Chapter 785: News and Letters Shock the Old Face

Divine Capital, Qingyu Fang, Xia Prefecture.

Xia Gu Niang's sudden stern reprimand made Mother Chen tremble, and she subconsciously knelt on the ground with a thud.

She said, "Miss, even if I had ten times the courage, I wouldn't dare to deceive you. The husband indeed said..."

Xia Gu Niang shouted, "Shut your mouth, you old thing who doesn't know life from death. You think I'm young and easy to bully? You really have blinded your dog eyes."

"I have been to the Jia Prefecture many times, and I know the style of everyone in his prefecture a hundred times better than you. Baoyu is lazy in reading daily and is often beaten and scolded by his father."

"If it weren't for his appearance, Cong Ge'er is the same age as him and has already passed the imperial examination, so why is he not even a scholar?"

"On Ningrong Street, if you spend a tael of silver, you can find out all kinds of strange talk about him not loving to read."

"I sent the Four Books and Five Classics to him. The Old Matron and the second Lady of the Jia family have no way to say it's bad, but Baoyu absolutely wouldn't say it's good."

"Just with your old thing's stupid appearance, you dare to lie in front of me. I think your skin is itching."

"Seeing Seeing Baochan, go to the outer courtyard and call two servants in. Bring ropes and family sticks, and come to the hall to listen to my instructions."

"If this old thing dares to lie again, I won't take her life, just break one of her legs and throw her out the door to feed the dogs. Let's see how she runs errands for my mother again."

Seeing Seeing Baochan saw her mistress flying into a rage, looking murderous, and her calves felt soft, not daring to have the slightest negligence. She hurriedly went to the outer courtyard to call people.

Mother Chen heard Xia Gu Niang's words and was already trembling all over, having lost half of her soul.

She was an old slave raised by the Xia family and had watched the Miss grow up from childhood. She knew best that this little young mistress was not to be trifled with.

Not only was she a first-class fierce character, but her brain was very shrewd and formidable, cut from the same cloth as the Lady, and she acted unscrupulously.

Now that the Lady happened not to be at home, if this Miss flew into a rage, no one could control her, and her old life would be accounted for.

At this moment, she didn't dare to hide anything anymore, kowtowing like pounding garlic, begging for mercy incessantly.

Xia Gu Niang said coldly, "Tell the truth clearly. If you lie by even a single word, I will peel your skin!"

Mother Chen said tremblingly, "This old slave dares not lie again. Miss sent books to the husband, and he was indeed a bit unhappy."

She even said a couple of things about how terrible it was, and then talked about some "extraordinary beauty of the boudoir," and then some "moth of the salary"; I don't understand the meaning of these literary terms either.

"But I guess it's like saying Miss is not good. Later, the Old Matron and the second Lady of the Jia family said the husband was not feeling well and let the maid help him back to the room to rest."

"The husband's later words were interrupted and he didn't continue. This old slave's words are all true, and I dare not hide half a sentence from Miss."

After Mother Chen finished speaking, she regretted it so much that her intestines turned green. She shouldn't have listened to the instigation of that dead maid of the Jia family and lied in front of the Miss.

Miss knew that she had sent gifts to the Jia family and was also spoken ill of by the husband. Depending on the Miss's domineering and spicy temper, wouldn't she be angry to death?

Now that she hasn't married into the Jia family, it's naturally not easy to find trouble with the husband. She will mostly find trouble with herself to vent. Who told her to lie first?

Mother Chen was losing her soul, waiting for the Miss's roar, and she was about to suffer a great deal.

It was just that after waiting for a while, the two servants from the outer courtyard had brought ropes and sticks, but there was no movement from the Miss's side.

Mother Chen dared to look up and saw her Miss's expression was strange, muttering the two words "salary worm" in her mouth, turning them over and over, not knowing what they meant.

Xia Gu Niang suddenly waved her hand at Mother Chen and said, "Get out! If you dare to lie to me again, you better be careful!"

Mother Chen felt as if she had been granted amnesty, kowtowed twice to Xia Gu Niang, and fled the inner courtyard in a panic.

Seeing Seeing Baochan sent the two servants away and saw her Miss's expression was strange, muttering "salary worm" back and forth, not knowing what she was thinking.

According to common sense, if Baoyu spoke ill of the Miss, the Miss should be angry and scold people, but she wasn't angry at all, which was really strange.

Just as Seeing Seeing Baochan was puzzled, Xia Gu Niang seemed to have figured something out and laughed, "I finally understand why Baoyu, this thing, would say 'salary worm'."

Seeing Seeing Baochan was interested in anything related to Baoyu, so she asked, "What reason did Miss figure out?"

Xia Gu Niang said, "Before, I had people spend silver to inquire. Everyone said Baoyu is a stick at reading, and even more of a dissolute and lazy thing."

"Jia Cong is the same age as him, and he has already entered the Hanlin Academy, but he can't even pass the scholar examination. His father often abuses him for this, often beating him until he can't get out of bed."

"He even made him kneel at the entrance of the Rongqing Hall in the inner courtyard, letting visiting relatives and women see him make a fool of himself. His father is really a character."

"Compared to Baoyu's stupid mother who eats dirt, his father is much stronger. He is really a straightforward person."

"If his mother had died earlier, and no one pampered Baoyu, this thing, and let his father discipline him, he might not be as useless as he is now."

"I heard his father likes Jia Cong the most, treating Jia Cong like his own son, but is very dissatisfied with Baoyu, his own son."

