Chapter 970
No Need to Send Troops Today
Chapter 970 No Need to Send Troops Today
Rongguo Mansion in Beijing,
In the warm room of Rongqing Hall,
Grandmother Jia exclaimed in surprise. She had never expected that in just a few days, Brother Zhen would be gone. But when she thought of how Jia Zhen had lived a life of luxury, indulged in wine and women, and damaged his health,
He was exiled to Lingnan all of a sudden, with a bumpy journey and a hidden illness. Not long after arriving in the humid and hot south of the Yangtze River, he fell ill and soon could not be cured and died. It seems right.
But, it's not the right time to die. This thought flashed through Grandmother Jia's mind.
"Where is Jia Zhen's body?"
"In reply to the old lady, the officers who came said that the body of Master Zhen was sent to the East Mansion where the Jia family of Jinling stayed because of the hot weather. They were afraid that the body would decompose quickly, so they sealed the coffin for Master Zhen in Jinling. They sent a letter asking if they should send Master Zhen's body back to the capital."
Lai was very meticulous, luckily I thought more and asked questions,
The old lady was silent for a moment and said:
"Lai Da, go to the south courtyard to inform Rong Ge'er, go to the East Mansion to report the death, and also go and tell the eldest and second masters."
As the saying goes, once dead, all is settled. No matter how outrageous Jia Zhen had done in the past, his crime had been determined, and the court had also issued a written document, so he had no ties to Ningguo Mansion.
Of course, Grandmother Jia would not have too much mourning for Jia Zhen, and she actually felt a little relieved.
Lai Da responded and quickly told the servant to go.
Not long after,
Everyone in the two mansions knew that Jia Zhen had fallen ill.
Daiyu, Xiangyun, Tanchun, Yuanchun, Youshi, the first wife and the second wife in the mansion had already received the news that Jia Zhen had died of illness in the south. They hurried to Rongqingtang to inquire about the news and learned that it was true.
Everyone couldn't help but sigh and comforted Youshi and Xichun.
After all, they had been married for many years, and Youshi also shed tears at this moment. Although Xichun did not shed tears, her cold and jade-like face showed sadness.
The last to come were Jia She and Jia Zheng. They both looked unhappy. After all, they were family members, but in just a few days, the only male members left in the Ningguo Mansion were Jia Rong and Jia Qiang. Could it be that there was something wrong with the Feng Shui of the East Mansion?
Jia She believed this especially. A long time ago, Jia Zhen had tried to persuade him to do some business with him, but he gave up until he was imprisoned. When he heard the news today, he was in a trance and could not accept it.
"Mother, is Brother Zhen really sick?"
I have some questions, but there are too many people to ask. I always feel that this matter is not simple, but I don't know that the old lady's eyes are fixed and she glared at the eldest brother.
"Old family, this is the official case closing document, and there is also a letter from the clansmen who stayed in Jinling. It is clear that it is an epidemic. What do you want to say?"
The warning in Lady Jia's words was particularly strong. The emperor had set the tone this time, and even if there were any doubts, they must not be stirred up at this time.
"That's not right, mother. I am worried about the long journey. Besides, the weather is getting hot. It is not easy to travel thousands of miles. Why not let Rong Ge'er be buried in his ancestral home in Jinling, which can be regarded as returning to his roots."
Jia She immediately changed his mind. It was really difficult to deal with it at this time. He had found some good business opportunities by taking advantage of the palace's festive atmosphere and had already made some money. If he was unlucky because of Zhen Ge's return and his financial resources were cut off, it would be a loss.
In theory, these matters should be asked to Youshi and Jia Rong, but one of them had accepted the imperial title, and the other was demoted to a commoner, so naturally they had no say, and everything was decided by the master of the house.
Grandmother Jia glanced at Jia Rong, who was standing at the end. He had come in a hurry, and his clothes were not even arranged. He had changed a lot. Then she looked at Youshi, who was beautiful and looked younger. Her snow-white skin and figure made Grandmother Jia look a little regretful. Fortunately, she was pregnant. It was a blessing in disguise. She might turn out to be a daughter-in-law of the Zhu family.
"Youshi, what do you think of this arrangement?"
Yu's eyes were blurred with tears, and she said:
"It's all up to the old lady. If it doesn't work, I'll go to Jiangnan to see him off."
In the warm room,
Jia Rong, who arrived late, still had no idea what was going on. He only heard that his "father" had died of the disease, and he felt inexplicably excited and sad. However, looking at Ningguo Mansion from afar, he realized that many things could no longer be undone. He was just a commoner.
