The head of the Red Mansion

Chapter 228 Something happened
The 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Minor Snow.

Shen Ning didn't expect it to snow today.

She rarely had such inappropriate thoughts about the bed.

She wanted to bring her daughter over to snuggle in bed with her, but the little girl was used to playing every day and wanted to go out and find her older sisters.

Shen Ning couldn't hold her down, so she had no choice but to have someone send her there.

Zhan Xue has gotten quite used to being her husband.

Although the little girl couldn't speak, whenever she was in class, her older sisters would stop talking, and she would obediently crawl on the blanket or be held by someone, as if she could understand and listen to the lesson.

Everyone else took it for granted, but Shi Xiangyun and Xue Baochai were quite surprised.

The daughter of a nobleman was crawling on the ground...

Although the room was warm and clean, with carpets laid out and underfloor heating, Jia Yue, who had so many people serving her, was crawling on the floor.

She saw the little girl climb up to Miss Lin's place.

Lin Daiyu subtly patted her little sister's head.

After giving her a toothless smile, Jia Yue climbed over to Tan Chun.

While listening to the lesson, Tan Chun reached out and touched her younger sister.

Jia Yue lingered beside her for a while before climbing toward Yingchun.

Without hesitation, Yingchun picked her up and put her on her lap.

Jia Yue didn't struggle or make a sound. Instead, she obediently leaned against her sister and began to listen to the lesson.

Shen Ning, who arrived on time, couldn't help but smile when she saw her daughter being well-behaved.

Sure enough, prenatal education is very important. Look at how naughty my child is usually, but he doesn't cause any trouble when he's in class.

"...The wise find joy in water, the benevolent find joy in mountains. The wise are active, the benevolent are tranquil. The wise are joyful, the benevolent are long-lived."

As get out of class was about to end, Zhan Xue said, "This quote comes from the Analects of Confucius, Yong Ye. The sage, from the perspective of aesthetic taste, used water and mountains as metaphors to discuss the difference and unity between the wise and the benevolent. Zhu Dajia of the Song Dynasty commented that the wise are well-versed in the principles of things and flow freely without hindrance, much like water, hence they delight in water; the benevolent are at peace with righteousness and are steadfast and unwavering, much like mountains, hence they delight in mountains."

Anyone interested can visit the study.

Okay, that's all for this lesson. Everyone, take a break.

A year is about to pass, and she has taken on two more students.

Zhan Xue was quite impressed.

Fortunately, the two newcomers also have some experience.

Even if she can't keep up for the time being, she can take extra lessons.

Compared to the Rongguo Mansion, she has more flexibility in her schedule here.

Madam Shen placed more emphasis on the practical aspects of the girls' learning.

For example, reading is for broadening one's horizons and thinking about different perspectives and solutions to problems.

Music, chess, calligraphy, and painting are up to the girls' own interests.

But the housekeeper manages the finances...

Zhan Xue felt that this was what she valued most.

So they were introduced to it very early on.

They even went so far as to use the Ningguo Mansion as a practice ground for them.

Zhan Xue had observed that she wasn't afraid of them making mistakes, but rather that they were afraid of making mistakes without realizing it.

Outside the window, Shen Ning wondered if her daughter could understand the word 'rest'. As soon as Zhan Xue put down her book, the little girl exclaimed "Ah!" and happily jumped into Yingchun's arms.

"Has Madam come to pick up Yue'er?"

Zhan Xue smiled and looked at Shen Ning outside the door. Just as she was about to say something, a maid rushed over and said, "Madam, someone from the palace has come. Her Majesty the Empress requests that you come into the palace to speak with her."

Ok?
The girls all turned around.

Ignoring Zhan Xue, Shen Ning asked, "Who is it?"

"Wu Mama, who serves the Empress."

Instead of using eunuchs, they used the nannies around them, which was a sign of closeness.

Shen Ning breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry to trouble you to look after Yue'er for me today."

"If you need anything, please go ahead. Yue'er is very well-behaved, so you can rest assured with us looking after her."

Why should she take care of a little kid?

Besides her wet nurse and maids, there were also her sisters.

Give this person a hug, tease that person a little, and the day is over.

Sometimes Zhan Xue wanted to hug someone, but she couldn't get a hug from them.

Baochai watched her leave in a hurry, her thoughts already wandering far away.

After washing up and putting on makeup, Shen Ning soon boarded the carriage to the palace.

Granny Wu was an old acquaintance. When she first entered the palace, it was Granny Wu who was ordered by the Empress to wait for her at the palace gate.

"Madam, there is no need to worry."

Having already received two purses from Jia Zhen, Granny Wu was unusually kind, saying, "Today's summons is most likely a good thing."

"Oh?"

Shen Ning blinked. "Does Granny know what good news it is?"

"Yesterday, Lord Zhen from Jiangnan was escorted to the capital, and the Emperor and Empress talked about the former Crown Prince."

