Chapter 933
Jia Qiang Arrives Alone
Chapter 933 Jia Qiang Arrives Alone
In early summer, the Central Plains is covered with lush green.
Hundreds of thousands of troops, like a giant black dragon, marched southward along the official road.
The south wind grew warmer and blew more violently, causing the military flags to flutter and dance wildly in the wind.
At the front of the team,
The 50,000-man Right Guard of the Imperial Guard had already distanced themselves from the Central Army.
Behind the army, a messenger came hurriedly and shouted from a distance;
"Report, the Marquis has ordered that the generals should lead the troops to slow down their pace and march slowly to the camp for repairs. They must keep a distance from the central army and not make any mistakes."
The sound came from far away.
The sound of hurried horse hooves was heard, and people were approaching.
The Right Guard Commander and Xiaocheng, who were riding on horses, frowned when they heard this, and looked at the messenger captain who had arrived in front of them and asked;
"Why would the Marquis issue such an order? Daliang City is in imminent danger and urgently needs reinforcements. How can we slow down the march?"
"General, the Marquis personally gave the order. I am only responsible for delivering the order. I know nothing else. If the general has any questions, he can go to the Marquis in person to ask."
The captain in front of him responded with a fist clasped, saying that they were only responsible for delivering the message, and as for the rest, they could only speak in person. Then, regardless of what the general said, he rode away.
This departure left He Xiaocheng and his generals stranded there.
"General, outsiders say that the Beijing Army and our Imperial Guards are arrogant. In my opinion, it is the soldiers of Marquis Luo Yun who are arrogant. How dare a lieutenant talk to the general like this? He has no manners at all."
Deputy General Chen Shang had been holding back his anger for a long time. After the others left, he angrily said that their imperial guards had never suffered such losses before. They had a bad meal last night and did not sleep well.
The journey was hurried in the morning. The logistics officer did not even have a hot meal because it was too early. He could only eat cold dry food with the army and fill his stomach with water before he set off.
Now seeing that the captain who delivered the message was also so arrogant, how could he endure it?
"You just can't keep your cool. When the army is out in the field, it's a good thing to have enough to eat. It's well known that the soldiers in the Beijing camp don't get along with us. It's for the sake of Marquis Luo Yun that we can have a hot meal. Remember, His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is in the army. Does he really not understand?"
Riding a horse, walking slowly, since we are going to travel with the army, we can't walk too fast on this road. If we walk too fast, it will consume a lot of energy and the soldiers will be tired. It's really not a good idea. We should find a place to rest for a while ahead.
"Also, there are many people watching us this time. Don't let the work go to the end without any credit. It will be troublesome if we are accused of a crime. We previously thought of going to Daliang City to support and then join the army of Wang Jiedushi. Now I'm afraid that's impossible. So, think twice before you say or do anything."
This is also what He Xiaocheng was worried about. After leaving the capital, he was restricted everywhere. He thought that the grandsons of the Beijing Camp would be tougher. Unexpectedly, the Beijing Camp, which was extremely arrogant in his impression, was not even as good as a dog. Even if it is a dog, it needs to throw a bone to make it wag its tail, which is better than not giving anything at all. Haha, I was angry and followed them.
Therefore,
Everything is difficult, it depends on the situation. The imperial guards can't be arrogant. He had seen the majesty of Luo Yunhou in front of the Meridian Gate. This man is ruthless and quick. If he resists, he will get nothing. Fortunately, he is the commander of the army. If the left guard Lao Yi follows him south, it will be troublesome.
"That's right, Commander. I'll keep it in mind. But the palace has sent a message that we need to preserve our strength and bring the Imperial Guards back intact. How should we solve this problem?"
Deputy General Chen Shang looked distressed. How could he guarantee that he would be able to do what he wanted? If he was under the command of His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin, he might not be noticed. But under the nose of Marquis Luo Yun, if he played some tricks, wouldn't it be like showing off in front of Guan Gong?
"Yes, how to solve it? Everyone says that we should preserve our strength. In front of Marquis Luo Yun, do you want to live or to have strength? Chen Shang, you have followed me for so many years, and you have never been in such a dangerous situation today. You must survive on the battlefield and survive after the war. Even if Marquis Luo Yun took action, it was fair and square. His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin is now the military supervisor. Therefore, if you want to survive, you must kill back at the Taiping Sect."
