The Red Mansions

Chapter 1542: Baochai: The title of prince? The prince is going to become a prince?

Chapter 1542: Baochai: The title of prince? The prince is going to become a prince?

Godly City, Ningguo Mansion

The night is low and the moon is high.

The season gradually entered May, the summer heat was scorching, and some mosquitoes and flies had already appeared under a dark green banana tree.

The room was brightly lit, and circles of light were visible radiating from the lacquered wooden table.

From the three-legged, six-eared rosewood incense burner, wisps of refreshing aroma waft forth, making one feel relaxed and happy.

Jia Heng put down the blue and white porcelain teacup in his hand and said in a low voice, "Qiu Liang is dead."

Chen Xiao asked: "Qu Lang wants to lure Chen Yuan out, what do you think?"

Jia Heng shook his head and said, "This may not be possible."

Chen Xiao said: "These past few days, the cavalry of the Beijing Camp has been patrolling the city defenses to prevent some bad guys from spying on the city's forbidden areas."

Jia Heng nodded and said, "We need to send someone to keep an eye on this matter. Have Jia Fang and the others gone to the palace?"

Chen Xiao said: "The palace guards have been replaced, and the inner and outer palaces are all patrolled by trusted officers."

Gu Ruoqing looked at the couple with eyes as clear as water under her beautiful eyebrows, and a thoughtful look appeared on her face.

While Jia Heng was talking, he did not linger for long. He left the hall and walked quickly towards the Grand View Garden.

It has been a while since he last spent time with Baochai, and now that he has some free time, they can go and take a look together.

Grand View Garden, Hengwu Garden, in the wing room——

On a soft wooden couch under the window grille on the west side, one can see a small lacquered wooden table with a blue and white porcelain teapot on it. Steam is emitting from the spout of the teapot, and wisps of fresh fragrance waft out of it, making one feel relaxed and happy.

At this moment, Baochai was wearing a plain dress, with her hair in a bun without any hair ornaments, and was playing Go with Baoqin.

The two sisters rarely get together today and have nothing to do to entertain themselves, so they start playing Go.

Baochai raised her fine and bright eyebrows, and her watery almond eyes were like condensed dew. She smiled and said, "Sister Baoqin's chess skills have declined compared to the past."

Baoqin's eyebrows were as curved as a crescent moon at this moment, and her voice was a little soft as she said, "I have played a lot of chess for Sister Yun, that lousy chess player, these past few days. Maybe I was led astray by her."

Baochai chuckled and said softly, "You can't put all the blame on Xiangyun."

Baoqin glanced around sharply under her willow-shaped eyebrows, lowered her voice, and said softly: "Sister, I heard from the maid in the mansion that there is a pair of twins, a boy and a girl, in Daoxiang Village."

When Baochai heard this, her expression changed for a moment, and she immediately placed a chess piece on the apricot-yellow chessboard, saying, "It seems to be true."

"Whose child is that?" Baoqin responded softly, her eyelashes curved and her face filled with surprise as she asked.

The chess piece in Baochai's hand clicked, and she straightened her face and said, "You've got me stumped by this. I really don't know whose it is."

Baoqin's curved and dense eyelashes cast a shadow, and her voice seemed to be lowered a little as she said, "I heard from the maids in the mansion that it seemed to be... it belonged to Brother Heng."

Brother Heng is really something. He even made a widow... pregnant.

When Baochai heard this, her moist almond-shaped eyes showed a hint of surprise, and she whispered, "Who told you this? You shouldn't talk nonsense like this."

Baoqin's flawless face, which looked like pear blossom petals, showed a hint of unnaturalness. She said in a gentle voice, "It seems that someone in the mansion said that."

Baochai frowned her beautiful eyebrows, her watery almond eyes were clear and bright, and she said in a deep voice: "What's going on with the servants in this mansion? Why are they gossiping?"

She was a concubine after all, and when she got angry, she did have some of the fierce power of a phoenix.

Baochai turned her eyes to the maidservant Ying'er beside her and whispered, "Ying'er, go talk to Sister Feng and see if there are servants over there who are making up stories and plotting against the prince."

Ying'er responded softly, then turned and left the room.

Baoqin raised her eyebrows, her eyes flickered, and she looked at Baochai steadily, saying softly, "Sister, when you get angry, you're not much worse than those officials out there."

Baochai's expression paused slightly, her cold eyes filled with concern, and she whispered, "I'm also worried about ruining your elder brother Heng's reputation."

Baoqin responded softly, and said angrily, "Brother Heng is really something. The girls in this mansion are not good enough for him, and he still insists on going to Daoxiang Village."

Baochai's plump and lovely face suddenly looked a little melancholy. She sighed softly, with a helpless look in her eyes, and said, "That's how men are."

