The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 131 How similar
Jia Rong returned home and had dinner with his family.

After dinner, Jia Rong and others changed their place, from the dining room to the large living room for rest, to sit and chat.

It was already late at night and the temperature had dropped significantly, which was a good time to cool down.

The maids and old women took the children back to their rooms to sleep.

Jia Yuanchun took the initiative to say, "Master, I have been living in my mother's house for a month and a half. Mid-Autumn Festival is coming in a few days, and I want to invite my wife to come over to have some fun."

Jia Rong asked curiously, "You haven't been back for a month and a half?"

Jia Yuanchun said honestly: "I came back to get some things, and I stayed with my mother most of the time."

Jia Rong said with concern: "You have been away for so long, it is time for you to come back. Stay here today and let the others come back tomorrow."

Jia Tanchun quickly pinched Jia Xichun's waist, and Jia Xichun hurriedly said, "Duke, I miss Sister Tanchun. Can you let her come back and sleep with me?"

"Okay." Jia Rong agreed naturally and looked around. "Why didn't Baoqin come back?"

Xue Baochai replied, "Sister Baoqin's mother died last month. The funeral arrangements have been completed and she will be back in a few days."

Xue Baoqin's mother has been ill for many years and her disease is incurable. This time Xue Baoqin went back to visit her sick mother.

Jia Rong nodded, "Have you sent someone to help?"

Wang Xifeng said quickly, "We arranged for the Jinling Jia family to help, and gave them two hundred taels of silver for the funeral, so that it could be done in a grand manner. It's a pity that Xue Ke doesn't have an official rank, otherwise it would have been done in a grand manner."

If there is an official in the family, the funeral can be held in a more grand manner.

Jia Rong asked, "Hasn't there been any message from Zijuan?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Some time ago, someone sent a letter to ask when you would be back. The letter said that you wanted to come back quickly, and it seemed that life was hard."

Jia Rong looked at Lin Daiyu and said, "It should be that the person I sent was delayed on the way. We just need to wait for the person I sent to pick him up. It will only take half a month."

Lin Daiyu stood up and said, "Sorry to bother Brother Rong."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "You're welcome."

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "There is one more thing. There are more than a hundred beautiful girls in this family. We can accommodate them, but we can't keep them crowded together. Besides, some of them used to be ladies who enjoyed a good life. How can they serve others? There are also some pregnant ladies with children. They are said to be the second wives of the housekeeper of the Zhen family."

Yu Shi smiled and said, "Isn't that the same as you?"

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "That's right! You said the master would give me problems. He brought these Zhen family ladies and ladies with him, and I don't know how to deal with them."

Jia Yuanchun asked curiously, "What wives, grandmothers, and young ladies are there?"

Wang Xifeng saw that Jia Yuanchun was curious, and the other girls were also curious, so she stood in the hall with a handkerchief in one hand and explained with a smile.

"There is a thirty-year-old widowed grandmother with a son. She is beautiful and has a good figure. You can tell at first glance that she is from a family of scholars!"

Qingwen quickly asked, "How old is our Grandmother Zhu?"

The mandarin duck replied: "Also thirty!"

Wang Xifeng added, "There is a 25-year-old second wife who is the housekeeper of the Zhen family. She is very efficient and decisive in her work. She is beautiful and coquettish! She also has a daughter!"

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "That's you!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Wang Xifeng rolled her eyes at her and said, shaking her handkerchief, "I have a son! But she only has a daughter, and I heard she had several miscarriages! Her husband is going to divorce her!"

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "They look even more alike, except for the fact that they have a son!"

"Nonsense, not at all!" Wang Xifeng laughed and retorted, and continued: "There are also four girls in their family. The eldest and the second are married, and the third is a concubine's daughter. She has an oval face, a tall figure, handsome eyes and eyebrows, and is smart and capable, and good at calligraphy."

Xichun laughed so hard that her stomach hurt. She quickly grabbed Tanchun's hand and rubbed it on her stomach, "Hahahaha! Haha! It's Tanchun!"

