Red Mansion: Fuyao River and Mountain

Chapter 196: Welcoming the Zhen Ancestral Temple

The young men from the two governments, who had been somewhat deaf and dumb a moment ago, shuddered when they heard the harsh announcement.

Wasn't the silver reward for the Spring Festival awarded before the New Year? Even if Mrs. Du was newly conferred an imperial decree, why would this additional silver reward be given any other day, but today?

Who got the guts to let those guys from the Ministry of Rites come here in such a dangerous situation? It's obvious that they are going to cause trouble.

Everyone looked confused or even looked outside the ceremonial gate of the ancestral hall in horror...

……

To the west of Shenjing City, there is Muni Temple.

Jia Cong knelt in front of Du's spirit tablet, Zhishao and Wu'er burned paper money beside him, Qingwen and Yinglian placed offerings on the altar and lit incense and candles.

Zhishao saw Jia Cong standing quietly facing the tablet of his deceased mother, lost in thought, with no sadness or joy on his face. She had no idea what he was thinking and felt pity for him.

He walked over and knelt beside him, clasped his hands together, and silently chanted to Du's tablet:
"Through deep reverence for the Buddha, one can achieve this light. Seeing the various forms of the Buddha will make one's mind terrified and helpless. The darkness will be illuminated and all the sufferings in hell will be extinguished..."

When Jia Cong saw Zhishao kneeling beside him, with a charming figure, a pretty face, a pious expression, and chanting scriptures, he felt a warmth in his heart.

Amid the murmuring sounds of the scriptures, the gloomy and depressed mood of the past few days gradually softened and calmed down, and a sense of tranquility and peace suddenly emerged in the Buddhist hall.

At this time, Juaner came from outside and reported that Miss Lin had arrived.

Jia Cong couldn't believe his ears and asked again, "Who did you say is here?"

Daiyu is a daughter of a wealthy family and there is no reason for her to go out alone. Why would she come to Muni Temple? Why would the old lady agree to it?

Juan'er replied, "Miss Lin has brought Sister Zijuan and Nanny Wang to the Muni Temple. They have just stopped their carriage outside the temple gate and are about to come in."

Jia Cong was excited and stood up to greet him.

Daiyu was seen wearing a long blue and white satin double-breasted jacket, a rain-blue undershirt with a small collar, a plain white pleated skirt, and a lotus green cloak with a crane pattern.

She has a graceful temperament like orchid, a slender waist, and is as pretty as jade, with an immortal and charming demeanor.

Jia Cong asked anxiously, "Why is Sister Lin here? Did she take the carriage from the mansion?"

If Lady Jia knew that Daiyu had come to Muni Temple today, it would be very disadvantageous to Daiyu. He really didn't want her to be involved in his affairs.

Zijuan replied, "Third Master, the young lady asked Nanny Wang to rent a carriage outside, and did not use the carriages and horses in the mansion. The mansion did not know that the young lady had left the mansion."

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Sister Lin shouldn't have come. It's unnecessary to cause you trouble."

Daiyu smiled and said, "Why shouldn't I come? My mother died young and my father is far away. I am the same as my third brother. Others won't come, but I will."

After hearing this, Jia Cong felt warm in his heart.

"Over the years, Third Brother has studied hard, tried to establish himself, and done many glorious things. I have seen it all and I admire him deeply."

When Daiyu said this, she suddenly realized that Zijuan, Zhishao and others had left the Buddhist hall at some point, leaving only her and Jia Cong.

I don't know what she thought of, her face slightly reddened, and she said: "Although the old lady loves me, I am not a member of this family after all. Living in another family, just like today's family sacrifice, I am always just an outsider.

Since I came to the mansion, I have been homesick and miss my father, and I have a lot of worries. In the past few years, thanks to the comfort and care from my third brother, I have lived a much happier life and even cried less. I remember the kindness of my third brother to me...

Jia Cong was shocked when he heard her suddenly reveal her true feelings, her sweet voice and her deep love.

Then I heard Daiyu say, "Today is the day of the Spring Festival. My aunt has just been granted an imperial title and should be enjoying the glory of incense and worship, but her soul is buried in a lonely Buddhist temple. I think my third brother must be upset.

I was really worried, so I came to see my third brother and pay my respects to my aunt. Men are open-minded, and even if there are some setbacks, they will eventually pass, so you don’t have to take it to heart.”

Jia Cong listened to her words of concern and tender consolation, and thought that as a girl from a boudoir, she had never been so rash as to leave the house alone, but she did it without hesitation because she missed him.

