Chapter 96 Grandparents
At the Prince of Jin's Mansion, after reading the letter brought back by the skinny monkey, the Prince of Jin frowned and asked, "Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
"Not at all."
The skinny monkey almost swore to heaven, "Because I'm not sure, I even found our insider, and he also said that he saw these handprints and toes from afar yesterday."
King Jin: “…”
He turned the handprints and footprints over and over, and looked at them again in the sunlight. He was very sure that these were the child's handprints and footprints, and his brows furrowed even deeper.
What was Shen and Jia Jing talking about? "You said you saw the Jia family riding horses up the mountain on the way?"
"yes!"
"You also said that you were discovered in Jia Zhen's outer study, and the Ningguo Mansion guards chased you for a long time?"
"yes!"
"So this letter should have been sent to the mountain after they discovered there was a thief in their house?"
"That should be it."
The skinny monkey then nodded.
“Hehe~”
King Jin sneered and slammed the letter onto the table. "Do these two couples want to make fun of me?"
Skinny Monkey: “…”
Because his name was Skinny Monkey, he lowered his head very low.
"Your Majesty!"
Seeing that their prince was about to get angry again, Wu Rubao hurriedly said, "You may have thought too much. The emperor granted the marriage and sent two more dowries. It was not until yesterday that Shen used these handprints and footprints to let the servant inform Jia Jing."
As he spoke, he stole a glance at the prince, making sure he really listened, before continuing, "And I heard that the main reason for their breakup was this child. Because of this child, Madam Shen seized all of Jia Jing's private property, and now she has forced him to even start picking up manure."
King Jin: “…”
He had countless reasons to refute this servant, but Jia Jing was carrying manure...
Thinking of the news from the inside, King Jin snorted and threw the letter at the skinny monkey, "Send it to Taixuan Temple and throw it into the dung heap."
The Ningguo Duke's lineage lacks children.
When Jia Jing's brother died, Jia Daihua cried bitterly in front of his father.
So much so that my father was cruel to the prince, but soft on Jia Jing.
Now Jia Jing has a daughter in his old age, but she is so cold...
The King of Jin walked around the room a few times and said, "Tell our people to keep a close eye on him. No matter who he contacts or what letter he sends, they must report it immediately."
"yes!"
The skinny monkey picked up the letter and left in a hurry again.
"From now on, the Jia family..."
Prince Jin looked at Wu Rubao and said, "Just find someone to keep an eye on Madam Shen."
Others are not a concern.
"Especially when there is correspondence."
Jia Zhen is a fool.
Jia She and Jia Zheng are not capable of taking on important tasks.
They are all people who can only rely on the blessings left by their ancestors.
That is to say, his father is sentimental. If it were him...
"By the way, haven't Jia She and Jia Zheng come out of the ancestral hall yet?"
"I heard that because the matchmaker came and the study was searched yesterday, they left the ancestral hall for a long time, but went back in at night."
Wu Rubao said, "This news all came from Rongguo Mansion. Of the two branches of the Jia family, Ningguo Mansion is relatively strict in its management." It was really difficult to send someone in. "Because the skinny monkey was exposed, last night, the number of patrols and night watchmen in the two mansions was said to be one third more than usual."
Not doubled? This was the first thought of King Jin.
Then he thought that because the two chief stewards in the two mansions were both corrupt officials, many people had been dismissed, and he felt relieved again, "Then let's start with Rongguo Mansion."
It's better than not touching it at all.
…
Ningguo Mansion, ancestral hall.
Jia Zheng's expression was blank.
Wang told him a lot yesterday.
Even after giving up Rong Xi Tang, his brother and Jia Zhen were still not satisfied and wanted to drive his family out of the house.
They were forcing him to the point where he couldn't bear it anymore and begged for mercy again.
They were also using him to pressure their old mother in preparation for the division of the family.
Haha~ Jia Zheng sneered in his heart.
Without his family, can his elder brother hold up the Rongguo Mansion? Wait, his sister Min'er is on the way back, and she has always had a better relationship with him.
And Lian Er...
Thinking of the child who grew up by his side, Jia Zheng's heart was at peace.
He wanted to let his eldest brother see which side his own son stood on.
He was furious in his heart, but he didn't know that Shen Ning's so-called division of the family was completely different from what he thought.
Yuanchun went to ask about it yesterday, and thought about it all night when she got home.
"Grandma, how long do you think my uncle and father will stay in the ancestral hall?"
Yuanchun came to test her grandmother.
She felt that her aunt's plan to divide the family was very good. It could not only avoid future disputes, but also prevent her uncle and mother from competing with each other to squander the family fortune.
My uncle always feels at a disadvantage when the two families are mixed together. If he feels at a disadvantage, he will definitely keep buying antiques.
As for whether those antiques are real antiques, my uncle doesn’t care too much. He just wants to spend the money.
And my mother, because she has no title, might even secretly sell the farm by relying on her position as housekeeper.
