Chapter 586: Wisdom Asks for Loyalty

Lady Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Wang Wang Xifeng's proposed reduction was quite large, and even Sister Yuanyang on the side was somewhat surprised.

The Old Grandmother was unhappy in her heart and said: "Feng girl, your reduction is too severe. Jia Baoyu only has these people left, how can it be enough to serve him?"

Wang Wang Xifeng apologized with a smile: "The Old Grandmother is overthinking. We also use maids and boys to serve us daily, so we have some idea in our hearts. Jia Baoyu only has these people left, which is enough to assign."

"In the past, there were many people and little work in his room, and many people were just idle, and it was easy to cause trouble. Now after the reduction, it is just that the remaining people have plenty of work, and there is no difference."

"Moreover, I am also handling Jia Baoyu's usage according to the example. Because Brother Cong is now the head of the family, the disciples of the same generation should not cross him, not to mention that Jia Baoyu is still in the West Mansion..."

"Zhen Ying Lady Lian and Lingguan are not of slave status, and they don't occupy the public share, so they can't be counted as maids."

"Even if Sister Hearing Zhi Shao receives a monthly allowance, she barely counts. Brother Cong also has four big maids, two little maids, and only one little boy."

"Jia Baoyu's usage is already the same as Brother Cong's, which is considered extremely decent. It can't be more, otherwise it won't look good inside and outside the house."

The Old Grandmother smiled bitterly and said: "With this reduction, the face outside is good, but I'm afraid there will be no shortage of right and wrong in the house. Should we calculate it again?"

As soon as Wang Wang Xifeng heard the Old Grandmother's words, she knew that the Old Grandmother was talking about the East Road courtyard.

She sneered in her heart. Now that the sky has changed, the Old Grandmother still wants the First Room and the Second Room to check and balance each other, and she herself, the Old Title-Lady, sits on the fishing platform alone.

But her aunt against Cong Lao San, she is simply not that piece of material. Can these two be the same thing?

The Old Grandmother still wants to be muddled like this, so she simply poked this matter out. Wang Wang Xifeng looked at Sister Yuanyang.

She said: "The Old Grandmother's meaning is that she is worried that Jia Baoyu's people will be cut, and the Second Grandmother will have something to say. This is also human nature, after all, she is Jia Baoyu's biological mother."

"This matter is also simple. Call the Second Grandmother over to talk. No matter what, since it is a matter of the family, everyone discusses it together, which is never wrong."

"I will go and invite Brother Cong over. Now he is the head of the family, so he can't ignore everything. In any case, the West Mansion is his family business, so he should also speak up. I can't always be the villain."

The Old Grandmother's heart jumped. Her grandson is now closing the door to study and rarely manages the miscellaneous affairs of the family, so the West Mansion can have more peace.

Now if Jia Baoyu's people cannot be cut, and Feng girl throws her hands up, if she really recruits Cong Ge'er to speak, with that boy's cold and ruthless temperament, what good words can he say?

Jia Baoyu's people will mostly be cut. If her second daughter-in-law comes forward, with her few taels of dog-belly, can she fight that boy? Most of them will only be humiliated.

When the time comes, her Old Ancestor's face won't look good either...

Wang Wang Xifeng looked at the Old Grandmother's face and guessed most of her thoughts. She looked at Sister Yuanyang meaningfully.

Sister Yuanyang and Wang Wang Xifeng's eyes met, and she understood somewhat. She hated Lady Wang for having thoughts about her, and thought of Jia Baoyu's face in the back garden.

The Second Grandmother cutting redundant personnel is also a proper reason, and he is the head of the family now. Sister Yuanyang felt that he didn't need to get involved in these trivial matters...

She smiled and said: "Second Grandmother, this matter is not my turn to interrupt, but I feel it seems somewhat inappropriate."

Wang Wang Xifeng's eyes lit up, and she praised in her heart, truly a clever girl.

She said: "Second Grandmother, don't be outside. You have been taught by the Old Grandmother and have always had some knowledge. Just say whatever you have. The Old Grandmother and I will also deliberate on it."

