Lian Erye in the Red Mansion

Chapter 616 Blessings Last Forever

"Your humble servant pays respects to the Emperor Emeritus and wishes him many happy returns of the day."

Although almost everyone in Chonghua Palace had heard of Jia Lian's name, a considerable number of them had never seen Jia Lian's true face.

Therefore, when Jia Lian appeared in front of the main hall, many people couldn't help but secretly admire him: What a handsome young man!

Indeed, he is a young man. Among those who can enter the palace, whether they are members of the imperial family or civil and military officials, Jia Lian is definitely one of the youngest.

Just as the assembled dignitaries in the main hall were marveling at Jia Lian's appearance, the retired emperor, who had been sitting high on the dragon throne the entire time, actually stood up and stepped down the stairs after staring at Jia Lian for a few seconds.

Upon seeing this, everyone disregarded their surprise and stood up to show their respect.

"You're Jia Lian?"

"Your Majesty, I am Jia Lian."

Even Jia Lian felt considerable pressure facing the Emperor Emeritus, the supreme ruler of the land. He secretly glanced up at the Emperor Emeritus, who stood just a few steps away from him, and saw that his body had aged considerably and appeared quite thin.

However, this seemingly frail old man's casual actions could influence the thoughts and actions of the most powerful and influential figures in the entire Great Wei Dynasty.

"Indeed, you are handsome and dashing, with exceptional looks and character. It seems the Empress Dowager was right; you are indeed the most outstanding young talent of our Great Wei in this generation."

The Emperor Emeritus made no attempt to hide his praise for Jia Lian, and his mention of the Empress Dowager only fueled the envy of everyone who heard it.

Jia Lian must have been incredibly lucky. Not only did Emperor Ningkang value him highly and regard him as a confidant, but even the two old emperors, the retired emperor and the empress dowager, had such a good impression of him. He was truly blessed by heaven.

It should be noted that even the crown prince of the current dynasty would never receive this treatment.

Jia Lian was not stunned by the sudden honor bestowed upon him by the retired emperor. Instead, he first glanced at Emperor Ningkang standing above. Noticing that his expression remained unchanged, still cold and indifferent, his heart skipped a beat.

As he turned his gaze away, he glanced at the high and mighty Empress Dowager, only to meet her bright eyes. However, in that instant, she immediately turned indifferent, and even her beautiful face gained a touch of coldness.

Jia Lian dared not be presumptuous and quickly bowed, replying, "Your Majesty and Empress Dowager are too kind. I am unworthy of such praise."

The Emperor Emeritus circled Jia Lian with great interest, examining him for a while before suddenly saying, "The pair of unicorns that your Rongguo Mansion presented to me are fine, but to me, they are nothing special. Compared to this jade unicorn, I would much rather see the true talent and skill of your real unicorn."

I've heard of some of your previous poems and lyrics, and I think they're alright. Therefore, today I wish to test you in person. I wonder if you have the courage to display your talent in front of me and all these princes and nobles?"

Hearing the Emperor Emeritus say this, many people in the hall became interested. They all knew that Jia Lian was a martial artist, but they had also heard of his glorious deeds when he was at the Crown Prince's villa, where he was inspired to write many excellent poems while betting on poetry with someone. He not only humiliated his opponent but also won ten thousand taels of silver.

Hearing is not as good as seeing. Today, I may have the opportunity to witness for myself whether the rumors are exaggerated or whether Jia Lian is truly gifted and a man of both literary and martial talents!

Of course, many people secretly felt jealous. The retired emperor had not been involved in external affairs for many years. Even the princes and grandsons of the emperor usually saw his face, let alone be personally examined and instructed by him.

To be examined by the Emperor Emeritus is an immense honor, especially on such an important occasion as the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet.

One can imagine that if any member of the imperial clan were to have such an opportunity, they would probably be laughing in their sleep.

Jia Lian had long known that choosing to display his talents would inevitably lead to such situations in the future. This was actually why, even after choosing to pursue a martial career, he still devoted some energy to studying poetry and literature, not simply to woo women... but to integrate into the atmosphere of the talented women in his family and not tarnish his reputation.

I don't know if what I've learned over the years will be enough to pass the Emperor Emeritus's test.

In truth, given his status, he could easily ignore anyone who inexplicably asked him to write poems or lyrics. Or, like he did with the Zhou brothers, he could simply demand a bet of ten thousand taels of silver to extinguish their interest…

However, these tactics were clearly ineffective against the retired emperor.

"Your humble servant is of limited talent and learning, and I fear I may offend Your Majesty the Emperor Emeritus."

