Chapter 934
: Grandmother Jia is extremely disappointed
Chapter 934: Grandmother Jia is extremely disappointed
As you step into the central courtyard of Rongqing Hall in Rongguo Mansion, the breath of early summer hits you, carrying with it the unique wealth and splendor of the Jia family.
In the middle of the courtyard, an exquisite rockery stands quietly. The texture of the stone is like a sculpture of time. Moss grows between the stones, and it becomes greener under the warm nourishment of early summer. In the meantime, a few daylilies poke their heads out from the cracks in the stone, adding a bit of softness to the toughness.
Wang Xifeng led Ping'er through the corner door and walked straight into the inner hall. As soon as she entered the room, she felt that the atmosphere was not right. She didn't know when, but the eldest master, the second master, the two wives, Baoyu, Sanchun, and the eldest sister-in-law, Madam You, were all here. Daiyu and others were sitting in the back seats, but Jia Huan and Jia Zong were sitting in the seats below Baoyu. Even Aunt Zhao, who was always not presentable, was standing behind Jia Huan.
When she reached the screen, she paused for a moment, her eyes fixed. Without notifying her, so many people came, it must be the old lady's intention. After entering the room, she spoke first;
"Madam, everything in the courtyard has been arranged. So many people have come today. Do you have any instructions?"
On the kang in the north, Jia's mother sat there with a smile, and patted the seat that had been prepared beside her.
"The affairs of the mansion are all taken care of by Miss Feng. Here is the silver given by the eldest and second sons' families. Come and take it. There are also some other things to discuss."
"Uh, yes, old lady,"
Since there was something to say, Wang Xifeng observed his expression, walked over, picked up the stack of silver bills on the table, and put them into her purse. Although this action was quick, Jia She, who was sitting on the east side, twitched his mouth. There was 40,000 taels of silver he had paid.
These were all accumulated over many years. I didn't expect that the second brother's family could take out hundreds of thousands of taels of silver without changing their expression. I don't know how much of the property of this mansion was swallowed up by his family. How could he not have resentment in his heart?
Yesterday, he privately mentioned to the old lady the future of the descendants of the direct line of the Jia family. Today, she summoned them back. Could it be that her mother had figured it out so quickly? Jia Zong was not young anymore.
"Okay, just keep it. Now that everyone is here, I will tell you what I want to say today."
He first looked at Baoyu and Daiyu with a loving gaze, then at the maid Sanchun, and finally looked calmly at Jia Huan and Jia Zong. Although he felt a little disgusted, after all, they were the legitimate descendants, and he had neglected them in the past.
Everyone in the room was silent, and no one knew what the old lady wanted to say.
"Today, let me first explain that Concubine Xian De is favored in the palace, and your family has received great favors, but you must guard against arrogance and impatience, and do not cause trouble at will. The royal family also needs to rest with the country."
These words are a reminder. Many people have been dealt with in the palace due to old events. There are many secrets ahead, so how can we not be careful?
Jia She nodded. Of course, in the future, relying on his status in the palace, it would be most important to do more business to earn money. He would not waste his gratitude on trivial matters in daily life.
"What the old lady said is that some things should be used wisely. We should follow the rules and etiquette on a daily basis and never act recklessly and leave any evidence behind."
I don't know if it was the eldest master who spoke first, but everyone looked at him suspiciously. Even Lady Jia glanced over. This was a change of character.
"Second brother's, what do you think?"
Jia Zheng nodded in agreement, sat upright, and replied;
"What mother and elder brother said is that the family tradition must be upright, the rules must be established, and the etiquette must be followed. If it is spread out, it will also make other families look up to our Jia family members."
Only Jia Zheng could say such pedantic words. Jia She frowned and wanted to say a few more words, but when he saw the old lady's eyes, he swallowed his words back. Today was not the time to say such words.
"Well, what the second brother said is right. A direct descendant of the Duke's Mansion must have a promising future. Otherwise, if the reputation of the Duke's Mansion is ruined and the news gets out, the Jia family will lose face."
It was not known whether it was a reprimand or some other intention, but Jia She immediately changed his words.
Wang Xifeng didn't understand. The mansion had always been living like this, and the young master and young lady had never left the house. Even if she wanted to cause trouble, she wouldn't have the chance. Could it be that Baoyu's affair was discovered? That didn't make sense. It was she and Ping'er who took care of the aftermath. The nuns in Shuiyue Temple wouldn't be so ignorant.
Thinking of what happened before, Yun Guang, the governor of Chang'an County, also wrote a letter back. In his words, he complained after receiving the money. How could this be justified?
