The Red Mansion

Chapter 287 Making an example of one to warn a hundred, with immediate results

Early that morning, although it did not rain, the sky was overcast, with clouds pressing down on the capital.

As was customary, Rukodo went to Changchun Garden in the western suburbs to participate in a small-scale royal meeting attended by only a few core princes and ministers.

At the meeting, Lu Keduo gave a detailed account of how Madam Xing and Yu Mei of the Rongguo Mansion had hidden their family property. What he said was exactly the same as what Yuan Yi had reported the day before.

After Yuan Yi's petition yesterday, Emperor Taishun had already made his decision on the matter. The decision was: the second branch of the Jia family would not be implicated, thus preserving the foundation of the Rongguo Mansion; however, the eldest branches of the Jia family, namely Jia She and Jia Lian, would not be spared!
After the meeting concluded, Lukodo excused himself from Changchun Garden and returned to the city by car.

As soon as we entered the city, the originally gloomy sky began to rain. It wasn't the torrential downpour of yesterday, but just a light drizzle that soaked the streets and rooftops.

Lu Keduo returned to the yamen to gather his men, and braving the light rain, he once again arrived at the Rongguo Mansion on Ningrong Street, stepping into the east courtyard. The water in the courtyard had not yet dried, and was further soaked by the new rain, making it appear even more muddy and desolate.

Lu Keduo ordered all the prisoners from Jia She's eldest son's family who were being held there to be taken away, including Jia Lian, Wang Shanbao and other male members, as well as Xing Furen, Yu Mei, Wang Shanbao's wife and other female relatives.

The soldiers were like wolves and tigers, the chains rattled, and shouts and cries mingled together.

Jia Lian, his face ashen, was carried out by two soldiers, his former elegant demeanor completely gone. His powerful servants, including Wang Shanbao, had also lost their former ruthlessness and were terrified.

Inside the inner quarters, the situation was even more tragic.

Madam Xing was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground and was dragged out. Her hairpins and jewelry were scattered, and she looked like a madwoman.

Yu Mei cried and begged, but only received harsh rebukes from the soldiers.

Wang Shanbao's wife, along with her concubines, maids, servants, and old women, were all driven into the courtyard, where they cried and wailed in the rain. The rain mixed with their tears, adding to their disheveled and desperate state.

In an instant, the once grand and prosperous east wing of the Rongguo Mansion became a living hell. The clatter of chains, the shouts of soldiers, and the cries of women mingled with the continuous drizzle, creating a gloomy and desolate atmosphere.

Inside Rongqing Hall, although Grandmother Jia did not personally go to the east wing to witness the tragic scene, servants and old women nervously reported the situation there.

Upon hearing that Jia Lian, Madam Xing, and others had been arrested and taken away like livestock, Grandmother Jia felt a sharp pain in her heart, tears welling up in her eyes. She choked back sobs and lamented, "Disobedient children! All disobedient children! Such a good family, ruined to this..."

Yuanyang and several other servants also shed tears.

A heavy sadness permeated Rongqing Hall, and even the sound of rain outside sounded like weeping.

……

……

In the Duke's mansion, which is separated from the east courtyard of the Rongguo Mansion by only one wall, when Yuan Yi learned that Jia Lian, Madam Xing and others next door had been arrested and taken away, he briefly discussed the matter with Lin Ruhai in the "Lishenzhai" and listened to Lin Ruhai's reflections. He then put the matter aside and continued to listen attentively to Lin Ruhai's lecture.

Inside the study, Lin Ruhai's clear and melodious voice mingled with the pattering rain outside the window.

Suddenly, Tian Feng, the young eunuch who was guarding the gate, quietly entered and whispered that the Minister of the Imperial Household Department and Prince Zhuang had sent two officials from the Imperial Household Department.

Yuan Yi said to Lin Ruhai, "Please have a seat, sir."

Lin Ruhai hurriedly said, "Fourth Master, please go ahead."

Yuan Yi stood up, straightened his robes, and greeted the two officials from the Imperial Household Department in the hall.

A senior official from the Imperial Household Department's Department of Punishments respectfully reported to Yuan Yi: "By order of Prince He Zhuang, the eunuch Gu Bao'an, who committed the offense in the Prince's residence, has been thoroughly interrogated by the Department of Punishments. It has been confirmed that he abused his power to extort money from outsiders and was unscrupulous in his embezzlement. The evidence is conclusive. He has been given eighty strokes of the cane, stripped of his official title, his property confiscated, and exiled to a remote and harsh place as a severe punishment. I have come to report to the Duke. Prince He Zhuang instructed me to inform the Duke that such a lawless and disorderly servant must not be allowed to tarnish the reputation of the Imperial Court, nor should we dare to fail His Majesty's intention to rectify the order."

In just three short days, Gu Baoan has already met such an end; it can only be described as swift and severe.

Yuan Yi naturally understood that such efficiency was extraordinary. If Emperor Taishun had not personally intervened and issued an edict demanding severe punishment, Prince Hezhuang Yuan Lu would not have acted so swiftly over such a trivial matter.

