Chapter 689: The Matter at the East Window is About to Break

Count's Prefecture, Seeing Tan Chun's Courtyard.

The embroidery room was filled with the pungent smell of medicinal herbs, mixed with the sweet and refreshing scent of a girl; this smell made Jia Cong feel somewhat familiar.

After Jia Cong brought Seeing Tan Chun back to the East Prefecture, he had someone invite Zhang Youshi to the prefecture to treat Seeing Tan Chun's hand injuries.

Yingchun, Daiyu, Baochai, and other sisters heard the news and all rushed to Seeing Tan Chun's courtyard to visit.

The sisters waited behind the screen in the outer room. Although Zhang Youshi was over fifty and a medical practitioner, there were always taboos and etiquette in the deep inner house.

After waiting for the time it takes to drink a few cups of tea, the sisters heard footsteps coming from the inner room, and heard the voices of Jia Cong and Zhang Youshi.

Jia Cong asked, "Mr. Zhang, the medicinal ointment used just now had a very familiar smell; it seems I have seen it at your brother's place before."

Zhang Youshi smiled, "The Count of Weiyuan is right. Before my brother went traveling, he left some of his secret medicinal ointments, which are very effective for treating external injuries."

Jia Cong asked, "Does my sister have any serious problems with her hand injuries?"

Zhang Youshi said, "Third Young Lady is a girl who has been pampered and spoiled; compared to daughters of ordinary families, she is more delicate and tender."

"This kind of family law beating is truly a bit too much. The skin and flesh damage and swelling are one thing, but the finger joints and tendons have also been bruised."

"Third Young Lady also has excessive fear, fire in her heart, and weak blood, which is not conducive to the healing of the injuries, so she needs to be well-regulated."

Jia Cong heard this, his face looked somewhat ugly, and the anger in his eyes could not be dissipated.

Zhang Youshi continued, "Fortunately, there is the secret medicine for external injuries left by my brother. I will write down the method of application and have someone apply it to Third Young Lady on time."

"I will also prescribe a few doses of soup medicine for internal regulation of blood and energy, and there should be no major problems."

"However, within ten days, apply medicine to both hands, rest the skin and bones, and do not use your hands. Eating, living, and dressing require maids to serve."

"Within a month, the ten fingers must not be strained, so as not to leave hidden diseases in the future. Remember, remember."

Jia Cong quickly agreed, and Zhang Youshi wrote out the prescription, and after agreeing with Jia Cong to come back for a follow-up visit in three days, he got up to say goodbye.

……

After Jia Cong had someone send Zhang Youshi out of the courtyard, Yingchun and the other sisters waiting behind the screen finally entered the embroidery room to visit.

Yingchun saw Seeing Tan Chun's face pale, her beautiful lips lacking color, and her pair of palms wrapped in gauze, permeated with a pungent medicinal smell.

Her eyes were red and moist, and her expression was pained as she said, "A girl is not a man, how could the Second Mistress be so heavy-handed!"

Shi Xiangyun felt quite indignant and said, "Third Sister, go to the East Courtyard less often in the future. Isn't it comfortable for the sisters to be together in the East Prefecture?"

She was a straightforward and righteous person. Hearing that Seeing Tan Chun had good intentions, stopped her legitimate mother from doing the wrong thing, and still suffered a beating for nothing, she felt quite angry.

But she was, after all, a guest in the Jia family and couldn't easily criticize the Jia family's elders. Saying it to this point was already extremely bold and dissatisfied.

Seeing Tan Chun heard Xiangyun's words, her pale pretty face revealed a smile, and although she didn't speak, her eyes showed agreement.

Daiyu said on the side, "Second Aunt's anger probably doesn't stop there, and it's not just because of today's matter."

Among the sisters present, Xiangyun's nature was open and bright but lacked meticulousness, and Xing Xiuyan was young and hadn't been in the Jia family for long, so she didn't know the family foundation very well.

Daiyu's words were subtle, and the two of them might not understand, but Yingchun, Baochai, and Jia Cong knew it well.

It was nothing more than Lady Wang's resentment and jealousy toward Jia Cong inheriting the family business.

Seeing Tan Chun, as an illegitimate daughter of the Second Branch, was close to Jia Cong's side; how could she not be rejected by her legitimate mother after a long time?

In the hearts of Daiyu and Yingchun, Seeing Tan Chun breaking into the main hall to stop the Zhen family from hiding silver was excusable, even if she broke in without permission.

Lady Wang making such a big fuss and using family law to severely punish Seeing Tan Chun was probably taking advantage of the situation to teach Seeing Tan Chun a lesson for being close to Jia Cong.

