The filial son of the Red Mansion

By this time, many people were exhausted or hungry. They didn't dare to eat much when they came, and now it was already night and they hadn't had dinner yet, so they all felt a little depressed.

Xue Baochai also forced herself to be in high spirits and not let herself appear depressed or sigh like others.

After the assigned residences were completed, hot soup and food were finally served, so everyone could fill their stomachs. Then they listened to the maids explaining the rules for tomorrow. Baochai did not dare to miss a word and memorized it all.

When it was late at night and she could finally rest, Baochai breathed a sigh of relief. Although she hadn't done anything, she felt sore all over.

She found her seat on the dormitory bed, smiled gently with her vision for the future in her heart, and fell into a peaceful dream.

The dream was so beautiful.

Master Rong's eyes were rolling around and he refused to wake up from his dream. It took a while before he was shaken awake by the guards.

"It's time to get up. The current emperor and the queen mother are going to personally select palace maids this morning. They may come to our place for an inspection."

"Damn it, who was snoring like thunder last night? I only had three hours to sleep, but I heard the snoring for one or two hours." Master Rong cursed and pointed at the two guards in front of him, "Is it you two? It sounded like it came from your side."

The bad thing about dormitories is that you always encounter people snoring.

No wonder no one else is willing to be a guard.

Grass!

One person laughed and said, "It was Yuan Zhen who was snoring last night. That guy couldn't be woken up even if we kicked him. When we kicked him, the snoring stopped for a while, but it started again after a while."

Another person said, "Captain, transfer Yuan Zhen to another class tomorrow so that he won't be in the same class with us, so that we don't have to listen to his snoring tomorrow."

Another person said, "Don't talk about others, you snore too. You and Yuan Zhen should be transferred to the second shift together."

Yuan Zhen was speechless and said, "Don't you guys ever betray others when you make up stories?"

Jia Rong yawned, ignored the jokes of the group, washed his face, and tidied his clothes. He said, "Do what you need to do. It's time to take over. If you misbehave later, I'll beat you to death."

After hearing this, the guards stopped joking and hurriedly got ready to go. It was because Rong Ge'er had asked the Queen for an order last time, and the eunuchs in the palace did not dare to act arrogantly in front of them because of their master behind them, so the guards of Shunzhen Gate were very angry. Therefore, everyone admired Rong Ge'er more, became closer to her, and listened to her orders more.

It is impossible for a guard to lose his manners.

However, not long after, many female candidates who behaved inappropriately were kicked out.

"Do you think they are lucky or unlucky?" someone asked curiously.

Jia Rong pursed his lips and said nothing. He did not see Xue Baochai among those who were dismissed, and he felt helpless but happy.

From a selfish point of view, he really didn't want Xue Baochai to enter the palace. But if it was Xue Baochai's own wish, he actually wanted Xue Baochai to enter the palace. In this world, there are not many women who have their own ideals, and even fewer who have lofty ideals.

It’s almost over!

It won’t take too long to select more than two hundred people.

Could it be that Xue Baochai was really chosen?

When Jia Rong was wondering, he saw a distraught woman being brought out of the imperial garden by a eunuch.

Ugh!

Uncle Rong sighed quietly, not knowing whether to be glad or sorry for Baochai.

Xue Baochai was still a little bit in disbelief at this moment. She really couldn't understand why she was not selected.

Jia Rong also didn't understand it. It can only be said that some things are so unreasonable. This kind of selection is completely illogical. Everyone has different ideas. Some only look at family background, some only look at temperament and character, and some actually look at physique. It's all weird.

Baochai was sent out of the Shenwu Gate in a daze, and got on the carriage parked outside the gate. She felt very unwilling. The heat in her heart was faintly attacking, her whole body was getting hot, and soon sweat oozed from her forehead.

Some are happy, some are sad, and there are more families who are always sad.

"Guard Rong, the Empress is calling you." A eunuch suddenly appeared from behind Jia Rong, almost scaring Master Rong.

Jia Rong turned around and saw that the person in front of him looked unfamiliar. He asked in confusion, "Which palace lady is this from?"

The eunuch laughed sinisterly, "Guard Rong is really good at joking. Of course it's the Empress of Kunning Palace. The Empress is waiting in Jiangxue Pavilion."

Jiangxuexuan, located in the southeast corner of the Imperial Garden, is also where the current emperor, the empress dowager, the queen and others sit during the selection of concubines.

Why did the Queen come to me for no reason?

Master Rong was puzzled. He had no choice but to follow the eunuch to Jiangxue Pavilion. When he arrived at the east alley in the imperial garden, he saw the Empress, Yuanchun and several other palace maids in the pavilion.

There were no screens or curtains in the pavilion. Jia Rong could not raise his head, so he lowered his eyes and clasped his fists, saying, "I greet the queen."

The Empress looked at him carefully for a while, then said to Yuanchun in a playful tone, "Give him a seat. He's standing so straight that my neck is sore."

