Wishes Fulfilled

Jia Qiang and Jia Qin, those two cowards, were already pale with fright.

They originally just wanted to use this as an excuse to mock and ridicule that bean sprout under the west corridor, thereby satisfying their own vain and extravagant desires.

Who would have thought that the former pushover would actually resort to violence and even bring the matter to Mengpo Studio?

Thinking of Jia Yun's righteous words and the way everyone looked at them, they realized that disaster was about to befall them. They trembled like leaves and wished they could disappear into the ground.

Wang Xifeng stood behind Grandmother Jia, looking at the disheveled boy on the ground, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration.

She had long anticipated that Jia Yun was no ordinary person, but she hadn't expected him to be so quick-witted and eloquent, and even more remarkable was his courage!

Even in his rage and frustration, he could still analyze things meticulously, each sentence hitting Jia Zheng's most sensitive nerves! If this young man were given the opportunity, he would be no ordinary person!

After hearing this, Jia Zheng's face turned ashen, and he trembled with rage!

He was already worried about the political situation and the future of his family. Now, seeing his own children so incompetent and their short-sighted infighting and framing almost causing a disaster, he was even more furious!

"You wretched children! You two wretched children!" Jia Zheng pointed his spear at Jia Qiang and Jia Qin, his voice trembling. "My Jia family is a family of scholars and officials, how could we have produced such fools as you, who sow discord and frame your brothers! Guards! Bring the family law! I will beat these two scourges to death today!"

Upon seeing this, Jia Lian, Jia Rong, and others hurriedly stepped forward to stop the enraged Jia Zheng, while the other female relatives also chimed in with their own words of advice.

"Please calm down, sir!"

"Father, please take care of yourself!"

"They know they were wrong!"

Madam Wang couldn't bear to see people die, so she quickly said, "Master, it's not worth getting sick from anger. We need to think this over carefully."

Seeing this scene, and then looking at Jia Yun, whose face was covered in blood but who still stood stubbornly upright, Grandmother Jia felt both pity and anger. She sighed, "You wretched children! You're going to make me sick! Why force such a fine young master to this point? Zheng'er, take a breather. Do you really want to kill someone?"

Still panting, Jia Zheng stamped his foot and shouted angrily, "Rebellion! Rebellion! This is outrageous!—Where is Jia Zhen? Is he dead? Bring him here at once! Let him see for himself how well he disciplined his children!"

Before long, Jia Zhen rushed over.

He was shocked by the scene, and after hearing Wang Xifeng's whispered explanation, his face flushed and turned pale. He spat on Jia Qiang's face and cursed, "You filthy thing! Always stirring up trouble, and now you've caused this mess!"

After he finished scolding them, he hurriedly bowed to Grandmother Jia and Jia Zheng with a smile and said, "It was all my fault. I spoiled them too much, which led to this situation. I beg you, Grandmother and Uncle, to calm down."

For a time, chaos erupted outside Mengpo Studio, with elders scolding, younger people begging for forgiveness, and voices of persuasion never ceasing.

Wang Xifeng observed coldly, but seeing that the time was right, she gracefully stepped forward and gently supported Grandmother Jia's shoulder, softly advising, "Grandmother, why are you so angry? Master, please calm down. In my opinion, it's fortunate that Yun'er is quick-witted, and that attentive servant informed us, so a major incident was averted. However—"

"This Yun-ge'er is usually very sensible. Although his family is poor, he is always eager to study hard and make progress, so as to bring honor to our family. Now he has suffered this unexpected calamity. If it really chills his heart and delays his studies, wouldn't that be a sin for our Jia family?"

Her words, though seemingly meant to comfort, were actually meant to defend Jia Yun, highlighting his "ambition" and "grievances," as well as the potential consequences of the matter.

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng forcibly suppressed his anger and looked at Jia Yun. He saw that although the child had been loosened, he was still standing there with his neck stiff, refusing to bend over.

Jia Yun's shoulders shrugged slightly, and blood dripped down his forehead and chin, showing the demeanor of a tough man despite his young age.

That restraint and grievance softened Jia Zheng's heart.

In a daze, he saw a resemblance in that stubborn figure to the young Pearl who had died young.

Thinking of the likes of Jia Qiang and Jia Rong, who only knew how to fight cocks, chase dogs, and enjoy flowers and willows all day long, this poor but self-reliant child in front of me seemed all the more precious.

Jia Zheng considered himself a scholar, and he valued studying and pursuing an official career the most. This was because he had originally intended to get a proper career through the imperial examinations, but his father wrote a petition on his deathbed, and the emperor, by his grace, granted him an additional official position.

Although this was a great act of imperial grace, it ultimately became a regret in his heart.