But Jia Cong didn't think it was that simple. Lady Wang punishing Seeing Tan Chun might have had the component of jealousy toward Seeing Tan Chun being close to him.

It was probably also for other reasons; she had probably developed greed for the Zhen family's wealth……

……

Jia Cong had heard from Wuer that the Zhen family matron went to the West Prefecture to lobby Wang Xifeng, and the small box of jewelry she offered was worth no less than five thousand taels, which was very generous.

If Wang Xifeng had really agreed to hide it, the subsequent benefits would definitely have been even more.

If Lady Wang agreed to the Zhen family's matter, she would naturally be able to get these benefits too.

Jia Cong knew that the Second Branch had lost its legitimate position and Lady Wang could no longer touch the Rongguo Prefecture's family wealth; all expenses in the East Courtyard were allocated by the West Prefecture's public funds.

A person like Lady Wang, who was used to power and had a narrow and vicious nature, how could she be content with being law-abiding?

Currently, the Second Branch was not as wealthy as it was when it occupied the prefecture, and Lady Wang's desire for wealth must be even more intense than before.

Perhaps she had already reached an agreement with the Zhen family matron about hiding the silver, which was not impossible, but it was interrupted by Seeing Tan Chun's sudden break-in, losing a path to wealth……

Yet, it seems somewhat far-fetched that Lady Wang would strike so ruthlessly at Tan Chun just because of this, without any regard for the concern Jia Mu and she herself had previously shown for Tan Chun.

Just as Yingchun, Daiyu, and other sisters were talking to Seeing Tan Chun, Jia Cong called Cuimo to the outer corridor to ask about the situation at the time.

Cuimo said indignantly, "Our Young Lady stopped the Mistress's matter. Although the Mistress's face was very ugly, she wouldn't have used family law on the Young Lady."

"It was all that Matron Liu Baozheng of the Zhen family who said many ugly things, not only publicly humiliating our Young Lady."

"She also used words to provoke the Mistress's anger, which made the matter uncontrollable and caused the Young Lady to suffer such great bitterness."

Jia Cong thought that if he hadn't arrived in time, Lady Wang's heavy-handedness would have left Seeing Tan Chun in an unknown state.

Just now, hearing Zhang Youshi's diagnosis, if Seeing Tan Chun's injuries were any heavier, I am afraid these hands would have been crippled.

Those were a pair of clever hands that could hold a brush and splash ink; if such a thing really happened, how would Seeing Tan Chun live in the future?

Cuimo told Jia Cong the words that Liu Baozheng's wife used to provoke Lady Wang one by one.

Jia Cong heard Cuimo's words and couldn't help but be furious, only then knowing that the Zhen family matron who came to lobby for hiding silver was so sinister and vicious.

She failed to handle the matter and actually provoked right and wrong, stirring up family disputes, and making Seeing Tan Chun suffer such bitterness. Truly hateful!

……

At this time, figures moved at the courtyard gate, and Jia Cong saw Xue Yima bring her maids into the courtyard.

Xue Yima saw Jia Cong and asked, "Cong Ge'er, I heard rumors that Tan Yatou was punished by family law. Is the injury serious?"

Jia Cong said, "I have already asked a doctor to see her. The injury is not light, and she needs to rest well for a period of time."

Xue Yima quickly entered the room, smelled the pungent medicinal smell in the room, and saw Seeing Tan Chun's pale face and her pair of hands wrapped tightly in gauze.

She couldn't help but feel pained and said, "Tan Yatou has never done anything wrong. How could my sister be so heavy-handed? It would have been enough to just talk about things."

"A girl raised to such a size, yet she used such heavy hands. If she really broke her, what would happen? She is truly confused."

Ever since Baochai was falsely accused of improper behavior by Lady Wang last time, and Lady Wang wanted to squeeze the Xue family out of Rongguo Prefecture, Xue Yima had been very embarrassed for a time.

Although after the matter passed, the two sisters still seemed normal on the surface, a rift had long since formed in their hearts.

The Xue family currently still lived in Lixiang Courtyard, entirely because of Jia Cong's retention of sentiment, and had nothing to do with Lady Wang.

Added to the difficult-to-clear relationship between her daughter and Jia Cong, and Jia Cong being young and successful, glorious and infinite, Xue Yima's heart had long since changed in closeness and distance……

This kind of hidden coldness and dissatisfaction in her heart would not be too exposed on weekdays, but when encountering special matters, it would be inadvertently revealed.

