Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 462: Ruyi for the Mandarin Duck Alliance

The palace city of Da Zhou, Qinghe Palace.

With the help of palace maids, Old Concubine Zhen sat up straight on the couch.

Jia Cong saw that the old concubine had a head full of silver hair, a pale face, and a weak breath.

Although his face was sick, he looked at Jia Cong below him for a moment, and a smile appeared on his old face.

He smiled slightly and said, "I have often heard rumors from outside that the Earl of Jia's Weiyuan is a young man of intelligence and talent, with a graceful figure and a peerless beauty. Seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is well-deserved."

Jia Cong bowed and replied: "Jia Cong is young and does not deserve the praise from the old concubine."

Old Concubine Zhen continued, "I received a letter from my family in Jinling, saying that Marquis Weiyuan is very close to my family. He came to celebrate my niece's birthday and got along well with my great-granddaughter Fang Qing."

Jia Cong felt a little strange, and could only reply: "The Zhen and Jia families are old friends. Since Jia Cong has arrived in Jinling, he must pay a visit to the elders. He dare not be disrespectful."

Old Concubine Zhen smiled and asked, "What do you think of my great-granddaughter Fang Qing?"

Jia Cong's heart skipped a beat, and he could only bite the bullet and reply, "Miss Zhen San is intelligent and heroic, comparable to men, and is the best among the Zhen family's children."

At this moment, Jia Cong had a bad feeling in his heart. Thinking of the rumor about the arranged marriage, the scene before him really had some meaning of looking at the east bed...

Old Concubine Zhen said to Emperor Yong'an: "Your Majesty, this child is indeed very good. The Jia family... the Jia family is blessed to have such a talented child."

Emperor Yong'an smiled and said, "What the Concubine said is very true. It is even more rare that he is so young and has both literary and martial skills. I love his calligraphy. He has not even passed the Wuxiang stage, but he can write such a powerful poem like Linjiangxian. It is very rare."

Old Concubine Zhen signaled to the palace maid beside her, and the maid left the room and came back with a vermilion tray a few moments later.

Old Concubine Zhen smiled and said, "The Zhen and Jia families are old friends, and you are considered my junior. This is our gift for meeting you today, please accept it."

She had been bedridden for many days and was growing weaker and weaker. She had just spoken a lot, which had consumed a lot of her energy. As soon as she finished speaking, she began to wheeze and cough slightly.

Jia Cong saw that the palace maid was holding a vermilion tray with an open brocade box in it. Inside was a jade ruyi as long as the palm of his hand. The whole thing was emerald green and transparent, with exquisite carvings and a moist and shiny appearance.

Emperor Yong'an glanced at the jade ruyi, and seemed to sigh slightly, and said to Jia Cong: "Why don't you thank the concubine?"

Jia Cong's thoughts surged, his heart sank slightly, he took the brocade box from the tray and said, "Jia Cong thanks the old concubine for the reward."

Emperor Yong'an nodded slightly to Ouyang Bin, who stepped forward and said, "This old servant will escort Earl Weiyuan out of the palace."

Jia Cong bid farewell to Emperor Yong'an and Old Concubine Zhen, full of questions, and followed Ouyang Bin out of Qinghe Palace.

In the inner palace, Empress Dowager Zhen looked at Jia Cong's receding back, dismissed the maids around her, and said, "Your Majesty, this child is so handsome and outstanding, I really feel like I have seen him before..."

Emperor Yong'an said in a gentle and somewhat elusive voice, "Although he is young, everything he does is bizarre, and his scheming is extraordinary.

This is a good thing. No matter what happens, you will never be inferior to others, nor will you suffer any loss... "

……

The palace city of the Great Zhou Dynasty, Qianyang Palace.

Emperor Jiazhao was looking through memorials and seemed a little uncertain when Guo Lin came in from outside the hall.

He said, "Your Majesty, Jia Cong has just left the palace. He met the Emperor and the old Concubine Zhen in the Qinghe Palace. The old Concubine praised him very much and even gave him a jade ruyi as a reward."

Emperor Jia Zhao asked, "Did the Emperor and the old concubine say anything?"

