Chapter 843: Discussing Life and Death in the Inner Quarters

Lady Rongguo Prefecture, Fengjie Courtyard.

It was nearly noon, the sky was gloomy, and light snow was drifting, wrapped in the cold wind, swirling and flying like jade flowers.

The gray-black roof tiles were covered with white snow, and icicles hung under the eaves, crystal clear, flashing with cold light.

Several maids and young wives hurried out of the Fengjie Courtyard, their faces ugly, their expressions nervous, not wanting to stay for a moment longer.

From sunset yesterday to the whole morning today, this situation had continued in the Fengjie Courtyard.

And the maids and wives who were questioned didn't dare to say anything when they went out. After all, being involved in this kind of thing would ruin their reputation if people found out.

So the matter had been making a fuss for half a day, but it was kept secret in the prefecture, and even Jia Mu hadn't heard a whisper.

Originally, a noon banquet was to be held at Rongqing Hall, and Jia Mu was to entertain the old relatives and female guests who came to visit.

According to common sense, Wang Wang Xifeng was the daughter-in-law of the First Branch and the manager of Lady Rongguo Prefecture, so she naturally had the status to sit and accompany the guests.

It was just that she was preoccupied with things and didn't like to be with her aunt. Lady Wang needed to attend the banquet to save face, but Wang Wang Xifeng didn't have that need.

She was the eldest daughter-in-law of the First Branch and the elder sister-in-law of the head of the family, Jia Cong. Even if she didn't attend the banquet, she was still the manager of Lady Rongguo Prefecture.

Even if Lady Wang attended the banquet, in the eyes of those noble ladies, she was still just a dish of dog meat.

So when the banquet opened at Rongqing Hall, Lady Wang entered with great grace, while Wang Wang Xifeng excused herself from the hall to Jia Mu and the female guests on the grounds of managing household affairs.

In fact, even if she didn't manage affairs, Wu'er and Ping'er were enough to handle it. She was just in a hurry to go back to catch the affair...

In the inner room, under the south window, on the large kang, Wang Wang Xifeng leaned against a brocade backrest, her right hand resting on a pillow, dressed in silk, her head full of pearls and emeralds.

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife stood in front of the large kang and said: "Second Grandmother, since yesterday afternoon, I have screened all the maids and young wives in the prefecture.

I know the background of these people, and I asked the questions carefully. They can't play tricks in front of me.

They have no suspicions. The woman who fooled around with Bao Er Ye Bao must not be a woman from the inner court of the prefecture."

Wang Wang Xifeng was somewhat disappointed, but she knew Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife was the manager of the inner court, a very experienced and meticulous woman.

She knew the maids and wives of the inner court like the back of her hand. If she couldn't find any suspicion, then it must be credible.

She said: "Jia Baoyu rarely goes out, and even goes out of the second gate less often. He doesn't know any outside women.

The woman who fooled around with him in the side room is not a maid or wife from the inner court. What kind of goods is she?"

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife said: "Second Grandmother, that woman is not from our inner court, which is a good thing. If a scandal breaks out, it won't implicate our reputation.

Actually, it's not strange that it's not like this. But those maids and wives who go to provoke the masters, it's nothing more than wanting to climb a high branch and get some real benefits.

But the situation in the family is very different now. Bao Er Ye Bao is now an "outside man" from a different branch. What kind of high branch can he be considered?

In the future, the Second Branch will be separated and set up their own household. By then, they will be the same kind of goods as the poor relatives of the outer seventh branch.

Our inner court maids and wives all know these rules, and they are all people who know the roots and the bottom. Who would go crazy and go to Bao Er Ye Bao to show off?"

Wang Wang Xifeng smiled and said: "What you said makes sense. To put it bluntly, if these maids and wives want to climb a high branch, they should look for someone like Cousin Cong.

Jia Baoyu is the same age as Cousin Cong, yet he has achieved nothing and is useless. Any woman who provokes him has had eight lifetimes of bad luck."

……

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife said: "But the pouch and earring in the side room are real things. Bao Er Ye Bao did dirty things, which can't be faked."

Wang Wang Xifeng suddenly remembered something. Yesterday, the Old Matriarch held a banquet at Rongqing Hall to entertain the Xia mother and daughter who came to pay a New Year's call.

When she entered the hall to take her seat, she smelled the balsam hair oil fragrance on Xia Gu Niang's hair bun, which was the same fragrance as the woman's hair found in the side room.

Although the woman who fooled around with Jia Baoyu in the side room would definitely not be Xia Gu Niang, could it be other female guests who came to visit...

Wang Wang Xifeng said: "Since it's not a scandal done by our own people, it must be an outsider who came to visit.

You know that the female guests who come and go all bring maids and nannies. This earring must have been dropped by them, but it's hard to investigate this matter."

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife said: "These female guests who come to visit are old relatives of several generations, and they are all decent people with strict family education.

Besides, how many times can they come to the prefecture in a year? They only come twice for New Year's and birthdays, and they always come and go together. They don't seem to be familiar enough with Bao Er Ye Bao to fool around.

There is one family of visitors, however, that is a bit different. They are not noble family friends, but they have been visiting frequently in the past six months.

Bao Er Ye Bao has such a temperament. Even if there are things we don't know, it's all possible..."

