Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 866 Conquest of the Inner Palace

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

The incense burner in the hall was burning warmly, creating a spring-like atmosphere. The air was filled with the sweet and lingering scent of lily tea, a fragrance that could soothe the soul.

But when Wang Xifeng brought up the old story again, Baoyu's face changed color. He felt no warmth in the room, his heart turned cold, and a chill ran through his body.

That time, he was merely in the inner chambers, chatting casually with his sisters about the betrothal, speaking from the bottom of his heart, without any resentment towards anyone else.

Somehow the gossip got out, and it even led to a reprimand from the Imperial Clan Court, a nightmare he could never shake off.

That time, he was not only beaten half to death by the master, but his prized jade pendant was also confiscated and put away.

Thinking back to the past when she passionately smashed the jade, the old lady was heartbroken, the wife was full of pity, and all the sisters trembled with joy, what a delightful thing that was.

As a result, those corrupt officials in the Imperial Clan Court destroyed this source of support, and Baoyu felt heartbroken every time he thought about it.

……

Therefore, the words "Clan Court" had a tremendous impact on Baoyu.

In his mind, the officials of the Imperial Clan Court were all ignorant country bumpkins who didn't understand romance and morality and were just rude and unpleasant to behold.

Moreover, Wang Xifeng's mention of it at this time was somewhat ill-intentioned, as if she couldn't wait for the Imperial Clan Court to come knocking.

Baoyu felt his legs go weak and his face turn pale. He had an urge to flee in panic and leave this sorrowful world behind.

When Grandmother Jia heard Wang Xifeng's words, her old face changed color, and she said, "What Feng'er said makes sense. Baoyu, you can say whatever you want if you want to complain."

The only thing you mustn't involve is the imperial court. If word gets out and people start making baseless accusations, your family will suffer. Don't mention it again.

Baoyu was so frightened by Wang Xifeng's few words that his face turned pale. He no longer had the desire to show off. He was so terrified that he dared not speak again.

Lady Wang looked embarrassed, feeling that Wang Xifeng was being rude and was clearly trying to humiliate Baoyu again. She was deliberately bringing up the most sensitive topic, which had terrified Baoyu.

Seeing that Baoyu had revealed his true colors with just a few words, revealing his cowardly and weak nature, Wang Xifeng felt a sense of satisfaction and naturally wanted to continue to humiliate him.

……

He said, "Grandma, the Lantern Festival is just around the corner. This year's spring harvest will not be until the end of March or the beginning of April."

The year has already seen considerable expenditures due to the festive season, and in March, Baoyu's wedding will cost another large sum of money from the public coffers.

Therefore, from late January to the end of April, a total of three months, the household's expenses can be quite tight.

Today, all the family members are present, and we all know each other well. My granddaughter-in-law is no longer afraid of making a fool of herself. Before the harvest in early April, the family will have to endure several months of famine.

In previous years, around this time, I would pawn a few gold necklaces or pieces of jewelry as part of my dowry, and then secretly redeem them once the public funds were collected.

To cover the deficit with one's own money is not a big deal, but now that Cong's brothers are in such a good position, the West Mansion is attracting a lot of attention.

With so many eyes watching, how can the granddaughter-in-law act smoothly? If word gets out, Cong's brother will lose face.

Since she's letting her granddaughter-in-law take charge, I can't just sit around doing nothing until the end of spring. I need to find a way to cut costs and make room for other things so I don't have to rob Peter to pay Paul.

Otherwise, if the family is in debt every month, it will be difficult to run the household. The most feasible solution right now is to follow the family rules and ancestral rites.

Cut off the old allowances and allowances from various places according to the rules.

The second wife happened to come over today, and we happened to discuss this matter together. We also need to ask the old lady for her opinion.

Upon hearing Wang Xifeng's words, Grandmother Jia felt a headache coming on. Ultimately, there was no escaping it; the eldest and second wives' families were at odds again…

This wasn't a new incident; Wang Xifeng had mentioned it several times before the New Year. Grandmother Jia was worried it would spoil the New Year's mood, so she tried to smooth things over several times before finally getting away with it.

To appease the eldest son's family, Grandmother Jia turned a blind eye to Wang Xifeng's attempt to get her hands on Yu Chuan and make her Jia Cong's personal maid.

He let his grandson get his hands on her, and now this girl is following him around, which is exactly what he wanted.

Feng Yatou calmed down a bit, and the awkward situation was temporarily postponed. They agreed to deal with it after the New Year.

