Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

So, Master Yun first sent a delegation to the Li family. Upon hearing of Master Yun's arrival, the Li family, fearing neglect, hurried out to greet him. Once the guests and hosts were seated, Master Yun bluntly explained the situation to the Li family, earnestly admonishing them that forcing things would lead to failure. Initially, the Li family resented this, feeling it had tarnished their reputation. However, upon learning that Master Yun had come at Lin Ruhai's request, they became wary. After all, neither Lin Ruhai nor Master Yun were figures they could afford to offend. Therefore, despite their reluctance, the Li family had no choice but to withdraw.

After appeasing the Li family, Master Yun immediately dispatched messengers to the Zhang and Shou families, offering to mediate and reconcile the engagement. The Zhang and Shou families were overjoyed to learn of Master Yun's willingness to intervene, and each pledged to follow his instructions. Thus, thanks to Master Yun's active mediation, the turmoil that had once raged was finally resolved. The beloved couple finally married, a story of happiness and joy.

The Zhang family and the garrison commander's family had no intention of breaking off the engagement, so they readily agreed. Thus, Brother Jin's marriage to the garrison commander's son was finalized.

In the court, Prince Zhongshun spoke earnestly to the emperor, "Your Majesty, my concubine, Yingchun, the daughter of the Jia family, is gentle, virtuous, well-educated, and a truly rare beauty. Furthermore, the Jia family has served as officials for generations and is loyal to the court. I implore Your Majesty to commend the Jia family as a token of your great grace."

The emperor paused in contemplation, then smiled and nodded, approving of Prince Zhongshun's words. Shortly thereafter, an imperial edict was issued, showering praise on the Jia family. However, no one could have anticipated that this seemingly honorable gift concealed a vast conspiracy—the emperor's intention was to place the Jia family at the center of public controversy, fostering public jealousy and hatred to gradually weaken their power, ultimately achieving his so-called "praising to death" strategy.

In the solemn and magnificent imperial study, the emperor, clad in his dragon robe, sat majestically on an exquisite couch. He leaned forward slightly, his hands gently cradling a thick book, his gaze focused and deep, as if completely immersed in the world of the book.

Prince Zhongshun, standing nearby, appeared somewhat languid and unhurried. He reclined on the couch, one hand supporting his head while the other absentmindedly fiddled with the jade pendant at his waist. His brow furrowed slightly, his face gloomy. He addressed the emperor in a grave tone, "My dear brother, your actions are truly stingy. You've only issued a decree to give the Jia family some verbal praise, without even the slightest tangible reward. How can you possibly deceive them?"

Upon hearing this, the emperor's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. He gently set down the book in his hands, then picked up the teacup on the table and slowly sipped the fragrant tea. After swallowing the fragrant tea, the emperor slowly responded, "You, you don't understand. The people of the Jia family are a simple-minded bunch. A few words of praise are enough to make them happy and complacent. Why bother giving them precious gifts?"

Prince Zhongshun snorted disapprovingly, "I hope it's as my royal brother thinks. But if the Jia family is really so stupid, it would be easy to deal with." The emperor glanced at him with a warning in his eyes, "Don't underestimate the Jia family. Although they are easily blinded by vanity, they have a deep foundation. This plan of praising and killing them needs to be carried out slowly." Prince Zhongshun nodded hurriedly.

At this moment, the Jia residence was bustling with activity and activity. After the imperial edict, symbolizing supreme authority, was delivered, Jia Zheng and the rest of the Jia family were ecstatic! Without hesitation, they decided to hold a grand banquet to celebrate this thrilling moment. A joyful and peaceful atmosphere permeated the entire mansion, and the servants were beaming with joy, as if the Jia family was about to soar to great heights.

However, amidst this jubilation, Jia She was the only one feeling a sense of unease. His brow furrowed slightly, his gaze flickering. While no one was paying attention, he quietly pulled one of his trusted aides aside and said in a low voice, "This imperial edict is truly bizarre! It simply praises our Jia family without offering any substantial benefits. I have a feeling this isn't a good thing..." The trusted aide nodded repeatedly in agreement, but also gently advised Jia She not to make it known to anyone, lest he cause unnecessary trouble.

Meanwhile, Lin Ruhai, far away, heard about the Jia family's celebratory banquet and lamented the Jia family's foolishness. After all, he knew the emperor's thoughts and tactics intimately, and knew that while the Jia family seemed prosperous, they were actually in grave danger. However, Lin Ruhai did not want to be drawn into this controversy, so he quickly instructed his family to maintain a proper distance from the Jia family and avoid close contact, lest they be implicated and suffer the consequences.

On the other hand, in the Jia Mansion, everyone was still immersed in the illusory glory and unable to extricate themselves, without realizing that a terrible crisis was quietly approaching.

At this time, Jia She, who always loved pleasure, quietly arranged for his men to deliver a visiting card to the Lin family. At the same time, he also secretly sent a message to Zhang Ying of the Zhang family, inviting him to meet at the Lin family in two days to discuss some important matters.

Time flew by, and in a flash, the day they had agreed upon arrived. It was a sunny, breezy day. In a spacious, brightly lit room at the Lin family's residence, Jia She, Lin Ruhai, Zhang Ying, and Wang Xifeng sat together. Beside them sat a meticulously crafted table, upon which several cups of steaming, fragrant tea had already been placed. The aroma of the tea permeated the air, emitting waves of alluring fragrance that seemed to captivate the heart.

