Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

A few days later, Jia Cong adopted Pang Chao's suggestion and took a step back to advance. He submitted another petition to resign from his positions on the grounds that his grandmother was old and his father was seriously ill, but the emperor did not approve it.

The next day, Jia Cong presented the whole story of the anti-book case, and then submitted a letter of resignation and requested a reduction in his sentence.

The shadows of the East Factory and Prince Beijing were hidden in the case, and now was not the time to break off relations with them. It was only said that Wang Ren was narrow-minded and had set up this plan out of jealousy and hatred. Proposed crime: execution by beheading.

After reading the letter, the Emperor issued an oral order: Jia Cong failed to cultivate himself strictly and manage his family carelessly, which resulted in the theft of the Duke's seal by the bad guys. Considering his meritorious service, he is given a light punishment and is dismissed from his post as the Jiedushi of the Beijing Camp to serve as a warning to others.

He was ordered to recommend talented people to replace him, and the Ministry of Rites was ordered to re-establish the seal of the Duke.

When the decree spread, Niu Jizong, Wang Ziteng, Liu Fang and others could no longer hold back and came to Jia Cong's house to inquire for details.

Jia Cong waved his hands and smiled, "My dear brothers, don't worry too much. The emperor has already shown mercy by only exempting me from one mission. This is great. I am also happy to be free of worries."

Now he has lost his two most powerful positions, the officer in charge of the Imperial Guards and the governor of the Beijing Camp. The remaining position of Junior Guardian is a nominal position, the Left Governor-General is an assistant official, and the General of the Rear Army of the Western Expedition is a temporary assignment. It can be said that in theory his actual power has been reduced by 80%.

Niu Jizong said in a deep voice: "Shao Bao, you lost the seal because of a frame-up. A slight reprimand would have been fine, but your authority over the Beijing camp has been taken away. This is really too heavy. We are planning to write a joint letter to ask His Majesty to revoke the order."

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "No. If you all sign your names together to protect me, wouldn't that be like forcing the emperor to abdicate? What would we become in the eyes of His Majesty? It would only increase suspicion."

Now I am in a very high position, I can only retreat but not advance. Please don't speak for me. As long as I can relieve your majesty's doubts, what is the value of me suffering some grievances?"

Hou Xiaokang said: "Even so, I am afraid that some people still have the will to kill Shao Bao and will force us to get rid of him as soon as possible. If Shao Bao makes any mistake, how can we have a good ending?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Don't worry too much about this. After all, my family still has two red-lettered iron certificates to protect it. I am not too young, but I am also a duke and a prince consort. How can I kill him without teaching him a lesson? Will the people of the world be angry?
The most important thing is that you brothers still hold the military power in the capital. Even if someone wants to kill me, they have to think twice.

It would be easy for him to get rid of me, but he has to consider the opinions of all the brothers. If I, a great duke, can kill you at will, what will you do? What will the nobles do?"

Niu Jizong sneered, "We have earned our positions and wealth through hard work. If anyone wants to slander us in front of the emperor, I will obey him, and tens of thousands of my brothers will not obey him!"

"Yes, that's absolutely true!" everyone said in unison.

Jia Cong said: "That's it. We nobles are not those big turbans who can kill people at will."

Liu Fang said: "That is true, but if the Shaobao doesn't manage the Beijing camp anymore, it will be very inconvenient."

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "It's okay. The emperor is very considerate of us and ordered me to nominate someone to take charge of the Beijing Camp. I think Brother Niu Shi has both the qualifications and talents to be suitable, so let him take on the role of governor of the Beijing Camp."

Niu Jizong quickly waved his hands to decline.

Jia Cong said: "Now that I am no longer in office, my brother is the best candidate. Can I give the official hat to an outsider?"

Everyone urged him to do so, and Niu Jizong could not change his mind, so he had to accept it and said, "In this case, I will keep an eye on it for the young guard for a while."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "That's right. You and I are brothers. What difference does it make whether I sit in this position or you sit in it? The important thing is that this position is in our hands."

"Young Master is right." Everyone laughed.

Niu Jizong had no choice but to accept it and asked, "The situation is very turbulent right now, do you have any plans for the future?"

When everyone heard this question, they pricked up their ears. The word "future" has a profound meaning. It is actually asking you if you have any plans for the future path of our group of brothers?

Jia Cong said: "Now my family has been repeatedly attacked and plotted against, first by Consort Xiande, and then by me. It is clear that there are people who still want to destroy me. Such things will surely happen again in the future.

Your Majesty may not take it to heart once or twice, but if it happens too many times, the criticism will be devastating, so I simply resign and avoid the spotlight first. Even if someone wants to harm me again, they may not be able to find a reason.

Now it is best for us to wait and see, and let the clowns come out on their own. As long as we hold the gun tightly, we are not afraid of the storm. "

"What the young guard said is true. We brothers must also be careful. If the bandits harm the young guard, they may come to harm us in order to seize the military power." Liu Fang sneered.

