Jia Rong, the smiling tiger of the Red Chamber

It's late March now, and it's the season of warm spring and flowers blooming, so the speed of the boat is much faster, and Lin Ruhai's illness can't wait, so they travel day and night when they walk.However, in the past twenty days, it has already approached the boundary of Yangzhou.

"Master, we will arrive in Yangzhou by noon tomorrow at the latest. So Second Master Lian saw that everyone looked tired, so he ordered the boat to stop overnight and set off in the early morning of tomorrow." Guan Yan replied.

Jia Rong nodded: "Yes. I see." Looking sideways at Wu Ya, she ordered in a low voice: "Wu Ya, you go ahead and go to Yangzhou City to find out how Lin Ruhai's condition is? How long can you last?" How long? And has anything special happened in the city recently?"

"Yes." Wu Ya immediately replied with cupped fists.

After seeing Wu Ya leave, he said to Guan Yan: "Guan Yan, the matter of Wu Ya's first step should not be spread to the outside world for the time being. You have always been smart and calm, so be careful when you speak and do things."

"Master, don't worry, this servant knows what to do." Guan Yan, as Jia Rong's confidant, knew the purpose of this trip to some extent, and knew the priority of the matter, so he nodded and replied immediately.

Jia Rong just nodded.

do not know why?He always felt that his trip to Yangzhou this time might not be too smooth, and he felt a little uneasy in his heart.

Early the next morning, the group of them arrived at the pier in Yangzhou.

The Lin family got the news a long time ago, and sent Lin Fu, the chief steward of the Lin family, with his servants and servants, to greet him.

And at this time, Wu Ya also came back, bringing a lot of news at the same time.

Lin Ruhai is indeed ill, and the condition is quite serious. He was fine more than ten days ago, but now it is getting worse day by day, and he is already on the verge of death. Now he is just suffering.

As for the city of Yangzhou, with Lin Ruhai's serious illness, it was a bit uneasy.But it was just a small fight between some impatient petty officials and salt merchants. Zhou Qingyang was in control of the overall situation, and there was no major disturbance, and it was considered peaceful.

But everyone knows that this is just the calm before the storm.

Now everyone is waiting, when Lin Ruhai passes away, not to mention what other people will do, but the salt merchant will definitely be in chaos.

Fishing in troubled waters, taking advantage of the fire to rob the horse, don't do it too easily.

For the sake of convenience, Jia Rong naturally lived in Lin's house with Jia Lian.

The Lin family is a typical garden in the south of the Yangtze River, with a poem in three steps and a painting in five steps, with exquisite and elegant scenery.Although compared with the two mansions of Ningrong and Ningrong in Beijing, it is a little less rich and noble, but it is more graceful and graceful.

Although they lived in Lin's house, neither Jia Rong nor Jia Lian saw Lin Ruhai in person at the first time.Although Jia Lian also proposed to visit in the past, Lin Fu stopped him, saying that Lin Ruhai is seriously ill now, and he was afraid that he would pass on his sickness to Jia Lian, and that he would come to meet again in two days when his illness improved slightly. .

Jia Rong didn't feel anything about this?Anyway, if he wanted to meet Lin Ruhai, it would be very easy.

On the contrary, although Jia Lian agreed with a smile on his face, Jia Rong could tell that Jia Lian was not very happy.

It seems that apart from escorting Lin Daiyu, Jia Lian has other tasks.

On the afternoon of the third day, Guan Yan came to tell Jia Rong a news.

It is said that Jia Lian came to Yangzhou not only to accompany Lin Daiyu, but also because the Rongguo Mansion was concerned about the huge family business of the Lin family.Jia's mother had confessed to Jia Lian that once Lin Ruhai passed away, let alone other things, Jia Min's dowry must be brought back intact.

Furthermore, Lin Ruhai has only one daughter, Lin Daiyu, under her knees, and has no son.The Lin family used to be the family of Zhong Ding, who succeeded Liehou, and their heirs were always weak. In Lin Ruhai's generation, no one with blood relationship can be found in the five uniforms. This family business passed down from generation to generation must be Very rich.And Lin Ruhai sat on the position of inspecting salt censor for six years.No matter how clean and honest he is, he will definitely save a fortune in his hands.

Calculated in total, the Lin family's family business, not to mention one million taels, should still have eight or nine million taels.

Of course, the 90 million yuan is not cash, but the combined value of all the Lin family's property.

But the money in Lin Ruhai's hands should be five or six million taels.After all, up to now, the Lin family is just Lin Ruhai and Lin Daiyu!

With such a large family business, there is only one orphan girl left, and no son to inherit it. Isn't it the pork belly cooked on the chopping board, everyone wants to take a bite when they see it.

