The Red Mansion

Chapter 181 Jiang Nian's Background Becomes Public
When Jiang Nian and Yuan Chun arrived at Rongguo Mansion, Jia Zheng was playing chess with two scholars, Zhan Guang and Cheng Rixing, in the outer study. Upon learning that Jiang Nian had come to visit, Zhan Guang and Cheng Rixing hurried to the gate to greet them.

When Jiang Nian followed Zhan Guang and Cheng Rixing to the outer study, she saw Jia Zheng standing under the eaves, with rainwater dripping down the roof tiles and splashing up tiny droplets at his feet.

"Your son-in-law greets your father-in-law." Jiang Nian stepped forward and bowed.

Jia Zheng reached out a hand to help Jiang Nian into the room. After offering her a seat and tea, Jia Zheng asked, "I heard you only returned to the capital yesterday?"

Jiang Nian said, "That's right. I specially chose this time to come and pay my respects to my father-in-law today because I thought he should be home from work by now."

These words pleased Jia Zheng, and the wrinkles around his eyes eased slightly.

Jiang Nian added, "My husband and I came to visit together this time, bringing some local products from Jiangning. Among them, some were specially prepared for my father-in-law, which my wife has already sent inside."

Jia Zheng was even more pleased after hearing this.

Immediately afterwards, Jia Zheng asked Jiang Nian about his business trip to the south of the Yangtze River, and Jiang Nian gave a brief account.

Zhan Guang clicked his tongue in amazement: "Young Master Jiang is decisive and efficient; he is truly a pillar of the nation!"

Cheng Rixing also flattered, "No wonder the Emperor values ​​Young Master Jiang so highly; he is truly a genius."

Jia Zheng was fond of being flattered, and the group of scholars who followed him were mostly people skilled at flattery.

In the midst of their laughter and conversation, Jia Zheng suddenly frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "It's just that there's been some discussion in the court lately..." He paused here, "Some people say that you were both imperial envoys, and that you were harsh in your actions, with the air of a cruel official."

Jiang Nian looked up and stared directly at Jia Zheng, her voice calm and unhurried: "Salt smugglers collude with the government, and the Luo sect misleads the people. If we don't use severe punishments, how can we eradicate these long-standing malpractices? Since His Majesty has entrusted you with this important task, as your subject, you should do your job wholeheartedly."

Jia Zheng was taken aback upon hearing this. He had intended to offer some advice, but the words caught in his throat.

Seeing this, Zhan Guang quickly smoothed things over: "Young Master Jiang is loyal to the country; what are those idle gossips worth mentioning?"

Cheng Rixing also said, "Exactly! Those who were punished, didn't they all deserve it?"

Jia Zheng shook his head and smiled wryly: "Never mind, you have your own ideas." But he couldn't help but add, "It's just that the way of being an official is to combine firmness and leniency in the long run."

Jiang Nian cupped his hands and said, "I will remember your teachings, Father-in-law."

Jia Zheng is not good at being an official, but he is good at preaching, and what he said now makes sense.

However, Jia Zheng was unaware that Jiang Nian was the commoner son of Emperor Taishun, and even less aware that Jiang Nian was blessed with extraordinary fortune...

After a brief visit to Jia Zheng, Jiang Nian took her leave. As she departed, Jia Zheng saw her to the outside of his study, watching her figure disappear into the rain and mist, and murmured to himself, "I wonder if this temperament is a blessing or a curse..."

……

……

Jiang Nian and Yuan Chun left Rongguo Mansion together in a carriage and then went to Qu Family in the East City.

Yuan Chun waited inside the carriage, while Jiang Nian got out and went inside to visit Qu Tai and Qu Jishan.

Upon receiving the news, Qu Jishan personally came out of the inner courtyard to greet Jiang Nian and led her into Qu Tai's study.

The study was furnished in a simple and elegant style, with calligraphy and paintings by famous people hanging on the walls, bookshelves filled with books, and the air filled with the fragrance of ink.

Jiang Nian personally presented some local products from Jiangning, including the finest tea from Jiangning.

Qu Tai then asked with a smile, "How was your trip to Jiangnan?"

