Red Mansion: Bastards rule the roost

On this day, Jia Cong was in mourning at home when he suddenly heard Amber come to report that the Zhen family had sent someone to Rong Mansion to express condolences.

Jia Cong asked hurriedly: "Who is coming?"

Amber said, "It's the eldest lady of the Zhen family and the third and fourth young ladies. There's also a female guest who I don't know. She calls herself Miss Yu and says she's the manager of the Duobao Pavilion. The old lady is too busy to handle it, so please send some grandmas to help take care of it."

Jia Cong was stunned. Yu Qianning? What was she doing here? He could feel Baochai and Daiyu's scrutinizing eyes on him without turning around.

He smiled and said, "It's not a distinguished guest. Miss Feng can just go over and keep him company. She is worth ten people. There's no need to trouble the two ladies. Well, it's rare for the third sister to come. I'll go and see her."

Daiyu glanced at Baochai and said with a half-smile, "I haven't seen Miss San for a long time since we left Jinling. It's a good opportunity to meet her. Sister Bao, are you going?"

Baochai smiled and said, "The third young lady is graceful and elegant, and has noble character. I have always admired her. When she comes, I will definitely meet her."

"Okay, then let's go over and take a look together." Daiyu rolled her eyes at Jia Cong, ignored him, smiled, stood up, and left with Baochai.

Ouch! Jia Cong watched the two girls leave, slapped his thigh, and said inwardly, "Oh no!"

Yin glared at Hubei and said unhappily, "You are really big-breasted and brainless. You said someone from the Zhen family is coming, but why did you mention Miss Yu and Miss Jin?

She just came, she's not a serious guest, is it worth mentioning in front of the lady?"

Amber glanced at him carefully and said aggrievedly, "It was Miss Yu who asked me to inform you. She claimed to be your good friend."

"Bah, what good friend? I have nothing to do with her."

Jia Cong was furious and hurriedly called out, "Feng Jieer and Yun'er, follow me. Hmm, where are my four masters?"

Sister Feng smiled and covered her mouth, "Only Miss Lan is at home, while Miss Ren and the other three are away taking care of business."

"Hurry, tell Wei'er to come to the rescue. To deal with a vixen, you have to fight poison with poison." Jia Cong said hurriedly, and led everyone to chase Baochai and Daiyu.

In Rongqing Hall, the old lady and Madam Xing were talking with the wife of the Zhen family. As the Zhen family had fallen on hard times, they had to rely on Jia Cong for their livelihood. Madam Zhen's attitude was very humble, and she just kept flattering Lady Jia and Madam Xing.

After chatting for a while, Grandmother Jia lost interest and just chatted in a haphazard manner to save Jia Cong's face. Mrs. Xing was not good at speaking, and the girls did not dare to interrupt, so the atmosphere in the hall became a little cold.

At this time, the maid outside the door opened the curtain and said, "Greetings to the Second and Third Madams, and to the Duke and the ladies."

Everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief, as they were glad that Jia Cong had arrived.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Come in quickly."

Mrs. Zhen also stood up to greet him.

Baochai and Daiyu came in smiling. A maid came forward and took off their cloaks for them. She said, "Madam Zhen, there is no need to be so polite. We are old friends and you are our elder. If you are so polite, it will be embarrassing for us."

Mrs. Zhen smiled and said a few humble words, introducing Zhen Yuan and Zhen Chan.

Baochai smiled and said, "Miss Three and Miss Four, we have known each other for a long time. After not seeing each other for a long time, you have become more beautiful and charming."

Zhen Yuan blushed slightly, and bowed slightly to her sister as if she had met a lady, saying, "Sister Bao and Sister Lin are truly gods from heaven. I feel ashamed of myself."

Jia Cong interrupted at the right time and said with a smile: "We are all acquaintances, why be polite, sit down, sit down." Then he changed his tone to a sad tone and said: "My father has passed away, and I have troubled all of you old friends to come to my house in the cold weather to pay tribute to him. I am deeply moved."

Madam Zhen hurriedly comforted him, "Young Master, please accept my condolences."

Zhen Yuan also followed up with a few words of comfort.

Jia Cong "followed the advice readily" and wiped his hand across his face, immediately putting on a smile, saying: "Madam and Third Sister are right, the dead are gone, the living still have to live, not to mention the old lady is in good health, we are too sad, and where will the old lady be, isn't this unfilial?"

Everyone nodded in agreement and praised Jia Cong for his benevolence and filial piety.

Grandmother Jia curled her lips and gave Jia Cong a cold look, saying that she was unfilial herself but still used me as a banner.

Jia Cong smiled again and said, "Madam, Third Sister, and Fourth Sister rarely come here, so please make sure to have dinner first, so that Cong can show some respect and love to you."

Grandmother Jia smiled and nodded, "Very, very much."

Zhen Yuan smiled and glanced at him secretly.

