The Heavens Begin with Dream of the Red Chamber

Chapter 151: Dedication and Matricide

The sun was warm, and its rays of light were scattered throughout the courtyard. Jia She was leaning back and forth in a reclining chair, his body swaying slowly back and forth, humming an unknown tune.

There was a sound of scattered footsteps, and Wang Shanbao walked in from outside. He bowed to Jia She and said softly:

"Master, we have collected three more sums of money, totaling eight hundred and sixty taels."

Jia She opened his eyes, greed flashed in his eyes, and he laughed loudly as he sat up from the rocking chair. He took the banknote from Wang Shanbao, pointed at it briefly, and then put it in his arms, shouting:

"This money comes at the perfect time. I saw a few sets of fans a few days ago and I'm short of money!"

"Master, even if I have to spend silver to knock that stone idiot down this time!"

He stood up and hurried to go out, Wang Shanbao hurriedly reminded him:
"Master, this time they pushed me so hard that I had to resort to some tricks. You'd better bring more people with you when you go out next time, to prevent someone from taking desperate measures. The lesson of Second Madam Lian is a lesson for you, so you have to be on guard!"

After hearing this, Jia She slowed down his pace, frowned and cursed:

"You're useless. You can't even do anything properly!"

"If something like this happens again, we will just cut off the roots and eliminate the trouble forever. Why would they come to us for revenge if all the people are killed?"

"Yes, yes, I know I was wrong." Wang Shanbao nodded and apologized hurriedly, "From now on, I will put them in jail and not let them ruin our family's reputation outside."

"Hmph!" Jia She snorted coldly and went out on his own.

After watching Jia She walk away, Wang Shanbao sighed and went out to do his work.

In fact, he was not very willing to do such a thing as lending money at high interest. He was the one who was in charge of the matter, he was the one who was scolded, and he was the one who was most likely to encounter danger in the future. However, the money he had to get back all belonged to Master She, and he would not be rewarded at all.

Lai Wang is a lesson for us. He is not young anymore, but he still has to face the pain of losing his son. What a pity!
Therefore, Wang Shanbao would rather do this kind of thing himself. If something really happens, he will bear it himself. At his age, he is not afraid of life or death. It is much better than seeing a young person die before an old one.

But he is not stupid. He has the right not to let it expire. If he doesn't take advantage of this opportunity to make a fortune, he will be unworthy of the risks he has taken.

The atmosphere in the mansion is always a little weird now. The old lady is always sick, the first and second wives have completely torn their faces apart, Second Madam Lian divorced and returned home, Third Master Huan passed the imperial examination before Second Master Bao... The mansion has just become a royal family, and such a large garden has just been built, but it always makes people nervous and it doesn't feel as peaceful and stable as in previous years.

However, these are things that the masters need to consider. As a servant, earning more money is the real thing. Even if the Rongguo Mansion collapses, as long as there is enough money in the pocket, there is no need to worry.

Let’s not talk about how Wang Shanbao did things to make money, let’s just talk about Master Zhan. After spreading the money all over the place, he finally got Shi Xiangyun out.

However, she has not been officially taken as a concubine for the time being. After all, the verdict of the trial has not yet been announced by Baoling Hou, and it would not be appropriate to be too hasty. Also, Shi Xiangyun must be allowed to adapt to the mansion first and develop a close romantic relationship with Master Zhan.

Besides, Xiangyun had originally been a lively person, outspoken and quite likable. But after experiencing these hardships, she became very cautious, which was very contrary to her nature, and Master Zhan didn't like her very much.

Let her get along well with the many sisters in the mansion. After they have developed deep feelings for each other and their timidity disappears, she will naturally be able to return to her original appearance. Then it will be the time for Master Zhan to come forward.

Xiu Yan and the others had long been accustomed to the fact that Master Zhan had more people coming into the mansion, and they didn't take it seriously. Anyway, as long as they didn't have to worry about losing food, and having more sisters could help share the Master's firepower, why not do it!

"Hello, Sister Xiangyun, I'm here to show you around the mansion and get you used to life here."

Xiu Yan, who looked the most like a lady, came forward first, took Xiang Yun's hand, and introduced them warmly.