Jiang Nian then gave a brief account of her business trip to the south of the Yangtze River.

After listening, Qu Jishan exclaimed, "Brother Nian's swift and decisive actions have shaken the court and the public!"

"The task was handled well." Qu Tai took a sip of tea, then frowned. "However... recently some people in the court have said that you are a cruel official, and there are censors in the Censorate who want to impeach you. I suppressed two of the impeachment documents."

The saying that Emperor Taishun was "diligent in confiscating property and close to cruel officials" had spread widely in the court, and Jiang Nian was regarded as one of the cruel officials close to Emperor Taishun.

Jiang Nian expressed her gratitude to Qu Tai, and then calmly said, "My esteemed teacher is wise. I am merely fulfilling my duty as a subject. Since His Majesty has entrusted me with this important task, as a subject, I should naturally serve with utmost sincerity."

Qu Tai nodded.

Jiang Nian then brought up the matter of having Qin Zhong attend the Qu family's private school. How could Qu Tai refuse such a small matter?

After a brief visit, Jiang Nian was about to take his leave. Qu Tai and Qu Jishan wanted him to stay for dinner, but Jiang Nian declined, saying that his wife was waiting for him in the carriage outside.

So Qu Jishan saw Jiang Nian off at the gate of the house.

After Jiang Nian left, Qu Jishan returned to Qu Tai's study.

Qu Taihu lowered his voice and said to Qu Jishan, "I recently heard a rumor that is quite alarming."

Qu Jishan asked curiously, "What shocking thing is it?"

Qu Tai pondered for a moment and said, "Do you remember when I suspected that Nian-ge'er was the Thirteenth Prince's bloodline?"

Qu Jishan's heart skipped a beat, but he pretended to be calm: "Of course I remember."

"But recently I've heard an even more horrifying claim," Qu Tai said gravely. "Nian-ge'er may be the emperor's child who has been living among the common people!"

Qu Jishan was taken aback. Although he had suspected this before, he was still shocked to hear his father say it.

Qu Tai said, "After careful consideration, I think this rumor may not be unfounded."

Qu Tai began to analyze: "The Emperor visited Jiangnan more than ten years ago and stayed in Jiangning for a long time. If we go back in time, it is reasonable that Nian Ge'er was born in Jiangning at that time, but the Thirteenth Prince did not go to Jiangning more than ten years ago. If Nian Ge'er is indeed the Emperor's bloodline, then the Emperor's favor towards him is extraordinary, which can be explained. Last year, he should have failed the Shuntian provincial examination. It may not be due to a lack of talent, but rather because it is inconvenient for someone of noble birth to take the exam. The Emperor secretly removed him from the list."

Qu Jishan's voice tightened: "Father, this is no small matter. Where did you hear this from?"

Qu Tai deliberately avoided answering the question, and instead said, "I naturally know that this matter is of great importance, and I shouldn't even tell you, but I did anyway. It's because you're usually tight-lipped and wouldn't carelessly reveal this matter. Also, there's something I need to ask you: if Nian'er is indeed His Majesty's flesh and blood, will His Majesty publicly acknowledge this child?"

He pondered this question for a long time but still didn't know the answer. Knowing that his son Qu Jishan was extremely intelligent, he wanted to hear how Qu Jishan would respond.

Qu Jishan frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Under normal circumstances, the chances of them recognizing each other are very small. However, Nian-ge'er is truly a prodigy, and he has already gained such high regard from His Majesty. Moreover... if this secret were to spread further, it might actually prompt His Majesty to recognize him!"

Qu Tai remained silent for a long time before nodding and sighing, "I once said that Nian-ge'er has an extraordinary background and is favored by Heaven. If he is indeed a dragon's offspring, then this favor from Heaven makes sense."

……

……

The next day, the rain stopped and the sky cleared up.

At the gate of the Jiang family's new residence, two servants suddenly heard the sound of carriages and horses. They saw a procession of sedan chairs and horses turning from the official road, with a large sedan chair with eight people at the head, which was Jia Mu's entourage.

