The Red Mansion

Chapter 281 Yuan Yi, by Imperial Decree, Rectifies the Rong Mansion

Yuan Chun ordered her trusted servant, Feng, to arrange for You Shi to move into the backyard of the Duke's mansion.

Lady You thanked Yuan Yi and Yuan Chun for their kindness before following Lady Feng away.

At this moment, only Yuan Yi, Yuan Chun, and Lin Ruhai remained in the inner hall.

Yuan Chun's brows were furrowed with an unresolved cloud of doubt and melancholy. After hesitating for a moment, she finally couldn't help but speak, asking Yuan Yi in a soft voice, "Fourth Master, there is something lingering in my mind that I cannot understand, but... I don't know if I should ask it."

Yuan Yi said, "Please speak freely. Mr. Lin is here, so he is not an outsider. We can discuss this together."

Having received permission, Yuan Chun carefully chose her words and slowly asked, "I am foolish and know very little about the laws and regulations of the court. In this case of the Rong Mansion... the criminal Jia She, although he implicated You Shi and Jia Qiang, and You Shi did indeed use her family's wealth to support her maternal family, and Jia Qiang was not without some dissolute habits, upon closer examination, the circumstances do not seem to be particularly egregious. Why did the three judicial departments confiscate the enormous property of the Jia family's eldest branch?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yi did not answer immediately. Instead, he turned his gaze to Lin Ruhai and said, "Madam's question involves the law, and I am not entirely aware of the intricacies. Sir, you have long been an official and are well-versed in the law. Could you please explain this doubt in detail?"

Lin Ruhai looked solemn and pondered for a while before nodding solemnly and saying, "Since it is Fourth Master and Madam who have inquired, I will presume to offer my analysis."

He took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and began to explain in detail:

"Firstly, this case is of extraordinary nature, as it is an imperial case personally overseen by His Majesty, which has already alarmed the Emperor. More importantly, His Majesty has issued an imperial edict ordering the Three Judicial Offices to 'severely punish the offender.' With these four words, how could the officials of the Three Judicial Offices dare to be lenient? They will certainly invoke the severe provisions of the law to severely punish the offender. This is acting in accordance with the imperial decree, and it is the will of the people."

Secondly, Jia She's crimes were twofold: first, "allowing a servant to commit murder resulting in death," and second, "coveting and seizing the property of the Jia family's eldest branch." Thus, the property of the Jia family's eldest branch became the motive for the crime and the property involved in the case. Even if this property did not originally belong to Jia She, since it was involved in the criminal case, the three judicial departments could, according to the law, regard it as "criminal property" and investigate and deal with it accordingly.

Thirdly, both Lady You and Jia Qiang were indeed culpable. Lady You gave family wealth to her maternal family, and Jia Qiang behaved improperly. Even if the circumstances were not particularly egregious, under the standard of "punishing severely," Lady You could be convicted of "immorality and embezzlement of family property," and Jia Qiang of "ruining the family fortune." The three judicial committees believed that this large sum of money was in danger of being embezzled. Therefore, they could confiscate it under the pretext of "preservation."

Fourthly, the eldest branch of the Jia family was already deeply entrenched in problems. Leaving aside Jia Jing's early misdeeds, Jia Zhen's subsequent crimes and loss of his title led to the Ningguo Mansion being reclaimed by the court. Although the remaining family property wasn't confiscated at the time, the stain was already deeply etched. Later, the unspeakable circumstances surrounding the deaths of Jia Zhen and his son Jia Rong added another layer of darkness. Now, with the eldest branch of the Jia family once again embroiled in an imperial case, the three judicial departments will investigate rigorously, settling both old and new scores, concluding that their "misdeeds are numerous, their habits are incorrigible, and they are beyond redemption." Uprooting this branch of the family property would perfectly align with the principle of "purifying the source and rectifying the root."

