Chapter 13 Aunt Xue's Thoughts
"Sister Bao, thank you for your praise. In this case, I will leave the rest to you and Brother Xue. However, the people you choose must be reliable. The recipe is simple, and if it gets out, it will be worthless. In addition, it is best to separate the people who make, transport and sell ice!"
"This way, those transporting ice don't know what it is, and those selling it don't know where it comes from, which can reduce some trouble."
"Besides, for the time being, I don't want anyone in the palace to know that this recipe came from my hand!"
Baochai nodded in appreciation, "Brother Cong, don't worry. Without this ability, our Xue family would not be able to support such a family business! In addition, I will personally give the monthly accounts to Brother Cong and let Brother Cong check them."
Jia Cong didn't say much, just nodded in agreement, then scratched his head with some embarrassment, "There is another thing I want to ask Sister Bao for help!"
From being shrewd and steady to suddenly becoming shy, this change made Baochai cover her mouth and smile, "Brother Cong, just tell me!"
"That..." Jia Cong grinned, then gritted his teeth and closed his eyes and said, "Recently, I have been copying the Four Books and Five Classics every day. Cong is short of money and can't even afford to buy pens and ink. Therefore, I want to ask Sister Bao to borrow thirty or twenty taels of silver first, and then deduct it from the profit!"
It was the first time in his life that Jia Cong asked a woman for money, and he felt embarrassed.
Baochai blinked her beautiful eyes, and felt that Jia Cong was like a noble and aloof immortal who had suddenly fallen from the earth to the mortal world. This made people curious and unable to help but want to explore him.
"Brother Cong is so capable, yet he is troubled by money?" Baochai laughed.
"Alas, a penny can make a hero fall, what can we do?"
Baochai chuckled again, then went into the house, brought out a box and handed it to Jia Cong.
"Brother Cong, this is a hundred taels of silver! Just think of it as helping you with the imperial examination. If Brother Cong passes the imperial examination in the future, maybe I'll need your help."
Jia Cong bowed deeply and said only one sentence, "Thank you, Sister Bao", and then fled in panic!
Baochai, who was standing behind, was watching with laughter and tears in her eyes.
Money is the courage of a man, and with silver on hand, Jia Cong immediately took Xiao Que'er to the street. The master and servant went shopping until they could no longer take anything, and then returned to the mansion.
That night, Aunt Xue returned home!
"Why did you hear from your aunt that you haven't had fun with Baoyu these days?" The maid Tongxi helped her change her coat, while Tonggui brought her some fragrant tea.
Turning around, Aunt Xue found that her daughter was holding her chin and smiling.
"What's wrong with you, daughter?" Aunt Xue quickly grabbed her daughter's hand and asked.
"Ah!" Baochai exclaimed, "When did mother come back?"
"I just entered the house and wondered what my daughter was thinking about. She was so absent-minded!"
Baochai shook her head and smiled, "My daughter was just thinking of some trivial matters between sisters! Oh, Cong is here today!"
"Cong'er?" Aunt Xue thought about it and then remembered who her daughter was talking about.
She couldn't help but frown and asked, "I haven't seen you since we entered the mansion. Why did you come here today? Are you here to ask for money?"
"What are you talking about, mother?" Baochai complained. "Cong'er is not only good at studying and writing, but also very knowledgeable about business. Why would he come to us to ask for money?"
"Brother Cong has come up with a recipe, but he just wants to use our family to do business!"
Aunt Xue sneered and shook her head, "You are just trying to find ways to get some money. Tomorrow, you can send someone to give him twenty or thirty taels. After all, he is a member of the Jia family. It would be bad if he refused. As for that useless business, forget it."
"Besides, this Cong is just the eldest son of the eldest wife. It's better for my daughter to have less contact with him. After all, men and women should be separated. If something gets out, it will not only damage my daughter's reputation, but it will also be difficult for your aunt to say anything!"
After saying this, she took another sip of tea and said, "I may be tired today. Mom will take a rest first. I will let your daughter handle these trivial matters."
Baochai has always been a person with her own ideas, and Aunt Xue is also confident in her daughter, so she just gave a hint and said no more.
Baochai's face changed, and then she responded in a low voice, "Mom is right, I know!"
After Aunt Xue left, Baochai played with a wooden box in her hand, which contained the contract signed with Jia Cong! After a while, she stood up with the box in her arms and walked towards the boudoir, and told the maid Wen Xing, "When my brother comes back, let me know. I have something to ask my brother."
In a flash, more than ten days had passed. It was calculated that Jia Cong had not been to school for nearly a month, and Jia Rui had not asked anyone to urge him.
However, Jia Cong did not waste nearly a month. He had memorized the Four Books and their annotations by heart, and after writing them over and over again, he had gained a lot of insights on his own.
"Master Cong is here!" One day, the master and servant had just finished dinner when they heard a shout from outside the door.
Jia Cong suppressed Xiao Que'er who was about to get up and went out the door himself.
When I opened the door, I saw a young servant in blue clothes watching outside the door!
"Greetings to Third Master Cong!" The servant bowed and then said, "Second Master asked Third Master Cong to come over!"
Jia Cong was stunned. Second Master Jia Zheng? When did he think of him?
He turned to Xiao Que'er and gave an order, and then he followed the boy to Jia Zheng's study! It was not far away, just to the north of the East Courtyard, adjacent to Mengpo Zhai.
When they were outside the hall, the gatekeeper turned around and went in to report. After a moment, a steady voice came out.
"Come in!"
Jia Cong stepped in and saw many books on the shelves all around. Behind the desk, a middle-aged man in Confucian clothes and with a solemn face sat upright.
"Nephew greets the second master!" After Jia Cong bowed, he stood with his hands hanging down.
"I heard that you haven't been to the clan school for nearly a month?"
Although Jia Cong was not a child of the second wife, Jia Zheng always attached great importance to the study of his children, so he was not surprised by Jia Zheng's question.
The only question is where this rumor came from.
It is impossible for Jia Zheng to go to inquire about such things! Even Jia Zheng has no time to go to the clan school. Then, the source of this news is somewhat intriguing.
Jia Cong thought in his heart, but he saluted and replied, "Replying to the Second Master, it is so!"
"Hmph!" Jia Zheng shouted angrily, "As a child of the family, you are naughty and don't know how to make progress. Is this what you should do? Before, I thought you were calm and steady, and you were a good student, but I never thought you could not endure hardship like this!"
Jia Zheng was obviously really angry, but it was because Jia Cong was a young master of the eldest family. If it was Baoyu or Jia Huan, they might have been beaten with a stick by now. But now, he was just angry that he was not doing his best and scolded him harshly.
