The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 4 School
The two noble families, Ning and Rong, rose to prominence through martial arts. In times of peace, they sought to ensure the family's continued prosperity. They established the Jia Family School and poured a large sum of money into it every year. All male members of the Jia family, from their early education to adulthood, were provided with free education, food, and drink by the two mansions and the clan.

Because of these two benefits, every member of the Jia family wanted to send their child over.

But who could have imagined that Jia Dairu, who was in charge of the school, was pedantic and incompetent, living off the supplies of the Ning and Rong mansions and the Jia family, and had not taught a single good student in decades, and that the Jia family's children were getting worse with each generation.

Shen Ning frowned deeply; it would be difficult to replace Jia Dairu!

This was an era dominated by imperial power, clan power, patriarchal power, and husband's power. She was an awkward person who didn't even have an official title. It seemed that she could only rely on her husband and son to turn the tide, but her husband had become a monk, and her son was no good either.

Moreover, Jia Dairu was also her elder.

The wheels rolled on, and before she could think of a solution, they arrived at the school on the southeast corner of the back street.

"Ah, ah, Mother, Grandmother, waah waah waah..."

Before they even got off the bus, Jia Rong's heart-wrenching cries of pain could be heard from inside.

Of course, the dull 'smack' sound of the paddle hitting the buttocks also made people's hearts tighten.

"Stop it, stop it quickly."

As Madam You helped Shen Ning out of the car, she shouted inside, "Sir, Madam is here! Madam is here!"

Jia Zhen wouldn't listen to her, but as a filial son, he had to listen to his wife.

"Grandma, Grandma, save me!"

When Jia Rong heard that his grandmother had arrived, he began to struggle violently.

He still had the energy to shout so loudly; it seems the person who was beating him had held back.

Shen Ning put down the snacks and went in with a cold face.

What she didn't expect was that Jia Rong, who was being pressed down on the bench by the servant, was as white as paper, covered in sweat, and his clothes were soaked with blood.

Shen Ning's vision went black, and she almost collapsed on the spot.

She is a little afraid of blood, especially blood from various wounds.

"Mother, Mother, Rong'er is fine, it's just superficial injuries."

Jia Zhen, who rushed over, helped her up, saying, "Please don't panic, please don't panic."

Those who were watching the commotion quickly moved away when they saw Shen Ning and her mother-in-law enter. However, Jia Dairu, being both an elder and a party involved, couldn't avoid it. Seeing that Shen Ning was about to faint, he was afraid something might happen, so he quickly comforted her, "Yes, yes, it's okay, she'll be fine after a few days of rest."

"It's nothing? You call this nothing?"

Avoiding Jia Rong's buttocks, Shen Ning glared fiercely at Jia Zhen, "Tell me, why did you hit him like that?"

“Yesterday he pushed Brother Rui into the ditch, and Brother Rui still has a high fever.”

When Jia Zhen said this, Jia Dairu stood to the side with a cold face.

He couldn't get along with these women who only knew how to spoil their children.

His son is gone, and he only has Rui'er as his grandson, who is counting on him to bring honor to the family.

"If my son hadn't gone to see Manager Chen today, he wouldn't have known until now."

Jia Zhen was furious.

This brat doesn't even know how to hit someone.

With such blatant leverage presented to him, can you blame him for hitting him?
As the clan leader, he often had to put on an act in front of outsiders.

Grandfather Dai Ru is in charge of the clan school. He doesn't punish people now, but it won't be easy for the old man to make things difficult for a ten-year-old.

Thinking of this, Jia Zhen hardened his stance, "You Shi, send Mother back. This is not a place for you."

This isn't a place for her.

Shen Ning gasped for breath, "Logically, I shouldn't interfere when you're disciplining your son." Her hand was itching to slap her son right then and there, "But now that your father isn't home, I suppose I, as his mother, can also discipline you."

"……Mother!"

Is this being unreasonable?

Helpless, Jia Zhen could only plead, "My son is disciplining Rong-ge because he wants to bring honor to our ancestors."

"Ha! To bring glory to one's ancestors?"