"You don't need to be modest. I have already said that if you do well, I will reward you handsomely."

Upon hearing the Emperor Emeritus mention "a generous reward," Jia Lian almost couldn't resist launching into a poem-reciting spree. After all, for the Emperor Emeritus to specifically emphasize such a reward, it must be something extraordinary.

They might just appoint him as a duke...

But there's a big problem... Emperor Ningkang must be feeling really awkward right now. Showing his face in front of the retired emperor at this time, and even receiving his rewards, could bring unpredictable fortune or misfortune.

Now you want to switch allegiance? Come on, Jia Lian isn't tired of living.

Having sorted out all the causes and effects in his mind, Jia Lian showed no emotion on his face, maintaining a humble and cautious demeanor. "I am honored by the Emperor Emeritus's kindness in deigning to test me. I am willing to give it a try."

"very good."

The Emperor Emeritus was very satisfied with Jia Lian's performance. He had indeed read all of Jia Lian's poems before and had a good impression of the young man, which was why he suddenly decided to test him today.

Seeing that Jia Lian agreed, he pondered for a moment, and with a quick glance, he had already decided on the topic.

He pointed to the entrance of the main hall and smiled, "It's early winter now, so let's use snow as the theme. Whatever your idea, whether it's a regulated poem or a quatrain, feel free to express yourself."

Following the Emperor Emeritus's direction, everyone looked and discovered that snowflakes had begun to fall from the sky. The snowflakes accumulated on the treetops outside the palace, creating a floating, white world.

Many people sighed inwardly: How are you, my colleagues outside the palace?

Jia Lian had no time to care about the people drinking and feasting in the snow outside the palace. He followed the Emperor Emeritus's instructions and looked over there, his mind racing, trying to figure out the best way to deal with the situation.

Seeing Jia Lian deep in thought, the Emperor Emeritus did not urge him at all; he turned around and sat back on the dragon throne.

The entire hall was silent, hundreds of eyes fixed on Jia Lian. Suddenly, Jia Lian turned and walked to the desk carried over by the eunuchs. He picked up a brush, dipped it in ink, and as he wrote, he solemnly recited:

"Heavy snow weighs down the green pine trees"

The opening sentence is very powerful, clearly stating the theme right from the start. Just hearing this first sentence, many people have a feeling that this Marquis of Zhenyuan is probably no ordinary person with an undeserved reputation.

"The pine tree stands tall and straight"

Hmm, the title is about snow, but the poem mentions "pine" in two sentences, which seems to offend the author.

Some learned people frowned slightly, but because of Jia Lian's reputation, they dared not make a conclusion easily, thinking that perhaps there was a wonderful twist later on.

"To know the pine's lofty integrity."

Another pine tree? Some couldn't help but be suspicious, while others wondered if Jia Lian was about to write a five-character regulated verse. Even so, the first half of the poem clearly showed the minister's strength and the ruler's weakness; how could the second half possibly turn things around?

"When the snow melts..."

……

Those waiting for Jia Lian to read the second half of the poem were all taken aback when they saw him stop writing and put down his pen. Was that all?

Perhaps due to preconceived notions, everyone knew that Jia Lian was going to write about "snow," so they did not immediately interpret the poem as being about "pine trees."

Only after Jia Lian finished writing did they slowly realize what had happened, and then they couldn't help but ponder deeply.

Looking at the rows of pine trees outside the main hall, their branches bent low by the weight of snowflakes, anyone with a modicum of literary appreciation could sense the praise for the pine trees' character in the four lines of poetry recited by Jia Lian.

As one of the "Three Friends of Winter," the pine has been written about and praised by many literati and poets throughout history, which is not surprising.

Strangely, if it were really as I thought, wouldn't Jia Lian have gone off-topic?

Many people find it hard to understand. To say that Jia Lian is bad, these four poems he wrote are quite good. If the theme were pine trees, they would probably be rare masterpieces.

Could there be some other deeper meaning behind this?

Perhaps because of the uniqueness of Jia Lian's poem, the hall remained quiet for a long time after he finished reading it.

until……

"What's wrong, Your Majesty?"

Sitting next to Emperor Ningkang, the gentle Empress suddenly noticed that the emperor's body, which had been almost motionless since he sat down, trembled slightly, and she couldn't help but ask with concern.

"It's nothing."

Emperor Ningkang replied in a low voice, but his gaze remained fixed on the prince, Jia Lian, who had stopped writing and was standing respectfully at the desk with his hands at his sides.

"What a wonderful saying, 'To know the pine's nobility, wait until the snow melts!'"

Emperor Ningkang was deeply shaken. After several years, he once again felt the savage oppression emanating from the retired emperor.

