The Red Mansion

Chapter 92 Grandmother Jia was shocked

That day, when Lady Jia returned to Rongguo Mansion from Changchun Garden, she felt depressed and unhappy.

She was afraid of losing face, so she did not tell her family in detail how she had angered Emperor Jingning and displeased the Empress Dowager. She simply said that Yuanchun's becoming a concubine had failed.

Mrs. Wang was also depressed because of this.

Seeing this, Wang Xifeng had no choice but to run back and forth, trying to comfort Lady Jia and persuade Mrs. Wang, and she was busy like a top.

The next day was still a sunny summer day.

In the morning, Wang Xifeng took advantage of the time when she was visiting Lady Jia to try to amuse her with three jokes she had thought of last night.

Wang Xifeng smiled and said to Jia's mother, "Madam, today the Kitchen God wants to resign from his position to the Jade Emperor. Do you know why?"

Grandmother Jia was curious: "What's the reason?"

Wang Xifeng pretended to be serious: "The first is that the smoke from our kitchen is too strong and has damaged the three strands of the Kitchen God's beard. The second one is more important."

Grandmother Jia became more and more curious: "What's the reason for the second one?"

Wang Xifeng hid her lips in a smile, a sly glint in her eyes. "The second reason is that the old lady hasn't smiled at all from yesterday till this morning. The Kitchen God said that if you don't smile again, he will really resign."

Everyone in the hall couldn't help laughing. Lady Xing, Li Wan, Lin Daiyu, Yingchun, Tanchun, Xichun and others all covered their mouths and laughed softly. Only Lady Jia and Lady Wang still had a dull expression and did not smile.

Wang Xifeng feigned sorrow and sighed, "Old Madam, aren't these jokes funny? I racked my brains last night to come up with three jokes, just to amuse you. I've told you all the jokes, and you haven't laughed. If you don't laugh again, I, your grandson's wife, will have to resign my official position, shave my head, and become a nun in the temple."

At this remark, Jia's mother finally couldn't help laughing and spat, "You monkey, you're always talking nonsense! Well, well, if I don't laugh, it would seem I'm unkind."

Everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Lady Jia's smile.

Wang Xifeng laughed and said, "Now that the old lady has smiled, we can finally see the sunshine in our house!"

Grandmother Jia laughed again.

Mrs. Wang also laughed.

At this moment, a housekeeper's wife hurried into the hall and came to Jia's mother's seat to report: "Madam, the Empress Dowager has sent a eunuch to issue an imperial decree!"

Grandmother Jia was immediately startled, her face suddenly changing color, like an autumn leaf encountering frost, and her smile just now vanished like smoke. She subconsciously thought that because she had accidentally angered the Emperor Jingning, the retired emperor, and also annoyed the Empress Dowager yesterday, she was being punished today.

Wang Xifeng's eyes flickered as she consoled him, "Don't worry, old lady. Perhaps something happy is about to happen."

When Grandmother Jia heard this, she thought it made sense and thought to herself, "What Feng girl said is absolutely right. Perhaps Yuanchun's situation has taken a turn for the better and she will become the emperor's concubine. Who knows."

Thinking of this, Grandmother Jia hurriedly ordered the incense table to be set up and the main gate of Rongguo Mansion to be opened and kneeled to receive her.

Several eunuchs arrived on horseback. The leading eunuch, not carrying the imperial edict, walked to the hall, stood facing south, and announced in a loud voice: "The Empress Dowager has ordered: Jia Shi and Shi are to come to Changchun Garden for an audience immediately."

After saying this, he rode away on horseback without even having a sip of tea.

Grandmother Jia hurriedly ordered someone to give the eunuch a sum of money. She was already filled with joy and secretly thought: "Maybe there is a turn for the better in Yuanchun's matter, otherwise the Queen Mother would not have summoned me to Changchun Garden."

……

...Lady Jia was dressed in the imperial decree of a first-rank duke's wife, looking elegant and solemn. Today, she came to Ningchun Hall in Changchun Garden again.

When Lady Jia arrived at Ningchun Hall, the Empress Dowager did not call her in immediately, so she had to wait.

After a while, she suddenly saw Prince Zhongyi step into Ningchun Hall, and she was puzzled: "Why is this famous Thirteenth Prince here today?"

Before she could think about it, a eunuch came and led Lady Jia into the hall. She found that there were only the Empress Dowager, Prince Zhongyi, and Yuanchun in the hall. The rest of the palace maids and eunuchs had been sent away, and the atmosphere was mysterious.

