The Red Mansion

Chapter 239 The Ning Mansion Reopens, the Rong Mansion is Shocked

Night has come.

After leaving the Qin residence, Jiang Nian did not rush back to the Jiang residence. Instead, she headed towards a two-courtyard house next to the Jiang residence. This house was originally owned by Jiang Nian and was inhabited by He Yun, his wife Meng, their son He Zhong, and several servants of the Jiang family.

The courtyard gate was ajar, and two plain gauze lanterns hung under the eaves.

Jiang Nian entered and was led by He Yun to the study. Madam Meng personally brewed tea and served it to her, then tactfully withdrew and closed the door behind her.

In the candlelight, Jiang Nian and He Yun sat facing each other.

Jiang Nian took a sip of tea and then asked about the family's situation in recent months. He knew that there were some things Yuan Chun might not tell him.

As expected, He Yun hesitated for a moment before recounting how Yuan Chun had recently been expelled from the Rongguo Mansion, and how Madam Xing had sent servants to cause trouble.

After hearing this, Jiang Nian got up and left.

Back at the Jiang residence, the main bedroom was brightly lit. Yuan Chun had just finished bathing and was wearing only a moon-white silk nightgown. She was reading with Xiang Ling under the lamp, while Xiang Ling sat to the side with her zither, embroidering a handkerchief by the lamplight.

Upon seeing Jiang Nian enter, Yuan Chun, Xiang Ling, and Bao Qin all hurriedly stood up to greet her.

"It's already past 7 PM," Yuan Chun said softly. "Master has returned from his journey; he should rest early tonight..."

Before she could finish speaking, she lowered her head in embarrassment. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and although she and her husband had been separated for months, tonight felt like a wedding night to her.

Jiang Nian understood, took Yuan Chun's soft hands in his hands, and saw that her hair was half wet and exuded a faint jasmine fragrance. Her nightgown collar was slightly open, revealing a section of her smooth neck. He couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement.

The lamp was blew out, leaving only a small glass lamp by the bedside.

Mandarin ducks lie beneath a red silk curtain.

The clouds dispersed, the rain stopped, and a lingering, enchanting atmosphere remained in the tent.

Jiang Nian pulled Yuan Chun into her arms and suddenly asked, "What exactly happened when the Rong Mansion kicked you out that day?"

Yuan Chun stiffened, and forced a smile, saying, "That's all in the past, why bring it up, sir?"

Jiang Nian insisted on asking, and after repeated urging, Yuan Chun finally spoke softly.

The moonlight outside the window was like water.

Yuan Chun leaned against her husband's chest, her grievances turning into tears, which she quietly wiped away.

……

……

The next day, the ninth day of May.

As the sun rose in the east, Jiang Nian, dressed in the uniform of a second-class imperial guard, led Meng Xiong, Zhang Ruojin, and several imperial guards, riding their horses from the eastern suburbs into the inner city.

When the group arrived at the east side of the Thousand-Step Corridor inside Zhengyang Gate, they saw the Ministry of Works standing there, adjacent to the offices of the Imperial Clan Court, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of War, and other government offices.

Jiang Nian entered the yamen and arrived at the office of Jia Zheng, the secretary of the Qingli Department. Seeing that the door was half-closed, she knocked three times lightly.

Inside, Jia Zheng sat alone at his desk, holding a book and reading, motionless like a clay or wooden sculpture. Suddenly, he heard a knock at the door. Looking up, he saw Jiang Nian and was immediately surprised and delighted. He quickly rose to greet her, saying, "What brings you here? Do you have official business to attend to?"

Jiang Nian smiled and said, "I have come here today because of His Majesty's great favor in bestowing upon me the former Ningguo Mansion. I have come to handle the handover matters."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zheng's expression changed drastically. After a moment of stunned silence, he murmured, "Is this really true?"

At that moment, Jia Zheng forced himself to remain calm and guided Jiang Nian through the handover procedures for the Ningguo Mansion. When Jia Zheng saw Jiang Nian take the several heavy keys to the Ningguo Mansion, which jingled softly, a wave of bitterness welled up in his heart.