He had painstakingly formulated the national policy, which was about to be promulgated. He had prepared and arranged almost all the preliminary work.

However, just because of a simple sentence from the retired emperor today, all his plans were shattered, and all his hard work and schemes were in vain.

He completely ignored the Emperor Emeritus's high-sounding reasons, firmly believing that he was right, and therefore he was furious.

But even as he was getting angry, he vaguely sensed something was wrong.

He seemed to remember that in the past, when faced with the interference and suppression of the retired emperor, he could only instinctively choose to obey, without daring to have the slightest thought of resistance.

But today is different. Faced with the Emperor Emeritus's interference, he not only argued with him, but also felt a great urge to break free from the current constraints and say no to the Emperor Emeritus.

Fortunately, a sliver of reason remained in his mind, allowing him to barely suppress his anger and hold back from exploding.

He didn't quite understand why he had changed like this, but after hearing Jia Lian recite the poem he had written, he suddenly understood something.

Yes, back then, when he first ascended the throne, everything he had was bestowed upon him by the retired emperor, and he had no way to resist.

Things are different now than before; he has been on the throne for seven years. These seven years of diligent governance have, without him even realizing it, allowed him to grow like a pine tree rising from the ground, establishing his own strength and solid foundation.

However, he forgot that no matter how strong his foundation and power were, he could never surpass the retired emperor. Just like a pine tree, no matter how tall and thick it grows, it is destined to be bent over by the weight of the snow when the snowflakes fall.

The only way to break free from this constraint is when the sun shines brightly and the branches melt away, so that the pine tree can truly reveal its noble character to the world.

When will the sun shine brightly again, and when will the snow piled on the branches melt? Emperor Ningkang glanced at the hunched-over Emperor Emeritus above him, took a deep breath, and calmed his long-raging emotions slightly.

Then he turned his gaze back to Jia Lian, who met his gaze as well. Those eyes, though fleeting, silently conveyed loyalty, causing Emperor Ningkang to narrow his eyes.

It can be said that Jia Lian's poem truly reflected his state of mind at that moment. Was it a coincidence, or was it intentional on Jia Lian's part?

If it was a coincidence, fine, but what if it was intentional? He knew that Jia Lian was somewhat eccentric, so it wasn't too surprising that he could offer him advice in such a novel way; this kid always managed to please him.

He simply felt that if that were true, Jia Lian's audacity was off the charts! In other words, if he had even the slightest dissatisfaction with Jia Lian, he could arrest and punish him right now. The charge would be disrespect, and the evidence would be the phrase "when the snow melts."

However, it is clear that Emperor Ningkang could not possibly have had this idea.

First of all, these are just his personal speculations based on his own feelings. Moreover, if Jia Lian is punished for this crime, wouldn't it imply that he also sees the existence of the Emperor Emeritus as a heavy burden on his branches, thus committing the crime of disrespect and filial impiety?

Therefore, Emperor Ningkang not only had no intention of punishing Jia Lian, but also felt an inexplicable tenderness in his heart. After all, just moments before, he had experienced the betrayal of his civil and military officials.

Many of those who opposed him were people who had previously expressed great loyalty to him, but when it came to their own interests, they chose to side with the retired emperor.

When he faced the pressure of the retired emperor alone, there was no one to share his burden. Now, knowing that Jia Lian had such loyalty to the emperor, he felt somewhat relieved.

Regardless of Emperor Ningkang's turbulent thoughts, the others in the hall finally couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

The Emperor Emeritus had also read Jia Lian's poem at this time, and he finally spoke: "Heavy snow presses down on the green pine, yet the green pine stands tall and straight. To know the pine's nobility, wait until the snow melts! Indeed, it is a fine poem, with concise diction but profound meaning, which makes people think deeply."

However, while the poem is beautiful, I don't see much connection to "snow." Perhaps you didn't hear me clearly?

Jia Lian immediately knelt down and said, "Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus, it is not that I did not hear Your Majesty's intention clearly. At first, I also wanted to use 'Ode to Snow' as the theme. While I was thinking hard, I suddenly saw the green pine trees outside the palace standing tall and straight. Even though they were crushed by the heavy snow, they still stood firm and unyielding. I was moved."

"I believe that the Emperor Emeritus's examination of me is intended to assess my talent and learning, and since these fine lines were conceived by chance, I have dared to compose this poem. I humbly request the Emperor Emeritus's forgiveness for my lack of talent and learning."

In short, Jia Lian meant that he hadn't thought of anything else at the time, so he only thought of this. He apologized for his lack of knowledge and skills.

