The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

"Where did you get that carved landscape painting and hermit-style book incense stand?" The emperor's words completely turned Yuan Chun's anticipation and joy into shock.

What does this mean? Why is His Majesty asking this? Yuan Chun's mind cleared up, and she thought about it carefully: That thing seemed to have been sent to the palace by her mother a few years ago.

Could it be that the Jia family obtained this illegally?

This cannot be blamed on Yuan Chun, because when Lady Wang sent the things, she did not say that they belonged to the Zhen family, so Yuan Chun assumed that they were from the Jia family's storeroom or Lady Wang's own belongings.

Should she tell the truth? Yuan Chun hesitated: If there really is a problem with this, wouldn't the Jia family be in trouble if she told the truth?

But what if His Majesty gets angry if I don't tell the truth?

Just as Yuan Chun was hesitating, a sudden inspiration struck her: Consort Wu had already been banished to the Cold Palace, and no one from the Wu family was left in the court. Perhaps making up a lie would be a solution? After all, even Prince Rui probably didn't know what her mother really possessed.

Like a drowning person in a panic, Yuan Chun grasped at a straw and didn't think any further. After all, the Emperor wouldn't allow her to think too much at this moment. She blurted out, "Your Majesty, this was given to me by the Imperial Concubine Wu back then."

It seems they really won't shed tears until they see the coffin. The Emperor stared at Yuan Chun and said coldly, "Really?"

Even when Yuan Chun met the emperor's cold gaze, she couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"You'd better tell the truth." The emperor's tone was even colder than his gaze.

Startled, Yuan Chun dared not lie this time and honestly confessed that her mother had brought it in.

Before the emperor arrived, he already knew very well that this treasure was something that had been secretly given to the court by friendly overseas nations years ago, and that it had been secretly kept by the Zhen family.

This thing should have appeared when the Zhen family's property was confiscated.

It seems the Zhen family has hoarded many treasures back in the Rongguo Mansion before it collapsed. They really are a den of snakes and rats.

The Emperor looked at Yuan Chun, who kept pleading for her mother, with disgust, and immediately ordered indifferently: "Since Consort Jia misses Lady Wu so much, let her go to Pear Blossom Palace to keep Lady Wu company."

Hu Delu quickly accepted the order, but before he could carry it out, he heard the emperor continue, "Since she is to be sent to the Pear Blossom Palace, from this day forward, she will no longer be a Zhaoyuan (a high-ranking concubine), and will be immediately demoted to a commoner!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the emperor didn't even glance at Yuan Chun, who was crying and begging him to spare her, before he lifted his foot without hesitation and strode away.

At that moment, Yuan Chun felt as if the world was spinning, as if struck by lightning. Her entire body seemed to have had its spine ripped out, and she collapsed limply to the ground. Her eyes widened, her gaze fixed on the Emperor's retreating, cold and indifferent figure. She wanted to say something, but found her throat choked with sobs, unable to utter a sound. Tears streamed down her pale, snow-white cheeks, dripping onto the cold ground…

Hu Delu coldly instructed the palace maids: "Remove her hairpins and jewelry, change her into suitable clothes, and send her to Pear Blossom Palace immediately."

After giving his instructions, Hu Delu left, leaving the nanny and maids alone—after all, if Jia resisted, something unsuitable for him to see might happen.

Sure enough, outside the palace, Hu Delu heard Jia's heart-wrenching screams. After quite some time, two old women finally brought Jia out.

Now that Baoqin has reached the age to leave the palace, there is no one truly sincere by Yuanchun's side. When they saw her fall into the mud, the maids and servants quickly carried out the imperial decree to avoid being implicated.

Hu Delu personally led a group of people to escort Yuan Chun into the Pear Blossom Palace.

Upon entering the Pear Blossom Palace, Yuan Chun felt even more desperate: the place was filled with the smell of decay, the walls were covered with moss, and occasionally water droplets would drip onto the ground, making a dripping sound, like a countdown in the darkness.

As she was being led inside, a rat suddenly scurried past her feet, startling her so much that she couldn't help but scream. The scream echoed through the cold palace, adding to the terror.

However, just as she calmed down, a figure suddenly lunged at her.

"You vixen, I'll kill you!" Before she could react, her neck was grabbed. A feeling of suffocation made her cough and tears stream down her face. Fortunately, a strong old woman stepped forward and pulled the man away.

