Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 192 7 Princes

On the second day of August, His Majesty Xuan Zheng ordered Empress Wan to be confined to her house to recuperate; on the third day of August, it was announced that the Empress Wan's birthday celebration would be kept simple; on the eighth day of August, the Minister of Revenue gave her money to return home.

On the tenth day of August, an imperial decree was issued, announcing that women of the imperial family above the rank of concubine in each palace could be summoned to see the female relatives from their natal families to relieve the pain of missing their families during the Mid-Autumn Festival.

All the mansions were busy preparing, even Empress Wan's family, the families of Imperial Concubine Jia, Concubine Hui Zhou, and Concubine Life Yang, all of them were busy handing in signs, requesting permission to enter the palace.

The Palace Department then arranged the order: On August 12, Vice Minister of Rites and wife of Marquis Cheng'en, Mrs. Du, brought her daughter to Kunning Palace to meet Empress Wan, while wife of Duke Rong, Mrs. Jia Shi, and wife of first-class general, Mrs. Xing, went to Fengzao Palace to meet Concubine Jia.

On August 13, the wife of the Minister of Works, Zhang, brought her daughter to the Zhujing Hall to meet Concubine Zhou Huifei, and the wife of the Junior Minister of Guanglu Temple, Han, brought her niece to the Chengxiang Hall to meet Concubine Yang Lifei.

With this arrangement, no one could say anything except Queen Wan's family.

Grandmother Jia was finally able to enter the palace to see her eldest granddaughter. She was so happy that she cried for two consecutive nights. On the morning of August 12, she had a headache.

Yuanyang was very worried and advised: "Why don't you go? If the queen sees that you are not feeling well, won't she be more worried than usual?"

Grandmother Jia refused and insisted on going.

Yuanyang could not persuade her any more and could only ask Mrs. Xing again and again to keep an eye on her and not let the old lady get too tired.

The two entered Fengzao Palace.

The seventh prince stepped forward, bowed, and addressed her as Madam Jia.

Mrs. Xing didn't understand what was going on for a moment. She just saw that the eight-year-old boy was really handsome and cute, and was as good-looking as Jia Lan. She couldn't help laughing and said, "Don't be so rude. You should call her great-grandmother!"

The Seventh Prince stood up, his face full of childishness, but serious and solemn: "My maternal family is still alive, it is the Wu family, the Shaoqing of the Sinong Temple.

"Although I was raised in the palace of Concubine Jia, and my father also said that I should be recorded under the name of Concubine Jia, after all, it has not been clearly stated in the imperial edict, so this etiquette cannot be wrong."

It had been less than two years since Concubine Wu passed away, and the Seventh Prince missed his biological mother day and night, and had close ties with his maternal family. How could he listen to Madam Xing's nonsense and recognize this dilapidated Rongguo Mansion as his great-grandmother?

So, although he answered politely, he couldn't help but show indignation and contempt in his eyes.

Mrs. Xing's face suddenly turned red. She straightened up awkwardly and withdrew her hand that had originally intended to caress the little porcelain doll.

Jia Yuanchun sat at the head of the table, smiled slightly, and ordered Baoqin: "It's time for the Seventh Prince to go to the Shangshufang. You should arrange for his wet nurse and eunuchs to take him there."

Grandmother Jia also sat there quietly with a calm expression.

After the Seventh Prince politely said goodbye, Madam Xing couldn't help but feel uneasy in front of this grandfather and grandson. She simply forced a smile and said:

"I got up this morning and drank two sips of cool air. Now I feel uncomfortable in my stomach. I would like to ask for permission from the queen to go to the side hall to lie down and warm up."

Seeing her being so tactful, Grandmother Jia's expression finally eased, and she spoke before Yuanchun: "Okay. There were a lot of things going on at home yesterday, and I heard that you slept late and were very tired. Miss Baoqin, please take her there."

Baoqin glanced at Yuanchun's expression, agreed, and took Madam Xing to the side hall.