Tanchun said angrily: "There are many people who are good at calligraphy, and there are many illegitimate girls, why are you talking about me?"

Shi Xiangyun smiled and said, "Ignore her! Keep talking! Is there anything like mine?"

Wang Xifeng frowned and thought for a while, "That's really not the case."

Tanchun said, "That's right. How can they be exactly the same? Otherwise I would be scared if I heard them."

Lin Daiyu suddenly said, "Yes, there is. We met a marquis's daughter on the road who was sold to a brothel."

Shi Xiangyun hurriedly grabbed Lin Daiyu's arm and said, "Don't scare me! You are not allowed to say that!"

"Okay, I won't say it." Lin Daiyu didn't want to say it anymore.

Jia Rong smiled and said, "There is another Zhen Baoyu in the Zhen family. He has the same temper as our Baoyu. However, except for the eldest master who died early, the rest were beheaded along with the corrupt eldest master, the upright second master, and the lecherous second master."

Shi Xiangyun shrank her neck and said, "Stop talking, stop talking, I'm scared."

Wang Xifeng said hurriedly, "Don't be afraid, young lady. There are only a few people who look alike. There's no way there are so many similarities."

Jia Rong consoled him by saying, "There are many kinds of poverty, and there are many kinds of wealth, just like every family has a few unfilial descendants, and every rich family has a few lazy ones, officials, early dead ones, corrupt ones, and troublemakers."

"Women from wealthy families are mostly scholars, so it's normal for them to be good at playing the piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Rich people also like to compare with each other, so it's normal for them to be similar to each other."

"But there is no man as promising as me in their family. If there was, it would never have come to this."

Jia Yuanchun was also a little scared. She felt like she was listening to a ghost story late at night. "Master, you are right. It's just a little bit like that. There's no need to make a fuss."

Jia Rong said, "Go and call the first and second mistresses, the third young lady, and all the maids and young ladies over here. I have seen them all. They are all pretty girls, but not like you."

Wang Xifeng's maid quickly went to call for help.

Lin Daiyu said to Tanchun: "Brother Rong is right. Every family has a first lady, a second lady, and a third lady. The pretty ones all use similar rhetoric. There is no need to be afraid."

Wang Xifeng waved her handkerchief and said, "I shouldn't have said that. I frightened Miss San and Sister Yun!"

Shi Xiangyun hurriedly said: "No, I'm not afraid."

Tanchun also said: "I am not afraid, and my house has been searched before."

"Ah!" Xichun lowered her head and hid behind Tanchun, "I'm scared!"

Jia Rong saw this and said with a smile, "Go and call Master Miaoyu to come and recite some sutras. You can stay upstairs later so that you won't have a good sleep at night."

Xichun said quickly: "Okay!"

Soon the maids came with more than 120 people, all of whom were women transferred from the Zhen family openly or secretly.

"My lord!"

A group of women greeted Jia Rong in a chaotic voice, and then knelt down under the leadership of Second Madam Zhen and Third Miss Zhen.

Jia Rong said, "Look up and let us see who is the eldest grandmother."

Soon, a woman in plain clothes raised her head and said to Jia Rong, "I greet the Duke and pay my respects to the Duke and the ladies."

Jia Rong said, "Get up and turn around so that everyone can see."

Grandma Zhen quickly and quietly stood up, turned around obediently, and allowed herself to be watched by the group of noble ladies and ladies here like a commodity.

Jia Rong said, "You will serve in my room from now on, starting as a low-ranking maid. I will arrange for your son to study in the clan's private school. He will be given two taels of silver per month as tuition, and his food, drink and accommodation will be the same as those of the clan's children."

Grandma Zhen quickly knelt down, kowtowed and cried in gratitude: "Thank you, Duke! Thank you, Duke!"

Jia Rong casually said, "Stand aside, who is the Second Madam? Turn around."

Soon, a pale woman who looked like she had been seriously ill stood up, turned around and knelt down in front of Jia Rong. "Duke! Please save my daughter! I will do anything! Please, Duke!"

