Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 856 Jia Rong splits up the family overnight
The sky gradually darkens,
As for the matter of the ancestral land, after Jia Jing was buried, the funeral arrangements of Ningguo Mansion were considered over. There were only some finishing touches left, and a group of servants in the mansion stayed there to help. Grandmother Jia and a group of ladies and relatives took a carriage back to the mansion. Jia She and Jia Zheng, who led the group, were the last to arrive.

Those who go first go down the mountain faster.
It didn't take long to get back to Rongguo Mansion. After a tiring day, Grandmother Jia asked everyone to simply wash up and go back to Rongqing Hall to set up dinner.
Maybe Jia Baoyu was afraid of being discovered, so after getting off the carriage, he went back to his own courtyard to wash and change his clothes.
Ningguo Mansion,
Jia Rong actually brought a few servants with him and followed the convoy back. He still remembered what Feng Ji said in his heart that only the old lady could settle the affairs of Ningguo Mansion. Although the few shops left in Ningguo Mansion had a lot of income a year, and if he took the three concubines over and had the Jia family take care of them, they should live a good life. The most important thing was the care of Rongguo Mansion. The old friendship could not be broken, so he had to make things clear before leaving.

After returning to Ningguo Mansion, as he walked through the gate, he looked up at the plaque on the gate tower and felt a sense of desolation. The former glory of the title was gone in a day. Looking at the almost empty house, Jia Rong knew that the East Mansion was in decline.
As the saying goes, when one prefecture falls, another rises. Over at Rongguo Mansion, the ceiling is gorgeous.

He hurried back to his own house, changed into a fairly neat dark blue gown, carefully smoothed out the wrinkles, and faced the blurry bronze mirror. He dipped his hand in some water and smoothed out his messy hair. Until this moment, the exhaustion and fear in the bronze mirror could not be hidden.
"Uncle Rong, shall we go now?"

Zhong'er, the servant behind him, also came in and sorted out Jia Rong's clothes. These days, some people in the courtyard were selected, all of whom were old women and maids from the outer courtyard, as well as servants. Many people were willing to follow, and almost all the original servants did not come.

"Well, let's go now. Also, have you chosen the right person?"

Although Jia Rong was a little uneasy, he still had to ask questions when he cared about his own interests. Zhong Er replied carefully;
"In reply to Master, there are still three hundred taels of silver in Master's house. The original people were unwilling to follow Master to go outside, and I did not force them. I went to the outer courtyard and picked out about twenty people, including maids and cooks. Even if we go to the mansion, we can just use them directly."

"That's good. Once everything is arranged, we'll go there. We won't be staying here for long."

A forced melon is not sweet. Since she is unwilling to follow me, then go to the farm and live there for the rest of her life. Second Aunt's methods are not something she can be easily persuaded with. At this point, it is obvious that he has let it go.

finished,

I walked out of the house and headed west. Along the way, the path I used to be familiar with seemed so strange. A feeling of desolation came over me.

But on second thought, going out to divide the family property may not be a bad thing. After all, I can be a master for once. When I think of my three concubines who are still helping me, my heart warms up.
Walking along the corridor, my previous casual steps have now become cautious. After entering the Rongguo Mansion, I can clearly feel that it is different from the bleak atmosphere of the Ningguo Mansion. Passing by several servants' courtyards, I can hear bursts of laughter. It should be the maids in the mansion playing around. The laughter seems a bit harsh, and I can't help but quicken my pace.

Arriving at the central courtyard of Rongqing Hall, where the main gate was, Jia Rong took a deep breath, squatted on the ground, and lightly wiped his face with a little dust on his hand, which made him look even more miserable. He mustered up his courage and walked in.

inside the house,

Grandmother Jia washed her hands early and sat upright on the carved couch. She was surrounded by the maids Sanchun, Wang Xifeng and others. Everyone was talking and laughing, especially Wang Xifeng, who came to Grandmother Jia with a plate of cakes, pinched a piece of cake and put it into Grandmother Jia's mouth.

"Old lady, your granddaughter-in-law is exhausted today. I never thought that the princes who came to Beijing would also come, and they didn't tell me in advance."

These things were all in the name of Lady Jia and brought honor to the Jia family. She saw them all and was surprised. The Jia family had no dealings with the princes' palaces in the interior of the country. This time, it was strange.

"It's good to be here. It's a great honor. Thanks to Prince Beijing for coming here in person. If you can help us in the future, the Jia family needs to repay this favor."

It was just like this. Wang Xifeng's eyes flickered and she nodded.
"That's as it should be."

I want to ask some more questions.

