Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 271 Tell Me the Truth

Wei Jun was stunned: "What are you waiting for me to do?"

"You said the other day that you wanted to find two local interpreters for the Queen Mother, where are they?

"The night before yesterday, the Queen Mother came back and specifically requested the three white dishes from Taihu Lake. Our cook bought some and cooked them, but she felt that they were not as authentic as those sold outside.

"Now that the Queen Mother is not around, if we go to order food from outside Suzhou, everyone will know that it is the Queen Mother who wants to eat.

"The princess said she was afraid it was unclean and unsafe, so she really didn't dare.

"Isn't your interpreter a local of Suzhou? He must be very familiar with it. Let them go and ask the restaurant to send it over so that I can worry less!"

As Jia Yun spoke, he bowed repeatedly to Wei Jun.

Wei Jun stroked his beard and smiled, then pulled him up again: "I was so busy that I forgot. The other day they said the Queen Mother and the Princess were out, so my interpreter is useless, right?

"Then let's do this. I'll go and pay my respects to the Queen Mother first. After you meet her, you can come back with me and I'll ask the interpreter to meet you.

"Then I'll order a few of the best dishes for you and have them delivered by the Queen Mother's lunch time, okay?"

Jia Yun was delighted and said, "Your Excellency has made very thoughtful arrangements! Let's do it this way!"

I accompanied him into the house and into the flower hall, but I waited and waited, but he never came.

Seeing Wei Jun starting to fret like an ant on a hot pan, Jia Yun knew that he might have some appointment at the government office, so he sighed deliberately:

"Without the Lord, there is no one to control the Empress Dowager. The day before yesterday in Luzhi and yesterday at home, she slept until noon.

"The princess kept persuading me that it was not good for her health, but I got angry instead."

Then he went out and deliberately called a little girl, "Go in and ask your sister Xiaohong if the Empress Dowager will come out today? Governor Wei has been waiting for a long time."

The little girl smiled and whispered to Jia Yun:

"It's good to teach Master Yun that yesterday Aunt Meng dragged Sister Qingwen and the others to play mahjong, and the Empress Dowager was tempted to play, so she also learned a few hands.

"As a result, I became more and more addicted to it. I woke up in the middle of the night and saw that the lights were on in the upper room. I guess the entire upper house was still asleep.

"I will not go. Second Master Yun, please do not tell the prefect that this is the reason. Just say that the Empress Dowager has a leg pain and you don't need to see her today!"

Naturally, these words were heard clearly by Wei Jun, who followed out but kept his distance and did not look directly at his wife.

When Jia Yun turned around, he saw him standing beside him, and he could not help but smile bitterly at the two of them.

Wei Jun smiled and said, "Since the Queen Mother is too lazy to come out, I will leave first. It won't be too late to see you again in a few days."

Jia Yun smiled and went out with him to find the interpreter, and along the way he asked him indirectly about the progress of the three families' case.

Wei Jun knew that he was asking on Daiyu's behalf, so he told the truth: "The Song family's case is actually easy to investigate.

“It’s just that the Song family is indeed a close relative of the previous dynasty’s royal family. For this family’s sake, I’m sure the Supreme Lord will not blame Prince Zhongshun for being ruthless.

"As for the other two families, I have now found out that the Qiu family is a tomb robber. Their original surname was An. They seemed to have some connection with Prince Zhongshun's father, the deposed crown prince of the previous dynasty.

"As for the Yu family, everyone in the world says that they were originally from Fujian boat gangs. I asked someone to go to Fujian to inquire, and the news just came back yesterday, saying that there is no such person in Fujian!"

Wei Jun felt that his mind was filled with lawsuits and he had a headache.

Jia Yun looked around to see if there was anyone around, and asked quietly, "Didn't they say that the Northern King knew the details? Didn't you go and ask him?"

Wei Jun smiled bitterly and spread his hands: "The King of the North is using this case as a way to save his life. How can he tell me all the details?

