The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 67 Emperor Xiaomu's 'Stability' (First Update)
Rongguo Mansion, Rongxi Hall.

As Jia Zheng lay recovering from his injuries, Aunt Zhao peeled orange segments for him to eat.

When Madam Wang entered, she saw the two gazing at each other with such affection that her face immediately fell.

Jia Zheng's eyes twitched slightly, and upon seeing her appearance, he couldn't help but feel a bit disgusted.

Madam Wang composed herself and said gently, "Master, my sister-in-law is perfectly fine."

"Hmm~"

Jia Zheng was somewhat relieved that his sister-in-law was alright, and that he wouldn't be blamed by Jia Zhen.

Yesterday he felt that Jia Zhen was really taking his anger out on him.

"It's good that she's alright. The old lady probably needs to go over there to take a look. You can go with her and bring some more medicinal herbs to help her recover."

"Hmm~"

They go when there's something to do, and they go even when there's nothing to do.

So annoying!

Lady Wang glared fiercely at Aunt Zhao where Jia Zheng couldn't see, then hurriedly headed to Grandmother Jia's courtyard with her maid and the medicinal herbs she wanted to offer her condolences.

Xing had arrived earlier, even before Wang Xifeng and Li Wan.

Grandmother Jia glanced at her indifferently, picked up her cane, and said, "Let's go!"

When Shen Ning received the message, the old lady had already come from the side gate of Huifang Garden. Fortunately, the two sides were close together, so she quickly asked the boatwoman to stop at the shore and greet them.

After turning through a bamboo grove, they met on both sides. The old lady was surprised to see that she was still able to greet her personally and couldn't help but laugh. "I told you, I didn't need to worry about you. You were right."

In the past, Grandmother Jia had no worries about Lady Shen at all.

In the years that followed, she lived with Jia Jing in a separate courtyard outside the Taoist temple. During their annual gatherings, Grandmother Jia could sense that she was in poor spirits, as if she were depressed. After returning home to recuperate while pregnant, she became even more stubborn.

it's good now.

Even if Jia Jing truly sees through the ways of the world and stops caring about them, with Madam Shen around, at least the Ningguo Mansion will be safe.

"My aunt knows me best."

Shen Ning smiled and curtsied, then curtsied to Madam Xing, "Speaking of which, it was fortunate that Brother She arrived in time yesterday, otherwise Zhen'er would have been in legal trouble."

Although servants can take the blame, if the royal family wants to punish you, it will be a serious crime when they settle accounts later.

"We're all family, it's only natural."

After Grandmother Jia fully understood what had happened on Fulong Street, she was very pleased with her eldest son.

But Zheng'er was beaten so badly by him...

She had asked Zheng'er, and he clearly hadn't mentioned Zhang's matter.

She'er is just too sensitive.

They're brothers after all. All these years, hasn't Zheng'er been helping him raise Lian?

The old lady didn't visit her eldest son; she only sent a pair of her collection of antique jade pieces over, saying, "You're quite unwell, so you don't need to perform any formalities with us."

"Haha, as long as Auntie doesn't mind that my current etiquette isn't up to standard, that's fine."

He gave Wang a slight curtsy, then pulled Li Wan and Wang Xifeng back after they finished their greetings, saying, "Seeing them makes me realize how old I am."

"Pah, you dare to call yourself old in front of me?"

The old lady laughed and scolded her, and Shen Ning quickly turned around and grabbed her hand, "Oh dear, I misspoke. With you here, Grandma, I'll always be a child."

"This is right~"

Seeing everyone laughing, Grandmother Jia smiled and walked forward with her, "Do you still stroll in the garden every day like before?"

"That's for sure!"

Shen Ning smiled and replied, "The more people don't want me to be well, the more I should take care of myself, right?"

Grandmother Jia squeezed her hand, "That's the right way to think. We can't let those rotten-hearted Ruyi outside get away with it."

Shen Ning rarely felt genuine concern from her, and her smile widened. "Auntie has been through a lot. Tell me, who exactly is targeting our Jia family?"

"I've been thinking about this for a long time."

Grandmother Jia turned around, signaling everyone not to follow, and then pulled Shen Ning forward, slowly saying, "From Prince Teng's horse being startled to the midwife's accident yesterday, it is very likely that it was all done by one person."

"..."

Shen Ning's heart skipped a beat.

She pointed out that something was wrong.

The story of Prince Teng being startled by his horse was a lesson Jia Jing taught him.

but she……

Does Jia Jing want her dead?

Not right either.

What is he going to do?
"However, that person's malice towards the Wang family should be greater."

Grandmother Jia was still worried, "The matter of the midwife yesterday was very likely also aimed at the Wang family."

"……how come?"

Shen Ning was stunned by the old lady's wild imagination.

"In the Wang family, only Wang Ziteng is capable of doing anything."

Grandmother Jia sighed. Wasn't the reason she chose Wang Ziteng in the first place simply because his family had no connections? In the end, she still wanted to support her nephew, who was related to her by blood and was capable enough.

“Wang Ziteng has worked in the Beijing Garrison for several years and must have accumulated some connections. But the two above him are well aware of his relationship with our family. There are many people in the Beijing Garrison who can replace him.”

She is now worried about which of the higher-ups will remove the Jia family's last reliance.

"He~"

Grandmother Jia sighed again, "Although he has some talent, he is also a bit too eager for quick success and instant benefits."

She knew that Wang Ziteng was ambitious.

Originally, it seemed that whether the Beijing Garrison was in the hands of the Ningguo Mansion or Prince Teng, or in the Rongguo Mansion, it would be the same. But now it appears that Prince Teng's struggle for power in the Beijing Garrison has failed.

