The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 71 Production (Part Two)

At Huichun Hall, Jia Zhen felt pain all over his body.

But he dared not linger here too long; his mother would surely be uneasy if she waited for him indefinitely.

"Go home, go home!"

With his father away, he was the pillar of the family. Jia Zhen grabbed Manager Chen, who was still treating his wounds, and said, "Let's go home and get it done."

Even if he had to treat his wounds in his mother's yard, he still wanted to go home.

"Even if you have to go home to do it, you need to stop the bleeding first."

Manager Chen continued working, "Otherwise, you'll bleed to death without even returning home. Then, you'll be the truly unfilial one."

He definitely needs to go to Madam Shen's place.

He was the one who checked her pulse during this period, and he was very familiar with her physical condition.

Manager Chen just wanted it to be faster and faster.

Although he had great confidence in Madam Shen's health, he still needed to go and check on her in person to put his mind at ease, in case anything went wrong.

“My mother is waiting for me; I can feel her waiting for me.”

Jia Zhen dared not look at his wounds. "Hurry up."

He was getting weaker and weaker.

However, Jia Zhen dared not let himself sleep, fearing that if he did, these people would no longer listen to him, or that he might not wake up even if he returned to the mansion.

His mother needs to hear his voice to be satisfied.

"medicine!"

Manager Chen gestured to the young waiter.

The waiter quickly brought over the bowl containing the Rejuvenation Pill and gave it to Jia Zhen to drink.

Jia Zhen drank every last drop of the bittersweet, salty water in the bowl.

"Bring a few more with you, my mother might need them."

These pills are very expensive.

Several rare medicinal herbs are extremely difficult to find, and Huichuntang can only produce a few a year.

But ever since his mother trusted Manager Chen, Jia Zhen had helped him find many things, so he had every right to ask for them.

"understood."

It was rare for Manager Chen to speak so kindly to someone who needed his medicine.

The other party gave too much.

"Take two pills with you when you go back."

If you can't dissolve the food in water, even swallowing it dry is better than not eating at all.

"Thank you!"

When Jia Zhen saw him take out the silver needles, she couldn't help but close her eyes and say, "Be gentle."

Shopkeeper Chen ignored him and quickly started the acupuncture.

Before long, Jia Zhen fell asleep, and even his breathing was much slower than normal.

Prefect Dong of Shuntian Prefecture arrived almost simultaneously with his officials and Jia Rong, only to find Jia Zhen pale-faced, covered in wounds, and riddled with needles.

"Father!"

Jia Rong's eyes reddened.

He was still young, and tears welled up in his eyes again, streaming down his face in front of everyone. "Father, Grandmother is waiting for us to come home."

"……Mother!"

Jia Zhen seemed to hear his son's voice. He tried hard to open his eyes, but failed. He could only murmur the name of the son he missed the most.

"..."

Lord Dong felt extremely uncomfortable. "Doctor Chen, Lord Jia..."

"The situation is not good."

Manager Chen said, "With so many wounds, it's very easy for a high fever to develop. I'm not very confident."

As a doctor, you can't speak definitively.

Jia Zhen brought the medicine in time, and the largest bleeding point was pressed down by the guards. He also administered the medicine promptly, so the patient should be fine after tonight.

"We can ask Dr. He, the head of the Imperial Medical Academy, for his expertise in treating external injuries."

Manager Chen wanted to follow along and observe more.

"I'll go and invite you!"

The head of the academy is not someone that just anyone can persuade.

Jia Rong was terrified that something was wrong with his father, so he didn't dare to delay for a moment. "Please, Manager Chen, take my father home. My grandmother... my grandmother is also waiting for you to save her life."

what?
Lord Dong frowned, about to ask Madam Shen what was wrong, when he suddenly remembered something, "Is your grandmother about to give birth?"

"Yes!" Jia Rong cried, "My grandmother has already started the process, which is why my father rushed over to invite Manager Chen."

"...Then you should go quickly!"

Dong Chuan waved his hand, "Chen Feng, take a few brothers and escort him to the Imperial Hospital."

The Ningguo family already had few male heirs.

We can't afford any more accidents.

"The rest of you... accompany the Five Cities Garrison Command and investigate each and every one of them."

The dwarf Xie Zhenghu's physical characteristics were obvious; once he guarded the city gate, he could forget about leaving the capital safely.

Lord Dong also became ruthless.

The Jia Zhen incident had a huge impact.

Especially after the Jia family was targeted by salt merchants from Jiangnan.

Whether it's the retired emperor or the emperor, they will all inquire about it.

"Jia Rong thanks Lord Dong!"

Jia Rong bowed deeply, gave Ambassador Jiao a wink, and then led a few people toward the palace.

At this time, Emperor Xiaomu was unaware of what was happening here; he was listening to the message from the head of the secret guards, which was being relayed by the Fifth Secret Guard.

Oh my, he's going to make a fortune again.