Indeed, there are many poems about snow, and even some that are now extinct but can be called timeless masterpieces. Jia Lian also had some poems about snow in his mind.

But he didn't want to write. He had no intention of currying favor with the retired emperor; he was only thinking about how to politely send the retired emperor away without upsetting Emperor Ningkang.

He wasn't lying; he was indeed looking at the scenery outside the palace when he suddenly remembered Marshal Chen's masterpiece.

He thought it was quite good; the poem was good, though not particularly amazing, but it had a rare lofty theme and a resounding spirit, which he thought would be able to appease the retired emperor.

As for going off-topic, as he thought, it didn't matter. In any case, the Emperor Emeritus probably just wanted to see if he had real talent and learning, not to make things difficult for him.

And the suspicions about Emperor Ningkang were not entirely unfounded. Jia Lian actually thought of using this analogy to remind Emperor Ningkang to remain calm.

Why are you in such a hurry? You're still young, while the Emperor Emeritus is already in his seventies or eighties. Once he's gone, what can't you do?

As for why he dared? He didn't dare, that's why he didn't say it out loud.

Those meanings were all derived from Emperor Ningkang's own personal experience. As for the retired emperor, he probably didn't even think that his interference in Emperor Ningkang's actions today was a form of oppression. He probably even thought that he was right. He would never have thought of anything like "snow pressing down on the green pine".

As for others, even if there are those who are insightful and certain that Jia Lian and Emperor Ningkang are "close friends," and thus able to make this connection, who dares to say otherwise?

To sow discord between the retired emperor and his son, Emperor Ningkang, is a capital offense!

Even if someone dislikes him, he's not afraid of spreading rumors about him afterward. There's no real evidence, and given his obvious influence in the royal family, using such baseless accusations against him is clearly a slander to anyone with eyes to see.

After all, he was just a minor official. In other words, if Emperor Ningkang were to return home today and write a poem like this that were then exposed, that would be solid evidence.

As for him, even if he is caught red-handed, it can only be said to be a coincidence. The guilty ones are those with ulterior motives who dare to make such connections.

Beside Jia Lian, Jia Zheng, who once again felt the ruthless pressure from his nephew Jia Lian, smiled bitterly to himself for half a day. Seeing that Jia Lian actually disobeyed the imperial edict, fearing that he would suffer, he hurriedly urged, "Lian'er, since you remember that the Emperor Emeritus asked you to write about 'snow,' why don't you quickly compose another one?"

Faced with Jia Zheng's anxiety, before Jia Lian could respond, the retired emperor above laughed first.

"What a wonderful 'serendipitous inspiration'! He truly deserves to be called the most outstanding young talent of our Great Wei. His talent and personality are equally outstanding and unconventional."

"Very well, there's no need to write another one. I think this one is fine. Tell me, what reward do you desire?"

The Emperor Emeritus seemed very pleased and magnanimous. Not only did he casually bestow upon Jia Lian the title of the most talented young man of the Great Wei, but he also immediately offered to fulfill his promise.

Seeing the Emperor Emeritus's reaction, Jia Zheng's anxious and blank expression was evident on his face. He vividly remembered that when he first took office at the court, he was merely a minor official in the Ministry of Works, without even the right to attend court.

Later, even if they were granted the position, they could only stand in the back row of civil officials, feeling the supreme majesty of the retired emperor from afar.

He had never received such gentle treatment before. Therefore, for a moment he looked at Jia Lian with a mixture of joy, envy, and jealousy.

Alas, I had thought that by relying on my daughter's influence, I would have a chance to rise in rank and perhaps even surpass Jia Lian in official position. Now it seems that all my efforts have been in vain.

Just by looking at how the two sages treat this kid, you can tell his future career will skyrocket. Honestly, why should I bother comparing myself to this brat? It's pointless.

Faced with the Emperor Emeritus's earnest inquiry, Jia Lian had a fleeting thought: Why don't you just bestow upon me the title of First-Class Duke of Rongguo, my ancestor's name, directly...?

After thinking for a moment, Jia Lian bowed and said, "Since the Emperor Emeritus is so sincere in bestowing this gift, it would be impolite of me to refuse. I dare not conceal from the Emperor Emeritus that I do indeed have a wish in my heart."

"Okay, go ahead."

The retired emperor seemed completely unfazed, showing no fear whatsoever of Jia Lian's exorbitant demands. Perhaps, to him, there was no reward he couldn't bestow; it was simply a matter of whether he was willing to give it.

"Your humble servant's current wish is that the Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager enjoy long and healthy lives, and that their blessings may extend to the people of our Great Wei for countless years to come!"

……

()