The Red Mansions

Chapter 1704 Sister Feng: Her mother-in-law deliberately made her look bad...

Shenjing City

Before I knew it, half a month had passed.

The rumors about Jia Heng's life experience in the capital have spread throughout the entire city of Shenjing.

Not long after, rumors from the Zongli Yamen further confirmed the rumors on the streets of Beijing.

Jia Heng was not the son of Jia, but the son of Wei Shuai, the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace during the Longzhi period.

Then, a fatal question arises: Should King Wei return to his original surname?

Daming Palace, Wuying Hall——

At this moment, all the cabinet ministers and military ministers of the Han Dynasty were also curious about what choice the young man in the python robe would make.

Jia Heng was sitting on a pearwood chair, looking up at the military ministers and cabinet ministers on both sides below him, sipping the fragrant tea in his hand with an expressionless face.

"Prince Wei, there are rumors circulating on the streets that Prince Wei holds a grudge against Emperor Sejong and intends to avenge his father." Shui Rong asked after a moment of silence.

As soon as these words were spoken, Qi Kun's hand, which was originally holding the teacup, paused slightly, his eyes dropped, and all kinds of doubts surged in his heart.

Lin Ruhai put down the teacup in his hand, raised his eyes to look at the young man in the python robe, and was also curious about what choice his son-in-law would make next.

Jia Heng said: "In the name of the cabinet, the imperial edict should be issued to the whole country and abroad, saying that the Prince of Wei is indeed the son of the chief of the East Palace Guards, but the grudges between the old friends have long gone with the wind, and there is no need to discuss it inside and outside the court."

When Shui Rong heard this, his eyes were deep and his heart was moved. He asked, "Has Zi Yu decided to return to his original surname?"

Jia Heng looked a little proud, and said: "A real man is born between heaven and earth, and he does not change his name or surname. Since you have achieved great success and honored your ancestors, how can you not acknowledge your ancestors and return to your roots?"

Shui Rong showed an expression of approval and said, "Zi Yu is right."

Jia Heng said immediately, "Although the surname has returned to Su, the titles of the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family should also be returned to their original owners."

In fact, even if he insisted on staying, it would not be a big deal, but it would not be conducive to his unity and winning over the hearts of the Jia clan members.

Even if he returned to his original surname, some of his fellow Jia clan members were still his direct descendants.

After Jia Heng finished speaking, he turned to another matter and asked, "Lord Shui, the Military Affairs Council has recently sent out ships to explore the sea. I wonder if there is any report yet?"

Shui Rong said: "Zi Yu, we just set out not long ago, and there is no news yet."

Zi Yu has asked this several times and seems to be very concerned about this matter.

Jia Heng nodded and said, "Then let's do it according to the regulations."

Jia Heng turned his head to look at the Minister of Rites Liu Zheng who was standing beside him, and asked, "How many Jinshi were selected from the Ministry of Rites in this imperial examination?"

Liu Zheng was silent for a moment, then said, "In reply to Prince Wei, all the Jinshi have been selected to the Hanlin Academy and the Censorate."

Afterwards, Jia Heng stayed in the palace for a while and then left the hall.

In April of the fourth year of Qiande in the Han Dynasty, the spring was bright and the sky was clear. The warm spring breeze blew on the faces of passers-by.

An imperial edict from the cabinet brought the noise and controversy in the capital city of Shenjing to an abrupt end.

Prince Wei Jia Heng officially restored his original surname, ending more than half a month of speculation about his life experience.

As for the ownership of the titles of the Ning and Rong mansions, it has become a shelved issue for both parties for the time being.

Prince Yan's Mansion, Back House——

King Chen Ze of Yan sat down beside a lacquered wooden table, his handsome face looked sinister. He looked at Zhao Yi who was sitting beside him, his eyes were cold and sharp, and said, "King Wei has indeed restored his original surname."

Zhao Yi said, "Your Highness, Prince of Yan, Prince of Wei no longer dwells on his grievances with Emperor Shizong and acts as a loyal servant of the country. This is nothing short of winning people's hearts."

Under the sharp and stern eyebrows of Yan Wang Chen Ze, his clear and bright eyes were sinister. He said, "How could I not know this? Wei Wang has always been good at doing these superficial things. When my father was alive, he was deceived by his treacherous and loyal appearance."

Zhao Yi asked, "What are your plans next, Your Majesty?"

King Chen Ze of Yan said: "For now, we should not do anything else. We can only wait and see what happens. Are there any officers in the Beijing camp who are interested in the Han Dynasty?"

Zhao Yi nodded and said in a deep voice: "Your Highness, the spies from the Jinyi Palace seem to be keeping a closer eye on us recently."

