Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 109: Announcement at Rongxi Hall

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall.

Grandmother Jia was reclining on the couch, with Lady Wang and Wang Xifeng beside her.

Yingchun, Tanchun and other sisters had just come over to pay their respects. They all looked depressed and did not chat with Lady Jia for a few words before going back.

Jia's mother has been very upset these days because of the report made against Jia Cong, and she has been feeling a little depressed.

Although Grandmother Jia wished that Baoyu would be the first in the list, Baoyu would not succeed after all.

Jia Cong won the first place, and Grandmother Jia was somewhat happy. After all, he was her grandson and a source of honor for the Jia family.

I never thought something like this would happen.

It is said that there were censors in the court who impeached Jia Cong for being the son of a prostitute and that his family would not be able to take the imperial examinations within three generations. This time, he would be deposed from his position as the top candidate and would not be able to study or take examinations for the rest of his life.

Daiyu suddenly fell ill again these days, which made Grandmother Jia even more anxious.
My precious granddaughter has been in much better health in recent years. Her qi is stable and her blood circulation is smooth. She has become more and more pretty.

Even daily minor illnesses and disasters are very rare. In the past two years, I have even rarely taken herbal medicine. I just take some ginseng nourishing pills that I have been taking since I was a child.

But she suddenly fell ill in the past two days. Grandmother Jia went to see her several times. The imperial physician said that the young lady was worrying too much, which caused stagnation of qi and blood. She would get better if she relaxed and cultivated herself.

Although it sounded like nothing serious, Grandmother Jia was still worried. She asked Daiyu if she was worried, but Daiyu just said she had no worries. However, the old lady already had doubts in her mind.

Grandmother Jia asked Mrs. Wang again, "Has Zheng'er been feeling better these days?"

Mrs. Wang replied, “In fact, the master is not ill. He was just angry after hearing about Cong’er. He has recovered after taking a few tranquilizers prescribed by the imperial physician.

In my opinion, although this Cong brother can no longer go to school, the family will not lack him for anything, and he can still live a stable life, but the master would not listen to me for a while. "

Grandmother Jia said, "Zheng'er likes scholars the most. Zhu'er was very much his favorite at the beginning, but unfortunately she is gone now. Baoyu doesn't like those things.

It is understandable that he has shifted his attention to that boy, but how can he just let it go now? "

Wang Xifeng chimed in, "Madam's words are true. For a family like ours, it's good for them to be able to study. But if they can't, it's not a big deal.
The mansion is short of someone like him to support it. Besides, Brother Cong is literate and still young, so he can achieve anything in the future.

Just wait and see. After a year or so, who will remember these things? By then, Brother Cong will still be the same as before."

Mrs. Wang thought that she should persuade Baoyu more when she returned and let him concentrate on reading more. Baoyu was so smart, how could he be worse than Jia Cong.

If Baoyu can study hard, Jia Cong can get the first place, so why can't my Baoyu do the same? In the future, he can go to school, so that the master will look at his son with a higher regard.

If such a day really comes, the old lady will only have Baoyu in her eyes from now on.

In Rongqing Hall, everyone has his own thoughts.

Suddenly, a maid came in with a message saying that a eunuch from the palace had come to the mansion to announce the decree, and that he had already passed the ceremonial gate.

The housekeeper sent someone to pass the message to the old lady, and the second master and the third master Cong also sent someone to pass the message. It seemed that the eunuch who was summoning the emperor was about to arrive at Rong Xi Tang.

Grandmother Jia was startled and asked, "Why did the palace suddenly come to deliver the imperial edict? Why did they even call Congge?"

The maid replied, "The housekeeper didn't dare to ask why, but the eunuch said that the imperial decree was issued to Master Cong."

Grandmother Jia's face changed: "As expected, disaster has come again. It must be that the palace has issued an order to deprive that boy of his fame. Alas!"

It was a very honorable thing for a noble family to have a top scorer in the imperial examination, but in the end, he was not destined to have that chance, and Grandmother Jia felt very depressed.

But it was not for Jia Cong's future, but for the noble title of being the first in the case.

However, since it was an imperial decree from the palace, as the head of Rong State, I still had to go and welcome it.

Jia Cong was talking to Daiyu when Wu'er suddenly ran in with her pretty face flushed.

"Third Master, the maid outside the second gate came to deliver a message saying that an eunuch has come from the palace and is waiting in Rongxi Hall to pass on an imperial decree to you, Third Master!"

Jia Cong stood up suddenly, his face gloomy and uncertain.

Daiyu, who was standing by, heard this and her hand trembled. The teacup in her hand fell to the ground and shattered. She remembered what Jia Cong had said just now, that no news was the best news, and that an imperial decree was unpredictable.

Now that the imperial court has issued an imperial decree, nothing good can happen.

Qiu Shui looked at Jia Cong with her bright eyes, her eyes were red, and she called out in a sad voice, "Third brother!"

Jia Cong looked at Daiyu's tearful face, wiped away her tears gently, and said in a gentle voice: "Don't be panic, sister. What is coming cannot be avoided. At worst, you can lose your fame and still live."

