Rongguo Mansion, Fengjie’s Courtyard.

That day, Wang Xifeng received a letter from her wife at home, saying that she was still undecided about helping to store the property of the Zhen family’s eldest wife.

She grew up in Jinling, where many wealthy and powerful families gathered, and had seen many stories of wealthy families hiding their gold and silver in order to plan a way out when they fell into decline.

So I don’t find such things abrupt or strange.

She had heard many rumors that these noble families who knew they were declining would eventually be doomed.

Either the entire family is wiped out and their bloodline is cut off, or they are exiled to the frontier and die in a foreign land.

Most of the gold, silver and valuables they hid in advance would become unsolved cases and eventually go to the people who hid them for nothing.

It is this kind of cognition that makes Wang Xifeng feel greedy and covetous…

……

Although Wang Xifeng is the eldest daughter of the Wang family in Jinling, her father is mediocre and has achieved nothing in his life. He is far less outstanding than his uncle Wang Ziteng.

Therefore, Wang Xifeng’s father’s family never lived a happy life and were even looked down upon by many clan members.

She was born with a strong character, and growing up in such a lonely and isolated atmosphere, instead suppressed more desires and longings.

Since she was a child, she has loved to be close to her powerful aunt, the eldest daughter of the Wang family, and now Mrs. Wang, the second wife of the Rongguo Mansion.

It was only with the help of Mrs. Wang that she was able to marry into the Jia family in Shenjing and become the wife of the eldest grandson of the Rongguo Mansion.

This is also the reason why when Wang Xifeng first entered the Jia family, she was able to gain the trust and reliance of Mrs. Wang and was asked to manage the mansion on her behalf.

However, no one expected that because of Jia Cong’s rise, huge changes would happen to the first and second wives of Rongguo Mansion.

When Jia Lian was convicted and exiled, losing his status as the heir apparent, Wang Xifeng’s status in the Jia family also fell to the bottom.

In hopes of having her second wife inherit the title, Lady Wang finally reveals her true colors and tactics to her niece whom she has always valued.

But Mrs. Wang was too happy too soon. Things eventually took a turn for the better. The first son, Jia Cong, inherited the title of Rong state, and Wang Xifeng fell to the bottom but then turned around again.

After all these ups and downs, the aunt and nephew, who once shared the same ideals, became enemies and went their separate ways.

Although Wang Xifeng now has Jia Cong’s support and is in charge of Rong State affairs again, she is still the powerful and majestic Second Lady Lian.

But Jia Lian’s complete downfall has made her a widow, can she really be the same as before?
A woman who has seen darkness has an indelible shadow in her heart, a certain uncertainty about the future, and the resulting panic and uneasiness.

It’s like a person who is rescued from drowning. Deep down in his heart, he can never forget the fear of suffocation and always subconsciously grasps for more support and dependence.

Now that Jia Cong holds two titles and has great official power, Wang Xifeng dare not have the slightest hope for the power of his family.

Therefore, the uneasy desire in one’s heart is more focused on the yearning for money.

Wang Xifeng knew how wealthy the Zhen family was in Jinling, and was even more familiar with the name Zhen Bancheng.

Therefore, the dozen or so boxes of treasures that the eldest branch of the Zhen family used for self-defense must have been of astonishing volume.

I’m afraid it’s worth half of Rongguo Mansion, and Wang Xifeng will be tempted…

In the eyes of others, since the eldest wife inherited the title and family property of Rongguo Mansion, and Wang Xifeng was able to take charge of Rongguo Mansion again, she must be very proud and have nothing else to ask for.

Only Ping’er, who had always stayed by Wang Xifeng’s side, knew that after her grandmother’s ups and downs, she seemed to be more and more interested in money…

However, although Wang Xifeng coveted the wealth of the Zhen family’s eldest wife, she did not reach the point of being so desperate and desperate.

Perhaps, she was quite satisfied with her current situation and did not want to be affected by this incident, so she was still a little cautious in her heart.

