The Concubine Wushuang of Red Mansion

Chapter 220 Is this going to lead to a big prison?

In Rongqing Hall, it was so late and Jia Mu had not yet fallen asleep. This was something that had never happened before.

Hearing that Jia Zheng's uncle and nephew were back from next door, Jia's mother hurriedly cheered up and asked someone to call them over to talk.

Mrs. Wang and Xifeng have also come over. This matter is of great importance. It can be said that life and death hang on a thread. Now, even if they put pillows under their heads, they can't sleep.

Li Wan didn't come over. It was already late at night. She had to take care of her son, so she sent Su Yun to wait here to find out the news. If she found out anything, she would go back and report it.

The matter of the title of Rongguo Mansion really has nothing to do with her. Even if the eldest brother dies, it will not fall on her son.

As for Li Wan, who came from a scholarly family, she had always regarded her lessons as a top priority, hoping that her son's success in the imperial examination would earn her a job in the future.

Jia Mu sat upright, looking outside with her head raised. Seeing that there was no one in the courtyard, she was also very anxious. After a while, she looked again and saw that her uncle and nephew were coming, so she ordered, "Let them hurry up." Come in."

This was the first level of notification. Jia Zheng and Jia Lian also came in three steps at a time. They wanted to salute, but they were stopped by Jia Mu, "Okay, tell me quickly, how are you now?"

First, Jia Lian told everything about the prison visit. When she heard that Jia She wanted to send the imperial prisoners and Jurchen enemies out of the city for 1 taels of silver, Mrs. Wang just wanted to curse, how could this uncle be Such a confused person!

Jia's mother was silent for a moment, and wanted to scold her, but in front of Mrs. Wang, and Xifeng was Jia She's daughter-in-law, she had to save some respect for Jia She, and asked, "You just came from Dong Mansion?" Come over here, what do you say, brother Cong?"

Although Jia Zheng was always crowded out by his eldest brother Jia She, he was a gentleman and never argued with Jia She.

At this time, Jia Zheng thought for a while and said, "Tomorrow is the day of the joint trial of the three departments. How it will turn out depends on the grace of the court. At the moment, Brother Cong has nothing to say."

Jia Lian, however, was only thinking about the title and said to Jia's mother, "Old ancestor, Brother Cong's intention is the least serious. I'm afraid the title will not be preserved."

This is expected, but no one can accept this fact.

Xifeng looked at Jia Mu nervously, hoping that the old lady could come up with a charter. At the moment, no one cared about whether Jia She's life could be saved. The title could not be lost under any circumstances.

Mrs. Wang was thinking, if the eldest brother lost the title, could she get it back to her with the help of her brother?
"He is now a marquis, and he is also in charge of the royal guards. It was he who arrested you at the gate of the city and imprisoned me. Now that the title cannot be kept, did he say anything?" Jia Mu only blamed Jia Cong.

As a descendant of the Jia family, could he still be happy if his title is not guaranteed?

Jia Lian said, "I'm begging him. No matter what, he will lend a hand to help with the title matter."

As for whether Jia Cong helps or not, it is not something Jia Lian can control. Although he is an elder brother, he has no kindness to Jia Cong and Jia Cong doesn't listen. What can he do?
Mother Jia looked at Jia Zheng, her meaning was obvious. Jia Zheng was also there just now. If Jia Cong refused to help, couldn't Jia Zheng say a word?

Jia Zheng said, "Brother Cong has been of great help. If Brother Cong hadn't asked Lian'er to go to the imperial prison today to give some advice, tomorrow once the three divisions will interrogate, and the eldest master will say something, it won't be a shame." It's about the prince.

What's more, although Brother Cong has been granted the title of Marquis, he is still young and has never been mentioned in the official career. He still has too much time to take care of himself. To be able to help him to this extent, his son thinks that he has done his best! "

After hearing this, Jia's mother said nothing and looked unhappy, obviously not agreeing with Jia Zheng's remarks.

Although Mrs. Wang has always been dissatisfied with Jia Cong, now is a good time to add insult to injury. However, due to Jia Zheng's presence, Jia Zheng can help Jia Cong speak out at this time, which shows his love for her nephew. , just shut up and say nothing, not daring to speak.