Yuanchun glanced at Rong'er carefully, and was glad that the Queen did not blame Jia Rong for being rude. She instead ordered the palace maid to bring a small stool over.

Jia Rong also understood the meaning of the Queen's words, and glanced at the Queen's head, only to see the four big words [Level 9 Treasure Box]. He thought to himself: Do you really want me to kneel down? !

He did not ask the Queen for forgiveness, but just said "Thank you for your grace" and did not sit down. He just bowed and asked, "Your Majesty summoned me here. What do you want me to do?"

The Queen smiled and said, "I don't blame you. Just sit down if I tell you to. Don't be so reserved. I heard that the old lady in your house is celebrating her birthday these days?"

It is indeed Lady Jia who is celebrating her birthday these days.

Rong Ge'er replied, "It's the 70th birthday celebration of my great-grandmother from the neighboring house. Since there are many relatives in the family, we started preparing for it a few days in advance."

"So that's how it is." The Queen said softly, "Guard Rong risked his life to protect me at Shunzhen Gate. Afterwards, he only asked for a favor for the guards of Shunzhen Gate. I haven't thanked you in private yet. Today is your old lady's birthday. I wonder if you have prepared a birthday gift for her?"

What does she mean?

Jia Rong raised his eyes to look at the Empress, and saw that the Empress, who was in her thirties, had a gleam in her bright eyes and a faint playful smile on her rosy lips.

Master Rong pondered for a while, then bowed and said, "I am indeed still short of a birthday gift, but I just don't know how to ask. Now that the queen has spoken, I dare to ask the queen to give me something so that I can go to celebrate my great-grandmother's birthday in style."

He looked to the side, feeling that he could not bear to confine Yuanchun to the palace forever. It would be great if he could find a way to bring Yuanchun back to the Jia family.

Since the Queen wants to repay me, there is nothing to be afraid of. This trip must not be in vain.

The Queen looked calm and asked, "What is it?"

Jia Rong replied: "I would like to ask for a little filial piety..."

Chapter 192: Could it be that tonight...

"An act of filial piety?" A look of doubt flashed across the Queen's face.

Jia Rong said slowly, "As the ancients said, 'It is lamentable to be in a state of poverty, but it is also a glory to be reunited with family members.' The older my great-grandmother gets, the more she longs for her family to be reunited. My aunt from the neighboring mansion entered the palace a long time ago and has not been heard from since. My great-grandmother is very worried about her. Therefore, I secretly think that if I can ask my aunt to come back to celebrate my birthday with my great-grandmother, it will definitely show my filial piety."

The Empress was stunned for a moment, her expression seemed to be recalling something, her eyes trembled, as if she was sighing. After a while, she smiled and said, "Guard Rong's request is really unique. He values ​​love over profit. No wonder he can play with the Fifth Prince. Unfortunately, there is no old precedent in the palace, so I can't agree to your request."

Jia Rong also knew that once you enter the palace, it is like entering a deep sea; it is easy to enter but difficult to leave.

He didn't really want Yuanchun to leave the palace at this time, but he thought that if the young Yuanchun became a concubine in the future, it would be a great bargain for the unpredictable and scheming Emperor Longtai. In his opinion, the Jia family didn't need a concubine to support the family, and becoming a close relative of the emperor was not a good thing.

In the past life, many people speculated that the later decline of the Jia family might be related to Yuanchun in the harem.

It is really outrageous to encounter such an emperor when traveling through time. In time-travel novels, the emperors you encounter are all Emperor Taizong of Tang and Emperor Taizu of Ming. It is not to say that the emperors in those novels are all wise, but at least they are not as stingy and petty as Emperor Longtai.

Fortunately, he did not encounter scums like Liu Hong, Gao Zhan, and Wanyan Liang.

"I dare not ask Your Majesty to make an exception. Everything is up to Your Majesty." Jia Rong asked again, even if it was just to let Yuanchun go back to Rongguo Mansion.

He knew very well in his heart that life was extremely miserable for women who entered the palace.

The Jia family does not need a woman to sacrifice everything in exchange for wealth and glory.

The Empress' eyes changed slightly, and she glanced at Yuanchun who was trying to control her emotions, and said gently: "Jia Siji, Guard Rong still needs to learn the rules. I will teach him a lesson now."

Yuanchun quickly agreed, feeling extremely happy.

Jia Rong also understood the good intentions of the Empress, so he said, "I am a warrior and a rough man, and I really don't understand many of the palace rules. Thank you for your mercy, Your Majesty."

The Queen Mother stopped talking to him and only summoned the eunuchs around her to give her instructions.

The eunuch smiled and said to Jia Rong, "Guard Rong, please go to Wanchun Pavilion to learn the rules." After that, the Queen left and did not talk about the birthday of Old Lady Shi anymore. Only Yuanchun, another female historian and two young eunuchs stayed behind, and the four of them invited Jia Rong to the Wanchun Pavilion nearby.

