Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 843 Jia Rong is looking for a way out

Ningguo Mansion East Garden,
Several people at the gate of the courtyard kept blocking the door and refused to let Jia Rong in no matter what. Jia Rong was so anxious that he was furious. They looked down on him. Just as he was thinking about how to get in, Yin Die'er in the east room heard the sound and opened the door and came out.
Seeing the commotion at the gate of the courtyard, he was somewhat displeased and asked;
"What's going on? What are you arguing about? It's the middle of the night."

It was no wonder that Yin Die'er was angry. Madam had finally fallen asleep, and now this happened. How could she explain this? The guard at the door yawned hastily, and Chen Sheng replied:

"Miss Yindie, please don't blame me. It was Rong who wanted to come in, but I stopped him."

Chen Sheng knew that the person in charge of the inner courtyard was Miss Yin Die'er, who had good eyesight.
Yin Die'er then came over with a stern face and frowned. Seeing that Master Rong had lost his former charm, she felt a lot more touched.
"Brother Rong, what are you here to ask?"

Seeing that the maidservant of the past had such power, Jia Rong felt mixed emotions. He wanted to ask many questions, but could not, so he replied with difficulty:
"I want to see Madam You and ask some questions."

His expression was quite sincere, which made Yindie'er feel a little soft-hearted. However, grandma had just fallen asleep, so how could she disturb her? Besides, it was late at night, and a man and a woman were alone, so there would be a lot of gossip.

"Brother Rong, it's late, it's not convenient. If you have anything to say, please ask first. If I can't answer, please come back tomorrow to ask."

It's not that Yin Die'er is deliberately arrogant and says everything. Following Madam You, she has heard a lot about the affairs of the two mansions. She has also been taught by her grandmother what she can and cannot say, so some of her words are not excessive.

Jia Rong was moved when he heard this. After not seeing Yin Die'er for a few days, he actually had such a good fortune. He looked at her carefully. The originally thin little girl had now grown up to be as beautiful as a lotus in water. Her figure, waist, and full body had already taken shape. With her brocade clothes, she looked like a lady from a noble family. How could he not have noticed it before? She was much better than those maids and courtiers. Thinking of the concubines and wives bought by his father, he felt a little restless. They were all chosen by him. How could he give them up to those shameless clansmen for marriage?
After all, he had not yet fulfilled his wish, especially those concubines who were taken in by Ningguo Mansion earlier. Although he had not seen them for a long time, he remembered them deeply when they parted that day.

"Okay, in that case, may I ask Manager Yin to talk to me alone?"

Jia Rong also saw the situation clearly. The most important thing now was where to settle down in the future, or where to make a living. Only with these could he think about the concubines and the bought prostitutes. So, he no longer put on airs and asked directly.

Seeing this, Yin Die'er thought about it for a moment. After all, he was Mr. Rong, and he had been kind to Madam You in the past, so he still had some feelings for her. So she nodded.
"Mr. Chen, please go to the back."

"Yes, Manager Yin."

Chen Sheng nodded, and with the servant, he retreated to the courtyard, leaving Yin Die'er alone there, and said;
"Brother Rong, let's talk here. It's not good to stand at the gate of the yard. It's not good to be seen by others."

Yin Die'er is no longer the same as before, and she has a lot more thoughts. Grandma is now of noble status, and it is possible that she will become a noble person in the future, so she must be careful in everything. Jia Rong nodded when he heard this, and followed him to one side of the courtyard. After standing still, he clasped his fists and said;

"Yin Die, cough, Manager Yin, there is no point in saying anything else, I just want to ask you where I will stay in the future."

This is what Jia Rong is most concerned about. As the direct descendant of Ningguo Mansion, even if he is demoted to a commoner, he can still be a member of Ningguo Mansion. I heard that Madam You was also stripped of her imperial title, so she is also a commoner. In the future, they may not be unable to live together. If he has her, it doesn't matter if he doesn't have those concubines.

Suddenly, he had some thoughts in his mind and some hope in his eyes. He thought he would stay here in the future, but he didn't know that Yin Die'er poured cold water on him.
"Could it be that Rong Ge'er hasn't figured it out yet and can't see the situation clearly? Since he has been demoted to a commoner, how can he stay here? Rong Ge'er has also heard about the two mansions. I'm afraid they will be separated in the future."