She wouldn't care about what would happen to her descendants in the future. She just wanted to know that the second branch was taking advantage of the family.
She made this discovery when she checked the public accounts.
Yuanchun was very helpless.
She felt that her aunt in the East Mansion also knew this, so she proposed such a division plan to her grandmother.
“…When it’s time to come out, it will always come out.”
It’s not that Grandmother Jia doesn’t love her descendants.
But now she really didn't dare to go to the East Palace to beg for mercy.
Just thinking that Jia Zhen was also there, Shen couldn't keep him locked up forever.
Even if she wanted to shut him up, Jia Zhen wouldn't be happy about it.
"Grandma, have you ever been to the big storehouse in Gongzhong?"
Yuanchun had no choice but to use the ultimate weapon.
“…”
The old lady sighed and said, "I know why you are sad. Didn't I copy it all back?"
In fact, what was copied back was even richer than what was originally in the warehouse.
Starting from her father-in-law, the two branches of the Lai family have been in charge of the affairs of the two governments and have accumulated some wealth.
Now, all the savings of their previous two generations have become the Jia family's.
There is also Zhou Rui, who bought a large farm with the things he greedily gave away. If he can get through this year, his life in the mansion will be better.
“Grandma, you only see the surface.”
Yuanchun looked around and saw the maids and servants bowing and leaving. "On the surface, our family actually made a profit, but in fact, my uncle and my mother were competing to make money, which damaged the foundation of the Jia family as a whole.
You know the temper of my uncle. He would take more than 1,000 taels of silver from the public treasury almost every three months, and he would use that money to buy antiques. But were his antiques really worth that much money? You also felt that they were not worth it, so you always said that he was a scoundrel.
People outside also say that my uncle is a scoundrel and they all take pleasure in being able to cheat him.
If he has a bad reputation, will that be good for our family?"
Grandmother Jia: “…”
The old lady couldn't help rubbing her chest.
"And my mother, Zhou Rui was able to embezzle so much in such a short time, do you think my mother has less? Overall, a lot of their money is of unknown origin."
What? The old lady's eyes widened as she thought of something.
"I suspect...she is lending money at high interest."
Yuanchun also lowered her voice with great difficulty and said, "This is also the truth behind Zhou Rui and his wife's death in prison."
Grandmother Jia: “…”
The old lady was well-informed and had actually suspected it a long time ago.
But suspicion is one thing, and being pointed out so clearly by the granddaughter is another.
The Dazhao law does not allow lending money at usury.
The interest rate is too high, often forcing families to break up and die.
But the law is the law. How many mistresses of wealthy families lend money at high interest through their servants.
Wang's loan sharking...
"Grandmother, the emperor is still alive and the treasury is out of money. The emperor has endured what he can, but he is young and will eventually take power. When the time comes, what do you think he will do when facing the emperor's old ministers? What mother has done will bring trouble to the entire Jia family."
“…”
The old lady's breathing suddenly became heavier. "No, she doesn't take care of the family anymore."
"Yes, the housekeeper now is my second sister-in-law, but she is my mother's niece. There is no money in the treasury, and a good housewife cannot cook without rice. If there is a woman who asks her for usury, do you think she will not do it?"
Grandmother Jia: “…”
She couldn't help but look gloomy.
"And my father..."
Yuanchun looked painful.
When she was young, she felt that her father was a brilliant man with the character of a scholar and the virtue of a free and easy life. He was a true gentleman.
But in the past few years in the palace, she was excluded in various ways. Sometimes she would have to ponder over a word from Concubine Zhen for several days. She slowly discovered problems that she had never noticed before.
"Father has no hobby of buying antiques or concubines, but have you ever thought about how much money he spends on his concubines?"
Grandmother Jia: “…”
"There are seven people who have been with my father all year round. They are Cheng Rixing, Zhan Guang, Shan Pinren, Bu Guxiu, Ji Haogu, Hu Silai, and Wang Erdiao. My father supports them and their entire family. Not to mention the money they spend in the mansion and the clothes they wear during the four seasons, the amount they bring home every year is at least 100 taels, and the highest is even 500 taels.
There are certainly some talented people here, but there are more flatterers.
They said all the nice things in front of my father, but outside, they took advantage of the power of the Duke's Mansion, bullied others, and even took over the lawsuits and extorted money."
Yuanchun was very sad, "They didn't help my father gain a foothold in the officialdom, nor did they help my father teach his children and nephews. Instead, they coaxed my father to play chess and drink tea with them, recite poems and songs, and use their idiotic skills to comment on famous people's calligraphy and paintings. They seemed to know everything, but they were useless.
My father was delighted by their flattery and stayed in his study every day, not taking care of household chores or my grandmother and nephews.
Grandmother, what father did is actually more harmful than what uncle did by spending money on antiques and concubines. "
Grandmother Jia: “…”
She was simply stunned.
In the past, the Duke had many retainers and advisors around him.
She raised them all and made it a habit.
In fact, they did do a lot for the Duke and the Jia family.
