Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 360 How to Become Powerful

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Jia's mother's words made the atmosphere in the hall a little depressing. Now that Jia Cong was an earl, although he was not yet twenty years old, his power was growing.

Among all the relatives and elders in the mansion, probably only Lady Jia had the confidence to ask such questions, because she was the wife of a super-rank duke and Jia Cong's grandmother.

Jia Cong naturally understood from Jin Wenxiang's half-sentenced words just now and the meaningful look he gave him that this was meant to implicate him and Yuanyang in an ambiguous relationship.

But he didn't know that Yuanyang was making autumn boots for him, so he didn't know the ins and outs of the matter.

She said, "Over the years, whenever the old lady wanted to ask something, she always asked Sister Yuanyang to call me. Sister Yuanyang and I often talked, but there was nothing else. I really don't understand what the old lady meant by this."

In fact, the look in Jin Wenxiang's wife's eyes just now was not understood by Mrs. Wang, Wang Xifeng, Aunt Xue and other women in the inner house. It was nothing more than a hint that Yuanyang and Jia Cong were a little unclear.

In fact, in their opinion, this matter is not strange. It is not strange at all that Jia Cong, who is so proud of himself, would attract a young girl like Yuanyang.

Mrs. Wang even imagined with some malicious intent the shameful scene of Jia Cong and Yuanyang having an affair, and she felt a little gloating in her heart.

However, Lady Wang, Aunt Xue and others noticed that although Jia Cong looked calm when he replied, there was a hint of coldness in his words, which showed that they were obviously very dissatisfied with Lady Jia's question.

He even said frankly that he didn't understand what the old lady meant. In fact, how could he not understand? What the old lady said just now was so clear that even a fool could understand it. It was nothing more than questioning whether Jia Cong seduced Yuanyang.

It’s not that he doesn’t understand what the old lady said, but he simply doesn’t acknowledge it.

Grandmother Jia, Mrs. Wang and others were skeptical about what Jia Cong meant. After all, no one would easily admit to doing such a thing.

Only Wang Xifeng realized that Jia Cong and Yuanyang should have nothing to do with each other. In her opinion, the third brother Cong seemed to have no habit of hiding his affairs with women.

He and Keqing had fallen in love with each other at the beginning. Even before Rong'er died, he called her Miss Qin all the time without any taboo. The old lady would never have dreamed of this.

When Keqing got divorced, the third brother Cong was not at all ambiguous. In front of himself and sister-in-law Zhen, he dared to send Keqing back to her parents' home in person. No one else would be so blatant in their affair.

Wang Xifeng still remembers clearly the unsuppressible joy on Keqing's face at that time.

Afterwards, Wang Xifeng recalled carefully and concluded that these two people must have had an unclear relationship in the past.

If Keqing had not mysteriously gone missing later, one would never know what shocking things the third Cong brother would have done.

Also, when he brought Zhishao back from Jiangnan, the girl had just come out of the temple and had not yet taken off her Buddhist robes. She still looked like a nun, but Cong Lao San still took the girl to his room.

There was no concern for outsiders.

Mrs. Zhou Rui, who was by the wife's side, blocked him from entering the house at the second gate, and was slapped in the face by the third son of the Cong family, leaving her with blood all over her face. In the end, she even lost her life.

At that time, he had not yet been granted a title, but his methods were so skillful. He seemed gentle and polite on the surface, but he was ruthless in taking people's lives behind the scenes.

If the third brother Cong really hooked up with Yuanyang, with his status and charming appearance, as long as he opened his mouth, a young girl like Yuanyang would probably forget about the old lady and follow him to the East Palace.

He is a familyless man, so what does he have to consider when looking for a woman? Even if he really gets her to marry, what can the old lady do to him?

He is now an earl and holds most of the power in the Jia family. The old lady has to be respectful to him and send the girl to his room with a pinch of her nose. Is she going to kill Yuanyang?

The old lady must have thought of the eldest master's intention and was so angry that she was confused. There was no need to ask this question. Since the third brother Cong did not admit it, it must be true.

……

At this time, Yuanyang saw that her sister-in-law was so stupid that she actually revealed the secret in front of the old lady. It was originally a lie, but now it was used as a handle for no reason.

Yuanyang was so ashamed that she wanted to die. Not only did she bear the false reputation, but she also implicated Master Cong. How did Master Cong think of her?

Thinking of this, she gritted her teeth and no longer cared about her face.

She stood up and knelt before Lady Jia, saying, "Madam, my sister-in-law came into my room that day and saw me making autumn boots for Master Cong. She thought that I had...had thoughts about Master Cong.

In fact, things were not as my sister-in-law thought. That day, the old lady asked me to go see the second girl. The second girl was sewing boots for the third master. I was worried that the second girl would be too tired during her illness, so I came to help.

It’s not what my sister-in-law thinks...”

Baoyu, who was standing by, felt very upset after hearing what Yuanyang said. He had thought that Sister Yuanyang had secretly fallen in love with him, but why did she make a fuss about making shoes for Jia Cong? Why was he everywhere...

