The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 153 Consort Zhen

In Ningfu Palace, Consort Zhen held the note her son had sent in, her mood extremely sour.

The son made a very stupid move.

If you want to take action against the Jia family's Shen family, then go ahead and do it. However, the biggest mistake you should have made was sending someone to probe the Prince of Nan'an's residence at that time.

Princess Zhen of Nan'an was no ordinary person.

If nothing happens to the Shen family, all is well, but if something does happen... he will definitely be held hostage by the Prince of Nan'an's mansion.

Such a blood feud between close relatives doesn't even need evidence; just a suspicion is enough for the Jia family to fight to the death.

Even if the Jia family is not a threat now, what about Jia Jing?

Consort Zhen suspected that he would return directly from the Taoist temple to his residence and seek revenge at all costs.

Will the retired emperor intervene then?

Will the Emperor intervene?
It's likely that both sides want to use this opportunity to see just how many hidden tricks the Jia family still has up their sleeves.

Consort Zhen's heartbeat was slightly irregular.

Her son often complained that she hadn't fought for him back then, but how could she fight for him?

The retired emperor was first and foremost the emperor, and only then were they their fathers.

To secure his throne, he was willing to sacrifice the crown prince he had raised himself. What else could he not sacrifice?
If she had dared to utter even a single word back then… no, if she had dared to show even a hint of it on her face, she and her son would have been together in the afterlife.

Even if the retired emperor regrets it afterward, will it do any good for the mother and son?
Consort Zhen held the slip of paper and slowly brought it to the candle, watching it burn to ashes. Then she crushed the ashes and sprinkled them into the flowerpot.

The Shen family must not be allowed to get into trouble.

Even if something happens, it can only happen in the palace.

Only in the imperial palace could her son avoid being targeted by the Prince of Nan'an's mansion, and Jia Jing and the Jia family... couldn't do anything about it.

Or perhaps, in a fit of anger, they might turn against her and sympathize with her son.

Even if they don't vote for you, as long as you turn a blind eye to certain things, you can still play a decisive role at crucial moments.

Consort Zhen let out a soft sigh and turned to find the Emperor Emeritus.

……

On July 22, the Tatars launched an attack, but it was not Ningxia as everyone thought, but Hami Guard.

Hami's entire army fought valiantly, suffering heavy casualties. The general was shot by an arrow and fell into a coma. Shi Ding, who was then the battalion commander, personally led 300 soldiers to launch a night raid on the Tatars when both sides were exhausted. They burned their grain supplies, seized warhorses, and returned in great victory.

On July 26, with reinforcements from all sides failing to arrive in Hami, the Tatars, in alliance with the Dzungars, launched another attack, but were stubbornly driven back by Shi Ding.

In the early morning of July 28th, Shi Ding launched another night raid on the Tatars, returning with a minor victory. At this time, in order to relieve the pressure on Hami Guard, Xia Yu, the general of Ningxia, also officially sent troops to the Tatars to seize the Hetao region.

On the second day of the eighth month, the emperor mobilized troops from all sides to provide full support to the border troops.

As the Director of the Military Treasury, Jia Lian spent almost every day and night at the Ministry of War, perfectly missing the auspicious days when Cheng Luo and Yuan Chun requested to retire.

At this point, both the retired emperor and the emperor were extremely grateful that after taking over the Li family, they also took over the Lu family. They had plenty of money and spent most of it on military equipment for various parties; otherwise...

"You still need to investigate further in Jiangnan!"

The ten largest salt merchants in Jiangnan.

There are plenty of people whose butts aren't clean.

"Yes!"

The emperor smiled and said, "But those people aren't fools. They had already taken care of most of the problems when they dealt with the Li family. I had Prince Zhongshun and Zuo Xing investigate there for so long, but they've only managed to catch a few minor ones."

That's what he said, but he was still quite satisfied.

Even the smallest mosquito is still meat.

Later on, as the weather gets colder, it would be good to get an extra pair of shoes for the border troops.

Moreover, it's not just shoes.

The thick cotton-padded coats for the troops on all sides are now on their way to be distributed.

The Emperor Emeritus: "..."

The old man actually knew that Prince Zhongshun and Zuo Xing had secretly received a lot of benefits from the salt merchants, but most of that money was given to the emperor's son.

"Father, your birthday celebration is just around the corner."

The emperor, as if about to give a surprise, said, "Look..."

"Hmm, then let's make it bigger."

If your son has money, isn't it normal to give him a bigger celebration?

"……Yes!"

The emperor hesitated for only a second, then seemed to happily agree.

How to do it?

He originally thought that since the war was being fought on the frontier, his father would be able to suggest a simplified approach.

In the past, things were always kept simple.

Unfortunately, today Father Emperor is acting unpredictably and insists on holding a grand celebration.

The emperor, quick-witted, smiled and said, "Father, how about we have all the elderly people over sixty in the capital receive a new cotton-padded coat on your birthday, so they can share in your joy and be grateful for your kindness?"

