Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 845 Jia Zhen has a concubine
Ningguo Mansion,
The quiet backyard is a peaceful place, as if isolated from the world.

Except for the newer house in the front yard, the house in the back yard has some mottled walls, but overall it is much more tidy. It is an excellent location for feng shui, with winding bluestone roads and neatly trimmed flowers and plants on both sides, lush and verdant.

The front yard of Ningguo Mansion,

Gradually it became noisy, people inside and outside, all began to make arrangements. Today was the day of the master's burial. Although they didn't know why they were so anxious, they were ordered to make such arrangements, and they, the servants, could only follow suit. It was okay for the people in the East Courtyard, but the servants in other courtyards had some worries on their faces. They knew the gossip from the West Mansion, and they didn't know if it would be better if they went to the manor.
In the early morning,
Jia Rong dragged his tired body to Huifang Garden to have a meal with the younger generation of the clan. He felt much better in his stomach and was no longer as worried as before. After all, the Second Aunt of the West Mansion promised not to break her promise. He still believed in this. Even if he went to the old lady, with the Second Aunt covering for him, many things would not be a big deal.

Fortunately, I sneaked out to the Pear Garden last night. If I had gone there after today, I would have missed the chance. I felt relieved. I looked at the people around me, eating so deliciously, with a slight smile on my face. If it weren't for them, Jia Qiang might still be at home. He couldn't be dismissed with just a few words.
After eating and drinking, he felt refreshed and waved to the man outside. When he came in, Jia Rong lowered his head and whispered:
"From now on, you will follow me, and then I will select a few reliable people from the courtyard and take them away. Finally, go to the backyard and tell the three girls that you will be separated from me and become servants. If they ask about other things, just say you don't know."

"Yes, sir, but what if they don't want to?"

Zhong Er seemed to understand, but not quite, so he asked back,
Jia Rong glared at him and patted him on the shoulder.
"If you are asked to speak, then go ahead and speak. There are not so many problems. If you don't want to, then go and match with the boy."

Suddenly he felt that what he said was inappropriate, so he immediately changed his words and said;

"Just tell me that I am going to split up the family business. I still have some property and houses to take with me. I have some income, so I don't have to worry about food and clothing. But I am afraid that I won't be able to marry a young lady to be my wife in the future. So I would like to ask the three young ladies to teach those prostitutes so that they can continue the Ningguo Mansion's bloodline in the future."

unconsciously,

Jia Rong suddenly felt a little sad. Although it was just an excuse he made up, it was his real situation in the future. To put it in a positive way, no one would care about him anymore, but he also had no future.
Fortunately, his surname was Jia. As for everything in Ningguo Mansion, although he was unwilling to accept it, he knew that he could not change his mind. Even if his father came back, it would be useless. He still had to rely on them for future matters. In the past few days, Jia Rong seemed to have come to his senses and quickly thought of a solution. Even Jia Qiang had found an excuse and was just waiting to go to the old lady to complain.
"Uh, yes, sir."

Zhong'er suddenly understood something. It was the gossips circulating in the two mansions these days. The servants in the West Mansion were easy to deal with, but the one or two hundred people in the East Mansion had nowhere to go and were waiting for their fate.

Thinking of this, and seeing that there was no one around, he quietly slipped away through the small path at the corner of the wall.

Along the way, it was quiet.

Especially in the backyard, those bought prostitutes, whether they had their faces opened or not, were all relatively calm. After being bought by the master, they were kept in the mansion, and it didn't matter where they lived, so there was nothing to make a fuss about.

Only the three concubines taken in by Jia Zhen were vaguely uneasy and didn't know where to go. Although they were from a wealthy family, they would not be spared if the master of the family fell into trouble. The reason why these three people were able to enter the gate of Ningguo Mansion was that Jia Zhen had spent a lot of effort to get them. Apart from Jia Zhen, only Jia Rong knew the inside story.

To outsiders, she is just a purchased concubine, but who knows the wonderful things about her?
We first met in Chunlou.

I heard from the madam that they were being trained to be courtesans, and it was just the beginning. I don't know what tricks Jia Zhen used, but he secretly gave them some gifts and bought all three of them, and married them into the family according to the procedure of taking concubines.