Xie Jing said: "We got our power from Tu Fei and others. If anyone wants to take it away for nothing, it won't be so easy. Hehe, are the soldiers we train meant to look good?"

The people had been hungry for decades before they finally got a taste of military power. How could they let it go easily? They all applauded.

Jia Cong waved his hand and said, "It is too early to say this. Your Majesty is a man of great talent and vision. How could he be deceived by treacherous people?

We have been loyal and brave for generations. If someone really deceives the emperor and kills loyal and good people, we should support the emperor and clean up the world. Even if we sacrifice our lives, it is not worth it. "

Although the words were euphemistic, their meaning was strong, and everyone praised, "That's right! We will follow the young master's lead."

Jia Cong smiled and cupped his hands, saying: "Cong and all of you brothers share honor and disgrace, and happiness and misfortune."

"We share honor and disgrace, and weal and woe." Everyone bowed.
-
After sending everyone away, Jia Cong went back to the inner house to rest. He saw Baochai, Daiyu and others sitting in the hall, as if waiting for him. He smiled and said, "Are you waiting for a rabbit? Be careful and wait for a tiger to catch you.

I am now free from my duties as an official, and I have plenty of time to play with you guys."

Baochai spat, "You can't say a single serious word. Today I went to the palace to see my elder sister and brought her the old lady's handwritten letter."

Jia Cong raised his eyebrows and asked, "What did she say?"

Baochai sighed, "Sister, of course, cannot bear the pain of losing your mother, but there is nothing you can do in the face of justice.

She said that the lady was narrow-minded and was inevitably taken advantage of by evil people. This time it was all her own fault. Please don't take it to heart. It's good enough that you can consider her reputation.

She always treats you as her own brother. Please teach Baoyu more in the future and don't let him go astray.

She is doing fine in the palace, and His Majesty visits her often, so you don't have to worry."

"Yeah. I feel relieved now that my elder sister is sensible."

Jia Cong nodded. He was a little worried that Concubine Yuan would be upset and bring more uncertainty to the family. If he could keep things stable, he could concentrate on dealing with foreign enemies.

I think after the "fouling of the palace" case, Princess Yuan also deeply understood her significance to the Jia family.

Although she must be sad and angry about the sudden death of her own mother, she should have nothing to say when she saw the Wang family sacrifice two people for the sake of justice. After all, she knew that Jia Cong managed his family like he managed his army.

No matter who it is, once they endanger the family interests, they must die. Even the old lady is no exception, let alone a mere Mrs. Wang?
Daiyu rolled her eyes at him and said, "Sister is naturally more reasonable than you."

Jia Cong heard her angry tone and asked curiously, "Pin'er, what happened again that made you angry at your husband?"

Daiyu was both embarrassed and annoyed and just ignored him.

Chu Chan smiled and said, "Madam went home to visit Lord Lin today. Is there something wrong?" Jia Cong thought for a moment and smiled, "She must have seen your aunt. How does she look? Isn't she beautiful? It's a pity that I was busy last time and didn't have the chance to see her."

The girls covered their mouths and laughed.

"Bah, you chatterbox," Daiyu was furious and reached out to grab Jia Cong, but he easily pulled her into his arms.

"How can you blame me for this? It's obviously my father-in-law who is enjoying the good fortune, but it's my fault. It wasn't me who brought them together. Don't blame a good man, Pin'er." Jia Cong said with a smile.

Daiyu said angrily, "You don't try to persuade him, but instead stir up trouble. My father is already old and in poor health. Don't you know that?"

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Pin'er is worrying too much. Your father-in-law is a scholar, so it is normal for him to be a little thin. Why can't he take a concubine?
It's just one, why make a fuss? Don't you know that we scholars like to read with the company of beautiful women at night? This is a refined thing."

"You...you are going to die! You are still talking nonsense! I will forgive you." After Daiyu said this, her pink fists fell like raindrops.

The girls laughed and tried to persuade them.

Jia Cong teased her for a while and asked, "What's the matter? How can I comfort you if you don't tell me?"

Daiyu blushed and said embarrassedly, "My father is fine. Miss Fu is also virtuous and polite. She manages the household well and keeps everything in order. It's just...some...I'm not saying she's bad, I'm just afraid that my father..."

Jia Cong was confused and said, "Miss Fu is fine, so what are you worried about?"

Daiyu glared at him and said, "My father is not in good health, don't you know?"

Jia Cong was stunned for a moment, guessed something, and said with a smile: "Father-in-law is not a child, he will be restrained, what are you worried about?"

Daiyu just turned her head away, angrily saying nothing.

Jia Cong glanced sideways, and Cheng Lingsu hurried forward and asked, "Master, what do you want me to do?"

"What's wrong with Master Lin's concubine?"

