Keeping the peace

In Rongqing Hall-

At Jia Heng's declaration, "I, Heng, find it shameful," silence fell over the hall; a dropped pin could have been heard. Jia Zhen's face, in particular, alternated between livid and flushed, his eyes blazing as though he wanted to kill.

This was calling Jia Zhen out by name, condemning him as unworthy of being clan head. What sort of character did he have? How did a bastard like him deserve to lead the clan?

Behind the screen, Baoyu, Daiyu, Tanchun, and the others exchanged glances. They had never imagined that even an insult could be delivered with such poignant feeling and ringing passion that it sent a shiver through them.

The mention of losing his father in childhood, of his mother raising him through bitter hardship, and of his marriage being his late mother's final wish brought a mist to Daiyu's eyes and filled her heart with sorrow.

When the Three Kingdoms fell to Jin, Li Mi, a scholar of Shu, was appointed an attendant to the crown prince by Emperor Wu of Jin, but firmly declined. Fearing that the Jin emperor would blame him, mistaking his refusal for loyalty to his former ruler, Li Mi wrote the Memorial on the Presentation of Feelings to explain his circumstances.

His words touched the heart, every character steeped in feeling.

Jia Heng, however, was not submitting a memorial. A lengthy discourse would have robbed his denunciation of its force and made it seem affected. Those few sentences were enough to tug at the heart without losing their edge.

Seeing Daiyu's eyes redden as she sank into sorrow, Baoyu and her maid Zijuan hurried to comfort her.

Tanchun said thoughtfully, "This Brother Heng hardly seems like a rough fighter. He seems more like a scholar."

It was said that when Censors and remonstrating officials denounced someone, they cited the classics, every word a blade.

Lady Jia's face darkened. Somewhat unable to save face, she remained silent for a moment before saying with what seemed a cold sneer, "Brother Heng has certainly grown up. When it comes to arguing a point, you have one set of reasons after another."

This was already a severe rebuke, though she had not yet torn away all pretense of civility.

Wang Xifeng sneered inwardly at the side. You want to reason with the Old Madam? What standing do you have to reason with her?

She had no direct conflict of interest with Jia Heng, but she was close to Sister-in-law You and resented the boy using her as a raft for his own purposes.

Besides, she disliked his youthful obstinacy, that look of defiance against anything and everything. Even she had to tread carefully before the Old Madam. Where had this greenhorn come from, daring to run wild and put on airs in Rongqing Hall?

But to Jia Heng, it did not do a damn bit of good. Instead, he detected the weakness beneath the Old Madam's fierce exterior.

The Old Madam still had to listen to reason.

Jia Heng said, "I am young and inexperienced, but when I read late into the night, I often reflect on the deeds of the late Dukes of Ningguo and Rongguo. Had those two dukes been alive, surely they would never have allowed a man as devoid of virtue as Jia Zhen to bully his own clansmen."

You want to throw your seniority around? Then I'll bring out the ancestral tablets...

At the mention of the Dukes of Ningguo and Rongguo, Lady Jia's expression indeed shifted. "Are you saying that I lack virtue and cannot manage the household?" she asked coldly.

Jia Heng refused to step into that deadly verbal trap. Instead, he glanced sidelong at Jia Zhen and said coldly, "Jia Zhen has occupied the position of clan head without right for more than a day. What does that have to do with you, Old Madam? You have always pitied the poor and cherished the weak. Had you known, you would never have allowed Jia Zhen to do anything so shameless!"

In truth, he did not have a particularly bad impression of Lady Jia. The Jia Family's present predicament was not something one old woman could reverse.

That was, of course, provided she did not try to put on an elder's airs before him.

Lady Jia's expression grew shadowed. For a moment, she said nothing. Looking at the gallant young man opposite her, she felt a fierce headache coming on, along with the sense that she could not keep him under her thumb.

She could certainly send Jia Heng to kneel in the ancestral hall. Had he not said he reflected on his ancestors?

Very well, then. Let him kneel in the ancestral hall.

But what would that accomplish?

Better to bully a white-haired old man than despise a penniless youth.

If she not only failed to win over such a resolute, outstanding young clansman from a secondary line, but shut him out and made an enemy of him, there was more than one household in the capital waiting to laugh at her Jia Family.

Still, that arrogant, unruly disposition would need to be tempered slowly.

In short, she would first stroke his fur the right way. If he still did not know when to advance or retreat, or show gratitude to his clan, then Heaven itself would not tolerate him.

Though Lady Jia now devoted herself to pleasure and comfort, in her younger days she had learned something of managing people and households alongside Dai Shan.

"Brother Heng, Brother Zhen acted hastily this time and failed to preserve propriety. But Rong'er has grown up, and as his father, Brother Zhen was anxious over his marriage. You were certainly wrong to strike someone in the heat of your feelings, but there was a reason behind it."

Feng-jie watched from the side, dumbfounded. What does the Old Madam mean by this?

Is she trying to smooth things over?

The man Jia Heng struck was the clan head, and he even hit him in the face. If he goes unpunished, won't he climb onto our heads and lord it over us, letting a secondary branch trample the legitimate line?

