Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 795: Zhongshun Missed the Opportunity
Rongguo Mansion,
Rongqing Hall,
In the courtyard, Lai Da called many servants and set up a buffet in the open space in the southeast corner. After the many Jia family members had eaten and drunk their fill, they said goodbye and left, promising to come back to help tomorrow.
After everyone left, the mansion became quieter. After Wang Xifeng gave instructions to a few stewards to clean up the place, she took Ping'er with her hands on her hips and went to the old lady.

Just entered the house,
I saw that everyone in the inner hall had not yet dispersed, and they were still sitting there. I didn't know what was going on. I walked around the screen. Wang Xifeng was not timid and reported the situation immediately.
"Madam, everything in the courtyard has been arranged. We prepared a simple buffet to fill everyone's stomachs first. Now everyone has eaten and gone back. Ningguo Mansion has also sent people to the Northern Pacification Office to hand over silver and let the servants come back first. However, Brother Zhen and Brother Rong still need to wait for some time, so they did not come back with us."

There was nothing that could be done about it. Even though money was paid and there was a message from the palace, Liu Chen, a captain of the Northern Pacification Office, actually stopped us. No one knew what he meant by that. Also, we didn't know where Brother Zhen was exiled to.

Grandmother Jia lay on the kang and rested for a while. She felt more energetic now and the tiredness on her face disappeared. She heard Feng Yatou talking there, which seemed to be a comfort to her. After all, such a big thing happened in the mansion, and Feng Yatou had been responsible for everything. So, she should share the power in the future.

"Thank you for your hard work, little girl Feng. Everything in the mansion depends on you. I am old now, and I may not be able to think of some small things. From now on, you will take care of the affairs of Rong State. As for the East Mansion, I will make the decision before it is settled. You, the daughter-in-law of the Zhu family, and Madam You should discuss it together. Unless it is a major matter, you can decide on your own."

Such words made the first and second wives, who were sitting on the pearwood chairs at the east end, look a little unnatural. The old lady meant that the right to speak in the mansion was given to Feng girl, so there was no benefit for the first and second wives. As for the money in the treasury, could it be used in the future?
Both of them had this in mind, but they didn't dare to take it openly. They secretly asked their trusted confidants to take care of some small matters, find a reason to repair the house that shouldn't be repaired, and also take advantage of the situation when buying vegetables. All these were handled by the stewards they brought with them. In a year, at least several thousand taels of silver were taken.
Now if Miss Feng checks the accounts and cuts off these, all the money will be gone. Everyone has different thoughts in their minds. Only caring about herself, she doesn't think about the huge Duke's Mansion at all.

Wang Xifeng's face turned slightly red, and she looked even more pretty in mourning clothes. Her brows moved slightly, and her heart was filled with mixed feelings. This was considered as the end of the world. Unfortunately, the property of the Duke's Mansion was still clearly in the hands of the second house, and there was not much wealth left. I don't know if the caravan has returned.

"What are you talking about, old lady? You are still in charge of the mansion, and your granddaughter-in-law will help you. In the East Mansion, my eldest sister-in-law is here, so I can't help much. We should keep things the same here. Now, we are just respecting the old master's funeral. Although the palace has agreed to the grace, how should we handle this rule? Please let me know."

Wang Xifeng was also a little nervous. After all, Master Jing committed suicide at the gate of the palace. She had to ask about the attitude of the royal family, as well as the funeral rules of the noble relatives, whether to hold a grand ceremony or keep it simple.

Hearing this, Jia's mother was still unaware. She looked up at the two people sitting peacefully at the east end and asked;

"What do you two think?"

Madam Xing and the Second Madam were stunned. How should they answer? They had not paid attention to what Lady Jia said just now. They were just looking at Wang Xifeng's attitude. When they heard that everything was the same as before in the Duke's Mansion, they felt relieved. When they heard the old lady asking about this, they didn't know how to answer. After all, Brother Jing of the East Mansion died at this juncture. Although he was acquitted, the attitude of the palace was extremely important.

Mrs. Xing didn't have any idea about this. She came from a humble family and had never experienced this. She thought about the past when the old Duke passed away, there was no grand ceremony, although the rumors outside were not right at that time. But then again, the latecomer cannot exceed the regulations of the former.

