Chapter 58

Jia Cong being able to leave the East Courtyard and move to the West Prefecture to live made sisters like Daiyu, Yingchun, and Seeing Tan Chun very happy.

Seeing Tan Chun and Yingchun were happy in their expressions, while Daiyu only kept it in her heart and didn't show it on her face.

Because she was an outside guest and didn't have the close blood relationship with Jia Cong that Yingchun and Seeing Tan Chun had, although she had developed a sense of closeness to Jia Cong's actions, she still kept it in her heart.

Baoyu was actually indifferent, and even felt that visiting Jia Cong to congratulate him on his move was something that could be done or not.

He followed because there was a Qingwen at Jia Cong's place; although he couldn't ask Jia Mu for her, being able to see her and talk to her was good.

At this time, Jia Cong also welcomed them out, and pairs of clear, beautiful eyes looked at him; among them, only Yingchun was older than him and was his biological sister, so he stepped forward to pay respects: "Second Sister, how are you?"

Yingchun looked at him with gentle eyes: "Since you moved here, you won't have those difficult things anymore; in the future, you will be the same as us."

Jia Cong knew Yingchun was not good with words, but being able to say this showed her delicate concern for him, and his heart felt warm: "In the future, we will all be in the garden; if Second Sister has anything, just order me."

He smiled at the others: "Sisters have come, and I haven't welcomed you from afar; please come in and sit. Wu'er, Qingwen, go brew tea."

Baoyu followed them, just to see Qingwen; now that he saw Wu'er, she was also extremely good, especially the delicate and jade-like charm on her body, which actually had a bit of Lin Sister's shadow.

Especially Daiyu, seeing Wu'er made her feel even more close and compatible.

Daiyu had grown up with Baoyu since childhood and naturally paid more attention to him; seeing his eyes not leaving Wu'er, how could she not know what he was thinking?

For a time, he was stunned and couldn't move his legs, a feeling of pity and annoyance rising in his heart—how could all the good maids end up in Jia Cong's room? What kind of logic was this?

Seeing Tan Chun saw Baoyu's expression and naturally knew this brother was committing his old habit; her face turned slightly red, and she coughed lightly, thinking about how to wake him up.

The impression Jia Cong left on them was that although his literary work was outstanding, he had always been harshly treated and suppressed in the East Courtyard and rarely saw outsiders, so they originally thought his temper was somewhat introverted and shy, not good at dealing with people.

The objects on the desk were all tidied by Wu'er, and that piece of paper was also written by Jia Cong in the outer study last night; Wu'er was worried it would be needed, so she put it in a conspicuous place.

Among these people, except for Seeing Tan Chun and Yingchun who were familiar with Jia Cong, the others like Daiyu, Baoyu, and Xichun had only seen him a few times in Rongqing Hall.

He thought that Wu'er was not assigned to Jia Cong by the Old Lady in the hall, so perhaps it was easy to ask for her; as long as he was willing, he could exchange any of the maids in his room except Sister Xi Ren.

Baoyu shuddered and woke up from his infatuation; seeing Daiyu glance at him, he felt embarrassed in his heart. His demeanor just now was somewhat inappropriate, and he didn't know if Lin Sister would be angry.

Seeing Tan Chun smiled: "Third Brother Cong, why be so polite? Just copy that *Bu Suan Zi* and give it to me; that would be better than anything."

Daiyu saw the paper written with:

Because Jia Mu liked girls who were good-looking, there were quite a few pretty maids in the Jia family.

Jia Cong also smiled: "That's not difficult; I'll copy five or six sheets for you later."

To the side, Daiyu touched her teacup with the lid and said: "Baoyu, drink tea. Third Brother Cong's tea is truly not bad; hurry and taste it."

Baoyu didn't expect that the maids in Jia Cong's room were all surprisingly good; that Wu'er was not inferior to Qingwen, and even more quiet and proper.

Looking at Jia Cong, who was bright and clear like the moon, and then looking at Baoyu's infatuated eyes staring at the girl, she felt a wave of disappointment for no reason.

So many of them came to visit, and she thought he would be embarrassed and distressed, but he was actually so elegant and harmonious, calm and generous, which made them all secretly amazed.

At this time, Wu'er and Qingwen brought up new fragrant tea, and everyone felt a piece of beauty before their eyes.

At this time, seeing Jia Cong chatting with Seeing Tan Chun, he got up and went to Jia Cong's desk to see if there was any new calligraphy, only to see a piece of rice paper full of words pressed under the bamboo paperweight.

