Chapter 57 Who told you to lie to me? Bai Zhong isn't cost-effective at all...
Jia Baoyu walked over hesitantly.
Mu Chuan glanced at Lin Daiyu again, and Lin Daiyu forced herself not to turn around and glare at him.
"Lord Zhongyong." Jia Baoyu bowed and then called out to Lin Daiyu.
In an instant, Mu Chuan transformed from the third brother into the third uncle, his voice as steady as a forty-year-old father: "Hmm, first, you practice your horse stance so I can check your basics."
Lin Daiyu felt like laughing, so she took two steps away to avoid actually laughing.
But when she walked over, she felt it wasn't a good idea. Her third brother was so tall that if she got too close, he could only see the top of her head.
Lin Daiyu then returned.
Mu Chuan's face darkened even more: "I can't do anything to him."
"You just teach him," Lin Daiyu said, suppressing a laugh. "Teach him well."
Regardless of whether the Rongguo Mansion established its reputation on military achievements, the basic stance of the horse is a fundamental skill for all schools of thought. Jia Baoyu also learned it when he was young.
He flicked his hem, opened his legs, squatted down, and stood up.
Mu Chuan was dissatisfied: "Get up a bit. High stakes are fine. How long can you last on low stakes? Don't embarrass yourself in front of me."
Well, Lin Daiyu glanced at her third brother out of the corner of her eye. His tone was cold, and his face was cold too, quite intimidating. But then she thought about how gentle her third brother usually was when he spoke to her—
“Baoyu, listen to the Earl of Zhongyong.”
Mu Chuan felt a pang of sadness when he realized that even the name "Third Brother" was no longer being used. He stepped forward and poked Jia Baoyu in the back with a finger, causing Jia Baoyu to stumble forward several steps.
"Is this your horse stance? You're just striking a pose. Do you even know what 'za' means in 'za ma bu' (horse stance)?" Mu Chuan shook his head and sighed in disappointment. "I'll demonstrate for you."
"Use your whole body to sink naturally. This trains your legs, your waist, and especially your back." Mu Chuan also got into position: "You push me."
Jia Baoyu rarely suffers mistreatment, but when he does, he's no pushover.
Besides, he had just had a fight with Lin Daiyu because of the Earl of Zhongyong, and he was feeling quite aggrieved. Although in Lin Daiyu's eyes, he had been scolded.
"Excuse me, Lord Zhongyong, please be careful." Jia Baoyu first pushed him from behind, but Mu Chuan didn't budge. Jia Baoyu then pushed him hard with both hands, but he still didn't budge.
Jia Baoyu even considered whether to put his feet on her, but this wasn't his own maid.
"Baoyu," Lin Daiyu called out, then said to Mu Chuan, "I heard that it's not good to stand in a static posture right after eating. Third Brother, you should stop practicing too."
These words were barely acceptable. Mu Chuan stood up and said, "Every day at Chenshi (7-9 AM), you should practice standing meditation for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Once you can stand still and your legs stop shaking, increase it to the time it takes to burn an incense stick. Then you can practice low stance meditation."
Jia Baoyu lowered his head and obediently replied, "Yes," and then said, "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Zhongyong."
“This is hardly instruction,” Mu Chuan said. “Everyone can learn to stand in a horse stance. Starting tomorrow, whenever I have time, I will send someone to call you. You can come to my residence to learn some real horsemanship, archery, and weapon handling skills.”
Call me anytime you're free.
That won't do. Jia Baoyu can't handle this. If he gets really sick from fright, how will she use him as an excuse?
Lin Daiyu said, "Baoyu also needs to study on weekdays. Why don't we set a date for him to come every three or five days so that he can arrange other lessons?"
Jia Baoyu... well, it can't be said that he was purely grateful; he only glanced at Lin Daiyu with a hint of gratitude. Mu Chuan's emotions were quite normal, except for a feeling of heartache and distress.
“Alright.” Mu Chuan pondered for a moment and said, “You must attend court on the 5th and 10th of each month. After the New Year, I will be stationed at the Northern Camp. You will come to my residence on the morning of the 6th of each month. At first, you will mainly practice on your own. Three times a month is enough.”
