Chapter 148 Chonghua Palace

Even if they were helping with the funeral, it was impossible for You and Qin to spend the night in the East Crossing Courtyard, so at the second watch, seeing that there were not so many things going on at the moment, she The mother-in-law and daughter-in-law took the car back.

Sister Feng felt sorry for Jia Lian who had to go to the office tomorrow and didn't want him to get any rest, so she forced him to go back to the house to sleep, saying that she would take care of the rest.

Jia Lian agreed after thinking about it.

Sister Feng is a strong person. If she doesn’t go to bed, Sister Feng will definitely persist.

He will go to the Yamen tomorrow to take over the affairs, but it happens that this side of the courtyard will be the busiest early tomorrow morning. At that time, all the men, women, and children of the clan would come to kowtow. When he was not around, Wang Xifeng would naturally need to take care of the family affairs, and she would not get any rest.

It would be better to go to sleep for two hours by yourself first, and then get up at the fourth watch and sleep for two hours while she sleeps. This would be better than two people staying up together.

When I arrived at the house where I lived when I was a teenager, it had already been decorated with a brand new look by Sister Feng.

The sheets, bedding and other items were all changed, and a charcoal fire was lit underneath.

The most eye-catching thing is that inside the wide and fluffy quilt, there is a subtle arc. On the pillow at the head of the bed, a small, well-behaved and cute little head rests quietly. , looks extremely beautiful.

But the beautiful little girl Xiangling has fallen asleep.

　"This room has not been occupied for a long time, and the kang has not been heated. It is soaked in the cold. I am afraid that you will not be able to sleep for a while, so I let her lie in to help you warm up. Who knows she will fall asleep , It’s really...”

Sister Feng explained and asked Xiangling to wake up.

Jia Lian stopped her, "That's all, let her lie down. The moment you wake her up, the heat that she held up will dissipate."

While speaking, Jia Lian had already sat down on the bed, pressing down on the quilt.

Sister Feng's eyes became full of meaning, but when she saw Jia Lian pretending to be naive, she curled her lips and said, "I don't have time to mess with you now, if you like , I won’t care if you take her in when you have free time later.

I asked you to take her in before, but you were so serious and refused, and now you are busy for a while?"

Sister Feng has already recognized the existence of Qingwen and Xiangling from the bottom of her heart. If she is still a little defensive and suppressive towards Qingwen, but for this silly Xiangling who likes to read stupidly, But I feel much more relieved.

Otherwise, she would not have sent Qingwen back.He was looking after the house, but left Xiang Ling here and asked her to warm Jia Lian's bed.

She was just worried that Jia Lian would waste his precious time and energy tonight on a whim and miss work tomorrow.

"Don't worry, I'm measured." Jia Lian said, and then began to take off his shoes.

Sister Feng didn't say much. She knelt down and helped Jia Lian take off his socks. When Ping'er came in with foot washing water to serve, she checked the lights in the room again, and then After leaving a maid to wait outside, he led Ping'er, who had washed and wiped Jia Lian's feet, out.

In the room, Jia Lian got into bed wearing only her middle coat. Seeing that Xiang Ling hadn't woken up yet, she thought that she was probably tired today.

After taking a few glances at her face, he didn’t want to tease her too much. After lying down, he reached out and held her small, delicate and warm body in his arms.

Perhaps there was still some coldness on his body and hands, but Xiangling was awakened again by being so close.

"Second Master...you..."

Xiang Ling rubbed her eyes and was shocked to realize the situation at this time.

Jia Lian tightened his arms and whispered in her ear: "Stop talking and go to sleep. We will get up in two hours and there is no time to say anything else."
< br />When Xiangling heard this, she didn't dare to move anymore. Her body was tense in Jia Lian's arms, and she didn't dare to move.

After a while, Xiangling finally relaxed after realizing that Jia Lian was really breathing evenly, almost as if he was asleep.

After thinking about it, I felt at ease hiding under this warm chest and fell asleep again.

That night, the lights in Jia's house were brightly lit, and neither the master nor the servant had a good sleep.

The second and third days were the time when the Jia family’s eight brothers in Beijing came to worship and help. At the same time, the Jia family also conveyed the news of Jia She’s death to all their old friends and relatives. From the fourth day of the seventh lunar month, people will come to express their condolences at the residence where the obituary was announced.

Before relatives and friends come to express their condolences, the Rongguo Mansion needs to support Jia She’s mourning hall, Buddhist and Taoist rituals and monasteries, and set up formal official funeral specifications.

So these two or three days are also the busiest time.

It wasn’t just Jia Lian, Wang Xifeng and others from Dongkuoyuan, the entire Jia family and the eight brothers were all running around for this matter.

When the emperor heard about Jia She's death, he ordered the clan to give him five hundred taels of sacrificial silver as a token of relief. In addition, Jia Lian was allowed to take a month's leave to attend to his father's funeral at home.

