Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 114 Meeting the Saint Qianyang Palace

The Imperial Palace of the Great Zhou Dynasty was expanded on the basis of the Wan'an Palace of the previous dynasty. It is the most magnificent palace wonder in the world.

Jia Cong followed the eunuchs and walked along the wide axis of the palace.

The bright sunlight shines on the surrounding towering palaces, casting huge shadows. Walking through them, an inexplicable sense of majesty and oppression arises spontaneously.
The eunuch leading the way seemed to be used to walking along the palace roads; his body looked steady but his steps were very fast.

Jia Cong followed him for a cup of tea, his back was already sweating slightly, when they finally arrived at a huge place.

Looking up, you can see a magnificent palace standing before you on a single-layer white marble platform.

The golden glazed tiles on the roof of the palace shine brightly in the sun, reflecting a bright yellow light, brilliant and splendid.

The three-story palace eaves are stacked one on top of the other, and the intricate and magnificent eaves pierce the sky, as if looking down on the world and the common people.

The eunuch left Jia Cong at the palace gate and went in to report the news.

Jia Cong stood at the palace gate and felt a gust of cool air coming from the spacious hall, which actually dispelled a lot of the heat from walking just now.

Then the eunuch's voice was heard: "Your Majesty, I have appointed Jia Cong as an eighth-rank official and have asked him to come to the palace to meet you and express his gratitude. He is waiting outside the palace gate."

The hall seemed to have an excellent sound transmission effect. A deep and majestic voice echoed in the hall, like a surging tide: "Send him to the emperor for an audience."

The eunuch sang toward the palace gate: "Summon the councillor Jia Cong to the palace to see the emperor!"

Jia Cong took a deep breath, stepped over the high palace threshold, and walked into the spacious yet somewhat eerie hall.

He walked to a distance of ten steps from the imperial desk, bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty, I, the Imperial Counsel Jia Cong, come to see you."

A voice came from the throne: "Lift your heads!"

Upon hearing the voice, Jia Cong raised his head towards the throne and saw the Great Zhou Supreme, who was about forty years old, with gray hair on his temples, a clean-cut appearance, and a pair of eyes that sparkled with awe and awe.

Emperor Jia Zhao already knew a lot about Jia Cong through the secret letters from the Imperial Chariot Department, but this was the first time he saw him in person.

He has a very handsome appearance and outstanding manners, which makes people unforgettable at first sight.

Although he was just a teenager, he faced the majestic emperor with neither arrogance nor servility, and his eyes were calm and peaceful, without any embarrassment or uneasiness, which made people secretly amazed.

Thinking of the various deeds described in the secret letters, a hint of gentleness appeared on his face: "You are a handsome young man. Do you know why I conferred the title of Fengyilang on you, a scholar?"

Jia Cong was stunned when he heard this. Before coming here, he had imagined what the scene would be like when he met the emperor and what questions the emperor would ask.

But no one expected that Emperor Jiazhao would go straight to the point and ask such a sharp question.

Jia Cong certainly knew why he was appointed Fengyilang, but there are many things in this world that can be done but cannot be said openly.

Could it be said that the emperor conferred upon himself, a scholar, an eighth-rank official title only to make it easier for him to be used as a pawn?

The emperor is so powerful that he can easily put his head on the line. If you act in front of the emperor, only a smart person with a quick tongue would do things that only a fool would do, and you will definitely die quickly.

But this question really cannot be answered incorrectly, otherwise the emperor will be left with a rogue among the candidates for the imperial examination, and it is hard to say what the result will be.

Emperor Jia Zhao saw that the young man, who was calm and composed just now, showed some hesitation and nervousness on his face after hearing what he said. He smiled in his heart, thinking that this was now the behavior of a young man.

If he was as calm and composed as he was just now, it would be too extraordinary for a teenager to be so.

"Don't worry, just speak up. Even if you're wrong, I won't blame you."

Jia Cong thought for a moment and said:
“Your Majesty, I heard Eunuch Guo announce the imperial edict the other day. The imperial edict said: Our dynasty governs the world with filial piety. Filial piety does not distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate children, noble and humble, but only expresses the love for one’s parents.

