Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 277
Let’s not talk about Jia Rui’s side, let’s talk about Xue Baochai.

After serving Jia Rui away, she ordered him to be driven away, and then brought a dozen maids and women to Ningguo Mansion.

Ningguo Mansion has been quiet these days, because their head Jia Zhen is seriously ill, and all the servants dare not make any mistakes, fearing that the grumpy Jia Zhen will take advantage of it.

After You received the report from the people below and found out that Xue Baochai was here, she was still a little surprised.

To be honest, Xue Baochai's relationship with their Ningguo Mansion is not very close. Is there anything going on in their Ningguo Mansion at this time?

Although she had doubts in her heart, You still greeted Xue Baochai at the second gate according to the rules.

After a while, Xue Baochai, who had changed his sedan chair in Ningguo Mansion, appeared outside the second door.

Youshi quickly stepped forward with a smile, "How come Grandma Rui has time to come to our place?"

Xue Baochai got out of the sedan with the support of the maids Ying'er and Brother Ying, and then said with a smile:

"I don't go to the Three Treasures Palace for anything."

After hearing this, Youshi's eyes flashed, but he quickly covered it up.

Then the two chatted with each other for a few words, and then entered the inner hall hand in hand.

After everyone sat down, the little maid brought fragrant tea.

Youshi picked up the fragrant tea and said with a smile: "These are the fragrant tablets I just got this year. Grandma Rui will try it too."

Xue Baochai picked up the tea cup and took a sip, and found that it was really good, and it was not inferior to the tea they sent as tribute.

But just because of this, Xue Baochai's heart sank.

You know, your family has such treatment because officials from all over the country are fawning over it, so it doesn't cost much. However, Ningguo Mansion does not have the treatment that their family has, but they still want to enjoy such luxury. How much money will it cost? ?

Although Xue Baochai thought this way, she couldn't interfere in other people's affairs, so she put down her tea cup and said, "I came here this time for business."

Youshi slowly placed the teacup on the table, then smoothed her hair and asked nonchalantly:
"Oh! Our prime minister's wife, why do you want to come to me?"

Xue Baochai didn't seem to hear her weird words, and said directly: "Didn't the old lady of Rongguo Mansion ask our uncle to temporarily serve as the clan leader? When the uncle checked the accounts, he found that there was something wrong with the clan's sacrificial fields, so he wanted to ask Brother Zhen to transfer the previous ones. Take out the old ledgers and check them."

After hearing this, Youshi's eyes flashed, then he touched the tea cup on the table and said:

"I shouldn't have replied to you about this matter, but our master is very ill now, and I am a woman, so I don't know much about these external matters. How about you wait for a while, and our master will recover from his illness?" Come back when it’s almost done?”

Xue Baochai smiled softly, and then said: "Our uncle doesn't have time to wait. I came here today just to go back with the account book."

As he spoke, the atmosphere in the room became strange.

Youshi was silent for a long time, suddenly smiled, and then said: "In that case, Grandma Rui, wait a moment, I will go in and ask our master."

After she finished speaking, she turned and left the inner hall.

Xue Baochai didn't take it seriously and just sat there waiting for Youshi. However, he had been waiting for almost an hour and no words came out.

No matter how stupid Xue Baochai is, he still knows what's going on.

She was silent for a moment, then slowly stood up and walked out with her maids Ying'er and Brother Ying.

As soon as he walked outside the second door, he saw Lai Er, the chief steward of Ningguo Mansion, waiting there.

When Lai Er saw Xue Baochai coming out, he quickly stepped forward and knelt on the ground, "I'd like to say hello to grandma, little one."

Xue Baochai stopped, glanced at him, and then asked lightly: "What do you want to do here?"

"Back to Grandma Rui, our master said that the old account book has disappeared. I feel sorry for letting Grandma go all the way in vain, so I prepared some gifts for Grandma to take back."

As he said this, Laiji waved his hand back and saw two boys coming over carrying a small box.

Xue Baochai glanced at the box, and then smiled softly.

"I don't need this in my house, so I'd better let your master keep it for yourself."

After saying that, without even looking at Laiji, he left with the maids.

And Laiji, who was kneeling there, was sweating profusely.

Although he is just a housekeeper, he even knows more about the affairs of Ningguo Mansion than Jia Zhen does.

Over the years, he and Jia Zhen have sold half of the family's land and shops privately. Many of the remaining shops appear to be losing money, but in fact they also have a share of the money earned.

This is tantamount to slowly embezzling the entire Jia family's property and enriching the Ningguo Mansion.

Jia Zhen actually had no choice but to do this.

You must know that Jia Zhen is happy to have fun, but with the decline of Ningguo Mansion, their family can no longer make ends meet, so he decided to focus on sacrificial fields and shops shared by the clan.

