Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 233: The Wealthy Family is Dirty

Jia Zhen's words were really shocking, and everyone in Rongqing Hall was shocked.

Grandmother Jia's face turned pale. What happened to the children of the Jia family?

A person who is out there plundering and doing evil things.

The other one is even more outrageous. No matter how old he is, he still keeps mistresses outside and accumulates private property.

It's okay for children of aristocratic families to be lustful, but for those who have not left home to set up a household, accumulating assets privately is a serious violation of clan rules and a taboo for aristocratic families. Once discovered, the assets will be confiscated.

Even someone as bold and daring as Wang Xifeng, because the family property had not been divided, could only take the public treasury money and secretly lend it out for interest.

However, they never dared to open any farm or business privately, for fear of violating the clan's rules and regulations.

After hearing what Jia Zhen said, Mrs. Wang showed disgust on her face. That boy is so young and he is already flirting with other girls out there.

Fortunately, my Baoyu didn’t get close to that boy, otherwise he would have been led astray by him.

Wang Xifeng was amazed in her heart, thinking that the third brother Cong was extraordinary. Although he and the eldest master and his son did not get along well, they were actually very similar in nature and were both lustful.

He is so young, but he already knows how to keep a mistress outside. If any girl marries him in the future, she will be jealous.

Jia Zheng looked embarrassed. He had always valued Jia Cong the most. How could this child do such a thing? He asked again, "Zhen'er, could this be a mistake? Cong'er wouldn't do this, would he?"

Jia Zhen said, "Master, this is correct. You can imagine that when something happened to the people in Xiuniang's perfume shop, Congge rushed to Zhen'an Prefecture to rescue them. It's not his own property, so how could he be so anxious?"

"Even if he has a mistress, the children of a rich family are nothing..."

As soon as Jia Zhen said this, he saw Jia Mu, Mrs. Wang, Wang Xifeng and other women glaring at him with eyes like knives, as if to say, you are despicable yourself, and you want the young men of Rong country to be the same as you.

Jia Zhen coughed awkwardly and said, "Brother Cong is a man of unrivaled talent and reputation, and more handsome than Pan An. Haha, it is normal for him to be favored by women, although private accumulation of property is against the clan rules.

But after all, it is also the property of the Jia family. I have to ask the old lady and Brother Cong to give some instructions and ask him to help explain the reasons to the Dali Temple so that Rong'er can be cleared of the charges.

Although his private accumulation of assets violated clan rules, the old lady did not need to be too harsh on him. Brother Cong was now an official in the government and was a person of status. It would not be a loss of status for him to engage in business.

This business has its own descendants to help him manage it, and when he opens a business in the future, this asset will also be indispensable to him."

When Wang Xifeng heard this, she felt a little contemptuous. She thought that even if the private property of the third brother Cong was taken into the public treasury, it would be taken into the public treasury of my Rongguo Mansion. How could it have anything to do with the Ningguo Mansion?

Brother Zhen said this as if he wanted to take the money under his name. Both father and son are of the same character.

However, Grandmother Jia didn't care about these things. What offended her most about Jia Zhen's words was that Jia Cong had a mistress outside.

His father had a mistress outside, which led to the birth of this evil creature, causing so much trouble. Now this kid is following his example.

However, since his property could save Rong'er, he couldn't just stand by and watch. Even though that beast was doing evil things outside, he was still a descendant of the Jia family after all.

So he said to Yuanyang beside him: "Go and call Congge over and tell him I have something to ask."

……

Qingzhizhai.

At noon, Jia Cong received a report from Jiang Liu that the news of Jia Rong's hiding had been released, and Prince Zhongshun had rushed to Zidan Fort in the eastern suburbs with a large number of guards.

Not long after, news came from the East Palace that people from the Dali Temple entered the palace to arrest Jia Rong but failed. The time between the two events was just right.

Just then, Yuanyang came over and asked him to go to Rongqing Hall, saying that the old lady wanted to ask some questions.

On the way, Yuanyang also talked a few words about what had just happened in Rongqing Hall.

Although Jia Cong didn't have much contact with Yuanyang, he knew that she was kind-hearted and always protected him, so he couldn't help but feel grateful.

Speaking of Jia Cong having a mistress outside, seeing Jia Cong's face full of surprise, Yuanyang's face turned red. She looked at him with her watery eyes, wanting to laugh but not daring to.

