King Xiang of the Red Chamber

Chapter 771: Embracing the Spring

In addition to the navy, Prince Zhu Jinghong can mobilize many resources.

That afternoon, he issued more than a dozen warrants and sent them to the provincial governors, procuratorates, and military commissioners' offices in the southeastern provinces.

The content of the warrant was very simple, requiring all government offices to prepare for war so that military rations and supplies could be supplied when the war broke out.

The shadow of war came quickly, making many people look worried at the end of the year and diluting the festive atmosphere.

However, the clouds of war came and went as quickly as they had come, something no one had expected.

On the 18th day of the twelfth lunar month, the latest intelligence was transmitted back, indicating that the three countries of Britain, Portugal and Spain had formed an alliance to hold a Christmas military parade.

This was good news, but Zhu Jinghong did not believe it easily. After combining the reports from the Southern Pacification Office and the maritime merchants, he determined that the enemy showed no signs of actively preparing for war, and only then was he certain that the war would not start.

Zhu Jinghong then issued orders one after another, allowing all places to return to normal in turn.

But it takes time to transmit the order. Once it reaches the Three Departments and is passed down one level at a time, it will take at least half a month to get there.

In other words, many local government offices and garrisons will have a very restless New Year, after all, it is only ten days away from the New Year.

After the Nanjing Navy had been in charge for a few days, Zhu Jinghong finally felt at ease when he received news that there was no sign of war.

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, he set out on the journey back to Yingtian. This trip had taken him a month.

On the 28th day of the twelfth lunar month, Zhu Jinghong returned to Yingtian City and went back to the palace.

He wanted to rest, but there were many things waiting to be reported to him, such as land surveying, rebuilding of various government offices, reports on war preparations, and reports on military mobilization.

No matter how big or small the matter was, the ministers lined up to report to him, and Zhu Jinghong could only deal with them first, and rest had to be put off until last.

Tanchun was also brought back to the palace by Zhu Jinghong and arranged by officials to live in a secluded palace. Although the surroundings were quiet, Tanchun felt uneasy.

This is the palace, her sister Bao is here, and she knows they will meet soon.

But Tanchun didn't expect that the meeting would come sooner than she had imagined.

She had been sitting there for less than half an hour when the tranquility of the courtyard was broken by the sound of dense footsteps outside.

She thought it was Zhu Jinghong who came, but the next moment a palace maid came to report that it was the Crown Princess who came.

Tanchun was a little flustered, but she quickly regained her composure and walked out of the room.

As soon as she walked out of the room, she saw Baochai getting out of the sedan chair, so she knelt directly at the door.

"Knock to the Crown Princess!"

Standing in the courtyard, Baochai waved away her attendants and walked towards Tanchun.

Coming in front of Tanchun, Baochai took a look at her attire and said, "I never thought I would be able to meet you again at this time and in this place!"

"Poor...my little sister is guilty of death!"

At this time, Tanchun chose to let things take their course and did not defend herself, which was a very wise move.

Sighing, Baochai said, "Get up!"

"I dare not!" Tanchun said again.

Baochai added: "This is the order of the Crown Princess!"

Having said this, Tanchun could no longer delay and could only stand up carefully.

She didn't find it strange at all that Baochai ignored sisterly friendship, because she would have done the same if she were in their shoes.

"Come inside and talk!"

After saying this, Baochai said to her attendant maid, "Just wait outside!"

After everyone agreed, she walked into the room, and Tanchun followed her in.

Even a remote hall in the palace is decorated extremely gorgeously, with a dazzling array of utensils and decorations.

Sitting in the upper seat, Baochai motioned for Tanchun to sit down, and the latter had no choice but to sit down despite feeling nervous.

"Why did you become a nun out of nowhere?"

"My family is in misfortune. I only wish to become a monk and pray for my father and brothers, and do my best to bring peace to the family!"

Baochai smiled and asked, "Since you have become a nun, why are you here again?"

"Your Highness wishes to practice Buddhism, so he summoned you to his side for consultation!"

"Haha!" Baochai laughed twice.

"We have been sisters for a long time, but now we have become so estranged. It's really a pity!"

Baochai said this calmly, but it was like thunder to Tanchun's ears. At this moment, her heart was in torment, weighing whether to tell the truth or not.

"Forget it... I have something else to do. You should take a good rest. We'll talk again later!"

Seeing Baochai getting up to leave, Tanchun finally made up her mind and knelt down before her cousin again, kowtowed and said, "Sister Bao, I am unwilling to waste my years, so..."

We are all smart people, so just keep the conversation to a minimum. It will be difficult for sisters to meet each other if we talk too much.

Baochai had had a lot of contact with Tanchun in the past, and she understood what kind of woman she was, so she could probably guess what she was thinking.

What Tanchun said at this moment was basically what she expected.

Sitting back down, Baochai looked at Tanchun lying on the ground for a while before saying, "Get up... Don't kneel down all the time. We don't have so many rules here!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Tanchun bowed before standing up.

After motioning him to sit down, Baochai continued, "Your talent far exceeds that of ordinary people, but because of your family's repeated burdens, you have never had the opportunity to display your talents. It's such a pity!"