"Come, Xiangyun, let me introduce you to each other."

"These are all your sisters. We will all live in the mansion from now on, so we must get along well with each other."

Xiangyun bowed timidly and greeted everyone carefully.

"Hello, Sister Xiuyan, Hello, Sister Xiangling, Hello, Sister You, Hello, Sister Baoqin..."

Master Zhan never interferes with these things happening in the backyard, as long as the internal situation remains harmonious and does not affect the stability of the family.

He was quite confident in Xiu Yan's ability as a housekeeper, so he left all the tasks to Xiu Yan and took Baoyu to the front yard to drink.

Can't go!
When Baoyu saw his sisters, his eyes lit up and he wanted to get into the crowd!
How is that possible!

In the backyard of Master Zhan's house, all kinds of beautiful girls gather now. Even the ordinary maids are all well-known and famous. After being nurtured by Master Zhan, they reveal more mature charm and look many times more attractive.

Not to mention that Baoyu couldn't resist the temptation, even if another man came, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to bear it. Only a man with such extraordinary talents as Master Zhan could remain as still as a mountain and sit on the Diaoyutai.

Of course, this was during the day. At night, Master Zhan would sleep in the same quilt.

He dragged the reluctant Baoyu to the front, had a banquet set up, and the two began to drink and chat.

Baoyu was still a little absent-minded. Although his body had come over, his soul was probably not yet in his mind. Mr. Zhan asked him directly:
"I heard that the old lady is dying?"

Baoyu was startled and suddenly sobered up a lot. He shook his head hastily and said:
"Where did you hear this, Brother Zhan?"

"The old lady is just heartbroken over the confiscation of the Shi family, so she is not in a good mood. The imperial physician has seen her and she will be fine after a period of rest."

"Oh, that's how it is."

Mr. Zhan had just said something random to call Baoyu back to his senses. Seeing that Baoyu was no longer thinking about his sisters in the backyard, he poured Baoyu a glass of wine and changed the subject:
"You've been coming to me all the time. Are you hiding from your wife?"

"Huan San'er passed the imperial examination, and she must have scolded you a lot, right?"

After hearing this, Baoyu lost all his thoughts and became completely depressed. He gulped down a glass of wine and sighed:
"Hey, Brother Zhan, my wife must have entered the menopause you mentioned!"

"From childhood to adulthood, my wife doted on me the most. No matter how big a mistake I made, as long as I threw myself into her arms and begged her for mercy, she would forgive me."

"But it's no longer possible now. My wife has become extremely irritable. I can clearly feel that the way she looks at me is no longer the way she doted on her son."

"Normally when my master beats me, my wife would help and plead for me, but now my wife is beating me just as hard as my master!"

Mr. Zhan was laughing as he listened to this. If a naughty child like Baoyu was his own son, he would probably beat him even more severely.

Oh, this is not my son, but my precious brother who gave me a daughter. That’s all right.

Not only did Mr. Zhan fail to comfort Baoyu, he also made sarcastic remarks.

"Brother Bao, there is a saying that spanking is love and scolding is care. Look, how many parents don't spank their sons these days?"

"Besides, isn't the purpose of having a son to take out your anger on him and beat him up whenever you want?"

"Otherwise, wouldn't it be better to just give birth to a daughter? She's cute and lovely, and she's also daddy's little cotton-padded jacket. Isn't she much better than a son who's such a fool?"

This kind of words sounded very annoying, but Baoyu just fell for it. After listening to Master Zhan's words, he also nodded repeatedly:

"That's right, Brother Zhan is right. If I want to have a child in the future, I will definitely give birth to a cute little girl, not a stupid thing like me!"

"That's right!" Master Zhan smiled and poured another glass of wine for Baoyu, and continued to pua: "There are no bad parents in this world. Even though your mother beats you hard, she still loves you!"

Baoyu raised the wine glass, pinched his nose and drank it, sighing:
"Of course I know my mother is doing this for my own good, but I'm worried about her!"

"My mother has always been elegant and graceful over the years. Although she is no longer as dazzling as a gem, she does not look hateful to others."

"But now...Alas!"

