Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 242 Overthrowing the old relationship

After the imperial edict was delivered, Prince Beijing Shui Rong saw that the young man beside Jia Zheng was handsome and had an imposing manner, and his eyes lit up.

Smiling, he asked, "Mr. Cun Zhou, is this the Jia Yuzhang who wrote 'The Rolling Yangtze River Flows East' in your mansion?"

When Jia Zheng heard Prince Beijing ask about Jia Cong, his sorrow eased a little: "It is my nephew. Cong'er, come and meet Prince Beijing."

Jia Cong stepped forward to greet Prince Beijing. Prince Beijing seemed very interested in Jia Cong. He looked him up and down with a look of amazement in his eyes.

He said: "I have heard that Yu Zhang is extremely talented. Before he was twenty, his calligraphy has already become a school of calligraphy. His two new poems are famous throughout the south of the Yangtze River.

This is the first time in decades that our dynasty has seen a double winner of the imperial examination. Seeing him today, even his demeanor is rare in the world.

The Duke of Zhou is still alive. This is not something that the little prince says lightly. It is also inevitable that in the future the young phoenix will be more famous than the old one. Now that Rong State has produced a fine son like Yuzhang, the family reputation will be restored in no time.

Today, my prince is busy with official business. When I have some free time tomorrow, I will invite Yuzhang to visit my humble home and write poems with him to enjoy the elegant pleasure."

Jia Cong could tell that the Prince of Beijing seemed to have some unusual approval and attention towards him, and since it was only his first time meeting him, he felt a little strange.

Jia Cong said modestly: "Your Majesty, thank you for your praise. I am young and have only a humble background. I hope Your Majesty will give me more guidance."

Prince Beijing exchanged a few more polite words with Jia Cong, and his words were so warm and sincere that even Jia Zheng was a little surprised. He thought that Cong'er was too outstanding, so the prince favored her so much.

Guo Youchang said, "Master Jia, since your mansion has received the imperial decree, we must immediately confiscate the mansion according to the emperor's will!"

As soon as Guo Youyouchang finished speaking, a captain of the Jinyiwei who was following closely behind him immediately waved his hand, and a large group of Jinyiwei soldiers quickly rushed up from the steps of the main gate.

Following closely behind was a group of palace eunuchs, led by a fifth-rank chief eunuch. These were the palace eunuchs who were responsible for counting and confiscating property.

Jia Zheng's face changed. Although he knew this was inevitable, he still felt panic in his heart.

"Wait a minute!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw that it was Jia Cong who was speaking.

“Your Majesty, Lord Guo, my family also received the order in a hurry. Now the women are still in the mansion. Can I arrange for them to leave before conducting the search?

In addition, I would like to ask whether the female relatives’ personal belongings and dowries are also included in the confiscation, so that I can arrange them according to the order, so as not to contradict the emperor’s will.”

Guo Youchang said: "Although Jia Zhen and his son committed a serious crime, it was not a treasonous act, and their family members were not implicated. The Ning Mansion's mansion and property will be confiscated, and their family members will have to fend for themselves in the future.

The female relatives’ personal belongings and dowries are not included in the confiscation and can be taken for themselves.”

Jia Cong had a grateful look on his face: "Your Majesty is kind and compassionate. The Jia family is grateful."

Then he said to Jia Zheng, "Master, I will go and arrange for the women to leave immediately. I dare not delay your official duties."

Faced with such a disaster of closing down the mansion and confiscating property, most people would panic. However, Jia Zheng had been an official in the government for decades and had seen a lot of the world.

Faced with this kind of situation, it is normal to still feel a little frightened.

But Shui Rong saw that although Jia Cong was young, he remained calm in the face of major events, thought carefully, and spoke calmly. His sophistication and courage alone were enough to impress people.

I feel more and more that this young man is even more outstanding than what was rumored.

……

Led by his family, Jia Cong first entered Jia Zhen's courtyard. Seeing that Youshi looked sick, he did not say much but just explained the current situation.

Although Youshi looked sad, she was not panicked. Perhaps she had already anticipated today's situation.

"Cong has already negotiated with the officials conducting the confiscation. The female family members' belongings and dowries will not be included in the confiscation. My sister-in-law can pack them up and keep them for herself."

After hearing this, the panic on Youshi's pretty face eased a little. The whole family was searched, and she thought she would be miserable and helpless for the rest of her life.

I didn't expect that I would be able to keep my valuable dowry. Although I can't live as rich and prosperous as before, at least I have no problem making a living.

"The master and his son are punishing me. I am a woman who is homeless and helpless. I had no choice but to die. Thanks to Brother Cong for helping me, I am very grateful." Jia Cong said, "We are all family. My eldest sister-in-law should not be an outsider. It was the old lady who asked me to come and settle the women.