As soon as she glanced at him, she unconsciously looked at Jia Baoyu. She had always thought that Jia Baoyu was just a half-grown child in the mansion, but she didn't expect that when he became ridiculous, he could be comparable to Jia Lian. He was with two women at once, without any reservation. Then again, why didn't she find out when she was in the mansion? He was really a child of the Jia family. As the saying goes, it is difficult to change one's nature.
Take a closer look.
But Jia Baoyu was staring at Miss Lin opposite him in a daze, with an indescribable look of disgust. He was also somewhat alert in his heart. The Marquis was leading his troops south, and there must not be any mistakes. Fortunately, Miss Lin's yard was guarded by the Marquis's personal soldiers, but how could anyone feel at ease with such a look? He also didn't know what Miss Meng thought about the marriage. He should find a chance to discuss it with the old lady and settle the marriage so that Baoyu could put his mind at ease.
On the other hand, Lin Daiyu, who was sitting at the end, was wearing plain clothes and light clothing. Her pretty and rosy face was slowly becoming more lively. The long-accumulated disease energy between her eyebrows and eyes had actually dispersed and was now shining brightly. It was obvious that the long-accumulated disease was about to be cured by the medicine.
Turning her head to glance at Xichun, she no longer looked as quirky as before. Now she was sitting obediently beside Daiyu, looking more like a lady from a noble family. Yingchun was still as quiet as ever, not caring about worldly affairs. Only Tanchun had helplessness and uneasiness in her eyes. She kept looking at Jia Huan and Aunt Zhao, perhaps she had something on her mind.
This scene,
Li Wan saw everything. Although her belly was not showing, it could not be hidden for long.
Therefore, there is no time to delay in moving to Dongyuan. But I don’t know why the old lady called people here today?
"Well, that's right. Family tradition is the face of the family. Since you're all here, I'll talk about it. Let's talk about Ningguo Mansion first. Jia Rong has already separated from the family. Let's not talk about it for now. Since Jia Lian went to the Beijing camp, he has his own prestige. Now he is still fighting on the battlefield, and he has not disgraced the Jia family's tradition."
Having said this, her eyes fell on Wang Xifeng who was sitting next to her, with some pity in her eyes, but she didn't know how Feng could bear it after seeing this. She was worried about Jia Lian and couldn't sleep all night. When she brought up this, tears couldn't stop falling. Ping'er hurriedly took out her handkerchief and handed it to her, carefully comforting her. Even Jia She, who was standing next to her, felt a little upset in his heart. How could that evil creature believe the Wang family and follow them? Now he is trapped in Daliang city, not knowing whether he is dead or alive.
When everyone saw her, they all came forward to comfort her. After a while, she finally stopped crying.
Grandmother Jia sighed and continued,
"I won't talk about the rest for now, but the legitimate children of our two families, whether they are born out of wedlock or not, must have a way out. Brother Lan worked hard and passed the imperial examination. He was given an imperial title and became a ninth-rank official. Now he is working in the Imperial College and can continue to study. By the way, Brother Lan from the Zhu family is on duty?"
in a blink,
Looking in Li Wan's direction, Madam You turned her head and glanced at Li Wan, not knowing what the old lady meant.
"Yes, old lady, the Imperial College has opened a school now, and Brother Lan has gone to work early this morning."
Li Wan's eyebrows were filled with joy. No matter what, Jia Lan had fulfilled her wish. This was the only way to succeed. This question and answer made the second wife, Mrs. Wang, look gloomy. She had blocked many things. Who would have thought that Jia Lan would pass the imperial examination while Baoyu failed? Could it be that the old lady had tricked him?
"Well, that's good. Since the Imperial College has started, we should also make good use of the time in the clan's school. Madam You and the Zhu family, you should pay attention to it in the next few days. Within three days, call for those in the clan who can still go to school and find a teacher to teach them first, and don't wait until there is free time."
"Yes, old lady, the yard has been cleaned up a long time ago, and the pens, ink, paper and inkstone are all ready. As long as the roster is registered, school can start. Master Qian has to prepare for the imperial examination. After he resigned, there are a few idle scholars who came to teach. We can use them first."
This matter was arranged by Madam You. The courtyard was ready. There were no good teachers, but there were a lot of scholars who had been prepared long ago. However, there were not many candidates. The imperial examination would be held in the autumn. Those who were not sure of the results wanted to take the exam. Who would have the energy to teach?
Grandmother Jia also knew all this. Many teachers were in the academy, so she thought of sending Baoyu to the Qinglian Academy to study. However, as soon as the idea came to her mind, she immediately gave it up. If he went outside, she didn't know how much suffering he would have to endure.