……

At this time, Daiyu and Tanchun entered Rongqing Hall and listened to Yuanyang's words. After all, Daiyu was a foreign relative, so it was not appropriate for her to speak at this time, so she pulled Tanchun's clothes.

Tanchun glanced at Yuanyang and said to Grandmother Jia, "Madam, you can ask Second Sister about what Sister Yuanyang said. From what I see, this is a very common thing.

Over the years, most of the clothes and shoes for Third Brother were made by Second Sister. Sometimes when Second Sister was tired, she would often ask the maids in her room, such as Siqi and Xiu Ju, to help her make them.

Last year during the Cold Clothes Festival, I made a pair of silk boots as a gift for my third brother. The soles were sewed by my maid, so this kind of thing is very common in our family.

The same logic applies here: Sister Yuanyang only helped make boots for her third brother because her second sister was still sick.

How could it be as outrageous as what Sister-in-law Jin said? If this is considered a big deal, then Second Sister and the maid in my room would have to be kicked out."

What Tanchun said made sense and there was nothing wrong with it. After everyone in the hall thought about it, they felt that it was indeed true. If one could say that Jia Cong and Yuanyang were related, it would be too far-fetched.

Yuanyang looked at Tanchun with a sense of relief, his eyes full of gratitude.

Although Grandmother Jia felt that what the third girl said was absolutely correct, when Yuanyang explained the reason for making shoes just now, her pretty face turned red and her words were a little unclear, so Grandmother Jia noticed something strange.

At this time, Jia Cong said: "Third sister is really smart and can see everything clearly."

He then said to Lady Jia: "Sister Yuanyang was trained by the old lady herself, so she is naturally a first-class person. She has a kind heart and knows how to take care of Second Sister during her illness, so there is nothing to say.

But the other people in the old lady's room were a little bit unbearable!
Not only did he force his sister to marry, but he also used his tongue to protect himself.

Cong is an earl appointed by the court, and Sister Yuanyang is an innocent girl. If such a person were to collude with them through words and ruin their reputation, the Jia family's reputation would be ruined and everyone would laugh at them if the news got out!

Today she even dared to involve me. If she gets help or instigates someone in the future, I'm afraid she will even dare to harm the old lady. If she stays in the old lady's room, she will cause trouble sooner or later. It is best to drive her out of the house!"

Everyone in the hall felt a chill in their hearts after hearing what Jia Cong said. After just a few words, he was starting to attack the servants in the old lady's room without saying a word.

Especially Jia Cong's last sentence, which said that if Jin Wenxiang's family was instigated by others again, they would even dare to harm the old lady, was a bit horrifying.

The people he was talking about were the eldest master and the eldest mistress. They were his own father and mother, so he did not show any mercy to them.

When Jin Wenxiang's wife heard what Jia Cong said, her face turned pale.

I just said half a sentence and didn't even dare to say his name. Even so, I still offended Master Cong San. I got my retribution so soon. This master wanted to deal with me directly.

After hearing what Jia Cong said, Jia Mu's face was not good. It was fine for her to deal with the people in her room who were not doing well, but now she was taken advantage of by this evil creature, which was really embarrassing. But Jia Cong's last words hit Jia Mu's heart. Just like she said, now that Yuanyang is gone, it will be easier to manipulate her in the future!
Moreover, there is nothing wrong with what Jia Cong said. The servant speculated and fabricated rumors, tarnishing the reputation of his master. He must be punished no matter what.

If he didn't severely punish Jin Wenxiang's family and give them a warning, there was no telling what trouble his eldest son and daughter-in-law would cause in the future.

……

Wang Xifeng, who was standing aside, saw it very clearly. The grandfather and grandson were really incompatible, and they were silently engaging in another confrontation.

The third brother Cong was a dagger hidden in his own heart, and he refused to suffer any loss. He was not satisfied with the old lady's cold face when she asked him a question, so he turned around and used the topic to deal a lesson to the old lady's servants, which was to embarrass the old lady in public.

Even the master and mistress of the East Courtyard were severely tricked by him.

Tsk tsk, this guy is really not a pushover. If anyone wants to bully him, he will definitely poke a hole in that person's hand. To be able to become an earl at such a young age, he must be a tough guy.

Grandmother Jia looked depressed and said, "I could have listened to two good plays today, but so many things happened. They are all troublesome. I am also tired. Yuanyang, come and help me go back to the room."

Then he said to Mrs. Wang, "You take care of the rest!"

Everyone knew that after Grandmother Jia said this, the matter came to an end. Yuanyang was naturally still the same as before, but as Jin Wenxiang's wife was kneeling on the ground, Grandmother Jia didn't even bother to look at her.

After Grandmother Jia left, Jia Cong, Daiyu, Tanchun and others also left Rongqing Hall.

After Lady Jia entered the back hall, Wang Xifeng said to Mrs. Wang, "Madam, what should we do with the Jin family?"