Besides, Xue Yima herself raised a daughter and was a person who pampered her children, otherwise, how could she have raised Xue Pan to be so lawless?

The Xue family's old house in Jin Ling also raised illegitimate daughters, but she had never had any punishment, and she had to leave a good name for the inner house anyway.

And she knew deeply that Jia Cong doted on this cousin sister very much, and even the Old Lady valued Seeing Tan Chun.

These two were one the head of the family, and the other the Old Lady of the Jia family's two prefectures.

Even if the sister wanted to show off the prestige of the mistress and legitimate mother, she should have had some scruples. Playing a temper without a head or brain was truly a stupid thing that was not good inside or out.

……

Baochai sent a message to Xue Yima, and Seeing Tan Chun being beaten naturally couldn't be hidden in the West Prefecture.

Xue Yima had only sat for a while when there was a noise at the courtyard gate again. It turned out that the Old Lady heard that Seeing Tan Chun had been punished by family law and brought Yuanyang and other maids and matrons to visit.

Among the Old Lady's granddaughters, Seeing Tan Chun was shrewd and capable, and the Old Lady liked her in the first place.

According to the Old Lady's deep closeness, Seeing Tan Chun was probably even closer than Jia Cong.

Ever since Jia Cong established himself in the East Prefecture, the Old Lady rarely came to the East Prefecture to walk around, but hearing that Seeing Tan Chun had been beaten quite badly, she also rushed over.

Although the news that reached Rongqing Hall was only that Seeing Tan Chun was punished by Lady Wang, it didn't say why she was beaten.

But the Old Lady believed in her granddaughter in her heart, who was shrewd and intelligent in her daily speech and actions, and had never made any mistakes.

Added to the fact that since the eldest branch Jia Cong inherited the title, the second daughter-in-law was full of dissatisfaction, had truly done many stupid things, and didn't care about the overall situation of the family, which made the Old Lady somewhat disappointed.

Therefore, before the Old Lady entered the courtyard, she felt in her heart that it shouldn't be Seeing Tan Chun's fault.

When she saw her granddaughter's face without blood, her expression weary, and her pair of small hands wrapped like a rice dumpling, she was already heartbroken and shed tears.

Although the Old Lady knew the family rules, the legitimate mother disciplining the illegitimate daughter was a common occurrence, which was the family rules of the inner house, and she couldn't pick faults in this.

But she still couldn't help complaining, saying, "Your Mistress is also confused. Even if the girl has something wrong, it would be enough to scold her a few times."

"A girl is not a boy, how could she use such heavy hands? If she broke something, it would be difficult to marry her off in the future, and I wouldn't agree to it!"

She also said to Yuanyang, "Yuanyang, have someone pass a message to the Mistress: from now on, if Third Yatou has anything wrong, she is not allowed to move her hands randomly again."

"Just tell me, and let me discipline her. I have raised so many maids, could it be that I couldn't raise her right?"

Yuanyang quickly agreed and turned around to pass the message.

……

Xue Yima heard the dissatisfaction in the Old Lady's words and sighed in her heart. Since her sister moved into the East Courtyard, her whole person had been wrong.

How could she not understand that relying on the sentiment between her brother-in-law and Cong Ge'er, even if the Second Branch moved to the East Courtyard, as long as they fooled around inside and out, everyone would leave face for each other.

Where would Cong Ge'er not protect her brother-in-law? The Second Branch would still live a peaceful life for a lifetime, just lacking some reputation.

These empty names couldn't be eaten as food, nor could they be used as silver.

Even if they were all given to the Second Branch, just relying on Baoyu's appearance, how could he take on and keep these things?

Her sister clearly had a cheap life to live, yet she had to drill into this bull's horn.

Now that she had beaten Tan Yatou, she had offended both the Old Lady and Cong Ge'er, and the Second Branch would be even less likely to gain power in the Jia family in the future.

Xue Yima thought clearly about these things and thought about the current situation of the Second Branch, couldn't help but feel somewhat fortunate that the matter of the golden-jade marriage had not turned out to be true.

Otherwise, not to mention the decline of the Jia family's Second Branch, just relying on her sister's stubbornness in doing things, wouldn't she have pushed her daughter into a fire pit……

The Old Lady complained a few times and asked about the reason for the matter. Jia Cong told the story of the Zhen family matron hiding silver and Seeing Tan Chun coming out to stop it from beginning to end.

The Old Lady had only complained that her daughter-in-law had used heavy hands and beaten her granddaughter into a bad state, but now hearing the reason, her face instantly darkened, and instead, she didn't say a word.

