Chapter 989 Change of Owner
On the sixth day of the first lunar month in the sixteenth year of Guangde, the emperor passed away, and the crown prince succeeded to the throne and changed the reign title to Long'an.
Because the retired emperor was too sad to recover, the empress and the crown princess were in charge of governing the country from behind the scenes.
On March 24th of the first year of Long'an, the late emperor was buried and the whole country was in mourning.
On the first day of April, the new emperor ascended the throne and issued a general amnesty, among which was the former third-rank general Jia Zhen and his eldest son Jia Rong.
By this point, the father and son had been detained for nearly half a year. When they walked out of the Ministry of Justice prison side by side and saw the sunrise and the city they had not seen for a long time, they could not help but hugging and crying in the street.
After crying for a long time, Jia Zhen and Jia Rong got on the carriage after being persuaded by Zhou Rui.
When they met their uncle Jia Zheng at Rongguo Mansion, there was another happy gathering and sighing.
Afterwards, Jia Zheng held a welcoming banquet in Rong Xi Tang. During the banquet, he asked about Jia She and found out that he was not included in the amnesty - in fact, it was because Wang Xifeng was annoyed by his shamelessness and deliberately told Sun Shaozong not to rescue him.
The drinking session lasted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and both father and son were drunk. By the time Jia Zhen sobered up, the moon was already high in the sky.
He got up from the bed with a splitting headache, still in a daze as if he was in prison, and was ready to beg the jailer for a bowl of water.
Only after walking a few steps did Jia Zhen suddenly remember that he was at home, so his humble and flattering expression suddenly turned into an angry roar: "Where are the people? Where the hell are they?!"
As he said this, he turned around, staggered a few steps, and dived back onto the bed, kicking off his boots in a hurry.
At this time, there was a rustling noise outside, and then someone came to the bed with a candle and whispered, "Is the master awake?"
"Um."
Jia Zhen lay on the bed without moving, and responded vaguely, then shouted, "Did you break your leg? Why did you take so long to come here! Go, go and bring me a bowl of sobering soup!"
The visitor responded, turned around and lit the candle on the lampstand, then hurried outside. It took a long time before he brought back a bowl of half-heated soup.
Jia Zhen had been waiting impatiently for a long time. He turned over while cursing. When he saw the man's appearance clearly, he was stunned and blurted out, "Who are you?!"
The visitor froze when he heard this, holding the warm soup and saying hesitantly, "Master, I... I am Fang'er."
As he spoke, tears of grievance began to drip down his face.
When Jia Zhen heard the name, he remembered that this was his old concubine. Because she was old and ugly, he hadn't seen her for several years, so he didn't recognize her at first.
He frowned and asked, "Why are you serving here? Where are Moxiang and Yingti who are on duty in the main hall? Where is Youshi?"
"this……"
The old concubine who called herself Fang'er pursed her lips tightly, skipped the first question, and said, "The second mistress of the West Mansion has also been released, and invited Madam to drink the dust-receiving wine. But at this time in Tiandu, she must be back by now."
Speak of Cao Cao and he will appear. Before he could finish his words, he heard footsteps approaching. Then the door curtain was lifted and Youshi walked in from outside.
"You still remember to come back?!"
Seeing her blushing face and smiling eyes, it was obvious that both the host and the guest were having a great time. Jia Zhen became even more unhappy. He turned over and sat up from the bed, scolding her: "It would be fine if you didn't go to the prison to pick me up, but you didn't show up all day, leaving only an old woman by my side..."
"What about the old woman?"
Yu Shi, who always accepted everything, refused to be scolded this time. She sneered and said, "If she hadn't remembered the kindness she had shown you since you were a child, you would have died of drunkenness here without anyone knowing!"
"Are you planning to rebel, you slut?!"
Jia Zhen was so angry that he was furious and pointed his finger at others and moved forward.
After all, he had accumulated power for a long time. Seeing his hair and beard standing on end, Youshi could not help but retreat step by step. She grabbed the curtain with one hand and was about to escape, but she saw Jia Zhen holding his head, staggering back two steps, and then falling back on the step.
Yu Shi's courage suddenly grew stronger. She remembered what she had just discussed with Wang Xifeng, so she gloomily flipped through an account book from the next room, threw it fiercely into Jia Zhen's arms, and sneered, "Master, do you think I like to be a servile slave in front of others? But if you offend Feng Lazi again, you will not only be left alone, but you will also have to worry about food and drink!"
Jia Zhen is a bully at heart and fears the strong, not to mention that he had just been in prison for half a year.
Seeing his usually well-behaved wife acting so arrogant, he felt a little intimidated. He flipped through the account book at random and said in a timid tone, "I'm still drunk, what are you doing with this account book?"
"Of course it's for me to sober up!"
Yu Shi sneered and said, "It would be good if the master knew that all the servants in our house had been dispersed. Not only did Jia Qiang elope with two opera singers, but even your concubines have all gone their separate ways..."
