The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 276 Vomiting blood
Shen Ning was not in a good mood upon returning home to Ningguo Mansion.

The Wang family is a ticking time bomb!

"Zhen'er, have someone investigate the situation of your Second Uncle Zheng and Second Aunt Zheng in the countryside. Also, investigate Wang Zisheng and Wang Ren. If possible, find out what wrong these two people have done."

"Mother, what happened?"

Jia Zhen was quite surprised.

What happened to the Wang family this time?

Wasn't the old lady looking for her because of the Princess Consort of Nan'an?
Or perhaps, Wang Ziteng did something in the south?

"Just in case."

Shen Ning sighed, "By the way, are the old nuns in charge at the Mantou Nunnery still behaving themselves?"

"Mantou Nunnery?"

His mother's jump was too big.

Jia Zhen didn't react for a moment. "Didn't the palace release a group of people last year? There was a palace maid whose home happened to be in that area. You Shi said it wasn't convenient to let men manage the affairs of the nunnery, so she asked that palace maid to be the manager."

He donated 80% of his money to the Mantou Temple to accumulate blessings for his sister and his future child; he dared not waste it.

"As for the old nun inside..." He thought for a moment, "she's so busy these days, haven't you noticed? She doesn't even have time to go to the West Mansion to preach Buddhism anymore."

His parents believed in Taoism, but the old lady and Aunt Zheng in the West Mansion were both devout Buddhists, especially Aunt Zheng, who even had a small Buddhist shrine.

"They make steamed buns too?"

A hint of a smile flashed in Shen Ning's eyes.

"Do it!"

Jia Zhen nodded, "They earned their reputation for making steamed buns because they make them so well, didn't they?"

That nunnery is called Shuiyue Nunnery.

"These days, all the steamed buns in our household are delivered by them."

The guards and newly hired bodyguards are all well-fed; every day, 150 people are fed just for their household.

"Does the manor provide silver?"

"nature!"

Jia Zhen nodded vigorously.

Now, the housekeeper is either a cousin or a younger cousin, plus the future daughter-in-law...

He dared not skimp on such a small amount of money and let them complain to his mother.

"Where is the one who gives alms?"

Shen Ning seems to remember receiving several hundred every day.

"There are many charitable organizations in the capital, mostly for the elderly and children. Since it doesn't matter who they give to, they take turns giving to a hundred people every day. Considering that they are the elderly and children, they use a mixture of flour, rice, and wheat flour, without adding bran or wheat husks."

There are two hundred steamed buns available daily in the South City Quarters, but they are all mixed with bran and wheat bran. Anyone who can't get enough to eat can take one, until they're all gone.

"Can I collect them all?"

Jia Zhen nodded, "They're very easy to get. There are quite a few people living in shacks over there. Each person can only get one per day, and they're basically all gone in half an hour."

"...So, does that mean there's still a surplus at the Mantou Nunnery?"

Shen Ning remembered that they had recruited a lot of women last year to make and sell steamed buns.

"some."

Jia Zhen nodded, "They applied to add two more courtyards. Last winter, many women and children came to stay with them. The housekeeper's sisters discussed it and agreed. Now, those courtyards are probably almost finished."

His younger sister, Xiaoyue'er, is in good health, and Madam You is pregnant again.

So when Madam You found out last year, she added another five hundred taels to the donation.

“Mother, the incense at the Mantou Nunnery has been gradually increasing since the second half of last year.”

Jia Zhen said, "Because the temple still offers steamed buns as alms, and it's quite lively there now, what do you think? Should we hold two more temple fairs on the first and fifteenth of each month to let more people know about it, and also make it convenient for the surrounding people to set up a small stall and sell some small items?"

"……sure!"

It's rare that Jia Zhen is willing to do practical things, so how could Shen Ning not be willing?
She smiled and said, "If we hold a temple fair, I'll pay for the opera troupe."

There aren't many recreational activities in this era.

It's not so easy for ordinary people to join in the fun.

Knowing where there was a theatrical troupe, many people would travel ten or twenty miles to join in the fun.

"Well then, the son will order the steward to get it."

When Shen Ning returned, she asked Qingzhu to bring out two hundred taels of silver.

I forgot about the Wang family.

But Jia Zhen didn't forget. He casually instructed his servant Shou'er to investigate, and considerately said that it was getting late, so he could stay out overnight and come back to report the next evening.

Unexpectedly, Shou'er, who went to inquire, returned just before the city gates closed, narrowly escaping death.

His face was pale, as if he wanted to fight someone.

Jia Zhen, who was about to soak his feet and rest, heard that Shou'er was requesting an audience at this time. He knew something was wrong and immediately went to the outer study to see him.

But it would have been better if I hadn't listened, because once I did... I almost vomited blood.

His mother was raising her brother-in-law?

