With four hundred and fifty taels of silver notes in his arms and fifty taels of cash in his sleeves, Jia Lian suddenly felt that his back was straight and he was singing with all his heart:
"We, the common people, are going to be happy today. We, the common people, are so, so, so happy tonight!"
As soon as I arrived at the door of the house, I met Jia Zheng, who was returning from the Ministry of Industry, followed by a group of Qing guests.
Jia Lian hurried forward to salute, Jia Zheng twirled his beard and smiled:
"It was a good trip to Suzhou. Your Uncle Lin wrote a letter to praise you very much. You are young and knowledgeable."
Jia Zheng was fond of reading since he was a child. When he was young, it was said that he was also a "poetry, wine and unrestrained person", but he worked hard to take the imperial examination in order to honor his ancestors.
Later, when his father Daishan was dying, the late emperor gave him an extra favor and gave him the title of director of the Ministry of Industry of the sixth rank. In the first two years, he was promoted to the rank of Yuanwailang of the Ministry of Works of the fifth rank. Although his official position was not high, it was now the highest rank in the Jia family.
He is the only person with some real power in the court.
On the other hand, the fifth-grade Tongzhi bought by Jia Lian was just a nice title, but useless.
Jia Lian had long heard that Jia Zheng had always admired Lin Ruhai, who was able to revitalize his family's reputation by relying on the imperial examinations. He was also modest in character and elegant in behavior. He was the first person that Jia Zheng was willing to have a close friendship with.
If he can be praised by Lin Ruhai, Jia Zheng will naturally have a high opinion of himself.
Jia Lian quickly bowed and said:
"It's my uncle who takes advantage of me, and my nephew is just doing his part."
Jia Zheng has always been upright and prudent, and he always praises people to the point, but he was happy today and said again:
"It is rare for a young man to be humble and not arrogant.
Mr. Amemura, who was recommended by your uncle, also spoke highly of you, which I didn’t expect.
This Mr. Yucun is full of poems and books, has a majestic appearance, and speaks well, which I like very much.
I wrote the memorial today because I wanted to help him reinstate his position while he was waiting for a vacancy. I didn’t want to approve it at that time and replace him as the prefect of Yingtian Prefecture in Jinling, but it would not be a happy event?
Since he and you are also on the same page, if he comes today, you will also come to accompany him.
"Lü's Spring and Autumn Annals" and "Qui Si" say, 'Don't avoid enemies when doing external things, and don't avoid children when doing things internally.' If I have the opportunity in the future, I will also recommend the progressive children of the clan."
When the princes on the side saw Jia Zheng praising Jia Lian, they all agreed:
"Second brother has always made progress, don't underestimate him."
"The young master in the old man's family is naturally the best among men."
Jia Zheng shook his head and said:
"He is a man of heritage and a smart person, so he will certainly be promising in the future.
It's Baoyu's fault, he wanders around all day long and doesn't know how to make progress.
My regret in this life is that I was not born as a Jinshi, and I only hoped that my son would be able to live up to his reputation. It is a pity that Zhuer died early, otherwise I would have no need to worry so much."
Sigh and turn around.
Looking at Jia Zheng's tall back, Jia Lian suddenly had a question in his mind:
"Jia Zheng is so serious all day long and loves elegance at heart. How could he like that vulgar, ignorant and petty Aunt Zhao?"
Suddenly I remembered Mrs. Wang whom I met that day. She seemed kind and chanted the Buddha's name all day long, but in fact she was full of schemes.
Jia Lian suddenly sympathized with Jia Zheng again.
He handed Xing'er thirty-one taels of silver and asked him to deal with Su Yazi, while Jia Lian strolled back to the study.
As soon as I sat down and was about to continue thinking about liquor, a boy suddenly came to report outside the door, saying that the eldest master, Jia She, had asked Jia Lian to come over.
Jia Lian hurriedly arranged his clothes and followed the boy to see Jia She.
