The Black Chamber Dream: Daiyu's Revenge

However, under the command of General Zuo Qing and Qiao Yushan, the soldiers fought bravely and fought valiantly.

On the fourth day of the battle, good news kept coming from the front lines, and good news also came from the rear—Daiyu had successfully given birth to a baby girl!

Xiao Tingjun was overjoyed to hear this, and even General Zuo Qing couldn't help but laugh and say, "The Princess Consort has given birth to a little lucky star. We're sure to win this battle."

The old general thought of his granddaughter and couldn't wait to win and return to the capital.

After five days of arduous fighting, the imperial court finally won this decisive victory thanks to its absolute strength and the bravery of its soldiers.

The island nations of Southeast Asia completely submitted to the Japanese, maritime trade routes were secured, and the maritime borders were thus stabilized.

A victory naturally calls for a grand celebration banquet. The soldiers toasted and cheered, while General Zuo Qing and other commanders, including Qiao Yushan, were surrounded and received toasts from the crowd.

However, they searched everywhere for Xiao Tingjun but could not find him.

One of the sharp-eyed soldiers chuckled and joked, "Is the Prince afraid we'll force him to drink, so he slipped away beforehand?"

Someone nearby immediately chimed in, "That's right! Our Prince has just had a new daughter, so naturally he's eager to return home. He has no interest in drinking with us roughnecks!"

Upon hearing this, everyone burst into good-natured laughter.

Xiao Tingjun was naturally eager to return home. He not only skipped the victory celebration banquet, but also didn't linger at the military camp. He rode his horse at full speed straight home—he and Daiyu had temporarily rented a very nice courtyard here.

The fierce battles of the past few days had left him physically and mentally exhausted, but the thought of Daiyu and the newborn baby made all his fatigue disappear, replaced by an irrepressible excitement and anticipation.

When Xiao Tingjun entered the room and saw Daiyu's gentle face in the candlelight, and the sleeping baby in her arms, all his heroic ambitions and fierce battles melted into tenderness at that moment.

He strode forward, gently sat down on the edge of the bed, and stroked Daiyu's forehead with trembling hands, his voice low and hoarse: "Yu'er, you've worked so hard."

Seeing that he was travel-worn but his eyes were bright and alert, and that he was unharmed, Daiyu felt a great weight lifted from her heart. She smiled slightly, "It's good that Your Highness has returned safely." She handed him the daughter in her arms, her eyes filled with maternal tenderness, "Look, this is our daughter."

Xiao Tingjun carefully took his daughter, looking at her rosy little face and her tiny fists clenched tightly, as if proclaiming the power of life to him.

At that moment, he felt an unprecedented sense of satisfaction and happiness. He kissed his daughter's little face, then looked up at Daiyu, his eyes filled with an overwhelming love.

The news of the great victory in the southeast reached the capital at top speed. When the emperor learned that the Fujian and Zhejiang navies had won a great victory and that the southeastern island nation had submitted to the emperor, he was overjoyed.

This was something the late emperor had wanted to accomplish while he was alive, and it was also the first battle since the emperor ascended the throne. It was a great victory, and the emperor was naturally extremely satisfied.

The emperor immediately issued an edict summoning the ministers of the six ministries and the Grand Councilors to the Zichen Hall to discuss the rewards for this great victory. Crown Prince Xiao Tingrui and Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, were both present at the meeting.

"In my humble opinion, General Zuo Qing is a capable commander with outstanding achievements and deserves to be named a first-class duke; Lord Qiao Yushan, as the deputy commander, has performed excellently and deserves to be named a third-class duke." Minister of Personnel Xu Bing was the first to offer his opinion.

Everyone thought that Minister Xu's suggestion was excellent, and the Emperor nodded in agreement: "Minister Xu is right. So, what about Prince Yi? What do you all think is the best course of action?"

The six ministers felt a chill run down their spines—logically, Prince Yi should be promoted to a prince for his military achievements. But with the Crown Prince present, it seemed inappropriate for them to speak these words aloud.

