Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 790 A bunch of cowards
On the second floor of Jiaofangsi,

The three people who were stared at looked at each other in bewilderment. This was not considered a light blow.

It can be seen that the person in front of him is very skilled. Duan Wenyuan, who was in the lead, swallowed his saliva and clasped his fists.
"Brother, I'm afraid you've caused trouble. This man is a general of the Beijing camp. This..."

"Hey, brother, why are you saying all this? Save people first."

Seeing that things had come to this, Hu Shoucheng dragged people down the stairs in a hurry, and shouted;

"Someone, prepare the room and call the doctor, quickly."

The three of them just went down.
The three princes who were watching the excitement were in disbelief. Facing a big and strong general who looked quite powerful, Luo Yunhou crippled him with just a few punches and kicks. Uh, looking down, the man was lying there motionless. No one knew what was going on, but it looked like he was seriously injured and was half disabled.
"My Lord, did the general recognize you, so he held back his punches and kicks, allowing you to sneak attack him?"

I don't know what the second prince was thinking, he actually started to doubt.
"Second brother, how can you say that? The general just now didn't hold back. He broke the table with one punch. Not many people can do that with such strength."

Jin Wang Zhou Ding shook his head. He saw it clearly during the fight just now. Not only did the Marquis not use his full strength, but his moves changed very quickly, which he had never seen before, especially the last few moves, which were so fast that he could not see them clearly. The main point was that the moves were used in succession.
Think about it, in terms of close combat martial arts, only the Dragon Claw Hand of Jing'an Temple has such wonderful changes, or only the Wudang Tai Chi has the softness and coordination, but Luo Yunhou's fighting style is none of them. If it were those masters of the Imperial City Division, they might not be able to defeat Luo Yunhou in close combat. It's really amazing.

The third prince didn't understand what was happening. In the blink of an eye, he was sent flying downstairs. That Miss Xu was still there. Didn't he want her anymore?

"My Lord, he just lost the fight, right? He was quite powerful just now, but does he still want this lady Xu now?"

The three people's sarcastic remarks were not sure if they were just trying to stir up trouble. Even Zhang Jinyu couldn't stand it anymore.
Seeing Yunniang and the other two hiding in the distance, Zhang Jinyu couldn't stay any longer. However, since this matter was caused by Madam Xu, she still had to deal with it. Yang Shixiong's abnormal behavior was also very suspicious, so she called Yunniang over and said;

"I am Marquis Luo Yun. You can ask the manager of the Music Bureau to tell Eunuch Wang of the Ministry of Internal Affairs about the matter here. Madam Xu can do some work in the back and doesn't need to come out to receive guests. After calculating the losses caused by the fight, come to Marquis Luo Yun's mansion to settle the bill, or go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and have Eunuch Wang settle the bill."

Hearing the words of the nobleman in front of her who looked murderous, Yun Niang walked over tremblingly. When she heard that it was Marquis Luo Yun, she was so scared that she dared not say a word, especially when it came to asking Eunuch Wang for an account. Who would dare to go?

But how would this scene end? I stood there at a loss, nodding my head in agreement.

"Yes, Lord, I know, but I don't know what to do if something happens to General Yang below? What if they come to cause trouble again!"

"Haha, flesh wounds are fine. Even if there is something wrong, let them submit a memorial to report the marquis. It is said that the Music Bureau is afraid of a small general. Haha, let's go."

He didn't even leave any money behind, and as if he had eaten a free meal, he invited the three princes downstairs.
The group of people did not stay for long. They straightened their clothes and walked downstairs as if nothing had happened. No one dared to stop them.

Downstairs,

Zhang Jinyu and his group did not look at the crowd that was still watching, and left the Jiaofangsi first.

It's just that the person just left.
Then the eunuch in charge came out from nowhere and shouted:
"What's going on? Where is the troublemaker? Why was he allowed to leave?"

Seeing the eunuch in charge of the Jiaofangsi coming over with his men, Yunniang and Xu Niangzi, who were still in a daze on the second floor, were so scared that they quickly knelt on the ground and wiped their tears in grievance.

"Eunuch, don't be reluctant to do this to me. Those who come are all nobles. When they start to fight, how can I, a weak woman, stop them?"

"Can't you stop the fight, and can't you watch the people? Let's ask, where are the troublemakers from?"

The eunuch in charge narrowed his eyes. Although he scolded, he knew in his heart that those who could take action in the Jiaofang Bureau were not good men and women. He asked about their origins so that he could "prescribe the right medicine."