King Chen Ze of Yan frowned, and a sense of worry surged in his heart. He said, "Why not stop for a while? King Wei is a thoughtful person. I'm afraid he has already doubted me. In the next period of time, we must not act rashly with him."

Zhao Yi frowned and asked, "My Lord, how is Princess Xianning doing?"

Prince Chen Ze of Yan said, "My sister has been very kind to me, but she can't possibly help me deal with Prince Wei, so I don't need to count on her too much."

Zhao Yi nodded upon hearing this and said gently, "My Lord, I wonder where Concubine Rong is?"

Prince Chen Ze of Yan said: "My mother also doesn't have much help to offer in the palace, so don't expect too much."

Zhao Yi's face was filled with worry, and he said in a worried tone: "Your Highness, now the entire court is basically made up of Prince Wei's men. It is not easy for us to achieve anything."

King Chen Ze of Yan said in a cold voice: "King Wei has already won the battle, but there are many loyal officials and righteous men inside and outside the court. All we need to do is to make a call, and there will surely be many people responding."

King Chen Ze of Yan said: "To capture a thief, you must first capture the leader. You should have someone prepare first."

Since King Wei advocated new learning, he would use the new learning to end King Wei's life.

Considering the enormous power of the bombs and explosives, if they were used on King Wei, they could take his life.

……

……

Shenjing City, Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall——

Grandmother Jia sat on a Luohan bed covered with a mattress, and her old, fair face was filled with joy.

Sitting on the chairs on both sides at the bottom were Mrs. Xing and Mrs. Wang, as well as Aunt Feng, Li Wan and others.

The two have long since left the pregnancy period, the plumpness on their faces has faded a lot, and their behavior has become more maternal.

Not far away, Baoyu was sitting on a pear wood chair, and not far away was his wife Xu. Xu was the daughter of Xu Hong, a lecturer in the Hanlin Academy, and came from a scholarly family.

Grandmother Jia looked at Aunt Xue and said, "Now it is widely rumored that your elder brother Heng has restored his original surname, and the title of nobility in Rongguo Mansion should fall on you."

Baoyu said, "Madam, I have no interest in the title."

Although Baoyu declined, his wife Xu's eyes lit up.

She does need some titles from the Rongguo Mansion.

And Fengjie, who was sitting not far below, had a thoughtful look on her beautiful and gentle face.

According to the line of succession, she is the eldest daughter of the Rongguo Mansion, so it should be her child with Sister Wan who will inherit the title of the West Mansion.

Mrs. Xing also glanced at Mrs. Wang.

I'm afraid that her sister-in-law is eyeing the title of the West Mansion again.

Grandmother Jia nodded and whispered, "Yuanyang, send someone to the West Mansion to keep an eye on it. When Hengge'er comes back, ask someone to invite him over."

Yuanyang, on her side, uttered a soft "hmm" and sent a maid out of the hall to look for Jia Heng.

Grandmother Jia put down the teacup in her hand and said, "The title of the Ning Mansion still depends on Heng'er's opinion. No matter what, Heng'er is still the patriarch of the Jia family."

Mrs. Xing was listening at the side, and her fair and delicate face showed a slight change of expression.

He thought to himself, Heng Ge'er is the Prince of Wei, a royal prince. Whether the Jia family can remain rich and prosperous in the future really depends on Heng Ge'er.

Speaking of which, if Yuanchun, Yingchun and the others could marry Heng'er smoothly, it wouldn't cause gossip.

Grandmother Jia continued, "Recently, there has been quite a bit of gossip both inside and outside the mansion, but now it has calmed down."

After these words were spoken, Mrs. Wang's expression became a little unnatural.

Whether it was Li Wan or Feng Ji, both of them were pregnant with Jia Heng's child, not to mention the four girls in the Jia family. Yuan Ying and Tan Xi also followed Jia Heng, and Yuanchun even gave birth to a big fat boy for Jia Heng.

Aunt Xue smiled and changed the subject, whispering, "Let's wait for Heng'er to come back and see what we should do."

Grandmother Jia paused for a moment, then said, "Yuanyang, ask the kitchen to prepare some food, and call Bao and Lin over as well."

Yuanyang hummed softly, and then called a nanny to go to the Grand View Garden.

Grandmother Jia turned to look at Aunt Xue and asked, "How is Wenlong doing?"

Aunt Xue smiled and said, "Everything is fine."

Grandmother Jia said, "Wenlong seems to be more stable than in previous years."

Does imprisonment really have this tempering effect on a person's character?

or……

Grandmother Jia couldn't help but glance at Baoyu, and quickly regained her composure.

Baoyu was just feeling calm and composed when suddenly he became distracted.

