Chapter 549: Severing the Wild Mandarin Ducks

Rongguo Prefecture, East Courtyard.

Upon hearing Lady Wang's words, Jia Zheng's expression softened slightly.

He said, "Speaking of Lin Yatou, whether it be her appearance, character, or family background, I am extremely fond of her. She is also the only flesh and blood of my younger sister; in my eyes, there is no one better than her."

"If you say her health is frail, that is not a major issue. How old is she? She hasn't even reached the age of fifteen. If she is nurtured for a few more years and grows up a bit, her health will naturally improve."

"I heard from the Old Matriarch that Jia Cong found a divine physician for her and had a high-quality pill formulated. She is taking it now and it is working very well; her complexion is much better than before."

"If you say she has a temper, that is not really the case. She is still just a child, after all. What harm is there in being a bit spoiled or temperamental? She will be fine once she grows a few years older and becomes more sensible."

Lady Wang had originally favored Xue Baochai as her daughter-in-law, but now that her niece had been 'handled' by Jia Cong, that was absolutely out of the question. Moreover, the Master respected Jia Cong and would no longer agree to it.

Her proposal to Jia Zheng to arrange a marriage with Lin Daiyu was merely a fallback. Even if she did not like Lin Daiyu, Lin Daiyu's family background would be of great benefit to Jia Baoyu and the Second Branch.

It was just that Lady Wang never expected that her husband, who had never mentioned it before, would actually be so fond of and value Lin Yatou. After all, it was still the sentiment he held for his short-lived younger sister...

However, when Lady Wang heard Jia Zheng mention that the high-quality pills Lin Daiyu was taking were also formulated by a divine physician found by Jia Cong, she could not help but feel disgusted. Why was that brat everywhere?

Jia Zheng said, "If Baoyu can marry Lin Yatou, that would be his good fortune. I am naturally willing, but I fear this matter will not be easy."

Lady Wang had always viewed her son as a pearl or a treasure, and hearing Jia Zheng's words, she felt somewhat unconvinced.

She said, "What does the Master mean by this? Our Baoyu is also a legitimate son of the Rongguo Prefecture. He is outstanding in appearance and usually keeps to himself at home, never going out to cause trouble. Among the sons of noble families, he can be considered rare."

Jia Zheng gave a bitter smile: "What you say does not carry much weight. Her father, Lin Ruhai, is a first-rank Jinshi and a Tanhua—a top-tier figure among scholars—and he holds the important post of a Grade 4 Salt Inspector."

"Even the current Emperor values him highly. Otherwise, why would the Old Duke have betrothed his sister to him back then? The Lin family is also a family of five generations of marquises, the premier noble family in Gusu."

"Lin Yatou is Ruhai's only beloved daughter. As a Tanhua, when he looks for a son-in-law, even if he doesn't demand the talent of a Zhuangyuan, he would at least expect a third-rank Jinshi to be a suitable match. Otherwise, it would be too mismatched."

"Our Baoyu is already fifteen, yet he hasn't even succeeded in his studies. If we want them to agree to this marriage, I fear it will be very difficult."

"Last year, the Old Matriarch had me send a letter to bring this up, but her father declined, citing that Lin Yatou was young and frail, unfit to be a wife, and that it was not yet time to discuss marriage at such an age..."

"Around the end of the year, I corresponded with him again. I heard that private salt smuggling is rampant in the Huai regions and salt bandits are running wild. It is quite unstable, and he is busy with official duties, so I fear he has no heart to discuss these things."

"Once the affairs in the Huai regions settle down, I will write again to discuss this matter. I hope that out of consideration for the Old Matriarch's love and upbringing of Lin Yatou, he will give it some thought. Whether it succeeds or not depends on Baoyu's fortune."

Lady Wang was very unhappy upon hearing this. The Master held the Lin family in too high regard. Could it be that my Baoyu is not worthy of marrying a daughter of the Lin family?

That little girl is just an orphan who lost her mother. If the Old Matriarch hadn't raised her, she would have likely turned to dust by now. How could she be as precious as the Master says...

After Lady Wang left the Mengpo Study, she heard a maid come to pass on a message, saying that her younger sister had arrived and was currently serving tea in the main hall.

Lady Wang was stunned. She had heard for days that her sister had been feeling unwell and had been bedridden, otherwise, she would have thought of visiting her.

