The Second Master of the Red Chamber

Chapter 773: Anyang Hou Has No Sister

The imperial city is much more solemn and grim than before.

On the wide stone-paved avenue, there were no pedestrians except the soldiers on guard.

He dismounted at Xihua Gate and walked to Daming Palace. Soon Jia Lian was summoned by Emperor Ning Kang.

"Your Highness, I, Jia Lian, pay my respects to the Emperor. May the Emperor be well and at peace."

"Zhen An, get up."

Emperor Ning Kang put down the memorial in his hand and looked at the young man.

All the civil and military officials in the court were very cautious when entering the palace to meet the emperor. The first words of greeting they said were mostly in strict accordance with the standard words formulated by the Ministry of Rites, which made him numb.

Only a few people dare to make even the slightest change.

Among these few people, Jia Lian stands out the most. Almost every time before he opens his mouth, you don't know what words he will change to.

He was a little looking forward to it.

"I heard that you've been having a very leisurely time these past two days. The eunuch who just delivered the imperial edict said that when I summoned you, you were planning to go out of town for a trip?"

"That's the plan."

Jia Lian glanced at Emperor Ning Kang and saw that he looked unhappy, so he said hurriedly, "It is all thanks to Your Majesty that I can rest at home.

Since the weather is nice today, I want to take my two cousins ​​out of town to have fun so as not to waste this good time."

After hearing this, Emperor Ning Kang's expression became even uglier.

He has been extremely busy these days, sleeping less than two hours a day. As soon as he opens his eyes, there are a lot of bad things waiting for his approval and handling!

This guy even has the leisure to take his cousin out of town for a stroll, two of them?

"You are such a lazy fellow. You have great talent, but you only know how to have fun and indulge in pleasure. How can you take on important responsibilities in the future if you waste your time like this..."

Listening to the familiar insults from Emperor Ning Kang, Jia Lian was speechless. He looked up and blinked at him.

Your Majesty, do you want to listen to what you are saying?

I don't want to waste my time, I want to take on big responsibilities, but you won't let me!

If I don't act a little more single, and you're in a sensitive period, I'd be afraid that you'd mess with me.

Emperor Ning Kang was used to scolding Jia Lian. Halfway through his scolding, he realized what was happening, snorted coldly, and took back the rest of his words.

After taking a look at Dai Quan, Dai Quan bowed and walked out, quickly bringing in an old eunuch who looked very frail.

Ignoring the old eunuch's fearful kowtow, Emperor Ning Kang said, "This is the steward of Xichun Garden. He was also one of the eunuchs who served the retired emperor. He once followed the retired emperor on a border patrol... Yes, that was the time when Marquis Anyang rebelled."

Emperor Ning Kang stopped talking, and Jia Lian naturally understood what Emperor Ning Kang meant immediately, and looked at the skinny old man who looked like a monkey beside him.

As an old man beside the retired emperor, the old eunuch's qualifications are naturally extremely high.

But at this moment, he seemed very humble and courteous. Seeing Jia Lian looking at him, he immediately said respectfully: "I am Shi Le, the old servant, and I pay my respects to Lord Zhenyuan."

Emperor Ningkang summoned him and called the old eunuch. It was obvious that the old eunuch knew about his background, so Jia Lian was naturally not polite.

"You are too polite, eunuch. Since you are an old man by the side of the retired emperor, how much do you know about what happened back then?

Is my father really the illegitimate son of the Emperor?"

"I dare not lie to you, my Lord. I am not very clear about your background.

But I, as an old servant, had followed the old emperor to Datong Town, and I do know some of the situation.

When the old emperor was inspecting the border towns on the orders of Emperor Muzong, he passed by Datong Prefecture and was attracted by the beauty of the wife of Marquis Anyang, so he invited her to serve in the imperial tent.

Unexpectedly, this matter was known to the Marquis of Anyang, who was furious and led his troops to surround the imperial envoy's headquarters. Fortunately, the captain of the central army, Jia Daishan, who later became the Duke of Rong, and others fought to the death to protect the old emperor, and the old emperor was able to escape safely..."

"Madam Anyang? Isn't she the sister of Anyang?"

Jia Lian looked a little unhappy.

