Red Mansion: I am Jia Lian

Chapter 224 Fun People: Too Many Melons
In the torture chamber, without waiting for Jia Lian to ask any questions, the fourth son of the palace had already confessed everything, which made Jia Lian feel very unsuccessful.

"Damn it, it's all your fault. You've forced me to work overtime and I can't sleep well at night." Jia Lian cursed in a low voice, shook the list of confessions in his hand, and told Gu Bingzhang and other censors: "Everyone work overtime tonight and bring the people back."

The expressions of the imperial censors varied, some were worried, some were eager to try.

Since Jia Lian had made the decision, his subordinates had no choice but to follow his orders. They each took their men out and attacked every household.

The process of arresting people went unexpectedly smoothly. For example, Zuo Zongzheng directly asked the butler to send the person over.

To Jia Lian, the housekeeper repeatedly said: "This child is ignorant, please help discipline him. Let him improve in the future."

Jia Lian apologized deeply: "Go back and tell your master that Jia Lian is also on official business. I will apologize in person next time."

“I dare not, I dare not!” The housekeeper left the third son and went back first.

Gradually, thirty people were arrested on both sides and all were brought back. The imperial inspectors who patrolled the city felt like they were dreaming. They went to the local authorities to explain their intentions. Those who knew about it directly cooperated and were dragged out. Those who didn't know asked for clarification and still chose to cooperate.

Jia Lian was very annoyed by this: "Isn't it said that the reputation of the nobles is more important than anything else? Why didn't anyone resist?"

Gu Bingzhang broke out in cold sweat after hearing this. What kind of person is this? Isn’t it good enough that no one resists?

The case was actually very simple, and it was cleared up in no time. There was nothing to investigate. But none of the people were released. They were all thrown into the room, four people in a room, with no beds, so they had to sleep on the floor. There was a dung bucket in the room, and the smell was authentic.

Those who didn't have dinner were given two steamed buns, and those who had dinner were given a bowl of cold water. This group of people set up camp in Wucheng Bingmasi.

Jia Lian worked hard for a while and wrote a notice, asking the clerk to give each person a copy and have the group of grandsons sign their fingerprints.

The clerk was stunned when he saw the letterhead above. "Notice of Voluntary Enrollment in the Discipline and Law-Abiding Training Class".

The third and fourth brothers were locked in a room. They had an old grudge against each other, but now that they could live in a two-person room, they had no choice but to tolerate each other.

It is necessary to insult the other party, so the third brother started to mock.

"Oh, you are here too. The palace didn't protect you?"

The old fourth tiger in the palace was arrogant and retorted with his neck stiff, "Zuo Zongzheng is not bad either. I heard that you were sent here."

The two looked at each other, then at the environment in the room, and suddenly they didn't want to argue anymore, so they each found a clean place to sit down.

"There's not even a chair, and the tuition fee for a month's study is three hundred taels. This... is so evil." The fourth brother complained.

"My father sued me. This dog... I can't afford to offend anyone. I can only bear the consequences."

"Damn, this guy is so arrogant, standing at my door, so brazen, someone who doesn't know would think he's attacking the palace."

"If your father doesn't hand over the person, do you think he will beat him? How did the steward of Prince Zhongshun's mansion die? Don't you know?"

The two chatted intermittently and fell asleep in a daze.

Although Jia Lian was not very tired, it was already midnight when he finished his work. When he was about to take a nap in the office, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in!"

The creaking of branches and the sound of the old wooden door were particularly clear in the middle of the night.

The noise sounded too gentle, Jia Lian looked up and saw that it was the pair of actress sisters who came in.

Looking at them again now, they had all been carefully groomed and their faces looked exactly the same, so it turned out that they were twin sisters.

"Didn't I tell you to go back?" Jia Lian was not very interested if they were alone. After all, the two sisters were not as good as Guixiang. If they were dressed in costumes, well, it seemed to be more interesting. When the two appeared together, the situation was different.

[Have I taken too many classes from Japanese teachers? Why have I become more and more perverted? ]

Jia Lian was muttering to himself, and one of them stepped forward and said, "Thank you for saving my life, sir. Otherwise, I would have been hanged in the palace." Jia Lian really had no bad intentions, and waved his hand casually, "Okay, go back quickly."

The two looked at each other and stepped forward together. Jia Lian raised his hand to stop them: "What are you doing?"

"Master Ni said that you have to have someone to rely on to do this business. Otherwise, even if you become famous, you will be abused at will. We didn't believe it before, but today we believe it completely. If you don't mind, we two sisters will be entrusted to you from now on. We don't ask for anything else, but we just want to be able to sing opera in Beijing in peace."

They look the same, are just as soft and speechless, and just as pitiful. Jia Lian on a night like this, hmm.

"Got it, you guys go back first and we'll talk about this later."