Sister Yuanyang looked at the Old Grandmother with a smile, and the Old Grandmother nodded.

Only then did Sister Yuanyang say: "The Cong Sanye himself uses only a few maids. This style is simple and clear. Since I think asking him to come and talk will definitely agree to the reduction."

"The Cong Sanye is about to take the examination for fame. Why bother him?"

"Moreover, what is being cut are the maids and little boys of the West Mansion. The Second Grandmother is now the mistress of the East Road courtyard. Asking her to give ideas for the West Mansion's affairs, isn't this embarrassing the Second Grandmother?"

"These kinds of cutting and assigning personnel are common things in the family. Just the Old Grandmother and the Second Grandmother making the decision is enough. The work will be done smoothly and lightly, and the people below will be convinced when they see it."

Wang Wang Xifeng praised in her heart, what a sharp girl. These words were clever and agile, seamless, and even more flawless than what she said.

These words took care of the Second Grandmother's face on the surface, but in secret, they cut off her involvement. Although she was wholeheartedly standing up for Cong Lao San, it also happened to fit her own intentions.

The Old Grandmother nodded helplessly and said: "Sister Yuanyang's words are also reasonable. Let's do it this way. As for those who are cut, let Jia Baoyu choose the ones he can use."

Count's Mansion, Jia Cong's courtyard.

On Jia Cong's desk were neatly stacked several piles of books. These were the book titles that Liu Jing'an had listed for him to study over the past half year.

These books, except for a small part of private current essay collections, were all works of literature, history, agriculture, law, military, etc.

These works were carefully screened by Liu Jing'an as the foundation for Jia Cong's policy question exercises, and they were of considerable help to his Spring Imperial Examination.

Jia Cong had taken the time to study these books when he was on official business in Jinling, and after returning to the Love Shenjing, he had also spent a lot of time pondering them.

Now that the examination was approaching, he reread these books again. Recently, he went to Mount Luocang Mountain to ask for advice more frequently than before, and most of the questions were also asked from these books.

Although they were books for review, he read some books extremely fast, but he read some books very slowly, pondering and penetrating them repeatedly.

Now that there were not many days left before the examination on the 18th of the third month, Jia Cong's study was closed. Except for Zhen Ying Lady Lian and Lingguan, no one else went in or out, letting him prepare for the examination with peace of mind.

In the main hall of the courtyard, an examination box that had already been cleaned was placed on the Luo Han bed under the south window.

Lin Daiyu and Hearing Zhi Shao were talking there, and they had already started to organize the belongings for Jia Cong to enter the examination.

Several purple-hair lake brushes that had been inked, a high-quality gourd Master Duan inkstone, several pieces of high-quality Song ink that had been used, and a pair of lychee-frozen paperweights.

This pair of precious paperweights was a gift from Zhen Zhen Fangqing, who was guarding the filial piety at the East City Imperial Mausoleum a few days ago, and was specially sent by Liu Linjiang Xian's wife to Jia Cong as a gift for entering the examination.

Qingwen also picked out two sets of clothes for changing and put them into the examination box for backup.

Hearing Zhi Shao took a camel-hair mattress and a bear-fur cloak, folded them, and packed them into the examination box.

Jia Cong would spend nine days in the examination cell, and he would sleep inside at night.

Although it was the end of the third month, the spring nights in the Love Shenjing were still quite chilly, and necessary sleeping and warmth items were indispensable.

Under the eaves outside the corridor, there was also a pair of thick bamboo tubes, which were carefully brushed and washed by Lingguan and Douguan, boiled with boiling water, and hung under the eaves to dry.

When Jia Cong enters the examination, these two bamboo tubes will be filled with cooled boiled water, which is enough for Jia Cong's daily drinking water in the examination cell.

Everyone was organizing things while talking and laughing, and they were all looking forward to Jia Cong after the Spring Imperial Examination.

Before he knew it, it was approaching noon. Jia Cong walked out of the study to take a break and was chatting with Lin Daiyu and others.