Moreover, after Jia Lian was imprisoned and convicted, Jia Cong once warned her to stop lending money at high interest rates and taking on lawsuits in a timely manner to avoid disaster.

Wang Xifeng could also guess Jia Cong’s intention from this incident. He would definitely not approve of anything that involved the wealth of the Zhen family’s eldest wife…

It is precisely because of these tangled thoughts that Wang Xifeng is somewhat hesitant about the affairs of the Zhen family.

Now that Aunt Xue was talking about things in the south, it reminded her that the Xue family’s roots in Jinling were much deeper than those of the Jia family and the Wang family.

Naturally, she knew more about the ins and outs of Jinling City than her own wife who lived in the inner house…

……

When Ping’er heard her grandmother suddenly ask the concubine such questions, she was also a smart person, so she naturally guessed what she was thinking.

Wu’er, who was talking to Baochai, became interested when she heard Wang Xifeng mention the Zhen family in Jinling.

Because the third daughter of the second branch of Jinling Zhen family almost got married to her third master.

Although the palace-arranged marriage did not take place in the end, the Third Master had a connection with the Zhen family. Now that Wang Xifeng suddenly mentioned the Zhen family, Wu’er couldn’t help but pay attention.

Aunt Xue was slightly startled when she heard Wang Xifeng’s question. She said, “Feng girl, why are you suddenly asking about the Zhen family?”

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, “It just so happened that the ladies at home were exchanging letters and happened to mention the affairs of the Zhen family.

Besides, the Zhen family almost married their daughter to my third brother, so there is some affection between the two families, so naturally they are more concerned about his family’s affairs.”

Aunt Xue sighed, “Recently, the Zhen family’s affairs have caused a lot of uproar in Jinling. No wonder my eldest sister-in-law has heard about it.”

Wang Xifeng said: “Aunt knows the wife of the family. She has always lived in the inner house and doesn’t care much about the affairs outside.

Although she mentioned the affairs of the Zhen family in the letter, it was just a few simple gossips and she didn’t know the details of the matter.

My aunt has a wide network of contacts in Jinling, so she must know the reason. I wonder what the current situation of the Zhen family is like?”

Aunt Xue said, “My family has a lot of business in Jinling, and the shopkeepers have to submit accounts and exchange letters every month.

Moreover, these shops have business dealings with the Zhen family, and the managers and clerks of the two families often visit each other, so they know more about the Zhen family’s affairs than others.

The origin of the Zhen family’s affairs can be traced back to August or September last year, when Zhen Shiwen, the eldest son of the Zhen family, was found by the Embroidered Uniform Guard to be smuggling muskets.

And the matter did not end there. In the end, it was discovered that Zhen Shiwen was even involved in the private manufacture of muskets, which was a capital crime punishable by death!”

When Wang Xifeng heard the word “rebellion”, she was so frightened that her face turned pale.

Aunt Xue continued, “Just when the government was about to question Zhen Shiwen, he was suddenly killed. It sounds scary.

The government investigated for a long time but failed to find the murderer, so the case became an unsolved mystery and remains unsolved to this day.

Considering the date, Cong was in Nanjing on business, so he must have known about this matter.”

After hearing what Aunt Xue said, Wang Xifeng began to feel scared.

She really didn’t expect that the eldest branch of the Zhen family, which secretly hoarded gold and silver, would have done so many scary things.

It’s both rebellion and murder, it sounds very dangerous.

Now he has traveled thousands of miles to send his family fortune to the capital for storage. It is obvious that he has made the worst-case scenario plan. Should I get involved?

……

Wang Xifeng asked, “Aunt, since the eldest son of the first wife is dead, there is no evidence in the musket case. Why is the Zhen family still in such a mess?”

Aunt Xue said: “There is no such thing as an easy thing in the world. Ever since Cong’er relied on the power of the musket to pacify the Jurchens in Liaodong.

The emperor attached great importance to muskets. If civilians privately manufactured muskets, it would be a capital crime, just like treason.

The eldest son of the Zhen family was involved in the private manufacture of muskets. How could such a big thing disappear without a trace?

