Picturesque Rivers and Mountains in the Red Chamber

Chapter 164 3.71 The Ningrong Mansion has long been unable to live up to its former status as the 'Head of the Eight Princes'

Volume Three

3.71 The Ningrong Second Mansion has long been unable to live up to its former status as the 'Head of the Eight Princes'

Wang Xifeng helped Ping'er out of Jia Mu's courtyard, turned around and shouted at the dozen or so maids and slaves who had followed, and immediately turned west, walking towards her own yard along the path between the wall of Jia Mu's courtyard and the outer wall of Rongguo Mansion. , but before walking halfway, he exhaled a long breath, helped Ping'er lean against the wall, and was speechless for a long time.

"Grandma, what's wrong with you?" As Wang Xifeng's absolute confidant, Ping'er has a lot of grievances, but he also knows that his master is not someone who gives in casually. "At this time, my ancestors definitely need you to go over and comfort them. How can you do that?"

"You really don't see the problem with your hoof?" Wang Xifeng scolded her maid bitterly, and then breathed a sigh of relief and said, "When the master saw the person just now, he was like a mouse meeting a cat. If there is no Question, I call you Grandma!"

"This" Ping'er was dumbfounded and thought for a while before saying, "Yesterday, the Second Master and Young Master Zhou were both at the banquet. Why don't we wait until he comes back to ask what happened?"

"You're kidding about your mother, I'll go to hell with that cruel and short-lived person. Who knows which cave he's hanging out in!" Wang Xifeng cursed angrily before saying, "Let's go back now. You go to Dongfu and call Brother Rong, come here, his father and I were both here yesterday, ask him the same thing."

"Okay, I'll take you back first. Uncle Rong went to grandma's place to enjoy the autumn breeze a few days ago. He must have little money. Without this, he can't go anywhere. Now." Ping'er nodded and bent down to support Queen Wang Xifeng. As he continued to walk back, he accidentally slipped his right hand under Wang Xifeng's buttocks while supporting him, and his expression froze instantly.

"You hooves, hurry up and leave!" Wang Xifeng's already red cheeks instantly covered the root of her neck like rouge, "I was so frightened by the dog just now that I didn't clamp it. Now follow me back quickly and order the hot water to be boiled. Come on, hurry up - and that prude, why didn't he care about any rules this time, he just helped secretly and called people, and actually let a foreign man lead the way."

Ping'er said nothing, lowered her head and supported Wang Xifeng and walked back quickly. However, the familiar smell that came in from time to time made her blush more and more, because this smell was not unfamiliar to her, even when Wang Xifeng first married into the Jia family. , I smelled it when I was helping to clean my clothes, and I also smelled it on myself when someone fucked me this morning.
Here, Zhou Yang followed Li Wan, who was holding Qingwen in his arms, but walked along the path between Jia Mu's Courtyard and the main courtyard wall of Rongguo Mansion. He was a few steps ahead of Wang Xifeng's master and servant, and the three of them were about to enter Jia Lian. When he was in the courtyard, there were already hurried footsteps behind him.

"Nephew Zhou Xian, slow down, slow down!" Jia Zheng ran to Zhou Yang almost scrambling, and held him back with a forced smile, "It's just a child who said a few things that shouldn't be said, I'll teach him well."

"Master, my wife will go back with sister Qingwen first. Everyone in the inner courtyard of the garden is in the ancestral courtyard today, and the garden is still empty, so why not..." Li Wan bowed and gave a blessing, interrupting Jia Zheng's beeping. Said later.

"Yes, from the Zhu'er family, you should go back first!" Jia Zheng finally regained some of his image. After explaining Li Wan, he turned around and said, "Nephew Zhou Xian, the garden in the mansion is still somewhat interesting, why not How about you and I taking a walk?”

"Since Mr. Jia invites you, I'll do as you wish with me!" Zhou Yang smiled faintly, made a "please" gesture, and followed Jia Zheng without saying a word.

It is now the end of April, and the weather has just begun to enter the hot phase, but it is not too overwhelming; the various flowers in the garden that are often pruned and maintained are even more lush and lush, adding to the already moderate temperature. Feeling the coolness, Jia Zheng led the way to a pavilion surrounded by green plants, breathed a sigh of relief and said hello to sit down.

"There were many guests at the banquet yesterday, and I was busy entertaining, so my nephew had to leave this place to Lian Er. Please forgive me for being a bit rude." After repairing all the way, Jia Zheng has completely returned to the level of "the actual head of the Rongguo Mansion", " It’s a step too late today, it’s human nature for Mother Jia to love her young grandchildren.”

"The way to care for Mr. Jia's family is to let a 14-year-old boy hang out in the inner courtyard of the women's palace every day?" Zhou Yang really didn't need to be polite to him, and slapped Jia Zheng in the face with a sarcastic expression. His face turned red, "That's really an eye-opener. Unfortunately, I don't have a large social circle. I've only seen a few royal palaces. I really don't know what this capital is like."

Speaking of which, Zhou Yang's reaction today was obviously excessive. If nothing else, Jia's mother was a serious Madam Hou. With Zhou Yang's status at this time, he should not draw his sword directly at him in any case; however, no matter how high the reputation, Points must have actual landing points to display their strength. With the current situation of Rongguo Mansion, let alone Jia Mu, even the first-class general Jia She has no landing point to speak of!

Even if the Rongguo Mansion and even the entire Jia family are determined to take revenge and use family resources to suppress Zhou Yang, they do not have any reliable means of their own. The only connections they can use are within Hachigong or Wang Ziteng, the latter's strength is completely haha!

