Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

It turned out that Xiangyun was very active and was standing on the bow to cheer Fengjie up. She was not prepared for the collision of the two boats and lost her balance, so she was thrown into the water.

"Be careful! Save people!" Everyone on the boat and on the shore shouted together, and immediately several speedboats left the shore and came like arrows.

Jia Cong saw it clearly. When he saw Xiangyun fall into the water, he hurriedly untied his belt, took off his outer robe, and rushed towards Xiangyun who was struggling in the lake.

He was an excellent swimmer, and it was effortless for him to save someone at such a close distance. He stepped on the water and in the blink of an eye he hugged Xiangyun and lifted her up high.

Once a drowning person's head and chest are out of the water, he or she will immediately calm down and no longer panic.

Jia Cong was very strong, so he didn't need to rescue her from behind like ordinary people, and let Xiangyun hold her tightly.

Xiangyun choked on the water and was frightened. Her soul did not return to her mind until she was rescued by Jia Cong. She did not care about her manners or etiquette, and wrapped herself around Jia Cong like an octopus, holding his head tightly.

Jia Cong held her buttocks, lifted his head from her chest, and said with a smile: "Loosen your hands, you want to suffocate me to death."

"No!" Xiangyun shook her head nervously, and used both hands to press Jia Cong's head against her full chest again.

"Okay, I'll be a good person to the end, it's up to you." Jia Cong smiled, leaned his face forward and rubbed it.

"Duke, hold on!" The boat girl had already brought the boat over and stretched out the wooden oar to help.

Jia Cong glared at her with some regret. Can't you see that I'm a playboy?
Reluctant to let go, he rubbed the firm and perky butt in his palm again, then reached out and grabbed the oar blade, and gently pulled the person to the side of the boat.

He immediately raised his hand and pressed the boat, and with Xiangyun he jumped out of the water lightly, splashing countless water, and stood steadily on the bow.

"Wow, Brother Cong is so skilled!" Baoqin, Zhen Chan and other little girls cheered in unison.

Jia Cong laughed and said, "It's just a trivial trick, not worth mentioning. Yun'er, how long are you going to hold me?" As he said that, he patted her round buttocks.

When the girls saw the two men acting so indecently, they all blushed and turned their heads away.

Xiangyun reacted and quickly loosened her legs, slipped down from Jia Cong's waist, and spat in a low voice: "You filthy fellow, you took advantage of others' misfortune, I will settle the score with you later."

Jia Cong coughed lightly and whispered, "The saints taught us that we cannot do good things without receiving rewards. I am a disciple of a famous religion. Don't wrongly accuse a good person."

"Bah, you lecher." Xiangyun blushed, obviously she had not forgotten that the "disciple of a famous religion" had abused her power for personal gain in the water just now.

The girls hurried to the shore and took cloaks to wrap Xiangyun.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's okay. The lake is not too cold today. Just change your clothes and drink some ginger soup to drive away the cold.

Mr. Ye told you when he examined your pulses one by one the other day that Yun Yatou and Yuan Yang have the best physiques among you, and they have a solid foundation. It won’t be a problem if you just take a cold shower.”

The girls looked at Xiangyun who was angry, and all said yes with a smile.

Soon, the rescue boat arrived and everyone went ashore. Ruyi, Baochai and Daiyu heard that Xiangyun fell into the water, so they hurried to see her. Seeing that she was safe and sound, they all breathed a sigh of relief.

Jia Cong said proudly: "Fortunately I am here, otherwise they can't swim and Yun'er would be in danger."

"If you weren't so wicked, would our boat have collided?" Xiangyun spat, pulling Baochai to act coquettishly: "Sister Bao, it was him who caused me to fall into the water. Please teach him a lesson for me."

Baochai hurriedly comforted her, "All right, come, help Miss Shi change her clothes quickly, be careful not to catch a cold. Cong'er, you should also change your clothes quickly and have a bowl of ginger tea."

Xiangyun made a face at Jia Cong and was carried away by several old women.