So Jia Lian handed over and arranged many affairs in the Military and Horse Division in a day or two, and then stayed at ease.At home, I personally prepare for the funeral.

Originally, everything was going according to plan, and Qin Tian Jian also selected the correct date for Jia She’s funeral, which was a total of twenty-eight days.

On the third day after the funeral and obituary, a worshiper from the deep palace attracted the attention of the Jia family.

…

On the quiet and solemn Ningrong Street, a group of imperial guards with golden swords and golden armor escorted a carriage and slowly stopped at the Outside the east cross courtyard.

The bright and majestic attire and arrogant eyes of those Imperial Guards made the servants in charge of receiving guests at the entrance of the East Cross Courtyard not dare to rush forward to inquire.

Jia Rong, Jia Yun and others came out to take a look, and then Jia Yun quickly went in to report to Jia Lian, while Jia Rong led Jia Qiang, Jia Qin and other members of the clan My dear, wait at the door to check the situation.

After a moment, the two little eunuchs set up the footstools and then reported to the inside of the carriage. Jia Rong and others saw Hua Zhong's door curtain open, and he bowed from inside and got out. Wearing a red robe, the eunuch looks majestic at first sight.

The eunuch put his arm on the little eunuch's arm and walked down slowly. He didn't pay attention to Jia Rong and others in front of him at all. He only looked at the black oil gate of the east courtyard and looked through it. Looking straight into the deep courtyard, I quietly said after a long time:

"I haven't been here for many years, but I didn't expect that when the Duke's mansion was built, the east corner gate was changed into a main entrance. , Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

His voice was high-pitched, with a tone that sounded both emotional and sarcastic.

Jia Rong and others did not dare to answer.

The eunuchs who left the palace were all messengers of the emperor. What's more, the eunuch in front of him who can bring so many guards with him is obviously of extraordinary status. If he speaks rashly without knowing the identity and purpose of the other party, if he offends him, won't he bring disaster to the family?

The great eunuch finally lowered his high head, glanced at the people in front of him, and asked: "Which one of you is Jia Lian?"

Jia Rong hurriedly bent down and said: "Replying to the sergeant, my uncle is accompanying the guest inside. He has already sent someone to invite him. He will be out soon...

I wonder what the sergeant is doing here?"

The age of the eldest eunuch He looked a bit old in his fifties or sixties. He put on an unattractive smile and said, "I come to you, of course, to pay homage to the souls of the dead. What else can I do besides that?"

Jia Rong breathed a sigh of relief, and said with a more humble smile: "Well, please come in..."

"I'm not busy, I'm not busy."

The big eunuch shook his head, ignored the embarrassed Jia Rong and others, and stood at the door..

After a while, Jia Lian came out and saw this strange old eunuch. He was confused, but did not show it on his face. He stepped forward and cupped his hands and said, "Jia Lian, do you dare to ask my father-in-law's name?"

The great eunuch had already looked at Jia Lian when he appeared.

Seeing that he was just as rumored, with a tall body and a handsome face. Even at this moment, he is dressed in white mourning clothes and has a mourning scarf wrapped around his head. As he walks, the wind is still blowing majestically, which makes people feel ashamed.

The old eunuch could not help but flash a flash of jealousy.

However, he quickly smiled and said: "It turns out to be Commander Jia, disrespectful and disrespectful. I am the deacon and eunuch of Chonghua Palace, and my surname is Wang."

When he heard the words "Chonghua Palace", even Jia Lian couldn't help but be secretly shocked, let alone Jia Rong and others behind him.

This Chonghua Palace was the resting place where the Emperor lived after his abdication.

Before the Supreme Emperor abdicated, he spent a lot of money to carve out a rectangular piece of land on the east side of the Forbidden Palace, and then built a small "Forbidden City" by imitating the layout of the previous Forbidden City.

This Chonghua Palace is the main apse on the central axis of the city within the city, which is analogous to the existence of the Daming Palace in the imperial palace.

In other words, the Chonghua Palace outside represents only one person, and that is the Supreme Emperor.

Therefore, knowing that this eunuch was from the Chonghua Palace, Jia Lian had to be cautious, and once again held his hands and said: "It turns out that the prince is here, and he didn't go far to welcome him. It's disrespectful. May I ask my father-in-law, what advice do you have here?"

When the eunuch Wang Fu saw Jia Lian's sudden humility, he felt very proud.

This is the capital that he dares to be arrogant. As one of the trusted eunuchs who run errands for the Supreme Emperor, no matter where he goes, no matter the prince or the officials, he must be polite to him, because, he Behind him is the Supreme Emperor!

"I can't talk about advice. I just heard that your master passed away, so I came here to express my condolences and express my admiration."

