Chapter 300: with translation of chapter title

After Jia Jing, Jia Zheng, and the others simply exchanged a few words, the other Jia clan members also came forward one by one to greet Jia Jing.

Each of them wore a smile on their face, their smiles containing opportunism, flattery, ingratiation, and calculation,

Of course, there were also a few who were more genuinely delighted!

Jia Jing glanced over the situation of the Jia mansion clan members, and secretly furrowed his brows.

Compared to the last time he returned to the mansion after being ennobled, many Jia clan members had looked down-and-out; now the Jia clan members obviously were living well.

There were hardly any who were sallow and thin or dressed in rags; instead, quite a few wore fine silks and splendid attire, adorned with gold and jade, looking very respectable!

Of course, Jia Jing did not think that the Jia clan members living well was a problem; a few months earlier, when he united the clan, he had also intended to help them.

But the time he had allotted for taking care of them was after all short, and for the young and able members of the clan he merely offered an opportunity to serve as a steward,

If they were to suddenly become rich, I fear there would be some who would grow complacent!

If they were merely greedy for a little money and wealth, that would actually be fine; but if they relied on his influence to act lawlessly and bully others, that would be improper!

Jia Jing silently pondered in his heart, paying special attention to a few particularly conspicuous members of the clan!

Jia Qin, Jia Rui, Jia Qiang...

Each of these individuals dressed in luxurious finery, wore rouge and powder, and their bearing also had a touch of wanton impropriety.

Besides these few, there were also several clan members whose demeanor was steady and whose conduct was proper, leaving Jia Jing with an impression, such as Jia Yun.

Jia Jing, without changing expression, chatted briefly with the clan members, gauged the situation, and in his heart roughly figured things out.

After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Jia Jing finished greeting the welcoming clan members and Jia Daishan and others, saw them off, and agreed to hold a banquet for the upper and lower ranks of the clan in a few days.

After the crowd before the Rong Guo Mansion gate had dispersed, Jia Jing instructed Zhu Que standing beside him:

"Zhu Que, take the personal troops and go to the East Mansion to settle quarters; I will go there later."

"Remember to search inside and out, ensure safety, and give some silver to send away anyone unrelated."

Zhu Que had not yet had a chance to respond when Jia Zheng, standing nearby, hearing this, first stared blankly, thinking Jia Jing still did not know about the East Mansion affair, and spoke:

"Younger Brother Jing, Younger Brother Zhen has committed an offense, been ordered by the palace to be arrested and imprisoned, and the East Mansion has already been sealed off by the court!"

Jia Jing's face sank slightly, and he said:

"I know about this! His Majesty has just already told me the whole story!"

"Jia Zhen and Jia Rong have neglected virtue, engaged in corrupt and illegal conduct, and have already been convicted by His Majesty according to law, with a decision reached!"

"In this, the Ning Guo Mansion title has been stripped, Jia Zhen and Jia Rong are exiled to Qiongzhou to serve in the military, and the East Mansion has been granted to me by His Majesty as a separate residence!"

Jia Jing briefly explained a few sentences to Jia Zheng!

"This..." Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's expression showed both joy and worry!

The joy naturally came from Jia Zhen having saved his life, not being sentenced to death!

According to the information he had gathered these past days, the Three Judicial Offices had sentenced Jia Zhen to death, awaiting execution.

Now that he has not died, it is naturally because Jia Jing interceded on his behalf.

This shows that although Younger Brother Jing does not like Younger Brother Zhen, he still harbors some clan affection in his heart!

The worry is that the Ning Guo Mansion title is gone! This hereditary iron-clad privilege, which could be passed down for generations, has truly been stripped by the court!

Of course, Jia Zheng had mentally prepared for this; he worries whether the old lady in the household can accept this 'bolt from the blue'.

He knows that these days the old lady has been constantly murmuring, no matter what, she must preserve the title handed down from the ancestors!

Perhaps one could say that, if forced to choose between Jia Zhen's life and the title, the old lady would likely value the title more!

However,

The Ning Guo Mansion being granted to Younger Brother Jing is also good news; when the old lady learns of it, she should feel somewhat reassured in her heart!

Just as Jia Zheng's expression shifted and he silently pondered, Zhu Que, standing nearby, upon hearing Jia Jing's order, swiftly sprang into action.