After coughing for a while, Yuan Chun finally saw clearly the person being restrained by the two nannies—it was actually Wu Shi.

Upon seeing Wu, Yuan Chun was both surprised and frightened: the former Imperial Concubine was once a beauty, but her once exquisite face was now covered in filth and madness.

Suddenly, Madam Wu giggled at the air, as if she were seeing her former glory and wealth. She murmured to herself, "I'm going to be the Empress Dowager, oh dear."

"I'm going to be the Empress Dowager." Excitement and joy were on her face, and her eyes gleamed with an eerie light.

Yuan Chun seemed to see her own future: Wu Shi had only been banished to the cold palace for a year, and she was already in this state.

The thought of the terrible life she was about to face made Yuan Chun cry again.

But the people who brought her had no time for her; they simply tossed her aside and left. After all, the air was thick with a musty smell, a nauseating blend of damp earth and stale earth. Nobody wanted to stay a moment longer.

The news of Yuan Chun's deposition spread quickly, and the entire Jia family, especially the second branch, was stunned.

Baochai hurriedly went to the Prince's Mansion to pay her respects to her aunt. However, she did not expect that when she returned, a eunuch had already come to deliver an imperial edict.

Chapter 284 Wang Shi commits suicide, Jia Zheng loses his official position

Baochai was unable to learn from her aunt why Yuanchun had been suddenly demoted. In the end, with Prince Teng in Jiangnan, the Wang family had very limited knowledge of what was going on.

When Baochai returned and heard that a eunuch had come, she immediately summoned someone to ask what had happened. Upon hearing that it was her mother-in-law who had accepted stolen goods from the Zhen family, a murderous glint flashed in Baochai's eyes.

Last time, Baochai told Ying'er to think it over carefully, which was actually to ask Ying'er to make a statement: let Ying'er serve her mother-in-law. Back then, her mother-in-law brought Ying'er to compete with her, so let Ying'er serve her well, isn't that perfect?

It seems I was too soft-hearted.

Since even the Emperor has issued an edict to reprimand them, the Jia family's attitude is especially important. Baochai had an idea in mind, and at the same time, she asked the servants what the master had to say.

"The master scolded the madam severely, and then locked himself in his study, not allowing anyone to serve him, not even Aunt Zhao." The newly bought maids were all thinking that the Jia family seemed to be in trouble. Originally, there was still a concubine in the palace, but now that the concubine had been deposed, it seemed that this family was doomed.

The master has always been incapable of handling affairs, yet he is also a very proper man. I'm afraid he wouldn't agree to my ideas, so Baochai thinks it would be better to act first and inform him later.

Baochai immediately summoned Ying'er and coldly gave her some instructions. Ying'er was so frightened that she collapsed to the ground, shaking her head and saying, "No, Second Mistress, this could lead to someone's death. This servant dares not, this servant cannot..."

"Have you thought this through? If you don't do this, our whole family will be affected. You know, there's an imperial decree from the palace. If you're not happy, I naturally have other ways, but how will you live in the future? You really need to think it through." Since Baochai had brought Ying'er here, she was sure she had Ying'er figured out. For her own sake and for her daughter's sake, she would definitely agree.

“Why bother? Madam loves her daughter dearly. Now that she knows she has harmed the lady in the palace, she feels sorry for the lady and everyone in the family. It’s not impossible for her to atone with her death. What are you afraid of?” Baochai’s words were meant to reassure Ying’er that there would be no worries. “When the time comes, no one will investigate. So what does it matter how Madam went?”

Seeing that Ying'er still seemed hesitant, Baochai played her trump card: "Think about your daughter. You also want to see her grow up happily, right? But what if she is affected because of family matters? The emperor has not yet made a final punishment. Wouldn't it be better if we made our stance clear and tried to get leniency?"

Ying'er finally gritted her teeth and nodded, but her heart felt as heavy as if a boulder was pressing down on it, making it difficult to even breathe. Her fingers gripped the hem of her dress tightly, her fingertips turning slightly white, as if this could calm her down a little. When Baochai saw her agree, a satisfied smile appeared on her face. Although the smile was gentle, it sent a chill down Ying'er's spine.

