Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 192: It is difficult to enter the temple

Liu Jing'an said: "I am very pleased that you have such a mind and understanding. This time you are newly conferred, you will surely attract attention from both inside and outside, so you need to remain calm and not be impatient.

Also, from what you said about the Nanjing affair, I think Zou Huaiyi, the Water Inspector, was just the tip of the iceberg, and there must be more repercussions. It was a wise move for you to withdraw in time when Prince Ning returned to the capital.

Jinling is the core of Jiangnan, where national taxes are heavily levied, and it connects six states and one prefecture in Jiangnan.

Nowadays, there are omissions in the maritime administration, and various hidden dangers have already emerged. The powerful families are abusing their power and annexing land. In the past year, the provinces south of the Yangtze River have been in turmoil and it is a turbulent time.

You declined the position of Observation and Administration, which was very appropriate. At your age, your foundation is not stable. If you get involved in officialdom too early, it will easily lead to misfortunes. The autumn examination is the most important thing to do."

Liu Jing'an also talked to Jia Cong about many events that happened inside and outside the court this year. Many of them contained comments and were thought-provoking, which benefited Jia Cong a lot.

He also taught the key points and highlights of the autumn examination. The master and disciple talked behind closed doors for a long time before Cui called them over to sit down.

That night, Cui kept them at Liu's house for another night, and Jia Cong and Zhi Shao returned to the Jia Mansion the next day.

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Today, everyone present in the hall is very complete.

Grandmother Jia sat in the main seat in the hall, with Jia Zheng and Mrs. Wang sitting on her right, Jia Zhen sitting below her, Jia She and Mrs. Xing sitting on her left, and Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng standing behind her.

The main managers of the East and West Palaces were all present.

"Madam, since Cong'er's mother has been posthumously conferred the title of fifth-rank imperial minister, according to etiquette, she should be included in the family tree and buried in the ancestral hall. This matter is just around the corner. How to deal with it still requires your instructions."

Jia Zhen is the patriarch of the Jia family. He is in charge of the family ancestral hall and the spring and autumn sacrifices to the ancestors. Now, there is an additional posthumous edict in the family, which is related to the clan's sacrificial rituals and is also a top priority for him as the patriarch.

The people in charge of the East and West Palaces were called here today to discuss the matter of Jia Cong's biological mother being enshrined in the ancestral temple.

Jia She glanced at Jia's mother who was sitting in the main seat and said angrily, "What kind of status does this woman have? How can she enter the ancestral temple? She has disgraced our ancestors!"

If he had not been so infatuated that he brought this woman into the mansion, how could his parents have disliked her? As the eldest son, he lost the qualification to inherit the mansion and was effectively squeezed out of the Rongguo Mansion.

Although this woman gave him a son, he was extremely angry and disgusted with that woman over the years, as well as that disobedient beast, who only brought glory to the second house and didn't take him seriously at all.

Now, I don’t know what kind of luck he had, but he actually won an imperial decree for his lowly mother.

If I were to enter the ancestral hall, I wouldn't know how people would laugh at me when outsiders talked about what happened back then, in front of others or behind their backs.

Jia Zheng frowned and said, "Brother, be careful with your words. No matter what happened in the past, she is Cong'er's biological mother after all, and now she has been conferred an imperial title."

Jia Zhen also said: "Second uncle is right, uncle, family affairs and national laws cannot be discussed in the same way.

Regardless of the background of the Cong brothers' biological mother, since the Ministry of Rites announced the title of Fifth-Rank Concubine, she was a legitimate filial and meritorious woman. It was in accordance with national law and etiquette to have her recorded in the family tree and entered the ancestral hall.

Now the news that the Cong brothers have been granted the title of their birth mother has spread all over the capital, and many people are watching. If we don’t allow Du to enter the ancestral hall, it would be a violation of the emperor’s will and would bring disaster to the family.”