At this time, the two held hands and looked at each other with tears in their eyes, unable to speak. After a long time, Jia Yuanchun cried, "I thought I would never see my grandmother again!"

"Your Majesty is young and beautiful, but I am old now. I don't know if we can meet again!"

Grandmother Jia also shed tears. "How is the queen recently? Does His Majesty come over often? Is the queen still kind? Are the emperor and the queen mother still visiting?"

Yuanchun hesitated for a moment, then sat down next to Lady Jia, very close to her, and whispered, "Your Majesty has not been near a woman for nearly two years!"

Grandmother Jia's face changed drastically: "Why?"

Yuanchun sighed softly: "Someone is using drugs to win favor..."

Grandmother Jia became more and more anxious: "If so, then you——"

"I already have the seventh prince in my hands." Yuanchun curled her lips slightly, "The queen has no legitimate son, the prince is older than the brothers, and the emperor has never thought of changing the crown prince."

Grandmother Jia heaved a long sigh of relief and whispered, "If this is the case, everyone will be relieved, which is even better."

Yuanchun smiled and nodded, then continued softly, "The Queen only has a smart face, but she is stupid inside. Although her family has some abilities, they are not harmonious.

"The last time His Majesty was ill, she had already revealed her ambition and dissatisfaction, and both the Supreme Lord and the Queen Mother saw it. Sooner or later, she will get into trouble and fall down."

Grandmother Jia pondered for a while before saying, "If that's the case, then we should remain calm in the face of all changes. It doesn't matter if our family falls. As long as you endure it quietly, there is still a chance!"

Yuanchun blinked her eyes, tears fell, and she hugged Grandmother Jia: "Good grandmother! You are the only one who cares about your granddaughter the most!"

Grandmother Jia sighed, touched her hair, and looked carefully at her forehead and temples. She choked with sobs and said distressedly, "How old are you? I can see silver stars in your hair!

"Good child, you have your grandmother to support you, and your brother Baoyu is also studying hard. If there really comes a day like that, the Jia family can still live a decent life in the hands of you two!"

Then he whispered to her about the relatives Jia Zhen had sent over, and told her the truth about Jia Zheng's broken leg. Finally, he asked her, "According to your opinion, Baoyu's marriage..."

"Baoyu's marriage won't be urgent for another three or two years." Yuanchun immediately shook her head, "Anyone who asks will say that he needs to observe mourning and study."

Grandmother Jia was stunned: "Aren't you anxious for him to have many children?"

"With our family's current situation, it's impossible for him to find a good wife. It would be best if he could pass the exam and succeed. Then, I would be able to speak in front of the Majesty," Yuanchun said casually.

Grandmother Jia's brows slightly frowned, then relaxed again, and she just smiled and nodded: "Okay, I'll listen to you, Madam."

When Tanchun was mentioned again, Yuanchun immediately waved her hand and said, "We should not care about her and Sister Lin anymore, or even have anything to do with them anymore."

Grandmother Jia was unwilling to give up after all: "Don't care? She is a girl, who knows who the Queen Mother will use her to do favors for."

Yuanchun gave Grandmother Jia a complicated look: "The Queen Mother's favor is better than ours, right? Why do we have to make her and the other two hate us?

"Grandmother, you have to let go when you have to. If you really make them lose all their relationship with our family, who will support you if something happens to me in the palace?"

"Great uncle? My father? Baoyu? Lian'er?

"No more. There is no one else. Don't offend them again. Just listen to my advice."

offend? !

Jia's mother's pupils shrank slightly, and she lowered her eyelids for a long time. The veins on the back of her hand holding the cane bulged, but a smile appeared on her face: "Okay, don't offend them."

After lunch, the women took their leave.

Following their footsteps as they left the palace, Fengzao Palace gave away some gifts to Li Wan, Wang Xifeng, Shi Xiangyun, Jia Xichun and Jia Lan from Rongguo Mansion, as well as Princess Zhaoqing, Princess Yimin and Master Miaoyu from Lin Mansion.

On August 13, Daiyu went to the palace to express her gratitude.