Chapter 205: Dark night, fierce winds — reaching Lang Mountain

The affairs in the army camp—Jia Zhen has been exposed to them over these years, and he still knows the situation.

He knows that as long as Wang Ziteng, the Vice Minister of War responsible for rectification, is willing to help, getting Jia Rong some military merit is not difficult.

When the time comes, rectifying the Jingying, purging the troops, investigating empty provisions, corruption, and dereliction of duty— which of these is not a noteworthy military achievement?

Jia Rong's eyes lit up at the words, his face overjoyed; he immediately knelt on the ground and said loudly:

"Thank you, sir! For you to worry and plan so much for your son, I am truly grateful; I don't know how to repay you…"

Jia Zhen lifted his cup, took another sip, waved his hand, and said:

"Get up!"

Afterward, his sunken eyes held a hint of depth, and he asked as if casually:

"Right! Rong'er, where is your wife? Why haven't I seen her these days?"

Jia Rong's body stiffened, and the smile on his face froze for a moment.

Jia Zhen has been bedridden for so long; he had thought he no longer harbored designs on Lady Qin, but unexpectedly……

Could it be that this green headscarf is now permanently his?

At this time, the common folk of the Da Han Empire have begun using the term 'green headscarf' to mock men whose wives are unfaithful.

Lang Ying's *Seven Modifications Collected Drafts* records: 'Now the people of Wu call a man whose wife has illicit relations a "green headscarf".'

Jia Rong slowly rose, his expression dimming a little, he lowered his eyes, and spoke cautiously:

"Sir, Lady Qin… she has gone to the Mystic Truth Temple!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhen's face instantly darkened; Qin Keqing's behavior gave him a bad impression, his brows knit tightly, and he spoke angrily:

"The Mystic Truth Temple? What is she doing there?"

"Could she be going to file a complaint against him?"

"Last time his father suddenly returned home, he still hasn't investigated the reason clearly."

"I don't know who leaked the news to his father; could it be that Lady Qin herself went to see him?"

"Does she have the gall?"

Jia Zhen felt somewhat doubtful and uneasy!

Jia Rong was startled by Jia Zhen's sharp question, his body trembled, and he spoke softly:

"Grandfather is unwell; Lady Qin said she wants to go see him!"

"As a grandson's wife, visiting the dying great-grandfather is also filial piety; there's nothing to blame!"

The hall fell silent for a moment.

"Crack!" a loud shattering sound rang out.

Only to see Jia Zhen smash the rhino‑horn cup on the table hard beside Jia Rong's foot, spilling the fine jade‑liquor across the floor.

"What are you looking at? What are you looking at? Is a Daoist temple a place a woman like her ought to go?"

Jia Rong was startled again, shrinking his neck, afraid to speak.

Jia Zhen sternly ordered:

"Go fetch her back right away; if you mess up, I'll skin you alive! I'm not feeling well either—have her come to my chambers to attend me."

Jia Zhen's eyes revealed undisguised desire, and his tone was full of impatience.

Jia Jing is about to die; this time no one can stop him!

Jia Rong's face turned slightly pale, his lips moved as if to say something, but he didn't speak.

With Jia Zhen's promised future ahead, and this round of pressure behind him,

he simply could not refuse!

He certainly knows Jia Zhen's intentions, yet he dares not speak to obstruct or plead.

He knows that if this cannot satisfy Jia Zhen's wish, not only will the previously promised future come to nothing, but he himself will surely get a beating!

Even from now on, he dare not think of living peacefully in the Ning Guo Fu!

Jia Zhen is the unchallenged authority of the Ning Guo Fu; everything in the Ning Guo Fu belongs to him.

Whatever he wants, no one dares to refuse—not even… his daughter‑in‑law.

Jia Rong lowered his head and stammered:

"Son… son will go… fetch her right away."

Jia Zhen glanced at Jia Rong, then suddenly sneered:

"You're unwilling?"

Jia Rong's expression tightened, and he hastily said:

"No! Son… as long as you are pleased, let me do whatever you wish. I only hope you don't forget what you just said…"

Jia Rong knew the matter of Qin Keqing could not be stopped, so he could only think of first making Jia Zhen's promised official benefits concrete.

He consoled himself, thinking that with power and influence, he would never lack beautiful women.

As for Lady Qin, he could not protect her either; he could only hope for the best!

Because of Jia Zhen, his feelings for Lady Qin were not deep either.

Jia Zhen narrowed his turbid old eyes; hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared on his face, and he said:

"Rest easy! I have only you as my son; the Ning Guo Fu estate and title will all be yours in the future, let alone a petty sixth‑rank official post."

"Take care of the business, and I will certainly not forget to reward you!"

Jia Zhen also had no intention of hiding his own thoughts from Jia Rong; he knew his scheme regarding Lady Qin was no longer a secret in the Ning Guo Fu.

He also wasn't afraid of others knowing and gossiping; in wealthy households, whose family doesn't have some dirty business?

People even call them dirty Tang‑era buffoons! Didn't the Tang emperor himself smear his own son's wife? What is this little matter of mine?

Upon hearing Jia Zhen's words, Jia Rong also resolved in his heart to abandon Lady Qin, and replied:

Yes!

Just as Jia Rong was about to leave, the door curtain was lifted again.

Only Lady You entered, wearing a lotus‑rose jacket over a cyan satin vest, her face showing a hint of caution.

After entering, she first glanced at Jia Zhen, then at Jia Rong with her head lowered, and spoke softly:

"Master, just now news came from the west… it is said… it is said that the person from the main house has again achieved merit in the northwest."

"The Empress sent someone to deliver headwear, jewelry, and fine silk to the elderly lady and several young ladies of the Xi Fu."

Lady You's words carried a hint of caution; she did not add a single word of her own opinion.

She knew Jia Zhen still harbored resentment toward Jia Jing, so she dared not speak his name, referring to him only as 'the person from the main house'.

Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking, Jia Zhen's face darkened instantly.

Seeing his expression, Lady You tried to soothe him:

"Master, calm your anger; your health has just improved—great anger harms the body!"

"Am I angry?" Jia Zhen snapped, his face ashen, his old eyes wide with hatred.

"When water overflows, it spills; when the moon is full, it wanes—I refuse to believe he can keep winning forever."

"Don't get too pleased too soon; just wait and see—one day I'll make that concubine's son look foolish."

Jia Zhen seized the wine pot, took a large gulp, his gaze fixed on the bare old plum tree outside the window, a flash of gloom crossing his eyes.

Lady You and Jia Rong both kept their heads lowered, daring not to speak more, yet their eyes alike flashed with contempt.

Originally they obediently knelt in the ancestral hall for so many days, pitifully begging everywhere for help!

Now they spout harsh words behind his back—that's all the ambition they have!

Outside the window, the wind rose again!

The withered branches of that old plum tree swayed in the wind, emitting a creaking sound that could not bear the pressure, as if foretelling the fate of the Ning Guo Fu.

On the twenty‑second day of the second lunar month, spring arrived unusually late on the frontier grassland.

At the foot of Wolf Mountain where the Northern Yuan royal court stands, the lingering snow has already melted, yet the world remains a vast expanse of withered yellow.

The grassland receives little rain; these past few days have been cold, overcast clear days.

The biting spring chill, accompanied by the north wind, sweeps in from deep within the grassland, blowing the withered grass flat to the ground and chilling one's clothes to the bone.

After nightfall, the clouds obscure the stars and moon, plunging the world into a murky haze—just the sort of dark, windy night that is perfect for.