In Dream Of The Red Chamber, Jia She Acquires A Plant-Based Superpower. - Chapter 7

Situ Ruo noticed Jia She enjoyed the cold-tossed shredded chicken, so he specifically used serving chopsticks to place some on Jia She’s plate. Jia She thought for a moment, then used his own serving chopsticks to place a piece of braised pork rib on Situ Ruo’s plate.

Liu Hongyun kept his head down, focused on his meal, while internally wanting to laugh. He had dined with Situ Ruo many times and knew that the Prince disliked greasy food and would absolutely never touch braised pork ribs. Yet, Situ Ruo ate the rib without changing his expression and even discussed the flavor and preparation methods with Jia She.

By the end of the meal, both Situ Ruo and Liu Hongyun understood one thing clearly: Jia She was not a picky eater. As long as the food was delicious, he would try it, even if the ingredients were strange. After the meal, Liu Hongyun took Jia She and Situ Ruo to the study for tea and finally asked the purpose of Jia She’s visit today.

Jia She looked at Situ Ruo first, hesitating slightly. Situ Ruo was royalty; asking Liu Hongyun to help arrange a position for Jia Lian was already playing the back-door card.

Situ Ruo noticed the hesitation and immediately spoke up. “Has Brother Jia encountered some difficulty? I still have some influence in the court, or if necessary, I can plead with my imperial brother. I consider Brother Jia a friend, so please do not stand on ceremony.”

Situ Ruo insisted on using “I” instead of his royal title, attempting to close the distance between him and Jia She. Jia She had clearly come to Liu Hongyun with a request, and Situ Ruo was determined to intervene and assist him, no matter what. After all, friends help each other out.

Jia She smiled and shook his head. “It is nothing major, just domestic trifles that are troubling. My son has already started a family, yet he spends his days running around the manor trying to take on management duties.”

Liu Hongyun understood, and Situ Ruo grasped it as well. Before Liu Hongyun could speak, Situ Ruo jumped in. “There is a vacancy in the Ministry of Revenue. Let him come there to serve.”

Liu Hongyun kept his head down to drink tea; he would not compete with Situ Ruo. Since Situ Ruo was the one making the arrangement, if the Emperor were to question it, it would have nothing to do with him.

Jia She was not a hypocrite; he stood up and bowed very sincerely to Situ Ruo. “Then I shall trouble the Prince.”

Situ Ruo’s eyes flickered slightly as he watched him. Jia She clearly valued this son deeply; he would have to treat Jia Lian well.

Situ Ruo personally selected Jia Lian’s position at the Ministry of Revenue. Jia She had originally wanted Jia Lian to start from the bottom, thinking a seventh-rank official position would be quite appropriate. However, both Situ Ruo and Liu Hongyun disagreed. Upon learning that Jia Lian could manage accounts, they decided he should start in the Ministry of Revenue as a fifth-rank assistant secretary, responsible for auditing.

Liu Hongyun was the first to laugh. “If I recall correctly, the second brother in Brother Jia’s family is also an assistant secretary.”

Jia She thought of this as well. Mother Jia often bragged about how Jia Zheng had important business and was immensely proud that he held a position in the Ministry of Works. Now, he could not wait to see how Mother Jia would react when Jia Lian, also an assistant secretary, sat at the same rank as Jia Zheng.

Situ Ruo, noticing Jia She’s expression, realized he disliked his brother and deliberately remarked, “Jia Lian is the future heir of the Rong Mansion; how could Jia Zheng compare to him?”

Liu Hongyun chimed in, “Jia Zheng’s ability is truly mediocre. He has been an assistant secretary in the Ministry of Works for over a decade, and even as his superiors have changed countless times, he has remained unmoved in his position for over ten years.”

“Brother Jia, rest assured. Leave Jia Lian to the Ministry of Revenue; as long as I am there, I guarantee Jia Lian will learn something.”