If it were an ordinary person, they would only think that Baochai was enthusiastic and was speaking up for themselves, but Tanchun heard the hidden meaning.

After organizing her words in her mind, Tanchun replied, "Your Majesty, you are too kind. I am a clever girl, but I am short-sighted. I shaved my head and became a nun on impulse, just to relax myself. I left my grandmother and parents behind. I am truly an unfilial person!"

"My little sister is at home, my grandmother loves her very much, my parents teach her wholeheartedly, the family's kindness is beyond repayment, how dare I feel resentful!"

Nodding slightly, Baochai smiled and said, "That's right. People should not forget their roots. They should know where they come from and who they can rely on... Only by sorting these out can they achieve long-term success!"

"My younger sister is ignorant and has acted carelessly. I hope Sister Bao will protect me!"

Tanchun almost said it out loud that she would be Baochai's person from now on. Obviously, when expressing her position, it would be better to be straightforward to avoid misjudgment.

And at this time, Tanchun changed her name back to "Sister Bao", which was a very delicate touch.

Baochai smiled and then replied: "You worry too much. You are with the prince, he is a generous man, even if you make some mistakes, he will not care!"

"It is true that the Crown Prince is kind and generous, but there are always villains in the world. The Crown Prince cannot manage the world with his heart. The Crown Princess needs to teach the Four Virtues to deal with the evil, so that I can have a safe place to live!"

From beginning to end, Tanchun was extremely humble, and this attitude made Baochai satisfied.

There was actually no one in Zhu Jinghong's harem that she was afraid of.

Daiyu is smart but not aggressive, Yang Jingting is insidious but narrow-minded, Xiangyun is free and easy and has no intention of harming others, and as for the others, they are not worth mentioning.

Only Tanchun, even though she had not yet entered the mansion and had no official status, made her feel wary.

First, it was because Tanchun had the same name as the other, second, it was because this woman was competitive, and third, it was because she would do anything to achieve her goals, otherwise she would not have become a nun and hooked up with the prince.

Baochai often reads history books, and Tanchun's current situation reminds her of the empress from a thousand years ago, and the more she thought about it, the more similar they seemed.

Like Zhu Jinghong, the two of them now have no opponents and are prone to having strange ideas.

For example, Tanchun is compared to Empress Wu, and Baochai relates herself to Empress Zhangsun, believing that she might die of illness prematurely, and then her husband would be given to someone else.

Of course, she knew that she was just daydreaming, so she quickly put an end to these thoughts.

Because if she thought about it further, and thought about the fate of Emperor Gaozong's Queen Wang, she might have the idea of ​​killing Tanchun.

After becoming a princess, she had dealt with so many people that killing people was not a difficult task for her, and she didn't even need to say it explicitly.

Power distorts human nature, this is no joke.

Tanchun would never have thought that as Baochai's thoughts turned, she had already been to the gates of hell.

It can be seen that keeping a low profile and being obedient at all times is a crucial and important quality in the inner palace, especially in the royal inner palace.

"Girl, you think too much all the time. There are not so many villains and sneaky people in the world!" "Now that the Holy Emperor is in power, the world is at peace and the four seas are peaceful. The days of peace will last for a long time!"

After hearing what Baochai said, Tanchun knew that she had passed the test, but how the situation would develop in the future was still unknown.

At this time, she couldn't help but envy her second sister, who didn't have many thoughts and was peaceful and calm inside. She was much happier than a smart person like her.

"Thanks to Sister Bao, I will be able to find a place to stay in the future, and I will be very satisfied!"

Hearing these words, Baochai laughed and said, "You...you are being too polite to say these things!"

"By the way, how have you been these past two years? I'm afraid you've been in the temple every day..."

Baochai changed the topic and started talking about daily trivial matters, which made Tanchun feel much more at ease.

An entire afternoon passed just like that.

The sun sets and it's time for dinner.

After a busy day, Zhu Jinghong was invited by Baochai to have dinner.

When they came out of the hall, Baochai said with a smile, "It's really hard to see you now!"

Entering the hall, Zhu Jinghong replied: "It's also true the other way around. I'm so busy right now that it's hard for me to see you!"

Following beside him, Baochai replied: "It is of course difficult to see me, but I still have to learn Buddhist scriptures!"

Zhu Jinghong didn't answer, but asked: "What are we having for dinner tonight?"

"What else can we eat? It's just those things anyway. The palace is not as good as the outside world. There are all kinds of fresh food!" Baochai said half-jokingly.

"Baochai...from what you said, you don't want me to have a good meal!"

Baochai then replied: "Now, if I say just a few more words, His Highness will punish me. It seems that I should speak less in the future!"

After entering the inner room and sitting on a chair, Zhu Jinghong said, "I think you are accusing me of a crime!"

"How dare I!"

Picking up the wine glass on the table, Baochai said with a smile: "Come... congratulations to Your Highness on returning to the palace. I offer you a toast!"

"That's good enough!" Zhu Jinghong also smiled.

The conversation between the two then returned to normal. They first talked about the situation in Yingtian, and then talked about some trivial matters.