The leader of today's "Four Families of Jinling" - if they still exist - is also in a state of distress. None of his three nominal subordinates, the Fifth Army Battalion, the Three Thousand Battalion and the Shenji Battalion, pay attention to him. Report to Emperor Yonghe, it has nothing to do with him.Even the distribution and payment of food and salary, which was originally in charge of the Jiedushi Yamen of the Beijing Camp, was sent directly to the three major camps by the Ministry of War. The two sides are currently arguing. In other words, the dignified third-rank official who was originally in charge of the military defense of the capital has been replaced by the military. The Xun camp is jointly evacuated!
As for the other six Hachigong families, the fundamental reason for "standing in line" is actually "profit." Ningrong's second family has now fallen, and all they can show is their original connections, but these are becoming less and less the more they are used; Zhou Yang uses the Xue family The business network has brought the entire Wuxun core into the circle, which is a real benefit of no less than 10 taels per year!
Visible money, invisible so-called "connections", decayed and almost useless families, and current heroes who are about to fly into the sky. Is it difficult to guess how these six families will choose?
Furthermore, if he is just an ordinary martial arts scholar, no matter how powerful he is, these old nobles may really suppress him for the sake of friendship. Anyway, even if there is a loss, it will probably wipe out Zhou Yang and even the Xue family behind him, which is enough I made up for it; but behind this one, there is still Princess Yongchang who has to give up three points no matter whether it is civil or military. This is another topic!

Although Jia Zheng is pedantic, rigid, and has poor eyesight, it does not mean that he is stupid. At least he still has eyes. At yesterday's banquet, he clearly saw how Zhou Yang talked and laughed with the core figures of Wu Xun. This is absolutely It couldn't be just because of his ability; after seeing the exchanges between the princes of various families and him afterwards, not to mention Jia Baoyu, who was not qualified to enter the main table, Jia Lian could only apologize for the whole process!
"The dog is still young!" Jia Zheng concealed it stiffly and quickly changed the subject, "I saw my nephew's ability at the banquet yesterday. It's true."

"Master Jia, we don't need to be like this." Zhou Yang looked at it calmly, until Jia Zheng couldn't speak anymore, then he said, "What happened to your precious baby, the capital must already know, this is the Rongguo Mansion I'm too lazy to ask about family matters; however, you'd better let him figure out who he is - say goodbye!"

Zhou Yang didn't worry about this person's retention anymore, turned around and strode out of the pavilion, leaving Jia Zheng alone to sit back on the stone bench with a bitter look on his face; he didn't just leave, he took a look at the scenery to relax his mood along the way. After all, he Still wearing the label of "disciple of Rongguo Mansion", we will have to communicate in the future, and we cannot directly sever the relationship until--

"Ziyang!" A familiar call came from the flowers on the stone roadside, "This way!"

"Palace Judge?" Zhou Yang was stunned for a moment, "Didn't you go back? How did you get here?"

"Fool!" Li Wan chuckled lightly and pulled him into the flowers. He walked to a rockery depression that blocked the view from three sides. The only open side was surrounded by green plants as tall as a person, leaving only There is less than two square meters of rock gap, "Forgot about my yard?"

"Did you come here through the window?" Zhou Yang said with a strange smile and kissed her gently.

The buildings against the west wall of Rongguo Mansion are not a set, but a row. From front to back are Jia Zheng's study, the guest room in the outer courtyard, Jia Baoyu's study, Jia Mu's courtyard, and Li Wan's courtyard. In the end, it is not just Li Wan, but There are three identical courtyards in a row running from west to east across Rongguo Mansion. They are Li Wan Courtyard, Feng Jie Courtyard and VIP Guest Room Courtyard. There is a wide corridor between the latter two, which is located just behind Mrs. Wang's Courtyard on the east wall.

Behind these three courtyards is the Rongguofu Garden, which will be the main body of the "Grand View Garden" in the future. The back wall has direct windows and opens to the garden. Later, when the Grand View Garden was renovated, the Li Wan Courtyard was demolished and rebuilt into the Grand Flower Hall. Mrs. Wang A new area was built at the back of the courtyard where there was originally a road that could barely count as a courtyard. She and Miharu made do with it.

"Why, can't I turn over?" Li Wan blushed and rolled his eyes at him, but quickly avoided the topic, "I just comforted that girl Qingwen, and now I'm letting Suyun take her with her. You don't have to worry; but the master is still here. With our ancestors here, aren’t you going a little too far?”

"Don't worry!" Zhou Yang smiled, and after explaining his analysis, he looked at the shocked Li Wan and said, "Today's Ningrong Second Mansion can no longer afford to be the 'Head of the Eight Princes' I have two dignified palaces, but I can’t even bring out a person who is qualified to go to court, so how can I get revenge on me?”

"That's good. I've been worrying about you for nothing." Li Wan breathed a sigh of relief and was about to continue speaking when she heard footsteps coming from the stone road not far away. She was so scared that she shut up immediately and got in nervously. In Zhou Yang's arms.

"Okay, your Master Zheng is gone." Zhou Yang said with a smile, "Let's go too!"

"Goodbye now!" Li Wan grabbed him and stared at Jia Zheng's back as he walked away. His face gradually turned crimson, and he nuzzled into Zhou Yang's arms without mentioning leaving.

"Huh?" Zhou Yang lowered his head and looked at her with a strange expression.

"Who knows when you, the heartless person, will come back again." Li Wan's cheeks turned red when he saw him, but he still stared at Jia Zheng's back. He leaned against the rockery and raised his head, his face becoming more and more rosy, "It's better to just look at Jia Zheng. Good now!”

(End of this chapter)