Normally, such a fifth-rank position would require an imperial decree, but since Situ Ruo was intervening, that was a different matter. For a Prince to arrange a fifth-rank position was well within his power, not to mention this was the first time Situ Ruo had used his status for a favor; the Emperor would give him this face regardless.

Liu Hongyun saw Jia She and Situ Ruo off, wrote a memorial to the Emperor regarding Jia Lian, and soon received word from a young eunuch.

“His Majesty says to let the Prince arrange it. The Minister should simply watch over Jia Lian; if he has true ability, there is no need to suppress him. If he lacks talent, just give him a sinecure.”

Everything had developed exactly as Liu Hongyun had guessed. The day after Jia She returned from Liu’s residence, Jia Lian’s appointment documents arrived. Jia She sent Lin Zhixiao to summon Jia Lian and handed him the official papers. “I have done what I could; whether or not you can make a name for yourself now depends on your own efforts.”

Jia Lian held the documents, feeling a profound sense of unreality. He had truly entered the Ministry of Revenue as a fifth-rank assistant secretary, the same rank as his second uncle, and in terms of real power, even superior to him.

Jia She, impatient with Jia Lian’s gratitude, said, “There is no need for such polite formalities between father and son. If you have matters in the future, you may go to Minister Liu, but exercise discretion.”

“The Prince of Virtue gave me a courtyard, and I am giving it to you. The manor is filled with trivial affairs; you will have more peace if you move out.”

Jia She had not wanted the courtyard, but Situ Ruo insisted, calling it a gift from an elder to Jia Lian, and claiming that refusing it would be an insult. Jia She had no choice but to accept it, intending to return the favor later. After seeing that Jia Lian had not lost his composure from joy, Jia She gave a few more instructions and dismissed him.

Scheming for Jia Lian’s position was exhausting, and the social obligations of dining out were even more tiring. He was better suited to staying home, ignoring all worldly affairs and focusing solely on cultivation.

Jia Lian was intelligent. Relying on the fact that the household servants could not easily obtain news from the court, he quietly went to work at the Ministry of Revenue every day. A month and a half passed, and no one in the mansion noticed.

Until one day, someone came to congratulate Jia Zheng. Jia Zheng was initially confused, but upon asking, he learned that Jia Lian had been helping audit accounts at the Ministry of Revenue. He had discovered that a eunuch was embezzling income from the imperial estates, and as a result, he had been personally commended by the Emperor and even rewarded with a royal lunch.

Jia Zheng returned to the Jia Mansion in a daze, locking himself in his study for two hours without coming out or eating dinner. When Lady Wang summoned a servant to ask, she learned that Jia Lian was now a fifth-rank assistant secretary at the Ministry of Revenue, had performed his duties well, and had been rewarded by the Emperor.

Lady Wang’s face was shocked, and she clenched her prayer beads tightly. “Since when did Jia Lian go to the Ministry of Revenue, and how did he become a fifth-rank official?”

Zhou Rui’s wife was equally shocked and hurried to send people out to inquire. It was already dark when they returned.

“Not long ago, the Eldest Master went to the Ministry of Revenue to repay debts and got to know Minister Liu. The Eldest Master then sent a visiting card, and the very next day, Master Lian went to report for duty at the Ministry.”

Hearing this, Lady Wang gritted her teeth, anger surging as she smashed several items in the room. “Jia Lian must not be allowed to remain at the Ministry of Revenue.” Jia Lian’s official rank was now equal to Jia Zheng’s, and since the servants were all snobbish flatterers, this was not conducive to her winning them over.

Lady Wang whispered instructions to Zhou Rui’s wife, who looked troubled. “The Second Master has long since moved out of the mansion and lives on the same street as the Prince of Virtue. Your servant has inquired; the courtyard is registered in Master Lian’s name, not rented. The servants there were not brought from our manor, and their control over food and drink is extremely strict. What you have commanded is difficult to accomplish and risks leaving behind evidence.”