The punishment of caning can be severe or lenient. Jia Zhen once received eighty strokes of the cane, but that was a light beating. If it were severed, eighty strokes would be enough to kill a person. And even if Gu Bao'an is not beaten to death this time, being sent to a remote and harsh place, he will most likely not live long.

Yuan Yi said, "Your Highness is fair and decisive in handling matters; I understand."

Then, a senior official from the Imperial Household Department spoke up, saying, "Prince He Zhuang thought that it would be inconvenient for the Duke's residence to lack a chief eunuch, so he specially ordered us to carefully select and send a chief eunuch to the residence." As he spoke, he turned to introduce a middle-aged eunuch behind him, "His name is Fang Ju. He has served in the palace for more than twenty years. He is forty-two years old this year and is quite steady and mature. He is here to serve the Duke."

Fang Ju hurriedly stepped forward, knelt down, and kowtowed to Yuan Yi, saying, "This servant Fang Ju greets Your Highness. This servant is foolish and was sent to serve Your Highness. From now on, I will be diligent in my duties and careful in my work. I beg Your Highness to grant me this favor."

After the official business was settled, the two officials from the Imperial Household Department prepared to take their leave.

Yuan Yi ordered someone to take out the reward money and presented it to the two doctors, saying with a smile, "I am grateful to you two for braving the rain to deliver this message today. This is just a small token of my appreciation for the tea."

The two doctors deliberately declined for a while, but then thanked the emperor and accepted the gifts.

……

……

After seeing off the two officials from the Imperial Household Department, Yuan Yi did not immediately return to "Lishenzhai". Instead, he ordered all the ceremonial staff, guards, soldiers, and eunuchs in the mansion to gather in the main hall immediately.

The order was given, and in no time at all, the once spacious hall was now packed with people.

Yuan Yi sat upright in the grand chair in the center of the hall, his expression dignified. Beside him, Meng Xiong, a fifth-rank Imperial Guard with an imposing figure, stood with his hand on his sword, his gaze sharp as lightning, adding to his aura of unapproachable authority.

Yuan Yi suddenly stood up, his gaze slowly sweeping across the entire room. He raised his voice, making it clear to everyone: "I have gathered you all here today only to clarify one thing—the rules!"

He paused slightly, then continued, “Previously, the head eunuch Gu Baoan, relying on his power, extorted money from outsiders, was insatiably greedy, damaged the reputation of my residence, and disregarded my admonitions! Such behavior is intolerable to Heaven and the law!” “Fortunately, His Majesty is discerning and personally issued an edict ordering the Minister of the Imperial Household Department and Prince Zhuang to investigate and punish him severely! Now, Gu Baoan has been severely punished—he has been given eighty strokes of the cane, stripped of his official title, his property confiscated, and exiled to a remote and harsh land!”

These words sent a chill down the spines of everyone in the hall. Although they had suspected it beforehand, hearing such a severe punishment officially announced, and seeing a senior eunuch meet such a fate in just three days, was truly terrifying!
Yuan Yi took in the fear and apprehension of the crowd, and said sternly, "Gu Baoan's fate is a warning! You must all remember that once you enter my Duke's mansion to serve, you must abide by your duties and strictly follow the rules! No matter where you come from or what your background is, if you dare to break the law and violate the rules of my mansion, Gu Baoan's fate today will be your fate tomorrow! I hope you will all behave yourselves and not ruin your own lives!"

Gu Baoan's tragic end, coupled with Yuan Yi's stern reprimand, truly served as a warning to others, with immediate and effective results.

Among the crowd in the hall was a sixth-rank official named Xiang Ruochuan.

Yuan Yi naturally had many spies around him, and Xiang Ruochuan was one of them. Xiang Ruochuan was ordered by Emperor Taishun to not only report urgent matters promptly but also to provide a monthly report on Yuan Yi's situation over the past month. This reflects Emperor Taishun's high regard for Yuan Yi, this newly reinstated prince.

At this moment, Xiang Ruochuan's heart was filled with turmoil. Having witnessed Yuan Yi's methods firsthand, he couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. He secretly thought that when reporting in the future, he must be careful to weigh the pros and cons, so as not to easily offend Yuan Yi, this master with his ruthless methods.

Among the crowd was a fifth-rank official named Lu Rongding. This man, thinking himself superior due to his high rank and position, looked down on Zhang Ruojin, who was in charge of the household's accounts. He had originally intended to interfere in the household's accounts and embezzle funds.

Among the crowd was a eunuch who had originally intended to interfere in the affairs of the inner quarters.

However, their unruly thoughts have been dispelled by the biting cold, and they dare not act rashly, at least not in the short term.

After giving his instructions, Yuan Yi dismissed everyone, leaving behind the newly arrived middle-aged eunuch, Fang Ju.

The crowd filed out of the hall.

Only Yuan Yi, Meng Xiong, and Fang Ju remained in the hall.

Yuan Yi stared at Fang Ju and said calmly, "Fang Ju, did you hear what I just said?"

