Red Mansion: Holding Space and Marrying Like the Sea

After hearing Jia Yuanchun's sensible words, Grandmother Jia felt a sense of relief, and the worry on her face gradually faded. She nodded slightly in agreement. Meanwhile, Lady Wang, still feeling a bit anxious and eager to see this happen quickly, was reluctant to say anything more due to the presence of so many people.

As everyone was talking, they suddenly heard the faint sound of footsteps outside the door. The sound approached from afar and soon reached the entrance. Then, a young eunuch respectfully announced, "Your Majesty, the time has arrived. His Majesty has specially sent a servant to summon you to the Imperial Garden to enjoy the flowers together."

Upon hearing this, Jia Yuanchun took a deep breath, as if to absorb all the surrounding air. Then, slowly and calmly, she raised her hands and gently straightened the magnificent garment she was wearing. Every wrinkle, every detail, was meticulously tended to, revealing a noble and elegant demeanor.

Then, Jia Yuanchun, smiling, addressed Lady Jia, seated in the hall, and Lady Wang, standing nearby, speaking softly, "Grandmother, Mother, since His Majesty has summoned me, I must leave for now. I'll discuss this matter with you in detail when I return to the palace. I've instructed the servants to prepare a sumptuous feast, and a palace maid will arrive shortly to lead you to your meal." As soon as she finished her words, she swiftly rose to her feet, followed by the long-awaited young eunuch with graceful steps, and hurriedly left the room. Lady Jia and Lady Wang were left alone, staring at each other, speechless for a moment.

Meanwhile, in the garden, adorned with vibrant flowers and lush greenery, several butterflies that had been fluttering around the blossoms were startled and flew away, fluttering their wings. Seeing this, Jia Lian's wife smiled apologetically and whispered to the others, "Oh, I'm so sorry! I'm afraid I've scared away these beautiful butterflies." Li Wan, covering her mouth with her hand, chuckled softly and jokingly replied, "Sister, you've really added a touch of liveliness to our garden!" The women all laughed, and the atmosphere was light and cheerful. They chatted and laughed, continuing to admire the garden's beauty, completely unaware of what was happening inside.

Baoqin, who had been quietly standing by, silently observed the group of women chatting and laughing before her. However, her thoughts had already drifted to Jia Yuanchun, who had just left. Recalling the hardships and difficulties faced by the Empress in the palace, Baoqin couldn't help but sigh inwardly. She sincerely hoped that this rare moment of reunion would allow the Empress to temporarily forget her worries and sorrows and truly laugh heartily...

He ordered the outer palace to prepare a banquet for the guests. Soon, two palace maids and four young eunuchs arrived to lead the way, ushering them into a palace. The palace was neatly decorated, with tables and chairs neatly arranged and a variety of delicacies laid out. Everyone took their seats, and the banquet officially began. Before long, the once abundantly abundant dishes on the table vanished as if swept away by a gust of wind. Everyone devoured the delicious meal with voracious appetite, devouring it in a flash.

Seeing that everyone had almost finished eating, Grandmother Jia slowly stood up. She wore a smile and a dignified demeanor, followed closely by her daughters-in-law and granddaughters-in-law. They all bowed in unison towards the Fengzao Palace to express their deep gratitude for the banquet.

As everyone saluted, time slipped by. Before they knew it, the sun had already set, and it was almost the beginning of the evening hour. Thinking that staying here too long might cause inconvenience to the palace, everyone stood up and prepared to bid farewell to their host.

Baoqin, standing by, was quick-witted and quick-witted. Seeing everyone about to leave, she quickly and quietly instructed the palace maids beside her to lead the way for these distinguished guests. Upon receiving the order, the maids, not daring to neglect it, immediately stepped forward and led the guests in an orderly manner towards the inner palace gate. Along the way, the maids served with great care, fearing even the slightest negligence.

When they finally reached the inner palace gate, they found that the four young eunuchs who had greeted them were still there, quietly waiting. Seeing the guests emerge, the young eunuchs immediately bowed and saluted with great respect, escorting them all the way out of the palace.

However, behind this seemingly ordinary event, the emperor concealed a deeper purpose. The emperor had specifically chosen the day the Jia family entered the palace to summon Jia Yuanchun to accompany him, orchestrating a carefully planned "praise and kill" scheme. He intended to create the illusion that Jia Yuanchun was favored within the palace, thereby inducing complacency and lowering the guard of the Jia family. This would make it easier for him to exploit the Jia family in the future.

That day, Jia Mu and the others rode out in their magnificent sedan chairs. Jia She was already waiting respectfully at the door. When the sedan stopped, he hurried forward to greet them. After exchanging greetings, they all set out on their journey home.

After arriving home, everyone had barely had a moment's rest before they began to get busy again, simply because they needed to start making arrangements for their visit to the palace the next two days. During this time, the servants in the mansion were busy coming and going, busying themselves around, making the place very lively.

In this way, a few days passed quickly. Suddenly, good news came: Princess Yuan's illness had been cured! For a moment, the entire Jia family was immersed in joy, and everyone's face was filled with relieved smiles.

A few days later, several eunuchs, dressed in splendid attire, arrived at the gates of the Jia residence. They carried various precious items and heavy silver in their hands, all coming on the orders of the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine had bestowed this reward as a token of appreciation for the diligent and tireless service the Jia family had provided during the visit.

Upon hearing this, everyone in the Jia residence hurriedly straightened their clothes and lined up, kneeling in gratitude. After their thanksgiving, the eunuchs smiled and gestured for them to rise, ushering them into the house for a short rest. They were served fragrant tea, and after a few pleasantries with the eunuchs, they enjoyed their refreshments and returned to the palace to report back.