After the handover procedures were completed, Jiang Nian took his leave. Jia Zheng personally escorted him to the outside of the yamen. Watching Jiang Nian mount his horse and lead his men away, his figure gradually disappearing into the distance, Jia Zheng felt a mix of emotions, a bittersweet feeling that he could not express.

Tragically, the Ningguo Mansion was originally the ancestral property of the Jia family. Starting with Duke Ningguo Jia Yan, it had been passed down through generations. With its carved beams and painted rafters and vast gardens, it was a first-class mansion in the capital. Unexpectedly, it changed hands and ended up in the hands of a different family.

The good news is that the person who has now taken over the Ningguo Mansion is our own son-in-law, and our eldest daughter Yuan Chun has also taken over, so it is not entirely out of our control.

Suddenly recalling the incident of Yuan-chun being expelled from the Rongguo Mansion, Jia Zheng felt both ashamed and angry, thinking to himself, "My brother acted too rashly, causing Yuan-chun to become estranged from the mansion!"

……

……

Bathed in the summer sun, Jiang Nian left the Ministry of Works and, together with Meng Xiong, Zhang Ruojin, and several imperial guards, rode their horses through the streets and alleys, heading straight for Ningrong Street in the western part of the city.

Upon reaching Ningrong Street, one sees two magnificent mansions standing side by side, which were once the illustrious Ningrong Mansions.

Two large stone lions crouch before the gate of Ningguo Mansion, still exuding majesty despite the passage of time. However, the gilded bronze nails on the vermilion gate are covered in dust and have faded, and where the plaque that once read "Imperial Construction of Ningguo Mansion" once hung on the lintel, only a few nail marks remain.

In the adjacent east wing of the Rongguo Mansion, two of Jia She's servants stood dozing against the doorframe before the black-lacquered gate. Further west, several servants sat or stood before the main gate of the Rongguo Mansion. Suddenly, they saw Jiang Nian and his entourage stop in front of the Ningguo Mansion, and they were all surprised and uncertain.

Meng Xiong took a brass key and inserted it into the long-sealed lock of the Ningguo Mansion's main gate. With a muffled click, the lock spring loosened, and the two vermilion doors swirled open, raising a cloud of fine dust that danced in the sunlight. The sound of the hinges turning was hoarse and heavy, as if telling of nearly two years of loneliness.

Upon seeing this, the servants of the Rongguo Mansion all gathered around.

An older servant bowed to Jiang Nian and asked, "What brings you here, Young Master Jiang?"

Jiang Nian dusted off the hem of his official robes and solemnly said, "I am deeply grateful for His Majesty's great favor in bestowing this house upon me. I wish to move in with my entire family."

Before he finished speaking, the servants erupted in uproar.

Jiang Nian said no more and stepped over the threshold of the main gate, which was more than a foot high.

Looking around, one can see that although the mansion has been sealed for a long time, it still looks magnificent.

The scale of Ningguo Mansion was comparable to that of Rongguo Mansion, but upon closer inspection, Ningguo Mansion was even more luxurious than Rongguo Mansion in its heyday.

Although both the Ning and Rong mansions were built by imperial decree, the Ningguo Duke, Jia Yan, being the elder, had a more superior residence, especially the Huifang Garden, which had running water flowing into it and rocks stacked to form artificial mountains. Later, when Jia Zhen took over the household, he indulged in pleasure and extravagance, spending gold and silver like dirt, and making the Ningguo mansion even more magnificent.

Although the retired Emperor Jingning issued an edict to take back the Ningguo Mansion that day, he did not confiscate its property. You Shi and Jia Rong had already moved all the family's wealth away.

Jiang Nian strolled along, first looking at the main courtyard, then passing through the ceremonial gate, the main hall, the inner hall, and then through the inner ceremonial gate to the main hall. She then made a special trip to the former Jia Clan Ancestral Hall, but upon pushing open the door, she found that the ancestral hall had long been emptied.

Turning into the backyard, I was suddenly greeted by a bright and open view; I had arrived at Huifang Garden. Although the garden had been neglected for a long time, its layout remained intact. Winding paths led to secluded spots, and moss climbed the stone steps. The artificial hill was exquisite, and although overgrown with weeds, the beauty of its original rockery was still evident; the clear pond, though still flowing gently, was dotted with duckweed and fallen leaves.

