Red Mansion Royal Cat

Chapter 512: Brother Bao, you actually want to go to that kind of place!
Shunyi County is quite small, so the princess's entourage would certainly not just find out about the Sun Qi case.

With the promotion of compulsory education in the past two years and the popularity of newspapers, people's wisdom has gradually increased, and many things that were previously taken for granted in the eyes of the world no longer seem so natural.

For example, various excessive taxes that should not be paid, and the exploitation and oppression by village heads and clan elders, the people's fear of gentry is gradually disappearing.

Even if they don't say it openly, the common people will still use extremely simple values ​​to judge the good and evil of the gentry who oppress the good, and then completely explode when something happens.

There are still many people in the world who are not afraid of power and dare to fight, such as Sun the butcher who dared to follow Daiyu to Beijing for his daughter, and the people of Shunyi County who secretly passed messages to the personal soldiers of the princess's mansion.

Just because Daiyu didn't lose her temper on the spot doesn't mean she was indifferent to it.

"It's not that Shunyi County Magistrate Cui Xiang didn't fulfill his responsibilities, but the imperial power didn't extend to the countryside, so there was actually very little he could do as a county magistrate. This is still in the capital. I can't imagine whether the people in the border areas, where the emperor is far away, will always be trampled under the feet of the gentry."

Many of the things the personal soldiers found out were truly horrifying.

Although the Lai girl is young, she is so vicious, so her family tradition is naturally not good.

His father, Lai Changde, was a wealthy man in the county and had achieved the title of Juren. His elder brother, Lai Jiu, managed the family farm and served as the head of the village.

In ten years, the Lai family's land assets nearly doubled. Every year, Lai Jiu had to help the county government collect grain taxes, imperial grain and national taxes, land taxes and labor services. Lai Jiu would always interfere, and every time he would make the villagers miserable.

As for bullying men and women, it might not be obvious, but according to rumors, he has definitely done a lot of this.

The most vicious incident happened in Shunyi County where a widow's husband died while working on a river.

Originally, the family had a few acres of land, and they could make ends meet even if they worked hard.

However, Lai Jiu used the excuse that the woman was unfaithful and had tainted the family's morals, and he drowned her in the pond, forced her children away, and occupied the few acres of thin land...

The woman's family was indignant and wanted to file a complaint, but Lai Jiu was the village chief and the elder, and the whole family was forced by his power to keep silent about the matter.

Shunyi County came to investigate many times, but there was no evidence, so the case had to be closed hastily.

To put it bluntly, in rural clans, clan laws are more important than national laws.

An unfaithful girl could be drowned in a pond; this was permitted by clan law, but not by the law.

Without any investigation or trial by the government, it would be very easy for the clan elders and village chiefs to wipe out the entire family.

But how many farmers understand the Daxia Code?

This was just one of the mysteries that the personal soldiers had inquired about. Daiyu lifted the curtain of the carriage and looked out at the warm sun hanging in the sky.

"I have read in many books before that imperial edicts cannot leave the Forbidden City. Now it seems that although this statement is exaggerated, it is also true."

Daiyu's sigh did not receive a response from Jia Cong for a long time. She looked down in confusion, only to see Jia Cong with a slightly frown and dull eyes.

"Brother Cong?"

Ok?
Jia Cong felt the cool touch on his forehead, and Daiyu rubbed his frown with her fingers.

"What did Sister Lin say just now?"

Daiyu touched his forehead with her finger and said angrily, "I have been talking to you for so long, but you don't take it seriously at all."

Jia Cong grabbed Daiyu's hand, and his soft and weak fingertips gave Daiyu a tingling and numb feeling that made her body tremble slightly.

"How can I not care about Sister Lin's affairs? It's just that I was thinking about something just now, which happened to coincide with Sister Lin's thoughts. I was thinking about how to tell you..."

This is not nonsense. When Jia Cong heard Daiyu say that imperial power should not extend to the countryside, an idea came to his mind.

The new law has been slow to make progress and is still lingering on the periphery. This is because its implementation has been stuck at the county level.

Just like surveying the land, Jia Cong's cheap teacher Xu Qingteng fought with the gentry in Jiangnan for two years but failed to thoroughly survey the fields in Jiangnan.

Even when the tax system was being reformed, the imperial edict was posted at the gate of the county town, but there were still people in the countryside who were bewitched and deceived by the gentry. They took up hoes to fight against the imperial envoy and resisted the implementation of the new law.

Can imperial power really not extend to the countryside?
"Sister Lin, do you think that if we let retired imperial guards serve as village heads in the countryside, can we change the current situation where the imperial power does not go to the countryside?"

……

On the fourth day of February, Daiyu and Jia Cong returned to the capital less than three days after they left. I wonder how many people were curious about why Princess Wen'an, who inspected the compulsory education in the capital every year, suddenly interrupted her inspection and returned to the capital.