Upon receiving the news, Jiang Nian and Yuan Chun, both dressed in finery, stood side by side inside the hanging flower gate, accompanied by Xue Baochai, Jing Qing, Meng Shi, Xing Xiuyan, and a group of maids and servants, to welcome the arrival of Grandmother Jia, Madam Xing, and Madam Wang. "The old lady is here!" Yuan Chun exclaimed softly, hurrying forward to greet her.

Suddenly, Madam Xing saw a familiar figure emerge from the crowd and gracefully bow to her, saying, "Your niece, Xiuyan, greets her aunt." Her voice was barely audible.

Madam Xing was momentarily stunned: "Who are you?"

Xing Xiuyan said again, "Niece Xiuyan."

Madam Xing then realized, "Xing Zhong's child? What are you doing here?"

Seeing this, Yuan Chun quickly said gently, "Madam, let's go inside and talk about it in detail."

Madam Xing nodded.

After everyone entered the main room and were offered seats and tea, Yuan Chun recounted the story of Xing Zhong and his wife to Madam Xing in detail. When she spoke of the unexpected and tragic deaths of Xing Zhong and his wife, Madam Xing was stunned.

Madam Xing was dissatisfied, believing that Jiang Nian was responsible for the deaths of Xing Zhong and his wife. Moreover, Jiang Nian brought Xing Xiuyan to the capital but did not immediately go to pay her respects.

Because Grandmother Jia was present, she couldn't say these words aloud.

Yuan Chun smiled and said to Madam Xing, "Miss Xing's parents died unexpectedly, and the master felt guilty. After discussion, we intend to adopt Miss Xing. We hope that Madam will grant our request."

Madam Xing was conflicted. On the one hand, she was unwilling to adopt Xing Xiuyan, not to mention that Xing Xiuyan was only her distant cousin, she would not adopt her even if she were her own niece; on the other hand, she did not want Xing Xiuyan to live with Jiang Nian.

Grandmother Jia suddenly coughed and said, "Since Nian-ge'er and Yuan-chun are so in love, it is indeed a blessing for this girl." As she spoke, she gave Madam Xing a meaningful look.

Madam Xing felt a chill run down her spine from that look, and could only force a smile and say, "What the old lady says is true." Turning to Xing Xiuyan, she said, "In that case... you may stay here."

Xing Xiuyan was secretly delighted.

As they were talking, Grandmother Jia was suddenly attracted by a beautiful figure. It was Jing Qing in the crowd. She looked like Chang'e descending to earth. So she looked at Jing Qing and asked with a smile, "What a neat and tidy appearance. Who are you?"

Jing Qing bowed gracefully and introduced herself.

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's expression immediately turned somber. She had already heard about Jing Qing's situation, and inwardly sighed, "What a pity! Such a girl from a good family and with such good looks, yet she has fallen into such a lowly status and worked as a courtesan in a brothel, and yet Nian-ge'er took her into his household!"

When Xiangling came over to refill the tea, Grandmother Jia took her hand and looked her over closely, saying, "You look so neat and tidy!"

Xiangling lowered her head shyly, a strand of hair falling down her cheek, adding to her charming appearance.

After a few rounds of tea, Jiang Nian tactfully left. Today was a small gathering of women for a family banquet, and although he was young, he was, after all, the head of the household, so it was inconvenient for him to stay and accompany them all the time, nor did he have the inclination to.

Jiang Nian went to He Yun's house next door.

After Jiang Nian left, Yuan Chun ordered a banquet to be prepared. Although it was a family feast, it was extremely exquisite. First came four kinds of dried fruit and four kinds of fresh fruit, followed by eight cold dishes. The rouge-colored goose breast served on the crystal plate, reflecting the winter sunlight, seemed to truly reveal its rouge color.

During the meal, Xue Baochai served the wine, Jingqing served the dishes, and Meng Shi led her maids and servants to serve them.

After tasting a few dishes, Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "This tastes just like the way it's prepared in Jiangning."

Yuan Chun hurriedly replied, "It was indeed a chef from the south that we invited."

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere at the table gradually became quiet and deserted.

Seeing that Grandmother Jia had put down her chopsticks and stopped drinking, her gaze frequently drifting to the window, Yuan Chun knew that the old lady was feeling bored, so she gracefully stood up and said, "If you don't mind the noise, Grandmother, I would like to play a tune on the zither to liven things up."