Baoyu sighed deeply, stammered a few times, and finally told the truth:

"My mother is almost turning into those shriveled dead fish eyes!"

"Just by being around her, I could clearly feel that her heart was filled with anger, resentment, anxiety, frustration, disappointment, disgust... and other emotions. She was twisted into someone else, someone who made me feel disgusted and terrified."

"Hmm..." Master Zhan continued to add wine to Baoyu silently, but he didn't say who caused this situation.

Baoyu was drunk and his mouth was full of sorrow. He talked to Master Zhan for a long time, venting all the depression that had been suppressed in his heart for these days. Finally, under the influence of alcohol, his brain was hot, and he said to Master Zhan:

"Brother Zhan, you are good at nurturing women. Since you can help Sister Wan regain her vitality, why don't you also help my mother and free her from her suffering!"

"Hmm...huh?"

Mr. Zhan looked up in surprise at Baoyu, only to see that his face was flushed and his eyes were a little confused, but they were clear, not the result of drunken nonsense.

"Brother Bao, do you know what you are talking about?"

"Of course I know!" Baoyu nodded heavily and gritted his teeth and said, "I know this kind of thing is very unorthodox, but I am a person who is incompatible with this world. A little more is nothing!"

"I'm not afraid of my mother's punishment, but I'm really worried about her current condition. She's depressed and anxious all day long, just like a flower that's about to wither."

"As a son, I am not able to help my mother solve her problems. This is really unfilial."

"But I don't know exactly what to do. After thinking about it, I can only ask for help from Brother Zhan."

"Brother Zhan, you are not such a vulgar person. You should be able to understand my difficulties."

Good guy!
Brother Bao, you are so filial!
"I understand. I understand very much!" Master Zhan nodded heavily. "There are many kinds of filial piety. It is not necessarily filial piety to obey everything."

"Although this matter is certainly difficult for your mother to accept, you are really doing this for her own good. I think once she gets a taste of the sweetness, she will naturally be moved by your filial piety!"

"For so many years, your father and mother have made all kinds of decisions for your own good. Now that you have grown up, you should also do something for their own good and repay them accordingly!"

"Even I, your foolish brother, feel deeply moved when I hear you say this, brother Bao. I envy your mother for having a filial son like you who is not afraid of death and only cares about the good of mother."

"This is truly... filial piety that moves heaven and earth!"

“It is said that if a tree stands out in the forest, the wind will destroy it; if a pile stands out on the shore, the current will wash it away; if a person stands out from others, the crowd will criticize him.”

"Brother Bao, we must stick to our own path and let others talk!"

After being fooled by Master Zhan, Baoyu's blood boiled. He grabbed Master Zhan's hand and said with emotion:
"The one who understands me best is Brother Zhan!"

"Whether my filial piety can be put into practice depends on you, Brother Zhan!"

Master Zhan sighed and said:

"Brother, I am willing to help you, but the problem is that the Second Wife is a vulgar woman, I am afraid she will not accept your kindness!"

"Besides, the situations of the Second Madam and the Imperial Court Judge are different. Master Zheng is still alive. If I act rashly, I am afraid it will affect the relationship between Master Zheng and the Second Madam!"

"If the Second Madam gets the benefit of the doubt and helps to conceal the news, that's fine. But if she refuses and starts to make a scene, what should we do?"

"This..." Baoyu is the strongest king. If you let him talk, he can naturally say anything, but if you really ask him to do something practical, he will be in trouble.

But he is good at passing the buck. If he can't find a solution, he will just kick the problem away and treat it as if it is not his problem.

"Brother Zhan, I'll have to ask you to find a solution for this matter. If you need my help, I will do my best. But if you ask me to find a solution, I will be powerless."

"Tsk!" Master Zhan smacked his lips, also feeling a little embarrassed.

Actually, although Mrs. Wang has taken good care of herself and still has her charm, she is already over 40 years old. Her beauty and charm are not outstanding. Moreover, she is not one of the Twelve Beauties of Jinling. She has no benefits for Master Zhan to exploit. In fact, there is really no need to keep her.

It’s just… Brother Bao finally opened his mouth, and Mr. Zhan is such a kind gentleman, it’s really hard to refuse!
Of course, her sisterly relationship with Aunt Xue does add some value to the relationship.

