Yuan Chun stood on the royal boat and slowly sailed from the southeast to the northwest of the garden. He saw glass lanterns hung all along the banks of the stream. At a glance, there were hundreds or even thousands of lanterns, illuminating the entire garden world as if it were daytime.
He also generally looked at the scenery in the garden, and sometimes asked Jia Baoyu behind him to test his talent. Some felt that the titles and chants in various places were not to his liking, so he ordered the eunuch to pass it on to Jia Zheng and Jia Lian for revision.
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For a while, the boat approached the inner shore, then abandoned the boat and went to the carriage. After traveling not far, they saw the graceful Lin Palace and the majestic Guidian Palace. The four words "Heavenly Treasure Realm" are written on the stone archway.
"It's too ostentatious. Let's change it to a provincial villa."
Yuanchun sighed and walked into the palace. I saw the courtyard burned empty, incense dust covering the ground, fiery trees and silver flowers, golden windows and jade sills. There are countless curtains rolled with shrimp beards, fish and otters spread on blankets, the scent of musk brains floats on the tripod, and pheasant tail fans line the screen. Seriously:
"The Immortal Mansion in Yuhu, Kinmen, the home of the concubine Lan Palace in Guidian!"
Since there was no plaque on the front, Yuan Chun asked. Xia Shouzhong, the eunuch accompanying him, knelt down and said, "This is the main hall. No foreign minister dared to draft it."
Yuanchun nodded without saying a word, then entered the hall and took a seat to receive the ceremony. Along with bursts of vocal music, Jia Zheng and Jia Lian led the men of the clan to bow down on the moon steps, and in the early spring of the Yuan Dynasty, they asked their attendant Zhaorong to pass the order to exempt them. At that time, Jia's mother came to see her with the women of the clan, and it was the same.
Finally, tea has been offered three times, the national ceremony has been completed, and the music has stopped. Yuanchun couldn't bear it any longer. After changing his clothes in the side hall, he drove out of the garden in the Jia Mansion's special carriage and went to Rongqing Hall, Jia's mother's main room, to express family affection.
…
Outside, Jia Zheng, Jia Lian and others were busy.
"How are things arranged outside?"
At this point, it’s time to make your own arrangements. Now that she was reunited with her family in the Rongqing Hall, the Zhaorong, Caibin, eunuchs and attendants who were accompanying her in the palace had time to take a breath and drink some tea.
For specific matters, Jia Lian, Jia Hu, Jia Qiang, Jia Yun and others arranged for the reception to be held in Dongkuayuan and Ningguo Mansion.
"Where's the main table inside?"
"There is Miss Feng at the main table, and Sister-in-law You are making arrangements in the garden."
After some questioning, Jia Zheng saw that there was a degree of restraint inside and outside, so he stopped interfering. He first arranged for the deacons of the two houses, and the wives of the deacons of the two houses, to salute outside the Rongqing Hall, and then brought Jia Lian and others with him. The chief male of the clan went to Rongqing Hall to say hello.
Yuanchun received the audience behind the curtain. Although there were many things in his heart that he wanted to say to his father, he saw his father kneeling outside the curtain, acting in a well-behaved manner, and speaking in awe of the crown. Finally, he realized that their identities were different. It was difficult for father and daughter to talk about their relationship, so they could only If you can give some gentle words of encouragement and encourage them to take good care of themselves, then give up.
Jia Zheng was about to invite people to leave, when he suddenly heard Yuan Chun's voice coming from behind the curtain: "Brother Lian, please stay."
When Jia Zheng heard this, he nodded to Jia Lian and told him to stay and listen to inquiries, and he could take care of the outside affairs.
So after Jia Lian watched Jia Zheng and others leave, he stood slightly in front of the hall and stood quietly with his head bowed.
Jia Mu's Rongqing Hall was built according to the name of the main hall. The huge nanmu screen that separates the front hall and the inner hall is movable.
In order to make the inner hall more spacious and convenient for Jia Mu and her family to move around, the screen was placed closer to the front. Today, the screen has indeed been moved almost all the way back, and the depth of the entire main hall has more than doubled. In order to welcome Yuanchun home, strict and exquisite decoration was made, making the entire main hall look spacious, luxurious and majestic.
Especially at this time, Yuan Chun, who is dressed in a yellow robe and looks extremely noble, is sitting in the middle. Behind the curtain, Jia Mu, Mrs. Xing, Mrs. Wang, Aunt Xue, Li Wan, Baochai, Daiyu, Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xichun are lined up. both sides.
These women are either dressed in royal attire, showing their nobility, or they are dressed in rich robes, showing off their beautiful figures.
From Jia Lian's perspective, it was truly indescribable wealth, grace, and prosperity.
Yuan Chun slowly walked down from the high couch and came to Jia Lian. Seeing this, the little eunuchs on both sides quickly pulled up the bead curtains.
So, the two cousins looked at each other three steps apart.
In the end, it was Jia Lian who took the lead and bowed down: "I've met my eldest sister!"
"Brother Lian, there is no need to be polite."
