The Red Mansion

Chapter 2: Someone from Beijing
In Jiang Nian's family, apart from himself, only He Yun and his wife knew his true background.

No one else knew, not even He Yun and his wife’s son He Zhong.

Because this matter was extremely confidential, the Fourth Prince had strictly ordered that it should not be disclosed.

That night, when He Yun told his wife Meng about his abdication, Meng was also extremely excited.

"The Fourth Master is going to be the Emperor. I believe he will send someone to take Master Nian to the capital in the near future and recognize him as his master."

Meng said this, her expression full of expectation. She hoped that Jiang Nian would be recognized as the prince, and she also hoped that her husband and herself would be successful.

He Yun and Meng secretly protected, cared for, and monitored Jiang Xuelian and Jiang Nian for more than ten years, showing their loyalty to the Fourth Prince.

He Yun said, "The Fourth Master may send someone to bring Master Nian to the capital to meet him, but he probably won't send anyone soon. He will have to wait a few months, until the Fourth Master ascends the throne."

Meng said, "It doesn't matter if we wait a few months. We've been waiting for more than ten years."

……

……

Time flies like an arrow, and more than three months have passed in a flash.

It is the first day of the new year.

On this day, a grand event was taking place in the imperial palace of Daqing Shenjing City, which was the abdication ceremony.

Emperor Jingning, who ascended the throne at the age of eight and reigned for sixty-one years, abdicated on the first day of his seventieth year.

This was also the first time that an emperor abdicated in Daqing in more than a hundred years since its founding.

The abdication ceremony was held in the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the palace.

Hundreds of noble officials gathered inside and outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The old emperor, Emperor Jingning, sat on the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

The Fourth Prince stood respectfully before the throne and led all the noble officials in kneeling and paying homage.

After the Grand Secretary knelt down and read the memorial, the Fourth Prince solemnly took the imperial seal from Emperor Jingning.

This means that from this moment on, Emperor Jingning has become the Supreme Emperor, and the Fourth Prince has become the Emperor.

It also means that from this moment on, Daqing will stop using the "Jingning" era name and instead use the new era name "Taishun".

The fourth prince is Emperor Taishun!

……

……

Jiangning City, located in the south of the Yangtze River, is two thousand miles away from the capital of the Holy Capital.

On the first day of the first lunar month, the fourth prince ascended the throne in Shenjing City and became Emperor Taishun. His four sons also became princes and enjoyed the transformation of their status and the honor of nobility on this day.

Jiang Nian, the illegitimate son who was not allowed to see the light of day, was abandoned in Jiangning City, two thousand miles away, and seemed lonely.

It has been more than three months since Jiang Nian saw the abdication notice.

For more than three months, Jiang Nian has been studying and practicing martial arts diligently, and he feels that this behavior can be considered as "making great efforts."

If the eight big characters in the dream when traveling through time are really the golden finger, then if you study hard and practice martial arts, you will be blessed with good fortune.

Jiang Nian was not sure whether he really had the golden finger of luck.

But he has already confirmed that his memory in this life is extraordinary. It is an exaggeration to say that he has a photographic memory, but he can memorize things very quickly, which is beyond the reach of ordinary people. Moreover, he can clearly remember many things from his previous life.

This amazing memory is undoubtedly a golden finger. The original owner did not have such a memory.

……

……

Jiang Nian gets up early every day, does his morning reading and homework review, then studies under the teacher. In the afternoon, a martial arts instructor teaches him martial arts.

The teacher's name was Fang Tingxun, a juren in his forties who had failed the imperial examination three times and was hired to teach Jiang Nian at a large price.

The martial arts instructor was no outsider, but He Yun, a steward with extraordinary martial arts skills, particularly skilled in archery and horsemanship. Twenty days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already the end of the first lunar month in the first year of Taishun.

This morning, Jiang Nian was reciting a passage in his study room. He closed his eyes, concentrating on the text.
"(The fire and water have not yet come to an end) From the upper ridge to the lower end.

"Wei Ji": Heng. A young fox swims across the river, wetting its tail, but there is no benefit.