Backyard East House,

The slightly older Yang Xiao sat there lazily. His figure and appearance were also top-notch, but unfortunately, although his complexion was good, he did not look noble. Instead, he looked a little immature. I wonder if the food and drink expenses in Ningguo Mansion were better. His soft body, tightly tied to his clothes, looked over slightly, and the three of them were the same.
"Sister, today is the day when Master Jing is buried in Ningguo Mansion. So tomorrow, shouldn't we, the unlucky ones, leave?"

The second sister Guimei hugged her chest with both hands, squeezing her pair of plump, straight breasts into an arc shape, attracting people's attention.
But he didn't know that the third brother He Xue sneered and replied;

"Hmph, what good things are you thinking? Where are you going? Haven't you heard that the head of the West Mansion wants to give us all to the boys in the clan to marry? Only she is so cruel."

He Xue gnashed her teeth. The Second Mistress of the West Mansion had always been famous for her jealousy. Not only did Second Master Lian's concubines die or were sold off, none of them had a good ending. In addition, the maids in the courtyard, except Ping'er, all other pretty women were driven out.
They have seen many masters before, but this is the first time they have found such a master. Is it because of this that the master hates them, so these things happened?

He didn't let her go, and just randomly married off a boy. How was he going to live in the future? Thinking back to the carefree days with Master Zhen, although he didn't come often later, he didn't reduce her food and drink expenses at all, and even gave her more on weekdays. The comfortable days didn't last for a few days, and now he encountered a disaster.

"Okay, there's no point in saying anything now. I just don't know where to go. I'm afraid of those guys. I have nothing. How am I going to live in the future?"

The eldest sister was at a loss at this time. She was so angry that her breasts were trembling. She had to think of a way to solve the problem.
The remaining two did not complain. From now on, they really had to live a life of eating coarse food. They did not want to... Suddenly, Gui Mei's eyes lit up, and she thought of those people in Dongyuan. As long as they stayed there, all of them were approved by Madam You.

"Then let's pack up our belongings, or go talk to Madam You and ask her to let us stay and serve her. We have always respected her, haven't we?"

"Yes, big sister, Madam You is kind-hearted. Let's go over and beg her. Maybe we can stay here and at most serve her and make her submit."

He Xue's eyes lit up too. What she said was right. If she went over to ask Madam You for help, maybe she could stay.

After thinking about it, the eldest sister Yang Xiao agreed.

"That's right. While it's still early, the three of us should disguise ourselves and go over to ask."

Thinking about this, the worst thing to do is to get married and go abroad. Maybe there will be a turn for the better.

After hearing this, the three of them quickly put on their clothes to cover their plump bodies, hoping to leave early. However, just as they were about to leave the house, they saw a sneaky-looking man wandering around the door.
Guimei was sharp-eyed and immediately scolded him;
"What are you looking at at the door for?"

A scolding,
The boy at the door startled him, and he quickly followed the sound and went into the house.

"Greetings to the three aunts,"

No matter what, now, no one in charge said anything, so he still had to have the right attitude towards the three girls. But when he looked up, he didn't expect the three girls to be so pretty after dressing up. He had an idea in his mind, thinking that it couldn't be Master Rong who had some ideas about them. But thinking back to the past, it seemed that Master Rong didn't dare to come to the backyard, so it shouldn't be the case.
Zhong'er was a little silly. It was a different time. At that time, Jia Zhen was still alive, but now he is gone. There are many things that can be done.
The three girls were also surprised. Zhong'er was not from Rong'er's room, so why did he come here to find them? After all, in the past, Jia Rong was the least favored person in Ningguo Mansion. Even Jia Qiang, who was fostered, was more effective than him. Now, he could send someone to pass on the message.
The eldest sister Yang Xiaomei rolled her eyes, vaguely guessing in her heart, and scolded;

"What do you mean by that? Come in quickly so that people can see you. There might be gossip."

After a little urging, the other two sisters, perhaps thinking of the same destination, turned back to the house, and Zhong'er followed closely.

