Red Mansion Beijingwang

Rongguo Duke's Mansion, inside Rongqing Hall.

Mrs. Wang, who was sitting next to Lady Jia, looked up at Shui Rong, her eyes moved slightly, and she asked kindly, "By the way, has the prince seen Baoyu?"

Shui Rong paused when he heard this, then shook his head and said, "My son-in-law discussed some business matters with Lian Ge'er, and then went to visit some sisters. Baoyu didn't see him."

Shui Rong did not hide anything about his actions, except for the trip to his cousin's house and the incident with Feng Jieer on the way.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Wang's heart paused for a moment. Her own son Qilin had been treated the same way since he lost the magical jade, but she keenly noticed the essential change in Lady Jia.

The only solution now is to think of Baoyu's status as the prince's brother-in-law and hope to enhance his position in the Duke's Mansion. However, looking at the prince's appearance, she doesn't like him very much. To be more precise, he doesn't care about Baoyu, which makes Mrs. Wang feel helpless and bitter.

Although being a daughter is good, she is now an "outsider" after all, and ultimately she still has to rely on Baoyu.

Yuanchun's eyes twinkled, and her plump face smiled sweetly. She said, "Speaking of Baoyu, I tested him before, and he has made considerable progress in his studies."

Before, Baoyu and his sisters were all in Rongqing Hall. Yuanchun also talked to Baoyu at that time. She tested Baoyu's study results and found that he had made some progress compared with the past.

Hearing this, Jia's mother smiled and said, "Baoyu is very smart. It's a good thing that he can calm down and study now."

Grandmother Jia knew Baoyu's character very well. He was a playful boy. However, as his sisters were often away from home, the bored Baoyu could only read to pass the time, and his knowledge naturally improved.

This made Grandmother Jia feel quite gratified. After all, that was her grandson whom she had loved since he was a child.

Sometimes I think that environment changes people, and letting those sisters go to the palace is a good thing. This is one of the reasons why Grandmother Jia did not stop them.

Environment changes people. Maybe Baoyu will become mature and sensible in the future and be able to support the Duke's Mansion without that magical jade.

Shui Rong heard this and said after a pause, "What the old lady said is true. Baoyu is very intelligent, but he was a little lazy in the past. If he can study hard and gain fame in the future, it will be a good thing for father and son to serve in the same court."

To be honest, Baoyu is indeed smart, and his level of poetry and songs is not low, but the imperial examination is not just about poetry and songs. Baoyu's situation is like that of a person who is only good at one subject. If he takes the imperial examination, he probably has no chance.

But I certainly can't say that. After all, he is my brother-in-law. I have to expect something good from him in front of his grandmother, mother and sister.

Mrs. Wang was a little uncomfortable when she heard Shui Rong say that Baoyu was lazy, but when she heard "father and son in the same court", she couldn't help but smile and said, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. I don't ask Baoyu for any fame or fortune. I just hope that he can be sensible and I will be satisfied."

It’s not okay for others to say bad things about her son, but it’s okay for her to be humble.

Shui Rong did not comment upon hearing this. It was a false compliment, but he still knew what Mrs. Wang was thinking.

However, Shui Rong also understood Mrs. Wang. After all, as a parent, which one doesn't hope for the best for their son? As the saying goes, everyone wants their son to become a successful person, and who can escape this?

Unfortunately, someone with Baoyu's temperament is not suitable for a career in politics.

At this moment, Jia Lian lifted the curtain and walked in. After entering the hall, he looked up at Shui Rong, then bowed politely and said, "Grandson greets the old lady."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "I just mentioned you, and you are here now. What a coincidence. But what's the matter?"

One does not visit a temple for no reason. The grandson in front of her is not close to her. He must have come here for some reason, most likely to look for the prince.

As expected, Jia Lian bowed and said, "In reply to what the old lady said, grandson does have something he wants to discuss with the prince, so he came here specially to invite the prince."

Shui Rong's eyes moved slightly, and after thinking for a while, he stood up and said, "In that case, Yuanchun will chat with the old lady and mother-in-law, and I will go with Lian'er."

Although he didn't know what Jia Lian wanted, since Jia Lian came to find him in person, he thought it was something. Therefore, Shui Rong didn't take the bridge and went out to talk privately.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Business is more important, so please go on your own."

Shui Rong nodded gently, his eyes fell on Yuanchun on the side, staring at the beautiful woman's plump jade face, and said softly: "Yuanchun, I will be back soon, you should accompany the old lady and mother-in-law."

Yuanchun smiled sweetly, blinked her bright eyes, and replied, "I understand."