However, this matter seemed very important to Daiyu. She was very angry and the consequences were serious.

She hurried back to the capital just for the grand court meeting the day after tomorrow...

Jia Cong sent Daiyu back to the Lin Mansion in Huanghuafang, and then went home leisurely with a few personal soldiers. As soon as he entered the gate of Rongguo Mansion, he was grabbed by Baoyu's sleeve, who looked awkward and mysterious.

"Brother Cong, you're back just in time..."

Ok?
Baoyu was seen pulling Jia Cong to a secluded place aside and winking at him.

Jia Cong waved his hand helplessly to Jia Shiyi and the others, and followed Baoyu to a deserted place.

"Brother Bao, what's the matter? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Baoyu hadn't been so embarrassed for a long time. He even unconsciously showed the behavior he had done in childhood. He kept twisting the corners of his clothes with his hands, and it took him a long time to utter a word.

"Um~uh~that... there is something I dare not tell my grandmother and father, but I am afraid I can't do it myself...that is...that...Can Cong brother accompany me to Hongxiuzhao?"

what?
Jia Cong opened his mouth wide. Oh my god, Second Brother Bao, are you going to change your mind?
"You actually want to go to that kind of place? Sister Yun will beat you to death if she knows!"

Although Xiangyun has a carefree personality and doesn't care much about the beauties in Baoyu's yard, that's because the maids in Baoyu's yard are all from the mansion and are clean!

Just as Wang Xifeng often said to Jia Lian, if he wanted to sleep with a woman, he could, but she had to be clean, and she could take the initiative to take a concubine at home.

But if he went out to sleep with those questionable women, she, Wang Xifeng, would dare to chase him with a knife and chop him to death!
This may be a bit exaggerated and scary, but it is true.

Xiangyun has learned a lot of tricks from Sister Feng. If Baoyu really had an affair with the women in the brothel, Miss Shi might do something cruel like Sister Feng.

Jia Cong's voice was a little louder when he asked, and Baoyu was so frightened that he reached out to cover his mouth.

"Don't talk nonsense, I didn't, it wasn't me!"

Baoyu looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to this side, so he whispered to Jia Cong to explain: "It's not me who has to go, it's Huan Ge'er... Huan Ge'er made an appointment with someone today to go to Hong Xiu Zhao to play... Tell me, if this matter is known by father, won't Huan Ge'er be beaten to death by father?"

ha?
This is really out of the ordinary. When did Jia Huan develop this hobby?
Jia Cong would rather believe that Huan Lao San is addicted to gambling than believe that this guy would go to a brothel. Their personalities really don't match.

"When did you go? Who did you go with? Doesn't your uncle know about this?"

This time, Baoyu didn't need to urge him, Jia Cong grabbed Baoyu and pulled him out.

Are you kidding? Master Zheng is now a clean person among clean people, a gentleman among gentlemen. If he knew that his youngest son went to a brothel at the age of fourteen, wouldn't he be furious to death?
I'm afraid the phrase "use a big stick to catch Baoyu" should be changed to "use a big stick to catch Jia Huan".

……

Hongxiuzhao is the most famous place for entertainment in the outer market of Xiyuan.

When Hongxiuzhao was first built and opened, they wanted to invite Jia Cong, the "poet immortal" of Great Xia, to write a poem, and even offered five thousand taels of silver as a reward.

It's a pity. Regardless of whether Jia Cong is a real poet or not, if he dares to make this money, Sister Lin will transform into Lin Tixia and beat up Jia Xiaosan.

"It's no wonder that this is a joint venture between Southeast Sea Merchants. With this scale, it's only a little short of the three great halls with carved dragons and phoenixes."

Jia Cong's words almost frightened the waiter who greeted them to death. The young boy with a feminine face bowed his head and begged, "My lord, please be careful with your words. I dare not compare myself with the poor and leaky houses in the Forbidden City."

"What I said is the truth..."

Jia Cong took the fruit plate from the table nearby, threw a plum into his mouth, grinned and said, "The three main halls just look magnificent. Our Majesty has always been frugal and would not inlay gold in the house. Look at the fairy on the pillar, she is actually painted with gold powder..."

"Is it really made of gold? They say that sea merchants are as wealthy as salt merchants, but I didn't believe it before!"

Baoyu touched it with his hand and the touch and color were undoubtedly gold powder.

"However, the carvings on it are so lifelike. Brother Cong, the reincarnation of the Goddess of Luo River would probably be no more than this."

Seeing Baoyu being infatuated again and constantly caressing the fairy carved on the pillar, Jia Cong speechlessly stuffed the fruit into his hands, interrupting his reverie.

"Brother Bao, let's get down to business. Don't forget what we are here for!"

With Jia Cong's reminder, Baoyu finally regained his sanity.