A wife is not as good as a concubine, a concubine is not as good as a secret lover, and a secret lover is not as good as not being able to love. Maybe these young girls have had enough of playing around and start to like married women.

Baoqin snorted and said, "When Brother Heng comes, we should keep an eye on him as well."

When Baochai heard this, a faint blush appeared on the sides of her plump, fair face, and her pink lips looked like peach blossoms, rosy red and bright.

A scene seemed to emerge before his eyes, where he and Baoqin were stacked together and bullied by that man.

Under Baoqin's willow-shaped eyebrows, her eyes, which were as bright and moist as those of apricots, looked curiously at the beauty who suddenly became shy, and said jokingly, "Sister, what are you thinking about? Your face is red now."

Baochai's face turned red with shame, and she whispered, "I'm not thinking of anything."

At this moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from outside the room: "Is Sister Xue in the room?"

Then, as he was speaking, the tall young man in the python robe walked through the carved window panes of the arched shelf, entered the wing room, and looked at Baochai and Baoqin.

"Prince, you are here." Baochai stood up gracefully, looked at Jia Heng intently, then picked up a blue and white porcelain teapot, took the teacup, and poured a cup of tea into the teacup.

Baoqin's eyebrows were curved, her eyes were bright and clear, her voice was soft and sweet, she called out, "Brother Heng."

Jia Heng smiled and looked at the little fat girl and asked, "Baoqin is here too."

Baoqin said, "Come over and play chess with me, and chat to relieve my boredom. Is Brother Heng done with his work outside?"

"I'm almost done." Jia Heng said softly, looking at Baochai curiously, and asked in surprise: "Sister Xue, why haven't I seen you these days?"

Baochai paused for a moment, her eyes sparkling like water, and she said softly, "I can do some needlework in my spare time in the room. There's nothing else to do."

While Jia Heng was talking, he came to a chair nearby and sat down, and asked in a gentle voice, "Didn't Sister Lin come?"

Baochai's moist almond eyes were shining brightly under her emerald eyebrows. She said in a delicate voice, "Sister Lin has not come over these few days. She has been resting in the room."

Jia Heng said in a gentle voice: "These days, the court is in a period of national mourning. I have been busy with external affairs and have not come to talk with you."

Baochai said softly, "Your Majesty is busy with state affairs outside, so there is no need for him to linger on romantic affairs in the backyard."

Jia Heng smiled and said, "It is indeed a national event."

Baochai looked at the young man in the python robe with a fixed gaze and asked, "My Lord, has the state funeral outside been arranged?"

Although Baochai was in the inner house, she was always paying attention to what was happening outside, knowing that in today's Han Dynasty, her man had already seized the highest power in the court.

Jia Heng said: "It will take some time. In a few days, Emperor Xianzong will be buried and the new emperor will ascend the throne. By the way, I may be granted the title of prince soon."

Baochai:"……"

The title of a prince? Is the prince going to become a prince?

This is really a step forward.

Baochai's heart was filled with joy and excitement, but her plump and lovely cheeks showed no strange color. She said, "My lord, since the founding of this dynasty, it has never been heard that a person with a different surname could be granted the title of prince. Your lordship is unprecedented."

Jia Heng's eyes flickered, and he said loudly: "Yes, this is the first one. I wonder how many more political disturbances will occur in the future."

Baochai could hardly conceal her delight as she said, "Your Majesty has supported the country and served three dynasties. In terms of merit, seniority, and virtue, you have done enough."

Jia Heng said softly: "I dare not say that I deserve the title, but I have a clear conscience."

As he spoke, he sat down on a wooden couch, picked up the blue and white porcelain teacup, took a sip, and tasted the fragrance that filled his mouth and throat.

At this moment, Baoqin walked around behind Jia Heng, came close to him, and gently pinched Jia Heng's shoulders from behind.

While Jia Heng was speaking, he took a sip of tea, with a look of satisfaction on his face.

Baochai paused for a moment, her soft eyes seemed to trace the contours of the young man's face from beneath her beautiful eyebrows, and she said softly, "My Lord, my brother said that the palace has approved our family's business and will no longer deliberately make things difficult for us."

Jia Heng nodded and said, "That's good. Let your brother do business well."

As she spoke, she gently took Baochai's soft, delicate and slender hand, chuckled and said, "I haven't seen you for a few days. Let me see if you have lost weight."

Baochai's plump and lovely face was already blushing like clouds. From a distance, it looked as red as fire. She said in an inexplicably charming voice, "My Lord, it's not dark yet."

Jia Heng could not help but respond softly, looking at Baochai with a gleaming gaze, and said softly, "Sister Xue, let's go inside and talk."

As he spoke, he took Baochai's soft hand and walked quickly towards the inner room.

Meanwhile, Jia Heng turned his gaze to Baoqin and said softly, "Sister Baoqin, why are you still standing there? Let's go together."

