I'm in the Red Mansion

Chapter 162 To remain innocent in the world

Soon, Yuanyang entered Rongqing Hall.

When Jia Mu saw Yuanyang coming back alone, she couldn't help but ask with a gloomy face, "Yuanyang, where is that evil creature? Is he not at home?"

Grandmother Jia never thought that Jia Cong would dare not come if she invited him.

Yuanyang couldn't help but smile bitterly and said, "My dear, Third Master Cong is at home, but Third Master Cong said, said..."

At this moment, Yuanyang was actually a little embarrassed to say what Master Cong San had said.

Seeing Yuanyang hesitate, Grandmother Jia's old face looked even uglier.

She couldn't help but yell, "What did this evil creature say? Why don't you tell the truth? Are you going to hide something from him?"

Seeing that Grandmother Jia was angry, Yuanyang hurriedly said, "Yes, Grandmother."

"Master Cong said that he has been expelled from the Rongguo Mansion and will never set foot in the Rongguo Mansion again in his life."

"If there is nothing going on, don't bother him. If there is something going on, don't bother him even more..."

Hearing these words, Grandmother Jia was so angry that she trembled all over.

Yuanyang was frightened upon seeing this and hurried to Lady Jia's side. She supported him with one hand and used her other hand to help Lady Jia calm down.

It took a long while before I could breathe smoothly.

Grandmother Jia was gasping for breath and was extremely furious.

But after being angry for a while, she was surprised to find that even if this beast didn't respect her, she didn't have any good way to deal with it.

Although she is of a higher generation, that little beast is also the head of the Jia family.

If it were someone else, they would be afraid that she would go to the palace to complain to the Empress Dowager.

But that little beast is really not afraid.

Because her title was designated by the emperor himself.

The emperor had just appointed the successor to the title of the East Palace, but he went to the palace to file a complaint right after? Was he dissatisfied with the emperor's will?
He didn't obey orders and there was no way to file a complaint.

It seemed that there was really no way to deal with that little beast by myself.

Everyone in the room first criticized Jia Cong verbally and in writing.

Finally, I gradually came to my senses.

If Jia Cong did not take Lady Jia seriously, it seemed that Lady Jia would have no way to deal with him.

Thinking of this, the faces of everyone in the room became more and more strange.

Grandmother Jia also said helplessly: "Lai Ma, go back first, I will make the decision for you on this matter!"

You personally sent someone to call him but he didn't come. What else can you do when I go back?
I'm afraid this matter will just end like this, right?
Nanny Lai was unwilling but had no choice but to thank Lady Jia and go home.

……

In Ningguo Mansion, although Yuanyang had left, Jia Cong was still sneering.

What an old lady! She really thinks she is the Buddha?

Do you think everyone has to listen to you and I will go just because you tell me to?
I'm afraid that I've been accustomed to a life of luxury over the years and I'm taking myself too seriously, right?
Not long after, Jiao Da came in from outside and reported, "Third Master, the property seized from Lai's family has been put into the warehouse."

"Now Lai Er and his wife are still locked up in the woodshed. I wonder what to do with them?"

Jia Cong could not help but say, "Since they have already paid back all the money they embezzled, I will spare their lives."

"But the death penalty can be avoided, but the punishment of life cannot be avoided. Break their limbs and throw them out of the house."

"Yes, Third Master."

Soon, Lai Er and his wife had their limbs broken and were thrown directly outside the gate of Ningguo Mansion.

Not long after, he was taken away by someone from the Lai family.

After Jia Cong expelled Lai Er and his wife, Ningguo Mansion was left without a chief steward.

Jia Cong didn't have any suitable staff around him.

Jiao Da is indeed useful, but it would be better to let him be in charge of the guard team.

He was not cut out for the job of chief steward, so Jia Cong had no choice but to let Xue Da take over first.

The Lai family was raided and Lai Er and his wife were expelled from the house.

Jia Cong's reorganization of Ningguo Mansion has just begun.

Next, Jia Cong called Jiao Da.

Based on the scores of Jiao Da and the other twenty guards, Jia Cong decided to conduct a major purge of the remaining servants.

Perhaps, Jiao Da and the twenty guards he trusted were inevitably biased.

But which temple doesn’t have ghosts who died unjustly?

Jia Cong was not prepared to be fair and just.

When Jia Cong got the list of servants in Ningguo Mansion, he was really surprised.

Because there were as many as five hundred and sixty servants in Ningguo Mansion!
A duke's mansion actually employs so many people.

How much silver would it cost just for the monthly salary, food and drink supplies for these people in this year?

The number of servants in Ningguo Mansion can be seen at Qin Keqing's funeral in Dream of the Red Chamber.

When Wang Xifeng was assigning people, she said:

These twenty were divided into two groups, each group had ten people; these twenty were also divided into two groups; these forty people were also divided into two groups; these four people were only in charge of collecting cups, plates and tea utensils in the inner tea room. If one item was missing, these four would be asked to compensate for it.

These four people are responsible for the wine and food utensils; these eight people are responsible for supervising the collection of sacrificial offerings; these eight people are responsible for the lamp oil, candles, and paper in various places.

These thirty took turns to guard different places at night every day; the remaining ones were divided into houses, with someone guarding a certain place.

At this funeral, there were more than 130 people, just as Wang Xifeng counted.

The rest are separated by house.

There are also some well-known people who were not arranged in.

Apart from anything else, the maids and servants of the masters will definitely not be arranged to stay in.

Taking all the factors into consideration, there really would not be a shortage of these people in Ningguo Mansion.

According to the ratings of Jiao Da and others, among these 560 people, only a little over 20% have no bad records and are usable, which means there are only about 120 to 130 people who are usable.

The rest all have bad records, are either extremely dissolute, or are cunning and deceitful, and are all unfit for use.

If all the people were driven out now, the entire Ningguo Mansion would suddenly become much emptier.

However, for the sake of reputation, the cleanup must be done.

Thinking of this, Jia Cong first circled the more than 400 people who needed to be cleared out.

Some of these were bought back from outside, and these are basically dead deeds.

Jia Cong decided to return the indentures of these people and release them directly.

And most of them are Jia family's servants.

There is no way to release these people.

As for these people, they could only be exiled to the village.

However, this left more than 400 people vacant in the mansion.

With so many people, we can’t all buy from outside.

Otherwise, Ningguo Mansion would become a sieve.

These people can be filled in by selecting a group of honest and reliable people from among the servants on the Jia family's farms.

Next, Jia Cong arranged for Jiao Da to start a purge.

First of all, he instructed the heads of the various Jia family farms to select a group of honest and reliable people to fill the gap.

Then, these family children were rotated to various farms in batches.

(End of this chapter)