The Red Mansion

Chapter 148 Taking a Concubine by Imperial Decree
As night deepened, the backyard of Baojia Old Shop was bathed in the cool autumn air.

A sycamore tree casts dappled moonlight, while crickets chirp in the cracks of the rocks.

In the main room where Jing Qing lived, a lamp cast a warm yellow glow.

Two knocks on the door startled Jing Qing and Lü Yi inside.

Luyi glanced at Jingqing, who had just lain down to sleep. Jingqing whispered something to her, and Luyi pressed her ear against the crack in the door to ask, "Who is it?"

"It's me, Jiang Nian."

Luyi looked at Jingqing again.

Jing Qing bit her lip and said softly, "Please ask him to wait a moment."

As she spoke, she hurriedly gathered her loose black hair, casually tied it into a loose bun, and then got up to dress. She didn't even have time to put on her embroidered shoes properly, and just stood up in her slippers.

When Lüyi opened the door, a night breeze blew in, causing the lamplight to flicker.

Jiang Nian stepped into the room, the colors of her second-class guard uniform gleaming with dark patterns under the lamplight.

Jing Qing, with her sharp eyes, noticed that the guards' uniforms were different from those she had seen during the day, but she didn't know why.

"Has the young lady already gone to sleep?"

Jiang Nian's gaze swept over Jing Qing, noticing that the beautiful woman's hair was half-undone, her blouse was hastily tied, revealing a section of her snow-white neck, and her embroidered shoes were slipped on. Paired with her naturally beautiful face without any makeup, she possessed a unique charm.

Jing Qing felt her ears burning from his gaze and looked down at her toes: "I just fell asleep..." Before she could finish speaking, she realized something was wrong and quickly tightened her clothes.

Jiang Nian gave an "Oh," and sat down in the chair. The candlelight illuminated half of his face, making his features appear sharp. Jing Qing glanced at him and met his thoughtful gaze. She hurriedly lowered her eyes and asked, "May I ask what brings Guard Jiang here at night?"

“I just came from prison.” Jiang Nian tapped her fingertips lightly on the table. “I’m staying at this old inn tonight.”

Jing Qing's fingers involuntarily tightened around her belt. She already suspected that Jiang Nian had come to her at night with ulterior motives, and hearing these words only strengthened her suspicions.

Jiang Nian noticed Jing Qing's nervousness and chuckled, "Miss, don't misunderstand. I'm just busy interrogating suspects today and can't go home, so I'm staying at this old inn. I've already booked another superior room."

Jing Qing breathed a slight sigh of relief, but remained standing still.

Jiang Nian said, "I came to your room because I have something important to tell you. Please sit down and talk."

Jing Qing then sat down, only to find that Jiang Nian was not in a hurry to talk about business, but was just silently observing her.

Feeling uneasy, Jing Qing deliberately changed the subject and asked, "The official robes that Guard Jiang is wearing now seem different from what I saw during the day."

Jiang Nian said, "What you saw during the day was the official uniform of a third-class imperial bodyguard. Today, His Majesty has promoted me to a second-class imperial bodyguard."

Jing Qing was surprised to hear this. Although she couldn't recognize the official uniform of a second-class imperial guard, she knew that a second-class imperial guard was a fourth-rank official. She thought to herself, "He's so young, yet he's already a second-class imperial guard, so highly regarded by the Emperor. Could he be from a wealthy family?"

Jiang Nian suddenly asked, "Can you speak the soft Wu dialect, young lady?"

The question came as abruptly, startling Jing Qing. The candlelight illuminated half of her rosy cheek, and her eyelashes cast curved shadows beneath her eyes.

Jiang Nian has discovered that Jing Qing can speak Suzhou dialect.

Suzhou dialect is known for its gentleness and delicacy, with soft pronunciation and a gentle tone. In this era, Suzhou dialect was regarded as the "refined sound" of Wu dialects and was used in elegant cultural forms such as Pingtan and Kunqu Opera. The literati class took pride in Suzhou dialect and called it "the soft and gentle language of Wu".

One of the reasons why Jing Qing sings so well is that she sings in the soft Wu dialect.

Jing Qing parted her lips slightly: "I am not from Suzhou, but because my father served as an official in Suzhou for many years, I can speak the soft Wu dialect."

A hint of a smile flashed in Jiang Nian's eyes as she said, "When you chat with me privately in the future, you can use the soft Wu dialect; I love to hear it."

Jing Qing blushed and asked, "Does Guard Jiang understand the soft Wu dialect?"

Jiang Nian said, "I can understand about 70-80% of it."

In his previous life, he really liked the soft and gentle Wu dialect. Moreover, the Suzhou dialect and the Jiangning dialect, which belongs to the Jianghuai Mandarin dialect group, are about 20-30% similar.