"The Beijing Garrison is such an important place, both the Emperor Emeritus and the Emperor are watching it closely. With his brain... he's nowhere near as good as Jing'er." Grandmother Jia was now only angry at Prince Teng's reckless actions, which had disrupted the Jia family's original plans.

"You made the right decision to let Rong-ge and the others learn martial arts."

"..."

Shen Ning's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly said, "It's not martial arts, it's fitness."

Who learns martial arts in such a short time?

She couldn't figure out what the old woman was up to.

However, it was absolutely impossible to force her to agree to let Rong-ge'er pursue martial arts.

Even if she did hope that Rong-ge'er would pursue martial arts, the prerequisite was that the child himself was willing and wanted to do it.

Although Rong-ge'er had learned a lot from Jiao-xue, he preferred the imperial examination.

After Jia Jing's departure from home and Jia Zhen's incompetence, as long as Rong-ge'er performs well, there is still a high chance that he will be given an important position again.

Shen Ning sighed inwardly.

The Jia family ruined their descendants to reassure those in power. Originally, the path they paved for their descendants was fine, but now it's not just a problem for the Jia family, but also for the times.

The peephole and clock in the mansion foreshadowed the commotion outside.

Even if she restrained the Jia family's descendants and prevented their property from being confiscated, what about the future...?

"Yes, yes, it's fitness!"

Grandmother Jia was unaware of how much she had been thinking, but she was quite pleased with her quick wit. "The situation at the clan school is much better than before. Before Zhu'er went to the Imperial Academy, she told me that Baoyu should be sent to the clan school to study, and it wouldn't be a problem for him to hire a teacher there."

She brought up her very capable eldest grandson, praising the clan school for its excellent management. In fact, she was also telling Shen Ning that among the Jia family members, her eldest grandson was the most outstanding, and both families should continue to support him.

If the Wang family can't succeed, then the Jia family will have no choice but to take this path even further.

"Speaking of which, there is also Yuan Chun in this palace."

If she could, she really wished that Jia Zhen could pledge allegiance to the Emperor, hand over some people from the Ningguo Mansion to the Emperor, and find a way for her eldest granddaughter to get ahead with the Emperor.

As long as Yuan Chun can gain a foothold in the palace, Zhu'er and Bao Yu will also be fine.

Then the brothers can turn the tables and help Rong-ge'er again.

“You said last time that Yuan Chun should come back, but after thinking it over and over, I still think it’s not a good idea.”

Grandmother Jia spoke with an air of sincerity, saying, "Although She'er and Zhen'er have inherited their titles, they are not in the court. Zheng'er... is actually not much different."

She took to heart the things her eldest son said to her second son yesterday.

"If there's no one in the court, and no one in the palace, what will we do in the future?"

Although her family has a son-in-law, Lin Ruhai, he lives far away in Jiangnan and will definitely not be able to get away for the time being.

Grandmother Jia was well aware that the Emperor Emeritus was willing to give Lin Ruhai a certain degree of trust because of the Jia family.

Because of the integrity of the retired emperor and Lin Ruhai, the emperor will not touch him.

A delicate balance has been formed between the two, but the retired emperor's health is clearly still good (otherwise he wouldn't be able to compete for power with his son), so this balance will not be disrupted for the time being. Lin Ruhai... will likely have to stay until the retired emperor is gone before he can return to the capital.

The Jia family cannot wait that long.

Grandmother Jia didn't want to wait that long either.

"I can't sleep because I'm so worried when I think about it."

"..."

Shen Ning pursed her lips.

Grandmother Jia turned to look at her, "We still need to lend a hand to Yuan Chun!"

"Will you pay me?"

Shen Ning's voice was very soft.

"Old woman, I still have some silver here for now."

Grandmother Jia didn't want to take too much advantage of this side, so she said, "That's right, if someone from the Beijing garrison comes to contact Zhen'er, tell him to keep an eye on his younger sister."

Shen Ning: "..."

She understood a little.

A firm refusal, and letting the old lady do it herself, is clearly not an option.

The Ning and Rong prefectures are inseparable.

Shen Ning let out a soft breath, "Don't worry, I will tell him."

The Emperor is a cautious man.

Otherwise, the Jia family wouldn't have chosen to handle the matter coldly when they went to repay the money.

Now that Wang Ziteng is mostly collapsed, he's even less likely to make any rash moves.

They might even lend him a hand.

After all, Prince Teng is now easier to control than the other personnel in the Beijing garrison under the retired emperor.

"However, the Emperor respects the retired Emperor, so he probably wouldn't look for our family behind his back."

It's not easy to secure a stable throne.

Even after becoming emperor, he still had to guard against his abdicated father knocking him down again.

He must proceed with caution.

At this moment, Shen Ning was unaware that the Emperor's word "stability" referred to his contact with Yuan Chun, giving her hope.

Having dinner with the Empress was a way to inquire about Yuan Chun's temperament, the Emperor Emeritus's attitude towards her, and Consort Zhen's attitude towards her.

The Ningguo Mansion suffered a loss and couldn't find the person behind it. If the Emperor Emeritus found out, he might miss his old ministers and take care of them. That would make the Emperor Emeritus feel better.

She's just a woman kept in the harem. It would be better if he had more time to get to know her and his father could assign her to him.

Emperor Xiaomu's plan was quite righteous. While Grandmother Jia and Shen Ning were having a heart-to-heart talk, he had a chance encounter with Yuan Chun in the Imperial Garden.

It was as if he had just learned about Yuan Chun.

They praised the flowers she cut, and were also very moved by the way she stood among them.