Besides, the young master of the Zhen family could not have done such a big thing as privately manufacturing muskets by himself. He must have accomplices. How could the court let him go easily?

It was just that the young master of the Zhen family died suddenly, and the government could not find any evidence. The emperor also took into account the feelings of the old Concubine Zhen, so he did not immediately punish the Zhen family.

It was just that at the end of last winter, a captain of the Imperial Guard named Wang came to Nanjing. He was a very powerful figure. After he took office, he began to investigate the Zhen family case.

At that time, the old Concubine Zhen in her womb passed away, and the Zhen family lost its protection from then on.

This is how things are in this world. When there is no one in the court, people will forget about you when you leave.

It didn’t take long for the captain surnamed Wang to find out a lot of details about the old case of the young master of the Zhen family.

He also used excuses to seal off many of the Zhen family’s shops, and even the Zhen family compound was broken into and searched by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.

The eldest master of the Zhen family was a high-ranking official of the third rank and had great prestige in Jinling City. Even so, he was summoned for questioning by the Jinyiwei, which was a complete loss of face.

There is a rumor in Jinling City now that the Zhen family is a big family in Jiangnan, with the bandit name Zhen Bancheng, and that there are mountains of gold and silver in the house.

If his family members cause trouble, the whole of Jiangnan will be in turmoil.

The emperor wanted to punish the Zhen family as a warning to others, to prevent others from privately making muskets and showing disrespect to the court in the future.

Several of our shop owners have written to us, mentioning this matter to some extent, and it is now a hot topic in the market.

They all say that the Zhen family will be confiscated and punished, and they may even die without a burial place!”

After hearing this, Wang Xifeng’s face turned slightly pale. She originally thought that the Zhen family would at most be dismissed from office, but now it sounded like they were not far from being wiped out.

According to his aunt, the Zhen family had violated a taboo in the palace and was being targeted by the current emperor.

At this time, she was already somewhat resentful of her mother. Her mother was living in Nanjing and probably didn’t know all these details.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have just written a few words in the letter and asked me to help the Zhen family…

……

Wu’er, who was standing by, also changed color when she heard what Aunt Xue said.

She thought that Miss Zhen had left Beijing some time ago and must have returned to Jinling. The Zhen family was going to be confiscated and exterminated, so wouldn’t she be in trouble as well?

Wu’er is Jia Cong’s close maid. Others may not know Jia Cong’s thoughts, but she knows it very clearly.

Miss Zhen almost married the Third Master. Although the marriage did not take place, they formed a real bond. Miss Zhen was very attentive to the Third Master. Whenever the Third Master had a happy event, Miss Zhen would carefully prepare gifts to congratulate him.

The robe that the Third Master often wears was said to have been made for him by Miss Zhen herself when the Third Master left Jinling.

It is very unusual for a girl to sew clothes for a man. Even if there is no marriage arranged by the palace, the Third Master and this Miss Zhen are not simple people.

That day, the Third Master sent Miss Zhen off from Beijing. He was gone for most of the day, so he had to talk about many intimate things…

Wu’er felt that she must tell the Third Master what the concubine said today when she returned so that he would know what was going on and perhaps he could help Miss Zhen.

……

Aunt Xue said: “For a family like ours that doesn’t have to make a living, it’s not a big deal whether we earn more or less money.

Doing everything without any merit or demerit, living in peace and stability, this is the long-term plan.

A few days ago, I wrote to the shop owners in Jinling, asking them to settle their business with the Zhen family as soon as possible and not to leave any entanglements.

Even if some of the money in business dealings with the Zhen family cannot be recovered for the time being, it can be taken away, just as a way to avoid disaster.

At this critical moment, if I get entangled with their family, I might end up getting implicated and causing disaster for my family. It’s not worth it!”

Originally, Aunt Xue and her daughter came to visit Wang Xifeng, and the group of people were just chatting and gossiping.

Unexpectedly, Wang Xifeng brought up the topic of the Zhen family in Jinling, which led Aunt Xue to say these shocking words.