Yin Die'er did not hide it either. She used to be very cautious when calling him Rong Ge'er. But now, she called him casually. She didn't believe that he didn't understand.

Jia Rong was shocked. He knew all the words, but he didn't know if it was the Second Mistress of the West Mansion who deliberately spread the news that he was driven out of the mansion and had to live alone. The private property of the Ningguo Mansion had almost been divided up by Li Wan and Madam You. What else could he have? As for the family property and public accounts, he couldn't even think about it. When his father was alive, he only embezzled money from the public account and didn't dare touch any other penny. After all, it involved thousands of family members and he didn't dare to make a big deal.

"Since it is to be divided, what is the explanation? What about Madam You?"

I couldn't help but ask Mrs. You. After all, she was also a commoner.
Yin Die'er laughed, looking at the young master who had made a fool of himself in the past, but was still the heir of the direct lineage, with many clothes and appearance, but he was no longer the same as before, and sighed;

"I understand what Rong'er meant. Madam You will stay in Ningguo Mansion and her life will remain unchanged. If Rong'er is smart, he should know that all the things in the mansion have been sealed. If he really wants an explanation, he should go to the West Mansion. I'm afraid it's a wrong place to come here."

Just this one sentence made Jia Rong suddenly realize and give up all his fantasies. Now, no one can be the head of the family. The only ones who can be the head of the family are the old lady of the West Mansion and the second aunt. This can only be asked after the funeral, not now.
He calmed down and was about to say goodbye and leave, but couldn't help but ask again;
"Yin Die'er, those concubines and the servants, how can we really allocate them to them? Wouldn't it be riding on the heads of their former masters? Even if we sell them off, it's ok. How can we arrange it like this?"

Even if the master cannot get it, he cannot give it to those who abuse it. At the very least, those concubines and those living in the backyard should stay or follow him. Otherwise, if he gives them to them, do they want to bully him? Even if they are sold, out of sight, out of mind. Jia Rong does not want to think too much about it. He first needs a place to live and some income from industry. Otherwise, he will end up living like them in the future.

There was something strange in Yin Die'er's eyes. Although what Rong Ge'er said was right, she could go to the mansion. It was said that Rong Ge'er had always been thinking about those concubines. If the master hadn't been there, he might have taken them into the house. It seemed that it was true at that time. However, how could she do that according to human ethics?
"This matter still needs the approval of the old lady of the West Mansion or the Second Madam. After all, it was the Second Madam who made the decision, so there must be an explanation."

Yin Die'er had no way to answer, so she could only push it to Ximian. Now, basically, she had to remember the list of people who stayed in the mansion, and the cooks and the people who worked in the backyard would stay. The rest of the idle and lazy people would be sent away to the manor after tomorrow.

"I don't know about the other things. After tomorrow, everyone in the mansion will have to leave. Rong'er needs to prepare what he wants quickly."

I can't bear it, so I remind you,
Jia Rong paused, bowed and thanked him.

"Thank you for your help, Manager Yin. If there is a chance, I will repay you in the future."

After paying his respects, he turned around and left without staying any longer, becoming much different. Yin Die'er looked at Jia Rong going away, muttering to herself that she was afraid that he would never have a chance to come back. She waved to the back, and Chen Sheng led the servant over.

"Mr. Silver, what do you want me to do?"

"Close the door, and don't let anyone in."

"Yes, Manager Yin."

With a response, the courtyard returned to peace.
Jia Rong, on the other hand, had a gloomy face, full of grief and indignation. It seemed that if he did not fight for it, he would have nothing left. He did not return to Fanghua Garden, but went straight along the stone bridge in the backyard to the West Mansion. The old lady must have fallen asleep, so he could only ask his second aunt for help. After all, he could talk about something.
When I thought of this, I walked faster.
I memorized the way and after three turns and two forks, I arrived near the Pear Garden. The gate was open and there was no one around, so I slipped in alone.

