Chapter 272: Jia Zhen: Arresting Me? You Must Be Mistaken!

"Even if he's been made a duke, it looks like flowers on brocade, fire cooking oil—actually, one slip and disaster looms!"

"Now the Rong Guo Mansion will be implicated because of him—this is troublesome!"

Jia Mu watched Jia Zhen's gleeful, trouble‑seeking attitude, glared at him fiercely, and in a rare cold voice scolded:

"You oblivious wretch, you with a blackened heart—what are you so happy about?"

"All you do is not wish well for your own family; if Jing'er really gets into trouble, do you think you can escape responsibility?"

In her fury, Jia Mu didn't care about decorum and flung out Concubine Zhao's words!

Facing Jia Mu's scolding, Jia Zhen didn't talk back, but his expression showed utter indifference.

Although the Rong and Ning mansions are said to be of one breath and branch, in fact, from the first generation's Two Dukes of Rong and Ning down to Jia Rong's generation, they are already beyond the five degrees of mourning.

So, he basically isn't worried that Jing'er's trouble will implicate the Ning Guo Mansion.

"Who is the imperial envoy here to arrest? Could it be a mistake? Even if Third Brother occasionally suffers a minor setback on the northwest frontier, it shouldn't bring disaster to his family!"

Daiyu knotted her brow, frowned, and asked the messenger maid in a clear voice:

Compared to Jia Mu and the others' panic, Daiyu appeared somewhat calmer.

She simply didn't believe that Jing'er had done something wrong, causing the imperial court to come to the Jia mansion to arrest someone.

Because she knew very well that, given Jing'er's current status, position, and merits, even if he suffered a few defeats,

at most he'd be demoted and stripped of rank; the court could never impose any serious punishment!

Unless… unless Third Brother rebels, the court might possibly arrest and interrogate his family!

Otherwise, a frontier general like Third Brother, who holds heavy troops, is not someone to be moved lightly!

Even if someone dared to lay a hand on his family, it could instantly overturn the state—a responsibility no one could bear!

Baichai, hearing this, instantly reacted, glanced at Lin Daiyu with her watery almond eyes, and said in agreement:

"It definitely won't be Third Brother who's had trouble!"

And at this moment the maid also realized her words had caused a misunderstanding, and she spoke in a panicked, urgent voice:

"Not the duke! Not the duke! The Imperial City Guard is coming to arrest Master Zhen!"

"They went to the Dong Fu but found no one; hearing from the Dong Fu people that Master Zhen had come to the Xi Fu, they came looking here."

"Crack!"

Jia Zhen's teacup slipped from his palm, fell onto the blue‑brick floor with a crisp sound, and shattered into several pieces.

The tea spilled everywhere, spreading a brown stain; the tea leaves lay on the ground, piece by piece, like dead butterflies.

Jia Zhen staggered, and this time his face turned pale as if struck by lightning.

"What? Arrest me? ……"

Jia Mu, Mrs. Xing, and Feng Jie's faces instantly regained color, and their previously limp bodies instantly stiffened.

But the joy on Lady Wang's face vanished in an instant; her fair skin twitched a few times, and her hand clutching the prayer beads tightened further.

She inwardly resented: it turned out they were coming to arrest the Dong Fu's Young Master Zhen—she had been happily mistaken!

But after a moment's thought, she felt a hint of pleasure again.

Arresting Young Master Zhen is also a good thing, hearing from my sister‑in‑law that this Young Master Zhen is no good,

he runs wild in the Jingying, extorting money and making promises, causing plenty of trouble for my brother.

Now that he's gotten into trouble and been arrested, my brother's side also counts as having one less worry!

"You… you didn't mishear? Really coming to arrest me? I haven't done anything wrong—could it be a mistake?"

Jia Zhen could hardly speak, clinging to a hopeful mindset, he repeatedly asked the messenger girl for confirmation.

But before the maid could answer, an announcement came from outside the Rong Qing Tang:

"Grandmother, Third Miss, the Second Master has brought the imperial envoy!"

Before the words finished, Jia Zheng, looking panicked, led Xia Shouzhong and several little eunuchs straight inside.

Xia Shouzhong wore a stone‑blue python robe, held a scroll of yellow‑silk imperial edict, and behind him four eunuchs lowered their eyes, respectful.

There were no other idle people, so the Jia household women did not need to avoid.

Seeing that it was the Inner Minister Xia Shouzhong, personal attendant of Emperor Jing Sheng, coming himself, Jia Mu hurriedly descended from the dais,

bringing all the Jia household ladies who were about to kneel, but Xia Shouzhong, quick‑eyed and quick‑handed, held them up.

Xia Shouzhong's face bore a smile; he didn't look like someone come to make an arrest, and he said to Jia Mu in a sharp, laughing voice:

"Grand Lady! No need for much ceremony! The emperor has an edict for Ning Guo Fu's Third Rank Valiant General Jia Zhen."

"Originally we, the lowly servants, were going to deliver the edict to Ning Guo Fu, but didn't expect him to come to you, disturbing the Grand Lady—please forgive!"

Xia Shouzhong's attitude and tone were very friendly; a few brief words explained the circumstances.

"Inner Minister, please be courteous! I don't know what offense Young Master Zhen committed to actually alarm the Son of Heaven in the palace!"

Jia Mu at this time also didn't bother with pleasantries; her aged face bore a hint of urgency as she pressed:

After all, one stroke can't write two Jia characters; the Rong and Ning mansions are of one breath and branch, even though Jia Zhen is somewhat unsavory,

but Jia Mu still wanted to get to the bottom of things, to see if she could save him!

In the hall, Mrs. Xing, Concubine Xue, Lady Yu, Feng Jie and the others all turned their gazes to Xia Shouzhong, eyes full of inquiry.

Daiyu, Baichai, and the Four Springs sisters instead furrowed their brows, secretly pondering the possible circumstances.

Compared to Lady Wang, Mrs. Xing and the others having no clue, Daiyu, Baichai, and the Four Springs sisters had some guesses in mind.

They are not like ordinary ladies of the inner chambers, who know nothing of outside affairs.

Since Tan Chun took charge of the household, these young ladies have actually become the best‑informed about Jia mansion news and the most versed in current court politics.

As far as they know, this person of the Dong Fu is really not so clean.

Not to mention his bereavement‑period conduct being improper, indulgent, constantly going in and out of pleasure quarters,

It can be said that during their service at Jingying they were also unrestrained, scooping up heaps of silver, and earned an extremely bad reputation throughout Shenjing city!

These matters aren't secret at all; even Xue Pan could know them, and they naturally heard some rumors as well.

However,

They don't quite understand; although the deeds committed by Dong Fu are indeed illegal,

but the Jia Family now has Third Brother, whose reputation is at its zenith,

Logically, based on these crimes, the palace shouldn't go to such lengths—sending the internal minister himself to the gate to issue an edict and capture the talent!

What worries them now is that this incident probably won't cause the palace to view Third Brother unfavorably, or even shake their trust in him, right?

While Jia Mu and others were still fretting over Jia Zhen's matter, the girls had already caught a glimpse and were contemplating its impact on the entire Jia Family.

As for Jia Zhen at this moment, hearing Xia Shouzhong say he had come to deliver an edict to her, her face turned ashen, her body swayed, and she could barely stand!

Jia Zhen's mind was suddenly flooded with countless guesses: what exactly had they done? How could it have alarmed the palace?