I can relate to your words. I am just a scholar who has made no contribution to the country and should not have been given an official title. The reason why I was able to receive your majesty's favor and be given an official title is that your majesty wants to show the world's subjects the truth of filial piety, regardless of whether they are legitimate or illegitimate, noble or humble, and only show gratitude to their parents. "

After Jia Cong said this, he fell silent.

Originally, he wanted to say a few more words, but then he thought that too much talk would lead to mistakes, and his brain was more important, so he wisely swallowed the rest of his words.

Emperor Jia Zhao looked at Jia Cong with surprise on his face. It was rare for such a young boy to have such clear thoughts and to hit the nail on the head.

No wonder he won the first place at such an age, he is indeed a talented person.

Thinking of this, Emperor Jiazhao, who was always solemn and serious, also showed some admiration in his eyes.

"Well said! At such a young age, he was suddenly given a title, but he is not arrogant and has a clear mind. This is rare.

I will inform Li Shouzhong, the chief priest of the Imperial College, and ask him to assist the Jinling Imperial College. When you are not copying scriptures for the Empress Dowager, you can go there to listen to lectures without affecting your studies. You can leave now."

Jia Cong was stunned. It was over, but he felt relieved in his heart.

This emperor is really a quick-witted person. If he doesn't ask, it's fine. But once he asks, it's always about the most heart-wrenching topics. If you stay any longer, who knows what fatal questions he will ask.

When he stepped out of the hall, he found that his back was wet.

It is difficult for ordinary people to imagine the power accumulated by a king who visits the civil and military officials in the court every day.

Moreover, in the dispute over the etiquette of the life and death of the Empress Dowager, Emperor Jia Zhao's actions were so scheming and cunning that Jia Cong had long been wary of him.

It was his first time meeting the emperor, and it was rare that he could remain calm on the surface, but the tension and depression in his heart were indescribable.

Just as he was about to follow the young eunuch from the Imperial Household Department out of the palace, suddenly a palace maid walked in front of him. She was slender and graceful, and had a very pretty appearance.

"Eunuch, I am here on the orders of the Empress to bring Feng Zao Palace's female historian. I have the Feng Zao Palace's token as proof. Please check it."

When Jia Cong heard this, he was surprised. The female historian of Fengzao Palace, wasn’t she Jia Yuanchun?
The palace maid took out an exquisite silver plate, which was inlaid with a beautiful flying phoenix pattern and the three words "Fengzao Palace" were engraved in the middle.

The young eunuch carefully checked the silver medal and returned it to the palace maid.

The palace has always had strict rules and regulations, and the itinerary of people entering the palace has been arranged in advance. This young eunuch from the Imperial Household Department was ordered to bring Jia Cong into the palace this morning, and there was no prior ceremony for the Queen to summon him.

However, the silver medal of the Queen of Fengzao Palace is not bad at all. It seems that the Queen came up with the idea on a whim. But why didn't the Queen meet him in person, but asked Fengyilang to meet the female historian? What does this mean?
He also recognized this palace maid. She was an extremely outstanding one among the palace maids in Fengzao Palace.

Since there was the Fengzao Palace token as proof and the maid was a familiar face, everything was naturally fine. She would just go back to the Silijian and report to the chief eunuch.

After the eunuch left, the palace maid smiled at Jia Cong and said, "Master Cong, please follow me."

Jia Cong was stunned when he heard the address. Only the maids and servants in the Jia Mansion would call him like this. How come someone in the palace also called him like this?

Seeing that Jia Cong looked confused, the palace maid smiled slightly. Her watery eyes flashed with gentleness as she looked at Jia Cong's handsome face, seeming to recall many past events.

"The eldest lady and I have been in the palace for many years. When I left the Jia Mansion, Third Master Cong was still young, so he probably didn't remember me. I was Baoqin, the eldest lady's maid."

The personal maids of the four girls in the Jia family are each famous for their skills in playing the musical instrument, chess, calligraphy and painting.

Baoqin was the most senior maid among the young ladies in the Jia family. Yuanchun was selected to enter the palace because of her outstanding talent and appearance. To be her personal maid, she must have been an extraordinary person.

Jia Cong saw that she was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a beautiful appearance, a graceful figure, and a graceful manner like an orchid. She did not have the immaturity of Wu'er and Qingwen, but looked like a girl next door who had grown up.

"It turns out to be Sister Baoqin. Jia Cong is polite."

(End of this chapter)