The Li family, one of the top ten salt merchants in Jiangnan!

If he takes over the Li family, he won't have to worry about money for the next three to five years.

The Jia family indeed brought him good fortune.

Emperor Xiaomu was pleased. While copying the imperial edict from the Li family, he also forced the head of the secret guards to repeat how they discovered Li Haizhong.

Everyone knows that Jiangnan is wealthy, but the people he sent there have suffered repeated defeats; they have either died or been bribed by the other side.

Leaving aside the dead, he harbors deep resentment towards those who lost their integrity due to the silver note scheme. So far, it is Lin Ruhai, whom the Emperor sent to Yangzhou, who has maintained the bottom line and, thanks to the influence of the Dukes Ning and Rong, has also saved his own life, contributing the same amount of salt tax to the national treasury every year as in previous years.

This is quite remarkable. The number of taxes and fees in Dazhao has increased by seven compared to when the country was founded, but the overall tax revenue is nearly 10% less than when the country was at its peak.

The rise and fall of dynasties generally begin with a situation where there are many taxes but little revenue.

It has been nearly a century since the founding of the Great Zhao Kingdom, and now should be a time of prosperity. However, Emperor Xiaomu sees natural disasters constantly occurring in various places every day.

He could scrape together funds from all sides to provide some relief during natural disasters, but man-made disasters... in the eyes of the current emperor, were far more serious than natural disasters.

Because the silver, grain, and cloth he scraped together did not reach the people who truly needed them; instead, they were exploited at every level.

Emperor Xiaomu only regretted that he couldn't do anything to those people.

Now that he has the rare opportunity to turn the tide with the help of the Jia family, he naturally wants to listen to more of their advice.

The head of the secret guards, who had been squatting on the roof beam every day, was about to repeat what An Wu had boasted to them when Eunuch Liu rushed in. "Your Majesty," he said, his face serious, "something terrible has happened. Jia Rong from the Ningguo Duke's Mansion is crying and begging Director He at the Imperial Hospital because his father, Jia Zhen, has been attacked and is now on the verge of death."

what?
Emperor Xiaomu was stunned, then flew into a rage, "Who did this? Where is the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture? Where are the Five City Garrison Commanders? Are they all just sitting around doing nothing?"

"Lord Dong and the Five Cities Garrison are investigating. The one who made the move is Xie Zhenghu, the dwarf assassin who committed several crimes in Ping'an Prefecture. He..."

"Quickly, let Chief Physician He go over there."

Although the Emperor was eager to hear what had happened, he suddenly remembered that Jia Zhen's life was more important at the moment. "Give him plenty of good medicine and make sure to save Jia Zhen."

Was it done by the Li family?
Do they have that much guts?
Or is someone still playing the game of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind?
Emperor Xiaomu turned around twice and said to the head of the secret guards, who was also frowning, "Go and investigate immediately to find out what's going on."

Jia Zhen cannot die.

Emperor Mu still wanted to use him.

"Yes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared.

Emperor Xiaomu stood there, his expression shifting between anger and uncertainty. His joy for the day had been completely overshadowed by the attack on Jia Zhen.

The Jia family was very prosperous for him, but the Jia family... is already showing signs of decline.

First, someone set their sights on Madam Shen's midwife, then Chen Chong, a minor official in the Ministry of Works, colluded with salt merchants from Jiangnan for money and to take revenge on the Jia family, and now Jia Zhen has been attacked...

Just how many people are targeting the Jia family?
Or are those who suffered at the hands of the two generations of Duke Ningguo, and those who suffered at the hands of Jia Jing, secretly plotting to kick him while he's down?

Call ~
Emperor Xiaomu let out a long breath.

He quickly went to find a document that had been approved before.

This is a memorial of thanks submitted by the Prefect of Kaifeng.

Madam Shen's donations were all used for seeds in Kaifeng Prefecture. The officials who went to provide disaster relief did not publicize her contributions, but they did not hide them either.

only……

He looked at the document again and again, but ultimately couldn't make up his mind immediately.

……

In Ningguo Mansion, Shen Ning's labor pains were getting worse with each wave.

While she tried her best to remain silent, she also tried hard to hear news from the outside world.

If Jiao Da has already taken action, what is Jia Zhen doing now?

Jiao Da, who could carry the old man back from a pile of corpses, was certainly not a weakling.

He said that day that he wouldn't let his own people do it, because the chances of being found out were extremely high.

But outsiders...

Shen Ning clutched her chest, panting heavily. "Where's Zhen'er? Tell him to come see me."

The only outsiders that Jiao Da could choose were those who had a grudge against the Ningguo Mansion.

"The old man went to invite Manager Chen, he'll be back soon."

Madam You was standing by the window when she heard this and quickly replied.

But at that moment, she had no idea what to expect.

It was getting dark, and according to the time, Grandpa should have returned by now. But not only did Grandpa not return, but Rong-ge, who usually came over as soon as school was over, was also nowhere to be seen.