Jia Rong stood up and held out his hand to help her up. "Don't worry. I have helped you a lot with the Zhen family. It won't hurt to help you again. But there are too many people here, and I don't lack wives and grandmothers. So some things must be said earlier, so that you won't say I owe you."

Second Madam Zhen cried and said, "I dare not! The old lady has long told us about the great kindness of the Duke. If it weren't for the Duke's help, all of us would have lived a life worse than death and been sold to a dirty place at a low price."

Jia Rong helped her sit down to the side, which happened to be Wang Xifeng's seat.

Wang Xifeng felt sorry for her and said, "Why don't you go to my room? I think she needs to be taken care of. Where's her daughter?"

"Here!" A maid took the initiative to push out a little girl of seven or eight years old.

Jia Rong looked at the little girl and the maid, "Who did you serve before?"

The maid said, "My Lord, I used to serve the Second Madam."

Ping'er said quickly, "Is your name Ping'er?"

The others laughed.

The maid looked at the woman in beautiful clothes and said, "To answer this lady, my name is Xiaolu. I used to serve our young master Baoyu. Later, I was appreciated by the second lady and followed her."

Wang Xifeng said, "This girl is good. She speaks clearly and is not as hesitant as other girls. She will follow me. Are you willing?"

Xiaolu lowered her head and said embarrassedly: "This lady is kind-hearted and willing to take me and the Second Lady in. I feel that I should repay the kindness and appreciation of others, and I also want to repay the Second Lady and this lady."

Ping Er smiled and said, "Then you have followed the right person. This is our mistress..."

Ping'er suddenly got stuck, then broke out in a sweat and couldn't laugh anymore.

The air suddenly turned cold.

Both Jia Yuanchun and the others looked at Ping'er with resentment, blaming her for getting stuck.

Wang Xifeng was also very embarrassed.

She is the second grandma, but she is not the second grandma.

Lin Daiyu and Shi Xiangyun both sensed the awkwardness in the air.

At the critical moment, Jia Rong smiled and said, "This is our Ningguo Mansion's second wife, Wang Xifeng, and this is the first wife, Jia Yuanchun. You will get to know the others later."

Xiaolu hurriedly said, "Yes! Duke!"

Ping'er and others also breathed a sigh of relief. Ping'er looked at Wang Xifeng and gave an apologetic expression.

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "Master, if you like, this maid and her second wife can serve you in your room."

Jia Rong said, "Let's all go to your place. If you need medicine, take it from me. I'll help this Second Madam with her illness, and Qiao'er and her daughter can take care of her together. They'll have each other to keep each other company."

Wang Xifeng reached out and grasped the hand of Zhen Ernai, "Don't worry, sister. I also have a daughter of the same age. Your daughter can play with my daughter. I won't treat you badly."

Grandma Zhen's pale face showed joy, "Thank you, grandma!"

Jia Rong continued, "Miss Zhen San, please stand up. You will serve in my room from now on."

Miss Zhen San nodded and said, "Thank you very much for saving my life and taking me in! I am willing to be your slave and serve you, Lord!"

Jia Rong accepted these young ladies and wives from the Zhen family openly and without any ambiguity.

If she was accepted, she was accepted, but she was either accepted as a grandmother or a maid.

Xichun looked at Miss Zhen San and said with a smile, "She doesn't look like our Third Miss at all!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Tanchun covered Xichun's mouth.

Xue Baochai asked, "Where are the eldest and second daughters of the Zhen family?"

Jia Yuanchun said: "They are both married. One married into the palace and died of illness, and the other married into the prince's mansion and also died before the house was confiscated. They were both good girls that the old lady knew."

Yingchun remained silent. She didn't feel that he was similar to herself, nor did she like this topic. She looked at Jia Rong, hoping to make eye contact with him.

Tanchun and Xichun were not fools, so they could see what their second sister was thinking. They tacitly agreed not to expose her or joke about such matters.

Anyway, the second sister is very cheerful and talkative now. If the eldest sister can marry Jia Rong, then of course the second sister can too.