There was a noise coming from the door curtain. Just when everyone thought that Jia Zheng and Jia She had returned, they saw Jia Rong, dressed in a dark blue gown, walking in. He then knelt on the ground and kowtowed with a "thump". That sound instantly quieted everyone in this noisy room.
Jia Rong's forehead fell to the ground with a dull thud, followed by two more "bangs," and he kowtowed three times, leaving a red mark on his forehead.

at this time,

Jia Rong cried out with tears in his eyes and a trembling voice;

"Grandfather, Rong'er greets you. Today, Rong'er is really helpless and has nowhere else to go. I can only come here to ask the ancestor to have mercy on me."

Grandmother Jia was slightly startled, put down the teacup in her hand, and a trace of pity appeared on her face;

"It's Rong'er. What's going on? Get up and answer first."

Jia Rong did not stand up, but remained kneeling on the ground, wiping his tears with his sleeves, and said in a sobbing voice:

"Grandfather, you also know that Master Jing was buried today. My father was exiled to Lingnan, and I was stripped of my title. The main branch of Ningguo Mansion is in decline. I heard that the ancestor wants to divide Ningguo Mansion. The ancestor has always been kind-hearted, so please give me a favor."

As he spoke, Jia Rong kowtowed again and again, looking so miserable.

Mrs. Xing, the eldest wife, who sat in the first seat in the east, felt really sorry for him. The eldest son of the main line had to suffer such a fate. What kind of favor was that? He was just asking for the family property. The second wife was probably most interested in the family property.
"Why are you saying these things, Rong'er? Ningguo Mansion is a big family with a lot of wealth, and they don't need you. Master Jing has already arranged everything before. Calculate how much is left, and you can take it all. Besides, it doesn't matter where you live."

When Mrs. Xing said this, others thought that the eldest wife had done well. The maid Sanchun looked at the eldest wife.

But it did not make the second wife unhappy. You have no right to speak on the property of the mansion.

"That being said, the amount of your property has not been counted. Look at how messy your house has been these past few days. You have always lived a life of luxury. How can you bear this kind of suffering? Get up first."

The second wife is always procrastinating, and she may have to exchange the good properties she has left.

Jia Rong was shocked. It was said that the Second Mistress was cruel and ruthless. It turned out to be true. If he could not settle down today, it would be like trying to catch the moon in a well if he wanted to do so later.

"Grandfather, Second Aunt, Rong'er is just a greedy person, how dare she be picky? The mansion needs some servants and some living property. You can move out tonight and not cause trouble for the Jia family. From now on, let the grandfather decide the affairs of Ningguo Mansion."

The so-called quick sword cuts the Gordian knot. Jia Rong has now made progress.
This made Jia's mother's heart move. If this is the case, then it is the best. She glared at the second wife and replied:
"Rong'er, don't be anxious. Although you and your father have made mistakes, you are still descendants of the Jia family after all. You have what you deserve. Feng girl, is the account book here?"

Wang Xifeng smiled and quickly responded.

"Of course I have it. Unfortunately, I have to settle a score today, so I'll just keep it with me."

She turned around and asked Ping Er to take out the account book and hand it to Lady Jia. Others saw that it was well prepared.
Grandmother Jia nodded, and without hiding anything, she asked Yuanyang to take out the private property deeds left by Master Jing, put them on the table, and said:
"Well, since you are here, let's talk it out. I, an old woman, will give you a share. The private property deeds of Ningguo Mansion are all here with me. It's not that the old lady is demanding. I leave a message to you to live a peaceful life. The private property is divided into three parts. I won't talk about the first two, but this is yours."

In a daze, she flipped through the pages with her hands but couldn't find it. Wang Xifeng saw this and hurried to help her turn to the last page, which was the remaining private property of Ningguo Mansion. Jia's mother compared it with the deed and found that it was exactly these.

"As for your share, there are four shops in the West Market, all of which belong to you. You can earn 10,000 taels of silver a year from them. There is also a three-story mansion at the south end of Ningrong Street, which also belongs to you. You can choose the people in the mansion and take them back to serve you. In addition, I can't help but ask about it, so I will give you another 1,000 taels of silver to help you settle down. The rest is the farm outside the pass, which is still registered under the name of Ningguo Mansion. What do you think?"

When Jia Rong heard that there were not three shops in the West Market but four, including the one for the school, he could get all of them. It was more than he had expected, and he would get some money. How could he not agree? He suppressed his joy and kowtowed quickly.
"Thank you for your kindness, old ancestor. Rong'er agrees. In the future, Rong'er will pay her respects to the old ancestor more often."