Jia Cong spread his hands and laughed, "Look, I was rowing a boat, but not only did I get wet, but I also ended up in a bad situation. It's really hard to be a good person."

All the girls laughed and spat at him.

Ruyi hurriedly asked what happened, and Fengjie whispered in her ear.

"You bastard, you only know how to steal and do clumsy things. Why don't you change your clothes? What a mess you are in." Ruyi glared at him unhappily.

Jia Cong said aggrievedly: "She held me tightly, and she still blames me? This is unreasonable."

"You still said that!"

"Okay, okay, a good man doesn't fight with a woman. Ask Lao Tu to make some sauerkraut fish soup with the fish I caught, and roast a few whole lambs." Jia Cong left with a smile. Chu Chan, Qingwen, Jin Chuan'er and others hurriedly followed to serve him.

At noon, the girls had a feast of grassland and farm-style delicacies, and praised them highly.

Daiyu then smiled and assigned everyone a place to live. Except for Jia Cong and Ruyi's upper room, Taoxian Pavilion, Baochai and Daiyu each had one room, Li Wan and her three sisters had one room, Ying and Tan had one room, Xiangyun and Baoqin had one room, Zhenyuan and Zhen Chan had one room, Miaoyu and Xiuyan had one room, Yang Siniang and Bai Qiuwei had one room, and the four major families had one room...

The arrangements were very well made and everyone was happy. After dinner, they all went to see the house in a hurry.

Ruyi smiled and said, "Fortunately, Sister Bao and Pin'er are smart. If it were me, I wouldn't know how to arrange so many people."

Daiyu smiled and glanced at Jia Cong and Baochai, saying, "Don't worry, sister. Some people have a solution. At worst, we can just draw lots. Do you agree with me, sister Bao?"

Baochai was startled and spat, "Pin'er is talking nonsense again. There is no need to draw lots for such a trivial matter. Everyone can live with whoever they want. Why bother?"

Ruyi sneered and pointed at Jia Cong and said, "He must be very proud. We didn't buy such a big bed."

Baochai and Daiyu both covered their mouths and chuckled. This bastard must be very happy.

Seeing that they were in a good mood, Jia Cong hurriedly smiled and said, "The three ladies are joking. I suddenly remembered that I have something to report."

Ruyi laughed and said, "What evil plot do you have, you bastard?"

Daiyu sneered and said, "Which girl are you going to take in?"

"No wonder you're so pretentious. Now tell me." Ruyi spat.

Jia Cong waved his hands and said, "That's not the case. I'm innocent. Don't you know that?"

Ruyi smiled and said, "Don't play dumb. Do you think I don't know what you are up to? Come on, tell me."

"Si Niang, Qiu Wei, Yuan Er..." Seeing that they seemed to be smiling when hearing what he said, Jia Cong hurriedly said, "You have already given me your permission, so you are not allowed to cheat. A lady's word is as good as a whip for a horse."

Ruyi glanced at him and said, "Si Niang and Qiu Wei saved our lives. Sister Yuan loves you deeply and has noble character. We already knew it. How could we regret it?"

Baochai and Daiyu both nodded in agreement.

"Yes, yes, the three virtuous wives are generous and magnanimous. I am willing to admit defeat to you and am sincerely convinced." Jia Cong hurriedly flattered them.

Daiyu said angrily, "I'd rather you didn't obey, so that we wouldn't have too much room in our house."

Jia Cong laughed dryly and said, "Pin'er is right. Our house is a little small. Let's expand the mansion someday."

Upon hearing this, Baochai could not help laughing and quickly covered her lips with a handkerchief.

"Bah, shameless. Am I talking about the house?" Daiyu said coquettishly.

Jia Cong said innocently, "You were the one who said there was no room for us."

Daiyu was furious and turned her head away without paying any attention to him. She knew he was a scoundrel and it was useless to talk to him.

Jia Cong chuckled and said, "I think you guys don't have much fun at home all day, and the opera troupe has disbanded, so why not invite another group of people to come in so that you can listen to music and enjoy it in your spare time? What do you think?"