Even Xiao Tingkai couldn't help but look at the Crown Prince—the third prince was now in the limelight, and he wanted to see if the Crown Prince could still sit still.

However, something surprising happened to Xiao Tingkai.

Because he saw that Crown Prince Xiao Tingrui had taken the initiative to step forward and said, "Father, my third brother has been on the expedition with the army for more than a year, venturing deep into the navy and gaining experience. He has also shown great bravery in the battle, which is enough to demonstrate his talent. I believe that my third brother should be conferred the title of Prince to show the Emperor's favor and also to encourage the other members of the imperial family."

Once the Crown Prince made the suggestion, the other ministers naturally echoed it. After all, Xiao Tingjun had made a significant contribution this time, and the fact that the Crown Prince had taken the initiative to propose it also showed that the brothers were on good terms.

Xiao Tingkai, who was in a daze, was a step too slow.

However, upon hearing the Crown Prince's suggestion, a hint of worry appeared on the Emperor's face. He glanced at Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, who was standing to the side, and began to ponder in his heart.

"The second son is still a county prince," the emperor thought to himself. "If the third son is directly granted the title of prince, wouldn't it be easy for the crown prince and the third son to become enemies? Although the crown prince trusts the third son, in the future, there will inevitably be people with ulterior motives who will sow discord and cause trouble in the court."

But if he isn't granted the title of Prince, Xiao Tingjun's contribution this time is indeed significant, and it seems like he would be letting down the third prince.

After much deliberation, the emperor finally came up with a compromise: since the third son's family had just had a daughter, why not make a move on the little girl?

"The Third Prince has made great contributions this time, and I am very pleased." The Emperor pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "However, the conferment of the title of Prince is a matter of great importance and requires careful consideration. But I have thought of a way that can both commend the Third Prince's achievements and demonstrate the imperial family's affection for its members."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials before finally settling on the Crown Prince and Prince Rui. He smiled and said, "Hasn't the third prince's family just had a daughter? Why not bestow upon her a name and title of Princess? Let her be named Xiao Jiayue and titled Princess Fukang."

Upon hearing this, all the officials were astonished. To directly bestow the title of Princess upon the emperor's granddaughter and grant her the honorary title "Fukang" was an extremely rare honor even within the imperial family.

After all, the little girl from the Prince Rui's family was only given a name three months after her birth, and she was only a county princess.

Upon hearing this, both the Crown Prince and Prince Rui had their own thoughts. The Crown Prince naturally understood his father's deeper meaning, while Prince Rui, though still harboring resentment, dared not utter a word.

Of course, everyone was rewarded with a year's salary, and many of the soldiers were also promoted.

General Zuo was getting old, so he led a portion of his troops back to the capital.

Qiao Yushan stayed on as Governor-General of Fujian and Zhejiang, in charge of the region.

Xiao Tingjun made a special request to wait until Daiyu had finished her postpartum confinement and two months had passed before the whole family happily returned to the capital.

The Empress's Rebirth - A Comparison of Daiyu's Brothers Upon Her Return to the Capital

Although they were returning to the palace, Daiyu and Xiao Tingjun did not need to rush.

The couple, along with their daughter, traveled by boat, retracing their route back home. The emperor had specifically instructed Xiao Tingjun to take his wife and daughter ashore whenever possible to observe the people's lives and understand their hardships.

Therefore, along the way, they would sometimes disembark to visit villages and learn about farming; at other times, they would stop in towns to observe the daily lives of ordinary people and experience the joys and sorrows of life. Sufficient security was provided along the way to ensure their safety.

This naturally delayed things, and by the time they returned to Beijing, Jia Yue was almost seven months old. She had a rosy little face, round eyes, could crawl and roll over, and occasionally babbled. The long journey had taken a toll on her health, but she was very well-fed, chubby, adorable, and lively.

Xiao Tingjun and Daiyu brought their daughter to the palace to report to the Emperor and Empress and pay their respects. Little Jiayue immediately won the favor of the Empress and Consort Qiao.

