Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 338: Wealth and Nobility Corrupt Family Affection

As soon as Jia Cong mentioned the ten years of release from the palace, everyone in the hall naturally knew what he meant.

According to the palace rules of the Great Zhou Dynasty, a maid who has been in the palace for ten years and has not received any favors from the emperor can leave the palace and return home if her family sincerely requests it and she is willing.

Wang Xifeng, who was standing by, heard Jia Cong suddenly say this and looked at him with some surprise.

This third brother Cong really dares to say anything.

Wang Xifeng had been married into the Jia family for many years, so she naturally knew a lot of old family affairs. When the new emperor ascended the throne, the masters of the two mansions suddenly passed away one after another, and the Jia family lost its pillar.

The only one who could establish his own household in the two mansions was Master Jing of the East Mansion, the literary star of the Jia family and the only Jinshi in several lifetimes.

But no one expected that this Jinshi was so stupid that he was not satisfied with the wealth and glory in his life. He was obsessed with immortality and gave up his huge family business to become a Taoist monk.

The title of the East Palace was directly downgraded by two levels and passed to Jia Zhen.

In the West Mansion, before the grandfather passed away, he was disgusted with the eldest master who had a ridiculous nature. In order to preserve the family's prosperity, a memorial was sent to the palace to divide the Jia family's nobility into two.

The eldest son inherited the title, and the second son inherited the family business. In the absence of outstanding descendants, this provided a security layer for the Rongguo Mansion's family business.

Even so, the wealth of the two families declined drastically and became precarious.

The old lady was at her wits' end at the time, and she finally waited until her eldest sister was old enough to be selected.

He was hurriedly sent to the palace to seek opportunity. This is called "you can't catch a wolf without sacrificing a child", otherwise how could the Jia family continue to be rich and prosperous.

Now, my eldest sister has been in the palace for eight years. Every year, she receives at least eight thousand yuan as subsidy for her to go on her way, but there is still no result.

The Cong brothers actually wanted to get their eldest sister out of the palace. How could the old lady and the madam be willing to accept this? Especially the madam, who would probably be even more unwilling.

Wang Xifeng knew her aunt's intentions very well. Originally, the eldest brother Xianzhu was a promising man, but unfortunately he died early. Baoyu's personality was not that of a man who could rise to a high position, so he could not be relied on at all.

Her aunt was holding a grudge in her heart, and she was thinking of relying on this daughter to gain honor and respect for herself.

Especially in the past few years, the third brother Cong seemed to have taken a magic medicine and became more and more prosperous, so his aunt's thoughts became stronger and stronger...

……

After hearing what Jia Cong said, Jia's mother was somewhat moved and a thoughtful look appeared on her face.

Mrs. Wang suddenly said, "Brother Cong, what you said is wrong. Your elder sister entered the palace to serve the noble because the Jia family has been favored by the emperor for generations. How can she give up halfway?"

Mrs. Wang looked at Jia Cong with a very unfriendly look.

I thought to myself, this kid has taken all the glory in the world, yet he actually wants to ruin the good fortune of my second wife. He is really scheming.

He has ruined the second girl's marriage, and now he even wants to ruin the eldest girl's future. He will never succeed as long as I am here!
When Wang Xifeng heard what Lady Wang said, she thought to herself, as expected, although the third brother Cong is powerful, he is still young after all, and he doesn't know his family's background. It's embarrassing for him to say all these things.

After hearing what Lady Wang said, the thoughtful look on Jia's face faded. To be honest, she was somewhat unwilling to let Yuanchun leave the palace like this.

Mrs. Wang knew that Jia Cong had a sharp tongue and was good at misleading people. Last time, he said that Yingchun's marriage was very risky, which made the old lady stop and let him do it.

Now that he has decided to force Yuanchun out of the palace, he will most likely tell her about the terrifying events in the palace and scare the old lady into submission.

Thinking of this, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but tense up, preparing for Jia Cong to say something nonsense so that she could refute it with all her might, and even use her seniority to suppress him.

But Jia Cong said nothing, with a calm expression on his face, as if his words about letting Yuanchun leave the palace were just a casual remark.

This made Mrs. Wang feel relieved, but she also felt like she had punched cotton. She couldn't guess what Jia Cong was up to.

……

After hearing what Mrs. Wang said, Jia Cong naturally would not argue with her.

The reason why he suddenly suggested that Yuanchun could leave the palace was just to see the reactions of Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang.