He first had the Xuanwu guarding the Jia mansion come to Jia Jing's side to attend him, then he himself led the personal troops to the Ning Guo Mansion.

At this moment, only Jia Jing and Jia Zheng, the two masters, remained at the gate of the Rong Guo Mansion, together with Xuanwu and the many servants of the Rong Guo Mansion!

Jia Jing's expression grew solemn, and he said to Jia Zheng:

"Second Uncle, go first to the Rong Qing Tang Hall; I will go to the eastern wing to see my father, then go to the Rong Qing Tang Hall to pay respects to the grandmother!"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng regained a bit of his composure, hesitated a little, and spoke softly:

"Younger Brother Jing, go ahead! Your father... probably won't last much longer!"

Jia She's body truly cannot hold out much longer!

Originally, when he was severely wounded and fell unconscious in the White Lotus Sect attack, the imperial physicians diagnosed that he had less than a year to live!

Even after Jia Jing later summoned the Imperial Medical Office's Judge Wu Qian and several other divine doctors to administer acupuncture and medicine, doing everything possible to save him, it merely extended his life by a few months!

Now it is utterly a case of exhausted oil and waning breath, his breath faint, sustained only by precious medicinal ingredients!

Jia Jing's expression visibly sank a bit, and he slowly said:

"I have already sent someone to the south to summon the divine physician Ye Tian Shi, to come to the capital and consult together with Judge Wu, Divine Physician Zhang, and Divine Physician Yu!"

"No matter the cost, I also want to keep my father with us for a longer period of time……"

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's eye sockets reddened slightly, and he moved, saying:

"Younger Brother Jing, you are loyal in court and filial at home; truly you are a model for the descendants of our Jia clan!"

"If Baoyu and Huan Ge'er possessed even half of your ability and filial devotion, I could close my eyes right now and still smile in the Nine Springs!"

At this moment, Jia Zheng rarely felt a twinge of jealousy toward his elder brother Jia She, whom he had previously not thought highly of.

He considered himself, in virtue and ability, not inferior to his elder brother Jia She in the slightest!

What's more, regarding care and education of the younger generation, he far surpasses Jia She by a hundredfold!

His elder brother Jia She, toward his several sons, has always been either beating or scolding, strict to the point of containing some humiliation and harshness.

Even the legitimate son Jia Lian is often shouted at and beaten by him until his head is broken and bleeding.

As for Jia Jing and Jia Cong, these two concubine-born sons, needless to say, they are the kind of 'mongrels' and 'little beasts' that he would beat to death at the slightest disagreement!

But despite this, the elder brother's son is so filial and promising!

Jia Zheng even now had some doubts, wondering if his usual attitude toward Jia Baoyu, Jia Huan and the others had been too kind, if he had struck too lightly!

Since ancient times, filial sons come from under the rod; perhaps I should be a bit more ruthless!

Just as Jia Zheng was thinking about preparing a few more big sticks for the courtyard, Jia Jing had already taken the Black Tortoise to Jia She's small courtyard.

Faced with the fact that Jia She had little time left, Jia Jing had a plan in mind; this return to the capital was also intended to stay at the mansion and 'fulfil filial duty', sending Jia She off in happiness.

This would, on the one hand, establish his reputation as a filial son; on the other hand, it was to hide his light and nurture obscurity, to lurk his henchmen, to cool his overheated fame, and further accumulate his foundation.

On the way to Jia She's residence, Jia Jing pondered what he had just seen, and, lost in thought, asked the Black Tortoise:

"How are these young and strong clansmen doing in the fields and shops these days? Are there any clansmen relying on my lord's name to act lawlessly outside?"

Jia Jing, having been ennobled as a marquis last year and returned to the mansion, in order to unite the clan, besides rectifying the clan school and providing for the elderly and young orphans, the arrangement for the young and strong of the clan is to train them to become stewards of his estates and shops!

This intention is good, but it is evident that it inevitably breeds some corrupt and wicked elements!

However, the discovery of this matter came just in time; under the circumstances of Ning Guo Fu being stripped of its title and Jia Zhen being exiled, he would without hesitation become the new chief of the Jia Clan.

Taking this opportunity to straighten out the clan, to eliminate the dross and retain the essence, is indeed most timely!