She thought...
The old lady has realized the incompetent nature of her second son, and now...
"Divide...divide the family!"
After the family was divided, they could only eat what was their own, so they had to make some plans.
Can't you say they are still greedy for their own things? "Grandma~"
Yuanchun was busy patting her grandmother's chest to calm her down, "It's all my fault, you..."
"It's none of your business!"
Grandmother Jia was extremely sad.
Her Yuanchun is really talented and beautiful! But she was born in such a family...
"Did your aunt tell you about the division of the family property?"
"yes!"
Yuanchun lowered her head.
"That's good."
The old lady nodded and said, "Go tell your aunt to let me wait for two days. After two days, we will go to the ancestral hall to divide the property between your uncle and father."
She didn't mention it right away because she actually felt sorry for her granddaughter.
As soon as the child spoke to her, she went to divide the family property. When Er'er and Wang came back and inquired about the situation, who knows what kind of trouble this would cause.
Although her granddaughter was about to get married, as long as she was still in the mansion, the word "filial piety" would be enough to suffocate the child.
Moreover, Wang was a cruel person. Grandmother Jia felt sorry for her eldest granddaughter's hard life in the palace, so she could not bear to see her being tortured by her own mother.
"What you said today will rot in your stomach from now on. Don't mention it to anyone."
At this point, Jia's mother said again: "Forget it, don't go to your aunt's place in the East Palace anymore. I will talk to her myself later."
"……yes!"
Yuanchun slowly leaned into her grandmother's arms, "Grandma, thank you."
She was also a sweetheart, so how could she not know what her grandmother meant by saying this? "Silly child, when you marry into the Xinping Marquis's Mansion in the future, you can't be so straightforward."
The old lady hugged her eldest granddaughter and said, "Your aunt can do this because she and your uncle Jing have a deep love for each other. She has been a clan wife for many years, and she has a son like your brother Zhen who can support the family."
No matter how bad Jia Zhen was, he inherited the title and was the patriarch of the Jia family.
Shen herself was also a first-rank imperial official.
But what can a newlywed granddaughter do? The old lady also saw that the three granddaughters, including Feng Yatou, all admired Shen.
Consciously or unconsciously, they all wanted to learn from her in how they spoke and acted.
This is not impossible, but the prerequisite is to gain a firm foothold.
"The old lady in Xinping Marquis's Mansion is not a kind person. Even Princess Baofeng is suffocated by her. You..."
"My aunt asked me to marry a few strong women who are fierce-looking and good at fighting."
Grandmother Jia: “…”
She immediately thought of the six sturdy old women with feather dusters beside Shen.
Yuanchun asked her grandmother for advice, "My aunt also said that if I meet a wicked person like the old lady in the Xinping Marquis's Mansion, I must be more wicked than her first."
Yesterday, her aunt taught her that it was useless to use the palace fighting trick to deal with the old lady of the Cheng family.
She must be evil.
We should learn this from our uncle and elder sister Zhen.
She had to let Old Lady Cheng see that she was a bad person and make her afraid to mess with her.
"But before I do anything evil, I need to make it clear to the Marquis of Xinping first."
“…That’s fine!”
Grandmother Jia patted her granddaughter on the back and said, "The reputation of the old lady of the Cheng family is ruined. Even if she wants to spread some unfilial words about you, few people will really believe her. This person..., also has a weak spot."
Just like her.
The old lady taught her granddaughter, "She should like her illegitimate grandson very much. Learn from your aunt and find the faults of others and knock him into the ancestral hall. If you can't find them for the time being, then look at the people around them. You are the mistress of the house. It won't be difficult to find their faults. Get rid of the people around them, and you can do whatever you want with the rest.
Of course, the other party may also think so. Princess Baofeng is a clear example. The capable people around her were either coaxed away or met with accidents. "
These were all found out at home.
"Your aunt-in-law asked you to bring a few capable maids with you. She really loves you."
Grandmother Jia thought for a moment and said, "Tell your second sister-in-law to call the maids over later. You can choose them carefully. They should also know the affairs of the Xinping Marquis's Mansion."
Otherwise, you wouldn’t even know if you were harmed by someone.
"At any time, you have to stand on your own feet. If Xinping Hou is good, then you are good. If Xinping Hou is not good... then you have two children and live your own life."
Grandmother Jia said, "Learn from your aunt. You respected your uncle, but now that she doesn't care about anything, she can let him go and live her own life."
In her life, she has seen many women slowly dying in the inner house.
But I can't bear to see my granddaughter become like those people.
"As long as you take care of yourself, everything else will fall into place."
"Um!"
Yuanchun nodded and leaned on her grandmother. "Don't worry, grandma. I finally managed to get out of the palace. No one or anything outside can disturb me anymore."
If Xinping Hou was good to her, she would return the favor.
If you treat her very well, she will treat you very well in return.
Otherwise, she would treat him the same way he treated her.
Just like my aunt said, she has money and connections, so what kind of good life can't she live?
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