This is the government office. Even if Jia Lian had ten courages, he would not dare to act rashly.

The two sisters left, and Jia Lian had Ni Er called in to reprimand them, "Can't you wait until tomorrow? You had to come tonight. How can you be so rude? You should be more mature next time. Go away."

It was late at night and Jia Lian, who was not very sleepy, lay on a recliner with a blanket wrapped around him, staring at the roof with his mind in a mess.

I clearly want to be a good person, why do you always test me? A mere theatre troupe has come up with such a scene of sisters.

Jia Lian woke up early in the morning and smelled the scent of powder in the air. He couldn't help but said angrily, "Why are you still here? Didn't I tell you to leave?" A familiar voice came, "Second Master, who are you angry with? If you don't want to see me, I will go back."

Jia Lian suddenly woke up from his daze and asked Ping'er in surprise, "Why are you here?"

"The conditions in the government office are poor, and Second Madam is worried that you won't be able to eat or sleep well, so she asked the maid to bring some food and serve you."

"Nonsense, this is the government office, no one is allowed to enter. Whoever let you in, I have to punish him, so he won't do it again."

Bringing a maid in to serve at this moment is really ridiculous.

Jia Lian couldn't scold his own people, so he had to do it to outsiders. He wondered in his heart whether the person who did this did it on purpose.

"The concierge asked a few questions and then let us go. There is no need for so many things." Ping'er explained, and Jia Lian was relieved and said, "Leave the things behind and go back quickly. Don't you consider the time?"

Ping'er suddenly asked, "Was there a woman in this room last night?"

Jia Lian, who was eating, almost choked. He took a sip of tea to suppress the choke and rolled his eyes: "There are two victims, both opera singers. Yesterday's case was caused by one of them."

Ping'er didn't ask any more questions. She served Jia Lian his meal, packed up the food and went back.

After working most of the night, everyone got up late today. Jia Lian didn't go home, and the others didn't dare to go home either. Almost the moment Ping'er left, the government office came alive from its dead silence.

What? You eavesdropped on the adults’ play, and you don’t want to live anymore, right?

This was not a big deal, but it still alarmed the Chief Censor Meng. After all, there are no secrets in this government office.

Lord Meng specifically called Jia Lian to ask about it, and Jia Lian reported truthfully.

Lord Meng stroked his beard and smiled, "I see. The couple has a good relationship, so it's understandable. This won't happen again!"

How can you bring a maid into the office? Not every censor has the tolerance of Lord Meng. After the news spread, many people hurried back to write. It is not easy to be a censor. You have to impeach several people every month. This is such a ready-made thing, and impeachment will not offend people too much.

The charge is not too serious, it is immoral, but the achievement is achieved, how great is that?

There are many people who have this idea, but they quickly gave up on it.

Because not long after Jia Lian left, Lin Ruhai arrived at the Censorate, followed by Wei Long.

Xia Shouzhong led the team personally. When he saw Lord Yuan, he smiled and said, "Lord Yuan, please come with me. I hope you can cooperate with the investigation of the Nanyang Guancang case."

Lord Yuan, who was writing a memorial to impeach Jia Lian for being immoral, dropped his pen on the paper and the beautifully crafted article turned into a black mass.

Mr. Yuan left in a respectable manner, without having his official hat or uniform removed. After all, he was just cooperating with the investigation, and there might not be any solid evidence.

Such a high-ranking official, who is only one step away from becoming a nine minister, would not dare to act rashly.

Lord Yuan left in a daze. Xia Shouzhong announced the emperor's will in public, appointing Lin Ruhai as the Right Censor-in-Chief.

At least twenty memorials impeaching Jia Lian for immoral behavior were torn into pieces and burned to ashes.

When Lord Jia's [Disaster Star] attribute took effect, many people secretly rejoiced, [Thanks to my patience, I finally waited, otherwise... ]

"The damn thing went to a government office and defeated a superior."

"Not entirely, right? The Ministry of Revenue and Yunyang, didn't they defeat their superiors?"

"Yunyang didn't defeat his superior, but the Emperor's teacher jumped into the river."

“…, this is really weird!”

Almost every government office in the capital was discussing this matter, and Lord Yuan was invited by Captain Long to have tea.

After meeting with his colleagues, the successor Lin Ruhai decisively held closed-door discussions with Lord Meng.

"Your Majesty has ordered that I will be in charge of Wu Yuhui's case."

Lord Meng listened with a dejected expression and said, "Your Majesty is anxious. The case is far away in the northwest, and more than a dozen people from the Censorate have been there. Aren't they still investigating? It will take some time."

Lord Meng misunderstood and thought that it was Lord Yuan, the deputy, who had tampered with Wu Yuhui's case.

Lin Ruhai naturally knew what he meant. This was a hot potato that no one dared to take. If he took on this case, he would offend too many people. But Lin Ruhai had no choice. The emperor had ordered him to do it, so he had no choice but to take it.

