The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 147: Crazy Again

The next day, Jia Rong still wanted to continue his relationship with the widowed sisters.

As soon as she entered the courtyard where the body was kept with the maid, the maid at the door called out politely, "Master, Old Lady You has been buried."

Jia Rong frowned. "Why so soon? He died the day before yesterday, and the coffin and the body stayed in the mourning hall for a day yesterday, and they are buried today?"

Having said that, Jia Rong went straight into the house. When he came in angrily, he found that the coffin was indeed missing.

Not only coffins, but also braziers, candles, lanterns, white cloths, tablets and the like were all removed.

At this time, Third Sister You came down from another room, walked down the stairs to the entrance of the yard, and came over with a smile.

"Master, my sister was exhausted after two days and two nights, and she became ill. I also thought that my master and my great master had only been away for a few days, so I didn't dare to delay any longer and simply arranged the funeral."

Jia Rong walked aside and sat down, looking a little unhappy.

Third Sister You followed and stood aside, saying, "Although we have many relatives, they are all insignificant country folk. This kind of thing is not worth making a big fuss about. Anyway, the person passed away peacefully and comfortably. We sisters think this matter does not need too long, and Second Sister is not feeling well."

Jia Rong looked at Third Sister You and asked frantically, "Is she really ill or faking it?"

His tone was cold, which made Third Sister You feel scared.

Third Sister You hurriedly explained, "I'm really feeling a little uncomfortable. She's the type who always likes to think about things. Can I accompany the master tonight? Do you think our family can do without someone?"

Jia Rong stood up and walked towards the door.

"I still have business matters to take care of. Call all the women with children and status here tonight. We will go to my second sister's room to eat. You go and ask the kitchen to prepare it."

After saying this, Jia Rong left, not knowing what trouble he would cause next.

Third Sister You breathed a sigh of relief and quickly did as Jia Rong instructed.

Not long after, Third Sister You arrived at Second Sister's room.

The second sister was playing with her three-year-old child and Qin Keqing's two-year-old daughter.

Seeing Third Sister You come in, Second Sister You asked, "Are you okay?"

Third Sister You said angrily, "I'm still angry. If you insist on doing this, it will only take a few days. Can't you just bear with it and it will pass?"

You Erjie sighed with some sorrow: "I don't want to be like that. He treated us like that right after mother died. I really can't stand it."

At this time, Qin Keqing's youngest daughter Jia Xing came up and said, "Aunt, it's not fun here. I want to go back and play with my mother."

Third Sister You said with a smile, "We borrowed you from your mother today. You just stay here honestly. I'll have someone prepare whatever you want to eat. I have Jia Kan's cloth tiger. Can I bring it out for you to play with later?"

"Okay!" Jia Xing agreed quickly.

Several people lived very close to each other, in the same building, and the children often slept in other rooms with their playmates.

Jia Xing was young and couldn’t play with boys, mainly because boys wouldn’t play with her because she was spoiled and crybaby.

Baoqin's daughter Jia Tang has always been taken care of by Jia Yuanchun. Jia Yuanchun has no daughter and is particularly fond of little girls.

Baoqin was Jia Yuanchun's maidservant. According to the rules of wealthy families, the sons and daughters of a concubine should be disciplined by the wife, and the concubine could only call the wife mother.

The children of the Jia family are all taken care of by their biological mother. Jia Yuanchun and Baoqin still live in the same building and take good care of Jia Tang as if he were their own daughter.

Baoqin herself couldn't teach her sons and daughters well, so naturally she would like to have a noble lady from a wealthy family teach her children.

Moreover, Jia Rong did not deprive these women of their right to be mothers. The children of the concubines could still openly call their biological mothers mother instead of aunt.

Qin Keqing and Jia Yuanchun have always lived far away. When their sons grew up, they were handed over to the care of teachers in the school, and they kept their little daughter around to entertain themselves.

The two-year-old girl has just learned to talk and walk, and has some basic cognition. However, because she is young, she still doesn’t know anything. She is innocent by nature and likes to stick to adults. She will quickly calm down if given some food or toys. This is the most fun time for her.

Not only Qin, You and Wang Xifeng liked this little girl, but Jia Rong liked her too.

When Jia Rong came to dinner in the evening and saw You Erjie holding Jia Xing to greet him, he quickly realized that this woman was finding a shield.

"Dad~" Jia Xing called Jia Rong obediently, and it was obvious that she was taught by a few women.

Jia Rong walked to the big dining table and sat down. He said to the nurse, "Take the child out to feed him."

Jia Xing didn't like drinking milk, "Dad, I want to eat!"