Cheng Lingsu glanced at Daiyu and whispered in his ear, "Miss Fu is beautiful, graceful, and naturally charming. I'm afraid not every man can appreciate her."

Jia Cong laughed loudly, and then asked in a low voice: "Isn't it similar to Sister Bao?"

Cheng Lingsu shook her head and said, "She is two levels inferior to Madam."

Seeing Baochai glaring at him shyly, Jia Cong quickly put away his smile and pretended to be serious, saying, "Sister Bao, take my seal of the Grand Protector and write a letter to my father-in-law on my behalf.

The old lady wanted to say something to him, telling him that he was not a child anymore and should take it easy, and not to learn from his elder brother, who would tease his mistress whenever he had the chance, and thus ruin his health. But was that a good thing to do?

Well, tell him to have sex only once a month to preserve his health... Ouch, why did Pin'er hit me?"

When the girls saw Jia Cong being beaten, they couldn't help laughing. How could they talk about their father-in-law like that?

Daiyu was so angry that she spat, "You are talking nonsense. I will not listen to you!"

Seeing that her eyes were already covered with mist, Jia Cong dared not laugh anymore and quickly hugged her and begged for mercy: "My dear Pin'er, I am just trying to make you happy. Please forgive me for once, how about that?"

"Bah, you are the one who is happy, why do you care about others getting angry and having a stomachache?"

"Then I'll rub it for you."

"Go away." Daiyu quickly grabbed his hand and scolded him, "Stop making trouble."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Okay, I won't make a fuss. But you are too worried. Your father-in-law is well-educated, so how could he not know how to take care of himself? Besides, he is not a lustful person. You are really worrying for no reason."

Daiyu glanced at him and said hesitantly, "Miss Fu...she...has been pregnant for more than a month."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "My father-in-law has many children and a son in his old age. Isn't this a good thing?"

Daiyu smiled sheepishly, pouting her lips, and said coyly, "I just feel a little weird. Since my mother passed away, my father and I have been dependent on each other, and suddenly I have a sister. I feel a little awkward."

Jia Cong laughed and said, "Are you afraid that your father-in-law will not love you anymore? Even if he has another child, how can it be as cute as you? Don't worry."

Everyone smiled and echoed the comfort.

Daiyu hurriedly defended herself, "No, it's not. I just think it's a little too fast. It's only been two months since we got married, right?"

Jia Cong nodded slightly. After experiencing the injustice of the Princess Yuan, he became more sensitive to these things. He asked, "Is it true? Has the imperial physician examined it?"

Daiyu said, "Not only the imperial physician, but also Mr. Ye has gone to see her. The imperial physician could not make a diagnosis, but Mr. Ye made a diagnosis, which is undoubtedly good news."

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Since Mr. Ye has said so, there is no need to worry. Hey, let me tell you, my father-in-law is really old but still strong, an old horse in the stable, old but still strong, an old horse knows the way..."

What he said was so interesting that the girls started laughing.

"Asshole! You're crazy again." Daiyu was so angry after hearing his teasing that she gritted her teeth and got up and left.

Jia Cong hurriedly chased her out, pulled her along and said with a smile: "Why are you leaving? Let's go make a little man too. How can I let my father-in-law take all the credit? I have no shame."

Daiyu hurriedly pushed him away and said angrily, "Get out of my way."

"Young lady, just obey me." Jia Cong opened his arms and blocked her way with a smile.

"Bah... didn't you say... that it is not suitable to get pregnant before the age of 20? Why are you stopping me?" Seeing that there was no one around, Daiyu boldly spat.

Jia Cong said with a smile: "If there is an enemy, kill him; if there is no enemy, train your troops."

"Hateful." Daiyu couldn't help but sneer, and quickly walked around him, covering her face and running away.

Jia Cong chuckled and hurriedly followed.
-
These days, Jia Cong only handled Mrs. Wang's funeral at home. After all, she was the imperial concubine's biological mother, so the proper pomp and circumstance had to be maintained. Family disgrace should not be made public, so it was fine to handle it internally, but it still had to be decent enough in public.

He ordered three groups of 81 monks, Taoist priests and nuns to hold a 49-day water and land ceremony in Xifu to wash away grievances and resolve sins.

As for the reception, all matters were handed over to Jia Lian, Bao Yu, Jia Mang, Jia Miao and others.
The interior was handed over to Youshi, Li Wan, Keqing and others. Baochai, Daiyu, Fengjie, Chu Chan and others took turns to help receive the female guests.

Although Feng Jieer and Chu Chan did not have imperial edicts, the female relatives who came were well-informed, especially those who were very sensitive to the affairs in the rear house. They knew that Jia Cong doted on them, so they didn't care whether they had imperial edicts or not. They called them "Grandma" all the time and were very respectful.

Both of them were capable and had managed large households before, so they were naturally able to handle the situation with ease. (End of this chapter)