Unexpectedly, Baoyu said something strange again today, and Yun'er immediately exposed him. Feng'er understood what he meant and was naturally unhappy.

They actually brought this up right to my face, but I really couldn't find fault with it. Now the Lantern Festival is approaching, but it's not yet after the New Year...

……

Upon hearing Wang Xifeng's words, Madam Wang was terrified. Rumors had been circulating in the West Mansion before the New Year that the second branch of the family was to cut their allowances, with her own monthly allowance being the first item on the list.

If someone were to suddenly cut off my monthly allowance as the wife of the house, I would lose face terribly.

Once word of this matter spread, no one mentioned it again. Madam Wang still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking that out of consideration for her husband, Wang Xifeng wouldn't dare to do it.

I never expected that this matter would be brought up so passionately in front of the old lady today.

Moreover, with younger generations like Yingchun and Daiyu present, it was clear they wanted to expose her and make her lose face in front of them; their intentions were truly vicious.

Seeing the awkward and embarrassed expression on Grandmother Jia's face, and not having spoken out to stop her, Lady Wang felt a chill in her heart.

Now that the old lady is supported by the eldest son's family, and Feng'er is also shrewd, Rongqing Hall's expenses are not only not reduced in the slightest, but are even more thorough than before.

Out of consideration for her reputation, the old lady, even if she couldn't save face for the monk, she had to forgive and forget about Feng's misdeeds. Now she was somewhat letting it go...

Madam Wang suddenly regretted coming to Rongqing Hall today. Now she was caught red-handed, her hands and feet were tied, and she was humiliated.

……

Just as Wang Xifeng was pressing her advantage and about to use some tricks to cause trouble, the curtain at the entrance of the hall was lifted, and Lin Zhixiao's wife walked in.

She said, "Grandma, Third Master's personal attendant Jiang Liu has returned with news. Since the young ladies have all come to the West Mansion, he sent a servant to deliver the message here."

It is said that after the Third Prince entered the palace, the Emperor appointed him as a military commander, placing him in command of six thousand Shenji Battalion soldiers. He was to be stationed in Tongzhou soon to defend against the southward-moving Mongol Tartars.

Upon hearing the news, Yingchun, Daiyu, and the other sisters were all filled with anxiety; they were finally going to war after all…

Grandmother Jia asked, "Did they say that he went to war that day? Why did he personally return to the manor, but Cong-ge'er didn't come back?"

Lin Zhixiao's wife replied, "Jiang Liu said that Third Master went to the firearms workshop outside the city. He had many official duties to attend to before the expedition, so he returned a little late today."

As for the day of the expedition, it was not explicitly stated, only that it would likely be in the next few days, before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. It seems that matters within the army are usually not discussed openly.

In addition, the second master of the Shi family was also appointed to a military post, serving as deputy commander-in-chief, responsible for leading troops to guard the capital.

Grandmother Jia sighed and said to Xiangyun, "Your second uncle is doing better; staying in the capital to guard it reduces the risks for him."

Upon hearing this, Xiangyun felt heavy-hearted, as did Yingchun, Daiyu, Tanchun, Baochai, and the others.

……

Yingchun said, "Grandma, Cong's departure for the expedition has been decided. On the night of the Lantern Festival in the East Mansion, all fireworks and entertainment will be suspended to bring good luck to Cong."

Grandmother Jia sighed, "In previous years, when the old Duke went to war, the family was always like this. Feng'er, the West Mansion also stopped all fireworks and entertainment."

The Lantern Festival banquet will be shortened; no banquet will be held for the seven branches of the family. The reason will be explained, and a few simple New Year's gifts will suffice.

Wang Xifeng said, "The old lady is still the most sensible. I will take care of it when I get back. In fact, it is a good thing that Brother Cong is going to war."

When he led troops into battle in Liaodong, he made outstanding military achievements, which led to his family's hereditary business.

This expedition will surely be a resounding success, and we might even achieve great merit. Then, the two prefectures can celebrate joyously.

Grandmother Jia laughed and said, "You know how to say auspicious things. It would be best if he could achieve military merit, but I really hope he stays safe and sound."

Daiyu said, "Grandmother is the most insightful. Third Brother is only fifteen. He has already been granted a title and an official position. He has achieved great things. The most important thing is that he will live a long and prosperous life."

Wang Xifeng said, "The old lady and Lin Daiyu are both right. The two mansions are in such good shape today because of the support of Brother Cong."

The whole family's wealth and prosperity depended on him.