Seeing that Mrs. Wang flatly refused this matter, he sneered in his heart. Mrs. Wang was so sinister and shallow in wisdom, even worse than Lady Jia, but she had such ambitions.

Emperor Jia Zhao first abolished the hereditary title of the Ningguo Mansion, then devised a method to replace the crown prince of the Rongguo Mansion, and finally allowed himself to be expelled from the mansion, which not only cut off the roots of the Ningguo lineage, but also greatly weakened the Rongguo.

People are so tired of the old honors of the Four Kings and Eight Dukes that it is difficult to add to them.

Now, Jia Mu and Wang Fu Ren are still thinking of relying on a woman, harboring improper ambitions, to win the royal favor. The three-foot-high wall is blocking the view and hearing, which is just wishful thinking. It is said that when a mediocre woman is in charge, the house will fall down, which is really true.

In the original storyline, Yuanchun was hastily made a concubine and soon died mysteriously, which actually explains a lot of problems...

Although according to common sense, as a younger generation, I have no right to influence the future of my sisters.

But there are always more solutions than problems. The bad relationship between Yingchun and Sun Shaozu was completely severed by herself using all means.

But the eldest sister in the family is different. She is a lady in the deep palace. No matter how capable she is, she can't use any tricks there.

I can only wait until Yuanchun's ten-year term is over and then look for an opportunity. Since I was able to ruin one, why can't I ruin the second one?

……

Grandmother Jia looked at Jia Cong's departing figure and said, "What this boy said is not without reason. The eldest girl has been in the palace for eight years and has not made any progress. I am afraid it will be difficult for her to survive."

Madam Wang's face was tangled, but her eyes were unusually calm: "Old lady, the eldest girl is already in her twenties. Even if she leaves the palace, what will happen? It's better for her to stay for a few more years and see what opportunities arise."

Grandmother Jia sighed and stopped talking.

But when Wang Xifeng, who was standing by, heard this, she felt a chill in her heart.

Girls from ordinary families would start planning for marriage at the age of thirteen or fourteen. If the marriage was arranged, they would get married when they reached the age of fifteen.

Even if it is delayed for a few more years, a girl must get married at the age of sixteen or seventeen, otherwise she will not be able to get married.

My aunt said that my elder sister was already in her twenties, and even if she left the palace, it would be difficult for her to get married. It would be better for her to stay in the palace and wait for the elusive opportunity of the emperor's favor.

Madam, are you trying to drain your daughter dry? How can a mother be so hard-hearted...?

……

Jia Cong walked out of Rongqing Hall and looked back at the red plaque with gold characters under the eaves of the hall. It was so magnificent that it was beyond words.

But behind the warm curtain at the door, there was an unspeakable darkness hidden.

He thought of Lady Jia's hesitant expression and the stiffness and coldness on Mrs. Wang's face.

Like it could chill your heart.

In the official residence of Fengzao Palace, she recounted in detail the interesting stories of her sisters at home, and everyone listened with great interest, their eyes full of longing and joy.

The beautiful woman standing under the shade of the tree with a gentle smile, the mottled light and shadow illuminate her graceful figure.

He felt helpless, suffocated and depressed.

It is said that the royal family has no true feelings since ancient times. This aristocratic family that has existed for nearly a hundred years is not equally cold and indifferent.

Wealth and honor can make one lose one's mind, and glory and honor can taint family ties.

For the two women who were chosen to enter the palace, with no clear future and unable to extricate themselves, their greatest wish is the favor of their families.

But in the face of wealth and splendor, these are too luxuries for them.

……

He walked around the marble screen in front of the hall, passed through the three small halls, and passed the hanging flower gate, all the way to the southeast corner gate of Lixiang Garden.

After passing the wind and rain corridor in the alley and entering the back garden of the Earl's Mansion, he breathed a sigh of relief and went straight to Yingchun's courtyard.

Under the bright green banana leaves in the yard, on a round bluestone table, Daiyu and Yingchun were playing chess. One was pretty and lively, the other was gentle and amiable.

There was a censer of incense burning on the stone table, its fragrance refreshing. Tanchun and Baochai were watching the fight nearby, while Xichun was swatting butterflies from the flowers.

Everything is so beautiful, full of leisure and comfort.

All he could hear was the sound of chess pieces falling, the graceful figure and the fragrance of her sleeves, which gradually swept away the depression that Jia Cong had accumulated in Rongqing Hall.

When the sun was setting slightly, someone from the West Mansion came over with a message, asking Daiyu, Tanchun and others to go to Rongqing Hall to talk, and only then did the sisters disperse.

(End of this chapter)