He felt as if his heart was soaked in warm water, and felt indescribably warm. He stepped forward, took Daiyu's hand, and said, "Sister, your kindness in coming to Muniyuan today, I will remember it for the rest of my life."

Daiyu's pretty face flushed with embarrassment when he held her hand, but she did not struggle. She looked at him with her bright eyes, then lowered her eyelids, and the corners of her mouth raised slightly, as if she was smiling.

"You, I'm afraid there will be many people who will remember you in the future. When you see sister or girl again, you may forget about me, your sister."

Jia Cong was stunned when he heard this. Lin Duidui was indeed worthy of his reputation.

Seeing his expression, Daiyu smiled slightly, pulled her hand free from his grasp, took three incense sticks from the incense table, lit them and put them in the incense burner.

Then he knelt on the cushion in front of the Du family's shrine and kowtowed three times respectfully.

……

Ningguo Mansion, the ancestral hall of the Jia family.

When Jia Zhen, Jia Zheng and others heard the servant's report, their faces all changed.

The two men hurried out to greet the official from the Ministry of Rites. They saw an official wearing fifth-rank ceremonial uniform, holding a tray with a bright yellow silk bag on it.

On the silk bag were written the words "a supplementary reward to Mrs. Du, a fifth-rank concubine in Rongguo Mansion."

Every year, the silver reward for the spring sacrifice was distributed by the Ministry of Rites and Sacrifices to high-ranking officials in the court before New Year's Eve. It was used to sacrifice to the ancestors of high-ranking officials to show the emperor's great grace and glory.

In the case of a newly deceased noble, or a posthumously honored noble like Jia Cong's mother Du, additional silver would be given as a reward for the spring sacrifice, but it was not a fixed rule and it was somewhere between what could be given and what could not be given.

It would be fine if the Ministry of Rites wanted to give the additional reward silver, but why did they choose this day? No one would believe it if they said it was an unintentional act.

In recent days, it has been rumored that the tablet of Jia Cong's biological mother is difficult to enter the Jia family ancestral temple. Although Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen and others knew about this, they just thought it was just the gossip of the common people. Although it was unpleasant to hear, they didn't take it too seriously.

Judging from the current situation, I'm afraid something is going to happen.

At this time, the news that the Ministry of Rites had suddenly given Du Shi additional silver for the Spring Festival sacrifice had also spread to the female relatives who were offering sacrifices in the inner hall. When Lady Jia heard it, her face turned pale.

The servants outside the ceremonial gate suddenly sang and reported:

"The eunuchs in Prince Ning's mansion received orders to carry the sacrificial offerings to the coffin of the fifth-rank concubine of the eldest son, fulfilling the duty of serving as a colleague..."

"Lord Zheng Yang of the Left Temple of the Dali Temple brought the sacrificial offerings to the coffin of the fifth-rank lady of the eldest son's family, fulfilling the duty of a colleague..."

"Gu Hongwen, the eldest son of the Shangshu Mansion, brought the offerings to the coffin of the fifth-rank concubine of the eldest son's family, fulfilling the duty of a long-standing friend..."

"Zhongjing Hou's eldest son Shi Bingyi brought the offerings to the coffin of the eldest son's fifth-rank concubine, fulfilling the duty of friendship and goodwill..."

"Liu Qiong, the second grandson of the Liu family in Luocang Mountain, brought the offerings to the spirit of the fifth-rank lady of the eldest house, fulfilling the duty of serving a fellow disciple..."

……

The concubine's brothers who were outside the main hall heard the servants announce that this series of offerings were all for the eldest son of the eldest house who had been posthumously conferred the fifth rank. They were all surprised and whispered to each other.

When Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen and others in the main hall heard the series of sacrificial offerings, they all rushed towards Jia Cong's biological mother, Mrs. Du, as if they had discussed it beforehand, and their faces became increasingly ugly.

Every time the servants outside sang an announcement, their hearts twitched violently.

Even Prince Ning sent offerings. Jia Zheng knew that Jia Cong and Prince Ning had worked together in Jinling, but for a prince like him to send offerings, wasn't that a bit too much of an honor?

There is only one minister with the surname Gu in the entire court, and he is the Minister of War Gu Yankui, one of the top six ministries. How does he have a relationship with Jia Cong?
The Dali Temple Chief was also an extremely important official position.

There is actually the Marquis Zhongjing Mansion. Did he come here specifically to ruin his aunt’s career...?

When the news reached the inner hall where the women were offering sacrifices, Grandmother Jia's face turned pale and she fell down on her cushion.

(End of this chapter)