The Red Mansions

Chapter 1631 Tanchun: Why is it happening again while we are talking?

Chapter 1631 Tanchun: Why is it happening again while we are talking?

Shenjing City, Palace Garden, Kunning Palace

At this moment, Jia Heng was sitting on an embroidered cushion, holding his goddaughter Shui Xin, and chatting and laughing with Zhen Qing, Zhen Xue and others.

Shui Xin raised her fair and rosy face and said coquettishly, "Godfather, you promised me that you would take me out to play."

Jia Heng gently pinched Shui Xin's plump cheeks and said, "Yes, I have been busy with external affairs these years and really forgot about it."

My daughter has grown up, she is more than thirteen years old and graceful.

Shui Xin said shyly, "Godfather, don't pinch my face."

She is not a child anymore, how can her godfather still pinch her face like this?

Zhen Qing was sitting on a soft couch covered with a mattress, and under her pair of emerald green eyebrows, her beautiful eyes were staring at the father and daughter with a smile.

Yin Yin's eyebrows were curved like crescent moons, and she pouted her lips and said unhappily, "Godfather only knows how to play with my cousin, and not with me."

Zhen Xue stroked Yin Yin's head, and in a trance, she couldn't help but recall that many years ago, Xin Xin was also the same age as Yin Yin.

At this moment, a maid dressed in silk and satin walked into the hall quickly, and said in a voice full of endless joy, "Madam, the meal is ready."

Jia Heng put down his goddaughter Shui Xin, smiled and said, "Okay, let's go over and have dinner."

As they were talking, everyone came to the table in the hall and sat down.

Zhen Qing picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks, gently picked up a piece of juicy beans from the plate, and placed it in her daughter Yinyin's bowl. She smiled and said, "Yinyin, try this."

Yin Yin hummed softly, raised her rosy and chubby face, and said in a soft and sticky voice: "Eat it too, mother."

Jia Heng picked up a pair of bamboo chopsticks and started to eat.

Zhen Xue was standing by, picking up a pair of bamboo chopsticks, picking up various dishes and placing them in Jia Heng's bowl. Her gentle and silent face was full of rosy clouds, and she said, "Zi Yu, come here and try this."

Jia Heng responded softly, then turned to look at Zhen Xue, and saw a peaceful smile on her snow-white face.

At this moment, Jia Heng felt the sky and the earth spinning before his eyes, it was clearly the dragon moving.

"Oh no, the earth dragon is moving."

The eunuchs and female officials in the hall shouted in unison.

Then the palace began to shake continuously, and the jade plate on the table made a "clattering" sound and fell to the ground.

The maids and eunuchs in the palace all ran around to tell each other. For a moment, they were at a loss and in great panic.

Jia Heng picked up Shui Xin and ran quickly to the outside, while Zhen Qing picked up Yin Yin, and Zhen Xue and others also went out of the hall.

The towering bedroom shook for a long time, and clouds of dust could be seen falling down. A layer of dust fell on the jade steps under the eaves, and then tiles fell to the ground with "crackling, crackling", and suddenly broke into pieces in an instant.

Zhen Qing looked up at the place with flashing eyes, her expression full of doubt and uncertainty, and asked, "Why did the ground move out of nowhere?"

Jia Heng frowned and explained, "The terrain in Guanzhong is steep and the mountains are winding and undulating. There has always been a saying that earth dragons are rolling. I hope that this time no disaster has occurred in the local prefectures and counties, otherwise, there will be more disputes."

Zhen Qing also calmed down and said in a deep voice: "Let someone check later to see if the cabinet has submitted a memorial reporting the disaster."

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then said, "Send someone to check the situation in the palace to see if there is any damage. I'll go to Wuying Palace to check the situation of the room."

As he spoke, he put Shui Xin down from his arms, and then, in the spotlight of everyone, he quickly left the front hall of Kunning Palace.

On the white marble square in front of Wuying Hall——

Li Zan and other cabinet ministers and clerks stood together on the white marble square and looked up at the palace in front of them.

Li Zan's eyes were dim and uncertain under his thin brows, and he was quickly calculating his next move in his mind.

At this moment, a middle-aged clerk with a refined demeanor and a clean complexion came quickly and said in a loud voice: "Lord Li, the Prince of Wei is here."