Jia Baoyu thanked him again, but Mu Chuan became impatient. He couldn't do anything to Jia Baoyu in front of Daiyu, so wouldn't he get more and more annoyed?
"Alright, you can go now. Wear two sandbags on your legs and walk around more often. You can use... half a pound each."
Jia Baoyu maintained a slightly bowed head posture for almost the entire time, and then walked away smoothly.
Mu Chuan sighed: "Daiyu... he really isn't suitable. He doesn't even dare to speak."
Lin Daiyu lowered her head accordingly: "Third Brother, you said you could teach him well."
She felt that her third brother was not a good teacher, so she wanted to wait and see what would happen, and then laugh at him in the future.
Oh dear, will they make fun of Third Brother in the future? Just thinking about what that would mean made Lin Daiyu's face burn instantly, and she didn't even dare to think about it anymore.
Mu Chuan let out a long sigh of relief: "I'll try my best."
"It's getting dark, I'll see Third Brother out." Lin Daiyu's face was burning, and she didn't dare to look up at anyone.
This time it's Mu Chuan's turn to feel wronged. He only pointed out that Jia Baoyu was a good-for-nothing, so there's no need to distance himself from him like this.
Lin Daiyu escorted him all the way to the front yard. Mu Chuan said, "This is enough. Have them carry lanterns to light your way."
Lin Daiyu hummed in agreement, and as she listened to the sound of horses' hooves disappear, she looked up. She had understood the slight bitterness in her third brother's voice just now.
"Serves you right," Lin Daiyu said coquettishly. "Who told you to... lie to me?"
Lin Daiyu called her maids and servants to lead the way with lanterns, and she slowly and contentedly returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion alone.
Jia Zhen had already arrived at Grandmother Jia's room.
First came the necessary polite greetings, exchanging New Year's wishes, then inquiring about the well-being of the empress in the palace, before Jia Zhen got down to business.
"What's the story with the Marquis of Zhongyong? I heard he comes very often and has given Miss Lin quite a few things."
Grandmother Jia's expression changed slightly. She picked up her teacup to tactically interrupt the flow, then took two more sips of tea and said with a smile, "How would I know? You should ask the Marquis of Zhongyong."
Well, here comes another case of playing dumb.
Jia Zhen was the clan head, and although Grandmother Jia was an elder, she was, in a sense, under his jurisdiction. Although the Jia family had been declining in the past, they were still doing alright on the surface. In addition, there was a concubine in the palace, and once she gave birth to an imperial heir, the Jia family would immediately rise to a higher level.
But how old are the ladies in the palace now, all these years later? Almost thirty!
They used to call each other affectionately, "Zhen'er" and "Grandmother," but now that affection is hard to maintain.
Jia Zhen remained silent. His face was already pale and gloomy, and although he managed a slight upturn of his lips to force a smile, Grandmother Jia still felt a little nervous under his gaze.
“I have never met the Earl of Zhongyong,” said Grandmother Jia. “I only heard from them that Lin Ruhai was kind to him and he came to repay that kindness.”
"Grandfather, you can use these words to fool outsiders and young ladies, but there's no need to talk like this among family members. I'll just be frank: who are you planning to find as a matchmaker? When are you going to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence to discuss this marriage? If all else fails, I can go there myself."
“No.” Grandmother Jia objected instinctively. “...I promised Lin Ruhai that your sister Lin would marry your brother Bao.”
Jia Zhen sneered twice: "I don't believe it. If Lin Ruhai were still alive, would he choose Baoyu over Zhongyong Earl? What would he be after?"
Grandmother Jia frowned, her eyes seeming to dart away: "The Earl of Zhongyong is a boorish man, and he comes from a farming background. You've met your Lin sister yourself, how can you marry into such a family?"
Jia Zhen was a man of his word, and this kind of wrangling was not what he wanted. He asked directly, "What exactly is the reason?"
How could Grandmother Jia dare to tell the truth?