Shui Rong saw this and said nothing more. He left Rongqing Hall with Jia Lian, walked along the corridor, passed through a moon-shaped archway, glanced at Jia Lian, and asked, "Brother Lian, if you have anything to say, just tell me."

Jia Lian's mouth curved up into an arc, his delicate eyebrows and eyes were ambiguous, and he smiled and said, "Good news, Your Majesty, just follow me, I will definitely give you a surprise."

When Ping'er came to visit him before, Jia Lian originally wanted to just pass it off, but who would have thought that it was actually the nominal stepmother who invited him, so under the persuasion of Aunt Liu, he went.

After meeting Madam Xing and Xing Zhong, they explained their purpose, which was to bring the prince together with his cousin Xie Yan.

Originally Jia Lian did not want to get involved in this matter, but on second thought, as a fellow man, he guessed the prince's little plan. Cousin Yan was a pretty girl, and if there was no interest in her at all, there would be no need to ask her to go to the prince's palace again and again.

Masters help masters. The prince helped him and Aunt Liu, so naturally he should return the favor and help the prince accomplish good things, which can be regarded as his way of repaying the favor.

As for Lady Jia and the princess, they didn't like him in the first place, so he didn't care about it.

Shui Rong frowned upon hearing this and said unhappily, "With the relationship between you and me, if there's anything, just say it directly. Why are you keeping me in suspense? Are you teasing me?"

His relationship with Jia Lian is complicated, but they are indeed quite close. Unexpectedly, he would create such a surprise.

Jia Lian smiled and said, "How dare I tease you, Your Majesty? Anyway, Your Majesty, please follow me. If I cannot satisfy you, Your Majesty, I will let you punish me. I will not dare to make any argument."

Shui Rong stared at Jia Lian, his suspicion growing even stronger, but he didn't say anything and walked with Jia Lian. After all, considering his status, Jia Lian would not do anything bad to him.

But what kind of surprise is that so-called surprise?

As Jia Lian came to the dark courtyard and saw the path paved with bluestone, Shui Rong's heart skipped a beat. This path was not the way to Feng Jie'er's house. If he remembered correctly, the couple had a falling out and they almost never saw each other. So why did Jia Lian bring him to Feng Jie'er's place?

Could something have happened?

It's no wonder Shui Rong thought too much. Jia Lian's abnormal behavior inevitably made him feel guilty and imagine too much. After all, the hatred of stealing his wife is irreconcilable. If they were in each other's shoes, Shui Rong would have wanted to kill him. If Jia Lian couldn't get over it for a while,
Bah, what nonsense is he thinking about? How can he compare himself to Yuanchun? He is really blaspheming Yuanchun's character.

Moreover, not to mention Shui Rong's kindness to Jia Lian, just based on his own status and position, Jia Lian would not have the courage to do so, unless Jia Lian ignored his newborn child and the Jia family, but this was impossible.

Besides, Shui Rong had tested Jia Lian many times before, and he himself stated that he had nothing to do with Feng Jie'er's marriage. This was also in line with his feelings!
Thinking of this, Shui Rong's heart calmed down. Without thinking for a moment, he still followed Jia Lian quietly.

In Sister Feng's room.

At this time, Feng Jieer was sitting on a brocade cushion, holding the teacup and sipping it. She looked at Xing Zhong who was pacing with her narrow and long phoenix eyes, and raised her two curved eyebrows slightly, but did not say anything.

Mrs. Xing couldn't bear to watch it anymore, so she said, "Brother, please sit down and rest for a while. Don't be anxious."

Xing Zhong paused, knowing that he was too anxious. However, since it was about wealth, how could he not be anxious? He smiled awkwardly, sat down, stared at the serene Feng Jieer, and asked, "Feng girl, Lian Ge'er was able to invite the prince, so why hasn't he come yet?"

Sister Feng put down the teacup and said with a smile, "Oh, uncle, don't worry. The Second Master will come and make sure the Prince comes. You don't have to worry."

Humph, they are both stubborn people with the same character, like-minded, and have a good relationship. They can even use his wife for work.

After she finished speaking, the curtain was drawn aside, and Jia Lian and Shui Rong walked in together. Sister Feng narrowed her eyes slightly, and secretly felt disgusted. They were really birds of a feather, coming as soon as they were invited.

When Madam Xing saw Shui Rong, she greeted him with a big smile on her face, "The prince is here."

When Shui Rong saw Madam Xing, he was slightly startled. He didn't know what was going on. He glanced at Feng Jieer who looked sarcastic, frowned, and said politely, "The eldest lady is here too."