Looking at Madam You's expression, she seemed to have no say in Ningguo Mansion anymore, and she sighed. Fortunately, he had already made arrangements for the three concubines, and they returned to the mansion, and were closer to her than before.
"No, logically you and your wife should go, but the future of Ningguo Mansion is still in your belly, so you can't make any mistakes. This time, Ningguo Mansion still has the direct bloodline, so just arrange for one of them to go. The male descendants are Jia Rong and Jia Qiang, who have traveled thousands of miles, so you can pay homage in Jinling and find a senior monk to perform a ritual to pray for the soul to be reborn."
Grandmother Jia was not planning to hold a grand ceremony. It was enough for the criminal to have a safe place to go. As soon as she said this, everyone in the warm room fell silent, knowing what was going on. Only Xichun and Jia Rong looked unhappy. Xichun was still okay, but she was just a girl. But as a son, Jia Rong would definitely go to Jiangnan.
Now that the mansion has just been settled, there is chaos in the south. How can I go? But I can't refuse. If it really doesn't work, how about asking Jia Qiang to do it for me? This thought can't be shaken off. Unfortunately, the old lady suppressed the thought for the time being and agreed.
"Jia Rong followed the old lady's instructions and kept everything simple and arranged things quickly."
"Okay, Rong'er is sensible now. In that case, you can go south alone, charter a boat, and bring more people. The road is not safe, so be careful. When you get there, the expenses will be paid by Rongguo Mansion. As for Ningguo Mansion, Madam You and Xichun, you can set up a Buddhist temple in your mansion, fast and chant sutras, and pray for the souls to be reborn. You don't have to do anything else."
Grandmother Jia thought about it and realized that it was nothing more than these matters. It would be best if they could be solved with money. Jia She and Jia Zheng saw that the old lady arranged it so quickly and they didn't need to bother to go, so they didn't mind spending some money.
"Yes, old lady."
Madam You and Xichun responded. Although only the eldest grandmother Li Wan was not present, everyone in the room was present. The old lady looked around for a while and felt a lot of emotion. She couldn't help but say something.
"Brother Zhen's affairs will be arranged like this, and there is no need to publicize it too much. Everything in the mansion will remain the same. Even if there are things to be hung in the East Mansion, they can only be hung in the East Garden. There is no need to publicize it. You should keep an eye on the construction of the garden, Feng girl. From now on, the affairs of the farm and the account books of the second family will also be under the jurisdiction of Feng girl. Don't ask about the affairs of the fort. It's okay. Let's all go."
Grandmother Jia spoke very clearly. The others didn't understand, only Mrs. Xing and the Second Madam heard clearly that the Second Madam was not allowed to take charge of Zhuangzi's affairs. The fortress was not small. Mrs. Xing was happy in her heart. The old lady meant that she disliked the Second Madam for being too handsy.
Everyone left, only the first and second wives did not move.
"Old lady, why are you in the manor?"
After everyone left, the second wife frowned and asked someone to stay to ask about the farm, but Grandmother Jia shook her head.
"Just take care of Baoyu, and you are also in charge of collecting rent from the shop. However, the merger of the manor and the fortress involves the family. If the account books of previous years are still written like that, the Jia family will be uneasy. Go back, and let's settle it like this."
Grandmother Jia was just giving some advice. How could she not know the tricks in the account books? When the village was built together, some things could not be kept in the open. Seeing that the old lady had made a decision, the second wife wanted to save the situation. Mrs. Xing happened to speak again.
"Oh, the old lady is prepared for a rainy day. All the farms and harvests are mixed together. The people in the clan are very smart. If it's the same as before, I don't know who will be embarrassed if this happens."
It was obviously aimed at the Second Wife. Mrs. Wang glanced at Mrs. Xing with contempt. She was not worthy of being in a high-class place. This was all she could do. Since the old lady had pointed it out clearly, it was better not to do it.
"Since the old lady has said so, it's nothing. In this case, your daughter-in-law will take her leave."
Without paying any attention to Madam Xing, she turned around and left with Jinchai and several maids, causing Madam Xing to punch the couch and sulk. She said nothing more and followed him out.
Inside the warm room, things became quiet again.
As the news of Jia Zhen's death spread to the East and West Palaces, it still caused some waves. After all, he was the former Uncle Zhen, the patriarch of the Jia family. It seemed a little strange that he fell ill in such a short period of time.
Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall,
Coincidentally,
The room was just full of people, and after they left, there was a moment of silence. Then two figures came to the back door. They were Li Wan and Wang Xifeng. They came back from somewhere and invited us to sit inside.
After a while,
Lin Zhixiao, the steward, also hurried in. Grandmother Jia's expression suddenly changed, and she said in a hurry:
"What happened? Brother Zhen was only in his thirties, how could he be gone? Go to the government office and ask for details."
original,
Before everyone arrived, Grandmother Jia had already arranged for Lin Zhixiao to go to the government office to inquire about the news, and also asked Zhu Jia to come over later. When Wang Xifeng went out just now, she went to meet Li Wan. After everyone left, she turned back and waited for news.
Now that the person is gone, how did he die? Was there someone who secretly killed him? Lady Jia thought about all these and couldn't help but speculate.
Could it be... it's from the Heavenly Family!
In fact, it was not only Lady Jia who had some secret speculations in her heart. Sister Feng and Li Wan, who were sitting beside her, also had some speculations in their hearts after hearing the news. They were not thinking about the court, but about the one in the Marquis's Mansion. Her jade-like face changed, and Wang Xifeng's red phoenix eyes also showed some fear. After thinking about it, she felt that it was not likely, and frowned and said:
"Grandfather, the south is hot and humid to begin with, and it's even colder and damper in early spring. Brother Zhen is used to enjoying life in the mansion, and he got sick all of a sudden. After all, he's in exile, and the guards won't care about that."
Lin Zhixiao also knelt on the ground and echoed:
"Madam, I went to the Shuntianfu Yamen and met with the governor, Lord Song, and asked about the situation. Lord Song said that after Master Zhen arrived in Jiangnan, he became ill and had vomiting and diarrhea. Not long after, he fell ill and died on the boat on the river without any medicine. He also said that the case was transferred to Shuntianfu by the Ministry of Justice, and they just wanted to give some respect to the Duke's Mansion." With this explanation, the three people in the room breathed a sigh of relief. Grandmother Jia held her forehead, sighed, and asked:
"Get up. Where's Rong'er? Has he given me the money I asked him to give me?"
Lin Zhixiao quickly stood up and said:
"Thank you, Madam. I have sent a message to Rong'er and gave him three hundred taels of silver. I asked him to go and come back quickly. After all, there is no peace in the south."
Grandmother Jia sighed again:
"Ah, the old are sending off the young. You and Feng girl will take charge of the Zhu family's affairs, Ningguo Mansion's affairs, and Wubao Manor's affairs. You can also discuss the extra things. The garden has been outlined. Think about the matters concerning the Empress's visit when you have time, so as not to be too busy when the time comes."
"Yes, old lady."
Li Wan and Wang Xifeng looked at each other, and stood up and bowed together. However, Jia Mu was thinking about other things and did not notice that Li Wan was too cautious in getting up, and Wang Xifeng beside her was also the same, and was slower than usual.
However, Jia Rong, who was outside the mansion, was stopped by Lin Zhixiao, told a few words, and given a silver note of three hundred taels. He felt a little uncomfortable and didn't know how to deal with it. After hesitating for a while, he got on the carriage and prepared to go back to the mansion to discuss it with his three concubines!
In the western camp of Linshan County, Zhang Jinyu felt a little sleepy after returning to the camp, so he went back to the tent to take a nap. His Royal Highness the Prince of Jin also felt tired after a morning of tossing and turning, so he made the bed like the Marquis and fell down.
Only Lan Yue'er and Xia Yu were left to serve in the tent.
Among the many generals in the camp, except for General Hu who received the order and led his troops to investigate, the other generals were nervously urging their subordinates to prepare. Seeing that time was passing by and there was no movement in the camp, they all seemed a little anxious.
"Brother Duan, did the Marquis and His Highness have other instructions? Why is there no movement at this hour?"
Yang Shixiong was impatient and had already returned from the left front military tent of the main camp. As one of the two vanguards of the army, he and Ling Yuantao were the only ones camping at the gate. At this moment, the whole army was lined up in the main camp, waiting for the order from His Highness and the Marquis to lead the army to attack the city.
But I've been waiting and waiting, and still haven't seen anyone. How can I not be anxious?
At this moment in the account,
General Dingnan Yin Renchang, General Dingxi Duan Wenyuan, and General Po Lu Qi Ping had already arrived in the tent, wearing bright armor and it looked like they had been there for a while.
She was stunned for a moment when Yang Shixiong lifted the curtain and entered the tent.