The three of them sat down at the mansion. Zhong'er wanted to reply quickly, so he went to the yard in front of the master to select the servants. There were still many people who were able to work and had good eyesight in the past. Those who were not good were directly crossed out. The eldest sister Yang Xiao smiled slightly and said;
"Okay, now that everyone is here, just tell me what Rong Ge asked you to say,"

"Yes, hurry up and tell me, there are still things to delay."

He Xue was even more anxious. Seeing that the sky was getting brighter, if it got any darker, nothing would be done.

"Three concubines, please be patient. Master Rong said that from now on, Ningguo Mansion will be divided. Most of the servants in the mansion will be sent to the farm, and the maids will be married with boys. Master Rong said that from now on, the three concubines will follow him and live together in the house outside." Before he finished speaking,
He was interrupted by Gui Mei's scolding.

"Who does he think he is? We were all taken in by the master. We are members of the Ningguo Mansion. How could he leave?"

Gui Mei still had a lucky thought in her mind. If she went to ask Madam You for help, she would most likely be able to stay in the mansion. Although she might not have a life of luxury, it would be better than living outside. As long as she stayed in Ningguo Mansion for one day, she would be the concubine of the master.
These plans were also what the three people had in mind just now. He Xue, who was in the lower position, had her eyes light up. She vaguely knew something in her heart. She looked up at her elder sister, as if she had sensed something. The two of them exchanged glances, and the elder sister nodded.
She spoke first to persuade;
"Don't be anxious, sister. I'd better ask you something."

"Yes, Second Sister, women always have a place to go. Zhong'er, let me ask you, Rong'er, no, Master Rong, what else do you want to say?"

Yang Xiao was very thoughtful and tactful. He immediately replaced Rong Ge'er with Rong Da Ye. Except for the third sister He Xue, Gui Mei didn't listen to him. She was so angry that her chest was full and rose and fell, which made people love her.

"In reply to Auntie, Master Rong said that after the family business is divided, he will not come back. However, there is some income from the family business, and there are many houses and shops, so he will not worry about food and clothing. However, Master Rong himself said that he might not be able to find a better wife in the future, so he asked the three young ladies to teach those prostitutes, so as to continue the lineage of Ningguo Mansion and add grace to it."

It was almost a repetition of Jia Rong's words. After hearing it, the three concubines lost their previous anger. There were many meanings in the words. He Xue broke it down;
"He's thinking good things, but what if we don't go?"

"To answer Auntie's question, if you don't go, Master Rong said that after this, the aunties won't be able to stay. Many people in the clan are still unmarried. These are mostly rumors."

Zhong Er just opened his mouth and felt something was wrong, so he immediately changed his accent. It must be a difficult life for Uncle Rong, who has not yet enjoyed his life and is about to split up.

The three girls finally understood. It seems that the rumors in the mansion are not false. The three girls are also trained by the courtesan of Chunlou. How can they not understand this? It seems that they are making room for the new master. They are the old people. Not to mention the concubines, even the master, if Madam You does not give birth to a boy, she will probably leave. Yang Xiao's heart moved and asked;

"It seems that we can't keep him here. Sisters, what do you think? Uncle Rong is still thinking about us in his heart."

There is something else behind the words.

They were not fools. They knew that Jia Rong was still thinking about this situation. It was probably not for teaching them, but because the maids were thinking about them. They did not expect that Jia Rong, who was always timid, would be so bold.
"Sister, I didn't expect that the most inconspicuous one is actually the most courageous. In the past, I remember Uncle Rong couldn't speak clearly!"

In the east room,
As the three girls exchanged glances, they roughly understood Jia Rong's thoughts. He was waiting for an opportunity to take the three of them with him. In the future, they would live under the same roof. As an experienced person, how could he not know what Jia Rong was thinking about?

Seeing the eldest sister asking, the two girls were still a little shy in their hearts. After all, they were taken in by Master Zhen. They felt uncomfortable going with Jia Rong, who was the least favored person in Ningguo Mansion. Especially Gui Mei, she was still thinking about Madam You and asked unwillingly;
"Sister, can we still ask Madam You for help?"

"Don't think about it, don't you understand?"