Daiyu's beautiful eyes moved slightly, she had guessed what he meant, and sneered: "So you are thinking about us. I have wronged a good person." Baochai glanced at Ruyi, then at Jia Cong, and gave him a helpless look.

Ruyi heard Daiyu's irony and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Is it Mr. Lan?"

"Hey, Yan'er and I have the same opinion. It's true that great minds think alike." Jia Cong slapped his thigh in surprise.

"Let's invite Mr. Lan and his friends back to be our guests, so we won't have to worry about having no fun in the future."

"They?" Ruyi sneered, "You have a big appetite, but I don't know who they are?"

Jia Cong smiled innocently and said, "Even if it's Lan Wei and the other four, there's still room for them at home.

Please don't get me wrong, my friendship with them is as simple as gentlemen's, and there is absolutely no improper conduct between us.

If you don't believe me, wait for them to come over, and you can keep watch. If I steal anything behind your back, I will punish you accordingly."

Daiyu snorted lightly, her face full of disbelief.

Ruyi frowned slightly and remained silent.

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "Yan'er, Ren Shu, you have already agreed, so you are not allowed to deny your debt."

Ruyi spat, "What about the other three?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Isn't this a good omen to have all four corners complete?"

"Bah, shameless." Ruyi and Daiyu spat in unison.

"How can this be justified? Master Zheng of the Western Palace has six or seven retainers. I am a duke, and I am not allowed to have four? Don't bully an honest man." Jia Cong cried out in injustice.

"Go away, it's obviously you who found various ways to seduce the people in the room. You're just deceiving yourself and others by calling yourself a Qingke Xianggong." Ruyi spat.

Jia Cong pointed to the sky and swore: "You underestimate me. I swear now that unless you ask me to touch them, I will never touch them. Don't glare at me. I am such an upright man."

The three girls couldn't help laughing when they heard this. This bastard must be up to some new trick.

Ruyi shook her head and smiled, "Forget it, just keep it here, so you don't have to worry about it. It will be embarrassing for others to see it. It won't be so easy to do anything wrong in the future. Don't say I didn't warn you."

Jia Cong was overjoyed and assured him, "No, no, Cong is not a playboy. He took them in not for their beauty but for their talent. You will see their true colors over time."

Daiyu smiled and said, "It turns out that we all misjudged you."

"No one is perfect. It's okay. We are all family. How can I still hold it against you?" Jia Cong said shamelessly. He felt relieved that he had finally solved the problem of Lan Wei and the others.

Baochai smiled and said, "In fact, it's not a bad thing for Cong'er to marry four ladies. Our Duobao Pavilion's business depends entirely on them. If there is hope for the future, they will be more dedicated.

I have also been watching secretly these days. They are not stupid people. They know when to advance and when to retreat. They treat Cong'er wholeheartedly. They also know that Ruyi and Pin'er Fengwei dare not offend them, so they will never have any bad thoughts. "

Jia Cong nodded quickly and said, "Don't worry, I have sent people to check their backgrounds. They are all innocent and have been cleared of their names. They are no longer lowly and will not bring disgrace to our family.

With Yan'er's noble status, and Bao-jie and Pin-er's virtue and wisdom, how dare they have the heart to disobey?"

Ruyi sneered, "You have thought it through thoroughly. You must have thought it through long ago. You still say that the friendship between gentlemen is as pure as water. You will confess without being asked."

Jia Cong ran over to her and pinched her shoulders flatteringly, saying with a smile: "There is indeed no private relationship. If you don't believe me, send someone to verify my identity. You will know that you have underestimated my brother's iron willpower."

Ruyi rolled her eyes at him and said, "Of course I have to test it. I don't believe that a bastard like you can keep your virginity intact."

Daiyu echoed, "It would be foolish to believe him."

Jia Cong had just said it casually, but he didn't expect Ruyi to take it seriously, so he could only laugh dryly: "Except Lan Wei...I knew her before I became famous, the other three are definitely people who act with emotion but stop at courtesy, even more saintly than Confucius."

