Emperor of the Red Chamber

Chapter 20 When Jia Zheng meets the cold-faced king
There are many yamen gathered between the Imperial City and Zhengyangmen, including the Ministry of Industry.

The Ministry of Industry Yamen occupies a large area, as big as a royal palace, but much smaller than the Yiqin Palace.

The area of ​​Yiqin Palace is not generally large.

In such a large Ministry of Industry yamen, even the chief officer of the sixth rank has a separate duty room.

Jia Zheng, the second master of the Rongguo Mansion, as the head of the Ministry of Works, had a separate duty room in the Yamen of the Ministry of Works.

Jia Zheng loved reading since he was a child. Not only his father Jia Daishan loved him, but his grandfather Jia Yuan also loved him.

He was somewhat capable in studies. He originally planned to enter an official career through the imperial examination, but because his father Jia Daishan submitted a posthumous manuscript before his death, Emperor Jing'an granted him the additional title of director of the Ministry of Works, so he gave up his original plan.

Jia Zheng was a pedantic person. He had been the chief of the Ministry of Industry for a long time, but he seemed to be unfamiliar with the world. He did a good job of bowing and bowing at work, but he was not very good at official and secular affairs.

Fortunately, he was a decent man, courteous and courteous, and he was from a famous family in the Jia family. Even if his colleagues in the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry and Commerce despised him in their hearts, they generally would not ridicule him in person.

On this day, Jia Zheng came to the Yamen as usual and sat in his duty room.

In the morning, Cao Wenyou, minister of the Ministry of Industry, suddenly came to his duty room and greeted him with a smile: "Cun Zhou."

When Jia Zheng saw that the visitor was his court official, he stood up and bowed: "I have seen Da Sikong."

Cao Wenyou smiled and said, "I want to congratulate you on Cunzhou."

Jia Zheng hurriedly asked: "Where is the happy event?"

Cao Wenyou smiled and said: "A eunuch came to the palace to deliver the message, saying that the Holy One has chosen your daughter to be married to the Emperor's grandson Bai Sanye. The Holy One wants to summon you to see her immediately."

Jia Zheng's eyes lit up. He knew that the eunuchs from the palace came to his house yesterday to inquire about Yuan Chun's appearance and character. They asked for the birth date and birth date, saying that the emperor wanted to choose a woman to marry the emperor's grandson Yuan Qingbai.

He felt happy at that time, mainly because he was not thinking about the fact that his daughter would probably become a princess or even a queen in the future.

Being pedantic, he was mainly happy that the marriage granted by the Holy One was a great blessing from the Holy One, especially after the Jia family had just been implicated in the prince's rebellion.

But he didn't think it could happen.

Now it’s really done!

Jia Zheng asked Cao Wenyou, "Do you want to hand over the sign?"

Cao Wenyou felt funny but held it back: "The Holy One has summoned you to appear immediately, and there is a eunuch who is carrying the edict to lead you. There is no need to pass the sign. You just follow the eunuch in immediately."

Jia Zheng hurriedly bowed and thanked him again, and then followed the eunuch who passed the order out of the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry, entered the imperial city, then entered the palace, and meandered to the Qianqing Palace in the inner court.

As it happened, Emperor Jing'an was summoning the third prince to the Qianqing Palace. Jia Zheng waited outside the Qianqing Gate for a while, and when he was led in by the eunuch, he met the third prince head-on.

Jia Zheng was in awe of this third prince.

He learned something about this cold-faced king.

And not long ago, he witnessed with his own eyes the cold-faced king holding the Emperor's Sword in his hand, leading a group of guards to protect the officers and soldiers, and taking down a minister from the Yamen of the Ministry of Industry. This minister was also a princeling.

Jia Daihua, Jia Jing, and Jia She of the Jia Mansion were also captured by this cold-faced king.

Jia Zheng never expected that now he would marry this cold-faced king...

He didn't dare to think too much for a moment. Seeing the third prince getting closer and closer, Jia Zheng bowed hurriedly and skillfully: "Jia Zheng, a humble official, pays homage to the prince!"

The third prince said "hmm" and when he saw that Jia Zheng couldn't stand up, he said, "Sit up."

Jia Zheng straightened his body.

The third prince looked at him carefully and asked, "Did the Holy One summon you to see him?"

Jia Zheng hurriedly said: "Exactly."

The third prince nodded: "In that case, there is no time to chatter now. After you meet the Holy Spirit, come to the South Study to see me."