……

When Baoyu heard that Jia Cong had gone to war, and that his family was not even celebrating the Lantern Festival, relying on fireworks and entertainment to make the New Year more lively, he felt very depressed and unhappy.

He himself was living a miserable life in the East Courtyard, and now even that little bit of fun was gone. It's one thing for Jia Cong to make trouble for himself, but he's causing unrest for the whole family.

Now even the old lady is accommodating him; she never treated him this well before. This shows how fickle people's hearts are, how easily they change, and how quickly things can turn upside down, which is truly heartbreaking.

Even though Lin Daiyu was a proud and aloof woman who always stood out from the crowd, among her sisters, she was the only one who shared her kind of pure and unconventional sentiments.

Now they've even changed their tune, saying that Jia Cong has been granted a title and official position, achieving great merit. How could such corrupt and decadent words come from Lin Daiyu's mouth?

Thinking of this, Baoyu felt a heart-wrenching pain, his round face twitched, and he looked at Lin Daiyu with deep affection.

But Daiyu's delicate eyebrows were furrowed, as if she were preoccupied with something, and she didn't even give him a glance. His heart ached unbearably.

……

But just now he was showing off and making a smug statement, thinking he was being sophisticated, but he was unexpectedly met with a fierce rebuke from Shi Xiangyun, which left him humiliated and embarrassed.

The second sister and Bao sister comforted Xiangyun, which shows that they were just as confused as Xiangyun. They were truly speechless and could only lament that there were too few wise people in the family.

Seeing Daiyu's gloomy expression and sorrowful face, Baoyu knew it must be related to Jia Cong. He originally wanted to offer some advice and hopefully awaken Lin Daiyu.

Having just been criticized by Xiangyun's witty remark, Baoyu was still shaken. He was a man of pride and would be afraid to say anything more and be contradicted by Xiangyun again. So he could only refrain from speaking for the time being.

……

With the news of Jia Cong's departure for the expedition confirmed, the people in the hall had different feelings and naturally had no interest in talking.

Wang Xifeng, who originally intended to stir up trouble, put aside her words at this moment. After all, Jia Cong's expedition was a major event, and it would be somewhat inappropriate to deal with the second branch of the family at this juncture.

Seeing that Wang Xifeng had calmed down for a moment, Lady Wang seized the opportunity, saying that she still had household affairs in the East Courtyard, and then bid farewell to Grandmother Jia and left.

When they left, they held onto the reluctant Baoyu's hand, looking rather like they were fleeing in panic.

Wang Xifeng stared at the two figures as they walked away, feeling a pang of regret. However, the timing was inauspicious, and she could only leave it for later. Yingchun, Daiyu, and the other sisters also rose to take their leave. Although their hearts were heavy, there were still some matters to attend to before Jia Cong's departure for war.

……

The Earl's Mansion, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

After Yingchun, Daiyu, and the other sisters returned to the East Mansion, they went together to Jia Cong's courtyard.

Upon entering the main room, all I saw was Douguan leaning against the incense burner for warmth, constantly stuffing snacks into her mouth; I didn't see any of the other maids.

Yingchun asked, "Douguan, why are you the only one here? Where did everyone else go?"

Douguan said, "When Sister Zhishao and the others heard that Third Master was going to war, they all went inside to help him pack his luggage."

Yingchun and her sisters entered the inner room and saw Zhishao, Qingwen, Yinglian, and Lingguan rummaging through chests and cabinets.

They took out Jia Cong's various clothes and compared and selected them there. Next to them was an empty trunk to hold his travel clothes.

Yingchun smiled and said, "You don't need to be so busy. This time, Brother Cong is not on an imperial mission, but leading troops into battle."

Unlike other places, the military requires soldiers to wear military uniforms and armor daily. These large coats are too big to wear, so carrying one or two spares is enough.

Pack him several sets of underwear, shoes, socks, and a warm fur-lined jacket, plus a warm overcoat; that should be enough.

Yinglian asked, "Second Miss, last time when Young Master went to Liaodong, he packed a whole box of clothes to take with him. This time he's only bringing these. Will Young Master not have enough to wear?"

Tan Chun said, "When Third Brother went to Liaodong last time, he wasn't going on a military expedition at first. He was accompanying Minister Gu on an inspection tour of the nine border regions, just like an ordinary imperial envoy."

He brought all kinds of clothing with him. After arriving in Liaodong, he was kept in the army as a staff officer because of his expertise in firearms, and only then did he get the opportunity to go on the expedition.

This time it's different; he's a general appointed by imperial decree to lead the expedition, so naturally he doesn't need to bring extra everyday clothes.