In their early years, Jia Jing and Jia She both attached themselves to the Crown Prince of the Jingning Dynasty. When the Crown Prince was deposed for making a mistake, the two were implicated and not only lost their official positions but also had their titles greatly reduced.

Lin Ruhai summarized: "Therefore, the three judicial departments reported to the Emperor that You Shi 'did not uphold the virtues of a woman and embezzled family property,' and Jia Qiang 'brought ruin to the family.' The two mismanaged the family property, causing trouble. In order to eliminate future troubles and clear the source of chaos, it was suggested that the property of the Jia family's eldest branch be confiscated by the government. The Emperor approved, but specifically mentioned in the decree that 'a very small amount of property should be left for You Shi to maintain her livelihood,' which can be considered an act of mercy."

In fact, the key lies in the Emperor's judgment, and Emperor Taishun had long wanted to confiscate the vast estate of the Jia family's eldest branch.

After listening to this insightful analysis, Yuan Yi slowly nodded: "What you say is truly insightful. It turns out there are so many legal and political considerations involved."

Yuan Chun also suddenly realized the truth, but she felt depressed and regretful.

She knew all too well that although the Jia family's eldest branch had long since declined, the wealth controlled by Madam You was astonishing—gold and silver vaults, antiques and rare treasures, estates and properties—essentially comparable to the Rongguo Mansion's fortune. Originally, half of it was intended for Xichun as her future dowry. Now, this immense wealth had been confiscated and taken by the government!
Thinking of this, even she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache.

Yuan Yi, however, remained calm and showed no sign of regret.

In his mind, this family fortune had nothing to do with him and he shouldn't touch it. If it wasn't confiscated and remained in Madam You's hands, it would only continue to be squandered by her or given to her family for extravagance; even if half of it went to Xichun and fell into the hands of the Rongguo Mansion, it would still be misappropriated and squandered.

Now that this family fortune has been confiscated and deposited into the national treasury, Emperor Taishun will use it for the benefit of the country and its people. Even if it is used to build the Yuanmingyuan Garden, if Yuan Yi succeeds to the throne in the future, wouldn't this garden and park rightfully belong to him? Thinking about it this way, it might not be such a bad thing after all.

It was already noon.

Yuan Chun snapped out of her reverie from the heavy discussion of family affairs, glanced at the sky outside the window, and then at the clock in the hall. She quickly said apologetically to Yuan Yi, "Fourth Master, it's already past lunchtime. I'm so sorry that I've kept you from having lunch because of these troublesome matters at the Rong Mansion. Please serve the meal immediately."

Then she turned to Lin Ruhai and forced a smile, saying, "Mr. Lin, if you don't mind, please have a simple meal here before going home?"

Lin Ruhai quickly bowed and declined, saying, "I appreciate your kindness, Madam. However, we have already prepared a meal at home, so I will not trouble you any further, Fourth Master and Madam."

Yuan Yi nodded and said to Lin Ruhai, "Sir, as we agreed yesterday, at 4:45 PM today, we would like to invite you, Mr. Qu, and Mr. Fang to our residence for a banquet to celebrate Mr. Fang's arrival. As for Mr. Qu, I have already sent someone to invite him, and he will definitely be there today. Since this matter is settled, it is not advisable to change it."

He paused for a moment, then continued, "After I have lunch, I need to set off immediately for Changchun Garden to meet the Emperor. If I am not able to return before 4:45 PM, I will trouble you, sir, to preside over the banquet and entertain Mr. Qu and Mr. Fang on my behalf."

Lin Ruhai replied, "Fourth Master, rest assured, I will do my best and will not neglect my guests."

Yuan Yi then instructed Yuan Chun, "Please take good care of the banquet arrangements."

Yuan Chun nodded: "I understand, Fourth Master, please rest assured."

After Lin Ruhai finished explaining everything, he bowed and took his leave, returning home without further mention.

Yuan Yi and Yuan Chun did not move. The maids and servants, having received their instructions, quickly set out a table of exquisite lunch in the inner hall. Yuan Chun, preoccupied with her own thoughts, ate little despite not tasting the food.