They sent someone to the outer courtyard to inquire, but the maid said that the people outside said that people in the inner courtyard were only allowed to enter, not leave.

Something must have happened.

"Where is Jiao Da?"

He went along too.

"..."

Shen Ning felt even more depressed.

She regretted it; she shouldn't have let Jia Zhen get into trouble at this time.

She was thinking about Jia Zhen.

"Ah~"

Shen Ning let out a low groan, revealing the pain within.

The midwives, Zhong and Liu, who were accompanying them, both looked extremely unwell.

With your wife in this condition, it will be very difficult for you to give birth!

It's only just begun, and it's already so unbearable; what will it be like later...?

"Report back immediately when Zhen'er returns."

Shen Ning endured the pain again and said to the old woman beside her, "Don't delay."

"Yes! Don't worry, Madam."

The old man isn't coming back, and the wife is like this; they're scared too.

“Madam, the First Madam and the Second Madam of the West Mansion have arrived.”

When the maidservant announced her arrival, Madam Xing and Madam Wang had already entered the courtyard together.

Xing held Wang tightly, afraid that she might say something inappropriate at such a time.

However, everyone in the West Mansion knew that Jia Zhen had been attacked and his fate was unknown, so it probably couldn't be kept secret for long.

She had come with Jia She to deliver the good news, but before she could even pass through the side gate of Huifang Garden, she heard that Jia Zhen had been attacked.

The master immediately took Lin Zhixiao there. She hesitated for a moment, but was intercepted by the maid sent by Madam Wang.

Helpless, Xing could only wait for Wang to join her.

But throughout the journey, she always felt that her kind second sister-in-law had a smile on her lips and a light in her eyes.

It was as if the news of Jia Zhen's accident was good news for her.

"What brings you here, ladies? Please have a seat."

Madam You gave a wink to her maid, and soon someone brought over a stool. "Mother, it's probably still early here, you..."

"It's alright, we're here, so you can rest assured, sister-in-law."

Wang's voice came from outside the window, "The old lady originally wanted to come too, but she's too old. We had to persuade her with all our might to stay, but about Zhen'er..."

"cough~"

Xing coughed violently. "The old lady said she's waiting for good news from her sister-in-law at the other mansion."

"……must!"

Madam You is not stupid. She is trapped here and unaware of the situation outside, but the Western Mansion probably knows everything.

She desperately wanted to ask Jia Zhen what was wrong.

But he held back the words that were on the tip of his tongue.

Even Aunt Xing, who is usually muddle-headed, knows that at this time, she cannot let her mother be distracted, so how could she?
Madam You could only say, "After Mother gives birth, I will personally go to inform the old lady of the good news."

"The old lady also said that after my sister-in-law gives birth, we'll bring the baby over to her so she can see it."

Wang was displeased that her words had been cut off. After glancing at Xing, she said, "She is very fortunate. Perhaps she can help ward off the bad luck of the child."

What bad things could a newborn baby possibly have?
Hearing the conversation outside, Shen Ning felt annoyed. "No hugging!" she replied breathlessly from inside. "No one is allowed to hug me."

"Don't worry, Mother, I'm here. I won't let anyone else hold me."

Madam You hurriedly replied, "I will look after the little sister." Then, she turned to Madam Wang and Madam Xing, "Aunties, please go back. With you here, Mother can't give birth in peace."

She was speaking to two people, but she was looking at Wang Shi.

"Please apologize to the old lady on our behalf. I will apologize again after my mother has given birth safely."

"Mrs. You, are you talking to me like that?"

Wang's face also fell immediately. "Zhen'er isn't here, and my sister-in-law is like this, you..."

"Madam, Grandma, Master is back."

The joyful shouts of the maids outside startled Wang Shi, preventing her from finishing her sentence.

Madam You didn't have time to argue with her and hurriedly went to the door to greet her.

Then several rough-looking old women came carrying something over.

Jiao Da and Manager Chen were also with him.

Madam You's legs went weak, but she still ran over desperately, calling out, "Grandpa~"

"I'm fine, how is Mother?"

Jia Zhen was awake for a moment, but his lips were pale, and it was obvious that he had lost too much blood.

"Mother is fine. She was just thinking about you."

"Quick, carry her over there, I need to say something to my mother."

Lady You was unaware that Jia Zhen's ability to speak at this moment was due to the effects of Manager Chen's acupuncture.

Jia Zhen is currently unable to exert himself.

After taking the Rejuvenating Pill dissolved in water, he should sleep soundly until the next day.

This can greatly reduce the likelihood of developing a fever.

But now that Madam Shen is like this, he has no choice but to wake her up again.

"Mother, your son is here."

Jia Zhen tried to make his voice strong, "Son, we'll wait until you give birth to your sister, Manager Chen..."

"I'm here!"

Manager Chen quickly replied, "Madam Shen, you have a good constitution. Judging from your pulse, you will definitely have a safe delivery."