"Eunuch, you don't know. One of the troublemakers is lying downstairs. He is General Yang from the Beijing camp. He often comes here. I don't know why he fell in love with Miss Xu, so he started making trouble. The other one, one."

After some hesitation, he opened his mouth.

"The other person said he was Marquis Luo Yun. If there was anything, we could go to Marquis Luo Yun's mansion to find him. He also said he would protect Madam Xu from receiving any guests. If there was any loss to the Music Bureau, we could go to the Marquis' mansion or the eunuch in the Ministry of Internal Affairs to file a claim. I dare not stop them and can only follow their lead."

After finishing, I felt a little uncertain. Wasn't Marquis Luo Yun in the palace? Why did he come here?

The eunuch in charge's eyes narrowed, "Marquis Luo Yun, how is this possible?" But when he thought about it, the dragon gate would be opened today and he might be able to get out. Looking at the messy tables, chairs and benches in front of him, he thought that these things were worthless, so how could he dare to come to the house to ask for compensation? And he couldn't bother the eunuch in the Ministry of Internal Affairs with these trivial matters.

"Since Luo Yunhou is here, do as he says. Madam Xu, we won't be receiving guests. You take care of the arrangements and have someone clean up these things. As for downstairs, I'll go check it out. It's their bad luck."

General Yang is also a frequent visitor here. He often comes here with many generals to have fun. However, he doesn't come here often. After all, he spends a lot of money. After coming here a few times, he becomes familiar with the place.

But this time, I am afraid that General Yang and his men will be in trouble. How can Marquis Luo Yun be easily offended? The key is that it was caused by a courtesan. What should we do if the news gets out? Just as he was about to go downstairs, he immediately turned back and warned;

"Tell our people to keep their mouths shut. Don't let the music bureau spread the news. If anyone finds out that someone is not keeping his mouth shut, I will use family rules to punish him."

"Yes, sir, the servants know."

The eunuchs following behind him, as well as Yunniang and others all nodded.
The three princes on the second floor opposite,
He had been watching the movement here, and when he saw Luo Yunhou leading people out of the door, he grinned, Zhou Yewen's eyelids twitched and he cursed;
"Damn it, a bunch of good-looking but useless bastards. When they first came, they were so arrogant, big and strong, and I thought they were fierce generals. But now they are so cowardly. They are just weaklings. How come they fell to the ground in just a few rounds? Do you think that General Yang did it on purpose to save face?"

When Luo Yunhou and General Yang were fighting just now, the three of them watched intently, especially at the beginning, when this man took the initiative to attack, and his powerful moves made Luo Yunhou retreat again and again. The three of them almost cheered. Now he was beaten and lying on the ground, unconscious, with soup and food all over his body, looking so embarrassed that they didn't know whether it was true or not.

Zhou Yunfu looked at it for a long time and replied;

"It doesn't seem fake. Everyone knows that Marquis Luo Yun is good at leading troops, but few people know that Marquis Luo Yun's skills are rare in the world. The few moves he made just now were unique and fast. I have never seen such moves. It is said that in close combat, the Dragon Claw Hand of Jing'an Temple of Buddhism is the most powerful, and the Heavenly Master Long Fist of Longhu Mountain is second. Although I have never seen it, I know the difference between claws and fists. What Marquis Luo Yun used just now included fists, palms, and claws. I don't know what school or sect he belongs to."

As the son of King Chen, Zhou Yunfu was very familiar with leading troops and had contact with all the major sects in the northwest. The sects had unique skills that had never been leaked. Ordinary boxing and moves had long been spread out, such as the Dragon Claw of Jing'an Temple. Most of the Jianghu people had ordinary skills, but they just didn't have the methods of exerting force and breathing. If they had a high level of comprehension, they could also achieve something.
Therefore, could it be that Luo Yunhou's body movements and kung fu were what he learned by himself? However, what is somewhat questionable is that judging from these few moves, it is obvious that his kung fu is very powerful, and the general had almost no ability to fight back, and it didn't seem like he was acting. So, even if Luo Yunhou met an ordinary killer, he would be safe.

Zhou Lianghao was so frightened that his face turned pale. He quickly picked up the tea bowl and drank it, still trying to persuade him;
"Oh, brothers, why do you keep thinking about these things? We are not meeting each other. Let's eat, drink and have fun. No matter how powerful Luo Yunhou is, he can't chase the three of us and fight. Besides, there are so many major sects in the martial arts world. There are masters like the nobles crossing the river. As long as you are willing to spend money, there are plenty of manpower. Why bother with all these thoughts? Look at that idiot general, he is only good at talking and bragging."