Jia Rong believed that this was what she wanted to say, so he said, "Take Xing'er to nurse, and then give her some egg sweet porridge after she finishes her feeding."

The nanny quickly went out with the children.

After Jia Rong sat down, Jia Yuanchun, Baoqin, Qin Keqing, Youshi, You Erjie, You Sanjie, Yuanyang, Ping'er, Wang Xifeng, Qingwen and Yinglian also took their seats.

There were too many people, so we split into two tables.

Jia Yuanchun, Wang Xifeng, Qin Keqing, Youshi, You Erjie and You Sanjie sat at the same table with Jia Rong.

Baoqin, Yuanyang, Ping'er, Qingwen and Yinglian were all born maids, and it was a blessing for them to be able to sit at the same table as their concubines.

Jia Rong looked at You Erjie and asked, "Are you feeling better?"

You Erjie took the initiative to say: "Thank you for your concern, Master. I felt a little unwell this morning, but now I have taken medicine and I feel better."

Everyone could see that Jia Rong was in a bad mood, so he naturally spoke more carefully.

Jia Rong reached out and touched You Erjie's head, then quickly withdrew his hand and said, "It's all right. I just checked the accounts. The expenses of our various rooms and courtyards are now more than ten times higher than the expenses of the Rongfu Madam's courtyard before, not to mention the expenses of the concubines who used to be around Master Zheng and received two taels of silver per month."

Jia Rong was indeed angry. He had provided her with food, drink and money for so many years, but she still didn't want to sleep with him or be happy with him.

Can this be tolerated?
Jia Rong is not a rude and unreasonable person when it comes to the troubles caused by these women. He will not vent his anger on others just because they make him angry.

Jia Rong said directly: "Now I am only a second-class general, not as high as Jia She's title before. I have lost my official position in the Ministry of Revenue, and I have to spend money to build a garden and prepare for the medical clinic."

"The number of maids and servants in each house and courtyard has exceeded the rules. Your master is no longer the Duke of Ningguo. It is a favor from the emperor that he can live in this Ningguo Mansion. You should know your own limits!"

"You can do whatever you want when you go back today. Only four servants can be kept in each courtyard, including maids and nannies. If there is one more child to take care of, two more places can be added."

"The monthly salary will be calculated according to the previous salary in Master She's courtyard. It can only be less, not more."

"There are too many people in the mansion now. Those who don't want to work can't stay. I will start cleaning out some of the idlers in the next few days to avoid affecting the efforts of those who want to work."

Wang Xifeng said hurriedly, "My lord! Our family is not without money, and the emperor has tacitly agreed that our family can live a good life. Why do we have to live the hard life we had before?" Third Sister You pulled Second Sister You up and said, "Master, we will drink to compensate you. We were wrong today, and you can punish us!"

You Erjie knew that she had angered Jia Rong, causing the rest of her sisters to suffer as well, and now she was under tremendous psychological pressure.

"Master." You Erjie looked at Jia Rong aggrievedly, and tried to say, "I know I was wrong."

Jia Rong raised his hand to signal the two to shut up. "It's okay. I've thought about it carefully. I do have money, and you don't want to live a hard life, so I've already thought of a solution. Sit down."

You Erjie and You Sanjie both sat down obediently.

Jia Rong continued, "Those who have children and take care of them will naturally have money. I, your master, have no health problems, and neither do you. If you don't give me children, why should I raise you, right?"

"Having a child is also a matter of luck. You can't suffer poverty just because you tried your best but didn't get pregnant. So we calculate the number of times by month and give more money at the end of the month."

"The more times you go to a place, the more money you will get next month, including food, clothing and other expenses for yourself and your children."

How could everyone not understand what Jia Rong meant? This only showed that Jia Rong was still angry because You Erjie refused to obey him and accompanied him in making trouble in the mourning hall.

As expected, he was still angry with You Erjie, and punished everyone else for it.

As the troublemaker, You Erjie naturally has to bear the pressure of implicating everyone at this time.

"Master, I know I was wrong. Please punish me alone and don't make things difficult for my sisters."

You Erjie admitted her mistake while crying.

But Jia Rong didn't care about women's tears at all.

"What's the use of crying? It's useless even if the water above runs dry. I've always known that you like gentlemen, your master."

Jia Rong looked at Jia Yuanchun and said, "Yuanchun, tell me what a gentleman is."

Jia Yuanchun explained: "He is a scholar who values morality."

Jia Rong asked, "Your master is well-versed in classics. Can I be called a scholar?"

