Chapter 410: Assigning a Task

Inside the small pavilion,

Jia Jing lifted his eyes, looking at the opposite side at Feng Jie, whose expression bore a hint of solemnity and gravity; his tone softened a little, and he said in a deep voice:

"Brother Lian hasn't committed any offense; I'm just telling you that the reason his trip to Ping'an Prefecture has been delayed this long."

"I was the one who ordered him to go, and it was a legitimate matter, not that he secretly went off to cause trouble behind your back!"

"Now he's back, so you needn't doubt or blame him; the two of you have been quarrelling all day, causing chaos and unrest at home—what does it look like!"

Lately, the East Wing of Rong Guo Mansion has indeed been quite tumultuous; Feng Jie and Jia Lian, who returned from Ping'an Prefecture, have had several heated arguments.

Many bottles and jars were smashed in the house, and the couple were like enemies; it could be said they were on the verge of a physical fight!

The cause is roughly that Jia Lian had been away for several months; he claimed he was out on business, yet could not specify what exactly, and earned little silver.

Instead, Feng Jie searched his bundle and uncovered several mysterious women's private belongings.

This made Feng Jie furious; clutching the confiscated contraband, she scolded Jia Lian loudly:

"You took the business all the way to the kiln," "What filthy girls, rotten girls, the pimp's powder heads, you shove them into the furnace," "With money you exchange for these few tawdry hairs, yet no silver to bring home," "All the gold and silver my maternal family brought, you filled these lewd pits with," "Soon there'll be no money left to buy a coffin for your father," etc...

In short, the insults were extremely vulgar and unbearable to hear!

Jia Lian, though he didn't say much in response, vacillated between feeling sorry for himself and being angry, ultimately choosing sulky anger!

But in the end, in a fit of rage, he grabbed a stove cover and went to sleep in the study; the couple thus took separate rooms, and their relationship deteriorated to the brink of being exhausted.

Jia Jing brought this up because Jia Lian's trip to Ping'an Prefecture was indeed at his behest,

taking his personal guards and the Embroidered Uniform Guard to wipe clean the evidence and traces left by Jia She's smuggling.

As for how to clean up? Naturally, to make everyone who knows keep silent!

Although the smuggling was a disaster sown by Jia She, it has nothing to do with Jia Jing.

But Jia She is already a dying man, and the court is in turmoil; to prevent future accusations using this matter,

Jia Jing, after weighing, still chose to nip any potential crisis in the bud.

After all, Jia She and he share an inseparable father‑son relationship.

If such a scandal were truly exposed, even if it wouldn't harm him a bit, it would bring countless harms and no benefit to him and to Rong Guo Mansion.

Moreover, Jia Jing is now the head of the Jia family; considering the whole clan's affairs, he ultimately decided to proactively fill this pit!

Of course, the main work was done by the Embroidered Uniform Guard and personal soldiers; Jia Lian participated little, which allowed him time to go and bring warmth to the girls of Ping'an Prefecture!

At this moment, Feng Jie heard Jia Jing's words, her smile tinged with a hint of sorrow, and she shouted angrily:

"Third brother, why must you speak kindly of that scoundrel Brother Lian?"

"Even when he goes out on business, he never forgets to steal and cheat."

Jia Jing glanced at the flower‑signaled young lady opposite, whose expression grew gloomy at the mention of Jia Lian, furrowed his brows, and said in a solemn voice:

"I have no intention of speaking kindly for anyone! I have no intention to interfere in the matters between you two as a couple!"

"It's just that Brother Lian's trip concerns an important matter for the family's safety; I don't want this to become a noisy uproar, causing excessive impact and drawing unnecessary suspicion from others!"

"Therefore, regarding his trip to Ping'an Prefecture, I hope you won't bring it up again. Understand?"

Jia Jing has no leisure to meddle in the marital discord between Jia Lian and Feng Jie; if it can pass, let it pass; if not, even if they separate, he won't say another word.

He just doesn't want to see the two of them mentioning Ping'an Prefecture all day, their quarrels known throughout the entire mansion!

Nevertheless, it must be said that Feng Jie and Jia Lian's temperaments truly don't match!

Feng Jie is strong‑willed, power‑hungry, and highly possessive; most people find it hard to handle a woman of such temperament!

Jia Lian, on the other hand, is a typical prodigal son of a great household, with mediocre talent and a habit of flirtation.

The quarrels between Feng Jie and Jia Lian have never been mere spats, but a marital battle over family power, personal dignity, and living space!

The small warmth that once existed between them has, over time, been gradually exhausted by their fights, now even turning into fierce confrontations: a minor quarrel every three days, a major one every five.

In Jia Jing's view, the root of their conflict is Feng Jie's perpetual childlessness; in this era, a woman without children is an extremely dire problem.

Because childlessness means Feng Jie's position is unstable; an unstable position brings no security, making her even less able to tolerate Jia Lian seeking other women.

Her outward behavior thus becomes increasingly domineering, and the more domineering Feng Jie is, the more Jia Lian feels he cannot hold his head up at home, seeking solace and control in other women.

Thus the two constantly go opposite ways; coupled with mismatched temperaments, the rift naturally widens, like a vicious cycle!

In front of the stone table, Feng Jie, after hearing Jia Jing's words, flashed a scarlet phoenix eye, forced a smile, her face bearing a look of grievance, and cautiously probed:

"Since Third brother has spoken, and this concerns a major family matter, what more can a wretched, weak woman like me say!"

"It's just that your second brother's temperament—if you don't intervene, give him something to do."

"He probably teams up with those shameless housemaids, and sooner or later will turn the mansion into a brothel; then Third brother's reputation will also be tarnished..."

Feng Jie's words are a double entendre.

It both serves as an opportunity to complain, urging Jia Jing to restrain Jia Lian, and to play the victim.

At the same time, it also subtly hopes Jia Jing will pull his own second brother, giving him something to do, lest he idle around the mansion seeking flirtations.

After Feng Jie finished, her phoenix eyes held a hint of expectation as she looked at Jia Jing, clutching the silk handkerchief in her hand, her palms slightly sweaty.

Precisely, this is the real purpose Feng Jie sought Jia Jing today!

It was only that earlier Jia Jing had diverted the topic; she originally intended to display merit, first obtain some support and benefits, then discuss Jia Lian's affairs, but she didn't expect the inexplicable...

Now, finally, after going round and round, they've returned to the main point.

Jia Jing fell silent for a moment, thought, then spoke:

"Brother Lian's temperament isn't suited for the barracks, but his ability to receive, send, and handle practical affairs still exists."

"I think we should let him work under me at the Jing‑style small merchant firm! He can start as a deputy manager, gain experience for a while, and then... This would also serve as a reward for both of you for your diligent work during this period!"

Jia Lian, as a person, has very obvious strengths and weaknesses in both character and ability.