The words were clear enough. Although he and Xiaocheng had walked all the way, he was tossing and turning in his heart. After thinking again and again, he came back to the starting point. Between preserving his strength and staying alive, he could only choose to stay alive. Even if the 50,000 imperial guards were completely lost and he returned to the capital alone, as long as the emperor still needed him, the 50,000 imperial guards would be at his fingertips. If he didn't need him, he would just give his life away.
Deputy General Chen Shang lowered his head and said nothing. The commander's words were very clear. As long as they left the capital, there would be nothing they could do. Perhaps as for Jiedushi Wang, when he thought that Jiedushi Wang was still trapped in Daliang City and struggling to hold on, his eyes became a little dim, and suddenly he thought of a word: at the mercy of others!
Beijing,
After the army marched south, the people discussed the matter for two days, but could not come up with any conclusion. Gradually, the discussion faded away. Instead, the debate intensified over the notice posted by His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin and the fate of the woman left behind.
Today, the weather is clear, and the sun shines through the thin clouds, casting a warm light and clearing away the dark clouds over the capital.
Rongguo Mansion,
It was still noisy and bustling. The large courtyard between the two mansions was filled with busy people, shouting and calling out one after another.
Wang Xifeng wore a light gown with a golden hundred-dish pattern and a bright red brocade base. On her head, she wore a gold-threaded eight-treasure jade hairpin inserted between the ends of her hair, which was bright and eye-catching.
He still brought Ping'er, Lai Wang and a few guards to the construction site to inspect and see if there were any sly people in charge.
Now at home,
If anyone wants to cheat, don't blame her for being ruthless. She has always been nice to them and given them enough face. Now many servants have come to the West Mansion to serve. The Rongguo Mansion is now a royal family. If she can't manage the people in the mansion well and the news gets out, she will be embarrassed.
"Ping'er, have you arranged everything I told you to do today?"
"To answer grandma, I have already made clear arrangements for the purchases and supervision of the mansion today, as well as for Sister Liu in the kitchen. I will arrange for the maids and servants from the West Mansion to work under Sister Liu. This way, there will be enough people to cook the meals in the mansion."
Ping'er still stood quietly behind the Second Mistress, wearing a light dress and a jade hairpin in her simple hair like the Second Mistress. She stood there with her brows lowered and her head bowed. However, there were still some blue marks under her face, which were covered by the embroidery on her collar.
"Well, it's good enough. When there are more people working, cooking in the backyard is the most important. If there are still not enough people, let the servants and guys working in the front yard go over and tell those who want to cheat in the mansion that if they are caught, they will be punished by the family law."
"Yes, grandma."
Ping Er responded and followed Grandma around the front yard. After making sure that nothing was wrong, she returned to Rongqing Hall.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, Wang Xifeng stopped and looked at Lai Wang who was following behind, and gave instructions;
"Laiwang, you should inquire in the city these few days to find out what is going on in the south. Also, you must leave someone in front of the mansion. If there is any news about your second master, you must intercept it and send it to me first. Do you understand?"
Lai Wang quickly came over and knelt on the ground, and replied;
"Don't worry, Grandma. I know what to do. I will send someone to guard the South City Gate right away. I think we will get news in a few days."
Lai Wang said that the news would come in a few days because he heard it from the scholars and literati in the tavern in the city. Yesterday, even the common people were discussing how many days it would take for Marquis Luo Yun's army to arrive in the south. According to the previous itinerary of the army, it would take at most five days, so he wrote down what was said here so that he could say it out loud.
"Okay, you go and do this yourself, and don't let anyone know."
"Yes, grandma, I'll go right away."
Lai Wang kowtowed on the ground, stood up and left. This time, the master and servant felt a little melancholy. Ping'er dared not say much. The battlefield was dangerous and the swords were blind. She could only pray that the second master would return safely. I think grandma was the one who was most worried about the second master. She secretly touched her neck. It was still aching from the accidental hit by grandma last night.
"Don't worry, Grandma. Second Master is a lucky man. With so many soldiers in the city, how could the enemy army break in? Grandma, you should rest more and take good care of yourself in the next few days."
Ping'er's words of comfort made Wang Xifeng feel much better.
"Okay, stop saying words of comfort and just take care of the affairs at the mansion. Oh, is the old lady's bird's nest ready for today?"
The two chatted for a while, then walked towards the middle courtyard of Rongqing Hall.
"Grandma, I have arranged for someone long ago. I sent someone to deliver it to the old lady's room first, and also to the eldest grandmother's room and Miss Lin's room. I also sent it to Miss Bao's room."