Well... my relationship with Yuanchun does count for something, right?

Never mind, never mind. It’s just a matter of distributing more essence to others. What’s the big deal?
With Mr. Zhan's abilities as "Pan Lu Deng Xiaoxian", is he still afraid that he won't be able to get a woman?
Immediately, Master Zhan patted his chest and assured Baoyu:

"Don't worry, brother Bao. I'll leave this matter to you. Although it may take a little longer, sooner or later I will definitely give you a loving mother who is reborn!"

Baoyu immediately thanked him profusely and toasted Mr. Zhan one glass after another.

Back at Rongguo Mansion, after resting for a period of time, Grandmother Jia finally recovered.

The verdict from the historian had also come down, and the entire family was sent into exile, but no one was beheaded.

"Oh, never mind, this is fate!"

Grandmother Jia's face was filled with sorrow. After she sighed, she did not say anything about seeking justice for the Shi family. She only asked Lai Dafeng to give some silver to the Shi family to prevent them from having a hard time on the journey.

These days, Madam Wang has been serving at Grandmother Jia's bedside, serving her soup and medicine, which has made Grandmother Jia like her more and more. Now that she is feeling better, she patted Madam Wang's hand and said with a gentle smile:

"Thank you for your hard work these days. I am now well and you don't have to wait on me all the time."

"You should also go back and have a good rest. Don't exhaust yourself." "You still have to take care of the affairs of this mansion!"

Seeing that Lady Jia was in a good mood, Mrs. Wang took the opportunity to apply eye drops and said:

"Now that the Grand View Garden has been built, everything in the mansion is back on track. There is nothing for me to worry about, except... um..."

Grandmother Jia was a power-hungry person and was most concerned about the people in the mansion. Seeing her grumbling, she asked, "Except what?"

Mrs. Wang smiled bitterly and said:
"Except Master Xie!"

"I heard that Master She has taken over the loan sharking business again these days. I don't know how many people have been forced to death by him recently."

"I just pointed out a few words to him, and he started shouting that he was the master of the Rongguo Mansion and a genuine first-class general. It was not my turn to interfere in what he wanted to do."

After hearing this, Grandmother Jia snorted heavily and her face darkened.

Of course she knew Mrs. Wang's intentions, but she didn't care too much. Who doesn't have selfish motives these days?

She was so angry that her eldest son was so stupid that he didn't even know how to stay out of the spotlight.

The matter of usury has been a hot topic for a long time because of the previous kidnapping case. It is now at the height of the storm. Even if we cannot hide from it, at least we cannot commit crimes against the storm!
Even if he really wanted to do it, couldn't he even find a white glove? Instead, he sent his own steward to do it. He has no skills at all and has lived in vain.

"Call that beast over here!" Grandmother Jia ordered, hitting him with her cane.

Yuanyang responded and went out to find Jia She.

Not long after, Jia She came in lazily. After entering the room, he bowed to Jia's mother and greeted her. The old lady had a gloomy face and ignored him. She scolded him:

"Evil creature, are you lending money again?"

Jia She was not afraid either. He just stood up, glanced at Mrs. Wang beside him, and said with a smile:
"The second wife is nagging the old lady again, isn't she?"

"What's the big deal?"

"Since ancient times, it is natural to repay debts. I didn't force them to borrow. Who made them unable to control their hands?"

"Besides, I didn't lend it out. I lent it out when Feng Yatou was here."

"Now that we have lent out all this money, we can't just let it go to waste. We have to take it back. We can't let those poor people get away with it, right?"

Seeing his attitude, Jia's mother said angrily:

"If you just want to get the money back, why don't you just waive the interest? You can also gain some good reputation for the Duke's Mansion. Why do you have to haggle over every penny? I heard that you even forced someone to death?"

Jia She then made a fuss and said:
"That's all because of that old guy Wang Shanbao's incompetence. I'll punish him later!"

"If the old lady is only looking for me for this matter, then there is no need. The Duke's Mansion can still handle this matter."

"you……"

Seeing Jia She's disapproving look, Jia's mother became even angrier. She immediately slammed her cane on the ground and shouted:
"What a shameless thing!"