Thinking of this, I looked at the reaction of the second wife beside me. She was still so wooden. She was really good at pretending.
"Madam, I have never encountered this before. I think I still need to listen to you. If you need any help, I will listen."

I don't know whether Mrs. Xing has come to her senses or has learned from her mistakes. Now she doesn't speak as sharply as before. Although there is some flattery in her words, Jia Mu felt relieved after hearing them. As an old lady, she has made some progress. She straightened her sleeves and looked at Mrs. Wang who was still touching the Buddhist beads in front of her, and followed suit.
"Second brother, what do you think?"

The second wife paused while touching the Buddhist beads, but she did not rush to answer. After thinking for a while, she asked:

"Old lady, it's not up to us to decide what to do now. We should look at the attitude of the palace. In addition, we should see what those noble relatives think about these matters. The provincial examination has been completed. It's a big event in the capital. At this time, will these people in the mansion..."

The Second Wife was still somewhat worried and did not finish her words. She was afraid that there would be another disturbance and that the officials would find fault with her. Right now, the censors in the capital were extremely arrogant. The entire noble family, and even the civil servants, were usually very cautious.

"You are good at talking, and what you said makes sense, but you haven't thought about it. If Rongguo Mansion doesn't step up today, how can the Jia family still have a foothold in the capital? Some things are useless even though we know they are useless, but we still have to do them. Jia Jing died outside the Meridian Gate for the Jia family. His death was unjust and he died bravely. What's left is for Rongguo Mansion to take the lead and make a big fuss, inviting all the old relatives and nobles to come and see that the Jia family is not over yet."

In a flash,

Grandmother Jia opened her eyes, sat up, took the golden nanmu cane, and smashed it heavily on the ground. At this moment, everyone in the room was silent, but the old lady's demeanor remained the same.

"Yes, the old lady is right. In this case, the granddaughter-in-law will follow the rules and make preparations accordingly."

Wang Xifeng quickly spoke to smooth things over, but she was still shocked in her heart. The old lady was the only one who could see clearly. Even if she could see clearly, she would not dare to do the same.

but,

Just now, the Second Madam mentioned that the imperial examination was over. I wonder if Baoyu has come yet.

"Old lady, do you want someone to prepare the food first? The exams are over, and I don't know if anyone has returned."

This reminder,

This brought Lady Jia back to her senses, and she quickly gave the order;

"Someone, go to the back and ask Sister Liu to prepare some delicious food for Baoyu and Lang'er. Forget about this matter."

The old lady was anxious, so she asked Yuanyang, who was beside her, to go outside and tell the maids to pass on the message. The second wife saw that the current matter had been resolved,

I was also thinking that it was so late, why didn't Baoyu come back yet, and I couldn't help feeling a little worried.
at this time,

The door curtain fluttered.

A woman shouted,
"Madam, Madam, Master Bao is here,"

"Quick, let him in."

The people in the room were delighted. Then, Baoyu came back with a package on his back. He was wearing a slightly wrinkled robe with some water spots on it. When Grandmother Jia saw it, her eyes turned red.
"Oh, my Baoyu, how did you get into this state? Look at this dress."

Baoyu, who came in, put down his bag first, bowed,
"I'm sorry to have caused you to worry. I'm fine. I was just sitting in the palace for an exam and peed when I drank water. There's nothing else wrong. The same is true for the others. I'm sorry to have troubled you to worry."

It's no wonder that Baoyu's behavior was like that of a scholar, which made Grandmother Jia and the Second Madam cry with joy. Baoyu was considered to have made progress, but he looked uncomfortable without the jade pendant around his neck. I don't know if the Second Madam had prepared in advance and asked Caifeng to take the spiritual jade and put it back around Jia Baoyu's neck, which would have been more appropriate.
"I'm glad you're back. Come and have some tea and rest. We'll have our meal here later. After you're full, you can go back to the yard and take a bath."

"Yes, yes, it's good to be back."

Grandmother Jia wiped the tears from her eyes and said a few words.

No one thought about Jia Lan, who had just been mentioned, as if they had forgotten whether he had come in. Seeing that the old lady did not mention it, the others stopped talking, and even Wang Xifeng did not say anything. It would be better for Jia Lan not to come. If he came, he might say something unpleasant and cause trouble.