What's more, Tanchun had the same idea, so she naturally wanted Yingchun to try it first.

Wang Xifeng saw that everything was fine, and continued, "The Zhen family also had a fourth daughter who shaved her head and became a nun. When she knew something was wrong with the Zhen family, she ran away to become a nun. But when the people there found out and confiscated her property, they sent her back."

Everyone took a quick look and saw a nun wearing a hat.

Tanchun said quickly, "This fourth girl really looks like our fourth girl Xichun! Get up quickly and let us take a look!"

Xichun lay in Tanchun's arms and cursed, "Bah! I am the most loyal person! How can I run away when something happens at home? This is not like it!"

The fourth young lady of the Zhen family felt ashamed at this moment.

Lin Daiyu felt very bad and said to Jia Rong, "Brother Rong, why do you treat them like this?"

Jia Rong raised his hand and said, "Don't be angry, sister Daiyu. It's already a hundred times better to be in the Duke's Mansion than to be outside. But if you don't let them be maids, do you think they can eat and clothe themselves by farming and fishing?"

"If we stay, we won't discuss the future right now, without distinguishing the priorities. If Ningguo Mansion has another hundred people who have been confiscated and exterminated like the people in West Mansion, it will not be a good thing for our family."

"You should understand the principle of Zigong redeeming people. There is no benefit in saving them. Instead, it will cause the emperor to blame me. Now if I don't let them serve as maids, but serve them as noble ladies and grandmothers, I'm afraid the emperor will even confiscate our family if he finds out."

"I didn't mistreat them, but I saved their lives in my own way. If these people didn't want to, they wouldn't have come out of the prison in the first place, and they could have run away on the way."

Grandma Zhen said quickly, "Yes! Our old lady has already told us that we should obey the Duke in everything!"

The second wife of the Zhen family also said: "If it weren't for the Duke, the women in our family would have been abused beyond recognition. Fortunately, the Duke rescued us repeatedly, so we can live to this day."

Seeing this, Lin Daiyu knew she was wrong.

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I know what sister Daiyu is thinking. How about this? You should take a few girls and maids back first. My room can't accommodate more than a hundred people."

Lin Daiyu nodded and said, "Listen to Brother Rong. I was stupid just now."

"No problem." Jia Rong was not angry about this, but felt that the force was not enough, so he added: "I don't think the fourth Miss Zhen's practice of Buddhism and Taoism is sincere, just to avoid trouble and keep herself out of trouble. So I will punish you to work for Miaoyu and continue to be your idle little nun."

The fourth young lady stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Duke!"

Jia Rong looked at the maids kneeling on the ground and some girls and wives from the side branches of the Zhen family.

Jia Yuanchun sat on the chair and looked around. "As expected of a wealthy family, there is indeed no shortage of beauties in Jiangnan. Many of the maids here are comparable to the maids in our Duke's Mansion, and are even prettier and more charming."

Jia Rong said, "Whoever likes her can choose which courtyard she is in. She will start as a lowly maid with a monthly salary of 500 yuan."

The courtyards were quickly divided into groups: Jia Yuanchun, Qin Keqing, You Erjie, You Sanjie, Sanchun, Xue Baochai, the Li sisters, Wang Xifeng, Lin Daiyu, Shi Xiangyun, and Jia Rong.

Soon everyone had finished dividing the food. Jia Yuanchun looked at the empty living room and then at the beauties standing behind everyone.

"It's really strange that we are so short of maids. I was thinking of arranging a few more maids to serve Miaoyu, but it's not enough."

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "Sister, don't forget, the Zhen family is just a small family in Jiangnan. Our family is the Duke's Mansion where Duke Ning is in charge. How could we not accept even a few maids from there?"

Jia Yuanchun nodded. She had just suffered a month and a half at her parents' home, and now she had long forgotten all the hardships. She only remembered that she was the wife of a duke.

Jia Rong secretly observed around and felt that it was not enough, far from enough!

(End of this chapter)