Jia Yuanchun nodded and said, "Of course, the master studied hard for ten years and won the imperial examination. He is also in a high position and has the emperor's favor. He is a role model for scholars all over the world."

Jia Rong added, "I, your master, have been generous and generous. I have helped my clansmen many times. When they got into trouble, I helped them again and again. When my uncle and aunt asked me to borrow money, I gave it to them directly."

"Not only the tribe members, but also outsiders are treated kindly. If they encounter someone whose entire family is about to die, they will help as long as their moral character is not questionable."

"It's true that I am in a high position and have great power, but when have I ever been arrogant and domineering? For many years, I have always disciplined my family members not to bully outsiders. This is dozens of times better than the Rong Mansion and other royal palaces. Over the years, I have never forced a servant to death, let alone beaten or killed any servants."

"I've been married to you for seven or eight years. How have I treated you badly? Have I ever ignored anyone or slapped anyone?"

"Do you think I can be called a gentleman?"

Although Jia Rong often spanked people in bed, that certainly didn't count.

Wang Xifeng said quickly: "The master is definitely a gentleman! I can't find a better man than the master! The master is a real man! A gentleman!"

The others also agreed.

Jia Yuanchun echoed, "The master has always been very kind to us, and he is a gentleman."

Qin Keqing smiled and said, "A gentleman loves a beautiful lady. It is not wrong for the master to like women. This is the right thing to do."

You Erjie also said: "It is our mean hearts that have angered the gentleman."

Jia Rong simply stretched out his hand to stop others from speaking.

Jia Rong said, "I know what kind of life Second Sister wants to live. She actually wants a good life in the books similar to Yuanchun's."

"What are the good days in the book? Naturally, they are the good days of the great scholars and the heads of the civil officials of the dynasty, as well as the good days of the women in the families of the descendants of Confucius."

Jia Rong said to Jia Yuanchun, "The Minister of Justice is my good friend. Yuanchun, take your second sister to see how the wives of the Grand Secretaries are doing in the prison tomorrow morning. In the afternoon, go to the Ministry of Rites and the Jiaofang Division to see how the concubines and daughters of the current civil servants are doing."

Jia Yuanchun panicked, "Master..."

You Erjie knelt on the ground and said, "Master, I know I was wrong. Please punish me!"

Jia Rong sat on the chair, not even looking at You Erjie on the ground, and said directly to Jia Yuanchun: "You have read so much that you have become stupid, just like your mother, who refuses to change positions in bed! You always want to use the scholars' reasoning to control how your master behaves at home and discipline your master in everything!"

"Why, I still want you to teach me about the Four Books and Five Classics and male virtues at home? Are you worthy?"

Jia Yuanchun knew that this was a scolding directed at her. Although she had been well behaved, this time her second sister caused trouble and it was still her fault.

Jia Yuanchun felt so wronged that she could only apologize, "Master, I have already realized my mistake and corrected it. I will never do that again."

This time, You Erjie did it purely on her own. Neither Wang Xifeng nor Jia Yuanchun got involved. Even Youshi advised her not to do it.

But You Erjie thought that it was just her own little willfulness, and she thought that she was doing it for the good of her master, and she wanted her master to stop being idle all day and to study hard.

The person he doesn't want to meet is not an ordinary person. Jia Rong realized that You Erjie was not aware of her problem at all.

It’s true that she wants to be a good woman, but Jia Rong is not a good man.

When Jia Rong went crazy, the emperor was so scared that he would wet his pants. But now he has spared this group of people for the sake of the child.

"A gentleman is known for his frugality. No matter how he behaves in private, who can be called a gentleman if he is not a poor man?"

"I am not a gentleman! I will not discuss with you what a gentleman is."

"You don't need to go to the prison or the brothel. Why don't you go and find out what other people's wives and concubines are like? Then you can see if the good life you have here is worthy of mine!"

Wang Xifeng saw that Jia Rong's anger had mostly subsided, so she dared to persuade him, "Master, let's not be angry anymore. Just be happy as you want."

Jia Rong's anger had indeed subsided. He took the wine handed to him by Wang Xifeng and took a sip.

"In addition to your monthly salary, you should also learn from the outsiders to spend money on food and clothing according to what the wives and concubines of contemporary great scholars and cabinet ministers eat and spend."

Jia Rong was determined to strictly control the economy. He did not beat or scold his son, but he always kept the distribution of money in his hands.

Even though Qin Keqing, Wang Xifeng, and the second and third sisters used all their strength at night, they still couldn't make Jia Rong give in.

Both the body and the mind are as hard as iron!

(End of this chapter)