The Red Mansion

Chapter 187 Chaotian Palace

Prince Zhongyi understood.

Although his fourth brother had only been on the throne for less than two years, he had devoted himself wholeheartedly to reforming the bureaucracy, replenishing the national treasury, quelling the rebellion in Qinghai, and maintaining harmony with the retired emperor and his son. Now that the throne was secure, even if the private matter of his illegitimate son became public, it would not be a big deal.

After Prince Zhongyi took his leave, Emperor Taishun sat alone in the warm pavilion, sitting cross-legged in deep thought, his expression shifting between light and shadow.

He already had a plan in mind—he could use this rumor to create momentum so that when he later announced Jiang Nian's identity as a prince to the world, it wouldn't be too abrupt!

It turns out that this supreme ruler has already decided to adopt a son!

To elaborate: Firstly, Jiang Nian is indeed a prodigy, having repeatedly performed extraordinary feats and deeply won the Emperor's favor; secondly, his own offspring are few, having fathered nine sons, but five have died, leaving only the Third Prince Yuan Shi, the Fourth Prince Yuan Li, the Fifth Prince Yuan Zhou, and a four-year-old son who has not yet reached the proper order of birth. Among them, the Third Prince Yuan Shi is eccentric and disliked by him. Moreover, he is nearly fifty years old, and his health is not good.

Thinking of this, Emperor Taishun suddenly felt a tightness in his chest and coughed twice.

The eunuchs standing outside the curtain hurriedly brought over ginseng soup, but the Emperor waved his hand to indicate that he did not need it, and instead said, "Send Ren Bijiang here!"

……

……

The winter sun hung high in the sky, shining on the snow-covered roof of the Jiang family's house.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar, and Ren Pijiang, dressed in the uniform of a second-class imperial guard, came rushing over, covered in dust.

Jiang Nian was practicing calligraphy in her study when she heard the news and hurriedly welcomed Ren Pijiang to the main room, dismissing the servants.

Without exchanging pleasantries, Ren Pijiang solemnly announced, "His Majesty has decreed that Imperial Guard Jiang Nian be summoned to an audience immediately!"

Jiang Nian hurriedly went into the bedroom to change into the guard's hat and clothes.

Because Baoqin followed Yuanchun to the Rongguo Mansion, Jiang Nian summoned Xiangling and Xiren to help her change her clothes.

Xiren secretly rejoiced that she had gotten such an opportunity to get close to the master.

While helping him change, she noticed Jiang Nian's imposing figure, accentuated by his guard's uniform, and her heart skipped a beat. She thought to herself, "Back in the Rong Mansion, I thought even a young master like Bao Er was a rare find. Now, serving the eldest master, I realize that this is what a gentleman should be like. Speaking of which, the eldest master is only a few years older than Bao Er, yet look at his bearing! Unlike Bao Er, who spends his days wallowing in women's company..."

While she was lost in thought, she suddenly saw Jiang Nian turn her head to look at her, which startled her so much that she almost dropped the jade belt.

Xiangling, who was watching from the side, smiled and took the jade belt to tie it for Jiang Nian.

Jiang Nian quickly changed her clothes and stepped out of the main room. After her figure disappeared through the hanging flower gate, Xi Ren stood under the eaves in a daze for a long time, not even hearing Xiang Ling calling her.

……

……

Jiang Nian and Ren Pijiang rode together, their hooves crushing the remaining snow on the road and splashing up tiny ice crystals.

As they approached Chaoyang Gate, a carriage with a jade canopy and pearl tassels, adorned with eight treasures, suddenly appeared in their path. The driver was Dong Liang, and he was accompanied by several servants from the Jiang family.

It turned out that Yuan-chun had just returned from the Rongguo Mansion and happened to meet them here.

Hearing the commotion outside, Yuan Chun quickly lifted the curtain and saw her master dressed in the robes of an imperial guard, arriving with Ren Pijiang. The official robes accentuated Jiang Nian's sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and the jade belt at his waist gleamed warmly in the winter sun.

Jiang Nian pulled on the reins, dismounted, and walked to the carriage.

Yuan Chun asked softly through the car window, "Where are you going, sir?"

Jiang Nian lowered her voice and said, "His Majesty has suddenly summoned me."