Hearing this, Baochai and other young girls present felt a little nervous and scared.

When Ping’er heard these words, she felt that the concubine’s words were said at the right time, and her beautiful eyes kept looking at Wang Xifeng’s expression from time to time.

Seeing that her grandmother’s face had turned pale after hearing these words, Ping’er couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

I hope my grandmother will realize the risks involved and never get involved in the affairs of the Zhen family’s eldest branch.

Otherwise, if something bad happens, it might even affect the Third Master…

……

When Aunt Xue saw that Wang Xifeng had been talking nonsense, she didn’t know why she looked unhappy.

He asked, “Feng girl, why do you look a little pale? Maybe you are tired from sitting for too long.

I’ve been through this too. You have to be careful at this time. If you get tired of sitting for a long time, just lie down on the bed and have a good rest.

We have talked about the gossip, so we won’t bother you anymore. We will come to see you tomorrow.

There is one more thing. Why did your sister-in-law suddenly write to you and mention the Zhen family? You should write to your mother and tell her not to have any contact with the Zhen family at this time.

Even if there are some old friendships among the families in Jinling, don’t rush to get close to them at this time, so as not to cause trouble…”

Wang Xifeng responded absentmindedly. After Aunt Xue and Baochai left, Wu’er also returned to the East Palace as she had nothing to do in the afternoon.

When they were the only two left in the room, Ping’er said, “Grandma, what Auntie said just now is very reasonable.

The Zhen family’s situation sounds very dangerous. The dozen or so boxes of things in their main house are a hot potato.

I just find it strange. Didn’t their family have two girls who married into the capital? The one I know is the Princess of Beijing.

Why did the eldest wife of the Zhen family choose our family instead of looking for her own daughter to hide the box? “

Wang Xifeng pondered for a moment and said, “I understand what you mean. Tell Lin Zhixiao’s wife to keep a close eye on the door these days.

If someone from the Zhen family comes to visit, do not let them into the mansion easily. I will deal with it after they come back.”

……

Aunt Xue and Baochai had just left Sister Feng’s courtyard, and Baochai had a thoughtful look on her face.

She was a delicate and intelligent person. When she thought about the look on Wang Xifeng’s face when she asked the question just now, she always felt that there was something unusual.

Said: “Mom, don’t you find it strange that Sister Feng mentioned the Zhen family on purpose, as if she was specifically asking about their family news.”

Aunt Xue said, “Of course I understood what he meant. My sister-in-law is not a smart person. She probably has some connections with the Zhen family in Jinling.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have come all the way to write to me and specifically mentioned the Zhen family’s affairs. Feng girl was even concerned about this and went out of her way to ask me about it.

There must be something going on here. I deliberately made it sound more serious so that Feng would know the seriousness of the matter.

But I’m not just talking nonsense. According to the news from Jinling, the Zhen family is probably in big trouble this time.

It is correct to not get involved with the Jia family easily. Otherwise, if something goes wrong, our Xue family will not have peace.

Besides, the third daughter of the Zhen family had a quarrel with Cong’er about her engagement. If something happens to the Zhen family now, it would be a good thing for the two families to sever their ties from now on.”

Aunt Xue looked at her daughter and said, “I am thinking of you. Cong has too many romantic partners, so it would be better if he had fewer of them.”

When Baochai heard this, her pretty face turned red and she said, “Look at what you are saying, mother, how come you are dragging me into this again.

What mom is thinking is all nonsense. Can you stop a girl who is in love with Brother Cong?”

After hearing what her daughter said, Aunt Xue also felt a headache.

That Cong brother is indeed an impeccable person, but the threshold is too high for him to meet.

Now she is just Miss Zhen San, and I am afraid there will be a lot of confusion in the future.

My daughter has already passed the age of marriage, and there is no way she can catch up. If she continues to delay like this, I don’t know how it will end in the future…

……

Earl’s Mansion, Daiyu Courtyard.

In the hot summer, the main house has an embroidered building and a deep courtyard. There are bamboo forests, which are lush and green. The breeze blows, and the bamboos sway gracefully, adding to the coolness.