Yuan Chun gave Jia Lian a hand and looked at Jia Lian generously, then turned to Jia Mu and others and smiled: "When I was in the palace, I often heard your Majesty and the Queen praising Lian's talent and appearance. When I saw him today, It's true. I just sigh that time is rushing, and I still remember that when I entered the palace, he was only eleven or twelve years old, not as big as Baoyu now, and he has grown up to be such a tall and handsome man now. "
Yuanchun's words made Jia Mu and others laugh and feel sad at the same time.
And Jia Lian shook his head in his heart. Yuanchun said this as if he hadn't seen him in ten years. But he didn't expect that he had met Yuan Chun several times before in the palace. Although they didn't have a close relationship, they had spoken to him.
Of course he wouldn't think that Yuanchun had lost his memory, so he was probably doing it on purpose. After thinking about her words for a moment, Jia Lian understood.
I'm afraid Yuanchun, like him, wanted to deepen the friendship between the two siblings, so he deliberately praised him in front of everyone. Secondly, he also expressed to Mrs. Wang and others about his dignity in front of the emperor and empress, and reminded them to treat themselves with caution.
"The eldest sister is over-reputed, and the younger brother is just a middle-aged person. At this point, I really don't dare to compare with the eldest sister."
Hearing Jia Lian's words, Yuan Chun paused for a moment before realizing that Jia Lian was praising her.
While smiling, I couldn't help but sigh in my heart. Sure enough, he was still a man who had done great things, and was not as cautious as the rest of the family.
Even if other people think of her talent and appearance, they don't dare to comment on her because of her status as a noble concubine.
And Jia Lian not only dared to praise her in turn, but also showed no trace of it, without any sense of arrogance and abruptness. It was obvious that he was not a rough person, but actually a person who spoke and behaved in a moderate manner, which made Yuan Chun even more happy.
Having the support of such a young and promising man in the family can at least keep the Jia family intact for decades. And having this cousin as an official in the court can be regarded as something she can rely on, and then she can feel a little more relaxed when facing the overt and covert struggles of various forces in the harem...
Jia Lian's words made Yuan Chun laugh, and Jia's mother was also happy to see the two of them on friendly terms, so she told how happy Jia Lian was when she learned that the Tian family allowed the concubine to return home to visit her relatives, and how much he supported the construction of a palace for her, as well as the During the construction of the palace, I told Yuanchun that he almost did it himself.
Although these things had already been mentioned to Jia Mu and Mrs. Wang when they visited the palace, Yuan Chun couldn't help but feel very comforted when Jia Mu reiterated them in front of the family.
She actually felt strange. She didn't know why Jia Lian respected her so much?
When she was a child, because her uncle Jia She was too ridiculous, she often made her grandfather, grandmother and others angry, which made her stay away from her uncle and his family.
So, naturally, he didn't pay much attention to Jia Lian, his cousin.
She didn't have the energy to pay attention, because when she first learned about human affairs, she was told by her parents that they wanted to send her to the palace. From then on, all her study and life almost revolved around preparing for the palace.
Only her younger brother Jia Baoyu can take away some of her energy.
Therefore, she was both surprised and regretful that Jia Lian had become famous in recent years. She felt that she had neglected her cousin too much in the past.
Even as Jia Lian became more and more valued by Emperor Ning Kang, she had some doubts. Could Jia Lian be hostile to her cousin because of family issues?
After all, like Emperor Ning Kang, she doubted that Jia Lian was mediocre when he was young after Jia Lian showed his talents. Was it to protect his own self?
If so, if he shows off his talent this time, he will definitely compete with his father for the family fortune. And she has been promoted to the imperial concubine. In Jia Lian's eyes, is she the second wife's biggest supporter and the biggest obstacle that prevents him from taking back his family fortune?
If Jia Lian had this intention, he would be afraid that his family would fall apart and his relatives would turn against each other, which would be irreversible.
Fortunately!
Not only was Jia Lian not hostile to her, but he showed his utmost support and concern for her cousin from the very beginning.
Once or twice, she still had doubts. Now, over the past few years, Jia Lian has been consistent in everything from big things to small things, from the overall situation to the details. This naturally made her put down all her guard and treat Jia Lian in her heart. It is also with three points of guilt and nine points of admiration.
Because Yuanchun asked himself, if she were Jia Lian, I'm afraid she wouldn't be able to achieve Jia Lian's measure and structure.
This was the reason why she tried to explain to her mother and others that the Dafang family should not be neglected at home, and why she went out of her way to get closer to Jia Lian in front of the family today.
Therefore, after listening to Jia Mu's words, Yuanchun glanced at Jia Lian with fulsome eyes, and then said: "Just to welcome me, it has led to the family spending so much money and material resources, which makes me feel very guilty.
In my opinion, after this incident, the garden will no longer be as luxurious and extravagant as it is today. "
Although Yuanchun had never built a palace, he had decorated his own Fengzao Palace. He knew how much money it would cost to make two palaces and one garden so luxurious and beautiful! Not to mention anything else, the hundreds and thousands of glass lanterns in the garden alone cost a lot of money.
Faced with Yuanchun's instructions, Jia Mu and others bowed their heads and accepted it.
