Chapter 10, Difficulties

Jia Zheng saw that Lady Wang did not speak, while Grandma Jia on the soft couch seemed still lost in thought, continuously murmuring indistinctly. Meanwhile, the maid Yuanyang knelt beside Grandma Jia with her head lowered, gently stroking her back

In the open and covert struggles between the two factions of the Rongguo Mansion, her position can be described as arduous

The inexplicable ancestral worship has become a laughingstock when it is spread around

He put on a brilliant smile, and then Jia Huan recounted the previous "nonsense" once again

Regarding Lady Wang's words, Jia She was somewhat convinced, slightly tilting his head as he looked up and down at Jia Huan

Moreover, the ancestral hall cannot be opened at will.

Upon seeing this, Jia She slightly turned his head and signaled Jia Zheng with his gaze

The Rongning Second Mansion was indeed established based on military achievements. ... Now, how many years have passed, and yet not even a single warrior can be found ...

What puzzled Jia Huan was that this statement caused almost everyone present to gasp slightly in surprise

As for the one standing by, it is Jia Baoyu, who, like a quail, hangs his head low, not daring to make a sound.

While contemplating the pros and cons in her mind, her gaze inadvertently lingered on Jia Huan's face. When she came to her senses and saw Jia Huan's pair of distinctly black and white eyes staring intently at her, she was taken aback, unprepared for the sudden attention.

Jia Mu's tone was somewhat hesitant

What else can Jia She and Jia Zheng say, they can only ensure that arrangements will be made as soon as possible

Jia Zheng adheres to Confucian principles, emphasizing that a son should not speak of strange forces or chaotic spirits

The legendary disease known as soul departure syndrome is indeed so mysterious that it is difficult for one to believe it easily

Never have I witnessed such a lawless display

Therefore, after a man's passing, the longing in one's heart is often quite profound

In this era, women typically have only one man throughout their lives, knowing, loving, and supporting each other for a lifetime, with their husband as their world

Wang Xifeng, who was standing by, interjected: "Old Ancestor, the Second Master is not wrong. Just think about it, the realms of immortals and mortals are so different, how could it be so easy to meet? If it weren't for the need to save Brother Huan this time, the Old Master might still have to continue hiding. I suspect that the Old Master is just like the deified Qin Qiong and Yuchi Gong, silently protecting our household all along.

Jia Zheng, upon hearing this, was infuriated to the point of near death. After glaring angrily at Jia Baoyu, which caused him to tremble slightly in fear, he then turned to Jia Huan, who was still pretending to be innocent, and said: "Repeat everything from the beginning. If there is even the slightest concealment, the family law will not spare you."

The father serves as the framework for the son, and even the elder brother holds a position of respect for the younger brother

Mother, please take care of your health and do not be too sad. I believe that Father must have his reasons and difficulties.

However, Jia Zheng approached the bedside of Grandmother Jia on his knees to offer comfort, but unfortunately, it had little effect

What is going on?

I would rather look at that scoundrel than come to see her

They finally understood why Grandmother Jia was in such a state of disarray

The elderly lady hurriedly inquired

What is meant by unworthy descendants? There is nothing more so than this

To get back to the point

Ancestor, please do not be sad. Isn't it that our great-grandfather cannot meet us due to the rules? Then let us take the initiative to see him. Although it is generally not customary to enter the ancestral hall outside of festivals, we are doing this to express our filial piety, and no one can say that we are not doing so

He suddenly realized that he was not far from self-destruction, and quickly knelt down.

Madam Wang's complexion was pale, and her tone was flat as she said: "Let the young lady speak for herself."

In the end, it was Wang Xifeng who, noticing the increasingly gloomy expression on Jia Mu's face, began to think creatively and suddenly clapped her hands and laughed, saying: "Old Ancestor, the Old Master and the Second Master are usually busy with the affairs of the court; how could they have the time to manage family matters? They do not know whether there are martial men in the family, but I do know there is one."

Jia She is the leader, and he had to speak: "Mother, logically speaking, since it is Father’s order, we cannot disobey. However... it seems that Huan Ge'er does not have the physique suitable for martial arts training. How about we let him rest for a while and then try again?"

If one truly intends to file a lawsuit, it will be exceedingly sour and refreshing

Her identity is somewhat awkward; Wang Xifeng is the daughter-in-law of Jia She and also the niece of Lady Wang

What does it mean

Upon hearing this, Jia Baoyu initially did not realize it was about him, but when he looked up, he happened to meet the furious gaze of Jia Zheng, which startled him and made his body tremble. He hurriedly said: "Replying to... to father, when I arrived, my third brother had already said most of it, so... so..."

A first-class title allows one to directly submit memorials to the Empress in the central palace

On ordinary days, not to mention Jia Huan, even Jia Baoyu and Jia Lian, in front of Jia She, behave with the utmost respect, like quails.

Jia She is the most esteemed person in the Jia family aside from Grandmother Jia. He has knelt down; who else would dare to stand, apart from Grandmother Jia

Jia She, upon hearing the segment from the Golden Armored General, immediately fell to his knees with a thud and cried out, "Father!"

Jia Huan followed Jia Zheng's gaze and was immediately startled; a ragged man was actually standing there holding such a large wooden stick, and he even threw a "flirtatious glance" at Jia Huan

Jia Huan observed from the side and felt that this married couple, while perhaps not exactly respectful to each other as if they were ice, seemed to lack much affection and emotional connection.

Jia She hesitated slightly and said: "The ancestral worship ceremony should be held in the east..."

Ah, that is true; after all, it is a first love, isn't it

Oh? Which one? You must not be teasing me!