Guo Lin replied: "The old concubine praised the Earl of Weiyuan for his outstanding character and his reputation, and asked him what he thought of Zhen Fangqing. The emperor praised Jia Cong for his outstanding calligraphy and poetry.

Afterwards, Jia Cong left the palace, and the old Concubine Zhen dismissed her attendants and seemed to be talking to the Emperor alone, but the specific content of the conversation is unknown.

When Emperor Jiazhao heard that the old Concubine Zhen had dismissed his attendants, his eyes flickered slightly.

The Imperial Chariot Division had spies throughout the palace, even in the Chonghua Palace of the retired emperor, not to mention the Qinghe Palace of the old Concubine Zhen.

Less than half an hour after Jia Cong left the palace, Guo Lin already knew everything about how he entered Qinghe Palace.

From this, we can see how uneasy and doubtful Emperor Jiazhao was when he ascended the throne at such an extraordinary opportunity. Otherwise, he would not have managed the entire palace to be so impervious to wind and rain.

Perhaps deep down in his heart, this majestic palace and vast rivers and mountains do not belong to him...

……

Emperor Jia Zhao put down the memorial in his hand, and said thoughtfully, "A wish comes in pairs, connected head to tail..."

Guo Lin said from the side: "Your Majesty, what you mean is that when Old Concubine Zhen gave Jia Cong the jade ruyi, it was implied that she was going to marry him?"

Emperor Jia Zhao said: "The old concubine is seriously ill and worried. Zhen Fangqing is the one she has raised since childhood. It is natural for her to worry about her children for the rest of their lives at this critical juncture.

I remember that Jia Cong is about to reach the age of dancing elephants. He was granted a title at a young age and attracted a lot of attention. Has anyone in the Jia family arranged a marriage for him?"

Guo Lin had been with Emperor Jiazhao for many years, so he naturally understood what he meant. The emperor was asking the secret agent of the Imperial Chariot Department whether he had found any relevant information in the Jia Mansion.

Another meaning of Emperor Jia Zhao's words is that he strongly disapproved of the marriage between Jia Zhen's two families.

Guo Lin replied: "When I returned to Beijing the day before yesterday, I checked the secret letter recently reported by the Central Vehicle Department. It said that Shi Xiangyun, the eldest daughter of the Baoling Marquis's mansion, was loved by Mrs. Jia and often stayed at the Jia family.

Whenever Shi Xiangyun entered the Jia Mansion, she often stayed in the room of the eldest daughter of the Weiyuan Marquis's mansion. She had a very close relationship with Jia Cong and seemed to have a very deep affection for him.

Shi Xiangyun's parents are both dead, and she has been raised by Mrs. Chen, the wife of Baolinghou, since childhood. In the past six months, Li has been visiting the Jia Mansion frequently, and often talked to Madam Jia about her children's marriages, which involved Jia Cong's marriage many times.

It may be that they want to arrange a marriage for the two of them, but it is unknown."

Emperor Jia Zhao was slightly stunned, and said: "Mrs. Jia is from the Baoling Marquis Mansion. The combination of nobles and nobles and the marriage between Jia and Shi are well calculated. These two people are also a good match."

Guo Lin asked, "Marquis Zhongjing and Jia Cong are both trusted ministers of His Majesty. Does His Majesty intend to grant them a marriage?"

Emperor Jia Zhao sighed slightly, "If the old Concubine Zhen hadn't mentioned the matter of Zhen Fangqing, I could have been the matchmaker for once, but I can't do it now, otherwise it would be embarrassing for the Emperor and the old Concubine Zhen."

He then asked, "In the case of the murder of Zhen Shiwen from the Zhen family in Jinling, have you found the murderer? Is the private manufacture of muskets really related to the Zhen family?"

Guo Lin replied, "Your Majesty, I just received a report from the Jinling Central Vehicle Division yesterday. The murderer of Zhen Shiwen has not been caught yet, and Jinyiwei Ge Zhicheng has not found any evidence related to the Zhen family."

Emperor Jia Zhao looked grim and said, "I gave Ge Zhicheng ten days to bring the murderer who assassinated Du Hengxin to justice. I don't think he can do it. What's the use of such a mediocre person!
Pass on my oral order, and have the Jinyiwei Command of the Divine Capital send agents to Nanjing to investigate the Zhen Shiwen case and make some gains!"