The Chief Justice in front of him was the mastermind who had been hiding and delaying. The Dragon Guard only had the right to provide intelligence and take charge of the action. He had no right to arrest or interrogate anyone.

Lin Ruhai could only remind Lord Meng: "Now that I am here, what if His Majesty directly lets Long Jinwei take full responsibility?"

As he stopped talking, Lord Meng immediately broke out in a cold sweat. If this continued, he, the Meng, would be a sinner through the ages in the records left by the literati. It was not easy for him to be tied up by the Dragon Guard, and now if he was released, it would be his fault.

"In that case, I will select another group of capable personnel, and Lord Lin will take the trouble to go to Xi'an in person."

Lin Ruhai didn't force him. It was good enough that he could do this. He nodded and said, "That's the only way."

In any case, Lin Ruhai, who came from a noble family, was promoted to the position of Right Censor-in-Chief. This signal was too shocking for traditional civil servants. In the past, Lin Ruhai had always been below the third rank, but now he has been promoted directly to the third rank. In the future, more officials from noble families will follow Lin Ruhai's path, and civil servants from humble families will have no way to go.

With Jia Lian included, a crack began to appear in the solid upper echelon of the civil service group.

It depends on how you understand this matter.

Anyway, Chenghuidi said, I am just the one who sets the questions, I don’t know the answers and so on, how can you who do the test-taking know the reading comprehension?

Recently, there have been waves of people in Beijing who love to have fun.

First, the Five Cities Army launched a sanitation campaign in the market and even in the entire capital, and last night there was another violent storm, this time the fourth son of the Nan'an County Prince was directly arrested.

Before the people in the entertainment industry could recover from the shock of the two incidents, a bigger shock came. The things that the storyteller had told about the "official disaster star" turned out to be true. It was already afternoon, but the teahouse was still crowded with people. The owner of the teahouse was grinning from ear to ear.

The storyteller also made a lot of money, and received constant rewards. I really have to thank Mr. Jin Yongxin, who wrote the storybooks for free. The guests also liked to listen to them very much, and they could also combine them with real events. He is a good man, a really good man.

Before we could finish eating this wave of melons, a new wave of melons came on the market. Early in the morning, the old man sweeping the street almost thought he was seeing things. A group of young men dressed in brocade came carrying shovels and pushing carts to grab the work.

"My eyes are blurry, I am hysterical, rub them!" After rubbing them several times, the old man looked carefully again, and it was really, really, it was actually real! The clothes were all made of good materials, and the old man could eat a piece of clothes for half a year. They were wrinkled, and the hair of these young men was messy and had not been cleaned for a long time. There was eye mucus in the corners of their eyes, and they did not wash their faces in the morning.

"Do you know how to do your job? You almost shoveled me."

"I can't do it, don't you know?"

"Stop arguing. We have to finish this morning, otherwise we won't have lunch or water."

"I guess this is going to kill us all."

When a group of young men were dawdling, a horse came slowly, and everyone was immediately alerted and started working. The man on the horse pointed a whip at them and said, "You scum, you better not let me catch you, or I will find ten thousand ways to make you regret coming into this world."

I originally wanted to mention nine types, but I was afraid that people would accuse me of plagiarism, not tribute.

At lunch, looking at the steamed bread and pickles, one of the young men couldn't bear it anymore and threw the steamed bread away: "Three hundred taels a month, and this is what we eat? I want meat, I want a feast."

The censors and soldiers hid far away, and no one dared to get close to listen to their complaints.

Jia Lian, who was in a nearby teahouse, slowly put down his teacup, walked out and approached the young men who were working.

"If you want to eat well, that's fine. I'll order a feast for you for fifty taels of silver. It doesn't matter if you don't have money. I'll lend it to you. Nine out of ten will go." After Jia Lian finished speaking, Zuo Zongzheng, the third son, immediately said, "I want to have a feast. Lend me fifty taels first."

Jia Lian skillfully took out an IOU and said, "Come, sign and seal. I have prepared it for you."

Just as Zuo Zongzheng, the third son of the royal palace, was about to sign his name, the old butler rushed out from the side and said, "Wait!"

Jia Lian pulled his face down and said to the old man who had ruined his plan to make money: "What do you mean?"

"Sir, fifty taels of silver, I'll pay for it, I'll pay for it!" He took out a stack of silver dollars and looked at him helplessly. "Since that's the case, then I'll do as you say. If you want to eat good food in the future, tell your family in advance. The average price of the banquet is fifty taels, and it's all you can eat!"

The fourth son of the palace bravely said, "Sir, I want to take a bath and change clothes."

Jia Lian smiled and said, "No problem, one hundred taels!"

This is what they call money being everything!

(End of this chapter)