Baoqin's plump, lovely face was rosy and pink, and it blushed at this moment. She responded softly and tenderly, and then followed Jia Heng to the inner room.

Jia Heng sat down on the bed covered with curtains, while Baochai and Baoqin squatted down, rustlingly unbuttoning the collar of the young man's dragon robe and serving him.

Baochai came closer, her soft and chubby little hands coming closer, her plump and lovely face was as red as fire, her lips were slightly open, and her lips were curled.

Xue Baoqin also lifted a strand of hair that fell on the side of her cheek to her ear. Under her emerald eyebrows, her watery and slightly almond-shaped eyes were already full of charm.

This is undoubtedly very rare for the little fat girl.

At this moment, Jia Heng's eyes showed an indescribable sense of comfort.

But in the summer, there was a heavy rain outside the window. The rain hit the banana leaves, making crackling sounds, bringing a bit of coolness to dispel the summer heat.

The draperies on the curtains were blown by the wind, and the shadows of three people could be seen, reflected on a brocade screen.

After an unknown amount of time, Jia Heng turned his head to look at the two chubby girls with rosy cheeks who had been drunk like puffs. He felt an inexplicable sense of joy in his heart.

At this moment, a strand of Baochai's lush and slightly green hair was sticking to her temples with sweat. Under her curved emerald eyebrows, her watery almond-shaped eyes were sparkling and charming. One could see the overflowing charm in her eyes.

Jia Heng looked calm and warm at Baochai, and said softly, "Sister Xue, it's getting late. I'll go back first."

Baochai's plump and lovely face was blushing like a rosy cloud, her delicate and straight nose hummed lightly, and a light blush appeared on both sides of her plump and bright cheeks, her whiteness was rosy, and her charm was moving.

Baoqin's eyes were full of reluctance, and she whispered, "Brother Heng, are you leaving?"

Jia Heng pinched the little girl's plump face, chuckled, and said, "You and your sister should have a good rest. I have something else to do."

Baoqin responded softly and watched Jia Heng leave.

……

……

Two days later, Daming Palace, Hanyuan Hall——

On this day, the sky was clear and the air was fresh, and the gentle breeze blew the willow trees planted on both sides of the street, and the green willow leaves fluttered in the wind.

A large number of civil and military officials, each standing according to their rank, wearing official robes of various colors, holding an ivory jade tablet as white as jade, stood on the open space paved with white marble railings in front of the hall.

Looking from the sky at this moment, the white flags are hung and the mourning cloths are frosty white, which is a spectacular sight.

The solemn and majestic palace in front of us stands tall, and the glazed tiles covering it sparkle in the summer sunlight.

Under the eaves of the corridor with blue bricks and black tiles, the guards in brocade clothes were holding long iron spears, with white mourning cloth wrapped around their foreheads and arms, clearly shrouding the place in an atmosphere of sorrow and sadness.

From time to time, bursts of wailing from female members of the family were heard in the side hall, and the mournful atmosphere gradually spread to the outside of the hall. The civil and military officials of the Han Dynasty, holding ivory and jade tablets, had the same look of sorrow on their faces, some fat, some thin, some old, and some middle-aged.

"Ministers, please enter the palace and pay your respects." The eunuch outside the palace threshold shouted in a shrill voice.

The civil and military officials who were waiting in line walked slowly and quickly towards the hall.

In the hall, Zhen Qing was sitting on the golden throne, holding her child in her arms. The beautiful woman was dressed in white mourning clothes, and there was a pearl curtain in front of her. The shadows were dim, and you could make out the figure, but it was not very clear.

A group of civil and military officials entered the palace, bowed to Zhen Qing, who was sitting on the golden throne, and the child in her arms, and said, "Your Highness, we greet the Queen and the Crown Prince. May you live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years."

"Gentlemen, please stand up." Zhen Qing spoke softly to the ministers below while holding her own delicate and handsome son.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." All the civil and military officials below responded and said.

Under Zhen Qing's beautiful willow-leaf eyebrows, her sparkling phoenix eyes glanced at the young man in python robe who was standing in the front row of the court, bowing and waiting, and then she swept her gaze to the ministers below.

The beauty was wearing a white mourning dress. A white belt around her waist made her figure look graceful and exquisite. Under her slender and bright eyebrows, she stared at the young man in the python dress and said, "My lords, after the new emperor ascended the throne, he unfortunately died, leaving me and the crown prince alone as orphans and widows. Fortunately, Prince Wei and the ministers of the cabinet turned the tide and saved the collapsing building, so that our Han Dynasty can be stable and peaceful."

The court officials below responded one after another and listened respectfully to the emperor's instructions.

After Zhen Qing finished her brief opening remarks, she said in a clear voice, "Read the imperial edict."