Zhou Lianghao has now made up his mind to follow the crowd, eat, drink and have fun. As long as he doesn't get into trouble, he won't care. But is there anything special about the lady Xu they just fought for? He said again;
"That's not right, my two brothers. I feel something is wrong. Marquis Luo Yun should be marking papers and supervising the exams in the palace right now. How could he come to the Jiaofang Division? And how could it be such a coincidence that a singing girl could cause so many problems? What's so special about that girl? Is she as beautiful as a fairy, or is there something else going on?"

Regarding this question,

The eyes of the Prince of Chen and the Prince of Song suddenly lit up. Yes, she was just a courtesan or, to put it bluntly, a whore who served men. Even if she was a prostitute, she was just a novice. Could there be some secret behind her?

Zhou Yewen instantly became alert. He looked at the three women sitting beside him and felt bored. He waved his hand, slapped a banknote on the table, and shouted, "Call that Yunniang here to serve. You guys, get out of here."

"Yes, three sirs,"

The three girls were unwilling to give up, so they had to stand up and leave. The mother who led the way also shouted;
"Mother Yun, please come here and serve the guests!"

"Ding, ding, ding!"

Three bronze bells rang,

The funeral procession had already arrived at Ningguo Mansion. Under the command of Wang Xifeng, many servants and clansmen began to carry Jia Jing's body into the main hall. The house had already been cleaned up and the mourning hall had been set up.

As for the servants of Ningguo Mansion, including the housekeeper Lai Sheng, they were also released after the cause was investigated and they gave their confessions to the Imperial City Department. Now they all stayed in the courtyard, waiting for the master's orders, and they were no longer as arrogant as before.

Madam You was wearing mourning clothes at this time, standing in the flower hall, crying, holding paper money and burning it at the door, followed by several maids and servants.
After Jia Jing's people were settled, many women suddenly burst into tears. Their miserable cries inspired more people to cry. Just like that, the mourning tent was torn apart, and then paper money and incense began to burn from inside to outside.

Wang Xifeng saw the commotion and immediately had the old lady and the ladies sent back to Rongguo Mansion to rest. On this side, she saw Lai Sheng standing there alone and scolded him;
"Lai Sheng, come here."

Lai Sheng's haggard face, when he saw that it was Second Grandma who called him, he quickly trotted over and asked with a bow:

"What do you want, Second Madam?"

"Hmph, what instructions do you have to give? Everyone in Ningguo Mansion, get moving. Keep the mourning hall and the courtyard in good condition. You must arrange for the stewards to receive the visitors and not neglect them. For the rest, if there is anything else, send someone to come to the Pear Garden to find me."

Wang Xifeng was also a little exhausted at this time. She was exhausted. Moreover, after a day of hard work, she had not eaten a single bite of food. She felt dizzy and had to give some instructions before taking her people back.
After the people from Rongguo Mansion left, many of the remaining members of the Jia family also dispersed. In this way, only a few female family members were left to mourn. After the rest of the people left, only paper money floated around in Ningguo Mansion and scattered in the yard, which seemed a bit desolate.

Wait a moment.
Over at Rongguo Mansion,
All the ladies and madams were supported and taken back to Rongqing Hall to rest. Jia She and Jia Zheng led the others to help take care of the outside affairs.

The servants, maids, and others took turns serving tea and snacks to quench everyone's thirst and fill their stomachs. Grandmother Jia was very tired, so she didn't say much. She greeted everyone and after they had some tea and snacks,
He took a breath, leaned on the kang, half lying there, ready to take a nap. Several ladies in the hall sat in their old seats. The eldest lady, Mrs. Xing, could not carry the heavy clothes she was wearing, so she called the maid beside her and went to the side room to change her clothes.

The second wife suddenly remembered something and shouted,

"Caifeng, hurry up, take your people to the gate and wait to see if Baoyu has returned."

"Yes, ma'am,"

Caifeng hurriedly agreed to the urgent voice. It was a pity for them, the servants, who had been so busy that they forgot the time. The dragon gate had been open for a long time. Fortunately, there was a carriage specially arranged by the mansion to watch over it, otherwise, who knows what would have happened.

