After hearing Wang Xifeng's words, Jia Mu cursed secretly and said nothing more. She looked at Mrs. Wang.
Naturally, Mrs. Wang couldn't say anything. She also wanted to be decent. The first time she said it, she was rejected politely. The second time she said it, it was forced.
After all, she was also the biological mother of a noble concubine, so she would not argue with Wang Xifeng on the spot for some reward.
I just made up my mind to go back and have a good discussion with Jia Zheng, let Jia Zheng and Jia Lian talk about it, and re-formulate the income management system of the official treasury.
Otherwise, I'm afraid that the reputation of Rongguo Mansion, a dignified and century-old government, will really soon be unsustainable.
Seeing that Mrs. Wang had no objection, Jia Mu happily picked out a few practical items from the many rewards. Even Mrs. Wang also took two symbolic items for Zhou Rui's family to send home.
Wang Xifeng turned around and saw Yingchun and others gathered around dozens of pieces of fine palace satin, praising that the things the Queen Mother had given her were extraordinary.
She then said very generously: "If the three of you like these materials, when you come back, I will have two new spring clothes tailor-made for each of you.
But you'd better take some time to go to my place and I'll have someone measure you up again.
It's the time when your body is growing, and your appearance changes every year, so don't make it bad if it doesn't fit you."
When Yingchun and others heard this, they were all overjoyed and thanked them all quickly.
Tanchun also walked around to Wang Xifeng and rubbed her body, making Wang Xifeng laugh and scold her.
Seeing how harmonious and friendly their sisters-in-law were, Mother Jia's eyes showed approval.
Feng Yatou makes people like her in these places!
After laughing for a while, she laughed loudly and asked: "Girl Feng, what have Lian'er been doing again?
I heard that he left the banquet very early before, and now he is not in the house. He has just come back. What is he busy with other than taking a good rest? "
Wang Xifeng had some guesses, but was not sure: "Who knows, he didn't tell me, I guess it was something he did outside."
At this time, the guy next to him said, "I heard that Mr. Lian seemed to have sent someone to the bank to exchange the money."
"Exchange for silver?"
"I don't know what to do specifically. I just heard from people outside that only a few of the escort boys who followed the second master out this time came back..."
Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang were all shocked.
"Only a few come back, what do you mean?"
Jia's mother had heard that after Jia Lian succeeded to the throne, he selected a group of gangsters from his family and trained them in the east cross courtyard every day.
But her ancestor didn't care how many there were and who they were.
"I heard our family member lament that Mr. Lian had chosen more than twenty guards in total. This time, when he went out with him, not even ten came back. They said they all died outside the wall.
Second Master Lian also ordered people to bring back all their bone urns and send them to various homes.
Those families were crying a lot this afternoon, and many people in the house knew about it."
"So, are they all really dead?" Mrs. Xing said in a huff.
When she was being lifted up, the old man was already dead, but he had never seen such a big scene where so many people died at once.
In fact, even when the old Duke was still alive, his soldiers rarely died in battle.
After all, the death of the personal guard in battle meant that the general was at least in danger.
And with his status as Duke Rong, he rarely experienced crises even if he led troops on expeditions.
This time Jia Lian was just an accident.
So much so that even Jia Mu fell silent.
Wang Xifeng's face turned pale.
Although she knew that Jia Lian's wealth was hard-won, she didn't feel it particularly deeply.
When she heard that, only a few of the guards Jia Lian trained were dead? Even she felt frightened!
Unlike Jia Mu, she knew most of Jia Lian's guards, or at least met them in person.
The night before Jia Lian set out, she personally ordered those people to protect Jia Lian.
Who knew that of so many young boys, only a few would come back alive?
The heartless man didn't tell her this when he came back, and he didn't know how much danger he had experienced outside.
Fortunately, there were still a few left. If they were all dead and no one was there to protect Jia Lian, she couldn't even imagine the consequences.
No wonder, the heartless one has always been very strong. When I first saw him at home, I was so tired that I lay down.