Of all the pavilions in the garden, the most magnificent is undoubtedly the Tianxiang Pavilion. This two-story building soars high, with green tiles and red eaves, its upturned corners adorned with glazed roof beasts. How lively it must have been when Jia Zhen held banquets and revelry here! Now, the peony terrace in front of the pavilion is desolate, with only a few wild peonies struggling to bloom with pale, lifeless flowers. Looking up from the pavilion, a gust of wind suddenly stirs the faded crimson gauze on the window frames, as if telling tales of the past.

Besides Tianxiang Tower, the garden also contains Dengxian Pavilion, Doufeng Pavilion, Ningxi Pavilion, and other buildings.

Dengxian Pavilion, built on a high place, was originally a good spot for moon viewing, but now the stone steps and railings are covered with dust; Doufeng Pavilion was originally surrounded by exotic flowers and plants, attracting bees and butterflies, but now there are many thorns and vines; Ningxi Pavilion is built by the water, and the winding bridge in front of the pavilion has been lonely for a long time.

Jiang Nian strolled through the garden, the fallen leaves rustling under her feet. Suddenly, she noticed an old plum tree leaning against the rocks. Although it wasn't in bloom, its branches were strong and vigorous, and bird droppings had accumulated on the stone bench beneath it. After a quick inspection, Jiang Nian had a good idea of ​​what was going on.

The mansion is mostly intact, requiring only sweeping and painting. Although the flowers and trees in the back garden are overgrown, their foundations are still there.

……

……

When Jiang Nian was inspecting the Ningguo Mansion, Jia She was discussing household matters with Madam Xing in the flower hall of the east wing of the Rongguo Mansion.

Suddenly, a servant rushed in, disregarding all etiquette, and said, "Master and Madam, Young Master Jiang has come to the East Mansion next door and opened its gates. He says that he has been granted the entire mansion by the Emperor and wants to move in!"

Upon hearing this, Jia She and Madam Xing both thought they had misheard. Jia She shouted, "Are you out of your mind from the heat? How dare you spout nonsense in front of me!"

After confirming, both of them were filled with shock.

Jia She was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help but rush out the door, not even having time to change his outer robe. Madam Xing also disregarded etiquette, lifting the hem of her skirt and following closely behind Jia She.

The two men stepped out of the black lacquered gate and saw two imperial guards standing in front of the Ningguo Mansion next door. The long-sealed vermilion gate was now wide open.

Jia She immediately deflated like a punctured balloon, turned around and strode quickly towards the main courtyard of the Rongguo Mansion. Madam Xing hurriedly followed after him.

……

……

Inside Rongqing Hall, Grandmother Jia sat on a couch, while Lady Wang sat to one side.

Grandmother Jia, twirling her prayer beads, sighed, "When Yuan-chun was wronged here before leaving, the First Madam sent people to the Jiang family to cause a scene, which led to Yuan-chun becoming estranged from our household. Now that Nian-ge'er has returned to the capital, what will we do if he finds out about these things, given his temperament?"

Upon hearing this, Madam Wang was momentarily at a loss for words.

In truth, she felt both regret and resentment. She regretted believing Jia Lian's report and watching helplessly as Jia She publicly drove Yuan Chun away, watching Yuan Chun look at her, hoping her, as her mother, would speak up for her, while she hesitated and remained silent. She resented Jia She; if it weren't for his meddling, Yuan Chun wouldn't have become estranged from the Rongguo Mansion.

At this point, a maidservant rushed in and reported that Jiang Nian had been granted the Ningguo Mansion and that the Ningguo Mansion had been opened.

Upon hearing this, both Grandmother Jia and Lady Wang were filled with shock.

Just then, a flurry of footsteps sounded outside.

Jia She rushed in, followed by a panting Madam Xing.

Jia She, disregarding the formalities of greeting, straightened his neck and exclaimed, "Grandma! That little beast Jiang Nian has actually taken over the East Mansion of our Jia family!"

Before she could finish speaking, Grandmother Jia said in a deep voice, "You fool! You have already offended Nian-ge'er, and last time you drove Yuan-chun away and even allowed the servants to cause trouble at the Jiang family. Now you still don't know how to restrain yourself? The court has already taken over the East Mansion. Now that Nian-ge'er has been granted the East Mansion by the Emperor's grace, what can we do about it?"

