In Dream Of The Red Chamber, Jia She Acquires A Plant-Based Superpower. - Chapter 8

Ping’er scattered a great deal of silver and finally discovered the reason Jia Lian was neglecting Wang Xifeng. She returned to report the news to Wang Xifeng, trembling with fear.

“You would not believe it. When I heard this news, I was scared to death. After the Eldest Master repaid the arrears to the Ministry of Revenue, Master Lian went to the study that evening. When he returned, he looked completely drenched and wretched. At the time, we all assumed Master Lian had been beaten by the Eldest Master and did not think much of it. That evening, the Eldest Master told Master Lian about events from the past, and Master Lian learned that his mother had been murdered.”

Ping’er’s face turned pale as she subtly gestured toward the direction where Lady Wang resided. Wang Xifeng’s expression shifted. If that were the case, she finally understood why the look in Jia Lian’s eyes had been so icy. The servants in the manor were all saying that the Eldest Master had gone mad. In her opinion, however, he had not lost his mind; rather, he had been pushed to the brink and was now choosing to strike back.

Wang Xifeng sternly instructed Ping’er, “We must not get involved in this. If the Eldest Master has truly been enduring things until now, his accounts with the Second Master’s branch will certainly not be settled easily. From now on, act as I previously told you: avoid trouble whenever possible. I am caught between the Second Madam and Master Lian, and I cannot help either of them.”

Ping’er nodded to show she understood. She was Wang Xifeng’s personal maid, and only if Wang Xifeng fared well could she do the same.

As the weather turned colder, Jia She became increasingly disinclined to move. Every day after waking up, he would lie in the courtyard for the better part of the day. One day, Jia Zhen from the neighboring Ningguo Mansion came to see Jia She. Before he even entered the door, he could be heard crying out, “My good uncle, what were you thinking? Why on earth did you repay the arrears to the Ministry of Revenue?”

“Because of you, your nephew can hardly step out of the house. Everywhere I go, I am met with snide, mocking remarks. The children of other families even ganged up to set a trap for me, causing me to lose tens of thousands of taels.”

Jia She lazily glanced in the direction of Jia Zhen’s voice. He had little fondness for Jia Zhen, who was a classic wastrel. He was simply wasting air while alive and land when dead. Jia Zhen had been close to the original Jia She, and they had often met to appraise antiques, dine, and entertain themselves.

Jia She waved his hand to dismiss the servants and looked at the approaching Jia Zhen with a touch of disdain. Jia Zhen was much younger than him, yet his face was so aged that one would easily believe he was over forty. With such excellent circumstances and background, it was shameful that he had wasted himself to this extent.

When Jia Zhen saw Jia She, he stood still at the courtyard entrance, marveling after a long moment. “Good heavens, Uncle She, you are truly growing younger by the day. What kind of secret regimen do you follow? Tell your nephew quickly.”

Jia She did not rise from his reclining chair and shot Jia Zhen a glance. “Everyone has access to health recipes, but would you be able to follow them? I have not touched alcohol for two months, nor have I been near women. I retire at sunset and rise at sunrise, spending my leisure time observing the clouds and scenery rather than fretting over household trifles. Can you manage that?”

Jia Zhen shook his head immediately. Giving up alcohol was impossible for him, and giving up women was even more so. He spent his days in debauchery until late at night, typically only rising at noon the following day. Jia Zhen truly admired Jia She’s willpower. The Jia She of the past had also loved to play; yet, he had quit those habits without a single word of complaint, living a life as clear and plain as water.

“Uncle She, have you truly been dealt such a blow? You have even quit drinking and womanizing, and I have not seen you out playing or buying fans lately.” Jia Zhen actually wanted to ask if Jia She had truly lost his mind.

Jia She appeared uninterested in engaging with Jia Zhen. Seeing Jia She’s ethereal and extraordinary temperament, Jia Zhen dared not act as frivolously or casually as he had in the past. He feared that if he made the kind of jokes they used to share, he would only dirty Jia She’s ears. His uncle possessed the bearing of an immortal; how could he listen to such vulgarity?

