The Second Master of the Red Chamber

The bustling streets had become quiet without anyone noticing.

Only the faint sound of iron boots pounding the ground could be heard.

Suddenly, armored soldiers appeared to clear the way, with officers and soldiers holding golden spears standing guard every three steps and sentries every ten steps along the street.

The people along the street had already fled into the nearby alleys, and those who couldn't avoid it all knelt under the eaves under the intimidation of the soldiers.

Accompanied by the clatter of wheels, a vast expanse of silver umbrellas and canopies surged forth like a tidal wave.

Upon seeing this, the crowd that had been packed in front of the Rongguo Duke's mansion knelt down in a dense mass.

Although Baochai and Daiyu couldn't see, they could both feel the oppressive and solemn atmosphere in the air around them, and they couldn't help but feel nervous.

Fortunately, a large hand held one of their small hands throughout, which made them feel a little more at ease.

At this moment, she naturally lifted the hem of her phoenix robe and obediently knelt beside Jia Lian.

The eunuchs and palace maids carrying canopies and other items stopped in front of Jia Lian, then parted to reveal the large imperial carriage decorated with bright yellow silk in the middle.

Jia Lian glanced at it briefly before quickly kowtowing and saying, "Welcome Your Majesty, welcome Your Majesty the Empress."

"Welcome, Your Majesty! Welcome, Her Majesty the Empress!"

Hundreds, nearly a thousand people repeated this phrase, creating an astonishing effect.

The palace maid lifted the beaded curtain, and Emperor Ningkang, holding the Empress's hand, slowly stepped down from the carriage on the wooden steps.

Upon reaching Jia Lian, he first glanced at the seemingly endless mass of heads behind Jia Lian. Among those kneeling in front, many were familiar faces.

He then lowered his head and glanced at the two elegant female figures beside Jia Lian before saying, "I had nothing to do today, and having heard of your wedding, I brought the Empress and others to take a look. I hope I haven't disturbed you?"

Emperor Ningkang's voice was very gentle, unlike his usual dignified tone.

Jia Lian immediately replied, "It is my greatest honor that Your Majesty and the Empress have graced us with their presence."

"I am truly terrified, for my private matter has unwittingly disturbed Your Majesty."

After Jia Lian finished speaking, the Empress beside Emperor Ningkang smiled and said, "You don't know, His Majesty told me a few days ago that we would come together today to preside over the ceremony for you."

I didn't tell you in advance because I was afraid it would distract you from the arrangements for receiving the emperor.

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian, who had just raised his head, showed a look of being flattered and surprised, and immediately kowtowed again: "Your Majesty's grace is boundless, and I could never repay even a fraction of it, even if I died ten thousand times."

Emperor Ningkang glanced at the Empress with slight displeasure, but having said all that, he didn't say anything more. He simply nudged Jia Lian's bowed shoulder and said unhappily, "Alright, get up. Today is your joyous occasion. The Empress and I are here as elders to observe the ceremony. There's no need to be so cautious."

Then, he said to the Prince of Beijing and the others beside him, "You may all rise."

"Thank you for your great kindness, Your Majesty..."

Emperor Ningkang didn't want to waste any more words. Seeing everyone get up, he took the Empress's hand again and headed towards the gate.

Everyone consciously made way for the road.

As Jia Lian was watching the Emperor and Empress, a polite and gentle voice suddenly rang in his ears: "Duke Rong, congratulations."

Jia Lian turned around and quickly bowed, saying, "Your Highness, you're too kind. Please."

The Third Prince smiled, returned the greeting, and walked past Jia Lian.

The fourth prince and Princess Zhaoyang also stepped forward at this moment.

"Jia Lian, congratulations."

Jia Lian also bowed in greeting.

Princess Zhaoyang didn't say anything, but just smiled and glanced at Jia Lian and the two brides beside him before following the Emperor and Empress with the Fourth Prince.

After these people passed by, Jia Lian ignored the eager and envious looks from those around him and simply lowered his head to say to Daiyu and Baochai, "Don't worry, just follow me."

He could sense the tension in the two women through their small hands.

He gave a reassuring sound, then took the red ribbon from their arms and retraced the steps they had taken.

Ahead, Jia Zheng tactfully led the way for the Emperor and Empress.

Upon entering the main hall, Emperor Ningkang looked at the four chairs at the front and said, "Jia Lian's parents died early. Since the Empress and I are here today, why don't we sit in the main hall for him? What do you think, Doctor Jia?"

Upon confirming that Emperor Ningkang was speaking to him with his head turned to the side, Jia Zheng felt flattered and overwhelmed.

He quickly replied, "It is an honor for His Majesty and His Highness to condescend to such a position, and it is also an honor for us."

As he spoke, Jia Zheng ignored everyone else's thoughts and quickly took down the two chairs on the left and right, leaving only the two in the middle.