After everyone dispersed, Jia Cong had the maids Shi Shu and others take good care of Seeing Tan Chun, and had someone summon Jiang Liu to wait in the side hall of the outer courtyard.

……

Love Shenjing, East City, Zhen Family Villa.

The Zhen family was a noble family in Jin Ling, and they would set up properties in many places, which was a common practice for wealthy families to accumulate family business.

The Zhen family was a family of officials and wealth. The Love Shenjing was the capital of the Great Zhou, and the Zhen family's Old Imperial Consort was a noble person in the palace, so the Zhen family naturally had properties in the Love Shenjing.

This villa, which occupied a not-small area, was the Zhen family's foothold in the Love Shenjing.

Last year, Zhen Fangqing and the Zhen family's First Mistress entered the capital to pay respects to the Zhen family's Old Imperial Consort, and they also lived here.

After Yao Shouan and Liu Baozheng's wife entered the capital, because they carried thirteen large boxes, they naturally couldn't live in an inn and settled in the Zhen family villa to be secure enough.

Ever since Liu Baozheng's wife was rebuffed again in the East Courtyard, the two were like ants on a hot pot, falling into a state of helplessness.

When they left the capital, Zhen Yingjia and his wife instructed them to hide the silver in the Jia family. Liu Baozheng's wife entered the Jia Prefecture twice and was swept out the door by people, completely cutting off the Jia family's path.

Liu Baozheng's wife was the First Mistress's personal maid and had been in the Zhen family for half a lifetime, having followed the First Mistress to the Love Shenjing twice.

She had also followed the First Mistress to visit some old female relatives in the Love Shenjing, but these families were only ordinary acquaintances with the Zhen family, not as close as the Zhen and Jia families.

Now that the Zhen family's path was cut off, Liu Baozheng's wife didn't dare to make her own decisions and go to these old families to lobby.

After all, hiding the private silver of a criminal family had many taboos, so it was not good to find people casually and make it known to everyone.

After Liu Baozheng's wife left the East Courtyard, Yao Shouan and she discussed it back and forth and were truly at their wits' end, and it was not good to just return home.

So the two decided to bite the bullet and find the Second Young Lady of the First Branch for help—the current Princess of Beijing—to find a proper way to dispose of these thirteen boxes of private wealth.

……

This morning, the two had a boy deliver a post to the Beijijing Prince's Prefecture, just waiting for the Princess of Beijijing to reply, and then they would take some gifts to visit the Prince's Prefecture.

Just as the two were waiting for the boy to report the news, they suddenly heard a noise outside, and a servant ran to pass a message with a panicked expression.

He said, "Matron Liu, a group of officials from the Zhen'an Prefecture came outside, saying they received a report from someone that there was misconduct in the villa, and they wanted to come in and search."

Liu Baozheng's wife heard this, shocked, her face turning white. She and Yao Shouan came to the capital to hide silver, which was a matter that couldn't see the light.

This matter was most taboo about having involvement with the government, and it was truly fearing what would come.

Yao Shouan heard this, his expression panicked, and asked, "Liu's, did you instruct them to be low-key and restrained when entering and exiting?"

"Is it that some unpromising thing caused trouble outside and attracted the government people to the door?"

Liu Baozheng's wife said, "There will absolutely be no such thing. The servants and guards who came this time are all old slaves of the family, and the Mistress carefully selected stable people."

"Daily, except for two cooks entering and exiting to buy rice and grain, no one is allowed to go out at will. How could they cause trouble outside?"

Yao Shouan was puzzled and said, "We are handling the Mistress's major task, and our words and actions entering and exiting were cautious. The people below didn't cause trouble."

"Reasonably speaking, we shouldn't have offended anyone. How could someone report us to the government?"

……

The two were just suspicious when they suddenly heard a loud noise outside, and then heard the courtyard in a mess and panic, and another servant entered with a terrified expression.

He said, "Yao Second Master, Matron Liu, the people from Zhen'an Prefecture smashed the door open, and people have already rushed in, asking the person in charge here to come out and talk to the officials."

Yao Shouan and Liu Baozheng's wife's faces turned white, but no matter what, they couldn't hide, so they had to bite the bullet and come out.

The two arrived in the courtyard and saw a dark mass of people, more than a dozen officials holding knives and sticks, staring like tigers, standing full in a courtyard.

The dozen or so Zhen family members who came this time were all gathered at the foot of the wall, all squatting there, strictly guarded by the officials.

Among the family members, there were also strong guards, but this was under the feet of the Son of Heaven, not the Zhen family's Jin Ling city. Who dared to be strong with the Love Shenjing's officials?