The eldest sister Yang Xiao shook her head. She had to leave, but how she left was not up to them. She had also made up her mind that it would be better to follow Jia Rong instead of living a miserable life. As long as she could cover up the past and change her identity, she could become a concubine again.
What Jia Rong said was right. If she was the daughter of a rich family and became his wife, and then she gave birth to a boy or a girl, she would be the master. It would be better than living the life of a maid, serving a man. It didn't matter who she served.
After hearing what the elder sister said, the two of them understood that the elder sister wanted to go with them, but they felt a little reluctant in their hearts, as if there was no other way now, so they nodded helplessly.
"Listen to my elder sister,"

"Okay, in that case, Zhong'er, tell Master Rong that the three of us will be counting on him from now on. However, it will not be good for our reputation if we leave the mansion."

Yang Xiao was also worried about this. If it got out, he might get into trouble.

"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll just do the work of a maid. Master Rong has already arranged it."

Zhong'er didn't take it seriously. Master Rong had mentioned this matter long ago. She could just go there and be a maid. After a few years, she would be released and could enter the mansion under a different name.
"That's good."

Seeing that everything was arranged, Yang Xiao did not keep anyone around. He took out a purse from his pocket and handed it over.
"Tell Master Rong that the three of us have agreed that we can do whatever the old woman does, and we can make do with what we can't do. I hope he will keep this in mind and let him carry this with him."

His eyes turned red, and he looked a little aggrieved. He didn't know whether to accept it or not, so he could only lower his head, take the things, and go back, fearing that he would be left behind.
As soon as people leave,
He Xue followed closely behind, and when she saw Zhong Er's figure disappearing into the corner, she closed the door and hurried back. Gui Mei said reluctantly;

"Big sister, this time, it's obvious that he's going to serve him. Is he going to serve him? Where did he come from? Who can believe those women?"

"Whether you believe it or not is up to you. Think about it. In this situation, Madam You may not be able to protect herself. It's better to have a place to stay outside. If you really want to accompany those little ones and eat coarse food, I won't go anyway."

He Xue shook her head. She knew what her elder sister was thinking. If she could live a good life in the future, it was not impossible. After all, Rong Ge'er was much timid. With the means of the three of them, they might not live a bad life.
After hearing what the two said, Gui Mei had no other excuses and could only nod.

"Eat bran and vegetables, eat bran and vegetables. In the past, we also ate these and didn't think anything of it. But after a few days of good life, you start to dislike it. Humph, if you don't eat it, I won't eat it either."

The words were spoken passionately, but in the end, it was as if nothing had been said. Yang Xiao ignored them.
"Okay, that's it, go back and pack up, I can't stay for a few days,"

Sighing helplessly,

There was a sound of firecrackers in the yard outside. It seemed that someone had arrived and a banquet had started.

Jia Rong was waiting for news outside. As the eldest grandson of Ningguo Mansion, although he was demoted to a commoner, he could not escape the word "filial piety". He still needed to do things like picking up the soul-calling banners himself. In the outer courtyard, the people who came to help had already started the banquet.
Just at this time,

Zhong Er hurried back from the backyard, found an opportunity, and went to the coffin. While delivering some paper money, he came to Jia Rong's side.

"Master Rong, I have met the three concubines in the backyard."

"What did they say?"

Jia Rong suppressed his excitement and saw that no one was paying attention to this place, so he hurriedly asked, "What if the three people disagree? This would be really difficult to deal with. If they make a fuss, this matter would be ruined.

"Master Rong, the three concubines have agreed and are waiting for Master Rong to find a way to divide the family and take them out."

Zhong Er then conveyed the three concubines' intentions to Jia Rong. When Jia Rong heard this, he was moved. It turned out that the concubines saw clearly. Since they agreed, they must have accepted it. If they were to be given a share of the family property and kept in the backyard, they would surely be obedient no matter what tricks they used. He nodded repeatedly and said,
"Okay, okay, this is a good job. Go back and hire some people. Not too many, twenty will be enough. Ask for two more maids to cook. From now on, you will be the housekeeper."

"Thank you, sir!"

"Haha, go for it!"

(End of this chapter)