What a joke! With the Emperor and Empress sitting in the high hall, what business is it of anyone else?

Even if two chairs were left there, would Grandmother Jia and Aunt Xue dare to sit on them?

I might as well just make the decision for them.

Moreover, Heaven, Earth, Ruler, Parents, and Teacher, as well as the Emperor and Empress, can not only sit in the high hall for Jia Lian, but also for Baochai and Daiyu, so there is naturally no problem with them.

When Jia Lian led Daiyu and Baochai in, the seating arrangement in the hall had already been rearranged.

Looking at the Emperor and Empress in front of him, Jia Lian was not too surprised. Instead, he calmly took the teacup from Jia Zheng and offered tea again.

Just as Jia Zheng was considering the right moment to announce the wedding ceremony,

The Queen suddenly smiled and said to the two brides, "You two, come a little closer."

Because they were standing close together and out of curiosity, Baochai and Daiyu were actually secretly observing the Emperor and Empress through the red veil.

At this moment, they naturally heard and saw the Empress's greeting.

The two glanced at each other subconsciously, then took two small steps in unison and walked to the Empress.

"Such a lithe figure, such a beautiful wedding dress, did you make it yourselves?"

It was the first time either of them had seen the Emperor's presence, so neither dared to speak casually and shook their heads in unison.

Jia Lian quickly stepped in to speak for her: "Your Majesty, it was made by the Zhang family embroidery workshop in the east of the city that I requested."

The Empress nodded, knowing that the two newlyweds were shy, so she stopped chatting and said directly to Jia Lian, "Over the years, you have done a lot of work for His Majesty, and you have all pleased him."

In His Majesty's heart, you have long been regarded as a nephew or son.

"Since His Majesty and I have come to witness your wedding, we cannot remain silent."

Jia Lian blinked, and it seemed he was about to be rewarded with something again.
The last time, the reward of ten thousand taels of gold caused countless people in and out of the court to complain and their eyes to turn red with envy.

Since you two came all this way in person and took the initiative to ask for a reward, it shouldn't be too bad, right?

Before Jia Lian could guess or react, the Empress had already ignored him and smiled at the two brides, saying, "Lin and Xue, receive your titles."

Baochai and Daiyu reacted quickly this time, and without Jia Lian's prompting, they gently lifted their robes and knelt down.

"By imperial decree, you two are granted the rank of Fifth-Rank Lady, and are permitted to enter the palace to pay homage during festivals."

The Empress's words surprised everyone in the hall.

The rank of a fifth-grade official is not high, but it is still a formal imperial decree.

Although the occasion was grand and extravagant, everyone knew in their hearts that neither of the two brides was the legal wife.

To possess an official title without being the principal wife was a privilege reserved for royalty.

In other words, even though Jia Lian was a Duke, he could only request titles for his wife and mother.

The emperor and empress's actions were clearly meant to tell the world.

Although Jia Lian is nominally a Duke, he is in reality on par with a Prince.

It's not too surprising, after all, he is the grandson of the emperor personally acknowledged by the retired emperor, and he has made several great contributions. Even if he were directly granted the title of king, no one would say anything.

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress. Thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor."

"Thank you, Your Majesty the Empress... Thank you, Your Majesty the Emperor."

Two beautiful and melodious voices interrupted everyone's reverie.

The second voice, with a slight pause, was Daiyu's voice.

Clearly, the young girl was not as adept at handling such situations as Baochai, so she wisely chose to follow behind Baochai and respond accordingly.

The Empress smiled and then waved to the side.

The palace maids, who were prepared in advance, presented two small boxes.

The Empress handed the gifts to Baochai and Daiyu respectively, and said with a smile, "These are the congratulatory gifts I have prepared for you. I hope that from now on, you two will uphold the virtues of womanhood, be good wives and mothers, relieve the Duke of Rong of his worries, and allow him to serve the court with peace of mind." "This humble woman obeys the decree and thanks Your Majesty the Empress."

When the two children received the gifts, the Empress noticed that their small hands were delicate and beautiful, and she was very pleased with them. She pulled them aside, wanting to chat a little longer.

Emperor Ningkang, who was standing nearby, couldn't stand it any longer and interrupted, "Alright, perform the grand ceremony."

The Empress could only pat their little hands and lead them up.

"The bride and groom pay their respects to heaven and earth..."

Jia Lian took the gifts from Baochai and Daiyu, handed them to someone else for safekeeping, then led them a few steps back and turned around.

"A worship of heaven and earth..."

"Second worship high hall..."

"Husband and wife pay homage..."

"It's done."

……

Because of the presence of the Emperor and Empress, no one made a fuss.

The two brides were quietly escorted down and then escorted into the Grand View Garden.

The atmosphere inside the park was much more lively.

"Congratulations, Miss Bao..."

"Congratulations, Miss Lin..."

Congratulations echoed from the mouths of maids, wives, and old women.

