The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 3 Playmate
Jia Zhen's death attracted the attention of the court, and the emperor ordered people to investigate carefully and catch the murderer.

As a member of the Jia family and a person involved in the will of the victim Jia Zhen, it is naturally impossible for Jia Yuanchun to enter the palace at this time to cause trouble for the royal family. If an assassin is led in, everyone on the same line will be doomed.

Although they are not afraid of gangsters, there is no need to put themselves in danger. The officials in charge of the selection work do not want to get involved in such things.

Not long after, Jia Yuanchun, who was fourteen or fifteen years old, failed the selection and entered the Ningguo Mansion.

Ningguo Mansion and Rongguo Mansion are the residences of the two Dukes Ning and Rong. The eldest son's Ningguo Mansion is in the east and is called the East Mansion.

The second Rongguo Mansion is in the west and is called the West Mansion.

There is an alley between the two mansions which is also owned by the Jia family. In order to avoid suspicion, the two families have always kept a clear distinction and do not open the door directly for private communication.

An unexpected event occurred in the third generation of inheritance of Rongguo Mansion. The eldest son, Jia She, inherited the title but was not in charge of the family. The affairs of the mansion were managed by the daughter-in-law designated by his old mother, but she was not Jia She's wife.

According to feudal ethics, the family property cannot be divided while the mother is still alive. The mother favors the second son, so she gave the property to the second son, Jia Zheng's wife, Lady Wang, to be the housekeeper.

The Jia family was a founding hero, and every year they received a subsidy of 1,000 taels of silver from the old hero.

The old nobles have always intermarried with each other and formed alliances. The four major families in one line are the Jia family, the Shi family, the Wang family and the Xue family.

Today, the four major families are not as powerful as before, but they still maintain their prosperity and dignity.

The fifteen-year-old Jia Yuanchun did not come alone. She was accompanied by two maids, two nannies, Wang Xifeng, a maid from the Wang family, and Jia Yuanchun's cousin, Jia Lian, the son of Jia She.

As soon as they entered the mansion, they saw Jia Rong reading a book at the door.

Jia Rong also saw these people and his eyes suddenly lit up.

"Miss, Miss Feng, you are here!"

Both girls are older than Jia Rong.

There is a group of grandmothers, ladies and old ladies above them.

The three titles of Madam, Mrs. and Grandma depend on the husband's status and generation.

Madam is a respectful title as well as an official title, and can only be used if the husband is an official.

The husbands of Lady Wang and Lady Xing both held official titles.

Normally, people are not called Madam. Madam is an honorary position, so people are usually addressed as Mrs.

The two can call each other Madam but not Old Lady because they are not of the same generation. Only after the Old Lady passes away can they become mother-in-law.

The one who does not hold an official position is the grandmother, or if there is a wife above her, the wife’s daughter-in-law is the grandmother according to seniority.

Adding "grandma" to the name makes it easier to distinguish them. Just add the great grandmother of the Ningguo Mansion and the great grandmother of the Rongguo Mansion to their names.

The corresponding word for grandma is grandpa.

The father is called "Ye", the son is called "Gong", and the lady is usually called "Guniang".

There are also uncles, aunts, and sisters-in-law, but usually they are called grandparents, and we ourselves are called uncles, sisters-in-law, and aunts.

Jia Lian was one year older than Jia Rong. Hearing this, he smiled and said, "Why, you can't see me?"

Originally, Jia Rong had a good relationship with Jia Lian and was also familiar with Wang Xifeng. On the contrary, he didn't talk much with Jia Yuanchun.

In fact, these people have a better relationship with Jia Zhen than Jia Rong.

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I see. Uncle, you should go home and study. I plan to study hard in the next three years and take the imperial examination in the future."

Jia Lian said disdainfully: "Just you?"

"I won't argue with you." Jia Rong spoke directly to Jia Yuanchun. "Miss Da and Miss Feng are here for the best. I will tell you all the account books and money at home. I will concentrate on my studies from now on, and I will still rely on you to take care of the family."

Wang Xifeng asked curiously, "Why tell me? I'm not here to manage your affairs."

Jia Lian explained: "Can it be a bad thing for you to learn it in advance?"

Wang Xifeng thought for a moment and said with a smile, "What good is it to learn it?"

"It's up to you to study or not." Jia Lian didn't indulge her, and said directly to Jia Yuanchun: "Just help take care of it. If you encounter something you don't understand, just ask me. This place is just one street away from Rongguo Mansion. You can go back whenever you want. The palace is deserted, how can it compare to the bustle of home."

After hearing this, Jia Yuanchun was slightly stunned.

Jia Lian came over and asked, "Can you really manage money now? How much money can you manage?"

Young masters also have places to spend money. Although Jia Lian's father, Jia She, is the eldest son, he is strict and does not give him money. Now that Jia Lian sees Jia Rong, who is one year younger than him, is in charge of the family, he immediately becomes envious.

