The Red Mansion

Chapter 87 Jiang Nian accidentally meets the emperor

Ren Pijiang galloped his horse, the hooves clattering like thunder, through the inner city of Shenjing and straight to the Jiang family's small mansion in the eastern suburbs. He met Jiang Nian and announced the order of Emperor Taishun to summon him.

Jiang Nian immediately understood that this summons must be because of the first "memorial" he submitted.

He changed into the official hat and uniform of a third-class guard, and He Yun also changed into the official uniform of a fifth-rank Dragon Guard. In order to save time, both of them rode horses and rode away with Ren Pijiang.

Ying'er noticed Jiang Nian's departure and, curious, asked Xue Baochai, "Miss, did the imperial guard take our master to see the emperor?"

Xue Baochai said nothing, thinking that this was probably the case.

Ying'er smiled and said, "If it's really the Emperor's summons, then Master is even more remarkable. He was just promoted to the rank of Third Class Guard a few days ago, and today the Emperor summoned him."

Xue Baochai remained silent, but in her heart she agreed with Ying'er's words.

……

……

Because Emperor Taishun did not summon He Yun today, He Yun was only there to protect Jiang Nian. When they arrived at Changchun Garden, only Jiang Nian followed Ren Pijiang to Danning Residence.

When he reached the outside of Danning Residence, Jiang Nian suddenly saw an old man coming towards him.

The old man was of slim figure, with shoulders slightly hunched but deliberately straight; his earlobes were larger than those of ordinary people, and there were old scars from acne on his left cheek, blending into a patch of age spots; his brow bones were like overlapping mountains, and his long, frosty eyebrows slanted into his temples, with several strands of silver hair hanging from the ends of his eyebrows; his eyes were slightly sunken, with wrinkles layered at the corners of his eyes, but with a sharp light hidden in them; his nose was like a hanging gall bladder, and his nasolabial folds were deeply engraved to his jaw, connecting with two vertical lines on the sides of his lips; his beard was completely dyed with snow, hanging down to his chest, and combed neatly with a rhinoceros horn comb; around his neck hung a string of agarwood incense prayer beads, with one hundred and eight beads interspersed with four blood-red coral beads.

The old man was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe with a five-clawed dragon coiled from his right shoulder to his front, and a group of attendants followed him cautiously.

"The Emperor Jingning!"

Jiang Nian was shocked and immediately recognized that the old man should be the retired emperor Jingning.

He had thought that one day he would be able to meet the living Emperor Jingning, and he had also imagined the circumstances under which he would meet Emperor Jingning.

However, he did not expect that he would meet Emperor Jingning today, and they actually met by chance at Danning Residence.

When Jiang Nian discovered Emperor Jingning, Emperor Jingning discovered him at the same time, and the two looked at each other.

Jiang Nian hurriedly bowed respectfully with Ren Pijiang.

Emperor Jingning suddenly stopped, pondered for a moment, walked up to Jiang Nian, and said, "Raise your head."

Jiang Nian looked up as he was told, but did not look directly at Emperor Jingning.

Emperor Jingning looked at Jiang Nian, seemingly lost in thought, a look of inquiry between his brows. After studying him for a moment, he slowly asked, "Who are you?"

He saw that Jiang Nian was a stranger, still young, but dressed in the uniform of a third-class guard, and had come to Danning Residence with Ren Pijiang. Considering that Emperor Taishun had recently asked him to grant Jiang Nian the rank of third-class guard, he speculated that this young guard might be Emperor Taishun's son who had been exiled to the countryside, or his commoner grandson.

Jiang Nian looked respectful and bowed as he replied, "I am the third-class guard Jiang Nian."

really!

Emperor Jingning narrowed his eyes and looked at Jiang Nian again. He saw that Jiang Nian was above average in appearance and had a strong body. With his guard uniform, he looked very heroic. He felt a little satisfied. He continued to ask, "Why are you here?"

Jiang Nian replied, "The emperor summoned me."

Emperor Jingning nodded slightly and asked, "What is the purpose of the summons?"