Feng Jieer was a stubborn woman who refused to accept defeat. "I pay my respects to the prince. Long live the prince." Before Mrs. Xing could speak, Xing Zhong couldn't hold back and rushed to pay his respects with a big smile on his face.

Shui Rong looked at the strange middle-aged man and frowned, "Who are you?"

Madam Xing looked a little uneasy. When she saw the prince asking, she replied softly, "Your Majesty, this is my brother, named Xing Zhong."

Shui Rong understood what he said. He wondered who he was and it turned out to be Xing Xiyan's father.

There are only a few words about Xing Zhong, the father of Xing Yuyan, in the original novel. However, judging from the financial support given by Mrs. Xing, he was just a relative who was begging for money.

After a moment of silence, Shui Rong glanced at Jia Lian on the side. The meaning was self-evident. Was this the surprise that Jia Lian mentioned?

Jia Lian understood and said, "Your Majesty, the Madam has some private matters to discuss with you, so she asked me to invite you to come."

Mrs. Xing knew that this was abrupt, so she didn't try to hide it. She smiled and said, "Your Highness, I asked Brother Lian to invite you here for the sake of my niece, Yan Yan."

Xing Yanyan.
Shui Rong's eyes moved slightly, and he asked in confusion: "What do you mean, Madam?"

He had no connection with Xing Xiyan, but Mrs. Xing went out of her way to find him because of Xing Xiyan's matter. What was going on?

Mrs. Xing saw that the prince did not refuse outright, and she felt that there was a chance, so she smiled and said, "The prince asked our Xiuyan to stay in the palace for a while, and now my brother came to me and said that Xiuyan is not young anymore, and it will be bad for a pure girl to go to the palace all the time, and it will be difficult for her to find a good family to marry in the future."

Shui Rong was stunned, and suddenly realized that Yuanchun had mentioned Xing Yuyan before, and at that time she was the one who made the decision. It seemed that she wanted Xing Yuyan to stay in the palace with her.

However, at this moment, Xing Zhong was obviously afraid that his daughter's reputation would be damaged, so he specifically sought out Mrs. Xing to act as a lobbyist.

It was just that Jia Lian had said it was a surprise. Seeing Xing Zhong's enthusiasm, Shui Rong couldn't help but guess something. He narrowed his eyes slightly and said, "That's true. I didn't think it through."

Xing Zhong's heart tightened when he saw the hidden meaning in Shui Rong's words. He came here to gain wealth and fame, not to complain. If he ended up making things worse, he would regret it to death.

However, he couldn't "sell" his daughter in front of the prince, so he secretly winked at Madam Xing and asked her to do it.

Madam Xing had a somewhat unnatural look on her face, and smiled apologetically, "Your Highness, that's not what we meant. Xing Yan has read a lot of books since she was young, and she is well-educated and well-mannered. If Your Highness doesn't mind, why not let her enter the palace to serve You, and have the best of both worlds? If Your Highness doesn't mind, then Xing Yan is not so lucky, and we can help Xing Yan find another good family."

After saying this, Xing Zhong looked at Shui Rong anxiously. All his wealth and glory would only last for a short time.

Similarly, Sister Feng, who "didn't care about anything", also stared at Shui Rong. She was curious about what this bastard was thinking. Based on her understanding of Shui Rong, he was most likely happy to see this.

Shui Rong couldn't help laughing when he heard this. Just as he thought, Xing Zhong was planning to give away a daughter, and the surprise that Jia Lian mentioned was Xing Yuyan.

To be honest, Xing Yuyan was indeed a surprise.

After a moment of silence, Shui Rong said calmly, "What does Miss Yuyan mean?"

Mrs. Xing was delighted when she heard this, and said with a smile: "Your Highness is a handsome man, a rare talent. My wife, Yan, respects you very much. Besides, marriage is a big matter, and it is decided by parents. My brother and sister-in-law are happy. Your Highness just needs to open his mouth."

Shui Rong understood in his heart, yes, in this world it is not possible for daughters to decide their marriages, all they need is the consent of their parents.

To be honest, Shui Rong still had some thoughts about Xing Yuyan's quiet and elegant daughter. Since Xing Zhong almost came to his door, there was no reason for him to refuse.

Besides, even if Shui Rong refused, Xing Zhong would find a good family for Xing Xiyan and marry her off anyway. If she was lucky, she would be promised to Xue Ke as in the original novel. If she was unlucky, her life would be ruined.

Thinking of this, Shui Rong took out a jade pendant from his waist, handed it to Xing Zhong and said, "This is for Miss Yu Yan. It is a token of my appreciation. There is no rush for the rest."