……

Jude Square, Earl's Palace.

When Jia Cong returned from the palace, before he reached the Earl's Mansion on horseback, the gatekeeper who had been waiting at the intersection saw him from afar and returned to report the news.

The housekeeper, along with a group of servants, opened the main gate of the Earl's Mansion and welcomed him in. They added that the eldest lady and the other girls were now at the West Mansion to welcome the guests, and that someone had been sent over to deliver the message.

Jia Cong thought of the scene in Qinghe Palace just now. Although the two nobles spoke kindly and praised him a lot during the whole meeting, they seemed very peaceful and happy.

However, this brought Jia Cong a lot of worries. Although the old Concubine Zhen was obviously seriously ill, she still struggled to see him and asked him what he thought of Zhen Fangqing.

The meaning of this audience at Qinghe Palace was very obvious. The rumor about the arranged marriage had gradually become clear, making Jia Cong feel heavy.

Ever since he left the East Courtyard, he had been able to control almost every matter he handled through planning, but the matter of the marriage with Zhen Fangqing was the only thing he could control completely.

Although Zhen Fangqing was an outstanding woman, Jia Cong had only known her for a month in Jinling. His relationship with Zhen Fangqing was not even as entangled and intimate as that between him and Zou Miner.

It is not as good as the friendship and friendship with Qu Hongxiu and Qin Keqing, who shared weal and woe.

Not to mention sisters like Daiyu, Yingchun, Tanchun, etc., who have been together since childhood and have a close rapport with each other.

If an imperial decree forced him to marry a woman who was both familiar and unfamiliar to him, and tied him to her for life, it was not what he wanted.

His only reliance now is the close relationship between the Zhen family and the retired emperor, which will definitely make Emperor Jia Zhao oppose this marriage.

However, hopes based on others are ultimately unreliable.

He felt depressed, and the joy he should have felt at returning home was diluted to the point of being completely gone.

He was walking towards his yard when he saw two slender figures walking towards him quickly on the path ahead.

One is beautiful and delicate, like an orchid; the other is pretty and clever, more beautiful than a lotus.

Jia Cong saw that it was Wu'er and Qingwen who came.

Qingwen's face was filled with joy. She stepped forward and said with a smile, "Third Master, you are finally home. Before you entered the mansion, the housekeeper sent a message to the inner courtyard, saying that Wu'er and I were in the courtyard. Come out and greet Third Master."

Qingwen twisted her slender waist and walked around Jia Cong, stirring the air with her fragrance.

She looked him up and down carefully, her pretty face flushed, and said, "The Third Master is back from going out now, and his complexion is very good, just like when he went out. He is not like the last time he came back from Liaodong, he was dark and thin, it was heartbreaking to see him."

Wu Er's pretty face was rosy, her eyes were like water, she looked at Jia Cong and asked: "Third Master, you should stay for a while when you come home this time. You have been running around all over the place for a year, you really should stay at home and recuperate."

When Jia Cong saw how gentle and affectionate they both were, the depression that had originally filled his heart gradually dissipated, and his heart gradually became gentle.

He smiled and said to Wu'er, "The Spring Examination will be held at the end of next spring. I will not go out and will concentrate on studying and preparing for the examination."

Then he asked, "Why are there only the two of you, Zhishao and Yinglian?"

Wu Er said, "Zhi Shao came back this morning to unload her luggage, and then accompanied Master Xiu Shan and Miao Yu to the Muni Courtyard outside the west gate to help them settle down. She will be back tomorrow.

I have instructed the butler to send a carriage to pick you up tomorrow.

Lingguan, who was brought back by the Third Master, was still a little shy, but Yinglian got along well with her and had just taken her to visit the garden.

Now I’m afraid they don’t even know that the Third Master has returned home.”

Qingwen laughed and said, "I don't know how Master found this girl Lingguan. She looks exactly like Miss Lin."

The three of them went to Jia Cong's yard together, and along the way they chatted about what had happened since they last met.

……

After entering the main room, Qingwen prepared hot soup for Jia Cong to take a bath, and Wu'er helped Jia Cong change into casual clothes.

She saw the brocade box that Jia Cong had placed on the table, and curiously opened it to take a look. She exclaimed, "What an exquisite jade ruyi. Where did Third Master get this treasure?"