Thinking of this, Wang Xifeng couldn't help but feel a little distressed. At this moment, she wanted to go home immediately, find Jia Lian, and ask him all about his experience outside.
This is true for Jia Mu, Wang Xifeng and others, let alone the three Yingchun sisters who were so happy just now.
The eldest of them is not even old enough to have hairpins, and the youngest is less than ten years old. Death in battle is too far away for them.
But this time, it happened right next to them, and they were the guards of their most beloved brother Lian. They couldn't help but be afraid, and all of them turned a little pale.
After all, Jia Mu was used to seeing wind and waves. She waved her hands and sighed: "This is the responsibility and danger that our husband's family must bear if they want to make great achievements.
I remember that when the Duke was still alive, he often led troops in battles. Many of his soldiers and generals died, and I personally helped with the pensions for many of them.
It’s just that so many years have passed that I have almost forgotten these things.”
Jia Mu said, somewhat lost in thought.
At this moment, she deeply realized the decline of the Jia family.
If it were not for Jia Lian, the Jia family, which started with military exploits, would have ignored military affairs for decades. As a result, her ancestors would have become so unfamiliar with the practice of shrouding corpses in horse leather.
"Girl Feng, you go back and tell Lian'er that he will send people to take care of and care for those who died. Don't be too sad.
Well, it doesn’t need to be said that it was me who said it. I think he didn’t even want to tell us about it before he came here, just because he was afraid that we would worry.
Lian'er has really grown up and is able to take on tasks.
Let him figure it out on his own, and you all just need to cooperate."
After Jia Mu finished speaking, she stood up tremblingly with her crutches in hand. The mandarin ducks at the side quickly went up and helped her into the bedroom.
Seeing Jia Mu going to rest, Mrs. Wang and others naturally dispersed.
Li Wan also took his maid Su Yue back home.
But her heart was not at peace.
In the past few years, she has looked at family affairs, especially Jia Lian's affairs, almost from the perspective of a bystander.
She was really surprised and even a little confused.
After all, she entered the house early and had a preliminary understanding of Jia Lian, her uncle.
Until, Jia Lian broke her understanding time and time again, making her surprised, unfamiliar, and even had to admire him!
Although Jia Mu didn't say it clearly just now, she could tell that from now on, the Jia family would most likely rely on Jia Lian for support.
He didn't listen to Jia's mother and asked Jia Lian to make his own decision and let Wang Xifeng and others assist.
Those words seemed to be addressed to Wang Xifeng, but in fact they were also addressed to Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang.
That's right, Jia Lian is already a Marquis.
With this status alone, in any dynasty or any family, he is definitely the talker of the family.
In other words, from now on, I am afraid that I will have to take a back seat to Second Master Lian in matters at home...
Jia Lian had just ascended the throne, and even after he became the clan leader, many people in the family believed that Jia Lian and Jia Zheng would complement each other.
Even, Jia Zheng will be the leader, and Jia Lian will be the second.
Because Jia Zheng is not only an elder, but also the biological father of the imperial concubine.
There are even rumors that Jia Zheng will be promoted soon.
Li Wan didn't think this was just a rumor, because she heard from Jia Mu and others that according to the rules, when there was a newly promoted nobleman in the palace, the emperor would promote the nobleman's close relatives, or even elevate them to titles.
Yuanchun was not only named a concubine, but also promoted to a noble concubine, but Jia Zheng was still a member of the imperial family!
This is because the Jia family is preparing for the marriage ceremony.
Once this matter is over, Jia Zheng will most likely be promoted.
If that were the case, Jia Zheng would still be the master of the Rongguo Mansion.
But who would have thought that Jia Lian was suddenly promoted to a noble title, and as soon as he was promoted, he ascended to the sky, almost approaching the old Duke!
Not to mention anything else, just raising the family title from second-class general to marquis is such an achievement that no one in the Jia family can match!
That was the family's wealth that lasted for at least two generations.
