Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 757 Where is Jia Zhen going?
Inside the palace,

In Cining Palace,

Empress Jiang had eaten early, and now she changed into a robe and a cloak, sitting in the palace. Several eunuchs carefully served her, lowering their heads and not daring to speak. A short maid came out from the back hall and followed Empress Jiang inconspicuously.

After a while,
Chun He was also dressed in the same attire and hurried in.

"Master, Concubine Wu has sent people to tell many concubines in the harem that they are preparing a cake banquet in Chunli Palace. Many people have already gone there. I have sent people to keep an eye on it. If there is any movement, someone will report it."

The reason why Chunhe came back from outside was that she went to Chunli Palace in the morning to pass on the message, asking Concubine Wu to gather the concubines in the harem for a tea party, and asked everyone who came to make a cake, which would be delivered to Kunning Palace in the evening. The main purpose was to let Concubine Wu attract the attention of the palace, and let Concubine Zhou stay aside to keep her at bay. In this way, there would be no idle people in the harem.

"Oh, what did Concubine Wu say? But she agreed."

Queen Jiang raised her eyebrows, feeling somewhat puzzled. How could it be so easy to arrange for the two of them? In the harem, they were the most active ones. Of course, they were also the favored ones. But she didn't know if they could meet each other again now.

"In reply to your Majesty, Concubine Wu agreed. Concubine Zhou was reluctant at first, but I was able to persuade Concubine Jing and Concubine Ming, so Concubine Zhou had no choice but to go."

Chun He smiled as she passed by Concubine Jing's Yueyun Palace and Concubine Ming's Shuiyun Palace. She suddenly had an idea and decided to go the other way to invite them. This way, Concubine Zhou would definitely go. After all, Concubine Ming usually took good care of Concubine Zhou and had offended Concubine Wu. So, Concubine Zhou would definitely not refuse.

Queen Jiang smiled, glanced at Chunhe, and said with a smile;

"You are quite cunning. You were able to persuade Concubine Jing Mingyue and Concubine Ming Wanru. They are the rare quiet ones in the harem."

Suddenly, an idea came to her mind. Although An Jing was quiet, they were not fools. If Concubine Jing went, the Zhaoyi and Xiurong would probably join in the fun. Maybe it would be more lively.

"Since the two of them are going, there should be quite a few people going, which will be enough for Concubine Wu to be busy. Send someone to keep an eye on them. I want to see if Concubine Ming and Concubine Jing are really that honest."

The meaningful look on Empress Jiang's face also made Chunhe lower her head. It seemed that the Empress was worried about the two of them, not Concubine Wu and Concubine Zhou. Why?
"Your Majesty, are you worried about Concubine Jing and Concubine Ming?"

"Well, in the past, they were said to be smart. After entering the palace, they did not compete for favors. They would rather stroll around the garden in their own palace and never come out. But there is one thing that I have never figured out. Of course, it was also inspired by Marquis Luo Yun. That kid just talks nonsense all day long."

Empress Jiang smiled, and when she thought about how awkward Luo Yunhou was when he entered the palace, she didn't know whether it was real or just an act.
"My lady, what inspiration did Marquis Luo Yun have? I don't understand it."

Chun He didn't know what the queen meant. Luo Yunhou was just talking nonsense. Those seductive words made her miss him in her heart.

"Alas, although some of the words are vulgar, they may not be without reason. As the saying goes, a biting dog doesn't bark. Don't look at Concubine Wu and Concubine Zhou, who make trouble in the harem all day long, but they are nothing but trivial matters. On the contrary, Concubine Ming and Concubine Jing are silent. Although they are not well-known, I have never underestimated them. People's hearts are the most difficult to understand."

Of course, there was still a glimmer of doubt in her heart. When she was in the palace, besides herself who was pregnant with three sons, the other wives and concubines were also pregnant. However, since the two of them entered the palace, all the children born to the other concubines died, and none of them had children in the future. So the seeds of suspicion had been planted long ago. Unfortunately, the two of them did not show any abnormality. Besides, it was beneficial to the three princes, so she had been secretly vigilant until today.

"My Lady, you mean those things that happened before? I have already planted people there, but after so many years, I have not found anything. Could I be wrong?"

Chun He also knew what the Empress was talking about. She was the one who placed the people there, but everything was as usual. It was like this every day, every year, and it had been almost ten years, and it was still the same.

"Whether it's right or wrong, keep some things in mind. My intuition is that it may not be the two of them, but they must be involved. Inform the three girls privately that the food and spending of the three princes must go through them. Be careful."

"Yes, my lady, I will obey your orders."

Chun He's face straightened and he agreed.
Then, Empress Jiang put down her tea bowl, stood up, straightened her robes, and walked down the stairs.

"Go through the south gate of the harem and go to the Hanyuan Palace. Remember to go through the north gate."