Jin Wenxiang's family helped Madam Xing to force her sister-in-law Yuanyang to marry Jia She as a concubine. Madam Wang knew very well what the eldest wife's family was planning, so naturally she didn't have a good face for this woman.

Madam Wang twisted her Buddhist beads in her hand and said coldly, "Give her twenty strokes of the cane and drive her out of the house. Send her to live on the farm. Don't let her enter the house again in the future!"

Jin Wenxiang's face was pale, as if he had lost his parents.

The slaves who were sent to the farms outside the palace were all those who had made mistakes and lost their power.

She was sent to the farm and could only do some cooking and cleaning work. Her life was so hard that she could only barely get enough food and clothing. It was not as respectable as living in a mansion.

After Mrs. Wang finished speaking, she left without looking back.

Jin Wenxiang's wife crawled in front of Wang Xifeng and begged for mercy, hoping that Wang Xifeng could help plead for her.

Wang Xifeng sneered, "You are also a fool who has lost your mind. You actually mentioned Brother Cong in front of the old lady. You think he is as good-natured as the other gentlemen in the mansion.

He is a man who is willing to fight to the death. If it weren't for Miss Yuanyang's sake, he would have taken your life.

You don't need to beg for mercy. This mansion cannot keep you. Go to the farm and live a quiet life. It will save everyone's worries."

……

Outside Rongqing Hall, Jia Cong left with Daiyu and Tanchun.

Tanchun joked, "Third brother, Sister Yuanyang is still making shoes for you. She is so kind to you. I saved her today. How are you going to reward me?"

Daiyu joked, "Third brother, if you want to make shoes in the future, you'd better let your sister do it. My Zijuan is also good at sewing, and with me here, there will be no gossip about you."

After hearing Daiyu's witty words, Tanchun and Qingwen burst into laughter. Only Yinglian, who was a little naive, didn't understand the meaning for a while.

Jia Cong looked at Daiyu with a headache, but saw that the corners of her mouth were slightly raised, and she deliberately turned her face away from him.

……

In Grandmother Jia's room, she leaned back on a recliner, watching Yuanyang busying around the room, and suddenly asked, "Do you really like Cong, girl?"

When Yuanyang heard Grandmother Jia suddenly ask this question, she was stunned for a moment, blushing and said, "Madam, I am just a maid. I dare not dream of a man like Master Cong Sanye."

The reason why Grandmother Jia likes Yuanyang is because she is strong and straightforward, considerate and thoughtful in everything, which is somewhat like her own when she was young.

Grandmother Jia said: "Brother Cong is born with such appearance and has been granted a title at a young age. It is not strange for him to attract the favor of women. I think his character will make him listen to the advice of his wives and concubines in the future.

You don't need to talk about yourself. You are my roommate, but you are worse than that girl."

When Yuanyang heard Lady Jia suddenly say these words, her heart suddenly started beating faster...

Grandmother Jia continued, “You have served me for so many years and you are the person closest to me.

The person I love most in my life is Baoyu. He is sensible and filial, which is very good, but he shouldn't care about those things outside.

But Cong Ge'er is different. He is a man who can make a living outside and does not need to be taken care of by us elders. He can also be in the limelight and has built up a family business at a young age.

As a grandmother, I have no worries about him. I will naturally take care of Baoyu, pass on my personal belongings to him, and let him live a life of wealth and worry-free. I will have done my best."

Seeing Yuanyang's bewildered look, Grandmother Jia said, "Girls' affairs are always unavoidable. Just remember what I said and act accordingly in the future.

After a few years, you will get what you want... "

After hearing this, Yuanyang blushed. She naturally understood what the old lady meant.

I felt happy, but also a little worried.

……

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

Emperor Jiazhao sat behind the imperial desk, with the Minister of War Gu Yankui, the Minister of the Supreme Court Wei Guanyao, and the Minister of the Court of Judicial Affairs Zhou Junxing standing below him.

Today, three people entered the palace to report, one for Zhou Suqing's confession of leaking secrets, and the other for the follow-up coordination of the Jinling Zhou Zhengyang case.

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao almost simultaneously glanced at Zhou Junxing, the judge who was coming forward to report.

In recent days, due to Zhou Suqing's confession of leaking secrets, the Magistrate's Court has been arresting officials all over Shenjing City and putting them in prison for interrogation.

The number of officials implicated in the Dali Temple and the Five Military Governor's Office quickly increased from less than 20 at the beginning to more than 30, causing panic among the people.

Two officials from the Five Military Governor's Office died under torture and were also charged with crimes.

Ma Shang, the third-rank general Weiyuan and the commander-in-chief of the Central Army of the Five Military Commandery, was ordered by Emperor Jiazhao to reflect on his mistakes at home, and his military post was taken away in disguise.

Gu Yankui and Wei Guanyao are both experienced officials, and they know very well that according to the current situation, more and more people will be implicated, and the foreseeable bloody storm is inevitable.

(End of this chapter)