The last time I came back to Jia She's study, Jia Lian had just returned from Suzhou. Jia She was only drinking and playing with Qiu Tong in the room, and didn't even see Jia Lian's face.
At this time, Jia Lian saw Jia She for the first time.
To Jia Lian's surprise, Jia She was not a "sexy old man" who was described as obscene and disgusting, making him want to slap him in the mouth.
On the contrary, Jia She was quite powerful and tall, with a face full of righteousness.
Unlike his younger brother Jia Zheng, who is elegant and aloof, Jia She has the air of a military commander. He has a Chinese character face, a high nose, piercing eyes, and a straight waist. Although he is nearly fifty years old, he is still handsome.
Hundreds of question marks suddenly arose in Jia Lian's mind:
"You look like this and you play a bad guy?
Did he go to the wrong set, or did I go to the wrong set?
Was the person I heard outside the door that day a fake father?
If you act like this, what should I do in the future? Should I be obedient or confront you?
..."
Jia She's eyes widened and he slammed the table:
"You are now promising! You don't need to be polite when meeting your father!"
Jia Lian finally woke up and knelt down to kowtow.
Jia She continued to yell:
"Second Master Lian is so generous, are you going to kill your father and me alive!
Now that you are a famous person in this house, why are you coming to my place to burn the cold stove!
Your uncle wrote a letter to praise you. I was still happy here, but it turned out that he had to write again, specifically to praise you again to your second uncle. You are so proud!
Your second uncle promoted you and asked you to marry his niece. It’s not enough for him to let you take charge of the house. Do you also want to help your second uncle run the house?
Who up here doesn't know that you, Mr. Lian, are a good person? Even the people recommended by your uncle praise you. Huh! I am a serious first-class general here. I want to ask for recommendation. If you don't come to me, you will go away.
Entrusting a fifth-grade minister of industry to a foreigner? What a joke!"
Jia Lian is really helpless.
Obviously, this was a conversation I had when I met Jia Zheng at the gate, and it was passed on to Jia She.
Jia She's dissatisfaction was all directed at Jia Zheng, Lin Ruhai and Jia Yucun, and he was just a scapegoat to be scolded.
But who told him that Jia Lian was destined to be his son? He could only lower his head and listen, there was no other way.
Thinking about Jia She again, there is indeed some injustice.
Obviously he is the eldest son of the Rongguo Mansion, and he is obviously a hereditary first-class general. This is a first-class military attache title. Although in today's peaceful and prosperous times, except for the great court meetings, he usually does not even go to court, and usually only gets a salary.
Enjoy it, but once there is a war in the court, a distinguished nobleman like him can immediately lead troops to fight, with real power in his hands.
But in fact, who would have thought of it?
The eldest son of Rong Guo Mansion, who is a noble man, cannot live in the "Rong Guo Mansion" that the emperor commended Rong Guo Gong, but can only live in the old Rong Guo Mansion across the wall.
The emperor built a serious Duke of Rongguo estate for his mother and younger brother to live in, and there was no room for Jia She, the eldest son!
In other words, the "Rongguo Mansion built by imperial decree" is Jia Zheng's home, not Jia She's.
If Jia Lian had not married Wang Xifeng and was able to help Jia Zheng as a housekeeper, then his status in Jia's mansion would be the same as that of his father Jia She. Except for being in the front when offering sacrifices to the ancestral hall, he would be the same as Jia Lian at other times.
, they are all just marginal members of the Jia family.
And the reason for all this is because Jia Mu prefers her younger son.
Jia She vented his anger, but in the end he was not satisfied and yelled at Jia Lian:
"You are also a waste! You have been married for two years and you have not given birth to a boy and a half girl.
There are three kinds of unfilial piety, and the greatest is not having an heir. If your wife is useless, doesn’t she still have a concubine named Ping’er? If that wife is also useless, you can take in more concubines and more people in the house.