"Haha, look, someone has won. I said General Yang couldn't wait and would definitely come."
General Xuanwu Ling Yuantao laughed. He was a quick-tempered man and could not help laughing. The others did not care. Yang Shixiong was confused and asked,
"I wonder what Brother Ling means?"
"Let's make a bet. Ask who will come next. I guess it's you. Isn't that a win? By the way, have the Marquis and His Highness sent anyone?"
Ling Yuantao couldn't keep the secret, so he asked first. It was almost noon, and if he didn't act now, there would be no time left.
But this behavior stumped Yang Shixiong. He came here to gather information, so why did he come to ask him again?
"Okay, stop guessing. His Highness and the Marquis should have other ideas. Just wait and see. Didn't General Yue go over and ask?"
Duan Wenyuan was also a little puzzled. It was supposed to be a matter of speed, and the correct approach was to capture Linshan County City as soon as possible and then move south again. Why did the Marquis seem to be hesitating? Even if the Thunderbolt Chariot was powerful, there were so many defenders, how could they capture the city without spending some time?
Could there be something else going on? He wondered, but didn't say much.
In the central tent,
Zhang Jinyu was sleeping soundly, and he didn't know what he was dreaming about. He turned over and the quilt slipped off. Lan Yueer saw it and hurried over to cover him with the quilt. She felt sorry for her husband. After days of running around, he finally got a good sleep.
outside the account,
General Yue Songlin, who was in charge of the army, came with his personal soldiers. He saw that outside the big tent, there were nearly a thousand soldiers on guard. The imperial guards of the palace and the personal soldiers of Marquis Luo Yun were lined up on both sides of the big tent, which seemed a little unnatural. Outside the tent, General Ning was leading people to inspect the place. He walked up to them and clasped his fists and said;
"General Ning, it's almost noon. I wonder when His Highness and the Marquis will give the order to march out of the camp and attack the city?"
Ningbian felt a little strange while riding on his horse. When did the Marquis and His Highness order the attack on the city today? In the early morning, they only sent an order to let General Hu lead the cavalry to circumnavigate the city for reconnaissance. Now they have not returned. The other troops have not issued any military orders.
"General Yue, His Highness and the Marquis did not order an attack on the city today. They only asked General Hu to go out of the city to check the movements of the enemy troops. How can there be a message?"
"Uh, this, didn't the Marquis say yesterday that we should divide the troops and attack the city?"
Yue Songlin was somewhat stunned, as if he had indeed not given the order, but the order of surrounding three and leaving one man missing was made by the Marquis. Seeing General Zhechou like this, Ning Bian understood.
"General, rest assured. We will send you a message as soon as there is any movement. It is almost noon. Please go back and have a meal and rest first."
I got off the horse, and I don't know if the Marquis got up now.
"I wonder if I can see the Marquis and report to him."
Yue Songlin knew he was anxious, but there were so many people waiting for news when he returned, so he might as well meet the Marquis to ask for clarification. But General Ning shook his head and replied;
"General Yue, you should have a good rest today. Your Highness and the Marquis woke up early and have gone back to sleep. They seem to be still asleep. We should not disturb them. If it is not possible, how about you come to see me in the evening?"
"This, is, thank you, General Ning."
Yue Songlin suddenly realized that it was no wonder that the camp was so alert. It seemed that His Highness and the Marquis had no intention of attacking the city today. Well, the soldiers were tired and they should rest for two days. He then bowed and turned to leave.
Back to Duan Wenyuan's tent,
As soon as he entered, he was surrounded by people, asking this and that. He couldn't hear clearly, so he waited for Yin Renchang to stop everyone and scolded them;
"What a disgrace! Disperse! General Yue, does the Marquis have any orders?"
Yue Songlin walked in with a frown on his face, sat down, and shook his head when he heard what General Yin asked.
"Did the Marquis say when we would gather and leave the camp?"
An impatient voice sounded, and Ling Yuantao asked impatiently.
Who knows,
General Yue shook his head again, looking a little strange. Even the usually calm General Qi Ping couldn't help but ask;
"Then, Lord, can you tell me when the troops will be dispatched today?"
Another round of shaking of head,
"Hey, you keep shaking your head left and right, what are you doing there?"
General Ling couldn't help but stand up and complain. The others also felt strange. Yue Songlin sighed and spoke slowly.
"You can rest for the next two days. Your Highness and the Marquis have just taken a nap and haven't gotten up yet."
"What."
(End of this chapter)