He saw Wu'er entering the main hall, looking like she had returned from the West Mansion.

She saw Jia Cong and said: "Cong Sanye, the reduction of the population in Bao Er Ye Bao's room has been reported to the Old Grandmother by the Second Grandmother. Originally fourteen maids, they were reduced to six, and only one little boy was left."

Lin Daiyu said: "Now the West Mansion has lost its income, and Sister Feng's family is not easy to manage. Jia Baoyu has too many maids around him, all of whom are idle. It should have been like this long ago."

Jia Cong hummed slightly and said: "It is also because the Old Grandmother didn't mention this topic, so the Second Sister-in-law was not easy to speak. Now that Jia Baoyu's people are causing trouble, there is no need to cover it up."

Wu'er asked again: "The Second Grandmother also asked the Cong Sanye, do you want to draw from the maids and little boys who were cut, or fill the vacancies in the East Mansion?"

Jia Cong replied: "The East Mansion doesn't lack manpower. You tell the Second Sister-in-law, the cut maids should be assigned according to the old rules of the family. Those who are willing to marry can marry, and those who are young should be sent to do things everywhere first."

"As for those little boys, they should all be arranged to work in the fields and shops of the West Mansion. They don't need to be idle in the mansion. If there is any more gambling and fighting, just drive them out and don't want them..."

Lady Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu's courtyard.

For this whole day, the courtyard was shrouded in clouds of sorrow.

People were coming in and out of Jia Baoyu's room. Big and small maids often came in to beg Jia Baoyu, crying and gentle, just asking to continue staying in the courtyard.

Jia Baoyu sighed, seeing this one he couldn't bear to part with, and seeing that one he also felt pity for, he was so overwhelmed by the big and small maids that he had no idea at all.

Finally, Sister Xi Ren couldn't bear it anymore, let Musyue drive everyone out first, and closed the door.

Only then did she say to Jia Baoyu: "My good Bao Er Ye, the Second Grandmother and the Old Grandmother have already spoken about the reduction. You can't hide from it."

"The Bao Er Ye is crying and grinding with these maids, which doesn't help at all. What is the use? In any case, these people are all going to be scattered."

"Please, Bao Er Ye, speak up early, who stays and who goes, so we can handle things."

Jia Baoyu thought of those maids who came to seek him, each with pear blossoms and rain, and begging so softly. He hadn't discovered before that they each had such moving points.

Now that these people were all being sent away, Jia Baoyu was very reluctant and said with tears: "Why is it that for no reason, they want to cut the population? They didn't provoke anyone, yet they are so ruthless."

Sister Xi Ren was also very headache-stricken when she heard this. Her Bao Er Ye was truly ignorant of everything and didn't care about any human feelings.

She said: "Bao Er Ye, ever since the Cong Sanye inherited the title with demotion, the West Mansion's public has lost a large amount of income, so how can it support so many people."

"Now it is rumored in the mansion that the Cong Sanye Cong is the master of the title, and is also an official of the imperial court, but he only uses four or five maids around him. The Bao Er Ye's maids are more than three times his."

"According to family rules and etiquette, the Bao Er Ye's usage shouldn't exceed the Cong Sanye's. It is a matter of time before the population in the Bao Er Ye's courtyard is cut."

Jia Baoyu cried: "It's Jia Cong's trouble again. He wants to be a salary-worm himself, wants to take fame and wealth, and talk about the economy of official career, that's fine."

"Why does he still harm others every day? These delicate daughters didn't provoke him, yet they are all being trampled like this."

Jia Baoyu thought of Wu'er who hid from him, Xiaohong who kept talking about official career, and Sister Yuanyang who loved to talk about literature and martial arts.

So many good maids were all ruined by these salary-worm words, official career theories, and literature and martial arts thoughts.

It can be seen that what I hated and disliked in the past was really not half wrong. It is a pity that there is no one in this world who understands me, wasting my feelings.