As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw that the main house was brightly lit, and it was obvious that no one was asleep yet. Jia Rong, dressed in mourning clothes, looked a little gloomy in the dark courtyard. He didn't care too much.
Arriving at the main house, I knocked on the door.
"Aunt, aunt, nephew has something to ask of you,"

There were knocks on the door, causing the people inside to frown.
Wang Xifeng had already taken off her clothes and lay down. Ping'er and several other maids and wives were waiting on her, busy clearing the table. After all, they would be busy tomorrow, so they were late in finishing their instructions, and even later in eating. After a simple meal and a quick wash, they returned to their room and lay down with a heavy heart.

After a while, I heard a knock on the door. Who is that blind man again?
"Ping'er, take some people over to have a look and see who is the blind one." "Yes, Grandma, I'll go right away."

Ping Erh waved her hand, took a maid and a servant girl, and went to the outer room. When she opened the door, she saw Jia Rong standing outside and asked in surprise:
"Why is Rong Ge'er here? Is there something wrong?"

Ping Er saw Jia Rong's haggard face, and the mourning clothes that smelled of smoke. He must have come from the mourning shed. But she didn't know what Jia Rong came to ask for so late.
"It's Miss Ping'er, don't be surprised, I came here to meet my second aunt, to save my life."

Jia Rong's face was filled with sorrow, his eyes were red, and only then did he feel sad, that the head of the Ningguo Mansion had fallen to this point.
Ping Er saw this and felt it was not good to chase them away. After all, everything about Ningguo Mansion was arranged by Grandma. However, she also mentioned Rong Ge'er.

"Come in and wait, I'll go tell grandma,"

After Ping Er finished speaking, she asked the maidservant and the old woman to stay behind her and went inside. When she came to the bed, she whispered,

"Grandma, it's Rong Ge'er who's here. He's waiting in the outer room. He seems to know something, and his eyes are red."

Wang Xifeng was lying on the bed, worried about something. When she heard this, she couldn't help but feel embarrassed. After all, many things were arranged by her. She sat up, and the quilt slipped off, revealing her plump, white and tender figure. Ping'er blushed and quickly took the robe and put it on the grandmother. However, the back was blocked, and the red apron in front was vaguely visible.

Wang Xifeng lifted the quilt, and a pair of jade legs stretched out. She put on her pants to cover her plump and fair legs, put on her clothes, tightened her robe to cover the area, and walked out and sat in the main seat, looking annoyed.
"Let him in,"

"Yes, grandma."

Ping Er did not dare to say anything more. She went to the outer room and called Jia Rong in.

When Jia Rong saw that his aunt was willing to see him, he knew that the matter could still be discussed, so he hurriedly bent over, bowed his head and went in. As soon as he entered, he knelt on the ground and cried,
"Aunt, please save my nephew because he has been obedient in the past. I will spare his life in the future."

This cry startled everyone in the room, including the maids. Rong Ge'er was fine, so how could he be saved?
Even Wang Xifeng didn't understand it for a while, but she changed her mind and realized that saving lives was a matter for the future. In this case, it would be a matter of dividing the family. But how to divide the family would be a problem.

I wanted to get some benefits myself, but who knew that most of the property had been divided up by Master Jing in advance, and there were still people waiting for the remaining melons and jujubes. No matter how I tried, I would not get any benefits. So I simply sealed it up and left it to my eldest sister-in-law to deal with it herself.
But this troublesome person came in,

"Do you want to ask about the division of the family property in the future, or do you want to ask about the private property in the mansion?"

The lazy words made Jia Rong startled. The second sister-in-law was really smart. She could have figured this out. In this case, they could talk a little. He looked up and saw that his aunt was becoming more charming. Although her clothes covered her body, they were a little tight, and her plump breasts were still visible. With her charming face, his second uncle Lian was still cheating on others. This was really a waste of God's gift.
But I suppressed my thoughts, gritted my teeth and nodded.

"Aunt, I want to ask you something. I am penniless now. I am afraid I won't be able to come back to your house in the future. However, I need a place to settle down, otherwise..."

Jia Rong was not willing to give up. He should give it up anyway. Otherwise, he would have nothing. It would be better to die than to live. His words were full of sadness and threats. Wang Xifeng narrowed her eyes when she heard it. Good boy, he has become more capable after a trip to the prison. She wanted to scold him and let him be more patient.