"This child has dimples when she smiles." Consort Qiao looked at her granddaughter and couldn't stop admiring her.

"Indeed, she smiles so much, just seeing her makes me feel better." The Empress teased her with a cloth tiger, and the child giggled.

Crown Princess Liu Ying brought her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Jia Yan. It was the first time he had seen a little girl, and he liked her very much, clapping his hands like a little seal, saying, "Sister, sister."

The two children were placed on the carpeted floor. Jia Yue, who could already crawl, saw her older brother lying on his stomach and climbed on top of him, pinning him down. Jia Yan wanted to see his sister, so he rolled over, and the two of them ended up tumbling together in a mess.

The Empress and Consort Qiao laughed until tears streamed down their faces.

Even the emperor, after finishing his court duties, upon seeing his adorable granddaughter Jia Yue, picked her up, felt her chubby body and warm smile, and subconsciously exclaimed, "Truly a little lucky star!"

Daiyu thought to herself, "Luckily it's a girl, so I don't have to worry too much about praising her."

The one who was most overjoyed was Lin Ruhai.

Upon learning that his daughter had brought his granddaughter back to Beijing, he had been eagerly awaiting their arrival at home. As soon as he saw Jia Yue, Lin Ruhai's face lit up with a smile.

He had long ago instructed the carpenters to make an exquisite little wooden horse, and even personally designed a wooden cart based on the records in "Tiangong Kaiwu" (The Exploitation of the Works of Nature).

Daiyu stayed at home with her father for several days, telling him in detail about her experiences in Fujian over the past year and about Jiayue's growth.

About a month after Daiyu and her husband returned to Beijing with Jiayue, their lives gradually returned to normal.

At this time, Crown Princess Liu Ying and Princess Yu Ran of Rui County agreed to hold a banquet at the Rui County Prince's Mansion to welcome Daiyu and her husband.

At the banquet, Liu Ying and Daiyu chatted happily, Liu Ying inquiring about what she had seen and heard in Jiangnan, while Yu Ran told Daiyu about the "Painted Hall Spring Embroidery". The three of them talked and laughed, and had a very good relationship.

However, Prince Rui, Xiao Tingkai, was greatly dissatisfied with his wife's unconcerned attitude.

After the banquet, Xiao Tingkai said to Yu Ran beside him with a hint of complaint and sourness, "Other people's daughters have been granted the title of Princess, while our daughter is still just a County Princess. And you still have the mind to host a welcome banquet for them?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Ran glanced at her husband, a half-smile playing on her lips.

"That's because Jia Yue's father went to the battlefield and won a battle. Who told our Jia Xin not to have a father who won a battle?" Yu Ran held her one-year-old daughter and teased her with a smile.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Tingkai's smile froze on his face. He was speechless, unable to utter a single word.

His face turned pale and then flushed, filled with shame, anger, and helplessness. He realized that his wife was not only talented in writing and painting, but also incredibly eloquent, capable of leaving people speechless.

What Xiao Tingkai feared even more was the people from the Inspectorate behind Yu Ran.

If Xiao Tingkai does anything out of line, the Yu family will be the first to impeach him, without anyone else even having to do anything.

Xiao Tingkai's frustration went far beyond his wife Yu Ran's sharp retort. What dealt him an even heavier blow was that his maternal grandfather had proposed retiring to his hometown at this critical juncture, and his father, the Emperor, had actually granted his request!

Xiao Tingkai knew that his maternal grandfather's position and influence in the court were his greatest asset. Now that his maternal grandfather was gone, he was far inferior to the Crown Prince, who was at the height of his power, and even to his third brother, Xiao Tingjun, who had just made great contributions and was favored by his father.

Feeling depressed and unable to find a solution, Xiao Tingkai went alone to find wine to drown his sorrows.

Unexpectedly, in a restaurant, he was stopped by Jia Zhen. Jia Zhen was an extremely perceptive person, and he immediately saw Xiao Tingkai's disappointment and depression.

