "Mom, it's so cold lately."

He's afraid of the cold, and he can't get up.

"cold?"

Jia Min smiled enigmatically, "Isn't Rong-ge cold? Isn't Bao-yu cold? But you..."

"Mother~"

Daiyu quickly tugged at her mother's sleeve, speaking up for her younger brother, "My brother is still small. Auntie from the East Mansion says that children need to sleep more to grow taller."

Because of this, their class time was delayed until after 7:45 AM.

"...Okay, okay, then we'll go next year."

My son is indeed still young.

Jia Min only has this one son, and she wants to cherish him dearly, but loving a child doesn't mean spoiling him.

The Lin family has had only one son per generation for generations, and the family's reputation will still depend on Chang'an to uphold it in the future.

He can't support himself. Not only will he suffer, but she and her husband will also be worried. Their daughter will also have to work harder without her brothers to support her.

They are the descendants of the Lin family...

Just look at Zhu'er and Baoyu to see how pitiful they are.

If Yuan Chun hadn't been the eldest sister-in-law of the Eastern Mansion, she might still be stuck in the palace.

Jia Min dared not raise a useless child. Just as Lin Chang'an was about to jump up, she added, "But you can't be too happy yet. Your cousins ​​and nephews will be able to take on three people at once in the future. You should start preparing early. If you want to grow taller, go to bed at night."

what?
Lin Chang'an blinked. "So, am I having dinner at my aunt's place tonight too?"

"..."

"..."

Jia Min and Lin Daiyu were stumped by his question.

The two of them miraculously knew exactly what he was focusing on.

"I don't care about you as long as your aunt takes you in."

Jia Min was both angry and amused. "Go ask him yourself!"

……

At Ningguo Mansion, Shen Ning was unaware that she had gained another dining companion.

At this moment, she was listening to the news that Jia Zhen had inquired about from Shuntian Prefecture.

"...Mother, the Hua family incident is most likely the work of the Prince of Jin's mansion. They are covering up the lie about Mr. Liu's 'attendant's death'."

Unfortunately, Mr. Liu was connected to the skinny monkey they had captured.

Mr. Liu disappeared, and coincidentally, his two servants died.

Haha~
Are all the people in the world fools?

He was clearly killed by the Prince of Jin.

However, all the evidence has now been erased by the people of Prince Jin's mansion.

"As for Hua Zifang being arranged into a ghost marriage, it's clear that his body was exposed, so the people of the Prince of Jin's mansion had to come up with another solution."

The Prince of Jin so blatantly disregards human life...

Jia Zhen felt a chill in his heart. "Now that the Wang family is coming to the Hua family again to ask for some dowry, I'm afraid their target isn't the Hua family, but our Jia family."

"..."

Shen Ning sighed and remained silent.

What could she say?

He's a prince.

Even if the matter reaches the Emperor, as long as the Emperor Emeritus is alive, there will be no danger to his life.

But the person who leaked this information...

"They're looking for the Hua family, what right do you have to stick your neck out?"

The Jia family only fell into Prince Jin's trap by sticking their neck out.

"If the Hua family has money, they can give it; if they don't, they can just bring their son home!"

If Hua's mother forced Xiren to steal Baoyu's things for the sake of a dead son... then Xiren would probably have to leave the Jia family much earlier.

It's up to her to choose!
"Don't pay attention to how they make a fuss, just have someone keep an eye on them."

"Eh~"

Jia Zhen was a little angry.

But the Jia family and... the Prince of Jin are not comparable.

"Mother, the guard I found for you, Wen Peilan, has already taken her niece to the capital."

oh?
This is business.

Shen Ning sat up straight immediately. "Then why don't you come into the manor?"

"They have had a long and tiring journey, and they said they would rest outside for the night, take a good shower, and then come to the mansion tomorrow."

"Tell Madam You to send two sets of clean clothes."

“The You family has already sent it.”

In this respect, Jia Zhen was very satisfied with Lady You.

She always thought ahead when it came to household matters, so he and his mother didn't have to worry about them.

"...When I get back, please thank her for me."