Yinglian looked at the carefully selected clothes with a slight regret, thinking that the young master must be very uncomfortable wearing stiff armor every day, and going to war is really hard work...

Daiyu and Zhishao personally selected several sets of slightly worn inner garments, as well as two fur-lined jackets and two cotton-padded trousers.

In their spare time, Qingwen and the other maids made a lot of shoes and socks for Jia Cong. Yingchun also made quite a few, and they had a lot of ready-made ones. They only needed to take the best ones with them.

This way, the items were light and easy to carry. Daiyu and Zhishao were both nimble and quick, and they packed everything up in no time, then moved the items to smaller trunks.

Since Jia Cong will be away on campaign for a few more days, the sisters can make up for the deficiencies as soon as they think of them.

After helping Jia Cong pack his luggage, Yingchun went forward to look through it, and the other sisters went to the main room to wait.

Jia Cong did not return home until sunset. It is likely that he had just received the imperial decree and must be busy with many matters before setting off on the expedition, so he probably wouldn't be able to return early.

The sisters had no choice but to go back first. Yingchun thought for a moment and asked, "Who's on night duty tonight?"

Qingwen said, "Second Miss, I'm on night duty tonight. Is there anything you need?"

Yingchun said, "It's nothing serious. Just help me measure Cong's knee size; I have a use for it..."

The sisters were all curious, but since Jia Cong was going to war, Yingchun, as the eldest sister, had to take care of things, so they didn't ask any more questions.

……

The Earl's Mansion, the Spring Welcoming Courtyard, at sunset.

The courtyard was bathed in the glow of the setting sun, with red light and smoke all around, exuding a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Musk Moon was slender and beautiful with a natural face. She wore a long vest with an embroidered collar on a light green background, an ivory-colored cross-collar jacket, and a frost-colored long skirt.

With light and nimble steps, carrying a piece of black fur in her hand, she quickly entered Yingchun's room.

Yingchun was organizing her thread and needle when she saw Mushe enter the room and asked, "Have you found anything suitable?"

Musk Moon smiled and said, "I searched the storeroom for a long time and finally found something useful. I picked it out according to what you said."

This bearskin is so fine and soft; it feels wonderful to the touch. It's truly a fine piece, though a bit small. It was a gift from that Mongol prince.

Yingchun said, "The one I want is the small one. Brother Cong mentioned it to me before. Among furs, bear fur is the most durable and warm."

This bear fur coat is especially prized, as hunters generally don't hunt bear cubs, making it even rarer.

Adult bears have thick, tough fur, while cubs, being underdeveloped, have smaller fur, but their hides are very soft, like ordinary silk.

Musk Moon, intrigued, asked, "Why did you specifically choose this bear fur coat, young lady? What is it for...?"

Yingchun sighed, "Brother Cong is about to go on an expedition. It's still early in the year, and it's the coldest time of the year."

He must ride a horse every day when he goes to war, and the biting cold wind is most harmful to the knees. He can't afford to develop a chronic injury at such a young age.

I gave him two knee pads made of this bear fur, and he wore them daily without any problems. The bear fur is as soft as silk, and wearing it daily won't hinder his marching or fighting.

Musk Moon smiled and said, "Miss is so thoughtful. Third Master is truly blessed to have a sister like you."

Yingchun said, "You're quite clever, how could you say the opposite? If I didn't have Congdi, I don't know what would have happened to me..."

……

At sunset in the capital city, at the Prince Zhao's residence.

Since the major incident involving the Jinling Guards, and with no war in the western frontier, Zhao Wang's military post has become useless and has been relegated to a vacancy.

Although he still holds an official position in the court, it is all idle, and he does not need to go to the office every day. He lives a leisurely life in the Prince's Mansion.

Most of the royal family members in the court were like this. For example, Prince Ning and others were appointed by the emperor to handle official duties, and they usually held sinecure positions in the court.

Only Prince Zhao, Li Chongmao, was different. He was a recognized royal general, and now the Mongol invaded from the south, making a major war against the Mongols imminent.

In such a crucial war for the nation, if a man of Zhao's distinguished military achievements is not among those who lead the army, the king's intentions will be clearly revealed.

This means that the emperor's favor has been lost, and public opinion will inevitably deteriorate. The suspicion surrounding the Nanjing garrison case will change from being baseless to becoming an indelible stain.

How could a prince, the eldest son of the empress, be reduced to a laughingstock?
That night, after receiving a secret report from the palace, the Emperor, upon hearing the military news from the north, was so agitated that he vomited blood and fainted, causing the Prince of Zhao to have all sorts of thoughts running through his mind.