Moreover, the official position bestowed through hereditary privilege is ultimately not as prestigious as one who obtains it through the imperial examinations. Now, seeing such promising young men in the clan who are dedicated to the imperial examinations, one cannot help but look at them differently, feeling that this is the only way for the family to have a long-term future.

After a moment's hesitation, Jia Zheng finally made his decision, saying in a deep voice, "Enough, enough. Yun'er has been wronged. The fault lies with Jia Qiang and Jia Qin; they stirred up trouble, framed their brother, and almost brought disaster upon the family! Jia Zhen!"

Jia Zhen hurriedly replied, "Nephew is here."

"You raised Jia Qiang, and Jia Qin is also from your Ning Mansion lineage. Take them back and give them each twenty strokes of the cane, then lock them in the ancestral hall for two months to repent! Deduct three months' worth of allowance! If they dare to cause trouble again, they will be expelled from the family!"

Jia Zheng dealt with the matter without any leniency.

Although Jia Zhen felt the punishment was too severe, seeing that Jia Zheng was in a fit of anger, he had no choice but to agree. Jia Qiang, upon hearing "twenty strokes of the cane" and "two months of repentance," was already terrified.

He disregarded everything else and hurriedly crawled a few steps to grab Jia Zhen's leg, crying and pleading, "Master, spare me! Master, spare me! It...it was all Qin'er's idea! He...he instigated me, saying that Yun'er...saying that Yun'er was slandering you behind your back. I was confused for a moment and believed his slander! Please, Master, see the truth!"

His shout immediately drew everyone's attention to Jia Qin.

Despite his pale face, Jia Qin did not argue, but simply lowered his head and remained silent—he had admitted it.

Everyone present was a shrewd person; they all knew that Jia Qiang was sacrificing a pawn to save the king. Feng Jie watched from the sidelines, a cold smile playing on her lips, but remained silent.

Seeing this, Jia Zheng grew even more disgusted with such evasive behavior. Since the person being falsely accused had already admitted it, there was no need to pursue the matter further. Therefore, Jia Zheng changed the verdict, saying in a deep voice:

"Since that's the case, Jia Qiang, you're easily swayed and can't distinguish right from wrong. You're to be punished with ten strokes of the cane, confined to your room for a month to reflect on your mistakes, and your three-month allowance is deducted! Jia Qin, you're wicked and framed your brother, your crime is doubled! You're to be punished with twenty strokes of the cane, confined to the ancestral hall for four months to repent, and your six-month allowance is completely waived!"

With the punishment decided, the two men were dragged away like stray dogs. Jia Qiang was secretly relieved to hear that his punishment had been halved, but a trace of resentment also arose in his heart. He couldn't help but glare fiercely at Jia Yun, trying to intimidate her with his eyes.

To his surprise, when he looked up, he met Jia Yun's gaze directly—the young man was neither angry nor proud, but looked at him calmly, with a hint of pity in his eyes.

When Jia Qiang recalled the ferocity and savagery of the other party when they had beaten her, her fierce arrogance vanished instantly, and she lowered her head sheepishly, remaining silent.

After the matter was settled, Jia Zheng looked at Jia Yun, his tone much gentler: "Yun-ge'er, focus on your studies and don't let external affairs bother you. Since you've set your mind on the imperial examinations, how could the family not support you?"

"Starting this month, one tael of silver will be allocated from the public treasury each month for your writing materials and lamp expenses until you turn twenty. If you are able to enter school before the age of twenty, the allowance will continue. If you have not achieved any official rank by the age of twenty, or if you yourself abandon your studies, then the allowance will cease. What do you think?"

One tael of silver a month! This was like a godsend for Jia Yun and his mother! It was enough to free them from the most basic survival difficulties, allowing Jia Yun to focus on his studies without having to worry about the few hundred coins he earned from copying books at Jigu Pavilion!

Jia Yun's heart was filled with excitement.

He knew that this was the result of his own bloodshed and tears, and also the compensation and expectation given by Sister Feng and Jia Zhengquan after careful consideration.

At this moment, he abandoned his stubbornness, knelt down with a thud, and kowtowed three times to Jia Zheng and his grandmother, his voice choked with emotion: "Grandson...thanks to Grandmother and Master Zheng for their grace! Grandson will certainly study diligently and never let the family down!"

The turmoil was eventually quelled by Jia Zheng's strong intervention and Wang Xifeng's skillful maneuvering.

His image in the eyes of everyone in the Rongguo Mansion was completely changed from then on, and no one dared to underestimate him because of his poverty.

Jia Yun sighed inwardly, thinking how useful Mr. Li's words were.

Hit a punch, lest a hundred punches come!