"He is eagerly waiting for the Supreme to accept his memorial and allow him to investigate the case personally and redeem himself for meritorious service!"

Jia Yun sighed, looked at him sympathetically and shook his head: "Thank you for your hard work, Lord Wei!"

Wei Jun waved his hands quickly: "It's not difficult, it's my turn? This is the princess who gave me the opportunity, I can't thank her enough, what's so hard about it? Isn't this my duty!"

Jia Yun praised him again, saying a few more words like "he loves the people like his own children" and "he works hard day and night", and Wei Jun was very happy.

When he went to the government office to look for an interpreter, he simply waved his hand and said, "I, Master Guan, am actually better than anyone else at understanding the customs of the old Jiangnan area.

"Master Yun has something to ask, why not go find him directly!"

Guan Sheng was puzzled by what he heard, but when he received Wei Jun's look, he immediately realized that this man should not be underestimated, and came up to socialize with a smile on his face.

The two chatted and laughed, and went to buy some Taihu Sanbai liquor, which they had sent back to the mansion. Then Yue Xing drank for a long while outside, and Jia Yun was still the one who treated them.

When they separated, the two were already arm in arm, calling each other brothers.

Jia Yun squinted his drunken eyes and pulled Guan Sheng, saying, "Oh, I forgot one thing. Uncle and nephew Jia Jin and Jia Wei have already returned because they have many things to do in Nanjing.

"Brother, go back and report this to the prefect. I will come to tell you every day that I am safe and will not bother him anymore."

Guan Sheng agreed in a daze.

When I got home and sobered up from the night of drinking, I felt something was wrong. I thought about it over and over again but couldn't figure it out, so I just gave up.

On the morning of the fifth day, Jia Yun sent someone to deliver a She inkstone brought from the capital to Guan Sheng, but he himself did not show up.

Guan Sheng accepted it with great joy, and said several good things about Jia Yun in front of Wei Jun, ignoring the vague uneasiness in his heart.

On the sixth day, Guan Sheng felt more and more uneasy and went to the Lin Mansion in person.

The man at the door saw that it was him and hurriedly let him in: "I will take you to the west wing to find Master Yun. He lives there now."

Guan Sheng was just what he wanted and followed him with a smile.

People were coming and going in the house, and from time to time someone would pass on orders from the inner house to the outside: "The princess said," "The county lady ordered," "The empress dowager ordered," and so on.

Guan Sheng frowned.

When they reached the gate of the west wing, they saw Xiao Hong talking to Jia Yun: "Second Master, please think of a solution quickly!

"The Queen Mother is obsessed with dominoes. She is too embarrassed to play during the day, but she plays for half the night. If this gets out, what will happen?

"Can you see if there are any other things in Suzhou that can help her stop living so sleepless?

"It's time for Magistrate Wei to come and pay his respects tomorrow. Are we going to be afraid to leave the whole courtyard?"

Jia Yun sighed and groaned. Lin Jing came out and said tremblingly, "Didn't you say the other day that the Empress Dowager loves to listen to Pingtan stories?

"I'll call one this afternoon, and we'll start talking after dinner. It'll take at least an hour to finish the whole thing. Then it'll be a good time to rest."

The two of them quickly agreed.

Guan Sheng looked at the three people's behavior and couldn't help but feel depressed.

Jia Yun saw him at once, smiled and told Xiao Hong to go back, and invited Guan Sheng to sit in his room: "Brother, please don't despise my simple room."

Guan Sheng smiled and stepped in.

Lin Jing nodded and left.

Seeing that they were the only two left, Guan Sheng grabbed Jia Yun's wrist, his eyes reddened, and he gnashed his teeth:

"Tell me the truth, when did the Empress Dowager, the Princess, and the County Princess leave Suzhou?

"How many people followed? Did they have guards? Where did they go? Do they plan to come back?!"