Only the two in Jia Cong's courtyard were even more outstanding; they had all seen Qingwen, but that maid named Wu'er was not inferior to Qingwen at all, and even more quiet and proper.

"The killing air of the beginning of winter condenses, the morning frost meets the morning."

"The wilderness is empty, the thorns are burning fiercely."

"The eagle is hungry and willing to be used, the horse is cold and its spirit is even prouder."

"The banners are brought into the forest, the flute contains the wind."

Daiyu, a boudoir girl, was used to seeing sentences about jade snow and flying flowers, and rarely read such sharp and murderous sentences; this half-stanza of poetry was also far from the style of Jia Cong's *Bu Suan Zi*.

Yet she couldn't remember which family he copied it from; could it be Third Brother Cong's new work?

Daiyu asked: "Is this Third Brother Cong's new work?"

Jia Cong smiled: "I wrote this casually while idle in the outer study last night; it's not good enough to enter Lin Sister's eyes." As he spoke, he took the paper from her hand and was about to tear it up.

Daiyu hurriedly stopped him: "This poem is novel and interesting, and the calligraphy is also excellent. Since you don't want it anymore, just give it to me."

Seeing Tan Chun and Xichun heard that Jia Cong had written a new work, so they also gathered around to see the novelty.

Baoyu saw Daiyu finally fold the rice paper carefully and put it into her sleeve, and felt another wave of disgust in his heart.

Rongning Hall.

Jia Mu had just finished her meal not long ago when a woman came to pass a message, saying that an official from the Zhenan Prefecture had come to the mansion and requested to see the Second Master, not knowing what was said.

The Second Master was furious upon hearing this and, with great momentum, took many servants and went to the East Courtyard with the official from the Zhenan Prefecture.

Jia Mu was shocked upon hearing this; what was happening again? Her second son was furious and took many servants to the eldest son's residence; were the biological brothers going to fight to the death?

She hurriedly took the maids by her side, called for Lady Wang, and let the steward Lai Da lead the way, rushing to the East Courtyard.

Halfway there, Wang Xifeng and Jia Lian also got the news and followed.

For a time, the entire Rongguo Mansion was alarmed.

When Jia Mu arrived at the East Courtyard, she heard Jia Zheng's angry voice and Jia She's angry roar.

The maids and old women in the East Courtyard all had panicked expressions, trembling with fear.

Jia Mu's heart suddenly panicked; the most taboo thing for a big family was brothers fighting within the walls, but most of the big families that fell were not broken from the outside, but mostly disintegrated from within.

She knew that she had put Jia Cong under the Second Branch to be raised, and the eldest son didn't feel comfortable in his heart.

Could it be that Jia Cong had stirred up some trouble again, making her two sons have disputes and arguments?

That must be it; this wicked obstacle never had a day of peace, it must be him stirring up trouble again, which caused her two sons to have disputes.

Thinking of this, Jia Mu had a look of depression and anger, and said to Yuanyang by her side: "You go and call Brother Cong over; I want to ask him if he has stirred up any strange things again."

Yuanyang also felt this was somewhat abrupt; she was familiar with Qingwen and knew Jia Cong had been recuperating from his injuries these past few days and had almost never left the house.

They had moved to Green Branch Study early this morning and hadn't been seen walking around, so how could he have stirred up trouble in the East Courtyard again? She thought the Old Lady was worried about her son and was somewhat muddled by anger.

However, she was a maid, so it was not easy to say these things, but she still had to go and call him.

Jia Mu entered the main hall of the East Courtyard and saw Jia Zheng sitting there with an angry look, and another man in official uniform sitting there.

Jia She, sitting in the upper seat, had a red face and roared at the person kneeling on the ground: "How bold of you, you dog slave, to actually do such a thing! Confess quickly!"

Lady Xing stood to the side with a gray face, looking like a disaster was imminent.

The woman kneeling on the ground and trembling, Jia Mu also recognized, was Lady Xing's personal maid, Wang Shanbao's wife.

Jia Zheng saw Jia Mu come and hurriedly stood up: "Mother, why are you here?"

Jia Mu said angrily: "If I didn't come, you brothers would be making a scene in broad daylight; it's truly becoming more and more improper. Are you trying to anger me, the old woman, to death?"

Jia Zheng hurriedly explained: "Mother, you have thought wrong; it is not that the eldest brother and I are making a scene. Today, the official from the Zhenan Prefecture arrived at the mansion and said that there is actually witchcraft in the family!"

(End of chapter)