The old eunuch looked a little worried. He glanced at Emperor Ning Kang above him and quickly replied, "Anyang Marquis Geng Rong is the only son of the Geng family and has no brothers or sisters. This is easy to verify. If Zhenyuan Marquis does not believe me, he can ask the people who knew the inside story back then..."

The South Study fell into a brief silence.

"and after?"

"Geng Rong saw that the old emperor had escaped, so he decided to go all out and rebelled. However, he was quickly suppressed by the troops led by the old emperor and Duke Daishan.

I am not very clear about what happened afterwards.

After the old emperor returned to Beijing, Emperor Muzong passed away and the old emperor ascended the throne.

Soon after, Duke Rong passed away, and Duke Daishan inherited the title. About a year later, Duke Daishan gave birth to his eldest son.

Because the old emperor had a good relationship with Lord Daishan, the old emperor also liked this child very much. At a palace banquet, the old emperor personally praised the child for his cleverness and intelligence, saying that he would be made a marquis and become a prime minister when he grew up..."

Jia Lian and others were speechless for a while.

Jia She? Become a marquis and a prime minister?

The monkey’s monkey and the elephant’s elephant.

But the matter is roughly clear now. Most of what the emperor said that day was true.

However, in order to save his own face, the retired emperor described the wife of Marquis Anyang as the sister of Marquis Anyang.

The wife of Marquis Anyang, who was also his adoptive grandmother, was probably secretly sent to Rongguo Mansion by the retired emperor after Marquis Anyang's rebellion was suppressed, and became one of Jia Daishan's nominal concubines.

However, how Jia She suddenly became Lady Jia's biological son and how the wife of Marquis Anyang died remain mysteries.

When I asked the old eunuch, he didn't know either.

After all, it has been fifty or sixty years. There must not have been many people who knew the inside story at the time, and most of them are probably dead now.

It seems that only by meeting Old Madam Lai can we know more inside information.

When Jia Lian finished thinking about all this and came to his senses, the old eunuch had already left, and only Emperor Ning Kang, Dai Quan and others were still looking at him.

Jia Lian immediately thanked him and said, "I am deeply awed that Your Majesty has troubled me with your concern for my life."

Emperor Ning Kang snorted, as if to say, "It's good for you to know it."

But then he narrowed his eyes, looked at Jia Lian sharply, and said in a deep voice: "So, now you know why the emperor has never made Jia She's identity public for so many years.

Even though you performed so well, he never wanted to recognize you and give you the status and honor that a descendant of the royal family deserved. It was not until that day at Tiewang Mountain that he was forced to make your life story public!"

Emperor Ning Kang looked at Jia Lian with sharp eyes, trying to see Jia Lian's thoughts and ideas from his first reaction.

Jia Lian looked very serious, even a little indignant.

"I know! No, I and my father's lineage are a stain and a shame in the life of the old emperor.

He never really considered us father and son as his own children.

That day at Tiewang Mountain, he just wanted to borrow the soldiers in my hands to fight against Your Majesty, that's all! "

Jia Lian said this, like a fire cup that was about to burst. He knelt on the ground with a plop and said angrily:

"But as the old saying goes, a loyal minister does not serve two masters! Although the Emperor is also my monarch, over the years, I have received great grace from Your Majesty. From an unknown person, I have gradually become the world-famous Marquis of Zhenyuan, and I hold several positions in the court. I can be said to be in a high position with great power!

All this is thanks to Your Majesty.

Therefore, in my heart, Your Majesty is the only person I truly want to be loyal to.

Therefore, even if the Supreme Emperor promised me the title of Prince that day, it could not shake my will in the slightest.

My greatest wish in this life is to be a cavalry general in your majesty's hands, to help your majesty conquer the barbarians in all directions, and to conquer a vast territory for our Great Wei!"

It was clearly a long paragraph expressing loyalty, but Jia Lian said it almost while roaring, which was impolite in front of the emperor.

But Emperor Ning Kang was very pleased to hear it.

It was worth it that he took the time out of his busy schedule to help him figure out his background.

but……

"Are you worthy of being compared with Huo Qubing?"