Ping Erh stepped forward, helped Grandma carefully step over the steps, and told her where to send the bird's nest, which made Wang Xifeng happy.
"You are the one who makes the arrangements for this kind of thing. Bird's nests are hard to come by in early spring, so we will send all the ones that should be sent. If there are some that are not sent, then we will not send them. Now that we are here, follow me in."
"Yes, grandma, please go slower."
The two of them entered the main room and disappeared.
At the corner, a few women hurried out of the house, and no one knew where they went.
Outside the house,
Jia Qiang, who had already packed up, walked out of the alley and into his own courtyard. Although the courtyard was not big, with only three rooms, the furnishings in the houses had already been brand new. Yesterday, Jia Qin and others asked for leave from the Second Mistress to help him move the furniture and expenses. When the things were moved into the courtyard, everyone saw that the courtyard was dirty and messy, so they simply cleaned it up together and threw away all the unused things. After cleaning up, they sat in the courtyard and bought wine and food for a banquet, which was considered a celebration of moving into a new house. Although they were chatting happily, they still urged themselves to go to Jia Rong's house as soon as possible to get the money back.
Thinking of this, Jia Qiang decided to ask for another day off from housekeeper Lai to settle this matter first. He straightened his gown and walked to Rongguo Mansion.
Coincidentally,
Although the gates of the Rongguo Mansion were open to the public, according to the instructions of Lai Zongguan, everyone had to enter and exit through the gate and register. In the end, Jia Qiang could only walk to the gate of Rongguo Mansion.
Just arrived at the gate,
The door was crowded with workers going to work.
Manager Lai actually moved a table and chairs and sat there. There was a book on the table for registration. A bookkeeper was also sitting beside him, constantly holding a brush and writing something down. He was so serious. Yanran was in charge of the gate herself, and no one knew why.
Walk forward and hold your fists;
"Butler Lai, sorry to bother you. I wonder if the housekeeper is here?"
Jia Qiang's face was respectful and his words were tactful. He was no longer the arrogant Jia Qiang of the past. As the saying goes, one has to bow his head under the eaves. Today, he came to ask for help, so how could he not be respectful?
Lai Da was startled when he heard this, and looked up at the person in front of him. Qiang Ge'er, who was wearing a dark-colored light shirt, seemed to have become a different person. His face was calm and even had some heroic spirit. He did not dare to neglect him. After all, they were all from the Ningguo Mansion Jia family. He stood up and returned the greeting.
"So it's Brother Qiang. Sorry for neglecting me. The one you just asked about is Lai Guan, but is it Lai Wang who serves Second Madam?"
Although I know it's him, I still need to ask clearly. Now I'm at home, I just need to do my job without making mistakes. It's better to do less or nothing. As the saying goes, the more you do, the more mistakes you make. If I'm caught by the second mistress, I'll definitely be scolded.
It would be better to find a job now and stay here so that you can take a break. After all, the Marquis showed mercy when he confiscated the house that time, and the Second Mistress also showed her kindness!
Although Second Mistress didn't mention the incident, she may have kept it in her account. Therefore, in the following days, he only inspected the courtyard once in the morning and once in the evening, and reported everything to Second Mistress.
"Replying to Butler Lai, I'm here to look for the butler. I wonder if the butler is here?"
Jia Qiang nodded and responded, "It seems that the manager is busy at home. The construction site supervisor is also in his charge, so he should still be at home."
"Brother Qiang, you came at a really bad time. Less than an incense stick of time ago, the steward took the servant out, saying that he was going to South City to do something and would not be back for a while."
It wasn't that Lai Da did it on purpose. Lai Wang was now in charge of the affairs of the inner courtyard. In other words, he was the second steward of Rongguo Mansion.
Jia Qiang was stunned when he heard this, frowning. Why did he go to South City and leave his own affairs aside? Could it be that the Second Mistress regretted it? He thought about it again, this shouldn't be the case.
"Excuse me, Housekeeper Lai, is the Second Madam at home?"
"Yes, but, Brother Qiang, the Second Madam has been in a bad mood these days, and there are many things going on in the inner courtyard. I also know about your situation. Since the Second Madam has promised you, you should go and ask for it first. If she doesn't give it to you,
Lai Da leaned forward and whispered;
"If Rong'er doesn't give it to you, you can come back and look for grandma. I think this matter won't be so difficult."