Wang Wang Xifeng heard this, her bright eyes shining, and she smiled: "Mother Lin is also a shrewd person, actually thinking the same as me.

Jia Baoyu and the Xia family are engaged. Mother Xia is a person who is slick and smooth. I know she is very proud to have climbed onto the Duke's gate.

This woman can manage such a large family business; she is not a fuel-efficient lamp. How could she not want to make friends and show favor to our family?

I see she has coaxed the Second Aunt to be extremely satisfied. She has been visiting the East Courtyard frequently in the past six months. I didn't expect her to be too smart for her own good, actually being bypassed by Jia Baoyu..."

……

Wang Wang Xifeng said this, her expression excited, her eyebrows dancing, and she was a bit unscrupulous in her joy.

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife also couldn't help but laugh when she heard this, saying: "It's still Second Grandmother who is good at planning, breaking the case in two or three moves.

It's just that we guessed the earring belongs to that girl, but there is no way to verify it. She will definitely deny it to the death. This "catching the affair without catching the pair" is ultimately hard to act upon."

……

At this time, Ping'er lifted the curtain and entered. Wang Wang Xifeng asked: "Why are you the only one? What is Wu'er busy with?"

Ping'er smiled: "News came from the Ningguo Prefecture that Cousin Cong has just returned from Mount Mount Luocang, so Wu'er went back to see him. I stayed to watch the stall."

Wang Wang Xifeng said: "It just so happens that something has come up. Although I have an idea in my heart, I also want to hear Cousin Cong's opinion.

Let Mother Lin watch the things here. You go back and pass the message to Cousin Cong. I will have a bottom line when I handle things."

Lin Lin Zhixiao's wife told the story of the side room, as well as what she had found out in the past half day, from beginning to end.

Ping'er's face flushed red, and she said: "Grandmother, this matter is terrible. There are still several widows in the prefecture. If a scandal spreads, Cousin Cong will have no face."

Wang Wang Xifeng said: "That is exactly what I mean. You go quickly to pass the message. Cousin Cong must know about this."

……

Count's Prefecture, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

Jia Cong took Zhen Ying Lady Lian to Mount Mount Luocang early in the morning to pay a New Year's call, accompanying his teacher Liu Jing'an to drink tea and chat.

Liu Jing'an's son and several grandchildren were all serving as officials in other places and could not return home for the New Year.

But among Liu's descendants of the same generation and younger generation, quite a few were studying at home, and most had the fame of scholars and provincial graduates.

Even though Liu Jing'an's school had produced nine successful candidates, Jia Cong was still the most outstanding among them. The descendants of the Liu family often asked for advice and chatted happily.

Compared to the two Jia prefectures where there were no peers to talk to and discuss with, it was truly a world of difference.

His teacher's wife, Madam Cui, treated Jia Cong as her own, but knowing that he was now the head of the two prefectures and had many social engagements during the New Year, she didn't want to keep him too long.

Jia Cong had a noon banquet at the Liu residence, and Madam Cui let him go down the mountain, but she urged him to return to Mount Mount Luocang for a few days when he was free after the tenth day.

Before leaving, she had the prepared New Year's gifts brought for Jia Cong to take back to the prefecture, to give to his elder sister Seeing Yingchun, or to honor the elders in the family.

……

Jia Cong had just returned to the prefecture and entered the courtyard, and was sorting out the New Year's gifts with Zhi Shao, Wu'er, Zhen Ying Lady Lian, and others, and then classifying them to send to his family.

But he saw Ping'er rushing back, pulling Jia Cong into the study to talk. Seeing her strange expression, Jia Cong knew it must be an important matter.

The two entered the study, and Ping'er told him the story. Jia Cong's face was somewhat gloomy.

Last time in the Mengpo Study in the East Courtyard, Jia Baoyu had fooled around with that Seeing Baochan, and was broken into by him and Jia Zheng.

If Jia Cong hadn't stopped him that time, Jia Baoyu would have been finished off by Jia Zheng with an inkstone. ===== CHAPTER 844 =====

His master's wife, Cui Shi, treated Jia Cong as her own, but knowing he was now the head of two prefectures and had many social obligations during the New Year, she could not ask him to stay.

After Jia Cong finished the noon banquet at the Liu residence, Cui Shi let him go down the mountain, but she instructed him before he left to return to Mount Mount Luocang for a few days when he was free after the tenth day.

Before leaving, she had the prepared New Year gifts brought out for Jia Cong to take back to the mansion to give to his eldest sister Seeing Yingchun or to show respect to the elders in the family.

……

Just as Jia Cong returned to the mansion and entered the courtyard, he was organizing the New Year gifts he had brought back with Zhi Shao, Wu'er, Zhen Ying Lady Lian, and others, intending to categorize them and send them to his family.

He saw Ping'er return in a hurry, pulling Jia Cong back to the study to talk. Seeing her strange expression, Jia Cong knew it must be an urgent matter.

The two entered the study, and Ping'er recounted the matter; Jia Cong's expression turned somewhat gloomy.

Last time, in the study at the Mengpo Studio in the East Courtyard, Jia Baoyu had been messing around with that Seeing Baochan, and they had been caught by him and Jia Zheng.

If Jia Cong had not intervened that time, Jia Baoyu would have already been finished off by Jia Zheng with an inkstone.