It's okay to take Xing Xiyan in, but you can't rush it. You need to settle things first, and then everything else will be easy. After all, Xing Xiyan is at most a concubine, and there are no rules.

But then again, concubines in ordinary families are not worth much, but concubines in the royal palace are something that many people are vying for, so letting Xing Xiyan enter the palace as a concubine is considered a great honor.

"Hey"

Xing Zhong took the jade pendant with both hands with a smile on his face. Looking at the quality of the jade pendant, he knew it was worth a lot of money at first sight. He admired the generosity of the prince in his heart. He felt that wealth and glory were beckoning to him.

Seeing this, Jia Lian smiled and bowed, saying, "Congratulations, Your Majesty, for getting the beauty. I have something else to do, so I won't bother Your Majesty any more."

Now that he had completed his mission, Jia Lian planned to go back. After all, he didn't want to stay in this room at all and wanted to leave early.

Shui Rong nodded slightly but didn't say anything. He was very satisfied with the surprise he mentioned.

Jia Lian bowed and walked away without even glancing at Sister Feng, as if he saw nothing.

After Jia Lian left, Xing Zhong said with a big smile on his face, "Your Majesty, I will go back and tell Yu Yan the good news. Later, I will let Yu Yan go back to the palace with Your Majesty."

Shui Rong smiled but said nothing. He roughly understood Xing Zhong's thoughts, but he didn't care. Xing Zhong was after money, while Shui Rong was after Xing Yuyan. They each got what they needed.

Since Xing Zhong was leaving, Mrs. Xing naturally couldn't stay either. In a blink of an eye, Shui Rong and Feng Jieer were the only ones left in the room.

Sister Feng sat down on the brocade cushion, looking at the young man with her narrow phoenix eyes, and a mocking arc appeared at the corner of her lips. She said in a veiled tone, "Cousin Yan Yan is naturally beautiful. The prince must be very happy right now."

Look at this bastard. He gave the jade pendant to someone just after someone mentioned it. He is really a lustful guy. Bah.

Shui Rong frowned, staring at Sister Feng's charming face, which looked like a blooming rose. His eyes moved slightly, and he smiled, "Sister Feng is right. Miss Yuyan is quiet and elegant, and she is very likable. This king is very happy at the moment!"

When Sister Feng heard this, her two curved eyebrows stood up, she raised her beautiful head and shouted, "What do you mean by this? Why are you mocking me?"

What does it mean to be quiet and gentle and likable? If you dislike me, don't touch me.

Shui Rong glanced at the arrogant Feng Jieer, sneered in his heart, moved closer, looked down at Feng Jieer, his pretty face was calm, and said calmly: "Lie down on the table for me."

When Feng Jieer heard this, her heart trembled, and a blush appeared on her bright and beautiful face. She raised her eyes to look at the young man in front of her, and said in a trembling voice: "What are you going to do?"

Shui Rong rolled up his sleeves, revealing a section of his arm, raised his hand, and made a gesture to hit, raising his eyebrows and said, "Just lie down if I tell you to. If you keep talking nonsense, I will slap you directly."

Feng Jieer was subconsciously startled, with a hint of uneasiness on her face. She knew that this bastard really meant what he said he would beat her, without showing any mercy, and she had suffered several losses.

Biting her lips tightly with pearly teeth, Feng Jieer finally bent over the table obediently, her two curved eyebrows trembling, and she said angrily: "I just finished taking a bath, don't do anything stupid."

This bastard is really energetic and is even in the mood. This posture is really shameful.

With a "slap" sound, Shui Rong raised his hand and hit her plump buttocks, cursing, "You call me aunt in front of me, you are so rebellious, don't do anything stupid, who do you think you are?"

This woman, if she's not punished for a day, will tear off the tiles on the roof.

Feng Jieer's face flushed red. Faced with the young man's ruthless methods and derogatory words, a nameless anger surged in her heart. However, she didn't know why, her heart was mixed with shyness and resentment, and it brought an indescribable throbbing, which made Feng Jieer feel ashamed.

Biting her pink lips with her pearly teeth, Sister Feng said tenderly, "My aunt is shouting."

Shui Rong let out a "Yo-ha" and without any hesitation, he raised his hand and slapped her down. After a few hits, he seemed to feel unhappy and directly ripped off Feng Jieer's dress, revealing a piece of snow-white, and then he swung his hand away.

A crisp sound of bamboo joints breaking was heard, and Feng Jieer raised her beautiful head, and couldn't help but snort. Her jade-like face was as red as fire, and under her two curved drooping eyebrows, her narrow and long phoenix eyes were full of water, and her heart was filled with shame and anger.

This bastard actually humiliated her like this. He went too far. (End of this chapter)