Why had she dragged her sick body over when she hadn't even gone to see her?

As soon as Lady Wang thought of seeing Jia Cong and Xue Baochai embracing near the Lixiang Courtyard, she couldn't help but feel nauseated. She felt very uncomfortable even seeing her own sister.

But since she had already come, she could not avoid seeing her. She could only force herself to deal with it.

Xue Yima sat in the hall drinking tea. Seeing her sister enter, her expression was somewhat stiff. Gone was the intimacy of their usual meetings, and she couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Before her sister was married, she had a strong and stubborn temper. In the past, when she was the mistress of the Rongguo Prefecture, such a temper could hold down the household.

But now that the Second Branch had lost its position of legitimacy, and by Baoyu's generation they would become a side branch, her sister still had the same old temper. She would likely suffer for it in the future.

Moreover, Baoyu no longer had any standing in the Jia family, and his reputation outside had been ruined. Her own daughter did not like him, and the matter was further complicated by Jia Cong.

Xue Yima had long since completely abandoned the idea of the "Gold and Jade Connection," but it was difficult to speak plainly to her sister. In the end, it would have to be revealed, and the two sisters would inevitably have a day where they would lose face.

But in the current situation, Xue Yima dared not fall out with her sister. Otherwise, given her sister's temper, she might disregard everything and ruin her daughter's reputation, which would be a major disaster.

Xue Yima smiled and said, "Just now, Baochai returned to the Lixiang Courtyard and said she saw you passing by the courtyard gate. Why didn't you come in and sit for a while?"

Lady Wang's expression turned cold. She said, "Sister, you have always been strict with your family upbringing. Baochai was originally such a well-behaved girl; how has she become like this now? Didn't she tell you what she has done?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Yima felt embarrassed, and a fire began to burn in her heart.

Regardless of whether her daughter was at fault, only she, as the mother, should be the one to say it. For someone else to point fingers in front of her made Xue Yima truly angry, even if that person was her own sister.

When would her sister's overbearing temper ever change? Otherwise, she would sooner or later offend everyone inside and out...

But Xue Yima had come today to shut her sister's mouth, so naturally, she could not afford to fall out with her.

She forced a smile and said, "I probably know what you are talking about, sister. Actually, Baochai told me as soon as she returned. Because the road was slippery from the rain, she almost fell."

"If it weren't for Jia Cong being quick-handed and catching her, something bad would have happened. As a delicate girl, she would have been badly hurt. That would have been terrible."

Lady Wang was furious and said, "Sister, you are usually a shrewd person. How can you easily believe such words? Baochai has truly been led astray by someone else's instigation."

"I saw with my own eyes that Jia Cong and Baochai were behaving improperly. It is truly a loss of public morality. Their personal maids even turned away to avoid looking. It is simply indecent."

"It is evident that the maids around them know the truth. I fear such things have happened more than once!"

Upon hearing these words from Lady Wang, Xue Yima was so angry that her face turned pale. She blamed her sister for being too harsh, but also blamed her daughter for being too foolish, leaving behind such a huge handle for others to use.

However, Xue Yima had been a mistress of an imperial merchant family for half her life and had dealt with many situations. Compared to Lady Wang, who was used to being the mistress of an inner household and relying on power, she was much more flexible and tactful.

Although she was angry that her sister had slandered her daughter, she knew that the two sisters must not fall out at this time.

Then, she suppressed her temper and said, "Sister must have misunderstood. Bao-yatou is flesh of my flesh; I know her temperament best. She has always been sensible and observant of the rules, and would absolutely never do such a thing."

"It must be that her maidservant is making a mountain out of a molehill and lacks discretion in her actions. When I return, I will certainly discipline her well."

"Sister is a shrewd person and has always been knowledgeable and experienced. You must surely know that in a great household, there is nothing more common than baseless rumors. Once a young lady's reputation is involved, it truly costs people their lives."

"Sister is so angry only because you have always valued Baochai highly. Deep love leads to strict discipline; I naturally understand your intentions, Sister."

"When I return, I will certainly discipline Baochai well, so that she will be more circumspect in her future actions and never be so reckless again."

"I also ask that Sister discipline the servants around you. Today's matter must not spread into gossip; otherwise, Baochai truly wouldn't be able to clear her name even if she jumped into the Yellow River, and I would have no face to see his father..."