Lady Wang closed her eyes and inhaled, beads clicking rapidly in her hand. After a long while, she asked, “What has Feng’er been doing lately? Go find her and tell her I have something to discuss.”

Zhou Rui’s wife left Lady Wang’s room. As soon as she entered Wang Xifeng’s courtyard, Ping’er greeted her with a smile. “Mother Zhou, you are a busy woman; where are you headed?”

Zhou Rui’s wife replied with a warm smile, “Miss Ping’er, the Second Madam has something to discuss with the Young Mistress; I am here to deliver the message.”

In the next second, Ping’er showed a regretful expression. “That is unfortunate; our Mistress caught a chill from eating ice yesterday, and she started feeling unwell this morning. The doctor came and said she needs quiet rest.”

“I do not know what urgent matter the Second Madam has; perhaps I could go with you and help convey the message?”

Zhou Rui’s wife was clever; in the past, whenever the Second Madam called for Wang Xifeng, even if Wang Xifeng was ill, she would have gone to see her. This talk of quiet rest was clearly an excuse to avoid her. Zhou Rui’s wife stopped smiling. Ping’er, noticing, became anxious and hurried back into Wang Xifeng’s room after seeing her off.

Wang Xifeng, who should have been resting in bed, was lazily leaning against a soft pillow, flipping through a storybook. Wang Xifeng looked at Ping’er. “She is gone? Did she say anything?”

Ping’er went to her side. “Nothing, but her expression was not good. Mistress, if you do not see the Second Madam, are you not afraid she will settle the score later?”

Wang Xifeng sighed heavily, closed the book, and smiled bitterly. “The Second Master must have listened to someone’s words; the way he looks at me is full of resentment.”

“I know why the Second Madam called me, but I cannot go. If I had not intervened to stop it, the news of Jia Lian entering the Ministry of Revenue would not have been kept secret until now.”

“If I meet the Second Madam, it would mean betraying Jia Lian, and I would be completely alienated from him.”

“Ultimately, my reliance in the Jia Mansion is Jia Lian, not the Second Madam.”

“This manor is full of rotten accounts, and I am using this opportunity to hide and rest, so she cannot pin every dirty, stinking thing on me.” The Second Madam had hinted many times that she should take money to practice usury. With Jia Lian now at the Ministry of Revenue as a fifth-rank official, she could not hold him back. Before, when Jia Lian was nothing, he had to look to her for pocket money, so she could act spoiled, knowing he would coax her. Now that Jia Lian had a backer and was displeased with her, he had not entered her room for a long time and had even moved out without telling her. No matter how strong her character, she had a weak side. A woman with no love or respect from her husband has nothing to look forward to.

Wang Xifeng suddenly sat up and ordered Ping’er, “Go to the kitchen, make a few dishes that he likes, and deliver them personally.” Ping’er turned to leave but was stopped by Wang Xifeng. “Forget it, food is not appropriate. You deliver a thousand taels of silver instead. You must find out why he has been dissatisfied with me lately.”

Wang Xifeng had a vague feeling that Jia Lian’s coldness was not because of anything she had done; it was as if he was looking at someone else through her.

Ping’er took the bank note and left. Wang Xifeng lay back on her pillow, sighing repeatedly. When Jia Lian received the bank note Ping’er delivered, he sat in his study in silence for a long time. He knew how much Wang Xifeng valued money, yet she had still sent over a thousand taels, fearing he might be mistreated outside. His mother’s death had nothing to do with Wang Xifeng; he had been cold toward her lately out of displaced anger. His father had said he should live his own life.

Jia Lian summoned a servant and had him take a jade pendant to Wang Xifeng as a gesture of reconciliation. Upon receiving the pendant from Jia Lian, Wang Xifeng firmly solidified her stance: she would no longer grasp for power or manage the household; instead, she would feign illness to stay out of trouble.