"You say how much Baoyu must envy Jia Cong. He is a blockhead at reading, but Jia Cong is so powerful at reading."

"Every time we go to the Jia family to visit, these two cousins don't talk much. It's clear that these two don't get along."

"Jia Cong is both an elder brother and the head of the two mansions, and his ability is boundless. Baoyu probably doesn't dare to talk when he sees him."

"But he is angry behind his back and mostly wants to scold him as a 'salary worm', so he is just used to it."

Seeing Seeing Baochan asked curiously, "Miss, what is a 'salary worm'?"

Xia Gu Niang said disdainfully, "You don't even know what a 'salary worm' is. You and Baoyu are the same kind of thing, both useless sticks. You don't like to read or study usually."

"'Salary worm' is just a word used to scold people who read. Only those blockheads who can't read would scold people who can read like this."

Seeing Seeing Baochan was unconvinced but didn't dare to let out a fart.

She just kept complaining in her heart. In this world, scholars are precious. Does it mean that everyone on the street who doesn't read is a stick? This also doesn't make sense.

Miss saw Jia Cong, this kind of scholar, and was also poisoned and obsessed. It's just that no matter how she makes waves, she can only marry Baoyu.

How many times can she see that Jia Cong? People probably don't even remember who she is. Miss is just tossing and turning for nothing.

Xia Gu Niang continued, "I sent books to Baoyu and deliberately persuaded him to study and advance. He was so angry that he followed suit and scolded me as a 'salary worm'."

Seeing Seeing Baochan said softly, "Bao Er Ye Bao shouldn't have scolded Miss like that. Maybe he really doesn't like reading..."

She carefully defended Baoyu while looking at her mistress's expression, seeing that she didn't seem angry and even had a bit of joy on her face, looking very strange.

Xia Gu Niang's pretty face flushed, quite moving, and she said infatuatedly, "I am also a 'salary worm', and he is also a 'salary worm'. This is also a good match."

"At least he should know that I have more insight than Baoyu, this thing, and know that a man's reading and official career is the right path..."

Seeing Seeing Baochan heard Xia Gu Niang talking to herself, and she only understood half of it, but she could tell that Miss seemed quite happy in her heart.

Miss was scolded as a 'salary worm' by Bao Er Ye Bao. Shouldn't she be angry? Why is she happy? She must have thought of Jia Cong making waves again.

Seeing Seeing Baochan couldn't help but shiver. Miss is getting crazier and crazier now. After she gets married and enters the door, I don't know how she will make a scene...

Count's Prefecture, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

This morning, the sky was not yet bright, and snowflakes began to drift outside, and they didn't stop.

By the time it was past noon, the sky was still gloomy and dim, and the courtyard was covered in white snow.

Jia Cong returned from the Huitong Hall, slightly earlier than the usual sunset time.

During this period, he went to Through Ai Li's house every day, because after the New Year, Through Ai Li would accompany her mother south.

The two would be separated for a long time, and Through Ai Li was quite attached to him in her words and actions, so Jia Cong often went to accompany her and talk.

Afterward, he specially sent a letter to Jin Ling, asking the Jin Ling Xinchun Firm to set up a residence in Liu He, so that Through Ai Li and her mother could have a stable and secure place to live after returning to their hometown.

That day he sent a letter to Jin Ling with a flying feather, mentioning the Xue family's shop matter. Five or six days had passed, and the Jin Ling Xinchun Firm must have received the news.

This afternoon, at Through Ai Li's house, he happened to receive a reply from the Jin Ling flying feather. Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing replied with detailed content regarding the shop rental.

After Jia Cong read the letter, he didn't delay at Through Ai Li's house and returned to the prefecture early to discuss matters with Baochai.

He re-read the letter in the study and asked Qingwen to pass a message to Baochai.

Not long after, he saw a beautiful figure moving in the courtyard, and the sound of light footsteps on the snow came.

The door of the study was pushed open. Baochai's pretty face was flushed, full of smiles, and she was wearing a large red peony-pattern cloak, appearing exceptionally graceful and moving.

Entering the room, she took off the large red cloak, revealing a honey-colored satin cross-collared long jacket, with a large red cross-collared inner garment inside, and a pink-blue embroidered long skirt tied around her lower body.

Her black, shiny hair was coiled up, inserted with a kingfisher-inlaid hairpin, and a delicate pink palace flower was worn at her temple, appearing quite pretty and eye-catching.

Walking between steps, her figure was graceful, her steps were like willows, and she was clear, beautiful, and handsome, making Jia Cong's eyes light up.

Baochai smiled, "I heard from Qingwen that there is a reply from Jin Ling. It sounds a bit strange. How could it be so fast?"

"I remember Brother Cong sent the letter only five or six days ago. Under normal circumstances, it would have just been delivered to Jin Ling. How could it be back and forth already?"

Jia Cong was slightly stunned. He felt he needed to keep some reservations about the flying feather matter.

As for the reason, the role of the flying feather in the expansion of the Xinchun Firm's business route was very huge, which was an inestimable advantage.

Maintaining some reservations about it was generally more beneficial than harmful...

He said, "The Xinchun Firm's business in Jiang Nan is getting bigger and bigger, and the transmission of letters and news is becoming more and more important."

"I have been to Jin Ling twice to handle official business and am familiar with the transmission of letters at military and civilian post stations along the way, and I have left behind some personal favors."

"The Xinchun Firm carries the brand of an imperial merchant and specially configures fast horses and manpower at post stations in various places, so the transmission of letters is much faster than usual." ===== CHAPTER 786 =====