Xifeng is a shrewd person. Regardless of whether Jia Cong is willing to help at this time, he cannot be offended. If he is willing to help, he must be grateful. If he is not willing to help, once this place declines, how can he not rely on Jia Cong in the future?

Therefore, when she saw that the atmosphere at this time was not good, she hurriedly smiled and said, "Old lady, I don't need to talk to Master Lian, Brother Cong will be able to help as much as possible. I don't know what's going on here. What happened? It’s fair to say that we are just speculating here. We can’t say we have misunderstood others.

Even though Brother Cong has been adopted there, he is still the eldest master’s flesh and blood. Otherwise, why wouldn’t we have mentioned it today, but he would have asked Second Master Lian to go to the prison to meet the eldest master? "

As he said that, Xifeng winked at Jia Lian desperately. When Jia Lian first came, Jia Cong blocked him with his words about making great achievements, and he was naturally unhappy. If he wanted to have that ability, why wait until now?
Now, when Xifeng said these words, Jia Lian also knew that his wife was an extremely shrewd person, and he rarely acted based on her eyes.

Jia Lian then said hurriedly, "That's right. Today I went to the imperial prison. Lord Liu and another man named Li Wu from the Liguo Palace were all with the elder. They were all being tortured when they entered the imperial prison, but the elder was the only one. , the cell has been cleaned, the beds have been set up, and the bedding has been newly purchased, and the jailer is also very kind to the elder, I must have been told by Brother Cong."

Jia Mu's face became better now, and the resentment in her heart subsided a little. She said, "He knows some things, but these are just trivial matters. No matter what, nothing can happen to your eldest man. The title cannot be lost.

Just now, I heard you say that it was your elder who took the 1 taels of silver from the Liu family in order to help them get to know Mr. Jing. Speaking of which, it was also your elder who knew people poorly. What does this have to do with that treasonous traitor? relation?He has always been favored by the palace, and at this juncture, asking for your help in front of the emperor will only make him lose a good reputation of filial piety. What harm will it do to him? "

Hearing this, Jia Zheng also believed it. Just then, he listened to what Jia Cong said and felt that Jia Cong's words were very reasonable. At this time, after listening to what Jia Mu said, he felt that Jia Mu's words were very reasonable.

Jia Zheng was originally a person with no independent opinions. Naturally, he also had some concerns in his mind. He said, "Isn't this easy for Brother Cong?"

Although Jia's mother was born in a noble family and had seen a lot of the world after entering the Jia family, she was just a woman in the backyard, so she had no vision or true knowledge.As for Jia Zhengyin, who was born as an official, his abilities were limited and he was far away from the central government. On weekdays, when he went to court, he could only stand outside the palace. It was difficult to see the saint's face. He certainly didn't know what it means to be simple in the emperor's heart, and what it means to accompany the emperor like a tiger. .

That's why you would say such uninformed words.

As for Jia Cong, not to mention that he wanted to kill Jia She with his own hands, but he still had a somewhat father-son relationship with Jia She. At this time, he also had to consider how to remain an official in the court without losing the favor of the saint. , once the emperor hates him, his future will be lost.

Jia's mother breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Jia Zheng's move. She was really afraid that her youngest son would be pedantic and refuse to put pressure on Jia Cong, which would end up costing her eldest son's life and her ancestral title.

"I am already seventy or eighty years old. How many years can I live? I am alive, and the plaque of the Rongguo Duke's Mansion can still be hung on it. If I die, without this title to protect me, where will you find your whereabouts? Woolen cloth?

Is it possible that in the future, we will have to rely on Dongfu? "

At this moment, everyone understood the old lady's far-reaching plan, and Jia Zheng even cried to the ground, "It's the son's incompetence and unfilial son that makes the old lady worry so much!"

Mother Jia was also in tears. She leaned over to help her son up, and said earnestly and sincerely, "Brother Cong must have hatred for your eldest son, and for me. Back then, he and Mr. Zhong were treated harshly by the eldest wife, but your eldest son didn't care. I don't know how to control it.