"You are now a first-class general, the face of the Duke's Mansion. How can you lend money at high interest?"

"Are you that short of money?"

"How can such a big Duke's Mansion still lack your food and clothing?"

Jia She was already so old, but he was scolded by his own mother. He felt embarrassed and rolled his eyes, saying sarcastically:

"I have enough food and clothing, but when you are well fed and warm you will think about sex. My son, I am planning to take in another beautiful concubine, but it will be difficult to get enough money."

"Well, since the old lady doesn't like her son lending money at high interest, then her son won't do it."

"But as for the matter of taking a concubine, you will have to take more care of it, old lady."

"I think Yuanyang, the maidservant beside the old lady, is pretty good, so why not just give her to me as a reward!"

"What?" When Grandmother Jia heard that Jia She dared to think about the maid next to her, she was immediately furious and raised her cane to hit him, "I will beat you to death, you disobedient and unfilial beast, why don't you just die?"

Seeing that the old lady was angry, Jia She ran away without saying a word. Jia Mu chased him for two steps, but suddenly she felt dizzy and fell backwards.

"Old lady, old lady, what's wrong with you..."

A group of people rushed forward, supported the old lady, carried her to the couch, pinched her Ren Zhong and patted her back, took out the life-saving ginseng pill, and fed her to drink with warm water.

After a long while, Grandmother Jia finally heaved a sigh of relief, opened her eyes, and after regaining some clarity, she burst into tears and cried out in sorrow:

"A crime!"

"How could I have given birth to such a beast!"

"If the Rongguo Mansion falls into his hands, it will be doomed!"

Everyone rushed forward to comfort her, but Mrs. Wang was the only one who was so overjoyed when she heard what Lady Jia said that her eyes were almost shining.

A group of people were busy and invited the imperial physician over.

The imperial physician was already used to coming here. After examining the old lady, he said some indifferent words, prescribed some prescriptions for soothing the qi and maintaining health, and then left.

After Mrs. Wang sent the imperial physician away, she began to think about how to continue to gain some favor with Lady Jia so that when her family started to seize the title in the future, the old lady would stand on her side.

After pondering for a long time, she suddenly remembered the treasure mirror she had obtained from her sister.

The front of the treasure mirror was covered, so she could only see the back. She had tried it several times, and each time she looked at it, she would indeed feel refreshed and energized.

But every time I took a photo, I would be frightened by the skeleton inside, and often I would be sweating all over, which was quite indecent. In addition, after taking the photo, I felt that everything in the world was illusory, and I didn’t want to work for a long time, which was very time-consuming.

So after she took a few photos, she threw the mirror aside and ignored it.

But now, if you want to curry favor with the old lady, this thing seems to be a good choice.

The old lady doesn't need to do anything, so isn't it just right for her to use this thing to maintain her body?

After thinking about this, Mrs. Wang returned to her own courtyard, took out the treasure mirror, and went to the old lady's courtyard with it in her sleeve.

When they arrived at Rongqing Hall, unfortunately, they found that the old lady was tired and had fallen asleep. They had no choice but to turn back.

The next day, Mrs. Wang estimated the time and thought that the old lady had already woken up, so she came again with the treasure mirror.

From afar, I heard the sound of laughter. When I entered the room, I saw that it was Aunt Xue. She was chatting with the old lady, making her smile happily. She didn't look sickly at all like she did last night.

Seeing Mrs. Wang come in, Grandmother Jia smiled and waved her hand, calling her over.

"You came at the right time. I was just talking about you!"

"Your sister said that you have been controlling Baoyu too much lately, beating and scolding him at every turn, and Baoyu has started to complain."

"This is not good. Baoyu is still young. As a mother, you need to be more patient. How can you always beat your child?"

When she heard about Baoyu, Mrs. Wang's sorrow overflowed, and she forgot about the treasure mirror and complained with the old lady:

"Alas, old lady, Baoyu is the flesh and blood that fell out of my belly. Shouldn't I feel sorry for him?"

"But look at what he did?"

She opened her mouth, but in the end she still had some reason left and did not tell anyone about the ambiguous affairs between Baoyu and his eldest and second sisters-in-law. Instead, she turned around and used Huan Saner as a target.