"Yes, ma'am."

The voice just fell,

Under Chunhe's guidance, Queen Jiang and her entourage left Kunning Palace from the back hall and headed straight for Hanyuan Palace.

Inside the main gate of Hanyuan Hall,

In the tent,

After Zhang Jinyu returned to the big tent, he lay directly on the bed. It is said that being an invigilator is not a job for a human being. He just sat there aimlessly. His waist was broken and his whole body was sore and weak.

I couldn't sleep well, but I felt sleepy if I didn't sleep. I couldn't move forward or backward. Not long after I lay down, Ning Bian came in with a few bowls of food.
"My Lord, the brothers specially prepared braised mutton for you, and also gave you a bowl of noodles. Have something to drink to warm you up."

"Well, put it down. By the way, have the three gentlemen gotten up yet?"

Zhang Jinyu waved his hand, sat up after smelling the fragrance, and felt a little hungry. However, when he thought of the three masters there, his appetite was reduced by more than half.

Ning Bian had just put down his bowl and chopsticks when he heard the Marquis ask, "Aren't the three masters the three princes?" He just passed by there and took a look. The guards were still on duty in front of the tent and seemed not to have gotten up yet. He replied in a low voice;

"My Lord, it seems that the three princes haven't woken up yet."

"What? It's already noon and you haven't woken up yet. Is this true?"

Zhang Jinyu just picked up the bowl, picked up the chopsticks, and took a mouthful of noodles when he was shocked. Even if he was a pig, he should have woken up at this time.

"Eat first, then go over and take a look after you finish eating."

"Yes, my lord, I have reserved the food for the three princes."

"Well, remember to add more fire, don't let it get cold."

Helplessly, Zhang Jinyu gave another instruction, "Your Majesty, you are the one who thought of serving the three ancestors. You didn't bring anything with you. The only person serving you is a personal eunuch. You can at least ask one of the four female historians behind the Empress to come."

He picked up a thin piece of noodles and sucked it into his mouth with a slurp, as if venting his resentment.

Hanyuan Hall,
The north gate of the rear hall is guarded by the imperial guards.

Queen Jiang and her entourage took a detour and walked down the corner of the East Palace. When they reached the North Gate, they aroused the suspicion of the Imperial Guard Captain, who asked sternly:
"Who is coming?"

Chun He did not answer, but took out the badge of Kunning Palace and handed it over. The captain of the imperial guards took it and checked it. It turned out to be the golden order of Kunning Palace. He was so scared that his hands trembled. These were people from the Queen's palace. It was obviously not something he could ask about. He wanted to look up, but the badge in his hand seemed to weigh a thousand pounds. He bent down and handed it back, reminding him.
"Sir, the Hanyuan Palace is holding an imperial examination, and Marquis Luo Yun is the examiner. If you go in, I'm afraid I won't be able to handle it."

The captain of the imperial guards had a bitter look on his face. If it was someone else, they might have let him go, but Marquis Luo Yun was the chief examiner, and who would dare to offend him? That's why he asked this question.
Chun He looked at the captain of the Imperial Guards in front of him. This was the first time that he had held a waist badge and made the Imperial Guards hesitate. Marquis Luo Yun was indeed "famous."

"This matter has nothing to do with you. After we go in, I will naturally explain it to the Marquis. Open the door and don't delay the important matter."

"This, is, sir."

The captain had no choice but to nod and agree. He went back to unlock the door and opened the main gate. Coincidentally, there was no one guarding the north gate. It was not that Marquis Luo Yun had forgotten. After all, when he first came here, he checked the place and found that the door was locked, so he did not leave anyone here.
When Empress Jiang saw the door open, she motioned to the old maid beside her to go forward and check. The maid nodded and went in first. After checking everything was in order, she came back.
"Master, everything is fine." "Well, let's go."

So he walked in.
As soon as I entered the door, I felt that the courtyard was full of spring. It rained all night, as if the entire Hanyuan Hall had been washed, and even the air seemed to be brand new. There was also a bamboo forest planted in the backyard, forming a green corridor. There were some small flowers on the top of the corridor, which looked even more beautiful after the rain.

"It's a good place. It's a pity that your majesty is willing to use the newly built palace as an examination venue. I wonder how the examinations are conducted inside."

"Your Majesty, your Majesty is very broad-minded and cares about the world. I heard that it was your Majesty who suggested that Hanyuan Hall be used as the examination venue. As for the examination, it seems to be the same as the palace examination."

Chun He followed him and explained. After walking through a bamboo forest, they saw a palace not far away. It should be used for rest in the back hall.
"My Lady, shall we go to the main hall or the side hall?"

"No hurry, follow the corner and take a look in front."

Although Queen Jiang missed her three princes, she was curious about the place. She had never been to Hanyuan Hall before, so she went to take a look in front and then went to look for Marquis Luo Yun.