After the eunuch left, everyone returned to Jia's room as usual. At this time, there was constant laughter and joy in Jia's room. Everyone sat together, talking about interesting things in the palace or sharing their recent experiences. The atmosphere was harmonious and happy.

As everyone chatted and laughed, Madam Wang stood up and said with a smile on her face, "Grandfather, we have received so many rewards today, and the Queen is in good health. We should celebrate properly. Why don't we set up a few tables in the garden and have some fun together?" Jia Mu smiled and nodded in approval. Everyone bustled about, some telling the kitchen to prepare delicious food and wine, while others set up tables and chairs in the garden. Soon, everything was ready. Everyone took their seats according to their seniority, and after three rounds of wine and five dishes, Zhou Ruijia quietly approached Madam Wang and whispered something. Madam Wang's face changed slightly. But he quickly recovered himself, smiling at the crowd, saying, "I just got a funny story to share with everyone to cheer them up. There's a new shop down the street selling some novelties, including a glass cup that sparkles when filled with wine." Everyone was listening with amusement, unaware that Zhou Rui's news was actually a whisper from outsiders about the Jia family's current excessive publicity, fearing jealousy. Mrs. Wang thought, first calm everyone down and not spoil this rare moment of fun. So she continued to talk about the wonders of the glass cup, and everyone was immersed in the cheerful atmosphere again.

A moment later, Lady Wang hurried back from Lady Jia's place. Mrs. Zhou Rui hurried forward to greet her, bowing and greeting her, before beginning her conversation. The topic naturally turned to Yuanchun's reward.

Zhou Rui's wife was heard recounting in vivid detail, "My head of the household, Zhou Rui, came back from work today and told me some interesting stories! Those people outside are secretly speculating on just how wealthy our mansion is. Some say we have several vaults for silver alone, and countless more for gold. Others say all the utensils we use are inlaid with gold or jade, and are incredibly luxurious. Some even go so far as to say that since several of our daughters have become empresses and princesses, half of the royal treasures must go to their families. Just think about it, when the imperial concubine came home to visit her parents, she saw with her own eyes several carts of gold, silver, and treasures. She had decorated this house like a crystal palace, sparkling and magnificent. There's even a rumor that even the pair of stone lions in front of our door might be carved from jade!"

At this point, Mrs. Zhou Rui paused, then continued with a beaming expression, "Let's not talk about our grandmother and the other girls; they lived a life of luxury and comfort. Even the maids who worked in the house were pampered. They didn't have to do any work on weekdays; they just enjoyed life to the fullest. They'd get together to drink, play chess, play the zither, or paint, and there were always people waiting on them. These maids wore silks and satins every day, wore exotic jewelry, and ate and used rare items that ordinary people had never even seen."

The younger brothers and sisters were even more spoiled to the point of being lawless. They could get whatever they wanted. Even if it was the moon in the sky, which was out of reach, as long as they asked for it, someone would immediately find a way to pick it down for them to play with.

Furthermore, various ballads sang of the extravagance and splendor of the two mansions. One such verse ran: "Ningguo Mansion, Rongguo Mansion, their gold, silver, and treasures are as plentiful as dirt! They're too much to eat, too much to wear, if you count them carefully..." However, just as Zhou Ruijia was singing this with great enthusiasm, she suddenly seemed to realize something and abruptly stopped herself from continuing. The next line was supposed to be "It's all nothing after all." Zhou Ruijia, caught off guard, nearly blurted out this ominous remark. By the time she realized what she had done, she broke out in a cold sweat, secretly regretting her carelessness for nearly violating a taboo in front of so many people. She quickly stopped singing, fearing further trouble.

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang's expression changed slightly. Her not-so-bright mind instantly understood that the other person's words were definitely not good. However, because she was having a good day, she didn't press the issue any further. Instead, she slowly spoke, "These words sound truly frightening, and there's absolutely no humor in them. Life is becoming increasingly difficult for us, yet people outside still prioritize pomp and appearance."

At this point, Mrs. Wang couldn't help but sigh softly, then continued, "As the saying goes, 'People fear fame, just as pigs fear weight.' Moreover, what we have is just an empty title. As for how things will develop in the end, it's really hard to predict!"

At this time, Zhou Ruijia, who was standing by, quickly responded, "Madam, you've been very thoughtful. However, right now, teahouses, taverns, and alleys across the city are buzzing with discussion, and this situation hasn't been going on for just one or two days. It's not easy to silence everyone!"

After hearing these words, Mrs. Wang naturally knew that what Zhou Ruijia said was the truth, but even so, she still felt very uncomfortable.

Mrs. Wang frowned, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes. "Mrs. Zhou Rui, you need to pay more attention to this matter and make sure these gossips don't reach the master's ears." Mrs. Zhou Rui nodded hurriedly in agreement.

As they were talking, Jia Tanchun came in in a hurry. Seeing the slight displeasure on Mrs. Wang's face, she jokingly said, "Oh, what's wrong, Madam? Who has upset you?" Mrs. Wang briefly explained the situation. Jia Tanchun rolled her eyes and said with a smile, "Don't be upset, Madam. I think we should do some charity work, give out porridge to the poor. This will not only accumulate virtue and do good deeds, but also shut those people up and let them know that we are kind-hearted people."

Mrs. Wang's eyes lit up when she heard this. "Third Miss, this is a good idea. You and your sister-in-law will take care of the details." Jia Tanchun patted her chest and promised, "Don't worry, madam. I will see to it."

Zhou Ruijia echoed, "The third young lady is really smart. Now those gossipers will have nothing to say." Everyone looked satisfied, as if they had already seen what would happen after the rumors died down.