klisemfg Chapter 211: Red Mansion Lady Xing 31
Chapter 211: Red Mansion Lady Xing 31
Prefect Zhao thought that since he had been robbed twice in a row, the thieves might strike again next time.
He also predicted that the next thief might attack Jia She, so he personally sent people to guard Jia She's warehouse.
However, the reality was not as he expected. He stared at the window of the storehouse for two whole nights, but there was no movement. When he asked Jia She to open the storehouse, the things inside had been emptied.
Prefect Zhao was shocked. He realized that the thief was extremely cunning and had been able to evade their close surveillance.
Meanwhile, Jia She was furious, unable to believe that his storehouse had also been robbed. He suspected an inside job and began to interrogate everyone in the mansion.
The common people and the powerful in the capital all believed that the Rongguo Mansion must have offended someone and that was why it was subjected to such revenge.
Friends, relatives, in-laws, the Wang family, the Xue family, and the Shi family all sent people to the Jia Mansion to inquire.
Xing Yuling thought, "I should stop while I'm ahead. The space is already filled with all kinds of treasures, and even the open space outside the villa is full. As the richest people in Rongguo Mansion, Lady Jia and Lady Wang's savings and dowries have all belonged to me. Now, only the public treasury of Rongguo Mansion has not been touched, but in order to keep Rongguo Mansion running normally, I can't leave a penny behind, right?"
When everyone in the Jia family was worrying about how to get by, relatives and in-laws from all the mansions sent some silver, saying that they would help Rongguo Mansion overcome the difficulties. Although the silver was not much, it could at least give everyone a temporary relief.
At the same time, Jia Min, who was far away in Yangzhou, also learned about the plight of the Jia family in the capital. She sent someone to deliver a large number of precious gifts. These gifts included not only valuable items such as gold and silver, jewelry, but also many southern specialties and rare medicinal materials. She even took out 200,000 taels of silver from the treasury without Lin Ruhai's consent and sent it to Rongguo Mansion.
Both Lady Jia and Mrs. Wang were keeping an eye on the public treasury in the mansion, preparing to withhold some items from it to fill their own private pockets.
As time went by, there was no progress in the case of the theft in Rongguo Mansion, as if it was shrouded in a fog, leaving people confused. Although the Rong Mansion searched for clues everywhere, they could not find the key to solving the case. As time went by, this theft case gradually became a headache and became the focus of everyone's after-dinner talk.
However, a year later, Rongguo Mansion has returned to its former bustling state. Although everything seems to be the same on the surface, the atmosphere in the mansion has changed subtly. Everyone is more careful about their belongings and warehouses than before, and there are special people patrolling every day to prevent theft again.
Today is the wedding day of Jia Lian, the eldest son of the Jia family. The whole Jia Mansion is decorated with lanterns and is filled with joy. As the stepmother of the groom Jia Lian, she is dressed more festively today than usual. She wears a red brocade gown embroidered with exquisite peony patterns, a gold hairpin and pearl hair accessories on her head, and looks particularly energetic.
At this moment, Mrs. Wang was standing at the gate of the front yard, entertaining the relatives, friends, and female relatives who came and went with a smile on her face.
As the respectable lady of Rongguo Mansion, Xing Yuling accompanied Lady Jia throughout the whole process and acted like a wooden figure beside her.
When it came to the wedding ceremony, Jia Lian, with a serious face, held the other end of the red silk ribbon, and with the help of the matchmaker Wang Xifeng, they walked in front of Lady Jia and began the wedding ceremony.
When she was sent to the bridal chamber, the young people nearby started to make a noise.
Jia Lian, blushing, took the bride back to the bridal chamber and said that someone would bring food over later and he would go to entertain the guests first.
Wang Xifeng, wearing a phoenix coronet and a red veil, had her eyes narrowed into slits from smiling. She covered the corners of her mouth with a handkerchief and laughed out loud. The sound was clear and pleasant, like a silver bell.
At the same time, Jia She was drinking and chatting with Jia Zhen and his nephew at the men's table. The atmosphere was relaxed and happy. They talked about some trivial matters and laughed from time to time.