"Oh, by the way, I remember you said that there is an orphan girl left in Ningguo Mansion, named Xichun... Is this true?"

Putting down her chopsticks, Baochai smiled, then looked at Zhu Jinghong and said, "Your Highness has a really good memory. He even remembers these little things!"

After drinking another cup, Zhu Jinghong sighed: "This girl is so pitiful!"

Baochai said nothing and watched Zhu Jinghong's performance quietly.

"The Jia family is such a filthy place. If a girl stays there, she will be taught bad things. As her cousin, you can't just stand by and watch!"

Picking up the chopsticks again, Baochai picked up some food for Zhu Jinghong and then said, "Your Highness, I have already greeted you, you don't have to worry too much!"

Zhu Jinghong said: "I don't trust others, I think... it will be more effective if you teach me personally!"

You are eating and taking at the same time... Baochai cursed in her heart.

Baochai continued, "How can I justify keeping someone else's daughter with me?"

Zhu Jinghong said: "Just find a random excuse, say that Crown Princess Zhang Dao misses you, so take her to the capital to meet him!"

Princess Zhangdao was Yuanchun, and Xichun was taken away in her name. As for whether the Jia family would investigate further, Zhu Jinghong didn't care.

He doesn't even pretend... Baochai despised him in her heart.

"how?"

"Is this your Highness's suggestion? Or an order?"

Reaching out and holding his wife's hand, Zhu Jinghong said seriously: "This is a request!"

"What if I don't agree?" Baochai said with a smile.

Zhu Jinghong also smiled and said, "I think the Crown Princess will not let me down!"

After the two looked at each other for a while, Baochai pulled her hand away and said contemptuously, "You are so shameless!"

"There's nothing to be ashamed of. It's all said in the poem... Who says that a little love can bring spring back?"

"You...I can't argue with you!"

In this world, there are very few situations where what they agree on cannot be accomplished.

After the matter was agreed upon, Zhu Jinghong no longer cared about how to proceed with it, as Baochai would help him handle it anyway.

After dinner, the couple felt like newlyweds after a short separation and tossed and turned until late at night before falling asleep.

In a blink of an eye, a few days passed, and the 19th year of Zhengtong came to an end. Zhu Jinghong and his wife spent the New Year in Jinling.

During the first month of the year, the couple received congratulations from officials and ladies of honor, and all those who could come from the neighboring provinces came.

In addition, Zhu Jinghong once again followed the imperial edict and offered sacrifices to Taizu's mausoleum.

It was also on the fifth day of the first lunar month that Xichun was brought into the palace and arranged to serve Baochai.

But within two days, Xichun was transferred to another position and appeared in Zhu Jinghong's bedroom.

Compared with Yuan, Ying and Tan, Xichun's style is completely different. The indifference in her bones vividly interprets what a "cold beauty" is.

"Third sister, is it you again tonight?"

Because Zhu Jinghong was very busy, Xichun had very little free time, and most of the time she went to see Tanchun, her only relative in the palace.

Sitting in front of the mirror, Tanchun fixed her makeup: "That should be it!"

Xichun sat on the couch, looking at Tanchun in the mirror, and asked, "Why don't you grow your hair long? Since you have given yourself to the prince, you must seek a status. Now that you have this status... how can you meet someone like that?"

Tanchun said slowly: "Girl, there are many things that are beyond your control. You... it's better not to know!"

After a few moments of silence, Xichun asked again, "Why did Sister Yuanchun summon me to the capital?"

"Fourth sister, do you really not know, or are you pretending to be confused?"

"I……"

Two days later, when she was chosen to be with Zhu Jinghong, she actually understood everything.

Thinking of this, Xichun said with a cold face: "I don't want to enter the palace!"

Standing up, Tanchun straightened her monk's robes and sighed, "That's why I said that many things are beyond our control!"

Seeing Xichun's gloomy expression, Tanchun knew that she was upset, so she comforted her: "There's nothing wrong with going to the capital. Big sister, second sister, and me, and Xiangyun, Sister Lin, and Sister Bao..."

"Don't mention Sister Bao. I was with her the past few days and I always felt that she..."

Fearing that someone might be eavesdropping, Tanchun held Xichun's mouth, then stared at her and shook her head.

Then Tanchun changed the subject: "Don't let your imagination run wild. I'll go to the front hall later. Please accompany me!"

"Ok!"

These are daily routines in the palace. Zhu Jinghong certainly wouldn't notice these as his main focus is on military and political affairs.

Getting Xichun to his side was a simple matter for him. Once his goal was achieved, he would not pay too much attention to her. A few words of conversation every day would be enough for him.

As for when to pick the fruits, he had no idea for the time being. After all, there was still a long time to go and he could pick them anytime since he had people around.

In the blink of an eye, another two months passed.

Things in Jinling have been basically dealt with, the reconstruction of the government office has been agreed upon, and Wang Pei'an is ready to investigate the case.

It was at this time that the emperor's edict arrived, urging him to return to the capital.

On the ninth day of the third month of the twentieth year of the Zhengtong reign, an auspicious day, Zhu Jinghong set out on his journey back to the capital, seeing off the civil and military officials of Jinling.

(End of this chapter)