Previously, Yuan Chun had no interest in Jiang Nian or the princes, but now that she has, she is particularly sensitive to matters such as the emperor's summons.

Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the handkerchief, and she pressed on, "Do you know why?"

Jiang Nian shook her head: "I don't know yet. Madam, please go home first. I'm going to the palace to pay my respects."

After saying that, he gently patted the car window frame, turned around and left.

Yuan Chun was mesmerized by his agile figure as he mounted his horse. She watched him ride away, his guard uniform fluttering in the wind, until he was far away in the blink of an eye.

Only the crunching sound of wheels rolling over the road and the myriad thoughts surfacing in Yuan Chun's mind remained.

……

……

Jiang Nian followed Ren Pijiang to the palace, where she saw vermilion walls and green tiles reflecting the light of snow, and golden nails and jade steps shining in the sunlight.

The two passed through numerous palaces and arrived at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

The warm pavilion was filled with the fragrance of ambergris. Emperor Taishun sat alone on the kang (a heated brick bed). When the two men entered, he only slightly raised his eyelids.

After Jiang Nian finished performing the grand ceremony, Emperor Taishun suddenly said in a deep, icy voice, "There are rumors circulating outside that you are my bloodline. Did you deliberately spread this rumor yourself?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nian immediately prostrated himself and kowtowed, his forehead touching the cold stone bricks, the chill penetrating to his very core. Yet he calmly replied, "Your Majesty is wise; how dare I recklessly spread this matter!"

Emperor Taishun ordered Jiang Nian to raise her head, then asked with lightning speed, "Have you heard such rumors?"

Jiang Nian frankly told His Majesty: "I dare not hide it from you. Just last night, my wife asked about this matter. She said that the Dowager Lady Shi of the Rongguo Mansion heard the rumors and suspected that I was... the child of the Emperor. I still kept it from my wife and strictly ordered her to report back to the Dowager Lady Shi that this was nonsense. It concerns the dignity of the Imperial Family and must be kept silent."

The warm pavilion was utterly silent for a moment.

Emperor Taishun's hawk-like gaze swept across Jiang Nian's face, as if trying to pierce through her skin and see into her heart. After a long while, he suddenly sighed, "Get up."

After Jiang Nian stood up, Emperor Taishun's expression softened slightly, and he said, "You handled it well. Remember, no matter who asks, you must not reveal it."

……

……

After Jiang Nian took her leave, Emperor Taishun suddenly moved to the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace. Lifting the embroidered gold curtain, he saw the retired Emperor Jingning bending down to play with a gilded enamel clock.

Emperor Taishun straightened his clothes and stepped forward to report, "Your subject is guilty!" He then explained in detail the matter of the rumors about the imperial offspring, and finally said, "Your father once instructed that this child's background must be kept secret, but your subject has treated him well and entrusted him with important imperial envoys twice, which has led to speculation about his background, and now it has even spread."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingning remained calm and composed. Instead, he gently turned the gears of the clock and smiled, saying, "This matter is not the emperor's fault. This child is exceptionally talented and has repeatedly achieved remarkable feats. Not to mention your high regard as his father, even I... truly appreciate him."

Suddenly changing the subject, Emperor Jingning asked meaningfully, "Now that things have come to this, what does Your Majesty intend to do?"

Emperor Taishun said, "If we issue an edict to strictly prohibit it, it will only make the whole world aware of it. Your Majesty, I think we should let it be; it's just speculation anyway. As long as no official decree is issued, it won't cause any real harm." Emperor Jingning pondered for a moment, still fiddling with the gears on the clock, then suddenly raised his eyebrows and asked, "Has Your Majesty never considered acknowledging this child as part of the imperial family?"

Emperor Taishun was startled. Although he had already had this thought in his mind, he did not expect Emperor Jingning to see it through in one sentence. After regaining his composure, he replied respectfully, "Your subject will remember Your Majesty's teachings. This child's background must be kept secret."

Emperor Jingning gently placed the clock on the rosewood table, and the pendulum rang out with a clear "tick-tock" sound in the quiet, warm pavilion.

“Times have changed,” Emperor Jingning said, stroking his beard. “When I said these words back then, you had just ascended the throne and your foundation was not yet secure. Now that Qinghai is pacified and the national treasury is full, I see that you are sitting on this dragon throne quite firmly.”

