Chapter 122: Mutual Attack

Feng Jie actually still secretly doing this kind of illegal and disorderly act behind my back? I've been wondering why people keep telling me the mansion's monthly money is always delayed!

This 'eating blood-and-tear money'—those who borrow are often forced to sell their children, break up families, and perish; this kind of thing 'greatly damages yin virtue'! It really shouldn't be done!

Seeing Jia Jing and Jia Mu show no reaction, Lady Wang narrowed her eyes and could not help but speak angrily.

On her fair face she put on an angry look, but her eyes secretly hid a hint of joy.

Now Feng Jie has no qualifications whatsoever to continue managing the household!

No wonder I'm always short of money day to day—turns out you've been taking it all to lend out! You've really calculated this well!

Mrs. Xing had long been displeased that Feng Jie favored the second branch and was not close to her, this mother-in-law; now she also jumped in to add insult to injury, her words tinged with mockery.

Jia Mu still liked this clever daughter-in-law who knew how to win her favor, and had a mind to protect her; she looked at Wang Xifeng and asked:

"Feng Jie, are you really lending money out there?"

"Ancestors, I haven't……, this is the Zhou Rui family spitting blood and slandering me."

"She must see that she's about to be kicked out of the mansion, so she's randomly dragging me in, fabricating these words to slander me—you must believe me!"

Wang Xifeng finally came to her senses and defended herself to Jia Mu.

No matter what, she would not admit to this charge.

Once this charge is admitted, not only will she lose her authority over the household, but it will also affect her personal reputation.

While speaking, she glanced at Waner's wife in the courtyard, hoping she would understand her meaning and come out to take the blame for her.

But by now the Zhou Rui family had already staked everything, their very lives on the line—how could they tolerate Feng Jie's excuses? She shouted:

"Old lady, marquis, I have evidence; this is absolutely not nonsense."

"If you don't believe me, you can search Feng Jie's room—she still has a box of loan notes there!"

"Furthermore, her external lending goes through the 'Great Passage Money House', with Waner's wife as the handler; this is clear as day—just check and you'll know."

The Zhou Rui family's words made Feng Jie's face change, showing a hint of panic.

I never expected things to develop like this; I had thought that after today I would hold great power and truly become the head of the household.

Just a moment ago I was thinking about sharing a bit of the confiscated property of slaves like the Lai family; in the blink of an eye, however, I myself was accused, the situation turned bad, and I lost all face.

Nowadays, let alone managing the household, a slight mistake could bring punishment, even divorce.

For now I can only hope that Waner's wife understands my meaning, steps forward, and takes the blame for me!

Otherwise, with Third Brother's stubborn nature, given these testimonies from the Zhou Rui family, this matter will certainly not be brushed over.

Lady Wang is truly hateful! She's trying to put me in a desperate situation!

Feng Jie's resentment toward Lady Wang instantly maxed out!

"This……" Jia Mu hesitated for a moment, recalling Wang Xifeng's past goodness, and didn't know whether to investigate further.

As for Jia Jing, at this moment he wasn't in a hurry to speak, quietly watching the women's performance.

Seeing Jia Mu hesitate and Jia Jing stay silent, as if intending to cover for Wang Xifeng, Lady Wang thought it over and said to Jia Mu:

"Old lady, I think we should investigate! No matter what, this incident has already happened, and so many people in the courtyard are watching!"

"Since things have come to this point, we must have a result; this matter is easy to investigate—just send someone to search Feng Jie's room!"

"If it turns out to be a misunderstanding, wouldn't that be even better!"

"Lady, you……" Wang Xifeng saw Lady Wang pressing relentlessly, as if she would not rest until she put her to death; her heart grew colder and more resentful by a bit.

At this moment, in Feng Jie's eyes, Lady Wang's formerly kind and benevolent pale face had turned into the visage of a poisonous snake.

Although she herself would not claim to be a good person, toward her own family she had a clear conscience.

