Dream of the Red Chamber: I can upgrade my entries!

Chapter 26: The Candle Illuminates the Daming Palace; What Does It Matter If the Emperor's Favor Is Insufficient?
"Fourth sister."

"Let's go back."

Tan Chun looked around and saw that everyone had returned to their residences, leaving only San Chun and Lin Daiyu standing at the main gate of Rongguo Mansion. She asked a question.

"elder brother."

However, Xiao Xichun remained fixed on the direction Jia Yan had left, not moving an inch.

"Fourth sister."

Yingchun also tried to persuade him, saying, "Second brother has already left."

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

Xichun belatedly burst into tears, her tears flowing uncontrollably, her voice choked with sobs.

Seeing this, Lin Daiyu took her hand and comforted her, "He said he would come back, he definitely will come back, because he is Jia Yan, he is your own brother."

"Uh-huh."

Xiao Xichun stopped crying and let Lin Daiyu lead her back to the Rongguo Mansion.

'? ? ? '

Yingchun and Tanchun watched the two women walk away, both looking puzzled. They were clearly Xichun's elder sisters, having grown up together since childhood. How come Lin Daiyu, who had been in the Jia family for less than half a month, seemed to be closer to Xichun?

The Forbidden City, Daming Palace.

The sky was still dark, with only the morning star appearing in the east. Candles burned brightly in the Hanyuan Hall. The retired emperor sat on his dragon throne, looking down at Dai Quan, the Grand Chancellor of the Daming Palace, who had just entered: "Are they gone?"

"The Great Emperor."

Dai Quan respectfully reported, "The Tiger General has already broken camp and is heading towards Desheng Gate."

'Deshengmen!'

Wearing a bright yellow silk robe with a round neck and narrow sleeves embroidered with dragons, and a white jade crown with nine dragons on his head, with a mutton-fat jade hairpin to secure his hair, Emperor Shunkang stepped down from the imperial throne. With his hands behind his back, he walked step by step to the outside of the main hall, gazing northwards. His cloudy old eyes became clear and bright.

The capital was divided into inner and outer cities, with the Forbidden City located in the center of the inner city. The inner city had nine gates, each with its own regulations. Zhengyang Gate was reserved for the emperor, used for sacrifices to Heaven and for plowing ceremonies. Chongwen Gate was responsible for collecting taxes on alcohol. Xuanwu Gate was for prison carts. Chaoyang Gate was dedicated to transporting grain. Fucheng Gate transported coal. Dongzhimen Gate was the main gate for transporting timber and building materials, as well as for civilian vehicles. Xizhimen Gate was a special passage for imperial water carts, and Chongwen Gate was a customs post guarded 24 hours a day.

Deshengmen and Andingmen were the main gates for the army to enter and exit. The former was located in the north, and the Xuanwu constellation symbolized weapons, serving as the gate for the army to go to war. The latter was often the gate for the army to return to the capital.

"The Great Emperor."

"The morning dew is heavy; take care of yourself."

Dai Quan followed closely behind, offering his advice with utmost care.

“The Jia family can’t possibly be this well-behaved.”

"The fact that they set off ahead of schedule indicates that they have other plans for these 800 people."

"Were the Hidden Dragon Guards completely unaware of this?"

Emperor Shunkang's gaze seemed to pierce through the morning mist, reaching the distant grasslands, and he murmured softly.

"Reporting to the Emperor Emeritus."

Dai Quan quickly reported: "It is understood that Ningguo Prefecture has been looking for guides to the grasslands since last year and has ordered people to make meat floss and milk powder."

"Cough cough."

Emperor Shunkang coughed a few times, and an unnatural flush appeared on his wrinkled old face. He said, "That's typical of him."

"The Black Cloud Capital of the Jia family was built by the first Duke of Ningguo. It was initially used in the northern war. It was because of the existence of the Black Cloud Capital that the Dukes of Ning and Rong were able to sweep across the north and south and unify the country with lightning speed at the beginning of the founding of the country."

"This force should have been passed down from Dai Hua's elder brother to Jia Fu, but Jia Fu died young, so it fell into Jia Jing's hands."

"Jia Jing, who held the position of Black Cloud Capital, served as the Crown Prince's eyes and ears, devising strategies and plans. Jia She, who commanded the Six Guards of the Eastern Palace, served as the King's vanguard and consistently suppressed the Eighth Prince."

"If it weren't for that night, Jia Jing and Jia She would have been pillars of the court, ranking first among civil and military officials."

"The Great Emperor."

Dai Quan's face was full of worry. No one knew Emperor Shunkang better than him. In the battle against the Yuan dynasty, many people died, the nobles were almost completely replaced, the founding line was decimated, Jia Daihua, the second-generation head of the Ningguo Mansion, was killed in battle, and Jia Daishan, the second-generation head of the Rongguo Mansion, was seriously wounded and died not long after returning to the capital.