She wouldn't tell anyone about the Emperor and Empress leaving the palace.

Granny Wu only said what she could say: "When the former crown prince was alive, he was always thinking about Jiangnan and worried about the officialdom and taxes there."

At that time, these things were almost entirely controlled by the Zhen family.

Shen Ning was beginning to understand what she meant.

It was only after the Zhen family fell from grace that the Emperor took the Crown Prince's name into consideration.

Actually, the reason for thinking about the Crown Prince is not only because of the Zhen family, but also because of that Mr. Liu.

Shen Ning sighed softly to herself.

She had a vague feeling that there was someone behind Mr. Liu.

The other side is also using Mr. Liu to attack the royal family of Da Zhao.

The emperor may have known this, but it was in his interest to punish those disrespectful princes, so he turned a blind eye.

But this person...

If she were the emperor, she wouldn't be at ease until she got rid of this person.

"After the Crown Prince left, the Emperor often missed him."

Although Granny Wu didn't explicitly mention Qin Keqing, Shen Ning already knew that the main reason for going to the palace today was to get benefits for her.

"Thanks for the tip, mama."

Shen Ning expressed her sincere gratitude, saying, "I know what to do."

"Madam has done an excellent job."

Granny Wu smiled and said, "I just saw the servants who had just returned from delivering gifts to the Qin family at your residence."

The Jia family is a kind and honest family.

Even though the retired emperor had fallen, the Qin family was not neglected in the slightest.

After all, the emperor could pity her because she was the daughter of the crown prince, or he could simply ignore her.

"Qin is a lovely person."

Shen Ning's smile deepened, "You only see that my family sends her things, but you don't see that she sends things to my family."

As she spoke, she pointed to the headband on her head, "Look, this is what she gave me the other day."

"...Yes, it's really beautiful!"

A large pearl is set in the center of plain brocade, exuding an elegant yet undeniably noble air.

This also perfectly matches the color of the filial piety ceremony in Ningguo Prefecture.

Granny Wu admired the young girl's skill and dexterity, saying, "Congratulations, Madam, on having such a wonderful granddaughter-in-law."

Judging from Madam Shen's expression, she genuinely likes Madam Qin.

That's good!

Granny Wu had already inquired about it. She treated her daughter-in-law, Madam You, very well. Because she was afraid that Madam You would not have money, she even gave her a lot of property.

In this capital city, wicked mothers-in-law are commonplace, but someone like Madam Shen is truly rare.

No wonder their empress liked them.

In the past, their empress was often tormented by Consort Zhen.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was harmonious, and it was naturally just as pleasant when they arrived at Kunning Palace.

Shen Ning was about to perform the ceremony when the Empress stopped her.

"Between us, there's no need for you to stand on ceremony, sister."

The Empress was also very eloquent. "After the New Year, you will all be returning to your hometowns, and it's inconvenient for my sister to attend the palace banquet. If I don't summon you soon, she might forget about me." "Look at what you're saying, do you think my memory is that bad?"

Shen Ning chuckled and sat down with her. "Last time I was sick, I have to thank you and the Emperor for arranging for a royal physician for me from the Emperor Emeritus. Otherwise, I wouldn't have recovered so quickly."

"This is how it should be."

The Empress had already noticed that she looked thinner than when they last met.

However, she tries her best not to mention sad things.

"The mutiny a few days ago..."

The Queen sighed, "This is truly unexpected."

She hesitated for a moment before saying, "My sister is one of us, so she must have heard about that Mr. Liu, right?"

Lord Dong of Shuntian Prefecture investigated Mr. Liu, starting with the thief arrested in Ningguo Prefecture.

The emperor told her everything, and she learned the whole story because of it. "You tell me... is there someone else behind Mr. Liu?"

"...There should be some."

The Empress also had this concern, which put Shen Ning at ease. "It could be from the previous dynasty, the north, or even foreign enemies. Or perhaps, several forces have joined forces to help him."

Whether it's true or not, it's always better to be safe than sorry.

We really need to be careful...

What if someone takes advantage of us?

At this time, although the Great Zhao was not beset by internal or external troubles, it was not much worse off.

The West is rising.

north……

Both the Tatars and the Jurchens harbored ambitions to replace them.

Further north, in the Rakshasa Kingdom, the conquests have not ceased.

To be complacent and stagnant is to fall behind.

"They just barely did everything well."

Shen Ning sighed and said, "That's what made Mr. Liu stand out, but it's precisely because of their perfect concealment that they stand out even more."

This?
The Empress was alarmed; she finally understood the source of her long-standing unease.

During the period when the crown prince was in trouble, there were traces of the former dynasty and people from the north.

So many princes have fallen from power, yet all the blame ultimately points to that Mr. Liu. This is highly suspicious.

The other party had calculated this perfectly, and it was in her and the emperor's interest, wasn't it?
"No wonder you were able to come up with a plan to deal with the Japanese pirates."

The Empress was both impressed and grateful, saying, "Sister, you are truly talented. I appreciate your kindness."