But even if I know, how can I care?What is the situation of the Zhong family? It has been so many years since the two families settled their accounts, and it is still unclear.He is the son of the eldest master. If he doesn't help the eldest master now, what else can he do? Jia Zheng said hurriedly, "The old lady is absolutely right. Brother Cong is a well-read and sensible person. He understands these truths in his heart."He definitely didn't mean to blame the old lady. He was a military commander, and he had too much murderous spirit and acted upright, so he seemed inhumane. "

Mother Jia didn't want to persuade her son, so she said to Jia Zheng and Jia Lian, "You and Lian Er are a little closer to him. At this time, you should go to Dongfu more. I don't know how the court treats the eldest master." A rule of thumb?"

Jia Lian said, "Tomorrow there will be a joint trial of the three divisions. I heard that the Jinyi Mansion will also have a jury. Brother Cong should be on the sidelines to see if he can say a word to the elder, right?"

Jia Zheng said hurriedly, "He must have something to say!"

The two of them did not know that even if the emperor gave Jia Cong the opportunity to plead for mercy, Jia Cong did not say a word for Jia She.

If he were not afraid of implicating himself or causing criticism, Jia Cong might not have the intention of adding insult to injury.

The next day, several carriages escorted Jia She, Liu Fang, Li Wu and their entourage from the imperial prison, and swaggered through the city all the way to the Ministry of Punishment.

At this time, the appointed officials from the three departments of the Ministry of Punishment, the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and the Dali Temple had already arrived at the scene. The officials of the Ministry of Punishment were shuttled back and forth, serving tea and snacks, and entertaining them attentively.

There are four chairs at the head of the main hall. At this time, three people have taken their seats, including Yan Min, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Nie Wenda, the censor of Zuodu, and Tang Mu, the minister of Dali Temple. The minister, deputy imperial envoy and Shaoqing were all sitting around each other.

There were soldiers wearing armor and holding weapons on all sides of the lobby, and there were even guards in golden uniforms. The solemn atmosphere filled the lobby, so that when the three people were brought up, they were all as silent as cicadas and trembling like quails.

Jia Cong, wearing a python robe, walked in talking and laughing with a eunuch. Before he could cross the threshold, even the superiors such as Du Xian and others stood up to greet him. When the three prisoners saw this, they also They all have different thoughts.

Jia Cong smiled and greeted everyone, "I shouldn't have come here today. I just wanted to avoid suspicion. Yesterday, the Marquis went to the palace to ask the emperor to resign from the jury position for this matter, but the emperor refused. Today's trial, please You must be fair, and I rely on you to maintain my reputation!"

Next to him, the eunuch who came with Jia Cong was Song Hong. He has been appointed as an envoy by Emperor Taiqi. He will soon go out to Beijing with Jiang Xian and others to prepare for maritime trade. Today, he was temporarily sent by Emperor Taiqi. Observe the trial.

Song Hong said with a smile, "Ning Guohou is also a little too cautious. As far as we know, Ning Guohou and Rongguo Palace are about to release the fifth server, right? Ning Guohou is currently the inheritor of Ningguo Palace, and he and Rongguo Palace have already joined forces. It's irrelevant, the emperor values ​​Marquis Ning Guo, and Marquis Ning Guo just needs to do his best, how can he not look forward and backward, but let down the kindness of the emperor."

These words seemed to be blaming Jia Cong, but no one in the hall was a fool. They couldn't tell that Song Hong wanted to protect Jia Cong, clear the relationship between Jia Cong and Jia She, and at the same time make Jia Cong's intentions clear. Woolen cloth?

For a moment, Yan Min and others all agreed, "The imperial court has its own laws. Marquis Ning Guo is overly worried. Please sit down. If there is any inconvenience, we will be responsible for the interrogation."

After hearing these words, Jia She's face turned pale. When he saw Jia Lian last night, Jia She thought that Jia Cong, a bastard, had some concerns about him. Now, he almost lost his temper with anger.

Liu Fang couldn't help but glance at Jia She, filled with gloating. He originally thought that Jia Cong would defend his father during the trial, but now it seems that this may not be the case!