"Besides, your Lin Daiyu and your Bao-xiong have been childhood sweethearts since they were little." Grandmother Jia found another reason, then sighed, "It wouldn't be good to have the woman come to our door first, would it? Otherwise, wouldn't we be at a disadvantage in the future?"
This last reason was barely plausible, but Jia Zhen knew that wasn't the whole story.
He stood up and said, "Let me make this clear first. Even in the capital, the Marquis of Zhongyong is one of the most prominent figures. He's currently holding a vacant position, so the Rongguo Mansion's reputation is nothing. If we keep dragging this out until he gets impatient—humph, old lady, how much benefit will you still gain? Think about it yourself. I think you understand very well what powerful people can do."
After Jia Zhen finished speaking, he bowed slightly and left.
Grandmother Jia's face also darkened, and her mouth almost drooped down her chin.
"Mandarin ducks! Mandarin ducks!" she cried out sharply.
Yuanyang had just seen Jia Zhen out when she heard the noise and hurriedly ran in.
Grandmother Jia asked, "How much stuff did you and Lian'er sell together?"
Yuanyang knelt down with a thud. She was terrified. The old lady actually knew about this, but she had said it very tactfully at the time.
...Their life as a steward isn't easy either; the last two years have been bad, and they haven't collected much rent. We're not heartless; we can't just drive the tenants to their deaths. It's just something we're temporarily lending out for a short-term loan; we'll redeem it when things get better. Besides, none of us in the family needs those things, let alone me. Rather than letting them gather dust, it's better to exchange them for money to help our descendants in their time of need...
"Why are you kneeling? I was just asking a question." There was no discernible emotion in Grandmother Jia's words, which only made it more frightening.
At least when it comes to selling things, Yuanyang is already on Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng's side. She thought for a moment and answered tremblingly, "Six boxes of things, I heard they cost two or three thousand taels. Mainly because the eunuchs have been coming frequently lately, and about a thousand taels have been spent on our household."
Grandmother Jia sighed and said softly, "When Her Majesty visited her family, she spent tens of thousands of taels of silver just to buy a few actors, and tens of thousands more to buy curtains, candles and other items. The money was spent like water. Now, only a few years later, she has to be careful with even a few thousand taels of silver."
Yuanyang didn't dare to respond to that.
A few years ago, people dared to say things would be better once Bao Er Ye (a character from Journey to the West) became successful, but the problem is...
At Bao Er Ye's first birthday banquet, he grabbed rouge.
You can tell what a person will be like at three years old; he only liked pretty older girls when he was three.
Now... Yuanyang is worried that if she says that Bao Erye is successful, someone will ask her: In which industry do you think Bao Erye can be successful?
He's neither good at literature nor martial arts, and he's completely clueless about dealing with people. Yuanyang is curious: in which profession can he still succeed?
Grandmother Jia suddenly sighed: "Get up. I'll go and count them myself tomorrow. We'll see how many things are missing. It won't affect the Rongguo Mansion's dignity."
Yuanyang responded, and Grandmother Jia then instructed, "Keep those sixteen jade pendants for me; they are my most cherished possessions."
Yuanyang responded with a "yes" and retreated obediently.
"Sigh..." Grandmother Jia sighed deeply, and began to regret it again.
If the Earl of Zhongyong had just shown a glimmer of hope, she would have sent Daiyu to the Prince of Beijing's residence as a concubine, and there wouldn't be this trouble. But thinking she would wait and see, things turned out this way.
Daiyu has always been intelligent. Once she enters the Prince of Bei Jing's mansion, she will surely be able to persuade the Prince of Bei Jing to stand up for her. How could Zhou Rui's family have been arrested? And how could Zheng'er have been urgently summoned back to the capital?
Now that the Earl of Zhongyong has arrived, the news has already spread, and the Prince of Beijing probably wouldn't dare to accept it.
Grandmother Jia sighed, and she couldn't help but calculate how much dowry she would have to give if she were to marry Daiyu off.
Although the dowry is usually twice the bride price, good families give as much as they can when their daughters marry.