Shen Ning almost laughed out of anger at these words. Did the Jia family really think they could bring glory to their ancestors?
If you don't anger your ancestors to the point of opening their coffins and turning on them, then it's all thanks to the King of Hell's strict restraint.

Shaking off Jia Zhen's hand that was supporting her, she looked at Jia Dairu and said, "Uncle Twelfth, I don't know why my Rong-ge'er hit Rui'er. Please explain. As long as it's his fault, I'll admit it. I'll accept it even if he beats me to death or maims me."

If they're born with a bad seed, then just cripple them and raise them at home. Anyway, the Ningguo Mansion is still large and wealthy enough to support two cripples.

If they are well cared for, perhaps the person in charge will take pity on them and let them go.

“My Rui’er came home with a fever and was so delirious that he couldn’t be questioned.” Jia Dairu felt sorry for his grandson and was very impatient with Shen Ning. “Now, even when we ask Jia Rong, he won’t say anything. If you can get the information out of him, I will be very grateful.”

Anyway, Jia Zhen didn't get any answers.

Only then did he become furious and decide to give the child thirty lashes.

Unfortunately, before the fight even truly began, Jia Rong's servant sneaked out to inform the woman.

"Rong'er..."

Shen Ning looked at Jia Rong, who was already wrapped in a cloak by the maids, and said, "Tell me, what happened? Why did you hit your uncle? Didn't you know that doing that could have killed him?"

"grandmother……"

Jia Rong cried.

He didn't dare to say.

"You are so audacious, so unfilial and disrespectful, how can your grandmother protect you, you..."

When Shen Ning saw the blood on the board next to her, she panicked and felt short of breath; her face turned extremely pale in an instant.

"Grandma, Grandma, I'll tell you, I'll tell you."

Seeing that his grandmother was about to collapse again, Jia Rong immediately cried out, "He called me a motherless child."

"nonsense."

Jia Dairu was furious, "Rui'er is also a motherless child, how could she say such things to you?"

"Waaah, he just told me."

He didn't mention his mother, but he did mention his grandmother.

However, Jia Rong would never say those words that were more like curses in front of his grandmother. "Father, I was wrong. Grandmother, I was wrong. This beating... is over!" After saying this, he was in pain, scared, and aggrieved, and tears streamed down his face.

Shen Ning: "..."

She sat down on the chair Jia Zhen had brought, caught her breath, and ignored Jia Rong, who had already admitted his mistake, asking, "Was it just the two of them fighting? Were there others?"

Let's just cripple them all at once.

“Yun-ge from the fifth branch didn’t go to school today, and we’ve already sent people to look for him.”

Jia Zhen was afraid something might happen to his mother. "Mother, please have some tea to calm down."

My mother is pregnant with our second child, and her health is not as good as it used to be.

This child has come at the worst possible time.

He (or she) didn't come when he (or she) was supposed to, but now that his (or her) parents are quite old and his (or her) son is twelve years old, he (or she) has come.

Jia Zhen disliked his second son intensely, but his mother was getting old and stubborn, and neither his father nor he could persuade her.

They insist on having a child, they insist on having a child, this is not good...

Jia Zhen simply couldn't believe it.

His grandfather and father were both formidable men. From childhood to adulthood, without the protection of his grandmother and mother, he had no idea what he would have become.

Now that his father has become a monk, his life is better, and he can slowly take care of his mother. Who would have thought that this would happen?
“Brother Rui has Manager Chen with him, so he'll be fine. As for Brother Rong, my son just wants to teach him a lesson. Don't worry, it's really just superficial injuries.”

Jia Dairu: "..."

He clenched his fist, hidden in his sleeve, again and again, but finally managed to suppress his surging emotions.

"you shut up."

Shen Ning glanced at Jia Dairu, "Where's the servant who accompanies Rong-ge to school?"

She remembered who Jia Yun was.

He is a rare, sensible person in the Jia family, responsible, and willing to work diligently and practically.

“Why didn’t they try to stop the boy from causing trouble at school? Don’t worry about Yun’er, interrogate them first.”

(End of this chapter)