The Red Mansion

Chapter 71: Implicating Yuanchun (Part 2)

It was evening and the sun was setting.

The banquet ended and Ningchun Hall gradually returned to silence.

The Empress Dowager walked slowly, facing the setting sun, towards the lake. Her pearl and jade phoenix crown sparkled with brilliant light, and the gold embroidery on her brocade phoenix robe sparkled.

She stopped by the lake, looking into the distance at the setting sun that was gradually sinking into the west.

The setting sun, like a giant fireball, stained the clouds on the horizon a brilliant orange-red. The lake itself was gilded with a golden glow, a brilliant contrast to the setting sun. A few egrets skimmed across the shimmering lake, their wings tinged with the sunset light, as if clutching flaming clouds. Nearby pavilions and towers were enveloped in a soft halo of light. The evening breeze rustled the blossoms and trees, creating a soft rustling sound that seemed to hum a gentle melody to the tranquil evening.

The Empress Dowager looked at all this with a leisurely expression.

Suddenly, she turned to look at Yuanchun, who had been following silently behind her, and spoke slowly. Although her voice was soft, every word was clear: "As you know, your old lady begged me to make you the emperor's concubine. The emperor just told me to drop the matter! This is because the Wang family and the Ningguo Mansion have messed up things one after another, angering the emperor."

Yuanchun's eyes widened in shock upon hearing this. She glanced up at the Empress Dowager, then lowered her head in silence. She gazed at the surging seawater and cliff patterns on the corners of the Empress Dowager's phoenix robe, and a sense of loss welled up in her heart, as if something had quietly collapsed at that moment.

When Grandmother Jia first escorted her to the palace, her gaze was earnest and her tone was solemn, repeatedly urging her to strive to become a concubine of the successor emperor. To this end, she devoted herself to serving and pleasing Consort De, the Empress Dowager in front of her, and was cautious, fearing even the slightest mistake. Her smile was always just right, and her words were always appropriate and thoughtful.

Now, the matter has been declared a failure.

She couldn't help feeling a little disappointed. Although she believed that the failure was not her fault and that she was implicated by the external disturbance, she still felt that she had failed to live up to Lady Jia's high expectations and to the Jia family.

Yet, amidst her loss, she also felt a subtle sense of relief. Although Emperor Taishun was the emperor, he was already nearly fifty years old, possessed a harsh temperament, and treated his concubines with indifference. Deep down, she didn't want to be a concubine of such an emperor. She had personally experienced life in the inner palace and found it boring and lonely. She didn't want to be "imprisoned" for the rest of her life, "a place where no one could see anyone."

Seeing Yuanchun's silent, lowered head, the Empress Dowager softened her tone, her voice like a spring breeze. "Although you can no longer be the Emperor's concubine, I still love you. You are virtuous, filial, talented, and well-versed in serving me. You will continue to serve me as usual. When you are older, I will either release you or find you a good match."

Yuanchun slowly knelt down and bowed deeply in thanks: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace. I will do my best to serve you and live up to your kindness."

The sun continued to set, and the lake water was dyed orange.

The Empress Dowager and Yuanchun both looked at the sunset quietly, each immersed in their own thoughts.

The Empress Dowager seemed to be reminiscing about the past, or pondering her future plans. Her expression was profound, as tranquil as a lake and as unpredictable as a sunset glow.

Yuanchun's gaze fell on the setting sun, her delicate hands stroking a jade bracelet on her wrist, her thoughts drifting back to a scene in her memory:
It was an evening several years ago.

The setting sun illuminates the inner courtyard of Rongguo Mansion, dyeing everything into a warm golden orange.

A young man stood on the porch, quietly gazing at the setting sun, his expression focused, as if pondering some profound question. The slanting sunlight stained his indigo gown to the color of okra, and even his hair was dyed with scattered gold.

He has a handsome face, a thin figure, and a scholarly air.

He is Yuanchun's brother Jia Zhu.

At this time, the young girl Yuanchun walked towards Jia Zhu lightly. She had picturesque eyebrows, skin as white as cream, lips as red as red, and was wearing a moon-white cloud brocade skirt. The pearl hairpins in her temples swayed gently.

She called softly, "Brother Zhu."

Jia Zhu turned around when he heard the voice and saw Yuanchun. A gentle smile immediately appeared on his face and he replied lovingly, "Big sister."

Yuanchun smiled sweetly, "Congratulations, Brother Zhu, on your admission to school. You're already a scholar at the age of fourteen! That's truly remarkable!"

Jia Zhu smiled shyly, "It was just luck. You must work harder to pass the imperial examinations and even become a Jinshi." Yuanchun gazed at his thin face, her brows furrowed like misty distant mountains. She said with concern, "Actually, with our family's wealth, you should have a bright future even without taking the imperial examinations. But you study so hard, it really makes me sad."

Jia Zhu cast his gaze toward the distant sunset and spoke slowly, "First, it's the expectations of my elders, and I can't bear to disappoint them. Second, I want to bring honor to my family like my grandfather did. And there's a third reason."

Having said that, he turned and stared at Yuanchun.

Yuanchun blinked curiously: "What's the reason?"

Jia Zhu smiled slightly and said teasingly, "My elder sister was born on the first day of the first lunar month. 'A queen on the first day, an official on the fifteenth'. She is destined to be rich and noble. Perhaps she will become a princess or even an imperial concubine in the future. If I can't become a high-ranking official in the future, how can I be worthy of being your brother?"

Upon hearing this, Yuanchun blushed slightly, her face tinged with shame and anger: "I... I don't want to be a princess or a royal concubine..."

Jia Zhu suddenly said, "By the way, I have something for you."

Yuanchun blinked curiously again: "What is it?"

Jia Zhu took out a jade bracelet and handed it to Yuanchun.

Yuanchun's eyes lit up and she took the jade bracelet: "This bracelet is really beautiful."

She looked at the jade bracelet carefully for a while, and couldn't wait to put it on her wrist.

The brother and sister smiled at each other, and then stood side by side quietly admiring the setting sun.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone on them, and the flowers and trees in the yard rustled gently in the evening breeze, as if humming a soft song for this heartwarming scene.

At that moment, time seemed to stand still, leaving only the sunset, the evening breeze and the figures of the brother and sister.
At that moment, the brother and sister seemed to merge into the glow of the setting sun, becoming an eternal memory.

But fate did not favor Jia Zhu.

Jia Zhu married and had a son before he was twenty, then died of illness...

Returning to reality from memory, Yuanchun was still looking at the sunset with the Empress Dowager.

Tears welled up in her eyes, and she wiped them away with a handkerchief, sighing in her heart, "If Brother Zhu hadn't passed away, the old lady might not have sent me to the palace to be a female historian. Brother Zhu would have become a great man and brought honor to the family! Brother Zhu, if you were still here, how wonderful it would be!"

The sunset is infinitely good, but it is only near dusk!
The afterglow of the setting sun gradually faded, and the clouds in the sky turned into a deep purple-red.

The Empress Dowager's voice sounded softly, a little tired: "I'm tired. Support me and go back."

Yuanchun immediately collected her thoughts and replied respectfully, "Yes, Queen Mother."

She stepped forward and gently supported the Empress Dowager's arm, her movements gentle and delicate.

With the setting sun behind them, the two of them slowly walked towards Ningchun Hall, their reflections looking like a ball of ink spreading on rice paper.

I would like to use this chapter to commemorate the author’s previous book, "The Emperor of the Red Mansion".

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(End of this chapter)