After finishing his meal and rinsing his mouth, Yuan Yi, along with Yuan Chun, Xiang Ling, and Bao Qin, left the inner hall and headed towards his residence, "Debentang".

Yuan Chun had already heard from Yuan Yi that tomorrow morning, Lu Keduo, who wielded immense power in the court, would truthfully report to Emperor Taishun at the imperial conference the newly discovered facts of the Rongguo Mansion's concealment of family property and defiance of the law. Once the Emperor's decree was issued, there would likely be no room for maneuver. Therefore, Yuan Yi must personally plead with Emperor Taishun today, before Lu Keduo's formal report, to have any hope.

Upon arriving at "Debentang", Xiangling brought out the solemn dark blue county court robes and, together with Yuanchun, helped Yuanyi change into them.

As Yuan Chun helped Yuan Yi change his clothes, she gazed at the gloomy sky outside the window, tears welling in her eyes. She choked back tears with guilt, saying, "Fourth Master, you've really gone to great lengths! With this weather, a downpour is imminent, and because of my family's shameful affairs, you're making me travel to Changchun Garden at this hour… What if you get caught in the storm on the way? I feel so guilty…" Yuan Yi smiled slightly, reached out and patted her cheek affectionately, comforting her, "A little wind and rain, what's that? Just stay home and wait for news. Since I promised you, I will do my best. As for success or failure, it's all up to fate."

Yuan Chun felt the warmth of his palm and heard his gentle words, which calmed her heart slightly, but her tears fell even more quickly. She hurriedly wiped them away with her handkerchief and forced a smile, saying, "Fourth Master, please be careful in everything."

After changing her clothes, Yuan Chun personally inspected the prepared rain gear, which consisted of a fine oiled silk raincoat and a wide-brimmed straw hat.

Yuan Yi dressed neatly and left Debentang immediately without further delay.

Yuan Chun saw him off to the second gate, her heart filled with anxiety. She silently prayed that her husband's journey would be successful, and was also deeply worried about the uncertain fate of her family.

Yuan Yi boarded the carriage befitting a duke. The master of ceremonies solemnly led the way, with guards on both sides following with their hands on their swords, and the imperial guards following behind. The carriage rumbled out of the duke's mansion and headed towards Changchun Garden in the western suburbs.

Strangely enough, although the sky was overcast with low-hanging clouds, the downpour was slow to arrive, but the dampness in the air grew heavier.

The journey was smooth, and we arrived at Changchun Garden in the afternoon.

Emperor Taishun was extremely diligent in his duties. Even in the afternoon, he would often review memorials, summon officials, and handle government affairs at Danning Residence, rarely slacking off.

That's how it is today.

When Emperor Taishun heard the eunuch report that his fourth son, Yuan Yi, was requesting an audience, he raised an eyebrow slightly and ordered, "Let him in."

Yuan Yi was led to the warm pavilion of Danning Residence, where he saw Emperor Taishun sitting behind his desk, on which memorials were piled up like a mountain. He hurriedly stepped forward and bowed deeply in respect.

Emperor Taishun raised his hand, signaling Yuan Yi to rise, and then asked, "What brings you here at this hour?"

Yuan Yi then recounted in detail the new developments that had occurred at the Rongguo Mansion that day, including how Madam Xing and Yu Mei, a servant in Jia Lian's household, had hidden their family property and how Lu Keduo had discovered it, as well as how Jia Lian, Ying Chun, and others had been detained.

Having said this, he looked earnest and bowed, pleading, "Your Majesty, the crimes committed by the guilty minister Jia She and his eldest son Jia Lian have been increasingly serious, and they deserve what they have done. They should be severely punished according to the law to serve as a warning to others. Your son dares not and does not wish to exonerate them."

However, the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Zheng's lineage, is not implicated in this case. Jia Zheng is also an upright, honest, humble, and kind man. Your Majesty, I implore you not to implicate the second branch and to preserve the foundation of the Rongguo Mansion.