"What?!"
After hearing this, Jia Zhen was indeed less drunk. He stared in astonishment and asked, "How dare you, how dare you..."
"They want to leave on their own. It has nothing to do with me."
Youshi rolled her eyes and pointed at the account book, saying, "Master, you should take a look at the account book first. How can those delicate people live with us and suffer from cold and hunger?"
Jia Zhen then began to read the book seriously, but he was still hungover and was used to being a hands-off manager, so how could he understand it in such a hurry?
Therefore, Youshi finally helped him to summarize.
Ever since the Ningguo Mansion was confiscated, the family has been destitute, but the situation is not much better either.
How can the little remaining wealth be used to feed five or six hundred mouths?
After only half a month, the money and food were all gone, so they had no choice but to dismiss the servants and ask for help from the Rongguo Mansion.
But the Rongguo Mansion is not as good as before now. It is already tightening its belt and cutting down on expenses. It may be able to provide emergency relief to the Ningguo Mansion, but it is impossible to allow Jia Zhen and Jia Rong's wives and concubines to continue living a life of extravagance.
In addition, Youshi deliberately forced them as soon as possible. Within a few months, even Jia Rong's second wife, Hu, could not stand the poverty and ran away from the mansion to hang out with a few playboys. This was all thanks to Jia Zhen and Jia Rong who helped pave the way.
Up to now, not only are Youshi and Fang'er the only ones left in the family, but they also owe the Rongguo Mansion a lot of money. Although given the relationship between the two families, the Rongguo Mansion may not necessarily ask for it back, this is definitely not a long-term solution.
After learning about his family's current situation, Jia Zhen's face lost some color. He sat slumped on the bed and muttered repeatedly: "Why is it like this, why is it like this..."
After six months in prison, he looked much more haggard. Before, he still had some energy due to the alcohol, but now he looked decadent and prematurely aged.
Seeing this, Youshi felt no sympathy at all, but was filled with comfort and contempt. She then took the opportunity to pour cold water on him, saying, "I just heard from Feng Lazi and Aunt Zheng that his family might have to sell off their property to make up for the hole left by Master She. I can't ask for money at this critical moment. Master, you'd better think of a way out, or you won't even be able to be a relative in the end."
Jia Zhen became more and more depressed. He looked at the account book in his arms, then at Youshi, who looked cold and stern, and could not help sighing, "In this urgent situation, where can I find a solution?"
He then held on to hope and said, "Besides, although the West Mansion has become a poor family, at least there are still a few wealthy relatives here. It won't be short of food, clothing and other expenses for my husband and I, right?"
After saying this, seeing Youshi sneer at him, Jia Zhen became a little angry and threw the account book to the ground with a bang, asking, "What about you? Have you come up with any good ideas?!"
“I do have some ideas.”
Yu Shi was waiting for him to say this, and immediately raised her eyebrows and said, "General Sun is going to get married in a few days. With his status, how can he ..."
"etc!"
Jia Zhen interrupted her and asked in confusion, "Who is General Sun?"
"He is the second son of the Sun family, a relative of the West Mansion!"
Youshi raised her face with pride: "The Queen Mother [Crown Princess] personally appointed Lord Sun to take over as the Commander of the Dragon Guards. This is a first-rank official position, so he should naturally be honored with the title of Grand Commandant."
"He actually became the admiral of the Dragon Guard?!"
Jia Zhen almost suspected that he was dreaming. Although Sun Shaozong had risen rapidly in the past few years and he was no longer surprised, it was still hard to accept that he was promoted from a fourth-rank official to a first-rank official in just a few months.
Suddenly, he remembered something, and hurriedly sent Fang'er out, then moved closer to Youshi and said expectantly, "You and him are not... Hehe, maybe we can ask him to help the master find a good job, so that we don't have to worry about food, clothing and expenses in the future!"
"Pooh!"
Yu Shi immediately spat in his face, took two steps back cautiously, and said coldly: "At this time, the master still doesn't forget to slander someone's innocence! It's okay for me, but if Sun Taiwei finds out, you'll be fine!"
"you……"
Jia Zhen also took a half step back, wiped his face with his sleeve angrily, and said angrily: "Well , what do you say we should do? The family is in deficit, and the West Mansion can't be relied on as you said. Are we going to be beggars on the street?!"
"Who wants the master to be a beggar?"
Youshi said, "The West Mansion can sell its property to fill the hole, but our East Mansion can't do the same?"
Jia Zhen kicked the account book and rolled his eyes at Youshi, obviously meaning that the Ningguo Mansion was already penniless and there was nothing left to sell.
But Youshi continued, "With Sun Taiwei's current status, how can he live with his brother? I think he will have to buy a new house before and after his wedding. If that's the case, why don't we..."
"You mean..."
Jia Zhen's eyes suddenly widened: "Are you going to sell Ningguo Mansion to him?!"