Jia Cong replied, "I entered the palace today to submit an imperial decree and was summoned to the Qinghe Palace to pay my respects to the Emperor and Old Concubine Zhen. This jade ruyi was given to me by Old Concubine Zhen."

Wu Er asked, "But there are rumors in the mansion recently that the concubine who is going to marry the Third Master to Miss Zhen San?"

Jia Cong said: "It is this old Concubine Zhen."

Wu Er frowned slightly, her eyes flickered, and she said, "Third Master, I heard from my mother that Ruyi is a betrothal gift for girls, and it is usually sold in pairs, implying a good match and harmony." Jia Cong's face was gloomy, and he said, "The old concubine suddenly summoned him and gave him this Ruyi alone. This should be what you mean."

Wu Er said, "Third Master, Miss Lin has always been attentive to you. We, the people around you, can see that. Last time the news spread in the mansion that you had arranged a marriage, Miss Lin fell ill for several days.

There are some things that she herself cannot figure out. I thought of some excuses and asked Zijuan to tell her, which helped to ease Miss Lin's worries a little. Now that she knows about this, she will definitely be troubled again."

Jia Cong heard her soft words and delicate thoughts, and couldn't help but hold her little hand: "It's rare that Wu'er is so thoughtful. When I'm away, you will help me take care of my sisters at home. How can I thank you?"

Wu Er blushed slightly: "Third Master, you are away from home, so I should help you keep an eye on things. With your words, everything I do is worth it..."

Jia Cong said: "The current emperor does not like the marriage between the Earl's Mansion and the Zhen family. The emperor must be well aware of this and have concerns. Otherwise, when I went to the palace to pay my respects today, he might have issued an imperial decree to grant the marriage.

Therefore, unless something unusual happens, the marriage will not take place. You don’t have to worry too much about it now. Please keep this Ruyi for me and don’t make it public in advance to avoid any complications.”

……

As they were talking, they suddenly heard footsteps outside and a beautiful figure flashing at the door, and then they heard Tanchun's pretty and pleasant voice: "Third brother is back at last!"

Wu'er withdrew her hand from Jia Cong's palm reluctantly, took the brocade box and went into the front room, where she met Qingwen who had prepared hot soup.

When Qingwen saw Wu'er's flushed face and her eyes as soft as water, she began to feel suspicious. She then saw the brocade box in Wu'er's hand, which Jia Cong had been holding when he came back.

She suddenly thought of something and said sourly, "Why are you blushing? Judging from your appearance, you must have been touched by the Third Master again. Look at how dizzy and silly you are, humph!"

Wu Er blushed and spat, "You are so smart. You keep grinding your teeth with me all day. Be careful that the Third Master will coax you to relieve your fatigue."

Qingwen thought of the topic of combing her hair to relax, and her face turned red.

……

In the main room, Jia Cong saw Daiyu, Tanchun, Baochai and other sisters come in together.

Just now, Jia Cong returned home, and the steward of the East Palace sent someone to the West Palace to inform Yingchun and other sisters.

The sisters hurried back. After not seeing each other for several months, everyone felt warm and happy.

Daiyu's eyes were bright and clear, and she could not hide her joy. She said, "This time, Third Brother did not lie. He said he would be back in two months, and he meant it."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "This time I happened to meet Doctor Zhang Youpeng in Jinling. On the way back to Beijing, I went to Yangzhou with him. He has treated my uncle's disease and his condition has improved significantly.

Doctor Zhang will prepare the right pills for your condition when he returns to Beijing. After taking them, your uncle will be fine. You can rest assured now."

Daiyu could not help but be overjoyed when she heard this. Her father's illness was the thing that worried her the most. She lost her mother when she was young, and her father was her only close relative.

She smiled and bowed to Jia Cong seriously: "Thank you, Third Brother, for always keeping this matter in mind. I am very grateful."

Baochai knew that even when Jia Cong went south on business, he was concerned about Daiyu's affairs, so she would definitely help her to handle them properly. She treated her with care and affection, different from her other sisters.

I think that considering the character and appearance of the Yicong brothers, the Yangzhou Censor Lin must have valued them very much.