Lady Wang saw that her younger sister's words were evasive, and that all this talk was just to get her to keep the secret, so as not to ruin her daughter's reputation.

This made Lady Wang feel all the more that her original guess was not wrong at all; otherwise, why would her sister drag her sick body here in such a rush to find her? Everything about her was the behavior of someone with a guilty conscience.

Having figured this out, she completely abandoned the idea of making Baochai her daughter-in-law. How could someone like her Baoyu marry a woman with a tarnished reputation? This was absolutely out of the question! In fact, Lady Wang wanted to use this matter to ruin Jia Cong's reputation, but she didn't consider Baochai's situation, because she felt that Baochai and Jia Cong were not clean, and even if they suffered, they brought it upon themselves.

However, just now in the Mengpo Study, Jia Zheng had spoken sternly and specifically called Cai Chuan over to lecture her, forbidding her from gossiping about this matter so as not to ruin Jia Cong's reputation.

This effectively put an end to Lady Wang's intentions in this matter. Although she hated Jia Cong intensely, she still dared not openly defy the wishes of her husband, Jia Zheng.

Because this was the most important thing for Lady Wang to establish herself in the Jia family, and also her most basic bottom line...

Now, since there was no way to use this matter to punish Jia Cong, there was naturally no need to damage Baochai's reputation, and Lady Wang was happy to save face in front of her sister.

Moreover, with the second branch currently losing power in the Jia family, her sister's access to the Xue family's wealth and her elder brother Wang Ziteng's influence in officialdom were the most accessible backings and reliance for Lady Wang.

Unless forced to the brink, she would naturally not easily sever ties...

Lady Wang said, "You and I are sisters of the same womb, and Bao-yatou is my own niece. I naturally understand the weight of these things, so don't worry, Sister."

"Sister, let me ask you one thing. I know you have always valued Cong-ge'er for his abilities, and he also has a handsome appearance. Has Bao-yatou ever had feelings for him..."

Lady Wang knew in her heart that her sister somewhat envied Jia Cong's excellence, but this was not strange; it was common knowledge that the boy had a polished exterior.

However, Lady Wang had never paid attention before to whether Baochai had a secret affair with Jia Cong, but after today's events, Lady Wang could not help but think of this.

Xue Yima heard her sister's abrupt question and didn't react for a moment, stunned slightly.

She knew in her own heart that when her daughter first met Jia Cong in Jin Ling years ago, she had actually already lost her heart.

Now she was even more single-minded, thinking only of that boy, but how could she tell Lady Wang any of this?

She hurriedly replied, "Sister is overthinking. The two of them don't usually interact much, and even if they meet, it's always together with the sisters in the house. How could they possibly have any improper thoughts?"

Although Xue Yima answered appropriately, Lady Wang was also good at observing expressions. She saw that her sister had clearly been stunned after hearing her words.

Although her words sounded nice, there was a trace of embarrassment in her eyes. She knew her sister's temperament best, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of secret anger. Lady Wang secretly hated herself for being muddled; she had always felt that Baochai was perfect in every way and wanted her to be her daughter-in-law.

Yet it turned out that she and Jia Cong had long since hooked up. She had only seen it once that day, and who knows what shameless things they had done before that she hadn't seen. It was clear she hadn't wronged them.

Xue Yima saw that just after she finished speaking, her sister, who had originally been coaxed well by her, suddenly had an ugly expression again, and she didn't know what she was thinking.

Ever since the Jia family's second branch lost its position of succession, her sister had become increasingly obsessed, and was moody all day long...

Since Xue Yima had already received a promise from Lady Wang, she didn't want to say anything else, lest more words lead to more mistakes and provoke her sister again.

So she forced a smile and chatted about some household matters, intending to take her leave.

Then she heard Lady Wang suddenly say, "Sister, now that my second branch has moved out of the Rongguo Prefecture, and with today's incident between Bao-yatou and Cong-ge'er.

In my opinion, it might be inappropriate for you to continue living in the Lixiang Courtyard. The Xue family also has a villa in Shenjing; it would be better to take this opportunity to move out, so as to avoid future entanglements and trouble."

Upon hearing this, Xue Yima's expression became somewhat awkward, because what Lady Wang said was not without reason.