It was not the Second Madam's fault for neglecting it, but she had just been exhausted by the affairs of Ningguo Mansion. In a trance, she thought of Baoyu's performance in the imperial examination today. She just didn't know how he would answer the questions. If he could pass, in Rongguo Mansion, if nothing else, at least in the heart of the old lady, he would be on a higher level.
At that time, even if Jia Lan inherits the title, we can still test the waters and replace Jia Lan. However, if Jia Lan also passes the exam, it will be difficult to deal with.

But on second thought, Jia Lan was still young, and although the provincial examination was not very difficult, not everyone could write the eight-part essay. How could Jia Lan pass it?

At his age, he was still playful and it was too difficult for him to pass the imperial examination.

Just thinking,

I don't know whether it was because Madam Xing moved too quickly or the servants around her had already prepared things, but in just a short while, Madam Xing had changed into black clothes and walked out, which made her look more solemn. However, in the eyes of the Second Wife, all this solemnity was nothing more than a monkey in human clothing. Women from small families are like this, and they are very cautious about comparing with others.

As for the three maids, they had their meal in the side room. Lin Daiyu, Xue Baochai and the others did not come, as funerals were unlucky and they should not be involved.

Just rest now, and we can talk about everything else tomorrow.
Outside the house,

After Jia Baoyu left the palace gate, he didn't know how to get back. Coincidentally, the carriage prepared by the Duke's Mansion, accompanied by two servants, had already occupied the seat and waited for a long time.
"Master Bao, you finally came out. We have been waiting for you all afternoon."

Mingyan led the group and quickly took the package and other things from Master Bao's arms. Then they yawned and pointed to the carriage not far away, which was the one that had brought Baoyu here before.

Jia Baoyu shook his hands and felt much better. For the past three days, he had been with those men, the air was filled with smoke and the bed was stiff. He couldn't sleep well, couldn't eat well, and had a lot of worries. Now that the exams were finally over, he felt like a big stone had been lifted from his heart. He felt a little relieved. He thought about the servants in the yard, Xiren and Sheyue, and didn't know what they were doing.
"Okay, Mingyan, is everything okay at home?"

While asking questions, he stepped onto the carriage.
Seeing that the Second Master was already seated, Mingyan followed him and asked the two servants to drive the carriage back quickly, as the Second Madam must be waiting anxiously.

"Don't worry, Second Master. Everything is fine in the mansion. I think you have been wronged these days, so Madam specifically told me to come here early in the morning and wait for you to come out."

It turned out that Mingyan and others took some food and drove out in the morning, so they knew nothing about what happened in the mansion, and they didn't know that Jia Jing had already gone there, so they had no way to announce it.

Jia Baoyu leaned back and found a quilt behind him, which made him feel much more comfortable.
"That's good. With peace and security at home, I can focus on my work outside without any worries. The examination in the palace must be better than that in the Imperial Examination Hall. The newly built palace is spacious and bright, and it can protect me from the wind and rain. I have never felt wronged."

Mingyan was obviously stunned, and felt that Master Bao had suddenly changed a lot, and even his words were a little dignified. Thinking of this, he was no longer as free-spirited as before, so he sat up carefully and replied;
"Second Master's words are still to the point. When I came, Madam missed you, and I went to your courtyard on purpose. Xiren also asked me to bring you some cakes. It's all my fault that I was in a panic and forgot about it."

When Mingyan mentioned Xiren, she quickly slapped her forehead. She had actually forgotten something important. In the secret compartment of the carriage, there was a box of untouched pastries. She handed it to Master Bao and apologized repeatedly.

Jia Baoyu waved his hand.

"Okay, it's just a small matter,"

He took the food box and opened it. The sweet osmanthus fragrance hit him, as if he had just made it. It was really rare. Jia Baoyu smelled it, pinched a piece and put it in his mouth. It was beautiful and fragrant, but it was made by Xiren. I remember that the first cake Xiren learned to make was this, osmanthus cake.

"Thank you for your hard work. Come, pinch one and try it."

Mingyan smelled the food and her appetite was aroused. Seeing that it was a gift from Master Bao, she did not pretend. She reached out and pinched a piece, put it into her mouth, and said it was delicious.

In this way, the master and servant traveled eastward.

However, he didn't know that not far behind him, there was a carriage following. It was the people arranged by Xue Baochai, who brought Lang Ge'er from the West Garden of Rongguo Mansion back from the palace.
Jia Lan sat in the car, still thinking about the shortcomings of the policy essay he had written. However, the books he had read before were all found by his mother, and there were also many manuscripts, which would be very useful to him. He wondered if he could pass the exam.

(End of this chapter)