They looked at the two beautiful figures being helped along by their dowry maids with immense envy and even reverence.

My God, the Emperor and Empress are here in person and they are seated in the high hall. What kind of fairy-tale wedding is this?

They wouldn't even dare to dream of such an absurd dream, let alone think about it.

"Stop calling me 'Miss,' from now on, you must call me 'Second Madam'!"

"Hehe, now we have two more second mistresses, making three in the family. How will we tell them apart?"

"No, no, you shouldn't call her Second Grandma, you should call her Yiren."

Haven't you heard? Her Majesty the Empress personally bestowed the title of Fifth-Rank Lady upon Miss Lin and Miss Bao.

Therefore, she should be called Xue Yiren or Lin Yiren.

"That's not right either. Miss Lin is a Township Lady, which is a fourth-rank official, one rank higher than a Lady of the Right..."

Listening to the chaotic comments around them, the two newlyweds, shrouded in veils, each had their own distinct expression.

Perhaps knowing that no one else could see, Baochai could not hide her surprise and excitement.

Her greatest sense of inferiority and regret after following Jia Lian was her lowly status and inability to rely on Jia Lian for official rank.

Even though Daiyu had the title of Lady, no one dared to underestimate her.

But what about her?

She was just a businessman's daughter.

Although he was a royal merchant, his official rank was low. Even his brother was stripped of his rank.

Therefore, she felt somewhat insecure about being treated the same as Daiyu and entering the household as a concubine.

Of course, this also makes me even more grateful to Jia Lian.

Unexpectedly, the surprise came so suddenly and unexpectedly.

Today's grand wedding, meticulously prepared by Jia Lian for her and Daiyu, a wedding that will be remembered by the entire city, has even alarmed the Emperor and Empress.

They came in person and even presided over the grand ceremony for them.

If these are merely honors, then the fifth-rank imperial title bestowed by the Empress herself is a tangible benefit.

It is also what she needs most right now, and what is most important to her.

Identity.

If it weren't for today.

Her status depended entirely on Jia Lian's favor.

To be compared to Feng Jie and Daiyu is merely Jia Lian's flattery.

But things will be different after today.

Besides Jia Lian's affection, she also gained a foothold in life.

Although she was only a fifth-rank official, she couldn't compare to Daiyu's dual status of noble title and imperial consort, let alone Fengjie's status as the Duchess of the State.

But at least, she was truly different from Jia Lian's other women.

She became one of Jia Lian's wives, just like Daiyu, whom even Feng Jie couldn't touch.

As expected, my mother was right. If I followed someone like Brother Lian, as long as I could get his genuine love, I could easily get what I wanted but couldn't get before.

Just like this imperial edict.

Compared to Baochai's genuine happiness, Daiyu naturally didn't care much about this pleasant identity.

She just felt that she didn't know Jia Lian well enough.

Although everyone says that Jia Lian is very capable, even the emperor relies on and values ​​him highly.

However, because Jia Lian never pretended in front of him... except for the fact that she pretended to be upright to get close to him when they were young.

As a result, in her eyes, Jia Lian was just so-so, a little more open-minded and knowledgeable, but also a bit wicked and unreliable.

Surprisingly, he actually managed to summon the entire emperor's family.

No matter how unconventional Daiyu may be, people born in this era are destined to be unable to escape the imprint of imperial power.

She thought that since her second brother was so capable, she should treat him better in the future.

……

Outside, at a wedding banquet.

It's a bit quiet.

Everyone who had originally planned to liven up the atmosphere and wait for the wedding night pranks behaved unusually well.

Jia Lian, who should have been taking turns toasting at the table and accepting drinks from relatives and friends, did not move around but stayed close to the emperor.

Emperor Ningkang seemed to realize that their sudden arrival had turned what should have been a lively occasion into an eerily quiet one.

Therefore, after only a few drinks at the wedding, he summoned Dai Quan and inquired about the time of the celebration.

Realizing that it was getting late, they prepared to return to the palace.

Jia Lian made a gesture to persuade him to stay, but seeing that Emperor Ningkang was determined to leave, he could only put down his wine cup and respectfully see him off.

Before they even left the courtyard, Emperor Ningkang suddenly staggered.

Jia Lian quickly stepped forward to support him and asked, "Is Your Majesty alright?"

The Empress, alarmed, immediately helped him up.

"I am fine, you don't need to worry about me. Go back and entertain the other guests." Emperor Ningkang pushed Jia Lian's hand away.

Jia Lian didn't pay much attention, assuming that Emperor Ningkang was just getting old and his steps were weak from drinking.

Unexpectedly, just as they were about to leave through the gate, Emperor Ningkang suddenly collapsed to the ground, and even the empress beside him could not support him.

This scene stunned everyone around.

Jia Lian strode forward and saw that Emperor Ningkang's face was ashen and his eyes were closed.

He appeared to have fainted. (End of Chapter)