Corrupt official in the Red Chamber

Chapter 633 A blessing in disguise

After sending Aunt Zhao away, Jia Zheng sat alone in the room with a depressed look on his face.

He looked at the magnificent room and felt bad thinking that he was about to leave the Rongguo Mansion where he had lived for his entire life.

In fact, he had already received a hint from the old lady that the Rongguo Mansion would be his in the future.

But judging from the current situation, the old lady cannot make the decision about Rongguo Mansion. The one who can really make the decision is the one in the palace.

He sighed, stood up, and walked silently towards Rong Xi Tang.

Standing in Rongxi Hall, he looked at the magnificent and solemn hall, thinking about the former glory of this hall.

In the end, Jia Zheng was already in tears, but the situation was stronger than him, and he had no way to change the current situation.

In the end, he could only grit his teeth and walk out, to the small courtyard next to him, and drink in silence.

The next day, Jia Zheng woke up from his hangover, washed his face casually, and then ate some breakfast.

He had no plan to go to the yamen that day, but instead ordered people to invite Jia She, Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng, who were in the nearby courtyard, to Rong Xi Hall to discuss matters.

Wang Xifeng, who was closest to Rong Xi Tang, smiled after receiving Jia Zheng's message.

It seems that this uncle is very foresighted. He is ready to retreat while the tide is turning and no longer compete for Rong Xi Tang.

Then Wang Xifeng asked Ping'er to dress her up, and then brought the maids to Rong Xi Tang.

After arriving at Rong Xi Tang and finding that Jia Lian had not come yet, Wang Xifeng frowned, then found a little maid and asked her to urge Jia Lian.

Wang Xifeng didn't have to wait long before Jia She came over.

Although Jia She no longer had his title at this time, his face was still beaming with joy. It seemed that he also had some guesses about what happened today.

Mrs. Xing, who was following Jia She, was also very excited. She had been waiting for this day for almost her entire life, and finally it had come.

When Jia She arrived, he naturally would not wait for Jia Lian. He nodded to Wang Xifeng, then walked towards Rong Xi Hall with great imposing manner.

Wang Xifeng could only follow behind him in. As for Jia Lian, no one cared about him anymore.

After Jia She entered Rongxi Hall, he saw Jia Zheng standing there with his hands behind his back, like a sculpture, motionless.

"Second brother, why did you ask us to come here today? What's the matter?"

Jia Zheng turned around and looked at Jia She with a wry smile, then he went up to him and bowed before saying:
"The old lady is gone, and it's not good for us to continue living together like this. It's better for us to separate."

Jia She was delighted, but he still pretended to say:
"It's a bit too much. We are all a family. It's lively enough to live together. Why should we separate?"

After hearing what Jia She said, Mrs. Xing was unhappy. "Master, since my second brother wants to separate and be the head of his own family, there is no need for us to stop him!"

Jia She stopped pretending at this time, laughed a little, and then said:

"Since my second brother is determined to do so, I will not persuade him any more. Don't worry, didn't the old lady say that the second house would get the lion's share of the money in the mansion? I still admit this."

Jia Zheng nodded and said nothing more.

At this moment, Jia Lian hurried in from outside.

"Father, Uncle, I was delayed by something. Please forgive me." After saying this, he quickly bowed to the two of them.

Jia She glared at Jia Lian and wanted to scold him, but thinking that today was a happy day, he let Jia Lian go for the time being.

Next, Jia Zheng pushed the account book and key on the table to Jia She. Wang Xifeng was about to go forward to count them, but Jia Lian walked to the account book before her and held the key in his arms.

Wang Xifeng glanced at Jia Lian with a hint of sarcasm on her face, but she also stopped and no longer moved forward.

"Uncle, I will send someone to count the treasury, farms, and shops in the mansion, and then send your share to you."

After saying this, Jia Lian bowed to Jia Zheng and Jia She and hurried out.

When Wang Xifeng saw that Jia She did not stop Jia Lian, she understood that he still believed in her son, so she said nothing more and bowed and left.

Jia Lian cleaned the warehouse very quickly. Soon, he had cleaned everything from top to bottom. The next day, he had people carry boxes of silver to Jia Zheng.

Jia Zheng looked at the silver in front of him, waved his hand, and asked someone to carry it to the back, leaving Li Zhi in charge.

Jia Lian looked at Jia Zheng guiltily, and finally felt a little relieved when he saw that he didn't count the items on the spot.

The next things were much easier. Jia Zheng began to order people to move, and moved to a large house on Rongningrong Street.

Of course, the one who was most reluctant to move was Jia Baoyu. You know, he lived in the Grand View Garden, which was the place where the imperial concubines were received in the previous dynasty, and it was luxurious everywhere.

Although he was reluctant, he still moved out of the Grand View Garden and moved to his current house according to Jia Zheng's orders.

After Jia Zheng's family moved out, Jia She immediately moved into Rongqing Hall impatiently.

However, Jia Lian lived in the main courtyard of Rong Xi Tang with peace of mind.

However, after that he directly let Qionghua and Qiutong live with him.

And Wang Xifeng could only live in the small courtyard behind Rong Xi Tang and did not move.

Wang Xifeng was so angry that she almost vomited blood.

But in the end, Wang Xifeng endured it.

Because in this era when feudal etiquette ruled everything, fathers were fathers, sons were sons, monarchs were monarchs, and subjects were subjects, she, as Jia Lian's wife, had no way to resist.

However, Wang Xifeng also became ruthless. From that day on, she managed the money more strictly, and the Rongguo Mansion could not benefit from her at all.

At the beginning, Jia Lian and his son did not care. They thought that since Jia Zheng was able to maintain the luxury of Rongguo Mansion, they could do the same.

But a month later they found out that things were not as they thought.

After all, Jia Zheng was the chief official of the Tongzhengsi and had some power in his hands, so the officials from other provinces did not dare to stop sending him ice and carbon tributes every year.

But now in Rongguo Mansion, Duke Rong is just a child of a few years old, while Jia Lian and Jia She are both commoners.

The officials from other provinces are not fools. Since they can't help me, why should they give you money for free?
So the officials who had been lining up at the gate of the mansion to give gifts suddenly disappeared, and all gathered around Jia Zheng's new son.

Jia She and Jia Lian now live a more luxurious life than before. After all, they had the old lady above them and Jia Zheng by their side to manage them.

But now no one cares about them father and son, and they are left to do whatever they want.

Two months later, Lai Da found Jia She with a nervous mood.

"Master, we are running out of money. Do you think we can ask Second Madam to give us some money?"

At this time, Jia She was sitting at the table, hugging a pretty concubine, and was half drunk.

(End of this chapter)