During the meeting at Rongqing Hall,
Prince Zhongshun Zhou Jianan, who had just returned from the Imperial Clan Court, also returned to the palace. He held his head high and strode into the main hall. As soon as he sat down, he slammed the table in anger.
"Damn it, how could it be such a coincidence that I came back late,"

How could Zhou Jianan not be angry? There was nothing serious going on in the clan house, but there were piles of dirty things going on inside and outside. So these days, he gathered people to sort out these old accounts. By the way, he also planted spies in many post houses in the capital. He was busy with these things and it was too late when he returned to the capital.

As soon as I entered the capital, I heard that Jia Jing from Ningguo Mansion died in front of the Meridian Gate. Such a good opportunity slipped away from me.

Speaking of the hatred between the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion and the Jia family, there are too many. The candlelight flickered in the hall, and Zhou Liang, the chief historian of the Prince's Mansion who had been waiting for a long time, asked;
"My Lord, why are you so angry today?"

Prince Zhongshun's face was gloomy, just like the dark clouds in the sky outside the palace. He said in a cold voice:
"I left the city today to arrange for staff at the post station. Everything was fine, but when I returned to the city tonight, I heard people talking about how Jia Jing from Ningguo Mansion, who had returned from Xuanzhen Temple outside the city, was so resolute that he died at the Dengwen drum outside the Meridian Gate. This was beyond my expectation!"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Changshi's face changed slightly, and he said in doubt:
"Your Highness, do you mean to attack the Jia family in this matter, and preferably take away the title of Ningguo Mansion?"

I felt a vague sense of doubt in my heart, but I couldn't find the answer after careful consideration.

Immediately asked
"Has the prince been to the palace?"

"I didn't go. First, it's too late. Second, there are too many rats in those post stations today. I got angry and ordered some rats to be captured and executed on the spot. Third, maybe I haven't figured out how to deal with them yet."

When talking about this matter, King Zhongshun felt both depressed and angry.

Originally, he wanted to avenge his grievances by killing them with his own hands, but the people of the Jia family acted too quickly, and the emperor softened his heart and issued a new decree. Now that the people had been sent back, it would be troublesome if they tried to stir up trouble again and arouse the emperor's suspicion.

Zhou Changshi pondered for a moment and asked:

"I am also aware of this matter. It caused a lot of uproar. I don't know what happened in the end. I wonder how Your Majesty plans to deal with Jia Zhen and his son in Ningguo Mansion?"

"What else can we do? Jia Jing is dead, so he is a scapegoat. Now we have an excuse. What else can we do?"

King Zhongshun frowned and said.

Zhou Changshi shook his head. Since the imperial edict had been issued, he would lose the opportunity if he asked any more questions. Therefore, he could not say any more.

"Your Highness, there is no need to worry. Now that it has come to this, all the officials in the court and the public are watching. It is the critical moment of the imperial examination, and the palace has no such thoughts. However, Marquis Luo Yun is presiding over the imperial examination, and the examination has been completed and the results are waiting to be announced. I heard that two young people from the Jia family are participating."

"That being said, I cannot let it go smoothly. I always feel...unsatisfied."

King Zhongshun said this and sighed again.

Zhou Changshi's eyes flashed coldly, and he whispered:
"No matter what, Your Highness has cut off one arm of the Jia family from now on, and Your Highness can also vent his anger. The Jia family has lost the East Palace, and there is still the West Palace left. We will wait for an opportunity and keep an eye on their younger generations. There must be something wrong."

"Then I will wait for the failure."

King Zhongshun nodded and said coldly.

Just as the two were plotting, the military advisor in the palace, Mo Yutian, came in wearing a loose black robe and smiling. Seeing the look on the prince and Lord Zhou's faces, he seemed to be adding fuel to the fire.
"Your Highness, Lord Zhou, you must not reach out to the Jia family at this time. The Jia family seems to be in a precarious situation, but in fact, it is not. After the East Palace's 'scraping the bone to heal the wound', the palace needs to slow down the nobles even if it is to appease them. Jia Jing's death is also an excuse, so, Your Highness, you must not be anxious."

"Mr. Mo, are you drunk? He is talking nonsense. If we can't touch the Jia family, can we touch the younger generations? We can't touch the Beijing camp. As for the special examination, as long as the Jia family members pass, they will just find some people to cause trouble and disrupt their reputation. You know, I heard that there are Taoist priests selling exam questions."