Aunt Xue smiled kindly and said, "What the old lady said is right. I think so too. My daughter-in-law is pregnant again and is now nursing her baby at home."

Now let’s not talk about the power of the Jia family, let’s just say that Xue Pan has a brother-in-law who is the regent of the current dynasty.

Grandmother Jia nodded, her eyes deep, and said in a gentle voice: "Wenlong is not young anymore, it would be good to have a child."

Aunt Xue smiled and whispered, "I just hope it turns out to be a big fat boy, so I won't have to worry about him anymore."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "There's no need to worry. You'll have something to worry about in the future."

Aunt Xue smiled, feeling an inexplicable joy in her heart.

On the other side, just as Lady Jia and Aunt Xue were chatting, Jia Heng returned to the mansion after handling government affairs in the palace. When he entered the study, he looked at Chen Xiao who was sitting on one side of the table.

Behind a square lacquered wooden table in the inner study of Ningguo Mansion, Jia Heng stared at Chen Xiao, who was sitting on a lacquered wooden chair, and asked, "Are there any new developments on the part of Prince Yan?"

Chen Xiao was holding his son at the moment, sitting on a soft couch by the window, and said, "Recently, I have been in frequent contact with some officers of the Beijing Camp."

Jia Heng said: "Although the Prince of Yan is a little younger, he is already as cunning as Emperor Shizong. Now he is hiding his minions in the palace, waiting for an opportunity to act. You and I must be on guard."

It is now the fourth year of Qiande, and ten years have passed since the fourteenth year of Chongping. He is now twenty-four years old and is at the peak of his youth.

At this moment, Qingwen moved her slender waist and walked quickly into the house, whispering, "Your Highness, the old lady from the West Mansion sent someone over, saying that she has something important to discuss."

This little maid who used to be by Jia Heng's side is now graceful and elegant in her movements, and there seems to be a hint of beautiful and moving charm between her eyebrows.

But there was a sense of resentment between his eyebrows.

In other words, after such a long time of marriage, Qingwen's belly was still not moving. Seeing the good news coming out from the backyard one after another, Qingwen couldn't help but feel a little anxious in her heart.

Now, among all the ladies in the backyard, each one wants Jia Heng's child as a supporter.

Jia Heng smiled, walked closer, and under Chen Xiao's angry gaze, he gently pinched his child's soft and tender face and said, "Let's not talk about this for now. I'll go over first."

Chen Xiao nodded and said, "Go ahead."

Then, he watched Jia Heng go away.

……

……

Rongguo Mansion, Rongqing Hall——

In the hall, one can see the aroma floating in the air, the green and red flowing, the pearls shining and the jade-like beauty.

At this moment, Grandmother Jia was already chatting with Baochai and Daiyu.

Grandmother Jia smiled and asked, "Bao girl, why don't you see Zhuo'er?

Baochai's eyes were as clear and warm as rainbows under her thick dark blue eyebrows. She said, "Zhuo'er is being fed by the wet nurse right now."

Grandmother Jia nodded slightly, then looked at her daughter Jia Ru in Daiyu's arms, smiled, and asked, "This girl's eyebrows and eyes really look like you and your mother."

To Grandmother Jia, Daiyu is her granddaughter, and Jia Ru is her great-granddaughter. As the saying goes, children of different generations are close relatives, and those of two generations apart are even closer.

Daiyu smiled with her bright eyes under her smoky eyebrows, and said, "Old lady, others also say that Ru'er has the same eyebrows and eyes as I did when I was a child."

At this moment, Baoyu turned his chubby face and looked at Daiyu with deep affection.

Even after many years, Baoyu still misses Daiyu and remains true to his original intention.

While Baochai was talking, she picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup, took a sip, and looked at Baoyu who was sitting not far away. For some reason, she remembered that when she first came to the capital city, her family wanted her to marry Baoyu.

That was truly the beginning of a lifelong nightmare.

At this moment, a maid dressed in silk and satin entered the hall and said, "Madam, the prince is here."

As they were talking, the young man in the python robe came quickly from outside. Under the gaze of everyone, he approached and asked, "Old lady."

A flourishing smile appeared on Jia's old, fair face, and she said in a gentle voice, "Brother Heng, you are here."

Jia Heng entered the hall, looked at Grandmother Jia, and asked, "The old lady called me, what is it for?"

Grandmother Jia looked expectant as she said, "I just heard from outsiders that you have restored your original surname."

Jia Heng said loudly, "That is true. I have already announced it to the public and restored my original surname to set the record straight."

He has now announced it to the public.

Grandmother Jia said, "Brother Heng, didn't you say before..."

Jia Heng sat down with a strange look on his face, and said, "How should I talk about the title of nobility from Rongguo Mansion?"

