The Overlord of the Red Mansion

Chapter 59: Driving out men and keeping women
Dang~dang~dang~
Mrs. Wang got up early in the morning to chant sutras and beat the wooden fish.

Jia Rong's performance made everyone in the Jia family understand what it means to be fearless of death.

Others were walking on thin ice when dealing with the emperor. Serving the emperor was like living with a tiger. They had to be extremely cautious for fear of angering the emperor by mistake.

Jia Rong looked like such a jerk last night, it was almost as if the word "treason to the emperor" was written all over his face!

When she thought of that audacious son-in-law, Mrs. Wang regretted it to death.

At first, she regretted marrying her daughter to him, but when she thought about it carefully, she realized that even if she didn't marry her daughter, she would be implicated by that bastard.

At this time, the maid came in and said softly, "Madam, the old lady said she was tired today, so she can eat in the room by herself. There is no need to serve her."

Mrs. Wang understood Lady Jia very well. Last night, all the women were tortured to death by Jia Rong.

"Have you called in the imperial physician?"

Jin Chuan said, "I just went to invite him."

Mrs. Wang asked again, "Is there any letter from the palace?"

Jin Chuan shook her head, "I don't know. Someone was sent to pay the money, and they said that the emperor rewarded Master Rong with two imperial cloaks, four pieces of palace satin, and promoted him to a higher rank."

"I don't know anything else."

Jin Chuan knew very little. She only knew that Jia Rong was not only safe, but also received a reward.

For the maids who had not experienced the big scene yesterday and only learned some things from the nearby maids, it was difficult to understand the shock that Jia Mu and others had felt.

Mrs. Wang sighed and continued to beat the wooden fish, as if this would make her feel at ease.

At this time Yinglian walked in from outside.

The maid outside saw Yinglian and asked, "Yinglian, what are you doing here?"

Yinglian said to the maid, "Sister Caixia, our eldest grandmother asked me to come here and tell Madam that our master is here to pick us up and will go back to Ningguo Mansion soon."

Mrs. Wang walked out of the house and looked at the maid beside Jia Yuanchun.

"Let me go over and see if your master had a good sleep last night?"

Yinglian said, "I slept in my grandmother's room yesterday. My grandmother slept with Miss Lin. The master slept at home. But he looks very energetic today. He must have slept well."

"I didn't sleep well!" Mrs. Wang was very angry.

Yinglian didn't know what to say, so she lowered her head and remained silent.

Madam Wang sighed, "Come with me to see your master. If your Master Zhen is here, I will have to give him a good word!"

Mrs. Wang took her maid and Yinglian to the main hall.

She certainly didn't know that Zhen Ge'er was so scared of Uncle Rong that he wouldn't dare to come back even if he turned into a ghost.

Mrs. Wang and others walked to where Sanchun lived, and heard laughter before they entered.

"You don't know that the emperor saw that I was extraordinary, calm, and talented, and his eyes were shining! He was immediately shocked and wanted me to be a senior official in the Ministry of War to protect the capital."

"I said I haven't taken the imperial examination yet, so I can't do that."

"He tried to persuade me to stay, but I am a principled person. In the end, he admired my character and said that no matter what my ranking was in the imperial examination next year, I would be promoted to a high-ranking official, starting at the fifth rank at the very least!"

Mrs. Wang walked into the room with a trembling heart, and saw Jia Rong sitting by the bed drinking tea and chatting.

There were melon seeds and dried fruits on the table next to them. Shi Xiangyun, wearing a festive red dress, was sitting on the other side of the table. The three girls next to them were sitting on the warm beds listening to stories. They looked like a group of unruly girls.

Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai and Wang Xifeng were all sitting near Jia Yuanchun.

Shi Xiangyun smiled and said, "You are bragging! I don't believe that you have become a high-ranking official right after you passed the imperial examination. What did you do to deserve such a reward from the emperor?"

Jia Rong said, "I still have several rolls of cloth at home that were given by the emperor. I will give you one roll to make clothes later."

Shi Xiangyun said happily: "Okay, I have seen the things the emperor gave me. They were given to my uncle, but I was not allowed to touch them. Bring yours here so we can see."

Xichun, who was sitting in bed, said happily, "I want to see it too!"

Jia Rong said, "This is easy. I'll have someone send it over later. You guys can make three or four pieces of clothing for my child and see whose one is the best." At this time, Mrs. Wang came in and looked at these people with a bad expression.

