Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 4: Xuanzhen Temple Outside the Capital, a conversation between father and son!

In the dead of winter, outside the capital city, everything was covered in snow, and there were few pedestrians on the road.

"Ta-ta-ta! Ta-ta-ta!"

A group of figures rode at full gallop. At the head of the group, Jia Yan was wrapped in a black bearskin cloak, his eyes sharp, completely oblivious to the biting cold wind.

Located northwest of Beijing, Xishan is an extension of the northern Taihang Mountains. Stretching over 120 li from Juyongguan in the north to Laishui in the south, it has been a gathering place for royal mausoleums and gardens since the Jin Dynasty. The Yongding River runs through it, dividing Xishan into north and south sections. With its towering peaks and ancient trees, it is usually sparsely populated, and even more deserted during the coldest days of winter.

"Second Master."

"The Xuanzhen Temple is just ahead."

The servant from Ningguo Mansion who was accompanying them pointed to a Taoist temple deep in the Western Hills and introduced it.

"Ah."

Following the direction of his finger, Jia Yan saw the buildings hidden in the mountains. Under the snow cover, one could vaguely see the blue bricks and gray tiles, the green pines and cypresses, and wisps of smoke rising up, which must have been caused by the burning of incense and worship of gods in the temple.

A short while later, the group arrived in front of the Xuanzhen Temple, where a Taoist priest stepped forward to greet them: "Who goes there?"

"You guys wait here."

Jia Yan dismounted and strode into Xuanzhen Temple. The Taoist-looking figure did not stop him.

"Yes."

The entourage respectfully dismounted and waited quietly to the side.

Stepping into the temple through the main gate, Jia Yan went straight to the main hall. His gaze fell on the figure sitting cross-legged beneath the statue of the Three Pure Ones, and a look of astonishment appeared in his eyes.

In his memory, there were many fragments about Jia Jing. He came from a noble family and was a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was a refined and elegant man. How could he be like the man in front of him, who was hunched over and looked like a withered corpse?

"You came?"

Sitting cross-legged on the prayer mat with his back to Jia Yan, Jia Jing showed no surprise at his arrival.

"I thought you were just trying to escape those things, using the guise of Taoist cultivation to hide in the deep mountains and forests, seeking peace and quiet."

"I didn't expect you to actually consume those so-called golden pills. Did you really think you could cultivate to become an immortal here and ascend to heaven?"

"hehe."

Looking at Jia Jing, Jia Yan said sarcastically, "Could it be that years of sitting in meditation have made you realize the truth and forget the past?"

"Are you willing? Is he willing? Have you ever asked the supreme ruler what he wants?"

'rustle.'

Jia Jing stood up from the prayer mat, turned around to look at his young son, his cloudy old eyes unusually deep.

“I don’t believe you don’t know what he wants; he wants a knife.”

"A knife sharp enough to cleave through the gloom that hangs over imperial power."

"The Jia family is the leading family of the founding line, and no one is more suitable to be this knife than the Jia family."

"After all, the Jia family once served as a tool for the founding emperor, the retired emperor, and even the former crown prince."

Meeting Jia Jing's gaze, Jia Yan's chilling words echoed in the Sanqing Hall.

From the first generation of Duke Ningguo, Jia Yan, and Duke Rongguo, Jia Yuan, who followed Emperor Taizu Qin Yu in conquering the world and served as the vanguard of the king, to the second generation of the Ningguo Mansion, the hereditary first-class Shenwei General and the military governor of the capital, Jia Daihua, the second generation of Duke Rongguo, Jia Daishan, who followed Emperor Shunkang Qin Yi to quell the border troubles in Liaodong and reclaim the Liaoxi Corridor, then the third generation of the Ningguo Mansion, the Jinshi of the Yimao year and the hereditary second-class general, Jia Jing, and the hereditary first-class general of the Rongguo Mansion, Jia She, who served as a key minister of the former crown prince.

The Jia family served the Great Qian imperial family for three generations, and the blood of countless young men stained the land, leading to the current depletion of talent within the family, and even a possible break in the lineage. In fact, neither Jia Jing, the first Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) among the nobles, nor Jia She, a first-class general, lacked talent; one was the former crown prince's strategist, and the other was his vanguard general.

No one expected that the Eighth Prince's faction would launch a rebellion and lead troops to besiege the Eastern Palace. That night, the entire capital was engulfed in war. In the end, only three of the Emperor Emeritus's sons survived. Prince Yizhong and Prince Zhongshun both participated in the battle and suffered from chronic illnesses. The mediocre Fourth Prince ascended the throne.

The new emperor urgently needs to prove himself upon ascending the throne. The retired emperor has always held onto power, and Emperor Yongping has no supporters. The Yuan Cong lineage is unlikely to abandon the retired emperor and choose to follow him. Only the founding lineage is someone he can win over.

However, the Jia family had already lost too many people in this struggle for the throne and was unable to continue. In order to avoid suspicion, Jia Jing, the head of Ningguo Mansion, spent his days drinking and making merry at Tianxiang Tower, while Jia She, the head of Rongguo Mansion, stayed in a side courtyard and did not care at all about Rongxi Hall being inherited by his second brother, Jia Zheng.

Nevertheless, the Jia family could not escape Emperor Yongping's clutches. Emperor Yongping's aggressive behavior forced Jia Jing to retreat into the Xuanzhen Temple and live a life of seclusion. He thought that this would end everything, but little did he know that Emperor Yongping was cold-hearted and would ultimately destroy the Jia family.

"It's been many years since we last met. You've grown up, but your father has grown old."

"Let bygones be bygones. I only wish you a peaceful, prosperous, and carefree life."

Looking at the boy before him, Jia Jing was moved, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions: love, pity, and indelible memories.

"really?"

With a resolute expression, Jia Yan said, word by word, "Yan, the sharpest point of a jade tablet."

The Zhou Li (Rites of Zhou), in the section on the Spring Official and the Dian Rui (the official in charge of auspicious objects), states: "The jade tablet is used to facilitate movement and to eliminate evil."

"This character symbolizes the conquest of feudal lords."

"Father, have you forgotten the meaning behind the name you gave me?"

“If Father truly didn’t care, how would he know that my arrival today means that every move in the manor is probably under your control?”

"In the capital, the Embroidered Uniform Army serves as the emperor's henchmen, but they are not his eyes and ears. The emperor in the Qianqing Palace and the retired emperor in the Daming Palace both have unknown methods. How could the Jia family, with two dukes in one family, fall behind them?"

Geek!

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire Sanqing Hall fell silent.

A bitter smile appeared on Jia Jing's wrinkled old face as he said helplessly, "I never expected you to grow up so quickly."

"After all these years, the Jia family has finally produced another outstanding talent."

"Father."

With a serious expression, Jia Yan said in a deep voice, "Many of the things that happened in the manor were probably deliberately indulged by you."

"You are playing with fire. If you are not careful, the entire household will be beheaded."

"Yan'er, what do you mean by this?"

Upon hearing this, Jia Jing's expression hardened, and he stared intently at Jia Yan.

"Rong-ge's daughter-in-law, and where exactly did the 200,000 taels of silver that the mansion supplies to Xuanzhen Temple every year go?"

Do you really think the retired emperor or the emperor didn't know?

"The smarter a person is, the easier it is for them to get deeply involved."

"There is no shortage of smart people in this world, and the smartest people are the ones who die the fastest."

"you"

Pointing at Jia Yan, Jia Jing trembled all over and was somewhat speechless.

(End of this chapter)