Fang Ju respectfully replied, "Your Excellency, I have heard every word you said clearly and will remember it well. I will take Gu Bao'an's fate as a warning."

"Hmm." Yuan Yi nodded slightly. "Although you are older and more senior, you should be given important responsibilities. However, given the example of Gu Baoan, and considering you are new here, I still need to observe your character. Therefore, I will not assign you any managerial duties for now, but instead have you do some miscellaneous tasks in the mansion. If you are well-behaved and act in accordance with the rules, you will have a bright future."

Fang Ju replied respectfully, "This servant understands! This servant will certainly be careful in performing his duties, strictly abide by the rules, and dare not fail the Duke's grace and test."

Yuan Yi's move was clearly intentional.

Since Gu Baoan was arrested and questioned, the duties of guarding the gate and summoning people have been temporarily taken over by the young eunuch Tian Feng. Although Tian Feng had also had some shady dealings with Gu Baoan, he was deeply frightened by this incident and had been working diligently and cautiously for the past three days. Yuan Yi was not in a hurry to let Fang Ju, whose background was unclear, take over the important position. He wanted to observe him for a while, see his character clearly, and then make a decision.

In fact, Fang Ju was not such a cunning person. His character was just as his name suggested; he was quite knowledgeable about rules and acted with propriety. After the incident with Gu Baoan, the cautious and astute Prince He Zhuang specifically ordered someone to select such a relatively honest and dutiful eunuch to be sent here, to prevent any further trouble and avoid getting burned.

After giving Fang Ju a special reprimand, Yuan Yi went into the inner quarters and told Yuan Chun about the situation. He then asked Yuan Chun to gather and reprimand the six palace maids in the mansion, while he returned to Li Shen Zhai.

……

……

Rukodo was indeed quite old, well past sixty. His greed grew with the increase of his power.

This time, he met You Erjie at the You family's residence outside the city and actually wanted to take her for himself.

This was because he had recently been considering taking another young and beautiful concubine, and You Erjie was in her prime, quite beautiful, and gentle in demeanor and speech. In the eyes of this old minister who had seen it all, she had a special charm.

Because of his current high position and the emperor's favor, he was quite arrogant. In his mind, his recent scheme to take the helpless You Erjie as his concubine was a win-win situation, as it not only brought him beauty but also relieved the You family of their burdens and benefits. It was not a big deal.

But man proposes, God disposes.

That day, when he learned that Yuan Yi had sent people to bring Old Lady You, along with Second Sister You and Third Sister You, to the Duke's mansion for resettlement, he was first taken aback, but then he understood—Yuan Yi had deliberately intervened to protect the You family, and also to warn him that Second Sister You was not to be touched.

As Yuan Yi had predicted, although Lu Keduo was arrogant and not particularly shrewd, he wouldn't be foolish enough to make an enemy of Yuan Yi for the sake of You Erjie. Even though Lu Keduo was reluctant to part with You Erjie and unhappy with Yuan Yi's interference, he could still weigh the pros and cons clearly.

That afternoon, Lu Keduo took time out of his busy schedule to visit Yuan Yi at the Duke's mansion, fearing that Yuan Yi would expose his shameful act of coercing Old Lady You and attempting to forcibly take Second Sister You, and especially fearing that Yuan Yi would report to Emperor Taishun.

Upon learning of Lu Keduo's arrival, Yuan Yi personally welcomed him into Lishenzhai. The two took their seats as host and guest, and fragrant tea was served.

Lu Keduo exchanged a few pleasantries and praised Yuan Yi before changing the subject to the You family. With a look of shame, he spoke evasively, "Due to the recovery of stolen property, I had some contact with the You family. Alas, it was my oversight that I was unaware of the close relationship between Your Highness and the You family. If I have offended you in any way, I hope Your Highness will forgive me and not take it to heart."

This is a tactful way of apologizing.

Seeing that Lu Keduo had taken the initiative to back down, Yuan Yi smiled slightly and offered him a way out: "Lord Lu, you flatter me. It's just a trivial matter, nothing to worry about. How could I hold a grudge over such a small thing? I certainly won't mention it to outsiders. Please rest assured, Lord Lu."

He paused slightly, then said, "As for the 'sinful property' owed by the You family, we will simply recover the full amount. I will have to trouble Lord Lu to take care of this matter."

Lu Keduo felt a weight lifted from his heart and replied, "Please rest assured, Your Highness, the 'sinful property' owed by the You family has been fully refunded, and there is no need to pursue it further."

For a moment, the atmosphere inside the room became quite harmonious, and the two chatted and laughed.

However, beneath this seemingly harmonious surface, undercurrents are lurking.

Lukodo already harbored resentment towards Yuan Yi.

Yuan Yi knew that Lu Keduo in this world was equivalent to Long Keduo in his previous life. If nothing unexpected happened, this seemingly powerful and influential Lord Lu would likely not be able to maintain his position for long. At the earliest, a year and a half; at the latest, two or three years, he would face dire consequences and reap what he sowed!

At that time, what will this little unpleasantness of today matter?
(End of this chapter)