Jia Zhen picked up a palm-leaf fan the servant had left aside and stepped forward to gently fan Jia She. “Uncle, what possessed you to repay the Ministry of Revenue?”

Jia She looked up at Jia Zhen and lowered his voice. “Because I wanted to stay alive.”

Jia Zhen gasped and asked, “What do you mean? Was it not because you were angry with the Second Aunt?”

Jia She sneered, “What kind of person is she that I would waste my breath being angry with her? I received a secret letter stating that a Censor intends to impeach you.”

Jia Zhen was startled, then laughed. “Uncle, are you joking with me? I have done nothing recently; why would a Censor be bored enough to impeach me?”

Jia She deliberately sneered and grabbed Jia Zhen by the collar, shouting angrily, “You are a fool! A turtle in a pond is sharper than you. I have not even come to settle accounts with you, yet you dare come to me first? I have a mind to slap you to death right now.”

Jia Zhen felt aggrieved and panicky. “Uncle, calm down, take a deep breath.”

Jia She checked the surroundings, and once he was sure no one was near, he lowered his voice to interrogate him. “Do you know who your daughter-in-law is?”

Jia Zhen looked blank. “I know, she is Qin Keqing. Uncle, have you lost your memory?”

Jia She thought of the rumors surrounding Jia Zhen and Qin Keqing in Dream of the Red Chamber. Regardless of whether Jia Zhen had such thoughts at the moment, he needed to nip this potential disaster in the bud. Jia She kicked Jia Zhen hard. Jia Zhen fell to his knees in pain, his face turning pale, and he opened his mouth to shout that Uncle She had gone mad and was trying to kill him.

Jia She did not give Jia Zhen a chance to shout. He grabbed Jia Zhen and hissed viciously, “Do you know that Qin Keqing is the daughter of the former Crown Prince? She is his only remaining bloodline.”

The cry for help died in Jia Zhen’s throat. He stared at Jia She in absolute shock and terror, forgetting even the pain in his knees. “What are you talking about? Who did you say she is?”

Jia Zhen was drenched in cold sweat, his eyes filled with a terror akin to seeing a ghost. Jia She suspected that Jia Zhen did not know Qin Keqing’s true identity, so he fueled the flames. “Someone sent a secret letter to the Retired Emperor. Both the new Emperor and the Retired Emperor know Qin Keqing’s background. That person also told the Retired Emperor a rumor that the master of the Ningguo Mansion intends to commit incest. If it were not for the connections I still have in the palace, the entire mansion would have been wiped out because of your stupidity. You dared to mess with Qin Keqing? You are truly like a turtle climbing into a boiling pot, tired of living.”

Jia Zhen sat paralyzed on the ground, unable to move, his lips trembling as he looked at Jia She. It was a long while before he whispered, “I am wronged! I did nothing, I only had a fleeting thought.”

Jia She stood up and delivered another heavy kick to Jia Zhen’s chest. “Are you ignorant of the servants in your own manor? It was just a thought to you, but the servants have spread it as if it were a vivid reality. Do you think the Emperor will believe your explanations? Prepare to plead your case in the underworld.”

Ignoring his aching ribs, Jia Zhen crawled to Jia She’s feet, crying as he hugged his leg, begging, “Uncle She, save me! Please, save me!”

Seeing Jia Zhen in such a panicked state, Jia She knew that after today, he would never dare to harbor dirty thoughts about Qin Keqing again. Fearing he might scare Jia Zhen out of his mind, Jia She crouched down and sighed. “I am furious with you. If not for you doing such an absurd thing, I would not have had to exhaust my family wealth just to please the Emperor. I did not want to involve myself in this; whether you live or die has nothing to do with me, as I only wish to protect myself. But since you came to me, I ultimately could not bear to watch you go to your death.”

Jia Zhen clutched Jia She’s leg as if it were his last lifeline, his fear so extreme he could barely speak. Jia She whispered sternly, “Qin Keqing is already married to Jia Rong; that is a fact. Go back and purge the Ning Mansion. You must clean up all rumors regarding you and Qin Keqing. You can follow Lady Wang’s example, audit the servants, and consolidate your funds to repay the arrears to the Ministry of Revenue. When the time comes, all the Censors will focus only on your repayment of the debt and will not pay attention to you and Qin Keqing.”