After saying this, he went straight to Rong Xi Tang. Daiyu was worried, so she asked Wu'er and Zijuan to go with him and watch over him, and come back to report as soon as there was any news.

As soon as Jia Cong entered Rong Xi Hall, he saw Jia Mu, Jia Zheng, Mrs. Wang, and Wang Xifeng all waiting there. When they saw him come in, they all looked over.

Sigh, heartache, indifference, sympathy, everyone has a different expression.

Jia Cong saw a eunuch in his forties in the hall. He had a fair face, was wearing a blue robe with gold patterns on it and a flying fish pattern, and a black gauze crown on his head. When he saw Jia Cong come in, he showed a bit of surprise on his face, and then smiled.

"This must be Master Jia Cong, right? Hearing about him is worse than meeting him in person. He is truly a handsome man. The old lady is so lucky to have such a noble son in the Jia family."

When Lady Jia and others heard this, they were stunned. Didn't they come here to deprive this boy of his fame and honor? Why were they still saying such polite words?

Guo Lin said, "Mr. Jia, I am Guo Lin, the deputy chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace. I have come to you on the orders of the emperor. Kneel down and receive his orders."

Since Jia Cong came here, he has never kneeled to anyone except to his mentor Liu Jing'an. This may be a habit left over from later generations.

Even though he would stay as far away as possible during Lady Jia's birthday celebrations every year, relying on Lady Jia's excuses to exempt him from filial piety and etiquette, the old lady still didn't like him and he didn't want to kowtow to her to avoid the bad luck.

But after hearing the imperial edict, how can one not kneel? I guess such things will happen again in the future, so one should adapt to local customs.

Everyone in Rong Xi Hall, from Lady Jia down, knelt on the ground; even the maids and servants serving outside the hall knelt on the ground.

Guo Lin unfolded the imperial edict and read:
The Emperor of Heaven and Earth has declared.

In this imperial examination, Jia Cong, who topped the Yongzhou Academy Examination, was reported by 31 people including Liu Wenxuan, a scholar in the Academy Examination. After investigation by the Court of Inquisition, it was found that Liu Wenxuan was instigated by someone and was jealous of talented people, so he made a false accusation secretly.

After the Yongzhou schoolmaster submitted a memorial to the emperor, Liu Wenxuan's title of scholar was revoked and he was never to be employed again as a warning to others.

The country governs the world with filial piety. Filial piety does not matter whether one is legitimate or illegitimate, or whether one is noble or humble, and only expresses gratitude to one's parents.

Jia Cong, who ranked first in the Yongzhou Academy examination, was a man of outstanding talent and learning at a young age. He was skilled in calligraphy, and was not bothered by the low status of his mother or the separation between her and his mother due to her life and death. He was honest and kind-hearted, and was extremely filial to his mother, which won my heart.

Jia Cong is specially appointed as an eighth-rank Fengyilang, and is ordered by the Emperor to go to the Da Ci'en Temple in Nanjing to copy scriptures and pray for Empress Dowager Xianxiao. All matters shall be handled by the Ministry of Rites and priests in accordance with the rules. This is the imperial decree!

After Guo Lin finished reading the imperial edict, Rong Xi Hall fell into silence.

Everyone in Rong State felt as if they were struck by lightning. Their entire bodies felt numb and tingling, and they all fell into a semi-conscious state.

Grandmother Jia's mind was in a mess. Wasn't it said that he would be dismissed from the imperial examination? It turned out that someone was trying to harm him. Not only did his fame remain, but the emperor also directly appointed him an eighth-rank official.

What on earth is going on? Only candidates who have passed the imperial examination can be appointed as officials. This kid was only a scholar when he entered school, and he was appointed as an eighth-rank official at such a young age.

You know, even if he won the first place in the Golden Palace, he was only awarded a sixth-rank Hanlin editor. This kid is going to defy the heavens.

And what was the reason for asking him to go to Nanjing to copy scriptures for Empress Dowager Xianxiao?
Wang Xifeng knelt at the back, looking at Jia Cong in front of her. She was so shocked that she couldn't express it in words. I said that this kid was very lucky. The scholar surnamed Liu went to the Ministry of Rites to sue him and wanted to strip him of his official title.

He ended up shooting himself in the foot and was stripped of his title. This was because he was unlucky by that guy. How could he not be unlucky?

After hearing the imperial edict, Mrs. Wang felt powerless.

Originally, this man was stripped of his official title, but he still wanted Baoyu to study hard so that he could please his father and avoid treating the evil child of the eldest son as a treasure.

If Baoyu goes to school in the future, everyone in the mansion will see that what this man can do, my Baoyu can do exactly the same. In the future, who can compete with Baoyu for the Rongguo Mansion's inheritance?

Who would have thought that this man had such a strong destiny? Not only did he keep his fame and honor, but the emperor directly appointed him as an eighth-rank official. It would be difficult for my Baoyu to overshadow him.

He then thought of the imperial edict which said that the scholar who reported Jia Cong was instigated by someone, and he felt worried and afraid again.

(End of this chapter)