Sister Xi Ren saw Jia Baoyu scolding Jia Cong again, and felt somewhat speechless. The Bao Er Ye is also muddled. That Cong Sanye reads in the East Mansion every day, thinking about the big things of winning the gold list.

How could he care about the small matter of cutting maids? This is just a trap set by the Second Grandmother...

Moreover, the people of the Second Room live in the First Room's mansion, and so many maids and little boys have monthly allowances, all of which have to be drawn from the West Mansion's public. Why should people help you support such a big display? However, Sister Xi Ren couldn't say this to Jia Baoyu, so she could only listen to his nagging.

Jia Baoyu suddenly asked: "Why doesn't the Grandmother say anything about this? Doesn't she know yet?"

Sister Xi Ren smiled bitterly: "The Bao Er Ye's little boy was gambling and fighting outside, which aroused the Second Grandmother's true fire, so she wanted to cut the people around the Bao Er Ye."

"This is the family business of the West Mansion. Now that the Cong Sanye has inherited the family business, the West Mansion is the First Room's territory. Which servant would be so muddled as to report to the Grandmother?"

"I guess this matter hasn't reached the East Road courtyard yet. The Grandmother must still be unaware, otherwise, people would have come over long ago."

"Actually, even if the Grandmother knows, what can she do? Now the Grandmother is in the East Road courtyard, so how can she manage the West Mansion's housework."

"Bao Er Ye Bao, listen to my advice. If we still want to live in the West Mansion, let's follow the Old Grandmother and the Second Grandmother's wishes and cut the people first."

"The Old Grandmother pampers the Bao Er Ye so much, even if there are fewer maids around, can she shorten the Bao Er Ye's usage? Let's get through this first."

Jia Baoyu got Sister Xi Ren's comfort, and then put away his full stomach of sorrow and autumn thoughts. He calculated in his heart.

He said: "Except for you, keep Musyue, Qiuwen, and Bihun. Keep the two little maids. You can make the decision."

!

Sister Xi Ren was unhappy when she heard Jia Baoyu's words. Keeping Musyue was fine. Although she had seen Musyue and Xiaohong coming and going last time, and had some doubts, she didn't take it as a matter.

Moreover, when Xiaohong was still in the Bao Er Ye's courtyard, she was originally on good terms with Musyue. Now that they have some contact, it is also common sense.

More importantly, Xiaohong is now the Cong Sanye Cong's capable maid, and her parents are the inner and outer stewards of the West Mansion. This root is not shallow.

Musyue is on good terms with Xiaohong, which is equivalent to the Bao Er Ye's room having an extra path in the future...

But why did the Bao Er Ye keep Bihun and Qiuwen, these two saucy hussies.

Bihun had already slept with the Bao Er Ye, and Qiuwen had a sinister mind, wholeheartedly flattering the Bao Er Ye, hoping to climb onto the Bao Er Ye's bed.

The Bao Er Ye insisted on keeping these two bad ones. If he kept Qixian, Tanyun, and these honest and diligent ones, wouldn't it be better?

However, since Jia Baoyu had already spoken, Sister Xi Ren, as a maid, had no reason to object, otherwise, her reputation as the virtuous Sister Xi Ren wouldn't match.

Here Sister Xi Ren told the maids about who stayed and who left. In the courtyard, there was a sound of sobbing one after another.

These maids had been in Jia Baoyu's room for at least two or three years, and at most five or six years. The number of years was not short. Being cut and sent away all at once, they were naturally sad in their hearts, which was human nature.

Moreover, in the past, Jia Baoyu's room was the place most longed for by all maids. These maids were able to squeeze in back then, which was also a very face-saving thing. Now that they were defeated, they were naturally unhappy in their hearts.

But among them, there were also those with clever minds who knew that now the two mansions had changed their sky, and the most favored one was no longer the Bao Er Ye Bao.

Leaving this place of the Bao Er Ye was not a bad thing, but going to other places was also hopeless. Who didn't know that the East Mansion's threshold was extremely high, and it wasn't something ordinary people could cross...

Therefore, many of the maids who were cut were infinitely envious. Back then, the Xiaohong who was driven away by the Grandmother was the one who was lucky and had a good life.