While Li Zan was speaking, he looked in the direction of the voice and saw the young man in a python robe who was walking quickly towards him from a distance.

Li Zan looked at Jia Heng intently, went up to him and asked, "Prince Wei."

Jia Heng hesitated for a moment and said, "Lord Li, what is the situation in the palace? Are there any casualties in the palace?"

"No casualties." Li Zan's face became serious, and he said, "We were reading memorials in the palace, and then the hall began to shake. I think there was an earthquake somewhere else."

Jia Heng frowned and said immediately, "Wait for news in the next two days. Maybe it's just a small earthquake."

In fact, I didn't think it was a minor earthquake, because the entire city of Shenjing felt the tremor, so it must be a major earthquake, but I didn't know where it was.

I am afraid that someone will use the earthquake theory to make a far-fetched argument, saying that powerful ministers are in power and have disrupted the government, so the warning from God is coming.

Li Zan raised his eyebrows, his eyes were deep, and he asked with concern: "Prince Wei, has the Kunning Palace been disturbed?"

Several other cabinet ministers also looked at Jia Heng.

Jia Heng said: "It was just a false alarm, but it's nothing serious."

Li Zan sighed with a little regret in his heart, but his face remained calm and he said, "That's good."

Jia Heng stayed for a while, looked up at the situation in the battle array, and said to Li Zan: "Lord Li, since there is nothing to do here, I will not stay any longer. I will go see the Queen Mother first."

Li Zan raised his eyebrows and said, "Then Prince Wei, please go and do your work first. When there is a disaster report from somewhere, this cabinet will send someone to inform Prince Wei and then report the specific situation."

Jia Heng nodded, and without saying anything else, he returned to Kunning Palace.

Palace Garden, Kunning Palace——

Zhen Qing was still in shock. She sat down on a soft couch covered with a mattress. Her flawless face was as pale as paper. Her beautiful eyes, sparkling with emerald eyebrows, showed some concern. She asked, "You're back? What did the cabinet say?"

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, then raised his sword-like eyebrows, looked at him with blazing eyes, and said, "There was an earthquake just now. It might be an earthquake in a distant prefecture or county. At this moment, no one has reported it yet."

Zhen Qing frowned, and worry welled up in her charming eyes. She said loudly, "I hope it's not a disaster."

Jia Heng nodded, then looked at Shui Xin, who was staring at him intently with her rosy face raised.

"Xinxin, you must have been scared just now." Jia Heng reached out and gently rubbed the little girl's hair, with a hint of doting in his eyes.

Under Shui Xin's emerald eyebrows, her black grape-like eyes sparkled, and a light blush appeared on both sides of her jade-like cheeks. She said loudly, "Godfather, I'm fine."

Jia Heng smiled, caressed Shui Xin's forehead lovingly, and praised: "Xinxin has really grown up."

The little girl back then is now almost a grown-up girl and already knows how to be shy.

Shui Xin lowered her head slightly, her eyes like a pool of clear spring water rippling with soft waves, her mind in a mess.

Her godfather still treats her as a little girl.

After a while, the eunuch came to report that the floor in the hall had been cleaned.

On Jia Heng's side, Zhen Qing sat down.

Zhen Qing's beautiful eyes were charming and flowing under her emerald eyebrows. She said, "When Emperor Shizong Xian was alive, there was an earthquake in the capital, which even caused the emperor's mausoleum to collapse. If anyone makes far-fetched claims and slanders the emperor's virtue, they can bring this up."

For Li Ren, she couldn't let the earth dragon stirring up an issue affect her son's reputation.

Jia Heng was silent for a moment, and then said, "There is no need to worry too much about this matter. The public opinion in the capital has been stirring up trouble for a long time. There have been many unpleasant words in the past, so there is no need to be afraid."

Zhen Qing said, "In the next few days, have the people from the Jinyi Palace investigate rumors in the capital and stop anyone from slandering us."

Jia Heng nodded and said gently, "I'll ask the people in Jinyi Mansion to keep an eye on it."

Zhen Xue watched the two people talking quietly from the side, and a look of serious thought appeared on her plump, bright face.

Jia Heng looked at the little girl Shui Xin beside Zhen Xue, chuckled, and said, "Xinxin, I'm hungry now, let's eat first."

Zhen Qing said "hmm", and then ordered the eunuch to go to the imperial kitchen again to serve the meal.