Originally, Jia Zhen thought that she was the leader of the clan and no one checked her accounts. Aren't these things the same as her own?

But he didn't expect that something unexpected would happen to him, and Jia Rui would eventually become the acting clan leader.

Now Jia Rui sent Xue Baochai to get the old account books. This was to check the previous accounts.

If Jia Rui finds out this, how can he, the leader of the clan, show up in front of others in the future? I am afraid that the clan members will eat him alive.You must know that many people in the clan rely on sacrificial fields and clan shops. Without this income, many people will immediately fall below the poverty line.

If this kind of thing related to their own vital interests really comes out, these tribesmen will never tolerate Jia Zhen.

Therefore, he prepared generous gifts and wanted to bribe Xue Baochai to hide the matter temporarily.

However, Xue Baochai had already received instructions from Jia Rui, so why would he care about such a small amount of money? This made Lai Er a little at a loss.

Lai Er had no choice but to send a maid inside to report that he asked to see Jia Zhen, the master of Ningguo Mansion.

After a while, an old nanny was sent from inside and led Lai Er to the room where Jia Zhen was resting.

There was a strong smell of medicine in this room now, and Laiji was almost knocked out after entering.

However, although the smell here was too strong, Laiji still pretended to be nonchalant and bowed to Jia Zhen who was lying there.

At this time, Jia Zhen's eyes were sunken, her face was pale, and she was sweating all over.

Ever since something happened on the night when Jia Rong got married, if Jia Rui hadn't invited an imperial doctor to diagnose and treat him, he would have returned to the underworld long ago.

But even so, it could only barely hang his life, leaving Jia Zhen to stay in bed for a long time.

When Jia Zhen saw Laiji coming in, her eyes were a little anxious and she wanted to get up, but she didn't have enough strength, so she just straightened up a little, then fell back on the bed and started coughing violently.

When Youshi next to him saw this, he hurriedly stepped forward and squeezed his chest.

"Master, don't worry."

Jia Zhen coughed for a long time and finally recovered. He lay on the bed and looked at Laiji with anxious eyes.

"How's it going?"

Laiji said with some frustration: "Grandma Rui didn't accept the gift."

After hearing this, Jia Zhen's eyes were a little angry, but she soon became scared.

If this matter is really publicized by Jia Rui, then he, the patriarch, will be embarrassed to see others.

"Can you find a way to buy back these fields and shops?"

After hearing this, Laier's eyes flashed with fear, and then he said tremblingly:

"Master, the money in our warehouse cannot buy so many fields."

After Jia Zhen listened, she closed her eyes weakly.

After a while, Jia Zhen opened her eyes again, stared at Laiji who was kneeling below and said:
"I heard that your family bought Lai Shangrong an official. Is this true?"

After hearing this, Laiji shivered, looked up at Jia Zhen, then quickly lowered his head and said:
"This was done by my mother and brother. I heard they came from Dingxi Marquis Furui's family."

Jia Zhen coughed a few times, and then said in a weak voice: "Let your family advance this part of the money first, and when I get better, I will definitely reward you heavily."

After hearing this, a trace of displeasure flashed in Laiji's eyes. You must know that this is not a small sum, not to mention that buying fields near the capital is several times more expensive than outside.

If they followed Jia Zhen's words, even if their family's old savings were taken out, the money wouldn't be enough.

However, Laiji had also been involved in this matter and embezzled some money. Therefore, he did not dare to reject Jia Zhen openly. He just said: "My mother and brother make the decision on everything at home. When I go back, I will be with them." Let’s discuss it.”

Although Jia Zhen knew this was an excuse, she didn't pay too much attention to it. After all, it was not a small amount, and it was understandable for people to go back to others to discuss raising money.

"You can go back and discuss it, but you have to remember that you are the one selling the land. If Jia Rui finds out, he won't skin you?"

Laiji shivered, and then started to sweat all over his body.

Jia Zhen saw that the warning was almost over, and he had no energy left, so he slowly closed his eyes.

Youshi, who was sitting on the bedside, waved to Laiji very discerningly.

After receiving the order, Laiji dared to bow and retreat.

When he came out, he immediately lost his composure. He spread his legs and ran out of Ningguo Mansion like flying, then slipped into a small alley on Ningrong Street.

Arriving at a pretty nice yard, he knocked anxiously on the door.

After a while, the door was opened. A little maid looked over and saw that it was Laiji, so she quickly opened the door.

"Are mother and eldest brother here?"

"The old lady and the eldest gentleman are doing accounting inside!"

After hearing this, Laiji quickly trotted inside.

After a while, Laiji came to the backyard. When he entered the door, he saw his mother and brother. One was reading there with a ledger, and the other was making calculations.

"Mom, brother, something happened."

(End of this chapter)