Jia She and Lady Xing were disgusted by the success of the mother and son, but after hearing what Jia Zhen said, they felt nervous and dared not say anything strange. Back then, the eldest wife was accused of witchcraft and poisoning people. Jia She was imprisoned in the clan house and almost couldn't come back. Lady Xing was confined by Grandmother Jia for more than half a year and was almost divorced by the Jia family.

The couple were still frightened when they recalled the past. If they were to be charged with the crime of deceiving the emperor, they would risk their lives.

After Jia Zhen said these words, he said no more and drank his tea calmly.

I have said what I should say as the clan leader and have fulfilled my duties. If the old lady still refuses to let Mrs. Du enter the ancestral hall because of trivial matters and causes trouble, it will not be my business.

When Lady Jia thought about the woman being enshrined in the ancestral temple and being worshipped by her descendants in the future, she felt as if she had been scratched by a cat. She was extremely upset.

It was all that evildoer's fault. He actually elevated his lowly mother to the status of a great official.

"Since this is the national law and etiquette, Zhen'er, you should follow the rules. After the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, let this person's spirit tablet enter the ancestral hall. I am tired, so let you guys make a fuss."

After saying this, Grandmother Jia stood up and asked Yuanyang to help her back to her room.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month is the most important spring festival of the year.

The old lady waited until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month before allowing Mrs. Du's spirit tablet into the ancestral hall. This was an intentional attempt to exclude Jia Cong's deceased mother from the spring sacrifice. This was an attempt to make things difficult for the dead, which was really too much.

When Grandmother Jia entered the Jia Mansion, she started as a granddaughter-in-law. After fifty years, she became a mother-in-law. She was quite capable and thoughtful. Lord Daishan had six concubines, but none of them gave birth to children. There are many unspeakable things in this.

Jia Zheng looked helpless. The old lady had just left after she finished speaking, which did not give him a chance to refute. Besides, he did not dare to disobey his mother for this. However, if Cong'er knew about it, it would inevitably add to the awkwardness.

Jia Zhen had a sarcastic look on his face. He thought, if the Rongguo Mansion wanted to violate their imperial edict, what did it have to do with him? Anyway, he had done what he should do as the patriarch, and the rest was not his fault.

Jia Zheng said, "Zhen'er, you should handle the affairs of the lady's spirit according to the established rules. Before it is buried in the ancestral hall, find a quiet place to take care of it. When the day comes, let Cong'er go to take it to the ancestral hall."

Jia Zhen said, "My nephew will do as my uncle ordered. There is a Muni Temple in the west of the city, a quiet place for Buddhists, which is just right for temporarily resting the souls of the deceased women."

……

What happened in Rongqing Hall could not be kept secret at all and it spread to the backyard in just half a day. Daiyu, Tanchun and others who had their own plans could see what the old lady was thinking.

Everyone felt that the old lady was too stubborn and actually kicked someone out of the Spring Festival. This was the biological mother of Cong's third brother. The dead have always been the greatest, so why would a family do this?

But they were all juniors in the boudoir, and even a girl from the Jia family like Tanchun, who was outspoken and frank, could not speak in front of the old lady.

Jia Cong never expected that the old lady would be so opposed to his biological mother's enthronement in the ancestral hall. Knowing that he could not stop it, he insisted on delaying it until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

This is something that even the deceased would find difficult, and a chill could not help but appear on his face.

My mentor Liu Jing'an once reminded me that my biological mother had just been conferred a title and that people both inside and outside the family were paying attention to her, so I should remain calm and not be impatient.

The old man has experienced a lot and knows his own life experience and situation very well. I am afraid he had guessed the current situation a long time ago, which is why he gave such a warning.

He couldn't go to the old lady to argue about this matter or question his family elders, as he might be accused of being disobedient.

But after all, Mrs. Du is her biological mother, and Lady Jia's behavior is really too unkind!
(End of this chapter)