Throughout the whole process, Jia Cong said nothing, saying it was to avoid suspicion. In fact, the Jinyi Mansion was fully prepared for both personal and material evidence. With the cooperation of Azig and Samushha, there was no need to ask, led by Liu Fang and Li Wu. The evidence of the crime is conclusive.

"Liu Fang, what else do you have to say?" Yan Min suddenly slapped the alarm and asked.

Liu Fang gouged out Jia Cong and said, "I am wronged!"

"What's wrong with you?"

"Azig and Samushha were supposed to be in Jia She's carriage. I don't know who tricked them into my carriage. The 1 taels of silver I gave to Jia She was already After negotiating this matter with him, I suspect that there is someone behind the scenes who wants to frame me!"

Jia She was not stupid. He had known for a long time that someone must have tampered with it, and he also knew who it was.

Although he hated Jia Congzhi deeply for not saving him, this matter was the key to whether he could be freed from guilt or have his crime reduced. He took the matter over and said, "Liu Fang, a mere 1 taels of silver. If you ask me to help you commit this crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason, do you think I am a fool?

I don’t know what Ajige is or not Ajige. You said that Li Wu wanted to find an expert to guide him in practicing Taoism. I helped introduce Jia Jing and gave me 1 taels of silver notes. "

At this time, Li Wu also said hurriedly, "This is the truth. It was originally agreed that we would go out of the city to practice Taoism to visit Master Jing who was practicing Taoism in Xuanzheng Temple outside the city, but somehow he got involved in the Azige case. "

When Liu Fang heard this, his eyes were splitting with tears. He did not expect that he would be stabbed in the back by Li Wu. If so, wouldn't it mean that both of them were innocent and he was the only one who collaborated with the enemy and betrayed the country?
Yan Min and others were also confused and couldn't help but look at Jia Cong. Only Jinyi Mansion knew the reason for this matter best.

Jia Cong cleared his throat and asked, "Master Liu, being able to rob someone from the imperial prison requires extraordinary means. I wonder how Master Liu was able to achieve it? I am now in charge of the Jinyi Mansion. If Master Liu can tell me something, I will The Marquis does not hesitate to speak kindly to the Lord in court."

Liu Fang looked at Jia Cong. If it weren't for this son, how could he be where he is today? She wished she could sleep on his skin, so she said bitterly, "Don't say such nice things, do you think I am a three-year-old child?"

On the side, Song Hong said, "Liu Fang, you are facing death and you still don't repent! It must be you who falsely conveyed the imperial edict to Zhao Quan to rescue the Donglu bandits from prison. This is the crime of destroying the nine tribes, do you know?"

Upon hearing the words "annihilate the nine tribes", Liu Fang was already shaken. She gritted her teeth and said, "I have never falsely conveyed an imperial edict. I only learned the news from Li Wu the day before. I knew that these two people were in Du." In Hui Mansion, just now... just now..."

Unknowingly, Liu Fang had already confessed his crime. At this point, he closed his eyes and knew that he was powerless, "I am so unworthy of the emperor's kindness!"

Jia Cong looked at Li Wu, "Commander Li, do you still remember Wang Liang?"

Li Wu's face turned pale with shock, and he murmured, "I, I don't know who the Marquis is talking about?"

When they heard the word "Wang Liang", Yan Min and others were also surprised and asked Jia Cong, "Why did the Marquis mention this person?"

Jia Cong pointed at Li Wu and said, "This man's original name is Li Wu. He was originally from Taiyuan, Shanxi. He rebelled against Wang Liang in the past. After the incident, he garrisoned Liaodong. When he was in Liaodong, he received Azige's support and later fled to Shandong to meet Li Yue. He also advocated the sorcery of Baishe. When he was commanding the Taiyuan Guards in Shanxi Province, he heard that Liu Jueye and other manpower helped him a lot."

And the word "waiting for others" made everyone in Yan Min turn pale. Who would have thought that Li Wu was involved in so many things behind his back? Everyone here didn't know about Maitreya Buddhism back then. In this way, Li Wu was actually The Jurchens are internally responsible, but they still occupy a high position.

Is this going to create a big prison?

(End of this chapter)