Sister Xi Ren saw the eight maids who were cut, all sobbing, and felt somewhat unbearable in her heart.

She said: "You don't have to be sad. We maids are originally on this path. There is no reason to stay in the master's room for a lifetime. When we reach the age, we will always have to go out and marry."

"You are just a bit earlier. Going to other places might be better than here, which is not necessarily known."

Sister Xi Ren said some gossip, and also wanted to finish this matter early, and let Musyue take these maids to Wang Wang Xifeng's courtyard, so that the Second Grandmother could redistribute them.

Musyue took a large group of crying maids, walking through the rooms and alleys in the Lady Rongguo Mansion, like a strange scene, attracting many passing servants to point and watch.

She listened to the sobbing and messy footsteps behind her, and her bright eyes couldn't help but turn red.

These maids were all sisters she had been with for many years. Among them, Qixian, Tanyun, and other big maids were all honest and kind people, and she had always been on good terms with them.

However, maids in big mansions, as they grow older, with the rise and fall of the masters in the mansion, the running away and scattering that follows is unavoidable...

Earlier, Xiaohong was driven away, and now these eight maids were cut. I don't know when it will be my turn...

When that time comes, will I be as lucky as Xiaohong, or as helpless as sisters like Qixian and Tanyun? Who can say clearly?

Musyue brought the eight maids to Fengjie's courtyard, and naturally Fengjie and Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife redistributed them. Musyue listened clearly to where they were going, and then left alone.

She left Fengjie's courtyard and was passing by the side door of the back building of Rongxi Hall, when a graceful figure came out of the door and called her.

Musyue looked back, and this person was smiling, it was truly Xiaohong.

Xiaohong smiled: "I heard from my mother that the maids in the Bao Er Ye Bao's room were cut, and today people are being picked out to be redistributed. It is not convenient for me to go to your courtyard to ask, so I waited here."

"I didn't expect to really wait for Sister Musyue to come."

She saw Musyue's eyes were red and sighed: "We were all sisters in the same courtyard. Actually, there will always be a time to scatter. Sister, don't be too sad."

She sighed again and looked at Musyue: "I originally guessed that Sister would definitely be able to stay. Now it seems it is true, which is a pity."

Musyue laughed: "You girl, are you crazy? I wasn't cut, I wasn't driven out, but it became a bad thing. Tell me what kind of reason this is."

Xiaohong pulled Musyue into the back building of Rongxi Hall and found a quiet place to sit down.

She said: "Sister is the clearest. Back then, how was Sister Xixue driven away, how was I driven away, and how did Sister Seeing Jin Jin Chuan have an accident?"

"The Bao Er Ye Bao's temperament is not bad, but there are some places, I won't speak ill of him in front of Sister. Actually, Sister knows it in her heart, but the Grandmother is a formidable person..."

"In the past half year, the two mansions have changed their sky. The Bao Er Ye and the Grandmother have moved to the East Road courtyard. The Bao Er Ye Bao can continue to live in the West Mansion because of the Old Grandmother's pampering."

"But the Bao Er Ye Bao has reached the age of fifteen, and is about to marry and establish a family. When he marries, can he still stay in the West Mansion? Now the West Mansion is the First Room's property."

"The Bao Er Ye has always valued etiquette and filial piety, and is also a person who wants face. He will definitely not allow it."

"When the time comes, the Bao Er Ye Bao will inevitably have to live in the East Road courtyard. How big is the East Road courtyard? When the time comes, Sister will have to live under the Grandmother's eyelids. This life will not be easy."

"I thought that I was on good terms with Sister before, and I didn't want Sister to suffer, so I said some words that shouldn't be said."

"As long as Sister is willing, I will go to my mother and tell her to send a message to the Second Grandmother to find a good job for Sister in the West Mansion. I think the Second Grandmother will definitely give this face."

"My mother can also speak in front of the Bao Er Ye Bao and Sister Xi Ren. There will always be a way to get Sister out."

