A stew of the Red Chamber

Chapter 45 Self-comprehension

Without Madam Wang as the middleman, Wang Qing seemed to lose interest in talking, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat silent.

Seeing that her mother seemed unable to find a way out, Baochai quickly said, "It's all my brother's fault. When Mother heard about this, she instructed her subordinates to pay the outstanding cleaning and tidying fees according to the family's precedent... I think it should be sent to the yamen by tomorrow at the latest."

Upon hearing that Xue Pan had been arrested, Aunt Xue no longer cared about cleaning and sweeping money.

Wang Qing didn't expose him, but coldly said, "Just pay in full, otherwise it will look like I arrested Wenlong because of that little bit of money."

The money for cleaning was already meager, and even a tenth of that was negligible, especially since it was public funds.

If they don't accept the money, they can increase their demands when Xue Pan apologizes; if they do accept it, the Xue family might mistakenly think that the matter is being downplayed.

Xue Baochai's face stiffened for a moment, then she tentatively suggested, "Then when my brother returns, we'll have him go and apologize to Brother Qing!"

"As long as he doesn't cause any more trouble, the rest... you can handle it!"

"Hey!~ Hey!~"

Seeing his cold tone, Aunt Xue, flustered by concern, hurriedly agreed, then added, "Qing... Brother Qing, you must release Wenlong first thing tomorrow morning!"

Wang Qing stopped and looked at Aunt Xue, saying, "Since I promised the old lady and the second wife, I naturally won't go back on my word!"

At this point, he abruptly changed the subject: "However, I've heard that Wenlong has a murder charge against him. His concubine should keep a closer eye on him, lest he cause any more trouble and things get out of hand!"

Having said that, he ignored the somewhat stunned Baochai and her daughter and strode away.

Wang Qing was staying at the Rong Mansion, and his plans with the emperor would require the use of Jia Zheng's relationship with the Jia family. Therefore, he needed to devise a strategy for dealing with the Jia family members.

However, the Xue family, who were also staying there, did not have this need.

Whether it's tailoring your approach to the individual or picking on the weakest link, it doesn't matter.

Since the Xue family insisted on walking into the line of fire, Wang Qing was happy to strike back hard.

It seemed like a well-intentioned reminder, but it also carried a threat: if the Xue family's apology lacked sincerity, they shouldn't blame me for using this as an excuse to cause trouble later.

When Wang Qing returned home, he found all the servants gathered in the courtyard, eagerly waiting.

"Grandpa's back!" The little girls cheered as if welcoming a victorious general. Although Liu Wu'er was a little shy and didn't join in the commotion, she secretly clenched her fists and looked up at Wang Qing with her watery eyes.

The old women and servants visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Qing was very generous. They were all from the bottom of the Rong family and rarely even saw a proper master. They had no chance of getting ahead. Only by serving Wang Qing well could they rise in status and have a chance to gain some respectability.

The arrival of Madam Wang undoubtedly gave them a strong boost of confidence.

However, the good times didn't last long. Just half a day later, news came that Wang Qing had arrested Xue Pan and several powerful servants in the mansion, and even reported it to Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang.

Aunt Xue was, after all, Lady Wang's sister, and those servants had always followed Jia Lian. There was a distinction between close and distant relatives. Even if Wang Qing was highly regarded by Jia Zheng and Lady Wang, he probably wouldn't end up well.

Hearing that he had gone to Rongqing Hall and had not returned for a long time, I was very uneasy.

Fearing that the chance for a comeback would be fleeting, they waited anxiously for news.

Seeing this, Wang Qing smiled at Sister Liu and said, "The old lady invited us to stay for dinner today, but I forgot to tell you."

Upon hearing this, everyone's faces lit up with surprise and delight.

Wang Qing seemed to remember something, took out two taels of silver from his pocket, handed it to Sister Liu, and said, "By the way, the Second Master invited me over for drinks tomorrow night, and I won't be back for dinner. Take this silver and buy some wine, cook a few more dishes, and have some fun with everyone. Consider it a welcome dinner for Wu'er."

The girls immediately cheered, and Liu Wu'er's eyes were filled with hopeful tears.

The old women and servants were also beaming with joy, but after the joy subsided, their eyes shone with deep awe, and they gradually lowered their heads.

But Sister Liu seemed to be deep in thought.