"Bah, you dare to compare yourself with a saint."

"Why not? Don't think you can fool me just because I'm not well-educated. Fatty Feng told me the story of 'Zi Meets Nan Zi' a long time ago." Jia Cong said proudly.

Ruyi asked curiously, "What did Fatty Feng say?"

Jia Cong glanced at Bao and Dai, and said with a smile: "Fatty Feng is a real Jinshi who passed the imperial examinations twice. Do you believe what he says?"

Bao and Dai both nodded.

Jia Cong smiled evilly and said, "Fatty Feng said that during the Spring and Autumn Period, Nan Zi, the wife of Duke Ling of Wei, was in power. Once, Confucius passed through Wei State and Nan Zi admired his reputation, so she summoned him to meet her. Hehe... Who is Nan Zi?

In short, it's beautiful and lewd. How could nothing go wrong when a single man and a single woman meet in a private room?
Sure enough, after Confucius came out, his student Zilu was very dissatisfied and forced Confucius to swear repeatedly.

These things are clearly written in "Zuo Zhuan", "The Analects of Confucius" and "Records of the Grand Historian". How could they be false?
Pin'er, you are so mean. You cut off such a wonderful story when you were telling me the Spring and Autumn Annals. If I hadn't visited many famous teachers, I would have been deceived by you. "

Daiyu blushed and said angrily, "You are talking nonsense. You are judging others by your own standards and you are blaspheming the saints.

If the saint could be seduced by beauty, why did he say, "I have never seen anyone who loves virtue as much as he loves beauty," and then resolutely left the State of Wei?"

Jia Cong waved his hand and said with a smile: "Don't be ridiculous. These excuses are more than enough to deceive you little girls, but they are not enough to deceive me and Fatty Feng. Fatty Feng told me a long time ago that there are several major doubts in this matter."

The three girls were successfully diverted by him and asked curious questions.

Jia Cong was pleased with himself. Women are always gossipy creatures. He asked with a smile, "First, why did Nan Zi want to summon Confucius?"

Ruyi asked, "Didn't you say that she admired the saint's reputation for knowledge?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "That's right. Who is Confucius? He is a famous scholar in the world. If we can get along with him, wouldn't the prestige of Wei State increase greatly? Wouldn't all the heroes and wise men come to join us?"

"That's exactly the truth." said the third woman.

"So Nan Zi summoned him, he must want to use him for his own purposes."

"This is common sense," said Baochai.

"In that case, what would it cost to recruit someone like Confucius? Forget about high positions and generous salaries. What can a small country offer?"

Jia Cong laughed and said, "If it is just ordinary noble titles and wealth, wouldn't Duke Ling of Wei be able to do it? Why should Madam do it herself?"

Daiyu spat, "Didn't you just say that Nanzi is in power? Of course she is the one who came to summon us."

Jia Cong shook his head and said, "What Fatty Feng said is unreasonable. Unless Duke Ling of Wei is too old and sick to move, he should have met someone like Confucius in person, even if he summoned his wife with him. He would never let his wife meet him alone. He has done this more than once, hehe."

Baochai bit her lip and whispered, "The Zuo Zhuan records that the Marquis of Wei summoned Song Chao for his wife Nan Zi and met him at Tao."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Sister Bao is well-informed and has a good memory. I admire her. Nan Zi is obviously a tool for Duke Ling of Wei to practice seductive diplomacy. Isn't it clear if you invite her to see Confucius? This is the first point."

Daiyu shook her head and spat, "Your arguments are so far-fetched that they are hard to convince me. Please tell me the second point."

"Okay. The second doubt is clearly written in "Records of the Grand Historian". When the two met, 'the lady bowed again from behind the curtain, and the sound of her jade pendants rang out'. What does it mean?" Jia Cong said with a smile.

Daiyu said: "What's so difficult about this? It was just that the ornaments on Nanzi's body made a sound when she greeted him." (End of this chapter)