He frowned, feeling that he was a little strange today. But as Jia Cong said, he came here today for something important to do.

Baoyu pretended to be angry, snorted coldly, and shouted at the waiter, "I want to ask you, where is Jia Huan from Rongguo Mansion?"

"My Lord? Your Excellency...Are you an official of the imperial court?"

The young man never imagined that the two young men in front of him wearing golden crowns, jade belts and brocade clothes were actually officials of the imperial court. Doubt and surprise appeared in his eyes.

Jia Cong raised his hand and knocked on his head: "I don't know what your master taught you. You are in the service industry, how dare you not recognize us brothers?"

"Oh, I was wondering where these two immortals came from. It turns out they are Hou..."

Ok?
Jia Cong was now allergic to the word "Hou" and immediately looked over coldly.

The charming old procuress was about to come forward, but she was frightened by Jia Cong's cold eyes. However, she quickly hid her embarrassment and regret, put on a charming smile, and said in a delicate voice: "Master Cong and Master Bao are honored to be here. Your red sleeves are waving and your humble home is honored. Please come upstairs, I will arrange the best girls for you two masters..."

"No need, I'm here to look for someone. Where is Jia Huan?"

Baoyu had already been made blushing by the not-so-old madam, so Jia Cong had no choice but to stand up and interrupt her with a wave of his hand.

The madam didn't expect Jia Cong to be so disrespectful to her, but as a brothel owner, how could she give any face to Jia Cong?

She was stunned for a moment, then managed a smile again.

"So you're looking for Master Huan San. Unfortunately, Master Huan San just came here with his friends and called several girls from the slave building. I guess they're having a great time right now, so it's probably inconvenient for him to see you..."

Snapped!
The madam covered her left face, and Jia Cong took out a handkerchief and wiped the palm of his right hand with disgust.

Jia Cong spoke again coldly: "Wrong answer, say it again!"

There is never a shortage of playboys in this land of extravagance. Relying on huge financial support and the presence of many women from vassal states, Hong Xiu Zhao made many playboys fall in love with this place where they could experience exotic customs in just a short period of time.

Although Jia Cong and Baoyu were not wearing official uniforms, they were both very well-known in the capital, so naturally some people recognized them.

Some of them were people with great achievements or officials in the court. After seeing the two men, they secretly spat at them with disdain and fled in disgrace.

Jia Cong and Jia's Baoyu actually came to the brothel? Okay, okay, your father always accuses us of going to brothels, this time it's our turn!

Many people escaped, but there were also many who were not banned by the court. They were quite interested in eating melons and watching the show while holding fruit plates and hugging women.

The old procuress was seen with stars after being slapped by Jia Cong. Under Jia Cong's cold gaze, she was ultimately unable to resist the power of the "God of Death".

"Second floor, third room on the east side, Pinglan Pavilion."

……

There were two servants guarding outside the door of Pinglan Pavilion. When they saw Jia Cong just climbing the stairs and turning the corner, they looked at each other in fear and wanted to report the news, but were frightened by Jia Cong's look and fell to their knees, not daring to make a sound.

Lewd whispers were heard in the room, and the lewd sounds made Baoyu's face red as a monkey's butt, but he still bit his lip and whispered to Jia Cong: "Let's take Huan'er back quickly. If the commotion continues, it will really cause big trouble..."

Jia Cong raised his foot to kick the door, but Baoyu hesitated and held him back.

"Brother Cong, will Brother Huan be frightened? I heard people say that if someone gets frightened while doing that, they might... do something. Is it a good idea if he gets frightened?"

"Hmm? Where did Brother Bao learn this weird knowledge?"

Baoyu hesitated and didn't know how to answer. Jia Cong laughed and kicked the door open.

bang~
The huge noise scared the soft music in the room so much that it disappeared instantly, and then a shrill scream was heard.

"It's over, it's over, I'm exhausted..."

……

How appalling was the situation in Pinglang Pavilion?

Not to mention Baoyu, a "pure" child, even Jia Cong, who had been used to big scenes in two lifetimes, almost vomited.

The whole room was very large, and it looked like a suite. There were five pairs of naked men and naked women...

Just when Jia Cong was wondering why he didn't see Jia Huan, he heard a voice of regret behind him.

"Oh, Brother Bao, Brother Cong, why are you two here? This is bad news. My plan...what should I do now? My plan has not been completed yet."

Monthly ticket recommendation ticket

　I hit a landmine before, and the content was deleted and modified by the review, so the plot couldn't be connected. Today, I made some changes and replanned the subsequent plot, and finally got through this.

　　There will be no suspension of updates during the Spring Festival. If there are any incoherent plots, please bear with me. There is no other way. It is so painful to be reported.

　　I’ll stop here tonight and continue tomorrow. Good night!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)