"What else can we do? You know, if you can save your life after doing some things, it's good. It's useless to think too much."

"What you said is true. I dare not do anything. However, if I really have nothing, I would rather die. I can't bear the pain."

Jia Rong bowed as a request.

When Wang Xifeng saw this, she weighed the matter for a moment and knew what Jia Rong was thinking. She couldn't suppress it, so she asked again.
"In that case, then tell me what you want. The Ningguo Mansion's assets have been divided up almost completely."

It was also a reminder that one should not ask for too much. One should think carefully before making a decision. Seeing his aunt's expression, Jia Rong did not hesitate and replied:
"Auntie asked me to tell you, and I, your nephew, will tell you where you live, what income you have, how much you can earn, and whether you have servants."

He didn't ask for much, at least five thousand taels of silver a year, he didn't want more.

The servants in the room all stood there respectfully without saying a word. These were the conversations between the masters. If they heard it, it would be bad, but they did not dare to leave. They could only lower their heads and remain silent. When Ping'er saw the grandmother like this, she could only pour a bowl of tea for her and pull her sleeves to ask her to pay attention.

"I have thought of all that you said. Ningguo Mansion also has a three-story courtyard for you to live in. Excluding the one for Grandma and Madam You, there are three shops in the West City. The annual rent for one shop is two thousand taels of silver. Three shops means six thousand taels. There is another shop under the school. The old lady has to give the order. You can hire any of the servants in the mansion, except for those in the East Garden, as long as you can afford them."

Wang Xifeng had already checked out the private property of Ningguo Mansion. After Madam You and the eldest sister-in-law divided it, only these few shops were left, and there was a farm outside the Fortress. That was not valuable, so the farm was not mentioned. There were only four shops left, and three of them were given away. In this way, Ningguo Mansion had no property under its name. That was fine, it was gone, and no one would care about it anymore.

Jia Rong was delighted that the three shops in the west market had not been taken away. They were a gold nugget, so how could they be left behind?

I didn't think too much about it, I just took it. With these, I could settle down in the capital. But I didn't have a farm, and I felt a little empty in my heart.

However, the manors in the capital were very valuable, and ordinary people could not afford them, so he gave up thinking about it. Finally, he thought about the manors outside the Great Wall, but shook his head. He only had a few coins all year round, and if the Jurchens came back, he would not know what to do with them. So he stopped thinking about it.

"Thank you for your kindness, aunt. I would like to thank you in advance. I now have a place to settle down. I remember you are so kind to me. However, Ningguo Mansion has so many properties. Can you have more?"

It was nothing more than bargaining to see if there was anything left, or to make up for it. Unfortunately, Wang Xifeng was not going to pamper him. She had been eyeing the shops in Xishifang for a long time. She wanted to exchange them with the Rongguo Mansion, but Jia Rong was in a hurry. He thought that these shops might have been arranged by Master Jing. In that case, it would be inappropriate for him to compete with his nephew.

"What else is there? Ningguo Mansion is nothing but farms, shops, and houses. The shops, including yours, have all been divided up. There are only three farms. One was given to Madam You, one was listed as ancestral property, and the other is the money-losing item outside the pass. Do you want it?"

Wang Xifeng let out a sigh of relief. She didn't know why. She thought that Ningguo Mansion had more property some time ago. Who would have thought that it was less than Rongguo Mansion? It was just the convenience of occupying the family property. Where did the income of the family property go in recent years? There was not even an account book.

"No, my nephew can't go outside the pass. If I can get some silver, it would be fine. As for the maids, old women and servants, I want the people in my original house. Finally, I want to ask my aunt, there are several concubines in the backyard, as well as some prostitutes I bought, to give them to my nephew, okay?"

The second reason why Jia Rong came here was to have his eyes on those women. The only pretty women in the mansion were those in Madam You's courtyard and those in the backyard. There were quite a few young and beautiful ones, and even some of them who were older still had some charm. It would be nice for them to become old maids in the future.
But Wang Xifeng, who was sitting in the main seat, glared over and asked, "What little girl?"
(End of this chapter)