The Cloud Feather of the Red Chamber: A Marriage Arranged with Gong Yuanzheng at the Start

Outside the painting, Gong Zishang, like Daiyu, straightened her chest.

It's easy to imagine who Daiyu learned this gesture from.

"I never thought I'd be this powerful in the future. Like Monk Horn, I've become a Marquis."

"Congratulations, Lord Marquis!" Xue Chongzi praised with a smile from the side.

This instantly made Gong Zishang's tail wag even higher. "Oh dear, no need for so much formality. We're all family, just relax!"

Gong Yuanzheng couldn't help but roll his eyes at her haughty little face.

Gong Zishang noticed immediately and looked at him with a mocking expression.

"Younger brother Yuanzheng, it's not like you're the only one among the three siblings of the Gong family who's still just an ordinary commoner, is it?"

Gong Yuanzheng: "..." He took a deep breath and decided not to argue with Gong Zishang.

Gong Zishang clearly wanted to tease him further, "Really? When Qingyue married you, she was a daughter of an official! You wouldn't have a lower status after marriage, would you?"

Gong Yuanzheng was somewhat embarrassed and angry. "You can shut up now!"

Gong Zishang immediately made a shushing gesture.

Gong Yuanzheng turned his head away angrily, and then began to think carefully about whether there was any way to improve his status.

Or should we give the imperial court the poison and medicine formulas he developed?

Gong Yuanzheng frowned. It might not be a good thing if these highly toxic prescriptions were to leak out.

The prescription is acceptable.

Or perhaps we could give the herbs he cultivated to the imperial court?

However, these herbs require specific environments to grow, and they may not be able to survive in the capital.

Gong Yuanzheng was somewhat troubled. He decided to write to his brother and ask for his opinion.

He didn't care about his own social status, but he didn't want Yue'er to be inferior or looked down upon.

Gong Zishang looked at Gong Yuanzheng, who was deep in thought, and shut her mouth with satisfaction.

She knew that using reverse psychology to talk to Gong Yuanzheng was the simplest and quickest way.

What, is there any other way?

Of course! Given the current relationship between the siblings, if you talk to Gong Yuanzheng properly, he will definitely listen.

But since she could both amuse her younger brother and achieve her goal, why wouldn't she do it?

Satisfied, he turned his gaze back to the painting.

Seeing that everyone's attention was focused on the Lin sisters, Jia Tanchun held Daiyu's hand, wanting to ask her in detail about Gong Zishang's deeds.

Xue Baochai couldn't help but laugh and said, "Although Sister Gong's abilities are admirable, it's not good for her to stay in the firearms camp all day long."

"I've heard that this firearms battalion is mostly composed of adult men..."

Daiyu's expression immediately turned serious. "Sister Bao, you are truly lenient with yourself but strict with others."

"If you're so particular about the separation of men and women, why do you still want to live in the Jia family's house?"

"You and your second cousin are both over seven years old, why do you still play together all day long?"

Xue Baochai's lips trembled slightly. "Brother Bao and I are related siblings, so naturally we are different."

Daiyu snorted, "Yes, they are relatives, siblings."

Although he didn't continue to criticize Xue Baochai, Xue Baochai felt as if she had been slapped hard in the face.

Of all the girls living in the Jia family home, she was the only one from outside the family.

Boys and girls should not sit together after the age of seven. Jia Yingchun and the others were blood relatives of Jia Baoyu, so they could still excuse themselves by saying that they were too young.

Although Shi Xiangyun was not a member of the Jia family, she did not live in the Jia family. She would only come to stay for a few days when invited by Grandmother Jia.

Thinking of Shi Xiangyun, she seemed to have found a solution, and her eyes lit up.

"Sister Lin, you can't talk nonsense. I've come to the capital to participate in the imperial selection, and Sister Yun only comes to the Jia family occasionally to visit the old lady..."

"Miss Xue has excellent eloquence," Lin Qingyue interrupted Xue Baochai.

"What a clever trick to shift the blame. I don't believe you can't understand what my sister means."

"I'm in a good mood today, and I don't want to waste time with you. I just want to ask Miss Xue one question."

Lin Qingyue looked at Xue Baochai with a half-smile, "According to you, Sister Zishang should stay in the Firearms Camp to research the Heavenly Destruction because of other people's gossip?"

"Should the soldiers of my Qing Kingdom engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy as they did thirty years ago? Should they sacrifice their lives for our peaceful lives now?"

Xue Baochai's face turned completely pale, and Jia Tanchun, Jia Yingchun, and Jia Xichun all looked at her differently.

Both of the Jia family's dukes had experienced battles, and their early deaths were related to the great war thirty years ago.

If these two had not passed away so early, the Rong and Ning mansions would certainly be in a completely different state of affairs.

Even the Emperor lamented that the Heavenly Destruction hadn't appeared sooner; if Xue Baochai had dared to accept Lin Qingyue's offer, the Xue family would be obsolete by tomorrow.

Xue Baochai tried her best to maintain a smile on her face and appear as relaxed as possible.

"Sister Lin, you've misunderstood me. I just think it's not good to spend all day with men. If possible, it wouldn't be a bad idea to develop the Heaven Destroyer at home."

Lin Qingyue's expression suddenly turned cold. "Miss Xue, you have quite the nerve to develop such a powerful weapon at home. What, are you trying to make the court misunderstand that the palace is plotting a rebellion?"

