Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Her words were originally directed at Madam Niu, but unexpectedly, they made Grandmother Jia and Princess Bei Jing's expressions turn ugly as well.

Fortunately, with Sister Feng, a master of creating a lively atmosphere, the festive occasion couldn't be ruined. She immediately giggled and said:

"What old hag?! She's clearly a Buddha! Just seeing the old lady sitting here so peacefully makes me feel at ease. What else could she be but a Buddha?"

The title "Old Buddha" originated from the Manchu ancestors' veneration of the Buddhist name "Manzhu" for Manjushri Bodhisattva. After the founding of the Qing Dynasty, "Manzhu" was translated into Chinese as "Buddha" and used as a special title for the emperor.

During the early Qing Dynasty, emperors such as Huang Taiji, Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong were all referred to as "Old Buddha," not just Empress Dowager Cixi.

Empress Dowager Chongqing, the mother of Emperor Qianlong, was also referred to as "Old Buddha" at an early age. The novel "The Story of the Heroic Sons and Daughters" contains records such as "Old Buddha of the Great Khan" and "Old Buddha of Emperor Kangxi".

Therefore, at this time, the Han Dynasty did not use "Old Buddha" as an exclusive title for the royal family, so Feng Jie's words were not considered presumptuous.

Sister Feng raised her arched eyebrows slightly, her bright eyes sparkling, and continued to laugh:

"But you, the Empress Dowager, are far too biased! You have so much good fortune, yet you only share it with your children and grandchildren, not even a jar or two with us granddaughters."

"That way, I won't have to worry about managing the household every day; I can just spend my days keeping the old matriarch company and enjoying herself!"

It must be said that Sister Feng is quite eloquent; with just a few words, she brought a smile back to Grandmother Jia's face.

Perhaps this is why, despite Fengjie's repeated betrayals of Jia Jing, Grandmother Jia didn't truly blame her. In fact, without Fengjie's entertaining presence, Grandmother Jia would have lived a few years less!

Grandmother Jia spat and laughed as she scolded:

"You shameless wretch! How dare you be so rude in front of the Princess and so many distinguished guests! If you're so young and already slacking off, then who will we old women enjoy our blessings from!"

Everyone laughed, and the atmosphere in the hall returned to a relaxed and pleasant state. No one paid any attention to the obviously dim-witted Xie.

After chatting about everyday family matters and trivialities, Princess Bei Jing smiled and asked, seemingly casually:

"Why haven't we seen Duke Jing today? Perhaps he went to the yamen and hasn't returned yet?"

Upon hearing this, Li Shi, Niu Shi, and the others' expressions brightened. Their flattery of Grandmother Jia was ultimately aimed at getting closer to Jia Jing and leaving a good impression!

Grandmother Jia smiled, fully understanding their thoughts, and said in a hoarse voice:

"Jing-ge'er went to the Prime Minister's Office early this morning. He's busy and won't be back until the noon banquet. It'll probably be a while!"

The moment the words "Ministerial Military Affairs Office" were uttered, everyone in the hall tensed up.

The news that a ministry that oversees all military affairs in the country and combines the powers and responsibilities of the Ministry of War and the Five Military Commissions, with power even exceeding that of the Six Ministries and the Cabinet, is now in the hands of one person has spread throughout the capital yesterday. How could they not know?

Princess Zhen of Bei Jing put down her teacup, sighed softly, and said gently, her voice filled with heartfelt emotion:

"The Duke of Jing is truly devoted to the country and never rests for a moment. Today is his grandmother's birthday, yet he is still busy with military affairs, having gone to the yamen early to sit in court. No wonder His Majesty entrusted him with the important task of managing military affairs."

"Such diligence and loyalty are probably unmatched among all the civil and military officials in the court."

"Speaking of which, I caught a glimpse of the Duke of Jing from afar when I welcomed the triumphant return at Lugou Bridge last time, but it was too far away to see him clearly. Today, I must take advantage of the old lady's birthday banquet to get a proper look at him!"

Li smiled and said:

"Your Highness's words have struck a chord with me. Every time I've come to your residence, I've been caught up in the fact that Duke Jing is busy at the yamen or the military camp, and I haven't been able to see him even once."

"I've long heard that Duke Jing is not only a distinguished military man, but also a handsome and dashing figure. Last time at Lugou Bridge, I only caught a glimpse of his imposing and upright back from afar."

"I'm going to stay a little longer today. I absolutely have to see him in person. I hope the old lady won't mind me disturbing her peace and quiet!"

This sounded rather strange. A married woman was so eager to meet a man outside the marriage, and she even said things like "handsome" and "handsome" that made people think, but no one thought anything was wrong.

Because almost everyone knew that the reason Li said this was for her sister-in-law, Nian Shilan. The fact that the two of them had been visiting the Jia family so many times made it clear that the Nian family wanted to form a marriage alliance.

However, Li spoke these words so casually that Nian Shilan, who was standing to the side, could not remain indifferent.

If she, a young and unmarried woman, is so eager to pursue someone and it doesn't work out in the end, she'll probably be ridiculed by others!

Nian Shilan was sitting between Tan Chun and Xiang Yun. Today she was wearing a light blue Hangzhou silk jacket with dark patterns. At first glance, it looked plain, but as the light shifted, a faint silver light shone through the patterns of the clothes, like moonlight shining on a rippling lake.

The collar is embroidered with several sprigs of white plum blossoms, the stitches are fine and dense, and the stamens are adorned with pearls the size of rice grains, making it elegant yet exquisite.

Her hair was styled in an exquisite wado bun, with a silver phoenix hairpin adorned at an angle. The phoenix held a string of gold chains as thin as hair in its beak, with a South Sea pearl hanging at the end, swaying gently by her temples, making her neck appear even longer.

She wore a pair of red gold earrings inlaid with pearls. The pearls were not large, but they were lustrous and shiny, appearing and disappearing among her hair as she tilted her head slightly.

Judging from her outfit alone, it's clear that she put a lot of effort into it; any more would be too flashy, any less would be too plain—it's just the right amount of the air of a lady from a prestigious family.

With just a touch of makeup, her naturally beautiful complexion shines through, and her skin possesses the dewy, translucent quality characteristic of women from the Jiangnan region.

Sitting among a group of young women, she possessed unparalleled beauty, radiant charm, and elegant demeanor, making her hard to miss.

For example, as Madam Wang listened to Li's words, she gently twirled the Buddhist prayer beads in her hand, and most of her gaze was fixed on Nian Shilan!

Looking at this young woman with such an outstanding family background and gentle and virtuous manner, the idea of ​​finding a daughter-in-law in her heart began to stir again!

Although her Baoyu said a few nonsense words yesterday, he was still young and didn't understand, so she naturally wouldn't take it to heart!

What troubles her now is... her brother has gotten into such a big mess, and her husband is unreliable. How can she possibly get married into the Nian family?

After much thought, all they could do was hope that the eldest son of the concubine was blind and didn't take a liking to the Nian family's daughter, so that their own Baoyu could snag a bargain!

Grandmother Jia gave an awkward smile and said:

"Good! Have someone call him over in a bit, so everyone can meet him!"

The only thing that made her a little regretful today was that her precious son was bedridden and couldn't show his face in front of these relatives and friends!

Just as everyone was chatting and laughing, a maidservant suddenly lifted the curtain and entered. She bowed before Grandmother Jia and said:

"Grandma, Third Miss, Second Madam, the Princess Dowager of Nan'an and the Princess Consort of Dongping have arrived. They say they've come to wish Grandma a happy birthday, and their sedan chairs are already at the gate!"