How could Jia Zheng dare to disobey? He wished he could be favored by this cold-faced king, so he hurriedly said: "The prince's orders and humble duties must be fulfilled." The third prince: "..."

I just asked you to come and see me, and you can do whatever you want.

The third prince walked towards the South Study, while Jia Zheng continued to follow the eunuch and walked into the Palace of Qianqing.

The Qianqing Palace is magnificent, with a veranda with double eaves and yellow glazed tiles, sitting on a single-layer white marble platform. The corridor is nine rooms wide and five rooms deep.

In the hall, the Ming Room, the East Room, and the West Room are connected. A screen is set between the two golden pillars on the back eaves, and the emperor's throne is set in front of the screen.

Qianqing Palace is the nominal palace residence of Emperor Jing'an, and it is also where he handles government affairs in the palace.

However, Emperor Jing'an's real bedroom was located in Zhaoren Hall on the east side of Qianqing Palace. The main reason was that the main hall of Qianqing Palace was too big and he felt uncomfortable sleeping here.

As the beloved grandson of the founding Duke Jia Yuan and the beloved son of the second generation Rongguo Duke Jia Daishan, Jia Zheng had met Emperor Jing'an before, but he had never entered the Qianqing Palace. Today was the first time.

Moreover, it had been a long time ago since I last admired Emperor Jing'an's face.

Jia Zheng tiptoed into the palace, not daring to raise his head to look at the emperor's throne above. He knelt down directly and said, "Your Majesty, Jia Zheng, has been ordered to come to see you and to kowtow to the Lord Jin'an."

Unexpectedly, the eunuch quickly reminded in a low voice: "The Holy Master is in the Nuan Pavilion."

Jia Zheng then cautiously raised his head and looked up. Sure enough, there was no one on the emperor's throne above.

Jia Zheng didn't feel embarrassed, got up quickly, continued to follow the eunuch, and tiptoed into the Nuan Pavilion. He saw Emperor Jing'an sitting on the kang, wearing glasses and looking at something.

Jia Zheng hurriedly saluted again: "Your Majesty, Jia Zheng, has been ordered to come to see you, and to kowtow to the Holy Spirit Jin'an."

Emperor Jing'an glanced at Jia Zheng and smiled playfully: "Brother Zheng, please get up."

Jia Zheng was immediately moved.

I can't remember how many years ago, when his father Jia Daishan was still alive, he took him to see Emperor Jing'an, who smiled and called him "Brother Zheng".

After so many years, he heard the Holy Spirit address him like this again today. He was so touched!

Jia Zheng held back the tears welling up in his eyes and said seriously: "How dare you, a lowly minister, to falsely address the Holy One like this? It's my ancestor Yu Zhen who paid homage to the Holy One. It's a great blessing to meet the Holy One today." That’s it.”

Emperor Jing'an saw that he was speaking strictly and was not interested in talking more. He cut to the point and said, "I am summoning you this time to give you an oral message in person. I intend to marry your little girl to the emperor Qingbai."

Jia Zheng hurriedly knelt down and saluted again: "I am so lucky to have such a great favor from you."

Emperor Jing'an said: "From now on, you and the old lady in your house must teach that Yuanchun girl well and teach her to be virtuous, filial and talented. In a few years, when the two juniors are old enough, they will get married. "

Jia Zheng saluted again: "I dare not slack off at all under the orders of the Holy Majesty and will definitely comply with them."

After meeting Emperor Jing'an, Jia Zheng bowed his head and left the Qianqing Palace, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He was so nervous!

He would not forget that the third prince wanted to see him again, so he tiptoed towards the south study room.

The South Study Room is located southwest of the Qianqing Palace and west of the Qianqing Gate. It was originally the place where Emperor Jing'an studied, and later evolved into a core confidential institution. Those who are not Chongban nobles and close followers of the Shangsu are not allowed to enter.

It is equivalent to the cabinet of the former Ming Dynasty.

The Minister of Nanshufang is equivalent to the cabinet bachelor of the former Ming Dynasty.

The Great Zhou Dynasty also had a cabinet, but today's Great Zhou Dynasty cabinet has much less power than the former Ming Dynasty cabinet.

Jia Zheng met the third prince in the South Study and bowed again.

The third prince was busy with official duties and had no intention of chatting with Jia Zheng. He looked at Jia Zheng with a half-smile and said, "Write me your Nian Geng horoscope."

Jia Zheng: "..."

I was puzzled: "Why does this cold-faced king suddenly ask for my birthday and horoscope? I am not a little girl, and I am asked for my birthday and horoscope to comment on marriage matters..."

(End of this chapter)