Jiang Nian responded respectfully: "I don't know yet. I think it may be because of what I reported to the emperor."

Emperor Jingning raised his eyebrows slightly, looking slightly surprised: "You submitted a memorial?"

Jiang Nian nodded, "Yes." Emperor Jingning's eyes were deep as he asked, "What is the matter?"

Jiang Nian answered frankly, "I respectfully present four strategies for clearing up the financial and grain deficits, and I pray for Your Majesty's consideration."

Emperor Jingning: “…”

For a moment, he wondered if he had misheard. How could a fifteen-year-old commoner, newly appointed a third-class guard, submit a memorial to the emperor proposing a plan to investigate the financial and grain deficit?
Although he was confused, he did not ask any more questions. After all, as the emperor, it would be a loss of dignity if he continued to question Jiang Nian outdoors.

Emperor Jingning pondered for a moment, then said calmly, "You come in with me."

Jiang Nian replied respectfully, "Yes."

Immediately, Jiang Nian followed Emperor Jingning into Danning Residence.

Inside the room, Emperor Taishun was discussing important matters with Prince Zhongyi when they suddenly saw Emperor Jingning arrive, followed by Jiang Nian. Both of them were dumbfounded.

Emperor Taishun and Prince Zhongyi hurriedly stood up and saluted respectfully, saying in unison, "Your Highness, your sons respectfully greet you."

Emperor Jingning nodded slightly, then sat down and raised his hand to signal Emperor Taishun to take his seat. As for Prince Zhongyi, he could only stand aside.

After Emperor Taishun sat down, he asked, "Why did your Majesty come here with Yi...Jiang Nian?"

Emperor Jingning replied calmly, "I just met him outside. I asked him a few questions and learned that he had submitted a memorial to the Emperor, respectfully proposing a plan to investigate the financial and grain deficits."

Emperor Taishun nodded and said, "It is true. I summoned him here today to discuss this matter."

Emperor Jingning raised his eyebrows slightly, showing curiosity: "Where is the memorial?"

Emperor Taishun understood and respectfully handed over several pieces of letter paper on the table.

Emperor Jingning took the "memorial" and saw that it was written on letter paper and was not an official memorial. A faint smile slipped across his lips, and he sighed inwardly, "It has been a long time since I have read a memorial of this kind."

Seeing this, the eunuch beside him hurriedly handed over a pair of glasses with frames wrapped with bright yellow ribbons.

Emperor Jingning took the glasses and put them on slowly.

Emperor Taishun also wore glasses.

Suddenly, there was a pair of bespectacled father and son in the room, and they were the two saints of Daqing today!
It’s just that the father and son have different reasons for wearing glasses.

Emperor Taishun was nearsighted, with a high degree of myopia.

Emperor Jingning was old and had severe presbyopia, so "he occasionally felt dizzy and had to use a crystal mirror to read documents."

Emperor Jingning, wearing glasses, lowered his head to read a few pieces of letter paper. At first, he was just curious, but as his eyes wandered between the words, his expression gradually became solemn, and a heavy look appeared between his brows.

After reading it once, he read it carefully a second time. During the second reading, he concentrated on thinking many times, sometimes frowning, sometimes nodding.

After reading it for the second time, Emperor Jingning looked up at Emperor Taishun and asked, "What does the emperor think of this memorial?"

Emperor Taishun glanced at Jiang Nian, then respectfully replied to Emperor Jingning, "Your son and I have carefully discussed this memorial. Although it is called four strategies, it actually contains twelve strategies. It includes methods for investigation, rules for prevention, and even more importantly, a deterrent. Although some of them are unusable and some have already been implemented, the majority are viable strategies."

Emperor Jingning nodded slightly, but his gaze suddenly pierced Jiang Nian like a knife, and he asked, "Were all the twelve strategies in this memorial your own? Are you falsely claiming others' strategies as your own?"

Obviously, like Emperor Taishun, Emperor Jingning also suspected that Jiang Nian was claiming other people's strategies as his own.

Jiang Nian looked calm and composed, and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, although these twelve strategies have their shortcomings, they are all what I have thought of and planned."

(End of this chapter)