Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 143: Granting the Right to Report Directly

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Early in the morning, Mrs. Wang paid her respects to Lady Jia as usual. Lady Jia had vaguely heard about the affairs of the Xue family a few days ago, so she casually asked about the reason.

Mrs. Wang said, "My sister is a widow and unemployed, so she only has Pan'er as her son. She is also very pitiful. Pan'er is also a filial child and is very good to his sisters."

After hearing this, Jia's mother's expression softened. It sounded like Baoyu was similar to her own, and she said, "So he is a good child."

Mrs. Wang continued, “Who says it’s not true? It’s just that this child is a little reckless and has been unlucky this year. He had some disputes with others outside.

In order to protect his master, the servant beside him fought with the man for a few times. It seemed like a trivial matter at first, but he never expected that the man had a hidden illness and died a day after returning home.

That family falsely accused Pan'er of beating someone to death and reported the case to Yingtian Prefecture, which caused some unrest."

When Grandmother Jia heard this, her face changed. When she heard that it was just a servant who killed someone, she said, "For children like us, filial piety and courtesy are the most important things. The rest are trivial matters.

Every child is brought up to be naughty and playful. If the servants around them instigate and indulge them, it is inevitable that some trouble will occur. But if it involves human life, it will be very difficult to deal with.

Is this matter finally resolved? We are all relatives, so if we can help, it’s not worth it. "

Mrs. Wang quickly replied, "The old lady's words are reasonable. My sister is too soft-hearted and too lenient to the people below her, which is why all these things happened.

After thinking for a while, he added: "It's just that relatives should always support each other. Children are bound to have bumps and fights, and it will be fine when they grow up and become sensible.

Originally, Brother Cong went to Nanjing on a royal mission. Since he had an imperial order, I heard that the officials in Nanjing gave him some face, so my sister asked him to go and talk some things over.

But Cong said he was young and incompetent, so he turned it down. He was still young and didn’t care about the ways of the world. Later, the master wrote a letter to Jia Yucun, the prefect of Jinling, and the matter was finally settled.”

After hearing this, Jia's mother was unhappy and said in an angry tone: "He was so noisy at home, but now he is depressed when he goes out. Where is his former ability? Even his relatives don't know how to help him."

Madam Wang smiled and said, "Although Cong has enjoyed some success in the past two years, it is because he was not blessed since childhood and was not brought up by the old lady. Otherwise, he would have to be more considerate and proper."

Grandmother Jia looked unhappy and said, "He is a person who loves to provoke others. He is not as well-behaved and worry-free as Baoyu and his sisters. I'd better stay away from him and let him go. I'll be more at peace and happy."

Mrs. Wang continued, “My sister sent someone to bring a letter yesterday saying that the matter has been resolved, but she is worried that Pan'er will have no one to discipline him in Jinling.”

I plan to bring them to live in Shenjing permanently. Firstly, they haven't seen each other for many years, and secondly, I want his uncle to discipline the child more."

When Grandmother Jia heard Wang Ziteng mentioned, her face turned grim. Last time, that woman Wang Ziteng murdered Jia Cong and almost made the Jia family lose all face. Grandmother Jia felt a little uncomfortable and had already developed a dislike for her.

Fortunately, he didn't want to embarrass his wife in person, so he said, "That's a good thing. You sisters haven't seen each other for many years. When you come, I will invite you to live in the mansion for a while. I'm old now, and I like to be lively."

Ever since Mrs. Wang received the letter from her sister, she knew that Jia Cong was unwilling to help. Although Aunt Xue didn't say anything in the letter, she felt uncomfortable and forgot what she had done before.

She said these words today to give the old lady a heads up. The old lady values ​​​​her dignity in front of relatives. She has been a daughter-in-law for many years, so how could she not know this?

The boy was so arrogant in front of his relatives that he couldn't hide it from the old lady. Moreover, the old lady had promised to invite his sister's family to live with him, so he felt satisfied.

In the past few years, the old lady has treated Daiyu as her own daughter. She knows what the old lady means, but he is her own son, so she naturally has her own plans.

As for how she treats Daiyu in her heart, it all depends on how the old lady treats Jia Cong.

"It's because the old lady loves us younger generations. My sister's daughter Baochai is a very good girl. When she comes one day, the old lady will definitely like her when she sees her."