Zhang Ying frowned tightly. He couldn't suppress the doubts and curiosity in his heart, so he was the first to break the silence: "Brother Jia, what important matter is there that you suddenly wrote to ask me to come to the Lin family?" His tone seemed very anxious, and he was obviously eager to find out the real purpose and plan behind Jia She's move as soon as possible.

Jia She took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he breathed, as if absorbing all the resolve within him. He slowly raised his head, his gaze fixed firmly and calmly on Master Zhang, who sat across from him. He parted his lips and spoke slowly, word by word, "To be honest, Master Zhang, after careful consideration, I have decided to return all the money our Jia family owes the national treasury! Furthermore, I will hand over all the connections our family has painstakingly cultivated over the years to Your Majesty for your disposal. Even the military power I hold tightly in my hands will be offered to you without reservation."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ying felt his heart tremble violently, as if struck by thunder. He stared at Jia She with wide eyes, his mouth slightly open, incredulous. It took him a long time to come to his senses, and he stammered, "What...what on earth does this mean?" A bold hypothesis flashed through his mind, but he dared not believe it. After all, by the time the Rongguo Mansion's titles reached Jia Lian's generation, very few remained. If Jia She were to follow his advice, what kind of predicament would this once-famous and glorious family find itself in?

At this moment, Lin Ruhai, who had been listening quietly, raised his eyes slightly. His deep and wise gaze, like two cold stars, shot straight at Jia She. After a moment's silence, he slowly spoke, "If your Jia family truly possesses such courage and determination, I believe that your title of Marquis should be secure. Moreover, the benefits that Lian-ge'er will receive will surely be no less." With this, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a subtle smile. He then glanced at Jia She again with a deep meaning, as if trying to discern more of the hidden thoughts in his face.

Hearing this, Zhang Ying's tense heart relaxed slightly, but only for a moment before a deep worry surfaced on his face, which had been slightly relieved. He frowned, staring at Jia She anxiously and anxiously, asking impatiently, "But what should we do with the title of nobility of the Rongguo Mansion? After all, this matter is of great importance and is by no means a trivial matter. If there is any mistake, I am afraid it will lead to unimaginable serious consequences!"

Upon hearing this, Jia She raised the corners of his mouth slightly, revealing a confident smile. He responded calmly and confidently, "As for this, you don't need to worry about it at all. As long as we can strengthen our determination and will, we can choose to give up the title on our own initiative. As for the situation inside the Jia family, Jia Zheng will naturally rack his brains to come up with various ways to restrain the old lady and will never allow her to interfere or obstruct easily. Even if Jia Zheng is not convenient to intervene personally because of the so-called filial piety, Mrs. Wang will definitely not hesitate to use all her abilities and means to try her best to obstruct it. You know, for so many years, the couple has been living in Rong Xi Tang! It is not a place where any ordinary person is qualified to live. It is a place where only those who have obtained hereditary titles have the right to live!" "How can you be so sure?" Zhang Ying looked at Jia She with doubts, wanting to find out why he was so confident in asserting that the two of them could restrain Jia Mu.

Jia She's face was solemn, his deep eyes staring ahead, as if lost in memories of the past. Then, he slowly raised his head, nodded heavily, and replied in a deep and firm voice, "That's right! They know Jia Zhu's situation in the Imperial College like a mirror, crystal clear!"

Jia She frowned slightly and continued, "Whether it was to create favorable conditions for Jia Baoyu to successfully enter the Imperial College, or to hope that Jia Yuanchun could rise to prominence and achieve something, the effort and hard work involved might be hard for others to imagine."

Hearing this, Zhang Ying, who had been listening quietly, couldn't help but curl her lips, a look of disdain and indifference on her face. She interrupted and said, "A promising Jia Yuanchun? Humph, I really don't see how she can be promising. Just look at her current state..."

Jia She seemed to anticipate Zhang Ying's reaction. He waved his hand, urging him to calm down, and then went on to explain, "When we first sent Yuanchun to the palace, we only took the path of a minor selection. You must know that within the inner court, beauties abound, and competition is fierce. If you want to advance further, to truly distinguish yourself within the harem, relying solely on beauty and talent is far from enough. You absolutely need strong support behind you!" At this point, Jia She sighed softly, a hint of helplessness and worry in his eyes. Just as Jia She finished speaking, something unexpected happened—Zhang Ying added another sentence, calmly and deliberately. His tone was like a sledgehammer, striking the Jia family with a crushing blow. He slowly began, "I've heard that the eldest daughter of the Jia family is truly gifted and exceptional! That's why the Jia family specifically named her 'Yuan,' believing that she will achieve extraordinary things in the future."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Ying adopted a look of disdain, then began to mercilessly expose the Jia family's hidden ambitions. He sneered, his tone thick with sarcasm, "Hmph, with just such a small amount of thought and calculation, do the Jia family really think they can get away with it? They don't even consider how the powerful masters in the palace would easily let go of such a conspicuous target. I'm afraid that when the time comes, this so-called eldest daughter will become a target of public criticism, and will be ruthlessly devoured by those powerful people!"

Jia She seemed unconcerned by Zhang Ying's aggressive words. He simply replied, "It's just a name. What's the big deal?" However, Zhang Ying was clearly furious at Jia She's dismissive attitude.