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's eyes lit up, and even Lady Wang straightened up slightly.

Grandmother Jia smiled and said, "Your musical skills were already excellent when you were still a young lady."

Although Madam Xing was not familiar with music, she echoed the sounds.

"Bring the zither and fetch the Nine Heavens Jade Pendant," Yuan Chun called softly, then ordered the other maids to set up the zither table.

Before long, Xiren and other maids carried in a sandalwood zither table, while Baoqin carefully brought out the Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Zither.

Yuan Chun pointed to the Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Qin and specially introduced it to Grandmother Jia: "Grandmother, this qin is called 'Nine Heavens Jade Pendant,' and it is an antique from the Tang Dynasty. My husband obtained it during his trip to the south of the Yangtze River, and when he went to report to the Emperor, he specially asked for His Majesty's grace to bestow it upon him and gave it to me."

Upon hearing this, the servants of the Rongguo Mansion all praised it.

Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang exchanged a glance, both sighing inwardly: Jiang Nian truly put her heart into treating Yuan Chun.

Jing Qing stared intently at the Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Zither, her handkerchief twisted into a knot in her hand...

Yuan Chun sat upright, her sleeves tucked in, and with a light touch of her jade fingers, a string of clear notes flowed from the strings. At first, it was like the dripping of a secluded spring, then like pearls falling onto a jade plate, and suddenly it turned into a lingering, melodious tune. The melody was sometimes like weeping and lamenting, sometimes elusive and distant, perfectly expressing the longing for her lover.

It was "Longing" that Jiang Nian specially wrote for her.

Although Jing Qing was already familiar with this piece, she was still captivated by it, as she couldn't help but recall the harmonious times she and Shi Shao had shared playing the zither. Now, this Nine Heavens Jade Pendant Zither no longer belonged to Shi Shao, nor to her, but to Yuan Chun.

Thinking of this, Jing Qing lowered her head and took a sip of wine, only to find it somewhat bitter.

After a long while, Grandmother Jia finally came to her senses: "I have lived to such an old age and heard countless pieces of music, but I have never heard anything so special."

Yuan Chun smiled gently: "Grandma doesn't know, this piece was composed by the master himself."

"What?" Madam Wang exclaimed in surprise, "He can compose music?"

Yuan Chun nodded: "The master learned to play the zither from me and even composed this piece."

She deliberately wanted to praise Jiang Nian's talent in front of her elders, but she didn't boast that the song was specially composed for her by Jiang Nian and specially named "Longing"!
In the afternoon, as the small gathering of women's families was coming to an end, Yuan Chun ordered someone to call Jiang Nian back from He Yun's house next door.

Grandmother Jia held Yuan Chun's hand and said, "It's kind of you to be so considerate." She then glanced at Jiang Nian and lowered her voice to Yuan Chun, "I'm relieved that he treats you well."

Grandmother Jia then said to Jiang Nian, "It's really kind of you to invite us over today; you've gone to so much trouble."

Madam Xing followed behind, forcing a smile, but her heart was like ice. She couldn't help but glance at Xing Xiuyan in the crowd, thinking to herself, "Those Xing Zhong and his wife were essentially killed by Jiang Nian. Now Jiang Nian wants to adopt Xiuyan. Although Xiuyan is still young, she'll be a beautiful young lady in two or three years. Who knows, he might defile her. Humph, this matter can't just end like this. I have to make him give me some money! It's inconvenient with the old lady here today."

After seeing off Grandmother Jia and her entourage, Jiang Nian and Yuan Chun returned to the study. Yuan Chun said with a smile, "I'm sorry that Master had to suffer today. He couldn't have a banquet with us ladies, so he went to stay with Guard He next door."

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "What's there to feel wronged about? If you're happy, then I'm happy too."

Yuan Chun was moved and took the initiative to explain in detail what had happened at the banquet that day.

After listening, Jiang Nian asked with a smile, "Why don't you say that the song is called 'Longing,' and that I composed it especially for you?"

Yuan Chun glanced at him and said, "How can I say that so bluntly?"

(End of this chapter)