In a ventilated place in the room, there is a black lacquer chair made of Xiangfei bamboo and painted with gold chrysanthemum patterns.

Such exquisite and elegant Jiangnan creations can only be seen in Daiyu’s room in the two mansions.

Daiyu wore a light yellow vest with dark patterns, a white round-necked top, and a moon-white long skirt. She looked fresh, pretty, and charming.

She was leaning back in a chair, holding a letter in her hand and reading it carefully.

Zijuan brought a red lacquer tea tray into the room, with a sky-blue Ru kiln covered bowl in it. She brewed some Yunwujian fragrant tea sent from Yangzhou. Smoke curled around the edge of the tray, and the fragrance of the tea was refreshing.

She placed the teacup on the small table next to the armchair and said with a smile, “Young lady, you are so absorbed in watching this. Did Master Lin say anything important?”

Daiyu said: “My father wrote to me saying that he has been very busy with official duties recently, the salt smugglers in Lianghuai are rampant, the private salt business is dangerous, and the court has difficulty collecting salt taxes.

Nowadays, the Mongolian invasions in the Nine Borders are becoming more and more frequent. The imperial court is reorganizing its military, and the salt tax from Lianghuai has always been an important source of income for the court.

I could tell from my father’s words that he was worried, which was really worrying.

Fortunately, my third brother invited a miracle doctor to treat my father last time, and he also made special pills for my father. Now my father is in much better health than before.

Otherwise, I’m really worried that my father would be exhausted from working so hard.

Sometimes I really wish my father would retire earlier so that he could take good care of his health.

When I was young, I didn’t understand the outside world. Now, after listening to my third brother often talking about official affairs, I know that the post of Lianghuai Salt Inspector is actually quite dangerous…”

Zijuan was just a little maid. She didn’t understand these official affairs and was somewhat confused when she heard them.

Daiyu continued, “My father also mentioned the affairs of the Zhen family in Jinling in his letter. I heard that there was quite a big commotion in Jinling.

Yangzhou is not far from Jinling, and my father has many classmates and old friends in the temporary capital, so he is very well-informed about the news there.

My father said that the Zhen family was afraid that something big would happen, and he knew that my third brother had a connection with the Zhen family.

Let me remind my third brother to be more cautious about the affairs of the Zhen family.”

Zijuan understood what Daiyu said this time.

He asked, “Master Lin is worried that the Third Master will be involved with the Zhen family because of Miss Zhen San, and get into trouble?”

Daiyu nodded after hearing this, and Zijuan said, “Miss, you must remind the Third Master as soon as possible. I heard that Miss Zhen loves the Third Master very much.

She is a good person, and it is possible that the Third Master will be soft-hearted and do something excessive.”

Daiyu smiled and said, “You are worried about him, but I don’t want to bring up this topic with my third brother. He is very smart and doesn’t need anyone to remind him.”

Zijuan felt strange. When the palace wanted to marry Miss Zhen to the Third Master, the girl must have been very sad.

Now after hearing about this matter, he didn’t feel jealous at all and seemed to not care at all.

Daiyu folded the letter and put it away, remembering that day when she was walking on the corridor outside the main house in Jia Cong’s courtyard and happened to overhear the conversation between her third brother and second sister.

She also remembered what Jia Cong said: Wouldn’t it be better if the sisters in the family grew up together, accompanied each other day and night, and were as close as brothers?

Whenever she thought of this, she would feel happy and no longer care about other trivial matters…

In fact, the third brother already knew the root cause of the Zhen family’s misfortune, and the inside story was even deeper than what his father knew.

He is such a strong-willed man, why does he need me to remind him?

Besides, Miss Zhen is so in love with him, and now she has returned to such a dangerous place as Jinling.

If Miss Zhen was also involved in danger for the family, or even encountered misfortune, given Third Brother’s temperament, it would be difficult for him to stand idly by.

If I were Miss Zhen and my family was in trouble, I would also hope that someone would protect me… (End of this chapter)