I also ask my sister-in-law to pack up your belongings and move to the West Mansion as soon as possible.

In addition, the imperial edict was issued to search and confiscate the treasury in the palace, which is a key location. Is it safe? Sister Feng was originally going to come and remind the eldest sister-in-law, but she didn't expect the imperial edict to come down immediately, and she didn't have time to come."

Youshi replied, "Since the day Lai Er was arrested by the Dali Temple, I felt something was wrong, so I withdrew 1,000 taels from the treasury for household expenses and sealed up the rest of the deposit, not a cent less."

Jia Cong heaved a sigh of relief after hearing this: "My sister-in-law is a very smart person. She has done this properly. There will be no problems when the items are checked and verified."

This Youshi was also a woman of outstanding character and appearance, but she was not from a high-ranking family. Not only was she a second wife, she also had no children.

Therefore, Jia Zhen never took Youshi seriously and only fooled around with the maids and concubines on a daily basis. Otherwise, if he really gave Youshi the power to run the household, Ningguo Mansion might have been more than that.

After leaving Youshi's residence, Jia Cong went to Jia Rong's courtyard to see Keqing. He suddenly couldn't help feeling excited. They hadn't seen each other properly since Keqing entered the East Palace.

Just now in Rong Mansion, if it wasn't for the rush and no one could be sent, and if Mrs. Wang felt that he was young and didn't need to worry too much about the differences between men and women, he would not be able to come to see Keqing openly at this moment.

As soon as I entered Keqing's courtyard, I felt something strange. Keqing is now the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ningguo Mansion and the legitimate young lady of the mansion. Her status is very noble.

Normally, this yard should be filled with maids and beautiful women, but what I see before me is so deserted and unusually quiet and dull.

"Cong...Master Cong, why is it you!"

As soon as Jia Cong entered the yard, he met Ruizhu. Ruizhu stared at him with wide eyes, as if she couldn't believe that he was here.

In fact, it is normal for Ruizhu to have such a reaction. The Ningrong and Jia families are wealthy and powerful, and the etiquette and rules are very strict to separate men and women.

Now that Keqing is the new bride of Ningguo, it is very rare for her to see outsiders, let alone have outsiders enter the inner courtyard directly.

Jia Cong smiled and said, "Isn't it me? Is your young lady here? I came to see her. Today the palace issued an order to search Ning Mansion, and I came to take your young lady to Xi Mansion for temporary shelter."

Ruizhu was frightened when she heard that the palace was coming to search the house. But she saw that Jia Cong looked relaxed and had a warm and bright smile, which was very pleasing to the eye.

And when she heard him still calling his young lady "Miss" instead of "Grandma Rong", she thought of what happened between him and the young lady in Jinling and her face turned slightly red.

"Ruizhu, why is this yard so deserted with only you guys around?"

"Madam arranged a few useful maids for Miss, but Miss didn't use them. She only used a few maids to do the cleaning, saying that she wanted to keep things quiet."

Ruizhu was naturally very clear about what her young lady was worried about, so she quickly turned around and walked into the room, her voice full of joy: "Young lady, Master Cong is here."

When Keqing heard Ruizhu's words in the room, she could hardly believe her ears. How could he come here?

Even when she saw Jia Cong enter the room, she was still in a daze, staring at him intently with her beautiful eyes, and tears appeared in her eyes in an instant.

Jia Cong saw that Keqing was wearing a white double-breasted jacket embroidered with cold plum blossoms, a blue lotus-collared jacket, and a dark blue horse-faced skirt with a blue woven edge. She looked indescribably pretty and lovely.

She was dressed in plain and elegant attire, like an orchid, without any of the grace and joy of a newlywed. She looked even more plain and simple than when I met her in Jinling, and a feeling of tenderness welled up in my heart.

"Ruizhu, help your daughter pack up her belongings and dowry. Jia Zhen and his son have been convicted, and the court has ordered a confiscation of their property. Don't delay, follow me to the West Mansion to avoid it."

"Master Cong, the girl usually dresses very simply. The jewelry and dowry she brought are all useless. They have all been put away and can be used immediately."

When Keqing heard Jia Cong still calling her "girl", her body trembled and she couldn't help but burst into tears.

Ruizhu quietly left the room, closed the door gently, and sat alone on the steps. Although she was happy for her young lady, she didn't know what would happen in the future.

Jia Cong looked at Keqing's tearful face and said softly, "Keqing, everything is over. You don't have to stay in this place anymore."

"My father envied the rich and powerful and arranged the marriage that day. Everyone in the city knew about it. Ningguo is powerful and it concerns the lives of my parents. I don't want to burden you..."

Jia Cong no longer cared about anything and hugged her in his arms: "Don't say anything, I understand everything. From now on, I will take care of everything. You don't have to suffer this kind of grievance again."

(End of this chapter)