The Red Mansion

Chapter 70: Implicating Yuanchun (Part 1)

There is a building complex in Changchun Garden called Ningchun Hall.

Emperor Jingning always liked Ningchun Hall. After Emperor Taishun ascended the throne, Emperor Jingning specially gave Ningchun Hall to the Empress Dowager, making it the Empress Dowager's bedroom in Changchun Garden.

The Ningchun Hall complex includes palaces and affiliated courtyards. Its style is simple and elegant, blending with the landscape layout of the garden, like a pearl inlaid between mountains and waters. Its name "Ningchun" means to condense the beauty of spring.

Ningchun Hall is a tranquil retreat perfect for banquets and opera performances. To its east stands the Niangniang Temple, dedicated to the Taoist deity Bixia Yuanjun, where incense curls from the air. The surrounding area is covered in flowers and trees, offering a vibrant display of blossoms in spring, a blanket of greenery in summer, fiery red leaves in autumn, and even in the snowy winter, plum blossoms can be seen in bloom.

As evening approached, a banquet was being held in Ningchun Hall, creating a lively scene.

The Empress Dowager sat on a carved rosewood chair in the middle, wearing a brocade phoenix robe and a pearl and jade phoenix crown on her head. Although she was over sixty years old, she looked energetic, showing both kindness and majesty.

She was surrounded by a group of Jingning Emperor's concubines, both young and old, of varying ranks, dressed in a variety of gorgeous clothes, sitting or standing in a variety of postures. Some of the concubines held silk handkerchiefs to their lips and smiled softly; others were whispering to each other.

Jia Yuanchun was standing beside the Empress Dowager. Her eyebrows were as dark as distant mountains, her eyes were like rippling autumn water, her skin was as white as cream, and her lips were as red as red. She was wearing a palace dress that made her look dignified and elegant, like a fairy in a painting.

At this moment, her expression was respectful, her eyes occasionally fixed on the Empress Dowager, and occasionally glanced at the people in the hall, but her heart was filled with sorrow.

As the Empress Dowager's female historian, Yuanchun was responsible for assisting the Empress Dowager in handling ceremonial and internal affairs, and writing documents and records. She was the Empress Dowager's right-hand man and held a high position.

As the banquet was in full swing, the Empress Dowager looked at Yuanchun with a kind gaze and said in a voice as gentle as a spring breeze: "Yuanchun, your zither skills are outstanding. Why don't you play a piece today to add some elegance to this banquet?"

Yuanchun was good at playing the piano. Her personal maid was called Baoqin, and she was brought into the palace by her.

Yuanchun smiled sweetly, bowed, and spoke in a voice as clear as a spring: "What song would your Majesty wish to hear? I am willing to present it to you."

The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Please play the 'Eighteen Beats of the Hujia' that you are good at. I haven't heard this piece of music for a long time, and I really want to hear it today."

Yuanchun nodded in agreement and turned to order a maid to fetch the qin. The maid, a beautiful one with delicate features, was none other than Baoqin, Yuanchun's personal maidservant, whom she had brought into the palace from Rongguo Mansion.

He walked away quickly, holding the zither, and soon returned with a guqin. The zither was made of paulownia wood, painted in a simple, antique color, and the strings were like silk, faintly revealing the fragrance of time.

Yuanchun took the guqin and stroked the surface of the guqin with her slender jade fingers, as if whispering to the guqin, or as if awakening the soul sleeping in the guqin.

Immediately, she sat upright in front of the piano, lightly pressed the strings with both hands, concentrated for a moment, and plucking with her fingertips, and a clear piano sound flowed out like spring water.

It is "Eighteen Beats of the Hujia".

It is said that "Eighteen Beats of the Hujia" was composed by Cai Wenji. The whole song uses the three modes of Gong, Zheng and Yu, and the musical contrast and development are clearly layered. It not only expresses Cai Wenji's sadness of being captured by the Huns during the war at the end of the Han Dynasty, but also expresses her deep longing for her hometown and the pain of separation from her children.

