Chapter 84: Little Corner: I

At this moment, Daiyu saw that everyone wore a worried expression, her bright eyes flickered, and she said softly:

"Third Brother is such a figure! He was enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general at a young age; he will leave his name in the annals."

"How could we not consider the consequences of his actions? We still trust his ability and it is better to watch calmly."

Tan Chun's beautiful brows and eyes flashed with a hint of thought, and she said:

"Sister Lin, your words are sound; at first hearing this matter it does seem serious!"

"But Third Brother, as the new Military Governor of Bashang Daying, already bears the responsibility of restoring military discipline; his actions may be a bit heavy‑handed, yet it could not be a matter of life for life!"

"Moreover, Third Brother has just been enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general; he is a man of great merit, his reputation is soaring, so he should not be imprisoned and prosecuted! I think there is still a chance!"

Tan Chun, being naturally clever, was prompted by Daiyu and immediately caught on!

Third Brother's matter is probably not that simple; we who are uninformed need not worry prematurely.

Daiyu patted Xiao Jiaoer's head, her clear, water‑like eyes blinked again, and she laughed:

"Xiao Jiaoer, you crybaby! In a moment I'll tell Little Jixiang and the others!"

Xiao Jiaoer hurriedly wiped away tears and, laughing through sobs, said:

"Hehe! No! Xiao Jiaoer doesn't cry! Xiao Jiaoer just… just got sand in the eyes!"

Xiao Jiaoer thought for a long while and came up with a reason, as if he had heard Third Uncle use the phrase while telling a story.

As soon as the words fell, the girls burst into coquettish laughter.

Baoyu, standing nearby, frowned tightly, watching the sisters cry or laugh over Jia Jing,

feeling a strange unease; these tears should be shed for himself.

Since Jia Jing returned to Rong Guo Mansion, the sisters have grown closer to him and farther from themselves!

In the hall, Jia Mu's aged eyes looked at Jia Zhen, and she asked repeatedly:

"What exactly happened inside? Why did Brother Jing kill Lord Linchuan? And what is the situation outside now?"

"Madam, it is said that Lord Linchuan and others were drinking and consorting with courtesans in the camp; Brother Jing, brandishing the imperial sword, moved to capture him."

"When Lord Linchuan refused, Brother Jing killed him! Other generals in the camp pleaded for Lord Linchuan and were also wounded by Brother Jing."

"Now Bashang Daying is likely in chaos; Brother Jing has incurred the public's wrath, trapped in the camp, his life or death is unknown!"

"As for outside, Count Cheng, Marquis Nanxiong and other Jingnan Wuxun have entered the palace, saying they will make Brother Jing repay with his life, blood for blood!"

"These Jingnan Wuxun are always fierce; Marquis Nanxiong was a reckless brute on the battlefield. How could they let Brother Jing go? I think his life is in grave danger this time!"

Jia Zhen's information came from the mansion's steward and a young servant who gathered it outside; some true, some false,

and he knew nothing of the details inside, yet blurted everything out.

Between the lines there was only one meaning: Jia Jing is about to meet his end!

Jia Mu listened to Jia Zhen, her mind went blank; after all, she is old, and when trouble arises she cannot grasp it right away!

Yuan Yang, seeing Jia Mu's pale complexion, hurried to her side and supported her; a delicate, plain face showed concern as she gently massaged the acupoints on Jia Mu's head.

Meanwhile, Feng Jie twisted her willow‑shaped brows, and her vermilion phoenix eyes were full of suspicion,

The last time Second Master returned, he also said Brother Jing had angered Count Zhao to the point of coughing blood, falling into a coma, and rescue attempts seemed possibly futile!

In fact, the next day inquiries found Count Zhao had no serious issue; he was merely inflamed by anger, a momentary fury.

Now Brother Zhen is using the same routine; perhaps it is alarmist!

The men outside sometimes like to exaggerate deliberately; one should not take them at face value!

"Brother Zhen! Is Lord Linchuan truly dead? Not another case like Count Zhao's, where he only coughed blood and fell unconscious, later misreported as near death!"

Feng Jie looked at Jia Zhen, weighing her words, and asked:

Jia Mu also suddenly lifted her head, stared at Jia Zhen, and asked:

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Brother Jing would not act without restraint; he would not just be seriously injured and unconscious, would he?"

"How did Brother Jing deal with Lord Linchuan? Explain in detail!"

These days Jia Mu's perception of Jia Jing has been fairly good; upon his return he not only did not cause trouble,

but also treated the clan kindly, hosted a banquet for the founding lineage's martial merits, handling everything quite properly, unlike the reckless habit of striking people at the slightest provocation two years ago!

Although he does not speak as sweetly as his own Baoyu, his temperament is obedient and his words always carry a sting making him hard to approach, he is not so foolish as to kill a marquis!

There may be some misunderstanding inside!

Jia Zhen glanced at Lady Wang in the hall and the figure behind the side‑room screen, opened his mouth to speak but stopped, hesitatingly whispering:

"Should we have the younger sisters and the Second Madam avoid this for a while!"

Lady Wang frowned; having Tan Chun and the others avoid it is understandable, some outside matters are unsuitable for the women of the inner chambers.

But she herself is over forty; what else needs to be hidden from her!

As the matriarch of Rong Guo Mansion, is there anything she is not entitled to know?

Brother Zhen… even looking at him, he doesn't seem good!

"What words can't be spoken? It's the modern age, still acting like a woman! I think you're increasingly unable to discern importance; speak quickly!"

Jia Mu pounded the table, urging repeatedly.

Jia Zhen was scolded into a deep gloom.

He had thought that Lady Wang, who eats vegetarian meals and chants Buddhist sutras, would not be told about the bloody scenes; but his good intentions were taken as nonsense, leaving him with a helpless expression as he said:

"Lord Linchuan was kicked by Brother Jing…"

Jia Mu hurriedly, anxiously asked:

"Just a kick? Nothing else?"

Jia Zhen nodded, affirmatively saying:

"Just a kick!"

Jia Mu suddenly shouted a curse:

"You, big or small, are also a Third‑rank General! How can you be so undisciplined, kicking and punching in the barracks and calling that a matter? You think a single kick could kill someone?"

"You actually believe that nonsense? And you rushed here to report it? I think you're getting more and more backward; now you're probably not even as good as Brother Rong!"

Jia Mu looked at Jia Zhen with a foolish expression; after all, she had seen Jia Jing kick people before.

Back then, at this Rong Qing Tang, Jia Jing kicked Lai Da three meters away; he coughed up blood, and after a while it wasn't a big deal!

This time it must have been Brother Jing who kicked Lord Linchuan until he spat blood, and then the rumor mill went wild saying he was kicked to death!

How dare they bring these baseless rumors before the old lady, as if they were unsophisticated country women who could just fool her!

"A kick can't kill?"

Jia Zhen's expression turned strange; if he hadn't double‑checked, he wouldn't have believed a single kick could kill someone.

After all, Lord Linchuan is also a military commander; his physique shouldn't be that weak, so how could even a single kick be unbearable? But…

Jia Mu glared at Jia Zhen again and scolded:

"What's wrong with you today! Did you go somewhere and drink to amuse this old lady of mine? If you have something to say, just say it—stop stammering like that!"

Jia Zhen lowered his eyelids and said directly:

"The person is definitely dead! Brother Jing kicked Lord Linchuan into pieces with a single kick!"

"Probably the corpse is now a mess; I heard the intestines and organs were scattered all over, only the head remains, dead but unpeaceful!"

Jia Mu: "……"