How dare Wang say that?
Jia Zhen glared at Shou'er, panting heavily, "Where was Jia Zheng? Didn't he slap that Wang Shi across the face back then?"

He doesn't even call his second uncle anymore.

"……No."

When Shou'er heard about it from the villagers, she was furious. Her husband was such a kind person, yet he was treated so badly by that couple. "They said that the second master didn't say a word and even picked up the overturned table himself."

This is tantamount to agreeing with Wang's words!
It's hateful that those two, though exiled, were still the master and mistress of the Jia family. Otherwise, he would have gone over there and fought them long ago.

"Fine, fine, Jia Zheng, Jia Cunzhou, you're asking for it."

Jia Zhen was so angry that he trembled all over.

He hated Wang Shi, but he hated his so-called second uncle Jia Zheng even more.

It was him who, time and again, followed Wang Shi in stabbing his own flesh and blood with a knife from behind!

He 'clang' pulled the sword hanging on the wall and, carrying it, headed towards the Rongguo Mansion.

Shou'er hurriedly grabbed him, "Master, you can't make a scene like this in public! Madam isn't feeling well right now. If you cause a scene, you might upset her..."

The last time my wife was seriously ill, it really scared them.

What will this family do without a wife?

"Whoever you want to find, we'll do it quietly."

Jia Zhen: "..."

Thinking of his mother's current health, he was persuaded to stay calm, but he was filled with resentment.

"You bastard, I'll kill him, I'll kill him..."

This is practically driving his mother to her death!
What does it mean that the innocent remain innocent and the guilty remain guilty?
Shit!

People in this world love to spread these romantic tales. What was originally baseless, they can fill in with details like time and place as they go along.

What should his mother do?
Are there few people in the entire capital who wish their mothers would die immediately?
Jia Zhen dropped his sword. "Come on, let's go find Jia Zhu."

Want to die?

Then none of them should live anymore.

He strode towards the West Mansion.

At this time, Jia Zhu was still studying late into the night.

This year's Enko was postponed because of the Russians.

He cherished this time.

Li Wan knew how busy he was these days, so she never bothered him.

She did her best to take care of him, ensuring the house was always warm. Every half hour, when she changed his hot tea, she would let him rest for a while, giving him a shoulder massage, a back pat, and a forehead rub.

As usual, Li Wan was wondering whether to go into the study and tell her master to soak his feet and rest when she heard a knock on the door.

The thumps were urgent and loud.

Li Wan's expression changed. Why was she knocking on the door so late? Had something happened again?

When she rushed out, the old woman guarding the gate had already opened it.

However, before the door was even fully opened, Jia Zhen had already kicked it open.

bang~
The louder noise startled everyone in the courtyard.

Jia Zhu hurriedly put down his book and rushed out, calling out, "Big Brother!"

The eldest brother looks so menacing...

Jia Zhu knew something serious had happened. When she rushed to her brother, her face also turned serious. "What's wrong?"

"Look what you've done, and you're asking me what happened?"

If it weren't for the fact that his brother's wife looked terrified, Jia Zhen would have wanted to punch her a few times.

He admitted that he had taken his anger out on others, but he couldn't help it.

"Big brother..." Jia Zhu was stunned. What had he done?

"Shut up!"

Jia Zhen forced himself to be patient and said, "Come with me."

He turned and headed towards Rongxi Hall.

At this time, Jia She was still busy with the woodblock printing of "The Legend of the Condor Heroes".

He has become increasingly skilled at carving characters lately.

The small carving knife made a 'whoosh' sound as it cut across the wood, and soon another character was taking shape.

"Master, Master Zhen from the East Mansion has arrived with Master Zhu."

slap~
One word ruined the whole page of wood that was carved.

Jia She was furious.

He had said long ago that no matter what happens, even if the sky were to fall, he would only return when he had stopped.

Engraving is not something that can be done overnight.

He would slow down after writing three characters at a time.

Otherwise, mistakes are very likely to occur.

This was the result of his many days of carving experience.

In Jia She's mind, even if there were any major events in their family, they could wait for him for this short period of time.

But I didn't think about it...

Just as Jia She was about to call for someone to drag this clueless maid out and sell her, Jia Zhen strode in.

His expression was even more unpleasant than Jia She's.

Jia Zhu practically had to jog to catch up.

"Everyone else get out of here. Shou'er, guard the door."

Seeing this commotion, the maid who was in charge of serving tea and reporting dared not delay and hurriedly left.

Shou'er closed the door and stood guard outside.

"Zhen'er, what happened?"

Looking at his two nephews, Jia She could only temporarily quell his anger.

"I want to open the ancestral hall, bring Jia Zheng and Wang Shi back, and beat them to death."

what?
Jia She and Jia Zhu were greatly alarmed.