As he spoke, he flew into a rage, pointed at Youshi and cursed: " You are such a wicked and heartless slave, you just pretended to be innocent, but now you want to help your adulterer to seize my ancestral property! Do you really think I am a poor man who sold my land?! Fine, fine, if I don't teach you a lesson today, you will definitely murder your own husband next!"
As he said this, he rushed forward with bared teeth and claws, ready to fight.
Fortunately, Youshi had been on guard, and he was also weak from a hangover, so he dodged by just leaning over, and then he opened the door curtain and ran away .
Jia Zhen hurried a few steps behind, taking one deep step and one shallow step, and almost fell down. So he went back into the room cursing and shouting that he would teach Youshi a lesson when she came back.
Unexpectedly, Youshi took her son to live with Wang Xifeng, and since then she has ignored Jia Zhen and his son.
Jia Zhen became more and more angry, and he and Jia Rong cursed and swore at home, and even thought of all kinds of ways to frame Youshi.
However, a few days later, Fang'er, the only old concubine left in the family, came to find him and said that the family's firewood and rice were not enough for one day's needs.
Jia Zhen thought that if Youshi was willing to ask Rongguo Mansion for some money, it might not be a bad idea to give her a lighter sentence.
But when she found Wang Xifeng, Youshi just avoided her.
Jia Zhen was furious. He returned to his residence and kept cursing until midnight. By noon the next day, he was so hungry that he had no choice but to bite the bullet and go to Jia Zheng to borrow money.
He asked to borrow one thousand taels of silver, but Jia Zheng gritted his teeth and squeezed out two hundred taels to give him.
Jia Zhen was greatly disappointed. He had thought that with one thousand taels of silver, he could do some small business, but what could he do with these two hundred taels?
After returning home and discussing with his son, the father and son unanimously decided to offer sacrifices to the internal organs first and then come up with a good plan.
So they left Fang'er behind and went to a familiar restaurant for a big meal. They then each took two prostitutes home to have fun. The next day, when they sobered up, they found that they had spent more than sixty taels of silver. Only then did they begin to regret it.
In the following days, they changed to a lower-end restaurant, and the father and son shared the same prostitute.
But even if he lived so frugally, he still had to earn six or seven taels of silver a day, and the rest was gone in about half a month.
Seeing that they were about to run out of food again, the father and son discussed the matter for half a day with worried faces, but they really could not think of a way to make money, so they had to shamelessly go to find Jia Zheng again.
This time he was scolded severely, but only fifty taels of silver were given to him.
The father and son returned home covered in dust and dirt, and finally learned their lesson. They thought it was too expensive to cook outside, and it would be more economical to cook at home.
As for physiological needs ...
Even though Fang'er was older, she could still be used, so the father and son didn't have to look for another prostitute anymore.
But he didn't expect that the good plan of his father and son had been heard by Fang'er. She was ashamed and angry at the time, and she wished she could fight to the death.
These days, Jia Zhen and his son ate out every meal, but they never thought about how Fang'er made a living at home. Even so, she still stayed with him, but she didn't expect that she would end up like this.
He then left the two beasts behind and went to find Youshi to make the decision.
Jia Zhen and Jia Rong were left alone, unable to carry anything. They wanted to go to the Rongguo Mansion to borrow a few maids and old women, but who would be willing to jump into this fire pit?
So the idea of opening fire died halfway.
The father and son had no choice but to eat in those fly-in-the-sky restaurants and snack stands to barely fill their stomachs. As for the position of prostitute leader, that could only be temporarily assumed by the Fifth Girl.
But as time went on, Jia Zhen felt that his son Jia Rong was handsome and charming...
Originally, it was like this, and it could hold out for some time.
But unfortunately, Jia Zhen and Jia Rong went to a stall outside to eat wontons that day, and as soon as they sat down, they ran into their old friends.
After a few sarcastic remarks from the other party, Jia Zhen became arrogant again out of anger. He set up a banquet and summoned his prostitutes to let those villains see what it means that a lean camel is bigger than a horse!
The face-slapping and pretentiousness was quite successful.
But when he woke up the next day, Jia Zhen wished he could slap his face to pieces - in just this one meal, not only did he spend all the money he relied on for living, but he also owed the restaurant more than ten taels!
After learning from his mistakes, Jia Zhen regained his spirits, gritted his teeth and stomped his feet to find Youshi, and said arrogantly: "Sell it!"
At the end of May, Ningguo Mansion changed hands.
Afterwards, General Sun sent a hundred or so servants to take a simple rest. During this time, Youshi, Wang Xifeng, Li Wan, and Aunt Xue took turns to supervise the work and contributed many good ideas for General Sun to adopt every day.
By mid-June, an imperial decree was issued from the palace, authorizing the reopening of the Grand View Garden for use as a wedding venue.
For a moment, the Grand View Garden was full of splendor and it seemed as if we had returned to its heyday a few years ago...