Fortunately, he did not act rashly. Although he made some arrangements, all the princely mansions remained calm, as if he had punched a cotton ball.

This incident, however, startled him, making him realize that he had lost his composure, while the others seemed more composed than him...

The next day, news of the incident spread like wildfire throughout the palace. The eunuch who had delivered the message was captured by the palace guards that very night, and the evidence against him was confirmed.

The next day, the emperor handed the man over to the empress dowager for disposal. The empress dowager immediately had the eunuch in the water room beaten to death. This news made Li Chongmao restless and unable to eat or sleep.

He didn't know what his mother was feeling at that time. The shock and fear she felt must have been beyond words. His father was killing her by destroying her spirit.

The Emperor knew the whole story. Even though he summoned the Emperor to the palace, gave him a severe scolding, and even reprimanded the Empress Dowager.

All of this made Li Chongmao feel somewhat at ease, but after the eunuch in charge of the water room was beaten to death, the whole matter seemed to disappear without a trace.

There was no further disturbance in the palace, and the Emperor made no comment.

The king's silent, cold demeanor terrified him more than any angry reprimand.

For the past two days, he has been on tenterhooks, filled with anxiety and unease. Last night, he abandoned his gentle and beautiful concubine and spent the entire night alone in his study, tormented by his condition.

He sat in the round-backed chair, gazing intently at the map on the wall, his mind preoccupied with the war against the Mongols.

Fantasies arose in his mind, imagining himself returning to the pinnacle of glory with unparalleled military achievements...

Suddenly, footsteps sounded at the door. Prince Zhao stood up from his seat and saw Feng Xishan, the chief secretary of the Prince's Palace, walking quickly into the study.

He said urgently, "Your Highness, the imperial decree has been issued, and the generals to fight the Mongols have all been appointed. The news has reached the Six Ministries, and there is no doubt about it."

Upon hearing this, King Zhao felt a chill in his heart. If he were also among those appointing generals, Feng Xishan would have informed him upon entering the room, instead of speaking in this manner.

A chill ran through him as he asked, "Who is the commander?"

Seeing Li Chongmao's cold expression and the intense resentment he was suppressing, Feng Xishan felt a chill run down his spine and said, "Marquis Liang Chengzong of Pingyuan is the commander-in-chief."

Duke Chen Yi of Qi was appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief, under the command of the commander-in-chief, and accompanied the army on the expedition.

Marquis Zhongjing, Shi Ding, was appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief, leading 65,000 elite troops to guard the nine gates of the capital.

Marquis Jia Cong of Weiyuan was appointed as the Firearms Assistant Commander, leading six thousand Divine Machine Battalion soldiers under the command of the Commander-in-Chief…

Li Chongmao's anger grew stronger as he listened, while Feng Xishan looked worried.

He said, "Your Highness, the Emperor has appointed Liang Chengzong as the commander-in-chief, and no one in the court or the public will gossip about it."

He fought five battles against Anda Khan of the Tuman tribe without ever being defeated, and his military achievements were outstanding. He was the most respected among those who fought against Anda Khan.

His Majesty's choice of him as commander-in-chief was a prudent move..."

Li Chongmao felt powerless and said, "Why did you come to this, Father? I am skilled in military affairs. If I cannot be the commander-in-chief, can't I be the deputy commander-in-chief?"

Even if I were to lead an army all by myself, would I be inferior to a fifteen-year-old boy?

Feng Xishan sighed inwardly. The prince was also overly indignant. Jia Cong was no ordinary boy; he was a master of firearms, unmatched in the world…

However, he naturally did not mention these words, and advised, "Your Highness, there is no need to be too disappointed. The selection of generals and commanders this time was not decided unilaterally by His Majesty."

It was also a joint decision by all the ministers, and the generals selected were all suitable. Now that this matter has been settled, Your Highness, please relax and do not worry about it anymore.

Under no circumstances should we express resentment over this matter, lest we become the subject of gossip and slander. For now, remaining low-key and discreet is the best long-term strategy.

Li Chongmao's face was ashen, and he said with a desolate expression, "I will remember what the Chief Secretary said. You may leave now. I need some peace and quiet."

Feng Xishan bowed to the King of Zhao, then left the study, gently closing the door behind him.

After taking a few steps, he turned back to look at the study, his gaze deep and thoughtful. He sighed softly and then walked away into the distance…

(End of this chapter)