Chapter 67: The Jia Family's Reputation, Jia Cong Enters the Academy

Jia She was detained at the Imperial Clan Court for four days before returning; that Prince Zhongshun had indeed deeply grasped the Emperor's heart, dealing a heavy blow to Jia She, this dissolute noble.

During these four days, Jia Mu was filled with anxiety and could not sleep at night; once Jia She returned to the mansion, the old lady let out a sigh of relief and unexpectedly fell ill.

After inviting the imperial physician to examine her and prescribe medicine, it took a full four or five days of recuperation before she was much better.

News also arrived from the Zhen'an Prefecture that the case of Ma Daopo and Wang Shanbao's wife using witchcraft to harm others had been reported to the Ministry of Justice and closed, with conclusive evidence; they were to be beheaded after autumn.

The Imperial Clan Court then conveyed an oral decree from the palace: Jia She's behavior was erratic and he had long been prone to absurd actions; his mansion's servants had forced a good person to their death, used witchcraft to harm their master, and implicated the innocent; as the head of the household, Jia She could not shirk the blame.

He was reprimanded and ordered to reflect on his faults behind closed doors for one month, to see how he would behave thereafter.

The heir to the Jia family's title had been locked up by the Imperial Clan Court for four days, causing the Jia family to lose all face within the noble circles of the Love Shenjing.

Although Jia Mu felt ashamed in her heart, fortunately, the family's title had been preserved, which she felt was the greatest stroke of luck amidst misfortune; after her health improved, she spent a few more happy days with her grandsons and granddaughters, and the matter passed.

Jia She's base and dissolute nature was not something he was born with.

It is hard to say that Jia Mu's fondness for pleasure and lack of strictness with her own temperament did not have a negative influence during Jia She's upbringing.

Subsequently, news of Jia Cong being appreciated by a great Confucian scholar and recommended to study at the Qingshan Academy gradually spread, making Jia Cong's position in the Rongguo Prefecture increasingly secure.

This time, Jia Cong used a strategy of both elimination and suppression, not only removing the wicked woman who had forced Zhi Shao to her death but also heavily suppressing Jia She and Lady Xing.

Seeing her own darling looking worried every day and seeing him act like a mouse meeting a cat when facing his father, Jia Mu could not help but vent some of her anger on Jia Cong.

One of them looked down on studying, and the other simply lacked the ability to study.

There was not a single young master like Jia Cong, who buried himself in books without paying heed to the world outside his window.

Suddenly, a maid outside called out, telling him to go to the Mengpo Study, as the Master wanted to examine his schoolwork.

Although the servants were not very knowledgeable, they had always heard of the affairs of the older generation, and many said that this Young Master Cong, studying so diligently, would surely be extraordinary in the future; a scholar or a metropolitan graduate was a certainty.

Early that morning, just after Baoyu had been served by Xi Ren and finished washing, and had eaten a few mouthfuls of breakfast, he prepared to go find Lin Meimei to talk.

Those were all the "literary stars" of the Jia family.

Ever since he moved into the Qingzhi Study, he had almost never stepped out, studying diligently day and night.

Finally, even the maids and matrons of the mansion knew about it.

The result was that no matter how they tried, they could not study well, and they were scolded by Jia Zheng every day, suffering unspeakably.

Jia She was reflecting on his faults behind closed doors, and the mastermind behind the witchcraft incident was Lady Xing's personal maid's husband, which made Lady Xing's reputation among the eight branches in the Love Shenjing stink to high heaven.

The young masters of this mansion were all born into wealth; from Jia Lian, Baoyu, and Jia Huan, to the "Cao" generation's Jia Rong, Jia Qiang, and others, which one of them was not living a comfortable and wealthy life?

At first, sisters like Daiyu and Tan Chun gradually found out, and later it spread to the ears of Jia Mu and Jia Zheng.

This caused their influence within the Jia family to weaken further, and the constraints on them in the future would also diminish.

Upon hearing this, Baoyu's face turned deathly pale, giving Xi Ren, who was to the side, a fright; she called out to him several times before his soul returned to his body.

These days, Jia Mu had long since ordered this eldest daughter-in-law to reflect behind closed doors in the East Courtyard, so she wouldn't have to see her and feel disgusted; she didn't even need to come to the Rongqing Hall for daily morning greetings.

Ten years ago, there was one like this, Jia Zhu; thirty years ago, there was one like this, Jia Jing.

However, these events also brought about some discordant ripples; Jia Zheng became increasingly strict regarding the studies of Baoyu and Jia Huan.

But he couldn't avoid going; Xi Ren coaxed him, telling him to go first, and that she would call a little maid to keep watch outside the study; if the Master scolded him too harshly, she would ask the Old Lady to save him.

In the Mengpo Study, there were only Jia Zheng and Baoyu.

As for Jia Huan, he had already spent two years idling in the clan school, and after being forced by Jia Zheng to study diligently for a few days, he still couldn't even recite half of the Thousand Character Classic.

Moreover, his appearance was wretched and he could not speak properly, so Jia Zheng very wisely gave up hope on him.

