The Military Governor in Dream of the Red Chamber

"Hey? Isn't this Brother Chen? Didn't you go to Datong?"

"You're back?"

"Thank God, I heard that the northern barbarians plundered Datong, but thankfully you're alright. Your mother has been very worried these past few days, constantly talking about you."

These were the neighbors, and they recognized Jia Chen and gathered around.

Jia Chen remembered their identities, so he kept calling out "Hello, Aunt Liu," "Hello, Aunt Wang," and "Uncle Zhao," among other things.

I finally got home. It was a traditional courtyard house, or rather, a large tenement.

The three main rooms face south, with two side rooms on each side.

There is a wall to the south, and a gate is opened in the wall.

This wasn't just Jia Chen's family's property; the three main rooms were where his family lived, while the side rooms on the left and right belonged to two other families.

The small courtyard in the middle was cluttered with clothes drying and piled with a lot of miscellaneous items, making it look rather messy.

The house belongs to the Rongguo Mansion; it's just for the servants to live in.

Back inside, Jia Chen found that his mother was not home. She should still be at the Jia residence at this time, but she would be back soon.

I have no idea where my five-year-old sister is.

She's probably staying at one of her aunts' or sisters-in-law's houses.

Her mother couldn't bring her younger sister with her when she went to work for Li Wan; she usually entrusted her to the neighbors for care.

The house was simple but very clean, with everything neatly arranged, a stark contrast to the messy yard outside.

Since three families live here, it's useless even if you want to keep the yard clean.

Because the other two companies quickly made a mess of the place again.

So his mother usually just kept the small patch of land in front of the three main rooms tidy.

The main room is in the middle, where Jia Gan's memorial tablet is located, currently covered with a red cloth.

Generally speaking, the memorial service is only held on the first and fifteenth of the lunar month and on the anniversary of someone's death.

Jia Chen didn't think much of it and respectfully offered incense.

Now that I've entered this body, I'll fulfill my filial duties in place of the original owner.

The two rooms on the left and right are bedrooms. Since Jia Gan died in battle, Jia Chen has occupied one room by himself, while his sister moved in to live with his mother.

He went to his bedroom and found a cloth covering the bed to keep out dust. The blue bricks on the floor were very clean, and the tables and chairs were spotless.

It is clear that even when he was not around, his mother still frequently cleaned and wiped the surfaces.

After waiting for about half an hour, there was finally some movement outside.

Jia Chen could hear the women outside talking about his return; it must be his mother.

He felt a little uneasy.

His mother in this life was gone when he was very young in his previous life.

"Chen'er~~" His mother's voice rang out from outside.

Jia Chen hurriedly opened the door.

"Son, are you alright?" A figure rushed over, hugged Jia Chen, and then quickly let go, looking Jia Chen up and down, left and right, as if afraid that Jia Chen was missing a piece of flesh.

"Mother, Mother, I'm fine," Jia Chen said as calmly as possible.

His mother looked thin and had even developed a few gray hairs.

Jia Chen remembered that his mother didn't look like this before she left Beijing; she had aged considerably.

Keep in mind that she was only a woman in her early forties.

It was probably because the northern barbarians' southward advance made her too worried and concerned about herself.

"You scared me to death! I heard a few days ago that Datong was ravaged by the northern barbarians. The Tartars are brutal. They killed and captured many people. I'm so afraid of you~~~" As she said this, tears streamed down Jia Chen's mother's face.

Her husband is gone, and her son is her last hope.

Although she has a daughter, she will eventually get married.

With Jia Chen's comforting words, his mother gradually stopped crying and calmed down.

He told his mother about some of the things that happened in Datong.

Not wanting to dwell on his own affairs, Jia Chen changed the subject, asking, "Mother, where did Xiaoya go? I haven't seen her since I arrived."

Xiaoya is his five-year-old sister, Jia Liuya.

"I sent her to the Jia family mansion to learn the rules and etiquette of the household from Granny Chen," said Jia Chen's mother, Madam Jia Shen.

His mother's surname is Shen.

Upon hearing this, Jia Chen frowned.

A fragment from the depths of his memory surfaced: before he even went to Datong, Jia Shenshi had mentioned to him that she was preparing to send Jia Liuya to the Jia family mansion.

After studying for a few years, you can become a maid when you are a little older.

Jia Chen did not object to this decision at the time.

After all, working in the Jia family was a prestigious job in their eyes.

Not just anyone can work in the Jia family mansion.

You need to be good-looking, clever, and pass various tests. Of course, you also need connections or money to pave the way.

Liu Ya'er was able to get in because Jia Shenshi worked in Li Wan's courtyard; there was some personal connection involved.

But for Jia Chen now, the idea of ​​having his sister work as a maid and serve others is unacceptable.

She's only five years old. In my previous life, that would be kindergarten age.

"Mother, let's bring Xiaoya back," Jia Chen said.

Jia Chen's words surprised Jia Shenshi, who knew how many people wanted to work in the Jia family but couldn't.

She had to ask someone for help to get Xiaoya into the Jia family.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Madam Jia shook her head and said, "You know Lan-ge'er, right? He's about the same age as Xiao-ya. In the future, I'll talk to Madam Zhu and have Xiao-ya serve by Lan-ge'er's side."

Jia Chen was speechless for a moment.

Li Wan's son, Jia Lan, is four years old now, which is indeed similar in age to Xiao Ya.

Jia Chen was well aware of his mother's thoughts.

Let Xiaoya be a personal maid, and she might even have the chance to become Jia Lan's concubine or something.

Jia Chen couldn't say that his mother's idea was wrong.

Under normal circumstances, this is the result that the servants of the Jia family most desire.

But Jia Chen couldn't accept it.

The person I accepted before was the original Jia Chen, not him.

"Besides, after your father passed away, we have to be careful with our money. Xiaoya can learn from Granny Chen for a few years, and when she's a little older, she can help out in the mansion and earn some income to supplement the family income. You're older now, so shouldn't your mother save some money to find you a wife?" Jia Shenshi said.

In the Jia family mansion, one has no worries about food and drink, and doesn't have to use one's own money.

For Jia Shenshi, this saved her another expense.

"What wife? It's too early. I have money." Jia Chen took out a small cloth bag from his pocket.

"She's sixteen already, not a child anymore. We need to have the matchmakers keep an eye out for suitable girls so she can get married sooner, and then I can have peace of mind. As for the money, how much do you have?" Madam Jia smiled.

She had some understanding of how much military pay was.

After all, Jia Gan had been in the army for so many years, and he had heard Jia Gan mention it to him quite a bit.

Even the captains didn't have much silver, let alone the salary Jia Chen received from the junior officers.

Before going to Datong, she gave Jia Chen five taels of silver.

However, when she took the bag, her hand involuntarily felt a little heavier; the bag seemed rather large.

Jia Shenshi untied the rope binding the bag, opened it, and her face was full of surprise.

She walked quickly to the door and closed it.

She quickly returned to Jia Chen's side, her hands trembling slightly as she held the bag. Her voice trembled as she asked, "Son, where...where did this come from? Don't tell me you've done something bad. Your father has lived an honest life; you can't..."