A sly smile appeared on Zhou Changshi's gloomy face. He also bought the test questions and kept them without any action.

This matter has also been reported to the prince, but the prince also has many children of his confidants taking the exam, so he tacitly agreed. Unexpectedly, there is still a foreshadowing.

"When the time comes, we will accuse the Jia family of cheating and add fuel to the fire."

Zhou Jianan thought a lot in an instant. Imperial examination fraud was a big case, and he wondered if the Jia family could be implicated.
Only Mo Yutian had an incredible look on his face. The prince was like this sometimes. A wise man would suddenly become "stupid" because there were too many mediocre people like Zhou Changshi.

"Your Highness is confused. No matter what you do, you can't change the Enke. Not to mention that Marquis Luo Yun changed the test questions at the last minute, he should have known about it. Lord Nan from the Imperial Examination Hall also changed the test questions. Who can believe them if they said they didn't know anything about it?"

He raised his head, stared at Zhou Changshi with sharp eyes, and asked;

"Sir Zhou, since you brought this up, let me ask you, Marquis Luo Yun and Nan Zixian didn't dare to touch the cheating issue casually, so how did Sir Zhou get the confidence? Think about last year, students all over the country made trouble because of this matter, the royal family lost face, and the results were invalidated, so they set up this year's special examination, and the list will be released soon. Now that it is brought up at this time, tell me, will the emperor investigate or not? Who should investigate and how should it investigate? Have you thought about it?"

As Mr. Mo questioned, Zhou Changshi broke out in a cold sweat. He had never really considered this. After all, there was no major chaos at this time last year.

"You are right, sir. Your Majesty, I am the one who is anxious, but seeing that the Jia family has stabilized their position, there is nothing we can do, and we are extremely anxious."

Prince Zhongshun Zhou Jianan waved his hand and did not blame him.

"Mr. Mo, don't blame Zhou Liang. He is worrying about me."

"Your Highness, Lord Zhou, no matter how anxious you are, you have to know your limits. The opportunity has been lost, and we should hold our ground. As for the special examination, we should wait for the results to be announced. I don't think the people of the Jia family will be very capable. Isn't there someone who hasn't dealt with the incident that Rongguo Mansion caused in Shuntian Prefecture? Let's find a chance to test Lord Xu's opinion."

Mo Yutian knew what the prince was thinking, but he had to know that if he acted too hastily, it would lead to trouble. If he tried to draw a tiger but ended up drawing a dog, he would be in trouble.

"Sir, you are right. After I learned about this, I scolded Rongguo Mansion. A group of women are in charge. How can they be so short-sighted? How can they be the head of a family like this? Stopping the family members from participating in the special examination is an act that will destroy the family's fortune. No, not only can we not interfere in this matter, but we also need to ask Lord Xu to suppress the matter. With this group of women in charge, it is not right for the Jia family not to fail."

As if he had figured it out, he even spoke for the people in Rongguo Mansion. Zhou Changshi was a little surprised. Should the prince do it or not?

Mo Yutian suddenly laughed.
"Your Highness is wise. Men have always been the masters of the household. How can a woman control all the affairs of a mansion? As the saying goes, when yin is strong and yang is weak, the world is turned upside down. If it is not the will of heaven, there will be cholera. Accidents like the one in Ningguo Mansion are not far away."

The three of them chatted here and talked a lot in secret. They all looked happy. Zhou Jianan was exhausted after a day of fatigue, so he felt better. He thought that the Dragon Gate would be opened today, and if he failed the Enke exam, it would be the end.
But I don't know how many of his subordinates can make the list. I can't help but worry. Nan Zixian has never participated in party disputes and is extremely difficult to deal with. Luo Yunhou Jian is in the emperor's heart and is a stubborn person. The two of them are like stones in the toilet, smelly and hard. If I want to insert someone in, there is no way at all.

"How many of our people will be on the list that's released?"

"Your Highness, we can't rush this matter. According to the palace, the number of candidates admitted this year has increased significantly, and there should be quite a few people on the list. Don't worry. As for how many people will be admitted, I can't guess."

A bitter laugh came. He could find a way for everything except the imperial examination. If everyone could pass, why would he study so hard?
"Oh, this is difficult!"

(End of this chapter)