"That bastard doesn't deserve to be a member of the Jia family."

If we expel him from the sect, it will be harder to kill him.

Along the way, Jia Zhen thought about many things.

Even after calming down for so long, he still couldn't control his anger when he talked about those two people. "Jia Zhu, for the sake of the deceased uncle and the old lady, you are still my brother for the time being. If you dare to say a word for them, you are no longer my brother, and I will expel your second branch from the Jia family."

Jia Zhu: "..."

His face immediately turned ashen.

What did his parents do?

Under his elder brother's murderous gaze, Jia Zhu opened his mouth but didn't dare to speak. However, when he turned to look at his uncle, his pleading expression was immediately apparent.

"Zhen'er, what exactly happened?"

"Uncle She..."

Jia Zhen looked at his uncle, who had helped him so much, and was both angry and resentful. He slapped his face twice. "I'm too ashamed to say anything. They're not even human!" His eyes were red with anger. "Shou'er, you tell me."

He simply couldn't bring himself to say it.

One of them is his mother, and the other is his uncle.

When his mother gave birth to his sister, he was on the verge of death. His son was still young, and his uncle was outside the courtyard taking care of that family for him. What's wrong with that?
The two prefectures, East and West, have always supported and protected each other!

Jia Zhen asked himself, "Have we, the East Mansion, done right by the West Mansion?"

But what about the West Prefecture?
After his grandfather and uncle passed away, and his parents fell into hardship, the old lady helped Jia Zheng and his wife up, but she didn't think much of him.

At that time, he had no choice; the retired emperor clearly did not favor the Ningguo Mansion.

For the sake of his family's future, he worked hard to cooperate with them and used his grandfather's connections to help Wang Ziteng.

But how did the Wang family treat the Jia family?

"Shou'er, tell me!"

Jia She called out loudly for Shou'er.

Shou'er looked around until all the maids and servants had left before pushing the door open and coming in. "Master She, today I am here on my master's orders to visit Master Zheng. I heard that he had a fight with him a few days ago."

Jia Zheng's surname is Jia, and he is the patriarch of the Jia family, but Wang Shi...

Even though Jia Zhu was right there, he refused to give him a proper address.

"That person called him spineless and weak, saying he was bullied by our wife."

Shou'er glanced at Jia She, hoping he could hold back, "Speak...speak..."

"say what?"

Jia She was getting anxious about him.

"They said our wife was having an affair with her brother-in-law, that you were outside when our wife gave birth, they said..."

Shou'er steeled his resolve and simply spilled the beans, telling everything in detail.

Jia She: "..."

He felt like he was dreaming, his ears were hallucinating, and his vision was going black.

Jia Zhu was no better.

He looked at his uncle, then at his elder brother, and collapsed with a thud.

This world is too hard for women.

Reputation is life.

If such rumors about keeping a younger brother-in-law were to spread, it would not only kill the eldest aunt of the East Mansion, but also all the girls in the Jia family.

The men of the Jia family couldn't escape either.

Outsiders won't verify the truth; they'll just say, "That's what your own family says."

Two years ago, when Governor Zhou of Sichuan passed away, similar rumors spread about his family. In the end, Mrs. Zhou hanged herself, and their two daughters also died one after another. Their only son, who passed the imperial examination, returned home, got into an argument with someone, lost the argument, and went insane.

The Zhou family vanished without a trace.

His mother...

Jia Zhu, having regained some consciousness, spat out a mouthful of blood.

At the same time, neither Jia Zheng nor Wang Shi had gone to sleep.

Both of them were very nervous.

The sight of Shou'er slamming her whip against the door made them both hesitant to sleep.

He went back...

"You stupid woman!"

Jia Zheng didn't even take off his clothes.

He couldn't imagine what his family would think if they knew what Wang had said.

Will the eldest sister-in-law come to kill them overnight, have Jia Zhen seize them, and take them back to the ancestral hall to be beaten to death?

"You're going to drag me down with you!"

Jia Zheng cried.

He was scared.

Although at the time, Wang's words seemed to make some sense, everyone knew that the eldest sister-in-law and Brother Jing were a loving couple!
This is slander by Wang.

Unfortunately, he didn't stop it at the time.

He's a member of the Jia family, so he didn't stop it!
If my older brother finds out, he'll definitely hate him to death.

he……

How to do?
"What...what did I say?"

Wang dared not admit it, saying, "I just said some unpleasant things in the heat of the moment."

How many offensive things are said in this village every day?

If we take it seriously, no one will survive.

"If they come to punish me, I will admit it myself."

Wang, with her neck stiff, said, "I was wrong. I'll apologize with a bundle of thorns on my back. If you're so capable, just kill me."

Even if Shen is ruthless, she shouldn't kill her, right?

Besides, with this stigma, how can she face anyone?