At this time, Yingchun, Daiyu, Tanchun, Baoyu and others were talking and went into Rongqing Hall to pay their respects to Lady Jia, so Mrs. Wang stopped talking.

The sisters were chatting with the old lady when they heard footsteps outside the corridor, as if there were many people running. Grandmother Jia was puzzled and asked Yuanyang to go outside to see what was going on.

But Yuanyang had not come back for a long time, which made Grandmother Jia feel a little strange, but she didn't take it to heart and continued to chat with Daiyu and others.

At this time, Yuanyang came into Rongqing Hall with a happy face and said, "Old lady, I just went to the corridor outside and told them that the little maid had told me about the previous letter. I was afraid that they might have misheard what I said.
I went to Rong Xi Tang to inquire, and then came back to tell the old lady the good news."

Grandmother Jia was stunned: "Good news, what good news is it?"

Yuanyang laughed and said, "The commotion outside just now was because an eunuch came from the palace to convey an imperial decree to Third Master Cong to bestow gold. The master had just received the imperial decree on behalf of Third Master in Rongxi Hall."

Grandmother Jia was surprised and asked, "What did you say? He is still in Jinling, why did you suddenly issue an imperial decree to give him gold?"

Daiyu, Tanchun, Yingchun and other sisters were also surprised when they heard it, but since there was a gift of gold, it must be a good thing. They were all pleasantly surprised, but they didn't know what the good news was.

Baoyu looked confused and a little impatient.

In the past two years, Jia Cong had been in too many troubles. He felt that Jia Cong was too noisy and did not have the temperament to relax and unhurried. It was a waste of his good looks.

The rosary in Mrs. Wang's hand started to spin faster again, and a feeling of depression rushed to her forehead. Just now, she had said in front of the old lady that Jia Cong was arrogant and didn't care about his relatives.

Before I even finished saying this, this brat made a fuss about issuing an imperial decree to award him gold, as if he had done it on purpose to slap someone in the face. With his lowly life, he still couldn't do anything about it.

Yuanyang continued, "The imperial edict said that the Third Master had made contributions in Nanjing, and that he had helped Prince Ning, and that he had presented some method of three-stage attack to the court, but I can't say exactly what it was.

The emperor promoted Master Cong to the seventh rank, and he was no longer called Fengyilang, but Chengshilang. He also gave Master Cong five hundred gold coins and a large golden plate, which was carved with cloud patterns and palace flowers, and looked very rare.

After hearing these words, everyone in the hall was stunned. Having been born into an aristocratic family all her life, Grandmother Jia knew something about officialdom.

It has always been a struggle in the officialdom. To be promoted to a higher position, one often needs years of hard work. Some people, until their hair and beard turn white, are only able to become a small official.

His own Zheng'er was conferred the title of Yuanwailang of the fifth rank by the emperor because of a will from his master. He had endured for more than ten years and it was the same.

The last time the emperor issued an imperial decree to confer that boy an eighth-rank official title was just a month ago.

It's only been a few days, and he was promoted to the seventh rank by imperial decree. What on earth did this kid do to catch the emperor's eye? His ability to be promoted is simply too outstanding.

Daiyu, Tanchun, Yingchun and other sisters were all overjoyed when they heard the news. It was strange that Third Brother Cong was able to do such a thing, sticking his head wherever he went.

But what was so strange about the three-stage attack that Yuanyang mentioned? How could these girls in the boudoir have heard of it?

At this time, Jia Zheng walked into Rongqing Hall with a smile on his face.

"Old lady, today is such a great day."

Grandmother Jia felt that these words sounded familiar and she felt a little annoyed. She didn't know what happened this year, but all the good luck of the Jia family went to this kid.

"Just now, the imperial edict came from the palace, saying that Conggeer was in Nanjing and presented the imperial court with a three-stage method of firing a firearm. The emperor was very pleased and called it a weapon to protect the country. He also established a firearms camp based on this method.

Because Congge'er made meritorious suggestions, he was promoted from the eighth-rank Fengyilang to the seventh-rank Chengshilang, and was also awarded 500 gold.

In addition, he was allowed to serve as the counselor of Prince Ning in Jinling, assisting Prince Ning in handling important matters, and was also granted the power to make direct reports.

(End of this chapter)