He was quite warm and close to her, but he was not as caring and cheerful as he was with Daiyu. Baochai couldn't help feeling a little sad.

Tanchun smiled and said, "I have calculated that the spring examination is approaching, and before the beginning of summer next year, Third Brother will definitely be studying peacefully at home.

A few days ago, my second sister discussed with me that this year is the first year of my third brother's establishment, and the New Year will be in two months, so we must celebrate a great New Year."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "I will definitely not go out for a long time after coming back this time. If you have any plans or fun things, please come up with them. Let's have a good time during the New Year."

After a while, Yingchun arranged Xing Xiuyan's accommodation and took her to Jia Cong's courtyard to familiarize herself with the place. Yinglian took Lingguan to visit the garden and came back.

The yard is filled with more and more flowers, laughter, bells, and a warm and joyful atmosphere.

……

The sisters talked for a while and then dispersed temporarily. Jia Cong went into the back hall to bathe and change clothes, and then went to the West Mansion to pay his respects to Jia Mu, Jia Zheng and other elders.

When she left, she brought Wu'er and Qingwen with her, as well as various gifts prepared by Keqing.

Keqing had stayed in the Jia Mansion for some time, so she naturally knew the general preferences of the people in the Jia Mansion. Moreover, each portion was marked with a number, so Jia Cong didn't have to worry about it at all, he just had to distribute it according to the number.

When Grandmother Jia saw that her grandson had suddenly changed his usual behavior and became so thoughtful and meticulous, the gifts he gave her, although not expensive, were very appropriate and fitting, and each one was thoughtful.

Instead, I praised him sincerely. Now that he has grown up, he has such thoughtfulness and filial piety. It can be seen that it is really time for him to establish a career and start a family.

He also distributed the gifts that Keqing had helped him prepare for his sisters in the same way, and naturally received a lot of surprises and praises from his sisters.

I just feel that this brother is not only talented in both literature and martial arts, but also has a delicate mind, which is no less than that of a girl.

Tanchun was even more generous with her compliments and praised him greatly, which made Jia Cong feel somewhat guilty.

When Keqing went out to help him buy gifts for his return trip to Beijing, he thought it was unnecessary and that it was a waste of her time.

Now I finally realize how important it is to have a lovely and capable woman behind you.

However, when Wang Xifeng received her gift, she discovered that they were all things she used in her daily life...

I couldn't help but feel suspicious. How did Third Brother Cong know that my favorite product was the rose rouge from Jinling Jinfeng Pavilion?

When she was still single, she used rouge from this family in Jinling. After she married into the Jia family, she still kept this habit. In the past, she always had someone send her rouge from Jinling.

Apart from himself and Ping'er, he hadn't told many people about this. How would the third brother Cong know about it? He chose that store out of all the stores in Jinling to buy from.

Only a woman can do such delicate things. It doesn't seem like the behavior of a young boy at all.

Wang Xifeng just felt it was strange, and concluded that there must be something strange about it...

……

Although the Firearms Bureau of the Ministry of Works was under the Ministry of Works, its affairs were highly independent and involved the secrets of firearms manufacturing, so the Ministry of Works actually had no jurisdiction over the Firearms Bureau.

As the chief officer of the Firearms Department, Jia Cong did not need to show up in front of others. The next day after returning home, he went to the firearms workshop, met with Liu Shizhen, and explained some daily affairs.

He spent the next few days resting at home to relieve the fatigue of the long journey.

Every day she spent her time chatting, reading, making tea, playing chess, or strolling in the garden with her sisters, having a very comfortable time.

The next day after returning home, he sent a carriage to pick up Zhishao from outside the city and bring her back home.

She also called Daiyu and other sisters to plant the plum roots that Zhishao brought from Xuan's tomb on the south slope of Dengxian Pavilion. They can only bloom and enjoy the plum blossoms this winter.

Since Lingguan entered the Earl's Mansion, she has been loved by the sisters in the garden because of her beautiful and lovely appearance, cheerful and hardworking personality.

In her spare time, she would hum and sing softly, with the beautiful music lingering in the air, which became a unique and beautiful scenery in the Earl's palace.

Not only was Jia Cong very kind to her, but Daiyu also felt very close to this girl who was similar to herself.