"What's going on? The Queen Mother summoned me, so why did the Thirteenth Prince come with her?"

Grandmother Jia was puzzled.

After Jia Mu bowed and took her seat, she looked at Prince Zhongyi and suddenly a thought occurred to her: "Could it be that the Queen Mother wants to marry Yuanchun to the Thirteenth Prince?"

Thinking of this, Grandmother Jia suddenly became depressed and worried.

She had thought that there might be a turning point in Yuanchun's becoming a concubine, but she had never expected it to be arranged like this?

Although she knew that the Thirteenth Prince was the most powerful prince in the world, she also knew that if the Empress Dowager betrothed Yuanchun to him, it would not be as a princess, but as a concubine or even a concubine. If Yuanchun became a concubine of the Thirteenth Prince, Grandmother Jia could still accept it, but if she became a concubine, that would be bad news.

A prince of the Daqing royal family can have one princess and two concubines.

A princess consort must be granted the title by imperial decree and recorded in the Imperial Clan Bureau's Jade Book. She enjoys the same honors as a prince's principal wife, with the ceremonial guards, salary, and ceremonial privileges commensurate with her title. She oversees the palace's internal affairs and may participate in court ceremonial activities. A princess consort's son is considered a legitimate son and has priority in the succession.

Concubines had to be reviewed by the Imperial Clan Court and approved by the Emperor. They were then issued imperial seals by the Ministry of Rites. Their rank was lower than that of a princess, but higher than other concubines. They enjoyed certain ceremonial privileges and were often the daughters of high-ranking officials. The sons of concubines were called "concubines' sons" and remained members of the imperial clan.

Below the concubine, there is the concubine.

A concubine was a low-ranking official concubine who had not been officially canonized by the court. Their status was lower, but higher than that of a lower-ranking maidservant. They were usually chosen by the prince himself, with no fixed quota or court salary. Their status was recognized by their family, and they could participate in some family banquets, but were not eligible for court etiquette. The sons of a concubine were called "bastard sons."

Below the concubine is the low-ranking maid.

Just as Lady Jia was feeling depressed and worried, the Empress Dowager got to the point and said to her, "I summoned you today for no other reason than Yuanchun's matter. Yuanchun is virtuous, filial, talented, and accustomed to serving me. I had originally intended to have her serve me as usual, and when she was older, I would either release her or find her a suitable match. However, yesterday, the Thirteenth Prince suddenly came to me with a request and mentioned something."

When Lady Jia heard this, her heart tightened. It was just as she had expected!
Unexpectedly, the Empress Dowager continued, "The Thirteenth Prince mentioned a young man named Jiang Nian, with whom he is very close. He is extremely talented, both civil and military, and at the age of fifteen, he was already awarded the rank of Third Class Guard by the Emperor. He also has a strong connection to your Jia Mansion. The Thirteenth Prince asked me to arrange Yuanchun's marriage to Jiang Nian. I thought that since Yuanchun is already seventeen, it would be time for her to get married. If she were to marry Jiang Nian, it would be a good match, so I agreed."

Yesterday, after Emperor Jingning agreed to arrange Yuanchun's marriage to Jiang Nian, he and Emperor Taishun agreed to use the excuse that Prince Zhongyi had pleaded with the Empress Dowager to arrange the marriage, rather than Emperor Jingning or Emperor Taishun personally issuing an order. This was clearly intended to keep Jiang Nian's background secret.

At this moment, Jia Mu's heart was like thunder exploding, and she was stunned: "..."

Instead of promising Yuanchun to the Thirteenth Prince, he wanted to marry her to Jiang Nian?

Does Jiang Nian have a close connection with our Jia family?

Oh my God, is the Queen Mother joking with me?
Yuanchun, who stood beside the Empress Dowager like a fairy in a painting, was not surprised. She had heard about this from the Empress Dowager in advance, and she felt mixed emotions, not knowing whether to be sad or happy.

The good news was that she could escape from the loneliness and constraints of the deep palace, escape from the "place where she could not see people", and get married. The Empress Dowager also said that Jiang Nian was extremely talented, both civil and military, and had achieved great success at a young age.

The main reason for her sadness was that she felt she had failed to live up to Lady Jia's high expectations. Moreover, Jiang Nian's relationship with the Jia family was extremely delicate...

(End of this chapter)