“When the time is right, submit a memorial to the palace and request the Emperor to pass the title to Jia Rong. You must maintain your distance from Qin Keqing; stay even more distant than a typical father-in-law and daughter-in-law should be.”

“The Retired Emperor is old and his heart has softened. Qin Keqing is the last thread of the former Crown Prince’s bloodline. If something happens to her in the Ning Mansion, our Jia family is finished.”

Jia She slapped Jia Zhen’s shoulder hard. “I have told you how to survive. It depends on whether you have the resolve to do it. Everything I said today: if you ask me about it outside this courtyard, I will not admit a word of it. Go back and calm yourself, then let Lin Zhixiao take you home.”

Jia She did not want to look at Jia Zhen again and turned back to his room to continue his cultivation.

Jia Zhen lay in the courtyard for a long time before slowly climbing to his feet. After tidying himself up, he had Lin Zhixiao, who was waiting outside, take him home. Lin Zhixiao kept his head down, not daring to speak, as Jia Zhen’s face was ghastly; the injuries on his face were clearly from Jia She.

Upon returning to the Ning Mansion, Jia Zhen locked himself in his study for an entire night before he finally calmed down. Qin Keqing’s identity is too terrifying. Could Uncle She be mistaken?

With a flicker of weak hope, he went to see Mother Jia. As soon as they met, he asked Mother Jia to dismiss the servants. Mother Jia smiled. “You monkey, what is there that cannot be said to others?” Finally, she complied, dismissing everyone in the room.

Jia Zhen was incredibly solemn. “Old Ancestor, I have learned of Qin Keqing’s true identity. You have hidden it from me for far too long.” Mother Jia paused and sighed, “Keqing is also a tragic figure. The former Crown Prince entrusted her to me, and I could not leave her to her fate.”

Jia Zhen’s hand, hidden in his sleeve, was trembling. Uncle She had not lied to him; Qin Keqing really was the bloodline of the former Crown Prince. Jia Zhen lowered his head, fearing Mother Jia would see the hatred in his eyes. Mother Jia had claimed to be taking care of Qin Keqing; if she had truly wanted to care for her, she could have found someone in the Rong Mansion to marry her. Instead, she had made Jia Rong marry her. That was the daughter of the former Crown Prince; the Ning Mansion had married a disaster—how could they expect a good end? No wonder Uncle She had gone mad; he had been driven to the brink by these reckless people!

Jia Zhen said nothing more to Mother Jia and did not reveal the source of his information. He had lost all respect for her; she was nothing but a selfish, reckless old woman. Upon returning to the Ning Mansion, he ordered his confidants to seal the gates and purge the entire household, executing everyone who had spread rumors about him and Qin Keqing.

That day, the thick stench of blood from the Ning Mansion drifted across the entire street, and the soil in the garden turned a deep reddish-brown. Late that night, Jia Zhen followed Jia She’s example and transported over a million taels of silver to the Ministry of Revenue, claiming he wanted to repay the Ning Mansion’s debt. Liu Hongyun met Jia Zhen and expressed his confusion. “Lord Jia, do you truly wish to repay the arrears?”

Jia Zhen knew Liu Hongyun was the Emperor’s confidant and sighed helplessly. “To be honest, Minister, every household has its own troubles. Recently, my Uncle She had a thief in his home, and on a whim, I investigated my own. The silver embezzled by my servants reached as much as 1.3 million taels.”

“Those servants were incredibly bold; not only did they embezzle public funds, but they also wagged their tongues, ruining my reputation and that of my daughter-in-law.”

“Minister Liu must know that my father moved to a temple to practice Taoism and left the Ning Mansion for me to manage early on. But I was young and had no experience, so how could I manage the mansion well?”

“As Uncle She said, these funds, if left in the manor, will eventually be embezzled. It is better to repay the debt; it might even save some commoners’ lives. Let us call it an act of charity to accumulate blessings.”