Jia She said, "Why would His Majesty suddenly bestow the East Mansion upon him? I think he must have been shamelessly begging His Majesty for a reward. He must have been eyeing our Jia family's East Mansion for a long time."

Grandmother Jia said in a deep voice, "In any case, His Majesty has already bestowed the East Mansion upon Nian-ge'er. Nian-ge'er is, after all, our family's son-in-law. It is better for him and Yuan-chun to take over the East Mansion than for outsiders."

Jia She muttered dejectedly, "But that's our ancestors' legacy!"

Grandmother Jia, too lazy to deal with Jia She any longer, hurriedly sent someone to summon Jia Lian.

When Jia Lian heard the situation, he was shocked and exclaimed, "How...how could this be?"

Grandmother Jia instructed Jia Lian, "Lian'er, go and ask Nian-ge'er to come over for a chat. Remember to be respectful when you speak."

Jia Lian had no choice but to straighten his clothes and head towards Ningguo Mansion.

Upon arriving at the gate of Ningguo Mansion, I saw two imperial guards standing guard with swords at their sides, looking imposing in the sunlight.

Jia Lian stepped forward and asked the emperor's personal guards for permission to enter and see Jiang Nian, but was refused. One of the guards said, "Guard Jiang has given orders that no one is allowed to enter without permission. You will wait here outside the gate."

Jia Lian was furious, but he had no choice but to do as he was told.

Fortunately, after a short while, Jiang Nian came out of the main courtyard.

Jia Lian forced back the bitterness in his heart, put on a smile and went up to greet Jiang Nian. After confirming the situation with Jiang Nian, he said with a smile, "Congratulations, brother-in-law, on your great favor with the Emperor and the acquisition of this fine residence! The old lady specially ordered me to invite you over for a chat."

Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Nian waved her hand and said, "I'm too busy with other matters today to see the old lady."

Without saying anything like "I'll visit another day," Jiang Nian mounted her horse and, leading several of the emperor's personal guards, rode away together.

Meng Xiong and Zhang Ruojin stayed at Ningguo Mansion, waiting for some servants from the Jiang family to come and do a simple cleaning of the mansion so that the entire Jiang family could move in the next day.

Jia Lian was very depressed and could only return to Rongqing Hall of Rongguo Mansion with a embarrassed expression.

Jia Lian explained the situation to Grandmother Jia in detail.

Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia was also annoyed, and she spun her prayer beads rapidly.

Jia She slammed his fist on the table and roared, "What an arrogant bastard..."

He was interrupted halfway through his sentence by a stern rebuke from Grandmother Jia: "How long are you going to cause trouble?"

Madam Wang hurriedly advised, "Young Master Nian has just acquired a new residence, so naturally we need to be busy settling in. In my opinion, it would be better to prepare some congratulatory gifts and send them over."

Grandmother Jia finally caught her breath and pointed at Jia She's nose, saying, "Listen to this! Now that's what you call sensible!"

……

……

The news that Jiang Nian was granted the Ningguo Mansion and would be enthroned alongside Yuan Chun spread like wildfire throughout the entire Rongguo Mansion.

Upon hearing the news, Yingchun leaned against the railing, lost in thought, and suddenly sighed softly, "Big sister has finally made it through!"

Although she was the second daughter of the Rongguo Mansion, she was Jia She's illegitimate daughter. Neither her father, Jia She, nor her stepmother, Madam Xing, cared for her. She was also timid and weak-willed, and sometimes even the servants bullied her. Deep down, she envied Yuan Chun.

Tan Chun was practicing calligraphy in her room when her personal maid, Dai Shu, rushed in to report. Upon hearing this, Dai Shu couldn't help but feel envious, thinking to herself, "My eldest sister is truly blessed to be born on the first day of the first lunar month."

When Xichun learned of this, her expression turned gloomy; she was a young lady from the Ningguo Mansion.

For a time, the servants of Rongguo Mansion were buzzing with discussion.

This person said, "The East Mansion is even more impressive than our West Mansion!"

That person said, "I really didn't expect that our eldest daughter of the West Mansion would become the mistress of the East Mansion! Let's see if the master and mistress will dare to bully her in the future!"

(End of this chapter)