Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 156: Death of Jia Zhen

After the third day of the Spring Festival, Yingchun and Zuo Yi set out from Lin Mansion early in the morning and went to Rongguo Mansion for a while. In less than an hour, they came out and went south out of the city to take up their posts.

When the news reached the palace, Emperor Zhaoming smiled and said, "This kid."

"Lucky!" Tao Xingjian added, also smiling, and whispered Daiyu's words of encouragement to Zuo Yi to Emperor Zhaoming. He was proud of himself, "Listen to this, only our Sister Lin can say it. No one else can say it."

"That's right. How many people in this world would advise the new son-in-law to just treat the Yue family as shit? Humph, it's just that ungrateful wolf!" Emperor Zhaoming cursed, with smiles in his eyes and mouth.

Tao Xingjian became unhappy instantly, turned around and walked out with a pout.

"Where to go?"

"Bring a bowl of lotus seed soup to His Majesty!"

After leaving the imperial study, Tao Xingjian pursed his lips and uttered a soft "tsk". He hummed and told the eunuch next to him to bring lotus seed soup: "It's hot recently. Bring your majesty a bowl of lotus seed soup without removing the core."

In Fengzao Palace, Yuanchun, who had already changed into the attire of a noble concubine, was relieved to hear that Yingchun and her husband had successfully left the capital. She whispered to Baoqin, "Is there any news from Jinling? Hasn't Brother Zhen sent someone to pick up Xichun yet?"

Baoqin also frowned: "No! The letter was sent a long time ago and should have been received a month ago. But there is no news!"

Yuanchun was stunned for a long time, and suddenly she felt something in her heart, and murmured softly: "Baoqin, Jinling, I'm afraid something happened..."

May 24th.

Lin House.

Miaoyu was copying scriptures, Tanchun was writing, and Daiyu was reading leisurely beside them.

Suddenly, Qingwen's face turned pale and she ran in in a panic: "Miss! Something terrible has happened!"

Daiyu put down the book, her voice still gentle: "Don't be anxious, explain it clearly."

"What's wrong? What happened? Is it the Empress in the palace? Or the Rong Mansion? Where is the second sister's boat?!" Tanchun stood up quickly, and her face turned pale and shaky following Qingwen's gaze.

"No. None of them." Qingwen looked at Daiyu again, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice, word by word, "Master Xiaorong has entered the capital in mourning clothes. I just heard that Master Zhen seems to have committed suicide."

Jia Zhen committed suicide! ?

The book in Daiyu's hand fell to the ground with a bang!

Tanchun fell into the chair, the pen in her hand resting on the paper, unconscious.

Only Miaoyu paused for a moment, raised her head, glanced at the two of them, put down her pen first, and told her maid, "Clean it up."

Then he stood up and ordered, "Put away all the red and green things in the mansion. Zijuan goes to Rong Mansion to inquire about the details. Another person goes to find Jiang Yong and asks him to go to the Tao Mansion to tell him.

"Everyone else, leave." Finally, pointing at Qingwen, "Come closer and tell me in detail what you heard. In addition to how Jia Zhen died, there is also the current news in Jinling. Tell me everything you heard."

Everyone who had been stunned in the room finally came to life and hurried out to do their work.

Qingwen also walked quickly to the inner room and spoke carefully to Daiyu, Miaoyu and Tanchun who had come over:

"Butler Lin got the news, but the Rong Mansion hasn't officially announced the death yet.

"It was said that early this morning, just after the city gates were opened for less than half an hour, Master Xiao Rong rode into the city on horseback, holding a mourning stick and wearing a mourning hat, and headed straight for the Rong Mansion.

"It turns out that Master Zhen had already gone back, and arrived in Jinling in early March. After entering the ancestral home, the first thing he did was to perform a ritual for the late Second Madam and Qin, which lasted for 49 days.

"After the ritual was completed, the two were buried with great fanfare. Master Zhen personally guarded the grave for seven days. On the eighth day, he returned home, took a bath, changed his clothes, and then took poison in the ancestral hall!

“Yes, he didn’t leave a suicide note.

"Grandma Zhen fainted when she heard the news, and then her old illness came back. Grandpa Xiaorong took care of Grandpa Zhen's funeral himself. He said it was because of the hot weather, so the funeral was only held for nine days.

"Now that everything is over, Master Xiao Rong rushed back from Jinling day and night to announce the death!"

The more Daiyu listened, the more her brows furrowed.

Tanchun had already wiped away her tears and frowned, "No letter from Sister Zhen? No one from the clan is following?"

"There are only two servants who accompany him." Qingwen was very sure.

Daiyu suddenly sneered: "Go straight to Rong Mansion?"

"...Yes!" Qingwen was puzzled.

If I were to return to Beijing to report a death, where else could I go if not to Rong Mansion?

--Um? !

When Daiyu asked this, even Qingwen realized what was wrong, and her eyes widened instantly: "Yes! Master Jing is still in the Taoist temple outside the city!"

"His father died, but he didn't tell his grandfather, but went to tell his uncles in the next room! Haha!" Daiyu sneered, "No wonder his father always said he was a fool!"

Tanchun was so angry that she slapped the table with her hand, "This bastard!"

After listening for a long time, Miaoyu slowly spoke: "So, this boy came back to Beijing to get money."

He stood up in disgust and snorted, "It really dirty my ears!"

He called the maid in to take his scriptures and writing brushes, then left in a huff.

Daiyu thought carefully and suddenly raised her eyebrows: "Is there another Dragon Guard on him?"

"Didn't he exempt it when he was stripped of his title?" Tanchun was surprised.

Daiyu thought about it for a while and shook her head: "I haven't heard of it."

"Sister, are you worried that he will go to Taiji Palace to cry about this?" Tanchun stood up nervously. "At this moment, if he goes there, he will be courting death!"

"His father died, and he died after Qin was buried. His family has already paid the price for this incident. He himself can be just an ignorant, clueless, wronged and pitiful child in the whole thing."

Daiyu sneered, "So, what if he just reported his mourning with tears on his face?"

Tanchun was speechless: "This is also possible!?"

Rongguo Mansion.

Jia Rong was wearing mourning clothes, his face was covered with dust, he knelt on the ground, crying and sobbing: "...When I went to see my father, he had already died a long time ago!

"My mother was so angry that she vomited blood. She refused to take any medicine given by two or three doctors. She just cried and said she wanted to go to my father to have an explanation in person.

“It took my wife two days and two nights of persuasion before I finally stopped, but I just couldn’t get up even when I was lying down.

"I had no choice but to respectfully ask the great grandfathers in the clan for guidance and stammered to handle my father's funeral. Now, think about how wronged my father must have been!"

Jia's mother burst into tears, shook her head repeatedly, stretched out her hand and clenched her fist, gently hitting the small table next to her: "This silly child!

"I originally said that he had returned to Jinling, and the clan had a leader, so I felt relieved in the capital! But who knew he would actually take this step!"

Jia She and Jia Zheng looked at each other in silence, only sighing.

Wang Xifeng was still by her side, gently reminding Lady Jia: "I heard outside that someone saw Rong'er entering the capital in mourning clothes, and came to our house to inquire about what happened in Jinling.

"Otherwise, let Rong'er pack up quickly and report the death to all the relatives and friends."

Grandmother Jia nodded: "Yes. Come, take Rong'er downstairs to wash, change clothes, and go to the various mansions to report the death."

Yuanyang lowered his eyes and looked at the ground without saying a word.

Wang Xifeng felt strange and quietly pulled her aside with a questioning look in her eyes.

Yuanyang quietly wrote the word "respect" on the palm of her hand.

Wang Xifeng was shocked!