Shen Ning smiled and said, "To be honest, she hasn't been fully equipped with maids yet. She's very busy at the end of the year. She'll inform the estates below to select some more."

"Yes!"

As the mother and son were talking about the people on the estate, Wen Peilan, who was staying at the inn, was also inquiring about the noble person she was going to protect.

A first-rank imperial consort!

Aside from the royal family, even the highest-ranking lady was gossiped about, being called the number one shrew in the Great Zhao Dynasty.

ho~
"Auntie, Madam Shen is already so powerful, would anyone still want to hit her?"

Nine-year-old Wen Yan'er followed her aunt to see the guests off and finally asked her question.

"..."

Wen Peilan sighed, "Who knows? We took their money and said we would protect her safety, so we have to protect her safety."

Other things are not currently on her agenda.

“I’ve heard that the maids in wealthy families are all literate. In their spare time, they teach the younger maids to read.” She touched her niece’s face. “When you get to the Ningguo Mansion, be sweet-talking and diligent, and learn some characters. If there are any embroidery classes, learn those too.”

Fighting and killing are ultimately not a good thing.

Escorting goods is hard work, especially for women.

She didn't want her niece to follow in her footsteps.

“A good piece of embroidery can easily cost over a hundred taels of silver.”

"……Um!"

Wen Yan'er nodded, "As long as they teach me, I will learn."

She would never waste it.

"Auntie, what if they kick me out..."

"No, Auntie will also teach them martial arts."

Knowing some martial arts skills means that if you encounter a bad man, you won't be completely helpless.

Having traveled extensively, Wen Peilan had witnessed many such incidents.

Women should be assertive, and men should be honest.

If a woman's family is powerful, the man will be more obedient.

Silent all night.

The next day was a bright and sunny day, and Shen Ning finally met the female guard she had been waiting for.

"sit!"

"Don't dare!"

Wen Peilan immediately went into her mind, saying, "Some habits are better left unformed." She had entered the Ningguo Mansion as a guard, and guards weren't allowed to sit around casually. "Madam, from now on, I am one of your maids."

She glanced at Qingzhu and the others, who were being raised like pampered young ladies, and said, "But I have no experience as a maid, I..."

"My name is Qingzhu. From now on, you will follow me, and I will teach you."

Qingzhu smiled and said, "At the same time, we need to practice martial arts in our courtyard..."

"I'll teach you!"

This is also one of her tasks.

Wen Peilan didn't waste any words, "I practice boxing every morning and evening. Anyone who is interested can come and learn."

"I don't know your fist..."

Shen Ning admired her decisiveness and wanted to ask her if she could learn from her.

"I know Tai Chi, Baguazhang, Emeiquan, and White Cranequan."

Wen Peilan said, "If you are interested, Madam, you can learn Tai Chi from me."

"Then it's settled."

Shen Ning smiled, "Qingzhu, present my apprenticeship gift."

I saw my grandparents practice it when I was little, but I wasn't interested at the time.

Now that I can learn systematically, I certainly can't let this opportunity pass me by.

So, within two days, the maids of Ningguo Mansion had one more thing to do: practice horse stance with Master Wen for half an hour every day.

Shen Ning couldn't do the traditional martial arts anymore, so she could only learn fancy moves.

However, Tai Chi is far more visually appealing than Five Animal Frolics.

She shared her knowledge without reservation, introducing Tai Chi to Ningcui Pavilion.

Time passed by unnoticed, and by the time the Shi family sent an invitation to drink and celebrate the return of Shi Ding, the Marquis of Zhongjing, it was already the fifteenth day of the twelfth lunar month.

Early in the morning, snowflakes began to fall heavily again.

However, the return of meritorious officials from the north to the capital to receive their rewards actually made the city more lively.

The Prince of Jin had been waiting for this day for a long time.

In other families, Madam Shen could easily find an excuse not to go out, but in the Shi family… she had to give face to her deceased mother-in-law, and also to the old lady of the Rongguo Mansion.

Therefore, she must go to the historian's residence.

"Are you ready?"

"Ready."

The man, dressed like an ordinary person, said, "Your Highness, rest assured, Shen will not escape."