Thirty to fifty thousand taels is a very generous sum in the capital, but Daiyu is, after all, her only daughter, so perhaps one hundred thousand taels should be enough?
The Earl of Zhongyong came from a peasant background. Even though he is now a first-class earl, how would he know what it means to be rich or what it means to inspect salt? He probably has no more than 200,000 taels at most.
After calculating the dowry, Grandmother Jia then thought about the bride price. Although she was the maternal grandmother, there was no one left in the Lin family, and she had raised Daiyu to adulthood with exceptional upbringing. Therefore, the bride price would definitely have to be sent to the Rongguo Mansion.
But this was not what Grandmother Jia wanted. After thinking for a while, she became agitated and used the excuse of "following one's son after the husband's death" to decide to wait for Zheng'er to return before making a decision.
Unlike Lin Daiyu, who returned to Xiaoxiang Pavilion in high spirits, Jia Baoyu was melancholy and frowning.
Today is the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, the sun has already set, and there are only two days left until the morning of the sixteenth day of the first lunar month?
Jia Baoyu wished he could take one step forward and three steps back, but no matter how slowly he walked, he still returned to Yihong Courtyard.
Seeing his appearance, Xiren hurriedly came forward: "I heard them say that Miss Lin persuaded the Marquis of Zhongyong to send you? I wonder what they said? Did the Marquis of Zhongyong make things difficult for you, Second Master?"
Jia Baoyu threw himself back onto the couch, buried his face in the pillow, and stopped talking.
Xi Ren patted his back gently, feeling a little happy.
At first, when he talked about Miss Lin, Master Bao would always refute him with a word or two. But he gradually got used to it and refuted less. Now, he hasn't refuted her even once these past few times.
It's clear that what Miss Bao said about... being influenced by what one sees and hears, is truly effective.
"He wants to teach me martial arts," Jia Baoyu said sullenly.
Knowing Jia Baoyu's temperament, Xiren said, "Why don't we go and try it out a couple of times first? That Zhongyong Earl is a self-taught martial artist, how would he know what martial arts are? We can just say he can't teach us, and then we can ask the old lady for help. There's no way we can't get it done."
Jia Baoyu didn't go to school much to begin with. He only went to the private school to hang out with Qin Zhong. During the three years that Jia Zheng was sent away, he spent his days wandering around the Grand View Garden. How could he stand being under someone's control?
He doesn't want to go even once, let alone twice.
Jia Baoyu suddenly sat up: "I'll ask the old lady. How can the Marquis of Zhongyong, an outsider, interfere in my affairs? If we're talking about military background, my grandfather was a Duke."
Xiren could probably guess a little, but she couldn't tell Bao Erye directly. Bao Erye was clearly still clueless. What if he made a scene if she told him the truth?
She couldn't stop her, so Xiren hurriedly chased after them and went out together.
Fortunately, Grandmother Jia had already retired for the night. Yuanyang came out and offered a few words of advice, and Xiren pulled Jia Baoyu back with her.
"Shall we talk about it first thing tomorrow morning?"
"That's all we can do."
But when Xiren got up the next morning, she exclaimed, "Quickly, fetch the imperial physician! Master Bao has a fever!"
With Jia Baoyu falling ill, the entire Rongguo Mansion was bustling with activity, and Lin Daiyu also received the news.
"Is he sick?" Could it be that Third Brother was scared? But he is indeed easily frightened, and he has indeed fallen ill from being frightened before, more than once.
But this was too much… Lin Daiyu’s expression immediately became indescribable. She also worried that if she used him as a shield, what if her third brother looked down on her as well?
Or should we pin the blame on our father? After all, it was his decision to arrange the marriage. Third Brother can't very well go down and ask our father, can he?
At the Marquis of Zhongyong’s residence, Mu Chuan got up early in the morning and was practicing boxing in the open space in the front yard when he saw Dou Changzong coming over with two of his men. Dou Changzong greeted him with a smile and said, “General.”
Mu Chuan looked him over and asked, "Are you tired? You've lost weight."
Dou Changzong remained silent, a smile on his face: "This isn't about being thin, General. You have no idea how much silver we've earned in just over a month."