Xue Baochai's composure was completely shattered, and her retort to Daiyu could still be smoothed over by the excuse of a young lady's bickering.

Lin Qingyue's question instantly elevated the topic to the level of the imperial court.

No matter how intelligent she was, she had never been involved in court affairs, so she dared not speak casually.

All the young girls present immediately fell silent, including the maids and servants who were serving nearby; not one of them dared to utter a sound.

Rebellion—such a grave crime, who could bear it?

Lin Qingyue ignored Xue Baochai and looked at Daiyu and Jia Yingchun.

"Yu'er, Yingchun, let's go find Sister Feng. We haven't had a proper chat with her yet today."

Daiyu immediately stood up. "I haven't met Qiao'er yet, I'll go and see her."

Jia Yingchun smiled and looked at Jia Xichun and the others, "Third sister, fourth sister, Yun sister, would you like to come with us?"

It's normal that Xue Baochai wasn't invited. Lin Qingyue and Daiyu clearly didn't like her, so naturally Jia Yingchun wouldn't invite her either, lest she displease the Lin sisters.

Jia Xichun readily agreed, and Jia Tanchun also agreed without hesitation. She still had many questions about Gong Zishang and wanted to learn more about her from Daiyu.

To Jia Yingchun's greatest surprise, Shi Xiangyun actually agreed.

She only asked Shi Xiangyun out of respect for Grandmother Jia; she never expected her to agree.

Everyone in the Jia family knows that Shi Xiangyun and Xue Baochai are the closest of friends. Every time she comes to the Jia family, she is inseparable from Xue Baochai. Has she changed her ways today?

But now that she had agreed, Jia Yingchun naturally wouldn't abandon her.

Ignoring Xue Baochai's expression, the group walked hand in hand toward Jia She's courtyard.

Xue Baochai watched the departing crowd, her gaze sweeping over the servants sweeping the surroundings.

I felt my body getting colder and colder, inch by inch.

The servants of the Jia family, after a year of Wang Xifeng's ruthless training, had long since given up their "fine tradition" of gossiping.

Their conversations within the mansion naturally couldn't reach outsiders, but they certainly did reach the ears of all the masters of the Jia family.

Why did the Xue family insist on living in the Jia family's residence? First, they wanted to leverage the Jia family's influence to pass the selection process.

Second, it was also to provide himself with a backup plan.

If she were the daughter of a former imperial merchant, she might have a chance through a preliminary selection.

The Xue family is now just an ordinary merchant family; it's a pipe dream for them to try and pass the selection process.

Living in the Jia family and developing feelings for Jia Baoyu over time, this was Xue Baochai's only chance to marry into a noble family as their principal wife.

This was a decision made after discussions between her father and uncle.

But Xue Baochai clearly realized that she had messed everything up.

If Grandmother Jia knew about her conversation with Lin Qingyue today, she would definitely not let her continue living in the Jia family.

"Ying'er, help me back." Xue Baochai closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, the fear had disappeared.

However, her voice still trembled slightly.

Shi Xiangyun remained silent throughout the journey, which aroused Jia Xichun's curiosity.

"You used to be the most talkative, but now you've become a silent gourd?"

Shi Xiangyun shook her head, her expression somewhat gloomy. "Sister Bao seems different from when I first met her."

Jia Xichun turned her head away instantly; she simply wanted to ask her more questions!

Jia Tanchun leaned close to Daiyu and whispered, "Second Sister Lin, can you tell me about Sister Gong?"

Daiyu frowned slightly. "About Master?"

My master's family affairs are naturally off-limits, and there are some secrets involving the palace that I can't talk about either. There's not much more I can say.

After thinking for a moment, Daiyu said to Jia Tanchun:

“My master has had a talent for weapon crafting since she was a child, and the palace is very free, so it doesn’t restrict her hobbies.”

"Now, she is in charge of the palace gate, and almost all of the palace gate's weapons and hidden weapons were designed and made by my master."

Jia Tanchun asked with some curiosity, "I've heard that there are two men in this generation of the palace..."

She immediately stopped talking, a hint of annoyance appearing on her face.

One of the men was their cousin's husband, and her saying this in front of Sister Lin inevitably carries the suspicion of sowing discord.

Daiyu immediately understood Jia Tanchun's question. The biggest difference between the palace and other families was that they did not have as much prejudice against women as outsiders.

"You mean Brother Shangjiao and Brother-in-law, right? They're overjoyed that my master is doing these things for them."

"Now, my master not only oversees the research and development of weapons for the palace, but also manages all of the palace's businesses."

"It can't be said that my master was in charge of everything. Brother Daxue and Brother Xiaoxue also took charge of some external affairs."

"This year, my master will also be going on an inspection tour. The date has been set, and he will set off next month. If nothing unexpected happens, he should be back in about six months."

Jia Tanchun was stunned. Could an unmarried woman go out alone for so long?

The Jia family also owns shops and estates, which are now managed by Sister Feng.

However, it was always the stewards who delivered the accounts to the manor. Unless absolutely necessary, Sister Feng would not easily go to those shops and estates.

These young women, confined to their homes, faced even more restrictions.

She had thought that a woman's life would be confined to this square courtyard, but she never expected that she could have such great freedom.

If only she could go out too.

Jia Tanchun's gaze involuntarily drifted into the distance.

Under the blue sky and white clouds, a flock of cheerful birds flew by, leaving only a series of melodious birdsong.

Her heart began to pound uncontrollably.