Jing Qing nodded, pondering to herself, "He said 'we'll chat privately from now on,' could it be that he wants to make me his own?"

The candle wick popped open with a "pop," illuminating both Jiang Nian and Jing Qing's beautiful features. Jiang Nian then got to the point, staring intently at Jing Qing, and said solemnly, "Today I have presented the truth about your father's embezzlement case to His Majesty in person, as you have mentioned."

Jing Qing's eyes instantly lit up like morning stars: "Really?"

Jiang Nian nodded slightly.

Jing Qing looked as if she had been longing for rain after a drought, and asked anxiously, "What will Your Majesty decide?"

“The imperial edict said…” Jiang Nian paused, “Although Jing Yunduan’s embezzlement of treasury funds was not for his own personal gain, the deficit has been established and cannot be tolerated by the law. This matter cannot be changed.”

These words were like a bucket of snow water poured over her head; Jing Qing swayed and her face darkened.

Jiang Nian continued, "When the memorial was presented today, the Thirteenth Prince was present. The Prince strongly argued that your father was honest and loved the people, and earnestly requested His Majesty to spare his life. His Majesty granted the request and changed the sentence from execution to exile."

"Ah!" Jing Qing exclaimed softly, then quickly knelt down with a "thump" and kowtowed three times: "Thank you, Guard Jiang, for saving my life."

Lüyi also knelt down.

Jiang Nian did not tell Jing Qing to get up. Staring at the kneeling Jing Qing, he suddenly said in a deep voice, "There is one more thing to ask you. You must tell me the truth and not lie."

Jing Qing looked up: "Feel free to ask."

Jiang Nian asked frankly, "Are you still a virgin?"

Jing Qing blushed and stared down at her clasped hands, then nodded: "Yes."

Jiang Nian was secretly delighted, thinking that this woman had a tragic fate. First, her family was raided, and she was given to Tang Jina, the military governor of Jiangning, as a maid. Later, she was sold into the Qimeng Courtyard by Tang Jina's wife to become a courtesan. Then, she was escorted to the capital by bandits from the Jianghu. It was truly rare that she could still maintain her innocence under such circumstances.

After answering, Jing Qing mustered her courage and looked up, her eyes fixed on Jiang Nian, wondering why this guard Jiang had suddenly asked such a question.
Jiang Nian said frankly, "Lai Shangrong colluded with Wang Long and Tan Fengchi to rob my family of three thousand taels of gold, and used eight hundred taels of it to buy you. The Emperor has decreed that you should become my maid. Considering your humble origins and the fact that you are a wronged person, he instructed me to treat you well. If you are still a virgin, then I will take you as my concubine."

Upon hearing this, Jing Qing felt embarrassed, surprised, and disappointed.

Needless to say, I was embarrassed.

Surprisingly, the Emperor ordered this guard, Jiang, to take her as a concubine. Was this a decree to take a concubine?

The reason for her somber mood was that she had a sweetheart when she was in Suzhou.

"Once a maid who swept the dark green of the South Tower, she arranged jade pendants under the crimson gauze window."

A silk handkerchief secretly binds words of longing; a white-armored hand casually knocks on the jade door.

Starlight shatters, moonlight shines anew, and shimmering light falls halfway onto the pomegranate-red skirt.

The incense of my heart has not yet faded with the lamp's ashes; half a face of rouge bears the marks of the night.

This song, "Partridge Sky," with lyrics written by herself, expresses her longing for her former lover.

But she also knew that at this point, her longing was futile. This guard Jiang had helped her expose her father's embezzlement, saving him from the death penalty, and thus had done her a great favor. Furthermore, the Emperor had decreed that Guard Jiang should take her as a concubine and treat her well. For her, this was already a stroke of good fortune.

Jiang Nian didn't ask Jing Qing if she was willing, and finally said, "I will come to pick you up and take you to my house tomorrow at Shenshi (3-5 PM)."

After saying that, he stood up and left.

Jing Qing was stunned and forgot to see him off. When she came to her senses, she heard the door creak open and the tall figure had already left.

Jing Qing got up and sat down, paused for a moment, then suddenly ordered Lü Yi: "Bring me my dressing case."

Green Ripple hurriedly brought over a mother-of-pearl inlaid box.

Jing Qing opened the bottom layer and took out a stack of poems, all of which she wrote about her former lover.

She gazed at the candlelight for a long time, the flame illuminating her profile and revealing tear tracks on her face.

A sudden gust of autumn wind blew outside the window, rustling the leaves of the sycamore trees.

From inside the window, a sigh rang out: "Enough, enough, enough!"

(End of this chapter)