Emperor Shunkang, who was personally on the front lines, was also injured. The fact that he is still alive is only thanks to the efforts of the imperial physicians. The diagnosis given by the Imperial Hospital is that even if the retired emperor rests and recuperates, he will not live for more than five years.

"There's a time for everything, no need to worry."

Emperor Shunkang waved his hand and said frankly, "Preparations began last year. The Jia family's attention to the northern frontier is quite different."

"Of all the white disasters the Mongols have experienced, only this time did they march south and easily conquer Ping'an Prefecture."

"No official or general below the military governor of Ping'an Prefecture survived."

"Your Majesty the Retired Emperor, you mean..."

Upon hearing this, Dai Quan's expression changed slightly, revealing a solemn look.

"Ah."

After giving him a deep look, Emperor Shunkang said in a deep voice, "The Jia family must be hiding something."

"Otherwise, how could Jia Jing have remained silent for so long, paving the way for his young son and thus instigating the Mongols to march south?"

"The fall of Ping'an Prefecture and Guihua City must have been orchestrated by Hei Yundu."

"You have ordered your men to meticulously investigate and find the cause."

"Yes."

Dai Quan's pupils contracted sharply, and he responded.

"I underestimated Jia Jing. Eight hundred cavalrymen carrying guides, meat floss, and milk powder—they're planning a long-distance raid."

"He was indeed ruthless, not hesitating to send his young son deep into the northern desert."

"This kid has guts, unlike those good-for-nothings in the noble families who, besides oppressing the people, do nothing but walk their dogs, fight cocks, frequent prostitutes, and drink alcohol all day long."

"The fate of the Jia family for generations rests on his shoulders. He's only fifteen years old."

When this was mentioned, Emperor Shunkang remained silent for a long time before finally uttering a sentence: "Tell me, am I too cold-blooded?"

"The Great Emperor."

These words terrified Dai Quan so much that he immediately prostrated himself, not daring to utter a word.

"The entire court believed that the fourth prince was cold-hearted and ruthless."

"But no one knows that the reason I chose him to succeed me is precisely because, among all the princes, he is very much like me."

"In the twentieth year of the Shunkang era, the Later Jin led 300,000 Qing troops to invade Shanhaiguan, and the Jizhou garrison was in danger. The Dzungar Khanate and the Khoshut Khanate threatened Gansu, and the Khalkha Mongol tribes gathered 300,000 troops to besiege Ping'an Prefecture. The dynasty was plunged into an unprecedented crisis and was surrounded by enemies on all sides."

"I personally led the expedition against the Later Jin, with 200,000 troops under the command of Daishan to defend against the enemy at Shanhaiguan. The most dangerous place was not Liaodong, but Ping'an Prefecture."

"Duke Ningguo, First-Class Divine Might General Jia Daihua, led 100,000 troops to reinforce the northern frontier. That battle deterred the Mongol Tartars from advancing south for decades. The dynasty paid a heavy price, with more than 100 sons of the Jia family, including Daihua's elder brother, dying in Ping'an Prefecture."

"Given the merits of his elder brother Daihua, it is only right that his son should inherit the title of Duke of Ningguo. However, I ordered someone to submit a memorial on the grounds that the hereditary titles of the dynasty must be inherited through military merits, which rejected the idea of ​​Jia Jing inheriting the title of Duke of Ningguo. In fact, Jia Jing was only given the title of Second-Class General. The purpose was to weaken the power of the founding lineage from the root."

"I, as the emperor, have done right by the people of the world, but I have failed the Jia family, my elder brother Daihua, and Daishan."

Emperor Shunkang revealed a side of himself that had been out of control for a long time, as memories of the past kept flooding back.

Back then, the Dukes Ning and Rong assisted Emperor Taizu of the Great Qian Dynasty in pacifying the country and recovering the two capitals and thirteen provinces. The imperial family and the Jia family had the closest relationship.

Emperor Shunkang was on good terms with Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan from childhood. The Ning and Rong mansions and the founding line played a decisive role in his smooth ascension to the throne. In the Yuan Cong war, Jia Daihua and Jia Daishan, whom he regarded as his elder brothers and sworn brothers, led the Jia family's sons to fight bloody battles.

Even though the Jia family was almost wiped out, the emperor's first act upon returning to the capital after his victory was not to reward them, but to take the opportunity to weaken them, suppress the founding lineage, and even support the Yuan Cong nobles. The emperor's inherent meanness and ungratefulness were fully revealed.

'The Retired Emperor.'

Dai Quan felt a chill run down his spine and dared not even breathe loudly.

Serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. Emperor Shunkang may seem to regret his actions now, but does he truly regret them? Probably not entirely.

(End of this chapter)