"If it really doesn't work, I can still beg the Cong Sanye. In short, there will be a way. As long as Sister says a word, I will work hard to do it."

Musyue saw Xiaohong's words were sincere, and felt somewhat warm in her heart. She reached out and smoothed Xiaohong's hair and said: "I know Sister is a person who values feelings, and is planning for me."

"However, things in the world are not that simple. I have been a maid in the Bao Er Ye Bao's room for many years, so I naturally know his temperament. No matter how he treats others, at least he hasn't treated me badly."

"If he doesn't choose me as a big maid this time, and I am cut and sent out like Qixian and Tanyun, I will leave with peace of mind."

"But the Bao Er Ye Bao didn't drive me away. If I want to get up and leave, I feel it is not appropriate. Even if I get a good job, I won't feel at ease."

Musyue smiled slightly and continued: "I can't say any big principles, but Sister, have you ever thought that if I really took the path you said."

"Others will sooner or later know that you helped me. You are a big maid around the Cong Sanye, and I am a big maid around the Bao Er Ye Bao."

"As long as this matter spreads, the Second Grandmother cutting the population will be edited into gossip by sinister people."

"It doesn't matter how others look at me, but if the Cong Sanye is also involved, and it hurts his reputation, how can I feel at ease?"

"I am just a slave maid, a stupid person, without any big ambitions. Even if I live one day at a time, I must not feel guilty or panicked in my heart."

Xiaohong heard Musyue's words, and felt somewhat awe-struck in her heart. Why didn't she think of this? If she really fished Musyue out like this.

Someone will definitely make a fuss about her, and then twist the Second Grandmother's cutting of the population, which is actually the Cong Sanye plotting for Jia Baoyu's maids.

This talk will be unpleasant, and it will stain the Cong Sanye's reputation...

There is no such person in the West Mansion, but there must be one in the East Road courtyard, such as the Second Grandmother...

Musyue saw Xiaohong's face change, and knew she understood her meaning, smiled slightly and didn't speak.

Xiaohong said: "Sister is truly a person who values feelings. It was I who thought of things too simply, but this doesn't matter."

"Even if Sister goes to the East Road courtyard in the future, it is a place where you can hear it when you call. But as long as Sister has something bad, I will definitely not just watch and ignore it!"

Musyue smiled brightly, hugged Xiaohong's shoulder affectionately, and said: "I have remembered this. When I have something in the future, I will wait for you to fly to save me."

Lady Rongguo Mansion, Jia Baoyu's courtyard.

Musyue and Xiaohong chatted for a while, and just returned to Jia Baoyu's courtyard, when she saw Lady Wang's maid, Seeing Caiyun, also rushing into the courtyard, looking like she had rushed from the East Road courtyard.

She asked curiously: "Why is Sister Seeing Caiyun here? Is the Grandmother asking to pass a message to the Bao Er Ye Bao?"

Seeing Caiyun replied: "Today, Lady Xia is a guest in the East Road courtyard. The Grandmother asked me to see if the Bao Er Ye Bao is not in school, and if so, invite him to meet the guest."

Jia Baoyu was full of sorrow and resentment because he had lost many maids. Hearing the conversation outside the door, he felt annoyed and had no heart to ponder.

He said impatiently to Sister Xi Ren: "Whoever comes wants me to meet them, it's truly boring. Just say I am not feeling well today, so I won't go!"

He said, threw himself on the bed, and covered his head with the quilt, as if he could isolate all troubles like this.

Sister Xi Ren sighed, came out of the room, and said to Seeing Caiyun with a smile: "The Bao Er Ye is not feeling well and is resting on the bed, so he didn't go to school today, so I'm afraid he can't go." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 587 =====

As he spoke, he threw himself onto the bed and pulled the quilt over his head, as if this could shut out all his troubles.

Sister Xi Ren sighed, came out of the room, and said with a smile to Seeing Caiyun, "The Bao Er Ye is not feeling well and is lying down to rest, so he didn't go to school today; I'm afraid he won't be able to go." (End of chapter)