Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Behind the central hall of the Princess's residence, there is a luxurious bathhouse, which was built by Prince Yizhong for his princess.

After Princess Zhaoyang acquired this mansion, she saw its exquisite construction and redecorated it for her own use.

As autumn deepened and the weather grew chilly, Princess Zhaoyang took a rare opportunity to bathe here. On the floor beside her, two elegant maids were brewing tea for her to enjoy, while on the open ground in front of the pool, three beautiful, tall, and graceful women dressed in light silk gauze danced gracefully.

A beautiful picture that is both elegant and romantic.

Suddenly, a maidservant pushed open the curtain and entered, kneeling on the other side of Princess Zhaoyang and whispering in her ear.

Princess Zhaoyang, who had been leisurely enjoying the dance while gently holding her teacup, showed no change in expression upon hearing this. She even calmly turned around, put down her teacup, and then asked, "Are you sure there are people from Prince Zhongshun's residence among those people?"

"Your Highness, it has been confirmed. It is indeed the Second Young Master, Wei Yu."

"Hmm, I understand. You may leave."

After dismissing her trusted maids, Princess Zhaoyang picked up the hot tea that had been poured for her and began to sip it slowly. However, her gaze was no longer fixed on the dancing maids in front of her. As a result, when the three maids finished their dance, they had no choice but to stand quietly in a line without being given any instructions.

Suddenly, Princess Zhaoyang stood up from the water and walked ashore along the stone steps in the pool.

"Let's change your clothes."

At Princess Zhaoyang's command, the maids who had been prepared beforehand lined up and covered Princess Zhaoyang's flawless skin, which appeared even more flawless after being soaked in warm water, under her gorgeous dress.

……

On the long street, facing the Fourth Prince's insults, the Left Clan Member of the Imperial Clan Court, despite his dark complexion, dared not utter a word in response.

He was genuinely afraid that Jia Lian would use this as an excuse to arrest him as well.

Not daring to do anything to the Fourth Prince, he could only point his gun at Jia Lian.

"Commander Jia, do you understand that you are openly defying the Imperial Clan Court? If I remember correctly, the title of your Jia family's Ningguo Mansion is still undecided. Aren't you afraid that the Imperial Clan Court will refuse to approve your application for the title? You should know that, given the scandals of your Ningguo Mansion in the past, it wouldn't be unreasonable to strip your Ningguo Mansion of its title..."

As expected of someone in charge of the Imperial Clan Court, he seems to know everything about the Jia family.

Lady You's son, Jia Wu, was too young. According to custom, he should be allowed to receive his title at the Imperial Clan Court when he was older, at least able to walk and run. The Jia family had made the same preparations.

I never imagined that this could be used as a threat.

In particular, the naturally curious fourth prince turned to him and asked, "Shameful things? What shameful things do you have in your family?"

Jia Lian's face darkened, and he couldn't do anything to the Fourth Prince either. He just looked at the Left Imperial Clan Minister and sneered, "My family's hereditary title was earned by our ancestors with their blood and lives. Even if it is to be stripped, it is His Majesty who decides. How could the Imperial Clan Minister have the final say? Besides, you are just a subordinate official. When have you ever been able to represent the Imperial Clan Minister or His Majesty?"

Jia Lian was naturally not afraid of such a threat. Although the Imperial Clan Court controlled the inheritance of all titles in the country, it was never, and could never, the Imperial Clan Court that truly decided who could inherit a title and what title they would inherit.

The title of nobility is a great instrument of the state. If the emperor cannot hold it in his own hands, then he cannot be considered a true emperor.

In other words, as long as Emperor Ningkang felt that the title of Ningguo Mansion could continue to be passed down, it would be of no use even if all the officials of the Imperial Clan Court objected.

While they were engaged in a pointless verbal battle, a troop of cavalry suddenly appeared from the east. From their distinctive, glittering gold uniforms, it was easy to tell that they were the Imperial Guards from the capital.