Jia Rong smiled and said, "You can tell me, but I want to tell you two girls. Thanks to the blessing of the Emperor Gaozu, when we established Ningguo Mansion, we got nine farms, and we could collect some rent from each farm." "But now we are out of reach, and the farms are all managed by the nine farm heads. Among them, there is a big farm head who pays rent from the nine farms every year. It's hard to tell whether it's good or bad."

"When things are good, we get five or six thousand taels of rent a year, but in reality it's much less. The people below eat too much. Sister Yuanchun, don't worry about the rent. When I pass the imperial examination in the future, I will make them pay it back!"

"There is also the money from renting a house in the city. This is my main source of income. I also have a few shops in the city. It's hard to say how much I make. In general, I still have an income of 20,000 taels a year, but my expenses are also high."

Jia Yuanchun and Wang Xifeng were both counting money, and Jia Lian couldn't wait to say, "Good brother! Now that you have money, would you like to lend me a hundred taels?"

Jia Yuanchun taught him, "No, don't talk nonsense. Jia Rong, you are the head of the family now, you can't spend money recklessly."

Wang Xifeng also smiled and said, "Poor guy, you only know how to borrow money. Don't you have any money in Rongguo Mansion?"

Jia Lian smiled embarrassedly, but looking at Jia Rong, he still wanted to borrow money.

Jia Rong said, "What's wrong with lending you a hundred taels? But I have to study hard for the next three years and help Yuanchun with housekeeping. I won't have time to go out and play with you in the future. Don't think I'm ignoring you."

Jia Lian said happily: "Of course! Even if you don't lend me the money, I won't blame you!"

Several people walked into the house to talk together, and the servants quickly prepared tea and snacks, so there was no need for any further words.

After Jia Yuanchun sat down, she looked at the busy servants and said, "Master Xiaorong manages things well. It looks different."

Jia Rong smiled and said, "I'll have to trouble you to help watch over it from now on."

Jia Rong quickly called out, "Yu Lu."

"I'm here." The young steward Yu Lu quickly came in from the door, bent down and waited for instructions.

Jia Rong said, "Go and fetch a hundred and thirty taels of silver. Give a hundred taels to Uncle Lian, twenty taels to Miss Yuanchun, and ten taels to Miss Feng."

"Yes!" Yu Lu went out quickly.

Jia Lian was so excited that he stood up and bowed, "Thank you, Master Rong!"

If you have money, you are the boss! Jia Lian likes this kind of Master Rong! He is no longer called a little one.

Jia Yuanchun quickly said to Jia Rong, "You are the new head of the family, how can you be so wasteful and squandering?"

Jia Rong smiled and said, "That's why my father asked you to be the housekeeper."

Jia Yuanchun quickly put on an expression as if she was teaching her sister and brother a lesson and became serious.

"Then I will take care of you today! You are not allowed to spend money recklessly!"

Jia Rong reached out his hand and picked up the teacup. "Listen to me slowly. If you keep this money in the house, it will be gone soon. It is right to use it to appease people."

"My father is not here, and I am young and easily looked down upon, so Yuanchun came to take charge, and Ningguo Mansion is helping out."

Wang Xifeng was very smart, and said with a smile: "Then why don't you let the two masters help you?"

Jia Rong sneered, "They can't even manage their own household, how can they manage mine? It's easier said than done."

"Look at those two people, do they look like honest officials? They even split the Rongguo Mansion into two, how dare I invite them in."

Jia Rong made eye contact with Wang Xifeng, "Originally I thought Miss Feng was better, but my father is a member of the Jia family, so I still think Yuanchun is the most suitable."

Wang Xifeng rolled her eyes at him, "You look like a human being, but now you are a master and you dare to tease me! If your father sees you, he will kick you!"

"I dare not." Jia Rong said with a smile: "What are you talking about? But you are right. A scholar should behave like a scholar. I will study quietly for the next three years, stay at home honestly, and cultivate the temperament of a scholar."

Jia Lian didn't believe that this idiot who usually played with him could learn well, "What can you learn from studying? Brother Zhu didn't pass the exam!"

Jia Rong smiled and said, "Let's wait and see!"

Jia Rong is from Ningguo Mansion, Jia Lian is the eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion, and the eldest son of the second wife is Jia Zhu, who is nearly twenty years old. He is already married and is highly valued by everyone in the Jia family.

Wang Xifeng is the legitimate daughter of the Wang family, Old Lady Jia is from the Shi family, and there is also a family called Xue.

The four major families are integrated, so naturally the young people within them move around frequently.

He is currently a housekeeper and has plans to study and become an official. He knows how to work hard.

Although Wang Xifeng was young, she quickly started smiling after receiving the silver.

Although Jia Zhen was everyone's big brother, his death was his, and the group of people were happy and soon got used to life without him.

(End of this chapter)