I'm in the Red Mansion

Chapter 220: Perfection of the Eight-part Scripture

There was even a moment when Grandmother Jia had the idea of ​​tidying up the Rongguo Mansion as well.

Grandmother Jia has been in charge of the household for decades. Doesn’t she know the situation in Rongguo Mansion?
Of course she knew it clearly. Not only did she know all the problems and defects in the Rongguo Mansion, she also knew who had embezzled money.

As long as she wanted to check, she could quickly find out all the accounts clearly.

And once the investigation is completed, their Rongguo Mansion will be able to at least balance its income and expenditure, if not turn losses into profits.

However, when it came time to make a decision, Grandmother Jia hesitated again.

It is easy to check the accounts, but most of the people involved were promoted by Grandmother Jia.

Many of them contain the face of several lifetimes.

Over the years, she has finally gained a good reputation.

If the investigation continues like this, her reputation of several decades will be ruined and she will be labeled as an evil woman.

And she is also very lively.

If all these people were investigated, there wouldn't be so many people gathering around her, and the place would become even more deserted in the future.

How many years does she have left to live?
Let’s just take it one day at a time!

These things will be left for the younger generation to investigate after she passes a hundred years later!
Just a little girl named Feng can accomplish this.

By then, all these riches will still belong to the Rongguo Mansion.

Therefore, thinking of this, Grandmother Jia gave up the idea of ​​checking the accounts.

……

It was already the 29th day of the twelfth lunar month, and everything was ready. The two mansions had changed the door gods, couplets, and hanging plaques, and had freshly oiled the peach charms, making them look brand new.

The Ningguo Mansion has the main gate, ceremonial gate, main hall, warm room, inner hall, inner three gates, inner ceremonial gate and inner gate, all the way to the main hall.

The main gate was wide open, and on both sides of the steps there were tall vermilion lamps that looked like two golden dragons.

The next day, those who had been granted titles by Lady Jia all wore court robes according to their rank, first sat in an eight-person sedan chair, and led everyone into the palace to pay tribute and pay respects.

Mrs. Mei had a third-rank imperial decree, so naturally she would go along as well.

Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang did not have a good attitude towards Mrs. Mei.

On the contrary, although Lady Jia had a calm expression on her face, she did not show any displeasure to Madam Mei.

It was Youshi who protected Madam Mei, fearing that she would suffer any harm.

For Youshi, she can still live peacefully in Ningguo Mansion, with fine clothes and delicious food every day, and her food, clothing and other expenses are the same as before.

All this is thanks to Brother Cong.

Now that she is here, how can Mrs. Mei suffer any loss?

After returning from the banquet, he got off the sedan chair in the warm room of Ningguo Mansion.

Those sons and nephews who did not go to the court with him were all lined up in front of the Ning Mansion gate and then led into the ancestral temple.

Jia Cong presided over the sacrifice again, and after he finished his work, Jia's mother took everyone away.

Jia Cong did not try to keep him, nor did he go to Rongguo Mansion to pay New Year's greetings.

The two sides remain strangers.

If Jia Cong was willing to swallow his pride and take a step back, Grandmother Jia would have given up.

But given Jia Cong's temper, how could he swallow this?

As an old feudal lord, Lady Jia would naturally not be the first to admit her mistake.

At the fifth drum of the next day, Jia's mother and others dressed up according to their ranks and accompanied all the stewards to the palace to pay their respects and wish Yuanchun a long life.

After returning from the banquet, he went to Ning Mansion to offer sacrifices to his ancestors before returning.

It turns out that Yuanchun's son was very big, and he was born on New Year's Day.

And then, everyone came to visit and wished a happy new year.

Even the Ningguo Mansion was becoming lively.

Last year, not many people came to visit, but this year, the number of visitors is several times more than last year.

Jia Cong naturally knew in his heart that this was not just about himself, but also because of his status as the top scholar in the provincial examination.

Next, Jia Cong went to Prime Minister Kou, Master Zhao, the Mei family, and the Lin Mansion to pay New Year's greetings one after another.

I also invited two senior brothers to have a drink.

And his relatives and friends from the Four Kings and Eight Dukes factions also hosted banquets for him.

As the head of the Jia family, Jia Cong couldn't help but go.

Therefore, I was busy until eleven or twelve, and then I gradually stopped. And the Lantern Festival was approaching.

After the Lantern Festival, it will be February in another half month.

By February, there were only a few days left until the final examination for this subject.

After calculating, there are not many days left before the imperial examination.

Therefore, Jia Cong began to ignore everything and read books behind closed doors.

No matter who came later, Jia Cong would refuse them all.

Time passed quickly, and before Jia Cong knew it, it was the Lantern Festival.

But during the Lantern Festival, the Rongguo Mansion was very lively.

Grandmother Jia was a person who liked liveliness, so she invited a play to be performed.

He was having a great time with the girl from his family and the two girls from the Li family.

It was Lin Daiyu who did not come, which made Grandmother Jia feel a little regretful.

She hadn't seen Lin Daiyu for several days.

It turned out that Lin Daiyu had never moved into the Grand View Garden, but had been taking care of two pregnant women at home.

However, the Ningguo Mansion was a bit deserted.

Apart from the mother and son, the only others were these girls.

Mrs. Mei simply asked Qingwen and other maids to sit at the same table. This way, with so many people sitting at the table, the party became more lively.

Madam Mei added, "Last year, my father-in-law was reluctant to let Miss Lin marry us, so he kept her at home for an extra year."

"I can understand your feelings, but I can't refuse this year. I must marry her."

"When Miss Lin comes home, I'm afraid we'll have a big fat boy next year or the year after next."

"When the children grow up a few years, the house will become more and more lively."

"By the way, in two years, I will have to give Congge a few concubines."

My goodness, you’re not even married yet and you’re already thinking about having children.

He even planned to take a concubine in two years.

Jia Cong said hurriedly, "Mother, today is the Lantern Festival, and I will take the imperial examination next month."

"After the joint examination, if you pass, you will go to the palace to take the palace examination."

"No matter how urgent it is now, it won't be too late to make plans after the exam."

Aunt Mei smiled and said, "Of course it is like this. Brother Cong is also weird."

"Young men are eager to get married right away."

"As for you, you also like Yu Yatou, but you are reluctant to get married, which is also a strange thing."

After hearing this, Jia Cong was speechless.

Can you blame me?
I can only blame my later thinking, okay?

Don’t say that people in later generations generally get married in their thirties or forties.

In this day and age, it’s okay to get married in your twenties.

He is only eighteen years old this year.

In this era, eighteen years old is really not young.

It seems that I can't escape the fate of getting married this year.

But if the bride is Lin Daiyu, he will have no choice but to obey.

……

After the Lantern Festival, Jia Cong continued to gain experience.

Before we knew it, it was already February.

The day of the imperial examination is getting closer and closer.

On this day, Jia Cong's Four Books and Five Classics and Eight-legged Essay were both advanced.

【Four Books and Five Classics (Perfect): 9/5000】

【Eight-part essay (perfect): 16/5000】

(End of this chapter)