After saying this, he burst into tears again.
When the Second Wife saw that it was for the West Market shop, she tried to stop them, but was glared at by Grandmother Jia.
"I don't want you to come and pay your respects. What matters most is living a good life. In the future, you can marry a wife and have children from a small family, and pass down a lineage to the Ning Mansion. Come here, sign your name, and take the things."

"Thank you, ancestor."

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Jia Rong had no reason to refuse. He quickly stood up, walked over, signed and sealed the land deed, and took the land deed, as well as a silver note worth one thousand taels. However, the note was not from the Sihai Bank, but from the less famous Yunhai Bank. He quickly accepted it.

"Grandfather, you have been tired today, Rong'er will not disturb you to rest. Tonight, move out tonight and do not cause trouble to Rongguo Mansion."

After saying this, he stood up and took his leave. As soon as he left, the warm atmosphere that had just been there disappeared. Except for Wang Xifeng, who knew that Jia Rong was thinking about the three concubines when he went back and it would be easier for him to leave at night, the rest of the people had different expressions. The three maids all had red eyes, and the Second Madam and the others were obviously worried about something.

"Okay, it's good that Rong'er has left. At least she has a place to stay. Ping'er, go see if the food is ready and ask them to set the table."

"Yes, grandma."

Ping'er winked at the maids outside the door, and at that moment, the maids came in carrying food boxes and set a table with food. At the invitation of Lady Jia, everyone sat down one by one and prepared to eat.

But Jia Rong got the land deed and left Rongqing Hall.

He hurried back to Ningguo Mansion.
They returned to their courtyard without stopping. Seeing that the boxes, big and small, had already been packed, Jia Rong pulled Zhong'er over and gave him some instructions.
"There are three carriages in the front yard. Call the servants who followed us first, pack up the things in the house and move them into the carriages. We will leave the house tonight. In addition, you bring your people and follow me, take the three concubines with you, and don't attract attention."

"Yes, Uncle Rong."

Zhong'er nodded and waved his hand. The servants outside the door immediately stood in a row. After a few instructions, they went into the house and started moving things. However, they only dared to move things in Jia Rong's yard. The other yards were either locked or sealed. If anyone broke the Second Madam's rules and stole things, they would be in big trouble. If Madam You gave the order, then it would be okay!

Seeing people disperse,
The remaining four followed the middle steward and Uncle Rong to the backyard.
The Ningguo Mansion in the evening looked desolate and dim. The place where the lanterns were originally hung was also extremely dim, without even a candle. Fortunately, the sky was clear today and the afterglow was still hanging in the sky, so the mansion was still bright.

After many twists and turns, we arrived at the backyard.
Jia Rong couldn't help but feel a little excited. In the past, he was not allowed to enter this place. Now, he was the one who made the decision. He looked around first. There were many houses, and he was confused for a while. Zhong Er behind him saw this and knew that Master Rong was not familiar with the road. He pointed to the west and explained;

"Master Rong, the rooms to the west are where the prostitutes bought by the master live. There are more than a dozen people living in them. The main house to the north is uninhabited and is used as a living room. The master lives in the front yard. The rooms to the east are where the master's three concubines live."

With Zhong'er's reminder, Jia Rong's heart was moved. The dozen or so courtesans he had been thinking about before seemed to be nothing, but the three concubines,
"Go and call out those court ladies, pack up your belongings and prepare to leave the house. I'll go and invite the three concubines out."

"Yes, sir."

Zhong'er knew that Master Rong must have achieved his wish, and the division of the family was a foregone conclusion, so he simply changed his words. This shout made Jia Rong very happy, and he patted Zhong'er on the shoulder.

"Okay, hello, master. From now on, you will be the housekeeper of my courtyard, haha."

A cheerful little voice,
Walking towards the three rooms on the east side, the commotion was obviously not small. Not to mention how the people in the west room cleaned up, but to say that the three concubines who were left in the rooms on the east side,

They had just finished their meal and were not ready to go back home when they heard the noise outside. They all looked at each other as if they had telepathic connection.
"Sister, could it be Jia Rong who is here?"

Gui Mei curled her lips and teased, saying that Master Jing had just been buried today, so even if he wanted to leave, he would have to wait a day, so why was he in such a hurry?
Even the third sister He Xue took a sip of tea and nodded;
"Second sister, please stop talking. The time has not yet passed. Why are you so impatient?"

The meaning of these words, perhaps she thought of something, her face turned red. It is said that all the men in the Jia family are the same, none of them is a good person.

"The third sister can't wait any longer. Even if it's the lake water, it has to dry up. Yes, I remember that Master Zhen hasn't been to our house for a long time."

Gui Mei took advantage of the situation and confronted him, obviously not giving him face. In the past, the two of them had competed for favor, but who knows what will happen in the future.