Jia Rong blinked his eyes and said with a smile, "Please lead the way, my two aunts."

Yuanchun looked at Rong'er deeply. Perhaps it was because she had stayed in the lonely and cold palace for too long and finally had the chance to talk to her relatives. She couldn't bear the complicated emotions in her heart and silently shed a tear.

The few of them entered the Wanchun Pavilion. The two young eunuchs were quite tactful and just stood guard at the side. The other palace lady did not come forward either, leaving only Yuanchun and Jia Rong to talk.

Jia Rong pretended to be serious and said, "Thank you, aunt."

Yuanchun nodded slightly, and only then did she take a closer look at Jia Rong and asked, "Has Guard Rong ever heard of the rules at home?"

Jia Rong said, "My wife is not good at speaking. I loved to play when I was young, and I often followed Aunt Wang Jiafeng to play and have fun. I didn't learn many rules. My great-grandmother in the West Mansion is old and no longer cares about things. She is all about Uncle Bao. My second uncle's wife, Mrs. Wang, has been vegetarian and chanting Buddhist scriptures in recent years. She doesn't take care of the housework much. She is kind, but she often misses Uncle Zhu who has passed away, so she dotes on Uncle Bao. There is nothing else wrong with it. It's just like an ordinary family."

Yuanchun felt mixed emotions when she heard the latest news from home, but she had no idea where to start.

Jia Rong then talked about some trivial matters at home.

Yuanchun just mentioned some palace rules, and then said: "If the water is too clear, there will be no fish. From now on, Shunzhen Gate will be more lenient. Many people in the palace have some complaints, complaining that ordinary toys can't be brought in."

This is probably what the Queen really wants Yuanchun to explain.

Jia Rong nodded in agreement. Now that Shunzhen Gate had established its prestige and the guards inside the gate were all obedient to him, there was really no need to keep the gate closed tightly.

"Thank you, aunt, for helping me express my gratitude to the Empress." Jia Rong secretly took out some silver bills from his arms and stuffed them into Yuanchun's hand. This money was not for the Empress, but for Yuanchun to use for daily management and for the young eunuchs and female historians around her.

Yuanchun was stunned for a moment, and then she realized that Rong Ge'er in front of her was indeed not a child. He was not only a nephew of the family, but also an official wearing a third-rank belt.

There is no one in this world who doesn't love money.

The same goes for the eunuchs and female historians in the palace. They also have many places in the palace where they need to use silver.

Anyone who takes the silver will be happy.

Jia Rong was also very happy when he returned home, and he was also very happy when he returned home from Shunzhen Gate. The Queen Mother still showed favor and gave Jia Rong an agate pillow to bring as a birthday gift.

He also thought about why the Queen did this. Maybe it was because he blocked the knife for the Queen in front of Shunzhen's door, so the Queen treated him a little differently. Or maybe the Queen had other ideas and wanted to win over the Jia family? But he also felt that it was unlikely. The Jia family was now an empty shell. Apart from Jia Rong, an unpopular guard, there was only an elderly wife of the Duke of the State. If you insist on using the power of the four princes and eight dukes, why not directly win over the four princes of Beijing, Nan'an, Xining, and Dongping, who are the truly powerful families. Besides, the Queen has never come to win over people. It is the Queen's family who come forward to win over people's hearts.

So, why?

Grandmother Jia and the ladies in the West Mansion didn't know the exact reason, but they knew that the agate pillow brought by Rong'er was a gift from the Queen, and everyone in the mansion was very happy.

The effect of the agate pillow is also very obvious. Mrs. Wang sighed quietly, secretly pulled Wang Xifeng aside and talked for a few words, and then she no longer cared about what happened to Fengjie and Ronger.

Grandmother Jia rewarded Qin Keqing greatly, and even unexpectedly held her hand, saying softly: "Your second aunt has been nagging you for so long in the east, asking you to build a house and a courtyard. If she is annoyed, just send her back. If she has any behavior of showing off her power and bullying the host, just tell her now, I will not let her off easily."

Wang Xifeng's face darkened, and she realized that the old lady also had doubts in her heart, and she hurriedly said with a smile: "Grandfather, please spare my life. Even if I go east to recuperate for a while, I will still come to you from time to time to show my filial piety."

Grandmother Jia laughed and scolded, "You are as sick as Monkey King, what disease can there be? You are obviously trying to be lazy and slack off." In the end, she managed to get it back and did not let Wang Xifeng lose face.

Xing's face was not very good, but she didn't dare to bring bad luck at this time.

At this time, You Erjie was delighted when she saw the silk and satin that Rong Ge'er had sent someone to deliver. Her heart beat faster when she thought about Rong Ge'er summoning her to meet him at Tianxiang Tower tonight.

Tonight, is it going to...