Yao Shouan and Liu Baozheng's wife saw this posture, and their legs felt somewhat soft.

The leader among the officials was a middle-aged man in his thirties, not an ordinary yamen runner, with a gentle appearance, appearing harmless to humans and animals.

Liu Baozheng's wife was the First Mistress's personal maid, and the Zhen family's First Master was an official. She had seen officials move around on weekdays and had some knowledge.

She saw the leader wearing a green robe with egrets embroidered on it; he was actually a Grade 6 official, and his background was not small.

That person said, "This official is Liu Binfang, the Judge of Zhen'an Prefecture. The yamen received a report that you came from a distant place to the capital, carrying many boxes of unknown origin."

"Your daily actions are strange, entering and exiting noble families, suspected of having misconduct. Today, I specifically came to search. Who is the person in charge?"

Yao Shouan smiled fully and said, "This official, my surname is Yao, and I am the person in charge here. We came from Jin Ling and are good people."

"Coming to the Love Shenjing is just to do some small business, absolutely no illegal acts. It must be someone slandering us. Please investigate, official."

Liu Binfang glanced at Yao Shouan and said, "I see your face is clean, with an appearance of being pampered, half without the dusty air of a merchant."

"Wanting to deceive this official, you have calculated wrongly. Since someone reported it, Zhen'an Prefecture will definitely handle it carefully. Search the residence, don't let go of any place!"

Liu Binfang gave an order, and except for four or five officials guarding the Zhen family servants, the other ten or so rushed to various rooms like wolves and tigers.

Yao Shouan and Liu Baozheng's wife's faces turned pale instantly, and both of them thought of those thirteen boxes at the same time.

It was just that not long after, the yamen runners searching the rooms successively carried out more than a dozen boxes.

One of the squad leaders said, "Judge, the other things in the room have no abnormalities, only thirteen locked boxes, with the same style, which are very suspicious."

Liu Binfang was calm and shouted, "Open the boxes and check."

The accompanying yamen runners drew their knives and chopped open the locks. The thirteen boxes were opened one by one, and the courtyard suddenly shone with dazzling light.

These dozen or so boxes contained a large amount of gold and silver jewelry, jewelry and jade, boxes of silver ingots, and large stacks of silver notes, land deeds, etc., the quantity was truly astonishing.

Liu Binfang had seen some of the world, and was slightly shocked by the scene before him.

He sneered and said, "What kind of small business does your family do, that you need to carry such a huge amount of wealth with you, and frequently enter and exit noble families, yet you say there is no misconduct!"

Yao Shouan was already speechless, and Liu Baozheng's wife was a tricky woman, much more fierce than Yao Shouan.

She knew very clearly in her heart that once these thirteen boxes of wealth fell into the hands of the government, even if she could return to Jin Ling, it would be a dead end, and the Mistress would definitely want her life.

Now was the moment for a desperate struggle. If she didn't struggle to the death, her whole family's lives would be over.

She thought of these things and hardened her heart, saying, "This official, we are the family of the Princess of Beijijing, entrusted by the master to handle matters in the capital."

"We are just about to see the Princess. This is the water rushing to the Dragon King Temple. You are an official, and we are good people."

"You must give some face to our Prince and Princess. If a misunderstanding arises, it won't look good on either side."

Liu Binfang's face straightened, and he asked, "The family of the Princess of Beijijing? Could it be that you are people of the Jin Ling Zhen family?"

Liu Baozheng's wife saw that she had mentioned the Beijijing Prince's Prefecture, and the official's face changed immediately, thinking she had bluffed him.

And Liu Binfang's appearance was gentle, appearing harmless to humans and animals; how could he look like a ruthless person……

She was secretly proud and lucky in her heart, smiling, "We are indeed people of the Jin Ling Zhen family, and my master is the President of the Tiren Academy in Jin Ling."

"You were deceived by someone's report, it was just an unintentional act. As long as you make it convenient, our Prince and Princess will appreciate your favor."

Liu Binfang sneered, "So it is the Jin Ling Zhen family, actually bringing so much gold and silver into the capital, then it is correct."

He said to the catcher beside him, "This woman doesn't know the height of the sky and the thickness of the earth, she is truly a mouth-deficient person!"

That catcher was a person with a face full of flesh. Hearing Liu Binfang's words, he smiled hideously, walked up, and slapped the matron twice with both hands.

Liu Baozheng's wife flew out like a broken sack and fell to the ground, her mouth and face full of blood…… (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 690 =====