Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

When Lady Wang heard that Jia Lian intended to inspect all the maids in the mansion, she felt a little worried. If any of the maids were found to be guilty, she wondered, wouldn't all of Jia Zheng's past misdeeds be exposed? And Jia Baoyu's reputation might even be tarnished. So she hurriedly told Lady Jia, "Madam, I think this is a very inappropriate move. I'm afraid the maids will think we're being too harsh."

Upon hearing this, Lady Jia's face instantly darkened. She turned her head and stared at Lady Wang, then said slowly, "Lian'er is not without reason. The atmosphere in this mansion really needs to be cleaned up. If a maid behaves improperly, it will be dealt with as soon as it is discovered, so as to prevent greater trouble from arising in the future." Lady Wang became increasingly agitated upon hearing this, but she did not dare to say anything more. She knew that once Lady Jia made up her mind, it would be difficult to change it. At this moment, Jia Lian made a suggestion: "Why don't we start by investigating some of the senior maids who serve closely with the family to see if they have any unusual behavior. If not, we can gradually expand the scope."

Grandmother Jia nodded slightly, a trace of worry flitting across her eyes like a wisp of smoke, but she still nodded to indicate her agreement. She knew that this matter concerned the family's reputation and future, and it was like a heavy burden that must be handled with caution.

Jia Lian, having received Lady Jia's permission, immediately set about mobilizing manpower, like a clockwork machine, to screen the maids in the mansion one by one. He knew that this was like walking on a tightrope and required extreme caution.

Meanwhile, in a room in the east courtyard of the Jia Mansion, Jia Lian sat upright in a chair, his face stern, as if cast from ancient bronze, his aura calm and composed, like a mountain standing still. He lifted the teapot, sniffing it like a calm man, and took a leisurely sip. Seeing this, Jia He, standing nearby, reached out and took the teapot with a breeze, saying in a deep voice, "Lian'er, what do you mean by this? This is top-grade Lu'an Guapian tea, which should be savored slowly, as one savors life." With that, he personally poured Jia Lian a cup of fragrant tea.

Jia Lian took the teacup, sipping it gently like a refined scholar, then sighed deeply, as if to dispel all the worries in his heart. Seeing his son like this, Jia He asked with concern, "Lian'er, what happened that made you rush here in such a hurry, even disregarding your manners like a galloping horse?"

Jia Lian glanced around, making sure no one was nearby. Then, like a man deeply considering things, he lowered his voice and slowly addressed Jia He, "Father, this is what's happening..." He recounted the details of Jia Zheng's illness, flowing smoothly, and offered his own perspective. "We can start by investigating the personal maids in each household. If any are ill, it would be irrefutable evidence, sufficient to prove Jia Zheng's behavior is wrong. However, when I mentioned checking all the maids in the mansion, Madam Wang looked worried, like someone worried about the impact on Baoyu's reputation."

Jia He's face darkened and he snorted coldly: "Hmph! This is a woman's kindness! This matter concerns the reputation of the Jia family, how can we condone it? If there is a maid who behaves improperly, she must be severely punished!" His tone was cold and there was no room for maneuver.

Jia Lian nodded quickly and said respectfully, "Father, you are absolutely right. But how should we start the investigation now? There are so many maids in the mansion. If we check them one by one, it will probably be time-consuming and laborious." He frowned and looked at Jia He with a worried look on his face.

Jia He pondered for a moment, a glint of wisdom flashing across his eyes as his expression grew more serious, completely devoid of the vulgarity he usually displayed in front of outsiders. He spoke slowly, "Well... we could start by investigating the maids in Baoyu's room. Qingwen has always been the most arrogant and unbridled, and she has a close relationship with Baoyu, so we might as well start there. Lian'er, you're an adult now, and there are some things you should know. Do you know your maternal grandparents' family?" His gaze locked with Jia Lian, as if testing his response.

Jia Lian was stunned for a moment, his mind rapidly searching for memories of his maternal grandparents, but he found nothing. He shook his head and answered sincerely, "I don't know. No one in my family has ever mentioned it. I only heard from the old lady and Mrs. Wang that they were a declining family and very poor." A trace of confusion crossed his face, wondering why Jia He suddenly brought up this matter.

Jia He sneered, a flicker of disdain in his eyes, and said, "What do you mean by 'fallen into poverty'? That's just a lie to you youngsters. Your maternal grandfather's family is a truly aristocratic family, the Zhang family, a family of scholars! Your maternal grandfather once served as the Prince's tutor, a high-ranking official, but later fell into obscurity due to the influence of the late Crown Prince. But a dynasty of a hundred years, a family of a thousand years, has produced many talented people. Your third uncle, in particular, was a brilliant man, famous throughout the capital. If you could get some of his guidance, you would definitely benefit for the rest of your life. I have been secretly contacting them, hoping that one day they would help you out because of this blood relationship. Now that Jia Zheng has gotten into this situation, it is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of it."

Jia Lian was shocked after hearing his father's words. He had never imagined that his maternal grandparents had such a glorious past. He hesitated for a moment, then said, "Father, isn't this too risky? What if Grandmother doesn't agree to our request and instead blames us?"

Jia He patted Jia Lian's shoulder and comforted him, "Lian'er, don't worry, she will definitely agree. Your mother is the only daughter of the Zhang family and has been loved since she was a child. Now, as long as you go and talk to her, she will definitely help."

Jia Lian nodded, but he still felt a little worried. He knew this matter was of great importance and that if not handled properly, it would likely cause internal family conflicts. However, he also understood that this was a rare opportunity and that gaining the support of the Zhang family would be a great help. So, he decided to follow his father's advice and seek help from his grandmother.

Jia Lian turned and left, his steps heavy. He sighed inwardly, thinking that his mother had been murdered, and he had been kept in the dark all along. Thinking of how he had respected the old lady and Mrs. Wang since he was a child, and now he found out that they were the murderers of his mother, Jia Lian really wanted to slap himself hard.

Back in his room, Jia Lian lay in bed, his mind racing. He realized he needed to grow up quickly and stop living in mediocrity. He needed to avenge his mother and take responsibility for his own future. In this complex family environment, he needed to learn to cope with various challenges and difficulties, constantly improving his abilities and wisdom. At the same time, he also had to maintain a clear mind, not be tempted by external temptations, and firmly follow his own path.

After a night of deliberation, Jia Lian decided to use the excuse of examining the maids and old women as a cover to secretly investigate the cause of death of his mother Zhang and brother Jia Hu. He knew that there must be a huge conspiracy hidden in this, but in order to avoid alerting the enemy, he had no choice but to choose this roundabout way.

When he proposed examining the maids who served his masters, an uproar erupted. Many maids and servants, who had grown complacent due to their masters' favor, expressed their dissatisfaction. They bluntly declared, "Our Jia family has always been a wealthy family, with the Second Mistress in charge. Mr. Lian must have some reason to torment us servants by suddenly acting like this. We are a family of great virtue. How could we possibly do such a shameless thing?"

Jia Lian sneered inwardly. These maids and servants, who usually relied on their masters' favor to order the other servants around, were now accusing him of this in the name of the Jia family. However, he didn't argue with them, simply responding calmly, "I'm also following the rules of the mansion. There's no need to panic. This inspection isn't targeted at any individuals, but to ensure everyone's health and prevent the spread of illness to the masters. Anyone unwilling to cooperate may leave the Jia Mansion on their own."

His words left the originally arrogant maids and old women speechless.