The first six, wet its tail, stingy.

Nine two, dragging its wheel, steadfastness is auspicious.

Six three, not yet completed, the expedition is unlucky. It is good to cross a large river.

Nine four, Zhen is auspicious, regrets will disappear, Zhen will use his power to attack Guifang, and after three years, he will be rewarded by the big country.

Six-five: steadfast and auspicious, without regret. The light of a gentleman is trustworthy and auspicious.

The top nine: There is trust in drinking wine, no fault. Wetting the head, there is trust but loss of truth.

After reciting this, Jiang Nian opened his eyes and looked at the teacher Fang Tingxun sitting beside him: "Teacher, I have recited the entire "Book of Changes"."

Fang Tingxun was stunned because he was too surprised.

The civil service examination in Daqing is mainly based on the Four Books and the Five Classics. The Four Books are "The Great Learning", "The Analects of Confucius", "Mencius" and "The Doctrine of the Mean", and the Five Classics are "The Book of Changes", "The Book of History", "The Book of Songs", "The Spring and Autumn Annals" and "The Book of Rites".

Scholars were required to memorize the "Four Books" and at least read the "Five Classics" thoroughly.

The original owner had been studying since he was young, but after ten years, he still couldn't memorize the "Four Books". It was not because he didn't work hard, but because of his limited talent. Although the "Four Books" together only had tens of thousands of words, they were very difficult to memorize.

The "Book of Changes", the first of the "Five Classics", is more than 20,000 words long and is obscure and profound, making it even more difficult to memorize it.

Now, Jiang Nian not only memorized the "Four Books", but could even recite the "Book of Changes" from beginning to end fluently.

Fang Tingxun couldn't help but admire: "Nian'er, since last autumn, your reading has improved rapidly, and you are especially good at memorizing. As your teacher, I am very pleased!"

Jiang Nian said modestly, "Sir, you are too kind."

Fang Tingxun took two sips of tea from his cup and continued to praise: "If you can persevere and study hard like this, you will at least pass the imperial examination one day, or even become a Jinshi, and achieve glory and prominence."

Jiang Nian smiled faintly and thought to himself, "Does a prince still need to take the imperial examination? However, if my father, the emperor in this life, does not recognize me as a prince, perhaps I will take the imperial examination..."

At this time, He Yun hurried into the study and apologized to Fang Tingxun, "Mr. Fang, please forgive me for interrupting you! Can we please stop teaching here today? I have something important to discuss with my master."

Fang Tingxun was curious: "What's the important matter?"

He Yun said, "It's inconvenient to tell you directly, sir. I have specially prepared a bottle of fine tea for you. Please take it home and try it."

Fang Tingxun was a little unhappy because his lecture was suddenly interrupted, but now when he heard that there was a gift of fine tea, he smiled and said, "Thank you for your trouble, Steward."

After saying this, he stood up and left the study with He Yun.

After a while, He Yun, after seeing Fang Tingxun off, returned to the study in a hurry.

He Yun saw Jiang Nian standing by the desk practicing calligraphy. He stepped forward and said, "Sir, the emperor has sent someone to summon you to the capital, but... but..."

He stopped talking halfway through.

Jiang Nian stared at He Yun: "Just what?"

He Yun was embarrassed: "The emperor only summoned me to the capital, and has no intention of recognizing me as a prince. He has also strictly ordered us to keep my true identity a secret."

Jiang Nian nodded calmly: "I understand."

Seeing Jiang Nian so calm, He Yun felt relieved and continued, "The emperor has sent Ren Pijiang again this time. He is no longer a palace guard, but has been promoted to the second-class imperial guard. Lord Ren wants to convey the emperor's secret decree to you."

Jiang Nian nodded again, then lowered his head and continued writing a poem by the Tang Dynasty poet Du Xunhe that he had not yet finished. It read:

"Little Pine"

Since I was young, in the deep grass, I have gradually felt basil.

People didn't know Lingyun wood at the time, and waited until Lingyun began to rise high.

(End of this chapter)