"Well, you two should keep an eye on the school affairs. As for Baoyu, he can continue to study when he has time. As for Jia Huan and Jia Zong, what do you two think?"
As soon as the words are pushed,
The problem was pushed onto Jia She and Jia Zheng. They were stunned. This matter should not be arranged by the old lady. How could they be asked to think about it?
inside the house,
Everyone was puzzled. Jia Huan was not very old, and Jia Zong was still young. How should they arrange this? Only Aunt Zhao, who was standing behind Jia Huan, had a happy look on her face. It seemed that the master wanted to find a future for Huan.
After waiting for a long time, the two masters still didn't speak. Aunt Zhao was so anxious that she wanted to throw a tantrum, but Tanchun, who was sitting opposite her, stopped her with a stern look.
"Everything depends on the mother. The son is also unsure about the decision."
Jia She didn't understand what the old lady was going to arrange, so he could only reply that Jia Zong was young, and even if he was arranged to study, he could only go to school. As for what he could achieve, that was obvious.
"Second brother, what do you think?"
Hearing this, Jia's mother turned her gaze back to Jia Zheng for questioning. Jia Zheng glanced at his elder brother and replied casually;
"Mother, I think that Jia Huan and Jia Zong are still young, so they can go to the clan school together. Jia Lan was able to pass the imperial examination, so it doesn't mean that others don't have a chance. It is said that everything in the world is inferior except for studying. I think the imperial examination is still necessary."
It was normal for Jia Zheng to say this. With a precedent, the road ahead could be foreseen. However, this remark made the first wife and Aunt Zhao frown. It sounded nice, but the imperial examination had always been a one-way street. How many people could pass it? Besides, Mrs. Xing didn't care. She glanced at her and thought about the second wife. Before Jia Baoyu passed the imperial examination, she wanted Jia Huan to study. It was wishful thinking.
"You are right. All things are inferior except reading. If you want to gain fame, you still need to study. However, the foundation of a great country is martial arts, and the foundation of honor and nobility is still based on martial arts. Our Jia family is also one of the best in martial arts, and the family martial arts are all here. I am thinking that if Jia Huan and Jia Zong are not good at studying, instead of wasting time, it is better for them to start practicing martial arts now, so that they can have a good future in the army in the future."
As soon as these words were spoken,
The room suddenly fell silent. Not to mention the wives of the wives, even Jia She and Jia Zheng had never thought of letting the legitimate son learn martial arts and join the army. Jia Lian was just an accident, or it could not be said to be an accident. After all, Jia Lian had really practiced martial arts at that time. Although he was not very good, he had suffered a lot and had some basic skills.
However, Jia Huan and Jia Zhong are both illegitimate sons with eccentric personalities. For them, practicing martial arts is not just something they can talk about; it requires a lot of money. Most importantly, can they endure such hardship?
Jia Zong and Jia Huan had already heard this and their faces turned pale. Although they were not very old, when they were young, they had seen Jia Lian practicing martial arts, getting up early and going to bed late, wailing and crying in pain. They had left a deep impression on their minds. How could they become martial artists? They still had to study. Studying not only allowed them to be lazy, but also brought them a lot of money. Who would want to end up like Jia Lian, with no idea of whether he would live or die?
Aunt Zhao, who was standing behind him, saw that the old lady wanted to send her own Huan'er to practice martial arts, so how could she agree? Jia Lian was so capable, and he looked so impressive in the battle, but he was still trapped in the city and his life or death was unknown. Jia Huan had been smart since he was a child, and he would at least be a master of the imperial examination in the future, so how could he go to such places? She could no longer hold back, so she walked out, bowed, and said,
"Old lady, as you said, martial arts training also requires talent. The second master is now a civil servant. This family is all good at studying. Although Jia Huan is not a good person, he is calm and smart. He should study hard now and pass the examination to become an official in the future, just like Lang'er. That would be a great honor. Although martial arts training is not bad, one should start to nourish the body and strengthen the muscles and bones from a young age. Jia Zong has a strong body, so he can do martial arts training by himself."
What he said was not uncoincidental, and it was not without reason. The second branch was full of literary talent, so perhaps Jia Huan also had a chance. Jia Zheng nodded and smiled. After all, he was his son, and reading was much better than being a warrior. However, Jia She's face looked a little ugly. After all, his two sons could only practice martial arts and fight. If something happened to them, wouldn't he have given away the title?