"You," Mu Chuan chuckled twice, "I really didn't know."
"May the weather be favorable and the country be prosperous and the people at peace! Chongwenmen alone collected 200,000 taels of tax during the month of the New Year, not to mention countless smuggled goods. The treasury is about to burst."
"No wonder they're holding a charity sale after the New Year."
Dou Changzong chuckled twice, hinting, "You can bring your female relatives."
Mu Chuan deliberately asked, "Where would I have any female relatives?"
The two were joking around when the gatekeeper came in and said, "Sir, Eunuch Zhong has arrived."
Dou Changzong hurriedly said, "I have to go to the training ground to practice, otherwise if I continue like this, my martial arts skills will decline and I won't be able to catch those hooligans."
Mu Chuan went to the front yard and saw Zhong Jun wearing a large red python robe, which was worn by a eunuch. The rank badge was a front-facing python. Bai Zhong also had a python robe, but his python was angled and not as prestigious as this one.
From afar, Mu Chuan spotted the secret box in his hand at a glance and hurried over to greet him. Needless to say, this was to deliver the tiger tally to him.
Mu Chuan knelt down on one knee, and Zhong Jun handed over the secret box, adding, "The code will be delivered by someone else."
Mu Chuan and Zhong Jun knew each other before. This eunuch was a very serious person, but he was highly trusted by the emperor in military matters. Mu Chuan then tentatively said, "I hope we will never need to use this tiger tally."
The tiger tally was said to be used for troop deployment, but in reality, its uses were very limited.
A general doesn't need a tiger tally to mobilize his subordinates and soldiers, because his men all recognize him. The emperor also doesn't need a tiger tally to send troops, because the general also recognizes the emperor.
Therefore, it is quite obvious what the tiger tally was used for.
Upon hearing this, Zhong Jun smiled faintly and said, "I have seen the general command troops before, and he was very dignified. This time, His Majesty intends for me to serve as the military supervisor for a year while the general takes command of the Northern Camp."
Unexpectedly, the emperor sent Zhong Jun, so it seems that Prince Teng will not be going to the capital.
Mu Chuan cupped his hands and smiled, "Back when you went to Pingnan Town, I had a brief encounter with you and immediately thought of befriending you. However, you came and went in a hurry. Today, since we are destined to meet and it is the New Year, why don't you have a couple of drinks at my residence so that I can express my gratitude?"
Zhong Jun smiled faintly, his attitude neither warm nor cold, but he said he was refusing: "Since it is an important item to deliver the Tiger Tally, it is not appropriate to stay any longer. I must return to the palace to report as soon as possible."
Mu Chuan then sent a red envelope, which Zhong Jun did not refuse.
Mu Chuan saw him off for a couple of steps. Zhong Jun didn't say much, only a few polite words: "General, please put your things away carefully." Then he turned and left.
Before he could leave, Dou Changzong arrived again. He glanced at the eunuch in red and said in a low voice, "So that's why the general wasn't practicing his boxing in the training ground. Granny Shen is here. Her gilded broadsword—tsk tsk."
Who would dare to fight her head-on? If she manages to cut off a few pieces of gold skin, everyone would feel the pinch.
As they were talking, Eunuch Zhong, who was about to walk around the screen wall, suddenly stopped, turned around, stared intently at Dou Changzong, and then moved forward step by step.
Mu Chuan frowned: "Eunuch Zhong?"
Zhong Jun's eyes reddened, and tears fell: "Dad! Dad! It's me, Doumiao!"
"Bean sprouts?" Dou Changzong's eyes also reddened.
"I'm such a pea sprout!" Zhong Jun stamped his foot in frustration. "I—I have a big mole on my butt! Yes, I have a big mole!"
"No, no, no!" Mu Chuan quickly stepped forward, grabbed one in each hand, and headed towards the side room.
Although his mansion was heavily guarded and there were no spies, if a grand eunuch in a python robe were to take off his pants, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.
"Really, I've only ever heard of people recognizing eunuchs as their fathers throughout history, this is the first time I've ever seen someone recognize a eunuch as their son."