Following the Imperial Guards was a covered carriage, which drove all the way to Jia Lian and the others before stopping.

"Oh, Grandpa Zhou, what brings you here?"

The previously arrogant Lord Zuo Zongren immediately greeted the chief eunuch with a smile after seeing him emerge from the carriage.

This week, the eunuch stepped down from the carriage with a stern expression. Unfazed by the man's warm greeting, he flicked his whisk past him and walked to Jia Lian and the Fourth Prince, loudly announcing, "His Majesty decrees that the Fourth Prince, Wei Ling, and Marquis of Zhenyuan, Jia Lian, are summoned to the palace for an audience!"

Jia Lian immediately knelt on one knee, "Your subject obeys the decree."

The fourth prince also bowed and said, "Your subject accepts the decree."

This week, Eunuch Jia Lian naturally recognized him as well, but he wasn't as familiar with Dai Quan and Xia Shouzhong as he was with Dai Quan and Xia Shouzhong. He only knew that Dai Quan and Xia Shouzhong were also confidants of Emperor Ningkang.

After announcing the imperial decree, Eunuch Zhou finally showed a warm smile and said to the Fourth Prince and Jia Lian, "Your Highness and Marquis of Zhenyuan, please enter the palace as soon as possible. His Majesty is waiting for you."

"And these people..."

The Fourth Prince was an impatient man, and he immediately pointed at Wei Xian and the others. He felt that they had spent so much effort on these people today, and it would be a huge loss if they let them escape without explanation.

Eunuch Zhou explained in advance, "Your Highness, please don't worry. His Majesty already knows about today's events and has made arrangements."

As he spoke, Eunuch Zhou looked around and waved his hand, saying, "His Majesty decrees that those involved in today's case be temporarily placed under the custody of the Imperial Guards until the truth is ascertained, at which point a decision will be made."

This outcome was within Jia Lian's expectations, so he immediately responded with a perfunctory gesture and waved to signal that the person be handed over to the Imperial Guards.

Although Zuo Zongren was anxious, he dared not disobey Emperor Ningkang's order. He could only reluctantly clasp his hands in a salute and watch helplessly as the Imperial Guards took away Wei Xian, Wei Yu, and other members of the imperial clan.

In the South Study of Daming Palace, when Jia Lian and the Fourth Prince arrived, besides seeing Emperor Ningkang kneeling before the desk reading memorials, they also saw a middle-aged man in a black python robe, with a large belly, kneeling in the middle with a pitiful look on his face.

Upon seeing them enter, the middle-aged man forced a smile at them.

Jia Lian's heart skipped a beat. Of course he recognized this person, but he didn't know why he was kneeling here, and it looked like he had been kneeling for a long time, tapping his knees and legs.

Just as Jia Lian was about to step forward and pay his respects to Emperor Ningkang, the Fourth Prince preemptively stepped forward and loudly proclaimed, "Father, now that you know what happened today, you must not let them off easily! You have no idea how despicable they were, how... how, well, how utterly inhuman they were! Yes, utterly inhuman!"

'

The fourth prince had a lot of swear words, but very few elegant ones. He racked his brains before coming up with a single, strong one.

Emperor Ningkang ignored him, engrossed in reviewing the memorials. After finishing one stack, he picked up another and, without looking up, asked, "Where have you been today?"

"Uh, this, this..."

Feeling guilty, the fourth prince instinctively wanted to lie, but then he remembered that he still had to testify for Jia Lian. If he lied now, he wouldn't be able to stand up for himself later.

Just as they were in a dilemma, Jia Lian stepped forward and knelt down, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me. Today, I took it upon myself to lead the Fourth Prince to Jinpin Pavilion. If Your Majesty wishes to punish me, please punish me instead."

Jia Lian's words should have been better, because the Fourth Prince was unwilling to agree to it and immediately knelt down, saying, "Father, don't listen to his nonsense. I wanted to go myself. They are all very timid and would never dare to take me to such a place."