After marrying into the Jia Mansion, from Jia Mu down to Jia Baoyu and the others, she had cared for them wholeheartedly, without the slightest negligence.

Although recently she had been contending with Lady Wang over household authority, she merely wanted to place more of her own people in the mansion to gain more power, and had never thought of using harsh measures against Lady Wang.

Who would have thought, she would be this vicious……

Jia Mu gave Lady Wang a deep look; old and experienced, she too was beginning to discern the flavor of it.

This matter is not simply a servant's accusation that the master lends money; it is a struggle for household authority between the main and second branches.

This is, probably eighty percent due to Baoyu's mother behind the scenes directing the Zhou Rui family to act this way.

Jia Mu felt somewhat annoyed at Lady Wang's behavior, but since the incident has already occurred, figuring out how to proceed is the urgent priority.

To her, Feng Jie and Lady Wang are both flesh of her own palms and backs!

In terms of affection, she actually likes Feng Jie a bit more, but Lady Wang is after all Baoyu's biological mother and Jia Zheng's principal wife; in terms of relationship, Lady Wang is undoubtedly closer.

Moreover, she hopes the second branch will manage the household; at least before her death, she does not want the pattern of the main and second branches in Rong Guo Mansion to change.

Just as Jia Mu was hesitating, a servant woman suddenly stepped forward from the courtyard servants, walked a few steps to Jia Mu and Jia Jing, knelt down, and shouted loudly:

"Marquis, old lady, it's not the second lady's doing; it's the servants acting behind her back, lending money outside on their own."

This person was precisely Wang Xifeng's personal maid, Waner's wife.

Having said that, without waiting for Jia Mu and the others to question further, she again shouted loudly:

"The servant also accuses, the servant accuses the second lady of damaging public interests for private gain, subsidizing her natal family."

"Since the second lady took charge of the household, each year the gifts and offerings given to the Wang family have been more than double those given to the old lady's Shi family."

"Furthermore, she has mandated that all major purchases of the mansion must go to shops under the Wang family's name, where the prices are nearly thirty percent above market rates."

Waner's wife related this expressionlessly; she too had no choice but to speak of this!

As Wang Xifeng's trusted personal maid, sharing weal and woe, she naturally wished to step forward and take the blame for Feng Jie.

After all, in a great household, servants are basically meant to do this kind of thing.

As long as the master is unharmed, even if the servant is punished it's only temporary; it can show loyalty, and afterward the master may reward them.

But if the master falls, the servant is basically finished as well!

Therefore, when Waner's wife was mentioned by the Zhou Rui family, she had already prepared to take the blame for Feng Jie; upon seeing Feng Jie's eye signal, she did so without hesitation.

But this blame isn't so easy to shoulder, after all—how could a servant take the monthly money to lend? How draw it early from the silver treasury? How delay the mansion's monthly disbursement?

This matter simply cannot stand up to scrutiny.

So she simply reported directly to Lady Wang, not seeking a genuine indictment, only to muddy the waters.

Both sides have shit on their backs, so now neither can blame the other.

"Fart! You dog slave! Your mind is clouded by lard!"

"You're also a slave born of the Wang Family, yet you dare utter such slander against the former master, and even crawl on me; it's utterly lawless…"

Lady Wang never expected such a turn of events; after being angered by a remark from Wang Er Xi Fu, a Buddha was born, a second Buddha ascended, her whole face changed color, and she scolded sharply.

"I now only know that I am a slave of the Jia Family!"

"Moreover, I have evidence: this year's New Year gifts, the second wife sent a double portion to the Wang Family, saying it was to celebrate the Wang Family's uncle's promotion to Minister of War."

"Also, the Wang Family's outside shop, 'Great Prosperity', is where the household normally purchases expensive spices; just by checking the regular ledgers one can see whether the slave's words are true, and the transactions were handled by the Zhou Rui Family."