Chapter 820

Lady Rongguo Prefecture, Rongqing Hall.

Seeing Wang Wang Xifeng crying poor, Sister Yuanyang's expression was slightly exaggerated, and the corners of her mouth twitched slightly, forcing herself to hold back her laughter.

Hearing Wang Wang Xifeng's words, Jia Mu frowned and said, "Doing things according to your method, isn't that just messing around? It's really too inappropriate.

Just now, when I pressed the two gossiping old women, they implicated seven or eight others; one can see how harmful these rumors are.

If all the servants who gossip were sent to the farms, how many people would be left in this mansion? Besides, if the matter is blown out of proportion, it will become even harder to handle.

If word gets out, how much gossip will it generate? Outsiders don't know how they will slander and mock the Jia family.

Feng Tan Yatou, you must use your methods these two days to make these servants below shut their mouths; if I hear them chattering again, none of them will be spared.

I have also come to understand that this matter cannot be covered up, and sooner or later, it will come to this.

However, the New Year is only a few days away, and many old noble relatives will be coming to pay their respects; if a scene is made because of this, we won't be able to have a peaceful New Year.

According to my wishes, we will handle it after the New Year; your aunt is coming to visit these days, so I will sound her out first.

It's strange these two days, why hasn't your aunt been seen?"

Hearing this, Wang Wang Xifeng couldn't help but find it funny; her aunt must have heard the rumors and was likely hiding in the East Courtyard, not daring to show off in the West Prefecture.

The fire she started was indeed useful; it not only killed her aunt's arrogance but also made the old lady decide to comply, otherwise, this matter would be really hard to handle...

She said, "Grandmother's words are remembered by your granddaughter-in-law; when I go back, I will deal with the gossiping servants. Whoever still lets gossip slip from their mouth, I will pull out all their teeth!

Let's handle this after the New Year; when the time comes, your granddaughter-in-law will come forward, so Grandmother doesn't have to be the bad guy; we can just ignore it.

Actually, cutting the expenses of the second branch is not only in accordance with family law and clan rules, but the twenty taels of silver saved each month will eventually be used back by the second branch.

Because Jia Baoyu's wife will bring people when she enters the mansion, and the eldest sister will also return home next year, the monthly expenses for these two places will be more than this amount.

Even so, the public treasury will spend twenty taels less each month, which is several hundred taels a year.

Now that the West Prefecture has less income, if we want to live a long and stable life, earning silver is important, but saving is even more important."

Jia Mu was somewhat helpless and said, "Just handle it according to your plan; it's almost New Year's Eve, so keep the servants' mouths shut, and let's have a good New Year first."

Seeing that the timing was right, Wang Wang Xifeng obediently stopped while she was ahead and changed the subject to talk about New Year's opera troupes, lanterns, fireworks, banquets, and other amusements.

Jia Mu's inner frustration gradually dissipated, thinking that her son Jia Zheng had always been filial and reasonable; as long as the reasoning was correct, her son would likely be willing.

As long as her son didn't feel uncomfortable, she would just turn a blind eye to how her daughter-in-law felt...

……

Lady Rongguo Prefecture, East Road Courtyard.

To the left of the main room in the inner courtyard, the flower garden was filled with lush green holly; under the afternoon sun, it looked verdant and full of vitality.

On the small bluestone path beside the flower garden, a white shadow ran past quickly, followed by a seven or eight-year-old boy, who was handsome and full of childishness.

He wore a light blue patterned satin round-collared robe, light green trousers, and a belt of the same color around his waist, hanging with a green jade pendant with tassels and a colorful embroidered pouch.

Although he was only a child, his attire was very proper and noble, and he looked serious, like a little adult.

He trotted after the white shadow, shouting, "Xue Nu, don't run!"

A maid chased after him, her figure graceful and moving; she wore a moon-white dark-patterned cotton-lined jacket, a light green pleated skirt, with fine eyebrows and big eyes, and a beautiful appearance.

She called out, "Lan Ge'er, run slower, be careful not to fall, or the Mistress will scold me."

She ran for a while but couldn't catch up to the boy, so she stopped to catch her breath, opened the handkerchief wrapped in her hand, and took out a piece of dried fish skin.

She waved it back and forth in the air and called out, "Xue Nu..." Her voice was crisp, like pearls falling on a jade plate, beautiful and pleasant to hear.

The white shadow stopped in its tracks, turned nimbly, and ran back; it turned out to be a snow-white Linqing lion cat.

The cat rushed past the boy and ran to the maid's side, circling her feet constantly.

The boy hurriedly turned and ran back, seeing the lion cat squatting by the maid's feet, chewing the fish skin messily, while the maid smiled and reached out to stroke the cat's back gently.

The boy looked envious and said, "Yu Jin Chuan sister, you really have skills.

The Mistress has only had Xue Nu for a few days, and every time I try to hold it to play, it runs away; how come it listens to you as soon as you call it?"

Yu Jin Chuan smiled and said, "What's strange about this? My mother raised a local cat, specifically to catch mice, but cats love fish products the most.