"The so-called 'rectifying the heart lies in cultivating the self'; if one is angry, one cannot be upright; what comes after that? Recite it for me to hear."

Baoyu glanced at his father's stern gaze, shivered, hurriedly looked away, and after scratching his head for a long time, recited:

"If one is fearful, one cannot be upright; if one is fond of pleasure, one cannot be upright; if one is worried, one cannot be upright. If the heart is not present... if the heart is not present..."

Baoyu's voice grew lower and lower; he couldn't remember what came after.

Actually, Baoyu could be considered a person of talent; one only needs to look at the exquisite and clever poems he usually writes to know this.

It's just that he learned some untimely attitudes from somewhere, detesting the Four Books and other orthodox imperial examination texts, sneering at the imperial examinations and officialdom, and holding career and economic studies in contempt.

In fact, these excuses were nothing more than beautiful pretexts for his laziness and unwillingness to work or endure hardship, born from being pampered in wealth since childhood.

These days, being forced by Jia Zheng, he would pick up a book and read a few pages when he returned to his room, but he couldn't last for half a cup of tea before feeling nauseous and wanting to vomit; he would throw the book aside and go play with the maids.

"You wicked creature, how many years have you studied in the clan school? Now you can't even recite a single Great Learning; how can you have the face to be a person? You've disgraced the ancestors!"

Jia Zheng picked up the ruler on the table: "Stretch out your hand!"

Baoyu said tremblingly: "Father, your son will definitely change; please spare me this one time."

Jia Zheng's face was cold: "I have spared you many times for the sake of the Old Lady; to spare you again is to harm you. Stretch out your hand!"

The little maid sent by Xi Ren to act as a scout outside heard a "slap" from inside, followed immediately by a miserable cry from Young Master Baoyu.

The little maid's hair stood on end, and she ran off like a rabbit to report the news.

By the time Jia Mu and Lady Wang arrived, Baoyu had already received seven or eight strikes, and his palms were red and swollen.

Jia Mu pointed at Jia Zheng and scolded: "You, a father, beating your son early in the morning and using such a vicious hand! Are you hoping to anger me to death early?"

Jia Zheng frowned and said: "Old Lady, how would your son dare to anger you? Your son is only teaching Baoyu to study diligently, but he is so unpromising; he has studied in the clan school for so many years and still cannot recite the Great Learning."

"How can this go on? Young Master Cong is the same age as him; yesterday I called him to the study to examine his schoolwork, and he could recite the Great Learning and the Analects fluently, and his understanding of the scriptures was also quite original."

"Your son does not ask Baoyu to be as outstanding as Young Master Cong, only that he be slightly more promising..."

As soon as Jia Mu heard the name Jia Cong, her anger flared up; so the root cause was here. Why was it that wicked creature again? If it weren't for him, how would her Baoyu have been beaten by his father?

Jia Mu said angrily: "A family like ours is not a poor, humble household; we don't need to rely on studying to change our status or earn a living."

"If he can study, let him study; if he can't, then don't. Is the vast family property left by our ancestors not enough? Must we be greedy for more and insist on high official positions and noble status before we are satisfied?"

"Don't be muddled; the one in the Qingzhi Study is not your son, Baoyu is!"

Jia Zheng was stifled by Jia Mu's sophistry until his face turned red, and not daring to retort, he stood there blankly without speaking.

Jia Mu ignored him, and leading the tear-stained Baoyu, returned to the Rongqing Hall.

Lady Wang saw Baoyu's red and swollen palms and felt unbearable heartache.

Suddenly, she said to Jia Mu: "Young Master Cong has been in the Pure Wisdom Study for some time; because the Old Lady was ill these past few days and Young Master Cong's whip wounds hadn't healed properly, I was worried about offending you."

"So I didn't let him come to pay his respects to you. Now that the Old Lady's health is much better, and he will be living in the West Prefecture from now on, daily etiquette is still necessary. From tomorrow on, I will have him come to pay his respects and stand in attendance every day."

Lady Wang's words sounded fine at first glance; everyone knew the Old Lady had a rift with Jia Cong, and the Lady was pushing Jia Cong toward the Old Lady, which was also a good intention to ease the relationship between grandmother and grandson.

However, Lady Wang's words were spoken at a very inappropriate time; one wondered if she was deliberately choosing this moment because she saw Baoyu had been beaten because of Jia Cong.

Sure enough, Jia Mu said angrily: "I don't need him to come to the Rongqing Hall to pay respects. Let him manage his own life and study his own books; it's better for everyone to be quiet. Any such etiquette on his part can be waived!"

Beside them, Sister Yuanyang, Sister Hupo, and others changed their expressions upon hearing this. Originally, Young Master Cong moving to the West Prefecture was a good thing, and according to the rules, paying daily respects to the Old Lady was the proper filial etiquette.

Now, even these etiquettes were waived, which was clearly a slap in the face to this grandson. How could Young Master Cong suffer the consequences just because the Master beat Baoyu today?

The Old Lady's words would likely reach the Pure Wisdom Study in less than an hour; one wondered what the mood of the people over there would be upon hearing them.

(End of chapter)