Father, you needn't be angry. According to ancestral rules, a prince of the Great Wei Dynasty is considered of legal age at sixteen. I'm almost eighteen now, no longer a child, and I have the right to go to places like that!

Besides, we only planned to have a meal, we didn't plan to do anything else..."

Although the Fourth Prince seemed to be in the right, he blushed as he spoke. Realizing this, he immediately changed his tone and said, "Also, if I hadn't gone there today, how would I have known that those members of the imperial family view Father Emperor like this! Father Emperor, you have no idea how they were gossiping about you from behind those private rooms on the third floor. Even I couldn't stand it anymore. I'm standing up for you today, so don't be ungrateful..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Lian secretly wiped away a cold sweat.

Even the Prince of Zhongshun, who was kneeling in front, couldn't help but turn around and glance at him a few times, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

He had been completely baffled ever since Emperor Ningkang punished him by making him kneel here, and the emperor hadn't explained anything to him. He had initially thought it was because he hadn't accepted the task of persuading the imperial clan to comply with the new tax law, but now it seemed the problem lay elsewhere.

The Fourth Prince was used to slipping his tongue, and finally realized something was wrong, so he awkwardly shut up. To his surprise, Emperor Ningkang didn't seem angry at all. Instead, he looked up at him curiously and asked, "Oh, I really want to know how they talk about me behind my back."

"They...! Oh dear, Father, it's better if you don't know. In short, they're saying some inhuman things. Why should you listen to them and get angry for no reason?"

Surprisingly, the Fourth Prince actually became considerate.

Emperor Ningkang then looked at Jia Lian.

Jia Lian understood and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, you are wise. Today, your humble servant, along with the Fourth Prince and his companions Zhang Shuo and his brother, were indeed in a private room on the third floor of the Jinpin Pavilion when we heard many words criticizing the government and damaging Your Majesty's imperial prestige. The severity of these words far exceeded the ignorant and inappropriate remarks of ordinary playboys, and they are truly unforgivable."

His Highness, out of his deep love for Your Majesty, could not tolerate their blatant distortion of the truth and slander of Your Majesty. Therefore, he ordered me to arrest all those involved in the secret meeting and hand them over to Your Majesty for punishment.

"Your humble servant knows that arbitrarily arresting members of the imperial family violates the laws of the dynasty, and I am willing to accept the punishment."

Emperor Ningkang was a man of deep convictions; there was no need to explain too much to him, much less to speak well of oneself.

As expected, after hearing Jia Lian's words, Emperor Ningkang seemingly snorted indifferently, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.

He finally looked down at King Chungsun before him. "You heard what they said. What do you think?"

Prince Zhongshun was quite familiar with Emperor Ningkang, and from his tone, he knew that Emperor Ningkang must be angry.

He also felt nervous. After all, as the person in charge of the Imperial Clan Court, his job was, to put it bluntly, to keep an eye on the imperial clan and relatives of the emperor for Ningkang.

The current situation appears to be that some members of the imperial clan said something disrespectful behind the scenes, and were caught red-handed by Jia Lian and the Fourth Prince.

If it were just Jia Lian, it wouldn't be so bad. Even with his high position, he's still just a subject, and getting him to change his tune would be easy. But the Fourth Prince is also involved, and he's an extremely stubborn child, which makes things difficult…

After a rapid mental calculation, Prince Zhongshun decisively chose to protect himself: "If what my nephew and the Marquis of Zhenyuan said is true, then these members of the imperial clan are truly audacious and reckless, unaware of their own mortality. In my opinion, all those unfilial sons who have spoken out against the court and disrespected my elder brother should be severely punished as a warning to others."

The Prince of Zhongshun looked disappointed and disapproving, as if he were willing to sacrifice his own family for the greater good.