Yuanchun's fingertips kept jumping on the strings of the zither. The sound of the zither was sometimes low like crying, sometimes high like complaining, as if all the sadness of Cai Wenji was integrated into the small space.

The Empress Dowager listened attentively, a smile on her lips, as if she had found something in the sound of the piano.

As Yuanchun played the zither, she reflected on herself: She had been sent to the palace by Lady Jia to be selected as a female historian for the position of Consort De, hoping she would become a concubine of the successor emperor. She had also heard that the Wang, Xue, and Ningguo families had recently angered the retired Emperor Jingning and were punished by imperial decree. Her longing for her family, the pain of separation from her loved ones, the heavy responsibility she bore, and the rise and fall of her family all seemed to emerge in the sound of the zither. Her delicate fingers trembled slightly, and the sound of the zither was imbued with her sorrow. She felt like crying, but she dared not, for fear of disturbing the Empress Dowager and the other nobles.

Her eyes were lowered, and her long eyelashes were like fans, hiding the ripples in her eyes. Only the slightly trembling sound of the piano revealed her inner sorrow.

At this moment, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the palace, and a eunuch announced loudly: "The Emperor has arrived!"

Upon hearing the voice, all the concubines bowed to greet him.

The Empress Dowager also hurriedly stood up and greeted him with a smile.

Yuanchun's fingertips paused, and the sound of the piano stopped abruptly. She stood up and bowed, with a dignified posture and a calm expression, as if the sadness and turmoil just now had never existed.

Emperor Jingning walked into the hall, wearing bright yellow casual clothes. Although he was nearly seventy years old, he looked energetic and his steps were steady.

He waved his hand, signaling everyone to stand. He then walked over to the Empress Dowager and sat down. He said softly, "I heard there was a lot of activity here, so I came to take a look. The piano music just now was very moving. I wonder who was playing it?"

The Empress Dowager smiled and said, "It was Yuanchun who played it. If Your Majesty is interested, you may let her continue." As she spoke, she looked at Jia Yuanchun with gentle eyes.

Emperor Jingning glanced at Jia Yuanchun, who was standing beside the zither, and his brow furrowed slightly, as if he had thought of something, but his frown quickly relaxed. He nodded and said calmly, "Okay, let Yuanchun continue. Don't let me disturb your enjoyment."

The Empress Dowager called out, "Yuanchun, please continue playing."

Yuanchun respectfully responded and returned to her zither, her fingertips lightly plucking the strings. The music trembled and the sound began to resound. This time, however, it seemed more solemn, due to the presence of Emperor Jingning.

Emperor Jingning sat at the side of the Empress Dowager, his gaze fixed on Yuanchun, his eyes deep and thoughtful. Suddenly, he turned slightly and waved to the Empress Dowager beside him. The Empress Dowager understood and immediately leaned forward to listen.

Emperor Jingning lowered his voice, but his tone was decisive: "You told me earlier that Jia Shi from Rongguo Mansion requested that you make Yuanchun the emperor's concubine. Let this be settled!"

Just this one sentence became an order, completely changing Yuanchun's fate!

The Empress Dowager looked calm, seemingly unsurprised. She asked softly, "Is it because of the recent mishaps at the Wang family and Ningguo Mansion? Has the Emperor been angered?"

Although she lived in the deep palace, she could hear what was happening in the court.

Emperor Jingning nodded, his eyes deep.

He had originally admired Yuanchun, both for her virtuous character, filial piety, talent, and virtue, as well as for his deep friendship with Yuanchun's grandfather, Jia Daishan. Even after Wang Ziteng's mishap, he still considered arranging for Yuanchun to be Emperor Taishun's concubine, thereby ensuring the long-term prosperity of the Rongguo Mansion. However, Jia Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion soon misled him again, causing him to change his mind.

Just as Jia Mu expected, Yuanchun was implicated!
The Empress Dowager sighed softly, her eyes falling on Yuanchun who was still playing "Eighteen Beats of the Hujia" with a bit of pity.

Some readers have suggested that the Empress Dowager should be called "Grand Empress". Regarding this, the author relies on the original novel, which refers to the Grand Emperor and the Empress Dowager.



(End of this chapter)