Emperor Taishun was speechless for a moment, only lowering his head to stare at the shadow of the window frame reflected on the gold brick floor. The shadow looked somewhat messy, just like his current state of mind.

Emperor Jingning suddenly changed his tune: "However..." He picked up a jade ruyi from the table and tapped it lightly in his palm, "If it were truly announced to the world, it would inevitably cause a stir among the imperial family and in the court. Moreover, the historian's pen is as firm as iron, and the people will gossip in the streets..." He paused meaningfully at this point.

"Your subject understands," Emperor Taishun quickly replied, "and will, as always, keep this matter confidential."

Emperor Jingning then said leisurely, "Let's see what fate awaits this young man. If he..." He stroked the cloud pattern on the ruyi scepter, "...can continue to strive for progress, achieve great feats, and be recognized as a member of his ancestors, it wouldn't be impossible!"

……

……

Jiang Nian left the palace gate and mounted her horse. Reaching the moat, she suddenly reined in and looked back at the majestic palace. Vermilion walls, golden tiles, soaring eaves, and intricate brackets seemed to reach the clouds, like a mirage, both near and far. The snow still clung to the palace walls, reflecting the winter sun, yet it appeared to gleam with a blood-red light.

"Becoming a prince is easier said than done!"

Jiang Nian sighed inwardly, but he wasn't particularly surprised. He had long known that this matter was of great importance; how could it be resolved so easily because of a few rumors?
Thinking of the sharp gaze Emperor Taishun had given during the interrogation, he couldn't help but tighten his grip on the riding whip.

Having made up his mind, he could only continue to strive forward, both for good fortune and to further gain the favor of Emperor Taishun and Emperor Jingning, the retired emperor.

"drive!"

With a soft shout, the horse reared up and galloped away.

Jiang Nian faced the cold wind, yet a fire seemed to burn within him. He firmly believed that as long as he remained steadfast and persevered, one day he would be able to enter the Nine Heavens Palace openly and honestly. And on this day, he had a deep feeling that he wouldn't have to wait long…

The sound of horses' hooves clattered, and in the blink of an eye, they were out of the imperial city.

But then he re-entered the community, yet seemed to be out of place there...

……

……

Jiang Nian returned to the residence in the eastern suburbs and saw Yuan Chun already waiting under the eaves of the main house, dressed in an elegant jacket and skirt.

Seeing Jiang Nian enter the hanging flower gate, Yuan Chun hurriedly went forward to greet him, personally took off his cloak, and then personally helped him change out of his guard's hat and robes.

After Jiang Nian finished lunch, Yuan Chun followed her into the study.

Xiangling served two cups of fragrant tea and then tactfully withdrew.

Yuan Chun gently stroked her teacup, finally unable to contain herself, and asked softly, "What is the matter that His Majesty summoned you, sir, today?"

Jiang Nian blew on the tea foam, took another sip, and said calmly, "His Majesty has heard the rumor you mentioned last night."

Yuan Chun's teacup trembled, almost spilling the tea. She forced herself to remain calm and asked, "Your Majesty... has he blamed the young master?"

“No, not at all.” Jiang Nian put down her teacup, her gaze deep. “But Madam, please remember, this matter must never be spread again.” As she spoke, she tapped her fingertips lightly on the table, making a soft “thud” sound.

Yuan Chun's heart pounded. Stealing a glance, she saw Jiang Nianjian with slightly furrowed brows and piercing eyes. Although dressed in casual clothes, he possessed the air of a nobleman.

She quickly lowered her head to hide the turmoil in her heart, but couldn't help thinking to herself, "The way the old man handled it makes the rumors seem even more likely to be true..."

……

……

Inside the east wing of the Jiang family's house, the charcoal fire burned brightly, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere.

Jing Qing was practicing calligraphy by the window, wearing a moon-white silk jacket. The lotus pattern embroidered with silver thread on the cuffs appeared and disappeared as her wrists rose and fell, as if it were alive.

Maids Hongxia and Lüyi were standing by when Jiang Nian quietly entered. The two maids were about to speak when Jiang Nian quickly waved them away. Hongxia, quick-witted, tugged at Lüyi's sleeve, and the two tiptoed out.