At this point, Mrs. Wang, who was not far away, had pricked up her ears and pretended to listen attentively.

It can be said that Mrs. Wang has been waiting for this day for a long time.

Even though Jia Zheng has now been promoted to Vice Minister of Six Ministries, Mrs. Wang has never complained about too many benefits.

At this moment, Madam Xing said, "In Rongguo Mansion, according to the rules, the eldest son should inherit."

Grandmother Jia frowned, glanced at Madam Xing, and said in a gentle voice, "What do you mean?"

Madam Xing said, "Isn't Brother Lian's daughter-in-law still here? She has a pair of twins, a boy and a girl."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the entire Rongqing Hall suddenly became strange.

Everyone in the mansion knew that the twin boy and girl born to Sister Feng were Master Heng's children.
And Fengjie's beautiful face suddenly turned red for no reason, anger lingered in her almond-shaped eyes, and the handkerchief in her hand was clenched tighter.

Her mother-in-law deliberately made her look bad.

Grandmother Jia gave a clear rebuke and said, "Nonsense!"

Jia Heng had an indifferent expression on his face. He reached out to pick up the teacup beside him and took a sip.

At his current position, he no longer feels anything about these things.

Grandmother Jia was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Jia Heng and asked, "Brother Heng, what do you think?"

Jia Heng said, "On the eldest branch, Jia Cong has been promoted to the rank of a thousand households in the Beijing camp. He will inherit the title of Ningguo Mansion. Our Jia family will have another young man with military merit to help the family."

When Grandmother Jia heard this, her expression changed.

Grandmother Jia really couldn't figure out who Cong Ge'er was, but she vaguely thought of someone in her mind.

Mrs. Wang's face changed, and she couldn't help but squeeze the Buddhist beads bracelet in her hand a little harder.

How could this Hengge do this?

Baoyu is his brother-in-law?
And her two daughters were given to Heng Ge'er.

Madam Xing took over the conversation and said with a smile, "Old lady, Brother Heng is right. Brother Cong should inherit the title of the West Mansion."

If Jia Cong took over the title of Ningguo Mansion, she would be the legal mother and have the legal advantage.

Jia Heng said, "I know that the old lady loves Baoyu, but Baoyu's future does not lie in the title, but in the scholar circle. In our dynasty, military merit is used as a stepping stone for advancement, so it is legitimate for Cong'er to inherit the title."

He could have just as easily accepted a loyal confidant, but what was the point of giving the title to Baoyu? To keep another wealthy idler in the mansion?
At this moment, Grandmother Jia really fell silent.

Madam Xing's fair face showed an eager smile as she said, "It is only right to let Cong inherit the title."

Mrs. Wang was so angry that she gritted her teeth.

How can it be the turn of the eldest son of the family to inherit the title? There must be someone worse off, right?
Grandmother Jia asked, "Brother Heng, what about the title of the East Palace?"

Jia Heng did not make any comment, and said, "Let's wait and see about the title of the East Palace. However, the East Palace has no descendants, so I want to choose one of my descendants to inherit, which will not disappoint the fate with the Jia family."

Upon hearing this, Jia's mother fell silent again.

As the political support of the Jia family, Jia Heng's ties with the Jia family become closer and closer, which means the power of the Jia family becomes more solid.

On the other side, Jia's mother paused for a moment and said, "Heng'er, you are right."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then said, "Let's leave it at that for now."

As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and turned to look at Baoyu, who was calm and composed, with his infatuated eyes fixed on Daiyu, and said, "Baoyu, have you taken the imperial examination recently?"

Last time, Baoyu did not pass the imperial examination and is currently still a student at the Imperial Academy. Of course, Baoyu has never participated in the provincial examination, so he can be said to have taken the shortcut of becoming a student through imperial examination.

Baoyu was lost in thought, and his wife, Xu, beside him, gently pulled him aside and said, "Husband, Brother Heng is asking you something."

Baoyu seemed to have just woken up from a dream. He met Jia Heng's gaze and said quickly, "I will take a year off to study and prepare for the next exam."

Jia Heng nodded, and said in a clearer voice: "Baoyu, if you can pass the imperial examination, you can become an official in red robes in the future."

When Baoyu heard this, he did not react and looked dull.

Xu, who was sitting nearby, had a much more enthusiastic smile on her fair and flawless face, and she quickly tugged at Baoyu's sleeve.

At this moment, Baoyu raised his eyes and looked at Jia Heng, with a thoughtful look in his eyes.

At this moment, Yuanyang came into the hall, with a smile on her face with a few freckles, and said, "Madam, the meal in the kitchen is ready."

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Brother Heng, let's not talk about that for now. Let's have dinner first."

Jia Heng nodded and sat down.