Fortunately, Madam Xing helped Jia She out of the predicament and said with a smile;
"What are you talking about, Aunt Zhao? Your daughter Huan'er is smart, how could I not know that? I heard that the maids in the backyard were all raped by your daughter Huan'er. She hasn't even finished school yet, but she's already thinking about the romantic life of scholars. She's not very good at reading books, it's better to practice martial arts to strengthen her body. When Baoyu becomes an official in the future, he will have a helper by his side."
This was a non-starter and an ender, but the last sentence was very pleasant to the ear. If Baoyu became an official, he really needed help from his side. As the saying goes, brothers fight together to fight tigers, and fathers and sons fight together in battle. Some things and some words should be done by one's own family, so the second wife was already somewhat tempted.
But how could Aunt Zhao agree? Those who really practice martial arts not only practice martial arts, but also practice Qi and open the tendons and meridians. These are very harmful to the body. If they succeed in opening the meridians, it's good. If they fail, the body will be injured for the rest of their lives. How could she not understand this principle?
I was anxious.
He knelt down directly and wailed;
"Oh, those who are evil-hearted will find ways to kill people. He is a good student, but he chose to learn martial arts. Who will tell me what will happen to him in the future? Master, please say something."
First crying, then making a scene, and then hanging herself, Aunt Zhao performed all her unique skills in the room in the hall. Her noisy appearance made everyone look embarrassed, but Jia She felt relieved in his heart.
Jia Zheng's face turned red and he said angrily;
"Get up, what a disgrace! Why don't you just go back? How can I ask him to practice martial arts?"
Seeing the Second Master getting angry, Aunt Zhao wiped her tears, got up and stood there aggrieved, refusing to go back.
Grandmother Jia sat on the kang, watching the whole room of people watching the fun, looking as if it had nothing to do with them. Suddenly, she felt angry.
"In a dignified Duke's Mansion, the affairs of the younger generation haven't been settled yet, but they've already started to make trouble. Why isn't it good to practice martial arts? With martial arts, some problems will naturally be solved. If Jia Huan and Jia Zong really want to develop their skills, I will risk my reputation to find a future for them. But if they are mediocre, the most I can do is donate an official position."
As for the matter of donating an official position, almost every noble family in the capital, including every family and mansion, donated an official position and a future for their illegitimate children.
It has almost become a routine, but it is just an empty title, and there is no real vacancy. For the military merit, at most, they can go to the Bingmasi to find a position, or those who practice martial arts and open their meridians go to the Beijing Camp to serve. For the civil officials, there are more officials who donate money, and there are many sixth and seventh grades. They can only seek fame, and they don't even have a salary. Therefore, donating money to become an official also requires a lot of knowledge.
But Aunt Zhao didn't care about that. As long as she had an official title, she didn't care how she got it. If Jia Huan put on the official uniform, it would be no different from who else.
"Thank you very much, old lady,"
Without saying anything, he knelt down and kowtowed. This made Jia Mu very happy. He was like a piece of mud that could not be helped. The more he was like this, the more speechless he was. If he was really smart, he would take this opportunity to learn martial arts. No matter whether he could master it in the future, she would definitely do her best to cultivate him. He couldn't grasp the opportunity even if it was given to him. To read that book, you also need to have the material. Looking at Jia Huan again, he obviously has that kind of appearance, but his character is cunning. I don't know how he was trained. She scolded him a few times and said;
"Get up, go back and stand, don't speak unless someone asks you, old man, what should Jia Zong do?"
After scolding her, Aunt Zhao lowered her head and walked back, but her steps seemed much lighter. Jia She, on the other hand, had a gloomy expression. Did she need to ask him more?
"Old lady, you see that Jia Zong is still young. It is better for him to read more and understand the truth. There are two good students in the mansion, and the rest must have literary talent. Why should we train them if we don't focus on their studies? If they can't study, it won't be too late to practice martial arts. It is said that martial arts have different levels. Even people in the martial arts world are not all masters. It is enough to have martial arts to rely on."
The words were all excuses, and Grandmother Jia was helpless and extremely disappointed. She shook her head and said;
"You all have your own reasons. Even if I want to say more, it's useless. In this case, then study hard and try to get a good education. Let's go back, Yuanyang, let's go back to the house and rest."
Grandmother Jia ignored everyone and went to the east warm room with the help of Yuanyang, leaving everyone at a loss. Jia She was angry and couldn't sit still, so he got up and left. Mrs. Xing took Jia Zong and left. Jia Zheng didn't know if he was unhappy or not, he glared and drove Aunt Zhao back. Jia Huan hurriedly followed behind him.
As for the other people, they looked at each other and left, leaving only the Second Wife and Jia Baoyu, who seemed to have something to say!
(End of this chapter)