"Yes, madam, let's go this way."

Chunhe pointed to the path under the west wall and the group walked over.

The Hall of Nourishing Heart,
imperial study room,
The windows were wide open, and a breeze blew into the house, bringing a slight chill to the air.
Emperor Wu Zhou Shihong, sitting behind the imperial desk, took a secret letter and glanced at it with a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"I haven't heard from Wang Ziteng for many days, and I've been thinking about him. I didn't expect that you would bring me the news today. It seems that Wang Ziteng is quite fast and is less than a day's journey away from Daliang City. In addition, Lu Daiyuan's vanguard has returned here first. It seems that it won't be long before the war breaks out in the south of Beijing."

Zhou Shihong murmured at last. What he was most worried about was the Linshan County City. There was no news from all the officials there. Who could believe that there was no ghost? It seemed that all these people would be imprisoned in the imperial prison.

Dai Quan was still standing in the hall, solemnly standing. When he heard His Majesty speaking, he turned around and bowed.
"Your Majesty, Commander Wang Jie has been commanding troops for so many years. I think he has memorized the methods of managing and deploying troops by heart. Once we reach Daliang City, we will have a safe place to rest for a few days and then head straight for Linshan County City. By then, it will be clear at a glance whether the officials in the city are human or not. Your Majesty does not need to worry."

A few words of consolation touched the heart of Emperor Wu. It must be said that Dai Quan's position in the palace was unshakable. Zhou Shihong's face flashed with a ruthless look.
"No matter they are human or ghost, after everything is settled, escort all the officials in Jingnan to the capital. I want to have a thorough trial. Also, is there any news about Gu Ping? With 30,000 troops, even if they break out, some of them will be able to escape. Now there is no news at all. It is impossible that the whole army is really wiped out."

This is what Emperor Wu was worried about. With Gu Ping's ability, even if he couldn't solve the siege of Lin Yue's mansion, he would always be able to come back. But how could he disappear without a trace in just a few days? It was unbelievable.
"Your Majesty, don't worry. If General Gu is alright, he will send a message to Your Majesty. If there is something wrong, Marshal Wang Jie will be able to get to the bottom of it when he arrives at Linshan County City. However, given General Gu's experience, I am a little confused. The Taiping Sect's thieves don't look like bandits. Not only are they very powerful, they must have been guided by experts. They have set the prairie on fire in the south of Beijing. I think they are a replica of the White Lotus Sect."

Dai Quan didn't dare to say anything nice now. He said things that he shouldn't have said. Contrary to his usual behavior, Emperor Wu narrowed his eyes, as if thinking about something. It was not true or not that there was a disaster caused by the White Lotus Sect. It was not yet time. If there was a real crisis, the Beijing camp, the imperial guards, and Marquis Luo Yun should also move. Perhaps as for the border troops, Emperor Wu might have an idea and transfer them to the capital again. However, the idea was immediately extinguished. If the border troops moved, the whole world would be paying attention.

"Whether it is or not, it all depends on how Wang Ziteng plays. I hope he will live up to the emperor's grace. If not, we can only change the coach."

Emperor Wu had a gloomy face. He had already considered this in his mind. Why didn't he use Marquis Luo Yun as the commander from the beginning? It was because he took into account the interests of the nobles in the capital and the imperial guards of the capital. Now he thought about it and didn't know whether it was right or wrong. Thinking back to the former governors of the capital, the two old dukes of the Jia family, he felt melancholy in his heart. The matter of the Jia family could not be delayed any longer.
Just thinking,

During this time, a figure suddenly broke into the study door and rolled on the ground.

When Emperor Wu saw the familiar figure, he frowned and scolded.

"What are you doing so hastily?"

"Brother, I came from the clan house and was anxious to report the situation to Your Majesty, so I fell down."

Prince Zhongshun hurriedly got up and walked in. He took out a memorial and placed it on the imperial desk.

"Everything is arranged?"

"Yes, I have arranged everything. There are some wine shops in the Honglu Temple where we will stay. They are all our people. But there is one thing I don't know whether I should tell you or not."

Prince Zhongshun's eyes were uncertain, and he asked in a low voice, "Now is a good opportunity to attack Ningguo Mansion.

"What's the matter? Tell me quickly."

Emperor Wu looked through the memorial impatiently. The arrangement was good, but he thought he had something else to ask, so he didn't bother to read it anymore.
"Your Majesty, the Ningguo Mansion case has been going on for a while, and the tribute team of the princes will soon arrive. If they find the Ningguo Mansion as an excuse and alarm the emperor, causing the matter to involve natural disasters, there will be chaos in the court. If the Prime Minister fails to resign, he will definitely be impeached, so I have to say it."