Baochai turned and took a silver ingot from her makeup box, gently placing it in Ying'er's hand. Her tone was soft yet carried an undeniable authority: "This must be done in secret. No one in the family can know, or things will become difficult. So, Ying'er, you'll have to go personally to buy the medicine." Her voice was low, as if afraid of being overheard, but every word struck Ying'er's heart heavily. Ying'er took the silver ingot, feeling a burning sensation in her palm, as if the silver had just been taken from a furnace, so hot she almost wanted to let go. But she dared not; she knew what this silver meant, and she knew she had no way out.

The next morning, everyone heard Ying'er exclaim in surprise: "Madam—Madam, what happened to you?!"

Aunt Zhao, who lived in the same courtyard, was the first to rush over to see what was going on, and Jia Zheng and the others arrived one after another.

Everyone saw that Madam Wang was lying quietly on the bed, her face peaceful, as if she had just fallen into a deep sleep, but there was a hint of relief between her brows.

Her hands were clasped together in front of her chest, her fingertips slightly curled, as if still retaining a trace of warmth. Her brocade dress was still neat, embroidered with intricate patterns, the cuffs and collar impeccably clean, without a single wrinkle. The hairpins and ornaments in her hair were also in perfect order, the gold-threaded hair ornaments hanging by her ears, the pearls and jade gleaming faintly in the candlelight, as if she had just shed the weariness of the day and was preparing to peacefully drift off to sleep.

However, her body was already cold and stiff, her skin as pale as paper, and her lips so pale they were almost bloodless. Although her expression was calm, it conveyed an unspeakable sense of resolve.

Jia Zheng understood what was happening. His face turned deathly pale, and his knees buckled, almost causing him to collapse to the ground. He reached out his trembling hand, wanting to touch her cheek, but stopped in mid-air, as if afraid of disturbing her peace.

Seeing this, Baochai rushed over and burst into tears: "Madam, how could you be so foolish? No matter what, it has happened, our family will figure something out. We don't need you to help us... Madam, what will become of your daughter-in-law in the future?"

Baochai's words seemed to explain why Lady Wang was acting this way, and even Jia Zheng believed them to some extent: Although the couple's relationship was not good, since Zhu'er's passing, his wife valued two people: one was Baoyu, who had now become a monk, and the other was the Empress in the palace. Now that the Empress had an accident, she must be feeling terrible.

Soon, Doctor Xiao from Huai Ren Tang arrived. After examining Jia Zheng, he told him, "It seems that Madam has committed suicide by poisoning herself."

Jia Zheng was at a loss for words and could only sigh deeply. He told Baochai to get things done quickly and sent someone to inform the Wang family of the death.

However, Baochai did not expect that she was still a step too late. Jia Zheng had already submitted a memorial to apologize: although it was his wife who accepted the things sent by the Zhen family, he, as the head of the family, had failed to manage the household properly, which led to this situation. He requested to resign from his official post and go home to reflect on his mistakes.

After reading Jia Zheng's memorial, the Emperor pondered for a while: If it weren't for Princess Qingjia's sake, I would have already confiscated the Jia family's property. Since Lady Jia is dead, and Jia Zheng has shown some sensibility, let's leave it at that for now. In this way, I can also gain a reputation for being magnanimous. Why not?

As a result, Jia Zheng lost his official position, and the second branch of the family suddenly became a commoner family.

Baochai felt utterly helpless; it seemed there was truly no hope left for this family. But she had already married into the family, so what could she do?

Baochai fell into deep thought.

However, just as Baochai was frowning with worry, Jia Lan, who had returned to his hometown of Jinling to participate in the autumn imperial examination, unexpectedly became the top scholar.

Baochai suddenly felt that there was hope again.

Chapter 285 Jia Lan High School Daiyu's Wiring

When the news of Jia Lan's passing the imperial examination came, not only Baochai but the entire Jia family was overjoyed, but everyone had their own thoughts and calculations.

Baochai quickly instructed the servants to tidy up the entire house, inside and out, planning to hold a banquet for Jia Lan when he returned to the capital.

After all, many relatives and friends had already sent gifts after hearing the good news, which was a good opportunity for the Jia family to visit and interact with other families, and Baochai was certainly not willing to let it pass.

But Baochai had to put in a lot of effort to persuade Li Wan and Jia Lan.

Sure enough, Li Wan looked troubled: "Although Lan'er has passed the imperial examination, this is only the autumn examination. We still have to wait for the spring examination. Isn't it a bit too ostentatious to hold a banquet now?"

