Chapter 5: They Skim the Money, and Our Lord Takes the Blame?

The curtain at the entrance of Rong Qing Tang was lifted, and Jia Jing entered first, followed by Yuan Yang and the others.

The atmosphere in the hall was very solemn; Jia She and Mrs. Xing glared at Jia Jing with ill will, while Wang Shanbao's family below wept with tears on their faces, yet a hint of triumph flickered at the corners of their eyes.

Jia Jing, as if feeling nothing, proceeded in a stiff, orderly manner to pay his respects to Jia Mu, who sat aloft, and the others.

Then he smiled and said:

"I ask the ancestors' peace; I wonder if the ancestors have sent Sister Yuan Yang to summon me—do they have any orders?"

"You little brute, how dare you ask? Look at the mischief you caused, you even dared to unprovokedly injure Wang Shanbao's family; who gave you that audacity? Kneel before me!"

Before Jia Mu could speak, Jia She slammed the tea cup he was holding onto the small table beside him with a heavy thud, and shouted angrily.

Jia Jing ignored Jia She, and with a faint smile said, "So this is the matter! This treacherous scoundrel not only knows no fault, but turns the tables, the villain reports first!"

Jia Jing fixed his gaze on Wang Shanbao's family and said:

"It seems the blow was still too light! You treacherous scoundrel, using the great master's banner, plundered and interfered with lawsuits abroad, and for a few fans dared to ruin families, causing households to collapse and people to perish."

"Such disregard for life, no scruples, despicable methods, and now you even dare to bring a complaint before the ancestors?"

"I think you don't even know how to write the character 'death'."

Wang Shanbao's family shouted in defense, "I am acting on behalf of the great master!"

"Oh, so acting for the great master gives you license to be reckless? So acting for the great master lets you trample lives?"

"You, a mere servant, dare to command a prefect to violate imperial law? Is that also taught by the great master?"

"Since our ancestor Rong Ning II opened the line, our family has always governed by benevolence and forgiveness; the ancestors were men of clear reason, how dare you tarnish the reputation of Rong Guo Mansion abroad?"

"Isn't this bringing disaster upon our lord? Do you still have any sense of caution? Do you still have any reverence in your heart?"

Jia Jing sneered repeatedly, and in a harsh voice questioned.

Everyone in the hall, hearing this, probably understood the matter.

Only some were puzzled by Jia Jing's unusually resolute demeanor today, so different from his usual softness.

All who had interacted with Jia Jing naturally knew his previously weak temperament.

They all wondered what had happened to cause such a change.

At this moment, Jia Mu spoke up and asked:

"What exactly is happening? Brother Jing, explain clearly!"

Jia Jing glanced at Wang Shanbao's family, then in a serious tone said, "Ancestor, here's the situation: the great master ordered me and this treacherous scoundrel to purchase several rare antique fans, but the fan's owner, Shi Daizi, stubbornly refused to sell. As the saying goes, a gentleman does not seize what others cherish; I thought that if he truly refused, that would be that, after all there is no justification for forced buying or selling."

"Who would have thought this treacherous scoundrel, seeking credit and flattery, would invoke the great master's banner, inform Prefect Jia Yucun, and have him fabricate a charge of theft or embezzlement of state silver to raid Shi Daizi's household, using such shameless underhanded tactics to seize those antique fans."

"Because of a few fans, Shi Daizi's family was ruined and his business collapsed; this is not only lawless and unprincipled, but also further tarnishes the reputation of our mansion."

"If the court's upright censor discovers this, it will be recorded against us, and then won't our lord also have to take the blame for the servants?"

"So Grandson, in a moment of anger, you struck this ignorant, arrogant scoundrel?"

Jia Jing's words rang out like thunder, making everyone in the hall understand the cause of the matter even more.

People then realized there was a reason behind it, and many agreed with Jia Jing's words.

But obviously not everyone was being reasonable; Jia She was already furious to the extreme at this moment.

Earlier he had ordered that little brute to kneel and await punishment, yet that brute ignored him entirely.

This was undoubtedly a contempt for his father's authority!

Now he continues to speak shamelessly about considering the mansion's reputation—simply laughable!

"What nonsense are you, little brute? Even though Wang Shanbao's family acted wrongly, you should report to me, and I will decide whether to punish them or not!"

"What right do you have to strike anyone? Do you even consider me and your mother? This household is not yours to rule!"

Jia She directly overpowered him, not addressing whether Wang Shanbao's family was right or wrong, but accusing Jia Jing of overstepping his authority.

Jia Jing's expression remained unchanged; he had anticipated Jia She's reaction.

After all, the decline of Jia Mansion has rotted from top to bottom to its very roots.

In the original work, Jia She is only known for drinking floral wine and keeping concubines, let alone the petty murder that ruined Shi Daizi's family.

It is merely that Yingchun's five thousand taels of silver were sold to Sun Shaozu, the Zhongshan wolf, to settle a debt, leading to Yingchun being tormented to death.

With gold‑planted flowers and willow timber, he perished within a year.

He does not deserve to be a father, nor even a human.

And with something that is not a person, there is no reason to argue.

A flash of cold light flickered in Jia Jing's eyes, and he silently made a decision.

At this moment, seeing everyone looking at him, Jia Jing said in a deep voice, "I naturally am nothing special; I am merely a descendant of the Rong Guo line!"

"Our ancestors blazed a hard road, struggling to build a fortune for the Rong Ning II mansion; I simply do not wish to see it destroyed by a few vile scoundrels!"

Jia Jing confronted Jia She, who was inherently at a disadvantage,

A single word of ingratitude could cast the children of this era into endless calamity!

But there are three types of ingratitude; having no posterity is the greatest!

Here, "no posterity" does not refer to lacking descendants, but to having done nothing, disgracing one's ancestors.

The greatest filial duty of a prestigious mansion like Rong Guo is naturally to preserve the ancestors' noble titles and inheritance, even to glorify them.

Therefore, Jia Jing invoking his ancestors' rank is entirely justifiable.

"Moreover, this scoundrel is not acting evil for the first time; I have heard of it before, and Brother Lian Erge should also know."

"She and her men, outside, violated imperial law by opening gambling dens and usury, already driving several people to death; there was one named Ye Hei, another named Huang Gou— they forced families to collapse, wives to separate, even sold off their young daughters!"

"Her malice is not a one‑ or two‑day thing; under the banner of Rong Guo Mansion, they skim money while our lord takes the blame?"

"Such a treacherous scoundrel deserves death without hesitation!"

Jia Jing's words struck the ground like thunder, each word like a blade, turning the faces of everyone in the hall pale.

And these matters concerning Wang Shanbao's family were naturally what he had been inquiring about these days.

Not only the Wang Shanbao family, but also the Lai, Lin, Wu, Shan families and so on—he rarely remained unaware of them, for they had acted too blatantly.

Jia She nearly fainted from the breath Jia Jing dealt him.

How many years has it been? In the mansion he has always enjoyed comfort and privilege, been overbearing; the slightest defiance earned him either a beating or a tirade. When has anyone ever dared to speak to him like this?

Truly a damned beast.