Furthermore, Jia She has a son born out of wedlock named Jia Cong, and Jia She's daughter born out of wedlock, Jia Yingchun, are both still young and have no connection to this major case, yet they have been unjustly implicated. I humbly beseech Your Majesty, in consideration of their vulnerability, to allow me to take them back to my own household and raise them, so that they may be spared the suffering of displacement.”

After listening quietly, Emperor Taishun pondered for a moment, then nodded decisively and uttered a single word: "Good!"

Although he was known for his harshness and strictness, he was not an ungrateful person. Those ministers whom he appreciated and valued often received special favor from him.

For example, since Lu Keduo concurrently served as Minister of Personnel, Emperor Taishun approved almost every official he recommended.

Yuan Yi was a prince whom Emperor Taishun greatly appreciated and valued. This time, Yuan Yi's request was not to exonerate Jia She and Jia Lian, but only to protect the innocent Rongguo Mansion's second branch, Yingchun, and Jia Cong. Logically and morally, how could Emperor Taishun refuse?

In fact, even if Yuan Yi pleaded for Jia Lian today, Emperor Taishun would most likely have granted his request and pardoned Jia Lian.

However, Yuan Yi himself was unwilling to do so.

Firstly, Yuan Yi and Jia Lian were already at odds, their animosity stemming from long ago; secondly, Jia Lian was an incompetent man, and this misfortune was entirely his own doing. Back then, because of the Yu Mei incident, he harbored resentment towards Yuan Yi, even spending his own money to buy that troublemaker and brazenly bringing her back to the Rongguo Mansion. If not for that, how could he have been implicated by this woman today?
Seeing that Yuan Yi did not plead for Jia Lian, Emperor Taishun said in a deep voice, "Jia She and Jia Lian, the eldest sons of the Rongguo Mansion, have committed grave sins and must be severely punished this time!"

Yuan Yi respectfully echoed, "Father Emperor is wise; this is exactly right."

The matter had already been settled when Emperor Taishun suddenly remembered something. He looked sharply at Yuan Yi and said solemnly, "Yi'er, the Rongguo Mansion is, after all, your wife's family. Now it seems, the family's reputation is becoming increasingly unbearable! Although I have pardoned Jia Zheng's second branch of the family this time, as you requested, thus preserving the foundation of the Rongguo Mansion, as the son-in-law of the Rongguo Mansion, you should, both morally and logically, properly discipline and regulate this Rongguo Mansion! If they continue to act so recklessly, who knows what kind of lawless things they will cause in the future! At that time, not only will it damage your wife's reputation, but it may also harm your own. You must take this matter to heart!"

Yuan Yi's heart skipped a beat. This was an imperial decree from his father, ordering him to intervene in the management of the Rongguo Mansion!
He bowed and replied, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's teachings! I will strictly discipline them and rectify the family conduct of the Rongguo Mansion, so that they will not cause any more trouble and fail to live up to Your Majesty's grace!"

Emperor Taishun nodded and waved his hand, saying, "In that case, you may go."

Yuan Yi thanked the emperor again, bowed, and left the warm pavilion.

As soon as I stepped out of Danning Residence, I saw dark clouds surging in the sky, but there was still no downpour.

The sky was overcast, but Yuan Yi's heart was filled with light. This audience with the emperor not only saved the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion, as well as Yingchun and Jia Cong, but also granted him the authority to "rectify the Rongguo Mansion by imperial decree."

He had long wanted to deal with the Rongguo Mansion, especially those unruly servants!

Thinking of the impending complete collapse of Jia She's eldest branch of the family, and the incompetent Jia Lian, Yuan Yi shook his head inwardly. He had brought this upon himself!

The downpour is really coming.

Without delay, Yuan Yi boarded the Duke's carriage and hurriedly returned to the city from Changchun Garden...

(End of this chapter)