Instead of making things fancy, he should do something practical.

"Hmm~, okay!"

This was something the retired emperor hadn't expected.

A smile crept into the old man's eyes. "The rest will remain the same."

As usual, a grand palace banquet was held.

His father accepted gifts, his brothers expressed their filial piety, and he and the empress worked hard.

There are 20 hot dishes, 20 cold dishes, 4 soups, 4 side dishes, 4 fresh fruits, 28 kinds of melons, fruits and candied fruits, and 29 kinds of snacks and pastries, for a total of 109 dishes.

Add some alcohol...

He also had to guard against those who took advantage of his drunkenness or illness to curry favor.

It's done; it's his responsibility.

It can't be done well...

Although he wouldn't necessarily do a bad job, his father would always reward people whenever he was in a good mood at the palace banquet.

Since his father rewarded him, he, as the son, should naturally receive a reward as well.

It was one thing to reward ministers and certain noblewomen, but he also wanted to lavishly reward his brothers.

The emperor felt that his father knew he was rich, so he wanted to drain him dry.

oops~
When the emperor went to see the empress, he was dejected.

"Let them reward me then!"

The Empress rubbed his head. "Isn't it always like this? At least we have something today."

What gave her a headache was the palace banquet.

Many things happen at palace banquets.

With so many people, it becomes impossible to monitor everything.

Although things have calmed down considerably in recent years because of the Crown Prince incident, the fact that Prince Cheng and Prince Jin almost came to blows last year shows that they have forgotten the pain of the past.

"As for Prince Jin, since Father Emperor's birthday is approaching, you should first generously go to Father Emperor and ask him to lift his confinement."

"...Okay!"

What can I do if I don't understand?

Fortunately, his three-month term is not long away.

The emperor sighed. "This time, send more people to keep an eye on them to prevent them from causing trouble."

"Hmm~"

The Empress agreed.

When the two were discussing which brother to look after, which sister-in-law to deal with, and which nephew or niece to pay more attention to due to their poor health, they had no idea that this time it was Consort Zhen who was going to take action.

……

Jia Zhen had already prepared the gifts for the Emperor's birthday at the Ningguo Mansion.

Shen Ning went to see it herself and found it to be an excellent Shoushan stone ornament.

This is really just a formality, but everyone has to go through it. It's just that in previous years, when there was war, the retired emperor would be exempted from it, but now...

Shen Ning sighed. Some people probably become more afraid of death as they get older.

"Mother, you will probably be going to the palace with Lady You this year."

"Hmm, I know what I'm doing."

Shen Ning nodded, "You don't need to worry about me and your wife. But you..." She looked at her eldest son, "I'll say it again, drink less. Especially this year, I'm afraid quite a few people are trying to find something to use against the Jia family."

"Your son knows. Haven't you seen it? In all these years without you and Father here, your son has never made a mistake at palace banquets?"

Jia Zhen felt that he was still very sensible.

His mother, on the other hand, hasn't been to the palace or attended a palace banquet in many years.

Everything was normal before, but things are different now!
These days, people will say anything they see that's wrong.

If things go wrong, it might happen that someone gets wine in their face.

"If you're with the old lady and see anything unpleasant..."

"Pretend you're blind, you didn't see it."

She even used her son to teach her?

Is a place like the palace where a woman of noble birth can speak so casually?
"If you want to teach someone, go find your wife."

Shen Ning chased people away.

She had a vague feeling that something might happen at this palace banquet.

Although the emperor's throne is becoming more and more secure, precisely because it is secure, some people who are unwilling to accept it may still want to make a last-ditch effort.

She chased away her eldest son and went to see her youngest daughter.

Jia Yue played with her older sisters for a while today, and has now fallen asleep.

Shen Ning gently touched her little hand, covered her little belly, and then came out and said, "Send an invitation to Third Aunt. We won't be home on the day of the palace banquet. Please come over to the mansion and take a look at the house."

"Yes!"

Qingping readily agreed.

"You all need to be vigilant. If my grandparents and I can't come back for a while, you'll need to stay with my third aunt and keep an eye on things."

"……Yes!"

Qingzhu and the others exchanged glances and quickly agreed.

As for palace banquets, their wives haven't attended them for many years.

now……

They couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.

"Madam, why don't you bring some emergency supplies with you?"

Emergency pills, food, and the like.

Anyway, I heard from the older sisters who served the ladies that in the past, when the ladies entered the palace, they were never full.

"As before, get ready!"

Looking back at the original owner's memories, there was nothing to eat at the palace banquet.

While there won't be assassinations or poisoning like in modern TV dramas, you still can't have a peaceful meal.

Not to mention the witty banter among the concubines, even the conversations between princesses and imperial consorts could easily lead to trouble and being buried alive.

The key is that the person who buried you might have been smiling and calling you sister just a moment before.

Especially this time...

Because of the matter of repaying the debt, she offended almost everyone who owed money to the national treasury.