Jia Cong had already seen Yu Qianning next to Zhen Zhen and was just trying to find a reason to get her away when he heard Daiyu say, "Where is Miss Yu's celestial home? I rarely saw her in the past."

Yu Qianning stood up and bowed, with a sad look on her face, "In reply to Madam, I am originally from Suzhou, but was kidnapped and sold by kidnappers when I was young, and unfortunately ended up living in the dust.

Fortunately, the Grand Guardian came to Nanjing, saved me from the fire pit, and gave me a place to stand, so I was able to start a new life.

I recently heard that the master of your family passed away. Thinking that I have received great kindness from the Duke and cannot repay him, I took the liberty to come and offer condolences. Please forgive me, Madam."

When Daiyu heard that she was from the same hometown and that she was well-spoken, her heart softened a little and she sighed, "Miss Yu is a kind and righteous woman. Our whole family is grateful for her kindness. Why should we forgive her?"

Jia Cong cursed her secretly, "Why are you pestering me? What do you like about me? Can't I change?" He was afraid that she would lie and cause family conflicts, so he winked at Lan Wei.

Lan Wei understood and said with a smile: "Madam, you don't know that Sister Yu is not only beautiful, but also more talented than anyone else.

As soon as she arrived in the capital, she showed off her skills to us sisters. No matter how picky and proud the grandmothers or young ladies were, they would never leave empty-handed. No matter what the goods were, there was nothing she couldn't sell.

As time went by, all the ladies and celebrities loved to ask her for recommendations. The things she sold alone were worth those of dozens of people, so she was highly valued by the Duke. "

These words both praised and criticized Yu Qianning. They openly said that Yu Qianning was capable, but secretly told Baochai and Daiyu that she was just a sales girl and that the Duke only used her to make money and was not after her beauty.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Wei'er is right. Qian Ning is very talented, and I only recruit people based on their talents. As long as you work hard, I will let you go out and find a good family in a few years. With your wealth, you can live a peaceful life as a wife and enjoy happiness for the rest of your life."

Daiyu nodded and chuckled, letting him go for the time being.

Baochai naturally loved this general under her command and said with a smile, "Qian Ning, why don't you thank the Duke?"

Yu Qianning felt indignant and glanced at Lan Wei. She was a thousand-year-old fox, pretending to be a fairy in front of me.

Flying a coquettish glance at Jia Cong, Fu Li said, "Thank you, Duke, for your kindness. Your grace is as great as the mountains and the sea. I will never forget it. No matter what, I must repay your kindness to feel at ease. This is also the principle of being a human being."

Grandmother Jia smiled and nodded, saying, "Yu girl, what you said makes sense. Brother Cong, please don't treat her unfairly."

She naturally saw what Yu Qianning was thinking, but after hearing Lan Wei say that she was making so much money, she couldn't bear to let her go. Keeping her at home was just a matter of having an extra pair of chopsticks. What was the value? The key was to retain talent.

Jia Cong smiled helplessly and said, "Don't worry, old lady, she won't suffer any loss. If I had known that she was so good at selling things, I should have set the commission lower. I would have suffered a great loss."

All the girls giggled when they heard this.

Daiyu laughed and scolded, "Bah! You are a young guard, aren't you afraid of being laughed at? You are so picky and quibbling. Why don't you just say how much money people have made for you?"

Yu Qianning also rolled her eyes at Jia Cong in a proud manner. This girl didn't eat for nothing. Jia Cong laughed shamelessly: "I learned from Sister Feng that I like to make money but not spend it."

Grandmother Jia laughed so hard that she couldn't close her mouth. She said, "Feng Lazi, why don't you tear his mouth apart?"

Sister Feng said coquettishly, "Grandfather, you are still laughing at me. Your good grandson is of the same lineage as you, how could he have learned from me? I really have a grievance but nowhere to complain."

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "Look, she is actually plotting against me. Now Cong-ge'er is not with me. You can't teach him a lesson, but you blame me instead. It's unreasonable."

Everyone laughed and praised the old lady for her unique way of educating children.

Jia Cong saw an opportunity and said with a smile: "After talking for so long, the old lady must be tired. It's a good thing that everyone is here. Let's go for a walk in the garden together."

Good luck to everyone.

At Jia Cong's signal, Lan Wei smiled and went over to hold Yu Qianning's arm, Feng Jieer took Zhen Yuan, Xiangyun held Zhen Chan's arm, and Ying, Tan, Xi and others followed.

Baochai and Daiyu stayed behind to talk with Mrs. Zhen in the hall.

Jia Cong flashed to Zhen Yuan's side and whispered, "Sister Yuan, why did the Yu family follow you?"

Zhen Yuan laughed softly and said, "You did a good thing yourself, and you're asking me about it? I fell in love with you at first sight, do you think I can stop you?"

Feng Jieer beside her sneered and said, "This is Cong'er's specialty. With her family background, can she really fly over the Five Fingers Mountain of our great talent?"