When Xue Pan got into a lawsuit in Jin Ling and the Xue family fled to Shenjing to avoid the limelight, the reason they were able to borrow the Lixiang Courtyard in the Rongguo Prefecture was because her sister, Lady Wang, was the mistress of the house.

Now that Lady Wang not only lost her status as the mistress but had even moved out of the Rongguo Prefecture, the Xue family had no reason, in terms of reason or sentiment, to continue living in the Rongguo Prefecture.

However, the Xue family borrowing the Rongguo Prefecture was not because the Xue family lacked money or houses.

It was because the Xue family had no foundation in Shenjing, and borrowing the Rongguo Prefecture allowed them to rely on the Jia family's power in Shenjing.

Although Xue Yima's elder brother, Wang Ziteng, was also an official in Shenjing, his official career also came from the Jia family. Strengthening the relationship between the Xue family and the Jia family had a hundred benefits and no harm.

Not to mention that when Xue Yima first moved into the Lixiang Courtyard, it was also to facilitate the "Gold and Jade Affinity" she was plotting with her sister.

But now that times had changed, the Jia family had undergone earth-shaking changes, and the so-called "Gold and Jade Affinity" had become a joke.

Currently, in Xue Yima's heart, Jia Cong was the one who was truly made of gold and jade.

Although she was unwilling for her daughter to be a concubine, the hints from her brother Wang Ziteng and the instigation of her son Xue Pan made Xue Yima truly unable to let go of such a great temptation...

Her own daughter had become entangled with Jia Cong, and if they moved out of the Rongguo Prefecture at this juncture, the daily interactions between the two families would be severed. Where would there be any play left to perform in the future?

Her sister bringing this up at this time sounded like she had ulterior motives. She feared that from her few words just now, her own thoughts had mostly been guessed by her sister.

Seeing her sister's awkward expression when she mentioned that the Xue family should no longer stay in the Rongguo Prefecture, Lady Wang couldn't help but feel a surge of ruthlessness and pleasure in her heart.

Some things, if no one mentions them, can just pass by; but as long as someone points them out, out of reason and face, people are forced to comply.

The Xue family borrowing the Lixiang Courtyard of the Rongguo Prefecture was just such a matter.

Lady Wang's words just now had probed her sister's thoughts. That boy from the Eastern Prefecture held two titles, and her sister had likely long since been moved.

Therefore, in her words just now, there was not a hint of wanting to save the "Gold and Jade Affinity." She feared her sister had long since regretted this marriage.

All the previous talk about Xue Pan not being married yet and Baochai not being suitable for an early betrothal due to etiquette were just ghost stories her sister used to put her off. Only she herself had been wishful thinking.

Having figured this out, Lady Wang felt even more resentful. She immediately thought that now that she herself had moved out of the Rongguo Prefecture, her sister's family was still lingering in the Lixiang Courtyard.

It must be that her sister had taken a fancy to that little beast's official rank and power, and had actually become delusional, giving rise to improper thoughts.

Lady Wang thought of the daughter-in-law she had set her sights on, such a charming and beautiful young lady, being toyed with by Jia Cong like this.

Originally wanting her to be Baoyu's wife, if things continued to be messed up like this, she would likely end up being a concubine for that little beast. How could she swallow this breath?

Now that she herself had moved out of the Rongguo Prefecture, her sister no longer had a reason to borrow the Lixiang Courtyard.

As long as she used her words to constrain her, making her sister unable to save face, and forcing her to move out of the Rongguo Prefecture, only then could she cut off this pair of wild mandarin ducks with one stroke. What my Baoyu doesn't have, he must not have either.

Then let's see what convenient reason that boy from the Eastern Prefecture has to go and seduce Baochai again. Let him be unable to see or touch her, and let him suffer his retribution properly...

Count's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

In the study, the sound of the zither was melodious, a clear tune, complete in melody, but the turns and transitions in the rhythm frequently appeared raw.

Jia Cong was playing the ancient zither left behind by his biological mother, Du Jinniang. Daiyu sat to the side, cupping her chin and listening, a beautiful and moving smile on her face.

Ever since the two of them accidentally discovered the strangeness of this ancient zither, it had become a secret in their hearts, and naturally, they told no one.

Jia Cong's teacher's wife, Cui Shi, was a master of zither art in the current age. Jia Cong went to the Liu Studio for instruction daily, and Cui Shi liked him very much and had also taught him zither art.