He was well aware of the delicate relationship between Prince Rui and the Crown Prince and the Third Prince, and he also understood that now was the perfect time to win over Prince Rui.

With his silver tongue and flattery, Jia Zhen quickly won Xiao Tingkai's favor.

After several rounds of drinks, Jia Zhen took the opportunity to introduce several beauties he had gathered to Xiao Tingkai.

These beauties were all stunningly beautiful, and skilled in singing and dancing. Under the influence of alcohol and their allure, Xiao Tingkai was naturally very satisfied.

He thought Jia Zhen was "sensible," and couldn't help but feel a bit more favor towards this hereditary nobleman of the Ningguo Mansion.

Xiao Tingkai even secretly planned to find a pretext to take one of the beauties as his mistress. This would satisfy his own desires and also win over Jia Zhen, adding external strength to his power.

However, before the affair could be finalized, shocking news spread throughout the capital – the Ningguo Mansion had been impeached!

The impeachment memorial was presented to the emperor, listing numerous illegal acts committed by Jia Zhen of the Ningguo Mansion, from privately maintaining a theatrical troupe and having illicit relationships with actors to embezzling property and disregarding human life. Each and every one of these acts was shocking.

Upon receiving the news, Jia Lian rushed to Lin Ruhai for advice, hoping to receive guidance.

"The Rongguo Mansion and the Ningguo Mansion should be severed as soon as possible," Lin Ruhai said in a deep voice. "At the same time, after you return to your manor, you should immediately conduct a thorough investigation of everyone within the manor. If anyone has done anything wrong or done anything improper, especially those who have oppressed the people or embezzled property, you must compensate the victims as soon as possible and make up for the losses. If we wait for the imperial court to investigate, we may face the disaster of having our property confiscated!"

Jia Lian understood perfectly well that since the Prince of Nan'an's mansion had been raided, there was probably no one in the capital that the Emperor wouldn't dare to touch.

Startled, the entire First-Class General's mansion, led by Jia Lian, sprang into action. Jia Lian and Wang Xifeng ordered their trusted maids and servants to secretly investigate the accounts and land holdings both inside and outside the mansion, even sending people to quietly question those who had been oppressed in the past. The investigation uncovered numerous problems: embezzlement of land, forced sales, and many shady sources of income. To avoid being caught by the court, they dealt with each matter meticulously, returning what needed to be returned and compensating those who required compensation.

As a result, the First-Class General's Mansion suddenly became much poorer.

Looking at the others whose homes were confiscated, even Jia She sighed, "It's all about having life; otherwise, if you lose your life, nothing else matters."

Empress Reborn – Xichun's Future

However, Daiyu was not worried about the people of Ningguo Mansion, but only about Xichun.

Xi Chun grew up in the Rongguo Mansion, where she had an awkward status. Now that the Ningguo Mansion was in trouble, her situation had become even worse.

After thinking for a moment, Daiyu mentioned it to the Empress: "Mother, there's a little sister in the Ningguo Mansion who's been raised by my maternal grandmother, and now..."

Before Daiyu could finish speaking, the Empress patted her hand and said, "I've heard about this too. Don't worry, I'll talk to your father about it later."

The Empress still remembered her past life; this girl, Xichun, was also quite good.

So the empress found an opportunity to mention it to the emperor. The emperor heard that the girl had lost her mother at a young age, and her father had gone to a Taoist temple and neglected her. She had been raised by her grandmother in a neighboring house, and was a pitiful person.

So the emperor simply made a decision to place Xichun under the name of Jia She, a first-class general. In this way, Xichun became the daughter of Madam Xing, and was no longer nominally a member of the Ningguo Mansion, thus securing her status.

Upon hearing this, Madam Xing was immediately displeased and muttered to her maid, Wang Shanbao, "Raising a daughter is so good, but when this girl gets married, won't I have to give her a sum of money?"

Mrs. Xing has always been a miser, unwilling to spend a single penny.