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's expression immediately turned somewhat unpleasant

Jia Huan looked at the crowd of people kneeling on the ground, including Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng. Just as the corners of his mouth curled up in satisfaction, he noticed Jia Zheng, who was kneeling behind Jia She, tilting his head and glaring at him with a stern expression.

Wang Xifeng's power in the Jia household largely stems from Grandmother Jia's favoritism

To the east is Ningguo Mansion, among the two mansions of the Ning family, with Ning being the elder, hence the ancestral hall is located there

However, anyone who beats the drum of denunciation, regardless of whether they are justified or not, and irrespective of whether they can win the lawsuit, will first be sentenced to exile for three thousand miles, and furthermore, they must roll on the so-called bed of nails, tsk tsk

... ...

Regarding the instructions of the deceased old man, she wishes to ensure that everything is in order

With a displeased glare at Jia Huan, she suddenly had a clever idea and smiled somewhat triumphantly, saying to everyone: "To casually open the ancestral hall for ancestral worship indeed goes against the rites and laws. However, we are not being casual, are we? If it weren't for the old master appearing, Huan'er would have truly been in danger. Not to mention anything else, shouldn't Huan'er go to the ancestral hall to express gratitude to some of the ancestors for this? That surely cannot be considered disrespectful, right? Even if we are merely accompanying guests, we can still share in the honor."

Upon reflection, in the book "Dream of the Red Chamber," Jia Zheng beats even Jia Baoyu mercilessly. As for this illegitimate son, it would be better to keep things understated for now and not provoke too much.

Grandmother Jia was clearly moved by this suggestion, her gaze turning towards Jia She, who was kneeling below, and said: "You are of an age now, no need to kneel, all of you get up."

After Jia She stood up with the support of Jia Lian, the others also stood up with a sour expression on their faces

Jia She may possess self-awareness; he is not favored in front of Grandmother Jia, and after a single lament, he falls into a state of "grief"

Having filial piety is commendable, but if it does not align with the principles of propriety and law, it can easily lead to criticism. In the "Book of Rites," there are clear regulations regarding the timing of sacrifices.

It seems that Grandmother Jia is truly troubled

It has been a long time since Grandmother Jia paid attention to the affairs of the Jia family. Upon hearing Jia Zheng's words, she expressed her surprise, saying: "In our household, is there not even one person who understands martial arts?"

In the Rongguo Mansion, Lady Jia is held in the highest regard. Not to mention anything else, the matriarch is a distinguished first-rank noblewoman.

Did you hear? The master... he is actually at home, protecting his descendants! Wuwu! But, but why has he never come to see me?

However, nowadays among the two families of Ning and Rong, the Rongguo Mansion is held in higher esteem.

Jia Zheng is even less capable; he is a disciple of the Confucian school, a scholar by nature

As the head of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia She currently has a very grim expression, yet he does not know how to explain it.

Jia Zheng was extremely troubled, yet he had no choice but to step forward and advise: "Mother, what my elder brother said is indeed correct. Moreover, our Great Qin has been established for a hundred years, and under the hard-fought efforts of my grandfather and father, we have now achieved peace across the four seas, with no major issues at hand. As for practicing martial arts... of course, we must certainly obey our father's words. How about we first invite a martial arts master?"

This honor is something that all women in the world aspire to, and it is not merely a simple honor

Jia Zheng cast a glance at Jia Huan, this "ungrateful son," then turned to look at Lady Wang, frowning as he spoke

As long as our ancestors and we, their descendants, are blessed with happiness, health, and a spirit of progress, then our great-grandfather will surely protect us forever and watch over us

This time, the commotion caused by Jia She, Jia Zheng, and others was even greater

Therefore, she must do everything possible to please Grandmother Jia in order to have a good life

Jia Huan glanced around at the crowd with some surprise

Like colleagues

However, if an ordinary woman wishes to file a petition, she must resort to beating the drum for public appeal

As for Jia Lian, it is because he harbors no sense of reverence, being a carefree young master who particularly enjoys knocking on widows' doors at night. If he were truly involved in such matters, he probably would not have lived to see today, which is why he does not believe much in it. He casts a sidelong glance at Jia Huan, who appears to be upright and honest.

Wang Xifeng stood by, noticing that both Jia She and Jia Zheng had expressions of hesitation, while Jia Lian also wore a troubled look, which she understood in her heart

Jia She believed it, but Jia Zheng and Jia Lian were not very convinced

Jia Mu felt somewhat displeased upon hearing this; it was not because of Jia Huan, but rather because Jia She and others were actually not prepared to heed the old duke's words

Having said that, his eyes swept towards the curtain of the door not far away

What spirits, gods, or ghosts, none of them are taken to heart

By the way, regarding what Brother Huan said, if one cannot succeed in studying literature, it is better to study martial arts. What do you all think

Fortunately, she won the favor of the matriarch of the Jia family, Jia Mu, through her charming words and clever means, thereby successfully establishing her position

Without saying anything else, just by observing that Jia Huan could maintain his composure under his scrutinizing gaze, Jia She was already convinced by seventy to eighty percent

The Jia family, proud of being a prestigious family for a hundred years, holds themselves in high regard and places great importance on etiquette, at least in terms of the superficial observance of rituals, which can be described as stringent

This excuse is very powerful, and upon hearing it, Grandmother Jia immediately broke into a smile, casting a sidelong glance at her two "unfilial" sons

Isn't this an act of great rebellion against the established order

Perhaps fathers and sons are indeed natural enemies. Upon seeing Jia Baoyu, Jia Zheng became furious and scolded, "You wretched creature, why don't you come here!"

Is this acceptable

Wang Xifeng smiled and said: "In the east, there is an old man named Jiao Da. In his younger days, he used to ride horses and serve in the military alongside the old master from the east. He is quite experienced!"