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Time flies, and soon more than three months have passed. Xue Baochai has been taken into Su Ning's mansion, and Su Ning has also been promoted to a guard at the Sticking Rod Office.

The so-called Sticking Rod Guards were the Qing Dynasty version of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Naturally, the power they possessed was not comparable to that of ordinary guards, and of course they were also within the emperor's inner circle.

Of course, because of the talents that Suning occasionally showed, the emperor also valued Suning more and more, which is why he placed Suning in the stick-sticking department for training, because he believed that only the talents trained by himself were the most satisfactory, just like Li Wei in history, who had followed Yongzheng since he was twelve years old.

"Su Ning, I heard that Xue Baochai has been taken into the Su Mansion?"

"Your Majesty, this is all thanks to your great grace."

"Haha, it seems you are still very keen on beauty. Do you want me to give you a few more stunning beauties?"

"Your Majesty, I hope you can give me more opportunities to make meritorious deeds, and then reward me with those stunning beauties."

"Haha, good! I hope you won't let me down."

At this moment, Su Peisheng ran to the Yangxin Palace and shouted in surprise, "Your Majesty, great joy! Great joy!"

"Su Peisheng, where do you get so happy?" The emperor frowned and asked Su Peisheng in front of him.

Then Su Peisheng looked at the emperor in front of him with a face full of surprise and explained, "Your Majesty, news just came from the harem that Concubine Yuan sought medical treatment due to illness, and the Imperial Hospital found that she is more than three months pregnant."

However, the emperor was not as surprised as he had imagined. Instead, he frowned and looked at Su Peisheng in front of him and said, "Oh? It is indeed a rare and happy event. You will be visiting Concubine Yuan's Fengzao Palace tonight."

"Yes! Your Majesty."

The emperor was a very cautious, suspicious and scheming person, so he did not go to the palace where Concubine Yuan was immediately. Instead, he asked someone to check the daily records. After everything matched, the emperor gave up all his doubts and happily appointed Concubine Yuan as Concubine Yuan Guifei.

Then the news that Concubine Yuan successfully became pregnant for three months and was awarded the title of Imperial Concubine spread throughout the harem immediately, and then to the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family, where everyone in the Ning and Rong mansions celebrated with lights and decorations.

Even though the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family are both the direct lineage of the retired emperor, and it was the retired emperor who forced Concubine Yuan to be given to the emperor, the Jia family's awe of the imperial power has never changed.

What follows is the grand scene of Concubine Yuan’s visit to her parents. This time it is even more grand than in the original drama. After all, Concubine Yuan is now pregnant with the heir of the royal family.

It was just because the mysterious man appeared again the night before Concubine Yuan left the palace to visit her parents, but he warned Jia Yuanchun not to talk nonsense when she returned to the Jia family and not to cry and act like they were parting forever, otherwise she might completely anger the emperor who was fighting with the retired emperor. So this time when Concubine Yuan came back to visit her parents, she behaved very well.

……

Yuanchun's visit to her parents' home is a major scene in Dream of the Red Chamber, with raging fire and blooming flowers. Just as Wang Xifeng said, if it were like this, I would have seen the world.

You have to know that Wang Xifeng is the housekeeper of Rongguo Mansion and also the daughter of the Wang family in Jinling. What kind of big scenes has she not witnessed?
However, when she learned that Yuanchun was going to leave the palace to visit her parents, she said so. This shows how grand and ostentatious the scene of Yuanchun's visit was.

After all, Yuanchun was a noble concubine in the palace, second only to the empress and the imperial concubine in rank.

The concubine system in the Qing Dynasty was generally set up like this: one empress, one imperial concubine, two noble concubines, and four concubines.

Yuanchun had been in the palace for many years without making any noise. Suddenly, a piece of news came that she had been selected to the Fengzao Palace and was given the title of Consort Xian. She jumped from being a female historian to a Consort, and truly became an empress who was second only to the emperor.

In the original drama, the emperor conferred the title of Consort Xian De on Jia Yuanchun. Such a double title usually appears in the posthumous title, so many scholars of the Dream of the Red Chamber believe that Jia Yuanchun died of illness.

Of course, one indisputable fact is that the visit of Princess Yuan was a turning point in the fate of the Jia family. From then on, the family was completely devastated and became the last of the four major families to decline.

Of course, when a royal concubine visits her parents, there are naturally standards for her to follow. When participating in various royal celebrations, the royal concubine has prescribed ceremonial procedures and cannot overstep her bounds or neglect them. She cannot make any mistakes.

