Chapter 196

The descendants of the two mansions, who were still a bit numb in their ears a moment ago, all shuddered when they heard this harsh singing report.

Wasn't the spring sacrifice grace silver already awarded before the New Year? Even if Lady Du was a newly granted imperial title, which day couldn't this additional grace silver be awarded? Why choose today?

Who gave those guys in the Ministry of Rites the guts to step on the fire? Isn't this clearly trying to cause trouble?

Everyone looked toward the outside of the ritual gate of the ancestral hall with blank or even terrified expressions...

……

West of the Divine Capital, Muni Nunnery.

Jia Cong knelt before Lady Du's imperial spirit tablet, while Zhi Shao and Wu'er burned paper money on the side, and Qingwen and Zhen Ying Lady Lian placed sacrificial offerings on the altar, lighting incense and candles.

Zhi Shao saw Jia Cong quietly facing his deceased mother's spirit tablet, lost in thought, his face without sorrow or joy, and didn't know what he was thinking, feeling pity in her heart.

She walked over and knelt beside him, putting her hands together, silently chanting scriptures to Lady Du's spirit tablet:

"Deeply taking refuge in the Buddha's place, thus obtaining this light; after seeing those various colors and appearances, making the heart fearful and having nothing to rely on; all the darkness is illuminated, and all the sufferings of hell are extinguished..."

Jia Cong felt a warmth in his heart when he heard this.

"Since coming to the mansion, I have missed my hometown and father, and have had many worries. Thanks to Third Brother's constant comfort and care over the years, I have lived much happier, and even my tears have become fewer. Third Brother's kindness to me... I remember it all in my heart."

At this time, Juan'er reported from outside that Lin Meimei had come.

Jia Cong breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Lin Meimei shouldn't have come; it's just causing you trouble."

Amidst the murmuring chanting, the fearful and depressed mood of the past few days gradually softened and calmed down, and a sense of tranquility and flawlessness arose in the Buddha hall.

Jia Cong's heart trembled when he heard her suddenly reveal her inner thoughts, her voice soft and dense with infatuation.

Jia Cong's heart was agitated, and he stood up to greet her.

Lin Daiyu smiled and said, "Why shouldn't I come? My mother also passed away early, and my father is far away. Speaking of which, I am the same as Third Brother. Others might not come, but I must."

Hearing Zi Juan replied, "Third Master, the young lady asked Aunt Wang to rent a carriage outside and didn't use the mansion's carriage. The mansion doesn't know the young lady has left the mansion."

Lin Daiyu was a young lady of a wealthy family; there was no reason for her to go out alone. How could she come to the Muni Nunnery, and how could the Old Lady agree?

If Jia Mu knew that Lin Daiyu had come to the Muni Nunnery today, it would be very unfavorable for Lin Daiyu. He really didn't want her to get involved in his affairs.

Jia Cong asked urgently, "Why did Lin Meimei come? Did you take the mansion's carriage?"

Lin Daiyu was saying this when she suddenly discovered that Hearing Zi Juan, Zhi Shao, and others had left the Buddha hall at some point, leaving only her and Jia Cong.

"Third Brother has been studying poetry and books diligently all these years, seeking a foothold and doing so many glorious things. I have seen it all in my eyes and admire it in my heart."

Seeing Lin Daiyu wearing a white silk bamboo-leaf-patterned high-collared shirt, a light purple skirt embroidered with plum blossoms, her hair simply tied into a bun, she looked elegant, beautiful, and moving.

Hearing Lin Daiyu say again, "Today is the day of the spring sacrifice, and my aunt has been newly granted an imperial title. She should have enjoyed the glory of incense, but she is enshrined in loneliness in a Buddhist nunnery. I think Third Brother must be feeling unfair in his heart.

Not knowing what she thought of, her face turned slightly red, and she said, "Although the Old Lady loves me, I am not a person of this family after all. Living in another's house, like today's family sacrifice, I am ultimately just an outsider."

Jia Cong saw Zhi Shao kneeling beside him, her posture moving, her pretty face full of charm, her expression pious, her mouth chanting scriptures, and a warmth arose in his heart.

Jia Cong didn't believe his ears and asked again, "Who did you say came?"

Her breath was like orchids, her waist was slender, and she was as beautiful as jade, revealing a fairy-like and moving bearing.

Juan'er replied, "Lin Meimei brought Sister Hearing Zi Juan and Aunt Wang to the Muni Nunnery. They just stopped the carriage outside the temple gate and are about to come in."

"I was really worried, so I came to see Third Brother and also pay homage to my aunt. A man should be open and honest; even if there are some setbacks, they will always pass, so Third Brother doesn't need to take them to heart."

Jia Cong heard her words of concern and gentle persuasion, and thought of her as a young lady of a wealthy family who had never left the mansion so recklessly alone before, but because she was worried about him, she did it without hesitation.