"...You have already disappointed me once."

The Prince of Jin stared into the other man's eyes. "Remember, there will be no second time."

"Yes!"

The man bowed respectfully and withdrew.

Because of his disagreement with Shi Nai, Shi Ding had already moved out of the Marquis of Baoling's residence.

The newly bestowed residence of the Marquis of Zhongjing by the Emperor still has some areas that are not yet ready.

However, Shi Ding's time in Beijing was limited, so he specially rented a very famous plum garden in the west of the city to entertain relatives and friends.

Jia Yue is still young, so Shen Ning naturally won't take her along.

Besides, she and Jia Zhen were worried that Prince Jin would not give up, so even Lady You stayed at home under the pretext of looking after the house.

When the snowstorm subsided slightly, the carriage slowly drove out of Ningrong Street.

Grandmother Jia had her own carriage.

Following closely behind were Xing Shi and Feng Jie, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, in the same car.

Then Jia Min in one car.

Shen Ning was at the very back.

However, a closer look reveals that more than half of the guards from Ningguo Prefecture were mobilized.

Besides those who served, there were also those who disguised themselves as passersby.

"Mother, the carriages of the Prince of Nan'an are ahead."

The carriage stopped at the city gate.

Jia Zhen rode over on horseback and said, "The Dowager Princess invites the old lady over for a chat."

"...Please do!"

The old lady wasn't stupid.

Shen Ning fiddled with her cloak.

A hidden pouch was sewn into this place by Qingcheng, and the musket she bought at a high price from the missionaries is inside.

"Just go and say hello for me."

"Eh~"

Jia Zhen rode over there on horseback.

Soon, the two teams merged and headed towards the plum garden together.

"You're so lucky, older sister."

The Princess Dowager of Nan'an was somewhat envious of Grandmother Jia.

Jia Daishan, who was once the pillar of the family, is gone, and his sons are useless, but unexpectedly, his grandson has risen to prominence.

"Not only his descendants benefited, but even his nephews in the family rose up."

She had thought that having two dukes in the Jia family was the greatest honor for a family, but she never expected that her maternal family also had two marquises.

This woman... is truly blessed.

Who used to fancy Jia Lian?

Although he was said to be the heir to the title, in reality, the Rongguo Mansion was originally run by Jia Zheng, and Jia Lian was just the steward of his second uncle's family.

But now?

Even her son, when he came to the capital, had to curry favor with Jia Lian first.

The Princess Dowager of Nan'an was speechless, wondering how this woman, Shi, could have such great fortune.

"What did the Dowager Consort say?"

Grandmother Jia was pleased, "What's wrong with the Prince? And the Zhen family, who in Jiangnan doesn't know the Zhen family? When it comes to good fortune, you are far better than me."

"Haha, that's true. The other day, when the prince sent New Year's gifts, he mentioned seeing a very fine piece of red jade, which is perfect for a young wife. So I had someone send it to your house. I wonder if you saw it, elder sister? That piece of red jade is just right for Feng'er."

"Exactly."

Grandmother Jia knew that the Princess Consort mainly wanted to use her to bring the Prince's Mansion closer to Lian'er.

Therefore, it was specifically requested that a gift be given to Lian's daughter-in-law.

"The moment I saw that piece of red jade, I knew it was perfect for my daughter Feng. So I immediately sent it to Jin Yutang and asked their master craftsman to make her jewelry."

"Good good!"

Princess Nan'an smiled and patted Grandmother Jia's hand, "When we get to the Plum Garden, call Feng'er over. I haven't seen her in a long time."

"Don't worry, she will definitely pay her respects to you."

The two old ladies were talking when Wang Xifeng, who was behind them, heard that the Princess of Nan'an and the old ladies had gotten into the same carriage, and her brows furrowed involuntarily.

With the Lunar New Year approaching, the gifts people are giving each other this year are simply beyond imagination.

Their purpose is obvious.

As for the Prince of Nan'an... not to mention her, even Jia Lian has to listen to the Emperor.

But the Emperor doesn't seem to be very satisfied with that side.