After everyone finished lunch, Jia Heng left the palace and returned to Ningguo Mansion.

Godly City, Ningguo Mansion

During the previous earthquake, the servants in the mansion also experienced a period of panic, but at this moment, they gradually calmed down.

Chen Xiaochun raised her beautiful eyebrows, looked at the young man in python clothes who came quickly from outside with surprise, and said, "You're back?"

Jia Heng's face was a little gloomy, and he said, "This is an earthquake. We don't know where the strong earthquake happened yet. There should be an urgent report from 600 miles away in the next few days."

Chen Xiao looked thoughtful and said, "Wait a few more days. I guess Li Zan will take advantage of this opportunity to make some moves."

Jia Heng nodded, his eyes warm, and said, "I have a similar idea."

Chen Xiao asked with concern: "Then how are you going to deal with it?"

Jia Heng looked aggressive and said in a deep voice: "Adapt to circumstances and take advantage of their situation."

Chen Xiao responded softly, a thoughtful look on his face, and said, "That's not a bad idea."

After Jia Heng finished speaking, he came to a lacquered wooden desk. Gu Ruoqing approached, took a blue and white porcelain teacup and handed it to him.

Jia Heng thanked him, took a sip of the fragrant tea, lingered in the study for a while, then quickly left the study and headed towards the Grand View Garden.

Grand View Garden, Qiu Shuang Zhai

Tanchun was sitting in front of the window in a daze, holding her cheek gently with her little hand. The girl was wearing a scarlet dress, with her lush hair tied into a ponytail. Her cute and innocent face seemed to be covered with a layer of bright red blush, as if she was thinking of something.

It was the age when the girl was in love. With her eyebrows drooped, her face, as white as snow, was bright as clouds, and her eyes showed a hint of infatuation and longing.

It was obvious that she was thinking about Jia Heng.

At this moment, a surprised voice came from outside: "Uncle, you are here."

When Tanchun heard this, she was inexplicably startled. She quickly raised her delicate head with long black hair and looked in the direction of the voice. She saw a tall figure projected on the screen, which gradually became shorter. Then, there was the sound of slow footsteps.

As he was speaking, the young man in the python robe appeared with a warm smile on his face and said, "Third sister."

Tanchun responded softly, and looked at Jia Heng intently, her voice not without excitement, and said: "Brother Heng, you are here."

Jia Heng raised his sword-like eyebrows and looked at Tanchun with interest. Meeting her gentle and radiant eyes, he said, "What are you busy with now, Third Sister?"

Tanchun lowered her eyebrows, and there seemed to be a hint of inexplicable shyness on her delicate and charming face. She said, "Nothing much, I just sat here for a while."

While Jia Heng was talking, he sat closer, gently held Tanchun's slender hand, and said, "Third sister, why haven't I seen you these days?"

Tanchun said, "Brother Heng is busy outside."

Jia Heng looked up at the girl's plump and slightly plump lips, and he also had some thoughts, because Tanchun's innocent face was covered with a layer of red clouds, which made her look more bright and beautiful. He said, "Yes, he is always busy with some messy things outside."

As they were talking, Jia Heng moved closer and kissed those soft and slightly moist lips, taking in the sweet and refreshing breath, and gently embraced Tanchun's slightly trembling body.

After a while, Tanchun looked at Jia Heng charmingly from under her willow-shaped eyebrows and said, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng gently stretched out his hand and put his arm around Tanchun's shoulders, sniffing the rich fragrance between the girl's hair, and said, "Third sister, let me see if you have gained weight recently."

Tanchun lowered her long black hair slightly, her innocent eyes showing a hint of cuteness, and she said in a trembling voice, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng gently embraced Tanchun's plump waist, came to the side room and sat down, reaching into her clothes, he felt the fullness between his palms and fingers, well, she had indeed gained a lot of weight.

Tanchun's cute and adorable face had a bright red blush on both sides, and her bright eyes were as dazzling as rainbows under her heroic and bright eyebrows.

Immediately, she squatted down and moved closer. The beautiful woman stretched out her slender hand and gently lifted a strand of hair by her ear. When she raised her eyes, her eyes were slightly rippling and she was as charming as silk.

Jia Heng's brows sometimes relaxed and sometimes frowned, and his face, which was as calm as Xuanshui, showed a changing expression, as if he was thinking about the recent changes in the political situation.