Jia Cong glared at her and said, "Don't ruin my reputation. Am I the kind of person who dares to do things but not to take responsibility? I will go and tell her that I have never been two-faced in my life, and tell her to give up this idea."

Zhen Yuan sneered when he heard this and couldn't help but spit.

Feng Jieer showed a disgusted expression: "It's disgusting."

Jia Cong sneaked to the end, walked up to Yu Qianning and whispered: "Mr. Yu, you don't come to me for no reason. What do you want to do? Let me make it clear first, if you want my body, forget it. Don't you see that I'm in a state of panic now?"

Yu Qianning smiled, glanced at Lan Wei beside her, and said, "With Sister Lan eyeing me covetously, how dare I act rashly? Master, don't worry. I just haven't seen you for a few days and miss you, so I came to see you. I have no other intentions."

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Well, that's good. I'll treat the girls from Duobao Pavilion to a few drinks some other day."

Yu Qianning smiled and said, "Thank you very much for your kindness, but if you go to the pavilion, I'm afraid Sister Lan and the others will be restless again."

Lan Wei spat, "What nonsense are you talking about, you little girl? You're going to open a dyeing factory if I give you some color. You can just go anywhere in the mansion. Aren't you afraid that the old lady and the ladies will think you're wrong?"

Yu Qianning pouted her lips and said, "Sisters, you guys are eating Tang Monk's flesh, but you didn't even share some soup with me, how can I not be anxious?

I will be twenty after the Chinese New Year, I am not young anymore, my sister won’t help me with the chores, I will just ask others to sell things.”

Lan Wei laughed angrily and said, "You are blaming me. You know I was so busy with work, and Ren Shu and the others have been waiting for several years. Why are you so anxious?
Now that the master of the mansion has just passed away, do you want me to take you in at the risk of the world's disapproval? Ask the ladies if they agree."

Yu Qianning shook Lan Wei's arm and said in a long and coquettish voice: "Sister... I didn't say I would come in right away, at least don't let me forget about me."

Lan Wei rolled her eyes at her and laughed softly, "Little devil, look at your pretty face and curvaceous figure, it would be strange if I could forget you. I guess I was thinking that I can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, so I want to find a good day to eat you."

"Master, is that so?" Yu Qianning smiled shyly and raised her eyebrows at Jia Cong.

Jia Cong smiled bitterly and said, "Wei'er, why are you lobbying for her?"

Lan Wei smiled playfully and said, "After all, we are sisters. I can't be too decisive. Qian Ning is devoted to me. It's up to me to make the decision. I dare not interfere."

Jia Cong glanced at Yu Qianning, and seeing her expression of "heartbroken beyond description", he could not help but laugh and said, "When did Master Yu become so sentimental? Do you think I don't know the methods of you masters?

Just work for me honestly for a few years. There are plenty of fish to feed you out there. Why would you hang yourself on this tree?"

Yu Qianning was furious and spat, "Since you are so cruel, if other young masters come to beg me, I will not stop them."

Jia Cong hurriedly said, "I am famous for my word. After the contract expires, you can go or stay as you wish. I will not make things difficult for you."

Yu Qianning's eyes flashed with wisdom, and she said with a smile: "My words are as strong as a mountain, don't forget what I said today."

Seeing her evil plan succeed, Jia Cong couldn't help but ask, "What do you mean?"

Yu Qianning flicked her nails and said with a proud smile, "These days, several young masters in the capital have been using various methods to get their female relatives to pass on messages to me, including the young masters of the Huo and Dong families.

They wanted to take me back, but I refused because of the contract. Since you said so, I have to test them and choose the best one, so that I can find a way out in the future. "

Jia Cong asked curiously: "Which Huo family?"

"Of course it's Huo Zhongtang's family." Yu Qianning said nonchalantly.

"Huo Peng?" Jia Cong was stunned and frowned, "His family is not right."

"Where is the Dong family?" Yu Qianning asked.

"Prime Minister Dong?"

"Ah."

"inappropriate."

Yu Qianning smiled like a fox and said, "Since you said this is not right and that is not right, please make the decision for Qianning and pick a good family."

Jia Cong laughed dryly and said, "I'm not a matchmaker, so I wouldn't do that."

Yu Qianning said angrily: "You look down on me, but you don't make decisions for me. Do you want me to be an old maid for the rest of my life?"

Jia Cong had no choice but to say, "You can discuss these matters with Wei'er yourself. Do you know that I have a rule in my life?"

"Please teach me, sir."

"Never send a girl."

Yu Qianning chuckled and gave him a seductive look, "You dirty bastard, how could I have mistaken you for someone else?"

Jia Cong was feeling depressed when he suddenly heard a man running in from behind, pissing and yelling.

Everyone turned around to look. Jia Cong recognized Wangcai's voice and frowned. He stopped and asked, "Why are you so scared?"

Wangcai fell to his knees with a plop, panting, "Reply... reply to Master, the servant just came back with the news, saying... that Miss Miaoyu was kidnapped by a thug!" (End of this chapter)