Mu Chuan kicked open the door to the side room and ushered the two of them inside: "Now let's talk properly."
Mu Chuan took a couple of steps away and stood guard at the door from a distance. He couldn't hear what was being said, but he could occasionally hear a couple of laughs or a couple of cries.
After a moment, the door to the side room opened, and Dou Changzong and Eunuch Zhong both came out with red eyes. Dou Changzong said in a muffled voice, "Call someone."
"Third Uncle."
Well, he's also started recognizing the eunuch as his nephew.
"Return the silver to your third uncle."
Zhong Jun then took out the red envelope that Mu Chuan had just given him.
Mu Chuan held the person down: "This—never mind, I'll take this, but you called me uncle, so you can't refuse my New Year's money, right?"
Zhong Jun glanced at his father before nodding: "Uncle, if you need anything in the future, come to me. I can handle anything. There are two chief eunuchs around His Majesty, one is me and the other is Quan Furen. Quan Furen only manages internal affairs, while I am the one who supervises the army. If you really want to calculate, he can replace me, but I can't."
This incident made Mu Chuan realize that Bai Zhong was not cost-effective.
It's not that Bai Zhong is bad, but who made him call him Third Uncle?
"You didn't recognize him when he came to Pingnan Town?" Mu Chuan asked Dou Changzong.
Dou Changzong choked: "I'm not serving in the main camp." After saying this, he sighed: "When I came to serve, I asked them to take good care of my son, but who knew they would take care of him in the palace."
Zhong Jun sniffed, and with a completely different, rude gesture than before, wiped his face with the sleeve of his python robe: "You can't blame my second and third uncles. The first year was a drought, and the second year it flooded. They sold me and went to flee the famine. Fleeing the famine... how many people can survive?"
Mu Chuan also sighed and then advised Dou Changzong, "I think people need to be literate, right? If you were literate and knew your origins, you might have found your son long ago."
Zhong Jun continued, "The village is gone. Even if you find it again, all that's left are wandering ghosts. I was very clever back then, and I had a cheerful appearance, so I was selected to study and learn to write in the Imperial Academy. Later, I barely managed to find the place after several years, relying on my memories from back then. But everyone there was already dead."
He sniffed again: "Of the four Hanlin scholars who taught me back then, Shi Qing is still in the Hanlin Academy as a Reader-in-Waiting; Ling Heyuan was transferred to Changliao Prefecture as the Prefect; Yao Guocheng became the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review; and another one has already been dismissed and returned home. If you want to get anything done, Third Uncle, just tell me. These are all my connections outside. There are some connections that aren't so close, but I'm a grand eunuch, and I can handle anything."
Bai Zhong, oh Bai Zhong, you've fallen short.
Mu Chuan sighed silently and said, "Are there any people here you trust or who are on your side? The Minister of Personnel is about to start his work, and perhaps he can get your people to take a bite out of you too."
Zhong Jun hesitated for a moment, then said, "If Third Uncle has allied with him, it would be best to advise him to back down a bit and not extend his reach to the Ministry of Revenue. His Majesty is already somewhat wary of him."
Bai Zhong, oh Bai Zhong, what can I say about you?
Mu Chuan put his arm around Zhong Jun and said, "Your father doesn't understand this. Tell him to go and arrange the banquet. We'll talk inside—is it alright if you don't go back to the palace?"
"It's alright. His Majesty had already instructed me to tell my third uncle how to properly manage the Northern Camp."
"Then what you just did—"
"I'm a eunuch, so I have to keep an eye on the officials, right? I definitely won't act tough with my third uncle anymore."
Mu Chuan pulled Zhong Jun to the inner study, while Dou Changzong went to prepare the banquet with a grin: "Sigh... I don't like drinking."
"Actually, I'm not too worried about anything." Mu Chuan thought for a moment. "Shall we talk about Wang Ziteng first?"
Zhong Jun chuckled: "He's just a figurehead. His Majesty is annoyed with him too. I reckon His Majesty might give him a first or second-rank honorary title, just an official name without any fixed duties, and then leave him there."
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