When they arrived at Rongqing Hall, everyone in the room looked at him strangely. Grandmother Jia asked, "Let me ask you, is the Xiuniang perfume shop your private property?"

Jia Cong had just received a hint from Yuanyang, and Jia Zhen wanted to use this as an excuse to exonerate Jia Rong, but he would never let the other party do as he wished.

I had already prepared myself in my heart, and I replied calmly: "Why do you say that, old lady? The owner of Xiuniang's incense shop is Miss Qu. Although she is acquainted with me, the incense shop is Miss Qu's property and has nothing to do with Cong."

Jia Zhen on the side said quickly: "Brother Cong, don't worry for nothing. I have discussed it with the old lady and will not blame you. I just want Brother Cong to help."

Then he explained that the incense shop was his private property and what Jia Rong had done was a family affair, and asked him to plead for him with the Dali Temple.

Jia Cong said in a deep voice: "Brother Zhen, this is too much to ask. I just said that Xiuniang's perfume shop is Miss Qu's property, how can it be said to be my private property.

Rong Ge'er has violated the national law. Do you still want me to go to the Dali Temple to confuse right and wrong and insist on saying that this is a family affair!

If I did such a thing, how could the officials from the three judicial offices and the emperor in the palace let me go!

Rong'er violated the law, and he has already been spared. Do you think he should also punish me for nothing?"

Seeing that his words became more and more severe and exuded an awe-inspiring aura, Jia Zhen's face changed.

Seeing that he spoke sharply, Mrs. Wang, Wang Xifeng and others knew that as long as he was unwilling, no one could force him to do so.

After several years, he was no longer the illegitimate son struggling to survive in the East Courtyard. He had achieved fame, literary reputation, and official position, and had become an indispensable presence in the Jia family.

Grandmother Jia frowned again and asked, "If the perfume shop is really not your private property, then why do people outside say that Qu is your concubine?"

Just then, a maid came to report from outside the hall that an eunuch from the palace had come to the mansion to convey an imperial decree to Master Cong San, and that the person had already arrived outside Rongqing Hall.

When Jia Mu and others heard this, they were shocked and quickly invited the person in.

The eunuch who delivered the imperial edict entered Rongqing Hall and sang to Jia Cong, "The emperor has ordered that Jia Chengshilang be summoned to the Qianyang Palace to meet the emperor immediately!"

Jia Cong stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, sir, I wonder why the emperor summoned me to the palace."

The eunuch replied coldly, "I just passed on the message, I don't know anything else. Please ask Jia Chengshilang to follow me to the palace immediately. If you delay, I will be punished."

Jia Cong's heart suddenly jumped. Why would he be suddenly summoned to the palace at this time without explaining the reason...

……

Just as Jia Mu and others were full of doubts and anxiety, watching Jia Cong follow the palace eunuchs.

Another old woman came in from outside the hall, looking a little flustered. Jia's mother thought she looked very unfamiliar.

Wang Xifeng often went to the East Palace to talk to Youshi Keqing, but she recognized this person as a maid from the East Palace, but for some reason she ran to the West Palace.

When the old woman saw Jia Zhen, she said hurriedly, "Master, things are not going well. Your servant came back and said that you were captured by Prince Zhongshun's men in Zitan Fort in the eastern suburbs.

He was beaten severely, and now I don't know where he has been taken. Madam was afraid of delaying things, so she asked me to come to the East Palace to report to the master."

Jia Zheng was surprised and said, "Although Prince Zhongshun has always had a grudge against my Jia family, he would not suddenly embarrass Rong'er. What is the reason?"

The old woman had an embarrassed look on her face and glanced at Jia Zhen with a hesitant expression.

Jia Zhen glared at her and shouted, "Damn you, Uncle Zheng is asking you a question, why don't you just answer it now!"

The old woman said tremblingly: "Master's servant said that Master seduced Qi Guan, an actor who performed female roles in Prince Zhongshun's mansion.

That actress was the favorite of Prince Zhongshun. Somehow the news reached the palace, and Prince Zhongshun brought many guards over, but they caught me in bed... "

When Jia Zhen heard this, he opened his mouth in shock. The women in the hall all looked ashamed and angry. It would have been bad enough for Jia Rong to do such a dirty thing, but he was actually caught in the act.

Grandmother Jia was so angry that she smashed the teacup to pieces and cursed loudly: "This damned beast actually did such shameful things. He has brought shame to the Jia family!"

(End of this chapter)