Chapter 105: Who dares to bully my Baoyu?

Zhu Shi heard the words, gave an embarrassed smile, and said:

"This is the reason your brother had me look for you! If anyone else tried to accomplish this, it would be extremely difficult."

"First, the founding martial meritorious officials definitely won't work; they're all our own people—how could we have our own people deal with our own people?"

"Moreover, the command of the Bashang Daying army is already in the hands of your family's eldest branch's concubine son; he is of the founding lineage. If the command of the Jingying army were also given to the founding martial meritorious officials, how could the emperor feel at ease?"

"Your brother said the emperor must certainly choose someone else to balance power—either send a civil official from the Ministry of War to reorganize the Jingying army, or recall Yue Zhongqi or Nian Gengyao from the Nine Frontiers."

"The two of them are martial officials personally promoted by the emperor, but even if Nian Gengyao and Yue Zhongqi wanted to succeed in reorganizing the Jingying army in a short time, it would be impossible."

"On the contrary, your brother is the most suitable for this task; first, he is a civil official, so even if he held military command, the emperor could rest easy."

"Second, he has previously served as the Military Governor of the Jingying army; as long as he receives the Jia family's support within the Jingying, restoring order would be easier for him than for others—this is why I need your help, younger sister!"

Zhu Shi spoke about these matters fluently and in order, completely unlike her usual ignorance of external affairs; clearly, she had been repeatedly instructed by Wang Ziteng at home.

Lady Wang's expression froze, and she spoke:

"What help could I, a lady of the inner quarters, possibly give? Is it that my brother lacks silver and needs greasing?"

Zhu Shi wore a fawning smile and repeatedly said:

"No, no! Just think— the Jia mansion once produced three dukes, two of whom served as Military Governor of the Jingying army."

"Many military officers in the Jingying army were personally promoted by the late Old Duke; they all owe him favors!"

"Although the Old Duke has now passed away, this favor has fallen to his descendants."

"Your son-in-law is currently the head of the Rong Guo mansion; if he is willing to step forward and say a word, then your brother's endeavors in the Jingying would achieve twice the result with half the effort!"

"This..."

Lady Wang's face showed some hesitation, although she was very willing to lend a hand to her own brother, Wang Ziteng.

"But this matter involves Jia Zheng; she felt that even if she spoke up, Jia Zheng might not readily agree."

"If it were the past, it would still be easy to say— the Jia family had no one, and the Wang family, as relatives by marriage and old friends, could borrow a bit of personal connection without issue."

"But now the Jia family has produced that concubine son of the eldest branch, who, as a close grandson of the Duke of Rong Guo, has been ennobled as a marquis; many external affairs are now difficult for our second branch to decide on our own!"

Seeing Lady Wang hesitate, Zhu Shi hurriedly added fuel to the fire and whispered:

"If you don't use the personal connections left by the Old Duke, they will all be snatched up by that concubine son of the eldest branch, making him ever more powerful—this is no good for your second branch!"

"Furthermore, you and your husband are the proper master and mistress of the Rong Guo mansion, and Baoyu is the legitimate heir; the residual grace of the Duke of Rong Guo could never fall to that concubine son to inherit!"

"Your brother said, and it wouldn't make things difficult for your son-in-law— just have him write a letter to those founding martial meritorious officials serving in the Jingying, asking them to lend a bit more support."

"Your brother also said, as long as he becomes the Grand Marshal of the Ministry of War, Baoyu's future will be entrusted to him!"

Zhu Shi's words hit the mark in Lady Wang's heart.

Jia Jing, after all, is merely a concubine son; what basis does he have to inherit the Jia family's military connections?

"Our own Baoyu is the legitimate heir; all the good things of the Jia mansion should belong to Baoyu!"

"Besides, Wang Ziteng is our own brother."

"In terms of closeness of relation, he is truly one of our own; in the future, our Baoyu will still have to rely on his maternal uncle!"

"Anyway, these connections are useless to our second branch; it would be better to give them to his maternal uncle— at least that's far better than letting that concubine son reap the benefits for free!"

Lady Wang smiled and said:

"When my husband has free time, I'll go and discuss this with him again!"

Zhu Shi, hearing this, felt satisfied and smiled:

"Indeed, it's the blood siblings you can rely on! If this succeeds, your brother will surely not forget your effort."

The two then chatted idly for a while; after the time it takes to finish half a cup of tea, Zhu Shi, her face full of smiles, bade farewell to Lady Wang and went home.

Lady Wang, on her side, also felt a bit tired; she was about to take a nap, and meanwhile was thinking about how to tell Jia Zheng about the Wang family's matter.

Just then, suddenly the senior maid Jin Qian'er, accompanied by Xia Pozi, rushed in from outside, lifting the curtain, their faces somewhat anxious.

Lady Wang has always disliked lack of decorum among the servants in the courtyard; she furrowed her brows and asked:

"What's the matter? So rash!"

Before Jin Qian'er could speak, Xia Pozi beside her put on an act and said:

"Madam, something has happened! The second young master was bullied in Miss Lin's courtyard, and the jade he wore was smashed!"

Lady Wang's face suddenly changed, and she exclaimed urgently:

"What happened? Who dares to bully my Baoyu?"

"For other matters, Lady Wang can keep her composure, but when it concerns Baoyu, she is more anxious than anyone."

Xia Pozi's cheekbones protruded like a ghost's face; when she opened and closed her mouth, uneven yellow teeth showed; her eyes darted about like a mouse's; she reported in an exaggerated, shrill voice:

"It's none other than that sharp-tongued Miss Lin— she made the second young master furious; he said Miss Lin didn't have him as her second elder brother in her heart, wasn't close to him, and in anger smashed his jade!"

Xia Pozi, cutting to the chase, blamed everything on Lin Daiyu; she has always disliked that sharp-tongued little Lin girl.

"She knows Lady Wang also dislikes Lin Daiyu, so speaking ill of Lin Daiyu is definitely correct."

"What?!"

Indeed, Lady Wang's face changed, turning dark as iron, and she shouted:

"I've always seen her as a frivolous, sharp-tongued flirt! Staying in the mansion, she never does anything good!"

"Baoyu, a perfectly fine young man, was corrupted by her seductive temptations; whenever he goes to her room, it's either quarreling or spouting nonsense."

"Now, in good health, he's even had his vital essence smashed!"

Having said that, Lady Wang couldn't stay seated and hurried outward:

"Come on, hurry and go see my Baoyu!"

……

In the study of Mengpo Zhai, Jia Zheng wore a grayish-yellow robe of a low-ranking official, donned the Jinxian cap, and bore an air of refined elegance.

Sitting at the desk, he looked with a cold expression at the daily lessons and test papers of Jia Lan and Jia Huan, which he had obtained from the clan school, and remained silent.

He felt both joy and worry; the joy naturally came from his grandson Jia Lan giving him a pleasant surprise, whether it was this calligraphy or his study of the classics, all were commendable.

This minor exam saw him rank among the top; the clan school's teacher, Mr. Qin, a recommended man, said that given Jia Lan's attitude toward study and his level of effort, within a few years passing the scholar exam should be no problem.

This brought great comfort to Jia Zheng's old heart, for he had always regretted not being able to attain official distinction.

Although he considered himself a scholar, daily chatting with the mansion's refined guests about poetry and essays, he still lacked even the minor official rank of a student.

Yet now his grandson is about to fulfill his dream; how could he not be pleased?

In the future, when he goes out to feast and exchange with colleagues and friends, he can also have a promising junior to talk about.

So people won't say he only obtained his office through his ancestors' influence, while in fact his family lacks even a single seed of scholarship.