Originally, Jia Cong's homework of teaching Lingguan to read and write was taken over by Daiyu on her own initiative. Lingguan even often stayed in Daiyu's yard.

……

During this period, Yingchun and Jia Cong talked about Mrs. Xing's marriage proposal. Because the old lady was against it, Xing Xiuyan was promised to be his wife as a concubine. Now that she has entered the mansion, her status is quite special.

After hearing this, Jia Cong was somewhat surprised. Naturally, he immediately guessed Mrs. Xing's intention of doing this. She wanted to use Xing Xiuyun to curry favor with the Earl's Mansion.

However, Jia Cong did not take Jia She and Mrs. Xing's unpresentable means seriously at all, and they could not hinder him at all.

Before he was granted the title, Jia She and Lady Xing's identities as his biological father and mother had a great restrictive and destructive effect on him in terms of filial piety and etiquette.

But since he was ennobled the hereditary title of second-class earl, the power of heaven, earth, the emperor, parents and teachers, the imperial power has come before the power of parents.

In the face of imperial power and national laws, Jia She, his biological father, had to keep his distance from him. All the talk of father being the leader of the son, calling for fighting and killing, and interfering and controlling others were nothing but wishful thinking.

At this moment, Jia Cong remembered what Xing Xiuyan said by the stream at the foot of Yunyan Mountain: If there is anything in the future that is not to your liking, you just have to ignore it, and I will not be able to decide for myself.

Cousin, please don’t be estranged from me because of this…

No wonder when I just sent Zhishao to Panxiang Temple, Xing Xiuyun was still calm and composed when facing me, talking freely and without any reservations.

When he went to Panxiang Temple to pick up Zhishao and bring her back to Beijing, Xing Xiuyan's attitude towards him changed. She blushed and looked shy every time, looking very unnatural.

It must be that Mrs. Xing talked about the marriage proposal with Xing Zhong and his wife in the letter.

Although Xing Xiuyan knew about this, she was indifferent by nature and had a quick mind. She knew in her heart that judging from the secular family background, she and herself were not a good match and she did not have any extravagant hopes, so she said such words to herself.

Although Jia Cong extremely hated the behavior of people like Mrs. Xing, he did not feel the slightest bit of aversion to Xing Xiuyun, a girl who was indifferent, self-restrained, pure and gentle.

Thinking that after she entered the mansion, she would soon hear about the proposal to marry his wife to a concubine, she felt embarrassed and helpless.

No matter what the future holds, I must find an opportunity to talk things out with Xing Xiuyan.

……

That morning, Jia Cong and his sisters were sitting in the yard, Zhishao and Wu'er were making tea in the tea room, and the little maids brought out several plates and served them to the girls.

Just as the aroma of tea filled the air and everyone was having a great time, mandarin ducks suddenly entered the yard.

Seeing that they were all relaxed and happy, he said with a smile, "You guys really know how to have fun. You have such a good thing, but you didn't send anyone to invite me to join you."

Jia Cong smiled and said, "It's better to arrive early than to arrive early. Since Sister Yuanyang is here, please sit down and have a cup of tea together." After that, he asked Juan'er to bring the new tea.

Yuanyang smiled and said, "Then I would like to thank Third Master first. I will keep this cup of tea for now. I came here to pass on a message. The old lady asked me to invite Third Master to Rongqing Hall to talk."

Jia Cong asked curiously, "What does the old lady want to say?"

Yuanyang replied, "It wasn't that she said anything. The wife of the Baoling Marquis of the Shi family came to see the old lady and is now sitting in the hall. The old lady asked the Third Master to come over and talk to her."

Daiyu was moved when she heard this, and asked, "Is sister Xiangyun coming with us?"

Yuanyang replied: "Miss Shi didn't come this time.

No one else paid attention to Daiyu's question. After all, it was common for Xiangyun to come and go at the Jia family frequently.

Only Baochai looked at Daiyu meaningfully after hearing what she said.

Jia Cong's heart moved slightly, and he felt that Daiyu's question was a little strange. It was not the words she asked, but the tone of her question that seemed to contain a hint of worry.

However, the old lady let her go. After all, she was her grandmother and she had no reason to refuse, so she followed Yuanyang to the West Mansion.

(End of this chapter)