Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

"Uncle, why do you have to press us so hard? Ultimately, everything our master does is simply to fulfill Old Madam's wish. What's wrong with that?" A delicate cry was heard, and everyone looked in the direction of the voice. It was Madam Xing standing there. Her eyebrows were raised, her almond-shaped eyes were wide and round, her face filled with anger. She stared fearlessly at the two men across from her, standing resolutely in opposition to them, like an unshakable mountain, unwaveringly protecting her master, Jia She.

At this moment, seeing their master gradually losing the argument, the two wives of the Shi family looked at each other in astonishment. They had never imagined that the usually docile and dignified Xing would be so aggressive at this critical moment! They had originally thought they could easily subdue the Jia family, but they had never expected a sudden and unexpected move, leaving them at a loss. On this side, Mrs. Xing blushed slightly, her hands on her hips, and she continued to speak confidently, "Oh, my, please don't disbelieve me! My master's sincerity towards mother is more precious than gold! Listen, he often talks about 'mother's thoughts' or 'mother's wishes', and every word comes from the heart and is sincere! Besides, our master is the biological son of our grandmother Jia, and the blood relationship is so close. How can you two uncles have the heart to accuse our master of disobeying mother's orders? If these words were to get out accidentally, oh my, who knows what kind of storm it would stir up in the Jia Mansion, and how much trouble it would cause! By then, I'm afraid even you wouldn't be able to stay out of it!"

Seeing this, Shi Ding, who was sitting next to him, suddenly became gloomy. He snorted coldly and said something harsh without any politeness: "Hmph! You are such a sharp-tongued Mrs. Xing. You just keep making trouble here! I want to see how others will stab you in the back after they know what you did today!" After that, Shi Ding stood up suddenly, flicked his sleeves angrily, turned around and was about to stride out of the room.

Unexpectedly, just as Shi Ding had stepped over the threshold, Madam Xing suddenly called out, "Master Shi Ding, wait!" At the same time, she quickly extended her right hand and stopped Shi Nai, who was about to speak, forcing him to swallow the words that were on his lips. In an instant, the atmosphere in the previously peaceful and tranquil room seemed to be suddenly tightened by an invisible hand, instantly becoming extremely tense and oppressive. Everyone present seemed to be under a spell, holding their breath, not daring to utter a single sound. Their eyes, drawn as if by a magnet, were fixed on Madam Xing and Shi Ding.

Madam Xing closed her eyes slightly and took a deep breath, as if trying to calm her turbulent emotions. After a moment, she slowly opened her eyes. Her initial panic was gone, replaced by a calm and composed expression. She gently opened her red lips and said in a clear and resonant voice, like a yellow oriole singing out of a valley: "Second Uncle, please stay for a moment! Since both of you have condescended to visit my humble home today, I do have some words that I have been holding back for a long time, like a fishbone stuck in my throat. If I don't get them out, I'm afraid I will be unable to sleep or eat!"

"What?" Shi Nai, having already had a bad feeling about what Mrs. Xing was saying, couldn't help but blurt out the question in astonishment. Meanwhile, Shi Ding, beside him, frowned slightly and looked at Mrs. Xing solemnly, waiting for her next words.

However, Madam Xing's expression suddenly darkened, as if enveloped by a layer of frost. Her once gentle eyes now grew icy cold, like two sharp swords piercing Shi Nai and Shi Ding. Then, with an unwavering determination, she declared, "Because you are my master's cousins, I am offering this kind advice. I'm giving you a warning. If anyone dares to owe me a debt and shamelessly refuses to repay, I will remember this person and hold a grudge against them forever! If you truly force me into a desperate situation, then who will be able to save my life?" With these words, Madam Xing folded her arms, stood tall and proud, her whole being radiating a chilling aura.

Hearing this, Shi Ding and Shi Nai were struck by lightning. Their bodies trembled violently, and their faces instantly lost all color, turning as pale as paper. They stared at Madam Xing with wide eyes, their lips trembling slightly, as if they couldn't believe what they heard.

After a while, the two finally came to their senses, opened their mouths at the same time, and stammered, "You...what nonsense are you talking about?" The voice was sharp and rapid, mixed with full of fear and disbelief, like the desperate cry of two frightened rabbits facing ferocious jackals.

However, facing the questioning of the two, Mrs. Xing seemed extremely calm. She straightened her back, looked at Shi Ding and Shi Nai with a firm gaze, and retorted without any intention of backing down: "Humph! I'm not talking nonsense! All of you here are from aristocratic families. Which family doesn't have some dirty things hidden in the dark and cannot be seen in the light? Even if you have never experienced it yourself, you must have heard of it more or less! As for how those who lend money and collect interest deal with those who owe debts and don't pay them back, I don't need to say much, everyone should know it in their hearts!" At this point, Mrs. Xing's eyes became more fierce, as if she wanted to see through the thoughts of everyone present.

At this moment, Jia She, standing by, was so astonished that his jaw nearly dropped to the ground. He had never expected that Xing, who usually seemed gentle and respectful, could actually say such cruel words. Thinking of those poor people who had lost their families and even their hands and feet because of debt, Jia She couldn't help but shudder. If there weren't others present at this moment, he really wanted to reach out and feel himself to make sure he was okay, to check carefully.

Shi Ding and Shi Nai stood there, feeling a chill running down their backs as strands of cold sweat oozed from their pores, soaking their clothes. They both commanded large armies and had witnessed blockades and other such incidents before, but today's events had left them feeling unprecedentedly nervous and uneasy.

