Chapter 4

Jia Jing slapped Wang Shanbao's wife again, and instantly her chubby face visibly swelled on one side, her eyes reduced to a slit, making her look even more ridiculous!

Wang Shanbao's wife let out a painful wail, feeling stars before her eyes as nosebleed gushed out……

Xiao Jiaoer beside them stared dumbfounded, not knowing how a few disagreeable words led Third Uncle to strike Wang Shanbao's wife.

Although it felt satisfying, she also knew this might have caused trouble,

After all, Wang Shanbao's wife is no pushover, and Third Uncle in the mansion is someone neither father nor mother loves,

The matriarch, the eldest master, and the eldest mistress would likely severely reprimand Third Uncle.

Indeed, Wang Shanbao's wife didn't linger with Jia Jing, she fled in a flash, shouting as she ran:

"You damned bastard! Wait, I'll go tell the eldest master and eldest mistress—you'll get what's coming to you……"

Jia Jing merely glanced indifferently as Wang Shanbao's wife ran off, not pursuing at all.

This was precisely the situation he had deliberately engineered; otherwise, with his martial prowess, a single kick would have killed Wang Shanbao's wife ten times over—she couldn't possibly have escaped alive and jumping about.

He also suddenly realized this might be an opportunity, a legitimate chance to leave the Jia mansion.

Although he possessed overwhelming martial strength and could forcefully leave the Jia mansion at any time, then seek an opportunity to donate himself for an official post on the battlefield, it would naturally be better to depart with justification.

Perhaps he could also use this opportunity to sever ties with the Jia mansion!

"Just wait for the eldest master to react…… Once I leave the Jia mansion, it'll be vast skies for birds to fly, wide seas for fish to leap……"

Jia Jing rubbed Xiao Jiaoer's little head, thinking with a hint of anticipation:

As expected,

In no time, YuanYang arrived with several sturdy maids, saying Grandmother Jia had summoned him.

Jia Jing had thought it would be Jia She sending someone to call him, but he didn't expect the matter to alarm Grandmother Jia, who even dispatched these stout maids, as if to press him for interrogation.

But for Jia Jing it made no difference; he immediately followed YuanYang toward Rong Qing Tang.

…………

At that moment, in Rong Qing Tang:

Grandmother Jia sat on the uppermost heated brick bed, with a small table beside her holding some snacks, evidently having just finished breakfast.

On the left-side chair sat Jia She and Mrs. Xing, their faces dark as iron, along with the leisurely Jia Lian.

On the right-side chair sat Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng.

As for Lady Li, she took San Chun, Lin Daiyu, Jia Baoyu, and others to a side room screened off by a folding screen, lest they be frightened should Jia Jing be punished.

Meanwhile, downstairs knelt Wang Shanbao's wife, wailing as she lodged her complaint.

She had originally gone to Jia She and Mrs. Xing to file her complaint,

but after Jia She and Mrs. Xing had paid their morning respects to Grandmother Jia and, due to discussing some matters, had not returned, she instead ran straight to Rong Qing Tang.

"Was it really that little beast, Jing'er, who hit you?"

Jia She's face was grim, his expression tinged with disbelief as he asked again:

He found it hard to believe that Wang Shanbao's wife had been struck by Jia Jing,

given Jia Jing's usual meek, weak demeanor, where would he get the gall to hit Wang Shanbao's wife?

Wang Shanbao's wife smeared the nosebleed all over her face, one cheek swelling toward a pig's head; hearing this, she nodded vigorously, feigning victimhood: "Eldest master! It was Jing'er……"

"I was merely following the eldest master's orders to ask how his affairs were going!"

"Who knew he wouldn't settle the matter, and moreover showed no respect for the eldest master and eldest mistress, directly knocking me to the ground—look at how he hit me!"

"If I hadn't been quick-witted and fast on my feet, I might have lost my life just now……"

Wang Shanbao's wife twisted black and white, exaggerating to put eye drops on Jia Jing.

Mrs. Xing sat nearby with a stern face, nearly bursting a blood vessel from anger.

For you see, Wang Shanbao's wife is her maidservant,

now struck in the face by a concubine's son, and humiliated before everyone, letting the second branch and these juniors laugh at her—she has utterly lost face.

Seeing Lady Wang across from her barely suppressing laughter, Mrs. Xing was practically ready to explode.

"Fine! Fine! If the tiger doesn't show its might, you treat me like a sick cat,

now even a concubine's son dares to bully me, the principal mother."

"What a fine bastard—he never looked good to begin with, truly black-hearted; this time I won't let him off!"

"Over the years Wang Shanbao's wife has done countless errands for the eldest master, and I and the eldest master have given her some dignity—yet a bastard like him dares to act so lawlessly!"

Mrs. Xing said this in a stern voice and fierce expression.

She herself is greedy for wealth, and over the years has relied on Wang Shanbao's wife to manipulate things and skim money from public funds; naturally she now backs her.

Jia She beside them had cloudy eyes, half-white hair, a weakened appearance from drink and lust; hearing Mrs. Xing and Wang Shanbao's wife, he likewise shouted without hesitation:

"Rebellious still! This clueless wretch—why keep him around? Just drag him out and beat him to death; I might as well not have begotten this unfilial beast!"

Perhaps due to his frailty, his voice sounded somewhat lacking in vigor.

Grandmother Jia, seated high above, watched the couple's loss of composure, furrowed her brows, and snorted coldly:

"YuanYang has already gone to fetch people! We must get to the bottom of this—what's the point of your two putting on this act?"

"Even if Jing'er made a mistake, when did it reach the point of shouting for beatings and killings?"

"You spend your days only drinking flower wine, ignoring household affairs; now that things have come to this, do you still have any face?"

Grandmother Jia, focused on her own pleasures, originally had no wish to manage her two sons' household affairs,

aside from Baoyu, she rarely interacted with her other grandsons, thus naturally feeling little affection for them.

But she could not possibly stand by and watch her grandson be beaten to death—that is not something a fortunate family should endure.

She sensed something fishy about this; it probably wasn't as simple as Wang Shanbao's wife claimed.

Of course, under no circumstances should one strike another; Jing'er also needs some discipline.

Lady Wang, fingering her prayer beads, also said at this moment:

Yeah! Jing Ge'er's mother passed away early; from childhood no one cared for him, so it's inevitable he grew up with a biased temperament.

Although he made a mistake now, it was probably unintentional; it's still better to focus on education.

Upon hearing this, Mrs. Xing became even more furious; she did not think Lady Wang was speaking kindly.

Saying now that his mother died early and no one cared for him— isn't that openly scolding her, this stepmother, for not raising the child well?

Moreover, Mrs. Xing, not being well-versed, couldn't quickly find a good retort to Lady Wang, and instantly became even more furious.

Wang Xifeng beside them, her willow-leaf brows furrowed, her bright eyes gleaming, paid attention to the expressions of Jia Mu and Lady Wang in the hall, and then spoke up.

Exactly! It's best for a family to be harmonious! We should first clarify the facts; if he really did wrong, then punishment is not too late.

Even when disciplining Jing Ge'er, we should explain the reasoning clearly so he understands it's for his own good.

Upon hearing this, Jia Mu's expression improved somewhat, and she smiled in praise.

It's still Xifeng who understands reason!

Just then, a maid's voice came from outside the hall.

Third Uncle Jing has arrived!