Jia Lian then understood that Prince Zhongshun probably didn't know his son was also involved. But if that was the case, why did Qiu Liang block his way halfway? He had clearly stated that he was acting on orders from Prince Zhongshun's residence…

Emperor Ningkang looked at Prince Zhongshun with a half-smile, "Oh, really? Jia Lian, tell me, who are the members of the imperial clan you captured?"

Jia Lian frowned, but still obeyed and said, "Your Majesty, the person in charge is Wei Xian, the heir apparent of Prince Duan, and the other dozen or so people are from the Yongning Duke's Mansion..."

Jia Lian briefly listed the identities of the imperial clan members, using "etc." to refer to those he wasn't sure about, and finally said, "And... the Prince Zhongshun's Mansion, Young Master Wei..."

Prince Zhongshun froze on the spot, instantly understanding why Emperor Ningkang had made him continue kneeling.

His expression changed drastically, and he immediately kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, please understand, there must be some misunderstanding here. You know that Yu'er has always been well-behaved and sensible since he was a child. How could he possibly do such a rebellious thing... By the way, recently, I heard from his mother that members of the imperial clan often ask him to go out. It must be those people who have coerced him. He is young and didn't realize that he had ended up with those unfilial children."

Prince Zhongshun, with tears streaming down his face, turned back to Jia Lian with pleading eyes: "Lord Zhenyuan, you just said that you heard those people say it with your own ears. Did you hear what disrespectful words my son said to His Majesty?"

Prince Zhongshun was a prince, while Jia Lian was merely a second-rank marquis; the difference in their status was enormous. Yet, Prince Zhongshun addressed him as "Marquis," demonstrating that he was not without merit in gaining the trust of Emperor Ningkang.

In fact, Jia Lian always thought that Prince Zhongshun was the biggest potential enemy of the Jia family, since the Jia family's downfall in the original novel was clearly related to Prince Zhongshun's mansion.

However, after much deliberation, Jia Lian realized that he seemed to have gotten one thing backwards.

The Jia family's enemy may not necessarily be Prince Zhongshun. This is because Prince Zhongshun is a man of Emperor Ningkang. If Emperor Ningkang was dissatisfied with the Jia family in the original novel, then it would be perfectly reasonable for him to send Prince Zhongshun to suppress the Jia family.

In this life, because of his existence, Emperor Ningkang did not show any obvious dissatisfaction with the Jia family, so Prince Zhongshun may not necessarily be the enemy of the Jia family.

Therefore, Jia Lian had no intention of deliberately opposing Prince Zhongshun. Upon hearing this, he nodded frankly and said, "Your Highness, I did not personally hear Young Master Yu say anything disrespectful to His Majesty. It seems that, as Your Highness said, Young Master Yu was coerced by Wei Xian and others."

Jia Lian's words delighted Prince Zhongshun, who nodded quickly and was about to turn around to speak with Emperor Ningkang.

The Fourth Prince immediately objected, "Although he didn't say anything disrespectful to my father himself, he didn't stop or rebuke those people when they slandered him. Moreover, judging from Wei Xian and the others' tone, they specifically invited Wei Yi today so that he could persuade you, Fourteenth Uncle, to suggest to my father on behalf of the imperial clan that that tax law be abolished!"

King Zhongshun knew he was in trouble as soon as he heard this. He cursed his good-for-nothing son to death in his heart.

He had just refused to become Emperor Ningkang's envoy, and now that little brat almost became an envoy for the imperial clan? And he's even being asked to persuade Emperor Ningkang to abolish the new tax law? If he had that ability, would he need those bastards to do it?

Looking up, he caught a glimpse of the coldness in Emperor Ningkang's eyes. Prince Zhongshun shrank back, not daring to hesitate, and was about to explain.

Dai Quan stepped forward and announced, "Your Majesty, the Princess is requesting an audience outside the palace."

Emperor Ningkang frowned, but still nodded and said, "Let her in."

"Princess Xuan is here to pay her respects."

……