For example, when Yuanchun came home to visit her parents in Dream of the Red Chamber, as a noble concubine, her appearance was very grand. This was the proper ceremonial procession for her as a noble concubine, and it also symbolized the dignity of the royal family.

Yuanchun's visit to her parents was scheduled to take place on the Lantern Festival, but starting from the eighth day of the first lunar month, eunuchs would come out to check the direction first, including where to change clothes, where to sit, where to receive gifts, where to hold the banquet, and where to rest. Everything had to be arranged in advance.

In other words, in preparation for Yuanchun's visit home, the eunuchs and ladies-in-waiting in the palace started working a week in advance.

After all, it is the imperial concubine who is traveling, so she cannot be careless and cannot make any mistakes. If she neglects her work, it will not be as simple as being expelled from the palace. In serious cases, she will lose her head.

Next came the work that the local officials had to do, such as setting up curtains, instructing the people in the Jia Mansion where to retreat, where to kneel, where to eat, and where to announce things. They also had to arrange for people to clean the streets and drive away idlers.

In the Jia Mansion, Jia She, as the eldest master, also has to lead a group of craftsmen to make lanterns, fireworks and the like.

In short, in preparation for Yuanchun's visit, everyone from the palace to the Jia Mansion, from inside to outside, from top to bottom, was busy, and it took a whole week, from the eighth to the fourteenth day, before everything was ready.

Only after all these preparations are completed can Yuanchun start the process of visiting her parents.

Everyone in the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family wore formal attire and lined up at the gate to welcome them early in the morning. Even the famous Mrs. Jia was not spared. This shows that the feudal imperial power perfectly interpreted the principles of Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents and Teachers.

Perhaps many readers today think that these rituals are too complicated. Isn’t it just going back to one’s parents’ home?
Where do so many formalities come from? But don't forget, this is the imperial concubine's visit to her parents' home. Although she is just going back to visit her parents' home, things are different now. Jia Yuanchun is no longer just the daughter of the Jia family, but the imperial master of everyone in the Jia family.

You have to know that it was an evil feudal society at that time, and everything revolved around the imperial power, not to mention the Qing Dynasty regime that treated the people as slaves.

The ancient ethical order was based on Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents and Teachers. Apart from Heaven and Earth, the Emperor was the greatest in the world, followed by Family, Teachers and Friends.

Jia Yuanchun is indeed the eldest daughter of the Jia family, but she is also the emperor's concubine and the representative of the emperor. So if we rank them according to the order of Heaven, Earth, Emperor, Parents and Teachers, she is first of all a noble concubine and only then the eldest daughter of the Jia family.

Therefore, the necessary royal regulations cannot be omitted, and she must even follow the prescribed content throughout the process and cannot make any wrong steps, otherwise she will not only be ridiculed by the world, but may also bring disaster to herself and her family.

So when we look at Yuanchun's visit to her parents, we can see that it follows royal regulations everywhere, and there can be no mistakes. Even when to have dinner, when to worship Buddha, when to ask for permission, and when to get up are all written clearly. It cannot be early or late, and everything must follow the procedure.

This not only reflects the pomp of Yuanchun as a noble concubine visiting her parents, which earned enough face for the Jia family and was seen by the world, but it also reflects Yuanchun's helplessness and necessity. From the moment she entered the palace, she was no longer herself. She was a pawn of the Jia family and a tool manipulated by fate.

Of course, to the world and the people of the Jia family, the imperial concubine's visit to her parents was a truly grand occasion. Many people never witnessed it in their entire lives, and to witness it in person was a great honor. Even the ambitious Tanchun remarked that the eldest daughter was born on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which was no wonder she was so lucky to have an earlier birthday than others. In fact, in ancient times, a fate like Yuanchun's, ultimately being crowned an imperial concubine, was the highest aspiration of many women throughout their lives, a wish many others dared not even contemplate.

If we put aside personal wishes and happiness, after all, this is such a great event that brings honor to the family. Who wouldn't want such immense wealth?

This time, Yuanchun did not cry many times when she came home to visit her parents. She just attributed all the honor and disgrace to the emperor's grace. Her words implied that the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family should change their allegiance and pledge allegiance to the emperor.

In the eyes of all people and women, Jia Yuanchun is a successful person. With so many women in the harem, how many of them can climb to the position of imperial concubine?

Therefore, Yuanchun is both unfortunate and lucky at the same time, but only she herself knows her misfortune best.

In the original novel, even Xue Baochai, the most transparent character, revealed her envy and resentment when she teased Baoyu during Yuanchun's visit. She said, "Who is your sister? The one wearing the yellow robe is your sister. Now you recognize me as your sister."