Li Zan and Xu Lu have already begun to reach out to the Beijing camp, and all he can do now is to wait and see what happens and not say anything else.

Tanchun raised a face that was a little bit cute and innocent, with cheeks as red as fire, and her heart was filled with inexplicable fear.

Jia Heng embraced Tanchun's delicate body, sat down, leaned close to Tanchun's ear and said, "Third sister, you must have missed me recently."

Just now, they were all in tears, and they welcomed the royal army with food and drink.

Tanchun raised her beautiful head with long black hair like a waterfall, her beautiful eyes stared at him with affection, and she said in a trembling voice, "Brother Heng."

I don't know how much time had passed, but outside the window, in the boundless blue sky, I could see the sun setting, the sky filled with sunset glow, and rows of lush sycamore trees on both sides of the street swaying, rustling in the wind.

Jia Heng looked at Tanchun, who was standing beside him with a soft figure, and asked, "Do you and Sister Yun ride horses a lot?"

The riding skills just now were truly skillful and exquisite.

Tanchun's rosy face flushed with shyness, and she understood the double meaning in Jia Heng's words.

Jia Heng gently stroked Tanchun's shoulder and said, "I haven't seen Sister Yun these past few days."

Jia Heng stretched out his hands and embraced Tanchun's soft body, feeling its fullness and softness, and felt a sense of inexplicable emotion in his heart.

Tanchun adjusted her body to a comfortable position and whispered, "My second brother got engaged these days, why didn't Brother Heng go and see him?"

Jia Heng whispered, "I won't go over, so as to save Baoyu and the Second Wife from worrying too much."

Tanchun bit her pink lips with her pearly teeth and said, "If Brother Heng doesn't go, Baoyu and the Second Madam will worry too much."

Jia Heng raised his sword-like eyebrows, looked at Tanchun with warm eyes, and said, "Third sister, has the second wife mentioned your marriage to you?"

Tanchun's jade-like face, which was slightly charming and innocent, flushed as if she was drunk. She pursed her soft and rosy lips and said, "I mentioned it some time ago, but I said I would listen to Brother Heng's opinion, so the Second Madam didn't ask again."

Jia Heng chuckled and said, "She knows that you and I have a good relationship."

Tanchun cried out, and a wave of shame surged across her flawless white face. She whispered, "How could the Second Madam know that?"

Jia Heng chuckled and whispered, "I don't know now, but you and I have had a good relationship since we were young, so she doesn't dare to offend you rashly."

As he spoke, he gently pulled Tanchun's plump and graceful body over and hugged her in his arms affectionately.

Tanchun leaned her burning face against Jia Heng's arms, her sparkling eyes as clear as water, and she said in a trembling voice, "Brother Heng."

As we were talking, it happened again.

……

……

On the second day, in the early morning, the autumn fog was hazy, but the sunlight in the eastern sky could be seen shining in the eastern sky. The fog suddenly dissipated, and a corner of the double-eaved and hooked-cornered mansion gradually appeared.

At this moment, a horseman galloped past the main street of Shenjing City. Pedestrians on both sides of the street tried to avoid him as much as possible. It was clearly a piece of express delivery from the local area to the capital over a distance of 600 miles.

Palace Garden, Wuying Hall

Li Zan took the report from the cabinet clerk. There was a hint of surprise on his resolute and calm face. He said in a low and sad voice: "An earthquake occurred in Taiyuan, Shanxi. Thousands of houses collapsed and countless soldiers and civilians were killed and injured."

It is true that when a country is about to perish, evil will appear.

Liu Zheng frowned, paused, and whispered, "Prime Minister, has Shanxi sent anyone to help with the disaster?"

"Disaster relief is indeed the top priority." Li Zan was silent for a moment and said in a deep voice.

Qi Kun said: "The Ministry of Revenue is not short of money and grain, but there are so many victims of the disaster, we need capable people to provide relief."

Minister of Works Zhao Yi frowned, his eyes flashing, and said: "The earthquake in Taiyuan is such a big thing, we should report it to the Queen Mother."

Li Zan nodded and said, "Send someone to inform Kunning Palace."

For a while, the Han capital city was in an uproar.

Taiyuan is an important city in the north of the Han Dynasty and the provincial capital of Shanxi, with a large population. Now that the earth's dragons are stirring, many people have suffered from natural disasters.