Rongguo Mansion has no reason not to be tempted.

The current Rongguo Mansion still looks like a bunch of flowers on the outside, but it is already a little weak on the inside.

Not to mention that Jia Rong had slaughtered Jia Mu's ruthlessly in the early days, causing the Rongguo Mansion to bleed heavily.Even those locust-like servants in the Rongguo Mansion will suck up the Jia Mansion after all these years.

If Jia Lian hadn't married the head of Lin'an County as his wife, and the head of Lin'an County had two brushes in the housekeeping.The Rongguo Mansion has long been in a situation similar to that of Huaben, only relying on Wang Xifeng's dowry money and interest-bearing money to barely support it.

Therefore, before Jia Lian came, Jia's mother made a secret confession.Apart from Jia Min's dowry, how much of the Lin family's wealth can they take advantage of?Anyway, Lin Daiyu was going to marry into their Jia family sooner or later, and it was much better for the money to fall into their hands than to fall into the hands of outsiders.

"They dare to reach out for the wealth of other people's families. As expected, their hearts have been darkened a long time ago." Jia Rong couldn't help but sneered after knowing Jia Lian's other purpose for coming.

Wu Ya also interjected: "It's really unexpected. On weekdays, the old lady in the West Mansion talks about the Lin family girl and loves her very much. Even the serious granddaughters, the second girl and the third girl have to stay behind, thinking that she is a real girl. I really love Miss Lin, but I don't think it's true that family affection can't be worth the benefits. So what if Jia Min is her favorite little daughter? She was married for more than ten years and never came back, and died of another illness. I'm afraid this relationship will fade away long ago."

"Guan Yan, just keep an eye on what's going on at Jia Lian's side. If there is any change, come and report immediately." Jia Rong turned her head and said to Guan Yan.

"Yes, sir, the servant will pay attention." Guan Yan replied.

Looking at Wu Ya, he asked, "How is the situation over there? I asked you to inquire about Lin Ruhai's residence, do you know?"

"If you go back to the master, it's all over. Lin Ruhai is now in Ankang Garden, which is separated from the Diecui Garden where the uncle lives now, all the way to the east. Although there are not many people in the yard, they are all from the Lin family. Give birth to a son, Lin Ruhai's confidant. Lin Fu's two sons, Lin An and Lin Kang, are guarding Lin Ruhai day and night." Wu Ya replied.

After Jia Rong heard this, she raised her head and looked east, "Well, then we'll go to Lin Ruhai tonight to find out. Guan Yan, you stay here. If someone comes, you can think of a way to delay it. Nothing. You go with me."

"Yes."

"Yes."

"By the way, Wu Ya thinks of a way to lure Jia Lian out of the Lin family. It's best to keep him out at night." Just in case, Jia Rong thinks it's better to dismiss Jia Lian, "There are so many beauties in Jiangnan, this city of Yangzhou Most of them are Hualou Tavern, the beauties of the weak willows and the wind. The second uncle Lian has been detained by the Lin'an county lord, and there are only two maids who have been gifted by Jia Mu at his side! Yangzhou in the cloud is not new." Looking at Guan Yan and Wu Ya, "You two know how to do it, right?"

"Yes."

Here Jia Lian once again begged to see Lin Ruhai but was rejected, his heart was full of depression, and there was even a hint of impatience between his brows.

"Zhaoer, you said that Uncle Lin has been refusing to see me for a long time, what is the reason?" It is said that he is seriously ill and now he is a little unconscious, which sounds unreliable.

Could it be that Uncle Lin already knew something?That's why you refused to see him for so long?But he claimed that everything came according to his original thinking, and there was nothing out of the ordinary?So what went wrong?

Zhao'er gave a wry smile: "Second master can't even figure it out, so how could the servant know? But early this morning, the servant quietly inquired about it..."

Jia Lian looked at Zhao'er, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "My boy, you are really clever, and it's not in vain for me to love you in my daily life."

"It's all what you taught me, Second Master." Zhao'er immediately kissed Jia Lian's flattery at the right time.

"Okay, don't be so talkative here. Tell me, what news did you find out?" Jia Lian said with a smile.

Zhao'er chuckled, and replied, "I bought a guy here to guard the gate of Uncle Lin's yard. I found out that Uncle Lin is really not well these days. He has been in a coma all the time, and only when you brought Lin On the day when the girl came back, she woke up for a while, only said a few words to Miss Lin, and then fell asleep again. Dr. Chen, who was treating Uncle Lin, left the mansion, even the courtyard of Uncle Lin. I have never left. I have been living here, and I am afraid that something will happen to me. Therefore, I think it is not perfunctory for Lin Steward to say that it is not convenient for Mrs. Lin to see Mrs. Lin. It should be true. "

"Are you telling the truth?" Jia Lian's uncomfortable mood suddenly dissipated when he heard Zhao'er's words.