This made Emperor Wu frown, but it made sense. The Ningguo Mansion matter could not be delayed any longer, and Prime Minister Li Chonghou could not leave. If the royal family's reputation was implicated again, Li Chonghou would not be able to save himself.
"I understand. This matter will be resolved. Let's go back."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Seeing His Majesty chasing people away, King Zhongshun opened his mouth, but had no choice but to bow and leave. As the people left, Emperor Wu seemed a little irritated.

"Is there anything going on in the capital these days?"

Seeing His Majesty asking a question, Dai Quan pulled up his sleeves, hesitated for a moment, and considered his words before speaking.

"Your Majesty, during the imperial examination, there were no major events in the capital, but there were some minor incidents, such as some unpleasant things happening in the Jia family and Rongguo Mansion in the capital."

"Well, what kind of trouble can there be in Rongguo Mansion? Even if there is, with the old lady in the mansion here, it can't be a joke."

As the saying goes, what you think will come true. I was just thinking about the old Duke of the Jia family in the capital. Something happened again. Let’s not talk about some trivial matters. The descendants are so cowardly that even I can’t stand it. Thinking of the treasonous things that Jia Zhen did, I felt irritated.
"Your Majesty, on the day of the imperial examination, the Jia family members fought in Ningrong Street. They said that the master family suppressed the family members and refused to give them letters of recommendation to participate in the imperial examination. They said that they had no way to serve the country. Another thing is that some people are speaking up for Jia Zhu, the eldest son of the second branch of the Rongguo Mansion, saying that Jia Zhu died unjustly after passing the imperial examination. It is not known whether it is true or not, and the incident has even been reported to the Shuntian Prefecture government office."

Dai Quan smiled bitterly, not daring to hide anything, and told His Majesty what had happened in the past two days. Even he felt incredible when he first heard these things. In the past, it was fine to make a fuss, but now during the imperial examination, it was a bit outrageous to still make a fuss.
Emperor Wu narrowed his eyes. The Jia family actually had such thoughts. Could it be a reminder from the retired emperor? Suppressing the clansmen was also a way. After all, if they really took the path of the imperial examination, they would be dependent on civil officials. How could the nobles be willing? And that Jia Zhu, I heard that he was a talented person. When he was in the palace, I heard that he passed away on the day he passed the examination. I felt it was a pity. I didn't expect that there was another hidden story. Thinking of the various ruthlessness of the royal family, it seems that the high-ranking families are the same.
"Don't publicize this matter. Rongguo Mansion cannot be moved. The capital must be stabilized. However, the Ningguo Mansion matter cannot be delayed any longer. Let the Ministry of Justice close the case. Jia Zhen and his son have no respect for the emperor, disregard the grace of heaven, endanger the court and the country, believe in evil ways, steal the court's fortune, and cause strange phenomena in the capital. Their crimes are extremely serious and they should be sentenced to death to rectify the grace of heaven.

In addition, Ningguo Mansion is a noble family of the imperial court, and has done favors for the imperial court. We cannot bear to see their titles destroyed, so we ask the Jia family to choose another person to be adopted by the Ningguo Mansion lineage and inherit the title. The rank will remain unchanged, so let’s do it accordingly.”

Emperor Wu had a blank expression on his face. He had not moved from Ningguo Mansion because he was unsure about many things. However, seeing the uncertainty in Rongguo Mansion, he didn't know what would happen next. He wanted to keep Ningguo Mansion, but it seemed impossible now. It would be better to cut the Gordian knot and take the lives of Jia Zhen and his son, so as to calm the resentment of the strange phenomena in the capital and save the position of Prime Minister Li Chonghou. The court still needed him for the time being.

"Is this, Your Majesty, too hasty?"

Dai Quan suppressed his fear. Why was His Majesty so anxious? There was no need to inform the nobles. Even the emperor would have to be asked. After all, they were the Jia family.

"Just go to Rongguo Mansion and issue the decree. I think the old lady will come to plead for mercy. We can discuss it then."

Emperor Wu looked at Dai Quan meaningfully, and the latter immediately understood. It seemed that His Majesty was holding back. However, he had done his utmost to show favor to the Jia family by issuing such an edict.

"Yes, I accept your order."

After a slight hesitation, he immediately wrote the imperial edict, sealed it in front of the imperial desk, and sent a secret letter to Lord Chang.
"Your Majesty, I will leave now, but I think the old lady of Rongguo Mansion will come to the palace. At that time, there should be some movement from the emperor."

Before leaving, Dai Quan carefully took the imperial edict in his hand. Rongguo Mansion would definitely not sit idly by after receiving the edict. In this case, the Jia family would have to make trouble for a while. However, His Majesty's intention was not to wait for them.

"I, that's what I mean. Some things should be done. I have to go to the emperor's place anyway. The Jia family's affairs should be handled as described above. Go ahead."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will go right away."

(End of this chapter)