Jiang Nian walked to the desk and saw Jing Qing copying the "Preface to the Poems Composed at the Orchid Pavilion." Her small regular script was delicate and neat, but when she wrote the line "Looking up at the vastness of the universe," the last stroke of the character "大" (great) was powerful and forceful, showing a stubbornness. The Xuan paper on the desk was snow-white, reflecting the winter sun outside the window, making the ink strokes appear even more elegant and refined.

“These four characters, ‘惠风和畅,’ are beautifully written,” Jiang Nian suddenly exclaimed.

Jing Qing flicked her wrist, leaving a trail of ink with the tip of her brush. Looking up and seeing Jiang Nian, she hurriedly put down her wolf-hair brush, stood up and bowed, a silver-gilt butterfly hairpin trembling slightly at her temple: "I was unaware of your arrival, sir. I am truly sorry for my rudeness."

Jiang Nianxu offered a helping hand, her gaze still lingering on the calligraphy copybook: "You actually like Wang Xizhi's 'Preface to the Orchid Pavilion'?"

Jing Qing smiled, revealing dimples on her cheeks: "My father often taught me when I was young that practicing calligraphy can cultivate a woman's character." As she spoke, she offered the main seat, her eyes filled with anticipation, "If you don't mind, sir, would you like to write one as well?"

Jiang Nian didn't refuse, and immediately rolled up his sleeves and picked up the brush. He lightly pinched the purple brush with three fingers of his right hand, dipped it fully in the inkstone, and then, with a sudden flick of his wrist and a lift of his elbow, the brush moved like a dragon and a snake, its tip leaping and turning on the Xuan paper:
"My hair stands on end in anger, as I lean on the railing, the rain has just stopped. I raise my eyes, look up to the sky and roar, my heart filled with fierce ambition. Thirty years of fame and glory are but dust and dirt, eight thousand miles of road are but clouds and moon. Do not idly let your youthful head turn white, only to be filled with empty sorrow."

The shame of Jingkang remains unavenged. The hatred of the subjects, when will it end? I will drive my chariot, shattering the Helan Mountains. With lofty ambition, I will feast on the flesh of the barbarians when hungry, and laughingly drink their blood when thirsty. I will wait to reclaim our lost lands and return to the imperial palace.

Every word seemed to penetrate the paper with force, and the poem "Man Jiang Hong" was written with a spirit that could swallow mountains and rivers. The four characters "怒发冲冠" (angering hair standing on end) were like a row of swords and spears; the two lines "壮志饥餐" (ambition and hunger) were like waves crashing on the shore; and the last three characters "朝天阙" (facing the imperial palace) had a sharp turn of the brush, revealing a restrained sharpness.

Jing Qing watched intently, feeling that the iron-like strokes and silver hooks concealed a strong character, and the dragon-like and phoenix-like movements revealed a spirit.

She had always admired those skilled in calligraphy. In the past, when she saw Shi Shao's Zhao Mengfu style calligraphy, she found it delicate and charming. Now, seeing Jiang Nian's calligraphy, she finally understood what "Yan Jin Liu Gu" truly meant—if Shi Shao's calligraphy was like a peony in spring, beautiful and charming, Jiang Nian's was like a pine tree on a snowy mountain, proud and unyielding!

Without thinking, I exclaimed, "Grandpa's calligraphy... it has the spirit of Wang Xizhi and the boldness of Li Bai!"

Jiang Nian put down the wolf-hair brush, shook her head and laughed, "It's just a casual scribble." As she spoke, she pointed to the three characters "Chaotianque" and said, "This transition is too deliberate and lacks refinement."

Just as Jing Qing was about to lean closer to examine the brushstrokes of the three characters "Chaotianque," she suddenly felt a warmth near her ear—it was Jiang Nian leaning down to point them out, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe almost imperceptibly. She then heard him lower his voice and say, "I'll stay here with you tonight."

Seeing this, Jing Qing felt both embarrassed and pleased.

She lowered her head and said softly, "I will obey your orders, sir."

To be honest, she had been married for several months, but had only shared a bed with Jiang Nian twice: the first time was the night before Jiang Nian left the capital; the second time was a few days ago.

She looked up at Jiang Nian's sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his imposing presence, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: "My mother instructed me to serve the master well and have a child as soon as possible, but the master is wary of me. If I can conceive a child first, even if I am a concubine, my status in this family will naturally be different."

(End of this chapter)