Wang Fu said with a smile, as if he didn't want to At this point, he said too much, and then he stopped pretending to be a big-tailed wolf, straightened his posture, and added: "Master Jia, please lead the way."

Jia Lian didn't feel well when he saw this. asked, and then turned sideways to invite him in.

Jia Rong waited for the old eunuch to come forward, then quietly pulled Jia Lian's sleeve, "Second uncle, he..."

Jia Rong pointed at The swaggering back of the old eunuch meant something.

Jia Lian understood what he meant. Letting a eunuch enter the house to worship ancestors would appear inappropriate, unless the eunuch is serving the emperor or is a member of the emperor's family.The will of others.

But how many people in the world can the emperor send people to worship in person?

Therefore, although there are many eunuchs in the capital, and even many great eunuchs have private residences in the imperial city and the capital, they generally do not socialize.

They will not attend weddings or weddings, because their limbs are mutilated, and it is easy for them to be disgusted at such serious events.

Therefore, those officials who pride themselves on being clean will never allow a eunuch to come in to worship their elders.

Jia Rong is also worried about this and feels that it will be bad for the family's reputation if word spreads.

Jia Lian shook his head.

Originally, he didn't think of Jia She as anything, so naturally he wouldn't care about it. The visitor was a guest, whether he was a eunuch or a nun.

Secondly, Jia Lian really didn't believe that a great eunuch beside the Supreme Emperor dared to go to a prince's palace to show off his majesty without any instructions from the nobles.

I won’t say it. Maybe there is a reason why I don’t say it. Let’s see what happens next.

　……

Forbidden City, Daming Palace.

Emperor Ningkang immediately received the news that the chief eunuch of Chonghua Palace had gone to Jia Mansion.

"Your Majesty, my subordinates and others have found out that Wang Fu went to Jia's mansion just to express his condolences. He did not do anything else, nor did he declare any of the emperor's will."< br />
A deputy commander of Jin Yiwei knelt on His Highness and reported the report with great certainty.

Emperor Ning Kang became a little confused.

As his father, the Emperor occupied too many irreplaceable things in his life.

Even now, the Supreme Emperor is the person he, the supreme king in the world, fears the most.

Therefore, he could not afford to ignore any news from Chonghua Palace.

After waving the Jin Yiwei men to leave, Emperor Ning Kang asked Dai Quan: "What do you think the Emperor's move means? Could it be that he thought of Jia Daishan, so he sent people to pay homage to him?" "His son?"

Emperor Ning Kang was naturally no less knowledgeable than Jia Rong and others. He only knew from the reports of his subordinates that the eunuch of Chonghua Palace who went to worship Jia's family must be It was the intention of the Chonghua Palace, which was also the intention of the Supreme Emperor.

Dai Quan has no special opinion on this matter. It is just a small matter in itself. When the Supreme Emperor was in power, he often sent people to express condolences to his close ministers.

Although Jia She was a bad person, he was still the inheritor of the Duke's mansion.For the sake of Second Duke Ning Rong, and for the sake of Jia Daishan, it is understandable to ask an eunuch to worship him.

Dai Quan felt that Emperor Ning Kang was a bit too sensitive.

Of course, as Emperor Ningkang’s confidant who accompanied him day and night, he would not question Emperor Ningkang’s thoughts. He just nodded in agreement and said, “I believe that the emperor’s conjecture is correct.
< br />The old slave heard that when Dai Shangong was young, he once served as the companion of the Supreme Emperor. They had an irreversible relationship. They had been friends with the Supreme Emperor for most of their lives.

Although Dai Shangong has passed away now It has been more than ten years, but the Supreme Emperor is a nostalgic person. Even if he accidentally thinks of his descendants, it is normal.

The old slave also heard that since last year, Chonghua Palace has often summoned some elderly people. The senior ministers who had become official came to the palace to receive banquets, and the Supreme Emperor treated them very kindly, allowing them to gather together in the Chonghua Palace, often staying for a whole day.

From this point of view, the Supreme Emperor’s move today , not surprising."

Emperor Ning Kang nodded after listening to Dai Quan's words.

It is natural for people to miss the past when they are old. It is precisely because of this that he has found it very difficult to eliminate those old ministers from the previous dynasty in recent years, especially those in sensitive positions. Every time he moves He had to be careful with each other for fear of touching the sensitive nerves of the Supreme Emperor.

For example, the Jingying Jiedushi...

It’s time to implement the exchange terms given to the Jia family. In a few days, her mother-in-law will hold a small flower viewing party Yes, he will "accidentally" see Jia Yuanchun, the eldest daughter of the Jia family. Then his mother-in-law would give it to him, and he would reward her as a matter of course.

Naturally, the Jia family became relatives of the emperor and became one family with him.

It is so reasonable that it will not make this matter look like a deal and undermine the majesty of his emperor.