"Well, Your Majesty, I only mentioned the General of the Cavalry, but I didn't say it must be Huo the Cavalry.

Your Majesty's words seem to be admitting that he is the Emperor Wu of Han..."

"Hmm?" Emperor Ning Kang raised his eyebrows.

Dai Quan next to him couldn't help but wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

My little ancestor, are you unhappy if you don't stroke the tiger's whiskers or what? It's not easy to make His Majesty happy, but you dare to mock him instead of saying something nice to win his heart. You are really... a person of great skill and courage.

Emperor Ning Kang glared at Jia Lian fiercely for a few times, and seeing that he hung his head and dared not to do anything else, he snorted and said, "The old emperor wants to see you, so get out of here."

"Um, can I go see you?"

"Why, do you also think that I am a traitor who would not allow the Emperor to summon an outsider?"

"I have absolutely no such intention. Everyone in the world knows that Your Majesty is..."

"roll!"

"okay."

Jia Lian got up, took a few steps back, and suddenly walked back.

In the eyes of Emperor Ning Kang, who was obviously impatient, he suddenly said: "Your Majesty, although state affairs are important, there is an old saying: As long as the green mountains remain, there is no fear of running out of firewood.

Your Majesty has so many civil and military officials around you. It would be better to leave the many unimportant matters to them.

Your Majesty, in your spare time, you should focus on maintaining your health.

Only if Your Majesty is in good health will you have more time to govern this vast land and to seek benefits for the 200 million people of the Great Wei.

I earnestly hope that I can always be by your side..."

Emperor Ning Kang originally thought that Jia Lian was going to cause trouble again, but as he listened, his expression changed.

He was silent for a moment, then said calmly, "I understand."

Jia Lian stood for a moment, and seeing that Emperor Ning Kang had no intention of paying any more attention to him, he bowed and turned to leave.

After leaving the Daming Palace, Jia Lian breathed a sigh of relief.

If he had been somewhat worried that Emperor Ning Kang was deceiving him before, after today, he finally had confidence.

It was obvious that the Emperor Ning Kang summoned him into the palace because the retired emperor wanted to see him today.

However, the fact that Emperor Ning Kang summoned the old eunuch is quite interesting.

It’s like, there are three kids who are very close to each other, and now two of them are having a falling out.

Then one of them found evidence and told the third one, look at how he treated you back then, he didn’t treat you as a true friend (grandson) at all.

What is the purpose?

Isn’t it just that he wants you to be good to him and not to be good to him?

Jia Lian was keenly aware of this at the time, so he took advantage of the situation and showed his loyalty to completely dispel Emperor Ning Kang's concerns.

As for his later concern for Emperor Ning Kang, it was basically sincere.

As soon as he entered the palace, he noticed that Emperor Ning Kang looked very bad, but he was trying hard not to show it.

It seems that the previous military coup, the death of the crown prince, the viciousness of the third prince and other events have already dealt a heavy blow to this emperor who was eager to establish his career.

In addition, although the seizure of power was successful, it was not smooth.

Because of the prince's betrayal, his overall plan was interrupted, and his mutiny and seizure of power were almost exposed to the world.

It is conceivable that in the two days since he returned to Beijing, he must have encountered many troubles and heard many voices of opposition and even condemnation.

Under such circumstances, Jia Lian was really afraid that he would not be able to hold on and would quit.

Although he secretly made the Third Prince's plot to murder the Crown Prince known to many people, which damaged the Third Prince's reputation, Princess Zhaoyang said that Emperor Ning Kang probably still regarded the Third Prince as his successor.

In this case, if Emperor Ning Kang passed away and the third prince ascended the throne, would he still be able to have a good ending?

Although he asked Princess Zhaoyang to come forward that day, and he himself never showed up from beginning to end, he did not think that the Third Prince would remain in the dark.

Even if the Third Prince did not suspect him in this matter, he would still come into conflict with the Third Prince when he helped the Fourth Prince win the throne.

Therefore, he was really afraid that Emperor Ning Kang would suddenly die.

For Jia Lian, the longer Emperor Ningkang lived, the better. It would be best if he could be like the retired emperor, and let the third prince, or even the fourth prince, and the fifth prince all become old princes...