He felt as if his heart had been soaked in warm water, indescribably warm and sunny.

He stepped forward, took Lin Daiyu's hand, and said, "I will remember your intention of coming to the Muni Nunnery today for the rest of my life."

Lin Daiyu was held by his hand, her pretty face blushing with shame, but she didn't struggle. Her bright eyes like water looked at him, then she lowered her eyes, her mouth curling slightly, as if containing a smile.

"You, I'm afraid there won't be few people you remember in the future. If you see other sisters or young ladies, you might not remember me, this younger sister."

Jia Cong was stunned when he heard this; Lin 'Sharp-tongued' really lived up to her reputation.

Lin Daiyu saw his expression, pursed her lips and smiled, pulled her hand from his palm, took three incense sticks from the incense burner, lit them, and inserted them into the incense burner.

Then she knelt on the prayer mat before Lady Du's spirit tablet and kowtowed respectfully three times.

……

Ningguo Mansion, Jia family ancestral hall.

Jia Zhen, Jia Zheng, and others all changed their faces when they heard the servant's singing report.

The two hurriedly rushed out to greet the official from the Ministry of Rites, seeing an official from the Ministry of Rites wearing fifth-rank ceremonial clothes, holding a tray with a bright yellow silk bag on it.

Written on the silk bag were the words 'Additionally bestowing the spring sacrifice fixed-rate grace silver to Lady Du, the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch of the Lady Rongguo Mansion'.

The spring sacrifice grace silver every year was issued by the Sacrificial Office of the Ministry of Rites before New Year's Eve to the nobles and high officials in the capital, used for sacrificing to the ancestors of nobles and high officials, to show the Emperor's great grace and glory.

When encountering newly deceased nobles, or posthumously granted filial titles like Jia Cong's biological mother Lady Du, additional spring sacrifice grace silver would also be bestowed, but it was not a fixed rule and was between being bestowable and not.

It would be one thing for the Ministry of Rites to bestow grace silver, but why choose this day? Anyone who said it was unintentional would not believe it.

In recent days, the rumor that Jia Cong's biological mother's spirit tablet was difficult to enter the Jia family ancestral hall had been spreading in the streets. Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, and others knew about this, but it was just the chatter of ordinary people; although it didn't sound good, they didn't take it too seriously.

Now with this posture, it seemed something was going to happen.

At this time, the matter of the Ministry of Rites suddenly bestowing spring sacrifice silver on Lady Du also spread to the female family members who were sacrificing in the inner hall. Jia Mu's face turned pale when she heard it.

The servants outside the ritual gate suddenly sang out one after another:

"The Prince of Ning's Mansion's attendant received the order to offer sacrificial gifts to the spirit tablet of the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch, fulfilling the friendship of colleagues with the Assistant Official..."

"Official Yang of the Left Temple of the Court of Judicial Review offers sacrificial gifts to the spirit tablet of the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch, fulfilling the friendship of colleagues with the Assistant Official..."

"Gu Hongwen, the eldest son of the Minister's Mansion, offers sacrificial gifts to the spirit tablet of the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch, fulfilling the friendship of family friends..."

"Shi Bingyi, the eldest son of the Marquis of Marquis Zhongjing, offers sacrificial gifts to the spirit tablet of the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch, fulfilling the friendship of family friends..."

"Liu Qiong, the second grandson of the Liu residence on Mount Mount Luocang, offers sacrificial gifts to the spirit tablet of the fifth-rank lady of the First Branch, fulfilling the friendship of the same school with the Assistant Official..."

……

The branch descendants outside the main hall heard the singing report outside, and everyone who sent sacrificial gifts was actually for that newly posthumously granted fifth-rank imperial title of the First Branch, and everyone looked surprised and whispered to each other.

And Jia Zheng, Jia Zhen, and others in the main hall heard this series of sacrificial gifts, as if they had been discussed in advance, all coming for Jia Cong's biological mother Lady Du, and their faces became more and more ugly.

Every time the servant sang out, their hearts twitched violently.

Even the Prince of Ning sent sacrificial gifts. Jia Zheng knew that Jia Cong and the Prince of Ning had worked together in Jinling, but as a Prince, offering sacrificial gifts, wasn't this face a bit too big?

There was only one Minister surnamed Gu in the whole court, and that was the Minister of War, Gu Guo Yankui, one of the heads of the Six Ministries. How did he have a friendship with Jia Cong?

And the official position of the Court of Judicial Review was also very important.

There was even the Marquis of Marquis Zhongjing Mansion. Was he specifically here to tear down his aunt's stage...

The news reached the place where the female family members were sacrificing in the inner hall. Jia Mu heard it and her face turned ashen, and she fell onto the prayer mat.

(End of chapter)