After all, she originally came to Beijing to be selected as a concubine, but the matter ultimately came to nothing, and she was probably not selected. Aunt Xue then started Plan B to let Xue Baochai marry Jia Baoyu.

Even so, when Xue Baochai was later angered by Jia Baoyu, she said, "I am more like Yang Fei, but I don't have a good brother or good friend who can be like Yang Guozhong."

But now all of this is no longer necessary, because Xue Baochai has married Su Ning. Although she is only Su Ning's concubine, the happiness she enjoys every day is beyond her imagination.

You should know that Suning perfectly satisfies Xue Baochai's fantasy about her man. Not only can he let her enjoy wealth and glory, but he can also make her happy physically and mentally.

At this moment, Su Ning, who was standing in the corner, looked at Xue Baochai with amusement and whispered, "Why? Sister Xue, are you envious of Concubine Yuan?"

"Hmph! Don't all women like this kind of glory?" However, Xue Baochai did not hide her true thoughts.

Su Ning looked at Xue Baochai in front of him again and said teasingly, "What a pity! You were eliminated in the selection, otherwise you would have had the same chance."

Xue Baochai suddenly looked at Su Ning with a sweet expression and said, "Every drink and every bite is destined by heaven! Heaven has sent a better you to my side."

"Good! Looks like I'll have to reward you well tonight."

"..."

Jia Yuanchun, who was listening to opera at the time, naturally noticed the two people whispering in each other's ears, and a look of confusion appeared on her face, because neither Su Ning nor Xue Baochai were people she was familiar with.

In addition, Su Ning's handsome appearance always gave Jia Yuanchun a strange feeling, which made Jia Yuanchun curious.

Suddenly, Jia Yuanchun approached Old Lady Jia and whispered, "Grandma, who are that young couple?"

Following Jia Yuanchun's directions, she hurriedly whispered, "Your Highness, that's the young master Su Ning from the Su Mansion and his concubine Xue Baochai. The young master is currently serving as a guard at the Imperial Palace's Sticking Rod Department."

"Oh? A guard from the Sticking Rod Department?" At this moment, Jia Yuanchun's eyes flickered, and then she looked at Su Ning thoughtfully.

"..." Mrs. Jia, who was cautiously standing aside, naturally could not understand Jia Yuanchun's expression.

"Grandmother, what is the relationship between this young master Su Ning from the Su Mansion and my brother?"

"We're very close! We often go out drinking and boating together."

"Oh?" At this moment, Jia Yuanchun couldn't help but feel excited, because she felt that she might have found the mysterious person.

Soon, Jia Yuanchun dispelled all the distracting thoughts in her mind, because she knew that now was not the time to think about these things, as there were palace ladies watching her every move.

Then, Jia Yuanchun suddenly felt inspired and said to Madam Jia again, "Grandma, as the saying goes, a new emperor chooses new ministers. I hope the Jia family can be more loyal to the emperor."

"This..." However, upon hearing this, Mrs. Jia's face was full of confusion.

After noticing the turmoil on Mrs. Jia's face, Jia Yuanchun once again looked at her grandmother earnestly and said, "Grandmother, first of all, you must understand that all the honor and disgrace of the Jia family's Ning and Rong mansions depend on the emperor. There are some things that must not be taken too far."

However, Old Lady Jia still said self-righteously and perfunctorily, "Your Highness is right! However, we, the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family, cannot let the Emperor down. However, the Jia family is absolutely confident that we can handle all kinds of relationships well."

"Hey! Okay! I hope you can really do this."

Of course, Jia Yuanchun also wanted to use this visit to her parents to once again push the Jia family, which had been on the decline for a long time, to a higher level. She wanted to use a grand ceremony to win supreme glory for her family.

However, while this prosperity brought endless glory to her family, it also buried all her happiness.

After the visit was over, Jia Yuanchun looked at Su Ning meaningfully, and then was escorted back to the palace by guards.

The Emperor in the Yangxin Palace summoned Su Ning immediately, "Suning, isn't it very lively today with the Princess's visit to her parents?"

"Your Majesty, everyone in the Ning and Rong mansions of the Jia family is very concerned about welcoming the emperor. For this purpose, they even built a Grand View Garden covering an area of nearly 200 acres." Suning naturally picked out the most important things to report to the emperor.

"Hmph! The Jia family is quite rich. Is there anything else?" As expected, the emperor sneered when he heard this.

"Noble Concubine Yuan persuaded her family to be more loyal to the Emperor, and attributed all the glory of the Jia family and herself to the Emperor's great grace. Unfortunately, everyone in the Jia family pretended to be deaf and dumb and evaded the question."

"Hmph! Got it, go down now!"

"Yes! Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

...(End of chapter)