Compared with the issue of separation between men and women, Mrs. Wang is now more concerned about how Jia Rong talks to the Emperor.

"What did you say to His Majesty?"

When Jia Rong saw Mrs. Wang coming, he did not stand up but just sat down and said, "I have my own style of doing things, which others cannot learn. If you ask Jia Lian to imitate me in speaking and doing things, he will definitely not be able to do it."

It's not just Jia Lian who can't do it. Even if the two Dukes Ning and Rong were alive, they wouldn't be as crazy as him!

Mrs. Wang was shaking with anger, and also seemed to be frightened.

Jia Yuanchun was also here, and she hurriedly helped Mrs. Wang to sit aside.

Mrs. Wang was speechless at this time. There was no one in this family who could control Jia Rong.

Jia Yuanchun helped, saying, "I was also scared yesterday. I don't know how to respond to the note you wrote. It's not something I have to help with. If the Wang family and the Mei family don't want to help, then we won't help either."

Li Wan was also here, and she knew very well that the Li family would only let the mother, daughter and maid go back.

Jia Rong said, "This is an opportunity! Compared to the wealth that the two dukes have earned through life and death, what I have is not bad at all."

Jia Rong said confidently: "Now the people in the city are in a panic, and even the emperor is at a loss as to what to do about this matter. At this time, we need a great hero to come out and calm people's hearts."

"Also, there are people everywhere in this city who secretly let people in. They look strict, but they still have to eat meat, vegetables and burn firewood. The royal relatives, dignitaries and the like outside are secretly bringing people into the city, and they don't care about the people under their command."

"I wrote that note to prove that I have a clear conscience and can control our guests and servants. The emperor rewarded me after knowing it and used me so that others could learn good things."

"In any case, I will take back what the Jia family has lost, such as the title and the position of Jiedushi of the Beijing Camp."

"Just eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures, don't worry about so many things. I know better than you how to be an official."

This was not the first time Jia Rong had spoken to Mrs. Wang in this way.

Not asking my mother-in-law to bring me water to wash my feet is already showing her enough respect.

Mrs. Wang had been criticized more than once, and now she was no longer angry.

Even the old lady and Grandmother Jia can't control him, let alone myself?
Madam Wang sighed, "I don't care about you anymore. What are you going to do with those people? Just send them away. If something really happens, even if it's not us who did it, we will be in trouble!"

"No." Jia Rong was very confident.

Mrs. Wang was angry and said, "Why not? What if that daring thief causes trouble again? How will you explain it?"

Jia Rong thought for a moment and said, "You are right. I will drive the men away. The girls are helpless and alone. It would be too cruel to drive them away in the winter."

Mrs. Wang said anxiously, "Why are you acting like that bastard Baoyu? Is this a girl's business now? Send them all away!"

Jia Rong said angrily, "Don't give orders blindly. The emperor values me because I am confident and responsible. If I drive everyone away, doesn't it prove that I am not confident myself? If I am not confident, the emperor will be even more anxious. What should I do if he gets angry?"

Mrs. Wang was suddenly speechless, and didn't know what to say.

Jia Rong said, "Just tell the eldest wife to tell her. I asked her yesterday and she said his brother came to ask her for some money to build a house. He left after giving her some money."

"Xue Ke is here for his sister's matter. His sister is staying in my house temporarily. I want him to go home and take care of his mother. Besides, I have some businesses in Suzhou and several coastal areas. I just need someone I can trust to help me."

"This way only four or five men will leave, and the rest of the group will still live in my house. This is enough, and no one will be embarrassed."

Jia Rong stood up and said, "Okay, it's time to go back and prepare for the New Year. Xichun, if you want to go back, go ahead. I'll go back and get busy first."

"I'll go back in a few days." Xichun was still sitting in the bed, not getting up. She hadn't had enough fun in the Jia Mansion.

Xue Baochai asked, "Brother Rong, can you let my brother go to the south to take shelter as well?"

Jia Rong looked at Xue Baochai, who was a little embarrassed.

Jia Rong said quickly, "Your brother should stay with you. I remember that you are ill and need someone to take care of you. Although your brother is not good at other things and can't do business and can't be a good husband, he is still very good to you, your sister and mother."

"I will help you take care of your business, don't worry."

Xue Baochai breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly said gratefully, "Thank you, Brother Rong."

(End of this chapter)