Chapter 114

Firstly, as people grow old they easily recall old feelings; Granny Lai has been her companion for most of her life, and she cherishes that bond.

Secondly, the Lai family is her greatest confidant in the Rong Guo Mansion.

If she dealt with them harshly, she would have no one left in the mansion, becoming deaf and blind, which would be extremely detrimental to her control of the inner quarters.

Jia Mu's face showed a hint of hesitation and difficulty, and she slowly opened her mouth to say:

"Jia Jing, I think we should only punish Lai Da; Lai Er is the steward of Ning Guo Fu, and our Xi Fu shouldn't interfere in Dong Fu's personnel affairs."

"Granny Lai has been an elder in the mansion for generations, having rendered service; if we harshly punish the entire Lai family, people will say we are too heartless."

"As for Zhou Rui's family and Granny Fei etc., they are the personal attendants of the first and second mistresses; let them return to their rooms to be warned and dealt with as appropriate."

"You're a man handling outer affairs; it's not proper for you to directly meddle in the inner quarters' trifles, and if it gets out it'll harm your reputation."

"I think this way: from now on, you'll handle the mansion's external affairs, and I won't interfere."

"As for the inner quarters' affairs, we ladies should discuss and handle them; the principle that men govern outside and women inside has been unchanging since ancient times."

"In the past, when you handled clan affairs and Jia Zhen, I always followed your wishes and didn't intervene."

"As for managing the inner quarters of the mansion, I, Baoyu's mother, and Feng Jie will handle it; what do you think?"

Jia Mu's words, appealing to emotion and reason, made clear that while she considered Jia Jing's reputation, the Lai family and Zhou Rui's family, who had erred, deserved punishment but not severe punishment, and it was unsuitable to implicate their relatives.

Furthermore, she clearly delineated inner and outer affairs: external matters would henceforth be managed by Jia Jing, while internal affairs were not for men to meddle in and should be discussed by the women.

After all, even the imperial household is run by the empress managing the inner palace; no emperor is heard of meddling in the inner palace's affairs.

This time Jia Jing didn't give Jia Mu face, and replied coldly:

"No wonder people say, when women manage the household, the house collapses! The old lady still wants to smooth things over, unwilling to severely punish these wicked, disorderly servants!"

"This really shows that old age makes one unable to weigh priorities!"

"To blame only Lai Da alone is simply absurd! Not to mention that others in the Lai family are also guilty and cannot be let off lightly."

"Just consider that the Lai family, as trusted servants of the mansion, know all its secrets, financial sources, and connections."

"If others are not dealt with, once they bear grudges or seek self‑preservation, they are likely to collude with outside officials and betray the Jia family—in the blink of an eye."

"This momentary soft‑heartedness will not only fail to earn a good reputation, but will also sow the seeds of future disaster, and by then it will be too late to regret."

"You…" Jia Mu stared speechless, her face flushing red from Jia Jing's retort, and her head began to ache again.

She had originally thought that handing over authority over the Rong Guo Mansion's external affairs to Jia Jing would earn this grandson's gratitude, but instead she got only the label "old fool."

How many years!

From the moment she was born, she was the legitimate daughter of a marquis's household; after marrying into the Jia family, she gradually rose from mistress of the house to the Jia family's matriarch.

She had never been rebuked to her face like this before.

Women in charge, the house collapses?

Old age?

Unable to weigh priorities?

Absurd theory?

These words are just like when Jia Jing just scolded Lady Wang as a foolish woman—showing not the slightest regard for her as his grandmother.

She had been cautious, weighing her words repeatedly, yet still ended up embarrassed.

All she wanted was to protect her trusted maid; how could she be accused of being unable to weigh priorities?

And bringing up her old age—isn't that just calling her an old fool?

Yuan Yang behind Jia Mu saw her face change with anger and hurried forward to gently pat her back.

At the same time she looked pleadingly at Jia Jing, hoping he would soften his words.

As Jia Jing spoke these words, the others in the hall also looked shocked.

Just moments ago, Lady Wang being scolded by Jia Jing as a foolish woman was already a scene unseen in the Rong Guo Mansion for many years.

Who would have thought that at this moment Jia Mu would be openly rebuked for being unable to weigh priorities!

After all, Lady Wang is Jia Jing's aunt; given his exalted status, a few reproaches are still within reason!

But Jia Mu is Jia Jing's grandmother, and moreover the widow of the former Rong Guo Duke, holding a first‑rank imperial edict—her status absolutely surpasses his!

Jia Mu is not only noble in rank, but also the embodiment of filial piety that everyone in the Jia household must respect.

Whatever the right or wrong of Jia Jing's words, they can absolutely be called grossly unfilial!

In everyone's view, even if Jia Mu's words were mistaken, as her grandson you ought to advise her kindly, not bluntly accuse her like this!

Ritual law and filial duty are rules everyone must observe—how can you be so wanton!

In the hall, a pin‑drop silence fell; Qin Ke Qing and Lady Yu were so frightened they didn't dare lift their heads.

Lady Wang's pale face bore a faint cold smile and smug look; her son's such arrogance and rudeness, showing no restraint, surely invites retribution not far off!

Feng Jie also gaped in shock at Jia Jing's cold, hard expression.

Just how bold is Third Brother, daring to rebuke the old lady so directly in Rong Qing Tang with such a cold tone!

Yet this cold, forceful, fearless speech also stirred in Feng Jie a feeling that she too ought to be like that.

She felt her breath quicken and her heart race; her slender legs beneath the embroidered jacket involuntarily pressed together as she shifted her stance.

Jia Jing didn't care what others thought; his firm attitude was to convey that today's reform of household customs must proceed, and no one could stop it!

Jia Mu wanted to bargain with him to spare those Lai servants, but that was utterly impossible.

As for blaming Jia Mu for being unable to weigh priorities, to him it was merely a trifle.

Today, anyone in the hall who dares to obstruct his will will meet his merciless strike.

He has no time to play those endless inner‑quarters power games with these ladies!

Moreover, Jia Jing is using this manner to tell everyone who will ultimately call the shots in the Jia household henceforth.

Ultimately, control of power rests on people's submission, not on Jia Mu's notion that a single word can divide inner and outer authority.

What he seeks is not the stewardship inherited from Jia Mu, but genuine, heartfelt reverence from everyone.

As the elder of the household, Jia Mu had long held supreme authority in everyone's hearts.

At this moment, Jia Jing sought to undermine Jia Mu's authority in order to establish his own prestige within the household.

Jia Jing paused, then continued in a deep voice:

"Grandmother, disciplining the servants in the household is by no means a trivial domestic matter! It is a major issue concerning the life and death of our Jia Family!"

"These cunning servants outside have plenty of unlawful and disorderly schemes! If we fail to handle these matters properly."

"Once the Imperial Censor hears of this and submits a memorial, a single impeachment for 'condoning servants and perverting the law' will be a grave disaster that stains the family gate and harms imperial favor."

"Grandmother, you surely don't want to see the household suffer disaster because of the servants' entanglement, do you?"