“It’s not a big banquet, so sister-in-law, you don’t need to worry.” Baochai had already prepared her excuse. “Sister-in-law, look, they are all relatives. Since they have sent so many gifts out of kindness, wouldn’t it seem like we are being disrespectful if we didn’t host a banquet to entertain them?”

Li Wan was still hesitant, so Baochai said again, "Why don't we wait until Lan-ge'er gets home and then discuss it further? After all, it's not just the women who are invited; Lan-ge'er should also entertain the male guests."

As for Jia Lan, he already had a plan. Since the exam was to be taken in his ancestral home of Jinling, Wang Ziteng had already taken action. Wang Ziteng's words implied that he was recruiting talents for Prince Rui.

Jia Lan remained calm and accepted whatever was offered to her, but she secretly informed her mother about Wang Ziteng's recruitment of talent for Prince Rui in Liangjiang. Her mother then forwarded the message to the Crown Princess of Delin Palace.

Therefore, Daiyu had already sent a message to Li Wan: since they wanted to keep in touch, let's give them the opportunity and see who the Prince Rui's lineage was. Often, what's obvious is easy to spot, but what's clandestine is much harder to discern.

Therefore, Li Wan's hesitation and predicament were merely an act for Baochai's benefit. The more troubled she appeared, the more Baochai felt she could be easily manipulated.

So when Jia Lan returned home, Baochai once again suggested holding a small banquet to entertain relatives and old friends. After thinking for a while, Jia Lan solemnly bowed to Baochai and said, "Then we'll have to rely on Second Aunt for everything."

Baochai was immediately delighted. If she could get along with these people, she might be able to use them in the future. Li Wan wasn't good at socializing, so this meant she would have more opportunities.

It wasn't just Baochai who thought this way; Jia Zhen and Jia She, seeing that Jia Lan had become successful, also generously brought over good gifts.

Baochai was referring to a small banquet, and it really was a small one. After all, this wasn't the Rongguo Mansion anymore. Even if Jia Lan passed the imperial examination, those who sent gifts might not necessarily attend in person, and the number of people who actually showed up was not very large.

Even so, Baochai still had the illusion that she could restore her former glory.

Li Wan naturally sent the guest list to Daiyu. After reading it, Daiyu couldn't help but sigh to Xiao Tingjun, "The Jia family has indeed fallen. Back when the old lady was alive, even a casual event would attract more than this many people." She didn't think that the past could be erased, but with Grandmother Jia gone, she was more willing to look forward.

“They fawn over the powerful and scorn the weak. Those people are only after fame and fortune, so it’s only natural.” Xiao Tingjun glanced at the list and then brought up another matter, “My father summoned me today, saying he plans to go on an autumn hunt next year.”

Autumn hunt? Daiyu first thought of the last time she went to pay respects at the mausoleum, and then smiled and said, "That's still a long way off. There are many things that need to be arranged in advance."

"Father wants me to go with him, and you and Mother are going too, so there's bound to be a lot to do." What Xiao Tingjun wanted to tell Daiyu wasn't just about the autumn hunt.

Daiyu couldn't help but look at Xiao Tingjun, feeling that her husband still had something to say, so she took the initiative to ask, "What's wrong? Is there something else?"

"Yu'er, when you went to Shandong, did Father Emperor say anything on the way?" Xiao Tingjun asked directly.

Daiyu was even more puzzled; the question was too strange. However, Daiyu was particularly politically astute. After thinking for a moment, she told Xiao Tingjun, "In Jinan, Father Emperor met with many officials from Shandong, both high and low. I don't know what they discussed."

"Oh, and also, Father Emperor seemed to have specially invited an official from Hubei. I remember it was Zhou Guangming, the prefect of Jingzhou." Daiyu almost forgot about this person. "But is there something wrong with him?"

"Zhou Guangming, the prefect of Jingzhou?" Xiao Tingjun thought for a moment and then nodded, "That makes sense now."

He then told his wife, "I think Father Emperor is investigating Second Brother."

What? Daiyu was a little confused. What did Second Brother Cha have to do with the Prefect of Jingzhou?

"Yu'er, do you still remember when your second brother took charge of the snow disaster relief efforts in Hunan and Hubei?" Xiao Tingjun felt something was amiss back then and even discussed it with his eldest uncle.

"It's hard not to remember." Daiyu said this because Ge Xijia had used the opportunity to make a fuss, which backfired and made her suffer, so Daiyu remembered it very clearly.