"Now even Lian Huan San Er has passed the imperial examination, but he refuses to even take the next imperial examination!"

"If he doesn't have the talent, that's fine. I won't force him to do it. But he's obviously very smart and knows everything, but he just refuses to take the exam!"

"Tell me, old lady, if you had a son like this, what would you do?"

"If outsiders were not allowed into the examination room, I would have dragged him into the examination room by the ears and stood beside his desk to watch him answer the questions!"

Seeing Mrs. Wang, who always looked so graceful, so full of resentment, everyone in the room laughed so hard that they bent over. Grandmother Jia was also very happy. After laughing for a long time, she patted Mrs. Wang's hand and comforted her:
"You also said that Baoyu is very smart and knows everything. It's not worthwhile for him to take exams for a few years. Just let him stay with me, an old woman, for a few more years."

"There is no need for him to compare himself with Huan San'er. After all, there is a difference between legitimate and illegitimate children. Even if Baoyu doesn't take the imperial examination, he will never have to worry about food and clothing for the rest of his life."

Hearing this, Mrs. Wang said:

"Madam, that's not the case. After all, the title in this mansion belongs to Master She, and it has nothing to do with our Baoyu."

"If we fail to pass the imperial examination, and we leave in the future, I'm afraid Baoyu won't even have food to eat."

When Jia's mother heard this, her smile disappeared immediately and she snorted coldly:

"If that beast dares to starve Baoyu, I will never forgive him even if I become a ghost!"

Seeing that Lady Jia was angry, Mrs. Wang smiled secretly in her heart, took out the treasure mirror from her sleeve, and said to Lady Jia with a smile:

"Don't be angry, old lady. Look what good things I brought you."

The old lady looked down at the treasure mirror, but didn't recognize it. When she was about to ask, she suddenly heard Aunt Xue beside her exclaim.

"Ah, sister, why did you bring this thing here?"

She turned her head and saw Aunt Xue with a red face and an embarrassed look, staring at the treasure mirror, so she smiled and asked:
"What is this thing used for?"

"Uh..." Aunt Xue was speechless and didn't know how to answer for a moment.

Mrs. Wang did not know the other use of the treasure mirror, so when Lady Jia asked about it, she smiled and said,
"Do you still remember the story of Jia Rui, the grandson of Mr. Dai Ru in our clan, who came back to life after his death? "

"Ah..." After she reminded her, Jia's mother immediately understood and pointed at the treasure mirror and said, "Could this be the treasure that can cure diseases?"

"That's exactly it." Mrs. Wang smiled and said, "You can't take a picture of this thing from the front, so it's covered."

"Taking a photo of your back is very good for your health. It can make you feel refreshed and invigorated."

"This precious mirror was taken away by Master Zhan that day and given to Baochai. Later, I asked my sister for it. I tried it several times and it worked very well."

"The only problem is that if I take photos too often, I will have the thought of becoming a monk, so I don't take photos too often on weekdays."

"I remembered that the old lady has been in a bad mood recently, so I thought of giving this treasure to her and letting her try it. If she feels better, then it will be worth my filial piety."

After hearing this, Jia's mother laughed and said:

"This is good stuff!"

"I'm already so old, no one would want me to become a monk, so the worst that can happen is that I can just stay in the mansion and eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures."

"Come on, bring that thing here so I can see if it's as effective as you said."

Mrs. Wang also reminded:
"Behind this treasure mirror, there is a skeleton. It will scare people. Old lady, you should be more careful."

"Also, after looking in the mirror, I often break out in a cold sweat, which is a bit inappropriate."

Grandmother Jia didn't care at all. She pointed at the people in the room and said with a smile:

"In this room, Yuanyang is my maidservant, Hongye is your sister's maidservant, and you are also my family. Who would laugh at me?"

After hearing this, Mrs. Wang took the precious mirror in her hand and pointed the back of it at Lady Jia.

When Grandmother Jia looked carefully, she was still frightened even though she was prepared.

She was already old and frail, with heart disease, and had recently been ill for another time. Now, after being frightened like this, her old heart suddenly beat violently and then went on strike.

(End of this chapter)