Zhaoer nodded: "Of course it is true."

"In this way, I have a bit of a villain's heart here." Needless to say, Jia Lian trusted Zhao'er, so he naturally didn't have much doubts about his words, so he smiled and said so.

Zhao'er hurriedly said, "It's not the second master's fault, it's the Lin family who pushed and shoved. Such behavior naturally arouses people's suspicion."

"Your mouth has always been very sweet, boy. But what you said is not bad." Jia Lian's words to Zhao'er were naturally useful.Naturally, he is not to be blamed on this matter, but the Lin family's attitude is to be blamed. It is too ambiguous to make people suspicious, which is a bit difficult.

Jia Lian obviously forgot at this time, he asked to see Lin Ruhai many times.Lin Fu has repeatedly stated here that Lin Ruhai is mentally weak and unable to meet each other. It is because he is suspicious and has ghosts in his heart, so he naturally thinks wildly.

"Second Lord, look, I heard such a thing? Shouldn't you reward the boy once?" Zhao'er took advantage of Jia Lian's good mood and said again.

Jia Lian was in a good mood at this time. Hearing Zhao'er's words, he didn't refuse, but said: "My boy, I said that you have always been tired and lazy. Why are you so diligent now? So you dug a hole and waited for the second master to go Jump down!"

"Second Master, your words hurt the boy's heart too much."

"Okay, let's talk. What do you want me to reward you?" Jia Lian asked like this.

Zhao'er chuckled, and her voice dropped quite a bit unexpectedly, "Second Master, I don't have any demands here. You see, we have been here in Yangzhou City for several days. Mr. Lin is seriously ill now. , can’t meet each other. Look... don’t you want to take the boy out to see and see. This is the first time for the boy to come to Yangzhou! I heard that there are many beautiful women in Yangzhou, hehe..."

Although the words were not finished, Jia Lian understood the meaning behind them in seconds.

Looking sideways at Zhao'er: "You boy, you actually have such thoughts. It's really hard to see!"

"Everyone has a love of beauty. Now that we are here, we should see it for a while." Zhao'er lowered her head and scratched her hair, and said with a hey smile.

When Jia Lian heard Zhao'er mentioning this incident, his heart couldn't help but move.Ever since he started eating meat, he used to have two charming house maids by his side, who were given to him by Jia Mu.It's just that later he climbed up to King Fu and made a marriage agreement with Lin'an county magistrate, in order to please their family.He then dismissed the two room maids.

Although the Lin'an county lord is a beauty, she always faces one face. After a long time, she is actually a bit tired.Although when Lin'an county lord was pregnant, she took the initiative to meet the two maids and raised the housekeeper.However, these two girls are the sons of the family brought by the county lord of Lin'an, and their wealth and life are in the hands of the county lord of Lin'an.Of course, this is all secondary. The most important thing is that although these two maids are somewhat pretty, they are not considered great beauties.

It is impossible to say that Jia Lian has no regrets about this.

Food and sex, although when he was young, his position in the mansion was not secure, but after all, he is a son raised by everyone, and he is at the age of youth, if he doesn't have any charm in his heart, then It is impossible.

When he was in the capital before, Jia Lian could only manage himself because of the power of Prince Fu's mansion, and did not go out to mess around. Occasionally, he would tease the beautiful maids born in the mansion to satisfy his greed.

But now it is different, he is in Yangzhou.As the saying goes, the sky is high and the emperor is far away.If you don't hurry up and have a good time at this time, when will you wait?

Thinking of this, Jia Lian nodded and agreed: "I have heard for a long time that Yangzhou City is more romantic and prosperous than the capital city. It is rare for us to come here once. I don't know if there will be a chance in the future. If so, let's go outside and see it for a while."

Zhao'er immediately said happily, "Second Master is wise."

"Go over and ask Brother Rong if he has time, would you like to come with us?" Jia Lian said after thinking for a while.

Zhao'er responded and passed quickly.I will be back soon.Naturally, it brought the news that they would not go out together.

Jia Lian was not surprised by this, although Jia Lian didn't know the purpose of Jia Rong's coming to Yangzhou, but because the fourth prince asked Jia Lian a few words before, Jia Lian naturally thought that Jia Rong came with him.Finding Doctor Zhang is just an excuse, it's more about doing some things for the Fourth Prince.So he wasn't surprised that Jia Rong didn't pass.

It's just that Jia Lian probably never thought of it?He only went out for one night, and let him and the Lin family's large sum of money pass by.