Seeing that the two were talking more and more ridiculous, the eldest sister Yang Xiao scolded them;
"It's already this late, and you're still thinking about these things. Pack up everything and get out in the next few days. I'm afraid you won't be able to come back from this mansion."

He sighed,

I always feel a little reluctant to leave. The three of them were silent for a while.
outside,

Jia Rong understood what was said in the room and was secretly happy. He finally agreed and would keep it a secret from now on. The three concubines were his exclusive possessions.

Knocked on the door.
"Rong'er greets the three aunts. Please pack up your belongings and leave the house tonight."

"who."

The people in the room were startled, and Yang Xiao asked in surprise.

The door was pushed open, and Jia Rong walked in in a long gown. Seeing the plump bodies and charming faces of the three concubines, he felt hot all over. They were so beautiful.
"Rong'er pays respects to the three aunts,"

After saying that, he yawned in an artificial manner, which made the three girls blush slightly. Gui Mei stared at them and asked;

"It's almost night, why are you saying hello? I want to go with you, but we three sisters are used to having everything provided for us. I'm afraid we can't live in such hardship anymore."

When talking to a confused person, you can't beat around the bush. The three of them still felt that Jia Rong was the same as before. Although he was still handsome, his brain was not very sharp when the master was around. They were afraid that they would not be able to explain clearly and delay things.
The three of them all looked over and saw Jia Rong smiling. He took out a pile of things from his bosom and put them on the table, saying with a smile:

"Rong'er can come today. The division of the family has been discussed long ago. The old lady has signed and sealed the deal. The four shops in the West Market are now mine. The annual rent is at least 8,000 taels of silver. The same is true for the three-story house in the south. I have finally settled down. Three concubines, how are you doing?"

"this,"

The three of them were also happy in their hearts, but they were not sure whether it was true or not. They quickly counted the things on the table one by one, and it was true. In this way, although it is not as famous as Ningguo Mansion, it may not be as good as here. It can be regarded as fulfilling their wishes.
After looking at each other, the three girls blushed slightly. Yang Xiao put the things back and replied while suppressing her shyness;
"I can go with you. If you are sincere, you can let us sisters take care of the courtyard. We will change our ways and obey you. When we have a child in the future, you can give him a legal status. Even if you marry, it won't hinder you. We can live in the east room of the three-story courtyard, and keep the main room for Rong Ge'er and his wife. Do you think it's feasible?"

Without saying anything polite, Yang Xiao stated the conditions directly. If he entered the yard, how could Jia Rong touch his body? He had put so much thought into it, so it was most advantageous to discuss the conditions before entering.
Jia Rong was already very happy after hearing this. He thought it was just a condition. How could he not agree to it?
"That's not right, three concubines. Rong'er will not hide it from you. Ningguo Mansion has been ruined. I can't keep the title. The private property of the mansion has been divided up long ago. The remaining things are what I begged from the old lady. I am sorry for offending you in the past. Rong'er apologizes first."

After saying this, he bowed and then said;

"In the future, whether I can marry or not is still a question. Which young lady from a wealthy family can marry a man like me who has been convicted? Therefore, I will take the three concubines back. One is to preserve our friendship, and the other is to ask the three concubines to continue the Ningguo Mansion's bloodline. Life still needs to go on."

At some point, Jia Rong came over and unconsciously held the hands of the three concubines. Their hands were warm and slightly red. The fragrance came from the tip of his nose. Jia Rong looked down at the fullness of the collar and saw it clearly.

She is really a beauty, I can't let her go no matter what.
Seeing that the atmosphere was not right, He Xue pulled her hand back and said in a delicate voice;

"You are thinking of something good. You are not the only one in the Ningguo Mansion, right?"

Jia Rong's hand slipped, and the three men pulled their hands back. He woke up and realized that he couldn't stay here for long.

"What Aunt He said is right. I am not the only one in Ningguo Mansion, but I am the only legitimate heir. I may have a chance to come back in the future. Things in this world are unpredictable."

"You are so flattering. Why don't you just say that you will leave a descendant for the legitimate bloodline? And you also mentioned the Ningguo Mansion. We can't enter here from now on. What are you two waiting for? Go back and pack up and leave."

The eldest sister Yang Xiao's heart moved. It was true. As the saying goes, fortune changes. As long as the title of Ningguo Mansion is still there, who knows what will happen in the future?
After scolding the two of them, he stood up and told his personal maid to go back. Perhaps because of his agitated mind or because he was thinking too much, his body became limp and he slipped and fell forward. Jia Rong was quick to hug them. The soft robes exuded a fragrance that made the two of them blush.
"Auntie, please go slower!"

(End of this chapter)