At this moment, an eunuch holding a scroll of white marble and bright yellow silk with an imperial edict on it came up and said in a loud voice, "Ministers, please accept the edict."

All the civil and military officials below knelt down and listened respectfully to the imperial edict.

For a moment, the solemn and dignified hall was silent and you could hear a pin drop.

"The Emperor, by the Will of Heaven, proclaims: I have inherited the legacy of my father and succeeded to the throne. I was about to carry on the legacy and forge ahead, but I was assassinated by a traitor..."

As the eunuch's clear voice rang out, all the ministers in the hall listened quietly, with different expressions on their faces.

The main reason was that the new emperor unfortunately passed away just one year after he ascended the throne, which was really too heartbreaking.

Of course, the new emperor was suddenly assassinated, and everyone knew that all of this was drafted by the cabinet. Otherwise, it would be too strange to draft the imperial edict before he was assassinated.

The gist of the imperial edict was to allow the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace to succeed to the throne.

"Long live the emperor." All the ministers present saluted towards Zhen Qing and the Crown Prince Chen Jie who were sitting at the top.

Zhen Qing was holding her son in her arms at this moment, listening to the cheers from the people below, and she couldn't help but feel excited.

In fact, it is not only men who are obsessed with power. Women are also human beings and have the desire for power as well, but they are not as blessed as men in seeking power.

After a while, the eunuch stood up and took another bright yellow scroll of imperial edict. He said in a shrill voice: "The Emperor of Heaven and Mandate of Heaven, decrees: I have heard that the virtuous are praised and the talented are rewarded. Duke Heng of Wei County is loyal to the country, spreads virtue and shows grace, supports the young ruler, and ensures the safety of the country. I hereby promote his rank to prince to commend his merits. I decree this."

From Prince of Wei to Prince of Wei, this was undoubtedly a crucial step.

Jia Heng stood among the military ministers below, with a puzzled look on his face. He said in a loud voice: "Your Majesty, I thank you. Long live the emperor."

However, just after receiving the imperial edict, a commotion was heard in the hall.

At this moment, one of the censors stepped out of the court and said loudly, "I think it is not appropriate to confer the title of Prince of Wei County on the prince."

As he was speaking, a young censor stepped out from among the censors. His handsome face was full of righteous words. He looked at the young man in the python robe with burning eyes and scolded him, "Prince Wei, do you want to rebel?"

Jia Heng frowned and looked at the chief minister of the cabinet, Li Zan, with a hint of shock and anger in his eyes.

Are they trying to get the censors to come out and cause trouble so that he can lose face?

Of course, there were many censors, and not all of them would obey Li Zan's orders, and the cabinet did not have the control.

At this time, Li Zan came out of the court, stared at the censor, and scolded him: "Now is the day when the new emperor ascends the throne. The atmosphere is so solemn and serious. Why are you roaring and causing trouble here?"

The censor's eyes flickered fiercely, as if he was staring at Li Zan, and he said in a deep voice: "Lord Li, how can there be a prince of a different surname in our dynasty? The ambition of the Prince of Wei is obvious, how can we allow him to be so presumptuous?"

Zhen Qing's flawless face was covered with a thin layer of frost. She whispered, "Where did this traitor come from? He is roaring in the court. Come, take him out!"

The young censor paused for a moment, his eyes flickered, and he said loudly: "The coffins of Emperor Xianzong and Emperor Guangzong are both here. If you hear that a prince of a different surname is here, he will never rest in peace even in the underworld."

Li Zan frowned and shouted, "Come here, fork it out."

At this moment, two Jinyiwei came in from outside, carried the censor and walked quickly out of the hall.

But at this moment, the words of the censor were like the first spark that ignited the explosives, instantly exploding the entire warehouse.

At this time, a younger censor said loudly: "Prince Wei, since you claim to be a loyal and righteous minister and a pillar of the country, why don't you resign the title of prince to dispel the suspicion of the Chinese and foreigners?"

At this moment, one of the six censors was holding an ivory jade sceptre and said loudly, "Prince Wei."

After a while, Jia Heng turned his head to look at the people who were being carried out quickly by the Jinyi Guards. There was an inexplicable gloomy look on his face.

Afterwards, a group of censors in the palace came out one after another and began to impeach Jia Heng, some using appeals to justice, some using threats from public opinion and morality, and some using earnest words.

In short, this attitude made Jia Heng understand and resign his title of prince in order to preserve his loyalty.

Then, while Jia Heng was speaking, he cast a cold gaze at the ministers in the hall, and shouted in a low voice, "Everyone, since I was appointed by Emperor Xianzong, I have fought wars in the south and the north, and in the east and the west, and have never slacked off for a single day. You are in high positions in the temple, but you sit back and talk, and yet you criticize me. How can this be justified?"

At this moment, the atmosphere in the hall suddenly fell silent.