Although Jia Cong hadn't learned much zither technique, influenced by his teacher's wife, he knew that no matter how good an ancient zither was, it needed to be played often to maintain a lasting and mellow tone without losing its integrity.

His own zither technique was sparse, so he often asked Daiyu, who was the best at the zither among the sisters, to come over and play for pleasure.

When Daiyu heard him mention today that Cui Shi had taught him zither technique, she was very envious and insisted on letting Jia Cong play the zither for her to listen to.

It was just that he had a talent for reading and writing, but his zither technique was as ordinary as his chess skill.

Finally, the tune ended, and he couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.

Seeing the look of difficulty on his face, Daiyu praised, "Third Brother is truly amazing. You've only just started learning, and you didn't miss a single note in the entire tune."

"If you practice with such dedication for a few years, you will not only be able to inherit the literary mantle of Master Liu, but also receive the true transmission of Teacher Cui's zither art."

Jia Cong didn't believe it at all and said, "Sister, don't tease me. I don't have that ability. I often go to Mount Luocang for lessons. Teacher's wife did want to teach me her zither technique, and I was quite interested."

"But after learning for a period of time, teacher's wife said that my zither learning wasn't as clever as my reading, which implied that she thought I was too stupid."

Hearing this, Daiyu couldn't help but laugh out loud.

She then hurriedly coaxed, "Teacher Cui is a world-famous master of zither art. In her eyes, anyone without extremely high talent for the zither is probably not clever. Third Brother, you don't need to be discouraged."

"You must know that there aren't many people in the world with excellent talent for the zither. Although Third Brother is outstanding, you don't necessarily have to excel in everything. Playing the zither is for self-amusement; it's enough to be able to amuse yourself."

Jia Cong laughed, "Sister's words always make sense. Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. In chess, I'm not as good as Second Sister, and in playing the zither, I'm not as good as Lin Sister. That is the correct principle."

"Otherwise, if I did everything, it would be too boring for the sisters to be together. It's better for Sister to play a tune and let me listen to the wind in the pines."

Daiyu smiled slightly and was about to sit down in front of the zither when she suddenly heard footsteps outside. Jia Cong recognized them as Qingwen's footsteps.

Just as she reached the door of the study, her pretty and crisp voice rang out, "Cong Sanye, I've returned from the Lixiang Courtyard. Aunt has just returned from the Eastern Courtyard. The trouble you caused is probably fine."

Qingwen walked into the room and discovered Daiyu sitting in front of the zither stool. She couldn't help but stick out her tongue, regretting that her mouth had been too fast.

Jia Cong asked, "What did the Mistress and Aunt say?"

Qingwen glanced at Daiyu, looking troubled, hesitating whether to answer. The Young Master had hugged Bao-Miss today; if Lin Miss found out about such a romantic affair, she would definitely squeeze Cong Sanye.

Jia Cong laughed and scolded, "If I tell you to speak, then speak. Why are you dawdling?"

Qingwen stammered, "Aunt said that the Mistress has already agreed not to spread this matter, so as not to ruin Bao-Miss's reputation."

Daiyu tilted her head and looked at Jia Cong, her autumn-water-bright eyes blinking as she asked with a smile, "Third Brother, what trouble have you caused again that would actually ruin Bao-sister's reputation?"

"Tell me about such a serious matter so that I can broaden my horizons."

Hearing this, Qingwen's mouth twitched; she wanted to laugh but didn't dare, just lowered her head and said nothing.

Jia Cong was slightly embarrassed and said, "It's not a serious matter. Today, after I finished writing my essay, I went to visit Aunt. When I came back, Bao-sister wanted to go find you all to talk, so she came back to the Eastern Prefecture with me."

"It was raining, and the ground was too slippery. Bao-sister almost fell. Thanks to me supporting her, otherwise she would have fallen hard."

Daiyu looked confused and asked, "You just supported Bao-sister, and that would ruin her reputation, and Aunt even had to go and explain it to the Mistress? Where exactly did you support her to be so serious?"

Jia Cong blurted out, "I hugged her waist, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to support her at the time."

Qingwen, standing to the side, looked at Jia Cong with admiration, secretly thinking: Cong Sanye's face is truly thick. He secretly hugged a young lady and can still say it so righteously. He's truly amazing... (End of chapter)