Shi Ding took a deep breath and said slowly, "We're just here to ask questions today. Now that we know the whole story and understand that this was Aunt Jia's idea, it's really not appropriate for us, the younger generation, to meddle in this family's trivial matters!" Clearly, Shi Ding's words indicated his refusal to intervene. Even if this matter wasn't Grandmother Jia's original intention, they decided to stay out of it and ignore it.

Back at Rongguo Mansion, worried that Grandmother Jia might cause trouble, Lady Wang naturally gave her a generous dose of medicine. Furthermore, Grandmother Jia had always lived a life of luxury, and her health was not as strong as that of an average person. Therefore, it was simply impossible for her to go out and walk in such a short period of time.

At this moment, Jia Mu finally woke up slowly. After listening to Jia Zheng's complete confession, she was filled with regret and wished she could sleep forever. To make matters worse, none of the people from the main house were at home. Even the servants she usually relied on were probably of little use at this critical moment. Thinking of this, Jia Mu couldn't help but sigh, her face filled with worry.

That abominable, shameless bastard had the audacity to be so disobedient and unfilial, unwilling even to support his own mother! Even if this matter were brought to the palace, Grandmother Jia would be completely justified. However, Grandmother Jia knew very well that the vast Jia family was now like a sieve riddled with holes. Although she could temporarily conceal the truth from the public, it was impossible to hide it from those well-informed families.

Moreover, Grandmother Jia knew that the matter of relinquishing the title was not something that could be decided overnight, at least not within a short period of time—that is, within three to five days. Even so, how could she let the Second House get away with it so easily when they dared to treat her like this?

Despite the pleas of Jia Zheng and Lady Wang, and even the repeated letters of begging from Jia Yuanchun, who was in the palace, Grandmother Jia remained unmoved and resolutely refused to help. Even when Jia Baoyu, who had always been Grandmother Jia's favorite, came to ask for an audience, Grandmother Jia avoided him, giving them no room for maneuver.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a month had passed, yet the matter of the title remained unresolved, with no conclusion yet. At this moment, not only was Jia She growing restless, but even the usually calm and experienced Zhang Ying was somewhat bewildered, unable to grasp the key to the situation. Only Lin Ruhai remained calm and composed, wholeheartedly coaxing his adorable young son. "Husband, why is it so quiet around here? Not even the sound of a wind?" Wang Xifeng frowned slightly, a flicker of anxiety and confusion in her beautiful eyes. She longed for the eldest wife to leave the Rongguo Mansion as soon as possible, but these days had been unusually quiet, a stillness that made her feel a little uneasy.

"It always takes time for those who make mistakes to realize their mistakes and repent," Lin Ruhai said slowly, taking a sip of tea. However, I'm afraid that what we hoped for now has already been dashed. More than half a month has passed, and by rights, the items that needed to be sold should have been sold long ago, and the money needed should have been raised. It's a pity that no one here had the foresight to do so.

"You mean... someone is waiting for something?" Wang Xifeng asked, staring at Lin Ruhai in astonishment and disbelief.

Lin Ruhai did not directly respond to Wang Xifeng's question, but continued to speak to himself: "It is only natural to pay back debts! Even if you have to pay back the money, you should at least give people some time to raise funds."

The most impatient person was Jia She, who, unable to find an answer anywhere, ran to Lin Ruhai in a hurry to ask for advice. Lin Ruhai then repeated what he had just said to Wang Xifeng.

"You mean?" Jia She's eyes widened upon hearing this, his mouth wide enough to fit an egg. Shocked, he stared at Lin Ruhai and trembled, "There really is someone waiting?" "Yes!" Lin Ruhai nodded slightly in agreement, then carefully handed his young son to Wang Xifeng, who stood nearby. He was now frowning, absorbed in the mountain of government affairs, racking his brains for a solution.

At that moment, a servant hurried into the Jia residence, looking panicked. It was Lin Zhixiao, the housekeeper of the Lin residence. He trotted over to Lin Ruhai, dropped to his knees, and declared in a trembling voice, "Master, something terrible has happened! The old lady has sent a message, requesting you and your wife return to the Rongguo Mansion immediately. Otherwise… otherwise, she will appear before the emperor in the palace and sue you for your filial impiety!" By this point, Lin Zhixiao was so frightened that he turned pale and gasped, as if he were about to faint. After all, how many mothers in history would bring their own children to court?

Upon hearing this, everyone present was horrified. Lin Ruhai, in particular, looked up abruptly, his face filled with astonishment. He asked in disbelief, "Is the old lady really going to the palace to file a complaint?" Madam Zheng, standing nearby, was also horrified. She nervously pressed, "Is the old lady really so heartless?" However, despite their shock and confusion, they both agreed that they should return to the Rongguo Mansion immediately.

Madam Zheng quickly entrusted household affairs to the experienced housekeeper and hurried home with her husband, Jia She. Meanwhile, the Rongguo Mansion was in turmoil, a chaotic scene. Word of Jia's mother's intention to accuse her children and grandchildren of unfilial behavior had somehow spread, alarming not only the numerous Jia clan members in the capital's Ningguo Mansion and Rongning Street, but also the lords and mistresses of the mansion, who had rushed to the scene and surrounded Jia's mother's courtyard in three layers, making it impossible to escape. Madam Xing stood expressionless, coldly observing the clan elders seated in the hall, their saliva flying everywhere. A sneer welled up in her heart. These people were making convincing arguments, but when Jia She had been so tolerant and filial to them, had anyone ever spoken up for him?

At this moment, one of the elders suddenly turned to look at Madam Xing and asked loudly, "Xing, what are you and She'er planning?"