Not to mention, since the emperor is willing to reward Jia Lian in this way, it can be seen that Jia Lian is now a holy family member.
No one can replace it.
No one can suppress it.
Not even Jia Mu, who is the first-class wife of a Rongguo duke, can do it.
Besides, it is impossible for Jia Mu to suppress Jia Lian. Who has not seen how filial and respectful Mr. Lian is to the old lady?
They are our direct descendants.
Even now, even if someone says that Second Master Bao is no longer Jia Mu's most beloved grandson, some people may believe it.
Thinking of Jia Lian's glory over the years, even a person as simple-minded as Li Wan can't help but think wildly.
She remembered that Jia Lian would pass by her courtyard every evening when he practiced every night. She could see Jia Lian returning home from a distance through the sparse flowers and trees in the courtyard and the poured lattice walls.
She also remembered that time when Jia Lian was drunk, she sent Jia Lian back to the house at the request of Jia Mu, but Jia Lian mistook her for Wang Xifeng and even treated her lightly.
These are all still fresh in her memory.
"Grandma...?"
Su Yue's voice brought Li Wan back to his senses.
Just as he was about to turn around and look at his maid, he suddenly saw someone in front of him out of the corner of his eye, and he immediately raised his eyes.
This sight almost frightened her soul. She couldn't help but take a step back and said in a panic: "Second, where did the second uncle come from?"
Jia Lian frowned.
What happened to Li Wan? He just saw her. He went up to say hello and she didn't hear him.
Why is it that when I see myself now, I feel like I am seeing a savage beast?
"I just came from Dongkuayuan. Is sister-in-law okay?"
"No, I'm fine..."
Jia Lian glanced at her from beginning to end.
Needless to say, as a woman on the official list of Twelve Hairpins, Li Wan's color is absolutely impeccable, second only to the few women he has seen.
Although she is five or six years older than Wang Xifeng, she is still only twenty-five or six years old now.
She is as tall as Wang Xifeng, but not as slender as Wang Xifeng, and looks a bit plump. In this regard, she is similar to Sister-in-law You in the mansion over there.
Her clean-skinned dress, combined with her restrained temperament developed from living as a widow for many years, made her appear elegant and refined, with a Confucian air of indifference, but in the end she lacked the vitality that a young person should have.
Even if you put it in a Taoist temple, standing next to the Taoist nuns who are practicing ascetic practices, you won't look out of place.
Realizing that Li Wan was a little uneasy when she looked at him, Jia Lian turned his head and said to Su Yue: "Is your grandma not feeling well?"
Su Yue looked confused, looked at Jia Lian, then at her grandma, and asked: "Grandma, what's wrong with you?"
She also felt that Grandma's reaction just now was too abnormal.
Mr. Lian is such a gentle and elegant person, why should I be afraid of what he will do? He is not even afraid of us little girls.
Li Wan took a deep breath to calm down, "Thank you for your concern, uncle. I'm really fine. I was just distracted."
"I see."
Jia Lian nodded and said to Su Yue: "Take good care of your grandma. If anything happens, remember to report it to your wife or the old lady. You can also talk to me and your second grandma Lian."
After Jia Lian finished speaking, he bowed his hands to Li Wan and walked away.
"Yes~"
Su Yue happily bowed to Jia Lian. She didn't get up until Jia Lian had gone far away. Then she smiled at Li Wan and said, "Second Master Lian is really a kind man. He is so gentle to us. No wonder everyone in the house envies him."
Those maids."
Li Wan glanced at her and twitched the corner of his mouth. Could this girl be implying that he didn't treat her well?
He didn't care about his girl, he just looked back at the direction Jia Lian was leaving, feeling confused.
He said that if something happened to her, she could tell her wife or old lady, even Wang Xifeng, she would understand.
Tell him why?
Whether it was a courtesy, a slip of the tongue, or intentional, she didn't know.
There is no need to think clearly. All in all, as the two of them are destined to be in the same boat, it is impossible for them to have any intersection.