It seems we should send more people to keep an eye on the Sinners' Village.

She couldn't think of anything deeper for the moment, but if something happened at the Sinners' Manor, then the Great Zhao royal family...

The Empress quickly thought of her three children and the Emperor's other two children.

Their safety...

"Please have a seat, I'll be right back."

The Empress quickly went out and instructed her to keep an eye on the three princes and two little princesses.

Their clothing, food, housing, and the people around them all need to be carefully investigated.

For some reason, she couldn't help feeling flustered.

At this moment, she could no longer speak slowly with Shen Ning. When she returned, she said directly, "Good sister, His Majesty just mentioned the Crown Prince and Qin Shi to me yesterday. I would like to ask you to use your connections to grant them a favor."

"Then I thank Your Majesty on behalf of Lady Qin."

They will naturally accept the grace given to them.

Shen Ning also wished that Qin's status could be higher.

In this capital city, there are many who judge heroes by their birth.

If the Empress were to use her as an opportunity to say that she particularly liked Lady Qin, it would be a way of subtly elevating Lady Qin's status.

Why should you thank me?

The Empress said, "To be honest, it is the royal family that has wronged that child."

In the Imperial Clan Court, she had to take care of all the daughters of those criminals. It was unreasonable for them to ignore the Crown Prince's daughter who had taken care of them back then.

When Shen Ning came out of the palace, she was followed by three carriages filled with rewards.

The emperor and empress, who had now become the masters of the land, gave her the first and most generous reward of their lives.

This time, there was no imperial decree, but the more discreet they were, the more those who cared knew how much the Emperor and Empress valued the Ningguo Mansion.

From various pastries from the Imperial Kitchen to newly made jewelry, fabrics, furs, and medicinal herbs from the Imperial Household Department, they sent a portion of everything.

Shen Ning, who was returning home to distribute some of the gifts, was unaware that not long after she left, the Empress discovered that the second prince, born to Consort Zhou, had been given a slow-acting poison by the palace servants around him.

The few sets of clothes made for the eldest princess, born to Consort Yu, were also quite inappropriate.

This?
This is aimed at her!

Fortunately, she investigated first. If something had happened to the two children and the Emperor had found out, she would have been the final culprit.

The empress broke out in a sweat and immediately ordered someone to fetch the emperor.

After a while, upon hearing that the Empress had been inspired by Madam Shen to investigate, the Emperor couldn't help but pace back and forth in the room.

"Today, a report came from the Sinners' Village that Prince An and Prince Jing have also died."

The emperor really wanted to hit someone!
"Did they also commit suicide because they couldn't bear it?"

No, those two princes are both skilled in martial arts.

"no!"

The emperor shook his head. "They encountered a pack of wolves while hunting wild boars."

He stopped and looked at the Empress. "Their sons also died in the accident. A total of seven people died."

Surprisingly, there were no other traces whatsoever.

"..."

The Empress's heart trembled.

Seven!
Who is it?

"Your Majesty, who do you think it is?"

"...There must be someone from the royal family involved."

When Emperor Taizu passed away, he was worried that the throne would fall into the wrong hands.

His father was trying hard to have children.

now……

The emperor tried hard to think about the old men in the imperial clan.

"I just don't know if they were being used or if they were each getting what they wanted."

The emperor immediately said, "Liu An, convey my decree: it's almost the New Year. For the sake of the retired emperor and because they are my brothers and nephews, send each of them a shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice and flour."

Furthermore… having heard of today's events, my heart is deeply grieved. From this day forward, three thousand troops will be stationed around the convict Zhuang to ensure his safety.”

"Yes!"

Liu An left in a hurry.

But the emperor still had pent-up frustration, so he said, "I must ask the retired emperor about this matter."

Over the years, it's been his brothers who've been causing trouble for him.

But Father...

The emperor believed that, with the old man's keen intuition, he must know even better which members of the imperial clan were coveting the throne.

When he rushed to Shou Kang Palace, the retired emperor had his eyes slightly closed, a silent protest.

"Father, something has happened."

The emperor was in a heavy mood.

These past few days, he's gotten a little carried away with his success.

Everything was too perfect for him.

He desperately craved this perfect success.

"We...we may have all been set up."

The emperor found it difficult to speak, but he had no choice but to.

The retired emperor originally thought it was the same bad news as yesterday, but he didn't expect it to be another kind of bad news that he had once feared.

Although he had mentally prepared himself before the emperor arrived and even took a few extra breaths, he still couldn't control the worsening of his condition.

Fortunately, the imperial physician was right next door, and things quickly stabilized.

One Lunar New Year's Eve a year, one reunion a year. Today is Lunar New Year's Eve, let us cast aside our worries and welcome hope. May the lights shine brightly, and may joy and peace prevail year after year. May we be free from worries, and may our happiness last forever; may all our wishes come true, and may we enjoy peace and tranquility year after year.