As long as you give it something delicious, it will obediently circle around you; Lan Ge'er, shouting at it doesn't work, it will only run away faster.

I have quite a bit of this dried fish skin, which my mother gave me to snack on; I'll give you some later, and if you want to hold it, feed it a piece, and it will let you do whatever you want.

You are not allowed to run around anymore; the Mistress told me to watch you, and if you fall and get hurt, I'll be in trouble."

The two squatted beside the lion cat, chatting while teasing the white cat that was chewing on the fish skin, looking very leisurely and amused.

……

Suddenly, a voice came from behind: "Lan'er, why are you here?"

Jia Lan looked up and saw Jia Zheng looking at him with a gentle smile; he hurriedly stood up and subconsciously straightened his back.

He said, "Grandfather, the Mistress is talking to Grandmother, and she let Yu Jin Chuan bring me out to play for a while."

Jia Zheng saw that although Jia Lan was young, he was very disciplined and polite, spoke clearly, and behaved generously and appropriately, even more pleasing to the eye than his two sons.

Thinking of what Seeing Tan Chun said just now, Jia Cong also valued his grandson Jia Lan, feeling that he had an introverted personality, was sensible and polite, and could achieve something.

Now looking at his eldest grandson's response, he was like his eldest son Jia Zhu back in the day; he was indeed a child with potential.

Although his eldest son was not very promising, his studies and knowledge were impeccable...

Jia Zheng asked with a smile, "Lan'er, have you done your homework today? Being greedy for play will only waste time."

Jia Lan said seriously, "Grandfather, Lan'er has done his homework today; I get up at 7:15 every morning, and the Mistress lets me recite scriptures for half an hour and practice calligraphy for an hour.

If I am lazy and slack off, the Mistress will hit my palms; I only come out to play for a while after I have carefully finished my homework."

Jia Zheng was happy to hear this; Jia Lan was only a seven-year-old child, and doing an hour and a half of schoolwork every day was already very commendable.

Today he asked Jia Baoyu to come over to test his schoolwork, but he actually shirked it by claiming to be sick; he was simply a hopeless beast.

The ancients studied hard by borrowing light from a hole in the wall or using fireflies, and if one truly had the ambition to study, even if one were sick, one should not put down the book.

Thinking of this, Jia Zheng became even more disappointed in his legitimate son, and looking at the grandson in front of him, he naturally felt more pleased.

……

He smiled and said, "Your Mistress knows how to teach people very well; you must listen to her and study hard so that you will have a future.

Your Third Uncle Cong was already proficient in the Four Books and Five Classics at the age of ten, was recommended to the Qingshan Academy, and was even accepted by a great Confucian master, which is why he has his achievements today.

You are already seven years old this year; you must learn from your Third Uncle Cong's diligence so that you can succeed in your studies in the future and bring glory to your Mistress."

Jia Lan said seriously, "The Mistress often says the same thing, telling me to learn from Third Uncle Cong, study hard, achieve fame, be prominent in front of others, and not waste my life."

Jia Zheng was even happier to hear Jia Lan's words; the child was truly teachable.

He felt comforted in his heart, thinking that he and Cong Ge'er were of one mind, both seeing that Lan'er was extraordinary.

He was over fifty and in his twilight years, but Cong Ge'er held a high official position, was listed in the Hanlin Academy, and was a top-tier figure in the Great Zhou's scholarly circles.

In the future, when his grandson Jia Lan studies and advances, if he has Cong Ge'er's promotion and help, his future will surely be much smoother.

He looked at Yu Jin Chuan beside him, who was growing into a graceful young woman in her prime, beautiful and lovely, and his heart stirred slightly...

He instructed Yu Jin Chuan to take good care of Jia Lan and then returned to the Mengpo Study alone.

……

East Road Courtyard, main room.

Li Wan urged Jia Lan to finish his homework early in the morning and took him for a walk in the inner courtyard, also letting the maid Suyun teach her son to kick a shuttlecock, so he could exercise his limbs and strengthen his body.

Her husband Jia Zhu had studied hard in his early years, exhausting his heart and blood, which damaged his foundation, and later led to a great disaster, which still made Li Wan feel lingering fear.

Therefore, she was strict in teaching her son, but she dared not let him work too hard, and even less let him be lazy, which would also lead to weakness over time.

After Jia Lan finished playing with the shuttlecock, he went to hold the newly acquired lion cat to play; just then, Yu Jin Chuan received instructions from Lady Wang to invite Li Wan to the main hall to talk.

Jia Lan was attached to his widowed mother and insisted on following her; when they arrived at the main room, Lady Wang let Yu Jin Chuan take Jia Lan away so she could talk privately with her daughter-in-law.

Although Li Wan had lived a lonely life as a widow for many years, she was a sensible person; seeing that her mother-in-law was somewhat solemn and had sent her son away, there must be something important to say.

Hearing Lady Wang's resentment as she mentioned the rumors in the West Prefecture, she felt strange and didn't want to get involved, but she could only listen for now.