As far as she was concerned, they should first give this greenhorn a sound beating with the board, then discuss everything else.

Jia Zhen's expression turned anxious. "Old Madam? This..."

Lady Jia's face fell. "Brother Zhen, when a clansman marries, you ought to provide help and support. How could you stand aside and trip him up instead? And why have I heard that when Jia Heng's mother died, Ning Mansion did not send anyone from the household to help?"

Jia Heng belonged to a collateral branch of Ning Mansion. By rights, when his mother died, the men of Ning Mansion should have offered some assistance.

Unlike Jia Heng, who could face Lady Jia with composure because he wanted nothing from the Jia Family and depended on none of them, Jia Zhen was a junior who dared not contradict her. He was just about to explain himself.

Lady Jia said, "Last night, brothers of the same clan fought each other and caused such an uproar. Has it not stirred up enough wind and rain throughout the city already?"

A place like the Green and Red Pavilion was frequented by high officials and noblemen seeking pleasure. News of last night's incident had probably already swept through the city; half the Divine Capital knew that the Jia family's clan head had tried to seize a clansman's marriage.

She had to settle this matter as quickly as possible to lessen its damaging effects. She had heard that the eldest girl in the palace was at a critical stage these past couple of years.

Jia Heng frowned. His face remained as calm as dark, still water, but suspicion rose in his heart. The Old Madam's actions were unexpected; he had already prepared himself to kneel in the ancestral hall.

And she had brought up his mother again. Who had told Lady Jia about that old affair?

When he held his mother's funeral, hardly anyone from the clan had come to offer condolences. From Ningguo Mansion in particular, not a single person surnamed Jia had appeared.

As it happened, Yuanyang had told Lady Jia about Jia Heng's family the previous night. When Lady Jia asked, Yuanyang had mentioned this matter.

Lady Jia looked at the young man standing in the middle of the hall, his expression composed, and rebuked him. "Brother Heng, however much resentment you bear toward the Eastern Mansion, your surname is still Jia. Since you are forever calling yourself a descendant of the Duke of Ningguo, you must also consider the Jia Family's reputation when you are outside! However angry you were, how could you strike Brother Zhen in the face? Shouting about beating and killing, flaunting your courage and fighting viciously-what sort of conduct is that?"

Jia Heng glanced sidelong at Jia Zhen and remained silent.

The Old Madam was clearly looking for a way to step down gracefully now, but getting him to offer conciliatory words was out of the question.

Feng-jie spoke up this time, smiling. "Old Ancestress, people would laugh to hear of it. Quarreling over a woman, three grown men fighting in a place like the Green and Red Pavilion, and now glaring at each other like fighting cocks-why are they all behaving like little children?"

Seeing that the Old Madam wanted to contain the incident's effects, Feng-jie made jokes from the side to lighten the atmosphere.

Indeed, only Feng-jie, as a granddaughter-in-law, could say such things.

Lady Jia sighed. "They all have such tempers. The sooner they marry and establish themselves, the better."

Raising her head, she could also see that the young man might submit outwardly but remained unconvinced in his heart. A wave of weariness washed over her. "None of you are to bring this up again or hold a grudge. Members of the same clan must live in harmony. Brother Heng, Brother Zhen, do you accept my handling of this matter?"

Jia Heng said, "If Jia Zhen does not provoke me, I certainly will not trouble him! I have never heard of fine jade deliberately striking an earthenware pot. One must take care, lest a person of unblemished character be sullied instead."

The corner of Jia Lian's mouth twitched. Yesterday, I gave Brother Zhen that whole argument about jade and earthenware pots. Yet in this Master Heng's telling, Brother Zhen is the earthenware pot?

Inside, Xichun was eating cherries. At the words "lest a person of unblemished character be sullied instead," she raised her pink, baby-plump face, her eyes full of puzzlement.

Jia Zhen said, "If you do not punish him, Old Madam, I fear you will only further indulge this lawless scoundrel. His striking me today is a small matter. If he brings down some heaven-shattering disaster tomorrow, that will be a grave matter indeed. I only hope you will not regret this."

He felt that the Old Madam had simply lost her senses. He was the one who had been beaten—the head of the Jia family!

Was the Jia family's honor to be brushed aside so lightly?

How was he to face anyone after this?

Jia Heng said, "I fear the pampered, lawless scoundrel is someone else entirely! Being beaten today for bullying a clansman is a small matter. Offending someone he ought not offend tomorrow, and dragging the Jia family down with him as its head—that would be the grave matter!"

Lady Jia said angrily, "Just look at you! You men of the Jia Family must truly have had your fill of wealth and rank, to be cursing the family with disaster like this! I shall go into the palace right now and report to Her Majesty the Empress, so you men of the Jia Family can make all the trouble you please!"

Feng-jie and Yuanyang hurried to soothe her.

At the side, Jia Lian worked up his courage, took Jia Heng by the arm, and whispered, "Brother Heng, say a little less. Say a little less."

Over on the other side, You-shi likewise pulled Jia Zhen aside. His lips moved, but in the end, he dared not provoke Lady Jia too far.