The wedding was very lively, but Mrs. Wang's dissatisfaction became stronger and stronger. If her son Zhu'er was still alive, there would be no Jia Lian at all.
After the wedding, Xing Yuling sent the guests away one by one and returned to the East Courtyard. Jia She was already drunk at this time, but he still followed Xing Yuling back to the room.
The maid beside Jia She carefully wiped the sweat off his face and body, and gently helped him change into a clean set of pajamas.
Xing Yuling looked at Jia She, and a complex emotion surged in her heart.
The relationship between the two seemed to be getting weaker and weaker, with only face left.
"Lian'er is grown up now, and I will give him all his mother's dowry in a while."
At this time, Jia She, who was resting with his eyes closed, said this.
"I think the girls from the Wang family have good personalities and are more suitable for Lian'er."
Xing Yuling frowned slightly. She naturally knew what Jia She was thinking. The marriage between the Wang family and the Jia family would be beneficial to the Jia family's career, and now Wang Ziteng was even more powerful in the court. Jia She would naturally not miss this opportunity.
"By the way, where is Xiao San'er now?"
Xing Yuling raised her head and glanced at him.
"I heard that he followed his teacher to Liangzhou."
"Since I couldn't make it in time, I prepared the gifts," she explained.
"I heard that his teacher was Old Lady Lu Pu." Jia She frowned and looked at Xing.
The late prince's mentor was also his teacher, and he was his companion at the time.
Xing Yuling's heart tightened. Old Tutor Lu was the late crown prince's mentor, yet everyone was avoiding him now.
"It's really rare for Xiao San'er to have such an opportunity. Let him study hard."
Jia She's face darkened slightly, and he continued, "Rongguo Mansion owes the Ministry of Revenue two million silver coins. The public treasury has always been managed by mother and Wang Shi, and I estimate that there is not much silver left."
Xing Yuling understood what Jia She meant. Those two had taken advantage of her. She nodded slightly, with a glimmer of understanding in her eyes.
"This matter requires further consideration." Xing Yuling said softly.
Jia She's behavior was absurd, but he knew in his heart that a new emperor would appoint new ministers, and he was afraid of being held accountable in the future.
"Forget it, let's talk about this later." Jia She waved his hand, turned around and lay down, and soon he was snoring like thunder.
The next day, the newlyweds began to pay their respects and gathered together in Rongqing Hall.
After Wang Xifeng offered tea to Jia's mother, she walked past Jia Lian and came to Xing Yuling. "Lian'er, you must treat your wife well in the future." She smiled and instructed the maid behind her to give her a set of ruby head ornaments.
Jia Lian quickly agreed, and Wang Xifeng also said tactfully: "I will do my best to serve my parents-in-law, please rest assured, mother."
When she arrived in front of Mrs. Wang, she called her "Aunt" in a friendly manner.
"Feng'er, please come and talk to me often when you have time." Mrs. Wang took Wang Xifeng's hand affectionately and put on the jade bracelet she had prepared for her.
After the greetings, they had their meal at a large round table in the main hall. Grandmother Jia sat in the main seat with a solemn expression and began to set the rules. Wang Xifeng also put away her smile and stood respectfully beside Grandmother Jia, carefully serving her soup. Mrs. Wang lowered her head to pick up some food for her mother-in-law. Her movements were restrained and she did not dare to slack off in the slightest.
Xing Yuling ate the rouge rice porridge indifferently. Seeing this, Grandmother Jia could only ignore her, but she felt even more dissatisfied in her heart.
Wang Xifeng was unhappy when she returned home, but she couldn't show it as she had just entered the door, so she glared at Jia Lian.
Jia Lian tried to please his wife with a playful smile.
Seeing that Wang Xifeng was unhappy, Jia Lian comforted her, "Don't be angry, I'll ask the servants to make you something delicious later." Wang Xifeng rolled her eyes at him and said, "You only care about eating. I didn't marry into this family just to eat." Jia Lian hurriedly coaxed her, "I know, I know, you are doing this for our Jia family." After hearing this, Wang Xifeng's expression looked better.