Wang Qing seemed oblivious, gave Liu Wu'er a smile, patted her head, and said with a smile, "Have all the tonics arrived?"

When Doctor Bao treated Liu Wu'er, he heard that Liu's sister-in-law worked in his courtyard and saw him lead people to search and confiscate Huichuntang. It was not hard to guess who he was standing up for.

Therefore, he specially selected some tonics suitable for Liu Wu'er from Huichuntang and offered them to her.

Wang Qing went directly to Rongqing Hall upon his return. Since it was inconvenient to carry the items, he ordered someone to send them back ahead of time.

Liu Wu'er's lips trembled as she said in a soft voice, "Thank you so much, sir! This servant... this servant will serve you like a slave to repay your great kindness!"

As they spoke, the three generations of the family knelt down and kowtowed three times.

With a grateful expression, Sister Liu looked up and said, "This child is so unlucky to have such good tonics... Sir, you should..."

Wang Qing shook his head and said, "These were all taken from Huichuntang. Since Wu'er was ambushed by the man surnamed Hu, these tonics will serve as compensation."

As he spoke, he looked around and said in a deep voice, "If you cause trouble outside, I won't bother you. But if you're bullied, just come and tell me!"

After a combination of kindness and severity, all the servants respected and obeyed him.

Wang Qing nodded in satisfaction, swung his arms, and turned to walk towards the backyard.

Wang Qing's actions were not a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Earlier, sending people to various shops to check for stolen goods was just an attempt to kill two birds with one stone.

Unexpectedly, the stolen goods that Jia Lian had lied about were found in a gold shop.

Originally, he wanted to report this matter directly to Grandmother Jia to put Jia Lian in a bad light.

However, upon arriving at Rongqing Hall, he learned that Jia Lian was going to send Lin Daiyu south early the next morning, and thus changed his mind at the last minute.

Jia Lian was, after all, the eldest son of the main branch, and the Rong Mansion had no suitable external steward besides him. Even if he embezzled funds and lied about the deficit, he would at most be given a minor punishment as a warning.

However, if Wang Xifeng, as the granddaughter-in-law of the Jia family, is suspected of such a thing, then the situation is different.

Li Wan and Tan Chun also assisted in managing the Grand View Garden. Compared to Jia Lian, who was an external manager, her position was not irreplaceable.

However, if she is suspected of using the guise of managing the household to subsidize her own family, she will inevitably lose her power to manage the household.

Don't be fooled by her constant references to the Wang family; the Wang family isn't just limited to Wang Xifeng's branch.

Throughout the entire novel *Dream of the Red Chamber*, Wang Xifeng constantly refers to Wang Ziteng, and how many times does she mention her father?

Wang Xifeng was greedy for money and power; losing her control of the household would probably be the death of her.

Therefore, even if you can gain some advantage by going head-to-head with Jia Lian, the results will be minimal, and it's better to choose to steal his base.

Wang Qing already suspected that Wang Xifeng and Jia Lian were conspiring together, and when he learned that the gold ingot was for making jewelry for her, he became even more convinced of their motives.

Although it is said that a gentleman takes revenge from morning till night, in order to maximize the benefits of revenge and to avoid Jia Lian having to shoulder the burden alone, it was decided to postpone it for one night.

Just as he was pondering how to leave Wang Xifeng speechless tomorrow, he suddenly heard footsteps behind him.

Immediately afterward, Aunt Liu's hesitant voice rang out: "Uncle...Master! Could Wu'er stay in Grandma's room for two nights so she can help take care of her?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Qing immediately stopped and said, "No rush. I'll let her come in and serve me when she's fully recovered."

He thought for a moment and added, "I don't know when I'll be back tomorrow night, so there's no need to prepare hot water for your baths, so you won't have any trouble enjoying your drinks."

Although negotiations with Wang Xifeng have not yet taken place, and it is unclear what sacrifices she will make, a lack of foresight will inevitably lead to immediate trouble. It is always best to plan ahead and make as many preparations as possible.

Having learned from Jia Rui's experience, Wang Qing naturally had to be careful and fight on his home turf to avoid Wang Xifeng using the same tactics she used against Jia Rui to turn the tables on him.

Upon hearing this, Sister Liu unconsciously swallowed and said in a hoarse voice, "I...I understand!"

……