After Jia Lian bowed, he said seriously: "My eldest sister entered the palace alone because of the rise and fall of my Jia family. I have experienced ten years of loneliness and hardship. Although I don't know about it, I can still understand it.
Nowadays, it is a rare blessing from heaven. The eldest sister can go home and see her. How can the eldest sister be wronged at home?
As for a little bit of family wealth, how could it be as important as the close friendship between our family members, or as important as winning a smile from my eldest sister?
Moreover, although Yudi is not talented, he still thinks he knows some ways of making a living.
Therefore, the eldest sister does not have to worry about money at home. If Tian En is still allowed to return to the province next year, the eldest sister does not need to think about anything else, just pack her bags. By then, the younger brother and all the relatives at home will definitely welcome the eldest sister home with a standard that is not lower than today! "
Yuan Chun was stunned by Jia Lian's words. He looked at Jia Lian and his eyes filled with tears in a blink of an eye.
The eldest daughter of the Duke's palace, she started by praising good deeds when she entered the palace, then rose up step by step to become a maid next to the concubine, and finally reached the sky and became the imperial concubine, the noble concubine! It seems glorious and lucky, but who can understand the hardships, pain and hesitation involved? Grandmothers and mothers may be able to guess a thing or two, but they won’t tell. Because they were the ones who sent her to the palace.
Purpose? Very easy to understand.
The palace has been deteriorating for centuries. In order to protect the lintel, it is a shortcut to enter the palace with a legitimate daughter to secure a future!
But this shortcut is not that easy to take. Among them, how much perseverance, persistence, and luck are needed? Countless young women have fallen down and disappeared on this road, or have become unknown and allowed their beauty to grow old?
Fortunately, she succeeded.
But every time I think about the past, I still feel sad and sad. She thought she was strong enough, but she didn't expect that her cousin's simple but sincere words would break her heart.
Even today, she is already a noble concubine, who knows that she is in a dilemma and is frightened between the Queen Mother and the Dowager? Who knew that while she was jealous of the queen and other concubines, she felt so sad that she did not receive much favor from the emperor?
In the deep palace where hierarchy is strict and there are calculations everywhere, there are too many such things.
She originally thought that she could only endure these hardships alone, but she didn't expect that outside the palace, in the home where she grew up, there was someone who could understand her feelings and spare no effort to welcome her back. Take a look at home and let her smile again? Yuan Chun was not the only one moved by Jia Lian's words, Jia Mu, Aunt Xue and others also stared slightly.
Mother Jia glanced at Yuan Chun, who was almost moved to tears, and then glanced at Jia Baoyu, who was still standing at the steps of Yuan Chun's couch, just staring blankly at the scene, and sighed in her heart.
Although she doesn't want to admit it, Jia's mother also understands that in terms of interpersonal skills and conduct, Baoyu is far inferior to Jia Lian.
They had all seen Jia Baoyu's state around Yuanchun before. Even though due to the brief contact, Jia Baoyu was no longer as dull as when he first got on the ship, he could only ask and answer, how could he be like Jia Lian? Yuanchun's heart was surging with excitement at just one sentence, and he was constantly moved? If this continues, I am afraid that in Yuanchun's heart, he will value Jia Lian more than his own brother sooner or later.
Although Mrs. Wang also felt that Jia Lian was too cunning and deceived her daughter, as the head wife, she thought more than Jia's mother.
She noticed the meaning in Jia Lian's words, that is, Jia Lian believed that he had a way to make money, and he did not hesitate to use it to welcome the family visit in Yuanchun, and she felt happy.
It’s not that she’s becoming more stingy and calculating, it’s that in order to save her family, she spent the entire budget of tens of thousands of taels of silver she had left behind, and even slightly exceeded it.
Now among the officials, only half of the 30,000 taels of silver "donated" by Jia Lian that day was left.
If you just live by it, this money will naturally be enough, because it is already autumn, and you can see that the income from various farms and real estate in the family is about to be put into the treasury again.
But if it is true, as Jia Lian said, that the wedding will be held next year and it will still be done according to this specification, it will definitely not be enough.
If she had the opportunity but didn't ask Yuanchun to go to the wedding, she, as a mother, really couldn't do it. Therefore, Jia Lian's words gave her the full answer! Therefore, no matter how critical he was, he now looked at Jia Lian more and more favorably.
The elders have their own thoughts, but the sisters' feelings are much simpler and more touching.
Daiyu even wrinkled her little nose and thought to herself: Second brother Lian still loves to talk big! I don’t know how to ask Sister Feng first. If Sister Feng doesn’t comply, let’s see how he ends up in front of these people!
Daiyu naturally knew that Jia Lian and Sister Feng were two extremes, one was a lavish spender and the other was very conservative. Thinking about it, I can’t help but find it funny.
But smiling, she hesitated again. If Sister Feng really didn't give money, she couldn't let Brother Lian be laughed at, right?
Hum, if he is willing to come and beg me then, I will help him.
Daiyu touched a string of fragrant beads on her wrist and felt inexplicably happy. Because she suddenly thought that in that case, she could just help Jia Lian.
Her dowry was a lot of money...