Listening to what Butler Lai said, he was right. He had to go there anyway. Since the family business had been divided, the accounts needed to be sorted out. Why bother making trouble? He clasped his fists and thanked him.
"Thank you for your advice, Steward Lai. Jia Qiang is very polite. I will go there right away."
"No need to be so polite. I dare not accept your gift."
Seeing that Jia Qiang was about to bow, Lai Da quickly stood up, walked aside, and bowed back, as if returning the courtesy he had shown before.
Jia Qiang smiled slightly, then turned and left. However, his behavior seemed a bit too sophisticated. He had indeed changed a lot.
"Butler Lai, Brother Qiang has changed so much that I can't even recognize him,"
The account-keeper next to him dared to speak out after the others left, but was glared at fiercely by Lai Da.
"Keep your account and don't ask about the affairs of the mansion."
On the street,
People were coming and going, making a lot of noise. After Jia Qiang left Rongguo Mansion, he walked east along Ningrong Street, then turned south and came to the first house in Nantoujufang. It was a three-story house. Although it did not have the majesty of the Duke's Mansion, it was still a good-looking house in the capital.
It would be a lie to say that he was not envious. Jia Rong stood in front of the door, looking at the newly painted red door. He felt a little jealous. Unfortunately, there was only Jia Rong in the lineage of the Ningguo Mansion. He was just taking advantage of the family tree.
After calming down, he walked up and knocked on the door.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
After knocking several times, someone finally came in and answered,
"Who is it?"
With a creaking sound, the door was half-closed, revealing a gap. Zhong'er, who used to serve in Ningguo Mansion, came out with two servants.
Seeing that it was Jia Qiang who came, Zhong Er paused, and hurried forward to salute.
"It turned out to be Brother Qiang. I am so sorry. I don't know why Brother Qiang came here."
As the housekeeper of Jia Rong's house, he could have his say in certain matters. After all, after the separation from the family and becoming a housekeeper, he had a certain status among the servants.
However, these actions, in Jia Qiang's eyes, were somewhat neglectful. Looking at Zhong'er in brocade clothes, he also knew Zhong'er's current identity, and nodded and said,
"So it's the middle steward. I haven't seen you for a long time. You seem to be rich now. I came here today to talk to Rong'er about something. Please pass on a message to me, middle steward."
"Yes, the master is in the inner courtyard. Please wait for a moment, Brother Qiang. I will report to the master right away."
Zhong'er nodded, bowed and stepped back, leaving the two servants behind him, and hurried to the East Courtyard. In the past few days, the master went to the East Courtyard every day to pay his respects to the three concubines.
At this time, Jia Rong, dressed in a brocade robe, was elegant and suave, with the aura of a young man from an aristocratic family. Now he was sitting in Guimei's room in the east courtyard, drinking tea with the three concubines and discussing what was still missing in the mansion.
"Hey, big sister, the courtyard of the mansion has been cleaned up. I wonder if there is anything missing. Ningguo Mansion has made a big move, so there are many good things."
Gui Mei was the most skillful. She was in a hurry to speak. Her plump body trembled lazily, which made Jia Rong, who was sitting opposite her, feel dry in the mouth and could not help swallowing his saliva.
He reached out and picked up the tea bowl on the table, and with a gulp, he drank all the tea in the bowl.
"Yes, Auntie is right. As the saying goes, once you've missed this place, you'll miss it forever. The courtyards have been almost cleaned up, and there's still a lot left for all the furniture. If I need anything else, I can just go to Ningguo Mansion again."
He spoke generously and boldly. Outsiders who didn't know him would think that Jia Rong was still the master of Ningguo Mansion.
Yang Xiao rolled her eyes at Jia Rong, feeling relieved. Now that she had arranged a place to live, she would be able to live a stable life in the future, save some money on food and clothing, and her life would be no worse than that in the Duke's Mansion. As for the future, seeing Jia Rong staring at her sisters, she decided to find a chance to talk to them all night.
Don't think about it for the time being. She is not a brainless person. The master's family has just suffered a death, and the direct descendants have to observe mourning for three years. In addition, the master's family also has the concubine visiting her parents. It is better to be cautious during this period. She must not lose her sense of propriety and go out wearing it and cause trouble.
Before he could say anything, He Xue sighed quietly.
"Our Master Rong is still generous. He has the final say in the Duke's Mansion. Why not..."
(End of this chapter)