Shen Ning sighed. If she weren't so healthy, she would have pretended to be sick.

Unfortunately, that won't work. If she claims to be ill, Lady You will be in trouble.

Or perhaps the old lady next door has been tricked, and in the end Jia Lian will be in trouble.

Although I heard that she managed to put up a firm but not soft stance against the Princess of Nan'an, what if she couldn't withstand the overwhelming force of the other side?

Shen Ning went back to her room and touched her hairpin. Suddenly, she thought of something and said, "Go and have someone sharpen it for me."

what?
Qingzhu's face was a little pale, but she quickly replied, "This servant will grind it."

It's better for her to do it herself than to have someone else do it and have to explain it.

Time quickly came to the actual day of the Emperor Emeritus's birthday on the twelfth of August. Jia's Shen Ning and You Shi rode in one carriage, Jia Mu and Xing Shi rode in another, and Jia Min rode in the Lin family's carriage because Lin Ruhai had been granted the title of a third-rank noblewoman. They all set off together.

The maids who served the family were not allowed to accompany them into the palace, but the Jia family had five members including Jia Min, so things were different.

Jia Min is adept at social interaction. Although she has been away from Beijing for many years, many of her childhood friends have married well. Now that they meet again in middle age, they are all very warm towards each other.

Needless to say, Grandmother Jia was no exception.

When speaking to the Princess Dowager of Nan'an, she was still all smiles, as if they had a very close relationship.

Everyone knows that Shi Ding made great contributions in Hami Weilian. After the war ends, his official position will surely be promoted several ranks.

Therefore, even Lady Shi Nai, the wife of the Marquis of Baoling, could feel the unusual enthusiasm from everyone.

As for Wang Ziteng's wife...

She remained reserved and didn't move closer.

Although the border war was intense, her husband, Prince Teng, was still in the position of a waiting official.

Even though his leg has healed, the Emperor remains silent, no one in the Ministry of War speaks up for him, and the memorials he submits seem to disappear without a trace; they are helpless.

Now they can only hope that their master will be remembered by someone during the Emperor Emeritus's birthday celebration.

Wang Ziteng's wife was quite helpless about this.

She has endured the coldness and indifference of human relationships all these years.

They never expected that they and the Jia family would suddenly reach this point.

Obviously...

Seeing even Princess Jin greeting the Jia family from afar, a cryptic light flashed in her eyes.

To avoid being discovered, she went to the families of other military officers.

Everyone here is a socialite; even if no one wants to associate with the Wang family, they still have to say a few words with a smile when they come.

Finally, all the imperial concubines arrived, the empress arrived, and the concubines of the harem also arrived.

After exchanging greetings, the air was filled with the sounds of warm conversation.

The Empress had already exchanged pleasantries with the Dowager Consorts, the Imperial Concubines, and the ladies of various families, but she couldn't even spare a moment for her own mother and sister-in-law before being summoned by the Princess Consort of Jin.

It turned out that her clothes had been wet by the palace maid who served her tea, and after the Princess Consort Cheng made a few sarcastic remarks, the two started arguing again.

As the Empress, she had to appease one person after another. Although she knew they were trying to cause her trouble, they were her sisters-in-law. On a day like this, all she could do was put on a smile and try her best to appease them.

Shen Ning glanced over and saw Consort Zhen speaking to Grandmother Jia, "Elder sister, now we are even closer relatives."

Consort Zhen was particularly kind and approachable. "The other day, the Emperor Emeritus told me that Luo'er and Yuan Chun's marriage was auspicious, and that he would personally write 'A perfect match, a lifelong vow' when they got married."

"...The Emperor's grace is boundless!"

Grandmother Jia looked overjoyed.

"Haha, this marriage really owes a lot to Madam Shen."

Consort Zhen looked at Shen Ning and said, "If it weren't for Madam Shen, our Luo'er might have missed out."

"I dare not! If the Dowager Consort wishes to express her gratitude, she should express it to the Empress."

Shen Ning smiled and said, "It was the Empress who acted as matchmaker."

"Yes!" Consort Zhen nodded. "The Emperor Emeritus said that the Empress did a good job as matchmaker, but we also have to thank you. If you hadn't wanted Yuan Chun to go home, the Empress wouldn't have thought of Yuan Chun as such a good candidate."

As she spoke, she said, "Someone, present Madam Shen of Ningguo Mansion with a box of South China Sea pearls."

"...Thank you for the reward, Your Highness!"

The palace maid had already brought it over, and Shen Ning could only express her gratitude.

"Get up and talk."

Consort Zhen smiled so broadly her face crinkled with wrinkles. "Speaking of which, counting from your mother-in-law's lineage, you should call me 'Auntie'." She said to the old lady, "Elder sister, don't you think so?"

"No, no! Your Highness is too kind."

Even Grandmother Jia felt that the Dowager Consort was being overly enthusiastic today.

What about Shen Ning?
Both of them couldn't help but remain extremely vigilant.

(End of this chapter)